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Thursday’s TPS Report: Ann Taylor LOFT Pleated Empire Dress

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Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. We begin the week in splurge mode, with our most expensive suggestions, and wind our way to Friday, where a less expensive item of clothing might be just what you need to make it to the weekend. We like this simple and sweet dress from Ann Taylor LOFT — it's a lot on the casual side, but it's still the kind of thing that can be dressed up for the office with a pair of closed-toe pumps and a cropped jacket. (Then, change into some strappy sandals and a wrap and head out on the town.) Clean lines, a few unique but unobtrusive details — such are the makings of a great summer dress. It's $69 at Ann Taylor LOFT (and comes in a great online-only color, Havana Blue, as well as black). Ann Taylor LOFT Pleated Empire Dress

Sales of note for 8/12/25:

  • Ann Taylor – 30% off your full price purchase, and $99 dresses and jackets — extra 60% off sale also
  • Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything + extra 20% off
  • Boden – 10% off new womenswear styles with code
  • Dermstore – Anniversary sale, up to 25% off everything
  • Eloquii – Extra 50% off all sale
  • J.Crew – 30% off wear-now styles & up to 60% off all sale styles
  • J.Crew Factory – Up to 60% off everything and extra 60% off clearance
  • Mejuri – Up to 25% off everything
  • M.M.LaFleur – New August drop, and up to 70% off sale – try code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off.
  • Neiman Marcus – Last call designer sale! Spend $200, get a $50 gift card (up to $2000+ spend with $500 gift card)
  • Nordstrom – 9,800+ new women's markdowns
  • Rothy's – Ooh: limited edition T-strap flats / Mary Janes
  • Spanx – Free shipping on everything
  • Talbots – Semi-annual red door sale! 50% off all markdowns + extra 20% off already marked-down items

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

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

12 Comments

  1. This is terrible. It’s too short for work, and the smocking and ruching is incredibly juvenile. It just looks cheap.

  2. A lot on the short side, too. Plus, nothing especially pretty about it either. not to mention from the looks of it, bra’s and panties worn underneath this dress may contour a little too much through the thin fabric?

  3. That dress is way too short to be appropriate office attire.

    I agree that it could be easily dressed up, but it looks like its close to two dollar bills above the knee.

  4. I don’t love this dress either, but the length is really something that depends on the person who’s wearing it — yes, it looks too short on the model, but on someone like me who is *not* model height, it may well cover the knees.

  5. I’m 5’3″ and dresses that are that length on models in pictures tend to be a demure knee length on me. And it’s not like 5’3″ is THAT short; plenty of women are in my position on this one.

  7. I agree…plus with Ann Taylor Loft’s often cheap (and cheaply cut) fabrics, I bet in person this looks more suitable for the beach. But it might be passable in black.

  8. Ann Taylor/Loft/Outlet used to be my go-to store for clothing that I would like, would fit me, and would not break the bank but one of the two of us has shifted styles and now I rarely see anything I like there anymore. So sad.

  9. Good Lord, lots of hate for C today! No one is forcing you to buy it. I don’t think I’d wear it to work either, but I think it would be cute for the beach or at least more interesting than jeans on a summer Saturday.

  10. I agree that you would definitely have to dress this up for work. I could see it paired with perhaps a simple black wide belt, fitted suit jacket, and a beaded necklace to draw attention away from the neckline.

  11. I absolutely agree with Jay. I don’t think this could be pulled off even in a fairly casual office. But I would absolutely wear this out on the weekends with some cute flats or sandals and with one or two pieces of fun statement jewelry. I don’t know about the weather where everyone else is, but I live in the south and it is most definitely spring here!

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