Buying the perfect suit( that doesn’t look cheap) requires an eye for detail and knowledge of fabric, design and draping.
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 outfit for her A-list client.
Turn the suit inside out to reveal the seams and the linings of the garment
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.
Examine the zippers, buttons and buttonholes on the suit
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.
Get to 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 crumpling it.
Cheap and inexpensive fabrics will be coarse to the touch, feel rough on the skin and are prone to wrinkle quite easily.
So, avoid any woolen or polyester fabrics with high sheen.
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.
Make sure that your pants or skirt fits perfectly
The perfect pants length should hang straight from the waist to the top of the instep. For work, your skirt should skim the top of the knee. To make sure that your pants or skirt aren’t too short, walk around in the shoes you wear most to check the length.
If you see the outline of your pockets through your pants or skirt, it means the garment it too tight. Go up one size to get the best fit.
Final Tips & Tricks to Buying a Woman’s Suit
- 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.