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Splurge Monday’s Workwear Report: Two-Button Pinstripe Wool Blazer

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Stretch Wool Blazer: Brooks Brothers Two-Button Pinstripe Wool BlazerOur daily workwear reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. Happy Monday, ladies! Wool blazers may not exactly be the first thing that comes to mind when pondering how to dress for heat dome weather, but one presumes there'll be cooler weather SOMEtime. Eventually. In the distant future. And when that time comes, this pinstripe blazer is the one you'll want in your closet. Love the Loro Piana stretchy fabric, the fitted darts, the four pockets — and an inside pocket, squee! Even better, it's on serious sale at Brooks Brothers: It was $798 but is marked down to $399. Sizes 2-12 are still available. Brooks Brothers Two-Button Pinstripe Wool Blazer Two more affordable options are here and here; this one is available in plus, petite, and petite-plus sizes as well as regular. Seen a great piece you'd like to recommend? Please e-mail tps@corporette.com. (L-5)

Sales of note for 1/22/25:

  • Nordstrom – Cashmere on sale; AllSaints, Free People, Nike, Tory Burch, and Vince up to 60%; beauty deals up to 25% off
  • AllSaints – Clearance event, now up to 70% off (some of the best leather jackets!)
  • Ann Taylor – All sale dresses $40 (ends 1/23)
  • Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything
  • Boden – Clearance, up to 60% off!
  • DeMellier – Final reductions now on, free shipping and returns — includes select options like Montreal, Vancouver, and Venice
  • Eloquii – $29 and up select styles; extra 50% off all clearance, plus ELOQUII X kate spade new york collab just dropped
  • Everlane – Sale of the year, up to 70% off; new markdowns just added
  • J.Crew – Up to 40% off select styles; up to 50% off cashmere
  • J.Crew Factory – End of season sale, extra 60-70% off clearance, online only
  • Rothy's – Final Few: Up to 40% off last-chance styles
  • Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
  • Talbots – Semi-Annual Red Door Sale – extra 50% off

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

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

207 Comments

  1. Do NAS items get restocked after the sale? If I buy something that’s not in the size/color I want at the sale price, will I be able to exchange it for the one I do want after the sale?

    1. I don’t know the answer but am following along because I asked the same question last week (I ended up buying shoes in a 1/2 size larger than my normal size because my normal size was sold out) and didn’t get any answer!

    2. Sometimes but not reliably. I don’t get the feeling they hold back merchandise to restock immediately. Sometimes I see stuff, sometimes not.

    3. I believe that is the intent, but you might want to ask their customer service team.

    4. Your best bet is to keep checking for return restocks throughout the sale. I managed to order the jacket I had my eye on, and so far it hasn’t been cancelled.

    5. I don’t think they hold items back but things do come back as people return. I have exchanged items for different sizes after the NAS and they will honor the price but it has to be the same item and in the same color.

  2. This picture reminds me of a question I wanted to ask the hive. See that bunching under the model’s right shoulder (camera left)? A bunch of suit jackets that otherwise fit well do something similar on me, but more pronounced. Is it a bust issue?

    1. Yay! Pricey Monday’s! I love Pricey Monday’s and wool jacket’s like this one, but NOT in July when it is sooooo hot out!

      As for the OP, it is NOT strictley a bust issue, tho our boobie’s do play a part. It is more of a button placement issue. Brook’s Brother suit’s are the best — I have 3 of them– but THEY MUST be tailor the suit for you, given the fact they will NOT place the button’s lower because of our boobies. This therefore require’s GOOD tailoring, IN HOUSE BY THEM, not by some schlub with bad breathe on Lex that your uncle knew in high school. When you pay to get the VERY best, do NOT stint on the tailoring b/c all of our bodie’s are different. Good luck to you, but do NOT start weareing these suit’s until the temperature drops 35 degrees! It is way to hot today for me, and I am melting! FOOEY!

    2. I’m curious as to what more knowledgeable ‘rettes think causes it, but my thought is that it was too tight in the shoulder.

    3. I feel like in the picture, the bunching (just over the pocket flap, yes) is due to the model dropping that shoulder a bit.

      But, yes, you might get it if your bust is smaller than the darts provided. It looks like there is more fabric through the torso than model’s body needs. It’s also more pronouced because the blazer is buttoned (as had 2 instead of 1 button).

    4. The model’s left shoulder is lower than her right. Mine is similar and I often have this same problem of bunching at the arm. My dress-maker fixes it by taking in fabric at the top of the shoulder for dresses or adding a tiny bit of additional padding at the shoulder for jackets.

  3. So you’re acknowledging that it’s 90’s in New York and 100’s in DC and Kat, you’re showing us wool blazers?

      1. Right. Unfortunately stores now stock items well before the season. Good luck trying to buy a bathing suit in August.

  4. Does anyone have experience with short-term health insurance? My husband’s coverage through work ends on July 31 and his new coverage at his new job won’t start until August 15. We need to be covered for that two week period, but COBRA is obviously super expensive. I’ve heard that short-term health insurance plans can cover this gap, but are they worth it (i.e., are there major downsides that render them ineffectual)? Any advice would be much appreciated.

    1. Cobra can be applied retroactively. You don’t have to pay for it unless you need it.

      1. Yes, this! When I had a gap between work and leaving for grad school, I had my paperwork filled out for cobra (and a check written for the cost of coverage) in case I needed the insurance.

        1. Same here. Unless you have a sizeable chunk of time (more than 60 days, which is the max retroactive period for Cobra), retroactive-if-needed is the way to go.

      2. +1 I’ve changed jobs several times and have typically had a 1-2 month gap in health insurance coverage. I’ve never purchased any short term coverage because you can get Cobra retroactively if something happens in that time period.

    2. If his is ending, that should be a qualifying event to add him to yours in the interim (presuming you get it through work) (and if so, curious why you guys aren’t on the same plan already)?

      1. If you don’t have children and both people are working, it’s usually cheaper to get two individual policies than both be on the same policy.

        1. Don’t a lot of companies reject covering the spouse if he or she is eligible for coverage through his/her own employer?

          1. Eh – it’s not universal and I would even say it’s not a lot. It’s certainly possible, and was a strategy a lot of companies may have been considering in light of ACA regulations, but I don’t know how many actually followed through.

      2. I left my job a few weeks ago since I’m going to grad school starting next month. Not an option to add him to my company plan anymore.

      3. If you can both get insurance, it’s normally way cheaper to each get your own employer-provided insurance than to have both people on one plan. E.g. my husband and I each get free health insurance from our employers bit it’s just for us and to add a spouse to either plan would be more than $1000 a year, so why would we do that when we can maintain separate coverage for free? The only people I know who are on a spouse’s plan are unemployed or part-time and not eligible for health insurance through their own employer.

        1. Interesting. I get much better coverage than my H could so we’re on my plan & that’s not uncommon at my employer. Probably depends on where you work, but thanks for the explanation.

    3. Hmm, what would happen if I were in an accident then? I would call from the hospital and activate COBRA? That seems a little risky, but it sounds like that’s how it actually works?

      1. Basically yes! I had everything ready to go and left with my parents in case I was incapacitated. I think I was being overly cautious but didn’t want to get hit with a massive bill before moving abroad.

      3. You also have sixty days to pay to backdate it, so if you got into some huge accident on 14 August, you could pay the premium for the “gap” up through the end of September.

        I don’t know what your family situation is, but you might not even have to leave a check with your parents; they may be willing to foot the premium if you are incapacitated. (I would do that for anyone in my family if they were stuck in the hospital and needed their health insurance paid.) It’s just important that they know about it.

    4. An old HR guy told me he calls this “COBRA roulette” but it’s totally fine to do. ie, wait to see if you need to file a claim and elect COBRA if necessary.

  5. Can I share a hooray moment? I’ve completed my first draft of my PhD! It still needs loads of work but so happy that there is a complete text. In the office and feel a bit at loose ends without it hanging over my head. Taking Friday off for yoga, a nice lunch, a novel / cafe afternoon, and a wander through the shops.

    1. Yay! I am so, so, so envious! I’m finishing next spring and have a long way to go between now and then.

      1. Thanks, it all seemed to come together at the last moment and by the end, I had figured out what my point was and felt quite zen. I know I need to do pretty major revising but it feels so, so good! Things that have helped – making time for self-care (I’m too busy not to exercise) and writing retreats and a regular writing group.

    2. Congrats!

      Save that sucker in three places, seriously. External electronic copies. Send a copy to your parents across the country.

  6. I’m a cusp-sized apple-shape, and I recently made my first purchase from Eloquii after some ‘rettes recommended it for workwear. I ordered the Twist Front Dress, the Printed Tee Dress and the Belted T-Shirt Dress, all in a size 16.

    The Twist Front Dress is really unforgiving in the tummy area (even in black) and I wouldn’t recommend it for apple-shaped women.
    The Printed Tee Dress is really beautiful and vibrantly colored but the fabric is thin and the dress is mostly shapeless, so you’d probably want to add a belt to give it a silhouette.
    The standout winner is the Belted T-Shirt Dress. I ordered it in the French Rose color and it is soft and a nice, light material. My husband actually said “wow” when he saw me wearing it this morning! Also, it has pockets! It may make some women feel a bit maternity (but I’ve kind of accepted anything I wear that is forgiving in the tummy area is going to make me look questionably pregnant). I’m going to order it in the Olive Leaf color as well and I wish they made more colors (especially at 40% or $49 for the dress)

    2. I recently got my first orders from Eloquii and was very pleasantly surprised. It was the first time I felt really fashion-y in work clothes and they were super flattering

  7. Received two dresses from Boden and they are both going back. Both beautifully made (lined, feel soft but not flimsy) but I think I need to accept Boden is just not for my body shape.

    Dolly Dress and Jodie Dress were both massively frumpy – I’m fairly straight up and down, size 10 US with nothing up top and the UK 14s fit but they just bagged out through the torso. They might be great for someone who has a bit more in the top or is apple shaped.

    Bought the Lightweight deep V t and it is lovely – soft but not sheer. A keeper.

    1. I agree about the frumpiness. I always end up sizing down, so that things have a more bodycon/less frumpy fit, but Boden also tends to have straighter hips, which I don’t.

    2. Their dress necklines are often great if you are busty and are trying to find something modest enough for work!

    3. And I just received two Boden dresses from their clearance section that are the most flattering items I’ve bought in ages. One was the fit and flare colorblock dress Kat featured a while back, and the other was a black and white stripe. I have a decent size bust on a very narrow ribcage and waist, with generous hips, and they both fit like they were made for me. I sized down in the black/white since it looked loose on the model, but bought the other in my recommended size.

        1. I’m a UK16 ish at the moment and have the Maggie Ottoman dress in white and black stripes and I love it. I’m planning to buy it in more colours too.

  8. What are some little things or habits that make you happier – more relaxed, more organized, small joys? “Life hacks” I guess. Just really broadly.

    A few really simple examples. I upgraded to a nicer blowdryer recently and its sped up my morning and made my hair much nicer. This morning I filled a water bottle with ice water and took it on my hot sticky commute, and it made me cool and comfortable. My husband and I have started going on walks every night after dinner, and it’s lovely to decompress and catch up.

    Trying to cultivate peace in my everyday routines.

    1. My Sage automatic teamaker (absolute extravagance but I’ll never go back), automating as much as possible (ground coffee delivered), books from the library, making sure I get my fitbit steps everyday, and a 20 minute wellness walk at lunchtime most days.

    2. Not rushing in the mornings. I get up at 6 am, make a leisurely cup of coffee in my Chemex, and sip it while reading a book or the news. It sets my day up to be much more peaceful if I’m not scrambling and rushing out the door to work.

      The other thing that has made a big difference lately is investing in noise-cancelling headphones. The T in Boston has been so loud lately (loud enough to cause hearing loss) and it instantly made me much more comfortable and relaxed.

    3. My electric tea kettle for boiling hot water in the morning while I shower. Love that it’s so quick and love that I never have to wonder if I turned the kettle off because it turns off on its own.

      Multiple phone chargers, inc. one for my desk.

      Picking out my clothes the night before – not always something I manage but every morning that I know what I am wearing and that it’s already been pressed is so much easier and smoother. On that note, a clothes steamer has been very handy.

      2. Multiple phone chargers is big for me too. I have one at work, one in the living room, one in the bedroom that is extra length so I can use it in bed without having to get out of bed to plug it back in, and one in my purse so it’s not a big deal if I otherwise forget to pack one.

        This is an expensive one, but my Vitamix is amazing. I love smoothies but cheap blenders never worked great and were a pain to clean. Now I don’t give it a second thought if I want a smoothie because it works great and is its own dishwasher.

      3. If you have an iphone consider a Mophie case. It was a game changer for me. They look nice (just black), are pretty sturdy, and I charge my phone at night and have NEVER had my phone die on me.

    4. I love reading these answers! The one I can think of:
      grocery delivery. I mainly use them for shelf-stable things that are a pain to carry home (no car, lots of stairs).

      1. Ohh yes we get 99% of our groceries delivered. Totally worth it. Especially when the weather is gross.

        Likewise, drop off laundry service was completely worth it to me when I lived with the laundromat nearby. I miss it now.

    5. Not little, but Japanese straightening so my hair stays straight even when air dried in super humid Florida weather.

      Getting up early to sneak in snuggle time with my puppy.

      Sundays are my little splurge/pamper day. I take a bath with a fragrant bath bomb, do a mask, deep condition my hair and do my nails. It makes me feel together and ready to start the week!

    7. Some of mine are:

      – Making my bed every morning. Makes me feel like I’ve got my sh*t together
      – Agree with the multiple chargers – I even have “to go” ones in every bag (tend to get them from CLEs)
      – X2 of anything I really like so I have one at office and one at home (ex: erasable colored pens for my planner, umbrellas, makeup, snacks, shoes)

    8. Waking up early enough that I can load my toddler in the car before she wakes up — allows her to wake up while I carry her out of the apt and to the car, and then we get in the car and I hand her breakfast as we go to daycare. Allows me to get ready totally peacefully and allows her to wake up slowly without arguing about leaving the apartment.

      1. I am curious: can you dress her while she sleeps or do you change out of pjs at daycare?

        1. Not the OP, but we have never used PJs for my daughter. At night, she changes directly into the clothes that she will wear the next day. All her clothes are comfy fabrics and cuts, so they work fine to sleep in. Cuts out one piece of the morning struggle.

          1. Yep, exactly what Sarabeth said. Bathe her at night, dress her in clothes she can go to school in (cotton tshirt and shorts or cotton pants). Socks are optional for sleeping, and I just toss them in the car and put them on her when we get to daycare. Diapers/pull-ups are already at daycare so I just warn them if she’s coming to school with a wet night diaper.

    9. This took a while, but making Pinterests boards of my clothing and shoes. (It was mostly a lot of googling and pinning while watching TV.) Now I have a board called Shirts, Dresses, Pants, Denim, etc. I don’t see these items when they’re crammed into my small closet. But whenever I have an event I’ll scroll drown my dresses page and seeing the clothing in the perfect styled lighting gets me excited about wearing something I’ve owned for five years. Also, I can easily see that I’m buying the same colors over and over again, or that I really do *need* a new pair of black pants.

      1. Forgot to add, I almost exclusively shop online, so now whenever I buy anything new, I automatically pin it to my boards, so maintaining this system is super easy.

      2. You’ve already invested the time, so you may not be interested but a friend recommended an app called StyleBook. It was $3, I think.

        You load pictures of each clothing item and can put in details like size, color, fabric, etc. You can also put in the price you paid. Then you can select the items you wear on a day and over time it calculates cost per wear. It also shows the most worn and least worn items. I’ve been using it for a few weeks and I’m obsessed.

        2. Yes! My nieces have been talking about this. They say it’s like the software Cher has in Clueless. Yup, that’s right, I totally turned them on to Clueless last summer.

          I told them they’re welcome to come to my apartment anytime and photograph all the clothes in my 2 walk-in closets and then upload them to the app!

        3. Just downloaded this and am so excited to use it! Thanks for the recommendation.

        5. I apologize in advance for the realization of how much money you have hanging in your closet! I buy everything on sale and am shocked at the total so far and I’m not even done!

          I’ve done the majority of my shopping online for years so it was pretty easy to find the prices I paid and pictures of a lot of the items.

    10. I just got a great new hair dryer too, it makes my morning routine so much faster. And I’m not sure why it took me this long to get around this, but I finally put a few charging stations around the house. Before, husband and I were always moving the same one or two chargers around the house. We had enough cords, I just had to dig them out of our junk drawer!

      I also just started using an alarm clock and now leave my cell phone downstairs with my work bag. This prevents me from wasting my morning surfing mindlessly online.

        1. I got the RUSK Engineering Weightless Professional 2000 Watt Dryer. It’s not super fancy (only about $60), but it’s so much faster and lighter than my old one.

          1. I have the same. I also bought it this year, upgrading from my cheap drugstore dryer. I really like it.

    11. In the summer I have smoothies for breakfast. I’ve started creating little packs of ingredients the night before so that in the morning I can just dump the whole thing into a blender and not think about it.

      I also started using Cook Smarts (thanks to all of the recommendations on here) and I love it! I do as much food prep as I possibly can on Sundays and it’s so nice to not have to think about what’s for dinner and also expending minimal effort during the week.

      1. Are you cooking for one? I’m intrigued by Cook Smarts but don’t want to end up with too much food.

        1. No, for 2 adults so we usually cook 4 portions and I’ll take leftovers for lunch and/or we’ll give some to our kiddo. However, a nice thing about Cook Smarts is that you can scale the portion size to as few as 2 portions or up to any custom number. It takes those changes into account when it prepares your grocery list.

        1. It’s basically just a recipe subscription service that provides you with 4 recipes per week. You can choose to make none of them, all, or any number in between. If you want to make, say, 6 recipes that week, you can add recipes from the archives. You can choose between the “original” version of the recipe, a vegetarian version, gluten-free, or paleo, and you can select the number of servings that you want. Once you select those options, it will generate a customized grocery list for you. It will also generate a “weekend prep” list that outlines what you can do in advance.

          The only (very very minor) criticism that I’ve had is that they assign days to meals and that can affect weekend prep. So if a meal that calls for zucchini is on Thursday, they won’t tell you to prep the zucchini on Sunday because they recommend prepping zucchini only 3 days in advance. But if you want to make that meal on Tuesday, you could prep the zucchini on Sunday. Basically, my complaint is that I have to expend the mental effort of being a little more organized and them not being able to read my mind.

          We were doing Blue Apron, but it was expensive and it always took longer than the time estimates. Cook Smarts is ~$8/mo and because I spend 1-2 hours doing prep work on Sunday, dinner is so much faster on weeknights.

        2. For those interested in this kind of service, an alternative is Platejoy. Worth comparing, as it is extremely customizable as to food preferences/dietary needs and as to number of meals per week and does not suffer from the problem identified above, though it also does not map out specific prep at all.

    12. Meal planning. I make all of my breakfasts and lunches for the week on Sunday. I also do a sort of loose meal planning for dinners. I don’t assign a particular dinner to a particular day, but I prep and portion dinners to be made throughout the week so I can just take it out of the fridge and throw it on the stovetop/in the oven. It’s a good balance between variety and decision fatigue.

    13. I love this thread! A few of mine – picking up for 10 min every night. I tell myself I can quit after 10 min – sometimes I stop, sometimes I don’t, but I always end up doing something and feeling better in the morning. Saying “Thank you” to my spouse. Just expressing appreciation for random things is generating this nice cycle of positive feelings. I also really pared back my closet (to the point of 2 black dresses, 2 blue dresses, 1 gray dress). Since it’s so hot, I’m content to wear a dress to work every day.

    14. If your hair is curly, hooded hair dryer!! They are a bit more expensive than handheld dryers, but I have found the results look a thousand times better. I will never go back. I have mid-back length hair and it takes probably 20 minutes to dry under this thing. I feel much more put together when I look more put together.

      I have this one: https://www.amazon.com/Babyliss-BABHHDRIW-Ionic-Rollabout-Dryer/dp/B000VYDD5E/ref=sr_1_19_s_it?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1469556231&sr=1-19&keywords=hooded+hair+dryer

      That and chiming in to add my vote for meal planning.

      I also make a point of leaving my office for lunch, even if I brought food (which I usually do) and I don’t have plans to meet up with anyone. I either eat at the park, a nearby food court, or eat quickly at my desk and then take a walk. I don’t always take the entire hour if I’m busy, but I always leave for at least a few minutes. I don’t think human beings are meant to stay in one room for 8 hours a day.

    1. That’s a heck of a hostess gift! Nice cutting board (in shape of home state maybe!)? Two really nice bottles of wine (one to drink now and one for 5+ years from now)? Small Hermes scarf?

      1. My go-to hostess, housewarming, or wedding gift is a cutting board in the shape of our state. That’s $20-50, though, depending on the wood and size. I would augment that with a nice bottle of wine and call it a day.

      2. America’s test kitchen did a comparison on various carving boards. Their favorite was $78 J.K. Adams Maple reversible carving board. That sounds like a great gift (though under your range)

    2. One of those fancy and bafflingly expensive candles or some very fancy booze or some type of fancy food basket gift.

    3. If they like to cook – gift card for a month of Blue Apron?

      The automatic tea maker referenced above?

      Something like an Instapot?

      ……….alcohol.

      1. Dude, InstaPot will insult a hostess of this caliber, being cheap and wayyy too practical.
        Think of something more sophisticated, like sous vide.

        1. Perhaps an instapot from Williams Sonoma, only purchased full-price, or even better, from one of those “lifestyle boutiques”?

          also, no idea where this person is located, but Salt and Sundry in DC has some lovely handmade blankets (including one of the district, as a quilt) in the $200 range.

    4. Basket of games and puzzles: Kubb is a fun outdoor game that lots of people haven’t played before, maybe a fun jigsaw puzzle and a board game

      If they live in another country you could always bring them things that you can get in your country that are hard to get in your country

      If they are young at heart I would get them a basket of fun summer stuff – those water balloons that fill up and time themselves!!!, sparklers, bubbles, a kite, crazy candy or flavors of soda

      A beautiful wool blanket: from fairbuilt or pendleton or a quilt from Haptic Lab

      A picnic blanket with a basket filled with high quality picnic pantry items ( i would just buy up everything in the Zingerman’s food catalog)

      A beautiful Harmony Hollow bell for their yard

      A bird feeder and bird feed

      An Amazon Echo

      Tickets to a play or concert in their area

    6. Thanks! It is for a relative who graciously hosted a mini family reunion…so the $200 is a pool from everyone who attended. These are some great ideas!

        1. A photo in a nice sterling silver frame would be lovely. You could augment with coordinating candlesticks or other decor if you like.

      2. If the mini reunion is done and you have all gone home – maybe a spa day to de stress from it all?

      3. A gift certificate for a cleaning service, to refresh her home after all of you go!

        And this should be in addition to the other, lovely gift…..

  10. I listen to comedy podcasts on my commute most days, but I also have one silent commute a week where I drive without any noise and let myself meditate on whatever is happening in my life at the time. Also commute related, I gave into the idea of being at work longer every day so that I could avoid rush hour traffic, and it does make a world of difference.

    My husband and I walk the dog every night. We leave our phones at home and just talk. I also try to walk at lunch every day (but the TX heat is making that a challenge).

    And I don’t know if this is really a simple life hack or not, but I try to do personal tasks like making appointments or doing paperwork or returning emails as soon as possible. The nagging feeling I get about personal chores hanging over my head is such a low level but constant stress for me, so I’m trying to be better about getting those tasks done really quickly (and then using the sense of Mission Accomplished to power me through my work-work).

    1. I don’t think there’s any that I’d rule out as unflattering, but you’d need to try them on to see if they hit where you want them to… like, where your eyes/nose are in comparison to your ears. I need sunglasses where the arms/temples end in the middle of the “glasses” part, vs. near the top, because my ears sit relatively low, kwim?

  12. Can anyone comment on custom men’s shirts from Nordstrom vs. Brooks Brothers? My husband has one custom BB shirt that he loves, but we’re both tempted by the NAS price fro custom shirts. For context, he also has a custom shirt from a local swanky men’s shop, but he seriously prefers the BB one, due to fit, and cut. Is Nordie’s process as meticulous and precise as BB?

    1. My dad and brother have gotten BB their whole lives–they have different cuts, top-notch fabrics and tailors that have literally been doing it for generations. BB.

  13. So I’ve realized I’m terrible with home décor but I’m moving to a new place and I really want to decorate and feel settled. I’m getting some help, but I’m also looking for advice on the little touches that make a big difference.

    Any suggestions?

    Thanks all!

    1. I find plants make a huge difference. Some very low-maintenance plants in each room make me feel so much better about myself!

    2. Get things on the wall ASAP. Mirrors, prints, photos. You can change them later, but it will make a big difference in how the rooms feel.

      Also, throw pillows and rugs.

      1. +1 re pictures and other things on the wall. And not just on the walls, but putting out picture frames too. I have framed photos all over my house and it makes it feel so much more like home to me than it would otherwise. Bed Bath and Beyond has a pretty large selection of pretty but inexpensive frames, and often has some on clearance for like 5 bucks.

        Also, rugs. Good ones can be really expensive though, so that’s not really a little touch in my opinion.

    3. I enjoyed reading “The Perfectly Imperfect Home: How to Decorate and Live Well” for small tips

      I personally think the biggest thing people ignore is lighting. Overhead lighting is not enough. Little lamps around the room really help pull a space together and make it feel cozy.

    4. I always do curtains and rugs first. Hang the curtains super high and have long, luxurious drapes. I love the look and I think it makes everything so much more cozy. You can also get a nice patterned rug and pull all your decorating colors from it (including the curtains!). It’s the easiest way to do foolproof decorating for me.

      1. Where do you like to get curtains from? I love the look of custom drapes, but not the price tag…

        1. Ikea has surprisingly nice curtains. Not all, but certainly some inexpensive options and they come in longer lengths too.

        2. Oh man, that’s the question of the year. I wanted emerald curtains and it took me forever to find the perfect shade. My go-to is usually checking Target–they have really nice, cheap options and if you can use them for an office or another room, it’ll save you tons. Walmart also used to make really nice faux silk curtains in limited colors (my mom got some lovely robins egg panels for under $20 each about 5 years ago and took them to a seamstress who sewed on a tassel trim. They look real and super expensive, although I think she got a standard 84″ which for me is a bit short). JC Penney also has a wider variety of lengths and colors. World Market has some funky patterned ones. I also tried a Tommy Bahama set from Wayfair. Ultimately went with Target curtains and I ultimately found my perfect emerald curtains at Prospect & Vine, which went out of business and is now Country Curtains.

        4. Not to be miss DIY, but making your own curtains is really really easy and is great when you have a particular color in mind (Veronica Mars–I was on a quest for emerald curtain too, and after finding EVERY OTHER SHADE OF GREEN, made my own).

          I’m a doofus at crafting or sewing, but even I managed to sew curtains :)

          1. Exactly. I couldn’t find what I wanted- so my option was outsource to a seamstress for custom curtains ($1000) or DIY ($100 (I picked fancy material) + the cost of all the wine I drank while sewing )

          2. Yeah, wine definitely inflated my budget…they never include that part in the Pinterest tutorials

          3. That’s awesome KT! I may have to keep that in mind for future projects. I’m not sure I’ve fully scratched the green curtain itch. I saw some inspiration photos with a grass green and I think it would be gorgeous too!

          4. I can do that too, but I don’t have the time, and I also don’t know that I could make thermal blackout curtains like my house currently needs. Will be buying some on Amazon this week.

        5. I sucked it up and made mine. Wouldn’t do it for downstairs but I did it for all the bedrooms.

          I am minimally skilled at sewing. Like, seams are slightly crooked and I can thread the machine but that’s about it. Took a few weekends but it was Really really easy. There are some “dummies tutorials”
          Out there that were perfect. Again, I have no skills here. I probably can’t sew a pillow cover. Certainly nothing requiring a pattern. But these were easy.

          1. I didn’t even have a proper sewing machine. I had one of those ridiculous “as seen on tv” handheld versions.

    5. Almost everything in my house is copied from Pinterest. Or houzz.com. Just type in some search terms that fit your space and go to town.

      1. I do the same. In pinterest or google, I basically ask how to deal with what I got. Example “How to style a black sofa” “How to utilize a narrow hallway” etc. The options are only limited by your taste and budget!

    6. I used the book “The Perfectly Imperfect Home” when I first moved into my house, and it was a really helpful guide to how to decorate in a way that looked “done” without looking like I walked into a furniture store and bought the display room.

  14. Fellow curly girls, what are your tricks for getting some lift at your crown so that you don’t have the dreaded flat head? I know that people use clips and what not and I can honestly never figure out how to make that work.

    Any suggestions? Or if someone can link to a tutorial on getting some lift that would be great too.

      1. Definitely seconding the upside down diffusing. Also, if you use gel in your curls and scrunch it out once your hair is dry, I find that doing that while bending upside down is also helpful. Put gravity to work for you!

    2. A cut with enough layers that the general shape is round and not triangular. Also, make sure to really scrub your scalp when shampooing, and don’t put product (frizz ease, gel, etc.) close to your scalp – start a couple of inches out. I use the Garnier Triple Nutrition shampoo and conditioner in the summer, and it gives me nice defined curls.

      1. +1 on the cut. When I start noticing that the top part is flat no matter what I do, I ask my hairdresser to put some shorter layers in, and that always does the trick for me.

        I also wrap my hair in a terrycloth towel on top of my head for about 75% of the drying time. I think that helps.

    3. While my hair is still dripping wet, I flip it upside down and put a bit of product at the roots. I use something with a bit of texture – I like the Lush hair custard for this – so it doesn’t make my roots look oily.

    4. I learned recently that I had been wrapping my hair in a towel the wrong way for my entire life. I put product in when it’s soaking wet and then wrap it up using this method (but a microfiber towel instead of a tshirt) http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/curl-products/to-plop-or-not-to-plop/

      Then I use a hooded hair dryer, and just stop the dryer for a minute and get up and flip my hair upside down once or twice while it’s drying. Dry time is about 15- 20 minutes.

      Also chiming in on cut. I know it’s time to get mine cut when it starts to look flat and heavy on top.

  15. I recently realized I’ve been wearing the same makeup for more than 5 years and I’m ready to freshen my look. I’m pretty terrible at picking stuff for myself, so I’d like someone to help me. The problem is I don’t want to buy everything from one line. I really like the “looks” of Bobbi Brown and Laura Mercier (soft colors, slightly dewy), but I like the hard-wearing Urban Decay eye products I have.

    What’s the best way to accomplish this? Get multiple makeovers at counters and then piece together products? Does a place like Bluemercury offer consults where they pull from multiple lines?

    And yes, I know Sephora is an option but I have been unimpressed every time I have asked for help there. The closest stores to me (Pentagon City, Georgetown) are a total zoo, always.

    1. With makeup I’m of the opinion that if it ain’t broke…. But if you want a change I suggest looking at Lisa Eldridge’s video’s on You Tube. She shows a range of looks, from fresh faced, to trendy, to a night out, etc. She lists the products she used in the comments below, and shows you how to apply as well.

    2. Yes, Bluemercury will pull from a few counters, but they will be limited to what they have in shop. (The one by me has Bobbi Brown, Laura Mercier, NArs, etc.) I know some people can do one makeup line, but for me I love Georgio Armani foundation, YSL touche eclat, Bobbi Brown eyeshadow, urban decay eye primer, NARS blush, stila liquid eyeliner, etc. Not to mention how much great skincare Sephora has that can really affect your look, though yes, Bluemercury does, too. Unfortunately, I think Sephora is the best bet if you want all new stuff because they just have more selection and lines; I would try to go at an off-time or maybe call ahead and ask to make an appointment. If you just decide to pop in, try picking someone whose style/look you like, or bring a photo and describe what you want to change v what you are already doing.

    3. I’ve struggled with this as well. Your preferences are similar to mine. I also have had bad experiences at Sephora. It often doesn’t work well to have a 21 year old advising (and putting make-up on) me (I’m in my 40’s).

      I have otherwise gone to Nordstrom’s and asked for advice at the specific counters, and then feel guilty and buy things that never seem to work for me when I bring them home.

      Honestly, I think it is a lot of trial and error, it isn’t cheap, so it takes time.

      5 years ago I bought this book

      https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0762439351/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

      It helped some.

      I also look at videos occasionally, but quickly become annoyed that I need 20 products to do my face.

    4. I just bought some makeup from Follain at Union Market. http://shopfollain.com/pages/locations

      They carry mostly natural brands (RMS/Illia, etc.), but I really liked the selection and the person who helped me was great.

      I find Sephora overwhelming, esp. the Pentagon City and Georgetown stores, so having a more limited selection is good for me.

      1. The new Clarendon store is much less crowded than either of the other two mentioned, in my experience.

        Also recommend visiting maybe a Bobbi brown counter in Macy’s.

    5. So I like data and I’m #lolpoorz so this might not work for you, but here’s what I did when I wanted to change my makeup routine but Sephora and Nordstrom let me down: I did a google search of the best drugstore makeup products, compiled a list of the products I wanted to try and went and bought all of them (during my weekly grocery trip, so no additional effort there). I have found some amazing products that I prefer to brands like Mac or Bobbi Brown. Also, if you hate that mascara, it was only $7! Discard and try again. Hope this is helpful!

  16. TL;DR – find me a casual plus sized dress to wear to a wedding this weekend please!

    Anyone want to do some shopping for me? I have a family wedding this weekend, and I’m tired of wearing the same handful of dresses over and over again. It’s a fairly casual affair (bridesmaid dresses are short, groom and groomsmen are wearing shirt and tie but no jackets, kids are invited, afternoon wedding and early evening reception) and it’s probably going to be really hot and humid – so I’m thinking more along the lines of dressy sundress than typical formal wedding guest dress – but I suspect I’ll see every variation there is there.

    Any suggestions? Criteria:
    -Size 18/20/18W (maybe I could pull off a 16/16W, but probably not)
    -Needs to be accomodating to full hips, so A-line and fuller skirts fit better of the rack than sheath style
    -Prefer to be able to wear a real bra, although I’d be willing to wear the black strapless bra I have for a gorgeous dress
    -Not super body con – I don’t want to have wear super-spanx, and I’d probably still be a little lumpy/bumpy
    -At or close to the knee on my 5’6″ frame

    I’m willing to pay a bit for rush shipping, but available in a store or a quick “ship to store” option would be better.

    My first thought was something kind of like this: http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/jm-collection-plus-size-printed-fit-flare-dress-only-at-macys?ID=2847400&CategoryID=37038

    but on closer inspection I don’t like the blingy embellishment around the neckline, and I already own a couple dresses in a similar color or similar pattern in a different color.

    Any suggestions?

    1. Have you tried talbots? They usually have a good selection; from a quick skim the “cascading roses full dress” looked pretty and summery but not super dressy.

      1. Hi – just to not have confusion, I’ve been posting as Scarlett for a while – would you mind picking another name?

    4. What about something like this, which comes up as another suggestion when you click on your link: http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/soprano-plus-size-twist-front-knit-dress?ID=2767684&CategoryID=37038&tdp=cm_app~zMCOM-NAVAPP~xcm_zone~zPDP_ZONE_B~xcm_choiceId~zcidM06RR2-c04e24ae-eae2-487f-a8de-718d49b7b21f%40H5%40Customers%2BWho%2BViewed%2BThis%2BItem%2BUltimately%2BPurchased%2437038%242767684~xcm_srcCatID~z37038~xcm_pos~zPos6

      Simple, nice color, looks flattering.

        1. Or, personally, I like to wear long dresses to more casual weddings (esp. since I find most formal weddings now don’t involve anyone except the bride and women over 50 in actual long dresses). Not a formal dress, but just a silk-y maxi types. I usually pair with wedges or sparkly flat sandals and not-too-blingy jewelry and I think it looks very chic.

    9. Take a look at the MUXXN brand dresses on Amazon – mostly fit-and-flare or A-line shapes, offered in a range of sizes, and if you have Prime, most of them are eligible for free two-day shipping. I own a few, and they’re basically the perfect level of dressiness for what you’re describing – nice, but not blingy, and they’re also long on me (I’m 5’3″, they mostly hit mid-calf), so should match your length requirement nicely.

    10. Not sure where you’re located but if in NYC then I strongly recommend a visit to Lee Lee’s Valise, which is a killer plus sized boutique. I live elsewhere but I go there every time I’m in town.

    11. We’re about the same size and height and I own about half of these, so here’s some suggestions:

      https://www.talbots.com/online/browse/product_details.jsp?id=prdi37223&defaultColor=9922&N=4294966550+10189&No=&selectedConcept=Woman&Nrpp=88&ViewAll=True&Nr=AND(OR(product.siteId%3ATalbotsSite)%2COR(product.catalogId%3Acatalog20002))

      https://www.talbots.com/online/browse/product_details.jsp?id=prdi37157&defaultColor=9943&N=4294966550+10189&No=&selectedConcept=Woman&Nrpp=88&ViewAll=True&Nr=AND(OR(product.siteId%3ATalbotsSite)%2COR(product.catalogId%3Acatalog20002))

      https://www.talbots.com/online/browse/product_details.jsp?id=prdi37301&defaultColor=8985&N=4294966550+10189&No=&selectedConcept=Woman&Nrpp=88&ViewAll=True&Nr=AND(OR(product.siteId%3ATalbotsSite)%2COR(product.catalogId%3Acatalog20002))

      https://www.talbots.com/online/browse/product_details.jsp?id=prdi37471&defaultColor=7991&N=4294966550+10189&No=&selectedConcept=Woman&Nrpp=88&ViewAll=True&Nr=AND(OR(product.siteId%3ATalbotsSite)%2COR(product.catalogId%3Acatalog20002))

      http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/vince-camuto-print-extended-shoulder-scuba-knit-sheath-dress-plus-size/4358856?origin=category-personalizedsort&fashioncolor=NAVY%2F%20PINK

    12. Thanks everyone, lots of good suggestions for me to consider that I hadn’t thought of myself! Hopefully I can find something I like with all this to choose from.

  17. Oh my gosh! My Bento Box came over the weekend and it was a home run! Two dresses (Nisa and Catherine), the Greenpoint skirt, the Deneuve 3.0 top, and a monogram silk scarf, which normally I wouldn’t like but my first initial is M so it works! I loved it all and am keeping everything except the Catherine dress, which I am exchanging for the next size up. It’s all beautiful quality and the colors are great on me. It’s not cheap but I have been wanting to upgrade the quality of my wardrobe and I think this is going to do it. It was all I could do not to turn around and order another box right away!

    Lovely Fiance loved all of it too, and was very impressed and envious about the whole thing: “Wait. You mean they picked it out for you? I want someone to do that for me!” LOL

    2. Thanks for the review – I’m definitely going to try MM Lafleur on my next trip to the US. It is so helpful to hear about real-life experiences!

    3. I’m getting excited about placing my first order here as well! Does anyone know if they ever have sales?

      1. not that i know of. i would try to go to a pop up or a in person store if possible – many of the things i ended up bringing home were not the ones i thought would look good (e.g. the williamsburg skirt) but now i LOVE them and many of the dresses i initially gravitated towards only looked so so on me!

    4. So glad you loved it! I got my first Bento this month and am thrilled with the Lydia dress. I second Libra’s question about sales– I’d love to know if MML ever marks things down, but I suspect they may not.

    5. I’m interested in the Bento Box idea once I finish grad school, but I’m wondering – how many Bentos would it take to create a full (if pared down) work wardrobe?

      Theoretically, I’d like to start with a fresh slate, keep basically my suits and maybe three dresses, but 4-6 items, including accessories, does not a wardrobe make, even for the most minimalist dresser.

      1. You might want to just order things and return what you don’t want, rather than go the bento route.

        1. +1. I own several MM LaFleur dresses and have returned others that didn’t work out, but I would never do a bento because I like to choose my own styles and colors.

          It would be hard to make a full work wardrobe out of MM LaFleur unless you worked in a “sort-of business formal but suits not required” office. I only wear my MM outfits for medium-fancy meetings and presentations. Certain occasions call for a real suit, and MM is too dressy for everyday wear in my business casual office. I do wear my Rachel dress to evening social and arts events all the time.

  18. So I have been diagnosed with mild OCDC. I have a whole repertoire of repeating actions…tapping my foot, a finger, etc etc. Anyway, I went to spend a few days with a friend, who has the most delightful 6 year old, who thinks I’m awesome. She hugs me, likes to curl into my lap, and is comfortable enough to sneeze into my shoulder (which caused her dad to yell at her.) So one afternoon I was sitting on the couch and I picked up a toy of some sort that was on the side table. It was a bunch of small wooden blocks that could be twisted into shapes. It was awesome–my hands were twisting and wringing this thing, and all the while I was carrying on a conversation. And my friend’s daughter, in the spirit of all children who are enthralled by what someone ELSE is playing with, asked if she could play with the toy. Before I could respond, my friend sharply reminded her daughter that just because she lost her identical toy, that wasn’t a reason for someone else to give up theirs. The daughter cried for about 5 minutes, and then found something else to occupy her mind. (My friend said the toy was a fantastic relaxation tool.) Anyway, if my friend wasn’t in the room or didn’t say anything, how would you have responded?

    1. If a child asked to play with her toy that I’m playing with? I’d hand it to her. A polite request from a child that age should be rewarded.

    2. As a person without OCD? I probably would have said, “hey, let me hang on to this for 5 more minutes and then we’ll trade toys.” Not because I actually would care about keeping the toy for 5 minutes, but more to encourage her to learn to share and wait her turn.

      If I had OCD I don’t know how I would have reacted… would giving up the toy have caused you distress?

    3. I’m sorry that this isn’t a helpful, substantive response, but I read your post too quickly as you having been diagnosed with mild “ACDC” and now I’m just picturing you randomly barging into rooms, Kool-Aid Man style, screaming out “BACK IN BLACK” and playing air guitar…

    4. If a child asks you, an adult, nicely for the toy you are playing with you give it to them!

      1. +1

        I re-read this 3 times trying to figure out what is going on with everyone in this interaction. Parents seem unusually harsh and the child asked nicely for the toy. Would totally just let the child play with the toy.

        If you liked it so much then just ask the parents where they got it so you can buy one.

        1. I agree with this. I’m struggling to figure out what the question here is. I thought it was YOUR item you brought with you, and didn’t know whether to give it to the child or not.

          I agree that the parents seem harsh, and the child asked appropriately, and I would have handed the child the toy. Then purchased my own if it was a soothing item.

    5. Wait, why did the daughter just lose her identical toy? Was it taken away by the parent as punishment? If so, then she doesn’t get the one you were using. I’m not following this entire scenario. I don’t see a reason for parent to speak sharply to child unless she did something wrong (although at that age, I might tell my child you are using that one and she should pick another toy-they should share toys regardless of whether the other individual is an adult or child).

    6. I don’t have OCDC, and I would have just given her the toy without thinking about it.

      But in your shoes, I don’t know. If it was making you that much more comfortable, I am sure you could have said you were using it for now and suggested she play with something else and she would have been fine. In a similar situation, you could always preemptively ask your friend how they’d like you to handle it if you are that close (like “As you know, I have mild OCD; playing with this toy helps me focus on our conversation. I know it belongs to your child– if she asks to play with it, would you prefer me hand it to her immediately or ask her if I can continue to use it for a little while?” or whatever).

  19. You give her the toy. This is not about “dealing with kids who aren’t yours.” This is about dealing with your OCD. The child was not rude and didn’t need to be “dealt with,” and in that situation, you give the child the toy.

  20. “Um, actually it’s hers.” Then to the little girl: “Here you go, Sweetie, thank you for sharing with me! Now it’s your turn”

    1. Wait, so is it that the parent thought that this toy belonged to the guest and didn’t realize it was the child’s toy? OP – I don’t think anyone is understanding the part about the child losing an identical toy. Either there’s some missing information, or the parent misunderstood and thought the child was asking for YOUR toy when it fact it was the child’s. If the latter, I don’t understand what your OCD has to do with it, why would you allow the child to be harshly chastised based on a misunderstanding? Apologies if I’m not understanding the situation correctly.

  21. Favorite bra to buy online for full figured folks? I need a new one or two and don’t have time to go into a store this week.

    3. Natori Feathers. It is comfortable and supportive for those who are large of chest, yet it is attractive. I have it in 3 colors. Bonus: it is available through Amazon prime.

  22. About the featured item –

    If I normally take a 0 or 00 jacket in JCrew (and am not petite nor tall), is there any chance the 2 in Brooks Brothers would work, or is a waste of time trying?

    1. I think it’s a waste of time trying. BB runs large in my experience – I’m a 2 in most brands and end up in a 0 (and sometimes in petite) in BB.

    2. Total waste of time. BB runs large and is cut boxy to boot. It is just not a brand for small people.

    3. I’ll dissent – I typically wear the same or one size larger in BB than Jcrew. I think it’s worth a shot especially if you have shop runner = free shipping and returns to BB.

  23. I hate the way this looks on the model. It erases her shoulders and doesn’t show that she has any waist. And does anyone else think the jacket sleeves are about 3″ too short??

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