Thoughts on first suit

[Patman27]

If you are looking for budget, Stein Mart has a good selection of men's suits and jackets. I always head there first unless it's a big sale day at another store because they have the lauren by ralph lauren line at about 1/2 off. I know I can buy that brand and get a great fit without a taylor.

For a first suit, I would go 2 or 3 button, black or darker grey, single breasted. Fabric depends on your weather, but most wool or wool blends are a good place to start. Even in that limited selection, you can get a nice dark blue pinstripe on black background or a patterned weave to add some personality without looking tacky. In the end, you are wearing the suit, so get something you would like to wear.

I disagree with the socks to belt mantra. I say socks can match the shirt or tie as long as they aren't white.

Also, a nice suit goes a long way with the ladies, so you'll have that going for you, which is nice...

[Tescot]

I disagree with the socks to belt mantra. I say socks can match the shirt or tie as long as they aren't white....

I generally go by - pants and socks match, belt and shoes match.
BTW generally Navy Blue suit and Black shoes do not match... Brown shoes...

Just picked up a couple pairs of shoes the other night (friends event), a pair of black mocs and some fun colored saddle oxfords. Never done either before.

[jpakstis]

I generally go by - pants and socks match, belt and shoes match.
BTW generally Navy Blue suit and Black shoes do not match... Brown shoes...

I agree with all the above except that black shoes definitely go with a navy suit. If you think of them as warm (browns) and cool (black), and try to keep your shoes and suits in one family or another (why its inappropriate to wear black suit with brown shoes) one of the reasons why charcoal and navy are so versatile is because they straddle both families. So you can wear brown or black shoes with either.

If you do a search on Ask Andy About Clothes (I find it to be sartorial mirror site of here), there are members who say its only appropriate to wear black shoes with suits since those are traditionally the most formal and that navy is the most formal suit (other than actual former, i.e. tuxedo, wear). I am a bit more lenient and I like wearing brown or even walnut shoes, and I have to say I really like the look of a navy suit and brown shoes. I'm wearing it right now in fact.

As for matching socks with suits, I like it because its adds the illusion of length to my legs. I have short, stocky legs so I need all the help I can get!

[scottish steve]

I agree with all the above except that black shoes definitely go with a navy suit. If you think of them as warm (browns) and cool (black), and try to keep your shoes and suits in one family or another (why its inappropriate to wear black suit with brown shoes) one of the reasons why charcoal and navy are so versatile is because they straddle both families. So you can wear brown or black shoes with either.

If you do a search on Ask Andy About Clothes (I find it to be sartorial mirror site of here), there are members who say its only appropriate to wear black shoes with suits since those are traditionally the most formal and that navy is the most formal suit (other than actual former, i.e. tuxedo, wear). I am a bit more lenient and I like wearing brown or even walnut shoes, and I have to say I really like the look of a navy suit and brown shoes. I'm wearing it right now in fact.

As for matching socks with suits, I like it because its adds the illusion of length to my legs. I have short, stocky legs so I need all the help I can get!

In the UK at least, wearing brown shoes with a navy suit was traditionally seen as a sign of an uneducated man.

[jpakstis]

In the UK at least, wearing brown shoes with a navy suit was traditionally seen as a sign of an uneducated man.

Right; traditionally only black shoes were proper. Just as only balmorals were considered proper but not bluchers are fine; in fact most formal shoes are now bluchers. Also broguing was originally done to allow the shoes to drain after tromping around the moors, but those shoes are now considered dress shoes. And wingtips for some reason are considered proper in the US but not the UK.

Most of these conventions have gone out the window; one look at London and Parisian shoemakers and the styles are out there.

[Doc4]

The English have traditionally been very much for wearing only black shoes "in town" ... ie, when wearing a suit to work. Brown shoes are reserved for the country ... ie, when wearing a suit to go to the local pub, shoot critters, mess about in boats, and so forth. (No doubt these attitudes were passed on to the Scots, Welsh, and Irish, but most of the information I have is about England and specifically London, so I will aim my comments there.)

Many "continentals", the Italians in the forefront, have been much more accepting of brown as an attractive "business suit" shoe colour.

I'm not even going to try to describe how those different approaches were or were not accepted in North America ... except to say that the English preference for black shoes has been fading in North America (and, it seems, just about everywhere other than the UK) of late.


Bottom line: you probably want to plan your shoe collection a bit differently depending on which side of the Chunnel you live on.

[scottish steve]

I'd say the historically strong Presbyterian attitude of many Scots might also have influenced this aspect of life. Brown might have been seen as a "dandy's" colour. I find it pretty annoying that I don't feel right wearing brown shoes, as the right shade/finish/leather looks very classy and more natural to my mind in many shades of brown. It's harder to make black look high end.

[DukeGrad]

Gentlemen

I agree with the above. You are gonna find so many suit makers out there. Custom/MTM and RTW.
I just retired, and bought some new crap.
Long story short.

Hickey Freeman mainline ( canvas front) can be bought at Nordstrum , and even cheaper.
The mainline Hickey is what they call the Mahogoney. The Nordstrum suit is called the Canterbury.
Your search will show you this.
The Mahogoney is full canvas , the entry suit is not work 800 bucks to 1000 at Hickey.
Also, Canali is a quite one there, that can be had cheap, full canvas.
If you want, you can get Oxxford, but have to have eyes opened.
The bay is the best plave to Oxxford, can get new with tags for about 1500.
I recommend the Hickey Freeman

Nice day
Jimmy

[CGBradley]

As someone who wears a suit every day, and has for five years now, here are some tips I wish someone had told me:
1. Charcoal gray is great, but a lighter charcoal is the best option. I bought a darker charcoal and it is virtually indistinguishable from a black suit.
2. Buy quality. Most of my suits are Jos. A. Bank -- probably as a consequence of their many buy one get two sales. These are OK, and good enough for daily wear, but are built to fit a prototype rather than a person. Find a suit that fits your body type the best, and has the qualities you are looking for in a suit, rather than focusing on price. There are great suits to be had in your price range, particularly with the sales that are going on now. In particular, I would recommend H. Freeman and Sons (not related to Hickey-Freeman). These are fantastic suits that run about $700 normally, but should be on sale right now.
3. Unless you are wearing a summer suit (which would mean you have enough all-weather suits to support owning a summer suit), go with 100% wool. Wool-poly blends are less expensive, but they do not wear well and are shiny.
4. Go with a company that makes suits as its primary business. BR suits are nice, but inconsistent, probably because suiting is a lark for BR.
5. A navy suit is a cornerstone suit, and is much more versatile than other suits.
6. Believe it or not, pleats are OK, but you should have a mix of traditional (pleated) and modern (flat front) suits in your eventual collection.
Sorry to ramble, but these are things I wish I knew when I first started buying.
Also, for what it's worth, I agree with what was said earlier about pinstripes being OK and non-iron well fitted shirts being essential. Hope these thoughts help.

[Matt S]

Not sure if the OP is still out there, but Brooks Brothers has the Friends and Family sale going on. 25% off. Still not a cheap suit, but it is one of the better discounts all year.

Here is the suit I mentioned in my earlier post that I liked enough to buy in gray and navy. Conservative gray color, with the subtle herringbone pattern to set it off a bit. I am a cheapskate and I actually paid regular price for the gray (needed it for my wedding) because for one of the first times in my life I felt like the fabric and the quality of the suit were worth it. And the "Makes me feel like $1,000,000" review at the bottom isn't me. Just echoes my thoughts (except the shipping thing).

[DukeGrad]

Gentlemen

I would shy away from Brooks Brothers. Their suits are done by Southwick, which has slid down hill as well.
Do not get Golden Fleece at this time. The past 1-2 years there was a recall of Golden Fleece, which will also be done by Southwick.
I recommedn a Canadian maker, Samuelson also.
And look at Hart Scaeffner and Marx, the Gold Trumpeterr.
This one is a cheaper suit for 895 bucks.
Can get on sale, is canvased as well.
I was aa fan of Brooks Brothers, they outsource a lot and get crap a lot.
My first suit was late 1960. Brooks is not that good anymore. not for what they are asking.
Can do better

Nice day
Jimmy

[Slash McCoy]

Some of the discounters like Men's Wearhouse for instance are good places to have a look. There are keepers in there, if you are willing to look through a lot of crap and if you are willing and able to compromise on fused vs canvassed. I got a coat in my size and pants my size in the same line (I wear a 46 coat and 34 pants so a racked suit doesn't work well for me) for $115 and talked the guy out of a spare pair of pants for FREE. The only tailoring was taking up the cuffs though I thought about a bit of taper in the coat. I have worn it maybe a dozen times and it still drapes fairly well. A discerning eye will see that it is no $1000 suit but I seldom feel underdressed in it. If I had not found that one or one I liked as much as that one, I would have spent more, and Jos Banks or BB would have been brands I would have looked at. Excellent suits, it's just a matter of finding a good price. $500 is getting off fairly light.
,
Banana Republic's forte is casual clothing. Keep that in mind. Suits for less casual wear are not their strong su--- oops I almost said that! Anyway, just cause it looks good when you try it on doesn't mean it will still look good after you have worn it 10 times. Not saying don't buy, but I would remember that befor whipping out the credit card.

If there is ONE suggestion I would make, it is to get a spare pair of trousers. They wear much quicker than the coat.

Navy or charcoal are good colors for an only suit, but I would also get a sport coat or blazer in another color, and not make the suit coat do double duty. For casual, just buy off the rack at sears or penneys. You can be a little looser on the color. A tan, brown, tweed, whatever, will work.

Brown vs black shoes? Take a look at what guys are wearing in your area in the venues and situations that you will encounter, and get what they got. Socks don't have to match tie. They SORTA should match the pants. Mainly, just don't let then scream out "HEY, LOOK AT ME!" when they show a bit. Belt match shoes? Yeah. From a purely aesthetic standpoint, that is flawed, but it is tradition and the eye expects it. Your ties are your fine-tuning. They punctuate the statement of your suit. They are a small expense and last forever, so get a few in different colors, widths, solids or patterns. Just make sure that you can think of a situation for each tie that you would wear it. It sucks to go through the closet and find a dozen ties that you spent a bunch of money on, that you never wear.

Agree on the shirt. A shirt worn under a suit coat is only visible at the cuffs, collar and front. Initially, you don't need any $80 shirts. Department store ones ought to work fine for you. Buy ONE, and wear it a couple of times, before you buy more. Wash it once or twice, and see how it fits. Put on a tie, and see how the collar points spread and how it rides on the neck. Then get the exact same shirt, or try another, as appropriate. Wash n Wear is the ONLY way to go IMHO. Just take them out of the dryer and don't let them just lay there... they will still wrinkle if you force them to do so.

[Tescot]

If you do a search on Ask Andy About Clothes (I find it to be sartorial mirror site of here)

ok, gonna have to check this out!

Interesting comments about shoe color. I am always more concerned about how the shoes look rather than color, but I try to match color with the suit/slacks. I'm gonna have to look more into the black/brown thing...

[tlittle]

Hey folks!

It's been quite a while since I've been back to this thread. Lots of fantastic info here! Unfortunately, other more pressing purchases required my hard earned cash, so I haven't had a chance to get to the suit yet (probably best to think over my options seriously before laying out the money for one anyways).

However, I think I've decided against the Banana republic. I'll be checking out some of the suggestions pointed out, and see if I can catch a good sale somewhere.

Can't wait to start the search in earnest.

[Talltexan]

Any suggestions for a big and tall guy? I'm 6'2" and wear a 60 L 56x32.

[Leo8701]

If you are small framed consider H&M. Get a charcoal suit with non pleated pants. It's in style and goes anywhere from office to events to dates.

[ddillas]

In the UK at least, wearing brown shoes with a navy suit was traditionally seen as a sign of an uneducated man.

But now it is simply Italian...