Thursday’s Workwear Report: Della Pleated-Waist Shell Top
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Our daily workwear reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices.
This sleeveless top from Anthropologie looks like a fun option for the summer. The coral color is beautiful and the pleated-waist details give it a really nice shape.
Sadly, this wasn’t available for in-person viewing at my local store, so I’m going to have to wait for UPS to see how the pleating works on someone with non-model proportions, but I think it looks promising!
The top is $88 and comes in sizes XXS-XL. It’s also available in black and beige.
Sales of note for 6/24/25:
- Nordstrom – Designer clearance up to 60% off
- Ann Taylor – 30% off tops & sweaters + extra 30% off sale
- Banana Republic Factory – 50% off everything + extra 20% off
- Boden – Sale up to 50% off
- Eloquii – Semi-annual clearance, up to 80% off
- J.Crew – Big Summer Event: Up to 50% off almost everything (ends 6/26) + extra 50% off sale styles
- J.Crew Factory – Up to 60% off + extra 60% off clearance
- M.M.LaFleur – Try code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off
- Rothy's – Semi-annual event, up to 50% off seasonal faves
- Spanx – End-of-season sale
- Talbots – Extra 30% off markdowns (ends 6/24) + $24.50+ summer favorites
Career question for this Thursday.
I work for a large company and have been in my leadership role for a few years. I consistently get high ratings, above average raises, and exceed my bonus target. I know my big boss and main boss think highly of my work but I’ve been frustrated with discussions around potential career progression and promotion. I had a baby a few years ago, was reorged during maternity leave, and felt it took a year plus to establish myself with my new boss and be seen as a valued leader on the team. Because of this frustration around career progression I’ve been passively job searching for awhile but reluctant to give up my increasingly unicorn scenario – hybrid (but leans remote), little work in the evenings (after pushing back a lot), and low travel.
My company has a subsidiary and I’ve worked closely with their leadership team the entire time I’ve been with this company, and they respect and value me immensely which has helped my standing with my boss and grandboss. Their style is different, it’s more roll up your sleeves vs corporate politics. Over the past month, their CEO has twice brought up the idea of me coming to work for them and has probed me on my career goals and if I was happy in my current role. Earlier this week, he talked about me as a potential candidate to succeed their COO in a few years and that no one else in that org would have the skills to succeed at the next level.
I have an idea what role he’d have me in mind for, it would be a title bump but technically same pay range though I could negotiate that. They’re HQ in a different state so likely a bit more travel but I could manage. I think I’m reluctant to move “down” in company if that makes sense? And to restart in a somewhat new environment. They tend to work more/harder than we do, but I could negotiate some boundaries around that. The current COO who would be my boss is incredibly nice and down to earth and I get the impression very hands off.
Thoughts?
“A few years” doesn’t sound like a lot for the next promotion as you get more senior, fwiw.
I’ve seen a few people do this and been unhappy that they are now beholden both to local management and the politics at the parent, or the subsidiary sold off.
One person did land the COO equivalent role at the sub eventually, and then used that to get to a similar position at a larger org, like back at parent co level but a different company. I don’t know whether they would have ended up in that role at the original company given the time elapsed changing jobs twice, but they’re happy!
The few years timeline also stood out to me. OP, I don’t know how old your kid is, but my mom had more freedom to lean in at work once we got to high school (my dad is a nice man but not a ton of help for day to day parenting).
Agree with this, and OP I would think about why moving “down” in company is an issue for you. If there are on-the-ground differences that would make life more difficult, like the political reasons Cat notes, that’s one thing. If your issue is more of an intangible prestige-driven idea of the kind of company you “should” work for, I would carefully weigh how much that really matters. In my own career, I wrestled with that and ultimately decided that any external idea of how prestigious my company was paled in comparison to how I felt about my daily work and work/life balance, which were leaps and bounds better in the “lesser” company. But I have friends who made a different call. No wrong answers IMO, we’re all happy with our choices.
Agree with this take. And the above commenter’s example to use the job as a stepping stone to a better job in the parent company. It sounds from your comments that quality of life is more important to you, so maybe waiting a bit longer might be in your best interests. No wrong answers, you have to decide what your personal priorities are.
Really? What is the length of time you’d wait for a promotion if already in a senior position? I don’t know what “few” means in the OP’s particular situation but if it means 3 years, it seems reasonable to want a clear path to promotion after 3 years in the current role.
The higher you get the longer it takes absent a lucky departure. I’m confused because OPs statements sound very junior (good reviews, short timelines, considering a COO role a downgrade, what?). Without a sense of your actual current level, this sounds like the new job at the sub could be quite junior with “kid you’ve got potential”:vibes. Also, I’ve never seen a COO not relocate to HQs. But it’s so hard to tell if succession for that role is really in play here.
I was just thinking about this – the only role above me at my small company is a C-suite role. So my only option eventually will just be to leave.
OP here with more context. Was trying to be vague to not identify myself.
I’m a Director with 15 years of experience, having discussions about being promoted to Senior Director at the beginning of next year. Realistically VP is off the table in my current position unless my boss or someone else leaves. My big boss has promoted some folks to VP quickly (maybe too quickly) so it’s frustrating that I’m continually given large bonuses and raises (I see the budget so I know this) but after 4 years in my role SD is still a question mark.
The role at the subsidiary would be a VP with *potential* to be promoted to COO when that person vacates in a few years. Again, may or may not happen, but I’m definitely not being looked at for bigger and better things in my current role.
Role 2 sounds exciting but if you’re going there just for the eventual Big Promotion, you have to also factor in the risk of leadership changes between now and then (or the subsidiary getting sold, etc). Also are you done having kids? If not, could you delay your jump over there until you are so that you don’t have any break in your momentum? Final thought from me: I’m valuing those unicorn aspects more as my kids get older and we’re not even in elementary school yet… I wouldn’t also count on your ability to negotiate boundaries on travel or evening work fully different from the subsidiary if you are also vying for a promotion in that group
I would be concerned about the fit between your boundaries and their work more/harder/roll up your sleeves culture. You can’t change their culture and if you don’t fit the culture, it’s unlikely you will get the C-suite role in the end.
Not my comment, but reposting from yesterday’s late afternoon post because I’d love input to this. My tips to add are a Crest Whitestrips 2x/year.
“What are things I can do to look more put-together/glowy/expensive? I don’t know how to explain it, but when I interact with some women I can tell they really invest in themselves. I’m not talking about clothing. I’m talking about things like facials (what type? are they worth it, or is expensive skincare better?), laser treatments, highlights/balayage, eyebrow waxing, spray tans, mani/pedis. What tips do you have? If I knew these women and they told me their secrets, what would they be?”
Find a great colorist and go to the salon often. Get no chip manicures on a regular schedule. Skincare is some combination of daily sunscreen (which doesn’t have to be a fancy brand), botox, prescription retinoids, and possibly laser treatments if these are well off older women. Dermaplaning if you wear foundation. Eyebrows require regular maintenance- daily tweezing at home and possibly the occasional wax or threading to establish the shape. Spray tanning depends on your crowd and location- some women do it year round, others do it before vacation or a big event, in some circles people embrace the pale. I hate that it’s become an arms race btw- even among women I know with low paying jobs the standard has become flawless manicures, botox, and expensive hair color.
Don’t underestimate the impact of tasteful makeup, styled hair, and nice jewelry. I bet their clothes are flattering, in good condition, and taken to a tailor.
Oh, is that all?
I’m the commenter you’re responding to. I agree it’s expensive and time consuming. OP asked what these women are doing to look so polished and the secret is it’s a lot of work- people don’t naturally look that way.
I don’t personally do all of this but I know many women who do. And it isn’t as closely correlated to income as you’d expect. I have no idea how my teacher friends afford all this.
Right. I don’t do most of this either, but it’s laughable to think there are tips and tricks. High maintenance looks are a lifestyle. I respect it but can’t/won’t emulate it.
I’m confused at this response. The OP asked what women do to look expensive. The commenter you’re responding to gave a comprehensive list of expensive, effective beauty regimes that make a profound difference.
You are not confused.
Right! Looking expensive is expensive. Shocker!
Would add a few things here. Regular (every 6-8 weeks) hair color & cut appointments, every 2 week manicures, every 4 week pedicures. Regular facials with dermaplaning. Botox and micro needling; lasers when needed. High quality skincare, including retinol and (for me personally) daily red light therapy.
I wouldn’t underestimate the importance of skincare. Even if you prefer your hair its natural color and natural nails, you can keep those up at home and will look much more expensive by investing in skincare.
My tip: get a lot of sleep.
… that’s really it. My skin will glow and I have more enthusiasm and equilibrium in interpersonal reactions if I get 9+ hours of sleep a night. Every other thing I do – makeup, clothes, dermaplaning – is an incremental change compared to whether or not I’m well rested.
Amen. I think sufficient sleep is a threshold issue, and then I’m going to add to sleep: drink plenty of liquids and eat lots of vegetables and fruit. I think it’s hard to glow without these four things. Then the rest of it is whatever level of grooming suits someone.
This is probably true, but unworkable for most people. I’m not a sleeper, even when I prioritize it–get lots of exercise, eat responsibly, go to bed early, don’t look at screens, I’m lucky to get 6 hours. And I don’t have the obligations of child care.
It’s annoying advice that I desperately wish I could take.
Yeah I’ve even seen a sleep neurologist, but apparently my sleep issues were all JUST under the threshold of diagnosis or treatment. Sometimes I wonder if it’s worth redoing tests in case they happen to be over the threshold on a redo!
I think the first step is caring for your body’s basic needs. Sleep enough, drink more water, eat fruits and vegetables, and exercise regularly. I look so much better than I used after I took this type of self-care more seriously.
I’ve added a few other things. My eyelashes are very sparse, so extensions are a big improvement. My eyebrows are sparse so I tint them at home. I wear press-on nails because it looks more polished but I don’t want to get my nails done.
+1 My aesthetician always says that GI issues show up on in the skin and that seems to be true for me anyway.
Work out daily, drink a lot of water and take the right vitamins. Then! Get some morning sun (10-15 minutes each day) do some cardio (outside of structured workouts) and eat decently (think high protein, low carb, healthy fats and anti-inflammatory foods).
Keep your mind busy and body active is 50 %. Food and Sleep is 30%, and good hair, makeup, clothes is the last 20%.
The glow you note is the satisfaction of keep it together.
This is the key. You can have all the haircuts and Botox you want but if you’re drinking too much and eating garbage, it will reflect in your appearance.
This is very true. I’ve known a few women who think that monthly $300 haircuts and wardrobes from Neiman’s will make up for the fact that they don’t eat well, they drink too much, and they haven’t exercised since gym class in 1987… and, I mean they look okay. But all that expensive stuff gets them to “okay.”
Smoking is also a killer – not just literally, which we all know, but for appearance as well. My most “expensive” friend has a lot of treatments but can’t undo the damage all the smoking has done to her skin. She’s thin (too thin, honestly) and fit and her hair is impeccable, but she can’t or won’t give up her “secret” / not so secret smoking habit. And it shows in her face.
Aside on the too thin comment – she smokes in place of eating more so she is convinced she would “blow up” if she didn’t smoke.
Some people definitely do gain of a ton of weight when they quit smoking. Maybe with modern medical smoking cessation that’s less of a risk though (like with Wellbutrin which is at least half of Contrave).
I’m one of those people but I go for bang for the buck – cut and color every 8 weeks, mani every week and pedi every two, lash extensions for speaking engagements and events. My skincare routine is minimal beyond 3x/yr Botox but I have really good genes. The other key things are tailoring, dry cleaning and shoe maintenance. Also, tossing old clothes when they’re past their useful life. There’s more to a look than just a face.
This is making me feel better about being somewhat shlubby. I just do not care to spend this much time and money on my appearance. This is not a criticism of anyone who does, just me realizing I have made choices that I am comfortable with. I was one of those little girls who hates dresses and loves playing in mud puddles, and it seems I didn’t grow out of it.
Same. Plus some people are just really good at this. I was in a beach community in NC for a week last year, and there were families there and you could tell moms (50s) and daughters (20s) were just different than people like me. They were serene, very blonde, good makeup, and whatever the new lilly pulitzer aesthetic is. This is never going to be me (or my mother or my daughters.) These people just exist separately.
Well said. I have tried to be this person. Turns out that I’m not.
Yes! I tried for so long to be one too, and it was stressful and never quite worked for me. Good for them, not for me
Well, this is a fashion site, so it isn’t surprising it would lean towards higher maintenance folks.
Hard same. It’s too much effort and expense for me.
Same! From the outside, it seems like a very particular hobby. I do plenty of things that are worth it to be but wouldn’t be to many (or even most) other people, simply because I enjoy them. This whole routine is not *my* hobby but I can totally see why people would be invested in doing it.
You know, thinking about it as a specialized hobby is actually very freeing for me.
This women are not setting a standard I have to keep any more than a rock climber is. This is just their thing, and if it works for them, great.
I feel like I take care of myself well, but I don’t do even half the stuff mentioned in this thread. I hate that this has become the standard for what passes as polished and glowy. No judgment, I swear, I just find it discouraging.
Same. I just do not have the time or effort to invest in this. Manicures every two weeks? Botox? WTF even is dermaplaning? No shade to anyone who does choose these things but I do find it discouraging.
I hear you. Life takes it’s toll, but ideally you should be prioritizing good exercise, hydration, sleep, and food. Even if regular haircuts, manicures, and botox aren’t in your future.
Yeah part of the reason I don’t have time for this nonsense is because I’m busy hydrating, sleeping, exercising, and trying to eat well.
Same!
I was thinking I could never get a weekly manicure an if I did it’d have to be in place of a workout
I posted above and am someone who does these things. The difference might be it’s actually part of my job to look polished. I’m in the c-suite and represent the brand. I’m also well compensated for it. When I retire I’m sure I’ll let a lot of this go.
I’m a few years ahead of you and very similar. I’m semi retired now and don’t go into an office.
I get a cheaper haircut now (honestly a bargain because she’s nearly as good as my $150+ former stylist), am letting my gray come in, which is much less than I thought it was. I stopped having manicures and pedicures during the pandemic and never went back. My nails are so strong now I have to remind myself to cut them because they get too long.
Being semi retired my habits are much better – stress really does affect healthy habits – so while I may not look as polished as I used to, I think I look better in a more natural way. I get that this wouldn’t work as well in a corporate environment but I’m happy with the changes and more comfortable in my skin than I used to be.
One thing I will never lose is my good skincare habits. I like doing it and I’ve always been religious about SPF. I went to lunch with a local friend the other day and she asked what I had on my skin that made it look so smooth and glowy. It’s just my skin. I’m putting that comment in my mental scrapbook!
Seriously. Most men aren’t doing all of this (although a few of my colleagues now are starting to). I’m very well compensated and low maintenance, in a high profile job, and wish more women would join in being low-maintenance, rather than preserving the patriarchy and even extending it via men.
I am one of these people. I agree with the basic self care- I work out every day, try my best to get a full night’s sleep, am very particular about eating a nutritious diet, rarely drink alcohol, drink a lot of water, and wear sunscreen every day. The next thing I’m working on is incorporating some kind of stretching/flexibility training into my daily routine.
I also get botox 2x/year, get my eyebrows threaded every 3 weeks, and get ~ monthly manicures, just to clean up my nails no polish. The rest of my beauty routine is pretty minimal, and I plan to keep it that way until there’s a need (e.g., until I start going gray). I’m 37.
Crest whitestrips are always my answer to this question, too. That and getting your nails done.
I tried using the Crest white strips for sensitive teeth for at least five attempts and didn’t notice any difference. Do you have to use the ones for non sensitive teeth to notice improvement?
Hmm, I haven’t tried the ones for sensitive teeth, but the regular ones make a big difference.
Do they damage your teeth?
I’m in my early 40s and this is the age where you can start to tell the difference between those who put in a fair bit of effort and those who do not (no judgement, but those of us with good genes who age flawlessly are few and far between).
In a short survey of my peers I’d say the following are all common: nails either done every ~2 weeks or natural nails that are kept neat/buffed. Pedicures in the summer. Lots of water, healthy eating, exercise (lots of talk about weight lifting/weighted vests along with cardio among my peers), therapy/meditation for stress, vitamins/supplements and trying to get good quality sleep. Regular skincare routine – mine is daily sunscreen, daily vitamin C, daily retinol, LED mask 3-5x/week, botox 2-3x/year, lasers about once a year to remove rosacea and/or freckling/sun damage. Hair cut/colored every 6 weeks. Brows done about every 4-5 weeks. I don’t do my eyelashes but others do and swear by it. I enjoy fashion and spend more than I should on clothing but my peers regularly note and comment favorably on how put together I look. I am regularly in front of our senior execs and feel like this is a non-negotiable for me to continue to progress – there is a SHARP drop off in senior women past 55 and I just saw a colleague pushed out at that age so I’m aware that looking younger/aging well is necessary if I want to keep working.
But how will I even have time to work if I’m doing all of this?
This sounds like at most one appointment every week or two and 15 minutes of skincare daily. I can’t imagine a life where I couldn’t find this amount of time for something that I felt was important to me. If it’s not important to you, cool, but that’s different than not having enough time.
Exactly! I don’t get it. It’s hard enough to make time to do my actual routine medical appointments (and my kids’ appointments).
Eh, maybe you’ll get pushed out anyway because people will think you spent too much time getting your hair done and not enough time working.
Oh please. Opting out of this beauty stuff is a valid choice. But no one looks at a woman with no makeup and unkempt hair and thinks “She’s probably too busy doing Important Things. She’s much more serious than those other women.”
Or life will push you out! Many women leave the workforce because of family obligations like caregiving for parents or spouses, not because of how they look.
I do none of this except not drinking, staying out of the sun, and sunscreen. I look young for my age
For the most part looking expensive, I think actually does come down to having privilege. With regard to beauty; the time and space to focus on health. Sleep exercise and healthy food for sure but also the lack of stress and time to be able to focus on these things. Huge props to everyone who works a big job and manages these things but for me they just weren’t attainable without a pretty stress free job and family situation. Its really a whole other level of privilege to prioritize your well being over your career and have financially and emotionally stable family situation.
Hair makeup skin and hair all matter. But guess what? It takes resources beyond just the money you spend. It’s the social circle to know which colorist, which injector and what treatments to try in your area. Also eyebrows. Good grief they’re a whole thing. It’s the time and extra money for trial and error. A lot of times it’s marriage to someone whose mom got spa treatments and cosmetic surgery and doesn’t blink if you spend real money on those things.
And clothes? I think it’s more than reasonably flattering and well fitting. Our stuff probably needs to be updated more than we think, especially if you’re like me and hate owning tons of clothing and shoes. Even little things like the ball cap I’ll throw on for a walk get shabby looking quickly if you only have a few. Forget the money, it’s the sort of mental energy to notice things like that and to also decide you care enough to look great even in your ball cap and sweatshirt.
This. You cannot underestimate the privilege social circle knowing where to go for the spa, who is the good tailor, which shoe guy to use. There are so many things to this that are not per se expensive, but you just need to know where to go.
Okay but also, after reading this thread: I’m expected to do all of this and bill my hours?
It must be nice to be a man.
Men have standards of appearance, too. A slob is a slob—no matter the gender. I say this as a semi-regular slob who could afford to go to the gym more regularly.
Huh? Regular manicures, Botox, dermaplaning are not necessary to not be a “slob.” If you have the time and money and it makes you feel good, that’s great, but let’s not pretend these are hygiene standards here.
I live with a man and I am her to tell you that it is AWESOME to be him, at least. I am secretly ragey every time we have to go somewhere and it’s a whole thing for me to get ready, while he just jumps in the shower, shaves, throws on his clothes, and he’s ready to go.
Word. I hate it.
Yes! When I was a new associate I used to rage at the men appearing for work in their men uniform after simply showering. I felt like I lost an hour plus a day of billables just trying to look “presentable”. I worked really hard to meet the “standard” for women’s appearance in that environment.
Same. I try not to be actively grumpy about it but it takes an extra 30 minutes a day for me to get ready for work just because I do the bare minimum expectations for women in an office. I would love to use those 30 minutes on anything else.
It takes me 30 minutes to get out of bed and out the door. The best thing I do for my morning routine is work out regularly and shower at night. In the morning I just do a quick shower so the water hits my face, put on moisturizer, brush my hair, get dressed and leave. If your lifestyle stinks, so amount of hair tricks or makeup in the morning is going to change that.
I sometimes wish that I looked like those women, but I’m mostly grateful that I grew up in an outdoorsy and hippie household and community where these routines are unheard of. There are other ways to age and it’s worth noting that you can still be a beautiful person inside and out without extreme measures and expense. Eating well, good sleep, and exercising go far.
Yeah, I think there’s looking “polished,” then “clean, healthy, and energetic,” then there are some people who just look like they’ve lived hard, whether it’s from stress, lifestyle choices, or lack of privilege.
I am early 40s and firmly in the second category. I’m not coiffed, I don’t wear much makeup, my skin has some fine lines, and my clothes are not up-to-the-minute, but my teeth are white and straight (thanks to braces as a kid), I take care of my heath, enjoy the outdoors wearing sunscreen, brush my hair, and brighten up my face with a little blush, mascara and lip balm if I’m going to the office. No one is going to mistake me as high maintenance or precious, but I am put together enough (and genetically and socioeconomically lucky enough) to still get the “pretty privilege” bump.
I do use white strips once a month or so, get pedicures on about the same cadence, trim and buff my nails, tweeze my eyebrows, get a haircut every 3-6 months, and clean and moisturizer my face every night + sunscreen every morning.
I guess that’s it – the clean and energetic aesthetic is naturally appealing to me.
1) stylist- even if it’s just Nordstrom. Get your clothes tailored to you. Wear less trendy but higher quality clothes.
2) forget facials and go to a derm. However, regular waxing your face and whatever other body parts.
3) red light therapy at home
4) Botox
5) laser treatments (do your homework)
6) polished hair with regular maintenance- whatever that means to you
7) personal trainer
8) I’m going to disagree on manicures, you can do at home. Many execs don’t go all out on their manicures but keep it simple instead. I see more getting pedicures but you can do both yourself.
I have said this before and will say it again: I could have been one of the posters saying “I don’t have time for all this” and talking about how unnecessary it all was in my 30s and 40s. And then I got laid off in my mid-50s and suddenly how I looked mattered in a way it had not in years. If you are a worker bee in a law firm, putting in the effort might be truly unnecessary but when you are interviewing for a job with someone more than a decade younger than you are, it matters. And there are jobs (trial lawyer comes immediately to mind) where how you look really does matter. I am in-house now and our CEO clearly puts a lot of time and energy into her appearance!
Which is to say, I get my nails done every three weeks (dip means they last); hair colored every 4 weeks, cut every other visit and chemically straightened twice a year, eyebrows threaded once a month, laser and small amounts of Botox regularly. I pay a lot of attention what I wear and make sure my clothes are current (but not trendy) and well tailored. Because at 58, just getting enough sleep and drinking water does no do it and I need to not be invisible the way so many older women become.
And if you are under 50, I suggest you withhold judgment. Because you cannot know what you will do until you are older.
Surprisingly, there isn’t a single judgmental comment on this thread. Even the women who say they have opted out of this are saying it just for themselves.
There’s a lot of people saying that. There’s also a lot that reads judgmental to me. Particularly the sarcasm and those opining older women who try to look polished will get pushed out for the perception that they try too hard.
I think that’s simply a reaction to the oft-repeated assumption that you’ll get pushed out for not trying.
I’m a pretty low maintenance 41 year old, but this makes a lot of sense to me.
This. Very much reality, however unfair
I’m one of the people replying who doesn’t engage in many of these practices (beyond things that actually go to health), because it’s just not who I am and my job does not require it, but I totally get this take. I just turned 39 and do recognize that I will probably start needing to put in more effort if I want to continue to achieve what I consider to be an acceptable level of polish. TBH I really admire women who manage to look so consistently polished.
This is really such an elite conversation. Go to any small or medium city and find people working in local legal offices or state government or similar good jobs and most women will not do half of these lists. They’re still successful and respected.
Yeah, I am grateful that I’m in the smaller pond I’m in. There are definitely people who do all the treatments, and it’s pretty easy to pick them out of a crowd. It is not yet mandatory (thank goodness) in a way that it seems be in other areas.
I guess what bums me out is that I look after myself. I exercise 3-4 days a week, lift weights, am active, eat healthy, etc. But looking at me, I am just not that sleek, beautiful woman, and I can’t be, no matter how hard I try. Let’s face it, much of this also comes down to having the socially acceptable body type and facial features.
Your last sentence is spot on. Some people have to do a lot more or less work to get the same result. But I guess I wonder where this level of polish is truly normal or expected. LA? NYC? Just in certain professions like high end real estate, maybe some roles in law or finance? I’m in the DC area which is not a fashion epicenter, and grew up in the Midwest. DC’s typical everyday grooming is a cut above what I see when I go home to visit my parents, but even in the very wealthy areas, I would say most people don’t look polished.
I would think more so in the South. I’m in San Francisco and while there are a lot of women who spend a lot of money on maintenance, a natural look is more prized than a highly polished look. Sometimes it’s a very expensive natural look, but it’s not overtly “done.”
I’m talking about professional culture, by the way. Not society. I don’t know anyone who attends the opera gala.
If you were a politician, what would you wear? What would your go-to look be?
I despise her politically, but Giorgia Meloni’s looks on-point to me.
I need to think about actual clothing, but I would always, always wear flats.
Queen Letizia of Spain (heavy rotation of Boss, wears flats, looks like Law & Order Madrid prosecutor) with a bit of Queen Maxima for festive events.
Sadly, no US politicians.
In a couple of decades, Europe will have a lot of queens regnant (vs queens consort), which will be v. interesting to watch for clothes.
Queen Letizis used to wear super high heels, it is only recently that she uses flats. She has had a ton of plastic surgery and other procedures… not a look I would go for.
IDK — am at a similar age and think that she looks great.
I’m surprised by how people wear heels at Ascot. Don’t they sink into the grass?
Huge fan of Queen Mary and Kate Middleton outfits.
Re politicians, like the commenter above, Tulsi offends me on many levels, but I love her clothing aesthetic.
Agree that they look great but I could never pull off Kate’s looks just based on height / body type. QM’s clothes style-wise seem to be a bit more forgiving for when sized to a more short / larger person.
Fun fact: I was in Tasmania recently and they still love her in her home town. Apparently she regularly takes her kids back for visits.
Queen Mary, that is.
Selina Meyer’s wardrobe.
+100
Madam Secretary vibes.
I’d probably aspire to Madam Secretary (practical and elegant), but in real life look more Katie Porter (practical and nondescript).
Red lipstick in honour of AOC!
I am always so impressed at how well it stays on and how its always on point.
Her signature color is the Stila liquid lip in Beso! I have some of their other colors and they stay on really well.
I feel like it would be a mix of MMLF and The Fold, at least on my budget. Once I had my size down, I’d buy something in a million colors on resale sites and that would confound people or be used for signaling (oh, she’s wearing the Scarlet Etsuko today because she loathes X and they will be in a picture together today). Like the dissent collar. Lots of Easter eggs.
+1. I’ve had a very distinct aesthetic since my 20s – I’m petite and well tailored clothing that is a bit feminine is my thing. The majority of my wardrobe is Hobbs, The Fold, JCrew, and LK Bennett – bought on sale or resale. If your vibe is classic vs. trendy it’s pretty easy to wait until things go on sale and snap up pieces that you can wear for years (think Nancy Pelosi and her decades old coats/scarves).
A mix between Ursula von der Leyen and Keeley Hawes in the Bodyguard tv series.
Mixed tailored suiting pieces in neutral colors, comfortable loafers or low heels, and a pop of color either in the blouse/shell or an accessory. A blazer that flatters my body type and the outfit is a must, year-round.
Christine Lagarde.
Dark navy or charcoal well cut pantsuit in tropical wool. Very expensive low heels. White button up. Long straight dark hair and lipstick. Every single day. The pantsuit is my favorite thing to wear in the world, having been in court most days for a decade. I love this question.
London Breed. I’m obsessed with her wardrobe and tailoring.
Melania Trump. Don’t care for the politics but she knows how to look good!
I’m also a fan of her aesthetic. Absolutely hate hate hate Ivanka Trump’s look. Too much midriff.
Ivanka always looks off to me. She’s tall and blonde and rich, I don’t get how she doesn’t look better.
Holly S, Ivanka has already has a lot of surgery and other interventions to look as good as she does. She was really not an attractive kid – this is as good as it gets.
To be fair, Melania was a model. Her height alone lets her pull off looks I could never. She absolutely is never off of her A game. I like to think that she ghostwrites all of the stern-talking Slavic humor reels I get.
Ivanka is very tall too, 5’11”
Yeah, she really leveled up her look from Supervisor to Mayor. She mentioned that after she became Mayor, she could finally live without a roommate. Good for her, I hope she lands on something good for her future.
I wore 1) flats because busy schedules and meetings/events in different environments. Think wearing a hard hat at a construction site, then speaking at a luncheon, then going to meetings. 2) simple looks because of schedule. 3) I like jackets over an informal outfit (going from a community cleanup to speaking on stage with no time for a big change. 3) wear a lot of tshirts (for example the clean up in the earlier example, a school event, little league game); and 4) bright colors for events because there are a lot of photos so I had dresses that would stand out; and 5) pockets.
AOC’s outfits with Kamala’s Chucks and hair inspired by Charlize Theron (pretty much any of her styles, b/c I can actually pull them off without outside help).
I like Amal Clooney’s style.
I would not wear the matchy matchy suits in bright colors. I think I’d lean more Kamala than Hillary.
Saw this (pink!) suit yesterday and loved it but I don’t need to buy another suit right now so sharing it in case anyone else is in the market: https://www.nordstrom.com/s/raine-one-button-blazer/8235695?origin=category-personalizedsort&breadcrumb=Home%2FWomen%2FClothing%2FSuits%20%26%20Separates&color=650
Cute! Thanks!
One thing we haven’t talked about much is how acting too deferential to authority can hold you back at work. If you hero-worship a superior, apologize for having basic needs like time off, or are too quick to volunteer for something known to be inconvenient to you when someone else can easily cover it, you send signals that you/your time are not very valuable and that you’re a rung down from the “big leagues,” as my boss calls it. I don’t think this is talked about enough for women, who already have to overcome so much feminine socialization in conversation and workplace actions. It’s ok to crack a joke to the most senior partner, to say “I can’t since I’ll be on vacation that day, but I’ll ask ___ to handle it,” and to speak up with an opinion that differs from leadership if it might improve the company or strategy.
The “how” here matters a lot too. Second guessing a strategy in a meeting, vs having a quiet word with the relevant person, makes a huge difference.
I have definitely been guilty of this.
You have to act like you belong in the big leagues, and stand out from others at your level. And have some visible confidence.
I don’t know. I volunteer to do stuff to serve as an example of pitching in. Too many people will act as if stuff that has to get done is beneath them, and as soon as I start doing this kind of thing people get off their bums and do their part.
How does any of that disagree with what I said?
I totally agree with this. And don’t volunteer to wash the dishes!
Yup. Part of the unappreciated work women are expected to do. We should say no more often.
Say you work in recruiting for a staffing company and your big clients are in health care. I really like it — I’m an extravert and am OK with talking all day on zooms; I’m even OK with 100% in-office (I do my zooms from the office due to not having a good apartment setup for that). Since there is a bit of a ceiling in that role (unless you start your own staffing company, which would be hard locally b/c of noncompetes), would a possible lateral / upward move to be going into an HR role at a hospital (several large ones here) or large corporate medical practice (same)? I feel sort of stuck. There are a lot of local universities offering certificates / MBAs / etc., but I have a feeling that a different job where my knowledge and skills are a still a bit relevant would be better than more schooling (or trying to juggle both). Large SEUS city.
Being a recruiter is a staffing environment is great experience for lots of other things. As you say you could do an internal recruiting role in a bigger company. People good at that can stay in recruiting, do recruiting ops (which agency people are often good at). You could move into an hrbp role. Or, recruiters have a lot of overlap with sales roles which you could do in some kind of hr adjacent company (like an hr tech or consulting company) or try to move into if you went to a health care company. Does any of that sound interesting? I probably wouldn’t spend money on school so much as conversations with people about your skills, interests and path. Good luck!
Seems like a great skill set for a sales or external marketing role in healthcare or pharma, if you don’t mind traveling.
what about being an Executive Recruiter for a company like Korn Ferry
So– I think I know the company and the city you are in. (I’m in-house counsel at a different healthcare company.) It will be hard to move up at the company you are at. Most friends I know that have started working there have had a hard time moving up. Roles are pretty narrowly defined and the higher-up positions do not have much turnover, so there isn’t really space to move up.
Most of the recruiters in my profession (legal) are former lawyers. I don’t know if the medical profession is similar, but I would hesitate to tell you go in that direction. There is definitely work in the local hospitals in HR. You could also look at physician credentialing/licensing. It would have an HR-bent but would allow you to move up in your career. Hospitals and other healthcare companies have these types of jobs.
Overall– I would just try to look for jobs that match your skills at other companies but don’t be set on recruiting, etc. My guess is part of your hesitation is that your current company is generally touted as a “great place to work,” which it is… but that doesn’t mean the job you have there is working for you.
Please consider calling your senators to oppose Sen. Lee’s ongoing attempts to sell off our public lands. This is especially important if you live in the west – those lands, if sold, will never come back into public hands and beautiful, popular recreation areas are at risk. Basic script for you:
For Republicans: “I’m calling to urge Sen. ___ to oppose the sale of our nation’s public lands. These lands belong to the people and should never be sold to the highest bidder. Thank you.”
For (most) Dems: “I’m calling to thank Sen. ____ for opposing the sale of our nation’s public lands and I urge him/her to keep up the pressure until protection is guaranteed. Thank you.”
What will you be doing on public lands this summer? I’m taking my baby hiking, doing some more whitewater rafting, and camping as a family!
Here is a map of how much land is controlled by the federal government:
https://www.businessinsider.com/federal-government-land-map-oregon-militia-2016-1
I thought this was resolved, positively, and the new tax bill doesn’t include it.
Senator Lee has vowed to keep up the fight is already pushing a second effort that has a reduced selloff, but a selloff nonetheless. This is a truly unpopular move (for both California elites and backwoods Idaho hunters) and the pressure campaign against him is working, but we need to keep it up.
The latest I heard was the National Forest land was pulled out but BLM land was put in, and with very vague and undefined “restrictions” – like any BLM land within 5 miles of an undefined “population center” is fair game.
Not only is that still a huge amount of land (perhaps up to ~1.2 million acres), it would sell off much of the most-accessible and most-used BLM acres.
But aren’t there a sh*t ton of public lands already in many of the square-ish western states? Like there won’t be a shortage of public land afterwards and it might help other families get into needed housing given the recent growth there? I feel that East Coast people don’t have a sense of how vast federal landholdings in western states are. Like you can still go to Yellowstone and Custer State Park and a whole lot of vast open places.
It has nothing to do with affordable housing. The public land gets sold or traded with less desirable private land to assemble parcels that are used for celebrity and billionaire playgrounds. Access to public land behind these parcels gets blocked and no easements for access put in place. It’s been happening for quite a while in Montana, Wyoming and elsewhere. Affordable housing is not the goal here.
I get maybe not signing onto these land sales, but land in the west is just such a wild thing. There is a contingent that would oppose any land sale, anywhere, for any reason. Like if it was for higher-density affordable housing, some would oppose it because of the density or impact or whatever. At some point, all of those people will move to Texas or Tennessee and it will still be shockingly unaffordable.
I’m in Montana. There are plenty of underbuilt, rural towns here. I live in one. The cost of living is great. Unfortunately, the jobs and employment opportunities outside of mining, farming and ranching are likewise underdeveloped. Selling off public land so Big Sky can expand isn’t going to expand supply chains and employment opportunities along the Hi Line, and Big Sky/Yellowstone Club sure isn’t going to let the riffraff in. The current model of forcing workers to drive in from afar is working just fine as far as they’re concerned.
IDK
I love a national park as much as the next person, but the people working there have to live somewhere for 12 months out of the year. Ditto people who work at winter ski resorts. Should everything be staffed by gap year workers who just follow the jobs around? OK, fine. But I want real EMS services in all those places and IDK how you get that or fire department people or police or people to fix the toilets or the electricity or the HVAC at any place unless you build out a bit.
On a plane once I sat next to the Chamber of Commerce from a place that was high season/resort but due to an influx of retirees, is a small city year round now (with a small city’s needs) even with the seasonal spike. It was really fascinating to talk to them from a logistics and city planning perspective (almost like The Sims).
That’s what I’m saying… selling off public lands doesn’t solve any if that. The land for building is already there. Programs like rural broadband and many of the subprograms from the Inflation Reduction Act were funding infrastructure in towns like mine, and your row-mate’s. Many of those funds are frozen now. Adding land with no infrastructure and funds to add it only benefits those who will do it privately. Those entities don’t have a good record of not crapping on their neighbors (looking at you, Yellowstone club)
The cost of housing in parts of Montana is so unaffordable, it’s literally national news (in the policy world).
Right, and what I’m saying, as a resident, is that selling off public lands won’t do anything to move the affordability needle in those desirable spots.
Omg I seriously can’t.
He is such a turd. I don’t know how Utah tolerates him.
Is staging a not-luxury house typically worthwhile? The house in question is in a very desirable town in South Jersey, great location within the town, but it’s an older home that needs some updating (but could be considered move-in ready for some families). The alternative to staging is to show it completely empty. We’re getting quoted $4k to stage (it’s a small house, maybe 1,500 sq ft, with a small dining room, small living room, and three small bedrooms) but only expecting to get $400-450 for the house, so it seems like it might not be worth it. Any thoughts on the quoted price, and whether it’s worth it to stage in this situation? Of course our realtor is advising on this, and she’s the one who suggested it, I’m just skeptical. Thanks!
I would 100% stage. Tale of one but I tried to sell a home I staged, it sat and got below asking. Pulled it off market for a bit and then staged and sold immediately in a bidding war. People have no imagination and cannot see through space. And people who can will take advantage of the fact that most can’t and will try to get a deal. 4k is also so cheap to stage.
*tried to sell without staging
+1. As someone who’s house hunting it’s hard to grasp how big the room really is, what it will look like with different paint and furniture, and what the flaws are if it’s jammed with someone else’s stuff or completely empty. If your house is dated in any way then contemporary furniture makes a huge difference.
Think of it differently: will you recoup the $4k? Probably right? So yes, I would make some effort to stage it, especially if the staging does things like distract from old scratched flooring or makes an awkward space look attractive.
I do think there is data to back up staging as effective. I’ve never sold a house, but viewing a house with even minimal staging vs just a bunch of empty rooms is very different. Many people can’t visualize furniture in a space, so showing you can comfortably fit an x sized bed, dining table, etc. could make a difference. Good staging is magic!
Have you ever watched House Hunters? People are dumb when it comes to imagining potential in a house. 100% stage the house.
House Hunters itself is staged, though :-)
I think staging just makes it easier for a busy and distracted buyer. Should it matter? No. Should I have to make my writing at work easy to get the gist of with minimal skimming? Also no, but I have to manage for this (so I do what is needed, not what should be needed).
I would not. What I would do is declutter 50% of your stuff. Surfaces cleared, all but a basket of toys gone, pictures down. Stack things in your garage or unfinished basement or rent a pod.
I would also choose a realtor who may help in this regard for no added cost. Our realtor loaned us a rug, some throw pillows, and a few other small touches that helped elevate the space slightly. We also painted some green walls a neutral beige and repainted all our white trim, but that was the extent of it.
We sold a 1500 sq ft house in Westchester for 600K very quickly. I can’t emphasize enough – declutter!! That is better than staging.
It’s empty.
Strangely, spaces look smaller when they’re empty. I would 100% stage.
I think it’s market dependent! Look at other listings at a comparable price range and see how good they look. Will your house stand out in a bad way if you don’t stage?
You said your realtor is advising you to stage- did s/he give you a sense of what ROI to expect on the staging? Will it be listed higher? If you get $10k more in sales then staging is worth it.
Anecdote: our realtor did some light “staging” for the photo shoot but house was empty for the showing because we had moved out by then. For the photoshoot we cleared off every surface and removed some furniture, rugs, and curtains; she put a few accessories around (including dried flower arrangement, word art things like “Gather” wooden sign which is not my taste but whatever) and made sure our bed had a white comforter on it. We had 12 offers over asking within 2 days of the open house. Suburban Boston 2022.
I just sold a similar house, and they staged it so nicely we joked about not selling it and moving back in. I would absolutely do it again. We also staged the bedrooms purposely because they were odd sizes and wanted to show how a queen size bed would fit in each.
This is a good point. When we sold a house, it’s like only princess buyers toured our house and I swear they needed to be shown how a queen bed would work in every bedroom (so we just staged it that way for pictures), how usable a sloping lot was, etc. Assume that people are not bright (or are distracted and unfocused) and will buy and bid up the one house that competes with yours and seems “easy.” What you want is a fast solid offer, not people trying to low-ball you because your house is sitting. If it’s at all quirky, it is likely to help more than it costs. Just factor in an extra month or two of expenses if it sits — what would that look like in terms of price concessions or an offer you’d be willing to take?
I sold my parents’ house (stuffed, dated) by clearing out a 2-car garage and putting in a shelving there and leaving the rest of it after moving out some key family pieces. I had to price to lure in a handyman to take it as is. There is always some concession to get a sale done fast on most basic houses.
You can also do virtual staging for the photos which is relatively cheap and gets people in the door and helps them visualize what they can do with the space.
A few years back, a woman on here talked about how she did a lot of work to make her home look good for buyers: new, fluffy white comforters, crisp pillow cases; Perrier in the refrigerator and cabinets; beautiful, new, and luxurious towels in the bathrooms; a carefully curated closet of clothes on nice hangers.
She said it sold for way over asking.
I’ll also point out that expensive, custom homes look great no matter what. It’s the normal-people homes that can really shine with good staging.
I remember that post because I followed this advice – and it worked!
If you could get $400k for the house as is, and $450k if you stage the house, is that extra $50k worth the $4k? i’d say yes.
But I’m also slightly skeptical that it needs to be all new furniture — I prefer to look at homes that have furniture so I can gauge size, and you don’t want the furniture to be a distraction. So I would think about 1) getting rid of clutter, 2) making it look as bright and airy as possible with lots of white sheets, white pillows, sunlight, a flower vase, and 3) removing any distractions that remain once it’s all been decluttered.
When our realtor took pictures of our old apartment for sale I moved the same flower vase (bright yellow daisies or tulips) from room to room — it appears in every picture but I don’t think you notice it as the same vase, but rather there’s a brightness to the flowers. We sold for $300k over what we originally thought we’d get. We also paid the moving company an extra $10k to come and take away (and store) all of our non-essential furniture and stuff so it would look a lot less cluttered.
I just started a new job about six weeks ago after a tough interview process. I really like it so far. My colleague whose position is above mine (although I don’t report to her) announced she is leaving so her role is going to be vacant. I’ve been encouraged to apply for it by her and other people at the company. I’m feeling very conflicted! Technically I am qualified for it, although it would be a stretch in a couple areas. I think the main reasons I am reluctant to apply are because I still feel so new in my current role, and because I JUST went through the whole interviewing and hiring process! I don’t want to do it again so soon! Maybe if I had been here for a year or something. One of my other colleagues made the valid point that if I’m going to be taking on a lot of the departing colleague’s work, I might as well get paid for it. But I don’t know.
What would you do?
100% apply
“One of my other colleagues made the valid point that if I’m going to be taking on a lot of the departing colleague’s work, I might as well get paid for it. But I don’t know.”
If what your colleague said is true, and you are taking on a lot of the work, absolutely positively apply.
Also, I feel like you may still be reacting to the uncertainty and work of your job hunting season. But wouldn’t the stakes here be very different? You already have a job, and if you don’t get this new one, you’re fine. So the uncertainty/work factor is much lower. Plus you are ALREADY “interviewing” for the job by letting people get to know you and see your work product.
Apply!
Wow I guess I’m in the minority here but someone basically applying for a promotion six weeks into their new job would not fly for me as a manager, barring very unusual circumstances.
I did once have the unusual circumstance but it doesn’t seem to be the case here.
If you did this you’re immediately signaling you’re not satisfied in your new role, you lack understanding of your skills vs the open positions needs, you took a role you were overqualified for, you’re a flight risk, and many more negative things. This is not a “doesn’t hurt to ask” situation – to me, this would look bad for you, given the info in front of me.
My manager actually encouraged me to throw my hat in the ring.
I feel like this is almost saying they’ll give you the role. Do it!
If your manager encouraged you, do it.
if your superviser and colleagues are encouraging you to apply, i’d go ahead and do it! that sounds like a vote of confidence to me, and they’re right – if you’re going to have to do a lot of the work you may as well get paid for it.
Chainsaw for pruning. Does anyone have experience or recommendations? I have to try doing my own pruning of bushes etc. in my small (1/3 acre) yard. I’m a fairly small person and can’t handle anything too heavy or large.
Check this out: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-chainsaw/
Unless you’re working on trees, an electric hedge trimmer should suit your needs. They’re typically not too heavy. Just keep your fingers behind the guard!
I have a mini chainsaw for pruning and it’s awesome! I think it’s this one: https://www.dewalt.com/product/dccs623b/20v-max-8-brushless-cordless-pruning-chainsaw-tool-only
Got it mainly because it was the same brand as our power drill and the battery was interchangeable, but I think most brands make a version of it. For hedges like holly and boxwood, I have a true hedge trimmer. I use this more for trees and bushes where I need a little more precision than mass cutting.
We’re a DeWalt family and have both the hedge trimmer and the chainsaw. Husband loves the chainsaw for our trees, he has an extension pole for it. Our box hedges are easily four feet deep and and five feet tall, and I cannot imagine how they could be trimmed with the chainsaw. I will usually go in with a lopper to prune thick branches, although now I’ve got them trained away from the house it’s not usually a big problem.
I manage the hedge trimmer fine (as a small person who has little arm strength) but I do end up having to take breaks and switch arms when I do our back hedges which are maybe 30′ long.
it depends what you want to prune but right now probably is not the time — usually fall or spring is best for pruning. part of that is because of stress to the plant when you prune, and part of that is because it’s going to be easier to prune while it’s growing soft wood, you can see where the buds are, etc.
I know!!! But the yard guys I hired who said they’d prune having gotten around to it. So I’ll skip pruning the azaleas and lilac this year but I’ve got some euonymus (that I haven’t ripped out yet bc I hate it), spirea (also hate) and some boxwoods that need to deal with.
Do I apply for global entry?
I don’t travel too often for work, and I’ve been in the young kids phase so we haven’t traveled much internationally the past 6 years. My home airport is DCA where the precheck lines are usually longer than the non pre-check lines.
BUT I have a credit card credit and 2 trips coming up that make me think about getting global entry (it is easy to get an appointment near my office in DC). The first is this fall to Orlando for work (which I’ve heard is a hard airport), the second is next summer to Italy with my 3 young kids (who can use my global entry) We would fly out of Dulles which is a bummer of a returning customs experience.
Is global entry worth it here?
Global entry doesn’t matter at all for Orlando because while Florida feels foreign it isn’t. I wouldn’t bother for one international trip.
*snort*
This.
I don’t currently have pre-check, but I’ve heard Orlando is one of the better airports to have it and pre-check is included with global entry.
I would get pre check if you don’t have it but global entry is hard to get
I say get it. Its good for 5 years, you might have more trips in the future where it will be useful. I highly recommend pre-check regardless for domestic travel, its much nicer not having to take laptops and liquid out of bags or take shoes off. Even if the pre-check line is longer, it generally goes a lot quicker because of this.
Most domestic airports don’t require laptops or liquids out anymore.
Yeah, they do.
They do, unless you have pre-check.
Yes, and the people who pay for pre check are more likely to be regular travelers. You get fewer people holding up the line because they left their keys in their pocket.
The initial global entry interview is annoying but renewing after five years is a quick online process. Even if you go on one international trip in that time span it’s worth every penny.
Your children cannot in fact use your Global Entry to go through the line with you: https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/global-entry/frequently-asked-questions
Yes my friend has it and her wife doesn’t and she will leave the airport and be home before her wife makes it through
Thanks! They can now get their own global entry for free with an adult but I missed that they also need to be interviewed, which makes it not worth it at this point. Thanks all!
We got global entry ahead of one international trip with three kids. It was definitely worth it. Dulles has a pilot program for interview on departure, so you can fill out all the forms in advance and just get the interview for global entry when you arrive at the airport to leave for your trip. It made coming back so much easier, and added barely any time at all.
No brainer to do it. Obviously Global Entry is irrelevant for Orlando, but it includes Precheck. The interview takes 15 minutes, which is probably like an hour less than your wait at immigration coming home from Italy.
oh and while Precheck lines are usually longer, they move like 3x as fast.
Yes! I always think Global Entry is worth it — cheap, easy to get, and cuts down on customs/immigration hassles — but if nothing else, being able to go to Precheck and not take out computers and liquid bags or having to take off shoes (or stand behind infrequent travelers who are flummoxed by the whole process) is absolutely worth it.
Your kids can’t use your global entry, they need their own. I have personal experience with this.
We got it after standing in line for 3 hours at JFK with a 4-year-old and 1-year-old. I would never go back, but we travel internationally to visit family 2 – 3 times/year. Your interview will be scheduled at the same time as your kids’ interviews so you can all go in together. All they are doing is an in-person ID check.
Ha, I just commented below but basically same, except ORD. Although it was thankfully pre-kid.
I once waited in customs at O’Hare for 2.5 hours, so to me Global Entry is worth it even if you only travel internationally once in a blue moon.
But young kids cannot use your Global Entry. They need their own; even newborn babies.
Have any of you purchased a push pin world map? If so, could you please let me know which one and if you would recommend? I’d like one for my office and am having decision fatigue. I thought I’d ask here since so many of you have great taste.
Uncommon goods has a nice one
I got ours from Conquest Maps. Get the kind with a frame, it looks really nice.
I asked yesterday afternoon (thank you for the responses), but posting again in the hope there are more ideas: For years, the Boden Ravello top was a work staple for me, then the Amour Vert Renata blouse. Since neither of those exist any more, I need a new go-to. Does anyone have suggestions for a short sleeve silk/silk blend washable pullover blouse that is similar? Not Quince as I have found their silk quality to be not great and pulls super easily.
Elie Tahari has a silk one — the Judith I think
Oddball shopping request- suction cup hooks or clothesline for travel, for a shower with smooth tile walls. My family goes to the same rental every year and there is not enough space to hang damp swimsuits! There are zillions of options for these online but anyone have a specific one they’ve used IRL and found good and reliable?
I just bought whatever on Amazon when I needed them. Honestly, they have held up well.
Can you just order a folding rack from Amazon and then leave it there?
Floor space is limited, otherwise this would work well!
I have cheap Target hooks, I think Room Essentials brand. They work well enough.
Also hoping for an answer to this. I live in a small space; my son and I swim a LOT; and the wet swimsuit situation can be difficult.
In your own home, get a laundry drying rack or a wall-mounted one.
I got one years and years ago from Azm.
It has a rubbery braid with both suction cups and velcro. Velcro great for hanging around shower rail, I use velcro more than suction cups.
The braided cord is to tuck clothes inbetween braids.
can you put them over patio chairs to dry overnight? we do that a lot and they do dry very quickly.
i can’t find it in my order history but I ordered one like this for waterparks where we’ll sometimes go through several swimsuits in one day –
https://www.amazon.com/Hanger-Clothes-Drying-Underwear-Hanging/dp/B07DNBJW2S/
thank you! The shower does not have a rod (partial glass wall only) so this is less effective for us, but would be great at home actually!
These ones are amazing. Can hold several pounds as long as they are used on very smooth glass or tile.
https://www.amazon.com/Quntis-Suction-Wreath-Waterproof-Bathroom/dp/B07NB4XY2L/?th=1
Thanks!
In the response to the “how do women look expensive/glowy” thread yesterday, someone mentioned wearing a “clean, mature perfume.”
What perfumes match that definition for you? I could use some more recommendations. Jo Malone immediately came to mind.
interesting that people associate some perfumes with being more mature — the only thing i can think of as being really immature is axe body spray but that’s not a lady problem. years and years ago there were bath & body works fragrances and Gap scents but i don’t think those are an issue as much anymore? I have seen people comparing Target perfumes to fancier perfumes on TikTok though.
I don’t want to smell anyone’s perfume, ever, so I don’t know what constitutes a mature scent!
Yeah, if I can smell you, I automatically put you in the category of old lady with too much perfume (mature) or obnoxious teenage boy with body spray (immature), but I don’t think either of those is flattering.
Or really douchey man.
Santa Maria Novella out of Florence. Quercia is my favorite.
Maison Margiela Replica scents
Diptyque. Guerlain’s Aqua Allegoria line. Hermes Jardin line. Goutal Paris. Agree with Jo Malone.
Lighter scents. Timeless. Do not overspray. One down the décolletage should do it. Not that whole tik tok thing where you do five sprays on your arms, neck, and hair.
Stay away from the Brazilian bum bum scents and the sugary girly scents like Kayali. Basically avoid Sephora and go to a grown up department store counter.
I mean, my Sephora carries Hermes, Jo Malone and other “grown up” brands.
Are there any great med-mal CLE providers or speakers out there?
MedMalReviewer
I’m the rash commenter from earlier this week — my dermatologist thinks it’s hives, that my body is probably fighting off an infection (likely my son’s sinus infection). Just thought I’d check in! She said I can take up to 4 claritin or zyrtec a day and gave me a bunch of sample size itch creams to try.