other brands cut/fit like BR?

hello all, this is my first post but i've been lurking for a while.

i'm 5'9" 145 lbs so most anything i get anywhere other than BR never seems to fit well. i will get things altered but most of the time, but i'm much happier if i can find something that fits off the rack.

that's where i get stuck with BR. i can walk in and pull a size small shirt and a pair of pants (30/30 slim fit) and know that while the colors and styles are a bit on the conservative side, they'll fit every time.

i've already purchased some items from BR and i really like the fits.

shirts : collars and sleeves always dead on. perfect fit to the torso.

pants: the rise, hip room, thighs, and leg openings are always spot on.


the problem is that i've been having a tough time finding other brands cut like the BR stuff. typically i have fit issues with anything with a high rise, relaxed fit, loose fit, or boot cut. i'm just not built to fill out these cuts.

while i don't mind BR (i like that they are modern but not so modern that they can't be used everyday) i don't want to own 15 pairs of chinos/kakis all a slight shade off from eachother.

i AM a details guy so i understand how details can dress a pair of pants up or down but i'm also a bit realistic...a pair of tan pants always looks the same from about 10 feet away.

so.....i'm really just posting to ask if anyone knows, of other brands, who offer cuts, and fits, like banana republic.

Zara and H&M have slim fitting clothing and the prices should be within the same range as B&R, as should the quality. If you want to go up in price, many of the Italian brands discussed here make slim fitting pants, shirts (Barba, Incotex, Borrelli). Ralph Lauren also has some slim cut clothes in his lineup.

Originally Posted by edmorel

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Zara and H&M have slim fitting clothing and the prices should be within the same range as B&R.

Are they Banana and Republic now?

edmorel....thanks....that's exactly what i was looking for.

Theory is also similar, and seems to be widely available at a discount. And some K*nneth C*le clothing (NOT the shoes) is decent on sale. Always check the content tags though, he likes to use lots of petrochem in the clothes.

j....the petrochem is one reason i wasn't draw to KC.


et al.....on a slight side note. is it me or do the BR suits seem a little too low quality for the asking price? they certainly don't feel like they have a decent thread count.

anyone here have an opinion about them?

salbass -- great name. love the seinfeld reference.

i am 5'9" 150 lbs and for me, anything that's not in the BR slim fit or modern lines is far too baggy. BR has definitely been steering toward the slimmer fits although if you check out zara and h&m, or on the higher end something like RL custom fit, theory, john varatos, you'll probably realize that BR is not as slim fit as you used to think.

is it just me or does KC make anything thats not poly-blend or without a sheen? stay away from KC unless you need to fight medusa any time soon.

edit: as for BR suits, i have a few. they were outlet purchases in the $100-150 range. regular price $395 for jacket and $150 for the trousers. they now have slim fit suits but their regular jacket and trousers would be far too sack-like for you, as they are for me. like you said, at retail price the quality is not on par to what you can get elsewhere. even at $150 i've found better suits at marshalls and nordsrack.

Most things at BR are a fair deal only if on sale. I wouldn't shop the outlets but I suppose they don't bother making tailored clothing specifically for the outlets so the suits are a safe bet there.

Benetton/Sisley.

Banana Republic went to vanity sizing for both men and women three or four years ago. Generally this means that your size will be too big on you so you need to go smaller than what you would normally wear.

For example, I'm a large in shirts, but at Banana I'm swimming in their L's so I have to wear a medium.

Their pants don't have the same problem.

Originally Posted by Roy Biggins

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Benetton/Sisley.

Benetton is the most stupid fashion brand ever....

Originally Posted by david-bowie

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Benetton is the most stupid fashion brand ever....
Why?

Originally Posted by Roy Biggins

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Why?

Materials are fake, design is annoying....Their collections are without of any connection...
Benetton is great example that marketing can sell bad product....

It's only my opinion, maybe I'm wrong....

Originally Posted by david-bowie

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Materials are fake, design is annoying....Their collections are without of any connection...
Benetton is great example that marketing can sell bad product....

It's only my opinion, maybe I'm wrong....

No, I don't think you are entirely wrong, but I do not think they are any worse than a comparable brand. The thing is, they make fitted clothing for really slim people.

As for the materials being fake, all of the items I own (except for one sweater) are made of natural fibres.

But, I'm not here to compare Benetton to other brands... I just simply suggested it because I think they are often overlooked, and have sales quite often.

Originally Posted by david-bowie

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Materials are fake, design is annoying....Their collections are without of any connection...
Benetton is great example that marketing can sell bad product....

It's only my opinion, maybe I'm wrong....

sounds like every designer brand... if all the annoying clothing in the world were to vanish, 99% of people would suddenly find themselves naked.