Make Believe Monday | The not-so-boring skirt suit

I've been on the Great American Apparel Diet for a little over a month and a half now, and this is the first time I've seriously consideredcheating.  I'll show you the little temptress later on in the post, but the title sort of gives it away.  The next item on my wish list is a fun skirt suit.  I know.  Suit and fun in the same sentence?  Of course!   I love the look of a good suit, and I did recently make an investment in a good classic black suit (with matching pencil skirt and all), but these fun numbers really make my closest feel empty in the skirt suit department.

There are several ways that suits can depart from the classic hip-length blazer and pencil skirt formula:

• Cut: Three-quarter length sleeves, fun collars, or skirt shape.
• Embellishments: Beading, embroidery, and button details keep the eye interested.
• Fabric: A sweet seersucker make a suit perfectly light for summer.  A fun print can brighten your day.

Here are some of my picks.  This first one keeps it modern with bracelet-length sleeves and a ruched collar.  The three buttons that go up pretty high keep it modest, but not boring.

Tahari, Macy's

Add a flounce to your skirt with some kicky pleats.   This makes the skirt a little easier to move in as well.

AGB, Macy's

And for the finale, this fun suit from Loft.  I love the ribbon detail on the blazer and the shape of the skirt.  I'm leaving these photos nice and big for your viewing pleasure.

Every diet needs a little wiggle room--the baby is slated to arrive in about two weeks.  While I try not to make excuses to purchase (in general, but especially on this diet), I think this is a purchase I can justifiably make.  I'm starting to move on up in my workplace and this suit will be perfect for summer meetings (it averages in the triple digits here in the summer months and my black wool skirt suit just isn't going to cut it).  And I am pretty sure that by next March the style will be completely discontinued and I'll spend the next decade or so kicking myself (yes, I remember things for a looooong time).  Think what you will--I'm hopping right back on the wagon now that the credit card is safely back in my wallet.

What's your favorite play on the classic skirt suit?