Corporette.com

Updated: Nov 1, 2018 106 Comments · by

Tuesday’s TPS Report: Charcoal and Electric Blue Cascade Wool Boatneck Dress

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. Badgley Mischka Platinum Label charcoal and electric blue cascade wool boatneck dressBluefly has a number of 2010 fall dresses marked up to 40% off, including this fabulous wool dress from Badgley Mischka Platinum Label. Love the stretchy woven wool, and have we mentioned that that is our favorite color of blue? Like the boatneck neckline, and the loose dolman sleeves — lovely. Was $395, now marked to $237 at Bluefly.com. Badgley Mischka Platinum Label charcoal and electric blue cascade wool boatneck dress Seen a great piece you'd like to recommend? Please e-mail editor@corporette.com with “TPS” in the subject line. (L-2)

Sales of note for 10.10.24

  • Nordstrom – Extra 25% off clearance (through 10/14); there's a lot from reader favorites like Boss, FARM Rio, Marc Fisher LTD, AGL, and more. Plus: free 2-day shipping, and cardmembers earn 6x points per dollar (3X the points on beauty).
  • Ann Taylor – Extra 50% off sale (ends 10/12)
  • Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything plus extra 25% off your $125+ purchase
  • Boden – 10% off new styles with code; free shipping over $75
  • Eloquii – Extra 50% off a lot of sale items, with code
  • J.Crew – 40% off sitewide
  • J.Crew Factory – 50% off entire site, plus extra 25% off orders $150+
  • Lo & Sons – Fall Sale, up to 35% off
  • M.M.LaFleur – Save 25% sitewide
  • Neiman Marcus – Sale on sale, up to 85% off
  • Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
  • Talbots – 50% off 2+ markdowns
  • Target – Circle week, deals on 1000s of items
  • White House Black Market – Buy one, get one – 50% off full price styles

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

  2. Law-Less

    This is beautiful. The electric blue seaming is lovely, especially against the charcoal grey, however, I think the blue fold looks like a napkin tucked in the waist band.

    • nonA

      Hah! That’s exactly what I thought. Love the color combo, but wouldn’t want to feel like a waiter (a very haute coutoure waiter, but still).

    • EG

      Exactly! I really liked this dress at first, but when I realized the blue fold looked like a napkin I flashed back to those teen-age job days at the ice cream parlor.

  5. AIMS

    I am going to dissent — do not love the dress, hate the hanging patch of blue (and most especially that shade!)

  10. KelliJ

    I want to like this, but the boat neck, dolman sleeves,and napkin at the waste just aren’t me.

    • Hydrangea

      Same…something about it seems cheap to me too. I think cause I have a similarly shaped dress from BCBG girls.

  11. S

    Something about the blue piping around the waist plus the dangling blue thing… not my style

  12. Anonymous

    Threadjack! I am having a new headshot for the website taken. The posted picture will be in black and white. Charcoal, navy or black suit? Shell or button down? What color? I’m very fair with blonde hair and light eyes. Any other advice? I HATED my last headshot. Help!

    • lawDJ

      I’d say charcoal suit, as for shell/button down it really depends on what looks better on you and what you’re more comfortable with. What’s your favorite thing to wear under a suit? I’d go with a darker color, of a shade similar to your charcoal jacket so that it’s all one contrast. It might also help if you tell us why you hated your last headshot.

    • AIMS

      I have always read that navy photographs best, so I’d go with that.
      I think Prince Edward (or whichever British royal abdicated the throne for an American divorcee) had all his tuxes and formal clothes made in navy blue because it always looked better in the newspaper — I would follow that lead. As for shell v. button down — I would do whichever makes you feel best & most professional.

    • nonA

      Personally, I think the shell lays better, and there is less to worry about (no strange gaping, wrinkling, etc.) While the photog should fix that, sometimes they don’t tell you about things like that and then you get a stack of shots with some odd angles going on.

      Don’t do black – it will likely look too harsh for the black and white pic. I would actually do a shell that is in between your suit color and your skin color – don’t do so pale that it will blend in with your flesh, but make sure there is some contrast between the suit and the shell so that it doesn’t look like a giant hulking blob. You want to create layers of “color” in the black and white.

  13. Preggo Angie

    Just an update – found a decent (but not great) maternity suit at PITP, and I think the interview went fairly well. Just one thing – I had assumed there would be a second interview, and at that time I was planning on bringing up my pregnancy, since it’s still not totally obvious (if I scored one). During the interview, I was told there may or may not be a second – should I include that information in my thank-you note? Two of the interviewees are former colleagues and Facebook friends, so they know and could have very well told the decision makers already. Wondering what the best course of action is…

    • lawDJ

      I definitely would not tell on a thank you note like EVER. I just wouldn’t worry about it. It is not something you need to bring up and since some people already know I would think it’s not necessary even if you felt like it was (which IMO, is not necessary).

    • anon

      Are you planning to continue working after you have your baby? If so, I wouldn’t tell them until after you have the offer in hand. I don’t think you are obligated to tell them, and you certainly don’t want to do it in a note rather than face-to-face. Probably they know anyway. Good luck!

    • SuzyQ

      I would advise you not to bring it up until you have the job offer in hand and even then, not right away. Isn’t it illegal for them to factor this into their hiring decision? I would just get the job offer first and then accept the offer, and then bring up the pregnancy with your direct boss before you start the job. I started a new job while 5 months pregnant (and showing) and everyone was really great about it. Keep in mind, though, that you won’t be eligible for FMLA leave so you may have to take a shorter maternity leave.

      • Angie

        Yeah, I’ll likely only be eligible for 6-8 weeks of short-term disability. It’s a bummer, but what’s a person to do, aside from move to Europe?

        • Anon

          I interviewed while I was about 6 months pregnant, it was obvious and I had to ask for a later start date, because the original start date was alomst the same as my due date. So they knew before the interview that I was pregnant. I still got an offer and started about 7 weeks after I had my son. It was tough to go back so early, but I really wanted and needed the job, so there wasn’t much of a choice. (I am a lawyer.)

      • Anonymous

        This. There’s no reason to tell them before you have an offer. It can only hurt, not help (speaking from experience here). Once you have an offer, if you’re at a stage in your pregnancy where you’re ready to tell, it’s probably nice to let them know so they can take it into account when planning your work assignments. However, I don’t think it’s necessary to tell them until after you’re showing. They should be able to make accommodations with 4 months’ notice.

        • Lincoln

          Since Pregnancy is a protected class upon which an employer is not allowed to make employment based decisions, I would never mention being pregnant prior to gaining employment. It has too much potential to be viewed as trying to leverage a job; i.e. I am telling you now that I’m pregnant and I can make real trouble for you if you don’t hire me.

  14. anon

    if I saw someone at my actual office wearing this, I might be inclined to wonder if they were trying just a little too hard to be fashionable.

  15. update from the OP re ring dilemma

    Because so many people responded to my question last week about whether to take a “used” engagement ring, I thought I would let y’all know what happened:

    As so many recommended–forehead-slapper–I just asked my boyfriend directly whether HE had a problem with my wearing the ring, or if he’d just ruled it out because he assumed I wouldn’t want to. He said the latter. I told him all the reasons that I feel like it would make sense, and it turns out he agreed. Happy ending. The only thing I am having done to it is a professional cleaning. I wanted to preserve it exactly as it’s been passed down in his family.

    While we were on the subject, I also asked him another question that had been on my mind: would he like my Dad’s wedding ring? (My amazing Dad was married long and happily to my Mom, but passed away about 2 years ago). I made clear that I would understand if he was uncomfortable with it, but he was not. I feel really good about this: I take his family’s ring, he takes my family’s ring.

    Thanks for all your thoughts, Corporettes.

    • RoadWarriorette

      What a happy ending! I will admit that I am very sentimental, and I am so glad you guys were able to work it out in such a wonderful way. Congratulations!!

    • ceb

      It sounds like everyone was very thoughtful and mature about the whole thing . . . Very promising for the future! Good luck!

    • lawDJ

      Aww this is such a heart-warming story. Glad you guys were able to work it out!

    • fresh jd

      Very touching! A great story to share with your kids (if you choose to have ’em).

    • North Shore

      So sweet.

      My husband “gave” me my own grandmother’s engagement ring when we were engaged. Some of my friends said he should buy me another ring, but this is the only one I ever wanted and I love wearing it. My cousin has the matching wedding band. We were the only girls in the next two generations, and have a special bond because of the heirloom rings. I hope you enjoy yours, too.

    • Another Laura

      I’m so happy for you. Although now you have to figure out how to get a right-hand diamond! (kidding…)

  16. RoadWarriorette

    I think the dress is very cute and could work on the right person, but I’m not sure I’m cool enough for it. Plus boatnecks don’t really work for me.

    • Clueless

      I see a lot of people say, “boatnecks don’t work on me,” and I’m wondering why? It had never occurred to me that this could be a “difficult” neckline sometimes. Can someone enlighten me? Does it not work for some body types? Probably I’m one of those and just don’t know it – this would be typical for me. I love the education I get on this site!

      • KelliJ

        If you are well endowed, shirts or dresses with a high neckline (crew, boat, turtleneck) can make you look bigger.

        • Clueless

          Oh, I see. No wonder I never noticed – I’m rather flat-chested, especially since I had kids. And obviously I’m not very observant either. Thanks for the enlightenment.

          • Samantha

            Flat-chested since having kids? Hey, I thought that expanded your bustline! ;)

        • Anonymous

          Disagree. I am a 30E and boatnecks look great. Perhaps it depends on the exact cut or other factors too?

      • Shayna

        I’m an hourglass shape w/ larger breasts so the boatneck makes me look top heavy and not in a flattering way… a v-neck elongates my body which is a better effect overall (I’m 5’2″ so I’ll take any elong-ation I can get!)

      • Lynnet

        I’m not well-endowed, but my bra-straps invariably show when I where boatnecks, so I’ve learned to avoid them. It’s too bad, because I really like how they look.

      • Notalawyer

        If you go by the Seasons color schemes–i.e. best colors to wear to suit your personal coloring, I’ve noticed that all the 80’s colors coming back into style this year are very flattering for Winters. (Of which I am one.) Yay! They may be 80’s, and I remember them well, but, Wow!, do they work for me.

        (i.e. Jewel-tones of blue, red, green, grey, silver, often paired with black.)

  19. M

    Nice form of the dress but without this hanging blue style. A few your ago I bought a plaid shift dress with some kind of draping like this. I went to a tailor to remove it and now it looks great.

  20. Bad Fashion

    Thread jack: Did anyone else read Instyle Magazine’s September issue (H. Swank over cover) and laugh at the how to wear sweatpants article on page 274? For those of you who didn’t see it, they took grey sweatpants (and there is no mistaking them for anything but sweatpants) and paired them with a beaded tank, boyfriend blazer, and sky-high black peep-toes for an “effortlessly glamorous effect.” The two other suggestions were just as ridiculous!

      • Emily

        OMG – too funny. But if baggy gray sweat pants are the new spandex leggings, maybe I’ll consider this a public service.

      • Amy

        Oh, Lord have mercy. They are sweatpants! They will always be sweatpants no matter how they’re styled.

      • Anonymous

        I’d say elastic waistbands =/= work attire.

        However, I will admit to once wearing a pair of very loose, flowy dance pants made out of stretchy material to the office.

    • Poorva

      …

      Thanks for the laugh, I needed that.

      TBH, it *might* have worked with black sweats, but that colour? Not a snowball’s chance in the Sahara of it being anything but LOL-worthy…

    • nonA

      Especially when there are so many leggings options on the market that are just as comfy … why would anyone do this or take this seriously?

      I should be a fashion editor. “Sports Bra – From the Gym to the Bar” “New Balance and Haute Couture – Three Great Looks” “Boxers and Blazers – Wear it to Work”

      • surrounded by lawyers

        Too funny. I love how you’re supposed to spend big bucks and STILL look like you’re dressed for microwave popcorn and a phone date with Mom.

    • govvie girl

      Same thought I had when I saw that, like, uh, NOOOO. I wondered at the time if they were just “testing” us readers for an “Emperor Has No Clothes” reaction.

    • KelliJ

      Gym chic! I think the feathered clutch really makes the outfit…IMHO. ;-) If those outfits aren’t bad enough, the one mentioned costs over $1200!

    • Anon

      I think the only people who could get away with this is Beyonce and maybe Fergie.

    • Shayna

      Yes! I thought the beaded tank was the most bizarre… I don’t care how much InStyle pushes it, it’s just too weird

    • UnSub

      I often wear sweatpants, high heels and a sequined top. See, the club where I go to dance has bicycles instead of bar stools and I like to be appropriately dressed for all activities all*the*time. Sigh…

  21. s-p-s

    Completely agreed! Love reading InStyle, but thank goodness for the more practical suggestions and classic style found here :)

  23. Anonymous Today

    This seems to be a divisive piece! I love it. I will say that it’s definitely something that would only look good on the right person (as far as body type and personality).

  24. SuzyQ

    Threadjack – I am a senior associate and I have a potential new client (my first!) for a relatively small matter that I think I should be able to handle on my own and can potentially finish up the project in a week or so. The potential new client will be coming to my office for a meeting this week. Problem is that I’m very pregnant and my due date is next week. I would like to bring my partner into the meeting in case I go into labor and am MIA for awhile, which would totally leave the client hanging. BUT, my DH thinks that bringing in my (obviously older, more experienced male) partner will make it appear that he is really the knowledgeable one and I’m just there as a helpful associate. What do you think? I’ve seen the potential client pretty recently so he’s not going to be surprised by my pregnant state, although he probably does not know just how close I am to my due date. Thanks in advance for your advice.

    • Anonymous Today

      I would bring the partner in with you, but be sure to really take the lead in the meeting. As long as you are the one doing most of the talking, I don’t think you’ll have a problem. I do understand your husband’s concerns, but at this point I think it would reflect worse on you if you do go into labor and leave the client hanging.

    • anon

      Bring the sr partner, and have a discussion in advance about you taking the lead in the conversation (assuming this sr partner is the good kind …). Being seen as responsible in making sure the project is taken care of will help you more than being seen as junior will hurt you. And congrats on all of it.

    • SF Bay Associate

      My two cents:

      Unless you are worried about going into labor AT the meeting, do not have partner come. At least in my office, the male partners, even if they are supposed to be taking a backseat, can’t help themselves and start getting too involved. Meet with your client alone. Then, after the meeting, send a followup “thanks so much for coming here’s what we discussed let me know if you have any questions” email, and include a “cc’d is Mr. Partner. I’ve apprised Mr. Partner of your situation and he is ready to handle any issues in my absence.” I’m sure other Corporettes can word this better, but that’s my two cents.

      • nonA

        Yup. Its very important to make sure your partner or co-associate who is prepped to take over your matters is up to date on this one as well, but there’s no need to have both in the meeting. Make sure you fill them in on any pertinent facts and your work files are ready to go if you go into labor unexpectedly, but I don’t think you are required to have him in the meeting.

        Also, based yon your description, I’m guessing it is a pretty cost-sensitive matter, and if I were the client I would be thinking “how much am I paying to have both people here?”

        SF Bay’s comments ring true for both male and female partners in my office. I work for a femal partner who always say “I’m expecting you to take the lead on this call” and, without fail, 5 minutes in, she will jump in and take over.

    • Anonymous

      Pro rep is still fresh in my mind, so leaving the client hanging because you didn’t fix an issue you saw coming a mile away sounds bad to me. I would be surprised if your client didn’t ask in the meeting, “So, if you go into labor, who can I call?” But I’ll happily defer to the (actual, not wannabe) attys in case this is just my super-duper-ethical pro rep prof talking.

      Ethical issues aside (phew!) if I were in your client’s shoes, I would have more respect for you for bringing someone else in to take over when you’re on maternity leave than if you didn’t to save face, and then ditched me. When you explain to the client why your colleage is there, I think that will be sufficient and you would not look like just a helpful associate. If the person knows you and has seen you recently then they know that you are a SENIOR associate, and that you probably know what you’re doing. :-)

      Congrats in advance for the baby! :-D

    • Anonymous

      I wouldn’t actually bring the partner to the meeting. Instead, I’d tell the client during the meeting that, should you go into labor earlier than expected, the partner will be taking over and introduce the client to him after the meeting. Then write a detailed memo for the partner just in case he ends up taking over.

      • L

        I like this suggestion a lot, lets the client meet the partner but NOT have the partner in the meeting (which saves the client money anyway).

      • AMM

        Yes — have the meeting, then stop by PartnerMan’s office on the way out to introduce client to him and say “on the off chance I can’t finish your project before the baby arrives, PartnerMan will be ready to take over.” Assuming, of course, PartnerMan is on board with that plan.

      • Chicago K

        I agree with this.

        While I am not a lawyer, I totally agree with SF Bay Associate that sometime those senior to use just CAN’T help themselves by jumping into it all. It happens with my boss EVERY TIME I include him in anything. I lead excellent meetings that have firm agendas and take care to keep everyone on task. Boss will speak OVER ME and others during them to get his 2 cents in. It’s like he just wants everyone to know he is there and talks just to be heard. Really hard to be in the position of downplaying your boss or trying to cut them off – especially in front of a client.

    • RR

      I would bring the partner in at the end to introduce him and let the client know that the matter will be covered even if you unexpectedly go into labor. I would NOT have the partner there for the whole meeting.

  26. Parisienne

    I don’t like any dress that’s suggestive of a waiter/towel or an apron effect. I would not but a dress where you pay for the trim and then remove it. It is quite similar to something Peggy wears in Mad Men – with that flash of color – hers is red, not blue. It would be fun to go Mad Men with one piece of clothing, and to imitate the bee hive hairstyle and all that jazz. But not a whole wardrobe.

  27. Chicago K

    Am I the only one who couldn’t get into Mad Men? It seems like so many clothes are inspired by the show…what am I missing?!

    • Samantha

      Never seen it either. I get the references to its style though based on what I’ve read here on Corporette – cinched in waists, pleated skirts, dresses that emphasize the figure and so on. My TV-watching is pretty much limited to reruns of The Office and whatever I find on Netflix.

    • legalicious07

      Me three! I’ve never seen a Mad Men episode, but I, too, can guess its styling after reading this blog. Other than the Office and a few random episodes of the Good Wife, I don’t watch much tv.

    • KelliJ

      Me 4! Top Chef is our show (and there’s not much in the way of fashion on that show).

      • Sharon

        Saw one episode, it seemed good, but no interest in “starting up” a commitment to a show.

    • Lola

      I think the show inspires fashion because it’s set in the early 60s. It has inspired men’s fashion too – it brought back the skinny tie. (And you can certainly watch it on Netflix.)

  28. Samantha

    Just a thought – I wonder if it’s possible to tie the two hanging bits of blue fabric into a bow?

Back to Top

About

Work with Corporette®

Serious Stuff

work fashion blog press mentions