STORE WARS: Target vs. Macys
Starting March 17th and running through April 7th, Dappered.com is hosting a bracket based tournament with the purpose of eventually crowning the all around Affordable Men’s Style Retail Champ for 2014. For a full introduction see this post. The bracket on the right will be updated as the tournament progresses. Click on it for the full size. Make a case for your preferred competitor in the comments section, but don’t forget to vote at the bottom of each match up. On with today’s showdown:
Strengths: Doesn’t get more affordable than this. One of the places that those who are on a real strict budget actually like to shop at. It’s possible to assemble an entire, good looking casual outfit from Target’s merchandise if you had to. Terrific basics like t-shirts, shorts, polos, and sometimes rumpled cotton blazers. Their substantial collar, decent enough fitting Ultimate Dress Shirt, which once you get it tailored, can be a real workhorse. Their C9 workout clothes. The simple fact that they’re extremely similar to Wal-Mart, yet shopping there doesn’t feel like you’re shopping at Walmart.
Weaknesses: While obviously affordable, sometimes the quality of their goods can feel… a little on the wimpy side. Fits can sometimes be inconsistent. You can’t wear a red shirt and khaki chinos to their store (not that you were itching to do so). Fitting room dimensions in some stores can be about equal to that thing they used to pull the Chilean Miners out of the ground.
Strengths: Where this developing-personal-style thing started for many of us. Y’know, the place you started shopping on your own once you decided to give a crap about how you dressed. House brands like Bar III, INC, and Alfani RED can make some great looking and affordable stuff. Their One Day Sales are worth a glance, at least, when they come around. They’ve started carrying Allen Edmonds, which you can usually apply their codes & coupons to.
Weaknesses: They seem to be… fading. What was once a standard place to shop has started to feel more than a little forgettable. Over-embellished blazers from INC. Lots of synthetic suits & sportcoats pepper their racks. Website feels cluttered. Free shipping doesn’t kick in until $99.
Your votes determine who goes on to the next round. Cast your ballot below. Voting closes at midnight ET.
Store Wars: Target vs. Macy's
- Target (69%, 1,347 Votes)
- Macy's (31%, 593 Votes)
Total Voters: 1,940
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Macy’s has basically faded in to nonexistence for me. I still check out Target for basics like tees and undershirts.
Last trip to Target scored $12 bucks and chukkas, and some $15 cords. Target is great for niche items in the wardrobe that don’t need to hold up to abuse or be perfectly refined.
I’d actually like to see Target take this year’s tournament. When it comes to warm weather casual clothes, you can’t really beat Target’s prices considering that a lot of their Merona shorts look like they came from J Crew. Over the past few years, they’ve become my go-to place.
And on my last trip, I scored a pair of those brown chukkas on clearance for….wait for it….$7.48. Last pair in the store, and they were my size.
target for c9 alone.
I went with Target for most of the reasons mentioned above in the article. Plus, I just shop there a lot more.
Yeah, I’ve pretty much replaced all my T-shirts with C9. They’re great for colored under shirts. I have found that the fabric and fit isn’t at all consistent, but they all seem to fit well enough.
Macy’s just seems … more like a slightly upscale tj maxx more than anything else. The pricing is all over the place, plus it seems like 75% of the store is on clearance except RL/Polo. A lot of stuff screams trendy or obese business casual.
Still wear my “Ultimate Dress Shirts” (un-tailored and baggy at the sides for sure, but perfectly fine under a blazer/SC/suit-jacket) and several LS waffle henleys and Converse One-Star SS henleys. Surprisingly they’ve all held up quite well.
Somewhat recently grabbed some C9 stuff for workouts on major markdown/clearance. So far so good!
Oh, and UW too – I like their Evolve (by 2(x)ist) trunks – and their Auro Gold Toe sub-brand socks.
Throw in some toiletries (only local place that seems to carry the Every Man Jack stuff I dig), and Target’s a solid *Dappered*-worthy option, for sure.
Target gets my vote on Every Man Jack alone. Everything else is just bonus.
Great fits, stylish patterns, and solid prices – Target wins in a landslide.
I find Macy’s men’s departments to be so disorganized that anything that might be worth looking at is buried in all the clutter & signage. It’s hard to hate Macy’s, but it’s easy to avoid it.
I don’t shop often enough at either store to have a worthwhile opinion, but every Macy’s I’ve been in has smelled like gym socks and I’ve left before trying anything. Plus, when I go to Target I don’t have to watch a 16 year old’s mom give him terrible suit buying advice that will probably stick with him through college.
This was the first tough one for me. I started out shopping at Macy’s and while I do enjoy browsing the two massive stores nearby, I find very little that I actually want. On the other hand, thanks to this site, I recently purchased a few polos and an Ultimate Dress Shirt from Target and have been very impressed. I also use their C9 athletic clothing and have no complaints. I don’t mind spending more money for quality, but it seems like the quality on their basics is very good.
Bit of a tough one. I went with Target because Macy’s is just overwhelming for me. Too much stuff, and most of it is unattractive.
I love the items I have purchased from Target, such as the Kensington blazer and my Mossimo Ts. That said, if one of these two were to stop selling men’s apparel, I would miss Macy’s selection much more.
I just haven’t been blown away by the Macy’s house brands. I’m sure they roll out of the same Chinese sweatshops that Merona does.
Target takes it here for me. It’s funny how much Macy’s seems to be fading as you stated because each time I go in there I’m immediately dissatisfied.
This is hard for me because: a) I don’t really buy clothes from Target, because when I want something at that quality and price point, I go next door to the TJ Maxx; and b) usually when I go to Macy’s I end up empty-handed and disappointed that the stuff doesn’t fit me or is a little too trendy.
So I don’t end up shopping for clothes at either one…but when I really need something, they are the top two places that come to mind for last-minute emergency shopping. I’m going with Macy’s because of their better shoes and prices on clearance items (just bought a quality tie for a last-minute-event for under $10 this past weekend).
Target all the way. Their “tailored fit” shirts need some tailoring to work right for me — they billow out at the back and are a bit wide through the side — but, overall, their clothes are a staple of my wardrobe — I’ve got shirts, socks, and several pairs of pants from them. My favorite springtime coat is that blue poly, quilted Merona coat that was posted here during their first menswear sale last year or in 2012 or whenever. (It’s falling apart by now, but for twenty-five bucks, what did I expect?) I’ve got basically nothing from Macy’s. Just socks, really. I do appreciate that Macy’s carries Levi’s in a lot of different cuts, though. I do buy my jeans there. Nowhere else in town carries 513s.
Target for me. I don’t shop there for anything specifically, but whenever I’m in the store I check the clearance racks. Over the years I’ve gotten tons of stuff for ridiculous prices. I save for specific higher-end items from other stores, but Target is invaluable for filling out my wardrobe. Right now I’m wearing the Rag and Bone shawl cardigan that was part of the Neiman Marcus collaboration for Christmas a couple of years ago. I can’t remember exactly what I paid, but it seems like it was less than $30.
Which Merona shorts are those? I tried their slim cut shorts last year, and couldn’t even sit down in them. Way too damned tight around the thighs. I can’t imagine anyone with some meat to their legs — muscle *or* fat — could wear those things on a regular basis, but maybe I’m wrong.
Every Macy’s men’s department I visit seems to have twice as much merchandise as the footprint should allow. And during those monthly one-day sales, the place looks like a garage sale.
I want to like Target because they have some good-looking affordable items, but they rarely ever fit me correctly.
Just the basic flat front and club shorts (the last two pairs I bought weren’t slim fit). I’m almost six and a half feet tall, mostly average build, so I’m usually slightly too big for a lot of J Crew stuff when it comes to brick and mortars since they only cary up to a certain size. It’s much easier for me to drive to a Target where I can try on things that fit me in-store. To me, the Merona shorts look nearly identical to J Crew’s chino and stanton shorts, but cost less than half as much.
macys is annoying for their daily changing pricing tactics. target’s full price is no lower than banana republic on a good sale, so nowadays i only buy from the sales rack at target.
I’ve gotten some nice deals at Macy’s, like $10 Nautica knit ties on super-clearance. But Target has somehow become the hippest big box discount store anywhere. I scored the knit polos a few summers ago and they’ve maintained their perfect fit and look. The knit cardigan from two seasons ago still gets me compliments. Target for the win!
I have gained some major respect for Target over the last year. If i am looking for something that is not an investment piece, its always worth a look. Usually I try for J Crews sale section first as the quality and fit is better, but Target is the place to go if that trip is unsuccessful.
Looks like I need to pay more attention to Target.
That’s not Target’s fault. 😛
If you’re a regular Target shopper, I highly recommend you get their REDcard debit card (not the Visa credit card). Security breaches aside, it’s a wonderful tool at no cost to you.
It works just like your normal debit card, but you get 5% off every purchase, free shipping online with no minimums, and an extra 30 days for returns. I’ve saved well over a hundred bucks on things that I would have purchased anyways.
Yes I do like that they carry every man jack though my local store was out for a long time on this stuff but recently brought more back. I wish they would carry the deodorant too.
Macy’s is a huge store full of stuff I don’t like.
I’ve never heard of this. Now I need to bury this post so my wife never reads it.
I guess you have a point in that I could buy something a lower price point at Target and get it tailored. But, for that cost, I could get a well-fitting garment from Uniqlo.
I used to be all about Macy’s due to the variety, but ever since the past year or two, they’ve been unimpressive with their selections: INC, which was once my fave store brand, is now leaning towards a modern Ed Hardy vibe IMO. American Rag, though relatively decent, needs a little more something to offer to the table for me. And I couldn’t care less about their other brands since they’re just blah for me.
Target, on the other hand, is an emergent player for me. Love their navy cotton blazer, though I wish they could make a knit one. Converse One Star has a good amount of edge and grit in them, which is why I have a couple of shackets from them. And Merona is an affordable version of Banana Republic for me. And once, I posted on their FB page to get some denim jackets for their selections and a week or so later, I saw a couple! Though their denim jacket washes and fits were underwhelming, at least they made an effort to deliver.
Clear where my vote goes to.
Yep – I haven’t seen the deod anywhere locally. Been wanting to try it too.
Some Bed, Bath, & Beyond stores sell it.
Cool thanks! – a few of those around these parts, so I’ll check there.
I rarely go there, though. Maybe this Saturday, if we have time, after Home Depot that is.
Macy recorded revenue growth of 12.1% for the three year period ending fiscal year 2012. Dillard’s tops the list in terms of earnings growth, having posted a 117% increase in earnings over the period