Where do you shop?

[Trample the Elderly]

I shop at three places.

1) Goodwill. A lot of people will wear an outfit for one night and then donate it. They usually have a lot of good stuff that is very cheap. When I first moved over to professional clothing I bought a weeks worth of clothing for under a hundred dollars. They have special days too where everything is even cheaper.

2) Consignment shops in the swank part of town (West-End). I shop here for the same reason as I do Goodwill, although the swank-jank consignment shops have better clothes.

3) J.C. Penny's on family day. You can't beat 1/2 price on clothes that have already been marked down.

[Schneed10]

For professional attire, Jos. A Bank 100% of the time. I frequently catch them in deeply discounted sale periods where their executive collection suits drop to $200 or less (regularly $495).

They last forever and look classic and professional. I'm exposed to senior executives on a daily basis and ruffling their feathers with edgy looking clothes wouldn't go over well. Jos. A Bank, and Brooks Brothers, but Jos. A Bank especially comes off very classicly conservative.

[Daseal]

One thing I've definitely learned, is it's worth dropping some cash on a decent wardrobe. Good clothes last longer and make you look more professional.

I'm also a huge Jos. A Banks fan, and like Schneed, like to catch them in their big sales. Last year I bought 7 polos for about 50 bucks.

Basically, I look for quality clothes on sale. So the internet is great. In the DC area, Syms has bargain prices on very nice clothes. I go there for a lot of my work related clothes.

[cpayne5]

Washington Redskins

I require those that work for me to shop there, too.

[mredskins]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

For professional attire, Jos. A Bank 100% of the time. I frequently catch them in deeply discounted sale periods where their executive collection suits drop to $200 or less (regularly $495).

They last forever and look classic and professional. I'm exposed to senior executives on a daily basis and ruffling their feathers with edgy looking clothes wouldn't go over well. Jos. A Bank, and Brooks Brothers, but Jos. A Bank especially comes off very classicly conservative.

I too think Jos. A Bank is good stuff but beleive nobody has ever paid full price there. They have all these crazy prices on suits as a gimick then say they are knocking off 40 or 50 percent. If anybody has ever spent $500 on JAB suit I have some waterfront property in AZ I like to sell you as well.

[TheMalcolmConnection]

Love me some Jos. A Banks as well for suits.

I order Lacoste polos online (the ONLY ones that fit me right) where I can save a bundle. I am also a giant fan of Kohl's.

[BleedBurgundy]

Another good tip is Dry Cleaning. Seriously, after spending some coin on the office wardrobe, spend the 20 bucks or whatever a week to keep it looking like new.

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by mredskins

I too think Jos. A Bank is good stuff but beleive nobody has ever paid full price there. They have all these crazy prices on suits as a gimick then say they are knocking off 40 or 50 percent. If anybody has ever spent $500 on JAB suit I have some waterfront property in AZ I like to sell you as well.

Though it should be noted that their deep sales are due to an interest in moving inventory to make room for a newly updated line or new season. It's not like they make a run of the mill suit, MSRP it at $495, and then mark it down to where it should be at $200. It's just smart business, move the inventory out to make room for the new.

The store near me does a pretty good business. I've been in there when they weren't running sales, and I see lots of people buying clothes and suits. But it's located in a ritzy area so that could explain it; like we're all noting, if you know it's going on sale eventually, why pay regular price?

Of course they don't deeply discount all their suits during the sales either. Last time I went in there I saw plenty of $200 ones but you could tell the quality wasn't the same as this other set of $300 ones. I ended up going for one of the $300 ones. So now I have a few real good ones for $200 apiece, and one extremely boss one when a real good impression is called for.

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by BleedBurgundy

Another good tip is Dry Cleaning. Seriously, after spending some coin on the office wardrobe, spend the 20 bucks or whatever a week to keep it looking like new.

Yes. However suits and suit pants should be cleaned very infrequently. Like 6 times a year, and only more often if you get a spot on 'em. It's not like they get stinky, all you're doing is sitting in an office, not like you're sweating them up.

The more you dry clean, the more you wear out the fabric and seams. The better suits hold up longer under this duress, but it still wears on them.

Never, ever, ever put them in the washing machine. That's the kiss of death to a nice wool suit.

[KLHJ2]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

Yes. However suits and suit pants should be cleaned very infrequently. Like 6 times a year, and only more often if you get a spot on 'em. It's not like they get stinky, all you're doing is sitting in an office, not like you're sweating them up.

The more you dry clean, the more you wear out the fabric and seams. The better suits hold up longer under this duress, but it still wears on them.

Never, ever, ever put them in the washing machine. That's the kiss of death to a nice wool suit.

I follow the 2 wear rule instead. Wear it twice, then get it cleaned. I have not noticed any degragaded integrity in my stitching.

[mredskins]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

Yes. However suits and suit pants should be cleaned very infrequently. Like 6 times a year, and only more often if you get a spot on 'em. It's not like they get stinky, all you're doing is sitting in an office, not like you're sweating them up.

The more you dry clean, the more you wear out the fabric and seams. The better suits hold up longer under this duress, but it still wears on them.

Never, ever, ever put them in the washing machine. That's the kiss of death to a nice wool suit.

This is true when I worked for Marriott we got free dry cleaning so I sent my pants out like ever week. After about 6 months the seams started to give out. not good.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by BleedBurgundy

Another good tip is Dry Cleaning. Seriously, after spending some coin on the office wardrobe, spend the 20 bucks or whatever a week to keep it looking like new.

Absolutely. Good tip on the dry cleaning. I used to take that for granted.

I'd like to know what section of Eddie Bauer saden shops in where he can find genes

[saden1]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Absolutely. Good tip on the dry cleaning. I used to take that for granted.

I'd like to know what section of Eddie Bauer saden shops in where he can find genes

Between the jeans of the fine ass ladies that check me out

[BringBackJoeT]

For a very long time now, Brooks Brothers has advertised on its website a deal in which you can buy three dress shirts for $199. Overall, I think it's a deal you can't beat. Those are very high quality shirts that are not too fancy (they work with a suit or with dress casual), not too expensive, and will last a very long time. Averaged out on the deal, the shirts are approximately $65 a piece (you can buy them individually for $75). If you check out JCrew's site, you'll see that they charge $65 for individual dress shirts. My own opinion, after having also purchased some JCrew dress shirts, is that the difference in quality between the BB shirts and JCrew shirts is immeasurable despite their comparable price (the JCrew shirts pale, PALE, in comparison).

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by BringBackJoeT

For a very long time now, Brooks Brothers has advertised on its website a deal in which you can buy three dress shirts for $199. Overall, I think it's a deal you can't beat. Those are very high quality shirts that are not too fancy (they work with a suit or with dress casual), not too expensive, and will last a very long time. Averaged out on the deal, the shirts are approximately $65 a piece (you can buy them individually for $75). If you check out JCrew's site, you'll see that they charge $65 for individual dress shirts. My own opinion, after having also purchased some JCrew dress shirts, is that the difference in quality between the BB shirts and JCrew shirts is immeasurable despite their comparable price (the JCrew shirts pale, PALE, in comparison).

I would say $25 is a good price on a dress shirt not $65.