Suit Shopping

I started thinking about buying my first suit a few months ago. I have a conference to attend in Saskatoon this February and the dress code is business casual. Although this three-day event is the instigator in this, I’ve never owned a suit before and, well, might as well buy one now (as opposed to renting or borrowing). And might as well buy a nice one.
There are a couple factors I’m taking into consideration:

I would like to be able to wear the jacket on semi-formal occasions, or such as going to a nice dinner or a nice bar, and thus possibly wear it with pants or even jeans
Conservative enough I can wear it to most occasions (weddings, funerals, conferences) but also enough style that it’s not boring and reflects my personality a bit
As I understand it, go 100% wool, none of them technical or man-made fabrics
Don’t cheap out (which I strongly believe in, though at this point I can’t afford a couple months rent on a suit, but am willing to spend some relativley big dollars

I also need to buy: a belt, shirt, tie and shoes (no, I’m not going to wear the shoes pictured). Oh, and these pictures (shot by the g-friend) are of two suits from one store we visited, Hughes I think it was called, which was sale-priced and good service; British Importers was expensive and had somewhat curt and rude service; finally, Outlooks had expensive but nice suits and great service with in-house tailors checking out everything I tried on.
And I am still considering a used suit…we found an interesting store in Oak Bay, but need to find more outlets. Either way, a purchase is eminent in the next couple weeks.

Posted

January 29, 2005

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Jeff Werner

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Goods and Services

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One response to “Suit Shopping”

Dave

February 12, 2005

You look sharp Jeff, but you also look very formal. This always happens when a guy wears a jacket and pants which are the same color. There is nothing wrong with being formal, but it can look a bit much for us youngings. Mixing stuff up with a blazer usually works better, it looks younger and allows you to express yourself more freely with color.
If the conference you are attending is looking for business casual all they expect are slacks, a dress shirt and a tie. I worry that you may be over dressed if you arrive in a full blown suit.
It is easy to soften things up, go with the black jacket and use it as a blazer. To do that, you just need your pants to be a different color. With a black jacket, your pants can be almost any color, just not navy blue. Then, because you are no longer wearing black pants your shirt could have some color. Just use your artistic skills to pick a combo of pant color and shirt color that works; or ask the sales dude. Next, look at your pant color, look at your shirt color and find a tie with these colors in it, as for design slanted diagonals are in currently. Slap that around your neck, and you’re ready to go.
Also in case you haven’t been told, make sure you get pants with no pleats, and no cuffs. Those are for old people. Also good job on the jacket, young skinny guys always wear single breasted jackets (like the one you are wearing). But, when you are trying them on also see how they look un-done. I don’t think I have ever done my blazer up. Un-done looks younger, freer.. more artisticy. Lastly I really recommend you go black on your first purchase, whether it be a blazer or entire suit, black is simply the most versatile color.
Don’t get me wrong here, you look great in the pictures (though, I prefer the one on the right). I just think you will get more use from your purchase going with the above.
Well, that’s my two cents
Dave.

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Suit Shopping

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One response to “Suit Shopping”

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