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I'm one of those people who, despite being fully vaccinated, is still mostly comfortable eating outdoors — which has led to some chilly (but delightful) nights recently, catching up with friends. So I've been reaching for allll of my cashmere wraps. (I'm 90% sure this plain black one from Nordstrom is the one I've had and loved for years, but mine is kind of thick so I need to go confirm. It might also be this $59 one from Halogen. Hmmn.)
Cashmere wraps are great because you can pick out your perfect outfit, then grab the wrap. Feel like layering it on top of another jacket? Great. Feel like using it to cover your legs? Great. Feel like not using it at all? That's fine too, just fold it into a square and tuck it behind the small of your back so you don't forget to take it with you.
If you're looking for a colorful, happy one, this pink ombré one at Neiman Marcus caught my eye — it also comes in blue ombré, gray ombré, black/white, and red/pink. Love. It's $250 — it does look on the thin side but given that it's 100% cashmere I'll bet it's plenty warm.
Do tell, readers — if you're a fan of wraps, which brands/styles are your favorites? In general, what lightweight jackets are you grabbing this year?
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Psst: some of my favorite office pashminas/blanket scarves if you're always freezing…
Sales of note for 9.10.24
- Nordstrom – Summer Sale, save up to 60%
- Ann Taylor – 30% off your purchase
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything + extra 20% off
- Bergdorf Goodman – Save up to 40% on new markdowns
- Boden – 15% off new styles
- Eloquii – $29 and up select styles; up to 50% off everything else
- J.Crew – Up to 50% off wear-to-work styles; extra 30% off sale styles
- J.Crew Factory – 40-60% off everything; extra 60% off clearance
- Lo & Sons – Warehouse sale, up to 70% off
- M.M.LaFleur – Save 25% sitewide
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – BOGO 50% everything, includes markdowns
- White House Black Market – 30% off new arrivals
Sales of note for 9.10.24
- Nordstrom – Summer Sale, save up to 60%
- Ann Taylor – 30% off your purchase
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything + extra 20% off
- Bergdorf Goodman – Save up to 40% on new markdowns
- Boden – 15% off new styles
- Eloquii – $29 and up select styles; up to 50% off everything else
- J.Crew – Up to 50% off wear-to-work styles; extra 30% off sale styles
- J.Crew Factory – 40-60% off everything; extra 60% off clearance
- Lo & Sons – Warehouse sale, up to 70% off
- M.M.LaFleur – Save 25% sitewide
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – BOGO 50% everything, includes markdowns
- White House Black Market – 30% off new arrivals
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Cat
I am having the opposite problem – the “sheds” that many restaurants built were great in cool weather, but can be stifling in hot! I am in the market for a few breezy dresses that are (a) not covered in flowers or ruffles, and (b) not midi length…
Anon
Following, because I would love to find some dresses that fit that description.
Monday
Check athleisure brand dresses. They tend to be lightweight and come in neutral solids.
Anon
Just a few sizes left, but this dress from Madewell: https://www.madewell.com/lightspun-easy-midi-dress-AL323.html?color=BL9301#q=Lightspun&lang=default&context=women&start=2
The fabric is the crinkly cotton gauze sometimes found in blankets. Love!
AnonATL
I saw an article on the mom edit today with a bunch of linen reformation dresses that might work.
Anonymous
I don’t think you could wear a br@ with any of those dresses. I find the brand in general to be puzzling. How does one actually wear any of their clothes to move around and do things? I think they are only practical for posing for the ‘gram.
Cat
oh wow I want the life for reformation dresses… the one she recommended for Barcelona is perfection.
Anon
I actually am struggling to find a business-appropriate light jacket,so this post is timely. Everything in local stores looks like I’m either on my way to spin class, or standing on a riverbank tying flies for fishing.
Why us it so easy to find decent formal winter outerwear, but not spring outerwear?
Elderlyunicorn
Banana Republic Factory has a pique moto jacket – it’s very minimal, so would work for a more casual business setting. I saw a quilted barn jacket recently that might also fit the bill. Cuyana has a cropped trench that’s kind of interesting!
Eileen Fisher has some nice choices, as well.
Cat
I wear a classic trench for this, rain or shine.
anon.
I browse the high end blazers on The Real Real – there are tons with no wool!
Anonymous
Isn’t this what a trench is for?
Anon
I wear a blazer.
Anon
Trying again since I got not replies this morning…
I recently came across a professional women’s networking group called Ellevate. Is anyone a member? Can you share more about the network and whether you like it and find it valuable?
Anon
Seems like a total waste of money to me.
Anon
Why?
anon2
Not Anon at 2:47, but stranger networking (although that site looks like a services sales aggregator) isn’t useful. The most useful networking IME is built off a personal referral or relationship. Your existing connection connects you with others and so forth and so on. I would have no trust in a stranger I met on that site, whereas, I have more trust in a personal recommendation.
Anon
It’s Linked In that you have to pay $40 a month for.
Anon
What makes you think that? It looks like there are in person meetings/events
Anon
Okay, you’re definitely just trying to market this thing, right? Nobody replied to you on the morning thread for a reason and at this point I think you’re doing your brand a disservice.
Cat
4:31 Anon, I said the same thing below. No other reason I can think of for being so defensive / argumentative…
Anon
+1, I don’t see how this would be useful. Better off joining industry specific groups like a bar org, etc. this looks like a money grab disguised as a networking opportunity.
Anon
To be honest I never know what to do in these kinds of groups – they’re so generic that they don’t really help me. I do better connecting with people from the same industry and even same corporation.
Anon
I always want to do things like this b/c I need them and then realize that I would likely be seen as a senior person with advice to give and that thought is so horrifying to me. Honestly, my only mentors who have been any good have been men and I’ve love to hobnob with more successful women (but they probably would see that as outright charity with nothing in it for them, can’t say I disagree with that) to learn their secrets, especially if they are parents (which is my big hurdle to clear, especially after this year and change).
Anon
IME industry-based societies are worth joining, but generic “girl power” groups just descend into complaining and outdoing each others’ shoulder chips.
anon
Omg, yes. See: My alma mater’s networking group for women.
Anonymous
+1 those things just turn into the oppression Olympics
Anon
My friends in anything related to commercial real estate have spoken highly of CREW — Commercial Real Estate Women in various cities. One did mortgage servicing work, another worked on interior space buildouts for commercial tenants (office furnishings also?) and another did leasing.
Anon
I think in part it depends on what kind of business you are marketing. I am not familiar with that group. However, I started going to a monthly women’s networking lunch I found on Meet Up. It was a mix of professionals and MLMs, skewing very heavy on the MLMs. However, I work for a general practice law firm and even MLM #girlbosses get in car accidents, get divorced, file for bankruptcy etc. It met my goal of meeting more people in my community and getting lots of free samples! I even got a free legit spa treatment.
HW
This comment is amazing. I have clearly been doing networking wrong this entire time.
Senior Attorney
I love this!
Anonymous
I think the lack of responses is your answer
anon
I’m opposed based on the grounds that the organization didn’t even spell Elevate correctly and turned the name into a weird feminine version of a real word.
But no, never heard of this group.
Cat
I agree that Ellevate seems like a waste of money but am kind of cracking up that you made this comment on … Corpor-tt-
Anon
Why is that name grounds for dismissing it? Are you also against Ellevest?
Cat
Apologies if you aren’t the OP but you sound really defensive about this group. Do you work for them?
#neverforgetGlamBot
Anon
I don’t think I was here for GlamBot – what was that
Anonymous
I don’t think I was here for GlamBot – what was that
Anon
No clue what Ellevest is, but yeah, I’d be against that too. I don’t need to be pandered to.
Anon
Boy I REALLY don’t want to join now!
Anon
Begone, shill.
Anonymous
Wow. The comments on this thread alone remind me why I stopped reading a year ago.
Anon
And yet, here you are.
Anonymous
The only think this post achieved was to inspire me to go see if all of this company’s marketing efforts are equally as bad.
Anonymous
Well the former Goldman Sachs broads refer to “Goldman Sach’s old headquarters” on a main page of their website, so I am out. Plus it is a B Corp. Not interested.
X X
Elevate used to be called 85 broad, the Goldman women’s network. Janet someone took it externally and it was for banking women . It was cheeky name from the location
Sallie krawcheck bought it after she eas exited from boa or citi and renamed it, cranked up the fees and watered it down. 85 broads was pretty cool, I founded a chapter and it was a very active and supportive group. I left after the renaming, as it turned into all fees and no benefuts as she tried to recoup investment. and I’ve been a member a few years ago. There are networking groups but very hit or miss. I suggest as above to find other groups.
Ellevest is the investment arm of same company and also Sallie.
Hth
Anon
I have a personal trip to plan and OMG I had forgotten how awful booking sites can be for non-large-chain hotels. Even for large ones, I feel like I am practically an employee there with the amount of data I have to input to do anything. And calling a #? I have to enter all the data and then tell the person all that again (like why did I have to give it twice)? If I could get away with it, I’d look at campsites, but it’s a shower-preferred good-hair sort of trip.
Curious
I am with you 100%.
Anonymous
I need to find a cocktail dress for a wedding next weekend (because yes, I did wait until yesterday to try on all my special occasion dresses and realize none of them fit any more, thanks Covid weight), so I’m doing some “pre-shopping” online to try to figure out which stores to try and why in god’s name does everything have ruffles, off the shoulder, or spaghetti straps? I just want a basic cocktail dress I can wear a real bra with and apparently my view of “cocktail dress” and the fashion world’s have diverged dramatically during this pandemic.
Anon
This is why I wear nicer work separates and a beautiful shawl. Although I would totally also wear the $525 Marina Rinaldi dress from the other day, except for the $525 part.
Anon
Holy crap I didn’t realize that dress was $525. That’s crazy. It’s not even made of a natural fiber.
Anonymous Canadian
Can you buy Joseph Ribkoff in the states (assuming that is where you are)? Lots of choice there, good prices on the sale stuff. Forgiving fabric and cute but real-bra-worthy styles. Also the shop 1er Avenue in Montreal might ship internationally.
AZCPA
Zappos tend to ship really fast, if you order quick you could try a number of things at home, in case that adds more decent options.
pugsnbourbon
I got an order from Macy’s two days after I ordered it. Here are a handful of bra-friendly cocktail dresses:
https://www.macys.com/shop/product/eliza-j-petite-belted-fit-flare-dress?ID=12333954&CategoryID=5449
I love this one: https://www.macys.com/shop/product/eliza-j-bow-trim-sheath-dress?ID=11767598&CategoryID=5449&isDlp=true
Sparkly!: https://www.macys.com/shop/product/adrianna-papell-embellished-blouson-dress?ID=10930387&CategoryID=5449
Anon
I love that floral dress!