Brooks Brothers Summer Clearance 2016
Full honesty: At first glance? Didn’t think this was that great of a sale. Some of the prices just didn’t look as good as what they had dipped to during previous clearance events. But at second glance, Brooks Brothers certainly appears to have added new stock to their sale section (there’s just about 2000 items in there right now), and some of those items are at prices that, if memory serves, haven’t been seen before.
Again, 2000 items are in their sale section. That’s 84 pages by the way BB breaks it up. We went through all of it. As always, picks are limited to items that had at least a decent size selection at post time. And just a reminder: even though it’s on clearance, that doesn’t mean most of us would see these prices as… cheap. It’s Brooks Brothers after all, not H&M.
Made in Italy Single Monk Straps – $268.80 ($448)
Pretty sure this is as low as they’ve gone for. Sleek, slim soled single monks. Not sure how they’re welted. Maybe a blake stitch? Only available in brown. Reviews are a bit all over the place on these things.
Fitzgerald Fit Twill Suit – $299 ($498)
A classic summer suit, in their not too billowy Fitzgerald fit. One of those silhouettes that won’t ever go out of style. Just a half lined jacket too.
Milano Fit Button Down in Stripe, Linen, Check, or Border Stripe – $59
Not the cheapest for a button down, but this is their slimmest fit, AND you get that great roll of the collar as it meets the buttons. No flat, weak looking collars like you’ll find on cheaper shirts. The non-linen options are non-iron as well. Regular price on those is $92. The Linen runs $105 at retail.
Regent Fit Non-Iron Gingham Button Down – $59 ($92)
And now onto the Regent fit. It’s a step up in generosity from the Milano, but it’s not hugely overflowing as long as you’re not super slim. Some might need some tailoring at the sides. Some bigger fellas will appreciate the extra room.
Made in Italy Suede Lace-Ups – $199 ($398)
Been pushing grey suede shoes for years now, and good gracious it’d be tough to find a better looking pair. Made in Italy from Italian suede. Leather sole. Certainly looks sleeker than a traditional buck. Also available in a light “sand” shade. Too friggin’ spendy? There’s always these.
Texture Stitch Chest Stripe Shawl Collar Sweater – $84 ($168)
Great looking texture to that knit. Thicker gauge too. Preppy for sure.
Fitzgerald Fit Linen Striped Sportcoat – $224 ($448)
Lightweight but still really well made. Gets lots of play on this site, because, well, I own one, and I really like it. Non functioning sleeve buttons make for easy tailoring. Soft shoulders. Super breathable. Does wrinkle, but that’s linen. One of the season’s best sportcoats, now for half off.
Allen Edmonds Suede Wingtips – $178.80 ($298)
These have gone for less ($149 a few months back…) but still not a bad deal for a Made in America smart-casual shoe. Not really all that dressy, but would look perfect with a summer suit at a warm weather wedding. Can also pull duty with dark denim when it cools off. Made in the USA. Goodyear welted. Unlined interior so there’s less stiffness/structure. Pretty sure these are the Neumok?
Fitzgerald Fit Corduroy Sportcoat – $249 ($498)
Obviously more of a fall/winter item, but it’s surprising to see the wide size selection available at post time. Cross your fingers that this might be one of those things that dips further in price as we move on towards late summer? Butterfly yoke lining in the back.
Supima Cotton Striped Shawl Collar Cable Sweater – $84 ($168)
A 4-season sweater (if you happen to live in a place that actually cools off a bit, at night, during the summer) made from supima cotton. Cable knit plus stripes plus a shawl collar. That’s a lot of stuff going on with just one sweater, but it looks pretty well executed from here. Allegedly perfect for holding up a wall. Get that lean on Mr. Preppy man.
Fitzgerald Fit Windowpane Dinner Jacket – $299 ($498)
An interesting blend of 40% silk, 32% linen, and 28% wool. Leans more matte than shined up in person. Just size 40 and 42 regular left. Either super sharp for black tie, or total drunk uncle. Thinking there are only two camps on this one.
Merino Wool Knit Blazer w/ Peak Lapels – $199.20 ($498)
Been kicking around the BB clearance section for a while now, but… so has their Great Gatsby collection. This one isn’t that old though. Pretty sure they released it last year, and it made a few most-wanted lists after the launch. Appears to be a knit sportcoat (so, kinda like a sweater/blazer hybrid). Tail looks a tad on the short side, but that’s not always a terrible thing when it comes to more casual sportcoats, such as this.
Gingham Sport Shirt by Red Fleece – $32.50 ($65)
From their younger, trimmer fitting line. Ignore the negative reviews. They have little if nothing to do with the actual product. One guy is bitching about how he can’t figure out how to unsubscribe from the Brooks Brothers email list. Another offers up: “I WEAR A 17 NECK AND 36 SLEEVE IN A SLIM FIT.” Oh yeah? Oh yeah?? Well… I DRIVE A DODGE STRATUS. I DON’T LIKE MOSQUITOES! They aren’t even neck and sleeve measurement shirts. They’re small, medium, large, etc. The hell, people?
Fitzgerald Fit Wool Silk Plaid Sportcoat – $249 ($498)
Really nice fabric on this one. Smooth but not glossy. Goes really well with jeans and even does some work with white chinos in the summer. Shown above is a 40R on 5’10” / 185. Also shown at the top of the post.
Ribbon Stripe Belts in Burgundy or Blue/Green – $14.40 ($48)
Summery belts that you can wear into the fall if you want to add some color. Grip is pretty solid on these. Got one of them for myself a few seasons back in a different color scheme, and while it may slip a little, it doesn’t slip a ton.
No word on if/when this clearance event ends, and what’ll happen to prices once time is up.