Long time lurker, first time poster. I have a few 15 year old made to measure Tom James suits. I've gone from 240 lbs to 200 lbs and have 20 more to reach my goal of 180 lbs. My plan was to nurse the old suits along until I reach my target - then go true bespoke. In case you think I'm swimming in the old suite, not so much. I was about 215 when I had them made. The fly in the ointment is that the other day as I was leaving the house to meet with a client, my wife suggested my suit looked a bit...shabby.
So, I need the sage advice of this great forum. I need some new suits to tide me over until I reach my weight goal and pull the trigger on full bespoke. My first impulse was to hit the "buy one, get 27 free" sale at Jos. A Bank. A search on this forum quickly disuaded me from that, however. Brooks Brothers gets more love here, but my only experience with them was in the early 1990s. I bought two suits which never fit right, and the cheap plastic zipper in one broke within two weeks of the acquisition (in the down position, at the office, of course). I've tried department stores but without much luck. At 240, I couldn't sausage myself into any of my suits so I bought a couple of "made for Macys" HSM "fat" suits. After taking them to an outside tailor I got the fit to be ok, but not great, and they desintegrated within a year.
So, what to do? I'm about 6' and currently would describe my body as "skinny fat" - thin to muscular arms and legs with a persistant protruding belly. I don't want to look like a shapeless mass, but I'm not Tom Ford material (and need to dress conservatively for my clients, but with a bit of a flair, for me). Should I give BB another chance? Is JAB forgivable under the circumstances? Are ther other alternatives I'm not aware of? Price isn't the biggest concern, but I guess I consider whatever I buy now to be "throwaway" once I reach my fitness goal.
Best,
O-2
So, I need the sage advice of this great forum. I need some new suits to tide me over until I reach my weight goal and pull the trigger on full bespoke. My first impulse was to hit the "buy one, get 27 free" sale at Jos. A Bank. A search on this forum quickly disuaded me from that, however. Brooks Brothers gets more love here, but my only experience with them was in the early 1990s. I bought two suits which never fit right, and the cheap plastic zipper in one broke within two weeks of the acquisition (in the down position, at the office, of course). I've tried department stores but without much luck. At 240, I couldn't sausage myself into any of my suits so I bought a couple of "made for Macys" HSM "fat" suits. After taking them to an outside tailor I got the fit to be ok, but not great, and they desintegrated within a year.
So, what to do? I'm about 6' and currently would describe my body as "skinny fat" - thin to muscular arms and legs with a persistant protruding belly. I don't want to look like a shapeless mass, but I'm not Tom Ford material (and need to dress conservatively for my clients, but with a bit of a flair, for me). Should I give BB another chance? Is JAB forgivable under the circumstances? Are ther other alternatives I'm not aware of? Price isn't the biggest concern, but I guess I consider whatever I buy now to be "throwaway" once I reach my fitness goal.
Best,
O-2
