Bang for your Buck Shirt(ing) Options for a New Professional

[Spaghettimatt]

Hello all,

I am about to enter the world of business formal and, while I am good on suits and shoes (3 of each, respectively) I am going to need to make a fairly big purchase on shirts in the next two months. I have two decent ones already and am thinking I need maybe 4-5 more to start.

I do not really to spend more than 500 and RTW is (mostly) not an option because I am very short and slim (5'3"). That leaves a few options:
1) Online MTM ala MyTailor (where I have already dialed in a good fit but where I have not been terribly impressed with construction/fabric)

2) Some sort of in store MTM. I was looking at Brooks Brothers because they have an MTM shirt deal if you buy 3 or more, but if anyone has any other options in NYC that they can recommend, I would be very greatful.

3) Buying RTW from a short men's specialist store, but they would run me 100-150 a pop anyways.

Any advice, gents?

 

[Flyswatter]

I know you said RTW isn't much of an option, but you might want to try Charles Tyrwhitt's "Tailored Fit" shirts. They are the slimmest RTW shirts I've come across, and looks like you can get collars as small as 14.5 inches and sleeves as short as 29 inches (since you said you're short). I recently purchased CT shirts for the first time, and am very happy with them--great "bang for the buck", which seems to be what you're looking for. Regular prices are $60-$70 a shirt (don't pay attention to the "was" prices of $140+), but they are running a seemingly constant 4-for-$199 deal, and have other frequent offers if you're on their email list.

My one complaint about CT is that their selection of Tailored fit, non-iron shirts with spread collars is a little lacking, but I'm hoping that will change soon.

Also, it sounds like you are in NYC, and I believe CT has a store there. Otherwise, shipping from the UK is relatively fast and not too expensive, and returns are free.

Good luck with your search. I know how frustrating it can be trying to find the "perfect" dress shirt at a reasonable price. I think I've just about found mine though in CT's Tailored Fit line: fit is phenomenal for RTW, fabric and construction seem great for the price, their spread collar (they call it their "cutaway collar") is exactly what I'm looking for in a collar, they don't have pockets...I hate pockets...and the non-iron shirts look crisp and wrinkle free after only a few minutes in the dryer on low heat. I know "non-iron" doesn't get much love around here, but for me, it's a must.

 

[AlexE]



Also, it sounds like you are in NYC, and I believe CT has a store there. Otherwise, shipping from the UK is relatively fast and not too expensive, and returns are free.
:

They do have a Manhattan store on 46th and Madison so you can try their different fits. Their competitor is T.M. Lewin, but they do not have a store in the US. Both are probably a decent bang for the buck - certinaly no high-end shirting, but decent workhorses at a good price.

 

[Quadcammer]

guys, if you are buying from CT shirts, buy from their UK website.

Its 4 shirts for 100 GBP, which even after shipping, works out to about $30 less.

FWIW, most of my shirts are CT, and I think they are fantastic for the price. They look good, hold up well, and the quality is not bad at all for the price. The tailored fit are slim, not sure if they will be slim enough for the OP though

 

[F. Corbera]

If you are in NYC and want a relatively inexpensive MTM shirt, surely you can wait until Hemrajani (MyTailor, AFAIK) to blow into town so that can measure you out.

They also have a lot of nice fabrics...for which you would have to pay extra like with any shirtmaker.

Either that it just go to CEGO which will give you comparable options but the advantage of local service.

Screw the Tyrwhit thing...you're in (or near, i guess) NYC for f*cks sake

 

[F. Corbera]

And you don't mean "shirting," you mean "shirt."

 

[Quadcammer]



If you are in NYC and want a relatively inexpensive MTM shirt, surely you can wait until Hemrajani (MyTailor, AFAIK) to blow into town so that can measure you out.
They also have a lot of nice fabrics...for which you would have to pay extra like with any shirtmaker.
Either that it just go to CEGO which will give you comparable options but the advantage of local service.
Screw the Tyrwhit thing...you're in (or near, i guess) NYC for f*cks sake

come on man, we are talking about a guy getting 4 shirts for $170 bucks.

Cego is probably going to run at least $100 to $125 per shirt.

if he can get a good fit and acceptable fabrics from an inexpensive RTW supplier, why does it matter that he lives in or near NYC.

No need to go mtm just for the sake of doing it.

 

[KObalto]

He said his budget was $500 for 4-5 shirts. Cego and MyTailor seem like worthwhile options to explore. Cego starts at about $125.

 

[Quadcammer]

well to be specific, he said he doesn't want to spend more than $500...which begs the question, if he can find a RTW option at less than half the price, whats the problem.

The rush to discount rtw on this website sometimes annoys me. The other rtw benefit is that they are ready immediately, unlike some of the mtm options.

 

[F. Corbera]

I never rush to discount RTW.

OP said from the get go that he's not only 5'3", but slim for 5'3". That's sub-:foo:.

Anyone who thinks that makes him a great candidate for stock RTW adult sizes from an English "maker" is the one doing him a disfavor.

He's on the right track considering MTM. Self-measured MTM seems dumb to me if having a makers rep measure you is either no extra cost (MyTailor) or available within $100 or do spitting distance from a known, local bespoke shirt maker who can offer various products at differing price levels.

 

[Spaghettimatt]

Apologies for going AWOL for a few hours. Thanks very much for the very excellent suggestions, guys. I will certainly go to Charles Tyrwhitt later this week and give their 14.5/29 RTWs a shot, though I am skeptical that the length and yoke will be spot-on. I will let you all know how that turns out.

Failing that, both Mr. Hemrajani and CEGO seem like great options without the margin of error that is involved with self-measure. I think I can pony up $125 per shirt at CEGO. I will likely go with one of the two, but just to clarify, you would say that these are better options than, say, Brooks Brothers' in-store MTM service?


Last question for you experts. I have already got one plain white and one light blue. So if I am going to purchase four or five more shirts, I would say perhaps one more of each of those... and then what would you all suggest for the other two-three shirts? Some conservative stripes?

 

[Quadcammer]



I never rush to discount RTW.
OP said from the get go that he's not only 5'3", but slim for 5'3". That's sub-:foo:.
Anyone who thinks that makes him a great candidate for stock RTW adult sizes from an English "maker" is the one doing him a disfavor.
He's on the right track considering MTM. Self-measured MTM seems dumb to me if having a makers rep measure you is either no extra cost (MyTailor) or available within $100 or do spitting distance from a known, local bespoke shirt maker who can offer various products at differing price levels.

well he can at least try it before getting into mtm. it may be a cheap solution to his problem

 

[KObalto]



Last question for you experts. I have already got one plain white and one light blue. So if I am going to purchase four or five more shirts, I would say perhaps one more of each of those... and then what would you all suggest for the other two-three shirts? Some conservative stripes?

I vote for a blue Bengal stripe and another in cream.

well he can at least try it before getting into mtm. it may be a cheap solution to his problem

Umm, he's 5'3" and didn't say he was looking for a cheap solution.

 

[Quadcammer]



I vote for a blue Bengal stripe and another in cream.
Umm, he's 5'3" and didn't say he was looking for a cheap solution.

the understanding...to me anyways, was that he was looking for "bang for buck". That in and of itself typically means the lower price the better so long as fit and quality is ok.

5'3" is short, no question, but what does it hurt for him to pop into the store and have a look?

 

[atila]

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