The Hunt: Shorts Suits
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Sure, we all know what basics professional women are supposed to have in their closets, but if you're buying one for the first time or replacing one you've worn into the ground, it can be a pain to find exactly the right incarnation in stores. In “The Hunt,” we search the stores for a basic item that every woman should have.
You know, guys, sometimes I have to admit that I'm wrong. For example: shorts suits. I can't believe I used to think shorts suits were completely unprofessional! They're the new, hot look that every designer is showing for spring, and there are a variety of great options to work for every body, every office, and every price point.
Readers, how do you wear shorts suits to the office? Have you bought any great new ones lately?
Update: Ladies, before anyone actually buys one of these, please note the date of this post. :D
 Zara has a great option for those of you who want to be a bit more demure and, you know, covered up at work — super long Bermuda shorts! I love that sleeveless blazer/huge vest/waistcoat. Both pieces are really affordable, too: The waistcoat is $79, and the Bermudas (found in the “trousers” section of the Zara site, not the “shorts” section) are $49.90. Zara Waistcoat with Lapels and Shoulder Pads |
 I don't know which is the best feature: the floral pattern, the scalloped lapels, the white buttons on the double-breasted blazer, or the shorts, which look comfortable enough to tap dance in. (It's a great new way to fit a workout into a busy day!) I also love the styling of the huge platforms with pale yellow socks. The model's expressions say it all: “You hoo! I'm here to work!” and “I am such a strong, confident woman that it's ok that my shorts are shorter than my fingertips — how do you expect me to get any tap dancing in otherwise?” The jacket is on sale at $146.30, and the shorts are $91.44, both at ASOS. Nishe Jacket with Floral Embroidery |
 This canvas and cotton suit is perfect for a hot summer — I could see it being particularly great for those of you working in Washington, D.C. I particularly like the lace on the shorts, and as always, I love a good Rag & Bone blazer. The blazer is $550 at ShopBop, and the shorts are $255. (If blue lined canvas shorts aren't your thing, don't worry: they also come in black leather.) Rag & Bone Jefferson Blazer |
 There's something delightfully “gangster” about this royal blue shorts suit from Nonoo. I like that both the blazer and the shorts are wool — hello, it gets totally freezing when the A/C is blasting! The double-breasted jacket is $595, and the piped wool shorts are $395, both at Bergdorf Goodman. Nonoo Anita Piped Jacket |
 There is a lot to love about all of these shorts suits, but this 3.1 Phillip Lim one may be my absolute favorite. Not only is it entirely silk (in some of the shots the model has the blazer tucked into her shorts), but it sends a great message. I can't decide if that message is “Coworkers, I trust you guys enough that I want to have a slumber party with you!” or if the message is “I am so committed to this job that I intend to sleep at the office tonight!” But really, both messages are awesome, so who cares which one coworkers receive, am I right? The jacket is $750, and the shorts are $395, both at Bergdorf Goodman. 3.1 Phillip Lim Pinstripe Silk Pajama-Inspired Short Suit |
 Helmut Lang has a number of gorgeous shorts suits out right now. I feel like this medallion leather-trim jacquard jacket is a total standout, though, and I like how the shorts look nice and roomy (and longer than her fingertips!) The jacket is $995, and the shorts are $540, both at Saks. Helmut Lang Medallion Leather-Trim Jacquard Jacket |
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I’m thinking this is an April Fool’s post. Even though I wish I could wear shorts during DC’s humid summer, I’m pretty sure my boss would send me home wearing those lace shorts.
Um, where on earth do you work? Lace shorts are appropriate for even the most conservative office.
*slow clap* Great one, Kat!!
I am loving these April Fools posts!
Agreed. And I thought the Splurge Monday was good. This one was smile-at-my-desk fun. :) Fun for a Monday! Thanks, Kat!
Groan
You know, I was skeptical until I saw the lace- and leather-trimmed suits. I feel like that really brings them up to the professional level.
;)
Wow. I can’t decide which one I like best. Maybe I should get all of them. If only I had the budget…
Kat, you’ve outdone yourself – these are FABULOUS LOOKS.
Kat, you’re killing it today! I laughed out loud.
LOL!!! I just cut off my pants to “daisy dukes” length. I guess the joke’s on me!
If you take some inspiration from the Rag & Bone look and hot glue lace onto the bottom, they’d become long enough to be work appropriate and totally stylish to boot!
Those floral shorts/hotpants are clearly worth every penny of their $91.44 price tag. Kat left out the best part: they come with a belt that has a gift-wrapping style bow or “origami bow detail” on the back!
http://us.asos.com/Nishe-Belted-Shorts-with-Flower-Embroidery/zlq9w/?iid=2694125&cid=11983&sh=0&pge=1&pgesize=20&sort=-1&clr=Navy&mporgp=L05pc2hlL05pc2hlLUJlbHRlZC1TaG9ydHMtd2l0aC1GbG93ZXItRW1icm9pZGVyeS9Qcm9kLw..
Hello a! Thanks for calling my attention to that amazing belt. I think that short suit will be a perfect transitional piece between “sitting in class” and “going to my internship,” when my grad program starts.
Buttttt since I’ve seen a few posts by you now, is there any chance you might consider a different handle, in order to reduce confusion? I’ve been a. for a few years, and am quite attached to it.
OH goodness, Kat! You really had me going there for a while. :) Such was my horrified credulity that I got all the way to Silk Pajama short suit before I was like, “wait, hang on a minute…”
I’m glad I wasn’t the only one. The zombie slippers had be boggled but I was just thinking “people are crazy” until I got to that horrible suit. I feel better now.
delightfully “gangster”
Now there are 2 words one would never expect to see together.
Good thing I wasn’t sipping tea when I read this!
What a great phrase.
Indeed, that was one of my favorite moments of this post.
Thanks for bringing attention to that phrase. I actually missed it when I read the post! I will try my best to use it in everyday conversation from now on. I’m sure I will sound delightfully gangster doing so.
I’m loving the joke posts but I have to say – who is buying this stuff?? And why are designers making $1000 short suits that look like PJs????
I think Kat is kiddeing! After all, it is April Fool’s! Yay Kat! There is no way that the manageing partner or Frank would let me alone if I wore this into work.
The short skirt and bare leg’s would be to much for them. I would have to watch them stareing at me every time I got up and walked around the office. FOOEY!
I think the judge would like these, but I am NOT there to please him. I just want to win my case’s! I have so much work piled up and was NOT abel to take alot of the paper’s with me up here; all I have is my MacBook, and I have 16 cases for next week. Most of those are Roberta’s but I do have a few from BALTIMORE that I have to prepare for that Geezer to file.
Rosa is doeing well, and should be comeing home tomorrow! Yay! Once she is home, my mom and dad and Grandma Leyeh will be abel to take care of her when Ed goe’s back to work. I said I would baby sit thru the end of the week when they are getting a college student to come in and help from Ireland to help until September. She is kind of like an OhPair, but not exactely, b/c she is getting alot of money. Yay!
Myrna’s uncle’s Freind, Robert texted me a picture of him looking at something I am NOT sure what it was. He think’s that we are goeing out when I come back to the City. He work’s for the park’s department, so he has steady work, Myrna say’s, but what do I have in comon with him? He has fish breathe also. I do not want to wake up to that for the next 50 year’s! FOOEY! And, another blast from the past texted me to wish me a happy birthday. David! I did NOT even know he knew my b-day; mabye Myrna told Adam and Adam told David. He think’s he may have another chance with me. Mabye I can ask him to meet Robert, and see who is the winner between them? FOOEY!
Why cant I just get a NORMAL guy who will respect me and just want me for a wife, not just for sex? Arent there any normal men out there that do NOT just want to grab me by the tuchus? I did NOT have this kind of probelem when in college, but now, all these guy’s seem to just want to grab my tuchus (or other body part’s) and not want to comit to MARRIAGE. How can I have my OWN baby, like ROSA, if I am NOT married? I do NOT want to be a singel MOM. I want a husband to take care of me and the BABY. Is that to much to ask? I hope NOT! YAY!!!!
TO Lawyer, I feel the same way. Clearly they didn’t design this to sell 0 of them. Someone, somewhere, must have bought a pajama short suit at some point.
Oooh funny funny.
“I love that sleeveless blazer/huge vest/waistcoat.” LOL.
And don’t forget the midriff-baring top to go with it.
That royal blue one is perfect for those days when I go straight from work to marching band – thanks, Kat!
ha!
Does anyone have a rec for an eye doctor in DC? Bonus points for on the redline and accepts FEPblue. Thanks!
I don’t know if he accepts FEPblue, but Dr. John E. Lamothe is my favorite eye doctor ever. He’s personable and super helpful. He’s at 1602 L Street NW.
I like the eye docs (husband and wife) at the For Eyes on L St NW.
I’m writing this as a heads up to anyone who is considering buying jewelry from bauble bar. I was recently considering buying a necklace from there (first link below) but the price — $46 — seemed a little too high, so I held off. Within a couple days, the necklace had sold out. Upon running a search for “fuschia gem cluster necklace” to see if it was sold anywhere else, however, I found a website (second link) from a international supplier of the necklace in question — the bulk price is listed as $1.50-2.90 per necklace!! Now, I realize that the stuff on that website falls under the category of fun and cheap, rather than quality, but I seriously don’t think I can ever buy something from there again. In fact, I don’t think I can pay more than $10-15 for costume-type jewelry anymore (not that I should have done that anyway, but I have in the past). This is rocking my world…
http://www.baublebar.com/fuchsia-gem-cluster-necklace.html
http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/819756716/Fuchsia_Gem_Cluster_Necklace.html
Wow, that is quite a mark-up. Thanks for the heads up. Alibaba is notorious for featuring infringing copies, but this looks like the exact same necklace.
Or a picture of the exact same necklace.
I think what Anon is getting at is that it seems like Bauble Bar is possibly buying their necklaces in bulk from Alibaba and selling them for a crazy mark-up? I would think Bauble Bar’s designs are copies too…
Did you end up ordering the necklace from the cheaper site? For that price, I want one! Ordering seems a little complicated, or maybe I just have a holiday sugar hangover??
I think you can only order the necklaces in bulk — or else I would have. Considering the ridiculous mark-up, I momentarily considered buying a 120-necklace lot and selling them for, I don’t know, $25 each? :)
If I have learned nothing from watching terrible reality television, it is that leather and lace makes everything klassy, with a kapital K.
Oh, the humanity.
I think I must be getting curmudgeonly and pessimistic in my old age, because I’m certain some misguided young souls totally would wear some of that to the office.
That Helmut Lang one is spectacularly awful. And of course it’s the most expensive. Of course.
This inspires me to cut some of my pantsuit pants for spring. The hemless raw edges can pass for fringe as they start to fray, right?
LOL! For a minute I thought, “Kat has finally lost it!” The commentary on the pajama shorts suit is my favorite.
Watch some magazine like Glamour pick up this post and cite it as proof that short suits ARE acceptable. LOL.
This is hilarious, but what if a newbie reader finds this a year from now and actually takes it seriously?? I hope she reads the comments too before buying any PJ suits.
Do we think maybe the designers created these looks solely for April Fool’s Day? I mean, someone’s not actually buying a silk shorts suit the other 364 days of the year, right?
This post is amazing
Oh, thank goodness it is April 1. The sight of shorts suits sent me into a rage. Do you know how hard it is to convince recent graduates that shorts do not belong in a corporate office ?
Seriously?