Fashionable finds for cheap at BJ Clothes

PHOTO by ROSHEILA ROBLES

Being fashion-forward isn’t as difficult as it looks, even on a tight budget. In fact, it’s rather simple: To appear like you’ve got much more going on for yourself than you really do, just prioritize your wardrobe by spending less money on items that don’t necessarily require a hefty price tag. These are what the fashionistas call clothing staples—garments that complement what you wear while not taking away from the main event. My examples include undershirts, underwear, belts, beanies, gloves and socks.

Now, I’m not a rich man, but I don’t skimp when it comes to clothes. If something catches my eye and is in my price range, I get it—because I understand the importance of looking good. Most of my friends know I’m financially disabled, which inevitably leads them to ask how I afford to look like I have a Swedish maid named Ula waiting for me at home. The answer, I tell them, is knowing how and where to shop. More times than not, this leads me to BJ Clothes.

Located near one of the worst intersections in Long Beach—Seventh and PCH—BJ Clothes is the spot to go when you want to round out your closet with the types of items that break bank accounts at the mall. Why someone would spend upwards of $20 on an undershirt—a garment that isn’t visible to anyone—is beyond me. At BJ, adults can find T-shirts in an assortment of colors—including my favorites, black and white—for $5 each or three for $10. (This has other benefits, too: When my girlfriend and I were the White Stripes for Halloween, I went to BJ for a red shirt and red Dickies. My entire costume cost less than $25. And for a recent trip to Europe, I hit BJ for a four-pack of knee-high black socks, a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of knit gloves. My total was less than $20—which meant more dough to waste on German beer.)

The best part about BJ Clothes is how their standard selection caters to just about any clientele. The store stocks everything from Dickies pants, shirts and large jackets (plus belts with initial buckles and wifebeaters galore) to backpacks to scrubs—even shirts with “Jesus” written in the Coca-Cola logo—all at dirt cheap prices. And there’s a women’s selection that my girlfriend loves. She’s found velour suits and sweat pants for wearing around the house as well as ever-essential bandanas. Although at first glance she was hesitant to enter the store—concerned that the clothes would suffer from a myriad of imperfections—she’s now a loyal customer who forgoes the big box world whenever she’s in need of new yoga pants.

Mix these items with higher-caliber gear, sit back and enjoy the attention. It’s a fashionable dichotomy that works well because it epitomizes who I am—and who I suspect a lot of other people are, too: a vain fool on the inside who can’t pass a glass window without checking my hair, with one foot in Hollywood and the other planted firmly in the blue collar world of the Port of Los Angeles.

BJ CLOTHES 5565 SEVENTH ST | LONG BEACH 90804 | 562.494.1388

Tags: bj clothes, Commerce, dickies, Long Beach, shopping