Are BB sportcoats worth the dough?

[Jay Gatsby]

At 36R it's hard for me to find good deals in B/S and eBay. I need a few summer weight jackets... should I shell out the $300-600 on BB or is that too much for the quality you get with today's Brooks Brothers? Where else might I look?

Thanks,
J

 

[brittain]

I think BB is a good purchase if you can get it on sale. You just missed the friends and family sale, but Im sure there will be another one coming up.

 

[Made in California]

I'm also in the same boat: looking for good deals on size 36 blazers. And yeah, B&S has a lot of large items.

How much should we look to pay for a BB blazer and consider it a good investment? $200?

 

[Jay Gatsby]

I got a BNWT (still had the basting thread), $900 1818 pinstripe BB suit for less than $200 on eBay.... I don't get deals like that very often though.

 

[cipofan]

I recently scored a cashmere and wool brown plaid sportscoat from their website that is like butter for $272. It didn't even have finished sleeves making it easier to get surgeon cuffs if one so desires.

 

[jmoody15]

At the friends and family sale, I grabbed two sportcoats for $600. Seem to be good quality, and I'm happy with the results at that price.

 

[phillyesq]

I would never pay full price for anything at BB, but as long as you get one on sale, they are a great value. The next sale is the semi-annual, which usually starts in June (I think late June, but I'm not 100% sure).

 

[jhva3]

Originally Posted by phillyesq

I would never pay full price for anything at BB, but as long as you get one on sale, they are a great value. The next sale is the semi-annual, which usually starts in June (I think late June, but I'm not 100% sure).

Yeah I agree completely. I think that it was June 22 last year. I do not buy anything from BB for full price unless it is a complete emergency. I was thinking about getting one of those pincord suits, but I do not want to pay $600 bucks for one.

 

[East Oakland]

Originally Posted by phillyesq

I would never pay full price for anything at BB, but as long as you get one on sale, they are a great value. The next sale is the semi-annual, which usually starts in June (I think late June, but I'm not 100% sure).

Has anyone ever said in the history of Style forum that something is worth what it costs at full retail? Seems like the prevailing sentiment on this forum is that full retail on any item is too high and that you're crazy to buy anything that isn't on sale.

 

[JayJay]

Originally Posted by East Oakland

Has anyone ever said in the history of Style forum that something is worth what it costs at full retail? Seems like the prevailing sentiment on this forum is that full retail on any item is too high and that you're crazy to buy anything that isn't on sale.
BB has sales so often that it's easy to avoid paying full retail. Moreover, with a corporate membership, which are also easy to get, there is never a reason to pay full retail at BB.

 

[East Oakland]

Originally Posted by JayJay

BB has sales so often that it's easy to avoid paying full retail. Moreover, with a corporate membership, which are also easy to get, there is never a reason to pay full retail at BB.

True. I have a corporate membership myself.

I just think that when people on this forum answer the question of "is X item worth Y dollars?" they tend to look more to whether the item can be regularly purchased on sale rather than what comparable items generally cost or whether the cost to value ratio of the item is good. For instance, because AE's can often be found on sale at $160 or so, people here tend to think that $160 is the true vale of a pair of AEs, but because Aldens go on sale much less frequently, people tend to think that they must be worth their full retail price. Are Aldens really more than twice as good as AEs?--Probably not.

It makes me think that brands that tightly control the supply chain to prevent their items from ever going on sale might be on to something.

 

[OttoSkadelig]

Originally Posted by East Oakland

Has anyone ever said in the history of Style forum that something is worth what it costs at full retail? Seems like the prevailing sentiment on this forum is that full retail on any item is too high and that you're crazy to buy anything that isn't on sale.

i could not agree more.

this theory assumes that a) you are in an easy-to-find size and b) have hours to troll ebay, B&S and every niche web merchant to find the ideal product at the ideal price, RIGHT NOW.

sadly, neither is true for me, nor, i suspect, for many others.

i prefer a softer version of this theory, which is:

1. if you find something you REALLY REALLY like, do consider paying full price for it, because if you really like it you'll wear it a lot and it will pay itself back.

2. if you're "meh" about it, never pay full price, because you will (and that's guaranteed) find something that REALLY floats your boat at a roughly similar price, OR you will find an equivalently "meh" product at a discount.

 

[Sebastian Melmoth]

I just bought a suit at Boyd's at full price. I know they have a sale coming up in 3-4 weeks, but:

1) I was getting a basic item - solid charcoal, 40R - They might not cut the price, or it might sell before the sale; and
2) *******, it's only money, and I wanted the damn suit.

That said, I do like a bargain, and some things, such as Borrelli shirts, are beyond my price range unless they are half off.

 

[JayJay]

Originally Posted by OttoSkadelig

1. if you find something you REALLY REALLY like, do consider paying full price for it, because if you really like it you'll wear it a lot and it will pay itself back.

I agree with this, and follow the practice a lot. At BB I can get at least 15% off, but at other stores if there is something that I really want, then I'll buy at full price.

 

[MyOtherLife]

Originally Posted by JayJay

I agree with this, and follow the practice a lot. At BB I can get at least 15% off, but at other stores if there is something that I really want, then I'll buy at full price.
...and I agree with you JJ.
If I may add, waiting for the sales & great prices doesn't guarantee having great selection.
I have found that during sale periods, one has to literally line up 3 hours before the store opens to even have half a shot at getting the exact thing you want.
This, to me, is a waste of time. It can easily become a waste of life to chase sales.
Where I pay full retail I never buy on impulse. I'll always sleep on it.
If something is really beckoning to me after 24-48 hours, and it fulfills a need, I'll give in.
I have only 1 BB jacket and I am very happy with it. quality & construction is reasonable.