Crikey!

My collection of thrifted (and eBay) crocs from the past year. 

Certainly some of the nicest fabric available for polo shirts.

Spent: $4-12 ea.

Retail: ~$600 

Hitting the Target

So, you might question what a big-box retailer has to do with a blog about traditional style, but Target stores, despite their discount nature, actually, on occasion, have some prep-friendly items. Even prepsters need to buy laundry detergent and clothes hangers from time to time, but on a recent visit I eyed a few items that were actually pretty impressive in their own right.

"At least we're not as terrible as Walmart"

Outlets

Outlet stores are a curious facet of American consumerism. Traditionally, outlet stores or Factory Stores, were connected directly to the merchants factory, as a way to distribute their products directly to customers. Perhaps the best example is the L.L. Bean outlet in the company hometown of Freeport, Maine, which has remained open in the same location since 1917.

From the outside, this looks like a store, but the L.L. Bean outlet is actually the size of a small European nation. 

What has your experience at outlets been? Tell us in the Comments section of this article.

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The Thrifty Prep Guide to Ties

"A well-tied tie is the first serious step in life.”
-- Oscar Wilde

     Ties have been the mark of a well-dressed man for decades, and probably will remain so for years to come. While some see the necktie as the noose of a conformist society around the neck of the free man, and others as incessant fathers-day gifts that are worn maybe once or twice a year, a true gentleman knows how to use ties to their advantage, adding just the right amount of color or pattern to complete a given look.

Truth be told, there are lots of unfortunate ties out there, and as with any part of a wardrobe, there are considerable differences in quality to be aware of as well. In this write up, I'll try to describe the most essential ties for your collection, which brands to look for, how to wear them, and what to wear them with. After reading this article, you should be able to pick up any tie (be it in a department store, thrift store, or your Grandfather's closet, and instantly be able to judge not only the build of the tie, but also the finer qualities and stylistic details that make it special.

Quick access to parts of this guide:

• Materials (The inner-workings)

• The Knot (How to tie)

• Length and Width 

• Styles (Stripes, dots, seahorses)

• Makers (What to look for in a brand)

• How to Buy (At a thrifty price)

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June Finds

Pickings have been fairly slim lately, and I've come up empty handed quite a few times during thrifting adventures. Patience is a virtue however, and I have come up with some great finds in the past month regardless. I've also been checking eBay pretty regularly and a made a couple purchases through there as well. 

Here's the latest acquisitions: 

A Brooks Brothers Fun Shirt . Every prep must own at least (and possibly no more than) one  variation of it.
This particular example is made from two different color stripes, yellow on the front, and blue on the back.
Ebay: $11
Retail: $70?

Preppy Movie Preview: The Royal Tenenbaums

Sure, you may have seen Wes Anderson's 2001 quirky, avant-garde film The Royal Tenenbaums, but the question is, were you paying attention to the costumes? This won't be Anderson's first foray into trad style, as we've seen before in Rushmore, he evidently likes to create characters who lean towards prepdom.

As a estranged, albeit wealthy  family, the Tenenbaums exhibit many elements of preppy style. From camelhair jackets, to numerous suit and tie combinations, quite a few items stuck out to me while watching, so I've screen captured them for review. While each character has his/her own take on dress, overall the details seemed very spot on. Add to the record Moonrise Kingdom, filmed in ocean-side Narraganset Bay and  Jamestown, RI. and you have quite a lot of prep (after taking into account Bill Murray's madras trousers).

The sartorial choices of each character end up being more of a motif than purely costume, but I won't give out any plot spoilers, just photographic evidence of the goods.

Here are a few scenes that grabbed my attention from Royal:

eBay Listings

Started listing some items on eBay. Check here from time to time and snag up some of my thrift finds!
Currently listing:
Brooks Brothers Dress shirts in 15.5
Brooks Brothers Polo shirt (M)
Brooks Brothers Sport shirt (M)

My eBay Store

Thanks for checking it out! I'll be posting additional items here that I pick up while thrifting. Any requests? Comment here and I'll keep an eye out for your hard-to-find item!