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Affordable Men's Style

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Suit Supply Review – The In Person

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Suitsupply Napoli Fit 100% Wool 120s – $469.00

Most of us have three requirements when looking for an afforable suit:  Minimal shoulder padding, a nice off the rack contour at the sides, and higher armholes.  Suitsupply delivers on all three of those requirements, but you’ll pay for it.

Plenty took notice when Suitsupply was featured in the Wall Street Journal almost a year ago.  A $614 Suitsupply suit held it’s own against a $3600 Armani, and they do offer less expensive basic suits starting at $399.  That’s right around the $379 price point of a basic Indochino, the custom suit outfit which has produced both love and hatred amongst customers.

But is Suitsupply better?  That depends.  First, this is what you can expect if you’re willing to spend $469 on a suit from their middle “blue” line:

The Pros
  • The Shoulder Pads/Contour/High Armholes:  It nails the trifecta.  The shoulders are lightly padded and move real smooth with the high armholes.  The contour off the rack (or in this case, out of the box) is awfully good.  A 38R on my frame would need maybe some slight alterations at the upper waist.
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  • The Wide Variety of Patterns & Fabrics:  Wools, cottons, even velvet if you want it.  And patterns like this loud but not completely obnoxious plaid are available on their middle line.
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  • The Shipping:  These are ready to go once your order goes in.  Ordered on a Thursday, and it showed up the following Wednesday well packed in a huge box shaped like a coffin.  Nice.
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  • Overall Quality:  The super 120s fabric is lightweight for sure, but there’s nothing flimsy about this suit.  Some ultra cheap department store brands feel like they’re barely held together.  This one feels like it could take a beating and come back for more.  Plus, there’s that oft discussed usage of a canvas instead of fusing to keep the front of the jacket attached to the lining: “Our canvases are made out of cotton enforced with horsehair and camelhair, ensuring strength, durability and flexibility at the same time.”
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  • The Details:  Extra details like the interior taping/piping are nice.  The buttons are terrific.  That makes a big deal to some of us.  Also, the functioning buttons on the sleeves are a nice touch, and a 38R fits like a 38R.  No awkwardly long sleeves to leave tailoring headaches.
The Cons
  • The Extra Cost: It’ll be worth it to some, but $469 isn’t $300.  And you’re on the hook for extra tailoring.  At the very least you’re going to have to have the pants hemmed, so if you need the jacket brought in you’re looking at spending at least $450 for the cheapest option.  It jumps to over $500 for the suit shown here.
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  • The Lack of Lapel Options:  All of their suits in their closest fitting contemporary line come with peak lapels.  It’d be nice to see some notch lapels worked in there too, but their other fits do come with notch lapels and the Napoli fit, which is the fit of the suit reviewed here, seems fit reasonably close.
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  • The Confusing Fits:  Their Washington fit appears to be the closest fitting, and as already mentioned, only comes with peak lapels.  The Napoli fit seems to come in second.  Then the London, Lazio, and Copenhagen?  Maybe?
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  • The Lack of options in their $399 line:  They currently carry just four suits at their lowest price point.  None of them come in a solid color.  Unless you count the light beige almost white number.
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  • This line in their “about our suits” section: “We avoid using fused constructions…” Wait.  Avoid?
The Bottom Line

There’s a hole in the affordable suit market, and as good as they are, Suitsupply doesn’t seem to fill it.  You won’t find a basic navy or grey suit through Suitsupply for under $400.  Meanwhile, Alfani red has low armholes, Hilfiger Trim Fit has strong shoulders, Indochino can be wildly unpredictable when it comes to fit, and J. Crew is too expensive.

If you’ve got $500 to spend, you fit well into normal sizes, and you appreciate the consistency a 38R, 40S, or 42L can bring, then Suitsupply has to be high on your list.  If you don’t have that kind of money, have had bad luck with Indochino, and have struck out with the lower cost department store brands… then unfortunately you’ll still be looking.

*But look no further than here if you need a basic navy.  Now $350 through Thusday with the code NEWYOU

Comments

  4. How does the Lauren by Ralph Lauren suiting out of macy’s fit? Start out in the 600’s, but Macy’s being macy’s, i’ve seen them down around 300 regularly. Of course, a solid gray is still hard to find, but there’s got to be an option around there. And being returnable is big, I’m a 46L, but not all 46L’s are made equal. 

  5. I am confused now about suit construction. I though “fused” was the cheap, less desirable way to do it. What is wrong with that last sentence? 

  6. If they avoid it, does that mean sometimes they have to? It’s confusing for them to say avoid.

    In their defense, and I know nothing about suit construction, they may canvas as much as possible and fuse whatever can’t be canvassed. That’s what “avoid” sounds like to me. Perhaps they can clarify.

  7. Lauren suits actually aren’t RL at all; they licensed the name to someone else (forget who). You can find them at Marshalls/TJ Maxx for under $200. I think there’s an article or two about them on here, so just do a search. 

  8. Some things are always fused, even in expensive hand-made suits. Lapels, for one, are usually fused because it doesn’t matter to how the jacket drapes on you. 

  9. Thanks for the review Joe. One thing to note is that if you can get to NYC you can go into the Suit Supply store there to try things on and buy, and I think they’ll do the tailoring there. I’m thinking about making a trip myself. 

  10. Great review Joe. However, I’m still a little confused as to what kind of retailer Suit Supply actually is…

    Are they MTM like Indochino? Do they offer any customizable options? From your review, and the comments below – it seems neither is true…

  11. That’s definitely the suit that I’d choose.  I’d kill for that suit (can I borrow your gloves).  That said – this is a review, man.  Don’t be afraid to post more than four pics that show some more details (like the sleeve pic.)  The SS site doesn’t offer detailed close-ups.  That’s what we’re relying on you for.

    I’ve been wanting the Napoli for a while, but because I’m actually looking for a more formal charcoal suit, I now prefer the London’s lower button stance.  The London supposedly has more shoulder padding, but I’m still willing to bet it is minimal compared to other brands.  Does anyone know anything about that?

    These suits are not expensive considering wool source prices are unavoidably high for now.  Suitsupply offers everything I ever wanted out of Indochino (high arm holes, button cuffs, soft shoulders) but without the hassle of finger crossing and transcontinental back and forth remakes.  Just send me a 38R with a 6 inch drop and I’m good.  And based on what I’ve read, the quality is much better.  As for other off the rack comparisons, like BR, RbRL, etc, I’m thinking it’s apples and oranges. 

  13. I think Nicholas and Jason are correct, but this could easily be a translation issue.  Suit Supply isn’t a U.S. or English-speaking-country based company (Amsterdam if I remember correctly), so the use of avoid may be unintentionally suspicious to us.

  15. Lord and Taylor have fantastic sales pretty regularly. Picked up a nice DKNY suit from them pretty recently at $299 and they tailored the paints free of charge. It is definitely worth it to check them out when you are looking for a suit. Be careful of the Black Brown 1826 line. I haven’t tried any of these suits but a lot of the shirts tend to be a bit boxy. Seems like they haven’t caught on to the fitted trend as most other brands. I think the line is made by Joseph Abboud.

  16. That’s one of my suspicions as well.  A lot of the text on their site flows oddly. (But then again, same goes for this site)

  17. For the most part, they’re not made to measure, but seem to offer that service in-store if you can get to it.  Therefor, no to the customizable options as well.

  18. Try clicking on “the shoulders” “the contour off the rack” “The super 120s fabric” and “the interior taping piping”  Other than that, it’s pretty simple when you get up close.

    I’m on board with what you’re saying about Indochino.  I’ve lucked out with them and haven’t had too many issues when it comes to fit.  But I’ve seen the horror story pics.  It seems like they’ve gotten consistent with me (just need to bring in the waist each time, but that’s covered by the $75 credit)

    I would encourage you to give BR another spin.  Their new suits are pretty great if you can get em’ for 30% off.  Shoulders aren’t too bad and armholes are decent too.

  22. All of Suit Supply’s suits are half-canvassed except for their top line (begins around $899) which are fully-canvassed.  The half-canvas means that there is a floating chest piece, and a nice strong canvas interlining that ends right beneath the lapel (hence, “half”).  Very little glue or fusing up top for a basic $469 Blue Line suit.  It’s easy to check–just undo one of the seams in the interior lining. 

    Indochino uses a very interesting hybrid solution in which a half-canvas top is combined with a fused interfacing, alongside a floating chest piece.  So it has decent drape but at less cost (therein lies their model).

    Note, if you do the “pinch test” for both suits you’ll find both are fused (or at least absent canvas) in the bottom half, and both have canvas in the lapels; but they are very different in terms of internal construction–something one wouldn’t know unless one actually sees it.

  25. This is what I was wondering as well. Full instead of half canvassed, custom options, MTM, etc. I guess Thick as Thieves doesn’t really fit well over bigger guys; that could be a reason. I just put an order in for a TaT suit last week and I’m excited to see the results.

  26. What’s the concern with bigger guys? I’m taller, (6’4″) but very slender–TaT might not fit me well?

  27. I picked up one of their navy herringbone suits a month or two ago and I have to say, it’s pretty amazing.  For the cost, the fabric and construction is unmatched.  Most of my other suits are Hilfiger from Macy’s (on sale for like $200 usually) and own one high-end suit, and I can honestly say that the difference between the Hilfiger and this one is very noticeable.  While it’s no Canali, for a fraction of the price, I’m not sure you can do much better.  

    They are off-the-rack, not MTM, so you may need to get some alternations done, but they’re not outrageously priced.  

    Right now, their only US location is in NYC but the sales guy there mentioned they are planning on opening a few more stores, one in Midtown NYC, another in Chicago, and I think a few other locations.  

  28. So you’re telling me that for 100 dollars less you’ll rather look like this guy http://www3.assets-gap.com/webcontent/0004/130/803/cn4130803.jpg

    Than this guy: http://dappered.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/suit-supply-large.jpg

    Am I missing something here? 

  29. Thanks for the review, Joe! That BR suit looks great, but I am on the “Don’t buy clothing for this month” resolution, so I’ll have to be patient.

    Also, is there a scheme for tagging these posts? I like to use those tags to find relevant posts. The “30% off Gap” post has a “suit” tag, but this Suitsupply one doesn’t, so clicking on the “suit” tag doesn’t pull up this review. Searching “suit” does bring up this Suitsupply post, but also pulls up the “The Black Keys” post from yesterday (since “suitable” is in the post)

    Basically, can you tag this Suitsupply post with a generic “suit” tag? That way, if I’m looking for all posts on dappered related to “suit,” I can find them easily.

  31. Oh I don’t know from experience but my understanding is that they don’t make above a 42″ chest. I’d imagine that you’re fine.

  33. If you need a navy suit (and not some plaid) then the BR with some tailoring, a different body position towards the camera, and some stairs in the background, will be more than just fine.

  34. Suit tag added.  Getting more consistent with tags is on the list, but more often than not, they’re an afterthought when time runs out.  Which happens all the time.

    Thanks for the kind words.

  37. What line?  I have a Sienna, which I adore and get tons of compliments on (people can’t believe it only cost me $649), but I’m tempted by the Napoli as well.

  38. aha! But will that tailoring cost you near or around $100 dollars? And is the suit quality from BR as good as SuitSupply?

    And true, its not navy but this, albeit not solid navy is pretty close: http://www.suitsupply.com/shop/1.P3066/Suit?filter_19=575

    And when this: http://www.suitsupply.com/shop/1.P3079/Suit?filter_19=575 (although also not navy) resembles this: http://clothesonfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Mission-Impossible-Ghost-Protocol_-Blue-suit-centre-Mid_image-credit-Paramount-Pictures.jpg Well I’m pretty sold.

    But to each his own I guess….

  40. Great review.  I have been interested in these suits since the article in the WSJ came out.  I’ve also been considering Indochino as well but due to the wildly varying degrees of experience there, have yet to pull the trigger.  Additionally I’m a short, wide, barrel chested mofo but like a trimmer fit so off the rack suiting that fits me is typically a chupacabra.  Usually a trim cut 50R fits me well with some alterations but the drop is always an issue.

  41. Any opinions on the Calvin Klein Slim Fit from Macy’s?

    Can be had for ~$240 on sale and with some as separates.

  42. What about suits from Topman or Zara, don’t they fill the hole in the affordable suit market? Or are they much lower quality..

  43. I agree with you Christian. PS, that suit reminds me of this, 
    http://thesuitsofjamesbond.com/?p=41 . Medium blue seems like an amazing color for suits, and it’s one we don’t see a lot of.

    I don’t understand the review. It’s like you’re reviewing a Lexus and then dinging it for not being as cheap as a Hyundai. Sure, if the Toyota were of equal quality to the 
    Hyundai, that’d be fair. But all signs say it isn’t – every photo I’ve seen of Suit Supply suits puts it markedly above Hilfiger, Alfani and probably J Crew too.I haven’t seen any Suit Supply suits in person, but they’ve come well recommended. The respected blog Put This On gave them a strong recommendation given their price point. http://putthison.com/post/14122203816/we-got-it-for-free-suitsupply-suit-in-my-shortAnd, of all the makers you mentioned, Suit Supply has the most exciting patterns. And the suits look *good* on people, as it does here. They conform well to the body in photos. Can you say the same of Hilfiger or Alfani? A well fitting suit is not just a function of getting it tailored, but also the initial construction. That said, their button stance is a little high for my tastes, and the functional buttonholes may not be appropriate for an off the rack suit, given how the sleeves may require alterations.

  44. Also in the name of a detailed review, it would be nice to know if you paid for the suit or got it for free. The review was thorough and didn’t skimp on the cons, but full disclosure goes a long way. 

  46. I’ve found that with BRs more tailored fits, I can sometimes get away without any tailoring.  The Suitsupply would have needed a few alterations.  But that’s going to be different for everyone.

    I think what I was getting at was a basic, Navy suit.  Lots of guys need one.  Looks like you’re a bit farther along by your avatar/icon thingy.

    Not everyone can spend $400+ on a suit.  Just trying to offer an alternative.  Eh?

  47. Cool. I hadn’t seen your disclosure page before. I have no problem with blogs getting sent stuff in order to review, it’s just nice to know how it was acquired for the review. Knowing that you paid for it gives the review a bit more credibility.  Thanks for the clarification, Joe!

  48. I never “dinged” them. 

    “It’ll be worth it to some, but $469 isn’t $300”

    You’re in the category where the extra cost that’s invested in the construction is worth it.  Many who read this website are not.  I’m attempting to see both sides of that issue.  That’s all.

  49. My pleasure, and while I have no problem with other sites keeping test products (as long as they disclose), it’s just not something I want our site to get in the habit of.  I’m kind of anal about it, and I’d much rather we pony up for return shipping and not keep a “freebie” a brand expected us to keep, as opposed to actually keeping it.

    That said, I’ve got two packages sitting here I’ve never opened sent from retailers who wanted something tested.  Somehow, it all got lost in the shuffle/scheduling, and I really need to send these things back.  Thanks for the reminder Joel!

  50. They are great gloves; I got them after you recommended it and RL had their site wide sale. They definitely get more comments than any gloves I’ve owned before.

  54. Am I the only one who things that patter is hideous for the pants.  I feel like they belong on an 80 year-old British dude.  Or Knox Harrington.

  55. I bought a SuitSupply Suit about a month ago. The construction is pretty amazing for the price. It’s a London 40R. I am 5’10.5 and 175 lbs. I can go on and on about the details and how great it felt and looked on me. I own about three Hugo Boss suits, quite a few from the nordie rack house brands,  a black DKNY suit, etc. None fit me as well as the SuitSupply suit. 

    As soon as I stepped out in it I started to receive compliments. Actually, I have never received so many compliments on a suit before. I will probably end up buying about two more by the end of this year. 

    J Crew and Banana Republic Suits are not up to par with SuitSupply; even the Banana Republic suits that get their stuff from the Canonico Mill. They just are not in any sense. You can go on and on about construction, but at the end of the day you want something that looks great on you. 

    One word of caution: be careful with their models. I bought a “Washington” model and had to send it back because it was ridiculously slim along the arms. Very weird as i have never had that happen before. I have not tried there Napoli cut yet, but will probably later on. 

  57. I purchased a suit from the Suitsupply in Manhattan in September and had a great experience. The shop is on the second floor in SoHo (not having a first floor storefront is one of the ways they keep down costs I was told). I had one salesman spend 45 minutes with me trying on different suits/fits and discussing tailoring options. In the end I went with a middle “blue” line and was fitted for alterations which they performed in store at standard tailoring prices. They offered to have it ready the next day at no extra cost but since I don’t live in the city I picked it up the following weekend. In fact, because of traffic I arrived after they had closed but I called ahead and they kept the front door open for me.They have slim fit shirts, ties and pocket squares to match your suit with. Shirts are 99 dollars however. I greatly enjoyed being in a store entirely devoted to well fitting suits and salesman who knew what they were talking about AND were themselves wearing suits I actually wanted to buy. The downside was their seemingly small stock of suits and sizes. Also, they favor bold and interesting patterns, which some buyers may like but makes shopping for standard blue or grey a bit difficult. Having tried on their many different styles I would not hesitate to purchase off their website in the future. The “Washington Fit” 38R in store fit me perfectly without tailoring but, alas was only available in a very heavy glen plaid. Overall it was a great experience and the suit is well worth the money. As Joe said, if you’ve got 500 dollars and you’re looking for a well fitting and well made suit, Suitsupply is an excellent option.

  58. Those rotating background images are horrendous. Is it me, or do those epic rainbow colored explosions look like they’re emanating from the models’….nevermind

  59. My Zara suit has held up well so far, but you have to be careful and look for the ones that are mostly or all wool.  Avoid polyester or blended ones as best as you can.  Same goes for Topman but I’m not sure about their quality.  Probably alright for the price range.

  61. Any comments on there measurements?

    The Napoli suit featured in the article has a 41 inch chest in 36R… Does this seem big to anyone else?

  65. original “guest” here — the issue is that the use of “avoid” does not answer the question of whether they use fused construction or not.  It can be read as meaning that they try not to use it, but sometimes it can’t be avoided.  If this is the case, the next step is determining when they believe it can’t be avoided… is it on the basis of whether it’s possible not to use fusing? if it’s cost-effective? etc.

    This, of course, is in contrast to saying that they simply do not use fused construction.  Or saying they don’t use fused constr. except for lapels, etc.

  66. Thanks for the experience/review.  Definitely want to check out the store one of these weekends.

  68. FYI, Modern Tailor (online MTM, and like Indochino, Elite Suits, etc. sources their work to Asian tailors) has decent suits too.  They are all half-canvassed (I’ve verified this in person, having undone two of them) and a 100% wool fabric will set you back $350-400-ish although they have many more expensive options. 

    So all in all, it’s not hard to get a decent half-canvassed suit for $450 or less these days–which is astounding, as I see glued and fused suits from high-end manufacturers in their above-average lines (e.g., Hugo Boss’ “Black” line which varies drastically in quality) retailing for $750 or more. 

    Astounding, because they are all made in China.

  69. I stopped by the Suit Supply store in Manhattan, and while I didn’t walk away with anything, I’d have to say that the salesman that helped me out was definitely more informed than, say, a guy at any Brooks Brothers store (even their flagship at 346 Madison).  He understood proper fit, especially at the shoulders.

    Planning on going back in the spring for a lighter colored suit (that I’d be afraid of getting from Indochino).

    Definitely better construction than a J.Crew suit, if you need a comparison.  If you ask me, it’s worth the extra $150 to buy this over any cheaper suit from Macy’s or BR.

  73. I think a calvin klein slim fit from macys fits the requirements here. Much less padding than tommy slim and with better fabric but at the same price point. awesome suit for around 200 if you catch the sales right.

  74. Any experience with Proper Suit?  I saw on their site they just opened a SOMA office albeit they are a little pricey (650 min.)  There membership FAQ section is pretty interesting… propersuit.com/faqs

  76. I haven’t had a ton of experience with L &T, but when I have gone in there I haven’t had much luck finding stuff with a slim/modern fit (save a light weight corduroy jacket that was bordering on too slim … I believe it was a Black Brown 1826 offering). Anyway, they do seem to have sales nonstop which makes it a bit hard to determine what’s actually a sale and what’s a just a everyday price masquerading as a sale to attract customers.

  77. I’ve had the best experience with Black Lapel, their prices are awesome for the quality fabric and construction, and my suit came out worlds better than my Indochino suit that I returned. Their customer service is amazing too.

  78. I have purchased two suits from suit supply, and while Armani, Samuelsohn or Canali they are not, they fill a good place in the rotation from the suit up line. The Blue Line is not an appreciable bargain, as there are outlets for suits as good at a lower price if you look. However, the Sienna and La Spalla fits, while not standard sizes, have good construction, and are contemporary style without going overboard (*cough* Lavin).

  79. A pretty fair assessment, but maybe what we should be asking is this: why are we so averse to the idea of having something tailored and spending a little more for quality that we can appreciate? We should all take enough pride in our appearance that a $500 suit isn’t seen as a hustle, but rather as an investment.

    Compared to the reviewer who fits nicely into a 38R off the rack, I don’t fit into anything off any rack! I’ve bought (and returned) suits from Indochino and Black Lapel at the $379 price point, and they fit like a $379 suit: the shoulders were heavily-padded (no option for a natural shoulder), the waist suppression was severe, and the overall fit was borderline tight. Full disclosure: my wife is a seamstress and took all of my measurements, so they should have been fine. Also, those online M2M retailers do not give options for one sleeve or pant leg to be longer than the other, and my frame requires that.

    At least at Suit Supply, I can stand in front of a mirror and have somebody pin my suit on my so I can make sure it fits the way I want it to before I leave the store. Maybe Suit Supply isn’t for everybody, but they have a loyal customer in me, and I think they deserve a visit.

    P.S.: Most people don’t live close near a Suit Supply, but almost every town has a decent tailor that can make basic alterations to a well-constructed suit. Find one and put him or her on speed dial, because they are well worth the small investment for properly-fitting clothes.