As much as we love to frequent sites like Huckberry and Mr Porter for premium menswear, we’re not above a mall brand. Especially since they’ve had a bit of a comeback in recent years.
Mid-range clothing brands like Abercrombie and Gap have seriously stepped it up in terms of design and are now considered some of the best places to source style-forward and comparatively affordable menswear. Banana Republic, J.Crew, H&M and similar stores that typically reside in your local mall offer a reliable selection of solid basics (tees and jeans), inexpensive accessories ($14 sunnies) and on-trend clothing items (relaxed-fit pleated pants and rollneck sweaters). Whether you’re looking to build a capsule wardrobe, experiment with different styles or need to pick up a last-minute outfit for an event or vacation, a mall brand is the best place to source your next menswear piece. (Not to mention, they’re often running major promotions or sitewide sales.)
With the sub-zero temperatures finally appeasing, warmer temperatures are slowly but surely making headway, and I’ve started to think about transitional clothing — hybrid layers you can sport when it’s not too hot, but not too cold.
After scanning six classic mall brand websites — Banana Republic, Abercrombie & Fitch, Gap, Levi’s, H&M and J.Crew — I found myself quite impressed with each brand’s selection of transitional pieces and early spring arrivals. From car coats to track pants, there’s a seemingly endless stream of elevated staples to add to your end-of-winter, early spring wardrobe — and at an accessible price.
To make it easy on you, I put my paper doll talents to good use and came up with six different outfit ideas from six different mall brands fit for just about any occasion. Cop the entire look, mix and match or grab whatever’s currently missing from your closet.
Banana Republic: A Blue, Bowling-Inspired ‘Fit
Here at InsideHook, we’re constantly trying to find activities that involve some physicality, but nothing too laborious that would inhibit our favorite activity: Drinking. We’ve settled on bowling. It’s a recreational sport that almost anyone can participate in, but the game still has a competitive edge. And when it’s not your turn to bowl, you can heckle your opponents and down several beers. Also, the bowling aesthetic kinda goes crazy. I love a bowling shirt, which is why this vintage-inspired polo cardigan from Banana Republic immediately caught my eye. When paired with the brand’s semi-loose-fitted pleated dress pants, you’ll look devastatingly suave on and off the lanes.
Abercrombie & Fitch: Spring Semester Style
Call back to your uni days with a collegiate-inspired ‘fit. Inspired by Abercrombie’s vintage archives, this V-neck sweater is an easy layer that you can throw over a basic tee and immediately channel that handsome English lit teacher vibe. Throw a paperback in the back pocket of A&F’s 100% cotton trousers, and you’ve got yourself an effortlessly sexy spring look.
H&M: Morning Coffee Run
We all know the best part of the annual defrost is the morning iced coffee run. (At least, it’s my favorite part of springtime.) But just because you’re popping out for a quick stroll doesn’t mean you can wear your ratty sweatpants or, God forbid, the pajamas you woke up in. Spring is a time to break out your elevated athleisure. Think: Relaxed track pants, muscle-bearing tank tops and an oversized, clean-cut sweatshirt. Luckily, H&M has a solid selection of style-forward athletic basics.
J.Crew: Stripe-Forward Spring
Enough with the white linen button-downs; I want to see bold colors and patterns, so I was quite delighted with J.Crew’s stripe-forward approach for spring. Now, I wouldn’t pair this blue-and-green-striped rollneck sweater with a pair of blue-and-green-striped track pants (let’s not go too crazy here). I’m drawn to the idea of a laidback track pant paired with a collared dress shirt. As for the sweater, the iconic piece does well with virtually any pair of jeans, but can I entice you to step out of your comfort zone and into a pair of ’70s-inspired bootcut jeans?
Levi’s: A Clean-Cut Car Coat
Normally, I hate a short overcoat on a man, but I make an exception for a car coat. The hip-length style is irreverently cool and speaks for itself. All you need is a crisp T-shirt, a flattering pair of denim jeans and a cozy layer. I like this cardigan from Levi’s, which adds to the old-school appeal.
Gap: Contrast Colors
I still want to see you wearing pastels this spring, but I like the contrast of a light shade paired with a dark pant. I’d go with these utility-inspired canvas carpenter pants from The Gap, and add a pop of white under this butter yellow sweater. Simple, but effective.
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