# Opinions on Paul Fredrick Dress Shirts?



## Pink and Green (Jul 22, 2009)

Probably not super trad, but I saw in the other thread that there's a $20 per shirt up to 4 monogrammed deal.

I've just sworn off pinpoints, but these are very tempting. There are a number of purchases competing for my money. These are up there with:

1. Brooks Brothers Pajamas (because Summer is coming and I don't have any).

2. New Top-Siders

3. Land's End khakis with 1.75" cuffs.

Need to know what I'm in for. $20 monogrammed shirts is a good enough deal to make me wonder about the old axiom...


----------



## chatsworth osborne jr. (Feb 2, 2008)

*new post for trad forum, tired repeat on fashion forum*

The one PF shirt I've bought this decade has very stiff collar and cuffs, presumably fused. Otherwise pretty good, despite being from China. 
Alleged to shrink a bunch, but arrive oversize to compensate. Can't say I've noticed this.


----------



## maximar (Jan 11, 2010)

I have 10 PF white must-iron pinpoint dress shirts. All in trim fit, barrel cuffs, and 6 are monogrammed. The trim fit is not that trim, but much difference from the regular. Some button downs, spread, traditional straight, & varsity spread.

All of them I purchased through the promo I found at the back pages of Esquire magazine for $19 a piece (some free shipping). I would probably buy more before the year ends.

Out of all my white shirts (about 50), these are the "most worn". 

If you happen to get monogrammed shirts with only two letters, let them know that you don't want a gap between the letters.


----------



## heimskringla (Nov 2, 2008)

I don't see the 3/$20 offer on the PF website. Is there something I'm missing? I need to replenish my supply of button-downs.

Never mind... found it.


----------



## ZachGranstrom (Mar 11, 2010)

heimskringla said:


> I don't see the 3/$20 offer on the PF website. Is there something I'm missing? I need to replenish my supply of button-downs.
> 
> Never mind... found it.


Introductory offer. Click the link below, if you want the deal.:icon_smile_big:

https://www.paulfredrick.com/spoffer/displayshirts.aspx?tvsc=VZRTAB

or
https://www.paulfredrick.com/Introoffer/selectedshirts.aspx


----------



## Thom Browne's Schooldays (Jul 29, 2007)

I bought a PF trim fit at the thrift store.
Ok quality, $20 sounds about right, it's the slimmest fitting shirt I own.
Slimmer than slim fits from BB, RL, LE, J.Crew, Hathway, and a bunch of slim fashion-y brands.


----------



## Pink and Green (Jul 22, 2009)

Crap. That makes it even harder, because I'm rather trim and difficult to fit. I may have to give it a go and get the BB pajamas for my birthday.


----------



## Trip English (Dec 22, 2008)

I'll offer a dissenting opinion on this one. I was taken in by the offer in the back of a magazine years and years back when I first had to "dress up" for work and was on a very tight budget. For that stage in my life, such a shirt at such a price was perfect. If someone is young and poor, I would say go for it. 

However...

If I've learned anything in the 15 years since then, both online and off, it's not to place too high a value on the savings. These days I'm an aggressive bargain hunter and seldom pay full retail on anything, but I'm also aggressively discriminating and don't bite just because a price seems amazing. In fact, these days I'm likely to avoid items priced in the "too good to be true" range. The PF shirts are $20 shirts regardless of their true MSRP. They're not a great deal, they're appropriately priced cheap shirts. If you want outstanding value for your money, look to Lands End or even Brooks Brothers during the twice yearly sales. If you pay $20 at Land's End, you're getting comparable quality to $50-$75 shirts. If you pay $20 at Paul Fredrick you're getting a future $3 thrift store find. 

I'd grab a pair of those pajamas!


----------



## Pink and Green (Jul 22, 2009)

Well-said Trip. In my desire for slim fit shirts (which are hard for me to find that I like), I get so excited to find something that I sometimes forget the "if it seems to good to be true..."

The field of slim fit, 100% cotton, must iron shirts seems narrow indeed...


----------



## EastVillageTrad (May 12, 2006)

Pink and Green said:


> Probably not super trad


There you go P&G... you're all over the map... maybe ease up on the coffee...

For your slim fit shirts addicition, stick with LE, BB, etc. I think the whole anti-non-iron can arguement can only go so far as well...


----------



## vitriol (Feb 20, 2006)

I'm contemplating a $20/shirt purchase from PF myself, but hesitating for all the reasons mentioned in this thread. 

My problem is I can't think of anywhere else to buy a reasonably-priced (under $50 or so) trim-fit must-iron pinpoint spread collar shirt. 

LE use to be a reliable source for these shirts, but no more.

If not to PF or LE, where else to turn for a decent yet reasonably-priced slim fit pinpoint?


----------



## HarvesterUT (Oct 25, 2009)

I first bought 2 PF shirts (white and light blue) to wear with suits back in college. They were trim fit and fit me better than any other shirt. Since then I have purchased some shirts from the UK e-tailers. Much to my chagrin, the UK "slim" shirts are far from slim. I am 5'11, 175 lbs, have a 33 in waist, your typical athletic build. Last month I revisited Paul Fredrick and picked up a new set of dress shirts and casual (sport) shirts. The trim fit line still fits me like a glove. Fabric quality is OK, nothing special. Collars and cuffs are fused, but I don't care about that at all. The fit is really my biggest concern. Also, Paul Fredrick has a few fabric choices that are more appealing to a younger crowd, which is surprising, as they advertise themselves for a more "mature" crowd.

Anyways, I plan on buying more PF shirts for some time. I really can't find anything OTR that's better fitting or cheaper (cost wise). ymmv


----------



## Kondi (Jan 5, 2012)

I recently (2012) tried the PF special offer. I took one out of the package to iron it and decided to return them all. You can tell a lot when you iron a shirt. This is far worse quality of fabric and construction than anything I have seen. Jos A Banks, Lands End, Van Husen, Ralph Lauren, Brooks Brothers factory on eBay and Kirkland Signature are all far superior. The script monogram was done nicely the block monogram was imo defective. My advice don't be tempted.


----------



## upthewazzu (Nov 3, 2011)

This is a rather old thread, but I'll put in my two cents anyways. I too purchased the $20 white 80's dress shirt (spread). It really isn't worth any more than $20, IMO. Nicer than Alfani or other department store brands but nothing special. Although, I did like the stiff collar. Personal preference I suppose. About 2 months after that purchase I decided to take them up on a really good clearance discount. I got 4 dress shirts (2 spread 2 button down) and a pocket square (not very good at all) for $90. Shipping set me back another $12 or so. The dress shirts weren't plain white, but had subtle stripes and such, two were blue base the other 2 were a white base. I actually like them quite a bit, much better than the plain white dress shirt.

tl;dr: wait for year end and/or season ending clearances. Oh, and nothing about PF appears to be trad at all.


----------



## 127.72 MHz (Feb 16, 2007)

^^ I'll add to the old thread too. I agree in that the $20.- white shirts are a decent deal. Nothing special, but worth every bit of the $20.- price tag. I selected all three of my white shirts in spread collar and I too prefer a bit stiffer collar.

I've haven't purchased anything else because if the quality of their other shirts is similar to those I already own there's no way they're worth half what they're asking.

I would however be open to four shits for $90.-. (I work with patients in a clinical setting and most of the time I will not wear my nicer shirts knowing full well that someone may bleed or puke on one,....)


----------



## g.michael (Jul 9, 2010)

I like their trim fit shirts at clearance level prices. Some of the patterns/colors though--yeesh!


----------



## TSWalker (Nov 2, 2011)

g.michael said:


> I like their trim fit shirts at clearance level prices. Some of the patterns/colors though--yeesh!


I got their Spring 2012 catalog in the post yesterday. Two words: Herman Cain. The BOGO offer is tempting, but why switch vendors when the only things catching your eye are blue and white shirts?


----------



## Patrick06790 (Apr 10, 2005)

I got lucky a few years ago with a couple of non-iron point collar tattersalls that were incredibly inexpensive.

Encouraged by that, I bought a few others during a "white shirt sale." A couple of pinpoint bds, and a couple of french cuffs. I kept the latter as serviceable and wound up donating the former to the thrift shop. Very flimsy, buttons falling off, sloppy stitching. Not a good deal.

So, a mixed bag. For inexpensive shirts Lands End is a much better bet.


----------



## Taken Aback (Aug 3, 2009)

I haven't purchased any with intent to flip (considered it), but I do see them in an off-price shop or two for under $10. I think the ones I saw were worth at least that, but they were no Hyde Parks.


----------



## Saltydog (Nov 3, 2007)

Depends on the shirt. They can get pretty far out and wild. Their classic colors in 100's Broadcloth and Pinpoint are--in my opinion--under-rated by most. I wear mostly BB, Gitman, LE Hyde Parks, etc. and find them to be quite acceptable at a good price in the more classic colors and collar combinations.


----------



## FiscalDean (Dec 10, 2011)

I've found them to be a fairly good source for basics, I tend to buy most of my white shirts from them, either slim fit pinpoint or 100's broadcloth with a buttondown collar. Anything else, I'll go MTM from Individualized Shirt Co. or My Tailot.com


----------



## Bookman (May 19, 2010)

I actually wonder if these 19.99 shirts have been doing a real disservice to PF. PF has some very nice shirts; but, the 19.99 shirts are absolutely awful. I wonder how many folks have gotten these shirts as their first introduction to PF and been turned off from them ever since.


----------



## dcjacobson (Jun 25, 2007)

This will date me, but in the late 1980s ALL my shirts came from PF. ALL were made in the U.S.!
Can you believe it? Their catalog at the time was a small brochure with swatches attached. Unfortunately, those shirts--which I thought were quite good--are long gone. 

First time I bit on the modern intro deal I got some broadcloth shirts. They all shrank one inch in the sleeve after being laundered once, so I couldn't wear them. Their customer service is good, so you don't really risk anything.

I have a couple broadclothes that didn't shrink. They aren't great, but they're not so bad that I wouldn't wear them. I've found that ready-to-wear, white, all--cotton broadcloth shirts are not so easy to find these days.

Good luck,
Don


----------

