This post may contain affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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.
Jones New York is having a pretty good sale on suits and dresses, with an extra 30% off (plus free shipping for any purchase over $75). We like this tan skirt suit, which has a really interesting texture to the fabric. We'd wear it with colorful pumps (purple or blue, perhaps) and a white shell. Was $240, now $160, and the additional 30% off brings it to $112. Crystal Sand 2 Piece Skirt Suit, Ships 4/8
Sales of note for 10.10.24
- Nordstrom – Extra 25% off clearance (through 10/14); there's a lot from reader favorites like Boss, FARM Rio, Marc Fisher LTD, AGL, and more. Plus: free 2-day shipping, and cardmembers earn 6x points per dollar (3X the points on beauty).
- Ann Taylor – Extra 50% off sale (ends 10/12)
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything plus extra 25% off your $125+ purchase
- Boden – 10% off new styles with code; free shipping over $75
- Eloquii – Extra 50% off a lot of sale items, with code
- J.Crew – 40% off sitewide
- J.Crew Factory – 50% off entire site, plus extra 25% off orders $150+
- Lo & Sons – Fall Sale, up to 35% off
- M.M.LaFleur – Save 25% sitewide
- Neiman Marcus – Sale on sale, up to 85% off
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – 50% off 2+ markdowns
- Target – Circle week, deals on 1000s of items
- White House Black Market – Buy one, get one – 50% off full price styles
And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!
Some of our latest threadjacks include:
- What to say to friends and family who threaten to not vote?
- What boots do you expect to wear this fall and winter?
- What beauty treatments do you do on a regular basis to look polished?
- Can I skip the annual family event my workplace holds, even if I'm a manager?
- What small steps can I take today to get myself a little more “together” and not feel so frazzled all of the time?
- The oldest daughter is America's social safety net — change my mind…
- What have you lost your taste for as you've aged?
- Tell me about your favorite adventure travels…
fcktmh
does anyone know what the sizing is like for jones new york suits? i wear a 10P or 12P in banana republic.
AIMS
Go lower in JNY. At most 10P, but maybe even 8P. Also: the jackets are rather loosely cut, in my experience. I can only imagine that models fitted look owes a great deal to tailoring or discrete pinning here.
Shayna
I agree — It’s always fun to shop at Jones New York :-) Don’t forget – if you’re getting news suits and need to make room, Dress for Success can give your old ones to women entering the workforce fort he first time — go to http://DressforSuccess.org – you can see where there’s a collection site near you (I think that Dress Barn stores may be collecting suits as well as Dress for Success offices).
Erin
I also wear petites and I too am a size smaller at JNY than at BR.
Legally Brunette
This looks so cute on the model, but my experience with Jones NY is that it is frump central. Very boxy and unflattering suits, IMHO.
AIMS
I couldn’t agree more.
Erin
A skirt that hits below the knee like that is only going to look good at someone with 34″ legs who’s wearing 4″ heels.
Anon
Uh-oh. Most of my skirts are cut to hit below the knee like this and I wear them with flats. I am quite tall though so hopefully that balances out the no-heels :)
E
We tall girls can get away with plenty – isn’t it great?
Erin
I wish I were tall. I wear a 29″ inseam and I look like I’m standing in a hole with that skirt length.
Shayna
Agree… anything on or below my knees makes my 5’2″ body look stumpy… and my calves look huge!
legalicious07
ITA! And forget about shopping at their outlet locations! JNY is awful!!!
Woman of Color
I have two JNY suits, and while I do agree they are cut a bit loosely then some of my other suits, I’ve received nothing but complements on my boucle one from there. It does really great things for my skin tone. Also, what does ITA mean?
http://www.jny.com/Golden-Boucle-Tweed-Jacket-With-Velvet-Trim/25063115,default,pd.html?cgid=&itemNum=1&variantSizeClass=&variantColor=JJZ01XX
Anon
I totally agree.
fcktmh
thanks for the info. i am going to pass on the suit. it just looked so cute on the model…and such a great price!
lulu
I’m curious what people think of C’s recommendation to wear it with a white shell. White and such a light beige seems way too casual to me. (I automatically associate the combination with linen pants and guayaberas–i.e., what men wear to beach weddings and similar dressy-but-casual events.) I’d also be concerned about looking washed out. Any thoughts?
Erin
It’d look great on a darker-skinned woman. On a lighter woman, I’d have all the same associations you do. And I think it’s very difficult for a light woman to wear all light colors and not look washed out.
Shayna
With a darker shade of beige, if you can pull it off without looking washed out (I can’t… I’m already on the so-pale-I-burn-just-looking-at-a-picture-of-the-sun end of the skin color spectrum), go for it — it is under a suit that is the very definition of professional. That said, having two such similar colors next to each other would look odd to me, so the darker shade of beige is a must.
________________________________________________
http://ShaynaLeahK.wordpress.com
anon
It might depend on your coloring. White + Beige clothes combo would make me disappear. I’d probably wear a brown top with this.
Cat
I thought the same thing. My favorites with cream are navy, dark brown, and rich plum — otherwise I feel very colorless (especially as a blonde!)
Shayna
I love Plum… I think it looks great on almost everyone… and it makes for a nice change from black!
JF
hmm — looks super classy on the model. The skirt would be too long on petite women like myself, I’m afraid.
Color is gorgeous, but I am a clutz and would be terrified of spilling something on it or accidentally sitting in a dirty seat on the subway.
Jane
I’d consider replacing the buttons with something more upscale. For a few more bucks, you’ve got yourself a winner.
LMo
Bought it. At that price, I’ll happily take it to a tailor or eat the tax and return it if it’s unalterable.
fcktmh
LMo, please let us know what the outfit is like.
LMo
Of course! (In a month, since it ships on 4/8. :) )
LMo
fcktmh –
In a word, horrible. I didn’t even try it on because it has gold thread woven through the fabric. Absolutely not. Sad!
mille
Please don’t forget that getting a skirt hemmed is fairly cheap and easy to do. A tailor can be your best friend.
Eva
Can you define fairly cheap? Last skirt I had hemmed was $30 at a tailor recommended by a friend in NYC. I’d be much more willing to buy things and have them shortened if I could find someone to do it for $10-12/piece.
AIMS
It depends on the skirt. Some are more complicated (pleats, odd flounces, etc.).
But a simple pencil/a line skirt should be about $10 at your local dry cleaner. Since it’s simple work, you can take it most places without worrying about expertise.
SUCL 3L
Price might also be slightly higher if the skirt is lined (which most suit skirts I own are, and I would sincerely hope the one pictured is).
A.
I was going to say the same thing. If I didn’t get things hemmed, I wouldn’t have anything to wear. Bringing up the hem on a straight skirt is a very straightforward thing to do and a tailor shouldn’t charge more than $10-$15 for it. I’m 5’4″ and just about every skirt I buy hits me in the deadly “midcalf” region until I get it shortened. A good tailor is worth his/her weight in gold – ask at any good drycleaners for who they would recommend. In my case, my drycleaner has its own alterations person who is fabulous.
Jane
If you’re 5’4″, you might try a skirt in a petite size. You might not have to get that shortened.
Lawgirl
I’ve gotten nice suits from Jones New York. I find that the petites fit me better than regular (I’m 5’3″). I don’t have to alter those. Anne Klein, JNY, Nine West, Tahari (by Levine)– all of those mid-price point suits you find at Macy’s/Loehmann/Filene’s do just fine if accessorized and styled well, IMHO. I do stay away from buying black in these brands; black suits demand exquisite tailoring and fabric to not look “cheap” IMHO. I don’t have any way to verify this, but I bet there’s a decent chance most of these lines are all made in the same factories in China per the slightly varying specs sent over by the various brands….
AIMS
I think all the brands you mention cut for a certain body type. So, while I don’t think there’s anything wrong with these brands per se, they will not be particularly flattering if you’re outside that “type.”
Different brands suit different bodies. Most clothing (including suits) is not universal. So, if these work for you, great. Sadly, they don’t do very much for me other than make me look like I am wearing someone else’s clothes.
caesia
Can anyone speak to their pant suits? They unfortunately don’t offer tall length pants – is there enough fabric in the seams to get 34-35″ in length? How about sleeve length on jackets? That’s not such an easy/cheap fix at the tailor, depending on the styling of the jacket.
It’s a major pet peeve of mine when brands have a petite line but not a tall line. If you acknowledge that women come in all shapes and sizes, why just go after the short end of the spectrum???
MLB
I am SO with you. It annoys me to no end when clothing lines come with no more than 32 inch inseams. I can’t go into a department store anywhere and buy clothes — have to get everything online.
hlh
I have banned light-colored jackets from my wardrobe: if you rest your elbows on counsel table in court, they get very grungy, very quickly. I like the conservative and discreet look of the suit – jurors in my area will hold “flash” dressing against a female attorney in a heartbeat – but the color would never do for me.
housecounsel
I’m not a fan; I think this looks a bit frumpy, but you are all correct that tailoring would help. I don’t think I would ever buy this color. I’d get written on with a Sharpie by one of my kids or spill coffee before I even left the house.
Anon
I’m very curious as to why this looks frumpy.
Shayna
Maybe the wrinkles that show from the stance she’s in? The style is very classic… but sometimes classic edges into things-our-mothers-wore territory – aka old.
SUCL 3L
I don’t see why it’s frumpy either. I think it fits the model quite well. Maybe it’s the color (I don’t typically see many younger women wearing light colored suits).
AIMS
What??
hazel
This suit looks great on the model, but I agree with the PPs, that I’ve found JNY to be too frumpy generally. And I would stain anything in that color in about 2 seconds!
75
I think a cream colored suit for the workplace is frumpy. I like a white cotton suit for summer, but only for those who look good in white.
ACE
Just ordered it; I’m dark skinned and hope I can pull it off. I just couldn’t pass it up for the price. A little work at the tailor’s and I think it will be great!!! Fingers crossed.
michelle
Corporette, can you block this poster? They keep putting up random stuff with no relationship to the issues at hand, presumably to drive traffic to their linked web site…
C
don’t know how that one slipped through — will be blocking that poster immediately. sorry about that!
Rebecca
What I most like about this suit is its color. White can make pale women like me look really washed out, but neutrals are great. Here’s a link to a collection of neutral, work appropriate clothing:
http://www.what2wearwhere.com/blog/post/2010/03/11/Trendspotting-the-New-Neutrals.aspx
LMo
Dear Everyone –
Bought this and just received it. It is not tan or white. It is gold (BARF). Obviously returning immediately. Whoops.