Ladies- where are you suit shopping?

[Jaimalia82]

I used to love casual corner, and own about 5 suits from there, but after about 6 mos. to a year, all those suits started to come apart.  The fabric literally started shedding.  Hopefully you'll have better luck with them than I did!

Oh No!  Well, they should get me through the first year of school without a problem, and then I'll have to get some more before I start working.  Thanks for the warning though!

[sandycane]

I got my best interview suit from jcrew.com - it was about $300, but it's a really nice wool suit.  I like the style of the tahari suits, but they are not the best quality.

[ruskiegirl]

i got a gray skirt suit from  banana republic, but it will need a lot of tailoring.  the top is a 0 but fits like it's really a 6.  i wish they would stop flattering women and make the clothing the size it actually says on the tag.  that way i wouldn't have to tailor every darn thing i get!

[rapunzel]

It would be great if clothes came labled with actual measurments.  But then we would all have to admit our actual measurements.  Which would be less than great.

[ruskiegirl]

It would be great if clothes came labled with actual measurments.  But then we would all have to admit our actual measurements.  Which would be less than great.

that would be fabulous.  i don't have a problem with my measurements, so i would be happy.  those who do, however, would be more inclined to go to the gym and do something about it than if they continue to take their size 6 ass to banana republic and buy clothes labeled 0.

[cburkedavis]

Just my opinion, but I don't think there's anything wrong and/or fat about a girl who's a size six.  I do agree, though, that Banana Republic has great suits.

Colleen

[tingirl]

I agree with Colleen there's nothing remotely fat about a size 6. I would hope the person who would run to a gym after fitting a size 6 would also be 4 feet tall. But if that's the case, the free tailoring at Banana Republic would certainly come in handy.
As for me, I fit wonderfully in my size 12 Anne Klein pantsuit I got from Loehmann's online. I just need the hem of the pants raised, and maybe the shoulder pads taken out. Thank god, I was worried it would look horrible- that's the danger of internet shopping. I think this suit may last me awhile, it's really simple so I don't see it becoming dated.

[ruskiegirl]

I didn't say there was anything wrong with being a six -- just that people who are size 6 should wear size 6 clothes.  Banana Republic is purposely cutting things large so that people who are actually a 6 can wear a BR 2 or a 0.  Where does that leave those of us who are *actually* a 0?

[Janna116]

I have suits from Sears, Hechts, Ann Taylor Loft and Petite Sophisticate(which is the petite part of Casual Corner.)  Now I am trying to remember.  The cheapest suit I bought was a seperates skirt suit from Hechts, around 50 dollars.  The suits from Sears were around 80 and the Petite Sophisticate were around 150.  Ann Taylor was most expensive but in my opinion, nicest at around 240. 

All the suits are petite, I am only 5'2" and all are seperates because I am a different sized top from bottom.  Petite Sophisticate/ Casual Corner has gold/silver collections in which you can mix and match pants, skirts and jackets and Ann Taylor carries their dyelot over each year, which you can check on the tag and this allows you to mix peices as styles change without having to keep rebuying a whole new wardrobe. 

As far as colors, I would definitely have a navy or black suit for interviews, also I was told that you should wear a skirt to interviews and even court as that is considered formal and a pantsuit on women is more casual.  I know, how archaic, but you don't want to make a bad impression because the interviewer didn't think you were serious because his firm considers pansuits on women casual and he took your pantsuit to mean you thought the interview was casual.  Thinking about things like this are enough to drive you crazy.  Also, depending on the market you want to work in, you may have to say goodbye to color and by color I mean anything not black, navy or gray, including colored stripes.  Bottom line, the law is a conservative profession (for the most part) and if you are only going to buy one suit buy a dark suit rather than the tan one with the blue stripes on sale.  Sounds awful but Ann Taylor had a really pretty, fit like a glove tan suit with white and blue stripes on sale last summer and I almost bought it, but at that time I was thinking that I was only going to buy one suit.  It was pretty but I was warned by a woman, who happended to be in the dressing room, whose daughter was a lawyer that that suit was for casual Friday only.

Jen

[tingirl]

Scariest part of Jen's post? "A suit for casual friday only". It's the truth, I know, but what kind of profession are we entering that an Ann Taylor suit is for casual day?
Jen's right though, I think us girls have to be really careful that our clothing doesn't give people permission to not take us seriously.