# JAB Signature Gold Suits - Are they durable?



## afuturestrader (Oct 6, 2009)

A question for those who have experience with JAB Sig Gold suits -

Do you believe a Sig Gold suit could last for at least 5 years if worn once a week and dry cleaned once a year?

Signature Gold suits from JAB fit me well and I like the look. And after having tried on many brands and styles of suits at different price points, I believe they are a good value at their discounted prices.

But JAB in general has a shaky reputation here at AAAC. The Sig Gold suits will prove to be a worthy purchase - if they last some reasonable period of time. Since I have no experience with these suits, I ask the question above. 

Thanks in advance.


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## audog (Apr 19, 2009)

I think that they would last, given your criteria. While not exactly forward fashion, they are a serviceable suit. Perhaps not the finest of quality in fabric or construction, but a good value for the money if purchased at one of the continual "Buy one, get xxx free" sales that Banks seem to run. If taken care of, you will certainly be dressed better than 80 -90 % of the men you will encounter on a daily basis. Get them on sale, then save money for a MTM suit, you will enjoy it more and it will fit better.


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## Broadus (Jan 6, 2011)

My suits and sport coats are old and I've dropped from a 42R to a 40R as a result of laying off sugary desserts to get my triglycerides down, so I need to rebuild my wardrobe. I researched a lot of different possibilities and decided to go with JAB's current buy one Signature Gold suit for $599, get a second for $99 and a third for $49. That works out to $249 each, about 77% off their inflated list price, which is a pretty decent buy for JAB Signature Gold suits, especially in pretty basic colors (ordered a charcoal grey, navy self plaid, and a grey touch plaid--click on the swatch to see the color and enlarge to see the pattern).

At any rate, I realize there are much finer suits out there, but I doubt I can match the quality, especially in fairly basic colors, for $250 a suit. I'm counting on getting a good five years out of them and probably more.


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## RM Bantista (May 30, 2009)

Broadus said:


> My suits and sport coats are old and I've dropped from a 42R to a 40R as a result of laying off sugary desserts to get my triglycerides down, so I need to rebuild my wardrobe. I researched a lot of different possibilities and decided to go with JAB's current buy one Signature Gold suit for $599, get a second for $99 and a third for $49. That works out to $249 each, about 77% off their inflated list price, which is a pretty decent buy for JAB Signature Gold suits, especially in pretty basic colors (ordered a charcoal grey, navy self plaid, and a grey touch plaid--click on the swatch to see the color and enlarge to see the pattern).
> 
> At any rate, I realize there are much finer suits out there, but I doubt I can match the quality, especially in fairly basic colors, for $250 a suit. I'm counting on getting a good five years out of them and probably more.


Seems like a good idea. The suits themselves are fine at that price. The 5-yr projection does not seem unreasonable. I don't wear any particular suit that frequently myself... I have gone through complete wardrobe replacements several times. It is painful and not inexpensive, no matter what you do. I try to have enough variety on hand so that I do not need to wear any particular piece more often than once a month or once or twice per season other than socks shirts hats gloves shoes and other accessories which do get repeated though that is acceptable. Size changes just drive me crazy, particularly with shirts.

Good luck to you.

rudy


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## godan (Feb 10, 2010)

A good measure of JAB suits' quality can be made by taking any of their jackets, turning it inside out and examining the seams. The two I looked at were not encouraging. You may still want to buy and wear them, but it isn't pretty in there.


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## Broadus (Jan 6, 2011)

godan said:


> A good measure of JAB suits' quality can be made by taking any of their jackets, turning it inside out and examining the seams. The two I looked at were not encouraging. You may still want to buy and wear them, but it isn't pretty in there.


Were those Signature Gold coats, Godan? I'm wondering if there is a difference in craftsmanship when one goes from the Executive to the Signature to the Signature Gold line.


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## godan (Feb 10, 2010)

Broadus said:


> Were those Signature Gold coats, Godan? I'm wondering if there is a difference in craftsmanship when one goes from the Executive to the Signature to the Signature Gold line.


I looked at both the Signature Gold and one of their Signature Platinum suit jackets. Because the nearest JAB has a pretty good staff and a superb tailor, my attitude was positive and my hopes were high. A shop I had used for many years in Denver had deteriorated, and the idea was to find a nearby alternative to BB, which is nearly eighty miles away. The insides of both JAB suit jackets closed down any hopes I had. The two I saw were just awful. I wore a BB Essentials suit (hardly the top of their line) for comparison, and the JAB workmanship was really bad in that context. Sorry if this is not what you would like to hear. Also, I do not know for a fact that what I saw would affect external appearance or service life. I just did not want to pay anything at all for a product that crude.


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## Top Guns (Apr 29, 2010)

How long ago was your inspection, godan?


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## godan (Feb 10, 2010)

Top Guns said:


> How long ago was your inspection, godan?[/QUOTE
> 
> About one year ago. The Platinum line was just becoming available at the outlet I visited - although it may have been in the JAB general inventory before then.


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## afuturestrader (Oct 6, 2009)

Thanks for the replies thus far.

The original question still remains.

Can someone who owns a Sig Gold suit give an opinion as to how the suit wears? Do you believe this suit can last 5 years (or more) treated reasonably (defined as worn once a week / dry cleaned once a year)?


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## Broadus (Jan 6, 2011)

FWIW, I saw a man today who was wearing an Executive suit that he's owned for two or three years and it looked in good shape, much better than I had anticipated.


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## Broadus (Jan 6, 2011)

godan said:


> I looked at both the Signature Gold and one of their Signature Platinum suit jackets. Because the nearest JAB has a pretty good staff and a superb tailor, my attitude was positive and my hopes were high. A shop I had used for many years in Denver had deteriorated, and the idea was to find a nearby alternative to BB, which is nearly eighty miles away. The insides of both JAB suit jackets closed down any hopes I had. The two I saw were just awful. I wore a BB Essentials suit (hardly the top of their line) for comparison, and the JAB workmanship was really bad in that context. Sorry if this is not what you would like to hear. Also, I do not know for a fact that what I saw would affect external appearance or service life. I just did not want to pay anything at all for a product that crude.


Thanks for the additional info.


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## amemovox (Jun 26, 2005)

afuturestrader said:


> Thanks for the replies thus far.
> 
> The original question still remains.
> 
> Can someone who owns a Sig Gold suit give an opinion as to how the suit wears? Do you believe this suit can last 5 years (or more) treated reasonably (defined as worn once a week / dry cleaned once a year)?


You question is legitimate. Why is it so important that the suit last 5 years. Not meant to be sacrcastic; however, is there a significance to the 5 year benchmark. I have owned many suits over a lifetime
and really don't count years of ownership. My only experience is with the Signature Line and it was a good suit for the money. Granted, it wasn't the Signature Gold line but right below it.


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## harvey_birdman (Mar 10, 2008)

afuturestrader said:


> Thanks for the replies thus far.
> 
> The original question still remains.
> 
> Can someone who owns a Sig Gold suit give an opinion as to how the suit wears? Do you believe this suit can last 5 years (or more) treated reasonably (defined as worn once a week / dry cleaned once a year)?


I own one Sig Gold suit that is ten years old. I probably wore it at least twice a week the first two years (since it was only one of two suits I had at the time), and have worn it progressively less and less since. I dry cleaned it probably 6 times the first two years, and maybe only once since then. I think the interior sleeve lining tore at one point and had to be repaired, and I had to have the front button sewn back on after it came loose. It is still in wearable condition, although I have other suits and clothes I prefer to wear so it is rare that it comes out of the closet.

If you can afford the extra for a BB 1818 I would vote for that.


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## afuturestrader (Oct 6, 2009)

amemovox said:


> You question is legitimate. Why is it so important that the suit last 5 years. Not meant to be sacrcastic; however, is there a significance to the 5 year benchmark.


There is no particular significance to 5 years. The concept here is that durability, or the length of life of a suit (or any garment) impacts its value. A Sig Gold suit purchased at the often discounted price of roughly $300 is a very good value in my opinion. However, if it were to fall apart in a year my opinion would change. My thread is an attempt to leverage the prior experience of others.


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## Leighton (Nov 16, 2009)

JAB wasn't always the "discount" menswear shop.

$300 is actually middle of the road for that quality for sales items. I can run down to Nordstrom Rack and pick up an Abboud for $290. I'd much rather have the J. Abboud. You can get a Baroni off ebay for $300. Same construction, probably better. You can scour ebay and pick up a half canvassed suit for ~$300.


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## 32rollandrock (May 1, 2008)

The five-year durability question is irrelevant until you have answered this:

Does it fit?

The suit's origin, its fabric, its color, its durability matter nothing if it does not fit. There is a recent, and instructive, side-by-side comparison on WAYWT of a Southwick (IIRC) vs JAB. The Southwick won, but that does not mean that it would win in your case. Every body shape and size is different.

You say that you like the JAB fit. If so, that's great. You have set a reasonable benchmark of five years. That's a long time to wear a suit. Make darn sure of this purchase--you are better off spending an extra $100 or so for a better-fitting suit if it is intended to be a workhorse. If the JAB fits best, great. But it doesn't hurt to shop around, especially if you are looking for a staple.


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## mhj (Oct 27, 2010)

I bought a JAB Sig Gold last fall by mail. It was the first time I had ordered a suit that way and it fit me like glove right out of the box. I only had to have the sleeves adjusted by a tailor. I had the hemming done when I purchased it.

As to durability I see no reason why it shouldn't last. Mine is very new and I wear a suit maybe once a week and rotate between four suits but I would say that it's the highest quality of all my suits. I wouldn't worry about it lasting for five years.


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## son of brummell (Sep 29, 2004)

afuturestrader said:


> Do you believe a Sig Gold suit could last for at least 5 years if worn once a week and dry cleaned once a year?
> 
> * * * The Sig Gold suits will prove to be a worthy purchase - if they last some reasonable period of time. Since I have no experience with these suits, I ask the question above.
> 
> Thanks in advance.


At the rate of wear (260 total), the suit will not last that long. Few would.

The Bank suits are not made to be heirlooms. They are disposable. Otherwise, how could they make money if their customers bought a suit once every five years?

I recently visited the new Bank store at my office building. Its tailored clothes are made by different vendors in different countries. Even if they were made by one manufacturer and at one standard of workmanship, one lot of cloth could be more durable than the next. Generally, its suit cloths are tissue paper thin.

As a generality, the clothing business, even at the luxury level, is not dedicated to making "clothes that wear like iron." That thinking no longer exists.

Good luck.


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## Broadus (Jan 6, 2011)

Mark--"tissue paper thin"?


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## mlongano (Feb 3, 2010)

son of brummell said:


> Generally, its suit cloths are tissue paper thin.
> 
> As a generality, the clothing business, even at the luxury level, is not dedicated to making "clothes that wear like iron." That thinking no longer exists.
> 
> Good luck.


This is a major reason that I purchase my own cloth and take it to my tailor...besides the quality of construction and fit issues of RTW, I can no longer find the heavier quality fabrics that were common thirty years ago.


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## son of brummell (Sep 29, 2004)

Broadus said:


> Mark--"tissue paper thin"?


Yes.

The vast majority of the cloths have no oomph. At best they would be summer suits.

I figure that you get what you pay for. If Bank buys the $249 suit wholesale for $100 or less, then cloth probably cost $25. The cloth is made in China, Italy, South America, etc.

Some of the high priced suits had decent cloth, but who would pay $2,195+ at Bank?


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## JLibourel (Jun 13, 2004)

But aren't most "year-round" fabrics popular for suits these days in the 9-ounce range, which is going to be pretty darn thin irrespective of fabric quality? I just checked out my stepson's Signature Gold suit, and the fabric doesn't seem any more insubstantial than the lighter fabrics from reputable mills--VBC, Loro Piana, Porter & Harding--in some of my suits and jackets. It is definitely heavier than the Scabal fabric in one of my summer jackets.


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## Liberty Ship (Jan 26, 2006)

afuturestrader said:


> Thanks for the replies thus far.
> 
> The original question still remains.
> 
> Can someone who owns a Sig Gold suit give an opinion as to how the suit wears? Do you believe this suit can last 5 years (or more) treated reasonably (defined as worn once a week / dry cleaned once a year)?


Based on my experience with Sig Gold suits, I would say yes. I am hard on suits. I have a few Sig Golds that are more than 5 years old and they have held up well.

In one interesting case, I backed into a freshly painted (white) door frame with a dark gray Sig Gold with a faint window pane. Thinking I had nothing to lose, I attacked the paint with all manner of chemical and paint remover from the Sherwin Williams store. I finally got all the paint out of the fabric, but at the expense of the sleeve lining which melted during the chemical warfare. I had the lining replaced. I had the suit cleaned. I swear it looked good as new. That was several years ago and I wore the suit yesterday.


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## Titus_A (Jun 23, 2010)

> I'm wondering if there is a difference in craftsmanship when one goes from the Executive to the Signature to the Signature Gold line.


This is definitely the case: I have a Traveler and a Signature Gold, and I had an Executive until I spilled coffee all over it and replaced it with a BB. The S.G. is definitely made better. Maybe it's not made _worlds _better, but it's still better.
*
Answer*: I think the S.G. suit will do what you're looking for. You can get them for practically dirt, and they have a variety of nice features (like abundant inside pockets). I wear mine about once a week and have for maybe two years. It hasn't shown any signs of wearing out. The people who say that it's definitely a warm-weather cloth are correct, though: you're not going to find any fourteen-ounce flannels. But if you like the profile (I don't) it's probably a good value for a suit of that type.


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## Leighton (Nov 16, 2009)

The fit is awful though. To me at least.


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## Cal27 (Mar 23, 2011)

Is $250 a piece the lowest you can find a JAB Sig Gold? I will be graduating college in May, and currently don't own any suits. I know that these aren't the greatest, but isn't it the best option for those that are on a severely limited budget, and don't want to scour the internet/thrift stores/etc for deals?


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## joeyzaza (Dec 9, 2005)

The sig gold is a well made suit and will meet your criteria. I am not a big fan of dry cleaning, but I would clean more than once every 52 wearings (I have a steamer as well and occassionally steam out my suits). The shoulder padding is a little much on the sig gold, but not as padded as the JAB executive. 

In my opinion the sig gold will wear as long as the BB 1818. Also- to me there is a noticeable difference in each step up in the JAB line from exec to sig to sig gold. On sale, all are a solid value. Even the exec looks OK new, it just does not hold up quite as well.


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## afuturestrader (Oct 6, 2009)

Cal27 said:


> Is $250 a piece the lowest you can find a JAB Sig Gold? I will be graduating college in May, and currently don't own any suits. I know that these aren't the greatest, but isn't it the best option for those that are on a severely limited budget, and don't want to scour the internet/thrift stores/etc for deals?


$250 per suit (when buying 3 suits) is the best sales price I have seen. More common is the 70% off discount which works out to about $328. But in the latter case you only need to purchase one suit to get that price. Sometimes Sig Gold suits have an even lower price in the clearance section of the Jos Bank site. However, the clearance suits are usually in patterns I would not wear. Especially if just starting out, you might consider going with a staple solid color - navy and/or charcoal.

Another option at JAB is their Signature suit. It is less expensive than Sig Gold but with a difference in quality. My brother actually preferred the softer shoulder and lack of pick stitching in the Sig. I much prefer the stronger shoulder of the Sig Gold.


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## Scotch&Cigars (Dec 27, 2009)

I have one Sig Gold suit, wear probably an average of once a week, dry clean maybe 3x a year. It has held up very well over the past 2 years. Like you, the fit of the Sig Gold suit just works for me. If I didn't have such great luck thrifting, and had I not discovered Wizard of Ahhs, I probably would have bought another one or two. 

Quality isn't top of the line, obviously, but you are only paying ~250 for a suit, so what can you expect? 

I think many here would agree that fit is paramount. The Sig Gold is definitely a serviceable suit, and if the fit works for you, I say go for it at that price.


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## Broadus (Jan 6, 2011)

My three Signature Gold suits arrived this afternoon, and I had time only to give them a cursory look-over before I had to leave the house. For $249 each, I'm pleased. If I had needed to buy only one suit at a time in order to add to my wardrobe, I may have spent $500-$700 on a better suit on sale. Needing to get a good start on quickly replacing a wardrobe on the proverbial dime, the Signature Gold suits work for me.

As far as the cloth goes, it seems quite good quality. Were I to live farther north, I would probably consider it a three-season suit. Here in upstate SC, though, I think it will do in the winter also. The solid charcoal grey suit is darker than the charcoal grey suit it's replacing, and I like the color and material. The grey touch plaid suit is a very conservative plaid and the grey is a shade lighter than the charcoal one. The navy self-plaid looks like a solid navy from just a few feet away. Three quite conservative suits that fit my frugal budget.


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## Cal27 (Mar 23, 2011)

How are the shoulders, are they soft? What about the weight of the fabric?


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## 12345Michael54321 (Mar 6, 2008)

afuturestrader said:


> Another option at JAB is their Signature suit. It is less expensive than Sig Gold but with a difference in quality. My brother actually preferred the softer shoulder and lack of pick stitching in the Sig. I much prefer the stronger shoulder of the Sig Gold.


I'm going from memory, but doesn't the Sig Gold feature working buttonholes on the sleeves? I'm pretty sure it did as of a couple of years ago. The Signature (non-Gold) lacked this. If one requires the sleeves to be shortened a bit (not an uncommon alteration), I would think the Signature suit to be the more practical choice. Or am I missing something here?
-- 
Michael


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## Cal27 (Mar 23, 2011)

The Sig Gold is half canvassed, where the Sig is fused. Doesn't that make a big difference?


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## afuturestrader (Oct 6, 2009)

12345Michael54321 said:


> I'm going from memory, but doesn't the Sig Gold feature working buttonholes on the sleeves? I'm pretty sure it did as of a couple of years ago. The Signature (non-Gold) lacked this. If one requires the sleeves to be shortened a bit (not an uncommon alteration), I would think the Signature suit to be the more practical choice. Or am I missing something here?
> --
> Michael


The Signature Gold is designed for the ability to have working buttonholes on the sleeves. It is an option that can be added during alterations. The local JAB store quoted $50 to add them. The suit comes without working buttonholes initially. Thus there is no issue with sleeve alterations as far as I am aware.


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## Leighton (Nov 16, 2009)

Cal27 said:


> The Sig Gold is half canvassed, where the Sig is fused. Doesn't that make a big difference?


It drapes and "flows" better, but they're still JAB suits.


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## Broadus (Jan 6, 2011)

12345Michael54321 said:


> I'm going from memory, but doesn't the Sig Gold feature working buttonholes on the sleeves? I'm pretty sure it did as of a couple of years ago. The Signature (non-Gold) lacked this. If one requires the sleeves to be shortened a bit (not an uncommon alteration), I would think the Signature suit to be the more practical choice. Or am I missing something here?
> --
> Michael





afuturestrader said:


> The Signature Gold is designed for the ability to have working buttonholes on the sleeves. It is an option that can be added during alterations. The local JAB store quoted $50 to add them. The suit comes without working buttonholes initially. Thus there is no issue with sleeve alterations as far as I am aware.


The Signature Gold suits I received this week from my online order have the sleeve buttons in a plastic pouch in a coat pocket. Like afuturestrader said, working buttonholes can be added to the sleeves. When I showed my wife that the buttons did not come attached, she preferred that since she would not have to remove and reattach the buttons when she shortens the sleeves. She could make the working buttonholes, and I guess it would be a nice touch, but I don't want her to have to go to trouble to do so.


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## mrp (Mar 1, 2011)

Broadus said:


> The Signature Gold suits I received this week from my online order have the sleeve buttons in a plastic pouch in a coat pocket. Like afuturestrader said, working buttonholes can be added to the sleeves. When I showed my wife that the buttons did not come attached, she preferred that since she would not have to remove and reattach the buttons when she shortens the sleeves. She could make the working buttonholes, and I guess it would be a nice touch, but I don't want her to have to go to trouble to do so.


 Unfinished is the only way to sell a jacket, I can't understand why some manufactures will actually send something out the door with working buttons. The button holes aren't all that hard to do, it's handwork. The hardest thing you will have to do is finding the right thread to do the work.
Here's a decent link on doing it.
https://tuttofattoamano.blogspot.com/2009/08/sewing-buttonholes-by-hand.html
You also have the option on the spacing of the buttons this way.


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## Broadus (Jan 6, 2011)

I think I'm going to return my suits to JAB. I finally took time to try one on so that my wife could alter the coat sleeves and hem the trousers. The coat gaps some at the neck and the trouser material just seems too thin for year-round wear. I really wanted to like them. For one thing, they nicely fit my budget! It's more important, though, that they fit my body.

If they fit you, they are a good buy at this price. Still, I would like my trousers to have material that's a bit more substantial.


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## 12345Michael54321 (Mar 6, 2008)

Thanks for setting me straight on the sleeves on the Sig Gold suits. I agree it makes much more sense not to send it out the door with working buttons, but I'm wise enough to understand that what makes sense only occasionally coincides with reality. Looks like in this case, JAB does do the sensible thing.

As an aside and not to hijack this thread, but doesn't JAB usually run its $99 sale on poplin suits, right around this time of year? I've been toying with the idea of picking up an inexpensive poplin suit or two for summertime wear, and seem to recall that their poplin suit sale usually take place in late March or early April.
-- 
Michael


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

You get what you pay for.


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## arkirshner (May 10, 2005)

Broadus said:


> I think I'm going to return my suits to JAB. I finally took time to try one on so that my wife could alter the coat sleeves and hem the trousers. The coat gaps some at the neck and the trouser material just seems too thin for year-round wear. I really wanted to like them. For one thing, they nicely fit my budget! It's more important, though, that they fit my body.
> 
> If they fit you, they are a good buy at this price. Still, I would like my trousers to have material that's a bit more substantial.


The gap at the neck is generaly caused by less than ideal posture. The cure is either, as my mother used to say, "stand up straight ", or have the collar shortened, a procedure in which the tailor takes off the collar, takes in the center seam, and reattaches the collar. Because the seam has been taken in there is now less material, consequently the collar will now be too long and must be shortened a little before being reattached.

That a suit collar needs to be shortened does not mean anything is wrong with the suit. I, for one, need to have almost all collars, including those on Oxxfords, shortened. To paraphrase , the fault lies not in the suit but in ourselves.


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## Broadus (Jan 6, 2011)

arkirshner said:


> The gap at the neck is generaly caused by less than ideal posture. The cure is either, as my mother used to say, "stand up straight ", or have the collar shortened, a procedure in which the tailor takes off the collar, takes in the center seam, and reattaches the collar. Because the seam has been taken in there is now less material, consequently the collar will now be too long and must be shortened a little before being reattached.
> 
> That a suit collar needs to be shortened does not mean anything is wrong with the suit. I, for one, need to have almost all collars, including those on Oxxfords, shortened. To paraphrase , the fault lies not in the suit but in ourselves.


Your point about posture is well taken, and it is something I have to work on. I don't have the issue in my other suit coats or sport coats, though.

And, too, the thin material in the trousers concerns me. I wonder how long it will last. Maybe it will be fine, but it is lighter than any of my other trousers.


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## Cal27 (Mar 23, 2011)

As a soon to be first suit buyer, would you recommend that I skip JAB and spend 2-3 times more at Brooks Brothers?


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## arkirshner (May 10, 2005)

Cal27 said:


> As a soon to be first suit buyer, would you recommend that I skip JAB and spend 2-3 times more at Brooks Brothers?


It depends on your budget and how often you intend to wear it. The most important thing in a suit is fit, second is fabric and third is construction. Idealy you would get Brooks Bros MTM, it will fit you, the fabric will be excellent, as will the construction. If this is not possible look to see who makes a model that fits your body. Brooks Bros. has several models and if one of them fits you well then your money will be well spent. On the other hand if the JAB Signature, Joseph, or Signature Gold fits you well then your money will be well spent. If everything fits you then look to seee how often you will wear it. If you will wear it once a month then you can put your money into one suit. On the other hand if you will be wearing a suit every day then you will want 5-10 (or more) suits and then the price per suit makes a difference. If this is the case the better JAB models are a better value. The Brooks 1818 lines are not 2-3 times better than the Sig Gold, if you take the labels off they may not be better at all. My tailor, who also works for a store that sells Samuelson and an even better Italian line, rates the Sig Gold ahead of the 1818. I recommend you try on one of each model and buy which ever one you feel best in.


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## 12345Michael54321 (Mar 6, 2008)

arkirshner said:


> The most important thing in a suit is fit


Very true.

An expertly tailored, perfectly fitting $275 suit will almost always look (and feel) better than the $1275 suit that's just slightly off. With the difference sometimes no more than half an inch here and there.

But human nature being what it is, it's almost always far easier convincing a man to spend an extra $300 on a better suit, than it is getting him to spend an extra $50 on alterations.
-- 
Michael


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## Cal27 (Mar 23, 2011)

I have some idea(s) of what makes a suit well fitting, but is there a guide that you would recommend? I know rules such as "the sleeves should fall to your wrist bone", etc.


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## Leighton (Nov 16, 2009)

Cal27 said:


> As a soon to be first suit buyer, would you recommend that I skip JAB and spend 2-3 times more at Brooks Brothers?


I suggest you take the mediocre step to Nordstrom's Rack or the Dillard's semi annual tailored clothing sale. Hickey Freemans can be had for $500. You won't see a fully canvassed BB for $500 at the BB store.


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## Cal27 (Mar 23, 2011)

There isn't a Nordstrom's Rack in my area. When are Dillard's' tailored clothing sales?


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## Broadus (Jan 6, 2011)

Leighton said:


> I suggest you take the mediocre step to Nordstrom's Rack or the Dillard's semi annual tailored clothing sale. Hickey Freemans can be had for $500. You won't see a fully canvassed BB for $500 at the BB store.





Cal27 said:


> There isn't a Nordstrom's Rack in my area. When are Dillard's' tailored clothing sales?


I'm in Cal's boat, except with probably fewer options. No Nordstrom Rack close by, though I see the grand opening for a new one is in Charlotte, NC, on March 31, 90 miles up the road. There is a Dillard's about 40 minutes away.


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## Leighton (Nov 16, 2009)

Well, there's always ebay or someone willing to proxy a suit for you. Ebay normally has new HF's for significantly less than retail.

Personally, I would try to exhaust all options before JAB. Unless the cut fits you very well. It does not flatter me, and I hate the low arm holes. I swear they are lower than "normal."


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## Broadus (Jan 6, 2011)

Leighton said:


> Well, there's always ebay or someone willing to proxy a suit for you. Ebay normally has new HF's for significantly less than retail.
> 
> Personally, I would try to exhaust all options before JAB. Unless the cut fits you very well. It does not flatter me, and I hate the low arm holes. I swear they are lower than "normal."


Thanks, Leighton.

I will say that I think the JAB Signature Gold is much better constructed than I had expected. The fit just doesn't do it for me. I tried on the coats again just to check them out again before I return them tomorrow. The SG 40R's are about an inch longer than my 42R's, and the fit just isn't comfortable for me. I don't know enough about what there is about fit in order to determine why. If they fit, though, they seem to be a fine buy, especially at $249.


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## afuturestrader (Oct 6, 2009)

My experience with the fit of the JAB Signature Gold has been very different than the previous two posters. I tried on numerous suits at Brooks Brothers, Barney's outlet, Saks outlet, Syms, JAB etc. I found the Sig Gold to be outstanding in terms of comfort. The jacket is very light and devoid of a stiff cardboard like feel, contrary to most (not all) of the suits I considered. Most of the suits I reviewed were mid-level, not high end. So I am comparing mostly half canvassed suits and only a few fully canvassed. 

As far as length, my 40R measures 31 inches from the bottom of the collar. A regular typically measures 30 to 32 inches so the Sig Gold is right in the middle. Shorter would be more fashion forward.

I guess this just confirms what many experienced forum members have previously stated - in regards to fit and comfort there is no substitute to actually trying on a garment and judging for yourself.

My hesitation with the Sig Gold has revolved around durability, mostly questioning the quality of the fabric. Hence the start of this thread.


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## afuturestrader (Oct 6, 2009)

arkirshner said:


> It depends on your budget and how often you intend to wear it. The most important thing in a suit is fit, second is fabric and third is construction.


This is one of the few times I have noticed fabric mentioned as more important than construction. If true, why would fabric be considered more important than construction?

My opinion on the topic of the relative importance of fabric vs. construction is non-existent so I would be interested in the opinion of others.

Most importantly, how can one determine the quality of a suits fabric? I have read little on this topic.


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## Cal27 (Mar 23, 2011)

I would love to hear what to look for in quality fit, fabric, and construction.


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## Bookman (May 19, 2010)

When I lost a bunch of weight last year, I purchased two signature suits from JAB as "warhorse" suits for when I go to conventions or other hard-wearing events. My thought was that the wear and tear on suits at such events was such that I would probably have to replace about every 18 months-2 years anyway (regardless of construction), and that I would rather invest in special occasion suits. JAB suits have always fit my particular body-type well (particularly in the shoulders), and I like the cleaner shoulder on the Sig line better than the Sig Gold...they are also conservative enough in design to work for this purpose.
The point to this is that I am shocked how well the suits have held up over the past year. Don't misinterpret this as an argument that these suits are of finer quality than more richly-constructed garments...clearly they are not; but, I must say that they are really performing well from a value perspective. As long as you never use a tailor employed by JAB (with a few exceptions...but, very few), I think they can play a positive role in a well-dressed man's wardrobe.


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## arkirshner (May 10, 2005)

afuturestrader said:


> This is one of the few times I have noticed fabric mentioned as more important than construction. If true, why would fabric be considered more important than construction?
> 
> My opinion on the topic of the relative importance of fabric vs. construction is non-existent so I would be interested in the opinion of others.]
> 
> ...


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## JLibourel (Jun 13, 2004)

For all the talk about "construction," I don't think I have every had a suit or sport coat that I got rid of because of a failure in construction. I got rid some because I got too big for them. Some went just because they got tired and shabby, some because I just got tired of them and some because they became unfashionable (older members will remember how quickly the wide-lapel look of the 1970s faded). However, I have never, simply never lost a suit or sport coat because it started coming apart at the seams.


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## Broadus (Jan 6, 2011)

JLibourel said:


> For all the talk about "construction," I don't think I have every had a suit or sport coat that I got rid of because of a failure in construction. I got rid some because I got too big for them. Some went just because they got tired and shabby, some because I just got tired of them and some because they became unfashionable (older members will remember how quickly the wide-lapel look of the 1970s faded). However, I have never, simply never lost a suit or sport coat because it started coming apart at the seams.


I have to agree with you on this. I have suits that would not rank highly at all on this forum, have worn each at least two or three times a month for some fifteen years, and there is no danger in their coming apart.

At the risk of appearing mentally unstable, I have to conclude my little JAB saga, complete with egg on my face and crow in my mouth. My wife and I drove up to the nearest JAB store, fully intending to return the Signature Gold suits for a refund. On a lark, though, and to have a better point of comparison, we went into a couple of stores to get an idea of sizing and fitting and material and such. I said in a post above that I didn't know why the JAB suits didn't seem to fit well. I discovered the "problem." I had been so used to wearing my now over-sized 42R's that a 40R just didn't seem "right." After trying on some HSM's at Dillards, I realized that 40R is what I need after all.

We drove to JAB and I tried on the suits again. My wife said there was nothing wrong with the fit, and looking in the mirrors at different angles, I had to agree. We double-checked the material. Nicer than the HSM. My wife is a seamstress, so she knows a little something about cloth. The HSM was not a Gold Trumpeter, to be sure, but it was the best thing at this Dillard's. I put aside the disdain I have for JAB marketing and things I had read and, somewhat reluctantly, decided that the three SG's, in conservative colors and patterns I really liked, were definitely worth keeping, especially at $249 each. The JAB clerk was ready to do the refund, but I brought the suits back home.


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## Cal27 (Mar 23, 2011)

Thanks for that write up arkirshner, that was illuminating.


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## mrp (Mar 1, 2011)

I think you will be happy with them, given the price you paid, the fit, your wife being a seamstress (major plus), the suits have some great options (details) that will be impossible to find at the price you paid. The biggest challenge might be to find silk button hole thread. This might help.


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## Broadus (Jan 6, 2011)

mrp said:


> I think you will be happy with them, given the price you paid, the fit, your wife being a seamstress (major plus), the suits have some great options (details) that will be impossible to find at the price you paid. The biggest challenge might be to find silk button hole thread. This might help.


Thanks for the comment as well as the link.


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## 12345Michael54321 (Mar 6, 2008)

12345Michael54321 said:


> As an aside and not to hijack this thread, but doesn't JAB usually run its $99 sale on poplin suits, right around this time of year? I've been toying with the idea of picking up an inexpensive poplin suit or two for summertime wear, and seem to recall that their poplin suit sale usually take place in late March or early April.


Sure enough, the $99 poplin suit sale begins at midnight tonight.

I find it comforting to know that every year, in early spring, JAB will sell poplin suits for $99. It's like seeing the cherry blossoms bloom around the Washington Monument (the real one, in Baltimore, not the Johnny-come-lately one in DC), or having lunch with the elephants at Lexington Market. It provides a wonderful continuity to things, even if I don't buy a new poplin suit or two every spring.
-- 
Michael


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