The Summer Suit Search – Club Room Slim Fit

Light colored summer suits have a limited use. No matter how well tailored, they just don’t look right in December.  But while Medium Gray, Charcoal, and Navy suits are the foundation, light & breathable summer suits look & feel pretty damn good from April – early September. Our search for the best affordable summer suiting options is on, and you can send in your suggestions via styletip.

Above:  Shirt by Calvin Klein | Wool & Silk Tie by Personality Milano

Club Room is a Macy’s House brand which usually leans older, boxier and more traditional.  If it wasn’t for the words “slim fit” in the title of this suit’s description, there wouldn’t any reason to give it slight consideration.  But like Alfani and Alfani RED, Club Room has their “CR” line.  This suit is a CR, certainly not a traditional fit suit, but it’s not without some issues.
.

The Pros

• The Fabric: 100% cotton that’s dressed up but still moves and feels great.  Much more appropriate for business than a linen suit.
  .
• The Waist Fit: It’s not super slim, but the pre-contouring makes it ready to be brought in a bit more by your tailor if you so choose.
  .
• The Construction: It doesn’t feel flimsy at all.  Made in Mexico.
  .
• The Sleeve Buttons: NON Functional.  So no tailoring nightmares there.  They’re stacked, but not crazy over-stacked like Indochino’s buttons.

The Cons

• The Shoulders & Armholes: From your armpits up it looks and feels more traditional.  The padding isn’t thick, but the cut of the shoulders is sharp, not soft.  The armholes tug too.
  .
• The Price: It more than fluctuates.  Was $150 during the spring sale.  Now $230.  For that price you could almost get the Italian Fabric Banana Republic suit when it goes on sale, and that one is close to perfect.
  .
• The Color: Not an actual drawback, but know it’s darker in person than on Macys.com.  More of a taupe.  See how it compares to other khakis here.  (From Top:  L.L. Bean Signature, GAP Sportcoat, CR Suit Jacket)
  .

The Bottom Line

If your budget is $150?  Yes.  Absolutely.  For $230?  That depends.  If you’re going for a more buttoned up/business type of suit, then it’s worth considering.  But if Banana Republic is running a 30% off sale, you can nab their Italian Cotton summer suit for $260.  And that suit somehow manages to look and feel both business ready and laid back all at once.  Well worth the extra $30 if you can catch the BR on sale.  The CR is well worth the $150 when it dips that low.
.

Current Best Summer Suit Standings

Best Dressed Up: Banana Republic Italian Cotton
Best Dressed Down: L.L. Bean Signature New Traditional Twill
Best Ultra Cheap Option: INC linen blend

For the growing archive of the 2011 Dappered Summer Suit Search, click here.