How much do you value clothes?

[tokie]

I often wonder how people can spend so much money on clothing.

There is a clear quality difference between a $5 shirt and a $15 shirt, but above this I find the quality doesn't really change.

How much is the typical/max you are willing to spend on the following? My values are in below.

Dress shirt [€40]
Jeans [€50]
T-shirt [€15]
Slacks [€40]
Suit [€200]
Casual shoes [€70]
Dress shoes [€90]

I find it difficult to spend more than this because if something happens like a stain or a tear, you are screwed. Living in a big city means these are fairly common occurrences.

On a side note, does anyone have experience with taking off-the-rack dress clothes which are too large to a tailor? Can they actually make them fit better?

 

[nickbits]

$10 for workout shirts/shorts
$10 for tshirts (normally what i wear)
$20 polo shirts
$30 shorts/jeans
$120 running shoes
$50 dress shoes
$200 suit (pants+jacket)

I spend about $200/year on clothes minus shoes which is probably another $200. My wife spends $100/month on clothes :S.

Also I get 95% of my clothes from: amazon, zappos and jonestshirts.com

 

[Murloc]

for jeans I get mostly levi's because that's what I know and it's a cheaper brand but has various fits, so that's like 80€/110$ unless it's discounted.

T-shirts about 15€ too, that's usually brand-indipendent unless you go to luxury stuff or cheapo carrefour undershirts.

Casual sneakers is 100€ minimum again if I go for branded sports stuff like nike etc.

those who buy european luxury brands and stuff like that spend a shitload of money and I don't even know why, often it looks tacky.

 

[IronWing]

I buy most of my work shirts at thrift stores. Nice dress shirts run US$5-10. Hiking boots and socks are the only clothes for which I'm willing to spend whatever it takes (usually around $250 for boots and $18 for socks).

 

[Demoralized]

Don't really buy that much cloths, mostly for work. Those pants are roughly $100/pair and work shirts run me $50. I'm a welder so I buy lots of work cloths. As far as casual cloths go, I have no set price. I usually buy what I like and fits. I try to keep in low in price but I have spent over $100 on jeans before and over $200 on sneakers, work boots cost me $200/year.

 

[waggy]

with jeans it's whatever is on sale.

boots $150-200. the $50 boots at walmart/target are shit.

T-shirts again whatever is cheap.

dress clothes? haven't bought any for years. but i would get good stuff. dress clothes are worth the money.

shoes= whatever is on sale. but name brand stuff.

my kids are opposites. My daughter is still wearing stuff we got her 3 years ago. So we tend to buy nicer stuff for her (just got her $150 pair of cowboy boots). My son? we get whatever is on sale at walmart/target. sure the stuff sucks but he outgrows it so damn fast.

edit; also i wear stuff until its destroyed. about the only clothes i buy often are socks and underwear. I don't think there is a better feeling then wearing new socks and undies. its heaven!

 

[JamesV]

I like the fit of Levis, so I tend to stay away from cheap jeans like Old Navy or Lee. Usually buy when on sale around $35.

As for other clothing, if I see something I like, I'll usually buy it, but I only shop during sales. Markup on clothes is ridiculous. I really like Perry Ellis clothing, but I won't spend $60+ on a shirt at Dillards/etc; I love TJ Maxx and finding the same thing a month or two later for $20.

Shoes are where I spend big. I do a lot of hiking, so dropping $130 on a pair of good Keen/Merrell hiking shoes is an investment. Also coats which usually last a good long time.

 

[gotsmack]

The problem with cheap and average priced men's clothing is that the fit is cut for fat people. If you're in decent shape it's going to look like you're wearing a parachute. If you're ok with that then it's fine.

When I catch stuff on SALE, I spend about:

$50-$125 for button up shirts
$50 - $125 for pants
$150 - $225 for shoes

and I'm not even buying the ultra high end stuff.

If anyone knows where I can buy reasonably priced clothing for people with wide shoulders, narrow waists, and no ass, please let me know.

Part of the problem is that the J Crew slim fit stuff doesn't fit me right. If it did, I could save a bundle of money.

 

[Raduque]

I don't value clothes. I only really take care of my work clothing (chef coats) because I have to give them back when I leave the company.

 

[BrokenVisage]

I'm ultra-casual and still 95% of traditional shirts out there don't agree with me, so if I find one I like I'll pay top dollar, but honestly I've found most of my favorites at places like Ross, Marshall's and Burlington Coat Factory.

 

[ponyo]

I rarely buy new clothes except socks, underwear, and shoes. Pretty much everything else I wear is used clothes donation from relatives or my old clothes from high school and college days. I wear t- shirt and shorts to work and same at home. In the winter I wear sweatpants over the shorts to work.

 

[Kaido]

Zero. Old Navy FTW. My entire wardrobe consisted of gray tshirts & jeans before I got married. It was like Monk's closet:

http://www.wallpaperist.com/wallpapers/TV/Monk/Adrian-Monk's-closet-1600-1200.jpg

But I can understand fashion to some degree, not so much the popular clothes like expensive Nike shoes or whatever, but classy stuff like James Bond or White Collar. But I live under the "IT guy" guise at work, which affords me a less-strict corporate clothing status,i.e. no tie

 

[Humpy]

...if something happens like a stain or a tear, you are screwed. Living in a big city means these are fairly common occurrences.

The big city connection to clothing damage is kind of interesting.

 

[SlitheryDee]

Not at all. I wear what's comfortable. I'll usually just wear two or three sets of clothing that fit well until they wear out and then replace them. I have no desire for more than that.

 

[UglyCasanova]

The problem with cheap and average priced men's clothing is that the fit is cut for fat people. If you're in decent shape it's going to look like you're wearing a parachute. If you're ok with that then it's fine.

Agreed. I have found some of the Mossimo clothing at Target is both cheap and fits right. Also the extra slim fits at Express do as well. Otherwise I'm out of luck, everything is cut for fat people. And I don't even mean that a scrawny guy can't find clothes, it's just that most clothes that are cheap and meant for high volume are cut so that they fit larger people and fit loosely even then.

 

[madoka]

I often wonder how people can spend so much money on clothing.

There is a clear quality difference between a $5 shirt and a $15 shirt, but above this I find the quality doesn't really change.

I've got $50 ties, $100, and $200+ ones. There is a noticeable quality difference at each level, but it's probably not worth it to most people.

I've spent more on clothes than most people on their cars. But on normal days I just wear tshirts I got for free at conventions and $12 sweat pants.

 

[iGas]

$900 boots (only once), now mostly $300-600.
$500 jacket & suit

Everything else are much less. I have weak ankles from regularly sprained them during my youth, therefore I get custom made boots and shoes just because I can.

 

[Dr. Canny]

Generally, I will pay:

$60-$70 for jeans
$20-$30 for t-shirts
$50-$100 for shoes
$75-$100 for coats
$30-$50 for sweatshirts

I try not to spend more than these amounts on certain articles of clothing, but if something is really catching my eye, if I have the money I will break down and buy it. It's not about the name-brand or price-tag for me, it's about the comfort and the look.

 

[madoka]

On a side note, does anyone have experience with taking off-the-rack dress clothes which are too large to a tailor? Can they actually make them fit better?

Yes they can, depending on the abilities of the tailor of course. If you need dress shirts, then there's probably a local tailor around who can custom make them for you. The prices and quality are similar to what you'd pay for some of the better name brands.

 

[madoka]

It's not about the name-brand or price-tag for me, it's about the comfort and the look.

When I find clothes that I like, I'll buy 10-12 of them. I'm lazy that way. My clients must think that I never change my clothes or do laundry. D:

 

[mistercrabby]

$10 for workout shirts/shorts
$10 for tshirts (normally what i wear)
$20 polo shirts
$30 shorts/jeans
$120 running shoes
$50 dress shoes
$200 suit (pants+jacket)

I spend about $200/year on clothes minus shoes which is probably another $200. My wife spends $100/month on clothes :S.

Also I get 95% of my clothes from: amazon, zappos and jonestshirts.com

double to triple on most. running/athletic footwear about right.

I can definitely tell the difference between 60 dollar golf shorts and their cheaper cousins.

for an occasional wedding or funeral a 200-400 dollar suit works. if you're a senior manager or executive who wears them frequently, get the best you can afford. Remember, it's not just a jacket and pants... you need lots of high quality shirts, accessories and shoes. It's a uniform.

I'd rather have a smaller, quality wardrobe, then closet fulls of dreck.

 

[mistercrabby]

Quote:
Originally Posted by tokie
On a side note, does anyone have experience with taking off-the-rack dress clothes which are too large to a tailor? Can they actually make them fit better?
Yes they can, depending on the abilities of the tailor of course. If you need dress shirts, then there's probably a local tailor around who can custom make them for you. The prices and quality are similar to what you'd pay for some of the better name brands.

Great point. Dress shirts aren't an area you want to skimp. I'm not saying be stupid and pay extra for brands or more than necessary. Suit coats of currently left behind even for board meetings and major meetings, so you can't hide poor fitting or low quality shirts. Plus, a freshly pressed white shirt with or sans tie looks great. Especially if tailored. The clothes don't make the man, but a bit of panache and style definitely catch the eye.

 

[Imp]

Depends on the item. I have and will splurge on long-lasting, "timeless" items that get worn a lot. Some might think it's crazy that I blew $350 on sunglasses, but I wear those practically daily for hours and have been wearing the same pair for over two years now. Jackets, coats are the same.

Shirts, I used to splurge, but now I don't see the point. My "cheap" Gap shirts are more comfortable and wearable for my lifestyle than the Banana Republic and J.Crew shirts at double the price. Shoes and boots, I buy whatever's reasonable. No cheap ass generic brand or rip-offs, but nothing expensive as hell because they have a relatively short life span (i.e. guaranteed death after 2-3 years versus "infinite" life if I don't wreck it for glasses and coats).

Quick rundown of rough maximums:
T-shirts = $30
Shirts = $50
Blazers = $400
Jackets/Coats = $400
Shoes = $150
Pants/Jeans = $50

 

[Tiamat]

If your body time isn't the "standard" for the region you are in, it can be difficult to find clothes that fit properly.

That said,

Jeans: $90
Pants: $60
Slacks: $150
Sneakers: $80-$120
Shoes: $150+
Button-down Shirts: $120
Ties: Pay whatever it costs when you find one that doesn't look like shit ($80-$250)

Purpose-clothes are usually expensive (stuff like waterproof, windproof, breathable).

For T-shirts with color, banana republic's softwash tee is the most comfortable and soft t-shirt I have found for the price point. Sales are very often and when purchased at sale price, it is worth it.

Anyone with sensative skin usually will find it necessary to spend extra $$ on higher quality clothes, but $$ doesn't necessarily mean anything, you still have to try them on and compare with other offerings. Some less expensive offerings (GAP, AE, Old Navy, big box stores like Macy's) irritate the heck out of my skin and don't fit correctly. I find I have to buy clothes closer to a 'european cut' otherwise i look like I'm wearing square bags for clothes.

For me, right now, the only mainstream jeans that work for me are Guess, and it has to be only one of 8 lines of jeans they carry (relaxed straight). Their other lines have retarded button fly (sorry, I hate them) or shallow pockets, or no room for groin. This problem carries over to Levi's. I used to wear the 586 (just because it was one of their only non-slim lines) but now they are too baggie. BR quality for jeans has come down quite a bit over the past 5 years. I used to wear their straight cut jeans, but now the material irritates my skin. All the 'upper tier' jeans companies (7, C4H, etc.) have no room for groin and don't take well to walking up stairs and most have retarded button fly and shallow pockets (even their relaxed cuts).

 

[coldmeat]

I wish I had more/better clothes, because I think having nice clothes that you feel good in is important, but I'm really clueless when it comes to shopping, so I have a pretty terrible wardrobe.