Who makes and where to buy nice quality wool trousers

[Mathew J]

Curious as to what brands and also which stores sell nice quality wool dress trousers, I was hoping to spend less than $100 a pair if possible but it seems like everything I see in that price range isn't highly regarded as "decent"...I tried buying a few in the Macys near me but they didn't fit right (Lauren and Nautica) so I returned them, but in looking at others it seems there is either cheap or very expensive with little inbetween. I also tried shopping the Nordstrom's rack and the Filenes basement here and again came up with nothing in all wool.

Also I am a bigger guy, so I am interested in pants that are not slim fit and also which have pleats...

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[binge]

If you have time and effort to expend, there are a number of options for finding inexpensive but decent-to-better quality wool trousers.

Nordstrom Rack is certainly hit-or-miss, but I've had some success at the one here in San Francisco. Back in the spring of this year I found 2 pair of wool trousers by Riveria on sale for something like $50 each. I also found a pair by Berle for about the same price if not slightly less. All three are pleated and not slim-fit, the Berle being fuller than the Riviera.

Pictures:
Riviera 1
Riviera 2
Berle

I like the Riveria pants more than the Berle and will definitely look for more from Riviera on future trips to the Rack.

I also have a number of wool trousers from Corbin at Sierra Trading Post. Timing my purchase to their sales and stacking coupons, I've gotten them as low as $40/pair. They usually carry both flat-front and pleated. I've found the pleated to be vanity sized by about 2", meaning I buy their Corbins 2" smaller than I normally wear. With STP's great return policy, you can order 4 pairs of trousers, 2 different styles in 2 different sizes, keep the one(s) you like and return the rest. One word of caution, I have found that one model shown on the STP site can result in slightly different models of pants. For example, I ordered a group of 3 pants of ostensibly the same model but in different colors and when they arrived, they were slightly different models from the manufacturer. Sure they were the wool, pleated and the correct color, but the inner tags indicated different models and the cuts were ever-so-slightly different. Ultimately they all fit, so this minor variation wasn't a problem for me. YMMV.

You might also get really lucky and score some very nice trousers at steep discount from Ralph Lauren. In the post-new-year sale of 2008 I found a pair of blarcoal wool flannel RLBL made-in-Italy pants marked down to $98. I'll be keeping my eye out for similar sales this year.

 

[Mathew J]

Thanks, I will be honest in saying that I don't really like Nordstrom Rack type places as I have to seemingly pick through things to find anything of interest, and would prefer just going to a store which has a standard stock.

Also and likewise I am not too big on buying pants online unless I can try them on first somehow.

And for Ralph Lauren, any suggestion on where those might be sold or are you referring to the actual polo store? thanks

 

[binge]

There's a Ralph Lauren Polo store here in San Francisco. I've also seen Polo "shops" in department stores such as Bloomingdales.

Have you considered Brooks Brothers? They have frequent sales which might bring the price down close enough to your range to make it worth it.

If you update your profile with your location, forum members there or with knowledge of it might be able to give more specific advice.

 

[Mathew J]

Thanks, I updated my profile with my location information, fwiw I am in MA. I was hoping to get something soon but if waiting for brooks is worth it then so be it....

Thanks

 

[KObalto]

I know you said you weren't big on discount stores but the Filene's here recently had some beautiful made in Italy RL Polos in worsted, gabardine and tweed, some pleated, for $100 (retail $300).

 

[johnny_flapjack]

• You can get Riviera pants at STP.com as well
  
• I like the fit of RL Polo pants and I've scored a few of them at really good prices on ebay - again, you'd have to know your size to be confident in ordering them online
  
• I was at a brooks brothers outlet store over the weekend and they had mainline brooks slacks in a nice wool twill for something like $120/pr or 2 for $180
  
• Last time I was at Nord Rack they had a large lot of Loro Piana flat front pants ( I know that's not what you are after, but...) for about $90 a pair - all the nice basic solids in sort of a charcoalish fabric. I'm waiting for them to go on sale so I can grab green/brown/tan/grey
  
• If you have a Nieman Marcus Last Call they just had a blowout sale and you might be able to score something there.

 

[valuehunter]

bonobos isn't cheaper than $100, but you can get 20% by googling bonobos + coupon and their wool **** is sick. i have a pair of the pure cashmere and their grey wool also, i went to their Hq once and bought a pair of hemmed pants for cheap, maybe if you email them they could hook you up

 

[pscolari]

Saks in Copley had some Zanella marked down to $109 in their current sale. I was there a week ago so I don't know if there are any left. I also received a flyer in the mail for a private sale at Bloomingdale's which may have started in the last day or so, they might have some things in that range. If you head out that way, you might want to swing by the Filene's Basement in Newton if you haven't done so already. The other option I can think of if you want to buy from B&M is to maybe head to the Brooks Brothers outlet in Wrentham.

I think of those three ideas, Brooks Brothers outlet might be the best.

 

[hangthree]

J. Press sell reliable quality trousers. Made in the U.S.A. for $150ish.

 

[invalid_user]

How about recommendations for non-pleated, slim fitting trousers?

 

[Mr. Moo]

Originally Posted by invalid_user

How about recommendations for non-pleated, slim fitting trousers?

+1, under 100 dollars preferably.

 

[CunningSmeagol]

Go to Second Time Around or The Closet on Newbury if you don't mind wearing used pants.

Actually I have a pair of pants from there that were virtually unworn - Luciano Barbera birdseye for like 80 bucks. Fit perfectly. Just make sure anything you buy from those places is in super-mint condition.

 

[Mathew J]

Originally Posted by RunningBeagle

Go to Second Time Around or The Closet on Newbury if you don't mind wearing used pants.

Actually I have a pair of pants from there that were virtually unworn - Luciano Barbera birdseye for like 80 bucks. Fit perfectly. Just make sure anything you buy from those places is in super-mint condition.

Hmm not too keen on used pants...

I will consider brooks outlet, though a bit of a drive just for pants. Thanks all.

 

[CunningSmeagol]

Originally Posted by Mathew J

I will consider brooks outlet, though a bit of a drive just for pants. Thanks all.

The Brooks stuff at the outlet isn't all that great, but there are lots of good stores there so make a trip out of it and look around Polo, Saks off 5th, Barneys etc. Big place, pretty impressive, though no Woodbury.