Buying a suit:

Author
Discussion

Gene Simmons

Original Poster:

2,654 posts

211 months

Wednesday 5th January 2011
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Hi all,
Hoping for a few words of advice. I'm attending a wedding in March. Not the whole white wedding shebang with churches and all that, but fairl formal nevertheless.
I have only really used one suit, for interviews and the like, think I picked it up in Next yrs back, and it's obviously had its day.
I am located in Brummistan, and wondered whether anyone had experience of good suit shops, either independent or a larger chain.
I am not looking to spend huge amounts, as it will get used at most, twice per year. Having said that, I obviously want to look the part. Budget I have thought would be around £200 to £300 for an occasional wear suit.


Any advice greatfully received,

thanks in advance.

shirt

22,700 posts

202 months

Wednesday 5th January 2011
quotequote all
at the moment, I'd say aquascutum outlet shop if there's one near you. they have a massive range in that price bracket dropped from £600-1200.

Gene Simmons

Original Poster:

2,654 posts

211 months

Wednesday 5th January 2011
quotequote all
Nearest one is Swindon. Not so convenient .

williamp

19,286 posts

274 months

Wednesday 5th January 2011
quotequote all
I think M&S do some very nice suits for that price range. Get a new white shirt, a nice tie and clean shoes and you'll look fine.

I know there are others who go on and on about expensive, tailored suits, but very few people can tell the difference between them just by looking. 99% of people wont care what you wear, just the fact that you've made an effort.

working class

8,860 posts

188 months

Wednesday 5th January 2011
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There is a Tailor in kings Heath his name is Ben, saville row trained, was in the evening mail a few months back.
A bloke at work who uses him all the time, I'm sure he said a suit made by him was around £400, could you stretch to that?

shirt

22,700 posts

202 months

Wednesday 5th January 2011
quotequote all
bicester village surely? an hours drive away, plus other outlets at the same place.


Mobile Chicane

20,869 posts

213 months

Wednesday 5th January 2011
quotequote all
I couldn't help noticing earlier today that Asda had some reasonable clobber for £60 that would pass cursory inspection.

With a decent shirt, tie and shoes I reckon you could get away with it.

Council Baby

19,741 posts

191 months

Wednesday 5th January 2011
quotequote all
Mobile Chicane said:
I couldn't help noticing earlier today that Asda had some reasonable clobber for £60 that would pass cursory inspection.

With a decent shirt, tie and shoes I reckon you could get away with it.
How the hell did you spot that in Waitrose wink

Gene Simmons

Original Poster:

2,654 posts

211 months

Wednesday 5th January 2011
quotequote all
Hi Shirts.

Re: Bicester village, point taken, an hour isn't too bad in the scheme of things I guess.

M&S. I often have a mosey round there, but struggle to find anything I like.

The tailor in kings Heath sounds interesting, a bespoke suit would be nice. Details if you have them would be great.

Any particular shops to avoid?

shirt

22,700 posts

202 months

Wednesday 5th January 2011
quotequote all
williamp said:
I think M&S do some very nice suits for that price range. Get a new white shirt, a nice tie and clean shoes and you'll look fine.

I know there are others who go on and on about expensive, tailored suits, but very few people can tell the difference between them just by looking. 99% of people wont care what you wear, just the fact that you've made an effort.
cut & style is subjective, fabric quality & construction are not.

Mobile Chicane

20,869 posts

213 months

Wednesday 5th January 2011
quotequote all
Council Baby said:
Mobile Chicane said:
I couldn't help noticing earlier today that Asda had some reasonable clobber for £60 that would pass cursory inspection.

With a decent shirt, tie and shoes I reckon you could get away with it.
How the hell did you spot that in Waitrose wink
I go to Asda for Relentless and Doner Kebab flavour Pot Noodle since my local Waitrose doesn't sell either.

BeeRoad

684 posts

163 months

Wednesday 5th January 2011
quotequote all
I'd give Geo Heaphys and Sons a go. They were my tailor for years when I lived in the midlands and it's a fairly short trip to either Redditch or Warwick for you. They're a proper old fashioned tailors so you'll get proper advice and service and they have plenty in your price range.

http://www.heaphys.co.uk/

working class

8,860 posts

188 months

Wednesday 5th January 2011
quotequote all
Ok I'll speak to the lad at work tomorrow and report back. I should of also saud Bicester village. I was there a week ago, some nice whistle and flutes to be had.

Sticks.

8,822 posts

252 months

Wednesday 5th January 2011
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A friend of mine is a tailor and he'd previously said to me that, from what he'd seen doing alterations, M&S or Austin Reed were pretty good. If you find an M&S one say, and it doesn't fit perfectly, you could have a local tailor alter it, but allow time for this. You'd expect to pay the best part of £1k to have one made by said tailor.


Cotty

39,679 posts

285 months

Wednesday 5th January 2011
quotequote all
Gene Simmons said:
I obviously want to look the part. Budget I have thought would be around £200 to £300 for an occasional wear suit.
Look part of what? A city wide boy in a chalk stripe suit with red braces? I think you could spend about £150 and get a nice suit off the peg.

Dark blue/charcole, three button, two piece, straight leg (no turn ups). Quality white shirt and tie are not that expensive. Plain black shoes

Gene Simmons

Original Poster:

2,654 posts

211 months

Wednesday 5th January 2011
quotequote all
Probably the part of a bloke at a wedding, as opposed to Del Boys as yet undiscovered brother.

You may be right Cotty, re the price point part of things. It's a fairly important occasion ( not the wedding per se), but early days with the new bird, and meeting many of her friends for the first time, so it's important that I feel and look smart.

Maybe time to go have a mooch round brum one day in the week, try on a few bits, and see what I like etc

_Deano

7,406 posts

254 months

Wednesday 5th January 2011
quotequote all
shirt said:
bicester village surely? an hours drive away, plus other outlets at the same place.
was there the other day - you could bag a Hugo Boss Suit for that amount, and still have change for a nice shirt.

sawman

4,927 posts

231 months

Wednesday 5th January 2011
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I needed to get a suit for a job interview a few weeks ago - I ended up in Jaeger in liverpool and got a pretty nice one for less than £300. I think there's a jaeger store in Brum, failing that there must be something in the Bullring.

WEHGuy

1,347 posts

174 months

007 VXR

64,187 posts

188 months

Thursday 6th January 2011
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shirt said:
bicester village surely? an hours drive away, plus other outlets at the same place.
This is your best bet IMHO smile