Wednesday’s Workwear Report: Cotton-Silk Flare-Sleeve Cardigan
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Our daily workwear reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices.
This flare-sleeve cardigan from Banana Republic is probably going to become the most-worn sweater in my rotation. It’s a little bit more heavyweight than some of the other cardigans in my collection, so I’m planning to keep it in my office until the air conditioning turns off in a few months.
I already own the black, so now I’m deciding whether I need to add the ivory and navy blue to my collection, as well.
The sweater is $140 at Banana Republic and comes in sizes XXS-XL (with XXL sold out, unfortunately).
For a lower price, check out this White House Black Market cardigan, on sale for $47.99 (in black or beige).
Sales of note for 6/12/25:
- Nordstrom – Beauty deals up to 25% off + designer clearance up to 60% off
- Nordstrom Rack – Refurbished Dyson hairdryers down to $199-$240 (instead of $400+)
- Ann Taylor – 30% off pants + skirts + extra 40% off sale
- Banana Republic Factory – 40-60% off everything + extra 20% off
- Boden – 15% off new womenswear styles
- Eloquii – 50-60% select styles + extra 45% off all sale
- J.Crew – Easy summer styles $39.50+ + extra 50% sale styles
- J.Crew Factory – Extra 20% off 3+ styles + up to 60% off everything + extra 50% off clearance
- M.M.LaFleur – 30% summer essentials with code + try code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off
- Rothy's – Up to 50% off last-chance styles
- Spanx – Free shipping on everything
- Talbots – Semi-Annual Red Door Sale: Extra 60% off 3+ markdowns, 50% off 2, 40% off 1 + 30% off select travel must-haves
oh I remember this trend from the 2000’s. Cute in the dressing room, not so cute when you’re reaching for your drink and your sleeve drags in your food! (Process of turning into mother – “so impractical!” – well underway.)
Can’t handle a sleeve like this. I’m a compulsive roll up my sleeves person anyway.
I won’t buy any top that doesn’t allow me to push the sleeves up.
The sleeve issue is front of mind for me, also. I looked and liked the look, love the fabric, and then immediately, “No thanks, not doing the sloppy sleeve ever again.”
I love the look but it’s so impractical. Teenage me made that mistake, 30 year old me is wiser.
Is it just me or do these sleeves always seem to run super long too? I have short arms so it could me a me thing. But bell sleeves seem to be particularly unmanageable.
There are like 20million sweaters with this shape right now. I would just take it off to eat.
And all of them in beige, navy, or black. Yawn.
I was just gonna say – this is a sittin’ cardigan, as my friend E says about certain shoes.
Don’t try to cook or wash dishes in it. Ask me how I know.
Just like some of my pants are “standing pants.” :)
I really like cotton-silk blends but they’re hard to find!
Sorry, just no. And the styling above would work on 0.0001 percent of population.
And a disaster if you drive stick!
Please send good vibes. My practice’s most stressful “thing” (like a jury trial for most litigators) starts tonight. I’m underslept and have 9 hours to get everyone calm and ready including myself. I am going to workout with my trainer before my client wakes up. Lots of long days and late nights ahead for the next 7-10 days. I have been through 2 before so have an idea but am still nervous!
Good luck! Sounds like you have things under control :)
Sending all the good vibes! I’m the poster below who is waiting to hear about the job. Perhaps we swap good vibes!
You’re going to crush it!
Good luck!
Kat, this says 50% off AT dresses – does that start tomorrow? I can’t find that sale!
I think the sales were last updated 6/4. In fairness most of them don’t change very often.
Ah, got it, I did not see that note. Am guessing it ended over the weekend maybe. Thanks!
I have a little station with french press, coffee grinder etc on one end of my marble counter top. Sometimes a little coffee or water spills. I’ve been keeping a folded dish cloth there to absorb anything that drops and protect the countertop, but its not the most elegant looking solution. What would be – maybe some type of mat?
A nice tray?
What about a placemat or a cork tray?
We like to use trays for this. You can get really pretty ones from society 6 or like crate & barrel.
Love these society 6 ones!
The area is also pretty small, around 10/11″ x 8″
Look at trays designed as bathroom accessories and you’ll find a lot in that general size range.
+1 – maybe check saks to find the term and then Amazon
I have a dish drying mat with a stone look that I use to protect the counter area next to my sink from similar spills / drips. This or a tray (if you want to go with more of a contrasting color) would work. Definitely go for something that’s easy to wipe down or even dishwash!
Look up Bar Mat- maybe that is what you need? We have one that we got from my Husband’s favorite distiller.
What color is your marble? This is a cute crystal tray:
https://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/crystal-bath-collection/?catalogId=79&sku=7886981
I also need good vibes today. I’m waiting to hear back about an important job after an interview several weeks ago. I’m sick of waiting and the recruiters aren’t being helpful. I’m really hoping to hear today or at least this week. I need all the vibes!
Good vibes!!
Good vibes!
Vibes!!
I’m waiting to hear back from interviews as well. It’s really an emotional roller coaster. Hard to know whether to get excited or brace for disappointment.
How do you keep clothes fresh between dry clean visits? My dresses and blazers smell like deodorant (sometimes a little more if I’ve had a nervous day, ha!). What’s your strategy to get 2-3 wears before dry cleanings?
Physical layers. I swear by the numi undershirts.
+1 – my skin never touches the inside of my blazers, wear a top underneath.
+1
+2, and also, not buying dry clean only clothing other than blazers. What used to be a $25 weekly dry clean bill is now like $75 for the same work. I started washing my silk blouses and shells on delicate at home and find they actually feel cleaner than before.
+1
If the fabric can handle it, I spray with vodka and hang outside for an hour or two.
The vodka trick absolutely works, but also second the poster who said that nothing dry clean only should ever be in direct contact with your skin. I know they are everywhere right now because they are cheaper to make but no sleeveless shells unless you want to dry clean your blazers every second wear (or every wear if you live someplace humid). You need real sleeves that are long enough to protect your blazers from. your underarms.
This never works for me – I often sweat through my sleeves (and I’m not a profuse sweater). How do others magically keep the sweat odor from passing through their sleeved shells?
I’ve used CertainDri to stop even the nervous sweating. Put it on the night before rather than in the morning. I used to have to use it regularly. I’ve only had to use it about once every few months now. Don’t use it on broken skin. It tingles/burns. I also do not buy dry clean only anymore. If you are looking at Ann Taylor price point for suits, their suits/blazers have all been machine wash lately.
I would say you are a profuse sweater if you’re sweating through your clothes.
Look up “underarm shields” – like a removeable liner for your blazer armpit
Agree with the vodka trick. It works really well.
I don’t think vodka works that well with poly linings, but ok for more breathable fabrics. Sweat shields help.
Vodka works just fine with polyester linings. I’m honestly not sure what type of fabric would be problematic to use vodka on…leather & suede? Dry cleaning chemicals are way more harsh than vodka.
Silk
Sorry, should have added that vodka doesn’t work for poly linings *for me* because it won’t remove any sort of b.o., however mild and recent, from polyester. I agree that vodka won’t harm polyester fabric.
I have used vodka on wool, various viscose and silk blends and cotton. Agree on leather, but have used it successfully on cotton lining in a leather jacket.
This is something I give up on in the summer. My stuff gets gross more quickly when it’s hot and when I wear less layers. It’s all one time wear from June to August if it touched my underarms. I’m trying to wear less stuff that needs to be dry cleaned but I can bring myself to only try to hide the smell.
Where do you live? My experience is if you are in the SEUS and have to go outside at all in work clothes in the summer, none of the usual tricks work. Like trial in NOLA means you are just going to dry clean A LOT of suits all summer.
Don’t wear your jacket when you don’t need to (so if you’re wearing a suit to fly or walk somewhere, I won’t put the jacket on until I’m at my actual destination). Hang it up to air immediately after wearing. Always wear a layer in between your jacket versus a shell.. And accept that 2-3 wears is probably not that feasible. I don’t sweat that much. But today’s poly fabrics aren’t that forgiving. No way would I still smell fresh at three wearings unless they were partial days that weren’t that active or stressful. Reality? If I have any doubt, I’m not messing with vodka or the like. If I’m wearing a suit, I’m probably having a bigger day than normal. So it’s particularly important for me to make a decent impression (including not smelling).
I never wear my jacket outdoors during the summer.
Steam.
I’ve been steaming my jackets and then hanging them outside – they stay pretty fresh. For pit smells, I’ve had good results blotting with a hypochlorous acid cleaner (spot check first).
Buy unscented antiperspirant. Vanicream makes a great one.
I need to send a gift basket to a friend recovering from surgery who lives in downtown Chicago. She’s near 70 but likes food, wine, etc. Any suggestions for something local or should I just order Harry & David?
Yes, All Together Now in Chicago has such great gift baskets! Not super-local but I would also consider Zingerman’s. I know a lot of people like Harry & David, but I’ve gotten more than one really bad gift basket from Harry & David (like, containing rotted food bad!) so I would avoid them.
I don’t have any Chicago recs but for surgery recovery I usually do things like, a soft blanket, supportive pillows or squishmallows (I know it seems silly for an adult but they really are comfortable pillows!), nice quality heat/ice packs, and a couple of books she might like. I usually stay away from food and alcohol in case of drug interactions but ymmv of course.
Yeah, ymmv. My mom just had hip replacement surgery and was totally stocked upon every kind of ice pack and pillow and walking aid you could imagine well in advance of the surgery. But she was absolutely thrilled by friends who sent her fun food (she’s not a drinker, though I do agree alcohol may not mix with pain meds and can be annoying to send by mail anyway, as it will require an adult signature). I think it depends a lot on whether you know what they like to eat. We’re still trying to eat though a chocolate Harry and David basket we got months ago, since we’re just not big chocolate people (I should probably just bring the rest of it to my mom!).
Squishmallows are excellent for propping up or supporting body parts post surgery!
Spoonful of Comfort is another option, although not local. I was sent this twice following surgery and it was really nice.
I have received Spoonful of Comfort, too, and would recommend. It was nicely packaged and super convenient to either use right away, refrigerate or freeze for later, and had thoughtful design that made it well-suited to use coming home after surgery.
This looks really nice.
When my mom was dying, one person sent us Spoonful of Comfort. After that, when people asked what they could do, we asked them to send Spoonful of Comfort. Sometimes we ate it immediately. Sometimes we froze it for later. I’ve sent it to others as well with positive feedback.
I also like sending a box with just the fruit from Harry & David and not all of the other stuff. We were not impressed with the package that we got from Zingermans and ended up giving all of that away to kids in the neighborhood.
Please don’t send socks, blankets, etc. We got more of those than we knew what to do with, and they all ended up at the local thrift store.
+1 for Spoonful of Comfort. I sent it to a bereaved friend and she and her family loved it.
Frozen Chicago style pizza and Garret’s popcorn – there are some online vendors that sell them
When I had surgery a few years ago, flowers were welcome or small, light gift baskets. A well meaning friend sent me an Edible Arrangement but it weighed more than I was allowed to lift, so assuming this might be an issue for your friend, avoid glass or heavy items.
This sweater looks lovely. The outfit makes jorts look lovely. I suspect that IRL on me this would be a hot mess but that sweater looks like it would work with a ton of items I have already while looking a more put-together.
Anyone have any recommendations for your absolute favorite work travel clothing pieces? I will be in Europe for two weeks for two back to back conferences. Dress code is business casual. No set budget as I’m willing to pay for the right pieces. TIA!
Lands end fine gauge sweater blazer. They’re a lovely 100% cotton knit. Ralph Lauren used to have similar blazers but they are now a blend.
What is the expected weather?
The Athleta Endless Highrise pant is a perfect for this. I have them in 6 colors.
That’s what I wear on the plane and to tour around, I wouldn’t wear them to work though.
Yeah, those are not work conference pants.
I wore them to a work conference last week (Midwest lawyer), but people dress on the casual side of business casual.
I was going to suggest these too. Depends on how formal the conference is though.
They look really good for athletic pants. I’m not sure they pass as formal pants though.
I wore mine to a conference last week. They pack well, are comfortable, and easy to spot clean in the hotel sink & dry with the hair dryer if needed.
How’s the sizing on this?
I wear a 8/10 usually and I got a 10L. I don’t love cropped pants and with the “Tall” size its the right length. I’m 5’4″.
Huh, I’m 5’9” and get the regular length and don’t find them too cropped. The tall just looked very frumpy on me. Also they run true to size for me.
If you have budget, a black sheath St. Johns dress. It travels like iron.
I wear a lot of Eileen Fisher system basics for things like this. They are perfect to pack, and wash really well in a hotel room sink if worse comes to worst.
https://www.eileenfisher.com/ns/images/20s_m1/features/seasonal-planner/pdf/20s-seasonal-planner-digital-system-FINAL-lj.pdf?srsltid=AfmBOooiDulC4ZbwTCnrAGAnUSW_zIxi7d2sVKEgXCNZgGD-zxmNVe2Z
I’m most likely to wear the crepe pants and a shell, sometimes a crepe skirt instead of the pants.
It’s like garanimals – everything goes together and it’s easy to mix and match.
Le sigh. My daughter asked why I had nerves on my legs. She’s so sweet and she likes science and thought I had superpowers. Nope. I just have a ton of little spider veins and maybe broken capillaries (but I get how the look like nerves). It may be that I’m extra-pasty right now, but now that I’ve focused on them, I’d like to start erasing them. Has anyone done this? I understand that with varicose veins it’s pretty invasive, but little things like seem to be something a cosmetic derm can handle and erase with injections. I guess have any of you done that? Down time? Does it work?
This is the last thing I’d worry about, but long before I went to a dermatologist, I’d just do some self tanner.
Thanks for asking this.
I having been using some of the lotions that give a touch of color to the legs to for a few years, but have been debating addressing the spider veins as well. Mine are small but quite a few scattered. I had the impression that you could have them treated one by one with an injection per each vein that was pretty easy. But I figured it would cost a lot of money to take care of all of them. And I hear they tend to come back, unfortunately. It’s one of those unending female maintenance things like botox or dying my hair that I hate to integrate into my life. But I think about it….
Wearing compression stockings and elevating your legs can help slow them down.
Why would you want to erase the very thing your daughter thinks gives you super powers!
+1
because they are ugly just maybe.
sclerotherapy. A dermatologist injects the spider veins with a solution to dissolve them. Took me about 3 1/2 hour sessions to be vein free. Well worth it.
How many did you have treated, approximately? How much was the cost for the 1/2 hr session?
I was under the impression that those vascular outpatient clinics you see in strip mails did a lot of this, rather than derm. Was your derm just a regular derm, or focused on cosmetic issues?
Just a regular derm. Was about $300 a session.
Thanks. Very reasonable.
Best chocolate layer cake recipe? Making one for book club!
Ottolenghi’s World’s Best Chocolate Cake from NYT Cooking with Smitten Kitchen’s fudge frosting. This is my go-to combo.
https://smittenkitchen.com/2009/08/espresso-chiffon-cake-with-fudge-frosting/
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018930-worlds-best-chocolate-cake
What a great mash up of two of my favorite chefs / recipe creators!
https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/moms-chocolate-cake
Buttermilk chocolate cake.
https://sweetlycakes.com/en/buttermilk-chocolate-cake/
Oh. Saved this one!
https://barefootcontessa.com/recipes/beattys-chocolate-cake
Second this recommendation for Ina Garten’s…
Co-sign. Just made this one and folks thought it was professionally done.
Coca cola cake! I have a hand copied version from an old magazine, but the recipe is ubiquitous and very tasty.
Second this and it’s really easy to make.
We are trying to upgrade our dinnerware set. We have had Corelle plates for over two decades, but am now bored of the flowery design.
I do like the lightweight nature and the sturdiness (unbreakability) of corelle, so I want something similar.
For context, we bought the Mercer Matte White porcelain set from crate&barrel, but while I like the general shape of the plates/bowls and the weight is good, the plates seem to get black scratches when cutlery is used (which is unavoidable!)
Where should we be looking for lightweight, good quality, non-flowery dinnerware set?
I have been happy with the sur la table bistro range. I liked the plates in William Sonoma but I wanted to avoid the feelings I get when a child breaks something. This is a happy medium for me.
My absolute favorite dinnerware design is blue harvest by Portmeirion. It never showed the scratches.
Wedgwood gio are my fancy Corelle replacement plates. Had for three years with no knife marks.
Honestly? I would get one cheap set of porcelain dishes to mix in with your Corelle so your household can get used to how much easier they are to chip and break.
We switched from Corelle to Mikasa Cheers dinnerware and within the first few weeks all of the bowls were chipped and several plates were broken. My family was too used to how forgiving Corelle was. Loading the dishwasher without incident proved an impossible challenge.
I have plain white Corelle and love them.
+1
Whatever Costco sells
WFH brain here – I have an in person conference and I’m planning to wear a knee length dress + blazer. Bare legs are fine right? I don’t need any type of pantyhose etc?
Bare legs are fine imo, but you might be cold!
It’s going to be 77F!
Not in the hotel or conference center meeting room! That will likely be meat locker temperature.
yeah not in the meeting room. Those seem to average approximately 62F.
Except for that one breakout session that is inexplicably 84*F with the world’s most monotonous presenter.
I always wear pants to conferences for this exact reason. And I layer with a jacket of some kind. Conference rooms are usually freezing.
I don’t know of any conference context where hose would be required, though I do see people wearing them at some dressier conferences I go to. These venues can be chilly though which is why I suspect some people prefer not to have bare legs.
Hmm this is a good point. What do I wear? Transparent hose? Tights?
It’s a black and cream dress with a cream blazer.
tbh, I wear pants for this reason.
I find black tights to look a bit odd in the summer, even if they’re sheer, so I would opt for low-denier n*de h*se, but lots of people will tell you this is too dated.
+1
I managed to get a free spin bike off Freecycle, husband is collecting it today (please let it fit in a Civic!). I’ve been to spin before but am too old for the studio volume / strobe lights, so excited to bring this activity I’ve enjoyed home.
Give me all your best tips for placement, shoes, etc.
Awesome find!
I just use the pedal straps and wear a pair of lightweight sneakers with the laces tucked in (otherwise they flop around and annoy me).
For placement, I like to have a nice view out a window. Avoid positioning where my overhead lights glare on my ipad, which is usually propped on the console.
Awesome find!
I just use the pedal straps and wear a pair of lightweight sneakers with the laces tucked in (otherwise they flop around and annoy me).
For placement, I like to have a nice view out a window. Avoid positioning where my overhead lights glare on my ipad, which is usually propped on the console.
Placement – air circulation (I like having a strong fan nearby) and lighting. If you want to watch a screen while you exercise, having your back to a sunny window will just mean glare, etc.
Has anyone here chosen the SAHM (stay-at-home mom) route — or knows someone who did — and ended up regretting it? I’m two years into building my startup and recently found out I’m pregnant (currently 15 weeks). Honestly, pregnancy has been so much harder than I expected. I’m still dealing with severe nausea and vomiting, to the point where I can’t get out of bed some days. On top of that, my chronic migraines (which I’ve managed for the past 10 years) have come back. The thought of juggling a pregnany/baby and a startup on top of my migraines feels overwhelming. For the first time, I’m seriously considering stepping back: selling the startup, taking time to recover, and being a SAHM for a while. But if I’m honest, it also feels… a little lame? All my close girlfriends are highly driven and successful. At this age, they’re CFOs, hedge fund partners, staff engineers. I worry about getting bored and feeling like I’ve fallen behind. Financially, we’re fortunate. My husband does very well, and his mom was a SAHM, so he’s fully supportive either way. But I was raised with a strong sense of financial independence, and the idea of relying on someone else (even my husband) for the foreseeable future is hard for me to accept. I’d love to hear from anyone who’s navigated this kind of fork in the road — especially women who’ve balanced big career goals with babies, health, and identity. What helped you decide? Any regrets or surprises along the way?
I definitely think you should have the baby before making a decision like this.
This. Maybe operate the business in a way that keeps the possibility open, but have the baby first and then see how you feel about it.
Agreed! Consider taking a break/bringing others on to help run things while you recover from birth, but don’t make any final decisions now if you can help it. I just had my second and was nervous about juggling everything, but we found an amazing nanny and things are actually easier this go round than they were with my first baby.
+1 only because I had THE WORST pregnancy and then a very easy recovery, easy baby, etc. so making a decision based on how I was feeling in early pregnancy just wouldn’t reflect how I felt later. Doesn’t mean that it won’t still be the right decision!
Totally agree with this.
Absolutely, absolutely.
My kids are grown now and my career blossomed once they were older. I am so thankful that I found reserves to keep slogging while they were younger. I also think there is value in modeling a family where both parents work, since that is the reality for most families.
I would not make any decisions on the assumption that short-term pregnancy discomfort means you won’t feel capable of working with a child, and plan for what would be a maternity leave as an employee, and if you can plan for that, you might figure out that you can take a less active role going forward, too.
Is the startup something you can slow roll for a couple of years? Keep the doors open, but take on fewer clients? Or can you hire more help for it, especially if you’re doing everything – try to offload anything that’s not high-level vision work or directly client related.
There is a big difference between wanting to be a SAHM and not wanting to work. If your reason for staying home is the latter, you will be miserable.
To clarify–I mean not wanting to work because juggling work and parenting is difficult.
I disagree with your last sentence. I know several women who became SAHMs simply because they didn’t want to work and they’re very happy. Granted they’re mostly quite wealthy and have a good deal of household support so not a typical SAHM. But it’s not universally true.
I kept working, but I remember 15 weeks-ish was a particularly unpleasant part of pregnancy. I wasn’t someone who particularly liked pregnancy (some women do), but it got a lot more pleasant after the first few months. I’d hold off on making any big decisions until you have the baby, to the extent that is possible.
I would try to hang on for awhile and see if you feel differently once the baby is here and you’re in the swing of parenting. Working while pregnant is just … really miserable for a lot of us, especially if you’re sick all the time, but we’re not allowed to say that. What can you cut back on for now?
I know so many women who have up their careers for kids and were absolutely effed by a divorce, affair etc.
Yeah, I saw my own SAHM mom struggle when my dad was unexpectedly laid off from a high earning job and she had to go back to work after not working for decades.
Or death or a layoff. No one likes to think that their husband will cheat or walk out on them. Not that anyone likes to think of their spouse dying either, but most people probably believe there’s a better chance of their husband getting hit by a bus than waking up one morning and realizing he doesn’t want a family anymore.
I was just coming here to say I know a lot of SAHMs (temporary or forever) and their feelings depend almost entirely on whether they stayed married. If they have supportive spouses who value what they contribute and they did not find their worth in their careers, they are very happy. If they ended up divorced (with or without a spouse who treated them like staff), they regretted it. Unfortunately, that is impossible to predict in advance. If you have a prenup be sure you re-visit that before you stop working.
But I will also say I know many women who stepped out of the workforce for 5-10 years and then went back and were very successful so keep in mind that you are not making a decision for the rest of your life.
Same. And plenty of guys who were 100% supportive of their wives leaving the workforce completely change their tunes during divorce proceedings and say, “I wanted her to go back to work when the kids started school, she just wanted to sit around and eat bonbons!”
A woman I used to work with was returning to work after a decade as a SAHM. She was obviously more junior than you would have expected her to be at her age, and she was miserable with it.
Her story was that her husband cheated on her with his coworker and got the affair partner pregnant. He divorced wife and married affair partner.
He convinced new wife to be a SAHM, just as he had done with his first wife. They then petitioned the court for primary custody since his wife was a SAHM and it was “better for the children”. His ex wife, my new coworker, of course had to work full time because of the divorce, which they used against her.
I think about her all the time when friends and acquaintances mull over giving up their careers and staying home with the kids.
I know someone who is doing this and it’s really ugly. First wife barely gets to see the kid because Second Wife/Beehive Mother of the Year has a hobby job and as a bonus, first wife gets basically no child support.
Disability of the spouse too! Which is more likely than death, and really pretty common. Going from 2 incomes to 1 income to no incomes, with extra expenses, is brutal.
Sounds like you just need a year off. Why not plan to get a job at that point?
I’d love to be a SAHM but I can’t just do that. Even being a FT BigLaw transactional Partner, I have some board gigs that just keep promoting me within a national org to the point it would overwhelm at sort of SAH simplicity that would have been what I wanted had I ever quit paid work. So it can be just a different roller coaster.
My sister was a SAHM mom for 15 years and her did anything but work in the house for her family. That is very different IMO vs the “executive SAHMs” that help run a marching band or travel soccer team and don’t just do things for their family.
Maybe slow-roll your company, get paid help there, and see how it goes?
I think if you give up momentum you never get it back.
One of the problems with being a driven person is that we feel like if we’re not giving 100% then we should give up and do 0%.
It’s ok to give like 25% sometimes. Or less. This is one of those time. Give yourself permission to take a huge step back and take care of yourself.
this is current about your health. if you can afford to hire a good nanny and hire a night nurse you can re-gain some of your health when the baby is born. it doesn’t sound like you want to be a SAHM, it sounds like you want to feel better again and pregnancy makes that tough.
A baby is a startup, too, and it’s not at all lame to want to incubate it in its early years.
Oh my god, massive eye roll.
Hard agree.
You’re right, it is far lamer to spend your life developing a corporate person than an actual human person.
Considering the planet has too many humans there are certainly more worthy endeavors than others.
Can we not do this kind of thing to each other?
Responding here to say that Anonymous 12:48 is correct *and also* that everyone advising you to not make this choice right now is correct. Things are changing really quickly for you right now and will continue doing so for the next 12-18 months; those changes are both in your actual objective circumstances and also in your emotional experience mediated by what’s going on for you hormonally. To the extent you can avoid making big changes (moving, fully quitting your job/selling the company, getting a divorce, etc.) for that time period, the better off you’ll be.
+1
Pregnancy generally gets way easier in the second trimester (except for more doctor visits). I would also wait until after you have the baby to make a final decision. What is your plan for maternity leave?
If you have your own startup and colleagues senior enough to have CFO roles, can you just consult independently for a while leveraging whatever market knowledge/skills you have? Babies can be really boring. You might want a low stakes low hour gig for a year and see how you feel.
Babies are only boring if you’re boring, tbh.
Wow, poop, so interesting!
This is so obnoxious. And untrue.
I love my kid and find him to be quite interesting, but I’m also loving being a working mom because work is a different kind of interesting.
I made the boring comment and I worked like 20% when my kids were babies. With my first I was so bored! They sleep so much! Once I had a toddler and a baby it was the opposite. Then I had 3 5 and under!
I read over 100 books on my 3 month maternity leave. I would not have wanted to go back to work sooner and loved the baby snuggles,, but it’s true in many cases that you have a *lot* of time on your hands with one infant.
Becoming a stay at home mom is a legitimate path that can be great for the right person/situation, but this sounds like a reactionary decision based on a temporary circumstance (pregnancy). Step off the gas for a while and see how things unfold.
Don’t make such a big decision when you are at a very low point.
I can’t speak to the SAHM part, but I also have chronic migraines so I empathize with how horrible it is when they are no longer controlled and your medication options are limited. From what I remember some women find their migraines get better during pregnancy due to hormones. Maybe talk to your neurologist about that aspect of things. You’re probably also more stressed than normal because of feeling this additional pressure which can also trigger more migraines.
From a different place – couldn’t have kids and no partner now. Career is all I’ve had success with. My SAHM classmates are all coming back onto the scene (men and women SAHPs) and one or two years being back, it feels like about the same level regardless of the fact I’ve been here for 20 years because so much is changing anyway.
Industry dependent for sure but grad degree level.
From my side, those years flew by. The people are back and it seems like they’re doing just as well.
Anyone have an inspiring story about cold applying for a job via an online resume drop and getting it? I applied for a specialized legal role with a FAANG company last week. My experience makes me perfectly suited for the job and I have been daydreaming about it since I applied. Trying to work my network for a personal connection to get me out of the resume pile. Would love to hear about people getting jobs this way in the interim!
That’s how I’ve gotten all my jobs, tbh!
+1 every job I’ve had since grad school (including my current VP job) I got just by cold applying.
Me too!
Same.
I got my current job through a linked in post. I didn’t know anyone at this firm. Still here 8 years later. Good luck!
Yes. I’m an attorney too, about 23 years senior. randomly applied on impulse to a post i saw on linked in 2.5 years ago and here i am.
I’m a social potato, no network whatsoever. I have gotten all my highly competitive jobs from cold applying.
I’m starting next month date at a job from a cold drop online resume application! Director/VP level.
My understanding is that FAANGs are much easier to get into if you can find an employee to recommend you, but there’s still a chance.
Yep. That’s how I got my in-house counsel job. My experience and skillset was a very close match for the role.
Not sure about legal roles, but I’ve worked FAANG level companies for a long time and the best way is to find some referrals. You can totally get referrals by cold connecting with people inside these companies on linkedin and asking to learn about their roles.
I’ve jumped aboard the matcha train and love it. Only problem is the matcha I can get locally at target is not good. Recommendations for best online retailers (and bonus for specific recs on what to buy)?
Are there no trendy tea houses where you live where you could sample some?
Otherwise the r/tea subreddit is really helpful for detailed reviews and comparisons.
We are serious tea drinkers in our household. Breakaway Matcha has stellar matcha. You can get their samples and try a few different varieties. They are pricey but soooo worth it, and a little goes a very long way. There’s no going back once you try their matcha.
For tea generally we like Tea Source, based in MN but available via mail order.
@Kat, past week or two I keep getting video ads that are auto-playing sound. Can these be removed or at least not auto play?
None should be auto play, they lie to get into the ad stream. Please report any you see. Not ideal I know – thank you for your patience and for reading!
Thanks! How do I report it?
anyone have a microwave to recommend? ours just broke and we need a new one. planning a kitchen remodel at some point, so not looking for the fanciest version,
I got the Consumer Reports recommendation at the time I was shopping, and I deeply hate it because it doesn’t have the same “add 30 seconds” feature that my old one did (especially for the kitchen timer). But it’s otherwise fine. So I guess know how picky you are about features and maybe check something out in person if you are picky..
Our college-days microwave died last year and we are happy with the replacement we selected. It’s Panasonic model sn67hs and it works great.