Tuesday’s Workwear Report: Fitted Wool Peplum Cardigan
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Our daily workwear reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices.
The return of the peplum might be a little tough for anyone who was in the business casual world in the early 2010s, but if it's any consolation, I think the 2026 version is an improvement. This cardigan from Boden looks like it has a softer, less rigid flare than its predecessors, and this time the chunky belt is optional.
I would wear this cardigan with a flowy midi skirt, rather than a squeeze-you-in pencil skirt, for a look that's more of-the-moment.
The sweater is $199 at Boden and comes in sizes 0-20/22. It also comes in sea moss, pink, and ivory.
Sales of note for 9/25:
- Boden – Up to 50% off sale + extra 15% off (I'm trying to figure out which color(s) of this sweater I should order…)
- Ann Taylor – 25% off the weekend collection and extra 50% off sale section
- Anthropologie – Extra 50% off sale!
- Athleta – Lots marked down to 40% off; with an Athleta card you get an extra 20% off.
- AYR – Archive sale, up to 60% off
- CVS – Epic beauty sale
- J.Crew – Fall styles start at $39
- J.Crew Factory – 40% off new arrivals, extra 20% off orders $125+
- Nordstrom – over 9800 new markdowns
- M.M.LaFleur – Labor Day Sale Event, save sitewide! (Try code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off on other items)
- Nordstrom Rack – Extra 40% off select clearance
- Talbots – 40% off one item, 30% off everything else
- Theory – End of season sale is on!
The only pair of black boots I currently have are a chunky, round toe, platform-y (but not, like, Spice Girls platform-y) pair. I need something sleeker for different outfits. If it helps, I work from home so these aren’t necessarily for work (though I do travel every other month for a week at a time).
If you were buying just one pair of black boots this season, and they couldn’t be chunky, and needed to potentially work with a variety of outfits, what would they be? Price point: up to $300.
I would go with one pair of almond toe black leather Chelsea boots or mid-calf to knee-high riding boots with a low-to-moderate heel. Brand is going to depend on your style preference and fit. For your price-point, check out Blundstone or Thursday Boot Co for Chelsea style. Maybe consider Blondo or Sam Edelman for knee-high. If you’re mostly in trousers/jeans, I prefer the Chelsea style. If you wear a lot of dresses and skirts, knee-high might be better.
Reposting from yesterday:
My family will be visiting Yosemite NP on a road trip in mid October (October 11th, to be precise).
For reasons, we cannot stay longer than a day, and will drive there in the morning from Oakland, and end the day in Lee Vining on the other side.
What are your experiences with driving through the park, stopping at the main sights on/off the main road? How crowded is it on a Sunday? Does it make sense to use the shuttles?
I have visited 20 years ago driving the opposite direction, and found it manageable, but things have probably changed.
We are monitoring the weather and road conditions, and making alternative plans via Sequoia/Kings Canyon, but any pointers would be helpful.
FYI you did get 4 replies with advice yesterday! https://corporette.com/yiyan-classic-blazer/#comment-4818671
Nothing helpful to contribute except to encourage you. Half of what I have seen in the US is speedrunning it by taking a delayed morning flight home from somewhere vs a redeye. What is worse than driving to the Grand Canyon and back in a day or having 4 free hours in Vancouver? Never having done that at all. Half a glass is indeed better than none.
Agreed.
I love this attitude. It may be a pain or a code but in the end nearly always worth it
That’s sort of our attitude. We unfortunately have just this one day due to bookended work commitments on both ends, but driving through the park is better than spending the whole day at an airport, no?
I wouldn’t try to do Yosemite Valley – just do Tuolumne Meadows. That will give you more time to enjoy the park and less time in the car.
Definitely agree with this – I love the road through the north part of the park to Lee Vining. It’s much less crowded, and it’s much easier to stop and hop out than it is in the valley. Ellery Lake and Tioga Lake are lovely. I would also consider going to Bodie (abandoned mining town), which is 45 minutes northeast of Lee Vining, if that sort of thing appeals to you. The timing on that might be tight though.
Was just there earlier this month, Bodie is a super cool ghost town.
I also agree. And stop by Mono Lake on your way in or out of Lee Vining.
Helpful! Thanks.
There’s also the Dome Fire towards the south of the park and Glacier Point Road is currently closed, so northern area makes sense.
I tried to say this already yesterday, but two things:
1) you are trying to pack a LOT of sight-seeing in which may not be possible in one day. There is a minimum of 5 1/2 hours just driving only between Oakland and Lee Vining. Scenery is indeed spectacular, but you won’t have much time for it. You are going to have to pick and choose.
2) October is often when first heavy snow storms hit. Be prepared. If it does snow, they will close Tioga Pass and you will not be able to get to Lee Vining directly through the park. Indeed, you may not even get into Yosemite. Have an alternate plan.
3) You can go to Lee Vining from Oakland by bypassing the park if snow, but that will take a LOT longer depending on whether you go South or North around. And do you want to get stuck in Lee Vining with snow? You’re at pretty high altitude. You may need chains.
For the European readers: In the US, you can go to Gettysburg or Yorktown or other battle sights and learn a lot of history there. Sometimes there are reenactors. Is that a thing in Europe? I’ve never had money to travel abroad before, but a relative I met once went to France in WW1 with the US Army and I’d like to retrace some of his steps (and also see some WW2 places like D-Day and maybe Waterloo for Napoleon) and other sites of that type. I get that people may be a bit touchy about all of this and I don’t know where to find good resources (other than Rick Steves) for this sort of travel.
You can do tours of the battlefields. This is pretty common. Different tours will have different focuses depending on the location and the participant interests. Rick Steeves is probably as good a source of tour company recommendations as any.
There are also memorials which have a lot of information and you can walk through the trenches etc. Like the Canadian one at Vimy. https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/memorials/overseas/canadian-national-vimy-memorial
If you search American Battle Monuments Commission you’ll get a list of the American sites that can be visited.
Generally speaking, the commemorations in Europe tend to be more sorrowful about the horrors and cost of war vs celebratory about victory (not implying that you are, but just trying to convey the tone). There are services in various cemeteries and at various monuments every year.
You might do well to study itineraries offered by tour companies to get a sense of what’s available. As an American veteran, I’ve always gotten the impression that the military cemeteries in Europe serve the function that a preserved battlefield would in the US. I think Europe is small enough that land pressure means it’s not possible for thousands of acres to lie fallow indefinitely like we can with Gettysburg.
https://kerdowney.com/stories/western-front-world-war-2-tours/
That’s a good point. Even cemetery space is at a premium.
My people in the US were rural farmers, so often exempt from the draft. But a few of them were drafted or volunteered to go to each conflict and I wonder how people who never even saw a traffic light were when shipped across an ocean to somewhere where they didn’t speak the language and were in danger. We’ve lost any sense of where our people are originally from, so there is no sense that this is any sort of homeland or “our people,” just a place many did not return from.
Grand Verdun Tourisme website has a lot of pratical info in english.
This (https://www.halsbury.com/blogs/the-best-4-day-itinerary-for-schools-visiting-the-ww1-battlefields) is an educational itinerary designed for school trips that you can build upon.
Since you’ll likely arrive through Paris, the Musée de l’Armée, at the hôtel des invalides (where Napoleon is entombed) is huge and covers the history of the french army starting in the middle ages, with major sections devoted to the Napoleonic Wars, WWI, WWII and even a section about the alliance with the US.
Culloden in Scotland has a very moving museum and immersive video about the famous battle. You can also walk the battlefield and see the clan cairns for the mass graves.
Reenactments are not common in Europe, FWIW.
(And as a German, I would not like to see people in various historic uniforms reenacting war scenes – especially not WWI and II.)
Normandy. Use Bayeux as your anchor and get on a day-long guided tour. It was incredible.
I would be surprised if they do reenactments, but if you go to Viator or toursbylocals.com, you will find all kinds of battlefield tours ranging from large groups to private.
Bastogne, Waterloo, Omaha Beach (Normandy), Bitand Pilsen are all great towns that cater to this. There is a volksmarch in Bastogne once a year where reenactors will be in bunkers. These are just some examples.
Another boot question: I have a pair of Aqitalia Rhumbas that are in great shape. They have a bit of a platform on them but are the same color as the black suede of the boot. The platform is giving me pause in 2026. I’d wear with longer full skirts (vs anything like a pencil skirt). Yes? No? Keep in the closet?
This is what I hate about “investment pieces.” Good quality and $$$ price make me overly attached to things and maybe keep them for longer than I should. Like if I had bought a St. John suit when I first started working, I’d still be hanging onto it, logo buttons, shoulder pads, and all (but it stretches! but it’s comfortable! but it doesn’t wrinkle!).
Honestly I’m looking for a pair of boots with a bit of a platform currently so that I don’t have to hem a pair of pants. I want to be a bit taller and not risk messing up the pants.
What you’re describing is fine and you’re overthinking.
Katie Holmes was just wearing boots like this, if I’m correctly picturing your boots. I don’t know if her fashion is your vibe, but a celebrity in NYC is wearing them.
https://people.com/katie-holmes-vivaia-brown-boots-september-2026-12136927
I would not tuck pants into boots, especially if the pants are loose. It’s giving “extra from Hamilton.”
The Rhumbas have a heel. It’s pointy but not stiletto (OK to wear in NYC except you tip-toe if you have to walk over a grate). IIRC, Kate Middleton has a pair and has been photographed in them before (not sure if recently though). That’s the reason I knew of them.
That’s an advertorial and Katie Holmes was probably paid to wear the boots.
I have this boot! Yes, there are more current styles but it still looks good. Most importantly, this is a high quality boot! It keeps your feet and legs warm and is waterproof. As for St John – I have these too haha, and i just take the shoulder pads out and style diferrently. Those knit blazers are workhorses for me. These are very well constructed items. They look good (enough) but they’re real value is the comfort and durability.
These are just fine.
They will be great with a midi skirt/dress. I have a pair of Aquatalias that are identical to the Rhumbas without the platform and pulled them out of storage last winter to wear with dresses. The platform makes the Rhumbas a bit less classic, but you can get away with one more dated element in an outfit that is otherwise current. Pairing the Rhumbas with a pencil skirt or sheath dress would channel the 2010s more directly.
What would you do with your wardrobe? I’m 42 and started WFH 4 years ago. I have 3 elementary aged kids. I was in an executive position, had a lot of dresses and suits. Now I’m on some calls in my very flex remote job, but basically my entire lifestyle has changed. Honestly it’s been 4 years and styles have changed too. I’m torn about cleaning out my closet. A part of me thinks I should just do it and lean into my new life as a remote work sports mom. Another part of me wonders if I’ll be in a job in office again. And some items even though I never wear them anymore, I’m just like, ugh, I don’t want to get rid of it but it seems odd to keep a whole section of clothes I never wear.
I went to a school meeting for a kid in high school and was amazed at the range of attire. I had cooked a red sauce for dinner, so came in a school sweatshirt and athletic shorts (cooking / dog walking outfit after coming home from work). Some people looked like they came to a 7:00 meeting from work. Some women were in very deliberate outfits, like they didn’t come from an office at all (maybe ever) but are wearing at least high-end casual attire or dresses that I’d wear to brunch or a dinner out with friends. So if you like your less wash-and-wear clothes, keep and wear them. People are dressing for themselves.
It’s perfectly fine to keep a whole section of clothes you never wear, IF you have room for them, and if they’re not actively bothering you. I’d certainly sort through them for fit, comfort, and condition.
I certainly wouldn’t lean into “sports mom” as a style persona! But absolutely do make sure you have the right clothes for watching sports outdoors, if you do a lot of that. Basically, match the largest amount of clothes in your closet to your actual lifestyle, and keep whatever else you want, IF you have room.
I think in your shoes, I’d keep a handful of pieces I really love and donate the rest. Then I’d put aside a pot of money for when/if I found myself in an office again.
Same.
Even if you work in an office again someday you probably wouldn’t want to wear the same suits and dresses, right? I say donate.
If they fit you and are of good quality, I would keep them if you have room.
I’d repurpose and wear a lot of that – pants with a cute sweatshirt and flats, go out to things in your dresses but maybe style them differently. Toss on a blazer with your jeans to go watch soccer. I’m just not into the “I work from home so now I only wear pajamas” mindset. All that said, you probably don’t need as much so I’d just get rid of dupes and B team items.
I went through the same thing, and I got rid of most of my clothes, and I regret it. Part of why I regret it is that for things like conferences/CLES/non-profit events I still need formal clothes, and now I feel like I’m buying clothes for each event. I also occasionally have more formal meetings on Zoom where I need to look more polished.
Things I’ve kept in my wardrobe– one well-fitting pair of work pants (mostly for winter events where it’s too cold for a dress but I can’t wear jeans) ; blazers that look nice on Zoom (black looks awful on me); statement dresses (colorful shirtdresses or shift dresses, not rufflepuff but closer to that than what I would have worn before).
Things I don’t know why I kept: sheath dresses– these are too formal for anything I do and are not comfortable; silk/shiny blouses–also look too formal and don’t seem to get worn; heels– no reason to wear them and they’re even more uncomfortable out of practice.
I switched to in-office after six years WFH and I wish I had kept a few more of my blazers and high quality slacks. The clothing quality is in such a precipitous decline now that it’s impossible to buy good quality blazers, for example, for less than $200 unless you find a great sale. I almost never wear dresses anymore, but I suspect that’s because pants have been trending more for the past year or two. I kept a couple favorite dresses in case they trend back again. I’d keep some of your favorite pieces in storage, and try to repurpose others. Lots of my work blouses look great with jeans and a moto or cardigan. My body has gotten a bit soft and lost tone, so I lean into more structured clothes like jeans than leggings for my mom life.
I would keep enough nice professional outfits for a week of my favorites and put them in another room or the back of the closet. Then decide what you want and need. For me, I must have enough comfy pants for every day of the week. I have some tees that I can clean, cook and sleep in that I wear on down days. I have cute work appropriate polyester tops for zoom. Then you can buy nicer date clothes or cute sports mom whatevers for school or farmer’s market weekends/
38 in the same situation. My business clothes are in a closet in the guest bedroom. Useful for conferences, meetings, and the courtroom.
For my day to day, I wear comfy wide leg pants and use nuuly for weather appropriate tops and dresses.
This was me in 2020. For the first few years of working exclusively from home I wore my work clothes on any day I had to be on a zoom call (which was most days) but it seemed kind of ridiculous to be in a suit or sheath dress taking the pandemic dog for his walk. (We still have him and he was the best snap decision ever!)
Then I lost some weight and all of those clothes no longer fit me anyway. I eventually donated most of them. I currently keep what I’d call a “capsule” work wardrobe in my current size in a hall closet. Not my main closet. I have blazers and more business casual clothing in there. It has served me well for annual conferences I attend and the occasional in person meeting at w client’s location.
Over time I noticed colleagues and clients had gotten more casual so now I echo what they’re wearing. I now have no qualms about wearing a zip up hoodie over a solid color ballet neck tee for a regular call, because that’s the kind of thing everyone else is wearing. I might throw one of my softer blazers over the tee and ditch the hoodie if the call seems more “important.”
For me, wearing earrings, making sure my hair looks intentional (not a big deal, just not a workout ponytail) and a little concealer and lipstick are really all I need to feel ready for a cameras on meeting.
What’s everyone using for daily SPF/moisturizer? I used Olay for years, then tried CeraVe and it’s fine but I don’t love the texture (feels kind of oily and thin).
I am not someone who spends a ton on skincare, so drugstore or equivalent recs would be great!
You mentioned why you’re not satisfied with CeraVe, but what made you switch from Olay?
I like Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch and Trader Joe’s Daily Facial Sunscreen
I’m using actual sunscreen for SPF. The moisturizer that says it’s SPF 15 doesn’t cut it.
+1 I use a La Roche Posay sunscreen and then Cerave moisturizer on top.
Moisturize first, then apply sunscreen. Suscreen forms a film (which you can feel in some formulas) that is disrupted by the lipids in the moisturizer going on top of it.
I was using CeraVe SPF 50 so it should be enough, I think!
+2. I moisturize, let it sink in, then apply SPF 50. There’s no way a combo product offers the same protection.
Offers protection from your office job? Like what office/WFH set up requires 50 spf?
Both of my parents have had painful Mohs surgery and they’re not outdoorsy. That’s a good enough reason in my book. I’m pale and don’t wear foundation so there’s no cosmetic difference with the higher SPF. Why wouldn’t I use it? My skin looks great for my age so I’m seeing the benefits already.
I think it requires SPF more than moisturizer. Why not moisturize at night and only do SPF in the morning?
Some people actually leave the house.
I thought the same thing so I stopped wearing SPF when I was working from home, and guess what? My sun spots/dark spots on my face got noticeably worse. I think it was because the sun still comes in my windows, particularly the window right near my office desk. Now I wear it every day whether I plan to leave the house or not. I will say that I wear around a 30 SPF, not a 50.
The combo products do offer the listed protection but you have to use the correct amount. They can’t use an SPF 30 or SPF label unless they actually offer that level of protection in the right dose, which is 1/4 tsp for face only.
Stand alone sunscreens also include a moisturizer type base. The tube is not “pure” sunscreen ingredients.
This is just a marketing difference.
Plain old vanicream for moisturizer, and my sunblock is Korean SPF 50+ (I get it via yesstyle) – whatever is under $15 and has good reviews.
HaruHaru Wonder. On Amazon. Korean. Under $15.
I am really liking the Mad Hippee SPF serum. It’s very light and I can put makeup on over it without it interfering.
I use La Roche Posay Touleraine double repair daily facial moisturizer with SPF. My Dermatologist recommended it.
I have sensitive skin.
These days, I no longer layer it on top of moisturizer. I put on my CeraVe VitC serum. Let that sink in. Then my La Rouche Posay. That’s it.
I also moisturize and then add SPF. A friend recommended the SPF from Trader Joes in the orange box and I like it a lot. It’s clear, not white and not tinted. I did not like the one in the blue box, which is white. It’s under $10.
Which CeraVe are you using? The spf 30 is much smoother and less oily on my skin than the SPF 50. I just switched back to the SPF 30 for my face now that it’s fall and I’m outside less often. The 30 also plays nicer under my makeup.
Oh, good to know. I was using 50 for summer, but I could definitely switch to 30 for fall! Maybe I’ll try that.
I use La Roche Posay Touleraine double repair daily facial moisturizer with SPF. That’s it. Works well for me.
Honestly? We are entering the season where I don’t really do more than glimpse the sun as it sets (and soon, not even that). Solid walls and a roof are my main SPF until we come out on the other side of winter.
Same
Seriously.
Naturium Multi-Peptide moisturizer.
Lately I’ve been wearing the Bubble tinted sunscreen and like it a lot. I just touch up with concealer, add some setting powder and blush and masacara and I’m good to go.
I really like the newish Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion with added SPF 35. I use 3-4 pumps for my face, which is about 1/4 tsp, and I don’t reapply. I’m mostly inside all day.
For serious outside days I actually use Asian sunscreens. I buy from yamibuy & just buy whatever Jude Chao (fiddysnails on IG) is recommending. Which is usually drugstore pricing level.
The key to getting good coverage from sunscreen is wearing the right amount & letting it dry down enough to form a film before applying anything else to the skin, such as makeup.
Has anyone gotten brown spots on their face to fade? I have a large one (as opposed to a sprinkling or freckles) and several medium ones. IDK if it is a product that I need or some sort of laser. If it matters, I also have some acne and rosacea scars, so if anyone can give me a primer on lasers, that would be great. I go to a derm with a med spa, but want to ask now before my next appointment from people who can’t sell me something.
I have some of these from sun damage over the years. IPL worked really well on one of them after 2 sessions and one has been more stubborn. Creams and serums did nothing once they were there but I think they do help keep it clear.
You can start with OTC/meds or start with lasers if you’re inclined to a one and done approach. The OTC options are serums/creams with niacinamide/kojic acid/etc. Prescription is Hydroquinone 4%, but you can only use it a few months at a time.
I prefer lasers vs. serums personally. Your doc will likely suggest whichever laser they have in house. The prices vary widely in my area but are roughly $300-$500 per laser session depending on the laser and whether they are running a special. I’ve done clear and brilliant for dark spots, and Excel V for redness/veins due to rosacea. Get quotes from a few docs, my cosmetic derm (MD, not medspa) is hundreds of dollars cheaper than my local medspas and medical derm.
I’m not the OP, but thanks for the info.
Is that the cost for the whole face, or do most people just do target treatment of their spots/”areas”?
Typically the whole face. Even if there isn’t visible pigment in a certain area the laser still resurfaces and encourages cell turnover. Marketing will talk about ‘skin revitalization’ and ‘rejuvenation’ as the laser basically causes trauma and forces new cell to develop along with varying levels of collagen depending on the laser type/depth.
Kojic and latic acid were a winning combo for my post acne hyperpigmentation. The next step, if that had not worked, according to my derm, was prescription hydroquinone, but it’s an annoying active that can’t be used for long.
Lasers would’ve worked faster, but I was very price concious, so he worked with me on topicals.
It’s all a waste of money if you are not serious about sun protection, so dial that in.
Retin-A bleached off all my freckles and helped with my acne scars, both the red ones and the pitted ones.
talk to your derm about it — mine gave me 1) a compounded cream that contained retinol and ___ (don’t remember what) to apply at night for 3 months
2) she told me there have been studies that if you suffer from hyperpigmentation tinted sunscreen with a specific ingredient helps ward off more hyperpigmentation — she recommended a brand called TiZo but i haven’t tried it yet. (the 2 main ingredients are titanium dioxide and zinc oxide so i guess one of those is unusual from other sunscreens).
The right laser will work but I’d advocate going to an actual medical facility vs a med spa.
After laser treatment, and now because you likely have more under the surface just waiting to come up, use tinted mineral sunscreen, 1/4 tsp for the face only, every single day. The tinted is especially important for melasma and dark spot prevention and post laser care, according to current research.
Looking for some fashion help here. I’ve had a major GI issue for the past 14 months that has left me perpetually 5-6 inches distended. I constantly look 6-7 months pregnant. I’m fairly thin, and this is very noticeable. It doesn’t seem hopeful that it will improve despite endless doctors appts and treatments. It’s beyond soul crushing in so many ways. It’s left me unable to wear most of my clothes, and anything that is even slightly too conforming causes pain. Last year I had to buy essentially all new clothes. I’ve resorted to wearing sack dresses (my bloat couture), and there are a few pairs of athleta pants (venice and brooklyn) that I can get away with wearing that can sort of hide the distention. To wear jeans, I have to wear maternity jeans, and those are wildly uncomfortable and require fairly long tops to cover the maternity bands. Warm weather is so much easier b/c I don’t need to wear uncomfortable maternity tights or worry about wearing jeans. Once I gets cold I can’t really wear the brooklyns either because they are so thin. Does anyone have any other suggestions? It’s demoralizing enough having medical problems for a year, but feeling like my body’s been hijacked and is deformed for 14 months has been unbearable.
No advice, but hugs. Sounds like a tough row to hoe.
ohh thanks! those look worth trying though I tend to need a really wide waistband to hide my belly.
This sounds so hard. I just bought two pairs of pull on corduroy pants from Gap. I’ll still need longer sweaters to cover the waist bands but not as long as a maternity panel would need. It hasn’t been cold enough to wear them yet but dressing room try ons look good.
I am sorry you’re dealing with this. Would the Rag & Bone sweatpants jeans work? They’re really loose and stretchy. Tuckernuck and Chico’s have some button-down tunics that might fit.
I’ve tried knock offs, and they super accentuated the belly. So I’ve been reluctant to shell out the $$$ for the real ones.
In prior years, Athleta has had lined Brooklyns or lined other types of pants. The fit is similar to the unlined version. It may be too soon for them to come out.
As someone who’s pregnant and hates maternity jeans, have you tried tie waist jeans? Nordstrom Rack has options. Adriana Papell makes comfortable pants with a fabric belt or tie waist. As the weather cools off make jackets and vests part of your outfit.
I’m so sorry – I looked quite pregnant for several years after my second. I suggest trying tucked in, bloused out shirts in high waisted pants sized up with a belt. It’s counter intuitive but the big shirt hanging over just looks so maternity compared to breaking up the waist. Cut the waist of your tights and wear them low with shift dresses. Hugs.
I’m so sorry. That sounds super tough and demoralizing. I don’t have a medical issue but tend to carry weight in my stomach. I do well with a higher waist elastic pant and a shirt or sweater that is hip length. It seems counterintuitive, but it also works when i pair those pants with a tucked in t-shirt and then a third layer, like a cardigan. Wishing you well.
I’m so sorry. I’ve been there. I had crazy fibroids that made me look quite pregnant (eventually I had to get a hysterectomy) and I ended up living in the Athleta Brooklyn pants because they were more generous at the waist. I would wear the Uniqlo HeatTech pant liners under them in the winter so I could wear them year round.
In general, I found pants extremely frustrating unless they were elastic or drawstring. Dresses definitely were a better choice.
My best advice is to just invest in clothes that fit and make you feel good, no matter the size. Also, put extra effort into aspects of your appearance that have nothing to do with your size/clothing, like jewelry, makeup, shoes, hairstyle, etc. That helped me a lot when I felt bad about my body.
Thinking of you. It’s not easy!
Thanks, I hope you’re doing better now. It’s good to know that perhaps the brooklyns are the best I can do and I just shouldn’t spend much more effort looking. I’m guessing with the fibroids you know exactly what kind of distention I mean. It’s so hard to explain to people what this is like. I’m also going to try cutting the waist of tights and see if that helps!
I’m sorry, that sounds very unconfortable. I hope an efficient treatment is in your future.
I’ve seem stylish pregnant women wearing low rise jeans with a longer, but not too loose, top. Maybe with a peplum, like the one featured today.
Consider Tuckerneck’s Jackie dress and similar cuts from Boden in Ottoman fabric. I think a thick fabric with the 60s style cut could work and feel fashionable. I wore a similar dress when recovering from a lower abdominal surgery and didn’t want additional pressure.
OP here- those Boden ottoman dresses were my identity in the beforetimes. Now they wouldn’t remotely hide my distention. I mourn them!
I bought intentionally oversized sweater dresses from Poshmark. Like the Anthropologie Chrissy dress. I wore with tights and boots.
I also just bought EZ pants from Uniqlo and they are very comfortable. You can wear with a tucked in top and a jacket.
I don’t have answers for the pants, and I’m sorry because that sounds very uncomfortable, but creating vertical lines is the best way to visually camouflage a belly. Think of a blazer or cardigan worn open. It’s a good season for the look now.
In summer I saw a stylish lady wearing a tent dress. It looked super flattering with sandels. Would something like a tent dress work, maybe with tights and booties in fall/winter?
Any advice on how to respond to a spouse who veers towards hypochondria? He still fulfills his responsibilities to the house and family so it’s not so much a problem there but I’m not really sure what to say anymore when it’s yet another day of “I think I’m coming down with something” or “I wonder if I’m getting body aches” when it’s really, truly nothing. I’ve pretty much exhausted “that sucks, I hope you’re not getting sick [subject change]” at this point. I think he would LOVE for me to lay it on thick and have someone baby him but I’m not going to.
Does he have Illness Anxiety Disorder? Maybe he should worry about that one.
No good suggestions, but you can send my partner home anytime!
I mostly just ignore it. If he seems particularly concerned, I say, Why don’t you call your doctor? Usually he’ll get a call back and they talk him down.
I don’t do the babying, either. I might say, Oh, why don’t you go to bed early, or I’ll suggest drinking more water or something. It’s hard for me to know what to do, too, because when I’m sick I generally want to be left alone. Bring me some supplies and then leave me in peace!
Yeah I’m like why is my husband hanging out at this lady’s house. I do a lot of mm hmm, personally, which is probably why he’s over there seeking more sympathy.
OP here and I think my husband does ramp up the symptoms (loud, exaggerated sniffling is his specialty) if I haven’t paid enough attention the first time. It’s the exact wrong way to go with me, though. If he came to me and used his words and said he was going to call the doctor or that something felt really wrong, that would of course be a different story, but it feels really annoying and even manipulative to play up a sniffle or do a HUGE cough right when I’m passing when he seemed cough-free for the two hours prior.
I’ve had a similar conversation with my spouse: “Dear, I love you and it is distressing to hear how ill you feel so often. Please see a doctor. I am not one and cannot help you with this. If what you are experiencing doesn’t merit seeing a doctor, please find another way to express what you are feeling.”
In my case, spouse just wanted more attention and one on one time with me, defo was not sick. Getting called out (kindly) about the constant claims of illness snapped him out of his funk, at least enough to get him to articulate that he was feeling lonely instead of on death’s door. His recovery was miraculous when I told him I would be sleeping in the spare room until he was better to avoid catching whatever he had.
My spouse is hyperreactive to the merest hint of a cold, so whenever he complains more than once, I tell him to take an advil or zinc. I’m not that sympathetic to symptoms that he hasn’t at least tried to power through or manage.
OP here and I think that’s part of the reason it bugs me – he’s slow to manage the symptoms but quick to have them be the main topic of conversation.
I’ve never heard of managing symptoms. My experience is that the symptoms are a warning and you can’t really stave off what’s coming—so get your stuff in order and prepare (early bed, food in the house, etc.)
Try a doctor next time. There are new antivirals for several viruses that many people catch annually that can stave off further symptoms, and there are also virus non-specific interventions that may be recommended to lower viral load or shorten the course of illness.
This feels like a waste of resources. And also my doctor wouldn’t see me for something like this. And also vaguely, it feels like another way to blame people for getting sick if there’s a sense they should have prevented it.
Why not? Everyone needs love and sympathy sometimes. Do you love him and want to care for him? I’ve had some issues the last few weeks and my spouse has laid on the sympathy and care and I could not be more grateful.
You sound a bit cold.
Sometimes, yes. Near-daily when it’s nothing, no. I want to talk about other things other than “symptoms.” I want to be active together instead of “not being up for a walk because of symptoms.” I’m more than happy to take care of him when he’s truly ill and when he was laid up with a bad case of COVID, he said he felt very cared for and loved, which I was so happy for. But in our day-to-day life, we need to be enjoying our health and good fortune.
Fair enough. He just has anxiety. My spouse has it too, but it manifests differently.
Yikes.
I’m glad for you that you’ve never had to deal with the dreaded Man Cold. I for one have had way too many instances where I have to care for a sick baby, then a sick me, and then DH finally gets sick and wants me to care for him too — even though he did nothing but complain while baby and I were sick. If he wants me to baby him while he’s sick then he can baby our ACTUAL baby and maybe also me while we’re sick.
Yikes on a bike!
I have a spouse like this. He works in healthcare so he is more conscious/paranoid of germs than most people are, and I think the stress of how illness would impact his ability to handle life gives him an outsized reaction to the tiniest hint of illness. I usually just say, “I’m sorry” and listen to whatever complaint he has. It can be annoying sometimes, but if the roles were reversed, I would want someone to be sympathetic to me. I don’t usually ask a ton of follow-up questions to open the door for a long discussion about it, but I also don’t shut him down.
My spouse is an immune suppressed university professor, so even something minor could really disrupt the semester, and of course students are sick all the time! He wears a N95 indoors, washes his hands and sometimes his sinuses as recommended. Zinc at the tiniest hint of anything in case it helps.
He never seems to think about it or worry beyond just following the recommended precaution protocol, but I wonder if this will only last as long as his luck lasts.
Can anyone recommend a pair of wide-leg jeans with one or two narrow stripes down the side seam? I keep seeing a pair of Miramars with racing stripes that are so cute, but I want real jeans and not sweat pants masquerading as jeans.
Sorry but any racing strip is going to make your jeans look like sweatpants.
Maybe I’m biased because gosh I hate the racing stripe trend. Instantly converts a pair of perfectly acceptable pants to casual wear that I can’t wear to the office even for a quick Friday visit.
When racing stripes were in back when I was in HS, we sewed grosgrain ribbons along the outseams on our jeans. Difficult to maneuver if you have skinnies but wide leg jeans would be a quick little project if you have a sewing machine.
i’ve seen those also and also think they’re cute, but i’m not paying $$ for sweatpants that are going to sit in my closet for months because i’d need to get them hemmed. i’d check evereve or free people for something similar.
Post from CapHillStyle yesterday included a pair.
https://caphillstyle.com/capitol/2026/09/28/last-weeks-bestsellers-vol-i-no-one.html
Those are the sweatpants.
There are plenty of sweatpants like this at all price points. I agree it’s not going to be a good look on jeans.
Idk about today, but I had a pair in middle school from Pacific Sunwear circa 1998 that I still think about!
I just posted below—they might have been pacific sun wear! Same timeframe.
This just took me back in time. My sister had a pair like this in HS—maybe Roxy or jnco and they were her most prized clothing item.
I want to go to a dermatologist for a retinoid. Will a local chain derm/medspa work for this? I do an annual skin check with a university healthcare system-affiliated dermatologist, and she’s incredibly thorough and offers non-insurance covered cosmetic visits, but her schedule is booked months out. MedSpas seem scammy to me, but what do I know?
Will the on-line pill mills prescribe it?
Online like HERS is the quickest for a tret rx. Likely a bit more expensive than getting a generic tret rx from your normal derm though, since HERS makes their money through fulfilling the rx and shipping it to you.
Yes, a medspa is good enough for this. Just stick to the retinoid and don’t let them talk you into additional products or procedures.
Get a telehealth appointment like Plushcare.
I got a retinoid prescribed and fulfilled through Amazon’s pharmacy. Way cheaper and easier than any derm or medspa. Don’t make this harder than it needs to be.
Seems like what they’re made for, no?
Can primary care not call in this script for you?
Curology. I’ve been using mine for years. It’s easy and they’ll prescribe for you based on pics and a questionnaire.
where do you store pens, papers, notebooks, other office supplies? In your home office if you have one, and physical / work office if you have one.
On my desk.
In drawers, both at home and the office. It’s very hard to find a desk with drawers these days. At the office I have a console behind the desk with drawers in it. I also have pen cups on my desks.
In my home office, the pens I use most are in a jar on my desk where I can just grab one if I need one. Otherwise they’re in a drawer of the freestanding cabinet behind my desk. I have my printer/scanner on a bookshelf and printer paper in a pretty box sized for paper I got from ikea. It sits on the shelf under the printer.
Notebooks etc are also organized in the bookshelf.
At work, the notepads and pens are on top of the desk, in a cup or file organizer as appropriate. Miscellaneous things like paper clips and letter opener are in a tray. At home, everything is in a drawer, I don’t like having stuff out and I generally don’t need all that ready to hand at home.
at the office- one cup of pens and highlighters on my desk because I don’t have a convenient drawer. Have some post-its, a couple of frequent reference docs, and my running notepad out. Everything else either lives in the supply closet or one desk drawer.
at home- nothing on my desk other than my monitors, unless I’m using it. Have a couple of pens in a drawer to use with my running notepad when WFH.
and it sucked. open casket with someone that young is brutal (but whatever the mom wanted, obviously). had a nice time chatting with my neighbor/mutual acquaintance during the drive, though, aside from a brief tirade from her about all the “metals in vaccines”… we’re getting together again next monday i think. moms to disabled kids have such a bond. i feel like i’m even closer to tears regularly today than i was yesterday.
Awww I’m so glad you went. It’s important to go. I’m sorry.
I had a co-worker/friend whose nephew was the same age as my son so we talked about the boys a lot. I met the nephew at one or two work gatherings. I also was friendly with the mom on facebook. This promising young man died in his 20s and I have no idea how or why. I was never close enough to ask but it really impacted my heart. My guess is perhaps it was suicide which is shameful for some families. I understand how you felt that you needed to know. But all you can do is pray for them.
Yeah, it’s a given that those things are awful, but good on you for showing up!
I feel like there should be a warning when there is going to be an open casket. I witnessed a friend’s death when we were in college and being surprised by a “repaired” corpse was uncomfortable. I mean, I did have the choice to leave the reception line, but I would have preferred to have had time to decide how to handle the situation.
Any experience with Casper mattresses? Stayed on one at an AirBnB and liked it for a few nights. This would be for a kids room, so not needing top of the line, but good enough for an occasional guest.
We have one in my son’s room. We picked it because it was on the thinner side, and he was 3 and an active sleeper, and I wanted that to have him lower to the ground, and it’s fine. But I will say that I strongly prefer the Costco bed-in-a-box equivalent (I think their house brand is Novaform) that we have in our guest room.