Thursday’s TPS Report: Gap’s Vena Cava Printed Khaki 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.
For those with champagne taste but a beer budget, the flush of designer collaborations over the last few years with lower-priced stores (Target, H&M, etc) has been a godsend.
Gap's latest designer collection is getting rave reviews and is entirely available online.
Take, for example, this dress , designed by finalists of the 2008 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, designers Lisa Mayock and Sophie Buhai of Vena Cava.
It's a simple cotton dress with a bold tribal print. It's not for everyone, but then, most designer clothes aren't. It's $88 at Gap. Women: Vena Cava printed khaki dress – motorcross khaki
Sales of note for 8/28/25 (I'm bolding the ones I'm checking out first):
- Nordstrom – Summer sale has started!
- Ann Taylor – 30% off your full price purchase, $99 dresses, jackets and shoes, and 60% off sale
- Banana Republic Factory – 50%-70% off everything + extra 20% off
- Boden – 20% off everything
- Dermstore – Anniversary Edit of 16 Favorites, $629 value for $150 (also, NB you can make FSA purchases there!)
- Eloquii – 100s of styles starting at $25
- J.Crew – Up to 40% off 100s of styles (readers love this blazer, these pants, these sneakers, this suiting, and their sweater blazers and winter coats in general. Also note that they've expanded their size range up to 3X/24! See our full roundup of what to buy for work at J.Crew.)
- J.Crew Factory – 40-70% off everything and extra 60% off clearance
- M.M.LaFleur – Save up to 70% Labor Day Weekend – Take an additional 20% off already-discounted items
- Neiman Marcus – Extra 15% off beauty including options from DIOR, Nars, Chantecaille, Victoria Beckham, SK-II, and La Mer
- Rothy's – Ooh: limited edition T-strap flats / Mary Janes
- Spanx – End of summer sale, extra 30% off sale styles with code – reader favorites include these pants in regular, petite, and tall sizes all up to 3X (the very rare option for a plus-size petite!); Nordstrom also has a big collection!)
- Talbots – 70% off markdowns final sale
- Tuckernuck – Sample sale, prices up to 70% off! (Including lots of this bestselling work dress marked to under $75)
And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!
Some of our latest threadjacks include:
- how do I feel less overstimulated at work?
- how can I look more put-together/expensive?
- what's the best out-of-office message to show I'm not working?
- what are some comfortable fashion sneakers?
- what brands have minimalist clothes for a more casual office?
- how to store lots of accessories
- what are good products for sparse brows?
- what do you recommend for gifts for a friend who's eloping?
- what should I pick for our company-branded conference swag?
- what non-sneaker shoes can you walk a mile in?
- I'm 31 and feel like my life is too stagnant…
- which emojis fill you with rage?
- how can I make house guests more comfortable?
- my friend is at her wit's end with her SAHP
- when is it time to quit therapy?
- why is it so hard to stay on top of school communications for my teen?
A little short for work, no? And what’s with the elastic-looking waistband again?
I like the top of this dress, and even don’t mind the elastic waist as much as I did the suit from yesterday’s… but, it’s too short for work on a tall person, and as I try to picture this on my shorter self, I suspect the proportions wouldn’t work very well (the sleeves would look too long perhaps?).
Yes, much too short for work.
I think this is gorgeous, and I’m going to try it on. I’m short, so I’m guessing it won’t be too short on me. I think the proportions will be fine on someone shorter. I’ll still try it on, though!
I love this dress and since I’m only 5’1″ I’m betting the length will be fine on me :)
It’s a very nice dress if the length is ok for you. A beige belt would cover the waist-gathers and not chop you up too much. So, sincere congratulations to all you size 10s and under. For the rest of us: do retailers realize what a slap in the face this is to bigger people? We go running off all excited, to Gap, whose other clothes go up to 16, but too bad, peasants, this stuff is just for the skinnies. Feh. Sorry. Just makes me grumpy.
wow, am i the only one that thinks this is horrendous? and, that it doesnt look at all “designer”? please, I cant be the only one . . .
delta sierra: i just twittered about that very point! i find the gap’s misguided (and, by my estimation, blatantly size-ist) efforts at cheap & chick unfortunate. even though i am a size 10, i do not want to support their efforts.
apparently the gap missed this interesting fashion “trend” (such that it is): http://bit.ly/VSW0g.
I can see a celebrity-model (Heidi? Tyra?) really working this dress in a casual social setting, but I can’t see a typical working woman in a conservative business environment carrying it off. Even though adding a belt would improve the unfinished, sort of home sewn look, it’s still too short for work. It might work for the office picnic…
I agree, anon, this is hideous – looks like a cheap uniform of some sort with a painted-on pattern. Not cute, not long enough, and not appropriate for work.
I like the dress from the Vena Cava collaboration–the khaki pants with their signature deco print at near the waist were interesting as well.
The main draw, though, was the Alexander Wang moto jacket that was sold out online the day the collection was released. Quel disappointment!
That dress reminds me of a potato sack….
I realize I’m going to get hate on this, but….if you want to wear clothes that don’t come above a size 10, you could….lose weight? Why is it the retailers’/designers’ responsibility to design things for your body? Maybe the designers didn’t think the design would be flattering above a certain size. If they’re happy with their economic platform, and it doesn’t include bigger sizes, why should they change? Not that corporette couldn’t/shouldn’t feature clothes for a variety of people, but I don’t think she’s obligated to make sure that every item will be available in a size that will make everyone feel good about themselves.
!!! Interesting comment, Jay. And, I though Monday’s black blazer was controversial.
If it were that easy to lose weight, there wouldn’t be a zillion dollar weight-loss industry. Some people stay slim easily, some don’t. There’s a lot of research currently being done on the brain. Thirty years ago it was “ok” to tell depressed persons to just pull their socks up and get busy. These days we know it’s brain physiology and beyond the patient’s control. Betcha anything weight turns out to be the same thing in a few years.
This trench is similar, yet more professional and comes in sizes 6-20. Plus it’s marked down from $229 to $89.
http://www1.talbots.com/talbotsonline/product/itempage.aspx?item=E93986&PFID=521&BID=&h=M&sk=M
jay, i dont necessarily disagree that a designer has creative prerogative; i guess my problem is the gap just isnt one of those designers/companies. to the contrary, the gap holds itself out as appealing to the masses: a retailer that ordinarily offers contemporary clothing to women of all sizes (0 (xs)-20 (xxl)), including petite and tall sizes. i find it unfortunate that, unlike target’s affordable designer wear, which i believe runs through size 16, the gap has only offered limited editions in sizes xs-m. it doesnt even offer these designs in its own large sizes. it’s a rather an elitist approach to affordable fashion, which strikes me as inconsistent with the gap’s approach.
There is no need to be concerned with what sizes this dress comes in– it is hideous and would be unflattering on anyone above a size 6. As for people size 6 and under, there are way way cuter dresses available. basically, this dress should not be offered in ANY size.
Ditto girltuesday, and, for the record, not everyone over a size 10 needs to lose weight. Some people are just built that way. I am short with a small frame, but honestly about 25 lbs overweight and fit into a size 6. Do I need to lose weight? Sure. In contrast, many people who are taller than me wear 10s and 12s and they are not overweight at all.
secretly i’m into this dress, but i think i need to see the fabric in person. the one gap i checked doesnt have the line. the fabric looked a little too chino pants to me… but i like the idea of it (and i’m a shortie so hem line is ok)