For many of us, warm weather style just isn’t as tempting as the tweed, boots, and flannel of fall. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty of new, drool-worthy gear just arriving for the months ahead. Fresher fabrics, lighter shades, crisper looks. Note: Since these are new arrivals, prices will be higher than what you normally see on Dappered. It can take some time for sales and promos to bring costs down. But we’ll keep an eye out for those as always.
Bonobos KNIT Italian Linen-Blend Blazers – $400
Interesting. A spring/summer version of their hugely popular Jetsetter knit blazers, only this time with a base of Italian linen. 53% linen / 47% cotton. Four colors/patterns. Fabric is from Maggia Mill in Italy. A 30% off sale would drop them to $280.
Spier & Mackay Unlined Chukkas – $228
Full grain calf suede. 360° open channel Goodyear welt. Unlined for better flexibility, breathability, and minimal break in time. Studded rubber sole is good for all season wear.
VAER G2 Meridian GMT USA – $489
Assembled in the USA. Swiss quartz GMT movement. 42mm in diameter, so it has some presence, but it’s not some giant dinner plate on your wrist either. Easy to use quick release spring bars for easy bracelet/strap changes. And the balance between the stainless steel and the grays and the gilt accents? Whoo boy. That’ll do. Less than 40 units left at post time. These could sell out.
J. Crew Classic-fit Linen Trousers – $128
Spendy, but they nail the summertime casual to smart casual look. Pair them with a polo and loafers for a smart casual look. Wear it with a t-shirt and sneakers when keeping it relaxed. Easy and… yes… breezy, as they’re 100% linen.
B.R. Italian Ventile Wool Suit Jackets & Trousers = $680
Versatility is off the charts. Half lined, ultra airy Italian hopsack wool. Jackets have patch pockets on the lower half, so they’ll look great when worn as a sportcoat with chinos. Trousers themselves will also look great when paired with polos, resort style shirts, or lightweight sweaters. Catching them during a 30% off sale would drop under $500.
CARFIA Metal Bridge Acetate Sunglasses – $35
Cheap, and just different enough with the metal bridge. Polarized lenses. Acetate frames instead of cheap/flimsy plastic. Ships via Amazon.
J. Crew Lake Shoes – $198
If boat shoes feel too preppy and penny loafers feel too stuffy… try lake shoes or camp mocs. They’re casual but not too casual, and go with everything from shorts to chinos to linen pants.
Todd Snyder x Timex 1976 Lexington – $169 (o.o.s.)
Sold out pretty quick when they got released a few weeks back. We’ll keep an eye out for any restocks. Roaring 20s looks at a reasonable price.
Nordstrom Mitchell Sneakers – $99.95
Classic white sneakers with a bit of character. Price won’t break the bank. Leather lined. Ships/returns for free.
The Tie Bar Ribbed Sweater Polos – $58
For those who love the old-school-cool/golden age of Hollywood look. 100% mercerized cotton. Ivory, black, or burgundy. Dry clean or machine wash on gentle/lay flat to dry.
Nordstrom Made in Italy Suede Loafers – $199.95
It’s loafer season. It’s suede season. And here, Nordstrom combines them both into Italian made loafers with a versatile shape. They’re not stumpy, nor are they pointy. It also helps that they ship and return for free, as loafers gotta fit right, as there’s no laces to make up for any slop.
Timex Draper Automatic 37mm – $309
Quite possibly the classiest Timex release… ever?
GAP Linen-Cotton Relaxed Taper Easy Pants – $49.95 ($79.95)
Style is cyclical, and we are most definitely in a “big fit” era. That doesn’t mean you have to participate (trim but NOT tight fits will always be in style,) but some airy pants with flow might be just what this summer requires.
Vans Premium Authentic Sneakers – $85
In “lavender duck camo” no less. Classics with a real dose of personality.
Rowe & Taylor Half Canvas Merino Wool Suits – $278
Weddings are always expensive. But this year? This year? Especially if you have to fly in to stand up as a groomsman? Ouch. So getting smart about outfitting yourself is key. Rowe & Taylor is Spier & Mackay’s step down, high-value brand. 100% merino wool fabric. The jackets still feature a half canvas interior construction, instead of the all glue interiors found in bargain priced suits (they’ll fit better, feel better, and wear better, especially over time). Shoulders are lightly padded, and the sleeve cuffs come with non functioning buttons, so tailoring those sleeves to show a ~1/4″ shirt cuff is a breeze. Skip the cheap, weird feeling and awkward fitting polyester suits. Get a suit like one of these, with a half canvas construction in an all-season wool. And get it tailored.
Spier & Mackay “Dylan” Sunglasses – $48
Acetate frames, polarized lenses, and available in either 52 mm or 54mm. Available in four color combinations, but the light brown acetate + blue lenses are of particular note.
Made in Italy Astorflex Patnoflex Travel Loafers – $225
Lightweight and super flexible. A few different colors to pick from. Dead simple in terms of design, and that’s on purpose. One of their bestsellers. They have a hard time keeping common sizes in stock.
BR Factory Linen/Cotton 7″ Deck Shorts – $35ish
Shorts are one of those items that a lot of us cut costs on. Because… they’re shorts. BR Factory to the rescue. 55% linen, 45% cotton. E-waist with drawstrings. For when it’s too hot to care… yet we still do.
Bonobos The 5-pocket Chino – $99
Same fabric as their new flagship 2.0 chino, only cut in a more casual but still versatile 5-pocket style. Perfect for Chinos Chukkas Polo season.
Rothy’s Court Sneakers – $149
Size note: These run half a size small. And even then they can run a little narrow for those of us with wide or borderline wide feet. That said, if they fit you well out of the box, then these are terrific and well worth the investment. Rothy’s makes well cushioned, breathable sneakers, with flexible recycled knit uppers spun from recycled plastic bottles. They’re even machine washable(!) so wearing them without socks is no worry at all. Four colors to pick from, but the white with emerald green accents are peak versatility. Outbound shipping is free. No fee for mail-in exchanges, or for returns made at a Happy Returns location or a Rothy’s retail store. Otherwise, it’s a $7.99 fee for mail-in refunds.
J. Crew Sportcoat in English linen-wool blend – $498
Just half lined in the back and made from a breathable 50% linen/26% wool/24% cotton blend. Classic fit. So if you’re used to their trimmer Ludlow fit, you may need it tweaked by a tailor. Fits have been expanding the last couple years across all brands. So seeing J. Crew shift towards more accommodating silhouettes isn’t a surprise. That and during the warmer months, tight = unpleasant.
Seiko Solar Speedtimer (new colors)
- Seiko Prospex Speedtimer – $725 left, review here
- Seiko Prospex Speedtimer – $725 ($725) center
- Seiko Prospex Speedtimer – $725 ($725) right
Seiko’s bestselling quartz chrono has gotten some new “paint.” Is that a salmon/champagne in the center? And a light minty green on the right? Diameter is a pleasantly mid-sized 39mm, so that’ll look good on plenty of wrists. But as they’re sporty chronos, they’ll still have plenty of presence.
VRST (Dick’s) VRST Limitless Trousers or 5-Pocket Performance Pants – $98
Slim or athletic fit. Lots of colors. Not as pricey as lululemon, not as cheap as Old Navy. Feels and moves almost identical to lululemon too. They even have a gusseted under-seam for ease of movement. Available in either a more casual five pocket style, or a looks like a pair of dress pants style . Here’s how a size 32×30 athletic fit looks on my 5’10″/185lbs, although truth be told: I get a 32×32 these days and have them hemmed up an inch.
LUCA Terra Slip On Chelsea Sneaker Boots – $146 – $225
Yes there is such a thing as summer chelsea boots, and these are them. Part boot, part sneaker, 100% comfortable. Made in Portugal. Bought a pair of these, love them, and have worn them with everything casual to smart casual. Looks great with a t-shirt and jeans, also looks great with a polo and chinos. They’re too easy and too comfortable not to wear all the time. And that hand-pressed Lactae Havea cup sole is as comfortable as they come.
Amazon Essentials Men’s Slim-Fit Short-Sleeve Print Shirts – $20ish
Back for another year with some new patterns. Because sometimes you just want a (cheap) short sleeve button up in cool cotton poplin.
The Tie Bar Silk Grenadine Neckties – $58
A step up from their more affordable “grenalux” line of textured silk neckties. These are the real thing (grenadine weave). Priced at a point which is good for those who want something with a better feel and look than a cheap silk necktie, but not so absurdly expensive it’s getting into high-end menswear haberdasher shop territory.
J. Crew Airman Sunglasses – $79.50
Not oversized. Lens diameter is 52 or 53mm, and they may wear a hair smaller than that. As a card carrying member of the Big Noggin’ Society, pretty sure I can say with some confidence that those with larger heads may feel these sunglasses are too small. But for those of average to more modest size craniums, these’ll be welcome and restrained. Tortoise-styled ear pieces look great against the gold frames. Hinges feel nice and springy too, and not cheap or rickety. A 40% off deal drops them under $50.
Timex Waterbury Heritage Automatic GMT – $569
Almost $600 for a Timex! But… look at it. They sure are nailing it in the style department right now. Automatic GMT movement. H-link bracelet with quick release spring bars for easy swap outs. Black/green GMT bezel looks all kinds of right.
Spier & Mackay Blake Stitched Cap Toe Oxfords – $198
Back just in time for another wedding season. Blake stitched construction, simple cap toe, fair price. Full review here, albeit in a slightly different quarter-brogue style.
J. Crew 100% Linen Shorts – $89.50
Holding out on a sale for these. 100% linen, so expect them to be extra breezy… and also expect them to wrinkle. But that’s what linen does. 7″, 8″, or 9″ inseams.
Suitsupply Light Grey Tropical Wool Havana Fit Suit – $599
Very, very light gray. Super 120s tropical weight wool is from Italy’s Vitale Barberis Canonico. Packing light and traveling for a wedding? Wear the jacket with contrasting chinos. Wear the trousers with a smart polo.
PROOF Performance Lined Swim Trunks – $78
A true do-anything pair of summer shorts. Soft liner for swimming. Stretches and wicks and breathes like an active short. And yes, these are the old Wellen-brand performance “Hybrid” shorts, simply rebranded to Huckberry’s in-house performance PROOF line.
Made in Italy MacAlister Boots in suede – $198
STOCK UPDATE: These have been coming and going in regards to stock, with some sizes being listed as a pre-order for July. Which is crazy. But for now they’re showing as having some sizes in stock and ready to ship.
Back for another year, but this time in a spring/summer ready dirty-buck shade they’re calling “wet sand.” Made in Italy with Italian Suede uppers and natural crepe rubber soles.
Old Navy Performance Tech-Chino Shorts – $27.99 ($39.99)
Full review here. Size shown: 8″ inseam, 32 waist, on 5’10″/185. These are the shorts version of Old Navy’s cheap lululemon-warpstreme-like competitors. If the Old Navy fabric isn’t identical to lululemon’s warpstreme twill, like at an atomic level/made by the exact same supplier, then it’s one of the best copies/”homages” ever. They feel and move great. Do note that Old Navy insists on calling these shorts “hybrid” shorts, but unlike true hybrid shorts (like PROOF) these do NOT have any kind of liner. They’re “just” shorts. Nothing wrong with that. Especially because they’re a great pair of shorts. And they’re cheap.
Ledbury Performance Fabric MTO Dress Shirts – $145
- White 94% Nylon 6% Spandex true performance fabric MTO Dress Shirt ($145)
- Ice blue 94% Nylon 6% Spandex true performance fabric MTO Dress Shirt ($145)
Whoooooo spendy. But Ledbury did what so many other companies haven’t been able to do. They made a true dress shirt out of a breathable, wicking, smooth performance fabric… and the collar feels and acts like a true dress collar. That’s where so many performance fabric dress shirts fail miserably… the collars are always too casual. (See the otherwise excellent Rhone commuter, which wears more like a tech OCBD than a dress shirt). Not with these. The collars are terrific. Great with a tie. And the mid-spread (or hidden button down) looks exceptionally sharp without a tie as well, thanks to their structure and the slightly lowered 2nd button. No more “one unbuttoned not enough/two is too much” debate.
Jack Erwin Decker Loafers – $188
The problem with most driving loafers is that they’re not super comfortable unless you’re, y’know, driving. Which involves sitting. Not standing and walking around. The Decker from Jack Erwin looks to change that, by offering driver looks on a natural rubber wedge sole. Leather lined too. 10 colors to choose from.
Crown & Buckle Supreme NATO Straps – $32 – $38
Shown: Black and Gray – $38 (on a Lorier Neptune)
Summer means water and sweat. Leather watch straps don’t really excel in those conditions. Swapping out a leather strap for a NATO is often the way to go. Even stainless steel bracelets can get a little too shiny in the summer sun. Solution? A NATO strap. And while there are much cheaper straps out there, Crown & Buckle’s Supreme series continues to reign supreme. The hardware, the colors, the stripes, and the classic seatbelt-style fabric with its ever so slight sheen or the newer, matte textured option all combine to make for one terrific watch strap.
BR Factory Brown Linen/Cotton Suit Jacket & Trousers = $265ish
If you want to wear a summery suit but don’t want to do the standard khaki or light gray thing… try a brown linen like this. 55% linen, 43% cotton, 2% spandex fabric. Unlined jacket for extra breathability. Linen texture with just enough cotton to keep it from feeling wispy or papery.
Bonobos Riviera Swim Trunks – $99
A good swimsuit is worth investing in. Cheap swim trunks are more likely to fall apart or get uncomfortable as a long day of sun and sand and swimming wears on. Clearly, these aren’t cheap, but they come in a bunch of colors & patterns, a few different inseam lengths, and the interior boxer-brief style micro-perforated liner is comfortable.
Bonobos Unconstructed Hopsack Wool Sportcoats – $400
The legend. Barely there construction, super-airy hopsack wool fabric, and made in multiple fit templates. Full review here if you’d like it. Drops under $300 during a (somewhat rare) 30% off sale. Shown above in light gray. Shown at the very top of the post in “bright navy.”
Did we miss something warm-weather specific that should have made this list? Send those tips into: joe@dappered.com.