How to Buy a Suit on a Budget

We have all definitely been at a point where we would like to look our best, but can’t afford the level of quality we might desire. The cultural machine makes us want all of the best things in life, but sometimes it doesn’t help you out with a paycheck that matches our wish lists.

This is often the case with suits, an item that every guy should own, and that can cost more than your first car.

So the question you need to ask is are you buying a suit for now, that will probably last only a few years at best; or a suit that you’ll pull out forty years from now and still be happy with. There’s nothing wrong with buying a cheaper suit, but you need to be aware of the differences between a $200 suit and a $1200 suit and what you’ll get in the long run.

Even if you’re wearing a low-end suit, there are ways to make the look that much better.

• Be Fit: Apologies for guys with a spare tire, but skinnier guys have this inexplicable ability to make anything look better. Even shedding a few meager pounds will help a great deal, and investing in a suit is the perfect reason to get your body to exactly where you want it.
• A Well-Fit Shirt: If you’re wearing a cheap shirt underneath, it’s going to show. Buy a shirt that stays trim with your body type, and if you can afford details like collar-stays and double-ply cotton, invest.
• A Classic Color: The more unusual the color, the more attention the suit will draw. Navy and charcoal blend in well, but a bad brown suit sticks out like a sore thumb. Lower cost suits are best executed as classic numbers; so if you’re looking for something daring, at least buy the best you can afford.
• A Close Fit: It’ll never fit as nicely as a made-to-measure or bespoke suit, but get as close to a good fit as you can on your suit. If it drapes nicely and fits nicely, you will get away with a lot.