I have had a problem over the last year or two. I really haven't talked to many people about it. It was kind of embarassing.
I didn't own a suit.
Oh, I had older suits. They were about 6 years old, and if I tried them on, it would be like this scene from "Tommy Boy":
Going to a gym will do that to you, I probably gained about 40 pounds in the last six years and wasn't the 180 pound beanpole anymore. I had been putting off getting a suit for simple reasons.
Laziness was a reason, i'm not a big fan of clothes shopping. Also, spending lots of money on a suit for something that i'd wear maybe once a year was a second reason. I wear jeans & polo shirts to my office, Most of my casual/work wear in my closet is by Kenneth Cole, Hugo Boss, Banana Republic and J. Crew.
I had no more excuses, because there was a wedding coming up and I needed a suit. It is this Saturday and I kept putting off my suit shopping until Wednesday.
I had two choices for getting a new suit. One, which was inspired by my buddy Chris was to get a kick-ass suit that i'd just wear for those special occasions. I was thinking i'd go to Brooks Brothers, drop a boatload of cash, but know that I got myself something which makes me look like a million bucks at weddings, funerals and job functions. My only angle against this is that i'd hate to spend lots of money on a suit like this and never wear it. I certainly could understand if I was in a job where i'd meet clients and need a great suit, but I don't.
So choice Two was go to a discount store. I was a bit leery of this, only because I didn't want to look like a schlep with a bad suit. So, I asked around the office over the last few months, basically pulling aside co-workers who looked sharp and asked them, "Where did you get your suit?"
It seems like everyone answered the same thing: "Syms"
I didn't know Syms. I knew of Men's Warehouse. But I figured i'd give Syms a try, at the store located on Trinity St., near the World Trade Center.
The store is old-school 1970's feel. I don't like stores like this. Yes, i'm a product of my generation, I like shiny crisp stores, not uncle Bert's love shack with taupe paint-job and shaggy green rugs that smell musty.
But, in all fairness, I have to say they have quite a good selection of brand-name merchandise at a fraction of what the retail costs.
I picked up a really sharp double vented, three button, 100% wool, charcoal Calvin Klein suit for $300 (Reg $495). A white and blue shirt by Ben Sherman for $40 each (reg $80), a new Polo belt for $19 (Reg $40), tie ($12), and tailoring would cost ($8 for the cuffs on the pants) & had a coupon I got in the main for Sims for $100, which was extra sweet. Total cost was about $419, but $319 with the coupon. I'd like to thank our customers from Halloween Night for making this possible.
Afterwards, I knew I needed shoes to go with my suit. I really wanted something simple, and was, believe it or not, inspired by what Tom Cruise wore when I was reading the Superficial. So I walked over to a store that an ex-girlfriend introduced me to, which is Century 21 Department Store. Grabbed a really great pair of black Kenneth Cole "Be Cool" Oxford cap shoes for $90 (reg $180).
I'm headed to Mad One Jack's for a haircut, the tailoring should be done by tomorrow, and i'm getting the Ben Sherman shirts laundered by Saturday morning.
Then i'm off to attend Tiffany's marriage.
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