What are you going to wear? Sometimes it’s good to look at a few suggestions then add your own tweaks and ideas. That’s what these are for. Thanksgiving is quickly approaching. Some of you can’t wait, while some of you are filled with dread. One thing both sides can agree upon? Dressing well, yet also comfortably, can make the day even better (or, perhaps, tolerable). We’re tackling 3 different scenarios for Thanksgiving this year. One casual, one smart casual, and this final one… a clean, classic but modern, “dressed up” look appropriate for a white cloth napkin affair. But it’s still Thanksgiving, and not some stuffy suit & tie interview over martinis. Enjoy the day, and good luck with those “difficult” relatives you may be stuck attempting to interact graciously with.
The Blazer: Bonobos Unconstructed Italian Wool Blazer in Grey Melange Plaid – $315 w/ friday30 ($450). Unlined, so well suited to situations that can get a little warmer, like a house full of people while the oven is on. 100% wool with a modern, tailored fit without being too slim. Part of the just launched 30% off sale.
The Shirt: Tie Bar Pinpoint Solid Button-Down White Non-Iron Dress Shirt – $55. The button down collar serves two functions: keeping those collar points in place under the blazer and a button down just looks slightly less formal, signaling that although the attire is nice, it’s also time to (hopefully) relax.
The Pants: Bonobos Stretch Weekday Warrior Dress Pants in Monday True Blue – $70 w/ friday30 ($99). Dress pants, but made with a wrinkle-resistant, easy-care cotton, so they’re not AS dressy as dress pants can get. The stretch might be appreciated on a big meal kind of day, but they’re not, y’know, elastic waist pants. If you don’t see your waist size in this true blue color, try the navy.
The Watch: Orient Bambino Version III – $150. Enjoyed by many watch enthusiasts as a gateway into the world of automatic/mechanical watches. The Bambino comes in five different versions featuring simple, classic designs.
The Belt: GAP Leather Belt – $24.27 w/ GREAT & FIRST ($44.95). Old reliable. If you’ve been reading this site for any length of time you likely already have on in your closet. And while it’s not a dress belt, it certainly can be worn here.
The Coat: Charles Tyrwhitt Wool Overcoat – $499. Spendy, yes, but an overcoat, as long as you don’t grow or shrink out of it, should be an item that lasts you years.
The Chukkas: Spier and Mackay Dress Chukka – $248. Chukkas that are sleek but also have good tread for the inclement weather this time of year can bring. Full Grain Box Calf Leather from Weinheimer, and made in Portugal. Head here for a review of the suede version.
The Socks: Bombas Men’s Holiday Dress Calf Sock 4-Pack Gift Box – $65. Why not? It’s the holidays. And you can either treat yo self and keep ’em all, or keep one pair for yourself, and divide the other socks up among the stockings of the guys on your nice list this year.
The Host/Hostess Gift: Donnafugata SurSur Grillo 2019 – $21.99. Rising in popularity, the grillo grape was once primarily used to make Marsala. But this varietal is seeing it’s day in the sun as a wine on it’s own, and the flavor profiles it brings of citrus, thyme, and minerality make it a good pairing for holiday meals.