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Splurge Monday’s TPS Report: Piped Dress

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Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. Lafayette 148 New York Piped Dress iconLove this simple dress from Lafayette 148 New York — the piping details, the dropped waist, the pockets — it strikes us as chic as well as professional. It's $348 at Nordstrom. Lafayette 148 New York Piped Dress icon Seen a great piece you'd like to recommend? Please e-mail editor@corporette.com with “TPS” in the subject line. (L-2)

Sales of note for 1/22/25:

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

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

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

176 Comments

    1. Funny. I loved it up TIL the pockets – how do we know they don’t pooch out after a few wearings and then accentuate the widest point on my bod – the peasant hips?

      I think it’s beautiful, but the poochy pocket possibility disturbs me…

  4. Anyone know of a good source for discounted Cole Haan shoes – specifically black heels? (Or does such a store/website not exist?) Thanks!

      1. They are also on Rue La La and Gilt fairly often. In fact, I think they were just on RLL this past Thursday or Friday, which unfortunately means it’ll probably be at least another month or so.

        1. They are on Gilt very frequently. They also have sample sales (I think one may be coming up, it was in the winter last time). If you need something more immediately & want a current style, Bloomingdales is having friends & family starting Sept 30, so you can get Cole Haan 20% off.

      3. Interesting, surrounded by. The CH outlets near me do allow returns within 60 days, allow returns of outlet shoes to retail stores (which is great as there is a CH in downtown SF), and don’t have that great prices. Also, I am virtually certain that many of the shoes there are “made for factory” a la the double-diamond label at JCrew factory. I pay (too much) attention to the Cole Haan lines, and find styles at outlet that I never saw in retail. There are some shoes at outlet that were carried by retail, but mostly not.

        Note also that CH runs narrow in the toe box. And often a half size small. They still can be great shoes, but keep that in mind when trying on and your pinky toe feels a bit snug. I strongly encourage you to try the next size up when you try on your usual size, just to compare.

        I find that I have moved on from CH to Stuart Weitzman, and also Kate Spade. I bought a pair of the Marli Too wedges after that article about DC-ettes loving the Kate Spade wedge. It also ran a half size small, but I friggin love this shoe so much. I got it on Zappos, where it was on promo for $220 instead of $298. I feel so stable in these, regardless of bumpy cracky sidewalks and dragging dozens of pounds of whatever (suitcase, bankers’ boxes, etc) on wheels behind me.

        1. Maybe I just consistently choose pairs that happen to be on clearance, hence the no returns? Unsure. Admit I have not been paying close attention! Anyway, thanks for the tips on fit.

        2. I agree that CH sometimes runs narrow in the toes, but this usually solves itself by stretching/wearing.
          I am surprised at your move to SW though — I find those to run much narrower. Am I wrong? Should I give them another chance?

          1. agreed – I have a difficult time squeezing my not wide feet into SW shoes but sizing up 1/2 size in CH is sufficient. CH also has a greater selection in widths than most brands I’ve come across.

    2. DSW and 6pm.com both carry Cole Haan at a discount. Not sure if they have black heels right now.

    3. Do you have a Nordstrom rack near you? I got a pair of Cole Haans there this weekend for $60. The selection was quite limited, but it is worth checking out if you have one near you.

    5. Sierra Trading Post often has quite a few (same as with other discount sites, lucky sizes/styles only). I’ve had good luck at Nordstrom Rack and Off 5th as well (no Cole Haan outlets where I live, unfortunately.)

      I definitely kepe an eye out for the Rue La La sales, and jump on right at 11 as I wear a common shoe size and they sell out quick.

      1. I recently found black Cole Haan flats on Sierra Trading Post for $40! Score! These are the only comfortable flats I’ve ever worn – they have arch support!

    6. Thanks all! – I went to a Cole Haan outlet over the weekend and was dismayed by the lack of my size (I wear a 7, which is pretty common…but still). I was on RueLaLa and saw the sale, but they had more boots and accessories than heels…

      Follow up question – since I’m buying shoes that I want to be “in” for more than a season or two – I’m looking at the Air Carma on DSW which has a slightly square toe – is that a “classic” look?

        1. I have a Cole Haan fixation and the Carma is my favorite. Check out Nordstrom. I searched for your size and there were several shoes by Cole Haans on sale.

        2. I have three pairs of the Carma Air. Two closed-two and one peep toe. Can’t recommend them enough and so far they’ve lasted me 2.5 years of at least once-weekly wear.

        3. Thanks for the recommendation! I am looking for everyday-wear-em-all-over shoes – which is why I want a classic look :-)

          2. Love the Carmas, I have 3 as well! Nice heel, good arch support, comfortable and classic.

  5. Pretty black dress.
    How do I love thee?
    Let me count the ways.
    One – Ladylike knee length.
    Two – Conservative non-plunging neckline so I don’t have to rely on a cami.
    Three – Pockets to put me at a fair advantage with men who can keep business cards and a pen in their pockets as opposed to me digging in my purse.
    Four – Slight pleats and flare in the hip region so I may sit comfortably.
    Five – Lack of ruffles or buttons or flowers or other doo-dad on the shoulders so I may comfortably layer a cardigan or jacket.

    4. haha — I had a good chuckle. I agree – but you said it all soo much more eloquently!

  6. Love Lafayette 148. I just got the Giada top from there and it’s super flattering if you’re curvy on top! It’s a rare cotton find, and superb quality.

    Though I have to say, I wait for their stuff to go on discount:)

  7. The dress is a great choice!

    Question for our esteemed commentariat:
    My law firm’s retreat is coming up, and I’m struggling with how to introduce my significant other to my colleagues. We’ve been together for a long time (10+ years), and are effectively, though not actually, married. (We don’t plan to have kids, so just haven’t made marriage a priority). I feel funny introducing him as my boyfriend, and it would be a lie to introduce him as my husband. I have occasionally joked that we’re common law husband-wife, but that’s not an appropriate introduction for this event. Suggestions, ladies?

      1. I use the term ‘partner’. If people think I’m a lesbian, that’s not really a problem for me. If your opposite-sex partner is there with you, they won’t make that assumption anyway.

    2. Partner? Or how about “This is Bill.” I don’t really think he needs a label. Fiance would work, although if you’re not planning on getting married it would just result in annoying questions about when the wedding is. I also think it’s fine to say husband if you live in a state that recognizes common law relationships.

    3. You could call him your partner. The one downside is that referring to your “partner” when he’s not actually there can lead to confusion down the line because people may assume you’re gay (I thought a woman was a lesbian for a while because she kept referring to her husband as her “partner” and I had no idea she was referring to a guy). This, however, won’t be an issue if he’s actually standing right next to you.

    4. now, this depends on your level of familiarity with your colleagues, but i favor and have used all of the following for my unmarried other:

      partner
      jellyroll
      shortstack

      most often i introduce him by his name and a pronoun, as in: “Sharon, I’d like to introduce you to my [his name].”

      1. I’m not familiar with the latter two terms. I’d be seriously confused if someone used them, and I guess they were referring to someone plump (jellyroll) or petite (shortstack)!

    5. I think partner gets confusing at a law gathering.

      I think you could smile and say, “this is my common law husband Bill” without issue — it’s jokey but not inappropriate. You could also do, “meet my better half, Bill . . . ” or “this is my plus one, Bill . . .”

      A big smile is key! You could also just forsake labels all together. Just don’t overthink it — it’ll stress you out needlessly and make any introductions that much more awkward.

      1. Significant other. It’s long, but non-ambiguous, appropriate, and hopefully you won’t have to say it more than a few times. In fact, if this is a retreat for only employees and their significant others, won’t it be kind of obvious that he’s your significant other? So as the other said, you might not need a label most of the time.

        1. I don’t think a label is necessary – a simple “This is Name” is perfect. I think any lengthy explanation or humor (my plus one, my better half, etc. etc.) ultimately comes across as somewhat awkward and as though you are trying to explain or justify why you aren’t married or engaged – and such an explanation is totally unnecessary.

    7. I am in the exact same situation (except we are getting married on October 8!). I introduce him simply as “This is Name,” or “This is my Name” and it has worked. Of course, once we got engaged, everyone told me that they thought we were already married.

      1. This is good – “life partner” or “partner” translates to “lesbian” a lot faster – which is fine if that’s what you’re talking about, but confusing if it’s not.

      2. I like this. Could also say “better half.” Or just use his name, i.e. “this is Bill or Frank or Bob”. Partner makes me think there is some kind of professional/business arrangement regardless of the context.

    10. I use “sweetie” and after a number of years of marriage he is still my sweetie. What I like about it is that it works regardless of your sexual orientation and does not get more detail than they need to know about your relationship.

    11. I think “partner” just calls attention to the fact that you are not saying “husband” and might make people wonder about your business when they wouldn’t otherwise. I work with someone who always refers to “my partner” and then says “he,” so she’s not gay I like just saying “this is John” or, like the posters below, use a little humor and say “other half,” or “sweetie” or something. If you technically are married under commonlaw, then saying husband is an option too.

    13. Sometimes I call him my “gentleman friend” just to be cheeky. In situations where cheek doesn’t work, I just call him by his name.

      1. This. I also followed the lead of Lacey from Doonesbury (remember her?) and introduced my now-husband as my “young man.”

    14. I have been with my partner for almost 11 years (!) and generally introduce him as such. That has sometimes led people to ask if he was my business partner, but that shoud not be an issue at your firm retreat. Just be sure that both of you are comfortable with whatever term you choose and that you feel confident saying it.

      When I worked for a more conservative judge, I introduced him as “This is Monty,” assuming as I had told many Monty stories in the past, the judge would put it together.

      As an aside, we were out on Friday night and a mutual friend introduced him as my boyfriend–it was jarring as that term has not been applied to him the 90s, and, hilariously, for a nanosecond he looked around as if to ensure that I really did not have a boyfriend on the side ;-)

    15. I agree with everyone who suggested to just introduce him by name. I think it will be obvious that you are in a serious, long term relationship or else he wouldn’t be there. It’s really not a big deal.

    2. Really cute. Although I do not like the sleeve length in particular. I feel that it gives me linebacker shoulders.

  9. Gorgeous! I love the piping and the pockets. If this dress had a natural waist, it would be my Platonic ideal of a wear-to-work staple.

  10. 6pm.com is great for discount Cole Haan as well as discount Lafayette 148!

    I would definitely go with a plain old “This is Bill.”

  11. Correction – meant to say the site for discounted Lafayette is overstock.com.

  12. Does anyone own the J Crew Durham Pant, Favorite Fit, in wool gabardine? I am thinking of ordering the navy suit b/c it is on sale, but, it’s final sale and I cannot return it if it is hideous. Reviews?

    1. I do. I love my wool gab suit in black. I ordered and returned the navy. It fit as nicely as the black does, and it was a lovely shade of navy – not too dark, very blue – reminded me of Air Force uniforms. Still, I ended up returning the navy because it felt a little silly two have two identical suits in different colors, and I felt a little too uniform/military/government in a navy suit. And despite assurances from fashionista corporettes here, I was not convinced I wanted to add the complication of navy to my black-only accessories and shoes wardrobe. –>Long winded way of saying it’s a great pant. Final sale sucks though.

      1. Thanks for the reply – Does it fit the same as all their other suits? I usually wear an 8 Tall jacket and 6 Tall pants. I am willing to take a slight chance for a full suit under 200, but need to be sure since it’s final sale, which does indeed, suck.
        As for the complication of navy… I was planning to wear it with gray shoes. I hope that works because accessorizing navy makes my brain hurt as well.

        1. Yes, for me the wool gab suiting fits the same as the wool stretch suiting, at least in “regular” sizes. I have no experience with Tall.

          If you call Customer Service, they have the exact measurements to every size of every style, which is when you can really dig into whether X pant in N size fits the same as Y pant in N size. Same size… but somehow there’s an inch less in the hips?? That kind of thing happens sometimes, but the CS measurements are pretty spot on.

          Under $200??? Maybe I need one after all!

          I tried on the navy pants with my gray shoes – it looked nice. It was my black-only bags that gave me pause.

          1. Thanks for the info! I am gonna order it I think.
            Jacket is 159.99 and pants are 89.99, but extra 20% off final sale items, and for some reason, I got a heftier discount than the 20, and saved 68 bucks off the sale price… I hope it’s worth the risk!

      2. There’s an idea for AF uniform boards. They spend so much $ on low-quality uniforms anyway (e.g., current AF digital fatigues are heavy enough for an Arctic winter), why not make them actually sharp-looking and wearable? But I digress…

  13. Love the dress! And now, short thread-jacking rant:

    Went to court this morning and saw a younger woman attorney I did not know. Cute suit (J. Crew, I think), secretary blouse, good briefcase (Coach), regulation Big Firm Blackberry. No hose (to each her own). And then the shoes:

    Black
    Patent
    Crocodile-stamped
    Pumps with
    Platform and
    Four-plus inch stilettos.

    Seriously?

    1. Who cares. To each her own. She may have thought red nail polish is garish and whorish (as I do) but see nothing wrong with a black platform.

      I dont get how if I wear old lady Dr. Scholls that look like black nurse sneakers and you wouldn’t think that’s inappropriate but the minute a girl has a hidden stacked platform or a 4″ heel, that’s grounds for the older and prudish to snap!

      If it’s a platform with a classic, non reavealing outfit, just let it be. I think a collared shirt under a jacket for a woman looks like you want to play polo and are a stuck up boring snob, but it;s just a difference in taste of clothing that I would not wear. I don’t actually think that of you and am not going to judge you. it’s just a difference in taste of style

      Get over yourself. You’re why women lawyers hate other women lawyers. It had no effect on you and wasn’t competely out of line inappropriate. You just had a difference in opinion and then think “Gosh darn, how I am better than her”

      Get over yourself.

      1. I would have made this point more delicately and respectfully, but despite the fact that I would never in a thousand years wear 4+ inch stilleto platforms myself, I do agree with the bottom line. This doesn’t sound to me like an outfit that merits such a strong reaction. There has to be some wiggle-room for us women, even in court.

        1. Agree. After the description of the rest of the outfit, I was expecting her to say that the attorney was wearing a pair of those clear plastic 8 inch stripper platform heels with dollar bills in the platforms…

        2. Agreed. I too may have said it in a slightly more delicate manner, but I see nothing wrong with this style of shoe when worn with a more conservative outfit. Now, if the entire outfit was borderline inappropriate, I could see how this sort of shoe could push it over the edge.

      1. Sort of a flouncy blouse, often with a bow. Classic look in the 80s and popular right now in a sleeker style.

          1. I haven’t either, but Maggie Gyllenhaal wore similar shirts in Secretary so maybe that’s the explanation? I have no other reasons why it would be a secretary blouse.

          2. Yeah, my WHAT was directed more towards p*ssy bow blouse – I haven’t seen the movie Secretary but still can’t figure out what in the world 12:33 is talking about…

          4. get your mind out of the gutter! :) it sounds weird, but it’s true – it’s called a p_ssy bow.

    4. Sounds like cute shoes to me… lol…did you ask her where she got them?

      Even in BigLaw, I always wore fabulous shoes…come to think of it, so did the 2 female partners…it was almost as if they said,

      “I’ll wear the boring-ass suit, but I am not wearing the geriatric shoe!!!”

      More importantly, how was her argument?

    5. um, what’s wrong with that? sounds like cute shoes that I would wear to court if I could wear 4 inch heels.

    6. An essential part of this look is how well you can carry it off. If you can wear these shoes and walk confidently, smoothly, and never like your feet hurt or you are teetering, I say go for it! At barely 5’2″, I would love to have the grace to wear shoes like these.

    7. I am not sure I see the problem. I was expecting red patent thigh-high boots with a lucite heel after all the build up. The shoes were black patent with a platform- big whoop. I remember a similar shoe on Julianna Margulies in Good Wife and I always thought she looked very appropriate.

      1. I recall seeing a similar shoe on her, as well. And, I have to say, I think The Good Wife is one of the few shows that actually consistently shows professional women dressed appropriately, but still showcases each woman’s personal style.

        1. Agree – so many “legal” shows make me snicker when I consider whether I would ever see an attorney wearing an up-to-there mini skirt at work (answer: no)

      3. I know these types shoes everywhere these days, but I just don’t like them. To each his own, of course — as my SIL says, “The higher the heel, the closer to God” (which I think is hilarious) but to me the platform is just too obvious, even when it’s the same material as the shoe. Plus the shoes just look dangerous. I’ll be glad when this trend is over.

    9. All I know is, I would have wiped out in about 2 steps. I’m good for about 2-inch heels. Guess we all have our heel height parameters.

    10. Well, I am going to stray from the rest and agree with you. I think those shoes look a bit much and are not appropriate for court or the office.

      I am suprised so many think they are fine when this crowd seems to agree that peep toes are out of the question.

      1. Caution – there is no confirmation that the posted shoe is the actual shoe…..

        Personally, I almost always wear a platform as it makes a higher heel more comfortable….

      2. A peep toe wouldn’t be appropriate in my office. But if I saw another woman in court wearing peep toes I wouldn’t run to corporette to say OMG you can’t believe what I just saw! I think that’s what people are reacting to.

    11. I saw someone wearing what may be identical shoes recently and I really, really wanted them. They looked amazing.

      I don’t get the rush to get on corporette and get validation for putting other people down. These observations can sometimes be instructive but the air of superiority that comes with them is off-putting. And if I let it get to me, it would be that much harder to get dressed in the morning, wondering if someone out there is waiting to pounce on me for a top/pants/shoes/accessories being too short/too long/too high/too flat/too tight/too baggy/too party/too tame, whatever.

    12. I see your point and the crocodile would bother me, but at least they were black. I will never forget the woman wearing the red/orange, 4 inch, peep-toes with the white dress this summer!

    13. Don’t see anything wrong with this if she could walk properly.

      And they were pumps + she was conservatively dressed = she has a bit of mileage to wear these shoes (IMO).

  15. Hi ladies. I have a style question for you. I have a pair of slacks that are a very dark navy, almost a black. Can I wear black shoes with them or would that be a fashion no-no?

    I also wanted to report back on the AT necklace I bought that was featured here as the 9/21 Coffee Break. It was certainly long enough, but the strings would easily fall out of place and it would look a little messy. I returned it along with the matching bracelet.

    1. You can TOTALLY wear black shoes with them. If you’re worried about it looking like a mistake, add another black accessory: belt, hairband, pin,necklace…

    2. I agree with Lizbet. The rule about not wearing black with navy is because it can look like you mistakenly thought the navy item was black. So long as it looks deliberate, I don’t see any reason not to wear black shoes.

    3. I always think it’s funny when people ask about black and navy. I am sure that all of us have worn black shoes with our blue jeans and didn’t think twice about it. Black and navy are fine.

      1. This always stumps me too!! Always felt like I shouldn’t combine black and navy or black and brown. Too many rules to keep track of!

    1. Engagement pictures are only for the truly pretentious people who feel they have to have engagement pictures. Take a natural picture of the two of you from a past holiday or something. A professional, Hi I’m highschool or on the firm website, but now with my fiance laughing to send to people and possibly the NY times is just pretentious.

      1. Yikes, is it Sniping Monday rather than Splurge Monday? Tough day for judgmental posts! Disagreement can be constructive — no need for nastiness!

      2. Popsib. Why thank you for your well wishes and kind-hearted comments. For your information, not that its your business, we thought that it might be fun and the one and only time that my fiance and I (who have been together for almost six years, and have only handful of photos together for which we can thank/curse law school and our busy careers) could have artsy professional pictures taken. Both in our late twenties it may all be going down hill from here! I’m not going to plaster them on the phonebook, blow them up to 10×12 and stick them in my living room, or, heck, even send you one… I was hoping for some fashion insight not your unfounded attitude.

        1. ERP, I feel bad that you received such a negative comment regarding something that should be so exciting! Congrats on your engagement and I would probably wear something classic or whatever complements your personal. I think engagement photos can be fun and less serious too!

          Side-note, wouldn’t it be nice if women on this site were more supportive and encouraging? I understand people have their opinions, but there’s really no need to be negative and rude towards each other!

      4. “Engagement pictures are only for the truly pretentious people who feel they have to have engagement pictures.”

        Oh, ok. Engagement pictures are for people who want engagement pictures. Very helpful!

        You’re right though, wanting a picture to commemorate an important moment in your life is so pretentious.

    2. Whatever you think is cute that makes you happy. :) I’ve seen some really cute ones with the girl in a simple dress (a lot like the one featured in this post, come to think of it). Congrats!

    3. I suggest something classic and simple so you don’t look at the pictures 20 years from now and wonder what you were thinking! There is a lot of information on the Internet about what colors to wear (no stripes, navy instead of black), and of course a color that flatters you. You and your fiance don’t need to match, just don’t clash!

      If you can, it would be nice to include some more casual photographs taken around the same time, not as much for people now but if you have children, they love it!

    4. Popsib, I think that’s a little uncalled for. She didn’t ask for your opinion as to whether to get engagement pictures and has clearly already opted to do so. I personally didn’t have them done either but I think its a personal choice like many others involved in a wedding. I’ve known friends to take truly beautiful and not cutesy staged ones at all that I’ve been very jealous of.

      So to the op, id say to gauge the level of formality you want in the pictures an assess accordingly. Wear something that looks like “you.” And most of all enjoy your wedding planning and all that goes into it.

    5. My sister just had hers done, and she went with a few “costume changes.” A few in a hot pink silk dress, some in white shorts and a chambray button-up, and then she and her fiance wore t-shirts from the college where they met. All of them turned out really cute. But admittedly, I might be biased towards the subject… Just be true to who you are and that’ll be what shows through.

    6. Depends on what environment your pictures will be in, I think. I’ve seen very cute ones with the couple both in jeans and nice sweaters outdoors in a woodsy area in the fall, a nice sundress and a blazer/slacks combinations for pictures in formal gardens, and a more “city” look for various locations around NYC. We took ours on the beach — hubs wore a button-down shirt and shorts, and I wore a white sundress. Simple or no pattern usually photographs best.

      I’m really happy we had those photos taken — we actually look much more relaxed than we did in the wedding pictures, and regular snapshots do not come with perfect close-to-sunset lighting!

      Just please, do not post all 85 proofs on facebook, tag yourselves in each one, remark which ones are your favorites, and then update your status about it.

      1. Of, if you do, make sure to tweet about it at the same time:

        – Uploading engagement photos!

        – Looking at engagement photos!

        – Eating a sandwich and trying to pick fav engagement photo!

        :)

        1. Are you popsib under a new pseudonym? This seems pretty snipe-y even if you are smiling….

          1. Nope, I’m not – and I apologize if my post came across as snipe-y instead of humorous. Did not mean to offend anyone.

          2. I didn’t read it as snipey, Anon! I think we all have those people in our lives/newsfeeds…

          3. I actually thought it sounded like she was making fun of popsib– but doing it in a humorous, non mean manner. :)

    7. Pointers:
      1. Pick a flattering color on you and a non-clashing shade on him.
      2. The “feel” of the outfit should work with the location and your personalities. (e.g. A floaty sundress would work in both urban locations (great contrast) or a beach shoot. But, a preppy shirt/sweater combo may look out of place against an urban graffiti wall.)
      3. Pick a a flattering neckline becuase although there will be some full-body shots, a fair number of them will be focused on your smiley happy faces and you want that to be emphasized.
      4. Wear something you can move around in because you will probably be contorted into various positions for the perfect picture and you probably don’t want to worry about whether you have plumbers crack showing.
      5. I have heard that solid white and black don’t always photograph the best. Also, very busy patterns don’t photograph well either.
      6. Add something to make it interesting to look at – e.g. a great neckline, a sentimental or funky accessory, a scarf etc… You don’t have to have this in all the pictures, but add it to a few elements of your photo shoot – it will give you great variety of pictures with different aesthetics to choose from at the end.
      7. If this is an artsy session, which it sounds like it may be, and if you have time to change, bringing a couple of outfits is pretty standard if you can’t make up your mind!

      Best wishes, congratulations, and have fun! Engagements shoots are a really fun way to play as a couple and capture that “in love” feeling on film. Plus, if this is your photographer for your wedding it is an EXCELLENT way for you to get to know him/her and for him/her to get to know you so they can better shoot your wedding.

    8. Congratulations on your engagement! Agreed that you should go with what makes you happy. Maybe go to a place that has special meaning for the two of you? Or you can be “artsy” — when my friend got engaged, their photo was the two of them in dressy/cocktail clothes under the trees in a park. OK that doesn’t sound as cute as it WAS, but it actually was a super-cute picture that really showed how excited they were! I think they actually used it on their save-the-dates.

    9. Hmm, I hope you aren’t paying mind to popsib. He/she probably doesn’t really realize that a) it’s a couple’s prerogative to decide themselves whether or not they want engagement pictures done and b) it’s becoming probably more common than not to have them, as most photographers these days are including them with wedding packages. Anyway, like you, my fiancé and I were excited for them because we also had few pictures together. Ours came out wonderfully and they are pictures we will truly treasure throughout our lives- they are the kinds of pictures we can’t wait to show our grandchildren and say, “This was grandma and grandpa when we were young and felt beautiful!” So, regardless of what you wear, I definitely think there is merit in the photos and you should pay naysayers no mind.

      As for what to wear, it entirely depends on the style of the photos you are going for. My fiancé and I wanted very timeless, classic photos but we also did not want to look stuffy. I wore a very light pink sheath dress and a pair of pearl colored peep toes. My fiancé wore some gray slacks, a matching gray vest, a white collared shirt, and a pink and light blue tie. Our photos were taken in front of some cherry blossom trees, so I think we “matched” the setting well.

      But I have seen great engagement photos done with the couples in evening/dressy attire (they took some pictures in/near a boutique hotel) or in jeans/rustic looks (taken out in a field/in nature somewhere). And I’ve seen engagement photos done everywhere in between. So, I think you and your fiancé should discuss the style of picture you are going for and decide from there what makes you both feel great. When you feel great and pretty, you’ll take even better pictures.

      1. This is great advice! Be comfortable too – it’s hard to look carefree and happy when you’re dying to rip off your shoes and throw them somewhere ;-)

    10. I say wear whatever makes you comfortable! Like most of the other posters, I’ve seen engagement pictures that run from more formal all the way to college t-shirts and jeans. One recommendation I have is to try to take informal pictures of the two of you together in your outfits before going in for the actual engagement pictures.

      And, have fun with the pictures and the wedding planning! Best of luck!

    11. I think it depends where you are having them taken – but the best ones usually are more casual than formal. Think about what colors you look best in, stay away from prints (they don’t photograph well), and try to coordinate w/ your fiance instead of matching (ex., don’t both wear khakis and white shirts)

      I think these are a great way to capture an exciting time in your life :-)

    12. Our engagement pictures made me much happier than the wedding pictures we ended up with, so I’m very glad we took engagement photos! We went casual — jeans and overcoats — based on the two settings (diner and outdoors at the beach), and I changed tops once. Accessories can be fun — in one of the pictures we got a lot of positive comments on, we are both wearing our baseball caps from our (joint) favorite team.

    13. Engagement pictures are a way to “test out” your wedding photographer and make sure you like her work.

      The ones I see usually have the happy couple in casual wear – jeans and sweaters or slacks and blazers – outside romping around and looking in love.

      As it’s almost fall, I think you should go for the pictures outside with the wonderful colored leaves in the background.

      Are you casual people? If so, go for classic jeans (nothing trendy like skinny jeans!) and a nice cashmere sweater. If you dress up a bit more, go for a blazer. You probably want to keep the colors dark as they generally print a lot in B&W.

      Congrats on your engagement and soak up all these extra rituals that go with this happy time in your life! Enjoy!!!

    14. Aww, I love my engagement pics. They are from a long time ago, and it’s fun to see how young we were, and that my husband used to have hair. I actually like them better than our wedding pics, which turned out to be pretty formal-looking, despite the outdoor venue. We did the engagement pics in a studio, in black and white, and they are just fun pictures. I wore a cream silk shirt that ended up looking really good in b & w.

    15. If you are planning to use them in a newspaper announcement, be sure and check whether the paper has some requirements. For example, some papers require that both heads be on the same level. (And I have always wondered why…..)

      Congratulations on your engagement! Ignore the snarky people!

      1. If you announce in a newspaper be forwarned more people will think less of you than those that go “Oh, look at the picture.”

        1. I disagree, as this is totally regional/cultural. In my neck of the woods, it is nearly sacrosanct to announce your engagement in the local paper. You have to do it. In fact, people would think less of you for not doing so.

    16. I just had some done in July. I wore a basic black dress. It was knee-length and had cap sleeves and a belt around the upper waste. He wore a kind of slim-fitting black suit we found at Macy’s with a collared shirt and no tie.

      We had them taken outside and it looked like we were on an after-work date. They’re some of the best pictures I’ve ever had taken!

  17. Ok, I like the dress and all, but I am surprised that no one is commenting on the lack of sleaves. I could not wear my arms out in my office so I would have to put a sweater or jacket over this pretty piece, which sort of ruins it for me.

    HIJACK HERE: I am having my engagement photoshoot session in about 1 week – any great dress selections for the pictures?

  18. Oh dear. Kat must be getting too much publicity, because we have had a real troll influx lately! :)

    Has anyone out there with…let’s just say “ample”…hips like myself found a way to wear dropped waist dresses, or should I just accept that this will never be for me?

    1. I think it might depend more on how long your legs are than on your hips. If you already have short legs, dropped waists might not be a great idea because they could make you look even shorter. (This is what I’ve found on myself, at least).

    2. I’ve worn them before and never really had a problem, but I have a long waist and the area where the dropped waist hit is still pretty slim. If you have wider hips and a short waist or short legs, then it’s probably not going to happen.

    3. Ah, I think you’ve nailed it — I am short-waisted and wide-hipped (thanks mom), so perhaps that combo is the culprit. Oh well, I’ll just have to admire them on others.

  19. Please don’t have your engagement pictures taken with the two of you leaning against some industrial-looking brick wall accessorized with a fire escape. That seems to be all the rage here, for everything from graduations to weddings, and I fear that in fifty years everyone will look at the pictures and say “2010.”

    I’d go for super-classic!

    And I don’t see anything wrong with the outfit described on the Blackberry-toting associate (the YSL shoes are a bit over-the-top, yes, but they are not what I pictured).

    All I can think of when I see those YSL super-stilettos is putting one heel into the cuff of the pant on the opposite leg, and you know the rest.

    2. Funny story — I’ve been that girl (not in the above described outfit) wearing a much smaller 2 inch heel that has put aforementioned heel into cuff of the pant on the opposite leg who totally wiped out, ripping the cuff of the pant on my way to a job interview. Needless to say, I no longer buy cuffed pants for that very reason.

      Now get a good laugh at my klutzyness and enjoy the rest of your Monday!

      1. This is happened to me AFTER the interview, with cuffed pants and 1″ kitten heels, twice. Sprained my elbow but got the job!

        1. OMG!! I can’t believe this happens to other people! This happened to me with my favorite black pants when I was walking down stairs! Not good at all. And also the reason I try to stay away from cuffed pants now.

          1. This happened to me in 2″ heels, going down the stairs. I wiped out down a looooong flight of stairs, and the files I was carrying went with me. Terrible!

          2. Yikes! Me, too. Just the other day, running for the train. No spill, but ripped the pants cuff. I thought I was the only one who’s that klutzy!

    3. Housecounsel, (hopefully) without giving too much away, the 85-photo-poster that is a facebook friend of mine is both from Chicago and had her pictures taken in industrial areas (complete with fire escape). Thank you for the giggle!

    4. HA! I just happened to wear my “I’ll probably fall down” combo today to work. Very long, wide legged pants with cuffs. Since the pants are so long, I have to wear them with my highest pair of shoes. I love cuffed pants and as long as I pay attention when I’m walking, I can go the day without tripping.

  20. This dress – I don’t get it! In this part of the country – not too far north – the season for sleeveless day desses at work is OVER. I don’t even want to look at or think about sleeveless dresses at this time of the year. Covered up looks so very good right now.

    1. I wish our sleeveless days were over!! We welcomed fall with 99 degrees last Thursday.

        1. After a cold, foggy summer, Southern California is experiencing record breaking heat, so if you are cold, come to San Diego or LA. I bought some lovely sweaters and (at this rate) won’t be able to wear them until after Thanksgiving.

          Re the 4 inch stilletos, even in San Diego those shoes would have raised eyebrows! My theory is that if any man would notice your shoes, they are too conspicuous for court (I once heard a retired judge refer to a woman attorney as “the one with the shoes”, which I don’t think is the impression she meant to leave).

      2. Ugh… we’re hitting 100+ over in my neck of the woods! I want Fall, already!

    2. I had some lecture at work about how it’s fall now and we need to button up more- please. It was still in the mid-90s on Wednesday and everyone rolled their eyes. It’s waaaaaaaay too hot to be covering up just yet.

        1. I’m in FL and many places will loosen the dress code for summer. I work in a government office that is only cooled 40 hours a week, so it can take a while for it to cool down on Mondays and in the mornings if it’s been an especially hot evening.

  21. Threadjack – Has anyone ever taken their sleeveless blouses/dresses to a tailor to have the “arm hole” widened? I am on the smaller side, except I have broad shoulders from my athletic days, which makes the clothes tight just around the armpit area. Buying a size up never seems to work as it becomes baggy around other areas. Just wondering if taking the clothes to a tailor would fix this problem….

    1. You might try the other way around and have the larger size taken in. I’ve had to do this before and depending on the construction it can work pretty well. I’ve pretty much only done this with shells or dresses, never a button down, so I don’t know how that would work. But it’s generally easier to take something in rather than let it out.

      A good tailor can work wonders…just make sure you find someone with good reviews, and be prepared to make an investment in the tailoring. Good tailoring isn’t cheap, but it’s completely worth it.

  22. I think a sleeveless dress is timeless, because no matter what the weather, I would wear a cardigan or blazer over it in the office.

    Cat, I am cringing . . . I hope I didn’t offend, but I am seeing so many of these industrial photos lately! I even saw a bride and groom leaning against the train station recently . . . I wanted to warn them!

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