So, I did not intend to acquire a new suit. It was more like my mother realized that, with interviews on the horizon, I really should acquire one. But, my mother decided, this would not just be any suit, oh no. This suit would be…TAILORED.
I’ve never had a tailored suit before. Having one now, I’d say it’s a good idea. When you invest in something like a suit, which you wear when you intend to look your best, it’s worth it to make sure it fits just right for you.
Two weeks ago, this quest of suit-purchasing began. We went to the Montclair Nordstrom’s, and the hunt commenced. We went with black (classic) for the suit color and red (power) and blue (formality) for the shirt colors. I also acquired new heels, since my old ones had been with me since my public speaking days in high school. Those shoes are among my favorites, but it was clear that they’d seen better days. Putting this ensemble together was the easy part… then came the whole tailoring business.
Overall, it was relatively painless. It took a lot of time upfront, with multiple measuring, much hemming and hawing over the length of the pant leg, whether to add another button to the suit, so on and so forth. However, despite the minutia which I found dis-interesting, the tailoring process went rather well. Nordstrom tailors suits you buy from them for free, and they take measurements and everything. I was able to find this suit Saturday and they had it tailored and done by Tuesday before a consulting event I had planned for Wednesday night. They even stretched my heels so they would be even more comfortable for the consulting night.
Perhaps now would be a good time to answer a question many of you might be wondering: when does one need a suit? Well, the answer is it depends. Certainly you do not need to rush out and buy one RIGHT NOW after reading this post. In fact, you may not need to buy one at all. I needed a suit because I am planning to interview for consulting and/or government positions in the coming weeks, and for those types of internships, looking your absolute best is critical. However, for interviews for jobs on-campus, usually business casual is perfectly fine. If you are in the group of people who, like me, need a new suit, there are many places you can go to find one. If you are in a monetary pinch, Scripps is starting a new suit donating program. Drop by SARLO and see if they can assist you with acquiring your suit for free. Also, your mother/aunt/friend might have a spiffy looking suit that she is willing to lend to you. However, if all this fails, there are some relatively inexpensive ways to buy suits.
1. H&M: I have bought suits from here for years. I won’t lie, these suits tend to wear out fast, and can wrinkle at the drop of a hat, but they are good for a summer position where you need some formal wear that won’t cost more money than you’ll make over the summer.
2. Thrift Stores: I was once told that Beverly Hills thrift stores are the best bargain for good quality suits. Legend has it some girl walked out of a thrift store in Beverly Hills with a pair of Jimmy Choo pumps that cost her less than $100. Could it be true? Find out for yourself!
3. Sales! Nordstrom’s and Macy’s usually have great sales twice a year, and their suits are great, in my experience.
Well, my friends, happy suit hunting! Hopefully this was helpful for some of you. Next week, I’ll be discussing the wonders and downfalls of different types of career assessments, why we care about assessments like the MBTI, the Strongs’, or Strength Quest, and what they can do (and can’t do) for you.