WDIWT…2/10/14 Staple Item: Flannel Trousers

The challenge for this week on dressing better on NikeTalk is to wear staple items and demonstrate how we wear them. During Fall/Winter one of my staple items are flannel trousers; whether in light gray or charcoal. These colors are incredibly versatile and can be pair up with essentially anything on top and black or brown shoes.

For today, I went with my charcoal pair with a dark chambray like shirt and a rich midnight navy merino wool shawl neck sweater. The sweater appears black from afar, however, the blue in the shirt brings out the true color.

Details:
Sweater: Gap Midnight Navy Shawl Pullover via Gap-$13
Shirt: Club Room Dark Chambray via Macy's-$10
Trousers: IZOD Charcoal Flannel via JC Penney-$5
Bag: Coach Bleeker Commuter Brown Calf via Coach-Gift
Shoes: Cole Haan Black Wingtip Calf 7" via Cole Haan-$130

WDIWT…2/4/14

Went to a Proper Cloth Sample Sale today and picked up the shirt in the pictures below. The first two pictures show the color and pattern on the shirt better than the other pictures. Proper Cloth is a custom shirtmaker which can be ordered both online or in their brick and mortar store in Manhattan. Their shirts are usually anywhere from $150-200; depending on fabric. The sample sale had them for a lot less as long as you found your size or something close. 

Details:

Shirt: Proper Cloth White/Navy Mini Windowpane via Proper Cloth Sample Sale-$20

Sweater: Old Navy Light Brown Marbled via Old Navy-$15

Ties: No Brand Navy Knit via eBay-$5

Trousers: IZOD Light Gray Flannel via JC Penney-$5

Shoes: Cole Haan Brown Suede Balmoral Captoe via Cole Haan-$70

Watch: Coach Stainless Steel Watch via Nordstrom Rack-Gift

WDIWT…1/29/14 (Navy Tweed & Gray Flannel)

Another attempt at layering and staying warm. This blazer gets complimented every single time that I wear it. I'm usually not a fan of elbow patches but when I saw it in combination on this blazer, I had to have it. I'm usually not someone who buys something at this price point ($100+) impulsively but it was a great piece to add to my wardrobe.

The sweater is one of my new additions as well, I wore it here, but the color didn't come out well. The Camlin boots may not be the best quality boot out there but for $40 they have more than paid for themselves trekking through these salt laced streets.

Details:
Jacket: J. Crew Factory Thompson Navy Tweed via J. Crew Factory-$108
Sweater: J. Crew Factory Light Blue V-Neck via J. Crew Factory-$20
Shirt: Merona White L/S Dress Shirt via Target-$22 plus alterations
Trousers: IZOD Gray Flannel via JC Penney-$5
Shoes: Stafford Camlin Brown Wingtips via JC Penney-$40

WDIWT…1/13/14

Gray trousers are almost always seen paired with a navy jacket. I almost did the same as well but I saw the brown herringbone tweed jacket and paired it.

The jacket is one of my finds, the fit isn't perfect but for $20 and no alterations I didn't want to pass it up. The shoulder, the left one at least doesn't sit well on my shoulders. This is due to the shoulder slope I have, most of my OTR (off-the-rack) jackets have some sort of rumpling but they aren't as noticeable due to them fitting a little better and being darker in color. This is why sometimes going the custom/bespoke route for some is best.

Details:
Jacket: Lauren by Ralph Lauren Brown Herringbone Tweed via Unique-$20
Sweater: Old Navy Brown Marbled V-Neck via Old Navy-$10
Shirt: Polo by Ralph Lauren White/Navy Bengal Stripe via Adrian-$8
Trousers: IZOD Gray Flannel via JCPenney-$5
Shoes: Ralph Lauren Brown Sanderson Made in America by Allen Edmonds Collection-$86.50 ($525 retail)

WDIWT...10/8/13

This weather is something else and not in a good way. I left the house this morning and it was about 47/48 and around midday it hit about 70. I personally just don't like it since it does a number on me health wise. Due to how cold it was this morning I did choose to wear flannel trousers. Also, using some of the metal collar stays I ordered from eBay and they definitely make a difference.

Details:
Sweater: Polo by Ralph Lauren Gray V-Neck Sweater via Gift-Gift
Shirt: Alfani White/Gray/Black Micro-Check L/S Dress Shirt via Macy's-$12
Collar Stays: NeoStays Metal Stays via eBay-$7
Trousers: IZOD Charcoal Flannel via JCP-$5
Socks: Merona Gray/Yellow/White Banana Socks via Target-$3 (got a text message from a co-worker during a meeting reading "banana socks!")
Shoes: Florsheim Otavio Black Deerskin Captoe via eBay-$15

WDIWT...9/30/13

DO not mix your leathers like I did. I was rushing out and completely forgot to switch bags and grab a black one on the way out. I could have also just have switched shoes but either way it was too late.

The combination of blues paired with grays (various shades) is a fail-safe combination that anyone can pull off.

Details:
Sweater: Old Navy Navy V-Neck via Old Navy-$15
Shirt: Stafford Light Blue Semi-Spread Collar L/S Dress Shirt via JCP-$8
Trousers: IZOD Gray Flannel via JCP-$5
Shoes: Banana Republic Black Wingtips via eBay-$20

WDIWT...4/30/13

The closing of April still looks more like March as the sun is slowly starting to peak through, still a much nicer day than yesterday. Went with blues and gray.

Details:
Sweater: Old Navy Navy V-Neck via Old Navy-$15
Shirt: Banana Republic Navy L/S Dress Shirt via Banana Republic Factory Store-$12
Trousers: IZOD Gray Flannel via JCP-$5
Shoes: Florsheim Imperial Cognac Wingtips via eBay-$25

WDIWT...4/3/13

Didn't get a chance to take out anything so my beautiful wife ended up taking a few outfits for me and frankly I really love what she picked out. Although what may seem basic combinations for all of us, take for example today's look, I would have never thought of pairing two light colored tops and dark charcoal trousers. I find myself sticking dark colors with dark color. I've worn the shirt below a few times but with navy trousers, the sweater with light brown trousers and the trousers I've worn with gray usually. Tomorrow's outfit is also great, her selections were great!

Details:
Sweater: Old Navy Off-White V-Neck Sweater-Gift
Shirt: Indochino White/Light-Blue Dress Shirt-$part of a voucher deal
Trousers: Izod Flannel Charcoal Trousers via JCP-$5
Shoes: Banana Republic Black Wingtips via eBay-$30

WDIWT...2/26/13

Kept it simple today by wearing charcoal and navy with a splash of a purple and pink in the mini-check shirt. Being the first week to work I'm not really in a tie wearing mood yet. I actually found the trousers that I'm wearing today at my local JC Penney's for $5. Yes, $5 and they are 100% wool, flannel to be exact. They are extremely comfortable! Sorry for the crappy pictures.

Details:
Sweater: Gap Shawl Cardigan in Navy-Gift
Shirt: White/Purple/Pink mini-check shirt by Stafford via JCPenney-$7
Trousers: Izod 100% Wool Flannel via JCPenney-$5
Socks: Mickey Socks-Gift
Shoes: Banana Republic Wingtips via eBay-$25

Navy Shawl Sweater & Mini-Check Shirt

Flannel Trousers & Black Wingtips

WDIW...Tomorrow...Maybe? 2-12-13?!

So tomorrow is Career Day for Senior Week, by this we're suppose to dress up as the career we want to most be. For the kids that's easy, for me well it is too, since I am already what I want to be, a teacher. I figured since all the kids are going to be dressed up that I may as well be too. I've had this camel blazer for a few months, and the black pants are actually corduroys I bought this weekend. They are cut a little short, on purpose in order to show some sock. Not sure if I'm going to go with this for tomorrow yet...

Excuse the phone, it's my wife's.

Details:
Jacket: No Brand Camel Hair Blazer via eBay-$15
Shirt: Merona White Spread Collar Shirt via Target-$23
Tie: Black/White/Gold/Light Blue Tie by Izod via Target/NikeTalk-$5
Trousers: Black Corduroy via H&M-$10
Pocket Square: Black Corduroy made from the cut scraps from the trousers