Ask Mary Lou

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For January, 2005:

Q: I have recently left nursing for the business world and have a four-day national tradeshow to attend that is business formal. I have also lost weight so that my suits are almost two sizes too big.

I am torn between tailoring these suits that I won't wear again after this winter since I am headed steadily down in sizes, and buying a skirt/pant/jacket suit that fits and somehow making it into four outfits. Which would you recommend? Any help is greatly appreciated!

A: : Congratulations on the weight loss and new career! My suggestion is to buy the new pieces. Alterations can add up, especially if you need to re-size items more than one size as your case seems to be. Hit the sales racks first (you can't beat them this time of year!) and focus on finding pieces that are non-seasonal for maximum wear.

Black suiting is an obvious first choice. It is often price neutral, less memorable and easy to wear for many daytime as well as evening events. Start with a black pantsuit to get the biggest bang for your buck. Add a skirt or dress in the same fabric if you can find it. Spruce these base pieces up by adding colorful tops with various necklines to get diverse looks. In addition to being able to wear them in many seasons, lightweight wools and polyester blends pack nicely and will hold up well from morning to night at a tradeshow, as well as many other business and social functions you will undoubtedly have in the future.

Even if you have to pay full price (which is very unlikely during January), consider it an investment in yourself as you update your wardrobe for your new career and go for it!