rfi: 'work clothes' for men (on a budget)

H&M? Banana Republic?

H&M, yeah (but make sure it doesn't fit weird, the fact is H&M has a place in gay culture... unless you're going for that), UrbanOutfitters.com actually, sometimes they'll have some halfway decent dress shirts and pants that aren't Seinfeld baggy.

Banana Republic is like wearing a garbage bag for me, and they're really expensive, which is surprising considering the quality of their clothing.

If it's a high profile job you can always get shirts done by a professional shirt maker ... $50 a shirt usually. Pants, don't know about that ... I'm still on a quest to find decent looking pants. APC sometimes has some good straight leg dressy pants.

Do they have Uniqlo in the U.S.? I wear their shirts and linen trousers to work.

Uniqlo's here, but the US version of Uniqlo is worse than the GAP, unfortunately... everything is really baggy and boxy. I was excited when they first came to NYC because I thought I'd get to dress like all the Japanese dudes at work. Not quite.

I've had a brutal time finding decent non-baggy pants. I'm not much for khakis/chinos, but 1 or 2 pairs are nice to have and Banana Republic makes good ones. Dress pants are a total crapshoot, though. I find some nice ones at Zara but they were on the sale racks then and are gone now. I had a good pair from Express but they were not well-made at all. May check out H&M dress pants next since I like most of my H&M jeans, but again, durability seems like a huge issue with mass-produced dress pants.

calvin klein flat-front trousers are pretty good. they're always on sale somewhere, and they seem to wear better than banana republic.

are u in new york now max? if so century 21 all the way bro

and whats yr job?

Nordstrom's Rack, Ross Dress for Less, T.J. Maxx. They take some effort, but Nordstrom's Rack in particular can be good for basic men's stuff.

Century 21 man. You have to go before all those Europeans mob the place; they have to air TV commercials over there or something.

Muji do good work shirts that fit me a little better, but they're not Uniqlo-cheap. Uniqlo trousers fit me perfectly.

Are you in Japan? The stuff in the US is humungous, like they stapled two garbage bags together.

Century 21 man. You have to go before all those Europeans mob the place; they have to air TV commercials over there or something.

-- burt_stanton, Monday, June 23, 2008 11:16 AM (3 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

lol true! just walking the streets of soho is pretty surreal these days - o what a weak dollar can do for tourism

the fact is H&M has a place in gay culture... unless you're going for that?

wtf???

xxp, I'm in the UK.

phil clearly has never visited the h&m "back room" ;)

oh damn, really? where the gloryholes at?

What, you think frat boys are buying all those gliterry dress shirts and low-rise, crotch-hugging flared pants?

well not exactly "frat boys" - we call them turbos - but close enough

frat boys need their crotches hugged too.

I get carefully selected thrift store stuff tailored.

ware can i buy a nice reasonably priced neck beard?

What, you think frat boys are buying all those gliterry dress shirts and low-rise, crotch-hugging flared pants?

you're right, avoid H&M. you'll catch HOMO there from all the imaginary sparkly shirts and assless chaps!!!

Charge of the PC brigade. You're the one making stereotypes here, I just said some of the clothes at H&M are cut in a way that exaggerates the crotch, ass, and chest, and that's definitely something taken from generic gay culture.

People really need to get over the 1990s.

girrrrl oh no he didnt
honeeyyyyy oh yes he did

ware can i buy a nice reasonably priced neck beard?

-- jhøshea, Monday, June 23, 2008 3:31 PM (21 minutes ago) Bookmark

i have one on teh cheap!

Century 21 man. You have to go before all those Europeans mob the place; they have to air TV commercials over there or something.

-- burt_stanton, Monday, June 23, 2008 11:16 AM (3 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

Century 21 feels like my own specially crafted personal hell. How anyone can shop in there and not end up in a padded cell, I don't know.

I'll second Muji, but only occasional. Sometimes their trousers are the best things ever, and sometimes the seem to be tailored for a four legged ruminant.

Uniqlo, very useful for cardigans but not much else.

Most recent work clothes came from the Barney's warehouse sale at Christmas, although I still need to get a pair or trousers tailored to length from that. That said work is jeans and T-shirts in the main.

o hoos!

Do gay guys like to shop at H&M?

I hope so

Century 21 feels like my own specially crafted personal hell. How anyone can shop in there and not end up in a padded cell, I don't know.

-- Ed, Monday, June 23, 2008 11:53 AM (16 seconds ago) Bookmark Link

it is often too crowded to bare - i just go on off hours

Answerer 1 What's H&M?

lolololol

Swedish international clothing store with the highest concentration of homosexuals in your town.

in -my- town? I think not

Century 21, I don't think I've ever bought anything there that I ended up actually wearing. Just got sucked in by the low low price. I get home and its like wtf did i really just buy this shiny moschino shirt????

never go to the bay ridge branch on a sunday - that's when the orthodox/hasidic ladies go.

I've been bad-mouthing Cent 21 ever since they moved their women's shoe dept to the other building and the sales weren't as good. But I did find a SCORE of a dress there the other week, so I should probably go more often just to check on things.

max just needs some nice cheap stuff for work - century 21 is good for this - hes not clothes hounding on a phil/laurel level

oh we were just digressing a lil bit. i still think h&m is best for cheap and functional. and by the time the shirts fall apart, topshop/topman will have opened in nyc! for stuff slightly less cheap and only a bit more durable

wait is max moving to nyc?

what the frink is Tophat

Oh I'm not in phil's league of shopping either.

mmmm... topshop.

http://www.landsend.com/ix/mens-clothing/index.html?tab=1&seq=1&page=1&pageSize=12&store=le

I'm being serious-ish

then again I like my clothes to not fall apart and I hate ironing. men's express, h+m & banana republic are for people who think clothes should be disposable or just really like paying $40-50 for drycleaning every week, imo

If there's a SYMS in your area, I'd encourage you to check it out -- lots of crap but you can find good wearable stuff for mad cheap.

also, tom is correct -- you may think buying for a budget == buying cheap clothes, but that's not quite it. if you buy cheap fast-fashion clothes, you'll be replacing them regularly and they won't survive the washing machine more than twice without showing some wear.

INVEST IN QUALITY. that is all.

or just dont sweat and dont spill anything, and you wont have to bother washing them!

also, yes to scouring bargain racks and used clothing stores -- if you can find something suitable in a natural fiber it's probably pretty durable. also, be careful buying cotton blends -- some poly can help keep wrinkles and stretching to a minimum but anything over like 25% polyster is gonna wind up being uncomfortable

also, phil does bring up a good point -- dress shirts do not need to be laundered after every wear unless they're sweaty or stained. just remember to scrub yo neck real good every day.

just remember to scrub yo neck real good every day.

-- elmo argonaut, Monday, June 23, 2008 5:35 PM (2 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

^^^^^^ diamond in the ruff

PS - bitches need to quit bringing their personal issues with this or that brand's fit to the discussion -- some general sizing trends in mid-level mass-retailers aside, trying on a garment is just something you have to do before you buy it, TRUST YOURSELF and try on different sizes.

u go girl

thanks for the tips guys

im in new jersey right now, living w/ parents... hopefully moving into the city in six mos or so... i have a job for a PR firm getting coffee or something

What the fuck, elmo? Has anyone here said they think they shouldn't have to try things on? Maybe I missed that memo.

Trying on or not, if a company uses a fit model that doesn't work for you, NO size is going to fit.

anyway i will check up on some of these leads... ive done some shopping at banana republic but the shirts all tend to fit around the shoulders and then be pretty baggy around my waist and arms, and im not a small guy by any measurement. h&m strikes me as too cheap probably? im afraid itll fall apart after a couple washes. is uniqlo the same cheapness? i have a couple shirts from there that shrunk really weirdly after one wash so ive been avoiding it. im willing to pay a fair amnt for shirts/pants if it means that i wont have to buy any more for a while. gotta look good tho.

aw congrats on your job, max!

oh if yr in NJ with your parents right now you should def make a trip to Costco. They have TONS of fairly well-made stuff plus the kirkland plain white tee is the best plain white tee I've ever owned, I have one entire drawer full of them for just jeans+tee looking good on a sunny day and as undershirts, they don't shrink, they don't break, and they're the exact thickness a t-shirt should be

and amazon.com actually has some good deals on good stuff sometimes esp. for some of your department-store brands ralph lauren/nautica etc

e.g. go to the mall and try on some shirts from different labels so you just know your size/fit for the brands, then you can internet it up with more confidence

the shirts all tend to fit around the shoulders and then be pretty baggy around my waist and arms

lol, you need a slim fit shirt

What the fuck, elmo? Has anyone here said they think they shouldn't have to try things on? Maybe I missed that memo.

i think he was talking about the guys upthread who were like "nah, dont bother with this brand because it all fits like im swimming in it, or that store because its cut for gays, or so and so brand because its tight on the ass". do you always assume that "bitches" is referring to you?

anyways, max, congrats on job! what kind of PR? if its fashion PR.......

Yeah, actually I would have assumed that "bitches" was referring to the women talking about, like, how certain company's jeans don't fit them blah blah. If that was a faggy sort of "bitches" referring to upthread, then I apologize, Elmo!

faggy sort of bitches!!!

sorry I lold

then again I like my clothes to not fall apart and I hate ironing. men's express, h+m & banana republic are for people who think clothes should be disposable or just really like paying $40-50 for drycleaning every week, imo

-- El Tomboto, Monday, 23 June 2008 17:47 (3 hours ago) Bookmark Link

^Truth, It's a shame you don't have John Lewis or Marks and Spencer over there, bith of which are good for no nonsense hard wearing work clothes. You want hard wearing, shop where the pensioners shop. Men are lucky in this regards, especially where work clothes are concerned, styles don't change that much, black trousers and a white shirt can be pretty much that from anywhere, save your peacock tendencies till you have earned the money.

faggy sort of bitches FTW

i could use some new, non-falling-apart dress clothes but i notice that no one is really recommending much??

INVEST IN QUALITY. that is all.

-- elmo argonaut, Monday, June 23, 2008 12:26 PM (4 hours ago) Bookmark Link

ok, where?? syms is out in the burbs here in chicago and we dont have a uniqlo or whatever that new store is phil is talking about.

what are quality dress clothes brands? i know the names of designer brands but isnt there some middle of the pack quality brand of some kind, still looks fashionable but wont fall apart right away? arent there big expensive designers who also make cheap clothes?

All right, let's see. You want fashionable, cheap, AND well-made?

how about cheap and well-made, and i can just go get it tailored?

or try to tailor it myself?

All right, let's see. You want fashionable, cheap, AND well-made?

-- Laurel, Monday, June 23, 2008 5:10 PM (2 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

i dont mean like dirt-cheap, i mean a cost benefit analysis would show that because its well made you are getting your money's worth. like max said already its ok to pay more in the short term if yr saving in the long term

i only mean fashionable in the sense that its not pleated khakis or some fashion crime shit, im not asking for the latest in epaulette technology

like whats a nice well made brand w/out a price that is wildly inflated by it being a major designer or whatever

I dunno menswear, so I can't answer in specific brands. But you gotta use your eyes at some point. Go to a department store and poke around, see what you like. I think the major chains have already been mentioned here, plus nobody really needs ILX to tell them Banana Republic and Lands' End exist, right?* The rest is personal, it's style, it's perhaps more commonly known as "shopping".

Personally I think the only way to get the style and quality you want is probably to shop sales and keep yr eyes peeled, unless you really don't care about one of those aspects (style/cost/quality).

*Except dell might, unless he went there on the same day he tried American Apparel.

man i just want a personal shopper

"decision making process"

when confronted with an overabundance of choice it can help to resort to list-making and then pretend you are your own personal shopper, e.g. "5 medium polo shirts" ok I will go and get 5 medium polo shirts of various colors "3 pairs flat front pants, black, brown and khaki" ok done etc etc

^^ that sounds like a good strategy

i need to be really autistic about this

otherwise i will get paralyzed when i walk in the store

For some reason I always finding well-fitting pants is more of a challenge for me than buying dress shirts. The best pair of work pants I own are from Philip Lim. I bought two pairs at a Barney's Co-op sale last year for ~$135. They're fitted w/o being too snug and the line manages to stay sharp and crisp w/o making me look ill-proportioned. They may be on sale now @ Aloha Rag. Unfortunately I don't think Barney's carries them (or at least I didn't see any last time I was there.)

I don't think, or a least certainly don't know of, any one place you can go to find reasonbly-priced, attractive, quality clothes. As Laurel said I think it's just a process of keeping your eyes open, trying things on and doing your homework to make sure you get a good price.

if you're free, take tomorrow and go to APC, Bblessing, and Opening Ceremony. APC is half off - nice slim fit shirts for $90. Opening Ceremony is 30-70% off, Bblessing is 30%'ish off. The last two are multi-label boutiques that has nice menswear. It'll still be expensive, but if you want stylish and nice material and good cut, you're going to have to pay... It'll all be spring/summer stuff on sale though. You might get lucky and find something. Or at Nom de Guerre. google em for addresses but all within walking distance of each other.

Too bad you didnt post last week. Was Rag & Bone and Obedient Sons sample sales......

oh, warning you, Bblessing and O.C. may have some stuff that'll look a bit kooky, but they definitey have quality "normal" clothes

i think im heading into the city tomorrow and may do some shopping--any places to look into besides APC, bblessing, opening ceremony, century 21?

uniqlo

^^^ 2nded

yeah uniqlo is great for cheap and cheerful.

uniqlo was mostly a bust for me yesterday, the shirts fit OK (altho the M was too big!) but i didnt like the colors v. much (re: shirts)... i might go back if i cant find anything i like better. it seemed very gap-y right now too, way too many ugly pique polos. liked it better in the winter w/ walls full of decent sweaters.

i didnt get a chance to go anywhere else

Not on a budget. Does anyone have any experience w/ Filson clothing?

http://www.filson.com/

i have an ill filson wool vest, i love it

how would you describ your body type? I am 6'2" 170 ish

skinnyish? small shoulders with a gut. 6' 150lb. i found my vest in a 36 on ebay and it fits me well.

Filson is a standard fit, well at least they did when we did a shirt collab with them. What is your shirt size (neck/sleeve) JtM? We are similar build and I wear a M fwiw.

http://www.filson.com/products/yukon-wool-jacket.10045.html?fromCat=true&fvalsProduct=mens/coats-jackets&fmetaProduct=1011

i have this and i love it! it's a small

i'm 6'2" 170ish and it fits just fine.

I had some kind of safari shirt - fit about the same as other outdoorsy shirts for me (LL Bean, Land's End, etc.) and a size smaller than Gap/J. Crew

I wear a medium in american apparel. I'm kina broad-shouldered but skinny torsoed. feel like I should be able to get away w/ a medium but I'm worried the sleeves will be too short. I might just get a med x-long and do the mail-back thing if it doesn't fit :\

looking @

http://www.filson.com/products/tin-cloth-field-jacket.10003.html?fromCat=true&fvalsProduct=mens/coats-jackets&fmetaProduct=1011

and

http://www.filson.com/products/mackinaw-cruiser.10043.html?fromCat=true&fvalsProduct=mens/coats-jackets&fmetaProduct=1011

neck is a 15'' neck, 34/35 sleeve, if the geoffry beane fitted shirt is any indication

though I've been on a lifting kick lately so I'm probably closer to a 16" neck

the 36 is pretty snug on me and i wear an AA S, so id size around 38 on the second jacket.

the steven alan store in tribeca has some filson stuff if you want to try it on.

!!! valuable info!!!

fwiw I got a small tin cloth packer coat. it fits basically the same as my vintage army jacket, which is to say it's perfect for me. the tin cloth is oil coated, of course, and has a residue that I've yet to figure out how to lessen -- i.e. hang it in a sunny window to let it dry a bit, or roll it in a towel and let it soak down. it's really cool though. I would advise getting a wool liner, something I didn't go with and will have to now.