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Coffee Break: Cuddl Duds Climatesmart Temperature-Sensitive Long John Pants

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Cuddl Dud long johnsLet this post serve as a general PSA: As spring approaches, winter things should be heading into sale territory (and there are still some crazy sales to be found on last year's summer things, as well). In general, I'm a big fan of silk long johns — they block the wind like nobody's business, and help extend your wardrobe into the depths of winter. Bare Necessities has a nice 25% off sale going on Cuddl Duds, made from a moisture-wicking microfiber. They were $28, now $20.99 at Bare Necessities (both white and black still available). Cuddl Duds Climatesmart Temperature-Sensitive Long John Pants Loungewear (L-2)

Sales of note for 3/10/25:

  • Nordstrom – Spring sale, up to 50% off
  • Ann Taylor – 40% off everything + free shipping
  • Banana Republic Factory – 40% off everything + 20% off
  • Eloquii – Extra 50% off all sale and select styles with code
  • J.Crew – 40% off everything + extra 20% off when you buy 3+ styles
  • J.Crew Factory – 50% off all pants & sweaters; extra 50% off clearance
  • M.M.LaFleur – Friends and family sale, 20% off with code; use code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off
  • Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
  • Talbots – Flash sale until midday 3/14: $50 off every $200 – combineable with other offers, including 40% off one item and 30% off everything else

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

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

102 Comments

  1. I’m a big fan of Cuddl Duds. I’m sure there are nicer longjohns out there, but when you need multiple pairs to get through the winter, these are just the ticket.

    I’m not impressed by the 25% off, though. Cuddl Duds are widely available (at least in cold climates!) in major department stores, and I’d consider 25% off MSRP utterly normal, not a deal. I picked up three pairs for about $8 each around the new year. Now I wish I’d bought more; the upper Midwest may be enjoying a break in the cold this week, but I’m sure we’ll be back below zero before the end of winter. SIGH.

    1. How’s the fit. The range for my size covers 36 – 38″. I am on the 36″ end. Will I end up with baggy butt?

    2. How “temperature sensitive” are these? I like the idea of being warm during my walk but fear getting crazy-hot in my office during the day.

      1. I find them to be very breathable and I wear them under wool pants in the office without getting too warm. And I’m usually the first person to get hot. They feel really soft and snuggly against your skin too; it feels like you are wearing lounge pants at work even with nice wool trousers on top.

    3. They’re cut to be snug, so I don’t think you’ll have a problem. (For reference, I’m 36″ around the hips but relatively, ahem, generous of rear, and the small fits me just fine.)

      As for the overheating, I’m not sure I can help you there. My office is usually about 62 F on the coldest winter days– overheating is not my problem!

  2. Threadjack — This may have been covered here before, but does anyone have any thoughts on the FitFlop? Not for the supposed fitness benefits but just as a structured comfortable flip-flop with lots of support? I am in the market for something along those lines for an upcoming Florida vacation and springtime generally. I’m 5.5 mos pregnant and my feet are starting to kill me, so any recommendations for structured flip-flops or simple sandals welcome. I am a big fan of Havaianas but need something with more support at this point. I was also considering getting a pair of Birkenstocks (the slightly cuter thong-like ones), but I think it brings me back to high school too much. Thanks!

    1. Sadly, my favorite structured thong sandals are from Target, and I doubt they have those in stock right now.

      My favorite favorite favorite sandals of all time are Merrell. They aren’t that attractive, but I used to work outdoors in retail in a wet, hot climate, and these were fantastic; they had lots of support in the sole, comfortable straps that held the shoes on my feet, and were wide enough to accomodate some foot swelling in 100+ humid days:

      http://www.merrell.com/US/en-US/Product.mvc.aspx/11056W/36371/Ebony/J36568?dimensions=0

      I see they now have cuter thong-style sandals, which I haven’t tried.

    2. I really like Chaco sandals. I have had three pairs over the past 7 years or so, and my current pair is like this: http://www.chacousa.com/US/en-US/Product.mvc.aspx/11401W/0/Womens/ZX-2-Vibram-Unaweep?dimensions=0. I was a little nervous about the split strap, but it is very comfortable and looks less sporty than the single wide strap ones, I think. I think their main selling point is that all the straps are adjustable (it’s one big strap and runs in the sole, so you can pull various loops until you figure it out), so it’s easy to make it comfortable for your foot.

      1. Second Chacos. And Rainbows are insanely comfortable, once you get past breaking them in.

    3. I bought the FitFlops a couple of years ago online and didn’t pay close enough attention to the return policy (only 7 DAYS!! wish I could remember the seller). Anyway, they didn’t work for me because I have a really high instep and I literally could not get my foot under the strap properly. I gave them to a friend.

      As for other recommendations – I love my thong-style Birkenstocks. I too was worried about high school flashbacks but turns out the reason I loved them so much is they are ridiculously comfortable and supportive. I have had them for two years now and wear them constantly. I have a bad knee that needs to be babied and these have been a life saver for commuting on foot in NYC in the summer.

      I will also chime in my vote for Chacos. I love these as well and will often do hikes in them. Highly recommend.

    4. I have a great pair of Reefs with great support.

      PS. I love some of the non-traditional Birkenstock styles.

    6. I recommend that you avoid wearing flip flops while pregnant (or ever). They provide almost no support for your foot, and when you are pregnant (and carrying the extra weight), you really need the best support you can find. During my last pregnancy I invested in a pair of Naot sandals and I love them. Naot produces shoes on a couple different lasts, so you have to find the styles that match your foot.

    7. Fit Flops are horribly uncomfortable for me. I’ve taken to wearing Tevas throughout the summer when I’m doing lots of walking. The thong-style are good but the kind with a strap above the heel are even better for stabilization (assuming you are OK with the look). I swear, those are like wearing tennis shoes to me. I LIVE in them throughout the summer. (FWIW–I had heel spurs in the past, so am very picky about good arch support.)

    8. Thank you! I will be ordering at least one of each of the above on Zappos (love the free shipping both ways!) and I’m sure I’ll find something that works.

    9. Merrell!

      As an aside, I think the thong sandal style is not supposed to be good for your feet/walking, bc it makes you grip with your toes. I like the slide style better.

  3. Does anyone know if Cuddl Duds have lowered their waistline any time recently? I have a pair I bought years ago that have a fairly high waistband that is much higher than say, most of my jeans.

    And an unrelated question–does anyone have suggestions for a “financial system for dummies” type book? I’ve realized I understand very little about the American financial system/investing/what my investment banker/hedge fund friends actually do, and I need to correct this.

    1. On Cuddl Duds waistlines: they’re certainly still too darn high. Heh. It doesn’t end up bothering me much, since on those super-cold days, I’m already dressing in layers on top– a cami at minimum– so I just tuck my undershirt in *over* the longjohns. No embarrassing visible “underwear”!

    2. For a more targeted, “huh, wonder what that is?” approach to finance and the industry, I recommend Investopedia.com and the online “Business Dictionary.” Both offer explanatory articles as well as definitions–but even the definitions are very accessible, often applied as opposed to abstract.

      I say this because I know tons of books, but don’t deal with any that I think would be general enough to be what you’re looking for.

    3. 1. Watch “Trading Places” with Eddie Murphy and Dan Akroyd.
      2. Listen to Marketplace on your local public radio station (or download the podcast).
      3. Use online resources surroundedbylawyers recommended.

      1. Add “watch the original ‘Wall Street’ to that list and that’s how I’ve learned, too. And I occaisonally read some of the columnists in the Business section of the Washington Post.

        1. As someone in finance, I’d be horrified if one of my friends, in an effort to figure out what it is I do, decided to watch Wall Street! Tiny amount of insight into stock picking, I suppose, but not a great intro. Great movie, though.

          1. Apologies! I didn’t mean to imply it was a good way of learning about the financial industry! But I have to admit that Wall Street and Trading Places did de-mystify a couple of things for me.

      2. “Marketplace” is on in my morning “get ready” routine and narrated like I’m having coffee with the host/reporters- it’s great! (College economics professors, take note of the excellent presentation style) The websites that surroundedbylawyers recommended are now in my Favorites, also. Thanks! Will keep passing on this info.

        1. Confession: I think of Kai Ryssdahl as my friend.

          Maybe I think of all NPR personalities as my friends…

          Maybe I shouldn’t have admitted that.

    1. Wow, timely for me. I had LASIK on one eye in 1997 then did both in 2002, and I thought it was the best thing since sliced bread. Now I am having real trouble correcting my progressively declining vision (near and far is a problem and let’s not even get into driving at night, halos and all that). I was initially shocked that my eyecare professionals were DEFINITELY not supportive of more LASIK. I now understand better and am wondering if my ~decade of lens free good vision is going to cost me the next 2 or 3 decades of being able to see really at all. I have an appt with a new ophthalmologist in about a month and am seriously hoping that we can get some sort of lenses together that let me read, see road signs and at least be able to back up my car in a dark parking lot without major risks to all in the area…..

    2. Still wearing Acuvue Extended Wear after 20 years (albeit different prescriptions!), swap out every couple of weeks of straight wear, have annual eye exams… and no eye damage thus far. Acuvues are on my list of “What Works for Me.” I am sorry to hear about the LASIK problems.

  5. I picked some silk and cotton long johns from Academy Sports two weekends ago. They are Polar brand, and possibly not going to hold up, but I paid $10 and $6 respectively, and for that price, they are almost disposable. They do have an incredibly high waistband, but they sure are warm.

    I would recommend to check out sports stores for discounts in person as well.

  6. Threadjack: Any suggestions for where to have an eye exam/purchase new eyeglasses in the Boston suburbs? I find it kind of difficult to pick out new frames (small face, high prescription, etc), so Lenscrafters and the like probably won’t do it for me unless you have had a particularly good experience with an associate there.

    2. If you have a small face, ask to try on children’s frames. My sister has a small face and her nose is very narrow/delicate and that’s what she does.

  7. Threadjack:

    Prompted by a poster mentioning last week how many of us here have unfortunately aged out of the HPV vaccine, I decided I really ought to go get myself vaccinated just under the wire (about to turn 27 – my insurance covers the whole sequence if started while 26). I have HUGE needle phobia and honestly haven’t allowed myself to be poked in years (I am well overdue for a routine blood draw) but I just bit the bullet and scheduled an appointment with my doctor for the vaccine. I stupidly just went and googled “is gardasil painful” and, as luck would have it, there are tons of hits suggesting it’s one of the most painful vaccines out there. Any tips for managing a huge fear of needles?

    (I believe this started when I was a kid and needed a large emergency blood draw. I was repeatedly stabbed by my pediatrician who I’m pretty sure was only used to doing finger pricks and couldn’t get a vein. I know this won’t be as bad, but I’m still panicky.)

    1. What is this about aging out? Is it about insurance coverage? I’m fairly certain I got the vaccine at 29 (paid for it myself) and I didn’t find it any more painful than any other needle, so hang in there!

      1. My understanding is that the clinical trials and related FDA approval were for women up to age 26. I imagine many doctors would do it for you anyway at an older age (as yours did) but perhaps not all. I haven’t asked my doctor whether she’d stop me from doing it at a later age, but I did talk to my insurance co and they’ll only cover it per my description above.

        Glad to hear you didn’t find it particularly painful (still not at ease, but definitely helpful)!

        1. One other reason for the age limit, at least when the vaccine originally came out, was that it was assumed that by the time most women are in their 20s, they’ve been exposed to HPV and the vaccine wouldn’t do much good. I’m not sure if the thinking on that has changed. Could also be that although by the time you are in your 20s, especially if you have been at all sexually active, you have been exposed to HPV but maybe not the particularly dangerous strains that the vaccine protects against.

        2. I understand that one reason why the trials were limited to women under 26 was the assumption that by age 26, most women would be married and thus not sexually active with multiple partners. We can all see the fallacies there.

          1. I worked at a doctor’s office the summer after high school…they trained me to give injections, and that’s what I did. As a high school kid with no experience whatsoever, I probably wasn’t very good at it. The head nurse on staff was in her 60s, probably had about 40 years nursing experience, and that’s who I would want to get an injection from, not the newbie with no real medical training. Just tell the front office you have a needle phobia, and ask if you can get your vaccine from the oldest, most experienced nurse. Just do so as nicely as possible, and tell the front office when you come in, don’t wait until someone is already coming at you with a needle to say “no I want the other nurse!” Doctors offices deal with fears all the time, and they should be very accommodating if you are as nice as possible about it.

      3. newbielawyer, how did you find a doctor to give you the vaccine? when i was 28 and in law school, my law school-provided health insurance refused to give me the vaccine, saying I was not in the proper age range. it was infuriating.

        1. It was actually my law school gyno nurse who suggested it. It was almost $200 and I was on a tight budget, but she really pushed for it. I would seek out a gynecologist and explain, though be prepared to pay full price.

    2. I don’t have any tips for getting over the fear, except to take a deep breath right before it goes in (have the nurse or doctor tell you when to breathe) and don’t look at the needle. Maybe you can look at a picture or something to distract you.

      I will also say though that I did not find the HPV vaccine that painful. My most recent shots were a flu vaccine and a tetanus booster, and those both hurt way more than the HPV vaccine.

    3. Take 600 milligrams of ibuprofen before you go in. I had the first shot while having taken the ibuprofen for another procedure that day, and it noticeably decreased the pain.

      I forgot my ibuprofen the second time I went in for the shot, and it REALLY hurt. I have a high pain tolerance, but I was not expecting that about my first, relatively mild experience with it.

      Going in for my third next month and bring my Motrin with me for sure. :)

      2. While I will definitely take the ibuprofen advice, I’ll also note that you’re not the only one who thought the 2nd (and 3rd) were worse than the 1st so it may not be due to the ibuprofen. Who knows though. Still a great idea.

        1. Remember ibuprofen and not asiprin. Aspirin thins your blood and can make it more likely you’ll bleed. Not a HUGE difference but still always good to keep in mind.

    4. Just know that it’s a hell of a lot better than having to do colposcopies (cervical biopsies) when you test positive for HPV. They’re not the worst, but they’re about 1000 times worse than a needle.

      Good luck! If you have access to xanax, I’d take that too. (I never had this vaccine–so I don’t know that it’s more/less painful than others.)

      1. Also, you can comfort yourself ahead of time by knowing that some people don’t find it particularly painful at all. I thought it was pretty intense (no real difference across the 3 shots), but my roommate got it and thought it was nothing worse than your average shot–and I don’t think we have different pain thresholds, just different reactions to the drug.

      3. yes yes yes yes. “colpa”s are no fun at all. and if they find something suspicious in there, they biopsy it. now that is a goooooood time.

    5. Wiggle your toes when you get the shot. I know it sounds silly, but it actually activates long nerve cells and will distract your brain from the feeling of the shot. Having had several biopsies, vaccines, stitches, and other minor pokes and prods over the years, I swear by the “wiggle your toes” mantra.

      1. Love it, Lawdy! I will definitely be pumped up on Motrin and wiggling my toes.

        You women are amazing. Never cease to be amazed at the concrete, practical advice here on all sorts of issues.

      2. Yes! I tend to faint around needles, but give blood regularly. Wiggling my fingers and toes is usually enough to keep me awake.

    6. I’m v. v. happy to find someone else with a horrible fear of needles/drawing blood! Most people think I’m a wuss for passing out every time someone comes at me with a needle. I would tell you my horror story with the gardasil shot/needles/pain, but I should tell you that it was worth it to be done with/not have to do the biopsies if I do get it/story value. It was almost not-painful for me, but I had some crazy after-effects, which I think were more to do with my needle-phobia than the actual vaccine. My arm was sore for a day or so afterwards, but other than that, I was fine.

      For shots (this doesn’t work for me for IVs), I look the other way and start saying the alphabet in French. Or Spanish if it’s a doozie of a shot. The brain power it takes to recite the alphabet (more in Spanish since I don’t remember all of it) helps me to not focus on the actual shot.

    7. I am not fond of needles either. For Gardasil, which didn’t end up hurting that much, I hid my face in a sweatshirt I brought for that purpose and sang an (off-key) happy song to myself. I think it was something from a Muppet show, along the lines of Rubber Duckie. I thought the 2010 flu vaccine was worse.

      The reason there are so many hits on a search of “is Gardasil painful” is because the millions of women who didn’t think it was painful wouldn’t bother to post that online.

      You can do it!

    8. I do remember it being a particularly painful shot, at least for me. Just remember to take a deep breath before hand and remember even if it’s painful, it’s worth it to prevent HPV. And get it in the left arm (or right, if you’re left handed) because you will be sore for a while.

    9. I haven’t gotten this one, is it painful because it’s intramuscular? If so, ask to have it in the hip instead of the arm. It’s kind of weird to ask, but I learned this one from the nurse who did my Depo Provera shots. The bigger the muscle, the less it hurts and the faster the pain goes away, and women usually have small arm muscles. Other things I’ve found that help: look away, and concentrate on something else, even if it’s reading the posters on the wall.

    10. I am also pretty afraid of needles, despite the fact that most every time I have to get shots, I end up saying “that really wasn’t so bad.” Having my blood drawn is a different story :)

      Anyhow, one thing I’ve found that helps (in addition to all the other good advice–I will definitely try toe-wiggling next time!) is being upfront with my doctor about my needle fears. They are not only more sensitive to keeping the needle out of eyesight, but I’ve also found that my doctors have talked to me throughout the shot to help distract me. I still get nervous, but having the distraction of a conversation definitely helps me. So do lollipops afterward.

    11. I don’t remember the Gardasil shot being particularly painful. For some reason, the thought of the needle is so much worse than the actual pain. I had a nurse once start asking me really in-depth questions about volleyball rotations while she did a blood draw, and it totally distracted me from thinking about the needle in my arm. So come up with something complicated that you’re going to say out loud during the shot, and focus on that while it’s going on. For instance, a complex algebra formula, or the alphabet in another language, or translating nursery rhymes into pig latin, or sports formations you haven’t thought about since high school.

      For me, I also bring a sugary snack and a protein snack for after the shot; for some reason, I get really low blood sugar after shots. Generally I bring a granola bar or orange juice and a string cheese. And then I blast really loud 80’s rock music and sing along in the car as I drive away from the doctor’s office.

      1. Sorry, forgot to change my handle on this computer! I’m not upset right now!

    12. I also hate shots, and I’m not going to lie, it hurts. It hurts as it goes in (the serum, not the needle) and my arm hurt quite a bit for the next few days. I brought a friend (and would have brought mommy if I could) and had an ice cream after. Worked when I was 10 (and actually ran out the doctor’s, down the street, and round a corner) and still works now.

      You can do it!

      1. RE: HPV. With all the talk about cervical cancer, ladies, you should know that I have pre-cancerous cells on my vulva. Never knew that it could happen but apparently, I contracted one of the four rare strains of HPV (there are 100 strains). Fortunately, it was caught early, but it was not detected with a pap smear. If the cells were cancerous, I may have had to had the vulva removed. Get the shot if you can.

          1. There was what looked like a mole near my vagina that was itchy. First gyno said it was nothing, second one had it removed and checked it out.

  8. Just wanted to let everyone know my future Corporette was born on Wednesday. Momma and Baby are doing fabulously. Thank you to those who sent happy thoughts, delivery was so fast I didn’t even have time to get an epidural!

    5. Congrats! Wonderful to hear that your labor was relatively easy.

      I love the idea of little future Corporettes. If I was handy with Cafepress, I would style you an adorable little onesie with the slogan. And force you to take her picture holding NGDGTCO to send to everyone. :)

    7. Congrats Mama Angie (and little baby)! So glad everyone is healthy and doing well. :)

    12. Yay Angie! And my hero on no epidural. Congrats and welcome new Corporette-ette :)! Best wishes for four hour sleep stretches soon, if not now.

    15. yeay I was thinking about you and whether it all went well.
      So glad it all turned out well (technically, we’re virtual aunties for the baby corporette).
      Take care of yourself

    16. That is great news!! Congratulations!

      I love the one-sie idea someone posted earlier…

    17. Congratulations! I didn’t have time for pain meds either. All that worrying and debating, gone, poof, time to push now. Oy!

  9. Threadjack: What would you wear to a reception for inductees into a very prestige legal society? It’s “cocktail” for attendees, “blacktie” for inductees and held at the Supreme Court in March. I’m a law student, one of five invited to attend. Bonus if you can suggest something/some way of not showing my arms since I absolutely hate them.

    1. … something that is either “cocktail” or “black tie” depending on your guest status?

      I don’t mean to sound slightly blunt, but it seems like a very easy and straightforward answer to your question. Look for cocktail or evening dresses to begin with, and then look for them with sleeves, boleros, matching shawls, stoles, or other arm coverings.

    2. How old are you? A woman over 40 can probably get away with a fancy evening suit (usually wider-leg pants, expensive fabrics, sometimes crystals on jacket, etc). That would keep the arms covered…but I’ve usually only seen women over 45-50 wear them.

      Otherwise, I’d go for a modest cocktail-length black or dark color dress (navy, deep wine or purple, maybe a dark green), and put a wrap around your arms with a big brooch to keep it in place. A velvet jacket of some sort might also work, but I think that’s edging into “less formal” territory.

  10. Congratulations! I hope to have a baby also, but first I must be married. And no HPV for me either. I had the shot. Fooey!

    1. Oh, Ellen, don’t give UP hope yet. It could be worse. You could be carrying the spawn of the manageing partner! Fooey!

    2. Is this an Ellen imposter? No words in all caps, proper comma usage, and no misspellings…

      Either way, I’m sure that you and Alan will be having your own super awesome wedding soon if that darn manageing partner will let you have a day off. Good luck!

      1. Fake Ellen alert. This couldn’t POSSIBLY be “our” Ellen with no caps and no mention of dear Alan.

        Nice try though ;).

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