Anyone know where I can get a decent suit for ~$400?

<p>I’ve tried Macy’s and JC Penny but the problem is that I’m fairly skinny and their suits appear to be cut for your typical, 40-something businessman. Any ideas for somewhere I can get something that fits properly and can last at least through college? I’m looking for something around $400, but I guess I could go up to around $600 for something exceptional. Here’s an idea of the fit I want:</p>

<p>[BOSS</a> Black ‘Jam/Sharp’ Trim Fit Grey Virgin Wool Suit | Nordstrom](<a href=“http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/boss-black-jam-sharp-trim-fit-grey-virgin-wool-suit/3023542?origin=category&resultback=528]BOSS”>http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/boss-black-jam-sharp-trim-fit-grey-virgin-wool-suit/3023542?origin=category&resultback=528)</p>

<p>as opposed to what I see at most stores:</p>

<p>[Apparel</a>, Handbags, Shoes and Accessories for Women and Men | Free Shipping on $50 | Banana Republic](<a href=“Banana Republic”>Banana Republic)</p>

<p>See how it’s pretty much shapeless? It looks like a kid who’s wearing his dad’s suit.</p>

<p>suits should be bought custom tailor’d. i don’t know where would be the best place, but men’s wearhouse has some cheap suits for under $400</p>

<p>[JoS</a>. A. Bank Clothiers - Men’s Clothing - Find Tailored Men’s Suits & Menswear at JoS. A. Bank](<a href=“http://www.josbank.com/menswear/shop/Home_11001_10050]JoS”>http://www.josbank.com/menswear/shop/Home_11001_10050)</p>

<p>They have ridiculous deals.</p>

<p>If there’s a Symms near you I’d look there. a averitable cornucopia of suits, lots of sizes, great deals. Hit or miss yes, but if you hit, you can hit it big.</p>

<p>Go back to Macy’s (you can see them online too) and look at the Alfani RED Suit Separates line. The suits are more European, with a slim fit/athletic fit. I’m 5-9, 125-130 pounds. After very, very minimal on-site tailoring (cost $25; took 4 days), it fit perfectly. They go on sale frequently.</p>

<p>Couldn’t you buy a cheaper suit, then have it tailored?</p>

<p>If you have a Nordstrom Rack in your area, it’s worth looking there. They will also tailor the suit onsite.</p>

<p>I can’t get a cheaper suit tailored because alot of them simply aren’t cut to fit in the way I want and end up looking awkward with disproportionately wide sleeves, boxy chest etc. </p>

<p>I do have a couple of Nordstrom Racks in the area as well as a Saks off 5th and a Neiman Marcus Last Call, but most of them seem to stock suits in sizes 40 and up. Last time I was at Nordstrom Rack, they had a single suit in size 38 and it was in a gross brown color. Do you know how regularly they get new shipments?</p>

<p>I like the way Alfani Red suits sound, but they all seem to have some polyester in them. Preferably I’d like something that’s 100% wool.</p>

<p>My son bought 2 Alfani Red suits. Both are 100% wool. I recommend trying on the pants in one waste size up from your usual size.</p>

<p>These are the suits that he bought:</p>

<p>[Alfani</a> RED Suit Separate, Navy Solid Slim Fit - Suit Separates Suits & Suit Separates - Men’s - Macy’s](<a href=“http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=449329&CategoryID=19582#fn=BRAND%3DAlfani%26sp%3D1%26spc%3D20]Alfani”>http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=449329&CategoryID=19582#fn=BRAND%3DAlfani%26sp%3D1%26spc%3D20)</p>

<p><a href=“http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=415991&CategoryID=19582#fn=BRAND%3DAlfani%26sp%3D1%26spc%3D20[/url]”>http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=415991&CategoryID=19582#fn=BRAND%3DAlfani%26sp%3D1%26spc%3D20&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>He needed 4 or 5 suits and couldn’t afford to buy that many high end suits. He opted for these to supplement his wardrobe. The only tailoring he needed for these suits was hemming of the pants.</p>

<p>You definitely have to try them on first to see if the cut is right for you. If they fit well, buy them on sale.</p>

<p>I really like the way that Navy suit looks. How has it held up overtime? I’m looking for something durable enough to get through interview season at least, hopefully longer.</p>

<p>[Tommy</a> Hilfiger Suit Separates, Grey Stripe Slim Fit - Suits & Suit Separates - Men’s - Macy’s](<a href=“http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=360028&CategoryID=17788&LinkType=PDPZ1]Tommy”>http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=360028&CategoryID=17788&LinkType=PDPZ1)</p>

<p>Here’s another suit you might want to consider.</p>

<p>Take a trip to Macy’s and try a few of them on. I can’t comment on the durability of the Alfani Red suits because son has only had them for about a month. He was just happy to find something within his price range that fit.</p>

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<p>They are slim fit, not athletic fit.</p>

<p>If you actually have an athletic build (chest - waist > 8") then you will have a very hard time finding off the rack suits that fit (within reasonable alteration range).</p>

<p>However, a lot of university age men are built slim as opposed to athletic.</p>

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<p>Yes, the Alfani Red suit trousers are very weirdly cut, as if you have very little gluteus maximus muscle. You may need 2-3" bigger just to get it to fit around your hip area, but then it will be 2-3" too big at the waist.</p>

<p>Go for the Jos A. Bank buy 1, get 404892309324780 free deals.</p>

<p>I personally went to Jos A. Bank to get my suits – great deals, there.</p>

<p>Men’s Wearhouse or Joseph A Bank.</p>

<p>Get a conventional suit that fits you. Fit is everything. It should be 100% worsted wool or 100% wool. Your first suit should be Navy Blue solid single-breasted, your second, a dark grey, or black, perhaps with a stripe, also single-breasted. Your third perhaps a double breasted, if it looks good on you, Fourth, a brownish/grey sportcoat and khakis.</p>

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<p>That’s the problem. University age men have a hard time finding an off the rack suit (and dress shirt) that fits properly (within a reasonable range of alteration).</p>

<p>Most men’s departments stock suits from size 40 and above. The selection below size 40 is slim to none. If you have a Men’s Warehouse near you, you can go to their website and checkout suits from size 35 to 39. Print out those suits that you like and take them to your local store. If they don’t have them in stock, see if they can order them from their supplier for you to try on. I’m guessing that the store will accommodate you. </p>

<p>When trying on suits, bring along a pair of dress shoes. To get a proper fit, you need to be fitted with a pair of shoes that you will be wearing with the suit. You will not get a proper fit while wearing sneakers. Your posture will be different. Since your suit will be dark blue or grey, consider a pair of brown/oxblood/mahogany wing tips or cap toe oxfords. Choose shoes with both leather uppers and soles. No composite (plastic) soles. Nothing cheapens a suit like bad shoes.</p>

<p>When shopping for suits, look first for the really cheap suits. Grasp the chest area of the suit with your hands. Place one hand under the sleeve and the other hand below the lapel. If you wiggle the material, you can tell something about the internal construction of the suit. If the material feels stiff, the manufacturer used a cheap material to give the jacket its shape and determines how well it drapes on your body. The stiffness means the manufacturer used a glue impregnated polyester material to shape the suit. Wearing this kind of jacket is like having a lining made of cardboard. The suit fights you. </p>

<p>Now repeat with the most expensive suit in the store. You should notice a significant difference in the feel or “hand” of the material. It should feel much softer because the inner lining is a better class of cloth that is sewn in rather than pasted. Now the trick is to find a suit in your price range that is less stiff in construction so that it drapes better. </p>

<p>Fit is everything. The jacket’s yoke (the back of the jacket from the collar to the sleeves) should not be wrinkled. The jacket should fit smoothly across your back. If the jacket is wrinkled in the yoke, a good tailor can adjust the material below the collar.</p>

<p>Pant length. Full break or half break…? This is where wearing dress shoes is important. The way pants rest on the top of your shoes depends on how tall you are. A full break is the way pants “puddle” around your ankles. It looks like an extra six inches of material bunched up around your shoes. It works if you’re tall, but otherwise, consider a half break. Less material and a more natural look in my opinion…</p>

<p>Sleeve length. Watch your local TV weatherman. When he holds a clicker in his hand and his elbow is bent, is there a lot of sleeve material bunched up. A bad look… Adjust the sleeve length to minimize a lot of bunched up material.</p>

<p>Shoulder fit. Again, check out the TV weatherman. If your suit jacket shoulders extend too far out, you’ll see wrinkling and an indention just below the top of the shoulder pad. Again, a bad look…</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

<p>I went to Singapore about 15 years ago and had three suits made, two pairs of pants per jacket, and they threw in three custom-made shirts and a few ties. I think that the total was on the order of $300 US. I got to pick the material on the suits and the shirts. The fit of the suits and shirts was wonderful.</p>

<p>There might be services in the US where you get the tailoring in the US while the suit is made in Asia and shipped back to the US. That might be an option if you can wait a while for the suits.</p>

<p>I’d also recommend Joseph A Bank. I’m a small guy (5’7’’ & 135lb) and bought a decently-priced suit that fit my slim body type. Went really well with interviews this past recruiting season.</p>

<p>What about this? It looks like a good fit and decent quality at a reasonable price. Anyone?</p>

<p>[Men’s</a> men’s suit shop - suiting - Ludlow two-button suit jacket with double-vented back in Italian wool - J.Crew](<a href=“http://www.jcrew.com/mens_feature/weartoworkshop/suiting/PRDOVR~28130/28130.jsp]Men’s”>http://www.jcrew.com/mens_feature/weartoworkshop/suiting/PRDOVR~28130/28130.jsp)</p>