Frugal Friday’s TPS Report: Cotton Knit Curved Waist Dress

147 Comments

1. Deal alert: Amazon is running a lightning sale on this Pendleton petite suit jacket and these Pendleton petite trousers until 1:00 p.m. ET. (50% off each; doesn’t show up until you pick a size). Unfortunately they don’t have matching colors available, but might be of interest to someone.

   1. Thanks for the PSA – totally picked this up – I have been looking for a navy blazer forever.

2. I’m 26 and I have bunions. I am too young to wear Danskos to work!!! Round toed shoes are hopelessly unstylish! What do I do?!

   1. Have you tried toe spacers? I used to use them with my pointe shoes but I know people who also wear them with regular shoes as well. You can usually find toe spacers in the first section of wal mart or target near the ace bandages.

   2. I have a bunion on my left foot – I would estimate medium-sized – and what helped me when it bothered me a couple of years ago was wearing only flats or round-toed shoes (blergh) for a year or two until it calmed down. I now wear mostly 2 inch kitten heels to work. I love pointy toes, and as long as I size up and/or wear a wide, that doesn’t aggravate my bunion. A couple of keys when trying on shoes – make sure the edge of the shoe doesn’t hit right at your bunion and try to get a brand with some flexibility in the sole like the Anne Klein IFlex line. I also sometimes size up and stuff lambswool in the toe of my pointy toes like they were ballet toe shoes (always wanted to be a ballerina…)

      1. Thank you!! So glad to hear that I don’t have to give up on sensible heels at least. I bought Cole Haans for their comfort but I think they’re too narrow. I only noticed the bunion today because I’m wearing absurd BCBGeneration d’orsay pumps that the bunion actually hangs out of (I know, gross). I just ordered yoga toes and I will ask my doctor for a referral for foot problems next week.

         1. I understand the hanging out of the shoe look and the ugh of it. My problem was that my shoes would always wear a spot on the outside where the bunion was, particularly the soft leathers including, yes, a pair of Gentle Souls. About a year ago I got the podiatrist referral and actually had an appointment but my bunion stopped bothering me for some reason. I like the idea of toe spacers – I saw them in the store and wondered if they worked. I think I will try them as well.

   3. Buy shoes made of high quality, soft leather, like Gentle Souls. They’re expensive but worth it if you need something that won’t cause aggravate it.

      1. I had switched to Cole Haans thinking I had hit the perfect comfort/style nexus. Alas! I will look into Gentle Souls!

         1. In my opinion, Cole Haans seem to run kind of narrow. I haven’t tried a ton of their shoes, but they seemed narrow to me (I also have a bit of a bunion on my left foot). Rockports also seemed a little narrow.

            I think there are lots of wider pointed shoes now, if that makes sense. They aren’t stiletto pointy, but maybe a bit more pointy than almond toe, and they aren’t super-narrow in the bunion region. I found some Bandolino shoes last year (I think they still have the style) that are a standard pump with somewhat pointy toe, heel about 2 inches or less, cushioned insole and the leather is flexible enough to give a little where it needs to.

            1. They are narrow! CH and Rockport have wides, but I’m convinced that even their wides are barely wider than normal width shoes.

         2. I love Cole Haans but also have a problemw with them being narrow. I take them to a cobbler who stretches them for meand he always fusses that I should buy shoes that fit. Even just a little stretching makes them fit so much better. You might try that if you just need a little extra room. I am also seeing that my newer CH are more narrow than my older ones.

   4. Check out the Barking Dog Shoes blog. She reviews shoes for their compatibility with all kinds of foot problems, including bunions.

   5. I recommended this in another thread the other day, but look into corrective splints to wear at night. I have an extremely mild bunion but I’m convinced I’ve helped it/slowed the progress by wearing my splint every night. I also take anti-inflammatories regularly if I have pain (the swelling/inflammation just exacerbates), as well as do a barre exercise class that strengthens the muscles in my foot and ankles.

   6. Yay! Fruegel Friday’s! I love Fruegel Friday’s and this dress is not even expensive! Great Pick, Kat, tho the neckline is a little low and Frank will surely be asking about my boobie’s if I wear this to work. FOOEY!

      As for the OP, you have to do something about your bunion’s now, while you are ONLEY 26, b/c Grandma Leyeh says that men will NOT marry a woman if they do NOT first show them your toe’s and if you have bunion’s, men will alway’s be afraid to sleep with you without your sock’s on. And that mean’s (according to Grandma Leyeh) that you will NEVER get pregeanant if you are weareing sock’s when you have sex. I am NOT sure I believe all of this but she told me that her sister had bunion’s and she was NEVER abel to find a guy to marry her and have children with her.

      I am goeing to ask Noah about this when he come’s over this weekend, and if you write me back next week and remind me, I will tell you what he said about bunion’s and pregenancey, b/c he is a MEDICAL DOCTOR and he is interested in me. We are NOT yet at the point in our releationship where he need’s to see my toe’s, if you get what I mean, but I am hopeful he will be asking soon! YAY!

      My dad told me about a hurricane in the Ocean now named Gonzalo and all I could think about was the guy who worked at the restrunt who was very grabbey last year. He surely wanted to have sex with me and had those same hand’s grabbeing some girl’s tuchus right on Lexington Aveneue! I am so glad that was NOT me!

      1. Thank god my fiance hasn’t noticed the bunions yet! lol so excited I got an Ellen response.

         1. Yes, when I got an Ellen response AND made ST*Uthiss!ite, I knew I was officially “in”. Crazy, but it actually made my day (and it was a really bad day that day)

         2. I say keep your socks on, for now, when you are with your boyfriend. I think Ellen may be on to something here, and even if her granny is wrong, you don’t want to get pregnant before you are married!

      2. “We are NOT yet at the point in our releationship where he need’s to see my toe’s, if you get what I mean, but I am hopeful he will be asking soon!”

         Ellen, you sly vixen!

   7. I never wear heels and still managed to develop a bunion in my left foot a couple years ago. I did a bunch of googling (because that’s what one does) and found that there is some evidence that bunions can be caused by tight muscles in the lower calf/ankle interacting with the foot tendons/bones to put pressure on the big toe joint. I noticed that the muscles on the inside of my upper ankle/lower calf were incredibly tight and tender to the touch and that massaging that area (although painful) immediately lessened the pain in my big toe joint. I also started stretching my lower calf using some exercises I found online (google “Fix Your Own Dang Bunion”). A year later, my bunion is less prominent and I have no foot pain aside from an occasional ache in my big toe joint. When that happens, I just massage the inner ankle area wherever it feels tender, do some calf stretches, and it’s gone. It’s also worth noting that I tried the toe spacers/stretchers (YogaToes!) and while they somewhat relieved the foot pain, it was a 75% solution for me vs. the 100% solution of the ankle/calf massage/stretch. Good luck!

3. Hi Ladies – my family and I will be spending the Thanksgiving break in Orlando. We’ve rented a house for the whole family, but the thinking is that no one is going to want to actually cook for Thanksgiving since we’ll all be worn out from the parks, etc. Right now, the plan is to either make something simple that we can make in bulk (there will be 15 people in the house) such as lasagna or just order Boston Market.

   But I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations for somewhere in Orlando where we could order a meal for a group that big that might be slightly yummier than Boston Market?

   1. I would order from Publix, one of the local grocery stores.

      1. +100

      2. It’s not traditional, but Publix fried chicken is outstanding. Highly recommend.

         1. +1 to Publix fried chicken. Also, I can’t vouch for the quality in Orlando, but most Florida Publix make a mean (and authentic) cuban sandwich.

         2. Late to the game today, but I get SO excited when I smell the Publix fried chicken from the parking lot. So delish.

      3. Agree. The Orlando-area stores are pretty good, many have been redone in the last few years. I’d definitely recommend the Baldwin Park store if you are in that area.

         1. Thanks, all! I’m originally from Georgia, so I’m horribly embarrassed I didn’t think of Publix myself. :) I’m looking forward to it already!

   2. I assume the house you’ve rented is near the theme parks. All of the large hotels in that area have Thanksgiving buffets if you want to go out for dinner.

      1. After watching some of the food network specials I not so secretly want to do thanksgiving at Disney. It looks so over the top and festive!

         1. That would be amazing! I want to do that one day!

         2. I was in Disney on Thanksgiving many moons ago, and we all got those giant turkey legs that you can walk around and eat. My now-vegetarian self is kinda gagging, but they really were delicious.

4. Peeking out of lurkdom to say a great big THANKS! for increasing the number of plus-size recommendations lately. This plus-sized professional lady really appreciates it!

   1. Yes, thank you to quantity and also to quality, beauty, fashionable-ness, etc. Thank you~

5. I may have to try eShakti for dresses. It seems easier than going to the mall.

   Does anyone have a recommendation for suit lines include dresses? I like J Crew super 120 s but I would like more options. I like to have matching pants, skirts, and dresses.

   1. Theory?

   2. I got a really nice one from Banana Republic recently.

      1. Seconding Banana!

      2. I’ve been doing this from BR for years. I have blazer(s), dresses, skirts, pants, and because they seem to use the same material for years, if your black pants gets worn out or you need a different skirt size, you can replace them. I’ve recently picked up the navy line and love the color–I’m just waiting on the blazer to go on sale.

   3. Pendleton

      1. I will look into this. Thanks!

6. @FootCrisis–Taryn Rose shoes are about to be your best friend. Also if you contact a foot docs office in any metropolitan city, they usually keep a list of who makes stylish shoes for bad feet.

7. Any suggestions for how to get really deep wrinkles out of cashmere? I have a sweater that got balled up in the drawer over the summer, and now has tons of wrinkles. I’ve tried ironing it on the “wool” setting, but that just makes the wrinkles slightly fainter. Should I just send it in for dry cleaning?

   1. Iron it on a hotter setting, steam it, hand wash it and lay flat to dry.

   2. Hand wash with castile soap and tepid water. Roll in a towel, lay flat to dry.

   3. Spritz heavily with water until its damp to very damp. Smooth by hand, and when only slightly damp iron it. Honestly, spritzing with water until damp and smoothing by hand will get rid of most wrinkles without having to iron. Its my favorite lazy girl trick to do to clothes the night before I wear them.

8. Can anybody speak to EShakti’s quality? These prices are remarkable.

   1. No info on quality, but man there’s a lot of cute stuff in the sale section.

   2. What about sizing information? These dresses are so cute and priced well. I am just curious about how they fit. Thanks!!

   3. +1

   4. I’ve only gotten 1 eShakti dress so far, but I’m impressed. Good quality construction, & excellent fit if you get customized options (it’s only a little bit more in cost & you can get the length, waist, bust, custom fitted, also pick your own sleeve or neckline on some dresses). The materials are mostly cottons & rayons, so a little business casual, & the styles tend to be younger but not teeny-bopper IMO, so again, business casual.

      I went in on recommendation of a friend who has bought a lot more of their dresses. She’s a very different size than I am, also gets the custom options, & is very pleased. So consider this 2 positive recs.

   5. Quality seems great, style seems great – friends who’ve ordered from them have loved the clothes.

      Be wary of surprise customs fees though; those aren’t included in the price and I’ve known friends to get bills afterward that were half the cost of the clothing.

9. Any recommendations on good, handheld steamers? I hate ironing but a steamer is essential for silk blouses (and steam from my shower doesn’t always do the trick). Thanks ladies!

   1. I love my Jiffy2000. Going on 3+ years.

      1. Jiffy2000.

   2. My Little Steamer isn’t bad.

   3. I really really like my Rowenta with a rack for hanging the item you’re steaming….like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Rowenta-Compact-Garment-Operated-1500-Watt/dp/B006VPLS04

      We don’t even own a separate iron!

10. I’ve been having trouble sleeping the last few weeks- I’ve been getting up in the middle of the night or slightly too early in the morning (between 3:30-5:30am) and unable to go back to sleep. Before going to see my doctor for pills, any home remedies to improve sleep qulity?

    1. My grandmother always swore by warm milk; my SO really likes those sleepytime teas (2 teabags/cup).

       1. I think sleepytime is just the name tea companies give to chamomile tea. I also like chamomile tea before bed, though I’m not sure if it helps me sleep better.

          1. There is actually a Sleepytime tea (Celestial Seasonings?) with valerian in it, which is a sleep aid.

             1. Also, the Sleepytime Vanilla is just as effective and (I think) significantly better tasting.

             2. It is Celestial Seasonings, and besides chamomile (which is a calming herb), it also has valerian and mint which both help one sleep. Trader Joe’s has a similar tea, too. Chamomile tea works in a pinch, but I think ST is better.

          2. I love the Yogi bedtime – there’s Skullcap, passionflower and valerian in it. I boost with 1mg of liquid melatonin, and that has pretty much taken care of my terminal insomnia issue – now I sleep like the dead.

    2. Are you getting in regular sessions of cardio? The older I get the more finicky my body is about sleep and I was having the same problem as you. As soon as I was dedicated to working out hard at least 3 times per week I started sleeping crazy good.

       1. This. I can tell a huge difference in my sleep quality when I am regularly working up a sweat vs. not. It doesn’t seem to matter either whether it’s cardio, strength training or yoga. The exercise seems to clear the adrenaline out of my system so I don’t wake up in the middle of the night with my brain having that buzzing feeling where it just won’t turn off.

    3. I usually wake and go right back to sleep. When I can’t, it’s usually b/c something is really bugging me (and it bugs me more in the middle of the night when I wake up). I had about a week of this and was at wit’s end.

       What helped me was going to bed:
       physically tired (so more physical activity from late afternoon to early evening)
       going to bed a bit later than usual (even though I was tired)
       no drama in the evening (so reading, to calm the mind, of topics that would calm the mind (non-fiction history works for me))
       full tummy (but not of anything spicy or salty; think ice cream)
       empty bladder (so caffeine past 4 and no liquids past 7) –> this was key as part of the reason I woke up was natures call; the reason I stayed up was that I was more angry/upset than tired and that kept me from going back to sleep

       Good luck!

    4. Cut off liquids a couple of hours before bed so you don’t have to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. I’ve also read/heard that shutting off electronics (like phone/ipad/computer) at least 1-2 hours before bed is good because the type of light those devices emit actually inhibits the natural sleep process. Finally, sometimes when I have a few rough nights of not being able to sleep, I take a full dose of Benedryl/ZZZquil that knocks me out for the most part, I maybe do that for 2-3 nights to ‘reset’ and it seems to be fine.

    5. OTC unisom. Still a pill but no where near as drastic as the rx pills.

       1. Yes, those things are a lifesaver. I get the generics from Costco and only need to take half a pill. Melatonin has also helped in the past but isn’t as consistently effective for me for a guaranteed 8 hours of sleep.

       2. +1 to unisom for occasional bouts. Definitely not habit forming IME. I only take half if I need to get up in 8 hrs. With a whole, I’m out for a solid 12.

          For routine sleep issues, I’d definitely start taking melatonin. Works wonders for someone I’m close to.

    6. If alcohol is in the mix, I always wake up around that time if I am drinking.

       If not, exercise or meditation classes might help. Also Melatonin.

    7. Melatonin has helped me a lot. Also, resist the urge to look at your phone or even the clock when you wake up and don’t need to go to the bathroom. Just keep your eyes closed and try to remember what you were dreaming about, or if you can’t remember, let your mind relax and don’t think about morning.

       1. If you can, arrange things so that you can’t see the time easily. I started falling back to sleep far more quickly when we made this change.

          Also, I’ve found weightlifting at night to be much more effective than cardio for helping me sleep. So if you’ve tried cardio and that hasn’t worked, you might want to try lifting instead.

    8. Lots of good suggestions already, but I will add that when you are trying to fall back asleep, just focus on your breathing. Sometimes I just think “In.Out” over and over and let that be the only thing my brain worries about. Works like a charm almost every time (exceptions being when I am particularly and unusually stressed out about a specific issue).

    9. shots, shots, shots?

    10. I’ve struggled with this issue for years. Tea, valerian, warm milk… none of that really helps. The things that matter to me are:

        – Avoid alcohol (bummer, but it does disrupt sleep)
        – Do something calming the last couple hours before bed, like a funny TV show, then reading

        Other things that help — do whatever appeals:

        – Melatonin – happy to say this actually does help me
        – Meditation or sleep hypnosis (I got a sleep hypnosis app after my husband read me an article that stated 15 minutes of sleep hypnosis helped 60% of people who did it before bed — but only the people who were affected by hypnosis, some people aren’t impressionable in that way. The hypnosis is not creepy, just kind of like an intense guided meditation).
        – Stretching, something gentle like hatha yoga
        – Hot bath

        But even with all those things, it’s still a constant struggle for me. I find that if I start a project in the evening that gets me wound up, I’ll have a hard time sleeping. Work troubles always affect me too. Good luck!

    11. ThisWorks do a deep sleep cream and balm. They are fantastic. Also Aromatherapy Associates do a Deep Relax Mind shower and bath oil which is wonderful if you’re having a long pre-bed shower.

    12. I wonder if it’s a circadian rhythm thing; I have some trouble, mostly when fall/winter comes, because the typical signals for your body clock get out of whack with it being dark so much more. I sleep much better now due to two things: a sunrise/sunset alarm clock and a Phillips BluLite. They help my body to understand when it’s time to wake and when it’s time to sleep. I use the sunrise/sunset alarm clock all year, but right about now is when I need to start using the BluLite.

    13. That used to happen to me until I realized I was taking my B vitamins right before bed. Mistake. If you’ve changed supplements/eating styles, that could be the culprit.

11. I got an unexpected bonus at work, and I’d like to use part of it to purchase a pair of diamond stud earrings. I’ve tried some on and liked a pair that are 3/4 carats each — a little blingy but still small. However, I regularly wear a diamond pendant necklace that I think is\y 1/2 carat. I started thinking that it might look odd for the earrings to be larger than the necklace. Thoughts? Then I started wondering if a small diamond pendant is girlish to wear to begin with. I’m in my late twenties. Do you all think small pendant necklaces read young? I’d also love to start a conversation about jewelry staples. Thanks for your thoughts!

    1. I assume you mean 4 carats total, 2 carats per ear? That costs like $50k? That is a heck of a lot to spend on a pair of earrings.

       1. I think she meant 3/4 the fraction, as in 0.75 each.

          It all depends on your ear size, but my studs are 0.33 each, tcw of 0.66, and they are perfect for my ears for a daily earring. Any bigger (on me!) would’ve just looked fake and way too much for work or when my hair is pulled back. I have really small ear lobes though, so it’s all relative.

          1. That makes so much more sense! Carry on.

       2. I think she means .75 carats per ear.

          To the OP, I think the only way to know is try them on together. I have a diamond pendant and diamond studs and I don’t usually wear them together. I generally do pearl studs or some kind of gold earrings with my diamond pendant.

          I don’t think a .5 carat pendant is necessarily too small for someone in her late 20s.

       3. I think she means three quarters of a carat each. Honestly, I don’t think this is something I would notice (earring studs being slightly larger than necklace pendant). And if I had a classic pendant like that, I would wear it without a second thought (I’m 34 and look girlish thanks to being short and baby-faced, fwiw).

       4. Let’s hold the judgement on how people choose to spend their money please. (Even though you read the above wrong it still needs to be said).

          1. I just want to be That Girl who is able to use “part” of her bonus to buy some $50,000 earrings and considers them “a little blingy but still small…” ;)

             1. Ha! Totally agree and love how this board is diverse enough that there are probably readers who can! In the meantime I can read their posts and dream.

             2. And I want a $50k+ bonus to arrive unexpectedly!

             3. This!

    2. She said 3/4 of a carat each, so 1.5 total carats for the pair of earrings. And then the necklace is .5 of a carat. That’s not crazy large or expensive.

       I don’t see any issue with the pendant and don’t think it reads girlish at all.

       1. I break things regularly, so no pendant for me, esp. when I might lose the stone on it. I have diamond stud earrings and have yet to ruin them (but make sure yours have screw-backs; they are the only pair I have that I still have).

          You can get a jewelry rider on your insurance (not cheap) and mine has loss protection and loss-of-one-of-the-pair protection.

          My earrings are half the carat weight of my engagement ring and I think they are all fine, regardless of size. Go for it!

       2. My diamond earrings are 1.5 total, so .75 each. My pendant is .75. They are both in a 3 prong platinum setting, which I think makes the stones look bigger. If I were to upgrade to 2.0 total, they would be more than twice the cost. Yikes! I think 1.5 is big enough to show, but not so big as to look fake. And I’m tall, and well, well, well out of my twenties. ( or thirties or forties, for that matter!) I always wear the earrings with the pendant, but also wear the earrings with many other necklaces. Best jewelry purchase I ever made for myself.

    3. So much of this depends on your style & your size. I’m quite tall & not a small person so a .75 carat earring would be absolutely lost on me. I tend to wear “statement” pieces & lots of carats in fine jewelry, but it’s proportionate. Also just depends on what you like. I’m a big fan of buying real things too.

       1. On the other hand, I’m 5’2″ and my .75 diamond earrings look and feel HUGE on me. So yeah, go try some on. (I guess there are some benefits to outweigh not being able to reach stuff on the top shelf.)

          1. I also like petite jewelry, and the salespeople at my favorite jewelry store think my poor husband is a cheapskate because he’s always asking to see something smaller.

             But to OP’s direct question: I see no issue with having 0.75 studs and 0.5 pendant. Diamond pendants are not too girly or young – they are a classic for any age. I think you’re making smart buys with your bonus that you can use for the rest of your life. Enjoy!

    4. OP I don’t think the size difference will be very noticeable. Both the pendant and the potential earrings sound lovely. One thought – you could add a half to your pendant necklace to make it bigger without it costing as much as getting a new stone. However, peoples diamond rings, earrings, necklaces are frequently different carat weights and wore all at once.

       On classic jewelry staples, here is what I have that I consider classic (among all the other fun stuff!):
       Two simple movado watches (one silver one two tone)
       White akoya pearl necklace and stud earrings
       Black akoya pearl necklace and stud earrings
       Sterling silver beads necklace and bracelet and matching earring studs
       14k gold studs
       Diamond solitaire engagement ring
       Fair amount of matching onyx jewelry

       What I want:
       Diamond pendant and studs :)
       Matching pearl bracelets to my necklaces
       Aspirational watch upgrades

       Love the jewelry posts!

       1. Edit to say: add a *halo* to your pendant!

    5. Don’t think this will look weird. I wear diamond studs/engagement ring of the same size and am convinced my ring looks smaller–it’s mostly perspective.

       Separately, my studs are from “Diamond Stud Source” (don’t want to post link). I also recommend them and despite the e-commerce, have been to the office in the Diamond Building (580 5th) that they operate out of in the US.

    6. 0.75 ct is not at all flashy and you will wear them forever.

12. Is this site crashing Chrome for anyone else?

    1. No, but it’s not loading at all on Safari.

13. Does anyone in the Hive live in or know about the Lehigh Valley area? My SO and I live in NYC, and he just got a job offer in Allentown so we’re discussing relocating. I’m a NY-barred attorney and can waive into the PA bar, but I’m worried about the job market in the area. Commuting to Philly is not an option. Thoughts?

    1. Also open to non-legal/quasi-legal jobs as well. I checked all of the job boards colleges/universities in the area and didn’t see anything open that would be a good fit.

    2. I went to college in the Lehigh Valley, but haven’t really been back since so my knowledge of the job market is pretty nonexistant. Have you considered Harrisburg? You could split the difference with your husband, and both wind up with ~45 minute commutes on I-78.

    3. Have you spent time (more than a couple days) in Allentown? I lived and worked in Manhattan for years and am now on the other coast. My step-daughter goes to college in Allentown. NYC and Allentown could not be more different. Looking for a new job might be just the tip of the iceberg of your issues. Unless the whole point of the move is to end up somewhere completely different.

    4. Sorry, I have no idea what the job market is like there. You could live between Allentown and Philly in the western suburbs. My sister in law commutes to Allentown and my brother commutes to the city and it works for them, though that would be pretty annoying if you were to work in center city. Working in North Jersey is also an option.

       1. Could you work remotely? We have someone who does that but can get into the office if needed. That would open up staying with NYC firms and also Philly firms. Otherwise, those commutes sound bad, even with splitting the difference. It’s hard to practice law and do any significant commuting.

    5. I lived there when I was younger. It’s a different world than Manhattan, but not a bad place to live.

    6. I grew up in the Lehigh Valley. I don’t think there will be many great legal job options other than maybe in-house gigs at some of the big local companies–Crayola, Air Products, Olympus etc. I may have more suggestions if you can tell me what non-legal/quasi-legal jobs you’re interested in.

       It was a great place to grow up, but I agree that it will be a very different lifestyle from NYC–suburban to semi-rural, depending on where you live.

       1. Thanks to everyone for the tips! I have grown up in urban/suburban areas my whole life, so I’m sure it’ll be a big change, but I’m open to it.

          Cora – My somewhat wonky law career has been a mix of IP transactional work (think entertainment contracts) and commercial litigation. I’m super flexible in that if something sounds interesting, I’ll apply, but I’m sure those with more focused backgrounds would get chosen over me. That being said, I’d do anything legal (transactional or litigation, except T&E, family or criminal law), compliance, HR, etc.

          1. On that front, your best bet is probably going to be something with the same types of companies I mentioned before. Also consider looking at LV Hospital–not sure how extensive their compliance etc. needs are. You mentioned that you already looked at the local universities, which would be my other suggestion–Muhlenberg, Lehigh, Moravian–also DeSales, Cedar Crest–and slightly further afield, Lafayette, Kutztown. Also PSU has an LV campus–not sure what kind of hiring needs they have.

14. I know this has been asked before but I can’t find what I need- what are the best websites for ordering cute and stylish office/desk decor? I’ve tried all the usual suspects

15. For those of you who use YNAB, how do you find it works when you charge everything to credit cards for points? I’m two days into the free trial and struggling a bit because I started in the middle of the month so some of my expenses have already been charged or “paid” so I didn’t budget for them, and I assume I’ll have to change the budget next month to accommodate, as I’m paid twice monthly.

    Also, I have one savings account right now that I try not to touch unless it’s an emergency. I’m having trouble deciding how to budget for Rainy Day Expenses like car repairs, etc. because I usually keep everything lumped together and often just pay out of my checking account if I can. Does it just take getting used to to see everything budgeted out with your savings and checking combined?

    TIA!

    1. I haven’t been able to figure this out either!

    2. I charge pretty much everything I can and it works fine for me. I keep my cards on-budget so each expense comes out of the budget and then when I pay them off from my checking account there isn’t a category, just a transfer of money.

       For the emergency fund, I tried it both on and off budget. What works for me is to keep it off budget so it doesn’t factor into my available money. When I do need to tap into it, I just transfer it into my checking and classify it as income that can be budgeted that month.

       1. So do you budget for those Rainy Day expenses using your checking account or do you just add a category when you need to use the money from your savings?

          1. If it is unexpected then I just add it into the budget at that moment and move that amount of money. The budget is malleable and it doesn’t have to be set in stone at the beginning of the month. I adjust my categories frequently moving from miscellaneous to groceries if necessary for example.

             I also have an off budget account set up for expenses that only come around once a year. I add a line in the budget to move 1/12 of that amount each month to that account. Then when the bill is due I’ll move the amount into my checking (calling it income) and have that amount in the budget.

             The other way to do it is just to keep both your checking and savings on budget and build up buffers in the category each month. I found that too hard to keep track of and too tempting to spend my savings.

       2. This is how we do it too. Our emergency fund is off budget

    3. I do the same thing as Sydney Bristow re: credit cards. There should be a couple tutorials on YNAB about using credit cards for you to get more info on the process.

       Since I’m still working on further building up my emergency fund and saving up for a down payment, I keep my savings account on budget. This makes it easy for me to automatically budget $X each month to my savings and keep track of how it’s doing. I do actually keep a $1000 buffer and my savings for car repairs in my regular account since it’s more likely to actually be used. I don’t really have any other rainy day funds I need to worry about (I’m a renter) so it works quite well for now.

    4. I started using YNAB in the middle of September, and I feel you. The first few weeks were hard to reconcile correctly. What I ended up doing was pretending like I started September 1 (so input what my current account balances had been on September 1) and then added all of the transactions I had made since then. I don’t think you have to do it that way, but it made more sense for me.

       I also pay for almost everything with credit cards, and it definitely works out on YNAB. It counts anything you charge as being spent immediately, and then paying your credit card bill later doesn’t really come into play.

16. No guidance from my firm on this, so I ask you:

    I have to self-rank 1-5 on 10 proficiencies. Do I assume I’m a 3 – “meets expectations”, and then adjust upward or downward from there? I tend to think yes, but then I get something like “Professionalism: adheres to company policies” and, well, I do – I “meet the expectation” so it’s a 3… but what would a 5 be? I think that’s more of a yes or no, then a scale of 1-5 answer…? Hate this stuff.

    1. I would very much hesitate to go below a 3 unless it’s a substantive area that you’re new to – e.g., you just started in the banking regulatory group or something. I’d also think it’s fine to give yourself a 5 on things like the “professionalism” category. Basically that leaves you with a range of 3-5 in which you can try to honestly judge yourself on the other items.

       1. Thanks. I’m 2 years in to this particular role and all feedback is good to date… honestly, nothing negative (which is nice but not particularly constructive…). I know where I personally want to improve, but I have no indication that I should be anything lower than a 3, let alone a 4.

          1. Why would you give yourself a bad self review? That is crazy! Talk yourself up.

          2. 3’s at a very minimum. 4’s for anything that you’ve been complimented on over the past year. 5’s if you’ve gotten specific, excellent feedback on something. Now is not the time to round down.

    2. I hate that stuff. If it’s an item like “adheres to company policies,” I assume everybody who still has a job there is meeting the expectations. You can’t really adhere harder than other people. You’re either adhering or you aren’t.

       But definitely round up. It’s for your manager to round down, don’t help them.

    3. I would start at whatever you’d rank yourself as overall (say, 4) and round up or down from that based on your skill in that individual category.

    4. GAH. These types of assessments are annoying.

       Ask a coworker or two for informal guidance. I’ve worked at places where a 3 is meeting expectations and 5 is nobel prize winner; I’ve also worked at places where 5 is meeting expectations and 3 is close to being fired. IME, coworkers or your direct supervisor are the best resource even if there is a formal guideline.

       If there’s really no option for informal guidance, go with 4.

17. stuck in moderation….

    I know this has been asked before but I can’t find what I need- what are the best w*bsi*es for ordering cute and stylish office/desk decor? I’ve tried all the usual suspects.

    1. I don’t know if this falls into the category of “usual suspects,” or if it counts as “cute and stylish,” but I am a huge fan of desk toys and I love office playground dot com.

    2. See Jane Work

       1. WHAT? ZOMG where has all this awesome stuff been all my life…

    3. Russell & Hazel

    4. Cute but maybe not stylish.. Check out the desk accessories on jetpens.com and yesstyle.com – Yesstyle often ships from overseas though.

       Maybe cute, sort of stylish.. I like Muji (they have an online store if you don’t live in an area with a Muji store).

       Also try mymaido.com – they also have stores. They sell things like… animal-shaped post-its.

18. Dude! I just went to the new Uniqlo store and it is AWESOME. Like Old Navy prices! I got a fleece for $23 and a cashmere sweater for $50! I also tried on a black flannel blazer that was only $70. Seriously had to stop myself from buying the whole store. :) Can anyone comment on their quality/how things last?

    1. The sweaters I have got stretched out and pilled very quickly, but the socks, sweatshirt, down jacket and “leggings pants” I have from 2-3 years ago are still going strong.

       1. Thanks! Good thing I only got 1 sweater then, huh? :)

       2. I’ve had the reverse experience – their cashmere sweaters are my workhorses. I love them and they’ve held up for years.

    2. I’ve had good luck with most of their stuff. Some reads a little utilitarian and the fit isn’t always quite my style (very boxy), but quality-wise most of it is well above average for the price. I haven’t gotten any lately, but they used to have (and maybe still do) the most amazing cheap jeans. Great denim and they were all really long and they’d hem them to your needed length free in-store – as a somewhat short person, it was awesome; I am sure it’s great for tall ladies, too. I also like their button down shirts, tees, and the heat tech line of tights, long johns and shirts.

    3. Welcome to the wonder that is Uniqlo. I haven’t had any quality problems, but the only stuff I’ve had that’s more than a year or two old is their heattech and airism stuff. It’s still going strong.

       Edit: wait, that’s not true, I’ve got a cashmere sweater that’s like 3 or 4 years old from there. It’s fine, though I don’t wear it much because I’m not a huge sweater fan.

    4. I have a thin hoodie from there from 2009 and it’s only now beginning to look worn despite being worn probably once a week on average for those 5 years.

19. Happy Friday, ladies! Threadjack question for you. My husband is a junior/mid level associate at a law firm, and one of the partners that he works with the most is most likely going to make share/equity partner very soon. We were talking about whether my husband should get him some sort of gift when the partner makes shares. Would something like a nice bottle of whiskey be appropriate (this partner loves fine whiskeys) or if you have any other suggestions, please let me know!

    1. The tradition rule is don’t gift up. If they were friends, it would be one thing, but otherwise it looks like he’s kissing up and doesn’t know business etiquette.

       1. Thanks, anon. I would say they are friends. This partner came to our wedding and recently came to our housewarming when we bought our first condo. I know that my husband and some other associates pitched in to get him a bottle of whiskey for his birthday. Does that make a difference, or you still think it would be inappropriate? I mean, it’s not like they’re best friends, but I definitely think they are friends and have a much closer relationship than the average associate and partner who work together (I am an associate and definitely don’t have that kind of relationship with any of my partners).

          1. In this case, yes I’d do a bottle of whiskey or some such thing (cigars if he likes them?) if that’s the depth of the relationship. I wouldn’t get most partners I worked for something for making equity partner, but there is one person I am very close to that I would get a bottle of wine for and the relationship sounds similar.

             It’s not necessary but it’s nice. Doesn’t need to be expensive, IMO. (i.e. not the kind of present a mentor would get a mentee who made partner).

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