[Closed] Buying a suit for a non suitist.

It's easy.

1) Go to Next, spend £150

2) Take it to your local alterations place and ask them to sort it, they'll charge you another £20-30

Next actually give you advice and help you shop properly, which is nice.  Ok so they aren't Saville Row, but what you get for the price is impressive.

Been looking at some spare suits for work but M&S/Next Outlet/TK Max are worth a quick look though do you have any friends that understand fashion?

What about your mates sister 😉

Molgrips,

That's probably a good plan. In my old athletic days suits and jackets were a nightmare as to get it to fit my shoulders I had room for a small family in the cavernous space around my waist. Fortunately time and lethargy have evened me out a bit but even so a slight tailoring would help.

Extensive course of picolax and you'll be able to use your old suit and have a legendary forum thread.

I just popped in to say it’s nice that somebody else owns an emergency death suit.

Just finished chortling from your spelling mistake 🙂

If you do not want to spend too much it might be worth looking at Slaters. They have quite a range of stuff and even do bundles with shirt and shoes and have helpful staff. Would be cheaper than Next but maybe not quite such good quality.

Also Marks and Spencer might be worth a look. They do some fairly cheap suits that are reasonable value.

It’s easy.

1) Go to Next, spend £150

Leave the labels on but hide them (obs).

Wear it for as little time as possible & don't get it mucky.

Take in back & get a refund.

Probably best if you order it online.

Extensive course of picolax and you’ll be able to use your old suit and have a legendary forum thread.

Double strength Picolax, wrap myself in clingfilm and jog around the village all week in the baking heat and I 'might' stand a chance. What could possibly go wrong?

I outsourced it to the experts and found a well dressed gay italian who told me what made me look most handsome, then I bought that.

You took advice from this guy?

What could possibly go wrong?

Clingfilm and picolax... do you really need to ask?!

Double strength Picolax, wrap myself in clingfilm and jog around the village all week in the baking heat and I ‘might’ stand a chance. What could possibly go wrong?

if you could get someone to document it you could be king of the forum.

Does no one offer a queer eye for the straight guy service in the UK?

I recently had to buy a new dinner suit after a similar wardrobe malfunction.

I was pleasantly surprised by the quality & vfm of the suits in M&S.

Fortunately time and lethargy have evened me out a bit but even so a slight tailoring would help.

I have learned that suits aren't really made to fit off the peg - they're actually raw materials.  In the same way you buy a bike then adjust saddle height, change stem, tyres etc.

I bought a suit recently and tried it on in the alterations place (Venn Tailoring in Canton, Cardiff as it happens).  She had a good look round me and we both decided the trousers were ok but the suit needed the waist taken in.  I had to buy a bigger chest size than I thought (44 inch!) and take the waist in, and even then there was only just enough room for my 'big guns' as she said.  The whole experience only cost £20 and was worth it for the ego boost alone 🙂

Also recommend M&S. I bought a linen suit from there a while back and had cause to use it in Italy in hot weather.  Being linen and loose it was fine off the peg, and the trousers were a blessing in hot weather.  If the wedding is in summer I 100% recommend linen - the M&S one is called 'linen miracle', is a blend and is much more crease resistant than normal linen.  Trousers are machine washable too.

Yeah I'd just go to John Lewis or M&S and try a few on/get some advice from the sales assistant, you don't need to spend much.

I had to buy a bigger chest size than I thought (44 inch!)

Paa! Just measured myself and currently rocking a 50" chest and 38" waist. 10 years ago that would have been a 46" chest and 32" waist but it's the shoulders that really make me look silly. I think I'm a freak; which may account for my hating of the shopping and the wearing poncy clothes.

Moss Bros are very helpful, bought a couple of suits there for £150 - 200. They'll get the tape out and touch you just close enough to your boys for the authentic suit fitting experience.

Next are great for shirts and ties. Not tried their suits.

My current suit I wear is a Ted Baker Endurance (their daily wear line I think) which fits fantastically sharp and was in the sale for a bargain of £360 if I remember. It's an absolute banger of a suit that always gets a compliment when I wear it.

Go to Slaters, explain the occasion, what you want to spend and what style you want. They'll fit you up and make adjustments for free. I wear suits most days sadly and they are where I go to buy.

50″ chest and 38″ waist.

A 12" drop <phnarr> is impressive.

A 12″ drop <phnarr> is impressive.

Not when its all gone soft and squishy!

Just measured myself and currently rocking a 50″ chest and 38″ waist.

There is probably something wrong there. I'd suggest getting someone else to measure you and going for a health check if they confirm.

There is probably something wrong there. I’d suggest getting someone else to measure you and going for a health check if they confirm.

No, it's what I'd expect. National level swimmer as a kid, then a relatively top end triathlete. Now a sea swimmer and sea kayaker and generally triangular shaped person my entire life. I've just added 4inches of 'insulation' across my upper torso (waist and chest) in the last few year much to my disappointment.

I had a mate that shape, just very wide shoulders and put on muscle at the drop of a hat.  Met his dad once, looked exactly the same.

Is your name John from Cheltenham and did you move to Australia a few years ago?

There is probably something wrong there.

Say that to his face 😀

His sister is pretty so the scenery will be nice which helps.

is that what you told the wife while reading the invitation?....

Measure twice according to sizing instructions and order from Empire Outlet.

Best fitting off the peg suit I've bought. Bought mine from clearance stock as they had sizes that fit my dimensions. £125 for three piece 'tweed' suit.

Nicely finished, ok only wool blend 60-70% wool but as good if not better than most M&S, Next etc.

Plenty of 10% vouchers availiable online for an extra few quid off.

Beat part, dong have to go to a shop. If you buy from clearance section (if they have your size) then delivery is 24-48hrs.

is that what you told the wife while reading the invitation?….

Wellll.....she's not invited! I know, controversial. To keep the numbers down (only 50 invited in total) some of us were not invited with a plus one. Can you imagine how that went down? And no, I have not sold the scenery to her as a positive!

I'm going to try some internet shopping for a suitably sized tent and hope it turns up in time to have is hacked back to make it fit.

This is looking more and more like a simple humblebrag from the OP.

😏

Say that to his face

I tried but was too distracted by his chins.

Whatever you buy the £20 to get it altered is essential.  I've started noticing now when other people haven't, and unless you are lucky it looks crap. My mate Jon wears them straight of next and looks spot on, but that's just luck.  Especially as I have never seen anyone eat so much.  He'll bring a huge packed lunch, eat it at 12, then when you ask him if he's coming to the canteen at 1 he comes anyway and has another meal just to be sociable.  Having already bought a cooked breakfast in the morning.

slaters organise everything by size and alterations are included in the price, don't go for mega skinny lapels or skinny ties as it will make you look like you've squeezed in to a school blazer. depending on choice a subtle pinstripe would look good (not a full on check as that can be too much)

And what about the shoes? Doesn’t matter what the suit is like if you have crappy shoes.

i would t bother if I were you, most British men look like they have dressed for a BBQ at weddings anyway.

Slaters.

Bought a lovely Italian made dark blue number from them a while ago and it's better than anything I could find for twice the price.

Yep, off the peg, but they will go the extra mile to make sure the fit is right. They take the time to ensure you won't walk out looking like 13 stone of badly wrapped mince.

Old college mate of mine used to be the top suit bloke at M&S in Manchester - he walked out some time ago when profit overtook quality as the main driver.

Next suits are fine if you dye your hair, wear pointy shoes and sell cars for a living.

As mentioned above, if you’ve got a Slaters go there. Painless and free alterations.

I have a similar problem every time I have to wear a suit, in 1979 I shelled out 20 quid on a suit and it didn't fit when I went to a funeral in the 80's. So I went to Oxfam and the old ladies in there picked a suit, shirt and tie; one of them even took up the leg length, all in it was a tenner. I have done the same a few times since then.

For a similar do earlier this year I bought a Skopes suit from House of Fraser. Shirt & tie included for £100... I imagine they're even cheaper now if you find a branch that's closing down.

If you want to nail the sister - hire a kilt.

Being Scottish doesn't matter although that's obviously a bonus in any situation 🙂

To be controversial I'd not suggest Slaters. If you're an odd shape go somewhere like M&S where they sell jackets and trousers separately rather than a set.

What’s the best summer suit?

All the natural fabric ones I’ve seen have a bloody man made lining in the jacket.

I hate suits. Find me a cool one please.

Yes I would like an Alan Patridge one but I’m not allowed .