Woodland: Barbour & burrs

I love outwear pieces. They are some of my favorite to own, collect and swap. It's what you're throwing on over your cardigan, bundling up in when winter hits and anxiously waiting to wrap around your shoulders before you dash into the freshly fallen snow. It's also what most people see in when you bump into one another on the street all decked out to not freeze your ass off. So it doesn't hurt to own a few different options:

• If it's below 20, I'm wearing my down puffy coat and everything that traps heat.
• If it's around the 30s, I'm wearing my Barbour Bedale + Patagonia down sweater combo. 
• It it's around 40s, I'm wearing my Barbour Liddesdale + blazer. 
• If it's around 50s, I'm wearing a tank top.

It's a wise choice to invest in a nice coat (or two) (or five). I've thrifted a handful that I'm pretty stoked about. But you also have to remain open to throwing down the dough for a couple of lifelong pieces. It's outwear. You wear it a lot. That's okay. And it's better than freezing in a thin piece of cotton veiled as a jacket. I'm looking at you, Nathan.

When I was interviewing Jobs in Chicago in March 2011, I thought: "I don't need a coat." Seth watched, cackling, as I got off the El and made a fast break for the Patagonia* store to buy a red down sweater jacket. This has been such a staple in layering, traveling and everyday use. It's windproof, lightweight, packable, and it regulates your body temp so you're not boiling. When I trekked to Europe a few weeks ago, I knew I was taking this get-up: Patagonia down sweater and my Barbour. Both can be folded up into a tote and stowed upon entering a building, and when used together, they're an unstoppable combination for winter. 

I also dig these new trousers I picked up from Barney's this winter by Gant Rugger. Great slim fit, medium rise and trouser pockets. I'm a sucker for those. Also, they are hella long for these lanky legs of mine.

On Jeff: Waxed "Bedale" coat with copper wire hood attachment by Barbour; red down sweater by Patagonia; thrifted red plaid shirt; slim fit grey trousers by Gant Rugger; trusty brown suede "8878" boots by Red Wing; black framed eyeglasses by Gant Rugger; burgundy beanie from Target; natural leather belt from Urban Outfitters.

Photography by Grant Heinlein

*One of my favorite outdoor performance gear brands is Patagonia. As a certified one-time YoungLifer, I'm an expert in outdoor performance gear and have a collection that would make you think I'm outdoorsy. However, dear readers, it's merely a facade. I like the idea of camping, pooping in the woods and not showering than the actual act of camping, but I've got a sufficient amount of equipment that would permit an impromptu weekend getaway. Plus, it's not like I need to go camping to avoid  maintaining general hygiene practices.

midweSTYLE: Dad jeans

Have you ever seen something so ugly that you had to have it?

A good handful of my purchases turn out like this.

If it's ugly, no one will buy it.
If no one will buy, it will get marked down (sooner).

If no one will buy it and it's ugly, there will be a full size run for me to sift through.

Like these dad jeans. A baby blue denim from the archive of the 70's, so faded in color. Surely a dad from the '70s wore this same style and cut. Moderately awkward fit and color, kind of rigid and damn near impossible to match with anything.

Of course, I wanted them. No one else did.

On Jeff: Faded navy military jacket by J.Crew; indigo striped shirt by Club Monaco; grey crewneck sweatshirt by Jack Spade; baby blue denim by Club Monaco; desert boots by Clark's with grey laces from J.crew; speckled boot socks from Target; black framed glasses by Gant Rugger.

Photos: Carolina Mariana Rodriguez

midweSTYLE: Gwynn Hall

You can always tell who the freshmen are on Mizzou's campus because everything they own is fresh, rigid and brand new.

Like, fresh-from-the-factory fresh, tag-recently-plucked fresh.

Fresh-faced ladies with their fresh backpacks and fresh dreams, majors, aspirations and hopes.

Oh, the ladies.

With their monogrammed monograms and pearls upon pearls and coral lips strolling through the Quad.

Toned and crisp, all tanned and sun-kissed from their summer trysts at "the Lake."

Their sun signed noses with freckles from their hours spent crosswording, reading but mostly latte-ing.

Skinny jeans that hug, hug, hug, cropped above those sky-high pumps for nights out, clutch in hand.

Leather riding boots with quirky Anthropologie A-line dresses topped with cardigans.

Bright planners peep out from Longchamps & Speedys to say hello for all their appointments, events, dates.

Oh, ladies.

I digress.

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If I were going back to school this fall, I'd stick to my "I-need-to-be-awake-but-put-together" with a button down and chinos. Something that says to my professor, "I enjoy your lectures and your intelligence—and I would like to meet with you after class...to not talk about class over beers at Shakespeare's."

One of my favorite parts about this unique short-sleeve button down is the middle seam that runs straight through the middle of the garment. Quirky? A little. It's a nice touch in breaking up the shirt, making it subtle and casual.

One of the better-fitting pair of chinos I own is the "Davis" Chino by Club Monaco. Slim cut, medium rise, chino-style pockets. I sized down in these and am surprised at how well they hold their fit and feel. I'm definitely stocking up on them when the new fall colors come out. For me, it fits better than J.Crew's Urban Slim Fit, and I used to swear by those.

On Jeff: White short sleeve buton down by rag & bone; the "Davis" chino by Club Monaco; thrifted Allen Edmonds; ivory straw hat with chambray fabric from Target; camper watch by Timex.

Photography by Zachary William McSpadden

Thrifty Thursday: White Linen Blazer

Yeah, we know. Two blazer posts in one week? Two posts of Cam in one week? Two posts of Cam in a blazer in one week? Maybe a little excessive. But thanks to the weather, we won't be able to feature these much longer (fingers crossed). The relevant detail to this particular post is the white linen blazer he snagged from a thrift store for about three George Washingtons. You read that correctly: $3.

The point here isn't necessarily to show off cool clothes. It's to demonstrate that workable style is doable on the cheap. After some very unscientific price-guessing, I'll estimate that if purchased new, this whole outfit would push $775 retail. But what you see here cost less than $265. Plus, you're not spending those numbers every single time you put on a set of clothes. Each piece of the pie can be mixed and matched with the other items in your wardrobe. Which allows you invest in the glasses, the boots, etc.—the stuff Cam's wearing with several different outfit combinations.

By far, the biggest savings are coming from the jacket. Three dollars compared to the $150, $200, $300 you could expect to drop for a nice blazer? No contest. As long as you've got an idea of 1) what you need and 2) what looks good, you can find some great bargains at thrift stores. Of course, be prepared to not find anything, either. Only pull the trigger if it's got a place in your closet.

Linen blazer (thrifted, $3) size 36; J. Crew broken-in chinos (retail, $60), size 31; brogue boots (Urban, $80), size 10; vintage, U.S.-made oxford (eBay, $10) by Gant, size 14.5-33; black cardigan (thrifted from Jeff's closet) by Merona, small; tartan tie (outlet, $15) by J.Crew; Preston eyeglasses (warbyparker.com, $95) by Warby Parker.

Photos by Bethany Jones.

midweSTYLE: Urbanautical

Does this clash?
Probably.
Is that a "woman's" clutch?
It's a worn leather dossier/clutch/folio/wallet.
Did I pick up this gold watch at Target thinking it was a "man's" watch?
Yes.
Did I find out the next day that three of my female friends already had it because it's a "boyfriend" watch?
Yes.

Do I wear it anyway?

Yes.

If we're being honest here, fit, design and function trump whatever's on the label—even if it's two letters like "wo" in front of "man." That's why we each have a coat or two in our hall closets that button up from the left side. Looks the same, works the same and in some cases fits better.

Gold watch, carmel leather details and stripes. What do you think?

Nautical striped boatneck long-sleeve tee (Standard Style) by Shades of Grey by Micah Cohen, small; "The Henley" 14-ounce Karabo fabric (Standard Style, $198 in store, $220 shipped) by Baldwin Denim, size 28; vintage brown caramel dress shoes (thrifted in New Haven, Conn., $6.99); gold "boyfriend" watch (Target, $12.99) by Merona; authentic vintage clutch (garage sale, $2) by Coach.

Photos by Seth Putnam.

Thrifty Thursday: Varsity jacket

Ever since my friend Daniel told me that he and Ryan Plett picked up the Gant Rugger Homerun jacket, I've wanted to get my hands on one. (Red option or blue option, either would do.)

"But Jeff, didn't you have a varsity jacket in high school?"
The answer: No, I didn't. I didn't take myself seriously in high school athletics to merit awards that could be worn on my jacket at Friday night football games. Womp, womp. When the Jostens mafia came to my school to sell class rings, I opted for a class ring like any other kid who hated the weight room, lacked any athletic finesse or "swagger."

Moving forward, I finally got my varsity jacket in Lawrence after a tip from Katy of Kansas Couture at Wild Man Vintage. I walked in and went straight to the jacket rack and found this beaut sitting right at the end beckoning my name.

$18 for a size 36, wool and leather varsity jacket. No tag. It fits so damn well, and it's in fairly good shape. A little short, but hey, I'm 6'2.

I haven't taken it to the dry cleaner yet, although I probably should before I skip town...

Oh, and get this: It was 50 percent off jackets that day since they are trying to flush through their overstock of winter apparel, so I picked this guy up for 9 bones. That's just more than a Chipotle burrito, friends. The jacket boasts a slim cut made of wool and leather, much like the Gant Rugger.

I wanted to mix up the look and throw on my chambray pants instead of a chino or denim. I've also been trying to find a way to wear these pants differently. My chambray pants are my dress-up sweat pants: They feel comfortable but look sharp. The sizing is a little off since they are from American Apparel with one inseam (31) and have a high rise, which is surprisingly flattering, gentlemen.

Wool and leather varsity jacket (thrifted, $9); White oxford button-down (retail, $50) by American Apparel, size small; Blue and yellow repp tie (thrifted, $1); Chambray Welt Pocket Pant (retail, $69) by American Apparel, size 31; Cap-toe shoes size 11 (thrifted, $5.99) by Bass; Women's "Boyfriend" gold watch (Target, $30?) by Merona.

Oh yeah, and then there was that one time I came home with a gold watch from Target only to discover that my dear friends Emily and Molly had purchased the same "boyfriend" watch the week before. Whatever.

Photography by Jarred Donalson