<p>I still think there is a difference between investment dressing for a young person who has just been hired by a firm where certain type of dress is required, and just obtaining a decent / innocuous / blend into the woodwork suit for an interview situation for a young person for whom all you know won’t even wind up in a suit-wearing profession.</p>
<p>Parent, Hugo Boss suits are one of the most frequently faked clothing items. Just like LV bags that fall apart after a couple of nights on rhe town, these glued suits are probably counterfeit. All Boss clothing that we bought at Nordstrom or at the local outlet is high quality, sewn together stuff.</p>
<p>Schmaltz, I totally see you heading Saks’ marketing department! Brilliant ideas!</p>
<p>oldfort, I always wash my HB pants. Never put them in the dryer - I hang them by the cuff to dry.</p>
<p>B, I thought Boss was a knock off of the more expensive Italian clothes. </p>
<p>[Best</a> Suit Brands | WallStreetOasis.com](<a href=“http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/best-suit-brands]Best”>Best Suit Brands | Wall Street Oasis)</p>
<p>Parent, HB is a brand of clothing that has been around for a while. Just like Theory, they target the market that loves contemporary clothing yet does not have the $$$ to buy uber-high end stuff. Just like Theory or Alice and Olivia, HB does not make “knock-offs”. Their Bashina blouse is the best selling women’s shirt in the world (per conversation with my Nordstrom SA). In CC terms, HB, Theory, A&O, etc. are lower Tier 1, while Hermes, YSL, Pradas, etc. are the HYP. :)</p>
<p>Apropos of Hermes, I love Hermes Caleche perfume and am wearing it right now. See? (lifting up wrist to screen)</p>
<p>Thanks, Pizzagirl. That is a lovely perfume. (Did you know that there is a scent generator app? Just kidding 
)</p>
<p>I love Chanel 5 which is what I’m wearing today (that perfume and a couple of lip glosses are my Chanel collection (yipee!), but I did get a Hermes scarf for Christmas!).</p>
<p>Now back to suits and men’s attire. Did you notice that department stores almost always display men’s clothing on the lowest floor?</p>
<p>BB, what is the Basina blouse? I tried the HB site</p>
<p>It looks like a buttoned-down blouse, but it is not (great for bigger-chested ladies, I should say):</p>
<p>[BOSS</a> Black - Stretch Cotton Blouse - Saks.com](<a href=“http://www.saksfifthavenue.com/main/ProductDetail.jsp?PRODUCT<>prd_id=845524446384332&R=725840902351&P_name=BOSS+Black&sid=131E17CADFE9&Ntt=boss+blouse&N=0&bmUID=j7v27fbThey]BOSS”>http://www.saksfifthavenue.com/main/ProductDetail.jsp?PRODUCT<>prd_id=845524446384332&R=725840902351&P_name=BOSS+Black&sid=131E17CADFE9&Ntt=boss+blouse&N=0&bmUID=j7v27fbThey)</p>
<p>or:</p>
<p>[Bashina</a> shirt](<a href=“Luxury fashion & independent designers | SSENSE”>Luxury fashion & independent designers | SSENSE)</p>
<p>They now make a shirt dress version of the best seller:</p>
<p>[BOSS</a> Black - Dashina Belted Shirt Dress - Saks.com](<a href=“http://www.saksfifthavenue.com/main/ProductDetail.jsp?PRODUCT<>prd_id=845524446418152&R=725830843954&P_name=BOSS+Black&sid=131E17CADFE9&Ntt=bashina&N=0&bmUID=j7v1Wj]BOSS”>http://www.saksfifthavenue.com/main/ProductDetail.jsp?PRODUCT<>prd_id=845524446418152&R=725830843954&P_name=BOSS+Black&sid=131E17CADFE9&Ntt=bashina&N=0&bmUID=j7v1Wj).</p>
<p>P.S. We are BIG Hugo Boss fans in this house. BUT I have to say thank you. I never heard of it until I was posting on a thread about clothes for very slim cut men…and a CC member 
let me know this was a brand I needed to try. My husband loves his Hugo Boss clothes…they FIT him (and DS loves the one that came from an outlet that he now has:) ). If my husband needed a suit (he doesn’t) I would look at Nordstrom for a HB suit for him. Now for my son…nope…</p>
<p>wow, I am getting an education here. Different social class clearly. Thanks.</p>
<p>{{ take another close look at my Giorgio Armani, Brooks Brothers and Ralph lauren}}. How do you tell what color label of Ralph Lauren?</p>
<p>Please don’t tell me my customized(R) knee lenth Hickey Freeman flight coat is actually a good piece.</p>
<p>I can’t afford almost any of those brands haha, I just had a phase where my friend and I loved all that high men’s fashion stuff.</p>
<p>It should say on the label if it is in one of the various designations (purple, black, blue), that or it will actually be that color. If it is old enough, that may not have even started yet. Most of the RL suits at Bloomies, L&T, Nordstrom that I’ve seen are just the classic brand, and it’s tough to find purple/black label without going to a RL flagship/boutique. (or the website)</p>
<p>For the record: To anyone who said they like Hugo Boss stuff but doesn’t know much about Theory, definitely look into it. It’s around the same price, maybe a little more expensive, but I think they make nicer/better fitting stuff.</p>
<p>I said earlier Burberry was crap. That was an overstatement. Their stuff is ok, but for the quality it’s extremely overpriced.</p>
<p>^^^if you like high end stuff, look into Lora Piana. I like their water proof cashmere coat, sweaters and shawls.</p>
<p>Just purchased a new suit for my son for grad school.
My husband and sons have always worn very traditional suits.</p>
<p>Macys sale- has suits and separates for good sizing. Regular and slim fit, etc.</p>
<p>Purchased a black suit, a navy blazer and pair of slacks for under $350. Horray for sales and 20% off coupon!! Nothing needed alteration so that saved us too.</p>
<p>We purchased a suit for our other son to interview for internships. Too small for Macys and most men’s stores. Ended up at Men’s Warehouse. Very nice suit- about $300. They do run sales of buy one get one free. </p>
<p>Besides dark navy, black which is most appropriate if buying only 1 suit, make sure it fits well!!!</p>
<p>I like HB and Burberry. My g/f bought the worm a Burberry coat, and he’s been wearing that for 3 years.</p>
<p>With suits, so much comes down to tailoring. My frind’s son buys his suits at the Brooks Bros outlet. After first visit, The send coupons. However, for the formerly very slim Worm, they didn’t carry his size. We got interview suit at Jos Banks, but that store took in pant waist too much, and he couldn’t button without discomfort. Had this been my local store, I would have insisted on new pants.</p>
<p>So, next suit the HB at Nordstrums. Even on sale, it cost more, but it felt better and had a great lining. Service was so good. (I should ask the worm to try it on, as it probably is too tight 3 years later.)</p>
<p>Back when I worked on Wall Street, black suits were not worn by men in the office (black suits were the province of funeral directors and jazz musicians). Tailoring rules for men’s suits were also very clear: the shirt cuff goes to the wrist bone, the jacket cuff shows 1/4 inch of sleeve, pants hemmed to the middle of the heel. Black shoes with gray suits, brown shoes with navy suits, and oxblood with either. Belt matches shoes. Suspenders only to be worn with pants that have had their beltloops removed, bowties preferred.</p>
<p>I realize that it’s now a different generation, and the Mad Men look is in with much skinnier, shorter pants, and perhaps even black suits (though certainly not an authentic suit color for the Mad Men era). But my generation is still making a lot of hiring decisions, so being somewhat conservative with an interview suit is to be recommended. But more importantly, no freshman in college interviewing for an internship in any field should be wearing a $700+ suit.</p>
<p>^^Black to me seems too heavy a color too; black is like death. Dark grey is more “suited” for business. Black is for priests and funeral directors. Have to disagree on bowties…too eccentric for me. </p>
<p>It seems crazy too spending more for a suit than what an intern will be paid in a month.</p>
<p>Sigh. Got DS to buy some new shirts, ties, shoes yesterday, but the shirts/ties he selected were not what I would think is the best choice. I politely gave my input, but he selected these and said the stuff I selected he wouldn’t wear. One thingt he bought is a textured, solid black tie. He thinks that will look sharp with a thin striped shirt. I dont. Does anyone wear a black tie? The good news- the Calvin Klein dress shoes and Clark casual shoes were fine.</p>
<p>I work in and around finance, including young grads. If the “young grad” is really an MBA in their mid to late 20’s coming from a top school and interviewing for an investment banking job (not simply a job in banking but IB banking) then these guys/gal most likely already know what to wear or they have so many connections it doesn’t matter.</p>
<p>For the rest of the population, you can jazz up a mid-range suit with the following:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Really nice watch. (i know these days with the i-phone ppl don’t wear watches but for an interview, a stylish watch, understated watch is appropriate)</p></li>
<li><p>Nice shoes, polished. </p></li>
<li><p>Suitable soft sided brief case. I haven’t seen a hard sided case in a long time. You could be wearing a top suit but if you walk into the interview with a back pack you’ll still scream “i’m a student”</p></li>
<li><p>Proper dress socks</p></li>
</ol>
<p>If your budget extends, a good mid-weight coat.</p>
<p>As long as the suit is properly tailored and paired with a mid-range shirt (charles tyrwhitt makes a nice ones), that should work fine.</p>
<p>Another note, the fit of a male’s suit is very much a cultural thing. I can pretty much tell the nationality or general region a man comes from based on the cut of his suit, length of trouser, etc.</p>
<p>I tend to agree on the pleats…flat fronted is more appealing for the larger majority of body shapes in young men. </p>
<p>Other questions would be - to cuff or not to cuff the trouser, vents in the back, 2 or 3 buttons, single vs double breasted, and hemline of trouser, etc.</p>
<p>As for women, the same general advice holds true. Nice shoes, bag, watch, and perhaps small earrings can work wonders. Also, the skirt vs trousers arguement - the young lady should wear what she feels most confident in, either are fine. I personally wear theory and love the cut, the trousers don’t wrinkle, always sit nice. Mind you, unless you are 9 Ft tall, you’ll need to have them hemmed. Same for the jacket. Ladies, when you go to a dept store, ask if they have an in house tailor. They’ll come up and fit the clothing for you right in the store, saving you a trip to the tailor. Over time you’ll know what length works best for you, what your personal style is, and you’ll be able to guide the tailor to your personal tastes in the fit.</p>
<p>Oh and finally, if you want a quick way of telling if someone is wearing a “special” suit, check the lining of the jacket…if its some personalised colour or pattern, thats a hint.</p>
<p>DadII- sounds like who ever is discussing this is doing a bit of one-uppmanship on you. Those in the know have a tailor that they either visit or flys in 2-3 time a year for fittings and they guard these names carefully. Personally, if I were spending upwards to 1k for a suit, I’d just go bespoke and get what I want rather than pay for the advertising of some designer label.</p>
<p>Also in these economic times, an obviously expensive suit on an otherwise poor student is going to look a little bit like trying to operate above your station. Better to feel comfortable in a mid-range suit then out of place in an expensive one</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I’ve seen a solid shirt/solid tie trend for a bit. Depends on the colouring of the individual and the quality of the tie. If it’s a nice tie and not a waiter tie, then sure this could work and look quite sharp. I’d save it for a non-interview day though.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Bookworm brings up an excellent point regarding spending a ton on a suit for an early 20something…and it was mentioned earlier. These kiddos change size and shape. Many lose the “freshman 15” after they leave college…or they gain weight as move along in their 20s. What a waste (almost put waist) to have spent $1500 or more on a suit for an interview only to have that SAME SUIT be too small a year later.</p>
<p>Which is why only the HUSBAND in this family gets these pricey clothes (HB and BB). He has been the SAME size for YEARS.</p>