It is arguably the best style season of the year. Fall. Cool enough to wear layers and perhaps mix in some patterns, but not so bitter that the goal is to ward off hypothermia instead of looking your best. Boots, suits, outerwear and more. It’s a good time. Yet for most of the Northern hemisphere right now, Fall? Feels like it’s nowhere close to arriving.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t look forward a bit. Or a lot. Here’s the very beginnings of this year’s affordable men’s style autumnal crop, long before harvest season gets underway. As always, the new arrivals usually take a little while to drop in price, so keep that in mind.
Whoa. Budget single monks, complete with a medallion toe AND they’re available in burgundy? Bravo Banana Republic. Should drop further with codes, as long as they’re not excluded as a “BRPICK” in the future. Currently the 25% off code BRSAVE is working on them, but 25% for Banana Republic is an awfully stingy code. The bar is usually 30% off, with 40% off happening from time to time. Italian leather. Also available in “chestnut” as well as black. Expect a full in-person in the coming week or so.
Spendy for just a blazer, but the Italian “soft tweed” really is something else. No roughness to it, but still has a good visual texture. Plus, it moves great. The Havana is a great fit for colder weather blazers, with the patch pockets and half-lining.
These things were a revelation last year. Now, they are NOT thick. Don’t think that they will be. But while they are thin, they’re also surprisingly durable. Not like super cheap merino sweaters from other retails that feel like they might pop a stitch every time you pull them over your head. Tons of colors. Will go on sale from time to time. Super easy to layer (due to the lack of bulk) and trim in fit. Size shown above is a medium on 5’10” / 185.
Remember when it was cold enough to wear gloves? Made in New York out of Cone Mills selvage and ultra soft deer hide. A great looking, tough, transitional glove. Sold and ships via Huckberry.
These are gonna be a love it or hate it pair of shades. Matte rubber black frames give them an almost technical look, but the shape is more retro 70s racing shades than traditional aviator. Ships and returns free via Nordstrom.
Expect a US release date via Netflix in (please let it be early) 2016. It is as sinister as it is beautiful. Classic anti-hero stuff, and Cillian Murphy is Thomas Shelby from the jump. Y’know how in Casino Royale… it takes a little while for you to believe Daniel Craig is Bond? That’s not the case here. Murphy was made for the role. Or the role was made for him. Tom Hardy is also brilliant in the second season. Here’s to the third season. And let them take as much time as they need to get it right. Because season 1 and 2 were downright perfect.
Those Suitsupply Havana fits at the top of the post wayyyyyy too spendy? Understood. The budget option would be from UNIQLO. Wool blend, nicely affordable, and the sleeves have non-functioning buttons for easy tailoring. Be warned though: they can be awfully short in the tail. UPDATE: Reader Paul sent in this disappointing observation after picking up the dark grey option: These have functioning sleeve buttons. The hell? That’s going to be a dealbreaker for many.
Good gracious. Recently introduced exclusively to the Amazon run EastDane.com. Simple design. Just one large interior pocket. Cut from Oxblood cowhide and made in Britain.
A perfect looking house-sweater. All cotton, shawl collar, and those familiar flecks from marled yarn. Usually $118, but now 25% off with the code SHOPMORE, which gets you 25% off $100+ or 30% off $200+. Lots of exclusions though.
Not quite suit worthy, but with its slim and smooth sole, it’ll do more than fine with a bunch of smart casual stuff. A little bit darker in person than shown here. Drops to $117.60 if you’re a cardmember and use the code BRCARD. Otherwise, currently 25% off w/ BRSAVE.
Not available yet, but they have appeared in product images for other products. They put out a lightweight wool blend topcoat every single year. The good: it’s inexpensive and usually fits extremely well. The bad: Unless you’re layering, heavily, they’re not really great for anything 20 degrees or below. They are NOT the warmest thing in the world. But… they look great.
Tactleneck! Well, it’s not black… so… not really. But still. Turtlenecks ain’t for everyone. They can go wrong in a hurry. But if you like em’, then this might be one worth a bit of an investment. 100% merino wool, Made in Italy. Eighty bucks isn’t cheap for a sweater, but all merino and made in Italy isn’t half bad for that price.
A fine shade of fall appropriate green. Should make for a great (but not obnoxious) injection of color among your navy and grey blazers and sportcoats. And if it’s anything like their blue Italian cotton sportcoat from the spring, then it’ll walk the line between casual and dressy extremely well.
Now available for pre-order, but won’t ship until November. Two different case colors. Two different dial colors. Bunch o’ strap options. And for those that prefer a more classic diameter (or, have smaller wrists that demand it), these are now in a noticeably smaller than most, 36mm diameter. Great looking hands too.
The look of a tweed suit without the cost of wool. Plus if it’s brushed cotton, it’s gonna feel like flannel. Might be a real winner on the coldest of days. Should drop further in price with codes.
A staple for many guys once the weather cools off, saturated 5-pockets like these slim canvas pants walk the line between chinos and dark denim. Currently labeled as a”hot deal” on Old Navy’s website, they might get excluded from codes for a bit. But their new shades are perfect for the upcoming cooler weather.
A cosine curve quilted jacket. Or would that be a sine curve? Beats me. Anyway, a light jacket with a bit more visual interest than a standard harrington or windbreaker. Appears to have some (faux?) suede details as well. Ships and returns for free.
Lots of potential. 100% wool, appears to be a 2/3 roll lapel, and the minimal construction is a welcome change from BR. Usually their blazers are fully lined, and often done so with polyester. Doesn’t appear to be the case with this felt-grey number. Drops to $175 if you’re a cardmember and use the code BRCARD.
Or, in “Bangor Moss” or “Seattle Dark Roast” or “Monterey Redwood” or… you get the idea. Three times the cost of the Old Navy five pockets, but if you appreciate the Bonobos Fit(s), and the fact that these are made in the USA, then worth a look.
Oddly enough, these aren’t on the Allen Edmonds website. They only seem to be available through Club Monaco? And that’s not necessarily a bad thing either. Club Monaco will run codes every once in a while that can be applied to their shoe selection. And if by some chance these things end up in the sale section? Then they might be able to be nabbed up for a steal. Keep an eye out.
Just did a full in-person on this one, but it still belongs in the most tempting new fall arrivals. Crisp enough to drape decently and look good, but not so dressed up that it can’t be worn casually with jeans and an OCBD. Now an extra 30% off with the code BANANAS, which also tacks on free shipping. Code expires today, 8/10/15.
These are in a product shot for a pair of wool dress pants, but don’t appear for sale on the site quite yet? Regardless, if they are going to be a future addition, they look pretty slick. And knowing Banana Republic, you should be able to buy them for the low $100s (if not less) with codes and sales. More on Chelsea Boots over here.
Not even available yet? Got an early sniff of this one, and it looks very promising. Stand by for an in-person as well as a giveaway in this month’s best bets for $75 or less. Big fan of the hands and indices on this one.
Back is the more subtle buttons and flap pockets. Also back is the mind-blowingly soft, super 130s merino wool from Loro Piana. Might be tough to get a code to work on these. J. Crew probably knows what it has with these blazers. Nice to see that they’ve made it in not just their Ludlow cut, but also the Crosby, which is cut a bit fuller in certain areas for the thicker fellas. Unfortunately, these things have been excluded from all codes so far. Fingers crossed that changes.
To celebrate their 80th anniversary, Penguin is releasing this box set of selections from 80 of their published works. At around 60 pages each, they’re perfect for closing your eyes, picking one at random, then getting a taste of the original work. Authors range from Oscar Wilde to Aesop, Darwin to HG Wells. Plus, they look fantastic. Their US release is set for November 24th, which is a perfect time of year to pour a drink and sink into a favorite space.
A couple years back The Camlin was JCP’s first cheap-boot home run. Then it went extinct and we haz sad. But last year they unexpectedly brought back a smoother sole (but still grippy) version called the Deacon, as well as a black cap toe boot called the Gunner. Do it again JC Penney. Do. it. again. (NOTE: The Gunner is still available in some sizes, but going for $100 before any codes.)
Not cheap. But if Brooks Brothers runs another “5 days of giving” week in early December, then it could drop into the… still expensive but maybe somewhat more attainable range. This is a knit sportcoat, so it’s somewhere in-between a true sportcoat and a sweater that’s cut to look like a sportcoat. Italian Merino. And get a load of those peak lapels. Laid back luxury.
Obligatory. World Premier is in London on Monday, October 26th. For the rest of us, we have to wait until Friday, November 6th.
Hot toddys, whiskey slings, etc, Makes you almost want to catch a cold. Almost.
15% off select Ray-Bans with free shipping & free returns at Nordstrom.
Core line suits. Dress Shoes. Black Tie. Casual stuff. Giving Spier's Anniversary sale the 5…
Spending a bit more, but not nearly "I got the Mi6 credit card" levels.
007? More like $0.07. Not that cheap, but the focus is firmly fixed on affordability.…
There's a pretty solid stunner of a stacking (Italian made) suit sale at Brooks Brothers.
Five style scenarios mined from BR's quiet 30% off code.