suit and woven shirt question

Alecia

I wore the following outfit yesterday: http://i508.photobucket.com/al.....tucked.jpg

You'll note the tucked in shirt, which is a woven. I felt uncomfortable untucking the shirt to achieve the preferred longer line for pants because I think that untucked, button-up wovens under suits can look sloppy. But I tried it in a picture to show you: http://i508.photobucket.com/al.....tucked.jpg

Am I woefully antiquated in my thinking about the need to tuck wovens or should I just avoid wovens for wear with suits? Is there a particular hem that works better than others for untucking? Or is there something I'm missing all together? This is something I'm pondering a bit because I need to get some more shirts to wear under suits, especially shirts to wear with pants. So I'm trying to get it sorted out before heading out.

Thanks, ladies!

16 years ago

Dressing

10 replies

Latest reply was from Kristen

Anonymous

As an old fogey, I can understand the need to tuck, but I like the outfit better untucked. I'll always hear my Mom's voice saying, "Tuck in your shirt" and have compromised with wearing the shirts out but belting them, usually with a narrow belt.
You want a shirt that is as fitted as possible without being tight. I like vertical tucking at the waist if I can find it. I also prefer the shirttail hem to a straight hem. It seems to create curves without widening the hip line, if that makes sense.
All my woven shirts are basically a collared buttondown, so your bow front blouse is a different style. Still, you might try it with a belt or button the waist button(s) of your jacket over it.

16 years ago

Anonymous

I like the looks of the outfit with the shirt untucked.
I have no clue what would be a proper way to wear a shirt with a suit.

16 years ago

bella

(website)

Veteran

I have the exact same question in mind Alecia and I wonder what the others think. I think this outfit looks ok untucked because the shirt has really interesting details that draw your eye up. How about when you wear a plain button-down? What to do then?
I am at a loss, I would like to hear what others think and see some examples.

16 years ago

shiny

Veteran

Alecia, it looks so much better untucked. I think the main reason is the pants have a high rise. If the pants had more of a mid-rise, tucking might work better. But because of the high rise, with the shirt tucked in, you look extremely short-waisted and I'm afraid to say it... (I hope you will take my next words as constructive criticism!) ... kinda... poochy. And we know you are not!

Is it that you worry about a lack of waist when left untucked? If that's the case, try San's suggestion of belting, or find mid-rise pants and tuck, or choose a jacket that nips in more at the waist, or have some darts taken in on the shirt to make it more form-fitting in the waist, or look for shirts that are already cut that way.

That said, I bet that this blouse would look amazing tucked into a pencil skirt. Ooh... and with a vest over top!

16 years ago

shell

Active Member

love the blouse, alecia! i agree that it looks better untucked with these particular pants. however, if you button the blazer or wear it with a pencil skirt, tucking would be the way to go!

16 years ago

marianne

Active Member

Like Bella, I want to know the correct answer and general guidelines. To me it looks fine both ways, sorry Beautiful blouse!

16 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

What a coincidence. I was having this exact discussion with a client this morning.

This particular bouse tucked into these pants is not so fab, Alecia. Put a skinny belt around the un-tucked blouse ensemble and wear your jacket over that. That will make you feel more put together. Let’s see it!

16 years ago

Alecia

Veteran

Oh, thank you all for your feedback. It's a vexing question for me. Shiny, the issue I have over tucking is not about lacking a waist but more the professional appropriateness of having an untucked woven shirt. (And, don't worry one bit about your comments. I post to hear the truth!) I don't feel this is an issue with knits. Perhaps it's because my male counterparts couldn't get away with an untucked shirt, but then again they also don't have the dress option...

I have belted a woven under a suit before. Do you think that it would be too busy with the tie front blouse to also belt?

I do think that the cut of the pant is contributing to the issue in the pictures from yesterday. I tucked again today. I think this one looks better and I think it may be the pants. What do you think? http://i508.photobucket.com/al.....ucking.jpg

In all honesty, I don't particularly like the navy suit (the one with the tie front). The cut isn't particularly flattering but I can't get rid of it yet because I need to be able to replace it. I much prefer the cut of the black suit (the one with the striped shirt). I think it's much more flattering.

Here are my take aways. When I shop for tops to wear for work, I think for the time being I will focus on knits which will avoid the problem all together. But I will keep in mind that some of my suits work better for tucking than others. High waisted pants = no tucking. They should be paired with a knit or a belted woven shirt.

16 years ago

shana

Veteran

Alecia, I'm going to be the odd man out and say that I don't particularly like that shirt untucked. I see that it looks a little off tucked in - I agree that the rise of the pants probably makes all the difference. I'm not sure how conservative your office is (you're a lawyer, right?) but I think the untucked look is probably harder for people in conservative professions. You might be able to get away with belting it but it might make it look a little fussy with the bow. I like your plan of sticking with knits untucked for your higher rise pants and tucking in for your lower waist pants. I think if you are going to wear a woven shirt untucked, you need one that is very fitted, with a curved hem that is according to Angie's guidelines for top length.

I was at a meeting earlier this year where everyone was dressed very conservatively and one of the executives was in a suit with the shirt untucked. In her case, the shirt was a little long - hitting right at the crotch and it wasn't exactly fitted and honestly, she looked a little sloppy & unprofessional to me. I actually thought that she was pregnant and maybe hiding a little belly but it wasn't the case.

16 years ago

Kristen

(website)

Veteran

I think in this case it's the blouse itself and not the rules about tucking/untucking. Because the second striped blouse looks perfect tucked in, in my old-fogey opinion. But the first blouse is much more voluminous and the bow is so big, tucking looks inappropriate -- and as others mentioned, untucked looks a little big too. The belt trick might work here, but I think that blouse itself might be better with separates than a suit in the first place.

16 years ago

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