Sports jackets/Blazers for an athletic build...

[VTMike]

My son just graduated from College and heads out on Monday for 2-months of work, a week off, and then a more normal routine in the consulting industry.
He's worked out enough that his suit jackets no longer fit.
We tried Brooks Brothers the other day, but their 46L bunched below the neck/above the shoulders.

What do folks recommend?

I've told him that he might want to wait on something special to be sure that he maintains the muscle-mass that he's developed. Either way, he's 6'3" with broad shoulders.

Any advice from this crowd?
Extra points if you know of an in-person place in Scottsdale area.


Me and the missus are thinking this might be a perfect belated birthday gift.

[robin3mj]

How formal/traditional does it need to be? I have had 4-5 blazers from Nau over the last ten years that have fit me well. They’ve varied in terms of traditional vs trendy. I’m pretty wide shouldered and narrow of hip. Their sizes may not go big enough for his height and width though. Maybe worth a look.

I also have a lightweight unstructured navy blazer from Taylor Stitch that’s been worth the money. Agains, size constraints may come into play.

[Too Tall]

Brooks Bros. used to have a collegiate "fit" line. Given my build, that worked.

[VTMike]

I took a look at Nau and Taylor Stitch. He's in need of something more traditional.
And I think that Brooks Bros is not the BB of old ~ from what I'm reading.

[rwsaunders]

Stop at Nordstrom or order online. I have a few pieces from HSM that I picked up at the Nordstrom Rack, which were great deal...timing worked in those cases.

http://www.hartschaffnermarx.com/

[caleb]

If he may only wear it for a few years (or less), I'd look at Spier and Mackay: https://www.spierandmackay.com/colle...all-sportcoats I wear their pants all the time for work, and at least the quality of their pants is better than Brooks or J. Press.

If or when he becomes confident in buying duds for the long haul, Ben Silver is worth it: https://www.bensilver.com/Sport-Coats.html

[vertical_doug]

I think this is pretty simple. He really just needs a simple dark blue suit. He probably need a new shirts with a large collar too.

I'd just hit the normal suspects- Brooks Brothers, Nordstroms, Macy's (yes Macy's) etc. These should all be open in Scottsdale area. I wouldn't spend a lot for a suit, just get one that fits. Nothing says clown more than an ill fitting suit in my opinion. He is really going to have to try the suits on and work with a tailor.

He may need to upsize to a 48 and see if they can tailor the waist without wrecking the line to fit his shoulders. It is unfortunate that so many brands are still pushing slim/fitted suits meant for men who have no muscle mass.

I'd buy the cheapest suit that looks good on him. At his age, styles change and he doesn't want the suit for more than 2-3 years.

[NYCfixie]

My son just graduated from College and heads out on Monday for 2-months of work, a week off, and then a more normal routine in the consulting industry.
He's worked out enough that his suit jackets no longer fit.
We tried Brooks Brothers the other day, but their 46L bunched below the neck/above the shoulders.

What do folks recommend?

I've told him that he might want to wait on something special to be sure that he maintains the muscle-mass that he's developed. Either way, he's 6'3" with broad shoulders.

Any advice from this crowd?
Extra points if you know of an in-person place in Scottsdale area.

Me and the missus are thinking this might be a perfect belated birthday gift.

I am shorter than he is but have always had broad shoulders, as do my 4 brothers, and now a few of my nephews. I also work out with weights and my shoulders have gone from a 44R to a 46R and the only suits "off the rack" that I ever found to fit correctly were "Athletic Cut" but unfortunately nobody really makes athletic cut anymore.

I recently tried on a "Madison Fit" 46R from BB and while the shoulders fit, the waist area had so much extra fabric even the tailor said it would not be a good fit even if he took it all in. It also bothered me because the lapels were so skinny (following a trend that is about over) it looked stupid on the otherwise conservative jacket. Also, Brooks Brothers is simply not the same quality it once was but the more important issue is fit.

When trying to find an off the rack suit you must make sure the shoulders fit correctly because while the sides can be taken in if the waist is too big, you cannot (or should not) adjust shoulders because it is cost prohibitive and is part of the backbone of the suit. The bunching around the neck is something that can be adjusted if there is enough material which is often the case as long as it is not a cheap suit from Uniqlo, H&M, and similar places.

If you want to spend a little more, go to Suit Supply but make sure you (or your son) do not get talked into all the extras by the salesperson. Go for a mid-range all wool suit and ask for the tailor to fit him (and not the salesperson). They have different cuts and styles so the tailor should be able to find something that works.
https://suitsupply.com/en-us/stores-...stores-Phoenix

Indochino is another option (it will be about the same as Suit Supply so it just depends if he can find something that fits well and he likes).
https://www.indochino.com/showroom/scottsdale

A less expensive options is Jos A Bank. I know they get a great deal of bad reviews but that is because most people go for the 3 suits for $299 option (or whatever it is called) and then get pissed when their not all wool suits that were made in china fall apart in a few months. I would suggest you look at their top of the line suits, all wool, and again ask for the tailor to look at a few different cuts and make a suggestion as to what alterations are needed.

Bonobos might be another good option in Scottsdale, again, as long as there is a tailor to work with.

If you want him to go high end for a quality suit that should fit well and last a long time:
https://www.theclotherie.com/about

A quality suit that does not fit well will look terrible but a lower quality suit that is tailored will look great. The issue is that when you fall outside what are consider the correct norms for fit (i.e. super skinny with the shoulders of a 12 year old girl), you will almost always need to get any off the rack suit tailored.

[VTMike]

Thanks, folks.
I think this covers the bases for him :-)