Suit Up for Fall
By Anna Wallner and Kristina Matistic
The summer is over and it's time to get serious about work. So you might as well look the part! Many of us need at least a couple of good business suits—whether it's for work or for more formal social functions. And while this is definitely not the time of year to get a deal (shop at the end of season for sales), now is the time to find the best selection. Keep the following shopping tips in mind, and you'll definitely impress the boss:
- Fabric is your most important consideration. We prefer a wool-microfiber blend. It will hold its shape, resist creasing and last a long time.
- Fit is obviously also important. Most suits can be altered no more than one or two sizes, and a jacket that doesn't fit in the shoulders usually can't be fixed at all.
- Good-quality suits have a third layer of fabric inserted in the lapel, which allows the lapel to roll smoothly as well as lie flat.
- Lining helps clothing hang well, but it shouldn't be sewn down anywhere except in the perimeter (at the hem and the bottom of the sleeves) and at the armholes.
- Puckering in the shoulders cannot be ironed out! Make sure the seams sit straight and smooth across the shoulders.
- If you're considering a patterned suit, make sure the pattern matches up at the seams.
- Cuffed pants create a more formal look, while uncuffed pants create the illusion of longer legs.
- In women's suits, go for a single-breasted straight or A-line jacket if you want to downplay your hips. And make sure it's not too short (cropped jackets are best for the petite or slim among us), as that will only accentuate the hips.
- Look for skirts (or have them altered) with a hemline that skims one of the three areas of your legs that curve in: right above the knee, right below the knee or right below the widest part of your calf. This will give the most slimming look.
(Anna Wallner and Kristina Matistic host The Shopping Bags. Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.)
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