The Official Affordable Swag Thread - Page 2

There needs to be some sort of bar as to what constitutes "affordable" ...

I actually wanted to ask this but coming from me, people would just think I was being a jackass. I remember the "conditioning" thread where people posted their limit on certain items and what they deemed reasonable was surprised at how much higher it was than expected.

So for affordable, I wouldn't put Epaulet or R&B or even APC into the mix. When it comes to chinos, the JCrew Bowery Urban Slim Fits are perfect fit for me and can be had for $35 (50% off at MrPorter) to $50 (30% off at JCrew) is what I would deem affordable. Epaulet is still at $170-$180 range for a pair of trousers.


$40 for H&M jeans is a rip-off, I get my jeans from there for $15-$20 the most. If you're going for $40, go with Levis. They have plenty of different fits now to accommodate anyone, 510, 511, 513, 514, 521, etc...

Just buy the regular chucks, you're paying double for the heart logo. It's awesome but if you're on a budget, just get the $30 alternative.

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I didn't think Levi's sold overdyed black jeans?  I wouldn't buy any of h&m's regular colors (ie, blue).

I really like Uniqlo's black overdye. Proxy from suddenlee seems reasonable enough if you're ordering a few things. They charged me $22 for shipping AND fees for products worth $160.

Add $4 or something to the total if you're not on the east coast.

$150 for outerwear? So basically H&M only?

beaters, tho

Suddenlee works great if you are buying over $150-200 of stuff, as the proxy fees become lower than most of the individual proxiers on here around that point, and they seem quick to respond and eager to please. And they do returns.

I consider affordable stuff to be $50 or lower for pants/shirts/etc., $100 or lower for suit separates/shoes/etc. Basically anything that I wouldn't care if it got lost or trashed. Basically half of my wardrobe is this stuff because it works well enough when combined with more expensive, nicer articles of clothing.

My recommendations for affordable stuff (I'm short and sort-of skinny):

Jeans:
I like 511s as they have the perfect fit for me and can be had for as low as $20-25 if you are willing to wait for the right deal. Perfect beater jeans.

Button-up shirts:
I'm a fan of Club Monaco slim-fit button-up shirts on deep discount. The XS especially in a slim fit I will essentially insta-kop if the pattern is good and the price is $29 or lower.

J. Crew slim-fit XS is a really good fit for me. When on sale these can be had for $30-40.

Suits:
Uniqlo +J suit separates are a great deal when on sale; they are the only suit I have tried that needs virtually no alternations. Most of them are not 100% wool though if you care. Too bad the collaboration is over after this season.

Shoes:
Fratelli Rossettis when on sale on Yoox are probably the only sub-100$ dress shoe I would buy. Otherwise you are talking about ALDOs and house-branch crap from Macy's - definitely do not go there.

A couple of Vans can pass in a pinch for a low-key, low-profile casual sneaker for around $50 or so on sale. Otherwise I haven't seen anything that even comes close my MMM GATs or CPs for sneakers.

Sweaters:
Express Men's wool v-necks on sale are a good choice if you want a sweater in this price range. They don't pill much and are thin but not super-thin. There is no good cheap cashmere sweater - skip the J. Crew and others in this price range, even when on sale.

Anyone got recs for where to kop cheap, longish tees?