Does this fit me ok? Alterations worth it?

[tgregory]

I need a business suit in a couple weeks for a conference, and thought for fun I'd look at a thrift store first in case I get lucky and find something decent... and I might have. I only need a suit once every couple years or so, and don't really know much about discerning a proper fit.

I was last measured as a 40R for a wedding a couple years back, and that's what this suit is. Its label is Joseph Abboud - Nordstrom, which I've gathered on here isn't the greatest, but seems good to me, and it's like new. And it was only $9, so I figured it's worth a try.

The shoulders fit nicely, though it feels like it's maybe a little loose in the chest and waist? I'm not really sure what the fit is supposed to be like though. The arm length seems good. There's a tiny bit of bunching below the collar behind my neck.

The pants feel a little baggy around the waist and pockets, and especially the back of the thighs, although when I sit and bend my legs, my thigh does fill up all the fabric there. These are a 34, and I normally wear 32 or 33, and there is about 1 or 1.5" of looseness in the waist. I also have to pull the waist up pretty high to not have the crotch hang too low. I can tell the leg hem needs to be adjusted about 1 or 2 inches shorter too.

I included a few photos, including one without a suit to show my body type.

So, with all this, what do you think of the overall fit and look, and do you think it's worth it to have any alterations done (besides the pant length of course), or could it make do as it is? Should I keep searching for something new?

I greatly appreciate your help! Thanks.

 

[LA Guy]

Hi,

No matter what, you will need minor alterations on both the pants, which are too long, and on the jacket, the arms of which are slightly too long.

However, the jacket has some basic problems. First, it is too long for your torso, by at least 1", even by classic standards. It should, by classic proportions, reach past your bottom, but not below that, as your jacket seems to. The jacket is considerably too long for you, which is not something that an alterations tailor will be able to do much about. Also, the fit of the skirt (the bottom of the jacket) looks rather odd, as if someone closed up a vent that should have existed.

Also, this picture:

Shows that the suit was build for a man with a different shoulder and arm angle than you.

If you don't care too much, and just need a cheap suit that is presentable, you are doing very well for $9. If you want a suit that makes you look really sharp, you'd be better of starting fresh than trying to make this one fit that well.

Depends on your priorities, really.

 

[Simone1]

LA guy pretty much pointed everything out, that I wanted to write here - so instead of repeating, and I will just say: Great points!

 

[tgregory]

LA Guy, thanks for sharing your observations! I think in this case I'll try to make do with the suit jacket as is, since I just need it for one day where I'm giving a presentation, and hopefully it looks passable enough for that. I was mainly worried about it looking obviously poor-fitting in some way, where it would detract from me trying to get my presentation message across, or just seem off somehow. Definitely important that I feel confident enough while I'm up there, and not wondering if people are thinking I look goofy.

Also good to know that's not really worth it trying to make an ideal fit out of this one. I will take the pants to a tailor to shorten the hem a bit, which should be quick and cheap, but I guess I'll stop there. In addition, do you think the pants look like they're too baggy though too (especially from the rear)? Should the whole leg be taken in a little bit while I'm at it?