I'm now in a point in my career that clothing will be playing more and more of a role. I'm wondering if anyone out there can advise me and or point me to some forums or websites that might educated me on the subject.

I'm wondering what makes a power suit and what price range?

What am I paying for and how can I spot it? I'd like to be able to someday be able to pick apart men's business apparel like I can automobiles ( I've had a head start with automobiles as I took an interest back in 1977). Anyhow, I hear that one area of decernable quality is in the stitching - but what am I looking for in the stitching?

What brands represent a good value?

Should I throw away my $300 Men's Warehouse suits? Or are they acceptable as part of an overall wardrobe?

Shoes - what brands are high quality? How much should I be paying? I've heard that it is worth buying $300+ pairs of shoes as they are reputed to last much longer than lesser shoes. Any thoughts?

Where are the best places to purchase from? (l live in Los Angeles btw)

Allen Edmund shoes rock.

Appropriate clothing depends of course on who you are dealing with and for what purpose. You said power suit so I'm assuming you have to look "professional" all or most of the time. Its too bad that business casual has eroded away what little sense of style and decorum America may have once had, and that the popular notion is that only "queer eyes" can dress a straight guy.

When you shop for a suit, threadcount or weight is more important than stitching, but you might mean the same thing. Wool suits, for example, might come in a 120, 140, 160 or 180 count. This is how many stitches there are in a foot of fabric, the higher the denser, the longer lasting, and the more expensive. Cotton and linen have their own counts, but you should wear wool suits unless you live in the tropics.

You should also consider your body style. Thin, athletic, bulky, tall or short everyone can look awesome in the right suit. I am a big dude, I wear a 52 size suit with a 38" waist. I like Brooks Brothers and Jhane Bharnes. Their cuts are American; generous but with a sillouette, with "true" sizing. I love Ferre, Zegna and Canali, but don't mix with the cuts. The legs of the pants are very slim fitting and the jacket sizes are really a few inches smaller (Euro), so it doesn't work for me. Think about your body style and how you want to look, think about people you look up to or admire and look at how they put it together, and you can start shopping. Also, a tailor can "take out" a jacket and make it a size larger, or expand the shoulders a bit but you might loose some integrity in the stitching. When I find a deal on a 48 or 50, I do this, but its a sacrifice and gets expensive.

Now, blues, blacks and greys tend to be "professional". Browns are great but unless you're the CEO, the mailrom guy at the x-mas party, or a proffesor its best to avoid. Avoid all earth tones in a suit intended for professional use. I like pin stripes, especially thick, "chalk" stripes, or solid and understated tones. If you need to look good or impress people, always go for understated with quality construction. Think about your MB's interior. Compare it to a Pontiac. You want to look like the MB, not the Pontiac. Some people say things are changing and you can wear an olive suit. BS. You can wear an earth tone shirt with an olive tie, but only if you can tie it into a professional suit, like with stripes or something.

Shop around. Try on lots of things and don't buy anything. See what fits you. Check for deals at discount places like Marshall's or TJ Maxx, sometimes they get racks of BOSS or Joseph Abboud suits and sell them for around $300. Stick with the tried and true suit and you can have fun with shirts, ties or cuff-links if you like a french cuff. Check out Bluefly.com for good deals on designer clothing, it rocks. 90 day money back guarrantee. Also, check out discount shoe places like DSW or whatever else is around you.

Always check good outlet stores. In Kansas City, there's a Brooks Brother's outlet. Same as the regular store, even in season. Suits are $80. You never know what you'll find. Also, if someone says they have a Hickey Freeman suit in your size in the trunk of their car, buy it. Stuff falls off trucks.

I'm pretty into clothing and used to work for Clavin Klein when I was younger and dapper. Sorry to blab but I couldn't believe the post when I saw it and had to take the opportunity. Good luck and post your findings.

First, get yourself a gay guy.

Don't get your first suit at Men's Warehouse or any other "discount" place. You may love the way you look but you may look a little goofy. You want to buy your first suit at a place which has its own inhouse tailor.

Classic is best, so go with a two or three button single breasted. Try to avoid excessively long, peaked, notched, large, lapels. These can be repressed to become slightly shorter or longer if you wish, but that's all that can be done. The proportions have to be correct. Fit is the single most important thing in a suit. Here are some things I look for when I go suit shopping.

1) The jacket should be cut to properly frame your head. If you have a narrower head, a wide shouldered jacket won't do. Same goes for a wider head.

2) The length should divide in half the distance from the collar seam to the floor. Too long and the jacket makes you look short, too short and it makes you look too tall. Do not use the old "I can brush the bottom of the suit with the palm of my hand" technique. It's rough at best. Arm length varies from person to person. If you're Asian like me, with slightly shorter legs than the average white guy, the coat should be shorter.

3) The sleeves should show between 1/4" and 1/2" of shirt cuff. This acts like trim on a fine wood floor. There's no exception to the rule, even if Giorgio Armani developed a trend to wear your sleeves long in the 80's. They should taper according to the cut of the jacket and not flap around at the wrist. Too much flap and you look fat, too little and you look like a beanstalk.

4) The collar should also show a little shirt, between 1/4" and 1/2". The nape should be almost free of extra material. Many discount suit stores do not offer this alteration as it involves taking apart the suit shoulders.

5) Buttons should be good quality, not plastic if possible. The point at which you button your suit determines the perceived proportion of the suit. It's a focal point. It should be placed to preserve the proportions between your torso and legs. Too high and it makes your torso look short, too low and it makes you look sloppy. Sometimes the suit buttons and buttonholes don't match up. This is common in many men when their shoulders aren't of the correct height. I have a 2mm separation in my right shoulder so this makes it impossible for a suit jacket to sit straight on me. This is easily fixed by repositioning the button and altering the padding in the shoulders.

6) Trousers are normally pleated these days. Do not cuff non-pleated trousers. If you're slim enough to wear unpleated pants like those Prada boys then you'd probably look good in anything. The amount of "break" at the bottom of your trousers is mostly a matter of personal preference and determines the length of your trousers. Most people choose a medium break. However, bear in mind that you do not want to show any skin when sitting, so make sure your trousers are long enough. Once again, too flappy makes you look heavier than your actual weight.

Then there's ties, tie knots, shirts, accessories, etc.

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You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman

If you're slim enough to wear unpleated pants like those Prada boys then you'd probably look good in anything...

Well said Kuan.

Your post said everything mine didn't and then some.

You need a "guy."

We have a local men's store that stocks high-end men's wear and I have a "guy" that looks after me. He can reach into the long racks of suits and find one that fits me and is in my price range.

Buy classic cuts and change your shirts and ties to update your look.

Buy expensive shoes. They are worth it. My size 7 EEE fits Cole Hahn really well. Find ones that fit well and look great.

Don't wear a tie tack.

Buy good socks as they show when you sit. If your leg shows when you cross your leg, your socks are too short.

NEVER wear a short sleeved dress shirt. If you're hot, doff your jacket and roll up the sleeves. Then you can roll them down and don the jacket when required.

Always unbutton your jacket when you sit.

Spend some time tying your tie. Make a nice knot with a proper dimple.

Ties should be silk and well made ones fall much better.

If you need a used wardrobe, let me know. I have a closet full of Hugo Boss, etc. that I haven't worn for nearly five years. (43 jacket 30 pant...)

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John Shellenberg
1998 C230 "Black Betty" 240K

http://img31.exs.cx/img31/4050/tophat6.gif

Gawd...this stuff intimidates me to no end. I spend most of my days in thrift store Carhartts or Levis, but I desperately need to purchase some low-to-medium 'power' suits for legislative and Seattle-type meetings and presentations.

My problem is compounded by a perpetual state of arrested development with regard to style and fashion. I still think the power suits of the late '50's and early '60's are stylish, and can't quite accept pleated pants and shallow vee jackets.

When I read your posted suggestions for mens suis my eyes glaze over, just like those posts regarding which oil is best--too much information. I think my deficit of comprehension is gonna be hard to overcome.

So, are you suggesting that I have the suit custom-made in house? How much does this cost? I've been procrastinating this sort of thing for far too long...arghh, I hate this stuff, but I gotta do it...

The first thing you need to know is that the mark ups on Menswear are very high. I know for a fact that if you pay $150 for a tie the store bought it for less than $10. Suits not so much, but still big. I always wait for sales. I have bought 3 Canali suits and 1 Brioni for less than half price when the stores clear out for this years models. A $2,000 suit is fantastic, but its better when you only pay $800-$900 for it. I'll go with the guys on the shoes, Allen Edmonds are the best shoe you can buy. I doubt you'll get a pair for half price unless you find a wharehouse sale or something, but I still won't buy unless there is a 25% off sale.

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Jason Priest
1999 E430
1995 E420 - retired
1986 420SEL - retired

No, but you can get a very good fit with good tailoring. Yeah, you also need a "guy." My guy is an old Jewish fella named Morrie who looks after me very well. He's about 80 years old so he's seen fashion trends come and go. He knows what's classic and what's a fad. Find a men's store which has been in business for about 50 years. Talk with a few of the older guys who walk around with tape hanging around their necks. When it comes time for alterations, try to remember some of the advice on proportion.

Once you're real confident you can start shopping at Saks' off 5th outlets stores. Can't resist those 1/2 price Armani suits

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You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman

Thanks guys! I really apprecate your detailed replies. I'll have to do some major research. As far as a "guy" or a "gay guy" - I'll have to do some work there too. Luckily I've live in West Hollywood and there is no shortage of "gay guys" (extrodinarily well dressed!) here. There are some really high end clothing stores here. But I just want to make sure that what I'm paying for is worth the price and not just about preceived status.

Just checked out bluefly.com - are there MSRPs for real? Seems too discounted to be true (despite comments made about markups) and how can I tell if I'm getting the genuine article?

Also, I am a 40s - I'm assuming it's a bad idea to try and take a 40r and alter it to a 40s?

And are there any brands to avoid?

Yes, it's a bad idea to try and make a regular into a short. I don't know about bluefly.com but MSRP's can range from $300-4000. But nobody pays MSRP for suits anyway. Most "regular" stores price them at 25% off retail.

Some stores offer semi-custom tailored suits at very affordable prices. They often have package deals where you get two suits, four shirts, two ties, or something like that for $700. These suits come in panel form, just like the Brionis you see at Saks and Neiman Marcus, but without the name brand. The choice of material determines what you pay for your suit. These days I don't think they offer 80's anymore even. If you choose to go this route, make sure they open up the buttonholes on your sleeve. Wear one open to show people that you have a custom suit.

Edit: Since you're a 40S, I'd recommend against big patterns. And I don't like the idea of wearing the same color tie as your shirt.

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You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman

Just a FYI: If you're in NY for any reason (or Washington DC or New Haven or Boston) check out the local J. Press. Very much old school. Very well-made and they have good tailors and a classic american cut. Decent prices. Much better value here in NY than Brooks Bros.

Alden shoes as well as Allen Edmonds. Figure out whose last(s) fit you better.

If you don't fit a standard pattern for shirts, you might be better off getting the shirts custom made (even if you don't do that for the suits). Go to someone who makes YOUR paper pattern and who has the sewing done on the premises.

Here in NY, I like Seewalt & Bauman. You call them up, they come to your hotel room or office or apartment and do the measuring. You have a couple of fittings and choose the fabrics and you get a dozen shirts. I found the price well-worth it. They will replace collars and cuffs of their own shirts (will save some of the fabric from the bolt of a pattern you choose if you don't want white replacements) for a modest fee and you get waaaaaay more wear out of each shirt if it fits properly anyhow. You can also then just call them up every so often and they'll make up another dozen shirts for you. So, you could see them on a visit to NY and then have them send you news shirts regularly to LA. Very nice people there and they've been around for ages.

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Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell. -- Edward Abbey

1984 300SD: Hilda the veggie vundercar

VERY wise advice from all here!

I too have had to "mothball" my suits since the era of the casual days, but I try not to look too "casual" by sticking to at least, "Dockers", nice shoes, shirt and a jacket.

But in your case, if your budget precludes you from spending a king's ransom on business wear, the MOST important thing you can do for yourself is to be "groomed".

That is, shirts starched and pressed, suits cleaned and pressed regularly, and shoes kept polished and free of dirt (like your Benz ).

Most of my suit-wearing days hailed from when I was in my 20's, and my modest income did not allow me to sport a 2-weeks supply of Florsheims, Hugo Boss, and silk ties...but I made do with budget, off-the-rack items, but kept them meticulous (harder to do since the materials were not like the better-quality brands). Still, I was often mistaken for one of the executive-level associates (even by them!) simply because I looked the part...having a frame that accommodated "euro-cut" styles didn't hurt much either ).

Even today, I keep my casual wear just as meticulous, and those in my office that are not affiliated with my project STILL believe I am a high-roller in the company!

You are what you project...

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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car

Everyone's input has been so helpful!

Has anyone heard of Tom James? I came across there website while doing a search on google under "super 180" - There "ready made" suits seem to be quite reasonalbe. I honestly don't feel as if I can swing the price of a custom made suit just now. Maybe an inbetween solution would be to buy a ready made suit from someone like this?

http://www.tomjamesco.com/readymade/suits/menu.asp

I've checked out the Allen Edmonds & Aldens - nice looking/high quality shoes but a bit conservative for me. Are there any other shoes that are of superior quality yet a bit more interesting style wise? I am a creative professional so I feel I'm afforded more "expression" apprearence wise (that's been my experiece).

I have two suits from Tom James, both ready made, and I am extremely pleased with them. Got them when I lived in Memphis and they came complete with a 'guy' (straight, but good dressing eyes) who came to my office to measure me up and deliver.

Also have a bunch of Tom James shirts, which I had custom made to my long arm body.

This reminds me, now that I've moved, I need to find the local Tom James office so I can get me another 'guy'.