When you have a few women's suits in your closet, you have some of the easiest, most versatile and most impressive items of women's clothing available. To find the perfect women's suits for every occasion, you've come to the right place. You'll be able to choose ladies' suits that are flattering on you and fit your style with the help of this buying guide.
Buying Women's Suits:
- Office suits. Women's business suits will let your co-workers and clients know they can take you seriously. Choose your suits to reflect a professional attitude: look for solid, neutral colors and few embellishments. If you only want one or two ladies' suits for work, choose suits in lightweight wool or a cotton blend so you can wear them throughout the year. Be sure to have skirt suits in your closet for important meetings or for interviews. You can also add women's pant suits to your wardrobe.
- Evening suits. For a dinner out, a concert or cocktails, you'll want to be more dressed up. You can dress up women's business suits with a few accessory changes or you can just wear a women's suit with a little more flair. A fun fabric -- like leather or silk -- in a bright color or a bold print will make more of a statement than a neutral black suit. Depending on the event, you may want to consider dress suits.
- Special event suits. A wedding or other party is the perfect opportunity to wear designer suits. A tuxedo-style black suit is stylish, or you can choose suits made of fine fabrics, like silk or velvet. Flirty, feminine details -- piping, ruffles or flounces -- on your suit will make your outfit appropriate for the occasion.
- Weekend suits. Casual women's suits allow you to wear more comfortable clothing while still looking stylish. Women's pant suits in casual fabrics, like corduroy or denim, give you the chance to flatter your figure without looking overdressed. Casual shapes work well for weekend suits, like A-line skirts and cropped pants.
Women's Suit Details:
- Waistline. Whether you're emphasizing your curves or creating a few from scratch, a suit jacket with a defined waistline can do wonders for your figure, making you look slimmer and taller. If you have a thick middle, make sure you choose a suit jacket that doesn't cinch too much, so you'll still be comfortable.
- Jacket length. A cropped suit jacket can show off narrow hips and long legs. A longer suit jacket can elongate a short torso and conceal a tummy.
- Skirt and pant shapes. Skirt suits and dress pants in a flowing shape can downplay a heavier bottom half. If you want to show off long legs, choose women's suits with narrower pants and skirts.
- Colors and patterns: Remember that you'll always look longer and leaner if you wear one color; designer suits with matching pieces can help you achieve this look. However, a pattern on one piece can draw the eye to features you want to emphasize.
Women's Suit Details:
- Casual. For weekends and casual evenings, T-shirts are perfect with a women's suit. Stick to slim-fitting tees and make sure your jewelry reflects the casualness of the outfit.
- Glam. Camisoles, lacy tank tops and silky halter tops make your business suits perfect for evenings and events. If you'll be taking off your suit jacket, make sure your fun top can be worn on its own.
- Professional. Crisp button-down blouses are the perfect choice with the business suits you wear to the office. A white blouse is a classic, but don't be afraid to mix it up with bright colors and fun patterns. A turtleneck sweater in a neutral color is also an excellent layering option for work when it's colder.
Caring for Your Suits:
- Cleaning and storage. Most suits are made of fabrics that need to be dry cleaned, but that doesn't mean you should dry clean your dress suits each time you wear them; every five or six times should be enough. The chemicals used in dry cleaning can cause wear. Always have the tops and bottoms of your suits dry cleaned at the same time so they'll wear at the same rate. Have your cleaner steam clean suits that need a little refreshing between dry cleaning. If you wear suits often, you may want to invest in a home steamer to keep your suits fresh. Be sure to hang them on sturdy hangers, too, and your suits will look great for years.