A good suit is hard to find.

If I wanted the superhero spandex and leather, you guys have links to sites, and for a couple hundred dollars... poof! Instant hero.

But I'm into the Mystery Men look. The Green Hornet, The Shadow, The Sandman, those classic proto-heroes that didn't have much for powers, but had a keen mind and plenty of moxie. I wanted to emulate their look. And with the new Green Hornet movie coming out soon, I could capitalize on the look when I debut.

But my first obstacle is... where the hell do I find a good suit? It's not like you can pick up a bright blue or green suit at Moore's for Men. :-)

Sure, I can sew one... if I had months to learn how to sew one properly, then find the pattern, then stitch it all up (that is, if I can get a sewing machine cheap enough). Making a good two piece suit is well beyond my abilities, which is to sew a button or a badge.

I could get someone to make one for me, but have no idea how much that will cost. Probably more than I can afford.

Costume stores have colourful suits, but not in the cut I would like, and their materials are good for one day of partying, not a year's worth of patrolling.

Thrift stores are a crapshoot. I found lots of old suits that just need a dry cleaning or an ironing, but nothing in the iconic, heroic colour palette as of yet. Unless you want costume store grade, which in all honestly looks ridiculous.

Vintage stores... same as thrift stores, only more expensive because it's 'vintage'. But at least there I can dress up as 'Acid Wash Denim Man' and go 90's on their asses. *L*

Gonna cruise E-Bay, Craigslist and Kijiji for any other options, but that can be random too.

I guess what I'm asking is... any other options I missed?


*Also note: There's lots of black suits. Not very heroic, but certainly easier.

talk to the anime crowd. . .they have great connections. . .see what you can do there. . .

dc

Oh yeah... I know a few!


Found a cheap green suit on Kijiji. Will have to inspect.

Shop well....


"Pimp wear" type sights. They'll have what you want.

I know the Steve Harvey Line has a bright red suit I've considered getting for years.

also look up zoot suits.

may not be the look your going for but they are cool

I loved the Steve Harvey show. It's such a tragedy what happened to Romeo & Lovita was SO hot.

Steve Harvey is a sharp dressed man. I bet he has a suit you want.

I know a good pimp suit *AHEM* urban gentlemen clothing store across from a costume shop. I'll take a look. Those pimp suits are a little garish, but I won't dismiss it.


Zoot suits are a little baggy for my tastes.

Thrift stores are probably your most economical alternative.

You may also want to take a look at suits marketed toward executive protection types (corporate bodyguards). They probably have the mix of functionality and style that I think you're looking for (although they're also probably going to be pretty conservative looking).

all the componets of my suits are from many places.its not a one shop deal.army surplus has some good stuff i have noticed lately.

... Sybil (my Lady) might be able to hook you up. She's a seamstress. She's out of town for the next week and change, though, so you'd have to wait/

I've found that most "suit warehouses" or "suit outlets" usually have a good selection of colorful suits. Not places like K&G Mens, but places that have the "get two suits for only $99!" kind of deals.

Hey Drock.

What colour are you looking for?

BOOSTERMAN

I'm guessing nobody would go for a white suit, a la Michael Jackson in the Smooth Criminal music video. If I had the resources, I'd get something like that. Pros, it provides high visibility at night. Cons, it's a magnet for rust, dirt, mud and other such stuff.

I had a white pair of jeans once.....



....once.

Thrift stores, man.

Just a note, that may or may not be of any benefit to you depending on your body type. If you're shopping for colorful suits at the thrift store, don't be afraid to take a look in the ladies section. Most of it will not be cut to look right on a man, but often times you'll find much more vibrantly colored stuff.

There's also fabric paint. It's cheap and would give you a great deal of control over the final product. You'd probably want to shy away from a black suit though... I'm not sure how well fabric paint shows up on a black background.

BOOSTERMAN

To answer Boosterman's questions: Basic hero mystery men colours. I've seen classic blue on red (ala Superman and Captain America), green (Green Hornet), and wine coloured (like half the other Mystery Men of that era *LOL*). It's whatever I find first, order a mask to match the colour, then later I'll collect alternate coloured suits to augment my wardrobe.

The derby or fedora will probably have to remain black for simplicity's sake, though if I find ones of a different colour... what the hell!

Fabric paints and dyes are a good idea, but I'd need to find a white suit to pull it off and do it right. I'll keep that in mind.

Keep the same fedora, but get different colored hat bands to match the suit colors

Actually, I guess you could do a black suit with fabric paint to... you'd just choose silver, white or some other really light colour.

Good luck with the search, Drock. On the bright side, getting the suit has got to be a major component of your outfit, right? It's a huge step.

I can't wait to see the finished product.

BOOSTERMAN