ByKat Hours Updated
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Holiday Sales! Fourth of July Workwear Sale Roundup

Happy long weekend — I hope everyone is getting to enjoy the 3d of July off as well as the 4th! If you're not, I thought I'd throw up a quick sales roundup post to a) let everyone know what sales are afoot, and b) give you a fresh open thread for those of you stuck in the office or otherwise hanging out near a computer today. My favorite sales are in bold. 

Pictured: Flickr / pagedooley (colors modified a bit). 

  • 6PM – Featured brands today include Coach and Clarks.
  • Ann Taylor – 50% off everything with code JUSTBEACHY.
  • Anthropologie – Take an extra 30% off sale items!
  • Boden – Summer sale! Up to 60% off. (Check out our roundup of how to build a work wardrobe at Boden!)
  • Brooks Brothers – Summer clearance, with online exclusive up to 70% off.
  • Club Monaco – Up to 60% off when you take an additional 30% off sale styles.
  • Express – 50% off select women's and men's styles.
  • J.Crew – 30% off your purchase + extra 50% off sale styles with code HOORAY.
  • J.Crew Factory – 50% off everything, PLUS extra 50% off clearance.
  • Lands' End – 30% off regularly priced styles. Sale section up to 60% off!
  • Last Call – Up to 70% off everything, PLUS an extra 10% off on top of sale with code JULY4.
  • Loft – Extra 60% off all sale styles. Select full-price styles starting at $6.
  • Neiman Marcus – The biggest sale of the season; up to 70% off regular prices.
  • Nordstrom – The big Anniversary sale is coming up (where they mark down fall merchandise for a limited time), but don't let that dissuade you from checking out the clearance sale going on now — there are 9000+ items marked down from spring and summer. Check out our roundup of how to build a work wardrobe at Nordstrom — lots of those items are on sale right now.
  • Reiss – Sale! Up to 50% off.
  • Talbots – Red Hanger semi-annual sale — extra 50% off two+ markdowns, extra 40% off one markdown.
  • Zappos – End of season sandal sale!

Readers, have you found any great sales this weekend? Any favorite recent purchases in general? Are you at work today or just chilling out?

fourth of july sales for workwear

132 Comments

  1. Anyone else wishing they had taken today off? Where I am it’s perfect weather, my whole fam (including my adorable toddler) is hanging out at a lake while I’m doing pointless things that I could just as readily be doing remotely.

    WHY?

    1. Wish I could. Oddly enough, virtually everyone in my dept ran out of PTO recently. So we’ll all be there sulking with nothing in particular to do, at least nothing that couldn’t wait till Wed.

    2. Wish I could, too. Not working today was not an option for me. Out of the core staff in my office, 1 out of 5 of us had to be here, and I drew the short stick (i.e. was the last one to request time off). Grumpy.

    3. I am. It’s dead quiet both inside and outside (even the tourists are taking a break!). And those of us who are here…are probably not as productive as we could be.

    4. Sadly, I had a deadline I have to meet, and a client meeting. Otherwise, I’d be out of here!

    5. I am actually so glad to be in my quiet office today. It’s an open-office format, and there is usually some combination of dogs, loud meetings, toddlers, youth interns, confused visitors, and funny props. (Last week a pair of bubble guns wound up in the office, much to the delight of some staff–including my boss–and the confusion of one of the office dogs.) I love my nutty workplace culture, but the quiet is so lovely for a day of emails and spreadsheets.

      That said, I hope you are able to get through the day quickly! I’m sure your adorable toddler will be adorably delighted to see you.

        1. There are actually *three* dogs, all of whom belong to staff members whose jobs involve a significant amount of time outside. This will totally out me to anyone who follows me on social media, but a few days ago one of the dogs and a toddler whose parent was here attending a meeting played tug-of-war with my recycling box. It was astonishingly cute.

    6. Yes I’m exactly you. Everyone is out doing fun things, and I’m wondering why I’m sitting in the office instead of either working from home or just taking the day off. I might take a half day and try to salvage some of the day.

    7. I’m sitting in my office (only 3 of us came in today) finalizing my plans for tomorrow. The most work that has been done is picking a new background color for a webpage. Clearly this was a good day to have us come in to work…

    8. My firm sent out an email on Friday afternoon that essentially said, “we’re just now realizing that basically everyone is going to be taking Monday off or working remotely, so…. we’re making it an official firm holiday.” It’s a great goodwill gesture for all of the non-attorney staff, but also a little late for anyone who wasn’t already planning on doing something. However, I came in today and it’s been astonishingly productive, probably because there are no incoming emails and I can actually get stuff done.

      Also, my boss scheduled 2 calls for today, but it’s just nice to work and know that (i) it’s not a Saturday or Sunday; (ii) I have the day off tomorrow; and (iii) after an insane week last week, all the stuff that I pushed aside can actually get done today.

      I definitely wouldn’t want to do this every holiday weekend, but I needed this day.

    9. I had to work also today. I just got home; I worked from 9-5, then walked home! I did NOT know that Kat was p’osting today, or I would have read Corporete at work. Instead, I did alot of real billeable work for 3 cleint’s. I took a long lunch today, and walked over to L&T today. I got a great new pair of running shoes, which I will wear to and from work. Dad want’s me to go home to LI tomorrow, but I do NOT want to fight the crowd’s on the LIRR. I would have gone to the Hamton’s but the manageing partner told me I was 33 hours short on Friday, so I came in today to make up those hour’s. Honestly, I do NOT know how I could have been 33 hour’s short, unless he did NOT count my time that I spent prepareing his speech for the Bar Association. Whatever. I do what I have to do to pick up a paycheck. I have to leave now to go to Fairways to pick up dinner. Next time I will stop at Whole Foods but I forgot. YAY!!!!

  2. Any recs for not-to-miss activities in Cambridge, UK? Or Norwich or Ely, which will be our base camps.

    Never been to England before and I’m particularly interested in finding a posh teashop.

    1. What sort of things interest you?

      Ely and Norwich Cathedrals are both beautiful. If you’re at all religious and/or a classical music fan, try to make it for an Evensong, a sung service which features one of the cathedral choirs.

      When I visited friends in Cambridge a few years ago, we went to The Orchard Tea Garden in Grantchester (south of Cambridge proper) and it was really lovely.

      1. Open to pretty much anything. Literature, music, Roman or medieval history, geology or scenery…
        The Evensong sounds nice :).

        1. Come to think of it, since you’ll be in Cambridge, King’s College Chapel is perhaps THE place to attend an Evensong. King’s is world-renowned for its Christmas choral service, a Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. But I think Evensongs are only held during term time, so they won’t start up again ’til October.

          More generally, it’s common for cathedrals and churches in the UK to host classical music concerts and recitals, which are often free or for a donation.

          I’ve only spent a few days in the East of England, so most of my recommendations are fairly touristy. That said, kudos to you for exploring! So many Americans reduce England to London and maybe Oxford.

          Cambridge:
          –Hire a punt on the River Cam
          –Walking tour of the colleges
          –Visit the Cambridge University Botanic Garden
          –Check out the collections of the Fitzwilliam museum
          –I haven’t been, but since you mentioned the geology, sounds like Sedgwick Museum of Geology would be a good fit for you

          Ely:
          –Visit the Cathedral
          –Take a walk in Wicken Fen National Nature Reserve
          –Oliver Cromwell’s house (a controversial figure in British history– you’ll get a very pro-Cromwell experience here, obviously)

          Norwich:
          –Visit the Cathedral
          –Check out East Ruston Old Vicarage Garden, or the Plantation Garden
          –Take a boat trip through The Broads
          –If you have a car, drive out to Old Deer Park and Felbrigg Hall, which is north and close to the coast

          1. Thanks, these sound great! We will have a car, and we’ll have much more time in Norwich and Ely–Cambridge seemed like a necessary tourist day, including the Fitzwilliam. I’ll have to ask DH’s take on the Cromwell controversy (he’s the historian), but either way, that could really make the trip!
            We’ll be braving London for a day, probably mostly spent at the British Museum, and then several days in the “West Country”. I’m really looking forward to it, if you couldn’t tell!

    2. Nobody mentioned the university library in Cambridge. It hosts a small, free museum that includes first editions of many important books, such as the Guttenberg Bible, Newton’s Laws and adorable “Origin of Spieces” by Darwin. The latter includes pictures scribbled by his children (soldiers riding the carrot and some more). Colleges are great as well, King’s College is a must and next to it you can see a presumable Newton’s tree as well as a location of his hut for alchemical experiments.

      1. That sounds right up my alley, and somehow I hadn’t come across any mention of it yet! Thanks!

      2. adorable “origin of species”? I may have to visit Cambridge just for this one day

    3. Worked for 5 years (and met my husband) in Cambridge. Endorse all the recommendations. Add evensong or a concert, particularly a choral one, Fitzwilliam Museum and Kettle’s Yard gallery (if open – it was being renovated recently) and other special museums, a walk along the Backs, see something at the Arts Theatre or Arts Cinema. There used to be a nice cafe on the roof top. Have a Chelsea Bun, or afternoon tea, at Fitzbillie’s in Trumpington Street. Go to the market (was in the Market Place!). Book shops – if that’s your thing. Walk to Granchester and have tea there, although I would place other things higher on the list. The Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial site, three miles outside the city, is worth visiting especially for Americans. Ely Cathedral spire as seen when approaching the city is spectacular. Mathematical Bridge (not designed by Sir Isaac Newton although often attributed to him.

        1. Sounds like fun; I’ll look for Fitzbillie’s even if it’s not posh. I’m generally not posh ;).

  3. I know today is going to be quiet but figured I’d post anyway in hopes of input.

    We’re planning renovations to our forever home before ttc next year, and at present our plans do not involve keeping a standard bathtub in the house. How crucial is it to have a tub during those early years?

    I’ve heard that selling a family-oriented house without a bathtub is a no-go, but I’d appreciate the experience of those who have been there (with or without a bathtub). Obviously, I realize that our future child will have any number of advantages, but I’m also wondering if this is a more significant resource than I’d realized.

    (House is currently 3 bedrooms, 2 baths. One bath has a standard bathtub that is not currently usable and which we’d like to replace with a walk-in shower, thinking ahead to aging-in-place. The other bath has a huge and unwieldy corner whirlpool tub with fully enclosed steam shower–we’d like to replace this with a walk-in shower, too, and as I can’t imagine bathing a small child in the whirlpool tub, I’m wondering if there’s any reason not to do all the work before becoming parents.)

    1. As a bath-loving adult, i can’t get behind this plan! :)

      For small children, though, yes – you want a bathtub.

      1. Yah, we’ve tried to be bath people and it’s just not our jam.

        I just hate the idea of essentially setting ourselves up for *two* rounds of bathroom renovations (because a bathtub will ultimately not do for aging-in-place, or for welcoming our aging parents as guests) for the sake of the few years that our future child is small.

        1. Unless it’s viable to bathe a child in the giant enclosed whirlpool tub. Maybe! They could also do laps!

        2. I don’t understand your thinking here. Why do you need BOTH to be walk-in showers for aging-in-place? Won’t you just shower in the one with the shower?

          And I’d argue that you’re going to have two rounds of renovations with your plan – you won’t be able to sell your house without a bathtub, so at some point you’re going to have to put one back in, even if you’re 90 and it’s your poor kids doing it for you.

          1. One bathroom would be the master bathroom, and one would be the kid/guest bathroom. The latter currently has the crazy whirlpool tub/steam shower and already one of our parents has balked at trying to clamber into the very deep tub to take a shower, so we’re aware that it wouldn’t be a great long-term solution even if the fixture itself were ideal for us. (It’s not–the entire fixture is really shoddily constructed and is essentially falling apart already.)

          2. Are your parents visiting you every so often, or is the plan for them to live with you at some point? I’m not sure why they’re concerned about their ability to shower at your house. I wouldn’t decorate my house based on a handful of visits each year, let alone make remodeling plans. Even if they’re going to live with you, I’m not sure I would prioritize a shower for them over a tub for my kids (and I’m not sure I would call a 3 bedroom my “forever home” if I need space for three generations – you could very possibly have unexpected twins or need 24 hour care for your parents or other complications that would change your space needs pretty quickly.)

      2. Also, it is blowing my mind that you are ttc and that this is your forever home. This is so outside my norm that i can’t fathom moving into a home and thinking – “yep, for sure we will be here 30-40 years”.

        1. Haha, yeah, it’s definitely a quirk of where we are. Crazy market but awesome location.

          1. I think it must also be a quirk of your jobs – we really like where we live (Boston) but recognize that career trajectories will likely take us to multiple other cities over the course of two careers.

        2. I, too, can’t imagine planning to be in this place for the next 40 years. That’s counting on a whole lot of things in life going very smoothly and very well, which life doesn’t often do. So, yes, definitely put in a tub (the kind that uses shower curtains, so you aren’t leaning over those railings to bathe a child).

    2. I have an infant and a bathtub. Bathing an infant without a tub is tough but do-able, I think – we use a Fisher Price mini-tub with a sling attachment. I think you could fill the mini-tub with water and sit in the entrance to the shower and bathe the baby that way (although be prepared to change the water mid-bath if the little one decides to pee!). Or a large sink could work too.

      Figuring out something to use when the kid is too big for the infant bath but too small for the shower would be tougher. I have seen large tubs that you can put in the shower, but you would either have to have somewhere big enough to store the thing or buy an inflatable one that you have to inflate/deflate each time. That seems like a pretty big hassle, but doable if you’re committed to two walk-in showers. Personally, though, I’d just replace the standard bathtub you have now, and have the other bathroom be the walk-in shower.

        1. +1 to all this, and one more thing to keep in mind – those kid tubs get pretty scuzzy after a while if you don’t dry them perfectly between washings (as in, not just hang them up on a wall hook to air dry). So you’re either looking at a lot more cleaning than necessary or a lot of replacement tubs, which seems wasteful. I would opt for one tub, one shower, but that’s me. It’s certainly doable – people have made do for centuries without indoor plumbing – I just wouldn’t voluntarily sign up for it (and add to this the fact that you’ll probably end up doing at least one bathroom renovation before you’re too old to use a bathtub).

    3. Put in a regular tub. Bathing a small child without one will not be fun. Babies usually enjoy baths & it’s a while (often a long while) before showering is an option or practical either.

      1. +1 my 5 year old is just now getting comfortable in the shower, and mostly only with a grown up. Plus he loooooves taking a bath – we sometimes do baths mostly for entertainment. It’s one of the few places he will play alone for any length of time. We stayed in a hotel with only a shower when he was 1 and it was a real pain

        1. +1 my 5 year old is just now getting comfortable in the shower, and mostly only with a grown up. Plus he loooooves taking a bath – we sometimes do baths mostly for entertainment. It’s one of the few places he will play alone for any length of time. We stayed in a hotel with only a shower when he was 1 and it was a real pain

      2. I agree with the recommendation to put in a tub if you can. We have a bathroom with a glassed in shower, and next to it (in the admittedly large bathroom) is a claw-foot tub; the tub is not under the shower head so it’s two separate bathing spaces. The claw-foot tub has a faucet and a handheld showerhead on a flexible pipe (I’m totally getting the vocab wrong) rather than a showerhead coming out of the wall overhead. It’s def a soaking/bathing small kids tub.

        Could you take out the giant sunken whirlpool and replace with a regular sized bath? Our tub is probably only a tad larger (higher on the sides) than the usual tub/shower combos you see in older houses, but definitely smaller than the whirlpool sunken tubs. For bathing small kids, a regularly size tub is super handy. I had 3 kids under 3 for a bit but the youngest is now 10. Once they were out of the infant years, they still were easier to bathe in a tub up to about age 5, when a few started to prefer showers. Now that they are older, I have one who loves the tub and I argue less if I give him the option of bath vs shower. My soccer players also soak out sore muscles in the tub fairly regularly, although I admit that’s more because it’s there and we might as well make use of it. I am a shower person, as is DH, but the kids use the tub a couple of times a month so it’s been useful to us.

    4. I can only speak to buying in family-friendly areas of major cities and surrounding suburbs, but I absolutely passed up houses without bathtubs. Maybe if you’re in a NYC apartment it’s different, but in Chicago and Boston areas, a house with 3 bedrooms needs a bathtub.

      I could get behind one bathroom with a walk-in shower (esp if it’s smaller size and a walk-in is all that will fit) but you absolutely need the one closest to the kids’ bedrooms to have a bath. And if both are decent size, then both are expected to have a bathtub.

      Technically you can get by if you bathe the baby in a sink and just switch to showering with the kid as they get older, but I don’t know why you’d want to do that voluntarily. Bathtub ftw.

      1. I’m in NYC and when we were looking for a new place (in anticipation of baby), a bathtub was on my list of requirements. Perhaps, OP, you can make it handicap accessible in anticipation of aging-in-place?

    5. I bathed my infants in the kitchen sink until they were older and wiggly. Then they went into the bath tub but they could have gone into the shower with me. I wouldn’t have (and they would have refused to shower alone).

    6. I think it’s manageable but depends on your kid. We have a large garden tub and a walk-in shower. We also have a really deep sink. Bathed kid in the sink until size was an issue. Now we either do quick showers together or I get in the garden tub too for a joint bath. But, my kiddo loves the water. I think showers would be really challenging for a small kid who didn’t like them.

    7. It’s doable. I grew up in apartments and houses, in Asia, with no bathtubs – just shower stalls. For small-child-washing, we used a large-ish plastic tub in the shower when we were small – a parent or grandparent would sit on a small stool in the shower and sort of resign themselves to getting splashed. After we could stand and wash ourselves it was showers all the way. As a parent, though, I’d prefer options – what if you converted the whirlpool to a shower and replaced the standard bathtub?

    8. We recently redid a bathroom and even though my kids are HS-aged and older, I insisted on a tub in the non-master bath. We got the smallest one we could — it is shorter and shallower than most — and put that next to a stall shower. We were able to fit in a decent sized stall and included a few body sprays, handheld and regular shower head. The kids have a grown up, walk-in shower and we still have a bathtub for resale purposes.

    9. As is so often the case, the hive wisdom has advanced my perspective. Thank you! I will now make it a priority to keep a standard tub in the kid/guest bathroom. You guys are totally right that planning for aging over parenting was short-sighted.

    10. I have a toddler, and a bathtub is close to a necessity in our house. Kiddo loves baths, and it’s one of the easiest and most fun parts of our routine. Sure, there are work-arounds if you don’t have one, but why make something that can be the easiest part of the day the hardest?

      Also, if you move, buyers are definitely going to want a bath tub. I own rental property, and one of the apartments didn’t have a bathtub. We had some tenants who felt so strongly about having a bath tub with their toddler plus one-on-the-way that they renovated the bathroom themselves to put a standard tub in. (We paid for materials so they would install what we wanted. It cost us about $600.)

      In your case, with the whirlpool tub being near the kids/guest bedrooms, I would probably convert the whirlpool tub to a standard tub since you don’t think it would be practical to bathe a small child in it (you’re probably right). Install what you want for you in the master bathroom.

    11. I echo all the above advice to have a tub. We have an 18 month old, and I rely HEAVILY on the tub, and not just for baths. Ceramic playpen while mama gets ready in the morning? Check. Fill it up with plastic balls for an at-home Chuck E. Cheese day? Check. And my personal favorite– popsicle bath? I.e., toddler wants a popsicle but can’t be trusted and has to eat it in the tub? Check. I love the tub. I think you will want a tub.

    12. Trust me – if it’s your forever home you’ll want to remodel at least once over those 30-40 years. Bathrooms get a lot of wear and tear in 20 years. Bathtub now and if resale isn’t an issue put in a shower when the kid grows up.

      1. Ditto. Get the tub now (its cheaper too), and remodel 10 years from now for a nice shower. We use the bathtub a lot with our toddler, can’t imagine bath time for a kid in a shower situation.

    13. I agree with the comments that you’ll want a bathtub for a child. You can bathe a small baby in a sink or small tub – we used a plastic baby tub on top the changing table – but after that you need a real bathtub. And bath time is fun! (You can’t do much with a rubber ducky in the shower.) Some of my best memories of my son as a small child are from bath time.

    14. Put a bathtub in the family/main bath.

      If “aging in place” is for you and DH, you’re fine with a walk-in master. That assumes you don’t want to update your bathroom again in the next…30-40 years (I would).

      If it’s for a grandparent that may live with you, get a walk-in bathtub.

      Aside from The infant years, you’ll have young kids that need baths, kids that need to just soak the dirt off themselves, plus at some point or another someone may have some kind of an injury that requires keeping an appendage out of the water, which is so much harder with a shower. And, if you have a teenage girl, I guarantee she will want to take a bath!!

    15. It is absolutely crucial to have a tub to bathe small children. And I guarantee you that in 30-40 years you will be ready to remodel you bathroom no matter what. Equip your house for the life you have now — or at most for the immediate next step!

    16. I vote you put in a bathtub. It’s easy enough to bathe a little baby without having a real bathtub, but bathtime is a ritual for my kids (2 and 4) that we wouldn’t have want to have forgone. The other alternative would be spraying them down in the shower, which I’m sure they would have gotten used to if they had to but which seems so devoid of joy compared to the fun of bathtime!

    17. Bathing children in bathtubs makes me grouchy. It feels like back breaking work. I bathed my baby daughter in a huge kitchen sink. It felt so easy to have her at that level with the sprayer for hair washing and all the supplies under the sink. As a toddler, she took morning showers with me to avoid bed head hair. :) One advantage was she was never afraid of water in her face and learned to bath herself pretty quickly. The downside was I had no time to myself. A house without tubs would be fine with me.

    18. When my son was hold enough to sit up and play in the tub was the first time I got a break in the evenings. This wonderful stage when you can chat with your friends while sitting on the floor of the bathroom and your child is playing happily lasts a few years.

    19. Our 2 year old has showered since he was 6 weeks old. We did use a baby tub most of the time when he couldn’t stand, but since then nearly 100 percent showers. Tub really is not necessary!!!

    20. My son’s early showers were in my arms. Are you ready to do that? It depends on your kid, of course. Mine was over 9 lbs, so even thought he walked at 9 mos, he still outgrew the little kiddie tub long before he could stand in a shower alone.
      I preferred a tub–usually got in with him, and we relaxed and played together. So delightful!

      Even though I don’t think a tub is necessary, I’ll tell you what is, in my book: a hand-held shower! This is perfect for directing the spray exactly where it needs to be, without inverting the kid. Depending on your laundry room set-up, it might be easier to use the hand-held shower to rinse super-messy clothes in the tub.

      1. Just wanted to chime in with a different perspective: I agree that a bathtub is generally easier for kids, but we remodeled and went with just a shower. I have two small children. We use the sink for the baby stage, a Stokke flexi bath placed inside the shower for toddlers, and then my older son began taking his own showers (with kids’ adaptable shower head so that it is lower) since he was 2 years old. He loves it. I find that it is much faster and wastes less water. So I think planning for the future/long run is not a bad idea!

  4. Bathtub! I have an almost 2 year old and can’t imagine life without a bathtub. Doable but an unnecessary challenge. Also, parenthood sounds more imminent than aging in place for you. Hopefully, needing those accommodations are decades away for you and by then, you might be thrilled to replace a bathtub.

  5. I seem to have developed an anxiety reaction to being at work, which is not that surprising after some stressful stuff that happened lately. But it feels like the medication I’m on abruptly stopped working. At the advice of people here (thank you) I’ve reached out to my psychiatrist and therapist but in the meantime it’s difficult to get through the day. As needed meds keep the stress-induced nausea and vomiting mostly in check but my focus is shot. I guess I’m posting here partly for venting but any advice until I can get this under control?

    1. You might look at Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques (including mindfulness and meditation) designed to help you identify and manage thoughts related to anxiety. The podcast Invisibilia has a really good, although hour-long, episode on the differences between various therapy approaches that describes CBT really well.

      I am doing CBT myself after having my kid’s very good therapist use it with him – he has anxiety-related issues and I have a long history of unpleasant intrusive thoughts. It’s been really helpful for me.

      Good luck. Hang in there.

    2. Is there anything you can do to keep your mind occupied, like a game on your computer,a book you can read online, anything? Or filing or something? Distract yourself from how you are feeling however you can until the crisis is past. If your thoughts turn to your mood, repeat a reassuring mantra, then return to your distracting task. Eg, I’m feeling bad right now but I’ve called the doctor and done everything I need to do to feel better. This will pass soon.

      1. Candy crush works but I dinners to get work done. Trying to focus on just pounding out text with limited success. Thanks.

    3. I decreased some workplace-related anxiety by (along with other things, including medication) changing up my surroundings. I had my own office, so I replaced the art work and moved some furniture around. The images I was looking at became tied up with my anxiety, and new art was like a breath of fresh air.

      1. That’s a really interesting idea? Thanks. Maybe it’s time to switch some stuff out.

    4. I’ve been there, and found the anxiety pack of the headspace app relatively helpful. When I start to feel anxious, I immediately begin to wish the feelings away, or get worked up that I’m feeling that way, which just makes it worse. The meditations focus on just noticing what you’re feeling, which can sometimes take the sting out of it. It’s not a cure-all but if you’re just struggling to get through a moment, maybe give it a try.

      1. Thanks. I’ve actually started that and this is a good reminder to take ten minutes during the work day to try another exercise.

      2. This is really helpful – I have a hard time with anxiety and slowing my brain down. I may try the headspace app! Thanks :)

  6. Anyone out there today have a suggestion for where to buy an emergency suit? No Nordstrom in town. I had short notice on an interview so didn’t try on my suit until this morning (and the interview is today!!) only to find that the lining shrunk badly at the dry cleaner. To the dress is now weird and riding up. And my backup interview suit didn’t fit, due to recent workouts increasing my biceps size. Help!

    3. Do you have a Macy’s? Their Calvin Klein suits are perfect for interviews. They aren’t exciting, but they are decent quality for the price and get the job done.

    4. Emergency suit? Target.

      I’m serious. Cheap, nice soft fabric, sold as separates, and actually looks ok.

    5. I’d second the Target suit, Merona brand.

      Is it just the lining that shrunk, but otherwise it fits fine? If you’re desperate, you could try cutting the lining. Or could you wear a double layer of spanx or something to get it to fit for today?

      1. I actually tried cutting out the lining because it was more the unevenness of how it shank than the size , but without it it looks really cheap and doesn’t lay right, even with both spanx and a slip.

        Thanks to everyone – I’ll hit either Target or Macy’s for sure.

    6. Dillard’s? Their in house lines are relatively inexpensive. Also JCPenney’s Worthington line could work in a pinch if you have one of those. Seconding chic’s target suggestion as well.

      1. Dillards would be my thought as well, but they don’t have them in some parts of the country.

  7. I finally found a decent fit ankle pant. I am a high waisted pear, so this has been hard. Loft skinny ankle pant. Nice heavy weight fabric, work appropriate, and they go right to the top of my ankle (my preferred length).

    Most of my work colors are white/black/grey/navy with an occasional color splash.

    The pants are so good that I want to buy more pairs, more colors. So far I have the basic navy and black. All they have in addition is …. red. Will I every wear these? Will I look silly? Work or casual wear is fine. And they are on sale for like $25 with all the sales. Nice.

    https://www.loft.com/Essential%20Skinny%20Ankle%20Pants%20in%20Julie%20Fit/396936?colorExplode=true&skuId=22165671&CID=GoogleLOFTPantsAnkleCropPant&gclid=Cj0KEQjwkN3KBRCu2fWmy9LLqN4BEiQANP9-WiY6Dbk2vzI1Dp_OXgraEHKoFhsc6bfA6lSrU_EgX28aAvzn8P8HAQ

    2. I’m also a high waisted pair and have never been able to find an ankle pant that looked right on me. However, I have regular Julie trousers and love them, so I’m considering swinging by my Loft on the way home to look at the red ($25 – how can you go wrong!?). I don’t think they would look silly at all! I have a few colleagues that wear them (not on business formal days, but definitely business casual).

    3. If you are near one, check the Loft Outlet. They had ankle pants in several cuts and a variety of colors and patterns – black, navy and red, but also seersucker, gingham, a medalion print, a floral print, and probably others i am forgetting.

    5. I have the BR Sloan pants in, like, 7 or 8 colors. I say if you find something you love, buy All The Colors!

    6. I might buy a pair of red pants, but I would never wear one. They’d just sit in my closet. I think if you are on the fence you probably won’t get much use out of them.

    7. I had this same question after developing a love affair with these pants and guess what… After getting black and navy, I am wearing the red ones today! I love them. HOWEVER the red ones are a slightly different cut, unless I mistakenly ordered the wrong version. Waist is slightly lower and it’s front patch pockets instead of regular pockets. I am very long waisted and these are borderline too low.

      Can’t wait for more colors– grey would be ideal.

    8. At $22 I would buy the red and try them out.

      Plus, if it were me and I decided that the color wasn’t working for me, then I’d try overdying them. $22 is cheap enough that I’d be OK with writing it off as a fun experiment if the dying process failed miserably or they shrink or something. And if it succeeds, then you have a totally unique color!

      But if that sort of thing isn’t fun for you, then you could also feel good about donating a nice pair of barely-worn pants :)

  8. After a holiday weekend with the in-laws, I’m suddenly struggling with a version of imposter syndrome in my personal life. I’m a first-gen college student who’s family of origins rarely traveled outside of neighboring states, and I married into a family who all have terminal degrees (PhDs or equivalent) including the women, have traveled and lived all over the world, and are all bi- or tri-lingual. It’s amazing, and they’ve been nothing but welcoming.

    Except for the fact that sometimes they forget to translate for me. Which is just casual thoughtlessness, not intentional exclusion. But I had no idea what was going on during an engagement announcement–obviously, everyone was pretty excited and focused on the happy couple. And now I have to wrap my head around foreign-language travel, and taking international trips far more frequently than has even been normal for my frame of reference.

    I could use some encouragement. I can fit in, right? They are very nice people, and they don’t look down on me, so I don’t need to judge myself, right? Has anyone else here faced similar culture shock?

    1. Do you have to take frequent international trips if you don’t want to? Maybe that’s something to discuss with your spouse. If you want to, I think it’s normal to be nervous about trying something new but you’ll get used to it over time.

      1. Well, specifically, we already have a big one planned, and now we will be going to this wedding as well. I fully understand, family occasions come up, and I enjoy them! But on my side of the family, they are a few hours drive; on his side of the family, they could be on any continent. To them this seems normal, and a fun excuse to travel :).

        I do like travel, it’s just suddenly taken me by surprise. I haven’t really had a chance to talk about it much with my husband, but I’m confident he’ll be supportive of finding ways to make it easier for me. I’m considering trying to take some language classes as well, so that I don’t feel so left out or dependent.

    2. I’m from a family similar to that of your in-laws. Request translation where you can and converse one on one where possible, to slowly get used to the new dynamic. Making an effort is recognized and goes a long way. The relatives who married-in and just didn’t bother to try with the rest of us are the ones who still don’t feel comfortable during family gatherings. We have nothing against them, it’s just they won’t engage.

      And trust me when I say terminal degrees, while intimidating, don’t render anyone immune from weird quirks. Your in-laws sound like great people; you’ll be just fine!

      1. Thanks, I actually feel a lot of sympathy for the other person who has married in, who doesn’t speak English, which is the primary language in the house. Ironically, we are in the same niche field, but I don’t think anyone would have the technical vocabulary to translate.

    3. Is this a language that your husband speaks/gets spoken frequently in the family? Is there a chance future children would want/need to speak this language? If so, would you be open to trying to learn it? Seems like a gesture that would both be well-received by the in-laws and make your life a lot easier (once you get through the learning curve of the language, of course).

    4. I might be missing something, but is there a reason not to ask your husband to translate for you? Sure, take language classes if you want to, but I feel like there’s no reason this should be entirely on you, especially given how long it takes to learn a language!

      1. 70-90% of the conversation is in English; mostly I’m just intimidated and feel provincial. I am considering language classes for travel, and because it might be a nice enrichment activity for me.

        1. You referring to them as your own family is a positive sign.

          I’ve learned a couple of language to a conversational level during certain relationships in my life (and then forgotten them later. :( A little mind trick, especially if the other language(s) is only a small part of conversation, is to approach it like new slang. If you changed high schools, one way you’d adapt would be to listen for the words and phrases that were new, and you’d work them into your vocabulary without stressing over the grammar. Do that first. Just toss off a Masha allah or Bueno or whatever it is when you see that it’s appropriate, and build up from there. After learning little interjections like that, I usually found exchanges around food and drink were routine enough to learn easily: “Would you like some”/”may I have some more?” “Do you want sugar/milk/salt””How many?” “Help yourself!” and so forth can really go far. You might even find yourself using them in other situations. But the main trick is not to worry about LEARNING A LANGUAGE. It isn’t like you are going to be dropped into foreign territory and expected to live alone for as long as it takes you to figure out how to get back to where you’re from. Pick up what you can, as you can, playfully, and enjoy it.
          Bon chance!

    5. That they forget to translate for you sounds to me like a good sign that you fit into the family well rather than sticking out like a sore thumb. Take the language instruction and have confidence that you are no imposter. You’ve taken a different path, but reached the same destination, right?

    6. Marrying someone from such a drastically different is concerning. Do you agree on lifestyle, how children will be raised, etc…? Be sure to talk everything through before the wedding.

  9. I am looking for a good classic Trench Coat and so far it seems like Hobbs (British brand) has the best reasonably priced options ($300 on sale). Any other recommendations?

    1. What color are you interested in?

      I splurged on a classic tan trench, and realized the color was not flattering on me, and I never wear it.

      For my workwear and coloring, a black trench looks much better.

      I looked literally for a couple years. This is what I bought, and it is really excellent quality for the price. The double breasted style works for me. You can always return it! Great price.

      http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/via-spiga-double-breasted-trench-with-faux-leather-trim/4348795

  10. I just saw this posted somewhere and thought it was good for a laugh. Cover of “The Yuppie Handbook” from 1984.

    See comment for link

    2. Ha! I was a summer associate in 1987 and we were still wearing navy skirt suits with floppy bow ties! Good times, man…

      1. Yup, I too wore the gray and navy skirt and the floppy silk bow tie. Good times, indeed.

    3. This is amazing. I also like that the age range for a yuppie is what you “claim” to be.

      1. I am to young to be a yuppie, but I do like the idea of dressing well. I think that I could have been a good Yuppie, but I was NOT even born yet. I think that Ivanka is alot like me, though she has Jared Kushner, and I have NOBODY! FOOEY!

  11. Sharing here because I can’t tell anyone in real life–I’ve applied to two jobs! I am relatively happy in my current position, though I am vastly under-compensated and dislike certain aspects. I have the right amount of experience now where I can transfer those skills elsewhere in a meaningful way. The two positions I applied to are related enough to my current field where I think I am a viable candidate, though certainly not a shoo-in (I have experience in teapot handle design, and these positions are in teapot spout design). Because I’m fine in my current job, I don’t feel much pressure but am still excited at the prospect of potentially moving onwards and upwards. Anyway, I’m not able to share any of this IRL, so sharing with the hive instead. Happy Fourth to all!

    1. This is the best time to make a career move – when you don’t feel pressured. Take your time and take the best one, not the first one. Or pass and wait for the right one if you have the time.

  12. I’m stressing over the dress that I bought, really think it should go in the Sunday morning to Church and Parental Visits pile, but neither of those events ever happen (I’m agnostic). It’s by Eliza J, is a perfectly nice dress, but I don’t want to be such an old lady.

    Please help a 5’8″ white woman with brown hair and a 28″ waist find THE thing to wear for an afternoon/evening wedding.

    2. I’d go over to the forum at Youlookfab.com and post this question. Give details about the wedding (time of day, dress code, venue), your budget, and some clues about the types of clothes or style you prefer. Post a link of the dress you bought that you don’t like, tell why you don’t like it, and ask for links and suggestions.

  13. I can’t help with recs, but I can relate – I ordered online, oh, 7 dresses for my HS reunion last weekend (and ended up wearing one I’d owned for four years). Post again tomorrow, with more specifics (styles, colors, etc.); the crowd here is pretty inactive on a holiday.

    1. Thanks. I just tried to post again, might be caught in moderation.
      When is there going to be a new thread?

  14. I’ve been drooling over this for months. Wanted to wear it with my new very pale pink, nearly nude for me booties to both the wedding and my casual office (with a very long cardigan) . It wouldn’t be perfect for either one, but it’d work and I’d feel great, so it wouldn’t matter. It’s the last one, so I watched closely to see if the price changed.
    I finally decided to do it. Got out my card and pulled up the site this morning. Wouldn’t you know, they’re gone. Must be an inventory error that one still shows up on the site. Grrrrrrrrr
    So I’m still looking for wedding guest suggestions.
    https://mobile.yoox.com/us/34551073MD/item#sts=dreambox80&cod10=34551073MD&sizeId=5&sizeName=M

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