Splurge Monday’s Workwear Report: Sunbury Wool-Blend Bouclé Jacket
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Our daily workwear reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices.
Hello, gorgeous! This bouclé jacket from The Fold looks like something I’m going to want to wear every day this winter. The ivory color is beautiful, the shape is a classic, and the texture is perfect for getting cozy on a cold day.
While I would love to see this paired with the coordinating skirt or top, my inclination would probably be to wear it with black or chocolate trousers for something a little more subdued (and less likely to stain).
The blazer is $595 at The Fold and comes in U.S. sizes 2-16.
Sales of note for 10/9:
- Ann Taylor – Extra 50% off sale, and $50 off dresses, jackets and shoes
- J.Crew – Friends & Family Event, 30% off for loyalty members
- J.Crew Factory – 50% off all stores and sitewide
- M.M.LaFleur – Fall Refresh Event, up to 25% off (Try code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off on other items)
- Nordstrom – 15 points per dollar on beauty and 6400+ new markdowns (also, weirdly, they have the Fall 2026 Chanel collection, which I feel like is a first for them, but it's like a catalog for you to call for an appointment… very strange)
- Nordstrom Rack – Extra 40% off select clearance
- Old Navy – 40% off everything. The Old Navy x Altuzarra collab is in! All sizes (up to 4X!) of the blazer in the collab is still available.
- Talbots – All markdowns 50% off two or more, or 40% off one.
- Theory – End of season sale is on with extra savings (new prices are marked).
i had posted last week about a bag with a strap to wear to evening events. i ordered this and it came yesterday. it’s a little smaller than i wanted but price was right, quality was decent, and it suits the bill..
https://www.quince.com/women/women-s-quilted-leather-wallet-on-a-chain-crossbody?color=black%2Fgold&gender=women
It looks perfect for a night out!
For any UNC grads, are you following the Faith Hedgepeth murder trial? It makes me so sad to read about but I am glad that they finally caught the guy.
Not a UNC grad but another local university and yes, chilling.
What is good no-line shape wear with a high no-roll waist? I just need need smoothing vs tight constriction.
thigh society cooling shorts. don’t compress but smooth and no line and they don’t roll.
I have a few Thigh Society shorts and they don’t really provide any smoothing in the tummy area. I like them for chafing prevention, though.
Are people still wearing pre-COVID OG MMLF dresses? I didn’t wear last year due to size fluctuations and just took out of the bin and a few fit (some are in the donate pile as just not working for my current shape though). I feel like I wore soft pants for the past 18 months but want a change. Back to these?
Yes, they’re beautiful. If they fit you and fit the occasion then why not? Use what you have!
Depends on the style. I just pulled out an Etsuko the other day. Feels pretty timeless to me. Sleeveless sheath? No.
My opinion is the opposite. The sleeveless sheath dresses are timeless. I swapped out my fitted collarless jardigan for a slightly looser one with a collar and still feel current enough in the dresses, especially the later ones with longer hems. The Etsuko is so recognizable that it’s automatically dated.
Are the the Etsuko hater from a few weeks ago? It is not dated. It’s a perfectly good dress. Stop making other readers feel insecure about very serviceable dresses in their closet.
Honestly people like you are the problem and are keeping insecure people in a perpetual (and unnecessary) buying loop.
I do sometimes. They’re not my everyday level of formality at my office, but more for conferences or client-facing days. Some styles feel a bit more casual/modern to me, but I’m terrible at their names. Think: wrap-front and midi styles
Some of them, particularly the ones with straight skirts hitting just above the knee, look dated to me. That said, they still look professional, and I am guessing the cut will come back into style before too long. Wear them if you like them.
I think I like a plain solid dress as something I can throw a blazer on over top of. It’s a harder thing to find than I would have thought. So much is rufflepuff now.
I have some Etsukos that I still wear on occasion! A lot of the others have been hanging in the closet because they are just too formal for my life these days.
When you get offered a new job that does PTO bands based on tenure with the company (1-3 years gets two weeks, 4-6 three, etc.), do you expect the company to match the seniority you had at your old job? I’m almost 40 and not going back to two weeks of PTO but the interviewer seemed to be hedging on whether that was possible. I’m prepared to walk away but curious what others have successfully negotiated.
yes. 100% this is something you negotiate before you take a job.
absolutely would not take a job with two weeks vacation at this point in my life. if they can’t guarantee it that would be a big hard pass.
2 weeks combined PTO, not just vacation. Way worse.
Absolutely yes, I would demand a match.
Yes, and my company expressly advertises that they do this. Anyone who is not very junior gets higher amounts of PTO from the go, and it is a very easily negotiable item if that is still too low.
FWIW, I am a middle manager and get 7 weeks of PTO each year. Being asked to accept 2 weeks would be an insult.
Yes it’s pretty standard to negotiate a seniority match, I’ve done it a few times.
reading these responses, very much wishing I’d known this was negotiable
It’s not something I’ve ever been offered, although I’ve never pushed for it
Thanks all. I don’t have the offer yet but I’m near-certain it’s coming. The interviewer made it clear that the offer would detail the PTO at the new hire level (which is in fact 2 weeks total) and made some vague noises about “discussing it at that time” in a way that suggested to me that it will be an uphill battle to negotiate for more. I’m somewhat concerned they’ll try to appear magnanimous and give me 3 weeks (instead of the 6 I have at my current job) but as I said, I’m willing to walk away. Nothing is more important to me than sufficient PTO.
Definitely walk away if they’re being pedantic about tenure. It’s an indicator of how this company treats its employees in all regards. That means they’re the type of employer who barely keeps your salary in line with inflation, provides minimal schedule flexibility, avoids providing benefits whenever they can get away with it…
I don’t know what the heck is going on in the level above me, but they are wildly shifting directions on a project from week to week, and then it’s on me to actually execute. I am frustrated, my team is frustrated, and I’m caught in the middle. Any pushback, even if it’s gentle, is not landing well with my boss. It’s pretty clear that I need to shut up and just do it, no matter how misguided. I am having some very strong internal reactions to this situation, and I fear that it’s coming out in weird ways even though I’m trying not to let it get to me. I just don’t do well when I feel like I’ve been set up to fail, you know?
I’m struggling with motivation to work out, really to move my body at all. My busy season at work this spring led to a busy year. I have an in-person job with a fairly lengthy driving commute, I sit at my desk, I eat in my car or at my desk, and I go home and basically fall straight into bed. I don’t think I’m depressed – a lot of this is time, but I recognize at this point I do have/could carve out time and I just don’t want to. I’m almost 40 and know it’s better for me long-term to workout. What motivated you to get into a working out streak even in busy periods?
At this point in my life, I work out for the mental benefits as much or more than the physical. But also, when you’re sitting this much, you do start to feel really blah. Or at least I do. During busy periods, the one thing that motivates me is knowing that I’m carving out a tiny bit of time just for myself that bosses, spouses, kids, etc. can’t take from me.
Worsening back pain and clothes that stopped fitting have been the best motivators for me to actually get up early and go work out.
Do whatever you find fun. Do you like the energy of a dance class? The peacefulness and difficulty of a trail run? Pick whatever makes you at least somewhat excited to try and make that your focus. For me, mountain biking is the way.
Can you walk at work at all? I worked at a university for a few years so I would take a stroll across campus for the real Cuban coffee even though the Starbucks was next to my office. Getting outside was nice.
Are you someone who would be motivated by a pedometer or smart watch that lets you track your steps? (Apparently I am, and I don’t mind if it’s silly if it gets me to try to hit my targets from day to day.)
Does working out give you more energy, or sap the energy you have? If I were falling into bed at baseline, didn’t feel depressed, and working out wasn’t helping, I would follow up with a doctor to make sure I wasn’t missing something common and treatable that has fatigue as a symptom.
If you are of Tamagachi age, Garmin has a “Save the Kitties” watch face that gives you additional cats for moving. I find it much more motivating than closing rings.
Here is a light request for recommendations! I love buying Advent calendars for my young adult daughters and have already procured beauty-related ones for 2026. This year, there is a fiance and a long-term boyfriend, and I’d like to include them in the tradition. Does anyone have suggestions for cool Advent calendars for young men?
Palais de The has a lovely calendar if they ever drink tea.
I get my husband a coffee advent calendar every year and he loves it.
The Lego advent calendar is surprisingly popular with guys of all ages.
Walker shortbread?
If they’re craft beer drinkers there are some great ones – we’ve done the 12 Beers of Christmas for a few years. I’ve also eyed the Bokksu Japanese snack advent calendar, which is a little spendy but seems very fun.
Real question: How do you use your PTO without falling behind on your work? I am a hoarder of PTO, to the point where I’m going to lose it if I don’t use it. A good problem to have. Without fail, though, taking time off just leads to me feeling more behind. So I keep pushing through, and keep feeling burned out. It’s ridiculous.
You become satisfied with doing less. Get comfortable with saying no whenever you can or with dropping balls to the extent that you can without losing your job. I’ve been surprised at just how much I can downgrade my performance (post baby) and still be considered one of the top performers at my job. I thought I needed to be putting in 95% effort but they’re satisfied with 50%.
+1
And remember that most people’s 100% is your 50%.
Talk to your manager about coverage while you’re out or about reprioritizing deadlines.
This depends on your team, but sometimes it’s easier to take last minute PTO. When there’s a lull I ask my supervisor if I can take Friday off.
When I book PTO in advance I avoid scheduling anything critical leading up to or right after my days off. If something comes up beforehand I delegate the entire task when possible, instead of handing off half finished work to someone else.
I find it helps to take it in smaller increments, like a Friday here a Monday there, or a long weekend.
If a company can’t function without you, that is their failure and not yours. Take the vacation.
You’re right, but in reality, it means a pile of catch up work upon returning.
Which is annoying, to be sure, but the work will always be there, either in real-time or in catch-up. Take the vacation. Otherwise you’ll have worked the same amount but never gotten a break.
Delegate and if you can’t, push back on deadlines to your manager.
When I have “use or lose” I also like to take Fridays off or half days.
I get 20 days of vacation (separate sick) and travel a lot for work. The work travel often earns me comp time and obviously I can’t take off while traveling. Comp time expires within 1 year; sometimes this doesn’t align with my major travel. For example, last year I took my big vacation in March and this year I took it in July. Between March and July I earned a lot of comp time but didn’t have much reason to take time off
So, I took some summer Fridays. I left early afternoon some days (this just brings me such joy, I don’t know why). I went to a day MLB game. I went to the public pool when it was empty. I went to museums when they were empty.
I could not take more than 4 days total for my wedding when I was a public defender. It was awful.
I had to quit my job to do this.