The Hot Pink Banana Republic Pantsuit

It's that hot pink Banana Republic pantsuit again! Going through my archives I see I purchased this suit early in 2017. I wore it to the rewardStyle Conference, to NewsBash, to showcase the Chico's How Bold Are You campaign. I've worn the blazer alone, the pants alone, and the combination to many situations off the blog. Last year I went to put on the suit and it no longer fit well (to be honest it didn't fit well in this post). I took it to the tailor.  It wasn't cheap; the jacket has buttons on the cuffs and both pieces are lined.  But it's cheaper than a new suit and a much better fit.  Each time I wear this suit I feel great – confident, stylish, and myself.  And that feeling is priceless.

Blazer: Banana Republic (old; similar) | Pants: Banana Republic (old; similar) | Camisole: J. Crew (14) | Shoes: Clarks | Earrings: Monogram Hoops c/o Jenny Bird | Bracelet: Large Chloe Cuff c/o Jenny Bird
(note: when purchased, the blazer was a 16 and the pants a 14; both have been tailored to fit my current shape)

I still love Banana Republic for suiting.  I recently ordered this blazer and these matching pants but they didn't have petite and it would be near impossible to tailor it to fit properly. I have a navy pinstriped suit from Banana Republic (worn this year, worn in 2016) and several separates and find the quality and fit quite good.  They have washable suiting; some is quite nice and some… well it looks like it's made to be washed (not lined, not as tailored, fabric with a weird finish).  Banana Republic goes up to size 20 for their suiting and they have petite and long in several styles. They regularly have 40% off promotions and their suiting often goes on sale when they sell out of most sizes.  This winter I got a sparkly suit from them and I don't think I even paid $75 total for both pieces.  In summary, Banana Republic is worth checking out for suiting for the office, for social events, or if you just like a great blazer or well-fitting pants to add to your wardrobe.

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I have three of these camisoles from J. Crew. They're nothing exciting, but that's why I love them.  They can handle being thrown in the washer, they're not shiny nor too casual, and they have adjustable straps. Since I didn't plan on taking off my blazer, I wore a regular bra.  I wore this same suit with the same cami for NewsBash, but because that was a dressier affair, I paired it with strappy heels and a glammed-up face (glossy lips and plenty of mascara).

These photos were taken just before I headed to The University of Maryland College Park to speak on a panel for MBA students. We discussed influencer marketing, and it was an amazing group of students who asked us some hard questions. I wanted to look professional yet approachable; I felt the combination of a suit but a happy color would provide that balance. This is a selfie Barnette from The DC Fashion Fool took after the panel; Danny from Eat the Capital is the other person in the photo. I went to Maryland and it's pretty cool to now be sharing my experience with current students!

I have an upcoming post about spring wide width shoes and spoiler alert, these loafers are part of it. My sister the other day was wearing a pale pink blazer with jeans and red driving mocs and I was inspired.  I haven't had luck with loafers, they usually are too tight to fit my high-volume feet.  I took a chance with these from Clarks and they were comfortable right out of the box.  First time I wore them, no blisters or hot spots.  This is the second wearing, I liked that they weren't an exact match to anything in the outfit but still in the same color story.  Also, the color is essentially a nude for me, which will be a great choice for ankle pants and situations when I want my shoes to virtually disappear and not compete with my outfit or its silhouette. 

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