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Just how bad is Jos A Bank?

post #1 of 16
11/18/11 at 11:53am
Thread Starter 

I used to have three pretty mediocre suits, but thanks to moths and mishaps, all three are gone. So now I'm suitless. Last week I was measured for a MTM fully-canvassed, charcoal grey, wool suit over at Hong Kong Tailors (in Atlanta) which I believe will come out pretty nicely based on others I saw there.

 

I don't wear suits often, but I'm in an MBA program and my need for them will undoubtedly increase. I was thinking of getting a couple of backup suits that are on the cheaper side, which leads me to my question: Just how bad are Jos A Bank suits as "backups"? I was thinking of waiting for one of their inevitable 98% off sales and getting one or two. But am I better off taking another route?

 

Note that I am hard to fit. I'm basically a 44XL (although the occasional 44L is long enough to fit me). That's why I resorted to a MTM.

 

Thanks.

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post #2 of 16
11/18/11 at 11:55am
They have a really distinctive boxy fit. If you are on the "American" side (i.e. fat), they aren't too bad at all.
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post #3 of 16
11/18/11 at 11:59am
Brooks Brothers has suiting essentials on sale: 2 suits for 899.00.

I think you can go into a store and do MTM for a little more.

I think they are half canvas, wool with like 2percent synthetic material for stretch, regent cut.

I don't own any of these but they are probably better than JAB and availbe in seperates, lots of sizes and MTM.

I do have some 1818 suits and they are ok.
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post #4 of 16
11/18/11 at 12:31pm
A hell of a lot better than Men's Wearhouse...not as good as Brooks. I think they are a good place to get "beater" suits...especially on sale.
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post #5 of 16
11/18/11 at 12:35pm
Most people don't get AIDS.
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post #6 of 16
11/18/11 at 12:47pm
For the price, you wont get better unless you are willing to hang around and score a good suit second hand. Good outlets are sometimes places you can score a deal on a good suit, although you sure as heck wont be getting them cheaper than $300. Jos A Bank probably best VFM when you consider how cheap they are (or should I say can be).
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post #7 of 16
11/18/11 at 12:50pm
Thread Starter 



 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Closer View Post

Brooks Brothers has suiting essentials on sale: 2 suits for 899.00.
I think you can go into a store and do MTM for a little more.
I think they are half canvas, wool with like 2percent synthetic material for stretch, regent cut.
I don't own any of these but they are probably better than JAB and availbe in seperates, lots of sizes and MTM.
I do have some 1818 suits and they are ok.

 

Unfortunately, I don't think BB works for me. Suiting essentials don't come in a 44XL as far as I can tell and when I visited their store, the salesmen pretty much said only that their much more expensive 1818 collection could possibly work (they didn't have one long enough in stock for me, though).

 

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post #8 of 16
11/18/11 at 1:52pm
If you want an enormous suit, definitely go to an outlet store. Most stock HTS sizes.
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post #9 of 16
11/18/11 at 1:56pm

You might have a problem with the JAB fit as well.  I was trying on jackets at BB and JAB last week and JAB is hard to make work for a tall thin guy.  The cut of the JAB suit is so full that I had to size down from my usual 43L to a 41L just to avoid having enough room in the jacket to house a family of four.  And even then the jacket did not fit nearly as well as the BB jacket.

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post #10 of 16
11/18/11 at 3:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Klobber View Post

For the price, you wont get better unless you are willing to hang around and score a good suit second hand. Good outlets are sometimes places you can score a deal on a good suit, although you sure as heck wont be getting them cheaper than $300. Jos A Bank probably best VFM when you consider how cheap they are (or should I say can be).

This.

Just be aware JAB suits are basically boxes. Do be sure to get it tailored. cheap tailored suit > high end badly fitting suit
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post #11 of 16
11/18/11 at 3:46pm
Just stick with the MTM. What will happen is assuming your MTM comes out great(i have no experience with the company you used) you will wish you used the money that you spent on a JAB box toward another MTM suit rather than that JAB suit you hate cause it fits like shit and you never wear.
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post #12 of 16
11/18/11 at 6:11pm
I agree with CYstyle. I think that once you wear your MTM it may be hard to wear the JAB suits.
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post #13 of 16
11/18/11 at 10:59pm
It's a step up from Sears.
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post #14 of 16
11/19/11 at 2:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Grenadier View Post

It's a step up from Sears.

I'd say it's a step up from Macys, a step and a half down from Nordstrom.
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post #15 of 16
11/19/11 at 10:24pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrDaniels View Post

I'd say it's a step up from Macys, a step and a half down from Nordstrom.

Probably a pretty fair assessment. Still, for a guy who doesn't want to spend too much for a suit, I think a JAB Signature or Signature Gold suit at 70% off is a pretty good value.

JAB is what it is--a purveyor of classic, conservative menswear with somewhat lackluster styling at rather low cost (if you play the sales right).
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