The Best in Affordable Style from the Month that Was

A wise man once asked: “What the hell just happened?” And for good reason. There is value in looking back. It gives us all a good gauge as to what is good, and more importantly, what is not good, going forward. Sure, the “clip show” is mostly a cheap (affordable?) device to create new content out of already published stuff. But it’s also a good way to catch up in case you missed something. So cue the flashback music. Here’s the very best from the month that was…

Best Sale: Spier & Mackay Canada Day Sale (exp)

Spier knocked $50 off regular price suits and sportcoats in honor of Canada Day. That dropped their already best-bang-for-the-buck tailored wear into difficult to resist territory. Half canvas, nice wool suits were going for $20 LESS than what J. Crew Factory usually charges for their fused, slim-lapels-too-slim-for-some Thompson line. Impressive stuff out of Spier and Mackay.

Best Individual Item Deal: Ray-Ban Polarized Wayfarers – $79.97 ($188)

They are, perhaps, the perfect pair of sunglasses. You can wear them with shorts and a t-shirt. You can wear them with a suit. You can wear them with everything in between. Available through Nordstrom Rack, these have polarized lenses to cut the glare, a good-for-most 54mm lens width, and timeless style to burn. They’re not cheap, but they don’t look or feel cheap either. And that’s good! Because you’ll be putting them on your face. And attaching cheap stuff to your face doesn’t usually work out great.

Most Useful Post: 10 Tools (& Pros) for taking care of your clothes

If you’re on this website, that means you’re investing, albeit smartly, in your wardrobe. And your wardrobe, like anything else worth investing in, needs a little attention every now and then. Not a ton of attention, a little. Here are the tools you might need to keep your clothes and shoes looking their best.

Best Cake reference: Target’s new suits Instagram Post

I want a suit with a price that’s affordable⠀
I want a suit, that looks. the. best.⠀
I want a suit, that goes with my shoes…⠀
and goes with all my watches… and costs a little less⠀
⠀
I want a suit without tight pants or a choppppppppppppppped… jacket. ⠀
⠀
(these new Target Goodfellow suits, sadly, aren’t that suit.) ⠀

Most Instructional Post: How to wear Suede Loafers

A lot of guys are afraid of loafers. Nothin’ to be afraid of. Especially when they’re a neutral shade and it’s spring/summer. They’ll look good with just about anything.

Best Accessory for a Pants Post: Golden Doodle

Dogs are the best. Big thanks to contributor Michael Robin for introducing us to his dog Biggie Lebowski. Also relevant here, the recent articles on how Dog’s Eyes have evolved to manipulate the feelings of humans.

Most Seasonally Appropriate Post: Swimwear Roundup

Ham might have worked the crowd, but Squints knew he had an audience of one. “We got banned from the pool for forever that day. But every time we walked by after that, the lifeguard looked down from her tower, right over at Squints, and smiled.”

Biggest game changer for the Buzz Cut Brigade: Remington ShortCut Pro

Full marks to Ryan N. for demonstrating the variety of grips one can use on this head clippers by way of different baseball pitch grips. I’m pretty sure at this point of my life if I attempted to throw a curve ball, I’d tear all the ligaments in my elbow as well as dislocate my shoulder. And the ball would go sailing into the dugout… at a crisp 18 mph. I don’t know how pitchers do it. I don’t know how hitters see the thing, let alone make contact. I’m fascinated by baseball.

Most Dad Instagram post: Happy Father’s Day!

Turn that Don Henley up son!

Most Over the Head Joke: Women’s World Cup Pub Watch Style Scenario

Via Instagram: “Maybe this is an outfit you could pull off ironically. It’s hideous, and I mean that in the very nicest way”

And it’s an even better joke if you’d actually wear it. Because it’s sports. And why the hell not? Sure the jorts are expensive, but they’re made in the USA. That’s why they made it in. Find some old light-wash jeans at a thrift store and make cut offs. The sunglasses are cheap. So are the socks and sweatbands. The watch, shoes, jersey, and belt, all look mighty fine on their own.

Easiest to follow What I Wear to Work dress code: Mark, Air Force Reserve

Certainly takes most of the guess work out of it. I’m sure there are ways you can stray, and hell to pay if you do. Also, so many pockets for snacks! So many!

Most Useful Lifeskill: How to correctly spot and call out bullshit.

From our Weekend Reset series. There’s lots of this going on right now: “I am saying Thing!” “But, Thing doesn’t make sense.” “I am repeating Thing in an attempt to get you to stop questioning Thing because I’m too embarrassed or stupid to own up to Thing not making sense!” Fun times, right? Giving in and going with Thing! can end up costing you a LOT of time and money. Be careful out there. And perhaps most importantly, practice awareness so you don’t somehow end up passing along Thing! yourself. It’s happened to me before, it’ll happen again, and it’ll bum you the hell out if/when it happens.