[Update: 7-20. I cannot recommend JoS. A Bank. While we had a good initial experience, a series of errors by the staff, who started blaming one another, resulted in several trips back trying to get the right size and fit pants, coats and shirts. We are still doing battle trying to get Danny some comfortable pants.]

Danny and I went suit shopping for the Arlington Journey. We were helped by department manager, Steve Chamberlain at JoS. A. Bank. We both highly recommend Steve based on the coaching and service we received.

Danny ended up with a flat charcoal 3-button, and I ended up with a blue-on-blue dark pin 2-button. Both were “Signature Series” suits on sale for $300. Danny wears a 42 long w/ a 34 waist. After much testing, Steve put Danny in a 16 / 35 tailored pin-stripe shirt with a wide collar, no button-down. Steve doesn’t want either of us wearing button downs with suits, although they are fine without a coat.

He wanted to put me in either a 39 or 40 long, depending on material, but he did not have a lot of choices on the rack. I ended up in a 40L. For a shirt I am a “perfect” 15 / 34 tailored fit, although I can go 33 when not wearing a coat. (The 34 is needed to peek out under the coat sleeve.) My waist is also a 34. He wants us to wear our pants high (especially higher than young guys are used to) and a bit loose in the waist to make sure the pleats lay flat.

He laid out several shirt and tie combinations with our suits, and had a lot of fun trying out different combinations, explaining to us what was going on with the color. Danny ended up with a good looking gold tie with blue/gray squares. I ended up with a light checkered tie with pinks and blues.

Steve doesn’t want either of us wearing black socks. Charcoal. Period.

We really enjoyed the attention and advice we got from Steve. We’ll both be fitted on Monday by Evan the master tailor who makes his own suits. (Danny already knew about Evan because his friend Joseph Dreher worked at this store previously and spoke highly of him.)

We’ll probably walk out at $500 per. I wouldn’t want to spend that much every time, but it feels like we just visited a clothing doctor, and that’s not a bad price for going to the doctor.