Several of you have been asking about Mike’s work attire – suits and such. His job currently requires him to wear a suit most days, so over the last couple of years, he’s really been able to hone in on his favorites.
And in case anyone was wondering where Raines get his intense little stare from….good grief.
Anyway, Mike has go-to suits at every price point: expensive, middle-of-the-road, and cheap. He mostly wears his expensive suits – they also can take a beating without losing their shape, but he uses lower-cost suits to round out his wardrobe, or try out a new look without committing big bucks. Here are his favorites:
Hugo Boss
Hands-down, this is Mike’s favorite brand for suits, and what he wears 90% of the time. The slim cut is perfectly tailored without veering into tragic-hipster territory, and Hugo Boss makes some seriously cool twists on the typical blue suit. Think tweed details, a faint herringbone, a super-subtle check. But the details are never overwhelming – perfect for the guy who wants something a little bit modern, but works in a conservative office.
Outfit Details
suit: Hugo Boss Jewels/Linus Trim Fit Wool Suit (size 38R for reference)
shirt: similar (on sale!)
tie: similar
shoes: Cole Haan Warren Cap Toe Derby
socks: Soul Socks – a sock-of-the-month club (and one of Mike’s fav gifts)
backpack: Herschel Supply Pop Quiz backpack
watch: Apple watch
Express The Photographer Suit
Aptly named, right? The Photographer is Express’ fitted suit. The tailoring is shockingly good for the price point, but you’ll notice a big difference in the fabric: it doesn’t have the same kind of drape as the Hugo Boss. Still…not a bad choice, and Mike uses these suits to round out his work wardrobe.
Outfit Details
suit: Express The Photographer Navy Micro Twill (size 38R for reference)
shirt: John Varvatos Slim Fit Dress Shirt (on sale!)
tie: similar
shoes: Cole Haan Warren Cap Toe Derby
socks: Soul Socks – a sock-of-the-month club (and one of Mike’s fav gifts)
watch: Shinola
H&M
We have a love/hate relationship with H&M suits. The fabrics, the cut and the price are all good….but the sizing is bizarre. For example, in the suit below, Mike went up one size in both the suit coat and the pants. The suit coat fits great, but the pants….
Good lord those are some tight man-pants. The moral of the story? If you’re used to typical American sizing…go up ONE size in H&M suit coats…and TWO sizes up in pants.
But once you can figure out your size (and annoyingly it can differ by style)….the suits look shockingly good. Especially considering that this entire suit is now on sale for under $100 (pants here, blazer here). If your guy needs a random suit for NYE or a wedding…this is it.
Shop Our Favorite Suits For Guys
Below are our top picks from Hugo Boss, Express and H&M. Because we tend to buy Hugo Boss when it’s on sale, I included a ton of sale options as well.
xo!
S
Thank you!!! This is extremely helpful. Just sent it to my husband, and to my little brother. Where we grew up in Rhinelander, Wisconsin (close to your U.P.) suits on anyone were a rarity, so he’s still figuring it out.
We lived in Rhinelander for 4 years. It’s fun to see that name come up! Really no need for a suit in Hodag country or metro Detroit (where we live now). All business casual in the auto industry.
My husband also loves his Hugo Boss suits! You can often find them on sale at Nordstrom’s Mens Half Yearly sale, so that helps. We’ve also found Banana Republic’s suiting to be really nice. Not too pricey, nice fabrics and a good fit.
My fiancé loves Hugo Boss suits, I am always looking at Nordstrom to see whats on sale! Great options, I never even know that H&M had much of a selection for men’s suits!
xoxo http://www.touchofcurl.com
Thank you so much for this!
Omg! He is so cute handsome Ect….. I am such a cougar
Oh and sexy…
If you don’t mind a bit on the trendy side, Suit Supply is a great place. Customer service knows suits which is very helpful, and the suits fit very nice.
Yes to suit supply – hubs is a 38 long which is a challenge if you’re looking beyond the basics. The winter collections tend to be pretty heavy (they are based in Amsterdam or Copenahgen, can’t remember which!) but it’s simple to shop the other seasonal collections. Some unusual but pretty colors too, like pink and green!
That tag on the the sleeve is there just because it’s a suit you are returning, right? Please say “right.” I see more than a few (mostly young) men in coats with the tags left on the sleeve like that and jackets not vented. If you are doing a PSA on men’s suit, lease add that those tags get cut off pronto and the little tack holding the vent at the back, too. Snip!
Boss suits re the best. Barney’s too if you have an outlet nearby. Shirts from Charles Tyrwhitt are great, too. They have a slim fit and are always on sale.
My husband just got a new job and it’s WAY more formal than his last one! I’m starting a tie wardrobe basically from scratch and trying to find ones to complement his existing, colorful button-downs is challenging. I had NO idea ties were so darn expensive!