Suits are No Longer Fitting

When was the last time you saw a suit for sale? Was it back when department stores were still reliably profitable and "Suits" was its own department? What was the last suit you owned/wore? For some it may be "none". I think my last was brown tweed with a pencil skirt and faux fur collar that I bought at very deep discount in the mid '90s.

By suit I mean two pieces that match, top and bottom. I wear a lot of jackets because A) I am always cold and B) a jacket can hide a multitude of flaws. Besides, three pieces make an outfit. If you're a service professional, you probably wear a suit as do most politicians. But the rest of us? It would seem suits no longer fit our lifestyles.

VP with gravitas and killer heels

 
Suits took a while to become part of a woman's wardrobe. The Victorians had outfits for tennis, golf, riding, etc. as those activities became accepted pursuits for women. Sarah Bernhardt shocked the world in 1870 with her pantsuit (she also played Hamlet in tights), but it didn't catch on. Amazingly, one could practically wear this today...

I could; would you?

A suit was reliable. My mother sewed and always had two or three in her wardrobe, usually worn with a printed blouse that matched the jacket lining. She rarely wore a dress. A suit could be made to work for almost any occasion short of a wedding. Although I remember my last suit I don't remember the first, but I recall feeling very grown up.*

Diana knew how to be taken seriously

 
So what has happened?

Obviously we lead less formal, more relaxed lives. We aren't so inclined to "dress up" for certain roles as long as we appear presentable. Some would say we are into expressing our true selves 24/7. Others would say standards have slipped.

I volunteer with Dress for Success, where step one is outfitting a client with a professional looking outfit. The other day I looked at that room of carefully hung pants suits and skirt suits and wondered if they were not all a bit out of sync. Then as usual, when my client saw herself for the first time in a well fitting suit of her choice, I realized how a suit adds polish and gives confidence. When you show up for an interview looking business-like, you look like you mean business. 

That said we tell clients her new job may be "business casual" so don't be afraid to break that suit up and wear the jacket as a blazer and the pants/skirt with other tops. 

Will the suit return in force? Doubtful. Of course as soon as something is declared dead, someone resurrects it. Fashion is one planet where one never says never...

* Slight addenda here. I may not have remembered that first suit, but I did recall the photograph. Age 5-ish and looking tres chic. Thanks, Mom!