How to Spend it: So you got a gift card to Amazon

Per Yahoo Finance (and PRNewswire), over 80% of consumers received a gift card during the 2019 holiday season, while gift card sales were up seven percent over 2018’s totals. I’d be willing to bet that a large percentage of us Dappered readers received some of that fantastic plastic. In this new series titled How to Spend It, we’re curating a bunch of items from a selection of stores you might/most likely got a gift card to (some very Dappered-y, some less so because Aunt Karen wasn’t sure). Our goal is to show you what’s worth it at various price points. You CAN spend it all in one place, dear!

Brand Note: You and I are no strangers to the massive online marketplace that is Amazon. They have over 500 million products with over 165 million items in clothing, shoes, and jewelry alone. That’s,. a lot. To help us narrow down the list, we stuck to the Amazon family of brands: Amazon Essentials, Buttoned Down, Goodthreads, etc. ,unless we found something else that piqued our interest. Also, don’t forget about Prime Wardrobe’s 7-day try-on period. Note: Pricing, sizes, and availability will often vary greatly, so check frequently.

 

Under $50 – Clothes

• Goodthreads Men’s Standard Barncoat – $50
• Goodthreads Men’s Slim Fit The Perfect Oxford Shirt – $25
• Amazon Essentials Men’s Lightweight Water-Resistant Puffer Vest – $26.50 – $45
• Buttoned Down Slim Fit Non-Iron Supima Dress Shirt – $39
• Amazon Essentials Men’s Slim-Fit Stretch Jean in Slim or Athletic Fit – $29.50
• Goodthreads Men’s 100% Merino Wool V-Neck Sweater – $35
• Goodthreads Men’s Slim Fit Washed Comfort Stretch Perfect Chinos – $30
• Goodthreads Men’s 5-Pack Patterned Socks in “Wave” – $15
• Goodthreads Men’s Bomber Jacket – $50

There’s SO MUCH STUFF under $50, it’s hard to throw it all in one group. So let’s break the $50 and under crowd into three different categories: clothes, shoes, and accessories. Head here for reviews on the barn jacket, the merino v-neck, and more. Bomber and OCBD reviews can be found here.

 

Under $50 – Shoes

• Adidas Men’s Grand Court Sneaker – $50
• SeaVees Men’s 08/63 Hermosa Plimsoll Standard Tennis Shoes – $50
• Sebago Men’s Crest Dockside Boat Shoes – $50
• New Balance 997H V1 Sneakers – $50+
• Vans Classic Slip-on Canvas Trainers – $50+

Fifty bucks isn’t a lot for a pair of shoes, but being that it’s Amazon, they have so much stock that there’s more than a few shoes on sale at this price (or under).

 

Under $50 – Accessories

• Timex Weekender 38mm Quartz Watch – $32
• Wurkin Stiffs 3-Pack Power Stays Magnetic Collar Stays – $30
• Timberland Men’s Classic Leather Jean Belt – $20
• Casio G-Shock Quartz Watch with Resin Strap – $43

Fifty bucks can go a long way on Amazon in terms of accessories. The classic Timex Weekender for instance. Lots of different strap options for under (some well under) $50. Just be prepared for that Timex “tick.” The Weekender is the prime, original example of the Timex loud “tick” noise.

 

Under $100

• Amazon Essentials Men’s Wool Blend Heavyweight Car Coat – $79
• Amazon Brand – Goodthreads Men’s Slim-Fit Selvedge Jean – $50ish limited sizes
• Ray-Ban RB2132 New Wayfarer – $100
• Invicta Men’s 8926OB Pro Diver Automatic Watch – $78
• Goodyear Welted Golden Fox 6″ Boondocker Service Boot Pro – $99
• Invicta Automatic Watch Model 29176 (red/blue “soda” dial) – $99.91
• Clarks Men’s Bushacre 2 Chukka Boot – $59.90
• Amazon Essentials Men’s Wool Blend Heavyweight Peacoat – $79

Once you hit $100, things get a little less complicated/overwhelming. This $100 and under price tier gains you access to some nicer basics, some total classics, and some great accessories.

 

Under $200

• Naked & Famous Men’s Blue Selvedge “Weird Guy” Jeans – $172
• Thursday Boot Company Captain Men’s Lace-up Boot – $199
• adidas Men’s Ultraboost 19 Running Shoe – $126
• Veja Men’s Esplar Logo Sneakers – $120
• Made in the USA New Balance Men’s 990v4 – $150 – $200 (lots of colors)
• Buttoned Down Men’s Italian 76% Wool / 18% Cashmere / 6% Nylon Overcoat – $125+
• Buttoned Down Men’s Water-Repellant Cotton-Blend Car Coat – $100ish

The sub-$200 tier gets you access to lots of nicer mid-tier or better jeans, sneakers, and boots. Again, being that this is Amazon, depending on the product, size and color selection can whip the price around quite a bit.

 

Under $300

• Buttoned Down Slim Fit Super 110 Italian Wool Hopsack Blazer- $200ish
• Allen Edmonds Men’s McAllister Wing Tip – $300ish (some sizes are closer to $400, some are around $250)
• Johnston & Murphy Men’s Aldrich II Cap Toe – $279
• Thorogood Men’s American Heritage 6″ Moc Toe Boot – $220
• Red Wing Heritage Men’s Work Chukka – $240 – $260
• Buttoned Down Men’s Water Repellant Duck Down Wool Flannel Parka – $289

Why $300? It’s a great starting point for nice dress shoes, a stylish winter coat, or an entry level suit. Again, prices can be all over the place depending on size and color that you’re after. Such is the norm on Amazon.

 

Under $500

• Seiko 007 or 009 – $257 – $336
• Buttoned Down Men’s Slim Fit Italian Wool Flannel Suit Jacket & Matching Trouser – $380
• Seiko Men’s Japanese-Automatic Watch SARB033 – $389.99
• Hamilton Khaki Green Field Officer Mechanical Mens Watch H69439363 – $406.98

Even if you didn’t receive a gift card this large, maybe you want to make a sizeable dent in something that’s “investment” worthy.

Still got a holiday gift card simmering away in your pocket? Don’t know how to spend it? Stay tuned for more stores as our series continues next week.