Consider these to be power rankings. Whether you’re looking for gift ideas or a quick upgrade for yourself, expect these to come around about once a month. You’ll find new arrivals and old favorites, especially good deals, or maybe something pricey to keep an eye on for future sales. The potential best of the best, which you may or may not have seen already. Got a tip on something that deserves to end up in the monthly Most Wanted? Send those in here.
Summerweight Chinos from JCF or B.R. – $29.50 – $40.00
Do ultralight weight chinos wrinkle more than their thicker counterparts? Yes. Is trading a few more wrinkles for lighter, breezier pants worth it during the dog days? You bet it is. If you haven’t given summerweight chinos a shot, do it. Best I’ve found so far are the options from J. Crew Factory and the new Banana Republic Emerson. Both are noticeably lighter than standard chinos, and even some other pants that are labeled as “lightweight.” Shown above is the JCF Sutton fit (left) and the BR Emerson (middle and right) size 33×30 on 5’10” / 185.
Shwood “Ainsworth” Polarized Sunglasses – $89.98
A little funky? Yes. But they might be a solid alternative to the outrageously expensive (and damn fine looking) and freshly redesigned Persol PO8649S. No, they’re not dead ringers in terms of the design, but they’re kinda sorta maybe in the ballpark. Plus, they’re polarized, made in Oregon, and in the double digits dollar range instead of triple. Note that they are a bit on the smaller side, so if you possess a gourd on top of your neck, might want to look elsewhere.
Whatever this Banana Republic Sportcoat is – $$$???
Saw this in a promo email a couple weeks back, with some of the copy reading “We’re always fans of plaid. In 100% Linen? Obsessed.” Well okay then. But it wasn’t on the site then, and it hasn’t hit their website since. It’s almost certainly fully lined and comes with functional sleeve buttons (both not great choices for most of us)… but what if it doesn’t? And where is it?
The Botanist Islay Gin – $37.99
This one is a bit tough to describe, aside from it being really… really good. (Specific, right?) The difficulty comes from the fact that they take the usual 9 botanicals found in gin (juniper, coriander, etc), then dump in an extra twenty two botanicals found on the Scottish island of Islay. Yep, the same area of the world where peat smoke and salty sea air emanate from their scotch whiskey (think Laphroaig). But this is gin, and it’s clean, bright, but doesn’t lean too hard in the citrus or pine or floral direction. It does it all, at once, while still remaining on the lighter side. Really good with Q tonic or by itself on the rocks.
Allen Edmonds Mojave 2.0 – $189.97 ($350)
Yes, you can wear desert boots in the summer (they’re called desert boots for a reason). And a ton of american made Allen Edmonds Mojave 2.0 have hit Nordstrom Rack’s online site for almost half off. Ships free since they’re over a hundred bucks, and return for free as long as you can get them to a Nordstrom Rack Brick and mortar. Huge thanks to reader Xing for the tip!
BONUS: A Marine, Steel, or Medium Blue 4-season Wool Suit
- Spier and Mackay Ocean or Steel Blue Wool Suit – $360ish USD ($468 CAD)
- Suitsupply Lazio Fit Blue Suit – $399
- J. Crew Factory Thompson Fit Marina Blue Suit Jacket & Pant – $299
Perfect for evening, summertime weddings. The lighter-than-navy shade nods towards the season, while the year round wool is much more appropriate than seersucker or linen for after dark.
Want more most wanted? Click here for the top 5 most wanted lists from previous months.