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Updated: Feb 6, 2023 189 Comments · by

Open Thread: Design No-nos for Women’s Workwear

Fashion· Fashion Gaffes· Style· Suits· Tailoring· Trends· Wear to Work |

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Poorly Designed Workwear: What Do You Hate? | Corporette

Update: This is still a fun discussion on design no-nos for women's workwear  — but if you want to see our current thoughts on design mistakes for workwear, click here! Wondering what we LOVE? Take a look at our wardrobe essentials for work!

Far too frequently, I see a garment that makes me want to take the designer by the shoulders, shake them, and ask WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? I thought it might be fun to round up some of the design issues that bother me on a daily basis, and see which ones bug you guys as well. (Update: Check out this post on workwear trends we hate!)

Some of my biggest no-nos include:

– Women's suit jackets that don't have pockets (or have faux pockets). Hellooo, we need to stick business cards somewhere — and a phone if we can swing it. This may be one thing for blazers, which are more casual anyway, but it just seems like a total sin for jackets that are part of a suit. Networking is difficult enough, and I've frequently been at cocktail events where you're already trying to juggle a drink, appetizers, and leave a hand free to shake hands — and you're supposed to be carrying a purse or wallet with you also?

– Double-breasted looks. These come in and out of vogue — for sweaters! for jackets! — and I wish someone would show me the woman who looks good in a double-breasted anything.

– Shiny suits. Ye gods, what event makes a woman say, “What to wear? I know — that super shiny suit.” These suits are not dressy enough to fall into the “cocktail” vibe that some suits fall in (you know the ones — rhinestone buttons, lace details, often perfect for a society matron's night out on the town) — and they're so inappropriate for the office that it's laughable. Maybe in Vegas?


– V-neck shirts that add a collar on the upper portion of the neck (and not on the placket) — I suppose there might be an instance where this look might be acceptable, but it always strikes me as cheap.


– The suit with either a mini-skirt or shorts. Really, are there so many teenagers and actresses buying suits that there need to be so many of these? (In the example above — hey, the skirt is as long as her fingertips…)

Readers, what are your favorite complaints about workwear designs?

About Kat

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

Comments

  1. eplawyer

    See through tops. Not just sheer, I mean see through where the heaviest material is on the sleeves. Unless you are a professional stripper, showing off your bra through your shirt is not appropriate for the office.

  2. c

    What’s the difference between a jacket and a blazer? I always assumed they were the same thing…

    • Anonymous

      There’s more of a distinction in menswear, with regard to number of buttons, I believe? Anywho, for our purposes: not much. Blazers *can* be more casual.

    • Kaye

      Jacket is generally part of a suit, I think; blazer is not. Of course, the line is blurry – after all, any jacket could have theoretically come with some kind of bottom half.

  3. fresh jd

    I really like that last button-down shirt. I normally hate button-down shirts because they feel so binding. I almost never wear them, but this one looks more breathable thanks to the open placket or however you call it. IMHO.

    • lawyerette

      Totally agree. For the busty and petite (short) among us, those are the only flattering shirts. The “traditional” ones have the feel of a straightjacket.

      • MM

        Yes! I just realized that the only button-downs I wear have this look to them, and that may well be the common factor. Learn something new (about myself, apparently) every day.

    • Not JD

      I agree–I like this take on the button down shirt. How is this look “cheaper” than just leaving a button undone?

    • Bonnie

      This is my favorite style of button-downs. Although I could go without the breast pockets in the example.

      • Quinn

        Me, too. I love finding that style shirt with no breast pockets and with 3/4 sleeves. It is the most flattering for me, as a petite/short person.

    • AN

      Agree. I have a gorgeous Brooks Bros shirt with similar placket/collar placing and it’s the best I own.

  4. luluaj

    Suit separates that only come with capri pants for the bottom (I’m looking at you Ann Taylor Loft).

    • Another Sarah

      Or suit jacket that only come with ruching on the sleeves (I’m looking at you Ann Taylor Loft).

        • Anon

          I like 3/4 sleeves on suit jackets! I think you can pull this off in spring or summer in certain offices, whereas I can’t imagine any office (besides a really creative field, maybe?) where the capri/shorts suit look is okay.

        • Emily I

          I love, love, love my 3/4 length sleeves on my favorite suit. It’s really hard for us ladies with super long arms to find jackets with enough extra material in the sleeve to let out, so a jacket with a sleeve that’s intentionally shorter is a life saver in some cases!

        • Amery

          I used to like them but now they just look like your sleeves are too short to me. At least for work clothes.

          I am no fan of capri pants for a similar reason. They either look like they are hemmed too short or they are shorts. Shorts are too casual for me at work.

    • L

      Or “cropped pants,” really, who wears those? (J crew, I’m looking at you!!!)

      • coco

        haha, my mom loves cropped pants because she doesn’t have to shorten them – they actually reach the right spot!

      • eaopm3

        I wear them, just never for court. Our office isn’t very formal, though.

        • Amy

          I like “bracelet length” sleeves on certain (dressier) suits. I have two lovely Ann Taylor and JCrew skirt suits with bracelet length sleeves that look very classic and are perfect for dressy cocktail receptions with a silk shell.
          Capri pants with a suit jacket still don’t make any sense to me though.

  5. kng

    with v-neck collared shirts, the problem really isn’t with the v-neck, it’s that the v-neck goes down so low that its indecent to wear without a layering cami and there’s no higher up buttons to salvage it, and all in all, this kills the look of the shirt. that’s what really makes them cheap looking. express i’m looking at you!

  6. eaopm3

    Button-down shirts with buttons that stop mid-chest. Thanks but no thanks, Express. If I want to show off my cleavage, it won’t be at work and it won’t be in a button-down.

    • kz

      Seconded. Banana Republic actually was guilty of this for a while, as well. Just have buttons all the way up, I beg of you, designers. I don’t want to have to get a tailor to add a button. If I want to show cleavage, I’ll just choose not to button it.

    • Fiona

      “If I want to show off my cleavage, it won’t be at work and it won’t be in a button-down.” Ha! Agreed!

    • Annie

      On the flip side, button-down shirts with buttons that stop 7-8″ from the bottom (ahem Brooks Brothers). If you prefer to go untucked, there’s a weird “flappin’ in the breeze” look. If you try to tuck, the “top” side will blouse out more and grow into an inappropriate peekaboo gap at your waist.

  7. Ann

    Haha – I actually leave all my pockets on suits sewn shut because I don’t like it when they gape open. I do agree with the double-breasted thing, I don’t know anyone who wears double-breasted anything because you have to be about 6 feet tall and 120 lbs to pull it off.

    My pet peeves:

    – Shininess is a big one. I hate it when I see something online that looks normal, I order it, I open the box and pull it out, and the garment is so shiny it would look out of place in a 1970s nightclub. This goes for button-down shirts, skirts, suits, anything. I don’t know why in the world manufacturers think someone would wear a conservatively-cut and -colored suit that was shiny.

    – On a related note, sequins on day/business wear. I have more than once ordered a nice embroidered sweater or top only to send it back when I find out it is sequined, as well as being embroidered. Sequins do not belong on day apparel in my opinion, even clear ones, even used sparingly. Inevitably they catch the light and someone makes a comment about “going dancing after work?” Blech.

    – My biggest pet peeve, though, are low necklines. We’ve talked about it a lot on Corporette, but I am annoyed I now have to have a wardrobe of camisoles so that I can wear business dresses and tops without flashing my ta-tas. There is apparently no item of clothing, even the most conservative, that designers don’t feel they can “sex up” by cutting the neckline down to navel level. I have declined to purchase several very nice dresses recently because I knew that inevitably, I would get them home, be in a rush some morning and try to put one on, be dismayed at the amount of chest real-estate it was displaying, tear it off, kick it under the bed and put on a suit instead. I have enough to do in the mornings without worrying which of my garments needs a camisole underneath to be work-appropriate. Workwear designers, hear my cry: raise the damn necklines on what you’re designing! Plunging necklines are only appropriate workwear for certain types of professions, none of which are typically practiced in an office environment.

    • kng

      funny, i tend to wear mostly sheath dresses on a daily basis because of this – between boat neck and crew neck sheaths and turtlenecks, i’m usually covered up enough, i’m no prud, but i really dislike too much skin at the office – legs, arms, chest, whatever it may be

    • SF Bay Associate

      I just returned a gorgeous wool Elie Tahari dress I got at Saks for 75% off. It fit great, but the darn V went almost to my bra band and there was no way I could figure out to fix that without ruining the look of the dress. J.Crew has also had this problem with their dresses for the past few seasons. So frustrating.

    • Lola

      Sometimes I’ve tried on a top at Banana Republic, and it was flattering, but had a neckline that was actually appropriate for work, and I’ve thought, “Yay, Banana, you’ve done it again! You always know what professional means.”

    • Amery

      Similarly, tops made of tissue thin fabric that is not described as such and that no skin toned lingerie can be hidden under. So not only is the bleeping thing cut for a street walker, it is practically transparent.

  8. Lawgirl

    Um (cough), I have a shiny suit. Blue. Silk & wool. JNY. Now sue me ;-)
    Maybe we’ll be laughing at our trendy purple crushed velvet jackets like we did in 1984.

    • Lawgirl

      Oh,clarification: my blue shiny suit is Society Matron, but how I roll, the jacket will find its way to the office before long! :-O

    • Lola

      I also have a shiny suit. It’s not nearly as shiny as the ones I think Kat is referring to. More shimmery. And I get tons of compliments. It looks sharp.

  9. surrounded by lawyers

    I love this thread!

    But um…what qualifies a suit as “shiny”? Does what is called sharkskin qualify? It has a bit of a sheen…not that I’m describing a gray skirt suit that I own or anything…

    • Anonymous

      I think the test is, “Would Bill Maher wear it?” If yes, Kat says it’s a no.

      Not everyone agrees.

  10. kng

    true story – i bought a silver shiny pant suit in law school from express, properly cut blazer with the matching editor pants. true story – it still hangs in my closet with tags on. not sure what i was thinking.

      • Amy

        I honestly don’t know who wears Express to work after a certain age – I’ll forgive it on the younger employees but so much of their “work” clothing seems too shiny, too tight, too low-cut, and just plain too much for work.

        • Julie

          Almost all my workwear (conservative office) is from Express. I get the nicely cut pantsuits and pencil skirts. It’s one of the few place where you can mix/match sizes. Almost nothing in BR, Ann Taylor, etc. fits me and Macy’s, Lord & Taylor, et al. all have suits you can’t separate.

          With a nice conservative shirt and expensive shoes it just has to do.

  11. coco

    zippers that go (or appear) to go all the way down. or on the front of a shirt. never sends a good vibe.

  12. VA Gal

    Also, unlined(or very cheaply lined) suiting in fabric so cheap that it will wrinkle as soon as you sit down no matter how well the stupid skirt or pair of pants may fit.

    I have to disagree on the doublebreasted look, though. I have a long coat that’s doublebreasted and I’ve had the occasional suit jacket over the years. As long as it’s not tailored to be extra-boxy and the collar hits just right, it can actually be flattering. Bonus points if they nip in the waist correctly.

    • NYC

      Yeah, I was killing time at Paul Stuart while my hubs was suit shopping, and tried on this a stunning double breasted grey skirt suit. I mean, it was slammin’. Too bad it was over 2 grand…

  13. kz

    Not offering lined wool pants on suits, despite the fact the skirt going with the same suit is lined. Hello, J.Crew Super 120’s and Theory.

    • SF Bay Associate

      Agreed 100% – this frustrates me even more than the low Vs. Why are these $198 pants unlined?! (Sorry to be all over this thread).

      • AS

        Seriously. If I am going pay over $100 for a pair of pants, they better having lining in them. I don’t even get why people are so hot on Tahari for just this reason; there is no chance I would purchase any suiting that isn’t lined, even for summer.

        • anon-ny

          I’m most likely a very small minority but I don’t love lining. Last week I wore lined wool pants where the lining kept sticking to my sock and bunching up creating a very strange and difficult to easily correct bunching/riding up effect on my pant leg. In the summer I don’t like lining because it adds an extra layer and since I so rarely wear pants in the summer, I prefer them to be light weight. And finally, if I skip a day or so of shaving, I don’t want my stubble to get caught on the lining (sorry if that is gross or weird or doesn’t happen to anyone else). I’m not saying I never want lined pants, I’m just giving some reasons why I don’t always want lined pants.

          • J

            I’m with anon-ny – I hate lining in pants, especially since lining is usually polyester. I feel like they just don’t breathe. I much prefer the option of wearing silk long johns underneath unlined pants in the winter if I need the extra layer of warmth, and nothing in the summer.

          • ballerina girl

            I’m slightly allergic to wool so if they aren’t lined, I can’t buy them. That’s all there is to it for me–I also feel like there’s slightly more warmth.

      • anon

        Again–WHY does JCrew do this? And then on the lined wool items….they end up so wrinkly. Makes me think maybe a bit of synthetic fabric thrown in there would not be so bad.

    • former AT employee

      When I used to work at Ann Taylor, we had a “stylist” come in to tell us about all the new and exciting options in our fabulous new line (picture that in sarcasm font). I oh-so-graciously mentioned all the complaints I was getting about unlined pants. Her response was that the new wonderful innovations in fabric allowed AT to create pants that would fit better and work with a woman’s body and that lining would ruin that effect (aka they put in spandex).

      I’m about 99.99% sure that was total B.S. but thought I would pass it along.

  14. KateL

    -Raw/top-stitched edges in place of proper hem or neckline facing (again I am looking at you Ann Taylor Loft).

    – Low armholes on sleeveless items – this is never a good look.

    • JessC

      -Raw/top-stitched edges in place of proper hem or neckline facing (again I am looking at you Ann Taylor Loft).

      – Low armholes on sleeveless items – this is never a good look.

  15. an

    Amen, sister. Esp. re: the mini-skirt suits. They seem to be everywhere, and this isn’t anywhere close to the worst season I’ve seen.

    Also, what is with the button-up shirts that stop the buttons mid-chest, and then have a final button all the way up at the top? I recognize that my needs are quite strange, because I volunteer as an usher on the weekends and need to wear a white button-up shirt with a bowtie (yes, I know, the horror!) It has really shined a spotlight on how strangely women’s button-up shirts are designed. About 80% of them have buttons that stop somewhere mid-chest, or just above, and no top button. And then there is this weird 10% dynamic that have buttons to somewhere mid-chest or just above, and then leave this long space with no buttons, and then have a top button. Seriously? This is completely useless to me, as it leaves a funky gap that will not lie flat. You might as well not have the top button if you’re going to try to pull that business. And if you’re lucky, there’s the final 10% that have normal, evenly-spaced buttons, all the way up. It’s usually impossible to tell from online pictures, too, even when you zoom in all the way. Surely there are enough waitresses in the world that are required to wear ties with their uniform that this style shirt shouldn’t be so hard to find. This doesn’t even talk about button placement re: avoiding gaps in the cleavage area, dart placement, see-through nature of the fabric, or other countless potential nightmares inflicted by a button-up shirt.

    No wonder I avoid button-ups under my work suits.

    • E

      ‘Also, what is with the button-up shirts that stop the buttons mid-chest, and then have a final button all the way up at the top?’

      WHAT. Oh my goodness. Revealing myself as a true nerd here, that reminds me of the way Klingon women dress in Star Trek – full body armour, but an open square in the middle to show side cleavage of each breast.

      Neither appropriate for the battlefield nor the office…

    • Jenn

      I think that’s ok. It’s really suits that make me look boxy. I think it’s because it’s closer to the body.

    • K

      Amen. I think suit shorts are only appropriate if you are Gwenyth Paltrow. And even then, it’s bordering on questionable.

    • Merry R.

      They are way too 80’s for me. Anyone old enough to remember those walking shorts suits? I know the new look is even short than that but it is not for me and makes me stifle a giggle when I see it.

  18. Anon2

    My pet peeve is the inability to break up suits (especially at department stores like Macy’s). I go to the tailor a lot, but find it frustrating when an item in the next size (up or down) fits perfectly but the suit is sold as one item thus negating the option of mixing sizes. Since I’m a pear shape, I fit to the larger size (always the skirt) and have the jacket tailored and it never looks the same as the jacket (one size down) in the store.

    Ditto for all the women noting button down shirts – they drive me nuts and I never wear the ones I have in my closet unless it’s under a cardigan or vest. I feel like I’m constantly readjusting them all day, too, so I avoid wearing them unless I really need to do laundry.

    • JessC

      I’ve completely given up on suits like that. I only buy from stores where I can buy the suit as separates. Yes, it is a bit limiting but it saves in headaches and time/money spent at the tailor.

  19. gov anon

    As some one who is always cold, I’d like the option of buying a twin set with a shell or other under layer with sleeves instead of just sleeveless ones. (Talbots you are particularly guilty). And cardigans with full sleeves, not just 3/4 sleeves. Sometimes I put on a sweater becasue I’m cold.

    • Sally

      If you take a look at Lands’ End they have short-sleeved shells that match their cardigans. These are avaialble in both cotton and cashmere.

  20. AEK

    Contrast-stitching or other obvious topstitching on the lapels or pockets of otherwise basic/conservative suit jackets. It’s another completely unnecessay embellishment that usually just looks cheap unless it’s a really well-made suit. Even then I don’t like the look, but then it’s just a style preference than a “what are thinking?!” thing.

    • Chi-town Lawyer

      Amen sister. Topstitching was traditionally a suitmaker’s shortcut for cheap suits. WHY must they put it on every suit sold?

  21. Anonymous

    Exposed zippers, especially on the back of the skirt or the front of the shirt, double especially if they go all the way up the length of the garment so as to suggest the garment would just fall right off if you tugged the zipper down. Good luck for nightclubs, bad look for the office.

    • K

      Yes!!! There have been a number of items at Ann Taylor this past year that would have been PERFECT – if not for the exposed zipper…it just looks cheap (both in the “come unzip me” way and the “poorly constructed” way)

  22. Jenn

    I totally agree with the V-neck button ups. All the button up shirts either stop buttoning mid-boob, or button all the way up and have 3/4 sleeves, or button all the way up and gap. Who sells good button ups? (This might be a thread jack). I’ve been relying on double-sided tape.

    • Mary

      I just bought some nice button downs at the Ann Taylor Outlet store. They button all the way to the top/collar and had a nice selection of prints/stripes that are very professsional.

    • In House Mouse

      Brooks Brothers fitted silhouette. If you want to branch out of the 3 solid colors (white, blue, pink), I recommend trying them on – the different fabrics fit differently, even in the same cut and size. They go on deep discount a few times a year.

      • ballerina girl

        I second that–I load up on the fitted shirts every other year or so at the Brooks Brothers outlet store. Great deals on jewelry, too!

    • Amy H.

      I like L.L. Bean’s fitted oxford shirts — but I’ve also never had a gapping problem b/c I’m a B- cup.

  23. Anonymous

    I want a pretty and trendy shell for underneath my suits that has short sleeves! Not no sleeves, not cap sleeves, not flutter sleeves . . . I don’t want to take a chance on showing my armpit ever. When I go to lunch during a trial or after court, I want to take my suit jacket off and not show armpit and flabby arms. Is this too much to ask? Yes, I can find boring, frumpy short sleeve shirts, but why can’t Banana Republic and J. Crew make a cute short sleeve shell for underneath a suit?!

  24. Anonymous

    CHALLENGE: Every reader should copy and paste this link and email it to the customer service of the worst offenders!

  25. Jessica

    I got a great button down from a J. Crew Warehouse sale, but I think it might be men’s! It’s only a little loose on me, and I’ve been wearing it to death.

    I never thought about how icky the v-neck button downs are. I need to get rid of some ASAP.

    (Thanks to Jenn for suggesting double-sided tape!)

  26. In House Mouse

    This thread is the reason Corporette is my #1 procrastination site.

  27. mamabear

    My biggest nod was in response to your point about hemlines. Changing hemlines is OK for fashion outside of work, but I think there should be standard skirt length we should stick with for suits. I am tall and it it just about impossible for me to buy a work skirt or dress right now. Thank goddess for Talbots.

  28. cjdc

    This is my all-time lament: breast pockets on dress shirts! I’m sorry, I don’t know of any women who are carrying their cigarettes in their breast pocket anymore. I don’t get it. The pocket never lays correctly … it pokes out and accentuates one side of your chest … and is completely non-functional. Designers, take them off! If we want a men’s shirt, we’ll buy one.

  29. JennB

    I have to say, I prefer the “v-neck button downs” over the button-up-to-the-collar ones. The latter are so unflattering on me, and seem to highlight the chub below my chin. The open neckline, though, is so much more flattering on me and make me look less full under the chin area. I also don’t like how the button all the way ones look with a suit. I can never get the collars to lay well. I get my button downs at Brooks Brothers, and YES, you need to try each one on. I have various sizes. I am typically a size 10 in everything, and yet I have 14s and 16s in BB shirts. Go figure. The tailored and fitted ones are the most slimming, though it’s hard to buy a size that is so much larger than your “normal” size! Why are v-neck button downs considered cheap looking? I never heard that before.

  30. Katie

    The other day I found myself at the courthouse wearing a blazer with no pockets and pants with fake pockets. I had no idea when I left the house. It was miserable, because I was just waiting for a hearing, so I had no bag with me. I had to walk around with my keys in my back pocket. VERY attractive.

  31. gina

    I completely agree with one of the above posters: suits should always be sold as separates. Even those of us who are lucky enough not to be obviously different sizes on top and bottom, we sometimes just look better in mix-and-match sizes, even if we can manager to squeeze 1/2 of our body into a restricting only-slightly-too-small size.

    I like double breasted jackets! Granted, I’m on the slim side, and small-breasted to boot, but I do like the look of double-breasted suits (in general, and on me).

    Mini-skirts are not professional, but skirts that go past my fingertips? (slightly longer than the model in the first photo) Not what I consider a miniskirt, and I quite like the silhouette on me.

    I’m so with you on the pockets. This is espeically infuriating when the suit has faux pockets. THEY’RE ALREADY PART OF THE DESIGN OF THE SUIT JACKET, why can’t the manufacturor make them real pockets???!!!??? So frustrating. I would love for inside breast pockets to be as standard in women’s suits as they are in men’s.

    I would love a variety of bottoms to match a single jacket. Pants for those who prefer them (or who get cold easily), skirts for those in super-conservative industries (or who just look better in skirts), and shorts for those of us who can pull them off at work. All in the same fabrication to match a single jacket. This would be my ideal mix-and-match suit vendor.

    I also really dislike the sleeveless shell. I tolerate my upper arms; I don’t hate them; I’m happy to show them in the summer when it’s over 80 degrees, with sleeveless blouses and camisoles. The rest of the year, I want at least a short sleeve (washable) shirt underneath my suit to protect the jacket, so I don’t have to dryclean the jacket practically every time I wear it. Even when I don’t sweat much (and fortunately I don’t usually sweat much), my deodorant rubs off on the lining of the suit jacket if I wear a sleaveless shell.

    The lack of well-made (WELL FITTING) button shirts is an epidemic. I pretty much just thrift items in this department. I only buy retail for knits, b/c button-front shirt just don’t seem to be well made with attractive features at my price point.

    • stc

      Uhm, short suits aren’t just for those who can “pull them off at work.” They are just not for work. On all else, I agree.

  32. - j -

    There are quite a few hilarious ladies on this site, I must say!

    Just going to add to the chorus of OMG I’m an attorney, not a “high class” hooker! Hello! I think even the FIT of some suits sold many many places (Yes, AT, Loft, Express, Limited) is very very off. Of course, there are great pieces from all of the above, but wow are some shown styled too tightly. The styling is just a whole other ball of wax, too. Even at some of the more formal stores, I walk out thinking: NO way I’d wear that to court. Ladies-who-lunch, maybe. Serious women, not so much.

    Slightly less dramatic: annoyed that I can’t seem to find simple shirts for under suits that aren’t (a) sweaters or (b) collared, but actually have sleeves. Why is this so hard?

    • Karen

      I constantly keep an eye out for simple shirts to wear under blazers an suits. Recently I found some at BR: crew-neck, t-shirt style tops made from a high-quality cotton blend. They are very comfortable and have satin-trimmed necklines that add to the nice sheen of the shirt. I also found nice mock neck, short sleeve shirts with flattering ruching in the neck and décolletage that are nice for fall.

      • anon

        Every now and then I find a nice “silk” (actually polyester) tee from the Loft that has decent coverage in the neckline and a nice loose shape that looks nice worn out or tucked in. They are machine washable but kind of start to look worn after too many washes. I have been wearing those instead of button shirts under suits.

  33. Ellen

    Threadjack, please! I JUST got back from a vacation with Alan and I found out that my office was moved to a shabby smaller windowless space at the end of the hall. How should IHANDLE this? The manageing partner says he needed my office for a new partner, but he is not EVEN there yet. I do not want to loose my job by being to pushy. I do like my job alot, but do feel like they are treating me badly. Can anyone advice me? Thank you.

    • See Pea A

      just be thankful you have an office and not a cubicle! Put up a picture of “alan” on the wall and be thankful you have a job

    • Anon

      Look on the bright side, maybe the BALD partner with the BAD BREATH won’t be able to FIND you anymore!

      • Kaye

        Sounds rough :( Go have a martini or five to help you cope, and then maybe write the managing partner an email letting him know how you feel?

    • Anonymous

      Don’t worry about it; just spend most of your day leaving comments on Corporette. You’ve become the best thing about this site.

  34. Frump

    Really? Pockets on suits? I’ve never owned a suit that had pockets (I don’t have any pant suits currently), and for me, I can’t imagine that working. If I am at a networking event, I manage pretty well with a purse/wrist-strap clutch- I just make sure my cards are very easily accessible and can be pulled out quickly. I am also pretty careful about leaving a hand generally open, as in, I’ll carry just a drink or food around, and if I want both, I will try to work myself close to a table where I can put one or both down. If there are no tables, I stick to one at a time. Pockets, I think, would end up looking bulky or dated if I tried to find suits with them.

    My biggest pet peeves (I apparently have a lot…):
    -mis-matched blacks
    -fabric quality so poor that it shows in some obvious/very visible way (ex, wrinkles extremely easily, is see-through, is shiny but in a cheap this-is-obviously-not-silk-shantung kind of way)
    -overly brown/saggy/wrong color nylons
    -porous/veiny/unshaved/dry legs for when people are not wearing nylons
    -heels that are too pointy/too blocky/too clunky and/or have wrinkle creases in the toe area from them being so old/walked in
    -muffin tops, bras poking out, panty lines, fabric clinging to every nook and cranny of tummy rolls or bulges… any weird body thing somebody is doing a bad job of concealing
    -somebody wearing obviously baggy/dated/ugly suits and thinking she is superior for no other reason than just because she wears a suit everyday when in reality she looks worse than more put together but non-suited co-workers

    There are probably more but these are all my grumpy self could think of for the time being.

    • Merry R.

      You just described my office! And some of those crappy old suits are proudly from the second hand store where everyone should shop. (Because ms. superior knows everything.)

      Oh, you forgot veiny stretch marked cleavage heaving out of those cheap polyester tops. But that may just be in my wing of office hades.

    • Bonnie

      I have to add my pet peeve: improperly hemmed pants. It drives me crazy when I see pants so short that the entire shoe is exposed or so long that the bottom is dragging on the ground.

    • anotheranon

      How did Kat’s original post about work wear design issues turn into commenting about fashion faux pas committed by co-workers?

      • Frump

        While I admit I got a little side-tracked in phrasing my pet-peeves in terms of faux pas, they can easily be converted into design issues without much work:

        -makers using lower quality fabrics such that colors become distorted or very varied, making it hard sometimes to coordinate colors
        -fabric quality so poor that it shows in some obvious/very visible way (ex, wrinkles extremely easily, is see-through, is shiny but in a cheap this-is-obviously-not-silk-shantung kind of way)
        -“nude” nylons being manufactured in colors that are not at all nude- too much emphasis on “granny” coloring (though what granny actually has tanorexic, Jersey shore colored skin??) and not enough on an actual array of true skin colors to match a variety of tones
        -because of above issue, people trending towards not wearing nylons at all and showcasing their porous/veiny/unshaved/dry legs
        -heels that are too pointy/too blocky/too clunky
        -heels that easily get wrinkle creases in the toe area, more often than not from being made of poor quality materials
        -the poor quality, thin fabrics; unlined pieces; and awkward Lisa-Cuddy-Hot-Bizznizz-Woman-Too-Tight cuts of clothes that all create muffin tops, bras poking out, panty lines, fabric clinging to every nook and cranny of tummy rolls or buldges
        -any suit that is obviously baggy/dated/boxy and sold either as used or new that makes women think they look good, merely because they are buying said suits and Tahari by Arthur S. Levine slapped a label on them

        Better?

        • Merry R.

          And I responded to Frumpy’s comment because it resonated with me.

          Shame on the designers for putting this nonsense on the racks. But ultimately it is up to consumers to vote with our dollars. Just because these looks are out there doesn’t mean it is intelligent to wear them to work, which I think was Kat’s secondary point.

      • Frump

        You’ve never seen people with HUGE hair pores such that you can see black/red bumps, visibly, from long distances? I feel some people just have very thick hairs that you can see VERY clearly unless their legs are perfectly shaved/waxed.

        Or maybe I just have hairy colleagues.

        • Anonika

          So, if someone just naturally has a different skin type/hair growth pattern than you, it’s gross or ugly?

          We need to stop trying to attain perfection, and just be the people we are. Not everyone is blonde, big breasted, and a size 2 from a wealthy family. Perfection is impossible, but acceptance should be the goal.

          Body hair is natural. Why women spend so much time and effort to pretend otherwise is beyond me. Aesthetically, I prefer to shave my own legs, but I don’t scoff at those who do not.

          • Frump

            We all have bodily issues. That’s part of being human. However, also part of being human, living in a society, and working in an environment where there may be certain expectations about what is acceptable and what isn’t in terms of appearance unfortunately means that we might have to deal with these bodily issues in a way that we don’t have to deal with on the weekend in the privacy of our own homes. I’m not saying it’s right that it is that way, but unfortunately it is that way. Body hair is one of those issues.

            Women spend so much time on body hair/hair/makeup/whatever else because “society” (even if that society is our work place environment) tells us that we have to in order to meet acceptable levels of presentable standards. Sure, perhaps in some people’s work environments, half shaven legs on women are completely fine. In others, that would be seen as a sign of being unkept and unruly and convey the wrong image. I personally happen to think that half shaven, underkept legs are not pleasant to look at- it’s an issue of showing up in a state that is half groomed that bothers me and doesn’t have anything to do with skin or ethnic type. The issues are a) you should keep yourself up to the standard dictated by your work place and b) if you happen to have a certain trait that means you need more upkeep in a certain area (ex, hair, skin, body hair, body order, whatever, due to whatever circumstance), then the onus is on you to keep that up and I guess it just sucks for you that it takes more time.

            I have bad skin and frizzy hair. But I don’t just let them be. I deal with them because they are my issues and I show up to work as my workplace standards dictate. Similarly, if somebody has unusually large hair folicles, they should deal with that- in most work environments, that means either a) shaving/removing the body hair such that the folicles/hairs are not visible from long distances, b) wearing nylons, c) wearing pants, or possibly even d), just growing your hair out to a 100% completely natural state (and possibly wearing nylons if natural legs are not really allowed at your workplace) such that at least the hair would be finer and more uniform and not showing up in the half groomed state which just often looks like you were too lazy to ‘fix’ the issue.

            Do I come to work with half-tamed/half-combed hair because my natural hair is frizzy? No… I deal with it, and if I were to ever come to work as such, I’d expect people to look at me in a weird way as if I were half groomed (because I would be). Similarly, when it’s clear that somebody’s issue is due to the fact they simply didn’t put enough effort in, when they probably should have, I have opinions that go along with that.

  35. Vanessa

    The collared v-neck shirts that are button-up are a god send for those of us with a chest! Helps minimize the puckering :)

  36. Merry R.

    I agree with all of the above with the exception of the double breasted jacket. It is all about the cut and the placement of buttons. Some women look absolutely great in them. But you have to have a slim build and again the jacket has to be cut to fit you to the teeth.

    Can I add one to the list? I really detest the “shrunken” jacket look. You know the one that just looks a size to short at the hem and sleeves. And especially the ones with the half dollar sized buttons on them! The look may be adorable for tweens and slightly older, but not for the business professional; it looks like she bought the wrong size.

    • Chi-town Lawyer

      Agreed. The saleslady at Nordstrom tried to convince me that a suit jacket so short that the “waist” falls somewhere around my chest line is “really in right now.” Sorry, but the “baby doll” style does not really work on a power suit.

      • Lola

        Isn’t that the “shurunken” look? I agree that it’s in right now – just not for me, at work.

  38. iknowitwashot

    I saw a shorts-suit in action. I always thought they belonged in a porno…you know they look remarkabley “naughty attorney.” However, this particular shorts-suit was knee-length and was worn w/ matching opaque tights, thereby acheiving a disturbingly not-pants-but-looks- like-pants (said all in one breath) debate amongst the senior DDA’s in the office. The shorts-suit was gray worn with red shell and matching accessories, which made it the stuff of legend. I still keep in touch with my summer intern co-workers and supervisors, and I will still get updates when the shorts-suit reappears. I know it was 98 degrees, but please, NEVER WEAR ONE TO COURT–EVER. Secondly, if you do wear a shorts-suit…BRUSH YOUR HAIR!!! The unkempt mess on your head downgrades you from edgey-fashion-adventurous attorney to confused-queen-of- impropriety.

    • Amy

      Oh god – how about when the knee length wide-leg trousers were in style in the early 2000’s? I remember people wearing them to work with knee high boots creating the exact same issue (not pants but looks like pants). The worst part was this was in a very buttoned up investment firm where we weren’t even supposed to be wearing knee-high leather boots (at the time). Oy.

  39. AN

    1. Sequins, leather, lace and any other “trimmings” on office wear.
    2. Too-short (i.e. mid thigh and up) ‘office-y’ sheath dresses
    3. Too revealing V necks on otherwise perfect dresses/clothes

    Oh god, I just read all that and realised I sound awfully prudish:(
    But I’ve seen people at work in too-short stuff (think mini skirt-suits etc) and they’re tugging all day. It looks awful to me.

  40. Sei

    Dear designers,

    Can we please just get rid of women’s pant sizing altogether and have waist/length sizing like men’s pants do?

    Pretty pretty please?

    • L

      Well, my issue is I have basically no waist. My ribs and waist are almost touching, so I must wear fairly low-rise pants, thus the waist measurement is irrelevant. But your point is well taken. I own Banana pants in 2, 4, and 6 and all fit (and some European “8”s fit me). It would be nice to have some standards.

      And yes, we really need suits sold in two pieces. I am a 6 on top (shoulders, not boobs) and a 2-4 on the bottom, and it is just impossible to find suits. Thus, I love dresses.

      • Nancy D

        I thought I was the only one with ribs and waist with almost nothing in between! Thankfully there have been lots of very low rise pants the past few seasons. If they ever go completely out of fashion I’m doomed to dresses only.

    • MelD

      I’ve heard more complaints from men that the sizing is no longer accurate there either and that they’re moving into vanity sizes. When a 32″ waist is really a 34″ waist, it’s no more helpful than having the sizing we have.

    • Anonymous

      I’ve been wishing for this for years! I have heard that the issue with women’s pants is that there is an additional measurement (hips) so it’s a bit more complicated than men’s pants. Wonder how true this is?

      L, I’m also bigger on top and I find that dresses that fit my shoulders/chest are usually cut for correspondingly sized hips/waist, so there’s a lot of extra fabric around my middle. Do you not encounter that problem?

      • L

        Yes, that is an issue, but sheaths sometimes work pretty well. Or clingy, jersey fabric. Basically, I am a pencil with a muscular butt and some tiny boobs (yes, I am a runner), and superlong legs and no waist. So, in other words, a freak. Skirts and sweaters/jersey tops are best.

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