Bargain Friday’s TPS Report: Pima Cotton 3/4 Sleeve Sweater
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Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices.
There are some great sales going on at Ann Taylor Loft right now — you can take 50% off much of the sale section, and for a limited time there's free shipping on everything.
For today's TPS report, we like this simple twist-neck sweater, which strikes us as a great basic — for some reason we particularly see it with a collared shirt beneath it.
Was $39, now marked to $35; take an additional 50% off in your cart. Available in tons of colors in sizes XXS-XXL (regulars and petites). Pima Cotton 3/4 Sleeve Sweater
Hunting for 100% cotton sweaters? As of 2025 we recommend J.Crew Factory, J.Crew, Quince, Amour Vert, Brooks Brothers, Barbour, and Amazon Essentials. For splurges, check out Molly Moorcamp or State of Cotton, as well as Frank & Eileen's Monterey sweater. Nordstrom also lets you search by material.
Sales of note for 2/7/25:
- Nordstrom – Winter Sale, up to 60% off! 7850 new markdowns for women
- Ann Taylor – Extra 25% off your $175+ purchase — and $30 of full-price pants and denim
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything + extra 15% off
- Boden – 15% off new season styles
- Eloquii – 60% off 100s of styles
- J.Crew – Extra 50% off all sale styles
- J.Crew Factory – 40% off everything including new arrivals + extra 20% off $125+
- Rothy's – Final Few: Up to 40% off last-chance styles
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – 40% off one item + free shipping on $150+
And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!
Some of our latest threadjacks include:
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- Why is there generational resentment regarding housing? (See also)
- What colors should I wear with a deep green sweater dress?
- How do you celebrate milestone birthdays?
- How do you account for one-time expenses in your monthly budget?
- If I'm just starting to feel sick from the flu, do I want Tamilfu?
- when to toss old clothes of a different size
- a list of political actions to take right now
- ways to increase your intelligence
- what to wear when getting sworn in as a judge (congrats, reader!)
- how to break into teaching as a second career
I like this a lot, but with this style of neckline I really have to try it on. The possibility of it being just a bit low is pretty strong.
Agreed. And I never know how Loft clothes will fit me. For example, I stopped in last night to look through the sale. I wound up with one skirt in a 10, one in an 8 petite, a top in a petite L, and a top in a regular small. It took me forever to find stuff that fits because the sizing was so all over the place. I’m not a person that’s attached to size, so it didn’t annoy me that I had to go up in a few things, it just annoyed me that I had to try on so many things in multiple sizes!
Very high chance this will be too low on me (and that rarely happens). I bought a couple sweaters from ATL last year, and every single one of them requires a collared shirt underneath. We’re talking well-below-the-top-of-your-bra low. If anyone knows if this sweater (which I love on the model!) is more appropriate, please post!
Love. That is all.
I haven’t seen this in person, but from the photos it just looks wrinkly/sloppy. I just think that I’d feel supremely underdressed if I walked into a meeting full of people wearing button down shirts and I was wearing this.
Don’t like this at all. And that flower, besides being sort of out of place IMO, also means that I will never get around to washing the sweater b/c I would worry about ruining it & will essentially wear it twice.
Also, I don’t think that this cut , with the gathered waist, in the typically thin materials usually favored by AT Loft will be flattering on many people. I have a pretty flat stomach & I have tried on stuff like this with terrible results.
The flower doesn’t actually come with the sweater. That’s just styling.
I bought a couple of these a few weeks ago when they were on sale and have been wearing them to work under my suits nonstop.
Are they too thin to wear on their own?
I’m probably not the best person to ask. I’m always cold so I never wear a sweater by itself at work.
Agree @AIMS. My experience has been that these tops are thin, floppy, ill-fitting, cheap-looking. Many a time I’ve bought AT Loft tops for $15 a pop, congratulating myself on my supreme thriftiness only to think afterwards: what the hell were you *thinking*? Back they went. I’ve snagged $6.99 cotton tops at NY&Co that were similar and I have *no* regrets ;-)
NY&Co cotton tops are really amazing, aren’t they? They last like nobody’s business, and I’m really hard on my clothes.
Yes, @Big Firm Lawyer. Love my NY&Co cotton tops. They Rule!! Glad there’s someone out there who feels the love. I feel like NY&Co is viewed as dumpster-diving on Corporette, but they are a true sleeper, IMHO. I’ve gotten far more compliments on my NY&Co sleeper-hits (especially costume jewelery!) than anything else in my closet…
I’m wearing NY & Co earrings today. Got a great deal on them and have gotten many compliments.
I need to look at NY&Co. more closely. I love the range in there!
NY&Co…used to be dumpster diving…back when they were Lerners but you can grab some great pieces there…
I love NY&Co also. Almost all of my work pants are from there and they last beautifully. I spin them through the washing machine, fold them as soon as they come out of the dryer and they look great without ironing.
Thanks for the reco! I will try NY&Co. – have never bought from them before.
I’ve never liked this kind of neckline… kind of scoop neck with an almost wrinkled/twisted appearance. I find that sweaters and shirts like this tend to look sloppy before my other more traditional neckline tops.
Excited about the sale though… I know what I’m doing on my lunchbreak!
I agree about the twisted appearance looking sloppy. Last year, I bought two BR cardigans that have the “twisted” treatment down the edges (like along the V-neck and down the button area) and they always look sloppy, like poor material that I didn’t iron (even though the rest of the cardigans hold their shape quite well). BR is an investment/splurge for me, so I continue to wear them regularly, but I am not happy about it. Don’t make my mistake, everyone!
I have two of the BR sweaters (in black and blue) and I find that they look fine with collared shirts.
If only my breasts looked fine in collared shirts … but that’s for another conversation. :) (And I have gotten a lot of good Corporette suggestions already to explore on that front.) I like your idea, I just wish they were more versatile so I could wear them everyday.
I really liked the sweater in the fitting room. Bought two colors – wore one and it did this strange thing where it caved in between the boobs. Took the one I didn’t wear back. It’s unfortunate, because it’s a nice lightweight sweater for the in-between weather. Maybe small busts would have better luck…
Actually, I have a top with a similar neckline and this happened to me. Sad.
Jess, I wouldn’t rule out returning even the top that you did wear. You were not satisfied with its quality. I’ve been very surprised with what stores are willing to take back in order to keep a customer happy. Can’t hurt to try.
Good point – places will often take back crazy stuff! My ex used to demand a refund at the movies if the movie sucked. And he would get them!
I never understood demanding a refund for movies. Why would/should the theater refund your money if you watched the movie, whether you liked it or not?
Agreed! I always thought it was really weird and the first time he did it I was like ‘no way will they give your your money back’ but they did!
I bought this sweater a few months ago when it went on sale the first time. They had a million of them in all different sizes and colors. I got the lime green in a small and it fits just ok. The cut is actually really baggy so you have to wear a tank under it. The major problem I found was that after only one washing, it has that cheap feeling as if it could fall apart anyday and the color faded. It’s too bad bc it’s cute and the price is right. I just find that sometimes Loft items have poor construction and materials.
I have had this experience with a few Loft items. This is exactly why I almost never shop there anymore. I have also had this experience other places (certain Gap stuff, some Banana, etc.), but with Loft it’s so prevalent that a friend of mine even has a term for it — getting “lofted.”
Anything with waistbands as such are tragic! They flatter NO one. I’m a two and couldn’t pull that off. The color is cute, but it’s something I might wear with sweatpants. But a plus for the 1/4 sleeves – my favorite.
Concur! There are so many tops that are utterly *ruined* with waistbands.
Agree, and for some reason this has become a trend on not just many tops, but even some skirts & dresses!
You’re so right. It hurts me to see what they’ve done to some would-have-been-perfect dresses by adding these waist bands.
I saw a review somewhere that said these types of tops are good for maternity wear, as the waist does not pull up, but goes over the tummy and stays put at the waist. No accidental belly glimpses even if you bend, etc.
Seems reasonable, but then these tops should be offered in the maternity section, not for regular wear!
Not true that they flatter no one. I actually like this style of shirt and buy it a lot because, so long as its the right amount of poof (not too much! and this one might be too much), it gives me room for the ladies without also being entirely shapeless and blousy around my waist. That is a tough find for me.
these waistbands are extremely flattering on me, too. i have a bit of a tummy, so floating away from it makes it look as if i’m as skinny there as i am in my legs/arms. but the band brings it back in so it doesn’t look like i’m preggers.
I forget who or what thread it was, but someone was upset about Mel Gibson being in Hangover 2, so I thought I’d update them that he is no longer in it, one of the actors (Zach really long last name) opposed it so they cut the scene.
That was me! Thanks for the update. :)
I was thinking about your comment on my run this morning (the earlier one about Mike Tyson and Mel Gibson) and it occured to me that boycotting movies with guys like that in them is only one step – you could also support independent feminist film, and donate money and/or time to your local women’s shelter… and then write about it on your blog or on Facebook to encourage others to do the same.
I bought two of these a few weeks ago when they went on sale (in the “midnight blue” and “deep tropical rose” colors). I usually wear a small in tops; the small sweater was a bit baggy — probably could have fit an extra small — but in a way that I actually don’t mind when wearing it with a close-fitting pencil skirt or pair of pants. I don’t know how the lighter colors would be, but the darker shades are thick enough/high enough that I don’t have to wear a layer underneath, and it’s very soft. The neckline doesn’t look sloppy or strange — I think it’s a bit of visual interest in a very basic cotton sweater. The quality is such that it will probably be kind of faded after a season, but at this price, who cares? It’ll just go into my weekend-only, casual-with-jeans-but-not-too-casual pile at that point.
I love this sweater. I already had it in two colors and just ordered it in four more. I did have to go a size down for it to fit to my liking. It runs very large and could definitely come off as too low-cut or droopy if you order your standard size.
Very pretty. I think tops like this are great under a suit jacket, particularly if the top matches the jacket. Was interested to see how different this sweater looks depending upon the color! Sometimes if the neckline seems too low you can hike it up at the shoulder seam with just a few stitches and solve the whole problem.