Why can’t I find long-sleeved professional dresses?

The lack of work-appropriate winter wear for women is a real issue

Long-sleeved dresses are the holy grail of dresses. And I’m not talking about the long-sleeved mini-dresses you wear to look cute when going out in winter but actually freeze in all night long. I’m talking the long-sleeved, work-appropriate dress. I mean the dresses that look nice with tights or panty hose and a sensible heel or boot. Or the dresses that are—gasp—long-sleeved and long-skirted. These kinds of dresses are impossible to find.

Because I have so few of these items hanging in my closet, most of winter I find myself putting cardigans over my spring and summer wardrobe. Inevitably, three weeks into winter I start to feel like a fuddy duddy. I’ll try to mix it up by wearing a belt over the cardigan, which I don’t think is even in style anymore, or opting for a chunky sweater. I once got really crazy and wore a long-sleeved shirt under a sleeveless number. All of that certainly helps to mix up my winter wardrobe, but it’s still not quite the same as wearing a dress that was designed for the season.

Read the full essay here.