Banana Republic "Faux Silk" Blouses

Is there such a thing as "faux silk"? If so, I think it's called rayon. I love silk blouses because they wear well under a full suit and, in my opinion, look more conservatively professional when a suit jacket is removed. They also add a bit of excitement to an otherwise boring wardrobe of dark suits and cotton button-down shirts. But silk is not vegan, and it is very hard to find a non-silk blouse that looks almost as good as its silk alternatives.

However, as highlighted by Corporette, Banana Republic currently is offering a few blouses made from rayon; a couple of these few look very nice in my opinion. Corporette recommends this dot-print blouse in the "dried morello" color. I like it better in the "pine" color (pictured right), especially in light of the impending holiday season. At $69, it is a bit more than I would like to pay for a blouse, but, then again, it's hard to find non-silk professional-looking blouses.

I also love this "cocoon" colored bow-tie pleated blouse (pictured left), also from Banana Republic (under its BR Monogram label). It's also 100% rayon, but at $125, it's really more than I am willing to pay . . . but it's fun to consider. It also comes in this "coal" color version, which looks to me like a deep purple print, and which has a smaller bow-tie at the collar.