Topcoat: Thrift Store | Button-Up: Ralph Lauren
Neck-Tie: Marshalls | Cardigan: ASOS
Denim Jeans: ASOS | Socks: H&M
Tassel Loafers: Hush Puppies/DSW

During one of those three day weekends in December, I had the opportunity to check out a random consignment shop in Brooklyn. This particular store sold a variety of used and refurbished items in excellent condition.

After spending an hour looking around the store, I eventually stumbled upon the perfect topcoat. To be honest, I rarely find coats that fit perfectly. Since my arms are disproportionate to my height, sleeve length is always a problem. Then, when I found a coat with long enough sleeves, the coat itself is too large.

Now, back to our original conversation. Not only did the sleeves cover the full length of my arms, this particular coat was long enough to keep my legs warm as well. Needless to say, this coat was a perfect addition to my outerwear collection. I typically wear it with the intent of dressing it up for the night.

As you can see in the outfit shown above, I like wearing this coat with a nice sweater, neck-tie, button-up, pants, and loafers. I tried to put together different styles, where I could pull specific hues from the coat. So, I went with a grey, mustard, and black color combination. Most of these items were already sitting in my closet, except for the skinny jeans and tassel loafers.

For months, I have been looking for a pair of skinny jeans in grey, and found them on ASOS. The loafers were purchased as a Christmas gift from Mom Dukes. Since I already owned the brown version, it was only appropriate to request the black pair as well.

Overall, this coat was a perfect buy for the winter. Hopefully, you can find other valuables from your local thrift store before this season runs out. Let us know what treasures you find in the comments section below.

Thanks for reading!

Velvet Blazer: ASOS | Button-Up: H&M
Tie: Forever21 | Lapel: Nordstrom
Fedora: H&M | Jeans: River Island
Saddle Shoes: G.H Bass

 Way back in college, I considered myself the king of velvet blazers. In fact, I owned at least five different types of velvet blazers, all in which were different colors. Sounds like a slight addiction, right? Whatever the case may be, the velvet blazer became an important part of my college wardrobe. However, it took all of two days for my peers to make their own opinions.

In North Carolina. I attended school with a large group of very conservative and narrow minded college students. Once the student body caught wind of my velvet addiction, it didn’t take long before I became the butt of every joke. Walking across the yard, I can remember hearing jokes like, “What is that, velvet.”

Yes, we get it, Coming to America was a great movie, but that joke shouldn’t be used in the real world. Nevertheless, I continued to wear velvet blazers throughout college, and even during graduate school.

Here is the irony in the story. In the past five years, the velvet blazer can be found on almost every man’s closet. Typically worn with a button-up, slacks, and pair of dress shoes, the velvet blazer can be purchased from any local retail store.

Although I’m not the stereotypical “Suit it and Boot it” type of guy, I will throw on a velvet blazer with a nice dress shirt and jeans. Take, for instance, today’s featured look. You can consider it as one of those business casual inspired looks for the office. Furthermore, the velveteen blazer along with the easy-iron button-up were a perfect match. Additional accessories like the striped knit tie, floral lapel, and wool fedora were also added to complete this look.

Continuing with this theme, I slipped on my black and brown contrasted saddle shoes from G.H. Bass. Both comfortable and stylish, these shoes are perfect for most weather conditions, including snow. As a result, you can wear them throughout the entire year. you can’t beat that, right?

I decided to dress down my look with my skinny jeans. You are probably tired of seeing me wear them every other Monday, but do you understand how long it takes to find a good pair of jeans? I’m not going to even get into all that, but you get what I’m saying.

Thanks for reading! Make sure to stay warm in all this snow.

Blazer: Urban Outfitters |
Toggle Sweater: GAP Outlet |
Denim Shirt: H&M | Chinos: American Eagle
Boots: DSW | Fedora: H&M

Around this time of the year, most of us are stuck in the house during the winter months.

Why? For one, snow! In the North, we experience snow around the first few weeks of December. If we get lucky, it snows even sooner. Unfortunately, this year was a different story. The first day of snow came earlier last week. To much surprise, we received at least eight inches of snow. Can you say snow day?

Rather than being stuck in the house all day, I decided to venture out and have a little fun. Although my coat is one of the first things I grab before heading outside, I decided to wear a blazer instead.

Are you crazy? No, not at all. I was recently inspired by an H&M ad to layer denim shirts, hooded sweaters, and blazers together. So, I gave it a try.

When layering, you should always start with a solid or plaid button-up. In my case, I decided to throw on an old denim shirt from H&M. This shirt has a reputation for pulling together most of my layered looks.

The next part of my outfit included a toggle, hooded sweater from GAP Outlet. Now to be perfectly honest, I’m not a fan of dressing up a hoodie. It’s rather difficult in my opinion. Needless to say, this sweater looks great over a denim shirt.

With two layers in place, it was time to add the blazer. Both tailored and detailed, this blazer was purchased from Urban Outfitters a few years ago. For just $20, this blazer has come in handy so many times.

The rest of my outfit consisted of a pair of pants and boots. Since jeans typically take in a lot of moisture, I decided to step out in my skinny chinos from American Eagle. I really love how the pants add a pop of color to my outfit. Your attention is immediately drawn to the rusty chinos. In addition, you can never go wrong with duck boots, especially during a snow day. They are constructed to take on the elements of mother nature.

Overall, I had a lot of fun playing in the snow. Every once in a while, it feels good to relive the moments of my childhood. Then, I remember how much I love being an adult.

Thanks for reading!