Why You Need a Cocktail Pantsuit (AKA a Lady Tux)

Hey there, my fellow grown-ass women. Do you have occasions coming up where you need to be dressed up and don't want to deal with heels and hose and Spanx and cold legs and entering and exiting cars in a graceful manner and having the right coat for the length of you skirt? Same, friend. Same. That's why I love a cocktail pantsuit. They're comfortable, stylish beyond one season, eternally chic, and it's, IMO, why you need a cocktail pantsuit.

I wrote this in 2024, but it's November and I know I am thinking about what the heck I need to wear to upcoming events and thought you may too. And even if you don't have a holiday occasion, now is the time to buy a lady tux or cocktail pantsuit that you can wear for other occasions beyond the holidays. It made sense to update this with what I find to be the best of the current offerings.

Why You Need a Cocktail Pantsuit

Back in the day, a cocktail pantsuit for women was usually a three-piece set of crepe or chiffon-overlay palazzo pants, a beaded shell, and then a “jacket” of beaded chiffon. But these days? There are far more variety, style, color, and options, whatever your personal style. What's great about a cocktail pantsuit is it can be dressed up and down, used as separates, and is more likely to look appropriate beyond the month of December.

Where to Buy a Cocktail Pantsuit for Women

Every single lady tux and cocktail pantsuit for women I shared in 2024 is no longer available so all of this is brand spanking new for 2025. While I made an effort to have a good range of sizes and pricepoints, I am not going to link to any junk. We grown-ass women, when we buy we should be buying for life.

Our bodies may continue to fluctuate, but we should be spending money on tailoring, not replacements. Switch up the shoes and the shell, but the suit itself, if bought well, should be able to provide years of stylish wear. It's not rewearing the same thing, it's creating signature style.

Because of this, I have fewer offerings in 2025. I was pretty surprised by how hard it was to find a lady tux that wasn't junk or overly trendy.

My Favorite Cocktail Suiting is from Ann Taylor

I love Ann Taylor. I think the price is reasonable for the quality and style, and I appreciate that Ann Taylor carries up to a size 18 and petite up to a size 16. I usually can buy off the rack and not need much tailoring, though occasionally the petite pants will need a bit of shortening to work with flat shoes.

black sleeveless jacket and pants | white jacket (comes with dressy belt) and pants | red jacket and pants | black velvet jacket and pants

A lot of Ann's suiting is in what they call fluid crepe, which I own, and find it the kind of fabric you can wear to work or glam it up for a formal occasion. For the holidays, Ann also carries suiting in other formal fabrics like velvet and lace. Everything is separates so you can mix and match a perfect mini capsule. Ann Taylor is also excellent for formal base layers, from silky camisoles to crisp button-front shirts with sparkly but tasteful embellishment.

Talbots Always Has Great Cocktail Suiting at the Holidays

My first lady tux was Talbots and I still own and wear it. Ankle pants and a satin-lapel jacket, it's relatively classic and I switch up the look with different shells or tops and shoes. This is the time of year to check out Talbots for occasionwear, especially its cocktail pantsuits.

This year, Talbots has two that appeal to me:

• The navy velveteen blazer and matching pants that come in misses, petite, plus, and plus petite reminds me of the navy velveteen cocktail pantsuit I got last year from this retailer and featured in my Talbots holiday capsule wardrobe. The suit no longer fits well and I gifted it to a friend, but it was worn together and as separates to many different occasions.
• For a more classic lady tux, check out the Talbots polished crepe shawl collar blazer and matching wide leg pants. This reminds me of a lady tux I have that I wore here to the theater, and here to dinner at The Greenbrier.

Lauren Ralph Lauren Offers Elevated Elegance in Misses, Petite, and Plus

I am a fan of Lauren Ralph Lauren, the reasonably priced line from the famous label. Often found at department stores like Macy's, Dillard's, and Nordstrom, the best selection is always on the Ralph Lauren website. And that is where I found the Double-Breasted Satin-Trim Crepe Blazer and matching Satin-Trim Double-Faced Crepe Pant.

Classic and elegant, these pieces make a perfect lady tux but also are great separates. Made from 66% polyester, 28% viscose, and 6% elastane, I'd recommend dry cleaning to keep the pieces looking crisp and well-shaped, but the pants can be machine washed and spot cleaned. Here is the link for the jacket in Misses 00-18, this is the link for Petite 0-14, and this is the link for sizes 14W-22W. As for the matching pants, this is the link for Misses 00-18, here are the pants in Petite 0-14, and here's the pants in 14W-22W.

You Can Trust Boden For Fun and Festive Holiday Looks

Boden has always been a favorite place for colorful and creative fashion, but lately they have taken it to a new level that feels more artistic and elevated. While in the past I didn't find cocktail pantsuits or lady tuxes at Boden I had a feeling for 2025 I'd find one and I was right.

Meet the Stamford Velvet Blazer and matching Canonbury Velvet Pants and Fitted Velvet Flare Pants. All three come in black, but different pants come in different colors to match the blazer. The blazer is available in Misses 0-20/22 and petite 0-12; the Canonbury pants come in Misses, Petite, and Long, and the flare pants come in Misses and Long. Reviews are mixed; sounds like quality is excellent but fit is all across the board from perfection to weird. Too bad Boden doesn't offer petite clothing over size 12 or I'd order it myself!

J. Crew Goes Classic Investment With a Chic Lady Tux

J. Crew does suiting well, and usually has at least one cocktail-worthy pantsuit each holiday season, and often other times of the year, too. This winter, J. Crew brought back its velvet Madelyn blazer and matching Stella trousers, but what really caught my attention is a very classic double-breasted tuxedo jacket and matching slim-straight trousers in elegant 100% tuxedo wool.

The J. Crew tuxedo jacket and trousers set is not cheap, but this is the style and fabrication that could be in your closet forever. Very classic, very refined, this is a suit you buy your size or if in doubt, a size larger, have it tailored to fit but keep big seam allowances so as your body and trends change this tuxedo can change with you. Both pieces are available in ivory and black; depending on your situation both are great choices. The jacket is available in sizes 000-24; the pants come in Misses 00-24, Petite 00-12, and Tall 0-16.

Argent Crafts a High Quality, Elegant Lady Tux

Argent is known for making amazing suiting for women, including a chic classic, and extremely elevated tuxedo blazer and matching trousers in Italian seasonless wool. With the details that men always have in suiting but a fit specifically for a woman's shape, Argent suiting is an investment, but a smart one if you live the kind of life where a lady tux is a regular need.

Argent sadly has a limited size range of 0-14, but if you fit into that range and you can afford and have a need for such a suit, this jacket and these pants are worth checking out. Argent has stores in D.C. (Georgetown) and NYC (UES and Soho) and is a sustainable woman-founded company that crafts its pieces here in the U.S.

Honorable Mention Cocktail Pantsuits

I really tried, but in 2025 there aren't as many cocktail pantsuits or lady tuxes as there were this time last year. Here are some honorable mentions that didn't make the cut because they may not be timeless enough, dressy enough, or have too limited a size range:

• NYDJ, known for jeans, has pretty great apparel and this season offers a velveteen blazer and matching trousers. The set gets mixed reviews and I question the formality of the pieces, but think this would be a good choice if you're looking for a festive outfit versus a proper lady tux. Here is the link for the blazer in XXS-XL and here is the link for the same blazer in sizes 0X-5X. This link is for the pants with a tab where you can go from Misses 00-18 to Plus 14W-28W.
• Wildfang is a great place for suiting that doesn't adhere to a specific gender or aesthetic. Check out Wildfang's holiday suiting collection, which includes its Empower Tux Blazer and matching trousers and vest in classic black but also some fun velveteen and print options in sizes XS-4X. I only have Wildfang here because I have received mixed reviews from the Wardrobe Oxygen community on how formal these pieces actually look in person, but most folks are happy customers.
• LOFT is a sleeper hit for cocktail pantsuits. Last year, I got this red velvet pantsuit from LOFT and it was so beautiful and well made and fit perfectly off the rack. The LOFT Satin Trim Velvet Tuxedo Blazer (Petite and Regular XXS-XXL) looks great and a similar silhouette to the one I got. I am not sure which pants will look best: Clean Wide Leg Pants in Velvet, Pintucked Full Length Straight Pants in Velvet or Riviera Slim Pants in Velvet. All three styles of pants come in Regular, Petite, and Tall 00-18.
• Banana Republic has this cropped tux jacket and matching wide leg trousers that is fun and chic, but may look dated in a couple of years. The jacket is available in XXS-XXL Misses and XXS-L Petite; the pants are available in Misses 0-20, Petite 00-12, and Long 4-12.
• White House Black Market has this fun ruby red velvet sequin jacket and matching trousers that may not be traditional or terribly versatile, but it would make for a fun signature look every holiday season. The pants come in Petite 00-12 and Misses comes in 00-18 in Regular, Short, and Long lengths. The blazer comes in Petite 00-12 and Misses 00-18 and reviews say it's comfortable.
• Tuckernuck carries a range of brands, but also has a nice in-house brand. And Tuckernuck has a selection of velvet suiting separates in sizes XXS-XXXL. The pieces that caught my eye are the Diana double-breasted blazer, the Ashford pants, the Deja pants, the Windsor single-breasted blazer, and the collarless Jennings jacket. Thing is, not all these pieces come in the same colors and these pieces come in other fabrics and prints beyond velvet. So, honorable mention as it could prove frustrating or may be better for just a single piece to complete an existing velvet separate you already own.

Did I miss your favorite place for a lady tux or cocktail pantsuit? Do share in the comments and help others in the Wardrobe Oxygen community!