Dress a little man for a big day!
July 25, 2022 3:41 PM Subscribe
I am 5'7" and weight 115lbs, I need a suit for my August outdoor wedding... in 3 weeks. I like seersucker, linen, and fun colors and will spend up to $250.
I had a professional who was supposed to find me a vintage suit, but she seems to be ghosting me. I am having trouble finding anything off the rack that will fit me. I am long of limb, most of my height is in my legs. I wear a men's 28x30" pant, and based on size charts I could wear a size 20 Boys. I often buy secondhand boy's clothes and they can fit me very well. My main concern about youth clothes is that they are usually lower quality and I don't know if I could have them tailored.
I am considering this seersucker separates suit set, but they seem to only go up to Boy's 18.
I like the look of this linen suit in red, but it only goes up to Boy's 16, and I would prefer a larger percentage of natural fibers.
I LOVE Haspel's Purple Haze Seersucker Suit, but they only go down to Men's Size 34, they're very expensive, and they're out of Purple Haze anyways.
So, I'm in a bit of a pickle. I'm planning to pair my suit with huarache sandals, a tooled leather belt, and natural stone accessories. I have plenty of nice shirts to pair with the suit. I am open to three-piece or just jacket and pants, I won't be wearing a tie, unless I happen across the perfect bolo. I cannot wear a three-button jacket. Breatheability and movement are very important to me, it will be humid. I am open to any colors besides your standard navy, black, and brown. I am open to khaki.
I had a professional who was supposed to find me a vintage suit, but she seems to be ghosting me. I am having trouble finding anything off the rack that will fit me. I am long of limb, most of my height is in my legs. I wear a men's 28x30" pant, and based on size charts I could wear a size 20 Boys. I often buy secondhand boy's clothes and they can fit me very well. My main concern about youth clothes is that they are usually lower quality and I don't know if I could have them tailored.
I am considering this seersucker separates suit set, but they seem to only go up to Boy's 18.
I like the look of this linen suit in red, but it only goes up to Boy's 16, and I would prefer a larger percentage of natural fibers.
I LOVE Haspel's Purple Haze Seersucker Suit, but they only go down to Men's Size 34, they're very expensive, and they're out of Purple Haze anyways.
So, I'm in a bit of a pickle. I'm planning to pair my suit with huarache sandals, a tooled leather belt, and natural stone accessories. I have plenty of nice shirts to pair with the suit. I am open to three-piece or just jacket and pants, I won't be wearing a tie, unless I happen across the perfect bolo. I cannot wear a three-button jacket. Breatheability and movement are very important to me, it will be humid. I am open to any colors besides your standard navy, black, and brown. I am open to khaki.
Slim fit seems to be a key word. You might get what you want ala carte. Here is a jacket at Maceys, $86 on sale busted way down from hundreds.Here's that jacket.
posted by Oyéah at 4:09 PM on July 25, 2022
posted by Oyéah at 4:09 PM on July 25, 2022
That jacket would go with a contrasting color of linen slacks.
posted by Oyéah at 4:09 PM on July 25, 2022
posted by Oyéah at 4:09 PM on July 25, 2022
Also - forgive my rudeness — mazel tov!!
posted by Silvery Fish at 4:31 PM on July 25, 2022
posted by Silvery Fish at 4:31 PM on July 25, 2022
Best answer: I want to point you at asos.com, which has inexpensive suits in fits like "skinny" and "slim" which might be more to your size than what you find at Men's Warehouse, and are available in 32 chest and mix-and-match pants sizes. For example:
Burgundy
Light blue
Wine twist
posted by xo at 4:38 PM on July 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
Burgundy
Light blue
Wine twist
posted by xo at 4:38 PM on July 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
Just to add, as the parent of a 5'7" 13 year old, sizes above 16 for kids are really not available. I would instead focus your searches on men's clothes that go to XS or S, and slim fits. Try express.com - only a few fun colors but you might see something you like.
posted by xo at 4:52 PM on July 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by xo at 4:52 PM on July 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
Mazel tov, how exciting!
Jimmy Au’s in Los Angeles specializes in suits for gentlemen 5’8” and under. Right now the website is under construction but my friend who has shopped there has remarked on their great customer service. I bet if you emailed them some examples of things you like, they could tell you if they have something that might work.
posted by corey flood at 5:36 PM on July 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
Jimmy Au’s in Los Angeles specializes in suits for gentlemen 5’8” and under. Right now the website is under construction but my friend who has shopped there has remarked on their great customer service. I bet if you emailed them some examples of things you like, they could tell you if they have something that might work.
posted by corey flood at 5:36 PM on July 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
You might try J Crew's men's suiting--I'm not super well versed in men's sizes but just looking at their size chart, it looks like they might have some that fit. The Ludlow cotton-hemp pant comes in an extra small, for instance, and you can pair that with the matching jacket--might set you over the $250 by a few dollars, but most of my J Crew clothes last forever so it's a decent investment.
posted by kitten kaboodle at 5:56 PM on July 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by kitten kaboodle at 5:56 PM on July 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
If there's a suitsupply near you - here are all the suits available in xxs online. Maybe this or something like it? I don't know if xxs is too small or too big, but they are decent quality, do alterations and they tend to both have very small sizes AND run skinny, so maybe it's worth a shot.
posted by true at 6:21 PM on July 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by true at 6:21 PM on July 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
Best answer: 5'5" 135 lbs guy here. I actually used to write a blog called Short Shifted circa 2006-09 that was all about this subject. Anyway, in my experience, Jimmy Au's doesn't really have a lot of skinny options...
Where I'd look: Uniqlo, J. Crew, Suit Supply, H&M, Ralph Lauren kids, Top Man, maybe Brooks Bros kids or their Red Fleece or Black Fleece lines... These all vary by quality a lot, but when you're hard to fit (and running out of time), it's fit > quality -- especially for wedding pix.
unfortunately, it's too late for custom or vintage.
You might also see if thisfits.me has suggestions...
Good luck! I know the pain.
posted by Text TK at 10:10 AM on July 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
Where I'd look: Uniqlo, J. Crew, Suit Supply, H&M, Ralph Lauren kids, Top Man, maybe Brooks Bros kids or their Red Fleece or Black Fleece lines... These all vary by quality a lot, but when you're hard to fit (and running out of time), it's fit > quality -- especially for wedding pix.
unfortunately, it's too late for custom or vintage.
You might also see if thisfits.me has suggestions...
Good luck! I know the pain.
posted by Text TK at 10:10 AM on July 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
Do you have a Muji near you? They have linen jackets and pants and shirts and are reasonably priced and available in S and XS.
posted by dobbs at 11:31 AM on July 26, 2022
posted by dobbs at 11:31 AM on July 26, 2022
This thread is closed to new comments.
Just to say — assuming you can get good info on the pant leg length and/or amount of fabric left in the hem, a boys 16 and a competent tailor where you live might actually work…. tho I defer to your experience in trying boys’ sizes for your personal use.
posted by Silvery Fish at 4:06 PM on July 25, 2022