Wedding Suits: Hire or Buy?
When it comes to mens wedding suits there are two basic options: hire your suit or buy your suit. While the majority of blokes tend to head off to their local suit hire shop, the growing number of companies who create affordable, bespoke (and downright awesome) suits has changed the game.
Staggered decided to take a look at the two options and in time-honoured fashion, the only way to find out which option is best was to stage a….
FIGHT!
Round one: AFFORDABILITY
Hiring a complete wedding suit will typically cost you in the region of £75. To buy the same suit off the peg with all the fiddly bits will be more like £300 to £500. And be warned, if you skimp on price and buy a cheap suit, it will look and feel like a cheap suit. That said, buy a good suit (and £300 plus should get you a good suit) and you’ll wear it at every wedding, christening and funeral for the coming years which makes it wayyyyy affordable.
Winner: DRAW
Round two: FIT
Any off-the-peg suit can be adjusted to fit your freakish form. With a hire suit, adjustments are a no-no. Whichever you choose, make sure you try on plenty of suits and take the advice of the sales or hire assistant – they will know which type of suit will give the best fit (and hide your freakish bits).
Winner: BOUGHT SUIT
Round three: RE-USABILITY
Like a shopaholic with low self-esteem, the hire suit goes back to the store when it has been used. A bought suit is yours to keep and reuse at future weddings, which has its pros and cons. Pros: you’ll always look snappy. Cons: you won’t be able to vary your look, and you’ll never quite match if you’re one of the ushers.
Winner: BOUGHT SUIT
Round four: MATCHING YOUR USHERS
If you buy a suit, you’ll have to buy matching suits for your ushers at further expense or put up with a not-quite-perfect match from the hire range. If you hire a suit, you can pick matching suits for your ushers without putting your hand too deep in your (borrowed) pockets. On the other side you could always unite your groomsmen in other ways – characteristic buttonholes, noticeable ties and dandyish accessories.
Winner: DRAW
Round five: THE CHARITY SHOP FACTOR
Some people love vintage clothes. Other people would rather lick the rim of a toilet bowl than wear something that’s been worn by someone else. If you’re in the latter category, a hire suit may simply be out of the question.
Winner: BOUGHT SUIT
Round six: MAINTENANCE
Unless you fall face first into the wedding cake or suffer a similar mishap, the hired wedding suit can be returned to the hire shop as is. The bought suit, however, is your responsibility to dry clean and store ready for its next use.
Winner: HIRE SUIT
Round seven: DISASTER PROOFING
If something goes horribly wrong with the suit in the run-up to the wedding (the cat craps on it, the baby destroys it, it falls in the fire etc), you can replace it with little hassle. If the same happens to a bought suit, you’ve got to shell out all over again.
Winner: HIRE SUIT
Round eight: SOUVENIR POTENTIAL
Just as many brides like to keep their wedding dress as a reminder of the big day, there’s nothing to say you shouldn’t want to keep your suit as a souvenir too. Hey, imagine how fun it’ll be to try it on in 20 years time and realise how fat you’ve become.
Winner: BOUGHT SUIT
THE VERDICT: It’s a draw! We might as well not have bothered.
Related Posts:
I bought my vintage wedding suit, grooms suit & ties at http://www.vintagewhistles.co.uk . I was very skeptical about buying secondhand suits but am so pleased I did, they are amazing suits and both mint!
Hope the fiance finds her vintage wedding dress soon, weddings in December!!!!
Leave your response!