Investing in Outerwear

Among friends and family, I’m known for my willingness to drop significant dough on clothing.  Granted, I’m not talking about buying $5000 bespoke suits just yet, but I approach clothing that costs less than $100 with a healthy dose of skepticism, unless a serious sale is involved.  Because my budget doesn't always allow me to spend what I want to on clothing, however, I'm not averse to a good deal.

Certain splurges are worth the extra cash, and my most recent is an olive green Belstaff vest I picked up from Nordstrom (full disclosure: I work for Nordstrom, and in no way are they sponsoring this post, nor am I pandering to their interests).  I eyed a similar vest last year in navy blue, and after kicking myself all winter long for not purchasing it, I vowed not to make the same mistake twice.  When this fall's version came out, I sprung for it right away and it's already kept me warm on a couple cool days.

Long known for their rugged motorcycling attire, Belstaff’s recent renaissance has pushed them upmarket.  Their products are a notch above Barbour’s (another British heritage line I love) in terms of material and ruggedness, and their expanded range and care for details have introduced them to a new generation of style-conscious folk.  I found Belstaff through my obsession with heritage wear, and have lusted after their Roadmaster and Trialmaster jackets for several years.    

While the vest is made in Romania, it still exhibits the quality and durability that are the foundations of Belstaff’s reputation.  The quilted texture makes the vest an ideal fall layering piece, and the stitching is better than a couple of Barbour coats that I own that have a similar design.  Throw it over a sweater for a distinguished weekend look, or pair it with wool pants and a dress shirt on days that don’t seem appropriate for a sport coat (if the office dress code so allows).  Though the vest comes in other colors, the olive green complements the Earth tone palette favored in fall.

Vest: Belstaff, Sweater: GANT Rugger, Chinos: Club Monaco, Sunglasses: Warby Parker, Boots: Red Wing Heritage