Affordable Earl

Who is Affordable Earl?

Affordable Earl — Wed, 21 May 2025 01:30:57 GMT

Born in the Philippines and migrating to Australia with his parents and older brother when he was 3, Earl was always a name and not title. Growing up, his parents loved to ask him, “how much do you think this was?” after scoring a bargain at the shops. He didn’t realise til later that they were on a limited budget and were making the most of what they had. His parents worked hard to make sure Earl and his brother had everything they needed growing up. The Migrant Spending Mentality was instilled in him in those early years and hasn’t gone anywhere.

The Migrant Spending Mentality

Rule Number 1. Everything is expensive
Rule Number 2. You should never pay retail
Rule Number 3. Quantity over Quality
Rule Number 4. You can get it cheaper somewhere else
Rule Number 5. You never have enough money to make a purchase

Earl got older and (subjectively) wiser. Finding out that in some instances quality is better than quantity ie. paying more for something that is made better and will last longer is still better than buying multiples of something cheaper but will fail sooner. Subreddits like r/BuyItForLife and websites like OzBargain fed into the ‘Perceived Value/Quality’ equation. But the equation doesn’t account for variables like y=you don’t need that, or g=you’ve already got that.

Coming soon

Affordable Earl — Wed, 05 Mar 2025 00:14:19 GMT

This is Affordable Earl.

Subscribe now

Article: We’ve Got ALD At Home

Affordable Earl — Wed, 11 Aug 2021 00:31:53 GMT

Aimé Leon Dore (ALD) started in 2014, but probably hit my radar around 2019ish with its New Balance Collaborations and since then I’ve loved seeing the lookbooks they put out each season. Their calculated smashing of streetwear and menswear can be divisive for some, but I’m all for it.

But alas, besides a pair of sneakers, I don’t actually own any clothe…

Review: Beckett Simonon Leather Desk Pads

Affordable Earl — Tue, 10 Aug 2021 01:26:35 GMT

2020 has come and gone. But something that came to light out of that complicated year was the need to work from home (WFH). The balancing act of life and work is something that we’re all trying to figure out and I think having flexible work arrangements is definitely a step towards the right direction.

But setting up a home office at home isn’t a luxury …

Comparison: It’s Tee Time – T-Shirts: Uniqlo U vs AS Colour vs Asket vs Everlane vs Velva Sheen

Affordable Earl — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 00:33:02 GMT

Top to bottom: Velva Sheen, AS Colour, Uniqlo U, Asket

Grab a cup of tea while we talk t-shirts. This isn’t going to be about me recommending that each of these shirts are must haves for your wardrobe. These are just the shirts that have made their way into my current rotation. All of the shirts pictured are of the plain white, cream/tan variety but I do…

Review: Beckett Simonon – Garcia High Top Sneakers in White/White

Affordable Earl — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 12:21:59 GMT

Don’t get it twisted, your ankle that is. It’s been nearly 100 years since Converse made the first high top sneaker for basketball and it’s still being made today. But not all shoe companies are making sneakers just to give you extra air time, a lot of them are just making good looking sneakers. Today I’m checking out Beckett Simonon’s high top version …

Review: Cultiver Linen Fitted Sheet & Duvet Set

Affordable Earl — Thu, 03 Dec 2020 23:20:46 GMT

Linen sheets, ever slept in them? Nope, me neither.

If you’re like me, you’ve been sleeping on cotton sheets most of your life. And that means you’ve probably never even thought about treating yourself to linen sheets at all.

I just moved into a new house and with that comes loads of decisions and research. Tiles or carpet? Blinds or curtains? Top or fron…

Comparison: Super OCBD Battle 2 – Asket vs TM Lewin vs Spier & Mackay vs Everlane

Affordable Earl — Wed, 09 Sep 2020 23:44:08 GMT

OCBD shirts (left to right): Asket, TM Lewin, Spier & Mackay, Everlane

The Oxford Cloth Button Down shirt (OCBD) shouldn’t be a stranger to most guy’s wardrobes. It’s a versatile shirt that can be dressed up/down depending on the occasion and outfit you put together.

I’ve been using Uniqlo and Charles Tyrwhitt OCBD’s for years now and compared them in a p…

Review: Beckett Simonon – Morgen Trainers in White/Gum

Affordable Earl — Tue, 25 Aug 2020 23:41:16 GMT

The Germany Army Trainer (GAT) is a sneaker design that has it’s 1930s roots tied with two sneaker giants today, Adidas and Puma. And if you’re looking to get your GAT fix there are loads of places to look, from budget friendly military surplus stores & second hand to not so budget friendly high end fashion brands like Maison Margiela.

Personally I wante…

Review: Reigning Champ Sweats – Pullover Hoodie & Sweatpants

Affordable Earl — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 23:52:23 GMT

Nomenclature

Tracky or trackies: Australian slang for a tracksuit set or sweatsuit set. Can also refer to either the tracksuit top (sweatshirt) or tracksuit bottom (sweatpants).
Tracky dacks: Australian slang for tracksuit pants or sweatpants.
Best & Less: Australian retail shop where you can buy cheap trackies.

It’s the middle of winter in Australia and th…

Review: Beckett Simonon – Preston Chelsea Boot in Chestnut Suede

Affordable Earl — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 23:32:16 GMT

Get your office supplies ready because the Chelsea boot is a staple in offices around the world, they’ll also work in more casual settings too. Which means if you’re in the market for a versatile boot, a Chelsea is a great place to start.

Today I’m taking a look at the Preston Chelsea Boot by Beckett Simonon in a terrific chestnut coloured suede, it’s li…

Comparison: Fatigue Pants

Affordable Earl — Fri, 03 Jul 2020 00:12:31 GMT

Fatigue Pants: (Left to right) Uniqlo, Stan Ray, Universal Works, orSlow

Why compare fatigue pants? I honestly don’t know if they’re just having a resurgence right now, or if they’ve always been around and I’ve just slept on them. Most likely the latter.

For most guys an assortment of jeans, chinos and dress pants will be more than adequate to get them th…

Review: New Balance 327 Pride M327PRD

Affordable Earl — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 01:36:08 GMT

New Balance 327 side detail

New Balance knows runners (or trainers depending on where you’re from). They’ve been making them for so long, that even their retro runners are back in style, some may argue they never left.

This year New Balance has combined two of their older models, the 320 and 355, to create the 327 silhouette. And what a silhouette it is, …

Review: Everlane Tread Trainer and Court Sneakers

Affordable Earl — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 00:40:47 GMT

Everlane Trainer (top), Everlane Court (bottom)

Everlane launched their Tread sneaker line last year with their first sustainable shoe, the Trainer. Which was a chunky, dad shoe with minimal branding.

This year Everlane released their follow up, the Court sneaker with a more minimal low top sneaker aesthetic.

With both shoes in hand, I thought I’d review a…

Article: Short sleeve tees that are the bees knees 🐝

Affordable Earl — Thu, 04 Jun 2020 00:01:54 GMT

So like, T-shirts. So very normal, so very everyday. Yet they’re so very personal. They’re basic, essential and comfortable but everybody and every body is different. Yes, that’s right. EVERYBODY and everyone’s body is different.

So when you find a t-shirt that you like, you wear that motherfucker into the ground, you buy multiples cos you know it works …

Review: Everlane Mover Pack

Affordable Earl — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 00:04:13 GMT

I received the Everlane Mover Pack, it looks great! I’ve only had the opportunity to travel once with it, so only time will tell if it’s a great bag. First up, here’s a list of what I packed in the photo:

Orient Ray II
Everlane T-Shirt
Oscar Wylee Sunglasses
Nivea SPF 50+ Sunscreen
Bench Board Shorts
Birkenstock Arizona Taupe
French Connection Cord Cap
Uniqlo D…

Review: Meermin Suede Loafer in Brown

Affordable Earl — Fri, 22 May 2020 00:20:31 GMT

I didn’t know whether I liked loafers or not, but my first pair confirmed it, I actually love loafers. Let’s check out this pair from Meermin to see if they’re as good as they look.

The Specs

BrandMeerminModel101484 – BROWN SUEDE – EColourBrownRetail Price$175USD + Shipping and TaxesSize Reviewed8UKFitFull size smaller than sneaker size
True to dress shoe …

Review: Italian Oliver Cabell – Low 1 White

Affordable Earl — Fri, 01 May 2020 00:37:49 GMT

I’m revisiting the Low 1 made by Oliver Cabell. I reviewed this shoe last year and it left me far from impressed. But since then, they’ve made a lot of changes behind the scenes, including moving production to Italy and slapping on Margom soles onto the shoe. Let’s see if the changes have made a difference in the final product.

The Specs

BrandOliver Cabell

Updated Comparison: Common Projects Alternatives

Affordable Earl — Fri, 01 May 2020 00:36:46 GMT

Last year I reviewed a lot of white leather sneakers at different price points, to see what you get for your money when purchasing this men’s fashion staple. After every review many readers would ask how they compare to Common Projects and the answer is usually that they don’t compare. But every shoe has its place and here I look at the visual differenc…

Comparison: OCBD battle – Uniqlo vs Charles Tyrwhitt

Affordable Earl — Mon, 20 Apr 2020 22:39:47 GMT