Stay cool in the summer with women’s business suit in white or off white. Business attire in white gives a very crisp and clean look. A pant suit in white can be made more lively and chic with a blouse in a bright color, like chartreuse. Or if you want to stay within a little more conservative business attire, you can wear a striped black-and-white blouse. However, business attire for women is not as strict as for men, so you have a lot more licence with what colors you choose. Also, a woman’s business suit in white can be complemented with a separate jacket in a bright color, like coral or chartreuse. This way you can create a new look with the same white suit pants.

For spring business casual outfits, get a couple of pretty cardigans that you can wear over a pair of nice slacks and a plain top. If you get to twin sets that you can mix-and-match then you get 4 business casual outfits for the price of 2. Every now and then you should break away form strict business attire. A bit of a floral print brightens up a pair of plain suit slacks. And if  it’s an overcast day, then even more reason to wear bright colors.

Note the pocket details before buying the suit.

If the seams pucker, don't buy the suit.

Make sure the buttons on the sleeve are neat, and have no loose threads hanging.

Inspect the general details and stitching, before buying the suit.

There are several things you should inspect when you buy a woman’s business suit. Just because the price tag is high, it may not be the best business attire for you. It goes with out saying that the suit should of course be fully lined. And super cheap quality lining will sooner or later rip, so stay away from that. Check the wrinkle factor of the suit material by grabbing  a part of the suit with one hand and crunch it all up with your fist – when you let go and the fabric falls out of your hand, you will see how wrinkle prone the material is. (Wool blends don’t wrinkle much; linen wrinkles a lot.) Inspect the seams at the lapels and the pockets – if anything looks less then perfect, don’t buy it. If you see a loose thread, pull it and see what happens. If there are too many loose threads, don’t buy it. Check the suit’s seams for any puckers (especially around the shoulder). If there are any puckers at all, ask the sales associate to steam them out – but if the puckers can’t be steamed out easily, it means the stitching was not done right to begin with when it was sewn, so don’t buy it. Inspect the buttons at the bottom of the sleeve to make sure they are neat and straight. Last, when you wear the business suit, look and see that the lining doesn’t poke out lower than the hem line at the edge of the  sleeves or at the bottom of the suit jacket.

Get a flared skirt for your casual work outfits this spring. Wear your suit jacket with a casual skirt in a fun color and put some spring in your work wardrobe. This would be a good business casual look, or a good work outfit for casual Friday – a cute blouse with a flared skirt and throw a regular suit jacket over it. Se to go.

Spring is here and it’s time to update your professional wardrobe with something white. Get a new crisp white woman’s business suit for your business attire. If you live in a warm climate, like Florida or Southern California, then you could get a suit with a short sleeved suit jacket. A white skirt suit will keep you cool, and looking good. Accessorize it with silver or gold jewelry.

For women who don’t look good in starch white,  a beige skirt suit may be an option. Like this suit below:

Evan Picone Women’s Skirt Suit

Are you getting cold? Here are some examples of how you can accessorize a casual work outfit with a shawl. These two sweater outfits that are rather casual. It’s just a simple sweater and cardigan over a pair of nice slacks. In the first photo the shawl matches the tones of the sweater and is tied in a rolled knot. It’s more of a polished look. In the second photo the shawl contrasts the color of the cardigan and becomes the dominant expression of the outfit. It’s a very casual and comfy look. Dress it up with pumps and it will be good business casual look for winter. You can have 3 different shawls to accessorize same sweater, and create various looks by changing the shawls around.

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Adding cardigans to your professional wardrobe is a good idea. It’s very simple to add a cardigan to a woman’s business suit. Cardigans are usually not so bulky that it looks weird wearing it under a suit jacket. One of the most chic ways to wear a cardigan is to have a basic, white blouse under the cardigan, with the collar sticking up and folded over it. A basic blouse, in traditional white or other color, gives a classy feel to any work outfit. In normal weather, you may have your classic business suit with a white blouse, but in chilly weather you just add a cardigan over the blouse, and it looks quite polished while keeping you warm at the same time. And in order to get maximum warmth, get a wool blend. If the cardigan is going to be thin, so as to not bulk under the suit jacket, it should be as warm as possible and then your best bet is wool. Or cashmere.

Here’s in interesting task – how do we take advantage of a subtle hue in a plaid fabric? In the first photo we have a argyle print stockings with a very thin mustard yellow stripe. The skirt is is in the same shade of yellow as in the stockings, and it’s worn with a traditional black suit jacket and black shoes. The second photo is gray plaid skirt with a very slight line of mustard yellow. That subtle hue is matched up with a suit jacket in the same color. This could be worn with black stockings and black pumps, or perhaps tall black boots. If you have the colors carefully planned out, you can create some good work outfits by mix-and-matching suit separates. Any other suggestions on picking up hues from the readers ?

So you are wearing a black power suit, but what color is your bag? Your bag is not just for hauling papers around, it’s part of your business outfit. Maybe your business suit is in a dark, traditional, conservative color, but your bag can be a in a strong bright color. It doesn’t necessarily have to match your shoes – it can speak on it’s own. Let your bag do some “talking”. It’s one accessory that can accessorize all by itself.

So what color will you use to accessorize your winter coat with this year? The standard is white, red or black (see below), but there are many other colors (see above) you can use to accessorize your winter coat. Many of you have probably chosen a black or gray long coat for work to look good with your business attire, but you shouldn’t wear a scarf the same color as your coat. For gloves,  a classic pair of black leather gloves is a good investment, but if you use a set of scarf and hat in a different color every year, it’s less noticable that you are wearing the same coat as last year. If your budget is tight, then stick with last year’s winter coat, but change out all the accessires to a different color.

You will find good quality at Bloomingdale’s (above).

But an inexpensive brand like H & M (above) may also do, as long as it is a matching set.

New Jewelry Choices for the Working Woman

In the quickly changing world of fashion, business jewelry design trends are relatively conservative. Business styles reflect a more elegant and conventional approach to wardrobe, which leads women to struggle with what to wear in the office. Many of the accessories worn outside the office don’t project the necessary image of power and success that help one to succeed in business. While they can keep some of the tried and true pieces in their jewelry box, women are learning to borrow some fashion ideas from from men for some surprising new choices.

 The Conventional Approach

Pearls are a must for any busy working woman. They help provide an aura of wealth and success that elude other types of jewelry. Pearls can be worn with a business suit, or a casual business dress. They tend to stand out without being too showy. Gold and silver jewelry is next, offering a little gleam to the attire. Understated jewelry works best for the business office, to provide fewer distractions. Most working women will avoid noisy bracelets or loops that can catch on office surroundings, and create an image of playfulness instead of serious business. They invest, instead, on a great pair of stud earrings, a statement necklace, and an office brooch as their standard accessories.

 The New Daring

Now, some women are starting to add cuff links to their business attire. Long held as a male accessory, women are finding they work well for their office suits too, particularly if it is a pants suit. Watches are a unisex jewelry accessory that always looks good in the office and replaces the dangling bracelets that are far too casual for women to wear at work. Men are wearing more rings while women are choosing fewer rings. As the sexes learn to share the workplace equitably, a new style acceptable to both will eventually level the field and give both genders the right look for success.

  The standard white, gray and black business attire can be brightened up with some color – for example pink! In the first photo we have a basic white blouse with a subtle pink stripe under a cute gray cardigan, with a basic black suit skirt. Second we have a classic gray buisness suit (skirt suit) with a basic white blouse, however it is layered with a pink unbuttoned cardigan – this is a great way to mix in some color into your professional wardrobe. In the last example we have work outfit consisting of a gray suit jacket with a taupe pencil skirt, brightened up by a classic blouse in mauve. This style of basic blouse in different colors is the staple of most women’s business attire and can be worn both with suit separates, as in this photo, or with classic business suits.

Here are some ideas of how to break up the all black business casual work outfits. Keep your most comfortable standard black slacks, and add tops or jackets in black and white. Keep it simple. Add a little bit of white. Or a lot of white. Lighten things up in your buisness casual outfits by putting together mix and match items in black and white.

Don’t miss your chance to wear open toe shoes with your business suit. For is who like to show our toes, now is the chance to squeeze the last bit of fun out of summer. Wear your open toe shoes while you can, soon it will be too cold for that. If your black power suit need some spice, then wear a pair of bright turquise pumps. and perhaps with a matching shawl or scarf.

The buttons on a woman’s business suit is part of what gives that particular suit it’s style and look. Some business suits have buttons that stand out, as in the case with these suit jackets and coat above. Some suits have inconspicuous, or even hidden buttons. When you look a business suit over, pay attention to what kind of impression the buttons give. Some women like big buttons, some don’t. You can even repalce the buttons if you like. One way to improve your business attire and upgrade the image of a business suit is to go to a fabric store and buy some more classy, expensive looking buttons and sew them onto your suit jacket. These days some women don’t know how to sew, and if that’s the case you can turn it into a dry-cleaning place that does alterations. If you find a buisness suit that has a cut that looks really good on you, but the buttons are cheap looking plastic buttons, it may be a good idea to have new ones put on. The buttons can be considered part of the subtle image of your business attire.

A light business suit will keep you cool in hot summer weather. Keep your most comfortable white slacks at hand, and mix-match them with a cool, light weight, gray suit jacket. Use your white slacks and summer suit separate jackets to create casual business suit ensembles. But that alone could be a little bit bland. What makes this work outfit interesting is the accessory – the yellow necklace perfectly matched with the yellow top peaking out between the suit lapels. It’s worth spending time to find the right accessories for your business suit.

Does your black power suit bore you? Break it up with some bright yellow jackets. Business attire doesn’t always have to be dark to create a professional image. Buy a bright yellow suit jacket to wear with your favorit black suit pants.  Don’t let business attire dress codes restirct you in terms of color.

Belts can be a great accessory for a business casual outfit. You can accessories with belt both for skirts and pants. First we have a skirt and white blouse with a thin belt. Next is an example of a work oufit with a wide black belt accessorizing a pair of white slacks with a short sleeved blouse. Last we have a business casual outfit accessorized with a belt in a contrasting color, simply resting over the cardigan. A belt, as an accessory, can say so much.

Here are two examples of two pretty women, with two different body types, in two different white dresses – one for a full figured body and one for a skinny body. Compare the differences, and see how each dress compliments it’s wearer:

Michelle Obama is wearing a white dress that is flaired out at the skirt.

• Body type: Full figured.
• Dress cut: Dress with flaired out skirt.
• Accessories: A wide silver belt, that makes her hips look good.

Carla Bruni-Sarkozy is wearing straight dress with a thin belt.

• Body type: Skinny.
• Dress cut: The dress is straight all the way.
• Accessories: A thin black belt.

When you shop, buy work clothes with the right cut for the body type you have, not the body type you would like. We all come in different shapes and sizes. If the clothes don’t look right on you, it is never the body type that is wrong, it is always the cut of the garment that is wrong. There are no wrong bodies, only wrong clothes.

Compare how Michelle Obama’s white dress makes her hips look really good. Carla Bruni-Sarkozy’z hips aren’t so prominent but that belt makes them a little more noticeable. When you have a full figure, a wide belt is better. The thin belt looks better on Carla. The silver belt on Michelle makes a softer look and doesn’t contrast as much, whereas the thin black belt on Carla makes more of a contrast.

Photo credits: AP Thierry Chesnot

When you shop for a woman’s business suit, think ahead and plan out what else you can wear it with. Perhaps you have other suit separates at home that your new wardrobe addition can be mix and matched with. If not, you could look around the mall for other business suits, or separate jackets that can be worn with it. Don’t just buy one piece of clothing because you like it, think of how it can be recombined to make as many work outfits as possible.

Here are some examples of women’s business suits and suit separates in red, gray and white that can be mix and matched and recombined into many various work outfits.

Why not wear a twin set with a pair of relaxed slacks for a business casual outfit? Get a twin set with matching top and cardigan. Wear the cardigan open and loose. Wear your twin set with your favorite pair of slacks, or with the pants from one of your business suits. Alternating it with a twin set, is one way to get yet another work outfit out of a woman’s business suit. However, this look is pretty relaxed and suitable for a business casual outfit only – if you have an important meeting that requires formal business attire, then wear the full business suit.

We could show our appreciation for spring by accessorizing our work outfits with colorful pretty scarves. You can hang one long and loose around your neck, laying flat over your business suit. Or you can wear a smaller scarf, tied into a pretty knot around your neck, accentuating your suit jacket. Adding a scarf can make a work outfit look less bare, and more put together. Do you prefer solid scarves, or scarves with a pretty print? If your top or dress has a busy print, you might want to stick to a solid scarf. Accessorizing with scarves can be a rather inexpensive way to add flair to a business suit.

Working women are buying a lot of business suits in light colors for summer. Work outfits with suits and separate slacks and jackets in white, cream, bone and taupe is the order of the day. Here are some examples of how to accessorize light colored business suits with coral and orange. Short necklaces with big coral stones contrasts nicely with a cream suit jacket. Career blouses and casual tops in organge and coral creates a lovely spring office look. Combining work outfits by alternating long gold necklaces, beige bags, big buckeled belts and a few bright orange or soft coral tops brings your light colored suits to life.