Teen Boy Suit Shopping in US
 

Need a boy-sized off-the-peg suit (matching jacket and pants) that will last approximately 5 minutes because he's growing like a weed. In the UK 20 years ago I would have hit TopMan/Burton if that's any help ;)

I hate the mall. He hates clothes shopping, so knowing in advance which stores to try would reduce pain greatly. I don't even know what Abercrombie, Banana Rep and all those sell because the stench they exude as one passes is so off-putting I've never crossed the threshold.

I made it into a few stores tie-shopping for homecoming in the fall, but didn't notice if they actually sold suits to go with.

Minimum $$ outlay appreciated -it's not for a smart event, just to look a little more dapper than average when "dressing up' for school because the team has a game that night.

TIA

Don't even bother with Abercrombie or Hollister, etc. They don't do suits. Try Macy's or JCPenney for something not too expensive, a one-off in a junior size.

thanks. they're on the list with the other two dept stores in the mall, but is there anywhere a little more "current"? They feel more like places you would shop for a suit for grandpa to be buried in. Maybe I'm just suffering flashbacks from British dept stores of the 80s.....

It's hard to find places to suit/suit a boy who's growing like a weed ... you're pretty much guaranteed to not be overwhelmed unless you choose a custom tailor. Speaking as a mother of 3 boys who needed suits from childhood thru ... (breathes a sigh of relief) adulthood.

Current? We're talking male clothing, Right? Unless you want to go to Carnaby Street, Soho, the style of men's suits change with glacial speed.
If this isn't a "smart event", wouldn't be easier and maybe cheaper to do the sports coat and slacks route?

Men's Wearhouse. They do a ton of wedding rental business, so they have teen sizes (groomsmen, ushers, and whatnot) and they're reasonably priced. And hell, if it's just for one event maybe you can rent it. They do nice dress shoes and ties too, anything you need.

What Clod said, seconded. Back when I wore suits, that is where I bought mine.

We've mostly gotten ours from 2nd hand stores and hand me downs from friends.

But if I was shopping for new, I'd check out JC Penny and Men's Wearhouse. I agree that style doesn't matter much at all. Ties are the only thing that seem to change much.

Thanks, I did look at MW online and didn't see teen/boy so dismissed it. I'll go in and see what they actually have. No, it's not for an event. It's because he'd like one. And he's a good kid so I can be behind it if it doesn't cost me the earth. It's things like this that make me miss the UK of the 80s and 90s. I knew exactly where to go for such things :) hell I worked in those stores for 5 years :lol:

thanks, he's got the ties down, so we could make it work.... I'm surprised suit cuts don't change, (e.g single/double-breast, lots/fewer buttons/pant cut....) They changed pretty much every year when I used to sell them. I guess dress it just more casual overall so fashion doesn't bother with the more formal.

This needs to be new because it's special to him and he's not such a fan of second hand as the rest of the family are. Probably a middle child thing ;)

definitely Men's Wearhouse.

SonofV loves second hand, especially the blazer of mine I gave him, it's twice as old as he is. Was I ever that slender?? Unlikely. Anyhow, MW is a good bet for you as is the local mall anchors, Macy's, JC Penney, etc.

One of the reasons the styles change slowly is we're a bunch of slobs who only dress up to get laid. :haha:

I'm sure the ladies have nothing to do with his desire to look super-dapper..... thought probably never crossed his mind..... :right:

But did your customers know that? If a man who wasn't in fashion or clothing sales started talking about suits at that level of detail, I'd be thinking of Patrick Bateman.

Having been a teenage boy, albeit in a different century, I'd take that bet. . .