Yes Banana Republic did their 40% off Friends and Family last month, and no 30% off isn’t 40% off… but perhaps you bought something during that sale you liked and want to get an additional color. They’ve also had a bunch of new arrivals land (hello outerwear) just as it’s starting to truly feel like autumn for many of us. So yeah. Nice timing.
Note that this BRINSIDER code isn’t listed anywhere on their website or social channels… yet. Also, there are exclusions: leather apparel, suede apparel, 100% cashmere and cashmere blends, shoes, bags, and a few other bits you’ll probably not encounter. Ready for the picks? Off we go.
Banana Republic’s cold-weather outerwear department has excelled for years. They use nice fabrics, the overall quality is there, and they’re not priced into the stratosphere (especially when on sale). Fabric on these is a 75% wool / 25% nylon melton from Italy’s Manifattura Emmetex. Purposefully cut with a little extra room so you can layer it over a blazer or heavy sweater.
And BR’s take on a classic peacoat. Your color options are: Black. Thems be it. No higher-up hand warmer pockets like their competitor, J. Crew. But boy does that 75% virgin wool, 25% nylon fabric (also from Manifattura Emmetex) look good here.
Pricing Note: For some odd (but welcome) reason the gray jackets are on sale for $240. And the 30% off code stacks. Neat. Drops the total price for jacket and pants to a steal-alert-worth $308.
Full review here. All season wool from Italy’s Reda mill. Softer shoulder and sleeves designed for ease of movement. Moves quite well with just a hint of natural stretch. Sold as separates so you’re not stuck with a “nested” jacket and pants. You pick the size of the jacket, you pick the size of the pants, bang there’s your suit. Would excel in all three scenarios from our “Versatile Medium Gray Suit 3 Ways” posts.
Wrinkle resistant 100% cotton fabric, super sharp looking collars, and they’re finally on sale for 40% off. The one drawback (and it’s a dealbreaker for some) is that despite being dress shirts, they’re sold in “alpha” sizes like small, medium, large, etc. Really, really, really wish BR would make the switch to neck and sleeve measurements for their dress shirts. It’s just more precise. But it probably also costs them more money to make them like that.
Black and cognac. Just depends on which side you’ve got facing out. Weathered looking buckle keeps the glare down without looking overly vintage.
Pricing Note: At post time this is on sale for $240 and the 30% off code is stacking. That’s a nice price for what could end up being a go-to navy sportcoat.
This is actually part of a pair of suit separates, but here’s a Suggestion: If you’re in the market for a versatile navy blazer but don’t want to shell out for Spier, Suitsupply, or Bonobos, maybe consider this suit jacket as an alternative. “But it’s a suit jacket, won’t it look weird?” Probably not. It’ll work as a stand-alone blazer because it’s made from (Italian) hopsack wool. That honey-comb like texture to hopsack makes the garment a little more casual. It’s really not much different than the famous Bonobos blazers, although this BR option does have a full lining. The matching trousers can be found here if you do want to make it a full suit. But we’re going to stick to suggesting it as a foundational navy blazer.
All the colors and then some. Responsible Wool Certified merino knitted by Italy’s Zegna Baruffa mill. Soft but strong, temperature regulating merino wool. There are a lot of cheap, crummy feeling sweaters out there. These aren’t those.
And the V-necks. A basic, but a really well-executed basic. Responsible Wool Standard certified. 100% merino. Note that these have actually come down in price from last year. Last year they were $90 MSRP. This year $80. Huzzah!
And to now complete the Banana Republic Italian merino wool sweater trifecta… the half-zips. Because the gals in accounting think you look “totes adorbes” in one.
Fancy sweats! 57% polyester, 43% wool. Charcoal gray or chocolate brown. Matching crewneck “sweatshirts” can be found here if you wanna get all intentionally “matchy matchy.”
For those who are up to their necks, quite literally, in shawl collar sweaters and would prefer something a bit different looking. 100% merino from Italy’s Zegna Baruffa mill. Full zip front so you don’t have to pull it over your head like a quarter or half zip sweater. Looks like it could double as outerwear on days that are not too terribly cold or wet. Sidenote: That turtleneck underneath makes it tough to tell what sort of dang neck this thing has. It’s a ribbed-knit baseball/bomber style.
100% cotton luxury-touch jersey knit fabric. Lots of colors. Long sleeves for fall/winter. Just be careful with them in the washer/dryer so you don’t shrink them.
Just different enough. Whereas other vests come in solid (often primary) colors and can be a bit shiny with their exterior, this one has a muted and matte micro herringbone. Perfect.
Pricing Note: Like the gray signature suit jacket and navy hopsack jacket, these dress pants are also on sale at post time… and the 30% off code BRINSIDER is stacking. For now.
These are BR’s dress trousers for worker bees who want to be able to machine wash their work-pants and not have to worry too much about ironing them. At least that’s what they’re claiming with these 99% cotton / 1% stretch Italian numbers. Mid-rise. Tapered slim leg. Fabric is from Italy’s Tessuti di Sondrio mill. Lots of visual texture.
A lot of us may have scratched a new-sportcoat-itch via the recent BR Factory sale… but in case not, there’s this from big-brother mainline Banana Republic.
Just enough pattern up top so you can keep the rest of your outfit simple. Wear it with jeans or flannel trousers, dress shirts and sweaters, etc. Fabric is a blend: 67% recycled wool, 30% nylon, 3% other from Italy’s Lanificio Comatex mill.
Flannels that aren’t dependent on plaids (although they have plenty of those too).
More upgraded “sweats.” Marled gray fabric and sweatshirt-style knit anchor it in old-school athletic wear, while the ribbed 65% polyester, 35% wool fabric makes it look and feel way nicer than Rocky-style workout gear.
Tis the season. Ribbed texture. Italian wool blend. A few different colors.
Four button placket, six fall-ready colors, and BR’s super-soft wash fabric that feels like a favorite from the very beginning.
Warning: these have been updated and fans of the previous version might not be totally in love with the “improvements.” These are the Traveler Jean 2.0. They’ve been re-engineered for “a more pronounced texture that achieves beautifully authentic washes.” And that is an exceptionally accurate description. What gets lost though is the old softeness and extreme flexibility of the original Traveler Jeans so many of us have come to love. Are they still comfortable and stretchy? Yes. Are they the same? No they are not. If you want something similar to the old Banana Republic Traveler Jean… try the BR Factory version. They’re almost identical to the old mainline BR Traveler… and they’re significantly cheaper.
One of their bestsellers. Super soft, Italian milled, high-recovery yet still stretchy cotton cut and sewn into versatile five pocket pants. All the colors you’d expect, with a few curveballs thrown in. Fabric mix is 58% organic cotton, 32% modal, 7% polyester, 3% elastane. Fifteen colors to choose from. Slim or athletic fits to pick from.
To say BR doesn’t introduce new chinos every day would be an understatement. So they must be really thinking they have something here. What they’re calling their “next generation” chino. 98% organic cotton, 2% elastane lycra twill woven by Italy’s Olimpias mill. Just slim fit. 14″ leg opening.
Leather apparel is excluded, but it looks like some accessories are in. Nubuck = suede with a shorter nap, very matte, and something you’ll probably get plenty of use out of. Would look really good with a pair of dark wash denim.
BR’s flagship chinos. Not as lightweight and airy as their Core Temp pants, but that’s preferred by those who like more of a “true” chino feel. Yet they’re still engineered-for-movement. 90% cotton, 8% elasterell, 2% spandex blend. Lots of colors to choose from. Also a reminder that these are their pants that come with the rectangular label/branding over the back right pocket. That’s a dealbreaker for some guys, but BR has stuck with it over the years.
For those who specifically want a more casual, untucked oxford. 1″ shorter than their standard length shirts which are meant to be tucked in. Specifically washed for softness. Lots of colors and some stripes too.
When did Banana Republic nail black tie? Wider but not obnoxious peak lapels, covered buttons, and made from Marzotto wool. Sold as separates so you get to pick the size of the jacket and trousers independently from each other.
The quiet 30% off Banana Republic code BRINSIDER is set to end Monday 10/21/24.
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