Looking for the best Utah-based menswear shops? In this article, Iโll cover seven local options.
![Formal suit separates pairing](https://www.themodestman.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Formal-suit-separates-pairing.jpg)
From national chains to local boutiques, there are dozens of menswear shops in the Salt Lake City area. While suiting up is very common for certain Utah subcultures, it can still be hard to find a quality suit that fits well.
After owning suits, shirts, belts, and other articles of clothing from several different Utah menswear stores, here are my findings:
Mr. Mac
Within Utah, Mr. Mac is probably the best-known local menswear brand. Locally, theyโre pretty much a household name.
In 2015, I bought 3 Mr. Mac suits before serving as a Latter-day Saint missionary in Russia. (For a complete clothing guide for Latter-day Saint Missionaries, explore this article).
The salesman in the Orem shop was charismatic, but I regret trusting him. He didnโt really listen to my concerns or my requests.
For example, I asked to have the jacket sleeves hemmed to show just a little bit of cuff, and he told me, โNo, not for a mission suit.
When you come back for a wedding suit weโll do that.โ I asked for other minor alterations, but the salesman only agreed to get the pants hemmed ( and even after hemming they were still too long).
I ended up with suits that were a size or two too big because the salesman thought I might grow (taller or wider) on my mission. He was quite insistent. (I shouldโve known better, I stopped growing when I was 15). I ended up having to get the suits altered right after I got to Russia.
I had several buttons fall off my suits within the first two months, and the suits started getting shiny in places after just a few wears.
A couple of times during my first winter in Russia, I actually wore my pajamas underneath my suit for added warmth. The suit was already so baggy that Iโm pretty sure no one could tell.
Between the less-than-ideal in-store experience, poor fit, and buttons dropping like flies, thatโs a lot of โcons.โ
I have to admit that they do have a huge selection of suits. I only tried suits from their Traveler line, so maybe a different line wouldโve been a better fit for me.
Also, besides problems with the buttons, my suits did hold up pretty well as I rotated between the three every day for two years. I even wore two of the suits for a couple of years after I got home until I could get a better-fitting, better-quality suit.
Even after alterations, they didnโt fit great and werenโt very comfortable, but I wore them until they were threadbare.
Knowing what I know now, would I have bought suits at Mr. Mac? No, definitely not.
Missionary Mall Robbins and Brooks
This suit from Missionary Mall is made from a sweatpants-like material. This makes for a suit that feels like pajamas and is super stretchy. While some might like these qualities, Iโm not a fan.
The problem is that they also look like sweatpants material, especially up close. Also, while itโs kind of hard to explain, this was probably the cheapest feeling suit Iโve ever tried on.
This suit doesnโt fit as well as the other suits Iโve worn. The store I went to in Orem didnโt have my size. I had the pants and jacket sleeves hemmed, but the shop doesnโt provide other alterations.
I personally wouldnโt recommend this suit. For what youโre getting, I really donโt think itโs worth $299. However, it might be an option to consider if comfort is your top priority.
I ended up giving this suit away after wearing it just once or twice.
The Kater Shop
While itโs not exactly in the Salt Lake region, I was really impressed with the Kater Shop in Logan, UT.
They are one of several Utah retailers (including several close to SLC) that sell CTR Clothing. There are three shops by the name of Modern Missionary which are probably the most well-known sources of CTR-brand clothing.
From the Kater Shop, I tested CTR Clothingโs Tempo Stretch Suit, white dress shirt, and socks.
The Kater shop I visited had a wide selection of budget-to-mid-range suits.
Chris Hammond, one of the owners, answered all of my questions and explained in detail how the Kater Shop has been able to grow and expand while other locally-owned menswear shops have gone belly up. (Part of it has to do with the CTR Clothing brand).
I also observed that they have a beautiful showroom and impressive customer service.
CTR Clothing Tempo Stretch Suit
The Tempo Stretch Suit they provided as a sample for my honest review initially fit pretty well in the shoulders and chest area.
In the photo below, the jacket looks like it might be a little short judging by the cup test (a suit fit trick), but thatโs probably because I have long arms in proportion to the rest of my body.
As far as alterations go, I had the waist of the jacket brought in, the pants tapered, and the pants and jacket sleeves hemmed. For me, as a short, slim guy, these alterations are pretty much to be expected for off-the-rack suits.
What I donโt like about the suit is that I wish the button stance (i.e., where the top jacket button sits) was a little lower. Also, the jacket is still a little bit boxy and it feels like there is substantial padding in the chest area.
The rayon, nylon blend has a little bit of spandex added in to give it some stretch. The fabric feels cheap and looks kind of cheap (probably because it is).
However, for a guy on a budget, thatโs not a big deal โ as a good fit and a decent price are probably going to be what theyโre most concerned with.
The suit needed several alterations, but it has ended up in my rotation of suits that I wear regularly.
This synthetic material suit had the best fit off the rack compared to the other Utah-based budget menswear shops I tried.
Not only that, the Kater Shop had stellar customer service, and their showrooms were clean and well-lit.
CTR Clothing Shirt
When I tried on this shirt, it was, up until that point, perhaps the best-fitting off-the-rack dress shirt that Iโve ever worn. The material is really comfortable and stretchy.
It is breathable and really comfortable. I like that it has a substantial collar. The size XS slim fit me well off the rack.
However, it is almost identical to the &Collar shirt I tried.
CTR Clothing Socks
Chris told me that his durable CTR Clothing socks are one of his bestsellers. He gave me a pair to try out.
They seem like theyโll last a long time, but they have a huge logo on the top of the foot, which I donโt like. I donโt necessarily think that theyโre dressy enough to wear with a suit.
Perfectly Suited by Garth
Moving on from the budget brands, letโs stop by Perfectly Suited by Garth in Provo, Utah.
Garth is an incredibly charismatic man who knows the ins and outs of the menswear business. He personally travels the globe to source quality products to sell in his shop on University Avenue.
At Perfectly Suited, Jameson also helped me out. Heโs a stylish guy who can help you make decisions if you decide to go with a custom garment or help you to navigate what colors or styles work best for you.
Even if youโre getting your first suit, Iโd highly recommend getting a suit with a canvas construction.
Itโs kind of complicated, but a canvased suit has โgutsโ that are stitched together, while the layers of a fused suit are glued. A canvased suit can last a lot longer and wonโt get unsightly โbubblingโ over time.
This dark navy suit with pick stitching that Garth gave me is from Mattarazi. I took a size 34s. It fits incredibly well off the rack with a just little bit of compression in the waist.
The only alteration necessary was that the pants needed to be hemmed. (I was so surprised to find an OTR suit that only needed hemming)!
This is the best quality and the best-fitting off-the-rack suit Iโve ever worn. I can feel the difference and see in quality between this suit and the CTR clothing suit.
Perfectly Suited also sells custom-made suits, trousers, overcoats, and tuxedos.
Bespoke Custom Clothing SLC
Speaking of custom, getting a suit made to your measurements has the potential to go above and beyond off-the-rack pieces.
With made-to-measure (also abbreviated to โMTM,โ or referred to as โcustomโ), you can choose the fabric, fit, and other details of your garment.
While โbespokeโ is often used interchangeably with โcustom,โ it actually refers to a much more detailed process that involves many fittings, including a โbasted fitting.โ
I wonโt get into the specifics, but if youโre interested in the difference between off-the-rack, made-to-measure, and true bespoke, check out this article.
While Salt Lake Cityโs Bespoke Custom Clothing isnโt actually a full-on bespoke shop, they do excellent MTM work.
Bespoke Custom Suit
While I came into Bespoke Customโs SLC shop with a good idea of what I wanted (and brought along a few reference photos), Kolby Morgan โ the manager of Bespokeโs SLC office โ asked me a lot of questions.
I ordered a charcoal grey double-breasted suit. I opted for side adjusters rather than belt loops.
While Kolby seemed to steer me towards some bolder choices, I went with a black lining with a subtle paisley pattern and dark brown horn buttons. It has generous lapels and working buttons on the jacket sleeve.
Built into the lining is a cell phone pocket, which is a useful addition that Iโd never seen before.
Since I went with a full canvas construction, the suit wouldโve cost $800.
This suit fits really well right out of the box.
The jacket sleeves are just the right length to show a sliver of cuff. (Though, in retrospect, ideally Iโd want the sleeves to be just a fraction of an inch higher). The roped shoulders are beautifully shaped, and the pantsโ fit is pretty spot-on.
However, there is a little bit of collar roll in the back across my shoulders. Since I was only in Utah for a few days, I didnโt have a chance to go back for a second fitting. This shouldnโt be too difficult for a competent tailor to fix; I just havenโt taken gotten it altered yet.
I opted for a slightly shorter jacket length because Iโm a short guy. As Iโve mentioned about the CTR Clothing suit, while this jacket might look a little too short, thatโs due to my long arms.
Overall, Iโm very happy with this suit.
Bespoke Custom Dress Shirt
When I was fitted for my made-to-measure suit at Bespoke Custom in SLC, I also ordered a custom dress shirt. While I chose a blue fabric with a subtly textured weave.
This shirt has French cuffs and a very sturdy collar.
The fit isnโt perfect (the sleeves are a little baggy, and Iโve had some problems with fabric wrinkling or bunching up near the top of the placket), but itโs pretty darn close.
As with the suit, Iโm confident that had I been able to go in for a second fitting those problems would have been resolved. As it is, this is one of the nicest shirts Iโve ever worn.
Bespoke Custom Clothing is a great choice if youโre new to MTM clothing. Just be sure to go in for a second fitting after the garments have been created.
Besides their SLC location, Bespoke Custom also has shops in Boise, ID, Miami, FL, and Omaha, NE.
UWM + Tom Nox
Situated right across from Temple Square in downtown Salt Lake, UWM (formerly Utah Woolen Mills) has been in operation for over 100 years.
Unlike the other Utah shops on this list, I donโt own anything from UWM. Therefore, I canโt give as much first-hand experience with this retailer.
However, I have stopped by their shop several times and tried on suits and overcoats. (Shout out to the haberdasher that was a fan of The Modest Manโs sister site, The Slender Wrist)!
While I think they mainly do made-to-measure orders, they also have a wide variety of off-the-rack items, but be warned โ even their OTR stuff isnโt cheap. If I remember correctly, I saw $300 7-fold ties and $1,500 overcoats.
UWM also owns the Tom Nox brand which helps fund โSuited for Goodโ โ a charity that donates part of the proceeds of each Tom Nox purchase to men in need of a suit for job interviews or to otherwise further their careers.
This program has already helped nearly 2,000 men since its inception in 2016. (Read more about Suited for Good here).
Tom Nox, which has brick-and-mortar locations in Provo and Murray, is less pricy than UWM, making it more accessible for students and young professionals.
If a friend were ever in SLC and needed to get a nice suit for an important business meeting with just a day or twoโs notice, Iโd recommend heading over to UWM. (Ok, only if it was a wealthy friend).
UWM has great customer service, quality products from what I could tell, and even an in-house barber shop, so, my hypothetical friend could walk into the boardroom looking fresh.
Beckett & Robb
Out of all the menswear shops in the SLC area that Iโve visited I was most impressed with Beckett & Robb.
In exchange for my honest, unbiased review I received a MTM suit from this brand.
I wonโt go into too much detail since Iโve already written an in-depth Becket & Robb review, but suffice it to say that I was gobsmacked by the garment I received.
With just one fitting, B&R founder, Derek, was able to create the best suit Iโve ever worn.
The slight puddling of the suit trousers in this photo above was caused by me not yet being used to higher-rise pants. When I wear them higher on the waist as intended, there is a perfect amount of break (as shown below).
I donโt really have anything negative to say about this suit.
If I was really nit-picking Iโd say that maybe the sleeve length could be adjusted slightly because, as you can see in the photo above, the amount of sleeve cuff showing isnโt always even. (Perhaps my right arm is ever so slightly shorter than my left).
If I ever live in Utah again, Iโm pretty sure Iโd buy another suit from Beckett & Robb. Like UWM, this brand is expensive, but in this case, I totally think itโs worth it.
Besides their SLC flagship store, B&R also has shops in San Francisco and Seattle.
&Collar
Moving on from menswear shops, &Collar is an online-only clothing store headquartered in Salt Lake City.
You mightโve seen their digital ads before boasting about their stain-resistant dress shirts.
&Collar Atlantic Dress Shirt
I like the Atlantic shirt that &Collar sent me to test out (size XS). While it initially looked, fit, and, felt almost exactly like my CTR Clothing dress shirt, my &Collar shirt has held up better after a year of frequent wear.
I mentioned in my article for prospective Latter-day Saint missionaries, if I were to go back in time I wouldโve bought 7-8 &Collar dress shirts before beginning my two years of service.
The main thing that stands out about this stretchy &Collar shirt is that it sheds liquid and is โunstainableโ (like all other &Collar products). Itโs pretty cool! Iโve put the shirt sleeve underneath a running faucet, and the water just rolls right off.
Whatโs remarkable to me is that this unique water-repellent property still works after several washes.
Did I mention that itโs the best-fitting off-the-rack dress shirt Iโve owned?
While itโs a great shirt for active guys (particularly in warm environments), I wouldnโt really recommend it for professional settings, however, as it is cut from a noticeably athletic, stretchy (i.e. casual) fabric.
That said, I wear it with a suit quite frequently because itโs comfortable and the collar is decent.
&Collar Range Dress Pants
While I love my &Collar shirt, their Range dress pants are another story.
First off, these arenโt really โdress pantsโ โ theyโre stretchy athleisure pants marketed as โdress pants.โ (Quite honestly, thatโs probably because they market to future LDS missionaries who have โdress pantsโ on their shopping list).
The fit of these pants isnโt good at all. That makes sense because they donโt stock my size. Also, they feel and look very cheap.
If youโre looking for dress pants, keep looking.
&Collar Socks + Tie
I also have an &Collar tie and a pair of socks.
Like the shirt and pants, the tie is made out of a synthetic material that sheds water. I donโt wear it often because I have 10+ ties that I like better, but itโs a decent tie.
I absolutely love my &Collar socks, though. Theyโre probably my favorite pair of socks I own.
They are comfortable, moisture-wicking, and thin/discreet enough to wear with a suit and dress shoes. Honestly, I sometimes even go running in these socks.
For 10% off your next &Collar purchase, use the code MODESTMAN10 at checkout.
Mission Belt
From their headquarters in Orem, Utah, Mission Belt makes micro-adjusting belts for the masses. An alternative to Anson Belt, Mission Beltโs โmissionโ is to help people around the world, particularly in developing countries, grow their fledgling businesses by providing small loans.
Years ago, I had Mission Beltโs Standard Leather Micro-adjusting that I bought at Mr. Mac. Eventually, this belt broke in half.
The problem was that the leather quality wasnโt great. (From what I understand, Mission Belt will replace belts purchased at Mr. Mac if they break before you return from your missionary service, but I didnโt know that at the time).
However, I decided to give Mission Belt another chance. Talking to Lukas Sanchez, Mission Beltโs Marketing Manager, I discovered that they also have quality, full-grain leather belt options.
I tested out two Mission Belts โ a Western work belt and an Italian leather dress belt.
After several months of wear, both belts are still in really good condition. (The leather of the light brown belt Italian leather belt has a few scratches from wear the micro-adjusting mechanism has scraped against it).
While I like both of these belts, I get more use out of the work belt because I feel that Mission Belts buckles are a little bit too big and eye-catching to wear with more formal clothes (for my tastes).
Personally, when Iโm wearing a suit, I prefer a regular full-grain leather belt with holes and a minimal metal buckle.
See this article for more belt options.
Final Thoughts
When shopping for more formal menโs clothes there are many options to choose from in and around Salt Lake City, Utah. Thereโs something for everyone, no matter your budget.
Have any specific questions about any of these brands? Ask me in the comment section below!
Tysm! I have a 6’5″ lean 15 yr old and we’ve moved here asking for bespoke suits since off the racks won’t fit. Now have the info we need.
I’m glad it helped! I’d just caution that since he’s probably still growing it might be best to make do with of-the-rack options. Then again, I stopped growing at 15 or 16 and I still have a few things that fit over 10 years later.
It all kind of depends on your budget though.
You should really consider adding “Man Up” to this list they are a new shop that caters specifically to men. They are located at 1336 South 2100 East in Salt Lake City
Thanks for the tip! I’ll probably check them out!
Excellent article Ryan!