She's a Boss Because...

A lot of you ladies are doing big things and making huge strides in the corporate world and beyond. You’re graduating from some amazing educational programs, interviewing for some out of this world positions and starting up some major businesses. With all of that to think about, stressing about what to wear just isn’t an option. Hence, the first installment of the “She’s a Boss Because..." series. Here, we can discuss different work related clothing items and accessories that will help us look like the bosses we already are.

Suit: Banana Republic (HERE)

Blouse: Banana Republic (SIMILAR)

Shoes: Christian Louboutin

With that said, I think we can all agree that when you're talking about work related clothing, nothing gets higher billing than the work suit. 

Here are some of the  lessons that I've learned about picking a great work suit and wearing it well:

1. Do choose a suit in a dark color like black, navy blue, or dark grey.  Darker colored suiting separates are easier to match with other items in your wardrobe, and do wonders for hiding the remnants of AM coffee spills. 
2. Do choose a skirt suit. Not only are skirt suits considered more appropriate in certain corporate circles, they also give you a chance to show off your killer pumps. 
3. Do choose a  pair of KILLER pumps.  You shouldn't go too crazy with the height or platforms on your pumps, but you can definitely express yourself with textures and small detailing here. 
4. Do choose to pair your suit with a silk blouse. A silk blouse in almost any color will look amazing underneath a work suit. Also, they're less cumbersome than bulky button down shirts and allow for a quick change-up after hours. 
5. Do choose a skirt that at least touches your knee.You don't want to change your work suit into a "working girl" suit.
6. Do accessorize with a beautiful but understated statement necklace.
7. Do wear a watch. I know it's silly, but people notice.

8. Do make sure that your jacket fits the way that YOU would like it to. Here are the things   

     I pay close attention to with mines.

• Shoulders: I make sure that the outer end of the shoulders on my suit jacket align with the outer edge of my actual shoulder as closely as possible.
• Arm Length:  I stretch my arms out (similar to the pic above), if my jacket sleeves ride-up past my wrist then I know my sleeves are tad too short.
• Jacket Length: I prefer when my jacket ends a little below my hip. For me, it gives the illusion of length.

      I really think that jacket fit boils down to personal preference. I prefer my jacket a little 
     more snug. At 5'2", I'd feel like I was playing dress up in anything too roomy.

9. Do remember to remove the stitching from the vents of your suit. I removed the stitching from the skirt but did not remove the stitching from the jacket so you could see the difference.

10. Always dry clean your suit bottom and suit top together. Dry cleaning causes fabrics to fade, and too many solo dry cleaning sessions can leave one part of your suit noticeably lighter than the other.

I'd love to hear about your thoughts on what makes a great suit and what is the best way wear it. 

P.S. I'm wearing head-to-ankle Banana Republic. I love Banana Republic suits but usually wait until they send out a coupon for a full priced item to stock up.

Love

Jillian