With the calendar now officially showing Fall is here, we begin the annual transition from bright Summer colors to the more earthy tones of Autumn. What we lose in linen and seersucker can be more than made up for however, by adding a healthy dose of wool and fleecy fabrics to survive those crisp mornings and chilly nights.
So before you blow your summer earnings on that J.Crew flannel shirt, here's some examples of how to score Fall-Friendly items for less.
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| Damn....Does this mean I can't wear my fun shirt anymore? |
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I actually got these two lambswool sweaters from a friend who gave them to me at cost. I have a few Polo sweaters at this point and they seem to hold up fairly well. This one's color is called "Guild Purple Heather" and retails for $125 new. He also threw in a Uniglo Lambswool sweater which was actually a lot nicer than I expected, not knowing a lot about this brand. Their sweaters come in a ton of colors and cost only $40 new for 100% Merino wool. Their cashmere sweaters are about $90 but I'm not sure how thick they would be for that price.
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| Two like-new sweaters for $5, not bad! Retail Price: $125 + $40 = $165 |
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| Worn here by a Polo model with a striped blue dress shirt. |
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| How to Wear a Wool Sweater, à la the Brooks Brothers 1981 Fall catalog. |
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I spotted this Corbin 3/2 Sack blazer on the racks and tried it on. To my surprise, it actually fit not too badly! The most important aspect of any jacket fit is the shoulders. Too tight and you won't be able to move without distorting the jacket. Too loose and you'll look like you're trying on daddy's suit.
The 3/2 style (denoting a jacket with three buttons, but only two visible) is quintessentially Ivy and a feature today only existing on suits and blazers from the upper echelon of prep, such as O'Connels and J.Press
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| Worn here with a wool tie and chinos, you can instantly look about 100x better (than the average college student) wearing a blazer. |
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The brass buttons are from the Waterbury Button Company, of Waterbury, CT This is the company that produces buttons for Brooks Brothers, as well as every U.S. Military dress uniform. Everything about this jacket exemplifies American manufacturing! Today, your average imported wool blazer costs between $150 and $500, whereas U.S. Made sack-cut blazers from O'Connell's are $400 and Brooks Brothers start at about $450. Adding this one to the wardrobe only cost me $7, and with a little tailoring could fit quite well.
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Occasionally, you'll find a string of connected items while thrifting. One example of this was when I found several pairs of NWT (New, with tags) J. Crew pants. In this case we have something even more interesting! Rugby, Ralph Lauren was an offshoot brand of RL that produced preppy-esque clothes for the 16-26 year old market.
The line existed out of a few shops nationwide which were reknowned at the time for there intricate in-store displays, trying to capture the Collegiate feel with prep-school insignia and vintage sporting gear. While some of their designs were far too ostentatious for my taste, it was sad to hear of their permanent closing in 2012. What I have here is one of their polo shirts, found in new condition!
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In the same store I found this green "University Oxford" which is a nice quality OCBD in a color that I don't own. As far as I know, I don't think Brooks even produces a green oxford. Details include locker loop, Repp striping around the inside collar seam, and 3rd button on the back of the collar, positioned right where it should be to allow this shirt to be worn with a tie.
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Rugby insignia on the chest pocket isn't exactly a plus, but it's different enough that I don't mind it too much. |
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I also came across these critter shorts which were NWT, but sadly they were jussst a tad too big for me. I'm going to try to sell them as there exists a pretty strong market for Rugby RL stuff since it's retirement, and I could definitely use the money... |
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I could write a whole article about nothing but Harris Tweed, but here's an example of how to wear one. The herringbone jacket matches well with a blue gingham shirt, and patterned tie. Harris Tweed sportcoats from Land's End start at about $200 on sale (down from $350), but this vintage one I found for only $2.50 on sale (down from $5). |
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Herringbone tweed jacket illustration from the 1979 BB catalog. Worn here with a repp tie and blue oxford shirt, these items are as stylish and proper today as they were 35 years ago. |
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Tech-Prep Patagonia is perhaps one of the most desirable outdoor brands. It also comes with a steep pricetag. Fans of Patagonia know however, that this stuff is designed to last just about however, so if you can score a gently (often barely) used Patagucci item, you've just saved yourself a bundle of cash while getting the exact same Patagonia goodness. In this case that came in the form of this Patagonia hardshell for $8, which retailed for at least $140
I'm still on the hunt for that Barbour though... As usual, here's the numbers- Total Spent: $32 Total Value: $1,015 |
