Closet therapy

I am constantly on the hunt for vintage tees. In the summer, a cool T-shirt completes my look. I have written about the lengths I’ve had to go to find such shirts, whether by ordering or venturing out of my comfort zone to Cubao or even Recto. However, I was pleased to see that ever trusty lifestyle brand Bench has a new collection to appeal to the niche market tastes of vintage and pop culture junkies like myself. And they’ve gone a step further and created lovely things for men, too. (Phew, finally when you bring your man into the store, you can now head to the vintage line section and leave with him looking like a member of The Strokes rather than Lil’ John.) I have always been a strong advocate for Bench because not only have they maintained their classic polo cuts and basic T-shirts, which never go out of style, they are also always the first retailer to go the extra step to bring out items for alternative tastes. And in this country, where looking for a cool shirt can be like going on safari in search of the elusive white rhino, that obstacle is gone and now at least one retailer provides the essential cool vintage shirt to complete your summer wardrobe. From the men’s line in its brilliant colors, like orange, yellow, and pink, to the vintage logos and retro images that read "Big Bob’s Bar and Grill," men have a better chance at looking too cool for school. And as for the ladies, I am totally pleased with the adorable caricature tees, and Hawaii circa 1950 prints. So if you’re on the hunt for a cool vintage tee and Recto or Cubao are too much of a stretch, relax and head on over to Bench.

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Bench is located at Glorietta, Robinsons Galleria, SM Megamall, Alabang Town Center, Market! Market!, SM Southmall, Robinsons Manila, Festival Mall and Ayala Center Cebu.