Browsing the racks at vintage stores is a great way to uncover some gems.

It's also a great way to remember that our forebears didn't always have the best style.

So, it's a real hit-or-miss exercise.

But going all-in on Ralph Lauren's vintagewear is basically a guarantee that you'll skip the rough and get straight to the diamonds.

The brand's newly launched Ralph Lauren Vintage is mining the past and putting some of their best items in one place — the Internet, not, like, some eclectic secondhand shop in Buffalo.

From Ralph:

Welcome to Ralph Lauren Vintage. Meticulously sourced and certified by our team of design and vintage experts, each collection honors the breadth of Ralph Lauren’s style canon—spanning from the 1970s to the present. Own a piece of fashion history and discover the legacy of Ralph Lauren’s world.

Poke around and you'll find a lot to like. The Collegiate edit features rugby shirting, outerwear and knits from 1986 to 2010. The Outdoorsman edit is an adventure-inspired collection of caps, ties and outerwear curated from the 1980s and onward. There's also a 1992 Stadium capsule, and others for western-inspired styles and fall tweeds.

You'll soon be dealing in plaid coats, wool crewnecks, ball caps, polos, rugby shirts, cardigans and everyone's favorite Polo Bear sweater, but from years like 1978, 1992 and others that are not the present. 

In total there are more than 200 pieces currently in the men's collection, and more will be added each month. It may take some browsing to find your size or an exact piece you've been hunting for, but you can do it from the comfort of your couch. 

And not in a throng of people throwing elbows.