Where's a good place to buy a dinner jacket in London?

August 29, 2006 11:20 AM

Good places to buy a dinner jacket in London.

I need a new dinner jacket. My current one - which was inherited from my dad to begin with - is now an aged veteran of various university and work parties and dinners, and is more "vomit battledress" than "smart". I'm looking to get a new one, something fairly classic that won't age too badly.

Can anyone recommend any decent places to buy one in London? My first thought was Marks and Spencers, but I haven't been too impressed with the quality of the ones on display there and wonder if I can get a better deal elsewhere.

Some details:
- I'm willing to spend up to 200-250 pounds
- happy to consider second hand if it's in good condition
- happy to travel a bit outside London if there is an absolutely fantastic shop

posted by greycap to clothing, beauty, & fashion (6 comments total)

There are some good tailors in Chancery Lane (the southern end, off Fleet Street/Strand). They're more geared towards barristers, but would probably be able to help you with a DJ.
posted by veedubya at 11:54 AM on August 29, 2006

But Chancery Lane will not be in the price range. I'd recommend E-bay! What size are you?( Hubby inherited a lot from his German father, all excellent quality so if the size is right you can have one for postage!) e-mail in profile
posted by Wilder at 12:50 PM on August 29, 2006

Moss Bros in Covent Garden ( 117B Long Acre, WC2E 9PA) has a good second hand department in the basement.
posted by Ugandan Discussions at 2:39 PM on August 29, 2006

You'll get a good one in the Austin Reed on Regent Street - a good selection and right in your price range.
posted by patricio at 2:57 PM on August 29, 2006

Chancery Lane? What? Like Ede & Ravenscroft you mean? No. Think twice the poster's budget. At least.

This might sound silly but you will find remarkably good examples in Oxfam and the like for about £100. They're very good at weeding out the tired ones and only keeping the good. I saw several in the Putney high street branch the other day and was struck by how good they were.

Otherwise at that price I'd probably perfer an M&S to a Moss Bros but do try both. Jaeger at Peter Jones might have something. I would think that John Lewis is your friend in this.
posted by dmt at 7:34 PM on August 29, 2006

Lots of good answers so won't mark any best - but the second-hand department in Moss Bros in Covent Garden came up trumps for me.
posted by greycap at 7:15 AM on September 10, 2006