Wednesday, August 31, 2011

The suit saga, ended

I realize it isn't very polite to write an incredibly long post, solicit your input, and then fail to follow up on it at all.

The suit search continued for another month, I think, before it was successfully resolved. And by successfully resolved, I mean we KILLED IT. We got the suit of glory for less than any of the other contenders would have cost. It involved the Barney's sale and a little bit of dodgy behavior*.

the suit!

It's an N. Hoolywood suit, a Japanese design, and it's gorgeous. The tailor took up the hem on the pants and that was it. $10. Done. It clocked in at under $600, which is an excellent price for any suit, much less this one. I sometimes come home and catch D trying on the jacket, for no reason.

the suit!

I love the detailing. You'll have to wait to see the fit until after the wedding.

the suit!

I won't bore you with the subsequent dress shirt saga, but mostly because I had exhausted my shopping reserves by this point and D was left to forge on alone. I also abstained from the little brother suit shopping experience, which was thankfully resolved somewhat more quickly.

Oh, and I do have a dress. The story is just way less interesting. I looked online, I made an appointment, I tried on 5 dresses, I bought one. I only had to put an hour of time on the parking meter. It was awesome. It's being hemmed at this very moment, and that was all it needed.




*The longer version - after trying the suit on in Opening Ceremony, D obsessively googled N. Hoolywood, discovered that Barney's does carry some of their line and that the sale was going on. We found the suit (40% off!) but they didn't have the right size. Luckily the NYC store did have it, and they mailed it. We waited a week, praying that the size would be right (the Japanese-US size conversion is a little weird, so we weren't completely sure). It was perfect. And then two weeks later the suit went on double discount, and we started agonizing. Is it worth it to return it and risk losing it forever? It was a very existential dilemma, but we are cheap. So we returned it and purchased it again, which is technically against the rules, but we figured the worst they could do was ban us for life, which would actually be a benefit to our bank accounts. The return-rebuy attack was extremely well coordinated. We entered and left at separate times, communicating by text only. I purchased a diversionary shirt (also, that lip gloss) which I later decided not to return, so there was a slight cost. But we won!

20 comments:

  1. a woman after my own heart -- love a good bargain and a great story that goes with it!!

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  2. that's awesome. way to be dodgy and get a gerat price!

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  3. I love these photos! great post, and great find!

    -meesch
    http://www.aperfectkindofday.com

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  4. haha that. is. hilarious. I would have done exactly the same thing. You two deserve the suit after all that researching and work, and what perfect timing for the Barney's sale to coincide with. Congrats!

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  5. very well done, folks! i'm a bit turned around, though: can't one just ask for the subsequent discount if it's applied shortly after your purchase? is it because it was more than two weeks later? (that's the outside limit my mum, a former department store manager, impressed upon me.)

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  6. [after buzzing around the barneys site for a minute] ...wow, only within 7 days and only when you initially paid full price? harsh, barneys. i'd have buccaneered just as you did!

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  7. Woohoo for dodgy bargain shopping! I'd say it was totally worth it. :) That's a suit he'll be able to wear for years and years. Looking forward to seeing all the photos of you two dressed up!

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  8. *re dodgy suit returning behavior-- bahaha, well played!
    I empathize with the suit saga. When I got married, my (then) fiance and I went on a harrowing trip to Dallas just to find the right suit. We found it at Macy's, on sale, and made friends with the sales guy who gave us his discount, as well as getting a Macy's credit card for further discount.

    (Er, hello! Found you a while ago on a wedding blog because of your lovely accessories, and have been reading/lurking ever since.)

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  9. Gorgeous suit!! xoxo

    http://hellofridaybypaik.blogspot.com/

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  10. *wow* i am so impressed that you got it at such a bargain and didn't lose it in the return/re-buy trick. so glad to hear that finding your dress was a breeze in comparison!

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  11. yay for dodgy behavior! It's for a good cause and I love that you have this story now. And that you come home to D trying on the jacket? Too sweet.

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  12. What I'd love to know is how he reacts when you catch him trying on the jacket! too funny.

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  13. Well done! Especially given their very stringent policies, yeesh.

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  14. huzzah. a little craftiness never hurt anyone.

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  15. thanks for sharing!!!!
    --grace

    http://herumbrella.com

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  16. great price, beautiful suit...

    xo Leslie at http://lesliechristen.com/

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  17. man i loved that first suit saga post. I was in stitches.

    It sounds like you kind of 'earned' the barney's discount. That's how I'd look at it! Well done!

    http://kartepaper.blogspot.com/

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  18. Your dodgy behaviour genuinely made me laugh out loud. Good on you!

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  19. N.Hoolywood Compile Line could easily nail down different situations: wedding, interviews, dates or just simply a night-out. It fits greaaaaaaaaaaat!

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