can you tell a suit's qaulity by just looking?

I was arguing with my coworker that it is very hard to tell the quality by just looking at it. I gave up after she said she can tell something thats cheap like express and something thats high quality like kenneth cole.

Kenneth Cole? Ok.

...You can usually tell by the drape, due to the canvasing (or lack thereof), the fit, etc. That's all I can think of - I don't scrutinize others to such extents.

Originally Posted by ccvle

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I was arguing with my coworker that it is very hard to tell the quality by just looking at it. I gave up after she said she can tell something thats cheap like express and something thats high quality like kenneth cole.

You do right to give it up.

Kenneth Cole suit?

What a commotion!

Originally Posted by ccvle

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I was arguing with my coworker that it is very hard to tell the quality by just looking at it. I gave up after she said she can tell something thats cheap like express and something thats high quality like kenneth cole.

Short answer, yes.

Long answer, it takes time.

Express v. KC is a bad example. Both are not looked highly upon here.

sure you can tell by just looking . but like mentioned above, the two items are not good examples. take a nice high end one and a mediocre one. you dont have to feel it just kind of shake them in their hangers and see how the fabric moves is one way you can tell. the high end one has a very fluid like movement while the mediocre one sometimes will move a bit stiffer

They are both made by the same factory and same family in China. I think all they change are the labels.

Generally a cheaper fused suit will have zero roll in the lapel, but that's not to say ALL cheap suits have no roll ... just on average it's the easiest way to tell a nicer suit from a poorly constructed one.

Originally Posted by luftvier

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Short answer, yes.

Long answer, it takes time.

Express v. KC is a bad example. Both are not looked highly upon here.

This is the correct answer

Yes but only inperson, it is hard sometimes to tell just seeing a picture or two on here.

Originally Posted by bowtielover

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Yes but only inperson, it is hard sometimes to tell just seeing a picture or two on here.


i think you can not tell the quality by seeing a picture...

Two visual indicators that come to mind:

-Pick stitching around the lapels (most cheap brands don't do this)
-Many cheap suits are made of polyester fabric, which gives them a tacky-looking sheen
-Many times, the inner label on the lining will say something like "Super 100's wool." Super 100 and above is very good


Non-Visual Indicators:

-You can tell by pinch the front and back of the jacket to tell if there's free-floating canvas between the layers. Canvassing is typically found in more expensive suits. Cheaper suits are "fused" (glued, no canvas layer)

There are certainly indicators in a suit which might suggest that it is of high quality.

More commonly, there are indicators that suggest it is not.

Originally Posted by VikingsFan82

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Two visual indicators that come to mind:

-Pick stitching around the lapels (most cheap brands don't do this)
-Many cheap suits are made of polyester fabric, which gives them a tacky-looking sheen
-Many times, the inner label on the lining will say something like "Super 100's wool." Super 100 and above is very good

In addition to listing three, rather than two, visual indicators, this is one of the more laughably awful and misleading posts in recent memory.

Originally Posted by zbromer

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In addition to listing three, rather than two, visual indicators, this is one of the more laughably awful and misleading posts in recent memory.
Care to explain why my list is so "laughable," Old Rough and Ready? 1). Towards the lower end, many suit makers do not pick-stitch the lapels. I have suits from Theory and H&M, for instance, that don't have pick-stitching. My hickey and John Varvatos suits, on the other hand, have pick-stitching. This TREND is undeniable. 2). I can't think of the last time I saw a polyester suit from a high-end maker. Can you? Furthermore, I can always visually pick out the polyester suits from the wool suits in racks at places like Filene's. Sure, shiny "sharkskin" material is made from a animal hair, but it's quite rare these days. Therefore, "sheen" is a decent way to assess quality on first glance. 3). Super 100s-and-up wool tends to cost more. The "100s" number refers to the carding/yarn quality. Low end makers will skimp on the fabric quality to cut costs.

Originally Posted by VikingsFan82

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Care to explain why my list is so "laughable"? 1). Towards the lower end, many suit makers do not pick-stitch the lapels. I have suits from Theory and H&M, for instance, that don't have pick-stitching. My hickey and John Varvatos suits, on the other hand, have pick-stitching. This TREND is undeniable. 2). I can't think of the last time I saw a polyester suit from a high-end maker. Can you? Furthermore, I can always visually pick out the polyester suits from the wool suits in racks at places like Filene's. Sure, shiny "sharkskin" material is made from a animal hair, but it's quite rare these days. Therefore, "sheen" is a decent way to assess quality on first glance. 3). Super 100s-and-up wool tends to cost more. The "100s" number refers to the carding/yarn quality. Low end makers will skimp on the fabric quality to cut costs.
Pick stitch, check No Polyester, check Super 150's, check It's a go add to cart http://www.mensusa.com/products.aspx?id=363