Suits

I've got two suits: gray and navy blue, both solid. One is two-button, the other is three-button, and they are both from Men's Wearhouse, not some fancy brand. The nice thing is that the tailor was good, and the suits fit me like a glove. I will probably not buy new suits for b-school...I think these two will be enough to get me through recruiting.

On another note, I would not buy a black suit unless you are planning to attend many funerals in the near future.

I would recommend 2. One charcoal and one navy. If you like Hugo Boss suits, go to Dillard's. They have them 50% off as a Christmas sale. Don't buy them online, the stores are trying everything to make you a deal if you'll just let them.

That's a great point. So long as the suits are made well (good quality wool, not glued to the backing, etc.) the skill of the tailor has more impact on how the suit looks than the name on the tag.

Can i get a female to weigh on this and might have extraordinary fashion sense? (I mean this in a very non-offense way and mean to offend no one).

But I thought, a black suit was appropriate for formal functions, such as recruiting?

Also, i thought a suit by a hickey freeman, gucci, hugo boss, etc, looks better (if tailored well) than a 200 dollar suit?

I'm not a girl, but:

The black suits you wear to formal occassions are called tuxedos. Recruiting is not that formal. Most business people wear dark gray and navy (with or without pinstripes).

You probably can't get a well-made suit for $200. Generally the Hickey, Canali, Zegna etc. suits look better because they are very well made with good materials. But will most people be able to tell the difference between a $700 Brooks Brothers and a $2,500 Zegna? Probably not, and a well tailored Brooks Brothers will look a lot better than a poorly tailored Zegna.

I think striped black suits are ok. (Not white stripes....) u dont wanna look like a zebra

If you have a Nordstrom Rack nearby, definitely go check out their stock. They have Abboud, Hickey Freeman, Hart Schaffner Marx, Boss, etc. for about half of what they cost at retail. Their salespeople don't really seem to know their stuff (at least at the one here), so it might be wise to know what you want before going in, or they will try to sell you anything.

This definitely has been discussed a lot (go to the B-School Life forum), but in short:

1. You need one solid dark navy and one solid charcoal suit (well, if you're not going to a school on the West Coast )
2. I chose 1 two-button and 1 three-button for variety
3. I had mine made and tailored in Taiwan, saving lots of money
4. I also have a black suit and a brown mini-striped suit (from Banana Republic) that I wear for non recruiting events. Actually, I wore the brown suit to my Super Saturday interview, so take that for whatever it's worth.

Here are some threads that may help (check the Knowledge Vault area for more)

Pelihu's great guide on recruiting:
108-t58068

suit color choice:
108-t71621

One charcoal, one navy. Don't get any other color. DO NOT wear black.

I interviewed in a black pin-striped suit at booth, I think it was OK. Not white stripes.

ninkorn is rich, buying all those Hugo Boss suits!

Interviewing for B-school and interviewing for Morgan Stanley ain't the same. B-school is many times less judgemental.

Also, don't waste your money on a Hickey Freeman or any other suit over $700. You nor anyone else can tell the difference between a well-tailored Brooks Brothers suit and a well-tailored Hickey Freeman suit. Spend $400 on a good suit. Make sure it includes tailoring, and that the tailor is good at his craft. Otherwise find a great tailor and spend the money to have the suit fitted perfectly.

Key thing: DON'T GAIN WEIGHT! That's the worst part of a perfectly tailored suit...

Agreed. You should probably be in the gym between now and August anyways. Don't want to show up for the first day of orientation looking pudgy!

I'm a female...don't know about if I have extraordinary fashion sense but I've worked in several high end stores and know how to fit a guy for a suit. Here's a few tips:

- Yes you can use black...and pull it off. But it is harder to look polished, for some reasons guys in black suits don't look as "polished" unless their suit is absolutely impeccable. Like Tom Ford impeccable. Otherwise, just do the dark navy/charcoal...looks good, easy to maintain and you can get away with lesser tailoring. However, I see MBA candidates from top schools interview at my company...and it's a sea of black suits. So it happens all the time regardless.

- Just like us females like brand names and shiny things....so do guys when it comes to suits/work gear I've noticed. Brand names are good but don't necessarily represent the greatest quality all the time-- most notorious in my opinion is Hugo Boss, who does make lots of nice suits with lovely fabric but also tons of not so nice suits, at maybe $1k or so price points where you could really get something much nicer for less, somewhere else. Go to a lot of stores, don't be snobby, bring a friend with some taste, and really just get the suit which fits you best. If you are spending anywhere past $1K for a suit they should be giving you tailoring for free as well, if they aren't then I'd walk away, especially in this economy. Oh and more than 3 buttons...should be left to NBA basketball stars.

- If you want to get monogramming on a shirt from a store that offers it (Turnbull, etc) don't get it in contrasting colors. I had a friend who did this...like he'd get a purple pinstriped shirt and get his initials emblazoned in orange. He pulled it off but to be on the same side get it in the same color as the shirt, or one or two gradients off.

- Final note- I see a lot of guys who want to get a nice pair of shoes...they always go for the requisite Gucci or Ferragamo loafer, and alas they have dropped their entire shoe budget on what turns out to be an uncomfortable and stiff shoes. I think both those companies (actually I think Ferragamo and Tod's make the nicest men's shoes) make super nice quality shoes, but be practical about your shoes. You are walking in them all day long and comfort is key. Honestly I think a decent pair from Johnston Murphy/Ecco that type is fine for all guys and most people can't tell the difference (because...there isn't that much, trust me). If you want to splurge on a nicer sort later that's fine but it shouldn't be your first or only shoe purchase.

Just my opinion...hope you aren't sorry you asked for a girl's viewpoint

The difference between a fused suit (anything by Hickey Freeman or Hugo Boss and many designer brands) and a full canvassed one made by a well-respected manufacturer will easily be noticed by any person with some sartorial experience (read bankers/consultants). The cheapest entry level suits which will be appropriate in a business setting are made by Canali and Corneliani and cost approximately $800-1000 with a discount. If I were to choose between three cheap suits and a single good one, I would opt for the latter. Having said that, it's better to have a cheaper suit which is well-tailored than to sport an expensive wardrobe which is ill-fitting.

If you are on a budget I would advise against buying a black one because some people (especially here in the States) still consider black to be inappropriate for business, and you don't want to take any chances during an interview.

Personally, I think Ferragamos are probably the most comfortable and versatile shoes out there. If you want to buy an expensive pair - these are the ones to get. They are probably the lightest pair of shoes I have ever had and they feel like you have nothing on. However, they would be way too flashy for a business school interview setting unless they are a conservative model. You definitely don't want to show up to recruiting events w/ the signature Ferragamo buckle.

I plan to buy a pair of Allen-Edmonds Park Avenues before school (whenever that ends up being).