Welcome back to the latest series here on The Peak Lapel! In this seven-part series we will show you how to put together an entire week’s worth of outfits for under $1,000. Sounds impossible?! Well, believe us, it can be done! Stick around, and make sure to check back on the site, as we release each day’s edition of this series over the coming weeks. It will culminate in a downloadable PDF that will be available to all email subscribers (so make sure you’re subscribed by entering your email on the bottom of the page, or in the drop-down menu in the upper left corner of the site).
We’ll be focusing on a more business-casual look and feel overall, as this will cover a majority of guys, in most situations. If you’re working in a more corporate environment, you will likely have a collection of a few suits that you rotate through anyway. On the other hand, it’s always better to be a little bit better dressed than your counterparts, so if you’re used to truly casual-wear, this series will show you how to upgrade. Finally, if business-casual is your typical go-to, this series should give you lots of inspiration for outfits to put together to throw into your rotation. All while far from breaking the bank! We’ll be covering everything from perfect office looks, to a semi-casual look, to weekend looks as well. Everything will be included, so you’ll be prepared for just about anything a typical week might throw at you.
Lastly, just a few parting pointers before we get started. One, we will not be using any sale prices. Since price constantly fluctuates at many online retailers, in this series we’ll be using the highest, typical retail price so that, no matter when you get around to shopping, you’ll be able to make this whole week’s worth of outfits for less than a grand. Two, we will not be including basics in this series. Meaning, ties, socks, undershirts, belts, and so on we will assume you already own and have in your closet or drawers. We’ll be focusing on the meat and potatoes here, so to speak, not the salt and pepper. Alright! That just about does it. Now let’s get to it!
This Thursday look is a great twist on an office classic. If you work in a slightly more casual office environment this is absolutely perfect. The addition of sneakers as opposed to a dressier loafer or dress shoe is an awesome switch. Draws attention in a subtle way, and shows you really know what you are doing when it comes to getting dressed in the morning. Still maintains an all-business look up top, though, so you really do get the best of both worlds. A great weekend look as well if you wouldn't wear this to the office (though it's perfect for casual Friday either way)!
Jomers Wool Dress Pants — (Already Purchased): An absolute steal at this price. Awesome patterns and fabrics, as well as the more standard plain varieties available. The catch? No inseam lengths, so assume a quick trip to your tailor to get these hemmed to your desired length. Again, wool pants like these are a staple of a man’s wardrobe. Pair with a dress shirt, an OCBD like above, a sweater, or blazer (or some combination thereof), and have a killer, classy, higher end office look ready to go in no time. For starters, we suggest a navy, khaki, or grey solid fabric. Feel free to order two or three of these guys as well to build out a nice dress pants wardrobe.
H&M Premium Quality Leather Sneakers — $60: Believe it or not, these things have gotten many extremely positive reviews. Pretty much, at this price point, you won’t do better anywhere. Sleek, good-looking, and will likely hold up a year or two of solid wear. Definitely wearable with dressier pants like shown here, though if you’d rather not, they certainly work amazingly with chinos, jeans, or shorts.
J Crew Mercantile Stretch OCBD — $27.00: A price you can’t say “no” to. From their lower-end “Mercantile” line, so won’t be the typical J Crew quality, but still solid for the money. Expect a small step below Uniqlo, which we featured in an earlier edition of this series. Available in a bunch more colors than Uniqlo, though, plus these have decent stretch which means they’ll get some comfort bonus points. Stock up on these, or go with the pink-ish, red-ish option shown here. Real men wear pink.
TOTAL: $467 + $127.50 + $123 + $87
LEFT OVER: $195.50
Be sure to check back soon for the next weekday’s installment!