Wednesday’s Workwear Report: PerfectFit Pants
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Our daily workwear reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices.
I have two pairs of these ponte pants from Spanx and they spend almost no time in my closet because they are immediately back on my body as soon as they’re washed. They’re comfortable, they fit well, and they’re easy to care for. I cannot say enough good things about them. If you’re not looking for a ton of compression, I would suggest sizing up for a more comfortable fit.
The pants are $158 at Spanx (and Nordstrom!) and come in sizes XS-3X and in petite (28”), regular (30.5”) and tall (32.5”) inseams.
Sales of note for 10/12
- Ann Taylor – Flash Sale: 40% off full-price purchase + 60% off sale styles
- J.Crew – Friends & Family Event, 30% off for loyalty members (ends 10/12)
- J.Crew Factory – 50% off at stores and sitewide, 20% off $150+
- Lo & Sons – Fall Sale: Up to 40% off
- M.M.LaFleur – Fall Refresh Event, up to 25% off (Try code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off on other items)
- Nordstrom – 6,200+ new markdowns for women (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 25% off select denim (ends 10/12) + up to 50% off DV by Dolce Vita and more
- Old Navy – 40% off everything (ends 10/12). Also, the Old Navy x Altuzarra collab is here! All sizes (up to 4X!) of the blazer in the collab is still available.
- Talbots – Friends & Family Event: 30% off your entire purchase
- Theory – End of season sale is on with extra savings (new prices are marked)
What would you do – my mother in law (who I would classify as ‘lovely but oblivious’) gifted me a set of china which was hand painted by her grandmother. So this lady and her girlfriends decided to take miscellaneous china and make a set by hand painting all of it.
Lovely, right? Except… I don’t think this stuff is safe to eat off of. It’s definitely lead paint. I’m currently utilizing it for non-food things or using like a serving platter with a napkin on top for things like rolls, etc… but… does anyone have other ideas as to what I could do with this? I do have other family members I’d like to spread this out to but nobody wants a non food safe set of china to sit in their basement.
I would prefer not to destroy it to make like mosaic stepping stones, but I keep thinking like picture frames or similar?
Can you hang one or two on the wall with one of those plate hangers?
+1
And if you need the reminder: you do not need to keep the entirety of an arts and crafts project that women you’ve never met had created to pass time. It’s ok to let it go. Your mil let it go. She just gifted it to you to eliminate any guilty feelings she might have had in doing so.
I’d keep a plate or two and offer up the rest to anyone who wants it and then throw out what’s left. I really don’t like the idea of non food safe china cluttering up anyone’s cabinets.
This. My in-laws are forever dumping family antiques on us as they downsize, mainly to avoid feeling bad about getting rid of the stuff. For years two of our home’s four bedrooms were crammed with hand-me-down furniture that didn’t meet our needs for those spaces. It took two full years of being stuck with dual WFH during the pandemic for my husband to admit that we needed to trade in the useless furniture for two functional home offices.
This is a great recommendation.
Does your partner care about keeping/displaying it (assuming it’s their mother’s/family’s heirloom)? I’d let them take the lead on what do to with it.
He doesn’t feel like it’s causing a problem the way we have it now – mostly in a box but me using a lot of it decoratively. (he’s not wrong…)
So here’s what I’ve done—accepted that all old China is unsafe to eat off of, eat off of it anyway one day a year, and then keep a few serving pieces out to use like you do—rolls or cookies.
Or you can just keep a nice serving plate out, put the rest in the attic, and toss once she passes. No need to destroy it in her lifetime.
You have one or more boxes of sentimental, decorative-only items. You can keep them, throw them away, or give them away/sell them (clearly labeled as not food safe). If you want to keep them, you can store them, use them in a non-food way, or display them.
Personally, I’d offer items to other family members and split up the set. If they didn’t want them, I’d display one or two items and leave the rest in a box in my basement until I could throw them away without MIL being deeply offended.
Solidarity. I have an aunt who LOVES to pass down vintage items that contain lead. Some of them are gorgeous but we just can’t use them with a toddler.
Have you tested to confirm it contains lead?
Not the OP but our health department advises us to assume that vintage items contain lead unless you are absolutely sure otherwise. The risk is greater with certain colors, too – a red enamel has much more lead than a white one.
I’ve had testing run on a number of items and was shocked by the ones that did *not* contain lead! Not so surprised by the others that did. Worth a double-check.
What lead testing kits do you use? I’d love to get one and just bulldoze what fails. No point giving it away. Just gone from being anyone else’s problem.
Serious question, don’t jump on me for it. Do you really refuse to eat off it ever if it tests positive for lead? We eat off the old china that is sentimental once or twice a year. I had always heard that you shouldn’t use it every day but a tea party once or twice a year really is not that big a deal.
I use some dishes like this for holding towels on the counter, as catch-all dishes on the dresser, and with a napkin inside as fruit bowls for seasonal produce (currently, apples, pears, and sweet potatoes).
Lead testing kits are pretty inexpensive. You can easily know for sure. if you have larger dinner plates you could consider using them as chargers for smaller plates. (I.e. eat off the ivory plates but have the trim visible on the plate underneath). You can also use smaller pieces as catch-alls for jewelry if you put some soft velvet in the bottom (a sugar bowl might work well for this)
+1 to these suggestions.
You know, somehow adding a velvet or upholstered bit hadn’t occurred to me… I could very easily combine this with the plate hanger idea above and use the plates as earring holders. Thank you!
Somehow I was stuck on turning these into picture frames… but I don’t know how.
I would box it up and stash it in the garage and the next time I moved it would get lost.
where do you get halloween costumes that are not a-zon, t-get, or spirit? Maybe slightly better quality, although I really just want something that’s not going to break as soon as we open it. Elementary age kids.
A little pricier, but we have some dress up (that will be repurposed as Halloween costumes) from Little Pretenders and I’m very happy with the quality!
For little kids, Little Pretenders is fantastic. The other idea – may be too late to order now – is etsy. I have no sewing skills but so many people do and are willing to make you a lovely costume!
A dance supply store might have something. There’s one in my area that also sells and rents costumes.
I’ve just learned to sew and make them. Everything is such trash quality.
Little Adventures
I have gotten a lot of costumes second hand via the parents list serv in my area or from friends/neighbors. So many people have old ones they are happy to off-load. You could check FB marketplace, local FB groups, Buy Nothing or thrift stores. Or just ask your local friends with kids.
Costco
I want to eat more oatmeal for breakfast for health reasons but I can’t help but feel like a horse chomping away at its grains. The texture is just kind of gross to me. For any oatmeal fans, how do you prepare them?
Have you tried overnight oats? Baked oats?
It’s not that healthy so you don’t need to force yourself to have it! It’s not *unhealthy* but it’s not a miraculous superfood you really need to get into either.
Ditto. I tried to force this in my early 30s and…bleh. It’s not the superfood people hype it up to be and also gross. This morning I had leftover chicken, squash, and potatoes with gravy—my own version of superfoods.
Exactly. If you want more whole grains but prefer crunchy over gloopy, make or buy a good whole grain bread and have toast with whatever toppings you prefer.
Fair enough. I just need a quick breakfast as I’m just trying to eat healthier and if left to my own devices I would have a croissant for breakfast every morning. My cholesterol was also a touch high when I last got bloodwork done.
Baked oatmeal cups are easy and delicious! How Sweet Eats has some good recipes.
In just ate whole wheat toast with peanut butter and banana slices. It was delicious!
I had this – I switched to flax meal and berries with some high protein greek yogurt. It requires 0 brainpower. I even just let myself by the packaged single serve greek yogurts because then it was no brainpower to eat.
FWIW, my cholesterol dropped by 30+ points.
Cheerios with blueberries?
I like oatmeal, but wouldn’t suggest forcing yourself to eat it if it gives you the ick.
Yeah, this is where I fall too. I actually like oatmeal, so I eat it from time to time, but if you don’t like it, just find something else! It isn’t a miracle food that will solve all your health issues.
I really prefer the texture of steel cut oats (that are small chunks, kind of like grits) to the flat, rolled kind.
Same. And you can make a big batch and heat up individual servings in the microwave.
Have you tried baked oats? Personally I do a banana bread baked oat situation. I blend bananas, soft tofu, and non dairy milk as the liquid, add salt, cinnamon and vanilla for flavor, some sort of nut for crunch, and either sugar or maple syrup for sweetness, then bake in the oven. It gives a denser more loaf like texture, and can be prepared in a big batch just scooping out individual portions. The tofu provides protein and makes it super creamy.
I have been thinking about ways to make my baked oats higher in protein, and never considered blending some soft tofu in there, that is a great idea! Thank you!
A pinch of salt is absolutely key. Otherwise, it is just mushy ick.
With brown sugar and cream which makes it… less healthy, but more tasty!
I cook steel-cut oats in the rice cooker with milk (my rice cooker has a special setting for steel-cut oats). You can make a batch, refrigerate, and reheat portions in the microwave as needed. Add a little more milk when reheating and stir afterwards. I top it with a little brown sugar, berries, chopped toasted pecans, and a splash of half and half.
Probably not what your asking, but… I don’t like oatmeal so I just do granola instead. After all, it still has oats
I also dislike the texture of oatmeal, but I like a nice crispy oat-based granola.
Granola is a great idea, I do love granola.
I can’t handle the consistency of regular oatmeal as normally prepared for breakfast. I do like baked oatmeal, so you could look for some recipes for that. As a bonus, it’s quicker and more portable than a bowl of oatmeal. Sally’s Baking Addiction has some good recipes. You can also search for oatmeal breakfast bar recipes.
The other option is this recipe which makes a non-gloopy version of oatmeal: https://fountainavenuekitchen.com/mush-free-oatmeal-chewy-granola/.
Thank you, I love Sally!
Sally’s baked oatmeal recipe is legit. So are the baked oatmeal cups. I’m not a huge oatmeal fan, but I like these options.
I change the texture and lean into the savory of it all. I find irish quick oats texture is better and then I add stuff to it to make it less mushy – everything bagel seasoning is good, some diced avocado and feta with some herbs and sriracha, crunchy peanut butter mixed in, or a fried egg all work.
I used to despise the texture to the point where I couldn’t eat it but eventually learned to like it (almost). I get a flavor I really like and make sure it has other stuff in it that provides some kind of crunch or good texture. Like raison/walnut/date. And then dump even more raisons into it. Experiment with how thick you like it. I like oatmeal with less water. My partner likes much more water which makes me want to gag.
The misspelling of raisin is very QC coded.
Bob’s Red Mill thick rolled oats. The thick ones don’t have that wallpaper paste texture. Steel cut oats also have a non-paste texture.
I ate Bob’s oats this morning :(
I love it: I boil milk with a pinch of cinnamon, then add the oats, and—after cooking them—I add banana, plum, apple, baked apple…
Anyone still rocking a No2 pencil or The Skirt or Memo dress these days?
There were a few young women in their 20s at my firm retreat wearing pencil skirts with tucked in silk blouses. They looked great!
With what shoes though? I’m not sure I’d get that right.
No, and it’s interesting because I have been reading how pencil skirts are back and very in (or about to be) but it still doesn’t quite feel right to me? But I think the “now” version is at knee or slightly longer (or way shorter), so not sure my old pencil skirts/skirt suits would really translate anyway.
If the skirt is longer, then they need to have a slit that I can actually walk in at city walking speed. I can’t be mincing around like Peg Bundy.
A dear family member just had a huge car accident totaling their old and trusty Toyota Rav4. Fortunately, they are fine! Car needs to be junked though. They’re close to retirement and want something solid and dependable, that won’t require a ton of maintenance, will go the distance in retirement and not need to be replaced anytime soon, and priced at around $40K or less. What cars fit the bill? Trying to help with the search but not sure where to start.
Rav4/CRV/etc. Adjust trim levels and new vs used to fit the budget.
My parents are in love with their new Subaru
Another Rav4. This one did its job admirably by protecting them; why change it up? They can get a brand new one in that price range.
Explain to me how my same-height XS teen daughter can steal my M outfits and look awesome or charming in them but on me, if anything is slightly too big or not tailored above the waist, it’s not cute or “cute in an oversized charming way” but just ill-fitting and makes me look large / blockish / not good?
Because thin people look great in everything. So do the youth. I’m neither but this isn’t hard.
+1. Baggy just looks frumpy and tragic on my middle-age body.
Perhaps it’s a confidence issue and you actually look great. Also please don’t compare yourself to your daughter as if she’s your competitor. You can both look great in your own ways, and it’s wonderful that she’s a beautiful young woman coming into her own!
It needs to be large enough to actually be baggy. And balanced with something tight fitting, showing a little skin (even forearms can be enough).