Black Friday sales are upon us. Every year, I roundup some of my favorites both here and at Put This On (we’ll have a comprehensive list of every worthwhile sale later this week, on Friday). Some stores, however, are getting a jump on things. Many have already started their Black Friday promotions, with discounts going as deep as 50% off. There’s even a topcoat below for just $150. From affordable workwear to contemporary casualwear, here are nine really good early-bird specials.
J. Crew: 40% Off, Code TOGETHER
J. Crew’s never-ending sales have become a running joke on Twitter, but I also think their Wallace & Barnes line is one of the best values in menswear right now. Their clothes have a more boutique feel than J. Crew’s mainline, are made from better materials, and are inspired by the company’s vintage design archive. Wallace & Barnes is great even at full retail, but with the current promotion, it almost feels like you’re shopping in 2009 again, before fashion prices were launched into outer space. This indigo moleskin chore coat, for example, is just $130. Their autumnal Fair Isle sweaters are $88; terrycloth sweatshirt $48; heavyweight flannel and hearty herringbone work shirt less than $60. This olive green, cotton-hemp shirt is kind of basic, but also just $32.
The star of the show, however, is the Canoeist smock, which is modeled after a rare archival jacket worn by British Special Boat Service officers during WWII. It has a wonderful, patchwork-like configuration of pockets. There are two box-pleat pockets at the hips, a stash pocket at the neck, and a slanted map pocket at the chest. The waist and hood have an adjustable drawstring closure, and the hem is tightly elasticated so you can adjust this on your body. This smock looks like something you’d find from Nigel Cabourn or Engineered Garments, but it’s surprisingly at J. Crew. And with the promotion, the green, ripstop version is just $179 – less than what some brands charge today for a shirt. Treat this to a DWR spray and you suddenly have a hooded rain jacket.
No Man Walks Alone: Up to 30% off Sitewide, No Code Needed
No Man Walks Alone is a sponsor on this site, but also one of my favorite online stores. Their Sartoria Formosa suits and sport coats are some of the best values in high-end tailoring; their Rota trousers are slim, but feature a good rise; and their G. Inglese dress shirts are the best-fitting button-ups I’ve tried in the ready-to-wear market. I also love the store’s classic style accessories, such as the ties and scarves from Drake’s, as well as the Frank Clegg Leatherworks briefcases.
For casualwear, No Man Walks Alone has two tremendous shearling jackets this winter – a tan trucker from Valstar and black double rider from James Grose. I bought both earlier this season, hemmed and hawed over which I should keep, and eventually went with the Grose. The Valstar is good if you want something classic to wear with blue jeans and a textured sweater, while the Grose looks terrific with black jeans and black boots. It’s darker, moodier, and makes more of a statement. Go true to size for the Valstar jacket, but size up on the Grose.
Also not to be missed is this season’s Valstar suede Western jacket. It has oversized pockets and a generously sized collar (the second of which will look great if you pop it from the back). The style seems neither too rustic nor too dainty – a nice match for denim or heavy wool trousers, sneakers or pebble grained chukkas. Additionally, I love the cropped, rounded body on Monitaly’s tanker jacket, which would look terrific with slim jeans. Scott & Charters’ chunky shawl collar cardigans are a nice substitute for a tailored jacket when you’re entertaining guests this holiday. They’re slouchy, cozy, and unpretentious. Just consider sizing down, as these run a touch big.
Abercrombie & Fitch: $150 for Gray Herringbone Topcoat
If you’re looking for an affordable topcoat, you’d be hard pressed to do better than this gray herringbone number from Abercrombie & Fitch. The brand has been going through a reboot in the last couple of years as it’s trying to regain its footing. Faced with slumping sales and a sleazy reputation, the stores feel slightly less like sweaty nightclubs nowadays (although, the lights are still too dim to let you see anything). I’ve been mostly impressed with their new designs. Now that the brand is creatively headed by Aaron Levine (formerly of Club Monaco, Rogues Gallery, and hickey), the clothes feel less fratty and more wearable.
Their topcoat is reasonably classic without being fuddy duddy; it’s contemporary without being overly slim. The collar is generous, the length comes down to your thighs, and there’s a bit of room in the body. Pete from San Francisco can be seen above wearing the brown houndstooth check version, which is made from a Abraham Moon tweed. I think that’s the better of the two, as the gray herringbone number is made with a questionable amount of synthetic blend. Often, when that much synthetic is added to a wool garment, it’s done to either add texture or strengthen what would otherwise be shorter fiber, fragile wool yarn (sometimes it’s both). But at $150, you can hardly complain and the design looks genuinely handsome. Ian at From Squalor to Baller has a review.
Need Supply: $121 for Adidas German Army Trainers
If German Army Trainers (GATs for short) seem new but familiar, it might be because the two brothers who invented them would later go on to launch Adidas and Puma, two classic sneaker companies that often make shoes bearing a familial resemblance to GATs. They were also used by German soldiers for indoor exercises during the 1970s, which is how they got their name.
For years, the only options for GATs were to proxy from Germany or pay designer prices for Margiela. Last year, however, Adidas released their own, which they call their BW Army sneaker (BW standing for Bundeswehr, the German armed forces). Need Supply has them on sale for just $121. They’re the all-white version, rather than ones with gray suede paneling, but they have the same minimalist-sporty look that goes well with most things casual. Need also has a brown checked topcoat from Officine Generale, which looks a bit like this wonderful coat on Skoaktiebolaget’s store manager. It’s also on sale, but not inexpensive.
Cultizm: 20% off with the code BW20
Cultizm is one of those old-school workwear retailers that caters to guys who know the Japanese words for different denim fades. They carry brands such as Stevenson Overall Co., 1st PAT-RN, and Orslow. These suspenders look like the kind of thing a barkeep would wear at a Brooklyn speakeasy. This Nigel Cabourn denim overall has a butt pocket that looks suspiciously like Karl Pilkington’s pump pants. Carry your groceries in the butt pocket when you’re coming back home from the store. Fit a pillow inside and use it a curb cushion. With an inflatable balloon inside, you’re safe from ever drowning.
There are some things here, however, that would work for almost any wardrobe. Levi’s Vintage Clothing’s 1947 501s are a slim-straight leg with a high-enough rise to go with sport coats. 3sixteen’s SL-100x are about as close as I’ve seen to the perfect pair of jeans (they’re also a slim-straight leg, but slimmer than LVC and better with casualwear). Similarly, Lady White’s Clark tees are pretty close to being the Platonic ideal for a white t-shirt, with a chest pocket that’s inspired by Brown’s Beach outerwear. I was pleasantly surprised to hear George Wang of BRIO tell me last year he considers them to be one of his travel essentials.
Cultizm’s promotion also applies to their stock of Barbour outerwear, which includes this season’s collaboration with Engineered Garments. The EG parka, pictured above, isn’t available at the store (I included the photo because I value aesthetics more than truthful reporting), but with VAT discounts and the coupon code, this navy Bedale comes down to just $250. They also have Andersen-Andersen turtlenecks with thumbholes – and dotting aunts love knits with thumbholes. Wear one to this season’s holiday gathering, where your Aunt Susan will say, “oh my God and it has little holes for your thumbs! You’re such a stylish young man.”
Namu: 30% Off Sitewide, Code VIPTURKEY
There are a million shops nowadays carrying the same items from Alden and Engineered Garments, or more fashion forward labels such as Vetements and Margiela. It’s much harder to find shops doing something different. Namu, a sponsor on this site, is a relatively new store based in Texas. They offer both men’s and women’s wear, often with an eye towards a style that straddles classic workwear and contemporary minimalism. I love their distinctive point of view.
On the men’s side, you can find Document’s robe and duffle coats, Eastlogue’s funky fleece jacket, and A Vontade’s Melton wool CPO shirt jacket. My favorite in their selection is Kaptain Sunshine’s Traveler coat. I bought one in navy last year and it’s become one of my favorite pieces of outerwear. It’s made from a heavier, stiffer wool, which gives it some shape when worn. It falls into a comfortably cut, A-line silhouette. There are some fun details, such as the internal equestrian riding straps and patched ticket pocket (neither of which I use, but they make the coat feel special). This is the sort of easy-to-grab coat you can pair with jeans and flannel shirts, tailored trousers and textured sweaters. I love it cause it makes getting dress so easy in the morning.
SSENSE: Up to 50% Off Select Items
The selection at SSENSE (pronounced essence, confusingly) is a bit more fashion forward than what I normally write about, but they carry some of my favorite brands. Blue Blue Japan and Common Projects make for easy wardrobe additions; Master Piece is great for bags; and I like Lemaire, Margiela, and Studio Nicholson for contemporary casualwear. Studio Nicholson is a womenswear label that has recently made forays into men’s clothing. Their small, but well designed, line centers around the sort of wide pants and oversized topcoat ensemble that’s trendy right now.
Kiehl’s: $20 Off Orders Over $65, Code FESTIVE
I use Kiehl’s for all sorts of things. Their exfoliating scrub soaps are a little more expensive than your usual Dove bars, but they also last much longer (and the grains help slough off dead skin). Their Facial Fuel line is a nice collection of skin care products aimed at men. I use their Anti-Shine Moisturizer in the summer and protective Ultra Cream in the winter. I also like their shampoos, which are formulated for different hair types, and the Midnight Recovery Oil, which is a nighttime treatment that allows you to cut back on moisturizer the following morning.
For their Black Friday sale, you can take $20 off orders over $65 with the checkout code FESTIVE. If you set up for their Rewards Program, you can also earn points towards discounts on future purchases.