How to buy a woman's business suit (just a reminder to myself)
Instructions:
1) Select a suit colour and pattern. Black, navy and grey are classic tones. If you opt for a patterned suit, check that the patterns line up at the seams of the shoulders and lapels.
2) Choose a suit fabric. High-quality worsted wool is seasonally versatile; avoid blends with too much polyester
3) Crumble the fabric to see if it bounces back instead of remaining wrinkled
4) Pick a jacket style. Single-breasted suit is classic
5) Determine preferred jacket length. Pockets can be besom (slit), flap or patch. Besom pockets are formal while patch pockets provide a casual look
6) Decide between a skirt and pants or both. Skirt styles - A-line / straight. Knee-length.
7) Select pants style. Pleats make pants dressy and provide room to move around. Flat-front pants are slimming. Cuffed legs are formal and add weight to the suit. Uncuffed pants elongate the leg
8) Test for jacket fit. Make sure the collar lies flat against the back of your neck. Shoulders should be lightly padded and neither too boxy nor sloped. Sleeves should reveal 1/4 to 1/2 inch of dress cuff or fall 5 inches above tip of thumb. Shoulders of suit should be 1 inch (2.5cm) winder than shoulder bone.
9)Make sure the skirt or pants fit. You should be able to slide 2 fingers under the waistline and pull about 1 inch excess fabric at the hip. Skirts should fall straight. Back not side zippers help a skirt to fall more smoothly. Pay attention to the crotch area for pants, making sure it lies perfectly flat against your body.
10) Don't forget to check for suit quality. Well-made suits have full linings, neatly finished hems and hand-sewn button holes (identifiable by their irregular stitching). Look also for even buttons, flat zippers, buttons and fasterners, hems hanging straight and pockets which do not gap.
11) Consider your body shape and the silhouette you would like to achieve with the suit. Women with straight angular bodies might prefer suits with straight lines. Search for longer jackets that have sharp lapels and are not too cinched at the waist. Women with curvy bodies should wear suits with rounded lines: a fitted waist, shorter jacket, curved lapel and skirt with rounded bottom.