We sifted through the sales and pulled only the menswear and warm weather gear we could spend our money on. Here’s what’s really worth it.
Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of summer and brings the first real sales of the year, and this one took some digging. Most of the marked down are regular refills, the same items that seem to be discounted throughout the year. But stick with it long enough and buy a few real things: warm-weather shorts and swim trunks to buy, a few inexpensive boots, and the lowest-priced backyard gear of the year to set you up for a great season.
Selections from J.Crew, Abercrombie, Nordstrom Rack, and Amazon: Everything below is here because we’ll spend our money on it, not because it has a red tag attached.
Included
IJ.Crew 6″ cotton and nylon blend oxford swim trunk, $44.50$89.50
Save $45.00 (50% off)
The classic 6-inch trunk is cut from cotton-nylon oxford, which offers more texture and structure than the slick fabric used in most swim shorts, so it reads like a regular short once you’re out of the water.
IJ.Crew 5.5” Pier Short in cotton linen blend, $47.50$79.50
Save $32.00 (40% off)
The Pier is a J.Crew short, light on the 5.5-inch inseam, and the cotton-linen blend gives it a dry, breathable feel that makes sense when the weather turns warmer.
Levi’s Men’s 555 Relaxed Straight Fit Jean, $47.38$69.50
Save $22.12 (32% off)
The 555 gives you an open thigh and straight leg, a simple, casual cut for summer, and this is a white pair I styled in a recent outfit if you want to see it worn.
→ Outfit: Warm Spring Tones with a Linen Coat and Two Shades of Denim · Primer
Red Wing 8836 Moc Toe boot, $192.00$320.00
Save $128.00 (40% off)
A Red Wing toe rarely sees the mark anywhere near this size, so if you were looking for them, $192 for an American-made boot that you remove rather than replace is about as good as it gets.
Traeger Grills Pro Electric Pellet Smoker Grill Combo, $389.00$549.95
Save $160.95 (29% off)
Lowest price of the year
A pellet grill takes most of the guesswork out of low and slow cooking, and the Pro is Traeger’s perfect entry point, now at its best price of the year.
Gloo Hard Cooler with removable wheels, $208.99$279.99
Save $71.00 (25% off)
Lowest price of the year
A hard cooler is a must-have piece of back-end gear, and with the Igloo sitting at its lowest price of the year it’s a good time to get one. Unlike most coolers, this one looks less like a tailgate and more like a deck decoration.
Amazon
Levi’s Men’s 505 Regular Fit Jeans, $31.27$74.95
Save $43.68 (58% off)
Lowest price of the year
The 505 is a fairly standard straight leg with no progressive flair, and at just over $30 it’s hard to argue with as an extra pair or a first foay for a straight cut.
Workday Dockers Men’s Classic Fit Khaki Smart 360 FLEX Pants (Regular & Large & Long), $39.99$80
Lowest price of the year
I just picked these up, looking for some budget-friendly casual pants to wear to a modern J.Crew or Buck Mason. So far so good.
Levi’s 501, $47.70$79.50
Save $31.80 (40% off)
The 501 is the first, the plane flies and the leg is straight, comfortable, and if you somehow went so long without a pair, this is the right time to fix that.
Eddie Bauer Men’s Rainier Pants, $31.52$70.00
Save $38.48 (55% off)
Lowest price of the year
The Rainier is EB’s most versatile outdoor pant, light and quick drying for hiking and trail days, and at $31 it’s cheap insurance to have in the closet.
Columbia Men’s Glennaker Lake II Rain Jacket, $31.76$70.00
Save $38.24 (55% off)
Lowest price of the year
It’s a basic packable rain shell, not the most breathable layer you’ll find, but for $32 it’s the kind of jacket you stash in the car and stop thinking about.
Nordstrom Rack
Brooks Brothers Cotton Blend Shirt Jacket, $51.17$228.00
Save $176.83 (78% off)
A gem at the expense of J.Crew Factory.
Vince Marin Boat Shoe, $59.98$275.00
Save $215.02 (78% off)
It’s a classic boat shoe in midnight blue suede, and since boat shoes are often a love-it-or-leave-it thing, $60 is low enough to test the waters if you’ve been wanting to find a pair in something other than Sperry-brown.
Allen Edmonds Grady Chukka Boot, $112.48$550.00
Save $437.52 (80% off)
Allen Edmonds makes these in the US in a single rebuild, so a chukka from them for $112 is a rare Rack find that’s a lot of shoes for the money.
Vince Rafael Loafer, $62.98$350.00
Save $287.02 (82% off)
A simple slip-on loafer in warm brown vicuna for $63, though as always with Rack, it’s up to you to see if your size and color are still available.
J.Crew
Cotton short-sleeved polo shirt, johnny-collar sweater, $58.50$98.00
Save $39.50 (40% off)
A loose, chunky knit in vintage off-white that can be dressed up or worn casually.
Abercrombie
Linen-Blend Relaxed Straight Trousers, $68.00$85.00
Save $17.00 (20% off)
It’s breathable and a little loose just the way summer needs it, although the 20% discount is more of a push than a real price cut.
A&F Resort Shirt, $36.00$60.00
Save $24.00 (40% off)
The Resort Shirt is Abercrombie’s camp collar short sleeve, something easy to pull on for warm evenings, and this muted orange has a throwback feel that doesn’t read like a costume.
Cotton Space-Dye Button-Up Sweater Polo, $60.00$75.00
Save $15.00 (20% off)
The space dye yarn gives it an interesting depth and close texture, and it appeared in our latest summer outfit feature if you want to see it styled.
→ High/Low Style: Simple Summer Weekend Dress