Business: Rent-a-Suit

The ultimate uniform

For the inflation-squeezed executive who cannot keep up with the sartorially splendid Jones in the next office, it is a dream come true. Top-of-the-rung men's or women's $500 suits for a modest monthly charge, eligible for trade-in when lapels narrow or hemlines drop —and there may even be a corporate tax deduction. That's the sales spiel of new "suit leasing" and "wardrobe analysis" firms.

The rent-a-suit scheme originated a few years ago in Great Britain, where companies have mastered the art of executive perquisites because exorbitantly high tax rates wipe out...

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