One that looks good, but not terribly expense. A middle of the road one that is conservative, yet modern. Basically a nice one very inexpensive. Thanks in advance.
It helps to know what you consider “not terribly expensive”, but I recommend visiting a good department store like Macy’s or a men’s clothing store like Men’s Wearhouse to see what they have to offer. It might be worth a visit to a higher-end store to look at the expensive ones, just to get an idea of what the difference is between the expensive ones and the inexpensive ones.
And whatever suit you buy, make sure to budget enough to get it properly tailored to you. That will help a lot.
Hit up a Filene’s Basement if you’ve got one anywhere near you. I got a pretty dashing Calvin Klein suit there for about $250 not too long ago, and for the quality I would have happily paid $500 -$750.
There’s one about 50 miles away. I’ll take a day trip down there. I’m not a clothing expert, but Calvin Klein doesn’t sound cheap to me 
And I was thinking $500 for the whole deal (jacket, shirt, tie, pants, shoes). But if that is ridiculously low, then that’s what I wanted to know…
If you’re in Delray Beach, then the Mens Wearhouse and Macys stores are only about five miles away (based on the store locator tools on their websites). And unlike Filene’s Basement, both of those stores will have a dedicated mens wear salesperson who can help you choose the correct size and style of suit and arrange for alterations. They can also find you matching ties, shirts, shoes and belts.
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Since you’re looking for some subjective feedback, IMHO is a better place than MPSIMS for this thread. I’ve moved it.
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Be aware that men’s suits and ties are currently swinging back toward skinny and slim cuts after a miserable decade and a half of boxy “power suits” that made everyone look like a linebacker. Even stodgy, conservative Brooks Brothers has trimmed inches from their standard lineups.
That aside, there are a ton of hideous, boxy, unflattering suits out there on shelves, including many from otherwise great designers. Pick up an issue of GQ or something before going into a store.
Well don’t pay for alterations, many have tried this with me and failed.
Usually they say it will need to be altered, (I always go with a friend), so my friends says “That seems OK,” and I come back with “Well I’m certainly not going to buy a suit that doesn’t fit.” And that usually gets the sales clerk to throw it in free.
Men’s Warehouse, is typical of the basic suit on the cheap. Kohls can have good sales too.
I still see baggy suits everywhere except the magazines. I really don’t think suits that actually fit will comeback in any strong way. Baggy clothes are still the norm everywhere and with American’s so out of shape, I doubt the baggy suits will be outdated anytime soon
Entry level: Men’s Warehouse. You can get out the door for under $500.
Start with Nordstrom’s. Ask for some help. Ask for some education. They have great service if you can go during a time without a lot of people. Tell them that you need your first suit, not sure if you can afford their prices, but you want to know what you are doing. 90% of the time you will get a great education. They MIGHT have a suit on sale / clearance rack as well for around $500 (no tie or shirt there, though). New suits come with alterations, suits on sale you pay for them.
Nordstrom’s rack has suits for sale, once you know what to look for.
Macy’s can have some good suits as well.
Banana Republic has a whole line inspired by Mad Men. But as others have said, it’s all about the fit. Century 21 and Filene’s Basement are also great places to go for stuff that’s in fashion, though some of it can be a bit out there. Definitely get a second opinion that’s not the clerk.
Your question is incomplete. What is your body type and budget? Stay the hell away from Men’s Wearhouse.
Your best bet is to buy a gently used suit in your size via eBay or a similar venue and have it tailored to fit your body type ideally. This way you’ll have a higher quality garment that actually fits for maybe $150. Much better than dealing with garbage merchants like Macy’s.
I have had excellent luck with Joseph A. Bank. Never buy anything there unless it’s on sale, because *everything *goes on sale. About once a quarter they do two-for-one suits, or similar promotions. There’s one in Boca Raton, just a hop down from you.
(I used to live in Boca, and worked out at Palm Beach Gym on Linton Blvd. We used to hang out at Bostons a lot.)
Syms! On Forest Hill in WPB!
(I grew up in Jupiter, and my dad (now at CityPlace) loves going to Syms when I’m there.)
I’m in the “stay away from Men’s Wearhouse” camp. Their suits generally use poorer quality wool, their shirts are just a plain ripoff, and their ties are hideous. Bad quality cotton and atrocious sizes (any shirt that offers sleeve lengths of 33-34 is not going to fit anyone but a 33.5" arm well.
I’ve always had good luck going to Joseph Bank’s outlet stores. You can usually pick up a suit for around $250 or so, but not all sizes may be available. A good discounted shirt should run about $50, tie another $25, belt about the same, socks maybe $8, and decent shoes around $100.
Here are some of the key things to look for: 100% wool suit only, no blends. If you only get one suit, a dark color will last the longest (like a solid dark gray). Poorer quality materials tend to have a shine to them. The shirt should be 100% cotton and have precise measurements for your neck and sleeve (as in, it shouldn’t have a sleeve of 33-34, and if you have a 16 1/2 inch neck, that’s what you buy). If you put your hand inside the shirt, especially a white one, your fingers should barely show if at all. Belt color matches the shoes. The shoes should have leather soles, not rubber or whatever.
To make a suit look good, you can pick up something relatively cheap ($200 to $250) and spend another $100 or so to have it tailored. This isn’t just hemming the pants, but also taking in the waist and sometimes adjusting the sleeves. It doesn’t so much matter what designer it is so long as the material is of good quality and it fits you well.
Over the years I’ve been very happy with suits I’ve gotten from
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Lands’ End, Lands' End | Swimwear, Outerwear, Casual Clothing and more
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Joseph A. Bank, http://www.josbank.com/IWCatSectionView.process?IWAction=Load&Merchant_Id=1&Section_Id=1000
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and Charles Tyrwhitt, http://www.ctshirts.co.uk/ym-share1/yr-yd-Men's-Suits-_and-Separates/productlisting.aspx?ppp=12&sortBy=&page=1&back=False&canned=&browse=Y&cm_sp=RHS%20banner-_-Homepage-_-English%20Suits.
All give very good value for the money and need minimal tailoring. I suggest you talk to a guy you know and whose attire you admire. He can give you some tips.
I’m not sure what you mean by “boxy”. Do you mean the ones with larger shoulder pads?
Also, could I get out the door for $500 at Jos. A Banks? I’m just using that number as a guidepost. I want a nice looking suit that people will see as a sharp suit, but I don’t need to be a model for GQ. If it takes more than that, then that is fine. I would just like an idea. Many thanks.
Yes, you should be able to do JAB for $500 for the suit and maybe a shirt and belt. I don’t think I would also count the tie and shoes in there, though, that might be pushing it.
But wait for a sale. Really.
check out: http://www.askandyaboutclothes.com/forum/index.php
Good forum for all discussions sartorial
I recommend Nordstoms as well. They do a good job of fitting you and finding a suit to your body type. For example this one is on sale. http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3019590?cm_cat=datafeed&cm_pla=suits%2Fsets%2Fwardrobers:men:tailored_suit&cm_ite=boss_black_‘perelli_movie’_two_button_suit:254330&cm_ven=Froogle&mr:trackingCode=ABC919FE-D981-DE11-B712-001422107090&mr:referralID=NA
They have good sales and their customer service is excellent.