Weekend Open Thread: Wit & Wisdom
This post may contain affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Something on your mind? Chat about it here.
I'm just starting to go through all of the stuff that I bought at the Nordstrom sale… but these pinstriped jeans are definite keepers for me. They're a little bit unusual — I can't remember having pinstriped jeans before? — but the fit is good, the length is right (I'm 5'3 and take petites), and hey, I have enough boring dark wash denim anyways. (In fact, the Wit & Wisdom denim tends to be a reader favorite during the NAS!)
The pants are $59 right now, but will go back up to $88 after the sale ends.
(You can check out all of our roundups and thoughts on the big Nordstrom Anniversary Sale here!)
Sales of note for 7/29:
- 7/29/26: Happy National Lipstick Day! Nordstrom, Ulta, Sephora, and more are all having great deals today on lipsticks! (Even Target has a “buy one get one 25% off” sale!) Here are all of our favorite lipsticks right now.
- Nordstrom – The Anniversary Sale continues! Here's our big roundup of the best workwear, as well as everything we've selected thus far. Don't forget to check to see if their daily beauty deal is a good one for you – e.g., 7/29 up to 40% off select lip products; 7/31 Bobbi Brown; 8/1 Jo Malone
- Ann Taylor – 50% off summer styles + 60% off clearance — readers love this blouse and I always love the variety of colors/textures for this jacket (it's a great separate)
- Banana Republic – 30% off your purchase (ends 7/31)
- The Fold – Up to 50% off, further markdowns + extra 10% off
- J.Crew – Up to 30% off
- J.Crew Factory – 50% off sitewide
- Me & Em – Sale! Up to 60% off (new lines just added, exclusively online)
- M.M.LaFleur – End of season sale! (Try code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off on other items)
- Nordstrom Rack – Clearance, new markdowns up to 75% off! Nice selection of Vince, Veronica Beard, Reiss and Rag & Bone, a ton of affordable work dresses from Calvin Klein, Maggy London, Eliza J, and Donna Morgan
- Talbots – 25% off your entire purchase
- Theory – End of season sale is on!
How valuable is it to have a spouse attend your annual company party?
For context, my husband’s company is having a party a couple of days before my birthday. It’s a startup where he’s a head of a team, and their investors will be there. Things have been a little bit rocky since the CEO is stressed and misread some metrics (long story short, my husband is doing very well, but the CEO misunderstood a metric and thought things were doing terribly).
I’ll be visiting family for the week beforehand for my birthday an hour north of where we live and could either 1) spend a second weekend in my hometown or 2) come back for the company party instead. Do y’all think it’s worth to show up for to support him?
Company parties are solely for the employee to suffer through, IMO. Why subject a loved one to that? Exceptions for things like a picnic day where there are clearly kids events.
If spouses are invited, yes I think it is good politically at work and at home for many marriages for spouses to attend work parties. If you’re saying you’d come home just so you can be at your house when he gets home, I think not necessary. Also, it’s only an hour away from where you’ll be so you could just drive back if you really want to be at your parents aside from the party?
I disagree – I think having my husband attend dinners like this (and I attend his, too), is very helpful! Esp since things have been rocky with the CEO, I would definitely attend and be my most warm and charming self. And if I were in your husband’s shoes, I’d want you there, too.
This. Especially at a startup, where the company assumes it owns the employee’s life and family. Your absence will be noted.
While I understand that some people hate company parties and do not see the point, if spouses are invited it is important for spouses of executives to show up. It demonstrates commitment and shows that they are “team players”. If other spouses show up and you do not, notice will definitely be taken.
this is the kind of party where either Spouses Attend or they don’t. I’d ask your husband to quietly suss out whether others’ spouses are coming. If they are, you should go too.
He would know better than us- would it be remarked upon if you weren’t there? Or would it be a non-issue? Would he like your company or is he neutral on this?
Come back for sure. It is only 1 hour away, and you are on vacation for the whole week, yes? Definitely go to the party. It matters.
I’m shocked this is even a question. You should go. I would be pissed if my spouse wasn’t willing to go an hour to support something like this where the bonding can very much have an impact on whether you’re seen as a team player or not. And I’ve sat through countless dinners and parties like this for my spouse as well. It goes with the territory.
I also wouldn’t be so dismissive of the misreading of the stat. How the CEO feels about someone is often more important than whether it’s a fair feeling or not. It’s one of the reasons I hate start-ups, small companies, family hires or other situations where there aren’t the normal checks and balances against ego.
You should go.
We had pinstriped jeans back in 1985 (college freshman year).
From a fellow HS Class of ’85 alum, I was going to say exactly this. Pinstriped jeans were all the rage for a hot minute. Of course, they were also pleated.
Oh wow, now I remember my favorite pair of jeans then were pinstriped baggy pleated jeans. Stylin’!
I had the pleated version in 8th grade. Pretty sure I wore them with a pastel Lacoste polo and boat shoes, and thought I was the shit.
Well, that’s ’cause you were.
My favorite pair of jeans in 1985 were a pair of Bongo pinstripes.
How about a confessions thread? I’ll post mine below.
Intended to be a **judgement free zone**
Let me know what’s really on your mind.
I just don’t think it’s a good idea for my sister to give her 5 and 2 year-olds a personal tablet apiece. It’s not my business, not my life, and I still think they’ll regret it. I’m not anti all screentime but I’m definitely anti-tablet for anyone under age like, 12.
Ha! I’m with based on RWE. I got my hand forced in 2020 because of remote schooling during the pandemic for my then 5 and 8 year olds. iPads were less expensive than laptops and easier to procure at that time. And personal devices were needed by all for remote school and remote work. Hate those iPads with a passion.
A lot of school districts are starting to crack down on iPads again, which is a great thing, but progress is probably going to be slow. Now just need parents to remember that kids can and did survive without them.
We flew business to Europe (10 hour flight) and the entire cabin got zero sleep because people had bought their TODDLER a seat and it screamed and yelled mama dada the entire time. They just kept “shusssssssshhhhh”ing it from their own seats, not getting up to comfort the kid, walk it around, anything. Children under the age of… 12? 16? should not be allowed in the cabin.
oh, and this was audible over both foam earplugs paired with noise cancelling headphones, in case you didn’t think we were doing our best.
Where are they supposed to fly if they aren’t allowed in the cabin? Cargo?
In economy. They were in the lie-flat business class cabin.
!!! I initially read this and thought, well, toddlers be toddlering…but for the parents to sit separately is bananas.
This is against all carriers’ terms of service, and I just cannot believe that no one on the flight attendant staff enforced the rule that minors of that age must sit with an adult who is responsible for them. Liability nightmare.
Oh, wait, you’re just sad that you couldn’t buy yourself out of normal airplane stuff? Girl, bye. Fly private next time.
The parents were seated in the same row as the kid, so it’s not like an unaccompanied minor situation here. But with the size of those seats, it’s not like the kid could snuggle them or see them for comfort. Parents did not get up out of their seats and instead just made general sssssssh noises toward the kid, while still seated separately. That was the worst part, honestly. You’re bringing an unpredictable toddler to a cabin where you know everyone wants to sleep… and then you make no real effort to keep the peace. Rude.
Sorry for saying ‘it’ – clearly the frustration of that flight is still hanging around.
They sound like cruel parents, but the issue is with their parenting, not with the very concept of children in business class.
Airlines aren’t going to ban children from business or first class because they’re not going to turn down paying customers. Also, it’s likely discriminatory though I don’t know from a legal sense how that would work.
Not sure about that; we go to adults only restaurants for dinner and stay at adults only posh resorts. You should similarly be able to avoid the noise and chaos on a plane.
You certainly can. Fly private. Shoudn’t be a problem if you’re accustomed to “posh” resorts.
Oh man I agree. No kids in business class. I love me an adult’s only luxury resort too.
Here’s one for me: I’m so, so sick of people who make child-hating their entire personality. It’s fundamentally antisocial. I don’t care if you don’t have kids – have fun and live your life. But I find it extremely distasteful to constantly proclaim how much you hate them.
I don’t hate kids. I hate parents who make *zero* real effort to calm a freaked-out toddler on an overnight long haul flight.
It was the kid you called “it”
While I sympathise with the general complaint, callings child “it” sounds a bit Silence Of The Lambs
yeah, my bad on that. Frustration coming out. Mostly with the bare-minimum-effort parents!
I’m not OP, but I actually think it’s anti-child to torture them by taking them on a plane and then make no effort to comfort them when they’re in pain from the pressure changes of landing and take off. I hated this part of flying as a kid and even sometimes still have trouble with it as an adult and I’m certainly more aware of it in a way most adults probably aren’t. I can’t tell you how often I hear little kids howling during the pressure changes while their parents make absolutely no attempt to help them equalize pressure or ease the pain or even say anything to them. That’s downright cruel in my opinion. If you have to fly with your kid, fine, but recognize that it’s often a miserable experience for them and at least try to help them when they’re upset rather than ignore them.
1. Some people are bad parents
2. Sometimes, even bad parents need to fly, or choose to
3. Sometimes good parents are unable to comfort their child, but it looks to others (especially those without kids of their own) like they aren’t trying, or aren’t trying hard enough.
I also think the fad of taking sleeping meds as soon as the plane takes off exacerbates this problem. Parents might think their kid is asleep, pop a med, and not realize that they’re awake and bothering people. I also have this pet peeve about non-parents – how am I supposed to get up to use the restroom if the person next to me is drugged to oblivion? (One reason I always get an aisle, and if I’m in my non-drugged sleep, I expect to be woken for this reason).
I also always get an aisle seat. People have occasionally asked me to change to a middle seat (lol) or a window so they can sit together, but I decline because I have legitimate reasons for choosing the aisle. I’m happy to switch to another aisle if I’m flying alone, though.
But for point 3, it really is obvious if you’re trying to help your kid pop their ears. If they’re too little to try any of the tricks, they should at least be chewing gum or drinking something (constantly drinking is weirdly still the thing that works best for me, better than any of the ways you’re supposed to clear your ears, which just don’t seem to be that effective on my crappy Eustachian tubes).
Anyone who takes a sleeping pill that knocks them out when solely responsible for watching a child is a bad parent.
I think it’s antisocial to contribute to the overpopulation and downfall of the planet 🤷♀️
I’ve gotten to a very high level in pokemon go in about a year of playing and cannot share this “accomplishment” with anyone other than my spouse and his cousin, who play and got me into this game. I am now a higher level than them and they have played since launch (10 years!).
My MIL is really into Pokemon go, she has a whole community of folks in her neighborhood she meets up with. Perhaps you secretly have like minded neighbors too?
Early miscarriage.
I won’t be telling anyone in real life (outside of husband and doctors). But I am so unbelievably upset and angry and it’s making me hate everyone who has kids even more than usual.
I’m so sorry. My miscarriage was one of the hardest things I ever went through (and I’ve gone through some pretty bad sh1t). It’s the death of a dream.
I’m really sorry. Been there. It’s sh!t.
I cannot decide whether to stay married. I go back and forth. The good is decent. The bad is eh. Nothing is great. Nothing is terrible.
And I’m not asking for advice about it in this post.
A young person I know believes himself to be too profoundly disabled by his anxiety to get a job or go to school. He didn’t want to keep living at home, so he moved into an apartment with his boyfriend, and is now allowing his boyfriend and parents to support him. Parents, whatever, fine…but his boyfriend comes from a really challenging background where his focus should be on school and setting himself up for a more stable adult life. And the boyfriend has now dropped out of community college and is working a variety of low-wage, dead-end jobs to support their household, while the kid I know sits at home playing video games all day.
Anxiety is real. Mental health challenges are real. I don’t want to discount that: I have an anxiety disorder, I have been so depressed I struggled to function in daily life, and I have had a lifelong struggle with disordered eating.
But it makes me sick to my f***ing stomach that this privileged, entitled kid would leech off his boyfriend in this way.
I think in Great Britain, there’s a formal social services designation for that – Not Employed, Not in Education, Not in Training. Those young men (let’s be real, it’s mostly young men) are at risk.
I’m not a hoarder, but I have a hard time throwing out towels. I faithfully replace mine when they get holes or start to fray, but I keep the old ones because… why? In case we have a massive flood? I call them my “raggy” towels and truthfully, there was a time when our basement took on water, but we’ve fixed our drainage situation and in any event, a few extra towels won’t do anything against a real flood.
I am pregnant and in my third trimester, just got a high risk diagnosis, and I simply cannot buckle down and focus at work. If it was a larger org I could probably check out and fly under the radar, but this is not that kind of organization and it’s going to become pretty apparent that I’m not hitting deadlines and am doing shoddy work if this keeps up. I feel like crap both personally and professionally and don’t know how to deal with it.
Pagging Senior atorney
Apart of Loewe I give you other options in different prices points:
1. The Bag Lab
2. Hereu
3. Adolfo Domínguez
4. Simorra
5. Pedro del Hierro
6. Purificación García (they have a tote version similar to the Loewe one)
7. Eduardo Navarrete
8. Paris/64
9. Zahati
10. Degabriel
11. Olivia Mareque
12. Dosper
13. Maison Admire
14. Bakari
15. Miuur
16. Moi & Sass
17. Tissa Fontaneda
18. Leandra Brand
19. It’s Lava
20. Hobe
21. Mauska
22. Úrsula Hurtado
23. Bluelow
24. Zubi
25. Naiara Elgarresta (NE)
26. Laia Alen
27. Phialebel
28. Lupo
29. Lonbali (this is a cheeper version of the Saint Louis of Goyard, you will see it everywhere)
30. Mercules
31. Micuir
32. Malababa (you have seen plenty of these used by Q. Letizia)
If you are sure about Loewe I will choose a Flamenco or an Amazona. It seems everyone has a Puzzle. If you only want a memory Zubi or Malababa and if you want a practical tote the Purificacion García or Lonbali ones.
Finally if you are a fan of Letizia choices she was carring this summer the tote Massala from Antik Batik and last year a feelmallorca.com Ikat wallet (Ikat is a local pattern used in Mallorca, it is compulsory you buy this if you are there, only please buy a local Ikat)
Wowzers!! THANK YOU SO MUCH! Printing this out and putting it in my secret crossbody bag compartment.
Ooh the Malababas are great!
I know you said you were thinking about getting a bag, but Spanish shoes are amazing. My favorite brand is Chie Mihara, and if I were in Spain I would maybe bring home a whole suitcase full of her shoes!
My mom and mother in law talk all the time and it drives me insane – am I off base? My husband talks to his parents once a week. I talk to my parents less often but we live close to them and spend more time with mine (get together maybe twice a month).
Any time I mention an update to my mom about our life, our kid, etc. she has already heard it from MIL. We are supposed to get together with my parents this weekend where I was planning to share a pretty big update for our family (vacation canceled due to kid medical emergency – all fine now), and my mom just texted me “sorry to hear you had to miss the trip, hope kid is ok”.
It makes me feel like what is the point of getting together if she knows all our life updates from MIL anyway? I have shared that this annoys in the past but it hasn’t stopped. I don’t mind them being friendly but the singular topic of their “friendship” seems to my nuclear family and it just irritates me. It’s compounded by MIL being being quite toxic and not the most reliable narrator which has led to several misunderstandings in the past.
I try to be understanding – they are both retirees with not as much going on and they obviously care about us and are interested in our lives, but it just drives me batty. I also want to be able to share things with my parents sometimes and not necessarily have them relayed to my MIL. My parents respect this when I qualify what I tell them in this way but it’s exhausting to do this all the time.
I can see why that would be very exhausting and annoying!
Not that you should have to do this, but could your coordinate with DH to tell the parents around the same time? Like, he tells his parents on Friday night and you share on Saturday? Or you tell your parents when you see them on Saturday and he calls his that evening or on Sunday?
“It makes me feel like what is the point of getting together if she knows all our life updates from MIL anyway?”
I mean… you can also just hang out with her because you like hanging out with her?
Yeah, I sympathize with you in general, OP, but that is a super weird comment.
Otherwise, if you want to be the one who tells your mom updates about your family, why don’t you give her a call more regularly? Your husband must have already shared the news with your MIL…
Yeah, I feel like if it’s something you’re going to want her to know, and you know your MIL will tell before you see her, then just pick up the phone and tell her. Or be okay with the news getting to her before you see her in person.
I can see how this would be frustrating. If I’m hearing your correctly, your two issues are:
1.) “MIL being being quite toxic and not the most reliable narrator which has led to several misunderstandings in the past.”
2.) Key information being spread outside your family at different times, causing mom to have already heard it.
Unfortunately, you can’t control #1.
So, for #2, it sounds like you don’t mind your mom and MIL being friends necessarily (and it’s natural that they would share info), but want to be able to share big news with your mom on your terms. Maybe you can coordinate with your husband on when specific news is told, and that would help the flow of info to your mom.
Best of luck!