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 recognize them for their support and update readers on our sponsors’ special happenings.
There’s an old saying in Italy: “vestirsi a cipolla” (or translated into English, “dress like an onion”). In a country known for its warm weather and minimally padded sport coats, this is the Italian way of saying that you should layer when it gets cold — for practical and aesthetic reasons. Last week, Proper Cloth released their latest winter lookbook, which is full of ideas on how to create new and interesting combinations. There are examples of how to mix casual elements such as shearling truckers with creased chinos, merino crewneck, and suede chukkas. They also show multiple ways to layer topcoats (with white jeans or grey suits) and how to use mid-layers such as wool-cashmere overshirts for warmth and visual interest.
If you’re shopping for a new winter shirt, check out Proper Cloth’s selection of cotton-Tencel chamois button-ups. Chamois is a soft, velvety fabric that feels vaguely like the material your dad probably used to dry his car (those are made from synthetics or leather, while the shirting version is typically cotton). Proper Cloth’s chamois fabrics are unique in that they’re mixed with Tencel, a wood-pulp-based fiber known for its unusual softness and natural resistance to wrinkles. These fabrics are also mixed with just a touch — one percent — of elastane to give them a stretch comfort. You can use these shirts as mid-layers, as shown in Proper Cloth’s new style guide, or simply wear them over henleys or t-shirts.
Wolf vs. Goat is extending a special sale to Put This On readers. For a limited time, you can take 50% off all non-sale items with the checkout code Putthison. “If readers appreciate high-quality clothing, this is a good time for them to get acquainted with the craftsmanship we offer,” says Wolf vs. Goat founder Mauro Farinelli. “We actually offer this discount to our rewards members, where people can pay a small fee and get 50% off all full-priced items year-round. Some people think this is a ‘too good to be true’ gimmick. To be sure, it’s an unconventional way to shop. But we want to help secure jobs in Italy, Portugal, and the United States, where we manufacture all of our products. The program also allows us to provide customers with an unparalleled value.”
The current PTO promotion allows you to circumvent the Rewards Membership fee for a limited time. It applies to their Italian-made cardigans and crewnecks, woven button-ups, and bamboo-Sonora blend t-shirts. It also applies to their big-ticket items, such as their $760 wool-cashmere shawl collar cardigans (priced more affordably at $380 with the checkout code). Like the other knitwear, these are fully fashioned and made in Italy. They’re also made with yarns that have received RWS certification (Responsible Wool Standard), a voluntary program that helps consumers identify when garments are produced with fibers that meet certain animal welfare and land management standards.
Over the last thirty years, suspenders have gone much in the way of hats. Once common in men’s wardrobes, they’ve become something of a relic of the past. But why might you want to wear suspenders? For one, they’re more comfortable than organ-squeezing tourniquets. Since your waist expands when you sit, and returns to its smaller circumference when you stand, belts are only comfortable in one of these positions. Suspenders, on the other hand, allow you to have a little extra room at the waistband to accommodate these changes. Plus, they’re better at holding up your pants. Belted trousers tend to slip down throughout the day, which requires you to adjust them continually. You can set the desired length with suspenders, put them on, and never bother with them again.
Chipp Neckwear has the most affordable ones around, at least if you’re looking for something well-made and produced in the USA. The price is $45.50, which is lower than their competitors — much like the price of their grenadine ties. They offer 20 solid colors and three stripes, the choice of black or brown leather kips, as well as gold or silver-colored adjusters.
Dapper Classics offers some of the best value for tailored trousers. Most trousers you’ll find fall into one of two categories. There are tailored ones from Italy, which retail for $400 and up. Then there’s the sort of stuff you find at malls and stores such as J. Crew. Those trousers, made in China, are typically made from lower-quality materials so that the retailers can meet a price point of $150 (or under $100 on sale).
Dapper Classics’ trousers are among the very few in the middle. This no man’s land of pricing is only possible because Hertling, a Massachusetts-based trouser factory, produces some of the best pants in the world without import costs. As such, clients such as Dapper Classics can have their trousers made and sell them for around $200.
Last week, Dapper Classics restocked some of their basics, such as the solid grey flannels that are a staple in any tailored wardrobe. They also have some new trousers made from black-and-white herringbone wools and blue Super 120 worsteds. These come in both classic and slim fits, each made with a mid-rise and an unfinished hem so that you can get them tailored however you need.
Rowing Blazers is having an archive sale this week, where you can find select items discounted by as much as 40% off. Included are some polar fleece pullovers, madras button-downs, and screen-printed totes (useful for market trips or just everyday errands). Adventurous readers can try the patchwork tweed sport coat shown above. During the heydays of Ivy style, Chipp made something similar for New Yorkers who liked having fun with their tailoring.
As clothing prices have soared in the last ten years, sites such as eBay and Grailed continue to be some of the best ways to build a wardrobe on a budget. Of course, the problem is the hunt. What you save in money can be spent in time. Our sponsor LuxeSwap is an easy way to get around that problem. Every Thursday, they throw up hundreds of high-end menswear auctions on eBay, with prices typically starting at $9.99. LuxeSwap founder Matthew Ruiz is a longtime member of StyleForum and has been selling high-quality clothing for over a decade. Consequently, you can always head to his auction page to find some great menswear items.
There are a ton of shoes in this week’s auctions, including suede Barbanera boots, Boudin & Lange slip-ons, Canali chukkas, Epaulet jodhpur boots, and Justin cowboy boots. LuxeSwap is also auctioning off a gray Stoffa flight jacket, Scott & Charters sweater, and some linen Rota trousers. As usual, you can find the best of what they offer by searching for the phrase #1 menswear.
