Thursday’s TPS Report: Ruffled Neck Blouse
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Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices.
Sales of note for 2/7/25:
- Nordstrom – Winter Sale, up to 60% off! 7850 new markdowns for women
- Ann Taylor – Extra 25% off your $175+ purchase — and $30 of full-price pants and denim
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything + extra 15% off
- Boden – 15% off new season styles
- Eloquii – 60% off 100s of styles
- J.Crew – Extra 50% off all sale styles
- J.Crew Factory – 40% off everything including new arrivals + extra 20% off $125+
- Rothy's – Final Few: Up to 40% off last-chance styles
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – 40% off one item + free shipping on $150+
And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!
Some of our latest threadjacks include:
- My workload is vastly exceeding my capability — what should I do?
- Why is there generational resentment regarding housing? (See also)
- What colors should I wear with a deep green sweater dress?
- How do you celebrate milestone birthdays?
- How do you account for one-time expenses in your monthly budget?
- If I'm just starting to feel sick from the flu, do I want Tamilfu?
- when to toss old clothes of a different size
- a list of political actions to take right now
- ways to increase your intelligence
- what to wear when getting sworn in as a judge (congrats, reader!)
- how to break into teaching as a second career
Does anyone else who is relatively well-endowed have trouble with this kind of embellished neckline? J Crew had a ton of really cute ruffle neck stuff/tops with embellished neck and I really liked it on the rack, but everything looked wonky and unattractive when I put it on. Am I destined to miss this trend, or should I keep trying?
I do, but only sometimes. Unfortunately, I haven’t completely identified what the difference is between the ruffle neck stuff that works and that which doesn’t, so I’m not sure I’m going to be a lot of help except to say “keep trying”.
I think that J.Crew blouses are generally not designed with the well-endowed in mind. None of the ruffle-neckline stuff that I have that “works” is from J.Crew.
I will say that I really like this type of top underneath a sweater (usually a v-neck with a high contrast in color — with black I’d wear a red or white sweater, or maybe pink). Maybe the same look would work for you?
Good luck!
I agree with J – J.Crew seems to dislike busty bustlines altogether. But when I saw this shirt I immediately thought, “I’d like this one on someone else, but it would never work on me” specifically because of the bust. My guess is we’re destined to miss this trend because the styling that works for a big bust seems to clash with the ruffles.
I have big boobs and otherwise am pretty small (I wear a size 10, and seriously, if it we’re for my boobs I’d be a 2 or 4) and I find that J.crew buttondowns just. don’t. work. on me (by the time they are big enough not to gape, they are just way too big and boxy). I similarly find that some of the J.Crew stuff with all-over ruffles (typically horizontal-running ones) just make me look frumpy and plumpy. However, I wil say that the tops and shells that have neck ruffles (like this shirt) actually work quite well, granted, I always wear them under a suit jacket. An otherwise plain suit jacket, with just a little “fluff’ peeking out at the tip, actually looks quite nice in my opinion and can be a good way for the larger-chested to incorporate ruffles without looking like a joke.
same for me. The neck ruffle under suit jacket (J Crew or otherwise) is a good luck for the busty.
Agreed–especially their dresses. J. Crew loves those “I ran cross-country in high school, and enjoy 7 mi. jaunts each morning” bodies.
J Crew button downs and shirts are a problem for the well-endowed (I count myself in that group), but the shells and sleeveless blouses with ruffles always work great for me. I always get compliments on them, especially when I wear one under a cardigan or a jacket and the ruffles are peeking out, adding a little interest.
Ironically, we were on TV this morning and I said this, “a full bust woman does not need ruffles and pleats on her shirts”.
When a woman has a busty shape, a D+ bra cup with misses sized waist, a simple design that is cut close to the body looks best.
LOVE. Makes my usual boring outfit interesting and elegant. As elegant as I can be in a work skirt!
Thread high-jack: Nancy Pelosi’s suit was SOOOoooOOO gorgeous last night on Obama’s State of the Union Address. The drape and soft gray color was amazing. I think she wears Armani suits almost exclusively (or so I’ve read). Oh, and the Tahitian PEARLS! Swwooooooon. I love how that woman dresses! She’s elegant, on trend, and her stuff screams expensive but in a tasteful understated way.
I thought it was very nice, too!
http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/usa/features/article_1529204.php/In-Pictures-President-Barack-Obama-Delivers-State-of-the-Union-Address?page=5
The suit looked lavender to me. But this poses the question that I’ve presented previously on this site, when can a woman start wearing colored suits? C featured a fab suit a while back, and I believe that it was also offered in red. Many commenters felt it reminded them of Sarah Palin. I saw a picture of Palin in a red suit and black knee high boots, and she looked great. Is the problem with her, or with the suit? I am relatively young (29), and have a few suits of color in my closet. Am I aging myself by wearing them?
I love colored jackets with a solid neutral pair of pants or skirt. But, I work in healthcare finance so I have much more freedom than many of you do. Today I am wearing a robin’s egg blazer with black pants and a black turtleneck. I loved colored jackets but colored suits seem to be too matchy-matchy for me when I wear them. If I wear colors I tend to stick with separates.
I am just the opposite – I’ll wear colored or patterned skirts, but always a neutral blazer (usually black or grey).
I think it depends on the area. In the South and warmer climates, I think women start to wear them much earlier than elsewhere. I live in Florida and see young women wearing colored suits all the time. We’re just so colorful here generally that I think that black/dark gray all the time can look too conservative unless you’re in the courtroom.
I think Corporette’s advice is very “New York-y” and law firm-y. Dark, conservative suits is how you roll in the NYC, but it’s not the rule worldwide, even for lawyers. Women occupy many corridors of power (law, finance, politics, public interest, medicine, etc) and they can be fashionistas yet authoritative. Black/dark gray suits can look severe and aren’t always flattering on woman, frankly. And they can look “mannish” and de-feminizing, unless you get it cut very narrowly to sex it up (which is a no-no generally). Nancy Pelosi rocks the house IMHO. And I too liked Sarah Palin’s red suit and knee high boots (ducking eggs). Condi Rice’s dominatrix look with knee high boots, not so much ;-D
I agree that women can be fashionistas yet authoritative, but when I see a colored suit or jacket on someone under 45 or so, I do NOT think fashionista. It may be autoritative, but it does not come across as fashion forward (at least in NY). To me, it just looks either dated (think 80’s/early 90’s) or “older” (which is fine — Nancy Pelosi looks amazing, but I don’t really want to look like her as a 28 year old.)
It probably is more of a regional thing, but in NY I definitely wouldn’t recommend it. And, not to sound harsh (apologies in advance), but I would not want to wear something in one part of the country (e.g., the South) that is considered the very anti-thesis of fashion in another (e.g., the Northeast). There are other options for warm climates, like light colored suits in neutral colors that would look great anywhere, so I would opt for those. But that’s just my opinion, obviously it’s a matter of what makes you happy & comfortable!
The issue is that I don’t think there is any universal idea of what’s appropriate. I’ve gone shopping in NYC before only to find absolutely nothing I could buy because it simply wouldn’t be appropriate to my Floridian wardrobe. I assume New Yorkers have the same experience when shopping in FL. There is nothing wrong with having and embracing regional differences. I’m not dressing to appeal to the NYer, so what does it matter if what I’m wearing is the antithesis of what would be appropriate there?
@ MelD
I did not say you should dress to appeal to a New Yorker, or to anyone else for that matter.
Wear what makes you feel good! I just meant that, for me, I would not wear something that would be considered dated or matronly for about 1/2 the country. We have very hot, gross & muggy summers in NY — but we deal with them by wearing neutral lighter colors in lighter weight fabrics, or even the occasional seersucker skirt suit. To me, that works anywhere, including in FL, or Atlanta, or LA — basically, anywhere — which is why I prefer it. But, again, this is only my own opinion. If you feel comfortable in “colors”, by all means … more power to you!
I agree. What looks powerful in NY (the conservative, dark suit look) actually looks dated, IMO, in other parts of the country, where women have already moved beyond having to dress like miniature men and can show their personal style by judicious use of color, cut and accessories.
It depends upon the color and style. Pastels often look matronly (and avoid the short sleeved ones at all costs), while “brights” (turquoise, primary red) with unstructured jackets or contrast collars scream “left over from the 80s”.
If you are going to wear a colored suit then go for a darker tone and a clean cut and perk it up with your blouse or accessories. I have had forest green and dark plum suits that I wore to court over the years and did not have either a judge or opposing counsel say a word. I also think that a cream jacket with a dark sheath can be appropriate for court in the right season. Of course, I would not wear these to a court of appeals or an interview.
My favorite color these days is a deep red with a dark undertone that I would call russet. I have both a wool boucle dress with a waist length jacket and a suit with a belted shawl collar jacket and bracelet length sleeves that are conservatively tailored and accessorize great with either black or chocolate pumps or slingbacks and belt (especially in a croc or reptile), black or chocolate shells (with the suit), pearls, and an Hermes scarf that I have that is the same color. If I am going to state court, which is more casual, I might thread a leopard or ponyskin skinny belt through the suit’s belt loops and swap the scarf for a fun brooch.
I find that the color is powerful, but not girly, and makes me stand out in a room full of gray and navy suits. In fact, the dress is my lucky dress — I have won pretty much every argument I have made in it!
@AIMS good (and not harsh at all) points from a NYer, and all well-taken. I don’t see much difference between an off-white suit and Nancy Pelosi’s periwinkle (gray, lavendar, whatever) in terms of style or appropriateness. Check out Kamala Harris, San Fran D.A. Love this look on her, and she’s a certifide, young(er), hottie: http://marinasf.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/05/16/kamala_harris.jpg
Maybe it’s my tv — but I thought Nancy Pelosi was in lavender. So to me that’s the difference between a light neutral (great) and a pastel (less so). The color is great on her; but I would not wear it at my age. I think the link to Kamala is a perfect example of what I meant to say — she looks great, and she would look appropriate everywhere. That’s exactly what I meant about lighter suit colors. It doesn’t have to be a choice between baby blue & dark gray!
Really? I thought it was periwinkle (not gray), and I thought it was a very distracting color. But I did love her necklace and of course her hair was stunning.
I agree! Sshe looked great, and I love those pearls. I also really liked Michelle Obama’s dress….but I almost always love the way she dresses.
I agree and liked Nancy Pelosi’s suit, and how it kinda matched Joe Biden’s tie. But, looking out over the room I saw a lot of bright primary colors (blue, yellow, red) that did not look so good to me. It just seems like not wearing a lot of color in the suit is a professional/ formal thing rather than a feminine/masculine thing.
Why is color automatically more feminine?
I totally agree. I feel the same way about men wearing colorful shirts (not blue) in green, purple, yellow, etc. Most of the time — especially outside a creative setting — it just looks unprofessional. And worse than that when it’s obviously one of those matching shirt/tie box sets.
My first thought on the blouse was that it looked very much like a 1980-ish, “Dress for Success” floppy bow blouse. BUT after clicking on the link and actually looking at the blouse I LOVE IT. It is really very elegant and could be dressed up if need be. It would be great to wear if you are needing to go from work to dinner as I think it could easily stand by itself without a jacket. I may own it before the day is over.
I like it a lot on top, but the cuffs are still a little “Dress for Success” for me. Also, remember those flannel shirts in the 80s that were sorta like this?
I didn’t like Pelosi’s look. I thought it was a poor color choice and almost had a dowdy cut/feel to it. I generally am not a fan of what she wears. Because she’s sitting directly behind the President I think she needs to project a more authoritative air. I don’t think a well-cut dark colored suit is boring or blase. I think it sets the right tone. For Pelosi, I do want something more traditional. I want something that means business. Last night she looked like she was going to an easter egg roll.
@JS – Funny re: Easter Egg Roll. :-D I totally disagree, but I see where you’re coming from. Boy, I’m doing an Obama: Bi-partisanship on lavendar suits! LOL.
Nancy Pelosi’s clothes and the way they fit – I love it. To me the suit last night was lavendar and not distracting. Remember, this is Washington – a Southern city more or less. Patel colors rock. But Michelle Obama’s dress and coat last night – no! no! Especially the bustle or hoop skirt effect. Why was she not wearing a nice slim silk suit in black or navy blue? Or maybe in off white with a little black trim (Chanel type) if she wanted to be a bit more conspicuous? I don’t get it.
I thought Michelle Obama’s look last night was a perfect example of distracting makeup. When he thanked her for her campaign against childhood obesity all I could see was too much lipgloss and eyemakeup…
Umm hummm (Nodding furiously)
I thought Michelle looked fabulous! The color was rich and seasonal and as a tall black women, I know I often use dresses to diffuse the ‘aggressive black female” stereotype. You don’t actually give up any power but perceptually, there is a difference. And I think Chanel or a Chanel knock off look might have been okay, but more likely she’d have been panned for purportedly trying to be/look like Jackie. I think Michelle does a great deal of dressing for Michelle, i.e… she wears what SHE likes and feels good in, and that is actually what I find most appealing….
Hi @divalicious11 Big ups. I’m a sister too.. But a shorty (5’3″)..
I’m a sista too! I don’t usually use exclamations, but I get excited because I think we often get left out of the corporate discourse in terms of fashion. I agree we often have to wear dresses (which I love to wear) to “soften” the image. On the other hand, I think people take notice more, which I don’t know how to feel about it. I always “dress up,” even though I am still in law school. I think it’s important because you really never know who you are going to meet on any given day. It definitely has served me well (in terms of always being asked to represent the school, head panels, internships, scholarships, etc.). The only thing that irks me is that people comment on it. Yes, flattery is great, however, I think that some people may think that all I care about is fashion. The Caucasian women at school who are constantly in heels, don’t get the same feedback. Perhaps I am thinking too hard about it. Have you guys ever experienced this?
@Woman of Color: I think black women often wear more colors, prints (just like Michelle O) because it’s more flattering for our skin tone, honestly. And also, we’re already “different” and standout because of who we are (we are so often “the black girl” in the room), and I think we have a little more freedom to express our individual style. Again, see Michelle Obama ;-D (See a theme here; I love her!). I like clothes too, and I get tons of compliments at work. I don’t take offense at all. I just do my online shopping discreetly. LOL.
I’d also like to add that even if you aren’t busty (which, sadly, I am not), this blous is cut VERY narrow in the shoulders. Former waterpolo player here…and it didn’t fit me at all. The colors are gorgeous though–not sure if they’re all still available, but it did come in royal, black and an icy silver. I was truly sad that it didn’t fit!
Here’s Michelle Obama, in case you’re wondering. I’m not seeing the heavy make-up in this shot.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/28/michelle-obamas-state-of_n_439975.html
LOVE the bob!
I’m the one who originally posted about the distracting makeup. I agree, in this photo, it looks fine. Maybe it was my tv or bad cameraman lighting. B/c when I saw her on television her lips were super shiny bright pink which is definitely not how they appear in this photo.
Anon – I agree; I like Michelle Obama, but on my TV screen, her makeup appeared unusually excessive and harsh. I admire her personal style, but I do find that sometimes she wears what I consider more “dressing up / night out” clothing to situations where I think a suit or jacket would be more appropriate.
Hi Sharon, I love Michelle’s decency and intelligence and warmth. I disagree often with her style choices, though. I preferred how she dressed pre-campaign and election, actually.I think her FLOTUS transformation involved minimizing her authority and personal accomplishments with cardigans, sheath dresses, and sleeveless tops….