For those who need a suit, Jos A Bank is selling the first suit for $177, and the second suite for $77. This is a great deal, and is doesn't get much better.
Jos. A. Bank --- The Good Sale is Going on now
- Thread starter goby
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Anyone have any experience with this brand? I'm definitely intrigued...
What should you look for?
Yes, but 2 suits for $250 is a great deal..... hence the title of this thread.
Uneven stitching, ragged edges, loose threads, general, obvious evidence of hurried construction and poor quality control.
I now own 7 of them, 4 of their Executive suits which is the "lowest" level and 3 of the next level up. So far I've only purchased them when the sale is buy 1 and get 2 free. The last 3 included 3 shirts or 3 ties. Is one worth $550.00 or $795.00, I don't know but $183.00/suit or $265.00/suit isn't a bad price for a suit. Now, are their ties worth $80 or $90 or their shirts $90? I don't think so but when you throw 3 in with the suits, I'll take them.
As for the lack of quality control or hurried construction, they are mass produced suits, if I had the cash for custom, hand-made suits I'd have 7 of them instead.
So for my money they are a decent deal.
Just my $.02
Mike
As for the lack of quality control or hurried construction, they are mass produced suits, if I had the cash for custom, hand-made suits I'd have 7 of them instead.
So for my money they are a decent deal.
Just my $.02
Mike
Anything but their Signature Gold suits are fairly terrible quality - the kind of suit where the people you associate with know it's a cheap suit.
Their Signature Gold suits are not terrible when you can get them for around $250 each - they often have sales where they are much more than this, but don't buy them until they hit this point or lower. Half-canvassed, unlike the fusible garbage of their lesser lines, and the wool is 120's I believe, so not terrible. The stitching and hurried construction remains, of course.
You can find better deals on ebay - look for Hickey Freeman, which has some decent suits (almost all fully canvassed). They are leagues better than Jos A Bank and you can often find them for <$100.
I've also found insane deals on Ralph Lauren Black Label, and even Purple Label for <$300. Brioni and Isaia often go for quite a bit more, but Oxxford is another brand of really nice quality suits that for some reason go for cheap. If you know how to spot the fakes, Armani has some nice lines available on ebay as well.
In the shoe department you can also find great deals on Allen Edmonds on ebay, I recently bought two pair for $20 each; one was shell cordovan in decent shape that I sent back to refurbish and they now look brand new.
Their Signature Gold suits are not terrible when you can get them for around $250 each - they often have sales where they are much more than this, but don't buy them until they hit this point or lower. Half-canvassed, unlike the fusible garbage of their lesser lines, and the wool is 120's I believe, so not terrible. The stitching and hurried construction remains, of course.
You can find better deals on ebay - look for Hickey Freeman, which has some decent suits (almost all fully canvassed). They are leagues better than Jos A Bank and you can often find them for <$100.
I've also found insane deals on Ralph Lauren Black Label, and even Purple Label for <$300. Brioni and Isaia often go for quite a bit more, but Oxxford is another brand of really nice quality suits that for some reason go for cheap. If you know how to spot the fakes, Armani has some nice lines available on ebay as well.
In the shoe department you can also find great deals on Allen Edmonds on ebay, I recently bought two pair for $20 each; one was shell cordovan in decent shape that I sent back to refurbish and they now look brand new.
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Sam
I know JAB gets slammed, but I have Italian suits (Canali and Corneliani) and quite consistently, the JAB suits are the ones that get comments. Now, I will tell you that I NOTICE the differences when they are on me, such as stiching, the fabric and how it drapes, Yes, always wait for a sale, but if you need a workhorse suit, well, 3 for $600 is a great deal and then 3 free ties?
Went and tried 'em on yesterday after work. Didn't buy any, and here's why.
THE PANTS!
Not only do the pants only come with pleats (why no flat front? Is this 1975?), which is a hanging offense already as far as I'm concerned.... but they're downright baggy! As in an elephant could comfortably stick its leg down each side of the trousers. As in each leg contains enough cloth to make a small sail.
The jackets were actually really nice, for a low-end suit. Cut looked great on me, really nice and trim lines. But then those trim lines paired with the enormous pants just looked silly.
Real bummer, actually.
THE PANTS!
Not only do the pants only come with pleats (why no flat front? Is this 1975?), which is a hanging offense already as far as I'm concerned.... but they're downright baggy! As in an elephant could comfortably stick its leg down each side of the trousers. As in each leg contains enough cloth to make a small sail.
The jackets were actually really nice, for a low-end suit. Cut looked great on me, really nice and trim lines. But then those trim lines paired with the enormous pants just looked silly.
Real bummer, actually.
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Correct Chris!! That's why you're a Steward. I was running late for work, and posted this as a PSA.
JAB has sales every day. NEVER EVER pay full price for anything there. But the sales differ. Just because it's marked from $599 to $199 doesn't make it a good deal. This is one of the best. My personal best is about $115 a suit.
These suits won't work if you're a $750 a hour lawyer in Manhattan. They will work if you are a country lawyer (like me) in a small town named Weaverville.
All the JAB pants come in flat-front as well. Maybe your store was out of stock? And the cut depends on the style, I have some (I think) Executive suits that are slim and trim.
Correct Chris!! That's why you're a Steward. I was running late for work, and posted this as a PSA.
.
I got your back!
I got an email today that, starting at midnight, it is buy one get 2 free of everything on their site.
Doing the math, this is 66% off. Many of their best sales are 75-80% off. Don't necessarily get lured in by this.
Oh, gotta love sales associates. "No sir, everything only comes pleated, very traditional style, no flat front here no siree bob."
Wasn't a single flat-fronted suit pant in that shop. And it was a pretty big retail space, too... How deeply irritating. I was pretty much in love with the top half of a light and bright kakhi wool/linen "tropical" suit that would have been perfect for Austin in the summertime. Just couldn't get past the sense that if I put an elastic band around the bottom of each leg I could do a convincing MC Hammer impression.
I haven't bought anything from them recently, but I have some suits and sports coats that are over five years old and are still in great shape. In fact, they have worn better than some products that cost me twice as much.
At one time I worked for a large retail company that owned two men's clothing operations. The VP of Manufacturing gave me some great hints on how clothing was made. In fact, they had a license from Ralph Lauren and the only difference in the RL suit and what they produced under their own label was the label and the price. I saw with my own eyes the labels going in on identical garments.
At one time I worked for a large retail company that owned two men's clothing operations. The VP of Manufacturing gave me some great hints on how clothing was made. In fact, they had a license from Ralph Lauren and the only difference in the RL suit and what they produced under their own label was the label and the price. I saw with my own eyes the labels going in on identical garments.
Was this Chaps Ralph Lauren or Lauren Ralph Lauren? Besides those two lines, RL makes good clothing, much of it - especially the RLBL and RLPL - hand-made in England or Italy, some of it contracted out to exceptional companies (Edward Green shoes, for example).
But yes, the Chaps and Lauren lines are mass-produced garbage. Doesn't reflect well on the real RL brands.
I don't recall which one it was since this was a long time ago. However, a former associate of mine reminded me that the same thing happened with Calvin Klein clothing. In that instance it was not suits but trousers that were identical.
