Female suits have a fascinating history that deserves to be explored. Not long ago, a woman wearing a suit was a bold political statement; in some cases, it was even illegal. We wonder when and how the women's suit, now a fashion staple and a symbol of power, began to blur the lines of society's strict gender binaries. The evolution of the power suit is detailed below, along with its implications.

Early Period

Suits first appeared in 666, when King Charles II of England received an idea from French King Louis XIV to require men in court to wear waistcoats, trousers, and ties—this later evolved into the modern suit for men. Until 1870, the suit belonged to men. That was until actress Sarah Bernhardt (a true suffragette) defied social conventions and began wearing a custom trouser suit she referred to as her "boy's clothes."

1800's

In the nineteenth century, it became socially acceptable for women to wear a suit for outdoor activities, particularly swimming. These early "women's suits," also known as bathing suits, exposed little to no skin and were purely functional. Though it was only a baby step, it was the first notable moment in the transition from floor-length Victorian-era gowns.

Early 1900's

The Suffragette Suit was a progressive women's uniform that inspired icon and fashion grande dame Coco Chanel. Chanel, possibly the most well-known designer of women's suits, rose to prominence during the First World War by preceding corsets in favor of tailoring and is widely credited with creating the first truly female suit in the modern sense. The Chanel suit, unlike its predecessors, retained a sense of glamor and femininity.

Post World War

Women's sartorial liberation continued during the jazz era, as women began to wear trousers for leisure activities such as tennis, equestrian, and cycling. Until then, a woman wearing pants was considered cross-dressing and was frequently criminalized.

20th Century

By the 1980s, the proportion of women in the workforce had risen to more than 50%, and the decade became synonymous with the iconic "power suit." The stereotypical look for women in business was born with Georgio Armani championing androgynous shoulder pads and the oversized jacket silhouette.

Present Times

Women can now wear pink to work instead of just powerful red. They can dress in florals and lace. They can wear leopard-print flats and shoes. Women no longer need to dress powerfully to command the respect of their coworkers. It used to be all about the power suit, but now more fashionable and feminine items are just as effective. With jeans as common in the workplace as blazers, women no longer feel the need to impose their power through suits. Women reclaim their femininity by wearing dresses and skirts, resulting in a new type of power play.

Guide On Buying A Women's Suit Canada

It's time to get a new suit! A suit can be costly, so you want to get it right. This guide will walk you through every step to get the perfect suit.

Women's Suit Canada: Purpose

The purpose of your suit will determine what type you get and how you accessorize it. Take a moment to consider the message you want to send out into the world.

A suit can help you command immediate respect and feel more confident in those important meetings and negotiations. Importantly, you want your suit to make you feel powerful and confident, which you can then project to the rest of the world.

• For Professional Or Business Job Interview
• A more traditional suit with clean lines and few frills is preferable. Use more traditional colors like navy, charcoal gray, or black.
• For Creative Job Interview
• Display your style while maintaining clean lines and a professional appearance. Consider the above-mentioned traditional colors, eggplant, camel, and forest green.
• For Non-Business Job Interview
• You should still wear a suit, but you will have many more options and can deviate from the traditional business suit.
• For Corporate Office
• Invest in quality because you'll be wearing it a lot. Strive to look professional while displaying your style. Combine suit separates with other jackets, pants, skirts, or dresses to expand your wardrobe options.
• For Presentation
• There are no rules, but you want to be able to move in. Take photos of yourself in the presentation suit from different angles, including arms up, sitting down, and any other movements you make while speaking.
• For Travel
• Consider a washable suit or a wrinkle-resistant fabric like wool or cashmere.
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Women's Suit Canada: Physical Attributes

That's correct. The most important factors are your physical characteristics, style, coloring, and proportions. There is no simple solution here. Everyone is different and prefers different styles and colors.

The good news is that once you've determined what works best for you, you can use this knowledge to make the best style choices again and again.

Body Shape

Thinking about your body shape will help you make future clothing purchases, including a suit. Consider your body shape in front of a full-length mirror while wearing form-fitting clothing.

• Triangle Shape
• You have it if your shoulders and waist are narrower than your hips and thighs. Suits with a fuller bottom half than the top, A-line, flared or pleated skirts, a Peplum top or jacket, and some jackets with narrow shoulders are all options.

• Inverted Triangle Shape
• You have it if your shoulders are wider than your waist, hips, or thighs. Try wider leg pants to create balance with your top half, a cropped jacket to draw attention to the waist, and a shift dress that falls straight down your body, creating a long line.

• Hourglass Shape
• You have it if your shoulders are roughly the same width as your hips and your waist is noticeably narrower. Try some suits that emphasize the waist with a belt or other detail, peplum or wrap jackets or tops, and higher waist pants for a more flowy look.

• Oval Shape
• If your shoulders are roughly the same width as your hips and your waist appears wider than your shoulders and hips, you have it. Try suits with a dress that bypasses the waist, a longer open jacket to create vertical lines, and a wrap top or peplum top to help define the waist with these.

• Rectangle Shape
• You have it if your shoulders are roughly the same width as your hips and your waist appears to be roughly the same width as your shoulders and hips. Add print and texture to your look to add depth; if wearing a belt, only a narrow belt will likely work; and try a flared skirt to add movement to your look.

Body Proportions

Certain proportions are naturally aesthetically pleasing to our eyes. Simply put, we find a 1:1 ratio to be boring and uneven proportions to be more interesting. Clothing ratios of 1:2 or 2:3 work well, and that's what we'll aim for with our suit purchase. To purchase a suit, you only need to consider pleasing proportions.

• 1:2 Ratio

This is known as the rule of thirds. Consider your body and clothes in three parts, and divide them into thirds. In the example below, the woman on the left wears her top approximately 1/3 of the time and her pants the other 2/3. The woman on the right is dressed in a skirt suit that covers two-thirds of her body, with the suit jacket covering one-third and the skirt covering the other. These proportions appear to be nice and balanced.

• 2:3 Ratio

The proportions in the example below appear to be well-balanced as well. In this case, you divide your body into five sections and try to achieve a 2:3 ratio between your clothing and body. The woman on the left has a suit covering 3/5 of her body and her legs covering the other. The top 3/5 is further divided as one-third is the skirt and two-thirds is the jacket.

Women's Suit Canada: Suit Color

Try navy blue or charcoal gray if you're looking for a suit for a more formal occasion (such as an interview). Consider a black suit, which can appear harsh on some people but very sharp on others. You'll never know unless you try.

Try neutrals like eggplant, camel, forest green, or light gray for a less formal look. Consider popular fabrics and prints such as tweed, plaid, pinstripes, and herringbone.

Women's Suit Canada: Quality

Purchase the highest quality suit you can afford, especially if you intend to wear it frequently. Keep an eye out for:

• Genuine fabric. Wool is an excellent suiting material because it is breathable, naturally resists wrinkles, and lasts for years.
• Linings for jackets.  A fully lined jacket denotes a higher level of quality.
• Suit-specific details. Look at the details, such as the buttons, button holes, and pockets. Check that everything is straight and well-made.

Women's Suit Canada: Accessories

Accessorize your suit creatively, and you'll find that you can wear it more often while keeping your look fresh. There are numerous options, including tops, jewelry, scarves, belts, bags, shoes, hairstyles, and more.

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  Tops
• Choosing a great top can pull your outfit together. Choose darker colors with less contrast to the suit for a more formal appearance. Certain fabrics, such as silk and lace, naturally convey more formality. Remember, the best thing to do is try some things with your suit and see what looks best. Don't overthink it; if it feels right, it probably is.
• Shoes
• Your heel should be 3 1/2" or lower for a professional appearance. With a suit, a closed-toed pump is usually the best option. Choose a fun color or print that complements your suit to add some personality. You should always have a flat shoe on hand for walking to and from the office and for longer walks to lunch or meetings. Most pant suits also look great with a flat.
• Jewelry
• Most professional outfits feature minimal jewelry. Choose classic jewelry such as pearls or diamonds for a more formal look.

How To Properly Care For Your Women's Suits Canada

It's time to take care of your new suit now that you've found, tailored, and accessorized it. A high-quality, well-maintained suit can last for many years and many wears.

Learn how often to wash or dry clean your suit, how to refresh it between washes, and how to store it when necessary.

Washing

Because a top is typically worn under a suit, it does not require as frequent washing or dry cleaning as other clothing.

Washable suits should be washed every two to three times they are worn. Use a mild detergent and the hand wash/delicate cycle on your washing machine. Allow it to dry flat. Steam any wrinkles out before wearing.

Dry Cleaning

Use dry cleaning; only suit as little as possible if you have a clean suit. Dry cleaning is harmful to fabrics, the environment, and humans. If you must dry clean, remove the plastic as soon as possible and, if possible, hang the clothes outside on a covered porch for an hour to air out the fabric.

All suit pieces must be dry cleaned at the same time. For example, if you have a suit that includes a jacket, a skirt, and a pair of pants, all three pieces must be dry cleaned simultaneously to ensure they all fit. Because dry cleaning is harsh on fabric, the colors may fade slightly, or the fabric may appear slightly different.

Storing The Suit

You should store them carefully if you don't wear suits often or have seasonal suits. Here are a few pointers.

• Before storing suits, make sure they are clean. Before storing them, wash or dry-clean them.
• Store them in a cool, dark, and dry location.
• Use a natural wood hanger that is wide enough to protect the jacket's shape.
• Use non-plastic storage bags that are breathable.
• Hang cedar or lavender with your suits to keep moths and other bugs away.

Frequently Asked Questions

The following are some of the most frequently asked questions about women's suits in Canada and other related topics. Have a quick look below.

Conclusion

In today's fashion world, determining the best women's suit style can be difficult. A woman's suit dress code can differ depending on the company she works for, her daily work, and the city she lives in. As you may be aware, a dress code varies depending on which cities, states, and parts of the world you are in. Because proper attire can often make or break a career, it's best to stick to a few simple rules regarding women's suits in Canada. However, it is critical to get women's suiting right to flaunt it in the best way possible.

We hope that this guide will help you to decide what you think is best for your looks. You can now find more information on our website, IsaacEly, for more details and designs!