Buy it for life clothes for men

[big_slacker]

Just a heads up to do your homework.  I went looking for a new pair of work/hiking boots last year.  I use them in the woods for chainsaw duty, so they do get worked.  My first round online just to see who has what and where to go found a good crop of potentials.  Then I went to the stores.  Contrary to what even current advertising might have you think, some of the premium USA made boots are NOT made in the USA.  At a Red Wing store, I looked at literally every single boot style on display.  Not one was made in the US.  Bob's store has very nice Chippewa boots for a few hundred dollars, made in the USA.  Get not much below this price point and it's made in the far east.

Now, I'm not saying that US stuff is flawless and Asian stuff is crap.  But sorry....I did see quality differences.  I ended up doing a local tour of the stores.  I really didn't find what I wanted made in the US (those Chippewas weren't what I wanted.....heel way too high).  I ended up finding some Cabela branded hiking boots in the bargain room, discontinued for a good price.  Made in the far east, but for what I paid (1/10 what the Chippewas were), I'll live with them.  They've worked moderately well.

This is definitely true. I mentioned mountain khakis above and while they are quality their branding makes it sounds like they're being sewn together by bearded mountain men in jackson wyoming. On the pants label though in TINY script under the big 'Mountain Khakis, Jackson Wyoming' lines is..... Made in China

I like to keep things local but with clothing it's tough. But there are quality products out of China, usually sold by a US company that is overseeing QC.

[use2betrix]

Just a heads up to do your homework.  I went looking for a new pair of work/hiking boots last year.  I use them in the woods for chainsaw duty, so they do get worked.  My first round online just to see who has what and where to go found a good crop of potentials.  Then I went to the stores.  Contrary to what even current advertising might have you think, some of the premium USA made boots are NOT made in the USA.  At a Red Wing store, I looked at literally every single boot style on display.  Not one was made in the US.  Bob's store has very nice Chippewa boots for a few hundred dollars, made in the USA.  Get not much below this price point and it's made in the far east.

Now, I'm not saying that US stuff is flawless and Asian stuff is crap.  But sorry....I did see quality differences.  I ended up doing a local tour of the stores.  I really didn't find what I wanted made in the US (those Chippewas weren't what I wanted.....heel way too high).  I ended up finding some Cabela branded hiking boots in the bargain room, discontinued for a good price.  Made in the far east, but for what I paid (1/10 what the Chippewas were), I'll live with them.  They've worked moderately well.

Red Wing Heritage Line are 100% made in the US. You were looking at the crappy non US boots.

I have 3 pairs of US made red wing heritage for dress boots, and 2 pairs of US Made steel toes, danners and thorogoods. All of these are quite a bit above most Chinese junk, but out of those the red wings are still a step up from the others. That being said, the American red wings aren’t “as much” work boots.

Also - its important to differentiate Japan from the other Asian countries. Japan makes a LOT of clothes that easily rival top American quality. I have not yet seen that quality from other Asian countries.

[ObviouslyNotAGolfer]

Thanks for the suggestions folks. I will read through the replies more thoroughly when I have time. I understand the arguments on both sides; it's like the First Law of Thermodynamics--you can't win, you can only break even. As for the Second Law, that's more depressing...

[big_owl]

Iove Lululemon clothes. They're well made and seem to last forever. Plus they dry quick and wrinkle free.  And they an athletic fit if that's your body type.

[Latestarter73]

I have had my Lowe Alpine waterproof jacket for 20 years now and still wear it regularly. The tag thingy on the zip died a couple of years in and I repaired it with a paper clip wrapped in heavy tape and it has been fine ever since. I guess it cost around £130 back then, but that's around 12p per week of ownership!

It can have a fleece zipped into it (fleece c15 years old) and because it's a little heavy but breathable it's brilliant on a cold windy day. Just think of the environmental benefits if everyone kept clothing 20 years!

I also have Crew Clothing Company pullovers that are 5-10 years old and I tend to buy Ralph Lauren Polo shirts, but these look like 5-10 years will be an easy ask, so for me the cost is not too silly. I still use my rugby shorts from 12 years ago for exercise, despite being 40lbs lighter now.

[JenniiF]

I've had good luck with PrAna pants. They are great for our active lifestyle. I went canyoneering in a pair and tore the back pockets off, but considering how harsh canyons are on clothes, I think they stood up pretty well.

One of my best tips for clothing, is to be systematic with purchases. Buy less items and I can afford longer lating ones. I have a spreadsheet with all of my clothing items written down. Then I know exactly what items I have enough of, and which ones I can look out for a good deal. I choose a few stores that I like to buy clothing from, and then just shop their sales. I sign up for prAna's email newsletter and wait for their $90 pants to go on sale for $40. This Ted Talk on a 10 item wardrobe is my favorite. I haven't been able to trim down quite that much, but I would say I have a solid 20 item wardrobe with long lasting, high-quality clothes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3CLRL32Mcw&vl=en

[FiftyIsTheNewTwenty]

For over 30 years I've been wearing Brooks Brothers oxford shirts (model 132Q) like other people wear T-shirts.  They don't last forever but close to it -- 500-800 washings before fraying, 200 for still-business-presentable.  Most shirts last 30-50.

At $80 list, $50 on sale, they amortized really well.

Sadly, Brooks Brothers has revamped their line, taking these upmarket to $120 and making them of lighter fabric, still nice but I doubt as durable.

[AccidentalMiser]

I wear slacks to work and get them at Costco because no one I work with gives a shit what my slacks look like.

Home is a different story (although no one gives a shit what my pants look like at home either) but I own a mini-farm with 17 acres, animals, a wood stove and lots of stuff to do and fix.  I have three pairs of Duluth Trading fire hose pants.  They are awe-inspiring if you want pockets and durability.  I rotate between two pairs during the week, then wash them over the weekend while wearing the third pair.  I've been doing this for about five years now and have had to replace two of my original pairs which finally wore through.  They are tough pants but a little hot in the summer.  You can send them back and get replacements just for the return shipping but I don't play games like that. 

Most of the rest of my stuff comes from the thrift store.

[StockBeard]

Just wanted to add another vote for Darn Tough socks here.
I bought my first (and only so far) pair a couple years ago based on recommendations from this forum. They have outlived every single pair I have bought after them, and still look in perfect shape. Yes, they are twice as expensive as other brands, but in my experience, they last at least 4 times longer, and counting.

I have tried less expensive brands using similar materials, that were borderline plagiarizing Darn Tough (with a very similar mountain logo), but, even though they are tougher than other brands, they're starting to show some wear and tear. So, moving forward I think all my socks will be Darn Tough. The folks working for that company should be proud of themselves!

[QooVie]

Well, sales are everywhere. If to ask my wife, she'll give you a full list of sites which have sales, this list will be as long as the Bible. If being honest, she wrote them down on a piece of paper, and the first that's on that list is Seven. Deals. But if you're married, your wife should have such a list also, check her bookmarks. Ugh... these females. Why the hell do they need so many clothes? On this year's Black Friday she was like "Look, look how beautiful these pants are. And....OMG...they're on sale also. I have to buy them!". Yeah! As if in the rest of the year do not buy clothes which have discounts on SevenDeals.

[Michael in ABQ]

I've got an American Rag t-shirt that I've worn frequently for a decade now and it's still in pretty good shape. In the last year I did get a couple of tiny holes in the front. I just bought another one a couple of months ago. I've got quite a few t-shirts from the same time frame that have fallen apart, or are in ok shape but were worn and washed far less.

[roomtempmayo]

Darn Tough wearers - How does the quality compare to Smart Wool? I wear synthetic wool socks year-round (super sweaty feet - only things keeping my shoes from being swamps) and can burn out a pair of Smart Wool in about 2 years, and the less expensive Sam's band synthetic/merino wool socks in about 9 to 12 months.

I think Darn Tough socks are more durable, but wick less well than Smartwool.  The extra durability seems to come from the increased synthetic, which traps moisture.

The very best socks I own are a couple pair of thin wool socks from Patagonia (10+ years old, from back when they made socks), and some Filson over-the-calf boot socks (also no longer made).

To the larger question, I'll concur with those who have advocated spending a bit more on denim.  The environmental impact of denim made in the developing world is atrocious from everything I've read.  I'll pay a few more bucks for denim that's dyed in the US or Japan if for no other reason than it's not turning some poor person's drinking water blue.

For boots, I'll agree with others that the Red Wing Heritage series is great.  Also, my experience is that the made in Oregon Danners are still high quality.

For shoes, I also like Allen Edmonds, but my favorites are from Alden.  Yeah, they're expensive, but I've bought several pair lightly used on eBay for very little.

Someone above mentioned Brooks Brothers dress shirts, which are my go-to as well.  But, I'll add that the Stafford dress shirts from J.C. Penney's are way better than they should be for <$20, and better than what I've seen from LL Bean and J. Crew the past couple years.

But at least as much as the quality of the garment matters for longevity, I think figuring out an enduring fit is at least as important.  I have a couple pair of pants from about 10 years ago at the height of the skinny fit trend that today just look dated.  I doubt I'll ever manage to wear them out.  There's a middle of the road slim-ish, straight-ish fit that would have fit right into a LIFE magazine shot in 1965, or a Ralph Lauren ad from 1985, or a J.Crew cover from 1995 that just seems to be enduring, and that's what I try to shoot for to make high quality clothes wearable for the long term.

[Chris Pascale]

For $15 my wife picked up an old fashioned peacoat for me in 2012. It's holding up very nicely, though I am at risk for outgrowing it, and not because I'm so swole.

[Panly]

I have a Boss polo shirt that I have been wearing quite a lot, it's at least 22 years old and it seems it may last another 22 years.

[GailNYC]

Hello I am also a lady. I want to echo BocoPro's recommendation of ExOficio underwear. Fits well, wears well, dries quickly. Great if you're a bike commuter like me.

[OmahaSteph]

I'm surprised no one's mentioned either Carhartt or Land's End. My ex did construction-type work and these always held up very well. My current husband does less physically demanding work, but threw a fit when all his jeans gave out at the same time. So I suggested Carhartt and converted him. He has two pairs of jeans that are holding up well (one small hole in back pocket from wallet that I'll fix) and several pairs of the lighter-weight pants in khaki, black, and gray that go well with his flannels, half-zip pullovers, or polos for office days.

Three out of four of us got new Land's End winter coats in the last few months during 50% off sales. My long, insulated stadium coat is the best investment I've made in years. I'll probably have it until I die (or retire someplace too warm to wear it!).

[use2betrix]

I'm surprised no one's mentioned either Carhartt or Land's End. My ex did construction-type work and these always held up very well. My current husband does less physically demanding work, but threw a fit when all his jeans gave out at the same time. So I suggested Carhartt and converted him. He has two pairs of jeans that are holding up well (one small hole in back pocket from wallet that I'll fix) and several pairs of the lighter-weight pants in khaki, black, and gray that go well with his flannels, half-zip pullovers, or polos for office days.

Three out of four of us got new Land's End winter coats in the last few months during 50% off sales. My long, insulated stadium coat is the best investment I've made in years. I'll probably have it until I die (or retire someplace too warm to wear it!).

I don’t know how I didn’t mention my carhartt! I got my first carhartt jacket just over 9 years ago. I have worn it frequently in industrial construction over those years, and casually outside. The fabric near the hands was burnt up from helping a guy with some welding.

I have since got several more carhartt’s. Due to my work, I have been given/reimbursed for 3 more jackets, including an incredibly nice carhartt a few months ago that has carhartt durability but looks like a nicer dress jacket.

My wife knows how much I love my “original” carhartt, but the sleeves were on their last leg. She emailed carhartt and asked them about repair. They sent her a shipping label, she mailed them the jacket, and they repaired it with brand new cuff’s FOR FREE. Not sure if they always do this, but it further reinforced my love for carhartt.

[OmahaSteph]

I don’t know how I didn’t mention my carhartt! I got my first carhartt jacket just over 9 years ago. I have worn it frequently in industrial construction over those years, and casually outside. The fabric near the hands was burnt up from helping a guy with some welding.

I have since got several more carhartt’s. Due to my work, I have been given/reimbursed for 3 more jackets, including an incredibly nice carhartt a few months ago that has carhartt durability but looks like a nicer dress jacket.

My wife knows how much I love my “original” carhartt, but the sleeves were on their last leg. She emailed carhartt and asked them about repair. They sent her a shipping label, she mailed them the jacket, and they repaired it with brand new cuff’s FOR FREE. Not sure if they always do this, but it further reinforced my love for carhartt.

Wow, nice! They also have a really decent veteran discount (which helped seal the deal with DH).