A request to any UK members: grey flannel suit...

[StanleyVanBuren]

So here is my predicament: I really want a charcoal grey flannel suit. I would especially love it if I could find a 3-piece, would love it even more if it fit right, and would be ecstatic if I found one in my price range. I plan on using it (sans waistcoat) for interviews and such, so unfortunately, vintage is out of the question.

Well, I have found one and here it is:

http://www.next.co.uk/shopping/men/tailoring/10/4

The problem is, they don't accept orders from outside the UK. This suit is perfect; I have searched for the past 2-3 months and have found nothing that even comes close here in the US at this price point -- not to mention the fact that it's near impossible to find anything in my size (36R) here in the US. Most places don't offer suits below a 38. This suit, at £185... even if it ended up costing me roughly $500 to get it to me, it would be worth it. I have another suit from Next in a 36R that I picked up on my last trip to London which fits great and I feel was a great value for money.

My first attempt was to order it from their website using my credit card and have it sent to a fellow American student friend of mine who is studying abroad in London right now. This failed; their system won't accept non-UK credit cards. Then I tried to see if any of their London stores had it in stock so he could just pick it up, but no luck there either.

Basically what I need is for someone with a real UK address and credit/debit card to order this suit from their catalog/website, have it delivered to their address, and then pack it up and send it to me here in the states. I can paypal you the entire amount (plus overestimated shipping) ahead of time and will throw in an extra £20 for your troubles so you can have a couple drinks on me.

If anyone can help me out, I would be extremely grateful.

 

[fatwoul]

Hmm this suit is interesting to me also. PM me. Might be able to help you out.

EDIT: Stan, have you also seen this one?

 

[StanleyVanBuren]

Looks like I've got a taker. Arrangements have been made and photos will be forthcoming once the suit arrives.

Any further thoughts on this suit are welcome and I'd love to hear opinions.

 

[Sefton]

I'm curious as to why you mention going "sans waistcoat" for a job interview? Does three piece= "don't call us, we'll call you" in the job world now? I've got a three piece tweed being made right now and I was thinking it would be great for interviews,but I suppose the fact that it's tweed is probably enough to kill my chances right there.

 

[StanleyVanBuren]

I'm curious as to why you mention going "sans waistcoat" for a job interview? Does three piece= "don't call us, we'll call you" in the job world now? I've got a three piece tweed being made right now and I was thinking it would be great for interviews,but I suppose the fact that it's tweed is probably enough to kill my chances right there.

Well, I'm in the legal field (graduating law school this year), which is pretty conservative. Hence the desire to have a charcoal grey suit for interviews, and likewise the intent to leave out the waistcoat. Interviews would be the only time I'd do this though, as I love the three-piece look. Basically, I want to be well-dressed for an interview, but not so much that the clothes stand out. Chances are the attorney interviewing me isn't going to be wearing a three piece suit and I don't want him focused only on the fact that I am. I don't want him thinking that I've one-upped him by doing so either.

I already don't own any dress shirts that don't have french/double cuffs, so I'll be wearing cuff links to the interview. I plan on applying for jobs with a number of firms in London where this won't really be an issue. However, I also plan on looking for jobs here in LA (as backup) where cufflinks might be considered pushing it. So to add the waistcoat on top of that would definitely be too much. The pocket square will probably sit this one out too (though luckily they do seem to be making a resurgence, so perhaps I will be able to throw that in).

I would certainly say a tweed suit would be a bad idea in my profession. But I don't know what you do and so perhaps you're ok. If you're applying to be a professor somewhere, then you'd be golden. It all depends on the profession. But either way, you want to look the part without calling attention to the clothes themselves. There will be plenty of time to raise the sartorial bar once you're hired.

 

[Tomasso]

There will be plenty of time to raise the sartorial bar once you're hired.

I agree, so I'd advise that you pick up a shirt or two with barrel cuffs and steer clear of pocket squares for interviews. And, Good Luck.

 

[StanleyVanBuren]

I agree, so I'd advise that you pick up a shirt or two with barrel cuffs and steer clear of pocket squares for interviews. And, Good Luck.

Thanks! And that's probably the right call. I wore cufflinks to my last interview and got the job, but that was just for an internship and there's no reason to chance it this time around.

As far as raising the bar once hired, well, I tried... and it doesn't seem to be having much effect:

This was in the elevator on Monday.

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

Hey, it's not contagious.

 

[Feraud]

As far as raising the bar once hired, well, I tried... and it doesn't seem to be having much effect:

This was in the elevator on Monday.

At least you got them to drink coffee. There is hope.

 

[StanleyVanBuren]

Things are improving!

Here is today:

 

[lyburnum]

Ooo, I like that suit! My fiance has the same problem with finding suits in that size. I may have to point him in Next's direction next time he's here in London - as we've been looking for a good (affordable) suit for him for about a year. The only other one's he's found are from Merc.

 

[StanleyVanBuren]

GREAT SUCCESS!

Many thanks go out to fatwoul for making the purchase possible by handling all the ordering & shipping.

Here it is:

jacket sleeve length is fine, it's the shirt that's too long.

 

[fatwoul]

Hey SVB it looks great. Didn't take too long to arrive, either.

Really glad I could help.