To Suit Up, Or Not To Suit Up

The older I get, the more I feel obligated by societal convention to, as Barney Stinson would say, "suit up".

It's a whole mental back-and-forth dilemma I have with myself about once a year: I tell myself I should probably buy a new suit. All the experts say it's an essential part of a man's wardrobe. An interesting article from Complex broke down the best time of year to buy various items. Turns out, January might be the best time to buy a suit. The article says you should have at least one decent suit by the time you exit your 20's. I am almost 40 and barely have one full suit. It's more like mix-and-match pieces, so I suppose it's time.

But they're not cheap (at least not on my budget). Not even the ones that actually are cheap.

First of all, why is something so essential so pricey? I get "sticker shock" and start to back off. I decide I don't really need one until I actually need one. Like I said, I already have one and it'll work just fine in a pinch. But as a grown man, I might need something better than "good enough in a pinch".

Furthermore, do some of the situations that used to require a suit really still require it anymore? Apparently, they do, so my procrastination and denial might need to come to an end!

A suit is generally still a must at funerals, obviously, but weddings and other formal events are rare in my life. Plus, a suit is somewhat excessive attire for my current work situation, although a decent suit would be useful for potential job interviews. I could rationalize that maybe more opportunities to wear it out would just happen to spring up if I had a good suit. So many things to consider about suit-buying. Ebay posted some good advice about when to wear a suit. Check out that article here.

I would ask your opinion. Should I take the plunge and buy a new suit, getting measured for the right fit and the whole bit? Is it worth it for someone who rarely sees the need to dress up? Where do you recommend getting a decent one that won't break the bank (around $100)? Once I do get one, I know there is some good advice out there about how to wear it, starting here, as opposed to just throwing it on and going with it.  Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

[Via Complex, EBay, Diply]