What was your favorite purchase in 2023? Specifically in the menswear and menswear-adjacent space, what turned out to be the best?
I asked that on Instagram on my stories and the response was big. Lots of folks mentioned killer tailoring, or outerwear. Several mentioned timepieces they bought. Others mentioned accessories and personal care items. A lot of really good mentions and I’ve collected some of the things people mentioned as a kind of crowdsourced gift guide at the bottom.
In the meantime, allow me to list the things I personally got this year that rose above to be my favorites (with a few honorable mentions at the bottom because I love all my children equally).
(Help support this site! If you buy stuff through my links, your clicks and purchases earn me a commission from many of the retailers I feature, and it helps me sustain this site—as well as my menswear habit ;-)
1. Clark’s low-top Wallabees in Cola Suede
Shop these at Clarks or at Todd Snyder.
These kill two birds with one stone for me. Wallabee’s have been a trad staple since forever. They’re a casual shoe that still work with my style of dressed down tailoring (see: Wes Anderson in khaki or corduroy suiting wearing suede Wallabees). They occupy the same space as desert boots thematically, with a little bit more of an intellectual vibe (dweeb-ish might be the better term). But compared with desert boots, the moccasin stitching and shape make them more interesting. Secondly they’re unreasonably comfortable. I don’t wear them everyday but sure as heck wouldn’t mind if I had to.
2. Fatigue pants in olive from Proper Cloth
Shop them here (get 10% off here or shop similar ones at Natalino)
Fatigue pants have had a whole moment the last year or two. I’ve wanted a pair and have tried some in the past several months but they didn’t fit right. Which is why I went with the Proper Cloth pair—custom fit! And of course they delivered. I love them so much I’m contemplating other colors. I went with the darkest shade of green they make (“thyme” in a herringbone pattern; the cloth is fairly smooth). They also make them in a plain-weave canvas in a lighter green color, as well as khaki. Any are great choices, but I like the more military vibe of either green color.
Thematically they sit between chinos and jeans. They have a military heritage like chinos, yet almost all chinos these days have a dressy design; these retain that military edge by virtue of the pocket designs. Yet the fabric makes them a little dressier somehow than 5-pocket jeans.
3. Navy Atelier Munro utility jacket
(Shop it at the story Munro published here)
What do you wear when a blazer is too dressy but you still want a versatile outer layer? A chore coat! Not too heavyweight nor too specific to any type of weather, it’s wearable in most casual circumstances (just like a navy blazer is for dressier situations). I wrote a whole thing about it over the summer here. And it’s been one of my most worn pieces ever since.
The Atelier Munro utility jacket is great because it is slightly elevated in details. It’s a dark navy cotton (dark colors read sophisticated). But the detail I like most is that I designed it with a waist cinch in back to give it a little extra shape. It’s an ideal blazer alternative I am getting so much use out of.
4. Inis Meain heavy linen tunic
(Shop the last one at Mr Porter here)
I bought this in the spring on final sale from No Man Walks Alone and it was instantly my favorite thing ever. I guffawed about the size—I ordered an XL, the last size they had, on final sale and felt it was way too big; but then I got used to it and it turns out It’s so perfect for the languor of summer. The heavy linen drapes so excellently. The dropped shoulder seams are flattering, somehow making it look like I have powerful deltoids. The straight fit, medium length and round neck all combine to create the perfect casual top in spring and summer. While Inis Meain makes this tunic model in all kinds of fabrics and colors, this ombré pattern won me over so hard. It reminds me of glistening blue waters like in Cinque Terre or Santorini.
5. Omega Planet Ocean in 42mm
(The original, reference 2201.50, shop it on eBay here)
I’m an unapologetic and highly enthusiastic fan of Omega. As far as watch brands go, it’s got history and heritage to the moon and back. But so many other brands are rife with history and don’t get my heart racing like Omega does. They are continually pushing forward, innovating in timekeeping, materials and other areas, and their best days are by no means behind them (in my opinion). While I am critical of the many, many low-hanging fruits they should be addressing immediately in their collection, I am nonetheless smitten with every watch of theirs in my collection.
Which currently stands at 4, two of which I added this year. The first was an unexpected offer from a friend for the legendary Speedmaster Moon watch (3861 model with sapphire), which I could not refuse. The second was a 42mm first-generation Planet Ocean. Both models hearken to Omega’s 1960s glory days—the Speedy nearly unchanged from the watch that went to the moon, while the Planet Ocean very strongly takes after the 1960s Seamaster 300 165.024.
Yet while the Speedmaster will not leave my collection and I gain immense pleasure from wearing, at heart I am a Seamaster guy. And the Planet Ocean has surprised me by just how captivating it is over time. It’s become the go-to watch I put on for just about any occasion. It feels indestructible, ready for anything. It’s a bit thick (having 600m water resistance), but not so thick it looks bad with tailoring. Its matte finishing leans into the tool watch nature, but the raised hour markers and polish handset have just enough bling to glint appealingly in the light. All in all, it’s a sleeper in the wider world of watches, and I can’t recommend enough.
6. Spier & Mackay off white jeans
(Shop their undyed jeans here)
This feels like a cop out somehow since I am known widely as a white jean adherent. Yet I just have to mention them because they are in all actuality the number one most worn item in my closet, bar none. They are the high rise contemporary fit, and they fit me just about perfectly at the beginning of the year, though have fit a little more snug than I’d prefer the last half of this year (working on that). They’re technically off-white though you’d be forgiven for thinking they’re bleach white (until you hold them next to truly bleach white fabric, they look white as snow). But that makes them work with everything.
Presently Spier has a pair of natural, undyed jeans (in their normal rise fit which has about an inch lower rise and slightly less room in the thigh, though they updated the cut slightly so there’s more room from the knee down) and I’d definitely say give those a try. But all in all, I have been so happy with the off-white pair I got back in January that I’m honestly contemplating buying a second pair.
Honorable mentions
Navy mock Leno fresco blazer from Cavour
(Read my post about Mock Leno here and let’s hope some makers sell some jackets from it again in the spring)
The fabric is just so good. The Cavour cut is just so great. It’s probably the most balanced cut in the world of ready to wear. The shoulders are cut on the very narrowest side of their factory tolerance on this particular jacket, but I still wore it constantly all summer (and honestly even now in the winter).
Spier & Mackay H. Minnis prince of wales flannel suit
I only just got this within the last three weeks, but have already worn it twice. I’ve had a suit made from this or a similar gray Prince of Wales with blue overcheck for about a decade. It makes me feel like a million bucks when I wear it. I sized up from my historical Spier size, meaning I got a size up in trousers, too. I should probably have the waist and seat taken in to fit better, but just cinching down the side tabs has worked, and the extra room means this suit not only looks like a million bucks, it’s one of the the most comfortable things I own.
Atelier Munro Belgian Tobacco linen suit
(This will be shoppable when the spring-summer portion of the campaign comes out in about 6 weeks)
A tobacco linen suit feels like a thing only a fully formed menswear guy owns. Like once you ascend the mountain of your menswear journey, at the peak is where your tobacco linen suit waits. Mine’s made from heavy Belgian linen. I made it with big ol’ lapels. Spalla camicia shoulders. Barchetta pocket. High-rise trousers. Wearing it feels like I’m embracing the man I’m meant to be. It’s the summertime foil to the flannel POW suit I mentioned above.
Speedmaster Moonwatch
(Shop it at Mayor’s Fine Jewelers)
There is no greater watch in history. Nothing beats it. The moon. Done. End of story. I love it. The 3861 movement is great—beautiful, accurate, antimagnetic, robust. It has hacking seconds. But as I wrote above, I am at heart a Seamaster man. So while this won’t leave the collection (except perhaps to be traded towards a Speedy Tuesday model given the right circumstances), my heart belongs ultimately to my Seamasters.
What was/were your favorite menswear and menswear-adjacent purchases in 2023? Let us know in the comments below!
Here are some of the things my Instagram followers shared in response to the same question:
Blue chore coat from The Decorum (guessing it’s this one)
This year brought a couple fun surprises:
A Breda Virgil tank watch with an olive face. Never had a tank before and it was way cheaper via EBay than a Cartier. I really enjoy having something more dressy.
Navy cotton S&M unstructured suit. Had to retire my old poplin suit and got this to replace it. In south Texas, this is going to be a frequent wear in the summer.