“Own one good suit.” I’ve always been told that. For job interviews, business meetings… A classic, flattering, good, quality suit. It surprises me when someone tells me they’ve never owned a suit and “am I supposed to wear one to an interview??”
Just off the top of my head, there are some fine places to find a suit these days – J.Crew has nice suits but a little more pricey. Banana Republic – good, classic cuts. These places are chains, yes, but it helps if your size isn’t available in the store and they will order it for you. By the way, the red phone at J.Crew? Free shipping when you order from there. Just sayin’. For the budget-minded, there’s always Express. My first suit came from there because that’s all I could afford but it did the trick.
As I started making more, I invested in a nice and surprisingly affordable pant suit from Benetton. Great cut, wool, two button and has stayed in great shape since I bought it almost four years ago. What’s nice, too, is that when you get a suit from either BR or J.Crew or Benetton, you can get a skirt to match too and change things up a bit. I’m pretty sure Posh has suits you can get, as well as our department stores. But whenever I need business-y type clothes, the latter three are my go-to’s.
Benetton, especially, is wonderful. The Italian/European cut is soooo flattering, less boxy. They’ve stopped carrying (bad idea) their men’s line in the Green Hills store but when they did I loved it when The Husband got his shirts there. SO hot.
An article in the Fashion & Style section in the NY Times today discusses the interview suit and gives several designers’ opinions on what a “good suit” is. Nicole Miller feels the pant suit is outdated. Personally, my pant suit from Benetton is what landed me this job (I found out it’s because I was more professional than the girl I was in contention with and I know it’s because I wore a suit for both rounds).
BUT, that also brings us to the part where they discuss the audience and what kind of job you’re going for. If the company you’re interviewing with tends to be more traditional and more “old-school” in thought, then a classic suit (pants or skirt) will probably work in your favor.
I won’t spoil it for you. Here’s the article. Enjoy!
On December 3, the American Heart Association is partnering with Atelier in Green Hills for an evening of shopping and giving. There will be champagne and hors d’oeuvres alongside Atelier’s handmade jewelry, pottery, art glass and other artisan works. 15% of your purchase will benefit AHA. They have plenty of things under $50 so this works even for the budget-conscious (and these days, who isn’t?!).
