Treasures at Daffy's

This morning I had the very unpleasant experience of ripping my pants. Luckily, it's just a small section at the top of my right pocket. The pants themselves are just some JCrew chino's I picked up a couple years ago during one of the store's many seasonal sales. Be that as it may, these are still the workhorse of my work wardrobe; slim and khaki colored, they can be worn with everything. I wear them at least once a week. The tear will be mended and I suppose they can still be worn to work, but perhaps relegated to casual Fridays.

The bright side of this small tragedy is that I now have an excuse to buy new chinos. I have been holding off new purchases to put money away for the wedding, but I do have a VISA gift card burning a hole in my wallet. While I could return to JCrew for some trusty chinos, I think I will opt to take my chances at the local Daffy's. For those who do not know, Daffy's is along the same lines of a Marshalls or TJ Maxx. Their slogan is, "Clothing Bargains for Millionaires," and while I'm not sure if the phrase is particularly apt for the entire store, they do offer some surprising deals.

The great thing about Daffy's is that they carry clearances and close-outs from some high end clothiers, Incotex and Mabitex in particular (Read up on Incotex here). Both brands make some of the best trousers on the market. Each has several different cuts ranging from a generous, classic fit to ball-crushingly tight. Personally, I like mine slim with some room for movement. At full retail these pants can run up to $300, way too rich for my blood. However, at Daffy's these can be found around $30 for chinos and $60 for wool slacks, an incredibly markdown! These can be difficult to track down because they only appear once or twice a season, often with their interior tags having been clipped. The first tell-tale sign of an Incotex or Mabitex is their split curtain waistband. Next, check to see the clipped labels. And finally, look at the seams for unbelievable construction. Honestly, $30 for a pair of chinos of this quality is practically unheard of. One of these days, I'm going to set aside a few hundred dollars and just completely stock my wardrobe.

Unfortunately, Daffy's only exist in the NYC and Philadelphia metro areas. If you live nearby, stop in and browse once or twice. You may, or may not find something worth your while. For those who aren't in need of new trousers, Daffy's does offer some other hard-to-find items, like PF Flyer and Tretorn kicks. Take a look and see what you find.