Frugal Friday’s Workwear Report: Forever Sweater Tank
This post may contain affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Our daily workwear reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices.
I’m a huge fan of the cotton/modal Forever Sweaters from Banana Republic Factory, so I was thrilled to see they’re offering it in a sleeveless shell for summer. It’s machine washable, and while it’s more substantial than a cotton tank, it doesn’t feel too bulky.
Grab it in a few colors and layer it under blazers and cardigans all summer long.
The top is $33-$39 at Banana Republic Factory — with 20% off at checkout today — and comes in sizes XXS-XXL. It’s available in five solids and two fun striped patterns.
Sales of note for 5/8:
- Ann Taylor – Mother's Day Event: 40% off your purchase. Readers love this popover blouse, and their suiting is also in the sale.
- Boden – 15% off new styles with code
- Brooklinen – End of Season Sale: up to 25% off — we have and love these sateen sheets
- Express – $39+ summer styles + 25% off everything else
- J.Crew – Up to 50% off swim, dresses, and more
- J.Crew Factory – Up to 60% off everything, and extra 50% off clearance
- Lands' End – 50% off sitewide — lots of ponte dresses come down under $25, and this packable raincoat in gingham is too cute
- Lo & Sons – Mother's Day Sale: Up to 40% off — reader favorites include this laptop tote, this backpack, and this crossbody
- Loft – 50% off your purchase + free shipping
- M.M.LaFleur – Try code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off.
- Nordstrom – Up to 25% off
- Sephora – Free same-day delivery for Mother's Day with code
- Talbots – 50% off wear-now styles and all markdowns + 30% off tops, pants, jeans, and shorts
- TOCCIN – Use code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off!
- Vivrelle – Looking to own less stuff but still try trends? Use code CORPORETTE for a free month, and borrow high-end designer clothes and bags!
What are you getting for your mom for Mother’s Day? I’m a bit behind this year lol
Sometimes nothing, sometimes vintage earrings or something nice if I find it, sometimes a souvenir from a trip I just took, or a book I found that she might like. It fluctuates. This year it’s nothing except my presence :-D Do you have a relevant picture you can get printed and framed?
flowers. I’m behind every year and every year I send flowers.
Craft and art supplies!
Flowers and brunch together. She’s local. Also my kid made her a craft.
Sent flowers.
A hanging flower basket, I always do and have for 15+ years. Sometimes my sisters decide to get her hanging flower baskets too, and we get to see which one my mom likes the best by which one she hangs by her front door.
Potential donor egg mom, if you’re still reading. I used donor eggs and I’m so happy I did. My son is the light of my life and I could not love him more. I only wish I had moved on to them earlier.
Has anyone ever replaced just a kitchen countertop? Can you comment on price/difficulty? It’s a tiled countertop with ugly grout and I would love to place quartz there instead but don’t have the funds for a full remodel effort right now. In a VHCOL area.
I did! I wandered into a countertop store, they had a huge sale on a slab I liked and it was shockingly affordable. On my way home I gabbed a sink and faucet from Lowes so it was on hand when they came out to measure.
It was a huge quality of life improvement for relatively little hassle.
We did! It’s going to depend a lot on your kitchen size. To ballpark it, go to the home depot website and put in your measurements. Then double it as the nicer counters are much higher than HD and labor may be a bit higher than HD.
FWIW, we re-did ours in the boston are and went with I think a quartzite. It was about $70/sq ft installed. If you want higher end materials, just call a couple places and ask them the average pricing per sq ft for whatever material you are considering and measure. Also see if they will take your old counter out. Ours included that but our existing counter was granite not tile. You could also consider doing the demo yourself if you are mildly handy and rent a dumpster (we live in suburbia so it’s easy; i appreciate it is not if you are in a hi rise!)
Oh, and you’ll need a new sink/faucet and soap dispenser. Budget $300-$1500 for that depending on your taste.
I feel you on the tile, and if you’re a frequent cook, getting rid of it is a huge improvement in functionality. It’s not hard to replace, and if funds are limited, laminate performs well, looks fine and is cheap. I am a soapstone gal at heart, but laminate does me just fine, and I put my kitchen through a lot.
I’m turning 40 this year and considering buying myself a Louis Vuitton bag. I’ve been thinking about it for over 10 years and rationalize not doing it bc it’s expensive and will go out of style. I like the tote but it doesn’t really fit with my life right now and would be kind of gauche at my office, so I’m thinking about buying a crossbody purse. Maybe I’ll regret it, but I can afford it and deserve to splurge on myself a little, in addition to likely trying Botox this year as well. A few questions:
1) Are there other brands or styles I should consider? I’m not as current on designers
2) Is the in store shopping experience still worth it? I’m about 2 hours from a store so could make a day of it. If not, I could buy online. I’m also considering buying used from The Real Real, if I can find one in good condition at enough of a discount.
In your shoes I would look for pre-owned, on the Real Real or even Ebay. Plenty of selection in many styles in great condition, but already depreciated. I’ve never been one to focus on the “experience” of buying something, so would not miss whatever goes on in the store when you buy one. In my last few issues of glossy fashion mags LV ads have featured very used looking bags, so I they’re trying to get everyone to drag those “out of fashion” bags out of the closet and use them – an interesting tactic that seems to have resulted in a notable uptick of well worn Neverfull Totes on my public transit commute.
I like Celine and Ferragamo a lot lately. I would hesitate buying bags from The Real Real as they do not authenticate and they have a lot of fakes. I would look at Fashionphile if you want to purchase used. I love luxury bags so if that makes you happy and you will use it often, I say go for it.
Do it! I had a really good year and splurged on a (secondhand) YSL crossbody bag and still get a little thrill every time I use it.
Styles and designers are so dependent on your personal style. Try looking on a high end department store website to see what styles and designers you like other than LV (or go in person!). My own personal style is more classic and understated, so I like Celine, YSL, Bottega, and Ferragamo.
There’s nothing wrong with getting a LV purse if you’d like one. I would consider going to a store not because they’re going to particularly “pamper” you (to my knowledge LV trails behind other luxury houses in terms of getting champagne, etc but your milage may vary by store), but because you can see the differences in size in person and try what you like. An Alma BB in epi leather is a classic shape and has been around for more than 50 years IRC. The Speedy in empriente or epi is another good idea. If you have an Hermes near you or want to buy online, an Evelyne is very practical. But I’d buy something fun and enjoy it. You’ll probably not regret a black or simple color leather bag.
I ended up with more tickets than I need for the now sold out olivia rodrigo show. What is the most legitimate/easy way to sell them? I’m fine hanging onto them for a while, or selling them now. Everything looks scammy or full of fees or way overpriced. I just want to sell them for what I paid for them and don’t have a specific time frame in which to do it.
(My daughter and her friend are going; both sets of parents tried to get tickets and we both happened to get them! They are pretty expensive.)
On the perimenopausal shape shifting theme from yesterday:
I was a +1 size pear forever, but lately I have added some wrapping around my torso and a stomach. Still flat-chested. But more like. +2 sizes down south. Legs below the thigh are not affected at all. I like a t-Rex — I would win any tug-of-war match and if I weren’t in the senior division would think I could take up rugby. I look strong. Like Ox. But my style vibe was straight early 90s corporate minimalism. But here I am in a Sue Sartor flounce dress because they float over my current shape and have pockets. Huzzah!