Welcome to “What I Wear to Work.” A series on, you guessed it, who wears what to work. Would you like to be featured? See the bottom of this post for instructions. Carlon is an administrator & teacher at a private Catholic High School in Texas. Part of his job is coordinating global student exchange programs and service-learning trips. The students travel roughly three weeks out of the school year, and part of his job is to either travel with the students, or, go to the locations in advance to scout them out. While not at work, Carlon parents two amazing daughters.
The Sportcoat: Banana Republic Slim Linen-Cotton Blazer – $149.40 when 40% off ($249). I’m actually wearing the J. Crew Italian cotton option in “Caspian Blue” at the top of the post, but that seems to have been discontinued? And the rest of their medium blue sportcoats seem to be all but sold out? Musta been the recent long weekend sales. This linen/cotton “boat blue” option from Banana Republic is close enough. I actually think this color is more versatile than it’s sometimes given credit for. I can wear it with most everything. Also, I live in Texas and it gets hot! So, the lack of a full lining is the best.
The Watch: Tissot Le Loche Powermatic 80 Automatic – $389. A wedding gift from the best wife who ever lived. I wear this watch almost every day. I love how it can seem both a classic dress watch when I wear a suit and a casual watch when I dress down.
The Shoes: Carmina Shoemaker Chelsea Boots – $500. Though certainly considered pricey, the EE standard rain and inca lasts of Carmina fit my feet like a glove. Very nice leather and well-made Spanish shoes. You can sometimes get good deals on Black Friday ordering direct. I discovered Carmina shoes while on a trip with students to Spain. I saw their big store in Madrid on Gran Via and have loved the shoes ever since.
The Pants: Bonobos Stretch Chinos – $70.40 w/ ECLIPSE20 ($88). Though I don’t buy Bonobos as much as I did before they sold to WalMart, I haven’t found any pants that fit as well as they do. They really thread the needle between American billowy chinos and European “very slim” fit. Comfort is worth the price.
The Shirt: Charles Tyrwhitt White Button Down – $79. When bought on sale, which if you’re familiar with Charles Tyrwhitt, you know sales are seemingly perpetually running, then these shirts are a great value.
The Socks: Happy Socks – $14. Usually cheaper at Nordstrom Rack if they’re in stock online or at your local brick and mortar (if you’re lucky enough to have a Nordstrom Rack near you). Socks are one of those things you can save bundles on if you know where to shop.
The Underwear: Exofficio – $17ish. Part of my job as a global educator is travelling two to three times a year, and Ex Officio gets it done while on the road. I discovered these when researching the best undergarments for travel. But now, I wear them daily. Worth the extra $$, especially if you live in a hot climate.
A huge thank you to Carlon for not just submitting his What I Wear to Work, but for also being a teacher! Head over to LinkedIn to discuss this with your coworkers or follow Dappered if you want to see these in your feed. If you want to take this for a spin, send an email to joe@dappered.com with who you are, what you do, and what you’d like to submit. To be featured, we’ll need a picture of you at work, as well as the details on what you’re wearing/usually wear on the job. Final image will have to be cropped down to 1500—840 pixels, so, keep that in mind when shooting. Landscape mode please, and let’s keep anything from the chin up out of it. Note that sending an email with your picks and a pic doesn’t guarantee publishing. Be yourself! And get your employer’s permission if you’re gonna get specific with your place of work.