Wednesday’s Workwear Report: Short-Sleeve Top in Washable Silk Charmeuse
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Our daily workwear reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices.
I’ve been trying to find a duplicate for a beloved silk top that I lost to a salad dressing incident a few years ago, and this Brooks Brothers top might do the trick. It’s washable silk, and the short sleeves look like they’ll fit nicely under a sweater or blazer.
I would wear this with my favorite navy suit for a monochromatic look.
The top is $111-$118 at Brooks Brothers and comes in sizes XS-XL.
Sales of note for 10/2:
- Amazon Prime Day Sales! – Check out our full roundup here. There are a lot of weird but good discounts on nice brands like Theory, Jenni Kayne, White & Warren, and more.
- Ann Taylor – 30% off your full price purchase, plus deal of the day: 10/2: 40% off wear-now styles
- J.Crew – 3100+ items in sale
- J.Crew Factory – 50% off all sweaters and pants
- M.M.LaFleur – Lots of blues and reds in the sale section. (Try code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off on other items)
- Nordstrom Rack – Extra 40% off select clearance
- Old Navy – The Old Navy x Altuzarra collab is in! All sizes (up to 4X!) of the blazer in the collab is still available, and it is eligible for today's Super Cash offer
- Talbots – 40% off one item, 30% off everything else
- Theory – End of season sale is on!
Suggestions for a similar silky shirt for plus-size? Size 20 or 1x
Eileen fisher has awesome quality silk tank tops and t-shirts. The brand (mostly) runs large so an XL will probably fit you. A couple of their styles are more fitted, though, so be on the lookout for that; it’s called out in the description. They’re sometimes deeply discounted at Nordstrom rack in lucky sizes and colors.
similar look but polyester…
https://www.bloomingdales.com/shop/product/marina-rinaldi-mrsagoraio-short-sleeve-top
I’m about to start a renovation of a fairly basic rectangular bathroom for my kids (two girls, 8 and 3, if that matters), replacing a pedestal sink with a proper vanity (prob 48 “, one sink) and updating the dingy 90s beige tile as primary motivators. Everything is getting redone, though.
I’d like it to be classic/timeless and not trendy. Where do you get your inspo? This is not my strength.
I can be talked out of any of this but thinking Wayfair’s Merola Tile Metro Hex floor tile, Avanity Brentwood for the vanity. What goes on the walls of the shower/tub? What color do I paint the walls so that it feels warm, cozy. I have polished brass in my 2022 renovated master bath, but thinking not brass or black – I think they’ll look dated in due time. Door hardware is black and that’s not changing. Polished nickel? What would age well? Helpppp.
I’m also doing a bathroom renovation and similarly this isn’t my forte! Here are two suggestions:
1) Sources for inspiration photos: Pinterest + Reddit (r/BathroomRemodeling)
2) I have been using Gemini for mock-ups, and it’s surprisingly good: I take screenshots of things I like (e.g., paint colors, wallpapers, vanities), and ask it to put together mock-ups. It also can offer suggestions.
Had not considered wallpaper! It’s no where else in the house but I’d consider it…
How is removal? Is that going to wreck my walls down the line?
It’s my first time using wallpaper too! (Also not anywhere else in the house). And I think it should be okay — there is some lady in Houston (“The Wallpaper Lady”) who blogs about different brands, and I am going to use one of her recommendations.
My sister bought a fixer-upper with wallpaper EVERYWHERE. She bought her own steamer slowly took it down over the years. (Would have been faster, but more expensive, to hire a prop obviously.) No unusual damage to the walls.
I would avoid wallpaper in the bathroom if it’s not perfectly well-ventilated.
Peel and stick will ruin walls but paste-traditional applications won’t.
If the door hardware is black I would tend towards black hardware for the rest of it–black may look dated but unmatched also has the potential to seem weird. (Especially given the black in the tile.)
I would go with some kind of turquoise for the paint–a nice contrast with the vanity.
No idea about the shower/tub.
We have oiled brass door hardware and chrome in our kids bath and it looks fine. We did chrome fixtures because it’s cheaper than polished nickel.
To the original question, subway tile is always classic! I agree a vanity painted a fun color is nice for a kid’s bath.
Chrome is a classic nickel looks dated IMO
I agree. Chrome is the most neutral finish choice for bathroom and kitchen fixtures in my mind.
White subway with light gray grout seems as timeless as you can get, even though it’s not ‘exciting.’ I used larger-scale subway (maybe 6×14?) and like that it looks a little ‘cleaner’ and less grout to maintain.
Resist the urge to do a decorative niche visible from the bathroom. Once in use, all that does is feature kid hair product bottles prominently. Tucked ours in the far short wall of the shower so you can only really see the stuff if you bend in and look!
I love polished nickel. Warmer feeling than chrome.
Thank you! Will I regret the hex floor tile with the black floral-like detail? All white felt a little… too white? Could also do the 1” hex with a black dot vs the flower-ish design.
i tried looking up the floor tile and I think i might not be looking at the right one? which size/color are you thinking? and what about for the vanity? i would not do black hardware, i agree with polished nickel or polished chrome. i like the idea of all white, but you do something different for the walls, which is easier to change up down the line. Like a pale pink, blue, or yellow. If you can fit two sinks, i recommend it.
“Merola Tile Metro 1 in Hex Matte White with Flower” is the one I was thinking of.
Wondering if I can/should do just a single black dot… or not black at all in the floor.
Definitely not doing black hardware.
For a kid bathroom my biggest lessons are to take the subway tile 3/4 of the way up the wall, make the grout lines as small as possible, and add in as much storage as you can – hooks, towel bar, hand towel ring, a ‘luggage rack’ style shelf over the toilet, etc.
I agree with white subway tile being the best bet. I personally like a black/white bathroom (or an all white bathroom) and would go with white subway tile on the walls/shower, and a vanity with as deep and wide of a sink as you can manage along with drawers vs. open shelving.
If I were redoing a bathroom for my two young daughters, I’d try to make it fun but still sophisticated. Assuming this is your forever home, they’re going to get 15+ years of enjoyment out of it. Add some fun (bathroom friendly) wallpaper, a pretty tile color, decorative knobs (look at Anthro), etc.
Go on pinterest and find a bathroom you like and copy it. Bathrooms are small so this is pretty easy to do. I think all rooms, including bathrooms, need something old and new so I’d look for some accents to bring in warmth. I also always wallpaper my bathrooms and have never had an issue.
I have done this with great success. Just try to pick one that is the same general style as your house. It’s my view that the looks that look dated the quickest are the ones that are trendy without regard to the underlying stule of the house they’re in.
Put the vanity at the height that an adult will want to use and not at the height made for children. Your kids will grow and want regular height counters. While they’ll need stools for now, most of the years will be spent as teens and adults who aren’t short.
+1.
100%
Did she say she was doing this? I didn’t see OP mentioning that anywhere. That would be a very odd choice.
Out of curiosity are you doing this yourselves or did you hire a contractor? We shopped around for a contractor a few years ago for a similar project and it was insanely expensive!
We have a GC! He needs tile and vanity selections like… today! He’s amazing, and squeezing us in between jobs. His next one starts 11/1 so we need to get rolling with choices. His quote was $27.5k, excluding tile and vanity. Includes toilet, tub, fixtures that I already selected, and a kick-heat baseboard heater we’re adding. We’re in suburban Boston incase that estimate helps guide anyone else. I bet we’ll be sub $35, and hopefully $31-32 by the time we’re done.
And definitely not making this a “little kid bathroom” – all normal height stuff. We’re keeping the tub for sure.
Ok, that is like HALF of what we were quoted. But this was in the year or so after the pandemic when everyone had just spent so much time at home and everyone wanted to renovate (and we were in the midst of a raw materials shortage if I remember correctly?). I should get a new quote.
i like larger tiles, the tiles you proposed have a lot of grout
That actually seems pretty reasonable! We were quoted a similar amount in the LCOL Midwest.
Hex tile is definitely a trend so if aging well is a key criteria for you, I’d use a different tile. Of course, it’s been around historically for decades but definitely cycles in and out in a big way. It’s been everywhere for the past ~5-10 years and is already starting to look a little past date to me.
i feel like everything is a trend. there is nothing truly timeless
+1
Again, try to be consistent with the age/style of your house.
A huge part of a new space looking good is making sure that it harmonizes with the rest of the house. Nothing is more jarring than a French country bathroom in a 70s contemporary or an “everything new and trendy” space in a colonial. What is the style of your home and your particular style?
Hah jinx!
hello! my curly-haired daughter needs to start blowdrying her hair at night after a shower. (she suffers from pretty bad dandruff and other skin icks, and we’ve been advised that “drying her scalp” will really help with that.
does anyone have a suggestion for a good hairdryer for curly hair? I hear “diffusing” but I am overwhelmed by the options. bonus points if it is on the amazon prime sale! but I’ll take anything . . .
thanks!
(also, does anyone have super duper THIS IS IT recs on greasy hair and/or dandruff hair shampoo? head and shoulders ain’t cutting it”
ugh. I love how I used open parentheticals TWICE and did not close them . . . sigh.
For shampoo, Nizoral, massaged into the scalp and left to sit for a few minutes, roughly 2-3 times a week (not nightly or her hair will dry out). It’s also likely that the ‘dandruff’ is dry skin/irritated skin so the blow drying will help calm things down. Try to use the lowest heat setting, and make sure to get the nape of her neck fully dry. I have thick hair and people are always shocked by how long it takes.
No hair dryer recs as I use a dyson, but being able to control heat and fan speed separately along with a big enough diffusing attachment are going to be the biggest things to look for. My diffuser is roughly the size of a bagel, you don’t want anything much smaller than that.
It sounds like I have hair that’s very similar to your daughter! For the greasy scalp, I like to make sure I’m using something clarifying at least once or twice a week. L’Oreal Paris EverPure Sulfate Free Clarifying Shampoo has worked well for me because we also have hard water. In the winter, I like to use The Ordinary Glycolic Acid Toner on my scalp once a week, as well. (Before showering, apply directly to the scalp and leave it on for a few minutes.) It helps with exfoliating and gets rid of some of the dandruff flakes that pop up in the winter.
For a diffuser, I have a Dyson Supersonic with a diffuser attachment, but it’s stupid expensive. For a kid, I would recommend taking a trip to TJ Maxs or Marshall’s and just picking something up. If she really likes using a diffuser, then maybe it would make sense to buy something pricier, but I would wait to see if it’s something she’s using regularly!
Heads up that the work up for these kinds of skin issues is often really lacking, so if she has any other symptoms at all, it’s worth following up with primary care to make sure there isn’t an underlying condition that could be addressed upstream.
I would think that any dryer with a diffuser attachment is fine, but you’ll want some kind of blow dry product as heat protection and to speed things up.
I’ve never dealt with dandruff so I don’t want to speak to products, but I will say that I never quite got the appeal of diffusers, but then I got a Shark blow dryer last year and the diffuser that it came with totally changed my mind. The length of the tines adjusts, and that seems to make a huge difference for the quality of my curly blow-dry.
Agree – I love the Shark diffuser!
Also love my Shark+diffuser.
I really like using Ouai Clarifying Detox Shampoo 1-2x per week on my oily curly hair. I alternate it with either a standard shampoo or sometimes an Rx shampoo depending on how flakey my scalp is.
The Ouai is pricey but I bought the travel size bottle first to test it out and I loved it. They sell a refill “bag” that is much better value per oz and I use it to refill the travel bottle every once in awhile.
Get her doctor to prescribe a dandruff shampoo. I have seborrhoeic dermatitis that mostly affects my face, but also a little at my hairline, so I use a prescription shampoo on my face and hairline. The really important part is that you need to leave it on for at least 5 minutes, you can’t just wash your face/hair with it and rinse immediately- maybe even head and shoulders will be enough if you try that. It’s annoying to have to take the time, but necessary if I don’t want to have an itchy, flaky face. I then just use a regular shampoo to actually wash my hair.
I had a bad case of dandruff several years ago and used 2% ketoconazole shampoo (prescription) twice a week for 3 months. You leave it on for 5 minutes before rinsing. I used my regular conditioner. Nizoral is 1% and worth trying but if she’s not seeing improvement in 4-6 weeks you may consider the stronger version. I used H&S or other dandruff shampoos on the other days. It’s also important to really scrub the scalp with your fingertips to loosen the skin flakes. Dandruff is a mild form of seborrheic dermatitis and may be caused by type of fungus called malassezia. Everyone has this on their scalp but it overgrows on some people. It can take months to resolve. Even today I use a dandruff shampoo (H&S selenium, blue bottle) once a week to keep it in check. I have curly hair and use a Conair dryer/diffuser.
Diffuser hair dryer
https://a.co/d/09CQg0dt
I diffuse my roots at night! If she’s sleeping with wet hair it can definitely cause issues. putting the diffuser at low heat on her roots to dry them will really help!
I was a bit too honest in an “anonymous “ employ survey yesterday and I’m feeling guilty. Among the points:
1. The biggest downside to my job: zero advancement opportunities. (my boss has told me as much, but I didnt say he said that.)
2. The biggest way the company does not support my “mental,
Physical or financial wellbeing”: raises that are below the rate of inflation are not good for my financial wellbeing.
3. Why don’t I use AI more: I understand the technology but in order to truly streamline my workflow I’d have to defer to an AI work product without verifying it. (Ethically, I need to verify everything in the brief. I’m swearing under the penalty of perjury. I get that AI creates any amazing “deck” about SMART goal initiatives and company culture or whatever the HR people do. This is not the same thing.)
How much grief have I just created for myself ? I said honest positive things too, but I’m not usually this candid.
It really sounds like you want a new job anyway!
I think your complaints are general enough that they could come from practically any department, so I wouldn’t sweat it.
+1. I would not worry about this at all. Your comments are also not *that* bad.
It honestly depends on if your company lied about the anonymous part. Some HR take it seriously, some HR are yes men and will throw you under the bus.
but sometimes yes men type people just run a survey to check that box, and then don’t do anything with the responses!
You don’t need to feel guilty. They asked. You did them a favor.
I don’t think your comments will offend anyone, but I also never fill out company surveys because they can do more harm than good for an individual. They are not anonymous. I know people who have been fired for what they wrote in an anonymous survey (but they accused the organization of racism so that was a much bigger deal than what you wrote). Also, my co-workers and I have taken the time to share totally valid, constructive feedback and were ignored, so what’s the point? Most organizations just want to pat themselves on the back.
A senior person told me they figure out who completed the survey by comparing the writing style of short response questions to emails from their employees. Even if it’s technically anonymous you still can’t trust it.
This is true. I’ve done enough 360s as a leader and seen surveys that it’s easy to tell who wrote what. I fill out the surveys and never leave comments unless positive.
Don’t feel guilty.
I hear you on the AI point. Idk if it’s worth the hype. My firm recently had a litigation-focused training session for our AI; I was really looking forward to learning about how it could help me. When they asked for use cases, they shot down pretty much all of them. Spent more time telling people how NOT to use it then how to use it.
None of these are bad. As management, I hear this everyday and no one is wrong. They’re actually fact based statements (inflation and no promotion pathway). Unless you’re in a truly toxic workplace this is all standard and no one will blink twice.
Checking in again on Germany:
DH wants me to get reccomendation on specific Christmas markets in Bitte.
Ideas?
I don’t have a specific recommendation since I haven’t been. But I’d start by getting a list of markets, and then looking online for photos of past years to get a sense of them. (Sometimes I have good luck with flickr but any image search is worth trying.)
You may not be getting responses because that doesn’t seem to be the name of any place in Germany.
I noticed that too. Figured we just had some AI on the loose.
oops- thank you for pointing that out!
it is Bitte area/neighborhood within Berlin.
You mean Mitte? Central Berlin?
Arrgh, too much coffee today!
Do you mean Mitte? Bitte is German for “please” but I don’t think it’s a neighbourhood.
This one is pretty well regarded, but you need to get tickets
https://www.weihnachtsmarkt-berlin.de/en/
This one is not strictly Mitte, but it’s close enough, and very cute https://share.google/qi8xyIJLRrrrMD5mH
some links in mod. Btw Mitte means middle in German- it’s simply the center of Berlin.
OP, I used to live in Germany and, like others, have never heard of and could not find a town called Bitte. Could you mean Bitburg, home of the famous beer? They do have a Christmas market (Weihnachtsmarkt in German). Also, Bitburg is not far from Trier, the oldest city in Germany, which has a market of its own. Hope this helps.
Lol
Help me with my indecision!
We’ve been in our house for 15 years and plan to get our main living area repainted soon, as we’re noticing some general wear and tear. I am torn on whether to change the color. I really like our main color, but it has always been darker than I initially anticipated, and sometimes I wish we had more brightness. If I want to lighten things up, now would be the time. If I wanted to stay in the same color family, I could “move up” one level on the paint chip and would probably be happy with it. But, maybe it’s time for a new look entirely? What are your favorites these days? A warm white is appealing, but picking out whites is HARD.
The fireplace wall has an accent color (SW Riverway, which I still like.) I think it adds some good contrast and interest to the room, but I will admit that it somewhat limits decor choices (though it’s neutral enough that many colors look good with it.) I don’t totally get the hate for accent walls when they make sense, but maybe it’s time to move on.
I love setting plaster by farrow and ball. It’s a warm pinky beige that everyone looks good in. It also plays well with other rooms. All over the design instagram now if you need inspiration.
Lots of photos and comparisons of different whites:
https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/best-white-gray-neutral-paint-colors
If you still like your fireplace wall, keep it! Don’t let strong voices on the internet change how you live and enjoy your own home. They aren’t ever going to see it; you aren’t going to be putting pictures out onto the internet for people to weigh in on. It’s your space!
whites look so different in different lighting.
We chose Benjamin Moore Cotton Balls and it’s been great – looks so good and slightly warm in rooms with both strong sunlight and dark corners. Check out the blog Laurel Bern Interiors for advice.
Are Parke sweatshirts big with middle school, high school, or college age girls? I’m seeing a lot of them around my town, but I live near a middle school and high school and university. I have a niece who I’d buy one for if they’re trendy for her age group.
They are a hyper-specific trend in certain places and social groups. On any given day at least 50% of the female students at the college where I work are wearing Parke sweatshirts. I asked my daughter if she wanted one, and she said she would never live it down if she showed up on her college campus in one.
This is super helpful information. Thank you! My niece is in college but not the one that’s in my town. I was thinking I could buy one as a surprise for her because it costs more than she would ever spend on a sweatshirt, but I will ask before buying.
I’m considering planning a trip to St. George, Utah as a base for a fun, family-friendly desert trip. We’d fly from SF to Las Vegas, drive from there, and ideally hit up some state parks too (such as Valley of Fire, which I’ve heard great things about). Any thoughts on lodging and destinations for a family of 3 that is outdoorsy, but within reason (our son will be 2.5 by when we would go, which would be spring 2027). We’d like to hike, swim, and trade off mountain biking. Would especially appreciate lodging recs.
Valley of Fire is amazing! We went on a whim a few years ago, and were totally blown away. I highly recommend it!
I’ve spent a lot of time in that part of the world, but mostly free dispersed camping sites.
What sort of lodging are you looking for? Because you can get anything from “fire pit and parking in the middle of the desert for free” to luxury resorts.
As for activities, Snow Canyon state park is a really fun one with good variety (Jenny’s canyon is a family-friendly slot canyon hike, super easy and accessible if the weather is good, plus the lava tubes are fun). Zion is annoyingly crowded, so only go if you get permits for something good. There are some fun rock art sites out west of St George that you can wander around and don’t take all day, and are in the neighborhood of some good biking trails. If you want to swim in a lake instead of a pool, Quail Creek state park would be my vote.
I went to Valley of Fire as a day trip from Vegas and really loved it. I’ll just caution you about the weather – I know you can google, but the heat and water requirements are not to be underestimated. If by spring you mean May or June (or even April TBH), you’ll need to be planning early morning hikes only.
Recommendations on things to do in Charleston SC when it’s rainy?
Eat. Tons of wonderful restaurants.
I didn’t love the Charleston Museum, but I’d still go again because I’m a museum person and it was good enough.
Agree with eat. The Old Slave Mart Museum is worth a visit.
also depends what climate you’re coming from, but the south never gets that cold so as a Midwesterner it didn’t feel like rain prevented us being outdoors. But YMMV.
Charleston SC – Recommendations on things to do when it’s raining?
Help. I grew up in a poor, abusive home, but left and am doing very well actually. I finally told my last childhood friend that I can’t listen to her talk about certain subjects anymore because it unfortunately puts me in a bad place. For example, she was calling me and keeping me on the phone for five hours reliving all the ways her mother abused her (been there & recovered—don’t need the trip down memory lane). Of course, I put it kindly and made it about my own limitations but I haven’t heard from her since and she’s unfriended me on social media.
Here’s what I need your help with. I’ve always attracted this type of person, but finally I’m free from them. I think it’s needed for my own mental health. Now something’s missing! I’m filling in the gap by reading poverty finance posts and such on Reddit and anything about housing insecurity particularly draws me in … I’m obsessed with this nonsense! I also try to find someone in my life to worry about. I feel I should be enjoying my life! Instead I’m looking for suffering and worry and wanting to help others. How do I turn my thoughts to myself for a change and the things I can enjoy from my comfortable, secure position in life these days? Any tips for spending time more productively than worrying about others? Tips for refocusing my attention in the moment? Where do you find joy? Please don’t tell me I need to do more for others as it’s my fatal flaw lol.