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Suit of the Week

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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, which should be as classic and basic as you get — instead, this feature is about the slightly different suit that is fashionable, yet professional.

We're getting an Audrey Hepburn vibe from this lovely tweed suit from Ann Taylor. The tulip skirt, the shorter flared jacket — they're both very cool. We wish they had a picture of the suit together — we feel almost certain that the layer beneath the jacket must be as intentional as the rest of the suit, but with the pleating and waistband of the skirt we're not quite sure how to do that. We'd probably punt and tuck a black or dark gray long-sleeved v-neck. The jacket (Herringbone Tweed Jacket) is $220, and the skirt (Herringbone Tweed Skirt) is $120 in sizes regular (00-18) and petites (00-16). With the promotion going on right now (30% off a suit if you buy both pieces) that brings the price for the set down to $238.

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This week's runner-up for suit of the week: this “tech” pantsuit from Tahari. Its mystery is exceeded only by its power.

22 Comments

  2. Hmm.. for those of us with a little extra in the middle, I think the short blazer and pleated skirt could be a little disastrous.

  3. I really like the lapels and the fabric, but that jacket does seem *really* short. I wonder if the model is actually super long-waisted. I wouldn’t buy this online for fear of fit problems, but I would definitely check it out in the store.

    1. I have been following the commentary here on the pros-cons of the “new” Ann Taylor. Based on ads/looking online I was fearful about fit based on the model. I’m 5’7″ and am happy with skirt/jacket length on the two suits I bought at the Michigan Ave store in Chicago. Definitely give it a try.

      My two cents on the “new” AT – despite my initial it’s too short/too trendy reaction I love the stuff I got – well cut, nice attention to detail (grosgrain ribbon in waist band facing for example) and classic with a fun twist. Reminds me a little bit of Nanette Lepore.

  4. I like this a lot. I have virtually the same jacket from AT from a couple of years ago, and this shows me how to wear it.

  5. I like this a lot and just ordered it. I think I could get wear out of the pieces on their own as well. Got free shipping for orders over $150 from the site and and $50 off with this code:
    104002024

    1. Once you get it, please post as to the length of the skirt in real life (seems a little short to me). I think I would look like a giant in teeny clothing in this even though I’m only 5’1″!

      1. According to the Ann Taylor website, the skirt is 22″ long in regular and 21″ in petite.

  6. Maybe it’s just the contrast on my computer, but I can barely see the detail on the suit because everything is so dark.

  7. Day after day I see comments disparaging the clothing options because they wouldn’t “look right” on “curvy,” “fuller-figured,” “insert other euphemism here” ladies. Why not take control of your life and work to improve your health? It’s so empowering to stop and realize that the fashion industry et al. is not trying to make you look fat in their clothing… you are doing that yourself by living an unhealthy lifestyle. Take control, lose the excuses, and you won’t have reason to tsk-tsk the almost always awesome clothing picks here because they aren’t tailor-made to flatter unhealthy bodies.

    1. I’m not completely sure how to respond appropriately to this but I feel compelled to try. I am not going to argue with the end of your post–you obviously feel strongly about this, and whether I agree with you or not you are entitled to your opinion.

      That being said–regardless of whether you are a size 2 or a size 12 or a size 20, different cuts will flatter you differently. There are things that look awesome on me (NOT a size 2) that do not look good on my size 6 sister simply because we have different body types. She has a shorter torso, a smaller bust size, less waist definition, and longer legs. So even if we were the same size, we would have different body types because our proportions are different. Jackets and shirts sit differently depending on your bust size, and pants and skirts look different depending on your hips, butt, and lenghth of your legs.

      Just because someone is “curvy” does not mean they are unhealthy. Please don’t generalize.

      As to how I feel about this suit–I think it is fabulous but because of my long torso the shorter jacket probably wouldn’t look right on me. My sister that has a short torso? Tailor made for her.

      1. Oh, anon. If only it were that easy. Thanks for chiming in though!! I’m going to go eat a couple of donuts.

        P.S. – the skirt and jacket are too short for my office. Even for a woman who is a size 4.

      2. I have a long torso and got a similar suit from BCBG about 3 years ago. Interestingly enough the jacket does not look too short on me. I was really surprised when I tried it on, but you never can tell with these types of suits.

        My sister and I wear the same size but are a different shape. She’s tall and straight with long legs, while I am of average height with more curves and a long torso. We wear small sizes, but especially in dresses, what looks good on her does not look good on me and vice versa.

    2. Do you really think that every woman who isn’t model thin is sitting around eating Bon Bons and making excuses? There’s a little thing called genetics. Plenty of women eat well and exercise regularly and are still “overweight.” These women are healthy, even if they don’t “look healthy” to you. Sure, if they ate 800 calories a day and worked out 2 hours every day, they might look “healthy” by your standards, but I don’t think they’d be healthy in a true sense. What they lose in weight, they gain in stress. Stress isn’t healthy either.

      Also, many women have health conditions that cause them to be overweight. My mother works out at least an hour every day (often more) and eats an extremely healthy diet. She also has a thyroid condition. She wears a size 14. What do you want my mother to do? Starve herself? Get lipo? Quit her job so she can work out enough to make herself appear “healthy” by your standards? My mom has been busting her butt for years trying to lose weight. She’s already “lost the excuses” and “taken control.” My mother is a beautiful, healthy woman even if she doesn’t fit your mold.

      I also second what RoadWarriorette wrote about different body types. It’s true that the fashion industry isn’t trying to make people look fat. However, the fashion industry makes a mistake when it designs its clothes for only one type of body despite the huge variation in body types among people — even among people you would deem “healthy.”

    3. I’m a size 6 – 10, at a totally healthy weight, and that range is because of my bust and my hips…when I refer to curvy, i’m not making any euphemisms about being plump or fat! my waist is 10 inches smaller than my bust and hips, i.e. an hourglass shape. But this shape does pose problems for certain cuts and styles.

      I agree with you that “curvy” sometimes is code for overweight. and I agree that people should try to get to a healthy weight for their personal frame and shape.

      but most of the time, I would guess that comments about things not “looking right” probably are the result of structural issues (short torso, or long torso, or genetically larger busts than B cup, etc). especially the bust issue! at the smallest i have ever been, i was 5’6, 120 pounds (bmi of 19.4, which is on the low end of a healthy bmi)….and i still was a C-cup! C-cups just don’t look good in certain tops. not much you can do about that.

      all of that said, i think this suit actually would look good on “curves” (how ever you read that) – its structured, and i’ve found personally that structured lines and tailored pleats on skirts work to flatter my figure.

      1. I commiserate with all of you! We non-curvy women struggle too. I am skinny like the oft-despised “models,” but have a lot of difficulty finding properly-fitting work clothes too. At 5’4″, regular suit pants are too long, petites are too short. Most jackets sag in the chest and armpits, seeming to be made for women with larger breasts. I have to get every single pair of pants taken in, mostly in the hips and butt.

        And, with respect to the comments associating thinness with health, I am very thin, but pretty out of shape, and am, in fact, quite lazy about exercising regularly. And I do like donuts. And Bonbons. : )

  8. Anon’s “position” is so ridiculous that I’m sure he/she is a troll. As soon as a site gets popular (way to go, Corporette!!) they come out of the woodwork. Let’s try not to feed the trolls and see if they go away :)

    1. I don’t know that Anon is a troll. I think there is some reason to her point, as I mentioned above. but I think the problem is that she overgeneralizes. plenty of the comments on this site are simply self-aware comments about a person’s own structural healthy-bmi figure (height, proportion, etc) or even figure flaws that, while they may be trying to change them, present difficulties for certain outfits right now.

  10. I wanted to chime in and mention that this jacket has an adorable matching dress.

    “Herringbone Tweed Sheath Dress” on Ann Taylor’s site.

  11. I hate that short jacket with the shirt hanging out. That look adds 10 pounds to anyone wearing it and looks so dumpy. It is a look that I just don’t get.

  12. Oh, this just just just arrived on my doorstep. I closed my blinds, took my work clothes off, and tried it on right then and there in my foyer! Looks phenomenal. The jacket is not too short, despite the photo– I am 5’7″ and VERY busty (which usually makes things fit shorter), and this looks perfect. Just modern enough. Thanks Corporette for this amazing steal!

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