B-School interview suit

[dapperbos]

Hi there. Long time lurker, first time poster.

I'm 26, white male. Looking to buy a quality suit for an important interview coming up. Is this suit from Brooks Brothers appropriate? I don't have a solid suit, but this one is on sale which is why I'm attracted to it.

Would you recommend getting a lesser quality solid suit or this higher quality striped suit on sale? My concern is that it's got pinstripes, and I've heard those can be distracting. However, these stripes are quite subtle. Curious others' perspectives and advice.

https://www.brooksbrothers.com/Fitzgerald-Fit-Golden-Fleece®-Suit/MK00151,default,pd.html

Any thoughts on gray vs. navy?

 

[circumspice]

What field do you expect to end up in? If you are going to be wearing suits, in some fields you might not want to be in pinstripes of any form as an associate.

Stripes really limit the utility - I get away with just 2 suits, charcoal and navy solid, when I spend a week in Japan for work, bringing along 5 ties and a half dozen shirts.

 

[Aristogeiton96]

What field do you expect to end up in? If you are going to be wearing suits, in some fields you might not want to be in pinstripes of any form as an associate.

Stripes really limit the utility - I get away with just 2 suits, charcoal and navy solid, when I spend a week in Japan for work, bringing along 5 ties and a half dozen shirts.

I'm in agreeance w/ the above, charcoal and/or navy solid are the way to go. The flexibility of the two are unparalleled, especially if you're going to keep them into rotation pretty heavily w/networking events and into your summer analyst/associate positions.

 

[robxznyc]

Don't worry too much about the suit. If you're a strong candidate admissions could care less about the color and pattern of your suit.

That said, since you don't have a solid suit I suggest that you buy a solid mid grey or navy suit not only for your b-school interviews, but also for networking events and job interviews during b-school. Go for light/medium weight wool so that you can wear it all year round.

 

[Stinson]

Grey is probably a bit more formal

 

[johng70]

For a first suit - I suggest Navy or Charcoal. They work for weddings/funerals/interviews and can be dressed up/down. If you don't have to wear suits for your profession (and fewere and fewer people do) having several suits is a waste of money. (yes, on this site you have people that are the .5% that like to wear suits as often as possible - but don't let that skew your decision). If you want or need more suits as you go, great. But a Navy or charcoal suit is never going to go out of style. Just not pinstripes. That just isn't versatile enough for a first suit.

I'd also caution against spending a boatload of cash on a suit. You're 26. In 5-6 years the suit you buy now might not fit properly. And, if you've only worn it 8 times to various weddings/funerals and a couple interviews it's not a smart way (IMO) to spend your money. For those 8 times, a suit that is well tailored from some less expensive options can still look great. And, in my experience, there is nothing special about Brooks Brothers tailoring even if I like their suits. Quality suits show their worth over time - a fully canvased suit molds to your body, the materials hold up and look great after 50 wears where lesser suits start to show their age. But, for a dozen wearing - a less expensive suit will look just as nice on you as long as it is well tailored.