Rebuilding wardrobe on a budget--need advice about blazers & suits

[Broadus]

I have let my suits and blazers really deteriorate, and the quality wasn't that great to begin with, as I'm learning through searches here and on AAAC. I want to upgrade the quality, but I have to deal with a fairly restrictive budget.

Let's say I can spend about $800, and I need at minimum one classic navy blazer and two dark suits. What would you suggest? Ebay? JAB Signature suits? Anderson-Little blazer? I wear a 40R with a 34" waist, so I don't think fitting should be an issue.

Thanks for taking time to consider this.

 

[Chips]

Honestly, with that budget, you'll be best off right here on B&S when it comes to bang for the buck. It will take a bit more time though.

 

[dk_ace]

In a similar situation myself, I started doing a lot of bargain hunting. I hit the thrifts and discount stores religiously for about three weeks. I started off in quite good shape though by stumbling into a Dillards 50%+30% off clearance for suits and trousers. They had a number of Hart Schaffner Marx suits in my size for $148-250. 100% wool, made in the US, and originally retailing for $400-$800 roughly. At retail, they're not even close to worth that IMO, but they were a good deal at the prices I paid. My local Dillards still has a number of suits left at these prices so you might check one close to you.

I found a few decent deals at a Burlington Coat Factory after stopping in a few times for a handful of ties and dress shirts. I had similar luck at Nordstrom Rack.

Everything else (navy blazer, lots of handmade US and Italian ties, two pairs of trousers, two great pairs of shoes, 3 sportcoats) came from thrift stores for next to nothing. I've had no luck at thrifts for suits, but I seem to do okay on everything else there.

D