Ladies suits

mildredalien

Hi all,

Looking for advice about where to head to find a moderately priced but decently made suit (ladies, trouser-suit). I've tried cheaper places like the supermarkets but all of their suits were made from horrible sweaty-looking/shiny material I'm looking for something a bit more substantial and less cheap looking while also being a bargain Not after much am I??

Anyway, any advice from ladies in the know about reasonably priced and well made suits would be much appreciated! I live in a big-ish city so most regular shops are accessible to me, budget is £50-£100 - the cheaper the better.

Thanks!

foreign_correspondent

I looked everywhere for a suit a while ago, and had the same problems - try matalan, their 'Tailoring' range is great quality for the price - I have a couple of suits from there - I tend to go for a dress and jacket combo - but they often do a jacket with a matching dress, skirt and trousers so you can chose which you prefer.

Jackets tend to be between £16 and £22, and the trousers are less. I bought a black jacket there this week with a lovely blue/green lining, and the fit and quality is really pretty good.

... just looked, it's the Dart Detail tailored Jacket, I have the dress too, and it is great, never creases and looks smart - it's actually wearing far better than more expensive items I have bought and looks smart and good quality.

Bronnie

Is there a Next Clearance store near you. You might strike lucky there, buying as 2 separate pieces, particularly if you at either extreme of the size range!

mildredalien

Ooh I do have a Matalan nearby, not sure about the Next clearance store but I'll keep my eyes peeled Thanks for the advice! Maybe I should eat a lot of cake for the next few days and try and go up a few sizes to get a cheaper deal :rotfl:

silaren

I think for decent material, fit and stitching, £50-£100 is going to be hard unless you're buying in the sales and you have the body shape that's easy to shop for and can make most clothes look good.

If you can stretch to £120 or £150, you might have more choice. After all, it's something that presumably you're going to be wearing for a number of years so it will be an investment. In which case, I'd recommend M&S, Next and Principles for mid-range.

Having said that, you might also consider charity shops in posher areas or even eBay - you might even be able to get designer at a rock bottom price. It's pre-owned but you might get more bang for your buck.

Another tactic might be to get something cheap but upgrade it with nicer details like better quality buttons and accessorize with a nice scarf, shoes, handbag, blouse, jewellery.

If you're really desperate and only doing this as a one-off, say for an interview, you could always go the cheeky route and buy the best you can afford, wear it for the interview without removing the tags and then return it afterwards.

mandragora_2

I think you can do it for around £100, but you'll need to be savvy, and shop the sales around your way. I got a fabulous 'Planet' suit in Debenhams for £60 in the sales (my lucky interview suit - fits like a dream, catches too easily for everyday wear!) a decent 'everyday' suit for £80 from good old M&S, but the very best deal was a designer label that made my friends coo with awe (I don't do designers, so I couldn't tell you who it was!) - from a TK Maxx that was relocating and getting shot of stock because they didn't want to move it all. Reduced, reduced and reduced again. I paid £12 for it, and five years later still wear it frequently.

MrsAtobe

Another vote for Matalan! When I worked in a customer facing IT role, their suits were brilliant. Most of them are washable too, which is useful when you have to crawl under desks . I'm now sat in an office full of other techies, and they are all in the wardrobe. Some of them look like they're brand new .

ellies_angel

George at Asda have some really nice suits which you can buy as seperated

CBH88

Next is brilliant! They have a great range and all the items should be within your budget, but don't look cheap and nasty. As previously mentioned, if you have a Next clearance store near you even better.

Bronnie

mildredalien wrote: »

Ooh I do have a Matalan nearby, not sure about the Next clearance store but I'll keep my eyes peeled Thanks for the advice! Maybe I should eat a lot of cake for the next few days and try and go up a few sizes to get a cheaper deal :rotfl:

haha! or not eat as much cake and go down a size.............but that wouldn't be so much fun!

**Juice**

I'd say Next or M&S - I got a really nice M&S one either in the sales or with discount (can't remember) and it's lovely!