Why a power suit?
Well, here’s the tea.
Have you ever applied for a big job and didn’t know what to wear to the interview? Had an important meeting and couldn’t seem to find the right outfit? This was always my problem, and I could never find the right statement piece to wear. I believe that every woman needs at least one power suit in their closet. Whether it’s just a simple suit or a showstopper suit, we all need one! So, let’s start off with the basics. We all have our own styles that make us unique, and the best way to show that off is when purchasing your first power suit. The suit you pick out is what prospects will see you in for the first time. A powerful suit is a great way to make a good first impression.
Tips
Hear me out, as much as we love that Burberry or Versace suit that we saw Zendaya pull off, there is no way that as college students, we can afford a suit like that—unless you’re secretly rich… in that case, splurge! But for my empowered women who want to look amazing on a budget, this is for you. Let’s begin with the store that most of us basically grew up in and still continue to love, H&M.
H&M has become one of my all-time favorite places to get any sort of business-related clothing. They have styles for everyone! I honestly never would have thought to look in H&M, but I did, and when I tell you guys that the diversity and authenticity in their clothing is immaculate, I mean it—and that’s not even the best part! They have such an enormous range of slacks that do my curvy ladies justice in every way possible—trust me, I know from experience. Secondly, for the ladies that have a little extra change in their pockets and feel like treating themselves (as you should), then this one’s for you. If you want statement pieces that will look unique, then look no further, ZARA is the place for you. ZARA has been my favorite store for the past year, and I am not joking when I say that I live and breathe ZARA clothing. If you want pieces that will turn a normal suit into a suit with some spice, ZARA is the place you’ve been looking for. Their pieces are not only unique, but authentic in every way. Although their pricing may be on the higher side, the quality of their clothing made me fall more head over heels for them than I did for Drake, and that says a lot. They have such amazing patterns to play around with and such a variety of options to choose from!
Tricks
There are so many helpful tricks that I believe could change a woman’s life when buying her first power suit. So, let’s jump right in. The best way to think of it is in a three-tiered system, a foundation if you will. You don’t want to get pieces that you can’t mix and match other pieces with. Most of us are college students that love creativity, but love saving money even more. That’s why having a foundation for your suit is imperative. Starting with slacks, go for basic colors! Now, I know what you’re probably thinking: “I don’t want to be basic”, no one said you have to be! But choosing basic colors for slacks allows you to build a foundation for creating your empowering suit. This leads us to our second tier: the top. I highly recommend shooting for any sort of button-down shirt, long sleeve of course! Button down shirts give you the opportunity to dress it up with a blazer (which carries us into our 3rd and final tier), or even a vest. Like I said earlier, this is just the foundation that is key for a power suit. When picking out the colors of a button-down, only pick two out—yes, you read that correctly—two is all you need. The reason I say two is because you have options with more than one button-down and it can completely change the look of the suit just by changing the color of your top. Lastly, we have our top tier, the icing on the cake. Do you ever notice how just a button up and slacks doesn’t look right? You will feel almost bare and not complete, therefore, anything over a button up is great to wear. There are so many different options on what you can wear over a button-down and you may already have it in your closet! Cardigans, vests, and even trench coats are perfect to complete the look of a power suit.
Trends
Every woman knows that staying up to date with the trends on social media is almost as important as staying up to finish that last episode of Greys Anatomy that you were watching last night. Lucky for you, I’m going to give you all the trends you need to know when it comes to suits and how to make them last for a few months, not just a few days. First, we have a fan favorite at the moment, sweater vests! Sweater vests have resurfaced in the past few months and to say that I am ecstatic about this would be an understatement. They are not only super cute to throw on over a button down, but extremely comfortable as well. Remember when I talked about having a foundation? Well, now that your foundation is built, a sweater vest is how you will be able to give your suit your own style. Patterns are a great way to do this, a cute plaid moment or even a plain vest with intricate designs is perfect. Next, we have blazers. Now I am not talking about shoulder pad blazers, although they are somewhat in style right now, but more along the lines of oversized blazers! Oversized blazers are perfect to give your power suit some dimension. Not only does it give some dimension, but it is different! We usually see a lot of woman wearing blazers that fit just right, but an oversized blazer can completely change the look of your suit for the better!
I hope you will try at least one of these tips when you search for your next interview outfit!