Zara Suits

Zara suits are a little bit of a hidden style for department store menswear, but they can offer a good value.

I tend to think of Zara as geared more toward women.  Not only that, but they are very prevalent in Europe, but not so much in the US.  I hadn’t really thought of them as a really viable option for men’s suits, but they do have some interesting models out there.  Now that their stores are more common in the US, they can definitely be worth checking out.

As a European store, their cuts tend to lean more toward a British or Italian cut.  They are a little more slim fitting and more sharp than the traditional American look, although on some styles the shoulders can seem a little square.  They are a little more lightweight overall than many American suits, but they are still mostly wool.  Expect weights in the 100s or so.  They also have some cotton and linen fabric, especially in the Southern or warmer climates.

A big selling point is that most of their suits are cheap, even more so with discounts.  It’s not uncommon to see them under $200, especially for the non-traditional colors. 

Although their prices are cheap, the suit quality can be all over the map…literally.  It’s not uncommon for some stores to have sharp looking canvassed models for around $400-$500 retail off the rack, although there may be some machine stitching.  Other stores may have sub $200 versions that fall apart after only a couple uses with poor stitching.  Canadian and Asian stores seem to stock some of the better quality suits than the American stores, but again, this is not a rule in any way.