Suit sourcing choices.

[IsMaithLiomSeo]

Hello there. I am relatively new to the more classical fashion and although my family has been of great help I am a bit stuck on this topic. I am a secondary school student who is working in the summer but is saving a vast majority of his money and should only have a budget of 6-800 by the end for a suit. I have adopted the buy once buy forever concept from my parents more recently and I’m trying to apply this to buying a suit.

I have a rather cheap one that I had picked up in a charity shop and I would like to buy a nice one now but there aren’t many in that range. I’m considering buying second hand like I do with a lot of clothes but since I live in a rather rural area the options for nicer suits are almost strictly online where I wouldn’t be able to try it on beforehand. My fear is how limited my ability to alter it would be if I buy second hand online. I am going to uni so it would be a few years until I am earning properly and my options include buying a cheaper one or second hand. In the case of the cheaper one I might just alter my current cheap one. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[TheIronDandy]

First question: do you have a decent alterations tailor in your town? If so, you might be able to get them to take your measurements to help you buy things online (promising them the business to alter anything you buy, so they're helping you to bring in more business). If you know your measurements, it makes it easier to buy online. Many professional eBay resellers will put out some key measurements. Many also offer you a chance to return the goods (though you may have to cover postage).

Consider that you can usually take things in (make them smaller/tighter) a bit if you buy too large, but letting out (making it larger/fit looser) is not given, so err towards larger things.

Finally, if you're getting started with classic style, ask yourself if a suit is really the best thing to start with. Especially if you live in a more rural area, will you actually get to wear the suit that often? Despite all the advice that every "gentleman" should have a navy suit, most people rarely get a chance to wear them. You might be better off investing in a sportcoat (a separate jacket) in a more casual material, as these can be worn with other things, where as a suit should really only be worn as a whole (with the matching jacket and trousers). I get a LOT more wear out of my informal jackets than I get from my wool suits.

Sorry if I gave you more questions than answers, but getting started out and having a limited budget, deciding what you really will use is a key part. Buying for life is all fine and good, but you should primarily be buying to WEAR. A suit you keep your entire life but wear twice a year still isn't as good of an investment as the jacket you wear 3 times a week for 10 years.

 

[IsMaithLiomSeo]

First question: do you have a decent alterations tailor in your town? If so, you might be able to get them to take your measurements to help you buy things online (promising them the business to alter anything you buy, so they're helping you to bring in more business). If you know your measurements, it makes it easier to buy online. Many professional eBay resellers will put out some key measurements. Many also offer you a chance to return the goods (though you may have to cover postage).

Consider that you can usually take things in (make them smaller/tighter) a bit if you buy too large, but letting out (making it larger/fit looser) is not given, so err towards larger things.

Finally, if you're getting started with classic style, ask yourself if a suit is really the best thing to start with. Especially if you live in a more rural area, will you actually get to wear the suit that often? Despite all the advice that every "gentleman" should have a navy suit, most people rarely get a chance to wear them. You might be better off investing in a sportcoat (a separate jacket) in a more casual material, as these can be worn with other things, where as a suit should really only be worn as a whole (with the matching jacket and trousers). I get a LOT more wear out of my informal jackets than I get from my wool suits.

Sorry if I gave you more questions than answers, but getting started out and having a limited budget, deciding what you really will use is a key part. Buying for life is all fine and good, but you should primarily be buying to WEAR. A suit you keep your entire life but wear twice a year still isn't as good of an investment as the jacket you wear 3 times a week for 10 years.

Thank you for the detailed reply. In terms of a tailor I’m still searching but I don’t mind travelling for one since I will probably be going to areas with good tailors anyway. In regards to the measurements I know that I will need to get measured but I will wait till I both slim down slightly to my preferred size again which won’t take long and when I find said tailor.

I can find some with varying measurements, my issue is more seeing a lot of people who seem to advise against it but I never fully understood why. So I would prefer to gain more of an understanding of why before I would buy it.

I should have mentioned that the budget is designated to the suit not for all clothing. I take a lot of advice in places such as this with a pinch of salt so although I have seen the same idea of buying a suit immediately, I am building on a casual base and I am buying the suit at a later point anyway but sorting the preparations now so that it’s out of the way. It’s also always nice for events and such.

Just to add to the previous point I am very lucky to live in an area rich in the tradition of classical casual clothing such as tweed and knitwear. I’m still learning about it and I’m building up my casual warsrobe.

Again, thank you.