I wanted to get your opinion on the “flash sale” online retailers peddling bargain luxury, such as Gilt.com.  I’m a member there and haven’t had the opportunity or motivation to buy anything, yet.  I’m curious about your take on it.  If the retail prices they list there are correct, it’s certainly full of heavy discounts and plenty of cashmere.  However I’m skeptical if sites like these rate well as good uses of my time in the search for decent clothes.

Not surprisingly, as long as  you’re sending sweet referral lucre their way, the boys at Put This On think it’s perfectly fine for you to save some a few bucks on some pink narrow-toe boat shoes ($108!), a hideous blue plaid vest ($88!) or this mind-blowingly-ugly pair of pants ($72!):

Here’s a promise I’m willing to make to you: I will punch you in the face if I catch you wearing those pants. Repeatedly. Because I care.

Now grow up.

I must thank your blog for filling a gap in my life I didn’t know existed.  I am now well on my way to dressing like a grown-up.  Due to my new self-awareness I have realized that I don’t own a pair of black shoes.  I also wear sport socks a little too much, but I can easily correct that myself.  With regard to the black shoes though what would you recommend as a good classic style black shoe?

Put This On answers by recommending this plain black dress shoe with a toe cap:

….that costs $325. Seriously. We here at Put That Back would suggest that almost any plain black dress shoe with a toe cap will do:

Like these for $53. Or these:

For $67. Or… hell, just do a search for black leather dress shoe toe cap and you’ll find something you like.

We’re not saying that the shoe they picked isn’t nice. Or that it isn’t a better shoe than these others. But if you could have that shoe or both of these pairs and an iPhone, which would you go for? (And don’t tell me that the shoe they picked can be re-soled and repaired – that description fits the entire set of “shoes.”) If you need some plain black dress shoes, buy some plain black dress shoes.

Besides, fancy dress shoes come from the factory quite stiff  and you won’t know if they fit right until you break them in over the course of a couple months – at which point you won’t be able to return them and you’ll be out $325.