blouse to go with a suit, help!

[dettu]

I might be looking for a job within the next year. To that end, I've decided to wear a suit once in a while so as not to make people suspicious...when I NEED to have a suit on. Okay, and most of my blouses just will NOT stay tucked into the pants (sorry UK folks, I know that's "trousers" to you). The one I have on right now is okay in the front but comes loose in the back. And the waist on these pants, since they're from a conservative pantsuit, is pretty high--so it's the shirt. I have one blouse that stays tucked but 1) it's white (I'd prefer colored) and 2) it doesn't have darts so it looks dumpy/sloppy on me.

I've thought about buying the bodysuit from Victoria's Secret where the exposed part looks like a regular button-down shirt, but on account of The Girls, one-piece garments tend to be tight in the, ahem, lower region, on me. If anyone has one of these and can comment, I'd be interested in hearing about it.

Other than that, can any of you dressed-up professionals recommend pointpoint/broadcloth blouses/shirts that stay tucked? Preferably not in the $100+ range?

[juspeachy]

Some of the nicest looking shirts/blouses I ever wore with a suit were actually tee-shirts made from something other than cotton.  Some of the ones made with Lycra give a little stretch and shine that make them look really nice; plus they come in a wide range of colors.  

Another option is to get a nice camisole that is made to allow the lacy top part to show at the top of the suit jacket.  My only problem with a camisole is that they usually have bra type straps and you have to leave your jacket on all day.

JusPeachy

[geminigirl]

1.  Good luck on the job hunt!

2.  I rarely wear a shirt / blouse with my suits / jackets - I much prefer to wear a sleeveless top (a shell? top) either a cami or a vest-type top contrasting colour to the suit.  I keep my jacket on all day so the fact that they're sleeveless isn't a problem.

3.  Yes, it is a bit suspicious when people come into the office all dressed up.  A joke at the last place I worked was to ask anyone who suddenly came in smart one day "What time's the interview?" so, yes, good idea to "dress up" occasionally so it doesn't look out of the ordinary!

[spitfire78]

I absolutely love the shells such as JusPeachy described.  I think they look very nice with a jacket and pants (or skirt).  You can find them in a variety of colors and prints and a variety of fabrics (everything from plain cotton to a shimmering fabric suitable for evening).  Obviously for work I go with something in between.  They're not expensive, and they look nice even if you take the jacket off.  For a more casual look, you can wear them outside the pants (as I am today).  That's one reason why I like them.  I never know whether I'm going to warm or cold in my office.  With a jacket and shell, I'm ready for either.  I have a problem with a gap at the bustline area if I wear button-down blouses.  Because these are pullovers, I don't have to worry about pinning the gap closed.  I can't afford a lot for clothes and don't need real "professional" style clothing because we're casual here.  But I've gotten nice ones from Blair and Haband that are inexpensive.  I've also seen them in Old Pueblo Traders (although that's a little bit pricey for me!).  There are probably other higher end places, but I need to go cheap, cheap, cheap with my clothes!

[raindance]

Your idea of wearing a suit once in a while is a good one. Nothing worse than having suspicious colleagues.

I've never tried those all-in-one garments, but they look a bit uncomfortable to me.  Some of my most successful shirts are mostly cotton with about five per cent lycra for fit and comfort. They're ok even on a hot day.

Raindance

[spitfire78]

As I said in my previous post, we're really casual here.  However, I try to dress nicely with slacks and blouses with or without a jacket.  I also wear dresses and skirts.  I believe in keeping up a professional appearance even if everyone else around me wears sweatshirts and jeans.  I just can't come to work dressed that way.  I usually try to wear a dress or skirt once a week in the nice weather (never in the winter as I need to go between buildings every day sometimes several times a day!).  Even though I wear dresses once a week or so, whenever I do there is always someone who says 'wow - you're dressed up today - going on a job interview?"  I've been here for 25 years and have gone on exactly 2 interviews in all that time (both for internal positions), so I can't figure out where that comes from but there you have it!