NATO Watch Straps

If you're anything like me, the months of January and February are the most brutal. Brutal in the sense that even if you like cold weather (as I do), there's little sunlight. Brutal in the sense that the Holidays are past. Other than some vague notion of spring, and maybe (MAYBE) Valentine's Day, there's not much to look forward to. And brutal in the sense that those same Holidays likely rode off with your money and vacation time.

Kind of grim, isn't it? Well, don't fret. One of my favorite things is, in these relatively cash-strapped times, to gear up on accessories. You have a watch, right? Go get some NATO watch straps. These straps are easy to swap, secure your watch even if one pin breaks, and can help add a little something to your ensemble. All this for very little money. You may remember this photo from my Best of 2012 posts:

That's a NATO watch strap. I ordered the one above from amazon.com, but you can find them almost anywhere on the web. One place I just discovered, and will be ordering from next time is Crown and Buckle. They have over 100 nylon NATO watch straps, all for $12 a piece. That can easily be one lunch out in Chicago. If you want a leather NATO watch strap, one which might dress up your otherwise utilitarian watch, they are all of $16 a piece. So maybe a lunch and a half. Crazy. Do yourself a favor and check out their site, and pick out a few to swap out on your wrist this late winter into spring. Below are some of my favorites from their site:

"Bond" style - he wore one like the above in Goldfinger

"Coffee" brown leather