Value Over Sales
On buying sale items and my Black Friday purchases
I’ll be honest and say that I’m not someone who gets particularly excited about buying clothes on sale. It’s not that I don’t enjoy paying less. I’ve just never felt obligated to purchase something solely for the sake of saving money. My priority has always been finding clothes of value, regardless of the dollar amount or the opportunity of a discount. More specifically, I focus on buying clothes that fit the aesthetic of my existing wardrobe so that I can get the most wear out of them. I’d much rather buy something that I love at full price than buy something on sale and hardly get any wear from it. There are some occasions, however, where the stars align and I’m fortunate enough to buy clothes of value at a considerable discount. With that being said, here are three purchases I made over the Black Friday weekend.
The Shop Los Angeles - Men’s Eris Paisley Bucket Hat
I’ve always resorted to throwing on a ball cap when I’m too lazy to do my hair, but recently I started entertaining the idea of wearing a bucket hat as a sartorial piece of headwear. When I came across this one from The Shop Los Angeles, I didn’t hesitate to buy it. With a subtle paisley design in a khaki color, this hat possesses a character which I feel separates it from others in a way that feels intentional. I’d like to highlight that the paisley design isn’t just printed on the hat, but it’s actually sewn as part of a jacquard fabric made from 100% Japanese silk. I especially love the added hat band and the generous sizing of the crown (coming from someone with a large, oddly shaped head). Co-founder of the brand Roderick Johnson has been an online friend of mine for years, and was gracious enough to offer me a friends & family discount in celebration of The Shop’s Drop 3 collection.
L.L. Bean - Wrinkle-Free Oxford All-Cotton Long-Sleeve
An oxford cloth button-down (OCBD) was one of the many items on my wishlist for this fall/winter season. It’s a great base layering piece if you’re into ivy or traditional menswear looks. I figured I couldn’t go wrong with buying one from an old-school, reliable brand like L.L. Bean. I opted for the “sun” color because I think it complements my skin tone a lot better than the starkness of a white shirt. I’ve also been focused on adding more warmth and color to my outfits as of lately. From the short research I’ve done on the internet, it seems that L.L. Bean stays true to the original design of OCBDs with their placket front, rear box pleat, chest pocket, roomy cut, and traditional collar shape. The 16-32 size that I ordered is unfortunately still too roomy for my taste, so I’ll be taking it to the tailor to have the sleeves and the body taken in slightly. Until then, I’ve shared a photo of what my shirt looks like in natural light.
Crap Eyewear - The Heavy Tropix
I’ve been in the market for new sunglasses lately, specifically ones with colored lenses. My close friend and fellow jawnz enthusiast Matt Huy first put me onto Crap Eyewear earlier this summer and they’ve been on my radar ever since. I was able to try on a pair in person and I immediately loved the shape and size of their square lenses. I have a long, narrow face with softer features and it’s been tricky to find just the right square lenses to offset that. When I saw Crap Eyewear was having a 60% off Black Friday sale I thought it was a good time to pull the trigger and buy my own pair.
I went with their Heavy Tropix option which features a square lens with a tortoise shell frame and rose colored lenses. They’re a little louder than what I’m used to wearing and certainly more trendy, but that’s exactly what I’m looking for. They also remind me of something my late grandfather used to wear back in the 80s. The weight of the frame is hardly noticeable on my face, thankfully, and I don’t get any headaches from wearing them. The glasses offer 100% UVA/UVB protection which is always an added plus. I was also happy to discover that Crap Eyewear is based out of Venice, California, and it’s great to be able to support to a locally-based brand.
I haven’t taken any photos of myself wearing the glasses yet, unfortunately. I’ll work on posting some photos on my Instagram in the next week, so keep an eye out for those. I’m proud of the purchases I made this Black Friday, and I wouldn’t hesitate to buy more product from any of the aforementioned brands. Feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions about the stuff I bought.
Take care,
Brandon