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: As of early 2021, Macy’s has over 39,000 items categorized under their men’s section. That’s… a lot! Quite frankly, that would take us *days* to browse through at a normal shopper’s pace. So, with that said, I masked up and visited my local brick and mortar shop to get a good feeling for the latest brands, styles, and overall aesthetics from each section. I hand selected a few best sellers at various price points that I think are worth checking out in person, whether safely in your local store or in the comfort of your own home. As usual, pricing and availability will vary greatly due to the post-Fall/Winter and pre-Spring/Summer sales. Macy’s is well known for higher MSRPs, but running some very frequent sale coupons, so keep your eyes peeled for most of these items to go on sale soon.
Under $50 retail
- Alfani Cedar Shoe Trees – $19.99
- Under Armour Tech Short Sleeve Tee – $25
- Sun + Stone Raglan Thermal Long Sleeve T-Shirt – $30
- Puma Super Levitate Running Sneakers – $39.98 ($59.99)
- Tommy Hilfiger Classic Fit Ivy Polo – $39.99 ($50)
- Minnetonka Pile Lined Hard Sole House Slippers – $50
- Nike Club Fleece Crew Sweatshirt in “Grey Heather” – $45
Macy’s is the brick and mortar equivalent of Amazon, so naturally, finding diamonds in the rough can be a challenge. Thankfully, you can’t go wrong with simple items like cedar shoe trees, casual tees, etc.
From $50-$100 retail
- Club Room Merino Wool Blend Tactleneck Sweater – $20.93 ($75)
- Lejon Double Haul Oil Tanned Harness Leather Casual Jean Belt – $75
- Club Room Cashmere Beanie – $47.40 ($79)
- Polo Ralph Lauren Distressed Leather Centerbar Buckle Belt – $85
- Columbia Newton Ridge Plus II Waterproof Hiking Boots – $90
- Polo Ralph Lauren Varick Slim Straight Jeans in “Murphy” – $99
I’ve never been a huge turtleneck sweater fan; mainly because, as Mitch Hedberg tells, it can feel like a really weak person trying to strangle you all dang day. However, you’ve got men’s style gurus like Sheldon Helm and Parker York Smith making a turtleneck underneath a jacket look so damn good. Cheers to those guys, someday I’ll be cool enough to dress like them. Sizes are getting scattered, but you might still be able to find one in yours. In other news, you can’t go wrong with a high quality leather belt from Lejon (made in the USA!) or Polo RL; both of which should last you for many, many years. That’s a good style investment.
From $100-$200 retail
- Lejon Cambridge Oil Tanned Harness Leather Bridge Casual Dress Belt – $100
- Lejon Chancellor Full Grain Aniline Leather Dress Belt in “Tan” – $110
- Polo Ralph Lauren Cable-Knit Cotton Sweater – $110
- Clarks Bushacre 3 Boots – $110
- Sperry Avenue Duck Boots – $110
- Polo Ralph Lauren Cotton Crewneck Sweater – $125
With all these sea shanty songs going around, mainly thanks to TikTok, I’ve been wearing a handful of New England/Ivy prep styles these past few weeks. Mainly, I’m just vibing at home in a chunky cable-knit sweater and jeans. If that sounds like something you’d enjoy, too, throw on one of these sweaters in a fun color, pull up some dark denim, step into some Sperry duck boots, grab a cocktail or mocktail of choice, and turn on this Spotify playlist for the full effect.
From $200+ retail
- Polo Ralph Lauren Stretch Chino Sport Coat – $248
- Ray-Ban RB3025 Polarized Aviator Sunglasses – $204
- Made in the USA Duluth Pack Sportsman’s Duffel – $470
- Seiko Automatic 5 Sports Black Nylon Strap Watch 42.5mm – $295
- Barbour Ashby Waxed Jacket – $415
- Hamilton Intra-Matic Swiss Automatic Chronograph 40mm Watch – $2195
Don’t know who’s getting a $200+ gift card to Macy’s, but… hey. Why not window shop? Macy’s carries a bunch of high-end third-party merch, too. If you’ve been saving your nickels, you can’t go wrong with any of the above. Personally, I’m a big fan of the classic Ray-Ban Aviators over the more common Wayfarers. For those of you looking for a new watch, there’s a review of that new-ish Seiko 5 sports line over here. If you’ve got some extra Christmas bonus cash burning a hole in your pocket, you will not be disappointed with the Hamilton Intra-Matic “panda dial” Swiss chrono.
About the Author: Adam Terry is a thirtysomething salesman in the HVAC and hydronics industry. He enjoys bourbon, boots, sneakers, raw denim, and working on his dad bod father figure.