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Investing in a two-piece suit can be challenging especially if you're buying something other than for office wear.
I would advise anyone to own at least one dress suit in your wardrobe, but not the office wear type. It could be a tuxedo or other fancy two-piece suit.
I’m not big on purchasing a two-piece dress suit unless it has something extraordinary about it. Anyone can go to a seamstress and have a perfect tailor made suit. Or one can walk into any department store and find that same old black or grey suit. You see these cookie cutter suits everywhere and it can look like it’s for the national assembly of bankers! They come in all the same colors, cut, and fabrics from silk to wool. The best suits are made of either silk or wool fabrics and often the only differences are the price tag and brand name on the tag. So yes, that is what you pay for.
Now, while that premier designer brand may massage your ego a little....you may even find something exceptional at a Thrift Store for example, and with no noticeable difference at a glance.
For me, an extraordinary two-piece suit will give me a feeling that I’m wearing something that is one of a kind… that I’m one of a kind! And these cookie cutter non-descript suits can give a look like one is wearing a school uniform.
So I’ll reiterate that I don’t just buy any suit. When I do, I look for the style, color, cut, fitting and fabric. It’s all in the detail and you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on one.
When I finally find that extraordinary suit, I have to be able to dress it as a two-piece or as separates. Most importantly as a stylist, my suit needs to look great whether for every day wear or if for a special event... and still look chic and fabulous.
On choosing a jacket, it has to fit right and remember this…you’re not a coat hanger. The shoulders have to align with the shoulder blades. I have long arms and so that means that most of the sleeve lengths are going to be slightly shorter because my arm lengths are not of standard size. With that said, I tend to purchase a jacket that I’m able to fold the sleeves up at least in two folds and still look chic without taking away from the style. Or I may just opt for a three-quarter sleeve jacket. Some suit jackets come with linings that have some really cool prints on them, or a different colored lining. This can really give the jacket that pizzaz oomph and it needs and screams for a fold.
Now when it comes to the pants, I stopped looking for pants that can perfectly fit my long legs. I used to loosen my hem for extra length but nowadays I don’t care much about that because I tend to buy a three-quarter fit length, just slightly above the ankle. I love that style of pants and depending on what length of heels I wear… from flats to high heels, it still looks perfectly chic. I love buying my suits at Zara because they have the perfect suit size for me. They also carry extra-long pants that you rarely see anywhere else.
So next time you go for a stylish suit or a two-piece whatever you choose to call it, give it a great deal of thought. And if it’s not for your work… go extraordinary!
Wear something that you’re able to easily and comfortably move in it.
My Look: From my closet.
Zara: Two-piece suit 2019 collection
Neiman Marcus: Shoes, Christian Louboutin
Tom Ford bag
Lavish by Lilly Cosmetics
Photography, styling and makeup credits: Stella.