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Updated: Oct 31, 2018 142 Comments · by

Frugal Friday’s TPS Report: Solid Pencil Skirt

The Personal Shopper (TPS) |

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Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. 7TH AVENUE SUITING COLLECTION - SOLID PENCIL SKIRT | CorporetteThis pencil skirt is highly reviewed, available in many colors (I like the teal best, but the pink is so springy!) and available for some pretty crazy prices today. The pink one, pictured, is $30.06 — but some colors are as low as $12 (lucky sizes only, alas). Furthermore, if you buy two you get 40% off, and if you buy three you get 50% off. (The math here made my head hurt, so I added three to my cart — looks like the lowest each skirt comes down is $21, which is 50% off the original price.)  Still, that's pretty great. It's machine washable, and available in sizes 0-18. 7TH AVENUE SUITING COLLECTION – SOLID PENCIL SKIRT Seen a great piece you’d like to recommend? Please e-mail tps@corporette.com. (L-3)

Sales of note for 9.19.24

  • Nordstrom – Beauty deals through September, and cardmembers earn 3x the points (ends 9/22)
  • Ann Taylor – Extra 30% off sale
  • Banana Republic Factory – 50% off everything + extra 20% off
  • Boden – 15% off new styles
  • Eloquii – Extra 50% off sale
  • J.Crew – 50% off select styles — and 9/19 only, 50% off the cashmere wrap
  • J.Crew Factory – Up to 60% off everything + 50% off sale with code
  • Lo & Sons – Warehouse sale, up to 70% off
  • M.M.LaFleur – Save 25% sitewide
  • Neiman Marcus – Friends & Family 25% off
  • Rag & Bone – Friends & Family 25% off sitewide
  • Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
  • Talbots – Anniversary event, 25% off your entire purchase — Free shipping, no minimum, 9/19 only
  • Target – Car-seat trade-in event through 9/28 — bring in an old car seat to get a 20% discount on other baby/toddler stuff.
  • Tuckernuck – Friends & Family Sale – get 20%-30% off orders (ends 9/19).
  • White House Black Market – 40% off select styles

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Kat Griffin is the founder, publisher, and editor-in-chief of Corporette. You can read more about her here.

Comments

  1. Me

    I love this color!

    I need some help finding a new go-to work tee shirt. It appears that Banana Republic has stopped selling my beloved timeless tee for good, and it’s time to find something else. What I loved about the timeless tee was that is was a nice, heavy-weight cotton fabric with a teeny tiny rib that made it fitted, but not clingy. It didn’t pill or lose its shape in the wash and stayed polished-looking (for a tee shirt). It was the perfect thing to wear under a blazer, and I also felt OK walking around the office without anything over it. The XL was big enough for me at a size 14/16, which many brands are not (looking at you, J Crew perfect fit). I’ve tried the Land’s End modal tee that people like, but I think it’s too flimsy and the neckline gets stretched out. Same with the Boden essential tee. I looked at Kat’s Hunt post about tee shirts, but all those were described as “soft” and “modal” which makes me think they will also be flimsy. Any ideas? Has anyone tried the Eddie Bauer favorite tee?

  2. Sydney Bristow

    The 7th Ave collection seems to have more space in the hips than the other collections they carry. Just a note on fit. I don’t typically buy these ones because I carry weight in my stomach and not my somewhat narrow hips and these just don’t quite work for me.

    I like the color though. I’m desperate for spring! The snow finally mostly melted but it was pretty chilly this morning.

    • anon a mouse

      I passed a convenience store worker pouring hot water on the last remaining snow piles to melt them here in DC this morning – she clearly is as sick of the snow as I am.

          • Anonymous

            Why do people keep doing this? Just deleting their comment and leaving a period?

          • Blonde Lawyer

            Just a guess but I’m thinking they want to delete their comment (maybe it was in the wrong spot) and the software doesn’t let you post a blank one so they delete it down to a period?

          • la vie en bleu

            You can delete, though. If you delete all of your text so it is blank and click “Post” you get a popup box that asks if you want to delete your comment. *TheMoreYouKnow*****

      • PinkKeyboard

        I did that because the ice built up and we couldn’t open the back door. The puppy brained himself running into it because he kept thinking it would open like normal…. Boiled a kettle of water to melt the ice then chipped it off with the fireplace poker!

    • Anon

      Thanks for that note on the fit. How do NY&C suits look in real life? Is the quality ok?

      • Sydney Bristow

        It’s ok but not great. I think JCrew and Banana Republic have better quality, but the NY&CO works ok. They go up to an 18 so that was helpful to me when I didn’t fit into the suits from those other stores.

      • Killer Kitten Heels

        I went in to a NY&C store to specifically check out the black cherry colored suit because I really liked the idea of a suit in that color, and I found the suit pieces were already wrinkled just sitting on the rack – the fit was fine (nothing remarkable, but would’ve been acceptable), but the suit looked really cheap to me, and considering that my current favorite suit is the Jones Studio suit from Dress Barn, I am by no means a label snob about this stuff – the suit was just bad looking. I would not recommend. If the issue is needing extended sizes at a lower price point, you’re better off at Dress Barn (even though the name of the store SUCKS).

        • Sunshine

          +1. Dress Barn’s name is awful but I’ve bought some great dresses there.

    • winteranon

      How is the sizing? Do you wear the same size in JNY as BR or JCrew for example?

    • Bonnie

      It’s still chilly when I leave for work but I’ve gone bare legged all week. I can’t even look at my tights anymore.

      • Sydney Bristow

        Oh goodness I’m jealous. I’m so tired of putting my tights on every morning. I’m still to cold outside and in my office to go without but am anxiously awaiting the day that I can.

      • Mpls

        +1 Hit that point when the highs got above freezing.

        Which is 50 F degrees warmer than the coldest point this winter :)

    • la vie en bleu

      omg THANK YOU! I was just wondering that, and I need hip room. I might be ordering 20 of these. ;o)

      In Springy news: walking up to the busstop this am, a flash of bright green catches my eye. A chic lady is wearing a bright, kind of aqua-ey green trench. She looked AMAZING, and it just made me happy even seeing it! I am 100% putting a bright, happy trench on my shopping list.

  3. anon

    I can’t brag about this to people in real life, but I’m so happy because I was offered a judicial clerkship with a judge I really admire and enjoyed meeting, and I’m so thrilled! Also, the sun is shining and it’s starting to warm up and that always puts me in good spirits. And my SO and I have fun weekend plans. it is a GOOD DAY!!

  4. MFKN

    Anyone have suggestions for trench coats?

    I’m beginning to think what I want doesn’t exist anymore (mine from years ago is on its last legs) or is gone for the season: knee-length, black, single-breasted, either medium or lightweight. The closest I found was the London Fog maxi trench from Macy’s but that’s almost to my ankles. I know I could probably have it hemmed, but it would be a big job to get it to the length I was hoping for. I’m hoping to spend around $200 but would be willing to go up for the perfect item.

  5. Ellen

    Yay! Fruegel Friday’s! I love Fruegel Friday’s and this PENCIL SKIRT, tho with my tuchus, weareing a pencil skirt NOW is difficult unless I put on a size 4, which I REFUSE to do. FOOEY on Winter and me not getting as much excercise as I need to keep my tuchus slim enough for a size 2.

    I am waiting for MYRNA to call so I can get downstair’s and she can pick me up and drive out to the HAMTON’s. We have to be there by 1:30, so I do NOT think we will be on time. FOOEY b/c it take’s longer to drive then to take the LIRR, but I refuse to sit next to Walter on the train, who passe’s alot of wind, and peeople think it is ME that is farting, and even Walter pretend’s it is NOT him. FOOEY!

    Myrna will hang with the manageing partner’s wife (Margie) while we have our partner’s meeting, then the manageing partner is goieng to be grilleing skirt stake’s for all of us with RED Wine! YAY! I love RED Wine, tho skirt stake’s are a littel fatty, dad says. He says that b/c I am already overweight, I should be eating LEAN meat, if any at all–Dad recomends SALAD for me if I am EVER to find a HUSBAND. I say FOOEY. It is still cold out and I do NOT want to have SALAD for dinner.

    I just got buzzed by Myrna, and will try and check in later from Margie’s IMAC. If I don’t HAPPY Weekend to the ENTIRE HIVE! YAY!

  6. Suburban

    Woke up in a great mood only to have a colleague ask me if I had a serious fevor because of the white spots on my teeth. I want to cry. I have a brand new outfit, great hair day and lipstick on. I still don’t look ok? I still look like there is something wrong with me?

  7. Suburban

    Thanks. I feel like no matter how hard I try someone will always have a problem with my looks. Am I a winner or a loser if I investigate tooth whitening at my desists office on Tuesday? I feel like if one person asked about it then 1000 people noticed but are too polite to say anything.

    • Me

      Someone else’s problem with your looks is not your problem. You do not have an obligation to win the aesthetic approval of everyone you encounter.

    • tesyaa

      And I highly doubt your fear that 1000 people notice, because even if there is a hint of a flaw, most people are not looking that closely. Your coworker is the exception, or, more likely, is making up garbage specifically to annoy you.

    • Anonymous

      Of course they will. Some people think Chrissy Trigan has a weird face. Some people think that year of the torso girl on the sports illustrated cover has oddly formed nostrils. Fuck those people. You don’t owe anyone pretty.

    • No Problem

      Only do it if you are not satisfied with your appearance. My mom recently got a whitening kit from her dentist after seeing how her teeth looked it pictures. I could have told her years ago that all that coffee was staining her teeth, but it’s best that she decided to do it for herself and not because someone else told her they looked bad.

      • BankrAtty

        Uh, am I the only person who doesn’t give an f*ck about how white my teeth are? I drink coffee EVERY DAMN DAY and am not giving it up in some quixotic pursuit of having the fairest teeth in the land.

        • No Problem

          Well, she didn’t care for her first 45 or so years of coffee drinking. Her teeth aren’t gleaming white now, just…no longer brown. And she still drinks plenty of coffee :)

        • tesyaa

          My teeth could be whiter (even when I was a little kid, they were pretty much off-white), but I’m squeamish about whiteners so I wouldn’t do it.

        • Anon

          Hear hear! It’s an amazing list, the things women (and increasingly men, which I actually don’t think is a positive thing since it just accelerates the pressure) need to do to meet some mythical aesthetic:
          – Hair color right
          – Hair cut right
          – Clothes fashionable
          – Clothes fit right
          – Weight stays same (see above)
          – Nails neat/trimmed/colored
          – Contacts, not glasses
          – Tasteful makeup
          – Pedicures
          – Feet in good shape
          – Skin moisturized
          – Tasteful jewelry
          – Skin the “right” shade of tan
          – Teeth the “right” shade of white
          – Tasteful shoes (with high heels!) with proper polish and no scuffs or marks

          All before we even sit down at our desk and start working.

          • Anon

            I don’t know. . . I work in finance and I feel some pressure. Not formally of course, but in that the women who seem to check off more boxes get more attention from the men we work with especially in more social situations (which we have a fair number of – entertaining clients, etc.).

        • Anonymous

          I actually find super white teeth kinda creepy, ala Ross in Friends. It looks unnatural.

          • Baconpancakes

            What’s a matter with me? You’ve got a black light. It’s 1999!

        • Celia

          Re teeth whitening my dental hygienist said “It’s 100% safe.” I said, “That’s what they said about thalidomide.” “What’s that?”

          My teeth came in dark, and they’ve darkened only a little bit. No cavities, no diseases. I’ll keep ’em this way, thanks.

    • anon

      I feel you. I have discolored teeth and have gotten remarks. You aren’t shallow for asking your dentist. It’s like asking your doctor for an acne prescription.

      • Suburban

        Ugh thanks everyone! I have never noticed these spots and I still can’t see them. I just feel like my appearance is constantly subject to scrutiny. I get that this was probably not meant as a dig bc he’s generally a nice guy. I’m dieting, spending $ on clothes and makeup and nails and hair. Now people are concerned I had a horrible illness bc my teeth are less than perfect in a barely noticeable way? I want to put on a sweatshirt and give him the finger.

        • Jennifer

          I have those spots too, from when I had high fevers as a toddler. When I was in Jr High school, I got my braces removed and started crying because there were huge white spots on my front two teeth that were more visible than ever.

          The dentist actually shaved down the enamel on the front and put special sealant on them to cover it. You don’t want to try whitening without consulting a dentist first, since my dentist said that it would never completely go away no matter how white the rest of the teeth around the spots got. It wasn’t a huge fix/cost, but made a tremendous difference in the appearance for me, at least.

          I’m sure that you look fantastic regardless of the teeth, so don’t spend time worrying about it or money to fix it unless it will make you feel better. Hope your day has gotten better since.

  8. ANP

    People, where do you buy your area rugs? I need a bunch: one for a front entryway, another for a sunroom, a long hallway runner and one for a nursery. I don’t want to spend tons of money (i.e. this is not a Forever Investment) but I still want stuff that looks good and fits with our home. Suggestions?

    • tesyaa

      Sources for inexpensive rugs: Home Decorators’ Collection. Pottery Barn Kids or Teen (especially on sale). Even try your local Home Depot.

    • Anon

      I got one from Overstock for the living room and used Flor tiles to create a colorful one for the nursery. The Overstock wool rug shed for a while but stopped eventually and I’m very happy with both.

    • No Problem

      Surprisingly, Target has some great rugs at great prices. I have one for my bedroom and one for my bathroom.

      • Anon in NYC

        Compare Overstock and Amazon though – once I was able to identify a specific rug that I liked on Overstock I could usually find it at Amazon. There was no real price difference, but I didn’t have to create a new account for Overstock.

    • L

      I’m in the same boat. I’ve found some that look okay (at least online) at JCPenney’s. Interested in other suggestions too.

    • Anonymous

      Maybe I’m cheap but I got rugs from Ikea for areas like entry ways that get a lot of abuse from salt, water and dirt. I save the nice rugs for interior rooms.

    • Sydney Bristow

      Wayfair has about a million options in a wide range of prices. Lots of them have free shipping.

      Previously I’ve bought rugs at IKEA and Target when I had a way of transporting them easily myself. Now I get everything delivered instead of trying to wrangle stuff in a cab of on the subway.

      • Senior Attorney

        +1

        Also Home Goods. Most of the rugs in my new house are from Home Goods and some of them were ridiculously inexpensive.

    • AIMS

      Overstock is good, but read the reviews. I also like Homegoods. I have a wool runner for my hallway and another wool rug for my living room from there. I think the runner was around $100 and the living room rug (5 x 7) around $199.

    • TBK

      Home Goods! We got a great 100% wool rug for our living room at a really good price. It’s a little hit or miss, but the quality of the products tends to be fairly good.

      • mintberrycrunch

        +1 to HomeGoods – we have several high-quality rugs from there, and I don’t think we paid over $500 for any of them (most much less than that).

    • L in DC

      Craigslist! You can find hand-knotted Persian rugs on Craigslist for a small fraction of what you’d pay at a rug importer.

    • anonypotamus

      We got some at Home Depot – we were on a tight budget and needed a couple 8×10, and IIRC, they were under $200. We’ve been in our house for five years and they have held up wonderfully, even in high traffic areas. We have also had really good luck with Rugs USA – they almost always have 50-75% off and have a large selection of styles, materials, etc., and there are usually a lot of reviews to help gauge quality and color consistency.

    • Anonymous

      I just discovered myhabit.com and I am obsessed. We bought a gorgeous rug from them at a steep discount. We also got a nice one from West Elm and another from Dot and Bo (or is it Bo and Dot?).

    • Anonymous

      Flor (carpet tiles) is good for odd shaped spaces.
      And you can buy extra tiles to swap out if one gets stained.

    • Advice?

      I’ve stalked Homegoods – great if you have the time to do so. Nice rugs, really good deals

  10. TBK

    Shopping help! I need a few tops to wear under jackets. I have a handful of dress shirts (white, light pink, light blue) that look great under suit jackets, but I need something else, too. I have the Jones New York Penny cowl neck (if you type that into Nordstrom, it will come up) and it’s perfect. But I could use one or two more. White/cream is fine, but would also like some colors (I find magenta to be a very flexible color). Should be very dressy, not too clingy (post-twin belly, ugh), and bonus points for being washable and sub-$100. Short sleeve or sleeveless. Anyone want to help?

  11. Philly hotel recs

    Looking for a hotel recommendation for a romantic stay in Philadelphia. It seems like most of the options I’ve found online skew towards either super-generic touristy hotels or super-cluttered-faux-antique B&Bs–we’d prefer something with a bit of a hipper feel. Location not a huge priority.

    • Sydney Bristow

      I really liked Le Meridian. It’s a chain hotel but I think they are all decorated differently. The one in Philly had a modern s*xy vibe.

      • Gail the Goldfish

        They are all decorated differently, and also have comfy beds. They’re one of my favorite hotel chains

        • Sydney Bristow

          And if remember correctly, the one in NYC has Burger Joint, which is one of my favorite burgers in the city.

      • Also Kimpton -- MONACO

        The Kimpton Monaco is on the northeast corner of Independence Square (it is the building at the northeast corner of Fifth and Chestnut). The building itself and the rooms are very nice. If you get a corner room, you are literally on the corner and there is a huge soaking tub from which one can see the top of Independence Hall and the outside glass surrounding the Liberty Bell (the hotel literature says you can see the bell itself, but you can’t because there are now protective walls between the bell and the glass building in which it sits). At night, all the federal style cupolas are lit up. Very pretty and romantic. And so close to all the stuff you want to do, so no lines in the morning. Highly recommend.

        • Ha

          Yes, I would highly recommend either of these. Both are in good locations too.

  12. building

    Thank you to everyone who gave me advice on (re-)building my professional wardrobe on a budget after a long slump. I bought several staples on sale yesterday, and even though I’ll probably need to return a few items, I feel so much better about where my wardrobe is going to be now, and my own confidence in actually being able to handle shopping without wasting money. Also, I only spent half my small budget so I have enough leftover to buy some new bras, some inexpensive accessories, and do a refresh in the fall for cold weather (the biggest weak point in my current wardrobe).

    I was honestly feeling so cr*ppy about it and now I feel great. Thank you!

  13. Anon

    I just switched birth control pills and I’m on the 2nd week of my new pack. I just started bleeding a lot and having awful cramps. I didn’t have any side effects at all when I first started birth control; I know spotting can be normal, but I haven’t read anything about awful cramps in the middle of a cycle. Has anyone else experienced this?

    • mascot

      Are the hormones different between new and old pills? It could just be your body undergoing some hormonal adjustments. It may also be that this particular pill isn’t the right one for you. There were several ones I couldn’t take because they caused breakthrough bleeding or bad mood swings. As always, you might want to call the doctor’s office and ask at what point should you worry that something else is going on.

    • lawsuited

      It may well be that the new BC pill, rather than just the process of switching, is the culprit. I started one kind of BC pill in my teens with no side effects at all. I tried to switch to different BC pills (you know, because you see a yaz ad or your friend tells you her alesse is amazing) on 2 different occassions in my 20s but got a lot of spotting, cramping and other side effects both times. I ultimately went back on my original BC pill both times and the side effects stopped immediately. It turns out I just got lucky picking the right pill for me the first time.

  14. Personal Shopper - DC

    Any specific recs for a good Nordstrom personal shoppers in the DC area? I am close to Tysons, but I could go to Pentagon City or another one.

    And any recs on making the most of my time with him or her?

    I really want to get (1) a great suit for work/court; (2) a couple of good business-casual-for-formal-office outfits; (3) a good pair of jeans. My body is totally different post-baby, so even though I’m close to the same weight as before, I need some help figuring out what works for my new figure (yay wider ribs and hips and bigger chest and feet).

    • L in DC

      I recently used Julie Rains at the Nordstrom in Montgomery Mall and was impressed at how well she was able to both listen to what I was looking for and then translate that into choices that worked well for my body type and budget. She also set up a bra fitting with a lingerie specialist that was very helpful.

    • j

      I LOVE Nataley Shea who is at Pentagon and Tysons. She has changed my (shopping) life (which has honestly changed my life life, too) and my mom has had success with her, too. I’ve referred a few friends to her, who have had great experiences. We’ve all been a mix of ages and body types. Highly recommend!

    • Anonymous

      A few years ago, I used someone named Larissa in Pentagon City. She was wonderful, but I don’t know her last name or if she’s still there. So this could be a super unhelpful comment…

  15. Favorite DC brunch spot?

    Within a 30 minute walk to Logan Circle?

    My sister’s are visiting from out of town and we’re seeing a matinee near Logan Circle on Sunday. Best place for brunch? In the past I would have done Tabard Inn but I’ve been really disappointed the last couple of times I’ve gone. Just need fantastic food and good ambiance :)

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