The end of one year and the start of another means it’s time to hand out some awards. No there aren’t any 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. Feel free to send in additional nominations to joe@dappered.com.
Banana Republic Italian Wool Signature Suits – $276 – $650
Full in-person review of the gray option can be found here.
Nice fabrics and details, a fit template that’s neither skinny nor boxy, and widely available from a trusted source either in-store or shipped to your door. No item has represented Banana Republic’s “attainable luxury” era more than their Italian wool signature suit separates, and their careful and controlled expansion into seasonal colors while maintaining the foundation of blues and grays has earned them the top spot on our list for 2024.
- Gray Italian Nailhead Wool Suit Jacket + Matching Trouser = $291.98 ($600)
- Blue Italian Nailhead Wool Suit Jacket + Matching Trouser = $387.98 ($600)
- Light Grey Italian Tropical Wool Suit Jacket + Matching Trouser = $275.98 ($650)
Some options are on sale + getting an additional 20% off.
Sizes may move fast.
It’s true that at the full MSRP of $600-$650, you’d be better off taking a look at Suitsupply, Spier & Mackay, or even something like an Oliver Wicks online Made to Order. It’s also true that we’re heading into a period of the year where Banana Republic sales have been (at least in recent years) few and far between. But the back half of this year has been nicely paced with 30% – 40% off events, and even in the spring BR will run a bigger sale now and then.
You’ve just got to be paying attention. Or paying attention to a website (hi) that does that paying attention for you.
Sold as separates instead of nested suit pairs, buyers get to pick the size of jacket and size of trouser independent of the other, giving them a combo which should fit them best. And while the trousers have less than super-precise length options (Short = 29.5″, Regular = 31.5″, Long = 33.5) it is possible that one might be able to get away with no extra tailoring. It’s not the likeliest of outcomes (most will need to at least have the trousers hemmed a little by a tailor), but it’s a scenario that is possible.
The one big drawback is that they DO come with functioning sleeve cuff buttons, which can be a no-go for many who usually have to have the length of their jacket sleeves altered. But if the sleeves hit to your liking, then it’s a neat little heritage (if not unnecessary) tailoring detail. If BR were to switch to non functioning sleeve cuff buttons, that could bring in a whole new market of those with longer or shorter than average arms.
The fact that they’re sold as separates, the nice Italian fabrics, the details, the colors, and the ease of finding one (and/or returning/exchanging easily if necessary) is one powerful combination. A combination BR seems poised to continued to throw our way more and more in 2025.
Let’s hope they continue to get restocked and then also go on sale.
Full, original review can be found here if you’d like it.
Also receiving votes:
- Spier & Mackay’s Red Label “Groomsman” Line
- Spier & Mackay’s Core Line (nicer than their Red Label, still very affordable for the specs)
- Suitsupply’s $499 “Perrenial” line
- The Brooks Brothers Made in Italy or USA 1818 line
- When on significant sale… The Brooks Brothers less-expensive, made from Italian wool (V.B.C.) “Explorer” line of Suit Separates
- For the hard to fit: Oliver Wicks online made to measure (one of those companies where you take a tape measure and give them a bunch of data, and then they make a suit and ship it to you)
