Ask Angie: Business Suits

Jenniferblue

Hi, I'm looking for some help with purchasing a 2nd business suit. My first one is black and I bought the jacket, pants and matching skirt. Anne Klien. I know this topic isn't as much fun as summer tops and dressy casual but does anyone have a suggestion on a 2nd suit. I've been reading through the blog it seems that the length of a jacket with trousers is quite different from the length of a jacket meant to be worn with a skirt. So, I'm wondering if getting the 3 pieces at once is actually a good idea. People always say to get the skirt while you're getting the pants suit. I'm petite, hourglass tending to pear shaped and prefer blacks/greys. Hope someone is interested in talking formal business !!!

17 years ago

Body Type

13 replies

Latest reply was from Jenniferblue

christie

Active Member

Hi Jennifer,

I am a lawyer, so while on most days I can get by with Smart casual, I do have to throw on a suit every now and again. I have a few pieces that I wear, so I would be happy to chat suit with you. The black suit sounds great. And the best thing about black is that no one recognizes you wear the same thing all of the time, so you can really jazz it up each day with something different, red top today, blue polka dot cami tomorrow. Whatever.

If you wear your skirt enough, I see no problem with going ahead and getting all three pieces. Personally, I'm not a big fan of the skirt suit. I think it tends towards frumpy/Matronly, or at least that's how I feel when I wear it. I have two suit skirts that are fun, though, a gray pinstripe pencil skirt with a shrunken jacket, and a navy a-line swingy-style skirt (I ditched the matching jacket awhile ago). But other than those, I really prefer pants or a dress.

Have you considered instead of getting a skirt getting a sheath dress (I think that's what it's called)? Depending on your dress code, you can do fun things with a suit dress. I like to wear mine with knee-high boots or heels. In the winter, I wear a turtleneck or a button-down underneath. In summer, I just go without anything underneath. If I have to dress up, I wear a suit jacket over. Usually a cardi is fine.

If I were in your position, I would go ahead and either buy a dark gray suit (skirt if you like). If you are on a budget, you probably can't afford to buy a jacket to match every skirt or pants, so you need to spread your wardrobe and budget most efficiently. I have bought suits from Ann Taylor and Jcrew. I really like J Crew's styling better. It's younger, and they have more of a selection in material.

17 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I actually love suits and am happy to chat with you too. I have clients that require suits daily so I’m tuned in on it too. My first question is whether you differentiate between a cold and warm weather suit?

17 years ago

Jenniferblue

Active Member

I'm pretty sure that I look better in a pants suit rather than a skirt and jacket and I do get that outdated feeling when I wear the skirt and jacket. My thought being (recently since reading this blog) that I had that ickky, I hate this skirt feeling because the jacket didn't really go with the skirt or that the proportions aren't right. I just don't feel chic and smart in the skirt and jacket. I have found endless combinations with the black suit, like you Christie. Somehow I'm thinking suit now and not sheath dress. I'm mulling over Angie's question. No, I guess I don't differentiate between warm and cold weather suits. I guess I would be thinking light weight wool. I would like to have this suit take me throughout the year. I also like navy and pinstripes. Christie and Angie, I'll consider anything you have to say on the subject of smart, classy suit dressing.

17 years ago

Jenniferblue

Active Member

Christie, if I understand you wear your suit dress as a jumper(in the American sense). A dress meant to be worn with a blouse, shirt or sweater underneath and you also can wear it with a jacket over the dress? Isn't the fit different. Seems like having it large enough to accomadate a shirt underneath would then make it too large without the garment. I'm just trying to imagine it but it sounds like you get tons of wear out of it that way.

17 years ago

christie

Active Member

If it is in your budget, you should consider buying a lighter weight suit for summer, especially if you wear a suit on a regular basis. Places like JCrew and Banana Republic have good selections of light-weight suits in the summer. My favorite suit, in fact, is a brown pantsuit in a light-weight wool crepe that I bought from JCrew. I do wear it in the winter, but with a shirt and light cardi under the jacket and knee-high boots under the pants.

To be honest, I really dislike button-down shirts, so I only have two. The are both fitted enough, with small buttons, that I don't have a problem wearing under my dress. The turtleneck sweaters (lightweight knit) do fit better. My dress needs to be taken in just slightly around the waist, which I think helps with layering in the winter. I usually wear a cardi in the summer over it, anyway, just for modesty purposes in the old-fashioned world, so nothing shows.

The best thing about suits is their versatility. You really don't need a ton. This is a nice suit: http://www.jcrew.com/catalog/m.....d91380171#
The material is light enough to carry you into summer (if you are in AC most of the time), but fine for winter. It also doesn't wrinkle, which is what I love about it.

Here is a classic gabardine: http://www.jcrew.com/catalog/m.....d82537171#

If I were you, for your second suit, I would stick with a classic pantsuit in a wool material. Then, when you are in the market for your third, start looking for more fun items like dresses and funkier jackets (I love this one: http://www.jcrew.com/catalog/m.....d91893171#)
and other materials like cotton, linen, or even (if you are bold) seersucker.

I think any neutral color like gray or navy would be great for a suit. Like I said, I have a navy, gray pinstripe, and browns (in addition to black).

17 years ago

Jenniferblue

Active Member

The suits are beautiful, fabrics look beautiful and like they could span a good part of the year. So, wool gabardine would be a good choice. Thanks, Christie I keep scratching my head about the best length for a suit jacket. These both look shorter then what I would think would be the best length for a jacket.
Angie, I'm wondering if you could share some of the suit rules magic from all the petites you put in business suits. I'm also interested in
footwear and accessories. Spectator pumps, earrings, pearls, bag??? Of course I don't have the suit yet but what have been your favorite suit ensembles, Angie. Inspiration, please!!

17 years ago

shiny

Veteran

I'm no expert, but I'm petite and my eye tells me that I need a short jacket with pants especially. But also with skirts too. The reason for this is because I have very short legs. The longer the jacket, the shorter my legs appear! So I try to stick to jackets that are just an inch or two lower than my waistband.

A lot of it is trial and error and trying things on to see what looks best. Pay attention to the number of buttons on the jacket. It took me awhile to learn my best look is a jacket that only has a single button, positioned right below the breast line. There are exceptions: I can get away with more buttons if the top button kinda cinches in my breasts and holds them back.

I am an hourglass so I also look best in jackets that have waist definition of some sort, like a band at the waist.

If you have money to spend, check out Theory. Lots of people swear by this brand for suits. They don't come in petites but they will do alterations for free. I tried them on and I have to say the jacket fit beautifully - the material was fabulous. But I didn't like the pants - they weren't lined and that seemed odd to me, particularly for that price, and they were wool so wool really should be lined or it'll itch! But worth a try on.

My last word of advice is to look for jackets that will go with pants you already own - and that includes jeans for your smart casual days! Since you already have a black suit, try looking for a jacket that would go with the black pants, for example, a black and white check, or a cream or white jacket.

I would stay away from ATL for suits. They fit me really well, but I have had bad luck with how they wear over time. AT uses much better fabrics, and I suspect Jcrew does too (though I don't own any of their suits). Suits tend to get a lot of wear, so definetly choose wisely and ensure that you are getting a better quality fabric that will hold up over many years.

17 years ago

Jenniferblue

Active Member

Shiny, Thanks for your good advice. Where is Theory available? AT and J Crew are all around so that's easy. Also Shiny, are you saying that the length of a suit jacket might be shorter then the length that's been recently recommended for tops with jeans. I think pearish gals are supposed to try to cut the derriere with the length of the jacket extending over the top half and around to almost crotch length in front. That could make my legs short since I'm only 5'2". I trying to collect some great advice before I hit the stores so I don't get it wrong. I want a quality suit with beautiful fabric and years of potential wear.

17 years ago

Eva

Active Member

Hi Jenniferblue, I am in a work environment where I need to wear a suit jacket almost everyday, although it may not always be a matching suit. I have several suits (purchased with and without Angie) and agree that you don't need too many. I am also a petite 5' 2.5" pear.

Unlike Shiny, I have had excellent luck with ATL's syles, quality and wear and would recommend that you check them out in addition to the others. And ATL is running a 30% of suits sale right now on line.

If you pick your suits well you can wear the jacket and bottom (mine are usually pants) together or non matching and really expand your wardrobe. I have a black matching suit where I purchased all pieces separately then looked at them and said, hey, they were a match. So I love each piece (jacket, pants, and swing skirt) and wear them separately (usually) and together. Most of my jackets are on the short, fitted side with the shirt (usually a knit) peeking out at the bottom.

I would say the second classic color to a black matching suit is navy or gray. I have a lighter grey and a slightly darker, pinstripe shark skin color grey (from ATL). Again, if you separate the jacket you really expand your closet. The gray jacket works great over the black suit pants. Just a the pop of color in the top and shoes.

Good luck!

17 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Jennifer, do you work in a conservative office environment? Eva is a petite pretty pear and she ROCKS a suit. She has a whole repertoire of clients and therefore has suit looks for conservative customers and suit looks for less conservative customers. I would not encourage a sheath dress – rectangles look best in those.

I’d go for a pant suit with a flared leg (with heel) and shorter jacket. Keep one black and the other in another neutral colour. I love pinstripe suits and that’s another option.

I have a baby pinstripe black pants suit that I love and Iisted it as one of my very fav wardrobe items. I wear it in a funky way and we can delve deeper into that but you might be restricted in your line of work.

17 years ago

christie

Active Member

I was just about to write that I prefer a shorter jacket, but Angie beat me to the punch. I'm not sure what looks best on a pear because I'm an hourglass (tending to a rectangle), but I think, in general, shorter jackets look more contemporary and stylish. Longer jackets look old school. I believe in looking conservative, but I do think that can be done with a short jacket, as well. (Of course, for me, looking conservative means taking out my nose ring!)

Depending on what you can wear at work, you have many options for making your outfit fab. I think it depends on your personal style-style persona and work requirements. I tend towards modern-classic, with a slight urban or artsy look.

In winter, I might wear to court with a younger, cooler judge, my brown suit with a short-sleeved striped button down (the stripes are in orange, pink, yellow, and white) which has a slightly modern and funky collar with a pink, slim-fit cardigan over top, and my brown suit jacket on top of that. Or, I might wear with this same suit (it's my favorite) a navy blue knit, short-sleeve shirt, with a grass-green fitted cardi over. For shoes, I will usually wear knee-high, black heeled boots under (I don't have a huge selection of shoes) or sling-back, point-toed tan pumps. (they are actually pretty cool and funky pumps).

Or, with a more conservative judge, I will wear a button-down, blue-ish gray top, or a thin, light blue cashmere sweater, tucked into my gray, pin-stripe pencil skirt with matching jacket. With that skirt, I like to wear a pair of round-toed, high-heeled Mary Janes in black. I think it makes the outfit look chicer.

I'm not one for jewelry, but I will usually wear a scarf with the outfit until I get to Court. then I'm so nervous, I get hot and have to take it off.

17 years ago

Jenniferblue

Active Member

Angie, Eva, Christie and Shiny, Thank you for getting into the suit topic with me. I'm learning loads and like the idea of a shorter, fitted suit jacket with pants. So I'm getting the fit part of this; now onto the style part. Quite often I have to do desk to dinner evenings with other men and women in a very conservative environment. Believe me, I'm not flashy, but sometimes like to be edgy in style althought the Speigel survey said "Understated Elegance". I need to keep myself from being too stylish and standing out. Think conservative New England. I don't want to look dowdy but I can't be too funky, although that sounds like more fun to me!! How would you handle this: match shoes to suit, type of bag, suggestions for jewelry.

17 years ago

Jenniferblue

Active Member

Angie, Where did you find your Edwardian collared chiffon blouse that you wear with your black baby pinstripe pants suit? Is it vintage? What an inspired combination with a pinstripe suit. Please share???

17 years ago

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