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Updated: Oct 26, 2022 109 Comments · by

Suit of the Week: Ann Taylor

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 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.

This Ann Taylor suit in a pretty teal crosshatch print is calling my name! The blazer is a best-seller, and I like that they have a matching dress (with a V-neck), a high-waisted pencil skirt, and several pant fits all in matching prints. It looks like a versatile basic (just a touch different our beloved blue suits) that's a bit more fun than your typical black, navy, or gray suit.

It's available in regular sizes 00-18, as well as petite, tall, and curvy fits. The pieces are $98-$179.

Sales of note for 9.30.24

Sales of note for 9.30.24

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

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

About Kat

Kat Griffin is the founder, publisher, and editor-in-chief of Corporette. You can read more about her here.

Comments

  1. Anon

    The only suits I have bought lately are swim suits (and LE sun shirts) and swim suiting separates (the whole board shorts + tankini or bikini mix and match thingies) and coverups. And finding that I will spend $ on anything with a soft-cup bra vs removable bra pads that die in the laundry every year. Now that I have clicked on my order, that seems to jinx a kid outgrowing something, so I’m sure there will be Round 2 of this.

    I grew up where it was cold. Now, the pool opens in a few weeks and I plan to be there every evening after work hours to detox my kids from a 9 months of screen time (aka school or “school” or “watch a video and teach yourself how to do decimals and long division”). My kids are decent-enough swimmers that I don’t need to get in with them, but I will swim some laps in the adult lanes, so I always regret not going in swim attire. And to avoid daily laundry (especially during summer camp weeks where they swim daily), we need a pool wardrobe. This didn’t used to exist in my closet.

  2. anon

    Sigh. I remember the days, about ten or fifteen years ago, when Ann Taylor used to have all-wool suits and beautiful silk shirts (at the same price point!)

    • Anon

      I have an amazing AT all-wool lined skirt suit that is some witchcraft of material because it does not wrinkle. It is (was?) my go-to for plane-to-meeting days. Does anyone know what this fabric is? I am used to crepe being a very airy mother-of-the-groom polyester fabric, but could it also be a heavier wool fabric? It is not a twill or a flannel, but I’m not sure how to describe it. It’s also not a knit (so not like St. John suit material). I want to put it in my search terms for my next purchase of office-wear.

      • Anon

        I had many 100% wool crepe suits (and dresses!) in the 80s and 90s in varying weights. It was my favorite fabric. Loehmann’s in the Bronx, RIP

        • Anon

          I loved that store (OTOH, I made some early errors in the fancy suit vs formal suit arena; at least it was at a discount department store).

    • Anonymous

      Oh man, vintage mall brands are great. I love thrifting and coming across things like 100% wool Old Navy sweaters. The quality used to be so different

    • anon

      +1, I have a beautiful all wool skirt suit that I bought at this price from them about 10 years ago.

    • Anon

      Though I wish the prices went down with the change in material, I am thrilled they are offering lots of professional looking clothes in something other than wool. I am so allergic to wool, even if it is lined. I always had to shop at “lower” brands to get my work wear.

    • Anon

      Their triacetate suiting was amazing. I have a 15 year old suit hanging in my closet that is just too beautiful to throw out – and it was $300.

      • Anon

        I have a collection of the triacetate pieces. For many of my meetings, I would travel for 2-4 hours, but with those pieces, I always felt fresh and unmussed upon arrival. I have not purged them (yet).

    • waffles

      I love this suit. The colour and the cross-hatching are made for me. But a polyester blend? No thank you.

    • Heather

      I actually bought this suit. I had to return the jacket because I was swimming in it. Their vanity sizing is off the charts. I am so limited in where I can buy suiting as I need “tall” sizes. I kept the pants, but they were almost too big and stretched during the first wear. I’m 5’9 and about 140 pounds and typically wear a 4. I bought a 2 Tall in the pants and jacket. There’s no reason I should even be looking at a 0 Tall but yet here I am, doing just that as I revamp my post-WFH wardrobe.

  3. Anon

    I bought some pants with a higher rise but they aren’t in a curvy cut, so they sag. I feel like MC Hammer in these pants. No belt loops. My mom sews and would just slap some elastic into the waist on the back side. Le sigh.

      • Anonymous

        Get them altered. There is no such thing as non-jeans pants that fit off the rack.

    • Anon

      Won’t solve your problem, but mother used to take in my jeans in middle school by removing a belt loop, taking a dart, and sewing the belt loop back on so the dart wouldn’t show.

  4. Lo & Sons Catalina Tote

    Inspired by the duffle question on the previous post, has anyone tried the Lo & Sons Catalina Tote? I’m looking for a weekender, but I’m 5’0” with a tendency to overstuff and don’t want a bag that will topple me over. They are having a great sale right now, and I have and love the OG bag, so I’m wondering if the tote will work for slightly longer trips for me.

    • Lots to Learn

      I purchased one for my college-aged daughter and she uses the heck out of it. Loves it.

        • Katie

          Yup, I have one and really like it. It tends to get heavy once full, but there are trips where a roller bag isn’t appropriate, and this is perfect for those.

  5. Cornellian

    Talk to me about preventive skincare. I’m 34 and have noticed especially post-pregnancy that I am developing some fine lines. My friends in the 40 range all seem to be getting Botox and other injectables, but I don’t think I’m quite there yet (and am not sure I ever want to do injectables, to be honest). I’m auburn-haired, fair and blue-eyed, so I’ve always been quite careful with sunscreen, but what else do folks do? Does it make sense to do preventative treatments?

    FWIW I work for state government and am a single mom, so am not rolling in cash.

    • Anon

      Retinoids. Get a prescription for Retin-A/tretinoin. It will be expensive if your insurance doesn’t cover it but it will last a long time. I personally use Curology.

      Lots of people talk about over the counter retinol as if it is the same thing but it is not, and takes about six months to even start working. I’d just get the tretinoin at a low dose and work up from there.

      • Cornellian

        Thanks, I’ll look in to Curology. I’m a bit worried about retinoids because I’m in Texas and the sun is already so strong here, but maybe I can use in moderation and it’ll be worth it.

        • Anon

          As long as you’re dilligent about sunscreen, you’ll be fine using a retinoid. It’s the only thing that has scientific backup for working on fine lines and wrinkles.

          You might want to add a good Vitamin C serum to your morning routine to wear under your sunscreen, as it’s supposed to boost the protection properties of your SPF.

          • Anonymous

            I’m in Texas too and my derm said it’s fine – they give it to teenagers even so it’s not like it could be that bad.

        • Aunt Jamesina

          This blew my mind, but I was just reading about how it isn’t true that retinoids increase sun sensitivity since they break down so quickly in the sun! Obviously normal precautions with sun exposure should always be taken.

          • Anonymous

            That doesn’t make sense. I put Retin-A on at night and it’s either absorbed or washed off by the time I go outside. It doesn’t matter how fast it breaks down in sunlight. The sun sensitivity is from changes the retinoid makes to the skin, not from the presence of the retinoid on your skin.

    • Anon

      I would pass on the injectables due to their ability to wander and give you tell-tale chipmunk cheeks (the problem IMO isn’t fullness but gravity, more fullness is not a fix for that). I just Botox my 11s but on a slacker schdeule. I can tell it has worn off for a season and then I get my act together to go back in for that several months probably later than I was due for it. I don’t want a complete freeze to my face, just my RBF. Maybe this costs <$1000/year if I went quarterly in my city, but I probably go about half that much.

      • Cornellian

        500/year doesn’t seem awful. I don’t really wear much make up or dye my hair, so i guess I can consider it my beauty budget when I’m ready to start. Still salty that men generally don’t have this expense.

        • Anon

          If it makes you feel any better, there are definitely men that work for my company who get Botox.

      • Kat in VA

        +1 to the Botox slacker schedule.

        I’ve been getting it irregularly for the last 4-5 years and usually I’ll make an appointment when I can really start frowning again.

        I’ve noticed that over the last two years or so, the time between appointments is getting longer and longer. As in, I definitely needed it every 3-4 months in the beginning, and now I can go as long as 7-8 months before I look in the mirror and say, “Welp, time for more Botox!”

        Cost for 11s between brows and light over-brows/high upper forehead (i use my eyebrows a LOT so I get it very lightly) is about $350-$400 per visit.

      • Anonymous

        +1, but to take it a step further, wear a hat whenever you’re outside. I wear a baseball cap for every single walk or outing nowadays. You could get something more stylish if needed, but most women I see outdoors here in CA are wearing baseball caps.

      • Cornellian

        Then I should be good! One thing that has become apparent in the last few years is that I apply sunscreen to my face way more religiously than to my chest. I feel like I’m on my way to age spots.

        • Anon

          I am in my 50s and I so wish I could go back in time and protect my chest and hands better. I’m all in on driving gloves these days but too little too late.

          • Cornellian

            I’m late to that game as well. I have an incredibly geeky cape that can hook around my ears to cover the lower half of my face and also go down around my thumbs to cover the back of my hands. I try to use it on longer drives or walks. I tend to skimp on reapplying on my chest because it ends up all over my shirt every time, so am trying physical methods instead.

          • Anon

            Did you know that you can get your windshield UV tinted? It’s a thing recommended by dermatologists here.

    • Anon

      I started Botox at 34 and at 47 now I’m so glad I did. Started at 1-2x/year and I can honestly say I look at least 10 years younger than my real age (and people are routinely shocked when they learn how old I actually am). Some of that is good genes but my twin sister looks more our age and she never did Botox. Anyway, it’s not that expensive (I don’t do any fancy creams so I think it’s a wash if you cut that out) and it stops the wrinkles before they start. They don’t completely disappear either – there’s still aging but it’s just way way slowed down.

      • Cornellian

        I’ve heard that as well, and am attracted by the idea of needing less later if I start now/soon. But I’ve also heard dermatologists say you don’t want to immobilize your muscles too early in life, because they’ll get weaker and flatter and sometimes start affecting nearby muscles, and that you should wait as long as possible. Having a twin sister is a great control, though! People think I’m the younger sister (I’m 3 and a bit years older) but my sister smokes, so that’s sort of a non-brainer.

    • anon

      I use an undereye cream, but TBH, I can’t really say whether it helps or not. I think many anti-aging products are a load of expensive BS, but that’s my bias. I focus on having healthy skin in general and figure the chips will fall where they may. I am 0% interested in Botox and injectables, and I kind of hate that they’re so common now. It just raises the (unrealistic) bar for the next generation of women.

      • Cornellian

        Yeah it sort of seems like an arms race. It’s one of the reasons I left Manhattan private practice as a lawyer, if I’m being honest. I do think lots of treatments (sunscreen, moisturizer, Vitamin C) that make your skin healthier also make it look better, though, so it’s not necessarily at odds.

          • Cornellian

            Not only skincare, but just the general ‘spend 2K a month on exercise/skin/hair/suits/manicure/surgery’ etc thing that women over 30 apparently needed to subscribe to.

          • Anonymous

            Eh, if I made that kind of money, I’d love to hire a housekeeper so I had time to spend $$$ on fancy exercise classes and manicures.

        • NYC

          You felt the beauty regime arms race in private practice? or felt being an attorney in private practice was itself the arms race? Just curious..

          • Cornellian

            NYC- I felt there was sort of a self-care/beauty regime/exercise regime/hair arms race in those law firms. It seemed like constant manicures, eyebrows, highlights, expensive suits, expensive bags, and treatments to make you never age were de rigeur among any women who stuck it out past, say, senior associate/counsel level.

            I mean, there probably is a more general arms race in private practice, ha, but that’s not what I was trying to say there.

          • Anonymous

            I think this is something it’s entirely within your power to opt out of. That’s my type of firm and I don’t do any of that and it doesn’t matter at all.

        • Anonymous

          Really? Not in Manhattan, but most of the big firm lawyers I encounter look terrible, probably thanks to their working conditions, steady diet of restaurant food, and lack of opportunity for exercise.

  6. Anonymous

    If/when the FDA clears it, will you be getting your 12-15 year olds vaccinated? Will you let them have a say in it?

    My oldest is just turning 11, so this decision is a ways off for me yet. I have no problem with the vax for adults. I get my second shot next week and every adult in my extended family is or is in the process of being fully vaccinated. For a 12 year old, I have different feelings on an emergency approval. I’m leaning toward waiting until it is fully cleared. I’m not a scientist, and my children have received every other required vaccine to date, including recommneded flu shots. I asked our pedi when I was there with my youngest (5) recently and she said she was reviewing the studies and at this point was not recommending it for patients 12-15 unless there were extenuating circumstances (preexisting condition etc).

    • Anonymous

      100% the day it opens. I didn’t give my kids a say on any other vaccine and I won’t on this either.

    • Anon for this

      I agree. My kids are younger (2 and 6), but I feel the same way. I received my vaccine the day after my age range was allowed in my state, and my kids have received all their typical vaccines on the normal schedule, but for this, I am feeling like I would rather see some longer term studies or at least full FDA approval. I know that is likely unrealistic as schools will probably require the vaccine at some point (sooner than later), but we will cross that bridge when the time comes.

    • Anonymous

      I don’t see how the risk profile is materially different for these kids — they take the bus for school, switch classes and rooms during the day, are with friends with independence and little supervision, and can be as tall and heavy as an adult (or a 16-18 YO). Girls are often well into puberty (less so for a 12YO boy, at least for many).

      IMO a kid of 3 is different. 12 and 14 and 16 seem similar for size / physical development. Mental development — don’t get me started!

      • Cornellian

        My kid is in preschool, but I tend to agree with this. I don’t think 13 and 16 year olds are very different, but 2 year olds seem like they could be.

    • AnonMom

      I am a scientist, married to a scientist, and yes of course the instant our 15 year old is eligible it is happening. We asked about their thoughts on this (and they are incredibly excited to get the shot), but if they did have qualms we would be talking through them but not giving them the option to bow out. I assume your pediatrician isn’t recommending it yet because it isn’t approved yet, but that once it is approved she will be recommending it.

    • Anon

      I feel the exact same way and wish the adults in this country would get vaxxed so we could get this virus under control and then we wouldn’t need to worry about giving shots to kids. It also feels unfair to me that unvaccinated adults will benefit from our children being vaccinated. That being said, i did just read an article about a pediatric surgeon who just enrolled her three year old in a trial

    • Anon for this

      Long time reader here. I am a vaccine advocate and always will be, and agree that the moral thing to do is for everyone who can to get vaccinated, but hesitating just a little here about having my young teenage daughters receive their covid vaccines. I got both my Pfizer shots as soon as I could. However, based on my own experience with a truly alarming menstrual cycle after the second shot, I have unanswered questions about how the vaccine affects (or doesn’t affect) the uterus. I am reluctant even to write this, because I don’t want to give any credence to the anti-vaxxers and the misinformation campaigns. I know we’ll have more answers as time goes by about this side effect, but for now the scattered info I’m able to find on it makes me uneasy about having my daughters vaccinated. Has anyone found a good source addressing menstrual anomalies after the covid vaccine (besides dismissing it as stress related)?

      • Anonymous

        My assumption has been that any such effects are related to the fact that the actual disease affects blood clotting.

    • Anonymous

      My 14-year-old needs a vaccine more than I do. She needs to be back in school and sports. I could keep hiding out at home for quite a while longer if necessary, but I am already vaxxed. She is getting Pfizer the second it’s approved for her age group. She is terrified of needles and still very excited for this vaccine. Even if she didn’t want it she would be getting it.

      Enough people have been vaccinated that I’m confident in the safety of the mRNA vaccines that are in use in the U.S. Harm from vaccines usually occurs in the short run and we just haven’t seen much of anything. I was originally concerned about long-term risks of cancer etc. from an entirely new type of vaccine, but the mRNA is destroyed and does not alter cellular DNA. In the current risk environment, the benefits of vaccinating my child far outweigh the known risks (infinitesimal and far smaller than the risks of having the disease) and any risks that are likely to have gone unobserved thus far.

    • anon

      I have a much younger child (6). I probably will get him the vaccine as soon as it opens. I agree that there are unknowns, but I also don’t think we fully know the long-term risks to kids of getting Covid. It seems like, in the short term, they’re not as affected as adults–and based on that information, I sent my son to camp last summer, and he’s been in in-person school, full time, since August. On the other hand, there are several viruses (for example, HIV and HPV) whose effects aren’t really manifested in the body for years or even decades. In the battle of unknowns, I’ll take my chance with the vaccine.

    • Anon

      We already signed our 14-year-old up for vaccination and we will do whatever it takes – pull him out of school for a day, drive him to another city – to get him vaccinated.

      A friend of a friend’s 16-year-old daughter got Covid last fall. She ended up having to be intubated and was in the hospital for a week. It damaged her lungs; she will likely recover her lung function but no one is sure how long that will take. She was a cross-country runner and is now using nasal supplemental oxygen to get through the day. Teens get severe cases rarely, but rarely isn’t never, as we found out. I was totally, totally shocked by this situation as I had not heard any stories about teens being impacted this way until I heard this story.

      No, we are not allowing him input or to make a decision about this. He is a smart, thoughtful young man with a lot of opinions about the world around him. He is also still a child. I got him vaccinated for HPV without his explicit consent (he was aware of what was happening, but he was 12 years old at the time) because it’s the right thing to do for his health. Vaccinating him for Covid is the right thing to do for his health. If we didn’t vaccinate him and he ended up very sick, disabled, or dead, I would not be comforted by the idea that “well, he didn’t want to be vaccinated.” Allowing him autonomy and input is worthwhile and we try to do it wherever possible, but the bottom line is that he is a minor and as his parents, we are still legally, medically, and financially responsible for him, and so we will make decisions regarding his health. FWIW he wants to be vaccinated because it means he will get to go to friends’ houses again.

    • Kat in VA

      100%. My 15 year old has had Pfizer #1 through a weird set of interlocking circumstances (but I promise I wasn’t being intentionally disingenuous); she was denied her second shot until it’s approved for 12-15 year olds.

      The 12 year old was being somewhat resistant; however, after seeing me suffer mightily for a weekend from side effects due to Moderna #2 (it was the second sickest I’ve ever been as an adult, the first being mono), she has reversed her decision.

      She still has qualms about the needle, but I assured her that the Botox I get in my face in 10 different places hurts more than the little hair-fine needle that you literally hardly even notice.

      She understands the need for ALL of us to be vaccinated, given that her sister has a mild autoimmune issue (psoriasis), her brother has asthma, I have mild heart issues, and her dad is a Type II diabetic.

      With regard to bodily autonomy – I did not ask her permission for all of the childhood vaccines and this one is no different. It wasn’t presented in a “You’re doing this and that’s final” manner but we did talk about it until she understood that it’s very important she be vaxxed for the family’s safety, safety for society at large, and to go back to school and eventually – carefully – reintegrate all of our lives back to some semblance of normal.

  7. Anon

    Seeking Chicago suburb opinions!

    Looking to spend max 750K on a single family home. Commute to downtown one hour or less. Want a diverse, socially liberal area. Good schools would be nice but not essential right now. Would prefer to avoid a keeping up with the Joneses type of neighborhood but I’m getting the sense the entire North Shore is that way.

    I don’t want cookie cutter, soulless suburbs. I’m an urban person at heart but for a SFH the city just doesn’t make sense for us. But I will miss urban walkability and culture and hope to find a smaller version of that in the burbs…

    Where would you look?

    • Anon

      IDK about diverse/liberal, but for interesting, historic neighborhoods, how about Oak Park?

      • anon

        +1

        Oak Park is perfect. It is referred to as the urban suburb. It is one of the most diverse suburbs in the Chicago area, and is right on the border of Chicago. Easy commute to the city by 3 train line options and by expressway (although traffic is always bad).

        It is diverse politically/economically/racially, but definitely left leaning and crunchy and overall a good place for younger singles and families. It is not North shore. It is the first suburb directly west.

      • NYCer

        I have a good friend who lives in Arlington Heights, and her family loves it. I think their house was a bit more expensive than 750k, but based on what they said, its seems like you could find a house in that range.

        Caveat is that neither she nor her husband commutes to downtown, so I am not sure about the commute.

        • Curious

          There’s a good metra stop there and it’s about 45 min into the city IIRC. Very frequent trains, at least outside of COVID.

    • OP

      Oak Park? I’m not disinterested, though, since I live there. Both the blue and green lines pass through the town. $750K would buy quite a nice home. Definitely be warry of the property taxes though (in every suburb). They’re tremendously high in IL. I would describe the town as predominantly progressive. We’re not in the schools yet, so I can speak to them personally, but it’s an affluent suburb so I imagine they’re ok.

    • Aunt Jamesina

      Oak Park or Evanston. There are a number of suburbs that will fit all of your criteria except for liberal, although many other suburbs are pretty split or slightly liberal.

    • Anonymous

      Oak Park immediately comes to mind. Maybe also look at Berwyn and Forest Park. LaGrange is pretty, but real estate prices may be a bit higher there.

    • Anonymous

      Evanston or Oak Park. I’ve lived in both and loved. I’m in Deerfield and I like it, but it’s not very diverse and lacks the same cultural events and restaurant walkability.

    • Anon

      I’m also in Oak Park and love it. It’s a place where “community” is very important. You can walk or bike to a lot of things and lots of ways to get downtown (for me it’s 40 minutes door to door on the blue line) There can be some competitive wokeness. I have a friend that lives in Lagrange Park that loves it. To me that’s a little more suburbs-y.

    • anonchicago

      Evanston, Oak Park, Park Ridge.

      You can get downtown very quickly on the Metra from Evanston (as in, 17 minutes on an express train) and it has more of an urban feel.

    • Anon

      Elmhurst for socially liberal, but not super diverse. Oak Park for more diversity but is gonna have much more of a city feel.

    • An.On.

      Hyde Park!

      Has: museums (Science & Industry, DuSable, Smart, Oriental, etc), proximity to lakeshore, multiple bookstores, movie theater, play theater, good schools both public and private, fairly diverse, and very liberal (home to the Obamas), about a 35-45 commute to downtown, depending, and prices are creeping up, but very affordable.

      It’s getting more developed and prominent now (there’s a target!) but so far you’re still able to find street parking.

  8. DC florist?

    Anyone have a rec for a florist in DC? Looking for a nice spring-y arrangement to send a colleague. TIA!

    • Korvapuusti

      I haven’t bought from either of them, but hear good things about Little Acres and She Loves Me.

    • joan wilder

      I got a really lovely arrangement last year for a friend from Park Florist (in Takoma Park and they service DC). They sent a nice email with photo confirmation of delivery and the arrangement.

    • CapHill Anon

      Caruso’s on M St NW is my go-to. Beautiful arrangements, good service.

  9. Erica

    Melinda was working at Microsoft when she and Bill Gates started dating!?! I didn’t realize that. I thought they were like industry colleagues or something, not that she actually worked there.

      • Flats Only

        Good question. I am baffled by the attention/disbelief this divorce is getting, on this board and elsewhere. WaPo actually had an article yesterday headlined “If Bill and Melinda Gates can’t make a marriage work, what hope is there for the rest of us?”. Huh? This is all so weird.

        • anon

          I haven’t read the article, but I get it. I mean, they’re a couple who seemed to get married for love, and they’ve been together a long time. They have no financial stress in their lives, which is a huge factor in divorce rates. They don’t need to work and can outsource all drudgery, so there’s not exactly a division of labor or burn-out issue. They can spend as much time together or apart as they want to, and they can pursue hobbies and charitable initiatives together or apart. They can afford the most expensive couple’s counselor in the world. Basically, as far as anyone can tell, there’s no external reason they can’t make it work. Which means it must be internal to themselves and their relationships. That’s scary because it feels like something you can’t control. I love my family and the phase we’re in now, but I’m also looking forward to turning 50 and 60 and 70 with my husband. I don’t want our kids to turn 18 and have one or both us say, “well, we’re done here.”

  10. Clarissa

    I bought this suit for an interview for a Director of Education position for the public library system; the position is a part of the executive leadership team, reporting to the Executive Director. Guess, what? I got the job! I know it wasn’t the suit, but I felt confident in it! If you’re thinking about purchasing, I highly recommend!

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