Corporette.com

Updated: Nov 1, 2018 69 Comments · by

Thursday’s TPS Report: Stripe Boyfriend Cardigan

Fashion· The Personal Shopper (TPS)· Wear to Work | · · ·

This post may contain affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. We like this long merino wool cardigan for a laid back fall day at the office. The stripes, contrast trim and slim fit give it a youthful edge, but the fabric and the style is 100% office appropriate. If stripes aren't your thing, they also have a multitude of colors available in solids, here.) The sweater is $69, and available in both regular and petites. Halogen Stripe Boyfriend Cardigan Seen a great piece you'd like to recommend? Please e-mail editor@corporette.com with “TPS” in the subject line. (L-3)

Sales of note for 9.30.24

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

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

About Kat

Kat Griffin is the founder, publisher, and editor-in-chief of Corporette. You can read more about her here.

Comments

  1. Shayna

    I love long cardigans (so comfy!) but am yet to figure out how to wear them to work without them looking like the schmatte (old, unattractive cardigan) most people stash somewhere in their office for unreasonably cold days

    • AIMS

      I am wearing one right now, very similar to the one posted actually , except mine is cashmere & the contrast trim a light gray instead of black .
      I paired it with a black pencil skirt and white tee underneath. Buttoned the buttons for a more structured look. No belt required (I think belt + contrast trim may be way too busy for one outfit).
      I also wear BF cardigans with black pants a lot. Open. Fitted tank under. Nice heels & belt. Some sort of chunky or long necklace to dress it up. I think it’s just a matter of finding relatively structured cardigans that aren’t too long or too loose, in a good quality fabric, without distracting embellishments.

      • Anonymous K

        I agree with AIMS, finding something that’s not too long/loose is the key. I’ve also found that it’s infinitely easier to make thinner cardigans (think the weight of the one pictured) look more professional. I wear cardigans similar to the one pictured with some frequency in my business casual office.

    • Anonymous

      I think shawl collar cardigans without buttons tend to look more intentional. I also think that if you integrate the cardigan into your outfit with colors and accessories that go with it it will not look like you just threw it on to stay warm.

    • houda

      I think if the cardigan is fitted, then it will look more polished.
      I have a navy cashmere cardigan with leather elbow patches. It can be dressed up and down and I do keep it at the office.
      I made sure it fits right and looks crisp with collar shirts or simple tees.

  2. AN

    I own this in plain grey. It’s fitted (not boyfriend-y at all). Looks sharp. And the first cardi that has looked nice on me (due to the combo of deep V, fitted shape, length, I suspect).

  3. Parisienne

    I agree for work long cardigans will tend to look like a schmatte. I think if you are quite petite you can get away with the look with narrow pants and a low cut top under the cardigan. It is a nice skinny look for a nice skinny person.

  5. Anonymous

    Regarding yesterday’s post about undereye concealers–I’m not very good at putting together a completely polished look–if my outfit is pulled together and my hair is neat, maybe some jewelry on, then that is about as far as I get (have kids, daycare dropoffs, lunches to make etc). So applying undereye concealer on a regular basis, among other things, has never occurred to me (I do when I dress up for going out, parties, etc). That being said, how do you all shop for products, not just undereye but all face care/hair care/makeup? Samples? Sephora? Magazine recs? It seems so daunting to try to make a selection and I can’t imagine dragging two kids around the mall with me to try on makeup (husband travels a lot). How do you *find* that perfect product? Also how do you decide what you absolutely need? There are so many categories of products out there, I couldn’t possibly keep up with undereye cream, concealer, brow perfector, lip plumper, etc etc.

    • Another anon

      Follow up question. How do you people afford it? I was thinking I could use some concealer, but the one Kat recommended cost $40! I can’t imagine spending $40 on a single beauty product.

      • Anon

        I can’t speak for $40 concealer specifically (I wear $8 Almay) but I think that people (1) earn different amounts of money, (2) have different financial obligations (mortages, student loans, helping out family, children) and (3) budget differently.

        I’m not much for makeup but I will spend money at the grocery store to get high quality fresh fruits and vegetables. I don’t travel much for sightseeing/exploring purposes, but I take several fairly pricey (to me) trips a year to further my athletic pursuits. I’m sure every woman on this site will have a slightly different take on what matters most, what the “essentials” are, and where to splurge.

      • houda

        While the budget question varies greatly from a person to another, I can give my personal experience.
        I have acne (and acne scars) on my dark skin. I look VERY young and I have a high visibility-meant-for-senior-managers-only job. Looking flawless is a must to give me the extra self-confidence I need. Shallow? maybe but I’m willing to spend a little extra on makeup and a little less on outings.
        It is very hard to find the right makeup for my skin shade so I always use MAC cosmetics makeup because it has a huge color palette. I buy few items each time I get to travel. I think items are in the 30 USD (not sure) and I am from Africa (so imagine the HUGE currency difference).
        What I do to cut down on makeup budget is that I take products that have great coverage and stay longer. This way I can use minimal quantities of product (which I apply using makeup brush) and I don’t have to reapply throughout the day. Just a dab of powder if my skin starts to shine and I’m good!

      • LawyrChk

        I spend half an hour in Sephora (ULTA will do the same) trying colors of “face makeup”–concealer and foundation. I bought those there and then spend the rest of my cosmetics money at the drugstore on Neutrogena, Burt’s Bees, and Almay. I usually wear only mascara, blush, and lip gloss to work. I’d also recommend purchasing some of the makeup samplers that Sephora seems to have on sale at times–I’ve lucked out with Cargo and Smashbox’s samplers, and I get the opportunity to try lots of new stuff.

        • Rach

          I too spend the vast majority of my makeup moolah on foundation and highly-visible colored items (like lip color and blush) and buy the rest at Target-level drugstore items (or, who am I kidding? I sometimes get it at Walmart. Maybelline is everywhere and their smoothers face powder is my cheap go-to.)

          Bobbie Brown’s Skin foundation and lip colors are to-die-for and she has the best range of stuff for us super-pale girls. Lorac is also very good. Can’t recommend her concealer though. Her blush and lip color – if you try it on in person first – is guaranteed to look amazing. There is one shade of her colored lip gloss – pink buff – that looks amazing on everyone who I’ve seen wear it, from translucently pale to rich mahogany skin tones. HIGHLY recommend.

    • KateL

      Laughing in recognition because generally if my make-up is a touch above norm, my hair is pulled back because I did have (or take) time to blow dry straight or vice versa.

      Everything is relative and a matter of personal preference but my current look is usually concealer, mineral powder foundation, curl my lashes and a coat of mascara. A less than 5 minute routine. I keep lipstick/gloss in my tote/purse, I maybe remember to apply 10% of the time after my first cup of coffee.

      I look to friends/magazines/blogs for new product buzz. For my favorites I reorder through beauty.com, sephora, etc. Sephora has a partnership with JC Penny with a nicely edited selection of products. (The closest mall to me is anchored by Target, Macys and Pennys and doesn’t have a stand-alone Sephora).

      I also like a mixture of high-low in terms of cost. I like inexpensive mascara which leaves me no guilt if I have to pitch half a tube because it’s been open for too long (I wear contact lenses). I like Laura Mercier mineral make-up.

      @another anon: months ago someone here recommended Maybellines’ Age Rewind in place of Touche Eclat. I bought the double-ended tube (highligher one end, concealer the other) and love it.

    • AIMS

      For me, there are basics and non-basics. I would put concealer or foundation into the basic category. Lip plumpers, brow perfectors, etc., are non-basics.

      On most days, I use either a little foundation/concealer in a few spots (e.g., under eyes or on chin if I am breaking out a bit); blush, quick swipe of eyeshadow & mascara. Finish with lip gloss. Takes 5 minutes, max. I don’t use a lot of this stuff so it tends to last a long time. As a result, spending $20-40 on any given product doesn’t seem that bad. And, I don’t spend that much on everything (e.g., drugstore eye liner works for me). I also try to time purchases with free gifts when possible – so for example I bought Clinique foundation (has lasted me 8 months so far) but I got the gift that included eye shadow I use every day, mascara that I also really like, facial cleanser & moisturizer that’s great to take when I travel, a lipstick in a fun party color I wouldn’t otherwise buy, etc., etc. For $25 or whatever that foundation cost, I got a lot & I don’t think that’s too much to spend for something that will probably last me a year.

      My other thing is that I really try to find base products that work well for me so that I don’t have to spend more money on products that cover up flaws & try to find items that do double duty whenever possible. So, e.g., I don’t think twice about spending a bit more on an eye cream that makes a difference for me b/c it enables me to go without concealer more often.
      Similarly, I love Smith’s Rosebud Salve b/c even though a chapstick costs less, one little container of the rosebud salve lasts longer, and can be used as everything from cuticle cream to moisturizer to smoother of fly away hair to burn cream to . . . you get the idea.

      As to how I find stuff, I just try to keep an ear out. Recs from friends or sites like this one, random articles about what ingredients work & don’t, samples. . . If you go to Sephora or any beauty counter, they will generally give you good sized samples of products so you can test them before making a commitment. I don’t have kids, so I am sure that makes it harder, but I think it really just comes down to forcing the time if you want it.

    • surrounded by lawyers

      One shortcut is to identify a go-to brand that you trust, and just use them for everything. Mine, for skin and some makeup, happens to be Aveda. It just works on me, and I don’t want to spend time or money risking anything else until I see some sign that it’s not working anymore. I do find that their lip stuff just falls off though, so I have almost every color of Revlon’s “colorstay” liquid lipstick. Again, I found that it worked for me, so I just bought more.

      I use different stuff for hair–that has been much more trial and error, alas.

      The budgeting comments are right on. I go for quality, use sparingly, and save money in other areas of my life. I totally understand someone who would make different choices, and at other times in the past (and probably future) I would/will too.

    • Corporate Tool

      I know it sounds weird, but I’ve had great success buying (unused) free samples/unusual sizes of my favorite cosmetics on eBay. I got a smashbox pressed powder for 1/3 of the normal price, in the original packaging.

      Worth a look if you like a particular product, but aren’t willing to shell out the cash.

    • Anon

      As someone that’s spent way too much money on products that I don’t use, thought I’d pass on this brilliant new idea: http://www.birchbox.com/

      I signed up during their beta phase (and am still a subscriber) and for $10/month, they send a box of 4-5 high end deluxe samples (khiel’s, cargo, nars, etc.) and also have fantastic editorial content on the website that explains how to use the products and gives added tips.

        • fresh jd

          Love the idea of this, but I get free samples from sephora and walmart.com and many other online sources. Don’t think it’s worth the $120/year.

      • RIL

        I couldn’t resist – I have a serious addiction to samples and makeup. I justified the purchase that it would cut down my sephora spenidng to get samples. You should have given us your info so we could have credited you and you’d get the points.

    • Bonnie

      I’d suggest going to the mall once and get advice from a beauty counter. I’m a fan of Clinique. Once you know what you need/like, restocking will be quicker. Also, you can save money by buying your products during bonus days when they throw in lots of samples. That will also give you an opportunity to try out different shades in the comfort of your home without having to pay for them.

    • Rach

      A couple of thoughts from a makeup junkie:

      I’d start with your local department/drug store and get cheap stuff if you don’t know where to start. Figure out whether you prefer liquid foundation, cream foundation, the range of colors that works best, what you need and don’t (for example, some girls need concealer, some don’t; some need eyeshadow, some don’t; some need lipstick, some prefer gloss or chapstick).

      If you post some basics like skin tone, hair color, eye color, favorite wardrobe colors, and standard activities either here, makeupalley.com, purseforum.com, and a few other web sites out there, I’m sure the girls will be very quick to provide suggestions.

      Ulta is a touch less expensive than Sephora. I’d go there rather than a cosmetics counter where the SA’s are going to sell you on their line rather than a wide variety.

      I’d say, if your skin is relatively clear, a light tinted moisturizer or light coverage foundation, mascara, one darker eye shadow for the crease, one lighter eye shadow for highlighting the brow, blush (here’s where you’d choose cream/powder/gel/etc.), and tinted lip gloss should get you started. You’re probably going to veer more toward peach/browns or pinky/grays.

      I don’t work for her, just as a disclaimer, but I do recommend her skin care products highly from use. I’m not crazy about her cosmetics, frankly, because they tend to be a bit peachy for my skin tones, but Paula’s Choice (www.cosmeticscop.com) has samples for each of her makeup options that cost less than a dollar each and you can order them from the comfort of your home. Her company is very fair, good customer service, great return policy.

      She also publishes “Don’t go to the cosmetics counter without me” which has GREAT reviews of products that aren’t based on company-sponsored advertising. I think its online for a small subscription fee, but I haven’t signed up since I have a fairly recent book of reviews.

  6. Bridget

    Grammar question/rant: I was always taught that you should use a possessive before a gerund (an ‘ing word functioning as a noun). For example “Her running is important to her.” Or, less obviously, “The client appreciates the government(‘s) granting us the opportunity to respond.”

    But no one other than me ever seems to actually use the possessive — at least when it is an ‘s (rather than his/her), — and I’m constantly correcting this in others’ writing when asked to proofread, edit, etc. Numerous people have commented to me that they have never heard this rule. I’m beginning to feel overly nit-picky and like I’m fighting a losing battle. Has it become acceptable to not use the possessive? Should I stop correcting it?

    • Anonymous

      No, you should not stop correcting it. In the example you gave – “The client appreciates the government(‘s) granting us the opportunity to respond.” – the inclusion or omission of the possessive changes the meaning of the sentence. Without the possessive, the government itself is being appreciated. With the possessive, it is the granting of the opportunity that is being appreciated, which I assume is the intended meaning of the sentence.

    • i'm nobody

      forget the “rule.” your sentence, “The client appreciates the government(‘s) granting us the opportunity to respond,” would be better re-written as:

      The client appreciates the opportunity to respond.

      in any event, the attention on possessive pronouns is misplaced. this is an issue of case (subjunctive).

    • RR

      I don’t think that’s a rule. For example, the following sentence is perfectly appropriate: “Running is a great exercise if you are short on time.” It’s a noun, and it functions like a noun. You don’t always have to have a possessive in front of a noun, so you don’t always have to have a possessive in front of a gerund.

      • RR

        Forgot to say, in your second example, you do need a possessive there–not because you are using a gerund, but because it is the government’s granting.

      • Bridget

        Right, you don’t always have to have a possessive, but you can’t have just another noun before a gerund (like “government granting” above); instead, you must make it possessive (“government’s granting”). This error is made all the time. I guess maybe I need to be a *more* intrusive proofreader and just fix the awkward sentence instead of doing the quick grammar fix. :)

        I guess I’m mostly worried about those situations where I’m supposed to do a final proofread, making minimal changes, and see the noun-gerund formation and don’t know if its “problematic enough” to warrant a correction late in the game. People get annoyed if you edit/nit-pick too heavily on a final proofread.

        • RR

          I totally misunderstood your first post. Sorry! I agree with you that it’s absolutely correct for it to be possessive in that example.

    • Editor

      This editor says yes, you are correct, but good luck convincing all the people who do it wrong.

      • Editor

        Actually let me qualify my comment because I didn’t see your first example. It’s not necessary every time the gerund functions as a noun. It’s necessary when the gerund is a direct object. E.g. “I heard Jen’s singing” not “I heard Jen singing” or “I resent your calling me fat” not “I resent you calling me fat.” Make sense?

      • W

        This. It is absolutely, absolutely a rule, though there are very few of us left who still know and follow it.

        • Amy H.

          Agreed. I have often felt like I am the only one left on earth who knows about and applies this rule. Nice to see that there are some other Corporettes who know it!!

          I’ve even seen websites like the New York Times handle this incorrectly of late. Never used to be the case. I tried correcting it (in a pretty glaring example) in a letter drafted by my boss (the partner whose name is on the door) and he said, “I’m sure you’re right on the grammar, but leave it as it is.” Gah.

    • North Shore

      Any other Grammar Girl fans out there? If you pull up her web page and type “gerund” into the search bar, you can find her article, “Do I Hate Your Singing or You Singing?” Maybe send it around to your colleagues next time this issue comes up. Especially if you hate them when they are singing.

      BTW, Grammar Girl is big on pointing out which “rules” really are not rules, but style guidelines. She advises you to re-write to avoid issues, and know your audience to decide whether to break the non-rules that others see as rules. She is so wise.

    • Miriam

      It’s fine to correct people once in awhile, but you definitely risk offending people and coming off like you think you know more than everyone else. Even if you are correct, sometimes it’s just better to keep quiet. It’s really not your place to correct other adults unless it is something that represents you or your firm/office. I get very annoyed when people try to correct me when it’s not necessary, like on Facebook or something when I am obviously not putting so much thought into it. It’s seems like they just want to show off.

  7. Hmmm...

    I haven’t heard this, either. When learning AP Style, I learned that, at least in the first instance you gave, the opposite of what you wrote would be correct (“Running is important to her.”), because the first “her” is assumed. However, AP Style is all about being succinct, so it doesn’t necessarily apply to all styles of writing.

    • Bridget

      Yeah, I knew it was an awkward sentence, but was having trouble coming up with something where everyone “intuitively knows” that the possessive his/her is correct. Another example would be “Her drinking is excessive.”

      • Hmmm...

        See, in that example, I can’t imagine someone wouldn’t use the “her” because it doesn’t make sense at all without it.

      • Hmmm...

        Anyway, I say if you think something is written incorrectly, just suggest the way that you think is proper. It’s up to the original author to decide whether he/she wants to change it or not. And I don’t think it’s a losing battle! (And if people are asking you to edit/proofread often, which it seems they are, obviously they respect your grammatical skills and command of the English language.)

        • i'm nobody

          most often, the awkwardness can be addressed by ‘un-cluttering’ the writing. AP and Chicago styles both encourage this approach.

          often, a pissing contest over what the “rule” is accomplishes nothing. especially among lawyers, everyone thinks he or she is the expert (to complicate the mess, many professionals confuse grammar and style) so even if you can cite a rule, it may not (illogically enough) get you anywhere. it’s usually more convincing to re-write a better sentence.

          • Rach

            Agreed. Prior copy editor/journalist here. If there’s a huge dispute over phrasing, whether right or not, half of your readers are going to think its wrong and none of them will look it up in the AP style book. Better to change the sentence structure completely and avoid the smug emails.

      • RR

        But you could also say, “Excessive drinking causes health problems.” No possessive, but still grammatically correct. Or, “Drinking a glass of red wine per day is good for the heart.” Or, “Drinking beer is my favorite activity.” Those sentences are all fine, but no possessive. It’s a noun. Treat it like a noun.

        • Editor

          See my comment above – the rule is whether the gerund is a direct object, not only if it’s being used as a noun.

  10. kellyn

    On the boyfriend cardigan note, I was in Express the other day, lured in by huge signs advertising a 30% off sweaters sale. I don’t normally shop at Express because it’s generally a bit young for me, and they don’t carry my size in bottoms or dresses. BUT, there was a great boyfriend cardigan that was 49.50 to start (30% of that), and I scooped it up. Quality is that expected from Express (ok for a season or two, then down grade to the office schmatte). It was a thin gauge cardigan, v neck, not too long, and had great jeweled buttons that were just enough “ooh la la” to spiff the piece up. It came in several colors– black, white, gray, camel (which I got and LOVE), as well as purple, teal, royal, and a few others.

    Highly recommended for a biz casual kind of day or in our every day lives! I’m wearing the camel cardigan today with straight black trousers, sharp black flat loafers (pointy ish toe), a white button up dress shirt, gold long strand necklace, and a very thin leopard head band.

Back to Top

About

Work with Corporette®

Serious Stuff

work fashion blog press mentions