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Tom's Journal about Shaving and other good stuff
- Thread starter Sskim3
- Start date
Nice welcome back to the world of normal people Tom.
Cvargo said:
So here are some options. I would recommend. I'll start by saying stick with charcoal. It's universal and goes everywhere. Do not get black. BLACK is only for funerals... medium or light gray can be your 2nd or 3rd suit. Do not get a pattern like stripes and checked - you need the workhorse suit before you venture into this sartorial wonderland.
First, the underrated JC Penney Stafford Executive line suit. Depending on the sale, you can snag a suit for 100 to 150. All wool. Decent cut. Best bang for the dollar. I own one and wore it at my buddy's wedding as a groomsmen. A little bit of tailoring in the sleeves and pant leg and I looked like I was wearing something significantly nicer. They offer a regular and a tailored. Please go with the tailored cut. No one wants to look like they are swimming. And a slimmer cut makes you look better. One thing to note, the hardest part to tailor is the shoulder. So make sure the shoulders fit nicely. No shoulder divots.
The second option is buying a suit second hand - eBay, other clothing forums, grailed. May sound weird but hear me out. We buy decades old razors of all kinds. Buy the right suit and you will stay in style for years. Best part - you will save a bunch. You can get a $800-1500 suit for the $150 budget as long as you know what you are looking for. Brands like Hickey Freeman, Denali, Zegna, Brooks Brothers all fall into the range. Best of all for second hand suits? Most folks only wear suits once in awhile so the wear and tear will be minimal most of the time.
A step up from JC Penney would be the J Crew Factory Thompson suit. Slightly better quality compared to the Stafford. And has a slimmer profile.
If you want to go the budget to $250-300 which isn't for everyone, then the Canadian company Spier and Mackay would be my next recommendation. One of the better bang for the dollar suit.
One last note, make sure whatever suit you buy, you invest in some nice shoes as well. Think of it like this: you don't buy a Timeless razor and put in a crappy blade. Allen Edmonds 2nds store at shoebank.com is a great site and great for sales on holiday weekends. Just make sure you get some balmorals vs Oxford. I can break down this for you as well.
Like the shoes, shirts and ties are important. Do not go French cuffs. It's not practical. And the tie should be equal or similar width to your suits lapel to make sure the proportions are normal.
Hope this helps. Let me know if you want more details.
Sskim3 said:
WOW that is a LOT of information. I'll be honest if the price was right I wouldn't be opposed to getting a used suit, but honestly I have NO IDEA what to look for, where to look, etc.
I was leaning towards a darker gray suit. The hard part is I have no clue what my size is or would even be, so I am going to have to get some measurements. I am planning on getting new shoes, shirt (1-2), and potentially a tie. Have you tried one of those companies online where they "custom fit" it to you based off your measurements? Any reputable ones out there?
My last two suits are Joseph Abboud purchased from Men's Warehouse. They have been tailored before. I took them back in the other day and was basically told they can't bring them in anymore without ruining the shape. Is there a market for them? Could I potentially sell them? Because like you mentioned above I have not really worn them overly much. Maybe each suit about 20-30 times.
Is the JcPenny suits come with tailoring or would I need to find a tailor? I want it to fit appropriately!
As to shoes this is probably bad to admit but I usually only get my dress shoes from a store like Kohl's.
The reason I am keeping my budget somewhat low on the suit is because I do plan on losing about 30 to 40 more pounds. At that point I will up my budget for a nicer suit. This one needs to serve its purpose for an event second week of May where I accept an award at the Knights of Columbus State Convention.
Cvargo said:
Stick with the darker gray suit. Regarding your measurements, you can do this yourself with the help of the wife OR just go to the tailor and get measured. Places like Brooks Brothers and Men's Warehouse can do this for you as well.
You are looking for the following: Shoulder, Neck, Chest, Waist, Sleeve, Length from the bottom of the collar. Companies use sizes like 40R, 42R, etc. So some brands are slimmer and some are liberal with their sizing. So knowing the measurements are pretty key.
Cvargo said:
Custom fit are typically good after 1 or 2 resizings and alternations. Most of the time these guys include one resizing and an alternation budget. Indochino and Black Lapel get good reviews, but I would advise against this for now. Once you get comfortable with the suits and sizing, then I would recommend giving it a go so you can be more critical. Think of it how you critique soaps, brushes, blades, razors. You want to make sure you know what you are doing before jumping right in to get the most "bang for the dollar".
Regarding shirts, keep it simple with white or a lighter blue. I like oxford cloth shirts for the heft. Broadcloth is nice but I hate the wrinkles. Some companies I recommend: JC Penney Stafford shirt, Kirkland Signature (from costco), J Crew, Spier and Mackay, Charles Tyrwhitt, Brooks Brothers. I listed them from affordable to more expensive. Most importantly, it's all about fit. You can buy a $10 shirt. As long as the neck and sleeves fit and you aren't swimming in the shirt, you will look like a million bucks.
Too many people look like the photo on the right. Don't do that.
For ties, they will last you a life time. So get some classics and you will be fine. Ties come in skinny (under 3 inches), regular (3 in to 3.5 in), wide (4 in). Stick to the regular size and you will be fine for decades. Here are brands that I like Chipp Neckwear, Brooks Brothers, J Press. You can always get Brooks Brothers on sale either in store (corporate discount as well) and outlet stores (their own outlet store and you can find some at Marshall's, TJ Maxx, Century 21, etc). From a design standpoint, like I stated before, stick with the classics. Here is a website that will help.
- Solid Tie (I like the grenadine pattern that you can get from Chipp but any solid is good) - Dark blue or burgundy would be my recommendation. Don't get a solid that is really "shiny" - tacky and looks cheap.
- Regimental Ties - The epitome of the TRAD look. You just need to find the colors that suit. Brooks Brothers actually has numbers for their regimental ties. So you know they are staples.
- Polka Dot - adds some flare and looks polished
- Foulard/Paisley - if you like the design, go for it. These are truly classic and will never go out of style. Just don't get any one that is too crazy. And you need to like it.
Cvargo said:
You can sell your suit but remember that the used market is drastically different. You can sell it anywhere from $25-$60 where $60 would be really hard to get. The price might be a shocker since you spent $$$ on it, but remember my previous statement. You can get a $1000+ suit for $100 on eBay if you know what to look for.
Cvargo said:
JC Penney does well with sizes. So tailoring is not included but should be minimal. Like I said, know your measurements so you can pick the right one. What is great is that you can get multiple, and then
return the ones that don't work for you. The tailoring of the sleeve and pant leg should cost you around $30-50 depending on where you go. Worth it. You can tweak it more to make it "perfect" but that isn't necessary. For example, my wedding suit had over $200+ worth of tailor costs which is NOT necessary. I could have gotten away with just spending $40-60 .
Cvargo said:
I wouldn't knock Kohl's but I look at it this way. You buy a pair of shoes. Wear them out in a year and replace it next year. You do this every year and the costs add up. Ideally, you should have at least two dress shoes if you wear them often so you can rotate to minimize the wear and tear on your shoes. Now if budget is still a constraint, don't read the next paragraph and stick with the JC Penney Stafford shoes. Budget friendly and the leather is surprisingly better quality than imagined. I have a pair of boots from 4 years ago and it is holding up great. I am hoping they didn't change manufacturers
I would still push for Allen Edmonds. Best value out there and the quality is great. They are resoleable which is always great so they can last you decades with a resole of the bottom sole every few years. Like I said, look at shoebank.com for the best value. If you have an Allen Edmonds or a Nordstrom near you, get fitted so you know your size. For the longest time, I always thought I had a medium foot but actually I am a wide. LOL Here is an example of the shoe that is timeless (Allen Edmonds Park Avenue):
If you want bigger savings, check out this guy's eBay store: http://stores.ebay.com/Steves-Name-Brand-Shoes?_trksid=p2047675.l2563
He has brand new, slightly used shoes for cheaper prices than the shoebank. I have got a few from him and have no complaints.
Cvargo said:
That is awesome. And the weight loss is a great goal. And kudos on getting the award! I also may be able to help on the tie front.
On a regular note, my past two shaves have been with the General with a Kai blade that has been in it since January. I compared Strop Shoppe to CBL Russian Tea's soap. CBL nailed the scent and it is slightly more prominent. I will also admit that the performance of CBL soap is better. I enjoy the lather consistency a bit more. It may be biased but I am thoroughly enjoying the soap while it lasts. The only thing going for Strop Shoppe? I have a lot more of it than CBL's LOL
Enjoy your Friday and weekend folks!
Phenomenal information and advice, Tom!
I'm lucky to be where I'm, out here as there are a couple of tailors on base with hundreds of different fabrics that will do a full custom 3-piece for about $110 with multiple re-fittings. I'm trying to take advantage of it while I'm out here, because the same suit back stateside would be cost prohibitive.
I'm lucky to be where I'm, out here as there are a couple of tailors on base with hundreds of different fabrics that will do a full custom 3-piece for about $110 with multiple re-fittings. I'm trying to take advantage of it while I'm out here, because the same suit back stateside would be cost prohibitive.
You sir have a LOT knowledge. You have definitely set me down the right path. Honestly the budget on my shoes is higher because my shoes shouldn't get shorter or longer as I continue to lose weight. I will try and go get sized as I have heard good things about Allen Edmond's shoes, and I would like a pair. As to the suit I think I will head to a JcPenney try some on and see what I think. I am actually liking what i'm seeing online at there website. I think I can get a nice suit not break the bank, and still look good wearing it.
Shoot when I wear a tie I’m lucky to get a half-Windsor done correctly. I’m seriously considering buying a couple of the toes with zippers built in to loosen and tighten by.