How to Select a Women's Pant Suit

Women's pant suits are more popular than ever. These days, the business world is slightly more casual than it used to be, and pant suits are typically appropriate for all work activities. Women's pant suits come in many different styles, and they can be dressed up and dressed down. Breaking down into separates, women's pant suits are versatile parts of any woman's wardrobe.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Consider the primary function of the pant suit you seek. A pant suit you would wear to work in a bank may look different from one you would wear to a wedding.

2. Select a fabric for your pant suit. Worsted wool is the most popular choice for business pant suit material. Other pant suit fabrics include silk, linen and polyester, as well as others.

3. Choose a color for your pant suit. Business suits are usually black, gray or navy blue. Casual pant suits can be any color, but you should avoid vibrant colors when going for a modern look.

4. Select a jacket style that is flattering to your body. Cropped jackets work for petite women because they make the legs look longer. Jackets that are structured and tailored well around the middle are flattering to the waist.

5. Try the pant suit on for size. Sizes are not always uniform, so you have to see how the suit looks on you. Raise your arms over your head and squat down to make sure you have enough room in the suit to move comfortably.

6. Examine the details of the suit to determine whether it is well made or liable to fall apart. Loose threads on the seams, machine-stitched buttons and faulty linings are signs that the suit is poorly constructed. Save your money and select another suit.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider buying the matching skirt if there's one available. This will make your suit more versatile.
• Flare-leg pants are the most flattering for women's legs. Petite women should avoid pants with too much flare, but a bootleg cut looks good on everyone.
• Herringbone, tweed and twill patterns are very popular these days in women's suits. When wearing a patterned suit, make sure the construction is done well and the pattern meets at the seams appropriately.
• Get your pant suit tailored if you are in between sizes or if the pants are too long. A proper tailoring can make a mediocre suit look awesome.
• Beware that cheap polyester pant suits don't last as long as their higher-quality counterparts. A good suit can be worn for years. Invest in good materials.