Suits can range drastically in price and quality. And while you might think you look great in your new suit that you bought for a bargain price, there are a few tell-tale signs to differentiate a well-made suit from a cheap suit. While there’s often nothing wrong with being thrifty and buying a suit within your budget, try to avoid these 5 signs of a cheap suit.
1. Sizing
If your suit or the suit you are looking to buy uses S-XL style sizing then it’s a clear indication that it is a mass produced suit that is unlikely to fit you very well. When you get a suit tailored a lot of factors are considered in your sizing; your height, weight and body shape along with your measurements are what will give you the right size suit.
2. Incorrect Fit
A well-tailored suit should fit your shoulders perfectly without any creasing, gathering or bubbling. A cheaply made suit will assume shoulder sizes are the same for all men of a particular size and shape, but this is not the case. Low armholes are also a sign of a cheap suit, as in a tailored suit the armholes will be at the correct height.
3. Fabric Skimping
All well-made suits should come with extra fabric so that they can be altered. For example your trousers should have excess fabric in the hem so that the length can be adjusted. Cheaply made suits will usually skimp on having excess fabric to cut down their costs but it means there is less leeway for you to alter your suit.
4. Buttons
Flimsy plastic buttons can look cheap. They can also break easily. Fortunately they are one of the easier things to upgrade on your suit for a more quality and stylish look.
5. Shiny Synthetic Materials
While not all synthetic materials are bad, try to avoid anything with a shine to it. A shiny fabric suit can look very cheap. However, there is nothing wrong with a lot of synthetic suits especially if they are blended with a quality fibre like a wool polyester blend, which will make them more affordable while still having some of the quality and benefits of a woollen suit.
So, Can You Buy A Cheap Suit?
Of course you can, there is nothing wrong with owning or wearing a cheap suit that is mass produced or off the rack. And just because a suit may have some of these so called flaws doesn’t mean that you can’t have it adjusted or changed to elevate the suits appearance or style. For example you could have the fit altered by a tailor or the buttons changed out for something smarter and higher quality.
Sometimes it may be far more economical to buy a cheap suit and have it altered than to buy a bespoke suit straight up. Cheaper suits are also a great way to go for on-trend fashion as you don’t have to invest much to be current while also not losing much if the style goes out of fashion quickly.
And also remember that you can make any suit look more stylish and fashionable with the right accessories, check out our article on 11 easy ways to accessories your suit for ideas.
If you are looking to buy a suit online check out our list of quality suit retailers.