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Splurge Tuesday’s TPS Report: Rachel Roy Signature Structured Dress

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Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. Rachel Roy Signature Structured DressWelcome back to the working week! Today we're digging this lovely white dress from Rachel Roy. Love the way it's a classic sheath made interesting by the muted, abstract gray pattern. We'd wear it with a boyfriend blazer and a long gunmetal gray necklace. It's $495 at ShopBop in sizes 0-12. Rachel Roy Signature Structured Dress 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 12.5

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

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56 Comments

  2. Absolutely love it! Loved it even more when I clicked through and zoomed – it’s a great pattern.

  3. LOVE this! And love how one of the pics shows what it would look like with a jacket over it, even though it would look better with a plain black or even gray jacket.

  4. Very nice. You’re going to laugh, but I would throw either my yellow cardigan or pumpkin colored cardigan over it to cover my forty-something arms. I’m finding these yellow and pumpkin colors to go really nicely with gray.

    1. Never tried pumpkin, but I recently admired a woman who paired an electric yellow cardigan w/ a gray sheath dress to great effect – it looked fashionable and still professional :-)

      Cute dress (another that ends at size 12… which is a shame since I think this would look nice on larger sizes as well – a structured sheath is pretty versatile!) —

    1. I agree that it could be short. I have a 38″ dress that hits right at the knee, so 36″ might be pushing it for me. But, I am 5’6″, so it may be a great length on people who are shorter than I am. Also, my solution for shortness is to take it to a tailor to let out the hem. They sew extra fabric onto the bottom to create a new hem. I’ve done this a few times, it’s a $7 job and solves a lot of problems.

      1. Ooh, could you please clarify on lengthening the hem? Isn’t that only possible when there is enough fabric at the bottom to let out? I like my dresses to hit me right at the knee and a lot of dresses don’t have enough fabric at the bottom to let out, so I always end up returning them. Didn’t realize you could sew extra fabric on?

        1. sure – what I normally have done is let out the hem to the maximum allowable with the dress’s actual fabric – if you look at the hem there’s usually about an inch of “extra” fabric. The tailor cuts the hem out so the extra fabric hangs down, then sews some new fabric to the bottom and then uses the new fabric to make a new hem. The new fabric doesn’t have to match because no one will see it – it’s underneath the dress. The new hem is created at the point where the old fabric meets the new fabric.

          I’m not sure this will solve your problem though – you are limited by the amount of fabric available, or else the bottom won’t match the top. But by sewing new fabric on at least you get the maximum length possible.

          1. Ok, that makes sense. I figured it was too good to be true that extra fabric could be added on that didn’t match the existing fabric!

    2. Agreed, I’m 5’8″ and there’s no way I could wear this in the office.
      As an aside, I found a couple great deals this weekend that I’m dying to share: (1) great classic black wool dress at the Brooks Brothers sale that was 50% off and (2) two fantastic jackets on clearance at Nordstrom rack–one from Magaschoni and one from Elizabeth and James, $60 each(!!!). I am in serious like with Elizabeth and James blazers lately–so cute.

    3. No you aren’t the only one. I think it’s a tad short sitting and/or standing…then again I may be biased since I’m 6’3″, most things fall a little short on me! :-)

  10. I’ll be the voice of dissent out here and state that it doesn’t look like anything special to me (please don’t yell at me!). Maybe it looks better in person, I don’t know.

  12. Thread highjack: I am invited to a Pakistani wedding in France, and I don’t know what to wear. The mehendi ceremony is on the same day as the civil ceremony. The bride wants us to wear saris, but I would feel weird wearing one in a French mayor’s office where the ceremony will be held (I am Caucasian). Any suggestions? (apologies for the somewhat exotic character of this request)

    1. I have never been to a Pakistani wedding or a wedding in France. However, I was a bride and if the bride has asked you to wear a sari, then wear a sari.

      1. Agree — Have not been a bride, but having worn my share of ugly dresses, I envy the sari — it sounds much easier to maneuver than a giant tulle-fluffed dress w/ a giant bow on the – wait for it – butt. Ah, the thing we do for our relatives…

    2. wear the sari- there are some beautiful saris out there! How often do you have a chance to wear something so fabulous? I get so tired of the little black dresses. If you’re nervous about the styles, ask the bride to help you pick one out and have fun in France!

    3. Are you a bridesmaid? If so, I would certainly wear a sari. If not, I would wear a formal dress, perhaps something with Indo-Pakistani influences — check out eshakti.com to see if anything might be a good compromise for you.

      1. I forgot to add that saris can be difficult to get on/off if you don’t have someone experience helping you. Wearing a sari might be fun, but if you really feel like you’ll be uncomfortable, try to find a compromise. In any case, I’d wear something very colorful.

    4. I’m Indian, not Pakistani, but I’ve been to plenty of Indian weddings where Caucasian guests were also wearing saris. The only ones that look “weird” are the ones that don’t flatter your skin color (the one that springs to mind is the VERY pale girl who wore a neon yellow sari). Generally it’s also a good idea to avoid red, since that’s the color the bride will be wearing (it’s like wearing white to an American wedding).

      Also, if everyone else is wearing one (which they should if the bride asked for it!!) then you will look like one of the crowd.

      So pick a non-red color that looks great on you, and go for it!

      1. Agree. I have Caucasian friends who looked great in saris (it helps if you’re curvy by the way; super skinny women somehow never look as good in a sari).

        Pick blues/greens/purples or similar rich colours (of course go with your colouring). Avoid red/fuchsia if possible. Or go with a lehenga (assuming bride is ok with it)? The link shows a bridal one, but you can get a similar one that bridesmaids might wear.

        http://www.google.com.sg/imglanding?q=indian%20lehenga&imgurl=http://figurafashion.com/images/lehenga-choli55.jpg&imgrefurl=http://figurafashion.com/index.php%3Fmain_page%3Dindex%26cPath%3D4&h=600&w=400&sz=68&tbnid=NDqB7yeaAkSRCM:&tbnh=275&tbnw=183&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dindian%2Blehenga&hl=en&usg=___PrCwzUJ8kGkRUDF77d-lksv4AM=&sa=X&ei=NuwzTObiKI2XrAfZvMn2Bg&ved=0CCAQ9QEwAA&start=0#tbnid=NDqB7yeaAkSRCM&start=0

    5. With respect to saris, I definitely recommend PRACTICE. It’s a lot of work to put them and to walk around in them without tripping on a critical hem making the whole thing fall apart. I’m not trying to scare you, I’ve been wearing them occassionally since I was little and I still need help putting it on *perfectly*. You should put on your shoes (open-toed only, close-toed with saris just looks odd to me) before you start wrapping the sari so that the hem of the sari falls to the right place (about a half inch off the floor).

      Also, safety pins are a girl’s best friend. If the sari is made of an especially delicate fabric, I put in a little bit of paper or tissue in the safety pin before I pin the sari so that the sari doesn’t get stuck in the loops of the safety pin (just make sure to “strategically” pin so that nobody can see it) or use “diaper” pins (since your friends are Pakistani, maybe you can ask them for hijab/scarf pins that specifically do not catch the fabric of the hijab/scarf).

      I don’t know if the bride picked out a color or a specific sari for you but if she hasn’t, then pick a color you know you look good in and make sure you get the appropriate undergarments (blouse, petticoat) well ahead of time.

      As for feeling weird….just know that you will get a lot of stares, because you’re going to look awesome =). I understand that the sari is definitely not that common in the West but people are beginning to recognize it more and your confidence and poise will definitely improve the way you feel and look. Good luck!

    6. Thanks! The wedding invitation did not prescribe that we wear saris, but the bride said sort of “it would be great if you guys wore saris”. I’m sure the Pakistani side of the family would be wearing them, not so sure about the groom’s family (French). I’m not a bridesmaid.

      1. Hmmm, if that’s the case, then why don’t you go for a salwar kameez or lehnga? A salwar kameez is a tunic top with pants, while a lehnga is a top with a floor length skirt – both come with shawls. You might be more comfortable in either of these and still “match” the wedding.

        I have LOTS of Paki friends and they usually don’t wear saris, not even the married ones (there is a connotation of married women wearing saris but it’s not a diehard rule).

        1. Along those lines, keep in mind that you should look for “wedding” salwars or lehengas – there are plenty that are beautiful, particularly to the Western eye, but an Indian or Pakistani person would be able to tell immediately is an everyday type outfit. I would look for something termed “party wear” which will be silk, with (likely) a fair amount of beading or decoration.

          Stay away from the color red and (probably) white. For Indians (I don’t know about Pakistanis) white, with its dearth of all colors, is the color of mourning so is not appropriate for a wedding. No one would fault you for making a color mistake, but try and avoid it.

      2. Also, I should mention, that most traditional South Asian weddings are SPARKLY. It’s expected that women will overdo rather than dress in an understated manner (I was so confused at how “simply” everyone was dressed at the first non-South Asian wedding I attended).

      3. Wear Indian/Pakistani clothes!! Seriously. At my wedding (I’m Indian), lots of my friends wore salwars/lenghas and looked fabulous. Those who wore Western clothes felt a bit envious, I think. You don’t even have to buy one, see if you can borrow an outfit from a South Asian friend.

        Saris are my number choice for weddings, but I agree with Ru that you really need someone to put it on for you, and you may not feel comfortable walking around in 6 yards of cloth if you’ve never done that before.

        And I definitely agree that you should glam it up — lots of gold jewelry, fancy hair, the works. Have fun!

    7. I’m caucasian, married to an Indian man, so I have experience on the sari front. First, as others have said, you won’t look ridiculous at all. Saris are beautiful and you should embrace the opportunity to wear them! Do not try to put it on yourself, however — I can do that now only after 3 years of practice. What I did the first time is show up 20 minutes early and grab an “auntie” to dress me. (Actually, the bride will probably have a professional there to dress her, so you can ask if you can pay $10-15 to have her wrap your sari also.) You’ll have a petticoat underneath and lots of safety pins. I’ve never had any trouble getting a sari to stay on.

      Second, you can borrow a sari and wear it over a simple shirt you already own, so you don’t have to buy something new if you have someone to borrow from. Common wisdom is to avoid black, red, and white, but I’ve not noticed that to be a hard and fast in rule in practice. Do wear something very “glam” — sequins and beads are expected. As is real jewelry, if you have any.

      Third, I would actually be surprised if the Pakistani family members were all in saris. In my experience, my Paki friends always wear salwar kameez or churridar kameez. These are definitely easier to wear if you’re worried about the sari. They’re not any cheaper, and harder to borrow though, and they lack some of the fun factor. But there are a lot of very pretty ones out there.

      Happy to advise on borrowing or shopping if you’re in the DC Area by chance.

      1. Oh … and if you’re going to dress in Western-style clothes … I would recommend something pretty modest. Not strapless, cap sleeves or a shawl if possible, try to find something to cover the knee caps (if not a long skirt). Wear bright colors (not the classy black sheath!) and lots of sparkly jewelry. Understated is not the rule of the day!

        1. That’s great advice re: modesty. South Asian women never show their legs at a wedding so you’ll feel out of place if you wear something short or even knee length. Yet another reason to wear a sari or salwar or lengha! :)

    8. Man, you get to go to France AND you get to wear a sari?

      I’m jealous. Anyone else? :)

    9. Wear the sari. I went to an Indian wedding recently and got the sari at the last minute, and I am *so glad* I did. I was initially concerned b/c I’m white and didn’t want to look like a “poser” in the sari. Turns out, most of the women there (white, Indian, women of all colors) were wearing them, and I would have felt so out of place if I hadn’t. Now, I wish I could wear the sari everywhere! I felt so beautiful in it, and got so many compliments.

      I recommend going to your city’s “Little India” or equivalent if you have it – perhaps the bride can recommend a place? That’s what I did, and they actually folded and sewed the sari for me and made it very easy to do myself. They also suggested I buy an underskirt, which made me feel much less self-conscious.

      As another poster said, be sure to buy one that flatters your skin tone. Don’t be afraid if your belly shows a little bit on the sides of the sari. It’s supposed to be that way. You’ll look great.

      If you find you’re having trouble with the sari at the actual wedding, there will be plenty of “aunties” around to help you! :)

    10. Yikes – not sure what happened to my original comment but you should definitely wear something traditional if you can! Don’t worry about feeling out of place (because you’re not South Asian) or overdressed – weddings are one of the places where South Asians really bling it up.

      Go with a lehengha (long skirt, top, and shawl) or salwar kameez (pants, tunic, and shawl) – more comfortable and you don’t need help getting dressed. North Indian and Pakistani weddings tend to have more guests in these traditional items versus saris based on weddings I’ve been to in Canada and the US.

      I’d go with the earlier advice of borrowing if you can (unless you plan to wear the outfit again) and getting help from fellow guests/ friends. Wedding/ formal outfits can be hundreds of dollars – make sure to get advice from your friends about the level of formality since, compared to Western standards, the items you look at in the boutique may not be as formal as you’d think.

      Also, if you go with the sari, you need to find a tailor who will make the sari blouse for you. This can take a few days to a few weeks. They aren’t sold off the rack though the fabric is included with the sari (pre-cut but not pre-sewn).

      I’ve also heard of one-piece saris which are apparently easier to manage – the folds are already sewn together and you just need to slip the bottom part on and throw the dupatta (shawl part) over your shoulder. Never had any experience with them but other women on this thread may know how they work in terms of moving around easily.

      I love Punjabi and Pakistani weddings – you’ll have so much fun. It makes sense to wear something bright and colorful in celebration of the big day. I’d avoid white – have seen lots of women wear red to weddings but I’d avoid red as well (if you’re not the bride). Also agree with going with colors that suit your complexion, hair color, etc. Have a great time!

  13. I’ve been thinking about expanding my work wardrobe and I have a few questions for you ladies.

    1) I am a size 18 textbook hourglass shape, would a sheath dress like this one work for me?

    2) If not, what would you suggest?

    3) Can anyone speak to the quality/work appropriatness of Spiegel’s (sp?) clothing?

    Thanks in advance.

    1. I can help a little here. I’m a 12-14 with an hourglass-ish figure (a bit more breasts than hip) and I LOVE sheath dresses like the one pictured. I think they’re rather flattering in a Joan Holloway/Christina Hendricks sort of way (though they shouldn’t be worn quite as tight as she wears them on the show, obvs). The key really is fit – you don’t want it to be too loose/poochy through the middle, but not too tight/pulling through either the breasts or hips/thighs. Translation: just try them on until you find one that fits you well.

    2. I think the sheath is pretty versatile — though (having been a size 18 hourglass in the past) – I like dresses w/ a v-neck and possibly a defined waist similar to this one: http://tinyurl.com/36defy8 (and in black… red has never appealed to me!)

      Never tried Spiegel before — happy shopping!

    3. I think sheath dresses are great for most women. I’m a smaller hourglass with a little extra up top so I wouldn’t go for a crew neck style like the dress featured today. V-neck and scoop necks are more flattering for the large of bust.

      Check out Instyle Magazines “Look Your Best” section. They have information on how to “shop your shape.”

      http://www.instyle.com/instyle/package/general/0,,20186453,00.html

    4. I think a sheath dress like this but would be flattering on you, but I defer to others who are more familiar with plus sizing.

      Also would be very interested to hear what people think about Spiegel in terms of cut and quality. They have really reasonable prices.

    5. Unless things have drastically changes, I w0uld not recommend Spiegels clothing. There may be some exceptions to the rule, but from what I recall, the quality is similar to Victoria Secret’s clothing — which basically means lots of synthetics & too-clingy-for work cuts.

    6. I think sheath dresses can look great on hourglass shapes of any size. The key is making sure that the dress isn’t too baggy in the waist area. I find that I have trouble wearing a dress right off the rack that fits without needing a belt or some taking in at the waist. For the latter you want to make sure the dress doesn’t have a size zip, since that will make it a lot pricier to alter than a dress with side seams and a back zipper.

  14. Today’s dress – I haven’t seen anyone wearing anything of this type to work – and I would not want to be the first! In general, white outfits, whether or not they are printed, are not great for work (unless in a hospital?). I have a couple of white background abstract printed summer dresses (cotton) for work, but they are each cut in a rather conservative style so that the print, not the butt, is what you notice. Even so, I find when I wear them to work they just seem too white.

      1. Thanks! I hope it works out, I’m getting it this week in the mail. I love the color too.

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