Glad someone took advantage. I thought about two items that were in my size -- the gray suede jacket and gray sneakers. Ultimately I decided they weren't things I needed or even necessarily wanted. I'd just be buying them because of the deal. $117 for those gray sneakers is a steal. I have three pairs of Epaulet sneakers already, and $125 was best deal I got.

Today there's a Unis sample sale. Get Gios for $59.

Steal alert: You can get these Epaulet sneakers for about $160 shipped after they refund VAT. I have them in all white and like a lot.

I've always wanted a Ivory James Bond style dinner jacket, and I've got a sassy wedding in Vegas with a black/white theme I can wear it.

Do I go with a one-button shawl collar (pictured) or consider 2-button with peaked lapels? Flap, hacking or besom pocket (pictured)?

Walmart's buying Bonobos (https://www.recode.net/2017/4/14/153...cquisition-jet)

Shame because they've been my go-to for suits and pants, not sure what I'll be doing next year since most suit makers don't have a good athletic(squat thighs) fit. Bonobos fit with minimal tailoring.

Don't know anything about Tuxedos, but does Bonobos make a good tuxedo? Thinking of picking one up this year to have around since the company's cut fits me well, then go custom for my next one in a few years.

Sons of *****, first ruin Jet and now Bonobos.

Luckily I pulled the trigger on a couple of Jetsetter suits earlier this year (great for all-day wear at the office or conferences), plus a couple of Jetsetter pants only for everyday (can't get them separate through the site, but there is a direct URL if anybody wants, also their guides can give it to you).

Was really trying to avoid spending more money on professional wear this year, but I may get another color and a summer-weight fabric. 4-5 suits should last until I climb the ladder a bit higher to go bespoke.

Anyone got experience with the Billy Reid henley size wise? Do they run as trim as the outer wear reportedly does?

I need to get some casual tops that are not t-shirts for the upcoming southern winter. Any other ideas?

Homespun henleys

Too expensive to ship to NZ, but I'll look for something similar local

There's a lot of henleys, but they aren't as good as Homespun. Worth trying to find a deal on.

Does anyone have the AE Higgins Mill boots?

http://www.allenedmonds.com/shoes/me...le/SF7561.html

Wondering how they feel. I have the Long Branch and the vibram soles are comfy but they have the least amount of arch support of any AEs I have. Like, they're the most comfortable AEs I have if I'm just sitting around but they're probably the worst if I am doing any significant amount of walking. Wondering if the HM is more like the other AEs given it has a more normal-like sole.

I got a pair of Higgins Mill boots fairly recently, they're still breaking in but very comfortable. My main complaint is that they can sometimes be kind of hard to get on my feet. They don't have the loop at the back that the Long Branch does, so it can be a struggle at times.

They look great, get lots of compliments, and go with more outfits than my Long Branch boots. I'm a big fan.

Yeah, that was my other thought, the HMs would be more versatile. Also I just wanted to drop some cash on some new boots.

I was thinking about the Normandy but they're a little TOO rugged, I wouldn't like wearing those with anything other than jeans, and even then I think they'd look funny with really nice jeans. Plus the leather sole on the Normandy seems like a big negative given that I usually want to wear boots when it's raining/snowing.

Pulled the trigger on the HMs, the lack of loop is pretty annoying but I'll get over it. Also not crazy about the suede tongue, not sure what the thinking is there but pretty minor gripe.

The flat, waxed cotton laces look great but they're functionally a huge pain, so I replaced them with some brown round danner laces and I'm pretty happy overall.

Devastated that Bonobos sold out to Walmart. Love their stuff, but I can't stand Walmart. Anyone have any recommendations for a similar company?

Anyone else have real bad experiences with AE recently? Shoes I got during the anniversary sale were in crap condition and the available replacements at the store were all banged up too. Customer service is letting me return them even after wearing them but still, my first time buying firsts they aren't even comparable to the old seconds I got.

phil,

Jomers. The only problem is they run out of stock within minutes, and take months to restock. They're by far the best quality for the price, but if you want to snag a pair you'll have to subscribe to their email newsletter to get notice of the next drop and then be ready at that time to jump on it.

Uniqlo is an acceptable alternative with lower prices but also lower quality.

Wolf Vs. Goat is a higher quality boutique brand, but also has stock issues. The upside is he doesn't sell out as fast and will often come out with cool materials to make cloths with (silk+modal, bamboo+sorona, merino wool+linen, etc.). If you pay the $25 bucks for a membership you get 20 percent off all future orders. His blog gives updates on when new stuff is coming out but he's terrible with keeping things on schedule.

what I really love about Bonobos are their color choices + fit options. I've only bought cotton and/or summer weight for them, I think the quality is basically only ok, but I can get interesting pants from them that fit, delivered fast.

I've been a long time Bonobos fan.

I just don't get the Walmart buyout. I mean, I guess if you're the founders, good on you for cashing out. But from Walmart's end, I'm confused. Doesn't strike me as relevant to their core business.

I won't be buying any more though.

pvn,

how do you like the Higgins Mill? 2nds are going for $200 right now and I was looking for a reason to not buy them.

They're great. As noodle noted, they can be slightly annoying to get on but I have been wearing them a lot. Good support, definitely more comfortable than my Long Branch pair.

Finally got my Vanson leather jacket from Thurston Bros.

Album



It's a size 40 Vanson Model F in steerhide with a base price of $690. Here's the customization I requested:

• "Octagon Brown" leather (+$103)
• Nickle hardware
• Black rayon lining
• Add 1" to the body length (+$90)
• Replace zippered cuffs with straight cuffs, like on Model J (+$50)
• Remove both chest pockets
• Remove side buckles on back
• Remove snaps on collar
• Remove zippers on pockets
• Remove zip-out lining

The Octagon Brown leather is a medium weight, but as you can see here, it's still pretty stiff. From what I've gathered online, steerhide breaks in much easier than horsehide, so I think it'll begin to drape better across the shoulders and down the front within a few months of wear. That said, it feels like flexible armor, and as soon as I put it on I could tell the construction would last decades. The zipper, in particular, stood out as especially solid. I seriously think a mother****er could stab me with a pocket knife and get nowhere.

The process is pretty awesome, with the company sending out a fit jacket to help determine where to make adjustments, but I was still nervous as hell dropping nearly a grand on a jacket before trying on the final product. I'm relieved it turned out well, and would recommend them to anybody interested in a custom leather jacket.

Nice!! Not my personal choice of collar but still looks great