[Kerrigan]

So, I'm torn on what I think about Ralph Lauren. I like the cut of their polo shirts, and their oxford shirts can be nice, too.

However, if you have ever seen their other "collections", you know that they also make a substantial number of clothes suited for a more trendy clientele. In fact, if you look at the people on RalphLauren.com or at any of the mannequins in their shop windows, you see what appears to be a high school *********'s version of the J. Press Ivy League look.

But their polo shirts seem unrivaled; I prefer them to Brooks Brothers and Vineyard Vines and any of the various alternatives.

What are your thoughts?

[imitchellg5]

I like their polos as well. It's hard to find the "less trendy" stuff nowadays.

[Captain Obvious]

Originally Posted by Kerrigan 

if you look at the people on RalphLauren.com or at any of the mannequins in their shop windows, you see what appears to be a high school *********'s version of the J. Press Ivy League look.

And?
Mr. Lifshitz was the first person I can think of who sold a lifestyle and image with his clothing brand and to great financial success.
Its to his credit that he has been able to maintain that image for forty years. As far as I know what you just described has always been the image packaged along with Polo, RL, Polo Golf, and Chaps.
The Black and Purple RL line caters to a different sort of consumer which is why it departs from the image.

[SSharon]

I just saw a show on the car collection he has and wow, who cares about designing clothing when you have 36 cars to play with.

[IceEnclosure]

His cars are sick.

Those giant horse logo polos are lame.

[brassplayersrock²]

[IceEnclosure]

c'mon though.

[shifuimam]

Originally Posted by IceEnclosure 

His cars are sick.

Those giant horse logo polos are lame.

Yeah, but without the giant RL logo, your friends won't know as quickly that you paid a premium for a designer label. Derr.

As a girl, I'm sure I have a much wider selection to choose from than you dudes. I just buy whatever's on sale...various in-house brands sold at Kohl's tend to be nice. The two RL polos I did have never fit very well.

[brassplayersrock²]

Not disagreeing with you iceman. If I were to get a RL shirt, polo whatever, it'd be one with one of those small horses. not one of the "LOOK AT ME, I'M RICH AND LIKE TO WASTE MONEY! AND POP UP MY COLLAR LIKE A DUMBARSE" horses

[SSharon]

Originally Posted by brassplayersrock² 

Not disagreeing with you iceman. If I were to get a RL shirt, polo whatever, it'd be one with one of those small horses. not one of the "LOOK AT ME, I'M RICH AND LIKE TO WASTE MONEY! AND POP UP MY COLLAR LIKE A DUMBARSE" horses

you wouldn't even have to shout, you could just whisper it into a bluetooth headset left in your ear all day long.

[brassplayersrock²]

D for smilie please

[IceEnclosure]

Originally Posted by SSharon 

bluetooth headset left in your ear all day long.

this thread is now about what makes me angry.

[brassplayersrock²]

last I was at a movie, there must have been 3 or 4 little blinking ear pieces. drove me nuts until i blocked them out.

[Kerrigan]

The only time I've seen a legitimate use for one of those earpieces was on a window-washer. Up there on the ladder it is probably useful to have hands free access to a communication device. Everyone else who wears those is a douche-bag.

[SSharon]

Originally Posted by Kerrigan 

The only time I've seen a legitimate use for one of those earpieces was on a window-washer. Up there on the ladder it is probably useful to have hands free access to a communication device. Everyone else who wears those is a douche-bag.

whew, and here I was worried you would get mad at me for derailing the thread. I'm glad to see you hate the headsets too.

I'm still wondering how much of a difference there can be between polo shirts. Dress shirts I can understand, but polo shirts seem pretty standard and are probably all made in the same factory in china anyway.

[Captain Obvious]

Originally Posted by SSharon 

I'm still wondering how much of a difference there can be between polo shirts. Dress shirts I can understand, but polo shirts seem pretty standard and are probably all made in the same factory in china anyway.

The shoulders and back are cut to be better squared with a guy's body than most other brands. They may be made in the same factory but the pattern and cloth they use are not the same.

[rickey939]

All I know is that I just picked up 5 new RL Polo's (little horse) at Macy's for only $30/each...retail for $75 normally. God bless the crappy economy...

[Jawbone54]

No polo that I've ever bought has lasted (and fit perfectly/comfortably) for longer than a year.

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by rickey939 

All I know is that I just picked up 5 new RL Polo's (little horse) at Macy's for only $30/each...retail for $75 normally. God bless the crappy economy...

That's still three times what I pay for a polo.

[rickey939]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

That's still three times what I pay for a polo.

No problem, just means you can buy 15 Polo's!

[Oisín]

I’ve never been able to understand what people see in ‘brand’ clothes. Sure, some brands use high-quality materials and make clothes that last and are generally very good quality. You tend to pay through the nose for that, but at least I can understand that.

Paying through the nose for something that’s just like everything else, just because it has a little logo on it, however, is beyond me. If I’m going to pay through the nose for clothes just because of what’s on them, it had damn well better be something that’s relevant to me, not just a stupid little logo. Not so long ago, for example, I came across an online store selling ‘statement’ t-shirts in Irish. Now that I was willing to pay for. $50 per t-shirt is expensive as hell to me, but I paid, ’cause they use good fabric, and the t-shirts are awesome.

I do have a Ralph Lauren polo and a Lacoste polo, both given to me as gifts. Neither is a particularly good fit—certainly no better than any other $15 polo I have. I use the Lacoste one for running, working out (y’know, about once a year) or painting/working.

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by Oisín 

I’ve never been able to understand what people see in ‘brand’ clothes. Sure, some brands use high-quality materials and make clothes that last and are generally very good quality. You tend to pay through the nose for that, but at least I can understand that.

This is why it's rare to find me in anything but a plain white tee. About a year and a half ago I got rid of all but about three of my t-shirts and got a couple packs of plain shirts. I have a few nice shirts to wear to appease my girlfriend, but besides that it's white tees.

[Oisín]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

This is why it's rare to find me in anything but a plain white tee. About a year and a half ago I got rid of all but about three of my t-shirts and got a couple packs of plain shirts. I have a few nice shirts to wear to appease my girlfriend, but besides that it's white tees.

What do expensive ‘brand’ clothes have to do with colour, though?

My clothes are all cheap, but lots of them are very colourful. Doesn’t make it (much) more expensive. I wouldn’t go to the other extreme and buy those white t-shirts where you get five for $20, either, ’cause those are usually really, really crappy fits; they’re probably made by little kids in China; and fall apart at the seams after being washed twice. The ‘medium-priced’ ones (say, $20–$30 per shirt) are the most sensible balance to me. If they’re made in Chinese sweatshops, they’re at least most likely made by adults in Chinese sweatshops; they fit well; and they don’t fall apart immediately.

[Timo]

Originally Posted by Oisín 

My clothes are all cheap, but lots of it is very colourful.

That's certainly one way to describe 'em.

[Oisín]

Originally Posted by Timo 

That's certainly one way to describe 'em.

Dammit, I just knew you’d show up here with something like that!

[Jawbone54]

I don't trust Chinese sweatshops. I just force my legion of inbred bayou children to make my clothes in the shed in my back yard.

[brassplayersrock²]

Then why did you type out your post? Unless since you knew that Timo would reply in such a fashion, and you wanted to test your know how of human response on Timo and make him your human Guinea Pig, so that you can hug him, and love him and call him George.

[Oisín]

Originally Posted by brassplayersrock² 

Then why did you type out your post? Unless since you knew that Timo would reply in such a fashion, and you wanted to test your know how of human response on Timo and make him your human Guinea Pig, so that you can hug him, and love him and call him George.

Well, I’ve done all that already (apart from calling him George—Timo will do just fine for me). And if he’s reading this, I haven’t made him my human guinea pig either, of course. Ahem.
No, I was more counting on him missing this thread. Or rather, I hadn’t considered when I wrote the post. But when I saw that Timo had posted in the thread, I just knew what it would be about before even clicking on the thread. Though I did expect the reference to the verbiage on my t-shirts to be more direct.

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by Oisín 

What do expensive ‘brand’ clothes have to do with colour, though?

Because a colored shirt could say something about me (more than a white shirt would) and I don't want that.

My clothes are all cheap, but lots of them are very colourful. Doesn’t make it (much) more expensive. I wouldn’t go to the other extreme and buy those white t-shirts where you get five for $20, either, ’cause those are usually really, really crappy fits; they’re probably made by little kids in China; and fall apart at the seams after being washed twice. The ‘medium-priced’ ones (say, $20–$30 per shirt) are the most sensible balance to me. If they’re made in Chinese sweatshops, they’re at least most likely made by adults in Chinese sweatshops; they fit well; and they don’t fall apart immediately.

Where the heck are you shopping? My pack of 5 t-shirts only cost $10, and the only reason I've thrown any of them out is excessive grease/residue stains from working on my car/motorcycle. I've had the shirt I'm wearing right now for at least a year and a half, and it's been washed at least every other week, meaning it's been through 30 or 40 cycles, it's holding up great. I'd never pay $30 for a shirt that wasn't for a special occasion.

[Oisín]

Originally Posted by Laminar

Where the heck are you shopping?

Denmark.

[Captain Obvious]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

Where the heck are you shopping? My pack of 5 t-shirts only cost $10, and the only reason I've thrown any of them out is excessive grease/residue stains from working on my car/motorcycle. I've had the shirt I'm wearing right now for at least a year and a half, and it's been washed at least every other week, meaning it's been through 30 or 40 cycles, it's holding up great. I'd never pay $30 for a shirt that wasn't for a special occasion.

Hold on, didn't you disqualify yourself from giving fashion advice the second you started your thread on needing help to get dressed for a semi-formal event?

Dressing cheaply can be quite excusable when you're a college student but at a certain point an adult should dress and look like one. How you dress and what is appropriate is a function of where you are going to be spending your time both socially and professionally. A $3 Hanes tee or Wanglers just isn't the sort of attire that speaks well of a person in more sophisticated settings.

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by Captain Obvious 

Hold on, didn't you disqualify yourself from giving fashion advice the second you started your thread on needing help to get dressed for a semi-formal event?

Dressing cheaply can be quite excusable when you're a college student but at a certain point an adult should dress and look like one. How you dress and what is appropriate is a function of where you are going to be spending your time both socially and professionally. A $3 Hanes tee or Wanglers just isn't the sort of attire that speaks well of a person in more sophisticated settings.

I wasn't giving any advice, just sharing my preferences. I can dress appropriately for a situation - I had no problem wearing slacks or jeans with collared shirts (according to dress code) for my internship. I'm just talking about everyday clothes and occasional "going out." I don't have any desire to spend the kind of money the typical "hip" dresser must to look the way he does in everyday non-dress-code situations.

[Railroader]

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

No polo that I've ever bought has lasted (and fit perfectly/comfortably) for longer than a year.

I was just looking at our wedding album with the wife (awwwwwwwww) and noticed in one of the pictures of the gift opening party that I was wearing the same RL polo shirt I had on in the pictures. The shirt was a few years old when I got married. That was over 11 years ago. That shirt is older than some people on this forum. Still looks good, great color, and Macy's still sells it today.

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by Railroader 

That shirt is older than some people on this forum.

imitchellg5?

[ghporter]

Is it just me, or do twit kids with popped collars make everyone want to find a baseball bat? Really. I saw a kid that couldn't have been more than 14 the other weekend, wearing a tee shirt under a badged (A&F? Polo? One of 'em.) polo shirt with the collar popped. At a large, and somewhat trendy mall. In public and everything. Who was he trying to impress? It was sad, really.

RL's suits, oxford shirts, and his ties are really very nice, and as casual wear, his polos are usually head and shoulders above most others in terms of cut and construction. But the rich kid bunch that spends so much money on just "having the look" in spite of having nothing "upstairs" to speak of, makes me want to hurl.

[brassplayersrock²]

Most kids these days don't know what is more important, fashion/popularity or smarts. It's sad really.

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by brassplayersrock² 

Most kids these days don't know what is more important, fashion/popularity or smarts. It's sad really.

Well, which is it? Good looks and a well-developed ability to communicate will often times get you much much further than smarts.

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

Well, which is it? Good looks and a well-developed ability to communicate will often times get you much much further than smarts.

If your entire ability to communicate is limited to how much money you spent on your shirt, is that functional communication? The focus on conspicuous consumption (of someone else's income) makes that "social" aspect of these children's lives pretty immaterial. At least to me. They're "rich kids" who are useless at doing anything but consuming their parents' money.

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by ghporter 

If your entire ability to communicate is limited to how much money you spent on your shirt, is that functional communication? The focus on conspicuous consumption (of someone else's income) makes that "social" aspect of these children's lives pretty immaterial. At least to me. They're "rich kids" who are useless at doing anything but consuming their parents' money.

The communication I was speaking of referred more to the "popularity" part of his post. Like I said, having connections and having an ability to maintain and direct a conversation will often times get one a lot further than being really smart.

[Oisín]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

The communication I was speaking of referred more to the "popularity" part of his post. Like I said, having connections and having an ability to maintain and direct a conversation will often times get one a lot further than being really smart.

I’d list “an ability to maintain and direct a conversation” under smarts, not popularity.

Lots of (young) people are slavish followers of the fashion of the day, hugely popular within their own peer group, and yet utterly unable to maintain or direct anything I’d label a semi-coherent or semi-intelligent conversation.

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by Oisín 

I’d list “an ability to maintain and direct a conversation” under smarts, not popularity.

Lots of (young) people are slavish followers of the fashion of the day, hugely popular within their own peer group, and yet utterly unable to maintain or direct anything I’d label a semi-coherent or semi-intelligent conversation.

You need to spend time with more engineers. You'll meet some people with an incredible amount of intelligence and knowledge but almost zero ability to effectively get a message across.

[Oisín]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

You need to spend time with more engineers. You'll meet some people with an incredible amount of intelligence and knowledge but almost zero ability to effectively get a message across.

That’s true, of course.

But in my experience, these types of people are not usually teenagers, nor do they slavishly adhere to the latest fashions.

[Railroader]

Originally Posted by Oisín 

That’s true, of course.

But in my experience, these types of people are not usually teenagers, nor do they slavishly adhere to the latest fashions.

They will have the latest cell phone or PDA though.

[Timo]

Originally Posted by Oisín 

Well, I’ve done all that already (apart from calling him George—Timo will do just fine for me). And if he’s reading this, I haven’t made him my human guinea pig either, of course. Ahem.
No, I was more counting on him missing this thread. Or rather, I hadn’t considered when I wrote the post. But when I saw that Timo had posted in the thread, I just knew what it would be about before even clicking on the thread.

muahahahahaha

Originally Posted by Oisín 

Though I did expect the reference to the verbiage on my t-shirts to be more direct.

No, "colorful" is quite apt

[paul w]

If a tank-top over here is colloquially called a wife beater, what would that make a polo? A date raper?

[Laminar]

Fantastic.

[Dakar V]

This needs to be added to the shirt lexicon immediately.

[residentEvil]

Originally Posted by Railroader 

They will have the latest cell phone or PDA though.

can people buy a PDA that isn't a cell phone?

[Railroader]

Errr... cell phone PDA.

[rickey939]

Carson's has RL Polo's for $25.50 this week.