How do I buy a proper Suit? UPDATE: Advice on Potential Selections

[Dr. Zaus]

UpDate:

I'm now looking at these three suits, and these three shirts. The suits and shirts will be tailored by the company.

Thoughts?
Premium Navy: $750
http://www.indochino.com/product/premium-navy-threepiece-suit

Essential Charcoal: $520
http://www.indochino.com/product/essential-charcoal-threepiece-suit

Essential Gray: $520
http://www.indochino.com/product/essential-gray-threepiece-suit

Sub total: $1790

Shirts ($80 each)
Industrial Dove
http://www.indochino.com/product/the-industrial-dove-gray-shirt

White
http://www.indochino.com/product/white-oxford-shirt

Light Blue
http://www.indochino.com/product/light-blue-oxford-shirt

Sub: $240

Total: $2030



Original Opening Post:


HI,

Welcome to my stealth brag thread.

I am going to be interviewing this summer for jobs as a new hire assistant professor in a business school. I'm 300lbs 6'1, so off-the-shelf stuff looks like shit on me for obvious reasons.

So how do I go about buying a proper suit to interview in?

Thanks

 

[shortylickens]

Mens Wearhouse. Custom fit. And they have fast turnaround (generally).

 

[Bill Brasky]

lol well played.

How did you buy your other suits?

edit: Seriously, I'd go to Jos. A Bank or Men's Wearhouse and get measured. Once you have measurements, then call around and ask if they've got stuff in your size, or if customs are available. But you gotta get measured just like everyone else, and make sure to write everything down.

 

[SMOGZINN]

You have two options.
Buy blanks and have them tailored, or go bespoke.

The blanks are the cheap way. You will get a decent suit, somewhat tailored to fit you, way better then off the rack.

Bespoke is expensive but you get a fully tailored suit that will hang right and fit you exactly. A Bespoke suit is an investment.

If you are going to wear suits every day get yourself several blanks tailored for you. Then save up and get one bespoke. Odds are you will never by anything but bespoke again.

 

[feralkid]

See this guy:

Or better yet, this guy:

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Have tailors disappeared when I wasn't looking?

 

[BoomerD]

See this guy:

In the unemployment line? Zimmer was fired by MW.

 

[Dr. Zaus]

Have tailors disappeared when I wasn't looking?

I've never seen a tailor anywhere but a movie.

 

[BoomerD]

For that size...find the local tent maker.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I've never seen a tailor anywhere but a movie.

Most decent men's clothing stores employ them.

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Sorry man - but your request reminded me of Rodney D in Back to School -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luQafRNkgP8

Seriously, determine your budget. Then decide on Nordstroms, Saks, Patrick James, or Tier II stores like Macy's, Dillards, or even Jos A Bank & Mens Wearhouse.

You can also go cheap at sores like Burlington Coat Factory. I'm guessing you are a Size 48 or 50. You are going to need a tailor for sure. Tier 1 places will tailor for free, everyone else will charge you significantly.

You very well may need to get your dress shirt tailored as well.

Don't forget to buy yourself a quality belt & matching shoes - go leather soled and lace-ups.

 

[yllus]

The basics:

- Your first suit should almost always be a solid-coloured dark navy blue suit. It's the most versatile suit of them all: Good for wearing during the day (the blue shines) and good for wearing at night (looks black). The link I provided is to Pinterest, which is actually remarkably helpful for finding a look you want to duplicate.

- Do not buy a black suit. Black suits are strictly for wearing after dark; only funeral managers and gangsters wear black suits during the day.

- Avoid pinstripes entirely forever. They're for gangsters and 1920s era baseball players. Chalk stripes are an option, but if you're a beginner with suits you're going to fuck this up, so stick with solid colours.

- Find a suit that feels that it fits you right, and then ask to try the size smaller than that. Men mostly aren't comfortable wearing properly fitting clothes, but it makes an incredible difference, even for the big-boned amongst us. See this before/after with a guy about your size for illustration.

- Shoes make a dramatic impact when properly worn with a suit. With a navy suit, you have a terrific opportunity to buy a pair of nice oxblood-coloured shoes.

- For the shirt underneath, go for solid colour shirt that has a semi-spread or spread collar. That makes for a modern look.

- Get a nice solid tie from The Tie Bar to go with your suit (pick the colour by browsing that Pinterest link, picking out a combination you like). The ties are literally all $15 and are of as good quality as anywhere in the world. GQ magazine uses them extensively in photo shoots; I have two dozen of their ties myself and swear by them.

- If you can afford it, go to Brooks Brothers. They're actually not too monstrously overpriced and generally offer quite good service.

- Jump on Yelp for your area and find a few tailors near you. If you end up buying at Brooks Brothers they'll do this for you, but otherwise store tailors are generally terrible. A good tailor can take a $100 suit from Le Chateau and make you look like a Hollywood star in it. With a good suit, you'll look even better than that.

 

[feralkid]

In the unemployment line? Zimmer was fired by MW.

Right, and the other guy doesn't really sell suits, but thanks for ruining the joke.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Mens Wearhouse. Custom fit. And they have fast turnaround (generally).

NO. BAD DOGGIE. BAD BAD BAD DOGGIE! /Slap

OP - Buy yourself a decent Zegna suit or Brooks Brothers at the least.

Also, get your suit fit by a REAL tailor. No, not those fucking retards that know how to use a measuring tape and write a number.

 

[Howard]

The basics:

- Your first suit should almost always be a solid-coloured dark navy blue suit. It's the most versatile suit of them all: Good for wearing during the day (the blue shines) and good for wearing at night (looks black). The link I provided is to Pinterest, which is actually remarkably helpful for finding a look you want to duplicate.

- Do not buy a black suit. Black suits are strictly for wearing after dark; only funeral managers and gangsters wear black suits during the day.

- Avoid pinstripes entirely forever. They're for gangsters and 1920s era baseball players. Chalk stripes are an option, but if you're a beginner with suits you're going to fuck this up, so stick with solid colours.

- Find a suit that feels that it fits you right, and then ask to try the size smaller than that. Men mostly aren't comfortable wearing properly fitting clothes, but it makes an incredible difference, even for the big-boned amongst us. See this before/after with a guy about your size for illustration.

- Shoes make a dramatic impact when properly worn with a suit. With a navy suit, you have a terrific opportunity to buy a pair of nice oxblood-coloured shoes.

- For the shirt underneath, go for solid colour shirt that has a semi-spread or spread collar. That makes for a modern look.

- Get a nice solid tie from The Tie Bar to go with your suit (pick the colour by browsing that Pinterest link, picking out a combination you like). The ties are literally all $15 and are of as good quality as anywhere in the world. GQ magazine uses them extensively in photo shoots; I have two dozen of their ties myself and swear by them.

- If you can afford it, go to Brooks Brothers. They're actually not too monstrously overpriced and generally offer quite good service.

- Jump on Yelp for your area and find a few tailors near you. If you end up buying at Brooks Brothers they'll do this for you, but otherwise store tailors are generally terrible. A good tailor can take a $100 suit from Le Chateau and make you look like a Hollywood star in it. With a good suit, you'll look even better than that.

Good advice. I'd like to add that Brooks Brothers often has sales on their classic 1818 suits, which are good quality.

If it's your first suit, you are best off finding something off the rack that fits you in the shoulder, collar, and chest. Possibly the waist as well, if you are rotund. Then tailor as needed.

Also: http://www.styleforum.net/t/216849/jab-signature-gold-suit

 

[Corporate Thug]

HI,

Welcome to my stealth brag thread.

I am going to be interviewing this summer for jobs as a new hire assistant professor in a business school. I'm 300lbs 6'1, so off-the-shelf stuff looks like shit on me for obvious reasons.

So how do I go about buying a proper suit to interview in?

Thanks

lose weight.

 

[Howard]

lose weight.

That too.

 

[EMPshockwave82]

Mens Wearhouse. Custom fit. And they have fast turnaround (generally).

Came in here to post almost exactly this!

Go to Men's Wearhouse, get measured, looks awesome in fitted suit that you can pick up the same day sometimes.

 

[z1ggy]

Before I make a comment about your weight... Are you 300lb strongman big? Or like 300lb "fluffy".

Because there's always the option of not being fat, then fitting into regular suits...Just sayin.

 

[sdifox]

MINO: Fly to Savile Row and have one tailored

 

[JM Aggie08]

Before I make a comment about your weight... Are you 300lb strongman big? Or like 300lb "fluffy".

Because there's always the option of not being fat, then fitting into regular suits...Just sayin.

I would assume the latter, otherwise that's a shit-ton of muscle mass.

 

[nageov3t]

I've never seen a tailor anywhere but a movie.

have you looked? there's 3 in my town that I can think of off the top of my head (most dry cleaners also do tailoring/alterations).

off the rack + tailor would be my recommendation. I had to get a bunch of stuff tailored when I lost a lot of weight a few years ago, and it wasn't terribly expensive (vintage and/or luxury-brand stuff that I couldn't replace otherwise)

 

[DawsonsDada]

Take a look here. http://www.realmenrealstyle.com/start-here/

Good Luck in all your future endeavors!

 

[JM Aggie08]

JCP has big and tall. They also, IIRC, offer to tailor it upon purchase.

 

[Broheim]

Suitsupply will make a good quality custom suit for you, for a very reasonable price (it's not quite bespoke tailoring, but it's very close). Since you're a big guy a well fitting suit can make a huge difference, on a normal built guy an ill-fitting suit will look bad, on you it will look bad AND make you look fatter.