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Suit of the Week: Nanette Lepore

Nanette Lepore 'Sultry' JacketFor 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.

The skirt is what stands out most to me about this suit (which is, alas, probably why the skirt is not on sale even though the jacket is) — I love that little asymmetrical ruffle, as well as the fact that it has a bit of stretch. The jacket looks like a great basic, also — all those buttons and the vertical seams make it interesting without being fussy. The jacket (Nanette Lepore ‘Sultry' Jacket) was $498, but is now marked to $248.90, and the skirt (Nanette Lepore ‘Betrayal' Skirt) is still full price at $248.

Nanette Lepore 'Sultry' Jacket Nanette Lepore 'Betrayal' Skirt

(L-5)

96 Comments

  1. I really liked this from the front, but if you check out the “rear view” it has a kind of mermaid-like flair that I am not crazy about.

        2. Does anyone else think of Zoolander “It’s merMAN Dad!” when they hear the word mermaid? Makes watching Say Yes to the Dress a little funnier…

      2. Please keep this up all the time, ‘rettes. This is awesome.

        Maybe one day I’ll write a sonnet. Anyone else for limericks?

      3. Agree. It doesn’t really look like Nanette Lepore. Maybe headed in a different direction? I couldn’t help laughing over the names – Sultry, Betrayal???

        1. There is a gorgeous NL suit on sale at NM Last Call.
          Comes to about $300 total, after sale & discount. I am not sure if the mermaid-y effect on the jacket & skirt is too much for me, personally, but it’s a lovely suit so wanted to share.
          http://tinyurl.com/3daz3ry

          1. There are a ton of other great “work” items on sale, too, btw. Just click under the “work wonders” event.

  3. This is a threadjack. :)

    I am looking for a pair of dark brown work appropriate knee-high boots, preferably rounded or almond toe, at a reasonable price. My issue is that I have small calves, so I’m looking for something with a ~ 13 inch calf circumference. Nearly all boots look like galoshes on me! Does anyone have any suggestions???

    1. Related: I am petite (5’1″) and looking for boots as a wardrobe basic. My legs are not disproportionately short but all the boots I try on seem to ride all the way up almost covering my knees. Are there boots that may be better on petite frames?

      thanks.

    4. I have the opposite problem — very wide calves — but I just got my first pair of Duo boots and LOVE them. The quality is great and the extensive range of calf circumferences at both ends of the spectrum is outstanding. The boots aren’t cheap by any stretch, but they are high quality, and I think the sizing options make them more than comparable for a lot of other boots out on the market. And think about how much more material is needed to make a boot versus a shoe! Of course they will be more expensive! Right now they’re offering free worldwide shipping for a limited time (but alas, if you need to return, you must do so w/in 10 days, and the shipping cost is on you). Still, highly highly recommend. And their customer service is great if you email them, they can give you more details on fit.

      1. Thanks for the tip. I’m in the market for new boots this fall, and thought that I only had JCrew and Naturalizer to choose from!

        1. I have big calves, but not super-big. My latest boots are from Rockport and have elastic panels running the entire length of the shaft. Sorry I can’t find the model name, but it’s past season anyway. They look office-appropriate, fit well, and I like the quality for the price. I know they always have styles suitable for wide and wide-ish calves, but you need to look in the regular assortment for them.

    5. I have similar small calf circumference, and honestly all my boots have just been by random chance and luck at dsw and places like marshall’s/tj maxx. The exception to this is if you want flat/low heel boots, you can buy actual riding boots. Because they’re made to go over jodphurs, not pants like fashion boots, they have smaller calfs. Ariats are about the most comfortable thing in the world (I frequently want to wear my ariat paddock boots around and hope no one notices they’re for riding), but they get pretty pricey. Just search tack shops for other brands.

    6. I got some Miz Mooz boots that are great for my skinnier calves. There are a lot of cute styles that are work appropriate and I got a lot of compliments on the brown boots I got last year. If you go on sites like Endless, you can get the calf circumference/shaft height, which should really help you narrow down the selection.

        1. I got the Amelia. The heel height is pretty comfortable. I have a pair of short brown Born boots that I love, but Borns tend to have a much larger calf circumference.

    7. I have a pair of Campers that are great. I haven’t measured the circumference, but I have fairly thin calves.

    8. I have gotten boots taken in to fit my calves. This isn’t cheap (its cost me around $100), but can make a $150 pair of boots look like $500 pair because they fit me perfectly. Just wanted to throw this out as an option because it opens up the possibilities.

    9. I have the same problem with the calves and I’ve been looking for a pair of flat black boots for about a year! Interested to see any suggestions.

  4. Absolutely adore this skirt. Classic base with a twist. Wow. <3. Too bad I can't wear wool.

    1. I like it too. It doesn’t look “mermaid” to me at all. It just has a flair on one side. The jacket doesn’t really do much for me, but NL skirts fit me well and I can see getting the skirt on its own if it actually goes on sale!

    2. I love it, too. Too bad it won’t fit me right now… maternity sizes, Nanette Lepore???

  5. Ladies I have a question. Does anyone have any good resources for reviewing a legal resume? I graduated in May from a top tier school with great grades. I was very involved in school, had a job with a small local firm during school, and cannot get an interview for a job now for the life of me!

    I’m trying really hard not to get depressed but it’s getting so difficult when you’re in the DC area, where there are so many different companies and govt agencies to apply to, and you can’t even get a single interview! I’m starting to wonder if I need to change my resume to try to get some interest. Does anyone have a good starting point? The OCS at my school is awful and I was going with what they had suggested for my current resume which isn’t working.

    TYIA!

    1. Are you still involved with legal activities, even volunteering? That helps if you’re not already doing it.

      1. I second this – try to be doing something legal (or at least policy if you can’t get legal) while looking for work.

    2. GULC or GW? Just wondering because I had good experience with both OCS and maybe I could recommend a specific person. how many people have looked over your resume? Make sure peers do as well, and maybe a professor. Also its going to be all about networking in this economy

      1. Neither. I actually moved to DC right after graduation. I’ve heard great things about both and only wish my school’s OCS was helpful! I’ve had a couple of friends look it over, but they’re recent grads too and we all got the same advice from our OCS so all of our resumes look the same. That’s why I was thinking of trying to find outside resources, websites with legitimate tips, books, etc. I might go check out the library later to browse some free books for ideas.

        I’m currently doing some unpaid policy work so I don’t have a gap in my resume but my bank account is getting lower by the day and I just desperately need to find something. Unfortunately where I’m doing the unpaid work is a small place that doesn’t appear to have the opportunity to hire anyone. So I’m just hoping to get a good reference and keep my skills sharp without a gap in the resume.

        My other thought is that it is my cover letters but I’ve heard most places don’t even read them anyway and just do keyword searches of resumes these days. I do still try really hard to have a good cover letter explaining why I like the job and why I fit. I just wonder if anyone ever reads them.

        MelD I think you make a good point. Maybe when my bar results come back things will change. I’ll either have better chances or I’ll be your friendly waitress while studying for the bar round 2 (God I hope this doesn’t happen!)

        2. hmm mind me asking where you were before? Do you have ties to DC? that might be part of it. Why did you move?

          1. I was in the general area (a few hours away) for school. I knew I wanted to end up in DC after school, I just didn’t like the schools in DC so I went elsewhere. In retrospect I probably should have just toughed it out and gone to school in DC but I didn’t want to at the time. I like DC, I love the smaller city atmosphere. I love the food, the different neighborhoods, and the ability to escape to a more burb like atmosphere in NOVA when I need to get out. I would love to work in govt., for a firm, in policy, or in politics. When I looked at my interests I knew DC was a place that offered everything I’m interested in. I’ve tried applying for all areas and so far I’m getting nowhere.

            I’ve moved here, signed a year long lease and have a DC address so I would think/hope I’m not being weeded out as not living in DC for my return address? If that’s the reason I’m getting weeded out then it’s hopeless because I don’t own a time machine.

          2. Sorry that last part is confusing. My resume DOES have a DC address. I should have said I hope I’m not getting weeded out because I am new since I have a DC address and thats what OCS said they look when determining if you’re “committed to the area.”

        3. What about contacting alumni or alumnae from your law school and asking for help working on your resume? I get requests like that from recent alumnae of my undergrad college regularly and always say yes.

        4. We read the cover letters closely. In the cover letter we look for writing style and maturity and the reasons why you would be a good fit. If you have a volunteer or prior employment history in our area, that’s really helpful.

          This year, we’ve receive a tide of letters from new graduates that w-a-a-a-y overuse the word “passionate.” I am passionate about XX area of the law. I know my passion will distinguish me from the other applicants. Etc. One applicant used the word three times in one paragraph. And, I apologize to all you all right now, because I assumed a woman wrote that letter, but in fact in was a “passionate” young man.

          So, no, please don’t ignore your cover letter, and please spell hiring partner’s name correctly.

          I agree with the others. Once you pass the bar, you’ll begin to get call backs. Good luck to you!

    3. I doubt it has anything to do with your resume. In this economy, there are so many licensed new grads out from 2009-10 that it doesn’t really make sense for employers to interview 2011 grads who aren’t licensed yet. Once you are licensed, I imagine you’ll be getting a lot more calls.

    4. Just want to chime in and say if you’re applying to government, you just need to be prepared to wait a while. I applied for two agencies (among others) in early October last year. One I had a fairly high-level contact with, and with one I was applying blind. Even with the contact, I didn’t hear back from the first agency about my application January, interviewed pretty quickly after that, but then didn’t get an offer until May! With the other, I didn’t get an invite to an interview until June! (And I’m not even mentioning all the numerous applications that seemingly went into a black whole). So, my advice is to apply as broadly as you can to things that you might be interested in and generally are qualified for, be patient, and always be looking for contacts on the inside.

    5. Odd, you were at a top tier law school but did not participate in on campus interviewing/recruiting? Or was it simply not fruitful and now you have cause to rethink your resume?

      1. OCI was greatly downgraded at a lot of schools, mine included, during the recession. We mostly had big law that attended, and I knew that big law was not for me. In retrospect I would have taken hating my life for a few years compared to this frustration.

        The few non-big law jobs were either not in DC so I didn’t apply or were extremely competitive with hundreds of students applying for just a few interview spots. I wish OCI had panned out but it simply was not meant to be for my job search.

    6. Kat has linked to ask a manager dot org before, and her advice is really solid. For lawyer-specific ideas, you need to find lawyers who hire people. Maybe someone at the place you volunteer at, or an adjunct professor who actually practices?

    7. no advice, but I’m a 2010 grad from a top school and it took me about a year of searching and over 150 applications before I found a job, which I didn’t get until after I was admitted (i’m in NY and it took forever to get admitted–I didn’t get admitted until May, a year after graduation). Luckily I had a paid job for a congressman (non-legal position) to pay the bills in the interim until I found a law job. The staff assistant in our office was also a fellow law grad (with an llm) unable to find a law job who I believe has since found one, so maintain hope. Something will turn up. Also, see if your school is giving stipends for short public interest internships to unemployed grads–I know a number of schools were for my year graduates, at least.

      1. I graduated in 2009 and it was the same for my people in my class. I work in an area where the local school fluctuates Tier 1-2 and it seems like people from the 2008 class onward really struggled to find legal jobs at all. Those who did seem like they were all stellar students who had multiple school year internships.

    8. Joining in this question (which I raised earlier this week but without a lot of response other than suggestions to check my school’s OCS) does anyone have a recommendation for a resume writer for attorneys? Or recommendations for how to find one (other than picking someone randomly on the web)? While in this hiring environment, a non-stellar resume might not be the problem, it can’t help.

      1. I don’t know of any specific resume writer recs., but what I did when I graduated is I went to my local B&N and spent a few hours to sit down with all the resume books there to figure out what I needed my resume to look like (which action verbs work best, format, etc.). I think that + talking to your career services folks is a good start. Another idea is to contact alumni, and any other employers in your fields of interest generally, for informational interviews. Besides providing you with an important networking opportunity, you can talk about your resume candidly with the very people who make hiring decisions and who can give you appropriate feedback that’s more concrete than anything a professional resume writer can give you.

  7. Great pick. This suit is fabulous. Love the business on top, fun on the bottom aspect. Not sure how the skirt would fit on someone with hips, but it looks great on the model. If I had a big firm job I would buy this in a heartbeat.

  8. This is a very pretty suit. I feel like NL suits have really gotten more wearable this year. This one and a couple of others I’ve seen are perfectly interesting and feminine without looking like you fell out of a costume shop.

  9. A brief rant: WHY does Boden hide all their cool clothes when they have a sale??? I was trolling maternity wear last week, and found several things I liked. Now that the 20% off sale is happening, none of those items are to be found. Grrrrr….

    1. Keep checking! Their sale return window is only a week, so colors get added back quickly.

    2. This bugs me too! I assume you are referring to the fact that they hide all sale items when they have a promotion?
      I understand not applying the 20% off promo to already-reduced sale items, but why hide the sale items altogether?! Is the free shipping of a few sale items along with some “free shipping” promo items really going to be bad for their bottom line?

      1. AIMS, it’s not only clearance items, which is totally frustrating, but even some of their more desirable (better selling?) regularly priced stuff. I had a bunch of stuff on which I was waiting to pull the trigger until there was (at least) free shipping, or (even better) a sale. I was so psyched to get the 20% email, but now none of the stuff I liked is visible! In the mat. section, the items have either 3 star reviews (out of five) or no reviews. Knowing how random Boden’s sizing can be, I’m not gonna pull the trigger unless I can read some good reviews.

        I will keep checking back, but the current discount declines each day (tomorrow, 15% off; Fri., 10% off). It will be interesting to see if the stuff I had my eye on comes when the discount is reduced or gone…

        1. Wow, that’s horrible! I didn’t even realize. And after I was just totally charmed by the latest Boden catalog with the love letter from Jonny Boden … That’s a real shame. I would try to call customer service though, Boden tends to be very responsive. If nothing else, letting them know that this is a problem may held change their policies (they’re usually very responsive).

    3. Thank you for saying this, I thought I was going crazy! I found some great stuff last week too, all of which now seems to be absent now. I was starting to think I had just imagined them.

  10. Like the jacket, but not fond of the skirt. Somehow the ruffle doesn’t feel like it quite fits — something about the angle or the dual layer of the main part of the skirt bugs me.

    On another suiting note, does anyone have any recommendations for what to wear under suits? I’m headed back into the professional world after a substantial hiatus. I’ve found lots of suits, pants, and skirts that I like. I’m at a loss for tops. I got the genetic short straw for arms and like to cover my bat wings :( I have a bunch of shells/tanks, but that forces me to keep my jacket or a sweater on all day. I’d love to find some short and long sleeves tops that can either go under suit jackets or be paired with a skirt or pants and be worn solo.

    1. I have several blouses that are short or cap sleeves and I wear them over tissue turtlenecks in the winter (both with and without suits — it makes a more informal look with the suit).

    3. Lately I’ve had pretty good luck at the Talbot’s outlet for under-suit shirts that are not sleeveless. They seem to have some things that are not in the regular stores. T-shirts in good fabric and colors, with interesting necklines, etc.

    4. Thanks for the suggestions!

      I’m really hoping fall brings out some new options. I will say, I’m loving the jewel tone color palette — those are “my” colors and haven’t be “in” since the late 1980s :)

  11. This suit is beautiful! I would buy it in a second if I weren’t, unfortunately, unemployed at the moment. I’d wear it with big chunky pearls to balance the delicateness of those little buttons on the jacket.

  12. Threadjack…

    I’m having a conversation with some men I work with and the consensus seems to be that Mad Men (the TV show) is over the top in its depiction of sexism circa 1960. I was surprised to hear this reaction. I’ve watched the show and it never really crossed my mind to wonder if the show exagerates or is a fairly accurate depiction of the time/place/era. Obviously, it’s a pretty narrow slice that centers on life- upper class/wealthy white people in NYC. My thought was that while the characters may not neccesarily be your average dude (Don Draper), the depiction of secretary experiences at that time and place may not be too far off. Also, Madison avenue was, i think notorious for that kind of behaviour even then. I have nothing to compare the show to except movies of the period (i.e. north by northwest- Cary Grant is a Mad Ave exec), but on the other hand, neither do these guys I work with.
    Thoughts? I’m not invested either way, but I’d like to hear another woman’s opinion! Is Mad men ridiculously over the top, or accurate in its portrayal of work place sexism?

    1. I was born in 1973, so I wasn’t alive during that era. BUT when I worked as a secretary summers in college and law school, my legs, breasts, and general appearance were frequently commented on by men who were probably in their 50s at the time. This was “normal” for the office. This was done out in the open and no one batted an eye. Of course, when I started as a lawyer in the late 90s, my breasts were commented on daily by some male partners. I suspect that men don’t realize the extent sexism is still an issue.

    2. If you’re interested in a real life (ish) account of the period- read “my big life in advertising.” written by one of the first women to make it big in the ad biz. Definitely encountered some sexism, and she seems like she turned a little kooky later on in the book but overall a fun and interesting read

    3. Given the detail with which Matthew Weiner strives to replicate every other aspect of the error, I’d be surprised to learn that the sexism is being grossly mis-represented.

      I’d be interested in why your male colleagues thought the sexism was so exaggerated. Because they couldn’t see themselves acting that way? Is that a sign of how far things have come?

      1. In fact, after a brief review of various articles on the topic of whether MM’s sexism is exaggerated, almost all of the agree that it’s accurate for the period.

    4. Apparently many of the sexist incidents shown on the show come from the modern-day experiences of the women writers on the show, so.

    5. I experienced that stuff at a dot com a little over a decade ago, so I have no doubt that some workplaces in the ’60s were like Mad Men. When a woman in that company got promoted, there were always rumors about how she slept with some executive to get the position. The male dominated departments would have strip club outings arranged by the department head.

      My great aunt was a scientist at big oil and it did not go well for her. The men did not want her there and would lock her in the closet in hopes they could get her to quit.

      1. How many lawyers were offered jobs as secretaries? There are old judges on the bench now who don’t know what we are doing in the courtroom.

        1. Neither Justice Sandra Day O’Connor nor Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison could find a job as a lawyer when they graduated from law school.

    6. Considering some of the things I’ve seen and experienced in my relatively young age, I would be very surprised that it wasn’t worse in the 60s. Men don’t notice it now, they certainly didn’t when they didn’t have to.

      1. This.

        I have a lot of good guy friends who casually express similar feelings to the OP’s colleagues. They just have no idea what it’s like to be disrespected automatically due to gender, which happens in ways both big and small.

    7. omg, it’s so accurate! check out A Touch of Mink: Cary Grant & Doris Day.. i love Cary Grant movies, but that one makes me physically uncomfortable…. the women are supposed to just accept that this is how men are, and aw, dear, you’re just so pretty, so it’s a little trade off for being so lucky to be so adorable! ::shrug:: blech…

      1. ps – the head of my firm is notorious for only hiring young Asian assistants and hitting on them relentlessly. In 2011.

    9. OP here: so interesting to hear all the comments! Your responses jive with my knee jerk reaction: that they are guys, they experience male privilege on a daily basis, and thus have a hard time believing that it even exists.

      Argie: I think the reason they feel the show is unrealistic is that things “obviously” aren’t like that today, and 50 years couldn’t possibly have made such a difference. As I typed that out, I realized how totally crazy it sounded- but that’s really what they think! These are all youngish guys who didn’t live through the Mad Men era: 25-35 year old professionals.

      The Sandra Day O’connor example is a great one- i had heard it before and it slipped my mind. I’ll have to remember that the next time this comes up.

      To be honest, I felt pretty indignant during this whole conversation and really had to bite my tongue not to “turn it into a big sexism thing” when they just wanted to chat casually about tv shows. Thanks for confirming that I’m not crazy for assuming that many of those things happened. In fact, the first time I watched the show, I not only thought it was probably realistic, but that they left the worst of it out- at least in the first season. I certainly didn’t think it was over the top. Maybe because I love those old movies (Doris Day, Cary Grant) and shows (I love Lucy) and so am a least a little bit familiar with the casual sexism that pervaded pop culture at the time.

      Anyway, awesome to hear all your thoughts!

  13. Grumble. If you’re going to insist that I get a memo to you a week before it’s due so you can review it before the long weekend, why do you wait until the afternoon of the day before it’s due to review it???

    I know it’s the big law job I signed up for, but, ARGH. And although I am trying not to take it personally, I’m feeling like a totally incompetent goof because of his feedback. I hate the level of perfection needed for this job.

    1. I used to feel that way as an associate. Now that I’m on the other side I realize how many more things partners juggle; partners don’t like working weekends/late any more than associates; and associates have a lot to learn (even the best ones).

      1. I think the point is that when you’re assigning work, please be realistic about when you’ll have a chance to review something, and don’t push for an earlier deadline knowing you won’t review it until later.

        1. I think that is what Anon above is referring to, though; from a Partner’s perspective, you can’t always meet your own deadlines despite best intentions. So he/she may have thought they would review the doc earlier, but then couldn’t because of a bunch of other unforeseen things that came up.

          Not to minimize, though. I have definitely been in OP’s position and it’s annoying as hell.

          1. Yep. I never give “false” deadlines, but I don’t always meet my deadlines. I am sure I’m not alone. When I was an associate, I didn’t realize how much partners were often juggling.

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