4. GET FITTED PROPERLY

Just because you're shopping "off the rack" doesn't mean that you shouldn't have a well-fitting suit. This is extremely important, because if your suit doesn't fit right, you'll look awful and all of your money will be completely wasted. You should expect your friendly salesperson to take all your measurements: neck, shoulders, sleeves, chest, waist, inseam, as well as calculating the mysterious "drop measure." (Don't ask.) Then they can start showing you a suit. Don't let them give you the old, "42 tall? What color you want?" Have them measure you FIRST, and show you suits SECOND.

Any part of the suit that doesn't fit exactly right, you should expect that they will alter it. This will probably cost you a few bucks, unless you're buying a really expensive suit, in which case it'll cost you a few bucks x 10. Be sure to ask who does their tailoring, and if they just farm it out to "Stitches ‘R Us" in the mall or a dry cleaner, take the suit with you and have it altered elsewhere. Again, get a recommendation from a friend, or a co-worker, or Pierce Brosnan, whoever you run into first. If the store has an in-house tailor, you should be okay, especially if the store was a recommendation in the first place.

Are you starting to get a feel for the importance of Step 3, now?