About to buy a Hugo Boss Tuxedo...

[stephen]

I have a black-tie event coming up this weekend. I was planning on doing the "rent a tux" routine, but after trying a few on at the local store, I just couldn't bear the ill-fit and cheap-fabric. (Or the thought that I was considering paying $170 for a weekend rental of a "Lauren by Ralph Lauren" tuxedo.) My target budget is something less than $700-$900. I only plan on using it for 5-6 events, after which I'll have my tailor (who's fairly decent) do an MTM for $1500. I have an unusual body type (6'4", 40" chest, 32" waist, swimmer's shoulders), so I have a hard time finding anything that fits well OTR. Stopped by both Jos. A. Banks and Hugo Boss tonight... JAB was having a 50% off sale and I ended up purchasing a jacket and pant as "separates". They had a slightly higher quality full set, but only in a 6" drop. I also grabbed a vest for a grand total of $283. I expect to have to add another $70 or so of tailoring to hem the pants, lengthen the sleeves of the jacket, move the sleeve buttons on the jacket, and suppress the waist:

Hugo Boss had a one button tuxedo that's 25% off, bringing it down to about $640 after tax. It fit me much better than the other one, but as it's not a separate, I'll have to have the pants taken in from a 34" to a 32". I've had this done before (with very poor results)... maybe if I use a good tailor it will turn out OK? Either way, much better length in the jacket and sleeves, but the shoulders still weren't perfect:

I know you hate Hugo Boss. Probably JAB, too. Any better ideas of something I can check out during lunch tomorrow in my price range? I'd love to go for RLBL, but I'm poor. I'd love to go for BB, but I'm skinny.

 

[otc]

The objection to hugo boss is usually on final quality and workmanship...not cut.

You are not going to wear a tux very much so I doubt you really need to worry about how long it is going to last you. You aren't going to wear it out no matter who made it (to a certain degree).

If the hugo boss ones fits you well and has a flattering cut...go for it.

Only problem is it sounds like the cut isn't great since you will need to do a bunch of surgery on the pants

 

[fcuknu]

the lapels on the boss are muchhhhh better. Who the hell would wear notch ******* lapels on a tux? pshhh.

 

[stephen]

Originally Posted by fcuknu

the lapels on the boss are muchhhhh better. Who the hell would wear notch ******* lapels on a tux? pshhh.

hahaha... totally. I'm waiting for the referral to blacktieguide.com.

The Hugo Boss does seem decently nice. One of my main regrets is that it doesn't have a matching vest, but perhaps that's an affection I can trade for better fit.

 

[Nicola]

Originally Posted by stephen

I'll have to have the pants taken in from a 34" to a 32". I've had this done before (with very poor results)... maybe if I use a good tailor it will turn out OK?

That's not very much. Even a bad tailor shouldn't screw that up. The seamstress I use would have no problem and she'd never call herself a tailor.

 

[ginlimetonic]

Originally Posted by fcuknu

the lapels on the boss are muchhhhh better. Who the hell would wear notch ******* lapels on a tux? pshhh.
maybe the guy hosting the event- announcing the events.

 

[babygreenspots]

The HB seems reasonable

 

[Chips]

For your price range, $640 is a lot to spend for a tux that you will likely wear only a few times. Especially if you are going to to MTM rather soon.

$170 for a RLBL rental leaves $470 in your pocket that can buy some nice shoes to go with your MTM tux when its finished. And, you wont have a unused tux sitting in your closet collecting dust, altered or not.

 

[jessica]

Originally Posted by Chips

$170 for a RLBL rental leaves $470 in your pocket that can buy some nice shoes to go with your MTM tux when its finished. And, you wont have a unused tux sitting in your closet collecting dust, altered or not.

Yes, but he also made note that he has 5-6 events to go to before he does the MTM, which means $850-$1020 of tux rentals - which makes the purchase an overall cost savings (remember, he said his price range for the purchase is under 900).

I vote for the HB.