How to Inspect A Business Suit Before Buying

Building a professional wardrobe is an important investment in your career. A woman's business suit makes a good professional image, but they can be expensive, so inspect the quality before you buy.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. First look at the over all fabric (not at the price tag). Does the fabric look expensive or cheap? Just because the price is high, it may not be good fabric. Really look at the fabric, without thinking about what the price tag said. (Wool or wool blends usually lasts longer, linen wrinkles terribly, synthetics can be either good or bad.)

2. Is it lined? It really should be lined.

3. Inspect the seams. Look closely at the seams and make sure they don't pucker or look wrinkled. If there are flaws like that when the suit is hanging in the store, it will only get worse after you have had it a while.

4. 

   Inspect the lapels. Make sure the seams are lined up perfectly.

5. 

   Then look closely at the pockets. How the pockets are done is a good way to tell a good quality suit apart form a not so good one.

6. 

   Look the buttons over and make sure the button holes look nice. There shouldn't be any frays or loose threads there.

7. The final thing to keep in mind is that you should seek until you find one with a good fit for your body type. If it doesn't fit you right, then it still won't look good regardless of good quality. Do get it hemmed at the sleeves or pant legs, if necessary. Consider the extra $20 for hemming as part of the cost of buying a business suit.

Tips & Warnings

• When you shop, buy a couple of suits that match each other so that you can recombine "new suits", by mix and matching the jackets and pants.
• Get a couple of nice white blouses for a professional look.
• Don't fixate so much on the size tag, but look at the actual fit in the mirror.
• Always dry-clean your suits.

Resources

• Fashion advice for the professional woman.

[Pamco]

on 10/8/2008 Excellent advice--from start to finish! Thanks for the info!