July 27, 2005
Ask DCist: Suits to Suit You
I'm making the switch from a business casual job to a job where I'll need to wear a suit every... single... day. I'm going to make an initial investment on about three suits (conservative type), and am willing to travel (I am vehicularly enabled) to search out the best deal. Unfortunately, I'm on a budget. Should I go the Men's Wearhouse route, or are there outlets in the greater DC area that are worth checking out?
Ahh, the suit dilemma. Personally, in D.C., we don't know how you guys do it. We're wearing the lightest skirts and tank tops we can get away with (that are still conservative enough not to get sent an email about improper dressing) and we're roasting every day. The thought of wearing a suit on a 100+ degree day just about kills us. But D.C. is D.C., and suits are a necessary part of the job. So, onwards!
The first thing to remember is that cheap suits are gonna look cheap. Do yourself a favor -- look at the suit as investment. It should last you a good, long while. If you can only afford two good suits instead of three not-so-good suits, just buy the two. And if you can only afford one good suit, spend the extra money on shirts and ties to change it up. DCist recommends T.M. Lewin, a British shirt-maker, for high-quality shirts and ties -- and conveniently enough, they're having a 1/2-price sale right now.
Secondly, we wholeheartedly recommend Leesburg Outlets. It's a bit of a drive, but if you can make it out there, you can find outlets for Brooks Brothers, Burberrys, Barneys, and more. Our poll of suit-savvy DCists shows that Brooks Brothers is up there for good-quality suits that won't totally break the bank -- $300-$400. Nordstrom's is also a popular suggestion, and their anniversary sale is currently going on.
A couple of extra tips -- August is a good suit sales month, so keep your eyes peeled. If you're into the online shopping, keep checking fatwallet.com and other discount forums for good deals. And if you do end up buying a suit off the rack, it's likely to need some good tailoring, so factor that into the equation -- tailors can take at least two weeks to get a suit right. We don't have any recommendation for tailors off the top of our heads... but maybe that's a question for another Ask DCist.
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I've often had good luck at Syms, I know they have stores in Rockville & Falls Church. They're an outlet type of place, and you can find some good suits there if you don't mind spending a little time searching.
man, that targeted ad works pretty well.
The thing about Brooks Brothers is that you will look frumpy in just about anything you get there. You can do better, though it takes some looking (a BB suit is the Safe Bet, in that it will not surprise anyone, but it will also not get you a date with that hottie in the next cube). I got my suit at Zara in Georgetown, and it's traditional enough to wear to the Hill and stylish enough that I'm not embarassed on the way. You can also try Banana Republic.
Tips to remember:
- Ask if they do alterations; if not, budget an extra $150 or so to get them.
- Shiney = cheap = BAD.
- Suits should be black, grey, or dark grey. Navy if you must, brown if you have money to burn, and please put that pastel down NOW.
- Do you have a belt? Does it compliment the suit? Does it match your shoes, which also compliment your suit?
I have found good suits at Burlington Coat Factory Outlet at Potomac Mills. They have lots of ok suits, so it takes some digging to find the good suit. The last one I bought there is a navy pinstripe and it landed me my current girlfriend and lots of "nice suit" compliments.
First two suits to buy should be a dark gray and a navy. Both are very interchangable with different ties, shirts, belts, and shoes. Plus can be dressed up for interviews and down for happy hour. A good suit shouldn't be the one that sits in your closet most of the year.
Wow Catherine -- you know your menswear. Nice work. Michael from AOL
trust me, i don't actually. most of this is culled from the brilliant hivemind of the DCist staff email list.
Jos. A Banks is good too. Their styles are conservative but the suits are good quality, better in fact that Brooks Brothers in my experience. They also have terrific sales in August.
It's worth looking at the suit label to see about the material used and where the suit is made. (American made suits, if you can find any, are actually quite good because it means that the company is willing to pay for skilled work.)
Hickey Freeman makes good suits although they're expensive. But if you can find them on sale...
I haven't worn a suit in years. (And I'm only 31!) And never for a job. Ahh.. the beauty of working in the creative professions!
But when I bought that one suit, oh so many years ago. I bought it at Lord & Taylor -- in Detroit. I wanted a three-button and you couldn't find a three button in DC in 1998. Unless it was a Hugo Boss, who also makes wonderful and -- still -- very expensive suits. It was beyond my budget then. My brother who works at Bloomies in Chicago wears the same D&G black suit every day. It's wonderfully made. But probably beyond the limits of fashionphobic DC.
Syms in Rockville has a huge selection and they are name brand. I think I bought a RL suit for less than $200.00.
As far as alterations and tailoring are concerned, Christopher Kim's on M Street is a great place: they do quality work, they are prompt, and their prices are most reasonable.
If going out to Leesburg Outlets, one of the best prices I've seen for suits is at the Calvin Klein store there. Great looking suits for one hell of a price.
Nordstrom does free tailoring for suits, and carries a pretty good range of odd sizes (for those of us whose measurements don't end up in the even numbers).
Jos. A. Banks is the best place for someone on a limited budget. Their suits are high quality and well priced. Also it is possible to buy additional matching pants for your suit enabling you to wear it longer.
Bear in mind that many of the chains (Brooks Brothers, I'm looking at you) do not sell the same products at their outlet stores and their regular stores. The outlets sell clothes specifically made for the outlet stores (read: "cheap"). As with most things in life, you get what you pay for.
The Nordstrom Day After X-Mas sale rocks for suits. I'm not sure if the summer sale is the same.
C'mon you boogereaters...it's Jos. A. BANK--not Banks.
Try the Frederick Suit Factory. They manufacture Nordstrom label suits and have their own shop selling the same high quality suits sans label. They offer suits for $200-$300 made with super 110 wool, etc. It's kind of a grab bag but, if you're a standard size (40R -- jackpot) there will be 100+ to choose from.
http://www.fredericksuitfactory.com/
Highcliffe Clothiers on 29th street (between L and M) does a great job of tailoring. I've had suits done there before
Also, the Potomac Mills outlet is a great place ... I got a great suit at the Saks outlet there. It was a $1,000 suit I got for about $300.
Am also looking for a good tailor, the fine folks on the 9:30 forum came up with Field English Custom Tailors in Georgetown awhile back. Anyone had experience with these folks?
SYMS is the way to go. Aside from having a wide range of reasonable suits, they also have a great staff, and an on-site tailor. Plus, many great (and fashionable) shirts and ties for around $20-30.
While I'm going to recommend K&G (at Bailey's Crossroads, only open Fri-Sun, last I checked) as a place for (mostly) good deals, I'm also going to throw a word of caution on the discount route - as CatherineA said, a cheap suit will look like a cheap suit. Spend the money on a quality suit that is adjusted to fit you, and you will not regret it. In DC, particularly, it's worth paying attention to the fabric and making sure that you've got summer and winter weight suits.
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And the black, grey, and dark grey advice up there? Gah. That's why everyone on K Street looks the same. Fuck that. This town needs more seersucker.
I've bought numerous shirts and ties from TM Lewin in London. Some notes:
1) They often run out of common styles by the end of the month
2) The stitching on their clothing is low quality - the tags holding together the back of the ties often falls apart
3) They have British-style collars which many Americans may not feel comfortable wearing
I swear by Nordstrom even though it's a little pricier. Nordstrom's service is great and they have an excellent suggestion. Also, if you need a suit in a hurry, they are often willing to work with you to get it altered within a couple of days (MANY PEOPLE DO NOT REALIZE THAT MEN'S SUITS NEARLY ALWAYS REQUIRE ALTERATION TO FIT PERFECTLY).
Their alteration work is second to none!
First of all, pet peeve alert (and I don't mean to be a bitch): It's "Nordstrom", NOT "Nordstrom's." (BTW, It's not Barnes and Noble's either). Thanks.
OK: SYMS. It's on Rt. 7 at 7 Corners. I ususally pay $475 (400 plus 75 tailoring) for Armani, Donna Karan, Burberry, Valentino, etc. If you are not a 39R or 40R, you are more likely to get a wider selection of Italian suits.
I'll put another good vote in for Nordstrom. Good selection, fair (but not great) price, fantastic service, and terrific on-site alterations.
While the selection is a little smaller and quality more of a mix at Syms, it's also worth checking out. If you find a suit you like there the price will be phenomenal, and they also do on-site tailoring.
What about a slim-cut, modern European suit for a shorter, narrow guy? I'm 5'7", soccer build for a 36S in the off-the-rack styles. Most suits are too boxy for me. Any suggestions?