Professional Ladies: Where do you buy your suits/shirts?

[PhoenixAzul]

So I'm having a bit of an issue. In my new job, I have a number of occasions where professional dress is important. This is either a full suit, or dress trousers and dress shirts.

I am also quite broad shouldered, and also tall. The result is either buying boxy ugly shirts that fit my shoulders but make my torso look chubby, or buying shirts that fit my torso but pull at the bust and have arms that stop somewhere nearish my elbow.

The only place I've managed to come up with stylish, fitted, long enough (in arms and shirttails!) shirts that haven't been equally expensive in alterations is a British shirtmaker, TM Lewin. I lurrrve stuff from there, and every once in a while, they have fabulous sales (see also; today! I bought 4 to go along with the 2 I bought in Glasgow earlier in the year). But importing a bloody shirt from Britain every time I need one isn't very practical, is it?

Banana Republic lost my shirt business a while ago for changing the fit of their shirts, and for some reason the fabric they use and my skin do. not. agree. I am good with their trousers, but again, I have a hard time finding longs that are not also huge in the arse (again, with the alterations!).

So, does anyone have any super awesome suiting retailers they'd like to share with me?

I'm 25, if that helps, so the pea colored shoulder padded jacket combo is not for me. I'd be willing to shell out serious cash for a truly fantastic suit (using the "less is more, buy quality and keep it forever" theory). I have a grey suit jacket+skirt that I got at United Colors of Benneton a while ago, but it is starting to show its age, and the skirt is now massive on me (thanks, marathon training)...hmm.

ETA: The final bit complicating this is that I'm stuck in Norman, OK. I don't have a car out here, which is awesome for my bike mileage and the planet, but bad for my ability to go shopping at a decent mall. So that, of course, leaves me with online options. I can get it altered if I can bloody get it here and it fits somewhat. Auugh.

[KSUViolet06]

Ann Taylor or Nordstrom Rack. I have to take everything to be tailored though (I'm very short.)

[Kappamd]

Ann Taylor or New York and Company.

[aephi alum]

I recommend:

Chico's. Go into any Chico's store and an associate will magnetically attach herself to you and help you with whatever you need. If there isn't a Chico's near you, go online. Buy tank tops or short-sleeved shirts, then buy a jacket.

Lane Bryant. They sell plus sizes, so this may or may not help you. I have an interview suit from LB from when I was heavier... I will be wearing said suit tomorrow as I must attend a funeral

[BraveMaroon]

The best advice I can give any woman when it comes to buying business apparel: shop like a man.

If you ever go to the Men's suit department of, say, Macy's - they have someone there ready to help you find the right suit who knows the floor and the inventory and can probably tell what size you take by looking at you, and as soon as you step out of the fitting room, a seamstress waiting to mark and tailor the suit for you.

Women beat themselves up for not fitting right off the rack.

First, find a store you like and enlist the sales people to help you. Then find a good seamstress, buy with the expectation that you'll be visiting her soon after, and develop a relationship so that if you need a quick turnaround, she'll be glad to accomodate.

And if stuff doesn't fit off the rack, don't blame yourself...

[Tulip86]

I go to Zara for workwear.
They have very nice suits,they are very well cut, and cater to tall people.

[RaggedyAnn]

When I was working I bought everything at Talbot's or Ann Taylor Loft. The materials were awesome and took a beating.

[GeorgiaGreek]

Whenever I go to The Final Cut (a BCBG outlet), they have a large selection of suiting pieces. I rarely need to wear things like that so I can't say much about them in terms of fit and such, but the regular BCBG line tends to fit well. I think a lot of the pieces are from BCBGeneration, but main line suiting is nice too.

[Xylochick216]

I second the New York & Company suggestion. I have to wear suits for work functions and I'm tall (36-37 inch inseam). It's one of the only places I've ever been able to find tall pants and jackets that don't break the bank. It's much cheaper to buy off the rack and get it tailored than to buy a custom suit, in my experience. Clothes from NY&CO tend to be a bit more youthful without being trendy in the suiting department, which I like. Their button-downs are also cut nicely - they fit well, but sometimes I wish they had a tall size in those to get just a little more arm length!

I've also had some luck at JC Penney. They have a variety of lengths and sizes - you just have to search a bit. My local store doesn't have much, but look through the catalog or online.

[AOEforme]

Originally Posted by Xylochick216

I second the New York & Company suggestion. I have to wear suits for work functions and I'm tall (36-37 inch inseam). It's one of the only places I've ever been able to find tall pants and jackets that don't break the bank. It's much cheaper to buy off the rack and get it tailored than to buy a custom suit, in my experience. Clothes from NY&CO tend to be a bit more youthful without being trendy in the suiting department, which I like. Their button-downs are also cut nicely - they fit well, but sometimes I wish they had a tall size in those to get just a little more arm length!
.

Third. New York and Company has really good sales very often (like 50% of the entire store or they like) in addition to decent prices. They are also really stylish pieces, but without being unprofessional. This is especially nice with the skirts. It's really hard to find knee-length suit skirts that don't make you feel 50, but they do it.

They also have really cute jewlery, and it's very easy to mix and match everything in the store.

[nittanygirl]

Kasper suits are really nice and if you can find a Kasper outlet they are very much marked down. I got a $200 suit over winter break for $85. Granted that was with some sale prices, but without them it would have only been like $115.
My mom works for the state of PA and always dresses professionally (like I don't even see her in jeans on weekends) and buys A LOT of her suits from Kasper.
They also have nice fitting suits for petites. A lot of their suits I think focus on an older customer, but their simple black/grey/neutral/psuedo neutral suits are very nice and very professional looking for a younger person.

[Benzgirl]

Talbots and Ann Taylor are too conservative for me. They remind me of Bree VandeCamp.

I have purchased some great suits (and at a reduced cost) at TJ Maxx. Each was around $70. I pick up shifts (dresses) at Marshalls and Steinmart, and great jackets at Nordstroms, Saks, etc. I wear these with my vast "black-pant" wordrobe.

I wore Kasper quite a bit in the 90s, but you have to watch which of their lines you are looking at as to what demographic to which they are catering (i.e. ASL, Le Suit, Tahari). One of the things I liked about Kasper was that they were very consistent in their sizing. At the time, I was a size 4 and if I saw a suit, I could buy it without trying it on because I knew it would fit.

[TriDeltaSallie]

Pendleton.

They are not cheap, but their clothes are high quality. They have also really expanded away from just the preppy look to some more fun items. Still fairly conservative and would be appropriate in a professional setting.

I worked in a Pendelton store all through college. I still buy from them and have gorgeous pleated skirts I've worn for years that still look brand new.

[ADqtPiMel]

I'm built kind of like you, tall and inverted triangle shape (broad shoulders, narrow hips, big rack, no waist). My suit is from J. Crew, but I bought it five years ago so I can't speak to their current suiting line.

Best button-down shirts for me are J. Crew -- big enough for my chest but cut slim throughout the torso, and long enough that they stay tucked in. The house brand at Nordstrom also works well, though they aren't as long. Outside of those two brands, I try to avoid button-downs because they're all boxy and look awful. I buy a lot of embellished sleeveless or short sleeved silk tops from various places that look beautiful with cardigans/jackets and still look professional without any boob-gap issues.

I've also done well with pants from J. Crew, as long as I get the long size. I also have four different colors of the same wool pencil skirt from J. Crew that I adore.

Ann Taylor really doesn't work well for me -- the pants seem to be cut for someone with a smaller waist and bigger hips.

[christiangirl]

Originally Posted by Xylochick216

I second the New York & Company suggestion.

I third it! JCPenney's and Macy's are also good. Every suit I've gotten from Macy's, I've gotten on clearance. For some reason, they often have nice suits on clearance at the local one.