dbd33

I've also been to Mark's.

Paul Wildy

what about The Bay (assuming the company supposedly having its early history rooted in the slaughter of baby seals does not deter you)?

iaink

Only as that was a brand / fit I was familiar with. Probably would not fit my expanding girth so well now anyway. I quite happily buy semi formal Dockers shirts from Moores or something similar, or whatever winners have reduced that isnt bright Orange or Puse, or Van Heusen's from Sears I suppose, depending on how formal was required, but then Im not the pretentious type.

iaink

http://www2.marks.com/products.asp?categoryID=290

not a plaid shirt to be seen in the formal mensware, and only two in the casual bit. I wouldnt choose to buy smart shirts there though as the quality is a bit ropey sometimes, I think mostly imported from China in thin fabric that looks like crap after a few washes ...

Atlantic Xpat

Oh dear. You probably wont want to shop here either: http://www.bowring.com/English/home.htm

Paul Wildy

no mention of seal slaughter in their company history. It does say that they expanded into the insurance industry in the 30's which is almost as bad

iaink

Wasnt the Bay based on Beaver abuse reather than seal abuse

Paul Wildy

you might be right - its history was in fur trade but I can't find many references to what furs they were specifically

dbd33

I love fur coats and so have no problem with a corporate history of bludgeoning fluffy things. I think the Bay tends to be in malls, I don't do malls.

Paul Wildy

definitely looks like seal abuse featured at some stage: http://www.sealoil.com/sealhistory.html

iaink

Dont ask how I know this trivial crap...Canada was founded on the Beaver and its place in hat fashion. The HBC actually owned most of canada for a long time, and traded the famous point bankets for beaver pelts. Initially the fact that the pelts had been worn by the natives in the winter meant that all the long straggly guard hairs hade come out of the pelts on the way...making them top quality to be turned into felt for hats in europe. Then some russians came up with a way to do that mechanically, so fresh pelts became the preference..

From the HBC website: http://www.hbc.com/hbcheritage/histo...al/beaverhats/

Souvenir

Apart from being horribly badly made?

If I wound back the clock to just before I left, it would be decent shirts (Pink's) and decent shoes (Church or Cheaney).

iaink

Ive never been able to justify that sort of money, but Im SURE there are bespoke custom tailors and shoemakers in Toronto, Montreal, NYC etc capable of the same standards, for the same money.

I cant say I've noticed any difference between a formal Van Heusen shirt I got in Canada over one I got in the UK, and my "Made in Canada" Ralph Lauren shirts were at least as well made...they just dont fit any more for some reason...damned Canadian washer seems to shrink everything

Atlantic Xpat

Read closely in the 'about us' section where it mentions 'seal fishing'. Bowring is famous name in these parts and was most definately part of the seal fishery in the late 18th & early 19th century. Not that, that would be any reason not to shop there of course. I mean, Walmart probably does more ills to the world in general than any company related to sealing but you still shop there right?

Souvenir

Money spent on good shoes/shirts/suits is money well spent, if you look after them.