I ditto Macys. I have a few suits from there (granted, interview/internship quality, not necessarily as nice as if I was making full-time income) and I really like them.

K&G - looks like you'll be able to shop online before too much longer. kgstores.com. They are kind of like a Burlington Coat factory. Good prices, lots to choose from.

Eldest daughter who is 5'11" with long legs, and has to wear your basic conservative suit to work, has found Tahari and Nine West suits work well for her and are actually long enough (ok, she wears flats, but still the pants are long enough to not look like they are supposed to be cropped length, and the skirts are pretty conservative in length). You can get them at Lord and Taylor, and also sometimes luck out at TJMaxx, Marshalls or Nordstrom Rack, like benzgirl suggested. Shirts are tough, have you tried Gap tall broadcloth suit shirts? How about Tahari shirts sized up and tailored, or Brooks Brothers? Of course you could go all out and get Thomas Pink shirts...

Nordstrom, Talbots and Macys.

Talbots has recently updated their styling a little, and it now offers a nice mix of conservative traditional and updated classics. Their clothes are very high quality and wear really well. All of my dress shirts from there I've had for several years, and they're just as crisp and colorfast as when I bought them. Macys is good for a casual suit, but for a nice wool suit, I'd go with Nordstrom or Talbots.

JCrew has nice suits, as well, I just don't fit their clothes very well.

I don't have to wear "professional dress" (ie, suits) very often--in fact, I only have two, and I can't remember the last time I've worn them. It's just the nature of my profession.

I do, however, prefer Brooks Brothers for the times I have to buy button-down shirts and the like. The stuff lasts forever.

I would recommend Nordstrom when they have a sale because they alter for free. The difference between an ugly unflattering man-fit suit and a perfect feminine line is a perfect alteration. I've had Nordstrom to magical things for me for suits and cocktail dresses.

As for me, I have almost all of my clothes made for peanuts by a tailor, but that's one beautiful thing (along with 75 degree weather in January) about living in the Middle East.

Talbots. The best thing to do is to buy off their sales rack. I've found some great skirts and pants in my size (14, but knocking on the door to 16 - yikes!). You have to go on a regular basis to find the good stuff on sale.

For tops- I've gotten into twin sets and knit tops for some reason, and I've found some good ones at Nordstroms.

I agree when someone mentioned Brooks Brothers for button down shirts.

Nordstroms, sometimes Macy's. Where EVER you get your suits, find a good tailor!!

I love Brooks Brothers, but if you have broad shoulders and long arms with a somewhat narrow torso, the off-the-rack shirts won't fit well. They are beautifully tailored, however.

PhoenixAzul, I did some retail therapy and will let you know how the lewin shirts fit. I just couldn't resist.

And I agree with NinjaPoodle;everyone needs a good tailor. There are times when it makes the difference between looking good and looking great.

Oh hooray! I hope you like them. I always get compliments when I wear the two I already have. They have a great return policy too, so if they're no good, return them! If you're ever in Britain, go to the store because the sale staff, at least in the Glasgow one, were fantastic (non pushy, fun, and gave good opinions).

I'm with you on all this. I'm not a fan of Ann Taylor because it's too conservative preppy for me- I think it looks great if you have just the right body for it, but I'm certainly not one of them.

I purchase almost all of my work clothes from Marshalls, Ross, and TJ Maxx. You have to weed through crazy glittery things, but I go every 4-6 weeks and have gotten quite efficient at flipping through the racks. I don't wear button down shirts because they just plain don't fit me- I go for more knits and silky shirts. There are usually a couple of racks of the fancier name brands as well. Because it's less expensive, I find myself taking more "risks" because if I try wearing something new (a new color, style, pattern, fabric, whatever) and decide after a couple of wearings that it's not for me, I'm okay with being out $8-20. Much better than $40, that's for sure!

I've also had good luck with Macy's, Ann Taylor Loft, and New York & Co... but every season the fabrics and cuts change so dramatically that I'll sometimes take a 2-3 year hiatus between buying anything at the stores. My proper suit jacket is from Macy's, but I've only worn it once I think, during my first round of interviews after college. The northwest is just not fancy enough to demand suit jackets for women in most industries. And hey, I'm not going to argue with that!