Good Stores for Teens?

Alright, so I am 19 years old, and do not wear suits that often. Maybe once a month. I like to wear nice clothes however. Now I am sure that our opinions of nice are radically different. When I say nice I mean Hugo Boss, Kenneth Cole, etc.... While many of you would say Hermes, and Zegna. At 19 I cant afford a wardwrobe like that, and second I don't see the point in paying all that money if I never wear suits. I definetly dress nicely for a kid my age, but I understand that I am still an amateur compared to many on here. Spare me the "Hugo Boss is crap" comments. I just prefer the more urban trendy look right now at this point in my life. Im young!

Anyways, considering all this, what are some stores I should look at? I LOVE boss, and get most of my stuff from there. Kenneth Cole also has some nice cardigans and jackets that I wear. Anything else that I should look at that would fit my "youthful trendy" style without making me broke? I like AX, but I know there quality is terrible.

Thanks.

You've kind of answered your own question though. You don't wear suits that much, you don't want to spend too much, you love HB and KC. It's good that you've realised you're not really "ready" for MC completely and that's fine, enjoy dressing your age. Try Banana Republic or somewhere like that for fairly inexpensive stuff.

JCrew?

Brooks Brothers Black Fleece. If it's too expensive for your budget from BB, just go on B&S. There's usually someone who has them for $55-60. The fit is nice for younger adults.



Liquidus said:

JCrew?

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I'd say this is a safe bet. Pretty cheap stuff that is generally cut trendy, yet has a hint of traditional flare to make it MC-approachable. It won't last all that long, but you've already acknowledged that you will probably be upgrading your wardrobe again in the near future (once you have money) so this is probably a solid starting point.

Aside from that I would suggest you do what I did when I was 19 (only a few years ago). Bolster your wardrobe with more disposable items (J. Crew, PRL [China not Italy], etc). Then, invest every few months or so in something that really stands out from the rest. Buy a mid range pair of shoes, buy a good pair of raw denim, buy a nicer used SC from B&S or eBay. This way as you begin to mature and grow out of buying things from the lower end realm you have a nice starting point to draw from. Again, these items shouldn't be top-of-the-line, but rather a nice mid-range (think AE, PRL [Italy], etc). By using eBay and B&S strategically you can have one or two step-up things for around the same price as HB or KC.

So do you think it would be smart to spend the extra money and get one really nice cardigan, or instead go to AX or KC and get a cardigan and 4 shirts.....

Also, what stores do you guys tend to shop at? Would going to Nordstroms or Bloomingdales be smarter than shopping at HB or KC retail outlets?

I recently spend about 1500 at KC and Armani Exchange and got about 10 items. I was thinking of returning them all and just getting 2 really nice shirts or a high quality jacket instead.

Also I am assuming HB is much better quality that KC or JC correct? This is based purly on the fact that shirts at HB tend to cost me 150-250 while shirts at KC and JC seem to be much cheaper.

Just get used to timing sales. I am not sure what region you are in, but generally Bloomingdales and Nordstroms have sales all the time where you can cop better threads than Kenneth Cole for the same or even better price. Besides, I always believed going to better stores helps you get a better appreciation for quality compared to price, relative cost, as well as help your evolving style. You'll learn what looks and feels like quality, and over time you'll probably be able to build out your wardrobe with some much nicer pieces that you snagged at a doorbuster price.

Go even higher. Learn Hermes, Zegna, Burberry, all the others ... you may not be able to afford them today, but you'll become more conversant in fashion and (besides getting the odd piece on sale at Bloomingdales) when you can step up to ball, you'll already be familiar with the brands. There's no point in dressing exclusively in one brand, at least in my opinion. If someone can look at you and say "That's Boss, isn't it?" because that's all you wear and not because they can tell Boss from another brand, that's not good.

HB are fine as a starter suit - particularly for a younger person. Price is everything, under $300 should be what you are looking at. HB perhaps use better fabrics than BR, JC, and KC but construction wise you have the same deal with all these brands. Given choice between JC and HB with HB being double the price, it makes sense to buy JC instead.

In addition to BR and JCrew, you might check out Club Monaco. They have some basics with more of a fashion-forward flair. Not sure where you live, but other options might be Rugby and H&M.

I'd agree with the BB Black Fleece endorsement. I went into the local BB retail store and they basically had the entire collection on serious sale. At those prices it's priced at or below HB. There are plenty of new BBBF on B&S as was mentioned. I'd go into a store though and figure out 1) if the cut suits you and 2) your appropriate size.

BTW - I'd return all the KC stuff and probably a lot if not all of the AX stuff. You can spend your money better elsewhere. Don't be afraid to hit Nordstrom Rack, Neiman M's Last Call and Saks Off 5th.



Xhale12 said:

I recently spend about 1500 at KC and Armani Exchange and got about 10 items. I was thinking of returning them all and just getting 2 really nice shirts or a high quality jacket instead.

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At your age, I think ten $150 items (altough that seems pretty high for those brands) makes more sense than three items for the same money. As others mentioned, scour the buying & selling forums (mens clothing and streetwear & denim) and be on the lookout for sales. Get on the e-mail lists of the stores you prefer.



Xhale12 said:

So do you think it would be smart to spend the extra money and get one really nice cardigan, or instead go to AX or KC and get a cardigan and 4 shirts.....

Also, what stores do you guys tend to shop at? Would going to Nordstroms or Bloomingdales be smarter than shopping at HB or KC retail outlets?

I recently spend about 1500 at KC and Armani Exchange and got about 10 items. I was thinking of returning them all and just getting 2 really nice shirts or a high quality jacket instead.

Also I am assuming HB is much better quality that KC correct?

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Depending on you budget you should save up money and figure out how much you can spend. I would see something that I really liked and then figure out how long I would have to save each month to afford it. I was sacrificing buying another pair of Sperrys (for example) but with that extra $70 in my pocket I could then add to the $80 I was planning on spending on a PRL shirt and instead be able to buy a RLPL on sale or on eBay for $150. Possibly not the greatest or most relevant example but you should get the picture. One of the mantras of this site is that deals can be had on almost anything and you should always be on the lookout. The key is to make sure you get deals on stuff that's worth buying. And therein lies the rub. You need to do your homework and see what things are worth. By using the search function on SF you have literally millions of reviews and individual experiences with thousands of brands and items. This will help you determine what is actually a good deal, what to look out for in outlets, etc. When combining this information with the amount of money you determined you can spend (from above) you can get a real idea of what you should or at least could be buying. I'll be the first to admit that this site has led me to completely re-think the way that I purchase things. Whereas I used to be wowed by discounts in outlets or taken aback by how much I could buy for $100 from J. Crew I now take a step back and think through all my purchases. While my individual purchases have become distinctly more expensive throughout this process, I have also begun buying things of staggering quality for far less than retail. And, most importantly, once I buy something I know I won't need to look to replace it for a long while. You are young and therefore, for a number of reasons, do not need to live and die by this philosophy. In all honesty you are probably a few years away from even being able to adopt this strategy correctly. However, as you begin to expand you interest in menswear it helps to start thinking like this. If nothing else it will make you think more about buying things you actually need and will save money in the meantime.

I live in Hollywood, so I have basically every store possible within 10 miles of me.

+1 on the Black Fleece on the B/S forums. I actually have a BB2 polo up for $60. For reference I'd say BB1 is a 36-Skinny 38, while BB2 is 38-Skinny40. Apologies if I'm not supposed to mention my ad

Even the best hand made suit can be made to look like a dull rag if poorly fitted. Dont take gambles on hand made / higher end 2nd hand suits online even if they are cheap, you would probably require the services of a tailor, and some garments can never be restructured in a perfect way. You had the right idea on HB, JC etc, try them out but make sure the fit is good and you look sharp. The difference between these suits and the higher end 2nd hand are not enough to warranty the extra headache (if they require significant tailoring), particularly if you are only going to wear a suit rarely. This goes against the Gospel of SF, but I prefer to rend pragmatic advice to a young man just wanting a sharp looking suit. If you had the money to pay for a high end suit in store where you can be fitted, my advice would then be to explore options and keep an open mind - fit and styling are the most important aesthetics of a suit - additional details like handworked button holes, pick stitching on lapels, expensive fabric, horn buttons, full camel hair canvassing etc are icing on the cake.