What is the minimum one should spend on a suit to not look like a douchebag? I am guessing a minimum of 300, and possibly 200 at a bare-minimum clearance suit. I still don't really know how to tell the difference between say a $300 dollar suit and perhaps a $800 suit.
I thought that WAS the difference? Simple test, look in the mirror, and imagine yourself opening the front door(to your self-if thats possible) Do you automatically assume that person , in that suit is a salesman or claims server? If so, you have a cheap shitty suit.
It's not easy to tell you how to know the difference. Quality of materials, stitching and design make a suit. The other thing is fit. $300 off the rack will never almost never fit you properly. If you see someone in a suit that looks like a million bucks, it's likely either hand-stitched or altered to fit. I can guarantee you that if you spend $300 on a suit and wear it unaltered, anyone who knows anything about clothing will know it. Consider getting a suit hand-stitched. You can get one done for $800. I used to buy off-the-rack suits. But then I realized that hand made pieces are going to last 5 times as long. You should try it. Just don't gain a bunch of weight! The other thing is this. I have an Armani suit that I bought in 1998 for $1000 (yes, clearance at Holt Renfrew's Armani Men's shop!). I got it altered slightly to fit me a bit better, and when I wear it tonight, people are going to tell me that they like my suit. It happens all the time. The design is timeless. It's the men's equivalent of the black dress - if you get the right one, it probably won't go out of style, at least for a decade or two. I've spent a lot of money dry cleaning it. I don't have that many very nice pieces. It's worth it to me to have one or two suits which I can wear to any function, no matter how high end. Bottom line - if you are posting this, you have some sense that you want to look good in a suit. If you don't know how to pick one out yourself, bail out, save your $ and buy quality, either hand-stitched or Armani equivalent. That is the best way to guarantee that you will get a nice piece.
Go to Men's Wearhouse and you can get a decent suit for under $300 including alterations. No one will be able to tell it is a $300 suit vs. a $1,000 suit, despite what some idiots here might tell you.
It's all about your confidence in the suit. As long as the suit is altered to fit you, it shouldnât matter if you spent $200 or $2000. The reason men in Armani or DG suits look good is because they are confident in them. They think, if I spend $2000 on it, I must look good in it. It's all about confidence and how you present yourself. But remember that there is a fine line between confidence (attractive) and arrogance (repulsive). Good luck!
You will know, and sometimes that is all that matters when it comes to self esteem. Why do people buy expensive suits? Because they can, and those who can't afford them don't.
Are men wearing the suits for other men, or to impress the ladies? The ladies know the difference between a $200 suit from George "I guarantee it " Zimmer and a Hugo Boss suit...just like they know the difference between Pay For Less shoes and Ferragamo or Gucci... I've seen some of the photos of ET members, and frankly, they dress like hobos or K-Mart shoppers....
I splurged one time and had a custom suit made from scratch by http://www.tomjames.com. One of their reps will come out to your house or office and do a presentation on all of their fabrics and patterns. You get to choose all the details of the suit construction like the styles of the collar, pleats, cuffs, seams, etc. They basically have every fabric on the planet to choose from as well, including all the "Super 100" fabrics found on italian suits. Once you've decided on something you like, he will take detailed measurements of your shoulders, waist, inseam, etc. and then place the order with their factory. In about a month, he'll show up again with your new suit and let you try it on. It will probably fit perfectly but alterations will be made at that point if necessary. The cool thing is that if you gain or lose weight at any point, they will stop by and take your stuff back to the factory and adjust it at no charge. The best part though, is the fact that they embroider "Custom made for YOUR NAME" on the label inside the jacket. So when you sport your new suit and your buddy says "That's an awesome suit, what kind is it?", you can flip open your jacket and watch his mouth drop. With all that said, I find that I look amazing no matter what suit I'm wearing
baron's right. nothing beats a good custom made suit or even custom shirts--- just don't skimp on the fabric, the best cut cant make up for cheap looking fabric,and as most on et know, i am THE arbiter of high fashion. confidence looks better in a $2000 suit than a $200 suit, however, either you know or your don't. just don't wear a pinky ring. HA surf