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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, which should be as classic and basic as you get — instead, this feature is about the slightly different suit that is fashionable, yet professional.
This week, we're liking this simple, belted skirt suit from Kay Unger. We like the seams along the front and back of the jacket, as well as the tortoise shell buttons — we also really like the double vents on the skirt in the back, which seem like they would cause far less problems than a single slit (and look far less frumpy than the ruffle/kick-pleat trend a while back). It's $450 at Neiman Marcus in sizes 4-16. Belted Twill Skirtsuit
Abby
I like this suit a lot. Too bad I’m not the same size on the top as I am on the bottom. *sigh*
Nice pick, Kat.
KZ
yea, i have a serious problem with that, too. i wish all suits came in separates.
IMHO
I have the same problem (S/6 on top and a M/8-10) on the bottom. But I do have a Kay Unger suit that I bought as a set on Rue La La and it fits perfectly. My experience is that her suit sets are cut with a pear shape in mind. So next time you are in store that sells Kay Unger suits, you might want to and least try one on and see if it works for you. The other option is to buy the size that fits the bottom half and have the jacket taken in. I probably wouldn’t pursue this option for a full-price item though.
Janet
love it!
MelD
I like the style, but I can’t pull off full suits this color. Am I the only one who wonders why suits a this price point come in a set? I can see the $100-200 sets at Macy’s, but I can see these pieces working just as well as separates.
Shayna
I like the double vents – definitely a better choice than a kickback!
I just can’t get into 3/4 sleeves, or belted suits — too trendy and, to me, $450 is a lot for a suit that I’ll only wear one or two years at the most. Especially in cream, which just screams spill-something-on-me!
Hope that those of you who buy this plan to wear a shirt under the jacket – unlike the model! It’s definitely not a work appropriate look…
lulu
About that last point–why do retailers always style suits without shirts under the jackets? Depending on the cut of the jacket, I can often get away with not wearing anything underneath (or wearing a camisole that won’t be visible except in the event of a wardrobe malfunction) but that isn’t always appropriate and I would really appreciate it if the store gave ideas about how to style the suit–which incidentally would increase their sales because I know many people, myself included, who will buy the entire outfit if they like it, even if they do have other things in their closets that could be worn with the suit. Just one of those little things that drives me crazy because it shows that the retailers (and/or designers) are completely disconnected from reality.
Shayna
I agree — I spend way too much time debating whether its still fashionable to wear a blouse under a suit jacket – and how to style the collar… etc etc.
I look at that model in the picture and I see an unfinished outfit, not the professional image I want to present!
RR
Agreed on the 3/4 length sleeves. I have a couple jackets that I wear with black pants with 3/4 length sleeves to pull off a “business casual” look. But, for suits in court, it’s just not appropriate to me. And so many jackets right now are 3/4 length sleeves – or cuffed sleeves! Why the heck do I want cuffed sleeves on a suit jacket?
Shayna
oh yeah, that’s an unattractive look – particularly when they combine 3/4 sleeves AND cuff them – makes the jacket look like something out of the teenybopper boutique – not professional at all
Law-Less
I have also seen a lot of suits lately with cropped pants and/or fabric with a sheen. If I wanted to wear either of those looks, I certainly wouldn’t do them in suit! I buy a suit because it need it be professional, which neither of those looks are IMHO.
Shayna
I agree — suits should never, ever, be shiny. And cropped pants on a suit look ridiculous – like they shrunk, which again, not professional!
JD Chic
I like this suit, but I’m not quite sure about the belt.
jcb
Pretty suit! Off topic, but has anyone else been on ruelala.com today? Lol at the Sportmax boutique – could they have made those beautiful models look more atrocious? Just thought it was noteworthy.
AIMS
Haha! I’ve actually noticed that about 75% of the time on that site the models look absolutely awful in the things they are modeling. I am not sure if it’s the ill fit (random sizing for shoots?) or what, but it makes me not want to buy anything because I think that if that’s the best they could do in showing off the clothes, what are the odds that this will good on anyone?
RKS
On that note — what the heck pose is the model striking in this suit above? Collapsing her chest? Very weird.
Shayna
I think its because she wants to hide the fact that her breasts are falling out of the jacket since they didn’t put anything underneath it.
AN
LOL at Neiman website in general – never seen such a large collection of ridiculous poses (jumps, twirls, twists etc) in 1 place!!
RR
I was just thinking that yesterday. Could we just get a picture of a model standing in the clothes? I don’t tend to jump in the air or contort myself weirdly in my daily life.
AIMS
I don’t mind when they’re ridiculous as much as when they’re so ridiculous that you actually cannot even vaguely see the item being sold. Case in point: a green DvF dress, where the model is so oddly turned you can’t see what the dress looks like at all. Had to go to the Saks website just to see. The dress is beautiful, but what are the odds that I would go back to order it from NM? (zero. the odds are zero.)
Legally Brunette
I have a question about alterations. I am in between a size 4 and size 6 in pants. The problem with size 4 pants is that they are often too clingy in the butt area, but with a size 6, the butt part looks baggy. As of now, I have been buying size 6 pants and altering them, but they still look baggy.
Is it possible to buy the smaller size and “let out” the area in the back?
Anonymous
I think you need to find a better tailor.
As for your question, there’s probably not enough fabric to be let out and you certainly can’t add inches to the waistband. But if the waistband isn’t an issue, flip the pants inside out and check how much seam allowance is there. Or just buy both sizes and take them to your tailor for his/her opinion and return the one you decide not to keep.
Shayna
I would find a better tailor and work with the 6’s… I can’t imagine there’s enough fabric in a size 4 to let out.
Legally Brunette
Thanks for the feedback. It’s the tailor at Nordstrom, and I thought they would be good since they do this all the time. Hmmm.
Blonde Lawyer
Just wanted to lament I am also in between sizes, the same sizes as you, in everything and have a vast difference between top and bottom. I try to buy seperates and at stores w/ more stretch I get a 4 and w/ a tighter waist I get the 6 and just deal w/ the baggy butt. I figure it is evened out by my tight butt days in the 4’s lol. I need an 8 or 10 on top though (D’s) so it is a pain.
lawyerette-to-be
Have you tried Banana Republic’s Jackson fit? I am between the same sizes as you and I have a bigger tush than waist. The Jackson fit is the first pair of work-appropriate slacks that I have tried on that truly fit me. They sit higher than I am used to, but for the streamlined look, it is worth it. If you haven’t already, try them in the 4 first; I took a size smaller than I was used to, since they finally fit they way that they were supposed to fit!
Legally Brunette
Thanks ladies. Good to know that I’m not the only one with this problem! Lawyerette, I tried BR’s Jackson after reading some good reviews on this site. Unfortunately, they did not look good on me — I can’t remember exactly what the issue was, but I didn’t feel that they were the most flattering. To be honest, I’m really not feeling BR this season, I usually buy so many tops from there and have found nothing this season that I like.
As for pants, I have had good luck with the Express Editor pants and the Classiques Entier pants from Nordstrom, BUT I have the baggy butt problem with the CE pants in the size 6. I also finally splurged and bought the Cookie Johnson boot cut jeans (the ones that Oprah loves) – they are specifically made for curvy/pear types and they seem to flatter my figure.
75
This is in keeping with the vey newest style, which is an ultra deep V neck. This is too deep a V for work, though, and what the heck would you wear to fill in the V? I submit nothing would look right.
Anonymous
Um, a brown camisole or scoop-neck shirt would look just fine underneath it.