What are you going to wear? Sometimes it’s good to look at a few suggestions and then add your own tweaks and ideas. That’s what these are for. Casual date night will be a popular affair this fall with the burgeoning culture of at-home entertainment. This outfit is perfect for dressing nicer than your day-clothes, but still being comfortable in you or your significant other’s home. Open the windows for some fresh fall air, cook up dinner together, and enjoy the night in tempered style. Nothing fancy, but still super sharp in its simplicity.
The Sportcoat: Spier & Mackay Drago Blazer in Grey – $299. Yes, this is a casual date night, but it’s a DATE NIGHT nonetheless. Putting on a more casual-leaning, but still well-constructed blazer shows you’re putting in effort that you normally may not. This grey wool & linen blend blazer from the always-exceptional Spier & Mackay makes a special evening feel, well, special. Showing up to the door, or whatever the first moment of date night may be, in a jacket like this sets the tone. The rest of the outfit helps tone the look down to a more casual level. For something with a similar aesthetic at a cheaper price, Banana Republic has a slim cotton-blend blazer.
The Sweater: J. Crew Henley Sweater in Forest Green –$55.65 w/ 5DAYS ($70). J.Crew calls this “rugged cotton,” but I’m not quite sure why. It fits well and feels nice, more polished than rugged. The sweater is thinner than expected, and is a great piece for layering. The henley details plus-up the casual style, perfect for this affair. A lovely rich forest green color is seasonally appropriate, and we should all make an effort to wear more green this fall.
The Pants: Amazon Goodthreads Athletic Fit Jeans – $40. Or, whatever your favorite pair of well fitting denim (slim, athletic, whatever) happens to be. If you’re the athletic fit type and want more options? Head here for our round up of the best athletic fit jeans for men.
The Watch: Hamilton Khaki Field Auto Black Dial/Brown Strap – $431. 25 ($575). NOTE: These are currently price matched at Nordstrom. And since Uncle Nordy is an authroized dealer, it’s like buying direct from Hamilton. Read on to find out why that’s valuable. If you’re the type of guy who leans casual in his wardrobe most of the time, this could be the last watch you buy for the rest of your life. Hamilton builds quality automatic time pieces with luxury flourishes at great price points. They especially excel in creating sharp, high-function field watches, and this 38mm Khaki Field Auto with a date indicator offers a great value. You can absolutely buy this from a grey market dealer like Jomashop, but the peace of mind provided from buying direct (and the service and warranty that comes with it) might be worth the extra coin.
The Belt: Banana Republic Italian Leather Belt in Cognac – $41 ($59.50). Yep. Again. This is the elder, more refined, brother of the beloved GAP’s basic leather belt. Step up from the basic version for date night.
The Socks: Gap Printed Socks – $4.77 w/ 1DAY ($8). Have some fun with your socks with this look. Don’t go too wild, but show some personality in an easy way with a patterned pair of socks.
The Shoes: Adidas Stan Smith in White/Light Blue – $67 ($95). Sneakers are a tried and true way to dress down a blazer and still look sharp, and the Adidas Stan Smith is THE shoe to nail this look. Not all Stan Smith’s have the same leather upper, and this pair has an upgraded leather that usually runs for an upgraded price. Seize the moment.
About the Author: Jason P. spends his days working in the creative marketing department of a big telecom company. He also does a bit of real estate investing on the side. He believes in curating a timeless, classic wardrobe with subtle modern touches for today. He and his wife love hiking with their dog and shopping at local small businesses and antique stores when they travel. Jason is a practitioner of muay thai and traditional boxing, and his favorite drink is a hoppy New England IPA.