First time buying a suit. Need help

A

accordmaniac

New member
Ok, like the title says this is the first time in my 18 year life that I have gotten near a suit. Before yesterday I didn't even know that suits costed that much. So I have a few questions. First, should the suit jacket be snug or give a little? In dress pants I wear a siz 42 which normally means a 46 jacket. When standing the 46 feels just right but when I sit down with the buttons (three button style, only top two buttoned) buttoned it feelsreally snug, like I'm not suffocating but you can see the general shape of my stomach type of snug. Also how should the length of the jacket be measured? I'm about 5'11" so should I be wearing a regular or short jacket? Then, is it still a suit if the materials of the pant and the jacket aren't the same but very close matching colors? I'm talking wool jacket and microfiber pants. One last note, my mom doesn't have a large budget so we were looking at the Stafford suits on sale at JCPenney's. The fabric felt OK and a whole suit was under $200. I know that may seem like a low price but its my first suit and my mom is really going out of her way to buy it for me. If I didn't have this important interview for a scholarship coming up I probably wouldn't let her buy it. Thanks for any replies.
 
Dont know how things are done in the States but here in Belgium you can also "hire" a suit, wether it is for a wedding, intervieuw or just to wear, it cost you a fraction of what you mentionend. If you're not planning to wear a suit regulary, don't buy it to just hang it in the wardrobe afterwards...
 
You can find good wool suits at Goodwill and Salvation Army stores for less than $10. My go to places for funeral wear:)
 
3 button is out of style. Go back to the two button NO DOUBLE BREASTED JACKETS!!!



46 sounds a little snug for a 42 waist. I am a 42 regular with a 32 pant. I am 5'-10" / 185lbs.



Go to someone that will fit you properly, not Todays Man or Syms. Go to a high end store and get fit, you can always buy the suit at a less expensive store once you are fit properly.



I am sure you can find a suit for $300+/- that will satisfy you.
 
Do you have to be done up formally? I'd just throw a sport coat over a nice pair of slacks, which I'd get in a 43R short (impossible size combo to find for me :( )
 
I recently picked up a Sport Jacket at Penneys like you mentioned. Strafford Brand. I also have a similar color pair of pants. This way I can mix and match a little and still look nice. It's a little more casual that a full suit, but serves the purpose. I tend to out grow my pants a bit quicker than the jacket, so this works for me. The sleaves should come just past your wrist with you arms down. It should not fit tight, try on a few and see the difference. If time is on your side penneys has coupons for $10 off $50 a few times a year. Get your stuff then, during a sale.
 
Hmm... How about the Men's Warehouse? I bought a few of my suites from them awhile back. Decent prices also but can rise quickly. Best of luck to you and THANK YOUR MOM!! :) (In light of Mother's Day)
 
Here is a tip for you. Go to a fat guy store. They often have the smaller sizes on the clearance rack because no normal size guy thinks to go to a fat guy store. I got a whole suit at casual male for 75 bucks on the clearance rack!
 
Don't buy a suit of the rack, go somewhere that has a tailorshop. You pick out the suit you want and they will tailor it to fit properly. Nothing looks worse than a poor fitting suit.



I tried the Men's warehouse and found it pricey, Went to Syms (there are three in florida) and got hooked up for less (needed suits for Interviews after Graduation) and the suits still fit after 3 years even though I've put on some weight.



They have everything there from suits. sports coats, slacks, dress shirts (and any other type), and shoes.
 
Since you're on a tight budget, try Joseph A. bank. They have a nice selection for all budgets including every accessory (shirts, ties, belts, socks). They are ALWAYS running sales and you can get their top tier suits at a great price. Plus, they will fit you properly and offer tailoring services. Here is their sight to check out the suits: http://www.josbank.com/HomePage.process



With suits, the more you pay, the better the suit. Stick with 100% worsted wool. I'd go with a traditional 2 button



Here is their store locator: http://www.josbank.com/JAB_Store_Listings.process?regioncode=se



Also, do you have any outlet stores near you that are major manufacturers? By me, with the outlets, I have purchased Ralph Lauren, Jospeh Abboud and Brooks Brother suits for $300 a piece, not to mention ties, shirts and shoes for ridiculous discounts. You shpuld never have to pay retail for high end clothes!



At a 40R with 33 waist, I cleanup since my size offers a great selection.
 
MorBid said:
Don't buy a suit of the rack, go somewhere that has a tailorshop. You pick out the suit you want and they will tailor it to fit properly. Nothing looks worse than a poor fitting suit.



I tried the Men's warehouse and found it pricey, Went to Syms (there are three in florida) and got hooked up for less (needed suits for Interviews after Graduation) and the suits still fit after 3 years even though I've put on some weight.



They have everything there from suits. sports coats, slacks, dress shirts (and any other type), and shoes.
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The kid said $200 bucks is a stretch and your recommending going to a tailor? Seriously guys....that's ridiculous.
 
my suggestion....



buy a real nice black Blazer. spend $6-700 bucks on the blazer,,, then buy two or three nice dress pants, like charcoal, khaki, taupe colors,... goes real nice with blazer.



you then can wear the blazer, unbuttoned, with casual pants too, on less formal occasions.
 
Stick with the J.C.Penny's suits. They are made by the top suit makers. You are on the right track for the amount you want to spend. I wear a suit every day and just went through this with my son. You want a 2 button coat and pants with a cuff. The 46 coat may feel snug when you sit. However, you should automaticly unbutton your coat any time you sit. Take your mom with you to give to a seperate eye on how you look. She will not steer you wrong. For less than $200 you should be able to get a very nice suit that will fit your need. Stick with dark colors such as grey or blue. This will give you a good look. Make sure you get a shirt and tie that go with the suit. The sales person at Penneys are generally knowledgeable and will generaly steer you to something appropriate. When trying on your suit, take a pair of your shoes, so you can be fitted properly. Just because a suit is inexpensive does not make it cheap.
 
I've been doing more and more suit and dress clothes shopping in the recent months due to my new position requiring "Business" wear.



I've found good stuff and bad stuff, but the most deciding factor, IMO, is how the apparel fits you. You can wear a $100 suit and look 100x better than some shlep-rock in a suit 2 sizes too large. I see it ALL the time.



My first suit came from Syms, a Salvatore Cesarani piece, for about $250 including tailoring. I ALWAYS get compliments on the suit and it fits wonderfully. Over the ~2 years I've had it, I've noticed a little pilling in some areas (hey, it's only $200), but overall, it's a great piece if you won't be wearing it everyday.



More recently, I went to Kohl's, yes Kohl's, and picked up an Apt.9 suit. It fit PERFECT right from the rack. It also passed the "girlfriend test". I paid about $150.



As more income erupts, I will be shopping more at Brooks Brothers, Banana Republic, and so on. The main difference I've seen in higher end suits is the quality of fabric. These suits will last much longer and will appear a bit nicer.
 
BigChevMan said:
The kid said $200 bucks is a stretch and your recommending going to a tailor? Seriously guys....that's ridiculous.
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I fail to see how? It's not a tailor made suit/jacket, it's a suit/jacket off the rack tailored to fit you. Done on premesis.



This as opposed to you going to the mall and trying stuff on till you find something you like and both the pants and jacket fit correctly.
 
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