How to Spend it: So you got a giftcard to Macy’s

About the Author: Adam Terry is Dappered’s resident shoe & denim expert. He’s a thirtysomething Technical Trainer in the heating and manufacturing industry. He enjoys bourbon, boots, sneakers, and raw denim. He’s also a new(ish) dad!

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!

Note: We’re gonna try our best, but Macy’s has over 27,000 items categorized under men’s clothing, and pricing, sizes, and availability will vary greatly due to Macy’s ripping through stock and churning through sales like crazy. So check online and at your local store, if it’s not one of the dozens of stores planned to be shut down in 2020.

 

Under $50

• Weatherproof Vintage Snowflake Pattern Sweater – $45 ($75)
• Apple iPhone 11 Pro Leather Case – $49
• Under Armour Tech 2.0 Short Sleeve Tees – $25
• Brooks Brothers Red Fleece Slim Fit Oxford Shirts – $49.50
• Polo Ralph Lauren Wool/Cashmere Blend Cable Knit Sweaters – $60 ($125) (can and will drop further)
• Under Armour 6″ BoxerJock Underwear 2 pk. – $40

Macy’s has over 12,500 men’s clothing items and accessories priced under $50. That’s, a lot of stuff. So, big haystack. But also more than a few needles, as shown above. As is always the case with Macy’s, their constant sales and promos can really whip prices around. So waiting a day or two could net savings.

 

Under $100

• Levi’s Sherpa Denim Trucker Jacket – $98
• Brooks Brothers Non-Iron Solid Dress Shirts in Regent (Slim) or Milano (Skinny) Fits – $92
• Sperry Authentic Original Boat Shoes – $95
• Polo Ralph Lauren Leather Roller-buckle Belt – $60
• Clarks Bushacre 2 Desert Boots – $74.99 ($100)
• Levi’s Denim Trucker Jacket – $90
• Sega Genesis Mini Retro Console – $80

In the sub-$100 price tier, you can really luck into some great items on sale. Also, who’s up for some Sonic the Hedgehog??

 

Under $200

• Apple AirPods with Charging Case (2 nd Gen) – $159
• Persol PO3193S Tortoise/Root Beer Polarized Sunglasses – $129 ($340)
• Brooks Brothers Wool Bomber Sweater – $148.50 ($198)
• Chanel Bleu de Chanel Eau de Parfum Spray, 3.4oz – $125
• Barbour Heritage Lowerdale Quilted Vest – $180
• Johnston & Murphy Daley Captoe Brogue Oxfords – $169
• Adidas UltraBOOST 20 Running Sneakers – $180
• Barbour Heritage Liddesdale Jacket – $200

The sub-$200 tier is loaded with items both good and bad. Bad if you’re not careful, but we are, that’s why you’re here, right? We hope? Lots of expensive fast fashion stuff in this tier, but we’re sticking to stuff that’s known to be of decent quality and worth your time.

 

Under $300

• The North Face Thermoball TriClimate Jacket – $299
• Polo Ralph Lauren Made in USA American Flag Cotton Sweater – $248
• Tommy Hilfiger Slim Fit TH Flex Stretch Solid Suit – $209.99 ($600)
• Pendleton “The Dude” Original Westerly Lambswool Cardigan – $239
• Persol PO3019S Tortoise/Green Sunglasses – $260
• Made in Spain Carlos by Carlos Santana Goodyear Welted Tassel Loafers – $299
• Beats by Dr. Dre Solo Pro Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones – $299
• Tallia Leopard Faux Fur Overcoat ‘ $255 ($425) for your Cam Newton GQ cosplay costume

Why $300? It’s a great starting point for nice dress shoes, a stylish winter coat, or an entry level suit.

 

Under $500

• Polo Ralph Lauren Wool Fresco Sport Coat – $418 ($698)
• Fossil Leather Duffel Bag – $398
• The North Face McMurdo Parka III with Faux Fur Hood – $330
• Polo Ralph Lauren Polo Bear WEARING the American Flag Sweater Wool Sweater – $395
• Hamilton Khaki Swiss Mechanical 38mm Watch – $495
• Barbour Ashby Waxed Jacket – $415
• Kylo Ren Grand Heritage Costume – $454

These are the stretch goals or the luxury splurge pieces. 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.

 

Over $500

• Frye Suede Double Rider Biker Jacket in Dark Brown – $648
• Tissot Visodate Swiss Automatic Heritage 40mm Watch in Black or Brown – $650
• Apple Watch Series 5 40mm GPS+Cellular Black Stainless on Milanese Loop – $749
• TAG Heuer Monaco Gulf Blue Swiss Automatci 40mm Watch – $5900
• Rolex Day-Date Ref. 18238 in 18k Gold with President Bracelet (Pre-Owned) – $26,875

Just for kicks, here are a few really, really expensive gems that you might consider if you have the means.

Did you get a gift card this season and don’t know how to spend it? Stay tuned for more stores as our series continues next week.