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Where to shop for value?

voyaging

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I am only 18 and am buying some new clothes for winter, where should I shop for decent-quality clothes with good value? I will probably be shopping online, due to lack of nearby stores (I live in Cleveland). I've had lots of recommendations for Topman, Zara, and Uniqlo. Where would you get your clothes if you were on a tight budget and starting from scratch? Obviously casual wear, I am still in high school.
 

Prada_Ferragamo

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So you are trying to kop some pradas, but now you are on a budget?
facepalm.gif
 

voyaging

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Originally Posted by Prada_Ferragamo
So you are trying to kop some pradas, but now you are on a budget?
facepalm.gif


That topic was for theoretical purposes, as I explicitly stated there.
 

bryce126

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there's two trains of thought here:

1) buy items that cost less, and buy more of them. (e.g. if you have $200 you can buy more if each item doesn't cost $100). This will get you more of a wardrobe quicker.

2) buy less items that cost more, but buy quality. The idea is that these items, while more expensive, are timeless and will last forever.

In all likelihood a mix of the two is in order. Some seasonal things and some more timeless pieces are probably the best bet. On a budget, H&M, Zara, Club Monaco, Uniqlo, work.

............com has some good stuff, as does giltman.com. Gilt is more on the expensive side between the two.

Starting from scratch I would begin with fundamentals, and only then start adding pieces. How clothing fits is far more important than its brand or materials. In order of importance, in my opinion, it'd be something like jeans, shirts, jacket, shoes, coat, etc.
 

cowsareforeating

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get ur basics first. white t's crew necks, v necks.

if you must invest, invest in jeans. (unless you like dressing up all the time)
dry denim lasts and its the most bang for its buck imo.

and the above stores are great --> perusing styleforum & superfuture are good if you know your sizing.
 

voyaging

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Originally Posted by wj4
Sites like H&M, Topman, etc. don't allow those who reside in the U.S. to shop online BTW.

Topman does.
 

wj4

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Originally Posted by voyaging
Topman does.
Really? I know they're U.K. based, that is interesting. How bad are the duties, if any.
 

voyaging

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Originally Posted by wj4
Really? I know they're U.K. based, that is interesting. How bad are the duties, if any.

Everything seems priced as if they just switched the prices based on the exchange rate, I think it ships from one of their U.S. stores presumably.
 

wj4

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Then Topman would be your best bet then since they offer online shopping. Personally though, if the quality is comparable to H&M, it's going to be craptastic. H&M is pretty much wear once or twice and then trash.

Go for quality instead of quantity IMO.
 

wrongturnsteve

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this is what im doing... improving my wardrobe and the way i look on a very tight budget. slowly and surely... 1. Get in shape. This is free or low cost, and may even save you money in the long run on health bills. 2. Groom yourself. Get a haircut, whiten your teeth, iron your clothes, be clean shaven or well kept. Also cheap or free. 3. A couple of good fitting pairs of jeans or pants. You only need one for each occasion if they are basic, simple, and dont stick out. You can wear them over and over. They must fit well and they dont have to be expensive. I wear 30 dollar Levis 511, 501, and 514. My preference in that order. 501 will be in style forever. You dont need 300 dollar iron hearts or anything. If fading raw denim is your thing, there are STF 501s. 4. Buy some good fitting T shirts in solid colors. I like the neutral colors like white, grey, black. Fit is important here, you want it slim but not tight. 5. Save your money and buy quality shoes, outerwear as the need arises. For now wear the shoes and outerwear you already own. 6. Last, think about accessories such watches, hats, ties again as the need arises.
 

Ike

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Uniqlo has great stuff for the price - as others have said. But, afaik, they're still only NYC? Last time I was there I picked up some $5 t-shirts that are still some of the better t-shirts I've gotten for under $25. I'd also hit up Gap sales for the basics. They are... basic, but you can get stuff for under $10/item. Just don't have them be the defining piece of your wardrobe. I'd actually recommend going into physical stores, you'll get much better deals for off-the-rack stuff. For example, my local J Crew has much deeper discounts than the online store - they had a final sale event about 6 weeks ago with an additional 30% off all sale.
 

whatever123

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Originally Posted by voyaging
I am only 18 and am buying some new clothes for winter, where should I shop for decent-quality clothes with good value? I will probably be shopping online, due to lack of nearby stores (I live in Cleveland). I've had lots of recommendations for Topman, Zara, and Uniqlo. Where would you get your clothes if you were on a tight budget and starting from scratch? Obviously casual wear, I am still in high school.

wal-mart has a new batman collection?
 

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