Suiting Myself in Brooklyn
October 11, 2020 2:03 PM   Subscribe

Where can an agender female-bodied person get a suit in NYC, at the last minute and at not terrible expense?

My best friend is getting married next Sunday in a small family ceremony that will be broadcast over Zoom. I'm a groomsman, and an agender female-bodied person. I was very excited to get to wear a suit to a wedding for the first time, but had reconciled myself to that being pushed off until the in-person celebration a year from now. Now I've been asked to attend representing the groomsmen. How can I get a suit within a week, preferably in a non-gendering way? Is this even possible without breaking the bank? I don't even know where to start. I can wear a dress if necessary but I would so prefer not to.
posted by cosmic owl to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (12 answers total)
 
Jos. A Banks? They are having a sale right now.
posted by Splunge at 2:09 PM on October 11, 2020 [1 favorite]


Depending on your size, a male off the rack suit may not fit over your hips without material tailoring. A women's pants suit in a charcoal or black will probably require less tailoring. I'd look for a narrow lapel, single button slim, but not tight suit. A crisp, well fitting shirt and Oxfords/dress shoes will do a lot to complete the look.

If you are comfortable shopping at big stores, then a banana republic or j.crew probably have a suit off the rack that you can have hemmed to fit in time. Thrift stores are probably worth checking out as well. If you are comfortable with pandemic shopping you could venture into Macy's or Bloomingdales' but ehh, I'd rather go to a smaller store that limits folks to 5-6 people than a big dept store.

Depending on budget it may also be worth reaching out to Tailory and seeing what magic they can work.
posted by larthegreat at 2:52 PM on October 11, 2020 [1 favorite]


Bindle & Keep, in Brooklyn, has gorgeous stuff but as for meeting your budget & timeline...
Nordstrom can do in-house alterations -- would you be comfortable working with a personal stylist at the Nordstrom Men's near Columbus Circle, considering your time restraints? Nordstrom has a good rep for customer service in general, and has carried agender casual clothing lines, but of course I realize that's no guarantee. I'm posting because of the time crunch, while hoping someone else will have an enthusiastic recommendation. (General info on Nordstrom suit sizing; depending on your size, offerings in the youth department might have a a good fit through the shoulders for the jacket and make for a good starting point for alterations -- and suits there can be a lot less expensive. When you make a stylist appointment, you can mention your time frame, your budget range, and any sizing specifications.)
posted by Iris Gambol at 3:02 PM on October 11, 2020


I would hit a big department store like Macy's - they will have tons of women's suits which are more likely to fit a female body's hips and boobs. And then I'd accessorize all of it to be more groomsman-like -- tie, shoes, boutonniere.
posted by BlahLaLa at 3:02 PM on October 11, 2020 [1 favorite]


Was going to second Banana Republic. I purchased a very nice off-the-rack navy blue suit and Oxford shirt this past spring (interviews in fire, so conservative is the norm) for $234. I didn’t even have to have the pants hemmed (I’m a 30x30). I am female, but average(?) bust, broad shoulders, no real hips.
posted by sara is disenchanted at 6:39 PM on October 11, 2020


I very highly recommend Bindle & Keep but it is neither cheap nor fast. What about the UNIQLO Ines de la Fressange collection? (Esp. their velvet trousers & jacket.) There are several stores in NYC and some stores offer tailoring, if needed.
posted by skye.dancer at 7:05 PM on October 11, 2020


If it is Zoom do you need to actually get it altered? I use pins or black paper clamps for my dress shirts that I haven't had a chance to have altered since Covid. I actually doubt I'll get them altered until/if I ever go back in the office. What's great is that I gained a bit of wait since Covid and letting it out is as easy as re-clamping it.
posted by geoff. at 7:29 PM on October 11, 2020


What's your build? ASOS ships very fast, is very affordable, and has a lot of fantastic suiting under "men" for a straighter body shape and okay options under "women" for people with hips and boobs. If you're thicker but also broad in the shoulder, their men's plus line is impressively robust. They're very good about returns so you can try a number of options. Wildfang is also a classic but I can't speak to their shipping times or return policies. I agree with everyone above that the heat is off a little as far as fit since it's Zoom.
posted by babelfish at 11:05 PM on October 11, 2020


I came across this store in one of my feeds:. Kirron Finch

I don't know your budget. It's spendy to me but not outrageous
posted by biggreenplant at 4:39 AM on October 12, 2020 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: I completely failed to articulate the key point: I will be attending in person, hence the sudden care for my attire. Thank you for all the suggestions!
posted by cosmic owl at 8:00 AM on October 12, 2020


I would get a suit from J Crew or Brooks Brothers - they both have beautiful suiting for female bodies. Expect to spend $200-350 on the jacket and $150-200 on the pants. Get a classic style in either dark gray or navy that will last you for 20+ years.

https://www.brooksbrothers.com/womens/suit-separates/0374,default,sc.html. I recommend straight leg, slim trousers.

https://www.jcrew.com/c/womens_category/suiting. Scroll past the Jackie O stuff and get the Parker blazer and Edie trouser in gray.

Then get a lovely button down shirt, a slim tie, and nice loafers, moccasins, or brogues. And a nice leather belt if you don’t have one yet.
posted by amaire at 8:49 AM on October 12, 2020 [2 favorites]


Also: SuitSupply
posted by Text TK at 4:51 PM on October 12, 2020


« Older How do Old School Bloggers Migrate to Wordpress?   |   How do I poetry Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.