Per Fortune Magazine, gift card giving was up, WAY up during the 2020 holiday season. I’d be willing to bet that a large percentage of us Dappered readers received some of that fantastic plastic. Yet each year, over $3 billion in gift cards go unused(!!). We’re here to change that. (I know, what an altruistic bunch we are. No?) In our annual 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: Lululemon is well-known for their women’s clothing, but their men’s clothing line is pretty luxe, too. While some brands anchored in the gym/on the field have struggled to make casual and dress casual basics, Lululemon has been a pretty big success story when it comes to applying their sweat wicking/breathing/stretch technology to clothes that look great outside of and away from from workouts. But they make you pay for it. And then some. Fair warning, Lululemon is not cheap. Their sales are few and far between, although they do have a rolling “we made too much section.”
Under $50
- Power Stride No-Show Socks with Active Grip – $14/pair
- Always in Motion Boxer 5” – $28
- Fast and Free Men’s Run Hat – $38
- 5 Year Basic Tee – $48
- Command The Day 5L Dopp Bag – $48
Let’s be honest: Lululemon clothing isn’t cheap. (Have we hammered that point home yet?) BUT you can find lots of items on sale from time to time. Lots of their tees, sweats, and tops drop to under $50 during Winter. If you’re committed to a workout routine for 2021, or you’re just looking for some seriously comfortable loungewear, jump on these sales when you see them. Outside of said sales you can usually find some accessories under that $50 mark, as show above.
From $50-$100
- 5 Year Basic Long Sleeve Tee – $58
- 5 Year Basic Long Sleeve Henley – $68
- T.H.E. Short 9” with Liner – $68
- Commission Short 9” Warpstreme – $88
- Evolution Short-Sleeve Polo – $88
- Metal Vent Tech Polo 2.0 – $98
- Always In Motion Boxer Mesh 3-Pack – $98
- Commission Long Sleeve Shirt – $98
I’m a huge fan of the 5 Year Henley shirts and the Evolution polos. Joe likes the metal vent tech line (including the polos, which made last year’s polopalooza). These shirts look much nicer than the counterparts from Nike or Under Armour; they also don’t look like something you’d see on the sideline of a game. I like that.
From $100-$200
- Commission Pant in Slim or Classic Fit – $128
- ABC Warpstreme Pant in Slim or Classic Fit – $128
- ABC Warpstreme Jogger – $128
- At Ease Hoodie – $148
- Navigation Stretch Down Vest – $168
- Down for It All Hoodie – $198
Lululemon makes some seriously lightweight, comfortable, and technical articles of clothing. Their warpstreme tech-fabric but not LOOKING like tech-fabric ABC pants are probably the #1 seller on the men’s side of the house. What does ABC stand for? Anti Ball Crushing. While they’ll never replace traditional cotton chinos, these are other worldly comfortable. They were a highlight of our big tech-pants round up, which you can find here. Note that Lululemon organizes their Commission and ABC pants in an odd way. They offer two main fits (slim and classic), and organize by inseam length. They offer the usual waist sizes, but know that the most common inseams (30″ and 32″) can often sell out, fast, with each restock. They’re that popular.
From $200+
- Driver’s Coat – $248
- Outpour Shell Jacket – $248
- Navigation Stretch Down Hoodie – $268
- Pinnacle Warmth (Down) Jacket – $398
- Cold City (Down) Parka – $598
Lululemon jackets are well insulated, water resistant, and cut in a modern slim fit. These are the yin to Arc’teryx’s yang – both well made, both technical, and both expensive when not on sale. Worth it? You decide.
About the Author: Adam Terry is a thirtysomething salesman in the heating and manufacturing industry, and he’s also Dappered’s resident shoe & denim expert. He enjoys bourbon, boots, sneakers, raw denim, and working on on his dad bod father figure.