PackMom

S got his suit at a chain store called The Mens's Wearhouse. Suits and everything to go with the suits are there. The men working there were very helpful in measuring (I had no idea what size he needed) and suggesting different colors, styles etc. The tailors in the store did the alterations so it fit great. He ended up with a very dark charcoal gray suit, a white shirt with a nice tie and black leather belt. I believe it was all around $300 (3 years ago). We bought dress shoes at Rack Room and later added a black dress shirt, which S really liked from Kohls.

He has worn his suit to a wedding, a funeral, NHS induction, didn't wear it to the prom but could have, a scholarship interview, and yearly to the annual dinner at his college for scholarship recipients. S likes the look of his suit and prefers it to the blue blazer/khaki look.

Chedva

Sym's has lots of different sizes, including shorts, longs, and portlies, and very good prices. My h is short, and has always been able to find suits there.
(The crotch area on regular suits is too long for him.)

Men's Warehouse also has good prices for suits.

doubleplay

The blue blazer/kacki look is more appropriate for business type meetings rather than evening formal events. My son wore the heck out of his blazer/kacki ensemble during fall rush, because they had to wear this "uniform" once a week to frat meetings. When he's gone to regional leadership weekends and stuff like that, he wears it too. The black suit would look really odd for meetings and seminars.

If he's going for a business interview, or when he interviewed for scholarships, he wore the navy/kacki ensemble as well. The good think about the kacki slacks/white shirt/tie combo, is that when he takes off the jacket, he doesn't look like a WAITER (you know, black pants, white shirt)...

A.S.A.P.

With expert alterations, a young person can get by with a $200-300 suit, imo, because they don't wear it very often - and won't wear it out. My H couldn't do it, on the other hand, as it needs to hold up to years of weekly wear.

I wouldn't worry too much about it looking "cheap" if you buy it at a name brand at a good department store--Perry Ellis at Macy's or Nordstrom's brand at Nordstrom.
A nice lightweight wool won't necessarily cost an arm and a leg.

ldmom06

Asked my dh, who is, I guess you could say, a Houston-area 'oil man'....and more importantly, a former engineering student who did many a summer internship back in the day.

His advice, especially if seeking internships in the Houston area, is to go with a dark suit, grey or navy, but not black (Houston is pretty sophisticated, but not THAT fashion-forward)....with a white well-pressed shirt and conservative tie. Flamboyant power ties and color shirts are for later...lol! Also, shoes should be nice quality, not overly expensive, but well maintained. Wear a decent watch that doesn't beep and or play songs.....

(And he also added...make sure your internships don't land you in the office pushing a pencil exclusively. For engineering majors, field work during college internships is invaluable. In the oil industry...that's a whole 'nother wardrobe. )

doubleplay

You are aware that these "youth" suits that are made for both cut-rate and upscale dept stores are, for the most part, produced in the same overseas factories, using the same materials and the same patterns?

mommusic

Another vote for blue blazer & khaki pants here. My boys have relied on them for everything from bar mitzvahs to informal dances to interviews. They all grew at different rates/ways so it was great to have the separates I could hand down instead of suits which wouldn't have fit either top or bottom half, I'm sure.

(Except for the occasions when a tux is required, then he bought one.)

-Allmusic-

My son hasn't worn the blue blazer and khakis since 7th grade Bar Mitzvahs! He does have a pair of dress khakis that he wears with a nice shirt and tie for some performances, but no blue blazer (now he'd say that look is too preppy).

He has a dark suit that was actually a hand-me-down from my H, who <ahem> outgrew it. He wears it many, many times a year, but in several of his ensembles, dark suits, shirts and ties are the norm.

You can buy a decent suit for a young man for well under $200. We bought a used designer tux at a resale place for $75, and it looks better than a $400 one. So, I'd look resale too.

A.S.A.P.

Some of these are nice looking;

http://www1.macys.com/catalog/index....788*1*24*-1*-1


A lot depends on what is close to your home, and how convenient the various options are.

mini

I would definitely go used. When he sees how little use he actually gets out of it, he'll be very glad he did.

Don't get brown.

BigAppleDaddy

A few pieces of advice, as I recently brought my S his first suit.

Fit is all. There is nothing worse than an ill-fitting suit, so don't buy where you can't try it on, and make sure to get it tailored.

Make sure he wears the new outfit around for a day or two before he really needs. Nothing says "hick" as much as a man uncomfortable in his own clothes. A good salesman will let him know what all the pockets are for, which buttons should be buttoned when, etc etc.

I says get a good simple suit (black, navy, dark gray) that can double for interview purposes down the road. Add khakis, dark gray pants, even a nice pair of jeans, for less formal stuff.

He's tall and thin. Get fitted dress shirts if you can so that they will fit.

Two shirts, one white, one pastel blue, pink, or yellow. Black if he wants that "gangsta" look at parties.

The suit must feel good. Cheap synthetics are the devil's playground.

Without knowing the stores in TX I'd guess that paying $200 won't get you very much. I'd bump it up a C note if finances permit, or wait until they do permit rather than buy cheap. (Unless you find a deal, of course.) Outlet stores are great to try BTW--any Brooks Bros. Nordtroms or similar outlets near you? Or off-price places like Filene's Basement?

Consider it an investment. One day he will need to look as sophisticated, charming and at ease with himself as I am sure he is.

doubleplay

Doublevote for navy blazer/kacki pants.

My son worked in the capitol as a congressional page/messenger. The required uniform was: (GUESS!!)

Blue blazer, kacki pants, white shirt, tie, badge sewn above jacket pocket, nametag above that.

If it's good enough for the highest levels of power...

While the blue/kacki combo may be BORING, it will never be unacceptable, overdressed, underdressed or embarassing. It's comfortable and looks satisfactory in any business setting. It's not Falcon Crest, but it's perfectly fine for college men. For all-purpose business dress, go with the blue/kacki.

OTOH, go with Black (or whatever) for dressier wear- formals, weddings, funerals, whatever. HOWEVER, the blue/kacki would still get you through most of these, albeit it is not, as I said before, GLAM.

My husband just bought a Stafford 100% wool navy blazer for around $50 on sale. It looks great on him.

What the guys around here do NOT go for: Anything with a "sheen" to it.

cheers

Sorry but my H wears the suits he bought in 1983, 1986, 1995 and 2003. He wears them all. They all look great and all are still very stylish. Why? He 'invested'--several times in Japanese suits. He will wear those until he is 75 is my guess.

Women shoould have it so lucky.

$1000 start-up investment is not bad. That makes the custom altered suit in the $500 range--and the shirts in the $75 range. It's the shoes that are the deal breaker. Nice men's shoes are very expensive. Again, it's hard to get away with cheap. They don't hold up. $1000 os for the whole package--not just the suit.

That said, we bought my son his navy Brooks Brothers suit for his six month internship/staff job on Capital Hill. He also wore his grandfather's old suit--again a beautiful quality purchased in the 80s.

I'm not a big fan of 'khakis' but son did wear them on Fridays on Capital Hill. As for black shirts on a formal job--uh no. They look terrible, making the wearer an instant extra on the Sopranos.

dmd77

When my son decided he wanted a suit (for dinners and more formal occasions in Boston), I took him to Brooks Brothers and Nordstroms, where he spent a fair amount of time with the sales people, who were kind enough to explain to him why their $1000 suit cost so much. He spent a lot of time listening to them. He then took that knowledge over to a mid-price department store where he found those qualities in a suit on sale, paid the tailor for the alterations needed (which he understood courtesy of those nice sales people at Brooks), and ended up with a great $300 suit.

doubleplay

$1000.

My son left for college his frosh year with his "cheap" Stafford. Upon visiting him in the spring, I noticed a totally different navy jacket (with pin stripes at that!) hanging in his room. I inquired and he dodged, embarassed, about somehow getting his jacket "switched" with a frat bro at some event. Later that spring, when he came home for summer, he once again had his Stafford back. With all that switching around, I'm glad we didn't spend $1000.

again!