Shopping for an inexpensive blazer in SF.

April 12, 2007 6:23 PM

SanFranciscoShoppingFilter: Where can I find a relatively inexpensive blazer (say under $200).

Need something stylish, but not gonna break the bank. I was thinking H&M, but don't know how prices run there. Anyone have any other suggestions? Hesitant to check out thrift stores in the Mission as I hate perusing, but if there's a shop with a good hit ratio, I'll go that route. Also, I'm a skinny guy, so I'd want a slimmer cut. Thanks MeFi.

posted by hobbes to clothing, beauty, & fashion (10 comments total)

Prices at H&M run very, very low. If it's a bit too fashiony for you, Zara or department stores.
posted by mendel at 6:46 PM on April 12, 2007

Thrift store-wise, I've bought 4 blazers from Thrift Town on Mission (and 17th, I think) -- all of them under $25. Of the 4, only one of them had a defect (it was a small burn or something... it was on the inside in the lining, so I didn't care).
posted by spiderskull at 7:36 PM on April 12, 2007

H&M should run around $100-150 for a sports jacket, although their quality isn't super high end.

Zara strikes me as being much more expensive, although you might be able to get something for around $200. They've got a lot of military-inspired clothes in now. Both H&M and Zara will offer slim cuts.

I wouldn't suggest going to Thrift Town on 17th, but I've always thought that one is shopped out. New 2 U and Rocket Retro are the only places I really like in the mission, but honestly, you're competing with pretty much the entire hipster population of SF when you thrift in the Mission. I'd go to a boutique used clothing store -- with your budget, you might as well have someone do the browsing for you -- Wasteland on Haight, or the Crossroads on Market (near Castro -- they get more men's clothing. Fillmore Crossroads gets in more designer clothing, but their men's section is very small). You might also try American Rag on Van Ness, and I'm sure you could buy something nice for $200 at Urban Outfitters, if you cared to.
posted by fishfucker at 8:08 PM on April 12, 2007

The Junior League thrift store on Fillmore near California usually has upscale clothing, especially their consignment section. Nearby are thrift stores that benefit the SF Symphony and one of the local hospitals (I think). The Jr League is the best of the bunch in my experience but they're all so close you can check them out easily in one trip.

Thrift Town is excellent for the occasional amazingly good find, but the odds that they'll have what you're looking for on the first visit are somewhat slim. The place definitely rewards persistence, though.
posted by Quietgal at 9:28 PM on April 12, 2007

Try Good Buys on Sacramento near Walnut/Laurel Streets. There's two of them - the one on the north side of the street is men's (and women's clearance) and the one on the south side is just women's. It's a consignment shop and they get some really great stuff for both men and women from the surrounding Pacific Heights 'hoods. The prices are pretty reasonable too and I've gotten some really awesome stuff there (but I've only shopped for myself (a girl)). It's just about the only place I shop anymore.
posted by otherwordlyglow at 10:35 PM on April 12, 2007

Club Monaco has some nice blazers that cost under 200 dollars. The prices aren't too much higher than they are at H&M or Zara, but the quality is much, much better.
posted by painquale at 10:52 PM on April 12, 2007

Burlington Coat Factory
posted by parmanparman at 6:15 AM on April 13, 2007

Jacket's at Zara are ~$150... not bad considering you get a full stylish suit for around $200... then again you have to fit their sizes/cuts right...
posted by stratastar at 1:01 PM on April 13, 2007

In addition to the above Zara and Club Monaco, add Benetton, Sisley, and Banana Republic.
posted by junesix at 2:14 PM on April 13, 2007

i got a chance to ask my girlfriend, who works as a clothing buyer, and she said your best bet is Jeremy's, which I totally forgot about. They carry 'seconds' lines of designer labels -- you will probably be able to get a very very nice jacket there for your money (although it will be around $150-200). Other than that, she recommended Nordstrom Rack (Nordstrom's outlet store) and Loehmann's.
posted by fishfucker at 2:19 PM on April 14, 2007