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I'm seeing a ton of great deals — I may try to do a deal roundup for some of these, but if not, a few things to note:
- J.Crew is offering 30% off everything PLUS free shipping with no minimum — prices are lower than the similar J.Crew December sale we rounded up a few years ago. Select colors of the No. 2 pencil skirt come to $20(!)-$77, select colors of the Minnie come to $49, and a lot of the Collection Cashmere comes down to under $150. Note that J.Crew Factory is 50% off everything as well.
- I've been meaning to round up the Stuart Weitzman sale since I saw it a few days ago — great selections on things that don't normally go on sale. (Check the Nordstrom selection of Weitzman shoes on sale because prices are sometimes better there (like this over the knee boot marked to 40% off, pictured); Neiman Marcus also has a pretty great selection of Weitzman shoes (with an extra 20% off today, too).)
- Kate Spade is also offering 25% off sale items with code COZYUP (ends 12/14).
- Finally, I just happened to notice this: Club Monaco's sale is on sale — extra 30% off sale and extra 40% off clearance with code SALEONSALE.
I haven't done a full survey of the stores — ladies, are you seeing any noteworthy deals right now?
Diana Barry
SOCAL LADIES – (and sorry if I post this again if this isn’t the correct post) –
Going to a wedding in SoCal this weekend. Am I correct that no hose is OK? What about sweaters/wraps/etc., do people usually wear those? I am probably looking at either the trusty old sequin cardigan (LOL) or a purple pashmina. Wedding is not in a church.
Wildkitten
No hose!
anon
Agreed on no hose, and people often wear wraps or pashminas if it’s chilly (our definition of chilly is, however, tropical compared with the Northeast!).
Wildkitten
I wear sweaters if it’s under 70. Maybe up to 75.
OCAssociate
Agree, no hose! Either sweater or wrap sounds fine, especially since it will be a brisk 60 degrees this weekend! Brrr.
Parfait
Hose? No need at all. A sweater or wrap? You will totally need one.
Don’t be like my brother who didn’t bring a jacket when he came to visit in July, even though I told him it gets chilly at night. I asked him why not and he said “I didn’t believe you!”
Cat
JCrew is turning into the new Macy’s – I think the entire s!te has been 25-30% off (with some exceptions) for the better part of two months.
Kate
Does anyone have experience with the quality at J. Crew Factory? It seems to me that they always have discounts listed but I’m not sure how to judge the value.
Wildkitten
They are the outlet store, so I think 50% off is the standard price. The quality is shoddy and the fit isn’t the same as J.Crew so I love it for trendy stuff that I won’t want next season anyway.
ALN
The J.Crew Factory near me regularly has 30-40% off, 45-50% off during big shopping weekends. It’s definitely not always 50% off. I think that’s pretty in line with their web pricing.
OCAssociate
They have many items that are sort of low-end knock offs of the more popular JCrew items. The cuts are more sloppy than JCrew – if I buy the same size in Factory it’s not guaranteed to fit the way the JCrew option does. (Example is their pencil skirts – Factory item in the same size is tighter on the waistband but baggier in the behind on me.) Same with the sweaters – slightly cheaper material, but my cardigans haven’t pilled up any faster than my actual JCrew sweaters.
Their “listed” price is never the actual price. The current 50% off is a decent value.
AIMS
50% off is good. Usually it’s more 25-30% off. The best is when they do extra 30-35% off markdowns.
I agree that the quality is not great but some things there are, I think, a good value. Specifically: denim, button down cotton/flannel/denim shirts, some shoes (I like the ballet flats when they’re marked down to around $30), some jewelry, lots of the accessories (the belts!), some outerwear (the puffer jacket, which you can sometimes find marked down to $99-150, denim jackets, & vests), some sweaters, and I like the wool pencil skirt in all colors but black (their black items are often huge lint magnets).
I’d never buy anything “ponte” there because it pills almost immediately but most ponte does so I don’t buy it period. I have a cashmere sweater from 5 years ago that is still unpilled and going strong but I think that one may be the exception and not the rule.
Kate
Thanks, everybody! Really helpful!
Emmabean
I just did a doubletake on those boots pictured. I bought an identical pair from DSW last weekend that are the Franco Sarto brand. Just a PSA for those frugal ladies on here ;)
Anony
First year lawyer here. My firm has a policy suggesting that lawyers spend at least $150 on a personal Christmas gift for their assistant. No gift cards. My assistant doesn’t drink, so a nice bottle of wine is out. I actually don’t know her that well (we are both new), and I’m completely at a loss for gift ideas. Can anyone help me out?
ac
I’d check with a more senior associate in the office. I’m not advocating violating the policy, but I know my firm discourages associates from gifting directly to their secretaries but EVERYONE in my office does it anyway. Similarly, for your office, it may be that the rule regarding “personal Christmas gifts” is routinely disregarded, so maybe a box of chocolates $125 AmEx card inside might be the way to go?
If the policy is serious & followed, I’d look for something that you think she’d like but that is easily returnable to a store near the office if it’s not to her taste.
Anon
+1. With gift receipt (price not shown) or original receipt In a small sealed envelope for easy returns.
Anonymous
Silk scarf, nice wallet, facial or massage.
busybeez
Feeling very down today. I am an in-house attorney who for the past 14 months has been working as a contractor within the legal group of a large tech company. I love the people that I work with and I find the work challenging. When I first started, the plan was that if there was mutual agreement, I would go permanent in September. This September, however, this company has instituted a hiring freeze, and there is no information on when this would be lifted. (Keep in mind, my boss wanted to hire me after 3 months but had to wait for executive approval to open the requisition) While I appreciate the pay, and the experience being a contractor at the end of the day feels like being “the help”, no 401k, pay out of pocket for insurance, no sick or vacation days etc…. I feel like a fool, like I have been strung around. The only good news in this is that my contract is only up in August, so I essentially have an 8 mo. lead in finding a new job. I have already updated by resume and and sending it out, but my confidence has been shattered. I mean, if I can’t get a company that have worked for the past 14 months, gotten plenty of excellent feedback on, then who the hell will hire me???? Sympathy and advice greatly appreciated!
Must be Tuesday
Sounds like you’re being unnecessarily hard on yourself. Nothing about the negatives in your situation is personal to you, and there are a lot of positives. Your supervisor wanted to hire you but couldn’t get institutional approval – that says your supervisor thinks highly of you and wants you on board. A hiring freeze was instituted which impacted everyone across the board – this was not an action taken against you in particular. You’re getting experience and a salary for work you find challenging while working with people you enjoy. All good.
Being a contract employee instead of a permanent employee sucks, given that you would prefer to be a permanent employee, but that’s not a reflection on you, but rather a situation outside of your control – and outside of the control of people in the company who would have hired you after 3 months if they could have.
January
+1. You are in a difficult situation that does not appear in any way to be of your own making. It’s natural to take this sort of situation to heart, but you really shouldn’t. Just keep swimming, Nemo.
HR Aonony
It is not unusual for companies to have end of year hiring freezes. And then usually it lets up in the new year, with a new budget year. This happened every year at my last company. I wouldn’t get so down and assume this is all about you. I would stick around (assuming you like it) and do the best job you can so they want to hire you when the times comes.
Hildegarde
It sounds like none of this is about you. You did a great job, your boss wanted to hire you, but couldn’t because of a hiring freeze, which is very common. You are not a fool.
Also, you are more than your job! Your job does not determine your worth as a person.
Samantha
If I’m reading this right, a hiring freeze was instituted a whole year before your contract is up – so September of this year. Usually these freezes are effective on a quarterly basis and may not be renewed for the next few quarters. In one company I was in, the hiring freeze sort of lapsed at the end of the quarter and after that it was an unofficial “don’t hire unless you really need to” type of policy – far easier to work around if you need to.
Sometimes the hiring freeze does not apply to replacements of natural attrition, or “essential” positions, or it may be possible to get an exception approved by a C-level or SVP level person.
Overall, I’d say, keep impressing your boss, keep an eye open for other opportunities, but don’t discount your current company. As you get closer to your contract expiration you can sound out your boss about workarounds and possibilities, especially if anyone in a similar position leaves and you can potentially step in as a replacement.
Plum
LOFT is having 50% off everything (including Lou & Grey…my favorite, which never is included!) plus free shipping with no minimum (also never happens). I keep telling myself to close the wallet but the deals are so good right now for some reason. Or maybe my resolve is just much weaker than usual.
MNF
And now I’m shopping. I’ve never bought pants from Loft – does anyone have insight to the different styles (Marisa or Julie?). Which is the one for small waist/larger bottom, or is it about how high they come up? Thanks!
Anonymous
I wear a 14 in the Marisa, I have a fairly proportional frame, and the Julies look extremely frumpy on me: much too high waisted and wide in the thighs/back. Seems like the Julies have a higher rise and fuller cut in the legs/back.