First trip to NYC

[Dan_dy]

So next week, I'll be taking my first trip to NYC. I'm a younger guy (turning 21 soon), and make ok money for someone my age, but obviously love relatively cheap, well-made clothes (hence my love for this website).


Can anyone recommend some places to check out for reasonably priced clothes in NYC? I obviously wouldn't mind to splurge a little since it is NYC and it's obviously a place for high end clothes, but there have to be some hidden gems out there.


Any suggestions would be awesome and much appreciated, gentleman (and any ladies out there also, obviously).

[hornsup84]

Depends what type of clothes you're looking for, as you have endless choices, but for things that you probably don't have wherever you're from (understanding this is a broad generalization):


Joe Fresh - recently heard of this place, but seems like a solid place for basics that are decent quality.


Club Monaco - J.Crew-ish, but a little different feel. Less color/flash overall.


Uniqlo - Japanese basics for dirt cheap. Hit or miss quality, but some people (mainly the skinny guys) really like them.


Also, I'd take a minute and go check out the Brooks Brothers flagship (346 Madison Ave). While it obviously won't be home to too many deals, the store is amazing and a sight to see regardless.

[Dan_dy]

Mostly looking for just basics, but don't really have anything specific in mind. I'm from a rather small town, so haven't been to any big cities like NYC so I have no idea what's in store. I'll only have a day to really wander around, so I'm mostly just wondering which places are "can't miss" or along those lines. I definitely want to check out Uniqlo, even though I'm not exactly on the "skinny' side ( 5'8" and 190 lbs)

[hornsup84]

I'm sure I'm missing places. H&M came to mind as well (cheap clothes, similar to Uniqlo), although that's a little more pervasive in the US now.

[ChrisW]

I'm not too sure if they have them in other places, but I would recommend Zara and Topman.

[Dan_dy]

There's an H&M round my parts, but it'd be cool to check out their big store. I had forgotten about Topman so that could definitely be an option.

[Dan_dy]

Anyone from NYC ever visited Saturday's? GQ has them as one of their best stores in the country and it seems like a relatively cheap (for NYC) shop with a cool vibe. Any personal reviews out there?

[jason_carreira]

Century21 and Suitsupply would be on my list

[Ben]

Suitsupply for sure

[Chareth]

If you don't have a lot of time, your best bet might be to wander around Soho. You can hit up a lot of the stores mentioned in this thread.

[TomasR]

NYC native checking in.


Value splurge

Suit Supply hands down. Even with tailoring costs, you'll end up paying about $500-550 for the best OTR suit in the game. The essential series is $469 and comes in Super 110's wool, has a modern cut and is shockingly well-made. Can't recommend enough.


Stock-up spot

Uniqlo is the place in NYC to get quality underwear, t's and even some more pricy but still reasonable items like denim and button downs. I'd say go after whatever is on sale for the week and pile on the underwear. Note: Their clothes fit nice and trim, but not over-the-top close like H&M or Zara.


Worthwhile Bargain Spot

Century 21 has some amazing deals. Century 21 is also a test of your patience. The place attracts packs of tourists and is almost always a madhouse. If you're willing to deal with the crush of humanity and spend plenty of time rack hunting, then you'll leave happy. Pro-tip: Avoid the downtown Century 21 at all costs. Trust me.

[nicholascrawford]

I'll bookmark this page for August when I go!

[rob2]

Century 21 for sure (Downtown will also give you the chance to ponder life and eternity in St Paul's Chapel), and a quick look through Macy's and the other dept stores for any special sale items. H&M and similar stores seem to be open 'til nearly midnight, so your one day shopping can run really late. Charles Tyrwhitt also has a couple of stores in Manhattan - if you try on some clothes and record your sizes, the future on-line purchases can be made with more assurance:


http://www.ctshirts.co.uk/Charles-Tyrwhitt-USA-stores?cnt=usa-stores


But please - don't just go for the clothes - take a walk in Central Park and spend a couple of hours in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and a quick (free) return trip on the Staten Island Ferry to admire Lady Liberty and the Manhattan skyline (and go for a walk / run across the Brooklyn Bridge) - some of us need to travel half-way around the world to enjoy these things.

[chern]

Joe Fresh is a step up from H&M. There's one on 16th and 5th (or 15th and 6th). I was in there two weekends ago - affordable staples in decent sizes.

[LosRockets]

I second walking around Soho, it's pretty awesome. But since it's your first trip to NYC, I'd say focus on doing all of the touristy things. Statue of Liberty, Central Park, etc. You'll regret it. Was in NYC on a business trip recently and I didn't have time to go shopping since I got off work super late. I was determined to see Times Square at night though, and so I went at like 11 PM. The locals laughed because they thought it was "touristy" and "cute" but I would have regretted not going! It's amazing, and totally packed, at night. I had a blast exploring and enjoying the city at night by myself. I highly recommend it!