Style Scenario: Casual but not Sloppy, Winter into Spring

What are you going to wear? Sometimes it’s good to look at a few suggestions then add your own tweaks and ideas. That’s what these are for. Early March can be all over the place in terms of temperatures. So keeping one foot in winter, but stepping forward into spring can be difficult. Here’s one way to do it. Yes, we’re going for lots of black here. It’s nowhere near warm enough to make a difference, so why not? Good for hanging around the house after work/class, heading to a casual coffee date, or getting a couple beers with your pals for the game/fight. Sure it’s casual, but the sharpness of the black, white, & grey keeps it clean. Less, often times, is more.

The Polo: Banana Republic Luxe Touch Piped Polo – $49.50. All cotton with a silky feel, and that white piping around the collar will jump out from under the shawl collar cardigan. Almost always on sale.

The Sweater: Claiborne Chunky Cotton Shawl Collar Cardigan – $23.99. Think of it as somewhere between a sweater and outerwear for the season. Shawl collar keeps your neck warm, as well as the polo collar in check, while the cardigan style allows you to take it off easily if it gets warm. No pulling a crewneck or v-neck over your head and getting crazy static hair. UDATE: And those are all but sold out. Nordstrom Rack has a similar option from the brand 7 Diamonds for about fifty bucks.

The Watch & Strap: Casio Diver – $40.99 + Heavy Duty Nato Strap – $17.49. A perfect combo for this casual/rugged/sleek lookin’ combination.

The Sunglasses: Brooks Brothers Black Fleece Aviators – $59.68 ($198). Brooks Brothers has cleared all but some straggling remains of their high end/high fashion “Black Fleece” line. Surprised to see these still kicking around for sixty bucks. Made in Italy.

The Shoes: Puma Suede S – $29.99 – $39.99. Solidly built, basic shape, and the grey suede uppers w/ white soles makes for a very versatile combination. Do note that some people don’t like the insoles, which have a slightly raised “puma” logo/reverse stamp to them. They feel a little odd when you first get em’ on, but I’ve got a pair, and don’t notice any sort of discomfort.

The Jeans: Old Navy Built-In Flex Athletic-Fit Jeans – $39.94. 96% cotton, with the rest being a blend of 3% poly and 1% spandex for increased stretch. Not as stretchy as the BR Traveler jean, but the fabric does have a much more pronounced “spring” than all cotton jeans.

The Notebook Cover/Wallet: FFF Field Notes Wallet in Super Fuzz Suede – $108. For the note takers/idea jotters, etc… Brilliantly designed field notes cover complete with a fisher space pen & holder for said pen. Slots inside the cover hold cards and cash if you so desire to make use of em’.

The Belt: Suitsupply Green Suede Woven Belt – $39. Unique without going over the top. Ships & returns free.

The Socks: Calibrate Colorblock Socks – $12.50. Bold? Or Tonal? Why not have both? Ships and returns free since it’s Nordstrom.

Note: That shawl collar in the very top, header image is actually the J. Crew textured cotton crew from last year. Sadly, it’s no longer available. But the Claiborne should make for a solid (and much cheaper) alternative.