Pssst. Hey, you. Yeah, you. The guy in the oversized suit with the way-to-long trousers and finger length sleeve cuffs. How much did you spend on that suit? $700! Why?
Recently I received an email from a Gear Patrol reader asking what options there are out there for suits in the sub-$200 category. My knee jerk reaction was to say “not much,” but it got me thinking about a suit I had wanted to try from Merona, available at Target Yes, Target. Here’s the verdict…
The Merona Wool Suit represents a phenomenal price point when it comes to suits. At $150, I doubt you’ll find a much better readily-available suit at this price unless you’re lucky with bargain basement stores or suit shops going out of business. Granted, you might actually find a decent number of shops like these in the current economic climate.
The Merona suit manages to stack up with the other lower priced suit I own, in this case a brown suit with dark brown pinstripes from H&M. The H&M suit cost me $200 (plus tax) + $100 in tailoring versus $150 (plus tax) + $75 in tailoring. I managed to find a pair of matching Merona slacks that fit without need for alteration.
Note About Tailoring: I prefer my suit jackets a touch on the trim side, so I tailor my jackets by shortening the cuff, bringing in the waist, and tightening in around the lats area.
The two-button jacket itself is sharp and even more so with tailoring (in case you haven’t caught my drift). By my estimation the blue is classic enough to give the suit style-longevity. It even includes a nice detail, a lower inner pocket for your bulkier items. I can’t make any claims for the durability of the suit, but at the frequency I wear suits (once per week), I’m willing to bet that in rotation with my other 7 suits, this one will last for plenty of years to come.
Editor’s Tip: If you’re the type of guy who understands well-accessorized suits then pair this with an appropriate pocket square (white), lighter hued tie (or no tie, if the occasion calls for it), and a pair of oxblood wingtip shoes. You’ll look sharp as hell and (so long as your attitude fits the bill) maintain a safe distance from much maligned overdone-ness.
Cost: $100 (Jacket) | $50 (Trousers)
