Balling on a Budget: Drake's Transitional Lookbook Revisited
A Thriftier Look at Three Fits From Drake's Recent Transitional Lookbook
Last week, we broke down the Drake’s Transitional Lookbook starring Japanese designer Také Sato.
Now don’t get me wrong, I love the way Drake’s handles styling — they’re arguably the best in the game right now. That being said, their prices are egregious.
In last week’s article, I mentioned that these lookbooks are so great because you can use them as a platform/inspiration for putting together cheaper outfits.
I don’t know about you guys, but I’m definitely not in the demographic that can casually drop $375 on a pair of jeans. Even if I were really rich, I still don’t think I’d be able to stomach those costs for simpler garments like jeans or socks.
Regardless, I broke down a ~$4100 fit in my article, showing how you could re-create it for about $200 (provided you’re okay with buying second-hand), and subsequently got some requests for more of that, which brings us to today’s topic: How to recreate Drake’s fits while balling on a budget.
To start off, let’s take a look at the outfit I talked about in last week’s letter:
Before we really get into it, I just want to make something clear: Drake’s is Drake’s because of their excellent cuts and use of color. Their items, while rooted in items that you might be able to find cheaper, have details and cuts that set them apart from the following suggestions. While we’ll be building close approximations of the fits from the lookbook, don’t expect to be able to flawlessly match them.
Gunclub check blazer: $1900
Green Lambswool 6 Button Cardigan: $595
Polka Dot Print Wool Scarf: $375
13.2 oz Ecru Denim: $375
Gold Wool Socks: $60
Brown Penny Loafer: $730
Total: $4310 (guess I was wrong on the price last time).
We can do way better than that. Observe:
Eddie Bauer Tweed Jacket: $24.99
Brooks Brothers Bengal Stripe Shirt: I bought this exact shirt last year for $40 (sale price - reg. $89.50)
Brooks Brothers Supima Cotton Cardigan: $148 (Here’s an eBay find from Rugby RL for $24.99). This is the hardest piece to replace, though.
J. Crew Straight-fit garment-dyed five-pocket pant: $82 (current sale price - reg. $118)
Uniqlo Socks: $3.90
Alden Color 8 Shell Cordovan Loafers: $135 (at my time of writing this at least. There’s tons of deals for Alden on eBay, though — definitely check around. You can find Bass Weejuns for like $30 on eBay though)
Scarf: Not sure what to say about these, as their scarves are pretty iconic in themselves. Looks like you can find them on eBay for ~$100, but can be had much cheaper if you’re willing to compromise on material/pattern.
Total: $434, $206 if you opted for the RL cardigan and Bass Weejuns.
Again, don’t expect to look like a Drake’s model. At the very least, you’d probably want to get the coat tailored to fit yourself a bit better, so there are some variable costs attached to being thrifty.
Prince of Wales Balmacaan: $2295 (good luck finding a cheap Balmacaan)
Unicorn-print Wool-silk Scarf: $450
Navy Wool Flat Front Trousers: $695
Brown Penny Loafer: $730
Total: $4915
Our Budget Option:
Brooks Brothers Wool Blend Balmacaan: $400 (sale price - reg. $798). This is about as visually-similar to the Drake’s one as I could find. Abercromie makes a pretty solid “dad coat“ in the fall that normally costs ~$200 — I picked one up a few years ago for around $80 on sale.
J. Crew Cotton Chambray: $59.50 (sale price - reg. $79.50)
Brooks Brothers Wool Trousers: $186 (sale price - reg. $248). I personally think that chinos or jeans would work just as well here, so you can get mostly the same look for a lot less if you opt for something like that.
Brown penny loafer: Same as above, ~$100
Scarf: Same as above, ~$100
Total: $974, ~$500 if you’re willing to compromise on the coat/pants/scarf.
Lambswool Submariner Turtleneck: $495
Bengal Stripe Shirt: $275
Selvedge Needlecord Trousers: $450
Total: $1220
I really don’t understand the “shirt under the turtleneck with the tips poking out“ look that they push so hard. Looks hella uncomfortable.
Aran Sweater Market Wool Fisherman Turtleneck: $99
Brooks Brothers Bengal Stripe Shirt: ~$40 (reg. $89.50)
Brooks Brothers Corduroys: $50 (reg. $118)
Total: $189
So there’s three shots from the lookbook that should be pretty easy to recreate. Again, this is just the framework that I use when I want to recreate an outfit — you don’t need to buy these exact items or anything, they’re just easy examples I pulled together over the course of the hour or two that I spent writing this. There’s definitely a ton out there, and there’s likely many brands within a “normal” price range that have a more Drake’s-accurate look than what I chose.
The moral of the story here is to pick a few brands that you like and look on second-hand sites (eBay, Grailed, Poshmark), or cultivate the patience to hold off until they have sales (unethical life pro tip: Brands that may or may not be in the process of failing will probably have better deals).
One of the nice things about ivy/prep-inspired outfits is that they are generally considered timeless, and the individual pieces have been floating around for the better part of a hundred years now, with minimal changes to the substance of the items themselves.
This means that as long as you’re patient enough, you’ll likely end up getting a great deal on something that you’ll have for a long time (it also means that you can re-sell those same items later, provided they’re still in decent condition).
For example, I posted an eBay listing for a pair of Alden cordovan loafers toward the beginning of this article (~$900 shoes, generally considered best-in-class), where they’re going for $130. If you’re unfamiliar with shell cordovan, it’s basically indestructible as far as footwear goes, and the shoes have a genuine chance of outlasting you.
One last parting thought: Drake’s has a penchant for suede shoes — specifically penny loafers and desert boots. I know at one point the brand Astorflex made their desert boots, which Drake’s would then mark up by like $300. If you want that casual tailored look, definitely check them out for suede options. I’d recommend looking at the Greenflex, Dukeflex, and Bitflex models. They’re an Italian brand and don’t sell directly in the US, but you can find them on the site Huckberry (linked above), which I’ve personally shopped at before (just so you know they’re legit).
Alright that’s it for this time — thanks as always for sticking it out to the end.
See you guys next time!
Hi Kevin,
Re: collared shirt under turtleneck sweater - I agree with your take on this. It seems uncomfortable and, to me, just the most recent example of the flavor of the month sprezzatura. No disrespect intended to any of your other readers; if it works for you, that’s great! Maybe I’ll give it a try some day and eat my words.
Re: buying clothes on 2nd hand sites - I’ve been using gem.app recently. It searches and turns up results from a long list of secondhand marketplaces. I’ve not used it yet to make a purchase, but it seems an efficient tool for searches and email alerts.
Looking forward to your next dispatch!
Velasca is another great alternative for the suede boots & loafers. Here are a couple examples. https://www.velasca.com/products/flizzon-tdms - boots
https://www.velasca.com/products/ost-ts - loafers
I own several pairs of their shoes and can vouch for their style, comfort, & value.