Buying a used suit. Has anyone gone down this road?

For the past couple of days I have been researching into purchasing a suit. I have a rather low budget of 500 dollars. While on my search for a suit, I discovered that I could buy a used name brand suit (Armani, Versace, etc.) that retails for thousands of dollars for well under 500 dollars. As opposed to buying a brand new Brooke's brothers suit, should I simply buy a used Armani/ Versace suit and get it tailored? Thanks

 

Just know that most Armani/Versace (especially Versace, is that even still a thing? - No.) suits you're going to see are quite terrible, even if they happen to have retailed at 2500$ at some point.

Just buy a conservative suitsupply, they can be had for your budget (Napoli or the trimmer Lazio) and are half-canvassed with reputable name fabrics.

 

I somewhat disagree with the previous poster. I found my favorite suit, a Hickey Freeman, on eBay believe it or not. Was barely used and got it for about $100. Fits me flawlessly and didn't need any alterations. I've gotten other suits from Broops Bros. brand new and then tailored that don't fit me as well. I definitely recommend eBay, but know what you're looking for, make sure the seller is legit (there are plenty of fakes online), and make sure whatever you get is still in style. You'd be surprised at what people are willing to give away for next to nothing on eBay.

 

When I was college I actually used to flip stuff on Ebay. Clothes were incredibly lucrative(very cheap to source), especially since I used to source my stuff from goodwills/salvation armies/thrift stores around wealthy areas. These days it's pretty useless to go hunting for good stuff at those places, as you have hordes of "professional" Ebay flippers doing that 9-5.

But I can you tell you this: I found a TON of mint to actually never used high-quality suits. Everything from high $$$ stuff like Brioni, Kiton, Oxxford to stuff like Zegna, Canali, Isaia, and so on. Once in a while they still had tags and everything on 'em. So yeah, it's entirely possible to find good stuff out there...but as I mentioned, it's very hard because of the full-time flippers.

 

Don't do it because you are only interested because you think you are getting a "high end" suit because of the label. I understand the eBay ad will state the coat size, pants measurements and such but still, it is worn and more likely than not will have to be tailored to give you a proper looking fit.

We have all been there starting out so hit up suitsupply as PMaag suggested. Get it properly tailored and you will have just a nice appearance as most of your peers. Unless you are a suit aficionado from afar folks will not know you only spent $500 or so on your suit (yes, when you get into bespoke fabrics and such they stand out quit easily, but for the price points of your peers you will be fine).

Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please.
 

I used to do this all the time in college when I was strapped on cash and/or regularly ruined suits in fraternity formals. You can get a used Charles Tyrwhitt suit for like $100 or a Hickey Freeman for less than $300. Obviously you have to watch for major errors and make sure it's not horribly out of style, but a lot of times guys will either gain or lose weight and throw their suit up on eBay.

Commercial Real Estate Developer
 

I would certainly caution against purchasing something through ebay unless you have done considerable homework. Perhaps I'm old fashioned but I really think a suit is a purchase that needs to be done in person and while ebay may seem like it's a great deal, every brand fits a little different and then within each brand, there are different suit lines that will also fit much differently. A tailor can only do so much so it's never going to fit you as perfectly as a fresh suit would from the appropriate brand and line would.

I don't have one but I know a ton of my colleagues have used suit supply and have all been very happy with the results. Their suits are in your price range and look great so I think you'd be best served to get something from there.

 

Highly recommend indochino. the suits are made to measure and pretty high quality (supposedly use wool sourced from the same places as high end labels) and you can get their basic ones for around $400 (they also run a lot of sales).

The process is really easy and all online, you go through and put in all the measurements you need (they have video tutorials as well) and then they deliver the suit in 3-4 weeks. They allow for $70 of additional alterations at a local tailor on them, or if its way off, you send it back and they remake it for free.

 

I've done it twice with great results each time -- high quality suit, matching my measurements on the things that can't be tailored well, tailored well the things that needed to be (sleeve lenght etc). Need to be careful on the seller, but it can end up definitely worth it.

500$ is a doable price point though, hell there are 1818 suits that are on sale at Brooks Brothers' website every so often in various sizes.

 

Take a look on Gilt - just bought a suit from their saks fifth ave listings for $199:

http://www.gilt.com/brand/saks-fifth-avenue

Though this seems like a great deal, I usually purchase suits from SuitSupply and Brooks Brothers. Being that you're on a budget I might try for the Brooks Brothers Outlet and take a look at their 346 line.

Remember -- be smart about it (seems like you are).

 

@354231 - What are your measurements?

I was about to give a suit to charity this weekend. It's in reasonable shape, but I'm cycling it out of my wardrobe. Jacket + 2 pairs of pants, Black with thin pinstripe around half an inch spacing, Australian wool, threadcount would be 150 or 160, tailor made for me in Hong Kong. I'm 5'10", reasonably slim for an old man.

You'd have to be able to collect it in New York.

Reply in this thread. Any PMs I get about this from anyone will be ignored.

Those who can, do. Those who can't, post threads about how to do it on WSO.
 

Just keep your eyes open during sales seasons. For $400-$500, you can find pretty staple stuff from makers like:

Ralph Lauren (Polo, Black Label) , Canali, Corneliani and rest of the Italian upper-middle tier makers. And then you also have HF, Brooks Brothers, Samuelsohn, and other North-American brands.

Ebay shops like Top Shelf Apparel and eHaberdasher also carry high-end stuff all year round, at very nice prices. All brand new stuff. Usually with nice return policies too.

My biggest problem with low-end stuff is that their cuts and patterns tend to be terrible. They're made to fit everyone, and somehow those cuts just don't fit me at all. Low armholes, overly structured shoulders...just plain awkward cuts to be honest. I can pick any recent Ermenegildo Zegna suit in my size, and it'll most like fit with little to no alterations. When going through low-end suits or coats, I'd be lucky if one in ten fit me properly.

 

I like to shop for suits myself, don't get me wrong. You should buy what you can afford. I would not recommend buying online, either. You would still need it fitted properly, along with pants/shoes/watch and various other add-ons to make the look happen.

I can turn a suit I got from Goodwill at $30 bucks, get it fitted by a tailor for an additional $30-50, rock some shoes from ALDO ($30-50) with a nice leather/metal strap watch from Walmart for $10-20 looking quite "kick-ass".

HOWEVER, if there is a suit that is Italian for sale you actually see in person, I'd grab it if I could afford it. Happy Hunting!

 

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