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The original was posted on /r/malefashionadvice by /u/andypandy342 on 2023-10-02 02:42:45.

I’m 5’8" and 180 lbs: quite stocky but not in terrible shape (though I could definitely lose some weight).

I’m European, though have been living in the Northeastern United States for the past 10 years, with a lot of time in NYC, so I have physical access to most stores. The convenience of buying online does appeal to me more, as I suffer from anxiety when shopping in crowded areas.

Over the past year or so I am trying to transition from fast fashion to higher quality pieces. Although I’ve started to appreciate style many years ago, my frugal mindset meant I always looked to cut costs whilst still looking for quality.

Whilst I’ve had some success, after throwing away multiple items of clothing that survived for not more than a season, I’m now looking to take the next step and invest in more high quality pieces. Moving on from ASOS, J Crew, Banana Republic and hopefully finding pieces that I can love for multiple seasons.

I’d like to hear general tips for people who underwent this transition, and to guide me from not being disheartened and what to look for in terms of quality.

In terms of specific brands, I’ve used the MFA Best of Picks excel database quite a bit, but I am particularly struggling in terms of finding chinos.

I gave the FLINT AND TINDER 365 Pants (Athletic Tapered Fit) a go, but they fit very oddly: leaving me with a very saggy but. I never thought I needed low rise pants, and these 365 pants aren’t considered to be particularly high rise. Perhaps I’m wrong and I need a lot more time in the gym than I thought.