Head-Fi.org › Forums › Misc.-Category Forums › Members' Lounge (General Discussion) › Best Place to Buy a Suit/What Suit to buy
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Best Place to Buy a Suit/What Suit to buy

post #1 of 19
10/13/02 at 8:39pm
Thread Starter 
Hi, I am my class's Homecoming Prince and I need to buy a suit. My budget is 500-600 dollars. It must include jacket and pants.


Thank you, I know nothing about suits, however my measurements are apparently the following:

40 Regular, 15 1/2'' Shoulders, 33'' sleeve length.


Thanks again, any info on suits would be greatly appreciated.
Reply
post #2 of 19
10/13/02 at 8:46pm
Homecoming Prince??? Are you sure you're a headphone geek?

Congrats, man.

As for suits, you must go to a place with a good tailor and that basically rules out your typical department store. Don't spend a lot of money on a trendy, new-fangled suit with weird collars, 500 buttons, weird colors and stripes. You'll need to use this suit in the future and you don't want to look silly in a $500 suit that looks so "2002".

My advice is go for a solid color with two buttons and a conservative style that will look "normal" long into the future. You'll need the suit again and you won't often have $500 bucks to spend on a single outfit.

Mark
Reply
post #3 of 19
10/13/02 at 9:09pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks- but what brands are good? WHo are the Grado and Sennheiser of suits?

Where is the best place to buy them - the HeadRoom of suits.
Reply
post #4 of 19
10/13/02 at 9:17pm
you have $500 US sitting around to buy a suit with???

i bought my suit already for grad pictures and i think it cost LESS than $200 canadian....thats like only $130US...

man....why are us canadians so poor?
Reply
post #5 of 19
10/13/02 at 9:18pm
Unlike most clothes today which broadcast their brands to be visible from 10,000 miles up in space, no one can tell what brand of suit you're wearing. Brand does not matter, IMO. Style and fit (as provided by your tailor) are everything. Every male has different dimensions, and it's up to your tailor to make sure that generic suits are made to fit your specific frame.

I wish I could just tell you where to go, but there's no easy answer. You have to use your own judgement-- does this suit look cheap? Does this suit look trendy?

Don't forget you also have to worry about a belt, a shirt, a tie and a pair of shoes. Buying a suit is one EXSPENSIVE prospect. All these items have to go together, so you'll most likely end up buying them in one place.

Mark
Reply
post #6 of 19
10/13/02 at 9:22pm
Have your mom or date take you shopping. Always works out best.

Unless you have the fashion sense of a gay man or Dennis Rodman, it's best to stick with a navy, black, or dark gray suit. I'd go for something a bit more contemporary than a two-button. This is homecoming, not a board meeting.

If you really want to find something that looks good, head to a men's specialty store in your area. The people working there will be able to help you out a lot. Going to a single-brand store like a Brooks Brothers or something will work too, but there won't be as wide a variety of styles.

Wear the suit with a neutral, non-white shirt. If you go with a black suit, you have all kinds of options, but grays are nice. Definitely have a woman help with the tie. And remember to budget for some shoes. ...

kerely
Reply
post #7 of 19
10/13/02 at 9:28pm
Czilla9000,

Where are you? There are some nice shops in the US like Men's Wearhouse that can help fit you without sending you to the poorhouse. I'd recommend going to a nice suit shop in your area and let them help. I agree that a conservative black, or Navy would serve you best in the long run (I personally like a nice low keyed Navy pin-stripe).

Good luck,
Reply
post #8 of 19
10/14/02 at 5:57am
I'll second the vote for the Men's Wearhouse.
(US only, I believe)
The prices are very reasonable and the quality (and service!) is very good.
Reply
post #9 of 19
10/14/02 at 7:29am
I'd just rent a tux or suit...
If you are in high school and college bound, the next time you will need a suit is when you get thrown into the school pool!
I took a cruise on a ship and had to rent a tux for like $150 just so I could eat at dinner.
Then again, here in HI, only lawyers wear suits! lol....
Rent.
md
Reply
post #10 of 19
10/14/02 at 11:01am
I vote against Men's Wearhouse. The quality varies greatly from suit to suit, and from salesman to salesman, and I don't know that the prices are that great for what it is they sell. Kinda like Ikea - if you try to get higher quality stuff, there's not that much and it costs as much as at a regular store. My opinion only, of course, which many seem to disagree with.

If you can catch a Brooks Brothers sale, you can get a fabulous conservatively styled suit for $500 that should last ten years or more.

Unless you're a student, don't buy any $130 suits. They look it.

If you're going to go budget, catch a frequent sale at Macy's where you can a $400 suit for 30-40% off. Some stores actually have very good tailors. They're tailoring is very overpriced so they can afford them. But you can always take it somewhere else.
Reply
post #11 of 19
10/14/02 at 3:01pm
I agree you should check out Brooks Brothers. Aside from their normal conservative fare, they do sell more updated looks these days. I picked up a very nice grey three-button with English-style side vents--very cool, and looks good both in meetings and at a club. I also think upscale department stores do a great job--my favorite is Saks. The people working there give great service, have great taste, and will (in my experience) not look down on you if you are on a limited budget. Good salesmen/women are also indispensable in helping you choose good shirt/tie combos to go with your snazzy new suit.

Go with black if possible.
Reply
post #12 of 19
10/14/02 at 3:28pm
Joseph Banks has always been good to me. They have regular sales and will usually give you $100 trade on any old suit you may still have in the closet. Their tailors have been generally competent. Get any color you want as long as it's blue, gray, or black. I favor subtle pinstripes, but solids also work.

Millerdog: See me in a suit and you KNOW I'm getting paid!
Reply
post #13 of 19
10/14/02 at 9:46pm
For 600$, you could get a custom-tailored suit.

DO THIS!!!!

Not only will the suit last forever, but it will fit every coutour of your body. It's worth the money. Just get something that looks nice and classic, and more importantly, make sure it is comfortable. There is nothing worse than having clothes that don't fit properly.

*shoves bad sunday school childhood memories back into the deep caverns of my mind*
Reply
post #14 of 19
10/15/02 at 7:16am
The updated classic: grey, three-buton is probably the best choice for a first and only suit. Can be dressed for business with a white shirt & tie, or for going out with a black shirt and other accessories.

For $350-500 you can get a nice off-the-rack suit. If you are fit (like if your waist is proportional to your 40" chest size, like around 32-34"), this will be really easy. Then get a good pair of shoes for around $100-120, which are worth the investment.

Whatever you do, find a good tailor. A good one can make even a cheap suit (not recommended) look great on you, and the relationship can last far beyond that first suit - well worth the effort seeking one out.
Reply
post #15 of 19
10/15/02 at 12:54pm
Quote:
Thanks- but what brands are good? WHo are the Grado and Sennheiser of suits?
That would be Strellson, Hugo Boss, and Armani.

I particularly like the Strellson cut.

But yeah if you really want to be a badass get a suit made to fit. Keep in mind that for a good tailor to do this properly and with good stock you will be in the thousands not hundreds of dollars. Good luck.
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
Head-Fi.org › Forums › Misc.-Category Forums › Members' Lounge (General Discussion) › Best Place to Buy a Suit/What Suit to buy