More than ever, we’re thankful for having sponsors who stick by us. It’s thanks to their support that we’re able to bring you content every day. So, twice a month, we like to give them a special shoutout. Doing so allows us to recognize them for their support and update readers on our sponsors’ latest happenings.
On hot summer days, a polo can be tender mercy indeed. It requires little to no ironing, making it the perfect travel shirt or ideal for lazy Sunday mornings. In an increasingly casual world, the soft, unstarched collar frames the face better than a crewneck t-shirt, but it’s free the button-up’s stiff ceremony. Most of all, the polo makes for the perfect stay-at-home garment. It’s stretchy enough for afternoon naps, but also presentable enough for unexpected Zoom meetings.
Proper Cloth’s polos are made from Canclini’s luxurious cotton piqués. They’re made-to-measure and available in nine colors. Light blue will be your most versatile, while sage green and dusty sand will lend a more earthy hue to outfits. Dark blue polos are also surprisingly useful — they can be layered underneath sport coats in tan, green, or brown, and can be teamed with chinos or shorts in the same color. Get them with long sleeves if you plan to wear these with sport coats, or short sleeves if you want something more casual.
Proper Cloth also just launched a page showing off their summer best-sellers. Above is their Thomas Mason coral glen plaid, which can be worn with sport coats or more casually with just chinos and sneakers. Don’t forget to check out the Thomas Mason stripes, too. They’re available in light blue, terracotta, light grey, and the surprisingly useful pink.
It’s hard to find genuinely affordable, luxurious items nowadays. Clothing prices are significantly outpacing inflation, with men’s clothing leading the way. But MCKNGBRD’s all-leather electronic cases are surprisingly well priced for their quality. Designed in Denmark and made in Los Angeles from soft and supple Italian leathers, they charge $77 for mini iPad cases, $99 for regular iPad cases, and $145 for a full laptop case.
Leather sleeves keep your electronics from getting scratched when you throw them into your bag. They also protect them from shocks as they get banged around. You can use them for travel, work, or school. MCKNGBRD’s cases feature clean, simple lines that allow them to look at home in boardrooms or classrooms, much like the resourceful mockingbird’s unique ability to mimic the sounds of its environment. The company’s brown and black cases are the most classic looking, but the navy, forest green, and taupe cases can also lend an interesting touch of color to an outfit.
MCKNGBRD’s cases come in three types of leather: Napa, Saffiano, and nubuck. Napa will develop a patina over time. The textured Saffiano, on the other hand, is a bit more scratch and stain-resistant, which makes it’ll look the same in five years as day one. Finally, nubuck is excellent if you prefer a soft, velvety finish. Each case is finished with a quiet magnetic button, which allows you to access your items easily while ensuring your electronics don’t accidentally slide out.
Paul Winston, the proprietor of Winston Tailors and Chipp Neckwear, likes to say that his family’s company serves a more traditional-minded customer. But since the company’s founding in 1945, they’ve also made some pretty wild clothing. Paul’s father Sidney was known for producing things such as patchwork tweeds, madras trousers, and sport coats with vivid linings. And shortly after Paul joined the family’s company in 1961, he designed a small line of clever, pictogram neckties. The difference between sophisticated humor and bad taste, Paul tells us, is always “who and where.” “A chairman once gifted my ties to his board members, and that was considered good humor, but when the same ties are found at Nordstrom, they’re considered bad taste.”
A cheerful, novelty tie can be worn with upbeat Fresco sport coats and colorful chinos if you’re daring. Alternatively, you can also wear them with more conservative navy jackets and grey trousers to add some lighthearted humor. They’re too whimsical for the office, but good for garden parties, brunches, and other cheerful gatherings (plus, a tie like this will give you something to look forward to. Eventually we’ll be able to have such gatherings again). Prep, especially, has always been about having fun with your clothes.
It’s hard to convey what’s special about Dapper Classics’ cotton socks online because all of their qualities are something you have to experience. On the surface, cotton socks are just cooler wearing versions of your basic wool dress socks. You want something thin enough to fit into your dress shoes and look appropriate with tailored clothing. Dapper Classic’s socks are made on a 188-needle machine, which makes them nice and smooth. They’re available in staple designs, such as solid navy (your most versatile dress sock), as well as discrete patterns such as pin dot, houndstooth, and grenadine.
However, Dapper Classics’ cotton socks are special because they’re supremely comfortable, sturdy, and stretchy. The weave also feels quite open without being sheer. So much so that, if you spread and wiggle your toes, you can feel the air whiffing through. These are much more breathable than cotton dress socks from other leading brands, such as Marcoliani, Bresciani, and Pantherella. Certainly more than Gold Toes, which are just slightly thinner than gym socks. For guys who live in hot climates, Dapper Classics’ cotton socks can be a relief.
Until the end of today, you can knock 30% off all of their cotton socks with the checkout code 30SOCKS. That brings the price down from $25 to $17.50/ pair.
Rowing Blazers wants to help combat the quarantine blues and help its New York City neighbors during this time. For a limited time, customers can enjoy up to 60% on some of the brand’s favorite pieces from the archive, samples, and last-offs. In addition, Rowing Blazers will be donating 10% of the proceeds from these sales to the Robin Hood Relief Fund — an NYC based nonprofit that is providing emergency support to New Yorkers by giving them food, housing, job security, and more. You can find the sale on their website under the section “Sale for a Good Cause.“
LuxeSwap puts up new auctions every Thursday, and tonight, Matt and the team are putting up an incredible selection of ties. The ties are all coming from one private individual (more tailoring from him will be up at LuxeSwap’s auctions soon). For those looking to spruce up their wardrobe, a new tie is the easiest and most affordable way to change up a look. Switch out your tie with any suit or classic sport coat combination (e.g., navy sport coat with grey trousers, or brown tweed with tan chinos) and you suddenly have something new. Plus, shopping second-hand is one of the more environmentally friendly ways to add things to your closet.
Remember that LuxeSwap can also be a partner in helping you clean out your closet. They have a program with No Man Walks Alone, where you can consign your clothes through LuxeSwap and have your eBay earnings automatically converted into No Man Walks Alone store credit. If you use this trade-up program, LuxeSwap will lower their fees from 40% of your eBay earnings to 30%. No Man Walks Alone will also top off your profits by 10%. Effectively, that means 30% more value than you’d get otherwise. Credit gets posted in about three to four weeks after the auction closes, and the store credit never expires.
