Men's fashion in the recession: from the sophisticated spender to the relaxed lounger

The global financial crisis is wreaking havoc on the fashion world, from high-end fashion to more affordable clothes. Many people are spending far less on their duds, looking for deals and shunning the Nordstroms and Saks Fifth Avenues of the world – well, at least most of us.
Through it all, we want to stay fashionable without paying a fortune. I’ve broken shoppers into categories in order to give the best advice.

The Sophisticated Spender
Those who prefer a little more sophistication in their wardrobes might expect to have to pay more to get what they want, but that’s not necessarily the case. You’ll just need to hit up stores with routine sales of high-end clothes.

One of the best around is T.J. Maxx. Go there to find quality polos, sweaters, trousers, ties and Ralph Lauren button-down shirts, among others. They’re the same clothes you’d find at Macy’s or Carson Pirie Scott.

For sweaters, you’ll want to skip the cashmere and go for the Mereno wool or cotton to lessen the hit on your wallet.

When shopping for clothes, especially trousers, make sure you look over the items very closely, as sometimes they will be marked down because of lack of quality. But you’re buying a big-name brand, so you’re unlikely to have a problem.

If shopping online, be sure to check out deals at places like J.Crew and Express. These stores tend to have extra online sales and are the best when it comes to selling runway fashion for cheap.

The T-Shirt and Jeans Type
Two words: Old Navy. The store sells fitted T-shirts for only $10 to $20 – and sometimes less. Most of the shirts have random sayings or simply “Old Navy” on them, but if you’re true to this category you really don’t care.

The best thing about the shirts is that they fit to your body, showing off your shape and physique. I own a few and have had few problems with them. The only thing I recommend is that you do not throw them in the dryer after wearing them; they’ll shrink.

As for the jeans, they come in straight, boot-cut, loose and painter styles. For the most part, they all fit fairly slim. The good thing is you won’t drop $100 on a pair here. Of all the new arrivals, the most expensive pair I saw was $34.50, a price that’s hard to beat. Some of the jeans have a rougher feel to them, but after wearing them a few times, they’re near perfect.

The Relaxed Lounger
I can’t help but refer you to the Gap over all others.

Here you’ll find quality relaxed-fit cotton khakis for less than $50 and new cotton cardigans for less than $60. That’s a deal considering I’ve seen some of the same clothes at other stores being sold at almost twice the price.

The shorts are tailored and are made to fall right below the knee for a classy-but-relaxed look and feel. Lastly, all of the blazers are less than $100.
Basically, when it comes to shopping during a recession, you should look for deals – everywhere.

The best time to stock up on a certain season’s clothes is in the opposite season. For example, in summer or spring, shop for sweaters; you’ll find them for 80 percent off. In the winter, shop for T-shirts. Remember to catch them at the beginning of the seasons, though.

Follow the tips I’ve given you, and you shouldn’t have reason to stress about spending too much again.