Author Topic: Frugal substitute for Dockers?  (Read 16258 times)

john c

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Frugal substitute for Dockers?
« on: June 09, 2015, 05:19:55 PM »
I wear business casual at work.  For me, that is a pair of khaki Dockers and a presentable polo shirt.  Looking around, Dockers are pushing $50 each.  Is there a good looking replacement of similar quality to Dockers?  A lot of the similar pants I try on at Kohl's don't look nearly as good. 

velocistar237

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Re: Frugal substitute for Dockers?
« Reply #1 on: June 09, 2015, 06:20:23 PM »
Wait for sales and stock up.
Try H&M or Old Navy.
If you know exactly what style and size you want, you can find Dockers on ebay at significantly lower than retail.

dudde_devaru

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Re: Frugal substitute for Dockers?
« Reply #2 on: June 09, 2015, 06:35:45 PM »
Look out for clearance in store/online AnF, Hollister, AE, Pacsun Khakis. I was really lucky to score an instore AnF khaki for $17, which is holding pretty good after 2yrs of every week usage. AnF has wonderful slim fit flat front.

Been scanning for dockers slim fit khakis for a long time. With all the discounts in Macy's, I could only bring it down to $38.xx which did not feel worth for me.

Murr

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Re: Frugal substitute for Dockers?
« Reply #3 on: June 09, 2015, 06:38:46 PM »
Banana Republic almost always has khakis on their clearance rack and they fit well.

Jags4186

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Re: Frugal substitute for Dockers?
« Reply #4 on: June 09, 2015, 06:40:14 PM »
I wear business casual at work.  For me, that is a pair of khaki Dockers and a presentable polo shirt.  Looking around, Dockers are pushing $50 each.  Is there a good looking replacement of similar quality to Dockers?  A lot of the similar pants I try on at Kohl's don't look nearly as good.

The front page ad in the mens section on JC Penney is $29.99 Dockers.

You're welcome :-)

http://www.jcpenney.com/men/pants/cat.jump?id=cat100250021&deptId=dept20000014&cmJCP_T=G1&cmJCP_C=D5

Bob W

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Re: Frugal substitute for Dockers?
« Reply #5 on: June 09, 2015, 06:52:49 PM »
I were Docker type pants to work as well.   I pay $3 for mine at the thrift store.  They look new when I buy them.   

vhalros

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Re: Frugal substitute for Dockers?
« Reply #6 on: June 09, 2015, 07:07:37 PM »
I don't know if they are exactly the same as the ones you want, but Costco has Dockers khakis for about $25. Still a bit on the expensive side, but there is such a thing as quality, and they do last a good while. They also sell their store-brand ones for about $15-$20, which work for me any way. I've tried thrift stores, but apparently I am unusually shaped, because I rarely find anything that will even vaguely fit me.
« Last Edit: June 09, 2015, 07:12:32 PM by vhalros »

MayDay

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Re: Frugal substitute for Dockers?
« Reply #7 on: June 09, 2015, 07:15:04 PM »
I just found H a pair for 1$ at the thrift store.  I usually can never find his size.

The BEST wrinkle free pants we've ever bought are LL Bean wrinkle free khakis.  Well worth never having to touch up with the iron (if the other choice is still buying new).  I'm curious how the 1$ Dockers compare.

Our thrift store is typically full of really awful polyester slacks that fit short fat men. 

lunahsol

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Re: Frugal substitute for Dockers?
« Reply #8 on: June 09, 2015, 07:49:21 PM »
I like Dockers for work, as well.  They are good quality and worth buying new, in my opinion.  They also often have sales that you can watch for and get a better price.  Watch dockers.com for sale offers and buy when it is a good deal. 

justajane

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Re: Frugal substitute for Dockers?
« Reply #9 on: June 09, 2015, 07:57:21 PM »
I second Costco or Sams for Dockers. If you buy a few pairs a year, you will make back the cost of the membership just on those, especially if the cheapest Dockers you can find in your area are $50.

My husband also buys his work shirts at warehouse stores. The Kirkland brand dress shirts at Costco are a good value at $17.99 each. We call them his "CEO shirts," because in the Costco magazine, the CEO of Costco said those are the only shirts he wears.  We also scored some nice Dockers long sleeve button downs at Sams for $12.99 each this spring.
« Last Edit: June 09, 2015, 07:59:36 PM by justajane »

terran

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Re: Frugal substitute for Dockers?
« Reply #10 on: June 09, 2015, 08:30:57 PM »
I were Docker type pants to work as well.   I pay $3 for mine at the thrift store.  They look new when I buy them.

+1

Dressier pants in good shape seem to be much easier to find at thrift stores. Jeans tend to be tougher (at least in a stylish cut and color).

Rural

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Re: Frugal substitute for Dockers?
« Reply #11 on: June 10, 2015, 02:29:57 AM »
I buy Dockers name brand because I know they'll fit and not wrinkle and the black ones won't fade. I watch for my size on sale, generally online. Dockers.com actually has decent sales, but I've bought from ebay, too. I did find one pair at a thrift store, but I generally have to be on a trip to have much luck - men's clothing in thrift stores here usually has stains and holes because most of the men work at manual labor of one form or another.

ShoulderThingThatGoesUp

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Re: Frugal substitute for Dockers?
« Reply #12 on: June 10, 2015, 04:23:54 AM »
Buy khakis at Goodwill.

I second Costco or Sams for Dockers. If you buy a few pairs a year, you will make back the cost of the membership just on those, especially if the cheapest Dockers you can find in your area are $50.

My husband also buys his work shirts at warehouse stores. The Kirkland brand dress shirts at Costco are a good value at $17.99 each. We call them his "CEO shirts," because in the Costco magazine, the CEO of Costco said those are the only shirts he wears.  We also scored some nice Dockers long sleeve button downs at Sams for $12.99 each this spring.

Oh yeah. I bought mine when I got this job four years ago and they all still look great. Haven't ironed them once, either.

Trifle

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Re: Frugal substitute for Dockers?
« Reply #13 on: June 10, 2015, 05:24:58 AM »
X4 on the thrift store.  Thrift stores are highly variable, and it pays to get to know the ones in your area.  Some sell heavily used/junky type clothing, and some sell really nice stuff.  And everything in between. 

We have one in particular that sells really high quality things, including some brand new/returned items from Lands End (apparently they have some agreement with the company to take that stuff).  We have scored like-new khakis, wrinkle-free dress shirts, swimming suits, and more there.  Prices are usually $1- $5.   

Isriam

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Re: Frugal substitute for Dockers?
« Reply #14 on: June 10, 2015, 08:13:22 AM »
I won't buy my clothes at consignment or thrift shops.  I found Kohls carries Dockers brand for 24.99 to 29.99 and then you can throw a 15-30% coupon on top of that.  About the best prices on new, quality pants I've found.  You can use the Kohls credit card and take 15% off plus 30% off with the card, and use Kohls bonus bucks you can buy on ebay.

weston

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Re: Frugal substitute for Dockers?
« Reply #15 on: June 10, 2015, 08:22:16 AM »
I also buy mine at Costco but even before I had a membership I would buy  them at JC Pennys. They were always far, far less than $50 and if I wanted to save anymore I would buy their store brand knock offs which were just as good in my opinion.

Jack

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Re: Frugal substitute for Dockers?
« Reply #16 on: June 10, 2015, 09:33:14 AM »
I were Docker type pants to work as well.   I pay $3 for mine at the thrift store.  They look new when I buy them.

+1

Dressier pants in good shape seem to be much easier to find at thrift stores. Jeans tend to be tougher (at least in a stylish cut and color).

Khaki pants (or jeans, for that matter) are, for me, the hardest thing to buy in a thrift store. There's a huge rack of hundreds of the damn things with all the different sizes and styles (e.g. flat vs. pleated) mixed together, and they're all the same color so you have to look at every single one individually to decide if it's the one you want. Call me a complainypants if you have to, but I just don't have the patience for it.

(I'll happily buy thrift store shirts though, since I can quickly narrow the choices down by color without having to remove them from the rack.)

davef

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Re: Frugal substitute for Dockers?
« Reply #17 on: June 11, 2015, 01:18:45 PM »
I used to wear dockers. I have switched to the Haggar brand carried at my local Fred Meyer store. They seem to last longer, look better, are more comfy, and they are about $10 less. 35-45$

partgypsy

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Re: Frugal substitute for Dockers?
« Reply #18 on: June 11, 2015, 01:54:58 PM »
How many pairs of pants do you need to buy in a year? Is paying $20 per say $45 per pant going to make a significant impact on your finances? 
I would check out some of the alternatives (Costco, Haggar) and you may find something you like just as much or better at lower cost. If not just wait for a sale. It seems like I am always seeing coupons and sales for the mall stores you would buy Dockers.


partgypsy

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Re: Frugal substitute for Dockers?
« Reply #19 on: June 11, 2015, 01:56:12 PM »
How many pairs of pants do you need to buy in a year? Is paying $20 per say $45 per pant going to make a significant impact on your finances? 
I would check out some of the alternatives (Costco, Haggar) and you may find something you like just as much or better at lower cost. If not just wait for a sale. It seems like I am always seeing coupons and sales for the mall stores you would buy Dockers.
Randomly looked on Macy's, of course a sale plus 20% off coupon.
http://www1.macys.com/shop/mens-clothing/mens-dockers?id=43145&edge=hybrid&cm_kws=dockers

velocistar237

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Re: Frugal substitute for Dockers?
« Reply #20 on: June 11, 2015, 03:19:33 PM »
Khaki pants (or jeans, for that matter) are, for me, the hardest thing to buy in a thrift store. There's a huge rack of hundreds of the damn things with all the different sizes and styles (e.g. flat vs. pleated) mixed together, and they're all the same color so you have to look at every single one individually to decide if it's the one you want. Call me a complainypants if you have to, but I just don't have the patience for it.

(I'll happily buy thrift store shirts though, since I can quickly narrow the choices down by color without having to remove them from the rack.)

Agreed, pants are harder to thrift, which is why I didn't mention it above. Here's my technique: I flip through the rack, and when I find a flat front pair that looks decent and remotely close to my size, I button it and measure the waist. I keep a measuring tape around my neck for this. It's ultimately faster than looking at the listed size because the listed size is so often wrong. I might also measure across the thigh. I stay away from Gap because I don't like the fly construction. I find that Banana Republic fits me pretty well.

 

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