I lost about 25 pounds last year, and have found myself in need of a new suit. I had some older suits that work (barely) at this current weight, but they are looking a bit dated and have an imperfect fit. So off to the outlet mall I went, hoping to find something appropriate. I wanted something dark gray or black, and three pieces - jacket, skirt, and trousers. Whenever I've only gotten the skirt, or only gotten the trousers, I've regretted not having the other option. As an additional challenge, I generally wear petites and am somewhere between an hourglass or pear shape. Fitting trousers, even at my current weight, can be a huge challenge.

First stop was the Banana Republic Factory Store, since I recently stumbled upon some old, unused store credit. I found one dark gray suit set in the petites section. It was a polyester blend that felt flimsy. The shoulder pads did not sit well in my jacket, and I felt the skirt was too short for business settings. They also didn't have the skirt in regular lengths.

Next up: Ann Taylor Factory Store. Tried on a black suit from the petite area. Also a polyester blend. The skirt fit fine (I have good luck with Ann Taylor and Loft skirts), but the jacket felt a tad short. I have a relatively long torso for my height, but generally like petites for the fit at the shoulder and the sleeve length. The trousers were too loose at the waist (I always have this trouble with Ann Taylor trousers), and would have required significant alterations. I thought the jacket and skirt would do in a pinch, but I wasn't thrilled about it. So I asked them to hold it for a couple hours and continued on my way.

Third stop: Didn't find any petites at J Crew. That was quick!

Fourth stop: Brooks Brothers Outlet. This is not a store that's normally in my price range, but I thought I would give it a try. I am willing to spend more on a suit than regular work or casual clothes, and there were some discounts available. The petite suiting here was in a nice classic light wool. The jacket is long enough that it looks okay with the matching skirt and the trousers. The trousers fit perfectly at the waist (this almost never happens for me), though they'll need hemming. The skirt is long enough and fits well, too. I was a little skeptical about the front slit on the skirt, but there's enough fabric overlap and length that it still looks professional. Bought it in black. It was on sale in navy pinstripe. I liked the navy, but not the pinstripe.

Ended up spending about $100 more than I would have ideally spent, but I'm really happy to have gotten all three pieces at this level of fit and quality. It's a pretty classic cut, so it should serve me well as long as I stay at my current size. And I hope I won't have to shop for these particular items again any time soon!