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Women's Suits
The uniform impression of a suit can carry numerous connotations but in business settings it can communicate respectability and taste.
The earliest women's suits were riding habits, which consisted of a tailored coat or jacket and matching skirt from the 1660s. Practical and sturdy, riding habits were worn not only on horseback, but also for travel and other daytime pursuits. Suits not intended for riding appeared in the later 19th century. Both riding habits and walking suits reflected the skirt and sleeve styles of the day.
In the first half of the 20th century, the skirted suit became the common daytime city costume for women, in the workplace and out; dressmaker suits featured softer fabrics and "feminine" details, and cocktail suits were worn for semi-formal occasions in mid-century.
Under the influence of Dress for Success, a working woman's uniform of skirted suit, tailored shirt, and floppy tie evolved in the 1970s and 1980s. Pantsuits (women's suits with trousers) were introduced by designer André Courrèges in 1964 but were only gradually accepted as formal business attire.
Suit-wearing etiquette for women generally follows the same guidelines used by men, with a few differences.
For women, a blouse (usually white) takes the place of a shirt. Blue and pink blouses are also seen. Women have more leeway in selecting their top than men have in selecting their shirt. Sometimes a high-quality knit top replaces the blouse; this is not universally accepted but is common, particularly if the top is made of a luxurious material.
Women generally do not wear neckties with their suit. Fancy silk scarves that resemble a floppy ascot tie were popular in North America in the 1970s, worn with pant suits. At that time women entered the white-collar workforce in large numbers and their dress fashions imitated men's business wear. The scarves are not popular in contemporary usage; most women pair their suit with either a subdued necklace or no neckwear at all.
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