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Suit of the Week: Reiss

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white suit with navy polka dots

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. Also: we just updated our big roundup for the best women's suits of 2026!

Personally, I am not a fan of polka dots — but I can appreciate them as an abstractly chic concept, and we've definitely featured other polka-dot suits before. (I seem to remember a great one from Eloquii.) But: I can't remember seeing a polka dot suit from a high end brand like this one: Reiss!

I love that they have a lot of polka dot pieces right now, including the inverse of this — I would absolutely wear this white and navy suit with the navy and white blouse!

The suiting pieces include trousers and the double-breasted blazer, both in regular and petite sizes, and (sigh) some matching shorts. Pieces are $235-$498.

Sales of note for 6/19:

91 Comments

  1. given that you’re not supposed to shower during a thunderstorm, for those of you live in thunderstorm prone areas, how do you manage this in the summer post-swimming? we have frequent afternoon/evening thunder/lightening storms and my kids swim most days

        1. Same. I grew up in and currently live in the Midwest, which has a lot of thunderstorms. I vaguely knew this but have never followed it. I guess if the storm was incredibly close I’d avoid it but otherwise I don’t think too much about it.

    3. I’d first do some pretty thorough research to find out if this “rule” (which I’ve heard, too) is actually even an issue.

      If it is, then you wait.

      1. Showering after a swim is definitely a thing but I had never heard the thunderstorm thing.

      2. but

        the chlorine in your hair! or the bugs from the lake or the sand from the ocean

        literally cannot imagine not showering after any kind of swim

        maybe if you’ve got one of the fancy salt pools?

        1. Yes, that’s it! I swim in my own pool. It’s a salt pool, but salt pools do contain chlorine (albeit in lower concentrations than public pools).

        2. I always shower after a pool or ocean to remove chlorine/salt, but depending on the lake you can feel pretty clean after lake swimming.

    5. err I just rinse off the chlorine at the pool shower anyway if it’s ‘pool closed because of storms in the area’ which is a decent radius

      if actively storming near the shower in question, what’s the big deal with just changing to dry clothes and showering later?

    6. I don’t swim that much these days, but when I was a kid, it was just a quick rinse at the pool to get the chlorine off, not a real shower, so minimal time. I sort of try to avoid showering when it’s really, really thunderstorming hard and you can tell that lightning is actually very close by, but that doesn’t happen for that long that often and very rarely at a time of day that I’m showering, and it’s even more rarely rarely an issue that can’t be solved by waiting a few minutes. Afternoon storms are more common, but still usually short lived most places I’ve been? And even then the risk is still pretty low that it would actually be a problem.

    7. The issue is water conducting electricity, so if you shouldn’t be in the shower you shouldn’t be swimming either (even indoors). If it starts to storm while they’re swimming, I’d get them out, have them rinse off super quickly and go home. The extra 30 seconds of rinsing are not a significant risk.

    8. when I was a lifeguard we had to clear all the pools if it was thundering even though there’s only one outside pool… i just thought it was a design failure somehow. we never cleared the locker rooms though.

    9. My mom always taught us not to shower during a storm, but at some point it occurred to me that I’ve never heard of this actually harming someone and stopped worrying about it. I looked it up just now and the internet tells me 10-20 people a year are shocked while using some sort of faucet (including washing dishes and the like) during a storm, though it’s not clear if anyone has been killed. Fascinating.

      1. I actually know two people who have survived lightning strikes (direct hit by lightning, not just an indirect shock). It apparently doesn’t have that high of a mortality rate.

        2. I know someone from the midwest who was personally hit twice! There can be long term complications, but thankfully she’s okay.

      2. My mom was so paranoid about this that as a grown 40-something I delight in watching storms from my bathroom window while in the shower just to spite her anxiety.

          1. Yeah, I always roll my eyes at the contingent of posters that acts too cool to care about anything safety or health-related.

          2. It looks like the CDC does acknowledge that the risks are probably different with plastic vs. metal pipes.

            My older house has metal pipes, and I remember the inspectors when we purchased were clear that just standing on the basement floor was a lightning risk in a storm (unfinished basement, probably built to different codes).

            But it almost never storms here. I grew up near a great lake and kind of wish it would storm a little more!

      3. You can also be shocked from electrical outlets (and there have been indoor fatalities).

        I grew up in a never shower in a thunderstorm house & we just waited, although the storm would pass within ~30 minutes. Now, I just shower whenever, although I confess it feels a little edgy :). But realistically, I figure my life expectancy is better with more swimming/afternoon workouts *and* thunderstorm showers; than skipping a swim because I’m not sure I’ll have time to shower after.

    10. I’m not concerned about this for showering because it’s very rare to get thunderstorms where I live, but I go rafting and spend time on lakes and I’ve been concerned about thunderstorms when there’s no real way off the water quickly. With rafting, there is no way to get away from water period.

    11. We either shower between storms or wait until they clear. This is one of those weird things that I actually pay attention to!

    12. So in Florida, we would just wait it out under shelter since thunderstorms usually pass over quickly. Way more typical to outdoor shower rinse there, change clothes, and then do a real shower at home if you’re at the beach.

    13. Your kids shouldn’t swim in thunderstorms either, so would neither swim nor shower.

      If you must wash, fill a plastic basin and use a wash cloth.

    14. Unless the lightening was huge, loud cracks right overhead and the thunder was shaking my windowpanes I wouldn’t hesitate to shower

    15. Weather app that shows on a map how far away the lightning strikes are. (WeatherBug).

      1. Counting the time between lightning and the thunder clap is also a pretty good approximation of distance. If the thunder is nearly simultaneous with the lightning, I’d get out of the shower.

        1. We always counted when I was growing up in a stormy part of the country. That is cool that there are apps though!

    16. Another Midwesterner chiming in. We had a no-baths time during our frequent thunderstorms as kids. Once we grew older and schedules made it harder to schedule around, we were allowed to shower as long as we got in and out quickly.

      Fun tidbit: my house did get struck by lightning on more than one occasion. It never went through the copper plumbing pipes but would connect to the TV antenna on the roof and then go down the wiring to the ground. The thunderstorm showering was only allowed after the antenna was permanently removed when we redid the roof.

    17. Get out of the pool the earlier of 1) the first time you hear thunder, 2) the wind kicks up very suddenly, or 3) it gets very overcast very quickly. I don’t get out of the pool for mere passing showers.

      I then take my ~5 minute shower to rinse off the chlorine. I’ve never had a problem with cutting it too close if I actually follow those rules. If it’s just me in the pool without kids then sometimes I’ll wait longer and just accept that I’m not going to get to rinse well.

  2. I’m starting a associate general counsel job in a month. The offices are adjacent to client’s factory. I have to have pants and long-sleeve shirts every day as I will be in the factory daily the first three months. I have shoes I like. I currently wear dresses and skirts every day. I prefer not to wear jeans. I am petite and roughly size 0-00. Where can I find work pants that are comfortable for a desk job but not jeans?

    1. Lululemon daydrift or breezily. You will need to have them hemmed if you’re short.

    2. what kind of factory — do you want thick pants to protect your legs from heavy machinery?

    3. if no jeans because it’s a comfort issue you might try the Miramar sweatpants? still polished and thick but much more comforatble.

    4. For true work pants, Dovetail has a wide range of sizes and lengths. Kuhl also has a range of sizes and lengths; you’ll have to poke around a bit on the website to go past the athleisure and find the factory-appropriate, work-appropriate styles.

    5. From a lawyer at an industrial company. Wait until you start to buy anything. Working in an industrial environment as a lawyer is just different. Clothes are less about fashion and more about safety combined with easy cleaning. Depending on your company, the answer is likely some form of cotton twill pant ranging from uniform pants to chinos to non-fashion jeans.

      2. This. I ended up with gap chinos and thick steel toe cap boots! Quite the look haha

      3. If you do need “work” work pants, Duluth Trading has a women’s line. They come in short lengths, but only down to a size 2. They come in slim cuts, so it might be worth trying and see if a little tailoring would fit them to you.

  3. any tips for getting over stupid things you said at a party while drinking? i keep cringing and it was 2 weeks ago

    1. Sorry, just time. It happens! The embarrassment you’re feeling keeps it from happening more frequently!

    2. Apologize if it’s warranted otherwise let it go. And take a note about what drinking does to you so you don’t do this at work events.

    3. I’m still cringing over something I said at work while stone cold sober five years ago, so when you figure it out, let me know.

    4. Acknowledge that you have self awareness and high expectations of yourself—both of which are good things! And maybe commit to a glass of water between drinks next time.

    5. This happens to me frequently. I just have to tell myself I’m sure no one noticed and/or I wasn’t the only one saying dumb things

    6. No one remembers. They were drunk too and are worried about what dumb **it they said. Best advice I ever got was “ No one is thinking about you”. Move on.

        1. Hah. Yes now let’s debate what it signifies if a greeting is initiated only 20% of the time by the other party, while they wait and reciprocate the “hi” the remaining 80% of the time, as per my mental spreadsheet.

  4. I need to buy a new cat tree. Any recommendations for one that doesn’t have an off-gassing odor? The last one we got had a smell and didn’t last long.

    1. One option is to get a gently used one from FB marketplace or similar – one that has had time to offgas.

    2. TJ Maxx has cat trees. Chewy might be an option too. They are good about answering questions about products.

    3. Is a cat tree the same thing as a scratching post? If so, don’t get one with carpet, get one with sisal, they don’t smell and last much longer. Mine are 10+ years old and still going strong despite vigorous use.

    4. Your locally owned pet store may be pickier than some place corporate when it comes to this.

  5. On many days, and especially today, reading here is a reminder of how mindlessly and recklessly I have lived my 50+ years of life.

        1. Right! I’m often surprised at how “uptight” people here are – I probably seem reckless in comparison!

      2. My guess is showering in the rain.

        I remember when I learned here that wearing claw clips in your hair while riding in a car can be fatal if you’re in a car accident. I tend to not overthink it.

        1. Ha! I used to freak out about people using metal straws, back when that was a thing people did.

          1. … I still use metal straws, and I’m clumsy enough that it’s probably actually dangerous, but so far I’ve not seriously injured myself.

    2. Most people do—very few of us take life as seriously as we should. That said, I’m not sure either serious or non-serious behavior ensures happiness.

      1. Au contraire – life is meant to be enjoyed and I think too many people take it far too seriously

      2. I grew up around a lot of families who weren’t super educated and weren’t super interested in what authorities say about a lot of topics. Anyone can get unlucky, but they really rolled the dice a lot, and life could feel like a series of crises.

        That’s different from happiness, but maybe I’m just too aware now. All I know is that if some horrific tragedy happens in my life, it won’t be directly because I think seatbelts are optional or food safety is prissy or fire alarms are a needless expense. Grief involves enough what ifs without deliberate careless risk taking.

        1. I agree with this so much: “All I know is that if some horrific tragedy happens in my life, it won’t be directly because I think seatbelts are optional or food safety is prissy or fire alarms are a needless expense.”

          I could die of anything at any time, but it’s not going to be because I didn’t check my smoke alarms.

    3. I look back on some of the stuff I did and am glad I’m alive, tbh. Some of it wasn’t under my control (the adults in my life were not as safety-conscious as they should have been – my dad had no business taking me backcountry skiing with no avalanche education, for one), but other things that I chose to do make me cringe.

    4. I am so very happy that I lived my youth at a time before cell phones and their cameras. My friends and I had a LOT of fun and just didn’t worry much about things. It’s a wonder that we are all whole, reasonably well-adjusted, and without criminal records. Nothing too awful on that last one! We used to go pool-hopping at apartments and the country club in the middle of the night, skinny dip in creeks after weddings and nights out, swim in dark lakes at 3 in the morning, and have absolutely raging parties. The mid to late 80’s sure were fun.

    5. This post threw me because it could either be a lighthearted comment re: showering during a storm or it could be a really sad observation about someone’s life!

      If it’s the latter – I’m turning 40 in a few months and have been thinking about all the things I did without thinking, or because I was “supposed to,” or just because. I don’t think I’m reckless but I can see plenty of areas where I could have been more thoughtful. I don’t have a good framing for moving forward or changing, but if I come up with one I’ll come back and share it here.

    6. I put my baby to sleep on her tummy on a sheepskin. In a crib with bumper pads. It’s a miracle she survived!

      1. My mother didn’t know babies needed to nap. Or move gradually to “real” food. I went from breast milk to normal food from one day to the next. Bam!

      1. I like it too. I have no need for suits and I’m not sure I could pull it off even if I did, but I think it looks great on the model.

  7. Probably too late in the day for this question (so I will ask again tomorrow), but does anyone have a really cool job that dictates a different lifestyle? I’m thinking foreign service, oil rig engineer, wildland firefighter, field archaeologist – really anything that’s not a “9-5”? If so, I’d LOVE to hear about it.

    Many, many years ago I worked as an implementing partner for USAID and I have a bit of “fomo” that I changed careers (though, I’m of course lucky to be in a more stable field at the moment). I pretty much left so I’d have more stability so I could settle down, get married and have kids. Now, over 10 years later, that’s not the path my life took and I wish I could go back to the “cool” career path. While I wait for the international development field to recover, I will settle for living vicariously through anyone here :)

    1. Not as exciting as those things, but I’m a freelance writer so I set my own hours for the most part and can work from anywhere. My husband also has a flexible, remote job. However, with school age kids we don’t really take advantage of the flexibility. We have to be here during the school year and although we did a few summers away when our kids were in pre-K and early elementary school, by about 2nd grade they started to resist being away all summer because they wanted to be at home with their friends and activities. We hope to do more extended travel after they leave home.

    2. Locally: EMTs and firefighters. Also, state DOT people who have to manage the highway wrecks. I think in another life, I should have worked in logistics. It is really fascinating to me and since having to do a road safety CLE (in some states, if someone dies at a wreck, you can’t clear the scene without the ME coming out).

    3. Honestly, being a prosecutor or criminal defense attorney is pretty cool and dictates a different lifestyle (always in court, lots of after-hours witness work, engagement with people from all walks of life, etc.). It’s similar to working in an Emergency Room. And the war stories you would collect are amazing.

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