Men's suits - advice sought

[footfootfoot]

I'm looking to update my wardrobe in terms of suits. For all purposes, let's say I don't have any suits at all and need to get two new suits.

The limited research I've done suggests that your primary suit be Navy and after that gray. Wool is the fabric of choice.

There are more bits of advice about cut depending on your build. I'm 6-0 and 210. Could stand to lose 25-30 pounds, but let's say for the time being I won't. If I do I'm sure I could have the suit taken in to compensate for 25 lbs.

My tastes run conservative and or "classic" which I interpret to mean not going out of style in a few years (kind of like my other suit) or looking too much like a zoot suit.

Just wondering if anyone with a great fashion sense cares to put their 2 cents in. links to pictures would also be helpful.

One website (http://www.modernizetailors.blogspot.com/) I visited had this to say:

• If you feel good, you look good.
• You shouldn't feel good if you wear a blue blazer with black pants.

I'd love to have a suit made by them, but that may wait until I am much more wealthy. Like wealthy enough to afford a trip to vancouver and a two week stay while they tweak my suit.

[DanaC]

I like European suit styles.

[SteveDallas]

I'd have to say black and navy wouldn't be my first choice.. though I'm hardly a fashion plate!

I tend toward gray before navy, but I think other than that you advice is on target. If you haven't read Dress for Success you might give it a look. It's very conservative.

[DanaC]

I rather like brown suits, or colours along that line.

[dar512]

Originally Posted by footfootfoot

Wool is the fabric of choice.

Even at thin weights, I find wool to be too warm for the summer.

[glatt]

I prefer gray to navy as well, especially if you are going to have only one suit.

If you want to look at conservative styles. Look at suits from 10 years ago that don't seem dated today and then get a modern suit that looks like that.

But mostly, I don't know much about suits, so you should ignore me. I've only owned 3 in my life. All were gray.

[jinx]

Men in black suits are hot.
That's all I got. Oh, except that I hate double breasted suits, they look terrible on everyone.

[monster]

I think we need to know what you intend to wear the suit(s) for. They're not a one fits all occasions type thing. BDM suits have different needs than office suits. In the office it may depend whether it's air conditioned, whether you sit all day or walk around a lot..... and if you're planning to be a funeral director you may have different needs than if you're planning to take pictures at summer weddings. etc.

Wool does not sound ideal to me... unless you're in an unheated office in winter.... but it's been a long time since I worked in menswear.... maybe they've worked miracles with woolen fabrics...

Navy, though ....no. That's dated. imo. It almost says "I wear Depends" or "My mother chose my suit". Dark gray and black are the only colors which are really always in style. If you cannot tolerate plain material or need a little extra, a thin (vertical) pinstripe rarely goes out of style. Thicker stripes and checkers and all that other stuff comes and goes....

Single-breasted, definitely. And go for the longer side of average on the jacket length. Shorter and double breasted jackets come and go in popularity. And I agree with Jinx, double breasted looks pretty awful on most.

One last thing, why buy two at once? Is it essential? Especially if you're forking out loadsa dosh for bespoke tailoring. Why not get one, wear it in, see what you like and dislike about it, then pick the second.


(BDM =Births, Deaths and Marriages)
(menswear = Saturday and Summers in Top Man )
(Bespoke is apparently uniquley British, but :p, I like it)

[Cicero]

We really need to talk about price range first.

I had to shop for my husband and the only thing I thought was remotely tasteful was Ralph Lauren and CK suits. Everything else was cut exactly like an upside triangle (coats) and I thought it looked funny. I'd definitely go with a Ralpk Lauren if I were you, they have classic styles that aren't out of fashion, which is always safe.

[monster]

I disagree, in the main. It's more important to work out what you want/need, then find where you can get the closest thing to that within your budget.

[footfootfoot]

I'm glad to hear that I am not the only one who blanched at the Navy suggestion. It just sounds uncomfortable. I like dark and light greys, I also look good in olive and sage green, but it is easy to fuck that one up so I'd probably not be able to find the right shade.

As for pattern, I don't like it. An interesting weave, yes.

I won't be sitting in an office much, nor attending weddings. It will mosre than likely be while working in a corporate setting, photographing. I want the suit to say "I am a professional, while I may not be in the same branch of service, I am at least equal to you in rank." For people who don't need suits to tell them that, they'll figure that out by my work.

I know it may sound lame, but I've had plenty of experiences where I'd be at a corporate gig over a period of a few days and because of the nature of where we were shooting, I'd go from jeans to khakis to suits and the same people I'd been working with didn't recognize me. In jeans you would become invisible.

Anyway. I need to be prepared.

I'm still shopping. Price is a question. I once was at Syms (where an educated consumer, etc. etc.) and after looking at literally hundreds of men's pants, I finally found a pair which I felt had a really nice cut, excellent sewing, wonderful fabric, the color was just ok, hence why they were still unsold. Well, that and the price. Marked down to $475 from $2300. For a pair of pants.

I have good taste. Or expensive taste.

Looking at J. Press, Jos. Banks, Jones, Aboud, and a couple of others, it seems that suits range from $200 to $800. I guess I'd need to see them in person.

One other suit buying guide mentioned European cuts as being best for men who are trim and fit, suggesting that before you buy a European cut be sure you are trim and fit and not planning in gaining weight... har

[SteveDallas]

Our CFO is without a doubt the best dressed man on campus. Being a CFO, he's also moderately cheap. He swears by K&G Men's Mart. (I went their once, and I liked their stuff, but they didn't have anything in my size.)

[monster]

Given the scenario, I repeat my advice about getting one and seeing how it works for you -what you like and dislike about it "in action", before getting the second. Also I still think wool sounds scary.

Do you know anyone who regularly wears a suit and always looks good? If so, ask them about it.

[lumberjim]

sounds like what you want is a Sport Coat. And suede patches on the elbows.

[Urbane Guerrilla]

If sport jackets are ever allowed, go Harris Tweed. It will last you about the rest of your life. English cuts are also suited to your body type. For Italian suiting you need to be built like a slender Italian guy.

Personally, I would not hesitate to buy navy-blue. Even a rather inexpensive/discounted suit off the peg will hang well if you also budget for a bit of tailoring so it rides well on you and harmonizes with your proportions.

The main thing with wool is what weight. Light or tropical weight wool for hot summers, something thicker for wintry weather. For the classic taste, you can't go wrong with a blue blazer, single breasted in your case, and dark gray slacks. Lighter gray for a lighter look overall.

Don't bother with any tie fabric other than silk. Be picky about where you get your ties from; there will be a ton of quite silky ties out there that just aren't quite right -- either you wonder what they were thinking when they picked those colors or the pattern frankly bores you stiff. But you'll know when you see the right one! Get ties that appeal to your color taste, so they will actually be enjoyable to wear. I've had rather more joy from foulard prints and tartans than rep stripes.