Buying a suit...

[Table 5]

Very few people can pull off a white suit. You either need to have a license to kill, or have launched a chicken franchise.

[automaton 3]

Some really good advice here.

My 2 bits - from what you've said about your size you might be in the 50T range??? You may find that many of the stores mentioned here will have very limited selection in your size (in particular the shirt since you are wearing XXL - you might be up into a 19 or 20). Moore's and Tip Top will have a few. The big and tall stores may have more selection. I haven't seen George Richards mentioned yet but they are also a good choice.

Don't be tempted to bring a girl with you simply for advice. Men's fashion and women's fashion are very different. You are generally far better off asking the salesperson.

Buy navy or dark grey, single breasted, notch lapel and preferably 2 button. Functional and timeless. Stick to light blue, grey or white for the shirt.

The label on the suit is far less important that the fabric. Make sure to buy 100% wool. I've personally had good luck with Super 100s and Super 120s. Even a simple gabardine looks good and lasts well.

As others have said, invest in some tailoring. The only caution being if you are currently slimmer and may put on a few pounds, careful not to take in a suit in too much as sometimes the fabric is trimmed and it can't be let back out very much.

Good luck!

[peter12]

You guys are just dying for my input.

Everything decent has been already said. Stay away from big name brands like Boss. Cheap quality, over-manufactured and over-priced.

No black. Keep it simple. Navy or grey suit. Blue shirt. Blue grenadine tie.

If you want to spend around $1000, Samuelsohn (Canadian) is your best bet. Full canvas, good wools, and good craftmanship. I have a suit, and two sports coats from Samuelsohn, and I love them.

Big lad like yourself should tend towards something more relaxed, do not attempt slim fit at all. Get trousers that sit higher, rather than lower. Consider braces or suspenders. They allow for a looser fit around your middle, and won't emphasize your stomach. Similarly, tapered trousers will emphasize your stomach.

Pay attention to fit over price and construction. You want function,but you want to look decent. Why spend $500 to look like someone who spent $500? Get that sucker to a tailor, and drop another $100 on getting those sleeve lengths adjusted etc...

Also, for buying options, here is your best suit for around $500.

http://us.suitsupply.com/en_CA/suits...pring%2FSummer

[Oil Stain]

Originally Posted by squiggs96

The Search function is your friend. http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=109817

From my perspective, I think the company and the quality are both terrible. The owners are young and arrogant, and have caused many staff members to leave. They did hire an interim CFO who has helped settle down the team and they recently hired a Sr. Manager from Deloitte.

How do you think Indochino compares to buying directly from a Bangkok tailor with a good reputation/good reviews?

Bangkok seems cheaper. I've been happy with my purchases from there, but I'm also no fashionista.

[stang]

Does Charcoal count as black?

[corporatejay]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Next time you're on vacation in the States, hit up a Saks Off 5th outlet. Really solid quality men's wear (they have a nice house brand, as well as lots of other higher end names) at a really great price. You'll often see $800-1000 suits going for 300 bucks or so. Get one of those, get it tailored, and you're set.

The same outlets might also have a Hugo Boss store, which while it may not be as higher end of a brand as it used to be, I think are a good choice. That's where I bought my wedding tux and shoes, and they are were quite nice.

I dislike outlet suit shopping. Moore's quality for more money because you get a fancy label.

[pylon]

I'm gonna get flamed for this, but go to Sears, and find a Boulevard Club suit on clearance. They are usually $175-250, and apparently come out of the same factory as Alfred Sung suits, which are mediocre, but decent quality. They are Sears's higher quality house brand suit.

If you buy a cheap mass produced suit, you can make it look 1000 X better if you get it properly tailored, for 50 or 60 bucks. I typically buy them a full size too big, and take them to the tailor I have been using the last few years. For $60, she will do the pants and jacket to a near bespoke fit.

[squiggs96]

Originally Posted by Oil Stain

How do you think Indochino compares to buying directly from a Bangkok tailor with a good reputation/good reviews?

Bangkok seems cheaper. I've been happy with my purchases from there, but I'm also no fashionista.

I wouldn't do either. I prefer to go into a store and have it taken care of there. If I have problems, I know where to go to get them sorted out. I find the online/traveling tailors are way more interested in profit and showing you how many suits you can get for under $1,000. A few of them have even been on Groupon. Some of these have gone very poorly, and went bankrupt without delivering the suits. When I buy a suit I want it to fit perfectly. I don't want to do all of my measurements and then have to go get it tailored to fit, because I measured wrong or someone in Bangkok didn't read my writing correctly. Once a suit is delivered to me, it better be perfect, or close to. Many, many of the online suits are far from acceptable by the time you get them in your hands.

The only traveling tailor I have seen that I like is Jonathan Quearney, but he has stopped doing as many trips to Canada. I stopped by his store while I was in London and liked a lot of things.

[Regular_John]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Very few people can pull off a white suit. You either need to have a license to kill, or have launched a chicken franchise.

This reminds me of the single worse suit fitting suit I've ever seen. A teenage guy, probably 16-17, and ginger as they come, red hair, big red freckles all over his face/neck... in a stark white suit. The white suit contrast with his complexion so much that it made his entire head look like a big red tomato.

He looked so bad that it went well past the point of "man that guy looks like a tool" and straight to "I want to find whoever sold him that suit and smack them upside the head".

[Northendzone]

My partner and I wear nothing but pastel suits and we tool around the Miami-dade area in a convertible Ferrari as we meet with business associates........

We never, ever wear earth tones!!!

[Frequitude]

Originally Posted by stang

Does Charcoal count as black?

better. Don't get black. Go with navy or a darker grey as Peter suggested.

[peter12]

do me a favour and take an additional $250 and visit www.meermin.es and get a pair of decent shoes. Nothing worse than bad shoes with a suit.

[taco.vidal]

You make a good point about the shoes but the dude likely isn't going to buy $250 shoes to go with his $300 suit.

Originally Posted by peter12

do me a favour and take an additional $250 and visit www.meermin.es and get a pair of decent shoes. Nothing worse than bad shoes with a suit.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by peter12

do me a favour and take an additional $250 and visit www.meermin.es and get a pair of decent shoes. Nothing worse than bad shoes with a suit.

Did you even read his post?

[Flames89]

Originally Posted by corporatejay

I dislike outlet suit shopping. Moore's quality for more money because you get a fancy label.

Completely disagree.
High quality for Moore's prices because you have to drive to low-rent countryside, be in a warehouse, and get Moore's level service.

[corporatejay]

Originally Posted by Flames89

Completely disagree.
High quality for Moore's prices because you have to drive to low-rent countryside, be in a warehouse, and get Moore's level service.

It depends on what you are buying. Banana Republic, Hugo Boss, Brooks Brother "outlets" are actually Factory Stores. They sell similar cuts and styles manufactured in third world countries with lesser quality materials.

There used to be a time where outlets were just the refuge of the out of date styles or overstock merchandise. They are now big business and allow companies to capitalize off of people thinking they are getting a great deal.

[bubbsy]

lots of good suggestions here.

I still can't believe you haven't needed a suit before this!

[Hack&Lube]

You might get lucky and find a name brand suit that fits at Winners for very cheap. They usually have the larger sizes because nobody wants them.

[stang]

Thanks everyone for the advice!!

[peter12]

Originally Posted by flameswin

Did you even read his post?

Nope.