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Updated: Nov 1, 2018 189 Comments · by

Coffee Break – Greta Flap Cross-body Handbag

Coffee Break | ·

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Jennifer Lopez Greta Flap Cross-body Handbag I've been hearing good things about J.Lo's new collection at Kohl's and so I swung by the website to take a look — and indeed, a lot of the pieces look really great! I like this tumbled faux leather bag. I like the gray the best, but it also comes in black, brown, and navy. At 10″Hx11.5″Wx5″D it seems plenty big for a satchel, and I like that it has a 4″ handle as well as a longer flap. It's $99 at Kohl's. Jennifer Lopez Greta Flap Cross-body Handbag (L-2)

Sales of note for 9.30.24

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Comments

  1. Anonymous

    I know this sounds awful, but I’m not sure if I could get past the JLo part.

    • PollyD

      I feel that way about Jessica Simpson shoes. I often think they’re cute, and apparently have a reputation for decent quality… but it’s Jessica Simpson! I also really liked JLo’s first perfume, called Glow, I think, but couldn’t get past the fact that it was JLo.

      I realize this is totally irrational and am not defending my point of view at all. I may actually get over myself someday and get some Glow perfume and Jessica Simpson shoes.

      • bb

        I had the same thing for Jessica Simpson shoes, but then I needed a pair for a new job, and didn’t have a lot to spend, and jessica simpson had the right style and price for me. I got a pair of black patent leather pumps – they are gorgeous and incredibly comfortable despite a high heel. I was SO impressed. And there’s no branding on it, so the only one who knows I’m wearing Jessica Simpson is me (unlike, for example, the JLo tag on the bag) – and people I rave to about it!

      • Circe

        I have knee issues and my physical therapist said the shoes with the best support/structure are Franco Sarto (in the affordable range). The worst, leading to reinjury, are Jessica Simpson. So your concern is not wholly without merit.

        • kz

          I’m glad to know a physical therapist confirms my suspicions about my franco sarto shoes. they’re seriously comfy.

      • LinLondon

        That reminds me of the Will & Grace episode she guest starred on – “Which one of you is not wearing Glow?!” That show got the best out of its guest stars, I swear :)

      • AnonOne

        I have a pair of Jessica Simpson and actually had to walk barefoot outside in the winter they hurt my feet so bad. No other pumps have ever caused me such pain.

        You’re not missing out.

        I’m having trouble getting past the $99 price tag for a bag at Kohls. Doesn’t that seem high?

    • Research, not Law

      I’m right there with you – and the Jessica Simpson shoes… but that’s a really great bag and so close to something I’ve been searching for… I really need to get over it.

      On a side, I just bought a Unionbay purse as a fill-in until I find a real one. LOL, remember Unionbay??? Doesn’t it just bring you back to 1994? But I liked it and tried to not think about the label.

    • Denise

      ha–I was thinking I don’t know if I can get past the Kohl’s part! I know–all my friends love it, too–but I can’t get past how junky the stores are (at least the one closest to me is always a mess).

      • s-p-s

        Kohl’s can actually be pretty great! I’ve gotten some Vera Wang purses there that I love, plus some inexpensive but classic silver jewelry. Plus, it’s easy to find coupons / free shipping deals. While it may be my grandmother’s favorite store, there are some gems for younger women as well!

        • spacegeek

          I like the costume jewelry at Kohls! I can find some great trendy pieces to update my wardrobe while spending less than $10! And since these are probably one season wonders, that works for me!

      • Anonymous

        Earlier today someone posted about having worked for a company and not being able to shop there now.

        My identity was stolen several years ago. The person racked up $5k at Kohl’s. I’d never shopped there and I still haven’t. They bought diamonds there. I don’t even own any diamonds.

      • Bunkster

        Back 5 years ago, my identity was stolen. They opened up credit cards at stores at a local mall. Kohl’s was the store they racked up the most money. $3000. Earlier today someone posted about not being able to shop at the store they worked in. I worked at Tiffany briefly, but can still shop there (although the inflation is ridiculous). I can’t, however, shop at a store that didn’t require any form of id to open a credit card.

        The perp bought diamonds. I don’t own any diamonds, but the person who stole my identity does.

      • Nevadan

        I can get past the J Lo and the Kohls, but I like a smooth exterior on my handbags because I think it looks and stays cleaner.

    • NYC

      Confession: I bought one of her bags after this post (a different style). It was already on sale and I found two discount codes totaling 25% off. It will be a $50 experiment. I will report back.

      • Anonymous

        I love J.Lo but not Kohls and why pay 100 bucks for a non-leather bag when you can get leather at Penny’s for less? Hate Kohls, Target is better.

  2. Ms. Basil E. Frankweiler

    I recently saw an ad for this line with a model wearing a wrap dress in a very pretty blue print, so I went to the website and they have it on a manequinn so it looks awful. I am going to try and find it at the store, but I don’t understand why Kohl’s would do that. Isn’t the point of advertising to make the item appealing to the customer?

    On another note, I am ready to get my first car. So, does anyone have any brands I should look for (or in the alternative stay away from)? And, since I don’t have much money (and don’t want a car payment I’m not sure I would be able to afford after graduation) does anyone have any tips and tricks for navigating an auto auction?

    Thanks in advance ladies.

    • Bonnie

      I’m a Honda girl. My Civic is 13 years old and still ticking. I’d be weary of car auctions since you’re more likely to get a car that has been in an accident or has been flooded. Before buying any used car, get a carfax report. Most importantly, the report can tell you if the car has been totaled out by the insurance company.

      • Bunkster

        My previous car was a Honda Civic hatchback. I had it for 9 years. I now have a Toyota Rav4. It’s 10 years old.

        I agree with ADL. Japanese cars are reliable and budget-friendly.

      • SF Bay Associate

        My Accord is 11 years old and running great.

        Ms. Basil, pick up a copy of Consumer Reports Auto book (or browse it at Barnes & Noble). You should not buy a car until you look at it – all the info, all unbiased, and all thoroughly tested.

      • Mackie

        Yep, everyone in my family has a Honda. Mine is a 2001 civic with about 103,000 miles on it. I’m praying that it lasts until I get a ‘real’ job.

      • Another Honda

        Here is southern California they last forever. Safe. Very reasonable to maintain. Retain high resale value.

    • ADL

      If price is your factor, I would suggest looking at the used car section of luxury car dealerships. They usually offer the same warranty of a new car, but on older model, used cars.

      What are you looking for? Economy/coupe? Sedan? SUV?

      I’m personally a Japanese brand loyalist, when it comes to cars. It’s all about your preference though – the best thing to do is probably go and test drive a few cars, you’ll get a feel for it.

        • kz

          I’ve got a 1997 Toyota 4Runner (well, my brother has it now since i moved to a city where i don’t need it, but it’s still mine, gosh darn it). It still runs great. Admittedly, I didn’t put a ton of miles on it, but seriously, it’s held up amazingly. I love that car.

      • E

        Agree. I drove my old Subaru until it was 12 or 13 years old with 225K miles. And it could have kept going with about $1000 worth of repairs, but by that point I could afford a nicer car.

    • Argie

      I have a Saturn S-series (Year 2000 and earlier, was replaced with the Ion after 2000 I think) that I’ve been driving for 8 years that has treated me very well – 170k miles and its really needed is the regular maintenance. The L-series (their a little nicer) are nice too. The L-series was phased out about the same time as the S-series. And of course, the whole brand stopped production after 2010/2011. So, I don’t know if that’s helpful or not.

      • CB

        Our Saturn has held up amazingly well also. It’s a 1997 SL-1 and has over 300,000 km. I don’t think we’ve had to do any major work on it. Brakes, spark plugs, routine stuff like that. We haven’t driven it as much in the last 6 years since the birth of boy #3 and our switch to a minivan, but it’s still been a great car. I was so sad when they stopped making Saturns.

      • Accountress

        My ’99 S-series wagon has 190k miles, and it too only needs regular maintenance. I’ve heard good things about the Vue, if one is open to used.

      • Anon IB

        10 year old volvo. Super comfy even for my tall husband. Still going strong through 10 years of tough commute, 190K miles. No major mechanical issues or large repair bills (beyond normal maintenance and maybe a new set of brake pads) until this year, when sadly multiple things are showing wear. So may have to get new car soon, but I think 10 yrs + is pretty great.

    • Anonymous

      I spent 20 years in the automotive industry. Hyundai is eating everyone’s lunch.

      The cars are well made and cheap, the finance rates are unreal (low Won(?)-to-the-dollar versus high Yen-to-the-dollar). Resale value isn’t as good and insurance rates are sometimes higher than other models but MANY long term Benz, Buick, Camry, and Civic clients are currently driving Hyundais.

      • Anonymous

        Oh, and if you’re getting one at an auction, if it’s a 5-speed transmission it’s less likely to have been a daily rental and therefore less likely to have been abused/in an accident/etc.

        Check that there are no cracks in the windshield and no cuts in the seatbelts. Make sure the tires have even tread wear and the brakes are OK.

        And watch out for flood-damaged vehicles!

      • RL

        Hyundai Hyundai Hyundai! Fiance drives an Elantra, and we liked it so much that when we needed a second car we went straight back to the Hyundai dealership. I now have a 2012 Accent, and I think Hyundai charged at least $5K less for the thing than it should have (not that I’m complaining). It’s fantastic.

      • jcb

        I’ve been loving the Hyundai Sonatas I’ve been renting recently (while traveling out of town). They are comfortable, lots of nice options, decent pick-up. I actually request the Sonata now, over their Dodge, Chevy and Mustang options.

      • EC MD

        I bought a 2000 Hyundai accent brand new for 7477 (still remember the price) with a 5 year 100,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty for med school. I gave it up in 2010, and there was literally NOTHING wrong with it. Such an amazing value, though it was definitely not, to quote someone this morning, seksi.

      • anon

        My son has a 2009 Sonata we bought used, it was a great deal, but I’m surprised at how high repairs and maintenance are. He just spent $700 on an electrical issue (a short in the headlight and brake lights). He ruined a wheel hitting a curb (teenage driver), $110 to replace the wheel, $90 for the plastic wheel cover. We didn’t actually buy the $90 plastic wheel cover, he still has the bent one, but still. I don’t know, parts and labor for repairs just seem excessively high for an inexpensive car. I’ve had used Hondas and the maintenance just didn’t seem that high.

      • ADB_BWG

        I have a Hyundai Santa Fe and love it – comfortable and reliable. Before that I had a Mazda GLC and a Subaru Outback. Kept each for 10+ years and 175K+ miles.

        • Anonymous

          Can’t do Hyundai. Still have PTSD from the crap car I had in the 1980’s. It seriously helped my divorce along – long rides in a car with windows that wouldn’t roll down and broken A/C.

    • Research, not Law

      Corolla! I’m still rolling with a 1993.

      I’ll give you a moment to absorb that.

      It is honestly the most reliable car. Aside from routine maintenance, I haven’t had to do a thing in the last 4 years. And I like having a car that (a) I can easily buy with cash – no payment, (b) has a low insurance rate, and (c) can squeeze in next to the poorly parked Cayennes. Go ahead and knock your car door into mine. Ain’t gonna hurt me! Plus, I never have to drive the carpool.

      I’ve also had excellent experiences with Honda Accords/Civics (old and new) and Ford Focus. I hear good things about Mazda, which is definitely a more stylish option.

      • Amy H.

        LOVE my Corolla! And I love gloating to my two best guy friends that mine is paid for (vs. their car payments every month for their Audi and BMW). I am a Toyota person in a Toyota family (mom and dad — my brother had the audacity to switch to Subaru b/c he is very outdoorsy and wanted to be able to sleep in the back). My current Corolla is a 2006 (bought new — my first ever not-used car) but before that I had a 1988 that I bought in 93 or 94 for $6000 that I drove until August 2005, when my husband, who couldn’t drive stick, needed a car to commute in. I sold the 1988 Corolla to a good friend for $400 (she just needed something temporarily); she ended up driving it for two years and then passing it along to a neighbor for $400, and says she still sees it around their neighborhood. So it’s still going strong 20+ years later! I love that we’re passing it around . . . .

        • naijamodel

          I have a 2000 Corolla. I’m happy. It has like 130K miles on it, lol. Apart from brakes and tires, I haven’t done anything to it.

          My next car is going to be a Toyota. My parents drive a Corolla and a Camry.

        • Anon

          Toyota girl here, too. Starting with my 1987 Corolla I inherited from my mom upon my 16th birthday — this was 1994 and it already had nearly 100k miles on it. Gave it up in college, 1999, well past 100k miles. The AC stopped working and I live down south. The guy at the dealership bought it from us for cash (for more than the dealership would give us) — to be his son’s first car.

          Had a brief detour with a Honda Civic next, but returned to Toyota after law school. Still have that Camry — bought a 2000 used, in 2004. Followed up by a 2001 Highlander later in 2004. Both of those are going strong. Even though they look out of place amongst the BMW’s and Mercedes in the firm parking lot. If/when they die, I will absolutely get another Toyota. But LOVE not having a car payment right now.

      • Gem

        I drive a Mazda and love it (I did total the one prior mind).

        Consider a KIA (assuming you get them in the US) anything that sells new with a 7 year warranty has got to have some decent engineering behind it.

      • L

        Totally agree. Toyotas run FOREVER. I had a 95 camry that purred when she ran (until i got hit by a tractor trailer). My mom has a 97 with about 250k and my grandmother had an 83 corolla until ’02. If you take care of them, they will last forever. The only thing you have to really worry about is the routine work and around 100k sometimes you have to change the seals because they’ll leak oil.

    • Ashley

      Also recommend the Honda. I’m in the Accord, which always warrants comments from passengers about how roomy it is for luggage and legs. LOVE Hondas, and several family members have owned Hondas as well. Low maintenance cost, great gas mileage, last FOREVER = great cars! (no, I don’t work for Honda, but I seriously love that brand.)

    • anon

      recommend the Hyundai Elantra, if you’re not label-focused – great consumer reports reviews and crash tests, very nice new styling, and costs much less than the Civic for comparable features.

    • AnonOne

      Honda Civic or Accord. They retain their value for a long time so prices on used models may not seem all that cheap but they are worth the money.

      My current car is a Nissan Versa… super inexpensive and I like it but will go back to Honda for the next car.

    • conbrio

      I love Hondas. I recently got rid of my car and started using Zipcar in San Francisco, which has allowed me to drive a lot of different makes and models of cars, and I’ve found that I like the Honda Civics best. The dashboard panel is well-designed – it’s easy to see how fast you’re going and easy to change stations on the radio, and – most importantly of all – it’s really easy to see out of the front, back and sides of the car. It’s comfortable, and I feel safe in it. It comes in regular or hybrid.

      • In house lobbyist

        I second Hondas. I had a Civic for 10 years and then a Pilot for 4 years. Sadly a tree fell on my Pilot during a tornado and now I have a 2003 BMW X5. We got it at a steal and it is the best thing I have ever driven but the maintenance is very expensive. We are lucky that my husband can do everything it needs. Don’t forget to check the maintenance costs.

    • Anon

      Only thing I’m going to tell you is to keep an open mind. I started shopping for a (new) hybrid. Somehow I ended up with a Ford Fusion hybrid that I adore. I’ve met a couple of people with the same car who are all just in love with it as I am. If you had told me 6 months ago that I’d buy a ford, I would have either fallen off my chair laughing or slapped you. For realz.

      • MissJackson

        Ford has really upped their game in the last couple of years. I have a 2010 Escape, and LOVE it. And actually, I have a 1998 Escort that’s still going strong with very low maintenence (and I’m not the only one — there are actually several of them in my neighborhood).

        My family is originally from Detroit, so my grandfathers worked at Ford and Chevrolet. So, I think I’m naturally much, much, much more open to American cars than many of my peers. They won’t always win, but I agree that you should have an open mind!

        • MissJackson

          Also: check out the Chevy Malibu. I don’t know about the most recent model year, but for awhile there it was winning the praises of Consumer Reports.

    • a lawyer

      -Toyota avalon over five years old, and people still think it is brand new. No kids here, though. My fourth Toyota and I cannot say enough good about their reliability.

    • eek

      2001 Toyota w/ 236k miles (tape decks rule!). It runs great…regular maintenance apart from having to replace O2 sensors and a harmonic balancer (yeah it’s real and you need it…had this done yesterday), it runs great – engine still quiet, no rattles, no rust, etc.

      I wouldn’t buy the first year of any new model vehicle. I did and by the second model year, a lot of the design flaws and other things that bug me were fixed.

    • Ms. Basil E. Frankweiler

      Thanks for the input everyone! I’ll definitely keep all of these brands in mind.

      • M

        10-15 year old mercedes deisel. they are comparable in price to a new(ish) honda/toyota/whatever, they run forever, get great mileage, and the 1999 that i drive looks like a brand spanking new luxury auto (paid $15k for it a year ago). the one downside is that, although reliable, they are more expensive to maintain. but just getting into my car makes me happy, so for me it’s worth it.

        • Argie

          Don’t get diesel if you live in a climate where winter gets cold. Like below freezing cold. It doable, but trickier than using gas, since the diesel gums up some in the winter – basically you can’t leave your car out in the cold too long without having the car plugged in. Otherwise, diesel is a great alternative. :)

          • Alana

            What do you mean by “plugged in”? I am interested in buying an old diesel auto and live in a climate with 4 seasons.

          • JAS1

            @Alana – Diesel gets more viscous (sp?) in cold weather, and if it’s cold enough it gets too viscous for the car to run. So most diesel cars (at least older ones) have a little heating device to keep the fuel from getting too cold. You have to plug in the heating device.

          • M

            Original deisel suggestor here. My car does have a block heater, which keeps the engine warm in the winter to prevent the gumming up of deisel fuel. I’ve rarely had to use it living in DC. So far, I’ve only plugged it in after snowpacalypse and that was because I hadn’t driven my car for those many days that we were all snowed in. After about 30 minutes of running the block heater, I was good to go! I used to have an older model (a 1985 that I miss dearly), and that needed to be plugged in maybe 4 or 5 times a year.

    • anon

      the reason web sites show the product on a mannequin is it’s much cheaper than photographing on a live model.

    • girl in the stix

      I’ve been a Chevy girl for years. Although I love volvo$, I’m making a conscious decision to buy American. Plus I find Chevys to be very reliable! Currently driving a 2010 HHR Lt (looks retro). Sold my 1997 Geo Storm to a friend several years ago, and it’s still going strong, with great gas milage.

    • Rosalie

      I drove my Geo Prizm for 14 years before getting rid of it last year.

      Subarus are also long-lasting (but not that comfortable IMO).

      We love our Hyundai – they are every bit as good as Hondas, for less money, and have the best warranty in the industry (5 years!).

  3. Kady

    Curious if anyone actually managed to snag any Target Missoni merchandise and whether they were worth the hype. I’m really annoyed that there are people who effectively looted the stores for the sole purpose of selling on EBay for 3x MSRP.

    • MelD

      Target seems like it keeps refreshing item stock intermittently. I’d say it’s worth the original price, but certainly not worth 3x the price on eBay. It’s still Target quality, after all. I like Target stuff, but would certainly never pay 3x the price for anything I buy there.

    • Argie

      Didn’t pick any up, but did swing through my local Target on Tuesday to see plenty of stuff. Of course, we’re off the beaten path, and in an exurb town that isn’t really conversant in high-end Italian designers. I might swing through tonight and see if there’s anything that sparks interest, tho.

      As for the re-sellers. Lame. Really lame. And holy greedy, Batman.

    • kng

      i placed an order on target.com at 7AM EST – of course it hasn’t shipped yet and who knows which of my order items actually will ship. i’m most excited about the sweater dresses

    • Maddie Ross

      I went in specifically for the shoes (both the flats and the heels) and got one of each. I managed to snag a sweater and a blouse as well. I stopped by a random Target on my way home from court in a rural county Tuesday morning and think I just got lucky. As for quality, the shoes seem decent. Maybe a step up from normal Target. I would rank with Nine West quality-wise. The heels are actually suede (though not a “nice” suede). The sweater (long, car-coat with chevrons) is not bad for Target. It’s pretty heavy-weight. They had a couple other sweaters left (the turtleneck and v-neck.) I was not impressed with either and did not buy. I’m either going to sell or return the blouse. The sleeves are WAY too short for me and it just looked “off.” Undecided on selling versus returning. Part of me wants to profit, but part of me is just lazy and also feels a bit guilty going that route.

    • found a peanut

      The looting thing is annoying – there are like 20,000 Missoni items on ebay right now. It’s very frustrating for those of us who waited and anticipated this sale, only to find out that the most desirable items were gone. I placed an order for a bunch of stuff online and I’m still waiting for it to ship. I thought I could potentially get some of this stuff to wear over the weekend, but now it’s looking more likely that I’ll get it sometime next week or possibly even the week after that.

    • MaggieLizer

      I’ve been desperately needing more serving dishes lately, and I love how fun and different the Missoni serveware is. I managed to get one serving platter and 6 appetizer plates. The platter is a nice heavy stoneware, but I worry that the print will come off if I have to scrub it. The appetizer plates are plastic and lightweight, so they’ll be great to serve finger food at casual get-togethers where people are walking around. I still want to get some coffee mugs, 2 more serving dishes, a few more appetizer plates, and a set of pillows.

    • Lucy

      I got a coat and a bedspread – hadn’t planned on the latter but they were in stock and very attractive, and I’d been shopping for a replacement for our current very worn quilt for a while. Hoping they’ll ship soon!

    • Anon77

      Please, folks, don’t buy from eBay. Just don’t. If people go ahead and pay the ridiculous prices for the scalped merchandise, it just encourages the resellers. I would love to see a bunch of resellers get stuck with merchandise they can’t sell, and then maybe they’ll think twice next time and leave some merchandise in the stores for the rest of us.

    • anon in SF

      I went to a suburban SF store on Tuesday a half hour after opening. It was largely picked clean, but I did get two cute dresses (not the ones I had originally hoped for from the look book) and some awesome tights. People were literally liked up at the stock room doors basically assaulting the employees to get things. Some people were hoarding, buying 5 of the exact same item, I’m sure to sell on e bay.

      Later in the day I managed to place an order for a sweater/coat on target.com, we’ll see if/when it ships.

      Quality seems ok, a bit better than the liberty of london stuff.

    • PollyD

      Well, yes, but you pretty much never pay the tag price for anything at Kohl’s. There’s always an in-store deal, coupons in the paper, in the mail. But I agree to list a faux leather bag for $99 is a bit much.

  5. EC MD

    Since moving to the mountains, my love of shoes is being transitioned to a love of handbags. I recently bought the Kate Spade Knightsbridge Jasper in dark teal, which I lurve. I thought that would stem my desires for a while. Now I have my eye on:

    http://tinyurl.com/43fc5tn

    Please talk me out of it.

    Also, are equestrian boots still in? (I feel like my mother when I type things like that). I have fat (well, muscular) calves and am thinking of investing in duo boots, and have my eye on nice brown plain looking equestrian boots. But I don’t want to be uncool in half a season.

    Thoughts from those cooler than me? Thanks.

    • another anon

      Sorry to be an enabler, but do you have a CH store near you? The one near me is having an event tonight and I think it is 25% off everything in the store. I don’t think it applies online though. So if there is a store near you, you might want to look into that. You may even be able to call and order the bag over the phone and get the 25% discount and then go pick it up later.

      • Argie

        ooo – Not the OP, bu I might have to check out my local store. I’ve had my eye on a pair of shoes, but the $150 price tags was making me balk… you are an enabler! :)

      • SV in House

        I posted this on another thread, but will repost here:

        I have had a really busy week and would love to stay home this evening BUT tonight is 25% off at Cole Haan, 5-8. Last spring you ladies tipped me off to the green Kendra bag, which I adore. Anything you have your eyes on now that should get me off the couch?
        Also, did anyone else get one of the Kate Spade bags in tangerine? It is BRIGHT. How are you liking it?

        Read more: https://corporette.com/2011/09/15/a-guide-to-suiting-alterations/#ixzz1Y3AROdNo

        • LinLondon

          I got a Kate Spade bag in tangerine, but I won’t see it till tomorrow. I’m back in the States for a family wedding and my mother is bringing it to me (I can’t bring myself to pay international shipping) Her sole editorial comment was “My, that is a bright purse.” I’m hoping it’s a good bright and not a cringey bright!

    • Ashley

      I’d never qualify myself as cool, but I see equestrian boots quite often, so yes, I think they’re in.

      I can’t talk you out of that bag. It’s freaking gorgeous.

    • AnonInfinity

      I’m picturing that bag with skinny jeans and some beautiful, luxe equestrian boots and drooling. I can’t in good conscience talk you out of this.

    • Ru

      Get the bag. And the boots. How can equestrian boots ever go out of style? Do horses go out of style – nooooo, cuz horses are cute. As are the boots. Enjoy =).

    • E

      You will love that bag for the rest of your life. If you can afford it, go for it. I have never regretted the purchase of a Cole Haan bag, and that one is particularly gorgeous.

    • JAS1

      ok, I love the bag, but if you are looking for a reason not to buy…Personally, I find the “north/south” (bags that are deeper than they are wide) bags make it more difficult to find things inside, and you have to rummage more. But I bet there’s a similar bag on the CH site that is “east-west.”

      That’s the best I’ve got for you!

      PS: It was years before I figured out what the directional descriptions on handbags referred to.

    • anon in SF

      Hey, did you see Cole Haan has a 25% off online promo today. Code is EVENT25

  6. Anon

    Threadjack:

    What are your favorite interview questions? We are hiring in my in-house legal department, and I’m looking for questions to help me separate the wheat from the chaff.

    Thanks!

    • Ballerina Girl

      My favorites to ask:

      “Do you think I’m pretty?”
      “Does this suit make me look fat?”
      “If you could date one interviewer, which interviewer would it be?”

      Kidding…but I like to imagine reactions to those questions.

    • mamabear

      To answer you sincerely:

      Tell me about a project or assignment you’ve completed that you’re proud of.

      Tell me about a difficult person you work with, and how you deal with that person.

      What do you know about our company? (this is a standard one, but good to see if they’ve done their homework)

      What skills or knowledge do you feel you’d like improve on, and how would this position help you do that?

    • Snarky

      In what city is your in-house legal department hiring? I’d be interested in a position if it were in MA… ;-)

    • Research, not Law

      “How do you handle conflicting deadlines?” (Multiple deadlines on different projects that align and it’s an ‘impossible’ amount of work). Surprisingly, it’s easy to see who does and does not think about this…

    • Denise

      “Tell me about a time when you disagreed with what your client wanted. How did you handle that?”

      “Tell me about a time you failed. What went wrong? What did you learn?”

    • Laura #2

      I was once asked “what are you looking for from this job besides a salary?” I thought that was a great question.

      • Laura #2

        Sorry I can’t remember the exact way that it was stated–this is awkward phrasing, but you get the idea.

    • ks

      My personal favorite: Tell me something about yourself that I wouldn’t know from reading your resume.

      Interviewee must think on their feet; I receive about 50/50 personal v. professional-life related responses. I had one person exclaim (5 minutes into the interview) ” I make the best f_ing brownies on Capitol Hill!”

      It was a very short interview.

    • Anon

      My favorite question, particularly for lawyers, “tell me about a mistake that you’ve made.”

    • Herbie

      One of the questions I was asked was a hypothetical: You have a VP who did something that damaged the company–and he took an “ask for forgiveness, not permission” approach by bypassing legal when he knew he should have run it by them first. How do you address this with him to make sure he doesn’t do it again?

  8. Stella

    Any thoughts/experience/advise on a legal administration degree. I’ve been researching but not sure if it would be worth it. It seems jobs could be pretty competitive.

    Thanks!

  9. The Online Shopper

    This bag has a good color and shape. I am excited about the fact that it is faux leather – hence animal friendly – while still looking attractive. Go JLo.

  10. Lydia

    PSA for NY Corporettes – I went to the Century 21 lincoln square soft opening today. Although crowded, the store is definitely less chaotic than the one in the financial district. Lots of great deals -e.g. Cole Haan, Manolo Blahnik, Missoni (can you tell I spent a lot of time in the shoe section?)…clothes – Tahari, Tory Burch, etc.

  11. mamabear

    It’s a nice-enough looking design, but if they can’t even make the “leather” on the strap look nice in their official photo, imagine how bad it’ll be in person.

  13. Anonymous

    I’m fortunate enough to have $5000 tuition reimbursement through my employer. Please, please help me decide what type of course to take!

    • Terry

      Some information on your current position and future goals would help us give an informed opinion.

      • Anonymous

        I have no idea what future goals to pursue! Total brain freeze!
        Maybe a foreign language? Maybe project management certification? Public speaking?
        I don’t know!

        (Thank you BTW!)

        • anon

          really? you have no idea what your goals are or what kinds of skills might be useful to you in a future position?

          unless there is a ticking time limit on this $5000 offer, I suggest you put it aside for a few weeks/months and spend some time thinking about what you’d like to do with your career. random ideas from strangers are probably not going to lead to the best use of the $5000. and yes, i know it’s not “your” $5000, but your company is giving you that with the expectation that you’ll use it wisely and in their benefit.

          some ways to start thinking about this intelligently:
          – do you need a better understanding of numbers? basic finance class?
          – do you need to do deals? maybe a negotiation class?
          – is a foreign language really going to benefit you in your career?
          – do you need to give presentations? public speaking?

          it’s not a shopping spree, don’t feel like you have to spend it asap. use it wisely.

    • Lydia

      What is your current position? Are you looking to do something that would just be fun (e.g. learning the language of a place you would like to travel) or are you looking to do something to further your career? Right now, without more info. to provide context, any response you get would say more about the person answering the question than anything else.

      • Anon

        Also – does your employer have any conditions attached to the reimbursement? My employer also has a tuition reimbursement but it has to be for something relevant to your job responsibilities. Me taking business courses = reimbursable. Me taking Portuguese = probably not.

  14. Bunkster

    Venting again…

    I just stopped by a co-worker’s desk to complain about my boss. She has a different boss, but a similar situation. Another woman who is the head of a project I’m working on came by and asked us if we were going to the party tonight. What party?

    Apparently, the project head sent a message out to the heads of all teams involved in the project. She asked them to forward it on to the team members. There’s a party tonight at a local bar. My boss, of course, didn’t tell me.

    Oh, but thanks to all who recommended “The No A$$hole Rule.” My boss totally qualifies. In fact, this latest issue regarding the party fits with the profile. My co-worker in the similar situation (see above) is reading it now. I fantasize about handing a highlighted copy to my boss when I quit.

    • Anonymous

      Sympathies. Your boss would likely never realize why you handed over said highlighted copy.

      • Kady

        This!! Are you going to go to the party? I’d be curious if your boss goes or not. So sorry you’re going through this.

    • BMBC

      Sorry, Bunkster. Sounds like something mine would do. He just went to an important unscheduled meeting without me because he couldn’t “find” me. I was two office doors down grabbing a document off the printer. Next time I’ll just chain myself to my desk.

      PS — Go to the party! Nothing like showing up and smiling to let him know that nothing gets by you.

    • Bunkster

      I’ve always wondered: are you Bunkster because you live in Bunker Hill? I went to college in Boston but never visited Bunker Hill until a couple years ago. It was snowing, no one was around, we climbed up to the top of the Bunker Hill Monument and then strolled around the square fantasizing about living there. If you are so lucky, I envy you.

      • Bunkster

        I’m Bunkster because my middle name is Bunker. Apparently, we’re related to the owner of the actual Bunker Hill (not Breed’s Hill, the site of the battle). His name was Shubael Bunker. Glad I got his last name and not his first. But I am in Boston, too.

        And, yes, I went to the party. It was awesome and my boss wasn’t there.

        • Party

          I was going to post tomorrow and ask if you went. I am so glad you did and that it was great. I’m a little chagrined your boss wasn’t there; it would have been “nice” for her to see you enjoying it despite her bad behavior keeping it a secret from you. Of course, maybe you can drop a reference to it tomorrow or next week.

  15. Midwest

    Can anybody attest to the versatility of Frye boots? I know they’ll last forever, so I’m not worried about quality. I’ve been lusting after a pair for years but the price has prevented me from pulling the trigger. Namely, I wouldn’t spend that much on a pair of work shoes, which I’d get more use out of than a pair of weekend boots. (I have issues with spending money on casual clothing. Which is stupid, if you think about it, because that’s when I could truly dress for ME, but my practical nature gets in the way.)

    • KSB

      I’ve completely loved the pair I have, and they magically seem to go with all of my casual clothes–dresses, jeans, sweat shirts, ect. Had them for 2 years now and I’m still excited when I realize they go with yet another thing in my closet!

    • Anon

      I have a pair of flat knee high plain leather boots that I wear to work all the time in the winter. Best cost per wear value of anything I’ve ever owned. Bought them five years ago and they are still going strong.

      • Anon

        sorry, should have said a pair of plain, leather frye boots. Frye’s really are the best! I get compliments on them all the time from all different types of people.

        • Dutchfan

          I have a pair that I splurged on last year that I adore. They are so comfortable and you can really feel the quality when you walk in them all day. Mine are a bit of a different colour so they don’t go with ‘everything’, but they do seem to go from more casual to more dressy quite easily.

          Now I want to look on Zappos for another pair…

  16. Lydia

    Not sure why I got stuck in moderation – trying again…For NYers – I went to the new century 21 on the UWS today (soft open). Great deals on great designers and definitely less chaotic than the store downtown.

      • Lydia

        Long line for dressing rooms, no housewares section…but Manolo Blahnik, Missoni, Tori Burch, Dolce & Gabbana, Tahari, Cole Haan…a lot of nice deals.

  17. Research, not Law

    Since there’s a lot of boot talk on this thread:

    Can ladies with larger calves recommend a well-fitting and flattering boot? I’m healthy weight, but blessed with my father’s muscular calves. I’m talking 16 inches when flexed.

    I’ve been looking for a low (but not flat) heel, knee or just below, and brown. Leather or suede.

    • Monday

      They are not cheap, but I love my J. Crew midheel boots, which I have in wide calf. They come in various heights, but I’m with you: just below knee.

    • TK1

      I’ve heard naturalizer is good. I have had luck with Anne Klein myself and I tried on some Bandolinos that fit as well. I usually get the Anne Kleins at Macys.

    • Baby DC Attorney

      I got a pair of Naturalizers last year from Piperlime. They have “wide shaft” boot options. (The 13 year old boy in me laughed pretty hard at that when I saw the description on the website last year, but I have to admit that they’re very comfortable boots).

    • Anonymous

      Enzo Anglioni. Also, if you order off of endless or nordstrom or a lot of retailers, they have calf measurements before you buy.

    • MissJackson

      People here have been commenting about Duo boots recently, which come in custome calf sizes. No personal experience, but the reviews seem to be positive.

      I have 16 inch calves, too, so I feel your pain. I’m in the market for boots, too, and am looking at Duo, J.Crew, Naturalizer. I’d vastly prefer to try on before buying because in addition to large calves, I also need a slightly wide toe-box thanks to my bunionettes. I might just order some and see how it goes, though.

  18. SoCal. Esq.

    Sorry for the duplicate post. Not sure the first one actually posted. So here it is again. The most I’ve ever spent on a handbag is easily under $100. I’ve an itch to get my first designer handbag, though. Unfortunately, I haven’t a clue what to get. I had my eye on Marc Jacobs’ Cecilia, but my admiration for it dwindled when a friend commented that there are knock offs a plenty (but isn’t that true for most desirable bags anyway? Would you be deterred?). If you could only pick one designer handbag and had around $1K to spend, what would you buy? Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

    • Anonymous

      I don’t know how popular of an opinion this will be, but I splurged on a Longchamp bag last year and I think I love it. I’ll probably get another one this winter (they have sales twice a year, which is how I managed the first one…)

      A lot of people think they only do the pliage bags but they do some amazing and really gorgeous leather bags. They are durable, beautiful, and so classy looking without screaming “look at my designer handbag!!!!” (although no judgement if you want everyone to look at your designer handbag…)

      For under $1K:

      http://www.longchamp.com/en/handbag-cosmos-4947247-2-600612.htmll

      http://www.magnums.net/prod/1840714

      http://www.magnums.net/prod/1269709

    • spacegeek

      My choices are not so much the IT designer of the year, but rather some classic designers that I like. Ferragamo is one I’ve been coveting for a long time. Judith Lieber clutches…
      Chloe leathers and (gasp) Valentino. Down a notch–Kooba, Rebecca Minkoff. FWIW, I like Marc Jacobs too.

    • SoHo

      If you like the MJ bag, I wouldn’t be deterred. Another brand to think about is Mulberry, a classic British label (I believe). Their Bayswater is quite versatile and I think around $1k. It’s a perfect size for work. I don’t have one personally, but really like them.

      Also, I’ve been loving all the fall Chloe bags I’ve been seeing (particularly the Marcie and Elsie collections) and if you’re willing to go somewhat higher than $1k, the YSL Muse is another beautiful classic.

      I’ve been researching my first major designer bag purchase, too :) Hope you love whatever you get!

    • zelda

      in that range my dream bag would be: alexander wang, proenza schouler, mulberry, or marc jacobs. maybe a goyard if what i wanted was a tote!

  19. SoCal. Esq.

    OOoouuuu….thanks!! They look as you describe. I’ll definitely be checking out that sale.

    • Ru

      Nice! I think the Whiskey Burnish Calf color would work as a nude shoe for darker skinned ladies.

      • Anonymous

        Agreed. I have similar shoes in that color. I bought them as my brown shoes, but found that they also function as my nude shoes. I’m not even that dark, and could certainly find a much closer match, but these elongated well enough because of the tone that I decided to save the money this summer. I’m certain they’d be a perfect nude for some.

    • Bunkster

      I need a little pick-me-up and would totally have bought these, but they’re out of my size (6.5 – 7) in every single color.

    • MissJackson

      I was absolutely going to step up to the plate and buy them, but they are out of my size in everything except the light grey sulfer color, which I am not sure I would wear :(

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