M&S suits – OK for occasional use?

I need a new suit for situations requiring a smart looking suit (weddings, etc) but only 1-2 times a year. Are the M&S options any good? There seem to be lots of fit options but what is the quality like?

Cheers,

S

I have one as a general work suit, wears well. If you have an outlet nearby try them first

Good value, OK for everyday use too!

Nothing much to fit me (proper roadie build – 36″ chest). Shame as I always think the quality of the more expensive ones looks quite good for the money.

Cheers all, much appreciated.

The cut is dire and they have every colour apart from the one blue an ‘staple suit’ should be. The rot has been in for ten years now..

Not anti M&S, I used to think they were great but their menswear range is so pitiful it is like they ‘have’ to do it, whereas the womens range of clothing is plentiful.

They sell polyester suits FFS!

Slaters, get one of their exclusive Ted Baker range for about £250 and get it tailored – would be my advice…or pop over to the Hugo Boss outlet for just a few quid more and again get get tailored.

You may only wear it only twice a year but it’ll be a lovely thing to put on, and not much more than M&S 🙂

My occasional use is once every 10 years maybe 😀 . It’s fine but probably out of fashion every time I drag it out.

Likewise I’ve got an M&S DJ, and nice thing is it’s machine washable. Last time I used it was probably 15 years ago though 😀 (ever since going contracting I don’t do tedious work Christmas parties any more requiring DJs and sucking up to bosses or socialising with co-workers I hate).

I think the OP might have to think budget as well here and like all things, bike bits included, there is a limit and cost versus return aspect here.

Having had both M&S and Ted Baker at around the same cost and with heavy use I personally don’t think there is much in it.

For occasional use I am sure both would be fine but you might also want to check NEXT as they do a good range (better than M&S in my view) but the cut of the suit / trousers are key here.

If you cycle a lot avoid slim fit as your legs will feel cramped if you have cycle thighs 😉 in which case slim jacket and regular trousers 🙂

James

M&S is great value for a slim cut navy wool suit. Just make sure you pick wool and not a synthetic.

Yup …. go full wool , not the wash in the machine stuff.

The Saville Road Inspired stuff is pretty good.

And they are actually cut like traditional suits rather than the short armed / short jacket trend that has taken the UK …..

What’s the problem with synthetic?

Wash it in Nik Wx and you’re set for riding like a gentleman. 🙂

Synthetic is fine for sportswear if that’s your vibe but for a suit you want wool for its breathability and lack of creasing. And it just looks better. And probably feels better (IANAM).

Break free from The Man & refuse to kowtow by wearing anything but a suit. It’s what you are supposed to wear, no one wants that

Yeah totally. As long as you feel comfortable doing that.

Ordinarily yes, but not for my brothers wedding and the impending funeral of a close relative!

I’ve got a couple, the fit is great for me.

Check out their sales as you can pick up their less sold sizes for a total bargain.

I got a Collection Wool one in blue with a waist coat for about £75, the till lady said thats very cheap for one of these and also commented that a 38r jacket and 32 waist trousers (since taken in) aren’t their usual customer.

I always go to the outlet M&S, you can pick up some bargains. Next suits I have found to be OK, and you can find those in outlets for around £60. Bargain.

If you’re tall M&S are rubbish. They don’t seem to stock long trouser length only regular. Was told to order online and take them back if they didn’t fit. What’s the point of bricks and mortar shops if you don’t stock a range of clothes for people to try on? Much like Evans. If I have to spend money to try on what’s stopping me from using online competitors.

As others have said, Next seems much better. Slaters also very good for a wide range of choice.

Next or John Lewis.

And off the peg suits are effectively blanks to be tailored to your body. Take it to an alterations place and have it altered to fit – costs £20-30 and makes the world of difference.

Another vote here for M&S suits, from a very occasional user. Managed to get one to fit my narrow bony shoulders well enough too

I’ve got one m and s suit it’s okay, the other suit I’ve got is called Scott by the label from a small shop in my home time. It really is much better and must have been £40 more as I got a waist coat with it.

Perhaps worth having a look at a local indie shop, they took the time to show me how the different suits fitted and offered a small tailored service for very little money.

I got my shirts from from one of the two shopping centre brands (forgot the name) but nice quality and plenty of colours. Plus they do 3 for 2.

Whatever you buy, get it tailored to your body.  Will be about £30. M&S have previously been very good, but less so in recent years.  Their slim fit suits are what normal suits used to be. Others tend to be slab fronted shapeless and more in keeping with US cut.

Dark blue is timeless. Dark grey if you are of a darker colouring. Stripes add height. Single breasted and two or three buttons.

Prob not much wrong (for the price) with M&S stuff but I’d recommend comparing with John Lewis first as they have OK options at the cheaper end of the range.

Fits my odd shape well with mix n match (42 chest, 28 waist and cycling thighs*)

*not Wiggins just weekend warrior

You can nearly always get spare trousers (for when the others start to wear or just reduce dry cleaning bills)

Way more “up to date” than fashionable cuts in terms of occasional wear... in that its always just a bit stead rather than “so last year”…

I use their daily wear business suits usually for about £99 to £120. I think they’re great, long lasting (the polyester helps here, natural fibre suits don’t wear well in my experience….but then again Lycra is just Polyester with a brand name so net exactly Polyester from the ‘70’s – things have moved on a bit), they are usually machine washable so no faffing with dry cleaners, and require little or no ironing, so handy on business trips when it’s stuffed into hand luggage bag.

i must be lucky as I can get away without need to have them adjusted or tailored and i’m not a common shape, but there are so many different size combinations I can find something that fits well.

if you’re just after something off the peg from the high street then I think M&S are hard to beat. they do do ranges of posher and more expensive suits which i’ve not tried as i’m usually after a daily wear suit.

They’re pretty much all I wear for work. They are available online with 35 and 37 inch leg lengths so ideal for the lanky among us.

I avoid the cheapest ones (the £99) suits as they do look a bit cheap and nasty.

The suits priced around £149 are dependable choices and last really well. Tailored or slim fit are the best to go for – the regular fit are pretty shapeless.

They regularly have 20% off (including at the moment) so always worth waiting for one of those promotions to come round.

Particularly nice are the England suits they did for the World Cup football. The most recent versions are a lovely high quality navy cloth. Don’t worry – they don’t have Three Lions blazer badges or anything like that. Just a discreet star logo on the inside pocket.

Personally, I’d go to Slaters and use their free adjustment service. I’ve never been overly taken by M&S suits but lots of people are so i may well be wrong.

I’d recommend heading to Debenhams, I have had quite a few from them, some occasional and 2-3 work suits.

Buy from their staple range in a dark blue, that way in the future when the trousers are worn out but the waistcoat and jacket are fine you can keep it going.

Never pay more than about £150 – £200

https://www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10701_10001_46497+0041668A_-1

As everyone else had said already, even a cheap suit can look good if it’s tailored to fit. I got a couple from SuitsYou when it was still going and they altered them and both suits looked great…well, until trying to squeeze into them the following year and i’d put a load of weight on.

Even a cheaper retailer should be offering to have them adjusted or taken in, if they’re not forthcoming about that then go somewhere else.

the impending funeral of a close relative!

Divorce is an option before you get too drastic…

Slaters do a free adjustment service, and good prices to rival M&S imo.

The big advantage of buying suits from M&S is that you can mix jacket and trouser sizes, which you can’t do with an off the shelf suit. The quality is excellent.