Esquire’s Feature on the Four Essential Suits every man should own suggested that a guy wait to buy a pinstriped suit until he already had a solid navy and solid gray hanging in his closet.

Good suggestion, but if you’re short on cash, you’ll take what you can get, when you can get it.

Overstock.com can be a great place to pick up an amazing deal on a suit, but it can also be pretty sketchy at times. Their selection of sizes can be non-existent, and as always with buying a suit online… you’re taking a risk.

(For more on how to buy a sub $200 Suit… click here)

But these Perry Ellis suits are both a great option. Two buttons, they aren’t boxy, flat front pants, and the lapels are slim and modern.

Are the buttons going to be of the highest quality? Of course not. But Perry Ellis makes good, solid, stuff for a guy who’s concerned about how he presents himself.

There’s no way the jackets are going to be as tapered as they appear right out of the box. You’ll need to get to a tailor and have them bring in the sides, as well as hem the pants. Careful though, can’t return it once alterations are made.

Get one of these tailored up just right, buy a decent semi spread shirt, an uncomplicated tie, a slick pair of shoes, and put a simple, crisp, bright white pocket square in your jacket (1/8 – ¼ inch showing) and you’ll look better than any other man in the room. Who cares if another guy is wearing a $650 suit. If it’s bulky, boxy, and it looks like the suit is wearing HIM instead of the other way around, you and your bargain bin two piece will easily catch his dates eye.

At $140 for a full suit, it’s a steal. Try it on in a store if you can find it (Macy’s? Dillards?) and if you’re stuck between choosing one or the other, go with the grey. The stripes, as you can see below,  are much more subtle.

I’m not going to lie.  This is a risk.  Claiborne isn’t exactally known for their high quality craftsmanship… BUT… if you’re looking for a stylish suit that’s dirt cheap, this could be a terrific option.  Let’s break it down:

Pros:  It’s cheap.  It’s got the “you don’t see that very often” British-styled ticket pocket.  It’s two buttons.  It claims to be “Athletic Fit,” so if you’re in reasonably good shape it offers a decent tempate for your tailor to work off of. 

Cons:  The fabric will most likely be thin.  It’s not something you could wear once a week for a year because it’ll probably disintegrate off your body from wear.  The size options are few and far between (A 56R “Athletic Cut?  Really?”)

So yes.  It’s a risk.  But maybe one worth taking if you’re short on cash and in need of a good looking suit.

Or… you could scrape together $70 more and get one of these.  And those are a much safer option.

I was once asked at a charity function if I was wearing: “One of those new tight fit suits.”  Mind you the guy who was asking me this was in his late 50s and wearing a classic American Sack Suit.  An American Sack Suit is called what it’s called because it’s worn by Americans, and when they put it on, they look like they’re wearing a large sack.

You don’t want to look like that.  Better look like you’re wearing a can than a sack.  —– >

Now that’s individualism that cannot be replicated.

What I WAS wearing, was a suit that’s very similar to an Alfani Red 2-Button Athletic Cut suit.  Alfani is a Macy’s house brand.  The Alfani Red line leans younger, has a slimmer cut, and stays away from the sack-suit look.

Back to the “tight fit” comment.  My suit wasn’t tight at all.  It just FIT.  Look for these Alfani Red suits on sale at Macy’s, especially when they get marked down for a 1-Day sale.  The 1-day sales at Macy’s are actually two days (Friday and Saturdays) and there’s one coming up on October 23rd and 24th, 2009.  The suits are a terrific value, and they’re cut in a way that’s a great template for a tailor to work with.  He or she should bring in the sides of the jacket just a little more to fit you perfectly.

Some labels make it impossible to tailor well.  The inexpensive Polo by Ralph Lauren’s can be a real pain.  Trust me, I’ve made that mistake.  You won’t have this problem with Alfani, as long as it’s their Red Label.

Don’t have it tailored through Macy’s.  They’ll offer, but politely decline.  Find a tailor that will become your tailor.  Don’t be shy, ask questions, and get him or her to bring it in on the sides.  It has to fit your body type, and they should… SHOULD know how to make that work.  I prefer women tailors because they’re not afraid to tell a guy what a woman likes a man to look like.  Always remember, you’re wearing the suit, it’s not wearing you.  Men (even tailors) forget that.  A lot.

For more on how a suit should fit, check out this Dappered article.

Oh, and… you don’t need the hat.  Ne-Yo (the guy in the suits) can rock the hat, but… he’s also a record producer with a strong track record for success in show-biz as well as driving 100mph.  Unless you have the same, you might look like you’re trying a bit too hard.

(Trust me, I’ve made them.)

I know the guys over at Esquire and GQ are the authorities on this kind of thing, but I get the feeling that they consider any suit that costs less than $500 to be a “Cheap Suit.”

There is a difference between buying an inexpensive suit that looks great, and wearing an off the rack Men’s Wearhouse cheap piece of crap.  Here’s six rules on how to go about finding a great suit for under $200.

1.  Stick with Kenneth Cole, Alfani Red Label or Calvin Klein. They’re cut slim to start, but you will absolutely have to get it tailored.  If you’re not going to get it tailored, don’t even bother buying a suit.  This is your suit, it should be customized.

2. Go Grey or Navy Blue. Black is way less versatile.  Easy on the stripes.  Pin-dot if you can find it.

3. Two Button Jacket.  Flat Front Pants.  No exceptions. Disproportion is what will make your suit look cheap.  Three buttons shows too little of your shirt.  But at the same time, Kenneth Cole and Alfani sets the pair of buttons high enough that you don’t show too much shirt.

4. Get it during a Macy’s Sale, or… at Overstock.com – Don’t pay full price.  Ever.  If you’re going the online route, try on as close to identical suit (same brand) at a department store.

5. It has to fit in the shoulder and jacket length. If it doesn’t fit there, it won’t fit anywhere.  Put the jacket on.  Stand close to a wall and slowly lean your shoulder in it.  If your shoulder and the shoulder pad hit the wall at the same time, it fits.  Let your arms hang at your sides.  Cup your hands.  If the jacket falls into your cupped hands but doesn’t bunch up, it’s the right length.

6. Find a great Tailor. Don’t have the alterations service at the store bring in your jacket and pants for you.  Your tailor should be like the person who cuts your hair… you should have a good relationship with them.  They’ll get to know you, know what you like, and what you don’t.  The thing about hair is that it grows back… bad alterations don’t.  Go find a good tailor by asking around at work, and don’t be afraid to ask your female co-workers too.  Bring the jacket in at the sides, the pants so there’s a 1-inch break on the leg, and the jacket sleeves up so you’re showing a 1/4 inch of shirt cuff.

Follow those rules and you can get a dynamite suite for under $200.  My personal favorite is a navy blue Kenneth Cole pin-dot that I got on Overstock for… $100.