A confused soon-to-be-suit-wearer asks...

[Capreolus]

Morning, all.

So, after eighteen years of full-time education, I have found myself in a place I thought would never arrive: six weeks away from starting a full-time job in professional services. All too late (a couple of weeks ago) it dawned on me, "Hang on, I'm going to need some business clothes for this!"

A strange and confusing fortnight I spent looking at suits in shops, talking to tailors, asking professionals of various stripes where they buy their clothes, quizzing shops on exactly why their OTR suits start at 38" chest (and not my 36"), and so on, and it is in this state of mild bemusement and wonder that I come to you and ask:

If you were shopping anywhere in the UK, and wanted to spend about £300 on a new suit, plus or minus £100, where would you go?

Cue discussion. All serious answers are welcome, I can promise even the rankest amateur in this forum probably knows more about this than me.

Thankyou, guys, I look forward to any help and advice you can give me!

Adam

 

[singlechange]

Capreolus, You may want to check the StyleForum.net website as there are many from U.K. on this clothing forum. Very friendly and helpful too. I recall several posts there asking exactly what you are now. I think you can get some good advice if you ask your question there.

 

[WolfeMan]

Being in the states i cant offer much help, but ive recently been looking into having a suit made from an online vendor. Someone recently posted a suit from them and they seem to be in your price range, heres a link. http://www.mycustomtailor.com/
I'm sure theres other similar sites of greater or lesser quality. I'm fairly new to this as well, good luck
Wolfe

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Go to a custom tailor. Our on the provinces (i'm from the provinces, this is not an insult) custom made suits will run to about £500, depending on the tailor and the fabric. This is what I was quoted a year ago for a Harris tweed 2-piece in the small country town I come from in Scotland.

Your £500 will get you an unbelievably better suit than the £300 garbage you'll pick up OTR.

bk

 

[Edward]

If you're looking for something contemporary, I would recommend the Remus Uomo line

http://www.remusuomo.com/

Next also do some nice, very affordable suiting (or, at least, they did in 2003, when I last bought noe in there... eep, has it been that long....).

I hear good things about www.asuitthatfits.co.uk

For something more of a vintage bent, you're into paying a higher price, of course, but www.rocachas.co.uk comes highly recommended.

If you have the time and patience to hunt the charity shops, Dunn and Douglas brands I've always found great.

 

[Mid-fogey]

You'd better...

...find out what they wear in the workplace where you are going before you make any investments.

 

[Methuselah]

...find out what they wear in the workplace where you are going before you make any investments.

Sound advice. Some offices today have taken 'business casual' to new depths. Example - our company stipulates shirts should have a collar and you can't wear jeans or combat boots. Everything else goes (and that is not a good thing)

Unless your job requires a suit, you may find it more flexible to buy a few pairs of different trousers and jackets to mix and match to start with, and work up to a suit after a few pay days.

 

[Richard Warren]

I have a colleague who is size 36 who is order clothes from Paul Frederick. Undoubtedly they ship to the UK.

 

[HoundstoothLuke]

I can highly recommend a tailor in the yorkshire area, who has made 2 very nice suits for me.

However, as you are starting out in this new job, I'd suggest getting 2 suits from M&S at this moment in time. Suits from there aren't bad, and they do have some quite nice ones. While the £500 tailored suit will be of a better fit and quality, for someone starting out in their first job, 2 'alright' suits will be better to have then one excellent suit.

Get the tailored one in a year or 2.

 

[BinkieBaumont]

"I Can personally recommend these Chaps, I had a suit made by them in February and have just ordered another, Made to Measure for $240.00 (US) I just ordered a six button with high arm holes, and 5" Lapels"

They tour the world taking orders

http://www.princehenry.biz/world-tour.html

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

While the £500 tailored suit will be of a better fit and quality, for someone starting out in their first job, 2 'alright' suits will be better to have then one excellent suit.

I am not so sure about that. If the 2 suits are bad fitting and of cheaper fabrics the wearer wouldn't feel good in them.
So maybe one would connect bad feelings with wearing a suit ("I only wear it because my boss tells me to")

But I also understand that the first suit won't be to expensive.
Buying one suit of the rack and looking for second hand would be a compromise?

 

[Undertow]

Buying one suit of the rack and looking for second hand would be a compromise?

Nearly what I was thinking! I say go custom for the first, and thrift-shop for the second. You will win in both cases, as there are some real gems out there for next-to-nothing.

 

[Capreolus]

Hey, guys, thanks for all your replies. I understand what you're saying about checking out what everyone else is wearing first. Most of my days will be business casual, I only need to wear a proper suit for client meetings, special occasions etc, hence my prioritising getting one good suit over a couple of cheaper ones. It would also be nice to have said suit in time for my first day.

Thanks for the M&S recommendation, but I think pretty much all their suits start at 38" chest, which is extremely annoying for my 36" self. If I could find them in 36", I'd be more than happy to wear them.

HoundstoothLuke, who's this Yorkshire tailor? I'm in West Yorkshire right now, and any recommendations close to home would be gratefully received!

Thanks, all, any other thoughts?

Adam

 

[dhermann1]

Keep in mind that since you're only 18, you will probably outgrow the suit within 2 years. I got a very nice suit for High School graduation. By the time I was 20 it was way too small. So don't spend too much on it.

 

[VitaminG]

Keep in mind that since you're only 18, you will probably outgrow the suit within 2 years. I got a very nice suit for High School graduation. By the time I was 20 it was way too small. So don't spend too much on it.

Adam has had 18 years of full time education. So assuming he commenced around 5 or so, he'd be approaching his mid-20s now

 

[HoundstoothLuke]

HoundstoothLuke, who's this Yorkshire tailor? I'm in West Yorkshire right now, and any recommendations close to home would be gratefully received!


Adam

Until about 1 month ago, he had a shop in Sheffield. I understand he is now online and will travel around the Yorkshire area to visit clients.

www.barneygoodman.com

I had two very nice suits made up by him. One a normal, navy blue suit, the other a rather rakish houndstooth suit with peak lapels.

 

[GBR]

Marks and Spencers are your best option. The quality is consistent and has evoked praise from no less than Tom Mahon. Your comment re size 36 seems to be nonsense as they list many suits in this size on the website so they must be available in the shop if you were to ask.

You will need to go closer to 3200+ if you want trousers with two back pockets (recommended) - that is an Achilles heel with their offerings but that is within your budget.


Alternately if you are near Leeds try a small local tailor who might well make you an MTM for c£400 with your choice of cut and detailing. Look in yellow pages and get phoning to see what you can negotiate.