Seventy Five dollars. That’s a lot of money. It’ll get you a couple pairs of Levi’s
J. Crew Tipped Wool Pocket Square in Green – $14.99 FINAL w/ SHOPNOW
Big fan of this thing. Wool from Italy that has a nice weight to it. Cream (instead of bright white) border is a little more subtle. And there’s just enough fabric there that when folded, it grips the interior of a suit jacket/blazer pocket and doesn’t slide down as much as other pocket squares. Shown above with J. Crew’s summer weight Ludlow cotton/linen sportcoat. A nice jolt of a DARK color to mix in with all of the off-white, pale greys, and light blues that come with warm weather dressing. Also looks great with a navy blazer or suit.
Target Slim Fit Cable Colorblock Sweater – $24.98 ($49.99)
Throwback summer nautical style… via Target. Cable shoulders/yoke area, then stripes from the chest/upper arms down. Something you could see Hemingway or Picasso wearing. Y’know, if they ever shopped at… um… Target. 70% cotton, 26% poly, 4% spandex. Specifically labeled as a slim fit, so that’s encouraging. A measly two cents under the free shipping at $25 threshold.
Smartwool Merino Blend No-Show Socks – $13.95
The problem with most no-show socks is that they’re often made of cotton (which once it gets wet, it stays wet) and slip around, often submerging under your heel after putting them on. Both of those issues are solved with these 75% wool, 23% nylon, 2% elastane no-shows from legendary sock maker Smartwool. Each sock has a small strip of tacky (yet washable) substance on the interior of the heel, which helps keep em’ in place. And the 75% wool makeup means they’ll breathe and wick even if you’ve got super sweaty feet. Sold in multiple colors. Color (not) shown above (they’re no-show after-all.. GET IT?!?!) is the natural-heather inside Banana Republic’s “Paul” loafer in deep brown “fudge”. Widely available through Amazon. Also sold through Nordstrom (which is wear I got mine) but they’re all but sold out there.
J. Crew Factory 9″ Linen-Cotton Beach Short – $29.99
A not too short, not too long 9″ inseam. A subtle pattern. A blend of linen and cotton. What’s not to like? Not much. That’s what. So that’s why it’s surprising that these are sitting in the clearance section. Hang out for the next code and they should drop to around twenty bucks or even into the teens.
Herschel Supply Co “Novel” Duffel Bag – $71.98 ($120)
More of a gym duffel than a weekender, but it still clocks in at a decent 2,310 inches of cubic space. Not tiny, but not super expansive either. Good for an overnight, maybe two, if you pack light. One really nice design element would be the separate, walled off compartment for an extra pair of shoes. Helps keep the dirt from your soles from infiltrating the rest of the bag.
American Eagle Extreme Flex Straight-Fit Jean – $54.95
Sweet sassy-molassy. These could be perfect for those with some solid strength to their lower half. Dark wash, a straight fit (not just slim like the BR Traveler Jean) and an “extreme flex” fabric makeup of 88% Cotton, 10% Polyester, and 2% Elastane. Big time thanks to Andy S. for sending in the tip about these things.
Nordstrom 1901 Suede Wingtips – $79.90 ($110)
Something to wear with those no-show socks. Really solid quality for the price. Good feeling suede (has some nap to it, and doesn’t feel like it’s been scraped down). Traditional, buck-like red sole. A little more traditional through the toe box, but that works more than fine on a summer shoe like this. Ships and returns for free. Also made in wide widths.
Q Tonic Water – $18.54 / 12 pack
Cheap? No. Noticeably better than standard Schweppes? Absolutely. Doesn’t wallop you over the head with high fructose corn syrup like other, standard tonic waters. Much cleaner and less sweet. Sweetened with Agave Nectar. 60% fewer calories than other tonics. Makes a hell of a G&T, especially when paired with Tanqueray 10 (as shown above) or Magellan.
GAP Short Sleeve OCBD in Dot Print – $39.95
Almost completely sold out online, so either hope for a re-stock or head in to a brick and mortar to scout one out. (Or, you can always use the handy “do they have it in my size nearby?” button on the GAP website.) Lighter than normal oxford cloth. Different but not loud pattern. Tail hits just right when un-tucked and isn’t too long. Decently fitted. A great alternative to wearing a polo. Size shown above is a medium.
Timex Weekender Fairfield in Grey – $75 – $79.00
Since this new, simple-as-hell, Weekender “Fairfield” collection launched, a lot of us have had our eyes on the grey leather strap / white dial / silver hands version. Clean and mean and super versatile. Too bad you can’t seem to FIND THE DAMN THING ANYWHERE. Sold out / hasn’t ever even been in stock at Timex. Not on Amazon (yet). Only place it seems to be available is through the UK Based END. clothing for $79. And to get it, you’ll have to spend an arm and a leg on shipping. So it’s out there. Somewhere. And we’ll have to be patient. 41mm case diameter.
For other Best Bets under $75 from previous months, click here.