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Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. Talbots is having some pretty crazy sales right now — there are so many markdowns, and so steep, it’s tough to find anything over $50. That said, Thursdays are usually the day where we feature something priced $50-$100, so I hunted around for you guys, and behold: this beaut. Not only is it a steep markdown (originally $159!), but it looks great for work — I like the notched bateau neckline, the set in waist, and the full lining. It’s available in black, red, and teal, in sizes 2-20 for misses, petites, and one lucky plus size: 22W. If the hem looks a bit long for you (38.75″), I might try the petite instead (which is still longer than most dresses, at 36.75″). (I note that the care instructions say “dry clean,” not “dry clean only” — so I might try it in the delicates cycle of my washing machine after a few wears.) Talbots Double Weave Notched Bateau Dress Seen a great piece you’d like to recommend? Please e-mail tps@corporette.com. (L-3)Workwear sales of note for 4.14.24
Our favorites are in bold!
- Ann Taylor – Mid-Season Sale: extra 40% off; extra 20% off sale styles; 40% off new spring styles
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything; extra 40% off purchase
- Boden – 25% off 4/14-18; 15% off 4/19-20; 10% off 4/21
- Eloquii – 50-60% off select styles; up to 40% off everything else
- Everlane – Spring Style: up to 60% off 600+ styles
- J.Crew – 40% off dresses; 30% off your purchase
- J.Crew Factory – Extra 70% off clearance; up to 60% off everything
- M.M.LaFleur – Save up to 20% on (almost) everything
- Nordstrom – Free 2-day shipping for a limited time; 30% off select shoes
- Talbots – BOGO 50% off everything, includes markdowns (ends 4/14)
- White House Black Market – 30% select styles; up to 50% off sale styles
Some of our latest posts here at Corporette…
And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!
Stay tuned for a list of our latest threadjacks!
LilyS
I feel like the crowd here would appreciate Amal Clooney’s latest example of awesome. I’ll paste the link in a comment to this.
Also, Kat, would it be possible to get the first post of the day up a little earlier? It doesn’t go up until well after lunchtime in my time-zone (Central European Time). Obviously it’s not a big deal if it’s literally published when you’ve finished writing it, but if you write and schedule them ahead of time that would be incredibly useful.
LilyS
http://www.buzzfeed.com/alanwhite/they-also-have-a-fabulous-shoe-collection-mind
greenie
Thanks for the link to this trial. Our family recently lost its last survivor of the Genocide, and we had all hoped more progress would have been made in the recognition of the Genocide before their death.
Niktaw
Good for her. Amal’s fame just might raise the profile of this issue, which is tragically overlooked.
anonymous
I would also love earlier posting times as well. I’m in the US but I get to work before 6am
ace
That would actually be great for those of us on ET or CT who like to read during our commute… :) Again, only if auto-scheduled, it would be great to have it go up like 6-7 a.m. ET
L
Would love earlier as well! It’s nice to have a little break in the morning before all hell breaks loose;
Houda
I’m on GMT so earlier posts would be great!
Cat
me too! I’d love to check out the first post over my settling-in coffee at work (8am ET)
Jen2
Thanks for the excellent link !
Pesh
I wouldn’t mind an earlier posting time either, but , Kat doesn’t seem to respond to or read the comments section. You’re better off emailing her, Lily.
AttiredAttorney
I seem to remember an announcement a couple of years back (maybe 2011?) about the first post being moved later in the day to coincide with people taking their morning break? I’m with everyone else though. I’d rather have the first post up around 8am when I’m getting to the office and doing my morning news/email review. I’m EST.
Anonymous
I will be the voice of dissent about earlier- I’m on the west coast, and by the time I get here, there are already so many comments, even earlier and I’d never get to say anything without it being buried.
Miss Behaved
Tried very hard to get into the office today, but the MBTA system was not on my side. The train I was on caught fire. Luckily, it wasn’t my car, but I could see and smell the very thick smoke. The people on that car ended up kicking out the windows, but they all got out safely.
Waited 45 minutes for another train to come, but no go. So I took an outbound train to my car. Now I’m working from home and trying to get warm. Turns out I made the right decision. I’ve been getting text messages from the MBTA system advising passengers to take the commuter rail, even now… nearly 3 hours later.
Blonde Lawyer
Wow! That is scary. Glad you are ok.
Idea
Glad you & other folks on that car are ok.
Anonon
Red Line was brutal this morning, and now I know why! Glad you guys are safe. While I appreciate the efforts to clear snow and run the trains, the delays and apparent danger they’ve put riders in is just too much these last two days (I was on two disabled trains yesterday for my morning commute… before I even left my home station).
Diana Barry
Yikes!!!
I tried to get in this morning and it took me 40 minutes to even get near the Pike, so I gave up and came back home.
Anonon
The spokesman for MBTA just said ‘we don’t know why people acted in this way’ regarding punching out windows to evacuate the train, claiming there was no emergency at all. Train car fills with smoke and doors not opening? No emergency? Really? I really shouldn’t let it surprise me/get to me at this point, I suppose.
Miss Behaved
The woman on the PA system was yelling “Everybody get off the train”. I actually didn’t even hear her.
I only realized this was happening when the doors to our car opened and the smoke poured in. Then as we were getting off, we could see people running and hear people screaming.
Coach Laura
MissBehaved – glad you are ok and all got out safe.
Miss Behaved
Just found the story online via trending stories on Facebook:
http://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/blog/2015/01/29/mbta-red-line-train-windows-kicked-out/
Sydney Bristow
Does anyone in nyc have a recommendation for a broker in either Astoria or Forest Hills? Either rentals or apartment purchase would be great since we aren’t sure which path we are going to take yet.
anne-on
I worked with Belal Mohd at Superior Services Real Estate in Forest Hills, he was great and very very responsive. His # is 917-763-2260.
Sydney Bristow
Thanks!
Anonymous
Just moved to forest hills and love it! Let me know if you have any questions. Linda Weiss at Terrace Sotheby’s is great, but I think she might be more focused on houses.
BelleB
I tried this dress on and found it had an unflattering, dowdy fit. The Talbot’s Ponte Jewelneck Dress was lovely, though and only 39.99 (http://www.talbots.com/online/browse/product_details.jsp?id=prdi33930&N=10598+10189&selectedConcept=). I purchased the Blackberry and am debating picking up the red.
Wildkitten
ENABLER. I am now ordering.
Bonnie
I like that better than the posted dress. As a general rule for Talbots, I would not order petites for the shorter hem length because then the waist sits much higher.
Anon
I have a prior year’s version of this dress that is my summer uniform (with a jacket or cardigan for dealing with A/C). It also goes nicely to non-work events.
Pesh
I LOVE that dress!! Great pick!
anonymous
I’m trying to save money, but am already very frugal. What are your favorite/most effective cost cutting measures? I’m looking for something not as obvious as bring your lunch to work, or don’t buy coffee every morning.
LilyS
I’ve recently started bulk cooking dinners and freezing extra portions. I’d seen people doing it as a way to save money and thought it couldn’t really save that much – turns out, it does!
Anonattorney
I force myself to exhaust my pantry and refrigerator more often, before buying more groceries or ordering take-out. Sometimes it’s surprising how cheap you can be when you’re forced to make dinner out of staples.
Idea
Checking my budget and expenses every week, or 2 weeks as paychecks arrive.
The more often I check, the more aware I am.
LilyS
I do this; I use the Goodbudget app on my phone, so if I’ve overspent within a category I know immediately. If I’m in a shop and want something, I can pull up the app on my phone and see all the previous spends within that category to remind me that I don’t actually need to buy anything else.
DCR
Agreed. I balance my budget on YNAB every weekend. I’ve recently purchased a house, so it’s not that i’m spening less but that it is less mindless spending. It permits me to make informed decisions about how to spend my money. I suspect if you were trying to save more, it would help with that too.
Senior Attorney
Yes, being on top of the money is crucial. I have been using MS Money to track income and spending for years and it’s second nature at this point. (Money has been discontinued but you can use Quicken or Excel or YNAB or whatever.)
I do a zero-based budget so every penny has a job to do. My paycheck is auto-deposited into my checking account, then designated amounts are automatically transferred out to savings accounts for various purposes such as vacation, taxes, charity, house expenses, auto expenses, and so on. I give myself a weekly allowance and when it’s gone, it’s gone. If I overspend in one category I have to adjust by taking money from somewhere else. It’s kept me solvent and out of debt for a long time now. And when I’m saving for a goal it’s great to see the balance grow.
kc
Don’t buy stuff new. I still buy clothes new, but we buy all wood furniture and home accessories at antique/consignment stores. (I would buy upholstered stuff new cause of bed bugs). We got a console table for our entryway for $70 (solid maple), and a 12 setting Noritake china set for $65! Check out freecycle and craigslist.
kc
Oh also my other tips…buy meat in family sized packs (like 12 chicken breasts) and freeze individual portions. Use coupons and store rewards (I’ll save like $15 at the grocery store doing this). And then I think our biggest thing is that we don’t do stuff that costs money a lot. When we do, we splurge. But our activities are stuff like community exercise classes, hiking (free!), taking walks, picnics, etc….
Anon
You can get bed bugs in wood too.
tesyaa
Yup, my husband is paranoid about this so we don’t get used furniture. Clothing is actually safer from a bedbug standpoint, since it can be washed. A lot of items can be bought “new with tags” or “new without tags” on ebay or similar if one is squeamish about actually used clothing.
BB
This is why I stopped buying used furniture, which is kind of shame because there are some really great, unique antique pieces I would love to hunt for. :( But i just can’t risk having my life turned upside down for weeks.
Idea
I also went through my email and unsubscribed from almost all stores, sales, deals. I can always re-subscribe later. This is helpful on a number of levels, but freeing myself from reminders of all there is to buy is really helpful to me. I know this is verboten on a fashion blog, but really!
LilyS
I use unroll.me for this – so most of the emails arrive at about 8am every morning in one email all together. It means that I can ignore them far more easily, but they all go in a subfolder in my inbox so that if I specifically need something from, for example, Gap, I can see if they have an offer code for me.
Anon
I use this too! Super helpful.
tesyaa
Try shopping/repricing your car insurance if you have a car… can save a decent chunk right there. Probably also worth looking at for homeowners and other insurance.
I gave up cleaning help because weekly help was a huge amount of money… I clean and get my family members to help.
I agree with kc about buying used items when feasible.
Lyssa
In fact, shop and reprice all of your regular expenses – can you cut out or get a better deal on cable/internet/phone/whatever? There’s probably something there that you can stop or switch.
Once Thrifted
Literally: meal planning. I plan meals about 4-6 weeks out, filling a dry-erase calendar about 80%, knowing that some days will be leftovers, some days I will be too exhausted to pull together whatever it was I was supposed to, and then thus eating leftovers or other quick/easy things like sandwiches/breakfast-for-dinner, etc. I shop the sales, and use e-coupons from Kroger (they’re REALLY worth it, including the extra 500 fuel points they added to my rewards for being a loyal shopper). Between sales & coupons, I typically cut $30-50 off my grocery bill every time. I shop for dinner/prep stuff once a month if I can help it. Less is even better. I replace produce/lunch meat/dairy on an as-needed basis, but everything for dinners & snacks, as well as pantry/freezer staple replacement happens at the big once-month shopping trip. That trip is usually about $200-300. Then, we fill in about $100 over the course of the rest of the month.
Another choice I have made is to shop thrift stores rather than buying new. I’ve found a lot of quality pieces (including some designer pieces) for just a few dollars each. Our goodwill offers flat-rate pricing (pants/blouses/skirts/sweaters = $3.75, jeans = $4.25, coats = $6), and I live in an affluent area with a lot of college kids with plenty of disposable income.
We also review finances pretty frequently. I put a rubber band around my debit card so that I have to actually think before I make a purchase.
Blonde Lawyer
I spent a weekend where I made a spreadsheet of the things I buy on a regular basis. I then went to a few different stores and wrote in their prices. I figured out that it is cheaper to get certain household products at one store and other products at another. The stores are right near each other so it is easy enough to make two stops. If you are buying your toilet paper, paper towels, dish detergent, etc. at the grocery store, you are probably paying too much for it. You can buy that once/month at whatever store is cheapest for you (walmart, target, etc).
If you pay out of pocket for any medication, shop it around. My dog is on two pills. One pill was $150/month at the chain pharmacy, $40/month at the grocery store, $15 at Walmart.
LilyS
On the medication note – for things like paracetamol, ibuprofen, etc, the generic is exactly the same as the brand, and is usually about 90% cheaper.
Ellen
Yay! I love this dress, and I love Talbot’s! Great Pick, Kat! (and/or Kate)!!!!
I read that some of the other OP’s up top want earlier p’osts from Kat–I do NOT agree with them. Kat (and Kate) are doeing a great job, so why push them to p’ost earlier. I have a lot of trouble getting to work on time since I have to WALK, and how obnoxus it would be for the manageing partner to tell me he need’s me earlier, when he doesn’t even show up until later. FOOEY on that!
As for the other OP’s above, re fruegeality, I am VERY fruegel by NOT buying all the clotheing that I want to. I listen to Dad’s advise about giving away clotheing I do NOT use, so that benefit’s NY Cares. By being fruegel and generous to other’s I think I am benefiting society, and NOT being wasteful by buying clotheing I do NOT need, even tho it is pretty. Having a nice tuchus is what I want and that to make’s me fruegel b/c I do NOT buy clothe’s that will be to big on me after my tuchus get’s into better shape. So for the rest of the hive, I recommend walkeing and using a FITBIT to get into shape. Once I do, I will find a guy who will MARRY me and take me away from the drudgeary of work. FOOEY!
Wildkitten
Shred all your cards.
Pesh
How about instead of shredding, only charge what you can pay off? Building credit is an important part of financial responsibility.
Wildkitten
Don’t close the accounts, just shred the cards. Charging what you can pay off still leaves you in a hole – something I hadn’t thought about until YNAB.
CountC
How so? If I have budgeted $60 per week for groceries, I charge it, and then immediately pay it off, how am I in the hole? I only spent what I had allocated in my budget and it immediately was taken out of my checking account.
anon
I don’t agree with this… I only charge what I have money to pay for and I get cash back and airline miles.
Anon for this
I’m with Pesh and CountC on this. Responsible credit card use is extremely beneficial.
Anon
I think Wildkitten is addressing people who have CC debt already. It’s not a great idea for you to use the cards/pay what you charge until you are out of the hole b/c you can quickly slide into charging a little bit more than you can pay b/c the shirt was so cute or whatever and you’ll end up not making the progress that you should. I don’t think it’s meant to address people who have always used responsibly.
Wildkitten
The question was “what are your favorite cost cutting measures” and that’s my favorite cost cutting measure. If I don’t carry around credit cards, I don’t buy things, and I save money. If you have a different favorite cost cutting measure you can share it too!
Bonnie
I didn’t do it intentionally to be frugal but ended up on a lot of birthday email lists. I haven’t paid for a meal in 2 weeks!
Niktaw
Buy as few books as possible, and buy used whenever you can; better yet, use the public library.
When shopping for groceries, buy store brand products.
Lynnet
Limiting myself to 1 drink a night or 5 drinks a week. I don’t think of myself as drinking all that much, but I wouldn’t think twice about having a second drink, and even if it was just a glass of red wine or a bottle of beer at home, all of those second drinks added up.
anon a mouse
In the winter, lower your thermostat 2-3 degrees (and raise it a bit in the summer). Also, keep a 3-6 month lookahead for things that will cost money (like new clothing or holiday gifts) and plan way ahead to find things on sale.
SC
We cut down on the amount of meat we eat to save money. Making 2 vegetarian dinners saves a surprising amount of money. Also, DH makes our “cold cuts” on the weekends. We buy cheap but lean roasts at the grocery store or Costco and cook at home to use for sandwiches during the week.
Carrie....
I look for the recurring expenses that seem small on a monthly basis, but add up over time.
Cancel cable. Get an antennae for your TV for the basic channels. Join Amazon prime for the rest. Then check out movies/TV shows for free from your local public library.
Re-negotiate your current cell phone plan. $40 per month should be your goal, with all the competition starting among providers. I am very frugal, and now pay only $10 per month with Republic Wireless. I had to buy their phone, and I only have internet access when near Wifi, but isn’t that enough for most of us? I have unlimited phone calls/text/Wifi use. You must buy their phone. If this is too drastic for you, call your current provider and threaten to leave unless they match the cheapest rate you can find online from Virgin or the equivalent.
Price out car insurance online with Geico, and check out additional discounts if you move your homeowners/renter’s/umbrella as well. Then call your insurance and ask them to match…. or move to Geico.
More dinners at home.
Bring your lunch to work.
Turn down your thermostat by a couple degrees. Wear sweaters and slippers at home. Seal up your leaky windows and doors.
Turn off your lights/electronics when not in use. Clean under your refrigerator.
Move. Closer to work, so your commute costs diminish. And too a more modest sized home. That you can afford.
Stop buying stuff. We all have too much stuff.
CKB
I will be going to Pittsburgh for the first time for a work conference in late March, staying at the Station Square Sheraton. I won’t have a car. Does anyone have any restaurant recommendations? Things to see? Places to shop? Anything that’s easy by transit or not too far – I don’t mind walking. As a Canadian I’d love to visit Athleta, Trader Joes, Loft, etc if they are easy to get to. I think (as an introvert I hope) I’ll have 3 evenings to myself.
Anonymous
Pittsburgh is lovely. Station Square is not that great (touristy), but you can walk right across the bridge to be downtown. Public transit = buses. If you walk over to the Wood Street Station (downtown) you can get a bus to most anywhere, including Trader Joe’s and Athleta. Athleta on Walnut street (Shadyside neighborhood) is among other great shops and resturants. TJs not so much. I don’t think there is a Loft in Pittsburgh—would have to go to the malls in the suburbs to get to that. Great shopping on Butler Street in Lawrenceville (PGHs trendiest neighborhood). The Strip District is a lot of fun (check out Bar Marco..my favorite). Downtown can feel dead after the working stiffs go home, but the cultural district area is always fun. Squirrel Hill neighborhood is very residential, but has the best bar/restaurant for beer lovers: The Independent.
Seems that everyone has a guide to PGH these days. Here is a recent one http://www.designsponge.com/2015/01/pittsburgh-pa-city-guide-with-michael-of-the-urbanist-guide.html
Houda
I spent 2 weeks in Squirrel Hill and they have small restaurants all around. I particularly enjoyed one called Silk Elephant. And the nerd in me loved going to the Judaica stores to look around.
Anonymous
If you want a local, blue-collar favorite, get a sandwich at Pirmanti’s. The Carnagie Museum of Natural History is awesome as well, if you have time for it.
I haven’t been to Pittsburgh since I was in college, so I don’t know how much help I would be beyond that.
Burgher
Station Square has a trolley/subway line (“The T”) right there that will take you into downtown or out into the South Hills. If you are just going to downtown, you can walk right across the Smithfield Street bridge in a few minutes, so probably not worth the money to take the T across the river unless you are planning to venture further. From downtown, you can take a bus pretty much anywhere.
Downtown has a ton of great places to eat, but sadly isn’t great for shopping. You would have to venture out to the suburbs or malls to find most of those stores. You could take the T out to South Hills Village Mall for LOFT and similar stores, since it goes right to it, but it probably would not be worth the trip out there, IMO. I have not done it in a long time, but I believe it is approximately 45 minutes each way. You can technically get to Trader Joe’s in that area, too, but it would be a bit of a hike from the mall or station. I think the only Athleta is in Shadyside, which is a really cool area, but again would be fairly tough to get to.
TL;DR, though we do have public transportation, it’s probably not worth your while to venture outside of the downtown or north/south shore areas without a vehicle if you are limited to a few hours in the evenings, unless you are really adamant about visiting something in particular. There should be more than enough to keep you busy close by for 3 nights.
Anonymous
Is this with the new job!? Hope it’s going well!
CKB
Yes, this is with the new job. So far everything is going well. I’m hoping to do some networking and learn more about our main software at this conference. Thanks for remembering!
Pgh shopping
Late, but maybe you’ll still see this. The best mall in Pgh is Ross Park Mall, but it’s not in town and you can’t take the T to get there either.
For restaurants Downtown, check out Market Square. Sienna Sulla, NOLA, and Il Pizzaiolo are good choices. Primanti’s is also in the Square. Check out Nicholas Coffee if you are a coffee/tea person; they have tons of choices and it’s a cute little shop. You can take the T to Gateway Center and then walk just a block up to the Square. Six Penn Kitchen is also close to the Square.
BB
What’s the best way to choose a fee-only financial planner? Is there like a yelp for planners? (CA Bay Area specifically if that matters)
I need to help my parents find a planner. It has become increasingly apparent in the past year that they have not systematically planned for retirement, AND they are just buying random financial products based on very dubious “recommendations” from friends who are just as clueless. :( I’ve been bothering them to go to a proper, fee-only planner, but they haven’t done it yet. I’m going to visit in a few weeks and thought I would just set up an appointment and go with them to make sure they do it.
Sydney Bristow
I’ve heard that Garrett Planning Network is a place to start looking. Haven’t done it myself yet though.
Basics
If you are in the US, they might start with AARP or the automobile club — or USAA, if they are eligible.
Hildegarde
If they have an accountant or lawyer already, or another service professional who would know people in the financial services area, they should ask that person for a couple recommendations. Then talk to the financial planner about their methods, and ask the planner for a contact information for a client or two whom your parents (or you) can call to ask questions or just hear about their experience with that planner.
Anon
A stranger ahead of me in line bought my breakfast for me this morning. It is probably the nicest thing anyone has done for me in a while, and I’ll pay it forward the next chance I get!
TO Lawyer
That’s so nice!
Anon
I know! I’m kind of overwhelmed by it still.
anonymous
Anyone up for a vicarious shopping challenge? I’m looking for more printed tops, as I have too many solid colors. Non-neutral colors are best with prints that aren’t dull but aren’t overwhelming either. My style trends toward understated, and I have no particular budget for this (i.e. it depends on the item)
Awa
Try hitting up TJMaxx or Marshalls I have found some nice items there at reasonable price points. Also sometimes JC Penney has some good offerings, although they do also have prints that can be on the boring side
Anon
I think this is where smaller local boutiques are the best. I’ve gotten some great patterned shirts at these kind of places and because they’re small, they’re not overwhelming to shop in and it’s easy to find something from a designer you would have never otherwise found. Also, supporting small local businesses!
Bonnie
Classiques has nice prints. You can find them cheap online at Nordstrom Rack.
Lynnet
JC Penney’s Worthington line is great for this.
NYNY
Any preferences on sleeves and fabric?
One of my favorite work tops is an Anne Klein shell from a few seasons ago with an abstract print of cobalt, black, and kelly green on a white background. It sounds crazy, but it looks great with black, grey, or navy suits (where the black and cobalt come together looks navy), with a teal “the skirt” and a pale grey cardigan, or with a black skirt and cobalt cardigan. I get so much mileage out of it!
Anon
If you’re looking for prints, you need Boden.
Idea
I feel like Spring is always about prints, can you wait a few weeks?
SF in House
After one of Kat’s picks this week, I looked at Parker and saw some very pretty printed blouses. Also, I second Boden.
Cb
I know we’re not doctors but can someone give me a reality check? My husband has never been vaccinated against anything (MMR / Polio / etc). We haven’t had any major outbreaks in the UK but we’re visiting the States in May and we will be around loads of kids / people for our post-wedding party and meeting my relatives. The Disneyland measles thing got me thinking. Is this something I should be worried about?
I’ll send him off to the doctor for medical advice but I thought someone might have useful thoughts.
RR
Why?
In any case, it depends upon where you are headed in the US. There are particular areas with lower vaccination percentages. It’s fairly easy to get vaccinated though, so I’d go that route. I had a Tdap (or DTap) booster when pregnant, and it was no big deal.
Diana Barry
+1. Get him vaccinated!
Anonymous
Yes! Omg why has he not been vaccinated? Yes you should be extremely worried and he should get his shots ASAP.
Senior Attorney
This. Unless there is a medical reason why he can’t be vaccinated, I can’t imagine why he wouldn’t remedy this situation immediately.
hmmm ...
I’ve received the MMR 3 times (once as a young adult, 2 times when I was over the age of 30). I still don’t have the immunity (per titers).
I would speak to a medical professional if I were an unvaccinated adult.
Meg Murry
Not sure if you are planning to have kids or spend a lot of time around kids in your family, but if so he really should consider getting vaccinated. *HE* would probably be fine if he got measles (other than being miserable) but if he then passed it to an infant too young to be fully vaccinated that would be the real risk.
My OB and pediatrician suggested I get a booster again for whooping cough after my son was born, as that apparently wears out (either Tdap or DTap, not sure which adults get).
JJ
Yes, this. If your husband is ever planning to be around young kids, he should get vaccinated. It probably wouldn’t be a huge deal if he got sick – but he can pass it on to children that are too young to receive the vaccines.
Also, my mom went deaf as a result of having mumps as a child. So even the “non-serious” diseases can have serious consequences.
Niktaw
Mumps may decrease fertility in men – another reason to get his vaccinations.
Alana
Thank you for sharing your story explaining how non-fatal diseases can have serious consequences.
JJ
Happy to. This is why it burns me up when anti-vaxxers say “Who cares? It’s not like those diseases are fatal!
Anon in NYC
+2. I’m currently pregnant and my doctors have been telling my husband to get boosters. If not for him, then for the health of everyone around him.
SoCalAtty
Titers first, then boosters. You can check immunity level to determine whether or not you need the vaccines. Vaccines don’t come with 0 risk, so if you are fully immune, no need to do them. Example: I got the Hep B series when I was about 13. A few years ago, they wanted to give me a booster, but ran a titer first. I’m totally immune, so much so that they didn’t believe me that I had never had a booster!
Not a doctor
I am not a doctor or even in health care. But if it were my husband, I would send him to the MD ASAP. (ASAP because some vaccines have to be administered in more than one dose over a certain time period or are not effective until a certain period of time has lapsed since they were administered, and you want that all behind you before you travel.)
We live near Disneyland and have been hearing about measles for weeks. Every day the news gives the (higher) count. Just yesterday, I looked at my immunization card to see when I had my last booster. I am fine (born and raised in US with an MD parent, vaccinated as a kid and again as an adult 13 years ago). I then asked my husband (born and raised abroad) to check his and his son’s (born and raised here, but I was not around during his childhood years) to check theirs. The news reports keep saying that the people at risk are the ones who have not been vaccinated. Why deal with that risk when it is so easy for your husband to get vaccinated?
My two cents.
Blonde Lawyer
My only advice, and I would leave this up to his doctor, is if he has never had a vaccine before to not get them all the same day. Some people can have allergic reactions to the solution. If he had a reaction, it would likely be a lot minor if he only had one. Once they know he has reactions, they can premedicate him prior to getting the other vaccines and can spread them out. If he has no reactions, they might be able to do the rest in one visit. Not a doctor just someone with allergies (and luckily, so far, not to vaccines!)
SoCalAtty
Seconded! I do mine in single doses. Instead of MMR, I get an M, later the other M, and then the R. We know I react to Pertussis vaccine, so we don’t take chances with the others.
Anon2
I bet I could open a can of worms here by saying people who don’t vaccinate their children are absolutely #$%@#$% nuts…
Anon
#truth
Anon
I hope not. They are not only nuts, dangerous too.
Anonymous
Are nuts a carb?
Anon
As long as the nuts are paleo, then it’s all good.
Senior Attorney
Nuts, dangerous, selfish, borderline evil. Seriously.
Anonymous
This.
ACD
OMG this. I have a distant cousin who posts anti-vaccination stuff on Facebook constantly. She has a 1-year-old. Seriously??? I know you’re uber-libertarian, but there is room for sanity!
Anonymous
I have so many anti-vaxxer FB friends thanks to my rural Midwest upbringing. They seem like perfectly lovely people otherwise but this nuttiness and lack of concern for other peoples kids gives me a rage stroke.
MU JD
Agreed 100%
cc
Hopefully not. Its insane that this is becoming a “thing” I cant believe that people are choosing not to vaccinate.
Manhattanite
But you would be 100% correct. Get your medical advice from actual doctors, the CDC, the AAP (American academy of pediatrics) and your local health dept . They all say vaccinate. Don’t put my child at risk because you’d rather follow discredited “medical” quackery. (Rant not directed at OP)
Anon2
I guess I underestimated the hive (so sorry!)! I’m surrounded by **insert adjective of choice, but I’ll go with ‘hippie’** parents in my uber liberal hometown who think this is so mainstream to not vaccinate, or to do it according to their own schedules (aka not per MD recommendations). I really was starting to think this was becoming the norm… thanks for restoring my faith!!
Idea
Don’t forget the conservatives who believe that vaccines are tools of the government.
Politics makes strange bedfellows.
anon
I don’t know if I would associate this trend with liberal politics…
ACD
Libertarian, maybe.
Brunchaholic
I agree this isn’t about liberal politics. This is about just completely ignoring science. This takes the *hippie* mentality about 10 steps further to the point where I don’t think it can be even mildly associated with any political leaning whatsoever.
Rachel Carson is probably turning over in her grave at the extent to which the original message of the precautionary principle has been twisted. It’s truly depressing.
Someone else wants to take the bait on which political party openly defies science…
Rogue Banker
Bugf*** nuts, and they usually fall into the category of ‘willfully ignorant’ as well.
“Nope, don’t care about those stacks and stacks of peer-reviewed studies and empirical evidence!! Sally McCelebrity said on the TV that vaccines are ebil and cause ZOMG TEH AUTIZMS~ and I’d rather my kids be dead than autistic.”
I’m stopping now because this is one of the few issues that actually makes me rage.
Anonymous
Here’s my only question about vaccines (and I say this having vaccinated my children):
If vaccines are “oh my god so safe, you are crazy to think they are not safe” then why can’t some people be vaccinated? If they truly are safe, why would they have any effect on people?
And what if your kid is one of those people that “can’t be vaccinated” but you don’t know that you vaccinate them? What happens to them? Do they get really sick? Die?
Anonymous
I think when people are talking about kids who “can’t be vaccinated” they are mostly referring to kids with compromised immune systems, like kids with cancer. So if your child is normal and healthy, they can be vaccinated.
Bonnie
That category also includes children who are too young to be vaccinated or have not finished all their initial vaccinations.
rakma
Some people can’t be vaccinated due to compromised immune systems– such as children who are undergoing chemo for cancer treatment. Other can’t be vaccinated due to allergies to the compounds in the vaccine, but usually that does not eliminate all vaccines, just a few.
Wildkitten
This is a reason why it is so important for the rest of us to get vaccinated.
Seventh Sister
Some people have allergies to vaccine ingredients, others have health conditions that mean they can’t be vaccinated. My friend’s little girl recently finished treatment for kidney cancer. Baby girl couldn’t get vaccines because she was immuno compromised due to the chemo.
Considering that we apparently have the resources to have CPS investigate families who let elementary school kids walk home alone, I am unclear why vaccine refusal doesn’t warrant a visit from the authorities. /end rant
Anonymous
But this is my question:
How do I know if my child has an allergy to an ingredient in the vaccine? She was not tested for any allergies prior to receiving the vaccine? Nor for any immune deficiencies. She just went in her for her doctor’s appointment and received the vaccine. So, if she was allergic, what would have happened?
Zelda
Same as allergy to any other medicine or any other allergy period. Unless you have a family history, you generally don’t know until your child is exposed. I don’t hear about movements not to give kids aspirin or penicillin because of potential allergies.
Just like any other drug, you should monitor your child and react appropriately if there are SERIOUS side effects. The potential dangers of not being vaccinated faaaaaaaaaar outweigh the potential danger of an allergic reaction. Discuss your concerns with your doctor so that you know what a serious reaction looks like and how to respond.
Anonymous
If she were allergic, you would have brought her to the ER for treatment, like any other allergy. Your child isn’t secretly immuno compromised- they’d be sick all the time it’s wouldn’t be a mystery.
Anonymous
“Your child isn’t secretly immuno compromised”
Do you know when they first give vaccines to children? 4 months. It may not be a “secret,” but allergies and other potential immunity deficiencies may not be known yet.
As I said, I vaccinated my children, but I always see people saying that anti-vaxxers are compromising those who “can’t” be vaccinated and I wonder how we know who “can’t” be vaccinated.
RR
And you’ve gotten a lot of good answers that you don’t seem to be taking in. For example, as I stated, we knew that my nephew couldn’t be vaccinated further when he was diagnosed with leukemia at 2 and embarked on a 3 1/2 year chemotherapy treatment. So, that’s how we knew that. Or, when my baby was so young that she hadn’t received any vaccinations yet, I knew that she wasn’t at the appropriate age to be vaccinated.
Anon
Here’s an example. Kids don’t get the chickenpox vaccine until they’re 12 months old. I got chickenpox at 6 months because I was exposed to an older kid who had it. I could have died. Thankfully I only have scars.
cbackson
It’s not a crazy question. I am as pro-vaccine as they come (including having worked in vaccine research). I also know someone whose child died due to a severe allergic reaction to his first round of immunizations. However, those cases are incredibly, incredibly rare, and the risk of an allergic reaction to a vaccine is far outweighed by the risks of not vaccinating. So even knowing someone who is one of the unlucky incredibly few, I am still in favor of mandatory vaccination.
SoCalAtty
Anaphylactic shock, that’s what happens. Worst case. Or a more mild reaction. I’m really allergic to whatever is in the pertussis vaccine, and they never would have known that if my pediatrician had given me TDP (the old school TDaP). I had a pretty old school pediatrician, and he would separate them all out and do them one at a time, about a month apart. Still all administered WELL within the CDC specified times for administration of the vaccines, just required more doctor’s visits. All was well until I got that pertussis vaccine! Makes sense to me, made sense to him, and that’s what I’ll be doing with my kids when I have them.
They’re still getting vaccinated, just being careful regarding allergies since I had such a bad reaction to one.
RR
Splitting up vaccines is actually very potentially problematic and definitely not a “no harm done” scenario. Leaving aside that it increases doctor’s appointments and therefore costs (many of which would not be covered by insurance), delaying immunizations often results in missing them, as it becomes difficult to keep track. I don’t see how it would even be possible to stay on schedule while spacing individual vaccines out a month at a time. For example, at 2 months, babies get the DtaP, Hib, Rotavirus, Polio, and Prevnar (pneumococcal). At 4 months, they get the second dose of all of them. At 6 months, they get the third. It’s not possible for your 6 month old to be vaccinated within the CDC recommended times unless you went on a weekly basis.
Moreover, repeated doctor’s appointments increase your child’s exposure to illness at the doctor’s office. And it delays immunity. The 2-3 months that it would take you to get the M and the M and the R separately (which I don’t even think is possible anymore) are 2-3 months that your child is not protected against rubella or could catch rubella and pass it on to a pregnant woman. Vaccines are scheduled to hit the sweet spot of the best immune system response and the most danger of catching the diseases in question.
And most importantly, there is no medical evidence of any benefit to splitting vaccines. If you’d had a reaction to the TDP, they could have figured out what you were allergic to via the same mechanism they use to figure out what anyone is allergic to–allergy testing.
Anonymous
RR,
no, at the point at which you responded, I hadn’t gotten any good answers. I had gotten “my cousin’s kid had cancer, so he couldn’t get the vaccine” and “its not a secret when someone has an issue with immunity.”
I’ve since gotten some good responses (thank you cbackson), but my question about how you know if your 2-month old “can’t be vaccinated” still has not been answered. And that’s all well and good that the risks from the vaccine are lower than the risks from potentially getting the disease, but that’s where the herd immunity issue breaks down. Because when its “MY KID” that is going into shock or having a severe reaction to an ingredient in the vaccine or DYING, this feels more real than the possibility of “somehow, someday, maybe getting mumps, and isn’t everyone vaccinated anyway, so how will he get mumps.” But, when more and more people think this way, diseases spread. But, to pretend that no harm can ever come from the vaccine, that’s just absurd, since obviously some CAN and DOES and there are people who “can’t” be vaccinated.
RR
I can only commend you on realizing your fears are not logical. The risks of a child contracting one of these diseases and having serious complications from these diseases (and we never seem to talk about things like Hib, which is often very serious, or tetanus, which still kills 10% of the people who contract it) is statistically much, much, much higher than the very small chance that your child would be the two month old who unexpectedly had a fatal reaction to a vaccine. Is it okay to be a little scared of a reaction to a vaccine? Of course. I was. But I was more scared of my child contracting and having serious consequences from one of the preventable diseases. And, although you dismiss the “cousin’s kid with cancer,” I can tell you from observing my brother and sister-in-law that none of our fears compare to their fear of their child catching a disease that could be avoided on top of having cancer. Ultimately, there is something very selfish about choosing to rely upon herd immunity provided by other parents vaccinating their children while not vaccinating your children because of an unsubstantiated, irrational fear. I understand that you do not fall into that category.
Zelda
Anon, your question has been answered. You don’t know if your child is allergic to a vaccine. Just like you don’t know if your kid is allergic to peanuts or bee stings or even exercise until they’re exposed. The reasonable response is not to prevent your children from eating food (they could be allergic to anything) or taking medicine (what about the side effects) or going outside (don’t forget sun allergies)! It’s all about assessing the actual risk of harm versus benefit. Numerous studies have shown that the risk of harm from a vaccine is far outweighed by the benefits.
JJ
Anonymous – I don’t think anyone is pretending that no harm can come from vaccines. But you’d find out your kid was allergic when he/she swelled up, broke out in hives, or went into anaphylactic shock. Same way we figured out my kid developed a food allergy to something he had tolerated before: his eyes swelled shut and he couldn’t breathe. That’s why the pediatrician will tell you to watch for any signs of issues after your baby receives a vaccine.
RR
Well, my nephew has leukemia, so he can’t be vaccinated now. Just finished chemo, so I think he has 6 months or so until it’s safe to be vaccinated? Or people have allergies to ingredients in the vaccines (eggs is a big one, for example). So in those cases, I think people generally know that they can’t be vaccinated.
SoCalAtty
Well, that’s what my pediatrician recommended. I’m probably going to take his advice….him having the MD and all. I actually just did the TDaP booster in three separate shots last year, so I know it is possible. You’re right, it wasn’t covered by insurance. The office visit was $50, and I forget how much extra the vaccines themselves were, but I wrote a check. Look at the spacing of the vaccines starting about 10 years ago, and compare with now. Doctors were finding that people weren’t coming back, so they changed the recommendations to stack more vaccines into one appointment. Not so much because they really needed to be done earlier, or closer together, but because they found parents weren’t following up.
Like I said above, when I had titers done a few years back, my immunity was great, so something worked.
RR
I get that it worked for you, an adult who already has immunity and was getting one split-up booster. It’s still very dangerous for your children and other people’s children, and it’s not possible to follow the CDC recommendations by acting as you describe. And you are talking about your pediatrician when you were a child 20 (?) years ago. So you are taking 20 year old advice? Or do you have a current pediatrician recommending this? My pediatrician 30 years ago gave me antibiotics for everything. He was an MD. I’m still not doing that now.
SoCalAtty
Both. The pediatrician that I had then, AND the pediatrician that I will be using with my kids. My good friends all use him too. Worked in vaccine research, too. Like I said, you’ve got to find good experts and go with what they recommend. You have to look at the research, talk to your expert, and make a decision. The first question I asked when I saw the new, compressed schedule was “why are they all stacked on top of each other now?” The answer was, herd immunity. Parents were not showing up for some of the appointments, and stacking has greatly reduced the number of kids that miss a series completely because parents didn’t have the time to get back into the doctor. As long as the kid is vaccinated before being in groups of kids, before attending school…why is this an issue?
A month apart is just what we did. I’m sure you could do them a week or two apart. The point is giving time to determine if there are reactions. We have a lot of autoimmune and severe allergy problems on both my side of the family and my husband’s side of the family, so that’s what our MD(s) has / have recommended.
Samantha
And stupid if they believe that one (proven wrong, fraudulent) study. That one fake ‘study’ has done more to set us back health-wise as a community than anything else.
Cb
I totally agree. My mother in law is lovely but when my husband was sick as a child (out of school for nearly a year), she took him to an osteopath!
Anon
An airport is basically a germ reservoir. Never mind where you’re going or who you’re seeing, you’re going through airports, which is enough to warrant shots.
LilyS
Was the outbreak in Wales last year(? 2013?) not major enough to worry you? I was watching the TV transfixed (then again, I’m of the age where many of my peers haven’t been vaccinated, 90s babies)
Ella
Okay, here’s an example of why he should be vaccinated: mumps are more serious in adults. For adult men, here’s a delightful complication: Mumps viral infections in adolescent and adult males carry an up to 30% risk that the testes may become infected (orchitis or epididymitis), which can be quite painful; about half of these infections result in testicular atrophy, and in rare cases sterility can follow. Why risk this?
Anonymous
My SO had chicken pox at age 60 – never got it as a child or even when his kids were young. Then caught it being around someone who had shingles. Just crazy.
SoCalAtty
The same goes for Chicken Pox. Much worse if you get it as an adult.
MU JD
I got the chicken pox as an adult (23 years old). They didn’t vaccinate for it when I was a child. Wound up with lesions in my mouth, and many other places I don’t wish to describe. I have several scars from it. I was absolutely miserable. My kids received the vaccine as soon as they were able.
Away Game
If he ends up being exposed to anyone who was also exposed, he could be asked to quarantine himself for 28 days, as is happening in parts of California and Arizona for unvaxed people – including infants. Could your travel plans handle that? His symptoms may not show up for three or four weeks (depending on what he’s exposed to), which makes him Typhoid Mary in the meantime, and a threat to every infant, immuno-compromised person, and child-of-stupid-parents he comes into contact with. Seriously, he’d be on an airplane with an illness that could kill or permanently harm someone else, even if he’s just freakin’ miserable for a couple of weeks then recovers. My father has been suffering for more than 60 years from the effects of polio. Mumps, measles, and rubella can lead to sterility, deafness, birth defects….I seriously cannot imagine a parent being so cruel that they put their children at risk for those diseases. The ijits claiming scientific reasoning for not vaxing have the same grasp of science as those who are sure evolution never happened, the sun revolves around the earth, and man coexisted with dinosaurs. If I had the power to eliminate international travel for unvaxed people, I would absolutely do so. Frankly – and I know this is strong language – I think it’s immoral to expose others to preventible infectious diseases, and I would bar unvaxed travellers from planes, public buses and trains if I could.
First Year Anon
+1
Cb
Wow! I knew asking here would bring up some helpful thoughts. He’s going to call the practice nurse tomorrow and figure out what he needs. He was brought up without vaccines (some nonsense about problems with MMR and a family history of meningitis which makes the vaccine dangerous (???)- says his mother who is lovely but completely hippie dippy).
I had asked when I was getting my flu shot (I’m immuno compromsied) and the nurse kind of shrugged it off and said maybe when we had kids he should think about it but we’ve had a good talk about it and he’s going to figure out what he needs to do to get up to date.
House Questions
My brother recently bought a new house that will be finished in September. He is thinking about doing stained concrete floors, but it worried about foundation cracks. Does anyone have experience with these floors in an area where foundations are very very prone to cracking? Does anyone know if they can be fixed? Also any comments one hating/loving them if you have had them? Obviously they aren’t everyone’s aesthetic, but I figured the hive might have some insight. The idea of cool floors in the summers and easy clean up is super appealing, especially as my family has a love for large dogs that shed a lot.
JJ
I have stained concrete floors and big purple puffy heart love them. We have a medium-sized dog that sheds moderately and two young kids and the floors are indestructible. We live in Texas and in the summer, they keep the house much cooler (and the dog loves to lay on them to keep cool). The upkeep is literally zero.
Edited to add: The biggest drawback of concrete floors is if you drop a wineglass, that sucker is a goner. Same for plates, etc.
As for foundation cracks, I live in an area of Texas with notoriously horrible foundation issues. We had the foundation to our house inspected before we bought it (8 years ago) because there was a minor crack in the concrete floor. The foundation guy told us that it wasn’t an issue and was just a result of settling. Other than that minor crack, we haven’t had any noticeable cracks in the floor. We do have some cracks in the marble tile in one of guest bathrooms, but it doesn’t extend to the concrete.
House Questions
We’re also in Texas, so it sounds like he’s in the same boat as you! Is the settlign crack not noticable most of the time? Or do you feel it when you walk on it? Did the contractor say if there was a way to aesthetically fix the crack? I think he is picturing inch wide gaps that will cut your feet and make you trip, which is probably crazy.
Thanks for the input! Reading on websites is sometimes helpful, but having a real person’s opinion is invaluable.
JJ
This crack is really, really minor. Aesthetic only and only if you’re looking for it – you can’t feel it when you walk over it. The only reason we had the house inspected before we bought it is because we were buying in an area that is famous for foundation issues (some of the houses we looked at had enormous cracks along the front brick facades, cutting the house in half, for example).
For comparison, we do have some cracks in the dry wall along corners/ceilings, so I know the house has been moving and settling. My husband and I have sworn that the next house we buy will be concrete floors, as well, because we like them that much.
And just to think about, in our master bedroom the floor is concrete, but it’s stamped to look like wide-plank hardwoods and stained a very dark brown. I love having the look of wood but the durability of concrete.
Burgher
Cracks can be patched, but it will look like a patch. If it is prone to cracking in a particular spot, and that spot continues to settle, it may continue to re-crack. They could always fill it in with a flexible caulking, but it will also be fairly obvious, even if using a similar color caulk. Probably too late for this, and the builder may not even do it, but concrete slabs can be designed to minimize cracking with expansion joints or even just saw cutting strategically. Still not a guarantee, but less likely.
I haven’t seen them in residential applications, but the couple of commercial projects I have been involved with them, they came out really nice. If I were designing a modern house of my own, I’d definitely consider it. If he really wants to do it, he should contact a local contractor that specializes in them and get their input now.
concrete
We have them in Texas too. Ours are a DIY by a previous owner. The polish off the stain is worn where we had a rolling chair (our fault), you can see the flaws along the edges where previous floor was attached, and the molding needs to be reinstalled to be fully against the edge of the floor (or add quarter-round) but none of those things bother me (except the molding we are going to fix) and just add character to the floor. However, those are the types of things to be aware of if he’s thinking he will DIY. Also be aware if you have any steps or stairs they may not have perfect corners. We live the imperfections anyway, but if you’re the type of person these types of flaws would bother, i don’t think it’s the right flooring choice for you.
I think it did help keep the house cool in the summer but it’s also really cold in the winter (must wear socks even when the house feels warm). It is AWESOME with our big dog coming in from the mud, but we still have to clean his paws since he is allowed on furniture. Overall I’m very happy with it and only consider replacing it because we don’t love the color of the stain.
Anon
If you can wear a 12W (equivalent to a misses 14 or even a curvy misses 12) the Talbots sale section for women’s sizes is something you should check out. All the best items are down to that size, and very affordable. I would buy that boiled wool coat and the season less wool dress in a heartbeat.
Wildkitten
Apparently their W items have a comfortable elastic waistline? Count me in!
Bewitched
Thinking about Kat and her love for purple and cobalt, these cobalt shoes are kinda cool and very cheap!
http://www.bonton.com/shop/shoes/anne-klein-cherise-platform-dress-heels_775194.html??utm_source=LSAFF&utm_medium=AFL&utm_campaign=LS&CID=LSAFF-AFL-LS&siteID=BolFSqx4S4U-
rBnkII_udbGevzL9cqpTZw
ETA: never mind, only available in black lol!
Rosemagilly
Are blanket scarves still a thing or am I too behind the times? If they are still in, any recommendations for one? Looking for weekend wear, not workwear. TIA!
nutella
Weather permitting, yes. Burberry had a lot this fall, and accordingly, so did Zara. It is too cold where I am to wear them, but I sometimes put them over a wool coat. Sans coat, I wear them draped over, wrapped around, or belted — my fav look!
Maddie Ross
+1 for Zara’s. But they shed a bit on s0me pants.
Rosemagilly
Thank you both :)
Jen2
It’s taken me a full day but I now have a response to Ellens mention of the Rick Owens fashion show –
Know your office!
phx
#Winning
OP About Impostor Syndrome
Hello hive, I’m the OP that posted yesterday about having impostor syndrome. Just wanted to report back that my presentation went well and the Q&A went smoothly. My manager gave me positive feedback that I knew my content and I was confident. Thanks to those who suggested the alter ego!
anonymous
Rawr :) congrats!