Hey Hey, it’s Black Friday. And Banana Republic is Half off, which is what they usually max out at, unless you’re a cardmember and/or using some rewards on top. But in terms of general discounting? Half off is usually as good as it gets. And it doesn’t come around every week. Here’s what we’ve found to be the best of the best at BR for Black Friday 2019. Deal is set to expire tomorrow, Saturday, 11/30/19.
Huge thanks to Brad V. for the tip here. He said: “This thing is fantastic. Was totally struck by the color in person. You had a review of the vegan suede bomber that intrigued me but I have no use for another bomber. This trucker jacket is phenomenal though. Medium tall fits me perfectly at 6’3″ and 170-ish. Definitely worth an add to the next BR sale round up or the fall jackets post.” Done. Thanks Brad! And if you like the look of the sweater, it’s an all supima cotton number, going for $49.25 with the discount.
No bomber style here. Just the stand-up style. Italian wool blend. BR always excels at outerwear. Looks like this one has lots of potential too.
Even our shoe expert thought their first run of suede Arley boots were pretty good for the price. Now in a cool gray suede (!!) and a rich looking brown leather (which is noticeably darker in person, as shown above). Budget Higgins Mills. That’s what those are.
“Why not just wear a hoodie?” HOODIES?? We don’t need no stinkin’ hoodies! Or, wear a hoodie. I honestly don’t care.
“What are you doing, New Year’s Eve?“ I’ll almost certainly be headed to bed, early, because that’s what I do on those types of big nights when everyone stays out. But you? You! You’re young and vibrant and ready to (smartly and safely) hit the town! Just be careful out there. Burgundy sizes have gone pretty quick. Plenty of navy left.
A swazer that might even sway the most anti-swazer of dudes. 45% wool, 25% cotton, 19% polyester, 11% acrylic. Doesn’t look chopped in the tail. That’s good! Sometimes sweater blazers get a little short. That’s not good (to most). Wear it over everything from marled tees to textured henleys to OCBDs. Super versatile. Part of our best blazers of the fall round up. Like the looks of the sweater? You can find that here.
Two new additions to the Nicklas sneaker lineup. And they’re not white! Really digging the charcoal gray leather/suede combination with the white soles. Want.
More swazer action. This LOOKS like a navy version of last year’s gray or burgundy Italian wool knit sportcoats. And if it is? That’s awesome. Because those were awesome. So… yeah. Awesome. Knit recycled wool-blend fabric from Italy’s Marzotto mill. Butterfly lined in the back with lined sleeves. Big potential here.
BR’s hugely popular traveler 5-pockets, only in a super soft, moleskin like, brushed fabric for the colder months. Available in slim, athletic tapered, and skinny fits. Often excluded, but now half off thanks to this no-exclusions deal.
Impressive, and quite affordable now that they’re up for the half off deal. Full review of a few of these things can be found here. Prices start at under $25 for that basic pouch, and run up to just under $80 for the briefcase and backpack.
Bless them, they put actually easy to use pockets on this thing. Those side slashes are like 5,298 times easier to use than standard flap pockets. Especially when you’ve got gloves on and you need to grab your phone or whatever.
Undoubtedly nice coats. Warm (much warmer than UNIQLO’s thin “chesterfield” coats), but not so heavy or thick that you can’t move around in them. Nice fabric, and the herringbone option is nice and subtle. That said, I don’t think I’d take BR’s sizing advice. They say to size up if you plan on wearing it over a suit jacket or sportcoat. I ordered a large in order to do so, I’m 5’10″/195 lbs, and I was swimming in the thing. Shoulda gone medium. So, I’d say stick with your normal size, BUT… be sure it slips easily over your suits and sportcoats all the same. You want a coat that you can wear with relative ease. Not a coat that fights you every time you try to put it on.
Lightweight, breathable, and absurdly comfortable. I wear them year round, but I also run a little warm. Almost always excluded. Full review here. Lots of colors to pick from. Slim fit.
Got it and love it. It’s got some size to it. It’s sturdy. Nubuck exterior and suede interior. Eye catching for sure.
Has that wintry speckled/marled/flecked thing going on. 65% wool, 25% nylon, 10% silk blend. Subtle herringbone pattern.
Looks comfy. And then some. Combines classic bomber looks (sherpa collar!) with the quilted, water resistant goodness.
It’s hat season. 100% extra fine merino wool. Which is perfect and hits the balance between affordability and performance.
Merino for your head and cashmere for your neck? But why? I dunno. Maybe because you’ll wear the scarf more often AND in more dressed up scenarios? And these are reversible, so, they’ve got a little more visual interest?
All right, you’re right. A hundred bucks for a scarf is steep. Here’s their annual textured merino option, which is also pretty darn handsome.
Obligatory mention because they’re often excluded from other codes and promos. Full review can be found here. Plenty of fits and washes to pick from. Pair shown above is the athletic tapered in the “rinse” shade. Size shown above is a 34—30 on 5’10″/200lbs.
It’s sweater season. The Merino Wool that BR uses for their basic sweaters is not just nice, it’s quite nice. Not as paper-thin as UNIQLO’s stuff (although some people really like ultra-light sweaters), but still not bulky like a traditional lambswool either.
Boiled-wool like, 60% poly/40% wool exterior, and flannel lined for extra warmth. Also available in charcoal.
Solid quality, slim fit, lots of patterns and colors. Kinda bummed they still don’t make these in neck and sleeve sizing, just the more ballpark S/M/L/XL etc. They DO make tall sizes though. So they got that going for them, if you’ve got Y axis to burn.
You look like fall incarnate. Darrrrrn skippy. Superb comfort and cut, in a gorgeous shade of forest green. Now, also available in navy.
Because the simple, navy mac jacket is one of those hyper versatile, crazy useful items that somehow still manages to make just about every wearer look 15% more handsome. Goes with everything. Mostly poly/cotton with 12% cotton woven in.
Ahoy.
All kinds or right. A little sleeker and a little more structure than a desert boot. Plus, the lack of a crepe sole makes them easier to dress up a touch. Super versatile.
A total home run. One of the best of the season. Full review can be found over here.
Interesting fabric blend here: 41% nylon, 40% wool, 19% cotton. Love that cable knit. Extremely well reviewed.
I’m not big on backpacks simply because I wear a lot of sportcoats, blazers, suitjackets, etc. And I find they wrinkle the hell out of even the least likely to wrinkle fabrics. That, and my backpack game peaked in 1989 with my TMNT backpack. That is, of course, a lie. I never had a TMNT backpack. But oh how I wanted one. Leonardo. That’s my guy.
100% cashmere. Ribbed knit stitch. Something you’ll wear a lot if you live in a cold weather climate.
Another denim legend from Banana Republic. After almost 1200 reviews on the BR site, these things still have a 4.6 out of 5 star rating. Full review here.
Seems like every couple of years I run out of gloves (they tend to wander off, I should tie them to the ends of my coats like I’m a kindergartner) just as the icy weather hits. Don’t be like me.
A new addition to the Banana Republic denim arsenal. More than a few colors/washes to pick from. In person review with the slim fit can be found over here.
More versatile than you might think. I can see these looking great with dark denim, cords, chinos, etc. Sure, they’re a summery shoe (more ideas here), but I think they could pull plenty of duty in the fall and winter.
All hail the super comfy “house” sweater… which looks good enough that you can wear it out of the house. Another alternative to wearing a hoodie. 57% cotton, 33% nylon, 9% wool, 1% spandex is allegedly specially spun for an “extra cozy feel.” Okay then.
Available in both slim AND athletic tapered. This pleases me greatly. Fabric is a blend of 81% cotton, 18% polyester, and 1% elastane. Lots of fall appropriate shades here.
Affordable brogue bluchers. Plus they’ve got a new burgundy shade (top) too. Super versatile. Of course, gonna be hard not to suggest jeans and a sportcoat for the tried and true smart social-studies teacher look.
For those who need a little more polish to their work-pant game. Core temp, but a little crisper, with that dress-pressed crease. Four colors to pick from. Full review here.
Obligatory mention. Full review here.
Grown up casual. 100% extra fine Italian Merino. Can be worn with more than you think. With everything from jeans or cords, to a full blown suit if you dress down the rest of your look (shoes, accessories, etc.) Shown above is a size medium on 5’10” / 195, but… I think I shoulda sized up to a large. Felt a little too slim. Looks good, felt too slim.
More chukkas. Still the Norman silhouette here, but in different leathers. That dark taupe appears to be nubuck? Fingers crossed that it is. That’d be quite nice.
A little dashing without giving it the full velvet-jacket treatment. Corduroy is velvet like. But, a bit more subtle.
Up your nose, shoe snobs. Conservative shape. Simple cap toe. Ortholite insole is pretty comfy out of the box. Fit seems true. Maybe a half size small if you don’t wear thin dress socks with them.
A regular weight chino. Not as airy as the core temp. They do definitely have more stretch than an average stretch chino. Maybe not as stretchy as the rapid movement denim, but, more flexible. 90% cotton, 8% poly, 2% spandex. Clean hook and bar closure front. Tons of colors and fits.
I’m a huge proponent of cardigans. Yes, they can look dorky on some. But not on everyone. And if you run warm, it’s a heck of a lot easier taking one of these off (and putting it back on) throughout the day then pulling a crewneck or a v-neck over your head. I wear mine with everything from henleys to t-shirts to OCBDs.
The 50% off no BR Merch Exclusions deal is set to run through Saturday 11/30/19. Not sure what they have planned for Sunday and Cyber Monday? Don’t forget that if you’re a GAP inc cardmember, you can use the code BRCARD for an extra 10% off at checkout.
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