I have been buying clothes for my entire family from Discover Goodwill for years and unless we tell someone we’re wearing “thrift,” they’d never know. We’ve featured makeover shopping trips for women, of all shapes, ages and lifestyles, and we’ve featured great finds for kids. But we’ve not had a male model to showcase all the great items you can find for men…until now. When I asked my friend James to be a model and he took on the challenge, I was thrilled! And let me tell you, we found some great deals. Whether it’s business attire or more casual clothes, you can find something to meet your needs with good brands, current styles and excellent prices.
James is wearing an American Eagle button down, long sleeve shirt that typically sells for $49.95. It was in perfect condition and only $5.99. When buying men’s shirts, double-check the cuffs and collars for fraying.
Pinstripe Van Heusen pants (can retail anywhere from $40 to $80 but cost $3.99,) George dress shirt ($4.99), and Van Heusen tie ($2.99)…all 3 pieces only cost $11.97! And he looks fabulous!
Just change-up the tie, and you have another look…We shopped at the Discover Goodwill on Kelly Johnson where all the ties are $2.99.
James was introduced to Discover Goodwill like a lot of us are…by necessity when the budget isn’t as big as the “needs.” While still in college, James moved into his first apartment and wondered how the heck he could afford to furnish a living room, bedroom and kitchen on a limited (ramen noodle) budget. After finding a couch, nightstand, and bookshelf for a total of $30, his love of thrifting began. He said he was simply blown away by how much he could save, while finding quality items.
Lots of great quality, name brand suit jackets (and pants.)
As well as dress shirts.
After months of shopping for housewares, James began checking out the clothes at Discover Goodwill. The first time James really looked at the clothes was when he was on a quest to find a sweater for an ugly sweater party. Not only did he find his sweater, but he also found work outfits. His initial discovery netted him 3 outfits, consisting of shirts, pants and ties, for $15 (per outfit.) And thus began his addiction, I mean his passion, for finding great clothes for less.
I didn’t write the label down from this sweater but it was in excellent condition and looks great on James. It literally looks like it was tailored to fit him. AND it was already priced at a steal at $3.99 but that day it was on sale for 50% off…$1.99 for this! A seriously good buy.
Geoffrey Beene is one of my favorite labels for men but I only buy his clothes (for my husband,) when they are deeply marked down. This Geoffrey Beene short sleeve shirt was marked at $2.99 and 30% off that day for a grand total of $2.00.
Another good brand that I like is Roundtree & Yorke. Their long-sleeve shirts usually sell for about $50 but was only $5.99 and again, fits James perfectly. I swear he looked great in everything he tried on. The Dockers pants were priced at $4.99 but on sale for $3.49, making this entire look affordable at only $9.48.
James told me his biggest challenge in shopping is finding pants long enough for his tall frame. He said being tall and skinny may seem like a positive thing but can be a nightmare when trying to find clothes that fit. (No, I don’t feel sorry for him either. He’s one of “those” who can eat whatever and not gain a pound.) He said that it’s actually easier to find pieces at Goodwill because there’s such a variety of sizes and brands, all under one roof.
I think James looks great in so many different colors. Love the blue Angelo Litrico shirt (30% off that day so it cost $3.49) that pairs great with Dockers pants ($3.49) and Michael Kors ties ($2.99)…$9.97 for the entire outfit.
Dockers tie $2.99
There are days I see tons of good quality shoes to choose from and then some days when I can’t find anything I like…but the stock changes so often that I always check them out. The men’s selections vary from visit to visit too. Sometimes all that’s needed to put some spiff back into a pair is a good shoe shine.
Bass shoes are usually very expensive but very durable…make sure you try shoes on before you buy.
One thing you want to check out before buying shoes is the sole and heel. As you can see, the Dr. Scholl’s shoes look like they haven’t been worn except for maybe a couple of times. No wear and tear on these.
At this time of year, with the season changing, you’ll usually find lots of great prices and sales on the season ending clothes. If you’re someone who typically wears the same size all the time, it’s a good time to pick up some good wardrobe basics for next year and save some money. Dockers sweater marked at $3.99 but half off that day…$2 for this gorgeous piece.
Marc Anthony casual shirt $1.99.
I’m familiar with the Billabong label because I get their shirts for my son when they are on sale. This Billabong shirt still has the original price tags on it ($54.50) but only costs $12.99 at Goodwill. This is an example of someone perhaps thinking $13 is too much to spend on a shirt at Discover Goodwill but when you consider the shirt has never been worn and someone paid over $50 for it…well, it’s a good deal to me.
Just another example of so many items to choose from…
As James continued to shop and find great deals at Goodwill, he also discovered what Discover Goodwill did for the community and knew he wanted to be a part of it. James is now the Online Communications Specialist for Discover Goodwill, which allows him to combine his passion of thrifting and helping others.
I may be biased since James is my friend, but I think he makes a very handsome model! Love this blue Tommy Hilfiger zip-up on James, on sale that day for $4.19.
Thanks to everyone at the Discover Goodwill location on Kelly Johnson for letting me shoot our “fashion show” and thanks to James for being my first male model!
That guy should be a male model!!!
Yolanda…I totally agree!!