Sure it’s just stuff. But stuff can make life easier, more enjoyable, etc… Every so often we ask one of our favorite, style-appreciating people to rattle off their five favorite things. Sometimes those things will fit into the realm of “affordable,” and sometimes they won’t. We’re going for the favorites here.
The team at Style Girlfriend makes it very clear. They are not a fashion blog. So what are they? They’re “a lifestyle level-upper—here to help you not only dress with more style, but to live with more style.” It’s men’s style from a woman’s perspective, and their smart advice, on-point suggestions, and 21st century perspective extends far beyond your wardrobe.
Created in 2011, Style Girlfriend has grown from a one woman project into a full blown web magazine and styling service, run by the #SGarmy of editors and stylists. For 5 favorites we’re asking the head honcho (honchess?) and creator, Megan Collins, for her personal picks.
As is always the case with our 5 Favorites series, nobody is paying us to be featured (which is our standard policy,) and we determine who gets a spot. To ratchet up the difficulty level for those participating who happen to represent a men’s style company on some level (CEOs, designers, owners, etc.,) those types are allowed to pick just one item from their place of work.
Penfield Rockford Down Jacket – $235.00
“While I’m anxiously dreading New York City’s first winter snowstorm, I do get excited about the opportunity to add outerwear into my cold weather wardrobe mix. I’d been eyeing this Penfield number forever and finally pulled the trigger this fall—well before I actually needed it so I’m not caught unprepared when those flakes start falling. The blue is just bright enough to stand out from the sea of black parkas you see crowding the subway platforms each morning, while the buffalo plaid detail adds just enough fun to make freezing temperatures feel a little less treacherous.”
Tom Ford Neroli Portofino (price varies by size)
“I’ve been wearing Tom Ford’s Portofino fragrance for the last year or two, and while I don’t necessarily subscribe to committing to a signature fragrance foreverrrrr, I definitely have love for this bad boy. The scent is gender neutral in the best way possible—I actually thought it was a men’s cologne for the first few months I wore it. If you’re smart, you’ll buy your lady a bottle and steal it whenever you need to spritz on a scent.”
Away Luggage Carry-on in Green – $225
“Not that your luggage needs to be ‘on-trend,’ but I do like the forest green of this carry-on suitcase from Away. You definitely won’t confuse your bag with what everyone else is pulling out of the overhead compartment when that seatbelt sign’s turned off, and the color is everywhere this fall (it might not be the new black, but the new navy? For sure). As for the luggage itself, Away is following the Warby Parker model of cutting out the middleman, making for a really high-quality product at a super-reasonable price. Take the wheels on the carry-on, which, ’til now, have only ever been used on bags close to a thousand dollars. Meaning, at $225, I’m traveling in style for a steal.”
Hypergrand Watch – $179.00
“Guys, do not sleep on these watches. Hypergrand is a still relatively new brand (they got their start in 2013) that’s still under the radar enough to feel cool telling your friends about when they admire your timepiece. Plus, it’s crazy affordable…for watches, anyway. Personally, I’m not really a ‘watch person’ so I don’t want to spend a ton of money on what’s on my wrist. If you can find a watch that looks this good for under $200, I say jump on it.”
Style Girlfriend’s new Styling Vertical
“My baby. We’ve been working for what feels like forever on launching a new offering from Style Girlfriend. Our audience has always asked for even more personalized support, and now we’ve finally figured out how to do it. And I, for one, couldn’t be more excited. Or exhausted. (Those two usually go hand in hand, right?) In addition to daily style tips, tricks, and shortcuts, guys can now text us with questions – ‘Who makes the best chinos?’ ‘I’ve got a date tonight, what should I wear?’ – and hear back from the Style Girlfriend team, all for free (and no, it’s #notabot). If you’re in NYC, you can go even farther by signing up for a closet consultation with one of our trained stylists. We’ll help you figure out what to keep, what to toss, and what’s missing from your wardrobe. Looking good has never looked so easy.”
Editor’s Note: Items in someone’s 5 favorites does not necessarily mean we here at Dappered have tested it/would have picked it. But, we really like these Guys (and Gals) and wouldn’t ask someone for their favorites unless we thought they had good judgement. Got a guest suggestion for 5 favorites? Send it to joe@dappered.com.