These days I only wear a suit probably about 20-25 times a year, but when I’m at conferences I’ll wear them for 5-7 days straight, so I keep two in the stable.
My current suits are looking a bit threadbare, and anyway I’m fatter than I was when I bought them, so I think it’s time.
I used to really like getting my good clothes from Brooks Brothers, and they will custom tailor a suit from you, but I’ve only bought things off the rack from there. I have friends who think BB is not the same since their bankruptcy. Anyone have experience?
I bought a new, off-the-rack suit from Macy’s a few months ago. I’d lost weight and didn’t know my current size, so I wanted to go someplace where a salesperson would measure me and make recommendations. If I knew my size, I might have gone to Nordstrom Rack.
Someone once told me that bespoke men’s (and women’s) suits were cheaper in cities like Hong Kong (assuming you are going to be there anyway). Not sure whether or not that is still the case.
I have never owned a suit. If I need to be formal, I’ll wear a sport coat (which I bought from a thrift shop) over a white shirt and my black work slacks, with a cravat tucked into the shirt.
(Yes, I own a cravat but not a tie. Cravats are cool.)
I broke down a few years ago and actually bought my first suit. Two actually. I had been throwing together sport coat/dress pants for my entire life (I’m 64 yo). I despise wearing them, but I needed them for some occasions. Usually out of state stuff because Colorado is very casual.
Oh, I just went to Men’s Warehouse. They tailored them and the whole shebang.
I have more or less defaulted to Calvin Klein for better garments and certainly a suit or dress slacks. It’s not that I won’t shop anything else but more that I’ll check there first and often don’t need to look further. I’ll grant that I’m easy to dress. Even jeans: I still have other jeans but they aren’t in regular rotation like the my various CK slims & straights.
CK is not ultrapremium like, I dunno, Italian or French fashion houses and it seems like there’s always a sale at Macy’s around the corner. And if you’re patient and determined, CK often turns up at Marshall’s and Burlington-type places.
My own suit, I only have one, was a little snug last time I wore it. If there was a task that’s easy to put off, it’s suit shopping without a compelling need. I’ll wait a few weeks till the memory of Daniel Craig’s screen worn 007 tuxedo I saw a few days ago isn’t so fresh. That was sharp.
The last time during don’t was back in the 90s and it could be hit or miss for quality. Even if they still do it, I wouldn’t recommend it unless you lives there and had good recommendations.
There used to be people who traveled the United States, setting up in hotels. They had fabric swatches and measuring tapes and would size customers for suits that were made to measure in Asia and msiled directly to the customer.
They also did that in Japan and it was hit or miss.
The problem is that you can’t be certain that they will deliver the same quality of suits as their samples.
I had an acquaintance strongly recommend one such service in Tokyo. It winds up that the acquaintance was getting credit for referrals and had never used the service before. Fortunately, it wasn’t an expensive suit but the quality wasn’t particularly great.
The samples were much better than the delivered products.
I’m going to need to figure this out too. My last suits were a pair of Peter Millar from Nordstrom. But I really need suit separates so I can get a 2nd pair of trousers. I blow out the crotch from thigh chub rub whereas the more expensive jacket lasts much longer.
I think I’ve decided to give the Brooks Brothers suits a try. Was thinking about heading there today, but this is exactly the sort of errand I procrastinate on…
As I’ve mentioned, I have found their quality excellent. Well worth the price. But I haven’t bought anything since the bankruptcy, so I was a little hesitant.
I know from popping in the local brick & mortar that they have two options for a suit:
$850 to take an off the rack suit and they will adjust it to you
$1000 and they will measure you, you pick the fabric, and they have it made.
I wonder that as well. It also could be technology. I have a friend who swears by Proper Cloth for his shirts, and apparently what they do is take your measurements and then basically CNC machines cut the material. I believe they’ve even automated much of the assembly.
I haven’t used them myself, I’m not yet willing to buy clothes sight unseen (other than t-shirts and the like) because I’ve had some real crap come that way.
