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Too much damn money for a suit

T

Turin39789

Lifer
Need opinions from the clothes snobs. In a rush and need a new suit for a work trip leaving next weekend. My $100 ValueCity purchase from 8 years ago is showing it's wear.

Planning to step up a notch with this one, found some interesting options online but no time for that. Likewise a local tailor does a custom bespoke starting around 8-9, but too much and no time.

Found a 1818 brooks bros Madison pinstripe for $600, or a $450 Hart Schaffner Marx at Dillards for $450, both are half canvas and both promise to be tailored in time for the trip if I buy tomorrow.

Could also use some dress shirts. Work is jeans and t-shirts for a day to day, but moving up and need to dress up on occasion.
 
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My only requirements are that it's wool and it fits well. Never heard of either of the brands you mentioned... but I'm not super brand-saavy.

~$600 is pretty moderate and the average price for the "mid-range" from my observations. If you want to go cheaper and aren't too fat, find an H&M: suits there go for ~$300.
 
How big are you? Both the Madison and HSM are going to be cut wide/baggy. All three of Brooks Brothers other lines will be cut slimmer/more modern.

If there was something in store at Brooks Brothers that looks good on you, probably your best bet. If not, given the time constraints, you're probably stuck with Macys or other department store.

For the same price as that Brooks Brothers suit, however, (and assuming you actually know your size), you could get a much nicer suit online that is full canvas (such as a Zegna, Canali, or Oxxford). But you're right, you won't have time to get it delivered and tailored by next weekend.
 
I have heard that Merona suits at Target are a great value. You can buy it in store then take it to a tailor, and hopefully have it ready by the weekend.

If you want a good suit, I would wait until later, when you have the time to find and fit a good one.
 
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Honestly, you can't get much better than Brooks Bros in material, even if you go bespoke, you're unlikely to find the quality materials that BB use even if you were to spend double. In fact when I was in Asia, I couldn't find a single tailor that could make a suit using materials similar to Brooks Bros for less than $2k. Even the shirts are hard to match. If you weren't in a hurry, I'd say wait for the BB friends and family sale that they have a few times each year.
 
Jeeebus said:
How big are you? Both the Madison and HSM are going to be cut wide/baggy. All three of Brooks Brothers other lines will be cut slimmer/more modern.

If there was something in store at Brooks Brothers that looks good on you, probably your best bet. If not, given the time constraints, you're probably stuck with Macys or other department store.

For the same price as that Brooks Brothers suit, however, (and assuming you actually know your size), you could get a much nicer suit online that is full canvas (such as a Zegna, Canali, or Oxxford). But you're right, you won't have time to get it delivered and tailored by next weekend.
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Lifted said:
Honestly, you can't get much better than Brooks Bros in material, even if you go bespoke, you're unlikely to find the quality materials that BB use even if you were to spend double. In fact when I was in Asia, I couldn't find a single tailor that could make a suit using materials similar to Brooks Bros for less than $2k. Even the shirts are hard to match. If you weren't in a hurry, I'd say wait for the BB friends and family sale that they have a few times each year.
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43R was fitting nice at BB, currently on sale 40% off so down to $600. I've heard the semi-annual sales can be better but again, waited until the last minute. Was talking myself into it but then checked out the HS&M and seemed close at $450($895 at 50% off) but did see an odd stitch or two with thread sticking out. Now trying to keep from upselling myself but still leaning BB. Gave myself the night to ask opinions and try vainly to dig up coupons or addtl discounts.

Previously had a plain black suit as standard wear and for funerals, and a brown 3 piece that I wore more often. Again both were poly discount jobs. The BB I thought was black with a slight pinstripe, but wife and saleslady informed me was a dark navy. Would probably be looking to pick up a 3 piece brown or other shade eventually and would have more time getting that.
 
Turin39789 said:
43R was fitting nice at BB, currently on sale 40% off so down to $600. I've heard the semi-annual sales can be better but again, waited until the last minute. Was talking myself into it but then checked out the HS&M and seemed close at $450($895 at 50% off) but did see an odd stitch or two with thread sticking out. Now trying to keep from upselling myself but still leaning BB. Gave myself the night to ask opinions and try vainly to dig up coupons or addtl discounts.

Previously had a plain black suit as standard wear and for funerals, and a brown 3 piece that I wore more often. Again both were poly discount jobs. The BB I thought was black with a slight pinstripe, but wife and saleslady informed me was a dark navy. Would probably be looking to pick up a 3 piece brown or other shade eventually and would have more time getting that.
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Take their advice with a certain grain of salt, but you may want to spend some time browsing styleforum.net to get some ideas for down the road. You don't need to be the fashionista of the office, but there is some basic advice there that would probably help. Ultimately, it comes down to what looks good on you at the right price point.

Personally, I think the Madison fit is too baggy for anyone that is not rather fat. It's just not a flattering fit. On the opposite side of the spectrum are the super slim suits that will rip the first time you cough and will turn your balls into pancakes - probably best to avoid those too.

My basic advice would be to get a charcoal or navy suit first and go from there. Brown is fine down the line, but you really want to have the staple business color(s) first.

The 1818 line of BB is a good suit. On significant discount, they are pretty good deals. But if you have time and shop ebay, there are better quality (notwithstanding what other guy said) suits for roughly the same money. I don't think there's any argument that an Oxxford full canvas suit is leaps and bounds higher quality than BB. To each their own though.
 
JC Penney is having a sale...a wool suit would run you under $200 right now and they sell tons of sizing as well as suits you need to have tailored.

They aren't BB quality, but they are a good suit nonetheless.

I usually don't keep suits for 8-9 years though.
 
Are you anywhere near a Nordstrom's Rack or Off Fifth Avenue. You can get a lot of crazy deals, rather than paying full price.

Hart Shafner is OK, the ones I have seen tend to be a thicker suit material wise and fit is a bit baggy. They have a rep of being an older man's suit. The price is about right though.

Brooks Brother stuff is nice. I tend to think the women's clothing is nicer than the men's now, but that is a different argument.

I would go somewhere that is going to help you and try things on however. Getting something that can be tailored is key.

As for Dress Shirts the expensive ones tend to need to be pressed (thinner material) where as the cheaper ones tend to be the thicker wrinkle free cotton. The Nordstom House Brand Herringbone stuff is actually quite nice, if you don't want to iron. Otherwise for ironing, the Burberry shirts are a fairly good athletic fit.

If you want to splurge and are looking for something a bit more in, I would look at the Zegna stuff. I have a fairly athletic fit and have trouble finding jackets that aren't as wide in the chest as they are in the waist. When you get them brought in the vents don't line up straight in back. Zegna seems to be more of an athletic cut and the jackets fit well right off the rack. I almost exclusively wear them now.

What is your body type?
 
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For the most part, you get what you pay for. If you are just going to wear it on occasions, there really is no need to get an expensive one. I have had a Men's Warehouse suit for 10 years that I have wore about 10 times a year. It was $300...but the cost for alterations made it a lot. For $300 I got a so-so quality wool suit.

If you live in MA, you can try this place...

http://www.miltons.com/

They have lots of sales because they also sell the stuff from last year.
 
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In Louisville Ky, so no saks or nords. Im right at a 43 chest and a 37 waist. Been filling out in the rigjt way since I started lifting, but still a little soft in the middle until I get diet right.

If I go BB I may grab some no iron cotton shirts as well, 50% brings them to $44, which Im sure is beatable, but Ive also.picked up a half dozen shirts on sale at Burlington that I wore once and never fit right and wrinkled into little balls everytime.
 
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Are you short? If so, wih your dimensions, you are gonna need lots of tailoring unless you get suit separates.

Do you have a Jos A Bank?
 
There is a Josabank in town, and they are having 70% off, so could get their half canvas for mid 300s, but walked in a few weeks ago and got shitty service and havent heard much good about them. Meanwhile got helped right away ar BB yesterday in my 20 year ild yellow fishing tshirt and jeans.
 
Turin39789 said:
5 11". I thought a 6 inch drop was standard?
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I mean short as in 5'-4"....

but yeah, the biggest thing you will see is that you may be swimming in the pants that come with the suit...

That is why I mentioned suit separates...

You may pay more, but you will end up paying it in alterations to the pants.
 
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450 is cheap. I know guys that spend a thousand bucks on a suit and they arent even rich. They do it as an investment in employment. You'd be amazed at how many interviewers are impressed by an expensive suit. At a company with retarded HR people it could easily land you a job.
 
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