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. Those of us who worship the colder months know this day very well. It’s that odd day in August where somehow, by the grace of the jetstream or a rogue pressure system… the temps might just barely crack 80. Here’s to hoping you get one of those soon, if you haven’t had it already. And here’s what you might want to consider wearing on that gloriously sweat-free day.
The Sportcoat: Brooks Brothers Italian Linen Unconstructed Sportcoat – $224 ($448). Or, whatever your preferred light in weight and color sportcoat/blazer happens to be. Been wearing the hell out of this thing, all summer long, and it’s become a go-to. Good to see they’ve got plenty of sizes left in case you want to jump on one here at the end of the season. And yes, you can wear it with jeans, so there’s some time left to wear it for sure. Perfect for this break-in-the-heat outfit. Still lightweight and breezy up top, and goes great with the dark denim on the bottom.
The Shirt: Nordstrom Smartcare Trim Fit Dress Shirt – $55.00. Or, whatever your favorite pale blue dress shirt happens to be. Make it a poplin, not an oxford cloth. You still want to keep it light and cool here.
The Watch: Timex Waterbury Blue Dial/Strap Chrono – $77.84. An underrated model from the Waterbury line. No, it’s not a redwing, but the strap is decent enough. Shades of a Tag Heurer Monaco too. Y’know, with a round case and what not.
The Sunglasses: Suncloud “Motorway” in Black & Silver – $59.95. Been pushing these a lot lately. And for good reason. They’re built well, they’re fairly priced. Plus, they balance the retro looks of a Ray-Ban Clubmaster with more modern angles & lines.
The Briefcase: Herring Aldgate – $126 ($167). Could be a fantastic deal… but it’s not without risk. Ships from the UK so you’ll have to shell out for that international shipping. Plus… returns. Would be an expensive pain. Full review on the brief can be found here.
The Jeans: Levi’s 514 in Tumbled Rigid – $39.99. Or, whatever your favorite pair of dark denim happens to be. Just go with something that’s been worn and washed a bit. Not a stiff, raw selvedge. Again, we’re balancing looking forward to fall, but also want to not burn up. It might not be 100 degrees on this particular day, but it ain’t gonna be 55 and cloudy either.
The Shoes: H&M Premium Quality Suede Chukkas – $79.99. They might list them as a “desert boot,” but the trim shape and slim sole (not crepe) means you can easily dress these things up with dark jeans and a sportcoat. Almost certainly made in Portugal.
The Belt: GAP Basic Leather Belt in Light Brown – $39.95. One of GAP’s best products, now in a lighter shade of brown. And no, you don’t have to match suede shoes to a suede belt. Smooth leather works fine. And if you’ve already got a dark brown belt that you like to wear with jeans? That’s fine here too.