DKNY vs. Kenneth Cole Slim Fit Suits – Head to Head Review

Style Battle:  DKNY Slim Fit Suiting vs Kenneth Cole New York Slim Fit Suiting

A step up in price from the Alfani RED and Hilfiger Trim Fit suit separates, the DKNY (left) and Kenneth Cole (right) slim fit suits aren’t separates at all.  That means you choose your jacket size and you’re stuck with the un-hemmed pants that come with it.  No cherry picking off the rack what size fits you best.  Then it’s up to your tailor.

Both of these are easy to find in store at Macy’s, they’re pretty expensive at full retail price, and they’re available in a few different basic color options.  Here’s how they stacked up against each other during an in person fitting:

Methodology:  Tried on the same jacket size (38R) and accompanying pant of each suit right after the other.  Since these are sold as suits and not suit separates, you’re stuck with the pants which make the set.  Measured arm hole circumference with a tape measure around the armpit/shoulder seam that joins the sleeve to the jacket.
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DKNY Two Button Notch Lapel Slim Fit Navy Suit – $379.14 SHIPPED ($595)

Arm Hole Circumference: 22″
Made in: China
Pros: Fabric feel, notch lapel, minimal shoulder padding, nicely contoured through sides, looks incredibly professional, good movement through the armholes, construction feels sturdy.  Inbetween sizes like 39R available.
Cons: Price, isn’t on sale all the time, made in China, not 100% wool, button stance a little high?

This is a hell of an off the rack suit.  Especially since it’s not 100% wool.  The fabric feels and moves great. The armholes feel decently high despite my measurements saying they’re a seemingly standard 22″ in circumference, and they don’t seem to tug on the torso.  With some minor tailoring it’ll look terrific.  The shoulder pads are slim for a department store suit, and the notch on the lapel is set nice and high.  Gives it a more trim, masculine look.
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Kenneth Cole New York Two Button Notch Lapel Slim Fit Suit – $259.99 (reg. $550)

Arm Hole Circumference: 22.5″
Made in: Mexico
Pros: 100% wool, less expensive, similar and cheap versions on Overstock.com, modern but not too modern.
Cons: Shoulder pads are more pronounced, could be more contoured through the sides.

Two tips for buying a Kenneth Cole suit:  Stick with the Kenneth Cole New York brand because those are wool.  REACTION is polyester.  And check on Overstock.com before you buy in-store.  You can usually pickup one up on Overstock for $150 – $200.  Will it be the most current version?  Maybe not.  Another oddity is that these aren’t available on Macys.com  Strange.  The one I tried on in-store was 100% wool but it didn’t feel as good as the DKNY.  In person the shape of the KC looks heavier & longer.  Turns out it actually is.   The suit pants that come with a 38R are a 32 waist, as opposed to a 31 waist for the DKNY.  The length of the jacket on the DKNY is also shorter by half an inch.
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The Winner:  DKNY Trim Fit or… The Indochino Ultimate Gray

This was a weird one.  In the fitting room, it was no contest.  The DKNY was the clear winner.  But in the pics it’s the DKNY appears to be bulky.  Perhaps it’s a bad angle or the fact that I was goofily holding my arms up in an attempt to show the contours of each jacket.  Instead I look like I confused my deodorant with mace that morning (didn’t that happen in a Police Academy?)  Regardless, in person the DKNY looks & feels much, much better.  But if given the choice between it, and the previously reviewed Indochino Ultimate Gray?  I’d keep my Indochino.

The current Macy’s extra 10% off sale promotion expires on 1/18.