The answer is, it depends.

If you are planning to maintain your current weight, I would start with a good suit, something you can wear at work when needed, or to weddings. Then get a cheap black suit for funerals and start combing Ebay for stuff you like. You can get a new suit off Ebay (Chinese made, poor quality, but it might be only worn 5-10 times) for less than 120 dollars, shipped.

If you wear a suit every day, quantity is often more practical than quality. But to wear a good suit, for say Church, doctors appointments and important days at work, go for the best you can afford.

Once you have a good suit, I see little problems in getting a basic, bargain basement suit(s).

Tom

 

If this is one of your first suits, I'd recommend shopping around and picking up a cheap suit that you think fits well. You don't know what your preferences are yet and you won't learn what you like, until you know what you DON'T like. Better to work out the bad purchases on cheap suits IMO.

 

Your title is a little misleading... That said, without knowing how often you will be wearing this suit, it is a little difficult to steer you in the right direction... Is this a wedding/funeral/interview type of all purpose suit, or a weekly work suit, or a go out in the town once in a while suit... Or something else?

 

"to Doctor's appointments"??? I do geriatric medicine in an upscale retirement/resort community. The only time I see a patient wear a suit to an appointment (if they don't wear one at work at the bank) they are going to or coming from a funeral or meeting. Except, of course, for the men who wear a suit or tuxedo to have a vasectomy. If you're going to be impotent you might as well look impotent...

You need a black suit--a cheap one. You'll have to go to funerals you don't expect and won't have time to shop for.

You need a better dark gray or navy suit for interviews/weddings/social things.

You need to learn names like Oxxford, Brioni, Kiton, Samuelsohn and start hitting the thrift stores. Just make sure you understand the concept of "orphan."

eBay can be great if you can learn to measure and find someone who can do alterations properly. Just make sure you can send it back. "No returns" will usually be waived if you ask for a 3 day return at your expense if it can't be made to fit.

You can do much worse than an upper end JABank suit, but only if you wait for the "Buy One, Get 3 Free" deals they do from time to time. Be greedy. Pass the JAB "Buy 1, get 2 free" they run at least once a month. Black. Navy. Gray--why not pick up a SBPL one button tuxedo as number 4? Cheaper than renting twice and you'll find more chances to wear it than you think before that vasectomy.

If you can't find AE PAs in your size on eBay, keep trying the Shoebank.