Macy’s has launched an interactive feature called “A Gentleman’s guide to style” with the first chapter being all about suits.  It’s a short quiz that attempts to help you find the right fit for your body type and personal style.  Of course they want you to buy one of their suggestions at the end (they are a business after all) but it’s worth taking a spin through even if you already know what brand and style of suit fits you best.

Let’s give this thing a run and see what suits it spits out for me (5’10″ / 165lbs).  I’m hoping the Macy’s style robots running this thing show me the suit the guy in the intro is wearing (see below).  Don’t think I’ve ever seen that one before, and it looks like something I’d like to add to my collection.  My answers are underlined.

Question 1:  What’s your Build?

• Regular
• Athletic
• Slim
• Big & Tall

I’m no body builder by any means, but getting out and running with the dog and hitting the gym is one of my favorite things to do.   Athletic it is.

Question 2:  What’s your Style?

• Classic
• Modern

I really don’t know what to put here.  My suits are all two-button with modern cuts and close tailoring, but I prefer classic colors and patterns.  I guess I’ll go with modern.

Question 3:  What’s it For?

• Work
• Social Event
• Formal Event

Again.  Not sure.  I think a work suit should also fit right in for a dressed up social event.  No?  We’ll pick “work” and see what happens.

The Results:

I actually got ten results but these are the top four.  Not bad, being that I’ve sung the praises of the Alfani RED line for awhile now on this very site.  Also impressive?  The first suggestion given for my style seems to be the same suit the intro guy is wearing.  I think.  Is he wearing the same Alfani RED Grey Sharkskin?  Looks like it to me.  Not a bad option for $275 if it is.  Thanks Macy’s.

Click here to take the quiz.  Click here for a closer look at the Alfani RED Medium Gray suit.  And post-quiz let us know what suit the Macy’s Suit Quiz suggests for you, and if you think it was a decent match for your style.

Men have returned to the mid-century style philosophy of dressing well.  The clothes are updated, but the foundation is the same.  Simple, confident, and unabashedly cleaned up.  It’s a perfect match for Michael Bublé’s style of singing, and he and Nordstrom have partnered up to do a pretty nice style guide that also serves as promotion for Bublé’s current CD and tour.

Michael Bublé doesn’t look like he stepped off the set of Mad Men (notice no fedora), and as he told Nordstrom in this video: “I never wanted my show or my image to be retro”

You don’t want your image to be retro either.  You can do cleaned up without looking out-of-date.  Here’s some of the best offerings from the Nordstrom / Bublé style guide, with more affordable options when applicable and available:
.

The Suit:  BOSS Black ‘Pasolini’ Navy Wool Suit $795 | Calibrate Grey Wool & Mohair – $445

BOSS Black and Calibrate

Bublé’s band will be outfitted by BOSS Black during their upcoming tour.  Makes you wish you never gave up the trombone in 5th grade doesn’t it.  Bublé is usually seen in black, but a deep navy has the upper hand.  You can wear a black tie with it.  And unlike a black tie with a black suit, the navy won’t make you look like you’re part of the wait staff.  A more affordable option is the new medium gray Calibrate Wool and Mohair suit that Nordstrom is pushing.
.

The Casual Jacket:  Diesel Juro Nylon Moto Jacket – $150.00

$150 is a lot for Nylon, but it's done right.

Even though their ad campaign is epically lame, Diesel still makes some good looking and edgy sportswear.  It’s expensive for a nylon jacket, but the tonal zippers (not reflective silver) and toned down racing band collar helps this jacket avoid some major pitfalls of other motorcycle type jackets.
.

The Boots: Hawthorne Zip Boot – $398.00 | Kenneth Cole Larger Than Life Boot – $93.00

$400 or $100. Up to you.

Why is it so hard to make a pair of plain, just plain dress boots?  The Hawthorne Zip Boots will be of much higher quality, but you can get an extremely similar looking pair from Kenneth Cole for 1/4 the price.  The toe is a slight chisel but not extreme in the least, giving the boots a more dressed up feel.
.

The Shirt:  HUGO Elvor X Trim Fit Shirt – $95.00 | Nordstrom Smartcare Trim Fit – $49.50

Triple Digits or under $50. Again... up to you.

You can never go wrong with a plain white oxford.  You can also never go wrong paying half the price for an almost identical plain white oxford, that happens to be the store brand.  Nobody sees the tags but you.  Plus, the Nordstrom SmartCare claims to be wrinkle free.  At the very least it’ll be much easier to press.
.

Ray-Ban Square Wrap Aviators – $129.00 | Ray-Ban Bubble Wrap Aviators – $47.99

The differences appear to be minimal at best.

Both are made by Ray-Ban, both give the classic Aviator a much needed modern slim shape, and both slightly wrap around the sides to streamline the  look.  Why the $47.99 for the “Bubble Wrap” Aviators?  Beats me.  The website says they come in a “small” size, but all other sites (Macy’s, Endless, etc…) still selling the same model claim they’re only one size.  Maybe it’s a labeling error, and you get to take advantage of the price drop.
.

Michael Bublé – Crazy Love $11.98

Most people run either hot or cold on Michael Bublé.  Whether you like his style of music or not, you’ve got to respect the guy for his incredible voice (like you wouldn’t want to be able to sing like that?), for making the most of his good but not exactly Brad Pitt looks, and for honestly saying this in a time of unrelenting showbiz narcissism: 

“Getting my photo taken isn’t my favorite thing in the whole world…”

His world tour continues on until March, and his new CD Crazy Love is available now.

Tie bar, Pocket Square... and Loosened Tie?

J. Crew doesn’t do a lot wrong.  Especially when it comes to suiting.  Their Ludlow Suit is a perfect trim fit, and their Aldridge line allows guys who like (or need) a little more space a modern option.

Their Worsted Wool two button looks like something from the next blockbuster spy movie, their back by popular demand wool herringbone is one of the best looking subtle pattern suits on the market, and their attainable Fine Stripe Cotton Ludlow is the Dappered.com pick for warm weather suit of the year.

But would it kill them to button the collar and cinch up the tie?  Almost all the pictures of their suits feature a model wearing an unbuttoned collar and loosened tie.  Even the pics of just the ties show the neck-wear hanging loose from the shirts.

We get it.  You’re cool.  You’re relaxed.  Maybe the rest of us would be too if we could afford to drop $600 on a suit.

Here’s some suggestions on when you can loosen the tie if you’re wearing a suit:

• At lunch
• At the end of the day
• If the office air conditioning is broken
• If you’re breaking out in hives
• If you’re in The Hives
• If you’re about to get into a fist fight (post jacket removal)

Now if you’re wearing jeans and a blazer?  And the tie is knit?  It’s encouraged.  Highly.  But if you’re in a full suit, the one piece of advice you don’t want to take from J. Crew is when to loosen your tie.  Because I guarantee you it’s not 90% of the time.

One could argue that I’m being hypocritical, being that I have stubble 100% of the time.  Thoughts?

Up close with the Express. Notice how small the pattern is and how close the colors are.

Sure a solid navy or charcoal suit is a great staple to have in your closet.  But patterns will get you noticed.  If you want to stand out a little more, think about the fabric of your expertly tailored two piece.  Most guys get solid or pinstripe suits, and nothing else.  Both are fine options, but micro-patterns offer more depth without making you look like a gangster, or worse yet… the Poster Expert from Antiques Roadshow.

The pattern should be something small, tiny even, and tonal.  Think birdseye, or herringbone and houndstooth, on which the individual shapes aren’t that different when it comes to shade.  It adds depth and makes your suit look much more expensive than it actually is.

But again, keep those colors close.  You want an effect similar to Pointillism.  Y’know, someone far enough away thinks you’re wearing a solid suit.  But once they get closer they can see there’s more to what you’re wearing.  What you don’t want is a pattern that’s got so much contrast you look like you’re wearing scales.

The Express Houndstooth Stretch Wool Suit does all of this perfectly, with some of the best not too thin/not too wide lapels I’ve seen yet.  I tried it on and was genuinely impressed with the look and fit.  Skip the vest unless you’re really wanting to make a statement.  The J. Crew Ludlow Herringbone is a slightly more modern cut with thinner lapels.  The quality is up there, but you’ll pay for it too.

Seems like you can still smell the 4th of July fireworks in the air and the back to school sales have already launched.  The grown-up version of those annual back-to-school sales is the sudden increase of sweaters, jackets, and all manners of autumn clothing that’s starting to show up in stores.

Details magazine has released their list of what they believe to be Fall Fashion “essentials” for this year, and a lot of it is pretty high-fashion.  So much so that a lot of these shots look pretty ridiculous.  Click on over to their slide show, then come on back for reaction, yays and nays, and toned-down, back-to-reality affordable alternatives.

Click for the Details list of 2010 Fall Fashion Essentials

The Dappered Take Plus Affordable Alternatives

1. THE MARLED SWEATER: No - Marled is like a beefier version of a heather pattern, with larger more noticeable flecks of white and gray layered in.  And it’s a little loud.  If you want casual warmth, go with a high neck button collar like this one from ASOS.  It has a clean shape and color, and is plenty thick.  Also available in blue for $30.32.

Tonal Suit by Express. Boots by ASOS

2. THE SHEARLING JACKET: No - Too Memphis Belle-y.

3. THE TONAL SUIT: Yes - But not that one.  As Details said:  “A dark two-button with an almost imperceptible pattern can offer tasteful flair without going over the top.”  That’s over the top.  This hounds-tooth from Express isn’t.

4. THE CAMEL COAT: Nah - Take one look at this picture and try and tell me that the jet black tailored pea coat isn’t superior.  If you want a warmer color, this trench from Banana Republic will do the job.

5. THE OVER-SIZED DUFFEL - Not Applicable – Why should the season have any bearing on the size of your luggage?

6. THE WORK BOOT: Yes – Always nice to have a pair on hand.  These from ASOS have both a great shape and dead on details, plus they’ll only set you back $55.59

7. THE FITTED CARGO:  Nope – Not a good idea.  At all.

8. THE PLAID DRESS SHIRT:  No - Draw the line at Gingham.

9. THE CASHMERE TIE:  No – What a waste of money.  I can’t get on board with cashmere.  Women like it because it’s soft against their skin.  It’s ridiculously expensive, and it doesn’t look or work any better than merino wool.  So what’s the point of a cashmere tie?  Are you going to sit there on a park bench and pet your face with it?  Weird.  Just stick with a plain old wool tie if you’re looking to infuse some non-silk fabrics into your neck wear.

Agree?  Disagree?  Have you ever found yourself sitting on a park bench petting your face with your tie?

Slimmer Lapels and possibly less shoulder padding make a modern fit.

Calvin Klein has been a little reckless with their new BODY line label.  Sometimes it’s an item with a slimmer more modern look like this Calvin Klein BODY necktie.  But other times the items are designed to “enhance.” Meaning:  They’re either made of spanx-like material to slim you down, or boosted with extra fabric in the groin area to increase the profile of your junk.  Ridiculous in either case.

What’s not ridiculous is the look of these suits.  And I don’t see how they can really be “enhancing” in a way other than the fact that they’re well cut.

They’re mainly wool, with the Navy stripe option claiming to be wool, cashmere, and polyester.  The lapels are noticeably slimmer, and the description on Macy’s even says: “Save yourself a trip to the tailor.“  And that’s a good sign since Calvin Klein department store suits have always been uncharacteristically bulky for the brand.

Calvin Klein makes strangely large and bulky sack suits for department stores, and they haven’t made a true widely available modern cut wool suit until now.  I don’t own a black suit (gray and navy are as close as I get), but if the solid black Calvin Klein BODY slim fit looks as good in person, and doesn’t have any lame padding in the crotch, it’ll shoot right to the top of my “want” list.  Especially at that sale price.

Currently efforting an up-close fitting for one of these.  Updates will come along if that happens.
UPDATE:  Looks like sizes are extremely limited on the black.  Might have to keep an eye out for new stock.

The Express Shop the Box Sale seems to happen when they’re ready to bring in a new line, need to make room, and dump all the leftovers in boxes for people to dig through.  The nice thing about online shopping is that there’s no digging, and there’s more sizes.  This helps when you’re shopping for anything, especially suits.

If you’re on their mailing list their coupons are accepted for this sale, so you can get many of these items for even cheaper.  But a warning:  Seems like Express is having major issues with their website, so be ready to refresh and deal with navigation problems…

Express Two Button Suits – $100.00 – $130.00

$100 - $130. Even less if you have an Express Coupon

Navy Pinstripe – $100 for Jacket & Pants:  Pretty classic navy pinstripe in a trim fit. Cheaper than the rest.
Corded Cotton- $130 for Jacket & Pants:  One of the top affordable summer suits of the year.
Gray Stripe - $130 for Jacket & Pants:  Way better than the Banana Republic Alternative.
.

Express Pinstriped Piped Producer Pant – $29.99

Warm weather cool.

So maybe you don’t want to go for the white suit.  Not a problem.  A pair of white pants with some details like pinstripes and piping only around the back pockets and waist band will keep you just as cool in the summer.  All sizes available.  Usually around $65.00, tough to find a comparable pair of pants for as low as $30.00
.

Express Ties – Silk Tie Stripe – $19.99 |   Argyle Socks – $4.99

Stripe tie, argyle socks. Both interesting but not too loud.

Navigating through their too-loud ties is about as easy as navigating through their website when it’s crashing and burning.  But there are some good ties to be found.  And now, they’re cheap.  The Argyle Socks come in a bunch of different colors.  Might want to steer clear from the pink.
.

Good luck, hope the Express site gets healthy again soon.

Not a good representation

There are a lot of diamonds in the rough on Overstock.com, and this suit by Kenneth Cole is one of them.  No wonder it’s on sale for $120.  The photo they’re using makes it look like crap, the model’s jacket is at least a size too big, and the tie they’ve paired it with looks awful.

When it comes to clothes, people understandably judge a book by its cover.  And thanks to some poor styling choices by Overstock, it’s to your advantage that this one is still on the shelf.

The two button jacket has a modern cut, the pants are flat front, and the rise sits at the hip like all other athletic cut suits.  The pants are un-hemmed, you can return it if it’s unaltered, and shipping is only $3.00

It’s not wool (instead poly and rayon) but if you’ve got any kind of muscle on you, these suits from Kenneth Cole are a good alternative to the way too skinny poly blend suits from Topman or ASOS.

The base shape really is quite good, but you’ll have to get it tailored in (I own two Kenneth Cole’s purchased from Overstock.)  Swap out that tie for something a little more classic like a Navy Matte solid Calvin Klein, get yourself a slick black leather band dress watch, and finish it off with a white pocket square and a pair of black laceups.  Put it all together and your new suit will look like it cost much more than a measly $120.

Also available in a lighter thinner striped gray

***UPDATE*** Thanks to the very observant Jason who left a comment in the comments section below, we all know that the INC Cotton/Linen Suit just went on sale at Macys.com  Plus, since the purchase will be over $99, you can get free shipping with the code: promo99.  Not bad at all…
***DOUBLE UPDATE*** This is flat out ridiculous.  The Macy’s INC suit just dropped to $75.00

Summer usually means choosing cotton over wool.  And that means suits get a whole lot cheaper.  The perfect J.Crew Fine Stripe Ludlow is only around $350, the dependable Banana Republic cotton linen standard is about the same price, and a light Khaki Sateen from Express will set you back a little over $250.  Pretty cheap when you consider the wool versions of those suits can run at least $100 more.

But even if that group is out of your price range, don’t panic.  You’ve got options.  Here’s three of the best modern-fit summer suits under $200 that won’t leave you disappointed.  Plus a super-cheap bonus pick for those guys with zero cash to spare.
.

1. Macy’s I.N.C. Cotton Linen Blazer – SALE $51.99 (reg $100) | Pant – $21.99 (reg $50)

Reg. $150, it's now just $75.00

If you want a summer suit that’ll keep you cool and grab some attention, you won’t find a better deal than this one from the Macy’s house brand INC.  The fit is terrific off the rack, and the bright white will make you look like you just flew in from Monaco.  It started outat $150, then dropped to $100.  Now it’s only $75.00.  For the entire suit.  Unreal.  Do yourself a favor and keep your shirt, tie, shoes, and accessories muted.  The white says it all.
.

2. Express 1-Button Sateen Peak Blazer – SALE $124.60 | Sateen Producer Pant – $59.90

You can get the jacket online, but the pants have to be in store.

The Corded Cotton and the aforementioned stone colored Cotton Sateen suits by express are also great buys, but neither come in under $200.  This “Chalk” Sateen one button jacket and pant pairing is something Express.com can’t put together for you, and that’s why it’s on sale.  Express customer service claims that although the Chalk colored Cotton Sateen Producer pant is no longer available on the web, it should still is available in stores.  So, go try and find your size in the pant (make sure it’s the chalk color) then get the jacket through the web.  $185 total cost.
.

3. L.L. Bean Signature Traditional Twill Blazer – $135.00 | Matching Pant – $55.00

Casual and made to match.

This is about as laid back as a summer suit can get, while still maintaining a level of refinement.  The cut on these suit seperates from the new L.L. Bean Signature line looks fantastic.  (Click to the back view on the same jacket in Moss to see what I mean) The Patch Pockets will make it too casual for some, but it’s still a more than decent summer suit pairing for under $200.
.

4. Under $90 BONUS:  Old Navy Micro Stripe Suit – Jacket $49.50 | Pants $29.50

$80.00 for the pants and jacket.

Old Navy’s cotton blazers are one of the best kept secrets in affordable men’s style.  I own two, and after tailoring they’re perfect with jeans or chinos.  As far as the fit and quality of these micro stripe suit separates, don’t take my word for it, take it from Tristan who left a comment on the original feature about the pair:

“I just picked up this combination last night. Planning to wear it to a friend’s outdoor reception that’s leaning towards the casual end of the formal spectrum. My fiance and I think it fits and looks pretty sharp even before any tailoring. Its a 100% cotton shell and inside partial lining. The sleeves are lined with polyester, and it’s got a center vent. I’m hoping to accomplish a laid back but classy look. My first choice would of course been J.Crew’s cotton ludlow suit ($366), but this Old Navy summer suit is a nice substitute, and at $80 I’m less concerned about the potential stains on an off-white suit.

For More Summer Suiting Ideas, try these:

• Saving Money on the Perfect Summer Outfit
• Alfani Red Light Gray Sharkskin Suit
• The $110 Summer Suit
• The Ultra Cheap Spring Suit, that’s not a suit.

To: joe@dappered.com
Subject: How your suit should fit… your butt.

I went to Macy’s and tried on the 42R Alfani Red blue pinstripe jacket, thought it was fitting great, and then a woman randomly walked up and told me the jacket didn’t fit me because it was too tight across the butt. The saleswoman agreed with her and wanted me to try a size up, which I didn’t do. Instead, I left the store, confused and annoyed.

Now I’ve got two questions: Do you think “tightness across the butt” is an important element in fitting a suit jacket?  I’ve never seen this element mentioned in any of the online guides I’ve been reading, but the women in the store thought it was important.

My problem is that I have fairly athletic upper body, but as Soulja Boy would say: I “got a donk.”  So I don’t know what to do about this.  I feel like anything that fits my upper body well will show my butt too much and there isn’t much I can do about that.  My second question is: should I buy a regular fit suit and have my tailor bring it way in?  Are there any disadvantages to this?

Thanks…

- Yakov

———————————————————————————————————————————————————–

To: Yakov
Subject: Re: How your suit should fit… your butt.

Yakov:

First of all:  What kind of person walks up to a guy that they don’t know, and tells him: “Hey… I think your jacket is too tight across your ass.“  (Update: Yakov says it was a 60-year-old woman) The fact that this random woman did this leads me to believe that her opinion on your suit jacket is wrong.  Because she’s a whack job.  And whack jobs rarely have a good handle on how a suit should fit.

But on the slim chance that she’s one of the few whack jobs out there with a decent sense of style, let’s get back to your original question.  I honestly have never thought about how my butt looks when I put on a suit jacket.

Salespeople and the vast majority of the public think men should only wear classic American Sack Suits.  I don’t know why this is the case, but, these are the suits that literally make you look like you’re wearing a burlap sack.  They have NO shape to them, whatsoever.  What you want is tapering at the waist no matter what angle you’re being seen from.  Check out the lines of this guy’s silhouette, in the J. Crew Ludlow Worsted Wool Suit:

This is What you want. An Athletic Shape.

Do you think that woman would think this guy would need to put on a bigger size jacket?  He looks terrific.  How do you think she’d react to the fitting points of our guide to buying a suit?  If you go with a non athletic-fit suit and have it brought in, keep an eye on the shoulder pads.  They might fit lengthwise, but often times more traditional fit suits have really thick (meaning tall) pads.  You could end up resembling a linebacker. So to answer your second question, there could be some disadvantages there.

If you do want to pick up a more classic fit suit and have it brought way in, try a more stylish, modern brand like DKNY or Alfani.  Their shoulder pads shouldn’t be as hefty as say, a Ralph Lauren.  Also, if you’ve got the cash, J. Crew’s Aldridge cut might be worth looking into.  It’s a more classic shape (and thus, more room in the rear), but has modern details like slimmer lapels.

Good luck, and the next time a random stranger offers up unsolicited style advice, feel free to give them a gentle kick in their “donk.”

- Joe

So allow me to throw this out there.  Has anyone else ever heard of eyeing up the tighntess across the butt when measuring the fit of a suit ?  Because I never have…

*Jacket Shown in Top Graphic = J. Crew Ludlow Irish Linen Suit – $390.00