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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 for women, which should be as classic and basic as you get — instead, this feature is about the slightly different suit that is fashionable, yet professional. Also: we just updated our big roundup for the best women’s suits of 2023!
We’ve mentioned Altuzarra’s basic suiting before, I’m sure, but something about this one caught my eye. The Fenice blazer is sharp and beautiful as always — I feel like it’s such a classic.
The pants (and the boots they’re styled with here) are interesting. Saks describes the pants as “high-rise, straight-leg silhouette with a slight flare,” but to me they look like they have a very small crop as well. The fact that they’re styled with big chunky boots with a 2″ platform is… an interesting choice.
The blazer is $1795, and the pants are $895; you can get up to $250 off today with code.
Hunting for something more affordable? These charcoal gray suits are some of our longtime favorites:
Workwear sales of note for 12.1.23
Our favorites are in bold!
- Nordstrom – Limited-Time Sale of 11,000+ items; up to 25% off select women’s coats & jackets (ends 12/6); Nike up to 25% off (ends 12/2); markdowns include big deals on UGG, Natori, Marc Fisher LTD, Vionic and more!
- Ann Taylor – Up to 40% off full-price styles; extra 40% off all sale styles
- Banana Republic – Up to 40% off sale styles
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything; extra 25% off $125+
- ba&sh – Up to 50% off fall/winter styles
- Bergdorf Goodman – Designer Sale: Up to 40% off; free same-day delivery for a limited time
- Club Monaco – 25% off almost everything
- Express – 40% off everything
- J.Crew – 50% off women’s styles; extra 30% off sale styles
- Loft – 40% off full-price styles; 60% off 2+ sale styles or 50% off 1
- Lo & Sons – Up to 70% off; spend $100, get an extra 10% off wallets — reader favorites include this laptop tote, this backpack, and this crossbody
- Summersalt – 30% off everything; up to 60% off select styles (this reader-favorite sweater blazer is down to $75)
- Talbots – 30% off entire purchase, including all markdowns — readers love this cashmere boatneck and this cashmere cardigan, as well as their sweater blazers in general
- Theory – Cold weather essentials up to 40% off
- Theory Outlet – Last-chance styles 70-80% off; up to 70% off coats; up to 60% off cashmere; extra 20% off 2 items and extra 25% off 3+ items; readers love this T-shirt
- Universal Standard – Up to 81% off; jeans start at $35
Kid- and Family-Related Sales
- BabyJogger – 25% off 3 items with code
- Crate & Kids – Toy & gift event: up to 50% off everything; save 10% off full price items
- J.Crew Crewcuts – 50% off everything; extra 30% off sale styles
- Ergobaby – 40% off Omni Breeze Carrier, 25% off Evolve 3-in-1 bouncer, $100 off Metro+ Strollers
- Graco – Up to 30% off car seats
- Strolleria – 25% off Wonderfold wagons, and additional deals on dadada, Cybex, and Peg Perego
- Walmart – Savings on Maxi-Cosi car seats, adventure wagons, rocker recliners, security cameras and more!
Anon
How many Crest whitestrips do you need to use before you see a difference? I have an event coming up next week where I’d like whiter teeth and I’m not sure if I have enough time to see an impact. Also not sure if I should use them daily…
Anon
I think if you used them daily for a week you’d see a difference. Maybe even 4 or 5 times.
anon
Just a plug for Rembrandt toothpaste. I’ve had SUCH issues with one of my teeth being discolored, and this toothpaste literally fixed it immediately. All of my teeth are whiter, as are my husband’s. I’m a convert!
Anon
I’ve noticed a difference after one, so I would definitely try if I had a week!
Anonymous
It probably will (certainly couldn’t hurt), and it depends on which ones you use if you can use them daily, I think. i will say they made my teeth pretty sore, so I think I did every other day. But it’s been a while since I used them, so it also may have changed formulas since then.
Anon
Did you ever try the sensitive ones? That’s actually what I bought and I’m hoping they still work…
Anon88
I’m using the sensitive ones right now and noticed a slight difference after the first one. I think I’m on the fourth of fifth and seems like it’s making a meaningful difference. I have very sensitive teeth and haven’t had any sensitivity yet from these.
Anon
Anyone else wearing vegan leather skirts? I have one. The knife pleats don’t look that sharp, which may be OK. It’s a lot of volume, which may also be OK. But it is toasty warm! I have a feeezing office and maybe this is the solution I hadn’t thought of but it is amazing to be comfortable today.
Anonymous
You mean plastic.
Anonymous
I’m trying to add as little plastic to my wardrobe as possible, and avoid pleather…
I would, however, love to find a leather skirt that suits me.
Anon
Sweaty plastic skirt? Nah, prefer not to wear what feels like a garbage bag.
Or is it the type make from pineapple skins that is biodegradable?
Anonymous
Hah! If it was made from pineapple skins, the marketers would be singing it from rooftops “Vegan leather“ = plastic. Full stop.
Anon
I think it would be hard to get sharp pleats in real leather, let alone plastic.
Anon
I did have a pleather skirt last a good five years with regular wearing in fall and winter. But when it died (one day the coating split like tiger stripes very suddenly) I decided to find a secondhand real leather one. For leather I think shopping secondhand makes more sense than buying pleather.
Anonymous
How often do you take Advil (or whatever your casual headache medicine is)? I think I’ve averaged about 12 gel pills a week for a decade. Trying to cut back…
Anonymous
Before menopause, for a 2-3 days every cycle.
After menopause, basically never.
Anon
+1 it’s Tylenol for me, but yes for 2-3 days right before my period, and then very occasional (maybe 1-2 times per month) at other times, usually when I don’t drink enough and dehydration triggers a migraine.
Anon88
Are you getting multiple headaches a week? You might want to talk to your doctor about that (as someone with chronic migraines). I take Tylenol maybe twice a week…But I am also on a monthly injection and heavy duty rescue meds for migraines, so don’t have many occasions to take Tylenol.
Anonymous
OP here – I’ve never seen a neurologist. I never even considered myself to have many headaches or very bad ones, but it’s definitely almost every morning and many afternoons. I am realizing that a lot of it is a symptom of hunger and so I’m trying to eat before I take an Advil.
Betsy
If it’s every morning, are you clenching/grinding your teeth at night? Could part of the problem be TMJ?
Anonymous
definitely part of TMJ, yes – I already have one of those teeth guards though and still wake up with headaches.
Anon
Headaches every day isn’t normal.
Anon88
Yeah headaches every day is not normal! I would talk to your doctor, you shouldn’t have to suffer like this.
Anon
I don’t know if the last time you saw a headache neurologist was a decade ago, but it may be worth trying again.
Anon
Once a month maybe?
Anonymous
maybe look up rebound headaches.
Monte
I can count on one hand the number of Advil/tylenol I take a year. This usage would concern me.
Anon
+1 I can’t imagine it’s very good for your liver or kidneys.
Anonymous
Seriously. I take Tylenol once a year.
Anon
I agree OP’s use sounds like a lot and it’s worth seeing a doctor about the underlying problem, but the implication that the “right” amount of usage is once a year is pretty absurd. It’s a very safe medicine that has been widely used by billions and is the doctor-recommended treatment for lots of things, including headaches.
Anon
I have chronic mi*graine so I have a headache almost every day, but otcs don’t help. I only take them once in a while when I have cramps, maybe a few pills every other month? I would definitely see your PCP, who can prescribe other meds and do a referral to a neurologist if those don’t work (wait times can be pretty long in most places and you just need to try a bunch of meds to find something that works, which a PCP can start just fine). But not eating is one of my worst triggers, so you should definitely eat instead of taking meds. Taking them that often can cause rebound headaches and GI damage
Anonymous
I got a lot of late afternoon headaches, went away 100% with an LMNT packet per day. YMMV, no issues with hypertension or anything else.
Anon
My husband used to do this for body aches at the recommendation of his PCP and he ended up with gastritis from the NSAIDS. Twice. He’s Tylenol only from now on, and he’s even afraid to take that. Be careful with that stuff.
Anon
I started getting Botox in my forehead and between eyes for cosmetic reasons, and it completely knocked my headaches out of the water. Now I can tell if my Botox is wearing off if the headaches start coming back. Currently pregnant, so no botox (and also no ibuprofen) and the headaches are back again! mine are screen related.
Very Anonymous
Your comment that your headaches are screen-related made me think of my own experience, so nesting this here.
OP, I had no history of regular headaches but started getting them daily a couple years ago. Turned out that I needed reading glasses and I was getting a headache from trying to read on a screen so much. I didn’t even notice my vision was blurrier! So maybe get your vision checked as well and see if that helps? It certainly can’t hurt.
Anon
Way too many for chronic stress and tension in my head, neck, and shoulders.
Anon
Almost never. I take Advil if I am sick with a fever, but that’s about it. I get occasional migraines, and I’ll take a couple Tylenol for those, maybe a 4 or 5 times a year.
Anon
looking for long sleeve solid crew or v neck to wear under jackets, would like bright colors, can be a knit fabric or a silk type….must be thin enough to wear under a jacket and should be fitted to the body not loose…not too thin as this is for fall to winter, early spring wear. Everlane has a Supima crew neck but the colors are very muted neutrals…..thanks in advance
Anon
Check out J Crew and J Crew factory, there should be multiple choices.
Anon
Not seeing them at J Crew will look at factory
Anon
Those are too casual
Acorn
This top would be great under a blazer, but I think it’s only available in the boatneck: https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Essentials-Patterned-Boatneck-T-Shirt/dp/B07JMSKDMV?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1&psc=1
Acorn
Here’s something from BR Factory – the colors aren’t super bright but the green and burgundy are pretty: https://bananarepublicfactory.gapfactory.com/browse/product.do?pid=758903011&cid=1044980&pcid=1044980&vid=1&nav=meganav%3AWomen%3AWomen%27s+Clothing%3AT-Shirts+%26+Tops&cpos=102&cexp=368&kcid=CategoryIDs%3D1044980&cvar=2363&ctype=Listing&cpid=res23101114218230399870421#pdp-page-content
Anonymous
Gap modern T is really nice for the money.
Anonymous
random question: did you find that as you got older you preferred MORE or LESS spicy foods? was just discussing this with a friend who is adding horseradish to everything because otherwise it tastes too bland to her…
Anon
I’m tragically losing my GI tolerance of spicy food as I age. I have a few GI conditions, but I don’t even know if it’s related.
I think it’s more common to lose taste with age (or with COVID) and need to focus on texture or other aspects of food for palatability. Maybe horseradish counts!
Anon
It’s a thing that your sense of taste (and smell) dulls as you get older, so you may need more spices to taste the same amount of flavor.
Anon
Prefer less spicy.
Is she a smoker?
Anon
I had no spice tolerance at all when I was younger. Still prefer low spice, but heavy on seasonings.
Anonymous
I am 50 and have not experienced anything like this.
Anonymous
Less tolerant bc spicy foods will give me heart burn later than evening. No longer worth it :(
Anon
Did she have COVID? There are a lot of changes like this post-COVID that I think will be more widely understood and studied 5-10 years from now.
Anecdata
I had ZERO spice tolerance as a child/teen and now (32), I don’t go out of my way to get stuff spicy on its own but I can enjoy foods that are naturally spicy. I noticed I started liking a lot more foods and flavors sometime around age 20, but enjoying spicy is new in the last few years
Anonymous
Sezane also has a gorgeous version of this.
Anonymous
I recently took up crochet and I believe there’s a few crocheters here? What are your favorite places on the internet to read about crochet — any communities, blogs, particular creators?
My preference is for more advanced/difficult projects for inspiration, and I’m finding a lot of “quick and easy”. I’m new to this but am an experienced crafter — I just finished a cross stitch piece that took 2.5 years and i now need to do something else. My hope is to learn the ropes with several small projects and then settle in to something bigger…
Anon
Ravelry!
Anon
If you’re brand new to crochet, there’s a small book called the Little Encyclopedia of Dishcloths that’s a great first project book. The nice thing about dishcloths is that even if they come out a bit wonky, they’re still useful. It’s an excellent primer and available at any craft store or Walmart.
I love thread and hate doing color changes, so freevintagecrochet is my jam.
Ravelry has some interesting contemporary interpretations of table linens, etc as well.
If you’re new to crochet, or even if you’re not, I love the book 100 Snowflakes to Crochet. There are easy ones and there are also good challenges in a small package. Don’t let the size fool you. They also make good holiday gifts and present toppers/decorations.
The “Confetti DK Child/Adult” sweater on ravelry is a good medium difficulty pattern that is great for showing off good quality yarn. It’s a simple stitch pattern, with some nice shaping. The yoke/top down approach is challenging to me for some reason.
mooglyblog is another good crochet blog, though I haven’t been on there much recently.
Anon
I’m a youth leader for an activity and also a babysitting employer. Two parents called me in a pinch that kids’ teachers aren’t submitting common application recommendations that are due this weekend. I’m stepping in as I have great things to say about each kid and have known them since middle school and want to help. But OMG they are all stressed out and this just seems unconscionable — to promise to do it and then start ghosting kids as a deadline approaches.
Anon
It’s great that you’re helping out, but I think you’re being a little harsh on the teachers. If they’re due this weekend they still have at least three or four days. My understanding is that there’s no benefit to getting recommendations in early and as long as it’s on time, it’s fine. And even if it’s late, I don’t think colleges normally hold it against the student, as long as the student got all the stuff they control in on time.
Anon
I hear you but from the kid’s side, if someone has not responded with “no worries — I will get it done,” it may go undone. You can’t just be stuck, you have to go to plan B, C, or D. And so many scholarships depend on recommendations also. It is not fair.
Anon
I get why a kid would be anxious about it, but calling it “unconscionable” is pretty intense. You’re generally not supposed to even follow up with letter writers until the deadline has passed. People reading the letters understand the kid doesn’t control when it gets submitted.
Anon
If the teenager hasn’t received confirmation from a recommender three days before it’s due, that’s on the teen for not asking early enough.
Anon
No, it’s on the recommender who made a promise to get it done to get it done. Ghosting is completely unacceptable.
Anon
Nothing in this story says the teachers ever promised to do anything. Just that the teens expected them to. Having been a teenager, I’m much more likely to assume they’re the ones that messed up.
Anon
My son’s application to a top U got to the point where they asked him for two letters of recommendation – they don’t accept unsolicited recs, so the only opportunity was then. He asked two teachers & they both said yes, so he provided their contact info to the university. I KNOW the university followed up many times.
He received his rejection a few months later which specifically noted only one of the two had completed the recommendations.