The 12 Best Things to Buy at Target's Men's Section

Target's men's section quietly carries items that compete with brands charging three times as much. Their in-house labels—Goodfellow & Co, All in Motion, and Open Story—are designed by people who clearly understand what works at each price point. The key is knowing which categories they nail.

The policy is half the reason to bother. Target's owned brands carry a one-year return window with a receipt, against 90 days for everything else in the store, and Goodfellow, All in Motion, Open Story and Pair of Thieves all qualify. So the $30 chinos that split at the seam in month seven are a refund rather than a lesson. Keep the receipt in the app and you never need the paper one.

Goodfellow & Co's Premium Slim Fit T-shirt at $8 is unreasonably good for the money. The 100% cotton is mid-weight with a subtle texture, the fit is actually slim without being tight, and the color range covers basics plus seasonal earth tones. Buy five and rotate weekly.

That $8 tee has one requirement: wash cold, hang dry. Target's cotton jersey is not pre-shrunk to the standard of Uniqlo's, and a hot wash plus a tumble dry takes a large to somewhere between a large and a medium, mostly out of the body length. Hung on a hanger damp it holds its shape for a couple of years, which at eight dollars is all anyone can reasonably ask of it.

All in Motion training shorts at $20 feature moisture-wicking fabric, a zippered pocket, and a built-in liner. They compete directly with Lululemon and Nike at a quarter of the price. The 7-inch unlined version exists for those who prefer separate compression underneath.

Open Story luggage rivals Away at half the price. The carry-on hardside spinner at $100 has a polycarbonate shell, TSA-approved lock, and smooth spinner wheels. The interior compression straps and zip divider organize efficiently. It's the same functional formula without the DTC markup.

Goodfellow & Co chinos at $30 in their Athletic Fit cut accommodate larger thighs without billowing at the waist. The stretch cotton blend moves with you, the construction holds up through machine washing, and the color options cover every business-casual need.

Pair of Thieves underwear at $15 for a three-pack provides athletic-grade moisture wicking and a comfortable fit that competes with premium underwear brands. The modal-blend fabric is soft, the construction prevents ride-up, and the price makes building a proper rotation affordable.

The Threshold candle collection at $10-15 offers genuinely pleasant scents in simple glass vessels. The Cashmere Vanilla and Warm Tobacco are standouts—complex enough to enjoy but not synthetic-smelling like cheap alternatives. Burn time averages 50-60 hours per candle.

What to skip matters as much as what to buy. The knitwear pills within a month — acrylic and viscose blends look fine on the hanger and terrible after three washes. The dress shirts fit nobody. The shoes are the worst value in the building; $35 on Target trainers is beaten outright by last season's New Balance or Adidas at outlet price. As a rule, anything over $40 with a Target label on it is beaten by Uniqlo or by Costco's Kirkland line.