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Updated: Nov 1, 2018 63 Comments · by

Splurge Monday’s TPS Report: Box Pleat Blazer

Fashion | · · ·

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Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices.

10Love this red wool blazer from Smythe. The garnet is the perfect color of red for a separate (dark and muted, but still interesting) and the exaggerated lapel and shoulders give the jacket a luxe feel. It's $595 at Saks Fifth Avenue. Smythe Box Pleat Blazer


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Comments

  1. LPC

    This is gorgeous. And has that little tip of the shoulder to Balmain. I’d go for this in a minute.

  2. EG

    Beautiful! Great color, nice cut. I really like the subtle herringbone and the line of buttons on the sleeves.

  3. Sp

    I want to live in a world where I could buy that jacket and wear the heck out of it. I’m having trouble, though, visualizing how to style it beyond the way they have done it here (slim trousers, long lines), so I’m not seeing it for work, necessarily. Everywhere else? A thousand times yes.

    • fresh jd

      As styled, I think it’s perfectly fine for work. I want to live in a world where I can afford this jacket!

  4. surrounded by lawyers

    Can’t do a jacket that hits that low–I am too short.

    Question: any recommendations for unique but business casual-appropriate scarves online? I’m just not inspired by the offerings at the usual go-to retailers, that’s why I am looking for websites I hadn’t known about. I’d like several lightweight, decorative ones and maybe one or two more substantial ones for warmth. Thanks!

    • surrounded by lawyers

      p.s. I’m in DC and would also take local boutique recommendations if there are any.

      • AIMS

        I like Talbots for scarves …. They have some nice options, many on sale.
        Also a big fan of Metropolitan Museum of Art & MOMA gift shops for interesting scarves that are still work appropriate. Both have websites. The quality is really nice.
        Hermes is, of course, also lovely if you have the budget for it.

    • Anonymous K

      I was just at the Filene’s near Farragut North this past weekend and they had a decent selection of scarves in different weights, prints, etc.

      • Anonymous

        Second this. They always have tons of scarves in different styles and fabrics.

      • MM

        I just bought a couple new scarves at the Filene’s on F Street. Love their selection.

    • Abby

      Ann Taylor has some really pretty scarves right now in a variety of sizes/weights.

  5. AIMS

    Like the color, not sure about the lapels.
    I always worry lapels like this look or will look dated in a minute or so . . . Makes me think of some of the older Armani suits Charlie Rose wears on his show — gorgeous in ’93, not so much “classic” today.

  6. ning

    Love it, love it, love it! But, I could only see dropping that much on a blazer if it were something truly “classic” that you could always wear. Big shoulder pads were the joke of the 80’s up until, like a year or two ago. And they’ll probably go out again soon.

  7. L

    You know, this looks nice in the picture, but I am waiting for the big shoulders to go out of style again. I can’t wear them, they make me look like a linebacker.

  8. C

    BTDT with those lapels in a prior era, no interest in revisiting.

    I’m too short for a jacket of that length anyway.

  10. M

    I think the single button combined with the length is going to make anyone who is not model-thin look rather hippy. Not liking.

  11. Parisienne

    That’s a lot of tweed! Although I think the cut of the shoulders is very new and very pretty, I can’t see how you can put a coat over that in the winter. If I didn’t live in winter coat climate, would ask myself – why such a heavy jacket? To me, some of the most useful blazers are made of silk or silk – like fabrics.

    • L from Oz

      My coat fits over my blazers – I just have to spend a bit of time adjusting everything. And I don’t look like a blimp either, as long as my coat has a bit of definition around the waist. (To fit over a blazer, I find I need some extra space in the sleeves, but not really elsewhere.)

  12. houda

    I think this piece if very edgy and shows a strong personality.. definitely thought of Balmain with the pronounced shoulders. I wonder whether the quality of this garment justifies the price tag…

  13. Preggo Angie

    Loooove the color.

    Threadjack – does anyone have suggestions for low heeled-to-flat boots for work? Most of my old maternity pants are hemmed as I wore flats the last half of my first pregnancy (a few summers ago), and the clothes are so poorly made I can’t remove the hem without showing off a faded crease. Thanks!

    • Forestgirl

      No recs for the boots, but as an alternative you could try wearing commuting shoes into the office and then switching to flats. I do that a lot during the winter.

    • surrounded by lawyers

      Corso Como is a good walking brand and makes many heights of flat boots. (By “height” I was referring to how high the boot comes up on your calf.)

    • Amy H.

      I have loved my flat Sudini riding boots (about 1″ heel) for eight years now — but I’m starting to wonder whether this brand has gone out of business. You can still find them on endless.com and a few other places, but not Nordstrom any more.

  14. Legally Brunette

    I’m on a self imposed clothing ban (husband out of a job, and just transitioned to a government job). Can anyone recommend a few relevant blogs from folks who are doing something similar? I know I’ve heard a few out there but I can’t find any, and I would love some inspiration.

    • Kath

      I received a youtube link to this video over the weekend and I’ve watched it a few times so far. I love it, as do my friends who hate their biglaw jobs, my friends who are unemployed, and my friends who weren’t accepted to law school.

    • Anonymous

      Am I the only one who doesn’t find this schtick funny anymore? I love being a lawyer. Most of my friends are equally happy with their careers. I work in the public sector and yes, I have 200K in debt, but I still make 20K more than I’d make at my age without an advanced degree (and if I had done a master’s, I’d probably make 10K less and still have 70K in loans). I didn’t go into law school to get rich but because I liked the idea of a career in public interest law, and no one would ever call me naive or idealistic. My friends at law firms are generally happy with their career choices too, and those who aren’t have found it easy to transition to government or smaller firms. There are a lot of unhappy lawyers out there, but there are a lot of unhappy people of all types out there too. We’re no worse or better off than anyone else and I don’t know why it’s become a trend to indulge in self pity and self-deprecating jokes.

      • MelD

        I agree. I left a field I hated to do law and while I’m worse off financially, I am much happier. Most of my friends have left that field and many people in my current workplace who aren’t lawyers also come from that field. I was truly miserable and felt like law would better fit my interests and skills than the prior career. There’s also a lot more flexibility that I didn’t have in the old career. Just like many lawyers, people go to therapy just to make it through each day in that job and are on medication as well.

    • Laura

      My first year of grad school (for psychology) we got a memo similar to this and were the first cohort to get it… the story was that the year above us had a number of students who would roll into the 8am stats class in hoodies, pj pants, etc. (dressing like you were still in undergrad) – but because they got great grades – none of the professors really could call them on it. So we were given the dress well because you never know who you could network/work with speech – since we had a couple of research institutes and guests on our campus.

      I see this in the graduate class I teach – esp. on days when students do presentations – it’s hard for me to think that the ones in sweat pants and t-shirts are taking things as seriously as the students in work clothes. Even the students I have who work in parks and rec for a local city and come to class from work (this is an evening MPA program) look put together in nice jeans and polos…

    • cbackson

      My law school had a VERY detailed guide on interview dress/etiquette, and a lecture that we had to attend before we could participate in OCI. They covered everything, from head to toe, for men and women. I had been working for a while already, so it wasn’t super-helpful for me, but it did persuade one of my male friends that his plan to wear an iridescent purple button-front with his black suit for interviews was a no-go.

      • Anonymous

        Oh dear. Was he a cast member of Jersey Shore by night, law student by day?

  17. B-School Interview

    Speaking of “work appropriate,” I’m curious what you ladies think about “interview appropriate.” I’m applying to b-schools currently, and I have school interviews coming up. (First one is Kellogg!) Do you think a black suit is required for an interview, or is another color okay/better?

    • AIMS

      I don’t think a black suit is required. I think navy or gray would be great, too. I read here before that navy is more traditional in business, so if that’s an option, you may want to go for that.
      Good luck!

    • Anonymous

      I don’t think a black suit is ever required. Pick a suit in a neutral color that suits your complexion. Gray, navy, black and camel/khaki are all good options; less traditional but still probably conservative enough are olive, eggplant or burgundy. Just avoid anything pastel or bright.

    • B-School Interview

      Thanks so much for your advice! I was stuck on black for some reason, but I’d rather do gray or navy.

      • LPC

        Gray or navy are good. I’d think twice about eggplant or hunter green or camel for an interview.

        • Anon

          Yeah; I think that if one has the personality type to wear one of those colors to an interview, one is not the type to ask for advice on a site like this. I wouldn’t mind if an interviewee wore one of those colors, but it would indicate that she’s not particularly conservative or conformist. Which is fine.

  18. CFM

    PSA: In the makeup convos a lot of people have mentioned smashbox cosmetics and they are on sale today at HauteLook, which sells a few brands a day for cheap: http://www.hautelook.com/event/3976 (I am not affiliated and don’t get anything for posting the link, there is only an email rewards promotion)

  19. jcb

    wow, this jacket is gorgeous!! I don’t know if I could pull it off personally, not having a particularly slim lower half, but still love it.

  20. gref

    Threadjack, I need advice on what shoes to wear under my wedding dress. I know some people are bugged by wedding posts, but this seems like an audience with a lot of knowledge about comfortable, feminine shoes…

    Does anyone have any suggestions for places that make low-healed, comfortable, feminine looking shoes I can wear under my dress? My dress is in and I’m supposed to have a fitting in a few weeks and I know they’re going to ask about shoes. I would really like to avoid doing the whole switch in to flip-flops at the reception thing if possible, so I’m looking for something that won’t be too painful to wear the entire day.

    Also, the dress is big and flouncy on the bottom, so you won’t really see the shoes unless i have to lift the dress to walk. My philosophy on bridal shoes is that they should blend in and not be that noticeable.

    Thank you for your suggestions!

    • Lyssa

      I got married in 2001, when more clunky heels were in style, but I would definitely recommend going with a very low, very wide heel, just high enough to feel feminine (as was popular at that time, though I’m sure you can still find some out there). Since they won’t be very visable, I don’t see any reason to spend a lot on this- I got mine at Rack Room for around $20- they were strappy silver sandals (Mom was mad that they weren’t white, but I wanted something a little bit different).

      I support you skipping the whole flip-flop thing; wear something that you like and feel special in!

    • Cat

      eh, stuck in moderation. My two recommendations: myglassslipper(dot)com (lots of heel heights, which the site specifies exactly; good sale section) and kate spade.

    • L

      I got married in 2004 and went with the lowest heels I could find – Kenneth Cole with a low (1.5″??) wedge mary jane. Don’t know if he still makes bridal shoes though. They were VERY comfy.

    • Laura

      I had cole haan nike pumps (forget the name – but they were low heeled and gold/metalic) and switched into a pair on pink ballet flats halfway through my reception. Whatever shoes you end up going with – wear them before your wedding. I broke mine in by wearing them to work a few times and wearing them to clean my apt for the three months before my wedding. That was the best way to figure out any problem spots (where the shoe would rub, if I wanted to add a cushion, etc) and make sure I could balance well in them since I had the big poofy (and heavy!) dress.

    • Bonnie

      I think mine were about 2.5 inches and were very comfortable. I can’t remember what brand they were but they were slingbacks and I think that made a huge difference. Keep in mind the heel width if you plan on taking pictures outside. You don’t want to keep getting stuck in the grass.

    • Ru

      I’ve seen pictures where brides would wear blue shoes on their wedding day for “something blue”. I think that’s kinda cute.

    • MelD

      My sister skipped the bridal shoes entirely and is going with flat gold strappy sandals that she can wear again some other time. Since no one is going to see them, no reason to spend a ton on bridal shoes that may not even be comfortable!

    • Anon

      A lot of people on the wedding websites recommend buying ballroom dancing shoes, which are apparently very comfy. Haven’t tried them myself, but it makes sense.

  21. Law-Less

    I’m getting married this weekend (yikes I’m excited! ) and I HAVE to recommend the shoes that I bought. They seem to be exactly what you had in mind, in terms of heel height and comfort factor. This was my first purchase from Endless and I was THRILLED with the experience – esp. the free overnight shipping! They may not be your style, but I think they are super cute!

    http://www.endless.com/J-Renee-Womens-Kiana-Peep-Slingback/dp/B002PSCD3C/ref=sw_6?ie=UTF8&cAsin=B002PSCBZM&fromPage=asinlist&qid=1287454329202&refURL=%252Fb%252F382776011%253Fie%253DUTF8&asins=B0030INFHO%2CB0030INIXA%2CB00313HZ88%2CB0030ZSZSQ%2CB002PSCJ7W%2CB002PSCBZM%2CB002PSCGHA%2CB002PSC8OQ%2CB002TKJXIO%2CB002TKJXBG%2CB002SQJBC2%2CB002TKJY0Q%2CB002WTCCUI%2CB002WTCCNK%2CB002SQJC6M%2CB002TKJY3I%2CB002TKJX0W%2CB002SQJC5I%2CB002WTCCA8%2CB002WTCD20%2CB002PSCT18%2CB002PSC67K%2CB002PSCEQI%2CB0033PSQYQ%2CB0033PSQ1E%2CB0033PSS2G%2CB0033PSUX8%2CB0033PSSLW%2CB0033PSTVG%2CB0033PSPUG%2CB0033PSUOW%2CB0033PSQ2S%2CB002PSCMPG%2CB002GJTME8%2CB002QQ8G02%2CB002PJ5D38%2CB002PJZHYS%2CB002PJ5HES%2CB002PJZIE2%2CB002PJ5E9G%2CB002PJ5DNI%2CB002PJZPJK%2CB002PJ59LO%2CB002PJZMK2%2CB002PJZKDQ%2CB001HSOBLI%2CB001HSOBQ8&asinTitle=J.Renee%20Kiana%20Peep%20Toe%20Slingback&contextTitle=search%20results&pf_rd_r=0V3RZ9SD3MJTDW730XTR&pf_rd_m=AF16NM0QF9TKW&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=382776011&pf_rd_p=1268028102&pf_rd_s=center-2

    Sorry for the super long link – I forget how to do the thing where you make it shorter. Congratulations, by the way!

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