Window Shopping Report, with a twist
My obsession with online window shopping, your chance for cool deals and steals
I haven’t put much time into this project as of late. To get back into the swing of things, let’s do another round of cool things I’ve found. I’m adding a twist to the format, by trying to create a complete outfit under a given dollar amount. Since it isn’t sale season, I’m focusing on more foundational pieces and outfits, instead of a sweet deal. Additionally, I understand that almost all of items can and should be bought second hand or on sale for much cheaper.
Under $200:
Sometimes I get asked, “I want to take pics with my SO, what should I wear.” This is my answer for that. It highlights some things I really look for when building an outfit: color blocking and workwear substitutions. For colors, keep each item its own color and let the simple, satisfying combos shine. As for substitutions, the easiest way to dress down what could be a fairly standard business casual outfit its to swap an item with a similar colored, workwear option. The most common application is fatigues easily sitting in for a pair of olive chinos.
Wallace & Barnes Duck Canvas Workshirt - $100 : Put your money in outwear. We’re running out of 70deg days, so act fast while you can still wear a shirt jacket as a top layer. I like the workwear interest from the zippers and that this could later be repurposed under another jacket as well. (Have double the jacket budget? this canvas version seems a bit heftier.)
UU Mustard T - $20: A splash of color from my favorite T shirt. Easy peasy.
Dickies Painters Pants - $30: A cool pair of pants is hard to find. A cool, cheap pair of pants is almost impossible to find. Somehow this 100% cotton double knee pants are both. Double knees are my favorite style of pants for their ability to look almost exactly like a pair of chinos (or white jeans) but with just enough workwear detailing and a contemporary straight leg cut to make them interesting. Snag these guys in the off-white ecru posthaste and embrace winter whites.
Duck Green Vans Authentics - $30: I am a devote white sneaker guy, but I have such a soft spot for vans or chucks in yellow or a soft green. I love how canvas sneakers look with a carpenter or painter pants. The roughness of the materials and skater influence is very fun mix. Since we’re under budget, feel free to switch to a sneaker color of your choice (off white maybe? or swap the t for a different color and become a yellow sneaker guy).
Under $400
If I had to define my personal style, I would say a sneaker & workwear heavy take on perp. I really love prep classics like, and I understand this is a boring answer, but chinos. When styled right, you can beat the business casual outfit charges. What I recommend is mixing in classic streetwear and workwear icons and buying in colors that aren’t khakis to avoid being too stuffy.
ALD Tweed Hat - $55: Dad hats are out. Get with the program. Instead snag a hat that makes use of fall textures. Once you have one, you’ll realize how it goes with everything.
Carhartt Duck Vest - $80: The vest counterpart to the iconic Detroit jacket. I love a vest. Jackets get all the praise come fall but a vest is underrated for adding layering interest.
Camber Cross Knit Hoodie - $100: The most elusive of hoodies, but holy shit these are the GOAT. This store often has stock (as does Totem Brand Co.), which even marked up a bit, saves you potential months of waiting. (Check out All Seasons Uniform as well, email ahead to check stock!)
J Crew Classic Fit Chinos - $85: Unfortunately I must report that these relaxed chinos are pretty good and that J Crew may just be back! Its hard to find a solid pair of staright leg chinos, especially under a $100 and these are a nice solid 100% cotton pair under a hundo. Size up on the waist to get a good rise and have a tailor take them in. For a bit more check out Jack Donnelly or if you’re good at ebay, PRL Andrew fit are a goat pleated chino.
Reebok Club C - $85: Quite possibly the best white sneaker. My personal favorite.
Under $400 Round 2:
If I have learned one thing, it is that expensive jeans are a huge disappointment. Raw denim seems cool, until you wash the jeans and they shrink and shrink and shrink or that they just don’t make a non slim cut thats good. I wear the jeans I paid 1/10th of the price of the expensive ones about 10x more often. So with that in mind, I’m gunna recommend a second hand pair with the expectation that whomever’s reading this can figure out how to ask for measurements from a seller.
Supreme Brown Twill Shirt - $140: I love a work shirt. This brown is incredibly lux and on trend. I love the idea of buying a supreme version of something that LL Bean made 50 years ago.
Vintage Levis 501s - $40: I have bought many pairs of jeans from this seller because of the free returns. There is not a better pair of jeans than vintage 501s or Orange Tab 505s. They rule.
New Balance 1906R - $150: This model came on my radar via the collab with thisisneverthat. I have slowly overcome my initial dislike of the ASICS GR trend, due to my years of wearing the worst ASICS as a high school cross country dork . I am loving the way the detailing on this particular pair just begs you to find it ugly, so it can live rent free in your head, until you eventually buy it after having 4 beers because you haven’t stopped thinking about it. I’m not sure if these shoes work with anything but a straight leg, light wash vintage jean but hopefully someone will buy them and show me the way.
Under $800
If you wanna spend the big bucks, let’s effin go. The theme for this one, is modern New England and features some of my favorite brands, new and old.
Manresa MFG Vallas Overcoat - $225: Big fan of Manresa, a relatively new brand whose lineup has expand this year. I’m tossing their take on a classic barn coat, done up in navy plaid wool. Looks warm and rugged but luxerious and contemporary.
Glenncroft Sheep Sweater - $100 Shipped: I was gunna suggest a J crew cableknit but then I thought, “just go to the source'.” Buy the cable knits from the people who know it best. In this case, I have this sweater and its so much fun I’m always looking for excuses to layer it on.
Engineered Garments for Totem Brand Co Corduroy Fatigues - $275: EG at its best, mixing menswear with milsurp and done up in gorgeous eath tones. Let these bad boys break all over your sneakers.
NB 990 v2, Grey with tan - $195: Teddy Santis loves 990 V2s and I’m with him. The best shape of the 990 series (and best N), that as much as I love them, the 993s fail to capture. The soft, hairy suede in grey, green and navy is so simple and inviting. The perfect cap to this outfit.
Under $1000:
I’m gunna use my 1 grand budget to layout my suggest for a fall wedding. Basically, if you have a wedding in a month and asked me what I’d get, this is what I’d say:
Spier and Mackay Brown Donegal Flannel Sport Coat & High-Rise Trousers - $400 + $170: (Gunna cheat here, cause I know it works but SIGNUP gets you 10% off bringing the total to $500.) My pick for a fall wedding is my favorite suit of all time: a brown flannel. I love the oldschool ivy aspect of a brown country suit, especially one with the donegal flecks. This ones perfect for me for the ability to break the suit up and pair the jacket with jeans/fatigues/chinos and wear to work and the pants with literally anything. Skip the waistcoat.
J Press OCBD - $135: My go to shirt. White, blue, unistripe. They’d all look sick with this. Grab a pocket OCBD to really hammer the 60s professor look home.
Kent Wang Knit Tie - $65: I know that Jim Halpert kinda killed this tie, but I think enough time has passed to bring it back. (Plus I just watched the Talented Mr. Ripley and Dameon wears the knit tie the whole time.) Consider also Kamakura.
Blackstock and Weber Clasico Tassel Loafer- $350: A contemporary chunky loafer. Aldens are bit too expensive and Allen Edmonds are a bit too boring. So spice it up with a very on trend, chunky loafer. Unwilling to go over budget? Consider Solavair Tassel Loafer at $200.