I feel like I haven’t had much time to keep the blog current lately! Working full time, owning a house, and having a family with a 3 year old – I don’t have much down time now-a-days! My blog may not always be updated on the regular, but I definitely keep my Instagram account fresh – so make sure to follow me @BlueCollarPrep! Last month American Eagle reached out to me to style their Men’s Flex Cafe Denim – pretty cool! Check out the full post featured on their site HERE!
Lately I’ve been inspired to add some more dressier pieces and shoes to my wardrobe. I like to stop by Nordstrom from time to time to check out the newest shoe trends. Johnston & Murphy reached out to me just at the perfect time! I was super excited to get the chance to style their Allred Penny Loafer that’s sold exclusively at Nordstrom. Not having many dressier shoes, adding a classic silhouette to my wardrobe was a good way to start my loafer collection. These Johnston & Murphy 1850 ‘Allred’ Penny Loafers are made of Italian calfskin. I really dig the subtle variations of brown tones in the shoe. With it’s color and classic, clean style, you can definitely rock these out with a more casual look or dress them up even more with a suit. They fit comfortably and are true to size. I paired my J&M Loafers with a navy pair of slacks from Zara – my new favorite store for men’s pants, and a denim button down…always a big fan of throwing denim in the mix! My Calvin Klein vest is actually from my wedding day! I don’t get a lot of reasons to dress up like this in my day to day, but when I do get the chance, it definitely makes you feel good about yourself – all spiffy! I’m going to have to find more opportunities just to get dressed up lol Make sure to check out these Johnston & Murphy Penny Loafers at Nordstrom, or their full collection at www.johnstonmurphy.com!
I was really excited that Brooks reached out to me to style a new pair of their sneakers from their Heritage collection. I knew they had well-known running shoes but wasn’t really aware that they had casual footwear – which is right up my alley because vintage trainers are one of my favorite style sneakers. The Men’s Vanguard from their Mother Nature collection is super lightweight and very comfortable. I really dig it’s silhouette and the versatility to be able to dress them up or down. These classic colors really play into that retro vibe that I like. My style overall is mostly casual so I styled them in that classic, school-boy look, but I can definitely see myself rocking these with some fitted slacks, a plain white tee and a sports coat…I’m a big fan of mixing dressy with casual and these are the type of kicks that would work well with that look. I’m going to keep my eye on this brand as I’ve noticed they’re been doing some limited edition collabs with other companies and being a big sneakerhead, I like to get my hands on those exclusive pieces! If you’re in the market for some classic kicks with a throwback vibe, definitely check out Brooks’ Heritage Collection. I’m a big fan!
Every wardrobe needs a good old tee – or a bunch of them in various colors and different fits. I think I have more plain white and grey tees than anything else. When you find that perfectly fitting t-shirt (whether it’s long and scoop neck or shorter with a v-neck) I almost always want to buy more than one just in case I don’t find it again! It’s good to know that won’t be the case anymore now that I’m familiar with the website Son of a Tailor. They create your perfectly tailored t-shirt – such an innovative and perfect idea! There’s 2 tee base options to choose from in 4 different colors (white, black, blue and deep blue). From there, they walk you through all the measurements you’ll need to take according to either your favorite tee or your body-shape. I actually based my measurements off of a few different tee shirts I already owned. I took the neckdrop from one and added a few inches for a deeper drop, took the length from another and added a few inches for a longer fit, and adjusted my body measurements accordingly depending on the fit I was looking for. Pretty dope that I was able to customize the tee to fit exactly like I wanted! To take the customization to the next level they provide free monogramming of 3 initials on the bottom right of the tee. I got BCP stitched on mine – my first BCP labeled shirt – and definitely not the last. Overall the tee is a great quality and of course, the fit is perfect! Son of a Tailor also provides Free Worldwide Shipping – which is pretty amazing…no one likes spending money on shipping especially if it was for 1 t-shirt purchase – so with it being free it’s a no brainer. Get 15% Off Your First Order Now With Code BCPTEE! Can’t wait to get a white one next. I might be customizing this fit a little differently this time around. Any questions on the measurements I went with for my black one feel free to email me!
I think I’ve had this GAP polo for at least 5 years now. You can’t go wrong with a polo…classic silhouette in a solid color – these tops are timeless. Although a lot of people may not agree I’m a top button up type a guy – I refuse to rock it any other way! These jeans are also GAP and are probably one of my faves – great skinny fit, with a few subtle rips. GAP is definitely my go-to for these types of simple classic pieces.
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Like I’ve said before I’m a big fan of Marshalls. I really enjoy browsing the racks in hopes of finding that (cheap) needle in a haystack. I really dig this latest tee I found – I’m a big fan of tie dye! Something about tie dye, especially in these colors, screams spring. I usually prefer really thin tees that are a little flowy and fall just right, but this one was a little thicker than my norm. Since the cotton is super soft it still has a really nice fit and doesn’t feel stiff like those cheap tees. I feel like I’d rock just about anything on a tee as long as it was a nice fabric and fit well lol – it’s all about the fit!
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Been on the hunt for an army green spring jacket and scored this one on sale for about $40 at Gap. I was actually happy it was a little chillier last weekend so I was able to wear it. I also scored 2 dope sweaters on sale at H&M. Really feelin’ the thick cable knit and rips on this one! I feel like these classic Adidas can easily give any outfit that street style look that I like. Happy I got to rock these new pick-ups before next year – but anxious for this warmer weather to finally stick around!
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Went to a Loyalty Day event at a local park with the fam last weekend. It’s a fun day with free food, free beer, music, races for the kids and a service to honor veterans. My little guy got to run his first race and scored a little trophy and medal – cutest thing ever. Going to the gym 5 days a week I can never have too many gym clothes and casual pieces. I usually luck out with name brand activewear from Marshalls, but recently snagged a few pairs of cotton shorts from H&M. Me and Nate did a little colorblocking with our black and grey pieces! I’m a big fan of the low-top Converse and PF Flyers for summer – feel like I can wear them with just about anything!
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Had one good weekend of warm weather and I got that itch to spring shop. Hit up H&M and found a lot of good pieces. Dig this London tee – with it’s distressed feel and unfinished seems, it’s got that rocker feel I like. Also scored these jean shorts (they don’t seem to be on their site anymore) – really into the ripped look right now and like how they fit. I’m currently on the search for some ripped khaki shorts and another pair of denim with a looser style. Been asked quite a few times where you can find these docs – unfortunately they’re no longer available on their site, but they’re called the Dr. Marten’s Floyd Shoe and you might still be able to find them on Amazon or Ebay!
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Marshalls might currently be one of my favorite stores. I don’t always come out with a hand-full of finds, but when I do, I feel like I find pretty dope pieces for usually less than $20 – scored this floral basketball jersey for about $10! I’ve had these Cotton-On Joggers for a year or so now and have them in a few colors…the jogger pant is still going strong! Weird how you can be in a super casual fit, throw a denim jacket over it, and somehow it just pulls the look all together and cleans it up a bit. Denim is definitely my go-to piece to throw over anything.
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