For busy working women, the suit is often the easiest outfit to throw on in the morning. In general, this feature is not about interview suits for women, which should be as classic and basic as you get — instead, this feature is about the slightly different suit that is fashionable, yet professional.

Maybe I’m crazy, but I don’t think I’ve seen the “Shinna” blazer from Theory before. Theory suits in general are great (this one is wool and lined), but on the Shinna blazer I like the slightly wide vents at back and the topstitched darts on the front. The jacket (Theory Shinna Blazer) is $395, and the skirt (Theory Tenida Skirt) is $200. (Oh, and I can’t let those shoes go without mention — I know Acne is a hot brand right now, but: yuck. Not my cup of tea at all.)

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For busy working women, the suit is often the easiest outfit to throw on in the morning. In general, this feature is not about interview suits for women, which should be as classic and basic as you get — instead, this feature is about the slightly different suit that is fashionable, yet professional.

Jones New York is having some good sales on suits — 60% off original prices. I like this mini houndstooth suit from them — it’s a great basic (even for an interview), and there are a lot of sizes left at good prices. The jacket (Jones New York Mini Houndstooth Jacket) was $199, but comes to $79 when you add it to your cart; the skirt (Jones New York Mini Houndstooth Skirt) was $119, but comes to $47; the pants (Jones New York Mini Houndstooth Pant) were $129 but come to $51. (Incidentally, it’s hard to find matching suiting pieces, but there are some crazy good sales at Anne Klein and The Limited today — I’ll try to do a post with my top picks.)

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For busy working women, the suit is often the easiest outfit to throw on in the morning. In general, this feature is not about interview suits for women, which should be as classic and basic as you get — instead, this feature is about the slightly different suit that is fashionable, yet professional.

Yawn: there are not a lot of interesting suits out there right now! I’m liking the new superfine cotton collection from J.Crew, though, and not just because some of the pieces come in a brilliant “byzantine blue.” The fit looks solid, and I’m intrigued by their description of the cotton, which is “siro spun to give it a hint of stretch, [a treatment] only the best suiting fabrics in Japan get”). In-ter-est-ing. The jacket (1035 jacket in superfine cotton) is $178, the trouser (1035 trouser in superfine cotton) is $118, the skirt (Pencil skirt in superfine cotton) is $98, and the dress (Marielle dress in superfine cotton) is $178 (regulars and petites).

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For busy working women, the suit is often the easiest outfit to throw on in the morning. In general, this feature is not about interview suits for women, which should be as classic and basic as you get — instead, this feature is about the slightly different suit that is fashionable, yet professional.

Zowsa: gorgeous suit from Escada. Love the leather accents on the collar, cuffs, pockets, and skirt — and the black tweed almost looks like it’s lit from within. Gorgeous, gorgeous. This was $798, but is now marked to $425 at Yoox (limited sizes only, alas). Escada Women’s Suit

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For busy working women, the suit is often the easiest outfit to throw on in the morning. In general, this feature is not about interview suits for women, which should be as classic and basic as you get — instead, this feature is about the slightly different suit that is fashionable, yet professional.

OK: let’s ignore the model, who perhaps had a Big Gulp before they started the shoot. Or something. Anyway: I like this suit. It’s just a leeetle bit different — the slight flounce to the jacket, the wide cuffs on the blazer, and the lovely texture to the tweed. It’s $395 at Neiman Marcus. Albert Nipon Tweed Suit

For busy working women, the suit is often the easiest outfit to throw on in the morning. In general, this feature is not about interview suits for women, which should be as classic and basic as you get — instead, this feature is about the slightly different suit that is fashionable, yet professional.

I am loving this suit in “rouge noir” from BOSS Black. It strikes me as a really unusual color — a bit of a purpley brown — but one that isn’t so wild and wacky that you can’t wear it to important meetings. I wish the jacket’s front pockets were functional, but so it goes. The jacket (BOSS Black Two Button Jacket) is $595, the skirt (BOSS Black Pencil Skirt) is $275, and the pants (BOSS Black ‘Tirana’ Trousers) are $325, all available at Nordstrom.

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For busy working women, the suit is often the easiest outfit to throw on in the morning. In general, this feature is not about interview suits for women, which should be as classic and basic as you get — instead, this feature is about the slightly different suit that is fashionable, yet professional.

All right, ladies, here’s the news:  suits with cropped pants are everywhere.  They’re high, they’re low, they’re avant garde, they’re basic. I have historically been opposed to cropped pants of any kind for a professional look — but maybe tides have turned.  Take, for instance, this gorgeous specimen from Theory.  I love the way the tweed has such a strong pattern, as well as how the pants have a skinny leg that just ever-so-slightly grazes the ankle.  I must say, Saks is the only place I’ve seen this kind of suit styled with heels (and platforms, no less) — personally I prefer the look with flats for more of a gamine, Audrey Hepburn-in-a-suit feel.  For this suit, the jacket (Theory Valea Tweed Blazer) is $445, and the pants (Theory Frayne Tweed Dress Pants) are $295.

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For busy working women, the suit is often the easiest outfit to throw on in the morning. In general, this feature is not about interview suits for women, which should be as classic and basic as you get — instead, this feature is about the slightly different suit that is fashionable, yet professional.

Call me crazy, but I’m loving the pocket situation with this suit.  The two double-flap pockets look a little sharp, a little … dangerous perhaps (or maybe that’s the model’s stance). The fact that it’s a seasonless stretch wool also sounds lovely.  The jacket (BOSS Black ‘Juicyra’ Tropical Wool Jacket) is $595; the pants (BOSS Black ‘Tulia’ Tropial Wool Pants) are $250.  A matching skirt (not pictured: BOSS Black ‘Veronice’ Tropical Wool Skirt) is also $250, all at Nordstrom.

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Reader K asks about the merits of cheap suits for women…

I’m in the process of changing from a career where pajamas are appropriate work attire to something more “professional” and need all the help I can get. I have been shopping for an interview suit (my first ever and I am almost 40!) and am not sure how to weigh quality vs cost. My clothes budget has been limited to a few t-shirts, a pair of jeans, and maybe a sweater per year so I am unaccustomed to spending a significant amount of money on clothes. I have been browsing at discount stores like Ross, Marshalls, and Kohls to try and find my interview suit for under $100. However, the more I read your blog the more I am wondering if I should suck it up and spend $200-300 on a suit that is wool from a store like Ann Taylor or Banana Republic. Aside from the fact that a well made wool suit will last longer than a synthetic Calvin Klein suit from Ross, do you think there is a significant visual difference? I figure that if my cheap suit works for the interview I can always invest in quality clothes once I have a job that pays more. However, the last thing I want is for the interviewer to think “damn, that’s a cheap suit!”. Any advice?

Great, great question, and I think we should expand the discussion to the differences between LOTS of different price ranges. (The pictured suit is actually not a cheap one, but rather an expensive one — I’ve just been looking for an excuse to share it with you guys without recommending it.  Tee hee.) Here’s my take:

- Under $100. There are lots of suits to be found for under $100, but in general these are going to be sold as a single “suit” — one price for both the jacket and bottoms, whether you’re getting pants or a skirt. While the skirts can sometimes look OK when worn as a separate, the pants almost never do (at least, that’s my experience). Furthermore, because these suits are so inexpensive, the fabric they’re made of is often difficult to work with and may wrinkle easily, hold smells more easily, and start to get a bit shiny when you dryclean them. Bottom line: These suits are great for when you want to bolster a professional wardrobe — particularly if you have to wear suits 5 times a week — but for my money, I would not purchase this kind of suit for an interview/wardrobe basic.

- Under $200. There are suit separates to be had for under $200, particularly at mall stores (think The Limited, Express, or LOFT), as well as at department stores (Macy’s in particular has a number of “Every Day Value” separates from AK Anne Klein, Ellen Tracy, and Calvin Klein). These will be in basic, solid colors, you can get both pants and skirts (and maybe even multiple jackets) to match, in separate sizes (perfect if you need an 8 on top and a 6 in the bottom). The fabric will not be the best (see above), but in terms of bang for your buck, you’re going to get a lot more wear out of these pieces as a wardrobe staple as WELL as an interview suit. Furthermore, if you have to interview twice, you can wear the skirt once and the pants the next time, instead of wearing the same suit. You can also get a better suit that’s sold as a single unit for around $150 or so — I’ve had good luck with Tahari suits off the rack at Macy’s. Bottom line: If you’re working on a very limited budget, these suits are going to be a better use of your money, give you more wardrobe flexibility, and generally look better than the $100-and-under category.

- $200-$500. This is where your ability to watch sales is going to come into play, because it’s pretty common to see a $500 suit go on sale for under $250 if you know what you’re buying. This price range puts you into the better mall stores — Ann Taylor, J.Crew, Banana Republic — and you’ll start to see better fabrics here, such as natural fibers (look for wool you can wear year-round) as well as suiting separates. These suits are going to wear better, fit better, and be easier to wear as separates than any of the cheaper categories.

- $500-$1000.  The fabrics just keep getting better as you get into the range of Theory, Elie Tahari, Nanette Lepore, Rebecca Taylor, Hugo Boss, and more.  In addition to seeing some great basics (Theory suits are, of course, a perennial favorite), there are some more interesting, lovely suits (as we frequently discover in our Suit of the Week feature).

- $1K+.  I’m sure there are differences in the fabrics and fit for this price range, but let’s just say it:  if you buy a suit in this price range it’s pretty much a) to cross something off your Fashion Bucket List, or b) because you’re so rich the price just does not matter.  (Neither of those are bad reasons!)

Ladies, what differences do you see in different price ranges for suits?  How much does YOUR average suit cost (both in terms of sticker price and in terms of what you’ll actually pay, after any discounts)?

For busy working women, the suit is often the easiest outfit to throw on in the morning. In general, this feature is not about interview suits for women, which should be as classic and basic as you get — instead, this feature is about the slightly different suit that is fashionable, yet professional.

I’m liking this simple gray tweed suit from Talbots’ today.  I like the ruffled back on the jacket, the full lining on the pants, and the fun black and white pattern.  The jacket (Talbots Grace Fit Donegal Tweed ruffle-back jacket) is $199, and the pants (Signature Fit Donegal Tweed wide-leg pants) are $119 (both online only).  A matching skirt (not pictured: Donegal Tweed ruffle-back pencil skirt) is also available, online only for $119.  The jacket and pants are available in regular, petites, woman, and woman petite’s sizes; the skirt is regular and petites only.

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