Frugal Friday’s Workwear Report: Forever Short-Sleeve Sweater
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Our daily workwear reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices.
The long-sleeved version of this Forever sweater from Banana Republic Factory had great reviews, so I was excited to see that it’s been updated with short sleeves for spring. The cotton/viscose blend is a great option as the weather starts warming up, and with 11 colorways available, there’s a little something for everyone.
This gorgeous “coral gem” color would look fabulous with a pale gray suit for a spring-y business formal look.
The sweater is $33 at Banana Republic Factory — with 20% off at checkout — and comes in sizes XXS-XXL.
Sales of note for 3/15/25:
- Nordstrom – Spring sale, up to 50% off
- Ann Taylor – 40% off everything + free shipping
- Banana Republic Factory – 40% off everything + extra 20% off
- Eloquii – 50% off select styles + extra 50% off sale
- J.Crew – Extra 30% off women's styles + spring break styles on sale
- J.Crew Factory – 40% off everything + extra 20% off 3 styles + 50% off clearance
- M.M.LaFleur – Friends and family sale, 20% off with code; use code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – 40% off 1 item + 30% off everything else (includes markdowns, already 25% off)
For the poster wondering about elbow (or half) length sleeves and what that meant, this is what it means. A sleeve designed to hit right above the elbow. 3/4 sleeves end mid-forearm. Bracelet length is just before the wristbone, the sleeve equivalent of ankle pants.
Personally elbow is my least favorite. It doesn’t provide as elegant of a line worn alone as a 3/4 sleeve, it is more annoying under a jacket since it’s both long enough to get bunchy but too short to easily reach to straighten out, and based on where my elbow vs. chest is, creates a line straight across the entire arms + torso that I don’t like.
see I always like them, but I guess it’s mostly because I dislike my fat arms. I think they look more ballerina-y than a regular t-shirt though.
I like them too.
For those in the US, are you changing your travel plans because of everything going on? We like to travel internationally, but with Trump’s escalating comments about Canada, Panama, and Greenland, I worry tensions might be too high to comfortably travel to those counties. Then the question becomes, what about their allies? I would hope we wouldn’t end up in an armed conflict with Denmark or Canada, but then again, I never thought we would be here either.
Yes, but in reverse – we are GTFO as much as possible!
Even thinking about such an issue makes you a librul naval gazing performative activist who hates your family!!!! (/s incase this wasn’t obvious)
Is it Fleet Week yet?
We have an infant too young to be vaccinated for measles so that’s also a consideration. This country blows.
This. My biggest concern traveling right now is whether the vax I got when I was younger has waned. Our biggest threat is ourselves.
Travel clinic can often recommend additional boosters for travel fyi
So much for my plan of traveling toward the end of my maternity leave.
I’m very frustrated with the current US political situation, but historically Europe has had much more of an issue with measles than the US. Anti-vax has been a thing there longer than it has here. There were outbreaks there when my daughter was a baby almost 10 years ago. The first shot fully protects 93% of people who get it (vs 97% protection from both shots), so while I get the worry, it’s pretty safe to travel once your kid has had the first shot.
Some peds will also do the second shot early for international travel if you ask. Ours flatly refused but on the moms page several people said they succeeded in getting it early.
You can get MMR starting at 6 months for travel or during an outbreak, but it won’t count for most school requirements so they may need another at 1 year depending on your state’s requirement. Adults can also get boosters.
No and I think this is silliness. You actually think you’re not safe in Canada? Come on. There are real problems like people from countries facing potential bans or green card holders afraid they won’t be readmitted. You aren’t getting stabbed in Greenland and were you even planning a trip there anyway?
I’m not concerned about personal safety while in those countries. Its more that if tensions continue escalating, we might no longer be able/permitted to travel there (therefore losing our money since travel insurance wouldn’t cover it). For example, if commercial flights are suspended, Americans need to jump through additional hoops to travel there, or if you know, there’s an actual armed conflict.
If commercial flights are suspended, the airline will cancel the flight and you’ll get your money back. If they’re not but you’re nervous, unless you book the super cheap fare, you get full travel credit to rebook to go somewhere else. Book a hotel that’s free cancellation if you’re that worried.
Yeah no. This isn’t a real concern.
+1. Nothing about this post is grounded in reality.
This board is so histrionic.
+ 1 This is absurd.
+1000
What this completely changes my plans to visit Panama in July and August in time for hurricane season and Greenland and Canada in December and January in time for … whatever is cold
As a Canadian the opposite is the real concern. It is no longer safe to travel to the US. You don’t need to be worried about coming here.
This is such a snowflake take on safety.
@10:10 am whut ?
I’m hoping my kid goes to a summer program in Canada and we are planning to visit as a family! She likes science and French, maybe she’ll choose to go there for college.
FWIW, I’ve traveled plenty when the US had unpopular presidents, including the current one. I can think of one time when someone (a guy on a streetcar in Australia) came up to us out of the blue and asked us why people voted for that guy (it was GW Bush). It was NBD, we just chatted and the guy went on his way.
anon 9:34 I absolutely agree.
And for those dismissing the possibility of hostilities in Canada- are you actually following what Trump is saying about us, beyond just the tariffs? He calls our Prime Minister “Justin”, and Governor and jokes about us becoming the 51st state. It’s disrespectful and an attack on our sovereignty. A very large proportion of our population is angry. And while I believe most rationale Canadians can moderate their emotions and behaviour, I also think Americans could get a frosty reception on holiday here.
I think it’s weird that the thing you choose to focus on in that scenario is the impact on leisure travel. But if that’s your focus, I think the only consistent action would be to do as much of it while you can.
My risk tolerance around travel is generally high so ymmv.
I am more cautious about China these days but other than that, not considering changing plans.
A question for you to think about: would people being angry/upset at the US make your trip unenjoyable to you? Or are you primarily worried about serious physical safety issues/eg. if the US actually invaded Greenland while you were there?
We usually travel to Europe. We are planning to travel to Canada instead for our next vacation to do what little we can in supporting them with our tourist dollars during this ridiculous trade war.
Thank you for coming here!!
Signed,
a Canadian
We are going to Canada instead of our planned National Parks trip to show support to Canada. It would never occur to me that I would be unsafe there. I lived in a border state where tourism will be hard hit by the lack of Canadians this summer, but we all understand that it isn’t personal.
All of our friends from Europe have canceled their plans to come to the US this summer (we were supposed to have three different families visit!). Two are going to Canada instead, to support Canada.
We’re doing the same thing. To me everything that’s happening is a great reason to go to Canada, not to avoid it.
I travel internationally for work all the time, so I can’t change travel plans. But as you understand – most of the world resents us. We are picking fights with everyone. It feels a lot like the Iraq War, when we also made a bunch of bad/evil decisions. I do not advertise my US citizenship, I do not defend my country. I keep my head down and hope it blows over. What an embarrassment.
We? There are close to 300 million of us. We are regular people, going about our days, tending to our families and our jobs and our communities. I think that people everywhere get this.
When I travel, it’s not to visit the local or national government of where I’m going. I go as a human, to interact with others, and enjoy what they have created in their part of our world.
You would think people would get this, and most do, but there are a lot of people who don’t, or who use ignorance as an excuse to be an asshole. Like all dual citizen husband’s friends.
This feels different than Iraq to me because this is solely about Donald Trump, who, if a foreigner knows enough to be mad at the U.S., knows only half of U.S. voters voted for. This isn’t years of American policy supported by all branches of the U.S. government; this is one toddler imposing his will on a country. In terms of the divided electorate (not travel, not annexing sovereign nations) and international awareness thereof, I’d say this is more like Brexit than Iraq.
It’s not just Trump though. More people than not who voted for him wanted this kind of behavior or at least set aside their concerns enough to vote for him. Your argument might’ve worked the first time around, but it doesn’t work where we as a country reelected him.
No. I’m usually not clocked as USian at a glance anyway. And I honestly never want to come back anyway.
Canadian here. People are definitely ticked off at the US government, but you are very safe travelling here. We don’t hate individual Americans. Don’t be shocked if you see signs to buy Canadian and boycott the US but otherwise just go about your business. I cannot imagine the border would actually shut down although these days you never know.
I live near the border out west and frequently take a mental health break to Canada. No issues. Don’t be the ugly American and you’re fine.
Nope. I expect there will be another pandemic at some point so I want to travel as much as I can before then.
We aren’t making new travel plans because our budget is tight and the economy is uncertain.
the world is a really unstable place and we’ve been worried for a few years — maybe it’s dumb now but we finally booked our europe trip because we figured even in a year that could be more wars going on (russia, nazis, US vs. whoever trump is mad at that day — or even just civil war in the US making travel difficult). so here’s hoping things hold enough for us to enjoy a trip in june.
No, I am not changing my family’s travel plans abroad. In general, we try to keep a low profile when traveling abroad, and we try to not outwardly advertise that we are American. That was true, though, before the current administration and comes from years living abroad as a child and being taught that OpSec (operational security) was paramount. I live in a state that borders Canada, and the fear is that Canadians, understandably, may not travel here this summer.
And yet you will be instantly clocked as American in Europe. We all are.
This will get me flamed but I agree most Americans are chunky and unfashionable it’s very obvious. People who don’t walk a lot walking has a certain look.
It’s the shoes!
Speak for yourself, suburbanite. I live in NYC and walk everywhere.
People always say this but I’ve had the opposite experience. 90% of Europeans dress terribly. The median European outfit (regardless of wearer’s gender) is wearing a garish polo of some sort with a giant logo, tight acid-washed jean shorts and puma sneakers.
Your ‘european’ outfit sounds like English boys, who are certainly a special breed. But no most Europeans wear muted colours, well fitted basics and stylish but pragmatic sneakers.
One of the greatest compliments I ever received was from a newish French friend who told me that she was surprised I was American because I was very well-dressed.
It is a whole host of different aspect of dress, presentation, and movement that clock someone as American. However, some of us can pull off appearing less American by paying attention to those things. Ditching the college logo apparel and baseball caps, speaking more quietly, dressing “smartly” and paying attention to your surroundings are a good start.
Also – as an American who spent years living abroad and being explicitly taught how to blend (i.e. back to OpSec), not all of us stick out like a sore thumb.
The conventions around smiling are also often really different (many Americans force big toothy smiles that don’t reach the teeth in situations where a lot of other people may not even bother smiling; it’s a giveaway).
*Don’t reach the eyes.
I don’t appear white, so no – I’m not instantly assumed to be American.
I think it depends. I’m a NY’er and I’m usually assumed to be from London (if I don’t speak) or Canada (Toronto) if I do. I walk fast, dress similarly to the Brits when I’m oversees, and am comfortable with city norms. I also work in an international firm that is headquartered out of London and have flattened my accent to be ‘mid-atlantic’ (CNN anouncer) which apparently registers as Canadian to many.
Also NY’er who has both lived abroad and worked for UK companies and also gets mistaken for Canadian when I speak from time to time (despite my lack of any of the Canadian accent tells)
If you dress and act American the whole time, sure.
I think it doesn’t actually take that much effort to blend in; it’s just extremely typical of Americans not to put in the effort.
Not universally – I consider myself pretty obviously American (probably the shoes!) and yet strangers come up to me and speak German when we’re in Germany.
The last time we were in France, my tall blonde American husband was trying to order in French at a bakery and the server asked him if he spoke German. He does look German and was tickled that he wasn’t immediately clocked as an American. I never get mistaken for German even though I speak it, but occasionally get asked if I speak Italian or Spanish. I look English enough until I open my mouth. :)
I am a dual citizen living in the US and am without an American accent. I boarded a train in Europe and later my seat neighbor struck up a conversation. She knew I was an American as soon as I boarded – it was the way I looked for a free seat!!
We are not traveling anytime soon to save money.
International travel? No difference in plans.
Getting on a commercial plane? Not until the FAA and the air traffic controllers are in better positions. How thin they are stretched right now is causing safety issues.
No, I’m not and neither is my family. My parents are going to Denmark in November and are super excited. But we rarely get clocked as American, even by fellow Americans (to be fair we are also thin, pretty stylish, and do a lot of walking in daily life so we probably “look” European due to a similar lifestyle). Just don’t yell about being American, talk loudly, be rude to service people, or wear loud Trump gear and you’ll be fine. In my experience wearing “nice” clothes on the plane like linen pants and a real sweater or shirt rather than a hoodie or t-shirt and sweatpants helps. I assume you already know these rules since you travel a lot. We actually had a really interesting conversation with a Canadian family about Trump when we went to Canada in 2017, in which we made it clear we didn’t support him. If anyone asks you about it just take that angle in the conversation and I think you will very much be OK. In my experience most of the world has better critical thinking skills than the average American in that they understand being from a country does not equal agreeing with that country’s leader. They might even want to hear from you! As for travel being cut off, as someone who has traveled to some countries with State Department advisories/warnings on them, there will always be a way. You will be fine. I also had some friends get “stuck” abroad during Covid and they are fine. Do not let wild anxiety scenarios stop you from living!
Your comment reeks of being a pretentious snob.
Everything that’s respectful and appreciated in a more formal culture can come across that way in a more casual culture.
DH just got back from a work trip to Switzerland (where his company is based). He said the anti American sentiment is HUGE and he only interacted with his colleagues. He makes it very clear that he did not vote for the guy, but says it’s embarrassing
Gently, I see where your anxiety is stemming from. As a BIPOC on a LEGAL visa in this country, paying taxes for 10+ years but still a second class citizen, I encourage you kindly to talk to at least 3-5 people this weekend who are in more imminent danger than you.
Do your cities have glossy real estate / lifestyle magazines? Some day, I’d love someone to talk me up the way interior decorators describe their clients (“She has just the best taste and a great art collection; her eye is impeccable.”). TBH, if you have the best taste and a great eye, IDK why you need a decorator still. Busy doing long brain surgeries and can’t get to stores and let workers in during the day? IDK. But no one has ever sung my praises like decorators do of their clients. I guess they can’t say that that so-and-so is a hot mess, but before I die, I would like words of affirmation like that to be said about me, even if it’s not quite the truth.
Girl have some pride. A decorator paying to advertise in a magazine and choosing the strategy of ‘flattery will get you everywhere’ to do it… is not exactly the kind of compliment I’d like to receive.
What are you even talking about? Rich lady fantasies, I guess.
Or regular poster anxiety dumps.
Can you stop calling things either ‘anxiety dumps’ or ‘Mean Girl’ ?
Can this one poster stop dumping her rambling anxiety on us?
I’m not the poster calling anyone mean girls (although I don’t disagree with her). We’re all allowed to find posts annoying.
We have a few of these magazines in my areas and I love them. I actually know a few families who have been featured. “Their eye is impeccable” means “As the designer I can show them 3 pre-selected expensive options that would all work great for the space, and they chose one of them.” It’s easy to have good taste if someone else narrows the options pretty significantly and, to a lesser extent, money isn’t a factor. They’re marketing for the designer so of course they are going to talk up their clients! Also those are enduring relationships – they will use the same designer across multiple houses, multiple decades, and pass the name on to others. Same is true of wedding designers too!
Lying to people to fluff up their ego is my worst skill, I simply can not do it. Kudos to people who can spit out those lies convincingly because my face does not cooperate.
I flip through the magazines about the Chicago North Shore at our library like an anthropologist. They’re unintentionally hilarious and so, so self-congratulatory.
I had an In-Law who built up a successful business designing and installing high-end cabinetry and kitchens that were often featured in these types of magazines. Decorators gushing on their clients is essentially love bombing so that their clients will show their friends and hopefully drum up additional business. I would just look at the pretty pictures and go on with your day.
I wouldn’t mind some love bombing, TBH. Working with a decorator might be much more fun than devoting weekends going to stores and negotiating with a husband who would just love to buy 4 Lazyboys vs the new couch we desperately need.
Would it be odd for a person who is busy/has some funds to hire a decorator for just a living room in need of a refresh (rug, couch, chairs, side tables) now that the kids and puppy are all housebroken and the couch is literally falling apart? I already have a good idea of what I want but need to make sure the dimensions don’t look odd or table sizes work in our room’s dimensions. It might be more pleasant in my sandwich generation life that is so short on time that I’ve gone to the gym exactly once this year.
I don’t come from people who hire decorators.
I think this is what the online design services are great for. You can also google ‘staging’ service – there is a local company who just does the finishing touches in my area. Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel, Arhaus, Ethan Allen, RH all have designers on staff!
From someone who has explored it, the low end for a decorator including furniture purchases and fees is probably going to be 20k+ in the US for the living room. It does not solve the husband negotiation problem, unless you just need someone to present the overall look better. If the “some funds” is within that range, I’d go for it. Otherwise, the suggestion of the online services is spot on.
You might consider an online service like Havenly. I used them twice (bedroom in one apt and LR in another) and was happy both times. I had a vague idea of what I wanted but have no eye for design whatsoever. Both times I was happy with the outcome and all the communication was very manageable/streamlined. They have different plans for different levels of service, so you can customize to your needs. I would recommend!
Agreed that an online decorator or a paint colors/advice only type of decorator is for you. Real interior design requires a high end furnishings budget.
I worked with a decorator in my last house.
I have a good eye and good taste and friends and family regularly have me help them decorate or choose things to purchase. But because I have been collecting art for decades at this point, I have literally hundreds of pieces. No Picassos, but ones I’ve purchased from galleries, estate sales, antique stores, the backs of vans on the side of the road, and from all over the world. When you walk into a house with blank walls and 250+ pieces of art, it’s overwhelming and I needed help thinking through what should go where, what could be reframed, etc.
I have a guy who hangs pictures. That’s his whole business. And he is excellent at it (placement, hanging hardware, using a laser, etc). He books up fast.
Not who you’re responding to but framing and hanging art in itself!
I’ve lived in many towns with these magazines and I love them; I so sad our current locale doesn’t have one.
But I don’t want that kind of praise. Instead, I just want my home featured in Country Living in that “Big Job lady runs away from all her cares to farm daffodils on acreage with gorgeous historic home” kind of way. That I could get behind ;)
Ha! This actually happened to me years ago, after my divorce when I bought and remodeled a house by myself with the help of a designer. It wasn’t featured in a magazine, but on the Dunn-Edwards paint company web site. She called me “a very bright personality” and “a vivacious divorcee” who “had good taste and knew what she liked!”
Trump and Columbia – I saw the NYT story about him fighting them about their admissions standards and I said, $10 says Baron didn’t get in. Did a bit of googling, and I think that’s likely since T said he wanted to go to school in NY and now he’s at NYU.
It’s always DEI that prevents the mediocre white man from getting ahead, isn’t it?
Mediocre white men do not like having to compete for things they believe they should be given.
When you’re accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression.
NYU is like Brown (and maybe USC? Duke)? in that the children of the connected are going to get in. TBH, I’d rather be on NYU’s campus’s part of NYC than anywhere else in there area where a college could be. Columbia is IMO a better school, but you have to actually go to it and live near it. The Village is just sublime.
“Columbia is IMO a better school”
LOL, in your opinion and that of literally every college ranking system.
I think that in some areas, there is little real difference between the two and it is literally which area do you like better. Culturally, they feel very different and the alumni for UG especially are very different.
NYU is not the NYU of my youth and seems to have bought its way into being able to be very choosy and get a lot of people to pay full freight.
I don’t think NYU is like Brown or Duke. Maybe like USC, which is often referred to as university of spoiled children.
I’m always perplexed why people are so up in arms about affirmative action but not legacy admissions. Anecdotally, most people I hear complaining about DEI are lower or middle class folks trying to have a better life than their parents. So, not people who will themselves benefit from legacy admissions, though I suppose they hope their kids/grandkids will. This myth of the American dream is so persistent – I can be one of the rich one day so long as I work hard! Lord forbid someone who’s not me get a leg up that I don’t get.
Doesn’t at some point legacy admissions kind of help the next generation – like the kids of FGLI students. Also- many people are up in arms over legacy admissions
This is a *big* topic at my alma mater. There are a lot of FGLI alums who want to keep legacy admissions and they have kids who are looking at applying to college in the next few years. FWIW, my school has a “soft” legacy preference which isn’t going to override bad grades or scores.
My understanding re legacy admissions is that colleges are known to cross-subsidize tuition, so they need a certain # of people to pay full freight so that they can give merit aid (and maybe need-based aid). They could charge everyone $30K/year, but IRL charge $45K so that some people can pay $0. Legacy admissions explains why some families will pay $45K for a 30K education. And they kind of have to have that or the math won’t math.
Very different at a NYP place than somewhere like . . . Bucknell, Lehigh, etc. Non-NYP private college type places. And you want a strong loyal alumni base for a host of reasons like hiring, networking, etc. Colleges sell that also. They don’t want everyone’s dad to be a union plumber. They need some Thurston Howell IIIs. As many as they can get, probably.
shouldn’t it then be called top dollar admission? And be open to any and all rich kids? Just make it like a first class plane ticket. You pay more, you get perks, no need to beat around the bush.
Maybe? But for small colleges, you can easily apply. But for a borderline admit, I feel like the legacy kid may be more familiar, more likely to go, with parents / grandparents more likely to be supportive with things like interviewing for on-campus recruiting, being involved in alumni networks, with kids more likely to graduate, etc. A win-win. I feel like everyone is getting what they paid for. If you eliminated that slice, would alumni be so involved? Would as many full-freight kids apply or go? Would life be richer or just more transactional in a different way?
My life is built on trading favors, so I can totally see how there are mutual upsides (including the kids getting scholarship funds). There is a quiet economy in much of the world.
Rich kids are paying to be around smart kids. And at least some of the smart kids are there to be around well connected kids. So the way it works now keeps that balance.
I think where I hear anger about the idea of DEI/affirmative actions overlapping with legacy admissions, is the idea that wealthy/elite mostly-white people have enough power to hold on to it, and are promoting affirmative action specifically at the expense of working and middle class white folks. So eg. the mostly-white, mostly-male CEOs are going to keep all their power, but get social credit for improving diversity by making it impossible for (white male) entry level workers to get promoted. Or their kids will still get into great colleges, so the more-spots-for-disadvantaged-kids will come from a targeted decrease in spots for middle-class-white-kids (not “privileged kids overall”)
Middle class white kids already have privilege, they can compete for things it won’t kill them, though I understand how upsetting it must be when you were always told a nice cushy life would fall into your lap and now you don’t get that.
So, there are a lot of lawyers here – is canceling government grants and contracts because the president doesn’t like some of the protests that happened on the campus legal? Isn’t that a First Amendment violation? I realize laws mean nothing these days, but anyway.
A whole bunch of universities on trumps’s naughty list are having grants and contracts pulled because of this. They are in compliance with every term of the grant or contract, but still losing them because of “woke.” This seems extremely illegal and concerning – the administration can just pull money from any entity or maybe even person who says things they don’t like?
Anyway, I hope there are some shark lawyers on this who sue not only to get the contracts reinstated but also for any kind of damages they can get.
It depends on what the contracts are through. There have been a lot of flashy headlines, but many big universities get a lot of government money through NIH funding, which has been cut or potentially cut at all universities, not just those on Trump’s hit list. While I don’t personally think the government should be penalizing schools for the content of protests happening on their campus, nor for how they handled them- I do think the way Columbia handled what happened on its campus is preposterous. Students who took over a building and vandalized property faced almost no repercussions from the institution. That being said, I don’t think the federal government should be getting involved like it is.
Columbia has been a dumpster fire on this. IDK how many students or parents wrote in requesting refunds like they did over COVID, when they paid for X but got ~X. But I’d be livid — it’s such an expensive school. And for kids used to having “safe spaces,” Columbia definitely wasn’t that.
Interestingly, Columbia is on the hit list for protests, but NYU and MIT, which also had protests, are not.
I don’t know, it still seems like a big violation and definitely an action that chills free speech.
There’s a long history of the federal government using federal funds to force states and other organizations to adopt policies they otherwise wouldn’t. Most famously, states had to raise the drinking age to 21 or lose highway funding. Traditionally, it’s “liberal” causes like nondiscrimination that’ve been enforced this way, which is why some religious universities don’t accept federal funding. That’s actually what the Trump administration is using as the basis for the Columbia case, that they’re violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by discriminating against Jewish students, though they’re not following the regular process of investigating a violation.
If you were young and wanted a lively walkable Philly burb, which would you choose? Looking at Conshy or Bryn Mawr/Haverford, but open to other ideas.
Background: I’m 30, single but dating, and have lived in Center City since college. The vast majority of my friends also live in Center City, though people are starting to decamp to the burbs (but mostly friends with kids, so I wouldn’t see them as much). I love living in a lively, walkable area. Would hope to meet some “local” friends too.
I have accepted a new job at SAP and I don’t want to have to drive out every day.
I want somewhere walkable to bars and restaurants and the train so I can get downtown to see friends (so no Phoenixville, KOP, or West Chester). If I’m going to leave the city, I want to actually leave the city and not pay wage tax so no Manayunk/Roxborough. I grew up in the Ambler area and while I love that area, that’s a further commute and a little older than I want.
Conshy has a further commute (not by long, but still) and worse traffic, but I do have 1 good friend who lives there. Most apartments there are in complexes and therefore expensive – yes amenities are nice but I don’t think I’d use them much. I love having the SRT right there (I’m a big runner), I also used to row and would definitely get back to that if I was in Conshy. I also like the Wissahickon a lot and have a few friends in Manayunk/Roxborough and Conshy is closer to that. It does feel a little “isolated” (yes, there are places on Fayette and side streets, but beyond that you have to drive or train places). The train pretty much just runs hourly.
Bryn Mawr/Haverford/Ardmore is a slightly closer commute, but feels like it might be less young. I’d personally prefer the types of apartments offered here. A friend used to live here, and there are quite a few bars in Bryn Mawr I like and I do like how walkable everything on Lancaster Ave is and how the train is right there. With all of the downtowns in a row, it definitely feels like there are more options. No close friends live in this area, but a few people I’m friendly with do but they’re more married with kids. Before we moved to Ambler growing up, we lived on the Main Line for a bit and I’m definitely not someone who enjoys the culture of the Main Line.
I feel like the Philly subreddit would probably provide you with good answers to this question.
I grew up in the Bryn Mawr area, and I think Conshohocken would be a better fit. Bryn Mawr and the rest of the Main Line definitely skew older, towards families. Especially if you know you don’t enjoy the culture, I’d say this a no-brainer.
Another vote for Conshy. That stretch of the Main Line feels like either established families or college students, not your age.
I went to Haverford and love love love the Haverford/Ardmore/Bryn Mawr area. Super cute neighborhoods, and a distinct charm that feels undiscovered. Very easy to get to Philly via SEPTA. I’d think you could make young-professor friends, though I don’t know what the 30s age crowd is like since I was there as a college kid.
Young professors who teach at those places tend to live in the city.
Haverford/Ardmore/Bryn Mawr hands down. Such easy access to the city. Conshy is boring, small, and farther from everything that you think. Ardmore is “grittier” than the rest of the Main Line in a good way. Parts of Haverford Twp are as well.
Posted above, but Ardmore has such a working-class charm that you don’t see in a lot of other places! Cute little dive bars and hole-in-the-wall random shops (lamp stores, antiques). Very old-school in a lot of ways,
I saw an in house job I am interested in. The team looks to be about 15 attorneys. The general counsel went to the same law school as I did. Would it be weird to send a note on linked in asking for time to talk about the position? Or should I just apply. I am assuming this job will get a lot of applications
I recommend treading very lightly when going around the protocol. Going to the same law is really attenuated and hardly a connection. don’t do it. they could bristle.
I think someone else reaching out on your behalf is the way to go. Do you have any mutual connections? If not personally, then your law school alumni office will do this. If you can’t find a 3rd party, then email directly (rather than via linkedin if you can help it).
oh please no LinkedIn messaging. Look for any mutual connections with any of the attorneys instead.
I am not a lawyer but I directly message people on LinkedIn when I apply to jobs, usually I reach out to the person who is likely to be the hiring manager or a professional connection. You can also search to see if anyone has posted about the position in their feed with a “come work with us” type thing. Active people are more likely to respond. I have had hiring managers reach out to me directly to arrange interviews as a result of my outreach for very competitive positions with hundreds of applicants. As long as you keep your message fairly short and polite, I think it’s worth trying. There’s no guarantee how others will receive it.
Yes. As a GC I wouldn’t respond and I want things to go through the normal process. Fine to connect with someone you actually know there but don’t cold call me because we went to the same school.
In-house here. Just apply. The GC will not consider that you went to the same law school enough of a reason to speak with you. In general in-house is much more process-oriented than law firms and the GC is not likely to want to stray from that process. The talent acquisition/recruiting team already has a process in place for interested candidates to discuss the position.
+1
I get so many random messages on LinkedIn when we are hiring. They usually start with “we know some of the same people…”
Yes I know. It’s literally the purpose of LinkedIn. But that doesn’t mean they can bypass the application process and try and finagle an interview that way.
It rubs me the wrong way but maybe others feel differently. And the people who reach out via LI and never nearly as competitive as they think.
I’m sympathetic to job seekers. But use your network to flag your resume.
Maybe this approach works better when you aren’t pitching rigid, cranky lawyers.
I’d like to plan something with my sister and close friends that live in Philadelphia (one has two little kids, one is pregnant and due in 4 weeks, and one doesn’t drink). Any ideas would be appreciated. TIA
Spa day (or just mani/pedis) plus lunch/brunch, Pottery making/makerspace session and brunch after, matinee of a movie or play and then early dinner?
Basically I’d lean into daytime ideas with an activity that isn’t too physical.
are the kids coming or is that just for context? what are you guys into? art? history? just walking around and enjoying a variety of different food?
Kids aren’t coming, just for context i.e. we probably wont want to do anything too crazy
yes what kind of stuff are you into? Foodies? Art? Spa? Outdoors? Crafts?
ok so let’s say, have a fancy brunch at JH Skyhigh (top of the Comcast skyscraper), or somewhere like Parc (love-hate relationship with the fake-Parisian look, but it’s a popular scene) and then either walk or rideshare to the Art Museum. Spend a few hours looking around and if it’s later in spring, walk out the back to enjoy the bulbs blooming in the Azalea Garden and see Boathouse Row.
or let’s say, instead then walk around the Rittenhouse Square area shopping. Or rideshare to Old City to take in the historic places. Or rideshare to the Italian Market to pick up some of the best cheese, fresh pasta, etc. souvenirs. Or pick a weekend that the Phillies have an afternoon game.
I’d enjoy a meal at Zahav
Skiers- thoughts on skiing at Park City Mountain vs Canyons. The past two years we’ve gone to Park City and the ski school has been great, but thinking ahead to next year. What’s it like at Canyons?
They’re part of the same resort now and you can traverse back and forth between the mountains (assuming the correct lifts are open). IIRC Canyons has more intermediate / advanced terrain.
Canyons tends to be icier and windy, and its runs are more narrow. We don’t bother to go over to that side of things most trips because it’s just not as much fun as Park City.
Thanks! Guess we’ll stick to Park City.
They’re both nice! You can easily take the gondola between the two. The Canyons side tends have a little harder terrain, but there’s plenty of runs of every type on both sides.
Columbia revoked the degrees of the students who attacked Hamilton Hall. I saw a tweet saying yeah protests have consequences, that’s why they are effective, or, as they put it, “It’s not called Letter from Birmingham Apartment”. I think that Columbia has handled other things wrong, but this is a fair point – Columbia has rules, this definitely broke it. I don’t know if revoking degrees is a common consequence though.
What do you think of the “this is too harsh” vs. “natural consequences of protest” of it all?
Finally.
Yikes.
I believe they are expelling or suspending students, which is different than revoking degrees. All of the credits will still transfer to other schools and they can put Columbia on their resume, just that they transferred.
It’s a private institution and they have guidelines for student conduct. If students violated that code of conduct, there are consequences. No one is entitled to stay at Columbia.
Do you really think reputable institutions would touch them with a ten foot pole
When that pole has money tied to it, absolutely.
honestly i don’t think they should’ve been granted degrees in the first place. Or should’ve faced some level of consequences for their actions. Columbia is only doing this now to appease the Trump admin. That PhD student who was outside talking to reporters about how the school should provide them food while they take over a building taught a course this past fall. I have not read the Columbia student code of conduct in detail, so I don’t know what it allows, but I don’t think expulsion would’ve been an inappropriate consequence. The school also could’ve brought criminal charges against the students.
This is fair. Idk what they were doing over the past year (hearings maybe?) but this could have been concluded earlier.
During the civil rights movement when people protested, they knew very well that they might end up in jail. They were willing to accept the consequences. The Columbia students want to have their cake and eat it too
And every single person on this board cheering for them to be expelled/arrested/deported would have opposed the civil rights movement. The “they can protest but they need to follow the rules” playbook is well understood.
Ding ding ding, we have a winner.
somehow reminds me of ‘you can have political opinions but rejecting a partner over theirs is a step too far’.
Are you comparing an earned degree to an interpersonal relationship?
this
+1000
Nope. I wholeheartedly would support and would have supported the civil rights movement. These are two very different situations. I can also say that I am not personally cheering for anyone to be deported. Immigration policy and due process laws is a different ballgame. I also do not view the two movements as even close to analogous
Hahaha whatever lie you need to tell yourself to pretend you’re a good person.
Of course you don’t, because you’re ignorant to history. The two movements are analogous in nearly every way. Rhetoric. Tactics. Response of powerful institutions. Diverse coalitions. You would have been cheering on the water hoses and police dogs while claiming you *definitely* would have supported suffrage and abolition. And so on and so on.
Yep.
Someone who says that the University should provide “humanitarian aid” to students who have taken over a building and are free to leave said building to get whatever food/water they want are not entitled to Ivy League degrees
I personally know many people who were involved with the civil rights movement and arrested during the civil rights movement who think that the way that universities handled protests last spring was atrocious
Some of these students protest votes are likely responsible for getting our current president elected, so they’ve lost all sympathy from me
What do you think an appropriate response to students taking over a university building and destroying property should be?
I have family members who literally were in the civil rights protests who oppose these protests. It’s not the same at all.
Nope, just not a Hamas apologist or in favor of terrorizing Jewish students. Not even a little bit equivalent.
+1
What do people who don’t drink and don’t have kids do for fun? I’m newly pregnant and realizing that all of our go-to social activities revolve around alcohol. We spend a lot of time at a local winery where we’re members or at happy hours or wine tastings at local museums and parks. There are no fun non-alcoholic options at these places. A lot of our friends have babies/toddlers but they still do the same things they did before kids – hang out at a winery or brewery for the afternoon. I go to group events and just don’t drink, but when it’s just me and DH, I’d prefer to do something that isn’t alcohol-centric. Ideas?
Visits to art museums, food courses (cooking, cheese tastings, etc.), concerts, comedy shows, lectures, physical activities (might be more like a gentle hike for now!) – walking around a nature trail/nature preserve, going to a local zoo or aquarium, book readings, volunteer events.
Also once you have a kid a lot of your social life will rotate around keeping them busy – kid gyms, sports programs, playdates/birthday parties, farm tours, apple/berry picking, visits to the pool/beach/lake/splashpad, etc.
Walks hikes museums bookstores theater reading crafting home renovations day trips state parks farmers markets antique stores
Hiking, running, cycling, crew, museums, painting, pottery, golf, mini golf, bowling, brunch (yes you can do this sober), festivals, sporting events, and just like…going for walks!
I doubt running or crew appeal right now, but the others should be options for you.
Trivia, board/card games, crafting, cooking class, movies, window shopping in an interesting area…
Well if you’re already pregnant, the “no kids” stage has a very near term expiration date, so I’m not sure this is really a problem. But to answer the question, I’ve never been a drinker and before kids I did a lot of the following: reading, baking, local-ish trips (day trips or one overnight), trying new restaurants, seeing live theatre, going to the movies, hiking, museums, botanical gardens, getting pedicures or massages, volunteering. I still do many of those post-kids but it’s different.
go for walks and bike rides
actual gardening
go to the museums to… look at the art
pick out a new recipe and go to the local market to get the best ingredients for it
work on plans for upcoming trips
play games (we just got a backgammon set)
pick out an interesting movie or show to watch together
go to a sportsball game (baseball season is so nice for this since tickets are just easier)
Physical based activities. Walks with the kids, hikes, gym or yoga session followed by coffee. Paint and sip (but no sipping for you), concerts.
I’m kind of jealous you are newly pregnant and want to go do things…i laid in bed and pinched myself to try not to throw up for most of my pregnancy.
I’ve been very lucky so far with nausea! I just kind of feel cruddy and tired. But also restless and anxious, so I want to occupy my mind. It’s a weird combination of feelings!
Hiking, museums, botanical gardens, movies, cooking classes, wood working classes, board game nights, rock climbing gym, blacksmithing classes (okay, I haven’t done this one yet but my friend has and I really want to go.). We also set up “food quests” for ourselves like try all the independent ice cream places near by, try all the dumpling places, find the best wings, coffee, injera…. Sometimes we take books and go to the library and just have adjacent reading time. Contradancing.
do all your gardening now to make up for the lousy gardening life you’ll have while they’re small!!
On the flip side, I didn’t enjoy it at all while pregnant and found it much more enjoyable with small children (yes, even while I was still nursing). Don’t feel like it’s now or never.
We are empty nesters who don’t drink much. We go to concerts, the opera, the ballet, the theatre, comedy shows, museums, and bookstores. I find wineries and breweries kind of boring without a big group even if I am tasting wine and eating cheese, unless they happen to have live music.
We don’t drink much and neither do our friends — hang out at someone’s house, go out to dinner, go to a concert, get dessert . . .
Non drinker here. We eat. Haha.
No, seriously, husband and I both have hobbies that don’t involve drinking. My husband is a musician and I can’t tell you how many times someone at the bar the band is playing has “bought him a drink” – he drinks Coca Cola. :)
Yikes. Lots of things: movies, hiking, concerts, shows, museums, going to lunch/dinner, shopping, walking/food tours, day trips to new places/sightseeing, biking, hanging with friends, picnics…
How do we feel about multi page resumes?
Not in law, about 8 years into my career
8 years isn’t enough to need a 2nd page IMHO. Edit your resume so it’s featuring what’s most relevant to each application; don’t include an exhaustive list for everything.
Two pages maybe, more than that no
Yeah definitely not more than 2.
While we’re doing this, how do we feel about a little write up/summary at the top of the resume?
Gauging whether things I’ve seen in other peoples (actual, successful at getting jobs) resumes are common or not.
9/10 they are a waste of space.
legal field, never seen one that was helpful. I can gauge from your listed experience what type of work you do. I don’t need you to tell me you’re a practical, savvy, experienced, seasoned, trusted advisor who works independently but helps break down silos and finds creative solutions to be a great business partner and true team player.
Thanks for the laugh! (Deleting mine right now…)
I have one for inhouse legal roles that is ~2 sentences, so doesn’t take up valuable real estate. IME the recruiters inhouse are often very junior and have very little experience with lawyer recruiting so I think of it as providing them info that they may copy/paste or rephrase in pitching candidacy to actual GC/etc.
Hah I work in government, where resumes are usually 5 pages
And I work in academia, where CVs are so many pages
Never. Anything worth saying can fit in one page or you cannot edit. I don’t care how long your career is. It’s a highlight document not a permanent file.
One page. Play with the margins and formatting if you need to but don’t use a second page. If you’re still including multiple bullet points for internships consolidate that into one line max. When I see a multi-page resume from a candidate with your experience level l assume they’re out of touch, self important, or can’t edit properly.
No internships on it. I work in a field where its normal to multiple 1-2 year max long stints
Two pages ok if it makes sense, and especially if it avoids 9pt font. I also don’t judge multi page when it is more like a proper CV and lists technical accomplishments like publications, patents, certifications, etc. I do judge when it just includes a lot of AI-speak boilerplate in bullets.
+1 I’d rather a 2-pager that has some white space than a crammed single page.
This is where I am. There is not extraneous stuff on it, but its getting cramped on one page.
Mine stretched to one and a half pages pretty early on, for somewhat unusual reasons: career in one field (think finance), went to law school, legal career, and also published and did TV/radio interviews on the side.
Everyone I talked to said that it was an appropriate length: no filler, no tedious recitations of everything I did, etc.
who is the Buru audience? is it rich middle-life ladies who lunch and people who dress like them?
Suit yourself. I have a work wardrobe and a weekend wardrobe and I love some of their pieces for the latter.
I fell in love with Buru during the pandemic. It’s a bit escapist. BUT a lot of their clothes are washable and/or have pockets. I have a big foofy ball skirt from them with a back-half elastic waist and I can wear fleece leggings underneath and it’s just heaven when I want to look spiffed up.
I’ve met Morgan and she is a delight. I feel like Parker Posey’s character in The White Lotus might wear Buru a lot. I wear it on weekends and to work either mixed with business-casual pieces in a casual office or when IDGAF.
Is this a genuine question, or did you just want to vaguely insult people who like it by pigeonholing the aesthetic?
I had no idea what buru was until this post but I’m into it, classic ethical clothing. I’m certainly not. lady who lunches, I’m a DINK with a big important job and lots of tattoos.
Same. I wear a lot of black and find that working some Buru items into my existing wardrobe makes me happy. With my Doc Martins or Chuck Taylors.
I’d never heard of it either but scrolling through their site I could envision a lot of the “slightly whacky, extremely accomplished” physicians that I work with wearing it.
Ok, I didn’t know about this brand until this post but as a follow DINK with a big important job… I think we might be their target demo.
Thanks for this—had never heard of them and checked them out. They have a couple of things I’m interested in getting.
I’d never heard of this brand but most of the items wouldn’t look out of place at Anthro or Tuckernuck. Feels like artsy Tidewater fashion? I don’t hate it.
People who want to look like they sew their own clothes.
Looks sort of like Johnny Was to me. A bit of boho works in a lot of settings.
Umm yeah it’s me I guess? I had never head of it before and I love it. So thanks! I have a job but I also get invited to parties, dinners and lunch with my girlfriends. It’s making me sad that you don’t need clothes for stuff like that.
Is this stealth marketing? Because I seem to be one of several who have never heard of this brand before, but now have and am into it.
Same