How to Spot a Cheap Woman's Suit

To spot a cheap woman's suit requires an eye for detail and knowledge of fabric, design and draping. Because a woman's suit is a key wardrobe item for the business executive and the church matron, spotting a poorly designed suit is a skill of utmost importance.

From touching the fabric and checking the hang of the garment to examining the seams for imperfections, here's how to spot a cheap woman's suit like a Hollywood stylist on a mission to find the perfect piece of suiting for her A-list client.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Turn the woman's suit inside out to examine the seams and the linings. If the suit is lined in silk shantung or raw silk, you have scored an expensive women's suit. If the seams appear to be sewn perfectly, then your suit has been touched by a sewing machine, and not from the precise hands of a couturier or seamstress.

2. Examine the zippers, buttons and buttonholes. Zippers mechanisms will slide easily. An expensive woman's suit will also have buttons made from mother of pearl or other exotic shells, instead of buttons made from resin or plastic. The buttonholes of a cheap woman's suit will not be hand sewn, but will have jagged seams and appear to be uneven upon close inspection.

3. Know your suiting fabric. Scrunch up the fabric to determine its ability to wrinkle. An expensive woman's suit can withstand wrinkles (unless it is made of linen) and easily bounce back into shape after a crumpling. Avoid any woolen or polyester fabrics with high sheen. Cheap and inexpensive fabrics will be coarse to the touch, feel rough on the skin and are prone to wrinkle quite easily.

4. Review the hems and stitching of your dress suit. A suitable hem will be double-stitched and virtually invisible from the outside of the suit. Seams should be straight as an arrow, and free from puckering, pulling and bunching. Stitching should be uniform and even, not jagged or sewn sloppily.

Tips & Warnings

• Expensive suit linings are often made of silk.
• A cheap suit will often be devoid of a lining, and the material is so thin, that if it is held up to the light, one can see through the fabric.
• A proper suit lining will be sewn straight to not interfere with the drape of the garment.
• A fancy designer label can help you determine the quality of a woman's suit. However, what is most important when evaluating a cheap suit versus a well-made item is determining how the suit was made.

Resources

• Suit Dress Code
• Woman's Suit Buying Guide
• Suit

[godfather25]

on 7/22/2009 Excellent tips for ladies! 5*