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Men's suits help
grungebox
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I need a suit. I'm 26, I've never bought a suit myself (I know, it's embarrassing). I have a ball of some sort to go to next Friday and apparently need a suit ASAP. Any suggestions on where to go? I'm in Houston.
My budget is maybe $400, give or take some. I don't want to spend much more than that and will certainly spend less, but I'd rather buy a decent suit I can get some use out of. Like I said, I need it soon so don't say eBay. Basically, my only requirements are that it be solid black (no stripes, not navy or gray) and look somewhat young/modern.
Also, I need normal suit wear tips. How far down should the jacket drop (mid-rump, below that, wherever)? Are 3-button suits nicer than 2-button? Are department store suits pretty much crap? Are Banana Republic or Express okay or overpriced? Do I need to buy a tailored suit? Stuff like that.
TL,DR; Need a suit within a week, can spend $400 or so. Suggestions? Tips?
My budget is maybe $400, give or take some. I don't want to spend much more than that and will certainly spend less, but I'd rather buy a decent suit I can get some use out of. Like I said, I need it soon so don't say eBay. Basically, my only requirements are that it be solid black (no stripes, not navy or gray) and look somewhat young/modern.
Also, I need normal suit wear tips. How far down should the jacket drop (mid-rump, below that, wherever)? Are 3-button suits nicer than 2-button? Are department store suits pretty much crap? Are Banana Republic or Express okay or overpriced? Do I need to buy a tailored suit? Stuff like that.
TL,DR; Need a suit within a week, can spend $400 or so. Suggestions? Tips?
Quail is just hipster chicken
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Department stores aren't too bad, but a men's clothing store, such as Men's Wearhouse, will probably have a bigger selection. The staff at either should be able to help you out a lot in determining a proper fit, and how to wear a suit properly (paints actually up at the waist, don't button the bottom button). You'd be ok walking into a store and giving the same explanation of your problem to the staff (leaving out the price part).
In my limited experience, department stores have a faster turn around getting stuff tailored. Otherwise you may want to find something this weekend to make sure you have it in time.
If you find a store like this, they'll have answers for all your questions. Go in, try some on, find out what you like, and you should be golden.
You'll go in, one of the sales people will help you. They'll take your measurements, then they ask your pricerange and what color you would like. If you do not know color, they will ask you the event you are attending and walk you through it. After you try on the slacks and jacket, you'll pick out shoes, belt, shirt, and tie.
It's a really painless experience but you may want to have someone go with you as, for me at least, it seemed like a lot of choices.
Edit: And a week should be plenty of time for them to tailor it since this I doubt this is very busy of a season. Probably take three-four days at most.
Bascially just go to a menswear store where the gentlemen staff are wearing suits you approve of. Tell them it's your first time, ask them to be gentle, and then just trust.
ASK YOUR GIRL WHAT SHE'LL BE WEARING, and let the salesman know. That is, if you'll be going with a girl. It's incredible how the subtle touches like matching your suit to her dress (or vice versa) can make. When I went to a wedding with my ex, we matched our outfits and kept getting compliments all night.
And like everyone said, the salespeople look at and sell suits all day every day. Tell them what you want and they'll help you look the pimpest for your money.
B.net: Kusanku
And make sure you get it ASAP, as it's going to take some time to get it tailored.
As far as tailoring goes, most places will do the tailoring for free/cheap and depending on how much you need done (and what you're willing to pay) tailors in malls can usually turn stuff around pretty quickly. As for upselling, it's really nice for the salesperson if you go for it but don't feel guilted into it. If you're buying an overcoat, go at least 2" larger in the chest than your suit coat so it'll be big enough.
You can always trust Richard Nixon to give you good advice.
...I can't believe I said that.
Get them to measure you for dress shirts while you're there, too. You don't have to buy them there but then you'll know your size. I take a 15.5 neck and 37" arm which makes it impossible for me to find off-the-shelf shirts that fit in any department stores. I have to shell out the $60 and get really nice ones or just never take off my coat.
I'm not in Canada, so anyone with any comments on places in the US? Does Men's Wearhouse have nice suits? I guess I always assumed they were a discount shop, but I've never been there.
Men's Wearhouse has good suits.
i have had really good luck for suits at JC. Penny's and they have sales a lot of the time. Macy's will usually have a huge mens suit sale so i would look there.
Men's warehouse has a lot but i think they tend to be higher priced.
don't be afraid to look at separates. I went this route for my last suit and if you have disproportanate body size. I have way broad shoulders and long arms with a relatively small waist so it was hard finding a complete suit that fit me
You'll be able to find something there in your price range, espcially if you look at the sale rack - suit sales seem based on weight/season more than style, because I'm always amazed I can get a deal on something like a basic black 3 button.
Better still, you won't have to worry about quality or fit. Their tailors are almost uniformly good, and they don't generally carry suits made out of old tires or whatever the hell K-Mart uses. Look for wool.
Trust the tailor for fit, except shop with a dress shirt on or buy one there. You'll want to see that you show some cuff under the jacket. When they ask you if you want cuffs on the pants, the answer is yes. You can't un-trim a hedge.
For style, ultra-classic is 2 button, single breasted, single vent. Adding buttons is generally the trend, but I refuse to buy anything with more than 3. a ventless, double or side-vented look adds a bit of class for anyone that notices those sorts of things. A peak collar as opposed to a standard notch is a bit much for my taste, but on a black suit it can make it stand out.
Buy quality. a black suit is something evey man should have, and the fewer you have, the nicer and more timeless it should be.
I never wear a suit, so I want something flexible. Pinstripes don't fit every occasion.
And that guy who mentions you should ask the girl for her colors? Yah. You want to be that guy.
ed: one button suits are more lounge/cocktail party type of wear, but anybody who actually makes a deal out of it can probably be safely ignored
that's why we call it the struggle, you're supposed to sweat
Suits are standard male "dress" attire, so this isn't gonna be like some dress you only wear once. So think of this as an investment in your future and go with a solid suit in a dark color. You can wear a solid color suit for more things, and you don't have to worry about the fabric going out of style.
But if you're dead set on pinstripes or plaid- be careful when you buy the suit. It's way easier to tell if a pinstripe or plaid suit is cheap. If the suit's high quality, all those little lines match up perfectly on the sleeves and pockets and everything's nice and straight. If the suit's low quality, they don't line up and it's a dead giveaway you have a cheap suit.
Follow LaPuzza's advice and go somewhere with a good tailor. Bad tailoring looks REALLY tacky. Seriously, you don't want your rear pockets meeting in your butt crack, or pants legs of different lengths. Find somebody who knows what they're doing.
You can talk to the girl about what she's wearing, but if it's something like a pale pink, you probably don't want to match the coat color/tie to that. Especially if you're spending a lot of money on this. Find something that complements the color that you can still wear again later.