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Splurge Monday’s TPS Report: Zip-Front Perforated Peplum Jacket

Akris Punto Zip-Front Perforated Peplum Jacket | CorporetteOur daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. I'm not a beige girl, but I LOVE this cool perforated peplum blazer from Akris Punto — so lovely. It looks cool (both physically and in vibe), rich, and on trend. It's $1590, alas (at which point, hey, just spend the extra $390 to get the matching skirt and you have a suit!). Akris Punto Zip-Front Perforated Peplum Jacket Here's a (much) lower-priced version and a plus-size option. Seen a great piece you'd like to recommend? Please e-mail tps@corporette.com. (L-4)

Sales of note for 12.5

And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!

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128 Comments

  1. This has to be the weirdest suit pick ever! Plus, this colour would wash me out completely. I have Freida Pinto’s colouring.

      2. Blonde and African-American women. They both look way better in cream colored clothing than this olive-skinned brunette. Think Olivia Pope.

        2. I think only cool blondes. I’m pinky pale white blonde, and beige makes me look dead.

          1. Chiming in as another fair blonde with pink undertones who looks completely washed out and dreadful in white/cream.

  3. How do you learn to want less stuff/material goods/anything otherwise superficial? I’ve started with trying to be grateful/appreciative of what I have, which I could also use some advice about.

    1. Figure out what hole the ‘stuff’ is filling in your life and try to fix it via therapy and personal reflection.

    2. Yay! Pricey Monday’s! I love Pricey Monday’s but this one is out of my “pay Grade” — an expresion that is used alot in DC!

      As to the OP, yes, you are on track. Alway’s be gratful for what you have, and look at each thing you do have as something more then some poor schlub in Africa or Asia, where mereley haveing clotheing and food is NOT a given. This is why I take out all of my clotheing 4x a year, look at all item’s and donate everything I have NOT worn at least 2x to NY Care’s and Goodwill. I am VERY happy that other’s can use what I do NOT use. There is some part of me that says “just dont buy stuff in the first place”, but then I would NOT be abel to donate that stuff to NY Care’s and Goodwill.

      Dad want’s me to be more fruegel then I am, but what is the point in workeing then? I do NOT have a husband to give stuff to and I do NOT have children to take care of, except I DO baby sit for Rosa’s kid’s, who are getting bigger every day!!! YAY b/c they realy like their Aunt Ellen and can’t wait for me to visit Chapaqa b/c I ALWAYS bring gift’s and muffin’s from NYC to them and they are NOT spoiled by ED or Rosa like I spoil them. Even my Dad think’s I am to generus to the kid’s, but I disagree. FOOEY b/c I love to be generus!

      Once I find a HUSBAND who will MARRY me, I mabye will stop spoileing Rosa’s kid’s, but for now, they are alot of fun for me. I hope to have my own kid’s VERY soon, b/c Grandma Leyeh and Grandma Trudy have about given up on me getting married. Both have told me within the last 3 month’s that I am losing my youth and freshness, and that men will NOT want to reproduce with me the way they have been for the last 10 year’s. I told them they did NOT ever want to father children with me, just have sex. Evidenteley, neither Grandma Trudy nor Grandma Leyeh understand the difference, but they grew up BEFORE relieable birth control.

      I have to go to court with the Judge’s grand neice, then we are meeting him for lunch “in chamber’s”. I hope they have good food for the judge’s b/c the rest of the food in the state system is AWFUL! FOOEY! I will check back later after I submit my June billieng’s! YAY!!!!!

    3. Get rid of the non-necessary stuff. If you don’t use it or love it, put it in a toss pile. Once you’re done, seriously take a look at that pile. Think of all the time, money, and space was wasted to accumulate junk you don’t use or really like. Donate it all.

      All that will be left is stuff that is meaningful and loved.

      And yes, self reflection on what is missing that you feel the need to shop/buy is a huge help.

      1. Any thoughts for resetting the mind on what constitutes “necessary”? I don’t consider myself a materialistic person and am by no means a hoarder, but I have trouble giving up things I know are in perfectly good shape even if I don’t use/wear them routinely. For example, I like to bake but I don’t bake so often that I really need a bundt pan and a springform pan. But there’s nothing at all wrong with them, so I don’t want to get rid of them. Inevitably, I’ll want to make a cheesecake in 3 months.

        1. If you’d want to make a cheesecake in 3 months, then i would consider a springform pan to be necessary (at least in my view). I do agree with the above though – the amount of clothing that I’ve donated/consigned with the tags still on turns my stomach a little. Thinking about that pile helps me reconsider whether I really need something.

          1. Kitchen tools that are irreplaceable by other tools (ie you don’t need a panini press to make a grilled sandwich, but you do need a springform to make a cheesecake) don’t count in the “do I use this regularly?” question as long as you do use them a couple times a year. Except bread makers and kitchenaids. If you don’t use those at least twice a month, get rid of them.

            Also, if you need more excuses to use a springform, I made an amazing peach cobbler ice cream cake in a springform recently.

          2. I disagree about the kitchenaid. I only use mine a few times a year for holiday get togethers but then the stand mixer and food processor make my life so much easier, saving me hours in prep.

          4. Will you post the recipe for the peach cobbler ice cream cake? Sounds right up my alley.

        2. Is there someone in your life that would use it more frequently but that you can borrow back from? My sister and I have started giving my father the nicer pans 1-off pans (bundt, springform, etc) we got as wedding registry presents that we each use once a year, knowing that he’ll put them to use far more often, but that we can always borrow them back from him 1x a year. So then there are 2 matched springform pans in one kitchen, as opposed to 1 or 2 in each of our 3 kitchens.

          But I am a kitchen gadget junkie (and could become hoarder), and the amount of kitchen stuff I have will expand to take up the amount of cabinets/shelves I allot to that – so now that I’m full I have to say to myself “if I buy this thing, what other thing will I have to give up to give it a place to put away?”

          As far as the “wanting stuff!” goes – use either unsubscribe to email blasts for sales, use unroll.me to roll them up, or switch to a separate email address that you only scan every few weeks. Not getting a daily email from Land’s End, Target, NY and Co, etc definitely helps.

          Don’t save your credit card info in online shopping profiles – its easy enough to shop on my phone from my couch, but if I have to go actually get my credit card out of my wallet in my purse across the room, that usually gives me some time to say “wait, do I really need/want this? Or am I just shopping bored or with the gimmees?”

          Ordering multiple sizes (so that I HAVE to return in order to not wind up with duplicates) tends to make me evaluate whether I even want all 5 items I ordered in the first place. It’s easy to say “oh, I’ll just keep both the black and the gray jacket” and put them in my closet. But if I have to return 1 black and 1 gray in the wrong size anyway, I think harder about “do I want both gray and black? Will I wear them, or do I have a similar black one already?”

          For filling a “I want new things!” impulse, its amazing how well getting a giant pile of books from the library will fill that need. I might only read 1/4 of the stack, but it is fun to come home with a pile of new shiny things. Going into Goodwill with only a $20 bill in my pocket (and no credit cards) can work well too when I want something a little more specific (I need new pants!) but don’t want to go to crazy buying everything but the 1 thing I went in for.

          1. Ordering multiple sizes is brilliant. I’ve definitely kept things because they were “only” $X, even if it would be free to ship them back.

        3. I have the rule that if I do not use it in 6 months, in the pile it goes.

          If it magically comes up I need a bundt and I realize I gave mine away, then I post on Facebook asking if I can borrow one.

          This policy keeps me from holding on to unnecessary junk, both clothes and household items.

    4. Practice. Practice not buying stuff and build the habit. Practicing buying stuff is a very easy habit, practicing not buying stuff is harder but not impossible.

    5. When I want “stuff” usually I want something else- excitement, love, comfort, confidence etc. focusing on filling that need through other activities helps, and so does not shopping and understanding my budget.

        1. Gosh so many- for excitement pushing myself to go do something different on the weekend, for love calling a friend, for comfort reading, for confidence walking and baking. All the things that I love to do that aren’t acquiring things (which I also love but isn’t always a good choice for me).

          And cleaning! I’m very guilty of buying new clothes because I can’t find the old ones or buying a new vase instead of sorting the mail.

      2. This is exactly how I feel. When I’m about to mindlessly buy something, I ask myself what I really want in that moment- a connection with another person? productivity? a creative outlet? boredom cure? Usually buying something is a short cut to fill a gap.

    6. +1 to what everyone else said about figuring out the why. But…I’ll be honest, sometimes I just get the urge to shop. I like to shop, it’s fun, but I really can’t bring more stuff into my home. So, I’ll do a little charity shopping. I’ll call the local animal shelter and see what type of food they’re low on, hit the grocery store and donate food, etc.

      1. Love this idea…because I love shopping! And sometimes that’s the hole that is being filled. Wanting to shop.

      3. I do this for the food bank. I’m terrible about buying junk food when grocery shopping, and then feeling too guilty to eat it – but I love strolling the aisles picking what I’d want to eat if I were down on my luck and putting loads into the food bank donation point.

        1. On this note – spices. I have a friend that works for a food bank that specifically requests people donate spices, because it’s not something you usually think of.

          So, donate spices (even something as simple as salt and pepper) to your local food shelf.

          1. A huge problem in the UK is that people don’t have the resources to cook at all so unfortunately many people receiving food bank parcels need things which require minimal preparation. More important are sanitary towels and tampons which women in abusive relationships often can’t get.

    7. This. I’ve been on a mission to toss out the unnecessary stuff in my life and downsize, both for the sake of simplicity/ reducing hassle and to spend less money. I’ve gotten down to 500 sq ft and love it. Having less stuff has been incredibly freeing for me.

      But, I still have an oversized closet (ricidulous considering the size of my living space) filled with random clothes/shoes I don’t need. I love shopping and buying new clothes, and have a hard time deciding not to want/buy things. This is the biggest struggle of my downsizing.

      Yesterday, I almost bought a pair of sale Cole Haans in my fav color. I took a half hour to think over whether I really needed new heels and what purpose they’d serve, and managed not to buy. I still do love shopping and browsing, but try to buy only things that plug a “hole” in my wardrobe or would be really useful on a regular basis. I try to remind myself to feel better that I won’t be using valuable money and space for things only to donate next year. Rewiring thought processes is tough. Good luck!

    8. Just wanted to let you know that I’m in the same boat. I’m having an in-between year in lots of ways, and I’m learning that shopping is filling some kind of gap in my life and giving me a little post-purchase rush. It’s been an odd realization. I come home with things and immediately realize that I’d rather return them and save the money for something more meaningful.

      Until I kick the habit altogether, I think the buying for charity suggestion is a great one. I’ve also bought wedding gifts when I get the urge, and I’m wondering if buying fresh flowers might be a nice, less expensive way to get out and buy something while avoiding immediate buyer’s regret.

    9. Read the Marie Kondo book. If something brings you joy, keep it. Even if you only use that springform pan twice a year to make cheesecake, but making cheesecake twice a year brings you joy, keep it. If it just makes you feel guilty, get rid of it. I don’t think hard and fast rules about how often you use something make sense for most people. Lives change!

      I have a tendency to want things to be as minimalist as possible and to feel guilty about owning so much stuff. After reading the book (erm, three times) and following much of the method, I not only got rid of stuff but also learned to accept and like the stuff that I have and not feel guilty about having it. Not buying stuff has become infinitely easier. Just my experience.

      Good luck!

      1. I haven’t read the book, but have heard that her main “angle,” so to speak, is to focus on what you want to KEEP, because it makes you happy, instead of on the purge.

        This kind of lit a lightbulb in my head this weekend. I realized that I have so much stuff that the so-so is masking the “I love this!” stuff. I’m never going to be a minimalist, but I’m going to start taking a good hard look at all the stuff in my apartment and figure out how to minimize the so-so to make the loved more visible.

        The part about figuring out why shopping gives me pleasure and what hole it’s filling in my life – that’s a little more difficult. I think I need to socialize more, but that can be difficult because my friends are busy and I am busy and logistics get challenging in DC. But I should make more of an effort.

        I also have been keeping a list of everything I buy. I started just listing items, but recently added prices, too, and dang, I have been pouring it out.

        So I’m going to try to rein it in over the next couple of months. We shall see…

        1. Her “does it spark joy?” question makes me roll my eyes when she wants you to apply it to every single part of your house (there is no vacuum that will ever spark joy in me, and having a freshly vacuumed house doesn’t spark joy, just makes me feel like I’m not filthy), but for art, knick-knacks, clothes, books, and even makeup, it’s a really good phrase to keep in mind. I have five lipsticks I LOVE, because they look good on me, smell nice, and are in pretty packaging. At the drugstore last night, itching to buy something, I thought, “would I rather wear any of these new lipsticks or my Lipstick Queen Medieval?” And I suddenly felt satisfied with what I already owned.

          1. I rolled my eyes harder at her “remember to thank your handbag at the end of the day for a job well done” bit. But I like the book a lot overall.

    10. I chose 5 free things that bring me joy and keep them on a list. 1. My Dog’s kisses 2. Hot bubble bath after a long day 3. Being done working out 4. Finishing a book or project 5. Laughing with my friends

      Then, I was like hey none of these are really free…

      I also read this kinda crazy book and it was a little Jesus-y but it was called Living Well, Spending Less.

  4. Fashion advice, please!

    I’m attending a professional sporting event in a couple of weeks. The event will be mid-week, directly after work. Several of my colleagues in the same function (finance) but different departments will attend. We’re all around the same age (30ish), but I will be the only female aside from the HR manager. It’s an official work event, but just seats, no box.

    What on earth does a female professional wear to this?

    1. When I’ve had this, I’ve worn a basic black pants/shell/cardigan outfit.

      Once work is done, I take off the cardigan and throw on a jersey or a nice fitted tee.

    2. I wear business casual. I wouldn’t wear a jersey or some other obvious team thing unless you’re a huge fan.

      1. Agree with this – but it might be worth finding out what the other team’s colors are and NOT wearing that. You don’t necessarily have to wear your team’s colors, but you might stick out like a sore thumb (or get teased or even harassed by other fans at the stadium) if you wear the other team’s color.

      2. Same – assuming you’ll be outdoors (baseball?) I’d pick ankle length pants and either a lightweight button front or short-sleeved top. Flats or wedges. No team gear although bonus points if you try to wear/bring something that incorporates a team color (sadly for me, I’m in Philly and red looks atrocious on me – so I usually carry a red bag.)

        ETA – scope out where your seats are; you may want sunglasses and/or lighter colored clothing if you’re in the sunny seats.

    3. Is it outdoors (baseball?) or indoors (I’m clueless as to what sports are even in season?) If outdoors, keep that in mind so you don’t melt, especially if your seats are in the sunny section. Wear sunscreen so you aren’t burnt the next day, and take sunglasses.

      How dressy is your everyday office wear? Are men usually in suits, or khakis and polos or somewhere in between?

      Whatever you wear, make sure you can walk in your shoes up and down steep weird stairs – so I’d recommend flats or small wedges over pumps.

    5. My firm goes to a baseball game after work each year. I always wear a casual skirt or shorts because it is hot. If there’s someone you feel comfortable asking, it might be a good idea. At least at our event, someone in anything business-y would look very out of place.

    6. Thanks everyone! I was thinking of ankle pants/flats, too. There’s no female equivilent of khakis & a polo (well… I could wear that, but I refuse), so just wanted to check!

  5. I’m looking for soft and somewhat form -fitting basic tees. I’m also a very small person, so brands like Talbots that run large won’t work for me. Any suggestions?

    2. You can always go to the Juniors department, depending on your measurements. I’ve had a lot of luck buying the same things I did back when I was 15, — this is the positive side of not filling out like everyone else.

    4. I am a size 2p, and I like the basic tees at Target – v-neck and crewnecks (they run about $9 each, and are currently on sale for 2 for $14). They are a little long (or maybe I’m a little short). I get them in an XS, so if you are much smaller that might not work.

  6. I’m a biglaw litigator with about 10 years of experience, and I’ve found that lately I just don’t have the stomach for discovery-related shenanigans (e.g., Motions to Compel over silly things that should probably be dealt with through negotiation, or are merely attempts to get the other party to settle). I think some of it is experience — I know that no one wins in these type of scenarios, other than maybe the lawyers getting paid for their time — and some of is that I’m a relatively conflict-averse person who has managed to smother this instinct for awhile.

    For anyone who has moved in-house to a litigation supervision role, and had similar feelings, do you find that being in-house insulates you in some ways from these type of issues?

    1. I left a defense litigation position earlier this year to go in house in part because I was tired of petty squabbles. It was the perfect decision for me. Now I am insulated from all of that nonsense and can instead focus on the bigger picture. I am still doing the type of work I enjoy, and I have eliminated many of the things I disliked (constant conflict, billable hours, networking, constant deadlines). I absolutely love it, and my only regret is that I didn’t do this sooner.

      1. I’ll second all of this. I loved litigating overall, but I hated the petty back-and-forths with opposing counsel, and how one terrible opposing counsel (or partner) could easily ruin your weekend on a Friday afternoon. I’m in-house now, overseeing litigation and giving advice in my specific practice area, and my only regret is that I didn’t consider an in-house position sooner.

        I will say, so much of in-house happiness depends on what your GC is like. So, try to be as fully informed as possible.

        1. Another Big Law litigator here. I’m considering a move in-house, and I’m wondering if you felt like you gave up any aspects of litigating that you loved, such as having a key role at trial. I feel like going in-house means giving up on one of my talents, which is being good on my feet. It makes me sad, but on the other hand, I will no longer feel the pressure to network and chase after business, which I hate, and am not very good at. I’m very torn. Was it hard to let go of the dream of being a first chair trial attorney?

          I’m also concerned that there’s limited upward career trajectory in an in-house litigation role. There’s only 1 GC or VP of litigation per company, but there are many equity partners at a law firm.

          1. I never had dreams of being first chair, and I preferred doing all of the background legwork, so I didn’t feel like I was giving up anything. However, I think on my feet all the time. I constantly have people asking my advice, and I often do not have the luxury of telling them that I will get back to them later.

            Keep in mind that not all in house positions are created equal. Some positions require you to be more actively involved than others, and, as the client, you can decide that you want to want to question witnesses, etc. at trial.

            The amount of upward mobility depends on the size of the legal department. My company has around 15 lawyers, so there is a level of middle management, but some companies are much smaller.

          2. Sorry I’m a little late responding. I don’t feel like I’ve given that up, actually. I routinely meet with our C-suite executives to discuss compliance issues. They are very willing to pepper me with questions, create hypotheticals that I need to reason out, and making me explain the reasoning behind a lot of the regulations we’re discussing. The last Board meeting I presented at was 2 hours of constant questioning. It was more exhausting (and thrilling) than oral argument. All these interactions are in good nature – the execs are trying to fully understand the concepts that I’m advising on. So, I felt the same “thrill” as arguing in court, but I was on the same side as the people I was talking to. Best of both worlds.

            ETA: As for upward mobility, because I specialize in a certain aspect of law, I knew going in that I would probably never be a GC. But I’m comfortable being the expert in my subject, reporting to the GC. So that works for me.

    2. Thank you for all the helpful comments — it sounds like I’m not alone & that my instincts are right on this! Now everyone think good thoughts about my search…. :)

  7. I’d love to hear how you all accessorize. I am very minimalist in my jewelry. Daily, I wear my engagement and wedding rings and a Skagen watch. I have a pearl necklace that I wear occasionally. I have one pair of pearl earrings that I like, but rarely wear, because earrings really bother my ears. I want to add some necklaces and maybe earrings to my work wardrobe, but I just do not like costume jewelry. So – how do you add and budget for high-quality pieces? Any good source? My husband is not a jewelry person so I’m not getting anything for holidays, birthdays, etc.

    1. Also, follow up – what do you think of keeping jewelry at the office in a locked drawer? I have small kids and I just know they would destroy a necklace or my earlobes in short order.

      1. I wouldn’t do that. I keep a soft-cloth jewelry bag in my purse, as well as a ring box, so that I have somewhere to put my jewelry when I’m working out (purse is locked in a locker). You could do the same – put the day’s jewelry in your purse in the morning, and then put on/take off on your way to/from work.

      2. I’m not a fan of keeping valuables at work, both from a protection standpoint and also because I would need them on the weekend. My solution to small hands is to wear really sturdy pieces that I rarely take off. I’ve found that the huggies style earrings are comfortable enough to wear/sleep in and that my child didn’t really grab for them since they were close to my ears. I have a slide pendant necklace that our jeweler put on a really strong gold chain. It’s held up to many quick tugs.

      3. I wouldn’t worry too much about the kids. I have two small kids and tons of jewelry, and they have never destroyed anything. I even let them play with it (they know what is “off” limits). I would be more worried about it getting stolen at work than the kids ruining it.

    2. I have a set of ‘core’ pieces that I’m pretty faithful to on a daily basis. I always wear my watch (just switched from Michael Kors to Michelle), earrings (moissy, cz or hoops), and a moissy, cz or diamond necklace. I found that I really prefer pieces I can leave in for shower/sleep (so, studs, gold necklaces, etc) because then I’m good to go the next day. As for picking splurge pieces, I just make myself wait until I’m 100% sure I’m in love with the item. One of the few hoops that I wear regularly is from Amazon, it’s the two-tone duragold crossover earrings. I saw those earrings 4+ years ago, and every time I revisited them, I loved them. I finally took the plunge and got them on ebay for $120 ish, which is outright ridiculous, but I wear them all the time, they go with everything, and I still love them as much as when I first saw them. (FYI the lowest I’ve seen them go on Amazon is $160ish during a 30% off mother’s day promo). I also like to buy the CZ version of pieces I think I’ll like, so I have time to try out the style and see if it meshes well with my lifestyle.

    3. Etsy! Items are both ethical (jeweler sets their own wages and you know where stones and metals are sourced) and affordable (no middle men). I don’t wear fake jewelry so etsy is my go to for nice genuine pieces. Search by metal type/piece type/stone type. I’m pretty minimalist and a huge fan of moonstone. The flying fox arts is an amazing jeweler though her custom pieces can take 3 months to make

    4. Are you me?

      I have a good friend that I outsource all jewelry things to. I have a few pieces of real jewelry (pearls, giant pearls, and diamand rotate through them when I have a few minutes extra in the morning.

      Re the small people (been there): they can’t destroy diamonds. :) I didn’t wear necklaces for years though after a few pearl re-stringings.

    5. I wear the same necklace almost every day – the medium signature monogram pendant from K Kane. My brother got one for me and one for our mom (he went to business school with Katherine Kane) and I literally wear it 4-5 times a week or more. Link to follow…

    6. I usually wear the same simple necklace every day –it’s sentimental to me, but not expensive at all (it’s a small cross along with a circle pendant). I also wear my great-grandmother’s initials ring daily along with a watch. I switch out the necklace and ring sometimes with other pieces that I inherited from my grandmother/great-grandmothers.

      I’m not quite at a position where I can afford to add to my jewelry (and I only received my inherited pieces within the last year) but I am considering buying a nicer watch eventually.

      I look at Etsy for unique pieces.

    7. For work, I wear a Rado watch, wedding band, stud earrings that have some sort of visual interest to them (I like Alexis Bittar), and usually a necklace as well. I have several necklaces from independent jewelers that fall in the $100-300 range and are interesting but still appropriate for a formal workplace. I tend to think of the $100-300 price range as my sweet spot because the jewelry involves real metals/stones, interesting settings/arrangements, but isn’t so expensive that I’d need to insure it, or that I’d feel like I made a bad decision if I ended up not wearing it as often as I’d like.

      I tend not to subscribe to the “jewelry as an investment” approach simply because, for expensive jewelry, you can always find something that looks the same but costs less, and there are other things I’d like to spend that money on.

  8. I want to get really close friends a 10th wedding anniversary gift. But we don’t live nearby and they have young kids and don’t get out much at night because of child care, so a restaurant gift card doesn’t seem to work. Any suggestions?

    1. Flowers! I’m a huge fan. They keep a celebration going a few days, are a visual reminder of love, and don’t add clutter or obligation. Major bonus points if you can get them similar to their wedding flowers.

      1. . . . if they don’t have pets who might eat them. I had a very pricey emergency vet visit when my cat decided to nibble on wedding flowers.

    2. Maybe a basket from somewhere like Harry and David’s? We got one with a couple different snacks one time and my kids (and my husband and I) loved it! Someone sent us an edible arrangement once also and my kids thought it was really neat how the fruit was shaped like flowers. I would prefer a box of Harry and David pears, but it was still a nice thought and the kids liked it.

      1. A Harry and David’s or similar gift basket could provide materials for a date night at home after the kids are in bed.

        1. A restaurant gift card could also work this way if you confirmed they offered take-out (and it was a kind of food that traveled well).

      1. This seems risky – if they don’t go out much w/o kids perhaps they don’t want to or don’t trust strangers to watch their kids. Unless you know it is really a $$ issue, I’m not sure it can be solved by a care.com card.

  9. I have an interview with a recruiter for a temp to perm legal position at a firm that I really want to work for. What kinds of questions should I ask the recruiter about the temp to perm set up?

    Thanks!

    1. Find out if there is a time at which you will automatically become permanent, or if the permanent option is just something the firm can exercise at some point if it chooses. Obviously the firm has the option to not make you permanent either way, but sometimes the temp-to-perm is really a temp job with permanent dangled as a carrot by the recruiter but the firm never actually intends to give it to you.
      Is the permanent salary already negotiated, or will you have to do that at the time?
      Also ask about benefits during the temporary period.

    2. Who is employing you? Is this an independent contractor relationship or are you employed by the staffing agency? How does the firm view its temporary employees? Will you be treated like a regular employee for purposes of client communication and representation? If there are growth opportunities, will you get any credit for your temp. time if you go permanent.
      I was placed at a small firm through a staffing company (w-2 employee of staffing co, had some benefits through them). My name wasn’t on the letterhead, but I was treated like an associate for all other purposes and clients probably never knew the difference. Ultimately, I went to a permanent position in a later iteration of the firm. At a bigger firm, the same setup would have meant a distinct non-employee email address, little to no direct client communication/representation and significant restrictions on my job duties.

  10. I had a real life formal shorts sighting this weekend – at a Catholic wedding in Paris! I’m normally pretty mellow about dress codes but shorts + mass seemed a bit of an odd choice.

      1. Looking at the wedding photos, I think one was a part of a romper with a blazer over it.

        The other were blue, high-waist silky polyester. Both were worn with very high heels.

    2. I saw a girl a few months ago at Mass in a sort of off white with blue ticking stripe print shorts. I don’t know what the material was, but they looked like pajama shorts. I’m pretty laid back with clothing generally, but combined with her tank top and wet hair when it was maybe February, it just didn’t work for church.

        1. They definitely weren’t seersucker, but I’m not sure what they were. They reminded me of the “Vintage Ticking Stripe Sheets” from PB, so possibly just woven cotton.

          It’s in the high 60s here in February, but this was a 5pm service so it was cool and pitch black out by the time we got out at 6.

    3. This weekend, I saw women at a christening who had bright pink hair; one with five-inch high leopard-print platform stilettos; one in a leather bustier…. the list goes on.

      It was different.

  11. Interview question for ladies in academia -what are the dress code rules? I’m interviewing for an internship within the school, and from what I’ve seen, students and faculty both tend to wear super casual. Jeans, maybe a blazer on top. I feel like my beautiful go-to navy wool suit with white blouse and pearls will be startlingly formal.

    1. In my experience, in the summer it’s pretty casual, but the rest of the year it’s conservative.

      I wouldn’t think a suit would be out of place, but if it bothers you, maybe swap out the pants for gray or tan dress pants instead for a more relaxed but still dressed up vibe.

    2. Always dress up for the interview. A dress and blazer would be very appropriate for the academic world.

      I don’t think that anyone would bat an eye at a navy suit, though.

    3. I’m sure the navy suit would be fine, but maybe swap out the white blouse for something “fun” and lose the pearls?

      1. Mmmmm. That’s aggressively prim even for law. How about a mint green blouse and an interesting necklace? Or a pretty printed blouse?

          1. I realize it sounds formal, but I actually didn’t describe it well. The pearls are peach colored on a silver station necklace, and the shirt is a white pleated scoop neck fine cotton top. I’m partially dreading wearing a full wool suit in this heat, but was also wondering about appropriate formality. Thanks for the answers; I think I have a better gauge now!

    1. I swim. I never feel more beautiful than when I’m in water and the feeling carries over. And I wear navy because I think it is perfection.

    2. I wear clip-in hair extensions. I know a lot of people think they’re tacky or whatever, but I swear, i feel like such a glamazon with them in.

    3. I spend a couple hours dedicated just to me. That usually involves a good work out then a mani/pedi or blow out.

    6. I put on my favorite mascara and a red lipstain, a dress that makes me feel empowered and kickass, perhaps some pretty lingerie that’s just for me (I don’t need anyone to see it to know it looks good on me!), and go out dancing with girlfriends who always make me feel beautiful. I find that certain groups of friends have a really supportive, “we’re all beautiful and awesome” vibe, and I try to stick with them as much as possible.

    7. Putting on a pair of false eyelashes always makes me feel more confident and beautiful. That, and doing a FULL face of makeup and really spending the time to do a more dramatic eye look.

  13. Any suggestions for how to patiently wait for a (hopefully coming) job offer? Senior lateral attorney move. I’ve gone through the interview process and was told shortly thereafter that they wanted to make an offer. They then requested a starting range for salary negotiations and asked me to submit the conflicts information, which I did. 10 days have passed, haven’t heard back. The rational part of me knows that these things can take time and that silence doesn’t mean anything. If they need me, they know where to find me. The rational part is having a hard time keeping the panicky side in check since my time at my current firm has a looming stop date. I’m still looking at other options, but this one is by far the best fit and most promising for my type of practice. Advice, commiseration, welcome.

    1. Last time I was looking for work, I was a nervous wreck when there was a period of a couple of weeks with no contact. I found out later the hiring manager had an emergency appendectomy and was in the hospital for a week. It was a good reminder that often there are things going on that affect you as a job candidate but that you are not privy to. Deep breaths.

    2. Are you me? I’m exactly 10 days out from my last interview and I’m a nervous wreck. I’m trying my best to stay busy at work, but any downtime leaves me feeling pretty anxious.

      I keep reminding myself that even though this is all I want to think about, for the managing partner and admin at that firm, it’s one of many things they’re thinking about and dealing with. It’s strangely comforting to think that the delay isn’t lack of interest on their part, but the normal business that makes these types of things take longer than I’d like.

      1. Oh the downtime. So.much.downtime. I also try to remind myself that several of these days have been weekends.

    3. There’s nothing wrong with reaching out. The process for my current position took much longer than I (and my now boss) felt it should. I pinged him when a number of days had passed with no word and he would respond with something like “I have a memo in with the HR folks — waiting to hear back.” It totally released my anxiety. People aren’t likely to keep you updated on this stuff, but most are very happy to give you a status update (assuming you’re not asking every day, but I’d say 10 days without a word is long enough to merit a check-in).

  14. I’m visiting friends in East Hampton next month for a weekend. These are people who have everything, so I’m struggling with what to bring them as a hostess gift. Any ideas? I can go anywhere in NYC. Is Chelsea Market my best bet?

    1. I usually feel like wine or a gorgeous candle (or flowers) are good bets here – consumables. A box of fancy almond croissants? Fancy coffee?

  15. Is a charm bracelet (Pandora) appropriate to wear to work? Mine has a lot of sentimental value to me and I never take it off (except to shower and swim). I usually wear it with a watch and personally like how that looks.

  16. Has anyone ever done the “Orange Theory” workout? Any thoughts? Love, PHX

      1. What do you love about it? There’s one opening near me and I got a promotional email about it. I’d never heard of it. What’s it like?

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