The Choosy Beggar

Since the Monday before last, GQ‘s been doling out the “affordable style” secrets. Required reading all, its 9th Post (out of 10) deals with the tricky business of vintage shopping:

• Certain brands increase in value as they age: classic-era Levi’s, Vuarnet, old-school Nike, supply-store-era Abercrombie & Fitch, and The North Face.

• Leather boots, flannels, and dress shirts with monogrammed initials (that aren’t yours) are all excellent candidates for vintage.

• Western-style shirts, however, should be left behind. They’re always cut too long to be tucked in. But these days, the only guys who tuck in western shirts are professional bull riders.

Previous “Secrets”:

• Day 8 – Outlet Shopping
• Day 7 – Investing In Quality
• Day 6 – Military Surplus
• Day 5 – Warm Weather DIY
• Day 4 – Grooming Standbys
• Day 3 – Reasonable Wristwear
• Day 2.5 – Investing In Quality (Denim)
• Day 2 – Looking To The Old Man
• Day 1 – Befriending A Tailor

Speaking of struggling brands, this thread over at Sartorially Inclined suggests that Banana Republic has a major image problem. Shame. Whether or not you appreciated its take on safari chic, there was a time when BR had real character. Then, for a number of years, we could count on the brand for reasonably-priced, understated basics. At one time, it was also regarded as a solid go-to for well-cut suit jackets. More recently, BR’s higher-priced Monogram collection failed to take off (admittedly in a downmarket), while its core offerings have been overshadowed by J. Crew’s fiery revival and the success of Uniqlo. Now, judging by most of the comments over at SI, when guys see the name “Banana Republic,” they think “Blah Republic.” We’re not suggesting that BR resort to gimmickry, but the operation needs a serious a shot in the arm.

On the heels of a nasty review in The Times, Club Monaco is hosting a sample sale through Friday, 4/2, featuring shorts and shirts from $5 to $10, and similar deals. Our friends at Sugar Walk Catwalk warn that the lines are long, and many of the goods are damaged. [SWC via Racked]

Club Monaco Sample Sale – 601 W 26th St bwtn 11th & 12th Ave’s – 8th Fl, Suite 800 – Thurs 1pm-5pm, Fri 9am-12pm – Map

“I’ve reached a point where comfort is also a motivator in how I dress.”

The price is usually right at Club Monaco, but — from a quality and fit perspective — the brand often leaves much to be desired. In its suiting department, where the brand was supposed to shine this year, Times ‘Critical Shopper‘ Jon Caramanica just stumbled into a sartorial minefield.

On one model, “the collar was distractingly thin, as if it had been pulled tight with a drawstring, and the rest of the jacket felt overlong … The basic gray blazer had an uncomfortable sharkskin glow to it … Most models had crimped perforations at the rim of the lapel and collar, and these warm-weather suits had absolutely no give in the cotton, which was stiff like oak tag … Even when I found my size, I still felt as if I was wearing my father’s suit.”

A few promising pieces aside, Caramanica then basically writes off the brand as a source for “unambitious basics for the shopper who finds Banana Republic too risky.” Rough.