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. First we went casual, then we upgraded to a smart casual look, and today we finish off this heat wave style scenario trilogy by suiting up. Remember above all: Be smart. Stay hydrated. And don’t risk it. Please.
The Suit: J. Crew Italian Wool Ludlow Suit Jacket + Matching Trouser = $479 Total ($800). Part of their just launched (and not very expansive in terms of overall selection) Summer Suiting event. Under $500 = the new normal for a good price on an Italian wool, half-canvas suit. And these are sold as separates, so you can pick the size of the jacket and trousers independently from each other. No getting stuck with a “nested” set of trousers which may not fit your frame decently off the rack.
The Shirt: Nordstrom Trim Fit Premium Performance Dress Shirt – $65.99 ($99). Looks like a smooth dress shirt, blend is woven specifically for comfort: 45% cotton, 30% nylon, 21% lyocell, 4% spandex. That shade of blue is perfect too.
The Sunglasses: CARFIA Polarized Retro Classic Acetate Sunglasses – $26 ($43). Prices on Amazon for sunglasses have been rising like crazy these last few months (Carfia and WMP specifically). Not long ago, the baseline for Carfia shades used to be $29 – $35. Now some models have crept above $40. So grabbing a pair while they’re on a “limited time deal” like this is super smart. Smooth acetate frames, polarized lenses, and they’re classy looking with no obnoxious branding. 50.5mm lens diameter, but they honestly wear a little bigger than that. Not huge. Far from it. Probably best for average sized faces/heads, as I have a larger than average head and they fit me just fine.
The Watch: O.G. Invicta Automatic Diver – $69.17 w/ Crown & Buckle “Griege” NATO – $32. Easy wearing 40mm case diameter. Dependable Seiko automatic movement. 200m of water resistance with a screw down crown. Just remember that you’ll have to live with the etched “INVICTA” branding on the 9 o’clock side of the case, but in real life it’s somewhat ignorable. It also arrives on a stainless steel bracelet, but it truly excels on NATO straps like the one we’ve suggested for this look.
The Socks: Nordstrom Merino Wool Blend Dress Socks (3 pack) – $29.99 ($45). True dress socks in a temperature regulating, wicking, merino blend. Ten bucks a pair for a 3-pack is pretty good, considering they ship (and return!) for free.
The Shoes: Nordstrom Knox Flexible Penny Loafer – $69.99 ($99.95). Same affordable suede loafers as the gray pair from the smart casual style scenario, only this time in brown. Lace-ups would work too, but as it’s summer, might as well make the most of slip-on-season while it’s here.
The Belt: Nordstrom Leather Belt – $52.99 ($79). Might as well mention a belt from Nordstrom too, as we’re “in the neighborhood” for the socks and shoes as well.
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