The big Savers Sale

[thriftymama]

Just wondering if anyone got to their local Savers today for their 50% off everything sale. I stopped in twice today. I didn't have much time, but I managed to find a couple sweaters. Now I think I'm stocked up again for winter. Yay!

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

Alas, no Savers here. Great you could get sweaters though-- went looking for sweaters in some non-thrift stores recently and it seems in spite of the Store Time Warp thinking it's already Christmas, the Time Warp also doesn't allow for sweaters this year.

Well, not REAL sweaters, anyway. Short-sleeved sweaters are not sweaters. They are glorified sweatervests. Target seems fond of them this year. 

Me, not so much.

[thriftymama]

Yeah, I don't understand the short-sleeved sweater thing. It's kind of an oxymoron, isn't it?

[Good Buddy]

I guess we need to keep up with our local sales schedule. We have 2 Savers near us, one is good, the other, not so good.

GB

[Jay2TheRescue]

Alas, no Savers here. Great you could get sweaters though-- went looking for sweaters in some non-thrift stores recently and it seems in spite of the Store Time Warp thinking it's already Christmas, the Time Warp also doesn't allow for sweaters this year.
Well, not REAL sweaters, anyway. Short-sleeved sweaters are not sweaters. They are glorified sweatervests. Target seems fond of them this year. 

Me, not so much.

I found much the same.  I was looking for some new sweaters and found almost nothing "traditional" enough to wear to work in my size (Large Tall), or weren't a brand I despise because of their poor quality control like Nautica.  (I saw lots of Nautica in TJ Maxx)  There were also lots of things that looked like dressed up sweatshirts.  I ended up going to Kohl's and paying about $25/ea for 4 sweaters (Arrow & Sonoma brands)

-Jay

[foutchie]

Okay, help me out here.   Since you do deal with clothing on a daily basis and are great at spotting poor/good quality, please tell me which brands are still quality and which ones to avoid - that will help my shopping immensely, so I don't spend time on checking over items that really aren't up to par......

[Jay2TheRescue]

Okay, help me out here.   Since you do deal with clothing on a daily basis and are great at spotting poor/good quality, please tell me which brands are still quality and which ones to avoid - that will help my shopping immensely, so I don't spend time on checking over items that really aren't up to par......

Mens or womens brands?  Here are some general rules to follow

Brands to avoid:

• Nautica
• Tommy Hilfinger
• Versace
• Juicy
• Express
• Roca Wear

These brands are expensive, and often there is no safe way to clean these garments without them being ruined in some way.

General crap:

• Geoffrey Beene
• Anything with a "Dress Barn" label
• Anything from Old Navy
• Stafford, Towncraft, (or any other JC Penney store brand except for Arizona)
• Any Wal-Mart or K-Mart store brand
• Newer Land's End items made since they were bought out by Sears.
• Any mens shirt or women's blouse that says "wrinkle free" on the label. (These are plagued with fusible interfacings and glued seams that deteriorate quickly.)

These items are made and sold cheaply.  Many shortcuts in manufacturing to include gluing the garment togeather rather than sewing.

Brands that will generally be quality items and wear well throughout their expected life:

• Ralph Lauren
• Sonoma
• Van Heusen (* Except shirts marked "wrinkle free")
• Arrow
• Dockers
• Levis
• Orvis
• Columbia
• London Fog
• Pacific Trail
• Haggar
• Arizona
• Kenneth Cole
• DKNY
• Croft & Barrow (Kohl's house brand)
• Vintage items from Sears (Items over 25 - 30 years old)
• Older Land's End items (Over 5 years old)

I hope this helps.

-Jay

[foutchie]

Thanks much!  I'm keeping this list - and feel good knowing I only have one TH, one Nautica, but lots of Ralph L.!!!!!!
Do you have an opinion on Ann Taylor or August Silk?   Would love to hear!

[genuineimitation]

yes, thanks so much for the list! i just got 3 eileen fisher tops - i generally like her designs, but am now leary of the quality since they all say "made in china", though the fabric/fibers seem nice...

[Jay2TheRescue]

Thanks much!  I'm keeping this list - and feel good knowing I only have one TH, one Nautica, but lots of Ralph L.!!!!!!
Do you have an opinion on Ann Taylor or August Silk?   Would love to hear!

For the most part Ann Taylor is quality merchandise, but I have run into a handful of Ann Taylor that wasn't quality.  In those instances I wrote the customer a letter and the store exchanged it without a problem. 

August Silk is not a brand that I am familiar with.  I really can't comment on their quality.  If it is a brand sold in the DC metro area then I'm sure my customers have it.  If they do it must be going through with no complaints, and therefore it must not be in the "crap" category, but without seeing some of their garments firsthand I don't want to say that it is "good".  It is probably of average quality.

-Jay

[Jay2TheRescue]

yes, thanks so much for the list! i just got 3 eileen fisher tops - i generally like her designs, but am now leary of the quality since they all say "made in china", though the fabric/fibers seem nice...

The "Made in China" label doesn't mean much anymore because almost all clothes are made there now.

-Jay

[foutchie]

thanks so much!  this list is going in my purse - so I'm armed and ready! 

[Big Daddy Audio]

Four more labels that are usually pretty good quality, although things may have changed recently:

- Brooks Brothers
- Eddie Bauer
- Hathaway
- LLBean

(Note the new signature phrase, lifted from David Dickinson of Bargain Hunt fame)

See You Next Time -
Bye for Now.

[foutchie]

Thanks - more good choices!  I do have a brooks brothers argyle sweater that I love........

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

BDA- now you just need those rainbow-colored reading glasses on a chain...

Er, maybe not. :-)