Buying 1st suit.  need advice

Well, I've heard that Armani Collezioni suits have fused-front jackets, and that's a big turn-off for me. Then again, I'm spoiled with canvas-front jackets.

The Isaia is a MUCH better choice. The quality of a Collezioni does not remotely compare to Isaia and Isaia cuts a suit much better as well. You might also consider this Sartoria Castangia suit on Yoox.com. Retail is about $2500. Sartoria Castangia's are incredible, world-class suits. I have one myself. They are better than some (but not all) Isaia's. It's hard to tell from the pic where exactly that particular Isaia falls. The Armani is a good deal but the Isaia and the Castangia are great deals.

Not only does the Castangia link not work - I also noticed that the suit has patch pockets which wouldn't be the best for a first suit. Go for the Isaia.

A Harris has given you some good advice. The Isaia is far and away a nicer suit - but only you can decide if it's worth $800. Frankly, I don't think you need to spend that much to get a high quality suit. If you hit the right stores on the right days, you can get suits from labels like Cerrutti 1881, Zegna, Hickey Freeman, etc. for a little as 250 bucks. They don't really compare with Isaia, but they're a better buy than Armani Collezioni. With regards to color: navy is quite distinguishable from black. You might be thinking of midnight blue, which does appear to be black in most light. I'd recommend navy anyway - it's much more versitile than black. Navy is appropriate almost anywhere: business meetings, funerals, weddings, dinners, etc. I would never wear a black suit to a wedding (unless it's a tux), and there are those that say that black suits for business is reserved for Hollywood. I live in New York (even though I'm a Red Sox fan - GO SOX....), and I'll wear a black suit to a meeting, but I have Wall Street friends that make fun of me for it.

For what it's worth, for a first suit I would definitely recommend dark blue or gray, rather than black. Virtually any guide to dressing that one can read will recommend these two colors, rather than black. They are more flexible, seem to blend better with more shirts and ties, and, at least in the business world, are seen much more often than black. A black suit seems most appropriate for a funeral or, I guess, a pretty dressy (but not black tie) night on the town. As a consultant doing business with the Fortune 100, I really can't recall seeing a memeber of senior management wearing a black suit. I own 2 black suits (out of 40 total), but I never wear either; in fact, I haven't even had them tailored. Some blues, i.e. midnight blue, are alleged to look darker than black under flourescent lights or in a darker room; that is one reason some tuxedo's are made in midnight blue. However, I would generally not say that blue is indistinguishable from black. Make sure that whatever suit you buy, you have the option of returning it. Different brands are cut and fit differently. Generally, for example, in my experience Isaia's are cut fairly large (I am a 38 in Isaia, a 40 in Brioni); however, depending on the retailer who orders them, even the Isaia's vary. I agree with A. Harris about the patch pockets on the Castangia; this is a casual look that is probably not well advised for a first suit. Generally, patch pockets on suits are seen in country or weekend suits made in heavier tweed fabrics. You might also consider this Oxxford: This fabric looks like a very nice, dressy herringbone. You might be able to wait it out and pick this suit up for $500 or so, as Oxxford's tend to sell for less on ebay; this suit has been listed several times without selling and has, I believe, come down at least $100 already. As you probably know, Oxxford's are clearly among the best suits in the world, along with Kiton, Brioni, and Attolini. They are generally considered better that Isaia or Castangia, never mind Armani or Corneliani. You should be able to find a store near you selling Oxxford, so you could try on a 39R to check the fit; I think it probably would work well for you, as I am a 39 in Oxxford and am similarly sized to you. (You might want to check with the seller to find out the specific Oxxford model that this suit is; Oxxford makes 4 or 5 different models, I believe). The Isaia would also be a lovely suit, and the fabric would no doubt be great; however, be forewarned that the finer fabrics (Super 150's and above) are more delicate and may not wear as well as the heavier fabrics such as 100's or 120's. Make sure you give some consideration to how often and in what way you will use the suit.

For some reason, the hyperlink to the Oxxford didn't appear; here is the web page: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....ry=3001 Here's an attempt to do it with the link. OXXFORD CLOTHES NAVY HERRINGBONE WOOLSUIT 39R

You might also want to consider W. W. Chan & Sons. You can find comments about them in the forum (the thread is called hong kong). They're making a trip to NYC on nov 3 (check their website for their full US tour itinerary) and they have very good prices for bespoke suits (starting at $800 us). From what I've read, I believe they offer incredible value and I'll be going to see them in nyc to get one made for myself the next time they visit.

godzen, welcome to the forum. i'm surprised you recieved so much advice without anyone asking you why you were buying the suit. also, is this your first suit of many to come, or are you planning to have this as your only suit for a while? i'd like to say that if you like black, buy black. the fact that every other guy in your circle may be wearing blue should have little influence on your decision. for what it's worth, my first suit was brown, but if i had to do it all over again, i would have bought a black one. that brown suit was the only one i had for several years, and i wore it maybe four times. if i'd had a black one, i can think of about 100 places i would have worn it to. (the l.a. nightlife screams for a black suit.) people have different lifestyles and not everyone buys their first suit because of their job. if you just need something to wear to a funeral, or the opera, or a club, if you're depressed all the time, if you're french, etc... black is the best choice.

For real. I wore my HL black suit so often - clubs, gallery openings, parties, etc... that I actually wore it out.

Whatever you choose, get a dark colored suit and some nice black leather shoes. Everything matches those. Depends on what you are looking to use it for as well. A well tailored suit made of fine wool, preferably Super 100s and up, holds up well and lays nicely across the shoulders and chest. Fit is everything. A cheap suit that fits well is better than an expensive one that doesn't fit. Keep in mind that people, particularly women, almost always look at your feet first, so make sure you buy the best shoes you can afford. A plain toe cap is more formal, so it's best to get something that will have versatility.