If you live in the United States, right now you are likely slogging through Heat Dome and complaining to your friends, family, colleagues—and anyone else who will listen—that, yes, it is friggin hot right now and no, you have no idea when it will let up.
Drastic heat waves like this force you to rethink your daily routine. All trips outside have to be carefully scrutinized to determine if they are truly necessary. Going for a run? Pfft, no way. Grabbing another cold brew? Get the summer intern to do it. Survival is all about doing whatever you can to stay indoors for the sweet, sweet air conditioning. So, might as well use your computer for something truly productive: retail therapy.
Right now is peak time for summer sales, as retailers try to clear their real-world and virtual shelves to make room for fall styles. A n00b would ask, ‘Why do I want to buy shorts now that summer is waning?’ But a vet recognizes that there are a lot more garments being discounted than just swim trunks. If you’re smart, you can use the sales to pick up apparel that you’ll be wearing, if not year-round, then at least well into the fall.
We combed through the best sales to find 10 style essentials that you’ll want to have in your closet right now and for years to come.
1. A.P.C. CITY MAC
$299 (was $545), endclothing.com
If you don’t have a proper Mac jacket, you instantly regret it the first time it rains and you need to look more distinguished than you do in that Patagonia/The North Face/REI shell. And once you do own one, you find more and more occasions to wear it. A.P.C.’s City Mac is neither too long nor too short and is constructed from waterproof Italian cotton. The subtle Prince of Wales check pattern helps it stands out from a sea of similar navy and khaki versions.
2. LEVI’S VINTAGE CLOTHING 1947 501 JEANS
$166 (was $278), unionmadegoods.com
Jeans are always a great thing to buy on sale because, let’s be honest, they don’t change that much from season to season. This pair is a replica of a post-WWII era style from Levi’s and uses premium Cone Mills Red Selvedge denim. They have the faded wash that is dominating denim right now and a frayed hem that adds to the broken-in feel.
3. WOOD WOOD SCOTT POLO
$137.99 (was $260), needsupply.com
A knit polo is instantly classier than the traditional cotton ones and it also has a cool Rat Pack vibe. When you factor in the fact that merino wool feels more breathable and lightweight than cotton, it become a no-brainer. Wood Wood didn’t mess around much with the classic styling on this version and that’s just fine. It has white pinstripes on either side of the torso that create a slimming effect and a crisp pointed collar.
4. T BY ALEXANDER WANG CREWNECK SWEATSHIRT
$229 (was $419), endclothing.com
The crewneck sweatshirt is one of those pieces you can never really have enough of. This one from T by Alexander Wang is more modern in both cut and construction, utilizing a neoprene-like fabric with terrific hand-feel. Its polished enough that you feel more like you’re wearing a sweater than a casual sweatshirt and the olive green is a great color for fall and winter.
5. NIKE AIR MAX BW
$69 (was $115), endclothing.com
Anytime Nike brings back one of its iconic running shoes in the original colorway, you should be cop it. And in the event that hypebeasts sleep and you have a chance to buy them at a discount then run, don’t walk, to the “Add To Cart” button. The Air Max BW first dropped in 1991 and got its nickname from the “Big Window” into the Air cushioning unit. The OG black and purple colors are great as your style transitions away from summer’s all white kicks.
6. CREEP STAND COLLAR WORK SHIRT
$74.99 (was $142), needsupply.com
If you don’t have a band collar button down right now, you’re blowing it. Sure, you could go the DIY route and just cut the collar off an existing shirt, but this shirt from Creep is a far better bet. It has a micro navy stripe and two breast pockets that gives the shirt a hearty workwear feel, but it is still pulled together enough that you can wear it to the office and feel dressed appropriately.
7. OUR LEGACY FORCE BOMBER JACKET
$217.88 (was $415), tres-bien.com
The bomber jacket isn’t going anywhere so if you were biding your time before picking one up, it’s time to get off the pot. Our Legacy’s white bomber makes a clean and bold statement that can be tempered by pairing it with more muted colors. It has a chunky white zipper and stripes over the seams that add texture to the coat.
8. ENGINEERED GARMENTS FATIGUE PANTS
$129 (was $216), notre-shop.com
Military style never really goes out of style, it just constantly gets reinvented. Engineered Garments used a sturdy ripstop canvas on its fatigue pants and then packed it with enough pockets (including a semi-secret one for any contraband) to hold all your stuff, but not so many that you look like a dad on vacation.
9. YUKUTEN YACHT CHUKKA
$150 (was $375), gentrynyc.com
Part boat shoe, part chukka boot, these suede Yukutens have a ton of style with color blocking reminiscent of nautical flags. They’re the kind of kicks you can wear with just about anything and they have a timeless quality to them so you don’t have to worry about them looking out of sync a year from now.
10. GOLDEN BEAR SANTA CRUZ WINDBREAKER
$159 (was $265), unionmadegoods.com
The planet isn’t getting any colder, so you’ll be wearing this windbreaker well into fall and will pull it back out again at the first taste of spring. Based on a design from the 1960s, it’s styled to look like a Barracuda jacket and makes for a great top layer, whether you’re wearing it over a T-shirt or something warmer like a button down and a sweater.