I need a new suit in NYC.

September 8, 2008 11:39 AM

I need a new suit. I live in NYC, and a friend had recommended that I go to Linus in SoHo, which has been known for its high quality and relatively low prices. Unfortunately the shop seems to have closed and I can't find out anything more. So, I guess I have two questions: 1. Has it moved somewhere else and I'm just not finding it? 2. What's a good alternative? I'd like a decent suit, fashionable and well constructed, and I'd like to pay less than $1000.
posted by o2b to clothing, beauty, & fashion (15 comments total)

I needed a suit, and I used a personal shopper through the personal shopping department at Macy's in Herald Square. I was very pleased with the experience.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 11:48 AM on September 8, 2008 [2 favorites has favorites]

Joseph A. Banks has plenty of suits for less than $1000.
posted by Grither at 11:56 AM on September 8, 2008

I read this article a few years ago, and one of these days I'm finally gonna go see Mr. Yan, or one of the other custom tailors in Chinatown.

Just offering an option you might not have thought of.
posted by pupdog at 11:56 AM on September 8, 2008

go to an outlet, you can find excellent suits -- Etro, Burberry -- for a thousand dollars
posted by matteo at 12:05 PM on September 8, 2008

What qualifies as a decent suit these days? Since my new dress code requires suits I went to Men's Warehouse and picked up a Joseph Abboud suit. It was one of only two lines of suits that was sold as separate pieces. That way I got two pairs of pants with the jacket for about 1/2 of your $1000.00 budget
posted by Gungho at 12:10 PM on September 8, 2008

H&M in NYC. Hands down.
posted by metamush at 12:25 PM on September 8, 2008

The old standby for high quality discount suits is Syms. They offer excellent selection, knowledgeable staff, and some ugly gray decor. Suits run from $200 - $1000 and include moderate to high end designers. There is some really good Italian stuff in the mix.

Centuyry 21 has lots of trendy stuff but they give me a headache.

Brooks Brothers has good sales this time of year, as does J. Press.
posted by abirae at 12:29 PM on September 8, 2008

A lot is going to depend on why you want this particular suit. If you're looking for A Suit to Be Taken Seriously, i.e. something to wear in a professional environment, consider Brooks Brothers. Not the most stylish place in the city, but they more or less define traditional business dress. You can easily spend $3000 if you like, but if you shop smart you can do much better than this. I've got one from them I picked up for $650.

But if you're looking for A Suit to Have Fun In, i.e. something to wear to clubs, restaurants, etc., some of the other suggestions here are probably a better bet. Definitely trendier, less stodgy cuts.
posted by valkyryn at 12:30 PM on September 8, 2008

If by "fashionable" you mean stylish rather than businesslike, first check Ina Men on Mott St. It's a couture consignment shop, so it's a matter of luck, but you might find a Varvatos or Prada suit for < $1000.
posted by nicwolff at 1:01 PM on September 8, 2008

http://www.michaelandrewsbespoke.com
they rule
Made to measure suits for around $900. Spending more than a couple hundo on an off-the-rack suit is for chumps. You get a fantastic suit, custom made, and depending on your choice of fabrics, often with the same materials as the over-priced brand name suits.
There are plenty of great tailors in NYC, and I am no expert, but they made the suit (not a tux) for my wedding, and I could not have been happier with the whole experience. (think champagne and piles of fabric swatches laid out on a table with discussions about cuff style) And the suit? Holy shit it's a thing of beauty.
The only downside is it takes a while to get your finished suit, mine took around 9 weeks.
posted by Stonestock Relentless at 1:15 PM on September 8, 2008

You can go cheaper than that. If you want really stylish, point your browser to Thick as Thieves . The snobs at Style Forum hold the suits in high-esteem.

You can get a full suit for $500. It's MTM, not bespoke, but you won't get a good bespoke suit for <$1500. In MTM, you just mail them your dimensions. In bespoke, you meet with the tailor several times and they cut a pattern for you.
posted by unexpected at 1:44 PM on September 8, 2008

Thick as Thieves is far too trendy-looking, in my opinion.

You don't mention needing this suit particularly soon, which opens up a lot of options for you. if you want an off-the-rack, the best way to stretch your grand is probably to wait until late winter, and pick up one or two things on a deep sale. There are lots of nice stores in NYC, and finding something marked down from 2500$ to 1000$ should be totally possible. If you need something sooner, you could stop by Jos A Banks and Men's Warehouse, and pick up something for ~200$ to tide you over until Jan-Feb. JAB's prices are silly, when they aren't sale prices, but the sale prices are pretty decent, and they always have a sale on. MW prices are lower than JAB's, so you don't need to wait for a sale, but JAB's sale prices are probably lower.

I don't know anything about Michael Andrews, but I think I would make that my first stop. Even if you decide not to buy from there, the chance to talk about what you want and see the options and stuff is great for helping you decide what you are looking for.
posted by paisley henosis at 8:36 PM on September 8, 2008

Raja fashions
2 pience worsted wool suit, 2 shirts, ca $650. Made to measure. Not bespoke, but pretty close. The're in NYC in 4 days: make an appointment!
posted by lalochezia at 10:24 PM on September 8, 2008

We really need to know what the suit is for. The suggestions so far are really, really all over the place.
posted by YoungAmerican at 11:59 AM on September 9, 2008

$1000 is a lot to spend on a suit if you don't know what you're looking for.

That said, Hugo Boss makes great suits if you have a slim build.
posted by kenliu at 9:21 PM on September 10, 2008