Suit Advice-Need a couple of new suits in the $400 range

[KayGee21]

I need probably at least 2 new suits for work, and I really don't know much in this area. I currently have a charcoal Hugo Boss and a black Zegna. What brands should I be looking at in the $400 range? Given what I already have, should I be looking for a different color (maybe blue, light gray, etc)?

What stores would you recommend I check out? I found this website suit-latest.com that has incredible prices, but I haven't found much info on them so it seems too good to be true. I also came across eHABERDASHER.com, and this one seems legit.

Size wise, I'm a 44L jacket size with a 32" waist, and have more of a slim athletic build.

Thanks for any help or direction you can give me. Like I said, I really don't know much in this regard so anything helps.

 

[ktrp]

I'll answer the easy part.

The two standard colors for suits are navy blue and charcoal grey. I would choose mid/lighter grey as a third colour after those two. Black is frowned on here (and traditionally) for a variety of reasons. I'll mention from my own experience, I owned a black suit, and it was much less versatile then you'd hope.

You don't have a navy suit, that's the obvious next choice.

 

[southbound35]

Originally Posted by KayGee21

Size wise, I'm a 44L jacket size with a 32" waist, and have more of a slim athletic build.

44L may indeed be your size, but I think there's a good chance you're buying your jackets too large. A 12" drop from chest to waist is fairly extreme, especially for someone who describes himself as having "a slim athletic build".

That said, if you have the opportunity, I would have pictures of yourself taken wearing your non-black suit (harder to see fit detail on a black suit) so those in the know here could critique the fit. Once you have an idea if you need something taken in here or let out there, you can get a better idea of what the actual dimensions of well-fitting jacket would be. Ideally, you could post pics from the front, back, and side with the jacket buttoned and wearing a dress shirt in a well-lit area.

 

[runner-guy]

Originally Posted by KayGee21

I need probably at least 2 new suits for work, and I really don't know much in this area. I currently have a charcoal Hugo Boss and a black Zegna. What brands should I be looking at in the $400 range? Given what I already have, should I be looking for a different color (maybe blue, light gray, etc)?

What stores would you recommend I check out? I found this website suit-latest.com that has incredible prices, but I haven't found much info on them so it seems too good to be true. I also came across eHABERDASHER.com, and this one seems legit.

Size wise, I'm a 44L jacket size with a 32" waist, and have more of a slim athletic build.

Thanks for any help or direction you can give me. Like I said, I really don't know much in this regard so anything helps.

For your next color, I would definitely recommend navy. A 44 jacket with a 32 inch waist is a huge drop, so make sure you know a good tailor. For that price level, you could try ehaberdasher or try Wizard of Ahhs on ebay. You could also keep your eyes open for a quality used suit in your size on ebay or on the Buying and Selling forum.

 

[dflyer7]

I started a new job in November that required suits. Indochino has been great. Good value for the money. Just invest a little bit of time to get yourself measured by a tailor. Proper fit is much more important than brand name.

 

[Beatlegeuse]

Originally Posted by southbound35

44L may indeed be your size, but I think there's a good chance you're buying your jackets too large. A 12" drop from chest to waist is fairly extreme, especially for someone who describes himself as having "a slim athletic build".

That said, if you have the opportunity, I would have pictures of yourself taken wearing your non-black suit (harder to see fit detail on a black suit) so those in the know here could critique the fit. Once you have an idea if you need something taken in here or let out there, you can get a better idea of what the actual dimensions of well-fitting jacket would be. Ideally, you could post pics from the front, back, and side with the jacket buttoned and wearing a dress shirt in a well-lit area.

+1 Make sure you have the right size before you buy any new suits. I would agree that a 44L jacket seems rather large compared to a 32" waist. Years ago I used to think I was a 44L...now that I have a better, although definitely not extensive, knowledge of proper fit, turns out I'm actually a 40L in most brands.

 

[KayGee21]

Thanks for the advice. I just went to get my other suits tailored and got the following measurements:

Chest: 43"
Shoulder-shoulder: 21"
Jacket Length: 32"
Sleeve Length: 25.5"
Waist: about 34" (I wear a 32" in my current dress pants and jeans, so that's why I went with that)

I'm also 6'2", so looking at a size chart it seams I fit in the 44L size. Would you recommend I look at another size?

 

[JL724]

They seem to catch a lot of flack on this site because of some questionable marketing but Baroni suits are a great value under $500. The quality for what you pay is tough to beat and the suits are great for everyday wear.

I have tried a couple of the MTM HK tailors over the years and have never been that impressed. Quite frankly most of the stuff that gets posted in the "critique my ____" on this site looks like it a size or two too big. You could get a better fitting garment from a department store.

Jeff (The Wizard of Aahs on ebay) sells Baroni suits for ~$280 shipped and offers great customer service. They are not Zegna or true bespoke quality suits but I think they are nicer than anything I have bought in a department store whose original sticker price was under $1,000.

As others mentioned two-button navy blue and a dark grey suits should be the first colors/style you buy.

Whatever you decide, the most important thing is to find the best tailor in your area and form a good relationship with them. A proper fitting cheap suit will look better than an expensive poor fitting suit any day.

 

[Nicola]

Originally Posted by KayGee21

Thanks for the advice. I just went to get my other suits tailored and got the following measurements:

Chest: 43"


I'm also 6'2", so looking at a size chart it seams I fit in the 44L size. Would you recommend I look at another size?

Is that you? Or was that the jacket at 43"

 

[KayGee21]

Originally Posted by Nicola

Is that you? Or was that the jacket at 43"

Yep, that's me without the jacket