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Suit of the Week: Reiss

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. Ooooh: there are some lovely green suits out there right now, including this pictured one from Reiss, as well as others from Ann Taylor and Hugo Boss (now on sale for 40% off). We talked about “interesting suits for court” a few years ago, inspired by a teal green suit worn by Duchess Kate, and the general consensus among readers was that so long as the suit wasn't “distracting” in terms of shape, color, trend, or, ahem, lack of fabric, then it was fine. Now, this one does have cuffed pants, which I'm not a fan of personally — but you do you. The matching separates for this suit include a one-button blazer, tailored pants, and a pencil skirt with an interesting waist detail, all for $230 to $445. Looking for something similar in plus sizes? This popular stretch suiting comes in “black forest green” up to size 28 — and while there are no matching bottoms, this emerald green shawl blazer looks fabulous. This post contains affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For more details see here. Thank you so much for your support!

Sales of note for 12.5

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

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

32 Comments

  1. My younger sister just had a bilateral DIEP flap reconstruction after a long battle with breast cancer. She’ll be in the hospital until next week, and recovery will take 6-8 weeks. I’m flying out to see her in 2.5 weeks (my family is taking shifts to visit her & help support her husband in caring for their kids). Any advice on small gifts I could bring (or have shipped to her in New York) to help support and ease her recovery?

    1. Vera Bradley travel blanket. Easy to get on Amazon, warm, soft, cheerful, machine washable.

    2. Are they in an area served by Fresh Direct? If so, you can get a gift card — grocery delivery w/lots of prepared meal options. Best wishes to your family.

    3. I had this surgery 6 years ago. No regrets. Hope she recovers well. I would send a couple of cards in the mail a week and maybe some flowers in a week or so. Recovery is tiring and was boring at times. Little things in the mail and flowers were fun to receive.

    4. I had a similar surgery 13 years ago. All the other recommendations are good. If your budget allows, maybe send her some pjs, especially a top that buttons down the front. I’m not a huge robe person most of the time (I run hot) but if your sister is, I’m sure a robe would also be nice. Flowers, cards, nice lotions, pretty blankets, and PJs were all appreciated. I stayed with my parents (I was still in school) but I know lots of people brought meals which helped everyone. Company (as you’re planning) was really nice, even if it was just to be around when I needed a small snack so I could take another round of meds without upsetting my stomach. Having non-family company was kind of iffy. A VERY good friend helped me shave my legs, but I sent a whole other group of friends home when my catheter started leaking. All around, it’s rough but was definitely worth it to me in the long run. (My mom had the DIEP flap surgery a few years ago and has loved her results.)

  3. Has anyone used the Lo & Sons OMG as a diaper bag and/or bag to carry a pump to/from work? How did it work for those purposes?

    1. I find this bag really heavy for what it is. I like it, but I wouldn’t want the added weight for a diaper bag. We use the L&S Catalina tote as a diaper/kid bag for travel. It’s lighter, and I really like that the bottom pocket of the tote fits a diaper clutch, so easier to just grab that for diaper changes.

      I wouldn’t use it for carrying a pump to/from work again because of it’s weight. I guess if you weren’t walking much, it doesn’t matter. But also, for the cost of this bag (or the fancier pumping bags from Sarah Wells), you could by a lighter pump and/or a second pump to leave at work. I had a Spectra S2 from insurance and bought a Spectra S9 (smaller, battery-powered) for work & travel, about $130 on Am*zon.

  4. I’m accepting a promotion with my company that requires a cross-country move. I’m thrilled but am starting to feel totally overwhelmed by logistics. We’re just about ready to negotiate a relocation package (which will likely just be a lump sum to cover whatever I want). For those of you who have done long moves, what should I be thinking about that might not be obvious? I’m married, no kids, but one dog that will also have to make the trek. Thanks for any words of wisdom you have to offer!

    1. Moved two times internationally.

      Your relocation package should cover
      – house hunting costs (e.g. 2 or 3 short trips to look at houses/apartments)
      – lease cancellation fees
      – realtor fees (in case you’re selling/buying) at the new location
      – temporary accommodation in case needed
      – any support for your spouse with job hunting, if that is applicable, e.g. connecting them with a recruiter

      For the actual move, figure out what your living situation is going to be. Do you want to buy a house there prior to moving or rather rent first and get to know the market?

      1. Multiple domestic relocation veteran. We move under a well established corporate policy, but a couple costs to ask for:

        – Relocation of your stuff: full moving & packing with reputable provider; shipping for vehicle if you’re not driving it (or both)
        – Relocation costs for yourselves: hotel room in home city after movers pack; hotel room in destination city for at least one (maybe two) nights before movers arrive with stuff; hotel room in transit, mileage/air fare, food allowance etc per day
        – Housing costs: house-hunting trip; realtor fees/closing costs if you’re buying/selling a home
        – Lump sum above and beyond moving expenses for all the extra expense that you don’t account for but only spend because you had to move (e.g. getting carpets cleaned, putting up new blinds in new house, whatever). My husband’s package is income based and offers roughly $10K for this.

    2. Don’t forget that moving reimbursements are now taxable income, so you’re only getting a fraction of it actually paid for unless your company has a gross up policy. I just did a cross country move, but work for a state university, so I only got ~60% my expenses covered due to fed+state+payroll taxes, not to mention all the things that weren’t reimbursed to begin with, like house hunting trips, paying double rent/mortgage, stuff for the new house (appliances, new curtains, cleaning supplies, etc.), new car registration/licenses, expenses associated with selling the old house, etc. If you can get any of those things covered, go for it. Moving cross country is expensive!

    3. Get tax advice. We did a move after the law changed and were able to get the employer to pay the moving company directly ($17K for a family of 6 moving 500 miles), which means it did not get taxed as income. This was very valuable. Reimbursement for other things (hotels, flights to house hunt, etc.) did get taxed as far as I understand it.

  5. How do you learn to write in a different style? And how long does it take? I have eight years of contract drafting experience and a senior partner wants me to help with his currently overburdened desk practice in a different area. He wants me to learn how to write in an advocacy style. No forms or past examples, I am just learning from his redlines right now. I am having a hard time understanding what he wants and his writing style. Any tips?

    1. Why don’t you have past examples? Has the firm never done this type of work before? Who used to help partner? Where is partners old work?

      1. Yeah, I’d push harder on that. He must have something he’s comparing you to. If it’s a BS ideal that exists only in his head, then keep on keepin on as you are.

    2. I agree with Anonymus. Look at their past work, and if you can get the MS Word files, just copy them and retain them for future use. In my case, I write breifs all the time, and since I have the MS Word files, I just go thru them, find an old breif that is similar, then use the “FIND/REPLACE” tab to change the names of the parties. Then I go thru it to make sure it still makes sense. Before filing it, I update the cases with our standard list of cases which we won, makeing sure to cite the judge that decided the case. In 70% of the cases, it is the same judge, so it is NOT difficult. YAY!

    3. Perhaps read books by Ross Guberman and Bryan Garner. They are filled with examples of written advocacy. You don’t have to accept all of their advice (esp. Garner’s), but the examples should be useful (esp. Guberman’s selections from some of the country’s best legal writers).

    4. I think it’s helpful to imagine what you would say at the oral argument. Your writing will be more formal than your spoken voice, but it will help you simplify the arguments and punch up your energy. Also, just reading other briefs – seems really weird that your boss has NO examples but you can look on Westlaw.

  6. I’d love some recs for therapists (individual/relationship counseling). I’m finally admitting to myself I need a separation/divorce. TIA.

    1. Hugs. Try Marcie Evans Schulman. Her office is UES, but she also does teletherapy if you want to transition to that after the first couple of sessions.

  7. Does anyone here use StrongerU? Can you compare/contrast it to WW personal coaching? (Anything else I should be considering?) Thank you!

  8. Has anyone seen a good denim skirt? I know they aren’t the trendiest right now, but my capsule wardrobe tops all match blue denim, and I’d like to mix it up from my jeans some days.Open to anything long enough to be professional.

  9. Just seeking commiseration. Having one of those days where it seems like everything I do at work is wrong. I feel like I am overall doing a really good job but my small mistakes are all that is noticed or remembered. Maybe this isn’t the job for me.

    1. Internet hugs for you. Those days can really get you down — and if it’s turning into weeks and months, you may be right. If you’re overall doing a really good job but your supervisors keep carping on tiny mistakes, maybe THEY aren’t the supervisors for you. (It took me a long time to come to this realization for myself: I need supervisors who acknowledge the good things I’m doing as well as pointing out ways I can improve.) Hoping for better days for you!

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