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Updated: Aug 16, 2020 89 Comments · by

Coffee Break: Fiddle Leaf Fig

Coffee Break· Office Decor |

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If you're as obsessed with Room Rater as I am, you'll know that one of their most frequent suggestions for improvement is to add a plant. They usually recommend a succulent, but if you're looking for height, drama, and a nice bit of green, I would actually recommend a fiddle leaf fig instead.

You can buy live fiddle leaf figs, of course, but plastic ones are also really popular (no bugs, yay!). However, they can be pricey. (Here are some options at World Market, West Elm, and Amazon.) 

The pictured fiddle leaf fig is only a branch (vase not included!) but if you're on a budget could be a great solution. PLUS, it's on sale at West Elm — it was $40 but is now marked to $25. 

(I can't find a link to the exact vase pictured, but West Elm has a ton with that long-necked shape; so do Crate & Barrel and Wayfair.)

This post contains affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For more details see here. Thank you so much for your support!

Sales of note for 10.10.24

  • Nordstrom – Extra 25% off clearance (through 10/14); there's a lot from reader favorites like Boss, FARM Rio, Marc Fisher LTD, AGL, and more. Plus: free 2-day shipping, and cardmembers earn 6x points per dollar (3X the points on beauty).
  • Ann Taylor – Extra 50% off sale (ends 10/12)
  • Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything plus extra 25% off your $125+ purchase
  • Boden – 10% off new styles with code; free shipping over $75
  • Eloquii – Extra 50% off a lot of sale items, with code
  • J.Crew – 40% off sitewide
  • J.Crew Factory – 50% off entire site, plus extra 25% off orders $150+
  • Lo & Sons – Fall Sale, up to 35% off
  • M.M.LaFleur – Save 25% sitewide
  • Neiman Marcus – Sale on sale, up to 85% off
  • Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
  • Talbots – 50% off 2+ markdowns
  • Target – Circle week, deals on 1000s of items
  • White House Black Market – Buy one, get one – 50% off full price styles

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

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

About Kat

Kat Griffin is the founder, publisher, and editor-in-chief of Corporette. You can read more about her here.

Comments

  1. Anon

    Has anyone done any free or paid online courses that are academic in nature, but that you did just for yourself? I would love to take an online literature class, ideally on Shakespeare, but the options are a bit overwhelming. I’m a big reader and pretty well educated but was not an English major so I think I’m looking for something at the college freshman/sophomore level. Pre-recorded videos and going at your own pace is ideal for me because my work schedule varies week to week. TIA!

    • NOLA

      For what it’s worth, most fully online classes offered by universities are intended to be asynchronous, so your schedule shouldn’t matter. Most are not self-paced though.

    • Anonymous

      i used itunes u to find a bunch of free online courses from major universities. I took a freshman physics class from Berkeley.

    • Sloan Sabbith

      Great Courses! There are a bunch of Shakespeare options. I’ve loved every great course I’ve listened to (I get them on audible).

      • Ellen

        I would like to take a course about Dr. Zhivago. I never read Dr. Zhivago in college b/c I was to busy preparing for my career. Is it to late to start thinking about reading this, now that I am a lawyer? Dad says don’t be silly, but I am a woman and need a little romance in my life that I do not get as a lawyer. What does the rest of the hive think? Kat, can you do a survey?

    • Anon

      I’ve used EdX and Coursera to take some “fun” classes over quarantine and they are pretty user-friendly. It does take some searching about to find the course you want, though, and I haven’t used them for any English courses so I can’t speak to that.

  2. Anon

    Has anyone found a good plus size Bermuda type short? I’ve seen the recs for shorts with various inseams around 5” but I’d like some just above knee ones with a narrow leg. I’m a size 18.

    • Digby

      You might want to check Talbots – they make a lot of knee-length-ish shorts.

      • Anon

        Thank you. I always forget about them. And they have lots of pants and shorts for 19.99 today!!

    • Anonymous

      I have some from Lands End that I think fit this description. I bought them in 2017 but would be surprised if they’ve changed much.

    • Cat

      Currently out of stock in almost all sizes, but keep an eye on the JCrew 10 Inch Bermuda Stretch Chino for a restock – they go up to 24.

    • NY CPA

      I wear plus sizes as well, and I have several pairs from NYDJ that I love the fit on. In the past, I’ve also had some from Target that were pretty good.

  3. anon

    I’m spending most of the week in a virtual conference; it’s a massive affair hosted by the dominant software provider in my field. This is the 1st time they’ve ever done the annual conference virtually, but they have a lot of experience with webinars and stuff, so it’s going amazingly well. It can be done, guys!

    A few random thoughts appropriate only for this blog:

    1. Choosing your makeup and top for video does make a difference. I wish I could ask some of the women where their clothes were from (not that I would- these are top SMEs). The styling is so consistently good I suspect the company provided resources for the main presenters. I’m loving the textures, flattering colors, and interesting necklines.

    2. Seeing into strangers’ homes is absolutely facinating! The gimmicky slideshow of photos of employees at the their home computers with pets & kids was cute. But seeing the backgrounds when folks are presenting is even better. If you’re debating what to sit in front of, any artwork is great

    3. Despite what I said above about the women’s style, it’s still obvious no one has had a haircut. The men’s hair is long, and the women all have frizzy split ends. And I’m loving seeing that! It’s so relatable.

    4. Don’t sit in a rocking chair for video presenting! Seriously dude…it was all looking so polished till you started wobbling in and out on the screen! He still did a great job moderating :) but I had to minimize the window to listen.

    • Ribena

      So many of my calls seem to include conversations about the books in view of people’s cameras! I shelved my books by colour back at the start of lockdown (they were a mess and it was something to do that would feel like a waste of weekend time in the Beforetimes) and so behind me I have an original (1890) fireplace and a mantelpiece with all my white and beige books on.

    • Horse Crazy

      I think I’d get nauseous watching someone present in a rocking chair!

  4. Anon

    I am home on maternity leave until September and am then likely working from home until January. I am sick to death of my maternity clothes, and need loungey options. About me: cusp sized, apple shaped.

    What do I get? I used to love yoga pants, but leggings and joggers seem to have taken over. I don’t think joggers are a good silhouette on me. I like leggings, but I want to pair them with longer shirts and I can’t find those (?) Help – I’m so tired of looking dumpy but still want to be comfortable!

      • Elderlyunicorn

        I don’t know if it’s in your budget, but perhaps look at the Hatch site. I know it’s a tough pill to swallow to spend $$ on maternity clothes, but if you bought 1 or 2 pieces you love, being home is great because you could wear it as much as you want. At the very least, a good site for inspiration, then head over to ASOS, filter for maternity wear and see if you can find something similar. I think their stretchy jumpsuits are adorable.I’d also look at maxi dresses, or a kimono to throw over basic tees and leggings.

    • Anon

      I can’t tell if you’re buying clothes for the last two months of your pregnancy or post-partum stuff.

      For me, buying any non-maternity items to wear while hugely peg and was a waste of money. They just don’t fit the unique proportions of a pregnant body. Even if you can squeeze it on, then it’s uncomfortable because it’s tight in the wrong places. And maybe this was just me but I couldn’t stand anything tight across my belly.

      For post partum, I still had to wear my maternity clothes for the first few weeks. That was depressing but I had a colicky newborn so I didn’t have a lot of time to care about what I was wearing.

      Once I could fit into regular size clothing, albeit a size or two larger than my pre-pregnancy size (mostly in my b00bs), I wore stretchy pants and nursing tops. My favorite combo was a pair of pants that looked like Old Navy Pixie pants but with an elastic waist, a nursing tee, and an open big shirt or a cardigan on top. Slip on shoes for sure, because my colicky baby also needed to be carried all the time, and it was so much easier to just slide my feet into shoes than deal with putting her down and tying my shoes. (It gets better. She’s 17 now and I can’t remember the last time she wanted to be carried :) )

    • pugsnbourbon

      If you’re planning to nurse – nursing hoodies are a thing! I had no idea they existed until my sister asked for one for Christmas. The one I got for her was the Smallshow Women’s Fleece Maternity Nursing Sweatshirt on Am@zon. From a quick search, it looks like there are longer ones available, too.
      Her baby is a year old now but she told us she rocked the maternity pants until he was about six months. No shame in that game.

    • Anonymous

      Latched Mama makes cute nursing tops and hoodies. Many of their offerings are longer length. I lived in sweaters and hoodies from them during two maternity leaves.

  5. anon

    I got divorced last year and got some good advice from readers – so another question from those who have been here before. I’m coming up on my wedding anniversary this week. I had been doing so-so with the divorce, but these past few weeks have felt really really hard. I don’t have a support network in my city, but now with the pandemic, visiting elderly parents/out of town friends is off the table. I was never big on “important days” like this when married, but right now it feels looming. Any advice on things you did to make an anniversary less…hard?

    • Anon

      I have some sad anniversaries in my life, mostly related to deaths, so if the thought of the anniversary is making me bummed out, I do something nice for myself. I know that is hard to do in a pandemic if you’re stuck at home alone, but a zoom with friends or family, a day of movie watching, your favorite takeout, making a cake or cookies, getting outside if you can. Just a day with no obligations where you turn it into a Happy Birthday to Me day. Self care is important!!

    • Maudie Atkinson

      The current circumstances make it difficult to have an in-person gathering, even if your people were in your city, but I would make a date with a trusted friend.
      For the one-year anniversary of the day my ex-husband left, I had a little party with girlfriends as a thank you to them–for pulling (sometimes carrying) me through that year. Shifting the focus from me to them was helpful for me. Is there someone who was at your wedding and who was also supportive through your divorce? Could you propose a toast from them, for celebrating with you in good times and supporting you in harder times?

    • Davis

      For me, part of it is accepting that it will be a hard or kind of hard day for a while. Eventually it’ll fade, but acknowledging it’ll be tough and that it’s OK to feel weird or sad. Can you take the day off or part of the day off? Maybe there’s a way to treat yourself to a day of reading or trashy TV or a series of yoga workouts. It’s hard to do actual social support, but I imagine some of your friends know it’s coming up and may not know how to approach it with you. With your closest people you can ask for their support, even if it’s texts to check in on you and send funny pet pictures.
      Sending hugs from an internet stranger!

    • Monday

      Ambitious hike or run? Endorphins + a sense of achievement always helped me a ton. The first Christmas after my husband left me I was completely alone, but it actually wasn’t bad for this reason.

  6. Anon

    The comments about educators and schools going back in session this morning had me thinking. Issues of access to equipment and stable internet aside (AND I KNOW THOSE ARE THE BIG ISSUES), one school district near me has (against state orders because they know schools will end up virtually anyway as it’s an urban Texas district) decided to start preparing for an entire virtual year (so teachers have roughly 5 – 6 weeks to prepare now), with the caveat that teachers will actually be teaching in person at school to an empty classroom (similar to the way college lecturers often record classes). So the teachers will have access to all their normal resources, including distanced and masked but in person department meetings, school provided equipment, etc.

    I thought that was an interesting compromise from the “teacher preparation” point. Teachers can prep somewhat normally, classes will be held live and attendance will be kept, but also the video recorded and kept online as a secondary resource. I don’t know if the plans for kids with special needs have been hashed out though. Obviously this doesn’t solve the access to internet and computer issue, but I thought it was a start – tbf it’s a lower to middle class school district so the vast majority of kids have access to a smart phone or computer.

      • Anon

        Teaching without children around does lower the chances of infection significantly and it’s not typical in most districts in Texas for teachers to share a classroom – I think this is a know your district thing. Districts that are already low on funds should find the money but probably won’t because of consistently cut funding to outfit teachers in their homes. It’s a compromise to preserve resources.

      • Anonymous

        It seems like she got it first and gave it to other teachers sharing a room with her. There is no mention of her getting it at work and no students were in the building. Other than her profession, how is this relevant?

        • Betsy

          I would say it’s pretty relevant to the two teachers that she passed it on to, who did catch it at work…

    • Anon

      That is interesting. I hope our district teachers have learned a little about virtual teaching over the summer, because it was really a mess in the spring.

      They asked us just last week whether we wanted to enroll our kids in 2 day/week in-person hybrid with distance learning, or 100% distance learning.

      Today we got an email saying it’s all distance learning, at least till winter break, because the covid numbers are so bad right now. I’m in the Bay Area.

    • Anonymous

      My teacher husband would far, far rather teach remotely from home than from his classroom. No point in exposure to others in the building, and teachers have childcare issues too. This year I could watch the kids during his classes and he could watch them the rest of the day.

  7. Abby

    Reposting this from The Hunt post!
    Are there any experienced gardeners (real kind) out there? I planted some veggies this spring, and they seem to be doing great. However, one of them is a tomatillo plant that is flowering but not producing any fruit. I read online that you’re supposed to plant multiple tomatillo plants so they can fertilize each other. Of course I’m figuring that out now, when my plant is several feet tall. Can I do anything to help my plant produce anything or should I just get rid of the plant/stop watering it because it’s a lost cause?

      • Anon

        Do this or run a q-tip or small paintbrush inside the flowers. If you can tell male from female flowers, even better, but otherwise just swab/brush the inside of all the open flowers with the same instrument. Basically, you’re a bee!

    • anonshmanon

      I haven’t done tomatillos, but for tomatoes, you can hand pollinate easily. Either poke all flowers with a q-tip or with one flower that you rip off and brush past all the others.

    • Gail the Goldfish

      I’ve never grown tomatillos, but 1) if they’re really bad at self-pollinating (and internet says they are), probably a lost cause unless you can find another flowering plant now and 2) tomatoes can have trouble pollinating properly if it’s really hot and humid (mine always produce more in September/even into October than July/August (I live in the SEUS)), so that may also be an issue if tomatillos are similar?

    • Anon

      You can hand pollinate them. Fun fact: In large operations, battery operated vibrators are often used for the task.

  8. Mal

    If you’re looking for a plant with verticality, but don’t necessarily need the size of a Fiddle Leaf Fig, I can highly recommended a Sansevieria/Mother-in-Law’s Tongue/Snake Plant. It only needs to be watered very, very rarely, and doesn’t have picky light needs.

  9. Anon

    How do you think life will look a year from today? Will COVID be a regular part of life? Will some parts of the country still be on lockdown? Or will life have returned to basically normal?

    • Anon

      I think COVID will be a regular part of life. I don’t think we’ll have a vaccine or viable treatment. I think we’ll have intermittent lockdowns and lots of stuff will remain shut down (e.g., large sporting events, concerts, etc.)

    • Anonymous

      I’d be interested in any fact-based articles or expert information regarding this topic, if anyone has any links to share.

    • Anon

      If Trump is elected, we’ll be lucky if the pandemic is raging at a 7/10 on a scale of 1-10 of “how bad can it get.” If Biden gets elected, I’m hoping for a 3.

    • Anon

      I think we’ll have to get so bad that ordinary medical treatments cannot be done and most people have had a severe sickness or death in their life that masking will be universally accepted and used even by the “freebum luvers” who fear their own death more than they hate science and we’ll be stuck in a “phase 1” opening (regular businesses but no gyms, bars, clubs, restaurants, concerts, etc.) until a vaccine, widespread antiviral, or herd immunity is reached.

    • Anon

      Without looking at the political aspect of how life may look differently…

      I am pretty sure my job is going to still be heavily influenced / overrun by COVID issues (non-medical industry). I doubt I will be back in the office, though. Not until after next summer – maybe the following winter (this is due to necessary influxes of people for specific assignments, so given the protocols, my dept is likely not going to be back in offices until those assignments are over.

      • Jeffiner

        A good thing about this: My employer has actually embraced WFH, and wants some groups to do it permanently. Other groups will only go to the office on occasion, and those people will share desks. My group will likely be in the office, but will have more freedom to WFH on occasion.

    • Anonymous

      You guys are so negative and ridiculous. There is a 99% survival rate. Europe is returning to normal: schools, no masks, no social distancing. We are in this mess because it’s an election year and people are freaking out. The end.

  10. Anon

    Since I basically live in athleisure now, I’m thinking about treating myself to some new fancier workout gear. I have zero experience with the nicer brands—I usually get whatever’s on sale at TJ Maxx or Target.

    I’m a petite pear with very narrow shoulders and very large hips/butt/thighs. Should I go for Lululemon, Athleta, or some other brand I don’t know about?

    • Anon

      I’d stick with the cheaper stuff. Lululemon is maybe 2x as nice, but 6x as expensive. If you’re just wearing it to sit around and social distance, there’s no need for the premium quality.

      • Anon

        Oh, I work out 5-6 days a week. But at this point I’ll wear my workout gear for calls (my org has a cameras off culture) so I’m ready to jump into a workout as soon as the day ends.

        • Anon

          Ah, okay. I still think you can get better deals on the TJ Maxx level of stuff – I’ve never found my Athleta gear to be significantly better and in fact, the tights I have from there fit me worse than my Target ones. You might also want to be careful because I think all the Gap companies are having issues with sales and returns right now.

    • Anonymous

      I like Athleta. Its size chart is generally accurate. And it’s the semi-annual sale right now. (It’s rare for them to have sales I think.)

    • anon

      I think lululemon is worth it. I have a bunch of cheaper stuff (mostly Old Navy) and it just doesn’t fit as well — leggings are constantly sagging, shirts start to look very worn after a bit of washing and drying, etc. I’m sure there are plenty of options in between lulu and ON so I’m looking forward to reading other suggestions on here.

    • Anon

      I like TLC Sport UK on Amazon, but their stock has been hit or miss lately. Same shape. My priorities are (a) real compression (I cannot stand bounce), (b) soft fabric, (c) comfortable enough to wear around the house. Well, and opacity.

    • Carmen Sandiego

      Not as high-end as Lululemon and Athleta, but I really like Fabletics pants! They have a lot of cute styles and I find they stay put on me. If you want something cozy, Beyond Yoga’s space-dye collection is super super soft (but it is a little on the pricey side I find, though not as much as lulu).

        • Carmen Sandiego

          It is still a subscription, but idk how hard it is to cancel because I’ve never tried. I just skip the months I don’t want (which is most months) and I’ve never had a problem being charged or forgetting. I just put it as recurring on my calendar to skip and they send an email as well.

    • Sloan Sabbith

      I love my Zella stuff. Not Z by Zella. But I have a selection of their stuff and their live in leggings are my fave.

    • anon.

      I like Sweaty Betty Power leggings for hard workouts and I also WFH in them now so I can go straight to my workout. I haven’t tried their Zero Gravity so they could be just as good (don’t know the difference to be honest!).

  12. no

    I need super thin long sleeve shirts that I can wear at the height of summer. sports attire or athleisure preferred. Sun protection isn’t necessary, I just need to block my own hands from picking and scratching at my arms on conference calls. (yes I am going back to therapy as well).

  13. SF

    My good friend’s birthday is coming up. She’s having a rough time – moved home to Jersey to take care of her mother going through cancer treatments. I’d like to send her something. She’s vegan/GF so I think food is out. I can spend between $50- $100, any ideas?

    • Carmen Sandiego

      This is probably a know your friend situation and whether she would appreciate this, but my friend sent me a package for my birthday with Ani Trime’s Little Book of Affirmations and some nice face masks. I think that could be nice and maybe some of Herbivore’s bath salts (they smell very good!) I was having a rough year even before COVID came along, and it was a nice gift at the right time.

    • Anonymous

      Does she drink tea? How about a Kati Steeping Cup and Infuser from Tea Forte (some gorgeous floral prints here)

      Striped Spa Sock Set from Anthropologie along with a candle/sleep mask/etc

      • Jules

        You could also check online for bakeries or independent bakers in her area. When my kid graduated a few years ago, and we needed a vegan (but not GF) cake in Ithaca NY, I went online and found a woman who baked in her home; she delivered a delicious cake to our VRBO house.

    • anon

      Maybe a selection of teas from somewhere fancy (I default to https://www.teasource.com/)? If she still uses honey, you might add a selection of honeys to go with the teas (https://www.amesfarm.com/).

      I gave my vegan – but honey-eating – mother this exact thing when she was taking care of my grandmother, and it was a huge hit.

    • Sloan Sabbith

      I sent my best friend who lives in Europe and can’t come here to see her boyfriend or go to her home elsewhere in Europe to see her parents without some major logistical hurdles (which is all to say her life kind of sucks right now) Outlander, a two pack of wine mugs with pineapples on them and the fun kind of face mask that reminds me of the blue lagoon masks for anyone who has been to Iceland ( which we both have).

  14. Ymanon

    I recently had a trouser fit revelation, and thought I’d put it here, just in case anybody else has my shape.

    I have a slim hourglass shape with a high waist but a long seat – so regular lenght legs, but longer from crotch to natural waist. I’ve been loving the super high waisted trousers (11 inch rise etc), since they actually hit closer to my natural waist (mid waist gives me major muffin).

    I’ve recently found that if I go for the high-waisted in TALL sizes – which I do not need in terms of actual trouser length – the waist is sooo much better placed. It’s very easy to alter trouser length compared to rise, and I’m so happy with the tall fit crotch up. So shout out to other high-waisted, long-seated people. :)

    • Abby

      this is really late but WOW you are describing my body. I always thought I had a long torso, but couldn’t explain why, just that I wanted really high waisted bottoms (12 inch rise) to actually hit my waist. Thanks for the tip and also the phrase “long seated”!

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