Put This On wouldn’t be possible without the support of our sponsors. So, twice a month, we like to give them a special shoutout. Doing so allows us to show our appreciation and update readers on our sponsors’ special happenings.
As we transition into layering weather, Proper Cloth is pulling some things out of hibernation. Their made-to-measure Teton flannels come in modern- and traditionally-colored plaids, such as pine green and shadow grey, or berry red and navy. Like with all of Proper Cloth’s shirts, you can order these using the company’s stock fit or have them made-to-measure according to your body’s measurements or the measurements of your best-fitting shirt. For something such as their flannels, we recommend sticking with a more casual configuration: a rounded chest pocket, soft front placket, and Proper Cloth’s Soft Ivy Button Down collar model. Remember that you can always order a swatch of nearly any of their fabrics. Swatches cost just $1, but the amount goes towards store credit, so if you end up ordering a shirt, the swatch is effectively free.
If you’re looking for an alternative to jeans, Proper Cloth also has some new moleskin pants in their five-pocket models. These super-soft five-pocket pants have a suede-like finish. You can wear them casually with one of the aforementioned Teton flannels, the new cashmere beanies, and a field jacket, or use them to help dress down a tailored tweed.
Last month, the New York Times published a post about how men dress when returning to the office. For all the speculation about the end of office dress codes, it turns out, people are dressing much like they were before the pandemic: dress shirts, slacks, and non-sporty shoes. This uniform conveys a sense of professionalism and dependability—things you want to project while on the job—but also gives a thin air of casualness.
If you want to punch up your style a little, but don’t want to wear a tailored jacket, consider wearing a textured sweater. Ledbury has a new shipment of cable and waffle knits that will add visual interest to any outfit. In addition, their button-up mock necks and quarter-zips will frame your face better than the merino crewneck and v-necks that dominate every office nowadays. These sweaters are made from fine gauge merino, cotton, lambswool, and cashmere-blends; fully fashioned, so they have fewer seams for breakage; and made in Italy.
Not everyone feels comfortable wearing a sport coat, but they also may not have the freedom to wear more interesting casualwear in the office. Slightly more interesting, textured sweaters such as these help you ride that delicate line between professionalism and personal style.
Have you ever wondered why cashmere is so expensive? On a basic level, it’s because cashmere costs more to produce. Unlike wool, which is taken from sheep, cashmere comes from the cashmere goat, which is mostly found in the colder regions of outer Mongolia, China, and Afghanistan. Whereas a sheep can produce 3kg of wool per year, a cashmere goat will only give you 200g. For a scarf, that may mean the output of one cashmere goat; for a sweater, it can be anywhere from five to ten goats. Moreover, whereas sheep are usually sheared, cashmere goats are typically brushed to remove the soft, downy, winter undercoat that we know as cashmere hair. That brushing happens once a year in the springtime.
A proper cashmere sweater will typically retail for around $400 and upwards. That’s because good cashmere yarns are spun from long staple wool fibers, which makes the yarns more resilient and resistant to pilling. Additionally, quality makers will knit their sweaters densely (cheaper producers knit with a lot of slack to save on material).
Our sponsor Wolf vs. Goat just received their first seasonal shipment of pure cashmere and cashmere-blend items. The round-neck pullovers are fully made in Italy from start to finish using Cariaggi yarn (one of the more esteemed Italian suppliers of this noble fiber). They come in a 12-gauge construction and are available in four colors: black, yellow, white, and red. And while they do retail for around $400, Wolf vs. Goat offers a 50% discount for all Reward Members (effectively bringing these down to wholesale cost).
By now, hopefully, you have a sock drawer full of over-the-calf navy dress socks. Those are the socks you can wear with any tailored outfit: suits or sport coats, trousers of any color. But if you want to add some variety, consider pine green and soft yellow. Those colors are conservative enough for the office, but will add a dash of unexpectedness to a sophisticated outfit. Pine green looks at home with autumnal tones such as dark brown, while soft yellow will go with lighter colors such as stone.
Dapper Classics’ pine green and soft yellow socks are made at a third-generation, family-owned North Carolina mill, like all their other socks. They’re made of the highest quality, comparable to top-end Western European brands. The company uses 200-needle count machines and fine yarns such as mercerized cotton (which improves luster and dye uptake). The socks are then finished with hand-linked seams, so you don’t get any bumpiness at the toes. Since Dapper Classics doesn’t import their socks from overseas, customers also don’t end up paying for international shipping and duties. That results in an overall lower price—about 33% less than their competitors without sacrificing anything in quality.
Chipp is an old Ivy-era clothier who’s dressed the likes of JFK and Andy Warhol, and since they’ve been around the New York garment trade forever, they also have access to some of the city’s best tailors. If you’re in NYC, they can make you a custom garment, but for shoppers online, they also have both ready-made and custom-order accessories. Their standard ties, for example, measure 3.25″ x 58″, but they can also shorten, lengthen, widen, or narrow ties for just $10. To place an order, go to their site and order one of the 60″ or 62″ ties. Then in the comment section, specify exactly what you want (say, a 3″ x 60″ tie). Turnaround time for custom orders is two weeks. And like everything Chipp sells, these are fully made in NYC.
It’s election season! Not just for our political system, but also for Long Island shopping. Our friends at LuxeSwap run a consignment store out of NY’s Long Island, where they sell top-end menswear, womenswear, and even some home furnishings. And they could use your help. At the moment, Bethpage is running a “Best of Long Island” voting contest, where people get to vote for their favorite stores. If LuxeSwap has ever done anything for you—sold you something nice, helped you offload unwanted clothes, or even just turned you onto a brand you were previously unaware of—consider supporting a small business and voting for them.
They are currently nominated in three categories: Best Men’s Suits, Best Thrift/Consignment, and Best Vintage. From now until December 15th, you can vote once a day in each category. They won be a slim margin last year, so they can use all the help they can get. You can visit the Thrift/Consignment page here and the Suits/Vintage page here. Vote early and vote often!
