Formal/Dress wear

[Reegs]

Hey folks,

I'm going to need a nice dress shirt for an Anniversary party coming up in a month. I live in Pickering and am not sure where to go. I love the stuff at Harry Rosen but its a bit out of my budget, and not a fan of the stuff at the Bay, Sears etc.

Are there any good places to get mens dress shirts? In Vaughan maybe? I dunno really. Any suggestions?

Thanks

[optiklenz13]

Moores!!!

[prime]

RW&CO.

I like their sport blazers, sweaters, and dress shirts. Not as expensive as Harry Rosen. You can also try Banana Republic but I don't find their clothes to fit me that well.

[S.F.W.]

For dress wear, please stay away from Moores & RW. Moores their stuff is really poor quality. Typically glued seams as opposed to stitched seams. RW - I find their stuff too be too casual. Aside from the obvious Harry Rosen(nice but expensive), Banana Republic has very nice stuff, that is great quality(check out their factory store in Vaughn Mills, great values). Mexx - Decent quality. Tip Top - usually very good items(don't think it is just for old men). Winners - just don't buy the shirt & tie in a box. Also, the Bay carries some very nice dress shirts. I know you said you didn't like the Bay but it is a matter of not looking at the Hathaway or Arrow lower end brands. Look at brands such as Jones New York, City of London, Ben Sherman.
Another option in Toronto is JustWhiteShirts. They ahve some great quality shirts(not just white), at reasonable prices.
I wear a dress shirt and dress pants, 4 - 5 days a week for ten years now, and have tried most of the major stores.

[b.rabbit]

For dress wear, please stay away from Moores & RW. Moores their stuff is really poor quality. Typically glued seams as opposed to stitched seams. RW - I find their stuff too be too casual. Aside from the obvious Harry Rosen(nice but expensive), Banana Republic has very nice stuff, that is great quality(check out their factory store in Vaughn Mills, great values). Mexx - Decent quality. Tip Top - usually very good items(don't think it is just for old men). Winners - just don't buy the shirt & tie in a box. Also, the Bay carries some very nice dress shirts. I know you said you didn't like the Bay but it is a matter of not looking at the Hathaway or Arrow lower end brands. Look at brands such as Jones New York, City of London, Ben Sherman.
Another option in Toronto is JustWhiteShirts. They ahve some great quality shirts(not just white), at reasonable prices.
I wear a dress shirt and dress pants, 4 - 5 days a week for ten years now, and have tried most of the major stores.

This is very informative..

[ZeroChalk]

Banana Republic is really crap quality now, way over priced. Mexx shirts tend to fit nicely, but I hate their return policy and a lot of their stuff looks cheap (ie clubbing) or metro. Sometimes they could have very nice shirts. The Bay (Jones of New York, Hathaway, CK, Perry Ellis, blah blah etc.) tend to be ill-fitting, not slim/athletic... there's too much bulk in the arm and waist. Tristan America, shirts tend to fit like Mexx. Brooks Brother's > see the Bay... I think the fitting is for fat Americans.

You can try Tom's place in Kensington Market - never bought shirts, just suits.

Anyways, nothing looks crappier then a shirt that does not fit properly regardless of brand.

[STeeLy]

If you want a decent enough dress shirt, go check out Joe at Superstores... it's not the best stuff but FAR from the worst.

[She_Prime]

To be completely honest if you invest in a couple higher end dress shirts they can really be staple pieces to your wardrobe. Pairing with different ties, different jackets, or jeans compared to dress pants make all the difference.

I also hope to assume you're not planning on losing (or gaining) any significant weight over the next while because if you don't potentially a couple higher end dress shirts could last you for many years to come - if maintained well.

Just a thought.

[SirWanker]

Without knowing what your budget is you could possibly try:
1. Holt's Last call @ Vaughn Mills
2. Harry Rosen Outlet @ Heartland ( Britainnia Rd & Mavis)
3. Winners - hit and miss here depending on location. As indicated earlier avoid anything boxed.

Most importantly try on the shirt before buying as each make/designer tend to have variations on size definitions.

[Reegs]

Sweet, there's a lot of great ideas here folks. I think I'll pay a visit to the Harry Rosen and Holt Renfrew Outlet stores. Seems like I could find something good if I'm lucky. Also, maybe investing in one or two expensive shirts might not be a bad idea. I'm sure they'll last a while.

Thanks guys. Feel free to continue to discuss!!

[S.F.W.]

For those that aren't in a rush, check out Maxwellsclothiers.com . They make regular visits to the gTa, and it's real quality(providing you select the right fabric), and a great value, especially for made to measure. I purchase 90% of my work attire from Maxwells now.

[Scottobot]

I like Stars Men's Shops.

[FONZ]

H & M.

[S.F.W.]

Another item to keep in mind. If a shirt does not have collar stays, it's not a dress shirt. When shopping for shirts, try and stick to shirts that have removable collar stays. When you launder and press a shirt without removable stays, some cleaners will leave an imprint in the collar.

[PCLoadLetter]

If the anniversary party is in Pickering, you can get away with a flannel jacket and greased jeans.

I don't dress up often, I don't belong here, carry on.

[Donutz]

Agreed that Harry and Holt's has nice stuff, but I sometimes find the styling to be off (much like Brooks Brothers). If you want somthing styled similar to BR then go to Zara. They have good styles at a decent price. This is for shirts only mind you. They won't part out their suits, so you end up with a 42 chest with 42 or 44 pants (who the hell is proportioned like that? (no offense to anyone proportioned like that)).

[horto]

Moore's. I disagree with SFW's opinion; they make quality stuff at affordable prices. However 99% of the dress shirts I wear regularly have come from Banana Republic.

[ZeroChalk]

Express in the US had nice fitting shirts, come to think of it. In terms of quality I think most shirts are more or less the same. Sure some feel a bit softer but if you are only wearing them occasionally they will last a very long time. Also, don't fall for the gimicky non-iron shirts. Shirts need to be starched and pressed IMO unless your wearing it under a suit.

[jonjon72]

Express in the US had nice fitting shirts, come to think of it. In terms of quality I think most shirts are more or less the same. Sure some feel a bit softer but if you are only wearing them occasionally they will last a very long time. Also, don't fall for the gimicky non-iron shirts. Shirts need to be starched and pressed IMO unless your wearing it under a suit.

+1

Was in Michigan a couple of weeks ago and picked up some great dress shirts that aren't your regular white or blue. Slim fit and the 2nd shirt was 50% off. Tristan and Zara's fit me perfectly. If its not slim fit, I usually have my dress shirts fitted. Harry's has some good stuff if your willing to pay up. Thier outlet store in Mississauga isn't bad at all.

[Reegs]

Cool, I'm going to Buffalo next week. I'll see what they've got as well.