Upgrading to a new suit

[Ace_Club]

Hey all,

I'm advancing in my company and previously have worn an off-the-rack suit from Sears. I really need to upgrade my suit (I only wear it 2-3 times a year, but still need to look good when wearing it at work). I was going to go with Men's Wearhouse, but after talking with my wife and BIL, they have suggested one of the following: Hugo Boss or Barneys. Anybody else have any suggestions? I've seen some articles talking about Suit Supply's custom suits. Are they any good?

My budget is anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000.

 

[DaveNJ74]

Im in the same boat as yourself and bought my last suit at Men's Wearhouse and I wasn't too impressed with it. It didnt fit correctly then and now that I need alterations for it, I need a new batch of suits anyway. Thats a huge budget, is that for one suit? Maybe Armani?

 

[Sluggo]

My $0.02,

you could look at a Hickey Freeman suit, or, wait until the Brooks Brothers day after Christmas sale. I think they put the Golden Fleece (just a name, not made of fleece) suits on sale. But with $1k to $2k you should be looking at a men's store, not MW of Jos A Bank.

 

[whavens]

Absoluteyl look at hickey Freeman or possibly Hart, Schaffner and Marx. Well made, classicly styled, a suit that will last you years and years.

 

[gegarrenton]

Suit Supply gets pretty good reviews from what I have seen, and MTM is usually better than OTR. Brooks Brothers sales are a great idea too, as that gives you the best quality/ $ ratio going.

Can you elaborate on your timetable a bit? There are plenty of MTM and bespoke options in Chicago when you take into account trunk shows.

 

[Doc4]

For one to two grand you can get a heck of a lot better suit than Men's Warehouse or the like.

Go to Brooks Bros. and try on the different suits they have there. They have several "fits" ranging from baggy/traditional to slim/european. Find the one that looks best on you. Come back after Xmas and nail the sale.

 

[saf]

For that you can have a lower middle bespoke just get on line and there are several in Chicago. Then you can pick everything out. If you don't,t feel comfortable with that any high end department store will help you out. I like Norsdstroms.

 

[rushchairman]

i have purchased suits here before with great success each time. http://www.gilt.com/sale/men/suiting-9648. awesome sales! just get a good idea of your size.

 

[Ace_Club]

After doing some searches, I'm going to try Balani. Bespoke suits, by appointment only, and less pricey than the Armani suits at Barneys.

 

[gegarrenton]

Good call.

 

[rushchairman]

wow you went from the sears rack to bespoke suiting. nice upgrade!

 

[AjaxLepinski]

With a budget of $1k to $2K, why not go custom made? You can get a really great fit -and- get real button holes on the sleeves.

 

[TheRoamingGastroGnome]

Brooks Bros usually has their only true sale right after Christmas in January. Do yourself a favor and get a couple from them as well as a blue blazer (never go out of style). They will never wear out. Might have to replace the lining after a decade or so but they stand the test of time. Here's a good article on why: http://artofmanliness.com/2010/02/1...-suit-school-part-i-fused-vs-canvassed-suits/

 

[jesseix]

With a budget of $1k to $2K, why not go custom made? You can get a really great fit -and- get real button holes on the sleeves.

+1. I'm sure there's some nice shops in Chicago where you'd be able to get something custom fit and still have some money left over for accessories

 

[Ace_Club]

With a budget of $1k to $2K, why not go custom made? You can get a really great fit -and- get real button holes on the sleeves.

+1. I'm sure there's some nice shops in Chicago where you'd be able to get something custom fit and still have some money left over for accessories

Agreed. That's what Balani is. It's by appointment only, and is a 100% custom-made suit. I believe the starting price is ~$899 so I should have money left over for some accessories.

 

[Cuttingboard]

I bought 4 new Madison Saxxon wool suits from Brooks Brothers for 60% off in mid-November. I wouldn't pay full retail ($1098) for them but I consider them a great buy at $439 each and the Saxxon wool is an upgrade from their normal wool.

Please do not waste your money on a Hugo Boss suit.

HSM is currently having a sale on their suits.

 

[Bill Smith]

I would look at Brooks Brothers 1818 series or Golden Fleece series. If you want to go the MTM route, look for a good independent menswear store and look at Samulsohln, a good Canadian brand out of Montreal.

 

[gruntedshaves]

I would do a lower end brookes. or depending on what style you like, id suggest checking out some Kenneth cole, or Armani. something more fashionable, form fitting, and more of a prominent statement.

 

[avsmusic1]

I think you're spot on with your plan for a custom suit. Given how often you wear suits, it will last you forever (may not fit forever though)

I love Hickey Freeman suits too. I have purchased a number of them used off ebay for well <$100 and after a little tailoring I have a workhorse of a suit that looks fastastic.

 

[framos242]

Balani is a good choice. Nice tailored suits.