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A couple decades ago, wearing a suit was unpleasant at best. They were uncomfortable, bulky, stiff monstrosities that made you feel the opposite of . Then along came Mad Men, J. Crew, and How I met your Mother. That was the pivot point. It’s not hyperbole to say those three made wearing a suit fun again.
Those and other pop culture touchstones killed off the hard shoulder pads and accordion-pleats our fathers and grandfathers looked and felt miserable in. In came a new era of easier wearing, very sharp looking men’s suits. Other brands and retailers followed.
The overall philosophy that wearing a suit should be fun and make you look awesome thankfully continues today.
Inside .
J. Crew usually excludes their suit separates from their regular rotation of codes and promos… but not now. . And as J. Crew makes suit separates instead of traditionally nested suits, you’ll get to pick the size of the jacket and then the size of the corresponding trousers. Getting more precise can help minimize . It’s also great for those who don’t fall into the usual suit sizing “drop” zones, as traditionally come with a jacket wedded to a pair of trousers. (Industry standard is a “drop 6″ Example: a nested 40R jacket would come with 34” trousers.) That’s not so with J. Crew. Separates are much more flexible. You pick what you want.
So yes. This is nice. Quite nice. It’s a quick one. Ends Thursday. Off we go with the picks.
+ = $559 ($800)
Their flagship Italian wool suits. Fabric is a worsted wool from Italy’s Lanificio Di Tollegno. It’ll look a little more interesting and less flat than most other suit fabrics, without shouting or being weird or shiny.
+ = $559 ($800)
Same fabric, just in their more athletic leaning Crosby fit. And if you’re wondering, you can mix and match Ludlow and Crosby items. Say, a Ludlow jacket and Crosby trousers for the quadzillas out there. (soccer players? cyclists? kangaroos?) Just make sure you’re getting the exact same fabric and color so they’ll match.
+ = $485 ($696)
Ocean Blue or Carbon Gray. . Size shown is a 40R and 32×32 trouser on 5’10″/185. Italian wrinkle resistant stretch-infused wool from Tollegno. Two versatile colors to pick from. Jackets are half-lined in the back for extra breathability.
+ = $559 ($800)
Slightly different than their worsted wool flagships. Fabric comes from , which is a famous Italian fabrics producer. Six colors to choose from. Half canvas construction. Sleeve cuff buttons are non-functioning for easy tailoring. In terms of styling: know that you are very much not required to wear your pants “flood stage” short as the J. Crew models are doing. That’s just something the stylists seem to do for their photos. Trousers shouldn’t be artificially cropped in terms of fit out of the box. It’s just J. Crew doing J. Crew things with their visuals.
+ = $559 ($800)
Same Loro Piana superfine wool fabrics, just in their more athletic leaning Crosby fit. Again, The Crosby is their more athletic fitting suit separates with more room in the shoulders, chest, seat, thighs, etc. Not as many colors to choose from compared to the Ludlow though. C’mon J. Crew!
($98)
Surprisingly good. Maybe not great (like something from Ledbury) but good. Quite good. Lots of colors and patterns, three fits (slim, classic, and tall), and made from a not flimsy feeling twill fabric with good stretch. 67% cotton/28% polyamide/5% elastane. Sold in “alpha” sizes though. So they’re more ballpark than the traditional neck and sleeve measurement shirts you’ll find elsewhere. Size shown above is an unaltered medium slim on 5’10″/185, and it’s a tad too small (especially in the neck) for my normally 16/33 shirt wearing frame.
($348)
Every year J. Crew sources fabric from England’s Abraham Moon & Sons for a set of their unconstructed fall sportcoats. These are those. 53% cotton/47% wool. Unlined back. Non functioning sleeve cuff buttons make for easy tailoring. Wear it with jeans, chinos, cords, etc. They do , so you can make a suit out of them if you’d wish. But the jackets work just fine if not better as stand alone sportcoats, with their light structure, minimal lining, and 53% cotton/47% wool fabric.
($450)
From their new Spanish made line of shoes. Goodyear welted. And one would think these won’t have the squeaky shank problem their previous, have allegedly suffered from. Key word: think. Super-traditionalists would say one should wear when wearing a suit. But that’s a pretty old rule. The world has changed a lot in the last five years. And derbys look great with just about everything from suits to chinos to jeans. are as versatile as it gets. See the image of the Traveler Suit at the very top of the post you’re reading now. Those aren’t even dress shoes.
($258)
At present, J. Crew is strangely selling two tiers of penny loafers, with bizarrely almost identical descriptions despite them being clearly different:
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They’re both called the Camden. But the option shown above appear to be higher quality/of J. Crew’s upgraded “Ludlow” line. Stitched leather sole, “” at the heel, etc. Available in brown or black.
FINAL w/ SALETIME ($298)
Hard to beat that price. Yes they’re final sale (no returns or exchanges) and yes they’re mostly out of season. But they’re a best seller and more versatile than most think. The has gotten lots of coverage here on Dappered over the years. . It looks . You get the idea.
Available in Crosby Fit? Nope. Not yet at least.
What about the matching pants for those who want to make it a suit? .
+ = $721 ($1046)
Ouch. Tuxedos are expensive. These are no exception. Any savings helps. But again, even these come in separates, which is exceedingly rare if you’re shopping for a tux. Italian wool, shawl collar, traditional one button closure (although the buttons are standard and not covered like a “true” tuxedo).
Available in Crosby Fit? Not for the shawl collar jackets. But they do have Trousers are .
The is set to expire this Thursday, September 25th 2025.
Also very much related:
- – An all encompassing guide to buying your first suit.
- – Four Brands that Deliver.
- – 4 Basic Suit Alterations.