dorky/yuppie office clothes thread

They do have some cute stuff but are high (to me). I am a cheapy for clothes.

Dork?

TOTAL HOTTNESS!

what kind of workplace is it?

i tried on this. but it's like $100 for one skirt, oof. but their clothes tend to last for many years (most of the stuff i am getting too big for are banana republic outlet stuff from 8-6 years ago)
http://www.bananarepublic.com/Asset_Archive/BRWeb/Assets/Product/513/513137/main/br513137-00p01v01.jpg

http://www.artnet.com/magazine/news/walrobinson/Images/walrobinson9-1-33s.jpg

i work in the finance office of a museum

I should say that I would buy what I consider over-priced clothes for a job interview. It is a worthy interview. Like Tracer said, what kind of job? In general I don't think you can go too conservative for an interview. More suit-y type numbers probably are best.

"worthy investment" duh.

yeah i am too cheapy for these clothes. i am usually an h&m or outlet shopper, but upcoming interviews are making me think of charging some stuff just cause my wardrobe is so sad at the moment.

i have heard that banana republic stuff doesn't last as long as it used to, fyi. this is hearsay, however.

Yeah I shop at Target and Ross so you shouldn't ask me. You can find some good stuff at the latter but it's a matter of luck and persistence.

Where are some of our fashion plates like Ally and Lauren?

some nice dresses at the gap at the moment in the $50-70 range, and some good trousers.

(i got a nice burgundy turtleneck dress and a navy long jumper, and i might get a black sweater dress.)

Spectator/Brogue pumps are becoming popular. Well, if you believe Miu Miu (and you should).

http://www.net-a-porter.com/intl/images/product/26114/large/fr.jpg

I think a sweater or turtleneck dress with a jacket would be good interview garb.

i had actually really terrific luck the other day at h&m with their suit/work stuff, they had some items that were pretty nicely made (ie actually fully lined, zipper lies flat in the back and not all bulked up on the side like usual, fashionable but not like "i bought my suit at forever 21" fashionable, etc). i bought a really cute dress there last week actually, sleeveless, mostly white. i also wanted that dress you put up thread from banana republic but am also being v cheap and desperately need to purchase new shoes.

but yeah, i too am having the issue in that my suits have all become very, uh, ass-hugging besides like one ann taylor suit which i bought in utmost desperation one day and actually hate a lot (obviously, who designs their suits? they're made for boxes).

i haven't been in club monaco in a while, but when they have sales they slash the prices on their stuff significantly and i've had really good luck there getting nice sweaters and skirts, even waiting through the discounts (the ymmv in nyc vs in dc and all that).

oh! the gap, of all places, has a really cute black dress right now too. it is in the ad with lucy liu in it which off-puts me, as does the fact that it is sold at the gap, but i might purchase anyway. some nice pants too if you like wide-legged (xpost lol)

ah, i want some jumper type dresses. i would like to do a jumper/turtleneck/black tights/boots thing once it gets a bit colder, like this hottness:
http://www.bananarepublic.com/Asset_Archive/BRWeb/Assets/Product/526/526527/main/br526527-00p01v01.jpg

Take some Bond-girl style in there with you. Why look, you can be a scientist:

http://www.007.info/FFImages/TWINEBondGirlChristmas130.jpg

I just bought a "presentation jacket" from Duluth Trading Co. -- looked like the right mix of dressy/casual. Hopefully will last for a while, it's made from firehose canvas.
http://www.duluthtrading.com/services/image.aspx?path=/media/images/products/85350/85350outift.jpg&width=250&height=250

"Another tailor who makes clothes for H&M, said that when she could not achieve her production targets, the clothes were thrown in her face. She said up to 15 workers a day collapsed and had to be given medical attention. Workers and unions claim the conditions in the factories led to two tragic incidents this year."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/supermarkets/story/0,,2161301,00.html

http://www.bananarepublic.com/Asset_Archive/BRWeb/content/0000/311/743/assets/skirts.jpg
i really want to dress like this all the time.

ugh, tracer, that story is awful.

the sale racks at banana republic branches outside of nyc are usually full of good stuff, and ally is right about club monaco sales.

i used to get a lot of stuff from the banana republic outlet in my home town, but in recent years i think they've started just producing a secondary line of crappier clothes to sell there, instead of things that just didn't sell.

yeah i know it's not exactly mind-blowing; we all know stuff like that goes on. but it is worth it to hear the details sometimes.

http://haydenharnett.com/?action=labor_day_sale

ladies interested in cute jackets, interesting dresses, and what are basically couture bags at knockdown prices should check out the above link. the stuff is all really well made and sturdy, in lots of great color/texture combos.

Stop the Hottness!

http://haydenharnett.com/index.cgi?action=detail&color=dem&size=10&style=JULIABEJA&view=&tassel=&back=http%3A%2F%2Fhaydenharnett.com%2Findex.cgi%3Faction%3Ditems_labor_day_sale%26c_d%3DY

like this! $56!

lauren, i bought a bag from there when they were having their sample sale. really pretty and soo cheap.

love them. they're very near my apt, which is dangerous.

god, look at this stuff:

http://haydenharnett.com/?action=jackets

i want all of them. ALL OF THEM!

I look forward to cooling it off so I can get a new coat. $350 is a bit out of my range though.

"it cooling off". God my poor typing skills are beginning to bother even me.

oh my god lauren thank you

those coats are hot. the bardot and biba esp!

i'm going to go by the store tomorrow and see what's what. last time i was in, everything was at least 50% though i assume that was to make room for the pretty new stuff. still, might be some bargains.

at least 50% off, i mean.

I have never heard of! Wow, that looks delicious. I can't do any shopping for now, though, or for the forseeable future. Sewing, maybe. I'm going t to need, god willing and me getting off my ass, an interview suit at some point but I'll cross that financial drain when I come to it.

http://haydenharnett.com/index.cgi?action=detail&style=BETTINAKHA&back=http%3A%2F%2Fhaydenharnett.com%2Findex.cgi%3Faction%3Dall_dresses

i got that one for half off last month. it's a heavyweight cotton, very good for fall.

THOSE COATS. Altho I have several great cape patterns already....

way into the "harness" belt

also this thing - http://haydenharnett.com/index.cgi?action=detail&style=YVONNEEAR&back=http%3A%2F%2Fhaydenharnett.com%2Findex.cgi%3Faction%3Ditems_labor_day_sale%26c_d%3DY%26page1%3D2

i want the grey one. not on sale online, but if it's still half on in the store then i might splurge.

argh, half off!

I think the Banana Republic stuff is way too expensive for a national chain. I might have to buy work pants there though since it is an okay option for good-enough, though not exciting stuff. Their pants look okay when I buy them but then when I where them I feel like they are a bit frumpy and wide-legged. I don't really know another place to buy okay fitting pants though. Gap can be a bit bell-bottomed on me. And the cheapies can be a bit tight and too slim cut. My interviews this year came up suddenly so I didn't have time to buy stuff, which worked out well. I would buy maybe a couple pieces from BR that you really love, like that dress maybe.

what about local (small) designers/shops? there are pricey ones and more affordable ones - i think paying $100-175 for designer pants from a small-name designer is a better investment than paying pretty much the same for banana republic etc.

better to have a few really good pieces than a lot of ill-fitting, fall-apart stuff, i think. i still have designer stuff i bought on sale over 6 years ago! and all locally made too.

that said, i've always had decent luck with club monaco sales, but haven't bought anything there in a while. i want to go shoppppinggggg. just a little bit. soon, jobs, money, soon.

x-post
yeah- you're definitely right about the pants. i'm not even sure where to look for slimmer cut ones that don't look indecently tight on my ass. if you figure it out let me know!

what about local (small) designers/shops? there are pricey ones and more affordable ones - i think paying $100-175 for designer pants from a small-name designer is a better investment than paying pretty much the same for banana republic etc.

That used to be my thinking before I became a Target/Forever 21 whore--I would rather buy kind of interesting boutique-y stuff rather than Banana. Now my eyes go wide when the price range breaks the $25 range. My problem with buying cheap is that I feel like since it's cheap I can buy a ton of it.

One of my problems, I realize, is that I definitely grow out (not literally!) stuff after a year or two. I get bored with it and want new stuff. If I buy cheap I feel like it's less of a waste. Now what I would sort of like to do, though, is just get some classic, muted clothes that I can wear a lot and for a long time. Just simple colors--black, grey, and white.

thanks for link lauren! i prob shouldn't spend any more on clothes but might check club monaco soon
only stuff i got lately was a thrifts, i found a totally wicked daryl k jacket with (slightly) padded shoulders at the goodwill in fairfax

i got the dress from my first post! it looks bangin. i also got a white silk blouse with little black buttons that i got them to take 20% off cos it had a make-up stain. ian says it makes me look like a 6th grade teacher but i like it :P

argh i need to buy new pants. i don't see why they can't make a denim grade fabric that looks nice enough for office wear (i don't have a single freaking casual day here), they are always itchy thin clingy fabric :(

Bell, that denim-grade-but-slightly-more-formal fabric is called "twill". Denim is technically a twill, it's just dyed indigo and we associate it with jeans...but twills in other colors can easily pass for "dress slacks".

Srsly I know it's really staid and boring but try Lands' End and/or LL Bean -- if your pants are a good fit and also hard-wearing and warm and comfortable you won't care where they came from.

hmmmm. i am skeptical. i am looking for something with more of a flattering/"fashion" cut...that does not give me mom-butt

my two pairs of non-denim pants are from the gap. i really like their basic black ones.