Australian Members

CHECKstar · Jan 17, 2011

To be honest a part of me, probably the boy who worked part time in retail for 6 years through high school/uni, felt a little bad about wasting the SA's time. You know a hit them for the sizing then buy online.

lachyzee · Jan 17, 2011

Can anyone recommend somewhere to get shoes topy-d in the Melb conservative business dress? Took one pair into Evans in Bourke St mall and they charged $60 which I think is at least twice what I should be paying...

fxh · Jan 17, 2011

Originally Posted by Sesame Seed

You’re a knowledgeable guy, why didn’t you just engage the SA in conversation about the Church’s? They’ll know you mean business. Better yet, call them out on it next time.

Yup - call them out and assert your right to have them help you get your size right so you can buy online.

I'd assume they know thats what people do nowadays and their diffidence wasn't about how you are dressed. They had you sussed.

Surprisingly I've know people who originally intended to buy things online who after trying things on in store felt they didn't mind paying extra for service etc. My bike shop guy has the attitude that you can't stop people buying online so he says hes happy to install/fit stuff bought online.

__PG__ · Jan 17, 2011

The franchise cobbler on Collins St (near King St) charges me $40 IIRC. He does a pretty good job.

jobro · Jan 17, 2011

Has anyone tried By Nicholas?

Axel Ferguson · Jan 17, 2011

Originally Posted by fxh

Surprisingly I've know people who originally intended to buy things online who after trying things on in store felt they didn't mind paying extra for service etc. My bike shop guy has the attitude that you can't stop people buying online so he says hes happy to install/fit stuff bought online.

The issue seems to be that when it comes to English shoes and Australian prices that had better be some damn good service, seeing as it comes at a bit of a premium.

TheWraith · Jan 17, 2011

Originally Posted by jobro

Has anyone tried By Nicholas?

The dinner jacket picture on their website leaves me underwhelmed

Henry Carter · Jan 17, 2011

Yes that dinner suit is rather awful actually. Horrid bunching in the sleeves, poorly fused lapels and really bad shirt collar, and that's after a 2 second look....

cold war painter · Jan 17, 2011

Originally Posted by Journeyman

The decline of Country Road is very sad.

I had quite a lot of CR stuff throughout the 1990s, up to when they switched manufacturing to China in the late 1990s.

I appreciate PG, fxh & others' point that quality isn't necessarily related to what the "made in .." label says, but CR did seem to take a dive in quality around the late 90s after I moved o/s. I used to pick up a few things from them on visits home but eventually had trouble finding anything worth buying.

Originally Posted by CHECKstar

What are their footwear like?

Awful, at least the pair of chukkas I had from them were unwearable after a week or so and had to be tossed.

Prince of Paisley · Jan 17, 2011

Originally Posted by fxh

Thats what the Harvey Normans want - to punish customers by making it so bloody ridiculous to shop online that you can only be bothered doing it in OZ.

Oh I agree - that's exactly what they are trying to do. It's not about principle and level playing fields, that's just the rhetoric. They are trying to have implemented what is, in effect, a proxy trade barrier... indeed, there could be a challenge to the legitimacy of imposing such a system at the WTO level, as NZ did recently against Australia for banning NZ apple imports because of 'quarantine concerns'... certainly if some of the larger online retailers feel the market here is lucrative enough they may think about legal action to test the waters...

Anyway, let's hope it doesn't come to that by making sure we drive home to our elected leaders just how unpopular a move it would be.

Prince of Paisley · Jan 17, 2011

Originally Posted by jobro

Has anyone tried By Nicholas?
I like the testimonial from the Australian kickboxing champ... "now not only do I fight like a champion I look like one too."

ryanohare · Jan 18, 2011

Originally Posted by Sator

Just catching up with this thread since returning from NYC.

I must say hello to Ethan one of these days and see how he is going. I hope he finds a place where his talents are put to good use and he is justly rewarded for his abilities.

Sorry for the necroquotation but I couldn't help but notice this post:

BTW JCrew stuff is pretty atrocious. You would be laughed at by the Americans on this forum for lamenting their absence. My first encounter was in Boston when I walked into their store mistaking it for a JPress. I was horrified. Then some American on this forum pointed out my error. This time I checked out both the JCrew and JPress stores in NYC. JCrew remain awful but I wasn't too impressed by the dull conservativeness of JPress either.

You know, as for Country Rd their current stuff looks like it is made in the same Chinese factory as JCrew. There was time when CR stuff was made in Oz and was really well made. I found an old 1980s CR shirt in my GF's wardrobe and was amazed at how well made it was. It still looked new.

A lady at the 6th Ave Brooks Brother's store (next to the Radio City Music Hall) asked me about CR and she said that in the old days her two favourites stores were CR and BB. In those days (1980s), these two firms really made nice stuff - made in the US and Oz respectively.

Other than that, I know too much about cut and construction for my own good these days. I can dissect a garment with my eyes. It totally takes the Romance out of it. I go through high end stuff on 5th and Madison shaking my head in disgust, or worse merely react with cold and objective indifference.

Sator - I'm going to NYC in 2 weeks myself. Got any decent reccomendations beyond the usual Century 21 etc etc hype?

I've got about $1200-1500 to invest in a new suit, and am loathe to start a new post on this site asking for suggestions only to inevitably get 4 million Americans giving me all sorts of ridiculous ideas.

Cheers.

Geoffrey Firmin · Jan 18, 2011

Originally Posted by Axel Ferguson

The issue seems to be that when it comes to English shoes and Australian prices that had better be some damn good service, seeing as it comes at a bit of a premium.

I had a look at the Church shoes at Henry Bucks in Sydney and after buying off Herrings I would not bother with them there, at least a 300% plus mark up and as for service I bought a tie on sale and the fool of a shop assistant charged me full price for it. FTFAJ

The Ernesto · Jan 18, 2011

Dunno if people have heard this. A man who knew his pants...

jas0nt · Jan 18, 2011

Originally Posted by Axel Ferguson

The issue seems to be that when it comes to English shoes and Australian prices that had better be some damn good service, seeing as it comes at a bit of a premium.

Agreed. Saw Loake shoes (not 1880's) sell at DJs for twice the price of some 1880's online.

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