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Updated: Nov 1, 2018 80 Comments · by

Coffee Break – Perfect Skinny Calf Hair Belt

Coffee Break

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Perfect Skinny Calf Hair BeltI love royal blue, and the calf hair gives it a really interesting texture. I'd wear it on top of a dark blue cardigan with gray slacks and purple pumps. It's $44 at Ann Taylor. Perfect Skinny Calf Hair Belt (L-2)

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Comments

  1. Bonnie

    Love. Love. Love. This will definitely be in my shopping bag at the next sale.

  3. anon

    Sorry, calf hair is just gross to me. Forget how you feel about fur even, who’s for baby killing & skinning?

    • Anonymous

      To each her own… mostly it’s binary for me. Not a lot of gray. I don’t have a problem with meat, fur, or leather.

      BTW, Calf-hair isn’t a one-size-fits-all literal term. It could be any cow hide, with the hair. Also, 99% of modern day camel hair or camel anything has nothing to do with camels, and pony hair is not from Mr. Ed.

      The only things I don’t go for are veal and astakhan/Persian Lamb, even fake… not that I could afford the real thing… but per your question, why would I even want it, even the look of it? I’m not bothered by others digging whatever, though. If it’s legal, enjoy.

    • Herbie

      I personally prefer baby unicorn fur. *So* much softer than weathered old adult unicorn fur. It really is *the* fur this season.

  5. b23

    Have we discussed the Lingerie Football League on here? I mean, there are no words.

      • Barrister in the Bayou

        Its basically a bunch of chicks playing football in their underwear. Its utterly useless.

    • Lyssa

      I’m really no fan of women taking their clothes off for money/attention/whatever, (I often feel like I’m the last person in the world without either a woman’s studies degree or a well-thumped bible who actually finds porn morally objectionable!), but at the same time, I’m finding it a pretty hard thing to get upset about. Men like to look at women with little clothing, and they like football. Men will pay money or attention (which means attention to surrounding advertisers) in order to get to see this. Been that way since time began. Likewise, since time began, there have been women who will, in exchange for money, attention, publicity, security, etc., provide those sorts of services to men that seek it.

      In the grand scheme of things, when you compare it to strip joints, internet porn, teens sexting each other, etc., it just seems pretty mild and harmless to me.

  6. Terry

    Skinny belts or thick belts? I feel that over the last year or so thick belts are giving way to skinny belts. Has this already happened and I’m finally catching up, or am I imagining this trend completely?

    • Anon

      I think its a body type issue if done right. Different belt widths work for different people and trying to force yourself to wear a skinny belt when it doesn’t work for your body isn’t good. Skinny belts have been on trend for awhile. I can’t wear them over dresses/cardigans without looking larger than I am. Oddly, they seem to work as a belt on trousers or skirts for me.

    • Lyssa

      I never feel like I can make either work. My waist is short, so if I wear a thick belt, it takes up the whole thing, but if I wear a skinny belt, I always feel like the fabric is bunching up on the top and bottom, making it look like I’m squishing out fat on either side (even if the belt is loose!) I like the look on other people, though.

      • PE Esq

        haha I’m short waisted too! I can wear a thick belt with a dress or long tunic type top, and depending on the dress i’ll wear the belt more on the rib cage. but i could never get a skinny belt to work with a loose blouse or cardigan!

        • MissJackson

          I’m short waisted, too, but I love skinny belts. I don’t wear them on the outer layer, though. I think that they look really nice underneath a cardigan or jacket (as opposed to on top of a cardigan or jacket – a look that I love on others, but it makes me look like a sausage).

    • Anne-on

      As a currently preggo lady, skinny belts are perfect to give some shape to otherwise slightly too loose tunics/sweaters/etc. I also think they look super cute on sheath dresses.
      Personally – I think this would be a great belt on top of a black sheath dress with a grey or blue cardigan.

  7. mamabear

    Nude hose alert: I have flip-flopped on the subject of nude hose. I wouldn’t wear them, couldn’t wear then, hated them. But there have been so many discussions on the matter on these boards, I decided I needed to give them another try. I think some of you recommended the Donna Karan Nudes, but I balked at the price for something I was sure I’d run immediately. So I asked a colleague what she was wearing, and they were the Nordstrom store brand.

    So I ordered some, gagged at the thought of wearing them for about a week, and finally took the plunge today. They’re not horrible. I got the nude color and there’s no orangey fake suntan cast about it. They are really a very pale beige tone. I bought the control top, so they are staying up, but the control top is not binding. They are called Nordstrom Sheer Control Top Hosiery.

    All in all, not bad. I probably won’t wear them every day, but I might wear them as an alternative to bare legs for when I have external meetings or if I don’t want to wear black tights and it’s cold out.

    • D

      Yep. That’s exactly what I use them for. Plus I work with a lot of older male clients who think that nude hosiery for women is the norm.

    • PE Esq

      I was anti-pantyhose until I tried Hanes Alive (I had to get them for interviews). I think they are $10 regular price at kohls. They are so comfortable, stay in place and feel more like tights than pantyhose. My current pair I’ve worn at least 6 full days/days into nights and haven’t gotten a run. I hand wash them every few wears.

  8. SheWhoBrokeHerLeg

    Loft has the same belt for $29.50. I got the magenta and red patent with a 30% off coupon and have two colors for $40. Totally fun for fall over the same boring black stuff you already wear every week.

  9. anon

    Threadjack regarding neighborly relations. I live in a townhouse/condo with a yard/patio behind my unit. Last week we had a minor storm blow through and it blew my next door neighboor’s patio umbrella from behind her unit onto the area behind mine. Our schedules conflict and I haven’t run into her this past week so I could ask her to move it. I thought that she would have at least come over to get it over the weekend and since I was out of town this weekend I didn’t have a chance to catch up with her. And really she’s a grown woman. Does she need to have someone ask her to pick up her shyt? Sure enough, when I got home this evening her umbrella is still laying behind my unit. At this point, am I w/in my rights to pick up that thing and drag it back over to her place?

    • Ellie

      Within your rights? Why wouldn’t you just do that anyway, to be nice?
      Maybe she doesn’t want to trespass into your patio?

      • Ru

        Ditto, I would never go onto my neighbor’s property without his/her express permission. Maybe you can leave her a note, “Hey Dudette, your umbrella flew into my patio. Feel free to stop by and pick it up whenever.”

      • MelD

        I’m with Ellie and Ru. I can’t imagine going into a neighbor’s property without asking first. It may be that she wants to ask you if she can pick it up, but since you’re never home at the same time, she hasn’t had the chance.

      • Herbie

        Agreed… why wouldn’t you take it back over to her place for her just to be nice?

      • anon

        That’s all well and good for considerate neighbors, but if I hadn’t caught said neighbor trying to place her daughter’s childsize Barbie car behind my place one weekend morning (yes, she was dragging it over to put it under one of my windows and when she saw me looking out of the window w/ a WTF expression on my face she thought better of it) , or come home one evening to find some of her party guests sitting on my patio furniture, then sure. But she appears to not recognize or respect boundries.

        So at this point, I’m kinda fed up with her and don’t feel that I owe it to her to be “nice”. My “passive/agressive” side just wants to call someone to haul it away and if she asks about it, I can look at her all wide eyed and say, “Oh, I just figured that you didn’t want that umbrella anymore.”

        • EAC

          From your original post, I thought there might have been some underlying hostility towards your neighbor, and now you’ve shed a different light on things. Since you’re in a condo, you probably have an HOA board. Contact them about what your options are regarding neighbors leaving things behind your place. In the meantime, just move the umbrella back and see if she gets the hint, but I definitely wouldn’t have it hauled away.

      • Houda

        I think she doesn’t want to go on your property in your absence. I know I wouldn’t. but if you let her know it’s OK to do it, she’d probably feel better going in and getting her umbrella back

    • Maddie Ross

      No need to sit and stew in silence and be all passive-agressive about it. Unless you cannot lift or move it yourself, simply take it back over to her place and leave it on her porch, or if you can’t lift it yourself, leave a note or a voicemail. In my opinion, the best way to shame someone in a situation like this is to do it for them. We had a tree branch fall across the property line in this spring’s storms. I kept meaning to move it but time just slipped away. I felt a bit ol’ shame rattle though when I came home one day to it moved and cut up down by the street. Oops.

    • mamabear

      You know, I got myself all worked up about a dead tree at my neighbor’s house. It was on their property but would clearly fall on my house if it toppled over. And since it was clearly dead, it was inevitable. I kept thinking, what is wrong with those people? Don’t they take care of their property?

      Finally, I ran into my neighbor and asked her when they were going to take care of the tree. “What tree?” she asked. Sincerely. She had never noticed there was a tree there, much less that it was dead.

      I had gotten myself all upset about potentially having to have the tree cut down myself and asking them for costs, or even having to take them to small claims court.

      But of course, this was all in my head. As soon as I let them know I was concerned, they had the dead tree cut down immediately.

      So, anyway, don’t be as ridiculous as I was! Your neighbor might not even notice her umbrella is gone.

      • another anon

        Agreed. This is totally the kind of thing I might not notice for a few days, especially if it had been stormy out and I hadn’t had a reason to go out to my back patio.

      • Anonymous

        lol! I am guilty of stewing at people when they have no idea that I am even mad.

  10. ML

    Hi all, I have a threadjack:

    I am a first year (almost 2nd year) attorney at a large law firm, and have recently begun thinking about my long term career /5 year/10 year plan.

    Up until now, I’ve been pretty content: the work is reasonably enjoyable, the money is fantastic, the people are pretty great, I feel like I’m learning and improving a basic set of skills. But what next? I’m pretty sure that becoming a partner is not for me. It takes an enormous amount of luck, politicking, and years of work and sacrifice and the work I see partners do doesn’t seem that interesting/worth it to me. So, I’m interested in hearing from other corporettes who have been in similar situations: At what point should I be planning to leave? If I’m pretty sure I don’t want to move up to partner, what other kinds of goals should I be setting for myself, to make sure that these are productive years? It seems like other people in my class are either a) gunning for partnership or b) miserable and ready to leave at the first non-profit/clerkship opportunity that presents itself. I don’t relate to either. At the same time, I feel a little bit aimless and while I’m doing well here, I don’t want three years to creep up on me and find that I still have no long term career plan.

    I would love to hear from the rest of you, and apologies for such a vague question. Any and all advice/stories are appreciated. Thanks in advance!

    • SBD

      A couple of years (2-3) seems to be enough to make it look like you’re not flighty, but still in a range to be trainable at another firm or able to change practice areas if you’re so inclined, IMO.

    • MelD

      I think SBD is right that 2-3 years seems to be the ideal time to leave. I don’t necessarily think employers will find you flighty if you leave after 1 year, but in my experience most of the offerings available for people with <2-3 years of experience are not really desirable and are likely to be a downgrade to what you have now.

    • JJ

      I left my original firm after 2.5 years because I had the same realization that you did: I couldn’t make partner there (I didn’t have the required genitalia, unfortunately), and even if I could do it…I didn’t want to be partner there. I was pretty aimless for a few months until my husband gave me some tough love (basically, that I needed to shape up at work or ship out) and I started interviewing at other firms. Not to completely out myself, but my original firm was a larger-sized regional firm in a very large city in flyover country.

      It took about six months, but I found my perfect job. I’m now at a national, very large firm that specializes in the type of work that I love. When I realized that the partners here 1) are male AND female; 2) have actual lives outside of work; 3) genuinely enjoy what they’re doing, I realized that I *did* want to eventually be a partner…I just never wanted to be a partner at my old firm.

      Long story short(er): if you’re looking to move along, now is the time to start looking. You’re at your most marketable as an associate when you’re experienced, yet you’re still cheap enough to bill to the client without necessitating your own book of business. Judging by how long it might take you to actually find a job (depending on your market), it could take 6 months to a year.

    • Herbie

      If you want to leave, I say get out by year 5. I saw lots of people stall out after that because their billable rate is simply too high to make them very attractive. This means you need to start at least thinking/planning now. Assume that your job search will take at least 6 months (You’re a rockstar! Lots of jobs in your market!) and could take up to a year and a half to two years (you’re more middle of the road, not a great job market).

      Most immediately, start updating your resume and keep it up to date. That way, you’ll be ready to pounce on any opportunities that come your way.

      I’m not a fan of wasting people’s time interviewing for a job you are confident you would never want, but do give yourself permission to interview for jobs you’re not 100% excited about at first. You’ll get some practice getting back into the interview game and might come away more excited about a position than you expected. I had some doubts when I initially interviewed for my current position. By interview 2 or 3, I was hooked.

      Experience-wise, even if you realize you aren’t going to stay with your firm long term, milk them for as much experience as you can in the meantime.

      This is all if you’re determined to leave. Are they any other options for you at your current firm? You recognize you don’t want to be a partner there, but do you have to become a partner to stay? Is there an option to become a *gulp* staff attorney? Would that be palatable?

      Given that this is your first law firm, I wouldn’t give up on law firms altogether. You might try somewhere else and see if partnership looks attractive. After all, look at JJ.

  11. Anonymous

    I’m packing for a two-week business trip. Any suggestions as to what to bring to add a bit of luxury and comfort to my hum-drum hotel room?

    • mamabear

      Sometimes when I’m on an extra-long trip, I bring along those little sample size skin care items I get in makeup bonuses and I never use. So when I’m on the trip, I might do a face mask or a scrub or use a new scent – whatever – on a night I don’t have dinner plans.

      I also like to pack my one pair of cashmere socks and a cashmere wrap so that I am warm and comfy in the hotel room.

      And, of course, a good book.

      Have a great trip!

    • SF Bay Associate

      +1 on the cashmere pashmina and socks. If it’s not built into the bedside alarm (call the hotel and ask), an Ipod speaker dock is a nice thing to have. Also nice tea or coffee, whichever is your beverage of choice, because it can be hard to find the good stuff on the road. I agree with mamabear about samples – go to Nordie’s and ask for some samples of luxe products. Also a must-pack for me is a really nice sleep mask. Even if it doesn’t look or feel like home, sounds, smells, and tastes can make it nicer.

      • Erin

        Damn, there are hotels that provide iPod docks? I gotta start traveling in the developed world more often.

        • SF Bay Associate

          The four star Westin-type hotels and above typically have bedside alarms that are also iPod docks, like the iDream or whatever it is. I never seem to program them right to actually be a bedside alarm though – still relying on my smart phone for that. Not sure such things exist at three star and below, but I wouldn’t be shocked if they did – the three star Holiday/Hampton/Hilton Garden Inn and their bretheren always seem to offer a lot of things that the “nicer” hotels don’t offer, like free wifi and an ironing board.

          Also, OP, bring a nice pouf or washcloth, and a hair towel if you use such things. The towels may suck where you’re going, but at least the thing you wash your body with can be nice.

          • MissJackson

            Yes, this is quite common now. I’ve definitely seen the “iHome” alarm clock/docking station combo at 3 star hotels. I can’t remember specifically where, but I was traveling a lot for work earlier in the year and staying at the Hilton Garden Inn-level places, and there were iPod docking stations at several.

    • Erin

      Earplugs and a sleep mask are a must – you may be unaccustomed to the noise from the hall or the lighting outside the room.

      I don’t have TV at home, so I f-ing LOVE lying in a comfy hotel bed with a beer from the minibar watching Real Housewives. Makes my day every time.

      You may also like to bring a relaxing lotion or spray that you can spray on your sheets. Whole Foods has nice ones from a brand called Aura Cacia.

    • Amy H.

      Second (or third?) on the cozy wrap and pairs of socks for the hotel room; favorite teas; and an iPod, with speakers if necessary. I’ve stayed at several Westin and Hyatt hotels that do have the dock built into the bedside alarm clock, but rather than count on that, I’d just call ahead and ask the hotel. If they don’t have it, those little pod speakers are very lightweight — and to me, at least, it makes all the difference to have my own choice of music on in the hotel. (I far prefer background music to background TV.)

      Also, I suggest bringing along one of your own pillowcases. I do this regularly now (if it’s not hotel I’ve stayed at before) because some places have very scratchy sheets, and I like having my favorite, soft, comfy pillowcase touching my face instead.

      Good smells — either a favorite perfume or a tiny travel candle (or both).

      For more ideas, check out Road Warriorette’s blog. It’s great.

    • Tika55

      I’m not sure if this is a suggestion or a question! Has anyone ever thought of bringing a pillow case from home when on a long trip? I just noticed recently, after a string of hotel stays, that I sleep very well on soft sheets and very badly on scratchy sheets – with no correlation to the comfort of the mattress itself. I figure that bringing a whole set of extra sheets would be overkill, but maybe a pillow case?

      • Erin

        I usually bring a lightweight sleeping bag for that exact reason. You can get a small bag that’s rated to 55 degrees or so, stuffs up into a little sack, and weighs about a pound at a store like REI. Mine is silky soft and so much better than itchy sheets.

        • Jas

          Another option would be a silk sleeping bag liner. They’re basically a sleeping bag that’s just a thin layer of silk.

          • Tika55

            Great ideas, ladies! I am going to buy a sleeping bag liner now! Sounds good for hotels, and it can double as a liner for my 30 degree bag!

      • SBD

        LOL, I really did not read this right. I was thinking you could pick up flowers when you got to the city your hotel was in to make the room happy-looking, but didn’t realize you were talking about packing. So much for late night reading comprehension! Sigh.

  12. In-House

    Threadjack: anyone else having MAJOR problems with the Corporette website? It literally freezes my work computer every time I try to read the comments! I’m beside myself….I can’t function without my two-three minute “sanity break” in the middle of my workday-you know, the breather from that big project or the insane client. Corporette comments gave me that much needed break! Must.fix.this.somehow….

    • D

      I’m in the same boat, and unfortunately I cannot download a new browser on my work computer b/c of super strict IT controls. I’ve taken to browsing on my phone when I need a break — not the same, but better than nothing!

      • Kat

        is this a new thing (past 5 days)? or is it always? i’m having my tech guy look at all of the software running on the site on wednesday — a tech audit of sorts — so this is important. thanks!!

        • Cat

          Same problem for me – recent (although it FEELS longer than 5 days!).

          I can read fine on Chrome at home, but not on IE at work, and have no option to download another browser as a work-around (tech admin lock-down).

          A few times, loading at home has been a little slow, where Chrome notified me that a plug-in (maybe Shockwave?) crashed (but then successfully loaded the rest of the page). IE doesn’t seem capable of identifying the issue and getting past it, if that is in fact the problem.

        • Ru

          For me, it’s been the past few months. I upgraded my IE but it’s still not happy. I just wait a while for the site to load. Maybe takes around a minute or so, each time.

        • SF Girl

          Kat, if you are still checking this thread…

          I think it’s an IE issue. When I use Firefox, Chrome or Safari, no problems at all. When I use IE, updated or dinosaur version, I get a slow load, a half load, or a weird load. Just depends on the day.

        • AT

          No problems at home on my Mac, but at work we use IE-7 and aren’t allowed to update to 8 or download any other browser, and Corporette has been freezing IE requiring me to use task manager to force quit for at least the past 10 days. Before that it was often slow, and occasionally bogged it down, but now it’s every single time.

          • In-House

            Mine is recent. Last 5 days. Before then, I might have an instance or two where the page loaded slowly, but now I am in the same boat as AT: the website (comments section) freezes every single time and requires a forced shut down via Task Manager.

  13. anony

    Interview attire advice will be appreciated… I have a faculty meeting tomorrow morning and right after that a meeting with the head of another department. The issue is possible change from adjunct to tenure track because the hours they need me for surpass what the higher education board allows (which limits my income at this point) but she sounded upbeat and welcoming the discussion and accommodated right away. Attire possibilities: a very good looking grey pant suit with a cream silk shell under it and grey swede shoes ; a grey sweater dress with argyle pattern with a black jacket over it and same shoes; A navy tailored dress with high neck and a navy blue or black jacket over it, same shoes or black ones. i understand from a recent post it is better to err on the more formal side but your advice will help me feel better prepared.

  14. Houda

    Yesterday, I had the most gratifying day at work in months.
    I feel as though my constant efforts to improve my life are finally starting to pay out at a time where I was questioning my professional and life competencies.
    Today, I will have a full day at the field so I can grin while remembering all the results I got yesterday.
    Just wanted to share

  15. Ramblewood

    I haven’t posted on here for a while, but I’ve been “lurking” almost every day! Just wanted to say thank you to the ladies on here for being so honest yet supportive of one another. I have been going through a hard time lately, not at work but at home. We’re trying to conceive, but we miscarried a few weeks ago. I was so darn excited, as the end of the first trimester was quickly approaching and we were getting ready to tell everyone. And then we found out that the baby’s heartbeat had stopped, and just like that, everything came to a stop. I felt so deflated. I have been successful my entire life, and I failed at something that seemed so natural and was so very important to me. We are going to start trying again soon — next week. I am sure it’ll all work out in the end, but emotionally it’s been so painful thus far. Just needed to share and was wondering if anyone else was feeling similarly.

    • JJ

      I’m so sorry for your loss. I’ve been there, in that exact situation. Deflated is the perfect word to describe how you feel. Mourn your loss as long as you feel necessary – there is no “appropriate” amount of time for you to start feeling better. For me, even though it was months afterward, I was very emotional when the original due date rolled around. I felt the exact same way as you, too: I’ve been successful at pretty much everything in life so far (granted, almost all of it was through hard work), so why was my body failing me when it was so important?

      You’re not alone. And if it makes you feel any better – after my miscarriage (which occurred after we saw two healthy ultrasounds, so when every tells you “Oh, the chances of miscarriage are so rare!”), I eventually ended up getting pregnant. I’m 22 weeks now and just this morning had a healthy ultrasound. Don’t lose hope.

    • Still Trying

      Hugs to you. It must be tough grieving in silence. Do something nice for yourself.

  16. anony

    It is sad. There is a lot of on-line support if you find sharing with people you know to be too difficult. While it is wonderful you share the experience it is something that you experienced in a way only you know. Try to pamper yourself with something that will make you feel even a little better.

  17. Ramblewood

    Thank you ladies. I appreciate your responses. I did go to the spa with my step-mom and have been enjoying some of my favorite activities again. JJ, I’m especially delighted to hear that you are in your 22nd week. That’s very encouraging. I will be sending positive thoughts and prayers in your direction. Grieving in silence is a very tough, but I promise not to lose hope.

  18. Susan

    Good luck!

    There may be all sorts of reasons why one wouldn’t want to let others know about a miscarriage, but I can only imagine that grieving in silence must be like an enormous, painful weight on one’s soul.

    Maybe one day, you can book yourself a trip to Japan– there are a number of shrines and temples there where women can place sticks of incense in remembrance of the children that were not carried to term for whatever reasons (accidental or otherwise.)

    There’s an open recognition that there will be a number of miscarriages, and such, and it was good to see that there was an outlet for the grief associated with these events, especially in a culture that has a history of understatement and polite diplomacy in language.

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