Thoughts on Cheap Suits from H&M

For suits there are only three really important factors: Materials, tailoring, and canvassing. I personally go out and get custom suits that are cheaper than designer but I presume more expensive than H&M. Materials should be wool or higher quality (cashmere, silk, or a blend of wool and the two aforementioned materials). Make sure any suit is tailored for your specific body (don't go crazy and make it too tight and too short for the pants, make sure it has a modern look but not "trendy"). Finally, it should be full canvassed. Half canvased is okay- but this just will ensure the suit lasts a while and doesn't fall apart. Hope this helps. I don't work in IB so I can't say for that environment- but I never have ever been asked what brand of suit I'm wearing. Tailoring makes all the difference for how expensive it appears to be.

If you have no money, H&M is quite good! i used to work with H&M suits, sometimes even Zara, and to be honest with you, easy to care for, last fairly long and they look quite good for work!

Where I work some of the junior analyst use Perry Ellis, which sometimes has huge discounts. The materials are ok (make sure its 100% wool) and the fits are decent for the price.

Just make sure that its not too flashy/trendy, you want to fit in at first (1st year, or interviews), later on you can afford to be different.

IMO you just need something that fits properly. If you're shopping at a fast fashion place like H&M then you need to be careful not to pick something with weird, gaudy details (should be two-button, with a notch lapel that isn't comically skinny, in navy or charcoal). Nobody expects you to have a closet full of bespoke masterpieces if you've never worked before.

Pro tip: Nobody really cares where your suit is from, as long as you don't look like someone wearing his grandfather's hand-me-down or like a high school kid going to prom. Fresh analysts never see the light of day anyway.

Know several people who wore H&M over the summer, to be honest lots of times they looked better than "real" suits and nobody gave a fuck. For your own comfort though get something nicer for FT.

Also gonna be iffy on the vest over dress shirt thing...you need to look around to see what other people are doing because every firm is different.

Joseph A. Bank

I started off with H&M suits and shirts. They are a good cheap option when you are starting and have a low budget, just make sure they fit properly. After that I went on with custom made suits, cheaper than designer suits but great quality

Just buy a cheap slim fit wool suit from JCP/Macys. At most BBs, you'll end up wearing dress pants and a dress shirt every day and will only wear a suit / tie on days you meet with MDs. If you want to make it look nicer, spend $50 to get it tailored to fit you. Get a bunch of cheap slim fit white and light blue shirts that fit you properly.

You're an intern, no one frankly cares what you're wearing. They care about: 1) Are you nice / friendly / humble 2) Are you competent and responsible (ie: will you use your brain when given relatively simple assignments) 3) Are you presentable (can you interact with MDs/Ds without embarrassing yourself?).

Don't overthink it and don't drop $400 - 500 on a suit. Buy something cheap & durable that fits you well.

calvin klein suits are shitty

A lot of bad advice in here. Op you need a nice custom suit, maybe Italian or something. You dress like a loser you'll be treated like a loser. Dress for success and never sell yourself short.

i honestly would not go any lower than Macys/Kohls

Surely there is a Burlington/K&G/Discounted Retailer you can go to and get a cheap suit...

if its a solid traditional color, 2-3 buttons, and 100% wool no one will care just go get it tailored

You need a suit to fit you well. Price/wear is very important when you are investing in a wardrobe. If you need a suit to get you a through an interview, or for a specific event, then H&M is probably passable. However, it is going to deteriorate quickly because fabric and construction they use is, obviously, cheap. If you plan on wearing the suit for awhile, you should step up your investment. Check out Suit Supply or Indochino for 1 step up. The other option is to search for designer suits on deep discount.

As long as they fit well and look good, no one will should have any issue with them. Only problem could be their durability (or lack thereof).

I'm going to a wedding soon, and I urgently need to buy a beautiful tuxedo, does anyone know a website where I can buy such a thing?

Holy thread necro guys.

I grabbed a H&M suit from the WTC location last fall. (lost weight and my old ones didn't fit) It's not *good* but it's a decent #2 suit. (blue can only be a #2 suit)  I'm not going to wear it on TV or anything, and I rarely wear a suit, but I'm also a bit above a junior IB analyst. (my MD and I are friends, although I don't bust his balls like I do the CIO of a different department)

If you just need it while you are in college for interviews, H&M should be fine. If you are going into investment banking, just go ahead and buy a navy and charcoal suit from Suit Supply financed on a credit card if you can. Like others have said, SS is best bang for your buck. You should be able to pay off the credit card once you start your job.