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Updated: Oct 31, 2018 125 Comments · by

Suit of the Week: Theory

Suit of the Week

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Theory jacket - Ornella Admiral CrepeFor 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. If memory serves, August is always a bit dead for suits — the boring and bad ones sit in clearance, and the new ones haven't been brought out yet. So this week's pick is a bit of a mixed bag to me — but hey, maybe it's perfect for someone else. The pros, as I see them: this is a lovely black shift dress and matching blazer made from “Admiral Crepe,” which the Theory website describes as being a “super-smooth fabric with excellent drape.” I like the look and the cut of both pieces, very much. EXCEPT: the armholes on the dress (as seen here)! Why?!?!?!? If you, for some reason, are up for either a) letting your bra show whenever you lift up your arms, b) wearing your blazer or a sweater all day anyway, c) wearing a camisole (or other blouse) beneath a dress with a high neckline, or d) taking the dress to the tailor for an added expense of adding some fabric or zipping that bit up… then this is the dress for you. It is a kind of sexy look, I'll grant Theory that — but to me it just ruins an otherwise perfect sheath dress. Sigh. The dress (Minaeon Dress) is $325, and the blazer (Ornella Blazer) is $395. (Note that Theory has many pieces in this fabric.) There doesn't seem to be much out there that's similar, but here are a couple of lower-priced alternatives for the jacket (one, two). Theory Suit (L-all)

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:

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

Comments

  1. Anonymous

    I love the waist on the dress, but I agree that the armholes are weird!

    What’s your favorite pick me up for when you’re feeling down or out of sorts?

    • Hildegarde

      Meeting friends for a drink, going for a brisk walk, or doing something kind for someone else. Or hey, walk to meet your friends for a drink, and do something kind for one of them, or for a stranger on the way, even if it’s just a smile and a compliment on their outfit.

      • Veronica Mars

        I agree. I’ve been trying to limit this and the best alternatives I’ve found are: taking a hot bath and then painting my nails. I find doing an at-home manicure extremely relaxing.

    • KT

      Corgi videos. They are so silly.

      or those ridiculous goat screaming videos. i dont know why, but they make me cry laughing.

      • Pep

        An actual corgi.

        Seriously, having a pet (and I do have a corgi!) really helps me when I’m blue. She just loves so much and unconditionally. Plus attending to her needs, playing, and walking gets me focused on other things than those which are bringing me down or stressing me out.

    • Anon

      Exercise, even if it’s just a walk on the treadmill, and a nap. If a nap isn’t available, and let’s be real, they often aren’t, a good night’s sleep. Everything seems better after sleep.

    • KinCA

      Wine, preferably consumed on some kind of patio. Time alone with my husband. Baking something sweet.

    • emeralds

      In no particular order: running or working out; playing with my dog; getting a good night’s sleep; making sure my outfit, hair, and makeup ares on point; hugs from my boyfriend; seeing friends; wine.

    • Ellen

      YAY! I love Theory and this cut, but the back look’s stupid to me. I do NOT want men to see the seam in my dress or the zipper. It is a talking point for Frank, who told me point blank that he would pay $50 to see me naked. Gross looser!

      As for the OP, When I was a teenager, I was pimpley, and no guy would look at me. Then the doctor gave me benzol peroxide, and it cleared it right up. YAY! But I am sure doctor’s have new medicine’s that can cure your acne better today, b/c I am not a kid any more. At 34, I need to be a mommy! Where is my husband to be? Help!

    • Brunette Elle Woods

      I love Biore Blemish Fighting Ice Cleanser and the CVS version of clean and clear spot treatment. I’ve been using both for years.

        • Brunette Elle Woods

          Just seeing this now. I can’t say exactly how long it takes to work. I tend to be too busy to pay enough attention, but if I use both regularly I don’t breakout, aside from an occasional hormone related blemish. If I don’t use both consistently, there are some issues. Also, I find the CVS version works better than the Clean and Clear version.

    • 2 Cents

      Purpose soap, either in bar or pump form. I’ve used it since I was a teenager.

    • Duchess

      I have always had terrible acne, and recently I have found Cetaphil cleanser (I prefer the sensitive skin to all skin types), Mario Badescu drying lotion, and Philosophy’s Hope in a Jar moisturizer have done WONDERS for my complexion.

      • mascot

        Mario Badescu works wonders on my hormonal cystic acne. I also like the Evologie serum (tea tree oil) or just diluted tea tree oil for spot treatment.

        • nutella

          Someone here (again, another great Corpor3tt3 rec) suggested evologie — maybe it was you? — and I’ve been loving it ever since. I use the Intensive Blemish Serum and it’s cleared things up for me greatly. Also, no scrubs, washing only as necessary, fish oil, and facials really helped for me.

    • A

      Desert Essence thoroughly clean face wash and the oil control moisturizer, plus a low-GI diet. Benzoyl peroxide on any cysts, or a dab of the Queen Helene mint julep mask on them overnight.

    • Chemlady

      If you have oily skin, clay face mask. You can buy the “Aztec healing clay” on Amazon, very affordable. I prefer this to store brands because there are no added ingredients. With other products, you get clay as the active ingredient plus a whole lot of other stabilizers, thickeners etc that do nothing for the skin.
      For exfoliating I like a brown sugar and honey mask, leaves the skin very smooth.
      A good cleansing soap is Dr. Bronner’s Castile bar soap

    • banana

      Counterintuitively, I found that moisturizing more helped my acne. I have dry skin tend to break out when it’s not properly cared for.

    • DC Anon

      Large doses of vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) can work amazingly well. 2 close family members of mine each tried it and their cystic acne cleared up literally within a couple days. Seriously crazy results. Search on Reddit (search vitamin B5, pantothenic acid, acne) for discussions of dosage, timing, and results.

    • J

      Silk Naturals AHA toner or any other chemical exfoliator. I’ve never had bad skin per se, but learning about chemical exfoliants (from the skincareaddiction subreddit – it’s amazing) has made my skin so much happier.

    • Mary Ann Singleton

      My acne cleared up when I started taking 5,000 IUs of vitamin D every day. I was marginally deficient when I got tested, so that’s why started taking it, but the clear skin was a welcome side effect.

    • valancy stirling

      I would seriously recommend going to talk to your dermatologist. Most people think they’re only for serious issues, but their goal is to keep your skin healthy and really can help you tailor your skin regimen to your needs.

      FWIW, mine recommended that I use 5% benzoyl peroxide (I use this for my face) and also gave me a prescription for low-strength Differin for serious spot treatment (I’ve used this on my back). Rather than use a spot treatment for the benzoyl peroxide, I swear by Clean and Clear’s facial cleanser (I think it’s called the 3-in-one) with 5% BP — it’s far less harsh, and rather than treat pimples after they appear, it prevents them from coming in the first place.

    • CMC

      The sub-Reddit Skincare Addiction has a great list of products, suggested regimens, and other general skincare tips/ideas. I like that their shtick is basically an elimination diet for your skin, adding products one at a time to truly gauge how your skin reacts to it. On their recommendation I’ve been using CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser and CeraVe Moisturizing Cream (in the tub) for a month or two, and I think my skin is really improving.

      Also, +1 to seeing a dermatologist. My acne got incredibly bad in my mid-20s (compounded by compulsive skin picking, but thankfully therapy helped a lot with that), and my derm had me on antibiotics for 6-months to clear up the infections under my skin. That’s an extreme example, naturally, but still, good to see a doctor to evaluate. She also had me on Epiduo which I liked and responded well to.

      • CMC

        P.S. I also went on birth control for my acne, which helped a lot. Yay, hormones!

  3. Blonde Lawyer

    Just curious. I’ve seen the word self-care used a lot lately. I’m a fan of the concept. It is something we have been doing for years without it having a name. When and why did that name become a thing? Was it in a book recently? A Dr. Oz or Oprah thing? Just curious why it suddenly took off.

    • Anonymous

      I think because we havent been doing it for years? only this year have i really started enforcing that I need my own time

    • Monday

      Interesting question. I don’t know if there was one pivotal book, article, or whatever, but I think it emerged because white collar professional people began feeling they needed a label (and justification) for doing anything other than work or take care of others (kids, elders). As if there must be a clinical-sounding, research-supported term to explain that yes, people actually do need to sleep, have time off, see their friends, etc.

      It reminds me of the also buzzy “work-life balance.” I think in a healthy culture where work was kept in its proper perspective and we weren’t always “on,” we wouldn’t even need words for these concepts at all. It should be self-evident as to sound silly, like “acknowledging one’s humanity” or “making sure life is worth living.”

      • Blonde Lawyer

        This makes so much sense.

        Kind of like how needing to take vacation time (to see family, go to a wedding, appease a spouse) is more accepted than wanting to take a vacation. In my lawyer years, I’ve never seen anyone take a staycation (that was publicly announced at least.) It was quite common when I worked in corrections. Part of this could be having the money to do fancier things but I also think a big part is that we aren’t supposed to want a break, even though we all do.

        • Monday

          In a similar phenomenon, I remember in Intuitive Eating the authors point out that taking a break (at work or elsewhere) is acceptable if it’s to eat, but not if it’s simply because you need a break. They suggest many of us eat when we’re not hungry because we need an excuse to get away for a while. That definitely rang true for me.

          • anon

            Or smoke. I think this is why some people keep smoking. So they can go outside and gossip and take a break from their desk without having to explain why.

          • moss

            When I quit smoking one thing I missed was seeing so much weather. I caught a lot of pretty sunsets and rainstorms and bright beautiful windy days and noticed the seasons changing much more when I was stepping outside for 5 minutes a few times a day.

      • emeralds

        I really agree with all of this. I’ve worked abroad twice–both times in cultures that place a lot less emphasis on work and a lot more on other forms of being alive–and I never heard anyone use terms even remotely similar to self-care or work/life balance. Because those things were so intrinsic to human existence that they didn’t need to be explained.

        • Anon

          +1. Nearly all shops in France are closed on Sunday, and most of Saturday, because people are supposed to be relaxing and not running around buying things. Self-care and work/life balance is a way of being :)

  4. Tech Question

    I’m assisting my office with investigating various options to upgrade our tech system to have some default encryption options for email. We are frequently emailing w/ members of the general public so it would preferably not be complex for the recipient to access the info. We also need to keep a copy in our file the way you can w/ regular emails in Outlook. We don’t want to have to go back to printing for storage. For those of you that are regularly emailing things with protected info, what systems are you using for encryption? Does anyone have a system where 100% of their emails are encrypted? What does the recipient need to do to view it? Does it prevent others from sending you protected info in a non-encrypted manner? Thanks in advance for any suggestions. I’m obviously consulting with our IT people too but sometimes they only suggest to us preferred vendor software.

    • Anon for this

      We use Entrust for encrypction, seems to work quite well – you can activate on pertinent e-mails but otherwise everything is the same. However, to open a file you need to be within our system, so that wouldn’t work for sharing with the public.

  5. Marie

    I just want to make a random plug for Clinique. I had a leftover Macy’s giftcard from the holidays and splurged at the Clinique counter, purchasing the Redness Solutions face wash, the custom repair serum, the all about eyes eye cream, the city block sheer 25 spf sunscreen and the redness solutions daily relief cream. The woman also recommended that a do a charcoal mask 2x/week and gave me a sample–I ended up purchasing a different brand mask on Amazon and have been using it once a week. Anyway, my skin is SO MUCH BETTER. Redness is gone, weird dry-and-oily-at-the-same-time-forehead flaking is totally gone, rough and ruddy bumps on cheeks and near nose are gone, and veins around nostrils look better too. I’m sooo pleased and it’s been really nice to have a structure and to have someone tell me “here are some products, here’s how to use them,” since this is not a topic I’m usually all that interested in personally researching. As Ellen would say, YAY!!!

  6. Office gym workouts

    I need some guidance please. After expressing interest and subsequently being encouraged by others in my office, I’ve been going to the gym in my office building at lunchtime to do weight-training. My “gym buddy” is a guy from Office Services/Mailroom who not only keeps me accountable on a daily basis, but also picks and demonstrates the exercises for me, then he does his workout and I do mine and he checks in with me every 10-15 minutes – checks my form, decides if I need more weight etc. We are a small office (less than 20 lawyers) and I’m a partner, but we’re informal and I’m not concerned about “appearances”. If I were going to my regular gym and getting a trainer to work with me I’d get more one-on-one time, but it would cost me a fortune. Should I give him a gift card or something to thank him for his input and encouragement? Or leave it alone? And if I should get something, what do you suggest? Value? Frequency? I’ve a feeling I’m overthinking this but I want to do the right thing.

    • CountC

      Reposting here for visibility.

      I wouldn’t get him anything. He is helping you as a friend and because he enjoys it, IMO. I help people with their workout routines because I genuinely enjoy it and it would be super weird for me to receive a gift as a result. I think giving a gift of any type in this situation would make it weird.

      • CountC

        Dudes never give each other gifts for helping out with workouts. At most they would buy each other a drink once in a while, but that’s a standard friend thing.

      • Dahlia

        Super weird. That’s like paying him when he’s trying to be a buddy. So awkward.

        Give him a great gift if a life event arises (wedding or something). Treat him like the awesome friend he’s being.

    • anon

      I’d leave it be. I’d just think of it as a nice way for you two to connect as people and form a friendship of sorts formal working environment. He probably likes helping. I’d feel awkward if someone got me a gift in this situation, probably. It makes it feel more transactional.

    • HSAL

      I definitely think a gift card would be weird, but maybe buy him a post-workout coffee/smoothie/whatever he drinks?

    • Anonymous

      Buy him a beer at happy hour or bring in coffee or bagels or something that can be shared with others in the office. Giving something substantial screams that you see him as your workout employee rather than workout buddy. Do not give him cash, that would make things very weird and he would possibly be offended, especially by $300 at Christmas. Do you give your friends a cash bonus at the end of the year for being your friends? Nope.

      • Anonymous

        Are your friends your subordinates in a business in which you are a part owner performing a service for which you would ordinarily pay during their lunch break though? If you’re comfortable blurring all those lines, and I do think it’s fine, don’t make the final straw showing your appreciation.

    • BeenThatGuy

      I am a fellow lover of all things weight-lifting related (and Crossfit – swoon), I beg you to believe me when I say that him helping you with your form/weights/accountability, is a pleasure for him. I LOVE to pass on my knowledge to other people who are willing to learn. Giving him a gift would be beyond weird.

    • NYC Anon

      I think a gift card would be super weird, but I think it wouldn’t be weird at all for you to do whatever nice things you do for friends who help you out in some way… grabbing their coffee or a smoothie or something like that. For example, if your friend looked over your resume for you and gave you advice, you’d probably do something nice for her as a thank you, but probably not a gift card…

  7. TBK

    I’m going to a wedding in mid-October and have started looking for a dress. I can’t remember — when do all the good fancy dresses come out for the holiday season? The stuff in stores now is still summer clearance and I’d really prefer something in a darker color. Also, my husband is a groomsman and will be wearing a tux, and the wedding website says the reception is “formal,” so I’m assuming I should be wearing a long dress, right? I think the bridesmaids are. (I’ll see if I can get a photo of their dresses — I don’t think I want to be MORE formal than they are.) I would love to wear one of the dresses that are popular right now with the lace illusion top (sort of like Princess Kate’s wedding dress) since my upper arms are very much not my best feature but I worry that looks too mother of the bride. Is there a way to wear that look without looking like I’m 50?

  8. CountC

    I wouldn’t get him anything. He is helping you as a friend and because he enjoys it, IMO. I help people with their workout routines because I genuinely enjoy it and it would be super weird for me to receive a gift as a result. I think giving a gift of any type in this situation would make it weird.

  9. Kim

    Question for the hive: a friend got me an interview for a job at her company and I got it. Which is great. What should I get her as a thank you??? Bottle of champagne? Facial? I don’t want to go crazy but definitely want it to be meaningful. Thanks in advance.

  10. No, I don't want to buy your oils/candles/etc.

    So totally up front: I hate MLM-type stuff. While I will admit to actually liking a few Pampered Chef items, for the absolute most part I have zero need in my life to buy whatever nail wraps/essential oils/eyelash extensions/candles with rhinestones in them inside you happen to be selling.

    I am at that point in life where I am apparently surrounded by SAHMs who are not only trying to foist these products on me, but also continually telling me that I TOO! can make money AND be around for my family and blah blah blah. Listen, you do you and all, but I have apparently hit my limit.

    A High School friend who has turned into a friendly acquaintance (I live a few hundred miles away) has been particularly hitting me up hard to check out her website and offering me deals on her stupid scam product of the month. Can someone suggest better wording than, ‘Dude. I don’t need this crap and really resent that you are both insulting my lifestyle and attempting to guilt me into purchasing something I do not want or need.’?

      • Anon

        +1

        “Thank you – I’m not interested at the moment, but I know where to find you if I change my mind!”

        And then delete/hide further requests.

        • OP

          Thank you. My rage was blinding me from seeing the simple, straightforward answer I knew existed.

          Also, to the poster below who equated this with general networking that is encouraged by me and others: If I or another professional acquaintance was using these tactics, techniques, constant Facebook/email/text messages and unsolicited comments that ‘Your job is terrible and so are your priorities, you should only work doing what I do!’, I would judge that person equally harshly.

          (Yeah, though. It’s totally a socially acceptable borderline pyramid scheme. This one in particular.)

    • tesyaa

      Just stop at the “Dude, I don’t need this [nicer word for crap]”, and ignore the lifestyle digs. Keep repeating as needed…

    • Anono

      So your reaction seems to be to insult *her* lifestyle and attempt to guilt her for trying to increase her business by networking with her acquaintances, as all of us Corpor*tte types are constantly being told to do? Would it make you feel less ragey to view this as your friend’s attempt to dip a toe into work because she needs to be doing something other than child-rearing to feel fulfilled? Or maybe she really needs the money and is mortified to be hitting you up?

      My suggestion for better wording? “No, thank you.”
      I mean, she could just be annoying, and these products are often crap, I agree. But you could choose to see her actions more charitably.

      • Anonymous

        This is not networking. This is nagging/shaming friends/acquaintances to buy into pyramid schemes of crap

        • bridget

          Networking is different in that the extent of the participation is far more voluntary: you can just meet with someone for coffee, chat with them for five minutes at a networking event, or go as far as setting up an interview for them in your company. It’s completely rude in networking world to demand a lot.

          I also get weirded out when there’s an implied requirement to either spend a lot of money (i.e. more than the $4 that I could spend on a box of Girl Scout cookies) or explain why you’re not – which is either to cry poor or point out that you happen to prefer other products on the market. It’s rude to put someone in a position of either succumbing or being rude.

      • Anonymous

        Eh, I agree in concept, but most MLM programs are scams or leave the seller footing money for the business. If you can’t make money from the products, you have to make money signing up your friends. I’ll admit I judge people who do them (both genders, but women seem to do them more in my Facebook feed).

      • Alli

        I can agree with “Anono” after the first or even second attempt that a friend makes to get me to buy the stuff, but after that, it’s not networking. It is nagging and shaming. To the original poster, if you’ve already politely told her no, I would honestly stop responding. I have done this with several MLM friends, and most of them have gotten the silent-treatment hint and eventually quit asking. We were able to still be friends and talk about other things when we run into each other. I was worried that ignoring them would damage our casual friendships, but it seems to be ok so far. I don’t think ignoring them has damaged anything any more than their nagging already has.

      • Katie

        Networking is something you do in the work world, not something you rope your friends (who presumably are in entirely different industries) into doing. If I were, say, opening a restaurant, I think the extent of social media “pressure” I’d give my friends would be sharing the restaurant’s Facebook page, and then leaving it. I wouldn’t ask them to show up to buy dinner on Friday or PM them an invitation to come to lunch over the weekend on their dime. MLM people aren’t “networking”, they’re exploiting their social networks.

      • Anonymous

        MLM sellers are not really trying to get their friends to buy product other than as a gateway, because the seller makes little to no money on actual product sales. They’re really trying to recruit friend to become a seller themselves, because that’s where the money is. It’s not “networking” to try to get your friends to sink time and money into a scam by telling them how it’s the most amazing, life-changing thing they’ve ever done, when they’re really just desperate to recruit said friend to even make their initial investment back.

      • Houda

        When you network, you do not ask to cash your “networking chip” immediately.
        The purpose is to have people like you first, then if the need rises, to give you a little push or share some needed contact etc.

  11. January

    Question for Mint users: have any of you tried Mint Bills? What is it? Is it helpful?

    • Wildkitten

      Yes! Meh! No! It’s a service that helps you pay your bills, like Ready for Zero. It emails you “your bill is due, you should pay it” and can process the payment for you, but they charge you for that. If you aren’t missing payments for things you shouldn’t sign up. I have all my payments auto-pay on payday so it wasn’t something that would improve my life, and it costs money.

      • Celia

        Doesn’t the company send you a billing reminder anyway? Like “Here’s your electricity bill” from Edison. Why would you need a third party to do it?

  12. Diana Barry

    I really wish Theory would make their dresses longer or offer them in tall!

    I am also devoting way too much brain space to what I am going to wear to our family photos (pro photographer so they are expensive!). Only 2 people can wear prints or patterns, and I want everything in the same kind of color family or 2-3 color family. AUGH.

  13. For Monday re: Windows 10

    You might Google “Windows 10 privacy” and do some reading before installing it. I am putting off downloading/installing until I completely understand and know which settings I want and how to get them.

    • Anonymous

      Lifehacker just posted a great guide to this this morning. Not only explains the security features, but who would want them on/off.

  14. repeat acne prone spot

    I continue to get really painful pimples right under my bottom lip (halfway to my chin). I am guessing that it’s a prime spot for dirt and sweat– thus clogged mores. Suggestions on how to break the cycle?

    • ouch

      Do you tend to rest your chin on your hands while you read docs/websites? I get painful (cystic?) zits in the same area whenever I have intense researching/drafting days

    • mascot

      For several years, I would get one or two cystic pimples on my chin every month around the time of my period. See the replies up-thread for some spot treatments.

      • Cimorene

        Same here. I tried everything, for years. Spot treatments were not effective, as I didn’t just want them to go away faster but to never appear at all. After delaying way too long, I finally saw a dermatologist and was put on spironolactone, which is actually a blood pressure medication. But it also impacts hormone levels, and I have had clear skin almost since I first started taking the drug. I did not have any of that “getting worse before getting better” nonsense that is common with Differin or minocycline or the like, and I have not had any side effects.

  15. SF in House

    Has anyone in SF been to the Modcloth Fit Shop that’s here through mid-August.

  16. Anonymous

    Would you ever tell your current job you were looking elsewhere, if you knew you couldn’t get fired? A job I applied to asked if they could speak to my current supervisor. Its very early in the process. I want to move states- from DC to MA, so nothing personal. I said I’d like to be further along in the process and they said they understood, but now I am filled with regret. I wonder if I should ask my last year supervisor (same job I just switched supervisors, but he reports to the person I report to directly now) Does it look weird to go back on it?

    • August

      I have been punished once for being a good soldier. I will not tell about my job search to my current manager till I have accepted the new job offer.

    • Walnut

      This really depends on your relationship with your supervisor. I recently assisted a direct report in getting an internal transfer when she indicated a desire to move out of state within the next year. If we had not been able to secure an internal transfer, I would have served as a reference when she began job searching externally.

      It was very easy for me to assist this person, as they were my right hand, but I honestly think I would give the same treatment to anyone in my group who was ready to move on. For what it’s worth, I’ve been fairly vocal with all of my direct reports that if they get to a point where they hate their jobs, that I wanted them to engage me in either restructuring their role or assisting them in a transfer. So perhaps that is why direct report felt comfortable letting me know early in the process?

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