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. It’s that weird time of year where it can be bitterly cold one second, then feel like mid-Spring the next. The answer is layers. Layers that look just as good worn all at once, or one (or two) gently cast aside if it warms up. We’ll hit three total style scenarios across the formality spectrum in the coming days, featuring layers appropriate for the unpredictable weather swings of late winter.
The Suit: Suitsupply Dark Grey Italian Wool Suit – $499. Or whatever your preferred charcoal suit happens to be. This particular one from Suitsupply is from their Wardrobe Starters sorry, “Perennial” line of suits. Seems like they changed the name of their sub $500 category. Still the same concept. Basic, foundational suits in nice Italian wool fabric, half-canvas construction, and your purchase ships/returns for free.
The Shirt: Nordstrom Trim Fit Non-Iron Dress Shirt – $49.50. You don’t want some thick, squishy, OCBD here. Instead opt for a smooth, crisper feeling dress shirt. Button down collar to keep your points in line. All Supima cotton. Ships and returns for free.
The Watch: Baltic Assembled in France HMS 002 Automatic w/ Chocolate Strap – $395ish. Classy AND interesting. Baltic is a newer brand on the watch-scene, and they’ve seen an enormous, well deserved rise. Automatic Miyota 8315 movement which provides 60 hours of power reserve. 38mm diameter. Ships and returns for free. Crystal is a domed Hesalite, so it’ll scratch. But a tube of polywatch and a clean, very soft bristle toothbrush can polish out any dings and nicks you pick up along the way. Priced in Euros, so price will fluctuate depending on the exchange rate. The more affordable option: The new 38mm Orient Bambino would look great here.
The Sweater: Amazon Goodthreads Men’s Lightweight Merino Wool V-Neck – $31 – $40. Lightweight, easy to layer, temperature regulating merino. And yes you can wear brown with gray. It just can get a little tougher the further apart the shades get. A dark charcoal suit and a camel sweater might not seem like they’d work, but… they do! Sometimes you just gotta see it in action then try it for yourself.
The Belt: Nordstrom Newman Reversible Leather Belt – $49.50. A basic, reversible, do-anything dress belt. Ships and returns for free.
The Socks: Bombas Knee High Dress Socks – $16. Knee high with a cushioned footbed for extra comfort. Note that these are the cotton based option, which means they’re cheaper than merino. Dealbreaker for some (cotton based socks), but the cost savings are appreciated by plenty.
The Shoes: Spier and Mackay Dark Brown Cap Toes – $178. The craftsmanship and materials are substantially better than entry level, yet they aren’t “lifetime” shoes that’ll require a loan to purchase. Blake stitched. Nice leather. Studded rubber sole. And they hit that exceedingly rare price and quality level that’s a sweet spot for a lot of us. Made in China. All around really impressive. Full review here.
The Sunglasses: Spier & Mackay Model 4 (Clubmaster style) Sunglasses in Dark Tortoise – $38.25 ($55). We’re already in Spier’s neighborhood for the shoes, so might as well top this all off with some sunglasses. On sale and an extra 15% off in your cart.