Best Affordable Style of 2016 – The Suit

The end of the year means it’s time to hand out some awards.  No, there’re no little statues to pass along, but over the next few days we’ll still highlight some of the best in affordable men’s style from this past year.  And it was a good one. Feel free to send in additional nominations to joe@dappered.com.

 

Spier & Mackay’s Slim or Contemporary Fit Suits – $260 – $335 USD

There are very, very few things not to like about Spier & Mackay’s suits. Half canvas, Australian merino wool, they come with easy to tailor non functioning sleeve buttons, the lapels are a timeless width, and the two cuts that they offer (slim, and the more generous yet not boxy “contemporary” fit) seem to fit the vast majority of the population.

And they run around $300 USD? Sometimes less?

Those attributes, and that price, more than make up for the fact that returns are only free on your first suit or sportcoat purchase, and sometimes the more common sizes seem to sell out awfully fast.

Solid quality, nice fabrics, and fine finishing (buttons, stitching, curved chest pocket, etc…) is a tough combo to find at $300 or less. That’s cheap-ish fused suit territory. So a mighty appreciative (& suited) hat tip goes to our neighbors north of the border where they’re based. Full review of the Contemporary Fit can be found here.

Also Receiving Votes: Suitsupply’s $399 Blue line. J. Crew Factory’s ever expanding Thompson line. J. Crew’s Ludlow and Crosby suits if you can snag em’ on sale. Black Lapel’s Custom Suits. Banana Republic’s (fused) Italian Wool Suit Separates. Todd Snyder’s Stretch Wool Suits.