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Suit of the Week: Nine West

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For busy working women, the suit is often the easiest outfit to throw on in the morning. In general, this feature is not about interview suits for women, which should be as classic and basic as you get — instead, this feature is about the slightly different suit that is fashionable, yet professional. You know: I am not a big fan of brown in general. I've said I've found lighter brown suits — almost rust colored — to be extremely versatile despite this, but personally I don't get a lot of wear out of the brown things in my wardrobe. I think the problem tends to come that I never quite know what to wear with brown — so one of the things I like about this suit is that it takes that concern away pretty neatly (just wear black or white!). (And, having written all that, I now see that they describe the color as “golden olive.” Huh. It still looks brown on my screen.) I like the wrap skirt (particularly how the stripes line up even with the asymmetrical hem) and the almost shrunken nature to the blazer. Another plus: it's extremely affordable, with the blazer being marked to $75, and the skirt coming in at $63 (not counting whatever eligible coupons you may or may not have at Macy's). Nice. Psst: Note that Halogen suiting (blazer, pants) is on sale at Nordstrom — 50% off, with lucky sizes only. Hmmn… This post contains affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For more details see here. Thank you so much for your support!

Sales of note for 1/22/25:

  • Nordstrom – Cashmere on sale; AllSaints, Free People, Nike, Tory Burch, and Vince up to 60%; beauty deals up to 25% off
  • AllSaints – Clearance event, now up to 70% off (some of the best leather jackets!)
  • Ann Taylor – All sale dresses $40 (ends 1/23)
  • Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything
  • Boden – Clearance, up to 60% off!
  • DeMellier – Final reductions now on, free shipping and returns — includes select options like Montreal, Vancouver, and Venice
  • Eloquii – $29 and up select styles; extra 50% off all clearance, plus ELOQUII X kate spade new york collab just dropped
  • Everlane – Sale of the year, up to 70% off; new markdowns just added
  • J.Crew – Up to 40% off select styles; up to 50% off cashmere
  • J.Crew Factory – End of season sale, extra 60-70% off clearance, online only
  • Rothy's – Final Few: Up to 40% off last-chance styles
  • Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
  • Talbots – Semi-Annual Red Door Sale – extra 50% off

And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

98 Comments

    1. never been but have heard horrible things about how the employees/talent are treated. I have been told by former gymnast friends and others in the entertainment world that the show is great but they truly mistreat everyone.

      From then on, I’ve never considered it. (Full disclosure, I also don’t go to the circus because of how folks and animals are treated, so maybe I’m just more… something… than the average gal.)

      1. Shen Yun has animals? I don’t remember that but it was a while ago that I went. I was very surprised when I went to a Radio City Rockettes Christmas show and there were live animals brought out on stage. I don’t go to the circus either and wouldn’t knowingly go to a show with animals.

    2. not worth it at all. it’s a poor derivative of authentic Chinese dance.

      if you want to see Chinese cultural events, I would suggest planning ahead for Chinese New year events, or look up your local cultural chapter to see what else is going on.

      At $80, it’s a pricey ticket for cheesy theatrics.

      1. not worth it at all. cheesy and has some weird propaganda. i don’t understand how they are always at the kennedy center.

  2. Ever see an article of clothing on tv and want it but not know where to find it?
    Ever see something on a boss’ desk or a desk in a film and want it but need help finding it?

    Post info/photo here! Anyone looking to take a work break can try to help ID it, you’ll introduce us to something we might not have seen before (and will want to buy too), and we can hopefully work together to find our unfindable things!

    3. This reminds me of the guys from 9 months and their development of a website to see n u d i t y in movies – you know there’s already a website for this, right?

      1. In the case of the VEEP belt, the existing website didn’t have it.

        I’ve been looking for some of the style Dutch wear on Killjoys, but no luck – would welcome any suggestions. I somehow doubt they’ll come in my next StitchFix box.

      2. First, that was unnecessarily catty. It obviously wasn’t intended to be helpful as it didn’t link the site or anything else. Second, neither of the items posted are on that site. So thanks, tr0ll, but no thanks.

        1. Also the movie where they want to build that webs*te to tell you how much nudity is in a movie was Knocked Up not 9 Months.

  3. I have about a 10-11″ waist/hip delta. Would I work better in a Marisa or Julie fit?
    Side note: AT pants I was wearing a curvy fit but realized I had way too much material at the bum.

    1. I have no idea what a hip delta is, but I’d recommend the Marisa fit if the AT curvy fit didn’t work for you. The Julie is for true hourglasses more than pears, in my experience.

      1. Difference between the hip and waist measurement, but which is larger? I’ll assume hip?

        I only like the Julie, and I am an hourglass with a similar difference between the two measurements. It may have been more the cut of the leg that was causing the butt surplus.

        1. Then I’d still go with the Marisa. I carry all my weight in my hips and thighs, and they work great. I think the Julie would be better for someone with a booty and/or smaller waist.

    2. Probably the Julie fit (I have about a 12″ delta). But I have found much better luck with the Julie fit skinnies, or modern cut. The traditional Julie has too much fabric at the rear for me.

  4. My job is stressing me out. I slept 3 hours last night. I know it’s time to move on, but I want to shepherd my team through a big project so realistically it’s a 6 month timeline to move on.

    What happened? Two weeks ago, my husband said to me, ‘It hurts that your job comes before your family.’ And he was right. And I don’t like it. I don’t like that it’s expected that I’ll get a second sitter to ensure that I’m fully available to work (meaning butt in seat) after 5PM when daycare closes (not in Law and compensated fairly but moderately) and my husband is unavailable. And I don’t like that I apparently have to work on our next state holiday (rest of my company will be out).

    No advice. Just needing to vent a bit.

    1. are you able to do anything to keep a countdown at home so your husband can see it and remember that this is temporary and you want out as much as he wants you out?

    2. I know it’s not easy is to find a new job quickly, but I’d push back on the idea that you have to stick around to lead this big project. Especially if it’s going to drag on for months, and you’ll be in even worse shape when it’s over. If you’re not there, they will figure it out. And if they don’t, that’s on them for having unrealistic expectations.

      1. +1. My husband stuck around at a previous job far too long out of a sense of obligation to a big project, which kept encountering more and more problems and getting extended over and over again. He finally decided to get out and now both of our lives are so much better.

        1. Thank you all.

          I actually think I have the job pretty locked down. Without going into detail, the project is definitely time limited and the new job will require me to work closely with old job. Leaving before this project is done would burn bridges and put me at a disadvantage.

          Just believe me that it would actually make my team’s life hell if I left and I’m not willing to do that.

    3. No no no. You need to start looking now. Forget about shepherding. You ain’t Jesus the disciples will survive.

      1. Would you embroider that on a pillow for me? ;) (No seriously, that made me laugh a lot and is so exquisitely true.)

      3. I’m going to need that cross-stitched on a pillow. Happy in my job, just for my life generally.

    4. I’m not liking your husband very much. Why can’t he pick up the kids at 5? Does that mean he’s not putting his family first?

      There are very, very few professional jobs that allow you to leave promptly at a certain time every single day. Hourly, yes. Professional, no. I think your problem here is the daycare that closes at 5. That’s absurdly early.

      1. Eh my daycare closes at 5:30 and I have to leave at 5 to get there. It’s never a problem for me to leave at 5 unless I have a meeting scheduled in advance (very rare) and then DH will do pickup. But if I don’t have a meeting I walk out the door at 5 and everyone I work with understands. The floor is empty by 5:30 (I’m in the Midwest though so hours tend to be a little earlier — most people come in around 8-8:30).
        I’m a salaried. exempt professional but my office is pretty family friendly and even the people who don’t have kids don’t really want to work long hours.

      2. I kind of agree. Why can’t your husband do pickups if you are busy?

        1. Sorry, I should have been more clear here- my husband does at least 50% of the pickups. There is literally one daycare in town open until 6 and it’s not that great- the rest close at 5:30.

          I just am resentful that on a day my husband can’t do daycare pickup, my job can’t tell me ‘yes, you will be able to leave to pick up your kid’ and instead suggests that I need to switch childcare so that I am 100% available to work late.

          You do not pay me enough for this.

    5. Something I find myself repeating lately…

      I’ve quit jobs. I’ve never really regretted quitting. I have, more than once, regretted that it took me so long to quit.

      …sending you good wishes.

  5. Maybe it’s me but it seems like there’s an increase in posts being moderated now but somehow also an influx of tr0ll posts… wonder if the settings on the site changed or some notoriety brought new eyes to the site?

    1. I’ve noticed the increase in moderation, but I think the incidence of trolls is the same. I don’t think the mods necessary aim to delete trollish posts though so I’m not sure the two things are connected.

    3. I’ve been moderated twice today – I posted about the fender bender on the earlier thread. Long-time reader/poster and I have (had??) a really good sense of what the triggers are (and I’ve read that page about moderation a million times). I don’t get it.

  6. I’m wanting to purchase a few items from ASOS. If you’ve ordered from them before, did you have a positive experience? Particularly interested in knowing about the returns process.

    1. I’ve purchased a lot of formal wear through ASOS. I’ve never actually had to contact customer service, but all of my returns were easy and quick.

      2. SO easy to return! Which is nice, because I feel like their website has a lot less length description info and the sizes can be really inconsistent between all the different brands they carry, so I end up returning a fair bit of what I buy there.

    3. Easy – one of the few I order from because of that. They even include a return sticker so you don’t have to track down a printer & they credit you back quickly, too.

  7. So much has happened in the wake of the Vegas massacre… so many people talking and coming from such different perspectives. I’m finding myself feeling just a layer of sadness. Some of it is for the situation itself, but so much seems to also be focused on hearing wonderful open-minded, open-hearted people saying things that sound so awful. I now know they speak using hateful words, even though I’ve known some of these people 25+ years and seen them act differently in actual situations. People who faked being open-minded and then voted for someone close-minded was at least an action I could see the logic in. But now I find myself sad to know that some of the very best people I know are speaking hateful things and voting big0ted ways because it seems they generalize in prejudicial ways yet act kindly when they actually interact with a person of said group (this applies to many groups). It just makes my heart hurt and makes me question so so much.

    1. I have been really disheartened by the number of people (as far as I can tell, exclusively white men at this point) in my Facebook network posting that this must have been a false flag. They want to “wait for all the facts” because this attack “just doesn’t make sense.” But when the perpetrator is brown or black, immediately it’s the T word and we must bomb everyone Over There to smithereens. No need to wait for facts when the situation already fits into your preferred narrative.

      1. “No need to wait for facts when the situation already fits into your preferred narrative.”

        THIS is what needs to be embroidered onto a pillow.

    2. I don’t get it – what are they saying? It was a white on white crime so I haven’t heard talks of other groups.

    3. I think well to do white men are feeling the – OMG he’s one of us – factor for the first time. They too are thinking — I’m a successful businessman with a $2 mil net worth — this makes all of us look a little bad. At the end of the day they’re feeling 0.01% of the discomfort that us US Muslims feel every time it’s a Muslim — when we say, we’re not all like that, it was one crazy dude, they’re able to smile while questioning what’s going on in ALL of our homes and question why we don’t assimilate by giving up the religion and changing our names. Yet bc they are the majority and in all positions of power — they will successfully be able to push the — it’s just one crazy guy; wait for the facts — narrative. I think this one has shaken older white men more than the Newton guy bc that was a 20 yr old with obvious mental issues, while this is a regular rich guy like them or any of their buddies who just turned on society.

      1. Agreed. Trevor Noah did a segment on it where someone from Fox News literally said “We don’t even know enough about him to hate him yet.” Because how do you hate a mass murderer? We know how to easily hate someone with mental illness or a weird religion.

        I am not someone who says “I hate him/her” about someone very often, but I feel pretty comfortable using that word toward a mass murderer.

        This confusion is because the usual refrains of blaming religious fanaticism or mental illness (so far) don’t fit here. He’s a rich white guy who bought his guns legally. Even the gun shop sellers feel ill and maybe it’s because it’s not as easy to fall back on the ‘guns don’t kill people; people kill people’ narrative when we didn’t know how to suss out this person.

  8. I am tired and stressed out from some long-term issues at work. I’m dealing with some anxiety issues — prone to them always, but especially during times of stress and change. I’ve made a few lifestyle changes and am seeing a counselor, but sadly, things aren’t that much better. Counselor has confirmed that I’m doing too much and paying the price. I really don’t know where to go from here. I work full time and have two young kids. I’ve been doing the working mom gig for almost eight years now and have sorted out my life as much as it’s gonna get sorted, if that makes sense. I beat myself up for not having the endless amounts of energy that others seem to have. Is it even possible to recover from a long period of exhaustion and burnout when you can’t drop all your responsibilities and hide in a cave? Part of me feels like it’s not normal to feel this tired and unhappy, but I know so many women in their mid- to late-thirties who are suffering under the weight of work, marriage, kids, and life stuff. I don’t know what I’m even asking, except to hear that maybe it’ll get better?

    2. It will get better, especially if you consider that you may be depressed. When the “tired and unhappy” never go away, especially once you’ve got life sorted out by objective measures, you should talk to your GP about medication. Not sure what type of counselor you are seeing that has not brought this up. Fixing the chemical imbalance in your brain will definitely bring back your energy and increase the odds that you’ll feel happy.

    3. I’m wondering if you might be making things worse for yourself by assuming everyone else has all kinds of energy that you don’t have and such.

      If the kids are old enough to do anything that you’ve been doing for them, let them begin to take on those tasks. If there’s truly nothing in your life that can change except how you feel, I wonder if you might do yourself a favor by lowering your expectations? When I was a kid, my friend’s mom was all about having a clean house so she wouldn’t go to bed til the dishes were all done, laundry was done and folded, etc. etc. As an adult, I wonder if a few dirty dishes or clothes wouldn’t have been worth sacrificing for more sleep or for time to read or watch tv or whatever else.

      I don’t want to blow smoke about how things get better when it’s platitudes from an internet stranger, but I do hope that you’ll find ways to love on yourself so that you don’t burn out completely. Plus, I’d be willing to bet that I’ve passed you in a store with your kids and wondered how you had so much energy when I felt so exhausted. Just try to remember, you are only seeing others’ highlight reels but you’re judging yourself on your blooper reel. <3

    4. Approximately once a month on the weekend me and my kids have “relax day” where we stay in our pajamas, snuggle in bed, and watch movies all day. I have also lowered my housekeeping standards and set firm boundaries at work so that my time at home with my kids is spent focused on them (and some self care–I take a bath and drink a bottle of wine once a week. It helps.)

    5. You can do it. We all stick together in the HIVE, especially when we support those of us who have issue’s. I think you are a smart woman and you will be abel to get over your issues. We all work hard, but when we stick together, we are like bee’s in a hive, all makeing honey together! YAY!!!!

    6. Hugs. That sounds so hard. I hope this is t too late of a response.

      You haven’t mentioned medication. Would you consider it? I know I always thought I was an anxious, low-energy person until Citalopram (which I think is Celexa). I was only moderately anxious and depressed but meds made it so. much. better. And I could just get them by seeing my GP, who prescribed them after I filled out a simple two-page, twenty-question assessment (actually two 10-question assessments.)

      1. I am considering it. I’ve been on Zoloft before for postpartum issues, although it’s been a couple of years. I just keep thinking that I can do this without meds, but I realize that’s foolish and my anxiety talking. I don’t love the s#xual side effects of SSRIs, which has been a big deterrent from trying them again.

    7. Are you me?!? Hon, we are straight up twins. Stressful 7:30-5 job, two kids, responsible for 90% of the drop offs and pick ups, husband who willingly helps and believes in equality but also has a 1.5 hour commute, and who told me as gently as he could, “You are miserable all the time.” I have just enough energy to get home and make dinner, then I’m done. I have zero left to give–I can’t even listen to my children tell me about their day with a pleasant look on my face after 7 pm, let alone handle stories of elementary school drama or homework issues. I’m in bed by 9.

      I’ve gone to my doctor and told him I’m exhausted, so he ran lots of blood tests and found nothing. (I just finished a sleep test last night knowing full well I don’t have sleep apnea, but my doctor is ridiculous, so whatever. I took it to prove him wrong.) I’ve changed my diet to no sugar/no grains. I tried working out for over 6 months. I’m currently following Whole30. I went to a counselor for anxiety (CBT therapy) and after 3 months she gently told me I didn’t need to come back–I’m okay and handling things well. Every single avenue I’ve turned down leads back to the same conclusion: THERE ISN’T SOMETHING WRONG WITH ME THAT NEEDS CORRECTED WITH THERAPY OR MEDICATION. I’m simply stretched too thin.

      I know exactly where you are at, and I’m struggling with this right now. Today. My current plan is to keep muttering, “Not my company” at my job to just remind myself that I’m not personally invested in this place. It’s a job. There are other jobs out there. I don’t need to be the hardest worker here, and after this many years, I don’t need to prove myself. I’m trying to get myself to coast. I’m letting housework go, and prioritizing time with family and friends over chores.

      Basically, I’m over trying to figure out what’s wrong with me! I’m accepting that I’m someone who needs 9 hours of sleep and more down time. Winston Churchill wrote his speeches in bed (and lots of other great authors as well) and I’m kind of realizing that there’s more than one way to do life. I need to pick what I want to spend my limited (seemingly) amount of energy on, and say screw it to the rest.

      2. Ugh, this is so true that it hurts. I don’t think I’d be half as anxious if I weren’t stretched so thin. I also feel like I have nothing left to give, so much so that I find myself resenting everyone and my life in general, which is pretty darn great. How sad is that? I know that I thrive with more downtime. Finding it is just really freaking hard.

  9. I have curly, fine hair. Every time I buy a styling product that I like, they discontinue it a year later.

    Anyone have a drugstore recommendation for a lightweight cream or gel that will help hold curl through second-day hair?

    Fair warning: If I buy your recommendation, it will disappear from shelves forever in one year.

    1. My favorite was the Pantene Curl Enhancing Spray Gel but they have changed it. If I had known I would have bought 6 bottles of the old stuff.

      1. I also have fine, curly hair and the Deva Curl ulta-defining gel is the best of all I’ve tried.

    4. Haha, I use Jessicurl, which isn’t a drug store brand, so not what you asked.

      I totally feel you. Every time I love a thing, it gets discontinued or changed. Favorite Gap jeans from 5 years ago? They still sell the style, but the fit is completely different. Favorite sports bras? Discontinued. Favorite running shoes? “Updated” to be totally different and completely ruined.

      1. +1 to Jessicurl. I have fine curly hair and use the Spiralicious Gel and Gelebrations Spray (contained flax seed). Make sure your hair is soaking wet when you apply.

        Jessicurl is priced a little higher than typical drugstore items, but the Jessicurl site runs sales about once a month (sometimes 25% off, sometimes free shipping).

        Also, K*nky Curly Knot Today leave-in conditioner is great. It’s about $11 a bottle at the Target in my neighborhood.

    5. Giovanni’s light hold products (or even medium hold). They sell it at Wholefoods and it’s sulfate, parabens, etc. free.

    6. Thank you for all of the suggestions. I may just buy one of each and be set for the next five year.

        1. I mean if we want to split hairs, blue jeans are for miners and cowboys, so …

          I personally find brown hard to wear but mocha, camel, oatmeal can look gorgeous and cozy. To me, the stripes on the skirt look harsh. The blazer has an interesting cut and I think, if it skews more olive, it would be really versatile.

      2. Hahaha what??

        Brown doesn’t work for my particular coloring. Looks great on my dad, though!

      1. Preach. In theory I don’t dislike them, they just look completely awful on me. Then again, so does powder blue (another color that I like looking at on other people but would absolutely never buy for myself).

    6. Yeah, Anonymous #2 was a bit harsh but I do find it difficult to feel fabulous in brown.

      No problem feeling fabulous in shades of gray.

      1. I feel fab in it but I guess it’s a very specific coloring type that looks good in it.

    7. Don’t know and didn’t actually realize this applied to women… I knew people hated brown for men’s suits. I have a brown skirt suit from Ann Taylor that I love, and I think I look good in brown in general.

    8. I look bad in brown. My husband looks like a million delicious dollars in it, though. Was literally shopping for a brown sports coat for him before I clicked over here.

      …though if we are being perfectly honest, he could certainly easily disguise himself as a retro farmer.

    9. Do you guys remember when brown was the IT colour? This was maybe in the early 90s. I was in junior high and thought I was the BOMB with my brown sweater and skirt set, patent leather mary janes, my hair in curls and my “Toast of New York” Revlon lipstick.

      Colours go in and out of style, I think our modern eyes view brown as dowdy/frumpy and hard to pair with our fresh aesthetic of blush, white, greys and blacks.

    1. Is that the erasable microwaveable notepad? If so my brother got one as a gift and really likes it.

  12. I also have fine, curly hair and the Deva Curl ulta-defining gel is the best of all I’ve tried.

  14. DC Ladies – anyone else affected by CareFirst’s decision to drop One Medical from their network? I feel like everyone is going to be scrambling to find a new GP come December; should I try to find one now or wait and hope they negotiate and get the situation resolved?

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