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Splurge Monday’s TPS Report: Peacock Shirt with Tie

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Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. BASLER Peacock Shirt with TieI feel like I am seeing beautiful blouse after beautiful blouse this season — including this gorgeous peacock-themed one from BASLER. I love the vibrant teal and royal blue, mixed with the more muted brown and green, and I love the ombre effect — I think it would look stunning by itself, and very chic under a blazer or cardigan. I'm a bit . . . intrigued? . . . that a $350 blouse is made from polyester, but it is machine washable, so there you go. It's $350 at Bloomingdale's. BASLER Peacock Shirt with Tie Seen a great piece you'd like to recommend? Please e-mail tps@corporette.com. (L-2)

Sales of note for 3/15/25:

  • Nordstrom – Spring sale, up to 50% off
  • Ann Taylor – 40% off everything + free shipping
  • Banana Republic Factory – 40% off everything + extra 20% off
  • Eloquii – 50% off select styles + extra 50% off sale
  • J.Crew – Extra 30% off women's styles + spring break styles on sale
  • J.Crew Factory – 40% off everything + extra 20% off 3 styles + 50% off clearance
  • M.M.LaFleur – Friends and family sale, 20% off with code; use code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off
  • Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
  • Talbots – 40% off 1 item + 30% off everything else (includes markdowns, already 25% off)

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

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

341 Comments

  1. Dear Bluejay,

    Please start calling me in the morning to motivate me to go to the gym on Mondays.

    Sincerely,

    Jordan with a muffin top in all my work pants.

    1. Haha. If I were capable of getting out of bed before 8am, I’d surely do that. Want me to call you in the evenings?

  2. @ regular commenter Susan:

    Someone posted under your name over the weekend, and for the integrity of your handle and my archive I’d like you to review and let me know whether it was actually you. For quick access to the comment and some of the questions it raises, please see http://ellenwatch.blogspot.com/2012/10/luncheon-with-two-of-his-kronies.html. I greatly appreciate your help.

    do diliegeince,
    ELLENWatch

    PS. I welcome anyone’s feedback on my new logo. I was going to put it up in honor of my upcoming 20,000 pageviews milestone, but I just couldn’t wait. Two particular areas of interest are whether reader’s feel I need to add earrings and/or bangs. YAY!!!!

    1. ELLENWatch: I think your new logo is great. I would love to see Ellen post about a comment about her hairstyle and preferred jewelry.

    3. That “Susan” who posted over the weekend was definitely not me. I’m including my email in my handle if that helps (probably not).

      I almost never post on the weekends.

      One feature that would be great to have on this site is an option to log in under a handle, that way, we don’t have this confusion. Similarly, those wanting to adopt a handle (like Meg Murry) can find out through the log-in bot pretty quickly whether somebody’s already got it or not.

      2. Thank you, Susan. I was pretty sure it wasn’t you.

        Believe it or not, the people I think are responsible for this “Susan” post are fairly ingratiating. (The “Sunshine Girls”– regular commenters on ELLENWatch who may or may not be Ellen themselves.) I suspect that between your post here and an admonishment I will post on my own site, this won’t happen again.

        1. I admit I’m impressed by your posting-style forensics. But Susan’s a common-enough name that it could have been a coincidence, with no mischief intended.

          Some time ago, I posted that I hated my given name, which is as common as “Susan,” and of the same generation (even though I’m not of that generation.)

          What sealed it for me was hearing an old Whitney Houston song, “My Name Is Not Susan.” Perhaps now’s the time for me to officially change my handle to fit my email address.

          1. Yep, Susan was one of their preferred names previous to your arrival (as Susan at least). But do whatever you want! Real people take precedence.

  4. I think it’s hilarious that this is a peac*ck print and we can’t put peac*ck in a posting without moderation. At any rate, sorry Kat, but I think this blouse is really ugly. Not a fan of tie blouses and the peac*ck print is strange and the bottom looks muddy.

    2. Oh wow. Didn’t notice the bottom until now. Yikes.

      That said, I think if the fit were a little better it would look nicer.

    3. Not a fan of the underlying colour – if I’m going to wear a peac*ck print, I want the overall impression to be of jewel tones and deep, saturated colours, not a blah brown-grey. Also, the way the neckline is lying on the model makes me think that there’s a hood on this shirt. I imagine there isn’t, but a hooded blouse would be something to see.

      I like the idea of the print, though; it’s one of the few animal prints that I’ve ever wanted to have in my clothes, and I don’t see very much of it out there.

      1. Perfect for the independent young elven princess, forging her way through the corporate world!

        No, seriously, I would totally wear a hooded blouse.

    4. Oh man, I thought this shirt was fantastic. I also have love for jewel tones… so that makes me love peac*ck too. Too bad it is a bazillion dollars. Maybe someone could find a knockoff? :D

      1. It is a beautiful blouse, but for $350 I would think they could have made it of silk instead of polyester.

        2. Agreed. I adore this blouse and could see myself wearing it a lot, but no way would I ever spend $350 on polyester.

    5. Can I just say I hate Splurge Mondays? I love seeing the pretty clothes, but I saw the blouse and thought, “I don’t have anything like that, I’ll buy it” Before I saw the price. Gah.

      1. Second! How about… awesome stuff… everyday… for not many dollars? Too much to ask? lol

        1. Not too much to ask – have at it! Kat, on the other hand has a schedule, and on Mondays, its splurge…

          Maybe Kat should just post the schedule every 6 months so we don’t keep getting this comment type…

  5. This question may make me seem dorky. What do y’all do when hosting parties? We usually host football game watching parties or the like, but now we’re just throwing a regular old party. Not a dinner party, just a party. There will be food and drinks. Do we need to have activities too?

    1. Eating and drinking are activities, no? You could have fun music. Do you have outdoor space for cornhole or bocce if people wanted to throw things? If there are kids invited, I would have a designated space/food/activities for them, but I think adults can amuse themselves easily.

    2. What about games? Like Taboo, Celebrity, Apples to Apples or something? Depends on the size of the party really and how well the people know each other — sometimes I like activities, especially if the guests maybe don’t each other as well, and sometimes activities aren’t necessary if everyone knows each other really well.

      1. We’re expecting around 40 people, so I think that may be too many for that type of game. Pretty much everyone will have a group of friends there, but very few people will know everyone.

      2. I usually make sure games like this are out when I have parties without planned activities. That way, if there is an awkward lull, and eating and drinking isn’t enough of an activity, a group can start playing.

        1. Yes, I do this too – not everyone has to play, but there will always be 4 or 5 people who would rather do that than sit around talking.

    3. My secret to a great party is get everyone drunk on delicious punch and play awesome music from the 90s. Drunkenly screaming the lyrics to Whatta Man is never not fun.

      2. Oh my goodness, I made a Salt-n-Pepa station on Pandora awhile ago and it is pretty much the greatest thing ever. I have to keep myself from singing out loud at work.

      3. Awesomeness. Now, I can’t get that song out of my head. LOL.

      4. I know for a fact you do not live in my neighborhood, yet this exact party was thrown two doors down on Friday night. You should’ve come!

    5. I don’t usually have activities, but I like to have some sort of easy thing to talk about- a movie playing silently, a fun snack, hidden candy all ober, to break the ice i also make a friend or two a deputy hostess- ie please show up a few early so I’m not all alone at the start, here are a few people who’ll need introductions etc. After the first hour people are usually entertaining themselves just fine.

    6. My group of friends likes games like charades, celebrity, etc. However, some people hate games, so you have to go with the flow. I’d suggest having some games ready but skip ’em if the party is going well without them.

    7. My friends usually do a good job mingling around the food/wine tables. However, I like to leave out some interesting coffee table books (Post Secret is a fave) in case people need a conversation starter.

      I know nametags are gross, but for a group of 40 who won’t necessarily know everybody, consider putting them out to avoid the awkward “omg, I just met that guy but don’t remember his name anymore” moments.

  6. I just need to share the story of the strangest thing that happened to my roommate this weekend with SOMEONE and I figured you guys would get a kick out of it. He had a (first) date Friday – when I got home from work he was cleaning his room “just in case.” (ha) I went out, came home and he and his date were there. I thought nothing of it, and the next morning I got up, went to the gym, etc. I got back around 2 o’clock and she was… still there.

    Still, I was just going about my life, I left in the early evening to go to dinner with some friends. When I got home late Saturday night, my roommate was standing in the hallway. I asked him if his friend was still there, and he got this really pained expression on his face and went “Yeah. I’ll talk to you about it later.”

    I went to bed, get up Sunday, go about my day/life and come home mid afternoon. My roommate goes, “She’s still here. I DON’T KNOW HOW TO GET HER TO LEAVE. I have asked her, I’ve made up stuff I needed to do and she won’t leave. She went home for an hour to get more clothes.”

    I was like well, dude, I gotta work tomorrow and so you have to get her to leave somehow. He was like, “I don’t want to be rude but I literally have said, “So you should probably get going…” and she has said, “No, I don’t need to.”” He said he was going to let her stay for dinner and then make her leave.

    She returns from picking up clothes with her 5 year old child (whom she had NOT mentioned to my roommate at all, let alone let him know she’d be bringing with), a high chair, stroller, and portable crib (her child is developmentally delayed). I was completely startled by this and when I got home Sunday night, the kid was asleep in the crib in my living room. I pulled my roommate aside to be like dude, this girl kind of has to leave, we can’t have 5 year olds living here… and he was like “I *know*. She hid my keys and she won’t tell me where they are.”

    Eventually he forced her hand by being like “I’m calling you a cab, and I am going to put you in it, and I don’t care that it is going to cost you $100+ to get home” at which point, his keys miraculously reappeared and the car was reloaded up (SUV seriously stuffed to the gills with her/her child’s things) and she left, with a lot of tears and pleading with my roommate to “Just explain to [the child] why she can’t stay here. JUST TELL HER.”

    So that happened this weekend. I’m still reeling from the absurdity of the whole thing.

    3. I don’t always bring people home after the first date, but when I do, I accept the risk that they may be emotionally unstable.

      1. Yes, the child is really the victim I’m feeling bad for in this story. Sweet jesus.

    7. Dude! Looks like dating is a seriously dangerous sport now! Should be included in top 10 hazardous activities list for insurance providers!

      Glad to be out of it!

    8. holy crap. I hope that’s the last you hear from her. Is there any chance she took roommate’s keys with her when she left for that hour? Just want to make sure she didn’t make a copy of your key.

      1. I was about to comment the same thing – during that hour, who knows if she had keys made, especially because she was hiding the roommate’s?? Time to call the locksmith IMO! Yikes!

    9. That is totally absurd. On the plus side, it lasted only 48 hours or so? and she didn’t steal your money/laptops?? (happened to some girls in college)

      er, and she sounds homeless? would def offer to go in halfsies for lock changing if roomate doesn’t want to do it himself.

      1. No didn’t steal anything (at least from me). We have dogs and my roommate works from home, so hopefully if she tries to break in it causes a commotion.

    10. Wow- sounds like she didn’t have a place to sleep that weekend or something. Really creepy and sad.

      Lock changing sounds like a good idea.

        1. I don’t know! Where was the kid staying while she was hanging out for the whole weekend? And she had JUST met my roommate Friday – she didn’t know he wasn’t a creepy child molester, why on earth would she bring her kid to stay at our house?

        2. This, this, this. I thought the story was hilarious until the kid entered the picture. Who had her child for all that time???

      1. Plenty of Fish. He said he’s never internet dating again — I said this girl is NOT indicative of most internet dates…

        1. He should never date again until he gets some therapy to develop a backbone.

          That’s the crux issue here.

          Whatever happened to, “No, I told you to leave, and you have 10 seconds before I call the police.”

          1. I kind of agree with this – Letting her back in the house after she left to pick up clothes? Hiding keys and then letting her stay for dinner?
            At this point he knew she was off-kilter. There’s being a nice guy, and then there’s well, THIS.

          2. I am honestly not sure what I would have done. She did hide the keys after dinner (and after he had told her multiple times that they would be leaving as soon as dinner was done). She was hysterically upset when it came time to actually go and hid the keys (she said she couldn’t find them but surprise, they were in her purse), but I agree, he should have stood up to her earlier. I think he was just completely startled by the whole experience and had no idea HOW to respond.

          3. Yeah, I mean this is a crazy situation but this is half of your roommates fault. Am I reading correctly (since she hid HIS keys and HE had to drive her home) that he drove her to her house and brought back all that stuff plus her child???

            maybe I am reading it wrong but if I am not, your roommate has the most no backbone and is a little loco himself.

          4. I agree with this. The part of the story that really threw me was when it transpired that she “wouldn’t leave” but had gone home for an hour to get more clothes. Holy h*ll, why did he unlock the door for her when she returned?!?!

          5. She didn’t have a car – he picked her up initially (and planned to drive her back, presumably Friday night or Saturday) and took a cab there in the afternoon and came back by cab. So she brought all the stuff (and the kid) herself. It must have been at least a $100 cab ride there and back and he told her he was happy to drive her home so she could spend the rest of the afternoon there but she refused.

            From what he can tell, she took his keys from our key hook and put them in her purse at some point during dinner.

            He should have told her Sunday morning that she needed to leave but I did see him Sunday say “I need to go into work this afternoon” and “Don’t you need to be getting back home?” and “I really think you should go home, I have a lot of things to get done.” I think he was struggling with not wanting to be rude/mean but wanting her to leave.

          6. Should clarify – he said at first he thought she was just a really clingy girl and figured if she really wanted to stay for dinner, he could live with it. It was when she brought the kid and all the kids stuff back that it reached true levels of WTFery. I think he was also at the beginning of the weekend thinking a lot with his p*nis.

          7. Yeah, while I understand the confusion at his over-niceness, I also think the pure “What the H-LL is happening here??” of it would have caused me to stumble, too!

        2. I don’t blame the roommate. Sometimes when someone just brings the crazy, you don’t know how to react! That’s so nuts!

    13. This sounds like some crazy story Barney would come up with on How I Met Your Mother.

      Totally absurd. Definitely change the locks asap.

  7. Ladies! Please accessorize me! I’m wearing this dress (link to follow) to a black tie event soon. I’m thinking a big gold cuff but haven’t found anything I like yet. Any suggestions for that or other accessories?

      1. Beautiful dress! I personally would go with prominent, sparkly earrings and maybe a larger cuff-style bracelet…. sorry, don’t have any specific recommendations, though.

    2. That dress is stunning. And yes, definitely a gold cuff. Sorry, I’m not much help… I’m just drooling over that dress! Love it.

    3. That thud you just heard was my jaw hitting the floor. That is a gorgeous dress. I would say relatively big earrings and a coordinating cuff/bracelet?

      1. I agree. The neckline is such that your best bet is a set of sparkly earrings and a cuff.

        Alternatively, some sort of fancy metallic belt (chain, sequined, or something) would look really neat if you wanted to try something completely different.

        2. Dangit, now I’m in moderation because my link had the word peac!ck in it. I was going to say:

          You and I are on the same page TCFKAG. That one caught my eye after you posted the first Max & Chloe link. I also think this could be interesting: [link to Max & Chloe peac!ck cuff]. It’s… different.

    7. Thanks for the suggestions and the compliments on the dress, everybody!

      Almost there, I may have to get that Express necklace just to wear with other stuff… I really like that.

    8. Gorgeous! There are some really pretty starfish cuffs out there right now that could work, and some big dangly earrings that are either sparkly or in a contrasting color.

        3. Can I tell you how much I love you for errrmagerding over a bracelet… or just ermagerding in general? ERRRRRRRMAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRDDDDDDDDD!

      2. I was about to post some Bittar stuff I’ve been internet-drooling over but did not because of the budget requested…but I agree, I just LOVE his stuff. As a matter of fact, Herbie, I bought a Bittar cuff that I wore to my wedding and LOVE and I got it at Nordstrom in their clearance jewelry section (in a brick-and-mortar store). It was on an amazing sale…so maybe check that out if you have one near you.

        1. I love that his ad campaigns have featured Patsy & Edina. Absolutely Fabulous!

  8. Relationship (marriage) TJ.
    As we’ve discussed, my DH is … challenging, at times. Long story short, I *very* gently told him that I think one way to help work on the problems we have is for him to start therapy. This resulted in him saying, “I’m just me. I’m not going to change” and ultimately completely resisting therapy. I’m not asking him to change, I’m asking him to be a bit more compassionate. Any suggestions on how to continue encouraging him to go to therapy? I really do think it will help.

    1. Hugs to you!!! Are you in therapy? I think if he sees you going and understanding that it’s something you need for the marriage to work, he might come around eventually. If he doesn’t, then you two really need to have a heart-to-heart about how unhappy you are and that all you want is for him to be the man you need. Good luck <3

        1. Have you talked with your therapist about how to approach him on this issue? She or he might have some advice.

          Another idea would be to ask him to come to one of your sessions. Then he might see more clearly how his behavior affects you and be more open to the idea of going to therapy himself.

        2. Until he knew that I had been to a divorce lawyer my husband wouldn’t go to therapy. After that, he was the one who made the appointment and got us both there.

          Ultimately, it worked wonders and completely saved our marriage, but it was hard work.

    2. Urgh. Is he likely to be more receptive if you frame it as something that will help YOU? E.g., does he respond when you say “this XYZ thing that you are doing is hurtful to ME. If you go to therapy, this will help ME in this way”. Maybe K or someone more experienced in this kind of thing will chime in here.

      1. you rang? hehe

        Seriously, this is pretty clearly a case of your husband choosing his own comfort zone over your needs and your collective needs. I would begin to speak with the therapist about options for yourself. I don’t just mean continuing therapy on your own, I mean that you know he’s not going to change from what he is right now and what that means for your choices and your personal future.

        Also, if you’re at the breaking point, I would encourage you to tell him that. Explain that you understand he’s not interested in going but that you really feel that, unless you begin to go together, your marriage won’t survive. Explain that you can’t and won’t continue as things are and that you foresee an end to your relationship unless you both put in some serious work with a therapist.

        His reaction to that, if nothing else, will be incredibly telling and I hope you’re willing/able to recognize it for its meaning (your therapist can also help with this, as needed). Best wishes!

        2. K is right on the reaction. When I told my ex-husband I wanted a divorce, his only response was “We can’t afford a divorce.” Pretty much summed up my whole marriage and made it pretty gosh darn easy to leave (obviously once I got the courage to say it after I’d been thinking it for years).

    3. Hey gurl, stop being gentle. Obviously, that’s not working with him. Speak up and slam this thought into him – YOU NEED HIM IN THERAPY. IF HE DOESN’T GO, HE’S NOT FULFILLING YOUR NEEDS AND THAT MAKES HIM A SUCKY HUSBAND. In a marriage, sometimes it’s about the other spouse.

        2. I couldn’t say it better myself. When someone tells you about who they are, LISTEN. Please do take some time coming to terms (with the assistance of your therapist) with what the rest of your life will be like if he does not change at all from the way he is, and the way he treats you right now.

          1. But he hasn’t always been like this. He used to be so much nicer to me. He also used to be on anti-depressants.

          2. e, he flat out told you he is not willing to go back to being that person who is nice or at least a half-way decent spouse. Listen to him.

          3. And he might yet change, but he is not going to sans antidepressants and therapy, both of which are his choice, and he is choosing not to pursue either avenue for improving your marriage. To take a page from Godzilla, and because my caps lock is underutilized (ahem) YOU CAN’T MAKE HIM CHANGE IF HE DOES NOT WANT TO OR THINK HE NEEDS TO. rawr. meow.

            But what I think will be productive for you is to think about the things you CAN change, and accept that this list does NOT include your husband or his treatment for depression. What choices can you make this very minute, independent of your husband, that will improve you your life. With his behavior as you describe it, your husband will drag you down faster than you can build yourself up. What can you do to improve your life or inoculate your life from your husband’s depression? Discuss with therapist and meditate on the serenity prayer.

          4. Whoa whoa whoa. Okay today is super busy, so I’ll try to come back, but I think this is the first I’ve seen you mention that he used to be on anti-depressants. That raised a red flag with me because of a similar situation I dealt with recently. Could it be that he needs to be back on anti-depressants and/or therapy? Why did he go off them? Did you know beforehand? Was it a decision he made with his doctor/therapist/whatever? Getting him back on anti-depressants or into therapy–whatever his doc may recommend– may be a huge step to getting you two back on track.

            Part of his obligation to you as your husband is to take care of himself. He’s not doing that if he just unilaterally quits taking anti-depressants.

          5. Truth. People are ALWAYS telling us who they are. LISTEN to what he is and isn’t saying.

      2. Ha! I was married to a guy who wouldn’t go to therapy and also believed that “this is the way I am and people don’t change”. After a few years of that, I had enough. And when I was totally checked out, he asked to go to therapy – at which point it was too little, too late.

        You are not asking him to change. You are asking him to do something that makes him uncomfortable or is difficult for him, in the name of saving your marriage and helping you be happier in the marriage. Maybe you can explain to him all things you do for him, because you care for him – even when they are uncomfortable or difficult – and ask him to do the same for you in this case.

        Try explaining to him that this is about you and your needs, not him. That might help.

        Good luck!

    4. What if you say you’ll do something he wants you to do that you’ve been resistant to (plan your vacation around visiting a baseball stadium, watch xx movies etc.) if he’ll do that. He has to go first but you’ll hold up your end of the bargain.

    5. Oh, this would make me so mad. I probably would have said all sorts of choice things about his lack of effort in making a marriage work. But, playing this out, if he is insistent that he won’t change, can you continue to live with him the way he is?

    6. You are asking him to change. You are asking him to change from being an inconsiderate a$$h0le into a decent man who demonstrates his love for you in ways that do not include yelling, belittling, or the silent treatment. Ways that make your life better instead of worse. Why are you “asking kindly?”. He isn’t kind. Tell him bluntly- it’s his own communication style, maybe he’ll get it then.

    7. Could you turn it to WE need to go to couples therapy to work on our marriage together? Use couples therapy as a gateway to individual therapy? You aren’t asking him to change who he is, you just want to have better communication between the two of you.
      Also, wasn’t it you that mentioned at one point that your husband had been on antidepressants and gained a lot of weight? Maybe he is afraid of going down that path again, which is why he’s resisting going to therapy. Sorry if I’m mixing him with someone else.
      Also, regarding the “I’m just me, I’m not going to change” – has he changed since you married him (for the worse?) or since you started dating/got engaged? If so, then he obviously has changed (for the worse) and now you’re hoping he’ll change for the better, or at least get back to who he was then.

      1. And to piggyback on Anne Shirley’s “tell him bluntly” – make an appointment. Then tell him “We have an appointment for couples therapy on DATE at TIME. This is very important to me. If that date doesn’t work for you let me know when a better day for me to reschedule would be, but we are going to see someone to talk about the issues we’ve been having lately”.

        1. I tried this a few months ago and he didn’t go. Then he finally came, and accused me of making things up the whole time we were with the therapist. The therapist was basically like, “well, e_pontellier, sounds like you need some individual therapy and Mr. e_pontellier, you just need to be patient with your poor delusional wife.”
          Needless to say, this was not terribly helpful and I am terrified of going back to couples counseling.

          1. This kind of thing is a hallmark of therapy in abusive relationships – the abuser often comes off looking rational and the victim does not, and the therapist is used against them.

          2. That therapist sounds horrid. Calling you delusional is highly unprofessional and not helpful to your situation at all. What about seeing a new therapist who is more understanding?

          3. Agh. This is awful! I hope the therapist you are seeing now is better! (not the same one!!!) Could he come to your session with you???

          4. This is why couple’s therapy is not recommended for relationships with issues of control or abuse.

          5. DC Jenny, is that true? I have never heard that before, which is surprising because I come from a family of psychologists.

            e_pontellier, I just want to say that (as I think you know), this therapist sounds like a huge a**hole. If this is the only route to getting your husband to therapy, please try it again. Ask your therapist for a referral.

          6. Brooklyn, I have heard that from several sources, but the one that stands out is Carolyn Hax. And it makes sense to me too for exactly the reason anon described above.

          7. thats one of the big warning signs of an abusive relationship. I think its rare that therapy has actually changed a controlling, abusive, depressed husband.

            He is awful to you. You have shared stories about his behavoir that have literally made me tear up. He belittles you and does not support you. You have also stated that you will never leave him. Why would he change? he gets to revel in being a selfish ahole, with no reprocussions except that you become more timid, more willing not to provoke him, more willing to be oh so gentle with your perfectly reasonable and necessary request. I second the advice of asking him to come to your session if you like your therapist. And if you are truly willing to live with this for the rest of your life, I second DC jenny’s advice below, I hope you can find a strong support system where you can find fufillment outside of your marriage.

            As someone who also believes marriage is for life, and divorce is not something I ever want to consider, if I ever had to find my fufillment outside of my marriage just to be able to technically say I was still married, I would feel that it was just a loophole.

          8. If he told the couples councilor you were lying, what makes you think he would be honest with his own therapist if you could get him to go? I think you might get something out of using your current therapist to do a his + hers + ours therapy sessions, but otherwise I don’t think he’s going to get anything out of going to a therapist if he wouldn’t be honest with them.

            Have you told him he’s not the person you married? And that he has already changed and you want the person you married back? Ask him what he wants to do about the fact that your relationship is falling apart. You are going to therapy, what else can you do and what is he willing to do? If he says “nothing” then you have your answer and you need to decide what to do from there.

            Did he stop taking anti-depressants because of side effects (I think you mentioned weight gain at one point?)? Or did he not like how he felt on them? Or did his prescription just run out and he didn’t go back to the doctor to renew it? Talk to him about how much happier your relationship was when he was on antidepressants and ask if he’s willing to explore that route again, possibly a different type if there were negatives he didn’t like.

            He’s probably getting defensive if you are approaching it as “YOU need to go to therapy” – try a “what can WE do approach?” But make sure that HE is doing something as part of this WE – not just making criticisms and suggestions for you.

          9. I was dating a controlling, verbally and emotionally abusive man for the past 2 years. I was in therapy for 6 months (on my own) and couples therapy for 2 months before I finally got out of the relationship. Couples therapy did absolutely no good. The counselor refused to call him out on his behavior. But once we broke up, I went to see her and she said it was patently clear that he was abusive, that I was bending over backwards to make it work, and that things would never change with him. She said it was best for me to stay away from him.

            I then spent another 2 months in therapy just trying to stay away from him. During those 2 months I also had friends and family stay with me and spend an inordinate amount of time with me – to fill the gap that was left when we broke up. I have spent 4 months not talking to him at all, and he is still stalking and harassing me – fortunately I am not clear headed enough to see the abuse for what it was.

            I know that when you are in a relationship like this, it is impossible to envision yourself leaving or getting out. You feel so emotionally connected, even when he is terrible to you. My advice is to (1) continue seeing your therapist, (2) talk to friends and family when he is abusive towards you – it will help you think clearly about the pattern and feel stronger in the relationship, (3) DO NOT remain isolated, and (4) read this book: Lundy Bancroft, Why Does He Do That?: Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men. It is the only book I found that uses good research to explain what he is doing. why you cannot change him. and what to expect.

      2. My husband has been dealing with depression, which he thinks is completely controlled by medication, but which is not. Although he was not ready to admit that he needed therapy, he was willing to admit that he and I were having communication issues. We go to couples counseling now. It mostly consists of him talking to the therepist about his struggles with finding a job and retaining a sense of self worth. Occasionally the therapist and I talk about how I can communicate support in a way that he understands and can feel, as opposed to just hear.

        It may be that he is more comfortable viewing the whole thing as a team effort for the two of us, or it may be that he likes having me there, but it has definately been helping him make positive changes.

    8. I’m hardly qualified to give advice in this matter, but have you asked him to do marital counseling with both of you going together? He might be more into going to therapy if you go with him.

      My husband is not into therapy, but he has agreed to do couples counseling if it’s important to me. We haven’t done it yet–I’ve decided I have a lot of my own issues to work through first–but it might work for you.

    9. I know a lot of guys who have this idea in their heads about what therapy “means” that makes it hard for them to go – that they are “broken” or “sick,” that they have to go up their personal agency to the therapist, that the therapist will brainwash them into changing, that they are doing something shameful in going. (Presumably there are also women with this opinion, but I have heard it much more from men; to the same degree that I have seen reluctance in many men to go to the doctor at all, actually.)

      Has he ever gone to therapy before? Does anyone he knows well (besides you) go to therapy and indicate that it’s a good thing? It may be that it needs normalizing before he’ll understand that it’s not a “bad” thing to go to therapy.

      On the other hand, I hear what everyone else is saying about telling him more forcefully. It’s also possible he doesn’t understand what this means to you.

    10. Ok, I apologize in advance if this is harsh, but since you have said you will never leave him, what incentive does he have to change his ways? Obviously your unhappiness is not enough to motivate him to change or even attempt to change, so I seriously doubt there is anything else you can do at this point to convince. He has made it abundantly clear that he is more invested in the status quo than your happiness.

      I think if you are not going to even entertain the idea of separating, you need to think about how you are going to live your life with him exactly as he is right now. Develop hobbies that keep you out of the house? Cultivate a support network of family and friends to give you the emotional support you are missing at home? Travel a lot? Throw all your time and energy into your career?

      3. Yep, what DC Jenny said. You’ve told him what you need and he’s said no. So your options are: (1) the marriage, as it is; (2) not marriage. You’ve said #2 is out, so this is your marriage. (Sure sure sure, maybe he wakes up one day and is like “OMG I have been such an a-hole and now is the moment I change and become Mr. Amazing.” But let’s assume that’s not going to happen.) The good news is that you’ve been pouring all this energy into him and into improving the marriage. You can stop doing that! Now you have all this energy you can use for other things! So go live the life you want to live. Do the work you want to do. Seek friends who provide you with the support you want to have. You’ve said before that he berates you. Well, you can’t control what comes out of his mouth, but you can control how you handle it. Now you just shrug and say “I don’t see it that way” and if he keeps talking, you just walk off and do something more interesting. (In fact, you don’t have to share with him the things that often trigger these tirades because, hey, you were just sharing to have the kind of intimacy and support good marriages have. Now you can go share with your new, supportive friends instead and don’t need to share with him.) Look, I realize I’m being flip, and that all this is much harder than it sounds, but I do think that, at this point, it’s on you if you keep trying to change him. He’s said he won’t. You can stay or go, but staying and expecting change is just unrealistic and setting yourself up for misery.

        1. I think this is a good point. But I again want to point out my “loophole” point. If this is the way you go, consider that you are a marriage just in name and not in spirit, and examine your no divorce policy and see if it truly means this. Would it mean no divorce even if he were sleeping with a new woman every week? If it would, then I guess TBK suggestions are what you should do. But if you would consider divorce if he was having an affair every week, please at least consider the option of divorce when he is emotionally this awful and closed off for you.

    11. E dear, you know I love you from the world. But seriously girl — he’s actually not wrong about one thing. You can change individual attributes about a spouse (my husband didn’t eat ethnic food when we met…or vegetables for that matter) — but you can’t change their fundamental personality. And if his fundamental personality is telling him not to give a d*mn and not to put any work whatsoever into your marriage, then its time to stop being nice and start getting real up in your marriage. (As they would say on MTV…)

      But seriously, sometimes people ARE telling you the truth. And you just have to be willing to listen. Even if the thing they’re telling you is the worst thing in the world.

      2. She said it better than I. Assume he is telling you the truth and accept he will not change. Then reevaluate and think about what that means for you and how you want to live the rest of your life.

      1. You have a nationwide (and probably international) network of women who love and support you. We say things out of love for you, not out of dislike for this man we don’t know. Although choices are always more simple for those without emotional ties, you’ve also been in an emotionally abusive marriage for a long time, so you might just not be able to see things truly right now.

        I am so glad you’re seeing a professional and I encourage you also to contact the local hospital, ask them to connect you with a local women’s shelter (often they’re not listed publicly for safety reasons) and ask the shelter if they have or know of free support groups for women related to emotional abuse. A local network of those who have been there could be really helpful and it might also be a way for you to see the reality of your marriage in the experiences of others.

        I worry for you and I am so glad to know you via here well enough to know that you’re amazing, strong, brave, and awesome and that, if/when you choose to move forward without him, you’re going to be even brighter a star than you already are because his shadow will no longer be blocking your light.

        1. K, you are so eloquent and caring.

          Practical note – universities sometimes have these support groups too (even if they don’t publicize them), and if not they’ll know where to find one in the community. e, since you’re in school it might be worth calling the counseling center to see if they can point you in the right direction.

      2. e_p, just want you to know that my offer for coffee in Brooklyn still stands. If you want to take the steps K…in transition suggests, too, I’m happy to sit with you while you make calls.

          2. Thank you so much. This makes me sad though – When did my life get so out of hand? Thanks everyone for pulling me up. Hopefully I can figure this out soon.

    13. When I feed your husband’s “I’m just me. I’m not going to change” into my subtext translator, it spits out the following:

      “I don’t care you’re unhappy. I don’t care enough about you to change. And, I’ve been an @sshole to you for awhile, and you’ve been putting up with my sh!t. So, nyah-nyah, you’re not happy about it, but what are you gonna do about it? Clearly nothing other than put up with more than my sh!t because I’ve called your bluff.”

      I want to find you a good lawyer and a good financial advisor. At this point, your husband’s begging to be served the divorce papers.

      1. It pains me to agree with Susan but I do, about 345346%. I’m so sorry you’re going through this. HUGS AND RAWRS.

        1. Can we also request that he be served the divorce papers VIA a process server wearing a Godzilla costume? Knock knock, RAWR, you’ve been served, a**h***. (breathes fire, walks away).

          1. New Business Idea! If you watch the League, similar to the cowboy idea but so, so much better! We’ll call it “Serves You Right,” and you’ll have your choice of Godzilla, a Yeti, and Optimus Prime at first, more to follow once we find financing and/or a real business model.

          2. I would love to serve every person I’ve ever had to serve this way. Like — you have the beginnings of a brilliant business model here.

          3. I think we should also add the Dowager Countess to the list of process servers. Always classy, but she’d have some choice remarks!

          5. “Serve the Papers, Godzilla” –> [the site that shall not be named]-speak for DTMFA.

        2. Perhaps the papers could arrive/be delivered in singed envelopes, just for effect?

          Hang in there E, because you’re asking and thinking and listening and pondering…you’re closer to doing what is right for YOU.

    14. One more thing. Have you discussed the various power imbalances in your marriage with your therapist? If I recall correctly, these include him being significantly older, making significantly more money and being more established in his career, as well as some cultural expectations from your childhood about marriage and the role of women (reading into your not believing in divorce and your description of your high school – I apologize if I am off base). We all internalize things about our place in the world and in our relationships. Do you really feel like his equal? Why are you asking nicely that he manage his chronic mental illness instead of demanding he step up and take care of you by taking care of himself?

      These are all rhetorical questions, but I’ve been seeing each new thing you tell us, and the language you use to describe each incident, us thru this lens (I believe he “scolded” you at one point?). I firmly believe that people tell you who they are. In your case, reading your comments gives me the sense that you and your husband are not equals in your marriage and that he has significantly more power than you do. If this doesn’t seem entirely off base, I hope you explore this avenue with your therapist. You worry me, and remind me of what I felt like when I dated an abusive, controlling man.

    15. I think you have been giving amazing guidance and I am terribly sad you are experiencing this, but this whole post made me call my husband just to tell him that I loved him……

  9. So I got a new pair of leopard (!) moccasins (Minnetonka) that I am wearing to work today. Woohoo!

    Can anyone think of good “regular clothes” adult Halloween costumes for my husband and me to wear next week? We will be toting 3 kids around the neighborhood, so comfort is a plus. Also, one of us has to carry the baby, who will either be a ladybug or a pumpkin. Please help! :)

    1. Last year I just wore a huge jester hat with my regular clothes. I got a lot of great comments on it and even some candy for myself :)

    2. Similar situation here and I’m going to wear all black and a sign that says Invisible Pedestrian

    3. All black + witch hat would be simple. You could both wear all black (turtlenecks if weather appropriate) and black masks and be “robbers”.

      1. I saw something on Pinterest where the parent was dressed as a robber and the baby was a bag of money. It was uber cute!

    6. There was a good suggestion a while back from someone going as McKayla Maroney (sp?). You could be Olympians of your choice – wear sweatsuits and make some “medals” (purple ribbon + construction paper or tagboard) to hang around your neck.

    1. And …it is Monday. This was for crazy one night stand lady above.

      And this shirt is horrid. And old. Blech.

  11. Hi – Can anyone recommend a financial adviser in Manhattan for my 60-something parents? They are risk adverse investors who want a little guidance as to how to safely invest some extra money. I’m thinking it should be someone who charges by the hour (i.e. doesn’t get an incentive payment for any investment) and has a reasonable rate. Thanks!

    1. No adviser rec — just have them put it in a Vanguard mutual fund. If they are planning on keeping the money invested forever, they can put it in a stock-heavy fund; if they want to use it soon, money-market; if they want to use it in the medium term, more of a bond-heavy fund.

      1. Second the Vanguard rec. You can also call Vanguard and talk to them for free about what you need. I had some money burning a hole in my pocket and a nice man from Virginia very patiently listened to me talk for 45 minutes before I decided what to do with it. He was very low pressure and really very nice. We went through the very classic financial planning method of deciding what I was saving the money for (timeline) and my risk tolerance.

      2. Thanks – they already have a vanguard fund and were hoping to take the next step in investing but if vanguard makes the most sense, than I ‘ll tell them to call the vanguard people and talk to them.

  12. Update on the Michael Kors dress from Saks:

    I ended up ordering it (wanted a navy work dress), but the strap on the outside kept falling off my shoulders and just looked like the dress was too big/drunken slutty…

    But I realized when I pinched them together, it didn’t look odd and that it looked nice as the fabric is nice and solid and the lines/cut made it look interesting. So I sewed the straps together (30 mins?) and voila! I love it. Since the straps come out of two pieces aleady pieced together in the body, it doesn’t look like “2 straps sewn together” but rather that they continued the interesting lines in the dress.

    2. I also have an update! I got it this weekend (was impressed with how fast the delivery was). I have broad shoulders, so I didn’t have the same problem with the straps. My one hesitation is that it was at the edge of my comfort zone length-wise, since I usually aim to have things hit right above the knee and this was more like 2-3″ above the knee. (But I’m 5’8″ with long legs, so it probably wouldn’t be a problem for most.) I decided that it was about the same length as another shift dress I wear pretty regularly, so I’m hanging on to it and happy with the bargain. It does need a belt if you want a strongly defined waist, but I love belting things at the waist so that’s not a downside for me.

      1. Oh, that’s funny! I have the opposite issue in that it’s almost too long (I’m short/petite and look for dresses that fit too short on the models so that it’ll look hit correctly on me or stick to petite sizing), but great of you to mention!

  13. Last week I asked about wearing that green Vince Camuto top Kat featured to a small firm/small market interview. And someone mentioned a dark purple top with my charcoal suit, and now I’m obsessed. Does anyone have any ideas for a great dark purple top that would go well under a suit? I am hoping for under $50. I liked the drapey-ness about last Friday’s green top cause it will (hopefully) cover up my pudgy belly. TYIA!

      1. Also BR, different shade and neckline: bananarepublic.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=5043&vid=1&pid=233221002

      1. I have this. It’s gorgeous. Nice neckline (open but still very covered up) and gorgeous color; skims well over my belly. :) Only downside is that it wrinkles very easily (as in, from wear), like most Boden tops I have purchased recently. I want to purchase the top in another color because it’s the kind of thing that’s hard to find, but the wrinkles make me a little crazy.

  14. How is it you can have an awesome weekend doing lots of fun things, but a guy completely leading you on and then blowing you off can ruin it? ugh so upset at myself for even caring this much :(.

    1. Boo that sucks! JSFAMO!! (I really need to buy one of those mugs!)

      Is anyone still selling them?

        1. jinx — great minds…..
          As long as you aren’t the crazy lady with the kid from anon’s roommate story above, I think you are doing pretty well.

    4. Awe that does suck – treat yourself today if you can. (I recommend a latte and pastry or a very large glass of wine after work).

    5. *hugs*

      Sorry to hear about it. Caring does mean one’s vulnerable to these outrageous slings & arrows, but the alternative is worse– being numb. You’ll meet better guys, don’t blame yourself.

    6. Guy finally messaged- was so busy yesterday (lies, I saw he was online…) and couldn’t call. Then proceeds to claim he is too busy to meet up in the near future. So I replied:

      “Thanks for wasting my time- next time, please just be honest; don’t flake out, cancel, and fail to own up to how you feel. I don’t really care if you aren’t interested, but I do care when someone pretends to be.”

      Mean? Yes. Have I ever done this before? Heck no!! Was it worth it? YES YES YES

  15. The manageing partner is haveing a Haloween party at his house next weekend, but it is AFTER haloween! I told him that but he said Margie did NOT have time to plan anything earlyer. I said have a THANKSGIVEING party then, and we can all be dressed up as PILGRIM’s, but he said he would ask his wife.

    I have calendar call tomorow, and am calleing Roberta this afternoon about 2 case’s. I also think I will see Brian in court b/c he has alot of cases there. I do NOT think the judge think’s that much of Brian b/c he is a sloppy dresser and his shoe’s are alway’s dirty.

    Jim called about the do diliegience and said that the general council think’s we should have done alot more. (Duh! — if he had not been at the game’s we could have, but he did NOT even show up until noon after the game. FOOEY!) I need to tell the manageing partner, b/c he could get touchey about the billeing. My dad also think’s that Jim was silly with the baseball game’s.

    1. Ellen, what will you dress up as if it remains a Halloween party? Also, if it becomes a Thanksgiving party, do you already have something to wear? TCFAG, could you help Ellen to find pilgrim-wear?

  17. So, thanks to karenpadi’s fabulous personal shopper Melyssa at the Stanford Nordie’s, I now own skinny jeans. I really resisted trying them on (“I’m a pear! I can’t wear skinnys!”) and she was like yeah, try them on, ok?… and she was right. So I have many new-to-skinny-jeans stupid questions including how does one wear knee-high boots with them? Usually I put my (bootcut) jeans on, and then roll up the pant leg to put on my knee-high socks. Can’t do that in skinnys. Do I need to put the socks on first? The socks look too thick to wear under the skinnyness of the jean legs. Or do people not wear knee-high socks with boots when wearing skinny jeans? How does this work exactly?

    1. I put my socks on over my skinnies. It keeps everything in place all day (sock in jeans tend to fall down for me). If there is any loose fabric around your ankle (like that you can pinch off your leg if that makes any sense), pinch it together and fold it flat on your leg and then put the sock over. Plus, it is a thing right now to show a little sock above your boot (like an inch) (and as long as they go with your outfit of course). Have fun!

      1. Yeah, I was going to suggest a look at this trend of letting your socks peek out (I don’t get it at all, but it is definitely a trend!). Alternatively, I recommend short socks!

    2. I wear short socks so I’m not barefoot in my boots. Knee highs just arent feasible with skinny jeans.

    3. Wear regular socks (not ankle/sports socks but not knee-high socks either). Put jeans on first, then socks, rolling socks up over jeans to keep the jeans tucked in so that when you pull the boots on, the jeans don’t ride up and you get a seamless look.

    4. Just spend a chunk of change on some beautiful new flat boots for fall, so this post speaks to me.

      I’m not sure what you’re asking- usually I just put on some socks like I normally would, and shove my leg into the boot with the jean inside the boot. Sometimes I put my socks over the bottom of the jeans so they don’t ride up, but that’s rarely an issue for me. I don’t think you need to wear knee-high socks, unless you want added warmth.

    5. Not a dumb question! Yes, put on socks first, then jeans over the socks, then boots over the jeans, in that order.

      Which brand/style of jeans did you buy, out of curiosity?

      1. This is what I do when I’m wearing slightly longer socks with boots. Socks, then jeans, then boots.

        FWIW, my socks aren’t knee socks, they probably hit 4-5 inches above my ankle.

      2. Follow-up for another skinny jean newbie – if the jeans seem baggy around the knees/legs, does that mean I bought them too large? I don’t want to have them be skintight at the top, so I can wear shorter shirts, but I do want them to be thin at the knee, so they look neat. I’m plus size, if it matters.

        1. bagginess around the knees kind of ruins the whole look, imo. definitely get a different size or a different brand/fabric composition.

        2. Try a smaller size or a different cut. I find legging jeans, work best for me to wear tucked into boots. They are a tighter fit and don’t bunch at the knees. I to prefer a neater/clean look around the knees.

        1. Intruiged. By ‘pear’ do you have a large rump and small waist to fit? I have a heck of time finding jeans that fit over my thighs and don’t gap in the back or have an otherwise huge waist.

    6. Yes, if I wear knee high socks under the skinnier cut legs, I usually put the socks on first. But, I don’t always wear knee highs with boots if I am also wearing pants, so if the knee high don’t fit underneath, then I’d just wear shorter socks.

      That being said, have you tried the knee highs with the jeans to check for actual tightness? I’ve totally worn (silk) long underwear under my skinny cut jeans and it was just fine.

    1. How much time do you have?

      Use your google-fu and look up the following– I’ve been to these places and had a great time at all:

      1. Sun Moon Lake – Nantou County
      2. National Palace Museum – Taipei
      3. Southern Alishan Tea Tour – this is 2 days, IIRC, and involves walking a mountain trail and seeing the tea-making process and plantations
      4. Go shopping & eating at the Shilin Night Market

  19. Any thoughts on what I should wear to officiate my sister’s wedding? I know there was a post about what to wear to officiate a wedding not too long ago, but my sister’s having a very fun, quirky wedding and I want to fit in with that. Some info you might need:

    * The wedding is in June in Salt Lake City.
    * The wedding is space-themed and the ceremony will be at the Mars exhibit at the planetarium. So basically, it looks like the surface of mars so everything around us will be reddish, Mars-colored.
    * To go with the space theme, my sister has suggested something silvery/shiny. Silver is one of my favorite colors, so I don’t mind this. However, she just told me that her fiance will be wearing a metallic silver suit, so I wonder if it would look weird to wear the exact same color as him. (I’ll link his suit in a separate post to avoid moderation). My sister’s dress is white with silver accents.
    * There will be no bridesmaids or groomsmen, so the only people in the ceremony photos will be my sister, her fiance, and me.
    * I would love to find a dress with a matching jacket, so I can wear just the dress at the reception but wear the jacket during the ceremony to look a little more formal/professional.
    * I’m a 5’4, usually a size 8, curvy/hourglassy, rather pale caucasian person.
    * My sister is my identical twin (though we have very different hairstyles and I wear glasses and she doesn’t), so I don’t know if that affects anything aesthetically.

    2. CAN YOU PLEASE SUBMIT THIS TO MY TUMBLR?

      This would be the most fun vicarious shopping I’ve gotten to do since the pirate wedding challenge. I mean, really, astronaut wedding officiant chic — I can’t do that justice without some forethought. But seriously … I feel like I could do some good work with that.

        1. TCFKAG – haven’t checked out your answer on tumblr yet, but what about a black dress with silvery bits on it, to simulate the night sky with stars?

          I don’t even know where to start to look for this, thus passing the baton to you.

          1. Yay! Thank you! Lots of great suggestions and the budget is totally right!

    3. If they are going to be silver/white, then I’d suggest you wear black. The vastness of space and all.

      1. Ooh…or silver piped with black. Some black would be a nice way to break up the silver.

        Hmm….this is giving me ideas for my theoretical post. :-)

      3. Or what about a darker pewter color? Still silvery, but darker to contrast with the groom’s light silver.

      4. Black or navy with stars on it?

        I’d actually put out there you might want to wear navy blue instead of black (still the night sky) to look less stark and striking. I have pale coloring as well, and black looks fantastic on pale people with the right eyeliner, but you might want to blend in a bit as the officiant.

    4. Now this is a wedding at which I would support fascinators. Imagine the guests with little planets circling their heads!

    6. I have nothing to suggest as far as what to wear, but remember the mohawk guy from the mars mission? I think you need to have him as your date. Like, NEED TO.

    9. I think I would take this opportunity to get a really cool sheath dress that skews a little star trek.

      Your family seems awesome by the way. Have a great time.

    11. Hey guys — thanks for the great suggestions and kind words! I have lots of options now. I will pass all of the wedding-related compliments on to my sister and her fiance.

  20. Does anyone have suggestions on a good yoga video for a beginner? I have never done yoga before, but I’m interested in learning the basics and hopefully starting to do it on a regular basis.

    1. I recommend http://www.yogatoday.com/ They post new workouts weekly at varying levels. there’s lots of kinds of yoga, and this will give you a chance to play around with a few different types for exposure and without any commitment.

    2. I like the one from Gaiam* catalog (the girl, not the long haired man).

      *I had to google hippie yoga catalog to remember the name of this.

      1. Fun fact: I used to work in the same building as the Gaiam headquarters. Sometimes, at lunch, they would have a hula-hoop lady come and lead them all in a hula-hoop class on the lawn right in front of my window. I was so jealous.

          1. Her name was Betty Hoops. She is a pretty rad lady and has instructional videos on her website if you are interested.

    3. Check out on demand if you have cable. Mine has lots of free on demand yoga workouts, with all different styles.

    4. AM/PM Yoga with Rodney Yee and Particia Walden.
      But, public libraries are a great resource for trying out exercise videos. Borrow several and then buy the one you like best.
      There was also a site dedicated to exercise video reviews. I am sure you can Google it – sorry , don’t have time to do it right now.

    5. AM Yoga for Every Day with Rodney Yee. 5 different 20 minute routines focusing on different types of poses -keeps you from getting bored, and Rodney is my favorite video instructor.

      1. Rodney Yee rec, thirded! He’s fantastic. Very calm, very good at explaining moves even for klutzy people like me.

    6. Gaiamtv.com

      Do you prefer relaxing meditative yoga or sweat-your-behind-off yoga?

      For sweaty work-out yoga, my favorite instructors are Seane Corn, Adi Amar (from Yoga Today) and Nicki Doane.

      For more meditative yoga, I like Rodney Yee and Hala Khouri.

  21. I’m all over this thread…anyway I have a question.

    I just bought a pair of Cole Haan ballet flats with elastic at the back. So comfy (which is hard to find for me) except the elastic digs in the back of my heel.

    Does they stretch out a bit after a few wears? Or do I need to return them?

    1. Mine always stretch out after a couple of wears, but I have a friend who wears them with heel liners in the back to get that elastic a smidge away from her heel since she hates elastic shoes, but loves how comfy the CH flats are. Maybe that would work?

    2. If you end up returning them, can I put in a plug for the Coach “Dwyer” ballet flats (maybe others with the elastic edging – not sure)? They are amazingly comfortable. I don’t think I took them off the first week I had them, and I wear heels most days.

    3. the air bacara flat? they do stretch out a bit, but even after over a year i still find them a big painful on the heel for full-day wear. i solve this by slipping my heels out of the back whenever i’m at my desk.

      1. Yup that’s the ones! My usual problem is blisters from the stiff heel cup, and these don’t have that, so I was hoping I solved my shoe problems.

    4. I find those elastic backed ones to be the most painful. They will eventually break in, but it’s very difficult to get there.

    5. Can you try the Foot Petals Heavenly Heels pads? I have these in every pair of shoes I own.

    6. I don’t have those shoes, but heel pads or moleskin should make it a little better for you.

    7. I had the same problem with the Cole Haan flats. I have a pair of the Tory Burch revas that I barely wear bc of the same issue, though I can tolerate those a little better. I ended up returning the Cole Haan ones – they were SO comfortable otherwise, but the heel issue didn’t get better after a few wears (they were great about taking them back – I told them that the shoes were killing my feet, and they said “nobody wants that!”). I’ve been wearing Sam Edelman flats all summer that I really love – they seem to work for whatever heel shape I have that doesn’t work with the stiff backs/elastic backs. Maybe you could try those? Shopbop has a cute cap-toe pair for sale right now that I’ve been thinking about buying (same style as my summer pair, but in brown/black for fall).

  22. Interview Wed for senior atty position with gov’t agency. Interview is with three attorneys. Do I send: (1) mailed thank you on personal stationery day-of, (2) email thank you, (3) no thank you.

    I know in BigLaw we usu have to send reviews same or next day so a thank you usually doesn’t reach me until after I have sent my evaluation (and therefore doesn’t benefit the sender) but thought I would poll the hive.

    2. Definitely send email or email followed by snail mail. Agency mail has to get x-rayed and screened for anthrax, so it takes forever to get to us. The hiring decision could be made by the time they get your cards, even if you mail the same day.

      1. Depends on where she is geographically — mail is x-rayed at my agengy’s HQ office, but just plain delivered in my far-flung field office. We generally get local mail the next day.

  23. Back to the blouse for a minute. I really like it, but does anyone think that tie neckline will soon look dated?

    1. That classic 70s neckline has come around in the fall for a few years now. I’m pretty sure the neckline is a safe bet for another couple years. What isn’t a safe bet is the ombre effect. It was big this summer. I didn’t realize it was carrying through the fall as well, since ombre already seems kind of over. If I wanted a trendy blouse in polyester, I would just spend $30 at H&M.

    2. Yes. When the neckline was first becoming popular, I was intrigued and thought about getting a blouse with it. But I never got around to it, and now that it’s EVERYWHERE, I’m afraid of getting only another season of wear out of it. It’s the new shirts-with-ruffles/chiffon flowers.

  25. Okay, Atlanta ladies. Sorry that I have fallen down on the organizing job (blame my bosses), but I’m back in the saddle. Thoughts regarding:

    -Brunch this Saturday?
    -Brunch this Sunday?
    (in each case, Saturday or Sunday, with timing appropriate to allow those who might be attending religious services to do so)
    -Post-work drinks this Friday?
    -Post-work drinks NEXT Friday?

    I am out of town next Saturday/Sunday, so next option (for me at least) would be the weekend of November 10th.

    I’ll also send an email to those who provided their email address. Feel free to reply here or email me at myname at the mail Google brings us.

  26. To those in the PNW:

    OK, seriously, what is it with this weather? I’ve been wearing my trench coat for all of about 2 weeks and now I want to get out my wool coat. And I woke up to SNOW yesterday morning. It didn’t stick, but still. This is totally bizarre. What happened to fall?

    1. We’re being punished for having a long(er than usual) summer. But this winter is supposed to be “mild” if you believe the meteorologists and armchair weathermen, which I don’t.

    2. I’m on the other side of the globe but they’re predicting snow by the end of the week and the worst winter in years! This follows the wettest, coldest summer. Sadly I’m passport-less at the moment, otherwise I’d be buying that groupon to Marrakech.

      2. Mother nature said, “Oh crap, I forgot to make it rain in the PNW for like, months.” Boom, insta-winter.

    3. Mmmm, you guys are having a Calgary-style autumn. Two weeks of nice mild weather, then bam, it’s winter. Except our snow is sticking, and that tonight is supposed to feel like -15C. I’m pretty sure the meteorologists are lying.

    4. Lifelong PNW resident, and I don’t think the weather is all that unusual. I think we just had an unusually long summer, so it seems harsher. I hardly ever wear ‘fall’ coats because the cool and dry period is so brief.

      We did have snow fall last March, though, which was very unusual. So maybe it will be an odd winter.

      1. I also agree with this, also a lifelong PNW resident. This seems like typical weather for almost-november to me. It’s only weird that a few weeks ago it was still 75.

        1. Maybe that’s why it feels so weird to me. I guess you are right in that it is typical weather for almost-November….it’s just the extra-long summer weather that makes it feel odd. The two months in which I normally wear my trench coat without woollen bolstering somehow got converted into summer….

  27. Decided to take the plunge and get an Amazon Prime subscription. I plan on subscribing to some household items and having them shipped straight to my house. What kind of things do those of you that have this already do?

    2. toilet paper. You can also do razors/ razorblades, but we just switched over to Dollar Shave Club (google it, watch the video, you’ll be sold).

    3. You don’t need to have Amazon Prime for this, a lot of items have an option for “subscribe & save” with free shipping. So far I only use it for laundry detergent (Charlie’s Soap) but I’m thinking we need to start doing it for more things, as its really convenient to never run out of laundry detergent.

        1. Not Jules or her husband, but I use Sunwarrior (the original kind, not the new Warrior Blend which I did not like). I like the chocolate best if I’m having it plain, and the vanilla best if I’m using it in a smoothie.

    5. If you do subscribe and save, you get free shipping on those items without the Amazon Prime membership.

      We do subscribe and save for dishwasher detergent. Felt like we could find only little boxes (which meant we ran out all the time/thought we had another box and didn’t) locally on a regular basis.

    6. vitamins, trash bags, baby stuff (diapers/wipes/fruit puree pouches), tp, big boxes of granola, tea

  28. I posted before asking about rhinoplasty and describing my husband’s adverse reaction when I told him I was interested in the procedure.

    I brought it up with him again and explained to him why I want the procedure and I have already began researching surgeons. When I explain this to him his response is just “no”. He won’t even entertain the idea and needless to say he won’t go meet a surgeon with me.

    I am not sure how to handle this because all our money is in joint account and I feel like I need his blessing before I go an take 6K of our “family” money for a medical procedure for myself. In addition to that I would like him to be on board because it would really hurt me to hear him say afterwards something like, “see, you can’t really see a differece” or “I liked your old nose better.”

    I don’t know what to do. He is not willing to discuss this with me because he know I won’t/can’t do it without his blessing. Is this right? Wrong? Help!

    1. There are a few issues here, I’ll try to address each.

      1)Money in the joint account – not sure how you do your monthly budget, but if you’re like me and my husband, we have a monthly savings target. If you meet your target, and cover whatever your share of the bills is, the rest is yours to do with as you like. That could be that gorgeous Alexis Bittar jewelry posted above, or set aside for something much bigger. Can you set aside money that isn’t already claimed for savings or bills over time so you don’t have to draw on the joint account?

      2)You seem conflicted on why you’re doing this. If you’re doing it because you really want it for you, you probably shouldn’t need his approval.

      3)If you’re doing it partly for his approval, and he won’t give you his approval, has he articulated his reasons why? Is it because he’s against all types of plastic surgery? Or just this one. Why should he control what you do to your body? It’s your body. His being married to you doesn’t give him control over your body. It seems very controlling of him.

      1. Thanks for your thoughts.

        This is going to sound silly and I am still trying to sort this all out (we hav only been married 2 years) but for some reason I don’t feel like I have the “right” to go into our account and take $6,000 out for a cosmetic procedure. The money is in there. I have some issue with telling my husband this is what I want and I am going to do it.

        I know I am 100% doing this for me – I have no doubt about that. I am just concerned that my husband will for some reason find me less attractive or “fake” looking. He keeps telling me he thinks women who get work done look “fake” even though my goal is to get something done that looks natural and still like me – only improved. He is pretty much against all types of plastic surgery and thinks that once I have this done I will just find something else worry about. I don’t believe this is true at all.

        Also, my husband can be a real pr*ck when he doesn’t like something. So I hate the thought of him pissing and moaning when I need help around the house because I wont be able to do certain things because I am still healing. I know that sounds mean but I am just being honest. Most of the time he needs a lot of convincing before getting on board with anything.

        My question is as a married woman do I have a right to take $6000 of our money and spend it on myself on surgery? Or is that selfish? Do I need my husbands approval to change my body? Does getting married mean he gets some sort of say in the matter? he seems to think it does..

        1. I am cringing as I read your followup, because it sounds like the two of you have a few unhealthy patterns.

          (1) That if he’s not on-board 100% with something, he’ll withhold help/support. That doesn’t seem healthy. It’s not very loving. Think forward to the future. Not sure if you two will have kids, but what if you do and you choose a parenting decision that he’s not 100% ok with. Is he going to withdraw love and support from you and your child? Seriously, his way of reacting is what you do to an @sshole coworker who’s trying to derail you, not to a spouse who’s presumably the love of his life and his life partner.

          (2) That he thinks his being married to you gives him control/decision-making over your body.

          Getting married means that his opinion should be listened to on the matter, and that it should be weighed more than say, a friendly coworker’s opinion, or a girlfriend’s opinion, but the *choice* is yours alone.

          I might very well get dubbed the “therapy-pusher” here on this site, because I’ve recommended it a lot, but I think the two of you might consider going to couples counseling. This is a huge boundary/control issue that should be worked out. Because it has impact on many other potential future decisions the two of you will make together as a couple.

          1. Nope.

            Agree with Blonde Lawyer and completely disagree with Susan. Life is not about catchphrases. “It’s my body” isn’t an automatic trump card in a long term voluntary relationship between two adults. Yes, he has no right to tell you what you do, except it’s shared money that you both earned and a spouse’s opinions should have weight. More than that of a co-worker and in a completely different way to a coworker. You feel strongly that there is something wrong with your nose. He doesn’t see it and loves you the way you currently look. He may have MANY concerns about what this means. He may also just not respect this decision. He may have strong opinions about the kind of person who has elective, completely unnecessary plastic surgery. That’s his right. You may have always wanted to do this but did you ever tell HIM that?

            I disagree completely that her husband sounds abusive, mean or unsupportive. I’m actually a little offended by the posts on this thread that are equating being emotionally abusive or immature with not being a cheerleader for elective cosmetic surgery. He sounds normal, reasonable and human. I would be horrified if my partner came to me and said he wanted plastic surgery, especially for something that *I* didn’t see. For good or for bad I have opinions about the kind of people who have (wholly elective/not in response to trauma) plastic surgery and why. I would to talk a lot before I could be 100% on board with it.

        2. I don’t know what to tell you about the joint account; I’m not married and other women who are married will have better advice.

          But as someone who has had cosmetic surgery (breast augmentation specifically) and loves the results, I can tell you that it isn’t selfish to want the procedure, and you don’t need ANYONE’S approval to alter your body. Only your own. As far as him not picking up the slack when you’re recovering, it just sounds to me like he’s a jerk. I’m sorry for judging your husband without knowing him, but sometimes I wonder why so many apparently awesome women on this site have such immature husbands. I’m sure he’s wonderful in other respects but really…

        3. Playing devil’s advocate here for a second. Let’s assume that the ONLY issue is this: “My question is as a married woman do I have a right to take $6000 of our money and spend it on myself on surgery? ”

          In my marriage, the answer would be “no.” If DH came to me and said, “Brant, I’m going to buy a sports car. It costs $6,000. Would you like to come shopping with me?” My response would be similar to your husband’s response,. I would try to talk him out of it and be pretty enraged if he went ahead and got it anyway (this assumes that I was not on board with said sports car).

          Now. That wouldn’t happen in my marriage (theoretically) because DH and I have our finances structured so that we each get an “allowance” that is kept in separate accounts. If DH wanted a $6,000 sports car and I thought it was a bad idea, as long as he saved that $6,000 up out of his “allowance”, and every subsequent expense came out of that allowance, I wouldn’t be mad at all. That’s the point of the “fun” money.

          Thinking about your situation, and putting myself in your DH’s shoes, he probably thinks that you don’t need plastic surgery. Surgery of any kind is risky, and this is purely cosmetic. I”m not in any way suggesting you shouldn’t *want* it, but it’s not like getting a limb amputated to save your life :). To DH, it seems like you’re about to drop $6,000 of your joint money on a produce he doesn’t see a need for.

          Perhaps you’d have some luck if you took the approach of treating the surgery as a “luxury” item– equivalent to DH spending $$ on sports tickets or some other hobby. Let him know you’re aware it’s purely cosmetic and purely for you, and you’re willing to save up for it accordingly.

          Hope this makes sense. I’m not trying to trivialize your desire to have surgery by comparing it to a “toy,” but it might help you understand why DH is so frustrated.

          All money aside, DH does *not* (should not) have the ability to tell you what you can and cannot have done to your body.

          1. Hah! Our “luxury” items are similar – things that go vroom, tickets. Though in my relationship, it’s actually new electric guitar that’s the point of conflict.

          2. DH and I have been in a fit about a (small ) boat. He bought one with “fun” money, but as boats are wont to do, all of the other boat expenses are coming out of the joint account. It’s not that big of a deal, and i DO like the boat, but I bring it up when I need ammo. Plus, it is now in my yard, which is causing me some anxiety.

          3. Boat would fall squarely in my frivolous purchase territory (not SO’s), and I’d likely consider it an aesthetically pleasing addition to any yard and would be utterly baffled that someone could think otherwise!

        4. I’d say you have a right to take $7000 – 1k on therapy to work out the “real prick when he doesn’t like something,” specifically this surgery, and 6k to have the surgery. Try flipping it around – what would make you feel ok with him taking 6k for a lifelong dream of his that you’d never spend the money on and think is frivolous and possibly dangerous (motorcycle, taking a month off work to travel alone, superbowl tickets)? The fact that you can envision him making your recovery from surgery harder is more concerning to me than the fact that he isn’t on board with you having elective surgery.

          Sounds like two things need reshaping: how you two handle conflict, and your nose.

        5. I agree with the comments above. I remember your original post, and it seems to me that you have thought this through in a very thorough manner. You don’t seem like the type who will do a rhinoplasty, then breast augmentation, then liposuction, and on and on. You’ve wanted this one surgery for a very long time and you are realistic about the outcome. Likewise, your husband has some very reasonable positions. Surgery is risky, even from an outpatient perspective. He loves you the way you are and doesn’t need a new nose to love you more. That, in my mind, is a “tie”. You both have reasonable, supportable positions-but, as others have said above, it’s your body. If it were me, I’d tell hubby I am going ahead with the surgery-that I’ve considered his positions and I know they are valid, but this is something I have to do for myself. I would set up a reasonable savings goal to save money for the surgery, and, as others have said above, would consider that money as my “fun” money or luxury money. When I had enough to pay for the surgery, I would go ahead and schedule it. I would be respectful of hubby’s opinion, but firm about my own as well. Good luck!

      2. I don’t think it sounds controlling. He probably sees the OP as beautiful, just the way she is, and might actually be scared/sad about her undergoing an elective medical procedure because she doesn’t like how she looks. He might worry about the side effects or worry she won’t be as beautiful as she is now. I can imagine being upset if a spouse is going to drastically change their appearance. I’d be kind of thrown off if my husband wanted to dye his hair blonde or blue. Actually, he buzzed his head once and it looked so different, I couldn’t stand it. He knows I like it better his usual way and he wears it that way. Likewise, he occasionally grows a beard. I’m not a fan so he doesn’t keep the beard around very long. He prefers my hair straight to curly. He certainly doesn’t forbid me from wearing it curly but if we are going on a fancy date night, I usually straighten it.

        This is my very long way of saying I think this is a major decision and one that should involve your spouse’s feelings. Also, the cost is a whole other factor given that it is an elective surgery. I don’t think we should brush him off as a bad guy just yet. I think it would be far worse for him to have been super enthusiastic like “thank goodness you are finally getting that thing taken care of. That will bring you from a 7 to a ten.” That, would be mean and awful.

        1. I commented before reading that you think he would withhold support. That’s an issue. I will disagree though with people who say your spouse has no say in what you do with your body. I think once you are married, that body does effect your spouse. For example, my husband once contemplated donating sperm for money. I was completely against it. I had an issue with the idea of his potential children just being out there somewhere. I wanted us to decide if we wanted kids first and then maybe have those kids before we started donating kids. This all sounds very irrational now but it made sense to me at the time. I think the sign of a healthy marriage is that he cared about my opinion and why that bothered me and chose to not do it.

          Many “body issues” bring up religious and ethical concerns for people too. It may also have cultural or ethnic issues too. If your marriage is partly based on a joint religion or ethical base or cultural heritage, doing something that alters that alters the marriage to a degree. I am super pro choice but if I was married to someone morally and religiously opposed to abortion and chose to have an abortion, even though it was my body, I would expect fall out in my marriage for that. I would expect it to be a deal breaker.

          Are there other issues here that you may not have considered? Is there a reason he is taking this so personally, besides the money?

          For your money question, my husband and I agree on all major purchases or else they get purchased from our “allowance” accounts. If we don’t agree on a major purchase, the joint money isn’t used. I agree that one should be hesitant to take $6k from a joint account knowing the other spouse disagrees with the purchase. Particularly so, if a good chunk of that money is equally the spouse’s money (not just legally jointly owned, but contributed to jointly.)

    2. I agree with Susan that your husband’s pattern of withholding support if he doesn’t completely agree with something sounds like an issue that needs to be talked through. But: a) I would never take $6k of family money to spend on just me, especially on something my husband really was not ok with (as opposed to sort of didn’t love the idea but could accept it) – that’s a significant amount of money. And b), maybe I’m naive, but plastic surgery seems like a pretty big deal to me and something you would want to talk through with your husband. It sounds to me like your husband is communicating his concerns to you (being generally against plastic surgery/concerned it looks ‘fake’ – this is something you could probably talk about and show him why you don’t think it will look fake and why you want it for yourself – and being concerned that the plastic surgery is a bandaid solution that won’t solve underlying issues he thinks you might have with insecurity about your looks). Can you express to him that you understand and appreciate his concern, and explain why you don’t think “you’ll just find something else to worry about”? To jump on Susan’s therapy bandwagon – have you considered therapy to determine why you want the surgery? If you go through that and come out convinced you really want it and your husband’s wrong about issues persisting afterwards, that might help convince him to be on board with this.

    3. I think woman on this site are far too quick to recommend therapy or judge a husband because he disagrees with his wife. Sometimes you and your husband are not going to agree – this does not mean the answer is 1) you need therapy or 2) your husband is an unsupportive jerk.
      As far as the disagreement goes, I know I would not be comfortable with my husband taking $6,000 out of our bank account for something I did not agree with – especially plastic surgery. There could be a million reasons why he doesn’t want you to get this – many of which are legitimate. Perhaps a solution is a different banking system where you each get a little each month to save so you can purchase something without having to agree to it? You could perhaps even agree to start off each bank account with some joint money (so you wouldn’t have to wait as long to save up).

    4. Agree with Blonde Lawyer and completely disagree with Susan. Life is not about catchphrases. “It’s my body” isn’t an automatic trump card in a long term voluntary relationship between two adults. Yes, he has no right to tell you what you do, except it’s shared money that you both earned and a spouse’s opinions should have weight. More than that of a co-worker and in a completely different way to a coworker. You feel strongly that there is something wrong with your nose. He doesn’t see it and loves you the way you currently look. He may have MANY concerns about what this means. He may also just not respect this decision. He may have strong opinions about the kind of person who has elective, completely unnecessary plastic surgery. That’s his right. You may have always wanted to do this but did you ever tell HIM that?

      I disagree completely that her husband sounds abusive, mean or unsupportive. I’m actually a little offended by the posts on this thread that are equating being emotionally abusive or immature with not being a cheerleader for elective cosmetic surgery. He sounds normal, reasonable and human. I would be horrified if my partner came to me and said he wanted plastic surgery, especially for something that *I* didn’t see. For good or for bad I have opinions about the kind of people who have (wholly elective/not in response to trauma) plastic surgery and why. I would to talk a lot before I could be 100% on board with it.

  29. Why does any0ne marry these men? Why not marry someone who is your equal in kindness, caring, and love? Are women that desperate to get married? Is it that engrained into our culture that marriage is the be all end all that we simply marry whatever shmuck will have us at the ideal marriage age? it is so infurieting to listen to smart, wonderful women with questions like hm, do you think its wrong of my husband to be a huge controlling jerk? YES

    1. People make mistakes, anon. Sometimes these are mistakes out of naivete, kindness and optimism that don’t pan out ultimately. People fail us and disappoint us every day. And sometimes exceed our wildest hopes. It’s all part of the human experience.

      Please don’t judge the women on this site harshly for the jerky things their husbands have done. And while society does hand out some particularly poisonous messages to women, it’s not all bad. Plenty of men have terrible relationships with women who are wrong for them in every way, and who are mean or indifferent to them. I suspect you’d not be judging them in this way.

      Plenty of us on this site have great spouses and SOs. And while I’m sad that some of the wonderful women on this site are going through some really tough times, I’m also grateful to be with my husband and tell him so.

      1. It was not meant as a judgmental message, it was a message of support. I just don’t want them to be with these awful men.

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