<p>For a college student who would interview for position at Wall Street. </p>
<p>This is obviously an luxury area I have had no experiences. Most of my suits were purchased either on eBay or yard sales. As long as they are dark blue, somewhat fit and less than $20. </p>
<p>Is it certain brand, Or certain style, or what other things that qualifys a suit - a good suit? Does it have to be tailored or customed? Does one need a 1/2 lined summer suit and a full lined heavy one?</p>
<p>Please don’t read any other things into this than what it is. I really appreciate any practical suggestions. Since it is one of the most important investments, so I am told, we are willing to take a loan if we have to.</p>
<p>100% light weight worsted wool, classic 2 or 3 button,[ no peak lapel, double breasted, or english cuts please] solid dark gray or navy, non shiny fabric-[ no polyester, microfiber] single or ventless back- tailored so that sleeves are correct length [ shirt sleeve peeks out 1/2 " underneath] pants break slightly on top of shoe s[ should be black leather, not suede, lace up dress shoes] and a jacket that fits him semi close to the body [ boxy, too large sack-cloth cut is not flattering on a young person] Pants can be plain or pleated, but tailored so they are not too baggy for him. [ many suits have 6’ “Drops” or size difference between the jacket size and the pants size- a size 42 jacket will generally have a 36" pant. For younger , more fit men, he may need to try to ask for an “athletic” cut suit, which comes with a 7 or 8" drop, if he is broader in the shoulders relative to his pant size.
I would go to Men’s Warehouse first, as their prices are reasonable for the quality of suitings they offer AND they do have tailoring right on sight. Lining choice is a function of the season and weight of the wool used in the suit.</p>
<p>I would like to think what you list for a suit is very common. What I am looking for is a “good suit”. let’s say I put on a suit and walk into an big bank. What will make people who wear suit every day say “that is a good suit”?</p>
<p>You should be able to get a wool suit at Nordstrom during a sale that would be adequate for about $750. It can be worn winter or summer and in NY for the winter you might want a cashmere overcoat. The sales person should be able to advise you on the styles which vary. They like to sell you pants without pleats, esp. for NY, but if you need to sit down the pleated pants are more comfortable. I like cuffed pants, but some prefer hemmed. The salesperson will measure your son and tailor accordingly.</p>
<p>The tailoring is the most important part of a good suit. You can buy at discount places if you have a good tailor. I’ve never seen a suit with half lining. A kid shouldn’t need a custom suit.</p>
<p>One nice brand is Hickey Freeman that I bought last year for my son. It was about $1250 on sale. Don’t forget shirt, ties, belt, socks, shoes. There are multiple styles of shoes, and your son will figure out which is best. If he gets the wrong style, he will realize it when he sees what others are wearing.</p>
<p>I think the key to “good suit” is all of the above, with an emphasis on good fit. Not many young men can fit into a suit off the rack, if for no other reason than the pants are generally too big if the jacket fits their shoulders. Just went through this for my rising 2L son and found the best fit, service and tailoring, along with a great deal, at Brooks Brothers. They carry the odd sizes, 39R, for example. He wanted, and I quote, " a 2 button charcoal grey or navy suit with a single vent, no pleats and not boxy fit." Took 4 stores (amazing how few plain grey suits there are), but at Brooks Brothers we hit the mother load. Also, fit matters for the shirt, which should probably be white or blue, with a conservative tie (maroon, blue, minimal pattern or rep stripes). No french cuffs, no button down collar.</p>
<p>You have not said if the suit is supposed to be for a young man or a young lady. Everyone just assumed that you are talking about a male student.</p>
<p>Dress shoes: if your budget allows it, Ferragamo makes fantastic dress shoes for both genders - well made and long-lasting. It’s too bad that the spring/summer designer sales are over, but do check Bluefly and Yoox for deals on dress shoes. A word of caution about designer stuff: if you are not particularly familiar with a certain brand, do not buy it on Ebay or you might end up with a cheap fake without even knowing it (trust me, people who are familiar with it will notice).</p>
<p>Whoa - you don’t need to spend anything close to $750 for a very good, basic wool suit. The department stores (Lord & Taylor usually has a good selection) always have sales and places like Jos A Bank have very good deals. Unless your son is a very unusual fit, $300 plus another 20 or so for alterations is the MOST you should have to spend. If you don’t have any of these stores nearby, they can be very helpful over the phone and you can mail order and have the tailoring done near you. They’ll also often offer free shipping when buying a relatively high ticket item.</p>
<p>The most important thing is that he look neat and well groomed. He won’t be expected to have a custom fit, luxury suit. And lots of luck to him!</p>
<p>I totally agree with gusaspara about not investing too much into a suit for a college boy. Most likely, the young man will not fit into the suit in a few years.</p>
<p>Athletically built men can have considerable trouble finding off-the-rack suits and dress shirts that fit, or are within reasonable alteration range of fitting (generally about 2").</p>
<p>The typical 6" drop is the difference between chest and waist circumference. 8" is athletic cut, but that is hard to find off the rack (most suit and dress shirt buyers are older men, who tend to have a build opposite of athletic). 10" or more is common among true athletes, but is getting out of reasonable alteration range for even an athletic cut off-the-rack suit.</p>
<p>Seriously? A $750 suit for a college kid? Let the kid go to Mens Wearhouse or Syms or something and they will fix him right up for a modest amount. </p>
<p>Taking out a loan to buy a suit? Not believing that one. Nor is it necessary</p>
<p>We have been very pleased with Mens Warehouse in the past. Once you purchase suits there, they send coupons etc. My husband family owned a chain of successful department stores back in the day with some stores being mens clothing only. My mother in law approves of Mens Warehouse.</p>
<p>The other advice about Fit is key. That is what really makes or breaks a suit.</p>
<p>We have also had good luck with Men’s Warehouse. Both sons got two suits for the price of one during a sale. The suits are tailored right there at the store; pants are hemmed and the seams at the seat are taken in so the pants fit snugly. The suit jacket sleeves are hemmed to the correct length and the seam at the back is taken in so the suit jacket fits nicely. The shirts and ties there were a bit pricey for us so I declined those purchases and found less expensive nice shirts at TJMaxx or one of the department stores at the mall. The guys looked very good for their interviews and wedding parties and I have to admit momma here shed a tear seeing them all decked out and handsome!</p>
<p>Oh yes and they do send $50 gift certificates within weeks of your first purchase so it can be nice to wait a month and then go back to use those coupons. Also once your suit has been tailored there they will retailor I think at no or low fee in the future. They are good about helping to choose a flattering cloth and fit, as well. Do tell them you are looking for a traditional suit; they do have trendy styles as well as traditional ones.</p>
<p>We (husband & son) have had good luck with Jos. Banks, Macy’s, and Brooks Brothers. My brother (an image aware investment banker in NYC & a big athletic guy) frequents Brooks Brothers for his wardrobe.
For the first suit I would not spend too much money on the suit. I would spend money to ensure that it is tailored correctly. Any of the above mentioned stores should have sales people to help you find exactly what you need. Also, shoes - very, very important that these be in fabulous shape and be of very good quality. The details (shoes, tie, grooming etc…) are incredibly important!
You are going for a polished, current look - you want the young man/lady & his/her credentials to stand out and be memorable - not the suit!</p>
<p>Yikes, $750 for a suit for a college kid? You can get classic Brooks Brothers suits for far less. Keep an eye out for BB sales. I spent $400 in mid May for a BB suit on sale for my son - it was custom ordered for him and the store tailored it beautifully. Most young men with IB internships are not wearing pleated suit pants these days, although I guess this is still a matter of personal preference. The BB stores will tell you when the next sale is coming up - my S went in to his local store, was fitted for a suit and some dress slacks, and the salesman then submitted the order two weeks later once the sale started.</p>
<p>The shirt and tie are pretty critical to the overall look - again, I would go with Brooks Bros on sale for these. Mid summer there was a great 3 for $XXX sale on BB shirts. Slim fit shirts works for many young men; the regular BB shirts can be pretty big.</p>
<p>Shoes - follow the sales on gilt.com. S bought two great pairs of brand name shoes there for a very reasonable price. You can often find designer ties on gilt as well.</p>
<p>Bunsen makes a good point. Most of my suggestions will work for either gender…but basically are for young men.</p>
<p>Oh for heaven’s sake Dad II…the interviewers on Wall Street are NOT going to look at the label in your son’s suit. My BIL WORKED on Wall Street. He bought all of his suits at Syms for years. The prices are excellent and they even have tailors who can hem sleeves and pants. The important thing is to get something that FITS properly and can be worn year round. A light weight worsted wool is a good choice. </p>
<p>If there isn’t a Syms near you…go to TJMaxx or Marshalls. Symm, Marshalls, and TJ Maxx carry suits or separates for both men and women.</p>
<p>Kohls sells Ralph Lauren separates (suit jackets/pants) for about $100 each…when they are on sale…which is almost all the time. Even when not on sale, they are far less expensive than $750. </p>
<p>For a woman…I would strongly suggest separates from either Ann Taylor Loft or The Limited. DD got a beautiful classic black suit in separates from the Limited…skirt, slacks, jacket…that are timeless.</p>
<p>And make sure the SHOES and shirt and tie are nice too. Junky looking shoes are not a smart thing to wear to an interview.</p>
<p>This isn’t like the SATs…the higher priced suit will not translate into a preferable interview situation.</p>
<p>I have bought suits at Syms–but they do have quite a few peculiar-looking suits. Make sure it’s a standard cut and color. I agree that fit is more important than label. I’ve also shopped at Men’s Wearhouse with success.</p>
<p>If you are willing to drop a few more bucks, Jos. A. Banks or Brooks Brothers are good, and you can often find good sales in large department stores.</p>
<p>To me, the ideal thing is to buy a $750 suit, but to find it for $300 at Syms.</p>
<p>Recently took S to Men’s Wearhouse to get suits during their buy1-get1 promotion. What we especially like about getting it there was that they did the fitting and alterations there (the store near home), but then sent the suits to his local store where he goes to school. That was very convenient since he was taking Amtrak & couldn’t really carry his suits. Now he just needs to find a job.</p>
<p>Hugo Boss is a good brand for both men and women. Their fabric is very nice, has more of a give (stretch). </p>
<p>Dad II - are you buying for your daughter or your son? You son just finished first year, if I remember correctly. If you are buying for your daughter, then our input would be different. I just went through buying the whole wardrobe for my older daughter, and she is working in finance. </p>
<p>D1 went through the whole interview process, and she ran into a lot of Asian women during the first round. One thing she observed was bad suits. They tend not to be tailored, not 100% natural fiber, and bad shoes/handbag. </p>
<p>What´s important about a suit is how it hangs on your, whether it moves with you, and how comfortable you feel in it. The best way to find out is to try different brands, may it be Hugo, Brooks Brother, Armani. Once you find one brand which fits well, then go to discount places to buy them. I am rather frugal when it comes to buying designers. D1 looks good in Eli Tahari suits, so I am always on the look out for sales.</p>
Everyone just assumed that you are talking about a male student.</p>