I remember when Black Friday was about waking up early to try to beat the crowds, only to wind up standing in line and wondering whether the savings are worth the trouble. Thankfully, nowadays, everything is held online, which means you can snag the best deals without ever having to leave your couch. But still, it helps to have some intel.
Every year at Put This On, I roundup Black Friday sales for our readers. The list, which comes out on Friday, is massive and often reaches into the hundreds of stores. For those who want something more manageable, I also list some of my favorites here. Since some stores have already started their promotions, here are nine early-bird specials that I think are notable. More will come as the week moves on and new deals emerge.
No Man Walks Alone: Up to 30% Off On Select Items
A few weeks ago, No Man Walks Alone, a sponsor on this site, released their second lookbook of the season. The team went out to Pound Ridge, a small town located just outside of New York City, and were able to catch UK-based Jamie Ferguson while he was in town. Ferguson, who just released his book of menswear portraits called This Guy, shot No Man Walks Alone’s collection of roomy topcoats, chunky knits, and shearling outerwear against the perfect colorful background of the local foliage.
I love the shop’s outerwear selection this season. Greg tells me this Doppiaa covert cloth coat is boxy and roomy, but in the best of ways, and moves beautifully when worn. The James Grose shearling bomber, Scott & Charters shawl collar cardigan, and Doppiaa double-breasted coat pictured above also look tremendous. Not to be missed are the other two shearling coats this season, which I find to be wearable below 60 degrees, and the Valstar topcoats. I also bought the black version of these Kaptain Sunshine corduroys this season. They have a soft, but crisp hand, and hang beautifully. As ever, Kaptain Sunshine has a way of doing things just right. If you purchase a pair, just be sure to size up, as the waist runs quite small.
J. Crew: 50% Off Full-Priced Items and an Extra 60% Off Sale, Code SHOPFIRST
I was at J. Crew recently, exchanging something I bought online. After finishing at the counter, I took some time to browse around the store. A lot has been written about the company’s decline – the loss of direction and supposed drop in quality. But while browsing around, I was pleasantly surprised. Much of what people loved about J. Crew ten years ago still seems present. The clothes are exceedingly wearable. They allow you to blend into almost any office, but still look better than average. For guys who want to build a wardrobe on a budget, J. Crew is an exceptional value.
For example, this Wallace & Barnes flannel shirt ($49 on sale) is made from an 8.2 oz brushed cotton, has a chambray-lined yoke, and features triple-needle seams for both durability and vintage effect (old workwear shirts used to be made this way). They have two fits in their Japanese raw selvedge denim jeans ($74 per pair). I also love their chamois shirts ($49), even if they’re confusingly sized. Just go with your standard size in their classic fit — it’s slim enough.
Additionally, their field mechanic jacket continues to be one of the best values in outerwear. The jacket is just so smartly designed. It has a cinched waist to give the jacket some shape, ample pocket space, and a stowaway hood for when it rains. The stand-up collar frames the face well, and the easy-to-maintain, wash-and-wearability means you don’t have to baby this very much. This is the sort of thing you can wear with jeans, chunky sweaters, and oxford button-downs. J. Crew has offered it every season for as long as I can remember, and I’m glad you can still find it in the store. At $100 with the promotion, you could hardly do better.
End: 20% Off Sitewide, Code EARLY
The thing to remember about End is that they’re located in the UK, which means that listed prices tend to be about ~20% lower than what you’ll find at most other shops (since they automatically deduct for VAT). Add to that their current 20% off promotion and things become pretty sweet.
Some of my favorite brands here include Nigel Cabourn, Engineered Garments, Blue Blue Japan, Battenwear, Margaret Howell, Ten C, and Levi’s Vintage Clothing. Margiela’s German Army Trainers are also on sale, along with a ton of other shoes from Common Projects, Buttero, Astorflex, and Danner. For chunky, textured knitwear you can layer under casual coats, check out Howlin by Morrison, Jaimeson’s, and SNS Herning. I also like the bags from And Wander and Master Piece.
Additionally, End is one of the best places to buy a Barbour jacket. With the promotion, the Bedale comes down to $320 and the Beaufort is $332. End also collaborated with Barbour this season on a special patchwork version of the Ashby, which is a slimmer version of the Bedale. The design echos a theme seen in other Barbour collaborations, notably the ones with Rowing Blazers and Alexa Chung.
Brooks Brothers: Discounts Sitewide, Including OCBDs
Almost everything at Brooks Brother is on sale right now, including their famous oxford-cloth button-downs in solid colors and various types of stripes. Since the company upgraded to its unlined collar a few years ago, their button-down price jumped from about $90 to $140. With the current promotion, however, the price comes down to $98 — roughly to what it was in yesteryears. I find light-blue oxford button-downs can be worn with anything described as Ivy, Americana, or even workwear (e.g., suits and sport coats, field jackets, or brands like Engineered Garments). I hesitate to call anything a wardrobe essential, but for me, an OCBD is as close to essential as anything comes.
Brooks Brothers also put their two most iconic loafers on sale: their tassel loafer — which comes in calfskin, shell cordovan, and brown suede – and their unlined shell cordovan penny loafers (both styles made in the USA by Alden). Those shell cordovan pennies are among my favorite shoes. Not only can they be worn with your usual sport coats and flannels, but they can also work in surprisingly contemporary contexts. Kyle at No Man Walks Alone pairs them with jeans, t-shirts, and slim corduroy sport coats. I sometimes wear mine with fatigues and chunky Arans. Note, Alden confirmed with me a few months ago that they’ve discontinued their relationship with Brooks Brothers, so once these are gone, they’re gone.
East Dane: Up to 30% Off, Code MORE19 Stackable
For whatever reason, East Dane often has one of the more overlooked sale sections every season. On the upside, that means you can often find great deals here. For Black Friday, East Dane is offering tiered discounts. Take up to 30% off your entire order, depending on how much you spend. For the best deals, you’ll want to stack the code on already-discount items in the sale section. Here, you’ll find minimalist sneakers from Zespa; Barbour’s collab with Engineered Garments; basic Gitman Vintage button-ups; fuzzy Lemaire knitwear; and Epperson Mountaineering bags.
Namu Shop: 30% Off Sitewide, Code TURKEY
Namu Shop, a sponsor on this site, has some fantastic outerwear this season. At the top of the list is this Kaptain Sunshine coat, which I rave about constantly because I rely on it so often (mine is navy as well). It’s made from a hefty Melton wool, which is a bit thick, substantial, and allows the coat to take on its own shape when worn. The coat has an A-frame silhouette, hidden equestrian straps, and a smartly designed collar that looks great when popped from the back. The coat runs a bit roomy, so the size 36 could fit someone up to a 38, I think.
I also love a lot of the outerwear this season from Eastlogue, a South Korean company doing their takes on vintage Americana, workwear, and outdoor clothing. Like a lot of offbeat workwear, these clothes draw enough from classic clothing to feel like they’ll be wearable in five years. At the same time, they’re directional enough to also be interesting. The Traveler jacket is the company’s take on fleece liners, which I think looks particularly good with fatigues. There are also two down-filled coats with an interesting configuration of pockets. If you go to Eastlogue’s “Tagged” page on Instagram, you can get a better sense of how these will look when worn.
LL Bean: 25% off Bean Boots, Code FLASH25
Of all the things that came with the prep revival during the noughties, LL Bean’s duck boots may be the best. Dozens of things have come and gone from that era — many first described as classic, but couldn’t last past the prep craze. But LL Bean’s duck boots have a kind of versatility that’s hard to beat. They go with jeans and cords, Barbour jackets and French chore coats, tweeds and casual overcoats. They work with almost any wardrobe that can be considered vaguely classic.
They’re also some of the best foul-weather boots you’ll find anywhere. Originally called Maine hunting shoes, they were designed for outdoorsman tramping around the countryside. They have a fully waterproof rubber construction, which wraps around the top of your foot, while the shaft is made from leather. And they have that better-with-age quality I love. I leave mine out on my back porch during the summer cause I think the leather looks better when it’s sunfaded.
LL Bean boots run about $150 shipped, but for today only, the company is having a 25% off sale (just use the checkout code FLASH25). That puts these at about $100 to $110, depending on the model. And while the company’s return policy isn’t as good as it once was, they still guarantee product satisfaction for up to one year. Go a full-size down in the unlined version (or 1.5 sizes down if you wear half sizes), but take your regular size for lined models.
American Trench: 20% Off Everything, Code BFCM2019
A couple of years ago, I took a chance on these wool-silk boot socks from American Trench. They’re $30 a pair (or $24 with the current promotion), which admittedly is a lot to pay for casual socks. But I’ve been surprised by how much I like them. They’re cozy, durable, and come in handsome colors. The flecks of color add visual interest without being obnoxious. They’re also knitted at a family-owned, North Carolina mill using Italian yarn. I rely on them almost exclusively when I’m wearing something casual this half of the year. American Trench’s Kennedy socks, which are inspired by something President Kennedy once wore, are also popular. Get them for yourself or as stocking stuffers. They make for an easy, even if pedestrian, gift. (Get it? Pede? Feet? Ok).
Kiehl’s: $10 off $50+, $20 off $80+, $35 off $115+; Code JINGLE
It’s hard to make blanket recommendations for grooming products since everyone has different needs. That said, I use Kiehl’s 24-Hour Oil Eliminator Moisturizer in the summer, then their Ultra Facial Cream in the winter. They’re both facial moisturizers, but the first is good when your skin is more likely to be oily, while the second is best when the weather is cold and dry. If you use the Midnight Recovery Concentrate Oil after coming out of the shower, you may not even need to use a moisturizer the next day. Their body scrub soaps are a little more expensive than your average bar of soap, but they last much longer and slough off dead skin. I also like their shampoos, which are formulated for different hair types. I find their Oil Infused Shampoo to be great for dry hair.