SUIT UP!   6 Tips for Selecting a Woman’s Suit

1.         Select a suit color.  Neutral tones are best – that way they can be paired with any color blouse or shoe color.  Classic colors are black, navy, brown, and gray.  Macy’s, Talbot’s, and Zappo’s are a good choice for suits and shoes.
2.         Choose a high quality fabric.  High quality fabric lays and wears better, and looks expensive.  Do I need to even say this? Avoid too much polyester.

3.         Determine your preferred jacket style and length for your body type.  Tall women may prefer suits with straight lines; longer jacket length. Those of us who are a bit curvy (aka short) should choose suits with rounded lines – a fitted waist and shorter jacket length

4.         Skirt or pant suit?  How about both? It may be practical to buy a 3-piece - jacket, skirt, and slack set.  The traditional skirt suit is appropriate in formal settings, like a business meeting or job interview.  The more relaxed pantsuit is great for social functions and for everyday work wear.

5.         How does the suit jacket fit?  Make sure the collar lies flat against the back ofyour neck. Shoulders should be neither too boxy nor sloped. Sleeves fall 5 inches above the tip of your thumb.  I always swing my arms out in front of me and give myself a hug to feel how it fits.  It’s so important to feel comfortable; otherwise you are not thinking of the task at hand, but how much you hate your suit and can’t wait to get in your sweats!

6.         Make sure the skirt or pants fit. On a good day, you should be able to slide two fingers under the waistline and pull about 1 inch of excess fabric at the hip. Skirts should fall straight. Pay attention to the crotch area on your slacks, making sure it lies perfectly flat against your body.  Most suits need to be altered to obtain the perfect fit.  This goes without saying when buying a men’s suit, so why not us?

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