A wise man once asked: “What the hell just happened?” And for good reason. There is value in looking back. It gives us all a good gauge as to what is good, and more importantly, what is not good, going forward. Sure, the “clip show” is mostly a cheap (affordable?) device to create new content out of already published stuff. But it’s also a good way to catch up in case you missed something. So cue the flashback music. Here’s the very best from the season that was…
And there were many, many sales. At least it certainly felt like there were more than last year. Seems odd that approaching the season which requires the wearing of the least amount of clothing has somehow resulted in a mid-year Black Friday-esque week.
The foreshadowing was when they actually put their original washed chinos on sale.
Yikes.
The last seven years has been an absolute roller-coaster-in-a-sh*tstorm for Bonobos. First they got bought by Wal Mart. Then people stopped wearing pants for a few years. Then they got SOLD by Walmart, to Express and a brand management firm. And then close to a year exactly after they had announced their purchase of Bonobos, EXPRESS filed for freaking bankruptcy. THE ARISTOCRATS.
Giving someone a wristwatch for graduation is thoroughly old-school. And it won’t be appreciated unless the recipient is an old-soul themselves, no matter their real age. But why could it be a fantastic gift? Because time is the only commodity worth a damn. And a wristwatch is a reminder that our own, personal supply of time is a quickly depreciating resource. So it’s best to use it wisely. Bonus: A watch can make for a great Father’s Day gift as well. (Father’s Day = Sunday June 16th.)
From dirt cheap to extra splurge-y. Cotton, merino, performance tech fabrics. All of it. All in Polopalooza, here.
They’re already the best pair of dress shoes you can get for under a hundred bucks, and then Nordstrom had to ultra-clearance them out by sending them to Nordstrom Rack (their off-price chain where unsold merch at regular Nordstrom goes and gets hefty price markdowns). Full review can be found here. Lucky you if you don’t wear dress shoes that much but needed a smart, sleek pair of classics for an upcoming event (wedding, graduation, job interview, etc.) They’re pretty much sold out now, but a few random (size 18?!) sizes are still left.
HEY THOSE ARE THE SAME STAIRS.
(And what a handsome, useful set of stairs they are. Best stairs ever.)
Allen Edmonds Park Avenue cap toe oxfords are timeless, handsome, and professional. Shoes that mean business. Just like the Nordstrom Dane! Only totally not like the Nordstrom Dane, as these with reasonable care will last you a very, very, very long time (like decades).
Spring and Summer means wedding season. The overriding philosophy for dressing well during one of these things is to anticipate what the groom might wear, then take a step or two down in terms of formality. You don’t want to overdress the groom. So if if it’s a beach wedding and he’ll be in flip-flops, please don’t wear a suit. If he’s up at the alter in a tux, wear a necktie.
Maybe it’s not the most fun advice, but these 8 (spring) cleaning tips are worth a look, a shot, and possibly embedding into your home-care routine. Because nobody ever said “awesome place… it’s filthy.” Post is part of our Dappered Space series, because your home is just as much a reflection of your style as your clothes are.
Is that a Paul Newman Rolex? No it is not. It is a panda style chronograph though. Yum.
Here’s how this works: A big sale happens, we take a look at that sale, and we then try to assemble five outfits with foundations pulled from said sale. Yes, it’s an arbitrarily made up “challenge.” But so is juggling, hockey, and The Great British Bake Off.
It’s sharp, it’s comfortable, it’s professional and approachable and athletic and simple and cool. Yes we’ll keep publishing various combinations of Chinos Chukkas Polo this summer. Yes I acknowledge all of those who find this look boring/middle of the road/over used on Dappered. But no one ever conquered the world in a camp collar shirt and a pair of drawstring shorts.
“Nobody conquered it in a polo and chinos either.”
(*looks detractor up and down*)… fine, put on a suit then.
All of a sudden everyone and their mother is cracking out a GMT wristwatch. Maybe this is due to all the pent up travel demand that got released (and is finally abating) post pandemic? For those who don’t know a flyer from a flieger, a GMT watch has an extra hand which when accompanied by a 24-hour ring (either on the dial or bezel) will, at a glance, tell the time in a 2nd time zone. They’re great for frequent travelers. And let’s be honest, they’re fun and they look kinda cool if done right.
Finally someone figured it out. Yes they’re expensive, but these shorts have all the things necessary for a pair to truly qualify as swim/workout/hiking/adventure/whatever “hybrid” shorts: They’ve got a soft, stretchy, breathable, boxer brief style liner. They’ve got a drawcord to keep the waist secure. And the outer fabric dries quick and moves great. They’re built well. They don’t feel cheap. They’re comfortable. Bottom line for your backside: They’re just as good in the water as they are out of the water. Literally wearing a pair right now as I type this. (Size medium fits my 5’10″/185 perfect. I wear a 32 in most pants/shorts.) Problem is they can’t keep the things in stock.
The above post was an almost identical re-run of a post we ran after the 2017 total eclipse. All we did was update the product mentions to stuff that’s actually in stock. Cheap-recycling of old content? Nah. This time it proved the point. Some style really does hold up over time. Seven years might not be an eternity, but a lot sure has happened since 2017. So when’s the next time we get to check back in on this thing? (*consults sextant, crystal ball, star charts, back of cheerios box*)… 2045. that’s twenty one years from now. The style might still hold up, but if the Joe guy typing this right now is still writing Dappered in two decades and change… that’ll be something.
Nike recently released a slightly more expensive “premium” version of their Killshot 2 sneakers, and our man Adam had them go face(ing) to face(ing) with the original Killshot 2. Like, literally. (… I repeat: wocka.)
Spier developed and released their Red Label line in an attempt to max the heck out their ability to make a half canvas suit. They even launched at $299, with a “these suits are excluded from sales and promos” disclosure. Yet here we are, with them being stuck at $50 off for what seems like the last couple of months. No clue why, but we’ll take it. Review is here.
They are NOT cheap. But what they are, is a dress shirt made from smooth, dressy, performance fabric with a collar that truly looks, acts, lays, and feels like an actual dress collar. Other brands have tried and most have spectacularly failed. Rhone’s commuter shirts are awesome, but they lean casual and wear closer to a (wicking, breathable) OCBD. The Ledbury’s look like a true dress shirt, only the 94% Nylon / 6% spandex fabric dries quick, moves moisture away from your skin, and breathes really well. All of which keeps you cool. Again, admittedly, they’re super expensive. But they’re what a lot of us have been holding out hope for. Slightly lowered 2nd button looks great when worn without a tie too. From their MTO line. So it’ll take a few weeks to get to you, as they make the shirts after orders are placed, but the fit should be more exact than standard off the rack, and you get to choose the collar too.
Anybody know how to get pollen out of the backside of a pair of white track pants? Boxy’s embarrassed, walking around looking like he’s farting daisies.
And with that, Spring’s in the books. Here’s to the summer ahead. Thanks for your readership. It honestly means a lot that you continue to allow us to borrow some of your attention every so often, as we roll through with a few treats now and then.
Be safe out there in the coming months. Stay frosty!
Steal Alert: Allen Edmonds 5th Ave. oxfords for $199. Leather or Dainite sole. 1st quality,…
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Something Wicked, hugs in jewelry form, a different kind of cupcake, and more.
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Hitting the middle ground for the upcoming holiday feast.
In person with Hamilton's new 38mm, quartz powered field watch.