The Best Women’s Suits of 2024: Affordable, Designer, and Everything In Between
12/3/2024: Some of the best sales on suiting are continued, including reader favorite suiting from Ann Taylor and J.Crew.
Which are the best women's suits of 2024, whether for a stylish interview outfit, a power suit, or some other major career event? (Or, hey: a simple, chic suit often makes a great work outfit all by itself!)
We've recently updated The Corporette Guide to Interview Suits, but we haven't talked about the best women's suits in ages, so I thought we'd do a roundup.
(See the table of contents below for links to things like our guide to plus size suits, where to find petite suits, the best tall suits for women, and more!)
Readers, what do you think are the best women's suits of 2024? What do you consider to be your “power suit”? What are you looking for in a suit right now? Where would you shop first if you were on the hunt for an interview suit?
Table of Contents
- General Tips for Women's Suits
- Our Favorite Affordable Suits for Women in 2024
- Our Favorite Mid-Range Suits for Women in 2024
- Our Favorite Investment Suits for Women in 2024
- Our Favorite Designer Suits for Women in 2024
Related Posts on Women's Suits
- How to Wear Suits: A Guide for Newbies
- Plus-Size Suits for Interviews
- The Best Suits for Tall Women
- Where to Find Stylish Petite Suits for Women
- Where to Find Suits with Dresses Instead of Skirts
- Where to Find Interview Suits if You're Pregnant
- The Best Washable Suits for Women
- The Best Travel-Friendly Suits for Women
- The Best Eco-Friendly Suits for Women
- Tips to Look Stylish in Women's Pants Suits
More Posts on Suit-Adjacent Topics
- The Best Tops to Wear Under Suit Jackets
- The Best Coats to Wear Over a Suit in Winter
- Courtroom Attire for Women Lawyers
- The Corporette Guide to Comfortable Heels
- What to Look For in Interview Flats
- The Best Work Totes for Women That Look Great with Suits
- C-Suite Style for Women: How to Upgrade Your Work Wardrobe After a Promotion
Related Posts on Interviews
- The Best Interview Attire for Different Types of Jobs
- Our Best Tips on Interview Makeup
- How to Style Long Hair for Interviews
- Dealing With Anxiety (Post-Interview Or Otherwise)
- What to Wear for Informational Interviews
- Our Best On-Campus Interview Tips and Resources
- All Our Tips for Summer Associates (and other interns at Very Conservative offices!)
General Tips on Suits for Women
First, some general tips on what to look for in a great suit:
Confidence is the key to interview attire and power dressing.
The goal of any interview suit or other suit like this is to let your brain do the talking and let your fashion sense take a back seat — so if you feel best in a pants suit, or flats, go for that.
You don't want to be that “baby giraffe” trying to walk in uncomfortable heels that are too high for you and sitting awkwardly in your interview fussing with your jacket.
Really: whatever makes you feel like a polished professional is what's going to make you the most confident.
So take the rest of these tips with a grain of salt, BUT for my $.02, here are some shopping, styling, and budget tips:
Skirt Suits Fit Better Off the Rack.
If you're hunting for a budget-friendly interview suit: go for a black skirt suit rather than a pants suit, because pants fit is by far the hardest thing to get right.
In my experience, a $60 skirt suit looks OK but a $60 pants suit makes you look like you come from Planet Frump.
Furthermore, the skirt suit will go farther — you can wear the pencil skirt as a basic bottom in your wardrobe (but always dry clean all pieces of a suit together!), plus if you have a “dressed up” occasion, a skirt suit is always going to be the more formal option.
Another pro for a simple pencil skirt: you completely avoid the issue of what length/type pants to get, which is great because it really does feel like we're in a period of flux.
(For a while all you could find were ankle pants, even though they were too trendy to wear to most conservative workplaces — but now in 2024, flared pants, bootcut trousers, and wide legs are coming back, but there are still a bunch of ankle pants. Everything is in, but it also feels like it might all be outdated pretty soon.)
Other trends I've seen with suits: jumpsuits! culottes! short suits!
You want 1) a pencil skirt + hip length jacket or 2) a fitted sheath dress + hip length jacket — these combos have been in for years and probably will be for years to come. (We have a whole post on where to look for suits with dresses instead of skirts if you prefer #2!)
(Also: here's our guide to pantyhose or sheer tights, which yes, if you want to be “safe,” you should probably wear for any interview if you're junior, particularly in more conservative areas — but go back to our first point on confidence/comfort and factor that in. This is a nice affordable sheer tight.)
Hunt for seasonless, all-season fabrics for your suits.
If you're shopping online, look for words such as: seasonless wool, stretch wool, tropical wool, gabardine, triacetate.
Avoid words like sateen, shimmer, linen. Crepe can be really tricky — sometimes it means a polyester drapey blend for suiting and sometimes it means a bridesmaid's dress/MOB type thing.
As of 2024, some of our favorite seasonless suiting includes Ann Taylor and J.Crew on the affordable side, and Theory (Good Wool), Brooks Brothers, M.M.LaFleur and Argent on the more expensive side. (Talbots used to carry it also, so keep an eye out at resale sites!) See our roundup of the best women's suits of 2024 here!
More Bust? More Buttons.
If you're busty, the traditional wisdom here is that you want more buttons on your blazer, not fewer. I'm plenty busty and have had some favorite one-button jackets over the years, though, so your mileage may vary here.
Depending on trends you can sometimes find suits with as many as four or five buttons. Check out this post for more workwear style tips for busty women if this is you! Also, psst: readers love these bras.
A Few More Random Tips on Women's Suits
We actually have a post on how to wear suits if you're a newbie, including what to wear with them and how to accessorize them.
Treasure hunting for a suit (where you MAY or may not find something good): Nordstrom Rack, T.J. Maxx, Yoox, ASOS, OFF5TH, River Island, and Abercrombie & Fitch. Nordstrom brands Halogen and Open Edit sometimes have good deals on basic suits; Nordstrom also sells suits from Topshop.
(We particularly love Nordstrom because of their amazing return policy and free alterations on full price merchandise.)
Consider taking your suit to the tailor. Common suiting alterations include shortening sleeves, adjusting the waist, and hemming the bottoms. Note that the blazer (specifically the shoulder/arms) is the hardest to tailor, so focus on that fit when you're shopping.
Please don't forget to cut your Xs, always dry clean suiting pieces together, and — if you're wearing the suit somewhere Very Important like an interview, make sure you use the mirror trick.
For other tips on buying a basic interview suit (including considerations on colors, care, accessories, layering, and more), please check out The Corporette Guide to Interview Suits, as well as our recently updated guide to tops to wear under suits.
And, of course, complete you look with a walkable pair of comfortable heels, low heels, or flats. The walkable bit is important, especially if your interview may include a walk to a local restaurant for lunch.
My $.02: do not wear sandals with a suit. It just looks really weird to me, but perhaps I’m alone there. I would argue that if you’re at a dressy enough occasion to require a suit, sandals will always be inappropriate.
Hunting for comfortable work heels? We've got a whole guide just for that, but some of our favorites include Marc Fisher LTD, Sam Edelman, M.M.LaFleur, and Cole Haan. On the pricier side, check out Ferragamo, Stuart Weitzman, and Sarah Flint. For comfort-first styles, look to Vionic, Sofft, and Naturalizer.
We'll put a few handy pins at the bottom of this post for you with general prices for suiting alterations and general advice for what to wear on interviews. But first: on to our roundup of the best women's suits right now!
The Best Affordable Suits For Women in 2024
All of the suits in this tier are generally under $250 for two pieces. Note that the two big risks with a budget option will be frumpiness on one end — and “sexy secretary”/ formality problems on the other.
Try to look for a material that drapes well, doesn't wrinkle, isn't too seasonal (such as a cotton suit — a tropical wool or other seasonless fabric will go farther) — and be wary of trendy cuts like extremely oversized jackets, huge slits in your skirt, flared cropped pants, and more.
Some of our favorite budget-friendly interview suits for women include stores like Banana Republic Factory*†, J.Crew Factory*†, Mango*, and Express†, as well as widely available brands like Anne Klein Executive, Vince Camuto*, Calvin Klein*†, and Tahari ASL. For a vintage vibe, check Amazon seller Marycrafts*. (* = some plus sizes also, † = petites)
1.State – I think of 1.State as a trendy brand, but in addition to fun suits in of-the-moment colors and cuts, they do have the occasional basic black or gray suit — usually in plus sizes as well. You can find the brand at Nordstrom and other department stores.
& Other Stories – This British brand has a ton of great suits, although they tend to be on the trendier side in terms of cut — and you can even find some that are more eco-friendly through design choices like “responsible wool.” You can also find the brand at Nordstrom.
Abercrombie & Fitch – This brand has really expanded its workwear options in recent years, and they have a relatively extensive collection of women's suits in regular, petite, and tall. (If you want a cropped blazer, this should definitely be your first stop.)
Anne Klein (separates) – Nordstrom has a few Anne Klein suits; Macy's also carries them. They also have an exclusive line at Macy's called “Anne Klein Executive,” but note that those are full suit sets, not separates.
ASOS – ASOS (which now also owns Topshop) has a surprising number of suits, of all sizes, in their suiting section for women. They have plus sizes, tall sizes, petite sizes, and — super rare! — maternity interview suits. The inventory tends to sell extremely quickly, so if you see something in your size, go for it
Banana Republic Factory – Like J.Crew Factory, BR's outlet sector has a lot of good finds for work, particularly on the more affordable, classic side of things. Note that because these pieces may be produced just for the Factory Store it may mean that there are differences in fit and quality — so keep that in mind when ordering.
Calvin Klein (separates) – It's next to impossible to find a good link to one online, but Calvin Klein suiting separates are also sold at Macy's and are pretty reliable; here's a link to the classic two-button blazer. (Amazon also has a ton of them, many of them eligible for Prime Wardrobe.)
Chadwicks – I have no experience personally with these suits, but some of the blazers are under $20 (!) and the brand offers regular, petite, plus, and tall sizes — and they have suiting separates.
Halogen – Halogen is a Nordstrom brand that has made a lot of great business basics over the years — readers used to love a Halogen pencil skirt so much they called it The Skirt. They still make a bunch of fun suits (colors, cuts) as well as a few basic interview suits in regular, petite, and plus sizes.
H&M – This fast fashion brand has a lot of “fun” suits, but they do frequently have neutral basics. A nice bonus: you may be able to find an eco-friendly suit here in the H&M Conscious line.
Express – If you're a fan of their Editor/Columnist pants, do check out their matching blazers and other suiting options. As always with these brands, watch or fit — but note that Express has been stepping up their workwear game lately, so these may be a great option if you're looking for an interview suit on a budget.
Good American – This affordable brand from Khloe Kardashian is a great option, particularly if you're looking for really inclusive sizing: it's one of the few brands in this tier with suiting available up to size 4X.
J.Crew Factory – J.Crew's factory outlet is a great source for workwear, particularly affordable wool suiting separates — inventory comes and goes, but when it's in stock it's pretty great.
Jones New York – This brand seems to be back after basically disappearing for several years; you can now find basics for work including black suits at Nordstrom and other department stores — historically they were always a favorite of women with an apple shape.
Kasper (separates) and Tahari (separates) – Kasper and Tahari both used to specialize in full suit sets, but in recent years they've had a line of separates for sale, which is great for people who want, say, a petite-sized blazer but a regular-sized skirt. I haven't tried them on for quality or fit, though.
Kasper / Tahari / Le Suit (not sold as separates) – You can find huge deals on these brands at places like TJ Maxx, Kohl's, Macy's, and more — but it's very hard to break the pieces up and wear them as separates, at least in my experience.
If you need a skirt suit for under $100 all in, though, suiting sets from Kasper, Tahari, and Le Suit (ok, and Amazon seller Marycrafts) are the first places I'd look. Note that because these suits are sold as a set (rather than as separates) you usually have to pick a single size — if you're a 10 on top and 14 on the bottom, for example, this is not going to be the way you want to go.
In my experience these suits may trend towards the frumpy side, particularly as pantsuits — in a skirt suit the fit issues will be less noticeable. (You may also want to check out our guide to suiting alterations!)
Kohl's – It can be tricky to find matching separates online, and inventory tends to move quickly – but some of the brands could have great options for basic suits, including Nine West, Lauren Conrad, and Simply Simply Vera.
Lands' End – Particularly if you're looking for a washable wool blazer in a wider size range (such as tall, petite, plus or cusp sizes), Lands' End can be a great, affordable option.
Liverpool – Liverpool has some of our favorite comfortable pants for work, the Kelsey — and they often have matching blazers. If you get both pieces and intend to wear them as a suit, do you best to launder them together so they get worn at the same rate.
Loft – Sometimes you can get a basic dark suit here, although I'd be worried about wrinkling and trendiness/formality (compared to other options, like Tahari or Anne Klein). You may want to start your search by looking at their current blazer options.
Mango – Mango has really stepped up their office wear line recently, including a ton of basic suits and more; they even sometimes have plus sizes. You can also find it at Nordstrom.
Marycrafts – This Amazon seller has been a reader secret for years; they often have both pieces of a vintage-inspired suit for around $50. (We've rounded up all the reader favorites at Amazon.)
Nine West (separates) – I usually think of Nine West as selling “fun” suits in classic cuts (like bright pink ones) but from time to time they have neutral suits. If you see one on the rack in a color you like but are hesitant to try because you think Nine West only sells affordable shoes, think again…
NY & Co. – I'd be wary of the fabric and fit here, so it's hard to recommend them online — but if you have a store near you, these are some of the most budget-friendly suits you can get. They have a line called “all-season stretch” that would be the place I'd start.
Suitably – This brand appears to only make interview attire — their clothes are designed to be breathable and resist wrinkles. You can find them at Nordstrom.
Uniqlo – Their inventory changes frequently, but they usually do have basic blazers and pants, often machine washable and under $100 for both pieces.
Vince Camuto – This brand is carried at a lot of department stores like Nordstrom and Macy's, as well as at Amazon – their ponte pants and skirts are some of the reader favorites, and they often have matching blazers. The looks often come in plus sizes, as well.
White House | Black Market – They've expanded their suiting collection lately. Keep an eye out for their Comfort Stretch pants line which often has matching blazers. It's nice that they offer pants in curvy cuts as well as short, regular, and tall lengths; some of their petites go up to size 20.
Bonus Notes on Affordable Suiting for Women
Brands that regularly make “fun” suits that may occasionally have neutral suits include ASOS, Endless Rose, H&M, French Connection, Nine West, River Island, Target, Topshop (also at Nordstrom), Wayf, and Zara.
Some names that used to be big in this space, and might be worth keeping an eye out for if you're thrifting: The Limited and Ann Taylor Factory both made affordable suiting. (You can still find some Limited suiting at Belk. Also keep an eye out for Classiques Entier and Semantiks suits; those were Nordstrom house brands and reader favorites.)
The Best Mid-Range Suits For Women in 2024
These suits are reliably under $500 for two pieces — but they're going to be a bit higher quality than more affordable suiting options in the first tier.
As of 2024, some of our favorite mid-range suits for women (which sometimes have such frequent sales that they come down to the same range as our “budget” suits) include Ann Taylor, J.Crew, Talbots, Banana Republic, Brooks Brothers, and Antonio Melani. (Talbots and J.Crew usually have plus sizes, and the others offer petites.)
Ann Taylor – When we took a closer look at which Ann Taylor suiting line was best, there weren't a lot of wrong answers – many have pockets and are washable. For a basic suit, I'd probably look first at their long-running seasonless stretch suiting or Bi-Stretch line.
Watch for sales (historically they've had them early June), but note that it's hard to go wrong with Ann Taylor for your first major suit.
Antonio Melani – Dillards' line of workwear is a solid option if you like the styles or if you can find them in the store.
Banana Republic – I've really been liking a lot of BR suits lately, and it's great that they've got a ton of machine washable suits — that can be very difficult to find!
Boden – I normally think of Boden for fun suits, but they do have some more traditional options as well.
Brooks Brothers – Brooks Brothers' is a conservative basic, and they've occasionally had suiting especially intended to keep you cool in warm temperatures. This silk cashmere sweater has been a reader favorite for years, and layers nicely under suits.
Club Monaco – This brand is known for a minimal, clean aesthetic — they have basic suits as well as fun ones, all in neutral colors. Blazers start around $298.
COS – H&M's big sister brand does have a ton of suits and tailoring — they tend to be in a boxy, oversized fit with a bit of an artsy but minimal feel. You can also find the brand at Nordstrom.
Hobbs – This British brand is sold at Bloomingdale's and they have a few boutiques in the U.S. – they're one of the few brands that is reliably machine washable, often including their suits — and many of their suits are eco-friendly.
Everlane – Everlane does have matching suit separates, although they're a bit hard to find on the website. Their suits for women are definitely on the more laid-back side, so they may not be appropriate for occasions like interviews and presentations.
Favorite Daughter – This newish brand has a ton of workwear in very clean, simple lines — their wide trousers are particularly popular. Nordstrom and Anthropologie both carry it; blazers start around $328.
J.Crew – J.Crew has come back strong with a lot of great suiting options after a few years where they just focused on work dresses; readers particularly like their 4-season stretch suiting.
{related: what to buy for work at J.Crew}
Madewell – This is another brand that has really expanded their workwear options recently to include neutral suits. Like Everlane, though, note that the suits are generally drapey and have a relaxed vibe.
Nordstrom – Nordstrom has always had in-house brands that are dedicated to workwear… they've been called things like Classiques Entier and Semantiks in years past. As of 2024, their in-house brand is just called, well, Nordstrom. It's a bit boring, but you can find a lot of great basics if you know what you're looking for. I'd say the quality is a step up from Halogen (another Nordstrom house brand).
Talbots has been gaining in reader popularity over the years — note that if you're hard to fit, they often carry multiple suit separate options in regular sizes (often up to 18 or 20), tall, petite, plus sizes, and (holy grail of rareness here), plus size petites. They sometimes have a line of seasonless wool suiting.
Hunting for fun suits in this price range? Check out AllSaints (also at Nordstrom), Avec Les Filles, Reformation, and Sézane.
Investment Suits For Women in 2024
I also call this category “fancy affordable” — they're expensive, but generally worth it if you wear a suit a lot. For many women this is going to be the first “splurge” suit — two pieces will cost you more than $500, but less than $2000.
Some of our favorite “investment” suits for women include brands like Theory, Reiss, Hugo Boss, M.M.LaFleur, and Brooks Brothers — expect to pay north of $500 for both pieces.
Argent – This indie specializes in suits for women, especially classic cuts in fun colors.
Elie Tahari – This brand has a ton of sleek basics for work; their Judith top is one of our favorite sleeveless tops for wearing under suits. They have a lot of stores in malls but can be a bit tricky to find in department stores.
The Fold London – I mostly think of this brand for their gorgeous origami-like top, but they make a lot of neutral suiting and other tailored pieces, so if you're looking for something different (or happen to be in London), keep the brand in mind.
Hugo Boss – My admiration for this brand has only grown the more I've done this blog — everything they do is beautiful quality, extremely classic and stylish. They have stand alone stores, but you can also find the brand at Nordstrom and Bloomingdale's.
Lafayette 148 New York – If you've got curves or are in need of cusp sizes or plus sizes, take a look at Lafayette 148 New York — the quality is lovely but the cuts are much more forgiving. Their suiting pants are incredibly highly rated at Nordstrom, as well. You can sometimes find the brand on deep discount at Nordstrom, NordstromRack, or OFF5TH, and there are usually pieces included in the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale.
LK Bennett – This British brand has a ton of tweed suits and feminine suiting options, but they also carry neutrals — if your goal in your interview is to feel like a super confident Kate Middleton, this is where I'd go.
Ministry of Supply – This indie brand is all about easycare clothes that are usually machine washable, wrinkle resistant, and stretchy and comfortable. Blazers start around $378 for women.
Me & Em – This sustainable brand has a ton of gorgeous pieces, including basic women's suits. Blazers start around $495.
M.M.LaFleur – This brand nearly went in the above tier, but two pieces would be around $600, so technically it's in this one (although you may be able to find them used for less money). The independent maker of the reader-favorite jardigans has had a suiting section for a while; a lot of it is travel-friendly and even washable. Nordstrom and Zappos both occasionally carry the brand.
Reiss – This British brand is always droolworthy for me — they specialize in classic takes on modern styles and have a robust suiting section. Note that their fits can be a bit body conscious. Nordstrom and Bloomingdale's both carry the brand; also that the sale/outlet section on their site has some amazing deals.
Ted Baker – Another British brand that is fabulous if you want a slightly feminine take on workwear. Although they've gotten away from basic suits recently, you can still find them occasionally. They have a lot of mall stores, but you can also find the brand at Nordstrom.
Theory – The classic, particularly among BigLaw lawyers — but be warned, if you have curves you may have to size up here. Note that you can also find the brand at a lot of spots, including Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's, and Saks. They've become more eco-conscious in the past few years through their use of Good Wool.
Sportmax – This brand is hard to find online, but if you happen to see a store, do pop in — the fabrics and cuts are amazing, and a suit should run you less than $1000. (The brand is owned by the same company that owns Max Mara.) Nordstrom sometimes carries it.
Vince – This brand has a ton of lux basics in regular and plus sizes. Nordstrom and other department stores carry it.
Fun, trendy “investment” brands that might have a suitable interview suit: L'Agence, Alice + Olivia (also), AllSaints (also), Capsule 121, Commando (!), Rebecca Taylor, Tibi, Trina Turk – also keep an eye out at more traditional sites like Ralph Lauren.
Designer Suits for Women
Some of the usual suspects for basic designer suits include McQueen, Altuzarra, The Row (this and this), Akris, Michael Kors, and Veronica Beard. Recent favorites include:
All of these brands are classics for designer workwear — when you win the lottery (or, hey, make partner after a ton of hard work!), stop here first. (I'd also call this “C-suite style“!)
Brands in this tier who might have a classic, simple suit for the office: Alaïa, Altuzarra, Akris, Another Tomorrow, Armani, Veronica Beard, Victoria Beckham, Burberry, Chloé, Dolce & Gabbana, Joseph, Max Mara, Michael Kors, The Row, Saint Laurent, Scanlan Theodore, and St. John.
Keep an eye on designer stores for newer brands with designer suits, such as Farfetch, My Theresa, NET-A-PORTER (as well as sister site The Outnet) as well as the upscale department stores like Neiman Marcus and Saks.
Readers, what do you think are the best women's suits in 2024? Which are your favorite suiting brands for basic, classic interview suits? For those of you who've bought suits for women across the different price ranges, what differences have you noticed in quality? What pieces are the most worthy to stalk at sales and resale sites?
Stock image pictured at top: Deposit Photos / pressmaster.
I’m so here for the death of ankle pants.
Thanks, I’ll take yours.
And welcome!
I will be dead in my grave before I wear boot cut pants again. Nothing looks more frumpy or outdated to me.
Hysterically, I can distinctly recall people, saying the exact same thing about bootcut jeans/pants when skinnys first came into fashion on this, very board!
Look – I fully endorse the idea that people should wear what looks good on them. And I wholesale reject the idea that we all need to buy new clothes every season or two to avoid looking “dated”. That said, fashion is cyclical. And the mere fact that you can recall this silhouette being fashionable among the generation immediately preceding yours, does not make it “dated” or “frumpy” (which is code for “something worn by older women”). On the contrary, it is evidence that the up-and-coming generation is rejecting your fashion.
Testify.
So agree with you.
I like my ankle pants in the summer. I hate them in the winter, when any shoe choice seems to look weird and choppy.
Never found a pair that didn’t look like I outgrew my little brother’s pants. I don’t think they are for everyone. Bootcuts FTW!
Exactly!!
I generally like ankle pants, but I’m not into them as part of a suit. I feel like they make me look stumpy and casual instead of giving me the long, lean, powerful look I want out of a suit.
I generally like ankle pants, but I’m not into them as part of a suit. I feel like they make me look stumpy and casual instead of giving me the long, lean, powerful look I want out of a suit.
coul you post a link to it?
They don’t have it anymore — looks like they are phasing out their suits.
What is the deal with J. Crew getting rid of their petite suits? Where in the heck are petites supposed to buy suits?
Have you tried Ann Taylor’s petites line? Or Theory with some tailoring? Those might be good options if you liked J. Crew.
I’m ready for the return of full length pants as well. My short legs need all the lengthening tricks available. And they are much easier to select the right hem length for with a tailor.
As a really tall person, I can’t wait for them to go either. They don’t make me look trendy, they make it look like I couldn’t find pants that fit
I just replaced my basic navy suit and had no idea how to hem the pants; we are all over the place on “proper” length, correct? I went with ankle bone length since I own other suits in a longer, trouser style, but still! I am so confused.
Thoughts from someone who wears a suit every day, and has options from most of the price points above:
For really inexpensive suiting, I’ve been super happy with my Merona suit from Target (I think they just rebranded it as “A New Day” but the cuts seem to be the same). Way better quality than you would expect for the price point. I also love my Calvin Klein skirt suit separates and J Crew Factory wool suiting in the budget category, also good quality for the price.
For the next step up, my go-to interview suit is the Ann Taylor seasonless stretch in black. I love that they offer tall lengths, and the fabric is really easy to deal with and breathes well and doesn’t wrinkle easily. Banana Republic’s new washable suiting was a real let-down for me, their old lightweight wool suiting wasn’t great but it was much better quality than the new line.
For nicer suits, I’ve been really bummed with the quality of my Theory suiting and have a hard time with Reiss suits because sometimes the skirts cut really short. I LOVE Hugo Boss, and just bought my third suit from that brand.
I appreciate the insight! I’m disappointed with my Theory suit and I’ve been looking at Reiss but I’m on the leggy end of the spectrum.
Yes, I love my Reiss suits but I’m 5’4″ and the skirts sometimes need to be taken down an inch or two for me.
Thanks for the heads up, I’m a bit shorter and struggle to find petite sizing so this would be great for me
I just bought some stuff from A New Day! A skirt, shirt, and a purse. However, I didn’t like the one basic black blazer I saw, it was super long and had one button that hit low on my torso, which looked goofy on me.
Second Hugo Boss suiting. Granted, my thunder thighs can’t squeeze in their pants, but skirts and dresses are quite flattering
+1 – I love my Calvin Klein blazers. I am fortunate to afford a higher-quality fabric now, but these are workhorses, and because I only go into the office 1-2x/week I have no need to upgrade them as long as they are cared for (just got a bunch back from the dry cleaners yesterday). I’ve actually bought a few on poshmark and those continue to be excellent.
If anyone is looking for an affordable summer suit, I highly recommend the Anne Klein separates at Macy’s. I got a blazer and pants last summer during some July Black Friday event for around $100 for both, and it is the best summer-weight suit I have. The pants are actually cooler than wearing pantyhose! Great suit for an August jury trial.
I go to court on a regular basis but do not need to wear suits to the office. The options for budget friendly suits are dismal lately with the quality of Ann Taylor, Banana and J. Crew decreasing year over year. I recently bought a Talbots suit and am satisfied. It was the only option where I could walk into a store and buy the suit off the rack with a decent selection of mix and match sizing. The skirt was better than the pants, which were ever so slightly frumpish. My colleague with wife at top accounting firm said that is where she now buys suits too. Agree that for a step up Hugo Boss is nice option and the one I see most on European colleagues who regularly wear suits. I would be interested to hear if anyone has had luck with Boden suits as I regularly hear endorsements on the consistent quality of their goods as compared to other brands at similar level.
I haven’t had luck with Boden’s suiting, but I love their ponte and British tweed blazers as separates. I bought matching skirts to both types of blazers, but I didn’t like the way the items looked together when worn as a full suit. They seem intended to be mixed and matched.
I haven’t tried their suiting but got a couple of tweed blazers 5ish years ago and love them.
Boden’s suiting quality is good, but they don’t carry tall blazers (only pants), and only a few suits come with skirts. Their pants are not cut for those with hips–almost all of their pant styles are very straight. So if that’s not your body type, their suits won’t work for you.
I love the quality of Boden dresses, skirts, and tops, and they have a beautiful mix of conservative colors and styles with just a pop of fun color. Unfortunately, I have yet to find the right mix of color and style for me to try in a suit.
I’m just amazed at how few pants are lined anymore in general!
Could this dress in navy work for a formal/black tie optional summer wedding?
Would wear some pretty fancy accessories to dress it up some: https://shop.nordstrom.com/s/gal-meets-glam-collection-jane-tie-waist-midi-dress-nordstrom-exclusive/4935417?origin=keywordsearch-personalizedsort&fashioncolor=HYDRANGEA
I really like it but it does not feel that formal to me – maybe the length seems a bit more day dress. That being said with sparkly jewels and fabulous shoes I do not think it would be super out of place.
I think it would be fine with fancy accessories. Pretty dress!
I think it depends on where it is and how well you know the couple/other attendees. I think you could dress it up to cocktail attire, not black tie.
No, it seems way too casual for black tie optional/formal. It just barely would work for cocktail.
It’s pretty, but not formal enough.
I’m surprised by the advice to wear more buttons if you’re busty… I have a strong preference for one button — I feel like it functions like a V neck, drawing attention to my smaller waist and making me look hourglassy. Lots of buttons lead to me feeling the same way I do in a turtleneck, like ack too much fabric on my chest!
I agree! That surprised me too.
I love the differences among us. I am a busty hourglass and always feel like one button jackets just gape open screaming “she cannot do up things with more buttons because uuuuge bewbs!”.
Me too! The two buttons makes the stance higher and helps prevent that dreaded gape.
I’m very average and love more buttons generally. When I was nursing I had to switch to one button styles because all the buttons made me look super blocky up top.
Same! I look better with one.
Does the Ann Taylor suiting ever go on sale?
Yes! They’re often excluded from the regular percentage-off promotions, but are part of the sales a few times a year (plus when they’re marked down end of season). If memory serves, one of the full-price suiting sales is usually in June, so I’d keep an eye out for the next few weeks if you’re on the hunt.
Just got an email announcing a suiting sale this morning. 25% off with code SUITS.
I had a quick question regarding suit fit. I am a relatively petite woman, usually wearing around a size 2, but have very broad shoulders, making it really hard to find a suit that fits properly. So far I’ve bought suits off the rack and had them tailored down, but they never look that great. I usually have to buy something around a size 6 to get it to fit across the shoulders and then there is only so much the tailor can do to bring it in and still have it lay nicely. Does anyone know of a good suit for people with broad shoulders?
If you live anywhere near a Theory outlet definitely try there! I got my first good suit there last year and it was definitely less than $400, may have been just under $300. They always have black, navy, and grey and they don’t change the fabric often so you can add pieces. In black and in navy they had three jacket styles, three pants, two skirts, and a dress. They didn’t have quite as many in gray, I think maybe two jackets, two pants, one or two skirts and one dress.
Quality probably isn’t as high as normal Theory (haven’t tried that), but it is MUCH higher than at the regular Banana Republic or Ann Taylor stores I’d tried on before. I have had a dozen women ask me where I got mine, it definitely looks more expensive than it was!
I think holiday weekends usually have the best sales there, I got mine over 4th of July. They had the full range of sizes too. Clearly, I couldn’t be happier – – I promise I’m not a stooge or paid, just happy with a purchase I had stressed about :)
HELP! So i just completed my phone interview, and was looking at my wardrobe for my interview suit to get ready in case they call back. Well call back they did, the hiring manager wants to see me on Wednesday 09/18, but my blazer doesn’t fit, i don’t have time to get a new one tailored and i and extremely busty, so off the rack has never worked for me. any suggestions as to what to do?
So what did you end up doing? I have an interview on Wednesday morning… I spent hours at Macy’s and Express today and came home with nothing :(
Can you wear a blazer unbuttoned?
Can anyone help find me a suit jacket/pants where the jacket is not boxy and has pockets that are not horizontal? I look terrible in jackets that aren’t cut for a woman’s figure….mid-price (even Boss/Theory priced) is fine.
If I could afford them I’d go for Hugo Boss, Reiss, or The Fold for suits – everything is gorgeous. Theory never fit me, womp womp.