ByElizabeth Hours Updated
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Splurge Monday’s Workwear Report: Detira Grosgrain Waist Detail Midi Dress

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A woman wearing a light green sheath dress and black heels

Our daily workwear reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices.

I’m totally in love with the color of this sheath midi dress from Boss. We’ve professed our love for the light blue suit around here for years, so this is right up my alley. I would pair this with a white blazer for a gorgeous summer-y look, but there is a coordinating jacket if you want to do a column of color. 

The dress is $549 at Nordstrom and comes in sizes 0-18. It’s also available in “pumice.” 

Sales of note for 4/17:

  • Nordstrom – Beauty savings event, up to 25% off – nice price on Black Honey
  • Ann Taylor – Cyber Spring! 50% off everything + free shipping
  • Boden – 25% off everything (thru Sun, then 15% off)
  • Brooklinen – 25% off sitewide — we have and love these sateen sheets
  • Evereve – 1000+ items on sale, including lots from Alex Mill, Michael Stars, Sanctuary, Rails, Xirena, and Z-Supply
  • Express – $29 dresses
  • J.Crew – 30% off all dresses
  • J.Crew Factory – Up to 60% off everything, and extra 50% off clearance
  • Lands' End – 50% off full price styles and 60% off all clearance and sale – lots of ponte dresses come down under $25, and this packable raincoat in gingham is too cute
  • Loft – Friends & Family event, 50% off entire purchase + free shipping
  • Macy's – 25% off already reduced prices + 15% off beauty & fragrance
  • M.M.LaFleur – Spring Sale Event – Buy More, save more! 10% off $250+, 15% off $500+, 20% off $750+, 25% off $1000+ (Try code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off if you find any exclusions.)
  • Sephora – Spring sale! 20%, 15%, or 10% off depending on your membership tier; ends 4/20. Here's everything I recommend in the sale!
  • Talbots – Spring sale! 40% off + extra 15% off all markdowns
  • TOCCIN – Use code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off!
  • Vivrelle – Looking to own less stuff but still try trends? Use code CORPORETTE for a free month, and borrow high-end designer clothes and bags!

199 Comments

  1. For Easter I will see an inlaw who is in medical school but who didn’t get “matching” for residency. Is that catastrophically bad? This person becoming a doctor has been a big deal at our shower and I worry I will put my foot in my mouth now. I don’t know bathing about how this works and google tends to say it’s really bad.

    1. Like you I have no idea what comes next, and therefore my recommendation is to avoid the topic entirely and just chat about literally anything else.

    2. It’s a pretty big problem. I’m sure that they’ll figure something out, but for now its devastating and you should absolutely not bring it up. Talk about anything else.

    3. They won’t become a doctor without a residency, but it could be their plan is just to beef up their CV and try again. Or they could have some other plan entirely, but I’m sure if they even want to talk about it they can tell you what they’re up to.

    4. This is not great. You find out a few days before the match if you don’t match at all, and there’s something called Scramble that week when you can try to fill an open spot at another hospital – it will be a program you didn’t interview for, they tend to be lower ranked, and you may even have to switch specialties depending on what you tried to match for. Many people who do that will try to re-match their following year. The scramble is also done the same week of match day, so if the person is still unmatched now, they either made a choice to not do that for some reason, or were still unsuccessful in that process. It is very hard to rematch in general, and significantly more challenging if you didn’t do an intern year somewhere else. Some people will leave the clinical path entirely at this point – going into insurance, pharma, etc. I wouldn’t ask anything about medicine during Easter, and then if they do bring up plans for next year, just be excited for whatever they say is next.

    5. Agree about not bringing up med school, matching, or their plans. They might eventually match (this year or in the future), or they might not. Not everyone who graduates medical school matches, ever. If they don’t match, they can’t be licensed to practice medicine. There are other career paths, immediate and long term, but this person didn’t go to medical school with the goal of not matching.

        1. These days, become surgeon general amor an influencer.

          Some states have rules that allow doctors without a residency to practice sort of like a PA, these are mostly aimed at recruiting doctors from overseas, but I’ve heard talk of changing rules to makes this more common because there are now so many American med school grads that haven’t been able to do a residency.

          1. These days, if surgeon general doesn’t pan out you can become NIH Director as long as you complain in 2026 about your pro Covid videos being demonetized.
            Seriously, research, but an MD isn’t trained for it and very few of those PhDs who want it have independent research careers. Same for a college professor at a teaching, not research, college. Some pursue the same alternative careers PhDs do like policy, communications, advocacy. Again, those careers have more interested than positions.

        2. Not the person you’re replying to, but medical research is a big one.

          Depending on how high they aimed for residencies, they could also go into a less-competitive field or in a less-competitive geographic area.

        3. I’m not certain that they didn’t match, but I know some people who went into medical sales after med school, and one guy who co-founded a startup that created a patient experience app (this was 10+ years ago).

          A friend of mine dropped out of med school after her 3rd year. She ended up applying her credits to a master’s in social work. She worked for Goodwill (job counseling, not retail) for many years and now is the CEO of a community health center.

    6. It’s pretty bad. There are some chances to get unfilled spots or try again next year, but you really really don’t want this to happen to you. I wouldn’t bring this up, and if they do want to talk about it, just offer sympathy, not criticism, suggestions, or excessive optimism or pessimism. I’m sure they’ll eventually get through it, but this isn’t an easy obstacle to overcome.

      1. Is there a reason that people don’t match?

        IDK if it is like getting no-offered or cold-offered for law summer programs.

        1. There aren’t enough residency spots for the number of med school graduates each year.

          1. That’s law school?

            I thought there are not only doctor shortages now but a big retirement cliff coming up.

          2. Isn’t it also a function of potentially applying to only very competitive programs and just not getting a spot whereas if you picked something way less competitive – spitballing but I’m assuming like family medicine – you’d have had a higher chance of matching?

            A friend didn’t match one year but then did the next. That’s what I vaguely understand to be what happened to her – she wanted anesthesiology or derm, which are supposedly hugely competitive. She didn’t interview for anything else – she was all in, but didn’t match. Those 12 months were deeply stressful but it all worked out and her career hasn’t flinched, so to speak. She matched family medicine and is happy and successful as a clam.

          3. 9:32 – no, that’s not law school. There’s not a maximum number of people who can literally pass the bar and be licensed to practice.

            I suppose the closest analogy would be if you *had* to get a Biglaw job (except rather than $$$, it pays little) and work there X years before you were allowed to do anything else?

          4. Doctor shortages and retirement cliffs don’t have much to do with residency slots. The number of residency slots isn’t adjusted to how many physician jobs there will be; it’s a fixed number.

          5. It’s a little bit more complicated than this, because technically there are several hundred residency spots that go unmatched every year – several thousand before the scramble. It has to do more with mismatches between supply and demand at specific programs. The candidate indicates interest in a set of programs, interviews for them, and then ranks them. The residency programs rank everyone they interviewed. There’s a Nobel-winning matching algorithm that then allocates people across programs, optimizing for both candidate and program rankings. In theory, if every single candidate ranked literally every single program and all programs ranked every single applicant, there wouldn’t be open spots. However, that’s functionally not how it works – candidates typically rank ~20-30 programs and programs rank ~100-200 candidates (lower number for more elite or smaller programs). So then there are pockets of programs that don’t get filled because the candidates they wanted matched higher on their personal lists, while at the same time there are candidates whose preferred programs are all full before they had a slot available at any of them.

        2. Doctor shortage or no, there’s still a shortage of resident positions, because they’re mostly funded by Medicare and that’s capped. A bunch of new med schools have opened and we take doctors from other countries for residency here but there are still the same number of resident positions, which is the big bottleneck. It’s a real problem. So in general, stronger students are more likely to match for any given position but a lot comes down to applying for the right level of competitiveness and if you apply for too competitive positions, good students can also easily not match.

          2. Wait…we take doctors who qualified overseas, above US qualified doctors?? How does this make sense? Shouldn’t doctors with a US residency have been to an American medical school?

          3. At least in some cases, it’s a way to attract the best of the best who will end up getting funding to advance medical science at research university hospitals. Some countries are arguably better at science education than USA, but worse at funding research.

        3. They interview for competitive residencies like plastic surgery or ophthalmology instead of non competitive ones like family medicine or pediatrics.

        4. So it’s not like BigLaw where you have to do something really bad to get no-offered. It’s not enough funded positions (and maybe you have a geography or spousal work limitation handicapping you, or apply to somewhere with good weather like San Diego and not Buffalo).

          1. Yes. It’s more akin to only being allowed to apply to one company, at the same time as everyone else. One person may have matched if they had selected different schools or specialities, or applied in a different year.

        5. A new med school opened up in our state, but the other 2 schools have pushed back hard against expanding residency spots at our state hospitals so all those med students are in a pretty rough spot.

          1. And doesn’t the AMA lobby pretty hard against any efforts to increase residency spots? We have a doctor shortage but existing doctors benefit from it because it keeps salaries hig
            (And yes, lifetime earning for US doctors is higher than in Europe, even after accounting for student debt)

          2. All salaries are higher in the US vs. Europe. Our social safety nets of our societies are completely different. In Europe, college and medical school is essentially free, and their residents and fellows are paid better relatively with lighter work hours. Malpractice / risk is very different. The systems are not comparable in the way you simply state.

            And no, the AMA does not lobby against training more doctors. In fact the medical arena is pretty desperate for more doctors. We import hundreds every year from overseas! Perhaps thousands some years.

    7. Like anything, you can ask how things are going and just match their energy as they answer. If they seem devastated, extend sympathy; if they say “it’s tough right now, but I’ll land on my feet,” say “you always do!”, etc. The big thing is to avoid a mismatch to their vibe — don’t say “everything happens for a reason!” to a despondent person or act like their child died if they clearly aren’t that fussed by the issue.

    8. It’s pretty bad. Don’t say things like “everything will work out” because there’s a good chance it won’t.

    9. FWIW, I try not to bring up anybody’s uncertain and potentially stress-inducing work, education, or marital life unless they open the door. This individual may go on to succeed at a pharma company or or health tech or pursue consulting or land something with a policy path. Some of the highest paid and most successful salespeople in med tech are those who understand the clinical side or have that training. Or perhaps they’ll still aim to give it another go. But I wouldn’t touch something so sensitive or offer advice in any way. Just like I try to stay out of potentially stress-inducing conversations with acquaintances who are deciding whether to stick it out with a spouse or dealing with any number of situations where goal posts might change. Sometimes things work out in ways that aren’t what we planned, but it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t sting in a huge way on that path. I’d treat it like someone newly separated and deciding next course–don’t bring it up unless they do and then be a sympathetic (but not advice-giving) ear.

      1. As someone whose life is a massive pile of stress right now, thank you for this. It’s bad enough as is; it’s worse when people stick their fingers into it.

    10. For everyone saying this is “bad” – you have to remember, they may have chosen one of the more competitive specialities and didn’t get a spot. That’s like you’re applying to only Ivy League colleges and didn’t get accepted. So yes, it’s emotionally devastating and not a situation graduates want to be in, but there’s a lot of courage there to say, no, hey– I really want to be a plastic surgeon. I’m not going to pick a less competitive speciality (let’s say a state school or community college). I still want to be a plastic surgeon. They have options for doing a research year and reapplying. This is not shameful and does not reflect poorly on the person who didn’t get matched. It’s more a byproduct of there not being enough spots in very competitive specialities while there is an excess in some that may or may not allow the graduates to pay back their loans (let alone do the specialty they feel is best suited for them).

      1. It doesn’t reflect poorly on the relative at all.

        But its still pretty devastating and not something you want to discuss with every single relative at Easter. Especially when they’re not likely to understand the situation.

      2. It isn’t shameful and doesn’t reflect badly on them, but imo the college analogy is off base. The kids who get rejected from Ivies go to slightly less fancy private colleges or flagship State U honor colleges, and while their pride might be wounded, their career is not derailed at all. It’s possible to reapply and match but not everyone does, especially in their chosen speciality, so realistically this has a lot more impact on one’s life and career than getting rejected from Harvard undergrad and having to go to Wesleyan or Michigan.

      3. How is it not still bad? Seems like a failure at self awareness and ability to assess your own competitiveness. No one just applies to Ivys, that’s why there’s backup easy-admit applications.

        2. …Matching is different than applying to colleges because it’s a little out of your hands. If you’re highly competitive, you don’t want to include a “safety” because you could be very high on their list. And then the algorithm sends you there, instead of your actual choices.

  2. I stayed in an airbnb this weekend. It was so sparse, which felt so peaceful – not cluttered, so much space even though the rooms were small. How can I take steps to make my home feel more like that? I’ve never been “good” at design or house stuff, and I could use a major purge. I can’t afford a decorator. Any suggestions?

    2. It’s easy to be minimalist when you’re only away for a weekend and therefore don’t need your cookbooks, misc junk drawer stuff, different weights of hats / gloves / scarves by the door, etc.!

      1. The idea of different weights of hats and gloves just made me shudder. OP—get rid of stuff! Or better yet, reconsider what you “need” before you buy.

        1. Shudder? The temperature has been swinging wildly between the 30s and the 80s over the last couple of weeks. So, my winter-weight stuff is still living in the basket next to the door along with the spring layers…

          1. Same. We have 3 seasons a day, at least. And it is COLD when I walk the dog in the dark.

          2. We swung from a -20 wind chill to 97 last week. Literally everything from the ski gear to the swimsuits are in my entry, the laundry and everywhere in between.

            My back porch sports snow shovels, bags of mulch and the slip and slide drying over a lounge chair.

            I maintain a minimalist house and spring weather is a losing battle.

          3. Yup. Maybe it doesn’t make sense to people who live in milder climates, but my winter gear ranges from Arctic polar plunge to “just a chill in the air.” It all gets used.

          4. Right? There was some minimalist blogger a while back who bragged about how few clothes she needed. Of course, she lived in San Diego or some similar place with a mild climate and not a lot of variation in temperature.

            Reporting from Maryland where we recently had a temperature swing of 54 degrees in not quite 24 hours.

          5. Yeah, I am an Old and I have a lot of stuff and it makes me very very happy that I have exactly what I need for pretty much any occasion: Kitchen stuff, clothes, you name it.

            That said, everything has a home and if I don’t need something I am pretty ruthless about getting rid of it.

        2. Yeah, some of us need different gear for shoveling when wind chills are 40 below than we do for enjoying a walk when it is 40 above.

    3. If you could use a major purge, that’s where you must start. There’s no way to get that feeling of spaciousness in a small space if you have too many items. But start with just one room — thinking about the whole house is overwhelming. Maybe start with your bedroom or the living room. Or the entryway or your kitchen counters. Wherever you would get the most lift by seeing open, clear surfaces and space.

    4. You do not have to be good at house stuff, just improved at finding homes for the things you elect to keep after borrowing and following directions given in “the life changing magic of tidying up” (from the library).

      Before going to bed I clear stuff up, especially the bane of my existence…. the dining room table.

      You can do this!

    5. Start with the major purge. It’s amazing how different a space can feel when you pare down to the essentials.

    6. Don’t get overwhelmed. Just do a drawer or shelf of stuff each weekend and soon you’ll see results. My task this weekend, old cookbooks. And then I will have space to put more stuff away.

    7. In addition to the excellent advice of getting rid of stuff and finding (put-away) homes for things, it’s super helpful to limit what you bring into your home.

      There are so many beautiful things and things I might find useful that I don’t acquire.

    8. I find getting rid of stuff I don’t regularly use and not having multiple of items that are not necessary to have multiples of. It’s not always easy, because I get caught up in the “what if I need it some day” but it has helped to just ask myself if I have used it in the past year or so, and be honest about whether I really need it.

      I also find that not having a lot of home decor helps too. I don’t need to fill every shelf, counter or cabinet top with decor.

      1. This last part matters a ton. I just got back from staying at my mother’s house. Even though everything is tidy, she fills it with so much “stuff” and doesn’t pay attention to balance, whether it’s patterns or scale. Pictures and signs are on every wall, and often multiple pictures that are hung in non-uniform ways. Extra furniture is in every room. And it’s often lots of small furniture that is often different wood types and eras, and it feels off with scale or is disrupting normal traffic paths (no I don’t want to have to squeeze past this random antique to walk down the hallway). Surfaces all have decorative items and most of those items are “busy” somehow–like a lamp isn’t just a lamp. It’s a lamp with a duck carving sitting next to duck coasters and in front of duck pictures on the walls, propped next to a plaid couch that’s sitting on a patterned rug. Rooms I feel greatest “relief” from are not only uncluttered but are deliberately designed in a way to be harmonious. To me that’s usually minimal color and pattern and not much furniture that suits the size of the space and placement in a way that is visually balanced. Once you declutter, give an eye to “balance.”

    9. Method: decluttering with Dana K White’s 5 step method. Superior decluttering advice, I like to listen to her podcasts or Decluttering at the speed of life while I’m decluttering. She has at least one podcast where she talks about how empty airbnb places have inspired and helped her.

      For visual inspiration, I think the SpaceMaker series with expat Dani on youtube is great. It really shows what a difference less stuff makes in a small space, and what “calming” a space can look like. These videos are great and gentle, but I think Dana K White’s method is a lot smarter.

    10. Most of “organizing” is actually just throwing things away. Start with a drawer; give it a good purge. That gives you a place to put the stuff that has been living on the counters. I think kitchens and bathrooms are the easiest places to start. Desks/offices/paper clutter is the hardest for me.

      Good luck!

  3. Favorite spring/summer lipstick/stain/tint? In the winter I wear Black Honey but I want something brighter for spring! I can never tell my undertones, but I have medium brown hair with some highlights, pale skin that’s a bit ruddy but also that tans well, and blue eyes.

    1. It sounds like we have similar coloring and I just picked up Summer Fridays lip butter balm in Cherry. I really like it.

      FWIW, I’ve discovered that the brighter, lighter pinks don’t look great on me. Every once in a while, I’ll find one that works, but my coloring does better with a more berry-toned lip.

      1. Same coloring, and I also strongly prefer berry-colored lips. My all-time favorite is Loreal Infallible lip gloss in Sangria, but it’s getting harder to find. I also like Clinique chubby stick in Super Strawberry. It’s more pink than berry, but not a pale pink. Definitely a great spring/summer color! (I think Clinique’s lip colors are very underrated.)

    2. Same coloring, too- and I have loved Maybelline Baby Lips ‘Cherry Me’ for several summers now (not sure if they still make it)- the tube lasts forever. It is a nice sheer formula but good color payoff.

    3. My current favorites are Dior Addict Lip Glow Balm in Berry and Fenty Poutsicle Hydrating Lip Stain in Berry Banger. The Dior is fairly light and comfortable but still gives good color. The Fenty is intense enough that I blot it when I first apply and it then lasts pretty well, although not all day. Obviously I tend to berry colors, but there are other options for both. I have brown hair and pale skin that doesn’t tan well and I definitely have cool undertones.

  4. People from WFH – how do you decide whether to take a sick day?

    I have a virus/sinus infection thing going on. On Friday I was way too out of it and immediately took a sick day. I couldn’t have sat up or focused or looked at a screen so that was pretty clear cut.

    Today I feel a little better but not completely. I’m not in an office so it’s not a question of contagiousness. I am more capable of working. I have enough sick days (separate from PTO).

    I decided on working a half day so I can still get some rest.

    1. I almost never take sick days even when I could really use them because I have one small combined pool of PTO and it’s not enough to cover basic needs. I used to feel guilty if I couldn’t give “my best” but now I’m comfortable giving 30% effort on those days. They can give me sick time if they don’t like it.

    2. I mostly take it when I have a migraine that won’t stop since mine are heavy on the light sensitivity side or if I’m just fully exhausted (like post Covid vaccines, I usually plan to take the day off). If it’s just congestion or feeling meh, I might try to move some meetings or give minimal effort that day.

    3. When I need to knock myself out with meds and put up an out of office, I’ll take a sick day. If it’s going to be a late start, lunch nap, early end, I’ll try to power through.

    4. I’m generally a morning person. Even when I’m sick I feel my best in the morning and worst in the early afternoon. When I don’t want to get out of bed, or want to get right back in bed, that’s a strong sign I should take a sick day.

    5. I don’t have separate sick time (but do have generous pto) so it’s usually a question of how busy my day is vs. recovery needs. Like is powering through a few meetings better than dealing with messy rescheduling? The end of a cold when sure sleep would help some but I’d probably binge trash tv vs when it’s a migraine and I need darkness/no screens.

    6. My sick days are separate from PTO as well. I will use my sick leave for the full day if it means an additional day of rest will help me get better faster. That’s what it’s for!

    7. It’s a combination of how bad I feel and what’s on my calendar. If I feel terrible, like you did Friday, I take a sick day and cancel/reschedule my meetings. If I’m feeling a bit better but still sick enough that I wouldn’t go into the office, I try to take a sick day, but if I have a big deadline or a hard-to-reschedule meeting on my calendar, I’ll work at least a partial day.

    8. Caveat that I am not in a billable hours role.

      If I WFH and take a sick day, I am completely checked out from work. No watching emails, no doing any filing or mindless tasks, totally disconnected. If I don’t want to use a sick day and my workload can accommodate it, I would work but take it easy. Monitor incoming messages, do some light organizing tasks, read industry articles, respond to emails.

    9. I WFH and have “unlimited” PTO. I would definitely take a sick day if I were too out of it to think clearly or sit at a desk for an extended period of time. I don’t take a sick day if I’m capable of working, even if I’m not 100% better. If I’m somewhere in between, I’ll alternate rest and answering emails but won’t address big projects. In those cases, I don’t tell anyone I’m out sick, I just ask for some grace on response times because I’m generally under the weather.

    10. I take a sick day when I can’t do work or need to be in appointments. However, my work is really project based so if there are lulls in work activity, I don’t take a sick day. I just use my down time to be sick.

  5. Ciao! I just returned from 8 days in Italy and thought this group might be interested in fashion/packing observations. I was in Rome and Tuscany.

    – I saw a ton of trench coats (cropped and long), silk scarves, sneakers, Longchamps, and small designer bags.
    – For shoes, my New Balance 471s and gold ballet flats were perfect.
    – It was colder than I anticipated, and I was grateful to have a thin cashmere sweater with me. Great as a layer or worn over the shoulders.
    – I didn’t have the time/budget for a pre-trip gel mani and I didn’t miss it.

    For anyone who still has their trip ahead — I am so jealous!! Have fun.

    1. Thanks for your observations. On the Longchamp bags, what were you seeing? Size, style, nylon or cuir??? Thank you.

    2. Thanks for sharing this. I’m going to Rome at the end of May. Do you recall what kind of sneakers people wore?

        1. I commented below but FYI these are exactly what I meant by “Dad Sneakers” deployed intentionally-trendy – yes they are a thing, no they would not read that way on my 40-something self. YMMV.

          1. We are definitely in upside down world if Asics are the new cool girl vibe for my middle-aged self!

          2. Seriously – I laughed out loud when I saw these shoes. My elderly father was wearing these the year he died.

      2. from fall, sleek, like vintage trainers – think adidas, Nike Pacific, Gola. Some pulling off the Dad Sneaker look but like… the 20yos who are obviously wearing it as a trend, and not a person who pulled their 1980s Mall Walking shoes out of the closet.

    3. Not Italy, but going to France for my honeymoon next week and I’ve been very interested in fashion observations, more so than usual

      1. I was in Paris a couple weeks ago. Tons of Adidas still, some Vejas. Trench coats everywhere. Lots of Longchamp nylon. Lots of monochromatic dressing. Also, a ton of canvas totes–everything from museums totes to the New Yorker. Jeans felt baggier.

  6. this dress is lovely and also looks nothing like what anyone i know wears to work anymore.

    1. Agreed! For industry “gala” events (nice work clothes, not c-tail) in spring, what are people wearing these days? I have an event in May (law/accounting/finance combo practice area event) and in the past I have gotten a ‘statement’ work dress, but I feel like that’s not what I should go for this year.

        1. Flowier longer dresses are what I’m seeing more of now at events, along with pant suits but in more relaxed/drapey cuts and in fun colors. Alternately, thanks to the 90s resurgance, a slightly longer pencil skirt with a tucked in blouse/sweater is again ‘in’.

          1. Right, but I think we can acknowledge that some people look ridiculous in flowy dresses and more put together in something structured like this. Know your body type and style accordingly. This is more important than looking “fresh” or “current.”

          2. I’m one of those people who definitely looks better with some structure. I love the flowy look, but I can’t say I look particularly good in those styles? And I’m a tall size 14, for reference. If I do flowy pants, I definitely need a tighter top, which isn’t always comfortable for other reasons.

      2. they wear everything :) i work in higher ed so not a very hip group but lots of outdated little black dresses, some weirdly dressy cocktail dresses, a few jump suits, some hillary clinton type pant suits…. our’s is in a few weeks and i am either wearing a black sequined skirt with a black blouse or sweater (at least 10 years old) or a sort of tiered black dress that i bought for a 50th birthday party depending on weather.

    2. Maybe it’s my screen, but it doesn’t look like a $500 dress. The seaming is odd (easier to see in the “pumice” version, which has weird black insets); the crew neck is unflattering on a lot of people; and the fabric looks… meh.

    3. Agree. I’m not sure the last time I saw a sheath dress in the wild on someone who was not completely new to the workforce wearing thrift store finds, or someone returning from a decade of WFH and just wearing what is in their closet. Neither are bad, just seems like the places that require this level of formality have decreased drastically.

    4. I strongly prefer dresses like that and hate the flowy ones that I guess are in now. I’m trying to buy some new stuff, but I still find myself reaching for the sheath dresses first many mornings (easiest thing to put on and feel coordinated and comfortable and flattering, imo). Oh, well.

      FWIW, I’m an in-house counsel working in an office with mostly not-lawyers, so think it feels fine to be a little more formal/structured/stuffy in my outfits than the rest.

  7. I am burnt out and desperately need a quiet vacation with a view (I haven’t taken one since 2018). I am in Virginia and don’t want to fly so it needs to be <8 hours drive but not OBX or a busy tourist area or city. The catch is I want super luxurious like an Aman and also need to be able to bring my large dog. No budget.

    1. Might put you at a bit over 8 hours, but Martha’s Vineyard? Nantucket? Cape Cod? New England is generally my go-to for relaxing, but nice.

    2. I love Newport, RI, and although I can’t speak to this resort specifically, it’s pet friendly – Newport Harbor Island Resort. It’s recently renovated and sits on its own private island (Goat Island) right off downtown. Newport itself is pretty sleepy, but still very fun, especially if you’re into period pieces (I recommend The Chinese Tea House at Marble House).

    3. Blackberry Farm is dog friendly and probably as luxe as you’re going to get in your driving radius. To me, Aman is a big step above the “business luxury” hotels like Peninsula/Four Seasons, and there isn’t much on that level in the eastern US. (There’s technically an Aman in NYC but it’s widely perceived as not living up to the standards of the brand, and anyway you don’t want to be in a city.)

    4. Keswick Hall or The Lodge at Primeland? Not sure that’s super luxuious, but certainly relaxing!

      1. Primland, not Primeland. Not to be pedantic, but to make searching for it easier. I’ve not been there, but it sounds like just the ticket as long as the large dog is welcome. They have tree houses!

  8. I don’t usually worry about work wear looking dated because we wear a lot of classics. But this doesn’t feel fresh to me. I think we are in a more interesting dress chapter like the Ann Taylor dress and would skip this one.

    1. I think this one is okay because it goes below knee. I think knee length or just above sheath dresses do look dated. But if this style works on you at this length, it’s actually fine. I go to a lot of formal work events and this is still worn by people who care about fashion. I do also see a lot of flowy skirts, silk top and blazer outfits and wideleg pantsuits at these events.

  9. Shopping help – I spent an inordinate amount of time looking for a really pretty box this weekend for my bedside table, that can corral all my cords and chargers. Needs to have a hole at the back or side through which I can fish the power cord for my multiport charger, and then room inside when my watch, phone and headphones are charging. I had two options: cheap plastic, modern looking or plain wood (which I don’t want). Looking for a pretty designed holder – marble looking, or an interesting pattern. don’t mind spending some $$ on this, but that was not even an option. Etsy let me down – any other ideas?

    1. The cord piece is limiting but I use rattan ones from Amazon for electronic stuff and prettier vintage for other things.

        1. Oh I wasn’t clear – Amazon sells tons of rattan boxes for this exact purpose that I use. No cutting required.

    2. Could you find a box you like and then drill or cut a hole in the back? I’d think some materials would lend themselves to this better than others but I’m not sure *which* materials would be best.

    3. Search for ribbed cable management box or wood cable management box at target. I have a similar black one I use for my work dock and cords and it blends in nicely on my black desk. Alternatively find a decorative box you like at CB2, West Elm, etc. and have a hole drilled in the back. There are also lots of rattan ones made for this purpose if that’s your style.

      1. I actually have those, they have a lot of options on book style, and they look shockingly good in person, especially layered in with a stack of real books.

    5. You could drill a hole yourself if you’re not finding what you want searching with tech terms (as suggested above) – just avoid ceramic as while possible, it’s less forgiving than wood!

  10. A local department store started carrying Marine Layer. I really like the aesthetic and the color palette. The pieces seem fairly expensive, though. Thoughts on whether it’s worth the price and holds up well?

    1. It inherently will look sloppy because it’s beach wear intended for the California coast. But it’s good quality for what it is.

      1. +1. I bought one of their dresses a few years back and it’s held up well. But I never feel polished wearing it and don’t want to spend so much on ultra casual clothes again.

    2. I have found that their clothes to hold up well (even the t-shirts which seem like they won’t). My main complaint is that they sometimes will change/update their styles and will keep the name the same, so the fit on tees will sometimes change from one season to the next.

    3. I have two of their Isla knit turtlenecks and they are my go to coziest sweaters for the coldest days.

    4. Marine Layer pieces have started to trickle into TJMaxx and Nordstrom Rack, so check there for a lower price point.

    5. I think the stuff looks lovely and then i try on and think i look like a trad wife in it.

    7. I like all of my ML pieces purchased a couple/few years ago. They have held up. And the tshirts I bought for my boyfriend are his go-tos in a small wardrobe and are also in good shape after many wears. Enough to convince him they were worth the price, which says something

    8. I live in SF–Marine Layer and Faherty have had stores here for years. Marine Layer is not cut for tall people. I think in both cases their menswear hits much better than their women’s styles. And yes, both are pricy. I buy maybe one piece a season from each, but I get tons of compliments whenever I wear it.

  11. Is anyone else watching Industry? I can’t figure out if I am very late to the party on this (e.g., my Slow Horses journey) or it’s just too niche.

    2. The subreddit is very active, and people in real life would probably like to talk about it if you bring it up, but the new season dropped more than a month ago, I think.

  12. Reposting from Friday – does anyone have any good Boston hotel recommendations? Taking the kids and would like to see the main sites. Would like to be somewhere easy and central, with good breakfast and dinner options nearby.

    The recommendation I got was for the Dagny which does look great! Just wanted to see if anyone had other suggestions before I book. TIA!!!

    1. The Dagny is in the financial district, which is eerily dead on the weekend. I always recommend people stay in Back Bay – The Newbury is the equivalent level of niceness to the Dagny. Also there’s a Marriott, Copley, Westin, Sheraton, Hilton, Fairmont, Colonnade all in Back Bay as well (Copley Square is in the center of Back Bay so a lot will have the name Copley in it). That will give you the best homebase for walking to most of the major sites you’d go. That said, Boston is small so getting from the Dagny to any of the hotels I mentioned is a ~15 min walk so not a huge difference – just will be a harder homebase if you’re going further like to Fenway Park or want to have a busier night scene around the hotel, and you’re further from the quaint neighborhoods for strolls or coffee.

    2. that wouldn’t be my favorite neighborhood to stay in – you’re kinda in the office building corridor and not super close to a T station. We had a great stay at copley square – love the back bay area & really convenient. Stay somewhere close to a red line stop as that’s the main line you’ll use for the freedom trail sites!

      1. Or the Liberty? By the Charles T stop but easy to get from there to Park St/back bay etc.

        1. It’s an island. I wouldn’t stay there. Longer post is apparently in mod. OP, check back.

          Also, I think the Green Line is more closely aligned with the tourist spots than the red line. Can’t go too wrong staying close to either and it’s easy enough to hop from one to the other at Park St.

    3. If you want food options, you’re better off in Copley (Marriott would be my first rec) or at the waterfront/ near Faneuil or the North End, so Marriott Waterfront next to the aquarium.

      Will you try to use the T to get around? If so I’d stick with the Back Bay options so you can take the green line across the city and easily hop to the redline.

      I work right next door to the Dagny. I was in there this morning for a meeting. It’s perfectly fine and flooded with tourists all weekend (nearby The Langham is the same). You won’t have a bad time there, but when you walk out, for a couple of blocks it’s pretty quiet on a Friday/Saturday night. Absolutely, perfectly safe but not a hustle and bustle.

      Or, if budget is not a concern, The Newbury is where it’s at.

    4. I would stay at the Newbury.

      Fairmont is in desperate need of a reno and not in a great area imo.

      4 seasons one dalton was lovely but the area isn’t ideal.

    5. Omg, whatever you do, don’t stay at the Yotel 😂 My darling spouse was in charge of accommodations for the weekend and grabbed a room at the Yotel without looking at it. The room is so small that there’s not room to walk and have the queen bed, so the mattress is on an automated futon frame that folds up in half (like a sofa) at the touch of a button. The bathroom has clear glass walls and doors – your roommate can see you and so can anyone in Boston looking your way. It’s a really funny story for us now, but not an experience I’d want to repeat.

  13. Are senior women wearing matching suits to court these days? I’m 6 months postpartum. I’m first chairing a jury trial and a couple of bench trials in the next 2-3 months. The extra skin on my belly (thanks, c-section shelf!) means none of my suiting pants, skirts, or sheath dresses fit. I might eventually get it surgically corrected but that’s not going to happen before these trials.

    I have a lot of non-suiting blazers and pants that are formal enough to get by for court-adjacent appearances and formal events. Are those ok for trial or do I need to get a couple of suits for this (hopefully temporary) season of my body? I started to look at the Ann Taylor suits on sale, but something feels… off?… about a woman at my seniority showing up to court in my navy blue Ann Taylor suit like I’m going to a callback interview.

    1. I still see them plenty in NYC. Might depend on market. I think you’re fine either way, I just wouldn’t pair with a white blouse and pearls. Maybe opt for a wider leg pantsuit if you want an updated look that still matches.

    2. It depends on the city and the type of trial.

      As for “temporary season of life”: learn from my mistakes. I thought the same thing, too, until I was 2.5 years postpartum, fit into my pre-pregnancy clothes again, and realised that I needed to have put something on my body over the last 2.5 years.

      Get yourself some court-appropriate attire that you feel good in. Even if the changes are temporary, temporary can last long enough for some suit purchases to pay off.

    3. Federal or state court? IME, women still wear suits for trials in federal court. I just had a bench trial when 7 months pregnant and felt really out of place in non-matching pieces (but wasn’t willing to spend hundred of dollars for a pregnancy suit). If you are asking, my sense is that you will feel out of place in a non-matching suit.

      1. Both. The jury trial is in state court in a beach town and the bench trials are in federal court and a state court that is known to be conservative. I have seen women in that particular state court wear non-matching suits, though it’s usually very nice prices like St. John.

    4. For the jury trial, I would at a minimum, wear a matching suit for the opening statement and the closing argument. I also wouldn’t worry about looking junior in a blue Ann Taylor suit. You are a generic “lawyer” to the jury, and they expect to see lawyers in suits.

    5. where and what court? in general a traditional suit is a safe bet, but I’d take it from “OCI” to “professional” by wearing a subtly patterned shirt, oxblood heels, etc. Nothing loud-showy, just not “white b-ttn down and navy heels” of newbie days.

    6. We will need to know where you are and whether you are appearing in state of federal court. In my area women wear matching suits to federal court trials, although I think pants are finally OK with even the most conservative judges. In state court and for a jury trial, matching suits or a blazer over conservative dress is the norm – but that is civil court in a city with a lot of military and very conservative jurors. People tend to use their most conservative suits for jury selection and opening.

      In my jurisdiction non-suiting blazers and pants would raise eyebrows. Whether your lack of formality would impact your jurors depends on who they are but I would be annoyed if I was your client because we need to signal to the jury that we are taking the case and their time seriously. But again – this is somewhat jurisdiction adjacent.

      In your shoes, I would wear the navy suit but with an interesting top. It reads “attorney” to the average juror.

    7. I am personally going with matching suits and interesting blouses these days, with exceptions for a couple of expensive tweed jackets with coordinating pants and plain shells. Bench trials/hearings in state court are a little more flexible in my book.

    8. Buy a couple nice new suits. You want a suit that you feel good in and confident for the start of a trial. You just mentioned you have three trials coming up soon, and that more than justifies a couple new suits even if this is just a season of your body. (Be honest with yourself, you’d probably have bought a new suit anyways for this row of trials pre-baby.) Mix in the separates for the middle of the week, along with the ann taylor suit.

    9. I bought several Ann Klein (cheap) suits for a jury trial a few years ago, and they were great. They did not hold up well, but agree with others that you need a matching suit for this trial, and tbh, you probably don’t need them to hold up well because your size will change. Fwiw– my size has continued to change with each kid up to two years post-partum.

      Depending on the length of the trial, you may be able to get away with a blazer + black sheath dress in the middle, but for opening/closing arguments, I would go with a traditional suit.

    10. I suppose I don’t understand this idea that “matching suits” are only for junior women, even in court. Is this something we are doing to make life harder for ourselves? A man puts on a suit, walks into a trial. I mean, I’m not saying there aren’t professional work arounds, but the idea it wouldn’t reflect your rank doesn’t make sense to me.

      1. Oh god this. Some days I don’t have the bandwidth or motivation to put together outfits. A matching suit, random neutral colored shell, pearls, and low heel pumps is my go to choice. Anyone who mistakes me for a newbie will just get what they have coming to them.

      2. It’s a dated concept at this point since suits have come back in a big way. As a senior exec, I wear matching suits all the time and find the lady jacket look very 2018 and not at all current. A matching suit in a modern cut looks and feels fresh. I’m not styling it like I did at 25 either.

      3. I think the idea is that a navy skirt suit with a white shell and black 2″ heel pumps screams “OCI” and displays a lack of confidence. And for interviews for that might be true (although there is a time and place for newbies to display knowledge of and willingness to play by the rules).

        That said – trial, and particularly jury trials, are a different beast. You are dressing for the jury and their ideas of what a lawyer “ought” to look like are driven by TV and in my experience they expect lawyers to be in suits.

      4. It’s because law students are told to wear the most boring conservative Navy or Gray Skirt Suit with White Top for OCI. I remember I wore a pink shirt instead of white and people thought I was taking a risk, lol.

        after a hiatus I do think they’re coming back / back for senior women, but styled in more unique ways!

    11. I’m a litigator (BigLaw, California). I wear suits all the time. Ann Taylor suits range wildly – I think the four season stretch fabrics look good, but some of the cotton and linen suits start looking shabby faster. My favorite suits are actually J Crew and MM LaFleur – they hang more nicely than (at least some) Ann Taylor.

      Also – when I’m in front of a jury, I want my clothes to not be particularly interesting. I usually wear the same jewelry, the same makeup, and suits to try to keep it as sober and conservative as possible. It’s hard for women in jury trials. I want the clothes to make my life easier, not harder.

  14. If you were a pale, deep winter toned, rosacea-prone chubby size 14 or 16 straight-sized pear who carries her weight in her hips and has a budget of ~$150, what color and cut of spring trench coat would you buy?

    The ubiquitous khaki color makes me look like I crept out of a coffin and need to go back in…

    3. Do you tend to colorful bags or neutral bags? If the former I would try for a slate gray trench (not black which might be jarring with any colors you wear). If the latter maybe a bright blue? This isn’t a true trench but might fill the same wardrobe hole
      https://www.nordstrom.com/s/via-spiga-balmacain-water-repellent-cotton-blend-coat/7710657?origin=category-personalizedsort&breadcrumb=Home%2FWomen%2FClothing%2FCoats%20%26%20Jackets%2FTrench&color=412

    4. Emerald, black, icy colors.

      A cut with set in sleeves and epaulettes, not raglan.

      Slightly A-line or wider, with a belt. Set in pockets (not patch), put the flaps inside the pockets if they are welted.

    6. I fit your size, shape, and coloring description exactly and I bought the Oak + Fort flowy trench and LOVE it. It’s just slightly out of your range at $198, but IMO it’s worth it. It’s very forgiving on the hips! I bought the brindle color which is not as bad on a pale deep winter, though I always make sure to wear bright lipstick so I’m not washed out. The paloma color could also be nice on you!

  15. I know we talk a lot here about not wanting to say the wrong thing and the importance of just saying something…but omg I’m so tired of hearing “wow I could never do XYZ. I don’t know how you do it.” It’s not helpful. Recent examples:
    to a parent of a T1 diabetic: “oh I could never give my kid injections!” Hmm, really? You’d let your kid die? No, I think you’d figure it out.

    to a family member who’s lost a child to cancer in the last year & now supporting their parent on hospice. “I don’t know how you do it!” Because she has to! Because the only other option than getting through it is ending herself!

    Just ranting, but also asking we try to remove this phrase from our vocab. Trust me, the people in these situations KNOW how hard it is. Asking how they’re doing, asking what they need, offering support – those are other cliches but land much better.

    1. I agree completely — I understand that the intention is (probably) kind, but the effect is usually pretty insulting.

      1. Sometime it’s outright passive aggressive, too – “I don’t know how you can be away from your kids all day, I would struggle with that!” Um, because I need to keep a roof over their heads, I find a way.

    2. Agreed. There’s also often a humblebrag element to it, especially for fraught topics like breastfeeding. “Wow, I’m way too lazy to prepare a bottle in the middle of the night, all I can manage is popping a bo0b out!” Women who say that to someone they know wanted to breastfeed and couldn’t are not actually being supportive in any way.

      And to anyone who wants to respond “omg how can you go through life being that offended,” I have things that annoy me, just like you have things that annoy you, and life goes on. It’s just a comment on a website.

    3. Thanks, I know this must be intended to express admiration or support, but it can feel cruel or distancing, like somebody wants to create more distance between misfortune and themselves. It’s also just hurtful to be told that my life is basically not worth living to someone else.

    4. well these situations are NOT ones in which i would use that phrase. i typically use it more in situations where the person doing the thing in question has some choice in the matter. Like, truly, I could not handle and am in awe of women who have “big” careers and admire their time management skills, ability to handle stress, multi-task, have little downtime, etc. I tried and could not do it.

        1. Or the people she’s talking to don’t have this particular little sensitivity and it’s just fine. Why not trust her to evaluate her friends’ preferences herself?

          1. Or she phrases it a little differently and it makes all the difference? “Couldn’t be me” is really different from “I truly admire…”!

      2. yeah I agree there’s a big difference between commenting on someone’s choices vs. their reality (eg how they effectively balance a daily workout, big job & kid duty vs. hard life circumstances they can’t control) but can be genuine admiration or veiled critique in the first use!

    5. I have someone on my team who is going through some big life stuff. I hear people saying ‘I don’t know how you do it’ and my skin crawls. They are clearly struggling to the point where, as their manager, I give them a half day or full day off on the quiet to rest.

      I have never asked them how they are doing. I am in awe of their strength to keep going and continue to meet expectations.

  16. Reporting back on my spring break trip with my daughter – we stayed at the Hotel Monge, which was very nice and well located. Next time I am going to book a room that does not share a wall with the elevator shaft, however. I’ve been to Paris a lot and had no idea there was the remains of an old Roman amphitheater behind the hotel, which was a cool surprise. We took a macaron making class, it was really fun and I recommend it!

    1. we stopped by that amphitheater on our last trip and it was amazing people-watching in addition to history – my fave was the group of older men playing boules SO seriously!

      1. The people watching was superb – we grabbed croissants from a nearby boulangerie and had late breakfast there a couple of times – kids playing soccer and also some people cosplaying Roman times

  17. What thank you gift should you give to c-suite execs (including your direct boss) for approving your promotion? I work directly with all of them regularly.

    1. No gift!

      Approving your promotion is not a “nice” thing for them to do. You did good work, put together a business case to solve a business need, and it was approved by leadership.

      Nothing about this is kind, generous, etc., it’s a win-win business decision. If anything, your boss should be sending you a celebratory gift, but this is not a situation where you send a thank-you gift for people recognizing something that you earned.

      1. Agree! I don’t like when my staff try to give a gift up- it feels like somehow unethical even though it’s after the fact. Just a sincere thank you, maybe a thank you note at most!!

    2. not sure if there is more to this than you are telling us but it feels unnecessary and also probably totally inappropriate to give gifts to those above me who promote me.

    3. What? This is not a gift situation. You say thank you sincerely, once, then you do the job.

    4. A sincere handwritten letter, nothing more. Maybe a favorite snack if I feel personally close to them.

      1. Consider reframing this: it seems less awkward for your boss and less likely to paint you as out of touch with gifting taboos if you bring in treats to celebrate your first day in the new role, rather than gifts to your supervisor for doing their job.

    6. Nooo, this is not a gifting situation. You show your gratitude for the recognition by doing your job and doing it well.

    7. No gifting up, especially not for “approving a promotion” which is literally their job!

    8. Woah nothing. I say this as a c-suite exec and fan of gifts in general but this is absolutely not a gift situation. Say thank you and a nice note at most.

    9. adding to the chorus, this is 1000% not a gift situation. Thanking them for the support, opportunity, belief in you, type of thing in person is the move here.

    10. +1 absolutely do not get a gift. It would be very unprofessional and would make me question your judgment (and depending on the gift, potentially rethink your suitability if you’re now in a senior role, as this might make you open to the perception of bribery).

    11. This is not a “you don’t need to do that” situation (where it’s unnecessary but okay if you do), it’s an “avoid at all costs; you would be harming your reputation if you do that” scenario.

      Assuming you are in a US or similar culture professional office, this would reflect poorly on your judgment and your sense of professional norms if you gave a thank you gift to your boss(es) for your promotion.

    13. What would a mediocre white man do? (Nothing)
      That’s would you should do
      Accept the new role and work hard

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