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Tuesday’s Workwear Report: Cropped Windowpane Jacket

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A woman wearing a green pleated crop jacket and denim pants

Our daily workwear reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices.

I’m finding so many good blazers this season. Here’s  hoping Santa reads Corporette and shops at Brooks Brothers, because this cropped windowpane number would be very welcome under my tree.

I love the stand collar and gorgeous shape. I would wear this over a black sheath for a formal day or with some colored trousers for something a little more casual. 

The blazer comes in sizes 00-16 at Brooks Brothers. There is a matching skirt that, unfortunately, is a mini (22″). The jacket was $328 but is now marked down to $229; there are lots of other nice markdowns. (And lots of windowpane! This open cardigan looks similar to the jacket but a bit softer, and has a white interior.)

Sales of note for 1/15:

238 Comments

    2. Me too. I had a Nordstrom windowpane skirt and jacket from circa 2014 that I love.

      1. I had these great cropped pants from BR in off white with a black windowpane plaid. I wore those things until they fell apart.

    5. I got the blouse in this print. Not sure I am keeping it, but it is nice and feels like a staple.

  2. I like this blazer

    What are your warmest pants that you wear day to day? Jeans don’t cut it in this weather.

    1. I wear heat tech footless tights from uniqlo under everything. I do have a pair of wide wale cords that are enough warmth on their own;, however, they are only weekend wear.

      1. Same, heattech. I also have some LL Bean fleece lined hiking pants that are pretty warm.

    2. I have a pair of faux leather trousers that are fleecy on the inside…they are SO warm that I can’t wear them on a normal day and instead reserve them for the coldest days or when I will be outside walking around.

    4. I have some Talbot’s Italian flannel, and they are gorgeous, but I live in SEUS, so they are usually overkill

      1. Wait?! They still make that? OMG that was the fabric of winter. And the SEUS can be pretty damp, which is even worse that straight cold temperatures.

    5. I also just wear long underwear under normal pants. I do have a pair of Polartec powerstretch sweatpants I wear on really cold runs, but I’m not wearing them to work.

    6. I have a pair of Duluth Flexpedition pants (the regular version, not the lined ones) that are my cozy go-to for chilly weather. My pair is described as having a “peached interior” and I love them for daily casual wear.

      Based on how my current pair run I think the lined version might be too warm for all but the coldest of weather, although they might be ideal for winter snowshoe outings.

    7. Costco sells some fleece-lined joggers from Eddie Bauer. My always-cold mom loves them.

    8. I wear a pair of generic Spanx tights (up a size so that they’re not constricting) under my regular pants, including under jeans.

    11. When I have to go out, I wear long underwear under my regular pants. At home I love my fleece-lined yoga pants.

  3. Can anyone recommend a florist in Alexandria? Want to send a nice arrangement to a friend in the Del Ray neighborhood sometime over the next week or two. TIA!

    2. I got a beautiful centerpiece from Budding Basket for Thanksgiving- it’s in Arlington but does deliver to Del Ray.

  4. You have all been so helpful in the past with good travel tips so I’m coming back to the source to see if anyone has them for Hong Kong (4 days) and Taiwan (8 days)? Hotels, restaurants, sights, tours, etc.? Thanks!!!

    1. No but please report back if you go! We want to do this exact trip (well, slightly less time in Taiwan) next winter break.

    2. Hong Kong: Take the tram up to Victoria Peak, and bus down for a great skyline view. Caveat that I went in the morning (thank you jet lag) and it was incredibly misty, couldn’t see anything. The ferris wheel and Kowloon Pier are nice! If you’re looking for something less touristy, I also really enjoyed West Kowloon for the vibes and art.

      For food, it depends on where you’re staying but I found some great hole in the wall places. The Cheung Hing Kee pan-fried buns in Tsim Sha Tsui are incredible. Loved Dim Dim Sum in Mong Kok and Din Tai Fung in TST, but the lines start early! Try a local cha chaan teng too.

      If you have an extra day, you could consider taking the ferry to Macau. I’m not a big casino person, but I really enjoyed Taipa and the Portuguese vibes.

  5. Any cookbook recommendations or food blogs for diabetics? My elderly mother fell and broke her wrist while visiting us for Thanksgiving, and her blood sugars are a disaster (usually >200 on her CGM). I’m trying to figure out what to buy/cook for her while she stays with us. I know part of this is stress from her injury but she is also used to eating ice cream twice a day.

    1. If she’s used to eating ice cream twice a day, will she eat healthful food? Or is a more tolerable option to her to eat Halo Top, Nick’s ice cream, Yasso bars, etc. – let’s call those the less blood-sugar-spiking substitutes for the daily ice cream habit.

      1. Full fat Greek yogurt with honey on top sometimes spikes diabetics less than those fake low calorie options. I would start with a real food alternative that has a good amount of fat in it and only go to the fake stuff if her CGM shows that her body can’t handle it.

      2. Those cheap substitutes are far more likely to spike blood sugar than full-fat ice cream.

        1. Did you think I meant low fat ice cream? Ice cream with normal ingredients (cream, milk) that’s sweetened with something like stevia or monkfruit or Splenda is not likely to spike sugar more than regular ice cream. Fat substitutes can raise starch content for sure.

          I haven’t met the diabetic who can eat regular ice cream though I’m sure they’re out there.

          2. My friend, who has Type 1 diabetes, used to eat ice cream every night with her doctor’s blessing to keep her blood sugar from getting too low overnight. I think the fat was as important as the sugar.

          3. Plenty of diabetics can eat real full fat ice cream in small amounts, especially when paired with protein and fiber before and a walk right after.

          6. Maybe gestational diabetes is different, but when I had it my doctor told me to eat a (small) bowl of ice cream or cheese and crackers every night. Something about the combination of fat and carbs was good.

          7. Counterpoint: The single-serve mini Haagen-Dazs cartons are all real food ingredients, no gums or starches or sugar alcohols, and only about one carb serving per container. Definitely a better option for many people than the frankenfood “ice creams” out there.

          8. A Haagen-Dazs mini carton is more sugar than I can eat at a time, and I’m only prediabetic. I feel jealous of some people’s blood glucose control, but I’m also suspicious that some people aren’t actually checking their numbers.

    2. Most grocery stores have low sugar ice cream these days; it’s an easy one since sweetener is the biggest carb source in ice cream and non-caloric sweeteners exist.

      I’m not sure if she never saw a dietitian or if she didn’t get anything out of seeing one.

      Blood sugar diets are mostly just healthy food with less starch/sugar, and then there’s “eating to the test” (adjusting diet if CGM shows an issue). Apparently the author of the book is now completely off the deep end, but I relied a lot on Pioppi diet recipes from social media (not so much the book) just because it’s a lower starch/sugar version of the generally recommended Mediterranean diet.

    3. I mean, just … not eating ice cream twice a day is going to do a lot of the work here. Replace those ice cream breaks with a protein shake and see how far that gets you.

      Beyond that, any recipe that prioritizes meat or other natural protein sources and vegetables, especially leafy greens, will do you well.

      1. That’s assuming she’ll do it, obviously. If she hasn’t been, she probably won’t change just because her daughter’s now nagging her. Just want to levelset with you as the DIL of a man who has had multiple heart surgeries and yet still gets himself McDonald’s about 4x a week because he’s “had a hard day.” Some people would rather die sick than live healthy, and you have to let them.

        2. I think it is different with type 2 diabetes than with heart disease, because poor compliance with a medically prescribed diet can be a symptom of type 2 diabetes. When we’re used to really high blood sugar levels and our blood sugar falls to a normal level, we can experience pseudohypoglycemia symptoms that are treatable with food, so people can accidentally self-treat themselves into a hyperglycemic state. Medical support is needed to learn to tolerate normal glucose levels again. So it’s more of a letdown from the healthcare team if someone is maintaining high glucose levels.

          1. I mean, some heart medications cause depression and depression makes people less likely to comply with their cardiac diet. At a certain point, adults are responsible for their own health and it isn’t on their medical team to babysit them.

          2. Okay. Then as adults may be they are also responsible to know that this is a symptom and report it to their medical team accordingly.

            Because if they misdiagnosis themselves with depression and weak willpower, they won’t get the help they need.

    5. I got my mom a Diabetes for Dummies book that she found really helpful. The education from the hospital wasn’t very clear. She was pre-diabetic and used it to lose 60 pounds and was able to avoid having to take meds.

        1. People gave you helpful responses, even if you don’t think you need them. No snark necessary here.

    6. I love when people who aren’t diabetic weigh in. Can you ask her about her preferences? Some things aren’t obvious and aren’t the same for every body (for example, Chinese egg drop soup can be worse than apple pie for many folks). A lot is also going to be an issue with timing (knowing when you’ll be eating), so having a schedule for each day can be helpful.

    7. Think protein and fat and watch out for added sugar. Skip marinades or sauces unless you make it yourself. Get/make some interesting spice mixes to make things like baked chicken breast and veggies a bit more interesting.

      For snacks – No sugar added peanut butter was one of my favorites when I had gestational diabetes. Parmesan crisps. Mixed nuts. Celery sticks or cucumber slices with ranch.

  6. When I was younger, I feel like I wore suits daily, but for winter, you could move to long flannel skirt and jacket over long boots (and it was the boot-tights-wool layers that kept you warm). The flannel skirts were wool and lined (and from Talbots), back when you could get lined wool flannel skirts from stores. IDK how to stay warm now — too many shoe styles rely on bare legs or little footie socks. And I guess you can get a long prairie-type dress, but not a lot that looks like it’s designed as workwear (my Talbots gear I assume was aimed at white collar women back when more senior female court staff and school admins also dressed up like this daily). IDK how to dress for warmth in 2025. I can layer a turtleneck under a sweater, but I feel that below the waist, it’s a challenge not to look like Daniel Boone (too casual, but warm) or too Little House on the Prairie (too tradwife). What are you all doing to stay warm that works, fashion-wise? I have lined DuckFeet boots but feel evenin 2025 in a casual office, that’s not work wear.

    1. I don’t wear suits as often anymore either. Lots of pants/sweaters or knee length skirts with tights, all with boots. I feel like the lower shaft boots that are in style now paired with warm socks are still plenty warm with pants, and I think tall boots with dresses look fine/classic even if it’s not a super in-style look right now.

    2. Pants. Pants with silk long undies underneath if needed.

      Black knee high boots with black tights went out of style a few years back, and with them winter dresses and skirts. The fashion gods will decide when we’re allowed to warmly wear skirts and dresses to work again.

      1. I have to fight the power on this and am wearing long pleated skirts with higher-shaft boots. No one has to know what my tights (or fleece-lined leggings) situation is. I do miss the winter dress as a concept. I watch Dr. Zhivago and swoon over the clothes (while feeling cold just looking at a Russian winter).

      2. I don’t know where you are but knee boots and skirts and dresses is absolutely still very in.

        1. +1 for knee boots and skirts and dresses. The very fashionable, very expensive partners in my office circle through different pairs in the winter. However, they also usually wear a belt and/or blazer to make it more professional.

        1. Hope so because I’m wearing them today! Sweater dress with black turtleneck underneath, black tights, black belt, and black knee-high riding boots. I’m very warm!

      4. Funny to read this as I sit in the office wearing black knee high boots with black tights and winter skirt/blouse, while being complimented on my outfit! Just wear the tights and boots, it won’t kill ya!

    3. You can still find those Pendleton wool flannel skirts on Poshmark and ebay. On the rare occasion I have to look nice on a -10F day, they come out of the closet and still are as great as they always were.

    4. A lot of those long wool skirts (both Talbot’s and LL Bean) are available on eBay. I was wearing those to the office in 1989.

    10. I feel like if you look at what Princess Kate wears for daytime/less dressy occasions, you will find Winter worthy ideas for the long skirt with boots and tights look. Maybe try shopping at some of the UK labels to find the long skirts and dresses that look professional? They seem to have a good selection of that type of thing.

  7. Suggestions for group-friendly egg dishes that don’t include dairy? Planning ahead for Christmas breakfast and can’t use milk, butter, cream, cheese, etc.

    Hoping to have something that can pop in the oven to cook during gift opening. So something like omelets with different toppings is a no-go.

      1. That is the only thing I can think of that would also taste good. Maybe just soft boiled eggs with toast soldiers? You can make those the night before and warm up in warm water.

    2. My favorite eggs are scrambled in a sauce made with with ginger, chiles, garlic, turmeric, garam masala, and canned tomatoes, then topped with cilantro. No dairy. You could make the sauce in advance then just scramble the eggs when you’re ready to eat. Or cook it like a shakshuka and crack the eggs into the sauce, then put it in the oven.

      1. I make quiche dairy free by using silken tofu in place of the milk/cream and omit the cheese.

    4. You can make a lot of egg dishes with oat milk, if this is an allergy thing. We use it in baked French toast, for example.

    5. I can’t remember a specific recipe, but it may be worth you checking out whole 30 breakfast casseroles. I made quite a few that were good, they often use sausage/veggies and they wont have any dairy in them.

    6. Dairy free quiche – there are a few recipes online depending on if you prefer a leek/sausage, ham/onion, or tomato/zucchini or olive vibe. If hosting a group, I’ll usually do both a veggie heavy one and a meat based one.

      You only need a couple different ingredients – usually involves a plant based butter (I like the Becel Vegan sticks), nutritional yeast for the umami cheesy flavour, and maybe a little non-dairy milk like oat or soy milk depending on the recipe.

    7. Spanish potato tortilla
      Italian frittata
      Bacon/ham baked egg cups
      Scrambled eggs with smoked salmon

    8. I would go with a frittata (potato, onion and any other fillings sauteed in olive oil and followed with beaten eggs then finished in the oven). Gluten-free, dairy-free and vegetarian. It is my go-to for brunch. It does not need to cook long enough for gift opening, but it is yummy at room temp.

    9. French toast made with soy or almond milk. Hash browns with bacon and scallions. Fry some eggs to go with a make-your-own avocado toast bar.

    11. OP here- thanks all! It’s a crowd that is a combo of adventurous and … not … eaters, but the more interesting ingredients have me bookmarking some of these for ourselves anyway!

    12. Put a slice of ham in each well of a muffin tin like a liner and crack an egg into it. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle some grated cheese on top. Bake at 400 degrees 12-15 minutes depending on how firm you want the yolks.

    13. Throw in some Rotel and hash browns (bacon if not vegetarian/vegan), and you have a breakfast casserole.

  8. Looking for ideas for a Christmas Eve noon meal. There are only five of us (2 kids, me and DH, MIL). The last few years, I’ve done lasagna with salad and garlic bread. I want to do something different this time. MIL and one of my kids have very simple tastes and will want something that is familiar. Maybe a brunch would be good? A meat dish with cheesy potatoes? IDK. MIL suggested snack foods, but I’m not a big fan, as I end up consuming 1,000 calories while still feeling hungry.

    2. A friend of mine is doing “fancy grilled cheese sandwiches” in a similar situation.

    3. What about having a more traditional ‘roast’ of some sort? We typically do a 4pm early dinner of roast beef tenderloin, rolls, roasted potatoes and a green salad. That could easily be lunch and then dinner is cold sandwiches on rolls.

      1. This is our typical Christmas meal too. Yum!

        I think the taco bar idea from a later poster is also a good idea.

    4. My in-laws are serving a taco bar on Christmas Eve for lunch.
      And I absolutely agree with you about the snack food approach.

    5. I’m thinking of doing BBQ for Christmas this year — getting a smoked brisket from a local place and making cornbread, baked beans, and coleslaw for sides.

    6. We do Shepherd’s pie. I’m partial to the Martha Steward recipe (the one with cheddar) and normally add a ton of mushrooms in with the beef.

    8. Similar group and we’ve two types of sliders (ham and roast beef) and a huge salad with all of the toppings the past few years for Christmas Eve and it’s gone over really well.

    9. Last year we grilled a pork tenderloin and then served with a potato dish, roasted veggies, and a spinach & apple salad.

    10. If they feel comfortable with Italian food, how about linguine with clams? Or smoked salmon bruschetta and a big salad?

  9. Hey all! I am doing my pre-reqs for applying to PA school. I feel that for some classes (Anatomy and Physiology), I could study the material for years and years and still feel like I don’t thoroughly know it. Does it matter? I did well in the classes, but I feel that since I’m working FT, I am just rushing through and learning it for the test (and not feeling like it’s fully developed or stuck in my brain). Does this matter? Or will it get better with more exposure? Many of my fellow students are retaking classes from undergrad to get better grades. IDK how helpful this is — I feel that my odds are at best 50/50 and this would be a second career for me anyway (so undergrad is in the distance — should I retake not so much to go from a B to an A but more as a general chemistry refresher?). I need another year of PT classes and am picking classes for the summer and next fall already. I’m mentally OK if it doesn’t happen and can stay in my current field; it’s just been really energizing mentally to have a new goal to work towards and stretch myself in new ways.

    1. I did a career change in a different field and you want to show 2 things. You need to show that you have all the prerequisites, even if some of them are old, that’s fine. You also want to show a current track record of good work (especially if your undergrad GPA from a while ago was iffy). Take the prerequisites you need and do well with them. Also take harder undergrad electives in the field to show you can handle the rigor. That will look better to an admissions committee than taking prereqs a 2nd time, and probably be more interesting to you.

    2. I think this is not the right place to get useful responses. Try the Reddit sub-groups for PA/RN/NP folks.

      1. The Student Doctor network has a good sub-forum for rehab science (not OP’s area), but I can attest to its usefulness to applicants to OT programs. There is also a forum for PAs and other “health care transitions.”

  10. What purse are you carrying for casual days? I opted out of paying attention to bags for a couple of years and now that ubiquitous lululemon bag feels horrendously dated.

    2. A smaller LL Bean boat n tote with a cheeky monogram. Not the most fashion forward, but I it’s practical and pairs well with my casual clothes. For a step up, a Polene Numéro Un.

      1. What makes a monogram cheeky? It’s like the most classic thing ever. Unless maybe your initials are A- S- S or something?

        1. I have one of the LL Bean came totes with the monogram WTF (not my actual initials)

        2. I recently saw, in Dulles airport, someone carrying a boat and tote embroidered with “snack bitch”. Admittedly it’s not technically a monogram, but I suspect something like that is what the previous poster was referring to.

    4. An old Coach brown leather crossbody. Agreed on the lulu bags, which are now for elementary schoolers.

  11. How to style an oversized sparkly sweater for a company holiday party at a restaurant? I’m postpartum and nothing fits. I’m struggling to figure out what to wear on the bottom that I can order for a quick delivery. Thanks!

    3. Coated slim pants?

      I have a holiday tunic sweater that I pair with faux leather leggings for this type of event. This is the only scenario where I wear that style of outfit and I get compliments on it each of the last three years. Last year I wore it with athleisure sneakers, while this year I will be pairing it with chunky-soled ankle boots.

      1. I was going to offer pleather leggings and a nice boot, heeled if possible. Doesn’t have to be knee high.
        I know it’s a bit of a dated look but I think could still work in this situation! And feels festive and very comfortable.

  12. I have some earrings that I got from my mom when she passed (over 10 years ago!) but I haven’t done anything with them – my ears aren’t pierced. I always thought I’d use them to create a Christmas ornament (she loves Christmas), but I haven’t yet. They are about 1.5 inches wide and 1 inch long, made from metal, dangle style earrings in the shape of a fish – hand painted on both sides. She loved the earrings, but how can I use and/ or display them year-round?

    2. Maybe just put some ribbon through it and put it on the tree as is, without altering the structure of it. Just as a note, I got my ears pierced for the first time at 40. Sometimes you change your mind.

    3. I would check out Spur jewelry out of NYC. They will “renovate” heirloom pieces into something you can wear and love. I had them redo my original wedding set and was blown away by how much I love the revamped version. They were easy to work with and the quality is excellent. It’s not cheap, but not crazy expensive either.

    6. I have a pair of similarly sized earrings (not fish) that belonged to my grandma. I removed the earring hook from one and replaced it with a necklace chain so I can wear it as a pendant.

      1. I was going to suggest the same thing — make a necklace out of one of them. If you have a daughter, niece, or sister, maybe they could have the other.

  13. Hi there! In need of Honeymoon advice. I am getting married the last week of Oct. 2026 and my future husband has suggested Southern Italy/Italy for the honeymoon. We’re shooting for 7-10 days, and are eat, drink, and be merry type of travelers with a side of sightseeing. Any restaurant, hotel, or “must-dos?” We’ve both never been to Italy.

      1. That’s on Sicily, which will be hard to combine to the mainland. I wouldn’t do just Sicily for a first trip to Italy, but YMMV.

    2. Amalfi coast is to die for but I’m not sure things will be open in October.

      Rome is amazing year round!

    3. are you generally comfortable travelers, just not having gone to Italy, or is this early in your experiences abroad?

      1. sorry was going to add, some would be tempted to do a blitz of Italy and see Venice, Florence, Rome in that timeline, but tbh we spent a week based in Venice and loved having a relaxed pace, so my main advice is to pick two bases max for that timeframe.

        1. yeah I’d do two bases but wouldn’t rule out a day trip to a third city. This isn’t South Italy but just as an example, my sister and I stayed in Pisa and took the train for day trips to Sienna and Florence and it was super convenient.

        1. I’d consider Rome for food + culture and then a few nights in Tuscany for fall in the vineyards. We went to Paris & Epernay in late October and the Champagne vines turning red was absolutely stunning and so romantic.

          Alternatively, we prefer the south of Italy when it’s truly beach weather, but Amalfi without the crowds would be beautiful. We hopped around and vastly preferred the quiet “b-list” towns like Maori, Minori, etc. to Amalfi and Positano that were just wall-to-wall tourist traps.

          1. This is what I would do too. Rome, Florence and the Tuscan countryside is a perfect 9-10 day starter trip. I love Italy but the cities and Tuscan countryside shine more than the beaches, which are nice, just not that indistinguishable from beach regions elsewhere in Europe.
            If you want a coastal region, I’d be inclined to do Cinque Terre over Amalfi. I think I’m more of a northern Italy person but I found Cinque Terre much more enjoyable than Amalfi.

    4. We went to Sicily for our late-September honeymoon and loved it. But honestly you can’t beat Venice for romance. If you stay in the city it’s just magical at night once the day-trippers clear out. Our favorite meal was at Ristorante Riviera, which we literally just stumbled on and turned out to be a gem.

    5. I agree with another poster who said that southern Italy might be better earlier in the year. I’d do Florence/Tuscany and Rome. I *loved* both, but Rome really captured my heart (I really like art history so that was a huge draw for me). Late October/November is also a great time to be there because you won’t be baking in the summer sun when you’re out and about trying to sight see. My partner went to Venice without me (rude) and says it felt very romantic and he missed me a lot (rightfully so). Have so much fun!

  14. My kid’s specialist doctor is retiring and today is our last appointment with her. We have seen this doctor since kiddo was in a bucket carrier and now she is driving. Would it be weird to try to keep in touch? It was so helpful to see me to see another slightly older working mom when I was in the trenches and my kid thinks the world of her (and wants to be a doctor or a PA as an adult, which she is fully capable of but wouldn’t have been 100 years ago without this now basic medical treatment in her first year of life and monitoring thereafter). We will be inherited by another doctor in the practice (who is probably fine but won’t have the same impact, especially since kid will transition to an adult medicine practitioner in a couple of years).

    1. I think you can say “we’d love to keep you on our holiday card list since you’ve meant so much to us, if that’s okay. If we send those to the clinic, would they be able to pass them on to you?” That opens the door for her to say “oh, they’ll lose it in the shuffle, but let me give you my email!” if she’s comfortable.

    2. I think it would be a lovely gesture if your daughter asked to keep in touch, especially if this person is inspiration for her own potential career.

      I think it is a little much if you yourself try to keep something going, although a nice card expressing your gratitude would be appropriate.

      1. The daughter should not ask to keep in touch. This woman was her doctor, not her friend and mentor.

          1. Obviously, no, but this is a professional relationship. The woman is retiring, and the professional relationship is ending. If there has not been a personal relationship, why is it appropriate now?

          2. The point is that OP doesn’t specify whether there was a personal relationship or not. You are making an assumption.

          3. If there is already an established personal relationship, why would the OP ask whether she should stay in touch?

        2. I think the daughter could ask in a way that opens up the possibility of keeping in touch, even if it is just a one-time thing.

          “Congratulations on your retirement! You have been such an inspiration to me all these years, and it is largely because of you that I am planning to study this specialty. If you are open to sharing your perspective on your own career path as I am about to embark on the start of mine, I would love to take you to coffee after the holidays. I’ve included my number in this card if you are interested. All the best, doc!”

          1. Please do not do this. Do not put her in a position where she has to turn down your daughter. Throughout her career, she has taken care of countless patients and apparently has done a great job. She does not owe your daughter (and all the other patients) mentorship and inspiration. The professional relationship is over. Let the woman retire.

    3. It would be weird to try to keep in touch if you don’t already have a relationship outside the professional setting. Have your kid write a note thanking them for all she has done and tell her that she has inspired them to pursue a healthcare career. They are retiring and done working. I’m sure she cares about your kid and all her other patients, but let her retire in peace.

      1. +1

        A handwritten card from the child that I cared for through her graduation is a treasure. How I wish I knew how she was doing!

    5. It’s understandable to feel a sense of loss over no longer having this woman in your life who provided stability, expertise, and inspiration during a difficult medical journey. But I’m having a hard time envisioning what kind of connection “keep in touch” means to you — are you wanting to build a friendship? Have her as a mentor? Follow her on social media? Something else?

    6. I get it- my parents went to my pediatrician’s funeral since he was so great.

      Have the kid write a really good thank you note with everything you said here- this will mean a ton to the Dr. Ask if the clinic can forward mail or if there’s some other way to keep in touch, and accept that the answer may be no.

    7. My brother’s specialist and his nurse came to his wedding and sent baby gifts; he went to their retirement parties; they send Christmas cards and the occasional one-off email or other cards. Sometimes professional relationships do become personal relationships and I think it means a lot to the doctor and nurse and to my brother that they get to stay in each other’s lives after so many years of appointments and procedures.

    9. This might be too late in the day, but, respectfully, please ignore the people telling you this is weird. We love our patients. We love watching them grow up over the years. I personally give my email address to every patient who tells me they want to go into medicine and genuinely hope they contact me so I can help them find shadowing opportunities. The above script about sending Christmas cards is a great one. Or having your daughter ask for the chance to keep in touch would be good. This woman had been in practice for 30+ years, I promise if she wants to gracefully dodge she will, and if she doesn’t then it’s because she genuinely wants to see your kid grow up.

      2. So nice to see another EL fan on here! I am (slowly) adding to my collection whenever I can splurge, but it feels so good to support a small business and one where the quality actually justifies the cost.

    2. I don’t know if this is helpful to you, but I’ve noticed my favorite sweaters are old enough to be considered vintage, so I’ve been checking eBay and Poshmark for other sweaters from the same era from the same brands.

      1. This too. I’ve gotten some of my best cashmere secondhand. I have one from Lord & Taylor’s house brand that’s a real workhorse with exquisite quality.

    5. Sezane, although I have not bought a sweater specifically the last two winters and it’s possible quality has declined.

    6. Simple basic cashmere – NM house brand but waiting for the after-holiday sales to buy.

  16. Any funny/interesting/bad makeup advice you picked up as a kid/teen?

    My mom – auburn hair, green eyes, porcelain skin – told me – dark hair, dark eyes, olive skin – to never wear red/pink eyeshadow because it’ll look like you’ve been crying. (I’m sure my mom has no memory of saying this to me.) As an adult, I wear a pink ruby eyeshadow almost everyday because it gives a great warm/sunset eye look.

    Anything floating around in your mind?

    1. Let’s just say that the muddy browns of the mid-90s looked pretty bad with my skintone (neutral/cool, pinkish undertones, blue eyes). Truly lifeless, especially when combined with a vampy lip color (which I still cannot pull off). I was also under the mistaken impression that I was warm toned because I tanned fairly easily during the summer. All my makeup advice was badly interpreted from Seventeen and YM magazines, lol.

      1. Samesies

        The whole “wear brown with brown eyes” advice: no; does not go with rosacea

        I miss how Seventeen used to have a wedding issue in May back when 1) weddings were something one quickly threw together and 2) people graduating high school actually got married and started their own households as full-fledged adults. Aim high, little magazine, aim high like your 1980s Working Girl hair.

    2. My mother told me that only coral pink or dusty rose shades were appropriate for teenage-me to wear, certainly not anything bright or rich like deep red or hot pink.

      As a rosacea-prone cool winter person, I still have a bit of bitterness over the years of awful color pairings she instigated.

    3. White in the inner corner of your eyes to make them pop. You look crazy if you even slightly overdo it (and who doesn’t).

      1. I showed my kids the Bonnie Tyler “Total Eclipse of the Heart” video and some Eurovision to show them just what a fever dream the 1980s were.

      1. Blue eyeshadow, with pink highlight, for my blue eyes. Or, because I was a blue eyed blonde, I could also match my eye shadow to my shirt. Thanks, sis.

    5. I was into grunge/goth as a teenager, to my now teenager’s amusement. I was pale enough not to need to do much foundation/powder so just loaded up on black eyeliner and deep red lipstick with black lipliner. I grew out of that after a year or so thankfully!

    7. My grandmother used to tell me my middle part made my nose look bigger, and I ignored her until I was 22, got a haircut with a side part, and have never looked back. She was right!

      1. Lawd, there are so many girlies running around now who do not look cute in a middle part! You can’t say anything, though, so they’ll just have to figure it out when they get older.

    1. I’ve done broccoli sprouts and liked them. They’re really high in nutrition—as are all sprouts I think.

    2. I’ve done alfalfa and some other seed mixes. Love it! An easy snack is a turkey cheese roll up with sprouts in the middle. Freshens it up and adds crunch.

  18. Favorite thing you’ve got or given in a Favorite Things, Secret Santa, or White Elephant exchange?

    I got a heating pad as part of a Favorite Things exchange last year and I LOVE it.

    1. I typically just do lotto tickets. Sometimes the limit’s low enough that it just feels like I’d be buying something that will end up in the trash otherwise.

    2. Not flashy but my favorite white elephant win was a 10-pack of solid mason jar lids. I use them all the time to store and pour soups without leaks and without dealing with a ring & lid insert dripping all over everything.

      Might be fun to put together a little basket of various lid options, like the seed sprouter thing above, pour tops, etc.

    3. My favorite thing we’ve given was a box of potatoes. DH was had just come back from working in Idaho. The gift limit was $50. Idk if you’ve ever seen what $50 worth of potatoes looks like, but it’s a LOT of potatoes. Which, frankly, is pretty great right before the holidays when you have lots of guests!

      I usually just give booze. Always popular.

    4. By far the most popular items at any white elephant I’ve gone to are bottles of wine at the price point of the gift exchange. Wine is enjoyed by most people or if not, imminently regiftable!

    5. One year I regifted a sampler of five tiny bottles of highish-end perfumes at a White Elephant and OMG those ladies were elbowing each other HARD to steal it!

    7. The very basic pine tree candle from bath and body works was much stolen last year at the white elephant, and I went home with it!

  19. What are your holy grail black work pants?

    I’m seeking
    Wide leg-ish but not super wide.
    Lovvvvveeee pants that have the back of the waist as elastic. So helpful for my perimenopausal body.
    Higher waist
    Pockets
    Pleats sometimes ok, the look can work

    Anyone have ideas? I have a pair from quince but they’re a few years old and are starting to look it. Willing to spend a good amount. TIA!

    1. I’m really liking the pants I have bought from Saint and Sofia. The fabrics are great quality and I find the cuts really flattering. I also have some older trousers from MM La Fleur but don’t like the fabric as well.

    2. No pockets but the MM La Fleur pants are the bomb.com. Elastic, wide-ish leg. I size up a size.

    3. Some of my The fold London pants have this type of back, they also make pull on styles. For a lower price point, Talbots is usually my go to. Otherwise for VERY comfortable but not super fancy pants, the Vuori Miles trouser is slightly thin but worked great for me for an all day conference I was running. They are clearly not wool but they are much nicer looking/less plastic feeling than the Athleta pants everyone recommends

    4. Are the lululemon daydrift wide pants dressy enough for your office? Supremely comfortable with a full elastic but tailored-looking waist.

    5. These are all helpful, thanks! I actually own nothing from most of these stores so will check them out.

    6. They might be too wide-legged for you, but the Spanx twill wide legged pants have been my go-to pants the last year or so. Easy to dress up or down, real button/zip, some stretch, great drape, actually high waist on me, and very comfy.

    7. They’re not a holy grail but actually fit a lot of your specs – the Old Navy High-Waisted Pull-On Pixie Super Wide Leg Pant.

      1. +1000 for the Old Navy pants. My co-workers and I joke that its the female equivalent of the ABC pant for men.

  20. What types of decor do you have hanging on your walls? Paintings? Photos? Posters? More sentimental or more artsy?

    1. Mostly art that we inherited or got for free from artist family/friends and family heirlooms. It’s not all our exact taste and some of the art is truly amateur but we love preserving family treasures. My husband also got me a print of my favorite mountain range that I need to find a home for and frame.

    2. We have a mix of prints from our favorite artists, actual paintings, family photos, handmade wall hangings (I don’t know what to call them lol they are embroidered and the quilted) made by my mom. I think it is worth it to spend money to get things professionally framed.

    3. All art that either I bought or was gifted. Some of the art is from specific trips. The only photography I have hanging are photos purchased as art.

    5. Unpopular opinion, but I really dislike large photos of the people who live in the house. Like a friend has a massive wedding photo of herself in her living room. She is a sweet and genuine person who is not selfish, and I know it brings her joy to remember that day and all the little details of it, including the dress. When I visit her, though, I see a weird shrine to herself. Luckily, I don’t live there so my opinion doesn’t really matter. In my own house, there is not a single photo except my kids’ photo magnets on the fridge. There is some weird kid art, though, that is beautifully framed so strangers may question whether it’s “real” abstract art or over-framed kid art. And they will probably judge that I have created a shrine to my kids’ preschool days. Goes to show how personal decor and art are!

      1. I wish I thought I was hot enough to have a massive wedding photo of myself in my living room!

      2. I feel like this is a SUPER MILLENNIAL trend, generally to hang giant canvases of your family in your house. I predict it will go out of style shortly as it already reads dated to me and I’m not exactly interior design savvy.

      3. I can see your point theoretically, but I chose my home decor primarily for the enjoyment of the people actually living there, vs visitors’ tastes.

    6. We are Very Old so we have had a Very Long Time to collect art. I would say we are fortunate that at this point most of it is both sentimental and of artistic value. My first husband and I collected lithographs from a then-popular artist in the 80s, so we have a large collection of those. Beyond that, it’s a mix of things bought at local art shows and on trips. (One time we bought a pretty big piece on vacation in NYC and after learning how much they’d charge to ship it back to California, we checked it as baggage on the flight home and it worked out fine!) Oh, and a few family pieces like paintings by my late grandma and needlepoint by my husband’s late mother. We are not into family photos on the wall, although we do have a few on tabletops in the bedrooms and our office. At this point pretty much every wall in the house is filled so we are in “one in, one out” territory.

    7. Most of our art is prints, mostly framed, and hanging textiles from our travels, plus a world map with pushpins. We have a framed photo of our engagement and will replace it with a wedding photo when we get around to it. We have small framed pictures of us/family/friends around on surfaces, not the walls.

    8. Art downstairs, photos upstairs. Downstairs we have some original art and prints, and a gorgeous large 1960s portrait we found in a zero waste shop. We have some larger framed photos on the stairs and a small gallery of baby photos in the bedroom. My office has what my husband calls my “creepy ladies” and travel prints – a4 or a5 prints.

    9. Personal photos (small, framed) upstairs in bedrooms and home offices. Otherwise mostly prints, maps, etc. we’ve picked up while traveling and finally Did The Thing and had framed! Nothing intrinsically valuable but we love all the memories.

    11. It’s a mix of purchased prints, some watercolors my mom did for me, photos I took from trips, and some needlework I’ve done and had framed. I did purchase my first big “professional” art piece from a gallery this summer. I don’t have a lot of wall space right now, but am moving in a few weeks so will so where I need to fill in some gaps. I also have one of those digital photo frames for the more personal photos (friends, vacations, etc.)

    12. Almost exclusively original oil paintings, but there are a few etchings and historic prints/cheeky ads too. Recently catalogued all my art so I know it’s 94 pieces, only about 5 of those are really valuable.

    13. One framed wedding photo, one canvas family portrait, and the rest is art from around the world (we traveled a lot before we became parents).

      1. …forgot to add that I devoted a section of our kitchen to hanging our kiddo’s artwork (he’s 6).

    14. Mostly photos we’ve taken ourselves, all landscapes, wildlife, or other nature themes.

    16. It’s honestly an eclectic mix of different types. Most things we got while traveling, but not all paintings–I have a Turkish rug hanging on the wall as art, for example. In my home office, I have wreaths made out of ribbons from the competitive sport I’ve been doing since I was a kid. I keep meaning to do a gallery wall somewhere of the pictures I take on our trips, but haven’t gotten around to it.

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