St. Patrick’s Day 2015 – The Best of Green

Green gets hosed. Kermit knows this. For 364 days out of the year green takes a back seat to blue, black, grey, and a host of other colors. But not on St. Patrick’s day. That’s the one day when Green reigns supreme. In honor of Green and St. Patrick’s Day, here’s the annual list of green things maybe worth the green in your wallet.

 

Filson Original Briefcase – $212 ($265) | Umbrella – $86.40 ($108) w/ FRIENDS20

Both are on sale during NeedSupply Co.’s Friends & Foes sale (20% off site wide, Alden and a few other brands excluded). It can be tough to find the Made in the USA Filson original briefcases on sale, and 20% off gets them down to a very tempting low $200s price point. They’ve also got the tan, navy, brown and black in stock. Meanwhile, that umbrella is pricey. But at least the canopy is made from Filson’s cover cloth, and not some cheap synthetic like other umbrellas. Still. A triple digit umbrella is pretty instane.

 

A green tipped cotton or linen pocket square – $10.00

Adds a nice shot of alternate color if you’re doing the all blue thing. Looks plenty fine with a medium grey suit + light blue shirt too. Pictured above is an Italian linen pocket square via J. Crew that’s now sold out, but, TheTieBar has you covered for cheap.

 

A lightweight V-neck in a Dark Forest Green

A dark green sweater is an easy and perfect way to break out of the blue/grey/black rut. Dark green goes well with brown leather shoes. Dark green goes well with black leather shoes. So, there you have it. Shown above is UNIQLO’s fantastic ultra-lightweight merino v neck. Sold out for the season, but if you want something else that’ll feel warm-weather appropriate, try Banana Republic’s silk/linen V. Won’t fit as trim through the sides, but should work well for the warmer temps to come.

 

J. Crew Garment-Dye Oxford Cloth Chino in Urban Slim or 484 – $79.50

A good dash of color for the warmer weather to come, without going full Mr. Red Pants. Made from oxford cloth, so expect a softer, more lightweight feel than a standard chino fabric. Available in their Urban Slim, or SUPER slim 484 fit. Does go on sale and already has been marked down by 25% off once this season.

 

Reed’s Extra Ginger Beer – $1.49 per bottle

All right, so it’s the BOTTLE that’s green, but it’s a welcome sight now that spring is rolling around. Hugely accessible, which makes it divisive among Ginger Beer fans. Doesn’t have too much ginger spice, while the sweetness has a recognizable honey-forward element (probably because their recipe, y’know… uses honey). A great way to pace yourself over a long evening, or, something to lean on if you’re the designated driver. Watch out for your waist line though. Like most Ginger Brews, this thing has a ton of sugar in it.

 

A Green Gingham Dress Shirt

• Nordstrom Non-Iron Trim Fit Gingham Dress Shirt – $49.50
• Neiman Marcus Trim-Fit Non-Iron Two-Tone Gingham Dress Shirt – $41.30
• Ledbury Green Gingham Twill (all but sold out) – $89 ($125)
• Ratio/Clothing Green & Blue Mini Gingham – $105

Break free from the blue and white shirt tyranny! Well, to be honest, plenty of us like having mostly light blue and white shirts in our closet. But a green gingham is a great way to step outside (yet not too far outside) the box. Looks great with a navy or grey sportcoat, under sweaters, or with a solid knit tie. Button down collar or not, that’s up to you.

 

FormFunctionForm Timex Button Stud Sport in Atlantic – $98

Seventeen different Horween leathers to choose from for the band. Bands are designed, cut, and created here in the USA. Bezel on the watch is, unfortunately, stationery. Free shipping and returns on all FFF orders.

 

Beckel Canvas Made in the USA War bag – $75.00

Made in the USA from 20 oz canvas, beefy cotton webbing, and leather accents. At 2700+ cubic inches, it’s got enough space for a weekend away, yet still fits most carry-on requirements. Perfect shade of green, with the leather and cotton webbing contrast lookin’ extra sharp.

 

Bonobos Washed Chino Blazer in Dark Green – $98 ($185)

Currently available just in their “slim” cut. No “standard” fit available. And their slim is a true slim. Quite trim through the arms, and shorter in the tail than their standard blazers (appears that the model is shown wearing a slim). It’s a real laid back blazer, so a shorter if not chopped length will look just fine to some eyes. Big fan of the shade. Center vent. Unlined.

 

Striped Ribbon Belts via UNIQLO – $9.90 or Brooks Bros. – $24 ($48)

Green is not only a more subtle replacement for red with summer pants, but it accomplishes the exact same thing with belts. Still a good shock of color, but it doesn’t shout like a bright red.

 

BONUS I: Helgray Racing Mecha-Quartz Silverstone Chrono – $299

A pre-order with an estimated shipping date of June. From the same guys who did the Rosling & Co. kickstarter project. Uses the same Seiko mecha-quartz movement that’s in the Autodromo Prototipo.

Have a safe St. Patrick’s Day, and remember, Guinness trumps lite beer that’s been greened up with food coloring every single time.