I'm 22 and looking to buy my first suit. Need some help

grabberorangemustang said:

https://www.combatgent.com/suits/the-grey-slim-fit-suit

This one?

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yeah. I have heard that the suits at the $200 level have a little less shoulder padding though.

as for the bow tie...be careful. Using clothing to stand out in an interview can be dangerous. You want to be what they remember not your outfit and that goes both ways. Come in under dressed or sloppy and you are "that sloppy guy". Come in too flashy and you are "that bow tie guy". You want to be "that impressive guy" and that comes from your knowledge and personality. Atlanta is full of transplants so it is hard to totally classify it as a southern stereotype. I have lived here all my life and in school and at work I would say it is 50/50 atlanta natives and transplants from other cities. Right now I have kentucky, chicoago, minnesota, oakland, oklahoma, and one other altanta guy on my team.

I'd just like to emphasize the importance of alterations. You will look better in a $100 suit that fits you properly than you will in a $2,000 suit that hangs loosely on your frame and bunches up in the wrong places. Make sure whoever does your tailoring understands that you want the suit to fit properly with some range of motion. You might look great standing at attention, but if you sit down and the pants cuff rides up over the top of your socks, that's going to blow the whole look.

Don't be afraid to shop around in the Goodwill stores and consignment shops. People donate some really high-end, designer labels that you can pick up for pennies on the dollar. Be sure to examine them closely for stains and cigarrette burns, and don't buy them unless you try them on in the fitting room first. The alteration rule applies even more when buying used clothing, so learn which types of clothing can be altered and which can't.

Eat a good hearty breakfast the day of the job fair, and do a round of exercises before you leave the house. Avoid drinking a lot of coffee that day. Orange juice or V-8 will do instead. Pack along a sandwich or some granola bars and a bottled water for lunch on the run, since they probably won't provide any snacks at the job fair. A bottle of 5-hour energy drink will keep you on your toes, but don't overdo it or you'll appear too edgy and jumpy.

Turn your cell-phone off while you're at the fair. Not just put it on vibrate, TURN IT OFF, so you have no chance of a distraction while you're talking to people. If you can't help but reach for it every 3 minutes (like I do) then leave it in the car.

When you go to the job fair, be sure to de-clutter your briefcase so that you can present your resumes and other credentials without searching for them. Get yourself a nice notebook and pen to take notes. If you remember nothing else about the people you meet, remember their name, and their position at the company. It helps to get them to spell it for you so you can write it down while you're talking to them. End each session, with a big smile and a hearty handshake and "Thank You, Mr. Badger, you've given me a lot to think about."

Good Luck.

Great advice above and I have nothing to add ... except a suggested retailer (if practical) - Nordstrom Rack. I've had fantastic luck over the years with suits, sport coats, shirts, etc. Not as good as they used to be, but you might be lucky enough to find a higher end suit for the cost of a Men's Warehouse offering. Don't know much about Atlanta, but stores potentially near you:

https://search.yahoo.com/local/s;_y...ordstrom+rack+locations&addr=GA&fr=ymyy-t-999

#0012 KENNESAW
2636 GEORGE BUSBEE PARKWAY
TOWN CENTER
KENNESAW, GA 30144

Check K&G out. This store actually has tailors and don't charge too much. You can definitely get fitted for a suit at very reasonable prices. My brother just bought three suits from them and had them hemmed to the appropriate height for 350 buck. Of course they have higher quality suits at 200 or more. A very wide selection at least here in Indy they did. Check them out.

IDvsEGO said:

yeah. I have heard that the suits at the $200 level have a little less shoulder padding though.

as for the bow tie...be careful. Using clothing to stand out in an interview can be dangerous. You want to be what they remember not your outfit and that goes both ways. Come in under dressed or sloppy and you are "that sloppy guy". Come in too flashy and you are "that bow tie guy". You want to be "that impressive guy" and that comes from your knowledge and personality. Atlanta is full of transplants so it is hard to totally classify it as a southern stereotype. I have lived here all my life and in school and at work I would say it is 50/50 atlanta natives and transplants from other cities. Right now I have kentucky, chicoago, minnesota, oakland, oklahoma, and one other altanta guy on my team.

Click to expand...

dpm802 said:

I'd just like to emphasize the importance of alterations. You will look better in a $100 suit that fits you properly than you will in a $2,000 suit that hangs loosely on your frame and bunches up in the wrong places. Make sure whoever does your tailoring understands that you want the suit to fit properly with some range of motion. You might look great standing at attention, but if you sit down and the pants cuff rides up over the top of your socks, that's going to blow the whole look.

Don't be afraid to shop around in the Goodwill stores and consignment shops. People donate some really high-end, designer labels that you can pick up for pennies on the dollar. Be sure to examine them closely for stains and cigarrette burns, and don't buy them unless you try them on in the fitting room first. The alteration rule applies even more when buying used clothing, so learn which types of clothing can be altered and which can't.

Eat a good hearty breakfast the day of the job fair, and do a round of exercises before you leave the house. Avoid drinking a lot of coffee that day. Orange juice or V-8 will do instead. Pack along a sandwich or some granola bars and a bottled water for lunch on the run, since they probably won't provide any snacks at the job fair. A bottle of 5-hour energy drink will keep you on your toes, but don't overdo it or you'll appear too edgy and jumpy.

Turn your cell-phone off while you're at the fair. Not just put it on vibrate, TURN IT OFF, so you have no chance of a distraction while you're talking to people. If you can't help but reach for it every 3 minutes (like I do) then leave it in the car.

When you go to the job fair, be sure to de-clutter your briefcase so that you can present your resumes and other credentials without searching for them. Get yourself a nice notebook and pen to take notes. If you remember nothing else about the people you meet, remember their name, and their position at the company. It helps to get them to spell it for you so you can write it down while you're talking to them. End each session, with a big smile and a hearty handshake and "Thank You, Mr. Badger, you've given me a lot to think about."

Good Luck.

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+1

Welcome!

Check out Dappered.com. They have great recommendations for nice men's clothes on a budget.

I like JC Penney because I can't afford the high end stuff and they run tons of sales. Not on the level of J. Crew or Banana Republic, let alone the high end stuff, but the clothes look nice and are 1/4 of the price. Plus they have a decent amount of fitted shirts available. Sign up for the credit card and you get extra discounts (then pay in full each month).

Suits - I have a Claiborne charcoal suit that I bought for my wedding and have worn to two job interviews. It's 100% wool and was $150 or so on sale. I would say this suit, or a similar quality suit, tailored properly, will work just fine. I would go with either charcoal or navy and try to get a 100% wool suit.

Shirts - Almost all my dress shirts are Stafford brand from JC Penney. They usually go on sale for $15-20 or so. I like them in a variety of basic colors and patterns. You will always need dress shirts regardless of the dress code (unless it's just jeans and polos).

Ties - Most of my ties are gifts from a variety of brands from Macy's, mostly silk. I've got a few Stafford ties which are okay but kind of cheap quality, but they will work for an interview. I haven't ordered anything from them, but the ties at TieBar.com look like a great deal. I would get a nice textured navy blue tie and a couple ties with stripes (red and blue or yellow and blue look nice). If you wear ties daily, ordering a variety of colors and patterns to match shirts would be nice. I like a rotation of about 10 when I had to wear daily.

Pants - Avoid 100% polyester pants. They look and feel cheap and will wear funny, looking shiny or worn out. Most folks recommend 100% wool but I've actually been really happy with two pairs of Ralph Lauren poly/rayon blends from Macy's. They were about $70 each. You're supposed to dry clean them but I wash them normally and they're nearly four years old and still look great. I'd get a pair in grey and a pair in navy to start. A pair of slim (not tight/skinny, but tailored looking and not baggy) chinos in a khaki color is nice for casual days.

Shoes - Everyone recommends goodyear welted $300-400 shoes, but on a budget those won't work. I have mostly worn shoes from DSW but have learned a lot about shoes recently and am getting up to the $100-200 range and learning to care for them.

Avoid square toe shoes with thick chunky rubber soles. Look for round toe shoes that look really nice. Spend some time looking at Alden and Allen Edmonds shoes, really looking at the details, then go shoe shopping. You'll be able to find nice shoes that look like $400 shoes at 1/4 the price. The Mercanti Fiorentini and Cole Haan from DSW are nice in person. The Aston Grey ones aren't the same quality but better than most other shoes there. Florsheim and Johnston & Murphy do nice bonded shoes with higher quality leather. Again, they aren't the same as $400 shoes, but they are nicer than most department store shoes.

Brown shoes tend to have a lot more character than black shoes, especially if you don't wear a lot of black clothes. If you're getting mostly navy, grey, and tan pants/suits, you can wear them with brown shoes and I think it pops more.

Again, shoe care is crucial. Get a pair of cedar shoe trees to keep the shoes in good shape. Get a horsehair brush to brush them off after using them. Wipe them down if they get dirty. Use a cream or polish to cover scuffs and keep them conditioned. If you take care of your shoes, they look 10 times better, and they last much longer, even the cheap ones.

Lastly, it's a good idea to get two pairs of shoes and rotate. So if you want to get a pair of brown and a pair of black, then rotate, you will let the shoes dry out so they don't wear as fast. You'll be able to get 3-5 years out of two pairs of shoes vs 1-2 years out of one pair.

And don't forget to match your belt to your shoes...you can usually find leather belts for $20 or so (again JC Penney).

Thank you all for the continued help. I went to k and g yesterday and I was fitted. I am a 40L and I tried on a few charcoal suits. They looked great, but I went with my dad and he wasn't impressed on the brands that they had in stock. They had maybe 3 dark charcoal, but he was familiar with the brands and said they were not that great, some were not 100 percent wool. I am looking right now at the JC penny and JCREW suits, but the jcpenny suits are med grey, which doesn't appear dark, and the JCREW are out of stock on the dark grey. Any ideas? combatgent is also out of dark grey. My dad figured that I should go back to K and G in a few days after they get their shippment.

Doesn't have to be dark grey just find what you like.

This is great. You're already so far ahead of the game because you're researching well beforehand, and you're putting thought into getting it right. Keep doing your research, find what you like and makes you feel confident. Good luck!

Excellent advice but I wouldn't wear Brown shoes with Grey or Blue suits. Oxblood/Wine/Burgundy/Black and that ilk are better choices and more versatile; Bal Oxfords are a better choice than slippers aka loafers or Wingtips. Instead of a belt, you might consider proper suspenders aka braces i.e. the button type; they enable the trousers to drape/hang better.

Believe in yourself and have a prepared mind; luck is overrated, fickle, unnecessary.

don't forget banana republic or the J Crew/BR outlets. They have special lines for the outlet stores so it isnt all just last years oddball styles.

Someone mentioned JC Penny. That is an easy place to look around. You can also ask for the person in the department to measure you for your suit. Get a good measurement. If you don't see anything you like there, check out Men's Wearhouse if any near you. Any place that sells suits should be glad to measure you. Depending on your jacket size vs waist pants size you may have to go with suit separates. That is buy a jacket and pant that match but are sold separately. Some suits when bought have a certain waist size that may not be able to be adjusted enough. Talk with the salesman. Suit buying is very low pressure. No-one saying "what can i do to put you in this suit today" I never had a suit shop try to upsell me.

Yay or nay?
http://www.jcpenney.com/dotcom/shop...=&regId=&rrplacementtype=item_page.dpcontent1

grabberorangemustang said:

Yay or nay?
http://www.jcpenney.com/dotcom/shop...=&regId=&rrplacementtype=item_page.dpcontent1

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Yay or nay? er ... "okay".

Good better best: go for this one:

http://www.jcpenney.com/shoes/exten...es/oxford-lace-up/_/N-1nopj3Z1z141g4/cat.jump

Those Stafford shoes got a great review on Dappered. They aren't going to compete with $150+ shoes but for starters they would do fine I think. How much do you have to spend on shoes?

Thanks for the replies. I can spend more on a shoe, but I saw that Dappered review and figured I would ask the pro's. Maybe as a second pair of shoes and the others for the interview. I actually like that pair that Doc posted, so maybe I will get both. Do you think the burgundy would work with a medium gray suit? Or stick with black for the career fair and interview. I know black is traditional, but I like the look of the burgundy.

I bought two bow-ties from the Tie Bar and was happy with the service, etc. For $15 bucks each they were good...

the stafford shoes are good all around performers. They are more versatile than the Florsheims linked IMO. Technically they are a more casual shoe but only about 10% of the people you meet would even raise an eyebrow at the slightly reduced formality. Wings and open eyelets are more casual than caps and closed eyelets. I think it is easier to pull off the Staffords with a suit than it is to use the florsheims with chinos or jeans.

Burgundy would totally work

be sure you use a coupon on ANYTHING from JC Penney. There is always at least a 15% off deal, usually 20% or $10 off $purchase of 25 or more.

I diverted from the cap toe a bit and decided to go with this one.
http://www.florsheim.com/shop/style/11231-001.html

I am thinking I will pick up a stafford pair in burgundy as well to have on hand.

Congratulations on deciding to buy a suit! It's an important step in a man's mature life. If I can make a suggestion, it is to go with a navy suit. Don't buy anything online and don't settle for something that doesn't fit. Any tailor worth his salt can fix most things but do be aware that the shoulders are something that he cannot fix. If it doesn't fit you perfectly in the shoulder when you try it on, don't buy it. Aside from that, the tailor will be able to fix it: want it more tapered in the body? No problem. Needs to be shortened? Great. Sleeves too wide at the end? He'll fix that too. Remember also that there is very little that can be added to the suit so err on the side of too large but look for the best fit off the rack.

Depending on how much you're prepared to spend, choose an appropriate fabric. If you're looking to spend under 300, you're doing to get a blend with a majority being polyester. However, once you get above 300, you'll be able to demand 100% wool or better: get into some cashmere, some camelhair, some alpaca, some mohair etc. It's all down to your budget.

Like I said for colour, go with navy or charcoal: they are the most versatile colours and work the best on the majority of skin tones. Aside from that, have some fun with shirts, pocket squares and ties but keep the suit relatively subdued until you are getting into your fifth and sixth.

Oh, I also recommend a two-button suit. I love double breasted but they aren't considered de rigeur at the moment and have more of a tendency to come in and out of style whereas the two button is always going to be a staple. As for the lapels, choose something in between wide and narrow -- the virtue is in the mean. Notch or peak, doesn't matter.