ByKat Hours Updated
Comments 223 Comments

Tuesday’s TPS Report: Sleeveless Shift Dress

Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. Brooks Brothers Sleeveless Shift DressThis dress looks kind of amazing. Wide boatneck, interesting back cutout (but still appropriate for work, I think — ladies, what do you say?), flattering seaming in the front, and interesting pleating. And it's still available in sizes 2-16, and on sale (was $398, now $199). Score. Brooks Brothers Sleeveless Shift Dress Seen a great piece you'd like to recommend? Please e-mail tps@corporette.com. (L-2)

Sales of note for 12.13

  • Nordstrom – Beauty deals on skincare including Charlotte Tilbury, Living Proof, Dyson, Shark Pro, and gift sets!
  • Ann Taylor – 50% off everything, including new arrivals (order via standard shipping for 12/23 expected delivery)
  • Banana Republic Factory – 50-70% off everything + extra 20% off
  • Eloquii – 400+ styles starting at $19
  • J.Crew – Up to 60% off almost everything + free shipping (12/13 only)
  • J.Crew Factory – 50% off everything and free shipping, no minimum
  • Macy's – $30 off every $150 beauty purchase on top brands
  • Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off, plus free shipping on everything (and 20% off your first order)
  • Talbots – 50% off entire purchase, and free shipping on $99+

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

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

223 Comments

  1. Thanks to everyone with advice yesterday on what to do with SO less than stellar raise talks. It helps to know I’m not alone.

  2. I’m doing a last minute photo session and would like to get recommendations for someone to do makeup. Does anyone have recommendations for a makeup artist they used for a wedding or engagement photos or somewhere to go where I could get this done? I have tan skin if that matters. TIA

    1. No suggestions for specific make up artists, but if you end up going to a make up counter at a department store, make sure the tell them it is for a photo shoot and request NO SPF make up – it ends up looking funny in pictures.

      1. Second this- makeup with SPF will often create a phosphorescent effect in photos (that’s why sometimes your makeup looks fine in the mirror and later you see a picture and your face is way paler than everything else.) Makeup with “luminizer” can do this too.

    3. I use MAC (counter or store) for make-up. I know the women who work there often have intense make-up on, but they take great care to ask you what you want and do it that way. I have always loved my make-up. I have used the MAC in the Tysons Corner Nordstrom with great success.

  3. Why oh why are law firms now doing full body photos for the website pictures? They always look so awkward! I just had mine taken and they wouldn’t even let me look at them. WTF?

    1. This just reminds me of the terror that was school pictures where they made you sit on a bench with like a baseball bat or basketball to “show your personality.” Who dreams up these tortures?

      1. I’ve seen a number of firms with photos like this – someone with a book, a kayak paddle, tennis racket, shopping bags… it’s terrifying.

        Last time I had my picture taken this was being ‘experimented’ with at my firm and I downright refused. They seem to have dropped it now, but more recently people were forced to have them (though I haven’t seen any used). They’ve used some of them in marketing literature and they look just AWFUL.

        2. I would only do this if they let me have a picture with my cat and a glass of wine.

          3. Or go with the Dr Doom theme and pose with a big fluffy white Persian in a giant executive leather chair. Dark red lipstick, black suiting dress… creepy leather gloves optional?

          4. Umm..You’re thinking Dr. Evil. Dr Doom has a green cape and a metal mask. Pro – you wouldn’t have to do your makeup. Con – the Fantastic Four are not your friends.

        3. Luckily (???) this one had no props. Thank god. I stood in 4th position the whole time so I would look awkwardly graceful at least. ARGH.

    3. I love this dress, but the cut-out in back would NOT work for me b/c Frank is alway’s looking to find any kind of skin on me that he has NOT seen and then stare at it. He is so wierd some times b/c he has a wife who I am SURE he stare’s at all night and weekend’s also!

      As for the OP, I agree it is strange. In fact, the manageing partner wanted a full length photo of everyone in the firm, all standeing at a window lookeing out at the Chrysler Buildeing for an ad he was goieng to place!

      But we don’t even have a conference room that look’s out at that Buildeing, so he was goieng to ask one of his freind’s to loan us their conference room so we could all go take that picture for the Top Lawyer’s magazine. The manageing partner then found out how much it would cost and said that we would consider it next year when we move to our new place.

      Fred has invited me to go to a Knick’s game at the Barclay’s center, b/c they are playing the NETS. I was there once with Willem and it was fun so I told him OK. I hope that was the right thing to do. At least Ed will be happy, tho I am not sure about being the wife of a FEED STORE MANAGER. FOOEY!

    4. I hope I’m not a total stick in the mud, but I think it is kinda inappropriate. They should care about your credentials and work history, right?

    1. The first time I read this post my response was “Well, cancel all other dinner plans. I need to go get some sweet potatoes.” Haven’t been let down by a Smitten Kitchen recipe yet!

      1. Same here (re: never let down by any of Deb’s recipes). In truth, I’ve only worked off the recipes from her blog, because I print them out, check off ingredients, etc. I ended up buying the book because I wanted to support her, but I never use it to cook with.

        I also hate the idea of getting stains and splatters on my books.

        2. I consider it a mark of pride when pages in cookbooks get messy, and I weirdly enjoy being reminded of cooking those recipes. Hey, these pink streaks are from that peach raspberry crumble! (Barefoot Contessa) That smear is from that Hungarian Mushroom Soup, wasn’t it great? (Moosewood Cookbook) And those two pages that are stuck together is from that massive citrus marmalade batch I made -hey, I should open another jar of that stuff! (Food in Jars)

          1. And your post just got me to buy the Food in Jars cookbook on Amazon. Along with a pile of canning supplies. Was contemplating making it before, but now I’m sold.

          2. Yessssssss.

            I wholeheartedly support more people canning. Also, Marissa is super nice, and has personally replied to every email I’ve sent with questions, so I’m glad you’re buying her book!

            I’m looking forward to her super small batch cookbook coming out next year. I think those recipes are going to be around 1 pint batches, which can be canned in an asparagus pot. I just ordered the squat wide mouth 1/2 pint jars that Marissa loves, and I’m really excited to be able to can a full pint in the 4th burner pot she also recommended, instead of 1/2 pint at a time. Come to think of it, she’s responsible for me spending a lot of money on canning supplies!

    3. Another option is to make a little extra dressing and use it as a glaze for salmon. Bake or pan sear the salmon and top the bowls with the salmon.

    4. Love Smitten Kitchen. I make the salted caramel brownies for potlucks and people now call them crack.

    6. Are the Smitten Kitchen recipes easy? I don’t mind cooking but usually don’t like slaving away on really complicated recipes with lots of steps and dirty dishes and long lists of ingredients.

      1. Yeah, she’s actually really great about that – I believe she actually lives in a small New York apartment and does her cooking in that type of setting, so it’s fairly realistic for most of us on this site.

      2. I haven’t cooked a ton of her recipes, but they seem to be pretty easy to me. This one definitely is. You just have to chop the sweet potatoes and broccoli, make the dressing in your food processor, and boil the rice. It takes time because the potatoes have to bake, but not a lot of actual prep time.

      3. I’d say that some are, some aren’t, but you can easily tell what’s what. Homemade poptarts? Clearly going to take some time and effort. One-pot farro with tomatoes? Super easy, and one bonus is the comment section often talks about easy substitutions (for example, using quinoa or pasta instead of the farro in the one-pot farro recipe).

        1. Forgot to add that I’ve never made something from her site/cookbook I didn’t like.

    8. That looks good, but I have problems with miso, not that I can’t or won’t eat it, but how do you find it? What does it look like? Is it a paste, a powder, a bottle of something? I don’t consider myself terribly unsophisticated, food-wise, but this has baffled me for some other recipes, too.

      Do I need to go to an Asian market or is this something I could find in the Asian food aisle of, say, Giant or even Whole Foods? Much thanks for any help, because this recipe does look very good.

      1. I’m not totally sure about the answer to that question, but I used Miso soup concentrate (called Miso Easy – ha). I am not sure if that’s technically what she means, but it worked out well, and they carry it at my regular grocery store.

      2. It comes in different forms. This looks like what’s known as “shiromiso,” and the one in the recipe pictures are sold fridgerated. It comes powdered too, though. (Unrefridgerated)

      3. I’ve seen the paste in the refrigerated section of WF (near the fake meat products). You can also get miso soup powder in the Asian foods section of WF.

      4. I see it in most grocery stores now. It’s usually sold in a tub in the refrigerated section where the vegan cheeses live. I recommend getting it at a Japanese or Asian market if you’re just starting out becasue they usually offer much smaller tubs and the price/quality makes the grocery store offerings seem like a joke. Miso comes in several colors. The darker the color of miso, the more intensely flavored it is. The white miso that is used in the recipe is very light tasting and good. There are so many things to do with leftover miso, but I usually just make miso soup or use it in a salad dressing.

  5. Whoa! I do not think the back cutout on this dress is work appropriate at all.

    1. This might be the perfect sort of work to dinner transition dress *if* worn with a blazer or cardigan during the day. The back cutout would be too much for my office as well.

    3. I was thinking the exact same thing. And usually i push the envelope of what is work appropriate.

    4. No, I don’t think the back is appropriate, unless you’re Diane Gardner (e.g. a named partner). But it would be great with a jacket or cardigan during the day for those days where you go right to dinner/event.

        3. Wow, i am also an idiot!! haha! i can’t believe I did that. Thanks for correcting me. #NERDFAIL

    5. Yeah, me neither. But I would also never go bare-armed to the office… so there’s that.

      1. I don’t either, so the cut-out wouldn’t be a deal breaker for me since I’d have a jacket or cardigan over it anyway. It actually makes me like the dress more for the day-to-night aspect.

    6. Tried this on over the weekend. It’s lovely from the front but the cutout makes wearing a br* a challenge. I tried it on with several different br*s and all of them showed in the back. I also would not call the neckline a true boatneck — it’s not nearly wide enough and my br* straps never showed (which typically happens on my boatneck dresses and shirts).

  6. I get how you would wear a sleeveless shift in the summer–what about winter? Always paired with a blazer? Could you wear it like a jumper?

    2. I wear my sleeveless shifts year round. I just put a jacket or cardigan over it in the winter (frankly, I usually wear a light jacket or cardigan in the summer too — offices are cold!)

      1. Do you find that the fabrics work across the seasons? Our summers are hot, so I’m a bit concerned that once the temperature drops below 50, this won’t work for anything other than wool because the jackets will be too different. But jacket + dress looks so much better to me than dress + cardigan. In the summer I need a jacket not to freeze, so even with tights, I will probably be cold in a sleeveless dress with just a jacket.

        1. I wear a thin cardigan under a jacket a lot for this reason. It’s kind of awkward to make sure that the cardi stays hidden under the jacket, but my office is freezing!

          I’m on the lookout for a deeply scoop necked long-sleeved t-shirt that I can wear under shirts and jackets (scoop neck so that the pretty shirt would hide the tee, and I’d wear the jacket all day, so no one would see my arms), but I’ve found them near impossible to find. Don’t understand why all long-sleeved shirts have to be crew or near crew necks (or those frumpy high v-necks that don’t work under anything).

          1. Could you just cut the neck out of a crew neck one? Maybe experiment with some cheapies from, say, Target or Old Navy.

          2. Uniqlo has a half sleeve heattech shirt that might work. I’m contemplating an order, it’s 0C already and I don’t think I’m going to survive the winter.

          3. Are you me?

            I have some inapprpriate microfiber shirts that are so tight that I would never wear them solo, but I use them to layer-up underneath things. I am contemplating the heat-stuff from uniqlo (but doesn’t it wear away after a while?), but I will try anything.

            Not sure if it wil scoop enough, but LE tees have a scoop. I have a lot of the LS and SS ones. WHBM also has microfiber scoops, but I’ve only seen SS (and the hollow of my belly button shows in the white ones as an oval shadow).

          4. PolyD – If you do cut the neck, the fabric will curl (won’t fray, though). If that’s not a problem, then go for it. If it is an issue (you need it lay flat) then you’ll need to finish it with something stabilizing. If you don’t need it to stretch, that could be something as easy as a ribbon.

          5. And then Kat does a sponsored post with just the sort of thing I’m complaining about not finding! Wow!

            (Though, $74 for a long-sleeved tee shirt? Yikes! (Maybe the sale ones?))

            PolyD, I have actually been experimenting with that. The problems that I’ve run into: 1) It’s really hard to figure out where to cut and to cut in a smooth line (this could just be because I’m clumsy with scissors), 2) for some reason, wearing it under something else causes the shirt to want to keep creeping up – so I have one that I’ve cut down to where my bra is exposed, but it still creeps up to be visible when worn under sweaters that don’t seem that immodest. Which would probably not be such a problem if I could get a cleaner neckline cut. But I’m still playing with the idea. I like the idea of finishing it with a ribbon, but I’m betting that I would have a hard time getting that to work (see above, re: clumsiness).

          6. Lyssa – the link below might have some hints to help for a clean line on the tshirt. Fold the shirt in half along the the front center line, and then cut. You might even consider drawing a draft line on the t shirt to help guide your cutting.

            Also, consider the scissors that you are using. If it’s the same scissors you use for everything else and have never sharpened – get them sharpened ASAP. If you do enough fabric cutting, it might be worth it to get a dedicated pair of scissors that you only use for fabric (help keeps the blade sharp longer).

            http://www.laurassewingstudio.com/Sewing/Necklines_Page_1/necklines_page_1.html

          7. You might check out the tops by Judy P. They are sold on line and in boutiques. I find them easy to layer and are appropriate (double front fabric) if worn alone. Gorgeous colors. Wash by hand and air dry and they won’t pill at all and last a long time. Their sheen allows them to substitute as a shirt/top alone. I’m not a shill, just loving that I traded all my dry clean only sweater tanks and long sleeves for these.

          8. I have a thin long-sleeved tee with a wide, deep scoop neck from Charlotte Russe, of all places.

          9. THIS. i am always on the lookout for deep scoopnecks/squareneck long-sleeve shirts. Today i’m wearing a uniqlo heattech longsleeve. their scoopneck is NOT that deep, but it’s pretty stretchy, so when i want it lower/not visible, i just pull down hard and then tuck into my tights/pants/bottoms. i also found really deep squareneck long sleeves from this company called boston proper online. their general look is VS grows up. but this also means they have really low-cut basics. the cotton has a touch of stretch and is really nice so i don’t mind as much when i get a little warm and take off my jacket. adding links in new comment.

          10. squareneck: http://www.bostonproper.com/store/browse/product.jsp?maxRec=38&pageId=1&productId=470830529&viewAll=&prd=Longsleeve+squareneck+tee&subCatId=cat8289471&color=&fromSearch=&inSeam=&posId=16&catId=cat8289431&cat=TOPS+KNIT+TOPS&onSale=&colorFamily=&maxPg=3&size=

            scoopneck: http://www.bostonproper.com/store/browse/product.jsp?maxRec=38&pageId=1&productId=470823317&viewAll=&prd=Reversible+knit+top&subCatId=cat8289471&color=&fromSearch=&inSeam=&posId=13&catId=cat8289431&cat=TOPS+KNIT+TOPS&onSale=&colorFamily=&maxPg=3&size=

            if the links don’t work. head over to bostonproper dot com and search under “sexy basics”

          12. Late replying to this, but Old Navy almost always has long sleeved deep scoop tees for $8-10. They vary from year to year and they’re not super high quality, but this year’s version is very soft and they’re perfect for this purpose.

        2. Mine are seasonless suiting wool (e.g., one of them is the J Crew Emmaleigh dress). In summer, I wear them bare legged with an unlined linen jacket or a J Crew Jackie cardigan (indoors). In winter, with tights and a wool tweed jacket or cashmere cardigan, and maybe boots with real socks if it’s in the 10s or 20s. I also wear them to evening events and weddings year-round, just with sparkly jewelry, evening shoes, and a wrap. They’re total life-savers because they work for just about anything!

      2. How do you pull off the shift dress over a blouse look without looking school girlish? I am petite and can’t help but feel that I look like I’m about 14 years old when I try that look.

    3. I do both – silk blouse under a sheath as well as a blazer (occasionally a cardigan) in the winter and usually a light jacket or cardigan in the summer because I’m always freezing. Our summers get pretty hot too in July/Aug but I find my office is still cool so I usually wear the same jackets. I have a couple jackets that are heavier and those I only wear in the winter but mostly I wear the same things throughout seasons.

  7. Can someone please recommend a great volumizing product for black, fine curly hair? I have flat crown syndrome. I think someone recommended Big Sexy Hair powder here recently – would this work for curly hair? Any other ideas? Thanks!

    1. Beach spray – the salty kind? I had a hairdresser recommend that for holding my curls, but I’ve also found that it makes my hair…big.

      If you use a hairdryer, you could try drying your hair opposite of your part, so when you flip it back over it’s got a bit of oomph.

    2. Have you tried mousse? I have (white) curly hair, but it’s fine, and mousse is my go-to for taming frizzies and for volumizing my roots. I like the Tresemme Climate Control mousse–it doesn’t dry my hair too much, and while it’s a smidge crunchy when it first dries, a little tousle and my hair looks perfect for the next 24 hours.

    3. Aveda Be Curly hairspray has been great for my very thick curly hair. I spray it on damp hair, then add my styling cream.

    4. I have fine, curly hair, and I avoid that flat-top look by making sure to really scrub my scalp when shampooing. That seems to make my hair stand up from my scalp and have more texture at the top. If your hair is long though, it may just be that the weight of it pulls it flat at the top.

  8. For the person who posted last week looking for a real tabletop-size tree:

    I saw one in the catalog from the Vermont Country Store.

    http://www.vermontcountrystore.com/store/jump/productDetail/Holidays/Christmas_Decor/Christmas_Trees/Tabletop_Tree/61132

    This is an odd place. It sells lots of deliberately old-fashioned candy and toys, Lanz flannel nightgowns, blankets and down comforters (I’m on the mailing list because I bought a cord bedspread to protect the couch from the dog) and, um, personal massagers. I guess the winters are long in Vermont.

    ~ Jules

    1. You don’t need to make excuses for receiving the Vermont Country Store catalog. I have only ordered a couple of things from them (teaspoons, Visions cookware) but the catalog is incredibly entertaining, and a lot of the items do look useful, if retro.

  9. Hey ladies,

    Does anyone still use dress shields? I find that my silk blouses (especially) get yucky under the arms RIGHT AWAY (after one wear). Should I try switching deodorants instead? I currently use men’s old spice fresh.

    1. i’d try switching first. I think mens and womens deodorant is actually formualted differently.

    2. No answers, but interested to hear the responses to this too. I’ve thought about trying to track down some dress shields (or sew some, they seem simple enough), or switch to a natural deodorant that’s less likely to leave gunky buildup. But currently no satisfactory solution!

    3. I don’t think even my mother uses dress shields anymore, and she was an enthusiast well into the 80s if not the 90s. Try Certain Dri deodorant, as long as your skin is not overly sensitive. It’s marketed to people who have copious perspiration, but it works for people with normal perspiration too

      1. Certain Dri is amazing. Its a little scary that it works like that, but works amazingly well and only needs to be applied once every few days or once a week.

        Fabulous product

        1. Yep, this stuff is amazing. It saved many a silk shirt for me. Apply before bed/when your skin is completely dry for best results. My skin got irritated if I applied it right out of the shower or my skin was otherwise damp.

    4. Come to think of it, if any place stocks dress shields, it would be the Vermont Country Store (see thread above).

    5. I have allergic reactions to many women’s deodorants but I have found that Dri Idea clear gel is pretty awesome and doesn’t leave marks. It’s not in grocery stores, in some large retailers sometimes, but usually stocked in drugstores.

      Are you allowing the deodorant to dry after applying and before dressing? You don’t have to wave your hands in the air like you just don’t care but I moved deodorant application to earlier in my morning routine to leave more time before dressing and the marks stopped.

      1. Yup, I let it dry. The problem is two-fold: stink and deodorant marks. So the deodorant isn’t helping the blouse not get stinky like I think it should, and then it leaves marks so I feel like I can’t win. Grr.

        1. For the stink, try spritzing lightly with vodka diluted with water, then iron dry on low heat.

  10. Thoughts on sizing of this stuff? I’m in between sizes, and don’t like things clingy, but I am small-chested.
    TIA!

    2. I’m inclined to say size up (I found they ran *slightly* small), but I don’t have a ton of stuff from them and it’s been a while since I’ve been a non-preg size.

    3. I believe for heattech to work, the fabric has to cling close to your body, so I would go with the smaller size that fits you. These things also stretch out over time/washes.

    4. size up if you want to wear it by itself–it’s really meant for layering and fits tight.

      1. Agreed. I wear a smaller size under sweaters and other shirts. If you want to wear it alone, I’d size up.

    5. Almost picked this up over the weekend but was afraid I would be too warm. Anyone tested it yet?

        1. have rarely felt too warm in uniqlo’s heattech. but tbh i am the person who is usually too cold.

  11. TJ: I’m concerned about some iffy practices at my small firm. And email was sent out last week asking who accepted service of a subpoena for the firm. Partners have been destroying files but I don’t think they’re related to any litigation. I have no idea what the subpoena is for but I heard rumbling of the firm being sued. What should I do? I’m very junior and have rarely spoken to the firm’s managing partner.

    1. Get your resume out there. If you are a lawyer, your state probably has a ethics hotline (which I’d call if you get asked to destroy anything), but it’s there to protect you and your law license (not to worry about the acts of others — I take it you’re not a partner at this firm). In general, you’re on the hook for your bad acts if you are an associate and not for the bad acts of others (can be murky for partners).

    2. If your firm is being sued, then insurance carrier is generally running the show. It’s stressful, but that’s why firms have insurance. Re: files, most firms have records destruction and retention policies. Are you sure that the file destruction isn’t just part of those policies? It may have been triggered by a lawsuit, but may be something that should have been happening in the normal course of business and they are just now catching up.

    3. Getting sued is something that just happens sometimes. And +1 re mascot’s comment on document destruction practices. If the files are related to current litigation, or if the firm should have a reasonable belief that they may be related to litigation in the future (e.g., someone has threatened but not yet filed a lawsuit related to those files) then, yeah, destruction of them is very NOT GOOD. But it’s very good practice to have a document destruction policy that mandates destruction of certain files on a pre-set schedule. I’d keep my ears open, but there’s nothing you’ve written that would really worry me on its own.

    4. It would be reassuring to find out that the firm is represented by insurance defense counsel. If not, and the partners are going rogue, I would be concerned. It may be nothing; on the other hand, if you have other reasons/feelings that make you wonder, it may be more than nothing. Several law firms in my state have been busted by the FBI for one thing or another. Keep your head down, do your work, don’t get dragged into any document destruction or other possibly shady activity. But remember, you are junior, the less litigation is discussed among parties, generally the better, and the partners may be doing nothing more than keeping juniors in the dark just as a wise move to protect you from being deposed later.

  12. Threadjack: How to Find A Good T&E Lawyer

    A family friend (more accurately, a friend of my parents) is in need of a good T&E lawyer. She has 4 children, is a widow, and it’s become clear to her that her children (who didn’t get along very much in their early 20s) have only grown more apart, and more contentious in their relationships with each other. She’d like to figure out a way to divide up her estate without World War III breaking out. She’d also like to avoid the estate getting tied up in lawsuits because somebody feels spiteful. She asked if I knew how to find a good T&E lawyer but being a finance geek, I know nothing about this. I hope you wise ladies can help here.

    In my untutored mind w.r.t. legal matters, I think of seeing a lawyer for estate planning as a once-every-10yrs thing or big-life-change thing, rather than something of greater frequency, like going to the dentist 2x/yr. With a dentist, you get enough visits (data points) to be able to more easily assess whether you want to keep going to this dentist or not. It’s also fairly low stakes to switch to another dentist.

    So, how would you know if your T&E lawyer was any good? What questions should she ask in her initial visit? Are there red flags that indicate the T&E lawyer won’t suit her needs? And what ‘homework’ should she do to prepare for the initial visit (Bank statements? And other financial documentation?)

    Many, many thanks in advance.

    1. Susedna: please feel free to email me at dianabarryr e t t e at gmail (no spaces) with the location and I can see if I can find you some referrals.

      The T+E lawyer should not be a volume shop. Beware super low fees – those lawyers have paralegals or assistants doing the drafts. The lawyer should have experience with no-contest clauses (also called “in terrorem”) and more complicated estates. Biglaw is not the place to look; usually smaller firms and boutiques will give more value per $.

      She should make a list of assets – statements not needed for the first meeting. So real estate, any valuable tangibles (jewelry), bank accounts, and investment accounts. The lawyer will also want to know about her retirement assets and any life insurance, etc. Then a list of her family members and her main concerns.

      1. Also, we usually recommend updates every 5 years or so to make sure all the people named as executors, etc., are still valid, plus if the tax laws change.

      2. Many thanks, Diana Barry! This is super helpful, just as a starting point for her.

        I’m about to get roped into a series of meetings (*argh* *flail* *grumble*), but I’ll email you later. :-)

      1. AIMS, do you have an anon email address so I could get that recommendation? DH & I are considering drafting wills before the baby comes so that she will be taken care of, no matter what. Am I correct that a T&E attorney could help us with that?

        1. John Reddy, 212-925-9100 (he drafted our wills. I’m a big believer in not leaving things up to the state default laws). He is great. Came highly recommended from another T&E expert. If he can’t do it for some reason, I am sure he could recommend someone. Just a lovely, lovely man.

      2. If you’re looking in NYC, I wholeheartedly recommend the T&E partner at my boutique firm. She is practical, caring, and just a lovely lady who is very good at T&E.

        mskimmath at the g mail

        1. I have a good Texas recommendation. One thing to check would be board certifications if applicable – in TX you can get certified in Estate Planning and Probate. While not a guarantee of perfection by any means, you at least have someone who is knowledgeable enough and focused enough to sit for another test.

    3. Fellows of the American College of Trust & Estate Counsel are good. There should be one in at least every state.

    4. I just helped some family friends find a T&E lawyer. They met with a few people and ultimately chose the person I recommended, even though he wasn’t the cheapest. He was the only one who said the estate was complicated and he couldn’t give them a firm estimate for that reason (which was true). All the others said, we can definitely do this for X dollars! I think your friend should look for someone who strikes her as honest and who talks to her like a normal human being, rather than acting like she needs him/her to navigate the magical hocus pocus of estate planning. A good lawyer should be able to explain everything to you, without you feeling like an idiot.

    5. Definitely depends on the size of her estate and its complexity (which sounds like it could get dicey due to the feuding children). Sophisticated estate planners (i.e. those who deal with tax planning issues in conjunction with EP) are necessary for multi-million dollar estates that will trigger estate tax. Many “probate” T&E attorneys will not have the skills necessary to do that type of work because they deal more with the probate court than setting up trusts, etc.

    6. I have a San Diego recommendation. She’s got the Estate Planning certified legal specialty designation from the CA bar and has practiced for about 16 years. If San Diego is the right area, let me know and I’ll post my email address for you.

  13. Does anyone have experience using Truvia Baking Blend? I’m planning my Thanksgiving baking and I have a family member who is not able to eat real sugar due to gastric bypass surgery.

    On the Truvia site, they offer a substitution of Truvia for regular sugar, but I wasn’t sure how the results would work on “regular” recipes. There are also some recipes on the site, but I’m more curious to know if I can still use my regular recipes and just sub Truvia.

    I may just have to experiment and see how it turns out, but I thought I’d see if anyone had tried this before. Thanks!

    1. Has the family member eaten truvia? After my surgery I couldn’t even eat fake sweetener. I lost all taste for it. Even some fruit is too sweet.

    2. I have used it – but it has a bit of a taste (not the artificial sweetener taste, but not sugar either) that people may dislike. I used it as a sub for a liquid sweetener (honey) so added it to apple sauce to preserve the liquid ratio, but I think if it’s the baking blend, you can use whatever substitution they suggest for white sugar and use your regular recipes.

    3. I’ve had cake made with Splenda instead of sugar, since my grandfather was diabetic. It tastes kind of gross in that fake sugar way, but it baked just fine.

    4. Thanks all! Yes, she has eaten things with Truvia before. I might try it on a small batch of cookies or muffins first to see how it goes.

  14. Thanks all! Yes, she has eaten things with Truvia before. I might try it on a small batch of cookies or muffins first to see how it goes.

    1. You can call the ABA’s Commission on Aging for a good referral or depending on the question for specific information. If you’re looking to do an eligibility determination, you’d need to have the county do it. If you’re concerned about the look back period, it’s 5 years.

    2. National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys would be another place to start. There’s definitely more of an elder-care focus in that group than in ACTEC.

  15. Hi ladies! I ordered the OG bag in Navy and am not a fan of the color. I am debating between the balck and army green. I will likely be wearing it with jeans because I will be using it as a weekender. I like the army green but think I might tire of it quickly. What color would you pick?

    1. I loove the espresso color. In real life it’s a greyish purple, I don’t think it looks brown at all. It matches everything except maybe neon.

    2. I actually really like the army green, although if you’re likely to get sick of it, then, the espresso color would probably be good. Some bags that are black don’t wear well and look kind of grungy when there are signs of visible wear, although there are some who go for that look. YMMV. I tend to think of brown and dark greenish colors as wearing better over time, but again, very subjective preference on my part!

      Separately, when I see: “OG,” I think of the poster who goes by “OG Lawyer.” I am a morning poster (as I can’t get my focus together quite so well in the mornings and procrastinate like crazy), and I think she’s a super-late night poster, so I never really get to respond to anything she writes in real-time, but I was thinking of her and hoping she’s doing alright.

    3. I would buy the navy off you if you wanted! I’m in Canada and cannot order the bags from here….

      1. AMB – Happy to sell it to you at cost. do you have an email address I can contact you at?

    4. Second the Espresso color – it is not brown at all – more like a grey purple. It is a lovely neutral that is not black.

      Also, if you want to return or exchange, send them an email. Their customer service is pretty good.

  16. I am getting bar results Friday. Just thinking about it is making me sick to my stomach. I really like my current job and have been told that they will not give me a second chance if I fail. Just wanted to share and hopefully it will make me feel better.

    1. I’m sorry they’re putting you under so much pressure. It can’t be fun. *hugs* and *crossed fingers* Keep us posted and try to be good to yourself between and then, and, well, in general. :-)

    2. I still relive this week in my nightmares Anon, go get a manicure after work or anything indulgent to take your mind off of R-Day. A great friend of mine one year ahead of me sat me down two days before results posted and said “Look, there’s nothing you can do in the next two days to change your score, so you might as well use this energy for something productive.”

      And ultimately he was right. Get some sleep and I’m certain all ‘rettes are pulling for you.

    3. Many hugs! I was there only a few weeks ago and know exactly how you feel. Don’t forget that your attorney coworkers and bosses were once in your shoes too. I highly recommend two things: 1) stay busy to keep your mind off of it, and 2) If you’re going to get your results at work on Friday, have an exit plan. I was mostly sure I passed (and I’m sure you did too!), but it made me feel more in control to know exactly what I was going to do if things went the other way. As Aggie said, we’re pulling for you.

    4. Me several months ago as well. My job wouldn’t tell me whether or not they would keep me if I failed – definitely adds to the stress. I think Aggie’s right though, just do some other stuff even if it feels like you’re waiting to be hit by a train.

      That said, I took the opposite approach re: doing indulgent things. I figured it was going to be a terrible stressful day (results came out a midnight, how mean), so I spent the day doing things that I don’t like – going to the dentist, getting a bikini wax, etc. I figured if I was going to feel miserable anyway, I may as well be getting miserable things out of the way.

      That said, just try and remember – A MAJORITY OF PEOPLE PASS! It’s easy to feel like you’re all doomed, but SO MANY PEOPLE pass. I have the highest of hopes that you will be one of them. :)

  17. I’m wondering if anyone has recommendations for slightly larger totes? My normal work bag is big enough for wallet, keys, my lunch, and a couple of files. However, when I travel for work – or even when I’m going to something in-town – and need to take, say, my laptop (which is just a Macbook Air!) and say a binder or accordion folder, it is completely over-taxed. I’d prefer to only have to carry one bag in these situations. I’m not a fan of the Le Pliage bags, but I’m guessing something in that genre is what I need? Is there something slightly more formal that people have and like?

      1. I will second this recommendation – I have one, and I love it. It holds quite a bit (like one or two binders, or a redwell) my computer, plus wallet, keys, lunch, etc. Plus, the texture on the outside is forgiving and the bag overall has held up to daily abuse.

    2. Take a look at the MZ Wallace bags. They are great for travel, come in a variety of sizes, colors and shapes. They are more structured and therefore seem a little more professional/formal/sophisticated than the Le Pliage (although I totally carry my Le Pliage to work on a regular basis).

      1. I have been drooling over the OMG and OG. Are they small enough to use for work, or do they look like airline carryons–which is how they are pictured on the Lo and Sons website?
        Do you carry everyday as a work tote, or more as a gym bag?

        Thanks much.

  18. Lawyer ladies, question for you. I’m a junior/mid level associate, and I lateraled to my current firm about 5-6 months ago. When I started, I was really busy and essentially stayed busy up until a few weeks ago. I’m dead. There are 4 partners I’ve told that I’m free and have gotten little chunks of work from some of them, and one said that he has a deal coming up.

    I’m just wondering how aggressive should I be when seeking work? Do I talk to the same partners EVERY SINGLE DAY? (I haven’t been doing that). Maybe more like a few times a week asking them if they have anything. I’m always worried about telling TOO many people I’m available, and then they’re all dumping work on me at once that I won’t be able to do which is why I haven’t reached out to more than these 4 people. I guess I don’t have a specific question but just wanted to hear thoughts generally on how aggressive to be when you’re slow and seeking work. I know I’m not a first year associate but I never really had a problem being slow at my prior firm so not 100% sure how to handle this. TIA!

    1. One suggestion that’s posted here frequently that I think is a good idea — make sure you’re up on your CLEs and non-billables (organize your office, etc.). As a law student, I don’t have other ideas, but good luck!

    2. Do CLE’s, take on a pro bono case, and go to every networking/bar event you can find. I don’t think there’s much you can do to drum up billable work at your office other than being around and letting people know that you’re looking for work. But, at least continue to build your skills and your profile in your legal market.

  19. Clothing Lust Threadjack: Can we have a mini-thread about all the stuff we think about buying but probably won’t actually buy?

    This is apropos of nothing in particular, but suddenly, I really want the Icefall Maxi Dress at Anthropologie. That’s a store where I can never make the clothes fit my lifestyle. But every now and then, I see some real knockout gorgeous dresses or tops that I want, but almost never buy. *sigh*

    http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/clothes-dresses/29868056.jsp?cm_sp=Fluid-_-29868056-_-Regular_17

    1. A couple years back, I was wandering through a department store and the most lovely, perfect Burberry trench was hanging all by its lonesome on a rack it didn’t belong on. I tried it on, it fit like a dream, and was just lovely. Not having $800 to drop right then and there, I left, but to this day it is the one that got away. I’ve never seen another Burberry trench quite like it, but if I ever refind it, it’ll come home with me.

      1. Does anyone else remember the Laura Ashley jumpsuits that were big in the early 90s? I wanted one so badly.

        1. I had one of these in a holiday print. I wore it to my carols service in college in the mid-late 90s. It was FABULOUS. :)

        2. OMG yes. I had one. It had a big, lace-trimmed collar, too, and a sash in the back. I wore it with black flats and white knee highs (stockings, not tights — remember white stockings?).

    3. Yes! That dress is beautiful. Everything at Anthro is like that – I would never wear it but it seems so fun. Also, every black tie dress ever. I would love to be able to wear Marchesa to something. Sigh.

    6. This is pretty much everything in the antro catalogue for me. I’m very curvy and work in an office, so I try to up the professionalism by avoiding anything with ruffles, layers of fabric, and most vintage cuts, so that pretty much cuts out anything from anthro, and I’m far too practical to purchase anything expensive to wear solely on the weekend.

      Along those lines, I fell in love with this, and every tulle skirt I ever see, but I’ll never buy one.

      http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/clothes-skirts/A26107219.jsp

    7. I love Chie Mihara shoes, but I don’t think either my feet or my budget would tolerate them

    9. Susedna, that dress is stunning! Could that be worn to a black tie event? Not that I have one to go to, and I really shouldn’t try to justify buying such a dress.

  20. Has anyone ever bought a “fancy” watch from Rue La La or one of those websites? I am always a little nervous making big purchases on flash sale sites but some of the deals are really good. Would love to hear of any experiences.

    1. DH bought my Seiko on RLL. I think if you stick to brands you know you’ll be fine. Also, most aren’t final sale.

    2. Yes; I bought a D&G watch on Rue La La and love it. One of the very small fake diamond studs came out after 3 months or so, but it’s hardly noticeable and I’m sure it would be an easy fix if I ever get around to it. Overall, my experience was great from what I remember. Fast shipping and beautiful packaging also.

    3. Depends. If possible I would go to a forum of like purseforum if it is a designer bag or ask for recommendations to have someone else make sure that the item in question is legit and not a fake. People on those sites really know what they are talking about. And as always, read the fine print and make sure that you will get a full refund and not store credit.

      Sites likes Rue La La and Portero have been known to sell fakes as if they were authentic items. There was a huge discussion about this at Purseblog where several contributors found similar “authentic” items that were being sold to various site while they were listed on Portero’s site as rare. One of the bags was even verified as fake, but was listed as sold for thousands. A Portero company member even tried to do damage control, but they failed when several members discovered their affiliation with a group that is known to sell fakes and even the Portero company member admitted that they didn’t really check if items really were “100% authentic guaranteed” as they accepted items from third parties and just took their word for it. Moral of the story: be careful.

  21. I am having the WORST cramps today — I feel about 2 seconds from throwing up, my midsection is on fire, I’m so bloated even my fingers are swollen, and I just generally wish I was curled up in bed. Hoping the tylenol I just took does something… Just needed to vent since I’m counting down the minutes till the end of the day.

    1. “2 seconds from throwing up” sounds more like the stomach flu than cramps, and the stomach flu is highly contagious. Please do your colleagues a favor and tell your boss you are not feeling well and leave early.

      1. Some cramps can be so bad that you feel like you’re going to throw up from the pain, not from nausea. But regardless, I would call in a half sick day if it was that bad and didn’t go away with some meds. I can’t do work when I’m cramping that badly.

      2. Eh – I’ve had cramps that hurt so bad I was nauseated from them. Doesn’t have to be the flu.

      3. My cramps are accompanied by extensive vomitting. That said, I second taking the rest of the day off. No one should have to endure death cramps at the office.

      4. Lucky you that you’ve never had cramps like that, Hollis. I assume OP knows her body.

      5. Sadly, this is par for the course for me (Day 2 of 7 is always a joy). And yeah, not the stomach flu. Just nausea from pain. Thankfully, the pain meds are starting to work! (And nope, BC isn’t an option anymore, sadly.)

        1. Doesn’t help you right now, but consider acupuncture. I used to have cramps that were eye-crossingly painful. A mix of Chinese herbs and acupuncture took care of it within a couple of cycles.

          (Also, you may want to be evaluated for uterine polyps — these are not fibroids. They are supposed to cause painful periods as well. I had mine removed after the acupunture fixed the symptoms for IF reasons.)

        2. One tip is to start taking tylenol before the cramps get bad so you don’t get to a certain pain point that is hard to counteract!

          Also, heating pad!! Sorry you are in pain!

      6. Perhaps we should trust OP to know her own body – if she says it’s cramps, where’s the value in insisting otherwise??

    2. While the stomach flu is something to consider,feeling like I’m going to throw up happens to me all the time with cramps. It’s a feeling unlike any other, and unfortunately, not much you can do. But not contagious!

    3. I used to have cramps that would make me puke, back in high school (before I learned about the wonders of birth control pills). Hugs and chicken broth!

  22. For those of you who can’t cook/don’t have time to cook, what do you bring to events (e.g., an informal get-together with friends) where all the others are proficient at making delicious homemade apps and desserts to share?

    Is bringing wine and some nice cheese okay? I love food but have neither the time (nor the interest, if I’m being honest with myself), in learning how to cook, but now that I’m in my late twenties I feel like I’m finding myself more frequently in situations where it would be appropriate to make and bring a dish to someone’s house, and I am the lone friend who does not know how to do this!

    1. You could either bring a bottle of wine (always appreciated) or you could find a “signature dish” that’s super easy for you to pull together. My friend always brings this really easy dip that we all crave. And it’s really.easy.

      1 package of Philly cream cheese
      1 bag of shredded cheese
      1 jar of salsa

      In a glass pie plate, soften the cream cheese for about 1 minute. Spread along the bottom of the dish. Layer about 1 jar of salsa on top (to your liking). Top with the bag of cheese (again, to your liking). When ready to serve, pop in the microwave for 3-4 minutes, or until cheese has melted on top. Serve with tortilla chips.

      1. This is also delicious with a layer of refried beans on the bottom. You mght need to cook it a bit longer, or heat them up to begin with. I may or may not have eaten this for dinner before the toddlers started observing my every move.

      2. I’ve made something similar to this… throw above ingredients + some taco seasoning in a little crockpot, heat, stir, and dip!

    2. Yes! Flowers are also always welcome in my house. Honestly I love to cook, so I don’t care if people don’t bring something. If you wanted to though, I’m sure you could follow a recipe. There’s usually not much to it.

    3. Wine and cheese is fine! One can’t be good at everything, and if you don’t have an interest in learning to cook, save the effort for something you do enjoy. I wouldn’t think twice about someone showing up to my house with a bottle of wine instead of a homemade appetizer. I have a friend who always brings a box of mini pastries from a bakery near her house to dinner parties, and that also goes over well. Perhaps she also hates to cook — I’ve never asked her!

    4. If you have a great cheesemonger and don’t want to just bring a bottle of wine, tell your cheesemonger what wine you’re bringing and he or she will match you a great pairing. If you don’t want to bring wine, or if the hosts don’t drink or are expecting, pair the cheese with a great jam (many cheesemongers also sell jam for this very purpose).

    5. Offer to bring bread and then pick it up from your favorite bakery. Sourdough or ciabatta rolls usually go with everything – just ask the host.

    6. There was a whole discussion about fancy nuts the other day. That would add a little something to the cheese.

      1. For some reason “fancy nuts” gets read in my head in a Julia Child voice.

      2. That might have been my thread requesting ideas of little to no prep items. I ended up going with nuts and dried fruit, and it went over really well.

    7. I frequently host this sort of informal get-together and always hugely appreciate when people bring a bottle of wine and a wedge of nice cheese or some high-quality charcuterie. Or flowers!!! Or olives or a jar of bruschetta from Trader Joe’s and a baguette. If you have a Trader Joe’s near you, that’s pretty much the ideal place to pick up some wine, salami or chorizo, and a box of crackers that you can just keep in the pantry on hand for last minute use.

      If you’re looking to bring an actual homemade something, with about a 10 min prep time, I’d go with something like a caprese salad (mozzarella, tomato, basil, tossed with a little olive oil and vinegar) or a grapefruit, avocado, and papaya salad (it’s really just the three of those, chopped and mixed in a bowl; no dressing needed).

      Another 10 min prep appetizer that looks and tastes WAY fancier than it is — endive leaves, used as little boats with the following toppings: a smear of goat cheese first, then canned mandarin orange slices (get the high quality ones from Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods) on top of that, chopped toasted almonds on top of that. Sprinkle with cilantro if you have it. SO GOOD.

      1. My MIL makes a similar appetizer with endive leaves + cream cheese + cherry tomato. It looks and tastes much fancier than it is :)

    8. So so easy, I was shocked at how easy and yummy this was

      Open a can of Pillsubry crescent dough. Spread it flat on a cookie sheet

      Put a whole round baked brie in the middle

      Spread a couple spoonfuls of a fruit jelly (I used raspberry) right on top of the cheese

      Fold the crescent over the top and smush it together.

      Sprinkle a little brown sugar on top

      Bake at 350 for about 25-20 minutes.

      Bring some crackers and you’re set!

      2. Wait, your brie has to be baked already when you put in the dough? Or is just regular brie OK?

      1. totally, just fresh bread and a couple of delicious cheeses are a perfect addition to anything. You could also bring some nice olives.

        if you REALLY want to impress and do a tiny bit of work, this is the most beloved contribution I’ve ever seen brought to a party:

        Figs (black mission)
        goat cheese
        walnuts (pieces, not salted)
        balsamic vinegar.

        Wash the figs, then cut in half lengthwise, lay out on plate. Put a dollop/chunk of goat cheese on top of each fig. Press a few pieces, or a half, walnut onto each goat cheese. Drizzle whole thing with a really good balsamic vinegar, definitely a light drizzle (i usually wait and do this when I arrive).

        omg, now i really want figs.

  23. We’ve had a couple of threads on here about house stuff, and I’m wondering if anybody here is a full-on DIY’er–do you do major renovation/construction projects by yourself? How did you learn to do these things? How do you handle living in a construction zone?

    For context, we’re house-shopping and keep coming across crazy-cheap properties that have either already been partially gutted or need to be gutted. We’re not sure whether thinking about buying them and doing the work ourselves over time is reasonable or if we’re just being blinded by the low low prices in these otherwise very tony neighborhoods.

    1. I think it helps is someone is already pretty handy. For me, that’s my husband. We did a lot of work in our first house. Easy projects that we did were stripping wallpaper and painting, mid-difficulty including installing trim and crown molding, installing interior french doors, surround sound, drywall repair, and changing light fixtures. His more complicated projects include installing an alarm system, installing kitchen cabinets, a tile countertop and backsplash, as well as gutting a bathroom and installing a new tiled shower, tiled floor, new toilet and vanity.
      If you know what you are doing, you can save money. I think we did our bathroom for under $1500. BUT, these project presumably aren’t your full time job. So there will be weekends where you don’t want the house covered in sheetrock dust and several rooms to be out of commission. It will easily take you twice as long as you think it will. You also need to have an exit strategy of calling a professional when you get stuck or tired of it.
      FWIW, when we bought our second house, we wanted move-in ready.

    2. I would check out Young House Love, they have done a lot of big gut jobs on things like kitchens and bathrooms, and they generally give a good break down of the costs of these jobs. I would look at those, and get some estimates on wood/project costs to see if it is worth it.

      It is easy to get carried away by great deals, but are you willing to live in the half-way project for the time it takes to get it done? Do you have the money to get a professional to finish a project if you get tired of it? What if there are things like asbestos and you can’t do it yourself – could you afford the project?

      1. They’ve also had posts on what they decided to let a professional do, and how they came to their decision. They’re on their 3rd house, so they’ve had a couple go ’rounds with the DIY thing. Just recently (within the last month or two) had a post on things they wouldn’t do again/mistakes they’ve made, which can be educational.

    3. We have a great DIY homeowners book (I think it is the Reader’s Digest one), although we are only using it for smaller, discreet projects and addressing things that came up in our home inspection, not a gut reno.

    4. Yup. My husband is also handy. We acted as the GC on several of our house projects. We DIYed on the kitchen/dining room project and the basement, and the powder room. If you are not handy it is much more difficult, because you can’t tell what needs to be done. But for reference, in our kitchen project, this is what we did:
      – Permit from city;
      – Rented dumpster or 3;
      – Demolished existing kitchen- everything came out, back to the studs, we also ripped up 5 layers of floor. We got someone to take the existing stove from craigslist. This took quite a while.
      – Put insulation in walls.
      – Hired plumbers to do rough plumbing;
      – DH did electrical and installed the lights.
      – DH and I put in drywall on walls and ceiling, and painted.
      – Then measured for cabinets and ordered them online.
      – Ordered all appliances, sink, faucets, lights, cabinet hardware, tile, countertops, flooring, etc.
      – Floor guy came and put in the floors and finished them.
      – Cabinets came and DH installed them, which included attaching them to walls and putting in all the shelves, etc.
      – Appliances came and DH installed them, which included knocking a hole in the outside wall for the vent.
      – We got a tile guy to tile the backsplash.
      – The countertop guys came and installed the countertops and sink.
      – The plumbers came back and installed the faucet, and dishwasher.

      It took a long time – we were both working FT and went without a kitchen for about 8 months. For a while we just had the old stove in the middle of the floor, and holes in the floor. We had previously done a kitchen project that was just replacing cabinets, countertops, and appliances, which took much less time with a contractor – 4 weeks of construction.

      1. Also, FWIW, it is much easier to do full-scale renovation than piecemeal. We have done our house piecemeal, living in it the whole time, and it has taken a long time (years) because we wanted to fund everything with cash. So each project would get the rest of the house dusty, etc. However, if you do everything at once, and gut every room, you can get all the electrical and plumbing work done right and at the same time. Particularly with old houses, this is much easier than if you are trying not to disturb the walls.

    5. Prior to a career change, my husband worked in residential construction so we are do-it-yourselfers. But, like other said, everything takes longer than you think and usually involves more trips to Lowe’s than you think. Also, my husband still hires out HVAC and sanding sheetrock because he thinks it’s too much of a pain and takes him too long. I personally hate the “under construction” phase of things, but it’s also the only way I’ll get my home improvement projects done so I just suck it up.

      Check out thisoldhouse.com They kind of tell you how hard different household projects are and how long they will take.

      Also, Lowe’s price matches so check out other home improvement stores near you and if you live in between two Lowe’s, check to see if they are in the same market. Our two closest Lowe’s are not and we always know that when we go to Lowe’s store A, we need to show them that what we buy is cheaper at store B. Also a Lowe’s credit card will get you 5% off.

    6. I wouldn’t take on a gut or partial-gut job by yourself unless you can look at it and have a pretty good idea of where to start and how to do it. Sure, you can learn a lot from books, but a gut job usually involves so much (tile, drywall, plumbing, electrical, insulation, weatherproofing (if you are doing windows), how to find out local building codes and permitting requirements, etc.). If at least one of you doesn’t have a pretty good foundation of knowledge in how these types of things work I think it’s just too much to learn all at once.

      Having lived through a substantial renovation that we did ourselves, my biggest recommendation is to move in as little as possible before the construction is done. Drywall dust and sawdust get everywhere, regardless of how much plastic sheeting you put up to try to contain the mess. Also, it will take longer than expected even if someone else is doing the work.

  24. Ladies, I need a pair of pants that are great for traveling and for sleeping in (I’m camping for three weeks in Africa and need pants to wear on the really long plane flights and to sleep in at night). I was initially thinking yoga pants, but then I found these Travel Pants by lucy (http://www.lucy.com/Travel-Pant/111801,default,pd.html?cgid=Bottoms_Pants), which are like yoga pants with pockets. They’re waaaay too long on me, so before I get them hemmed, does anyone have other suggestions for pants like this?

    1. Lululemon studio pant. Zella (at Nordstrom’s) has a similar pant that is a little cheaper, I think, but those may be too long for you.

    2. Athleta has some nice stretchy pants that come in petite, so they don’t need hemming if you are 5’1 or taller. I like pockets on the plane, so I always get something with a zippered pocket for id and boarding pass.

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