Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. Many thanks to this week’s TPS guest poster, Stephanie from Adventures in the Stiletto Jungle.
Back in the day, as a newly minted attorney working my way up the ranks in the City Attorney’s office, I learned to love The Limited. This inexpensive mall store stocks a surprisingly extensive selection of office-appropriate clothes, including great “starter” suits for the young, fabulous and broke that are machine washable (three cheers for no dry cleaning bills!). Beyond their affordable suit selection, another great staple item to snag at The Limited is their Taped Cuff Shirt.
This basic button-down shirt comes in a variety of colors and patterns, each made from comfortable stretch fabric and cut in a figure-flattering tapered shape. It comes in sizes XS to XL and is priced right for buying in multiples. This everyday shirt will go with everything from your suits on formal days, to skirts and trousers for business casual, to khakis for casual Friday. Plus, the cotton/ Spandex blend actually wears quite well on an airplane, making it perfect for business trips where you have to go directly from airport to boardroom. The Taped Cuff Shirt is available for $46.90 at The Limited. Taped Cuff Shirt
Seen a great piece you’d like to recommend? Please e-mail editor@corporette.com with “TPS” in the subject line.
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Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. This week, we welcome guest poster Becki Singer of Shopping’s My Cardio.
I hope my darling hostess won’t hate me for it, but I went the tiniest bit over budget on this pick. Forgive me? Absolutely every closet needs a perfect silk blouse – polyester substitutes don’t come close to the fit, drape and flow of the real thing. This version from Madewell is one of the most affordable I’ve found at $110, and it comes in all of those rich jewel tones you’ll be craving when the weather turns cool. Perfect under a suit during the week, but try layering it under a trim-fitting vest in lieu of a blazer, or beneath a chunky knit sweater paired with a pencil skirt. This is also a gorgeous weekend look with denim. In a perfect world, I’d buy one of each and be set for the season. Silk Bookmark Blouse
Seen a great piece you’d like to recommend? Please e-mail editor@corporette.com with “TPS” in the subject line.
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Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. Today’s guest post is from Capitol Hill Style.
I love end-of-season sales, so I was thrilled to find this delicate, Swiss-dot blouse from Nanette Lepore ($149, Nanette Lepore Big Boss Polka Dot Blouse) on the Bergdorf’s sale site.
For the remainder of August, I’ll wear it with a navy pencil skirt, a coral necklace and flesh-toned pumps. And when the weather turns chilly, I’ll wear it under v-neck cardigans to add a bit of texture at the neckline.
Be advised, Nanette does run a bit small. I typically wear a size 4, but I bought the six and splurged on $25 in tailoring to make sure the fit was just right.
Seen a great piece you’d like to recommend? Please e-mail editor@corporette.com with “TPS” in the subject line.
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Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices.
This plunge tie collar blouse caught my eye last week when we featured the Rachel Zoe suit — I think it’s particularly interesting to compare this one (which to me has a 70s vibe) with others we’ve seen recently, like the one from Asos or the BR Mad Men collection. To me, it’s all in the sleeves — love the overly long, almost pooling effect of the sleeves, as well as the sharp V in front. This blouse is $295 at Bloomingdale’s (available in both ecru, pictured, and black
.) Rachel Zoe Long Sleeve Plunge Tie Collar Blouse
Seen a great piece you’d like to recommend? Please e-mail editor@corporette.com with “TPS” in the subject line.
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Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices.
Reiss is having some killer sales right now, with prices up to 70% off — I love the swirly print on this black and white sillk top. Simple and gorgeous (and, alas, limited sizes only as of this AM). Was $215, now $150 at Reiss. Reiss Heidi PUFF SLEEVE TOP
Seen a great piece you’d like to recommend? Please e-mail editor@corporette.com with “TPS” in the subject line.
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Sure, we all know what basics professional women are supposed to have in their closets, but if you’re buying one for the first time or replacing one you’ve worn into the ground, it can be a pain to find exactly the right incarnation in stores. In “The Hunt,” we search the stores for a basic item that every woman should have.
Maybe it’s just me, but the ruffled white blouse is everywhere this season. Yes, yes, there are lots of pirate/Labyrinth jokes to be made, but this is something that you will be seeing a ton of this summer and probably on into winter. So I thought we’d round up some of the best out there, in a range of prices. First, let’s check out some of the higher-end things for inspiration:
 This one has more of a Latin flamenco-dancer type feel to it — note the multiple ruffles on the placket. I like that the sleeves are kept very simple, but still wish they had given them regular cuffs. Escada White Ruffle Front Blouse, available at Bloomingdale’s for $695. |
Now for the more affordable ones — I think that in general, the more fitted the blouse is, and the “looser” the ruffles, (nothing overly crisp or clown-like) the better the blouse looks for the office. And even though I generally dislike tucking blouses, they do generally look so much better when tucked. I’d wear any of these under a blazer or even a cardigan for the office, paired with a clean, classic bottom, such as a pencil skirt or a pair of trousers. I’d avoid girly accessories and matches to this — an A-line skirt, a pink cardigan, etc. would all make it overly feminine for the office, in my opinion.
 This one is nearly sold out at Neiman Marcus (sizes 10-14 are all that’s left), but given the fact that it’s Magaschoni and on sale that’s not bad. Love the darts and the puffed shoulders, and like the crispness of the collar versus the looseness of the ruffles. Was $220, now $77. Magaschoni Ruffle-Front Cap-Sleeve Blouse |
 This blouse (which we’ve featured before in the darker print version) is gorgeous — and available in Petite and Woman sizes. I like that the ruffles go all the way down to the waistband, and like the relaxed look to the V-neck collar (although I do see a top button, so you can fasten it all the way to your neck if you desire). The slight puff to the sleeves looks lovely, also. It’s $79.50 at Ralph Lauren. Loryna Cotton Ruffled Blouse |
| This blouse is one of my favorites, actually, even though it’s more of a tan than a white. I like the small origami-type ruffles and the long cuffs, as well as the fact that the blouse is stretch. This was $99, now $59.40 at Dillards (limited sizes available). Antonio Melani “Delores” Blouse |
 LOFT’s website is momentarily down, but I like the look of this ruffle blouse. Compared to the other blouses, this has much smaller ruffles on the collar and placket — and it’s a nice way to sample the trend in a safe way. It’s $44.50 at LOFT (in regular and petites). Favorite Ruffle Blouse |
  Finally: I like this sleeveless number from The Limited. I like the darts and the cascading ruffles, and the round jewel neckline looks flattering and work appropriate. The blouse is $44.90 at The Limited (available in white, green, and yellow). Mixed Ruffle Sleeveless Top |
Readers, which of the ruffled blouses is your favorite? (If you’ve seen another one that’s still for sale, please share it in the comments!) What do you think of wearing them for the office?
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