Suit Shootout
Gentlemen, you probably have no idea the lengths a bride goes to on her wedding day for that “take our breath away” look! The dress, the shoes, the hair, the makeup, the tan, the spa visit, the pre-wedding workout regime she’s been at for weeks. Would it really hurt terribly to return the favor just a little? Most brides I have photographed wear a dress they spend between $1500-$3000 on but most grooms are wearing a $120 ill-fitting tux that hundreds of other men have worn.
With this, I propose some better options for you men, on your big day.
The Options
The Rental Tux (Under $200)
The rental tux is the standard. As a wedding photographer I have seen some bad rental tuxes though. I took a look at the options and decided to rent a tux from my experienced friends at Skeffington’s. I walked through the entire process the way a groom would. My goal was to get something classy that fit well for under $200.
The Custom Online Suit (Under $500)
There are a handful of new custom-order suit companies that are popping up online. I am impressed and intrigued by the idea and I wanted to try it out for myself, so that you would know what to expect. I used to work in web-design/development so I chose the site that I thought had the best pictures, best price, and was easy to navigate. After looking at dozens of options, www.indochino.com was the clear winner.
The Men’s Clothing Store (~$1000)
Most guys have never experienced a true men’s store. Having travelled quite a bit myself, I can with certainty say that Des Moines is home to one of the best in the nation, Mr. B. I chose an an entry level suit from Mr. B that would fit the price-point I was going for.
Disclaimer: I do have a professional relationship with Mr. B though this post is not sponsored or edited by Mr. B.
The Experience
The Rental Tux (Under $200)
Skeffington’s definitely has it figured out.
Matt did a great job walking me through the options. He eyed my size and put me in great jacket right off the bat. Skeffington’s has their full warehouse in Des Moines, so I was able to try on the exact jacket that I used in the post just by Matt running to the back to grab it.
The Rental Tux (Under $200)
PROS
- Huge Inventory – Tons of styles, sizes, etc.
- Correct issues that same day. With the warehouse in Des Moines, if you have a last minute issue, you are only 20 minute drive away from having a replacement in hand.
- Price – Can’t beat it
- Damage Waiver – If the party is good, it isn’t my problem.
- Everything is included (tie, jacket, shirt, pants, shoes and more).
CONS
- Have to return it.
- Fit – Pants not as trim as I would like.
- Fabric/Comfort – Made to withstand the worst, but not quite as comfortable.
- Shoes aren’t very comfortable, standard issue that have been worn in by others.
The Custom Online Suit (Under $500)
I love shopping online.
I enjoyed looking through the Indochino website. The photos were fairly good, but not fully accurate. I thought the brown I ordered would be a little lighter than it it was upon arrival. The most complicated portion for me was the 18-step measuring process that I was to do at home. I measured myself with a buddy and I think we must have got a few of the measurements wrong because I don’t think the jacket fits as well as I would have liked.
On the plus side, there were some really cool customizations with the suit, for instance, my suit has my name embroidered on the inside. I was pleasantly surprised with the options I chose: peak lapels and functional button-holes. The suit came within 3 weeks, which was a reasonable turnaround. Indochino also offers to cover up to $75 in tailoring if the fit is off.
The Custom Online Suit (Under $500)
PROS
- Price – Very reasonable for a custom made suit.
- Custom – Loved the options: color, size, lapel, waist pocket, lining fabric, etc.
- Pants fit great.
- Fun – It’s always fun getting mail that isn’t a bill, especially when the box looks good. Bonus: the suit comes with a garment bag.
CONS
- Fabric is not great. I could really geek out here and explain but for all practical purposes, the fabric feels good but not great.
- Fit – This is my second jacket from Indochino and I tried to adjust the fit of this one to try to get it right, however apparently I haven’t figured it out.
- Turnaround – 3 weeks is great for a custom built suit but some guys may not have 3 weeks to wait.
The Men’s Clothing Store (~$1000)
Have you ever been sold by an amazing salesman? It is just fun.
Tim Sitzman and the staff at Mr. B are great salesmen. They know their product and can make you look and feel incredible… for a price. The suit I got was an entry level suit at $1000 and you can easily walk out of Mr. B with a $2500 sport coat. When I started working in menswear, the pricing was shocking. Is a Canali jacket really worth 10x as much as the Indochina jacket? Well, I can with confidence say, YES. We won’t get in to why in this post but go try one on and tell me what you think! The components of buying a suit; the fit, construction, fabric, sales-people, tailoring, etc. these all contribute to the price point.
If you love your Toyota Camry then get to drive a Lexus ES 300 for a few weeks you may be ruined. The same thing happens when you wear a great wool sport-coat, you may never go back to the mall again.
Most suits come without a finished hem in the pants, so I bought a 40R off the rack and measured my pants for no-break. Additionally, we took the pant bottoms in an inch. We marked the jacket sleeves up a half inch as well. I came back 5 days later to pick up the suit. Mr. B includes tailoring with all of their suiting, so any changes are included in the price of the suit.
The Men’s Clothing Store (~$1000)
PROS
- Service – cannot be beat, you’re well taken care of from salesmen to experienced tailors
- Fabric – The fabric is by far and away better feeling, it lays better, much softer to the touch
- Fit – Jacket is amazing, much better feeling than both of the other jackets
CONS
- Price – In comparison, this is considerably more expensive.
- Fit – Pants are still a little baggier than I want, I will probably have them taken in again (for no additional charge.)
Conclusion
No real surprises for me.
- I am not a model. It is painful to edit photos of myself.
- No matter what your budget allows, take time and get the fit right. Matt at Skeffington’s does a great job at providing high-end service and proper fitting at the rental price point. Unfortunately, not all rental shops have staff that is well trained.
- If you want to buy, buy it once. Buy something nice. You will pay more but you can get a great fitting suit that lasts years beyond your wedding day.
- Why not mix and match? Maybe send the groom over to Mr. B and have the groomsmen rent?
Mr. B, Indochino and Skeffington’s have many other options not considered here in this post. Skeffington’s also offers suits for purchase but in this post I only explored rentals.
Photography by my talented friend Austin Day
