Ask A Question, Get An Answer... - Post All Quick Questions Here (Classic menswear)

[mymil]

Hi. I´m new in the forum, but not so new in the fashion world. I started really caring about fashion and dressing properly a few years back, and since then have also becomed a bit obsessed with it and certain brands (dsquared especially) and also some great online retailers, like Mr. Porter and Luisa via roma. I´m kinda using this as an introduction thread because i´m not too sure where to start posting. And I come with a question, to do some justice to the topic of the thread: do i have to wait a certain time or do i need a specific amount of posts before I can open a new thread on the buying and selling forum? ´Cause I´m looking for something and I wanted to create a thread to see if someone had said item...
Thanks in advance for any answer and looking forward to learning a lot in this forum.

Yup, there's a 45-day probation period before you can post a thread to B&S, unless you pay for one of the premium seller levels. But the cheapest one is only $1 for a few days. Welcome to SF!

 

[blah23]

Can someone please recommend a black, rubber role, chelsea in the $200-$400 price range.

Thanks,

 

[likeaboss]

If I'm in a store looking at shoes and I don't recognize a brand name, how can I tell if the shoe is well made? Along the same lines, what makes a shoe 'worth buying' in terms of quality?

 

[onix]



If I'm in a store looking at shoes and I don't recognize a brand name, how can I tell if the shoe is well made? Along the same lines, what makes a shoe 'worth buying' in terms of quality?

There are many factors that determine quality, but the top 2 for dress shoes are construction and material. Construction-wise, everything must be stitched or nailed together, absolutely no glue job. Unless you're looking for a specific type of leather, I would avoid all leathers that have been corrected (corrected grain, patent, pebble grain, suede, etc., you name them), just plain non-corrected leather with no scar.

 

[likeaboss]



There are many factors that determine quality, but the top 2 for dress shoes are construction and material. Construction-wise, everything must be stitched or nailed together, absolutely no glue job. Unless you're looking for a specific type of leather, I would avoid all leathers that have been corrected (corrected grain, patent, pebble grain, suede, etc., you name them), just plain non-corrected leather with no scar.

So how can you tell a glue job apart from a stitched/nailed shoe? Are there any obvious signs? And where can I educate myself on leathers so I can identify high quality vs low quality, corrected, etc. leathers?

 

[yimmy]

I recently started a new job and I'm looking to get some trousers. The trousers I'm currently wearing are from a Lanvin suit I purchased. Looking for something relatively slim fitting(5'7, 150lbs). The Brooks Brothers Fitzgerald seem it may be a good fit. Any recommendations?

 

[zerostyle]

So, while looking around for apron toe style shoes, I found this from C&J that I love, but out of my budget (around $600 USD)

The Onslow:

Any alternatives in the < $400 range or so?

Basically, goodyear welted, apron toe (NOT split toe), in a dark brown color.

 

[ILikeBacon]

I just recently bought a RLPL sample tie off someone here. The silk is pretty thin compared to my other ties. I was just wondering if sample sale ties always have thin silk? Are sample sale ties generally worse quality? There must be a reason why they are much cheaper than regular ties.

 

[onix]



I just recently bought a RLPL sample tie off someone here. The silk is pretty thin compared to my other ties. I was just wondering if sample sale ties always have thin silk? Are sample sale ties generally worse quality? There must be a reason why they are much cheaper than regular ties.

Sample product should be the same. If anything, they may have some flaws (missing labels, etc.), but material is the same. That said, for silk, thickness and quality do not necessarily go together. They are cheaper because they're... samples. Dozens of even hundreds of people have touched it, tried it in store, so they're not actually "new".

 

[jays978]

I need to have the strap on messenger bag sewn back on. It is rather thick leather to sew through. Is there a tailor/seamstress I can go to in the Boston area? Thanks!

 

[onix]



I need to have the strap on messenger bag sewn back on. It is rather thick leather to sew through. Is there a tailor/seamstress I can go to in the Boston area? Thanks!

Take it to a cobbler. Sewing thick pieces of leather together is their specialty.

 

[XKxRome0ox]

how much does a tuxedo cost?
like a decent quality ... not a complete piece of trash
but no need for something too nice
who makes a decent tuxedo for a good price?
but i'm not sure what makes a "good" tuxedo .. so i will need some guidance

i wore a rented tuxedo for my sister's wedding yesterday and it was such a piece of trash that i wanted to burn it
so if it's not too expensive, i think i will just buy my own tuxedo next time

 

[ILikeBacon]

Sample product should be the same. If anything, they may have some flaws (missing labels, etc.), but material is the same. That said, for silk, thickness and quality do not necessarily go together. They are cheaper because they're... samples. Dozens of even hundreds of people have touched it, tried it in store, so they're not actually "new".

I see. So who are the dozens/hundreds of people who touch the ties? Because don't hundreds of customers touch the ones in stores? But those aren't samples.

Thanks!

 

[Chillax]



If I'm in a store looking at shoes and I don't recognize a brand name, how can I tell if the shoe is well made? Along the same lines, what makes a shoe 'worth buying' in terms of quality?

Here's a trick I use in thrift stores to quickly sort through shoes on a shelf- look at the leather-if it has a slightly roughened surface like the skin of an orange it is cheap leather and a mediocre quality shoe. With a little practice you will know what I'm talking about.

If you see threads on the sole- a sewn sole- this indicates at least a minimally decent level of quality. Lack of visible threads does not necessarily mean poor quality, however.

Look inside the shoe-is the lining a fine, soft leather that has been sewn in-this indicates high quality

Learn to identify shell cordovan leather-there are threads discussing that here- shell is an expensive leather only used in high quality shoes

Square toed shoes are highly likely to be poor quality-(although some good makers have produced them, but you wouldn't want to buy those models anyway

Made in Italy, England, France, or USA is a possible indicator of quality, though no guarantee

Quality of a shoe is not correlated to its weight- high quality shoes may be either light or heavy, poor quality shoes may be either light or heavy as well.

Go to a good department or shoe store and examine and handle shoes of brands you know to be high quality, then go to a cheap shoe store such as Payless and examine those shoes.It's a real learning experience you will soon be able to pretty easily tell the good from the junk

 

[Steve Smith]



Sample product should be the same. If anything, they may have some flaws (missing labels, etc.), but material is the same. That said, for silk, thickness and quality do not necessarily go together. They are cheaper because they're... samples. Dozens of even hundreds of people have touched it, tried it in store, so they're not actually "new".

I see. So who are the dozens/hundreds of people who touch the ties? Because don't hundreds of customers touch the ones in stores? But those aren't samples.

Thanks!

I don't think a sample and a display model are the same thing. A sample is for a retailer to evaluate. A display model is for retail customers to evaluate.