# I need a cool suit, any suggestions **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 9, 2007, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-cool-suit-any-suggestions/407339 "2007-06-09T02:24:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2007, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-cool-suit-any-suggestions/407339/1 "2007-06-09T02:24:26Z")
Cool as in temperature. I have to go to a wedding in San Antonio in early September, and the dress for the wedding party is Black Suits for the guys. So I am thinking of trying to spend around 200 dollars, but hopefully under 500, for a good suit that I can use for many more years. Unfortunately it is going to be an outdoor wedding, and I just KNOW it is going to be hotter than Hades backside, and most suits I have seen are pretty heavy and thick. So are there any good, cool, breathable suits out there for a fair price? ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2007, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-cool-suit-any-suggestions/407339/2 "2007-06-09T02:28:37Z")
Consider a charcoal blazer and matching khakis. It’ll be tolerably cool and you won’t stand out for dressing down. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2007, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-cool-suit-any-suggestions/407339/3 "2007-06-09T04:47:51Z")
I am guessing that this line > [@](#): > > and the dress for the wedding party is Black Suits for the guys. means he is in the wedding party, and slacks and a blazer are not an option. (Try that and face the wrath of bridezilla) Anyway back to the OP. Do not buy polyester. See if you can find a tropical weight wool suit. Wool will breathe, and allow moisture to escape. Tropical weight means it is a very light weight suit. Go to a good men’s store, and describe your problem to the salesman. I have had very good luck finding what I need at The Men’s Warehouse. ---
**Author:** ![MrJackboots](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MrJackboots](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrJackboots)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2007, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-cool-suit-any-suggestions/407339/4 "2007-06-09T06:03:57Z")
Isn’t seersucker pretty much made for that sort of situation? I’m not sure if they make seersucker in black, but I’m sure if they do, your local men’s store will be able to find it for you. I understand they make suits out of linen, too. A quick Googling shows you can even get semi-custom ones for around $350. Definitely stay away from polyester. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2007, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-cool-suit-any-suggestions/407339/5 "2007-06-09T12:45:24Z")
[QUOTE=Rick] I am guessing that this line means he is in the wedding party, and slacks and a blazer are not an option. (Try that and face the wrath of bridezilla) [/QUOTE] If you’re a groomsman, the clothes have already been selected for you by a third party. You show up at the formal wear store and rent them, end of story. How much latitude do you actually have here? ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2007, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-cool-suit-any-suggestions/407339/6 "2007-06-09T13:36:16Z")
[QUOTE=Krokodil] If you’re a groomsman, the clothes have already been selected for you by a third party. You show up at the formal wear store and rent them, end of story. How much latitude do you actually have here? [/QUOTE] My sister decided to go with all black suits rather than Tux’s, and AFAIK, there isn’t any design specifications. She certainly didn’t mention any formal wear store or her selection by a third party. She chose the suit route for the wedding party because she didn’t want people wasting money on a rental, and I agree with her. Why pay 100-150 bucks for a rental for a day when that nearly buys you a suit? I’d say that not all weddings are the same, certainly aren’t any government regulations placed on them on how to do things. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2007, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-cool-suit-any-suggestions/407339/7 "2007-06-09T15:59:17Z")
One other suggestion, a classically cut business suit might not be the most stylish thing in the entire world, but it will remain a classically cut suit for ever. If you go buy a super stylish suit you may find that in five years it is the leisure suit of the early 21st century. So if you are looking for something you can keep in your closet for a long time, and have it look acceptable whenever you put it on, go for a classic cut. ---
**Author:** ![Idlewild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8491ac/32.png) [@Idlewild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idlewild)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2007, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-cool-suit-any-suggestions/407339/8 "2007-06-09T16:46:13Z")
I’d say linen, but with the wrinkling thing, you really would need to be able to change into it pretty close to the ceremony. But it’s definitely a lovely summer-weight fabric and makes for a nice looking, classically stylish suit. It is less formal than a summerweight wool suit in my opinion, though. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2007, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-cool-suit-any-suggestions/407339/9 "2007-06-09T21:32:34Z")
Wool comes in several weights. I believe “lightweight” is the lightest and “Tropical weight” is second lightest.Try a lightweight wool/poly blend for economy and vesatility. Linen blends are also an option, but black linen is less common, so it might be hard to find. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2007, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-cool-suit-any-suggestions/407339/10 "2007-06-09T21:46:17Z")
[QUOTE=Hello Again] Wool comes in several weights. I believe “lightweight” is the lightest and “Tropical weight” is second lightest.Try a lightweight wool/poly blend for economy and vesatility. Linen blends are also an option, but black linen is less common, so it might be hard to find. [/QUOTE] You could well be right. Personally I would try to stay away from any suit with any poly in it, as I don’t think it will breathe worth a damn. Here is an article on buying a [suit.](http://www.soyouwanna.com/site/syws/menssuit/menssuit.html) ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2007, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-cool-suit-any-suggestions/407339/11 "2007-06-10T00:45:30Z")
Is Merry Go Round still in business? :::::::::::::::::::flees the room::::::::::::::::::::::::::; ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2007, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-cool-suit-any-suggestions/407339/12 "2007-06-10T00:54:12Z")
[QUOTE=MrJackboots] Isn’t seersucker pretty much made for that sort of situation? I’m not sure if they make seersucker in black, but I’m sure if they do, your local men’s store will be able to find it for you. [/QUOTE] For $200? Nearsucker will be the best you can find for that kind of money. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2007, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-cool-suit-any-suggestions/407339/13 "2007-06-10T02:07:55Z")
[QUOTE=Krokodil] If you’re a groomsman, the clothes have already been selected for you by a third party. You show up at the formal wear store and rent them, end of story. [/QUOTE] End of story? Wow. Your worldview sure doesn’t allow for any variation in how things are handled, does it. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2007, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-cool-suit-any-suggestions/407339/14 "2007-06-10T03:16:20Z")
[QUOTE=OpalCat] End of story? Wow. Your worldview sure doesn’t allow for any variation in how things are handled, does it. [/QUOTE] In my narrow experience, a groomsman has to wear pretty much whatever the other groomsmen are wearing. Red socks and a wacky bow tie tend to ruin the wedding photos. Or so I’ve been told. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2007, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-cool-suit-any-suggestions/407339/15 "2007-06-10T04:35:36Z")
Well the OP said _in the OP_ that the dress code was “black suits”. You seemed to not acknowledge that this could possibly mean anything other than “they’ve selected a tux for us to rent”. It just isn’t as cookie cutter as that. (I went to a wedding once where the wedding party’s “dress code” was just “Hawaiian”. It was pretty crazy.) ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2007, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-cool-suit-any-suggestions/407339/16 "2007-06-10T05:10:36Z")
My sister didn’t even have dresses for her bridesmaides. She just gave them three colors and said “match this.” Not everybody is a bridezilla, and not everybody is so strict. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2007, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-cool-suit-any-suggestions/407339/17 "2007-06-10T06:40:27Z")
[QUOTE=Hello Again] Wool comes in several weights. I believe “lightweight” is the lightest and “Tropical weight” is second lightest.Try a lightweight wool/poly blend for economy and vesatility. Linen blends are also an option, but black linen is less common, so it might be hard to find. [/QUOTE] Right. Tropical weight wool is what you want. Cooler than silk or linen, and linen wrinkles like fuck. Buy a used one on eBay or in a thrift store for under $200. However, if you get a good one, a bit too big, it will last you quite some time, and there will be other uses- the “interview suit” the “funeral suit” etc. ---
**Author:** ![MrJackboots](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MrJackboots](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrJackboots)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2007, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-cool-suit-any-suggestions/407339/18 "2007-06-10T16:21:45Z")
[QUOTE=msmith537] For $200? Nearsucker will be the best you can find for that kind of money. [/QUOTE] Really? I don’t have much experience with suits, but I didn’t think it would be particularly expensive. I saw Jos A. Bank had some (not black, just the usual light-colors-on-white pattern) on sale for less. Even regular-price they were under $300. They’re marked as 100% cotton, and Jos A. Bank doesn’t seem like the kind of store that would lie about it. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2007, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-cool-suit-any-suggestions/407339/19 "2007-06-11T05:12:07Z")
[QUOTE=MrJackboots] Really? I don’t have much experience with suits, but I didn’t think it would be particularly expensive. I saw Jos A. Bank had some (not black, just the usual light-colors-on-white pattern) on sale for less. Even regular-price they were under $300. They’re marked as 100% cotton, and Jos A. Bank doesn’t seem like the kind of store that would lie about it. [/QUOTE] $200-300 is about the bare minimum one can pay for a suit. And not all suits are created equal. Jos A. Bank is at the low end. Mens Warehouse is pretty inexpensive too. You can get a [BrooksCool suit from Brooks Brothers](http://www.brooksbrothers.com/IWCatSectionView.process?IWAction=Load&Merchant_Id=1&Section_Id=417) for like $450. They’re the same price as the [Jos A Banks suits](http://www.josbank.com/IWCatSectionView.process?IWAction=Load&Merchant_Id=1&Section_Id=1000) but much better quality IMHO ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2007, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-cool-suit-any-suggestions/407339/20 "2007-06-11T12:36:55Z")
The suit is just the beginning of what you should be doing here. Bring the shirt you will be wearing to the cleaners, and ask for very heavy starch. That will keep you looking crisper longer, and also will keep you from sweating as much. Old military trick. Works well. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-cool-suit-any-suggestions/407339.md?page=2)