Office clothes thread

[Matty81]

If you work in an office what brands/stores are your go to for slacks/shirts/shoes?

My work is kind of in the middle of the spectrum as far as dressiness, suits never really necessary unless it's a board meeting or something, tie for a meeting with an outside dpt, otherwise dress shirt or polo and slacks is the norm. Mostly just grab stuff from gap/banana republic as their medium slim fit dress shirts fit me perfectly and they both have regular sales. Also I am too lazy to do a ton of shopping and they are easy.

I find all my jeans at home are super comfy these days, have a few pairs (sevens, matix, volcom, etc) and they all have poly or some other stretchy fabric built in so they feel almost like wearing sweats but look like jeans, never pinch the waist at all but fit well.

My work pants on the other hand... suck. Don't even come near them for comfort. Stiff crappy materials, waist bands are always rock hard, etc. Granted I live in Kelowna so I don't have the options everybody in Calgary has but I do come over quite often... anybody has any recommendations on the pants front?

[sun]

What material are your work pants? Poly? Sound awful. Stick with 100% wool or I guess cotton chinos if you can get away with it. Stay away from non-iron fabric. Get slim (not skinny) pants, and hem them properly and you'll probably look better than most in your office. Go with grey if you're going the wool trousers route.

Banana Republic is pretty meh stuff, but like you said, pickings are likely slim in Kelowna, and it's really not too bad as long as everything fits. Don't pay full retail though. Maybe check out Brooks Brothers next time you're in Calgary or Vancouver. Club Monaco and J crew alright options too on the more casual side of the spectrum.

Don't let your undershirt collar peek out of your shirt collar, don't wear a tie without a jacket, make sure everything fits, and you'll be on your way.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Yellow short sleeve dress shirt.

A timeless look.

[Regulator75]

Don't let Peter12 convince you to drop a mortgage payment or ten on new shoes and shirts.

[red sky]

Good timing to ask this question. Maxwell clothiers will be here later this month. You can get 3 tailored shirts for $150 plus GST and duty. It turns out to $62 a shirt for something custom fitted. Take a look at their site.

[Boblobla]

I try and load up on clothes whenever I am in the states. Outlet malls are awesome. There is usually a Brooks Brothers outlet where ever I go and they are awesome.

[worth]

http://epauletnewyork.com/

[Northendzone]

in before this thread turns into a train wrreck......

try looking at the bay. i have bought a couple of pairs of slacks that are made of coolmax (or some other light breathable fabric), they are pretty comfortable. i'd also recommend moores.

Otherwise, I have a mix of dockers, button down shirts, golf shirts etc

[me_dennis]

if you like banana republic shirts, goto crossiron mall next time you're in calgary, and check out their outlet store. They regularly have sales and you can sometimes pick up a shirt for 30 bucks.

For pants/slacks, I like pants from Calvin Klein and Zara. They both fit slimmer than BR pants (which I find are too baggy in the crotch/butt area). Crossiron also has a Calvin Klein outlet.

[onetwo_threefour]

I swear by my Dockers, Perry Ellis, and Alberto (much more expensive) five pocket flat front pants. Similar dress code and these pants are perfect for it. I hate both pleats and side pockets. These have jean style pockets but in dressier material and colours. They are iron-free but unlike the crappy iron-free stuff from Marks etc., they hold up well. I've got a over a half-dozen pairs I've been wearing for upwards of two years and they don't really show any signs of wear at all. Sometimes find them at Winners, but usually at Sears (for the Dockers), on sale around $50. Alberto I've only found at O'Connor's and those are in the $200+ range, but are a bit nicer fit. (not enough difference to justify the cost IMO, but I do have a couple of pairs as they have more colour choices.)

[Rudee]

"slacks"? I haven't heard that term used in a long long time.

[edmontonice]

I have bigger legs that rub together when I walk and have destroyed many a nice pair of pants in my day. The quality doesn't seem to matter.

Banana republic has a fit that I like (modern) but I really don't like paying 130+ for a pair of pants that will only last me a year being worn 1-2x a week.

Any similar experiences/advice?

[Kybosh]

I hate buying dress pants, but seriously try the Brooks Brothers shirts. I buy all my shirts from the Brooks Brothers outlets and they are simply the best quality shirts you can buy at a fairly reasonable price.

[peter12]

You can easily compile a decent wardrobe by using a tailor, and buying stuff on sale at places like J.Crew, CM, and Brooks. Boxing Day sales are a great time to load up on special items.

[peter12]

Also, probably the best place to find dress shirts that have a good price/quality ratio.
http://www.tmlewin.com/

For pants, Howard Yount (http://www.howardyount.com) is one of the better online places to go.



Also, Lands End makes nice office stuff at very affordable prices.
https://www.landsend.com/

[troutman]

Next time you are in the USA:

At a Van Huesen store in Phoenix, I got 4 dress shirts, two ties and two dress pants, all for under $200.

EDIT: An outlet store opened at Cross Iron Mills in Sept:

http://www.crossironmills.com/shoppi...t-coming-soon/

http://www.modernsocialite.com/2012/10/6509/

http://en.over-blog.com/A_review_of_...art240409.html

[peter12]

Troutman is a lawyer, and he shops at Van Heusen. Jeezus.

[Tyler]

Banana Republic has a 30% or a 40% email coupon out nearly every other day. You should never have to pay sticker price for their clothes.

Don't buy clothes at their outlet stores. They subcontract to even crappier distributors and the quality is garbage. Outlets as a whole are a huge racket and people get conned into thinking they're actually getting the same quality of materials as the parent stores.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by peter12

Troutman is a lawyer, and he shops at Van Heusen. Jeezus.

Well, I haven't been to court in a long time.

I've been told it is good bang for the buck, but I take it you do not approve? Is it not "middle of the spectrum"?

I don't know if the crazy USA prices would be available here.

Consumer Reports Wrinkle-Free Shirt Tests Reveals Expensive Shirts Aren't Always Better
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-relea...-54395812.html

[peter12]

Originally Posted by troutman

Well, I haven't been to court in a long time.

I've been told it is good bang for the buck, but I take it you do not approve? Is it not "middle of the spectrum"?

I don't know if the crazy USA prices would be available here.

I have to keep up appearances, obviously.

But seriously, it's not that I don't approve, I don't care how anyone dresses. I do think that, in an economic sense, places like Van Heusen just don't have the quality to justify even the low prices.