Advice 4 Newbie

[sammyyummy]

Hi !

Im new here and this is my first post.
Im on the look out for a cashmere coat as wool is too heavy for me and itchy. Im of a small frame.
MY questions are:
1. Ive seen good deals on jos. a bank and men's wearhouse. I m not sure if these are legitimate and if they are honest to goodness stores. Id like to ask people's experiences with these stores to guide my decision.

2. I found a nice cashmere coat thats at 46R (uncle). Im a 38-40R. Can that be majorly altered to become a 38-40 or will it destroy the coat all together?

Thanks.
I d really appreciate your help as a newbie.

 

[Nicola]

If you're a 38/40 you aren't that small.

There are heavy wool coats and light wool coats. It's not the wool or cashmere that makes it heavy. It's the weight of the material.

Most of my overcoats are fully lined. Personally I've never gone naked under an overcoat either. So I'm not sure what could be itchy. The collar next to your face?

A good coat will last most of a life time. If you can afford it I'd lean towards something better then the two stores you mentioned.

 

[Harold falcon]

What is your budget?

 

[mmmmpay]

Well, I'll make a first post in response to yours.

Here's what I can tell you, based on lurkin aboot here for some time.


Jos. A Bank and Men's Wearhouse should be avoided. Consider that the state of New York sued JAB a few years ago for dishonest sales practices. Less than five percent of the merchandise was sold at sticker price; the rest was sold on "sale." Which is to say, it's not a sale, they're just trying to make you think it is. And even if it was quality (Which you'll be told it isn't. I've not shopped there myself) why would you want to do business with a company that is deliberately trying to deceive you? Well, you shouldn't.

As for the jacket, I'd say it's highly unlikely a 46R can be made to fit you, and impossible for it to fit you well. Remember that you'll have a sport coat for a long time; it's an investment. Shop around for a while and wait until you find the right deal.

 

[sammyyummy]

Thank you.
MY budget is around $400.00
The JAB and mens wearhouse deals seem awesome but Ive never had any online experience with them and I am wary of seeing my money go to waste if they are fraudulent. JAB actually sells items off of Amazon as well. I thought it would be "safer" to buy that route but again, $400 is too much to go waste.

Apparently, both stores have good BBB scores.

Im hoping to get a cashmere overcoat as I ve heard its very warm and lightweight than wool which I find heavy. And frankly, I am not knowledgeable about these things. There is a cashmere coat I saw - 2 ply - from a reputable store but again, not much idea whether this is good enough.

I was hoping to tailor in the 46R into 40R but is it possible.

Please advise.

 

[Metlin]

While they've questionable sales practices, they aren't necessarily fraudulent. Unethical, perhaps.

Leaving aside the "on sale" nature of their goods, their quality isn't particularly outstanding.

However, given your budget, you could easily find alternatives.

 

[deveandepot1]

Originally Posted by sammyyummy

Thank you.
MY budget is around $400.00
The JAB and mens wearhouse deals seem awesome but Ive never had any online experience with them and I am wary of seeing my money go to waste if they are fraudulent. JAB actually sells items off of Amazon as well. I thought it would be "safer" to buy that route but again, $400 is too much to go waste.

Apparently, both stores have good BBB scores.

Im hoping to get a cashmere overcoat as I ve heard its very warm and lightweight than wool which I find heavy. And frankly, I am not knowledgeable about these things. There is a cashmere coat I saw - 2 ply - from a reputable store but again, not much idea whether this is good enough.

I was hoping to tailor in the 46R into 40R but is it possible.

Please advise.

I am 100% sure JAB and Mens Wearhouse won't scam you. You will get what you pay for.