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Updated: Nov 1, 2018 87 Comments · by

Suit of the Week: Armani

Fashion· Suit of the Week· Wear to Work | · · ·

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Double-Pinstripe TrousersFor 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. Oh, it's fun to dream some days: and laugh if you will, but this Armani suit occupies some of my dreams. Love the fit (particularly the way the jacket flares out a bit at the bottom, with the effect of creating or emphasizing your waist), the pinstriped rose applique, and the single button. The skirt seems to fit well (even though the flounce at the back seems so, I don't know, 2003 to me? maybe I just need to get over that), and the pants look flattering. The jacket (Double-Pinstripe Jacket) is $1375, the skirt (Double-Pinstripe Skirt) is $455, and the pants (Double-Pinstripe Trousers) are $595 — all available at Bergdorf Goodman.
Armani Double-Pinstripe Jacket.indexed Armani Double-Pinstripe Skirt.indexed
(L-0)

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Comments

  1. meg

    On the link..the cami is $355. Really?? who buys an Armani cami for $355?

    I actually love the suit. even the flounce on the skirt!

    • Jeanne

      I checked out that suit a couple months ago, but I couldn’t get past the fact that it’s a wool/poly blend. Not at that price…

  3. LPC

    In my experience, Armani workwear is absolutely worth the $$$. Those little details keep on giving.

  4. Jen

    Ah, to have the model’s legs! Beautiful suit.

    Threadjack — does anyone have a business card case they love? I got caught at a meeting without my cards and have pledged to be better about carrying them. TIA

  5. meme

    PSA: Brooks Brothers outlet store is having a 70% clearance sale. I picked up some nice wool trousers, fully-lined, for about $40. There were lots of other steals as well, including suits.

    • K

      Thanks for the tip! I am in desperate need of some new suits – think I’ll go and check them out tomorrow.

    • Anon in Ny

      Quick question – does Brooks Brothers go down to a size 2? I’ve always had trouble finding my size there in the outlet stores and I just assumed it was that someone got to that size first. But based on their in store selection perhaps its not a size they regularly offer?

      • kz

        they do, but I’ve noticed that at least online, by the time things end up on sale, they’re usually out of 0 and 2, so maybe that’s the case with the outlet stores.

      • meme

        They do have 2. I don’t know about 0 – not really my territory. I am usually a solid size 4, and I have to size down to 2 in their skirts, but the size 4 pants and suit jackets fit fine. I have not had a problem finding size 2 in the stores. And if you find something you like and need another size, they will ship straight to your home from another store, for $9 (or so) shipping.

  7. surrounded by lawyers

    Random: does anyone have a stove-top (or otherwise small and relatively inexpensive) espressomaker/milk steamer combo you can recommend? I make a latte every morning at home and need to replace the equipment, want to do it smartly.

    • EC MD

      Of course there are varying opinions, but I have a Nespresso Citiz with milk frother on my desk at work that I adore. The down side is that you have to buy the pods from Nespresso (and there is increased waste with this method). The upside is that it makes a very nice shot and perfectly frothed milk in a neat and tidy manner. Even my husband, who is a total total coffee snob, has to admit that the shot is lovely with a very nice crema

      • somewherecold

        We went to a hotel that had these machines in each room, and after our trip all the coffee snobs in my family bought themselves one.

    • j

      I have a moka pot (not an espresso machine, but it makes very strong coffee) that I use every morning. I’ve never heard of a stovetop apparatus that will steam milk, but you can easily microwave milk in a mug and get a good froth going with a wire whisk. Basically you stick the whisk in a mug of hot milk, and while keeping it vertical, rub your palms with the whisk handle between them, until you get your desired foam. Then add your coffee. That sounded really dirty, but it works!

      • EC MD

        Sorry, evidently I’m coffee obsessed too. We have an electric moka pot at home (DeLonghi Alicia) that is lovely too. But no milk frothing.

      • somewherecold

        They have cheap battery-operated frothers at Ikea, if you want to go this route, that’s another option.

        • surrounded by lawyers

          Thanks–I’m concerned about these though. I had one from Nepresso that was $100, and after about 9 months it has died. Warranty was only 6 months. If this was what happened with an expensive one…

    • JessC

      Not the fanciest methods, but I have an inexpensive stove-top espresso maker from Wal-Mart. It’s the old-fashioned kind – water is in the bottom chamber, percolates through the coffee in the middle chamber, and up into the pot on top. As for steaming the milk – I just put it in the microwave on High for about 30 seconds.
      As I said, not very fancy but it works well enough for me.

      • nonA

        I use this method as well, and love it. Do as the Italians do!

        I also have a battery-powered milk frother I picked up for about under $10 at a TJ Maxx-type store – I stick it in the heated milk for about 10 seconds, and I have a perfectly lovely latte!

    • surrounded by lawyers

      Thanks so much, all, for these suggestions! The Italian/microwave method was my emergency course of action this morning, when the milk steamer finally quit for good. (I almost woke my boyfriend up to discuss it with him immediately.) I have the regular stovetop steam espressomaker another commenter mentioned–it too is nearing retirement, but maybe I should just get another one.

      • mamabear

        You should start reading Coffeegeek.com. On their recommendation, I started by spending my funds on a really good burr grinder, and waiting to buy a real espresso maker. I like drip coffee OK, but for a real espresso strength shot without a pressurized machine, try the aeropress coffee maker. You just need a teakettle to boil water, then make the coffee exactly as the aeropress directions tell you to. It’s a really good shot, missing only the “crema” that you’d get with a pressurized machine. But it’s the burr grind that makes all the difference. If you only have a whirly grinder at home, it’s better to have the coffee store grind the beans for you, and only buy what you can use in about a week.

        here’s the aeropress;
        http://www.amazon.com/Aerobie-AeroPress-Coffee-Espresso-Maker/dp/B0047BIWSK

        It was invented by a science type who also invented a better frisbee. Gotta love that.

        And if you think I’m taking coffee too seriously, you’re wrong. I am taking it way WAY too seriously! :) Signed, Lady CoffeeGeek.

  8. Jessica

    Love everything about this suit. Well, other than the fact that the price exceeds my monthly mortgage payment . . . .

  10. D

    Beautiful suit.

    Threadjack: I’m looking for a good night cream. Right now I use an Oil of Olay with SPF 15 that I love for days, but given that I don’t need the SPF for nights after I wash my face, I’m looking for other options, preferably with the ability to make me look completely rested after yet another late night at the office…

    Thanks!

    • Ru

      I love the Oil of Olay regenerist cream (in the red jar) for use at night. It’s so rich and creamy – I’ve been using it for 3 years. Every time I switch to something else, my skin either breaks out or goes into hyper-oil-production-mode because there wasn’t enough moisture retention. The one or two nights that I don’t use it, my skin looks tired the next day.

      • MM

        I use this, too, after reading a number of internet reviews saying that it is The Best Ever, even compared to more expensive brands. I’ve never tried anything else, but this has been wonderful. I was beginning to get a wrinkle when I started using it, and … lo and behold … that wrinkle shaped right up, and I haven’t gotten any new ones on the last 18 months.

    • AIMS

      I like origins. There’s one in a blue-ish jar that’s good, and also the new mimosa one seems promissing.

    • jcb

      I stopped by Lush a couple of weekends ago and finally gave in to trying their face products. I’ve been a Kiehl’s junkie for years, but I actually think the Lush products might work better. My skin is glowing. Moisturizers often end up drying out or irritating my skin (a long list that includes Olay Regenerist, sadly), but no issues with the Lush products. Also, they smell wonderful, which makes me happy.

      I have been using the Celestial moisturizer day and night, and for night-time cleansing the “9 to 5” (an oil-based cleanser – weird at first) and their “something-roma water” (can’t quite remember the name – it is bascially rose water and lavender) as a toner. If you’re interested in Kiehl’s, the Abyssine products are great moisturizers, and the Ultra Facial Cream as well.

      • JuliaBee

        I am in love with Kate Somerville. Its not cheap, but it so far surpasses what I have used before that it is worth it!

    • rg

      I recommend Clinique repairwear for night, pricier, but worth it in my experience.

    • CW

      I’ve used the Origins one with Vitamin C – Nitamins, perhaps? – and I’m trying out a Murad one also with Vitamin C. I loved the Origins one, and I think the Murad one is pretty good as well.

    • SF Bay Associate

      Beautypedia is free through the end of February – she reviews hundreds of products and debunks packaging/marketing/bs ingredients. I’ve found her ratings to be spot on.

      10 worst buys, including skII and la mer:
      http://tinyurl.com/4mua679

      all wrinkle/night cream ratings, with high ratings for both expensive and inexpensive products:
      http://tinyurl.com/4qo2g3d

      • conbrio

        Chanel Ultra Correction Line Repair – $85 but worth every penny. Makes my skin soft and glowing, and it smells wonderful.

    • K

      If you have oily skin that still needs moisture, I highly recommend Korres Yogurt Cream (it’s supposed to be for “oily dehydrated” skin, which is a good descriptor of mine when I’m using my prescription acne cream). Between the Yogurt Cream, the acne cream (Duac) and a Clarisonic, I am completely breakout-free for the first time in literally twenty years, and I now know what people mean when they talk about glowing skin.

    • JessC

      How’s the sizing? I have another pair of Anne Klein’s that run about a half-size too big. I love this shoe, but they’re out of my size. However, if they do run big like my others, then I might be able to get the next size down.

  12. AIMS

    I’m sure this looks 1000% awesome in person, but this suit (and its many details) reminds me too much of all of those low end Nine West/AK suits that I have never had good experiences with. I do think the fit will probably be amazing, and I am sure no one would confuse the Armani with a Nine West, but, ultimately, I fear it’s a bit a too close a resemblance for my tastes.

    I like a lot less “frouff” in my suits, especially if they are in the four figure range!

    • Kate

      Completely agree! I was just reading one of the “flashback” threads that was bashing Express, and I think this suit (at least in photos) looks very much like something Express would sell.

    • Alias Terry

      I agree about the “frouff”. This will look like a repeat right away and will be outdated because it is so conspicuous by next year. For the big bucks, it has to be a classic I can wear year end and year out for many years.

  13. Emma

    Speaking of night creams/wrinkles, does anyone else here use a retinoid? I use it for acne, but obviously the anti wrinkle benefits are a nice bonus. I always think how odd it is, though, that retinoids are so drying — when normal anti wrinkle products are moisturizing.

    It also hasn’t cured my acne, which bothers me.

    • Dink

      While it helps keep your pores unclogged and stimulates cell turnover, it doesn’t have any direct effect on the bacteria that cause acne. That is, it’s better for maintenance than for treatment. I’ve had it prescribed in conjunction with other things (antibiotics, bp), but never as a single solution.

    • EC MD

      I am currently using a prescription retinoid for blemishes. My problem is that my skin is very delicate, and I haven’t ever really been out of that phase where everythign is peely and scaly. I took a break when I went on vacation to the tropics because of the sun issues, and now am back to using it every other night. We’ll see. I’m still waiting for a miracle.

      • Anonymous

        I used retin a for *many* years and I never really got past the redness and scaliness. I still can’t use it more than a couple times a week, max.

    • bizzy

      I used retinoids with only limited success. The thing that really cured my acne was turning 30.

    • houda

      same issue here, I used retin A and it gave my skin a lovely glow but didn’t cure acne..

  14. JessC

    I normally love pinstripe suits, though I’m not sure I like the pinstripe suit in this suit. When the pinstripes are a stronger contrast to the suit color (like black and white, as opposed to black and gray), wider and set farther apart, I can’t help thinking it looks a little cartoonish/costumey.

  15. Anonymous

    is it just me or does the jacket not fit the model? the sleves are mid-wrist . . .

    • Alias Terry

      I am very, very picky about the fit of the jacket (having been corrupted by bespoke tailors.) 99% of the jackets on models do not fit them properly. Usually the shoulders (arguably the most important place for fit) are too big. Sleeves that are too short or too long run a close second.

    • SF Bay Associate

      Interesting indeed. The article is about who buys runway looks for full price. Fun quotes:

      “Christine Chiu wears most items only once. The 28-year-old, who is married to the founder of Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery, goes to events every night of the week—often making multiple wardrobe changes in a single night. ”

      . . .

      “Some women find ways to wear runway pieces in their everyday wardrobes. Bree Laughrun, a 26-year-old Charlotte, N.C., criminal-defense attorney focused on domestic violence, often wears Balmain to court. . . . Her parents still help finance her clothing purchases, but now, a year out of law school, she is taking on more financial responsibility.”

      • Snarky

        Must be nice to have Mommy and Daddy shell out for your Balmain so you can prance into court on your Louboutins and look faboo.

        Yes I am being a cranky petty hater. I just wrote out my $1100 student loan check for the month and would much rather have spent it on designer clothes. I would guess this chica is probably not making student loan payments herself. Maybe in my next life, right?

        • divaliscious11

          My guess is her parents paid for law school too – after all if you can pay for a five figure piece of clothing, they probably wrote out the tuition checks for her, too.

          Lucky girl…..

  17. Joy

    Femme de Carriere is a Canadian company which has BEAUTIFUL feminine suits and special pieces. It’s pricey, but not anywhere near as pricey as Armani! :)

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