Where can I find men's dress clothes like the ones I've purchased at Talbots?

November 5, 2008 10:27 AM

Where can I find men's dress clothes like the ones I've purchased at Talbots?

While waiting for my wife to shop in a nearby Talbots outlet about a year ago, I realized they had some men's clothing as well, and I purchased a few shirts, neckties, a blue blazer and a lightweight tan jacket. I have received more compliments about the three ties I bought at Talbots than I have for the rest of my ties combined! Their bright colors and subtle patterns are very well-received. The jacket and blazer are versatile and attractive, as well.

Now that Talbots no longer sells men's clothing, can anyone suggest a retailer that might offer similar style and quality at a similar price point? (I know the outlet stores are cheap compared to regular stores; retail prices are OK.) I'm interested primarily in ties, blazers, shirts, suits and dress slacks, in descending order of interest.

I am a short, slim male in my mid-30s. I wear suits about half the time and rather formal business casual (dress shirts with sweaters or blazers and tailored slacks) the remainder of the work week.

What I like about the Talbots clothes is that they have a fairly slim cut and integrate synthetics tactfully with wool (e..g, the blazer is a wool shell with a rayon liner, which results in a warm and attractive blazer without the bulk of an all-wool garment). The ties are colorful and enliven my dark suits. One is bright red with small white seahorses and another has bright orange, pink and green pastels in a square pattern. I know, it sounds incredibly garish, but it's really tastefully done.

A retailer I'd prefer to avoid is Joseph A. Bank, which is ubiquitous in my area but seems to have suits and blazers cut for much larger men. Their ties, predominantly rep ties and paisleys and the like, are also a bit staid for my taste. (They do have some brighter ties I like, but $65-$70 is a bit steep for that more expensive line of ties.)

If it helps, I have also enjoyed wearing ties from the Metropolitan Museum of Art catalog. They're modeled on tapestries and other works of art in the museum's collection and they're colorful, bright and sophisticated while remaining formal enough for my office.

If I can elaborate further on my tastes, please let me know. Many thanks for any suggestions.

posted by cheapskatebay to clothing, beauty, & fashion (3 comments total)

Hermès ties are what you are looking for. About $170, though. But you are really getting exactly what you are paying for with Hermès- always.
posted by Zambrano at 10:58 AM on November 5, 2008

Some people I used to work with who I thought were wearing Hermes ties were actually wearing Vineyard Vines ties sometimes. Similar look (but trending to the more whimsical) and less expensive. They're not my style so I can't attest to the quality, but they definitely fooled me.

This article says John Kerry switched from Hermes to Vineyard Vines.
posted by mullacc at 12:55 PM on November 5, 2008

These may be a little too mod for you, but I was actually looking at the ties at Target the other day, and really liked some of the colors/patterns. Looking online, I see that they have an even larger selection. I have no idea as to quality, but the price is right.

Re: slim fit shirts/slacks - my brother is also slim and favors a slim but not skin-tight fit. He gets a lot of his shirts and slacks at Banana Republic, but I don't know how their prices compare with Talbots.
posted by clerestory at 7:47 PM on November 5, 2008