cheap dress pants / shirts (for men)

[dalion]

Where can you get some cheap dress pants and dress shirts?

he needs black dress pants and a bunch of different variety of dress shirts. He owns a few of each right now, and wants to get a bunch more pairs today.

Thanks.

[Tiberius]

Reasonably priced stuff can usually be found at places like Moores, Winners, etc...

Maybe you can find a warehouse type store if you really want "cheap" stuff... Liquidation outlet type places can have dirt cheap prices on shirts, etc... but cheap usually isn't the best way to go with nice clothes.. ;)

[dalion]

I tried to explain that cheap isnt always the way to go when it comes to clothes but hes fresh out of university and his response to that was "Why cut corners in certain things?
CAUSE YOU CAN"

so hes a stubborn shmuck but I loooooooovvvvveee Him :P



Reasonably priced stuff can usually be found at places like Moores, Winners, etc...

Maybe you can find a warehouse type store if you really want "cheap" stuff... Liquidation outlet type places can have dirt cheap prices on shirts, etc... but cheap usually isn't the best way to go with nice clothes.. ;)

[15-20_God]

Stitches and International Clothiers.
and Le Crapeau.

[CoinSaver]

Costco.

They have some really nice wool dress pants right now $60.
They also have a few dress shirts available.

[The Shirker]

Sears and the Bay often (once a month?) have sales on where you can get 40% off all reg. price dress shirts and ties. That puts the prices down to almost the level of Stitches. It's worth waiting for. Winners, as previously mentioned, is also a good place to look.

[dalion]

his price range is 30(max) for pants and 20 for shirts

i've suggested wal mart :P

[dalion]

there are a lot of suggestions in here thanks a lot guys!!

[JAC]

his price range is 30(max) for pants and 20 for shirts

i've suggested wal mart :P
Or Zellers, for that price. :)

[Wildfire]

Winners.

[dalion]

I didn't know zellers still existed :S


Or Zellers, for that price. :)

[me!]

value village.

[IronMac]

The important question is what job is he doing? If he is in an office where he rarely meets anyone who can make a difference in his career opportunities then go for the cheap stuff.

BUT, if he's in a situation where he is interacting with customers and higher-ups on a constant basis then get the best shirts possible! I find myself feeling embarassed by youngsters who are customer service reps wearing shirts that are obviously not fitted properly or are of poor material/quality.

[audit13]

Go for decent dress shirts. I prefer 100% cotton oxfords and pinpoint in colours that can be worn in winter and summer such as white and blue. The drawback with cotton is that they require a decent pressing to look good. I can't iron worth a damn so I send mine to the cleaners.

For dress pants, I prefer lighter weight wool that can be worn year round.

[fireguy9]

Jack Fraser in Oakville Place is renovating and all leftover stock must go,,, they had suits for $79 and up, dress pants were under $25 and shirts were I believe round $15

[dalion]

he is a clinical researcher for Sick kids hospital but goes to at least 4 meetings per day.

he also works for head quarters as a criminal profiler but sometimes his department has office functions or seminars that he needs to attend so he needs them for things like the above stated



The important question is what job is he doing? If he is in an office where he rarely meets anyone who can make a difference in his career opportunities then go for the cheap stuff.

BUT, if he's in a situation where he is interacting with customers and higher-ups on a constant basis then get the best shirts possible! I find myself feeling embarassed by youngsters who are customer service reps wearing shirts that are obviously not fitted properly or are of poor material/quality.

[dalion]

are there other locations? we'd been travelling from bloor and st george street

that suggestion sounds great i'll be sure to tell him about that


Jack Fraser in Oakville Place is renovating and all leftover stock must go,,, they had suits for $79 and up, dress pants were under $25 and shirts were I believe round $15

[corrupt123]

honestly? checkout honest eds downtown. my school is abeside, and me and ym friends went wandering around inside over lunch for kicks. they have a shitload of stuff. mad cheep too.

check it out.

*edit*

after reading what he needs it for, honest eds might not cut it. but you're only like 10 blocks away, may aswell check it out. the 2nd floor (upper) has all the clothes.

[gamovafan]

I hear Tom's Place is nice.

[danfromwaterloo]

Depends how cheap you want to go...

I personally now buy all my dress shirts from .... drum roll ... Walmart. I'd never have thought that they would have any nice stuff, but I went recently, and I got 4 new nice dress shirts (their George brand) for $9.99 each. The quality was actually really good, and it was a nice design.

Before you guys scoff at it, take a look at Walmart. I was surprised - I used to shop almost exclusively at Tommy, Zara, and the like. Go figure.

[dalion]

I told him about wal mart he says hes going to go there tonight to take a look.

I was also told there are a number of mens formal wear outlets along orfus road thats also an option

my guess is he'll more than likely find stuff at withe walmart or winners


Depends how cheap you want to go...

I personally now buy all my dress shirts from .... drum roll ... Walmart. I'd never have thought that they would have any nice stuff, but I went recently, and I got 4 new nice dress shirts (their George brand) for $9.99 each. The quality was actually really good, and it was a nice design.

Before you guys scoff at it, take a look at Walmart. I was surprised - I used to shop almost exclusively at Tommy, Zara, and the like. Go figure.

[thezone]

wow works at sick kids and looking to wear much cheaper dress shirts and pants then me wow..... Honestly go buy something nicer then walmarts the least you could do is go wait for a sale at the bay or something and buy some decent dress shirts.

[dalion]

big deal he works at sick kids and wants to buy cheaper dress shirts. He deals with parents and their kids why buy something expensive when those kids that hes dealing with will more than likely accidently stain it.

plus he just graduated from U of T with a specialists degree in criminogoly so hes still paying school off hes not rich hes a student making a living so he has to save money where he can.

but thanks for coming out


wow works at sick kids and looking to wear much cheaper dress shirts and pants then me wow..... Honestly go buy something nicer then walmarts the least you could do is go wait for a sale at the bay or something and buy some decent dress shirts.

[thezone]

big deal he works at sick kids and wants to buy cheaper dress shirts. He deals with parents and their kids why buy something expensive when those kids that hes dealing with will more than likely accidently stain it.

plus he just graduated from U of T with a specialists degree in criminogoly so hes still paying school off hes not rich hes a student making a living so he has to save money where he can.

but thanks for coming out

Ok since i wasn't too helpful i'll be more contributive. On page 12 the bay is having a sale (http://206.191.5.45/thebay/pdf_files/8-4W_ON.pdf) 40% off Perry Ellis, Dockers, Haggar and store brand i think Mantles dress pants so it works out to be a bit more than is $30 max at $38 and for dress shirts there are CK dress shirts for $30 reg at $79 or he could go with Arrow which is 50% off i think reg price of those dress shirts are $20 ish so he could ..... go splurge at the bay.

[Xtahse]

GOOD WILL!!

UB outlet has some nice shirts for $19.99 each. but it's not formal dress shirts. I mean they are more "colourful"

[fireguy9]

I only know of the Oakville place Jack fraser store,,,, as it is being renovated, so they moved all the stock to another unit and clearing it out cheap

[dalion]

thanks, thats much more helpful than your last post. I didn't even know the bay was having a sale.

if I speak to him tonight again I'll tell him about the bay sale. :)


Ok since i wasn't too helpful i'll be more contributive. On page 12 the bay is having a sale (http://206.191.5.45/thebay/pdf_files/8-4W_ON.pdf) 40% off Perry Ellis, Dockers, Haggar and store brand i think Mantles dress pants so it works out to be a bit more than is $30 max at $38 and for dress shirts there are CK dress shirts for $30 reg at $79 or he could go with Arrow which is 50% off i think reg price of those dress shirts are $20 ish so he could ..... go splurge at the bay.

[synaptech]

For the price range I would look to the Bay sale rack or Winners. I've found different Winners locations have different stock, so one Winners might have no/little selection for him while others do.

I know he's trying to be cost concious, but often his price range will be a high percentage of synthetic material which can be uncomfortable (for me anyway). I would look for as high a cotton content as possible for the shirts.

[dalion]

thats true what you said about winners. Each location has different stock I wonder why they do that any one know why?

as for cotton thats exactly what I suggested not because it could end up being uncomfortable but because my mom always told me that cotton absorbs sweat better :o|

For the price range I would look to the Bay sale rack or Winners. I've found different Winners locations have different stock, so one Winners might have no/little selection for him while others do.

I know he's trying to be cost concious, but often his price range will be a high percentage of synthetic material which can be uncomfortable (for me anyway). I would look for as high a cotton content as possible for the shirts.

[synaptech]

Arrow which is 50% off i think reg price of those dress shirts are $20 ish so he could ..... go splurge at the bay.

Arrow ain't what it used to be, but you can still get some good shirts from them.

Dan mentioned Walmart - I never would have though of there. I will take a look.

[wanted]

My dad found some at Marks Work Wearhouse, it was $10, lots of clearances there.

[dalion]

yaa danny tanner woo!!


My dad found some at Marks Work Wearhouse, it was $10, lots of clearances there.

[P__S__2]

just get some dickies....at Taz. $30

[wanted]

yaa danny tanner woo!!

call me Bob. :)

[gordholio]

The important question is what job is he doing? If he is in an office where he rarely meets anyone who can make a difference in his career opportunities then go for the cheap stuff.

BUT, if he's in a situation where he is interacting with customers and higher-ups on a constant basis then get the best shirts possible! I find myself feeling embarassed by youngsters who are customer service reps wearing shirts that are obviously not fitted properly or are of poor material/quality.

You can got the designer names (don't know if they are better quality) at Winners for a pretty cheap price. You don't have to pay $80 for a pair of dress pants or a shirt.

[GunnerX]

I make a trip once or twice a year to Niagara the falls outlets. The MEXX there has some really nice dress shirts for $20. You can definitely tell they're a lot higher quality than other places. Tristan America has some great deals now and then too.

I also make a trip to Walden Galleria once a year to get some nice pair of shoes at DSW and dress pants. I've actually bought several pairs of pants from SAM's club too. Around $20 for Liz Claireborn and Bill Blass dress pants.

[canadiantofu]

Try Walmart. They brought in a line call George and the prices pretty cheap.

[IronMac]

he is a clinical researcher for Sick kids hospital but goes to at least 4 meetings per day.

he also works for head quarters as a criminal profiler but sometimes his department has office functions or seminars that he needs to attend so he needs them for things like the above stated

In that case, I would look for shirts in the $50-$75 range. He needs stuff that's presentable, is easy to care for and fitted properly! Suggestions of Oxford shirts are good.

Seriously, you can always pick out poor quality shirts and if he needs to represent his dept at seminars he'd better not embarass them.

[IronMac]

You can got the designer names (don't know if they are better quality) at Winners for a pretty cheap price. You don't have to pay $80 for a pair of dress pants or a shirt.

I used to shop at Harry Rosen's...my shirts were up to $150 with my pants being $120. When I get a new job, I will probably go back to HR but that's because one of the district managers is my personal shopper and he picks out everything for me. :)

[dalion]

I highly doubt that the quality of ones dress shirt is cause for embarressment. Remember he'll have a suit jacket over it .

he's going to check out the stuff at wal mart this evening I just hope the shirts they have dont look like something my grandfather would wear


In that case, I would look for shirts in the $50-$75 range. He needs stuff that's presentable, is easy to care for and fitted properly! Suggestions of Oxford shirts are good.

Seriously, you can always pick out poor quality shirts and if he needs to represent his dept at seminars he'd better not embarass them.

[fireguy9]

I used to shop at Harry Rosen's...my shirts were up to $150 with my pants being $120. When I get a new job, I will probably go back to HR but that's because one of the district managers is my personal shopper and he picks out everything for me. :)


Obviously price is not a issue for you. But most people in the average to above average income can easily find HR quality or better for a way better price then that.

[taro-chan]

I highly doubt that the quality of ones dress shirt is cause for embarressment. Remember he'll have a suit jacket over it .
one can still tell the quality of dress shirts under a jacket. i'll make him bump the price range to something higher and yes, i also suggest him getting fitted shirts.

if you spent money now on good shirts, they'll last you for a while. Quality over quantity. besides, if he wants to look good, dont go cheap. it just looks odd.

i went window shopping today.. and GAP seems to have a 50% sale.. there were some dress shirts at 29.99. they look ok.

[dalion]

fitted shirts? hes not going to a club hes going to work and does not need to "show off" he'll do fine finding something within his price rage at wal mart or even winners.

as long as he looks presentable and professional.


one can still tell the quality of dress shirts under a jacket. i'll make him bump the price range to something higher and yes, i also suggest him getting fitted shirts.

if you spent money now on good shirts, they'll last you for a while. Quality over quantity. besides, if he wants to look good, dont go cheap. it just looks odd.

i went window shopping today.. and GAP seems to have a 50% sale.. there were some dress shirts at 29.99. they look ok.

[danfromwaterloo]

one can still tell the quality of dress shirts under a jacket. i'll make him bump the price range to something higher and yes, i also suggest him getting fitted shirts.

if you spent money now on good shirts, they'll last you for a while. Quality over quantity. besides, if he wants to look good, dont go cheap. it just looks odd.

i went window shopping today.. and GAP seems to have a 50% sale.. there were some dress shirts at 29.99. they look ok.

LOL...oh man, you're hilarious...

First, lets not even get into the whole "quality of dress" vs. "quality of person" that this discussion seems to be headed.

Second, the cost of one's shirt doesn't necessitate the value of that shirt. I used to buy shirts from various sources that were "high quality". Hugo Boss, Tommy, and the like. Found out that they were just as bad quality as one's bought just about anywhere. They ripped easier, they had just as many bad threads. In general, the ideal that a $50 shirt is significantly better than another shirt that is cheaper is a false premise.

Third, avoid GAP and Banana Republic at all costs. They're piles of crap. Not only is the material horrid, but its got tons of manufacturing defects, and does not hold up to wear.

Like I said before, of all the shirts I've bought in the past year, the highest quality and the best fit for me has been the George line at Walmart. I bought some Arrow shirts at the Bay, but they wore out way too easy in the washing machine. My Tommy shirts aren't dry and wear like my George/Arrow ones, so I have to iron them (DEFINITE NO). We won't even get into Hugo Boss....maybe for one of their suits, but definitely not their shirts again.

Also, you need to differentiate between Dress Dress shirts and Non-dress Dress shirts. Dress Dress are usually solid white or blue. Usually thinner material, and designed for a tie or to be worn in a suit. Non-dress are the thicker, usually with a slight pattern or stripe, that are designed to be just open necked, with no tie or jacket. In this respect, the George stuff is awesome for the non-dress dress. For the dress dress...George has shirts, but I've never tried them on, so I can't vouch for it, but it looks nice enough.

[taro-chan]

Second, the cost of one's shirt doesn't necessitate the value of that shirt. I used to buy shirts from various sources that were "high quality". Hugo Boss, Tommy, and the like. Found out that they were just as bad quality as one's bought just about anywhere. They ripped easier, they had just as many bad threads. In general, the ideal that a $50 shirt is significantly better than another shirt that is cheaper is a false premise. lol ok. You do realize there is a reason why they are more expensive. It just goes to show that you don't take care of your cloths, you wash them wrong or just dont look closer when making a purchase. Also, a $50 Tommy shirt is either from the jeans line, red label or the regular Tommy line. Go try one of their higher class line where dress shirts cost 80+.

Third, avoid GAP and Banana Republic at all costs. They're piles of crap. Not only is the material horrid, but its got tons of manufacturing defects, and does not hold up to wear. uh huh. Do you even look at the cloths when you buy them? I for one will refuse to buy clothes with a manufacturing defect. It's common sense to check the clothes and its also stupid not to.

My Tommy shirts aren't dry and wear like my George/Arrow ones, so I have to iron them (DEFINITE NO). Maybe thats why your shirts are in such poor conditions. Sorry, if you plan to wear dress shirts, learn to iron. Else go with dockers and their line.

[danfromwaterloo]

lol ok. You do realize there is a reason why they are more expensive. It just goes to show that you don't take care of your cloths, you wash them wrong or just dont look closer when making a purchase. Also, a $50 Tommy shirt is either from the jeans line, red label or the regular Tommy line. Go try one of their higher class line where dress shirts cost 80+.

Lol...yeah, the reason is so that the people who wear them can feel superior for wearing clothes that were made in the same sweatshops as the ones at Walmart. I actually do take care of my clothes....I have several dress shirts - funny enough, the one's that you deem 'cheap' - that have lasted far longer than any of my $100+ shirts. My Ralph Lauren shirts that cost me $150 years ago lasted only about 4 months - and that's by DRY CLEANING. They just weren't good shirts. Yes, I know this must be a shock to you, but $$$ != better value.

uh huh. Do you even look at the cloths when you buy them? I for one will refuse to buy clothes with a manufacturing defect. It's common sense to check the clothes and its also stupid not to.

Yes, yes I do. I inspect them for loose threads and the like. It doesn't matter that much.

Maybe thats why your shirts are in such poor conditions. Sorry, if you plan to wear dress shirts, learn to iron. Else go with dockers and their line.

Why iron? I take my $10 George shirts, which look from the outside, just as nice as my $100 shirts, I wash 'em, I dry 'em, I pull em out of the dryer, and hang em on a hangar. No wrinkles. Its exactly like ironing...except not.

Oh, and ironing actually damages your shirts, so by NOT ironing them, I can make them last longer.

I guess it really boils down to what you prefer to spend on your wardrobe. If you think the name on the clothing indicates the quality - which is most of the time the case - then sure, go with that. If you think that its the quality that's most important, go and look around, and find the best quality. But don't be surprised if its not always the most expensive shirt.

That's why Consumer Reports often has the "CR Best Buy" rating - where things are cheap, yet good.

[taro-chan]

My Ralph Lauren shirts that cost me $150 years ago lasted only about 4 months - and that's by DRY CLEANING. They just weren't good shirts. Yes, I know this must be a shock to you, but $$$ != better value.Pretty sure thats the fault of the dry cleaner. It makes no sense why a shirt would last 4 months unless you are too big for your shirt and it constantly stretches the threads.

Yes, yes I do. I inspect them for loose threads and the like. It doesn't matter that much. So if you do inspect your clothes dont complain about manufacturing defects and loose threads. They all have them. Get over it.

Why iron? I take my $10 George shirts, which look from the outside, just as nice as my $100 shirts, I wash 'em, I dry 'em, I pull em out of the dryer, and hang em on a hangar. No wrinkles. Its exactly like ironing...except not.Sorry, its not the same. The look and feel is different. Granted you can get away with hanging some dress shirts, but the feel of a freshly ironed shirt and a tumble dried then hung shirt is completely different.

Oh, and ironing actually damages your shirts, so by NOT ironing them, I can make them last longer.It will damage your shirt if you don't do it correctly. Please go read the fabric tag before ironing. Also with Dockers Stain Defenders line, it is RECOMMENDED that after every second wash, the shirt to be ironed properly in order to keep the shirt being able to defend against stains or else it would lose its effects.

[wiggy]

Sears Warehouse outlets for pants. Racks and racks of them, decent pants, marked down big time and with the occasional sale to boot. Don't like their shirts though.

Two outlets in Brampton (Queen St. either side of Rutherford Rd.), one in Rexdale (Islington and Redale), one at Dixie and the QEW. Those are the ones I know, there's probably others around.

[IronMac]

I highly doubt that the quality of ones dress shirt is cause for embarressment. Remember he'll have a suit jacket over it .

Actually, the first thing that I notice are the collars and, then, if the jacket is off, the shirtsleeves. I honestly can't tell if I only see the chest area (unless it's a shiny fabric...hehehe).

[IronMac]

fitted shirts?

Right, fitted shirts to my mind usually means tailored/bespoke custom made. He just needs someone to measure his arms and neck and he should be fine.

[IronMac]

Also, you need to differentiate between Dress Dress shirts and Non-dress Dress shirts. Dress Dress are usually solid white or blue. Usually thinner material, and designed for a tie or to be worn in a suit. Non-dress are the thicker, usually with a slight pattern or stripe, that are designed to be just open necked, with no tie or jacket.

You're talking about the difference between dress shirts and sport shirts.

[IronMac]

I actually do take care of my clothes....I have several dress shirts - funny enough, the one's that you deem 'cheap' - that have lasted far longer than any of my $100+ shirts. My Ralph Lauren shirts that cost me $150 years ago lasted only about 4 months - and that's by DRY CLEANING. They just weren't good shirts. Yes, I know this must be a shock to you, but $$$ != better value.

There's something odd here...I've got $150 shirts that have lasted four years of constant wearing and dry cleaning.

If you think that its the quality that's most important, go and look around, and find the best quality. But don't be surprised if its not always the most expensive shirt.

That's true...I buy almost all of my sport shirts from LLBean in the US. Their shirts are top quality (better than) and their prices are on par with the stuff that you can find at The Bay or Sears.

[confused]

try H&M or Zara, love their european style fit, pretty cheap too

[Raggie]

Around Christmas time, Forsyth (next to International Centre on Airport Road) has a huge sale only on men's shirts. All kinds of dress shirt and casual shirts. Good quality shirts go for as low as $5.

[gon9925]

big deal he works at sick kids and wants to buy cheaper dress shirts. He deals with parents and their kids why buy something expensive when those kids that hes dealing with will more than likely accidently stain it.

plus he just graduated from U of T with a specialists degree in criminogoly so hes still paying school off hes not rich hes a student making a living so he has to save money where he can.

but thanks for coming out

I agree that he doesn't need expensive dress shirts. No one is going to notice or care about it. I also agree with the Wal-Mart suggestion, but to also checkout Sears this weekend. They have some of their shirts at around $17 (Van Heusen) and also some cheap suits as well.

Personally, I've found that my Kenneth Cole, Liz Claiborne, Calvin Klein dress shirts become just as wrinkled as the cheap ones. No one is goign to be able to tell what brand of shirt you're wearing.

My last piece of advice is to always wear an undershirt though and make sure that is 100% cotton cause it'll absorb sweat and keep him cool. That way less chance of a big sweat stain on the actual dress shirt. Stay away from the wife beater undershirts as the straps show through and go with the V-neck style if he's not wearing a tie so the shirt doesn't show when the top 2 buttons are undone.

[gon9925]

In this respect, the George stuff is awesome for the non-dress dress. For the dress dress...George has shirts, but I've never tried them on, so I can't vouch for it, but it looks nice enough.

Thanks for the advice on the George brand, I'll have to give that a try next time I'm at Wal-Mart.

[dalion]

we heard about the sale at sears and I think he does wear undershirts already don't most guys?

hes already bought 3 dress shirts from wal mart and hes pretty impressed with the quality

so thanks to everyone who suggested that :)


I agree that he doesn't need expensive dress shirts. No one is going to notice or care about it. I also agree with the Wal-Mart suggestion, but to also checkout Sears this weekend. They have some of their shirts at around $17 (Van Heusen) and also some cheap suits as well.

Personally, I've found that my Kenneth Cole, Liz Claiborne, Calvin Klein dress shirts become just as wrinkled as the cheap ones. No one is goign to be able to tell what brand of shirt you're wearing.

My last piece of advice is to always wear an undershirt though and make sure that is 100% cotton cause it'll absorb sweat and keep him cool. That way less chance of a big sweat stain on the actual dress shirt. Stay away from the wife beater undershirts as the straps show through and go with the V-neck style if he's not wearing a tie so the shirt doesn't show when the top 2 buttons are undone.

[danfromwaterloo]

we heard about the sale at sears and I think he does wear undershirts already don't most guys?

hes already bought 3 dress shirts from wal mart and hes pretty impressed with the quality

so thanks to everyone who suggested that :)

I knew he would be. For Walmart, its very good quality. I'm the first to doubt hearing about clothing at Zellers, Walmart or the like, but I was surprised...I'm sure others will be too.

[phillbert]

go to international clotheiers for george armans, hugo bob, valentina.

[synaptech]

I checked out the George brand at Walmart. 100% cotton dress dress and casual dress shirts on sale for $14.88. Decent size selection too. A funky silk tie also on sale for $14.xx. Unreal. Thanks for the tip.