New York Dork

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tl;dr - The good: Great prices, all sizes.  The not so good: not a ton of stock, not a lot of current season.

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The Shipley & Halmos sample sale kicks off today at 8 Greene St and prices are actually lower than I remember at their previous sales. There are six racks of everything from socks ($10) and shirts ($65) to blazers ($150-$200) and ties ($35). Tees & polos are $35 and pants are $75-$100. Not a huge amount of inventory and i didn’t notice a many current season items but all sizes are represented from XS to XL. There were also plenty of Max Desert boots ($85) and other some shoes but mostly in sizes 7 and 8.

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tl;dr - Thumbs up! Good prices and current season items.

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The Gant sample sale starts tomorrow at 260 Fifth Ave.  There’s a large selection of men’s items priced at $50 for jeans/pants, $20 for tees, $45 for shirts, $30 for polos, $100 for light jackets, and $25 for belts and other small accessories.  Highlights include current season Gant Rugger like plenty of Selvedge Madras shirts and a pair of Oxford Smarty Pants.  There were also current season Gant by Michael Bastian items like the Explorer Blazer, the Camo Polo, and the Fleece Cargo Pant.  Plenty of past seasons were also represented.  Sizes ranged all across the spectrum but most of the current season items were size medium for tops and 32/50 for pants.

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tl;dr - I don’t get it
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You know that moment when you’ve been waiting in line for the Comme warehouse sale for 40 minutes and you’re at the front of the line and suddenly you realize you’re only one of 3 people who’s not wearing something really weird? Totally just happened to me.

You know that moment when you get inside the sale and it’s a treasure trove if high end fashion like a polo shirt that hangs down to your ankles and a suit with music notes down the seams that was once on sale for only ~$1000 but can be had now for only ~$300? Dude, totally just happened to me.

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tl;dr - Dude, this is a good sale.
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The Peregrine Showroom sale kicked off today at 89 5th Ave. Inside, you’ll find a large men’s selection by Oliver Spencer, Wolf vs Goat, Chimala, Whillas & Gun, Gilded Age and more. Also plenty of backpacks and bags by Sandqvist.
The best finds were from Oliver Spencer where everything is from the current season including t-shirts for $40, shirts for $60, sweaters for $70, and jackets/blazers at various prices up to ~$300. Prices from other brands were about the same or lower. Definitely worth stopping by if you’re at all interested in these brands.

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tl;dr - Quality brand. Worth the trip especially if you’re size 33.
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The Scotch & Soda sample sale kicked off today at 260 Fifth. Inside guys will find a large selection of quality pants ($45), jackets ($100-$125), shorts ($35), sweaters ($50), polos ($40), t shirts ($20), and shirts ($40). One oddity about the sale is that almost all pants/shorts were size 33 (slightly larger than typical sample sale size). Shirts were M and L. That said, if you wear those sizes and like the brand, it’s definitely worth the trip as there was a good selection including some current season items.

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tl;dr - Stop by if you want to get over-priced American Apparel at a slightly lower price

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I stopped by 260 Fifth today for day four of the James Perse sample sale.  What’s left is mostly men’s and mostly size 5.  Extra discounts started today with pants (mostly baggy cargos and corduroys) ringing in at $35 and an extra 20% off the Yosemite collection.  There were exactly two James Perse standard hoodies ($50) which were both in size 5.  Most sizes were available in some other items like the standard white polo.  Other than that nothing else seemed too special unless you’re in the market for Under Armour-like sport shirts, in which case, some of the Yosemite collection will be a good bargain.

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tl;dr - The sale isn’t as good as in previous years.

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I stopped by Barney’s Warehouse Sale in Chelsea today.  If you’ve never been, the sale consists of merchandise that didn’t sell in Barney’s retail in years past.  Additional discounts off of the Barney’s department store sale price get progressively higher as the sale continues.  As of today, men’s sportswear and suits were an additional 30% off and most everything else was an additional 25% off with a few special racks of 50% and 75% off.  Unfortunately, the men’s selection was much smaller than last year and somewhat weaker.  Very small sweater selection but large selection of various button up shirts.  Tons of bright colored Rag And Bone jeans and lot of Levi’s Made And Crafted jeans as well as some Seven jeans Standard and Austyn fit.  No notable shoes.  I left empty handed but there are a few shirts I may return for when the discount increases.

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tl;dr - It’s worth the money to go Ray-Ban over generic

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Designer sunglasses have always seemed like a racket to me.  I’ve never spent more than $50 on sunglasses until last summer when I really wanted a pair of folding wayfarers that I could fold up and put in my pocket rather than wear hanging off my shirt.  I looked into some cheap options like the Urban Outfitters version for ~$20.  Really affordable, but judging by the reviews they were a waste of money as most reviewers reported them breaking in less than two weeks.  I decided to try the Ray-Bans since they had a warranty and I tend to throw my sunglasses around with my wallet and keys.  At $150 it felt like I was being suckered at first, but the quality ended up being worth it.  After almost a year, I’ve sat on them, packed them in suitcases, and carried them around in my pocket almost everyday without the case.  They’ve held up the whole time without any major issues.  I did notice that when they’re folded up, the the two Ray-Ban logos will rub against each other which has caused some scratches on the frame, but they’re minor.  If you’re in the market for some Folding Wayfarers and deciding whether or not to go with the real thing or buy generic, I suggest going Ray-Ban.  I also suggest buying direct from the Ray-Ban website.  That’s the only way that I know to be confident that you’re getting authentic Ray-Bans and not cheap, breakable knock-offs.

It’s that time of year when the online sales are hitting their peak.  Check out Shipley & Halmos for 50% off fall gear including the Dupree Top Coat (now $347.50) and their nice lined button up shirts (now $92.50).

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tl;dr — Tons of shirts, mostly in sizes 4 and 5.  Slim selection otherwise

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The Thom Browne sample sale runs Thursday through Saturday with a friends and family preview today. Sadly, there aren’t as many bargains as last year. Inside guys will find tons of slim fitting shirts ($95) sizes 0-5. Sizes 2 and 0 are already going fast with only one box left of each. Unfortunately, no real gems left in size 2. If you’re a size 4 or 5 though, you’re in luck as there were four boxes full of each of those sizes. Also a whole other room with classically sized dress shirts starting at size 15 and a random box of a few denim jeans and jackets ($75). Ties ($45) and knits ($100-$275) were also running low. Along the walls were several racks of assorted pants ($75-$300) and suit jackets ($350 -$550+) plus shoes ($300) and boots ($400) sizes 7-12.  Overall, worth checking out if you’re in the market for a size 4 or 5 shirt.  Slim selection otherwise.