(Top photo(s) credit here and here on Unsplash. Our unofficial Amazon mascot, Boxy the box head, is all ours (whether we like it or not.)
Wait, so the giant of e-commerce has launched their Black Friday “week” promotion the Thursday before Thanksgiving… and Thanksgiving proper is the day before Black Friday? Is anyone else confused? Welcome to 2025. At this rate, they’ll be launching Black Friday 2026 before this Christmas.
TL;DR: As too early as this may feel, it’s not half bad. No Prime membership required to participate this time, unlike their Prime Day promotion. Hold on to your candy cane cuz we’re gonna (stylishly) deck these halls. Let’s get to the picks. It gets random. That’s Amazon for you.
Not bad. Especially if you have Prime and can get it delivered quickly so you can use it on top of all the other deals that are happening at Banana Republic, GAP, Old Navy, BR Factory, adidas, etc. Yes, some of them are physical gift cards sent to your door. Note: A lot of these are lightning deals, so they’ll sell through quickly. But keep an eye on the Amazon gift cards deal page, as they often reload/re-launch brands like BR/GAP and adidas during big sale events like this.
Not cheap. But it’s a looker for sure. Shown above in a dark brown/tan combination. Available in an all black too.
The Pick: Age Defender Face Moisturizer – $44.10 ($63)
Kiehl’s just gets it right. No overpowering scents, their stuff is well reviewed, and the branding/packaging even looks good/classic on the bathroom counter if you choose to leave it there.
Under Armour may be going through a very up and down period, but their Tech Boxer Briefs have and continue to be a bestseller. Lots of guys swear by these things. They’re a staple.
VAER has a storefront on Amazon, and for some reason these 150m water resistant divers are cheaper on Amazon than they are even direct through the brand during their holiday sale. This is their base line. Not assembled in the USA. “Imported.” Yet a great introduction to the brand all the same in a nice, mid-sized 39mm dive style package. Two straps included too. No bracelet option though on Amazon.
Cheap, comfortable, and shipped fast to your door. 98% cotton / 2% lycra.
Shown above off the stock bracelet and on an after-market 20mm Crown & Buckle Supreme NATO strap
Prices have gone up on these lately, and they haven’t been going on sale like they used to. So the drop to just under $70 is a solid deal.
The Invicta Pro Automatic Diver is a staple in the affordable men’s style world. At 40mm it looks great on almost all wrists. With 200m of water resistance, a Japanese automatic movement, and classic good looks (let’s just call it a very strong “homage”), it punches well above its historical price of somewhere under $100. The only trouble with this thing is the engraved INVICTA on the 9 o’clock side. It’s too much. But thankfully it’s not as obtrusive in real life as one would think. If you’re a DIY-er, you can always try to take it off yourself. The center links are also polished, which isn’t favored by some of us. A quick fix for that would be to take the bracelet off all together, and swap in a NATO or leather strap.
Yay! Travel is back on! “But what if I was gonna use airport chaos as an excuse to stay home??” Well, at least your luggage can look good and sleek, function well, and not cost you your first born (or his frankincense and myrrh). The Samsonite Freeform line really is a nice balance of modern looks, performance, and price. Shown above as part of our how to pack light while traveling in style post.
Speaking of air-travel. Block out that noise. As much as possible.
Soft, textured leather. Very minimized branding. Professional without looking stuffy or stiff. Review of the double-zip briefcase can be found here to give you an idea. These have creeped up in price over the last year or so, but they’re still a good, dependable, stylish option.
Multiple things can be true. This book is insufferably silly (they’re just wristwatches), yet it’s also incredibly cool. It’s a coffee table book that explores individual time pieces, their owners, and the stories behind them. Came out a while back and is still quite popular. Great if you’re looking to give a gift to the watch-lover in your life.
Dirt cheap. Allegedly midweight. Fleece lined. Six different colors to pick from.
“It was… SOAP. POISIONING.” (Top 3 all time Christmas movie?)
Don’t worry Ralphie. This stuff is all natural. Dr. Squatch is cold processed in the USA, their scents smell great and lean masculine (unlike most generic soaps which smell like your Granny’s powder-room), and most importantly they feel like something… y’know, you should actually be using to clean your skin with. Hard to get excited about soap. But a Dr. Squatch bulk deal is a “buy now” button smash for some of us.
Head here for a full review. Shown above in the classic beeswax brown many of us wear with just about everything casual to smart-casual. Price can wiggle around a bit depending on what size you’re after, but the majority of common sizes, for now, are at $55 or just under.
Can really whipsaw around in price but this is about where it lands on the lower end. For those that like the old-school smart look of a rectangular watch, but won’t be shelling out for an old-school heritage luxury name. Looks really good dressed wayyyy up, and also does the “modern Rat Pack” thing extraordinarily well.
Meanwhile, here’s a nice Swiss made mechanical version from Hamilton. Not technically a Black Friday week deal, but worth a mention because Amazon is now selling/fulfilling some Hamilton models… and some are even slightly on sale. Which is not nothing. It’s hard to get a Hamilton on any kind of sale these days from a trustworthy online seller.
Sound the leather-furniture-on-Amazon klaxon! Didn’t know Amazon’s in-house homegoods brand “Rivet” was still around. Perhaps they’ve discontinued making new stuff, but these simple leather couches for under $900 seem like a good buy. Anyone who has done furniture shopping recently know it’s expensive out there. Plus these ship from Amazon. So you won’t be waiting around for months until something gets unloaded at the ports. Amazon will schedule a time for delivery, and you can upgrade (read: pay more) for specific room delivery/the whole white glove treatment if that’s what you’d prefer.
This is the leather strap, chronograph-equipped big brother to the cheap, base-line slip-thru weekender. 40mm case should be wearable by most. Blue dial contrasts nicely against the brown leather nato strap. Strap is a “genuine leather” that feels like something somewhere between cereal-box cardboard and store-brand beef jerky, but it looks fine and wears comfortably. Wouldn’t want to get it wet or too sweaty though. Overall this watch would look great in pretty much any casual to smart casual situation. And while it does have the infamous Timex “tick”… it’s quieter than other Timex watches afflicted with the loud seconds hand ticking noise… simply because the seconds hand that does all the work on this watch is the tiny one on the sub dial at 6 o’clock.
It’s a backpack, it’s a briefcase, it’s both. Great for the commuters and frequent travelers who want to easily and quickly switch between a backpack and a briefcase. Two sizes available, small or medium. Make sure you check out the dimensions and that your pick fits your needs.
Amazon’s Black Friday Week event is set to run through, well, probably through Black Friday if not further. We’ll keep an eye out and update with new deals/lightning deals as necessary.
Smart casual briefcases, classic dive watches, and retro sneakers.
A casual but still put-together look for dressed down winter festivities.
Looking sharp but not over the top. Out on the town or at someone's place.
Tis-the-season to bring some style.
Tues. = Leftovers + extensions moved to the top. 20% off Huckberry's 365 pants, BRF…
Cozy duds, paper pets, some good reads, and a heated outdoor chair.