The $200 Chino Suit, For My Stingy Groomsmen

[Hot_Soup]

My fiance and I are getting married on the waterfront in Brooklyn this July, so I want a natty suit for my groomsmen. I was thinking an affordable chino or khaki suit would do well, especially since my friends, much as I love them, are not the dandy I am, and asking them to buy seersucker duds they'll never wear again seems like a bit much. I'm trying my hardest not to go over 200 bucks because I don't want to break the bank for these guys, who don't really wear suits, let alone summer suits. They've been happy to indulge me on these grounds. I got pretty damn close at J. Crew. I'm a big fan of this set, but it's $370, almost double the budget. Then I found this blazer, which would go well with their essential chinos. It's only $207 for the combo, only problem is, for whatever asinine reason, the jacket comes in a different color (dessert khaki) than the pants (khaki or British khaki). I haven't seen them first hand, but it seems like a subtle difference, though those are usually the most obvious, right? Any advice? Is this O.K.? What would you do? I've tried all the usual suspects--H&M, Uniqlo, Zara, TopShop, Club Monaco, Gap, etc. Does anybody know where to go that I've overlooked? Someone suggested cheap duds at LL Bean, that could then be radically tailored, but that might be too much work. I'd wait, but I want to pick these out now because I'm hoping to get a matching tux made--same chino, navy silk shawl collar and button. (Speaking of, anyone know of an affordable tailor in NYC?) ------ UPDATE: Wow. Thanks for all the great advice so far, keep it coming, fellas. First off, allow me to set the records straight--I'm the groomzilla, not my wonderful fiance. It was my idea to have everyone in matching suits in part because I knew a guy who did the same thing at his spring wedding, putting everyone in chocolate suits from the Men's Wearhouse, and they all looked killer. I checked with my guys to make sure this was O.K. and they all assented, and I agree with one poster, they'll now have nice chino separates to wear for a while. Which is why I am trying to avoid seersucker, though the Joe Banks stuff looks great, and I might have to pick one of those up for myself now in pink--I've always wanted a pink seersucker suit. What about those Haspel suits from e-suit? To echo another commenter, anyone ever had one, or one similar? Thoughts on poplin, especially something that's 45 percent polyester? The idea is not to swelter and not too have that gross sheen.

 

[viator]

Originally Posted by Hot_Soup

I'd wait, but I want to pick these out now because I'm hoping to get a matching tux made--same chino, navy silk shawl collar and button. (Speaking of, anyone know of an affordable tailor in NYC?)

As to the suits, I thought LL Bean made a chino suit, but I don't see it on the website now.

 

[paco_deluca]

..

 

[bleachboy]

It's $398, but I have this BrooksCool Fitzgerals suit and I love it. Great suit for summer. I had to size up one.

 

[Montrachet]

You're going to have a tux made of chino? What the what?

 

[ter1413]

Originally Posted by Montrachet

You're going to have a tux made of chino? What the what?

^^^

how about:
http://www.josbank.com/menswear/shop...1_10050_100128

i know it's 'sucker..but the price is right...

 

[Viral]

look into house brands at some of the finer stores. I have Bloomingdale's house brand chino suit which fits great and looks killer........best cheap suit I've ever owned!

 

[ktrp]

Sounds like a casual wedding, by traditional definitions.

Traditionally, groomsmen (and groom) would not be dressed identically, just at a matching level of formality.

If I were doing it over again, I'd have all of them wear suits, and I'd wear a suit as well. Our suits should not match. If someone doesn't own a suit, you could help them out, but frankly its a good deal for them. They'd spend over 150 to rent a tux, so putting that towards a suit if they don't own one is a good move.

I'd buy each groomsman a wedding tie as a gift. Not matching ties, each gets a different model.

You'd all look pretty damn good, imho, and NOT costumey at all.

 

[CYstyle]

Originally Posted by ktrp

Sounds like a casual wedding, by traditional definitions.

Traditionally, groomsmen (and groom) would not be dressed identically, just at a matching level of formality.

If I were doing it over again, I'd have all of them wear suits, and I'd wear a suit as well. Our suits should not match. If someone doesn't own a suit, you could help them out, but frankly its a good deal for them. They'd spend over 150 to rent a tux, so putting that towards a suit if they don't own one is a good move.

I'd buy each groomsman a wedding tie as a gift. Not matching ties, each gets a different model.

You'd all look pretty damn good, imho, and NOT costumey at all.

This is good advice. People have driven themselves insane trying to outfit their entire wedding party, esp if you got groomsmen and what not in different states and or countries. then when you got most of your party in to a suit, there's some straggler that is too buff, too fat, too skiinny, too tall, too short, or some sort of wierd combo which causes that person not to be able to fit into any OTR sizes.
Unless your fiance really wants matching wedding parties, stop sweating the small details and look at the larger picture. You're getting married, the center of attention at the wedding is you and your bride, the people at your wedding are the rest of your family and friends they should be there to support and be happy for you, not ocding about some minor detail.

 

[Ianiceman]

I think it's been debated on here before but I personally think it's a gyp that a groom expects his groomsmen to pay for their own tuxes, chino suits or whatever. I was best man for my brother and not only did he pay for all tuxes (rentals, urgh) he followed the tradition of buying the groomsmen a gift, in this case nice silver cufflnks.

 

[JakeLA]

July is the hottest month of the year in NYC. People are going to be miserable enough at your wedding. Don't make them wear suits. In fact, if you want them to really like you, don't have a wedding at all, get married at the courthouse, and throw a big party later. At night. Think of all the booze you can buy if you're not buying your friends cheap suits that they'll never wear again.

 

[Bounder]

I don't know if you have a BB outlet store near you but they often have 346 cotton suits at around your price range. The BB 346 stuff isn't great, but it is as good as or better than most of the other places you've looked.

 

[TimelesStyle]

Originally Posted by Ianiceman

I think it's been debated on here before but I personally think it's a gyp that a groom expects his groomsmen to pay for their own tuxes, chino suits or whatever. I was best man for my brother and not only did he pay for all tuxes (rentals, urgh) he followed the tradition of buying the groomsmen a gift, in this case nice silver cufflnks.

I agree 100% on rental tuxes, about 50% on purchased tuxes but not at all on something like a chino suit. In this day and age, even if you don't wear suits, you'll get a lot of use out of both pieces by breaking it up as an odd jacket and pants.

 

[mktitsworth]

Originally Posted by JakeLA

July is the hottest month of the year in NYC. People are going to be miserable enough at your wedding. Don't make them wear suits. In fact, if you want them to really like you, don't have a wedding at all, get married at the courthouse, and throw a big party later. At night. Think of all the booze you can buy if you're not buying your friends cheap suits that they'll never wear again.

The problem with this one is that no one has a wedding because they themselves want to have a wedding. They have a wedding because everyone else wants them to have a wedding. If you're lucky enough to have good friends and family who do not wish to curse you with this maddening burden, you truly have found people who love you. If you don't care and can stand the complete ostracization of everyone you know, then perhaps you can truly stand as an island. However, if you're among those where the social pressures require that you go through with the charade, then it is your right, nay, your duty to make those bastards suffer just as much as you have.

 

[TimelesStyle]

Originally Posted by Hot_Soup

I got pretty damn close at J. Crew. I'm a big fan of this set, but it's $370, almost double the budget. Then I found this blazer, which would go well with their essential chinos. It's only $207 for the combo, only problem is, for whatever asinine reason, the jacket comes in a different color (dessert khaki) than the pants (khaki or British khaki). I haven't seen them first hand, but it seems like a subtle difference, though those are usually the most obvious, right?


I received an email from J. Crew (not sure if it was targeted) that you can get 20% off and free shipping on your first order for opening a J. Crew credit card now through 3/13. That brings the suits down to $298 each, so if you were willing to, say, kick in $98 for each of the guys then you're within your price range.