How hard is it to find a nice DB suit these days???

[avedwards]

I was in Birmingham today and I thought it would be the perfect place to find a DB suit, which I have wanted for a while as they are very Golden Era and almost always come with peaked lapels.

The first place I went to, Slaters actually had a nice black pinstripe 6 on 2 suit which fit me perfectly (the shop assisstant being kind enough to measure my chest to help with sizing). It looked vintage too as it was 100% wool, no polyester for once. The cut was also good for a modern off the rack suit, the armholes weren't as high as I would have wished, but not too low. The only reason I didn't get this near perfect suit was the price: £210. As a student I can't afford that sort of money for a suit.

After leaving Slaters, I looked in every shop which sold suits. Only one had DB ones, and they were too modern, one with a horrible cut and the others with far too thin lapels.

I also looked in charity shops, but the only DB suits there were too small for me.

So where does one find reasonably priced modern DB suits these days? Bespoke is too expensive for me, and vintage seems to be hard to find, unless anyone reading this happens to have any suits made for tall thin people they are looking to sell.

 

[Slim Portly]

eBay.

 

[avedwards]

eBay.

Would you do me the favour of hitting me for not thinking of that?

 

[GBR]

£210 is a reasonable price for such a suit. Whether you like it or not eBay or charity shops for second hand stuff are your only cheaper options presently.

 

[Mike in Seattle]

Beside Ebay, there are lots of online suit retailers.

 

[avedwards]

Does anyone know of any online retailers who do DB suits for about £100 or the equivalent in $? I'm not able to go much more than that.

 

[Jauntyone]

Does anyone know of any online retailers who do DB suits for about £100 or the equivalent in $? I'm not able to go much more than that.

I got a suit from this company: http://en.tailor4less.com/?utm_source=Mailing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Corbatas delivered for one hundred and sixty-five euros. It isn't bad at all; it has a lot of hand-work and fits well. The lapels are a bit narrow and there is a button-hole on only the left lapel but otherwise I'm satisfied.

 

[billyspew]

Does anyone know of any online retailers who do DB suits for about £100 or the equivalent in $? I'm not able to go much more than that.

Never seen one at that price. And if it's standard price is 100GBP not sure I'd even trust it to last more than a few months.
I'd keep an eye for the sales. Zara often has a few DB suits in their sales.

 

[avedwards]

Back to my charity shop hunt then, as the suits they sell are usually quite good quality and for about £10 each, so a fantastic deal. The trouble is usually sizing, they're usually either too wide for me or too short for me or a combination of the two.

 

[KILO NOVEMBER]

Double-breasted suits in the UK? Try my guys.

Does anyone know of any online retailers who do DB suits for about £100 or the equivalent in $? I'm not able to go much more than that.

While my tailors are inexpensive, they are not quite at the 100 pound range, you can get something nice under £200. On the other hand they do make great clothing and the difference in price between one suit and another is the fabric. A further benefit is that they are in the UK this weekend and early next. According to their web site, here is their schedule:

Birmingham, UK - 28th April (1 pm onwards) & 29th April (full day)
Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel
National Exhibition Centre
Birmingham, B401PP
01217804242

London, UK - 30th April (1 pm onwards), 1st and 2nd May (full day)
Radisson SAS Portman Hotel
22 Portman Square
London, W1H7BG
02072086000

Ask for Mr. Sethinamvong at all locations.

I have maybe 15 or 20 of their suits, six or eight are double-breasted. Very nice construction and detailing. You tell them what you want and they have their shop in Bangkok stitch it together. You get delivery in about six weeks.

 

[chanteuseCarey]

(smack)...

avedwards, I'm happy to help SP out for ya - or maybe we'll both do it! ... I just smacked ya up the side of the head while looking you square in the face saying "duh"

Would you do me the favour of hitting me for not thinking of that?

 

[avedwards]

While my tailors are inexpensive, they are not quite at the 100 pound range, you can get something nice under £200. On the other hand they do make great clothing and the difference in price between one suit and another is the fabric. A further benefit is that they are in the UK this weekend and early next. According to their web site, here is their schedule:

Birmingham, UK - 28th April (1 pm onwards) & 29th April (full day)
Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel
National Exhibition Centre
Birmingham, B401PP
01217804242

London, UK - 30th April (1 pm onwards), 1st and 2nd May (full day)
Radisson SAS Portman Hotel
22 Portman Square
London, W1H7BG
02072086000

Ask for Mr. Sethinamvong at all locations.

I have maybe 15 or 20 of their suits, six or eight are double-breasted. Very nice construction and detailing. You tell them what you want and they have their shop in Bangkok stitch it together. You get delivery in about six weeks.

Thanks for the info. Unfortunately I missed the Birmingham dates, and I don't have the time to take a train down to London on Saturday, as I put the person I am seeing before a new suit (have I got my prioritites mixed up maybe?). That's very annoying, but I suppose I'll have to either save up for the nice suit I saw in Birmingham (though this could be problematic as I'm also trying to save up for a new hat) or hope to find one in a charity shop in my size.

 

[PADDY]

It's not hard.

Just be patient, and keep popping into thrift shops and second hand clothes shops. You can pick up a GREAT 40's DB suit for $70 USD..!! (For goodness sake, I'm not American and I came across them in the US). And be prepared to haggle!! and be prepared to just walk away too. You'll score, but be patient...

 

[PSK123]

I couldn't agree more with the good man above, just keep your eyes open for them and be patient. I've had some gems off US eBay

 

[Mike in Seattle]

Here's one someone mentioned on the Lounge awhile back.

 

[bobalooba]

your title is nice DB suit, I can't imagine a nice DB suit for under 200. I hope I didn't crush your dreams but it has to be said, unless you have a stroke of luck this is very unlikely.

Especially if you have a body not built for off the rack clothes, it's a plight I know all too well, I'm average height but my shoulders are wide and off the rack suits or blazers always have to be altered to fit me (with the exception of one that was 20 dollars because it didn't fit anyone else right).

 

[Mid-fogey]

I picked a DB...

...online for $280, which included a second pair of pants. It needed some alterations, but looks pretty good now. I plan to wear it often.

 

[Subvet642]

How about...

If everybody on the FLounge went into their favorite haberdasher and started asking for them, about once a week, I'll just bet that they start stocking them. :whip:

 

[avedwards]

I managed to find what I consider a nice DB suit in medium blue with slightly darker blue shadow stripe patter (is that the correct term?), 6 on 1 button layout. It was from a shop going bankrupt, which is why is went from about £200+ to £15 including a tie of my choice (I picked a red one which looked vintage to my eye). The trousers are cuffed and far too wide at the waist, but that can be sorted, I might even be able to do it myself . I don't mind if the waist looks odd since it will be covered by the suit as DB suits are usually kept buttoned up. The six on one button layout isn't too usual for Golden Era suits, but it was around so my suit can pass off as '40s IMO. Overall the jacket and trousers are a little bit on the baggy side, but only a little, which was common in the '40s I believe.

 

[Blackl3232]

The 6x1 was big in the late 80s/early 90s, so there are a lot of them floating around thrift stores now.

Depending on how it's cut you may be able to just take the top two buttons off and have a 4x1 which would look more vintage.