What To Shop From The Net-A-Porter Sale II
My very favourite workwear picks for NAP's unmissable end-of-year sale.
Welcome back to Workwear Inc. – and apologies for the skipped week! If life goes to plan, I’m hoping to be back on the original biweekly schedule, and the next newsletter will be on Sunday 22 December to make up for it. For that issue, I’ll be looking for all your workwear-themed dilemmas as well as pics of any Workwear Inc.-inspired purchases for the next Reader Report. Send them to workwearinc@substack.com – or drop them in the comments below.
For this week’s newsletter, I’ve brought back the Net-A-Porter sale roundup. I am and will always be a NAP loyalist – not just because I used to work there because I truly do believe it’s the best place to shop online, from the buy to the user experience to the customer service. Sale season is always a highlight, and the latest markdowns have not disappointed. I snagged myself a pair of (very reasonably priced) Vibi Venezia slippers within hours of them going on sale (with same-day delivery), and I feel very glamorous waltzing around my flat in them.
Below you’ll find my edit of the best workwear bits on the site – by which I mean the ones I’d most like to buy myself. Don’t forget: there tends to be a second and sometimes third markdown, so prices may go even lower if you’re lucky. HOWEVER, if something you like the look of is ‘Low Stock’ or at ‘One Left’, then I’d advise you to act fast before another woman with impeccable taste snaps it up first.
Fedora x
Our Legacy suit
£180 for trousers (originally £360) and £270 for jacket (originally £540)
I’m not much of a suit wearer but this Tencel set in sludgy brown from Our Legacy has been lingering in my wish list for a while now. The cut for me is ideal – relaxed and effortless but not slouchy, with the sharp shoulder and generous lapel on the jacket and the high waist and wide fit on the trouser.
Toteme blazer
£378 (originally £630)
Toteme is high up on my list of most coveted brands – although their prices are pretty big barrier to entry. HOWEVER, this jacket is about as much of a steal as you’ll get for their tailoring (I mean, that’s basically Reiss prices, right?). I’m a super big fan of this shape, with the shorter collar and three buttons, a bit like the legendary Dior Bar Jacket. And to style it, I’d go for sharper, sleeker, edgier pieces to contrast the traditional feel of the houndstooth.
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Bode shirt
£298 (originally £496)
I’m not a huge fan of “designer” shirts simply because I’ve found that the best quality ones tend to come from specialist shirtmakers like WNU. However, Bode is not your average designer brand – it’s craft-focused, big on quality, and each piece feels genuinely special. This shirt is made from 100% cotton poplin (as any shirt at this price point should be) and, it features the sort of intricate embroidery that’s characteristic of the brand and will add a subtle splash of personality to a corporate outfit.
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Jia Jia necklace
£223 (originally £445)
I love a beaded necklace as a way of ‘knocking back’ a smart outfit and just making it look like you have your own sense of personal style. There are plenty of cheap and cheerful options out there which would look extra chic when layered with more glitzy precious metals, but if you’re on the hunt for something a bit more elevated, then try this divine amethyst creation from the Californian jewellery brand Jia Jia.
Aeyde ballet flats
£261 (originally £435)
Not so long ago, I manifested that these Aeyde Mary Janes would be knocked down by a couple hundred pounds – and sure enough, Net-A-Porter heard my cries. (Not that I’ve actually taken the plunge and bought them.) I usually prefer a bit of a heel for work but for me these are the perfect flats: walkable enough for the commute and smart enough to wear to very serious meetings – and yet undeniably cool thanks to the croc-effect leather, the chunky buckle and the square toe.
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Nanushka jacket
£463 (originally £925)
I featured this jacket from Nanushka way back in my edit of Olivia Pope-esque blazers, and I’m pleased to report it’s now available at a slightly less eye-watering price point. This is the sort of elegant, slightly unusual piece that you can throw over the most basic outfit and instantly be the best-dressed person in the meeting room.
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Jennifer Behr earrings
£108 (originally £215)
There’s truly no more foolproof route to making any outfit look chic than accessorising with a big earring, and I am absolutely IN LOVE with these starfish-shaped ones from Jennifer Behr. I’d be truly shocked if they don’t win you a tonne of compliments on first wear.
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Plus, three more sale bits I’m eyeing up…
Outside of the workwear realm, these are the other items that are currently sat on my Net-A-Porter wish list.
(1) Goldsign makes the absolute best tank tops in the world. They’re thick and perfectly cut and hold you in like shapewear, and once you’ve tried this on, you simply can’t go back to the flimsy, see-through ones you get from the high street. I already own this in green – snapped up at a mega discount, as always – but the classic white is calling my name.
(2) It feels almost criminal to be a woman who loves clothes yet doesn’t own a single ‘little black dress’. If I were to finally invest, it would be with this divine, form-fitting piece from Proenza that could be easily dressed up or down. I’m a sucker for a halter, and I adore the gold cuff and Jil Sander bag they’ve styled it with too.
(3) Wales Bonner might just be my favourite brand of all time – or at least the one that resonates with me the most, from the styling to the campaigns to the actual pieces. I bought a navy men’s tracksuit with crochet detailing from them for an absolute steal with my employee discount (RIP) last year and I wear it at least once a week. The latest piece I’m eyeing up is this varsity jacket. Yes, I know, it’s ridiculously expensive and no amount of cost-per-wear would justify it… but isn’t it nice to dream?