Nearly a century has passed since Marcel Rochas introduced the ready-to-wear suit to women’s fashion. We’re no longer shocked to see a woman dressed in a pantsuit or blazer jacket. But we still associate the women’s suit with empowerment — so much so that it’s often referred to as a “power suit.” What was once the chosen garment of high-powered female executives and politicians is now being rocked by women of all shapes, sizes, and stations in every context.

Office settings

When you need to dress for success, go with a suit. Whether keynoting a conference, pitching your latest ad campaign, or interviewing for the promotion you’ve had your sights set on for years, a pantsuit will give you confidence to own the room.

Social settings

Suits walk the line between business attire and on-the-town outfit, making it easy to transition from work to play. Wear a suit to the office on Fridays, then swap out loafers for strappy heels and you’re set for cocktails and dinner.

Evening galas

Beyoncé wore a custom pantsuit to the New York City Ballet’s Fall Fashion Gala in support of her sister Solange’s “Play Time” project. The Sergio Hudson pantsuit featured flare-leg trousers and a tailored blazer cinched at the waist. Let Queen Bey be the muse for your next formal look: try swapping out a full-length evening gown for a boundary-pushing suit.

Power knows no size. More and more designers recognize this. Tibi veers away from form-fitting designs that accentuate the body's curves, choosing instead to apply slouchy silhouettes that promote voluminous comfort. The collection featured oversized blazers hanging loosely off the shoulders with billowy trousers that resemble '90s-style parachute pants.

Here are some tips to help determine which women’s suit styles complement your body type:

Hourglass figure: For hourglass shapes, wear high-waisted suit pants or a pencil skirt to elongate your lower half, with a T-shirt and suit jacket up top.

Thin frame: Low-rise pants and A-line skirts work well on straight body types. Play with proportions by adding a long-line blazer on top.

Pear shape: With smaller shoulders and broader hips, pear-shaped body types should stick to cropped blazer jackets, collared tops, and high-waisted wide-leg trousers to create a long silhouette.

All the pieces created by designers fit within just a handful of categories. They can’t invent new body parts to dress, but they still find ways to innovate, breathing new life into dress pants, tops, and blazers. You can do the same with how you choose to style your suit. Try these outfit ideas for women’s suits:

Play with color: Black and its cousins, gray and navy, are the benchmark colors of power and strength, the pillar palettes of power suits. But a handful of fashion houses over the last few seasons have embraced bold splashes of color as a way to inject life into the DNA of formalwear. Alexander McQueen displayed this poignantly with vivid displays of red and blue suiting options for Spring 2023.

Layer it up: Crisp white button-down shirts are the go-to underlayer for a blazer and trouser duo. Look to Ralph Lauren for inspiration on sporting a suit with mismatched separates. For the Spring 2023 ready-to-wear collection, he sent out a casually cool look consisting of a pinstripe shirt, loose-fitting khakis, and a blue blazer along with a printed necktie and brogue shoes. It’s preppy collegiate Americana at its best.

The new silhouettes: Form-fitting shapes haven’t gone out of vogue, but genderless silhouettes are dominating runways with no signs of stopping. Ever in tune with what the people want, Stella McCartney pushes the fashion landscape forward with cuts that bring a sophisticated slouchiness to the scene. Her Spring 2023 ready-to-wear line featured baggy trousers and asymmetrical skirts worn with an assortment of oversized blazers that hung lazily around the body.

Whether you channel Coco Chanel and push boundaries or follow our guide on women’s suits to the letter, you’ll exude power and strength in an outfit all your own. If you’re looking for more women’s suit outfit ideas and how to make them work for you, we’re here to help. Book an in-person or virtual appointment with a Bergdorf Goodman stylist or personal shopper for bespoke styling advice tailored to your unique taste and body type.