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Updated: Nov 1, 2018 188 Comments · by

Suit of the Week: Reiss

Suit of the Week

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Reiss Turkish Blue SuitFor 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. Most colorful suits feel like the province of, primarily, older women, or Southern women, or perhaps political women (I was intrigued by the pops of color from jewel-toned blazers in the State of the Union audience shots). This Turkish blue color, though, seems more daring and youthful. This isn't to say older women couldn't wear it… but I think younger women can wear it without aging themselves too. Love the cut of the blazer and the ankle pants (which also come in a kelly green, navy and grey). I saw this outfit styled the other day and loved the combo of this teal blue, kelly green, and red accents, so that is of course what I'm seeing here. Fabulous. The jacket (Dane Turkish Blue Blazer) is $425, and the pants (Joanna Turkish Blue Trousers) are $180.
Reiss Dane Turkish Blue Blazer Reiss Joanna Turkish Blue Trousers
(L-5)

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Comments

  1. Senior Attorney

    That is a cute suit but I won’t be wearing any more colorful suits since learning from Corpore*t*t*e that colorful suits are an “older” thing. Now that it’s been brought to my attention, I can’t un-know it.

    Which is sad because I think I really rocked my colorful suits… ;)

    • Lawer Costume

      I love this suit. I have decided that I just can’t conform into the sea of black and grey. If it reads older, then I’ll take it. :-)

    • Wildkitten

      I think it’s older because younger people can’t pull it off. It’s for accomplished women like Sheryl Sandberg, Christine Lagarde, and Senior Attorney.

      • Dulcinea

        I agree- it’s a matter of gravitas. Think about Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s – “I think it would be perfectly tacky to wear diamonds before I’m forty – you DO understand.” Or how little girls in pageants look a little silly wearing tons of makeup and jewelry with sculpted hairdos and little skirt suits, but the same look would be appropriate on an adult woman.

        Personally I am really looking forward to getting old enough to pull off bigger jewelry and colored suits.

      • Killer Kitten Heels

        Agreed entirely! If binge-watching “The Good Wife” has taught me anything, it’s that colored suits are awesome.

      • Baconpancakes

        I would absolutely rock a bright suit if I loved it and it was as impeccable as this Reiss suit, but I’m actually kind of glad that older women have the privilege of wearing awesome bright suits, when so many gorgeous fashion items are reserved for the young.

    • Mpls

      I don’t think you should stop! It’s not a matter of them making you look older, or that you’ll seem older if you wear colored suits, it’s that you have enough gravitas/attitude/awesomeness to pull it off. It’s a matter of you wearing the clothes, rather than the clothes wearing you!

    • BankrAtty

      I’m a twenty-something (ok, LATE twenty-something) and I rock a colored suit, thankyouverymuch. I have a lovely pink graphic tweed (which I enjoy wearing with burgundy tights), blue/turquoise boucle, and sapphire/cream/black basket weave tweed. I get lots of compliments on all of them, even in Seattle where neutrals dominate.

      • hellskitchen

        See, I think I’d be very comfortable with a colored suit if it was tweed or boucle rather than in regular suit fabric.

    • AIMS

      I think it’s aging because it’s often an old suit from the 90s or it’s from a matronly line because for a while no one was making cute colored suits. Now that’s all changing. If the cut is modern and it’s flattering, I say wear it.

    • Anon

      As long as it isn’t distinctly 90’s-looking, I think you’re in the clear.

    • Anon

      You should absolutely wear your colored suits. There is nothing I love more than a fabulous color on a woman who rocks it! (See Kate Hudson in purple suit on GMA.)

    • zora

      I have to say I would LOVE to have a suit in this color, but I just can. not. do the ankle pants thing still.

      • Alana

        At 5’10” I agree. Not sure because I am from a very casual part of the country, but colored suits seem appropriate at some houses of worship when they are cut modestly. At least that’s what the church lady catalog message is, with matching accessories.

    • saltylady

      They kind of weird me out with pants. But I am so sick of wearing black and grey pants suits.

    • Senior Attorney

      Wowzers! What an awesome thread to find upon my return from lunch!

      You all are so much fun!

      Maybe I will have to reconsider!!

    • Polished Pinstripes

      OMG I LOVE THIS SUIT!!! I don’t care if it makes me look older – I would rock this at the office all summer! I think the ankle length pants make it look younger and I’d haves o much fun pairing it with jewelry. I love turquoise and peacock blue!! Too bad I have already determined what I’ll be getting with my monthly shopping budget from now till July – I need to stock up on office clothing staples before I can move on to something like this.

      http://www.polishedpinstrioes.com

  2. Ciao, pues

    TJ: Moisturizer w/ SPF

    Boo, Clinique! They’ve changed the formula on what has been my everyday moisturizer for years, the Superdefense SPF 25 (which is now spf 20, thicker and less absorbable. the reviews on the website are terrible). Anyone have a suggestion for a moisturizer w/ spf 25 or greater for combination skin, to be used under very light daily makeup? I’m in my 30s and my concerns are staying moisturized in the dry winter air, and protecting my skin from uva/uvb. Thanks!

    • BB

      I am a big fan of Neutrogena UltraSheer. I wouldn’t vouch for its waterproofness if I were doing something like going swimming, but for everyday under makeup wear, it’s pretty good.

      • Lady Harriet

        I use this too. It’s just labeled as a sunscreen, but I find it moisturizing enough. I like being able to wear a higher SPF on a daily basis than most moisturizers give.

    • Kanye East

      Image Daily Defense and Eminence’s Red Currant Protective Moisturizer are both excellent, SPF 30, and paraben-free (if that’s a concern).

    • ac

      Kiehl’s BB cream has a nice, subtle tint and is SPF 50+. I wear it without/instead of foundation.

  3. Bessa

    FEEDLY WON’T WORK – RSS HELP?? Anyone else use Feedly to read Corporette? I can’t figure out what I’m doing wrong. If I “add content” to the new rss link Kat gives, I just get the same old stuff – a warning saying the feed I’m using is outdated.

    Thanks if you can give me some tips. I’m not very rss savvy.

    • Wildkitten

      I use feedly – I click through because I read r3tt3 for the comments. I realize this isn’t necessarily helpful.

  4. Anonymous

    Thread jack! I posted on the earlier thread but I was too late. I am really strugglig with this so
    I hope j get more responses.

    A little background- I work for a medium sized company on a very small team. For all intents and purposes, it is just me and my colleague, “Joe”. Joe and I both started at the same time and work on the same types of proejcts. The similarities end there, as Joe is the type to take 2-3 hour lunches and surf the internet, while I am working hard only a few feet away.
    About six months ago Joe was assigned a very large, very visible project. He struggled to handle it, and I was quickly pulled in to help by management. As Joe would freely admit, I ended up doing a majority of the project myself. It was extremely important for the company, and a month or so later we both received employee of the month for our contributions.
    Fast forward to today, when Joe revealed that he has been selected as company wide MVP based, in significant part, on this project. I congratulated him, but I can’t help but feel betrayed and disheartened by this turn of events. I worked day, night, and weekend on that project to make it successful after he all but gave up on it. Since then, he has turned down several large projects while I have taken on significantly more responsibility.
    Part of me wants to speak with my manager and ask why someone received an award based on my project, but part of me thinks maybe that would be viewed as petty. I am already looking for another job, mostly due to the fact that I often feel I am being overlooked and under appreciated, but this was still a big shock.

    • Bette

      You could try to approach the subject with your manager but I wouldn’t press the issue. This sounds so dysfunctional that leaving is really the only option. Sorry, I know it’s not always what you want to hear since the job may be great in other ways but I have generally found that with big management issues like that change is not possible without the people changing – either your manager getting replaced for some reason or your leaving.

    • Wildkitten

      Why do they think Joe did the project? I would probably look for a new job, but also examine if I could do anything different to make sure I am getting credit for my work.

      • TBK

        +1 It’s possible Joe is just better at self-promotion. It can be hard to learn to do because it feels like bragging, and it may seem like the polite thing to do is to be moderately self-effacing. But that’s because in social interactions, being self-effacing and boosting other people IS the polite thing, because your goal is to have people like you as a friend. In the workplace, you want people to like you as an employee, and bosses like employees who are hardworking and get results. Just as you showcase to friends how thoughtful and considerate you are, you want to showcase to employers how diligent and productive you are. They’ll like you MORE for being a little self-promoting.

      • Niktaw

        If Joe was initially assigned to the project as the Lead Teapot Painter and Anonymous later added as regular Teapot Painter, you can be sure that he would remain as the Lead in the organization’s records unless formally removed from the project. So whoever is the Lead of record, gets the credit, no matter who actually did the work (nights and weekends, when no one was there to observe her efforts).
        Lesson learned – do not assume your hard work is easily seen by everybody. Take steps to make the management aware how hard you work.

      • Anonymous

        They don’t think he did it on his own, they know I stepped in and did it. They just apparently don’t care. The boss’s boss loves Joe, and I am afraid there is nothing I can do to get past that. I have decided there is probably no point in talking to my manager I just need to move on. I am just having a hard time accepting that laziness gets rewarded over hard work.

        • anonymama

          It’s likely not that his laziness is getting rewarded, but possibly his interpersonal interactions.

          It does sound petty that you would be so upset, and willing to quit your job, over one instance when a colleague got an award that you felt you deserved. That sucks, and it’s unfair, but it sounds like they do recognize and appreciate your efforts (e.g., the employee of the month thing, and assignment of increased projects with greater responsibility). Instead of having that turn you bitter, turn it into a tool to ask for a raise, or a promotion – bring it up in a positive light with management, not in a complaining way. (“I was able to turn this project around when Joe had trouble, I worked so hard on it/overtime/weekends, and have taken on even more important projects, I want a raise to recognize that”). Don’t mention Joe except in a positive way – how you helped him, and worked well with him, etc. And maybe make an effort to “play the game,” of building interpersonal relationships with your co-workers (even if it means chit-chatting about your hobbies, or someone’s kids, instead of getting your work done immediately). Just because they love Joe doesn’t mean they have to dislike you: it’s not a zero sum game.

          • OCattorney

            +1 Great advice. I’d give this a shot before giving up. You probably need to hone your “game playing” skills to get ahead at any future job too, so might as well work out the kinks at the current gig.

        • Anon

          I’ve had senior management whose philosophy is that the person in charge gets the credit, no matter who does the work. Maybe this is the case with your place of work. I’d stop bending over backwards to help Joe. If you have free time and nothing else to do, sure. But if you’re already with your own stuff that you’re in charge of and he is struggling, cordially say sorry but you have personal commitments and can’t work overtime at the moment. If you really don’t want it to fail, offer to take over the lead so that you are the one in charge, not him.

          What you maybe can do is sit down with your manager and ask to be put in charge of more things, citing your key role and dedication in completing this project, though it sounds like that is already happening. In which case, keep doing a great job on your projects and let Joe flounder.

    • Susie

      Yes it would look petty. Not much you can do just keep doing good work, and eventually people like Joe get found out.

      • TBK

        I disagree. I think women especially often think that if they keep their heads down and do good work, someone will come give them a gold star. But what really happens is the person jumping up and down and asking for a gold star is the one who gets it. If that person can finagle a way to make it look like they did the work the quiet diligent person did, then they never get “found out.”

      • Senior Attorney

        Yes, I’m surprised that people are dismissing this as “petty.” I don’t think “someone getting a very major award for my work” is petty at all. And I can. not. imagine. a man in the same situation keeping quiet about it.

        • anonymama

          I don’t think her concern is petty, but I think the way she brought it up, it would come off as petty to the people in charge. Because she didn’t really seem to have a problem with the way they treated her, just with the way that Joe seemed to be getting away with something. If she felt that she should be getting what Joe is getting, she should go ahead and ask for that, not whine about how Joe’s a slacker and she did all the work and everyone just likes him better, and it’s not fair (even if that’s true, it doesn’t do her any good to say it). Even if she went and said, Hey, I’m glad that everyone recognized how important the project is, I was really proud of how well it turned out, especially x, y, z parts of it that I did, I want that MVP award next time around.

      • Anon

        Unfortunately, sometimes when a woman speaks up about a situation like this she is criticized for being petty. I’ve been in a similar situation (lazy, unintelligent male colleague who frequently needs projects rescued from his ineptness, inattention, stupidity, etc. but has managed to convince upper management that he’s capable and nice because he’s the “mayor” of our office). It does not end well for the person seeking the credit. Anyone with half a brain should be able to see people like these guys for what they are. Unfortunately a lot of people don’t look closely enough and succumb to the PR campaign these lazy colleagues spend their time doing (instead of their work).

        A man wouldn’t have to keep quiet about it because it would NEVER happen to him in the first place. The average guy is more comfortable doing self-promotion than the average woman. We have to re-learn the behavior because it’s been conditioned out of us through years of being told “don’t brag, it’s not nice.”

        The advice above about becoming better at self promotion is key. You can’t undo what already happened with this project and the ridiculous recognition he got. And, yes, you will look petty to your upper management for “complaining” about his recognition so don’t. Going forward, try to do better job at keeping others informed on your projects no matter how phony you feel doing it.

    • Merabella

      I have had a similar situation with my own colleague. I thought I was being a team player and got in there and helped fixed things. All I ended up doing was fixing it so that she got all of the credit and I did all of the work. I would stop stepping in and helping him when he can’t handle the work. If you get brought in by upper management, I would make sure to ask to be given the lead title on the project so next time you get the credit. It isn’t petty to want to get credit for your work, but it is petty to bring it up in a way where you are painting Joe in a bad light in order to highlight your own work. Try to stay positive, even about annoying people – because usually what people here from a complainer is the negativity, not the issue – especially from women, which sucks but I have found to be true.

  5. A

    Posted this yesterday but I think it got buried so trying again: has anyone purchased a cashmere sweater from Everlane? What was the quality like? How was the fit?

    • Jane

      I just got the dress-like one! It seems pretty good so far. I normally wear a M in their silk blouses, and was happy I sized down to a small.

    • Anon

      the tunics run big, so do the cardigans, the pullovers are more true to size but the cut is a little boxy so you could size down depending on how you want it to fit. quality is great.

  6. Elysian

    I thought I could make it, but winter is going on forever and ever, so I need advice.

    In my office women at my wear mostly dresses. I prefer pants, but try to wear skirts/dresses on occasion since women in my office seem to think that dresses are more formal than pants (lets not even get into that part).

    I walk to work (in DC) and I just can’t deal with rain + snow + ice + skirt. I’ve tried fleece tights but I don’t love them. They’re not pants. I really want to bare-leg it, but I just can’t walk to work that way. Is it totally inappropriate to wear like… sweatpants… under my skirt and shimmy out of them in my office? Is there something better than fleece tights out there while I brave the winter weather? If you walk any part of your commute, how do you deal with the cold weather and dresses/skirts?

    • Bette

      You’re talking about wearing tights in the office after you take off your commuting layer, right?

      Bare legs in this weather would look bizarre.

      • Elysian

        Inside, though? Is it that different from flesh-tone hose (which I’m wearing today as my protection from the elements because I only have black tights and didn’t want to mix black with navy today)?

        • Equity's Darling

          Yeah, it’s weird. It’s -30C today, and I saw a woman with bare legs in the building connectors in our city, and my first thought was “how did that happen? It’s super cold and she has nothing on her legs. how odd…”

          Surprisingly, I don’t think that when I see someone in nylons, even though they’re basically as warm as bare skin in the winter.

          • NOLA

            It’s not nearly that cold here (in the 40s and windy) but one of my younger colleagues was bare legged this morning and I was shocked – except that she’s 8 1/2 mos. pregnant. So maybe she’s just running hot these days.

          • SC

            Hmm. I’m in New Orleans and am bare-legged today. Maybe I should rethink that. FWIW I wore tights yesterday, but I think it was significantly colder in the morning.

        • anon

          Yes, it does look strange and inappropriate to wear nothing on your legs in the winter. Not seasonal, not a good look.

          • Elysian

            That’s good to know. I’ll keep wearing regular tights, I guess, but they still don’t provide much warmth. Gosh, I wish sometimes that fashion made sense to me. It just doesn’t.

    • Sydney Bristow

      How long is your coat? I commute in NYC on the subway and wear a skirt and regular tights about 95% of the time. My coat reaches a little past my knees though, which I think makes a difference.

        • Sydney Bristow

          This might be crazy, but what about a thick pair of leg warmers? I feel like I’ve seen some nice black ones worn by dancers.

          • Elysian

            That is not crazy at all. That is the best use for leg warmers I have ever heard, and I don’t know why I didn’t think of it… using them to actually warm your legs? Not just for 80s parties? Incredible!

          • Mountain Girl

            I was actually thinking about this option in my -16 degree commute this morning. I had on a wool skirt, tights, boots and a coat that came to the edge of bottom of my skirt hem. If I had leg warmers I would have worn them and my knees would have been very happy.

          • Sydney Bristow

            Haha now I kind of want a pair for myself. I’m cold at my desk though so I’d likely try to pull them on and off all day when I get up from my desk.

          • Mountain Girl

            But, serious, why couldn’t you? If you have enough privacy at your desk or in your office your could make this work. I actually just did a quick look at etsy and they have a ton of listings for leg warmers. I’m totally in trouble now.

          • anon

            I do this with black legwarmers. Very easy. Nobody can really tell especially since I am already wearing boots and not many people see me in them anyway.

          • abogada

            I use leg warmers over tights for commuting when wearing skirts. I use leggings under skirts too for commuting. Neither leggings nor legwarmers look weird while commuting, and they’re easy to remove once I get to work.

            I also use leg warmers under pants if I need extra warmth while commuting, because I can pull them off easily in my office without having to remove my pants. Leggings under pants are also warm for commuting, but then I have to go to the bathroom to take them off when I get to work.

            I had a bunch of leg warmers from when I used to dance regularly, but you can get them from any dance catalog or website.

            Knee-high boots also really help keep legs warm while commuting.

          • Anonymous

            Another (former) DC walking commuter here – I wore leg warmers all the time. They were crazy colored and I bought them at Target. It was the perfect solution when I just wanted to rock regular tights and flats instead of snow boots.

    • AIMS

      My coat is knee length and I wear knee high boots. Tights and a skirt with those additions are actually warmer to me than pants — with pants I don’t like the way knee high boots look at the knee (they tend to stick out) and I find that I am colder with ankle boots.

      For extra warmth, I would add either knee high socks under the boots or a thin pair of dark leggings over your tights/stockings.

      Also, check out Uniqlo’s heat retaining tights.

      • Godzilla

        All of my coats come below the knee and I had some field duties that had me in a mid-thigh length work coat and my legs were FREEZING. NGL, I wish I had worn me some fleece tights. Honestly, I have NO IDEA how women wear shorter coats in the winter.

        • AIMS

          I know. One of my coworkers wears a short Canada Goose parka and always talks about how warm it is, but all I can think is “your bum! how is it not freezing?!”

    • Wildkitten

      I wore sweats to commute and then took them off during the first polar vortex. It was totally worth it. I can’t do negative 10 in my office clothes.

    • WJM-TV

      I walk to Metro, and I wear sweater tights (I wear skirts to work 99.9% of the time). If it’s reallly cold I wear a thin pair of tights (really worn out!) and then a pair of sweater tights. I haven’t tried the magical world of fleece tights though.

      • Elysian

        My fleece tights have disappointed me by not staying up as well as regular tights. I think the addition of fleece makes them less elastic. They were bunching up around my ankles. If you stop by the TJMaxx near Metro Center, they have a ton of Anne Klein fleece tights for $6 each – I might wear them again, but they weren’t as magical as I hoped!

    • rosie

      Another DC walking commuter here. I wear skirts and dresses often. My coat goes to just above my knees, and I typically wear boots if it’s chilly (either snowboots, which I change out of at the office, or leather boots that go with my outfit). I have tights of varying thicknesses and colors/patterns. I don’t find fleece tights all that great. I have a pair of cable-knit tights that are warmer and more comfortable, IMO.

      I do sometimes wear pants as you’re describing. I will wear rainpaints if it’s pouring, and I did wear warmer pants over my tights/under my skirt one day when it was really cold. I just close the door when I get to my office and take them off.

      I don’t think you should be bare-legged in the winter, even if that means you put on nude hose. It just looks out-of-season.

        • rosie

          Waterproof pants–not warm at all, just keep you dry. I usually wear them over regular pants on morning’s that it is pouring so that I am not soaked by the time I get to work. Mine are full leg zip, so it’s easy to get them on and off without taking my shoes off.

        • Em

          Heh, it has never occurred to me that someone wouldn’t know that – this is what happens when you grow up in Oregon.

          • AIMS

            Ha. Thanks all! My solution to heavy rain has always just been to wear a skirt and rainboots, but good to know these things exist.

    • Gail the Goldfish

      I do this: Double layer tights (fleece tights for the bottom layer, regular tights on the top layer because I find the fleece tights don’t stay up as well and double layering regular tights on top helps), coat that goes just past my knees, tall boots. If it’s really cold, I add another layer of socks. But I wouldn’t judge you for wearing sweat pants and taking them off. I’m of the opinion that when it’s as cold as it’s been, you can wear whatever you need to stay warm on the commute.

      • Elysian

        Regular tights, which is fine inside the office itself. I think they just suffer through the cold when it comes to the walk outside. I can’t make it though, if I just wear tights when I’m walking between my apartment and the office I end up basically running home just so I can get to a warm place. I figured there had to be a better option, and that someone here would know it!

    • Anon

      Yes. During the polar vortex I wore longjohns/running leggings under my knee-high boots to work, then walked around my office bare legged since it’s 85 in my office.

      IMHO it’s FINE. people don’t care too much as long as you don’t wear stripper clothes to work if you’re not actually a stripper or something.

    • Kontraktor

      I used to wear nude nylons/hose/whatever to commute in DC when I wanted to wear skirts without tights. A lot of the other younger ladies in my office did too. I like the Hanes brand form Target, they are thin enough to be flesh colored and not too granny, but thick enough they provide a little warmth. Granted, this is really only good for temps about 30 and up, but I would usually wear with rain boots + thick socks or Uggs for commuting and my regular knee length coat and I was warm enough for walking. I just brought other shoes with me. It seemed this was fairly common in my office.

  7. Sydney Bristow

    Did anyone see the news that Mary Barra, the new CEO of GM, is making less than her predecessor did? I’ve only quickly looked over some articles on this and saw GM’s response that she is going to receive some sort of long-term incentive that her predecessor did not receive. Even just looking at their base salaries, hers is $100,000 less than his was (about 6% if I did the math right). What do you all think?

    • baseballfan

      My first thought is that the current analysis, like so many, is an oversimplification and almost certainly a distortion of facts – as GM pointed out in response to the controversy.

      My second thought is that, well, Mary Barra took the job, so it’s safe to assume that she agreed with the compensation she was offered.

    • Sydney Bristow

      Actually I’m listening to last night’s AC360’s later podcast and a guest asked Barra a few weeks ago is she had ever asked for a raise or promotion and Barra said no. That answers one of my questions and suggests that we should try and push for these.

    • TBK

      I think I’d need to hear more about the complete package and what this long term incentive is. It could be something quite substantial. As for base salary, that rarely means much when you get up to c-suite folks at big companies. I would be surprised if a woman bright and accomplished enough to be CEO of GM was actually willing to take 50% of what a man in the same role was paid. I’d give her more credit than that.

      • Sydney Bristow

        It sounds like we will know more in April.

        Pay packages certainly are complicated at that level. I mentioned base salary because that is the only guaranteed part as I understand it. Good point about it not mattering much at this level though.

    • MJ

      This wouldn’t concern me. Public company comp is nearly always vetted via compensation consultants that present elaborate bull-hunky reports to the Board before they sign off on the comp package. They have to define a peer universe of comparable companies, benchmark against peers, define what the goals are–there’s tons of EB&C disclosure about it. It’s not about her getting what her predecessor got–it’s about what they are trying to incentivize her to do, in what time frame and what breakdown of cash/equity, relative to comparable companies.

      Not everything is a feminist conspiracy, although I personally think that women don’t ask enough or pound the table enough or brag enough (Team Lean In).

  8. AFT

    I am having the hardest time finding pants for work that fit my athletic build. The theory pants in my size “fit” but they were like spandex in the rear and thigh. Does anyone have suggestions for a nice pair of tailored pants that work for athletic, tall builds or am I just wishfully thinking? The Halogen Taylor pants work well for my shape but are too short for me to wear with heals. Suggestions welcome!

    • Anon

      Have you tried the Gap? The inseam on their X-Long (tall size) is 37″. Regular Long (which is not a tall size for them) is 35″.

      • Anon

        Faconnable is another brand with crazy long inseams, but I think they might have stopped selling women’s clothing. I haven’t seem them in Nordstrom lately.

    • DC Wonkette

      Ann Taylor curvy suits work for me and are high enough for heels, depending on how long your legs are.

    • Anonymous

      I have a similar build and I swear by the AT Loft pants in the Julie (curvy) cut, tall. They’re acomodating for my soccer thighs & butt, inseam is 36″ so I can hem them to where I need. I don’t think much of LOFT quality these days … sigh… but I still love and go out of my way to buy their office appropriate pants.

    • snowy

      Calvin Klein works well for me, and I have the same problem – will fit (or even be too big) in the waist, but very tight in the rear/thighs. Calvin Klein runs pretty large too, so try sizing down.

  9. Seattle Freeze

    Anyone use StyleFix & like it? I can’t remember where I heard about it – maybe here – but I signed up & should get my first shipment this week. So when I got the shipping notice I logged on to StyleFix, saw what they sent, googled the items, and think I’m going to hate everything in the box. It’s just like when I peeked at Christmas presents and ruined Christmas for myself.

    I was pretty specific on the style profile that I like more fitted, body-skimming clothes, and that flowy, voluminous clothes overwhelm my frame – so they’ve included a loose pillow-case shaped dress (I told them I wear knit dresses), a loose pillow-case shaped top, a tab-sleeve blouse (I don’t wear blouses – I wear long tanks under cardigans or jackets almost every day and specifically told them this), a thermal drape-front cardigan (I did request a drape front cardigan, but thermal? not something I can wear to work), and a pair of skinny jeans.

    Either I’m going to completely change my style upon trying on these new! daring! stylish! clothes, or this was a waste of the $20 styling fee. Bleagh.

    • Susie

      Maybe try Keaton Row – no fee, you select which of the items you want to buy and only pay (current price) for that. I used it to freshen up my wardrobe and try a few styles I was hesitant to try and am happy with the results.

        • Susie

          Helps you consider items you otherwise would not. Also puts together entire outfits including shoes, jewelry and accessories. I didn’t buy the entire outfits but used it as inspiration in putting together my old stuff with a few new pieces.
          Yes it’s the same vendors you can shop yourself (nordstrom, piperlime, asos; all ones with free shipping & returns), but I thought I hated ankle pants and peplum before deciding to just try with an open mind and turned out to really like a few of these items.

      • Wildkitten

        I hated what they sent me. I wanted clothes for work and they sent me a bunch of super casual peasant tops and one see-through peasant top. People like them for more casual wear though, if you need more casual clothes in your wardrobe.

        • Seattle Freeze

          I’m good with casual – I have a whole wardrobe of business formal clothes from my downtown corporate days that never leave the closet. But I’m 40, not a 20-something who needs things to wear on dates. I’m just really, really picky about fit & silhouette, which is why I don’t shop online – thought I’d try something new & branch out a bit from my “uniform.”

    • katydidnt

      I have used them a handful of times and really loved it. I was mostly looking for pieces like tops or dresses that I could dress up for work or down for “real life” and they got it. I kept 2-3 pieces from each Fix that I never would have picked up/tried on in a store. Keep an open mind until you see the stuff on.

    • tesyaa

      To me, the words “body-skimming” mean more loose fitting. I’d call tighter clothing “body-hugging”.

      • Seattle Freeze

        Actually, in my Stitch Fix profile, I think I chose “Prefer fitted/showing my figure” which I would translate to fitted/body-conscious, but wrote body-skimming above – perhaps my internal editor censored that for the C*rette audience. Doesn’t explain why the Stitch Fix stylist would think I would want to wear loose, pillow-case shaped dresses or tops.

  10. Mountain Girl

    One more post about tights…thanks for the suggestion to layers two pairs of tights. You made me happy.

    • FLEECE TIGHTS!!!

      an extra post on tights never hurt if you’re still cold I suggest layering two pairs of fleece tights cuz that’s the equivalent of at least 4 pairs plus with the prices you find at walgreens you really can’t go wrong

  11. Anonymous

    Would this bother any of you:

    I work with two guys that are fashionistas and are apparently straight. I would not hold myself out as a fashionista. I dress professionally and for the part but I definitely don’t splurge on designer clothing/hand bags and in general dress pretty plainly. Think black pencil skirt with button up shirt and pumps or dress pants and a sweater with a long necklace. Boring? Probably. Inappropriate? No.

    Anyway, our receptionist just received a dress she ordered from Nordstrom for her daughter. Apparently her daughter will be wearing it to a wedding in GA. Anyway, she asks one of the two fashionista guys if it’s nice enough for a wedding in GA. Fashionista #1 says he doesn’t think it’s dressy enough and tells her to ask fashionista man #2. She starts walking towards my office and says of I’ll ask Anonymous what she thinks. Fashionista #1 says loudly down the hall, laughing “oh she doesn’t know, don’t bother asking her” to receptionist.

    Insulting. I don’t know why I take their comments to heart but they really piss me off. It’s not like I come to work dressed in a trash bag everyday. I’m annoyed and I need some good comebacks! I simply acted like I was working and didn’t hear the conversation.

    • Anonymous

      I don’t know if it matters but both of the guys I mention are senior to me.

    • BB

      Ugh. That is super catty. They should be ashamed of themselves really. I probably wouldn’t get involved though. For the most part, I feel like others tend to remember when someone says something catty about other people to them and become more cautious about that person.

    • Anon For This

      Honestly, people only comment on clothes/fashion when it’s either really good or really bad. There are 2 female associates here and I’m the only one people ask for fashion advice or comment on my outfits. The other associate dresses professionally but not all that fashionably. My boss made a similar comment about how she is not the fashionista in the office.

      I think their comments were rude but perhaps they picked up on the fact that you are not interested in fashion at all. Everyone has their strengths!

    • Godzilla

      Yeah, this would p!ss me off and I would probably have RAWRED back an insult because I’m a mature monster like that. If anyone dishes it out, they had better be prepared for me to dish back, no excuses.

      If this happened to me and I didn’t say anything, I would bring it up later all snidelike, “well, I’m not the most fashionable but since I am the expert in rocket science, do C&D and not A&B”.

      Beyond all of this extremely helpful to you advice, hugs and rawrs.

      • Godzilla

        Good point. Even if they are/were not straight, that behavior is unacceptable.

      • FLEECE TIGHTS!!!

        because ithere at least has to be one outrage-worthy comment on each corporette thread or we’d all lose interest in the site. it’s enough to make a girl want to run out to walgreens and engage in some serious retail therapy

          • FLEECE TIGHTS!!!

            thanks grl but my shenanigans finally got me posted on the stfuc-rette blog so mission accomplished I will probably find another way to stir it up now but if you need me you know where to find me…….walgreens….

          • ExcelNinja

            I also love the fleece tights troll!! I’m sure I’m going to regret saying that in two months when it’s super old though :-)

      • anon

        I read that as, it would be less insulting for two gay guys to think she had bad fashion sense… but two metros3xual guys is just over the top.

        • Anonymous

          I guess I don’t see the value in the stereotype that any man who appreciates fashion, beauty, art, or similar “female” things must be an “oh my gawwwww” gay male.

  12. Mags

    I have interviews coming up- but I’ve been working in a business casual office for five years, and the suit I wore to interview for my current job looks dated and cheap. I can’t really afford to go get a new suit right now- can I wear a suiting dress (knee length, long sleeve, navy wool, from jcrew) to an interview, with nylons and appropriate shoes? The office I’m interviewing at will be very casual in the home office (they wear jeans) but they wear what the client wears, when at a client (usually business casual, higher ed environment). Should I go with the old suit (charcoal, polyester, one button, anne klein), or the jcrew suiting dress (like this one but with long sleeves http://factory.jcrew.com/womens-clothing/suiting/dresses/PRDOVR~02586/02586.jsp?color_name=navy)?

    • TBK

      Depends on your industry and city. But generally I’d wear something with a jacket. I think a sheath dress with matching jacket can work but that dress alone would look a little casual to me for an interview where other candidates would be wearing suits.

    • k-padi

      Agree-wear a jacket. If it is a business casual office that you are interviewing with, they won’t care what your suit looks like, even if they notice it isn’t a new, expensive suit. I would make sure it doesn’t need to be dry cleaned or altered before the interview.

      • Mags

        Thanks! You ladies are awesome. I think I will be ok in the suit, especially if my other accessories are perfectly fitted and make me feel confident.

    • BankrAtty

      Why not wear that dress with a cardigan and and classic accessories? Sounds better than your “old cheap suit.”

  13. leaning in

    Thanks, Hive! I have taken your advice from reading the threads, as well as the posts, and knew that I had an important meeting today. This was a meeting with some developers, and the first meeting where they brought the contractor to the table for a very large, high-profile commercial development.

    Let me start by saying that my office is casual. Like I could get away with jeans every day. Today I chose a black pencil skirt, black tights & heels, purple turtleneck sweater belted at the waist with a skinny black belt. And my watch.

    All of the other staff at the table, including my boss/the director of our department were wearing their normal duds. All of the men who came to the meeting (only women were staff) were wearing no less than a tie & coat.

    I sat at the table, one of our contacts from the developer’s side (who we’ve been meeting with now for months) chose to sit next to me. I felt validated, and hopefully exuded the air that I know what I’m doing.

    But, thanks–thanks for making me THINK of these things.

  14. Batgirl

    I’m thinking about a last minute(ish) trip to Turkey in March. Some questions for those of you who might know:

    (1) Will March temperatures work for a trip around Turkey?
    (2) How many days would you give yourselves? Would 10 be enough? Too many?

    Thanks!

    • BankrAtty

      Turkey is a large, diverse country. The length of your trip should be a function of what you want to do. You could easily spend 10 days in Istanbul alone. I’ve only traveled to Turkey in the summer, but the weather in March should be fine, at least in Istanbul–cool and damp I suspect.

      • Batgirl

        Well, I’d love to stay longer, but I think that’s all we can steal away from work. I just wonder with a country the size of Turkey whether ten days is too many to stay near Istanbul, but too few to travel too far from it.

        Thanks!

        • anon

          Jinx – just posted below at the same time. I strongly recommend visiting Ephesus if you’re at all interested in history. It’s a beautifully preserved Byzantine city. In some of the old Roman apartments you can see the murals on the walls and the mosaics on the floor – really brought the history to life for me. You can fly down with Atlas Air or Pegasus pretty cheaply.

          • Ru

            Yeah, I took an early morning flight+train from Istanbul to Ephesus, spent the day there and then evening train+flight back to Istanbul. Easy and more than enough time in my opinion.

          • anon

            Don’t know about Pegasus, but Atlas Jet has a shuttle from the Izmir airport to Selcuk. From there it was a $10 cab ride to Ephesus.

        • Ru

          Oh and 10 days is plenty. I would absolutely recommend going to a hammam. I think we went to Cemberlitas? Not sure. So worth it. And buy gold from the Grand Bazaar (which is closed on Sunday!).

    • anon

      Agree with BankrAtty! I spent 10 days in Turkey with the split being 7 days in Istanbul, 2 days in Ephesus and 1 day in Pamukalle. In retrospect, wish I had spent 5 days in Istanbul and added on Cappadoccia.

    • Em

      I did 10 days in Turkey lat year. We went to Istanbul, Cappadocia, and to the coast (near Ephesus). I’m glad I did all those things, even though it meant some time was eaten up in travel. We took internal flights, so that’s an option; I’m told driving isn’t bad either, once you’re out of the city. It was recommended to me to skip Konya given the amount of time we had, and I think that was a good decision; it would have added significantly onto our travel time.

    • Anonymous

      I am going to Istanbul in March!

      I have nothing more to add, other than that apparently great minds, etc.

    • BankrAtty

      Check out the NYT piece from this week about Isanbul. The reporter hung out with Orhan Pamuk all day and they explored Pamuk’s favorite neighborhoods. which, aside from Fatih, are also among my favorite neighborhoods (I suggest you stay out of Fatih unless you can pass as a non-foreigner; it’s not a tourist friendly area and it’s VERY religiously conservative). Make sure you visit Kadakoy, on the Asian side, and Ortakoy will always have a place in my heart.

      I think traveling to Turkey in the cooler months is actually easier than traveling in the summer. You will need to cover your legs and shoulders in order to go into any of the mosques (“cami”). If you’re white, you will get much less attention from Turkish men if you are more covered up. (But they will still probably flirt loudly with you on the street… ignore them.)

      Whatever you do, do not eat American fast food in Istanbul. I have never done it myself, but I have heard horror stories. Stick to the “Kepabcis” and other casual looking cafes. Don’t eat rice sold by street vendors.

    • anon Turkey tips

      10 days is enough for Istanbul and one other destination. I know a lot of people have recommended Ephesus, which is wonderful if you are interested in antiquity, but I’m going to put in a plug for Cappadocia for the pure mind blowing beauty of the (odd) landscape. I’ve traveled a lot, and have never, ever, seen anywhere like it.

    • Clementine

      This may be too late, but I got this dress and was really sad that it didn’t fit quite right.

      I’m 5’8 and have a longer torso and an athletic build with a small waist. The issue that I had with this dress was that the torso was cut for someone about 4 inches shorter than me. It was really proportioned for a shorter woman- the hips hit too high, the bottom curved out too low. I was very sad this didn’t work out.

  16. Designer Bags

    I think a few weeks ago someone asked selling designer bags (I’m not OP) and someone else mentioned posting here. Thought I’d just throw this out here as I’m moving cross country and doing a big purge. I have a black quilted Chanel tote with silver hardware and a large Chloe Heloise hobo in a taupe/lavender that I’m looking to part with. I can send pics and/or provide details if anyone is even interested. If not I’ll probably go the eBay route….

  17. T. McGill

    Stepped in a deep puddle this morning on my way to work and soaked one of my boots. Boot is waterproof, but the puddle was deep so slush got in from the top. Its been “drying out” all day but still damp. Any suggestions on how to get it dry by the morning?!?!?

  18. Designer Bags

    Hey, glad there’s at least interest! The Chloe I was thinking $550, it is from 2011 and has only been carried 3-4 times. The Chanel is the Grand Shopping Tote (had to google that!), perhaps $850? I’m very open to reasonable offers and can provide pics or answer any questions. Feel free to also email: iheartjcrew at gmail

    • Designer Bags

      Also, I’m in San Francisco but happy to ship anywhere with appropriate insurance!

    • TO Lawyer

      Can you send pictures? toronto [dot] [name of this site] @ gmail [dot] com

      Thanks!

    • TXAttyJen

      I’d be interested in pictures of the Chanel bag – txattyjen at the gmail
      Thanks!

  19. Lo and Sons - skip if you tired of this

    Anyone have a coupon code? The bag is my bonus gift with everything else going to debt/savings. I’m dying to order but don’t want to pay full price.

    • anon

      SFGIRLFEB2014 for 20% off all full-priced items (and congrats on the bonus!)

  21. Rural Juror

    Hey all, I know it’s late in the thread but I’m really struggling with my work life “balance”/”integration”. I’m a mid level associate at a medium sized firm. I don’t work that many hours, so this isn’t a post about the volume of work I have, it’s more about how I feel like I am “on” 24/7. For example I finish all my work for the day, go home, no work to do that night, but then I get 8-10 emails on various things throughout the night. Almost always they are things that don’t need to be dealt with until the next day, but I am starting to feel a real drain from it. I don’t love my job (surprise) and I feel like if I can’t go home and stop working, there is no happiness in my day. I know I can’t ask partners not to email me at night because it’s part of my job. I turned off push notifications from emails so they don’t interrupt my personal time, but I still check my email every hour or two to make sure nothing urgent came up. Every time I check my email I am overwhelmed with stress and anxiety and dread. I am starting to feel crazy typing all this out… Anyway, suggestions/commiseration is so welcome. Is this something that I can fix or do I need to change careers?

    • Ellen

      Great pick, Kat. I love the color, but would perfer a dress, not slack’s, b/c I can NOT get the manageing partner to pay for slack’s. FOOEY!

      As to the OP, Hug’s to you. But guess what–we are all liveing in a “connected world” where we have access to tecknology 24/7. That will not change. Even if your job is to deliever Newspaper’s, you still have to have technology to find out for the next day who is not to get a paper and who is to get a paper from yesterday which fell in poopie, etc etc. I DO sympathize b/c I am in the same boat.

      The manageing partner expect’s me to keep my iphone on 24/7 and he often text’s me about thing’s. He also send’s notes to me that I acess on my MACBOOK AIR at home now that Dad came and installed my NEW Wireless ROOTER from FIOS. I kind of like the speed of FIOS, in case other’s want to know, they are pretty good as part of Verizon. YAY!!

      What you should DO, is to turn off the computer b/f you go to sleep, that way you will NOT loose sleep once you turn the machine off. Do NOT change career’s b/c like I said, we are liveing in a connected world. FOOEY!

    • cbackson

      Well, let’s establish one thing first: is there an expectation that you’ll respond to or acknowledge those emails during the evening, even if you don’t have to do the task until the next day? If so, and if that is stressful for you (and it sounds like it is) then maybe you should think about looking for a firm with a different culture, or a different legal job.

      But if the problem is one of boundary-setting (which is so, so common), then I think you have to train yourself out of worrying about this. You’ve already taken a good step by turning off the push notifications – can you take it a step further by deciding that you *won’t* check after a certain point? So that your day has a distinct end?

      • Senior Attorney

        I agree with this. Sometimes I’m up and thinking about cases at all hours, and it’s natural to fire off an email to the appropriate person while it’s on my mind. But I wouldn’t expect a response at that hour unless it were very urgent indeed and I indicated as much to the recipient. And in that case I’d generally call or text rather than email.

        • cbackson

          Yeah, if it’s a true emergency and I’m not answering email, I’ll get called or texted – but people I work with have my cell number, also.

    • KLG

      This isn’t very helpful, but I am like this too. My boss used to get the office at 11 am and stay until 8 or 9 pm and was always sending emails to me from 7 pm to 2 am or so. She had NO expectation that I would respond until I got into the office the next day (and like the others said, she called my cell if something actually needed to be done that night) but just thinking about the research, etc. would stress me out and I’d have trouble sleeping. I ended up bailing on private practice to take a government job where people only expect me to check email between 8 am and 5 pm and the nature of our work means we don’t really have emergencies.

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