Spring Forward

We've had a fairly unseasonable start to Spring with some cold weather and snow persisting into March. Thankfully it appears warm days are finally here (or within close reach) and as such, an abrupt change takes place on college campuses across the Northeast. In the last few weeks of the semester, bean boots re-materialize as boat shoes, pastel button-downs for fleece jackets, and yoga pants become running shorts. With the snow finally gone we can start fully appreciating Spring style.

Some general guidelines for warmer weather:

• Incorporate pastels but don't go overboard. Try to blend something bright with something subtle.
• Look for more brightly colored sweaters and lighter weight wool or cotton when you need one.
• Spring mornings are typically chilly yielding to warmer temps in the afternoon. Find combinations that can be layered to make your day more comfortable (and less sweaty)
• Know when shorts are appropriate. Cruising around the quad: Yes. Applying for a job or internship: No. 

Here are some of my finds which have made their way into the Spring rotation.

A yellow OCBD brightens up any outfit. Purchased for $6 (Retail $65)

Certain plaids give off a summery feel. Look for Indian madras and feel free to experiment in this department. Certain color combinations compliment certain skin tones, and others, well...just clash. Figure out what works for you and be adventurous! 

A stack of Spring-friendly colored polo shirts. All purchased well-below retail.

Polo Finds

Here are some great finds of Polo Ralph Lauren items submitted to me by a reader named Lukas. We can see a stack of about 6 short sleeve polo shirts (retail about $65 each), three sweaters (between $90-$150 ea) and two prep essentials, the oxford cloth button down in white and red University stripe. Polo, while a fairly common sight considering the brand has undergone much dilution over the years, still produces some fairly nice quality items, and given there prevalence, are among the easiest brands to consistently find while thrifting.

Feel free to submit your photos to have your finds featured on the site!

Four seasons worth of Polo goodness

While I don't tend to exclusively rely on Polo for my wardrobe, I do think they make some great items that can be incorporated into many different looks.

Here are some Polo items from my personal collection:

A darker-blue OCBD. 

A white pinpoint oxford. Fun fact: Any Polo Ralph Lauren shirt with a button-down collar will emit the word "Polo" from the shirt tag. This is due to a legal agreement with (who would have guessed) Brooks Brothers, who have trademarked the term "The Original Polo Shirt"  

A 100% Lambs wool quarter-zip. This one looks teal here but is actually a brilliant forest green. It's really warm, as wool retains heat much better than cotton which is what you will find many cheaper sweaters are made of.
Purchased at local charity thrift for $15, Retail ~$150

Putting it all together...Here we can see a gray polo V-neck paired with a Brooks Brothers shirt and tie (in Argyll Sutherland regimental stripe), a J.Press tartan tie, and a vintage 3/2 roll blazer. 

Identifying Brooks Brothers Labels

One of the great joys of thrifing (for me anyways) is coming across items from all different years and decades. Since Brooks Brothers have been producing clothing for nearly 200 years, It should come as no surprise that the labeling has changed many times over as well.

 Below is an (incomplete) chronology of some of the shirt and tie labels I have come across. Feel free to chime in with comments if you have information that could be useful to completing this timeline! I will continue to add photos and information to this article as they become available to me.

Sport Shirts

(Alpha-Sized, Button down collars)

I have seen several renditions of this larger sport shirt label, 
but I believe they are from the mid to late-2000's.

Rectangular label from the early to mid 2000's

Modern sport shirt label

Modern sport shirt with "Big Label"
Currently used on many "Red Fleece" line products.

Goodwill Hunting

As always, I like posting my latest finds for your enjoyment. I haven't had a lot of time since the Fall started to go thrift shopping, but I have gotten lucky on the few times I did manage to go over the semester. Here are some of my favorites from the past couple months, sourced from Goodwill stores, local hospice shops, eBay, and a few other places.

While my recent finds might have originally retailed for as much as $1,750 in total, by shopping in the style of the Thrifty Prep...we now have that money to spend on more booze er, textbooks for Spring semester!

Shown here is a Nicky Milano grenadine tie, an Italian maker esteemed for their high quality neckwear. This one was only $1 for me, but retails for approximately $165.
Also pictured is a eBay BB OCBD I picked up for about $50, and the Southwick jacket I scored a while ago for under $10.

Brooks Brothers Cashmere sweater purchased on eBay. These retail for about $400 when not on sale, so I was happy to snag this one for ~$30. Also pictured, a BB buttondown I found over the summer for $4.

Latest Loot

 Hit up a couple thrift stores last week, and came home with some good finds.

Always be on the lookout for off-season apparel. Just because you won't be able to wear it right away doesn't mean it's not a good investment!

This Southwick jacket made for upscale retailer Paul Stuart fit perfectly and has a nice pattern. My second thrifted Southwick!
Retails for $500+
 Purchased for $8

Presentation Attire, Part II

Read Part I

Dress shirts: The Basics. 

The shirt is possibly one of the most crucial aspects of your attire to get right. If you aren't wearing a jacket, it's going to also be one of the most visible. For many men, buying a shirt isn't a very big decision making process. Does it have two arms? Does it sort of fit? It has buttons? Great. Put in on. This approach is dangerous because there are a number of details which, when ignored, can completely ruin a good look.

The main aspects of a shirt can be summarized in the following categories. It's important to recognize the importance of each and check to see that the shirt you wear adds up.