Frugal Friday’s Workwear Report: Cozy Knit Cardigan
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Our daily workwear reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices.
It’s been a great week for sales, but the Target Circle Week promotions are always some of my favorites. There is a 30% off deal on sweaters and bottoms that runs through tomorrow, so I highly recommend swinging by your local store if you’re interested.
This lightweight cardigan caught my eye on a recent trip. It’s a nice extra layer for the not-too-chilly first few weeks of autumn. I’m always drawn to a stripe, but it also comes in eight different solid colors, including a lipstick red that I’m adding to cart for the holiday season.
The sweater is $14, marked down from $20, at Target and comes in sizes XS-4X.
Sales of note for 3/21/25:
- Nordstrom – Spring sale, up to 50% off: Free People, AllSaints, AG, and more
- Ann Taylor – 25% off suiting + 25% off tops & sweaters + extra 50% off sale
- Banana Republic Factory – 40% off everything + extra 20% off
- Eloquii – $39+ dresses & jumpsuits + up to 50% off everything else
- J.Crew – 25% off select linen & cashmere + up to 50% off select styles + extra 40% off sale
- J.Crew Factory – Friends & Family Sale: Extra 15% off your purchase + extra 50% off clearance + 50-60% off spring faves
- M.M.LaFleur – Flash Sale: Get the Ultimate Jardigan for $198 on sale; use code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – Buy 1 get 1 50% off everything, includes markdowns
Help me use my words, politely.
I’m a contractor and I have a new small startup client. Our contract is 40% up front, net 14. I billed them on 10/1 for the engagement that kicked off 9/26. The invoice is technically due 10/15.
On Weds 10/2, the CFO told me he put all the vendor/payment info into the system and the payment was sent, “it should hit end of week” (Friday 10/5). It’s now one week past that timeline and the payment hasn’t hit. I want to check in and make sure it’s not stuck but I want to do it without sounding obnoxious since the payment isn’t overdue yet—it’s just a full week past when he told me to expect it and in my experience that usually means there’s a hiccup requiring someone (maybe me!) to take action.
How do I word this? I’m especially sensitive because this is a tiny scrappy startup client and I’m dealing with the co-founder/CFO, not someone in a big AP department in a Corporate Black Hole.
I know I’m probably overthinking this, but this is a LARGE payment and I’m really proud of myself for landing this contract.
Do you have regular project meetings or touchpoints? If you do, just add it to the agenda as a housekeeping item. Note that it hasn’t hit yet and you’ll keep it on the agenda to check in until it clears. Be low-key and professional. Are there stipulations in your contract if the payment is late?
I think you are safe to follow up on the communication about it hitting 10/5. You can acknowledge it is not due yet but since they expected it to arrive last week and you haven’t seen it arrive on your end, can they tell if it is still pending on their side?
“Hi Bob,
Thank you for all of your work getting this set up in your system.
Your payment is not due until Tuesday, but I wanted to flag this for you today because Monday is a bank holiday. The payment hasn’t been received by my bank yet. If your bank has processed the payment and the funds are stuck somewhere, please let me know. Otherwise, I’ll look for it next week.
Best,
Stacy”
Spiff up my wording, of course!
Not weird to follow up. “Hi CFO, thanks for giving the heads-up on the expected payment timing. I haven’t seen it come across yet, so it may be pending on your end. Please let me know if I can help resolve.”
Perfect, thanks. It’s really a heads up email because I’m 99% sure it’s caught somewhere at this point.
This is perfect. I’m in consulting as a solo practitioner and I deal with this all the time. aside from taxes, this is my least favorite part of my job.
You probably are aware of this, but large payments take longer to process due to anti-money laundering requirements and other bank reporting requirements. Especially if this is the first time this client is paying you, it’s not unusual for it to take longer than subsequent payments.
Totally agree, and I normally wouldn’t even reach out until the payment is past due. I only wanted to flag it since it was a “you should have it by X” and X has come and gone. I usually work with larger companies that have departments and finance people–this is like 5 bros in a garage (but they have lots of funding, which is awesome).
If you’re bothered by the feel of merino wool, can you handle cashmere OK? Merino sweaters have always been a sensory nightmare for me. I would love to buy a cream-colored sweater in a nicer fabric than what I usually purchase, making cashmere a consideration, but I just don’t know if I can handle the natural fibers. It’s hard to know this without testing a sweater for a full day, which is a potentially expensive mistake. Can’t tell you how many times I made that mistake with merino, thinking all would be well if I just found the right one! Nope.
Merino wool is iffy for me, but my skin loooooooooooooves good quality cashmere. I am always happier on a day I get to wear one.
No, but sometimes it’s ok if I can find a silk/wool blend.
I am super picky about sweater texture. JCrew cashmere is shockingly good for the price, but the lighter colors do tend to be a bit sheer.
I have problems with a lot of wool, but do okay with merino socks and some merino sweaters. I actually don’t have much luck with cashmere, and definitely not the cheaper stuff. Something about merino being smoother and cashmere being fluffier rubs too much?
Cashmere really bothers my skin so I layer below it for necessity. Merino for some reason is fine next to my skin. I may layer but just to wash less frequently.
I actually find cashmere is worse than merino. But I can wear cashmere if it’s blended with cotton or silk.
I can pretty much only handle silk cashmere blends. I buy the brooks brothers shawl collar sweater in every color for that reason. Or you can layer a silk blouse/base layer top underneath?
I am sensitive to all animal fibers. Even 5% cashmere will make me horribly itchy. I used to wear cashmere sweaters with a long-sleeved tee underneath, but it made me look like the Stay-Puft marshmallow man and my skin would still get irritated around the neckline.
You have to get a really nice cashmere. The stuff that goes on sale for $80 on Black Friday is not it.
No, and I have $500 sweaters so don’t think it’s a “just buy nicer” sort of problem. The only time I don’t itch is with cottons or some of the poly blends. Like literally my skin will turn red a few days after. I hate all wool. I don’t know how people wear it for socks. Like I’d sooner wear attic insulation on my feet.
Cashmere is just as bad.
Obviously, we are all different!
It’s a lot of trial and error.
I’m thinking of getting a dog, and I’ve been looking into dachshunds. I’m just in the early stage of research, but I think I’d like a wire-haired one. They seem hard to find in the US! Does anyone have any experience with them or know of any good rescues or breeders (sorry, covering all my bases)? Thank you!
I don’t have a dachshund, but advice I followed and which I is applicable across breeds is to search for breeders through your breed’s club/association. Good Dog (an AKC ‘certification’) is useless. There’s lots of good resources out there for how to find a reputable breeder, and what to stay away from/red flags to look out for for every popular breed. Research the breed standard, research genetic issues and what genetic testing should be done, see what the parent club’s requirements are for testing eyes/hips/elbows, see if there’s a code of ethics for the breed association that applies to breeders and use these as resources when evaluating breeders.
Dachshunds in my experience are either the best companions ever or Satan incarnate with very little middle ground, so choose your breeder and/or rescue carefully re: temperament. Me personally, I wouldn’t worry about the dog’s coat and would stay away from anyone purporting to breed fancy color/spot patterns. Breeding for a trait like color over other things like health, temperament, etc is a hallmark of sketchy breeders and nothing good comes out of it anyway. Great dogs exist in plain black and brown wrappers, too.
Yes, all the “exotic” dachshunds colours should be avoided.
This is so true. Corgis are my breed and breeding for “desirable” or “unique” coloring has created a glut of poorly bred dogs with bad temperaments.
They’re very cute, but I feel like they’re one of the breeds that are basically unethical because they have such bad back problems you can’t let them jump or go up and down stairs. Ymmv, but I’m definitely not up for owning a dog I’d have to restrain so much.
That might work out OK because I don’t have stairs!
But do you have furniture?
My BIL has one and some of it is training, but that thing is so barky and nips at the kids if they come anywhere close to it. Not even like trying to play rough but walking around the corner and it’s there.
I’m a dog person, but I don’t like that one
I really think some of them are in pain.
My friend has two (U.K.) I get the impression they are CHARACTERS. They are lovely dogs but have huge personalities and of all my friends with dogs it’s the one breed personally I’d avoid. (Barking and hard to train plus the opposite of chill). They have also had expense surgery for back issues for both and live in a flat so it’s been jumping off furniture even though they have special steps for them. If you are experienced with dogs and happy to spend the time on them I’m sure they are great pets.
They are the best, but please rescue. We found ours through a local rescue, we just kept our eyes out for them. We aren’t sure of his history, but he’s a red smooth, softest thing ever, so loyal and snuggly, never barked until our 2nd dog showed up and taught him how. He’s 9 and we live in a 3 story house, our vet says if he’s made it this far without back problems, he’s likely fine. He has separation anxiety to the extent he has scars on his face from the one time we tried to kennel him, and he’s chewed up some trim from when we’ve had to leave him behind a door/outside. They have horrible breath, and he’s down to like 5 teeth.
+1 to rescuing. You can even foster for a while before you’re sure. that will help you get to know the breed.
+1, please rescue – there are so many dogs that need loving homes.
Do you have any specific rescues you would recommend?
We got ours from a local rescue, they seem to get a few a year. Or dachsund mixes which are also great.
My family has had dachshunds my whole life! We are massive fans of the breed.
They are very loyal, funny, affectionate little dogs. They LOVE their humans and love nothing more than sleeping under the covers with you (their instincts are to burrow so they like being under blankets). They don’t need a ton of exercise – a few short walks a day plus playtime is enough for most of them. They’re such characters honestly, they always keep us laughing.
They can also be terrible barkers (barking at anything they see as a threat to their territory) and very prey-driven. VERY VERY stubborn which means training can be hit or miss. Like, they know how to sit but they’re only going to do it if they feel like it. The biggest health concern is their backs. If you get a dachshund, I recommend never letting it do stairs or jump off the bed, ever. You need to protect their backs as much as possible.
Let me know if you have any questions! I love them so much.
Little dogs tend to be yappy, nippy, and aggressive.
I’ve never had an aggressive small dog.
I have a big dog that’s barky, so I don’t think it’s a little dog problem exclusively. I will say the smallest dogs like Chihuahuas are always a little bit defensive because they are so small and they’re the bottom of the pecking order.
My absolute favorites actually are the sassy little Chihuahuas that think they’re the boss of a group of big bumbling dogs, and they’re so assertive about it that it usually works.
Mine are quiet little things. One is a snuggle bunny, the other displays a more typical terrier aloofness. Neither has so much as ever looked like they were going to nip. My neighbors’ little dogs are pleasant and polite. As much as I like some of the larger breeds, the best behaved dogs I know are little.
I don’t think this is true. I have had 11 small dogs over my lifetime, different breeds, some rescues, some from show breeders, all with unique personalities, and not one has been yappy, nippy or aggressive.
When I asked a repairman to wait a sec so I could put away my aggressive doxie he was like ” oh I know, I’ve only ever been bitten by the little ones.”
Hi! My Ukrainian MIL wanted a wire-haired dachshund her whole. We looked and looked in the US but couldn’t find a reputable breeder or a rescue either. Eventually, in talking with a friend back in Ukraine, she found a breeder and we had a puppy flown to her for Christmas in 2020 (yes, he is a Covid pup). The breeder connected us with a guy whose entire business is transporting dogs around the world (so he flew with the pup on the plane in his lap rather than having to have the pup shipped in a crate in cargo). I would echo what everyone else has said – the dog is fairly friendly, somewhat trainable because he is so food motivated (would be more trainable if he had consistent training but definitely not my MIL’s strong suit), but not great with kids, puppies, or stairs. Very strong and quirky personality, and super devoted to my MIL. TLDR: look for breeders abroad if you want a wire-haired dachshund.
Yeah, I’m coming to the realization that I’m going to have to get one in Europe if I want this specific type. I’m fine with that because I go often, so maybe this is less crazy than it sounds? Do you have advice on finding a reputable breeder in the EU, or is it similar to finding one in the US? But also, how much did it cost to have the dog flown over?
Thank you!
I cannot answer your questions but it is not crazy at all. I know of several breeds where people are much better off getting their dogs from Europe because they have been so inbred in the US that their health problems are widespread.
My dog is a fairly rare breed in the US and her father was European (semen collected there and brought here) because the breeder was trying to diversify her line and reduce the coefficient of inbreeding. One of the puppies from the litter went to the sire’s owner in Germany but she came to the USA and collected the puppy herself while it was still small enough to fly in the cabin (in a crate).
Also if you are interested in rescues, ask the organization up front about their requirements. I have friends who have had their hearts broken because they found out way too late that the rescue basically required a stay at home parent.
We had one as a kid. They are very smart, and very food motivated. Also quite affectionate and playful, though the only person our dog truly loved was my mom.
I grew up with a wire-haired dachshund (in Europe, so no advice on U.S. breeders) and it was the best dog ever. She was my uncle’s failed hunting dog (all she wanted to do when they were out on hunts was to crawl into his lap and snuggle, and I guess his hunting buddies made fun of him, lol). She was friendly to everyone, and when my mom had dinner parties she would carefully select one guest’s lap to sit on most of the evening, making that person feel really special. She was a great walker and would do long long walks on those little legs. She never barked. She did have back problems though, and had at least one back surgery.
Dachshunds are charming little guys with tons of personality and comically horrific health issues- their spines are not designed to exist. Please don’t get a daschund without all the pet insurance.
But also – don’t encourage breeding them, and go to a rescue instead.
Do you have any specific rescues you would recommend?
https://www.drna.org/
I found this by googling but I also recommend you google dachshund rescue + your city or region.
I’m in the market for a treadmill and thinking about buying used. I want something heavy duty with as high an incline as possible (15% ideally). Any good or bad experiences to share? Was looking for NordicTrack and higher end Sole. I’d happily do a Peloton. Any other makes/models to keep an eye out for? It is better just to buy new?
I have a commercial grade Nordic Track (incline to 15%, decline to 3%) and love it.
I have what may be the same one and I love it. It was my best pandemic purchase and ranks as one of my best purchases ever. I had interest free financing from Nordic Track and paid it off in place of a gym membership. Due to the pandemic, NT did not set it up for me, but my son and husband assembled it in about an hour.
1750? It’s the best. It is in fact better than many of the ones in the gym.
I have a commercial grade NT that goes up to 40% and also loooovvvveee it.
If you live in an apartment building, test out the gym ones and see how you like them
I’ve happily bought non-motorized equipment used, but treadmill motors do wear out with use and so have never thought it was worth the risk. Have had great experience with NordicTrack commercial grade ellipticals.
I bought mine used / refurbished from a place that services treadmills at the gym, so it’s a gym brand. I have no regrets.
I have a NordicTrack too and love it. It is probably 10 years old now, bought at Sears. I don’t usually buyer extended warranty plans, but in this case it was totally worth it. Covered maintenance visits to straighten out the belt and “tune up.”
We blew through 2 ProForms while they were under warranty. The company let us switch to NordicTrack (it’s the same maker) and haven’t had a problem since. We had to pay for the junk collectors to haul the old treadmill away and they said it was the 3rd ProForm they’d gotten that week- sooo avoid that!
We have a Peloton and genuinely love it.
Same. I tried to convince myself I would prefer a ‘good quality’ other one, but… push comes to shove the Peloton platform gets me using it 5 days/week versus 2…
Has anyone bought Jennifer Chamandi shoes IRL? Many designer shoes run too narrow for my duck feet.
Same question! I didn’t know this brand existed until yesterday, but that pair from the afternoon post is gorgeous!
I’m wondering how many “tops” people have in their wardrobes. I just counted, and I have 4 sleeveless, 6 short-sleeve, and 11 long-sleeve fall tops. To me, that seems like relatively few, but I have a complex about “repeating” clothes, ever since a friend commented to me in 6th grade that I re-wore my green Arizona-brand t-shirt too often (not that I was scarred for life!) Is repeating outfits every-other-week pretty typical?
ooh I have this information at hand as I use an app to track! I have 47 (which seems like a LOT) but that includes things like layering camisoles, very lightweight linen tops for summer all the way to sweater-top hybrids made of wool/silk, strictly office visit only tops, and tops I don’t typically wear around (like a cropped bustier corset top for occasions). I find I’m very hard on tops–I run hot so the underarms do get wear after some time, I get stains on them, I wash them after almost every wear so they get worn out more quickly (even with air drying!) and I find myself changing into a fresh top at the end of a long workday on occasion, so hence why I have so many!
I also love fashion and it’s a hobby and a passion so YMMV!
I have an app too. I have 45 short sleeve tops,35 sleeveless,43 sweaters and 33 blouses.
Which app do you use?
The were awesome in NJ last night. Really bright pink for some reason. My whole neighborhood was out.
I use “OpenWardrobe” and I love it!
How do you store them? I like all my tops hanging so I dont forget them but wondering if there is a better way. Also yes plz tell us the app name.
I don’t feel proud of of this, but in the interest of curiosity I probably have 5-10 shirts I wear for working out, plus probably 20 or so casual short sleeved shirts, plus another 15 or so casual long sleeve shirts/sweaters, then I have probably 20 or so camisoles and tank tops for work, plus another 10-15 long sleeved shirts and sweaters for work. So probably 70-80? And I don’t really buy shirts that often, I just don’t get rid of them. Plus I have old maternity tops I haven’t been able to bring myself to donate yet. That’s a lot.
Are you getting pregnant again? If you’re sure you’re done, free yourself! Get rid of them today.
Why aren’t you proud of it. There is no shame in having a limited wardrobe. Some people like it. Not for me though. I like to have options.
I have… a lot more than that, though I admittedly need to go through and clean out the ones I don’t actually wear much. But I don’t have a lot of cross over in my categories (so work tops I don’t wear for casual things and then I’ve got a whole drawer of tops for working out/hiking). I repeat work outfits every other week. I have maybe 8 short sleeve top and 6 long sleeve tops I cycle through for work?
I feel like I have a billion but probably somewhere in the 20-30 range? That’s not counting tees or knits. It sounds slightly excessive but I love a good blouse and wear them to work, out with jeans, etc. Like NaoNao, I love fashion and it’s a hobby of mine.
uh, probably somewhere in the 200 range, if you include everything from ‘going out’ slinky sleeveless shells for summer to holiday styles to winter sweaters. They range from 0 to ~20 years since purchase.
Same.
I am in the same range – I have 150+ tops, shirts, sweaters and blouses covering 4 seasons, and excluding exercise clothes-
I have fewer but feel like a billion scattered… as I asked earlier on the thread am curious how y’all store them? I like all my tops hanging so I dont forget them but wondering if there is a better way.
@Jane, tshirts are folded in drawers, and then alternate with sweaters seasonally. If the collection outgrows the size of the drawers (which match the capacity of the Rubbermaid) I know it’s time to purge a few. Light knits, ‘dressy’ tees, and blouses all hang.
Depends on what you count as a top. Are t-shirts in this category? Or just stuff that’s appropriate for work?
IDK, as long as my stuff is getting worn and I have space for it, I’m OK with not keeping an exact count. I’m also a very seasonal dresser, so I accept that I have a few things that are only for summer, or only for winter. I also don’t weed out my tops very often.
I’m only counting things I’d consider appropriate for work – tshirts/PJs/workout tops are different!
I would say way more than that. For just long sleeve shirts/blouses I probably have 10. I wear a lot of woven sleeveless shells, often linen, and I must have 10 of those as swell. I’m not even counting T-shirts.
My husband does the laundry, but I’m fussy about how my linen is washed and dried so I like to have two weeks worth so I can wash it all by itself. (Same with bras.) I’m in the Bay Area and all that linen really came in handy during our massive heat wave over the last week or so.
Today it feels like fall, but I’ll still wear a linen shell with a warm sweater over it when it gets cold.
And I have a huge sweater addiction, so I probably have at least 30 sweaters. They’re my favorite item of clothing, so I’m not worrying about it. And I knit, so I have sweaters and storage as well that I probably will not wear again, but can’t bear to get rid of. So I’m just talking about what’s in current rotation.
I tried that minimal wardrobe approach ala The Vivienne Files and it’s fine for packing for a trip, but it’s not for me as a year round concept. I like to have options. I don’t have a huge closet (old house/single rod) but I get depressed if I’m like “here’s the top I wear every Tuesday,” and that kind of approach doesn’t really account for weather variations & schedule variations, like whether I have an external meeting or am wfh.
I just realized I didn’t count blouses, which I consider dressier than what I called long sleeved shirts. I’d go another 15 if I consider blouses. They’re not the most worn part of my wardrobe anymore due to everything being so casual, but I’m not at the point of getting rid of them, because I have room to keep them.
oh my goodness — too many to count. at least 20 “nice” black t-shirts, and i know it’s time to do the wash when i’m out. maybe 30 other t-shirts folded in a drawer. I have about 100 tops that are more like blouses that I rarely wear but would still buy again. And then sweaters – I have maybe 15 really heavy ones that I didn’t even bring out last year for our mild winter, and another 20 or so that were on rotation last year. oh and maybe 30 workout tops?
i primarily wear the black t-shirts, but like i said i’d buy the others if i saw them again so i keep them. the collection is probably 10 years old at oldest, with newest from this year.
Are clothes from Goodwill inherently unwearable? I feel like I have terrible judgment and can’t tell if something I’m selecting is outdated, faded, stretched, or just fine. To me, it all looks fine, but I may be off. Should I be better safe than sorry and just buy clothes new?
Goodwill is hit or miss. I have about a 50% success rate and usually take them straight to the dry cleaner before I try on.
That said, I’ve donated lots of beautiful things to goodwill that weren’t right for me, my size changed, or whatever reason.
I feel like this is especially true of cocktail dresses–I’ve donated a lot of nice cocktail dresses that I only wore once or twice (because I don’t have a lot of occasions to wear cocktail dresses) but I gained weight and they no longer fit.
Sometimes even as I’m donating something to Goodwill, I think to myself if I ran across this thing at a Goodwill, I would probably buy it. That would be based on quality and brand and fabric and all the things that made me buy it in the first place.
But the reason I’m donating it is because I don’t wear it. Maybe because it just doesn’t quite work in my wardrobe, or doesn’t quite work for my shape/height. I certainly thought I would wear it when I bought it, but it doesn’t always work out. Sometimes you just can’t tell on the day you buy something.
Which is Why Goodwill has nice stuff sometimes. Especially the ones that have my stuff. :)
Haha I’ve totally donated things then picked them up in the store and been admiring them before I realize – wait a second! Typically the items are exactly my size/style and I’ve only donated them because they’ve become a bit worn out or fit weirdly.
I have done something similar, but with guys I gave already dated when I see them from a distance.
I contacted the same guy twice on a dating app because he kept changing his pics slightly. I guess I have a type. He and I weren’t a match, which he finally had to remind me the third time!
Not at all! My wardrobe is like 75% secondhand and a LOT came from the goodwill. But…I admit I’m tempted by purchases that don’t work more frequently due to the price. Things like the color being off, the style being not really me, one time I grabbed a gorgeous silk piece on my way to the register in a hurry and it was an open-collar jacket not a shirt (facepalm) and I never wear stuff like that, sizing is off, etc. The biggest offender is “dated”. In the store, it’s all pretty much dated so it doesn’t look as glaringly off. But then I get it home and oof. It’s dated.
The Goodwill and places like it have staff that go through the items for egregious stains, rips, or other things that make it unusable so you’re not alone in thinking the majority is wearable. Now is it the right *match* for your wardrobe…eh….that’s another story!
This seems like I’m a shill but I swear I’m not: an app really helps with this. Load all your clothes into it and then when you’re browsing the Goodwill, either snap a pic of the item you’re considering, pop it in to the wardrobe and try to make outfits or browse through your existing clothes to ensure it’s a good match.
Can you please name the app? I have a spreadsheet but it’s a pain and it’s not up to date.
It’s called “Whering”–I use their “paperdoll” wardrobe builder function to easily and quickly test out if something I’m considering actually goes. I use “OpenWardrobe” for my day to day outfit tracking and the bulk of my wardrobe-app needs. I’m testing out Indyx but I’m not bowled over and don’t love that I have to include the size as mandatory, it gives me this weird ick like the app is just PoshMark with more steps.
Outdated is more tricky as many people have different personal styles. A bit confused on how you can’t tell if something is faded or stretched? You might have better luck at consignment shops vs donation only secondhand stores.
Anything secondhand is mostly hit or miss on both quality and sizing. We donated a TON of my grandmother’s high end barely worn sweaters and skirts when she passed because they weren’t the right size/style/sentimental to kids/grandkids. Anyone who shopped that week and was that size probably got some great stuff.
No, it’s not inherently unwearable. I donate clothes that are in very good shape.
What interests me is that you don’t think you have an eye to be able to see when something is in poor condition. And you’re not aware enough of current trends to have a filter for when something is so far out of current that you’d prefer not to wear it.
To solve the first one, go window shopping in actual stores and do lots of touching clothes, trying on new clothes (you don’t have to buy anything). That will help you acclimate to what brand-new fabric feels and looks like, and give you a better eye to detect fabric that is too worn out for you.
To solve the second one, you first need to know how much it matters to you to be on trend, and (if it matters) start to pay attention to new trends (particularly silhouettes and cuts).
This is such a kind and compassionate response, thank you :)
I get most of my wardrobe from Goodwill at this point. The quality is usually fine, but you should always try it on if you’re concerned about stretch and fit, and don’t fall into the trap of buying it just because it’s “okay enough” and cheap. I also think their stuff tends towards the outdated (which is to be expected, since that’s when people donate), but you just need to be picky.
If you’re a women’s small or medium, it’s pretty good pickings (and where most of my clothes come from). Go to the Goodwill in the fancy part of town.
Larger sizes are more hit and miss.
Going to a thrift store in the fancy part of town helps a lot – people with more money tend to donate clothing that’s more current, higher quality, and in better condition. And if you’re doubtful about something, err on the side of not buying it. Don’t buy something because it’s inexpensive; buy things you actually like and would be willing to pay more for.
If you have thrift stores that are not Goodwill where you live, try those too. The two nicest ones where I am are near an expensive neighborhood and support a women’s shelter and a food bank. I regularly buy brands like BR, JCrew, AnnTaylor. And one day I got lucky and got a St. John suit.
I like going thrifting even though I don’t like going shopping for new clothes. Perhaps you have a friend whose eye you trust more than your own who enjoys the process and would want to go with you? Make it a date – get coffee and then go shopping.
Another tip. Don’t buy brands that were cheap when they were purchased. For example, I won’t buy Shein or Target or Walmart lines at the thrift store. At a minimum, it needs to be a nice mall brand. Otherwise, it will look awful if it doesn’t already.
Counterpoint, Target’s Merona line is no longer made and I keep on the lookout for it in thrift stores. When I find stuff, it’s usually dirt cheap because Target. Classic pieces, generally well made and sturdy.
As an exception to this rule: some cheaper brands can be a bit random regarding quality control. Whatever ends up at Goodwill has already been washed a couple of times and egregious quality issues would have been identified by the first owner. So when I buy a cute Old Navy shirt at Goodwill, I may not save that much money, but I can be pretty confident that it won’t fall apart on the first wash.
This! As a broke college student, I used to find great Goodwill deals at the fancy part of town – often with tags still on. But now that I’m larger than a size 10, there’s very little to make thrifting worth my while.
Not at all. I’d bet half of the clothes for sale on eBay or Poshmark came from Goodwill.
I have better luck at a place like Mercari. It’s cheaper than new more expensive than Goodwill, but I can search for brands I know I like and the size I know I wear in that brand. As well as filter by color and fabric. Goodwill is too hit or miss and I am not patient enough to keep checking back for a needle in the haystack.
I am pretty fussy, so this works best for me. For instance, I’m the kind of person who will buy five of the same pair of pants if I find the perfect style in terms of fit/color/style. I do this on Mercari pretty often.
I have the most success with thrift stores if I am searching for something to fill a wardrobe niche and have enough discipline and patience to not settle or negotiate with myself.
If I go in just to browse without some idea of what items I would like to find, I waste money buying things like a blazer that doesn’t really match anything in my closet, trousers that were trendy 5 years ago and just look out of place now, etc.
Or I fall into the trap of pretending the flaws in an otherwise gorgeous garment are not that bad. It does no good to snatch up a fantastic cashmere sweater only to admit 4 months later that the too-short sleeves should have been a dealbreaker because my arms are not going to shrink and I feel frumpy tugging at them every time I wear it.
What? No. Do your eyes not work?
How do you think this is helpful.
My clothes are 80-90% secondhand. For in person shopping, I find it easier to go to smaller, more selective, high end resale shops instead of Goodwill. Goodwill can have great pieces, but you have to dig.
My favorite local thrift store only accepts clothes that looks like it was purchased in the last 2 years, so they do better filtering than I can.
I agree with others it can be hit or miss. I shop Goodwill and a couple of other local thrift shops. I have not had luck online because you don’t get to try stuff on.
Ok so I totally hear you on the wondering if you just maybe had bad judgment. I went through this issue with both clothes and household items and furniture for a while. To me, everything looked fine, but my SIL who is very trendy and a neurotic cleaner and decorator was horrified. After some introspection, for me, it was that in my 30s I still had the same mentality about my things that I had in college where I was very thrifty. It took me a few years to recalibrate my mentality and start to better notice things earlier. I blame graduating in the recession.
I’ve bought some great deals at Goodwill.com (DVF with tags on for $20!) but how they fit me has been another story so I’m trying to stop buying without trying on or having another color of the exact item in my closet.
Who is off on Monday (government here)? What are you doing with your long weekend?
My office is closed but I stead of a day off I am going to a court hearing at 9am an hour from home. So no long weekend for me.
What court is open on Monday??
In Colorado, the state changed from observing Columbus Day to Mother Cabrini a week earlier. So the state courts are open on Columbus Day. Other states may have done something similar.
State courts are open where I am!
Arizona state courts are open Monday.
Mine in Texas are open.
I had no idea it varied so widely from state to state, but looking at a map now, all the states that I’ve worked in as an adult recognized it, so I assumed it was national.
My office is open but I took the day off and am going hiking. The weather should be lovely.
My kids have no school on Monday or Tuesday, but our offices are still open. We are taking the days off and going out of town. :)
I’m self-employed so I’m never off, but of the people I work with (clients) almost none of them have the day off.
Also, it’s Indigenous Peoples Day here in Berkeley, not Columbus Day.
I am off (government), but I also work in an essential function with 365 days a year staffing, so I’m working.
But I get OT so I’m not too upset.
Why don’t most corporations just give off all government holidays? It’s so cheap of them to not. God forbid you give them 11 whole days off.
I stop the interview process if and when I find out a company doesn’t offer a) all federal holidays or b) separate sick days.
It tells me enough about how the company doesn’t value its employees that I know I don’t want to work there.
love this rule!
I work for a defense contractor that does not give VETERANS DAY OFF. I am always noting how awful this is to any leader who will listen. The benefits team took it away years ago and gave everyone a floating holiday instead. Not the same y’all consider what we do!!! NOT THE SAME.
wow. please tell me they also don’t give columbus day as well?
I work for government, and I am kind of appalled by how much time off workers (myself included) get. So many buckets of leave for everyone, adding up to 2 months of workdays, if the employee uses and every day, and that is not even counting special categories like jury duty, parental leave, etc. that are of more limited application. So many tax dollars wasted! (And I am a progressive Dem, FWIW).
This is closer to historical norms than working more than this, and I wish more people had more time off. It means there are more jobs to go around, which we need more than we need to squeeze productivity out of the people who are already employed with benefits.
Government employee here on my 8th straight 12 hour day. I’ve earned my time off.
this is ridiculous. Jury duty is not time off. It’s doing your civic duty, and helping that person not be unpaid at that time. Parental leave is not a waste of money. It is money extremely well spent, not just for society but for an employer.
You answered your own question. They’re cheap.
My last corporate employer didn’t even give Presidents Day off. They gave us a couple (2)of floating holidays to use for the “optional” holidays like the coming one, MLK day, etc. But it was one of those environments where everyone was working all the time so you worked whether you took the floating holiday or not.
I’m getting my covid/flu vaccines tonight, so I plan to chill this weekend. Might get dinner out with my sweetie if I’m feeling ambitious. I have an appointment to bring my car in for new brakes on Monday since I’m off.
My kids have fall break from yesterday to next Tuesday so I’m off to be with them. DH and I both work for a state university that operates as normal on Columbus Day.
I’m having a deliciously lazy weekend. Calls and impromptu time with friends. Only scheduled thing today was a swim class for my toddler. I played with him a ton, just make-believe (play cooking, he used my legs as a tunnel for parking his toy cars, etc). Reading a book. Weather has been gorgeous. Feeling grateful for my family, home, community.
Totally, totally random and light but for those of you with kids, have your kids ever resembled their great-grandparents? We’re expecting our first and after sorting through some family photos this weekend, we realized that the great-grandparents are some of the most attractive in the family tree. Seriously, it’s striking! Wondering if there’s a chance the baby could resemble anyone that far back instead of our average selves :)
Omg what
The math is not that strong. My genetic heritage is 1/8 from any ggparent. I guess kid likely gets the dominant traits you can identify in each parent. You never know. Eye color in my family is interesting to watch, especially who gets green.
My great-granddad was strikingly good looking in his Navy enlistment photo (my teenage friends who spotted it in my family’s hallway photo lineup would daydream about how hot they thought he was). He is entirely average looking in all other photos.
Probably not. Unless the grandparents and the parents also resemble the great-grandparents, those features probably aren’t going to be as pronounced. You might get one or the other of the features (nose shape or cheek bones or whatever), but the odds aren’t likely for the whole set.
2 parents, 4 grandparents, 8 great-grandparents. If the 1/8 from the great-grandparent isn’t evident in the 50% of the genes provided by the parent, then I wouldn’t expect it to show up in the kid.
I look just like my paternal grandmother and nothing like anyone else. Like, given the right hair/clothing we could be identical twins. Sneaky genes happen! I’m not sure about one additional step back, probably less likely as there is more dilution of genes.
Nope. My daughter is a combination of her two grandmothers.
do you mean if your kids will resemble your grandparents at all? (their great-grandparents?) Certain features can certainly be passed down, like my grandfather had a really distinctive eye shape and 3 of the 8 great-grandkids clearly got it. But their parents (i.e., you, the grandchild) had inherited it too; it didn’t just pop up after skipping 2 generations.
Recessive genes can come out in someone’s phenotype several generations later. My dad has blue eyes. My mom and both her parents (my grandparents) have brown eyes. We don’t know the eye color of her grandparents, my great-grandparents, who died before she was born. Yet someone in her family had blue eyes in order to pass that gene down to me.
I don’t particularly resemble either of my parents, but I look like the female version of my paternal grandfather. Genes are weird.
My grandfather had a very distinct facial feature. None of his five children inherited it. One of his ten grandchildren got it (the one grandchild who didn’t wind up having children of his own). All but one of his 14 great grandchildren so far have it. Genetics are weird.
Now I want to know what this distinctive feature is!
When I was a child my mom found a childhood photo (probably age 11 or 12) of her maternal grandmother (my great-grandmother) and we learned that I had a striking resemblance to her!
My son looked just like my mother until he went through puberty. It was uncanny how much they looked alike.
My grandmother was a brown person, and her genes obviously carry through the generations, mixed with mostly Caucasians, so some great grandchildren are more brown and look more like her and have her features.
I honestly think a lot of people were just better looking in our great grandparents’ time, and I feel they also posed better for photos (not puffy and slouching). Extras in old movies look more fit than a lot of stars today!
I think the median level of grooming was definitely higher.
Depends on what you mean by grooming. No one was taking a daily shower back then. Men’s hair was shorter and had product in it, but women got their hair coiffed once per week.
Christ, obviously I mean the parts of grooming that improve one’s appearance and would be visible in pictures, not, like, whether they were all wearing deodorant or had brushed their teeth.
This was not a “Christ” level dissent. Calm down.
OP here and that’s definitely part of it – the photos we were looking at showed everyone dressed up with hair done, etc., and everyone was very lean, which made the attractive bone structure stand out more.
Hah, my grandfather WAS an extra in movies!
Also, the cameras at that time weren’t as high resolution, so it’s like they have a blurring filter on for blemishes and other imperfections. Plus people didn’t take photographs as often so were more conscious of posing, dressing nicely, etc.
I found a picture of my great grandma as a toddler recently and it was like I found a picture of myself in 1930. I joked that I am a vampire because how could I look like that in 1930 and 1990? So yes, it’s possible.
Not a great-grandparent, but I look a lot like my grandmother (and my mother, who was her daughter, did not look anything like her). I have seen the clear, pure blue eyes seen more often in Europe than the US skip down to the great-grandchildren in my family repeatedly when no one in the two intervening generations has them.
I used to love the old Express Columnist pants. They are bootcut or straight and 49% polyester, 47% cotton and 4% spandex.
Now all Express pants are rayon/nylon/spandex or ponte which is I hate. Doesn’t anyone know of any brand similar to the old Columnist pants? Thanks.
For any of you who have served as executor for a family member, have you taken or not taken the executor’s commission?
Here, one parent died and I’m that parent’s executor because it was overwhelming for the surviving spouse. When the ss does, the only heirs are me and one sibling. Sibling brings all drama and no help, so I want to think this through. SS likely has more than adequate funds.
I acted as a de facto one for a lazy executor, and compensation would have been nice – it was hours and hours of my time (a foreign estate with mandatory inheritance distributions).
I’d be really upset if my sibling took the commission after my parents died. My parents are conservative and selected my brother as executor even though we are more than capable of doing it together (and I don’t totally trust him). I’ve asked them to make us co-executors and it’s crickets. He will probably take the commission though, knowing him.
My mother wanted to name my brother and I as co-executors (6 kids total). I told her that I was glad to do it solo, and fine with it if she named anyone other than me, but I would not do it with a co-executor. She ended up just naming me. It was a lot of work and I did not take payment.
I think if you hire an attorney to handle the estate and therefore, pay attorney fees out of the estate, then no I wouldn’t take a commission. If you do it all on your own and save the estate money, I’d take the commission. Also, if you’re spending a ton of time on it, then I think it’s fair. Regardless of whether all parties are capable of being an executor, one person had to actually do it and take time out of their lives, etc, so I think they’re entitled.
I did not, and I was executor for both parents. One estate was complicated with lots of little accounts. I have a good relationship with my siblings though and I am the only lawyer. One of my siblings gave a monetary gift to my kids for my work, which I thought was super nice.
I have not, but a friend in a situation that was prone to drama had an approach that I will use if I never need to. At the beginning of the executorship, she contacted all of the heirs and said: I am the executor and am willing to do this for no cost if you all respect the effort and commit to working with me to getting this done in a year. If it drags into a second year, I will charge a fee as allowed by law for all the time in the first year, and ongoing, until the estate is closed. The estate wrapped in 50 weeks.
This is the way.
This is smart. I like it. I also think executors should get paid and hire whatever outside professionals would make the job easier. Being an executor is a lot of work and even more work and emotional drain when there are dramatic people involved. People’s time is worth money. Pay them.
My husband was my mother’s executor. He did not take a commission. There wasn’t a lot of money but there was a ton of hassle. It took over a year to settle the entire estate, including selling her broken down house and having the sale fall through twice!
I’m the executor for the estates of my dad and grandmother and I have not taken a commission. My brother and I are actually co-executors for my dad’s estate, and it has worked out really well. I’m better at paperwork, but he is local and can do things like let a realtor in to a house we’re selling. We get along well and are reasonable people though.
I had the biggest shopping win today– I live in a studio apt and have been looking for some sort of gateleg/folding table, and had been considering an Ikea one. This morning I found a beautiful 1960s gateleg table with folding chairs that stow inside on FB marketplace for less than the Ikea version, and the seller was located in my building!! So I just went upstairs and had it in my place within fifteen minutes. I’m SO excited about this find.
Feel free to share any little recent shopping/life wins here :)
NICE! I would be thrilled by that as well. :)
Amazing! If I were you, I think I would also buy a lottery ticket today!
Enjoy!!!
That is awesome!! My stroke of good luck today was that following the unrecoverable loss of some team files last month, today one team member dug up a local copy of an important missing document, just before we were sitting down to rewrite it from memory.
That’s great! I am going to stop by the Fanciest Resale Shop in my area in hopes of finding excellent statement coats, jackets or sweaters, so wish me luck.
Omg how perfect!
That’s fabulous! I love my gateleg G-Plan table from a local-ish vintage MCM furniture dealer. It’s really versatile and works so well in a smaller house.
My major score this week is a FREE floor loom, so I’ll be spending the long weekend moving things around to make a space for it.
Great find! I’m still elated about the pair of bentwood chairs I picked up on the side of the road this past spring… they have little metal tags on the underside saying they were from Northwestern University’s library in the 1950s.
woot! that’s great!
Looking for advice from NYC folks:
My sister sublets an apartment in NYC and has 3 roommates. Roommate A is the only one who is actually on the lease, the other 3 sublet from her. My sister just learned that Roommate A has been overcharging her and the other 2 roommates on rent, effectively paying for Roommate A’s rent. It isn’t a rent controlled apartment. Is this illegal? Would she have any recourse to sue Roommate A to return the amount that was overcharged?
This is roommmate A being a good business woman. You can sublet for more than you pay
Plus roommate A is the one bearing more risk since she’s the one on the lease. That’s worth something.
If your sister agreed to sublet from her at X price and signed an agreement at that price, I don’t think she has any recourse. I was previously in a sublet apartment and I thought I got a better deal for my room than my roommates (I had the master) but it is all very subjective.
Is she paying more than what she signed a lease for? If not, I don’t see how this is “overcharging”.
This is really normal in NYC. It drives me nuts, but I don’t think it is illegal. T
I’ve only heard of this being illegal in the context of rent control.
Sometimes in the lease it will say that if you earn more than the rent by subletting that you have to turn it over to the landlord, but that doesn’t help your sister.
It’s not like it would be worth anyone’s time or expense to sue if it were illegal. But it’s certainly something your sister can consider when renewing the sublet or if the roommate tries to pass on a rent increase. And to ask about for her next roommate share.
It may be 2 hours to the nearest Costco and -30 in the winter here, but that aurora last night was amazing. Hope y’all got outside to see it.
I live in NJ (close to a Costco and with mild winters) and apparently the aurora was great. But I am on a work trip and missed it :(
The were awesome in NJ last night. Really bright pink for some reason. My whole neighborhood was out.
It was so cool! I was on a night bike ride with a local group and had no idea it was supposed to happen so was completely surprised and obviously delighted.
Man, what a great experience! I’m jealous – I was bedrotting (third trimester over here) and would have loved to see it from my mountain bike.
i was so confused what costco had to do with it, ha, but you just meant you’re remote?
you could apparently see it in some places where I am (Midwest) but not too well.
I live in Indiana and a friend had spectacular pictures. Far better than when I saw them in Iceland and Greenland. She drove to the middle of nowhere though. I don’t think it was very visible from my suburban area.
I am in the Midwest and it was very mildly visible at first (more like a hint if you knew it was there, but noticeable if you viewed through a phone camera). It got more robust later into the night. So gorgeous!
Family in Oklahoma saw it, too, which was even more exciting considering how rare it is to see that far south.
Just that living in the middle of nowhere has its challenges but made for a spectacular show. Light conversation. have a great weekend!
How do you know that you’ve been working too hard? I had a humorous but also sort of startling thing happen to me last night. I’m going to be doing a ton of public speaking over the next two months for different projects, and I was in the middle of trying to find some relevant stats I could include in one of the last decks. Hand to God, I thought I recognized someone on a website as a past coworker I liked and tried to remember her name. And then I realized it was a stock model––and I recognized which stock I had used her for with a brochure from about five years ago.
Is this what it’s like when you no longer have time for real friends? You become imaginary friends?
I’m praying I can get through the next eight weeks and finally take a break for the holidays.
lol! I hear you. When wacky things start happening! For me, it’s when I starting doing forgetful things like leaving my coffee mug on my car……. hmmmm…. time for a vacation. Good luck with your speaking events and hope you get to take a nice break after!
You should never be too busy for real friends :)
What are your favorite freezer containers? I’m thinking ahead to an upcoming busy period and want to meal prep, either whole dishes or different ingredients/components. I’ve got a rag tag bunch of tupperware of various take out containers. It’s not enough and they don’t fit in the freezer together very well.
Souper cubes are great.
Ok, I’m glad to hear that! They look perfect but they’re also pretty spendy, so I’ve been hesitant to buy them.
I have knockoffs. Very very happy with them
LOVE my souper cubes. So helpful. If you buy the 2-cup ones and freeze 4 blocks, all 4 blocks fit nicely into a gallon-freezer bag once you pop them out.
Rubbermaid brilliance
I just use the disposable Gladware or Ziploc or Target store brand ones that we use for everything (and wash/reuse). Or freezer weight ziploc bags.
I try to use (and reuse) freezer Ziplocs, but will often do the initial freeze in something else so it stacks better, like Souper Cubes. Sometimes I’ll freeze in a Ziploc itself and then lay it flat on a pizza box so it’s a good size. We’ve also frozen in glass snapware, but it isn’t good for multiple portions.
Freezer-safe wide mouth mason jars–just take off the lid and they can go right in the microwave.
This is mine. But I don’t usually need the wide mouth ones. I tend to freeze 1 cup or even 1/2 cup amounts (I most frequently freeze liquids like homemade stock) so in the little ones, the standard mouth is the width of the jar.