Made-to-measure and ready-made button-downs from Ascot Chang are among the most desirable dress shirts in the world. Based from Hong Kong since 1953, there are Ascot Chang stores in 12 cities around the world. It's your basic, immaculate shirt for business or casual wear ($130-300 for ready-made; up to $1,100 for custom).

Recently, Ascot Chang premiered a ready-to-wear collection of men's suits for Spring '09, available initially sized 38R to 44R (from $2,100). The concept is to translate the same standard for fit and fabric from shirts into suits.

The result is a single breasted suit with natural shoulders. It's not in the ultra-slim style of Thom Browne or Band of Outsiders. Rather, it's a more moderately proportioned style that's nevertheless sharp and smart. The Ascot Chang flagship at 110 Central Park South also offers a range of accoutrements and underpinnings. The audience here is the business crowd and power sects. So even if the current stock market has those folks in a purchasing slump, when we compare Ascot Chang to other suits in the price range, it's easy to recommend this style anytime.