Weekend Open Thread: Ann Taylor
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I've been liking this crochet sweater skirt from Ann Taylor recently, which are not words I thought I would say a) ever and b) especially not during summer. And yet I've worn it several times out with friends. I like dressing it up with black and cobalt blue accents (I know, so 2010s of me) and really casual shoes — my Birks one day, my Converse the next. Of course, it would also look nice if I wanted to pull out actual heels or nicer shoes… perhaps with a navy top. Yes.
In any event: the sweater skirt is at Ann Taylor for $139, available in classic and petite sizes; it apparently is a bestseller right now so I'm not alone in really liking it.
Sales of note for 8/10:
- Ann Mashburn – Seasonal sale, up to 50% off – we just included them in our updated Top 10 Brands for Comfortable Heels!
- Ann Taylor – 30% off your purchase, $99 dresses, and extra 60% off clearance — readers love this blouse and I always love the variety of colors/textures for this jacket (it's a great separate)
- Anthropologie – Extra 40% off sale!
- Bare Minerals – Free shipping over $50! Love their Love thir OG Mineral Veil setting powder
- The Fold – Up to 50% off, further markdowns (new lines added)
- J.Crew – Up to 30% off
- J.Crew Factory – 50% off sitewide
- J.McLaughlin – Summer sale, up to 50% off
- Lilysilk – Anniversary sale, save up to 70%
- Madewell – Up to 30% off
- 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
- Saks Fifth Avenue – Up to $500 off your purchase! Great selection of Veronica Beard, L'Agence, Vince, and more.
- Talbots – Semi-annual red door sale, 50-60% off all markdowns, and free shipping on 150+.
- Theory – End of season sale is on! Love all the colors their best-selling sweater tee comes in, and some colors are on sale.
In the 2010s (do we call them the teens now?) I had a lined black wool lace skirt from Eileen Fisher shaped like this one. I had the hardest time figuring out how to wear it. As a textile person & knitter, I appreciated that it was wool lace and I wanted to make it work but maybe I’m not imaginative enough. I finally donated it.
This is why my late grandmother always said “buy the outfit.”
I followed that advice (for the most part) this year and it does help!!
She was so right.
Similar useful advice – Plain jeans, plain t-shirt, simple shoes to go shopping. Dresses will never look right with your running shoes on.
My boss just gave me credit for something?! Now to wait for the other shoe to drop
Are there any good legal current events YouTube channels that are both legally correct and done well and good to listen to? I need something to listen to that’s not as dry as a CLE but doesn’t make my brain go to mush. It also has to be something I don’t have to watch (motion sickness), but it’s OK to glance at.
Stacy London & Clinton Kelly have a fun little YouTube show reviewing fashion from various movies, but I feel like I watch it vs listen to it and it won’t work in this case.
I enjoy listening to The Bulwark’s Illegal News. (Not says ng it is the best, just one I know about and think is entertaining enough with learned lawyers)
Strict Scrutiny podcast!
I was wondering if there are any updates from the poster whose daily-texter, weekly-visit-in-person friend suddenly stopped talking to her. Hopefully positive updates!
I see someone else asked for a specific update — maybe we can pile on with an updates thread. I forever want to know what happened to our poster who was determined to date Mr. Red Flags. I think the majority of advice requested was fashion-related but the side conversation around the risks and rewards of courting heartbreak was fascinating.
Any other update requests?
Or anyone who posted and is willing to let us know how things turned out for you?
I want to hear from the person who cancelled their furniture order but had a delivery scheduled for July 15 anyway. What happened there?
I’ve thought frequently about the poster who cut down on her coffee consumption, and whose husband then threw a temper tantrum because she didn’t brew him his own special second pot of coffee.
I really hope world’s specialest boy figured out how to operate a coffee pot but I’m not holding out hope.
A light question going into the weekend.
I am flying solo to Paris (CDG airport) next week. Does anyone have any good tips on if pre-booking a taxi transfer a head of time is worth it? If so, any particular companies? I’ll be heading to hotel in the left bank.
The train from the airport to downtown is very easy! Would recommend that over a taxi, unless work is paying.
Not necessary. The taxi line at CDG is quite well organized (not like Rome!) and there is an added charge for booking in advance. Just be sure you end up in the actual taxi line. Follow the signs OUTSIDE to the person in the vest. There will be scammers hanging out just inside the door that goes outside pretending to be the official person and trying to lead you to another door. There are a lot of videos on You Tube if you are anxious about it.
There is a flat rate (65 Euro) and the taxis are required to take credit cards, but it does not hurt to confirm because I have heard stories about them trying to be cute about their machine being broken. However, I have flown into CDG multiple times and never had a problem. Taxis are regulated in Paris.
No judgment on wanting to use a taxi – if I am tired and have luggage I usually do myself, but you can take the RER into Paris, which is much less expensive and frequently faster.
If you’re generally in decent shape on landing, and don’t mind public t-port, the RER is likely faster and way less expensive than anything else.
This skirt is not crocheted, it’s knitted.
I’m sure some people don’t care (including marketing at Ann Taylor), but it matters, since crochet can’t be done by a machine, and knitting can be – if this really had been crochet, some poor worker had been hand-making every stich, at least this fabric is machine made.