The $1500 Wardrobe for Men

Creating a versatile, sharp wardrobe doesn’t happen overnight. The best course of action is to go slow. But for argument’s sake, let’s say you need a major wardrobe makeover, stat. Let’s see what a strict budget of $1500 can do. The outcome might not impress the menswear snobs, but why care? The goal is to balance quality with affordability… accessibility with versatility. Not every last stitch (like underwear) will be covered. The goal is to finish with a collection of clothes which can have someone looking good and feeling confident in most situations. The focus will be on affordable goods which can last with reasonable care. Also know that since tailoring costs can vary wildly, those aren’t a part of the final cost.

 

Rowe & Taylor Half Canvas Wool Suit – $278 (Navy or Charcoal)

Full review here. Navy is more dashing. Charcoal is more conservative. Most will favor navy, as some think brown shoes look funny with a gray suit (but that’s not entirely true.) We’re going with Rowe & Taylor (Spier’s entry level line) because by far they’re the best bang for the buck. Half canvas construction, wool fabric, and easy to tailor sleeve cuff buttons. Sometimes you have to wait a little bit for them to restock common sizes, but it’s worth it. Shoulders are soft enough that you can get away with wearing the jacket as a blazer/sportcoat. Menswear purists will scoff at that idea (“don’t wear an ‘orphaned’ suit jacket as a blazer!”) but in today’s dressed-down culture, a lot of people can’t tell the difference. Somewhere along the line the meaning of just what a SUIT is (a suit-of-clothes/matching jacket and pants) has gotten lost. Often someone wearing a blazer or sportcoat with contrasting trousers will be told “hey! nice suit!” (happens to me frequently.) And that’s just fine, especially considering our budget.

CASH REMAINING: $1222

 

Spier & Mackay Dark Brown Brogue Cap Toes – $198

That’s a good chunk of the budget to spend on dress shoes, but as the website you’re reading is called “Dappered,” figured it’d be a good idea to invest a bit here. Blake stitched soles, full grain leather, and subtle rubber studded soles to keep you from sliding around when the weather turns. Wear then with your suit, chinos, and (occasionally) jeans. Full review here.

CASH REMAINING: $1024

 

Nordstrom Michael Plain Toe Derbies – $129.95

Not gonna last a lifetime, but Nordstrom’s in-house brand of menswear goods genuinely deliver nice quality for the asking price. And speaking of “delivery,” these also ship and return for free. They’re not a super-dressy true oxford with closed lacing, but that’s okay. Nobody cares these days, and it also means you can dress them down a bit easier (say with a polo and pants/jeans.)

CASH REMAINING: $894.05

Alternative Strategy: Buy a black AND brown pair of Nordstrom Derbies instead of the brown Spier brogue cap toes. They won’t be as nice, but that’d be a $73.05 savings, which is almost 5% of the total budget.

 

White and Blue Target Goodfellow Performance Dress Shirts – $35 per

Size Shown: Medium on 5’10″/180. They’re basic, but they’re executed well. Fabric is a blend: 60% Cotton, 36% Recycled Polyester, 4% Spandex. There’s some stretch to the fabric, but the use of the word “performance” seems like an exaggeration here. It’s not a super stretchy, wicking Rhone Commuter or anything like that. Far from it. Yet many “tech” button up shirts look unfortunately casual, (which the OG Rhone Commuter falls victim to,) whereas this Goodfellow dress shirt looks and wears like a classic, classy, sharp dress shirt. Sold in ballpark “alpha” sizing (S/M/L/etc.) Not the more precise neck and sleeve measurements you’ll find on other dress shirts. But that’s not unexpected. This is Target, not some old-school tailor on Savile Row.

CASH REMAINING: $824.05

 

Portland Leather Goods Italian Leather Reversible Belt – $60

It’s the rare reversible belt which works both as a dress belt and a casual belt. Decent quality leather too. Black on one side, darker brown on the other. Subtle hardware. Everyone wins here. Especially our budget.

CASH REMAINING: $764.05

 

Invicta 1953 Automatic 40mm – $121.43

Full review here. 40mm case size should suit most wrists. Warm gilt accents. Classic, brushed, 3 link bracelet. Sure it’s a diver and not a dress watch. But as it’s subtle enough in its design, it’s gonna be our GADA (go anywhere/do anything) wristwatch to wear with it all.

CASH REMAINING: $642.62

 

TheTieBar Necktie – $28

Just one necktie. If you want more, try your local thrift store where there’s often real vintage treasures hanging on the rack. But when you need a black necktie, you really need a black necktie (weddings, funerals, job interviews, etc.) A silk knit like this one brings texture while still remaining solid. And yes, it’ll go great with your navy (or gray) suit.

CASH REMAINING: $614.62

 

BR Factory Merino Wool Sweaters – $112 for all three

• Merino Crewneck – $36
• Merino Quarter Zip- $40
• Merino V Neck – $36

Probably the best sub $50 sweaters on the market. 100% merino. Going with one of each neck style. Colors are truly up to you, but we’re choosing the above three with versatility in mind (see tip #1 here.) A note on cleaning: They may say you can machine wash them, but… as they’re 100% merino and wool is naturally anti-microbial, just take them to the dry cleaner on the occasion you spill something or you sweat them up real good. “Machine washable” merino sweaters sometimes don’t quite live up to the billing (as washers can really vary depending on how gentle their gentle cycles are.)

CASH REMAINING: $502.62

 

Bosidu “Leather” Briefcase (via Amazon) – $55.99

It’s cheap but looks decent enough. Don’t expect it to last a lifetime, but the reviews are surprisingly positive with some claiming multiple years of use. Double top grab handles are much more professional than a true messenger bag, but it also comes with a shoulder strap for longer treks. Do let this bag air out though. It stinks coming out of the box.

CASH REMAINING: $446.63

 

Clarks Desert Boots in Dark Brown Suede – $140

As stylistically versatile as a pair of casual to smart casual shoes can get. Wear them with everything from a t-shirt and jeans, to chinos and a button up under a sweater. Just be aware that the true crepe soles can get slick in wet or icy conditions.

CASH REMAINING: $306.63

 

Old Navy Tech Ultimate 4.0 Pants – ~$33 per / $99 for all three

Full review here. Probably the best item Old Navy has come out with in awhile. Fabric is a lighter weight but not wispy 82% cotton/15% nylon/3% spandex. Stretch is good. They’re not silent, but they don’t make the super loud “swish swish” all polyester pants often make. They also breathe well, and there really does seem to be a bit of “quick dry” action going on. They’re comfortable, look like regular chinos, and they come in three different fits. Helps that they’re inexpensive too.

CASH REMAINING: $207.63

 

BR Factory Traveler Jeans in Slim, Athletic, or Straight – $46

An excellent, cheaper version of mainline Banana Republic’s (expensive) Luxe Traveler jeans. Super stretchy and comfortable, but still looks like regular dark wash denim. Size shown above is a 32×32 athletic fit on 5’10″/180.

CASH REMAINING: $161.63

 

Amazon Essentials Oxford Cloth Button Down – $24.20

Going with grey here as we’ve already covered white and blue with our dress shirts. A gray oxford (or even chambray) shirt is oddly versatile, and looks great with jeans and chinos. Wear it under a sweater, or the suit jacket acting as a blazer.

CASH REMAINING: $137.43

 

Target Goodfellow 100% Cotton Tees – $10 per/$30 for all three

100% cotton jersey. Classic crewneck. Versatile trifecta of colors. And they’re cheap.

CASH REMAINING: $107.43

 

Nike Field General Sneakers – $62.97 ($105)

Not as narrow as the ubiquitous Killshot. Oddly comfortable for them being more fashion sneaker than athletic sneaker. Neutral suede goes with everything.

CASH REMAINING: $44.46

 

Target All in Motion Performance Jersey Polos – $20 per / $40 for both

Super smooth jersey knit. Absurdly stretchy and comfortable thanks to the oddly terrific performance fabric. Three button placket avoids the 2-button “school uniform” look. Athletic and sleek looking AND feeling.

CASH REMAINING: $4.46….

All done! Nice work everyone. Thanks for making it this far. Feel free to take that four bucks and go buy yourself a cup of (cheap) coffee or something. Meanwhile, if you want some ideas on how to wear this stuff:

 

Eight Outfits: How to wear the $1500 Wardrobe

“Show don’t tell” is a terrific piece of advice. So here’s how to wear the $1500 wardrobe. No, these outfits aren’t flashy. Instead they’re purposeful, comfortable, and smart enough to been seen as serious & capable instead of sloppy or preening. Clothes don’t make the human. But clothes are a tool. Wield them smartly.