How do you like this video format? More or less than www.gentlemansgazette.com/best-vintage-buys/ Would you like this to be turned into an ongoing series?
This was an excellent format! As someone just getting into buying “adult clothes” it’s very helpful knowing what has quality/value instead of just knowing the brand.
Don't insult the Polo Bear! It's iconic! 🐻 But I agree with the other things you've mentioned. And finally someone said it: RL Swimwear is fantastic and the designs are spot on!
YES! THE POLO BEAR IS THE MOST ICONIC AND BEST THINGS TO OWN. as a girl, i especially like the bear sweaters line. They always make me feel super cute and preppy.
Did I really write Swearwear? That's a good one, haha. You guessed it right, swimwear. The polo bear is definitely the best RL Design ever. I love how versatile he is. Of course you can wear him in a preppy way, but if you like you can rock the bear with a street hiphop vibe like a rapstar! 🐻
All those designs he mention at the end of big logos n brands nobody ever bought that but hip hop n he knows that u know but yall behide a computer screen trolling
Here’s a brand review on Brooks Brothers. Ever since Marks and Spencer’s and more when the Italians bought them, Brooks Brothers have been nothing but shitty clothes for d-bags.
is higher line for me BB than RL. Casual And Dress shirts are amazing, (included her not iron line) her chinos are pure beauty, y put double check on BB Is hard to see something ugly from BB. For me the best two male brands are Brooks Brothers and Charles Tyrwhitt. Or if you can pay some more Thomas Pink. Or les butget Gap for Pants and Banana Replic for Tops
From my experience with BB is that the only thing I really buy from them that I enjoy are their dress shirts. Almost all my dress shirts are from BB and I wear them on a daily basis for the past 4 years and they only start showing their age about a year ago.
Yes I would also like Brooks Brothers review. Sometime at the BB outlets you can find GREAT discounted stuff- especially their socks which are at time 80% OFF!
Might actually be useful for someone coming from a hip hop culture. Although I would pay to see Gentlemen's Gazette guys do an M.J. launch from the free-throw line dunk.
This is funny to me because I can relate. A man has to have confidence in himself in whatever he wears, I change day to day, one day I'm in a suit and shoes to the next in sweatpants and sneakers. But unless I'm in jeans, a T and work boots people can't handle it. It's to dressed up for them...
@@kenrivers9757 they have a lot of sales though yesterday I got a 2 piece purple label double breasted suit for $200 original price was 5,000.(I’m not lying)
@@kevincrawf5996 PEACE! Im a Lo Life from Russia. 2 L's stands for Love and Loyalty, it all started on St John and Utica, there're a lot of OG Lo's but it all got started by Thirstin Howl and Rack Lo 2 Ls UP ALL DAY
I always love your elegant criticism. It's not overly sarcastic or snarky but simply to the point and honest. It's just critical enough and used sparingly enough to have me laughing out loud.
In Marvin Traub's auto-bio, I think I remember him recounting the episode when he was originally going to carry RL ties, but wanted the Bloomingdale's label added. Ralph passed, came back a year later, and got his own shop. The power of patience + the occasional NO. Your mentions are, as always, spot on. I so agee. I have a lot of Ralph, always reliable and stylish. The (rare) Polo silk cable-knit sweaters are a personal fav. Thanks for another great vid.
In the late 90s, when I was doing my first internship in finance in NYC, I went to a department store and bought my first two suits, on deep sale. They happened to be Polo RL suits. Great suits! One charcoal solid and another pinstripe navy. I wore them to every interview and business meeting for internships and first job interviews and a few years later. Then, I decided I could afford nicer suits and gave up those to Goodwill and got some department brand suits. What a mistake! Polo suits were real, fully canvased, good wool construction made in the USA. The department store brands in the 2000s were all China and fused.
I agree almost entirely, I've never liked RL Polo shirts but I recently bought one of their soft-touch slim fit polos at a discount and I love it! The cotton is so nice and breathable even in warm weather and it feels so light and good when wearing it. Also, the multi-colored pony makes it less tacky and more sophisticated in my opinion. You might wanna take a look at them.
I'm going to disagree about the polo shirts. While I will avoid the giant logos and make sure I buy discounted I find them the best quality I have found (they seem to last a long time and not go tatty like some) , and sometimes can get an outstandingly patterned design as well as the classic plain colours. I've bought cheaper polo's that just didn't seem quite right and now am probably going to start getting more RLP polo's. (I usually pay about 40 English Pounds)
@@AlTheEngineer I have a classic polo that is 16 years old and still in great shape. 100 dollars for 16 years and going is a good return in my opinion, versus some of the cheaper polos I have tried that have only lasted a few years before they look worn out. Now I'm gonna have to check it's origin when I get home.
@@UnumDeum I will have to agree with you. My polo shirts are all over 10 years old and they're perfect. But I didn't pay $100 each for them. I bought them from Ralph Lauren at 50% off - and that's really worth it IMHO! Mine are all made in Vietnam.
@AlTheEngineer I just checked the label on mine and it states it was produced in the Northern Mariana Islands (USA). Makes me wonder about the quality of the newer Polos if they are produced in China. Next time I am in the store, I will try to remember to check a tag on a new one and update.
What to buy from 1. Sweater and sweater vest 2. Double RL brand 3. Swimwear 4. overcoat 5. Vintage polo items 6. Shorts 7. Dress shoe 8. Purple label suits and jacket 9. Home goods 10. Slacks
Lmao in the outlet I work at, there is two bald men that look like hit man that work at Hugo Boss. Ones smaller and more slender and the other is taller and beefier.
I don’t like the polo shirt with big American flag but the bear sweatshirt actually doesn’t look bad for me. Maybe it would be nice to combine it with shirt and tweed jacket. Little bit ivy style look I would say :-).
LO LIFE! Tastes differ but those Bear pieces are iconic, especially all the "obnoxious" polo items like Snow Beach or Stadium 1992, I love em to death. I get that you're more of a classy type dudes, and thats cool, do your thing fam, dope review! 2 L's UP!!!
@@rikkidgermano9640 it can have as much history as possible doesnt make you a stylish gentleman wearing a sweater with a gigantic bear on it. cool for kids tho
Please do SUITSUPPLY review/guide. I own 2 suitsupply items, i like their modern slim fit and bold classic reinovation, but i still feel they are overpriced.
@@arvid575 i also buy blazers from bonobos and brookbrothers, their retail are the same, but the latter two does discount, which makes the deal much better.
I like how he pointed out obnoxious logos. A lot of people today really are brand whores. For them clothing is not about wearing what you like or what makes you feel good, it's about showing how much money you have and how much you can spend.
I grew up hating Ralph Lauren. I saw it as “old people clothing” and wanted to wear more trendy young brands like hollister and American eagle. Then I found the purple label and fell in love with it. I’ve been reading about Ralph Lauren and I found he didn’t even get interested in the fashion business until he was in his 30s. And boy oh boy if it were possible, I’d love to make my own fashion line or brand. I have so many ideas.
Ralph Lauren is my go to company when it comes to outerwear, they always have the styles I want and I know the quality it there, some of my RL pieces include, Toggle Duffle Coat, Black Barracuda Leather Jacket, Wax Moto Jacket.
Great video as always. I like the fact that you also talk about the brands history in the beginning. You should do a brand review on Tommy Hilfiger, my favorite brand next to Ralph Lauren. Also, do you know the german brand Olymp? If so, what do you think about them?
I just bought a Ralph Lauren purple label suit from a thrift store for $7.99. I'll have to put 200 into it for tailoring but it fits in the important areas. I almost passed it over because I thought Ralph Lauren was overrated but I'm already in love with this suit. One thing I do love of theirs is those children's clothes. My servicen dog is hairless and the he has a number of Ralph Lauren shirts that look nice under his service gear that keeps him warm but looks nice with me wearing a suit
Once you own a jacket and/or coat from Purple Label, you never want to touch their Polo line again. Amazing materials, great fit and a classic look which earns you lots of compliments.
as someone who wears ralph lauren a lot their hoodies are one thing that is definitely worth it. The fit is always perfect and there are very comfortable with the neck area not restricted unlike most hoodies
Love this format. With all its sub-brands, RL lends itself well to this style review. Other similar broad brands like Armani, Brooks Brothers, and Zegna would be great as well.
True, but as he says throughout the video, it's almost never worth paying full price for Ralph Lauren. The quality is still there so if you can find their shoes at a discount then it might be worth it
I own a pair of tan fullgrain leather Polo Ralph Lauren single monk strap shoes with a Blake stitched leather sole with hidden channel stitching... they’re really nice... I prefer quality over a “brand” (For Example, I love Allen Edmonds shoes even though the general public usually has no idea who they are) but one thing I DO enjoy when I wear them is the recognizable “POLO” logo on the arch of the sole, and in gold inlay on the heel of the insole. There is a bit of a feel of prestige wearing them. People know Polo.
@@CobblerBob well said Ralph Lauren looks great on me tees,polo buttons ups, shirts,d fabric is great qualitydifferent sizing especially d custom and slimfit I hav polos as way back as 10 years and they still look new I also hav 2 ankle height boots wit d strap coming across and buckling ah vintage brown as I call it and a black hav DEM more than 5 years now! I no how to take care of my clothes and I don't abuse DEM handed down some to my son and told him it's how u care your clothes Ralph Lauren casual clothing looks great on me RL FOREVER🖒
The guy in the video mentioned there are $25,000 Ralph Lauren watches. You all didn't pay attention to it. $25,000, not $2,500. It doesn't mean that a person is broke if they choose not to pay that much for a watch.
O - pre IPO brands Polo, RL For me iconic things are 1 - polos 2 - fabric shirts, specifically with oxford fabrik 3 - knitwear New brands and types of clothing are standard corporate descisions to get more money, they lack history or sole behind it - Just put your logo on whatever and sell it at 4 times the price.
I’m a fan of their polo shirts both mesh and regular cotton when I want a plain coloured item. Their classic cut fits my body perfectly. Their standard sized polo man doesn’t bother me in terms of branding but I do agree some of those oversized branding can be obnoxious. In terms of quality they seem to not shrink, develop holes or fall apart like other similar priced items.
Wow brands , personally I do love Ralph Lauren for my casual wear it dits well and the quality is there for the price. For any than other than casual I tend to stay away from them( purple label is an exception)
I still have 2 pairs of Polo penny loafers I bought at Marshall Fields in 1990. I've kept them in immaculate condition and still wear them. one brown and one black. They are heirlooms!
I buy RL t-shirts, sweaters, polos and shorts. One of the best quality clothing I have worn in my life. We don't have that many high quality brands in online stores here in Sweden. Mostly I get RL, Gant, L&S, Lacoste, Fred Perry. I've tried Tiger of Sweden, Armani & many other brands that don't meet the quality of RL.
@@Black-Circle I find the polo and shorts from them very nice and high quality. I own a few gant and a few RL shorts and even chinos. The both feel very similar, although RL is a tad bit smoother and more comfortable.
I've probably got close to 400 articles of Ralph Lauren in my closet. Suits, sports coats, vests, ties, belts, suspenders, slacks, casual pants,Jean's, button down shirts, pull over v neck shirts, tshirts,sweatshirts, track suits, sneakers,dress shoes, casual shoes, along with undergarments, tie pins, sunglasses, regulat glasses frames, socks, hats. My absolute favorite mens wear brand. Actually have some items for over 20 years and they still look and feel close to brand new.
Price doesn't always equal quality. I'm super obsessed with my clothes and yet. I have machine-washed HM polo shirts, they haven't moved and cost 12 euros each. On the other hand I have an RL that I paid 100 euros in store, I washed it once at 30 degrees, it shrunk by 5 cm and is therefore a little tight. There is the image of the brand that we pay for above all and all the marketing that is around.
I'm tall and lankey it's very hard to find quality fashionable clothes. RL has large tall sizes that fit perfectly so needless to say all I wear from head to toe besides pants are RL.
A brand whore...I love your delivery of that phrase, Sven. Great review. Polo use to give away stuffed Teddy bears with their cologne. I have two vintage bears with curly fur, moveable arms and heads with their own knit sweaters--super cool in my book.
Great video! I’d like to see more of the format. About Ralph Lauren itself, I tend to get my chinos from them, though I might be able to find better elsewhere. So far, they fit me well and the colours are great. In my opinion, their accessories are always worth a look, particularly in the neckwear department. Furthermore, I’m astonished at the deal you made with that suit!
Their Oxfords are the besttttt, have never bought another button up and have 5 different styles/colours that I rotate through for work. They've got the slim cut down to perfection.
Fell about laughing when you showed the images of the products with ponies emblazoned all over them! Glad you're not brand-orientated....classic style that is not!
Ralph Lauren is one of my favorite brands as a 14 year old kid. You're right it has been so much different than before, it's more commercially focused than before. However it still offers great quality . I am a very brand concious person but you let me realized it's cons , I mean....you're right big logos are unpleasant to see thanks for the tips , especially the ones that I should only buy from Ralph Lauren . Great review! Thanks. - Brenzo Venida
I believe that for causal clothing, the big logos aren’t bad at all. They are iconic to the Ralph Lauren brand, and there’s nothing wrong with wearing it. Some clothing can be a little too obnoxious, but it’s not bad for casual wear at all.
I wonder why you havn't named their casual shirts? It has bin and probably is their best moneymaker. And in Europe that is where they're best known for. Also wondering why you named the slacks/chino's. In my opinion they're horrible. Strange fit and only since the last years some stretch in them.. Thanks for the video tho. Nice photo's and well put together!
I've never bought any of Ralph Lauren's high-end merchandise but I really like their casual button up shirts, they fit me perfectly off the rack. I also really like their socks. On the other hand, I've found their slacks wear out too quickly and as do their casual shoes (I've never bought dress shoes from them).
I like vintage polo I own alot of it but I used to work for Macy's for many years and would never buy the brand mostly because the price did not reflect to the quality instead I would go for brands like lacoste who still manufactured in france.
I can’t believe you didn’t mention the polo dad hat. It’s probably low key one of their most essential items. Also the Harrington jacket, 90s or earlier American made cotton, is wonderful.
I paused this video and Googled ‘Ralph Lauren Purple Label’. I clicked a link to Mr. Porter and viewed a few of their offerings. One item that caught my eye was a cable-knit cashmere jumper in navy. It is priced at £975. I then look at the Johnstons of Elgin website, finding the exact same cable-knit style, in 4 ply, for £325. Nobody is telling me that the quality of the cashmere or the craftsmanship of the Johnstons of Elgin jumper is any less than the jumper from Ralph Lauren. If anything, it would be superior. Yet it is three times the price. Just think, you could buy three exquisite knitwear pieces for the same money that you would pay for one item from Ralph Lauren ‘Purple Label’.
Great work! You can't often find someone with your level of expertise give such an in-depth look at famous brands, this goes very well along with your "Is it worth it?" series.
Nobody makes the best in polo shirts than Ralph Lauren, hands down. If you can find great discounts, you’re good to go! We used to have an Alan’s store in my area that specialized in men’s Ralph Lauren clothes, where I bought my very first polo 👕 shirt when I was a teen.
New subscriber. Thanks for the upload...I love RL and mostly wear the clothes for work and the green polo cologne is my favorite go to. I have tried their shoes but don't care for them.
I wear the Green Polo cologne as well, but unfortunately, they changed their formulation some years ago…IMO, it’s not quite as appealing…For women, the ‘Laurin’ brand was great as well, but it’s no longer available…I’m not sure why companies often mess with a good thing…Probably driven by the bottom line!
Thanks again, Raphael, for an excellent overview of this iconic brand. One item you don't mention that I think Ralph Lauren does really well is the rugby shirt. Back in the 80s, my favorite brand for these was Gant, but these days RL meets and exceeds Gant's quality and at a lower price point. Great for spring/fall weather and usually of a heavy cotton twill, rugby shirts are an item not often mentioned here at GG.
Hi, Im doing a project on RL. What target consumer would you say the Ralph Lauren collection is catered towards? What stores display this brand in the UK? What are their weaknesses, strengths, opportunities and threats? In short.
If you are into the preppy look you need to have the classic button down oxford shirt, I can really recommend the LL Bean no iron oxford shirts, very thick quality. I have been wearing them for years, ironed not once ! Better quality then the RL oxford shirts, which are not bad either by the way. Maybe you can do a vid on LL Bean ? Your vids are high quality, thanks.
That suit looks amazing on you Raphael! I recently bought a Black Watch OCBD from RL. Thankfully the embroidered Pony was blue and blended completely with the Black Watch pattern. RL has some incredible items (if you know what to look for) and I'm glad to hear you give the company it's due. Would love to see this type of video turned into series. Thank you!
Very interesting video in my mind Ralph Lauren always was one of those extremely overpriced brand that makes somewhat good quality stuff but at a price that's not worth it
well its normal with all these big brands you pay 90% for their marketing and 10% for the actual product, i think ralph lauren isnt that overpriced compared to other designer brands. if you dont want to overpay you should choose a brand that no one knows about. those kind of brands dont invest much in marketing which makes their products cheaper for still a good quality.
Thank you Sven Raphael; this was an outstanding review and very interesting to watch. I agree totally with your analysis on what to buy and what to skip including the logo stuff. I am of the age to remember when Ralph Lauren, now age 77 started and like yourself appreciate many the many fine products they have brought to us. You have a great channel and I look forward to more videos.
Great review. I agree w/ your perception of the quality. I recall a lot of items I had back in the 80's were better than today. I love the cashmere cables, polo mesh shirts, oxfords and belts. I will say I have not had good experiences w/ their shoes however not have purchased the Purple Label. I would like a review of Zegna which I am a fan of. Cheers.
