Cotton Suits

[Parker]

Originally Posted by romafan

For some reason I remember a pix posted by member (Parker?

) that looked just great - everything a cottn suit should be, i.e. nice color (not classic tan/khaki, but a slightly more washed-out 'stone' color) and well-fitting. I don't mind a center vent for a suit like this, and think 2 button is best. No pleats though..

Yeah, that's me, I think. I've got a Haspel beater suit. It actually fits me pretty well and has a nice shape. Flat front, center vent. I threw it in the washer for the extra "louche" effect.

 

[The Louche]

Originally Posted by Parker

Yeah, that's me, I think. I've got a Haspel beater suit. It actually fits me pretty well and has a nice shape. Flat front, center vent. I threw it in the washer for the extra "louche" effect.

Where did you get said louche suit, Parker?

 

[The Louche]

Originally Posted by Schorsch

Can you wait for the L.L. Bean Signature Line? Price point: $214, 100% cotton

Didn't know about this. Looks along the lines of what I want; hopefully it comes in 2-button...

 

[NoVaguy]

Originally Posted by The Louche

There are a few threads, but they are all old. I'm looking to pick up a cotton suit for the summer. It will be a "tester" to see if I want to get my MTM guy to make me a good one; it needs to be pretty cheap. I also demand flat-front pants. Where can I get one? Not much luck looking online. Brooks has a few that look nice, but I can't stand the styling details of them and they are a bit more than I want to spend.
If you're going cheap, J. Crew separates. I picked up my linen suit from them for about $100 on sale, give or take, think they're about $250 at full price, maybe $300. The cotton's were about the same price, just liked the fit of the linen better. Got Flat Front pants, went with a R instead of a L and got a nice trim fit and didn't need to do much alterations. These suits, however, tend to go on sale at the end of the summer, so I'm not sure you can get this price at the moment. Maybe if you stacked a code?

 

[lasbar]

Originally Posted by NoVaguy

If you're going cheap, J. Crew separates. I picked up my linen suit from them for about $100 on sale, give or take, think they're about $250 at full price, maybe $300. The cotton's were about the same price, just liked the fit of the linen better. Got Flat Front pants, went with a R instead of a L and got a nice trim fit and didn't need to do much alterations.

These suits, however, tend to go on sale at the end of the summer, so I'm not sure you can get this price at the moment. Maybe if you stacked a code?


Cheap cotton or linen suits are available everywhere...

Go to any sales in May or June and you can get a few for a third of their original prices.

I refuse to spend any serious amount of money on a summer suit...

 

[bigbris1]

I have this one. With some coupons you can get down to $150 with free shipping.

 

[Parker]

Originally Posted by The Louche

Where did you get said louche suit, Parker?

I can't remember. Either eBay or some other discount e-tailer. It was a few years ago.

 

[StephenHero]

I really like my J.Crew cotton suit. I got this in navy. They also have the Aldridge version which is a bit more conservatively cut. http://images.jcrew.com/erez4/erez?s...if&tmp=prdDtIm

 

[CEE88]

Another option: Jos A. Bank - Executive 2-Button Poplin Plain Front Suit for $199

http://www.josbank.com/webapp/wcs/st...1_10050_102358


This one's out of the price range you specified but, for anybody doing a search for cotton poplin suits, there's the venerable J.Press

http://www.jpressonline.com/suits_pr...etail.php?ix=6


I'd be curious to know if anyone has recent experience with either of these suits -- I've had both but they are more than 10 years old (and I'm thinking seriously about a new J.Press poplin suit in olive for this Summer).

 

[Lagrangian]

I've been looking for a nice cotton suit for the summer as well, seems like the best viable option is the JCrew Aldridge or Ludlow. Do they have SF approval?

I checked out H&M but they didn't have anything even closely resembling a cotton suit, and the local Zara selection is just bleh.

I keep thinking that I could possibly find something better on the B&S, although my size (36R) is probably among those most coveted here.

 

[82-Greg]

What about MTM cotton/seersucker suits? My usual tailor wants about the same price for cotton suits as wool. I understand the labor is essentially the same, but the fabric must be substantial less expensive. Any of the Hong Kong visiting tailors do an inexpensive, yet MTM cotton suit?

 

[JLibourel]

If price is a concern, Target Merona suit separates (2-button) in tan cotton seem like a good deal. The coats are $60, the trousers $25. If they made the coats in my size, I would have bought one. Even if an alterations tailor couldn't have made it fit well, I wouldn't have been out much.

I never have been able to savvy paying for bespoke or even MTM for a cotton suit or jacket. I once discussed getting an MTM suit in seersucker with a nice saleslady at Brooks. When she informed me it would be $1,100, as I recall, I politely remarked that I'd rather place my sartorial dollars elsewhere.

Anent the immediately preceding post, as I recall, W.W. Chan's prices for tailored garments in cotton are about the same as for a lot of the less-expensive wool fabrics.

 

[Hackett]

I haven't tried it myself, but Valet just recommended one from Club Monaco: http://www.valetmag.com/the-mix/0420...ndex1_top_lead

 

[CEE88]

I was in Washingon DC recently and stopped by J.Press in order to try their poplin suits in person.

The J.Press version is a 3 roll 2, natural shoulder, single vent, 100% cotton, plain front trousers, made in Canada. Great suit.

The guy who helped me was 78 years old and had worked with J.Press for 50+ years (he told me about how he sold a couple of suits to Bill Moyers when he was LBJ's Press Secretary, and he delivered the suits in person to the White House ... even got a tour of the Oval Office -- once Moyers determined the suits fit okay).

I opted for the poplin in olive ( http://www.jpressonline.com/suits_pr...etail.php?ix=7 ).

Once the alterations are complete J.Press will ship it for me for free and, since it will be shipped (and there's no J.Press store in my state), I didn't pay any sales tax.

 

[MBreinin]

Haspel. Readily available on E-bay, at TJ Maxx, Marshalls and Steinmart. Also, they can be washed to give them a more broken in and less stiff look. Parker washed his as well.

I have a couple of cotton summer suits. One is a Fendi that I got from E-bay last year. It is 5% elastine, so it has some stretch. It is VERY comfortable. I just wish the jacket was a bit shorter. I wore it this week and had a pic up on WAYWRN as well.

Mike