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Suit of the Week

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Piped JacketFor 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. First: Applause to a designer for figuring out that a mini-skirt is not the right look for a suit. And we loooove this suit — but we might caution that the look is going to look amazing on a beanpole, but perhaps a bit frump for a curvier girl. Still, for the ladies who can wear it, this is a great look — the piping makes it just a bit different, and it accomplishes being ladylike and a wee bit sexy, all at the same time. We also like the fact that it's a dress. The whole thing is a tiny, wee bit of a splurge: the jacket (Piped Jacket) is $1295, and the dress (Piped Dress) is $995; both available at St. John's Knits. (L-0)

Sales of note for 12.5

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

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

43 Comments

  2. $2300 for a suit is a tiny wee bit of a splurge? Oh, my. Don’t like it anyway, but wouldn’t spend that on it if I did.

    1. “tiny, wee bit of a splurge” on a suit is $400. maybe $500. $2000+ is either “I’m not cost conscious at all and just buy whatever I want” OR “this is my favorite item in the history of the world and I will wear it forever” OR “this is my wedding.”

  4. Ewww. I’m a bit disappointed that this blog seems to be perpetuating the idea that dressing professionally is synonomous with dressing like a grandma. I don’t even think my 56 year old mother would go near this. “A wee bit sexy”?? Seriously? This suit is better birth control than anything Trojan could create.

  5. I love the suit–and if worn on the right body it would be amazing. Those shoes the vendor paired with it however…not so much.

  6. I love those shoes! Just not with that suit. Maybe with tights and a short skirt for going out. I don’t like the suit at all though.

  7. I think I would like this without the white piping. Looks a little too “politician’s wife” for me…

  8. I actually like the dress underneath, but the jacket just makes it too nautical. I also think the dress is bordering on too long on the model, so I don’t dare think about how long it will be on those of us who are of average or below-average height.

  9. Is it just me or do most of the suits featured on here with any detailing come across as only appropriate if you are over 40? This is an example of something that, although not quite perfect, has interesting detailing that I might like in the abstract, but which I don’t think would look right on someone of my age (29). Maybe for a luncheon, if I was that kind of woman, but at work, I think it would look like I was playing dress up.

    1. I am 40 and would never wear a St. John knit. Very “ladies who lunch.”

      I once went to an event directed to professional women and the “motovational speaker,” in her 6o’s, commented that when she really needs a confidence boost she wears her St. John knits…. Ahoy, matey!

  10. St. John’s is so heavy and too “knity” for me. But I do have a St. John’s geometric print wrap/cape/poncho thing that I LUVS!

  11. St. Johns Knits is very late-middle aged, in my mind, even though I read that they are trying to become more “au courant”. And of course, very expensive. In any case, I don’t like the outfit much at all, and hate the shoes. They are the antithesis of professional.

  12. It’s totally sailor, so I don’t know why I like it, but I can’t help it – I really, really like this suit!! Obviously way too expensive. And I agree it seems like it would be better suited for a more mature lady. At 27, I think I would look kind of silly if I actually wore this.

  14. I feel like the clothes this week are all a good example of ” what does frump mean?”

    1. That was my first thought when I saw this. Combined with that basket weave jacket earlier this week.

      I still love C, but the clothes this week have not been my favorite.

  15. not feeling this one at all… ok well the cut is nice, everything else is not good news.

  16. Nancy Reagan is a big fan of St. John’s Knits. I do not want to dress like Nancy Reagan.

    1. St John hired Angelina Jolie a year or two ago to modernize their image. Guess it didn’t work, huh?

  17. I like this suit. Would never shell out that kind of money for it. It’s a classic look. Plus, I like that it has the potential to age me a bit (but not too much). I look way too young as it is.

  18. help a sister out, is it pronounced “Saint John” or “Sin-jin” a la Jane Eyre?

  19. I’m in my late 30s and am a DC lawyer, and I think this suit rocks. Very pricey, but keep an eye on the St. John Knits outlet in Queenstown, MD. I would save this for a big, big important day; it could be worn into the evening — a cocktail party of politicos. This suit would earn instant credibility with the powers that be who are, of course, older and richer than me. I give it 2 thumbs up.

  21. I think it could look very nice on the right person with the right attitude. Agree it’s not for the young chicks. I wore dresses like that in the 1980s with chain belts. Ah, faux Chanel.

  24. It DOES look a little Navy! And, yes, shift dresses are very, very difficult for fuller-figured women to wear.

  25. Here on the West coast, St John knits are for ladies who lunch. As a professional, you do not want to look like that.

    That being said, in my much younger and thinner days, I had a whole collection of St John knit suits. These days, I prefer to spend less than half those bucks (which is still pricey!) on a good Lafayette 128 suit. Just bought two, one being on sale at Nordies. The sale one is navy, which I usually avoid since it makes me look like an airline pilot or flight attendant, but this one is such a dark navy it’s almost black and I really like it.

    http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3054782?Category=&Search=True&SearchType=guidednav&keyword=lafayette+%3e+Blue&origin=searchresults

  26. That is so politician or pol’s wife! I never wear “knits” to work! (Except the sweater or other top and hose.) I don’t think the knitsy look is very professional. I tried it once or twice and it did not “feel” right to me. The skirt length is great, but we should not have to pay 2K to get an extra four inches of fabric!

  28. This is a beautiful suit. I think most of your readers are not sophisticated enough realize this. Keep posting, you have excellent taste. Don’t allow society’s and the fashion misfits to sway your thinking.-Queen of all things St. John.

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