When you have a few women's suits in your closet, you'll have some of the easiest, most versatile and most impressive items of women's clothing available. If you're not sure how to buy women's suits that will add so much to your wardrobe, then this women's suit buying guide is for you. With the help of this buying guide, you'll be able to choose the perfect suits for every occasion -- suits that are flattering on you and fit your style.
The shapes, fabrics and colors of different women's suits make them appropriate for different situations. Here's how to know if you're buying the right suits for the places you want to wear them:
The office
Women's business suits will let your coworkers 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 women's suits for work, choose suits in lightweight wool or a cotton blend so you can wear it throughout the year. Be sure to have a skirt suit in your closet for important meetings or for interviews. Then you can add women's pant suits to your wardrobe.
Evening out
For a dinner out, a concert or cocktails, you'll want to be more dressed up. You can dress up your work suit with a few accessory changes, or you can 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 suit in a neutral. Depending on the event, you may want to consider a dress suit.
Special events
A wedding or other party is the perfect opportunity to wear a really special suit. A tuxedo-style women's suit is a stylish choice, or you can choose a women's suit 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 wear
A casual women's suit is the perfect way to let it all hang out while still looking stylish. A weekend suit in a casual fabric, like corduroy or denim, gives you the chance to flatter your figure without looking overdressed. Casual shapes work well for weekend suits, like A-line skirts and cropped pants.
Finding women's suits with flattering fits is simple when you watch out for these key details:
The 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.
The 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: Skirts and 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; a women's suit is one of the best ways to achieve this with the matching pieces. However, a pattern on one piece can draw the eye to features you want to emphasize.
The shirts you wear under your women's suits can change them from day to night, from weekday to weekend and from serious to sexy.
Casual: For weekends and casual evenings, tee 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 women's suit 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 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.
Most suits are made of fabrics that need to be dry cleaned, but that doesn't mean you should dry clean your suits every time you wear them; every five or six times should be enough. The chemicals used in dry cleaning can cause wear, and you don't want to prematurely wear out your suits. Always have the top and bottom of your suits dry cleaned at the same time, and they'll wear at the same rate.
If your suits need a little refreshing between dry cleaning, have your cleaner steam them. 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.
Having a perfectly tailored women's suit is as essential to looking put-together as it is with men's suits. Women's suits don't have a strict set of rules like men's suits, but you'll still want to make sure that your suit fits your shape and size. You'll need to check with your tailor on specific suit styles, but, in general, you can have a tailor:
Alter the length and waist of skirts or pants
Add a lining to pants or replace the lining in a jacket
Shorten the rise in pants (and possibly lengthen it, depending on the amount of fabric)
Remove pleats from pants or skirts
Sew slit pockets closed to remove bulk in jackets, pants and skirts
Shorten a jacket's overall length
Shorten or lengthen jacket sleeves
Reshape jacket lapels
Make the jacket armholes bigger
Close the vents on the back or sides of jackets
Be sure to get a quote from your tailor before starting any of these alterations--some can be quite expensive. In general, you'll want to shop for a suit that you like the style of and just have adjustments made to the size where you need them. With all of the women's suits here on Overstock.com, there should be a few that you will love exactly as they are.
When I wear a collared shirt with my suit, should my collar be in or out?
There's actually no right or wrong way. You can tuck the collar of your blouse inside your suit for a chic look or let the shirt collar rest on your suit's collar for a sporty look. Try both ways in front of a mirror and choose which one you feel flatters your face the most. Just make sure you commit to one or the other; a collar that's halfway in and halfway out will look disheveled.
Can I match separates to make a suit?
Shopping for suit separates can be the perfect way to create the suit that's just right for you. If you have trouble finding a suit that fits on the top and the bottom, you can buy suit separates in two different sizes. If the suit separates are from the same brand, you can choose a matching skirt or pants and jacket. Or you can create a suit with coordinating styles, like a black-and-white hounds-tooth jacket with a black pencil skirt.
Can I separate the matching suit pieces?
Of course. You'll get a lot more mileage out of your suit when you split apart the top and bottom. You can even separate your suit to go from day to evening, or you can let it be the basis of a mini-wardrobe when you go on a business trip. Wear the suit together on Monday, the skirt with a different blouse on Tuesday and the jacket with different pants on Wednesday. Just remember to have the jacket and bottoms dry cleaned at the same time so the pieces will wear at the same.
Shirts with your suits
Now that you've figured out how to choose the perfect suits, you can shop for women's shirts to layer with them. Look for blouses to wear with your suits to the office and camisoles to wear to an event. You'll find shirts to wear with all of your new women's suits here in the clothing store on Overstock.com.
Style from head to toe
You have so many footwear choices when it comes to finishing off your suit outfits. Pumps or boots for the office, sandals and flats for the weekends: it's easy to find the perfect women's shoes to wear with your suits when you're online shopping on Overstock.com. We have all of the shoes you'll want to wear at low, discount prices.
Accessorize your suits
Jewelry and fashion accessories are the finishing touches to any outfit, and your suits need accessories as well. Accent yours with a beautiful silk scarf tied around your neck. Add a brooch to the lapel of your women's suit. Wear a beautiful necklace with your dress suit. When you buy your jewelry and accessories here on Overstock.com, you can have it shipped with your suits and save even more with our flat shipping rate. Overstock.com makes it easy to step out in style -- without spending a lot of money.
