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Is Orlando really a sartorial wasteland ?

ajv

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I two weeks time I will fly to Orlando and spend 3 weeks there.
I've been able to find some decent golf courses, I know that's easy. But was absolutely unable to find any decent clothing/shoe shop in the region.
Can anyone help.
Can you eventually also recommend some good restaurants ?

Thanks,

Adrian
 

Roger Everett

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Well there are several BB's and JAB's and factory stores for Florsheim -- Allen Edmonds -- Alden. As well s several large Malls from std. to upper stores. You can find just about any rest. in any price range you want, on that note , Winter Park ( wnw area of O town ) has some very nice ones. Home of the Magic ( yawn ) -- Home of Disney World ( everywhere ). Hour drive to the cape ( rocket stuff, shuttle , etc. ).
Are you looking for something specific.-- We also have a steet where lot of hookers hang out, Can get the gift that keeps on giving.

Roger
 

The Thin Man

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Three hours away, in Palm Beach, is Maus & Hoffman, which seems kind of interesting.
 

soxpats

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John Craig in WInter Park is very nice
 

Superfluous

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Originally Posted by The Thin Man
Three hours away, in Palm Beach, is Maus & Hoffman, which seems kind of interesting.


Do you know anything about Maus and Hoffman, apparently they have one where I live.
 

razl

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Yes, Orlando is a sartorial wasteland. It's not quite a culinary wasteland, but no food here is going to compare to serious cities. Speaking of which, Orlando fancies itself a city - *cough* - it's really more of a big town at best.

If you're serious about shopping and dining, head south to Miami and thereabouts.

But, if you're marooned here and want to shop:

The Millenia Mall has NM, Bloomies, LV, Hugo Boss, Burberry, etc. but all are stocked like the boondocks that we are - NM doesn't even carry Brioni in suits and limited Zegna (with too much Z).

The Florida Mall is tourist trap hell but does have Nordstroms and Saks. They are close enough that you can walk from one to the other and not have to travel that much of the rest of the mall. Again, both are stocked downscale - the highest end suit you'll find at Nordstroms will be a Hugo Boss or, if you're lucky, the occasional Canali. 50% of Saks mens wear is an expanded Hugo Boss made-in-China lovefest.

We have other malls which aren't worht visiting - Fashion Square, Altamonte, etc. trust me - pass on all of them. Or, if you must, visit the Fashion Square mall and report your findings back here...

We do have 2 outlet malls - one on international drive with Saks Off Fifth, NM's Last Call, and a rare Faconnable store. There's another in Buena Vista that has Etro, Zegna, Barneys, and a Ralph Lauren store which sadly changed over to all women's clothes earlier this year.

Another note - you'll see Macys at every mall in town. It's not what you think - we used to have a regional "Burdines" brand that was acquired by Macys. Macy's hung their name outside but has never retooled the products. Expect 80% Alfani and other junk brands.

John Craig in Winter Park is worth visiting, and Winter Park strip makes a decent afternoon of browsing and eating. Surrey's in downtown is worth a visit too (say 'lo to Lance!)

If you've got money burning a hole in your pocket, take a laptop, get wifi in your room, and surf SF B&S. You'll find better stuff at better prices. Even if the prices aren't better, the goods will be. Trust me, I live here - I know.
 

Rambo

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Originally Posted by The Thin Man
Three hours away, in Palm Beach, is Maus & Hoffman, which seems kind of interesting.
Its not. Mostly retail high end Italian sportswear at Palm Beach prices. You can do much better elsewhere.
Originally Posted by razl
Yes, Orlando is a sartorial wasteland. It's not quite a culinary wasteland, but no food here is going to compare to serious cities. Speaking of which, Orlando fancies itself a city - *cough* - it's really more of a big town at best. If you're serious about shopping and dining, head south to Miami and thereabouts. But, if you're marooned here and want to shop: The Millenia Mall has NM, Bloomies, LV, Hugo Boss, Burberry, etc. but all are stocked like the boondocks that we are - NM doesn't even carry Brioni in suits and limited Zegna (with too much Z). The Florida Mall is tourist trap hell but does have Nordstroms and Saks. They are close enough that you can walk from one to the other and not have to travel that much of the rest of the mall. Again, both are stocked downscale - the highest end suit you'll find at Nordstroms will be a Hugo Boss or, if you're lucky, the occasional Canali. 50% of Saks mens wear is an expanded Hugo Boss made-in-China lovefest. We have other malls which aren't worht visiting - Fashion Square, Altamonte, etc. trust me - pass on all of them. Or, if you must, visit the Fashion Square mall and report your findings back here... We do have 2 outlet malls - one on international drive with Saks Off Fifth, NM's Last Call, and a rare Faconnable store. There's another in Buena Vista that has Etro, Zegna, Barneys, and a Ralph Lauren store which sadly changed over to all women's clothes earlier this year. Another note - you'll see Macys at every mall in town. It's not what you think - we used to have a regional "Burdines" brand that was acquired by Macys. Macy's hung their name outside but has never retooled the products. Expect 80% Alfani and other junk brands. John Craig in Winter Park is worth visiting, and Winter Park strip makes a decent afternoon of browsing and eating. Surrey's in downtown is worth a visit too (say 'lo to Lance!) If you've got money burning a hole in your pocket, take a laptop, get wifi in your room, and surf SF B&S. You'll find better stuff at better prices. Even if the prices aren't better, the goods will be. Trust me, I live here - I know.
Seconded. Very good description of the Orlando shopping experience.
 

ajv

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Thanks to A/all for your help.

I know West Palm Beach and it's well named Worth Avenue, I've also spent quite some time in Boca Raton. But this time it is more holidays with the wife and our 10 year old daughter. We will have to visit Disney (just thinking of the music that is played everywhere gets me "nervous") and some other themd parks.
For the above mentioned reasons I didn't want to drive too far for the shopping. I am sure that I'll find the usual AEO, GAP, Abercrombrie, Holister and such my daughter loves pretty easily. For myself, I will try and find some Alden factory store.

Adrian
 

Roger Everett

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Originally Posted by soxpats
John Craig in WInter Park is very nice

This is the Alden store


[ quote=The Millenia Mall has NM, Bloomies, LV, Hugo Boss, Burberry, etc. but all are stocked like the boondocks that we are
The Allen Edmons is here


[ quote = patrickBOOTH Have you noticed what people wear in Orlando?
If it says anything-- you can go to the church of your choice, in shorts, pull-over, and flip flops.

Roger
 

ajv

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Originally Posted by patrickBOOTH
Have you noticed what people wear in Orlando?

Yes I've seen what average Joe is wearing...........and imho not only in Orlando, all over Florida, with maybe some exceptions for Boca Raton, West Palm Beach and Miami.

Adrian
 

razl

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Originally Posted by Roger Everett
This is the Alden store
Originally Posted by razl
The Millenia Mall has NM, Bloomies, LV, Hugo Boss, Burberry, etc. but all are stocked like the boondocks that we are
The Allen Edmons is here

Oh, quite right!!! I'm ashamed I didn't include it
facepalm.gif
 

razl

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Originally Posted by ajv
I am sure that I'll find the usual AEO, GAP, Abercrombrie, Holister and such my daughter loves pretty easily. For myself, I will try and find some Alden factory store.

Either the Mall at Millenia, or The Florida Mall will do nicely for that. Also, either of the outlets that I mentioned (see here: http://www.primeoutlets.com/orlando/) will have everything your daughter is looking for too.

Cheers!
 

razl

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I thought I'd chime in that the Saks 5th Avenue at the Florida Mall is closing. Everything, wall to wall, is 20-40% off. It's already pretty picked over, but the Men's dept still has a lot of Saks own in house stuff, Eton shirts (@20% off ~$240), a smattering of Armani, Ike Behar, and other similar stuff.

I spoke with one of the salespeople who said they are not relocating, rather Saks has determined that Orlando just doesn't have the market to support it. If anyone from Saks ever reads this, I'll point out that - at least from me - it was more that this store didn't stock much worth buying. If you would have stocked better brands/items - Canali, Isaia, Incotex, Zegna, etc. - like your stores just 2 hours south in the Ft. Lauderdale area do, I would have bought more. I spend plenty online and would have gladly put a chunk of that towards my local store if only they had the things I was looking for; alas.

One specific example - I very much like Armani Collezioni trousers which are cut with a classic straight leg (hard to find these days since trim or slim lines have taken over). Unfortunately, the local store stocked mostly ones of lesser quality material, usually 50% poly or more. Had they been the better all wool variety - the ones you got very few of and usually sold out in my size almost immediately - I would have purchased plenty from your location instead of online. Most of my observations of your in-store stock were similar - lesser items masquerading as their better brethren.

I'm not so sorry to see a store like that pack up, but I am sorry that Saks only tried a feeble third-tier or lower effort here.
 

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