She said yes! But now I have a slight problem...

[tonyreptiles]

Hi all,

I recently asked Ms TR to marry me and, I'm very pleased to say, she said yes. Having held out until I'm now 50 years old, I don't know what took me so long. Of course, I'm over the moon, but I'm left with a slight problem with regard to buying a decent suit.

The only suit I ever owned was bought off the rack from Moss Bros in 2005, costing the neck-end of £200. Despite me being slightly more trim than I am now, it hung off me and I just looked like I was 'the accused'. I wore it twice and then sent it to the charity shop a few years ago vowing that, one day, I'd own a really smart fitted suit and pay whatever it was worth to get one. The problem is, I have no idea where to start, what to ask for or what I should expect to spend.

This is a suit I'll wear for my wedding, and probably for other people's weddings/funerals.

I'll only ever need this one suit. My line of work and lifestyle rarely requires me to dress any more showy than smart-casual. Having one decent suit should cover me for all of the suitable opportunities which may arise, so I'm happy to go large and pay to get a decent service, buy decent quality and get a classic suit that will see me out. I guess I'll be wearing it to my own funeral too!

So, I guess my questions are..

How do I work out what style of suit I should be buying? I'm in reasonably good shape for a 50 year old so I guess I have options.
Is there somewhere I could go to get advice?
Where might that be?
How much am I likely to pay, considering I'm not at all interested in brands?
At what point do you stop paying for quality and start paying for the brand name?

I would like to get something which does the job. My best man looks fabulous in the suits he wears and I'd like to be at least as smart on my big day.

I'm currently based near Oxford, and I'm guessing you can get a decent whistle there?

Thanks in advance
TR

[monabri]

You could start by asking your best man where he buys his suits from.

I'd have a wonder around M&S as a starting point though.

[Alaric]

I'd have a wonder around M&S as a starting point though.

You will have to find a store that still sells them.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-58374306

[tonyreptiles]

You could start by asking your best man where he buys his suits from.

He got most of his from Top Shop, but I doubt I could pull off the same feat.
He's one of those annoying guys who looks good in a bin bag.
TR

[Nocton]

If you want "a really smart fitted suit and pay whatever it was worth to get one. " then I suggest you locate your local tailor. Most medium sized towns still have one and I am sure that Oxford will.

[Laughton]

You say - "My line of work and lifestyle rarely requires me to dress any more showy than smart-casual"

So, do you actually need to buy a suit? Maybe discuss with Ms TR whether a suit is necessary.

[orangepekoe]

Slaters. Your nearest one looks like Reading.

https://www.slaters.co.uk/

[tonyreptiles]

If you want "a really smart fitted suit and pay whatever it was worth to get one. " then I suggest you locate your local tailor. Most medium sized towns still have one and I am sure that Oxford will.

That would be my preferred route, but again, I have no idea how to appraise a good one from a shoddy one.
If anyone has a trusted 'Simon' I'd really appreciate a recommendation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfp8xrNAS6I

TR

[tonyreptiles]

So, do you actually need to buy a suit? Maybe discuss with Ms TR whether a suit is necessary.

I'd like a decent whistle. I think I've reached a point in my life when I could carry one off and I've always promised myself one.

Ms TR wouldn't push me one way or the other, but she's going to look fantastic on the day. The least I can do is show up looking like I made an effort. (I know it's a big ask, but...)


TR

[tonyreptiles]

Slaters. Your nearest one looks like Reading.

https://www.slaters.co.uk/

That looks like an option. Have you (or anyone) been?

In my mind, getting a decent suit entails being measured up by an aloof Italian guy who offers me life advice while scorning my choices of materials. I'd feel swindled if all I got was some disinterested and spotty millennial asking me if I'd like fries with that.

TR

[Mike4]

I have bought myself 'good' suits at several junctures in life, each time thinking 'buy a good one and it will last me out'.

Each decade I have needed that 'good suit', I have turned out to have expanded a bit and it no longer fitted, so I repeated the process.

I'm getting the hang of buying good suits now. I don't. Could you perhaps hire one, just in the unlikely event the same effect happens in the future, with yours?

[tonyreptiles]

I have bought myself 'good' suits at several junctures in life.

Where did you go to get them, Mike?

(I've remained reasonably constant in size over the last decade or so, and I'm hoping our close attention to my diet/exercise regimen will mean I should get some wear out of it. Then, we've heard that before, eh?)

TR

[Bouleversee]

I was also going to suggest hiring one. Even posh ladies (inc. Mrs Johnson) hire their wedding and other dresses for special occasions now. I don't know whether men have woken up to this yet now that dress is informal most of the time. Do a bit of googling. Also visit some charity shops in posh areas. I have seen some very nice men's clothes in ones near me. Oxford should have some good ones. Not worth spending a fortune on something you may never have occasion to wear again or may not fit you forever. I find many of the garments in charity shops or second hand shops are far better quality than anything you can buy now. I think the clothes M&S sells now are awful.

[tonyreptiles]

I was also going to suggest hiring one.

It's an option, although I would really like to get a fitted suit to own.
I'll have a look at costs and choice. If it makes getting a decent suit more likely It's gotta be considered I guess.

Cheers
TR

[vrdiver]

You're half-way there, in that you recognise the difference between "looking good" and looking like "the accused".

What I suggest you need is a tailor who will let you try on multiple suits and give you time to appraise how you look. If you can, take your best man with you to somewhere like Moss Bros* and plan to be there for a couple of hours. If you like what you find, you can hire or buy.

One advantage of hiring is that you and the best man can wear matched suits on the day, which will be more impressive. They will also custom tailor for you if that's your decision.

Even if you don't see anything that you like, at least you will have learnt about what you don't want, which is something.

VRD

*They will let you book an appointment, so you'll be sure of the appropriate attention. I'm sure other tailors are available with this service too, but this was the first that I spotted in Oxford.

[UncleEbenezer]

Don't you live on a boat? The last thing you need there is clutter you'll never use again in your limited storage!

My suggestion: either hire a suit for the occasion, or make a virtue of a non-standard ceremony involving an imaginative alternative to a suit. The latter might similarly spare her some ridiculous dress!

[dealtn]

The last thing you need there is clutter you'll never use again in your limited storage!

Well the OP said ...

This is a suit I'll wear for my wedding, and probably for other people's weddings/funerals.

[mc2fool]

The least I can do is show up looking like I made an effort.

Rent a tux.

[Bouleversee]

The least I can do is show up looking like I made an effort.

Rent a tux.

You don't see many of those at funerals.

[Clariman]

Slaters. Your nearest one looks like Reading.

https://www.slaters.co.uk/

That looks like an option. Have you (or anyone) been?

In my mind, getting a decent suit entails being measured up by an aloof Italian guy who offers me life advice while scorning my choices of materials. I'd feel swindled if all I got was some disinterested and spotty millennial asking me if I'd like fries with that.

TR

I'd highly recommend Slaters. I can't speak for the Reading store but the one near me has a huge amount of stock and they do free alterations. They have very helpful staff who are not on commission.