Suits Me

Wearing that same suit again.  No need for a photo shoot.
One thing I will say is that every person needs a suit of some sort.  Skirt suit, dress suit, pantsuit, any combination of the above. You will get your money's worth out of it. Not just for funerals, interviews, and business formal attire.  Split it up and wear the components separately, too. BAM! Not just a suit, but a blazer and slacks/ skirt/ dress.  I would honestly recommend the pants or skirt over the dress, just because the dress severely limits wearability.
I would also recommend you suit being one of the things you spend a  bit more money on.  I'm not talking "go out and blow a paycheck on it," but I am saying you'll look better if you don't buy the trash in the juniors department.  Here's what you should look for:
Blazer

• A lining.  Jackets without linings tend to either be very casual, crappily made, or hang funny, none of which you want to be the impression you give.
• Avoid shine, intentional or not.  Some cheap fabrics tend to have a sheen to them, making them look even cheaper. Avoid those.
• Obvious shoulderpads or trendy detailing.  You want this jacket to be something you can wear for many more years than just this season.  Huge shoulderpads make you look like an 80s reject, and trends mark it as a one time use jacket.
• A dark color.  It doesn't hafta be black, but black, navy, or charcoal are your best bets for versatility.
• Buttons that stop just under the tits and button all the way down.  They should also close. without pulling. This is the best fit for a professional blazer.  It doesn't need to button all the way down, but it should definitely button just under the  chest for the most professional look.
• Fit is everything.  If it pulls ANYWHERE, put it back and grab the next size up.  You can (and should) always get it tailored to match your body, but very rarely can you let a blazer out and still look good
• Check the seams and buttons.  Are the seams well sewn and straight?  Are there loose threads?  Do the buttons look ready to pop off any second?    Check for quality.  If it's crappy sewing, it's a crappy suit.

Pants/ skirt

• Match the color to the blazer.  There are different colors of everything, even black.  You want them to match exactly, which is why I really, REALLY recommend you buy them as a set.
• Check seams, buttons, hooks, and zippers. Crappy closures mean crappy clothes.
• Check the length.  A skirt should be long enough can sit in it without looking like a street walker.  I'd say stick with knee length or just past the knee, as ankle length tends to look nunnish or dowdy.  For pants, they should be long enough to break across your shoes and hang to within half an inch of the ground in the back.  You don't want high waters, and you don't want to drag your hems out.
• Check the slit on the skirt.  You should be able to walk fairly easily with a natural gait without it being slit up to There.  If you can't, or if it is. put it back.
• Check the pockets. and make sure you can't see the outline when you wear the pants or skirt.
• Check the waist and belt loops.  If it has belt loops, you'll always hafta wear a belt with it. If it has no waistband, make sure it doesn't dig into your waist.

Interview Clothing Tips

1) Sodalite earrings, $20, local Scottish- Irish fair
2) Silver heart necklace, gift
3) White chiffon bust tank, $10, Express
4) Teal button up, $20, New York &Company
5) Black blazer, $55, Tahari via Dillard's
6) Black slacks, $40, New York and Company
7) Knee high stacked heel leather boots, $60, JCPenney
8) Leather belt, $20, JCPenney?
9) Fauxligator business tote, $30, Target

An interview for a job is all about putting your best foot forward. Out here, land of the formal jeans, a suit is nearly unheard of, let alone worn.  Most people only own the suit for formal business meetings and to pull apart.  I tend to wear mine as a suit more often than not, mostly because I get cold really easily and tend to keep a black blazer handy for that.
At any rate, for an interview, even if it's not one you where hafta wear a suit, is about looking good and sounding like you already have the job.  Jeans are out.  I don't care if they're your formal jeans, don't wear 'em to the interview.  Low cut, skin tight, or revealing are all kinds of out, unless you're applying for a job with the local gentleman's club.  Polish those shoes.  Iron EVERYTHING  (ok, maybe not the bra and underwear. Understated jewelry, if you wear it: leave the huge, intricate bib necklace at home.  Cover that decolletage, all of it. Make sure your suit isn't still vent stitched.  While most website advocate white, a colored (as in, one solid, contrasting but not neon, color, leave the paisley at home) will stick in their memory.  If it has belt loops, wear a good, simple leather belt, whether you need it or not.  Run a lint roller over it.  Do that twice.  While a black suit is good, any dark colored, matching suit will work  (well, maybe not brown.)

Up Top: Fall/ Winter 2012

For winter, there are two camps in the fashion world.  There are the OMIGODILOVEIT types, for those who adore tights, boots, covering up, and layers.  Then there are the BRINGSUMMERBACK types, who live in sandals and tanks and only begrudgingly put on winter clothes to save themselves from frostbite.  Personally, I'm a winter person, even though I HATE the cold with a passion. The ability to wear more than a layer of thin cotton without sweating like a latex fetishist charms me.
There are multiple hot ticket items out for this winter.  I'll try to split them into categories, but some'll sit in multiple categories.
Call Attention To The Neck
Bow neck blouses.  Collars. Detachable collars. Huge scarves. Pendants.  These are all big right now.  If you want something to hang around your neck to show it off or cover it up, you're in luck.
Bow neck blouses seem to be a spin off of the retro/ rockabilly/ Mad Men fad goin on right now.  They tend to come back into style fairly often, especially when it gets cool enough that something at your neck doesn't smother you.  This style tends to look better in silk or an equally flowy material.  A bow at the neck in a stiff cotton makes you look like someone's pampered Persian cat.  Verdict:  If you like the feel of silky material and bows, I'd say go for it.  In the right material and cut, this style is relatively seasonless and would look good on nearly anybody, depending on where the neckline hits.  This is also a relatively timeless fashion unlikely to look dated in the near future, if you get a simple version.  I recommend a style akin to one of these: here or here.
Collars always come back around this time of year, to help protect against wind and cold. Turtlenecks and peter pan/ straight seam collars seem to be having a moment in the sun right now, with every conceivable variation of either one available, from extremely ornate or fur lined to simplistic school uniform collars.  Dickies are are enjoying a resurgence, both the turtleneck and collar versions.  If you do decide to get in on the ornate collar trend, I would suggest leaving the front open or otherwise leaving at least partial view of the neck, otherwise it could get a bit stuffy looking. Verdict: Beware that collared and high necked shirts do not look equally good on all people.  A large bust looks overwhelming with a high neckline, and drawing attention to the neck can draw attention to issues some people have with skin there.  If you can pull of a collar, stick with subdued detailing and leave the metal tips, wild patterns, and heavily ornate collars to those who can afford to indulge in a 3 week trend.  If you opt for the detachable collar (almost a necklace, really), be careful choosing it. A ringmail or pearl collar may look awesome now, but will look very dated very soon.
Collar necklaces are the mutant offspring between the detachable collar and a choker. They come in almost as many metals and materials as there are stars in the sky, as well as any price point, from Claire's to Bergdorf Goodman. Verdict: I'd say shy away from them, these are likely to be a flash in the pan trend.
Scarves come back every year, presumably for those folks where it gets cold enough for a scarf for something other than fashion.  This year, designers are pushing scarves that would double as a bed sheet or a sarong. Big and fluffy or chunky seem to be the MO this year.  As y'all've seen, I own 5 million and one scarves. I love scarves.  It's an easy way to dress up an outfit, an adjustable belt, and any other fashion accessory you might need in one length on fabric.  Verdict: Scarves never go out of fashion. Ever.  Indulge all you want in this trend, with one caveat:  if it doubles as a waterbed sheet, it's too big.
Pendants: personally, I'm ecstatic these are coming back in fashion.  I love a pendant necklace, mostly because they offer a focal point and keep themselves in place.  Verdict: Go for it.  At the right length and scale, any woman can wear a pendant necklace, even those not so proud of their neck.

Go Big
This appears to be the year of raiding other people's closets.  Boyfriend clothing, gramma's closet, and Dad's plaid are all equally enamored.
Want to instantly expand your wardrobe, look OMGFASHYUN, and turn on your local male (husband, boyfriend, guy friend, etc)?  Steal his clothes.  Wear his blazer with the sleeves rolled up, wear his button ups untucked over straight leg jeans, and steal his sweaters. Verdict: The slightly oversized look is really big.  It's also really comfortable and the boyfriend trend doesn't appear to be going anywhere soon.
Remember how gramma always wore oversized sweaters, coats, tweed and you pitied her but secretly wished you could get away with oversized?  This year, you can.  Buy that sweater a size or 2 too big and look suddenly fashionable.  Remember that too big coat hiding in the closet? Have fun.  Verdict: There's a fine line between fashionable and bag lady/ gramma.  Be careful.  Stick with only one oversized item per outfit, and if you think it looks sloppy, it probably is.  A belt would probably go a long way to making it better, though.  This idea is great for those growing or shrinking, especially teenagers or those losing weight.
Who can forget Dad's hideous golf pants or lumberjack shirts?  Steal that idea.  Plaid is in and it's everywhere.  Then again, it comes back in every winter.  This winter, it looks like they want you to steal Dad's lumberjack shirt, belt it, and wear it as a dress or tunic.  Verdict:  This one comes down to personal taste.  Don't let it overwhelm you and stay away from day-glo.
Puffer coats are back, and I don't mean short ones.  This season, puffer coats are knee length or longer, and belted for that fresh squeezed Pillsbury doughboy effect. Verdict: If you truly need a puffer coat for warmth this might be an ok idea, but a more streamlined coat looks better on pretty much every female body.
Classics

With all of the new stuff that comes in every season, there are certain things that never really go out of fashion.  If you get one of these, make it a classic cut, a classic color, and get  good quality, so you can wear it for years to come.
Trench coats and peacoats are back.  Well, they would be, if they had ever left.  Verdict:  If you don't have a classic trench coat (short or long), get one.  Trust me.  There's reason these weather proof coats have been popular since before Humphrey Bogart.  The peacoat is a golden winter standard for a reason, but is a bit more personal taste driven.  In either case, stay classic and shy away from overly trendy patterns, colors, and textures. (Put down that day glo plaid peacoat.)
Tweed is back, too, for jackets, except it never left either. Verdict: if you like tweed, get it.  Again, stay away from overly trendy colors and shapes, and opt for a classic.
Blazers never left the room.  The style availability  has expanded (shrunken, fitted, boyfriend) and for the first time in quite a  while, they come in any color you could want.  They're another easy way to class up an outfit and make it look like you give a damn, even if you don't.  Verdict: Don't go overly trendy, and get quality.