Graduating - Need Help!

[TJhambone09]

Hi all,

I'm graduating college in about a week and I start a new job at a CPA firm in a little less than a month. There is no "dress code," although generally we wear suits, because we could have to run to a client at any time. Accordingly, I need to build up a better wardrobe.

My sizes are: 18.5/36 shirt, 44 regular jacket, 38/32 pants. I have one Roberto Villini black suit that I bought for interviews. As the busy season is coming up, I need some pieces that are going to be comfortable to be in for 10-12 hours a day. I also tend to prefer thinner shirts because I get hot easily.

I'm looking to spend around $300 per suit and I would like them to last three to four years (if this is unrealistic, let me know, as I'm new to this!). I just need something to get me started while I have limited funds and other things to worry about. I'd like to get three or four depending on the price.

I would also like to pick up about 10 shirts, and I'd like to stay around $30 per shirt. Again, I'd prefer thin and comfortable, point collar. I don't really care about the cuff. A cotton blend would be nice to help with the wrinkles.

I have been searching on this and other forums for a few weeks, and the only answers that I've found basically say to go for the $100 shirts and $1000 suits. If that is the truth, fine, but I can't tell if these recommendations fit well for my situation and context, which is why I'm asking on my own. I have a bunch of department stores at my disposal, and I have plenty of time left to go online to buy. Please help!

Thanks,
TJ

 

[oroy38]

What's your total budget? If you're just starting out, you really only need 2 suits: Solid Navy and Charcoal/Medium Grey. As far as shirts go, you could even get away with 5-7 shirts.

By reducing the number of things you "need" you can afford to spend more on each and get quality items, and you certainly don't want to skimp out on footwear.

Given what i've just said, adapt your total budget and set aside a hefty chunk for a set of black captoe balmorals (AE Park Avenue is a good place to start).

 

[TJhambone09]

Thanks for the reply. I'd say my budget is around $1,200 - $1,500, but the cheaper the better. I'm not going to be buying any shoes, I already have a few pairs and I'm not about to destroy a pair of expensive shoes when winter has just begun (I'm from Syracuse NY - enough said about winter). When the summer rolls around, I'll look for new shoes.

You might be right about the suits; however, I will definitely need more than 5-7 shirts. I will be working 6 days a week, 10-12 hours a day, and studying for the CPA exam on top of it all. Hence, less time for laundry. I'd rather wear a cheaper clean shirt than an expensive dirty one.

After poking around a bit more, I found some encouraging reviews for the Jos A Bank Signature line of suits...nowhere near great, but will work fine for everyday wear around an office and will last a few years with care. Any thoughts?

 

[mensimageconsultant]

The Signature Gold line is better than Signature. You might be able to find a better deal online for that than you could in a store. Also, you should soon retire the black suit from business usage, and you probably should budget a few hundred dollars for tailoring (unless you buy those items in a menswear store). Pure cotton will keep you more comfortable than a blend; "wrinkle-resistant" cotton is close enough to pure, and the better an item fits, the less it will wrinkle. What else would you like to know?

 

[viator]

Originally Posted by TJhambone09

You might be right about the suits; however, I will definitely need more than 5-7 shirts. I will be working 6 days a week, 10-12 hours a day, and studying for the CPA exam on top of it all. Hence, less time for laundry. I'd rather wear a cheaper clean shirt than an expensive dirty one.
At the sale price, I find Tyrwhitt shirts to be a good value.