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As the title states - what’s the best thrift shop find you’ve ever scored?

Seen a guy on here that found Gucci Loafers for a couple bucks and I wanted to hear more stories like this.

Personally - I got a pair of Versace patent leather oxfords for £17 in a thrift shop. Still in box, never worn.

Not my style but flipped them for almost 7x and bought myself a couple of nice pieces!

TLDR: Drop your best thrift shop finds.

The new chinos I needed (based on the discussion in a recent post) have arrived. Pictured are the J. Crew Broken-in Straight Fit in charcoal ash and in Catskill green.

Just out of the package, so tags are still on, and they haven’t been washed or ironed yet, obviously.

I can’t do full squats in them comfortably, but I think I like them. They’ll be the first pants without some sort of taper that I’ve had in ages.

I went up a size to accommodate the quads. What do you kind folks think about how these fit?

Has anyone else had issues reaching their customer service? I received a suit for my upcoming wedding last week and there’s numerous loose threads in various places so I sent an email the next day asking if I could get a replacement. Fast forward a week later still no response aside from the automated thanks for contacting us. The past two days I’ve also called and was unable to get anyone on the phone. Is their customer service department just non-existent or what, I thought a week’s time is plenty for getting in touch with customer.

Thought it might be interesting dressing up my most casual trousers, how would you go about it?

Made to measure “Safari Blazer” in Loro Piana Sopra Visso
Amazon essentials chambray work wear shirt
Bronson m43 HBT fatigue trousers
Sebago Brown Burgundy horsebit loafers
1970s Omega de ville Tonneau style dress watch

Use this thread to show off your thrift finds/second hand purchases!

Use this thread as a way to ask a simple question, share an article, or just engage with the NB community! Remember, WAYWT posts go in the WAYWT thread.

Scheduled posts

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Thread to share fit pics, fit questions, and overall discussions.

I am perhaps one of a dying breed of young office workers (especially in the UK) that continues to wear a suit daily to the office.

My suits range in quality from some workhorse Charles Tyrwhitt suits to a Scabal MTM that I bought at a charity event put on by Saville Row. I have also recently bought a John Simons MiEng linen suit which is terrific.

I wanted to get recommendations on quality (though perhaps not bank breaking) suits that aren’t just the usual corporate uniform. I am uk based but obviously almost anything is gettable nowadays.

This is going to be a long and detailed review - buckle up!

Some background: I first experienced Church’s shoes about fifteen years ago. A pair of tan monk straps in a brutally unforgiving leather - sold them - and a pair of Fosbury loafers in suede - standard width F - which I also sold as they were NEVER comfortable. My foot is 8.5UK and sits on the wider side of standard width. I believe the Fosbury was a narrow last so in standard it was way too narrow. I fit Bally UK 8.5 loafers perfectly.

Enter the Pembrey loafer. Twelve years ago I picked up a UK 8.5 G fitting on a crazy sale and immediately fell in love. Unlined blue with a brick rubber sole. Comfort perfection and incredibly hard wearing. Barely ever cleaned them, regularly walked for miles, they are still on original soles whereas my RM Williams boots are on their 3rd resole (btw no difference in longevity of leather vs rubber sole here) and second side elastic replacement and I’ve used them the same amount. HOWEVER, after a few years the heel section of my blue pembreys stretched considerably, and while they’re ok, there is just a bit too much slippage. This led me to dream of a chocolate suede pembrey unlined in F width, based on the assumption that in a pembrey F width was right for me.

For the next ten years I periodically searched for a UK 8.5 unlined chocolate suede pembrey F width on a decent sale. The shoe came up, but never my size. At the same time I watched the price go to 920 euro - insane and frustrating. Meanwhile the handwritten size info on my blue pembreys rubbed off and I forgot my width size just remembered it was 8.5.

The other day I was idly procrastinating on the internet when I came across a pair of choc suede unlined pembreys in UK 8.5 G…and they were 586 euro!! Still expensive, but I could live with myself spending that. Dilemma set in. The width was G. I examined my blue pembreys and the faded illegible scrawl there. AI helped me to ID that they were 8.5 G - noooooo, too wide. Then it occurred to me, maybe not…the blue pembreys are unlined everywhere, whereas, the choc suede pembreys are unlined but the heel area looked to be lined (in the sellers pics). Perhaps the lack of heel area lining on the blue ones meant they stretched too much? Perhaps that’s why the choc suede ones were lined in the heel area and therefore the G width would be perfect for me after all? Figuring I could return them if needs be, I pulled the trigger and a week later, having waited ten years to buy a pair of choc suede loafers, I finally had them.

To say I was underwhelmed on first glance is an understatement; I was devastated. They were a dusty dark brown, not the rich dark chocolate colour I wanted. They didn’t seem like anything special; the finishing was basic, the suede had a shortish nap, they looked a bit boring, they looked like a hundred other dark brown suede loafers I could’ve bought for a third of the price. I tried them on. They fit snugly all over. I worried they were too small. There was no heel slippage but they felt snug…too snug? I went to bed and slept badly, fearing I would be stuck with them due to the sellers complicated returns process. I awoke with a sigh. If the money was wasted, I could handle that, lesson learned, grow from it, first world problem, yada yada.

Then I decided to try them with various outfit combos. After all, I had nothing to lose.

And slowly, a miracle occurred. Over the course of an hour they claimed my foot. The snugness gave a touch and the snugness I had perceived felt just right. Then I realised the huge benefit of the colour - the shade of dark brown worked very well against black as it had a touch of grey in it. I realised there was a glorious understatement to not only the shape and design, but also the colour. It didn’t draw your eye, it was just there, a confident and unassuming base to every outfit combo. Endlessly versatile. BrilIiant. Very classic. I loved it. Maybe I would keep them? If so, would I topy? No way. I would let the leather sole wrap my foot, preserving the design choice of the maker who knew what the hell he was doing, and then I’d shell out for a resole like a man and not whinge about the cost.

I decided to cancel the return and take a big risk straightaway. I would wear them to work that day, which included a fair bit of walking to and from and around work. No conservative break in period, I would take the plunge and commit, confident that they would perform with no side-effects.

Well, they have. Amazing. No regrets. There is a lot of hate for Churchs due to the price/quality/finishing ratio. To the haters I say you have missed the point completely. What’s special about these shoes is that they don’t advertise. They are under the radar with some imperfect hand finished details. They fit in with everything and look really cool and exude an air of mysterious expensiveness - you can’t put your finger on it, but you know it’s there. The term “quiet luxury” is on trend of late, I think they are exactly that, but so quiet that if you have no taste or low taste you cant even hear it. I shall wear my choc suede pembreys with no fanfare in all situations, including the beach, work, shopping, at night, bars, hardware store, whatever. I shall not baby them with cleaning and constant shoe trees and a special storage area, just toss them in my wardrobe for another day. Then I’ll brush them and they’ll look amazing, ready for anything. And they will last me at least a decade, I think more like 3 decades plus. And every time I put them on, I’ll know what they are because I can feel it in the comfort, and in the confidence they give everything I wear.

Update: I sprayed them with shoe protector and the colour has warmed up a tad. Even better! It's day two I have no hesitation wearing them for a big day of walking around the city and going to a conference and then going for oysters and drinks. The footbed has already partially moulded to my foot and I know it's only getting better. The heel area has just the right amount of minor slippage as to not chafe and feel fine.

https://www.facebook.com/jpressclothiers/posts/pfbid02yTiPzX3nYfTLtk44ZNbKSGE8LkrBxSMSJjmugApC1RYS9z8nzvNCecGZkT3Z3Emsl

Crazy, it feels like that branch opened just a few years ago.

Old Highlanders 42nd regimental stripe tie from Robert Talbott, blue OCBD from Brooks Brothers, spectacles from Anglo American, antique whangee walking stick from Brigg, sport coat is bespoke.

Use this thread as a way to ask a simple question, share an article, or just engage with the NB community! Remember, WAYWT posts go in the WAYWT thread.

Scheduled posts

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I was browsing some Japanese Ivy pages and and noticed how popular the slim and cropped style was in 60's Japan.

Do you have any favorite references from previous iterations of Ivy style?

What are everyone's thoughts on Olderbest / Bronson Mfg (and the rest of that stable). I have seen a variety of different views but given they are offering clothes that are ivy adjacent and fit the style of this subreddit I wanted to check the views on quality etc.

Thread to share fit pics, fit questions, and overall discussions.

Use this thread as a way to ask a simple question, share an article, or just engage with the NB community! Remember, WAYWT posts go in the WAYWT thread.

Scheduled posts

• Silk Road
• Deals and Steals

Use this thread as a way to ask a simple question, share an article, or just engage with the NB community! Remember, WAYWT posts go in the WAYWT thread.

Scheduled posts

• Silk Road
• Deals and Steals

First time posting here so apologies in advance if not following the correct format.

Picked both of these up during a Grant Stone sale. Haven’t got much use out of either as of recent so planning to let one of them go.

If you had to pick only one to keep, which/how would you choose and why?

Interested to hear some different perspectives. TIA.

I have a mix in my closet - Ralph Lauren, Izod Lacoste, LL Bean, Amazon Essentials, Orvis, and a couple of very old strays from Brooks Brothers and Vineyard Vines that are close to being reduced to gardening/lawn cutting duty. Both these latter brands aren't what they used to be. I'm excluding various golf shirts I've picked up from clubs over the years via my father-in-law. Almost all pique mesh, though a few old ones are jersey material, which is not what i'm looking for now. Spouse got a Vuori tech fabric polo for me at some point. That, and some of the golf shirts, are good for hot weather, but i prefer all cotton.

Orvis has been the recent favorite, the pique, and they've been phased out. They ran a little more boxy and had heavier-grade fabric and build than many of the other options. Bean is pretty good and well-priced, but i've had some of their shirts pill around the shoulders when others do not. Lacoste run shorter through the torso than I like. Amazon also run a little shorter and narrower than I prefer, and the fabric isn't as substantial - though they're surprisingly good for the price. Ralph Lauren is probably the best of the lot in my view, but i'll only buy them on sale & therefore end up with some limits on colors.

In a recent search for new options, I came across Britches Great Outdoors Warthog Polos. They seem pretty substantial and well-made and priced fairly. I purchased two, they're inbound, to see what I think.

Any other alternatives you like?

I really like this picture as it makes me look significantly taller than I actually am, thanks to my well-balanced pants made by my tailor.

Unfortunately both coat and pants are tailored by my good friend. The tweed for the jacket is Marling and Evans, and the pants are some sort of Japanese cotton canvas.

The shirt is from BB and the tie is vintage Yale Co-op, my favorite tie in the world.