Four in One

First bow tie purchase of the season.

LRL from Macy's

Oh, how I love clearance deals. Three Lauren Ralph Lauren ties, $12 total.

Today's Outfit - Fair Isle for Fall

Polo oxford - Macy's, $20

Polo fair isle cashmere sweater - $40, eBay

*Countess Mara vintage solid silk tie - thrift shop, $1

Polo slub twill chino - ralphlauren.com, $42

(not pictured) Club Room yellow socks - Macy's - $3

J. Crew vintage saddles - thrift shop, $2.49

*This tie was originally sold at Schwabe-May, a legendary menswear store in Charleston which, quite sadly, closed in the last decade. The finest menswear could be found here - suits from Oxxford and Hickey Freeman, fabrics from Loro Piana and Holland & Sherry.

Astounding Amaretto

I have several pair of boat shoes from brands such as Ralph Lauren (the premium shoe line, not Polo), L.L. Bean, Sebago and Sperry. While each of these companies produces quality shoes, nobody makes boat shoes like Sperry. The classic Top-Sider has been in my rotation for years. When my sole ripped and the time came to pick up a new pair, I scoured shoe sites for the best deal and found nothing under $55. I had decided to give up my search until December, when even the classic model is relatively cheap. 

Then, I found this one and only pair of amaretto Top-Siders at Macy's for $16. It turns out somebody ordered these from Macys.com and returned them to the store. Given that this particular color isn't carried in store, the shoes were marked down to $30. Following a coupon and two discounts, I took these home... and I still can't believe it.

Bow Tie Blowout

1 visit to Macy's.

2 purchases with 2 coupons.

6 bow ties.

$50.

Shawls and Stripes

Polo Ralph Lauren plaid poplin shirt
Polo Ralph Lauren Irish linen tie
Merona cotton striped shawl sweater

(not pictured)
Polo Ralph Lauren Prospect olive chinos
Club Room olive socks
(Unknown) chocolate suede oxfords

Aside from the chinos, each piece of this outfit cost under $10. The socks came from Macy's while everything else was gathered from the thrifts and eBay.

Two from Tasso

 

 When two quarters equal $10.

Quarter-zip sweaters from Macy's Tasso Elba line, snagged on final clearance.

Honestly, I find quarter-zip sweaters somewhat superfluous, as I prefer a standard crew or v-neck collar. However, I'll take a quarter-zip over a turtleneck any day.

Polo Pima Cotton

Quite frequently overlooked during warmer months is the lightweight cotton sweater. During breezy days or chilly nights of spring and summer, I turn to the Polo pima v-neck. These retail for $98 but can be found on eBay and the occasional Macy's or Dillard's clearance sale under $30. The three shown above just came in from eBay for a total of $60. Though Brooks Brothers makes a similar sweater, I prefer the Polo model for its lighter weight, collar, shape retention and overall fit.

Don't Sweater the Cheap Stuff

Earlier this month I wrote An InVestment, a post about a vest that made its way from a Macy's warehouse to my house to Macy's and back to my house yet again. Here's another tale of buyer's remorse turning out for the best.

These two sweaters arrived at my local Macy's in October, priced $195 and $225, respectively. Like many of Ralphie's products I knew I could only hope to purchase these later from the clearance racks. On Black Friday, I pulled the trigger at $80 and $90. When I pulled that trigger, I felt like I'd just shot myself through the wallet, but these were the only sweaters left in my size so I didn't feel that bad, yet.

Unlike my vest which was quickly returned, these sweaters sat on a shelf for two months and collected dust. As a thrift shop guy, a bargain shopper, paying so much for anything outside a well-cut suit just doesn't feel right. Even my favorite suits cost no more than $100 on eBay. I knew that in returning the sweaters, they would almost certainly be bought up right away.

Finally, a few weeks ago I decided to take my chances and head back to Macy's. Though the winter sweater collection was basically wiped out, a handful of odd pieces remained. I checked the prices on a few sweaters, only to find out they were marked down from $195-$245 to about $45. If the remnants of this collection were this cheap, my sweaters had to be as well.

I swallowed my pride and approached the register. I said, "I want to return these sweaters and buy them again, please." I received a look of puzzlement from the associate who said nothing more than ooooooookay?. (Yes, it was that drawn out.) I explained my remorseful dilemma, only to then be greeted by a response of hey man, gotta do whatchya gotta do. (Oh, the nonchalance of a high school kid.)

So, after two months of internal debate, it seems keeping these sweaters so long was just the thing to do. Coupons, discounts and all, I saved more than 75% on each sweater. Landing more than $80 back on my original payment, I felt like I'd scored the buy-one-get-one deal of the century, considering I paid $80 for one sweater from the start.

Oh, by the way, I couldn't be more pleased with the quality and comfort of these sweaters. The first, a beautiful intarsia knit of linen and cotton, features an interesting placket with wood toggles below a stand-up collar. The second, a vivid fair isle of linen, cotton and a touch of cashmere, has just the right weight and thickness to be worn nearly year-round (unlike most any other fair isle knit).

An InVestment

The puffer vest wasn't for me. Too bulky.

I had considered the quilted hunting vest. I'm no hunter. 

I thought of passing on vests all together this winter, aside from my myriad of sweater vests, of course.

Then about two months ago I spotted this vest from Polo.

The perfect balance of warmth and style without being too bulky, without being so utilitarian.

Cotton fleece on the outside. Brushed flannel on the inside.

One problem. The price.

At $145, I knew picking up this vest would be a waiting game. Finally, the price dropped to around $85 at Macys.com and I pounced.

A week later the vest came in, and buyer's remorse set in. The vest was was everything I'd hoped for, but the price was getting to me. Off to Macy's the vest returned.

Shopping at Macy's that day, I noticed that the vest wasn't carried in-store, so the only piece in stock was this one. Two weeks went by before returning to Macy's, only to see the vest on the clearance rack. I wished to find the great markdown I originally hoped for, yet the vest was now marked $115.50.

Yesterday I went back to Macy's and saw the vest yet again. This time when I saw the price, I couldn't help but grin. Markdowns, discounts and all, I repurchased my vest for $37.44. No, it's not thrift shop cheap, but I'm happy with my 74% savings.

A great investment, right?

"I went to a general store but they wouldn't let me buy anything specific." ~ Steven Wright

Questions From the Audience - Basics

Where do you buy your basics, and what rules of style apply? Tees, socks, etc.?
I stick to solid tees at all times, which I wear only underneath other shirts. I've seen several blogs recommend packs of heather grey v-neck tees to wear under shirts. Why grey as opposed to black or white? Black absorbs heat, while white reflects light and may show through your overshirt. Grey keeps you cool while absorbing light. I have no problem with this choice, aside from the fact that those Hanes or Fruit of the Loom multi-packs are cheap for good reason. The shirts are quite flimsy and wear out quickly. I prefer v-neck tees from Club Room at Macy's. These run $9.99 but you can generally purchase them under $7. If you check Macys.com on a regular basis, you can load up during a sale at under $4 a piece. The tees are 100% cotton, very soft, quite durable through wear and washing. 

I appreciate more variety in my sock selection. Target's Merona brand puts out a wonderful selection of quality socks each season. You can pick up combo packs under $6.50 and individual pairs under $3. Club Room also offers excellent socks under $5 a pair. I find the two brands to be similar in overall quality and variety, and at almost any time you can find styles on clearance for practically nothing. Discount stores like Marshall's and T. J. Maxx offer designer selections between 30%-75% off original retail. I most often buy any Polo socks here, as well as boot socks and athletic socks. I just bought my first few pair of Woolrich boot socks at Marshall's, and I've found them to be very soft and thick but uncomfortably warm. I enjoy athletic socks from standard athleticwear brands such as Adidas and Puma.

Also, a Wish List item for the day.


Sperry olive suede brogues.


Please discuss.

The Double Breasted Cardigan

This season, Macy's in-store brand Tasso Elba stepped up with an array of outerwear and knits. Recently, I picked up this $80 lambswool cardigan for around $40. A nice mix between jacket and sweater, this piece offers plenty of warmth without much weight. The metal buttons are easy to maneuver while wearing gloves, and the patch pockets are a nice touch. The only drawback is the set of epaulets, but I removed them rather easily after taking these photos.

If you've never examined the Tasso Elba line, now's a good time to do so. At its price point, the quality is quite something. The overall brand image is a blend of Robert Talbott, Cutter & Buck, J. Crew, and even Paul Stuart.

Tied Up Times Six

    

The same day I found my last set of ties, I also purchased these six bow ties.

Though all Countess Mara, I discovered these at three different locations.

The solid blue tie came from T.J. Maxx, the striped and dot ties came from Marshall's, and the paisley set came from Macy's.

While I'm certainly most pleased with the paisley ties, new to the Countess Mara collection this season, I was pleasantly surprised to see the other three slightly imperfect pieces hit the discount market.

Though I almost always stick to thrift shops and eBay for standard ties, bow ties are very rare at the thrifts, and unreasonably expensive on eBay due to high demand. Therefore I didn't mind paying for all six of these, a savings of 75%.

Which piece would you wear most frequently?

Lauren Ralph Lauren

Bad news - Lauren Ralph Lauren ties don't compare in quality to Polo.

Good news - Lauren Ralph Lauren ties don't compare in price point to Polo.

In fact, if you're willing to pay half the cost of a new Polo tie, you can't beat the LRL tie in the $40-$60 range.

The Macy's here has carried LRL dresswear for years with the exception of neckwear. That had changed when I stopped in last week during a sale and...

Better news - With the help of several discounts, I purchased these two at around $15 each.

Best news - More delighting than discovering this double deal (pardon the alliteration), I picked up six new bow ties the same day. But that tale awaits my next post.

Polo at Macy's and Belk

I've come upon a couple excellent deals lately, via Macy's and Belk.

So it seems I really can never have too many polos.

At least not with such perfect colors for the season.

Designed with 5-pocket jean styling, this particular pant has been my go-to chino for several years.

I was happy to find the added touch of oxford pockets in this year's model.

I'll keep telling myself I can never have too many button-downs either, having picked up this beautiful mint green shirt today. 

My second-favorite color combination, behind pink and green? Purple and green, of course.

The Magic (Bargains) of Macy's

I'd much rather find a deal at a thrift shop or on eBay than pay full price for anything. Fortunately, there are great deals to be had every once in awhile at retail shops. Stopping by Macy's yesterday I discovered a number of pieces up to 80% off. I'll be showing off most of these in upcoming posts.

 

One can never have enough basic polos...

Okay, well I probably have far too many.

I have plenty of pima cotton sweaters, but vests have been harder to come by. Quite happy to have discovered these.

I've also been on the hunt for another warm, durable flannel. Check.

Super soft striped oxfords? I'll take two.

 I'll be getting great use of these when the temperature rises.

White broadcloth should be at the heart of a shirting rotation. A nice tattersall notches it up.

Though it might seem like a flannel, this shirt is a lightweight broadcloth with a nice spread collar.

For some time I'd been wanting a pink and navy striped rugby for chilly spring and summer days. This one comes with a rugged oxford collar.

Eleven items for under $300. Full retail would be over $1000. Not my standard savings, but at an average of 70% off, I don't mind paying out for totally new pieces that are guaranteed to last for years.

What's been your best retail deal?

Knit Wit

After two years of thrifting, I've come upon countless knit ties. Every single one has been neutral in color and made of either cotton or wool. With the resurgence of preppy style (or whatever you choose to call it), I've had the luck of picking up several striped knits by Chaps last summer. They feature thin stripes of orange/blue, red/blue, black/purple, respectively.

Stepping into Macy's last week I discovered a number of knit ties by Club Room. For those unfamiliar with the brand, they produce a full line of classic pieces at incredibly reasonable prices. These ties were $45, but 50% off as Club Room pieces usually are. I buy maybe five ties at retail price (on sale/clearance only) each year, and here are the first two.


I must admit, these are made of polyester (and are the only polyester ties I own), but they feel and look silky enough for me. Besides, these work with practically any look and I can't wait to try them out!


Wear yourself well. Carry yourself stylish.

Taking on Tattersall

Over the last two centuries since its inception as a pattern for horse blankets at Tattersall's London horse market around 1766, tattersall has grown to be a classic shirting pattern. The pattern traditionally consists of evenly spaced and alternating thin, vertical warp stripes, repeated horizontally in the weft. This is not to be confused with gingham or plaid.

For some time now, I've wanted a patch tattersall shirt. Just like a patch madras shirt, it embodies the preppy twist on traditional style I love to pursue. When someone sees you wearing patch tattersall, they have to take a second glance to make sure they've not gone color blind.

Here's my newest acquisition - a Macy's clearance bargain.

A patch job

Close up

And now, featuring a few fine fellows in traditional tattersall.

Tattersall, English country style

Tattersall, modern dandy style

Tattersall, summer casual style

Photos: courtesy of Polo Ralph Lauren