How to get Suited and Booted?

TheHaskman · 2015-07-17T00:47:04+00:00

Here is a guide for buying suits: http://www.artofmanliness.com/2013/09/25/good-fitted-suit-visual/

Also, don't write like a girl. Smileys are mostly for women or for men who are texting a woman they are planning to fuck.

And you might want to post questions on r//asktrp instead of here. TRP main sub is for discussions and content, not for simple questions.

putsch80 · 2015-07-17T01:14:04+00:00

Here is my experience based on wearing a suit nearly everyday for years in a professional environment. If you're looking for a suit to go clubbing in, then what you want might be different, but most of this will still apply.

FIRST: Basic things to consider.

What color do you want? For most instances, a navy or charcoal suit will be proper, and those colors match nearly everything.
How is your build? If you are slight of frame, consider getting a slim fitting suit.
Pleats or flat front? Pleats tend to be for more professional environments; flat fronts are a little less formal, but can still be worn professionally. My favorite suit is flat front. For God's sake though, unless you are going back to 1990, don't get double pleats.
Do you want any patterns/textures on your suit? They can make it a little bit flashier, but can quickly go overboard. Subtle pinstripes can look awesome, but not everyone can pull of bold pinstripes.

SECOND: What will your use of the suit be?

If this will only be worn very occasionally, the construction of the suit won't matter quite as much, though, in general, a better constructed suit will usually offer a better fit than one of cheaper construction.
When it comes to suit construction, look for a suit that is at least half canvassed with pants that are lined to at least the knee. Canvas has nothing to do with the material on the outside of the suit; it has to do with material on the inside of the suit that holds its shape. A suit with no canvassing is called a fused suit. It is basically glued. Some fused suits are okay, but the lapels will typically start to look like shit after a couple of dry cleanings. Half canvassed suits cost more, but hold up better over the long haul (especially important if it gets worn frequently). A full canvassed suit is the best, but will cost even more. For a lot of people, half-canvassed will be okay.
Get a suit made of wool (or, if you can rock it, maybe searsucker or linen). Stay away from polyester and synthetics.

THIRD: Where to buy a suit

There are a couple of good options:

1) Department Store/Brooks Brothers/Men's Warehouse/Jos. A. Bank. These are off-the-rack ("OTR") suits. In all likelihood, you will need to get them tailored. Measurements tend to be fucked up, so don't be afraid to try on a size smaller; for example, if you get measure at a 44R, don't be afraid to try a 42R, as the fit will probably be better. You don't want baggy.

Also, beware of knockoff name brands. For example, Ralph Lauren has lots of suits at Macy's but many of them are shit. You can tell by the color of the label (I think green label are the worst, and black or purple are the best). There's lots of advice online about this; bottom line though is don't be enamored by brand names, because you're usually not getting what you pay for.
A decent department store suit will run you between $300-$700. Places like Brooks Brothers and Jos. A Bank have sales a lot. I know at Brooks Bros you can get a nice half canvassed suit (conservative cut) during their semi-annual sale in the $350 range. Jos. A Bank has a lot of shit suits, but some of their upper end stuff (5 star gold label, I think) is pretty decent with good wool and half canvas construction.
For any OTR suit, you will need to get it tailored. If you don't know a good tailor, ask around at work if you work with people who wear good looking suits. If you don't know any, look around at church. If that doesn't work, then stop a dapper gentleman on the street and inquire as to who he uses to alter his haberdashery purchases. The point is: a good tailor can make or break an OTR suit, rendering it looking cheap as shit or like a million bucks.

2) Online made to measure suit. There are now a ton of online places where you measure yourself, pick out the fabric, and they will make a suit for you and ship it to your door. I've personally used one call Black Lapel and had good luck, but there are many others. (Just search of something like "Online made to measure suit reviews"). Suits from these sites tend to be more modern cut. Nearly all are at least half canvas or full canvas construction with a decent wool. They also offer a lot of customization, such as watch pockets, pick stitching, lapel style, monograming, lining colors, custom matching vests, etc..., so it can be a fantastic way to get a suit that is exactly what you want. Pricing will be higher, usually in the $400-$800 range. The suit will only be as good as your measurements, so invest in a good tailor tape measure, and get a friend to help you. Take all measurements twice, and watch some youtube videos on how to take measurements properly. Most companies like this will also give you a credit for any minor tailoring that needs to be done.

Bottom line:

Department store - Usually cheaper, but with less options for customization and colors, and usually more conservative styles.

Online made-to-measure - Usually a bit more expensive, but with many more options to get a suit to look exactly how you look.

In both instances, tailoring (either by the company making the suit or your tailor afterwards) is going to determine how good the suit looks on you, so do your homework!

Also, don't cheap out on a nice dress shirt and shoes. A good suit will look like shit with a cheap, see-through white shirt under it and a pair of Payless loafers on your feet.

1989TaylorSwift · 2015-07-17T00:59:18+00:00

Get it fitted, nothing looks worse than a suit that doesn't fit properly it. It conveys the image that you either don't care enough to look clean and cut, or you're too poor to buy one that fits right.

0xdada · 2015-07-17T05:42:04+00:00

I am actually an expert on this topic.

The best thing you can do in terms of value for money is to get a perfect navy blazer made to measure from a good hong kong or indian bespoke tailor. Made to measure is cheaper than full bespoke with many of the benefits. It is %100 appropriate anywhere in any situation, and you can wear it with jeans, grey flannels, khakis, linen, or even bermuda shorts. It makes you look confident in interviews, and chill at weddings.

Over the years I've bought suits from paul smith, canali, brooks bros, boss, and some more niche designers, and had suits made on saville row, along with some asian tailors. You do get what you pay for at the upper end. But, if you want something that gives you an effortless quality people can't put their finger on for the price of a starter designer suit, go indian made-to-measure blazer. Best $6-800 you will spend. It's a good intro to bespoke, and you will never go back to the rack. A tailor probably makes a visit to your city a few times a year to take orders and you get them in about 6-8 weeks before the final fitting.

If you can't afford that in the short term, then get something off the clearance rack at brooks and do not wear it once until it comes back from your local tailor shop with the cuffs hemmed to the precise break, and the waist of the coat taken in for your frame.

redpillspeeddate · 2015-07-17T04:39:51+00:00

Go to indochino.com and get a bespoke one made for you, costs about $400 bucks

beachbloke · 2015-07-17T02:13:22+00:00

This should go in asktrp.

I have several suits and used to wear them daily. Purchasing a suit is a highly personal decision and who you are/what you look like changes advice dramatically.

I've had good experiences at Men's Warehouse. They acquired Joseph Abboud a few years ago and the quality has gone up. They now have a custom-tailored suit where you pick the fabrics & cut and they create it from scratch -- I recall they are around $700. I have a wool suit from that line and it is my best suit. Men's Warehouse also owns Jos. A Banks, but I have not been impressed with their suits.

That said, all of my other suits are off the rack and have served me well. I had dinner with the Toyota CCO who was recently in the news for prescription smuggling in a rack blue Calvin Klein suit and it went well.

Above all, have fun buying your suit. Its one of the nice experiences of being a man.

jeanclaudevanman · 2015-07-17T01:23:50+00:00

Ideally three suits to cover all occasions: black, navy and charcoal/gray. In a pinch, black or charcoal will cover most if not all events just fine.
Avoid the chain stores (Jos. A. Bank, Men's Warehouse, etc.) as their cuts are boxy and the fabric is low quality.
Have it tailored. Remember, not all tailors are alike. Generally speaking, price is proportional to the tailor's competence. A bespoke tailor will cost, but it will be done right.
If you wear a suit 1-2 times per year, no need to go overboard. Fit is more important than cost ($300 is not unreasonable).

TimmyAgewood · 2015-07-17T03:03:30+00:00

Ignore the brand, only ghetto losers chase name brands. Go for fit above everything else. Your first suit doesn't need to be fully bespoke, just get a suit from a shop that has a decent tailor who can make it fit you. If you're completely lost then surely you have a Brooks Bros somewhere nearby, they will do if you don't know where else to start.

Best advice I've ever gotten with respect to suit shopping: buy two pair of trousers for every jacket. They'll wear out and get soiled at least twice as fast. If you know a really high-class girl who dresses extremely well or associates with high-class guys then take her with you as a fashion consultant, otherwise trust the tailor.

After your first real suit, you might consider a trip to Asia (Thailand, Vietnam, China all good) to stock up on 3-4 fully bespoke suits and a dozen shirts. The savings will justify the trip and you'll have plenty of fun between fittings...

220090 · 2015-07-17T05:36:10+00:00

Men's wear house (if you're in USA) has great sales frequently and their staff know what they're doing.

Manmore · 2015-07-17T09:43:57+00:00

Are you only buying one? Definitely go for a really dark blue, NOT black. Black is for funerals only. If you're buying another, I'd keep it dark too.

Read the art of manliness article posted here so you know how a suit should fit, and no crappy salesman can make you buy something that doesn't fit. Everyone is different and sometimes you need to try a different suits in different stores to find a one that fits your body.

You say you hate shopping and want to do it in one hit. Are you uncomfortable spending time trying suits and maybe not finding one? Never buy something because you need it, buy it only if it truly fits. It may take some time.

drallcom3 · 2015-07-17T11:40:38+00:00

Lifting + buying tailored cloths always seems like such a wasteful and expensive thing to me.

With my current progression all my non-tailored pants and shirts aren't going to fit anymore (mainly due to shoulders and thighs). I would love to have tailored cloths, especially since I have the money now, but I'm too frugal and smart to buy cloths I only wear a few times.

CisWhiteMaelstrom · 2015-07-17T12:40:35+00:00

I used to work at a men's wearhouse. Unlike workout supplement stores, suit stores are really trying to help you find the best fitting suit for a price that works. Go to men's wearhouse and talk to their associates. They'll find you a good suit and they've got a good return policy. If you can't afford a look but really really like it, let them know. They're really good at giving discounts.

favours_of_the_moon · 2015-07-17T13:02:45+00:00

Find some thrift stores in good neighborhoods. There's usually one or two in every area where you can get good designer shit for pennies on the dollar. I can give you a list of designers if you want.

Examine the garment to make sure it's not stained or damaged. Know what fits you, but afterward get it fitted by a tailor. No bullshit, I've got Armani, Ralph Lauren, Joseph Abboud, Liz Claiborne, Banana Repugnant, all kinds of shit, nice suits and sport coat/pant combo's.

Buy every designer tie you see at a thrift, as long as it's not damaged. Build up a huge collection, you'll be able to roughly match with anything. You don't want a perfect match or you'll look like it's your only suit that your mom bought you for your cousin's wedding.

If you don't want thrifts, you can try consignment stores too, but they will be about 90-95% for women.

Anyway like I said, then take the shit to a good tailor and pay $11 or whatever it is to get it fitted to you. You'll look awesome. Get some tuxedos too. I've been finding alot of that shit the last few years, you'll need it for Freemasonry. ;)

Don't worry about necessarily finding a whole tux all at once either. Get a lot of tux parts and mix and match. For example, I have a black and white herringbone vest that I wear instead of a cummerbund. Looks classic.

For shoes, same thing. Get something designer. Frankly I like just some black shit kicker boots, they're pretty versatile, but if you're going somewhere super formal get some nice shoes.

I tend to go for more classic shit, try not to get too trendy. You want stuff that will hold up over time.

RedSovereign · 2015-07-17T13:06:13+00:00

Post questions to /r/asktrp.

DreDawgg · 2015-07-17T09:31:40+00:00

Shawl collar = pussy slayer

I like to shop at Buffalo Exchange for these. If you're diligent you can get some Vera Wang, Tom Ford type shit hella cheap.

I have mine tailored super skinny 60s style. Tight everywhere. Skinny tie. Some nice loafers. Slays.

Wingtip = business

A lot harder. I'll suggest Combatant Gentlemen.

Looser fitting.

Title	How to get Suited and Booted?
Author	davevd
Upvotes	3
Comments	27
Date	July 17, 2015 12:31 AM UTC (11 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/TheRedPill
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/TheRedPill/comments/3dkirl/how_to_get_suited_and_booted/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/TheRedPill/how-to-get-suited-and-booted.34749 https://theredarchive.com/post/34749

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