It’s one of the most anticipated sales of the year. It’s not just their free shipping & free returns on everything policy, it’s what they carry, and what they’re willing to mark down during their annual Anniversary Sale to get your attention.
Unlike the half-yearly sales & seasonal clearances, which see in-season goods get marked down, the Anniversary Sale is mostly a preview of the upcoming season. Lots of fall goods or year-round stuff gets decent price cuts. And that’s a rarity in the retail sale game. This stuff can sell out sometimes too. And while supply chain issues continue to plague the industry as a whole, compared to the last couple of years, this year’s Anniversary Sale seems… pretty good! Maybe not the halcyon days of the pre-pandemic retail utopia that was, but still. Pretty good. Here’s one interpretation of the best of the best.
Somehow simultaneously timeless AND modern. Not an easy trick to pull off. A true dress oxford that looks terrific suited up, but thanks to its minimalism can also look great with smart casual wear. That plain toe is sleek, yet thankfully avoids the “I just came from making toys at the North Pole” extreme chisel other sleek/modern oxfords often have. Available in either walnut, black, or dark chili. Full review here.
Thinking these are all half-canvas. Because the true-blue option has this in the description: “featuring a jacket with a half-canvas front for a more natural fit.” And if they’re all made in Canada, one would think they’re all coming from the same manufacturer. They’re also all priced the same. Could be connecting dots that don’t exist, but, it’s probably a safe bet.
AND they ship free. Perfect. What’s not perfect is Nordstrom’s web team omitting the sizing chart on the product page. Thankfully one of the reviewers included a shot of it. As a cheat sheet, for D width:
Iconic. 55mm lens width; 20mm bridge width; 145mm temple length. Made in Italy.
Those certainly look the part. Nice navy accent at the heel. Slightly textured leather uppers. Could be sub $100 winners.
Just three colors available, but holy moly, a discount on Bonobos Stretch Washed Chinos? Those are usually excluded over at the Bonobos site in the rare instances they’re actually running a sale. But not with Nordstrom and their Anniversary event. Meanwhile, green pants. More versatile than you might think.
Those look smart. 38% cotton, 37% polyester, 12% CoolMax polyester, 10% modal, 3% spandex. So there’s a cotton base there, but does seem like (at least from here, sitting at a computer screen) there’s a significant amount of tech & thought given to the blend. Nice price too. Good to see an athletic fit as well as the slim. Ships and returns free in case they show up and the fabric is a dud.
Great shape. Sleek without being pointy. Much dressier than a desert boot, but not so dressy that you can’t wear them casually. No idea where these are made. China? India? Portugal? Neptune?
Something more seasonal. Italian suede uppers.
Heritage British sportswear looks from one of the originators of the style. That Tartan lining carries over to under the corduroy collar as well.
Not your average oxford. Because it’s not made from oxford cloth. Instead, you’re getting flexible knit pique. 100% cotton. Made in Peru. Casual to smart casual. Not a dress shirt.
Attention all chinos/chukkas/polo fans. These’ll work. And just because they’re lighter in shade doesn’t mean they have to be relegated to similarly light chinos. Try then with medium to darker gray pants and a navy polo. I wear something similar with the obsidian shade of Lululemon commission or ABC pants. Does just fine. A nice “pop” of color instead of the usual dark brown chukkas most of us would otherwise reach for.
Spendy. But that’s Tom Ford for you. Expensive enough that some of us would be terrified of wearing them… and dropping them… or leaving them in an Uber or something. The anxiety just isn’t worth it for some of us.
And now the not quite as expensive yet still terrifyingly expensive version(s). Before some of you well intentioned fellas grab the pitchforks and remind me that the positioning statement of Dappered is “Affordable Men’s Style,” … know that we’re working on a best sunglasses under $100 round up. So hang on for that.
Huzzah! They have shirts! For a while there (like, months) Nordstrom was plumb sold out of their trim fit, basic smart-care dress shirts. Good to see them back, although some common sizes already seem to be selling out.
Big potential. Small price tag. Smooth lines, modern shape, simple medallion toe and no other pinking or broguing. Claims to be full grain leather. Also available in navy or gray, but… stick with the burgundy.
Think of it as a Made in Canada alternative to the Bonobos unconstructed sportcoats. That and this Canadian made one appears to have, perhaps, a more traditional/not as modern tail. Translation: it looks like the tail could be a touch longer.
Preppy without an Ivy-League level price tag.
About as affordable as a suede jacket will get. Or more accurately: about as affordable as a suede jacket that you’ll actually want to wear will get. Trucker style.
“…Crafted using the finest leather by one of the world’s best footwear factories.” Somehow that seems doubtful, but they could be quite nice relative to the price? If they’re dreadful upon arrival, you can send them rocketing back, for free, thanks to the free shipping & returns policy. Online reviews are decent at least.
Instead of taking a risk on an off-brand pair of golf pants… there’s always the brand with three stripes and their foundation trouser for the links. 95% recycled polyester, 5% spandex. DWR finish to keep any sudden rain showers from soaking in.
A slightly less future-y looking alternative to the Air Max Pre-Day. Four color schemes to choose from.
An upgrade to the Gordon Rush version a few scrolls up in the post. Perfect, very Italian, summer loafers. Wear them deep into the fall if you live in a warm weather climate. Contrast stitching is less than traditional, but that seems to be on trend considering how loud things are right now in #menswear.
“Protect ya neck.” Also protect that handsome mug of yours which sits on top of said neck. You don’t have to go full obsessive-grooming-guy-weirdo. Your bathroom countertop does not need to be littered with 8 zillion tonics, salves, creams, and cleansers. A little daily moisturizer goes a long way. Especially one with some sunscreen in it. This’ll do the job just fine. Get in the habit of putting some on your face after you get out of the shower and dry off. Not only will you head out the door with some needed sun protection, your skin will feel better/less dried out from the shower. That also means less frying-pan/shiny forehead, which is often caused by your skin overproducing oil if it’s bone dry. Don’t over-do it with the moisturizer… but yeah. You’ll look and feel better with a dab of this to start the day.
Frankly, get the Allen Edmonds Carlyle instead. Unless you’re dead-set on getting something with a more European construction. Meaning a slimmer welt and upper materials. The non-intrusive textured rubber sole is a nice plus though.
Classic court sneakers… if your classic court sneakers went to Space Camp. Made in Italy.
FANCY. Splurge worthy dress trousers, if that’s something you’d legitimately wear often. Split waist construction. Grippy interior to the waistband to help keep your shirt tucked in. Loro Piana Italian wool. Made in Italy.
Pretty much the definition of a summertime-sportcoat. With one catch. Despite the description saying “partially lined…” it sure looks like, by the images, that the back is fully lined? 55% cotton, 45% linen.
Morrrrrrrrrrrr Chukkas. Out here lookin’ like some Timberland Earthkeepers circa 2009.
Continuity error alert! They claim these have a hidden button down collar… yet that appears to only be reflected in the photos of the white option. Not sure if that’s an old description and or a mash-up of old and new models, but yeah. Not sure what’s going on here. 97% cotton / 3% spandex.
Sperry’s higher end boat shoes. Hand burnished leather + 14k gold plated eyelets.
Extraordinarily well reviewed. Perhaps a slightly less expensive (yet still a splurge) alternative to Lululemon’s ABC pants? 100% poly.
Proof that a middle ground & market can exist. For those of us who want a nicer sneaker, but don’t want to pay Common Projects prices. Good Man Brand makes really nice sneakers, at fair prices. They manufactured their sneakers in Italy using quality materials that you can tell are a step above in hand and on-foot. Early online reviews say these might run a size big this year. But those were on the extreme edges of the spectrum. There’s always ordering two sizes and keeping the one that fits the best. Not ideal, but necessary when the reviews give clues to them not fitting true to size, and there’s no guidance from the seller.
From the Nordstrom house brand “Zella” they made to try and compete with Lululemon. And these polos sure look a lot like Lululemon’s hugely successful Metal Vent Tech polos. Just be warned that the Metal Vent Tech really isn’t that dressy. Tough to pair up with a sportcoat, due to the super lightweight fabric and somewhat floppy collar. Guessing these might be the same.
For those that like the minimalist, knit upper sneaker trend. If you’re someone who prefers more support, and does NOT like the feeling of a knit sneaker and it’s lack of protection, then steer clear.
Cheap choggers. Meaning they’re joggers, but the fabric is a chino like cotton twill instead of the usual sweat-pants-like French terry.
Goat suede. Neutral gray. Baseball-jacket style collar. Solidly affordable for a leather jacket. Won’t leave you looking like The Fonz.
Thank the style gods there’s a good amount of dressed-up stuff in this year’s Anniversary Sale. Yes our culture continues to dress down. No not everyone wants to participate in that all day each and every day. If you do? Great! But some of us like wearing suits. Sometimes. Not all the time. But sometimes! This particular suit is made in Canada. Dark, subtle, blue check pattern. Should look terrific with a light blue or bright white dress shirts. Tie or not. Up to you.
Not a ton of AEs in the Anniversary Sale this year, but the models they picked sure are versatile. The Randolph is a model that helps create the foundation for Allen Edmonds. Goodyear welted. Still hand-crafted in Port Washington Wisconsin.
Your face deserves better than cheap bar soap, which can dry you out, big time, and leave you looking like the Crypt Keeper. Dude looks rough. IT WAS… SOAP. POISONING. … Wasn’t really expecting a Tales from the Crypt/A Christmas Story mashup in a face-wash mention, but here we are.
Earth tones have roared back into popularity in the last year or two. And here’s a prime example. Khaki Chucks.
“…designed for the person who hates wearing pants.” Well… c’mon now. Let’s not exclude. Even those of us who DO enjoy wearing pants (we few, we happy few) can see the joy in these. 98% cotton / 2% spandex.
No idea where these are made (pretty sure it’s not Portland), but the Italian suede uppers and leather lining seems to indicate that they should be a good bet. And gray suede is surprisingly versatile. A good but not over the top way to mix it up between the usual brown & black shoes and boots most of us have.
Nice looking collars. 97% cotton, 3% stretch. Not everyone likes the patterned collar lining/cuff lining thing. Some guys dig it. Others think it looks a little too “clubby/going out shirt.” Also, this is creeping up on Ledbury’s MTO price points. Which many of us default to if we’re looking for a shirt splurge.
Sometimes a cardigan feels too dressed up or too frumpy. Yet you want something that’s easy to take on and off, and that means pullovers are not in the cards. The answer = track jacket.
I loathe the use of first person (Dappered isn’t about me or any other of our writers, it’s about you in the readership), but I swear by these things. Been wearing the Gel-Kayano for something like 15 years now to do everything in from run, HIIT, and lift. They’re just a great all around athletic shoe, and the $160 price-tag is indicative of the quality, support, and cushioning. They’ve become a necessary part of my gym equipment. Strangely, Nordstrom suggests going half a size up, but my normally 10.5D feet (slightly wide but not an “E” width) have always done great in a regular ol’ 10.5D. But the free shipping and returns helps if you’re unsure. Usually it takes more than a few months after that year’s Kayano release for them to hit Amazon and get marked down. Great to see them already $30 off via the Anniversary sale at Nordstrom.
For those already dreaming of fall. Which may be more than a handful of us. Sizing advice from Team Nordy is that they run small, so you might want to order a size up. Or if you’re unsure, two sizes and then send the ill-fitting one back.
Waxed, weather resistant English waxed sueded. Vibram sole. Obviously desert boot inspired, but certainly appears to have a less-clunky/slightly slimmer toe profile, and the soles aren’t overbearing on the eye either. Thus: can be dressed up a little bit. Not a ton. But some.
Dad sneakers inexpensive enough that picking up a pair won’t leave you short for the monthly kid’s-college-fund transfer. Allegedly runs small. Order 1/2 size up. (Or since Nordy does free shipping & returns, order two sizes and send the one that doesn’t fit back.)
That first fall chill in the air will be here before you know it. Please. Let it be so. (So says a total stereotypical Mr. Fall Man who just doesn’t like summer all that much.) NOTE: No idea why the dark red option is on a different product page, but it’s over here.
54% polyester, 44% wool, 2% elastane. Okay but what does “trim-straight” mean? It means: “Slim but comfortable through seat and thigh. Tapers slightly below the knee for a narrower leg opening.” Okay then. Split waist construction for easier tailoring.
Hardly has there ever been a shoe to be more… shoe. It’s very shoe. None more shoe. A derby instead of an oxford, so not as dressy as a closed-lacing number (like the Allen Edmonds Carlyle.) But these with their tumbled full grain uppers could look all sorts of right with casual to leaning casual outfits. Also available in black. Imagine that, a shoe, none more shoe, in a black, which is none more black.
Herschel’s been making their “Novel” duffel for what seems like forever. It’s a favorite, smaller sized gym bag/overnight gym bag for lots thanks to that separate shoe compartment. Super handy. Or, footy.
Another item from Nordstrom’s in house brand created to (try to) sway some of those athleisure riches their way. These seem to be a hit. 4.5/5 stars after 100+ reviews.
Different. Not in a bad way. But different. Desert boot inspired for sure. Suede uppers, rubber sole.
Engineered with stretch and moisture wicking. 77% cotton, 15% polyester, 8% spandex. So certainly more “tech-y” than their normal 100% cotton, smart-care dress shirts. But these might not work for everyone. Why? Because that collar sure looks to be a full spread. Meaning it won’t look quite right when worn without a tie.
Breaks down to $9.96 per pair, which isn’t half bad for tech-fabric boxer briefs. Fabric is an 87% poly / 13% spandex with moisture-wicking & antimicrobial odor-fighting properties. So go ahead and have that second burrito.
The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale runs through Sunday July 31st. And if past is prologue, some of this stuff may sell out in a relative hurry. Prices really do go back up on August 1st.
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