Buying women’s suits

When choosing the right women’s suit, first think about the purpose of the suit. Will you wear this suit to the office, a special occasion, or a more casual weekend event? This is the starting point for the rest of your decisions as you purchase the perfect suit. In some cases, a skirt suit will be the only appropriate choice, while other situations offer the choice of a pant suit. And then there’s the question of whether you need a dress suit or even a church suit, or something more informal.

The right suit for your office

If your new suit is for the office, remember that part of the reason you will wear it is to make an impression. Do you want to be taken seriously? To make a fashion statement? To fade into the background? If your goal is to project a businesslike image – and you don’t work in the fashion industry – select a solid neutral color. The suit should not draw attention to itself with eye-catching patterns or embellishments. If your office or job is more conservative, select a suit with a skirt. If it is less conservative, a suit with pants will be fine, although you might want to have a skirt suit for more formal meetings or presentations.

Pant Suits

Dressy suits vs. casual suits

If you are shopping for a suit for a special occasion or an evening out, you will want a dressier suit. You can achieve this image by “dressing up” a formal work suit with some fancy accessories. If you want a special suit for your occasion, you can select something with more details, particularly more feminine details like a bouncier skirt, ruffles, or a fabric with an eye-catching pattern. For these occasions, you can also select a suit made from a more interesting fabric such as silk, satin, or even leather. For more casual occasions like a weekend event, the key is to look “put together” while still looking stylish. A nicely-cut suit in a more casual fabric will do the trick.

Skirt Suits

How a suit fits is the key

Regardless of where you will wear the suit, there are some guidelines that will help you make the best decision. First, understand that the most important thing is that your suit flatters your body type. Suits with straight lines are best for women with straight, angular bodies. Women with more curves look best in suits with lines that are rounded. These suits often have shorter jackets with curved lapels and fitted waists. Suit skirts come in a variety of styles. While skirt lengths vary with the fashion of the day, there are a few general guidelines. Tall, angular women tend to look best in pencil or straight skirts. Curvier women look best in A-line and asymmetrical skirts. If you choose a pants suit, close your style carefully. Flat-front pants are slimming but can accentuate a large stomach. They are best for thin women. Fuller-figured women often look best in pleated-front pants. Depending on the cut of the jacket, the pant style may not be very important. Shorter women should avoid cuffs, which shorten the leg. Overall, the suit should look good on you and be functional. When you try it on, move around to make sure the jacket and skirt or pants allow you to move freely. Sit down to check the fit of the pants, particularly the waistband. It should not pinch around the waist or gap open in the back. The jacket should allow you to mover your arms whether you are shaking hands or writing at your desk.

Does the color of a suit really matter?

Absolutely. Although women have many more colors to choose from than men in terms of suits, women should use care when selecting the right color. For those formal work situations in which you wear a conservative suit, select a navy or dark gray. Black is also a good choice, but should not be worn as often as the other colors. Some experts suggest that red is a “power color” and a red suit can be appropriate for women who want to appear strong. But red and all other bright colors do stand out, so choose them only if you are comfortable with the attention you will get. If you want to show your personality by choosing something other than “safe” gray and “bold” red, select a color that goes with your skin tone and hair color. If you have “had your colors done”, stick to those colors you know looks best on you. You can also choose suits with understated patterns in various colors, like a subtle plaid or paisley. If you do choose a suit with a pattern, check the details: make sure the pattern is consistent and matches up at the seams.

Silk Suits

What about suit separates?

Sometimes separates are the best option. This is often the case for women who are a different size on the top and the bottom. If the separates match, no one will know that the outfit is not a traditional suit. Separates also provide more options than traditional suits. If you have a variety of separates, they can be mixed and matched to create many more outfits than traditional suits alone. Again, women have more options in this area than men. Because some women’s suits actually look like separates (with a jacket made of one color and pants or a skirt made of another color), “suits” made up of separates can look just as formal and businesslike as a traditional suit.

A Word About Fabric

The fabric from which your suit is made is the most important factor in how your suit “hangs” on your body. Polyester is popular but does not hold its shape for long. Linen, while cool and comfortable, is too light for winter and wrinkles very easily. Worsted wool is a reliable fabric that works well during most seasons.

The Finishing Touch

Once you have selected the right suit, complete your look by paying attention to the details. Choose the right blouse to wear with your suit: a crisp button-down blouse or turtleneck in classic white or a color is great for the office, a lacy top or camisole dresses up a suit for evening events, and a t-shirt works well under a suit for a casual or weekend event. A tailor can add the final touches to make your suit fit more perfectly on your body. You can add other details to the suit yourself (like replacing plastic buttons with gold or pearl ones). Select jewelry to accentuate your style. Finally, make sure you choose the right shoes to complete your look. Choose conservative shoes for your conservative suit, fancier shoes for an evening or special occasion, etc.