Ralph Lauren Suit Question

I have chanced across some luck and have been offered a RL item at 50% off. As I am looking for a new slim-fitting suit, I figured that would be the best bang for the buck.

To those of you who know the RL line well, what is the best suit they make (reasonable price - $2000 or less at retail)? Is Black or Purple Label better quality / better fit? I at least want to have an idea of what I'm going for when I go to the store. I am thin and am looking for a two-button that is slim with not-too-wide lapels.

Any help/guidance is appreciated.

Order of Suiting goods for RL as I understand it and IMHO:

Purple Label - St. Andrews Made
Old Polo Blue Label - made in USA , just incredible stuff full canvassed
and wonderful materials. I like these and thought these were better made then any suit I have owned and hang better than any Oxxford I have owned.
Black Label - The new canvassed line not the old
Blue Label Signature - I think they are made by Canali and they
are incredible
Purple Label - Canterelli Made
Polo Blue - Italian Made I think by Corneliani but some say Canali
Old Black Label
Ralph Lauren
Chaps
Polo University

Ralph Lauren has a number of different lines.

The top line is Purple Label - lovely slim fit (too slim for some) and great construction by St Andrews. I like a slim suit, and to me RLPL fits true-to-size (I take a 38S). Very expensive, but can be found on good discount.

Polo (Blue Label) can be subdivided into several subsidiary lines. Some are Made in Italy and excellent quality, but all other Polo lines are also very decent. Be warned, some models fit much slimmer than others. But on the classic Polo II model, for example, I have to go from a 38S to a 36S to achieve the fit I want. Worth the money if you get one that fits you well. Again, often found heavily discounted.

Black Label is a more fashion-oriented version of Blue Label. I forget the exact construction details - I seem to recall some debate on this. I find it's slim-fitting but not as much as RLPL. It's fairly true to size, but a 37S is a better fit than a 38S on me. I like Black Label in terms of fit, but as yet have still to find a suit or jacket I really wanted.

Any other lines you may find (Lauren, Polo University, Chaps, etc, etc are either poor construction, licensed or old defunct lines... or a combination of the above)

edit - I see it took me too long to type my reply, and I've been beaten to the punch. Ah well, at least our replies aren't contradictory!

Good answers so far. I can't rely on discounting though - I need to get this item soon if I want 50% off of retail.

How far down that list of labels do I need to go to hit something at $2000 at full retail? Thanks

I can't speak for sure for USA prices, but I'd guess you're into Polo/Blue Label territory there. Probably the classic Polo lines. A good suit that won't let you down.

I recommend purple label or black label. The thing is, a purple label suit retails for 4000 dollars, while black label retails for 1700.

If your a older gentlemen and is looking for a business suit then I recommend purple label. If your younger and in very good shape and looking for more of a "fun" suit I recommend black label.

One thought: Half off the retail price of most RL suits isn't really that great a bargain. Polo blue label suits, for example, can be had for far less -- frequently for $400 or thereabouts. Purple Label would still be pricey even reduced to $2,000. If your discount can be applied to sale items, I'd definitely try to go that route. Otherwise, you might consider the $995 made in England shoes. They're by Edward Green (if you didn't know that already), and represent a good deal at half off.

I'd take the shoe too

I tried on one of the "new" canvassed Black Label suits today at my local Polo store and it was stunning. If you are tall and thin like me the fit is amazing. I've tried on Purple Label in the past and personally find Black Label much slimmer.

I tried on some of last year's Black Label suits at Saks and didn't think they were nearly as nice. Unfortunately 1700 is a little out of my price range now but Polo's summer sale should coincide nicely with next year's bonus (if the markets don't wipe it out completely).

The Saks in my city just received the Fall 2007 Blue Label Suits. They start at $1295 and look great. If you are interested I can give you a fill description of the various models. Also, for Fall 2007, they have updated the fit on Blue Label Suits. It's a bit trimmer.

The new black label suits do fit amazingly, i really love the low button stance of the jacket combined with the incredible high arm holes and waist suppression. I think at 800 dollars or so, 50% off, its a good buy, because the kind of people that can wear this kind of suit will not find the same fit with your normal traditional canvas players (canali, correnanli etc... )

RL purple label suits are incredible, the best price I have ever seen one for at a store was about $2700. The black label suits are nice but a totally different cut from the purple label or even the blue label.

$2000 will by you a Black Label or a really good Blue Label suit. My Black Label was $1695 (or was it $1595) retail and I got a further 30-40% off. I'm very happpy with it, though if I waited a bit could've gotten it for much less.

Originally Posted by Jodum5

Click to expand...

I'm very happpy with it, though if I waited a bit could've gotten it for much less.

This is always the trade-off with RL. His stuff, even the top-end, goes on extreme discount at the end of seasons to clear stock. It's always a matter of deciding when to step in and buy to avoid the disappointment of an item selling out in your size. If you're lucky and have a strong nerve, you can score some amazing deals.

How can I tell if something is "Blue Label"? I only see Purple and Black on their site. Plus the person I know who works there has never heard of Blue Label (she works in shoes though). Does it say Blue Label on the tag?