by David Bremner, d.g.bremner & co. –
Thinking back to the day I bought my first suit, I realize it was 50 years ago!
My Dad had worn a suit to work for as long as I could remember, so buying a suit was kind of a big deal for me. Although I was already working in the clothing business, Dad was instrumental in teaching me how to appreciate the details. I doubt I appreciated it then as much as I do now … but that’s another story for another day.
This morning, I was talking to a customer in our downtown store about his son, and how he was teaching him exactly the same thing.
So: an about face, first draft of my article out the window, completely new direction taken … off to a quiet table in the Bard & Banker to compose. I could talk about how suits are made, or about fabric and how both of these affect the price, I think. These things are certainly important; however, they sometimes run into the realm of “too much information” for a suit buyer.
So, I change the dialogue slightly, to: “The Fine Art of Buying a Good Suit.”
Honestly, it’s simple. Find someone in the industry who is in your age bracket who really understands the “clothing” business and develop a relationship with that person. It’s their job to understand all the intricacies of garment construction, and it’s their job to find the right combination of the “Big 5” components to meet your needs: style, fabric, fit, construction and price. New buyers will learn the differences over time as they move up the clothing ladder to better quality construction and better fabrics, the two things that influence price the most. Oh, other than the label … which opens up another can of worms, and yet another reason to develop a relationship with your preferred suit seller.
There was a time, not long ago, when purchases were often “label driven.” While this was initially based on the quality of the garment, in many cases it quickly became a way for the most popular brands to sell garments of lower quality and construction at higher prices than the quality or construction would normally demand, simply because owning that label implied you were “cool.”
Today, of course, many of those brands still exist, but have moved their lesser quality garments to their outlet stores. Same M.O:, still often more expensive than other comparable garments. Today there is more emphasis on quality and construction than there is on brand alone. As menswear buyers, we look for the best combination of quality and value for suits that “tick all the boxes” a buyer expects when making his purchase, rather than what the label says. Really, that’s a good thing.
I understand that it’s a new world today: you can measure yourself, pick a fabric and order a suit online. At first glance, that seems to have some potential – an intriguing way to buy a suit without having to leave the house! Of course, in the interests of full disclosure, as a career menswear guy with lots of experience in made to measure and custom made suits, I can’t help but think: OK, I like the pattern. But how does the fabric feel? How does the price compare with similarly constructed garments? What model do I order? What if it doesn’t fit when it arrives? All good questions.
The best company in that end of the industry has more or less recently opened up brick and mortar retail shops, so I think that pretty much answers the question. Having people order suits from the comfort of their couch at home sounds great, but in reality, relying on customers to measure themselves poses too many problems to be sustainable.
When it comes to buying a suit, nothing compares to seeing the fabric and colour, trying something on, and having a tailor come out to make any alterations to custom fit the suit to you.
Finding that individual to connect with may be a challenge, but once you find the person that you identify with, really, buying a suit becomes enjoyable, quick and easy.
