ByElizabeth Hours Updated
Comments 21 Comments

Frugal Friday’s Workwear Report: Faux Leather A-Line Maxi Skirt

This post may contain affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

A woman wearing a black long-sleeved shirt, a brown faux-leather skirt, and black heels

Our daily workwear reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices.

Leather (or faux leather) in the office can be a bit controversial, but the general consensus around these parts is that it can work if the styling is right. This A-line maxi skirt from Vince Camuto is a classic shape, and with a conservative top and accessories, I think it would be perfect for almost any office.

I would probably go for a feminine blouse in a silky fabric to balance things out, like this bow-neck blouse from Ann Taylor. Sadly, it doesn’t seem like this skirt is available in petites, so unless you’re willing to spend quite a bit on alterations, this is going to be for the taller folks only! 

The skirt is $39.97 at Nordstrom Rack and comes in sizes S-XL. It also comes in navy and merlot. 

Sales of note for 9/4 (Happy Labor Day — see our big roundup!)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

21 Comments

  2. Anyone have a third-party tested brand of creatine they can recommend? Decided to start taking it but always wary of our unregulated supplement history. A friend works at a lab that does testing for some popular brands and that hasn’t helped my confidence, ha.

    Reply

    1. I use Thorne creatine. Their website says their supplements are third party tested.

      I started about a month ago with the recommended 5g dose. It disrupted my sleep, made my face flush dramatically, and increased my heart rate during exercise. I scaled back to 3g and all those side effects went away.

      Reply

      1. She can’t share brand names or specific results – just things like “we tested a protein powder that had a lot of lead” or “one vitamin D supplement had no measurable vitamin D.”

        Reply

    3. I’d ask whatever doctor recommended it, but my doctor usually just goes by whatever manufacturer provided the supplement used in the studies that are the reason for considering taking it in the first place. These often also have some third party certifications, some of which are meaningful. Some supplements are regulated in countries that have stronger regulations. And sometimes there’s a ConsumerLabs review though I am actually not sure how reliable that is (your friend may know!).

      Googling suggests Creapure from Germany is the brand name of the creatine monohydrate in a lot of studies. But if you’re hoping to take another form of creatine you’d have to start over.

      It’s right to be wary of our unregulated supplement industry! But it’s also wrong to be excessively suspicious of the exact same manufacturers we rely on for baby formula, prenatals, enteral nutrition, medical foods, deficiency treatments, and research. We just have to do a lot of homework to make sure we’re sticking with the reliable suppliers.

      Reply

  3. If you have longish, straightish hair, what’s your typical wash and go routine?
    I was using a hot air brush to straighten and smooth mine, but I started to feel like it was looking really flat. I’ve started experimenting with blow drying and putting in a bun while I get ready, which leaves it curly, but it’s really unpredictable-sometimes it looks great and other times, just messy (and it’s just as much work as the blow out). I sometimes try to add gel and scrunch it thinking I’ll get waves, but it’s usually just messy. What works for you?

    Reply

    2. I wash it at night 4-5 times a month and let it air dry. It’s usually good to go in the morning. If I need to step it up, I’ll blow dry it before bed and it’s much smoother.

      Reply

    3. I wash mine every 3-4 days, and blow dry w/ a paddle brush, brushing across my head at first to give my roots some volume. On non wash days I use a hot air paddle brush to smooth and shape when necessary, but I do it from underneath in a couple of layers to give a little lift. If it’s feeling flat I’ll heat up a round brush a bit w/ a hairdryer and then curl while applying heat w/ the dryer. I’m sure a plug in heated round brush would do the same, I just don’t want to buy another tool.

      Reply

    4. Long straight and fine hair:
      Generally wash every other day in the evening. Currently I use the L’Oreal Elvive shampoo and conditioner in the black bottle and the trader joe’s leave-in conditioner spray as a detangler. I brush through with a paddle brush and then leave it damp for 30 mins (if I have the time) to reduce blow drying time. Flip the hair upside down and blow dry the roots, flip back upright and do the rest until 80% dry, then use a 2″ round brush in rough sections to dry the rest of the way and flip the ends under. Round brush is essential for making it very smooth and shiny. Sometimes will finish with Nuxe oil on the ends.

      Reply

  4. Does anyone have recommendations for flat back earrings / nap earrings / comfortable earrings? I’m trying to wear earrings more often and need to get some better quality earrings that are comfortable, but not yet ready to spend $$$$ money yet. Would prefer ~$100-150 or less for a set.

    I’ve been looking at Maison Miru wondering if they are worth it. I also have been looking at Aiti because I really like the style of their arc hoop earrings, but then wondering if it’s scammy. Yesterday I fell down a rabbit hole on the Kosiner website, who I had never heard of but I really like the way they sort their earrings. Anyway, if you have experience please tell me what is good and what is crap. Thank you!

    Reply

    1. The Melaniefavreau shop on Etsy has a pair of gold earrings that I’ve worn non-stop for 2 years now. Very comfortable. Someone has to help you put them in, but otherwise fuss free.

      Reply

    2. Have you thought about just getting backs from Chrysmela Catch? They won’t fall off and then you can keep any earring back from stabbing you if you are sleeping in them (I don’t do that but do it sometimes when camping or traveling).

      Reply

      1. I did think about that, but honestly my little studs that I like are not great quality (like the kind that turn my pierced holes slightly black after a few days) already so it’s worth getting some better ones. But one I have the better ones, that is good to keep in mind!

        Reply

    3. My second holes started growing in during the pandemic because I quit wearing jewelry. I bought some 14k gold mini hoops from Mejuri. They kind of close on themselves and I just leave them in. It’s been 5 years now and they’re still going strong.

      Reply

  5. I feel that this skirt length is really tricky. It’s not really workwear. It’s really not casual wear (not for cooking dinner or going to the store or band practice or errands). I feel that in a wool flannel or a tartan, it’s wear to horsey event with flat boots (not what I do, but an event I can imagine).

    I have a real leather pencil skirt that is lined and I wear it a bit on Fridays when it is cooler because it is a good drinks-after-work outfit.

    I also have a pleated longer faux leather skirt that I wear in winter because it has tremendous insulating properties. But it is a IDGAF look that really works with no dress code other than “guest lecturer in history of philosophy of science class.”

    Reply

  6. I’m looking at a couple of Quince sweaters. On the sizing chart, I fall between a large and an extra large. Would you go with the bigger size, or the smaller? My concern with going smaller is that more tension on the fabric would lead to pilling. But, I also don’t want to look sloppy.

    (Reposting here because I accidentally put this on yesterday’s!)

    Reply