Archives for December 2008

Weekly Roundup

12/19/2008 by C

Liking these posts? Follow Corporette on Twitter — this is the edited version of what we’re reading! (We also Tweet if we hear about a good sale.)

– Sue, the magazine for female litigators, has debuted. [Sue]

– We agree with this post by Ms. JD: Bitter Lawyer crossed the line with this post advising women to look sexy in order to advance their career. (And we normally love Bitter Lawyer!) [Ms. JD]

– Teri Agins tells you how to choose stylish eyeglasses. [WSJ]

– If you’re single: The single woman’s guide to the recession. [Cityfile]

– If you’re not: Some financial bloggers weigh in on the “accidental breadwinner” syndrome among women. [NYT, Wealth is Good, Well-Heeled, With a Mission, and My Open Wallet]

– Simple tips for buying affordable wines. [WiseBread]

Filed Under: Fashion

Suit of the Week: Elie Tahari Black Matte Crepe Suit

12/17/2008 by C

Bluefly is slashing prices by an extra 30% for today alone, so we thought we’d see if they had any cute suits. It did not disappoint: behold, a lovely Elie Tahari suit with a slightly odd twist: metal mesh trim. We like that it looks like a normal, boring suit from afar, but has this harder edge when you get close to it. (Although, suffice it to say, on our first wearing we would not accessorize the skirt with good pantyhose.) The ‘Jacqueline’ jacket is $270 (down from $448), and the ‘Pacey’ skirt is $179 (down from $298). (These prices DO reflect the extra 30% off price today.)

skirt suit on sale

Filed Under: Suit of the Week

Poll: Can younger women wear colorful suits?

12/16/2008 by C

A few weeks ago there was some debate about whether younger women can get away with wearing colorful suits without seeming like they’re too . . . old. This was particularly interesting to us — we’ll admit we’ve never worn color suits, but it had never occurred to us that it was something exclusively for older women. We didn’t wear them because it seemed… not us. (A friend of ours bought such a suit once on deep discount — a purple suit — and it has sat in her closet for three years now with the tags still on.) But since those comments we have thought long and hard and no, we generally don’t see younger women wearing colored suits.

We thought we’d open a thread on this and maybe take a little pollsky…Multiple answers are allowed. To clarify: by “colorful suits” we mean a color other than a neutral black, gray, navy, white, or beige.

(Should you be looking for a nice red suit, however, we thought we’d suggest this one at left, from Ann Taylor — it is currently $219 for the jacket and $109 for the skirt, but today there’s a sale: 30% off every single purchase.)

Filed Under: Fashion, Looking Young, Suits, Wear to Work Tagged With: colorful suits

What Not to Wear To… a Black-Tie Affair

12/15/2008 by Kat

2018 Update: We still stand by this advice on office what not to wear to a black-tie affair, and links have been updated below. Looking for general advice on what not to wear to work? Check out our latest discussion.

On the off chance anyone’s company is still having their black-tie affair this year, we thought we’d give some advice on what to wear, and what not to wear. (Although the best advice we can give you is: ask a colleague who’s already been to the dance at least once.)

1. First of all, ways to tell dressy formal attire is required: generally, your invitation will tell you what to wear. Secondary clues that dressy attire is necessary:

the event is held on a Saturday, not a Friday
significant others are invited
the event is held in a swank place that is not necessarily well-located near the office
your company holds two parties: one for staffers (held on a Friday night near or at the office) and one is held for the executives/lawyers (the dress code will be very different for the two events) (check out this advice on what to wear to a more low-key holiday office party)

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Black-Tie/Fancy, Business Etiquette, Fashion, Professionalism Tagged With: black-tie, holidays

Weekly Roundup

12/12/2008 by C

Liking these posts? Follow Corporette on Twitter — this is the edited version of what we’re reading! (We also Tweet if we hear about a good sale.)

– Apropos of nothing, we thought we’d post this picture of this Versace – Tweed Short Sleeve Jacket because it illustrates something a few readers expressed confusion over — how to wear a turtleneck with a short-sleeved suit. Pretty, right? AND, the jacket is on sale from about $2200 to $680.

– MUST you go to women’s networking events? Above the Law tackles the question. (Although, let’s not forget “Hiring Partner’s” great analysis of Susan/Mindy’s networking skills. We say, go to the free lunch.) [Above the Law]

– Incidentally, HP updated his post to clarify that a) he has friends who are women, so therefore he’s not against women, and b) he’s anonymous! he could BE a woman. (Yes, and we COULD be a man. Men, even! Anything’s possible.)

– Bargains, bargains, everywhere — Teri Agins offers advice on how to get the most out of it. [WSJ]

– Still have a holiday party to go to, yet no time to shop for a frock? Bunnyshop tackles the question of where to go for one-stop shopping. [Bunnyshop]

– If you’re partying with coworkers, Jezebel distills the various advice articles out there for you: Don’t get too drunkypants. [Jezebel] (Here here! That is why God created the afterparty.)

– Finally: Wot’s that? You haven’t voted for the best quirky blog out there yet? Please drop by and vote for Corporette. [ABA Journal]

Filed Under: Business Etiquette, Fashion, Networking, Sales Tagged With: holidays, jackets

Suit of the Week: Tahari Arthur S. Levine Envelope-Collar Belted Pantsuit

12/10/2008 by C

We have a feeling this post is going to be a controversial one, but: This envelope-collar belted pantsuit by Tahari Arthur S. Levine strikes us as a perfect example of what to wear to a staff holiday party. It’s festive, without being in-your-face seasonal or glitzy. It allows you to maintain a sense of authority yet still party with the secretaries and paralegals and other people you may have to supervise. If you wanted to make it more stylish, you could swap out the patent leather belt for a wide corset-style leather belt; you could also wear an over-the-top cocktail ring or add a few brooches (in an artful way) to the wide collar. On sale at Lord & Taylor for $179 (was $280). (Note also that if this is your first holiday party and you don’t entirely trust us, you could wear a black or red sequined t-shirt beneath the suit and remove the red jacket if your staff party is more festive.)