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We've featured this loafer before, and for good reason – it's one of the highest rated loafers on the Nordstrom website (almost 600 good reviews!). There are a ton of colors on sale for under $100, in Sam Edelman's usual wide size range: sizes 4-13 in medium and wide sizes.
A number of the sale colors are velvet (including this gorgeous red raspberry velvet, above) — which only begs the question: in what months can you wear velvet? A quick Google shows me lots of random blogs declaring you can wear it year-round, but should avoid it in very hot or very cold weather.
For my $.02, especially if velvet shoes live at the office, you can wear them during jacket weather (roughly October – April, but as early as September and as late as May). What are your thoughts, readers? Would you think oddly of someone wearing velvet shoes in spring?
The pictured shoe is $60, at Nordstrom; you can find even more colorways at Zappos and Amazon. (No other stores seem to have the deep discounts Nordstrom is offering, though.)
This post contains affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For more details see here. Thank you so much for your support!
Sales of note for 9.10.24
- Nordstrom – Summer Sale, save up to 60%
- Ann Taylor – 30% off your purchase
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything + extra 20% off
- Bergdorf Goodman – Save up to 40% on new markdowns
- Boden – 15% off new styles
- Eloquii – $29 and up select styles; up to 50% off everything else
- J.Crew – Up to 50% off wear-to-work styles; extra 30% off sale styles
- J.Crew Factory – 40-60% off everything; extra 60% off clearance
- Lo & Sons – Warehouse sale, up to 70% off
- M.M.LaFleur – Save 25% sitewide
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – BOGO 50% everything, includes markdowns
- White House Black Market – 30% off new arrivals
anon
What shoes should I wear on a safari trip in South Africa? Would Bean boots work, or is there something better that would still protect my feet?
And any advice, more generally, for visiting Durban in the spring?
Anon
I think you could probably just wear sneakers, but if you want more coverage than that, I’d go for hiking boots.
Anon
I don’t think Bean Boots are right for a Safari. Admittedly, I’ve never been on one but I would wear athletic sneakers, hiking boots, or something like Blundstones.
Auburn
Just got back from a safari in South Africa – you could honestly wear any sneaker and be fine. I wore mid rise boots because I was nervous about ticks/snakes/bugs but literally almost everyone else I saw just had plain sneakers. You’re in the jeep the majority of the time, and even when you’re out walking it’s just sand and grass. It’s not super intense terrain or anything (at least not where we were). You will have an AMAZING time, it was the best trip we’ve ever been on. Enjoy!!!
Anon
I just wore sneakers on Safari and it was totally fine
Anon
I’d probably go get some of those hybrid hiking shoes/sneakers. The comfort of a sneaker with a little extra tread and ankle support. I think those are the answer to lots of problems.
Anon
I don’t know this brand, but this style looks good to me. And the Sequoia color will hide dirt well.
https://huckberry.com/store/lems-shoes/category/p/59187-trailhead
Anon
I need some fluff (husband does not share my true crime watching habits unless it involves the Murdaughs) to have on TV at the end of the day. I don’t want any heavy mental lifting. Is Emily in Paris the sort of show that I can have on, glance up at the pretty clothes, but enjoy without paying attention to it? If so, I will do that. I loved Call My Agent, but had to actively read the subtitled to follow it (was still pretty to watch, but I invested in the characters and just had to know what was happening).
Is it Friday yet?
I watched the first two seasons of Emily in Paris because I am in the background of one of the second season episodes and wanted to see that. It’s not heavy mental lifting, but I found it rage-inducing because Emily is such an a******. Seriously she is a terrible human being and the show treats it like it’s cute and funny.
Anon
I also felt ragey while watching it.
Anon
Yes. I found the second season is a little less enraging than the first season.
Anne-on
This is my preferred TV genre as well! ABC is doing sitcoms really well at the moment – Ghosts, Home Economics, and Abbot Elementary are all very good. I didn’t mind Emily in Paris if you ignore the fact that Emily is a charmed idiot who never seems to face any real consequences and just look at the pretty clothes and locations.
Monday
If anyone would like a comedy satirizing the “charmed idiot who never seems to face any real consequences,” Crazy Ex-Girlfriend on Netflix! I’m re-watching it as fluff and noticing again how much it makes fun of the idea that being a terrible person is somehow cute. Be advised that it is a musical, though the musical numbers are also satire.
Anon
Abbott Elementary is so great.
Anon
My new obsession for a cozy mystery is Poker Face on Peacock. My husband is also not a true crime fan but it’s a special type of whodunit with a murder-of-the-week format that we both enjoy. Natasha Lyonne is really great in it. Only downside is there are only ~6 hourlong episodes out right now.
Anon 2.0
I am loving Poker Face! I second this.
Light Shows
The Mindy Project. Loudermilk. Never Have I Ever. Virgin River.
Anonymous Grouch
I have been binge watching Say Yes to the Dress and it’s like mental cotton candy. The quick commercial breaks in the streaming version allow for aimlessly scrolling twitter and reddit, and every episode ends with a happy wedding.
pugsnbourbon
In the same vein, we’ve been watching a lot of House Hunters International.
Anon
The memes about House Hunters are sooo funny if you’re familiar with the show.
Anon
HUSBAND: I’m a butterfly therapist.
WIFE: I’m a stay at home astronaut.
HUSBAND: Our budget is $3.2 million
A
Best comedy: Derry girls
Most infuriating: Emily in Paris
Super fun: call my agent
Seventh Sister
I like Kath & Kim on Netflix for this – super dumb and silly but very very funny.
Anon
I am watch the original Dallas on Prime. Fluffy and nostaligic.
Liza
Are nature documentaries something that interests you? The Obama-narrated series on Netflix might suit. Absolutely no plot to pay attention to, but every so often you can glance up and be like “cool bird!” or “pretty beach!” and have some interesting facts sprinkled in.
Anon
I don’t think shoes (aside from sandals) have seasons anymore, assuming they look good with the outfit.
Vicky Austin
I love these shoes and I’d probably wear them any time of year.
Anon
I would generally agree except for velvet. I would only wear that in the winter myself.
Anonymous
I live in a country with four very different weather seasons, and absolutely have seasons for outerwear and outside shoes. Snow boots to sandals.
In terms of inside shoes, they still have seasons here, too, since they have to match necessary seasonally appropriate clothes. I don’t wear no-sock shoes on the regular in the cold months (October to start of May) – it’s too cold to have a very thin sole inside, and no-sock would look very weird with layers of wool elsewhere.
The ones in the post are tricky since I assume they’re too cold for winter and to clammy for summer – assuming the velvet is a plastic fabric. I think September and Christmas parties would be ideal in my climate and season.
Anonymous
I’m in Chicago. I’d call these Fall season shoes–basically September or October or an indoor holiday gathering. Too cold for most of Winter and can’t handle salt. Wouldn’t be Spring or Summer since the color and fabric aren’t right.
Anon
I live in a temperate climate and my shoes have seasons!
Anon
Does anyone have a Garmin in-reach? If so, which model and se-up do you have? I am starting to do more backpacking and, honestly, my group is a bunch of knuckeleads sometimes. I’d feel better with some SOS device (and IDK whether it would pull up AllTrails better than my phone or not). I’ve invested in some USGS laminated section maps but these people can get turned around and go hiking on biking trails, etc. I’ve done what I can but this might make my non-hiking spouse feel better.
[Nothing has gone horribly and I am very map, compass, phone, water, bivy sack, WELL packed person, but they get weepy if they get a mile off course and have to backtrack. I love them, but I want our March outing to be better than our last one.]
Anon
Your group of knuckleheads needs a wilderness orientation course. Better technology is not a substitute.
Anon
I think I would be weepy and potentially furuious if I had hiked one mile in the wrong direction….
Anon
I was referring to the part about them getting turned around and hiking on the wrong trail.
Anonymous
Nothing has gone horribly…*yet*.
This is going to sound harsh. Please think of the people who will be risking their lives to saves yours when (not if, when) things do go horribly, and get your knuckleheads some outdoor skills training before you invest in more tech.
anonshmanon
Not the inreach, but the newer Garmin watches allow you to load a map file onto the watch and overlay with your own location, so you actually see when your own GPS trail deviates from the hiking route. I found this reassuring on my last big hike.
Anonymous
The solution is to stop hiking with these people if they won’t listen to you or follow the map.
Anon
I posted earlier today about worrying my boyfriend was going to break up with me – thank you for all the really lovely advice.
I have a follow-up question for you all. My boyfriend has gotten into a habit of when he’s angry, saying something along the lines of ‘I’m done’ or ‘I don’t want to put up with your anxiety anymore’ and then ask for a break, before going 24 hours being unresponsive. This is what he did last night, and it’s about the third time in the last two months. I said something that made him upset, he said he had to go and cut the call, then immediately texted that he wanted to take a break for a month while he’s visiting family since he wants to be able to focus fully on being present with them and not stressed by relationship conflict. At the end of the month, he said we we could meet to determine if we want to continue the relationship.
He’s been conflict avoidant our entire relationship, and has usually had kind of outsized reactions to any perceived threat of conflict. Our first argument in our relationship, 6 months in, ended with him saying if it happened again, we should just break up. The last times he’s done this, it’s been about 24 hours of him being non-responsive before coming back and apologizing for his overreaction and trying to normalize things.
I just feel kind of worn down, since every time I go through the feeling of being heartbroken over the ‘breakup.’ It affects my sleep and ability to eat, and I’m a mess until he starts talking to me again. I don’t want to break up, but I also just feel so insecure now trying to emotionally settle into the relationship because of this tendency. It goes from being “you’re my dream girl, it would take me 5 years to get over you, I feel like I won the lottery to be with you and I’ll never leave” one moment, to “I can’t deal with this anymore” and then disappearing for 24 hours the next. I’m just so sad.
Ribena
I missed your question earlier but… what are you getting from this relationship, if he’s always making you feel insecure?
anon
I agree with Ribena. I’m no expert, but this sounds like a really unhealthy relationship. I wouldn’t want this for myself or anyone I care about, including you, OP.
Anon
This sounds like a very unhealthy relationship and not one I would want to be in. More importantly, this is not a relationship I would want a friend to be in and I would for sure to tell a friend DTMFA
Anon
It’s always sad when we realize someone we care for is harming us.
I agree with advice to feel your feelings and go no contact (including not looking at his social media— I know it’s hard!) after a break up.
It sounds like you’re not positive this is a break up and you’re wondering how to cope. I’d advise you to look at what you wrote and think about what you’d say to your best friend. He is not treating you well. He is manipulating you. Silent treatment is—at best—manipulative behavior. I hope you can realize that you deserve so much better than someone who makes you feel insecure all the time. A romantic relationship should help you feel safe and loved, and I don’t see how anyone in your situation would feel that way.
Just some things to think about.
Anon
You should dump his ass!
Anonymous
A relationship shouldn’t make you feel this way, especially not when it’s fairly new. You deserve better.
Anon
I totally empathize with you, and understand what’s it like to be in this mental state. But please try to reread your post as an objective third party. Your boyfriend is emotionally abusing you. Do you really want to keep going through this emotional rollercoaster for the rest of your life? I saw earlier advice to break up with him before he breaks up with you – after reading this, I endorse that suggestion 100000%. This is not a stable relationship and a good boyfriend would never treat you like this. You deserve better!!!
Anonymous
+1 Yes.
Based on the the information above he is choosing abusive behavior. This will never stop, but escalate. It’s not something you have done wrong, OP, or something that you can impact. He is choosing to do this. Dump him.
Monday
+1. Take back your life. Break up with him at the first opportunity, tell him you want no contact, and stick to it. He’s probably going to have a meltdown because he’s so used to having all the power over you–the no contact plan is to make sure he can’t just keep you on the same rollercoaster even after you’re technically broken up. You’ll probably have to block him.
Having been through similar situations, I’d suggest counseling if you don’t have it already. Regaining some balance and a sense of what relationships should look like may require help, and that’s totally normal when someone has been treated this way.
Anon
I’m generally hesitant to jump to “Abuse! Abuse!”, but he is jerking you around *on purpose*. He has seen how you get sad when this happens, and he likes the feeling of power over you and your emotions. He is choosing to do this over and over again. This is not OK.
Vicky Austin
I’m sorry, but this is putting up all kinds of red flags for me – I’d dump him first and not wait.
Anonymous
Break up with him. Today. “BenSteve, I’m not interested in doing this anymore. Best of luck this relationship is over.” Invest your time in yourself, relationships that are positive, and therapy.
anon
Your boyfriend is an a s s h o l e.
Anon
He sounds extremely emotionally immature. Like, 20 year old frat boy (or in the case of my college, surfer dude) who hasn’t seen a day of the real world. DTMFA.
Vicky Austin
This was my thought – pretty sure this is how I was treated by both my HS boyfriends. I would not stand for a minute of this nonsense from another adult.
Anonymous
He is a Bad Fighter. IMLE if you start a relationship with Bad Fights it will doom the relationship no matter when you break up. Here he is threatening to break up with you over a million little things. Will he? Is it actually on the table? If so you need to talk about it, not have periods of silence and then you resume. He’s going to do this even if you get married. Do you want your kids worried their parents are going to divorce every time you have a fight? Or if you move in together, be worried that you’re going to need to look for new housing every time you break up? You can try to change the fighting style but he has to acknowledge it and move on.
But in other ways he sounds like a jackass, so I’d probably DTMFA.
Anon
Dump him yesterday.
Nesprin
This is a guy who’s working his way up to abuse. Look at the cycle of lovebombing, avoiding conflict, then blowing up.
You deserve so much better than feeling heartbroken and worn down.
Anonymous
Dude’s already abusive. He’s clearly gaslighting OP by the way she talks about herself, and he gives her the silent treatment to punish her when she does something he doesn’t like.
Liza
+1, was going to post this separately if no one else made this point. The silent treatment is emotional abuse and is rarely recognized as such. He is not just “taking time” or “having space.” He is purposely hurting you by withdrawing contact.
Anonymous
This isn’t him being conflict avoidant, this is emotional abuse. He is manipulating you into not doing whatever it is that “makes him upset”, gives you the silent treatment for however long he sees fit, and then probably lays it on thick when he comes back and ‘apologizes’ (in which he probably doesn’t actually take responsibility for what he did, right?). Does he also turn things back on to you when you try and talk to him about it?
Also: “At the end of the month, he said we we could meet to determine if we want to continue the relationship.” He means whether *he* wants to continue the relationship, he clearly doesn’t care about your feelings, otherwise this wouldn’t be a thing he did even once, let alone *three* times in the last two months.
Run now, while he is still just your boyfriend.
Anonymous
Let me tell you what might change in the future if you continue to go through this process every few weeks or even every few months, ignore it assuming he will get over it, then marry him. 20 some odd years later (hopefully sooner!) you will realize how emotionally abusive he is and always has been. At that point it is very hard to disentangle especially if there are kids involved. Ask me how I know.
Anon
I am not normally one of the posters who jumps to “dump him” so take this for what it is worth:
Dump him. Do it now. Since he apparently thinks text is an appropriate medium for relationship discussions, tell hm that you understand and you have decided the break should be permanent since “this is not working for either of us”. Be very firm. No “I think” or “maybe”. It is not open for discussion. Return his stuff if you have any. Then block his number/social media. And either be happy on your own or find someone who does not make you feel sad and insecure and who means it when he makes promises.
I have one big rule in relationships and I tell the potential BF at the outset. You are in or out. If you walk away, stay away. I am not playing that game. You shouldn’t either. You deserve better.
Anon
4:26pm – this. Break up with him.
Anon
He’s a bully who can’t take any criticism about his behavior and deflects it all onto you – if you’re angry that he was being a jerk, then it’s your fault because you have anxiety. Then when he’s not being a jerk, he’s love bombing you.
I married this guy. Then divorced him. Don’t be me!
Break up with him now, not a “break” but a breakup. And then look into therapy for yourself, both for healing after this, and for figuring out how to get the asshole magnet off of you.
Big hugs to you!!
Anonymous
Is this someone who will be ride or die if something bad happens to you–you wake up tomorrow and find out you have cancer? Being around your person should take away stress, not add to it. And the longer you stay on this roller coaster, the more normal this abnormal relationship will start to feel. And then you’ll be more prone to repeat bad behaviors with someone else.
Get off the ride now. Do things that make you happy and find someone who genuinely will offer a safe place to land. The world is tough enough as it is without taking on this kind of burden. You also need to examine your role. You keep letting him do this to you and going off the deep end each time (not eating, etc.) at some point you need to ask yourself why. It’s no longer about whether he is treating you OK. You’re not treating yourself OK.
Anon
Oh girl no. Do you really want to live like that? Dump him and give yourself the room to meet someone emotionally mature. It shouldn’t be that way. Take your power back.
Cat
Leave him. Love-bombs alternating with silent treatment are no way to go through life.
Anon
adding that you are loved and valued, as you are. right here and now.
I know this all sounds scary but you will be OK and will thrive without him. you might already sense this.
you’ve got this. just take it one step at a time.
A
Sounds like a ghastly, exhausting, nerve wracking relationship. Does he take delight in keeping you on tenterhooks?
Anon
Not to pile on, but leave him. He doesn’t know how to fight fair. Guys like this don’t change, at least not for their current partner. When you’re engaged, it will be, “we should postpone the wedding.” When you’re married, it will be constant threats of divorce. My biggest surprise from my last relationship was how quickly I fell out of love with him after we broke up. My biggest relationship regrets are staying in relationships that made me a mess bc there was some good in them or bc I had invested so much pain. You will open yourself up to so much more once you don’t have this maltreatment hanging over you.
anon
OP, I’m sorry you’re in this situation. I have nothing more to add but wanted to pile on because his behavior is awful and you desere better! Please dump him and move on- this kind of thing only gets worse.
Anon
I echo everyone else’s comments. This is abusive, toxic behavior and you should end things.
THAT SAID
If this is something that you want to continue I have 2 recommendations:
1) Couple’s therapy (I went w a prior boyfriend and it helped us realize it just wasn’t going to work. It helped us speak more kindly and attempt to fight fair.) We literally broke up in the last session we went to. This isn’t to scare you. It’s helpful to have an unbiased person assist.
2) Give him a warning. Tell him that the next time he does that, you will consider it real and move on with your life. Also, tell him you’re sick of the games. MEAN IT AND FOLLOW THROUGH
Anne-on
Anyone want to share their recent adulting wins?
I FINALLY got our insurance to pay out for my son’s braces after a full month of weekly calls and documentation! I also got dentist/yearly check ups/eye exams scheduled for all the humans in the house (pets are up to date thankfully!).
Anon
Finally bought out my lease last week! I got quoted an insane rate by the dealership and was able to get an awesome deal through a credit union that my husband found through his office.
Anon
It’s silly but I have a friend who scheduled a day to go to brunch and shop with me yesterday. And I was on top of it to order cute consumable gifts for her as a galentines gift. She’s really into gift giving and I am not. So I was happy to have my act together and show her I appreciate her.
Anne-on
That is awesome! I am also not a big gifts person but a few of my good friends are and it’s always a struggle for me to remember to get them something in time!
Anonymous
I went to the dentist last week for the first time in 10 years and it was fine. 2 cavities and an old filling that needs a bit of work. So glad I finally did it.
Anonymous
Congratulations! I have been meaning to ask this group a basic adulting question that is related – does insurance normally cover braces? Should Ibe trying to find an in-network orthodontist for my crappy niche dental insurance (UFT Welfare Fund) or do most people end up paying out of pocket anyway?
Anne-on
Insurance may or may not offer dental coverage, and even then orthodontia is an ‘added’ coverage item. My son’s braces cost close to $7k out of pocket (which I had to pay for up front – they do payment plans but require 40% down). My insurance only covered part of it but heck, I’ll take any ‘free’ money I can get out of them (the rest we’re funding via FSA contributions). And he had an ‘easy’ case. Braces are crazy expensive.
Anon
Dental insurance for orthdontia is a mess. Typically there is a lifetime maximum for the policy much lower than the actual cost of braces. I’ve had dental plans that have blanket rules against paying for adult orthdontia, so it’s all of out of pocket. Take a close look at your policy and what is covered for in and out of network, but keep in mind that you’ll likely be paying a good chunk out of pocket. So, for example, if it’s $1000 lifetime max at a place that is inconvenient or no coverage for a provider that’s more convenient and you like, you may choose to proceed out of network.
Oh, but do use flex spending if you have it available to you to help defray the cost. Orthodontists will often work with you on payment plans to help you maximize. For example, when I did invisalign, I think I started late in year X and paid my full flex spending amount towards the services, and then did that again in year X+1.
anonshmanon
I am so impressed by your doctor’s appointments! I finally swapped the windshield wiper blade, after buying and stashing the new one months ago. And sent insurance paperwork promptly.
Anon
Congratulations on that! I switched employers while my oldest had braces and was dumbfounded to learn that the new company benefit was going to cover all of my out-of-pocket expenses – basically anything the dental insurance didn’t cover. It was not why I switched employers but what a nice surprise!
Seventh Sister
I called SEVERAL offices and people today because I couldn’t find the answer on a website or by emailing someone. I want a gold star for sure.
procrastinatorfullofregret
Any tips or tricks for trying to get a good fare on a flight to a popular destination? Unfortunately I procrastinated on booking due to indecision and now the delay is costing me. Do I just have to bite the bullet? Don’t travel enough to have any rewards or points.
Anon
There’s not a secret cheap flight website. I think you have to bite the bullet. But you could set up a price alert with Google Flights or any other similar website.
Anon
This.
Anon
I like using ITA Matrix to review flights and prices (incognito mode). Google owns it, and it feeds into google flight search. Sometimes even when I’m paying for an expensive flight, if I’m able to visualize the stops/long delays with cheaper options, helps me with justifying the cost.
IL
I have better luck sometimes with airlines that don’t show up on Google Flights. I fly Southwest a lot, obviously, but there are other ones too. If you check the destination airport to see what airlines service it and then check each one to see if they service your departure airport too, you may find some options you didn’t know about.
Gail the Goldfish
If you have to go at a specific time, there’s really no trick unfortunately. You can track prices on google flights, but having tracked several vacation flights lately, I can tell you they are mostly going up, not down. If you’re flexible on timing, Going (used to be Scott’s Cheap Flights) sends out email alerts on low fares (there is a free version and a paid version of their emails; I have only ever used the free version)
Cat
The best you can do at this point is use Google Flights and play with dates and times to see if there are any random low fares, but there’s usually a reason, like it’s a 6am flight on a Sunday.
Anonymous
The best way to get cheaper flights, is to be a little flexible on days, and be open to a flight with more legs, or that little bit less convenient airport or time of day.
For a popular destination – depends on why it’s popular! Is it a big international hub where people normally have a layover – most likely surprisingly expensive as a destination in it’s own no matter what. Beach holiday? The days people want to leave for holiday are the most expensive – so maybe look at Tuesday or Wednesday. A business destination from a business destination? Avoid whatever would be convenient for a business traveller. Nothing like this can outrun the ticking time of ticket classes being fully booked, though. Sometimes you can be lucky and they “reset” a cheaper ticket class availability after 24h or so (so you get a new “one seat available in this class” situation), but not likely close to departure.
Anon
A role on my team just opened up and they’re only looking internally at the moment. The hiring manager is my coworker (a level above me). Both my coworker and my boss told me to consider applying, and my coworker even said that I should ask for the position to be bumped up a level (currently it would be a lateral move for me). I think I’m going to apply. Do I need to submit a cover letter? It feels odd since I already know all the players so well, but I also don’t want to just assume I’m a shoe-in and skip an important step. We have a big department and I know a lot of people will be gunning for the job.
Vicky Austin
Ask your coworker. Just say it feels oddly formal given how well you know everyone.
Davis
At my company I’ve used a cover letter for these to show I was serious about the position and doing the proper steps. I took the opportunity to highlight some of my metrics and accomplishments and how I would support them team with my other skills, etc.
If they don’t use it, that’s fine.
Good luck!
eggplant
Hard to see anyone faulting you for submitting a cover letter even if it’s a bit formal. I’d just do it.
Anonymous
Who is the most adventurous person you know, and why?
Mine: A friend from law school became an expert in sexual abuse in third world countries and has lived in all sorts of fascinating places — I think both her work and the non-touristy places she lives are so brave and adventurous.
Anon
My husband. Pilot, mountain climber, parachutist, world traveler, former motorcyclist (unh uh, none of that on my watch), horseback rider… I am none of those things, ha. He has an unlimited supply of energy, has tons of natural confidence, can talk to anybody anywhere in the world, and isn’t really scared of anything. The only thing I envy is his natural energy level. I’m just not wired that way!
Anon
A friend of mine gave up a career as an engineer in a bustling European city and became a sculptor in a relatively rural area in the US. He’s wildly successful.
To me… THAT is an adventure!
College
A relative just got admitted to college, and I’d love to do something to congratulate her this week. She is far away, and doesn’t have a lot of close family support. Not a $$ gift. That’s not desired/needed. I mean some sort of small token that is a Congratulations or I’m proud of you ….. sort of thing.
Any ideas?
Anon
I think just send flowers! Maybe in a mug she can keep and use at college to think of you.
Anon
I just thought of something else. It doesn’t seem very sentimental but I do not know a single kid that age that wouldn’t be excited to get what they call a Stanley Cup. I thought that was the hockey trophy, but it’s a Stanley brand insulated tumbler with a handle. I believe the large size (40 oz) is the most popular, and it comes in a million colors.
Anon
https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/stanley-40-ozquencher-h2-0-flowstate-tumbler-22stau40zstnlyqnchydb/22stau40zstnlyqnchydb
Anon
Stanley cups and other reusable water bottles are very popular! Bonus points if it is branded with her school’s logo (or if you can get your hands on one of their stickers) or in the school’s colors.
Or send her the new school’s quarter zip or hoodie.
Vicky Austin
+1 – these are great ideas to celebrate this specific milestone! When I got into my undergraduate college (not an immense feat, state school FTW), my grandma who also graduated from there sent me a sweatshirt. I still think of her every time I wear it.
anonshmanon
Send a card? I always like the greeting cards in my Trader Joe’s, which are made by real artist people and regularly have new motifs.
Anon
I feel like a pair of nice earrings or a necklace is always a nice gift for these kind of milestones. Something small.
Or alternative, when I graduated high school going into college, someone gave me a first aid kit. I thought it was a little odd but it was really handy.
Anon
I would say a necklace or bangle from someplace like Awe Inspired or Mantraband. Somewhat sentimental and cute.
Anon
I just asked my college age daughter and she recommends a Hydroflask rather than a Stanley Cup. The Stanley is better for car commutes because of the shape and straw while a Hydroflask fits in a back pack better.
Anon
If you know this is where she is going to go, something from the school bookstore. A tshirt, sweatshirt, hydro flask in school colors, etc
eggplant
Agreed – college-branded gear can often be pretty pricey, and so it’s nice to get it as a gift.
Anon
Get her an initial necklack from PDPaola. They’re super-cute, wear well, and not too pricy.
Their website is the name above at dot com. Highly recommend.