[lands' end canvas button down]

The return of spring means that lightweight plaid button downs are back. Lands' End Canvas line, which offers more modern and fitted clothing for a younger audience, has several affordable options for casual Friday or a relaxed weekend outing.

Our favorite of the bunch is the Classic Cherry Men's Plaid Poplin Shirt ($29.99). The bright colors and lightweight fabric make it a great choice for spring (especially if you happen to be going to DC's Cherry Blossom Festival in the next couple weeks). It has a slimmer fit than what you may be used to with classic Lands' End products, giving it a younger, more refined look and is offered in seven different colors. Whether you're wearing it for casual Friday or for a outdoor festival, this shirt can be paired with lightweight chinos and Sperry's for an easy, relaxed look.

[carolina cup outfit ideas]

[Vineyard Vines pants] [Bonobos shirt] [Harding Lane hat] [Cotton Snaps straps] 

[Social Primer bowtie] [Sperry boatshoes] [Ray-Ban sunglasses] [Smathers & Branson belt]

The eighty-second annual Carolina Cup is being held this Saturday, March 29 in Camden, South Carolina. The event kicks off spring with a day of great horse racing, friends and drinks. The event is also a day to showcase your finest prep fashion- expect to see lots of bowties, pastels and needlepoint. 

If you're lucky enough to be attending, here are some outfit ideas to help you go all out prep for the big day.

[knot return to the south t-shirt]

Continuing the nautical trend of the past few posts, Knot Clothing offers some great t-shirt options for spring (if the weather ever warms up). As previewed in a St. Patrick's day post, this clever t-shirt allows you to show off your southern pride in a fun way.

The Return to the South pocket t-shirt ($32.50) is a simple and playful t-shirt for a casual day at the beach or walking around town. It comes in four bright colors perfect for the warm weather: mango, sunshine, green and light blue. For a great relaxed look, pair it with some colorful shorts, sperrys and sunglasses.

Of course I instantly liked the brand because of its connection to Charleston, my favorite southern city. After spending a good amount of time at a family beach house in North Carolina and exploring the surrounding area, I know I definitely want to move to Charleston (hopefully soon!). Finding cool brands based in Charleston like Knot Clothing is encouraging in that it shows the creative work being done in the city.

[KJP nautical oxford for men]

To celebrate the beginning of spring, we went looking for a fun and nautical casual Friday shirt. Our search ended as soon as we saw the Ernest Shackleton Voyage oxford from Kiel James Patrick (KJP).

KJP is mostly known for their nautical bracelets, which we also love and will most likely feature on the blog at some point. However, we were surprised to see their button down collections and  impressed with the range of options- from nautical ones to a whole lot of madras.

The Ernest Shackleton Voyage oxford ($98) is a fun button down great for any spring/summer outfit. The maritime flags give it a classic yet playful feel, that can be dressed up or down depending on your need. For casual Friday, this can be paired with navy or tan chinos and Sperry's for an easy yet stylish look. Though the shirt may be a little pricey, it is definitely unique enough to make it worth the splurge. As a bonus, KJP also offers this print in a women's shirt, cleverly titled Not Penny's Boat (all this missing plane news is making us think about how much we miss Lost).  

[j.crew anchor print shorts]

Finally, spring is here! Which means, soon enough, it will be shorts season. While looking for a new pair of shorts to throw into our warm weather rotation, we were instantly drawn to this pair from J. Crew.

Last year, the 9" Stanton short from J. Crew was our go to pair of shorts, and we grabbed them in a bunch of colors (bright blue, yellow and orange). New this year is The 9" Stanton short in anchor print ($69.50), which has everything going for it (navy- check, nautical- check, great fit-check). As for the price, it's higher than we usually like to pay, but J. Crew has plenty of sales, so you should be able to get it for less if you keep an eye on your inbox. For example, you can currently get 25% off your purchase by using the code HEYSPRING.

The 9" length is a great length for everyday wear (at 6'1" shorter shorts can sometimes be too short, not that we don't push it, like here and here). These shorts are also lighter weight than the traditional Stanton short, which makes them perfect for those especially warmer days. The fact that they're currently on backorder online proves that these shorts are definitely going to be popular this spring. Good luck getting your hands on a pair!

[bull and moose tie]

While DC had great day drinking weather this weekend for St. Patrick's Day (and we wore some of these items to celebrate), yesterday's snow put a damper on the actual day of celebration. Even though it is a day late, we're showing our Irish pride today with this tie from the DC brand Bull + Moose.

The K Street Tie ($29) features royal green and navy stripes, and is sharp enough for even the nation's top lobbyists (hence the name). Paired with a navy suit, it helps you achieve the quintessential DC professional look for men at an affordable price.Whether you're wearing it for St. Patrick's Day or not, this Bull + Moose tie is a sure fire way to up your style game at work.

[sperrys: the quintessential prep shoe]

You probably knew it was coming sooner or later: my first post about Sperry boat shoes. I discovered Sperrys the first time I went to Charleston (about five years ago) and saw what seemed like everyone wearing them. I  bought a pair at M. Dumas & Sons and threw them on for a day of sight seeing around the city. Of course, I didn't realize you had to break them in, and ended up with blisters all over my feet. Even still, I've developed a love for Sperrys and found that they work for nearly any occasion.

There are lots of different Sperry styles to choose from, but let's start with the Authentic Original Boat Shoe ($85). Sperry was the first to create boat shoes in 1935 and have only perfected them since. After breaking them in, they are incredibly comfortable, and will become your go-to shoe for the spring/summer. As we've mentioned before, do NOT wear socks with boat shoes of any kind.

Depending on your work environment, Sperrys are also a great casual Friday shoe. They're more relaxed than a traditional dress shoe, but still look nice with jeans or chinos. The whole purpose of casual Friday is comfort, and these boat shoes certainly fit that bill while helping to kick start the weekend.

[anchor belt]

As spring inches closer (though it certainly doesn't feel like it today), we're excited to see the reemergence of nautical style that has laid dormant this winter. After spotting the look on two of our favorite Instagram accounts (properkidprobs and VA_gentlemen), we decided the next nautical addition to our closet has be an anchor belt. 

The Leather Anchor Buckle Belt ($28.23) from ASOS adds a simple, nautical twist to the classic leather belt and can be worn with a variety of outfits.Vineyard Vines also has a similar anchor belt available, but at a higher price. No matter what option you pick, bringing a nautical touch to your spring look is definitely the right decision.

[men's spring jackets: for work, play and the rain]

[Banana Republic] [Gap] [Vineyard Vines]

As the weather changes form winter to spring, it can sometimes be difficult to choose the right jacket to wear. Some days may start off cold, but become warm and sunny in the afternoon. While you don't want to wear a bulky winter coat, you need some type of light jacket. Here's three spring jacket options for work, play or the rain.

For work: The Mac Jacket from Banana Republic ($198) is great for the office- the navy color, simple design and longer length make it professional and ideal for wearing over a suit jacket. It also has a zip-out lining for when it gets warmer.

For play: The 1969 Heritage denim jacket from Gap ($79.95) is the most versatile spring jacket for a casual day. It can be worn with a t-shirt, polo, button down, hoodie- pretty much anything. The medium wash looks great with darker jeans, khakis or colorful chinos.

For the rain: The lightweight Beacon Full-Zip from Vineyard Vines ($155) will come in handy for the inevitable rain this spring. It has an adjustable hood and comes in four spring colors- green, orange, bright blue and classic navy.

[st. patrick's day outfit ideas]

[Smathers and Branson hat] [Knot t-shirt] [Chubbies shorts]

 [Vineyard Vines coozie] [Bonobos polo] 

St. Patrick's Day marks the unofficial start of warm weather and the welcome return of outdoor fun with friends. Join the festivities with these clothing options that will look great on March 17th and all summer long (the fun coozie may only be used on St. Patrick's Day but it's worth the $5). If you act now, you should be able to get these shipped to you in time for the weekend celebrations. Good luck and have fun!

[brooks brothers fun shirt]

It's hard not to get a little bored with your work wardrobe sometimes- after all, there is a only finite number of shirt and tie combinations you can make week after week. Add a little excitement to your office look with a Brooks Brothers "fun shirt" from the brand's youthful Red Fleece line. While these shirts may be a little loud for a normal week day, they are great for casual Friday.

"Fun shirts" are made of a variety of different (and sometimes contrasting) fabrics, patterns and colors for a bright and kind of crazy look. Take for example, the Multi Fun Oxford Sport Shirt ($69.50), which features a mix of blue, pink and white fabrics for a truly unique look. As part of the brand's Red Fleece line, it has a more modern look and a slimmer fit than what you may be used to with Brooks Brothers. Paired with jeans, a leather belt and loafers, this "fun shirt" will bring a little excitement to the office and help kick off the weekend.

[nautical sock options]

[Gap mini anchors] [J. Crew lobsters] [Banana Republic anchor] 

[Ralph Lauren sailboats] [Sperry Top-Sider plaid]

As the snow continues to fall outside, it's clear that boat shoe weather is still far off. In the meantime, these nautical socks keep you warm and add some prep in your step (see what I did there?). Of course, when it does finally get nice out again, please don't wear these or any socks with your boat shoes.