Brookscool suits

[johnnynorman3]

I was thinking about maybe picking up a Brooks Cool suit for the hot East Coast summers.  With the Ebay gift card I got, I can functionally get one right now for about $300 (I got the gift card for 73% of face value, and I also have Brooks cash from card points).  (I was planning on using the gift card for shoes -- yes, a pair of brown ones -- but wanted to run the Brooks Cool idea by you guys).  

My sense is that it is nicely tailored for the price -- not a lot of handwork but it is fully canvassed.  The fit is pretty good, though not what I'd design for myself.  But the drawing card obviously is that it breathes.  But I just can't tell whether the fabric looks sort of cheap, at the same time that it looks very lightweight.  I'm not a huge fan of super lightweight fabrics like that, but then again East Coast summers demand compromise (and I can't pull off a linen suit).  

Have any of you checked these things out?  What do you think about them?

 

[Duveen]

johnnynorman3,

I have always been a bit leery of getting gift cards off of Ebay. Have you had good luck with this? I am always worried about scams or issues at the register with those.

Thanks.

 

[Duveen]

oh, and on the Brookscool - I handled one the other day at BB and was not blown away. While I don't think it looks "cheap" as you say (and while I do live in DC where it is miserably hot in summer), I don't think I'd recommend it. But if it fits well, it may be a worthwhile concession to the heat.

 

[johnnynorman3]

I have had no problems. I have purchased about $1000 at Brooks and $3000 for Tiffany. I immediately checked the balances online and they all checked out fine. I have also sold a $150 gift card before, fetching $130 for it (it was a prize a won and didn't want).

My advice -- make sure there is good feedback and pay with Paypal using AmExpress. Great fraud protection. Good feedback though is the key. The cards I got were clearly prizes that people had won and didn't want (the Tiffany cards were had a Foxwoods Casino tag on the back of the box they came in).

 

[johnnynorman3]

Yeah, I think I may go try on the three button navy ministripe -- a nice looking pattern. I'm just not so sure I'm outside enough to justify the expense for something I don't love, but we'll see. My guess is that they'll go even deeper discount -- probably 50% off or so -- toward the end of summer. They seem to not be a hot seller on the website right now, though in the stores they don't do half bad.

But speaking of BB, it is amazing the incompetence of some of the employees there. The fused garb they have for $600 right now (not bad fabric, canvas lapels, but still fused) -- the employee tried to tell me these were "very close in quality" to the Golden Fleece that are currently $800 and that he steers customers toward the $600 because it represents a better value. I just don't get that at all.

 

[Duveen]

For 'better value' read 'easier sale'. Salesmen almost never sell you on value, they want you to ring ring ring the register quickly. High dollar signs breed hesitation in most, so if you want to churn out the maximum sales/day you sell the midrange. Always. Even if the high range lasts twice as long.

 

[johnnynorman3]

You got one point wrong, Duveen -- "ESPECIALLY if the high range lasts twice as long."