This post may contain affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Today we're liking these Maddox Flats from Fossil. For starters, they have a great comfort rating on Zappos (always important!); we also like the buckle detail on the toe. While we like the sand color (pictured), it should be noted that there are a ton of other colors — mostly with a brown buckle. Ladies who primarily wear brown/beige, or have a zillion brown handbags — this one's for you. The shoes are $68 at Zappos. Fossil – Maddox Flat (Sand) – Footwear (L-2)Sales of note for 11.5.24
- Nordstrom – Fall sale, up to 50% off!
- Ann Taylor – Extra 40% off sale
- Banana Republic Factory – 50% off everything + extra 25% off with your GAP Inc. credit card
- Bloomingdales is offering gift cards ($20-$1200) when you spend between $100-$4000+. The promotion ends 11/10, and the gift cards expire 12/24.
- Boden – 10% off new styles with code; free shipping over $75
- Eloquii – Fall clearance event, up to 85% off
- J.Crew – 40% off fall favorites; prices as marked
- J.Crew Factory – Up to 60% off everything + 60% off clearance
- Lo & Sons – Fall Sale, up to 35% off
- M.M.LaFleur – Save 25% sitewide
- Neiman Marcus – New sale, up to 50% off
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – Buy one, get one – 50% off everything!
- White House Black Market – Holiday style event, take 25% off your entire purchase
And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!
Some of our latest threadjacks include:
- What to say to friends and family who threaten to not vote?
- What boots do you expect to wear this fall and winter?
- What beauty treatments do you do on a regular basis to look polished?
- Can I skip the annual family event my workplace holds, even if I'm a manager?
- What small steps can I take today to get myself a little more “together” and not feel so frazzled all of the time?
- The oldest daughter is America's social safety net — change my mind…
- What have you lost your taste for as you've aged?
- Tell me about your favorite adventure travels…
EM
Two months ago I had my in-person interview for my dream job in the federal government. They said they hoped to have an answer at the end of June. The last Friday in the month I emailed the person I interviewed with and asked for an update. He wrote back and said that no decision had been made yet.
I never heard anything, and sent another email last week, and never got a response.
Tomorrow, I am attending a luncheon/networking event where the people I interviewed with could conceivably attend also. If I see them, how should I react? I don’t want to embarrass them, but I don’t want to appear as though I am ignoring them, either.
Does anyone have any advice?
THANKS! -EM
lawDJ
I’d chat them up. Don’t ask about the position, but if they say anything (like it’s still open), express your continued interest. Other than that, I’d just act professional and enthusiastic.
Erin
This. Great advice.
Anonymous
I’ve worked all my life in the fed govt, seen both sides of the hiring process– don’t feel bad about the process– it’s a beast bui,lt for fairness, not efficiency, and has nothing to do with you and very little to do with the interviewers. It is computer programs, KSA keywords, points-scale comparisons, and lots of laws and regs through which your app has to be sorted and fall. Congrats on the interview– that means your app has successfully fallen almost all the way through the process, down to the actual decision-makers, who are impatient themselves through the HR process. They probably want you and are waiting until they are allowed to say so!
MelD
Good luck! I’m in the same situation as you- was told a certain timeframe with the feds and have still heard nothing! I am crossing my fingers for both of us!
ADB_BWG
No advice, per se, on the mingling, but I too work for the federal government and have been involved in hiring decisions. Sometimes funding gets frozen or other HR/management issues hold up the process. We’re supposed to be faster, but we aren’t always achieving that goal. No news sometimes is not bad news.
EM
Thanks! It was my second interview with them, so I had high hopes. I certainly hope their funding wasn’t cut…it’s in a legal department that has had 2 vacancies of the 4-member team in the department for the past year.
It was my dream job! :(
SRS
I don’t know how it works in the US, but for Canadian fed jobs you always get some sort of rejection letter/email if you do not get the position. I agree with the people above who said that timeliness is not a major consideration in the government hiring process and that no news does not necessarily mean bad news.
AIMS
I have a question for those of you who wear a lot of flats. Ever since round toe flats/ballet slippers became a “thing,” I have wanted to buy a cute pair but can never find a pair that works. Some are just plain uncomfortable (like walking barefoot on concrete), others incredibly dowdy, others still that just look odd or have too much room either in the back or on the sides.
I don’t think my feet are all that weird, though they are on the wide side. Most other shoes work fine for me; and I have had plenty of pointy toed or even slightly pointy toed flats in the past. At this point I have, more or less, given up & just wear canvas slip-ons for when I need a comfy commuting pair in in-between weather. But if anyone has any advice on how to find a good pair of flats, please let me know! I love the look but am totally at a loss on how to make it work.
A-n0n-lawyer
I have some Born one from a couple of years ago that are fab! They’re very cute and very comfy. Unfortunately, they’re beat up now so I can’t wear them to work :( I like them because they’re some of the few cute ballet flats I’ve been able to find that aren’t like walking on concrete.
Shayna
Second the Born recommendation! Cute and comfy… and often found on sale at TJ Maxx
ceb
I love the Land’s End ballet flat. Very, very comfortable and well-made. Also super-inexpensive. Just be sure to buy 1/2 size down.
http://www.landsend.com/pp/ClassicBalletShoe~205075_253.html?bcc=y&action=order_more&sku_0=::ADH&CM_MERCH=IDX_00002__0000000182&origin=index
anon23
cute! Thanks for posting.
zee
oh beautiful flat – where have you been all my life!?
jcb
I have had good luck with Stewart W and Chloe round-toe flats. Shoes almost always give me blisters or are too tight across the ball of the foot, and for whatever reason most flats just kill my feet – I’d say it is the lack of arch support but these two brands always seem to work and don’t have discernable arch support. Chloe is kind of pricey, but if you are just buying one pair it’s not so bad. They last forever.
Anonymous Today
I know seemingly everyone has them and you may not want to have the same shoe as everyone else, but I really love my Tory Burch flats. If the Reva flats with the large detail aren’t your style, the Eddie ones are nice, too. They are just really basic flats, but they are so comfortable. She also makes a few other styles with a few more interesting details.
jcb
I love the way my Reva flats look, but the elastic back really tears apart the back of my foot. Do they not bother you?? I’m jealous.
Anonymous Today
I’ve heard that other people have had this problem, but I haven’t. And I’m glad; I love my Reva flats and they’ve held up forever!
cat
I have patent ones and the leather is stiffer everywhere and more uncomfortable, including the elastic. I cut up some remnants of SummerSoles and stuck little strips back there against the elastic while partially stretched – it works for me.
jcb
Mine are patent too, maybe that’s the difference. I’ll try this! Thanks.
Anonymous Today
That is probably the difference! Thanks for mentioning ladies; I am thinking of getting another pair in a different color and now I’m leaning toward avoiding the patent ones.
UnSub
They are so flat that after a while my arches ache. No problem for you, I take it.
AN
I have wide and flat feet (size 9) and bought a pair from Naturalizer. Cannot find them on the website – they were a dusky/ashy pink. They were super comfy after 9 hrs at work (casual Friday). Good luck.
AIMS
Thanks all! I will look into all these brands.
I think my problem is similar to the poster below who complains of looking like she has duck feet in flats — that’s exactly how I feel. But I’ll try the above brands next time I see them & hopefully something will click. If I find the perfect flat, I’ll be sure to post!
jcb
I think flats take a little while to get used to when you usually wear heels. They feel different, they look different from what you are used to. I doubt anyone else is looking at you thinking “hey, that woman has duck feet!” :)
NicMarie29
Attilio Giusti Leombruni ballet flats are amazingly comfortable. They are also on sale at Nordstrom right now.
http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3101241/0~2376778~2372808~6028080~6028544?mediumthumbnail=Y&origin=category&searchtype=&pbo=6028544&P=1
Erin
I have been waiting for the coffee break!
Can you ladies recommend some personal finance books? I am specifically interested in learning how to better manage my retirement account and how to begin investing. I am not looking to buy property at the moment, nor am I looking for advice on student loans or credit cards (I realize most books cover all these topics, but I don’t want them to be the focus of the book). I am 30ish, have great job security, a middle-class salary and am already saving for retirement, but I just don’t really understand finance or investing at all.
I had looked at Personal Finance for Dummies and Investing for Dummies, as well as Suze Orman’s Money Guide for the Young, Fabulous and Broke (the last one I think is a bit too beginner-level for me but maybe I’m wrong).
Thanks!
NYC
Curious to see the responses. I recently got “Smart Couples Finish Rich” and am enjoying it. I think the original one by the author is “Smart Women Finish Rich.” I also picked up “The Bogleheads’ Guide to Investing” based on the glowing reviews on Amazon, but haven’t read it yet.
Erin
I just scrolled through the table of contents of Smart Women Finish Rich on Amazon… I’m pretty sure any book that mentions lattes in the table of contents is a cliched waste of time. Correct me if I’m wrong, though.
v
You mean all our financial problems can’t be solved just by giving up those wasteful lattes? I’m shocked, shocked.
ceb
I read it a while back (when fresh-out of college) when my aunt (a financial advisor by profession) gave it to me. It seems to me that I thought it was good advice at the time, but nothing earth-shattering. More than anything, it was good for taking an honest look at my personal finances. I don’t recall it being particularly useful as a guide for how to invest money, but then again I read it almost 10 years ago when I didn’t have anything to invest.
NYC
I don’t think so. “The latte factor” is also a chapter in the couples version and was very illuminating. It is about being observant about how you spend your money…I think the author was working with a couple who said they didn’t make enough money to save and when he walked them through their daily expenses, found out they were spending $10 a day on lattes and muffins (and more on lunch out, etc). Cutting out the lattes and making coffee at home would save them over $2,500 a year. Not really the point the OP was getting at, but useful to get you to think honestly about how you are spending your money. I think the exercise associated with that chapter is the write down every dollar you spend for a week.
Anonymous Today
I like “Rich Dad, Poor Dad.” It sounds like I’m a few years younger than you and when I recently read it I liked that there is some information in it that I can start to use now and some that I could see being useful in the future. It does have some tips regarding investing in real estate, but it’s not the focus of the book.
Anonymous Today
Oh, and The Intelligent Investor is a great one, too. It was written about 70 years ago (I think, maybe even a little more than 70 years ago), so some of the information has to be adapted a little by the reader, but I’ve found that it’s still relevant.
Anonymous Today
Oh, and, in looking at Amazon, it looks like there might be an updated version out, too! Now I’m thinking about getting that myself.
Little Lurker
I really like the Wall Street Journal’s Complete Personal Finance Book.
(http://www.amazon.com/Journal-Complete-Personal-Guidebook-Guidebooks/dp/030733600X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1280260245&sr=8-1)
My BF’s dad bought it for him; they are a very fiscally conservative, money-sensible family. He’s quite smart (MD/JD) and financially savvy, so I take his recommendation seriously.
I skimmed the book a month ago; most is over my head because I am years and years from considering purchasing my own home, but all the discussion of investments and stocks really clarified a lot for me.
Although I haven’t read it, I bet the The Wall Street Journal Complete Money and Investing Guidebook is good as well.
None of these books mention anything about lattes. ;)
Erin
Thanks! I’ll check it out – didn’t even realize the WSJ published books.
AIMS
I was actually going to say that the best resources are often newspaper online guides, compiling the relevant articles, info, guides, etc.
NYTimes has a section on Retirement – in the Your Money guides.
Wall St Journal has a lot of stuff online in the personal journal section, too.
There was also a great story in the Washington Post last week about what the under-40 need to do to retire comfortably when the time comes. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/16/AR2010071606833.html
Erin
Thanks! I read the financial sections of the paper, but I just don’t really understand some of the fundamentals of investing, like what the different funds are in my 401K, etc. Plus now that I have some extra savings I want to invest more, and am not sure if I should start a Roth IRA or buy stocks, or what. That kind of thing. I’m fortunately not in a place where I’m concerned about whether I can afford lattes (possibly because I do not spend money on things like lattes that I can make myself).
lawDJ
That’s a good book, as is Suze Orman’s the Money Book for the Young, Fabulous and Broke (it helps even if you’re not broke).
In general, I love “All Your Worth” by Elizabeth Warren (who might soon head up the new financial regulation agency). I think it’s a very nuts-and-bolts way to think about saving and retirement, although you’ll likely need other books too to develop a retirement plan for instance.
cda
The Only Investment Guide You’ll Ever Need is quite good and might actually live up to its name (at least to get you started…). http://www.amazon.com/Only-Investment-Guide-Youll-Ever/dp/0156029634
I don’t think it has been updated since the economic crash, but its emphasis on the basics really isn’t going to go out of style. FWIW, I found out about it through a family member who works in Silicon Valley and says this book is what many/most of the young, rich, tech-types there are using to guide their investing.
Shayna
I like this one: http://tinyurl.com/2596wm6
It’s called “Get a Financial Life: Personal Finance In Your Twenties and Thirties” — very good for those of us younger Corporettes who want to get started!
MJ
Second. And I did like Smart Women Finish Rich. The latte chapter was actually really illuminating. It said that if you get enough daily value out of a latte, have one, but then understand the annual cost of that choice, which is good advice.
Res Ipsa
Not a book, but you might also consider making an appointment with a fee-only financial planner (i.e., one that’s selling you their advice, not their financial products). I had one recently help me go through my finances, figure out what I need to do for retirement, and give me some suggestions about what else I might do for my financial goals.
A.
Easily my favorite: I Will Teach You To Be Rich – it’s a fun and easy read and contains great clear, actionable steps (incl. scripts to call your bank/credit card/insurance/etc company with to get your rates lowered/fees knocked off/etc)
http://amzn.to/k8A5O
FEF
I love these in the mustard color. Mustard is quickly becoming my new favorite neutral, especially for casual wear. It looks good with a surprising amount of things in my wardrobe (even many cooler colors like royal blue and fuschia).
jcb
I was just thinking about getting a mustard colored cardigan from Boden. They have some really pretty cashmere ones for fall (with nice necklines), you might want to check them out.
Hildy
On a whim, I bought a mustard-colored cardigan from Boden last fall and find that I wear it all the time. It works with all sorts of unexpected colors like navy and charcoal and has become such a go-to piece that I have to remind myself not to wear it so often :)
jcb
Good to know! Well, it’s almost August – spending hiatus will be over!!
Legally Brunette
I want to report back on my Nordstrom Anniversary Sale purchases, I just got them in the mail. Unfortunately, I’m not happy with either dress. I’m thin but curvy, typical pear shape (small bust, wider hips).
1. Calvin Klein sheath dress
http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3098786/0~2376776~2374327~2374331~6014144?mediumthumbnail=Y&origin=category&searchtype=&pbo=6014144&P=1
I wanted to love this dress but it just made my hips look huge. Very pretty navy color and would probably work well on an hourglass shape, just not on me. The length is great. I’m 5’5 and it hit me right at the knee.
2. Eliza ruched dress
http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3098822/0~2376776~2374327~2374331~6014144?mediumthumbnail=Y&origin=category&searchtype=&pbo=6014144&P=1
This did not make my hips look big (the dress skims past it in fact) but it did not emphasize my waist at all and ends up looking somewhat shapeless. It might look better with a belt. I’m wondering if it would look better if I went down 1 size.
Hope these comments are helpful.
Suze
Oh, thanks Legally Brunette – I was looking at the CK dress myself, glad I didn’t fall for it – I am the same figure type as you, and it would have done the same thing on me.
Oh, well, that’s the deal with on-line shopping, I guess. Sorry you did not wind up with something FAB.
Anonymous Today
Thanks! I’ve been debating about the Calvin Klein dress. I’m pretty much the definition of hour glass, so it sounds like it might work for me. And I’m 5’3″, so I know the length will be fine for work!
Shayna
Calvin Klein is marvelous — BUT – I’ve found several Calvin Klein dresses at my local TJ Maxx and Ross — perhaps some are near you as well?
CTx
Ideeli and some of the other sale sites have CK dress events quite often, too! (In case you can’t find the size/dress you’re looking for at the Anniversary Sale.)
SF Bay Associate
Very helpful, thanks for sharing! My personal shopper appointment is this Saturday, so I will report back on what she finds for my typical pear shape.
Legally Brunette
SF Bay – hey, I went to Nordstrom over the weekend and wasn’t very impressed with the selection. I didn’t buy anything at the store except a suit that I picked up at the pre sale, but I’m not sure if I’m crazy about the jacket.
Maybe I went too late and things were sold out, but that didn’t strike me as the case. Please do report back on the personal shopper experience, I would love to know what she recommends.
MJ
I got the Eliza ruched dress in person at the store in a muted purple. I’m 5’11”, size 12 with slight hips, very long-limbed. It fits amazing. It’s a teensy bit above my knee, but not in a way that’s too scandalous for work. It’s my new “wear anywhere” dress. If I belted and bloused it, I could wear it out too!
NGO doesn't mean No Good Outfits
Love the Antique Gold. Just enough pizazz without blinding anyone who had the misfortune of glancing down at my feet on a sunny day.
E2
These are available on 6pm.com for $47.60 (plus $6.95 shipping) in the coral color only:
http://www.6pm.com/product/7608294/color/2957
E2
And in sand (small sizes only) on Piperlime for $60:
http://piperlime.gap.com/browse/product.do?pid=706692032&tid=plfr1r
E2
Mustard for $50 (lucky sizes) at Dillard:
http://www.dillards.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=301&storeId=301&langId=-1&productId=502116183
K
Boden: can anyone comment on the fit/cut of their pants? Also, does anyone have any of their flat shoes? Comments?
anano
I have some of their flats. Fairly comfy, but not the most comfy flats I own. They are cute though.
E
I am “hippy” as my mother would say, with a generous rear end, and I love boden pants. While some of the jeans had too short a rise for me (leading to truly tragic muffin top) their city pants and other pants fit great. I think they’re good for curvy figures. I love their pants; I have a pair of black cotton canvas ones from over a year ago that still look great with barely any fade.
jcb
Good to know re the pants, I will have to try them out. I have a pair of their flat sandals and love them. Super comfortable, no blisters.
Anon
Can anyone recommend a brand of pantyhose that comes in shorter-but-not-too-slender sizes? I’ve gained some weight lately and find that my usual size is too tight in the waist/thighs, but going up a size makes the legs too long.
dr
I have to suggest (again) shapings.com
Today I’m wearing a pair by Palatino which has an “adjustable” waist band. This means thick or thin, high or low, you set it where you want/need it to be. Nice, sheer hosiery…in the right light and angle, looks like it’s not even there.
I usually wear “Aurora 15” by Filodoro on a daily basis. I find the sizing to be true and lots of options…basically two sizes in each group (S M L ) etc.
The website and B&M store in Toronto (never been, alas) carry a wide variety of brands and all with different sizes and hues/tones. This includes great tights from Eastern European brands.
Happy shopping. (Again, I have no connection with this co. other than being a long time customer.)
Suze
How do you get to look good in flats? I try and think I just look awful. I am 5’9″ and have the feet to match – I feel like I look like a duck or something with all that top foot exposed, and I also just feel ‘incomplete’ without a little bit of a heel. I’ve seen some cute looks – cropped/boyfriend pants, Audrey Hepburn type get-ups – but I can’t really picture that look at work. How do you wear these types of shoes with suit skirts/dresses/work trousers?
Jay
I would like to know the answer to this too. I never wear flats at work because (1) all my wear-to-work pants are hemmed for heels and would be 2-3 inches too long in flats and (2) for skirts/dresses, I don’t like how my legs look in flats. I feel like a high heel de-stumpifies my ankles and makes my calves look better.
Suze
LOL at “de-stumpification”! Exactly. And the thing with all the ‘top foot’ being exposed is a problem not because of ‘top foot’ (that’s exposed all the time in heels) but because when ‘top foot’ is flat (as opposed to angled from a heel) it just looks like a big duck foot. I am anxiously awaiting some input from shoe-savvy corporettes!
Shayna
Yes! Love that word! And the request for help…
Cat
I have a few pairs of pants hemmed for flats length, and prefer pants with a slightly wider leg for the look. Something about having relatively more of the top of the foot covered keeps it looking sleek (I also prefer pants with a crease for this reason – more of the fabric sits “forward”). I imagine it’s because it minimizes the “L” effect otherwise created by pants/flats.
I also like flats with fuller skirts to balance the “flouncy” feel of the extra fabric. Now that I’m thinking about it, probably for the same reason I like wider leg, relatively flowier pants with them — it breaks up the vertical/horizontal lines that the flats would otherwise cause.
I am lucky to have nice calves, though I doubt anyone is judging yours as much as you do!
Suze
Oh, yes, the flats with fuller skirts sounds nice…I can picture it, just not on me (see duck foot issue exhaustively described above :). I have tried the fuller pant leg with flats and somehow (maybe it’s just me), didn’t feel like it looked right. Probably because I’m pretty long waisted (readd: short-legged) for my height. Oh, well…it’s nice to at least get some thoughts. Thanks Cat!
anon23
For me there are just days where I don’t care and want to be comfortable. I wear a nice outfit and my flats. I might not look “as good” as I do in heels, but my feet and ankles are glad that I give them a break every week or so.
AN
I save flats for Friday with a pair of dark wash jeans and an oxford shirt/blouse.
The only flats/super low heels that work on other days with cropped pants etc (Audrey style) are the Vara pumps (1″ heel) from Ferragamo – classic & comfy. They’re my ‘work travel’ shoes.
NGO doesn't mean No Good Outfits
I’m 5’10 with feet to match, and when flats really picked up in popularity 4 or 5 years ago I despised them. I feared the ‘duck feet’ you described above.
However, I can say I am wearing flats right now, today. The key for me was to find the right coverage in my toe/front-of-foot area. Just a tiny amount of toe cleavage makes my foot look lean rather than stumpy, but the coverage prevents it from looking too long.
I’m also really picky about the toe shape (elongated round or very subtle/short point work for me) and the design. I like my flats to have ‘hardware’ on the top that is subtle but breaks up the shoe, like the Maddox flats.
The ones I have on now are Jessica Simpson, in fact my two favourite pairs are J Simpson but aren’t on her website. One pair I’ve had for 3 years now and I have definitely abused them (Scottish winter) but they have stayed strong!
Amy
I thought I would mention eBay as another place to find clothes on a budget. I only buy brands on eBay I have some experience with, after making some mistakes with brands I didn’t know. But there are a lot of great clothes on eBay, and sometimes you can find people selling whole wardrobes (when they lose or gain weight, quit working to stay home, etc.) Some of my better finds in the last couple of years:
– Talbots suit, their Italian wool that looks great and holds up amazingly well, $70 for jacket and pants
– Pendleton wool wardrober (jacket, pants, skirt) in a great camel color for $95 – the seller threw in a free silk sweater shell with the suit
– Jones New York and Tahari wool dresses for under $30 each
– Donna Ricco jersey dresses for $20
– A Lafayette 148 suit that still had the tags on it indicating retail price of $1200 for $50
– All kinds of Marina Rinaldi, which I love but usually have to get altered (I’m at the lowest end of the size range and things usually need to be shortened and/or nipped in, but at 90% off retail price on eBay, paying for alterations usually isn’t a problem).
The “saved search” feature really is helpful because you can put in search terms and get results emailed to you every day, so you don’t have to waste a lot of time combing through search results. There’s a lot of crap out there, but I have found some real gems. Just don’t get caught up in the auction excitement and buy things you don’t need, or that you aren’t sure will work for you, as most sellers don’t allow returns. And definitely don’t buy anything where the seller hasn’t provided good in-focus, close-up and full-length photos of the garment, or if the seller has negative (or almost no) feedback. And always check the garment measurements too – any good clothing seller will provide them, and if the measurements aren’t in the listing, ask for them. A lot of designer things end up in outlets and discount stores because they’re mistakenly sized, and a lot of it then ends up on eBay. Good sellers will say in the listing, this has a size tag of 8 but we think it’s actually a 12, or whatever.
Oh, and if a listing has a “best offer” button on it – use it. I always best-offer if the choice is there and I’ve made some good deals even better – I’d say the average discount I get with “best offer” is about 30 percent.
75
These flats are cute, tailored, and different. I would wear them most anywhere.