Clueless on how/where to buy a well-fitted suit.

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johnnytest

johnnytest

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Hello All,

I would greatly appreciate any help on this matter. So, I have interviews coming up and I want to buy a suit that fits me well. I'm thinking navy blue or grey suit set. I have never been much of a suit wearer but I do have some black suit jackets and matching pants but I feel they do not fit me well. Mainly because I am a tall and skinny guy over 6 ft with a 33"x32" waist and length size so it's sometimes difficult for me to find the right size from what the stores have in stock.

How can I go about getting a fitted suit and from where? I live in NYC so I was thinking about stores such as Macy's and Men's Wearhouse but I know they are expensive and I'm not sure if they do custom suits or not. In addition, I am assuming custom suits are more expensive and take more time. But, I'm willing to shell out the money if I can finally get one that fits me well. I'll consider it as an investment. My first interview is in 3 weeks. So, is this enough time to get a custom suit? I am pretty much a noob (novice) at this suit stuff including how to get it tailored, how to do the measurements to determine what size I should be, etc. I would greatly appreciate any help from my fellow SDNers! Gracias.
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Any tailor will help you if you have a suit. If you don´t have weird proportions (I do, which sucks) and can normally buy clothing off the rack, find one that fits you well like that. Ask a sales associate for help. Then take it to a tailor or they´ll have one in house depending on where you buy, and they´ll get it looking very sharp on you. You can do the same with the shirt.
 
Jos A. Bank, ask a sale's rep to help you, typically have a tailor in house. Generally competitively priced and I've found to be quite helpful staff wise. My wedding suit was from there as were my interview suits for both medical school and residency and certainly did everything on a budget. I'd see if they can help you out. Last guy in line with me couple of weeks ago was 6' 5"+ and skinny and they were helping him out 😛. So, hopefully they can help you out!

As with everything, you get what you pay for. I have spent more on a suit recently, and there are dozens of places that you can spend a pretty penny on dress clothes, but certainly are not worth your time, energy or money at this point.
 
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Men's Wearhouse is a great place to start. Brooks Brothers is nice, and so is the men's department at Bloomingdales, but both will be a lot more expensive. The salesman there will walk you through your purchase and are used to people buying a suit for the first time. They'll have your size, don't worry. Even if it's "off the rack," they will tailor it so it fits you. If you get a true custom suit, made for you, it will cost you generally >$2000 from somewhere like Armani or Brioni. Anyway, even at Men's Wearhouse, they will generally always try to talk you into buying more than you need, but just be confident about your wants and needs.

It's SO important to have a suit that fits well, and good shoes. You'd be amazed at how many bad pairs of men's shoes I've seen on the interview trail. Between your suit and shoes, that's where I suggest putting your money. Get a good quality suit tailored for you, with a good pair of shoes - I recommend Oxford lace-ups, or my personal favorite which is currently in style, double monk straps. Brown shoes are more stylish than black these days, especially with a blue or gray suit. Go for a more pointed toe over a square toe. You can always go to Macy's or another less expensive department store for your shirt/tie/belt, but don't skimp on your threads or your shoes. Shine your shoes, too.

For one suit and one pair of shoes at Men's Wearhouse, expect to spend anywhere from $400 to $700. Watch for when they are running sales, too. Sometimes that can get you a good deal. After Christmas may be an especially good bet.
 
Men's Wearhouse or Jos A Bank can hook you up for $300-500 with an off the rack suit. These are made to be tailored to your specifications. The pants aren't hemmed and the sleeves are all very long so that they can be fitted to you. They have tailors on staff and the salesman will take your measurements in the suit and have it fitted to you in just a few days time. They will also generally be willing to give you pointers about mens dress.

You need to make sure that the shoulders fit. This is the most important aspect of a suit jacket, as it is the hardest part to resize. Everything else is fixable.

Truly custom suits cost thousands, and you don't need any such thing for interviews. Simple is fine. And navy or grey are great colors for a first, basic suit.
 
Tailor that black suit you have. All tailored suits will look infinitely times better than expensive ones that aren't.

If you want to get a new suit in NYC give us your budget. Otherwise I recommend the standard Macy's, JCPenney, Jos A. Bank etc.

I'm from Philadelphia and don't extensively know NYC but I hear Hong Kong Tailor Jack is solid for tailoring. Otherwise Yelp for tailors in your area or ask around.
 
Promethean said:
Men's Wearhouse or Jos A Bank can hook you up for $300-500 with an off the rack suit. These are made to be tailored to your specifications. The pants aren't hemmed and the sleeves are all very long so that they can be fitted to you. They have tailors on staff and the salesman will take your measurements in the suit and have it fitted to you in just a few days time. They will also generally be willing to give you pointers about mens dress.

You need to make sure that the shoulders fit. This is the most important aspect of a suit jacket, as it is the hardest part to resize. Everything else is fixable.

Truly custom suits cost thousands, and you don't need any such thing for interviews. Simple is fine. And navy or grey are great colors for a first, basic suit.
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Thanks everyone. If I'm reading correctly, I should buy an off the rack suit from a store such as Men's Wearhouse or Jos A Bank and then have it tailored either by the store or another respectable tailor.

I found this suit on Macy's and with their discounts it would come up to around $349, which is a good deal for me: http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/...parates?ID=801112&CategoryID=17788#bottomArea

^Should I purchase a suit like this and have a tailor fix it up?

Also, I just did some measurements right now. My problem is for a tall guy my chest is not big, it's about 36-38" but my sleeve length is about 37". Drastic differences for the standard sizes suits are made in. My chest size says I'm a small but my sleeve length says I'm XL. LOL! The current black suit I have has the following problems and is size 42L:

-When I put it on it feels tight and kind of hard to put on. I'm not sure if this means the shoulders are not the right size.
- Sleeves are short by about 1 or 2 inches.
-My wrists are skinny so there is a lot of empty cuff space near my wrists where the sleeves of the suit jacket ends.

I'm worried if I buy a suit that can't be tailored to adjust the sleeve length. I mean if the sleeves are too short they can't be made longer can they? Sorry for sounding so naive but I never learned this stuff from anyone :/ Until now I just got by.
 
There's a Charles tyrwhitt in nyc you should should go to. The people there should know far more about fit than those at JAB. They have a few great suits for like 400-500 that fit the bill.

You're probably going to need a long jacket which is nothing crazy.

Good luck.
 
If your chest size is a 38 there's no way that 42 is too small for you...
 
I think the $349 is for the vest only bro

Also, I believe that altering sleeves is easier for the tailor (and therefore less expensive) than altering the chest.
 
Definitely don't buy online. Definitely go into a good men's store. You need to be able to put the material on your body to see how it is going to work out. The salesman will help you. You can generally put your faith in them. Guys come in all the time who aren't accustomed to buying or wearing suits, and the folks who work in better men's clothing stores make them look great.

Also, this site was really useful to me. I had to learn about how to dress from the internet, since I didn't have any male family members who had ever worn a suit who could teach me anything.

http://www.artofmanliness.com/category/dress-grooming/
 
If you go to Jos A Bank don't buy anything at full price. Their whole business model is sale-based. Every now and then they have some ridiculous "buy one suit, get 6 free" sale. Part of the reason I don't go there.

Otherwise, any department store will have a good range of prices ($350+) and an in-house tailor.

If you want a quality personal shopping experience you'll pay for it (~$800+) at a place like Brooks Brothers but you'll learn a lot and get a well-fitting suit that will last for years.
 
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You will basically need a tailor to make it fit well, and I definitely recommend getting it tailored.
 
Some nyc specific advice: go to century 21! You'll find a nice brand suit like Hugo Boss, MC, DKNY, etc at a reasonable price (usually in the 300 range). You can get it tailored there or take it to a tailor after.

AVOID brands tailored for fat/sloppy Americans like Ralph Lauren or anything from Jos A Bank… anywhere that offers BOGO suits is not going to sell you a quality suit.
 
Not sure why you waited so long to get a suit, but that's a different story.
 
johnnytest said:
Thanks everyone. If I'm reading correctly, I should buy an off the rack suit from a store such as Men's Wearhouse or Jos A Bank and then have it tailored either by the store or another respectable tailor.

I found this suit on Macy's and with their discounts it would come up to around $349, which is a good deal for me: http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/...parates?ID=801112&CategoryID=17788#bottomArea

^Should I purchase a suit like this and have a tailor fix it up?

Also, I just did some measurements right now. My problem is for a tall guy my chest is not big, it's about 36-38" but my sleeve length is about 37". Drastic differences for the standard sizes suits are made in. My chest size says I'm a small but my sleeve length says I'm XL. LOL! The current black suit I have has the following problems and is size 42L:

-When I put it on it feels tight and kind of hard to put on. I'm not sure if this means the shoulders are not the right size.
- Sleeves are short by about 1 or 2 inches.
-My wrists are skinny so there is a lot of empty cuff space near my wrists where the sleeves of the suit jacket ends.

I'm worried if I buy a suit that can't be tailored to adjust the sleeve length. I mean if the sleeves are too short they can't be made longer can they? Sorry for sounding so naive but I never learned this stuff from anyone :/ Until now I just got by.
Click to expand...

Go to one of those stores, don't buy online. They will measure you at the store and will be able to help you SO much more than we will over the internet. Also, it really won't cost all that much to have it tailored there (like $30-50 or something like that).
 
Just throwing my two cents in. You absolutely do not need a custom made suit. Even a cheap suit looks great if it is tailored. Follow the advice posted to this thread and go to an actual store. I would not advise buying a suit online. Get yourself some comfy, yet appropriate shoes, and you'll be great!
 

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Welcome to the world of menswear. Navy or grey are perfect choices. All the members so far have given you excellent choices for where to go. If you want to spend >500 I would choose Brooks Brothers/ Banana Republic/etc over any department/Jos/ Men's wearhouse. Two things are for sure
- you MUST go inside to buy everything. You will not have enough time to wait for your order to come in and get it tailored with only 3 weeks. Plus you want to see how everything feels/fits before you drop hundreds on it.
- Tailoring is a MUST unless you strike gold and find a perfect fit off the rack. This takes anywhere from 3 days to 2 weeks. So basically go Friday to buy it.
 
The salesman there will walk you through your purchase and are used to people buying a suit for the first time.
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For off the rack suits, the most important thing is the fit at the shoulders. Everything else can be easily altered with a tailor. Since you are in nyc, I would suggest checking out suitsupply. As for color, don't get a black suit! This is an interview, not a funeral.
 
Bovary said:
Go to Suit Supply.
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Suit supply is more expensive than Charles Tyrwhitt. If CT doesn't work out, I'd recommend suit supply.

I guarantee I've spent far more time thinking and looking over this stuff than anyone on this thread.

Re: Color.
Navy or dark grey are both fine. You'll get lots of use out of the suit in the future.

Re: Alterations
Some legit aren't worth doing. Sure you can recut a jacket if the shoulders are fine and everything else is good, but it's a waste of money when you're buying a new suit.

The only alterations that are reasonable are:
- jacket sleeves, adjusting waist
-pants inseam, seat, leg opening, cuff.

Most shops will do the alterations for you.

You're in nyc and there are plenty of good options. Saks off fifth and Nordstrom rack are good as well. Barneys might have a ton of close out stuff this time of year.
 
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Thank you everyone for your advice. I went to Men's Wearhouse today and purchased two suits for about $470, which includes some tailoring. One is navy blue which I believe is going to be my favorite suit now and the other is a charcoal gray color. They'll be ready in about 3 days time, which seemed pretty fast to me. Now time to get back to preparing for the interviews. Happy Holidays!
 
Person0715 said:
As for color, don't get a black suit! This is an interview, not a funeral.
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I don't see what's wrong with black suits. Paired with anything other then a white shirt they do not give the "funeral" impression. That's just my opinion though.
 
Hospitalized said:
I don't see what's wrong with black suits. Paired with anything other then a white shirt they do not give the "funeral" impression. That's just my opinion though.
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People just keep repeating things they hear others say on sdn. It's annoying. There are no rules when it comes to style. You can look way more sharp wearing a well fitted black suit if you pair it with a nice non-white shirt and tie.
 
johnnytest said:
Thank you everyone for your advice. I went to Men's Wearhouse today and purchased two suits for about $470, which includes some tailoring. One is navy blue which I believe is going to be my favorite suit now and the other is a charcoal gray color. They'll be ready in about 3 days time, which seemed pretty fast to me. Now time to get back to preparing for the interviews. Happy Holidays!
Click to expand...

Charcoal + Navy basically covers every suit situation imaginable. Good choices. As for the people being against Black thing, ehhh. It's a personal thing. SDN has a thing against black because it is either too dressy (black tie) or somber looking. I prefer Navy myself but I wouldn't scoff at someone wearing black. When I purchase my suit though (the one I have is a cheap one that doesnt fit anymore) it'll be navy because navy works for more situations. It can be dressed up and down easier, imo.
 
If you are in NYC, buy a suit that fits your shoulder and go to AlterationMaster to get a good fit. They are very affordable (~50 per suit jacket). I am a tall skinny person too, so I did it that way, got lots of compliments during my interviews. You can do the same with shirts over there.

Try Century 21 for your outfits. Also maybe walk around Soho, even super fancy boutique can have suits for great price, my favorite one is Reiss from England. I am not their client normally, but when it's 50-70% off during certain time, I can cough up 300-400 bucks to get a suit. I mean, I just treated as if I had one more interview. Their men's stuff are really amazing too.

As to color and style, the more conservative the better. I like guys in grey, they look more approachable and nonthreatening. But that's just me saying as a gal.
 
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Which shoe?
1, 2, or 3?

1. http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/steve-madden-minted-cap-toe-oxfords?ID=1269607&CategoryID=55639&swatchColor=Dark Brown#

2. http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/florsheim-reveal-bike-toe-oxfords?ID=1336287&CategoryID=55639&swatchColor=Cognac#fn=COLOR=Brown&sp=1&spc=190&ruleId=&slotId=3

3. http://www.jcpenney.com/shoes/extended-sizes/large-sizes-13-over/stacy-adams-corrado-mens-bicycle-toe-leather-oxfords/prod.jump?ppId=1ce887d&catId=cat100250175&Ns=PLH&topDim=Item Type&topDimvalue=oxford + lace-up&dimCombo=Item Type|&dimComboVal=oxford + lace-up|&currentDim=Item Type&currentDimVal=oxford + lace-up&_dyncharset=UTF-8&colorizedImg=0900631B81CFAA6AM.tif&urlState=/shoes/shop-men-s-shoes/dress-shoes/oxford-lace-up/_/N-1nopj3Z1z141g4/cat.jump

Edit: I'm interested in the brown color type of each shoe. Not the black version.
 
johnnytest said:
Which shoe?
1, 2, or 3?

1. http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/steve-madden-minted-cap-toe-oxfords?ID=1269607&CategoryID=55639&swatchColor=Dark Brown#

2. http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/florsheim-reveal-bike-toe-oxfords?ID=1336287&CategoryID=55639&swatchColor=Cognac#fn=COLOR=Brown&sp=1&spc=190&ruleId=&slotId=3

3. http://www.jcpenney.com/shoes/extended-sizes/large-sizes-13-over/stacy-adams-corrado-mens-bicycle-toe-leather-oxfords/prod.jump?ppId=1ce887d&catId=cat100250175&Ns=PLH&topDim=Item Type&topDimvalue=oxford + lace-up&dimCombo=Item Type|&dimComboVal=oxford + lace-up|&currentDim=Item Type&currentDimVal=oxford + lace-up&_dyncharset=UTF-8&colorizedImg=0900631B81CFAA6AM.tif&urlState=/shoes/shop-men-s-shoes/dress-shoes/oxford-lace-up/_/N-1nopj3Z1z141g4/cat.jump

Edit: I'm interested in the brown color type of each shoe. Not the black version.
Click to expand...
The third link doesn't work. The first one looks more refined than the second one, although similar ones without the line across the front seems more sleek to me. For interviews, the more minimalistic the better imo.
 
Wow 349 for a suit? I got my well fitted interview suit from Macy's for 130 after sale. Add in tailor and it's like 150ish total
 
johnnytest said:
Which shoe?
1, 2, or 3?

1. http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/steve-madden-minted-cap-toe-oxfords?ID=1269607&CategoryID=55639&swatchColor=Dark Brown#

2. http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/florsheim-reveal-bike-toe-oxfords?ID=1336287&CategoryID=55639&swatchColor=Cognac#fn=COLOR=Brown&sp=1&spc=190&ruleId=&slotId=3

3. http://www.jcpenney.com/shoes/extended-sizes/large-sizes-13-over/stacy-adams-corrado-mens-bicycle-toe-leather-oxfords/prod.jump?ppId=1ce887d&catId=cat100250175&Ns=PLH&topDim=Item Type&topDimvalue=oxford + lace-up&dimCombo=Item Type|&dimComboVal=oxford + lace-up|&currentDim=Item Type&currentDimVal=oxford + lace-up&_dyncharset=UTF-8&colorizedImg=0900631B81CFAA6AM.tif&urlState=/shoes/shop-men-s-shoes/dress-shoes/oxford-lace-up/_/N-1nopj3Z1z141g4/cat.jump

Edit: I'm interested in the brown color type of each shoe. Not the black version.
Click to expand...

Definitely #1. I told ya man, pointed/capped toes - don't get square toes!
 
I guarantee you that the "no black suit" rule is not SDN derived. There actually are fashion rules; just because someone doesn't like them doesn't mean they cease to exist.

Re: shoes

If you can only afford 1 pair, get black. Brown is more casual and while it might be preferable with navy, the black will be more versatile. Do not get the trendy monk straps; they are too casual for a formal business interview. Lace up, non box toe oxfords are the appropriate choice.
 
I don't like those shoes. Stick with simple cap toe oxford for suits. The ones you posted have so much random stitching everywhere.

Also, those are bluchers not oxfords. Thanks macys.
 
No1 for sure. Before you buy though, check out 6pm.com to see if you can find something on there too. It's an outlet site ran by Zappos and one of the best kept secrets for clothing.
 
Entadus said:
What kind of tailor is only going to charge $20 for alterations on a suit (jacket+trousers)? :bored:
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My bad you're right, I was basing my memory off of when I altered a single pants. It's prob closer to $40-maybe $60 range, or at least for me it was. Still, it shouldn't be $349 total if you're on a low budget.
 
Depends on the alterations...

You can't estimate cost without knowing what needs to be changed.

Also the poster said he bought 2 suits.
 
Matching the watch mostly refers to the strap for a dress watch. I personally prefer watches that have a black dial, but am thinking of getting a formal watch with a white dial since I already have a watch with a black dial.

Brown strap for versatility. I rarely wear black shoes...ever. So it works for me.
 
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Invest in a nice pair of shoes. A quality pair of shoes that are properly maintained will last you forever. Allen Edmonds would be my suggestion, but if you can't afford those (you can find specials), at least go Cole Haan. Both of these shoes can be found at a Nordstrom Rack/Off 5th if you have one near you.

Second. DO NOT BUY SQUARE TOE SHOES. Always rounded toes. Always. You will look like a million bucks!
 
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