help me match my new suit

*NOTE* - this picture was taken in the dressing room before any alterations...


so i'm picking this up today after it's been altered
the black dress shoes in the picture is my only pair ... i think i want to try a "cordovan" color
and many have told me to get a different belt

without breaking the bank, can you recommend a nice belt and shoes to go with this suit?
to give you some background, i have never spent more than $160 on shoes before
and never more than $40 on belt ...
but i would be willing to spend between $200-300 for the shoes
belt ... i'd still like to stay cheap

The standard "entry level" shoe on SF is a pair of Allen Edmonds. The Park Ave. is what everyone will suggest, and they are a solid well made shoe. I suggest looking on ebay and in the FS section on here to see if deals on nice shoes can be had...I buy all of my very expensive shoes in very lightly used condition on ebay. I have a ton of Ferragamos from there that in total have cost less than one retail pair of their shoes. If you insist on new and the Parks are a touch too much, try the Johnston and Murphy Melton. J&M is not "SF approved" but they are serviceable and if you are wearing those shoes in the photo now, as your "dress shoe", J&M will be a massive step up in terms of looks. They can be had for about $160-ish

You can snag a standard leather Polo RL or comparable dress belt at Nordstrom Rack for $24.99....I saw a boat load of them there the other day. As a rule though, "going cheap" on a belt is not going to work if you mean "cheap" in terms of construction and material. You can find something inexpensive, made from leather with a simple sliver buckle pretty easily. Stay away from shiny trendy "Express" style belts, and try to match the leather look to to your shoes (which is why you should buy the shoe first).

Burn that tie as well, get a simple grenadine in navy and burgundy then build out from there. JPress has theirs on sale for $59.99 at the moment and I can tell you from owning them, they are fantastic ties. BTW rock a four in hand knot, it looks like you are doing a windsor there; windsors are a little bit "Going Gekko" or has Bond would say "the mark of a cad".

oh man... so much new information to process
the tie was just in-store one the salesperson put on me at the time...
many have told me to lose the tie and belt


bought these two pairs today

i don't think they're "SF approved" ... but i think i did alright for now

I think you did pretty well for you first nice dress shoes. Those toes are a little too squared for my taste, but they're both worlds better than those black shoes.

Hey man, nice job you did there on the shoes. Of course, I'm a sucker for details, so the brogue pattern on those wingtips makes me tell you to get them instead of the solid color. You'll get alot more compliments. The color of it is nice as well. Maybe a white/creme color shirt and an auburn color tie?

A quick question, do my eyes deceive me or is that suit navy in color? (Before I give anymore suggestion)

Hello Ed. Nice to see you.

Don't forget to relace your shoes properly. I recommend http://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/stra...peanlacing.htm

Originally Posted by Expressions Realia

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Hey man, nice job you did there on the shoes. Of course, I'm a sucker for details, so the brogue pattern on those wingtips makes me tell you to get them instead of the solid color. You'll get alot more compliments. The color of it is nice as well. Maybe a white/creme color shirt and an auburn color tie?

A quick question, do my eyes deceive me or is that suit navy in color? (Before I give anymore suggestion)
it is navy
and i think i'll keep the wingtips and exchange the other shoe for a black one

Originally Posted by VaderDave

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Hello Ed. Nice to see you.

hello dave O_O

Originally Posted by chevron

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Don't forget to relace your shoes properly. I recommend http://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/stra...peanlacing.htm

THANK YOU for the link
i always wondered about this

+1 on the shoes for a first time out.....They are slightly square but not something you will find in Aldo, which is a great step up. I would bag the plain toe blucher (open lacing) at this point and opt for a plain or cap toe black balmoral (closed lacing) in a more rounded toe than your wing tip model. They will get you more use with a suit, and for casual wear you most likely are wanting to wear derby's with jeans or chinos. A pair of desert boots should do the trick there for you.

Here is the link to the page for the JPress grenadine ties I mentioned. http://www.jpressonline.com/neckwear_solid.php?page=2

Look at the navy and burgundy colors, if you want to vary it up some, get one in grenadine and one in the silk knit square end. Personally I would say the colors on those are interchangeable but there seems to be a bit of favoritism here for grenadine in burgundy and the knits in black or blue for the most basic options in your tie collection. I have a black silk knit from JPress as well and it is great because it is about 3 inches wide as oppose to most silk knit square ends, that are two inches (my JCrew silk knit is 2 inches, but I only wear it casually with a sport coat, not with a suit) and it fits a real lapel much better than a super skinny tie, proportion is key when looking pulled together.

My best advice here is is to keep it all simple, stick to that suit with a white shirt, white pocket square, either shoe (if you do black), a belt to match the shoe, and one of the ties I mentioned above. Personally I think the brown shoes will look better with a burgundy tie and the either will do well with navy. You can rotate in a light blue dress shirt too or a white and blue striped or checked model, stay away from anything loud, french cuffed, or with a contrasting collar (remember my going Gekko comment).

What did you ask for on the alterations?

i only had the sleeves shortened, the seat of the pants let out a bit, and the legs hemmed

the legs are way too long though... i guess since the pants are much skinnier throughout, the legs bunch up at the bottom instead of getting a clean break
i guess i gotta get it hemmed again much shorter

and i should get the waist taken in, yes?

trying on some ties in my closet
yay or nay?

^ Your shirt collar is too big.

First tie is decent, second one looks like it's from the 1990s. (Geometric patterns like that look dated)

Originally Posted by jrd617

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^ Your shirt collar is too big.

First tie is decent, second one looks like it's from the 1990s. (Geometric patterns like that look dated)

it probably is from the 90's ... a hand me down from my dad that's been sitting in the closet

Originally Posted by jrd617

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^ Your shirt collar is too big.

B/c the collar points are coming off the shirt?