Journal of a Bottom-feeder; Or How I learned to stop worrying and love outlets.

[Imhoff]

Originally Posted by DerekS

hahahahahaha!!! my first thought as well.

Any luck with the wimmenz at local Rack? Brought a scarf with me, but they laughed and said that was so 2 seasons ago.

 

[thinman]

Originally Posted by JLibourel

When an NMLC opened at the Block at Orange a year or two before I retired, I had high hopes that I would find serendipities like you mention, but I never did. Nearly all the stuff seemed intended for the outlet. For years there has also been an SOF at the Block. For a long time that was a pretty good resource. I bought a slew of ties and pocket squares there, some shirts for me and my boy and a couple of suits for the lad. However, they greatly reduced their stock of classic, conservative menswear and turned the floor space over to youth oriented styles. I suppose it made good sense. The Block is a very youth-oriented mall.
The year I was in San Diego, 2006, I spent relentlessly outlet shopping and bought a charcoal gray Canali suit at the SOF at The Block for about $600. A little steep for an outlet store buy, even for a $1300 suit, but I've never seen a staple color in my size at any outlet store before or since, so I'm glad I made the purchase. On another trip to the same SOF, I bought a blue nailhead suit with light blue/red double windowpane (made by Chester Barrie) from the clearance rack for $180(!). My tailor couldn't stop raving about how well made it was (he routinely handles Oxxford, Brioni, etc.). Other than these buys (and a DB suit in a light navy with double track-stripes that I turned down since it was a little too loud for me), I didn't find much at that SOF, but I consider myself very fortunate. At the SOF at Cabazon I once picked up half-a-dozen grenadine ties in various colors made by Michael Drake. I'm always disappointed that the shoes at SOF are crap.

 

[Nicola]

Originally Posted by ohdannyboy

- One thing i found questionable: they were advertising Zenga Cloth suits for $499. It didn't look like the Zenga house style, but the cloth was fantastic. The name on the label below the Ermen(icantspellit) Zenga name was "Traveler" Has anybody ever seen this?

Zegna makes Traveller line cloth that is intended to be better for travelling

Often blends . Can be lighter. Can be more wrinkle resistant.

Zegna also has a mainline level line called Travel (something like that) Jackets,overcoats etc. Also intended to better for traveling. So they'll add features that appeal to travellers. I have a very light weight overcoat.

 

[Nicola]

Originally Posted by JLibourel

When an NMLC opened at the Block at Orange a year or two before I retired, I had high hopes that I would find serendipities like you mention, but I never did. Nearly all the stuff seemed intended for the outlet.

.

Personally I think outlets etc are better if you don't need stuff. You go without a great need and if luck smiles you find something. If you don't oh well. For people that actually need to buy basics it ends up being work.

 

[lemmywinks]

I've been to most of these stores with my mom and sister and I go there quite frequently.

I don't bother with TJ Maxx or Marshalls. One time I bought a Polo dress shirt from one of them (I don't remember) and it was probably one of my worst purchases ever. Their Polos are a little different. One time I did score a nice pair of thick North Face socks... But that's it.

Loehmann's sucks ******* dick. Their jean selection is garbage and more importantly, it does not fit into the SF groupthink. Ok but seriously jeans aside, there is nothing worth buying. I did manage to buy a hoody from Alternative Apparel which is one of my favorite hoodies but that's about it. Alternative Apparel is the only brand worth looking at but I've seen their Ts cheaper at Nordstrom rack.

Nordstrom Rack - Good if you know what you're looking for. I almost always pick up a pair of Happy socks when I go for $5 and then I take a look at their Talbott ties and if I see one I like I'll think about it then come around and finally buy it if I like it that much.

There is a lot of trash in their shoe selection but I've gotten cheap JV Converse/Vans for my cheap casual kick around canvas sneakers. Also have good shoe trees for $15. I've seen Allen Edmonds there for pretty good prices but never a style I would wear.

The outlet variants of Saks and Neiman Marcus both stock things that are higher end so they tend to have a better selection, but although the stuff is better it's in that awkward price range where it is a pretty good deal but then it's not that great of a deal to warrant me purchasing it.

 

[foodguy]

Originally Posted by JLibourel

However, they greatly reduced their stock of classic, conservative menswear and turned the floor space over to youth oriented styles. I suppose it made good sense. The Block is a very youth-oriented mall.
I don't know whether or not that is a socal thing, but ... yeah. all the discounters around here (la/oc border) are much more likely to have ed hardy than ralph lauren. to say nothing of isaia, kiton, corneliani, etc. the loehman's near here used to have an intermittently good stash of prl and rlpl, but now it's all skater stuff. i would say that nobody under 25 shops there, but i see a disturbingly large number of 35 year olds wearing that stuff.

Originally Posted by Achilles_

Ah, you were the one who missed out on that 42S Isaia SC I posted. Wish I would have seen it earlier!

 

[foodguy]

Originally Posted by lemmywinks

Nordstrom Rack - Good if you know what you're looking for. I almost always pick up a pair of Happy socks when I go for $5 and then I take a look at their Talbott ties and if I see one I like I'll think about it then come around and finally buy it if I like it that much.
the rack near me does have a pretty good shoe selection. i've got bad feet and wear pretty much only eccos and i can usually find something when i need it. also regularly see those much sought-after AE Seconds! (but strangely, have never noticed Vox shopping there).

 

[LooknGr8]

Originally Posted by foodguy

. all the discounters around here (la/oc border) are much more likely to have ed hardy than ralph lauren. to say nothing of isaia, kiton, corneliani, etc. the loehman's near here used to have an intermittently good stash of prl and rlpl, but now it's all skater stuff. i would say that nobody under 25 shops there, but i see a disturbingly large number of 35 year olds wearing that stuff.
HA! +1 for New England. Although the skater scene is not as big here...someone's buying that stuff or they wouldn't rack it. If I had a nickel for every Ed Hardy -- and Affliction -- garment I had to sift through to get to something wearable...every time I see it, Kid Rock starts echoing in my skull. And that Miller Lite commercial with the guy in the "Dragons" getup.

 

[Gibonius]

Went to a Nordstrom Rack outside of Atlanta, and my god it was depressing. 99% made for outlet garbage, Calvin Klein, etc. Had one Zegna jacket, everything else was junk. They had a selection of Talbott ties...with no sign, on a table scattered with other junk labels. Shoes were almost all crap, Florsheims about as good as it got. I did find a pair of beeswax Clark desert boots for ~50% off retail, but pretty slim pickings overall.

The nearby Neiman Marcus Last Call had some nice stuff, mostly outside my price range but fun to look. Saks Off Fifth had some decent stuff, but they were pretty picked over on selection. Salesperson said they'd have more back on the floor in a few weeks. One very nice Hickey Freeman with Loro Piana wool that's stuck in my mind.

 

[Patek]

^

Was this at Discover Mills? They were great when they first opened but quickly went down hill.

 

[MagicalPanda]

T.J.Maxx and Marshalls are a haven for cheap college students wanting to look decent.

I picked up a nice pair of chinos and a polo at Marshalls. At T.J.Maxx I picked up a nice bow-tie, tie, and dress shirt.

 

[Gibonius]

Originally Posted by Patek

^

Was this at Discover Mills? They were great when they first opened but quickly went down hill.

Yeah, the NMLC and Saks anyway. The Rack was at Mall of Georgia.