The Choosy Beggar

We just dropped by Uniqlo’s 36,000-square-foot, tri-level Global flagship store in SoHo. You know Uniqlo — The Japanese-owned retailer of poor-quality — what we like to call “disposable” — apparel in the same league as Old Navy, Gap, and H&M. 

Looking beyond the Terry Richardson-shot ad campaigns, and Wakamaru — the store’s humanoid robot greeter — Uniqlo’s disposables do appeal to us more than its rival’s. Even more than Americans and Scandinavians, it seems, the Japanese can mass-produce some nice crap.

Perhaps our favorite piece, behold this bulky fleece full zip jacket for $20 – 

We wouldn’t expect this down to get us up Mt. Everest, but its pitch-perfect color and feel make it well worth $90 –  

We’ll also take a few of these fleece “bonding” jackets for $20 – 

And maybe a single-breasted trench coat for $80 – 

Bye-bye, Wakamaru-son! See you next time!

Through the 24th, downtown atelier-cum-vintage car refuge Groupe Seize sur Vingt is taking 25% off “most” sweaters, neckties, suits, jackets, coats and pants, along with “some” shirts. 

Groupe Seize sur Vingt – 267 Elizabeth St between E Houston & Prince – 212-343-0007 – Map

One of our favorite vintage shops, Eleven is now taking 20% off its well-edited and reasonably-priced wares, most of which are our only physical connection to the wars, expeditions, and sporting pastimes of generations past.  

Eleven – 15 Prince St at Elizabeth – 212-334-5334 – Map

Get over (up, down, whatever) to Ludlow Street for THE CAST’s holiday sale going on today and tomorrow. We have to warn you, the gear ain’t cheap, but it’s by far some of the baddest men’s wear on the market today. (Denim isn’t really marked down at about $150)

Vintage wool fedoras for $70 –  

SOLID Pea’s for $500 –

LUSH leathers for $800 – 

The Cut – 119 Ludlow St between Rivington & Delancey – Lower level (in the ground) – 212-228-2020 – 11am-8pm daily – Map