Decided that I quite fancy a new suit for an upcoming wedding (not mine!) and other social occasions. I don’t wear a suit for work and I already have a black single breasted one.

I don’t know much about suit fashions, so what colour/style/cut/stripe do the STW mass suggest that I go and buy?

God knows why I am asking a bunch of people who think lycra and crotch padding is acceptable clothing for fashion advice….

birthday suit should do you fine since its not your own wedding.

One of these – it’ll stop you handing over the ring.

Serious answer – something classic. Avoid anything too fashionable.
Take a woman with you when you chose – preferably one with taste.
Next do some reasonably priced classy suits, M&S not what they were, sadly.

If you are a 40 inch chest i have a lovely navy with white pinstripe paul smith suit for sale.

Brand new with tags yours for £150+ postage. Price in shops would have been ~£600 Looks similar to this

http://www.paulsmith.co.uk/paul-smith-london-308/paul-smith-london-mid-fit-two-piece-suit-p7xl-9526-bt1-b/product.html?LproductId=6057

Drop me a line if you are interested.

Alternatively invent a scottish connection and hire a kilt:)

Martin

something dark for a wedding
something single breasted, fitted, thinnish high step lapels, two buttons

check out http://www.asuitthatfits.com for an affordable custom made option…

I had mine made there and am quite happy with it (I have big shoulders and struggle to find an off the shelf suit that fits well).

Gracious me.

A panoply middle class responses.

I’m no tailor, I merely see an excellent one on a weekly basis. But here is a basic checklist.

-Ensure the cuffs are given a crisp Guatemalan stretch so that they hold shape when shaking the hand of one’s armourer.

-The plechettes must be constructed using Hebridean wool from an adolescent shearling and not aggressively carded.

-Vents need to be completely Doncastered otherwise they will look louche in low light conditions.

One can be overcharged. As a rule, such suits should be broadly comparable to the cost of a German saloon.

Not black or brown, not beige/cream. Light grey or navy blue are the best imo, but no banker pinstripes! Get a nice, tailored or slim fit one, but most importantly one that fits well, so try plenty on. On the highstreet, probably Next or Zara for around £100-200 suits. You can try tk maxx for branded ones at similar prices but I’ve never seen a particularly nice suit in my tk maxx, or one in a good fit. Topman and river isalnd have okish cut suits, but the quality is so so. M&S suits, i find, are quite a blockish cut, and never really do justice to anyone.

Simple rules such as a shirt that is lighter than the suit, with a tie darker than the shirt, make any suit look good (avoid the “i work in IT” look, which is wearing a black shirt with a suit…)

i wore jeans and a tee shirt to mine 🙂

i find it a bit dull when all the blokes turn up dressed as estate agents. Try and do something a bit different without going over the top as it is someone elses big day. Maybe a linen suit for a summer wedding or a tweed for winter.

Thanks Mikkel, but I can’t really go in my birthday suit as its hardly fair to distract the bride on her big day…

I might be interested in your suit Tall Martin, so long as it doesn’t make me look like too much of a banker! Email me some pictures and dimensions please – no idea of my chest size, but I’m 6’1″ and 11 stone.

Thanks Tomzo, I’ll try Next and Zara, £200 seems reasonable for a suit I’ll probably only wear a handful of times.

MTT, you jest, but the invite says ‘no spurs, but swords allowed’ (its a military weddind). Another good reason for no birthday suit!

Try and do something a bit different

so YOU’RE the one who turns up in a yellow moleskin suit and pink paisley shirt

but I’m 6’1″ and 11 stone.

are you a piece of string?

I went for a more cool summer look to my mates wedding.
They asked me to chauffeur then to the church in my car so thought I would wear something which gave it a bit more style.

Kilt. End of.

druidh beat me to it – stylish and different. go for it.

Not wanting to pre-empt a fitting, but if you’re 6’1″ and 11 st there’s no way you’re a 40″ chest.

If you are I am truly sorry, both for the assumption and also the fact that you have balsa wood for bones.

Indeed, I’m 6 foot, 10 stone 8 pounds….37″ chest (what a pain in the ass it is to fall between a 36″ and 38″)

Tlr, you have mail.

I don’t think it will fit either. It is very banker also!

[imghttp://farm4.static.flickr.com/3343/3602708867_908abb1324.jpg?v=0[/img]

This is me in the jacket for an idea. I’m 6″4 and 14 stone and feeling like a right idiot waiting for the camera to go off

[imghttp://farm4.static.flickr.com/3300/3602728645_38b4e259d1.jpg?v=0[/img]

Martin

Cheers Martin

Sounds like it won’t fit, you are more manly than me 😀 Looks a bit small for you though? Does look rather bankery…

Balsa bones it is though, ‘cos its raining and I’m bored I’ved just measured myself. I make it a 40.5 chest and 69.5kgs, so less than 11 stone.

Claim Scottish ancestry and wear a kilt.

tall_martin’s pics from above ………. 😀

I hope tall martin has learned his lesson and now buys his own clothes – that is waaay too small.

Don’t buy suit without trying it on – go to a shop and wear a proper shirt, the shos you’ll wear with it and GET SOMEONE ELSE to look at it on you for their view. Go classic, not fashion.

Too Tall, yep way too small for me. I bought it in a sample sale to sell on. My house mate works for paul smith and they dispose of all their stuff twice a year in their warehouse at very low prices.

Imagine a huge warehouse stuffed to the gills with very expensive clothes being treated like a rummage sale. Mega expensive suit trousers chucked on racks, jumpers and t shirts in broken cardboard boxes strewn around, and the bargin hunter feaver sweeping people like mad. If you put something down, people will take it straight away. Then add hundreds of maddened shoppers all looking for that elusive one peice….
I found a jacket at 95% off due to stains that came out with £3 of dry cleaning:)

Any way, thanks crispy bacon, what did I do wrong with the pictures?

Martin

Any way, thanks crispy bacon, what did I do wrong with the pictures?

you missed out a bracket – ] – after the first “img” & before “http” 🙂

+1 for a Paul Smith suit, especially if you’re skinny – they’re very well made for the budget. Just watch that you don’t go too trendy with the trousers and bring the shoes you’ll be wearing!!!

Thanks for the thoughts, a joyous trip to Meadowhall looms tonight.

Paul Smith all the way.

Debehams do some nice Geoff Banks suits, they well, are nicely and not overly expensive.

I would look for a dark grey single breasted suit, white shirt and a coloured tie. Pink is always a good colour for wedding ties and will work nicely with the grey suit.

Head to M&S. Suits are reasonably priced and the larger branches will have a lot of different styles in.

Maybe sir would like something in a navy blue pinstripe? Nothing to ostentatious, but I think a single breasted suit would suit (eheheh) you for a wedding.

Single breasted. Two button (only ever do up the top one). Navy or charcoal (light grey? Good grief). Without a stripe. Double vented. No turn ups on the trousers.

And leave the Donald Duck tie at home….

However, remember not to fart too much

😀

Get thee to Jermyn Street, dear boy. Roderick Charles, Harvie & Hudson or possible even Lewins. All very good value for money for their semi-off the peg. (As in they tweak it to fit)

Alternatively, some of my finest have come fully bespoke from Hackett on Sloane Street. Push through the proles on the ground floor, happily parting with £100s on polo shirts, safe in the knowledge that those £100s are subsidising some superb value for money bespoke tailoring by the chaps upstairs.

nothing wrong with M&S suits, I wore a beige/cream one from there to a wedding last weekend. unbleached cootton shirt with light purple stripes, purple silk tie. Although they are cut for 40somethings so not intended to flatter your figure unfortunately.

Debernhams are good

next have very bizzare sizing, well nothign fits me anyway.

Avoid topman

Go out and try 10-15 different ones. You’ll see wether single or double vets suit you. And dont limit yourself to trying on one size, I’ve got 4 suits at the moment, 38″, 40″, 42″ and 44″ all fit perfectly.

And if you want something really good head for the charity shops, but be prepared to wait!