Banana Republic 40% off Friends and Family Sale

Banana Republic: 40% off select full price (exp. 3/30)

Note: If your purchase is $175 or more, you can get free 2-3 day shipping at checkout with the code BRSHIP

This is BR’s first big sale of the year. And if years past are any indication, it could be months until they hit this max-for-them 40% off again. They’ll probably drop a 30% off in here and there between now and the dead of summer… but the next F&F deal usually doesn’t roll around until (checks notes) September.

Lots of classics, as well as plenty of new spring/summer arrivals to eye up. No code necessary for the 40% off. Discount should happen in your cart. Less exclusions than usual. Let’s get to the picks…

 

Stretch Chino Sportcoat – $150 ($250)

It’s been far too long since a reputable, easily-accessible brand (read: not sketchy drop-shipped stuff) made an unstructured, reasonably affordable, stretch-cotton chino sportcoat. This clearly has lots of potential to become a new favorite for many of us. Can’t quite tell if it has functioning sleeve cuff buttons or not? If it does, that could make for tricky (or impossible) tailoring if the sleeve length doesn’t hit your wrists just right.

 

Italian Cotton-Linen Suit Jacket & Matching Trouser = $360 ($600)

• Italian Cotton/Linen Suit Jacket – $240 ($400)
• Italian Cotton/Linen Suit Trouser – $120 ($200)

New for spring and summer. Unmistakable warm-weather tailoring. “Beach-Chic,” but can absolutely be dressed up too. Just half lined in the back of the jacket for extra breathability. 80% cotton for structure / 20% linen for breathability and texture. Jacket is versatile enough to wear on its own as a sportcoat, as shown on the right.

 

Suede Court Sneakers – $90 ($150)

Wait, really? Usually they exclude shoes from their Friends and Family events (and basically any other substantial discounts). Nice to see these included. Dead simple, retro “t-toe” design, and chalk white suede uppers. Leather lined. Should look clean and contemporary… not clunky and ready to mall-walk.

 

Wrinkle Resistant Dress Shirts in Slim or Standard Fit – $48 ($80)

Great collars, wrinkle resistant 100% cotton fabric, and all the colors/patterns you could want. A bit of ironing may be needed by most, but it irons up easy and doesn’t come out of the dryer looking like a wreck. So if you wear it under a suit, sportcoat, or sweater, you can probably get away with skipping the iron. The one major 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 wish BR would make the switch to neck and sleeve measurements for their dress shirts. It’s just more precise. Size shown above is a medium slim fit on 5’10″/185.

 

Suede Woven Belts – $48 ($80)

Smooth leather woven belts can sometimes look a little… 1993. Suede to the rescue! Makes the whole thing more subtle, while still bringing obvious textures.

 

Slim Core Temp Pants – $54 ($100)

Back for another season(s). These are those cotton-based but lightweight and oddly temperature regulating pants that look good dressed up or dressed down. Great for spring and summer, or year-round if you run a bit warm or don’t like thicker, more traditional chinos. These are listed at $90 instead of the MSRP of $100, but as their price doesn’t end in $.99 or $.97 they appear to have escaped the “on sale” exclusion. So the 40% off stacks?

 

Made in Portugal Suede Chukkas – $150 ($240)

Tis the season. Suede uppers, crepe soles. Remember that while crepe soles aren’t great in the slick and icy surfaces of winter, they do look great and add plenty of bounce in warmer and drier seasons.

 

Italian Tropical Wool Suit Jackets & Matching Trousers = $390 ($650)

• Blue or Gray Vitale Barberis Canonico Tropical Wool Suit Jackets – $270 ($450)
• Blue or Gray Vitale Barberis Canonico Tropical Wool Suit Trousers – $120 ($200)

As another wedding season approaches… don’t run out of time in terms of getting a suit and getting it tailored (if in fact you need to get a suit for wedding season). Better 2 months too early than 2 days too late. Sold as separates, so you pick the size of the jacket and the size of the trousers independent of each other. No “nested” pairs here where you may be stuck with a pair of pants or jacket a touch too big or small. Tropical wool weight, which will be more comfortable in warmer weather. Although the jackets appear to be fully lined, which won’t breathe quite as well as a half lined or totally unstructured jacket… but still. Pretty great suit for under $400. Many will do much, much worse. And they will possibly pass out because they locked their knees and made poor choices in terms of which suit they purchased. See our review of their signatures suits here, albeit in the all-season nailhead wool option.

 

Made in Portugal Cap Toe Leather Oxfords – $150 ($240)

And now some shoes with serious visual interest to wear with one of those blue suits. Lightly textured but still noticeably leather. Rich cognac uppers. Leather soles.

 

Textured Leather Card Case – $30 ($50)

Because when suited up (like for a wedding), slimming down your E.D.C. is a good idea. Even if you haven’t gone “full Costanza” with your regular billfold, a regular wallet can feel a little clunky when you’re doing the Electric Slide at a reception. Having a slim card case on hand is smart. Grab your ID and a couple of cards, stash some cash in a money clip, and you’ll be good to go.

 

Cotton-Blend Sweater Bomber – $108 ($180)

How on earth did BR take a chunky winter sweater, and pivot it to a warmer season jacket/zip cardigan hybrid? Unleash the Summer Chunk!

 

Traveler Pants 2.0 in Slim, Straight, or Athletic Fit – $66 ($110)

• Slim Fit Traveler 2.0
• Straight Fit Traveler 2.0
• Athletic Fit Traveler 2.0

Also shown at the very top of the post. One of their bestsellers. The mid-point between chinos and jeans. Slim fit or Athletic fit with a bit of taper. Soft and flexible Italian milled fabric: 58% organic cotton, 32% modal, 7% polyester, 3% elastane. Lots of colors, including a bunch of new lighter and brighter spring and summer-ready shades.

 

Metal Catch Belts – $48 ($80)

Versatile but interesting. Metal catch instead of leather.

 

Ribbed Merino Sweater Jacket – $90 ($180)

One of those “special price” items that is somehow not excluded as a sale item, yet marked down anyway. 100% extra fine merino wool. Good for the unpredictable changing seasons we’re in.

 

Cinza Italian Nubuck Belts – $54 ($90)

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. Particularly useful in summer as smooth leather can have too much shine in bright sun for some of our eyes, whereas the matte look of suede and nubuck looks just right in the more dressed-down days of the warmer seasons.

 

(new) Luxe Traveler Jeans in Slim or Straight Fit – $72 ($120)

Nothing like making a fool out of oneself to review BR’s Traveler Jean 2.0 only for them to bin that design and go back to what appears to be a more super-soft/less texture-y fabric. *sighs* Anyway, a little less cotton in this new luxe traveler jean, with the remaining balance being more Tencel and stretch than the 2.0.

 

100% Linen Shirts in Slim or Standard Fit – $57 ($95)

No button down collars on these. Some of us prefer button down collars on linen shirts as the fabric is already naturally a bit more casual looking and wearing, and an unruly collar might push it a bit far. Others would understandably say: “that’s the point. it’s a linen shirt.” Colors. All the colors.

 

SHORT SLEEVE 100% Linen Shirts – $54 ($90)

The short sleeve version. And these DO have button down collars. Still lots of colors, just not quite as many. And no slim fit. Just standard. Which seems a bit odd.

 

Stretch Cotton Wrinkle-Resistant Dress Pants – $78 ($130)

For those who are now back-to-office. 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 98% cotton / 2% stretch numbers. Mid-rise. Tapered slim leg. Visual texture.

 

Luxury-Touch Polo – $36 ($60)

Size Shown: Medium on 5’10″/185

These are BR’s flagship polo, with a two button placket and smooth cotton fabric. They’re the polo for those who want something dressy, smooth, and it has to be cotton (and not performance/tech-y fabric). 100% mercerized cotton, so it’s got a verrrry smooth feel to the fabric. Fabric is more of a mid-weight. Not heavy, not stiff, but not airy like a tech fabric polo. Ribbed collar and sleeve ends. Do be aware that in the past some have had shrinkage issues when machine washed/tumbled dry.

 

Luxury-Touch Piped Johnny-Collar Polos – $42 ($70)

Same fabric, but the shirt itself has 100% less buttons and 100% more piping (at the collar, placket, and cuffs).

 

Luxury Touch T-shirts – $24 ($40)

And the tees. For those who firmly believe that such a thing as a “nice” t-shirt can exist (and they do exist). Super smooth 100% jersey cotton with a silk-like luxe touch finish. Solids only. Not slub. Not “washed.” Not vintage. Smooth. Clean. Neat.

 

Italian Leather Nicklas 2.0 Sneakers – $72 ($120)

Their court-inspired classics. Italian leather uppers.

 

Italian Wool Micro-Houndstooth Suit Jacket & Matching Trousers = $390 ($650)

• Dark Navy Houndstooth Lanificio Angelico Wool Suit Jackets – $270 ($450)
• Dark Navy Houndstooth Lanificio Angelico Wool Suit Trousers – $120 ($200)

All business but still interesting thanks to the dark, micro-houndstooth. Solid suits are great, but if you want to make an impression without stamping a loud suit pattern on someone’s retinas, something dark and subtle like this is the way to go. Could be quietly the suit of the year when it’s on sale like this. See our review of their signatures suits here, albeit in the all-season nailhead wool option.

 

RAEN Spyre Aviators – $114 ($190)

Another surprise inclusion as sunglasses (especially 3rd party brands) are usually excluded. Gold and green aviators which appear to have a slimmed down but not squat shape. Sure wish they’d list lens diameters. Tough to get an idea for “fit” when they don’t.

 

Silk Grenadine Neckties – $36 ($60)

Because when you need a tie, you need a tie. Especially if it’s a black tie. But a few unexpected colors outside of the necessary black as well. 3″ wide.

 

Rapid Movement Chinos in Slim or Athletic Fit – $60 ($100)

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% elasterrell, 2% spandex blend. Available in the six colors most would expect chinos to come in. (Except for green/olive. None of that BR?) 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.

 

Reversible Leather Dress Belt – $48 ($80)

Black and a lighter leaning brown. Just depends on which side you’ve got facing out. Weathered looking buckle keeps the glare down without looking overly vintage.

 

100% Linen Windowpane Plaid Jacket & Matching Trousers = $360 ($600 )

• 100% Linen Suit Jacket – $240 ($400)
• 100% Linen Suit Trouser – $120 ($200)

That’s bold. Quite bold. Sure the colors are muted. But between the pattern and the all linen fabric (prepare to embrace the wrinkles) it’s not exactly a sober suit. But it’d look great at a fancy-schmancy Derby party in May. Of course you could just get the jacket and wear it as a sportcoat with white or off white or even navy chinos or summery 5-pockets. The jacket has patch-pockets after-all, so it won’t look out of place in the least when worn as a sportcoat.

 

RAEN Clyve Sunglasses – $90 ($150)

More sunglasses by Raen, this time in acetate with a retro key-hole style bridge.

 

Linen/Cotton Traveler 5-Pocket Pants – $78 ($130)

Live somewhere warm? Going somewhere warm? These are the summery version of their bestselling Italian milled 5-pocket travelers. These are a blend of 60% linen, 39% cotton, and 1% stretch. Still versatile, just now with a bit of the linen feel and look.

 

Standard Fit Oxfords – $42 ($70)

Specifically washed for softness. Lots of colors. OCBDs which should hit right between UNIQLO and Brooks Brothers on the quality and formality spectrum.

 

Made in Portugal Loafers – $150 ($24)

Available in either soft-black suede or a smooth dark brown leather. If your eyes or screen are playing tricks on you and making the suede loafers look like they’re leaning midnight navy… you’re not alone. But they are listed as “soft black” for color. Which is frankly a great play. Because sometimes you want to wear an outfit which would look best with black shoes, yet in the spring and summer smooth black leather can look out of place. The answer is black suede. And here we are.

 

Athletic Italian-Stretch Chino – $60 ($100)

98% cotton / 2% spandex milled in Italy. Mid rise, tapered leg. 14″ leg opening. They’re claiming these are their “next-generation” chino.

 

Italian Wool Tuxedo Jacket & Matching Trouser – $420 ($700)

Who would have expected Banana Republic to nail a timeless black tie look? Peak lapels, covered buttons, and made from virgin Italian wool from Marzotto. If you need a shirt, their tuxedo shirts (concealed placket, french cuffs) can be found here for $60.

The 40% off Banana Republic friends and family event + free 2-3 day shipping on orders of $175+ w/ code BRSHIP is set to expire on 3/30/25.