Types of clothing you won't go the extra mile (or pay the extra dollar) for?

I've been mulling this over recently as a new member here, and it seems that most members are willing to splurge on certain categories of items (suits and shoes in particular). And I definitely see how this makes sense. When it comes to suits, it seems like you get what you pay for, at least until you hit a certain level (Kiton - $7,000 OTR, really?). Same with shoes, since really high quality shoes can last many years.

On the other hand, are there certain categories that people agree are NOT worth premium prices?

For me, it seems like the quintessential category is jeans. Levi's 501's fit great, last forever (the pairs I have were mostly bought 5 years ago at least, back when I was in high school), and are fairly inexpensive. But there are a ton of $100-200 pairs of jears floating around in the world, and I just don't get how they can be worth it.

Most things bearing a logo.

Suits and shoes are the two biggest, so you're right on there.

For me personally, I dont mind paying good money for a dress shirts that I know fit perfectly and will last for years. I'm very thin and need the Slim Fit or Extra Slim Fit from BB, which can be $79 each.

As far as accessories, I have no problem spending a few hundred dollars on a nice leather briefcase/laptop case because it's with me probably 60 hours a week.

Undershirts, underpants, t-shirts, sneakers.

Not sure about jeans. I have a pair of jeans for almost 200 bucks, which I've always considered was a lot to pay for denim. However, their fit is so flattering that I think it was totally worth it.

Dress Shirts, far and away. I tend to perspire a decent amount, so I find dress shirts to be rather expendable. I have yet to buy anything above Brooks Brothers, or Finamore on sale; both fit me well enough. Undershirts, boxers/briefs, and swim trunks can be added to the list.

Ties. Unless I'm looking for something specific, there's no shortage of affordable ties that meet my standards. With Sam Hober around, there's even less reason to pay a huge premium for RTW.

Also, Gold Toe is fine for socks and Hanes for T-shirts.

I'm pretty content with BB's buttondowns and its luxury line, so those tend to be my benchmarks for shirts. Both are commonly available for less than $50, often less than $30, so I don't normally spend much more than that unless it's for something specific that catches my fancy. I do keep a stock of plain white and blue H&Ks, and those can be a bit more pricey, but even they aren't hard to find on sale.

I'm not too picky about casual summer shirts in general. They look better a little rough hewn than excessively refined. My favorites are actually from Old Navy.

Second Newcomer's mention of swim trunks. Paid a premium for Vilebrequin and don't plan on doing it again.

Ties, shirts/t-shirts, jeans and small leather goods (i.e. won't pay over a hundred for any of these). For shirts and ties, I do whatever is there at the local dept. stores. I now only wear Levi's when it comes to jeans. My cousin makes leather goods, so I get all my wallets/belts/etc. custom made from him (yes, I get the family discount and therefore don't pay an arm and a leg). In my neck of the woods, it's easy to find nice, expensive shirts/ties, but harder to find nice (and consequentially expensive) stuff that really matters (to me): shoes and suits. For one thing, I hardly take off my coat in public, so no one will ever get a good look at my shirts anyway.

Oh yeah, also casual coats/jackets (i.e. down coat, wind breaker, etc.)

Quality shoes are one place I rarely cheap out, but lightweight driving shoes are another story. I'm sure Tod's are nice, but I just can't part with 300 bucks for shoes that have a date with a trash can within a couple season's worth of wear. I'm quite happy with the ones that sell for 80 bucks from RL.

Cheers,
G

anything at MSRP or full retail...........I mean anything

Man, I wish I could stay affordable with shirts as well, but I think my odd torso is screwing me up. I'm fairly short (5'8&quot and my torso's probably even shorter proportionally, but my neck and chest are broad relative to my waist. So I haven't really found RTW shirts that fit well; if I go down to 14.5/32, extra slim fit or slim fit from BB, those fit pretty well, with the problem being that I can't button up the neck. But then if I jump up to 15 or 15.5, I get the billow-y "sail" effect. Though I haven't made the move yet, I'm increasingly thinking about jumping into the MTM pool.

I'm with you on the jeans ... I just stick with basic Levi's.

I also try to avoid spending a lot on polo shirts or shorts. I think the stuff from LL Bean is pretty decent for the price.

Originally Posted by jason.wu.05.09

Click to expand...

Man, I wish I could stay affordable with shirts as well, but I think my odd torso is screwing me up. I'm fairly short (5'8") and my torso's probably even shorter proportionally, but my neck and chest are broad relative to my waist. So I haven't really found RTW shirts that fit well; if I go down to 14.5/32, extra slim fit or slim fit from BB, those fit pretty well, with the problem being that I can't button up the neck. But then if I jump up to 15 or 15.5, I get the billow-y "sail" effect. Though I haven't made the move yet, I'm increasingly thinking about jumping into the MTM pool.

Why not buy your proper neck size and have the waist taken in?

The Kiton rep in my area only buys his Levis at Sears, regular 501's, shrink to fit for what $40? And he has access to Kiton jeans and everything else.

denim. I just simply can't justify it when 501s fit me so well; I could probably not care any less regarding a particular wash or style or thread count given that 501's off ebay can be bought at around 20GBP and they last quite a while! (P.S: I am not bashing denim lovers, just stating my opinion)

I hate the fit of 501's. The thighs are giant. I never spend a lot of money on raincoats, socks, underwear and shaving cream.