What Did You Enjoy Wearing This Year?

[dieworkwear]

At the end of the year, it's become something of a tradition for someone to post a thread asking people to talk about their favorite purchases. Since this year has been very unusual, I thought I'd post a thread just asking what you really enjoyed wearing.

This can be anything. It can be a new item that you purchased (so, in the tradition of previous years). Or it can be an old item that you've had forever. It can be a grail. It can be a cheap or common item. It can be a comfort food version of clothes -- pajamas, slippers, old college tees, etc. It can be a flex or not a flex. Feel free to post multiple things as new items come to mind.

I'll start off with three.

Blundstones. I bought a pair of these in the fall/ winter of 2019. I was kind of skeptical of them at first because I figured I was getting in late on the revival/ trend. In my neighborhood, they're kind of everywhere, and I saw people on my Twitter feed talking about how they got a pair. Just seemed like one of those things you buy and regret later. Plus, they don't follow diehard StyleForum rules about only buying Goodyear welted. These come with all sorts of synthetic materials inside.

But I've come to really like them, and they've mostly taken the place of my Kapital side-zips (which I still love). First, they're easy to slip on and off, which is convenient since nowadays I only run out for short errands. They are also supremely comfortable -- like sneaker level comfortable. I put a thin insole in mine to make them extra cushy, but you can also go without. Third, I kind of like that they're popular and hip. They make me feel good. They look good with jeans, fatigues, and double-knee painter pants (a weird favorite lately). I like that they have a shape that vaguely reminds me of Rick Dunks. Just gives you that big feet vibe that goes well with topcoats and workwear.

Stan Ray painter pants. I fished these out of my closet over the summer and decided to give them a try. They had been sitting in my closet for years. When I first got them, I thought they looked too utilitarian -- they are, quite literally, painter pants. Plus they were kind of wide-legged for me at the time, and I wasn't sure about the silhouette.

But I've also come to really like these. Again, kind of trendy, but like junk food, also enjoyable. I like that they're double knee. Being that everything has been shut down this year, I just hemmed them by cutting them with scissors. I like the frayed look. Mine had a weird loop at the butt, which I cut off. The new version on Stan Ray's site looks slimmer than this and doesn't have the double knee detail. I think I prefer the wider silhouette now. I feel like these are an easy way to incorporate white pants if you feel white jeans are too preppy. I wear these with workwear shirts and a vintage Lee denim trucker.

JMM eyewear. It's weird that, through a year of lockdown, and even going into winter, my style obsession this year has been eyewear, and often sunglasses. I've been really into Jacques Marie Mage lately. Started with three frames this year and now have six (after thinking that I would never own more than one). I can't say I wear the sunglasses all that often since I don't go out as much as I used to. But I've really enjoyed wearing my optical frames from them -- the Jax, the Jules, and the Scarpa. It's nice to be able to catch glimpses of yourself in the mirror and feel like, "Yea, OK. I feel kind of good about myself." Even if I'm mostly in flannels and jeans nowadays. "Statement eyewear" sounds so corny, but these sort of feel like statement glasses. I feel like if you have very little going on in your outfit, it's nice to wear something that feels or looks special.

Plus, the JMM thread has really good vibes. Just feels like a bunch of guys who hype each other up about purchases and say positive things.

I also have the PCH frames, the Taos, and the Hickock. I wear those whenever I go out, but still mostly rely on the opticals if I'm indoors somewhere.

 

[Waldo Jeffers]

Nothing super innovative but one of my most worn items this year was an LL Bean anorak

Men's Mountain Classic Anorak | Windbreakers at L.L.Bean

Find the best Men's Mountain Classic Anorak at L.L.Bean. Our high quality Men's Windbreakers are thoughtfully designed and built to last season after season.

m.llbean.com

Perfect light layer for late spring, summer and early fall in New England

I got addicted to having the huge kangaroo pouch in front especially while driving for wallet, keys, sunglasses, etc

 

[thatboyo]

Birkenstocks. Always wanted a pair in the past but never copped since I wouldn’t be able to wear it 5 days a week and on weekend I figured I would reach for something else. With quarantine and after adopting a dog, these are just perfect for easy in/out for walks in warmer weather. These may be my most worn pair of shoes this year. Goes with pretty much any pants/shorts.

Fatigues/Milsurp style pants. Loose fit + enormous pockets are great. I picked up the above pic from RL. Was initially not sure on the back pocket (one large pocket across) but i actually like it and can’t really explain why. The front two are more than spacious enough for my usual pocket items. The back pocket may become sort of like game pocket on my Barbour Beaufort where it’s unused most of the time but comes in clutch that 5% of the time something can’t fit into normal pockets and I don’t have a bag. I may end up going back and buying the navy version of this from RL but wish they did a khaki colored version instead. Sage de Cret has pants similar with the two large pocket (no back pocket), slimmer, and cropped that I hope will come back in future since I think most of the retailers are sold out of my size. Also looking at EG’s FA pants. My initial take was that it has way too many pockets for me but the more I look at them the more I want them.

Sweatshirts. I bought the iron heart loopwheeled crew neck sweat earlier in year before quarantine intended as a gift for my dad but after getting it, liked it so much I kept for myself and got him something else. I’ve always had a few sweatshirts (mainly from street wear brands) in the past but spending has been more on wool sweaters & turtlenecks since they looked smarter in the workplace. Sweatshirts are just much more comfortable against skin since I’m not wearing a collared shirt anymore and maintenance is just easier. I think recommended maintenance for sweatshirt from self edge was to wash and hang dry but I just use the dryer and haven’t had any issues so far (I do size up for sweats to account for shrinkage and also because I prefer looser fit sweatshirts over tighter fit). I bought the suvin gold sweat from studio d’artisan and am looking to pick up the above pic (stevenson) in 2021.

Honorable mention: SNS Herning Stark. They were hot on SF years ago and I actually have a navy one that had the old looser fit. Like the high neck and I think it fell out of favor in more recent years for me since I’ve been wearing turtlenecks and since buying the Norwegian Rain Moscow a few years ago, I have ample neck protection. I pulled them out recently and they’ve gotten more wear than the last 3-4 years. easier to take on/off versus a turtleneck due to buttons and it actually feels fine against skin for me (although I normally wear it over sweatshirt).

 

[hammerhead_corvette]

My closet is pretty basic workwear. Mostly solids and plaids. I tried to branch out a bit more this year and add some pattern to my wardrobe.

I found these items fun to wear this year:

Faherty Brand Pullover Fleece. This has been really comfy to wear. Lots of compliments from coworkers and friends. Plus, I got it on deep discount.

Studio d'Artisan Diamond Stitch Shashiko Workshirt. This was a little out there for me, but it has quickly become one of favorite shirts. Just a fun pattern makes you smile when you look in the mirror.

Freenote Cloth Waves Hawaiian Shirt. I don't wear a lot of short sleeves because of a weird skin condition I developed, but this was my go to shirt this summer. Cool fabric with a another fun pattern but not too hokey.

 

[vanmosh]

I fully bought into the 70s trend that was peaking this summer and picked up this shirt from Corridor. When it comes to sizing, I find that no two items from Corridor fit the same but I got lucky with this one and it was a perfect fit. It's fun, it's light, breathable, and way more hokey than @Luellwitz's Hawaiian.

I've been wanting to add a classic Aran knit sweater to the rotation for a few years now. I was looking at Inverallan for a long time but decided to pick up a generic handknit one from an Irish label off eBay for a few bucks. I've found myself reaching for it over any other sweater in my rotation and it's been a great layer for outdoor dining.

Like many, I've found myself outdoors way more this year than any other year and these Strongdarts from Outlier have been the best addition in that regard. They have a pretty severe taper but they're relatively high waisted and comfortable for the trail and casual use. They're my go-to pant in bad weather as well and held up well in the recent snowstorm that hit the East Coast.

 

[SixOhNine]

The two items I've enjoyed the most this year are newer purchases. What with working from home and all, they're a bit more on the utilitarian side, too. First up, Xtratuf deck boots.

Yeah, they're kinda ugly, but weirdly, that's part of the appeal for me. They're easy to pull on and off for quick trips, which is about all I do these days. Plus, they're basically sneakers, so completely comfortable. They have the added bonus of being waterproof, in case the weather goes bad, and although cold temperatures aren't really an issue for me, they're reportedly pretty warm, too. Not quite as stylish as a pair of Blundstones, but they work for me.

The second item is a Grip6 belt.

They're a bit bizarre, in that they don't work like normal belts. Instead, you thread the strap through the hole in the end and it stays in place by friction resistance. The benefit of that is that it's infinitely adjustable, much like a military style web belt, but the tail tucks under the belt for a cleaner, more low profile look. It's also super simple to swap straps and buckles for different colors. I went for the carbon fiber buckle, which allows me to keep my belt on when going through metal detectors and TSA checkpoints (you know, when flying becomes a thing again).

 

[Chrikelnel]

Unsurprisingly my two favorites this year were things that I could wear all day at home comfortably, but also looked fine if I had to run an errand.

My most worn item was probably this very broken in red chamois shirt from J Crew that I’ve had for 5 years or so. It’s soft and comfortable, but still has shape and is a little rigid. Probably the only J Crew thing I still have after purging my closet.

Runner up would be this belted cardigan from RRL. I love it because I can just belt it like a robe and don’t have to button it at home, but it feels more put together than wearing a robe. Wears surprisingly cool for how chunky the knit is, but the material makeup has a lot of linen.

 

[SimonC]

Back in March when lockdown started I got a pair of raw indigo Edwin MiJ jeans out of the loft and started breaking them in. Nine months later and wearing them a good portion of the week, they’re coming along nicely.

What I’m not wearing are the 6 pairs of Vass and two pairs of EG I brought this year, especially now London is basically in lockdown again.

 

[Baron]

Vintage 501's. After going through all the denim phases, I now only own and wear 501's. I search ebay for "vintage 501's made in the usa" - I find endless pairs for under $50. Great fit, great color and fading. My lady has "borrowed" a few of my favorites, but no problem, they're easy to replace.

18 East - it's been fun following and buying this brand all year. I was aware of what Antonio was doing when he started the brand but it didn't seem like it was for me. Then this year, as the designs evolved, I started picking up a few things at the beginning of the year. Since then I've picked up a bunch of pieces. I never expected to own so many things from one brand, but I really love what he's doing.

 

[mhip]

I shopped way too much during Covid, so a complete inventory might depress me, but off the top of my head:

JMM Molinos, expensive, but love them.

My Direnzo-03 watch arrived. I love it.

A bunch of Spier Mackay. A suit, sport coat, long sleeve polos, side adjust high waisted trousers. If I wasn't on this forum, I never would have found them. They all fit like I'm their mannequin.

And polos. They are not super exciting, but I live in SoCal so they are pretty much uniform.
COS makes a great cotton/silk, and Suit Supply makes a great cotton/linen.
I have several of both that have been in heavy rotation.

Edit: a bunch of Tom Snyder as well.

 

[troika]

To no one's surprise my fav items are the ones that I keep taking fit pics with constantly and good entries for the contentedness thread as well.

S&C shawl collar cardi in tartan green from NMWA. It's been the perfect snow day buddy, windy beach day outerwear, and unisex comfort snuggler. I wear it, my wife wears it, the dog wears it, it's infinite.

ALD black/white two tone penny loagers. I just had such a blast wearing them. They're not versatile, but man are they fun for me to wear. I've been away from home for 3 months now, and they're the one thing I can't wait to wear when I get back.

RM Williams Gardener boots in black. They're my most comfortable boot at this point, and it's pretty much the only shoe I've worn for the past 3 months straight. Love the shape of the toe and the rubber sole. They've been put through more than my blundstones at this point and just keep looking basically new.

 

[RegisDB9]

Jacques Marie Mage: Why did I wait so long to get into this one? Beautiful frames and fit my aesthetic perfectly, I find myself taking them off from time to time and admiring them in the sun for their great details

While im still Margielas #1 du he’s never done swimwear so had to go to my 1b Tom Ford. These have actually helped me keep off or notice the covid pounds since they are merciless and unforgiving

These Green Bottega Venetas, so far out of my comfort zone that I love them

Probably my favorite shoe purchase of the year, TF Suede Jodhpurs

Forgot to add, Nick Fouquet which I’ve affectionately titled Nick Fuckit. Got one of his hats and loved it, I’m waiting on a Panama I have an order for in January

For 2021 I’m looking for my grail which is a TF Suede Trucker in Jade

 

[admin]

I just bought it, but I know it’s going to be my favorite this year. Derek Rose Toweling Robe. https://www.derek-rose.com/us/mens-towelling-gown-triton-10-cotton-velour-navy.html

Been lounging in it since I got it, and likely will the rest of the holidays. Very well made and extremely comfortable. It’s the bathrobe I’ve always wanted.

 

[hoodog]

Great thread idea. Subbed.

 

[ChetB]

after some life changes (had a kid, moved to an expensive city, changed careers) I don't have as much money to burn on clothes these days.

but I have been buying graphic tees.

partly because they're inexpensive (see above) and so are a harmless indulgence. partly because of nostalgia (what I used to wear before the internet taught me how to dress in the early days of #menswear, when graphic tees became verboten). partly because they're just fun, something I'd been missing in clothes. not to mention practical — since I'm just sitting at home 24/7 this year.

I also came to the realization that my mostly Engineered Garments + EG-adjacent wardrobe probably just looks like a bunch of J. Crew in practice, so trying to counteract that some.

Also really came to appreciate wide pants this year, making me wish I hadn't gone so hard on tapered or slim-straight pants in the past. One of my most worn pairs has been some Rothco cargo pants that were like $50.

And I bought a half dozen baggy, vintage Brooks Brothers oxfords + Ralph Lauren western and work shirts on eBay that have seen a lot of use. Usually worn unbuttoned over a graphic tee with sleeves rolled around the house.