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Tuesday’s TPS Report: ‘Jereni’ Silk Dress

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Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. Tory Burch ‘Jereni’ Silk DressWe're liking this interesting Tory Burch dress, recently reduced at Bloomingdale's. We'd wear it with neutral shoes and, perhaps, white or silver accessories for springtime. Was $395, now $276 (size medium only); use code FFMARCH at checkout for another 20% off (Friends & Family discount). Tory Burch ‘Jereni' Silk Dress If you've recently seen a great work piece you'd like to recommend to the readers, please e-mail editor@corporette.com with “TPS” in the subject line. Unless you ask otherwise, we'll refer to you by your first initial. (L-0)

Sales of note for 12.5

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

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114 Comments

  1. I’m sorry but . . . um…. no.

    Not a fan of Tory Burch to begin with, and this is just wrong on so many levels. Also, even if I wanted to, there is no way that would be appropriate at my job, and my office environment is not even all that conservative. Not to mention that I can’t imagine this looking good on just about anyone. So . . . uh . . yeah.

    1. Maybe if you’re a 6′ tall model with a 34″ inseam. I love it and it would fit my 29″ inseam just fine. And unless one works at a business formal, suits-every-day workplace, I can’t imagine that this would be inappropriate.

      1. My comment disappeared – apologies if it later shows up as a duplicate!

        Print models are typically shorter than runway models – about 5-7 to 5-9. I’m only 5-8 but I’ve found that any skirt or dress I order online will hit me almost exactly where it hits the model. Just some food for thought.

          1. Haha, point taken :) I’m the shortest in my family by many inches so I feel short even though I know I’m not :)

  3. This is beautiful! However, it appears a bit too short for the office. For those gals who dare to wear – be cautious when you reach up to grab that book from the top shelf of the library!

  4. Even though the model is probably super tall, which make the dress look VERY short for the office, I still think this dress is probably too short on an averaged height person. I’m not a fan of Tory Burch either, not sure why all of the hoopla surrounding her clothing.

    1. Most print models are 5-7 to 5-9. That isn’t super tall in my book! I’m only 5-8 but I’ve found that dresses/skirts almost always hit me exactly where they hit these models, so if it’s too short on the model, I always pass.

      1. haha – that description made me giggle – Thanks! Because it’s definitely not comparable to the Scarlett O’Hara curtain dress!

        1. 1. Agree with Maria von Trapp/sofa upholstery viewpoint
          2. Too short for work anyway
          3. I am a cheapo who prefers not to buy silk dresses for work & then have to dry clean them

    1. I think we sometimes forget that we are a diverse group of women who work in a diverse range of corporate environments. I don’t think that we can decide as a group as to what does and does not work.

      Silk fabrics come in various finishes and I think that a silk jersey would be fine in some offices.

      As for this being too short, I would probably contact the store and see if I could get the length measurement before deciding if it would work on *my* body.

      2. Silk jersey dresses are just fine at my law firm. This would also be totally fine if the style flattered my pear shape, which it doesn’t.

        1. Silk is fine… having to have it dry-cleaned would not be. I know a lot of you ladies schedule a weekly or biweekly trip to the cleaners’ but that’ snot part of my life right now – and I’m not really interested in adding another stop/thing to remember/expense.

      3. Silk jersey is generally fine . . . better than some alternatives, frankly. I’m not sure this particular dress would work for me/my office environment, but ditto the comment regarding diverse women and diverse workplaces. “We” can’t really decide unequivocally that something does or does not work for all offices.

    2. Depends on the office, but I’m with lawyer – for my particular office, an all-silk dress would seem like something you throw on for a night out, not an office staple. I might revise that opinion for a very plain/conservative all-silk dress. I actually like this one (which I guess puts me in the minority!!) but I wouldn’t wear it to work. It looks too playful.

      1. Just because it is made of silk doesn’t mean it looks like an evening dress. Silk is just the fiber, the type of fabric gives it its character. Most people when they think silk, think silk-satin, but that is not always the case. I am not crazy about this particular dress, but I have a silk jersey dress that looks nothing like an evening dress. To most, it probably looks like a wool knit, but because it is silk it is a lot cooler in the summers. Many higher end work dresses are made of silk.

  7. Not for me — Reminds me of wallpaper circa 1975

    Also, 3/4 sleeves aren’t a great look on me since I’m petite and have shorter arms… sleeves that end an inch before your wrist give the look of a kid who outgrew her school clothes, not sophistication.

  8. I love it. Assuming the model is 5’10” or taller, which most models are, the length would be fine on someone of average height. I think it would also look great with black opaque tights and black heels.

  10. I think this dress is beautiful! I am forever looking for dresses in prints in ones that are just a little bit more interesting than basic black or gray. I agree that it could be too short, but you’d have to try it on (the model is probably super tall) and even then you could tone it down with black tights and flats. Also, this looks like the type of silk dress that’s tightly woven and would be work-appropriate, like DVF dresses.

    1. I don’t understand how DVF dresses could ever be work appropriate, and I own several.

      If you have a nice body, those wrap styles just shout “Check out my tiny waist and curvy everything else” to any passing male, even with a suit jacket.

      1. Wow, Erin, that’s quite a bold statement. I totally disagree. As long as the neckline of the wrap is not too low and the dress is not too tight, I don’t see anything wrong with DVF wrap dresses or the like, esp with a blazer. A lot of C’s and other readers’ recommendations (such as always wearing a belt) actually aim to play up waist definition.

        1. Agree w 3L. So long as the neckline is managed with a cami or added snap from the tailor, DVF wrap dresses are great for work.

        2. Agreed. Wrap dresses (DVF and others) are a staple in my work wardrobe on days that I don’t have a court appearance or client meetings. I work at a conservative law firm on the West Coast that is business casual.

      2. I should clarify, I ALWAYS wear a camisole underneath. And I think they’re perfectly work-appropriate. I’m young, I have a nice figure, and as long as I keep everything covered up and nothing is pulling, I don’t see the need to hide the fact that certain parts of me stick out.

      3. I’m with Erin as far as DVF goes. Maybe it’s just the ones I’ve seen (full disclosure: I don’t own a single one), but I would typically describe them as “sexy” – not a word I want associated with my in-office persona.

      4. Oh come on! DvF dresses (assuming they are knee length + worn with cami) are fine for work. Just pick the print carefully (i.e. avoid animal print/ resort collection) and you’ll be fine.

      5. I don’t agree with this at all. I find that DVF wrap dresses are flattering on women with smaller waists, but aren’t overly revealing or otherwise immodest, particularly when worn with a camisole (essential on me, perhaps not on everyone). Additionally, I’m having difficulty envisioning how a suit jacket conveys “check out my curves”?

  11. Thread hijack-
    I am graduating from law school in May and it seems that some of my family members want to buy me a nice briefcase for a gift (and by it seems, I mean they CONSTANTLY ask me about it!). The problem is, I don’t know what kind of briefcase to get. I like the really cute totes, but I don’t know how practical they are for carrying files and my laptop, etc. The rolling briefcases are probably the most practical for carrying some of the large files that we have at work, but I really dread using one of those. Just a general question, what does everyone use? Do you have a bag that you bring to the office and a different one that you bring to court? I would really appreciate some suggestions on nice professional bags. Thanks!

    1. What is your price range?

      I don’t know about the others, but most days I don’t have to schlep stuff back and forth and just carry around a purse. IMO, a handbag is the one place you can really show your personality, so I would focus on buying something that you like rather than buying something “professional.”

        1. I second the comments about different bags for different occasions. If you go to court, for the most part, no file is going to fit into a briefcase anyway. You, or an assistasnt, are going to be hauling around large boxes of files. You may carry a small briefcase (relative to the rolling briefcases) with your laptop and notepad, but if trying a case, that is just one more thing to haul in and out of the courtroom.

          For other occasions, Jack Georges makes some nice, professional briefcases, some with rectangular corners and some rounded, with a wide variety of size choices.

    3. For years, I used a tote my sister gave me from Franklin Covey. It was a laptop bag, but looked like a really cute oversized tote, and fit my laptop and multiple file folders. Even legal sized! I finally wore it out, but it was nice and sturdy in black leather and I got tons of compliments on it. I also couldn’t bring myself to drag around a rolling briefcase!

      1. Second the Franklin Covey recommendation. I love mine. They are far less than $1000 so perhaps you could ask for a matching organizer, portfolio or wrist purse.

    4. I most definitely have multiple bags, for different purposes.

      — a smaller tote for conferences, meetings, etc. This is a simple Coach tote in black; open top so I can toss in shoes, water, materials.
      — a sturdy laptop bag for when I carried my laptop and files back and forth every day from work (Timbuk2 Marina in bright pink, *loved* that bag). I no longer haul a laptop regularly so I don’t use this much anymore. And now I rarely take things back and forth on a daily basis, unless I’ll be telecommuting the next day.
      — a classic black leather briefcase for court or more formal meetings.

      Do you know where you’ll be working? Have you already interned, clerked or otherwise worked there to have a sense of how much you’ll be hauling back and forth? I really didn’t take much back and forth most days until I had kids and had to be prepared to telecommute the next day if someone got sick unexpectedly, or I was preparing for my work at home days. Will you be going to court regularly — i.e., what group are you going into, litigation, corporate or something else?

      If your family wants to buy you a nice bag, then maybe a classic lawyer briefcase for court/formal meetings would be good. You won’t use it as often but it’ll last forever and remind you of their gift for many years. I beat up my daily bag so much that I switch it regularly and change purses seasonally, so neither of these as a gift would last all that long.

    5. What your family should be buying you is not your every day bag, but your special occasion briefcase. For when you need to look your most professional and, for lack of a better term, lawyery. Every day bags get beat up, no matter how careful you are with them. Get a briefcase – an actual briefcase, not a tote or a laptop bag – with square corners. It should be leather. It should be monogrammed. It doesn’t have to hold a million files or your extra shoes because you won’t be using it like that. Yes, you can go with a burgundy leather or some funky details, but this should be a bag that you can carry on professional state occasions for as long as you are in the work force.

      And I can’t emphasize the square corners enough. You have no idea how many male partners have commented on this to me. And female, for that matter. Your family wants to buy you a career piece, not a fashion piece. Let them.

      1. square corners? what do you mean by that? do you mean it shouldn’t be smooshy or do you mean that it needs to be a rectangle?

        1. BigLaw partner here. I sort of agree with the previous point, except for the monogrammed part (I rarely see that). I think square corners instead of rounded ir right, but it need not be (and I think should not be) hard and boxy. I have a Tony Perrotti women’s briefcase in black leather which has worked well for me. Not an imitation man’s bag, but the female equivalent — no chains or baubles, no color, but softer in shape and with a loopier handle. You can buy yourself a fabric rolling one for when you have to lug lots of stuff. And yes — I switch them out depending on need.

          1. Wow, I just checked out the Tony Perrotti website – Great suggestion! They are beautiful and I think they strike the right balance between professional and feminine. Thanks!

        2. I’m with dee- I’m having a hard time picturing what R means, but as a law student who will soon be in the workforce I feel like it’s important!

          When I think briefcase, I think my dad’s old hard-sided rectangle with the two flip open latches on top. But when I google briefcase I see things that look more like laptop bags, with soft sides and a top flap. R, what are you referring to?

          1. I basically mean as close as one can get to a man’s briefcase, but with a slight feminine look to it. Just what anon was saying a comment or two up from here.

            This is the first good example I found on google. I am not endorsing the price, just the shape.
            http://www.pianki.com/Pineider-Power-Elegance-Leather-Womens-Briefcase–2-Gussets_p_3015.html

            This, in contrast, I would consider a perfectly appropriate work bag, but not the kind of thing Law-Less should be getting as the “briefcase” gift:
            http://www.ebags.com/franklincovey/15_4_leather_ladies_laptop_tote/product_detail/index.cfm?modelid=146120
            It is on super sale, though!

          3. Thank you everyone for your good advice! I really appreciate the help. I am thinking that I will suggest a nice leather briefcase for “special occassions” and then keep one to take to court at the office. Thanks again!

    6. It seems like every day there is a thread hijack. I think this site needs some kind of forum for discussion, so that there isn’t constant distraction from the comments on the actual blog posts.

      As for OP, my grandmother purchased me a very unisex Coach leather briefcase when I graduated law school, but it REALLY didn’t fit my personal style (or my size – it seemed to overwhelm my 5’3″ frame). It looked like I was carrying my father’s briefcase, which I think actually took away from my credibility, rather than added to it. I exchanged it for a Madison business bag (they have some on their site, but mine is from a prior season, so not featured) in a muted burgundy brown leather. It has a some pleating details but definitely retains the shape of a business bag, not a handbag, and I think it suits my style, looks professional, and I chose a texture that would hold up and still look polished for many years.

      If you are worried about court appearances, you probably need one of those leather rolling bags that many attorneys drag around after them that look something like a box with wheels and a handle. My firm actually issues them to its litigators (or makes them available for purchase) with the firm logo on them.

      1. I don’t mind the hijacks – how many different comments can be made about a single dress, after all?

        1. Well, there is the coffee break post every afternoon for random discussions. That said, I don’t mind the hijacks.

        2. Agreed. The comments section seems just like a real conversation: “What do you think of Jane’s dress today?” “Oh, it’s too short! By the way, my family wants to give me a briefcase for my birthday. Do you have any recommendations…”

    7. Do you like Rimowa? I lust after one because they’re classic and indestructible. But I dunno if the aluminum is too eye-catching. I also like Tumi, Hartmann and this black aluminum Halliburton http://www.luggageonline.com/product.cfm?product_ID=13530.

      You might want to think carefully about any monogrammes. In some circles they are considered to be tacky.

      1. Tumi makes gorgeous pieces — just try to use an editing eye to make sure that what you pick is not overly trendy, and that it’s not of such delicate/sensitive material that you won’t be able to use it at all. Leather is better than fabric for longevity.

  12. I like Tory dresses, especially in the summer, but at 5’10” barefoot, her dresses tend to be too short for work, and I am by all accounts an envelope pusher but there is a line. If I were shorter, though, they could easily be a summer staple.

    1. It’s good to know where the line is on what you wear — Stay on the right side and you’re a fashion forward modern woman, step over and watch out! There’s a cliff your career can fall off of because your clothing labels you less than serious.

  14. You guys have a sickness. Just cause it’s silk doesn’t make it quality. I second the notion that this look like curtains. If I see any of you wearing this I am calling the fashion police.

    This isn’t suitable for my dog to lay on, let alone Friday’s. Or any other day for that matter. Couple it with Friday’s horrible sandals. Gross. I thought this blog had style, I am not sure anymore.

        1. Nothing wrong with my day, but I am appalled that even one person is swooning over this. Stacey and Clinton would have a field day. So why hold back, I thought we were supposed to get good fashion advice, not just a list of places to spend money.

          1. This blog really isn’t about high fashion, its about workable fashion. And I think the majority of readers don’t rush out and buy every piece, but think things like “oh i love that shape” or “I love those colors together” and modify it for their own lives. If fashion was only one thing, everyone would be in the same thing.

            Please do not use Clinton’s name in vain.

          2. Heh. Actually, the first thing that came to mind when I saw this dress was that it looked like something Stacey would wear. And I’m sure she’d rock it.

        1. Judging from all the reactions, I’d say you are actually coming off as P.O.’d. Just a suggestion, but your underlying intent (“This is unprofessional”) might be heard more clearly if you didn’t go into full rant mode (“I wouldn’t let my dog sleep on this!”)

        2. Well, Big C, I’m glad to know that we’ve found the ultimate arbiter of good fashion in you. I’ll remember that unless you like it, none of us should, either.

          And just because you’re anonymous doesn’t mean you should be obnoxious.

    4. Yikes – lighten up please! I don’t even like this dress very much, but jeez, chill.

        1. Well, I am not going to let him steal my lunch money with this dress. That is for sure. Your defense of this atrocity is puzzling. I can only assume that you have as little notion of fashion as you do of irony.

          1. big C, I think that you just actually displayed your “little notion of fashion.” Tory is a ‘her,’ not a ‘him.’ You should have said “I am not going to let HER steal my lunch money.”

          2. Hilarious. Guess you can’t learn everything about fashion from “What Not to Wear” after all.

          1. If the subject is “the dress” then why did you start your post with “you guys have a sickness?”

            I’m probably adding unnecessary fuel to the fire.

            I don’t actually like the dress, I wouldn’t buy it at any price point, but fashion is personal and I get that. I like seeing all sorts of options here – even ones I wouldn’t ever wear – because it all gives me something to think about for my own style.

          2. The “sickness” is that people put something on this website and call it fashion and everyone scrambles to buy it. I have read a lot of the comments about proposed fashion. People go nuts “with possibilities.” Style is personal. Fashion is not. This dress is not good fashion, not matter how thin and preppy the model.

            “You guys” refers more to this website posting this as legal fashion. If you choose to read it as identifying “you” as being sick then I can’t help you. If you identify that I am pointing out your gaga just because it is silk then go with it. The shoe fits. But please don’t wear this dress.

          3. @big C- this is a fashion site to give women fashion advice. Some women will like a dress while others will not. There is no uniform definition about what makes “good fashion” as you suggest. Each workplace has different requirements in terms of what is acceptable and what isn’t. I just don’t think snarky comments are really necessary if you don’t like something. Just say you aren’t pleased and move on.

          4. I also hate the dress, and I think big C’s comments are kind of refreshing, albeit ruder and not in line with the general tone of comments we are used to seeing here. But @big C, people are not scrambling to buy things just because they are posted here. More than half the comments on any given post are criticisms of the featured article of clothing.

    6. Fashion is subjective, and this is a nice dress. It’s not my style, but I think it would look fantastic on my preppy friend with her great chanel beige leather with black cap toe flats (and her long long lean legs, so jealous).

      1. Ditto. Take a chill pill, big C! Just bc you don’t like it doesn’t mean that some of us wouldn’t look good in it at work.

        1. this would get kicked off Project Runway, and they let some ugo stuff through. You can’t change wrong with a cardigan and some boots.

          You guys are little too chill if you let this pass by without objecting. I can’t condone this, so I have to speak up. Louder if you like, but at least consistently.

          1. Call me crazy, but I don’t dress myself solely according to either Clinton Kelly’s opinions or what would win/lose on Project Runway.

      1. Yes–good grief. Not so much a fan of you stating your opinion as fact, “big C.”

  15. Oh, and I have to pop back in and say that I hate the way they photographed this dress. Why did they drape the model’s hair over her shoulders, thereby obscuring the view of the neckline? Stylist gets a FAIL.

    1. The model is just wrong for this dress, period. The sleeves are too wide for her arms- creating an almost dolman-like appearance at the top of the arm. Since these aren’t dolman sleeves, wouldn’t a stylist want a model with slightly bigger arms so they fit right?

      1. I don’t think it’s the model. I think it’s the dress.
        I’m really surprised how much grief was given to yesterday’s pick and how much of a ‘pass’ this gets. I don’t think I would wear this one if you paid me the $276 it costs to do so.

        1. I’ve tried on lots of sweaters/dresses that had this problem with the sleeves. It really can make a huge difference in how a sweater/shirt/dress looks if the sleeves don’t fit right. With sweaters I usually go down a size and it tends to solve the problem, but that isn’t always possible with dresses.

  16. The dress is not that bad. I would pair it with a long dark brown cardigan and then belt it. If accesorized correctly it could look very chic.

    2. The problem I have with it is that for that much money, I don’t want to have to work to make it look passable – I might do that with a thriftstore find or an Old Navy $15 dress, but when I spend money on an article of clothing (especially when its not the week before a wedding and I’m desperate for an outfit), I want to look good, not have to invest in an entire slate of accessories to get to looking ok. That said, I do love the opportunity to dress up a less expensive find with the accessories I own or accessories I buy that will have multiple uses… but I think the price point on this is too high for me to start playing that game.

  18. Lately I have seen some short skirts in the workplace that look great even on those who are over 40. But….typically the shorter skirts need to be in a heavier fabric with some body. Then they take on a shape of their own, which can look nice with boots and tights.

    I think the combination of a lighter-weight fabirc plus a short skirt is going to look bad at work – anywhere. Then the purple color (not a good color this season) and the wallpaper print are bad in and of themselves.

    1. There are a whole lot of things spanx can fix, but length is not one of them. This dress looks shorter than her fingertips if she were to put her arms down. That equates to needing a napkin to sit down, how is that EVER ok at a law office?

      1. No way is it shorter than her fingertips. Follow the link and look at the back view. It hits several inches below her fingers.

    2. I actually like the purple color… let’s face it ladies, whatever colors are ‘in’ or ‘out’, there are some colors that look good on you and some that don’t. For example, my so-pale-I’m-practically-see-through skin looks positively dead when I wear pastels. And not in that sexy dangerous True Blood vampire way, either… So regardless of whether they’re in this season, I’m not wearing pastels – but rich jewel tones look great, so that’s what I try to stick to – also because if you stay within a color range/set you can justify buying the more unusual shoes/accessories because you know they’ll get used.

      1. Same here. Orange and yellow, along with most pastels => freak show paleness. But jewel tones– voila! Amazing!

        1. Years ago I’m told you used to be able to get your colors done in department stores — have someone help you figure out what your best set of colors were… I’m not sure if that’s still an option anywhere — Autumns were people who looked best in browns, golds, rusts, Springs were people who looked best in pastels, etc…

          Has anyone here ever had that done? Like I said, I stick to jewel tones because I know they look good, stay away from pale pink after the summer of 2003 when it was seriously ‘in’ and I wore it, and whoa nelly, those photos are seriously bad — but I would love to have a big picture of the good, the bad, and the stay away from

          1. Shayna

            Not sure about dept stores, but I think if you search on google, you can get your colours based on hair/skin tone . e.g. I have dark skin, hair & eyes and I guess that makes me a “Winter” (well, atleast it rules out all other seasons:)

            And I find that all jewel tones, black, white, grey, navy etc (usual colours for Winter) all do indeed look great on me. Perhaps you could use it as a starting point.

          2. My mom got her colors “done” in the 8o’s and it was endlessly helpful to her (and to me, with the exact same complexion!). We’re winters ;) She has this great little booklet thing (looks like an accordion “brag book” style photo album) with swatches of the colors that look best, and she used to bring it with her when she knew she was going shopping. It was pretty helpful!

            The biggest help for me in that was demystifying which neutrals look best on me. For example, I can’t wear a “yellow gray” or a “yellow taupe,” but a brown or pink based gray/taupe is great. Figuring out that british khaki was a bad look was a revelation for someone who (formerly) lived in khakis!

  19. Anyone else feel like the comments got more snarky after C “came out?”

    1. It’s interesting you should say that because I was thinking the same thing! I hope that’s not the case because I really enjoyed the community on this blog.

    2. Nah, pockets of snark appear at random. It’s the nature of the interwebz, but I like that folks here are willing to call be-yotch when they see it!

    4. I kind of wondered, but I hope it’s not true. I love the general lack of snark here. See, women can manage to talk and not be catty bitches – well, most of us anyway!

      1. Unfortunately, I think there is some envy going on here and it is manifesting itself in the form of snark. To be expected, sadly.

        C – keep it up! I wouldn’t wear most of the suggestions (I’m pretty happy with my work “uniform” of basics) but I really enjoy seeing a variety of options and hearing a variety of opinions.

  20. Blonde Lawyer, I really hope you’re wrong. I loved the civility of this blog.

    I like the dress but don’t have the legs for it, and it wouldn’t be appropriate in my Chicago in-house legal environment.

  21. Such a controversial dress! I don’t know if it’s the South Asian blood in me or what but I really like that dress.

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