Be Better Guys

The air becomes sweet, the days are longer, and the sky is never as blue as it is at the beginning of Spring. It’s the new year’s restart button: everything springs anew. We hope you can say the same for your wardrobe. What? you haven’t had your Spring clothes purchased since December? Neither have we. So as your friendly-neighborhood-Guy’s-Guide-to-Getting-a-Life, we pulled together this Spring’s Five Easy Pieces for all of you who just cleared the last of the snow from your deck and can see the grill, right in time for the first pitch of the MLB season!

Chukka Boots: If it seems like we’re always offering boots for shoes, it’s because an ankle boot provides an interesting detail to your foot wear. Add to that the emphasis on color recently—and I mean colors, like green, yellow, and red—and men’s shoe style for Spring has a lot of character. Charles Tyrwhitt offers up a sweet pair of indigo canvas Chukka-style boots, the Berkeley boot. At $300, it’s an acknowledged steep investment, so we offer as an alternative, the Guess Newman in suede at $98. Lightweight Jacket: One of the things about Spring is that you still need a jacket occasionally for the windy days and cooler nights. For a Saturday afternoon with the lady in your life, the Harrington jacket in beige or navy from Smart Turnout, $230. It has that sharp blue and white awning-striped lining, adding a nice detail. Or for a more colorful (and less expensive option), the Rugby Darrian windbreaker in light blue, is on sale for $80. Exclusive to BBG Readers! Get 20% off of the cost of the Harrington  jacket from Smart Turnout from 3/28 through 4/3 with the promo code, BBG11.

Canvas Belt: If your pants have belt loops, they need a belt. But there’s nothing that says you have to wear a leather belt all of the time. Canvas or nylon weave belts are perfect for more casual occasions and can provide a pop of color to your khaki-only Saturday routine. Banana Republic has a striped canvas belt with a metal slide locking buckle in olive or navy for $39.50. Or, you can grab this D-ring cotton web belt from Land’s End Canvas for $12 on sale. Get the light indigo. Gingham Shirt: Somehow, a ton of designers “just discovered” gingham, that checked tablecloth looking fabric that appears each Spring like seasonal allergies and the Cubs’ pennant hopes. But gingham shirts do have a light and carefree air about them, reminiscent of Spring. It adds a pop to a solid suit and gives you some options for ties–a bold patterned-tie for a statement piece, or a solid tie to ground the shirt. This Michael Kors version in navy and white is sharp, $98. Or try the GAP’s brown and white one for $30. Light wool pants: Because no one needs another endorsement for chinos. Or jeans. But a pair of light-weight wool pants have a level of versatility that gets overlooked in a world full of casual-first options. For example, these JCrew wool flat-fronts are polished enough for a day at the office, but with their silhouette and pale gray color are ideal for more relaxed occasions, $98. Along the same lines, these Ralph Lauren Delshire pants in glen plaid offer the same benefits, but with slightly more severe tailoring, at $197.50. Dress ‘em down with some canvas sneakers for effect, you hipster you. As always, these recommendations are to augment our other suggestions from other seasons to give you a well-rounded closet of great clothes and accessories without running out to buy a new wardrobe every year. You can have all five items for at the least $420, even cheaper if you take advantage of sales and discounts. Enjoy the warm weather, whenever it arrives.