In Review: Banana Republic Italian Wool Signature Suits

B.R. Signature Suit Separates – $409.96 FINAL* – $680

*Pricing Note: Banana Republic is running an extra 30% off sale items deal through Monday 8/3, and it’s applying to the dark navy micro houndstooth shown in this post. BUT…  for some absurd reason the trousers for that specific suit are final sale. So no returns or exchanges on the dark navy micro houndstooth trousers. 

• Fabric: Italian wool: Lanificio Angelico (navy houndstooth) or Vitale Barberis Canonico (gray or blue)
• Lining: Rayon/Cotton (front), Poly/Rayon (back and sleeves)
• Construction: Half canvas? Maybe? Seems to feel and wear nicer than fully fused.
• Sleeve Cuff Buttons: Functional. So tailoring could be an expensive pain.
• Lapels/Vents: Notch lapel. Single center vent.
• Sales? Occasionally 30% – 40% off. Often stuck to full price.
• Size Shown in Review: 40R, 32×30 on 5’10″/180
• TL;DR Grade: 8/10 if on sale and the sleeve length works for you

When it comes to affordable (not cheap) men’s suits, price isn’t the only consideration. Availability, trust, timing (how fast do you need it?) and whether or not it’ll need a bunch of tailoring post-purchase all come into the decision making process.

Which is why despite often being stuck to full price, Banana Republic’s Signature line of Italian Wool suit separates are a really good choice depending on the buyer’s situation.

• Navy Houndstooth Suit Jacket – $299.99 ($450)
• Navy Houndstooth Suit Trouser – $109.97 FINAL ($230)
• Gray Suit Jacket – $450
• Gray Suit Trouser – $230
• Blue Suit Jacket – $450
• Blue Suit Trouser – $230

Sold as suit separates instead of “nested” suit pairs, you get to pick the size of the jacket and trousers independently of each other. No getting stuck with a 34 trouser if you need a 40R jacket, which is common with nested suits. They’re widely and easily available thanks to GAP inc’s e-commerce machine, as well as their brick and mortar footprint (not all stores will carry these suits, but at least you can use the “in store pickup” option on their website to check available local inventory). And the quality is really quite good, as they use Italian wool from mills such as Lanificio Angelico (navy houndstooth) or Vitale Barberis Canonico.

Size Shown: 40R / 32×30 on 5’10″/180

But there are a few drawbacks.

Unlike, say, Bonobos or Spier, there’s only one “fit” template available. Something they call “tailored slim.” On the scale of Boxy>Athletic>Slim>Skinny… they fall somewhere between Athletic and Slim leaning towards Slim, but still should provide most with the room they need. (Although #teamthunderthighs may find the trousers to be a little tight.) And thankfully, the tails aren’t chopped. They should help make you look athletic, but professional.

Nice, all season wool fabrics from Italy.

The sleeves seem to run average in terms of length, but maddeningly they have functional (“surgeon’s”) sleeve cuff buttons. Sure it’s a cool detail, but they can be an expensive pain to tailor. Their competition (J. Crew/Spier/Bonobos) just doesn’t bother with cutting holes for their sleeve cuff buttons. And that’s welcome for those of us who want to save on tailoring costs.

Functional sleeve cuffs = kinda cool…
but expensive to alter.

In terms of construction, they’re pretty coy about whether they’re half-canvas or not. That said, the jackets move and drape really well. They’re certainly not stiff, like many fully fused jackets can feel, and the minimal shoulder padding is welcome. Details like under collar felt and an after-dinner split on the trouser waist seem to indicate quality construction, as does the feel of the buttons, lining, taped interior seams, etc.

After dinner split makes the waist more comfortable while sitting.
(It can also be a sign of thoughtful construction)

$680 at full price is a lot of money. Especially from a brand you know puts their goods on sale from time to time. But if you’re in a rush and it fits just right, then paying full price (*gasps*) may be called for… as time is the most valuable commodity, and many of us leave things to the last minute (like finding a suit for a fast approaching event).

Plan ahead and be patient, and getting one of these sets for 30% off would land the jacket/trouser combination at $476. That’s a nice deal. Catch a rare 40% off Friends and Family or Black Friday/Cyber Monday event, and they’d drop to $408. At that point, don’t be surprised to see us light up the “steal alert” signal. They’ve got too much going for them at that price.