Eddie bauer

1. I really like J Crew’s oxfords and linen shirts. I’ve used them in humid conditions and they work very well. J Crew’s quality is usually good, but I have seen some people say they are not what they used to be.

2. Fjallraven has good trekking/hiking pants. Since you are in a hot and humid area, get the ventilated version.

3. Patagonia have some great quality tshirts. You can get 100% organic cotton, a mix or even hemp. Living in Bangladesh which is very hot and humid as well, the hemp ones have worked exceptionally well.

4. I’m not sure how cold fall gets for you, but I’ve been a huge fan of Fjallraven’s flannel shirts. I’m quite slim so their Skog shirt fits me better than any other flannel and is of excellent quality and quite warm. They have other options for various different fits as well.

5. I’ve been using Calvin Klein’s athletic briefs for a long time now, but I know that the model I use is now discontinued. I’m not sure how good/bad their current products are.

Patagonia has been pretty damn durable, at least the work pants, shorts, and jeans I have bought from them.

I like the LL bean chamois shirts, they were constructed of an 8oz cotton fabric, it might not be 8oz any more though.

Carhart double front loggers and duluth firehose pants have been go to work pants in my industry, but the secret truth is the dickies double fronts last just as long if not longer. I still have a pair of dickies pants and workshirt from my first year on the job that have lasted longer than half a dozen pairs of carharts. I also have a coleman shirt that has lasted me forever, but i dont know what its called or where to get another. Oh, Key and Hickory are another two brands ive found to be really affordable and make good work clothes.

Ive also had great luck with the 5.11 ripstop tac pant, but beware, i blew out the crotch of a non-ripstop pair right away.

In summary: LL bean, carhart, duluth, 5.11 are solid and will run ~$60 in the USA. But dickies, key, and hickory will get you just as far imo for half the price.

Just started wearing jcrew linens this year and I love them.

Vans Tshirts are great. They last years!

Patagonia and uniqlo

ExOfficio makes awesome underwear.

Cargo pants aren’t good for brutally hot humid summer days: the pockets on the side add unnecessary layers through which air and vapor need to go through.

Ideally you wanna go comando in linen shorts.

Problem with linen is it’s not as long lasting as cotton.

It’s also not the ideal summer textile, but I believe it’s much better than cotton.

Oh, and you kinda want the pockets in the shorts gone as well.

Probably use a fannypack for phone and keys.

Ll bean

Arcteryx and Patagonia. Both have credible lifetime warranties if the item wasn't completely abused... and sometimes even if they are.

Underwear, find the most comfortable, buy 10, just replace it every 2 years.

That has not been my experience with Uniqlo. [Edit: They are "fast fashion" by most definitions.]

They definitely don't pretend to be in the same league as Patagonia.

Agree, Uniqlo is NOT durable goods, it's cheaper fashion wear akin to H&M. (Not bashing it, I love Uniqulo, but would never have thought of them as a buy-it-for-life brand)

Hoping to get some good tips on this post. I am also tiered of new clothes not lasting. Recently had to replace a set of socks I bough In 2012, got the same model in the same brand, after the first wash the fabric look worst than my 10 years old socks. I have a cardigan I use every year during winter, bought in 1999, the material is still flawless. I am almost giving up on buying new clothes... Gonna try Patagonia brand.

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Big fan of the “amphibian” shorts by Quicksilver- thin and light for the tropics, but durable and quick drying material. Look smart enough to wear to the office too!

they're not high quality, but there's yesstyle, shein, etc

All the brands you listed in your post are horrible for longevity.

Patagonia is where it’s at with their insane lifetime warranty on their products and not to mention ethics. I believe you can order Patagonia online.

LL Bean is a competitor of theirs and also has good products.

I also like the Kuhl brand.

Levi's 501s , you could find some at a thrift store and they'll still be good as new

Uniqlo’s baselayer products are pretty durable. It’s the only think I wear, and have done for years, and I’ll be very annoyed if/when they discontinue the line. I buy maybe 3 briefs a year to cycle in to my stock, and I think I’ve had to dispose of 2 in the last 3 years.

I gotta disagree with the blanket statement here. Eddie Bauer gets their name slapped on a lot of things now days. They aren't all winners.

Echoing LLBean (Bean Boots are often imitated by other brands, but the genuine articles are worth every penny), Patagonia, and Carhartt. Also check out Prana for lightweight gear that can really breathe; their products got me through quite a few hot and humid summers working at a zoo in Alabama, so hopefully they will work for Taiwan. Lastly, a lesser known brand for staples like socks/ underwear is Girlfriend Collective which has a growing men’s line. Good luck!

5 -These seem to vary a lot from line to line. I read that these fancy brands like Ralph Lauren/Marc Jacobs have 3-5 different quality subdivisions. The cheapest ones are in 3-pack or more. These I had a long time ago, things might have changed, but they were shit quality. The best ones I have ever had is by far Hugo (Hugo Boss split into 2 divisions, Boss and Hugo). The ones I have have stitched letters and red color in the stretch part. Price was like $30 for 2 iirc.

ASKET makes really good quality clothing that fits quite well.

Patagonia are great for me personally. Extremely durable and if you need repairs you can send it back (for life) and they’ll fix it - if they can’t fix it they’ll give you the next closest thing.

They’re very environmentally conscious which is why they have such a great repair program. They want you to keep your clothes and not throw them away.

I love my kuhl pants but if I'm pronouncing the name correctly it's silly

Fjallraven has good trekking trousers, but they are absolutely not bifl. Buy it for season, much rather. At least in my case, but I have owned a lot of fjallraven trousers and they all tear out the arse, crotch and the pockets, for some reason

Kuhl makes some solid outdoor clothing. My wife bought a pair of outdoor pants, they were well over $100 but are just amazing.

American Apparel brand makes t-shirts that last for years. I keep waiting for them to wear out so I can get new shirts but they just keep on going. Some are at least 10 years old and still don't have holes and still have all their stitches, after tons of washes.

I have 8 Uniqlo skin tight undershirts that have lasted me for the last 13 years, no pit stains, odors, holes. They still look brand new.

Sounds like DoctorBonkus’ other title is Big Booty Judy and they are doing all the squats and never missing leg day!

Jokes aside that is disappointing to hear. I have a parka by them I love and is great quality, but it (and most likely your pants) was made after they moved a lot of the manufacturing out of Sweden. Supposedly quality declined a lot then.

This is one of those occasions where I'd recommend you go over to a specialist sub. If you ask this in MFA's daily question thread, you should get a few decent responses. Honorable mention though to the guy that recommended Asket for basics, that's a great suggestion.

For your aesthetic I'd recommend taking a look around Hinoya Shop. They're a Japanese retailer that carries a lot of the excellent takes on American Ivy, workwear, and militaria that have been coming out of Japan for many years now. Take note of some of the brands you see there and set up alerts on gently.com so you know when items of interest in your size are on the likes of Poshmark, Grailed, Ebay, etc. In addition, check out some of the really great MTO tailors out of Singapore, like Yeossal. Casatlantic is also making great pants inspired by mid-century American and British tailoring at a very good price point (wearing their shorts right now actually). For underwear, I've found Ex Officio's underwear to be a blessing in an east Asian summer.

People suggest Patagucci and Kuhl, but as a guy in South Florida who owns a bunch of both for work, neither brands make anything great for hot weather. They are durable, but you will sweat. That is often the tradeoff. Prana makes lighter pants, but not nearly as durable.

I've had pretty good experiences with the durability of Uniqlo men's clothes. Specifically their button-downs, long sleeve shirts and slacks.

I have shirts from icebreaker (tho they're made in for hiking). I think quality of most of clothing brands is just the same. the only way of preventing from breaking is just do rotation. don't use the same shirt like everyday

LuLu Lemon

Their stuff lasts forever. Still have a pair of ABC Pants from 10 years ago.

Man or woman ?

Not the case anymore I’m afraid :(

I'd say for that specific sort of group you should throw Mountain Hardware in there too

Levi’s has a huge quality gap between the regular jeans vs the “Levi’s Premium” line. The price difference is well worth it.

That’s crazy considering how wildly overpriced they are.

i’ve never heard anything good about them until this thread. i always thought they were just another gimmicky import brand that people wore to look cool.

Their 50/50? I love those. They're the only large that fits me without being baggy or long. The medium size makes a good undershirt for me too.

Iron Heart button down shirts and flannels are amazing. Expensive, but super high quality. I have a few pairs of their denim, too. They also repair their denim for life if you pay for shipping. Check out their button up work shirts and UHFs (ultra heavy flannels).

Polo

i had a friend with the last name Kuhl and she said it was pronounced (kʌl) like full or dull. of course it might not be the same but it’s better than nothing

Hey, I'm also living in Taiwan at the moment and really struggle with clothes shopping here. You could check asket.com, I don't have the clothes for too long but so far I am quite happy and they seem durable. They deliver to Taiwan but charge shipping fee.

Yes, I think it is the 50/50. I didn't know that t-shirts could be made that well. Like WTF?

LL Bean, Patagonia, Barbour

I've been liking the Dickies pants I've gotten lately. Will have to see how it goes in a few more years. I got em after multiple failures of wrangler jeans, even new ones. Either they were counterfeit or the quality went into the crappy lately.

Thanks for this. Way better than calling them my cool pants

Carhartt makes some really durable shirts. My fiancé wore his for close to 10 years constantly before they started to wear out and have seam issues.

Boxers of any kind, you aren’t likely to be able to find something that will last very long if it has elastic in it as elastic waistbands tend to wear out within 1-2 years or less.

Check out /r/rawdenim pretty much any of the brands covered there.

Okayamadenim.com sells most of the brands and ships internationally from Japan. Be prepared for sticker shock though, that shits not cheap.

For more entry Naked and Famous Denim has some cheaper prices but still high quality and you can usually find something on sale.

It sounds like some chambray shirts are what you're looking for though.

Look in my opinion LL Bean had GREAT quality for decades, but in the last year or so I have been very disappointed after inspecting the material and the stitching of several different flannel shirts.

your mileage may vary

American Apparel used to be ok when it was made in America. I bought some stuff from them a couple of years ago and the quality was way down. I used to work for them around 2010 and I still have a lot of the free clothes I got as uniform. I have two of the 50/25/25 T-shirts that I have worn religiously every day for 10 years as pyjama tops and they are still holding up. I have a hoodie jacket from the same time still going strong. The hoodies that I bought recently pilled up horribly on the first wash. I was very sad to see the way they have gone but I guess we can blame that on creepy Dov - had to speak to him every week on the European conf call and I always hated him.

It was the only clothing company I didn’t feel guilt about working for.

can you get aertex or swandri where you are? Carharrt make some tough stuff as well.

Hardtuned if you are into JDM cars have fantastic quality gear.

What? Really? Are you sure you arent buying fakes? I highly rate the brand for thier quality. Fjallraven is up there with Patigonia imo

Patagonia, llbean, carhart are all good

It’s pronounced “cool”

It’s on their branding and decals, stickers, etc.

The regular Carhartt isn't an international brand, but the WIP company is. Do you know anything about their quality?

Well that's unfortunate. Still happy with them tho

Are we talking about kühl?

It's German and the ü is kind of an elongated eww sound. The L is also very soft. It sounds more like Keww - uhh - l

MH is okay but third tier on the level of Marmot, TNF, Mammut, OR, and that sort.

The Carhartt WIP and Dickies fashion divisions (not their workwear line) are available here. Do you know about their quality?

I dont know, sorry. I just looked up carhartt wip and i guess its a european market offshoot that started making their own clothes in 1994. So its carhartt in name but im not sure if its the same stuff.

The regular Carhartt workwear isn't available here, but the WIP stuff is. Do you know about their quality?

Okay. Thanks!

Way below Aeteryx in quality. And a step below Patagonia in quality

Arc’Teryx though, super good for weather extremes. They’re long sleeve base layer shirts are wearable in the most humid of days and offer excellent sun protection while still remaining breathable.

No I don’t, except that it’s their “street wear” version so I would assume that the quality may be different than the original work wear items.

True that

YES. I only buy Patagonia. I’m not a rich man but I learned once I started living on my own the importance of buying QUALITY products at a price and not replacing them forever.

I put OR above these for sure, but below Patagonia/arcteryx. Comparing them to marmot is not fair. Can’t speak for mammut though.

North Face is you pay up for up but besides that…they’re a sell out.

Patagonia 4 lyfe

Pendleton wool board shirt will outlast you.

4. Long sleeved button ups

The best I have found are carhartt. They have long and short lengths and several thickness levels. I love their shirts and they are my go to for fall/spring. Pro tip: they have a clearance section and you can get some real bargains there sometimes. Also their t shirts are super high quality

Icebreaker do some great products. Their tech lite merino t-shirts are great for hot summers with the wool regulating body temp much better than cotton t’s. I find I can wear them for a number of days without getting stinky too. Manufacture quality is really good and the quality of their merino is really excellent, doesn’t shrink like some of the imitation brands.

They do long sleeve tops most tend to be body fitted but buy a size up and it’s a better fit.

I’ve got t-shirts and a jacket that are going on 14yrs old and still worn regularly. Edit:Just keep them stored away from moths, I’ve lost a couple that way.

Underwear: Calvins Kleins, you have to be choosy about the model. I’ve got some that are 20yrs old and look like they’ve just been opened out the packet. My more recent purchases some have been great, some have already been thrown out because they just haven’t lasted. Many of the seams are glued now to produce a flatter finish but these come apart quickly.

Especially items from E. B. Outlets.

Ralph Lauren

Just my five cents but I have found unfortunately brands will change their quality over time and not always for the worse, so just buying based on a brand name is rarely reliable. 10 years ago I bought Calvine Klein underwear and still have some of those to this day, but 5 years ago the quality changed a lot and the few I bought have cycled out. (I live in Australia btw) I've basically had to become good at judging the quality of a garment on factors like feel, washing instructions, thickness and weave. I like quality cotton best.

A few years back Superdry was making amazing T-shirts with really good weave cotton. I went crazy and bought 20 and none have shown any sign of wearing out despite daily wear and washing. Unfortunately their underwear, though decent, wasn't as durable.

Eddie Bower long sleeve tops I bought while on a USA trip from an outlet they had have served me amazingly well. They were super discounted and being pushed out but to me felt like the best quality they had in the whole store. Their "new season" range at the time was worse and expensive but the 5 dollar tops I bought are still going strong after 5 years.

So I guess what I am saying is I buy clothes in store only because I cannot trust brands to be reliable.

The CEO was forced to leave around 10 years ago. Since then the quality has gone downhill. The old CEO now runs Los Angeles Appearal. Those are still union made in America.

Los Angeles Apparel is what you want. Basically same company.

I'm not rich either. I actually usually get clothes from thrift stores and discount stores like tjmaxx. I was tired of buying new work clothes all the time. I admired Patagonia's company ethics (at least what their marketing says) so I wanted to try some, and i bought some workwear when I was a mechanic when i needed some new work pants. The hemp canvas stuff is super durable. Wore it every day in the shop. They're very grease and oil stained, but literally showing no significant wear even to this day. All of the stitching, pockets, and belt loops are very heavy duty too. Other pants wore out much quicker.

Look into lululemon, the boxers are the most comfortable ive worn, the cotton t shirts are very durable, never lose their colour and are very comfortable, and even their button up shirts keep me very cool in the summer

Asket looks like it has really nice things, but I don't think I'd want to order something so dependent on fit from overseas. It would have to be something I can try on in the store.

Clothes: Dickies, Helle Hansen, Timberland, Pendleton, Guess. Underwear: Saxx Underwear

I'd put MAMMUT to the top, in my own opinion, I own 4 or 5 items and every one has exceeded expectations. OR is close, just a bit less consistent. Arc'teryx used to be amazing, but I stopped buying it because I feel the value just isn't there, too expensive.

Timberland is available here. I'll have to give them a try.

Icebreaker - I have hand me down tops that are still going strong. Their socks last! Comfy too.

Outdoor research has an incredible warranty. I’ve replaced several items no questions asked.

Same experience with Daluth.

I've only had my bean boots for about 5 years, but I wear them constantly during fall/winter/spring and they still look and feel brand new.

Carhartt WIP is more focused towards street wear still good quality I have a WIP Canvas backback Ive carried everyday to work for the last 3 yrs

Check out unclejudes in Taiwan!

US issue military bdu/acu/acp/etc pants. These things will not perish and can be had for $5 or less at thrift stores or much less at yard sales.

sOliver for fancy clothes Alpina shoes, work and fancy

I'd argue their quality has notably improved in the last 6 or so years

J. Crew, on sale, is good bang for your buck. Solid construction and always above average materials.

Definitely not durable.

OR gloves are very good.

I’ve found the exact opposite.

I’ve worn them almost exclusively for ~10 years now and they’re bulletproof. No holes, very minimal wear and tear, and the elastic waistbands are still going strong.

Mammut has that super slim euro cut. Great if you’re that slim build. Bad if you like weights or a lot of desserts.

I burst through a pair of pants on the thighs when I had to carry a bunch of snowboards up a hill and my thighs swolled.

Very true, especially in their shirts.

I've got a lot Eddie Bauer shirts, sweaters, and pants that were passed down from my dad and grandfather... the new Eddie Bauer stuff is still pretty durable, but you have to check the material sticking... the new stuff from past 15 years isn't as good...

Thanks!

This looks interesting. A bit formal for my needs, but interesting. Thanks!

Eddie Bauer horizon shorts are incredibly durable and comfortable. Ive taken mine to hell and back with no issues.

Glad you’ve had success. I’ve spent a lot of money on Mountain Hardware over the past two years because I’ve got a warehouse near me and I have to say I have become very disappointed. I decided I’d rather just spend the money and add to my small but ever growing Arc’Teryx collection. I’ve never tossed out anything from them. They are way more expensive though

Lol, I certainly have larger thighs, but yes, I probably buy a pair of trousers each year. It is really a shame! I have a Greenland jacket and have had it for 12 years or so, it just keeps on giving.

It really depends, their trousers are bad, but their anoraks and buttoned shirts are really good, as well as their gear; tents and bags really stand up.

Overall the brand is good. But their trousers are shit compared to the price

Haven't found anything that beats Ministry of Supply for hot weather for sharp looking formal/ish wear.

In case you're interested in their corporate ethics, it does seem that their environmentalism isn't just lip service.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-62906853

The color of the tag makes a difference

Wrangler

My partner absolutely loves their outdoor leggings. The zipper of a side pocket did start to come unthreaded on one pair of hers once, but she dropped them off at the store and a couple weeks later they were repaired free of charge. So they did start to fail but they just handled it, which works for me ...

"Fruit of the loom" for all casual cloth stuff.

and "atlas for man" for work related clothing.

I've stopped buying Mountain Hardware. Had two ill-fitting shirts that wore out quickly, while fading. And a pair of pants - ditto. Don't know how MH got into good outfitter stores.

Patagonia all the way. They have a used website as well and you can trade stuff in.

Montbell

Mountain Hardware is a branch of the same company as Columbia and Prana. They’re all about the same quality and they all made a turn towards being trendy a few years back. I only buy them when they’re on severe discount, and still consider if I should just save up and get something more durable. They’re like the trendy fast fashion I can throw in with my 10 year old durable gear to be more up to date in colors and cuts

I love my Greenland jacket. It is the first Fjallraven item I got years ago and it is still in perfect condition.

I’m sorry to hear about your experience with the pants. I actually don’t own a pair yet but was planning on getting one given my experience with their other products. I’ll be rethinking that now. Thank you!

Patagonia, Marmot, Outdoor Research, and Sherpa Adventure Gear are all wonderful. Really, any well respected outdoor brand is mostly going to be solid as their customers expect durability based upon how they're going to be used. Running brands such as Rabbit are also excellent.

The Eddie Bauer shirts they sell at Sam's Club are winners though if you're looking for solid color basic shirts for cheap.

I'd put all of them under swedish brand Klättermusen. Really impressed by their quality.

https://www.klattermusen.com/en/

I know everyone is saying it already but I'm going to chime in and also say Patagonia...once you get to like 3 products of theirs purchased, you become hooked.

Thanks for the recommendation, but their USA prices are pretty astronomical. Its probably a combination of tariffs, hiding the shipping costs, and no interest in us as a market. Its too bad, because its really good looking stuff.

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Someone here mentioned Icebreaker socks last ($18 a pair) https://www.icebreaker.com/en-us/mens-socks

Have a look at www.HappilyEverFlower.com

Oh yeah, i can imagine.