Bargain Friday’s TPS Report: Sleeveless Cowl Knit Shirt

56 Comments

1. Wouldn’t this look rather strange with the cowl-neck coming out of either a suit jacket or a cardigan? It just feels like there would be a lot going on, to me.

   And it doesn’t cover the top of the arms, either. It seems more like a top for a 2o-something out on town with friends, for which I would probably get it, than something you’d wear to the office. (And my office is quite liberal when it comes to office wear.)

   1. I agree about wearing it on its own, but w/ a v-neck cardigan, or an open cardigan it could work… but like most things, would have to try it to see.

      Anyone else amused by the color “walrus” ? (Definitely fall colors, by the way… but I look better in them than in ‘summer’ colors, so works for me!)

      1. Yeah, the color amused me too. “Dark Walrus” Ha.

      2. That was my first thought as well – I can’t believe they would associate an item of women’s clothing with walruses! What’s next, Beached Whale?

         1. Too funny! :-)

   2. The draped cowl neck will work nicely with a drape front cardigan for a more relaxed or creative office, or weekend look. It may be too unstructured to pair it with a tailored blazer, but will be great with a cardigan for more coverage on the arms.

2. I see this as more of a September piece — when it’s still warm enough that you want to keep things light for your commute, but where dark colors like these feel more appropriate for the season. I’d pick either the brown or eggplant, and wear with gray slacks and a cream cardigan (either low v-neck or relatively tailored designed-to-hang-open) once I got to the office.

3. I really like this! As mentioned, I would wear it with a v-neck or open cardigan.

4. That neck is beautiful, but I’m afraid the fabric would be really clingy and look cheap.

   1. I love cowl necks but with the in-cut arms on this one, afraid that bra straps would show…

      Not sure about the material too…atleast from the pics.

5. I really like this and have worn cowl necks under suit jackets with success (at least in my mind). I think it just has to be the right suit jacket – going for more of a v-neck and a plain jacket to minimize busy-ness. Agree that it looks more like a fall piece to me, but fall is oh so close really.

6. I think the cut-in at the shoulders may make it difficult to wear under another piece without strange gaps of shoulder peeking through.

   I’m more than a little depressed to see that fall pieces are being boughtout already – I feel like I just pulled my summer clothes out of the closet!

   1. Don’t be depressed! They’re not being brought out — they’re being cleared out on sale! :)

      1. Ann Taylor’s most recent line is mostly fall colors, with some brighter pinks thrown in. This is from one of the most recent collections.

7. Love the color of this top, but don’t like wearing sleeveless tops to work.

   Thread hijack – can anyone recommend work appropriate tops/blouses that are a true XS? I’m not even that small (5’5, 120 pounds) but I have a very small bust and most XS tops from Banana or the Gap are just falling off on me.

   1. Theory fits much snugger & seems to cut their tees/shirts with the smaller busted in mind (much to my sadness).
      Also, many H&M tank tops in the small sizes are cut much closer. They number many of their tanks/tees with number sizes & you might want to try their 2 or 4’s.

   2. Second the Theory recommendation. A few folks on here have also said that Forever 21 has surprisingly nice work clothes and they tend to run toward junior sizing IMO.

      1. Thanks ladies. I’m afraid that Theory is out of my budget. I’m looking for something along the lines of Banana.

         1. I see a lot of Theory at Filene’s for less than half the original price! If they don’t have Filene’s near you try Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, Loehmann’s, Nordstrom Rack, etc.

   3. BCBG has a smaller cut and goes down to XXS. You may also have luck with the XXSP at AT/Loft as that’s probably 2 sizes smaller than the XS. I am 5’5″ with a long torso and find the length of the XSP/SP to be fine except in long sleeves.

      As for dress shirts, I’ve found that H&M is the only store that seems to have a closer cut. I wear a 6 since I have a bigger chest, but you should do well in a 2-4.

      1. I think Jcrew has true small sizing. I’ve been a 0 there for as long as I can remember, but I gained 6/7 pounds recently and can no longer fit. Every other store I’m fine, Jcrew I’m a 2.

         1. Jcrew is NOT true small sizing. They no longer make my size there.

   4. Second the BCBG recommendation. I am 5’4, 115 lbs and am always swimming in tops from Banana. Try the XXS at BCBG – works perfect for me. Added bonus is that you can often find the small sizes on sale in the store!

   5. Have you tried the petites lines at Banana, J. Crew and Ann Taylor? They are definitely cut less generously than than regular sizes.

   6. I have the same problem and am the same height/weight as you. I bought this shirt in every color they had from banana in a size 0 and it is a perfect fit. http://bananarepublic.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=5039&vid=&pid=719652&scid=719652032

      1. I’m the OP, thanks so much for all of the great recs!

8. I really like the cowl neckline.

   Thread hijack — I have a pair of flexees (fake Spanx) that I wear under skirts and it really helps smooth out the bulges. Unfortunately, it’s quite tattered at this point and I’m wondering whether I should splurge and buy a pair of Spanx instead. I would get a lot of wear out of it so I don’t mind paying full price, but was wondering if it’s worth it to do so. Anyone notice any difference between the two brands? THANKS!

   1. Ruelala sells Spanx every couple weeks for a significant discount.

   2. Sara Blakely, the designer of Spanx, actually has another (cheaper) line available only at Target called Assets. I’ve worn through a few pairs of both the high-waisted smoothing undies and the normal waist, but at $20 a pop, I don’t mind replacing them periodically… I wear them constantly.

      1. I like the DKNY version of Spanx. They’re way more comfy than real spanx, in my opinion, and get the job done very well. Look for them at Bloomies or Macy’s.

         1. Thanks all. I did see the Ruelala sale a few weeks ago, but have never bought anything on that site because I’m weirded out by the no return policy. I’ll check out Assets too.

9. All – I’m expecting a job offer in the next few days – Not sure what the salary will be. Any negotiation tips? (Already comes w/ 5 weeks vacation, excellent benefits)

   1. Research what companies of a similar size are making, try to give yourself a few days before you accept (ideally over a weekend), make a short, well researched pitch for a counter-offer of at least 5-10% more if you can possibly justify it based upon your research, and gaciously accept whatever the final negotiation is. Your future employer will respect your negotiating skills and ability to ask for more money … it’s a highly valued skill!

      1. On a related note, do you guys feel that websites such as Salary.com are accurate? Personally, I always feel they are a bit high, but perhaps I am just totally clueless at how underpaid I am.

         1. Chicago K, I feel they are of limited value. For example, if I put in my criteria, it will tell me that the “average” salary for an associate in my neck of the woods and with similar experience is over $160k. But there are only two law firms in my town that qualify as “big law,” so I think the statistics must be skewed somewhat by the people who choose to input their information.

            Salary.com makes no distinction between small firms, medium firms, and large firms, and therefore the salaries are really inaccurate. That said, sometimes it is helpful to see what other people have input for their salary information, so I guess I just use those calculators with a grain of salt. (well, or I am so terribly underpaid that I’m in extreme denial!)

      2. Thanks! Any other suggestions of how to research? Any accurate sites? Thank you for any other negotiation pointers anyone has! (Part of me is still freaking out over leaving the job I have now, which I don’t dislike, but I’m steeling myself to remember that in the big picture a better title, more money/benefits is a good move)

         1. glassdoor.com has very specific salary information (by company)

   2. Make them put the first number out there. Studies have shown that you end up with more money that way.

      1. Take a look on vault.com, or even google the company name and then “salary.” Sometimes you get lucky.

10. I LOVE me some Ann Taylor (in fact, I am expecting a delivery from a recent online purchase any day now)! I entered the contest posted above and am crossing my fingers that I come out victorious!

    Still, I am a huge fan of sleaves. I like knowing that I can take my suit jacket off (and I would never take off my jacket in the office with just a sleaveless top underneath), so I would pass on this litle Walrus.

11. Funny, just this morning as I was putting on a suit I was mentally bemoaning my wardrobe’s shortage of appropriate sleeveless tops to go under the suit jacket. So Kat, thank you! I just ordered a walrus color, and am happily awaiting its arrival.

    1. Sleeveless blouses are great staples in a summer wardrobe underneath a light suit jacket.

12. Old Navy has something similar in spring and summer colors. http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=55409&vid=1&pid=765086&scid=765086002

    I can’t speak to the quality because I haven’t ordered it yet, but I’ve definitely been considering it for a few weeks. I love the Ann Taylor eggplant color though, so now I’m considering that as well!

    1. I actually have this Old Navy shirt in the Spitfire color, and I really like it. The fabric is a little thin, but by no means see through (at least not in the color I have), and it hangs well. I do have to make sure that I wear by bra with the straps crossed in back (as opposed to the usual up and down) to make sure that they don’t pop out and show on the outside edges of my shoulders.

       I have not figured out how to wear it with any of the cardigans I have, and I don’t think that it’s appropriate with a suit, as it hangs a little lower than I feel is appropriate for court (which is the only time I wear a suit). I work in a very casual office (state agency), so I can, and do, wear sleeveless tops on a regular basis.

13. I tried on this AT shirt a few days ago. The back and maybe even all of the body fabric was different the cowl neck part. I liked the overall look but the fabric on the back of the shirt (or maybe even on all of the body part) is really thin and clingly. Very visible bra band outlines — I normally don’t have that problem and the size fit fine everywhere else.

    1. This is exactly what I was afraid of. Glad that you tried it on!

14. I think sleeveless is fine for work, but something cut inwards that drastically at the shoulder is not. Too much shoulder is showing, and it is not a pretty part of most women’s bodies. I recently went to a Michelle Obama speech on a weekday morning, and she had all that shoulder showing. Her shoulders are better than average, at least for age 45, but it still did not look right. On a slightly different note, I bought that same (apparently) top at Target two years ago in black. I think it is cute. I would never put a sweater over it. The only jacket I would put over it is the jacket of a tailored black silk pantsuit.

15. 75, you crack me up. Our first lady’s shoulders and arms are better than most 20 year olds!

    1. Second this – she has killer arms!

       1. She does, but don’t you ever think, we get it Michelle, now put a cardigan on! (Or just me…?)

          1. It’s not just you.
             I find it somewhat funny the amount of comments I see here about never wearing something sleeveless at work & then seeing our first lady sleeveless and strapless and all that, even in the official portrait.

             1. Maybe she figures that since we, as a society, still seem to expect women to give up their careers when their husbands are elected, she might as well not have to wear actual business dress anymore as compensation.

             2. I’d hardly call being First Lady giving up one’s career. Instead, I view it as committing 4-8 years to public service – a laudable commitment IMO. Yes, it’s unpaid, but her husband’s salary is more than sufficient and her family won’t want for anything. I certainly don’t think Hillary Clinton, for example, would agree that she gave up her career by becoming First Lady.

             3. I’m not insulting the role, but it’s also not a professional role, per se. Since I’m pretty sure many people in the country would throw an absolute fit if she had tried to continue working as a lawyer/hospital administrator, I feel like she’d be totally justified in stepping back from the professional dress for the next 4-8 years.

          2. Hmm…thought the golden rule was “focus on your strong points”. Mrs O looks great in all the sleeveless stuff she wears – I have serious arm-envy:)

16. Many of AT’s sleeveless pieces have what I call “the dreaded under arm gap” — you know, that deep gap under the arms that shows the garment underneath that is exacerbated if you have any bust at all.

Comments are closed.