Dress Shirts / Business Wear

[swak]

Hey Beyond,

So for years i've been ok getting by with 4 or 5 dress shirts, now I require them for work so am trying to catch up to where most people probably are....

Where do you guys go for business/work wear and dress shirts?

I don't have the money for O'Connors or Harry Rosen, albeit they have nice stuff!

Any recommendations for nice fitting / slim fit dress shirts for everyday wear?
My good friend recommended "Hockerty" online store (seems a bit pricey though), but open to recommendations of where to buy and where to stay away from for good priced online or local shops for dress clothes.

Thanks!

[shakalaka]

Have you checked The Bay lately? They have top notch stuff...good locations that is. Very rarely do dress shirts fit me perfect off the shelf (sleeves are always short) but Boss ones do and then rest are custom. I have purchased suits from The Bay at pretty reasonable costs as well, especially during sales.

[ExtraSlow]

Whatever you do, try them on. I'm not a slim guy, but at some stores I need to get slim fit, some I need a "tall" and some I can just get regular.

I've had good luck at the bay, occasionally at marks, and a bunch of mine are from maxwell tailor.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Huey Lam. Full custom (made from a body scan taking 700 measurements). I think they are $69 a piece, which means they are more than cheap enough that you don't have to measure yourself and gamble online, or buy off-the-rack parachutes and have them darted/altered. I am 5'10" 165lbs (pretty normal - I think haha) and it is literally impossible for me to buy an off the rack shirt that fits properly and has a top button that can be done up. Especially if you like the "fitted" look, I'd just go get custom shirts, they are the same price or cheaper than a lot of off-the-rack stuff, even before alterations. Quality is excellent and you can see/touch the material before you buy.

http://www.hueylamsuits.ca/

Indochino has a store in Chinook now too but I don't know what the prices are like.

[realazy]

Banana Republic or Brooks Brothers are my go to. Brooks Brothers have gotten more expensive compared to before though when the exchange rate was better.

On average if you wait for sales, ~$50-60 a shirt at Banana, and $80 at shirt a Brooks.

[lasimmon]

For plain dress shirts for work I just buy when the style that fits me are on sale at The Bay. Just go in and try on a bunch till you find what fits you and then buy them when on sale.

[swak]

Huey Lam. Full custom (made from a body scan taking 700 measurements). I think they are $69 a piece, which means they are more than cheap enough that you don't have to measure yourself and gamble online, or buy off-the-rack parachutes and have them darted/altered. I am 5'10" 165lbs (pretty normal - I think haha) and it is literally impossible for me to buy an off the rack shirt that fits properly and has a top button that can be done up. Especially if you like the "fitted" look, I'd just go get custom shirts, they are the same price or cheaper than a lot of off-the-rack stuff, even before alterations. Quality is excellent and you can see/touch the material before you buy.

http://www.hueylamsuits.ca/



Exactly my problem. The shirts that fit me in slim fit, are a 14" neck, but i'm a 15.5/16 depending on shirt and all those shirts are parachutes on me. Can't win. These guys seem pretty sweet though! Will check them out, thanks!

.. and been to the Bay lately a lot too, again same fitting problem, but great sales!!

[tonytiger55]

I get mine from the UK. Marks and Spencer..

http://www.marksandspencer.com/ca/homepage

[Mitsu3000gt]

Exactly my problem. The shirts that fit me in slim fit, are a 14" neck, but i'm a 15.5/16 depending on shirt and all those shirts are parachutes on me. Can't win. These guys seem pretty sweet though! Will check them out, thanks!

.. and been to the Bay lately a lot too, again same fitting problem, but great sales!!

Yup - that is the issue. You need to buy a 14-15" neck to get a shirt that even remotely fits, and then you can't do up the button. My neck is 16.5" and those "slim fit" and "modern fit" or "euro fit" shirts are all parachutes, and even look bad after darting because the shoulder seams are halfway down your bicep. Custom is the way to go, and it won't cost you any extra. It's a no-brainier in my opinion. It would be different if there was some sort of massive cost disparity between custom and the rack, but there is usually none at all.

Huey is on 14th st and 15 ave SW, just north of the McDonalds on 17th ave. He runs a dry-cleaner out of there too so don't expect anything too special as far as the storefront goes, but he's great. Call ahead you need an appointment for a body scan (doesn't take long though). He takes a body scan and then confirms with a tape measure, then ads/subtracts based on your personal preference for fit. Alterations after the fact are free as well if needed.

[swak]

Sounds perfect! There doesn't need to be a crystal chandelier in the store for me to be happy happy haha.
So long as he does good work and has good product, i'll be a happy camper! I've sent him an e-mail, looking forward!

[flipstah]

Nothing feels better than a well-tailored shirt. Good luck!

OTR sucks unless you don't plan to button the neck. I fit in Medium but my neck is considered a Large FUUU.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Sounds perfect! There doesn't need to be a crystal chandelier in the store for me to be happy happy haha.
So long as he does good work and has good product, i'll be a happy camper! I've sent him an e-mail, looking forward!

One thing - I did have to call as they never returned my email. Maybe I did something wrong on the email application though. Might be fastest to call.

[roopi]

40%-50% off at Banana Republic today for Friends/Family event. Sign up online to get the 50% instead of the 40%.

[shakalaka]

Nothing feels better than a well-tailored shirt. Good luck!

OTR sucks unless you don't plan to button the neck. I fit in Medium but my neck is considered a Large FUUU.

Haha I never button my neck. Even in court. Just can't handle the constriction, guess something to do with improper sizing. That Huey Lam sounds like a good option especially if they only like $70 a pop as that's cheaper than my Boss shirts.

[ExtraSlow]

Get the custom tailored ones and have them make it a half inch loose.

[killramos]

Have you checked The Bay lately? They have top notch stuff...good locations that is. Very rarely do dress shirts fit me perfect off the shelf (sleeves are always short) but Boss ones do and then rest are custom. I have purchased suits from The Bay at pretty reasonable costs as well, especially during sales.

+1 on the Boss shirts, I only have a couple but they are the only shirts I own that I look decent in. But I am so cheap when it comes to clothes I get a crazy case of sticker shock... I save them for days I know I am in meetings with clients and go with the sloppy shirts that don't fit when I am just grinding on the computer...

Not buttoning up not an option for me so I am very careful on my neck sizes.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[shakalaka]

killramos

I have been able to get a few my Boss ones at dirty shirt sale at Henry Singer and the sale that Harry Rosen does for $70 or so a piece. Not bad all things considering.

[killramos]

70 for those shirts is a great deal. Not so much at close to 200.

I was hoping to get some deals down in SF a couple weeks ago but instead Nordstrom down there had the same shirts for the same sticker prices as Canada but in USD. No thanks...

I will take a look at HR, might have to hold my nose while I am in there but worth it to get the shirts I like.

[shakalaka]

Yea those sale prices are rare and not super common (I think it was around Christmas). I saw them and picked up like 3-4 shirts. I think typically the dirty shirt sale at Henry Singer for Boss starts at $120 which isn't great but better than regular for sure.

[canadian_hustla]

Banana Republic or Brooks Brothers are my go to. Brooks Brothers have gotten more expensive compared to before though when the exchange rate was better.

On average if you wait for sales, ~$50-60 a shirt at Banana, and $80 at shirt a Brooks.

Haha yeah i miss buying brooks brothers shirts for $25/$30 a shirt. I must have bought 50 of them over the various sales. The new pricing ($100) is just not worth it. I donated 40 of them to charity and kept my good ones

A bunch of people mentioned boss. I bought the slim line (red label), which fit awesome until i washed them and hung to dry which they say you can do. The sleeves shrunk by an inch or so, which makes them pretty much useless. I.e. 34 sleeves with shrink to 33. The sales guys say that they wont shrink, but its a lie lol.

Back to brooks brothers, i now spend $15 to dart them. Not perfect but not a parachute. Interested in other opinions

[R-Audi]

I buy most my shirts at the Bay... spend some time finding what fits the best and wait for online sales. The shirts that fit me the best are often on sale for ~$40.

Ive also got a few smoking deals on suits there as well, as there are usually a few higher end suits that are on large discount. ($1,200--> $400) Even if they dont fit you can return to the store without question.

[swak]

A bunch of people mentioned boss. I bought the slim line (red label), which fit awesome until i washed them and hung to dry which they say you can do. The sleeves shrunk by an inch or so, which makes them pretty much useless. I.e. 34 sleeves with shrink to 33. The sales guys say that they wont shrink, but its a lie lol.



I have a couple Boss shirts, unsure of the line, red label or whatever... but they're boss. I just bought a sport coat at H.Rosen because I couldn't find one I liked anywhere else, and also picked up a boss shirt. To the contrary, the sales lady said that Boss always shrinks haha

[asp integra]

Huey Lam. Full custom (made from a body scan taking 700 measurements). I think they are $69 a piece, which means they are more than cheap enough that you don't have to measure yourself and gamble online, or buy off-the-rack parachutes and have them darted/altered. I am 5'10" 165lbs (pretty normal - I think haha) and it is literally impossible for me to buy an off the rack shirt that fits properly and has a top button that can be done up. Especially if you like the "fitted" look, I'd just go get custom shirts, they are the same price or cheaper than a lot of off-the-rack stuff, even before alterations. Quality is excellent and you can see/touch the material before you buy.

http://www.hueylamsuits.ca/

Indochino has a store in Chinook now too but I don't know what the prices are like.

+1 for Huey, ordered a bunch of suits for friends weddings over the years. Just got a brand new one a month or so ago. Very nice stuff

[killramos]

Never had issues with my boss shirts, sleeve and shirt lengths are all great which is what I like the most about them. Easy enough to find shirts that fit across the chest its getting the length and sleeves right that fucks me up every time.

I even machine dry them lol idgaf.

I have a boss peacoat as well that has served me very well but it was pretty rich for my blood.

[Buster]

If you can justify the bump from Boss to Eton, it's worth it.

[Mitsu3000gt]

I don't understand the rationale behind buying expensive brand-name off the rack shirts when you can get full custom with the same or better quality for so much less. Am I missing something?

A friend of mine is obsessed with Eton, I think they are $200+ at Holt. The quality is exactly the same as a $70 custom shirt, and he still has to pay to have them altered. He's had the elbows blow out on him a few times now too.

The way I see it, I don't know how you can trump full custom, so I just don't see the value in buying the super expensive off the rack stuff.

[killramos]

I don't understand the rationale behind buying expensive brand-name off the rack shirts when you can get full custom with the same or better quality for so much less. Am I missing something?

A friend of mine is obsessed with Eton, I think they are $200+ at Holt. The quality is exactly the same as a $70 custom shirt, and he still has to pay to have them altered. He's had the elbows blow out on him a few times now too.

The way I see it, I don't know how you can trump full custom, so I just don't see the value in buying the super expensive off the rack stuff.

Because custom fit made like crap is still made like crap? I have never bought into the Indochino thing for this reason, was not all that impressed personally when i went to check out their boutique. The whole warranty thing is useless to me as well because i don't have time to ship my suits back to them 3 times to get them right like I have heard so many have to do.

If you can find a good quality off the rack that fits you well why go through the hassle of custom? Unfortunately I just don't like the price of the ones I like. Such is life.


If you can justify the bump from Boss to Eton, it's worth it.

I have one great Eton shirt that I love, but it's set for french cuff's so it is relegated to special occasions. Have only worn it a handful of times.

[flipstah]

Selection of material does make a difference. Custom shirt that feels like it's made of tablecloths would be terrible.

[Buster]

I don't understand the rationale behind buying expensive brand-name off the rack shirts when you can get full custom with the same or better quality for so much less. Am I missing something?

A friend of mine is obsessed with Eton, I think they are $200+ at Holt. The quality is exactly the same as a $70 custom shirt, and he still has to pay to have them altered. He's had the elbows blow out on him a few times now too.

The way I see it, I don't know how you can trump full custom, so I just don't see the value in buying the super expensive off the rack stuff.

I haven't seen a custom $70 shirt that is equivalent in terms of quality. I've seen lots of $70 shirts that CLAIM to be of equivalent quality. But that's a bit different. But I suppose that depends on your definition of quality.

With a company like Eton (there are others), you are also paying for design...which is an intangible and certainly can't be replicated by a custom shirt.

Does this all add up to being worth a couple of hundred more for an Eton shirt? That's up to you.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Because custom fit made like crap is still made like crap? I have never bought into the Indochino thing for this reason, was not all that impressed personally when i went to check out their boutique. The whole warranty thing is useless to me as well because i don't have time to ship my suits back to them 3 times to get them right like I have heard so many have to do.

If you can find a good quality off the rack that fits you well why go through the hassle of custom? Unfortunately I just don't like the price of the ones I like. Such is life.



I have one great Eton shirt that I love, but it's set for french cuff's so it is relegated to special occasions. Have only worn it a handful of times.

Nobody is talking about Indochino, so I'm not sure what you're talking about there. You can touch and feel the material before you buy custom, so you can pick whatever you want. I've compared my shirts to Eton and I literally see no difference when looking at material quality, stitching, buttons, etc. Only difference that I've been able to see is the fit is better and it's ~1/3 the price.

The plain white Eton shirt I tried on at Holt for a wedding was probably the thinnest fabric I've ever seen on a shirt.

You pick the style and fabric (cuffs, collar, etc.), so you should be able to mimic anything you see on a rack shirt. If they don't have patterns you like then I guess that's another matter, but even a lot of those are the same or similar in addition to all the solid colors.

[killramos]

Indochino is just an example that gets thrown around a lot, even by you. Calm down.

I agree with Buster that there is quite a bit more to a nice shirt than the fabric and overall measurements. If you don't think so, well good for you?

You can get Nappa leather in a Kia, even shape it the same way, but I don't believe for a minute the seats are anywhere as nice as the one's in my Mercedes. :dunno:

[Buster]

Imma start wearing a timex. Quality of time keeping is just the same and costs pennies on the dollar

[A790]

Imma start wearing a timex. Quality of time keeping is just the same and costs pennies on the dollar

Timex is a great watch brand that has as a long and interesting history. https://watchesyoucanafford.com/timex-the-story-history-behind-an-american-watchmaking-icon/

[Buster]

Timex is a great watch brand that has as a long and interesting history. https://watchesyoucanafford.com/timex-the-story-history-behind-an-american-watchmaking-icon/

That's why I picked it.

[flipstah]

Bwhahaha nice cheap plug, A790.

[sabad66]

Like others have mentioned, Banana Republic... get on their mailing list then stock up during the 50% f&f event (4 times per year). Good for day to day.

That said, i have a few nicer shirts from Supreme Menswear (4th ave dt across from Shell Centre). Right now they have a promotion going on where 2nd item is free so basically you can get into some high end shirts for 50% off. They have this brand called Elite and i think they are regular price around $160, so with this deal you can get 2 for the same price. Really nice quality shirts and they will even tailor them for you for free. Would highly suggest checking them out... their sales staff also don't work on commission so it's no pressure.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Indochino is just an example that gets thrown around a lot, even by you. Calm down.

I agree with Buster that there is quite a bit more to a nice shirt than the fabric and overall measurements. If you don't think so, well good for you?

You can get Nappa leather in a Kia, even shape it the same way, but I don't believe for a minute the seats are anywhere as nice as the one's in my Mercedes. :dunno:

I definitely agree that there is a lot more to a good shirt than fabric and measurements. Besides the fit (nothing off the rack fits my very normal body), that is the main reason I switched to custom shirts. I am able to make the smaller details just how I want them.

I'm genuinely curious why people are buying $250+ shirts off the rack and getting them altered instead of going custom, because you can spend the same on a custom shirt from a high-end place in Calgary if you still want $250 shirts. The place I use now is Huey Lam, and you can go and check out dozens of fabrics to see the quality or thickness before you order - there are no surprises. You don't send anything away if you don't like it, they fix it locally. And like I said, the one white Eton shirt I tried on was the thinnest fabric I have ever seen on a dress shirt - there was nothing quality about it. My friend has a closet full of Eton (some with blown elbows because the material was so thin), we compared them to some of my nicer shirts and neither of us could tell a difference when scrutinizing stitching, seams, buttons, etc. - he buys everything custom now.

Regarding styling or design, you can pick all of that with a custom shirt (buttons, cuffs, pocket, collar, cut, etc.) so you can make it look similar to an Eton if you want. You could probably even bring them an Eton shirt and have them copy all the design elements.

I guess what I am really trying to ask is, all else being equal, would you still choose to buy off the rack rather than full custom? I am not judging, I am genuinely curious. If they have a specific fabric or pattern that you love that you can't find anywhere else then that's totally reasonable. Or maybe you don't want to wait 3 weeks for your clothes and need something right away which is very understandable. Or maybe you just like the staff and shopping experience at Holt. Or maybe they use some anti-wrinkle technology or something cool like that I am not aware of.



Imma start wearing a timex. Quality of time keeping is just the same and costs pennies on the dollar

Your analogy only works if with a Timex, you could also pick the quality and style of the components both inside and out, and still have it cost the same or less than a Rolex from the display case. The disadvantages being it doesn't say Rolex on it, you don't buy it from a fancy store, and you have to wait 3 weeks to get it.

[flipstah]

Diff'rent strokes, man.

[Buster]

I definitely agree that there is a lot more to a good shirt than fabric and measurements. Besides the fit (nothing off the rack fits my very normal body), that is the main reason I switched to custom shirts. I am able to make the smaller details just how I want them.

I'm genuinely curious why people are buying $250+ shirts off the rack and getting them altered instead of going custom, because you can spend the same on a custom shirt from a high-end place in Calgary if you still want $250 shirts. The place I use now is Huey Lam, and you can go and check out dozens of fabrics to see the quality or thickness before you order - there are no surprises. You don't send anything away if you don't like it, they fix it locally. And like I said, the one white Eton shirt I tried on was the thinnest fabric I have ever seen on a dress shirt - there was nothing quality about it. My friend has a closet full of Eton (some with blown elbows because the material was so thin), we compared them to some of my nicer shirts and neither of us could tell a difference when scrutinizing stitching, seams, buttons, etc. - he buys everything custom now.

Regarding styling or design, you can pick all of that with a custom shirt (buttons, cuffs, pocket, collar, cut, etc.) so you can make it look similar to an Eton if you want. You could probably even bring them an Eton shirt and have them copy all the design elements.

I guess what I am really trying to ask is, all else being equal, would you still choose to buy off the rack rather than full custom? I am not judging, I am genuinely curious. If they have a specific fabric or pattern that you love that you can't find anywhere else then that's totally reasonable. Or maybe you don't want to wait 3 weeks for your clothes and need something right away which is very understandable. Or maybe you just like the staff and shopping experience at Holt. Or maybe they use some anti-wrinkle technology or something cool like that I am not aware of.




Your analogy only works if with a Timex, you could also pick the quality and style of the components both inside and out, and still have it cost the same or less than a Rolex from the display case. The disadvantages being it doesn't say Rolex on it, you don't buy it from a fancy store, and you have to wait 3 weeks to get it.

Lots of expensive watches use the same ETA movements as a lot of cheaper watches. Why do people buy the more expensive ones?

[canadian_hustla]

I have a couple Boss shirts, unsure of the line, red label or whatever... but they're boss. I just bought a sport coat at H.Rosen because I couldn't find one I liked anywhere else, and also picked up a boss shirt. To the contrary, the sales lady said that Boss always shrinks haha

Lol - i stand corrected. I bought 5 boss shirts and every single one of them shrunk. I love how they are slim fit, but the shrinking sleeves is certainly a deal breaker for me. When you include that most boss shirts have to be ironed/pressed, seems like poor value for a $150 shirt

Brooks brothers quality is far superior. Even if its the '356' outlet brand

[BokCh0y]

I usually get my shirts from Banana Republic, but not BR factory outlet - the outlet stuff is super cheap. Anyway yeah, the regular BR store for all my dress shirts. Great material and quality, a bit pricey at $95/shirt, but wait for sales. Only shitty thing I noticed with BR the past few years is the cut of their shirts is really tailored now, and since I started doing my masters, I just haven't had time to hit the gym so slim fit shit from BR doesn't fit me that well. They used to carry classic fit which was a tad tailored but they've gone the full skinny fit look so no more of those shirts. But yeah, I'd check them out.

And thanks for the heads up on the Huey Lam suits and shirts, I'm gonna give them a try.

+1 for pear shape haha.

[dj_rice]

Does Moores still do their BOGO deals anymore? When they had their deals, the shirts were $99/each

Last time I went they had a Buy 1 Get 1 Half off. But the shirts have been jacked up to $119/each now. And no, I'm a big boned fella, can't go to The Bay, my shirts ain't cheap. I've tried George Richards Big and Tall and their shirts were same price as well but no BOGOs

Need more shirts for work. I've been rotating between the 3 I have.

[dtrieu]

I agree with Mitsu3000 - I'd way rather buy a custom shirt than an off the rack shirt for 3x more and have to get it altered. That's just silly.

[schurchill39]

My vote is for the bay or Express. My most comfortable off the rack shirts are from express but definitely try them on because I find their fits different across shirts. For example I have about 5 "slim fit" shirts but only two actually fit me now and the others have gotten way to tight.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[Mitsu3000gt]

Lots of expensive watches use the same ETA movements as a lot of cheaper watches. Why do people buy the more expensive ones?

Regarding the analogy, I didn't say movements - I said all of the components both inside an out, both from a quality and a style standpoint. That would be the movement plus everything else, leaving only the brand name and the price to differentiate, as well as store overhead, which brings the analogy in line with the shirt debate.

Anyways this isn't going anywhere and nobody has answered my question so it doesn't really matter. Clearly there are many different opinions this and nobody actually cares what other people buy haha.

[suntan]

I usually get my shirts from Banana Republic, but not BR factory outlet - the outlet stuff is super cheap. Anyway yeah, the regular BR store for all my dress shirts. Great material and quality, a bit pricey at $95/shirt, but wait for sales. Only shitty thing I noticed with BR the past few years is the cut of their shirts is really tailored now, and since I started doing my masters, I just haven't had time to hit the gym so slim fit shit from BR doesn't fit me that well. They used to carry classic fit which was a tad tailored but they've gone the full skinny fit look so no more of those shirts. But yeah, I'd check them out.

And thanks for the heads up on the Huey Lam suits and shirts, I'm gonna give them a try.

+1 for pear shape haha.Jesus, I find even the newer BR slim fit to be like a parachute on me.

Their "slim fit" pants are the only ones of theirs that don't look like flood pants on me.

[ickyflex]

I honestly think it just comes down to preference and time commitment.

Do you dress up your shirt to be something else or if you can spend 2 minutes and just buy it do you just buy it.

I have a mix of both and I love the idea of a custom made shirt, but I also love having some simple shirts bought from the store.

Most of my customs are from special occasions, which to me I like for sentimental value haha. Everything else i buy from store.

[max_boost]

Banana Republic works for me however dress to impress for the job you want. :dunno:

[ExtraSlow]

I'm the best dressed dude in the car wash with my marks work wearhouse shirts and dockers.

[jaylo]

The Bay is where its at with off the rack and the fitment is pretty good with these brands unless your body is odd then go custom:

Shirts
Look for dress shirts with elasthane, spandex, wrinkle-free, and modern fit (Kenneth Cole Reaction, Lauren Green, Perry Ellis Portfolio).
Find out your neck size and arm length, for example, 15/32-33 15cm neck circumference, arm length 32-33 cm. Bigger neck means wider shoulder and torso fitment.

Pants
For dress pants, just look for "Slim fit stretch" as well with added elasthane or spandex for added comfort.

socks
Calvin Klein Tech Cool Striped Socks the best comfortable dress socks at the moment, in my opinion.

shoes
Rockport Shoes very comfortable and high quality, sometimes 40% off


There is really no need to spend 2X for custom items that would last 2-3 years.

Bay Days is on mid-October and mid-April, 40% off or more on dress shirts, etc...

[jaylo]

Also, I forgot to add to dry clean only your favorite dress shirts and dress pants. $3 a shirt and $8 a pant can go a long way on keeping your items in pristine and crisp condition. It offsets the cost of buying a new one as to less wear and tear.

Dress to impress, sloppy collar and wrinkled shirt does not impress anyone.

Pants should be hemmed correctly at proper "business" length. Too short's too edgy and too long is sloppy.

[killramos]

Do people seriously buy dry clean only shirts? That seems like some baller ass shit if you are wearing them every day...

One of my favorite things to do is toss my shirts in on a 10 minute steam cycle in the dryer when I get home from work. Take a shit then, immediately hang and ready to go for next occasion. Wash after maybe 3-4 wear's with this method.

Assuming they aren't actually visibly dirty obviously.

Shirts always worn with an undershirt to keep them fresher.

[R-Audi]

I like the fitment of the Sondergraad shirts at the Bay... the prices start at $75 but go on sale quite often, as low as $30. (Some right now) Some materials arent the softest, but decent patterns and they fit me well.

Worth mentioning, I find my more expensive shirts (Boss, Ted Baker etc) wrinkle faster and way more... so I have to dryclean them more often.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[flipstah]

Also, I forgot to add to dry clean only your favorite dress shirts and dress pants. $3 a shirt and $8 a pant can go a long way on keeping your items in pristine and crisp condition. It offsets the cost of buying a new one as to less wear and tear.

Dress to impress, sloppy collar and wrinkled shirt does not impress anyone.

Pants should be hemmed correctly at proper "business" length. Too short's too edgy and too long is sloppy.

Fuck, there goes my capris.

[suntan]

Also, I forgot to add to dry clean only your favorite dress shirts and dress pants. $3 a shirt and $8 a pant can go a long way on keeping your items in pristine and crisp condition. It offsets the cost of buying a new one as to less wear and tear.

Dress to impress, sloppy collar and wrinkled shirt does not impress anyone.

Pants should be hemmed correctly at proper "business" length. Too short's too edgy and too long is sloppy.
Unless you're explicitly telling the dry cleaner to dry clean your shirts, they're laundering them.

Source: My parents own a dry cleaners.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Unless you're explicitly telling the dry cleaner to dry clean your shirts, they're laundering them.

Source: My parents own a dry cleaners.

You might know the answer to a question I have then - do you know any drycleaning places in town that use liquid CO2 instead of perc?

[suntan]

You might know the answer to a question I have then - do you know any drycleaning places in town that use liquid CO2 instead of perc?

My parents switched years ago (even before any mandate - the Korean dry cleaning mafia pitched it as something that would bring in more customers) but their store is in LA.

No idea about Calgary, sorry.

- - - Updated - - -

And you're all fucking amateurs:

https://www.farfetch.com/ca/shopping/men/kiton-striped-shirt-item-12311046.aspx?storeid=9610&from=1

[Buster]

hhhnngggg Kiton.

[nismodrifter]

My parents switched years ago (even before any mandate - the Korean dry cleaning mafia pitched it as something that would bring in more customers) but their store is in LA.

No idea about Calgary, sorry.

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And you're all fucking amateurs:

https://www.farfetch.com/ca/shopping/men/kiton-striped-shirt-item-12311046.aspx?storeid=9610&from=1

Well shit. With items off that website, I'd be wearing nearly $10k in clothes for basic pants/shirt/socks/shoes to walk to Shoppers Drug Mart across the street (sadly I think many of the asian high school kids in my building are probably wearing stuff from that site).

My favorite shirts are these ones from Harry Rosen.
https://www.harryrosen.com/en/clothing/dress-shirts/dress-shirts/harry-rosen/slim-fit-twill-dress-shirt/p/51211077

I picked up a few when they were on sale for $70 each, very very nice material and have held up very well (machine washed, hang to dry of course).

Other than those, I also regularly wear Banana Republic, and a few from The Bay (CK).

I only wear pricier stuff when rocking a suit, and then always have an undershirt to prevent stains in the arm pits from deodorant.

Hell, I have a few Gap dress shirts that look and fit just as good as my Boss shirts, always get people asking "where did you get that shirt?", and they are usually $13 off the clearance rack. Have had them for years and they still look new.

Re: CK socks, garbage IMO. They are the first to get holes in them.

[jaylo]

^Cut your damn toenails, lol. That's the first culprit of having holey socks.

[jaylo]

I don't ball like 89coupe or InRich, but I like my items in pristine condition and dress for success.
Dry clean is key for most of my dress shirts and pants and have lasted at least 3 years and still looks brand new.

Don't eat bun bo hue with it though, ruined my favorite dress shirt.
Wear undershirt often so you don't get pit stains and stinky shirt.

[Buster]

Well shit. With items off that website, I'd be wearing nearly $10k in clothes for basic pants/shirt/socks/shoes to walk to Shoppers Drug Mart across the street (sadly I think many of the asian high school kids in my building are probably wearing stuff from that site).

My favorite shirts are these ones from Harry Rosen.
https://www.harryrosen.com/en/clothing/dress-shirts/dress-shirts/harry-rosen/slim-fit-twill-dress-shirt/p/51211077

I picked up a few when they were on sale for $70 each, very very nice material and have held up very well (machine washed, hang to dry of course).

Other than those, I also regularly wear Banana Republic, and a few from The Bay (CK).

I only wear pricier stuff when rocking a suit, and then always have an undershirt to prevent stains in the arm pits from deodorant.

Hell, I have a few Gap dress shirts that look and fit just as good as my Boss shirts, always get people asking "where did you get that shirt?", and they are usually $13 off the clearance rack. Have had them for years and they still look new.

Re: CK socks, garbage IMO. They are the first to get holes in them.

I one specced out a kiton suit when the rep was in town just for shits and giggles. Came out to $80k.

[swak]

I am not a fan of Boss personally, I find their materials to be not so great. They also tend to have more modern and trendy cuts, which I personally find are not as comfortable. I see them more of an entry brand for the mid-20's crowd. That said, it has been a long time since I've worn a shirt made by them too.


I don't know how you can say a $150 shirt is entry level in the grand scheme of things. But while I hate that they shrink, personally I far prefer my Boss shirts to my one Eton shirt (splurged). The Boss shirts are slimmer and I personally find they fit me way better even with darting and alterations.

The rest of what I have are BR, JCrew, etc... And always go retail. The factory stores are crap in comparison, its night and day.


CBC did a marketplace episode on Outlet stores and the quality differences. It's a really good watch if you're interested.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8cyvpJYZlk

[jaylo]

Clothes (cotton) will shrink if you wash it and tumble dry in the dryer.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[J-hop]

No sure if mentioned but I wear almost exclusively Eddie Bauer wrinkle free shirts (and pants). I buy them when the go on sale. Not super formal though but cheap, really durable and never have to iron.

[dj_rice]

Wheres the hook up for shirts for the big boned fellas??????

[swak]

Yeah 150 is sort of the mid range for sure, but I seem to recall their shirts being on the entry level side not that long ago. It could be they have an entry level line as well, I really don't know that much about the company. For some reason when I think Boss dress shirts, I think 40~70 bucks.

When they relaunched Boss Orange back in 2010, there was this sleek grey watch that really caught my eye. It looked really great in photo's, but when I finally found it in person it was made of super cheap plastic and was just junk. It has definitely had an impact on how I view the brand.

The other Boss story that comes to mind is when I first came to Calgary, my room mates friend that hung around a lot with us got a job at the Mercedes dealership (he was like 17 at the time, no idea what they had him doing there). He had to buy a suit for the job, and he managed to get a brand new entire Boss suit, shirt, and tie, for like 250$, haha. Despite being so cheap, It actually looked pretty good too, I was impressed. lol, it just occurred to me that was nearly 20 years ago... fuck I feel old these days. I could buy a pretty nice 1000sq/ft+ DT condo back then for about 200K too!

haha! You and me both. When i was in Uni. I had a Boss Orange watch, it was definitely on the cheaper end, but I actually kind of liked it. Not a watch snob either though.... but i can see where you're coming from.
I've always seen Boss clothing as another deal though. I'm a bit of a neck tie snob, and have a Boss just a straight navy blue tie i paid $150 for. I think my Canali ties are about $150ish too.
I know Boss does have different lines of shirts too though. For example picked one up for $130?ish and before buying that one put another Boss shirt back on the shelf that was "on sale" and still more than what I bought that shirt for. I didn't see or know the difference between the two, other than the one I bought was a "new arrival".
Oh well, as long as your shirt fits, is well tailored, is a nice material, and perhaps most importantly that YOU LIKE IT, who cares otherwise.

[AndyL]

Wheres the hook up for shirts for the big boned fellas??????

I agree!

I need to get wardrobe that doesn't say Carhartt or dickies apparently.

[dj_rice]

I agree!

I need to get wardrobe that doesn't say Carhartt or dickies apparently.

YEAH! I'm sick of paying $99 a shirt at Moores, especially when they don't do the BOGO anymore and now jacked the prices up to $119 a shirt and its Buy 1, Get One Half off.

I always see The Bay has shirts for sale $34.99, then I go look up the sizing and its le sigh....

[R-Audi]

Trick for the Bay: Try and find your size in store, then order online for the pattern. (Or order a few different sizes and return the rest)

[AndyL]

I'm an 18½ neck - can squeeze into an 18 but you can tell it's too small. That almost eliminates everything but big n tall store.

And I prefer Scottish sized thankyouverymuch ;)

[dj_rice]

I'm an 18½ neck - can squeeze into an 18 but you can tell it's too small. That almost eliminates everything but big n tall store.

And I prefer Scottish sized thankyouverymuch ;)

I got you beat. I'm a 21 36/37

[ExtraSlow]

Trick for the Bay: Try and find your size in store, then order online for the pattern. (Or order a few different sizes and return the rest)

Absolutely buy online. The in store experience is awful. Free returns at any location.
I usually buy a couple sizes when I'm not sure and just plan on returning whichever doesn't fit, or both if I'm not happy with it for any reason. Usually free shipping over $99 too.

[zhao]

Unless you're explicitly telling the dry cleaner to dry clean your shirts, they're laundering them.

Source: My parents own a dry cleaners.

Question about dry cleaning:

My wife dropped a few of my cotton dress shirts off at a different dry cleaners she wanted to try out (cuz it was cheaper. Fuck) to get dry cleaned, and when she picked them up they said they uh, they laundered them and light starched them.

I've always told the normal dry cleaner i use to dry clean them and now:

1) I tried them on and they instantly wrinkle, arms, front, etc, literally looks like I slept in the shirt after just buttoning it up and sitting down. grabbed one of my other shirts that i've worn 2-3 times and is ready to go for dry cleaning and not a wrinkle in it.
2) necks seems tighter now, to the point they're kinda annoying. arms and cuffs and all that feel and look ok still for all though so not sure if they shrunk for sure.

-Do you know wtf is up with the super wrinkle prone shirts now?
-If I take them to my normal dry cleaner should be ok for not wrinkling?
-As for the tighter neck, googefu on styleforum, those guys claim most dry cleaners just launder cotton shirts anyway when they people say dry clean, so u think these things have always been laundered and the shrinkage is in my head? Or do you think they lightly shrunk by being laundered for the first time here?

[bjstare]

Bumping this thread. I'm looking to get a few tailor-made shirts. Any recommendations for where to go and when there might be sales? I've bought from indochino before (shirt fit great, suit fit mostly good), but none of the other places that have popped up. I'm not super fussed about price, but I also am not about to go buy a closet full of Eton shirts.

Second question - any updates on experiences with Huey Lam? Do they do shirts or just suits?

[killramos]

I’m sure many on here disagree but I am pretty dissapointed with my indochino shirts. Fit was fine but the fabric leaves much to be desired, one tore right in the small of my back after 3 wears, and I have found them very difficult to keep crisp.

Better off buying from Banana Republic. Still love my boss shirts, just not the price for a closet full. Eton is also great but I only have a couple for special occasions.

[ExtraSlow]

I have always been happy with Maxwell's. I didn't like my indochino experience.

[Hallowed_point]

The Bay/Winners if it's not on sale for $29-$39 I don't buy it. My dress shirts get too beat up to spend more.

[ExtraSlow]

Marks actually has some decent patterned shirts too. I've had compliments on mine from there.

[BavarianBeast]

O’Connor’s does a great job.

[jake1er]

Proper Cloth has really impressed me. Usually shirts are ~200CAD each but they last a long time. I bought a couple from Indochino last summer and I've gotten rid of all three because they are showing wear. The fit on Proper Cloth is leagues better than my Indochino shirts. I had to go through four remakes because I'm picky as fuck though. They had no problem doing it each time though free of charge - minus shipping. Customer service was top notch and the fit advice and adjustment recommendations I received were excellent. These Merino shirts are money. They come out of the dryer on low after 10 mins completely wrinkle free but don't have the typical non-iron finish and feel. https://propercloth.com/merino-shirts

PM Me if you want a $20 off referral code.

[bjstare]

Proper Cloth has really impressed me. Usually shirts are ~200CAD each but they last a long time. I bought a couple from Indochino last summer and I've gotten rid of all three because they are showing wear. The fit on Proper Cloth is leagues better than my Indochino shirts. I had to go through four remakes because I'm picky as fuck though. They had no problem doing it each time though free of charge - minus shipping. Customer service was top notch and the fit advice and adjustment recommendations I received were excellent. These Merino shirts are money. They come out of the dryer on low after 10 mins completely wrinkle free but don't have the typical non-iron finish and feel. https://propercloth.com/merino-shirts

PM Me if you want a $20 off referral code.

Did you do this while in NY, or all over internet/mail? I'm thinking about getting them to make a shirt based on me measuring one of mine, I actually really like that idea. I hate how with most MTM places you have to take your own measurements and just trust someone to make a garment that fits based off of that... much more comfortable having them essentially clone a shirt I already have that fits perfect.

[jake1er]

Did you do this while in NY, or all over internet/mail? I'm thinking about getting them to make a shirt based on me measuring one of mine, I actually really like that idea. I hate how with most MTM places you have to take your own measurements and just trust someone to make a garment that fits based off of that... much more comfortable having them essentially clone a shirt I already have that fits perfect.

My wife measured me at home in Calgary. I’m pretty sure you can just ship them a shirt you like the fit of as well and they duplicate it.

[ExtraSlow]

See this is what I like about maxwell. A real tailor measures you in person. And if you want it a hair bigger in one area (or smaller) you can talk to the guy in person and explain.

Never had a bad fitting from maxwell.

[LilDrunkenSmurf]

Can't you get fitted/measured at the indochino store in Chinook?

[jake1er]

I wouldn’t expect four remakes to be the norm. I always have issues with needing multiple adjustments with MTM. Even when measured locally. I just have a weird body and high expectations. For my wedding my buddies all had bang on fits first time and I needed several adjustments.

[bjstare]

Can't you get fitted/measured at the indochino store in Chinook?

You can. I'm considering rolling the dice with a couple shirts from them. They have a sale right now (not that I'd buy their stuff at regular price since there's always sales).

[colinxx235]

You can. I'm considering rolling the dice with a couple shirts from them. They have a sale right now (not that I'd buy their stuff at regular price since there's always sales).

If you give me a couple days I can comment on the incochino fit. I tried them the first time (went 2 weekends ago). Got 3 pants and 3 shirts fitted for probably the price of 1/1 of Boss which is usually my closet. Thought I would see if for the savings it was worth it. Otherwise yahhh, usually Rosen Boss shirts tailored is what I always did in the past. I find they last a longgg time and fabric is great.

[flipstah]

I've bought Indochino shirts when they first came out. The fabric is similar to placemat feel and the fabric today at Chinook mall is the same as before.

I think it's worth more buying one or two quality shirts (Eton is decent) and getting complimentary alterations from Nordstrom or Harry Rosen. I have a bunch of Eton shirts and they're worth the price.

If you take into account alteration costs on a shirt, the unit price is reasonable as doing alterations yourself is challenging.

If you really want to save cash, outsource the fabric yourself; find a tailor here; done. You're basically doing the legwork that you're paying Indochino for.

LilDrunkenSmurf: Yes, you can get measured at the Chinook location.

Made to Measure shirts can start from $40-60/shirt
Alterations can be $25-35 depending if you want it darted or actually cut; sleeve shortening is about $20

It's rare to get something fitting off-the-rack and if you can, good job! You beat the system.

If you a buy a shirt new, ask for alteration credits. Club Monaco does it if you ask the right salesperson; Not sure about Banana Republic or Brooks Brothers.

[NissanFanBoy]

Thankfully I'm only required to wear a tucked in dress shirt plus tie every once in a while for my job.

I have wide shoulders and chest, small waist and short arms lol... The best fitting dress shirt off the rack without alterations I've recently discovered is the Le Chateau athletic fit dress shirt, the sleeves are almost perfect too, also the Calvin Klein outlet has "short" fit for their suit jackets. Bought one there and the sleeves are only slightly too long (just a tiny bit past my wrist), but still able to be altered as if it's too long it can't.

[npham]

My Indochino shirts didn't fit great, and the materials were so so. Now that there's an actual store I might try them again, but I sent my suit, shirts and pants back. It was way more than a little tailoring to make it fit. Best MTM shirts I've had made were from Harry Rosen, but it wasn't cheap.

Also, Banana is a solid choice. Wait for 50% off sales and for 40-50 bucks, that's hard to beat value wise. Even if you need to tailor them a bit, 20 bucks or so, it's going to be cheaper than a lot of MTM options.

[ercchry]

I really like proper cloth’s site and all the little custom details... haven’t purchased anything yet though as I rarely need anything fancy these days...

Scotch and soda’s L fits me like a glove though! Just need to wear an undershirt as those shirts are hell on the nipples :rofl:

[Impreza]

I think it's worth more buying one or two quality shirts (Eton is decent) and getting complimentary alterations from Nordstrom or Harry Rosen. I have a bunch of Eton shirts and they're worth the price.

Eton is well beyond "decent". Nothing really compares. The quality is outstanding and the fabric really holds it shape well and doesnt wrinkle much even after a full day of wearing it in the office. They're expensive so it is tough to have a closet full of them, but they are well worth the price if you want to keep a few in your closet for special occasions. The problem I have with cheaper shirts that are made to measure is that even though the fit is great, the fabric quality usually isn't up to par and the shirt looks doesn't look or feel good when you wear it. Normally, I would be fine with the shirt just looking "ok" as long as the fit is good, but a lot of these made to measure shirts really arent even that "cheap".

[gqmw]

Eton is well beyond "decent". Nothing really compares. The quality is outstanding and the fabric really holds it shape well and doesnt wrinkle much even after a full day of wearing it in the office. They're expensive so it is tough to have a closet full of them, but they are well worth the price if you want to keep a few in your closet for special occasions. The problem I have with cheaper shirts that are made to measure is that even though the fit is great, the fabric quality usually isn't up to par and the shirt looks doesn't look or feel good when you wear it. Normally, I would be fine with the shirt just looking "ok" as long as the fit is good, but a lot of these made to measure shirts really arent even that "cheap".

I love Eton, but another "cheaper" alternative is Charles Tyrwhitt for off the rack - I think they're still great quality and there's plenty of sales so you can get them for a fairly good price. Cheaper in London and the US probably, but still decently priced.

[bjstare]

I love Eton, but another "cheaper" alternative is Charles Tyrwhitt for off the rack - I think they're still great quality and there's plenty of sales so you can get them for a fairly good price. Cheaper in London and the US probably, but still decently priced.

Interesting. They have some decent deals on now (or so it seems, not sure how often their stuff is discounted). Do you have any experience with fit?

Thinking about ordering a few shirts from them, then just returning (or altering them) depending on fit.

[gqmw]

Interesting. They have some decent deals on now (or so it seems, not sure how often their stuff is discounted). Do you have any experience with fit?

Thinking about ordering a few shirts from them, then just returning (or altering them) depending on fit.

If you you're in decent shape and your arms have some muscle, you're likely slim fit. If you're in good shape and your arms are slim then you might be able to fit extra/super slim fit. I would imagine majority of people would fit the slim fit quite well, super slim fit was quite tight on the arms for me.