ByKat Hours Updated
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Tuesday’s TPS Report: The ruffled-pocket boucle jacket

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Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. We saw this in white in Real Simple a few weeks ago, and it definitely caught our eye — the clean lines, the cute pockets, the ladylike shape. Today, we're liking the yellow version, as it strikes us as a fun way to add a pop of color to an otherwise drab outfit of hues like navy, white, or gray. (It's also available in a great fuschia pink.)  It's $169 at Talbots, in sizes 2-20 in petites, women's, and women's petites. The ruffled-pocket boucle jacket (L-0)

Sales of note for 12.5

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

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

57 Comments

  1. Ohhhh if I hadn’t just bought 2 trees and a yard full of flowers and vegetables… LOVE this.

  3. I really like the look of this. However, to me, a linen jacket just means a mess of wrinkles in five minutes flat!

    1. Agree — I hate when adorable, structured jackets are made out of totally inappropriate fabrics – like linen :-(

      I am curious to see how I would look in yellow – I’m so ready for spring/summer clothes !

  4. Kat, is that *you* recommending bright yellow blazers?! We’re Corporettes, not Ladies Who Lunch! LOL. Just kidding.. it’s nice to see you move beyond the NYC chic black and gray uniform that makes us all look like undertakers… Last year, I think yellow jackets would’ve been heresy…

      1. I love this – and just ordered a yellow dress as want to see what my dark skin would like with it.

        But I struggle to style jackets like this one. The bottoms are easy…what about the top. I guess it should be same length as the jacket, but should I wear a tee/blouse??

        My office is biz casual so unsure what would look good (Except that I wouldn’t wear a shirt below this).

  5. I’ve always thought of Talbot’s as a little bit too … well … old for me (30s). But damn, this is cute. So is some of the other stuff on the website.

    Considering it’s been a while since I’ve shopped there, I remember the sizes running slightly large and boxy – is that still the case? How are their fabrics?

    1. They are making a concerted push to move toward a younger demographic. I find the sizing to run similar to Ann Taylor. Still a bit boxy, but getting better.

    2. I’m in love with Talbots (I’m early 30s). They beat any other store for me for consistent good finds, good quality, and good fit. I will openly sob if Talbots ever goes away. :)

      As for fit, it depends upon the item. I have a lot of nicely fitted/unboxy jackets and shirts from Talbots. And their pants are pretty uniformly a perfect fit for me.

      1. Ever buy a swimsuit from Talbots? Thoughts on quality and sizing? I’m eyeing a cute one…

  6. This is cute, but linen usually ends up wrinkled and frumpy by the end of the day…. Any good tips on how to avoid this?

      1. jojo: yes. Wrinkles = part of the ‘look’ of linen. This is lined, and the fabric has some cotton in it, so those will lessen the wrinkling. Also, with linen, it’s important that it fit a little on the loose side.

      2. My mother always called it the fabric of choice for the “wrinkly rich” … as in, so rich they don’t care if they look wrinkled!

  7. Cute, but be forewarned – almost everything a Talbots it cut with no waist. I’m wearing a Talobot’s jacket right now that fit perfectly off the rack in the shoulders and arms, but needed to be taken in signficantly around the waist so that it would not hang like a shapless mass. I really feel like all of their clothes are cut with the idea that most women’s waists are the same width as their shoulders – which seems crazy. I know their target clientele may be ladies who prefer a less “fitted” look, but the original cut of most of their jackets seems unflattering on everyone. On most of the models, the jackets are “pinned back” to look more fitted than they are.

    1. Actually, I prefer this. I factor alteration costs into virtually every clothing purchase, and it’s vastly cheaper and easier for a tailor to take in a waist than to adjust arms and shoulders. A garment that comes with a larger waist saves me from having to buy a size or two up and then adjust the proportions overall, which is what I usually have to do.

      And you’re correct, clothing on models (and most store mannequins) is usually pinned. It’s annoying, but another reason I never expectg an off-the-rack piece to make me look just like the model.

      1. their clothes fit my mother perfectly. she buys almost all of her clothing there.

          1. jojo, didn’t intend this as a reply to you, but to R.S. who said that their jackets are unflattering on everyone! not meant to be snarky! (and my mother is definitely not having any waistlines taken in . . . )

  8. Love the shape, boucle is one of my favorites, so ladylike and sophisticated! Love the pop of color!!

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    1. this is a misprint on the saks website – the simples are always $565. I don’t know where that $1050 figure came from.

    2. this isn’t a sale – the simples are always $595. I don’t know where that $1050 figure came from.

  10. Although this is cute, I’d like to say that those of us with a significant bosom do not need ruffled wings over the chest area. It will just add bulk.

    3. That’s true – but they look fairly small/flat (I know, the model has no chest so this could be totally off) but I have found that pockets/decorations – flat – can lift the eye upwards and make the girls look — shall we say perkier?

      The same is true for jeans incidentally – the fastest way to make your bottom look smaller is to wear jeans with pockets – the pockets define the size of your bottom — i.e. smaller

      1. For jeans the pocket trick depends on the pocket- pockets with flaps and buttons make your butt look bigger, and wide-spaced pockets can make you look wide, and tiny pockets can make you look big too… basically the only way the pocket trick works is to have large, plain pockets.

        1. True – all pockets are not created equally —

          BUT – generally speaking, pockets of almost any kind are better than no pockets on jeans.

          Caveat – regardless of their shape, do not wear bedazzled jeans!

  11. I’m not feeling this. I love yellow and white together, but this jacket seems a little fussy.

  12. Like this! My g0-to ‘uniform’ is jacket/shell/nice trousers w/good shoes & jewelry. Problem is while jackets are easy to find, interesting jackets in COLORS are not – I have more black, grey, or combo than I like. Why do clothes designers assume we want to look like we’re going to funerals every day?

    I think lots of people have this issue – went to a womens’ networking event last week and of 60 women in room, 90% were in black or grey. I happened to wear a red jacket and got many, many comments on the color – in fact, that’s part of my strategy at large co-ed networking events – wear color, because the guys/most women won’t be and I will be visible.

  13. Random question: does anyone have a problem with some skirts not staying in place when you walk (i.e., the sides end up in the front, etc.)??

    It’s driving me crazy and happens rather randomly with some skirts but not others. It’s more common with looser skirts (which makes sense) but also happens with one skirt I have that is very, very form fitting. I cannot figure it out. I would love to know if anyone else experiences this and/or has a solution. If nothing else, I would love to know what to look for when buying future skirts to avoid having this problem in the future.

    1. Yes! Happens all the time to me. I thought there must be some asymmetry in my gait.

    2. I have this problem too, but notice that the twisting seems to come from the side I carry a over-the-shoulder bag or a low purse. On days when I have a little handbag that isn’t pulling the skirt one way or another, there is no twisting. Perhaps you’re having the same problem – eliminate whatever is providing “pull” on the skirt as you walk.

    3. happens to me too, always shifts to one side so I probably walk crooked. I wonder if you could somehow affix your skirts to your hose or underwear?

      1. I have the same problem, but less so with high waisted skirts, perhaps because the waistline can “hug” rather than “hang.”

        1. I never thought about my bag causing this so I will definitely try to experiment & pay attention to that.

          The only “affixing trick” I found is I sometimes tuck the little hanger strings that are on the side of the skirt into my tights — this works but only if you’re not wearing a tucked-in top. Also it’s annoying to do that throughout the day.

          So glad to know I am not alone!!!

          1. Used to happen when I wore control top hose, but now that I skip hose at my biz casual office I never have an issue. Maybe high waisted skirts would do the trick?

  14. I’m heading to NYC tomorrow for three days, any NYC ladies out there that can let me know what I should be packing, in terms of warmth of clothes?

    1. Its gorgeous today. Somewhere between 65 and 70. Its supposed to be the same for the rest of the week. Tomorrow is supposed to be cloudy but the temp should be about the same. I’d bring some sort of light jacket in case it gets windy or chilly in the evenings.

    2. it’s warm and sunny during the day, but if the sun goes behind a cloud, you walk on a shady street, or it’s nighttime, it gets chilly. you should be prepared to dress for weather between 50 and 70 degrees.

    3. I would recommend a cardigan for during the day, as it has been fairly sunny, but carry a light jacket because depending on where you are in the city, the temperature varies wildly (I can be perfectly warm near my apartment, where the buildings are low and there’s not much wind, and freezing in the same outfit if I go to midtown, where the buildings block most of the sun)

    4. Bring a nice big shawl/wrap — it will help you transition from sunny block to shady corner. And, I would also second the light jacket.

    5. Agree – think light layers that can be folded into your bag when it gets warm out — it’s gorgeous today, but April can be a little finicky – think 40s in the morning, high 60s to low 70s in the afternoon, and then back down

  15. -Thread Jack-
    After reading this blog for the past few months I have come to the realization that I am a bona fide frumpazoid. I live in a city where style isn’t a paramount concern, so it has been easy for me to let things slide a little. I would like to look more put together but I don’t even know where to begin. I have tried going shopping, but I really don’t enjoy it. Also, I *like* being in loose, flowy clothes. I read a style guide recently and it outlined 10 (or so) iconic looks, ranging from Jackie O to boho chic. Do you think it is important to have a defined style? If so, I am not sure what style I am – I want to be all of them on different days. I apologize for rambling, but I would really love any insight.

    1. I would recommend watching What Not To Wear. It’s a makeover tv show where a lot of the participants have a similar wardrobe to you. And the idea is to update their style in a way they can live with.

      Not all their advice is perfect for every region of the country, or suits personal taste, or is up to date in 2010, but after a few episodes, you’ll get some of the basic ideas (structure, jackets, minimize flaws, etc).

      I kind of think of What Not to Wear as a survey course, and this blog as more of like the next, more-advanced level.

      That’s where I’d start, anyway.

    2. Please don’t feel like you have to pick one style and stick with it. Granted that’s easier but it’s also so joyless.

      I would start by updating some basics, adding some fun extras (scarves, earrings, great bag, e.g.) and taking it from there. And what not to wear is a fun program — definitely not the bible some people make it out to be, but a good start and pleasant diversion.

    3. I love your term “frumpazoid”.

      I never was frumpy, but I was certainly clueless about fashion a few years ago and had no sense of what looked good on me. One thing that really helped me is figuring out my body shape and what clothes tend to look good on my shape. I would recommend reading The Science of Sexy by Bradley Bayou — he outlines all of the various body types women have and gives you recommendations on clothing for you. I found it very, very helpful.

    4. Me too. Total frump. I hired a wardrobe consultant. She is great. I look a lot better now. I can tell, too when I wear clothes that are not her recommendations, I don’t look as good. And I feel better when I look better and I think it makes me appear more professional and competent. I know fashion is not my strong point, which is why I listen to her advice.

    5. I tend to consciously pick out colors that pair well together — I buy clothes that are black, white, and rich jewel tones (think teal, magenta) – Never navy or brown so I can form a lot more outfits out of what I own… I think as far as “style” goes, beyond color, it’s important to know what you feel most at ease in – I love how boho chic looks in magazines but I feel like a holdover from 1996, when it was cool to wear bellbottoms – inauthentic and dated. What’s your favorite outfit? What did you feel the most beautiful when you wore it?

      Try to stick to basic pieces for your more expensive purchases – if you’re going to spend $300 on a trench coat, make it a tan one that will last you several years, not an aqua one that will be dated by the end of the summer.

    6. I think it’s important that you learn what flatters you. Cultivate that. Rather than picking an aesthetic, a color palette, a “style,” etc., know which shapes highlight your assets and which do not. Not everyone can (or should) wear every trend.

      imho, that is 99% of looking put-together.

  16. What Not to Wear changed my life. I don’t think I was all that bad before, but I was making some serious mistakes, and I shop much more carefully now.

    I know the style guide you’re talking about – I think it’s the Lucky one, right? I read it but I don’t want to limit myself to one style, so it was of limited usefulness.

  17. I tried this jacket on yesterday, and it truly is beautiful. That shade of yellow is awful on me (pale, blue-eyed blonde with reddish skin tendencies), but it was lovely in person. It’s a pretty sturdy fabric, and I didn’t get the sense that wrinkling would be a big issue.

    1. To clarify – the yellow was still awful on me in person but would be truly lovely on many others.

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