As promised a 'side by side' pic of the Dockers in 'dark pebble' and the Banana Republic Kentfield in taupe. Dockers on left, BR on right. Shown with a linen jacket from Chester Barrie (which I previously posted as abudget alternative when it was heavily discounted).
Thoughts welcomed on which goes best!
For some reason the pic is sideways.......jacket on left, Dockers bottom, BR on top
I ordered a pair in brown heather which are now down to £40.00 (and I'd argue are a close colour match). They do also have the dark pebble in stock but at the time of writing these are still listed at full price. My pair arrived 4 days after ordering and I'm quite pleased with them.
I just pulled the trigger on this and with code 'barstool' got an extra 20% off. Great find, and to think I get their emails all the time and didn't see it. Thanks Canoe2 you really have done a great job not only with your site as a resource, but your research skills. Also, I got the Bass Plano boots as an alternative to the Kentons and actually like the cut of the boot better, more comfortable.
Thanks again,
Neil.
Glad to help, wear them in good health! If you feel like sharing your feedback on the cardigan or the Plano boots, I'd be happy to include it in the relevant posts.
Skyfell, I am thinking about doing a post on the Goldfinger golf scene sweater, and I'll keep your's in mind (with credit to you for the find).
Niko, thanks for sharing that link, I will add it to the post.
Couple of other new finds: Superdry has this alternative to the Skyfall Barbour X to Ki for $190; first one I've seen come close in a while (even with the embroidery on the sleeve and the greenier color): http://www.superdry.com/products/?product_id=57200
There is also this cotton/linen blazer from Massimo Dutti for $225.00 as an alternative to the BC one; I haven't added it to the post yet, I want to wait until it's on sale. I've tried it on in person, and it is a snug fit, but the color is not as "orange" as it looks on the site, closer to the film color but a little darker. http://www.massimodutti.com/us/en/men/blazers/dyed-beige-blazer-c680503p6954565.html?colorId=710
For those of you in the States, Amazon has a couple of the Dockers models in Dark Pebble on sale. The regular fit ones are down to $29.99. I added to the post here:
Be kind, suit experts! I'll keep looking for more UK options; my initial search didn't turn up too much.
Update: I included the wrong Best Option when I first published; it's been updated with the correct one now.Sorry about the confusion!
canoe2,
Nice enough. You may want to include some "investment" additions. I was browsing Hugo Boss a few weeks ago and noticed a similar windowpane suit that might be worth checking. Let me know what you think.
"Enjoy it while it lasts."
"The very words I live by."
Nice enough. You may want to include some "investment" additions. I was browsing Hugo Boss a few weeks ago and noticed a similar windowpane suit that might be worth checking. Let me know what you think.
Thanks for the feedback. As I said before, suits are kind of tough. I thought about organizing the alternatives by price (under $200, under $500, under $1000), and I may try this for the next suit post to show more options.
Aside from the price, there are also the suit's details: which ones matter and which ones don't? Working cuff buttons? 3 roll 2? Single vent vs. double vent? The fabric pattern and color? The belt loops? The width of the lapels? Or are people more interested in the quality: canvassed vs. fused? It's a judgement call and I'll let you guys tell me if I'm getting it right. That's the great thing about posts: they can be edited
There is also the question of what is really an "affordable" option. Is it defined by a price limit (like I used in this post) that I think is going to be reasonable to the largest number of people? Or is it in comparison to the original? If it is affordable by comparison, then a $1500.00 suit would be "budget" if you're looking for an alternative to a $5000.00 Tom Ford, but many people still won't be able to afford it. I had this challenge with some of the polos: People recommend the John Smedley Noah for example; at £125.00 it is a bargain when compared to the nearly $1000 price of the original TF. But when compared to a $60.00 version from Zara, it's a luxury item in its own right.
So I guess it comes down to defining the limits related to a specific item and finding the right balance. That's what everyone's feedback helps me with! {[]
When searching for the John Varvatos jacket replica on Amazon, every result has the John Varvatos website image..... can't be a good sign, can it? Anyone have any experience with these replicas?
Yes. Consssssiderably.
chriscollins007North Somerset , England Posts: 1,155MI6 Agent
agree thats what i ordered £45 absolute steal .
I'll post some pics , never bought from Esprit before
For those of you in the States, Amazon has a couple of the Dockers models in Dark Pebble on sale. The regular fit ones are down to $29.99. I added to the post here:
So, with Dan's Royale Filmware Solden jacket on the way, I've been trying to put together frugal alternatives for the rest of the outfit. For the boots, I was just going to use my Aldo alternatives to the Islay because my budget is running thin but, I would love to see some alternatives if anyone has found any. For the pants, I was going to go with black joggers to get an approximate look. The problem with joggers is that they are almost all drawstring. I did find one pair of Uniqlo joggers that has a botton front:
For the mock neck, there are the options from Lands End and LLBean, but none of the colors really match up. Here are the options I found that are closest in color (Cabellas is "Night" and D&J is navy)
All of these options will likely fit big and will need to be tailored, but they are pretty cheap to begin with, so it shouldn't be too expensive in the end. I'm probably going to go with the Woolrich even though it has side vents because I like the color and it looks like the nicest of the bunch. I will always be tucking it in for a SA for, so the side vents don't bother me. Fell in love with this outfit watching Spectre over and over on ITunes. Would love to know if anyone else has found anything. -{
So, with Dan's Royale Filmware Solden jacket on the way, I've been trying to put together frugal alternatives for the rest of the outfit. For the boots, I was just going to use my Aldo alternatives to the Islay because my budget is running thin but, I would love to see some alternatives if anyone has found any. For the pants, I was going to go with black joggers to get an approximate look. The problem with joggers is that they are almost all drawstring. I did find one pair of Uniqlo joggers that has a botton front:
For the mock neck, there are the options from Lands End and LLBean, but none of the colors really match up. Here are the options I found that are closest in color (Cabellas is "Night" and D&J is navy)
All of these options will likely fit big and will need to be tailored, but they are pretty cheap to begin with, so it shouldn't be too expensive in the end. I'm probably going to go with the Woolrich even though it has side vents because I like the color and it looks like the nicest of the bunch. I will always be tucking it in for a SA for, so the side vents don't bother me. Fell in love with this outfit watching Spectre over and over on ITunes. Would love to know if anyone else has found anything. -{
You still don't have the pleats or stirrups (although those are pretty easy to attach), but you do get the covered pockets. On sale now for £25.00 with a good selection of sizes.
Those are nice pants and have a unique look on their own. I wonder how heavy they are. Lighter cotton joggers will still probably work better for me because I live in Florida and even today, in February, we are having a high of 80 F . But, those really are a great find and price.
So, with Dan's Royale Filmware Solden jacket on the way, I've been trying to put together frugal alternatives for the rest of the outfit. For the boots, I was just going to use my Aldo alternatives to the Islay because my budget is running thin but, I would love to see some alternatives if anyone has found any. For the pants, I was going to go with black joggers to get an approximate look. The problem with joggers is that they are almost all drawstring. I did find one pair of Uniqlo joggers that has a botton front:
For the mock neck, there are the options from Lands End and LLBean, but none of the colors really match up. Here are the options I found that are closest in color (Cabellas is "Night" and D&J is navy)
All of these options will likely fit big and will need to be tailored, but they are pretty cheap to begin with, so it shouldn't be too expensive in the end. I'm probably going to go with the Woolrich even though it has side vents because I like the color and it looks like the nicest of the bunch. I will always be tucking it in for a SA for, so the side vents don't bother me. Fell in love with this outfit watching Spectre over and over on ITunes. Would love to know if anyone else has found anything. -{
You still don't have the pleats or stirrups (although those are pretty easy to attach), but you do get the covered pockets. On sale now for £25.00 with a good selection of sizes.
Judging by the pictures on the website, sizing up may be required to get the same look as he TFs...
I've got an older Alfani Jacket which does the trick. I think I picked it up for around $35. It has a little too much room in the waist so I'm thinking of getting it tailored. I agree that this jacket is all about getting the fit right. Probably some bargains on ebay for this one!
I've got an older Alfani Jacket which does the trick. I think I picked it up for around $35. It has a little too much room in the waist so I'm thinking of getting it tailored. I agree that this jacket is all about getting the fit right. Probably some bargains on ebay for this one!
Surprising few out there that get the fit right. I thought this would be one of easier posts when I started, but I've been looking for options for more than 6 weeks and those were the best I could find. Hoping the spring brings more alternatives!
Has anyone found any good alternatives to the Skyfall John Smedley Bobby Sweater he wears under the peacoat?
I thought about doing a post on this item, but honestly there are a ton of black v-neck sweaters that would do the job. Here is one from Banana Republic for about $70.00 that gets a lot of love (cotton/cashmere instead of merino wool):
Has anyone found any good alternatives to the Skyfall John Smedley Bobby Sweater he wears under the peacoat?
I thought about doing a post on this item, but honestly there are a ton of black v-neck sweaters that would do the job. Here is one from Banana Republic for about $70.00 that gets a lot of love (cotton/cashmere instead of merino wool):
Comments
From Dockers USA website.
http://www.dockers.com/US/en_US/dockers/p/478460004
http://www.dockers.com/GB/en_GB/mens-pants/p/447150436
I ordered a pair in brown heather which are now down to £40.00 (and I'd argue are a close colour match). They do also have the dark pebble in stock but at the time of writing these are still listed at full price. My pair arrived 4 days after ordering and I'm quite pleased with them.
Thanks again,
Neil.
Skyfell, I am thinking about doing a post on the Goldfinger golf scene sweater, and I'll keep your's in mind (with credit to you for the find).
Niko, thanks for sharing that link, I will add it to the post.
Couple of other new finds: Superdry has this alternative to the Skyfall Barbour X to Ki for $190; first one I've seen come close in a while (even with the embroidery on the sleeve and the greenier color):
http://www.superdry.com/products/?product_id=57200
There is also this cotton/linen blazer from Massimo Dutti for $225.00 as an alternative to the BC one; I haven't added it to the post yet, I want to wait until it's on sale. I've tried it on in person, and it is a snug fit, but the color is not as "orange" as it looks on the site, closer to the film color but a little darker.
http://www.massimodutti.com/us/en/men/blazers/dyed-beige-blazer-c680503p6954565.html?colorId=710
I can now complete my outfit , your a star {[] {[]
use any comments you wish , thanks
Thanks, I'll include your feedback in the post. Appreciate it!
For UK alternatives to the BC trousers, I think the ones from Esprit look really good for 45 GBPs
http://www.esprit.co.uk/mens-trousers/premium-stretch-cotton-chinos-125EO2B004_240#!ThumbMainView
For those of you in the States, Amazon has a couple of the Dockers models in Dark Pebble on sale. The regular fit ones are down to $29.99. I added to the post here:
http://www.iconicalternatives.com/2016/01/27/brunello-cucinelli-gabardine-chinos-from-spectre/
I also got the chinos from Dockers.com. I signed up for their emails and got a promo code for 30% off and free shipping. Final cost with tax was $32.
http://www.iconicalternatives.com/2016/01/29/tom-ford-spectre-mexico-suit/
Be kind, suit experts! I'll keep looking for more UK options; my initial search didn't turn up too much.
Update: I included the wrong Best Option when I first published; it's been updated with the correct one now.Sorry about the confusion!
canoe2,
Nice enough. You may want to include some "investment" additions. I was browsing Hugo Boss a few weeks ago and noticed a similar windowpane suit that might be worth checking. Let me know what you think.
"The very words I live by."
Thanks for the feedback. As I said before, suits are kind of tough. I thought about organizing the alternatives by price (under $200, under $500, under $1000), and I may try this for the next suit post to show more options.
Aside from the price, there are also the suit's details: which ones matter and which ones don't? Working cuff buttons? 3 roll 2? Single vent vs. double vent? The fabric pattern and color? The belt loops? The width of the lapels? Or are people more interested in the quality: canvassed vs. fused? It's a judgement call and I'll let you guys tell me if I'm getting it right. That's the great thing about posts: they can be edited
There is also the question of what is really an "affordable" option. Is it defined by a price limit (like I used in this post) that I think is going to be reasonable to the largest number of people? Or is it in comparison to the original? If it is affordable by comparison, then a $1500.00 suit would be "budget" if you're looking for an alternative to a $5000.00 Tom Ford, but many people still won't be able to afford it. I had this challenge with some of the polos: People recommend the John Smedley Noah for example; at £125.00 it is a bargain when compared to the nearly $1000 price of the original TF. But when compared to a $60.00 version from Zara, it's a luxury item in its own right.
So I guess it comes down to defining the limits related to a specific item and finding the right balance. That's what everyone's feedback helps me with! {[]
Their website is an absolute mess, so I couldn't find it there. The only place I could see it is on Amazon UK for £129.00.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/James-Bond-Morocco-Blouson-Jacket/dp/B017WYM98M/ref=sr_1_3?s=clothing&ie=UTF8&qid=1454180546&sr=1-3
I could be wrong, but isn't the image they are using on Amazon the real Matchless?
Leatherhill's Amazon image:
Real Matchless image from James Bond Lifestyle:
I'll post some pics , never bought from Esprit before
https://m.uniqlo.com/us/product/men-jogger-pants-176266.html?color=09
For the mock neck, there are the options from Lands End and LLBean, but none of the colors really match up. Here are the options I found that are closest in color (Cabellas is "Night" and D&J is navy)
http://www.amazon.com/Devon-Jones-Sueded-Cotton-Turtleneck/dp/B002VMB37Y?th=1&psc=1
http://www.woolrich.com/woolrich/details/men-s-first-fork-sueded-jersey-mock-turtleneck/_/R-8250#pdp_productFit
http://www.cabelas.com/product/CABELAS-DRI-BALANCE-SNOWY-RIDGE-MOCK-NECK-REG/1632081.uts?productVariantId=4110593&srccode=cii_17588969&cpncode=45-137818397-2&WT.tsrc=CSE&WT.mc_id=GoogleProductAds&WT.z_mc_id1=04112785&rid=20
All of these options will likely fit big and will need to be tailored, but they are pretty cheap to begin with, so it shouldn't be too expensive in the end. I'm probably going to go with the Woolrich even though it has side vents because I like the color and it looks like the nicest of the bunch. I will always be tucking it in for a SA for, so the side vents don't bother me. Fell in love with this outfit watching Spectre over and over on ITunes. Would love to know if anyone else has found anything. -{
CR/QoS, TLD, DN, GE, TSWLM, LTK, TND, TWiNE, TMWTGG, TB
http://www.iconicalternatives.com/author/james-brosnan/
https://www.instagram.com/shawn.michael.bongiorno/
I can't remember what forum member recommended these (I will have to go back and look it up EDIT: it was Chriscoop), but they suggested these ones from French Connection:
http://www.frenchconnection.com/product/54CMC/Super+Luxe+Wool+Trousers.htm?search_keywords=wool%20luxe%20trousers
You still don't have the pleats or stirrups (although those are pretty easy to attach), but you do get the covered pockets. On sale now for £25.00 with a good selection of sizes.
CR/QoS, TLD, DN, GE, TSWLM, LTK, TND, TWiNE, TMWTGG, TB
http://www.iconicalternatives.com/author/james-brosnan/
https://www.instagram.com/shawn.michael.bongiorno/
Judging by the pictures on the website, sizing up may be required to get the same look as he TFs...
New post is up: budget alternatives to the QoS Y-3 Haiti jacket:
http://www.iconicalternatives.com/2016/02/03/y-3-jacket-from-quantum-of-solace/
I'm going to keep working on this one as the new spring jackets start to arrive.
I also cleaned up the dead links and added some new options for:
N Peal Skyfall Sweater: http://www.iconicalternatives.com/2015/12/16/n-peal-oxford-round-neck-skyfall-sweater/
The TF Harrington: http://www.iconicalternatives.com/2015/12/02/tom-ford-harrington-jacket-quatum-of-solace/
The CR long sleeve polo: http://www.iconicalternatives.com/2015/12/22/casino-royale-long-sleeve-blue-polo/
The BC Morocco Linen Blazer: http://www.iconicalternatives.com/2015/12/03/spectre-linen-jacket/
Surprising few out there that get the fit right. I thought this would be one of easier posts when I started, but I've been looking for options for more than 6 weeks and those were the best I could find. Hoping the spring brings more alternatives!
http://www.iconicalternatives.com/2016/02/04/acne-studios-wall-street-shark-trousers-from-skyfall/
http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=37844&vid=1&pid=780357012
I thought about doing a post on this item, but honestly there are a ton of black v-neck sweaters that would do the job. Here is one from Banana Republic for about $70.00 that gets a lot of love (cotton/cashmere instead of merino wool):
http://bananarepublic.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=1049742&vid=1&pid=969946132
There are plenty of others:
JCrew Merino Wool for $78.00: https://www.jcrew.com/mens_category/sweaters/merino/PRDOVR~94230/94230.jsp
Mango wool blend for £22.99: http://shop.mango.com/GB/p0/man/clothing/sweaters/sweaters/wool-blend-sweater/?id=51070067_96&n=1&s=prendas_he.cardigans_he&ident=0__0_1454689583230&ts=1454689583230&p=27&page=2
M&S Lambswool for £35.00: http://www.marksandspencer.com/extrafine-pure-lambswool-v-neck-jumper/p/p22322250?image=SD_03_T30_2549M_SA_X_EC_90&color=CHAMBRAY&prevPage=plp
M&S Cotton for £15.00: http://www.marksandspencer.com/v-neck-ribbed-trim-jumper/p/p22381719?image=SD_03_T30_7005M_E1_X_EC_90&color=LIGHTBLUE&prevPage=plp
Hope those help!