Inexpensive Dress/ Business Shirts Non Iron

[furious1]

Fit is probably worth dicussing. Regardless of price. I like that old school BB balloon fit in the right context, with the right suit.

brother. I'm on the athletic side (certainly of the average American, and may as well be Don Draper in my new state of Arkansas) but I'll never buy anything other than the traditional fit BB. Just like I continue to buy their boxers, which have been declining in quality since the early 90s, because I want my boys swaddled in oodles of fabric. Are mens clothes the opposite of women's hem lines? Seems that now that the economy is bad, fits are getting all skinny, trim, and body hugging. Whereas wisdom is that hem lines go down in recessions.

And, to contribute to the body of this thread, cheap shirts are cheap. Jos. A. Bank depresses me, it smells like Men's Warehouse. Save up for at least Land's End or L.L. Bean, or better yet the BB sales where I believe you get 3 non-iron for $159. They are about $80 each normally. The regular oxfords are a bit cheaper. I have problems with the quality of BB but the shirts are serviceable and about the best you'll get without jumping into a significantly different price point. There are also a number of bespoke makers out there doing online business that I've heard of but not tried who seem reasonable (sub $100/shirt). I'd be interested in those who have to hear recommendations.

 

[The Knize]

Apparently I need to stay off this thread!

Did I mention that the BB 346 shirts they sell at BB outlets seem to be garbage?

 

[rosborne]

I am in agreement with Jakespoppy on the Jos A Bank shirts. The Traveller collection is a pretty good value in no iron shirts and they are on sale all the time.

+1. JAB Traveler. Only buy them on sale. I beleive the Wall Street Journal had an article rating them the best buy on non-iron shirts for quality, lasting ability and price. I have a few and love them.

As for teh JC Pennys shirts mentioned, I have had a couple of them and I'm moving away from them. Sizing is inconsistent (sometime severely) and some of the light colors can be seen through.

 

[Cuttingboard]

Apparently I need to stay off this thread!

Did I mention that the BB 346 shirts they sell at BB outlets seem to be garbage?

They are made for the outlet store and you are correct!!

 

[Suzuki]

They are made for the outlet store and you are correct!!

Yup - its sad to see a brand cheapen itself this way.

In fact almost everyting in the outlet stores is the lower-level 346 line - its almost misleading as you're not buying the company's regular quality merchandise at the "outlet" store, but rather junk that's outlet store only grade.

 

[Cuttingboard]

Yup - its sad to see a brand cheapen itself this way.

In fact almost everyting in the outlet stores is the lower-level 346 line - its almost misleading as you're not buying the company's regular quality merchandise at the "outlet" store, but rather junk that's outlet store only grade.

True...I've gone a couple times and have found BB regular merchandise mixed in with the 346 line but not often. Mostly men's pants and sportcoats.

 

[The Knize]

Yup - its sad to see a brand cheapen itself this way.

In fact almost everyting in the outlet stores is the lower-level 346 line - its almost misleading as you're not buying the company's regular quality merchandise at the "outlet" store, but rather junk that's outlet store only grade.

Cheapen itself it right. I do not even go into the B&B outlet much, or I guess any outlet stores unless Syms and Filene's count. I suppose I have noticed re 346 that sometimes the ties are decent. And sometimes they are not.

 

[truegreen]

For those recommending the JC Penney Stafford oxford shirts, and also the Lands End, how is the fit? I'm looking for a "slimmer" fit, but not a slim fit. I'm not a skinny guy by any means, but even on me, the Brooks Bros regular fit shirts are like balloons.

Btw - I prefer button down collars for business casual, and point collar to wear with suits. Never took a liking to spread collars. I also prefer 100% cotton, don't care for the sheen on the poly blends.

Lands End have a slightly trimmer version, I can not recall what it is called but they don't call it slim fit for sure. They are about 1 inch each side narrower than the regular fit. You might like them. Their regular is balloon like BB.

 

[Doc4]

Yup - its sad to see a brand cheapen itself this way.

Well, not to totally off-track this thread, but ...

... the one bright spot for me in terms of BB products is the Peal & Co. shoes, made for them by Alfred Sargent and (a few models) by Crockett & Jones ... both high-end Northampton (England) shoemakers. When the go on sale at 40% off, it's rather appealing.

 

[jakespoppy]

The bright spot for me at BB Outlet stores is they have store-wide sales fairly regularly, and their colognes go on sale then, too. This include Brooks Brothers 1818, one of my favs, and Royall Spyce, Muske, Bay Rum, Mandarin Orange and Lyme. They don't carry Royall Vetiver, for some reason.

 

[The Knize]

Well, not to totally off-track this thread, but ...

... the one bright spot for me in terms of BB products is the Peal & Co. shoes, made for them by Alfred Sargent and (a few models) by Crockett & Jones ... both high-end Northampton (England) shoemakers. When the go on sale at 40% off, it's rather appealing.

Is that at the outlets or the regular BB stores? If at the BB outlets, I am going to have to pay more attention to them. I have really stopped even sticking my head into the BB outlets.

The sales at the regular BB stores seem good. When BB scents go on sale, the discount is very nice.

 

[npsarros]

+1. JAB Traveler. Only buy them on sale. I beleive the Wall Street Journal had an article rating them the best buy on non-iron shirts for quality, lasting ability and price. I have a few and love them.

As for teh JC Pennys shirts mentioned, I have had a couple of them and I'm moving away from them. Sizing is inconsistent (sometime severely) and some of the light colors can be seen through.

I have to disagree with the WSJ. I found the traveler shirt to all start to wear out at the sleeves awfully fast, and even on sale the shirts a $40... you can do better at feilenes...

I used to by the travellers exclusivly.. Now I go to Feilen's and see what is available in Non iron... and just stock up!!

 

[Doc4]

Is that at the outlets or the regular BB stores? If at the BB outlets, I am going to have to pay more attention to them. I have really stopped even sticking my head into the BB outlets.

The sales at the regular BB stores seem good. When BB scents go on sale, the discount it very nice.

I shop at the Internet store, so can't say if the Peals trickle down into the outlets at all.

 

[The Knize]

I shop at the Internet store, so can't say if the Peals trickle down into the outlets at all.

Thanks. I doubt whether they make it to the outlet stores. Which is fine by me. I will have to keep a closer eye on the advertised sales and on what is on line. The DC BB store is very near my office and is a really nice one.

 

[Cuttingboard]

Thanks. I doubt whether they make it to the outlet stores. Which is fine by me. I will have to keep a closer eye on the advertised sales and on what is on line. The DC BB store is very near my office and is a really nice one.

I visit them all the time!!

 

[ryan020406]

I have always had good luck with Van Huesen shirts. They are reasonably priced and you can find them all over. They stay pretty wrinkle free with just a touch up with the iron.

Ryan

 

[The Knize]

I visit them all the time!!

RE: BB outlet stores

My college age son, who dresses a lot better than I do, tells me he stopped in some BB outlet store on the way back from Myrtle beach, and they had some regular BB labelled stuff.

That is the way the Burberry outlets used to be except they did not even have a special brand for the outlet only Burberry stuff. But if you asked the store clerk they would usually tell you what was outlet only and what was Burberry stock as appears in regular Burberry stores. The label for the latter was somewhat more elaborate.

The Burberry outlets seem to have really slipped. Burberry has not come up here. I have not had a new Burberry shirts in a log time, but have liked their regular store brand. Not cheap. (Their outlet only shirts not so good. If I recall the double cuffs were extremely tight.)

Their regular suits seem to hold up well, and their standard sillouette (sp?) used to be a great fit on me. I am probably too fat now! Again, very dear and perhaps a bit stylish for some.

I should have said, too, that while I like Thomas Pink shirts, there seems to be some on the various "syle" fora who think they are not good quality, especially for the money.

I have ordered Brit shirts from overseas, but the fit is pretty tight on me, and the sleeves seem to come in only one length, a little long for me, which does not look great and causes the front edges of the cuff to become unduly soiled over the course of a day. Not that expensive to have them shortened, I guess, but I am lazy, and coupled with a tight fit and the expense, why bother?

 

[Doc4]

Thanks. I doubt whether they make it to the outlet stores. Which is fine by me. I will have to keep a closer eye on the advertised sales and on what is on line. The DC BB store is very near my office and is a really nice one.

Just mind the sizing. They are English shoes but made to US sizing standards, but ... they are made by two different companies on several different lasts, so ... while a given size of one shoe may fit you fine, you may need a half-size difference on a different shoe.

But being close to an actual B&M, you can try them on in person, and then wait for a sale.

 

[Samurai-5]

I have always had good luck with Van Huesen shirts. They are reasonably priced and you can find them all over. They stay pretty wrinkle free with just a touch up with the iron.

Ryan

^ This!

 

[The Knize]

Just mind the sizing. They are English shoes but made to US sizing standards, but ... they are made by two different companies on several different lasts, so ... while a given size of one shoe may fit you fine, you may need a half-size difference on a different shoe.

But being close to an actual B&M, you can try them on in person, and then wait for a sale.

<But being close to an actual B&M, you can try them on in person, and then wait for a sale.>

Great minds think alike! We are on the same page there, for sure!

<Peal & Co. shoes, made for them by Alfred Sargent and (a few models) by Crockett & Jones>

I have wanted a pair of shoes made by those guys for as long as I can remember. Any idea how they compare to what Church used to make, before Church slipped, and maybe slipped big time, in quality. Is Church even still around?