First time buying suit and dress shoes

[zed117]

Hey B&B,

I am finishing college this summer and it is time to invest in a good suit and dress shoes.

Any reason I shouldn't just go down to Mens Warehouse and get Oxfords and a suit or two?

I've never owned a suit before, although I already were nice dress shirts and pants for work. (With cheap slip resistant shoes).

Any advice is appreciated.

 

[njpaddy]

I can count on one hand the number of suits I've bought in my 70+ years. I once had a boss ask if I owned any clothes other than jeans, pocket tees or flannel shirts and my answer was no. However I did occasionally need a suit to appear presentable to testify in court for work and I always got them at JC Penny. The comments from my boss and attorneys were usually "wow, you clean up well". The last suit I bought was 8+ years ago for my daughter's wedding and, like several suits before, I bought JC Penney matching off-the-rack pant/jacket separates. Before her wedding, I went to a bunch of high-end stores looking for something special (at 4-5 times the price) and nothing felt right on me. The JCP separates look and feel great, and they are (or were) reasonably priced. The only downside is that I don't remember them having matching vests.

For dress shoes for my daughter's wedding I found a pair of black Dockers dress shoes for about $50. I've worn boots most of my life, still do, but the Dockers were very comfortable.

 

[Alacrity59]

Good place to start. Perhaps a suit, sports jacket, pants, shirts. The problem with a suit is you are going to wear out the pants before the jacket.

 

[DocPapi]

I've been wearing a suit 2-3 times per week for several decades. I buy mine mostly from Men's Wearhouse or Joseph A. Bank (I think they are owned by the same umbrella corp). I usually get two every 4-5 years, and usually the same type and color to reduce the amount of mixing and matching necessary. A nice dark grey with a white collared shirt and almost any sort of conservative tie makes for a good combo. Most of my students (I teach in a business school) do something similar.

For shoes, my experience has been less good at Men's Wearhouse and the like. Instead, I would find an outlet mall and look for specialty shoe stores there. Personally, I like Cole Haan, and was able to find a two for one sale at the outlet mall nearest my home. Johnston and Murphy shoes are also well made. Both will last you a long time, and can be re-soled when necessary. Do a search on The Art of Manliness blog for suggestions on color matching and manufacturing quality.

 

[OldSkoolMillennial]

Most important is getting the suit tailored. Also make sure it's solid navy or dark grey if a first suit. 100 percent wool. Half canvas is ideal but if you aren't wearing it often a fused suit is okay. My first suit was like the user above from JCP and it was decent after tailoring. Got me through interviews.

Shoes I would look at Allen Edmonds on sales. If okay with seconds, better deals. Styles like a Park Ave or 5th Ave or maybe a Strand.

 

[REV579]

Jos A. Bank has good sales around Memorial Day. AE shoes are a good option too. Classic cuts out-weight dated fads forever.

 

[ccpastork]

Most days I wear jeans, casual shoes and a button down shirt. However, there are somewhat monthly events which require a suit.

I recently had to buy a new suit and managed to get a two for one at Express, they are often located at malls. My brother wears a suit to work most days (his bride is particular about the look and quality) and this was his recommendation; it was a good one.

I have had numerous compliments while attending weddings, local government events and even a high profile funeral (kind of strange to get that compliment at a funeral).

Express did not have in house tailoring, but they usually have a tailor they recommend. I was able to buy the two suits, walk them to the tailor downstairs and pick them both up an hour and half later.
***Disclaimer: I am not a model***

Cropped out the ugly part so as to not detract from the suit.

 

[Macfrommichigan]

Why do you need a suit? For interviews, weddings, funerals? Are you going to wear suits on your new job? If so, what's the environment?

Investment banking requires a different suit than working for the IRS. A suit that is okay for one thing is inappropriate for another.

You gonna be working with graduates of Princeton or graduates of Central Michigan U?

Are you going to wear a suit daily or four times a year?

Mac

 

[zed117]

Why do you need a suit? For interviews, weddings, funerals? Are you going to wear suits on your new job? If so, what's the environment?

Investment banking requires a different suit than working for the IRS. A suit that is okay for one thing is inappropriate for another.

You gonna be working with graduates of Princeton or graduates of Central Michigan U?

Are you going to wear a suit daily or four times a year?

Mac

My Major is Publishing with a focus on literary translations. I really just need a nice suit for job interviews. I am getting married this November, and might as well kill two birds with one stone. I don't except to be wearing a full suit at work, just the pants, shirts, and shoes.

 

[Macfrommichigan]

Okay. Avoid the too skinny pants common with suits targeted to 20-somethings. You should find something nice in navy or dark gray in the $300 range.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Zed,

Try also to find a suit jacket that doesn't show your belt buckle or a slice of your shirt when you're wearing the suit. And when you tie your tie, arrange it so the tip of the tie ends at your belt buckle, not halfway down your fly so that it peeps like a tongue out from under your suit jacket. I see so many men wearing suits that do these two things, and they always look like they are wearing their little brothers' communion suits.

Good call above from Macfrommichigan on no skinny pants. And make sure your suit jacket comes down far enough that you can curl your fingers under the lower edge when your arms are relaxed at your sides. If the jacket is too short, you'll be back in "Little Brother's Communion Suit" territory again.

Dark blue or dark grey is always a good bet. If you're going to have the one suit that will do for interviews, work, funerals, and special occasions, those two colors are hard to beat.

Your avatar is Bogart? That's a good model:

Or you could shoot for the Cary Grant look:

 

[Macfrommichigan]

Good advice from benzadmiral.

Do not use your professors as role models. Most academics dress like poor grad students.

Mr. Trebec on Jeopardy! is a fellow who wears a suit well. So do most congressmen, actually.

OTOH, guys in GQ and Esquire look as if the dry cleaners shrunk their clothes. Yuck.

 

[TexLaw]

If you are only going to get one suit, you're probably best off with a plain, dark grey one (no pinstrips or other patter). That will be your most versatile, even if it's more on the formal side--good for business, weddings, funerals, and formal evenings where black tie is not required. Navy is great for business, but it's as good for the other stuff (still perfectly fine for weddings and decent for a formal evening).

 

[Davidkimberly]

If this is your first suit I recommend spending a few bucks and getting as classic a suit as possible. Dark blue would be my choice as it's not as formal as black and not as businessy as brown, hence it goes both ways. You can dress it up with a more elegant shirt and shoes. You can dress it down with a button down Oxford and brown shoes or loafers. Don't be tempted by more fashionable cuts like "slim fit" as they'll look silly in a few years and you'll want to be able to wear it for a long, long time. I'd go somewhere quality minded like a fine local men's store or Brooks Brothers. Actually Brooks Brothers does have an outlet with some good stuff at reasonable prices. And find a good tailor and develop a relationship. A tailor is the most important part of a quality wardrobe.

 

[Doc4]

I am finishing college this summer and it is time to invest in a good suit and dress shoes.

Any reason I shouldn't just go down to Mens Warehouse and get Oxfords and a suit or two?

Typically, "invest in a good suit and shoes" and "Men's Warehouse" do not go in the same sentence.

You need to decide what you need in terms of suit(s) and shoes, and what your budget is ... and shop accordingly.

Are you looking for a suit to wear to interviews, and the occasional formal event (wedding, funeral, &c)? Are you looking for suit(s) to wear to a job you already have lined up? The answer to this question helps you decide on whether you need one really good suit, or a few decent ones.

Also, if you are expecting only occasional suit-wearing, you only "need" one pair of dress shoes (so get black). But if you expect regular suit-wearing, two pair are the minimum ... never wear the same dress shoes two days in a row as they need a day to "air out" in between wearings.

 

[TexLaw]

never wear the same dress shoes two days in a row as they need a day to "air out" in between wearings

I'm going to add a "never say 'never'" corollary to that rule. If you expect to wear dress shoes on consecutive days on a fairly regular basis, get at least a second pair. However, there is no need to get a second pair if you expect to wear dress shoes on consecutive days only on occasion (say, for the occasional wedding weekend or vacation that calls for dressing up). Also, I wouldn't count only a couple or few hours' wear (e.g., a dinner or relatively brief function) as a "day" when worrying about consecutive days.

You can get quite decent quality for your money by going to Brooks Brothers or Jos. A. Bank. Don't count out markdowns and sales and clearances from Nordstrom and other stores you might think are automatically out of your budget. Lightning does strike in your favor from time to time. Nordstrom Rack has some mighty good stuff in there.

That said, don't think that Men's Wearhouse means "cheap," either.

 

[OldSkoolMillennial]

I'm going to add a "never say 'never'" corollary to that rule. If you expect to wear dress shoes on consecutive days on a fairly regular basis, get at least a second pair. However, there is no need to get a second pair if you expect to wear dress shoes on consecutive days only on occasion (say, for the occasional wedding weekend or vacation that calls for dressing up). Also, I wouldn't count only a couple or few hours' wear (e.g., a dinner or relatively brief function) as a "day" when worrying about consecutive days.

You can get quite decent quality for your money by going to Brooks Brothers or Jos. A. Bank. Don't count out markdowns and sales and clearances from Nordstrom and other stores you might think are automatically out of your budget. Lightning does strike in your favor from time to time. Nordstrom Rack has some mighty good stuff in there.

That said, don't think that Men's Wearhouse means "cheap," either.

Jos A Bank and Men's Wearhouse are too boxy imo. Though I think Jos A Bank has added another line or two. Yes you don't want tight/skinny suits but also don't want boxy suits. The latter is a great way to look like you borrowed your dad's suit.

 

[Davidkimberly]

Jos A Bank and Men's Wearhouse are too boxy imo. Though I think Jos A Bank has added another line or two. Yes you don't want tight/skinny suits but also don't want boxy suits. The latter is a great way to look like you borrowed your dad's suit.

Totally agree!

 

[DocPapi]

Typically, "invest in a good suit and shoes" and "Men's Warehouse" do not go in the same sentence.

You need to decide what you need in terms of suit(s) and shoes, and what your budget is ... and shop accordingly.

The second statement negates the first. Everything is relative, and for a young man just starting out in an entry level position, a "good suit and shoes" are more likely to be found at Men's Wearhouse and the like than at a bespoke tailor shop in London. Industry dependent as well. I work in higher ed, and rarely wear a suit, and when I do, the suits I et from Men's Wearhouse are perfectly serviceable. However, I have students who go into investment banking for whom MW suits would not be ideal.

 

[Doc4]

The second statement negates the first.

Don't think so.

If all he has to spend is $300, then MW will probably be the best he can do. But if he needs one good suit for interviews, and has $1200 to spend, then he should avoid MW and go to a better source for one good suit.