The Choosy Beggar

In a depressing turn of events, Albo momentarily resigns himself to a life mediocrity with a trip to Syms. [NY Times]

What does he turn up? Miles of “marked-down cubicle-wear,” too faux leather, too blocky shapes, “goofy weekend-dad outfits” interspersed with “wacky standouts,” … Pretty much what you’d expect from a retailer that caters to guys who a) are not inspired by clothes, or b) are not aware that clothes can inspire. (Neither cardinal sins, by the way.) Borrowing a slogan from another agent of averageness, could a Syms shopper like the way he looks? With the right direction and expert tailoring, sure. But he most likely doesn’t care. (Again, not a criminal offense.)

At the risk of sounding naive, we do take issue with Albo’s implication that finances alone determine a man’s exterior. There are just as many poorly dressed millionaires as dapper bohemians in this world, which leads us to believe that one’s “relationship” with clothing — both emotional and functional — and “sense” of style matter a great deal.

There’s also the matter of a patient, educated consumer — something that, despite its own slogan’s claim, we don’t image most Syms customers to be. Indeed, as we attempt to regularly demonstrate, knowing when and where to execute purchases can make all the difference.

Esquire breaks down salesmen into four species — the “owner,” the “lifer,” the “after-schooler,” and the “retiree” — each of which should be approached and utilized differently.

The magazine has also assembled a list of the country’s best men’s shops — many of which, not surprisingly, can be found right here in the city.

The Times (of London, not New York) reports on high-end retailers and their efforts to keep sales under wraps. [Times Online]

Not a big surprise, and perfectly understandable. Discounts devalue a brand’s image, even though they generate necessary revenue. The trick for retailers, therefore, is attracting (discount) shoppers without drawing too much attention. The practice creates a cat and mouse game that we’re plenty familiar with, and is sure to continue for years to come. We do wonder some days whether we — and other sale sites — are more of an annoyance or an asset to retailers in the process of unloading merch at a discount. We get feedback that skews both ways. At the end of day, though, it doesn’t much matter seeing as how we exist to serve consumers, not retailers.

Warning: Having caught so much flack for its unrestrained discounting last year, Saks is hoping to reintroduce a “full-price mentality” among consumers this holiday season. Analysts, however, seriously doubt whether Saks will stick to its guns when its competitors start getting sale-happy.

One rival in particular is expected to cause trouble for Saks: “Big bets on holiday inventory by Bloomingdale’s will likely force continued discounts through early next year,” one source tells The Post. [NY Post]

We, for one, don’t think Saks — or the brands it’s trying to appease — understand just how much the Web is affecting the marketplace. Along with the success of designer discount sites like Gilt.com, specialized e-tailers (most of which we list on the left) are multiplying like mad, and obviously resorting to price-reductions to compete.

Thoreson and Peskowitz lay down their wish lists for the fall… No surprises… Not that we really like surprises.