Hey Guys,
One piece of advice i see come up again and again is to have at least one good suit that you can pull out for when it really counts. I have outgrown all my suits from ASOS so am in the market for a new one but does anyone have any advice for how to get good value suits better than the cheap online stores?
Thanks and have a great day :)
Yea, I can't buy clothes online, things just don't feel right when I put it on. Bit short, or bit too long, etc… I've wasted more money buying online clothes than I've saved I reckon.
ah asking about good value… yeh then wait for mid-year stocktake sales…
Check this guide out.
http://www.reddit.com/r/malefashionadvice/comments/1j442s/su…
Try Peter jackson's suits.
http://www.peterjacksons.com/
Try Peter jackson's suits.
Sorry, couldn't help but picture big suits for scruffy large kiwi film directors…
ozsale sometimes has good suit ranges, asos I've heard good things about their suits so why not give them another try?
Yes ASOS has done me fine for the past three years but just revisiting my assumptions before continuing :)
Thailand
Yeah, I do this.. I love the free holiday that comes with it.
You can shake it up with a trip to Vietnam every other trip. Just requires a bit more research to find a tailor that's worth using. (Yaly in Hoi An for example)
Just throwing the idea out there… Try the Op-Shops or clothing recyclers… Last time I visited Melbourne, what I saved on 2 suits in excellent condition was more than the cost of the trip itself…
Buy multiple matching pants as they usually wear much faster than the jacket itself.
I normally go through two to four pairs on pants before the jacket itself is in need to retirement.
Buying matching pants at a later time can be difficult if not impossible.
Make sure the shoulder its well, cheap suits are often very poor in this area and make you look like a hobo.
What actually makes a suit good?
I was overseas and saw pants and jacket on sale at h&m and fitted me well, but I was convinced, given it was under $200 and it was h&m it was probably crap quality. But what's the difference between a $2000 Hugo boss (for example) and a $300 Peter Jackson's?
$1500 of that is probably the name.
That said you are paying extra for better quality fabric, better stitching, a more well fitting suit (one that doesn't hang like a sack that seems to be all the rage with guests at weddings) and a nicer cut.
like adz81, Op Shops is where i found my first good suit. I bought a blazer from there at the same time. Its a matter of having a good op shop in a good suburb. I've since bought 3 suits from overseas, one for ~$150 from Japan, 2 from India (punjab) for ~$200 each. Its been a long wait between weddings/interviews/funerals though, so i'll never have to buy one again. The indian ones are excellent.
Check out this sale - double check they are the wool suits though (some are poly blend)
http://www.ozsale.com.au/ItemsList.aspx?cid=10&saleID=VUtGAQ…
Very good prices if you have a "standard" body shape. I am fairly skinny and found the jacket too big, yet the pants too small and paid extra to have it tailored to fit (I prefer the jacket quite slim fitting). VERY happy with the result overall.
I've literally just bought 2 more of the same ones so I have a spare pair of trousers, but bought the size up this time so the pants will fit me. If anyone is interested in 2 size 38 jackets (no pants) brand new, send me a private message. One is a darker charcoal, the other a lighter grey. They should be delivered about the 2nd. I'm in Sydney (Inner West).
Otherwise, keep an eye on the newspapers for when there is a tailor in town - normally staying at a nice hotel like Hilton/Sofitel etc and they size you, go back to Asia or India, make it up, bring it back for a fitting, then fly them back again to be adjusted before posting it back to you. Not uber cheap, but still good price and better than paying $3k for bespoke here.
I've seen few ads about Tailors visiting to Sydney from Hongkong & Singapore. They take your measurements in Sydney most of the times in an hotel suite. Show you the fabric & send the delivery in few weeks time. I haven't bought like that but heard some good reviews. I normally get them made when I'm overseas with min 2 trousers per suit.
Probably Triads and your suit will weigh approx 8 kilos and be delivered by the feds.
TM Lewin have a decent clearance section that is always worth monitoring. They will also hem your trousers for free afterwards.
Any recommendations for the best place to buy a decent wool suit? (aussie, i don't want to hear "thailand"!)
I check MJ Bale, TM Lewin, Van Heusen etc, wondering if I missed any obvious ones? Just got a suit from VH with the $30 off code, $169 delivered! Majority cotton, no wool here though. although it is beige, it won't be a work suit often!
MJ Bale is a decent choice. Only other ones that spring to mind are Charles Tyrwhitt & Rhodes & Beckett. Although I have never owned an RB suit but they're shirts are excellent.
Doesnt matter what brand, just make sure the suit fits 100% perfect and it will look like a million bucks.
Go get what you can for 200-300, spend 100-150 to get it tailored, and it will look like youre wearing a $1000 suit.
Exactly. People get too hung up on brand and made in XXX. The real trick is always fitting. If the fit is correct, it doesn't really matter where you get it from.
Of course durability is an issue, but if what you get is cheap and not durable, doesn't really mean its not good value. The upside is if its cheap enough, is you get options to update your wardrobe more frequently.
I dont see how you can get good value suits better than ASOS. In terms of value for money, that is probably the best one. Suits from B&M shops here is Oz are way too expensive. Yes you get quality and something that last longer, but with ASOS, they are cheap enough you can buy a new one every 1-2 year and get up-to-date fashion and still break even compared to an expensive suit with the same design for a decade.
Also, if you get accidents like wine spills or tears, there's less drama. ASOS with their free return and pick up services really is unbeatable nowadays.
Guess the only problem is that you cant try it on, even if you know your size, some brands cut it differently. E.G country road suits have a regular cut, whereas MJ Bale has a more slim modern cut.
Tried on a country road blazer, the shoulders fit well, sleeves where like elephant legs!
I usually wait for the half yearly sales at David Jones, when you can get good brand name / quality suits at 40-50% off.
I picked up a Studio Italia suit before Christmas that was marked as clearance and further reduced - ended up paying $220 where RRP is usually $499.
Sometimes it's luck as well that they have stuff in your size.
Buying suits online is a bit of hit and miss. I've bought some from The Men's Shop in the past but it's hard to get a good fit and sometimes it looks nice in the picture but the cut doesn't flatter your shape. Much better to try and buy in store hence the above.