I like nice things....but at nice prices.

     In an effort to post every day (and thus follow the advice of a very knowledgeable Austin reporter/blogger who was kind enough to let me interview him about getting started in journalism), I will be sharing my general thoughts and philosophies about cars, clothes and watches (translation: don't expect to see pictures in every post.)

     I have a very bad habit of "Windows" shopping in my free time.  Not only do I look for new arrivals, but I constantly scour the sales sections.  I don't have a bank roll that'll choke a hippo, so I have to be selective about purchasing the items that catch my eye.  I'm all for instant gratification, but you can lose your ass if you're constantly indulging a taste for Brooks Brothers shirts and Johnston and Murphy shoes, price be damned.

     I don't consider myself an especially patient person, but, somehow, I've discovered that if you wait long enough, you can scoop some killer deals.  Granted, those items on sale are typically out of season, but who gives a shit?  If you're buying the right thing, you'll be able to comfortably wear it when the appropriate weather comes around again, and for years after that.  I fondly remember buying a lovely raincoat last year at an end of season clearance sale for 70 percent off.  It's an ecru, 3/4 length raincoat whose only embellishment is epaulettes.  I can wear that puppy for the next 10 years, at least (the 3/4 length might become a little dated in the future.) 

     Patience truly is a virtue when building your wardrobe.  You can buy more items when they're all on sale.  I would rather have a shirt, a pair of pants and a pair of playful socks in a few weeks instead of a shirt right now.  However, there are certain items that never seem to go on sale, such as Tiffany's silver, Coach retail products (although they have an outlet store on eBay and their own outlet website) and Rolex watches (I've heard of people getting slight discounts at authorized dealers, but those discounts don't seem to be as high as those for Omegas.)
    
     For the most part, though, a lot of menswear sites seem to have perennial sales sections.  Keep in mind that the inventory changes with the seasons.  One sales section I always check is Brooks Brothers'.  You could say that, even on sale, their stuff is ridiculously pricey, but when I gotta have it, I gotta have it.

     One of my favorite online menswear magazines, Valetmag.com, has a great section listing all the sales and deals to be had in the world of menswear.  Check it out here. 

     Happy hunting, fellas!

My Favorite Coat: Fox-y, Furry and Fancy

     I've come to discover that aside from shoes, you can never have too many coats and jackets.  There are so many different occasions and circumstances in which you might need a certain kind of outerwear. 

     I have quite the assortment these days, but it has its holes.  I'm still looking for a great car coat, an overcoat to wear over a suit, a more casual overcoat (like this moleskin number from Banana Republic) and a toggle coat (this one would be nice.) 

     However, I'm happy to be able to say I have plenty of barn jackets, a blazer (which desperately needs an upgrade), a couple of sports coats, some nylon outdoors jackets, a wonderful Brooks Brothers rain coat, a Gap jean jacket, some Polo zip-up jackets and this lovely thrift store find from Fox Knapp...

 

Just hangin' out.

 

Collar down.



Collar up.  Keeps me from having to bring a scarf.

     Now that I have this coat, I'm very drawn to faux fur collars (just take a look at some of my Pinterest pins.)  I still can't believe in what flawless shape this coat was when I found it.  No stains, no tears, no shedding, nothing.  The stitch holding the rear vent closed was still intact.  Its condition is even more impressive when you consider this coat was probably made in the 1970s (the wide pocket flaps are a tell.) 
     My only complaints about it are: the body is a little boxy (that can probably be removed by a tailor) and the "woven leather" buttons are hard plastic.  Overall, though, I love this piece and look for reasons to wear it.  It's warm, has an attractive herringbone pattern and its "fur" collar makes an elegant statement (with a Victorian English accent, I imagine.) 
     If you'd like to see more of Fox Knapp's outerwear, you can find a lot of it on eBay.