Got Employment? One Suit, Five Ways: fashion/style consulting

We all know that just because suit pieces are purchased together they don’t always have to be worn together.  This is not new information.  Why is it, then, when I am shopping a closet for some sweet soul, we get to the back of the rack or even the closet in the guest room and there, tucked away with the Christmas decorations, are the suits?  Beautiful garments that were purchased as one and have never been separated, not ever.  The owner has given up trying to wear them because they feel too dressy or dated or “suity” when worn all together.   The pieces aren’t married, for goodness sake, they are just shacking up on the same hanger.  They would love to have an open relationship, if only they could be set free.  Their lack of commitment to each other will be shocking when they are finally turned loose.

A classically tailored designer suit, old or new, can be the staple of the workplace wardrobe.  The initial investment can be offset a million times over with a collection of clearance rack/consignment store secondary pieces.  Once upon a time in a consignment shop, I encountered a Tahari suit, the real deal and just my size.  The suit rack was tucked way in the farthest corner of the store, where suits seem destined to be stashed.  The retail price for this suit was in the $500 range but the tag said $33.  Consignment shops sell suits for cheap, if they will take them at all, because they are so hard to sell.  They are hard to sell because no one thinks to take them apart.   Even though I was blissfully unemployed at the time and had nowhere on earth to wear a suit, I bought that sucker anyway.

Follow along while I wear this suit to work every day for a week…

Day 1:  The classic suit with a crisp white shirt; all business and Monday morning severity.

Day 2:  Suit pants with a sheer, silk blouse and leather jacket.  Add a little black vest or a cami for coverage.  Keeping the added elements dark allows the pattern of the blouse to stand out.  Groovy.

Day 3: Suit pants with aqua turtleneck and navy cardigan, string of geometric beads and a nautically-inspired navy & white striped jacket.   Layered blues are always beautiful.  True fact:  any blue or green can be worn with any other blue or green. Very soothing for hump day.

Day 4:  Suit jacket with red, ruffled tank and wild linen skirt, gray-blue beads.  If the office is too cold for the tank and the jacket is too warm, add a neutral cardigan.  Thursdays always drag a little; bright colors are a good way to keep your spirits up.  And go out for lunch, please, but don’t spill because you are wearing that jacket tomorrow.

Day 5:  Suit jacket, draped-neck black blouse with casual turquoise/black striped pants.  The dressiness of the blouse elevates the cotton pants for a smashing high/low mix.  If it’s casual Friday, wear a black t-shirt with a scarf around your neck instead.

Infinite possibilities abound with the purchase of a suit.  Score a deal if you can, buy the best quality you can get your paws on, take the time to have it altered to perfection and never pay full retail for anything else. Every garment in these pictures, including the jewelry, came from a clearance rack, consignment shop or thrift store.   Please allow all of the garments in your closet to have a different partner every day.  They are not hurting anyone.