A shocking discovery in the world of business fashion! Who would have thought? Trading out the jacket of a woman’s business suit for a leather jacket – what a great idea! Look at this ensemble with a conservative gray fitted pencil skirt – this would normally have a gray suit jacket made to go with it, but it has been exchanged for a gray lether jacket that mathces the tone of gray in the skirt. The top is a knit with gray and burgundy stripes. This outfit looks quite professional and stylish, in fact, it almost looks like a skirt suit – but it’s not. This is an excellent way to get variety out of your business wardrobe, and mix and match your suits. However, there are limitations to what type of situations in wich you could wear this; I wouldn’t recomend it for a corporate board meeting. And don’t toss out your regular suits all together, keep the leather jacket to alternate on days when you feel you can get away with it.

Warning: Not all leather jackets are made equal. Don’t get a leather jacket that looks “funky” or “cool” for this particular look. Inspect the grade of the leather. Choose a leather jacket that still has a cut that is similar to the cut of a suit jacket.

Just how far do we go with the tops and blouses sticking out from underneath the suit jacket? When is it OK, and when is it not? Sometimes it looks good, sometimes it doesn’t. Here below are some guiding examples for women’s business fashion 2008:

  These two pant suits are OK with the blouse untucked. The amount that it sticks out is just right – not too long and it sits straight and neat. The orange top harmonizes with the brown suit, and almost becomes an accessory, of sorts. With the off white pant suit the print top breaks off in a pleasing contrast. It adds interest and it looks planned.

   This outfit does NOT look good with blouse hanging out. It’s too long for the jacket. It sticks out too much, and it just looks sloppy and unpolished.

   Compare these two images of the same gray business suit with a basic white blouse. Tucking it in definitely looks best. With this type of blouse it just looks like you left the house in a hurry when it is sticking out. The effect of the blouse sticking out under the suit jacket does not add anything of interest to the look, and it does not look planned (it just looks messy).

What colors are best for women’s business suits? It depends on what impression you are trying to make. Lighter colors are often said to be more approachable, but darker colors give more of an impression of strength and authority. The main power colors are traditionally navy and black. Here is an example of two sharp looking navy pant suits for women. One suit is accessorized with a gray choker necklace, the ohter is worn plain with a basic white blouse. Both of these business outfits gives an unmistakable professional look. The navy business suit should be a mainstay in the closet of a woman who has to wear professional attire.

Can you wear jeans to work? Depends on your company – some companies have “casual Friday” which allows you to break the corporate dress code on the last day of the week. But still, you have to do it with style. If you want to wear casual work clothes, trying to make a somewhat more professional look out of a pair of jeans, I’ll tell you the secret – it’s all about the jacket.

Put on a pair of jeans (not ripped or torn of course) and a nice top, then go through the business suits in your closet and see what suit jackets go with it. Take one of your professional pant suits and make it into “jeans suit” by wearing the jacket with jeans. Denim is traditionally considered unprofessional, but if you work in a place that allows jeans, or if your company has “casual Friday”, then dress your jeans up with a proper and stylish professional jacket. If you add a blouse with collar to it, it will look very proper indeed. These are some tips in re-working women’s business suits into cute casual jeans outfits.

Check out other related jeans posts:

How To Make Jeans Work For Work

Jeans With White Blouse Casual Work Outfit

(These outfits above form Ann Taylor and White House Black Market.)

When you just downt know what to wear to work – when you can’t think of what to put on – just wear a blouse with nice pants. It’s a look that is tried and true; and always safe. If just put on a pair of good slacks and a nice blouse, you just can’t go wrong. When your not in the mood to experiment, just wear that and you’ll look just fine. This is a ”casual work clothes look” that will make you feel comfortable and at ease.

Summer is here – what to wear. Use a pair of white or off-white slacks and a white skirt as your basic and add jackets and tops in pastels. Wear cream pants with a salmon jacket. Buy women’s business suits in white, cream and a light pastel. Then break your suits up and mix and match the jackets and the pants. Make sure a little bit of the blouse shows under the jacket. Pull the collar up over the lapels, and let a bit of the blouse show under the edge of the suit jacket, if it is a short jacket. (Don’t mix in black with these ensembles, but possibly a very light brown or taupe.)

These ensembles from Ralph Lauren.

Would you dare wear this crazy top with a conservative business suit? Look at the gorgeous, brown bead work against the warm yellow. If the suit is conservative enough you can get away with unique and expressive tops that reflect your personality. Sometimes when you feel a little restricted by professional women’s wear, it is time to venture out with a really unique top that expresses your own personality. Don’t break the rule of the business suit itself, just experiment with your individual style in regards to the tops, blouses and camisoles once in a while. Dare to break the corporate dress code now and then - it’s just like jazz – first learn all the rules, then break them in cool ways.

Black and white suit jackets adds a little pizzazz to your professional wardrobe. Take one of your black pant suits and exchange the black suit jacket, for a black and white jacket. This is one great way to recombine and mix-match suits. Sometimes you can wear your black business suit as it is, and sometimes you can wear the black suit pants with a black and white jacket. This gives more variety of outfits to what you already have in your wardrobe, and adds a little creativity to otherwise rather formal business attire. (But don’t wear black and white pants – that’s too much. Just the jacket.)

Pick out a blouse in the same tone as the pinstripe in the suit. Hold it close to make sure you match it up right. For example, in the photo above, we have charcoal pant suit with a salmon pinstripe.  Then we selected a chic salmon colored polyester blend blouse to go with it.  This will give you a complete and polished image. With pinstriped business suits, you should always pull the blouse collar up and over the the suit jacket lapels.

In the photo below, we have a black suit with a light blue pinstripe. Some may have mistaken it for a white pistripe, but don’t be in a hurry – look closely to find a professional blouse with a matching hue. It does make a difference. This business suit is worn with a light blue blouse, and appropriately accessorized with a blue necklace. A very complete image indeed. Additionally, the pinstripe pant suit gives a slimming effect, and gives the appearance that the lady wearing it is thinner.

Pointy toe professional shoes: black shoes, brown shoes, and then burgundy shoes!

Pointy toe professional shoes: black shoes, brown shoes, and then blue shoes!

Of course everyone needs to have black business shoes with their standard women’s business attire. And brown, too. The black pump is a basic, a staple, a reliable must have. But that’s not where your shoe collection should end; that’s where it begins. Surley most women feel they have too many black and brown shoes. When your basic blackand brown shoes are covered, then seek out appropriate colors. Like blue shoes, burgundy shoes – possibly red. Wearing a pair of color shoes to your formal business suit, can really change the look. Especially if it’s a black suit, or a suit in a neutral color. Wear a purse that matches the shoes, if you like.

These photos are examples of almost the same pointy toe shoe first in black and brown, then the same pointy toe shoe in burgondy and blue. Cover the basic black and brown first, then go for color. New shoes can give new life to an old suit. (These pointy toes from Nine West.)

 Too short.  This is a good length for the office.

Don’t push it with the short skirts. Work is still work. When you have to wear business attire the skirt shouldn’t be shorter than just above the knee. Even in warm weather. The gray skirt with a contrasting jacket on the right, is a good look for a professional woman. The skirt out fit on the left is cute, but just a bit too short to give a strictly business like impression. You can wear a matching skirt suit, or a skirt with a different jacket. Both work just as well.