The eBay Chronicles #001
Polo Ralph Lauren OCBD's
I want to introduce a new series of writings I will be doing on my finds of secondhand menswear. I hope this will be used as inspiration for, or just a helpful guide to finding the perfect threads online or in person that will leave you satisfied with your environmental and monetary savings.
To start this series, I wanted to first review one of my favorite all time finds on eBay. 2 Polo Ralph Lauren Yarmouth Cotton Oxford Cloth Button Down Shirts. I paid around $25 including shipping for each of the shirts from separate sellers. They ended up being the same exact shirt in sizing and style even though they looked different in the photos (Lesson for shopping online, everyones camera and lighting is different so check the brand website to see what colors they usually make thier garments in). These shirts are perfect for a lighter weight OCBD to be worn all year round but especially in the warmer months. The collar lacks some structure although they are incredibly comfortable. As for stitching, they live up to the Polo quality that we have come to expect. The stitching is incredibly dense and consist of edge stitches throughout the collar and a double seam all the way down the arm and into the shoulder where it meets a French seam. The only thing to note about these garments is that they lack structure and are very long, designed to be tucked in and cannot be worn untucked. The Placket is stitched with the same tight running stitch as the rest of the shirt and is definitely a defining factor in the construction of the older Ralph Lauren shirts. Finding any of these Ralph Lauren button downs are a steal on eBay and worth anything under 40 dollars although they can be found for much cheaper. These are definitely some of my favorite purchases I have made second hand and highly recommend going on the hunt for one.
These are one of the top eBay “grail items,” despite the fact that most discussions center around finding - and paying a lot for - Brooks Brothers made in USA OCBDs. I have RL Yarmouth OCBDs in university stripe, blue, white and pink, and all are consistent in tailoring, quality and fit, and come from Hong Kong, Malaysia and Indonesia. All were for 30 dollars and under, including shipping.
Another item I’m always looking for are Lands’ End dress shirts with the old “Direct Merchants” label. These were made in Honduras and Costa Rica, and the quality is very good. Besides oxford cloth, my favorite finds are blue/white stripe seersucker and Gordon plaid.
I enjoyed your article. A guide like this is much-needed!