The story below is a preview from our March/April 2025 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!
Men can find the perfect suit in Roanoke, tailored or off the rack, with expert advice ensuring a polished and versatile look for any occasion.
There’s a long-tenured British aphorism that goes something like this: When there was one clothing shop, there were 100 well-dressed men about town. Now that there are 100 clothing shops, a well-dressed man can’t be found.
A stroll through virtually any public space confirms the truth of these now ancient sentiments. Fortunately, Roanoke remains an oasis in the war on drab, ill-fitting and comfortable-but-unflattering clothing. In particular, Star City offers men in search of a classic suit with an array of price points and fashion preferences. Whether a man wants their suit custom made, wishes to purchase it “off the rack” from a retailer, or to have a suit they’ve purchased professionally tailored, he will find the right business in the Roanoke Valley. There are both locally owned shops and national and regional chains operating in the area that will serve men of different budgets and tastes.
Where does a man begin looking, particularly if he is purchasing his first suit? Whether for work, church, weddings, job interviews, funerals or other formal occasions, the need for such a garment will inevitably come up as one navigates the events of adulthood.
“If this is your first suit, go with something neutral,” says Jay Hamm, who owned the Modern Gentleman’s Brotique in downtown Roanoke, a shop which focused on contemporary formal attire. The store sold suits off the rack and offered in-house tailoring. Modern Gentleman custom-made their neck ties and pocket squares. “You can take that one suit and mix it with different shirts, different neckties and get a whole range of appearances. You can get about 15 different looks with one suit,” he says. A suit with a distinctive pattern takes center stage, detracting from its versatility. Save that for your second or third suit.
Courtesy of Davidsons
Hamm is a Pastor at the Garden of Prayer #7 Church and a longtime men’s clothing consultant. He opened the Modern Gentleman in late 2018 but had to shut down the business during COVID-19. He continues to serve as a men’s clothing consultant within his church community.
“I would suggest something in a deep shade of blue or a charcoal grey. You’re going to have situations where the wearing of a suit is the appropriate thing to have in your closet. You’re going to want to have one in your closet, dark and neutral in color, so that you can change the furnishings with it,” says Larry Davidson, owner of Davidson’s, Roanoke’s premier men’s clothing store. The black suit was long the standard but it can seem out of place at many daytime events. A dark blue or charcoal grey fits well in a wide range of occasions.
Larry Davidson has been working full-time at the store since 1972, which his grandfather founded 110 years ago. Davidson’s has built up a large and loyal customer base that extends more than 100 miles in each direction. The store sells sportswear, business attire, and does custom-made suits and shirts as well as special orders. The clients who purchase custom-made clothing tend to be too large or too small to purchase clothes off the rack or they are customers interested in greater selection or styling.
Courtesy of Jay Hamm
Pastor Jay Hamm looks resplendent in his well-accessorized pinstripe suit. He serves as a clothing consultant for men at the Garden of Prayer #7 Church in Roanoke.
“The majority of our clients don’t have fit issues,” Davidson says, explaining that the average man wears pants that are about six inches smaller than his chest size. Nevertheless, there has never been a better time to get your suit custom-made.
“Almost every vendor that offers ready-made clothing also has a custom component to their business,” Davidson says. He notes that the price of having an item custom-made has dropped considerably relative to the price of ready-made clothing.
“The distance between the two now is very small,” he says. At certain times in the year, the price of custom suits with certain vendors are the same as purchasing a suit straight off the rack.
“The premium has reduced itself significantly. If you have a difficult fit, then custom is the answer,” Davidson says. “When you buy custom, you have not only a choice of fabric but also styling and then you have additional choices,” he continued, including selecting your suit’s lining, buttons and stitching. When custom-fitting a man for a suit, Davidson considers a number of factors when putting it all together. He measures a man’s posture so that the jacket fits properly over the shoulders and the collar of the suit fits properly. He will build the suit differently if the man is “hip forward,” which causes a suit to look baggy in the back and stick to the legs in the front.
Want to learn more about expert tips on custom tailoring, versatile styling and why a well-chosen suit is more than just clothing—it’s a lasting statement of personal style? Check out the latest issue, now on newsstands, or see it for free in our digital guide linked below!
The story above is a preview from our March/April 2025 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!