Help me find the cheapest "beater" suit possible?

[epic raccoon]

Originally Posted by Cavalier

Thrift Store...

Go to a few, and you'll find which has nice suits. Don't be discouraged if you go to a few stores and not find crap. Keep it up and I guarantee after going to a handful or two you'll find what you want for $10-25. Possibly even multiple suits. I found one that only had 30-40 suits, at least 10 of which are Brooks Brothers and up.

I've been visiting five or six thrift stores in my area regularly. It's tough to find anything in 38 S, and when I do happen across a suit in the right size, it's either some funky pattern, has huge lapels, or the sleeves are too short and there is no fabric left. I've been perusing thrift stores for a few months now, and finding anything close to my size (38 S, 29/30 pants, 8-9 wide or extra wide shoes) is rare.

Originally Posted by kuwisdelu

Some of H&M suits are wool, some are not. Just look more carefully. Try Target.

Does Target carry solid navy suits? Last time I checked they had various grays and patterns, but no solid navy. I'd be willing to go for a solid charcoal, but I would prefer navy.

And how much do said H&M wool suits cost? I know the cheaper ones were around $70 for the jacket and $30-40 for the trousers.

 

[epic raccoon]

Originally Posted by Big Punisher

I was in your boat a couple weeks ago. same suit size too. Try Target, and definetely avoid Jos A. Bank, and Men's Wearhouse for that matter.

I understand Men's Wearhouse is absolutely horrid, but is Jos. A Bank really that bad? Cheap suits, sure, but last time I checked, their list of sartorial travesties wasn't as long as MW's. I was always under the impression that as long as one knows exactly what he wants in terms of fit and whatnot, JAB was fine. Plus their price point is perfect for me.

 

[Grainraiser]

This is my first post and your question caught my eye. I'm not sure where your located but I would suggest to check to see if you have a Burlington Coat Factory nearby. I needed a Interview suit quickly and was able to find a navy blue Emanuel Unagro for $109. They have a decent selection and the price was certainly right. Give them a look and see what you come up with.

 

[kuwisdelu]

Originally Posted by epic raccoon

Does Target carry solid navy suits? Last time I checked they had various grays and patterns, but no solid navy. I'd be willing to go for a solid charcoal, but I would prefer navy.
It's been a while since I've checked personally, but they do have solid "gray/blue" and "charcoal/navy" on their website. I can't attest to how blue/navy these are.

And how much do said H&M wool suits cost? I know the cheaper ones were around $70 for the jacket and $30-40 for the trousers.

All I have from them is a navy cotton suit I got for the summer for a little less than that price. I may check by there later this week and I'll see if they have any wool suits for the fall, but I'm honestly not sure.

Originally Posted by epic raccoon

I understand Men's Wearhouse is absolutely horrid, but is Jos. A Bank really that bad? Cheap suits, sure, but last time I checked, their list of sartorial travesties wasn't as long as MW's. I was always under the impression that as long as one knows exactly what he wants in terms of fit and whatnot, JAB was fine. Plus their price point is perfect for me.
I'm not sure about this. Personally, I actually prefer Men's Warehouse over J.A.B. for direct price-to-price point comparisons, just because Men's Warehouse carried my size (35-36S) when I started out there, while Jos A. Bank stops at 38S except for its separates. Jos. A. Bank does carry higher-quality suits at its higher price points, but you can most definitely find much better deals at other sales elsewhere or on B&S or eBay for similar price points. For both places' lower ends, I wouldn't say one is any better than the other. Personally, in my pre-SF days when I went to them, I had better service with Men's Warehouse, and the local tailor there did better alterations. Ultimately, I'd say it depends on your local locations and the service/alteration quality there. Either way, except for the very biggest sales, I'd definitely suggest alternatives like B&S or Wizard of Ahhhs on ebay for a similar price-point over either.

 

[origenesprit]

Also Club Monaco.

 

[ekinwang]

Another vote here for the B&S. I have only been on this forum for a shortwhile, but have made 2 purchases in the past 2 weeks. There is a wide selection of items available, and the price points are better than all but the rare closeout sales most of us will never have time to hunt.

Also, the forum members here are great and very helpful with any and all questions.

 

[57JoeFoMoPar]

Burlington Coat Factory. Seriously. Their inventory rotates, so it's not a sure shot that they'll have something you're interested in, but it's certainly worth a shot. I grabbed a Giorgio Andreani suit for $169 and was very impressed by the quality of the material. Their Joseph Abboud suits are also great looking if you don't mind a wool blend. I scored a beater Joseph Abboud suit that was a black pinstripe 3 button, double vented with a neat purple paisley lining for $115. Both suits look dynamite without breaking the bank.

 

[epic raccoon]

Originally Posted by Grainraiser

This is my first post and your question caught my eye. I'm not sure where your located but I would suggest to check to see if you have a Burlington Coat Factory nearby. I needed a Interview suit quickly and was able to find a navy blue Emanuel Unagro for $109. They have a decent selection and the price was certainly right. Give them a look and see what you come up with.

Originally Posted by 57JoeFoMoPar

Burlington Coat Factory. Seriously. Their inventory rotates, so it's not a sure shot that they'll have something you're interested in, but it's certainly worth a shot. I grabbed a Giorgio Andreani suit for $169 and was very impressed by the quality of the material. Their Joseph Abboud suits are also great looking if you don't mind a wool blend. I scored a beater Joseph Abboud suit that was a black pinstripe 3 button, double vented with a neat purple paisley lining for $115. Both suits look dynamite without breaking the bank.

There's actually a Burlington Coat Factory in my town; I'll give them a look. The past few times I went however, I wasn't particularly impressed with their selection in my size.

Originally Posted by origenesprit

Also Club Monaco.

All I've ever seen at Club Monaco is overpriced mall merchandise. Perhaps I should give them a closer look?

Anyways, thanks very much everybody for your suggestions. I will definitely hang here at SF more often (I used to frequent AAAC more) and I'll make sure to check out the B&S forum.

Thanks again!

 

[SFEND002]

Originally Posted by epic raccoon

I understand Men's Wearhouse is absolutely horrid, but is Jos. A Bank really that bad? Cheap suits, sure, but last time I checked, their list of sartorial travesties wasn't as long as MW's. I was always under the impression that as long as one knows exactly what he wants in terms of fit and whatnot, JAB was fine. Plus their price point is perfect for me.


Of course JAB is fine. Their suits are great and will wear for years, mine do. Here is the thing about this forum, there are some here who spend a great deal of money on the nicest things and as a result have experience with nicer quality.

Then there are some who are full of **** and pretend to be elitist fashion snobs. I make a good living but would feel out of place in $5000 suits in my field (Law). As a result I wear $500-$700 suits. I wear JAB suits and Johnston and Murphy shoes. The stuff works and lasts for years. I wear my clothes and work hard. I don't but them to hang in a closet or sit on a shelf to post pics on the internet.

 

[Rolex Luthor]

Check out suit separates at Land's End. I got their catalog last week and their suits I think are made from Super 90s wool, which should be durable enough to be nearly flame-marsupialant. Pretty inexpensive, too, with total cost somewhere around $250-300.