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Problems with getting myself a new suit.

Ranger01

New in Town
Messages
33
Location
Minnesota
Well, Ive had 2 suits so far, the first one wore out, and the new one has no pants and doesnt fit right anymore (its over 5 years old). Now, I need a new suit.
I am tired of goin to places like Mens Warehouse (my suits and tux were both from there) The Tux was just a rental that I never returned b/c it fit extremly well.. an odd thing from MW.

I am looking for a place in Mpls where i can get a vintage style suit, in my size, for less than $600 (I have very little disposible income).

My size is a problem with suits b/c the pants never fit right (and when tailored they just get worse) b/c of my rather large waist. The jackets never fit right for the same reason, and the arms are always too big and too long.

I dont remember my size exactly, but my waist is 46, inseam length is 32, my stomach is 56, chest is 46, and my neck is 18 1/2.

This is a picture of me in my suit showing the problems.
G-Man.jpg


So ya... Any help out there with finding reasonably priced tailors in minnesota who know what they are doing?
 

Ranger01

New in Town
Messages
33
Location
Minnesota
Thanks, but I still need to find a decent tailor. Oh, and the pants in that picture are Dickies, my suit pants wore out a while ago... but the dickies fit better than the suit pants did :confused: .
 

Feraud

Bartender
Messages
17,190
Location
Hardlucksville, NY
Just about any basic tailor should be able to handle the necessary alterations to make a suit fit comfortably in the sleeves and legs.
Aside from alterations are you near Marty M's location?
He has great looking men's clothing.
 
Messages
11,579
Location
Covina, Califonia 91722
Standard Suits have a standard "drop down" of Chest to Waist. I can't recall if it is 4-6-8 inches. I think it is different in Europe versus America also. Anyway the further you fall outside of the standard dropdown, the greater the problems of fit because suits are made with a specific pair of pants to a specific jacket.

Although they are not the epitome of style, department stores like Sears and J.C. Pennys will have Suit seperates, Jackets and Pants that can be paired together to make a suit. By finding the best fit Jacket you're are not tied to a specific pair of pants but can select ones that are the correct size for better fit. They will look good together as they were selected as such and look better on you because they fit properly.
 

Ranger01

New in Town
Messages
33
Location
Minnesota
I live right next to mpls, But I do not know where his store is located. Also I am on a pretty tight budget, and his suits seem like they'd b a bit more than I have to spend. But I would give it a look if I could find where he is [huh] .

John in Covina said:
Standard Suits have a standard "drop down" of Chest to Waist. I can't recall if it is 4-6-8 inches. I think it is different in Europe and America also. Anyway the further you fall outside of the standard dropdown, the greater the problems of fit because suits are made with a specific pair of pants to a specific jacket.

Although they are not the epitome of style, department stores like Sears and J.C. Pennys will have Suit seperates, Jackets and Pants that can be paired together to make a suit. By finding the best fit Jacket you're are not tied to a specific pair of pants but can select ones that are the correct size for better fit. They will look good together as they were selected as such and look better on you because they fit properly.

Thanks JIC, I have tried JC Pennys and found some good looking stuff there, but I have yet to find a proper 4 button jacket there, much less a waistcoat, but I havnt tried Sears yet. Altho I might just end up getting a 3 button jacket, pants, and order a waistcoat from somewhere else.
 

KObalto

One of the Regulars
Messages
221
Location
Baltimore, MD USA
John in Covina said:
Standard Suits have a standard "drop down" of Chest to Waist. I can't recall if it is 4-6-8 inches.
Standard drop is 6", i.e., 42 suit comes with 36" waist. There are also portly sized suits with a different drop you may want to look into. 4-button suts are a passing (passed?) fad. For a suit you can wear for years, most would recommend a 2 or 3-button suit. Syms has decent inexpensive suits in regular and portly and I much prefer them to MW.
 

Ranger01

New in Town
Messages
33
Location
Minnesota
KObalto said:
Standard drop is 6", i.e., 42 suit comes with 36" waist. There are also portly sized suits with a different drop you may want to look into. 4-button suts are a passing (passed?) fad. For a suit you can wear for years, most would recommend a 2 or 3-button suit. Syms has decent inexpensive suits in regular and portly and I much prefer them to MW.

Thanks, Syms doesn't have any stores in my area.

3 buttons are ok, but I am trying to move away from the 2 button suits, I dont much like the looks of em.

The suit I am looking for is:
Black w/ grey pinstripe 3 or 4 button suitcoat
Black waistcoat
Black w/ grey pinstripe suitpants

A basic 3 piece suit i guess.
 

Trotsky

A-List Customer
Messages
421
If you have a Belk store near you, I just purchased a $800 Suit for $100, pending hemming and the installation of brace buttons. It's a nice, Navy Blue pinstripe 2-button Hart-Shaffer-Marx that fits like it was made for me. Helluva deal.
 

Ranger01

New in Town
Messages
33
Location
Minnesota
Trotsky said:
If you have a Belk store near you, I just purchased a $800 Suit for $100, pending hemming and the installation of brace buttons. It's a nice, Navy Blue pinstripe 2-button Hart-Shaffer-Marx that fits like it was made for me. Helluva deal.

Well I tried looking, but I cant find a website for Belk (or one that has any clothing much less mens clothing). So I have no idea if there is one near me.[huh]
 

JimInSoCalif

One of the Regulars
Messages
151
Location
In the hills near UCLA.
Ranger01 said:
Thanks, Syms doesn't have any stores in my area.

3 buttons are ok, but I am trying to move away from the 2 button suits, I dont much like the looks of em.

The suit I am looking for is:
Black w/ grey pinstripe 3 or 4 button suitcoat
Black waistcoat
Black w/ grey pinstripe suitpants

A basic 3 piece suit i guess.

I would suggest that a solid gray three button with matching waistcoat would be much more useful as an only suit.

Good luck in your search, Jim.
 

Boodles

A-List Customer
Messages
425
Location
Charlotte, NC
Belk

www.belk.com

MI is way out of range for Belk which has it's origin in Charlotte, NC. Belk covers a lot of the southeast and mid-atlantic. In Charlotte I find good deals at the Northlake store.
 

Ranger01

New in Town
Messages
33
Location
Minnesota
Well, today on the way home from class I made a trip into the evil that is mens warehouse to see what they have. I found 3 suits that fit and are in my price range.
2 of them would require me buying a separate waistcoat.

Charcoal 3 button- no waistcoat
http://www.menswearhouse.com/menswe...owsePath=1408474395563407&bmUID=1210797284424

Grey Pinstripe 2 button- no waistcoat
http://www.menswearhouse.com/menswe...owsePath=1408474395563479&bmUID=1210797353151

Navy Pinstripe 2 button- with waistcoat
http://www.menswearhouse.com/menswe...owsePath=1408474395563411&bmUID=1210797897573

What do you all think.
 

Edward

Bartender
Messages
24,804
Location
London, UK
I do like number 3. FWIW, IMHO a navy, particularly with a vertical pin or chalk stripe, is much more flattering on the fuller figured gentleman than the lighter greys.

As to trousers.... if the jacket is of a sufficient quality that it will wear longer than the trousers, it is worth getting a second pair (not sure I'd extend to a third) for wearing in rotation, lest the trousers wear out before the jacket. Happened with a couple of suits of mine, one of which the jacket is still good enough that had I had a second pair of torusers it would still be a serviceable suit.
 

KObalto

One of the Regulars
Messages
221
Location
Baltimore, MD USA
I like #3

Nautica makes a decent mid-range suit and I think you'll find the quality much better than the other 2 brands. I have 2 Nautica suits that I like.
 

Ranger01

New in Town
Messages
33
Location
Minnesota
I have decided that I am gonna get Suit #3. Ill be able to get in there next on tuesday I think. Any other things I should get with it? What color belt/ shoes should I have for it? Would black work with a blue suit or do I need brown?
 

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