Suit of the Week
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Sales of note for 2/7/25:
- Nordstrom – Winter Sale, up to 60% off! 7850 new markdowns for women
- Ann Taylor – Extra 25% off your $175+ purchase — and $30 of full-price pants and denim
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything + extra 15% off
- Boden – 15% off new season styles
- Eloquii – 60% off 100s of styles
- J.Crew – Extra 50% off all sale styles
- J.Crew Factory – 40% off everything including new arrivals + extra 20% off $125+
- Rothy's – Final Few: Up to 40% off last-chance styles
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – 40% off one item + free shipping on $150+
And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!
Some of our latest threadjacks include:
- My workload is vastly exceeding my capability — what should I do?
- Why is there generational resentment regarding housing? (See also)
- What colors should I wear with a deep green sweater dress?
- How do you celebrate milestone birthdays?
- How do you account for one-time expenses in your monthly budget?
- If I'm just starting to feel sick from the flu, do I want Tamilfu?
- when to toss old clothes of a different size
- a list of political actions to take right now
- ways to increase your intelligence
- what to wear when getting sworn in as a judge (congrats, reader!)
- how to break into teaching as a second career
I love this jacket and have coveted it since it came out. Sadly, J Crew doesn’t carry a size 14 (alright so I could lose some weight).
Really? I find that J. Crew is generally really good with “larger” sizes. Also, they fit generously, so if you’re usually a 14, you could very well fit into a 12 or even a 10.
I wear a lot of J Crew. In their other suits, I wear a 14. I can’t imagine that it would be different for this one.
The clothes are there for you, not you for them. Thus, make the clothes conform to your body, not your body to them.
Meg-Sorry, I misunderstood. If you’re truly in love with the suit it might be worth calling them to see if they actually have it in a 14 (sometimes they do in stores, but not online). I’ve had great customer service from them.
I don’t think I’d say J. Crew fits generously … if anything, I’ve found I’ve had to go up a size.
I can’t wear J. Crew either, although I think that has more to do with shape than size (they don’t seem to design anything that fits curvy women).
i agree! they really are not for the busty! (much to my dismay: the styles and price points are dead on.)
I completely agree! Only once have I found a flattering pair of pants there, and their v-necks are practically obscene on me.
I couldn’t disagree more. I LOVE J Crew but everything is cut enormous; the jackets and shirts are way too roomy in the bust for me, and look ridiculous and saggy. I prefer Club Monaco’s shirts and pants, though a lot of their stuff is a bit too trendy for me.
I have the butt-pocket-outline-visibility problem there, even when the pants are hanging off me elsewhere. love the style though.
IMO J Crew hates the curvy girl. They put pockets on the side of their pants that give you an extra 2″ of hips. My hips look great, but not with an extra inch of fabric on each side.
Dear J Crew: women have hips. Make us pants. Thank you.
Nancy, I totally agree. When will J. Crew (and for that matter, BR and Ann Taylor, which has been better lately) stop making on-seam pockets? I mean seriously, does that flatter anyone? If I buy pants with such pockets, I have them sewn shut.
And as to sizing, I am an hourglass with substantial hips, and I have to go up a size in J. Crew as opposed to my Ann Taylor size. As for BR, I have no clue what’s going on with them. They seem to be re-sizing all over the place. I tried on a suit there last week that was 2 sizes bigger than what I wore 2 years ago (and my weight has not changed), and it was too small.
I’m missing the hatred for on-seam pockets. Mine don’t stick out (except occasionally when I sit down but that happens with men’s dress pants as well, nature of the fabric). The only time I’ve seen women with sticking-out pockets is when the pants are, well, too tight.
J Crew fits generously randomly…like it’s not uniform across their wares. I am a former swimmer and their shoulders are cut very narrow. Their legs can either be giant or super-tight. And I agree re the readers who have noted that their pocket placement is terrible, both in the front and for the derriere!
I am also annoyed at their insistence on sherbet pastels year-round. I have a lot of OLD J.Crew, but since they got new designers and upped their price point on purpose a few years ago, I only shop their extreme sales.
I always check on http://jcrewaficionada.blogspot.com/ to see what sales are on and what sales are expected. It’s just crazy to pay full price for J Crew these days. (And yes, prices have gone up while quality down!)
I couldn’t wear J. Crew when I was at my smallest (5’5″ and some change, 130, muscular, very fit, busty, size 4 in Ralph Lauren) because of how they cut for busts. And I echo LJ – it’s not you, it’s them!
I think it would be great if C could do a post at some point on good brands for different body shapes – we’ve covered the plus-size topic a couple of times, as well as tall, petite, and maternity, but I don’t remember seeing any posts on where to shop if you wear regular sizes but still have a 12″ difference between your waist and hip measurements! I’ve been hunting for years and have found the Banana Republic Jackson fit pants to be the best for curvy girls, but I’d love to hear about what other people have found to work for them.
I think this is a great idea for a post! I was a little perplexed by all this JCrew hatred (for the cuts/sizing, not the style), but after reading all the comments it makes more sense – I’m very tall and slender with a small frame and bust, so it makes sense that someone with very different proportions would be very frustrated. Sort of the way I am when I look at a cute Shoshanna strapless dress wistfully and think “Oh, wait, that’s right…it’ll fall right off me b/c my girls can’t hold it up…” :)
I have the same problem with J. Crew. Although I own some J. Crew, I always have to go in the store to try on because their tops are not cut for larger breasts. I try to stay away from their dresses (as much as I looooooove their dresses) and buy their separates so I can accommodate for my boobs up top and get my size 6 for my bottom.
Why is it that women’s pants have pockets that are way to small to even fit your whole hand inside? We have keys and iPhones and wallets we want to put in pockets too.
And to KLo and LJ, if it makes you feel any better, thin women have difficulty finding clothes too. J Crew and most other chains are so “vanity” sized. I am 5’5″ as well and size 0 is enormous on me. I love Ralph Lauren, but their sizes are even bigger than J Crew.
I am confined to Theory and Club Monaco for work clothes, unless I splurge on Gucci, Dolce and Gabbana, etc.
I have also coveted this jacket but am waiting for it to go on sale.
Not sure I’d wear it with the skirt though. I have the skirt, and I like it, but I feel like you either get to wear a jacket with a peplum or a skirt with a flounce, but not both. Peplum jacket = pencil skirt, or skirt with a flounce = tailored top. Otherwise it is too much flippin’ out.
This isn’t a suit but I’m wondering if this dress would be appropriate for work in a judge’s chambers. I can’t tell how the neckline would look on a bustier person but I like the overall shape and the seaming. Any thoughts?
http://bananarepublic.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=50133&vid=1&pid=729330
I fear on a busty person (me too) the seam that’s supposed to be under your breasts would go right across them, making the dress look funny and hang funnier. Think empire waist seem across the breast — not a good look. I’d avoid it.
I’m also bustier, and I’ve found that seams that are supposed to go under your breasts either force you to have way too low a neckline or create weird lines. I would try it on before ordering it.
I’m so grateful to hear that others have that seam-across-the-bosom problem. I just thought that I was lower (and getting lower) than I should be. I miss perkiness.
I see a lot of that seam across the chest thing over here in Japan, and I have to say, yup, works on petite, small chested women and NO ONE ELSE.
Love C’s suit suggestion though, can’t wait until this baby is born and I can wear more than the revolving 3 maternity pants and 3 tops which are all that fit me right now. :)
I remember that phase! I was so sick of my grey, black and tan maternity pants, especially when I was so pregnant they stopped fitting so well! Hang in there. It always ends…at somepoint!
Well if it fits you, maybe, but it barely looks like it fits the model right. Weird poofing around the hips and cutting underneath the bust.
I have this jacket in black and in brown…perfect jacket to go with suit dresses (it’s not as long as a regular blazer), and makes the transition from day to night effortlessly! Definitely worth it!
That cut is just not going to look good on bustier women. Its too high in the neck.
I recently purchased this DVF suit; however, I am a little concerned about the length of the skirt. What do you think? How short is too short?
http://www.dvf.com/dvf/browse/productDetailWithPicker.jsp?productId=S1329166P10&categoryId=JACKETS
This is awesome. Thank you for the laugh :)
At first I thought anon was being mean, but after clicking on it I realized you cannot possibly be serious!
Skirt’s not too short. Her legs are too long.
Hah Hah from 5’0!!!
Yeah its 19 inches long, thats the length of most of my skirts and I’m 5’5
How are the J.Crew super 120s wools for summer? They feel really lightweight, but will it not get too hot?
I love the 120s- even for a Houston summer, they are pretty comfortable. Our office stays a brisk 65 degrees regardless of season, though..
Cute. Forgot suits @ J.Crew are so pricey at full-price…. (Boy, recession has readjusted price points for me like nobody’s business!). I do associate it with cas more than office, for some reason. I like J.Crew, but I think I’d take my $400 to Saks or Off Saks 5th for a sale first. Or better yet, go to an Anne Klein outlet or Loehmann’s. Is that snobbery or cheapness or brand loyalty?
My two favorite suits are J. Crew, and this one is different enough to make me consider investing in another.
The DVF suit is appropriate on Heather Locklear in the original Melrose Place, but as for corporate America in 2010? No way.
So 3/4 sleeve suit jackets are appropriate for NYC Court appearances? Yes, right?
I personally would not wear this suit to court, nor would I generally wear a 3/4 sleeve, as I typically associate that with a more causal jacket.
agree w/ abby: i wouldn’t wear the jacket to court in nyc, although the skirt with a different jacket would be fine.
I would say it depends which court. For city court in Manhattan or Supreme in any borough, 3/4 sleeves are most definitely fine. Look, when men are showing up in black sneakers, ratty cuffs, and with backpacks for briefcases, and other women (have you been to Supreme on Staten Island? sorry to stereotype but…) are wearing giant houndstooth and hot pink, don’t sweat your appearance too much.
For Appellate Division, Court of Appeals, or federal court, you’ll need something more “formal” (i.e. traditional).
That was my impression, jojo. I am mainly in Bronx and Kings Supreme, though I’m sent to all. And yes, I have been to Staten Island…and I got out of there as soon as possible.:)
This suit looks like perfection.
OMG! Absolutely gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!!! I need to hurry up and graduate so I can afford these lovely get-ups!
Macy’s has been having a really good suit sale in store – more than half off Tahari, CK, Anne Klein, etc.