Coffee Break: Isolde Sweatpants

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If you're looking to elevate your loungewear game, Shopbop has a ton of fancy shmancy loungewear, including coordinated sets and more.

I'm a fan of these joyful, witty sweater pants from Olivia Rubin… yes, they're $200, but the blue, purple, and gray stripes would bring me so much joy, not to mention warmth — they're an acrylic/nylon/wool blend.

The directions note “dry clean,” but as we've noted before, you can generally wash any clothing unless it says “dry clean only.”

Psst: These were some of the top loungewear items readers loved in 2020

Above: navy cardigan (can work with some work outfits also!) / black t-shirt (also great under suits!) / banded bralette (top) / smooth bralette / soft pocket leggings

Sales of note for 2/7/25:

  • Nordstrom – Winter Sale, up to 60% off! 7850 new markdowns for women
  • Ann Taylor – Extra 25% off your $175+ purchase — and $30 of full-price pants and denim
  • Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything + extra 15% off
  • Boden – 15% off new season styles
  • Eloquii – 60% off 100s of styles
  • J.Crew – Extra 50% off all sale styles
  • J.Crew Factory – 40% off everything including new arrivals + extra 20% off $125+
  • Rothy's – Final Few: Up to 40% off last-chance styles
  • Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
  • Talbots – 40% off one item + free shipping on $150+

Sales of note for 2/7/25:

  • Nordstrom – Winter Sale, up to 60% off! 7850 new markdowns for women
  • Ann Taylor – Extra 25% off your $175+ purchase — and $30 of full-price pants and denim
  • Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything + extra 15% off
  • Boden – 15% off new season styles
  • Eloquii – 60% off 100s of styles
  • J.Crew – Extra 50% off all sale styles
  • J.Crew Factory – 40% off everything including new arrivals + extra 20% off $125+
  • Rothy's – Final Few: Up to 40% off last-chance styles
  • Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
  • Talbots – 40% off one item + free shipping on $150+

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

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

154 Comments

  1. This blog has become a complete joke. $200 for the ugliest sweatpants I’ve ever seen (and that recommend you DRY CLEAN sweatpants).

    1. I don’t mind the look, but the price and materials? Ouch. No way, that is not a thing.

    2. If I’m spending $200 on sweatpants they are going to come from Naadam and be made of cashmere!

      1. Back last March, I rented a pair of wool/ polyamide blend sweat pants from Rent The Runway (finishing out my subscription before I put it on hold because a clothing subscription wasn’t really what I needed when I wasn’t leaving the house.) Anyhow, they were $200 to buy (retailed for $400), and I loved them, but couldn’t see spending that much money on a pair of sweatpants, so I returned them. And I still regret not buying them. The cost per wear of them in the past ten months would probably have made them quite a bargain.

      1. I like them. There is a 0% chance I would ever buy them because I mostly buy clothes from thrift stores and spend less than $200 in a year on casual clothes though.

        1. So out of genuine curiosity, why do you read this fashion blog, No Face? I don’t generally read blogs relating to areas that aren’t of interest to me.

          1. I read here as a zero waster (so I only thrift clothes too) and it’s because I want to connect with other professional women and unfortunately there isn’t a hyper specific community of ethical professional women. So here I am commenting on posts for clothing I will literally never buy.

          2. Also, it’s funny to call what happens here “reading a blog.” The posts are just ads, there’s rarely any commentary and it’s obviously not the main attraction of this place.

          3. I stumbled on this website in law school (so, so long ago). People in my family primarily wear uniforms to work; I did not know a single lawyer before law school. Learning the difference between what professional women wear in real life vs TV/film was incredibly helpful. Now, most of my closest female friends stay at home or work less demanding jobs. Having a group of professional women, especially women who don’t actually know me or work with me, is a great resource.

            Plus, to be blunt, as a Black professional, I need to know what white people think. A million years ago, there was a discussion on this site where a ton of white woman said that curly hair was unprofessional. Obviously that is ridiculous, but very useful for me to know that some white people think that way.

          4. There’s always someone who jumps in with “this is a fashion blog!!!1” when obviously 95% of the comments have nothing to do with fashion.

          5. There is some really good advice in the comment section.

            Some of y’all have been to therapy, and it shows!

          6. FWIW, I stumbled on here by googling how to dress for job interview or something similar. I stayed for the comment section.

  2. I posted on the earlier thread about my DH who was trying to figure out how to handle a situation with someone he is managing who is going through a bad divorce with other complicating factors. This morning this colleague told DH that he was suicidal (DH spoke to the appropriate channels, got this person to a safe place etc.), but the reason I am posting again – is I want you to know that this will not destroy your career. DH told me he cares for this colleague, hopes he can get to a good place where he can resume being an important part of the team. Obviously this is not going to happen overnight, but please know that people care and you can and will still have a great career

  3. One of my favorite WFH looks lately is gap sweatpants (joggers, with a side stripe), cashmere turtleneck sweater and a longer necklace. I feel like I’m in a jcrew catalog in the best way possible, while looking totally appropriate for work zooms and being cozy.

    1. I wear Zella joggers for WFH every single day. I guess they’re technically “athleisure” but I love how comfy they are.

    2. My favorite WFH outfit is very similar–Vuori joggers, preferably my pair from last year with the side stripe, and a turtleneck sweater. I feel very cool pairing athleisure with real clothes.

      1. Do you have a favorite place for turtleneck/mockneck sweaters? I just bought one from Alo Yoga and it is… not good on me.

        1. If it’s still available, the Mock Neck Sweater (not the cropped mock neck, not the stitched mock neck…wow AT has a lot of mock neck sweaters..) from Ann Taylor is awesome. It’s nothing fancy, but looks a lot more lux than the price (or the material) would suggest. The ivory is really a warm cream and is really pretty, and the teal is closer to a hunter green. Very soft, flattering boat/mock neck, ribbed hem and cuffs. Its been my go to work top (partly because I bought three of them!).

    3. I wear zella leggings, the free people ottoman sweater, and birdies slipper flats almost every day. I feel very audrey hepburn in it, and I look fine on zoom. It’s cozy and it’s professional enough, and I can open the door to get the paper. I also like the Naadam cashmre crop cable knit turtleneck, and a few other basic j crew cashmere sweaters. I am not looking forward to wearing hard pants again!

    4. I was just thinking the other day how strange it is to think “jeans day” used to be so comfy whereas now I can’t remember the last time I wore pants that didn’t have a drawstring.

      Although I may need a wardrobe intervention soon. I wore a super soft blue velour tracksuit yesterday. I may have gone overboard on the coziness. I came down the steps for dinner, and my husband asked if I wanted a cookie….C is for Cookie. LOL!

    5. I’ve seen the phrase “looking like a jcrew catalog” used on this website multiple times – what does it actually mean? I’m not from the US, though I know what a J. Crew is. Still, it seems that I am missing some important background information to understand the expression :)

  4. Has anyone sent a kid to camp with Ruby Love (or other) period swimwear? Kiddo went to outdoor nature camp last summer, but now has had her period. She manages well and is not keen on tampons. She sat out swimming last summer and we got some of the Ruby Love swim bottoms, but never had a chance to use them once they came. If a kid is away for 5 days with water activities daily, would you send 5 bottoms? Try to show the kid how to deal with cleaning in a sink in a shared cabin bathroom (I am iffy on this — it is a biohazard and something I can see parents / other kids / counselors frowning on)? Send an wet bag? Wet items are generally dried (or “dried”) on a shared clothesline, so I am not sure how bad the dripping would be with something meant to absorb (or if it would truly dry)? She is ahead of her peers a bit in this department, so asking the cosmos as I feel like I have no one else.

    1. I would try again with tampons before period swimwear, but that’s just me – my DD got her period last year and during the winter and spring she wore pads but a couple months before she went to camp I taught her how to use tampons and got her a variety pack so that she could practice before going to camp.

      1. Yes. Do you know what it is she is “not keen” about? And can you work on addressing that? Life will be so much easier.

    2. Honestly if she’s mature enough I think you could encourage her to try tampons. They’re going to make her life so much easier in so many respects (maybe other girls at camp could help inspire her as well). But enough swimsuits for every day plus a wet bag sounds like the easiest solution.

    3. Really sad your daughter sat out swimming last time. Such a shame. I would instruct her to wash out the bottoms in the shower (as long as it’s a private stall) if she really won’t use tampons. It’s no more a “biohazard” than taking a shower while she has her period.

      1. I think this technique is best if tampons still don’t work for your daughter. (Next summer is a long way away!)

        1. Yes — I did just register for them to top of mind. It may be the only weeks since last summer when I have had child care as our schools have stayed closed.

      2. Yes, it is sad when parents tell their daughters it’s okay to sit on the sidelines instead of dealing with normal bodily functions and participating in life.

      3. This depends on how long your daughter has to shower too. My summer camp was like 30 seconds. We wet our hair in the sink and basically rinsed off in the shower.

    4. They probably aren’t there in the off-season, but I imagine the camp has a nurse and this is not the first time they’ve dealt with campers and periods. If you get closer to camp this year and this is still a question, reach out to them. I’m sure the counselors are also prepped on how to handle this with campers (as well as probably having personal experience).

    5. I did not know that period swimwear was a thing. I’m trying to imagine how this works in any socially acceptable way and (considering what I know of swim diapers) completely failing. Can someone explain?

      But I agree that she should try tampons again. As best I recall that age, the whole period concept was really freaky and weird for a while, but by summer, she may be a lot more used to the idea and more ready to deal with the foreign objects that accompany dealing with it. Also, man, periods suck.

      1. The day I learned what periods were, I wished I were a boy. They’re SO hard for girls to deal with, at least for the first few years. At least women everywhere have this in common so we can commiserate. I’ve had conversations with total strangers after being asked for tampons and I’m kind of glad for the solidarity.

        1. I had to ask a strange woman for a tampon at a theme park once, bless her for helping me.

          1. This is part of the sisterhood. I will always give you a tampon if you ask, and try to make it a little easier for you too if I can. Discreetly. This rule has extended in my life to: strangers, bosses, and once, my opposing counsel in a highly-fought trial. And every time I’ve asked for one, too, a sister has produced.

          2. +1 that it’s part of the sisterhood. I keep tampons in my guest bathroom, even though with my IUD, I haven’t had a period for years.

          3. +1
            I always try to keep a spare tampon and pantiliner in the side pocket of my purse, even though I take the pill continuously and do not get a period. We have to help each other out as much as we can!

        2. Kid 1 got her period and kid 2 is wishing she were a boy (solely for this reason). I wish I could just put them on the BCP to turn off the bleeding, but I think I’d get the side-eye for that (from grownups; kiddo would be on board as her cramps have gotten bad and kids can’t have their own advil these days; kid 2 is just not having it).

          And the boys who are Kid 1’s age are still little boys. Girls are dealing with hormonal acne, body hair in places they don’t want it, periods, etc. It is really a rotten time.

          1. Please oh please do not even joke about subjecting your daughter to artificial hormones just for the sake of convenience! The very last thing a young teen needs to deal with on top of all the normal changes is weight gain and mood issues from BC.

          2. It’s so, so weird that you keep coming back to that. If it wasn’t you before, then it’s weird that there are multiple posters who want to secretly put their daughters on birth control pills for no good reason. Just….stop.

          3. Honestly, I am on OC pills and routinely skip the bleeding week. It is the best thing ever. The weight gain, ahem, is not though. If I didn’t need to be on them, I’d prefer to be off them entirely (but the no period thing is amazing).

          4. I think your daughters would have an easier time if you relaxed a little yourself and expressed confidence that they could manage things on their own. With my daughter, I found the best approach was, “Yeah, it seems weird at first but you will figure it out. Everyone does. Here is a bag full of options (or here we are at the store, pick what interests you). Try it and see what you like. I will talk about it with you or not, whatever you need.” My usually squeamish kid figured it out just fine. She didn’t make the choices I made at her age, but she was happy with it.

            You also need to make them clean up their own messes (rinse out and treat stains, etc.). This will motivate them to get things figured out quickly.

          5. Huh? Where did she say it would have to be in secret? I’ve been on BC from a fairly young age for other health issues and the way it made my period manageable and not a big deal has just been amazing

          6. I highly recommend going on BC as a teen — it took my periods from being wildly unpredictable,heavy, and painful to being manageable and fine, minimal mood swings, and only light cramps.

      2. They look like regular swimsuits! And there’s absorbent underwear and athletic clothing that look perfectly normal. Really wish that existed when I was a teen.

        1. But, doesn’t it run and leak out when you get wet? That’s what’s got me baffled. I guess it would work if you’re just spotting, but for true flow, I don’t get it.

          1. I haven’t tried them, but haven’t swim diapers existed for 30 years? Engineering has come far.

          2. Swim diapers are different. They don’t absorb anything, they just keep the p00p from floating away in the pool.

          3. Swim diapers do let liquids flow through! That’s why this is weird to me.

            It’s only urine, which is sterile and not obvious in water, so we just accept it. But blood (at least, moderate flow) would be a different matter.

      3. I never found tampons comfortable, and I swam with a maxi pad in my swimsuit a lot. I taught swimming classes and was on a junior high swim team. They actually stay in place and aren’t noticeable. It’s a reasonable option if she really doesn’t like tampons.

    6. I struggled with tampons a lot for many years. (It didn’t help that I had the terrible cardboard applicator ones.) Some women and girls are just narrow. If she has a retroverted uterus, all of the standard tampon insertion techniques can make things worse, not better. Alternately, an unusually thick hymen can cause problems with tampons.

      1. Yeah … I had the hymen issue. I will spare you all my traumatic story, but trouble using tampons should’ve been a giant clue.

    7. Start gently encouraging tampon use now so she will be used to them by summer. I would have her wear them with the period swimwear. Bleeding at that age is so unpredictable and a leaking tampon has the potential to be embarrassment-city, especially if she is likely the only girl there with her period (ask me how I know). It would also all but eliminate the washing/hanging to dry issue. At the very least, make sure her regular bathing suit bottoms are black.

      1. Another thing you should remind her, if you go this route, is to tuck in the string so it doesn’t poke out of her swim bottoms.

        1. I learned to do flips/somersaults in the pool for the express purpose of peeking to see if my string had floated out somehow. We adapt!

    8. That sounds like a great option if she can rinse them out (if needed) in the shower. FWIW, I was on the swim team when I got my period, and I’m pretty sure I just wore nothing for the first year or so (after an unfortunate incident when I tried wearing a pad and it swelled up inside my suit). My periods were pretty light back then and no one ever noticed. Gross, yes, but we all peed and blew our noses in the pool all the time, so tolerance was high. And as a former summer camp counselor, I would say this ranks low on the biohazard depth chart – remember boys go to camp too. They spend a lot of time having peeing contests and such.

    9. A couple thoughts:

      1) I would try the bottoms in the bath next time she has her period. Then you and she can see how well they work.

      2) I would send 5 bottoms if I could afford it. Just so much easier. I would send a wet bag or a ziplock bag and just deal with it when she gets home. If she wrings them out after she swims, then they won’t be too wet and they can be stuffed in the wet bag with an old towel or something.

      1. If these sit, wet and used, in a ziplock bag for days . . . They will likely end up discarded. These are not natural fibers, and the synthetic fibers are likely to hold a whole lotta stank. I don’t think Hex could overcome this.

        1. I am literally gagging at this suggestion to wait until she gets home to deal with it. The smell would be … something horrific. Cabin mates are quite likely to notice THAT more than other period products, I’d think.

          1. There is also the issue of wild animals. Think how embarrassing it would be to come back to your cabin to find that a raccoon had ripped into the ziploc bag and strewn the used swim bottoms all over the cabin.

          2. Something died in my crawl space and a big percent of the smell is something about the rotting of blood. In the summer, this would be . . . very ripe possibly if not washed out (could do in shower?) well and then squeezing the water out. Better try at home a bit first. Maybe tampons will be less annoying (but not a bad option to have if black in case there are leaks or surprises).

    10. I would try tampons again after she’s been through more cycles (plus the period swim bottoms).

      I was uncomfortable with them as a 12-13yo but as a high school freshman who wanted to go to the water park with her friends, found the motivation to use them comfortably.

    11. I would not have her take 5 pairs of bottoms and stuff them into a wet bag unless you are prepared to throw away 5 pairs of mildewed swim bottoms when she comes home. A wet bag is for short-term use, like on the way home from the pool, not for multi-day storage of damp items.

      I would send her with one or two pairs of the Ruby Love bottoms and a box of tampons just in case she suddenly decides she’d rather go that way. Being away at camp can inspire girls that age to try new things in the personal hygiene and grooming department. I would also have her use and wash out the Ruby Love bottoms at home before she goes to camp. If she hasn’t practiced washing out the swimsuit beforehand, she may be intimidated and just decide to sit out swimming rather than mess with it.

    12. A big part of camp is learning independence. If your daughter is incapable of rinsing out her own swimsuit or wearing a tampon, she is not developmentally ready for sleepaway camp.

      1. Yeah, I actually have to agree with this. You can provide the basic know-how of using tampons, but you shouldn’t be helping her figure out how to wash things.

        1. This seems like the perfect chance to learn, though? Kids don’t magically know how to do this stuff until a) they’re taught; and b) often, when necessity demands it. My mom didn’t teach me ANYTHING about dealing with periods, including the cleanup. I really wish she had!

          1. That’s the point. OP should teach her kid to use tampons or rinse out her swimsuit, and then expect her to do it. If OP doesn’t want to force her kid to learn (which is what she should do), then she should not send her kid to camp.

      2. What? I went to sleepaway camp at 7. I am not saying kids should be coddled, but sleepaway camp is not exclusively for fully matured people. As you said, it was part of how I gained independence (though I was forced to be so at home starting early anyway). Periods are complicated at the start and OP is asking about how to deal with basically a reusable pad. At 47, I am not sure I’d be keen on dealing with that in communal living where there is probably no private sink.

        1. Seriously. Some camps start at 7 or 8. My 8 year old son can rinse things out, but he sucks at it and he isn’t going to get better without some instruction. You have to teach kids how to do EVERYTHING from blowing their nose to washing their hair. And for god’s sake no girl should be pushed to use tampons before she is ready or told she can’t go swimming (or to camp) until then!

        2. Yeah, my impression of period underwear is that it’s for lighter days or for backup, in case of leakage. I personally would not want to deal with the cleanup required to use these as the main source of protection, either, nor figure out the cleanup situation at camp. However, I also am a failed diva cup user, so ymmv. I do wish my mom had encouraged tampon use when I was younger. I figured it out on my own out of necessity, eventually, but I think life would’ve been much easier had I learned within that first year of starting my period. So much to think about as I’m raising my daughter. I want ALL of this to be easier for her!

      3. Yes. She should be rinsing out her swimsuit anyway, even if it’s a normal swimsuit and she doesn’t have her period.

    13. My 12yo kid got her period on our beach vacation to see my parents. So she pretty much started with tampons and to my surprise, didn’t look back even after I got her a box of pads. She does have those Thinx-tween underwear that she wears sometimes, but she’s pretty much Team Tampon. The ones in the store now are really pretty slender and and nearly all have plastic applicators – they aren’t nearly as hard to insert as they were when I was learning in the early 90s.

      1. When it happened, I was frantically walking around the CVS trying to find the “slender” size I remembered from being a teenager (that my mom wouldn’t buy because they were more expensive lol) and there were none. They are all pretty slender now I guess.

  5. What size bike should I buy?
    I am an adult and would like to bike along with my preschooler, who will be on her own bike. My bike skills are rudimentary – believe it or not I never owned a bike as a child (or ever) but learnt to ride on a cousin’s bike. I can still do it without falling off so I really only need a cheap starter bike and nothing fancy. I am planning to ride it around my quiet neighborhood’s empty pandemic streets. I don’t know how/when to use gears, so I assume I don’t need them.

    I’d like to buy a second hand bike and I see several advertised on nextdoor, but I don’t know what size to get. I am short (5’3″) and want something where I can easily sit, where the seat is not higher than where my bottom would be when I’m standing next to it. Is this a reasonable height requirement? I want to be able to rest my leg on the ground when the bike is stopped, without tipping over.
    When I looked online for my inseam, I see 15-16″ bikes recommended. But what is labelled as 16″ bikes on nextdoor appear to be kids bikes. I’m confused, are they referring to two different measurements? My budget is a couple hundred bucks (which seems doable second hand) but I am willing to pony up more if you wise ladies convince me to. I can afford it, just a question of whether it’s worth it for my situation.

    1. If you want to be able to put your foot flat on the ground, I’d get a 22″ or 24″ bike. That can be more of a junior/teen size but you should be able to find something reasonably adult looking. vs like an 18 ” which is a true kids bike.

    2. No, that’s not reasonable, the seats on adult bikes are higher than that. Generally you should be able to put the ball of your foot on the ground but not your whole foot. Look for women’s bikes that have a step-through frame, easier to get on and off.

    3. Go to a local bike shop and try some out. 5’3″ is small enough that most bikes will be too big. You’ll probably need an XS or 48 to 50 cm (if you’re looking at road bikes). A frame that’s too big can make what should be a fun thing miserable. On the bright side, small framed bikes are always in demand for teens/women, so if you decide cycling isn’t for you, you can always sell it easily.
      What you describe as what you want in being able to sit where the “seat isn’t higher than where your behind would be when you’re sitting on it” is a recipe for knee pain. A local bike shop can get you set up so that you can ride safely and comfortably.
      No matter what bike you buy, get and wear a helmet.
      Don’t go by what you see on Nextdoor. Those are ads made by people who know as much about cycling as you do. They are quite possibly referring to the tire diameter (16″ would be a young child’s bike). What you see online is referring to the top tube of the bike.
      tl;dr – go to a local bike shop.

    4. It’s been a while since I bought a bike (I used to ride a lot, but not recently), so not sure about sizes off the top of my head, but I’m also 5’3″, and just wanted to confirm that you will almost certainly be in the smallest adult size bike and most bikes you find second hand will be uncomfortably too big for you. Getting a bike that fits is really important to enjoying it and not getting injured, so don’t settle for something that doesn’t fit correctly. However, you do want have your leg close to fully extended while pedaling to avoid knee injuries, which means you generally will have to hop off the seat to put your feet on the ground when you stop.

    5. A lot of kids’ bikes (especially cheap ones) are measured by wheel diameter, not height. My 6-year-old, for example, uses a bike with a 16″ wheel, but I have no idea what the actual height of it is. So yes, I’m guessing you’re looking at entirely different types of bike and measurements.

      A bike shop is a good idea, BUT understand you will pay a lot for something that you may or may not be into. My middle school kid is ready for the smallest adult bike, and the bike-shop prices, IMO, were astronomical for something he’s gonna outgrow. As a middle ground, I would go to a local sporting goods store that happens to sell bikes. Bonus points if it will do adjustments and stuff on site. They will sell bikes in a wider variety of price points than your local shops, if yours are anything like mine.

      That, or go to Target and buy a Schwinn or Huffy and call it a day. That’s what I did when I was first getting back into bike riding. Is it an awesome bike? No, it is not. But it is perfectly adequate for tooling around the neighborhood with my kindergartener.

      I agree with the above posters that you really do need to make sure the seat is adjusted to allow your legs to fully extend, or you will end up with hurt knees.

  6. Seafinch, not sure if you’re still reading today, but would love an update from the morning thread :) so curious where you met your husband! Everything you described is so foreign to me – and I lived in Germany for six months.

    1. I updated on the morning thread. Check there! It is kind of a funny story. My brother teases me that I put all the qualities I wanted in a husband into Google and it spit out one option: my husband. Seven foot tall, rugby player, handsome, German Count born of Canadian Fed Justice Dept royalty :) (I am a lawyer who is a 100% a germanophile after going to uni there for two years).
      He does all the diapers, all the night wake ups, all the baths, 90% of child rearing, bakes bread and lets me work out twice a day. So I did alright! I didn’t specify that we met in New Brunswick where he was training and I was working.

  7. Regarding this morning’s conversation on generations. My husband, a late Boomer and a fan of 60’s – 70’s music (even though he was a really little kid in the 60s) has influenced our Gen Z daughter to love the same music he does. So she loves the Beatles and the Who and Sza and Solange equally.

    The two have them have always kind of ganged up on me for my love of the 80s music that I identify so strongly with as a teen. Some of the best times of my college life were dances, and I loved all the 80s dance hits. (I also love disco, but I was really just a child when it was popular.)

    Last night my daughter asked me to help her make an 80s playlist. Small victories, people!! And everything comes back in style.

    I’d love to hear your favorite 80s artists / songs in case I forgot anything.

    (PS there’s a meme of how moms from the 80s dance, I’m sorry to say it is spot on)

      1. How do you even say “Sza”?

        Solange is Beyonce’s sister. The one who slugged Jay Z in an elevator after the . . . Grammies? Or something?

        1. Solange is a hero for the Jay Z thing.

          She has kind of an r&b sound with a few contemporary touches.

      2. I know this reference! They are alternative R&B singers. Solange is Beyonce’s sister.

        1. Thank you, all! Solange sounded slightly more familiar, but I’ll admit that I am really, hopelessly out-of-touch with current musicians. Even if I’ve heard the music, I am so unlikely to know who actually sings it!

          1. I have never heard a Solange song, but know that she is the one who went after Jay-Z in an elevator. [Also had a kid very young IIRC. I sneak some NY Post now and then.]

    1. Oh man. New Wave is my jam.
      New Order
      Culture Club
      Flock of Seagulls
      Men Without Hats
      Thompson Twins
      Psychedelic Furs
      Echo and the Bunnymen
      The Smiths
      The Cure
      Concrete Blonde
      Talking Heads
      Blondie
      REM
      The Church

      I could go on. ;)

      1. Please do!

        I told my daughter that if you really want to experience 80s music, you have to watch the video. Every time I hear one of my favorite songs from then, I picture the video. It was just how we experienced music, watching MTV for hours.

      2. Also:

        XTC
        Elvis Costello
        OMD
        B-52s
        The Replacements
        Big Audio Dynamite
        The Cars
        Tears for Fears
        Talk Talk
        The Police
        Squeeze
        INXS
        Roxy Music
        Simple Minds
        Modern English
        Crowded House (and Split Enz)

        1. Ohhhh I think my favorite song from any of those is I Melt With You by Modern English. I loved loved loved dancing to that song with the slow parts and the fast parts. I still do, but mainly to embarrass my kids.

        2. Digby & Anon need to come over to my place for a record party.

          Haircut 100
          Spandau Ballet. Tony Hadley was my icon of sophistication and class.
          Level 42
          Flesh for Lulu
          Siouxsie & the Banshees

      3. You are my people. I’d add the Clash and Duran Duran. Graduated college in the mid 80s for reference.

    2. These are Artists lists with a smattering of song titles to go with:
      Book of Love – I touch roses
      Mr. Mister –
      Michael Jackson (though that may be 90s)
      Madonna’s mega hits: Like a virgin, Like a prayer, Who’s that girl, Material Girl and on and on
      Howard Jones – What is love, No one is to blame
      Go West – We close our eyes, King of wishful thinking, I’ll get over you
      Prince
      George Michael
      Pet shop boys
      Men at Work

    3. If you have itunes you can search for 80s dance and find compilation albums. You can also search 80s new wave, etc and hone in on particular genres of 80s music – most of which has probably probably done time as the soundtrack for clubs, wedding, prom or other dance centric events. I love this question and I hope you make an awesome playlist!

  8. So I can now get vaccinated through work (work at a University)… but I don’t do much of anything (work from home/order groceries/etc.) and I am at a super-low risk (early 30s, healthy) and won’t be changing my behaviors because husband/kids can’t get vaccinated yet. Any thoughts or pros and cons of getting vaccinated now vs. when it’s available to the general public

    1. I would just get it when it’s offered honestly. If you’re given the choice of when to schedule, I’d probably schedule for a ways out from now, but if it’s “you can get it Friday, take it or leave it,” I would take it.

      1. Take it when it’s offered, I agree. The logistics of this are a nightmare so if there’s a batch at your employer, go ahead and take advantage of it. The idea that it will go to someone more deserving if you opt out is a fantasy.

    2. I would get it now if it is being offered to you and schedule as soon as possible.

    3. I would still do it, for the sake of contributing to herd immunity. It’s better than potentially letting the allocation go bad/unused. (In other words, I wouldn’t assume that you’re “stealing” from your grandparents’ vaccine pool, if that what concerns you.)

      1. Yes that’s correct. Herd immunity is good. It’s an ethical thing to contribute to it in any way you can.

    4. I kind of see getting the vaccine as a civic duty, in that it shouldn’t change much about how you life your life until most people have gotten it, BUT if it’s available through work and there isn’t an issue of healthcare/essential workers having to wait too long because people like you are “jumping the line” (and that’s something we can’t determine for you, you gotta get a feel for that yourself) get it now! Get it done and out of the way. Get it done so that if you do somehow catch COVID despite your precautions, you’re less likely to get seriously ill.

      I’m just not gonna spend my time and energy bawwing about who’s in line ahead of me and whether they “deserve” to get it early or not. I just want everyone vaccinated as soon as possible!

      1. I just got my 2nd dose today. Even as a patient-facing health care provider, I found myself feeling like I didn’t deserve to get it this early due to my risk category and the specifics of my job. So–I understand the hesitation, but push through it. I decided that if I was eligible, I wasn’t going to question that. It’s hard at this moment to feel like “there’s a grand order to things, just follow instructions” but if more people did that re Covid, we’d be better off!

    5. A month ago I would have said you should wait and give priority to those who need it more. At this point, having seen how terrible we are at the logistics of getting shots to people, the number of people refusing it, and looking at the risks of the more contagious strains, I think it’s more important to just get it to people, any people. If you have a chance to get it, take it. We should have done better planning for this, but it’s too late for that now, so just get it and don’t feel guilty.

      1. +1 I also was offered through work, and went through similar logic – I actually got my first dose today! A truly disappointing number of healthcare/essential workers are turning it down (seriously, horrifying, for my organization only like 40% of people have elected to get it so far), so I figured that I might as well contribute to herd immunity.

      2. This is where my thinking’s at right now. If someone offers it to you, take it and let’s be one person closer to herd immunity.

    6. Agreed with the others — just get it. The best thing for everyone is to get this thing administered as smoothly, quickly, and widely as possible. The scheduling and logistics already seem to be a nightmare, I think if you “give up” your spot with the idea they can then find someone who needs it more, that just throws a wrench in the scheduling system and creates extra work for the people on the ground trying to get shots in arms. Maybe the groupings for prioritization aren’t perfect, but I’d just go along and get it when it’s your time and let them move on to the next group asap.

    7. i had the same thoughts and texted two of my best friends immediately who are both health care professionals when i found out i would have this option. it seems so so wrong. in the state where i live they don’t seem to have a separate category for people who work in grocery stores, or drive buses, etc. there are basically healthcare workers, those in nursing homes and those who are at high risk. what they both said to me, which is true, is that me not getting it, will not allow someone else to get it, given the way that the vaccine rollout has worked in this country. kind of like if as a kid you were ever told you should finish your food because kids in Africa don’t have food to eat…you eating/not eating your food, has no bearing on getting food to someone else

    8. This happened to my husband, we debated a bit but then he got it and I think it was the right call. You don’t have the authority to fix the broken prioritization system that put you at the top. You can’t guarantee that if you refuse the shot it will go to someone who needs it more. So just go ahead and get it, and then that’s one appointment slot you don’t need to find when your family is eligible.

      That said, I’m so frustrated by this ridiculous decision by the Feds in the dying days of this incompetent administration to tell the states to throw everything open to anyone under 65. Yes, things were going slowly, but they were just starting up and they were just moving into their next tiers (1B or whatever it is in each state). And now, they just slam it wide open to all these people, and of course the systems are crashing, people who are oldest/highest risk can’t get an appointment, etc. And then fundamentally, there still just aren’t enough shots produced and allocated to the entire country, let alone available in each state for every person over the age of 65. This is going to just be a frustrating wild free for all, basically a total lottery for anyone over 65. All the old people in my life are having terribly difficult experiences trying to register, finding out that all the appointments are booked out till April, etc. If you tell someone they are eligible for something, you should be making it actually available to them. And it’s not available at this scale yet!

      My parents are 73, in poor health, but they were fine that they were not eligible yet in their state as it was only over 75 this week. But at least they could feel confident that when it opened to those over 65 they would be able to make an appointment. Now, they are left feeling like they have to call people all the time so they don’t miss the opportunity, and that they still probably will because they aren’t that tech savvy. I can try to help but there’s only so much I can do from afar. This is an unforced error.

    9. If it’s offered to you legitimately, I see no reason not to get it. Every shot helps in the effort to obtain herd immunity. There’s no need to be a martyr (not saying you are) by not getting it now.

  9. It’s my 15th anniversary tomorrow. Any ideas what I can do to celebrate from home?

    1. We had our 10th anniversary this summer and instead of returning to our honeymoon hotel in Mexico for a week… we were trapped in our backyard with two toddlers. :) I ordered a mini cake from a local bakery that was the same flavors as our wedding cake. We ordered Mexican takeout and ate in the backyard. I bought a fancy bottle of champagne and we dug out the champagne flutes from our reception and used them. In short – tried our best to have some special things at home. Happy anniversary!!

      1. This is all great, and is probably what we’ll do for our upcoming 10y anniversary. Additionally, I want to start a conversation on planning a wonderful trip once it’s safe and come up with some specifics, to create something to look forward to, even if there is no firm date of that in sight.

    2. We just had a big anniversary at home. We bought a bottle of Perrier Jouet, which we like better than Veuve Cliquot, and had elegant finger foods like not-top-shelf caviar on little toasts. We drank the champagne from our wedding flutes, as we always do for anniversaries, and danced in the dining room to “our” song.

    3. Same here. We did a fancy takeout meal, champagne, and my husband brought home a gorgeous flower arrangement that was reminiscent of our wedding flowers.

  10. Does anyone have any favorite salmon recipes? I’m bored with what I’ve got. Ina garden’s panko salmon… salmon with wasabi sauce… a generic salmon with a rub. Thanks in advance!

    1. Chrissy Tiegen has a very easy and tasty salmon recipe – it uses thai chili sauce and mustard.

    2. The green curry salmon at Gimme Some Oven is delicious and out of the ordinary.

    3. Honey soy ginger glaze. There are a bunch of variations on that recipe online. Marinate it for 30 minutes and then it takes about 10 minutes to cook.

    4. Season the salmon filets and then fry them in hot vegetable oil for 7 minutes skin side down, then flip and cook a minute or two flesh side down, then flip again to re-crisp the skin. Serve skin side up to keep the skin from steaming on the plate.

      This is very good with a sauce on the side. I like salsa verde (the fresh herb, caper, anchovy, lemon zest sauce) or pesto made with a mix of fresh herbs. Chives are also really good here.

      This is great with rice or orzo.

    5. I do generic roast salmon with salt, pepper and olive oil, but I just recently discovered making it part of a sushi bowl by eating it on coconut rice, with avocado, cucumber, radishes, and a miso dressing. I feel like the taste of salmon is so strong it’s always going to be just “salmon” to me, so I like to vary what I eat it with.
      Another thing I like is to make salmon cakes from the Dinner Illustrated cookbook – it’s pretty fast and easy, though you do need a food processor..
      I don’t have a link, but this is similar: https://www.tasteloveandnourish.com/crispy-salmon-cakes/

    6. I used to make the salmon cakes from Mark’s Daily Apple somewhat regularly. They’re easy and you can use canned salmon (Wild Planet has great Alaskan canned salmon) so it’s always pantry-ready.

    7. I like to put compound avocado butter on top of a steak or filet. You can prepare the fish however you like it (I usually bake in foil at a low temp — very tender this way — but the frying mentioned above sounds good) and then top with a scoop of softened butter blended with avocado and lemon juice plus, optionally, a dash of hot sauce and a dash of Worcestershire sauce.

    8. Yes, lemon-dill salt rub salmon:

      Ingredients:
      1 lemon
      several sprigs fresh dill, plus more for garnish (or 1 tsp dried dill)
      1 tablespoon kosher salt [Note this is what the recipe says, but I usually just go with a teaspoon or two. Tablespoon is too salty for my tastes].
      1 heaping teaspoon sugar
      pinch cayenne pepper
      4 6-ounce center cut salmon fillets with skin
      vegetable or olive oil

      Steps:
      1. Preheat oven to 300F. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil. Zest half the lemon into a small bowl. Finely chop the dill, about 1 tablespoon in all, and add to the bowl. Stir in the salt, sugar, and cayenne pepper.
      2. Lightly brush the salmon with vegetable oil. Evenly sprinkle the spiced salt over the top (but not the sides) of the fillets and place on the baking sheet, skin side up. Roast until the bottom is glazed, the sides are opaque, and the salmon is just cooked through, about 18 minutes.

    9. Butter the pan (be generous). Pour maple syrup over the salmon and sprinkle a little brown sugar on top. Bake until done.

  11. A fluffy thought to end the day on – someone started a topic on the morning thread with “I am a midlevel litigator” and I read it as “I am a medieval litigator” and haven’t been bale to get the image out of my mind since. I am not a lawyer, but now I picture you all ladies kicking ass thfough your normal day in medieval armor.

    Go medieval litigators :)

    1. I’m a sourcer, and people always tell me “for a second I thought you said sorcerer!”

      And I do make it look like I have magic powers and can conjure kickass candidates out of thin air, but I’m no sorcerer, I’m just really good at my job.

      1. Haha I’m an actuary and you would not believe how many people thought I just said actor. It’s not as good as sorcerer, though.

    2. HAHAHA
      I wonder what renaissance litigators do that is different than medieval litigators.

      In either case, “I am a Medieval Litigator” ought to be an ’80s dance song, per the above.

      1. I am a medieval litigator! She is! Hurrah for the medieval litigator! And it is, it is a glorious thing to be a medieval litigator!

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