Suit and a case/bag

The Northern Monkey

After today's meetings, i've decided I want a nice looking suit and a bag or briefcase to go with it.
I usually just wear trousers and a shirt/tie but I still feel under dressed!

Now I don't have a lot to spend, probably £150 for the suit and £30 for a bag maybe?

Been looking at the M+S suits which look nice and are in budget. But any one recommend anything else?
What sort of suit looks smarter/more profesional? Just plain old black of should I get stripes or grey or even brown (urhg!).
I have black shoes if it makes any difference?

Also, a bag..... not sure I want a suitcase as such, i'm not middle aged (yet!) so I need something that looks smart but doesn't make me feel like an old man!

Obviously looks are everything, smarter the better!

rubins4

I know what you mean about a bag. I dont think the suit and rucksack look is in this year... sadly. Question is, where is the line drawn between a smart not rucksack bag and a man bag :shock:

I'm hoping there is a big void between the two, as i' gonna be in the market soon

Cant help with the suits i'm afraid. I had to find one a year or so back, but the only one that actually fitted was off the budget scale

Anonymous

The Northern Monkey wrote:

After today's meetings, i've decided I want a nice looking suit and a bag or briefcase to go with it.

Were you castrated at the meeting or something?

The Northern Monkey

yeehaamcgee wrote:

The Northern Monkey wrote:

After today's meetings, i've decided I want a nice looking suit and a bag or briefcase to go with it.

Were you castrated at the meeting or something?

Nope, its just everyone else was wearing a suit and had a bag so I felt lefout out of the suit/bag club

Plus I like to look smart.
In my office, most people wear jeans and jumper/shirt and are fairly casual but I prefer to wear smart trousers, shoes and shirt becasue it makes me feel more worky...

Anonymous

Meh, I've turned up to meetings with CEOs, barefoot in shorts, with my sunburnt manboobs on proud display.
No reason to join "the crowd".

The Northern Monkey

Different business though I guess... I wouldn't have a job if I turned up in anything other than trousers and shirt today.

Anonymous

Depends how good you are at what you do.
A good friend of mine used to regularly turn up at very "high power" meetings with architectural firms in a string vest, with all his tatoos on display. But he was good enough that his reputation preceeded him.

The Northern Monkey

Or...

It depends on how you want to come across.

I'd imagine that the aformentioned guy was a bit of a pretencious tw@... or thats how he would come across to me if dressed like that in a "high power" meeting.

Anonymous

The Northern Monkey wrote:

I'd imagine that the aformentioned guy was a bit of a pretencious tw@... or thats how he would come across to me if dressed like that in a "high power" meeting.

And he you, likewise.
I couldn't give a crap what someone wears, but I have seen a lot of people who hide their inadequacies behind a smart appearance.

welshkev

i now you won't believe it but i bought a really nice suit from asda for £45 :oops:

i went to a wedding and my mate who was wearing a dior suit was asking where i got it etc aswell as some other people and i lied and said it was armani

Monkeypump

yeehaamcgee wrote:

The Northern Monkey wrote:

I'd imagine that the aformentioned guy was a bit of a pretencious tw@... or thats how he would come across to me if dressed like that in a "high power" meeting.

And he you, likewise.
I couldn't give a crap what someone wears, but I have seen a lot of people who hide their inadequacies behind a smart appearance.

As well as a whole lot of people hiding behind a veneer of non-conformity. How much time did he spend constructing the "I'm so good AND I'm different" image? Twit. A little professional courtesy goes a long way.

Anonymous

Not long, actually. He got hand picked for a few top jobs whilst he was still a student.

thekickingmule

The Northern Monkey the thing about off the shelf suits is that they rarely fit perfectly. Go round the different department stores (M&S, Debenhams and Burtons are good) and try them on. They often have different styles, some may suit your body shape more than others.

As for colour, avoid pinstripes. If you want that, spend more money as people will think you're a banker (I'd personally spell that differently ) Grey can look very smart (I wore a grey suit as an usher at a wedding and was surprised how much it suited me), black is very 'safe', blue can be ok, but be careful what shirts you wear. Black is good, as any colour shirt matches it, including black.

As for a bag, I'm not a fan of briefcases unless you have good need for one. If you carry a laptop, you can get some cool ones. What about some form of satchel? Like an over the shoulder thing.

Meh, I'm no Gok Wan or whatever he's called. I do like suits though, I think there's a time and a place for them. Luckily I can wear whatever I want to work, but, I like dressing up smartly when given the oportunity.

CraigXXL

Can't go wrong with M&S suits, they still look good after years of service and very good fit. Buy wool if you can it's nice and cool in the summer but still warm in the winter. If you want to maximum use out the suit buy two pairs of trousers with a jacket as it the trousers that wear out. Coloured pinstripes allow more shirt combinations.
I've had a very expensive suit bag (gift) cost more than any of my suits including the hand made ones and when it was lost on an flight I replaced with a cheap £30 one from Argos and it was much better than the expensive one.

DCR00

+potato for M&S

Best thing is they have different leg and waist lengths mixed with different jacket sizes

Designer gear tends to be made under one template, unless you pay for bespoke, so if you fit that template, you are laughing, but if you have a 44 inch chest with a 36 inch waist (like me) then you are stuffed.

Unless you go to M&S, where they do that size combo.

Go to an outlet and you can get two suits for £150

I kind of agree with yeehaamcgee, in that you should be judged on merit and not what you look like. I also agree that a lot of people think an expensive suit makes up for being sh*t at your job, but equally, if you want to be taken seriously, then i think you should make a bit of an effort.

Bag wise, i use this

http://www.johnlewis.com/230657262/Product.aspx

cheap and functional

tsenior

Monkey

Pure wool: nothing remotely shiney I cant stress this enough.

both my sober suits are dark grey, I like a fine herringbone weave to add a bit of interest, one was from debhanams in sales and less than £150, think john rocha the other is

but its right nothing fits like one run up for you, got a lovely linen suit i wore for my wedding which was stupidly expensive and i only get to wear it a few times a year!

you or a freind going to se aisia anytime soon? you can get a really nice made to measure number run off their and fedexed back.

MountainMonster

When i'm in the U.K. visiting my family, I normally buy a few suits from Next, surprisingly enough. Very good quality, very decent price and stylish. I wear a suit 90% of the time due to my work and studies, and I like to look good. Next helps that work. Although it does also help to have that one special suit that you love, for me thats my Gucci suit. Cost a pretty penny, but very lovely.

As far as bag, I go simplistic black leather ones. Have a few at home, and like to swap them around to keep them fresh. No idea where you could get those though in the U.K.

spongtastic

Highest wool content you can afford, 2 pairs of trousers as mentioned. At that price unless it's from an outlet avoid black as lower wool content tends to get a bit 'shiney'. Again avoid bright coloured linings as they can look cheap. If you're quite broad single or double button jacket. Dark navy goes with anything. Plain coloured ties help, no Paisley or big flowers. NO TURN UPS.

But i agree with yeeha about not having to wear one to conform.