10 Best Bets for $75 or Less – Fall Layers, Inexpensive Topcoats, Amazon Based Casual Goods, & More

Seventy Five bucks. That’s a lot of money. It’ll get you a couple pairs of Levi’s, a decent casual dinner out, or a couple months at your local gym. Ten picks follow, all for $75 or under, with some of them much, much less. Expect these round-ups on a monthly basis. Got a tip on something for under $75? Send those in to joe@dappered.com.

 

B.R. Cotton Cable-Knit Shawl-Collar Cardigan – $77.40 w/ BRGET40 ($129)

Close enough to the $75 limit. And drops under the limit for cardmembers when they stack the extra 10% off code BRCARD. Cotton. Not wool. But some people prefer cotton. Whether it’s due to allergies or an itch factor or whatever. And that texture. Hot dang.

 

L.E. Straight Fit Moleskin 5 Pockets – $41.97 w/ YELLOW & 2056 ($69.95)

Honestly one of the best things Lands’ End makes. Dense but not weighty, 98% cotton / 2% spandex, suede-like moleskin pants. And in a versatile 5-pocket style. Available in either the rich “umber” shown above, or a dark charcoal gray.

 

Amazon Goodthreads Lightweight Slub Henley – $20 – $24

Lightweight, slub jersey cotton. A bunch of colors to pick from. Ships fast and free being that you have to have Prime to access this Amazon only brand. What’s not to like? Perfect for fall layering.

 

Allen Edmonds Suede Waterproof Spray – $8.50 ($10)

Protect yer suede. Suede isn’t as fragile as most think it is… you just have to treat it properly. I’ve always had luck with AE’s suede spray. It goes on cleanly, doesn’t seem to change the color of the suede (test a small part or cheaper shoes first though, please) and doesn’t turn the shoe into a suffocating, non breathable brick. Quiet the opposite in fact. Science!

 

Napoleon: A Life – $13.59

Something to work your way through over the long, cold winter. Napoleon Bonaparte (or, Napoleone di Buonaparte when he was born on Corsica), was one of the very few who lived a life that could make a 976 page biography feel like it’s moving fast. From his earliest upbringings and what drove the making of his foundations, to his conquering of enormous parts of the earth, to his death on tiny St. Helena. If someone wrote a character like this in fiction, nobody would believe it. (photo credit: D. Allen.) 

 

J. Crew Ludlow Leather Blackwatch Gloves – $63.70 w/ FLASH ($98)

Calfskin leather on one side, blackwatch wool on the other. Smartphone compatible index fingers. Code is good for 35% off through tomorrow, 10/17.

 

Target Goodfellow & Co Wool Blend Topcoat – $79.99

Lots of class, not a lot of dollars. 57% Wool, 33% Polyester, 6% Nylon, 4% “other.” And check out that pattern. Just over the $75 limit now, but Target runs sales every now and then, so it should drop in due time. Also shown at the top of the post.

 

TheTieBar “Stillhouse” Plaid Suede & Wool Belt – $35

All sorts of fall textures here. Suede up front with a plaid wool wrap around. 1.25″ wide.

 

Clontarf Irish Whiskey – $20ish

Skip that Proper 12 nonsense. Is Clontarf fantastically complex? No. An amazing value for twenty bucks a bottle? Absolutely. Silky smooth. So much so that the mouth feel is much easier than other 40% ABV whiskeys (40% isn’t uncomfortably hot by any stretch, but still, 40% ABV isn’t beer). Aged in bourbon barrels, and a little bit of that woody/earthiness comes through in the flavor. But it’s an Irish through and through. Slightly sweet with a mix of herbal, grain, and a hint of citrus. Not much of a nose on this one. Which somehow only makes it easier to drink. And that’s dangerous. Jameson Gold Reserve is pricey as hell (but awfully good), Bushmills 16 is nice, but it’s on the thin side, and you also have to wonder if there’s been some color added to it for effect. Teeling is a terrific addition to the Irish Market, but the rum aging leans toward the sweeter side. Clontarf is whiskey. Irish Whiskey. Smoother than regular ol’ Jameson, with a little less sweet, and a little more chew in the flavor profile.

 

Totes Auto-Open Wooden Handle Umbrella – $20

Weather’s comin’. Mrs. Dappered and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary earlier this year. We bought a pair of these on our wedding day at the last minute because it was threatening to rain, and the ceremony was outdoors. While it didn’t rain, we’ve had these ever since. And used them. And they’re still going strong. JUST LIKE THE MARRIAGE RIGHT SWEETS? AWWWWwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww…

For other Best Bets under $75 from previous months, click here.