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Updated: Nov 1, 2018 290 Comments · by

Frugal Friday’s TPS Report: Puff Sleeve V Neck Blouse

The Personal Shopper (TPS)

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Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. Banana Republic Puff Sleeve V Neck BlouseBanana Republic* has a bunch of cute things on sale right now, including this simple v-neck blouse. This is the kind of piece that I wear to death — it looks like a simple tee but is classier and better quality. Love that the viscose fabric is machine washable, also. The blouse (which comes in purple, pink, and black) was $69.50 but is now marked to $49.50. Banana Republic Puff Sleeve V Neck Blouse Seen a great piece you'd like to recommend? Please e-mail tps@corporette.com. (L-4) * Incidentally, Banana Republic just released their new collection with Mad Men costume designer Janie Bryant. It's filled with cute dresses and blouses that are all, sadly, over our “Frugal Friday” limit of $50.

Sales of note for 9.10.24

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Comments

    • so anonymous

      The term “puffed sleeves” makes me smile because it reminds me of Anne of Green Gables!

      • Amelia Bedelia

        Me toooooooooo!
        now I’m wondering how much it would pain my husband if I watched that this weekend . . .

      • b23

        Me too! My goodness, I wanted that dress when I was little. I still remember when my mom bought me a puffed sleeve dress for Easter one year. I tried it on and was holding my breath hoping she would buy it for me.

      • Merabella

        This is my favorite mini-series of all time. And I recently reread all the books in the series as well on my Nook. I feel slightly less ridiculous knowing that other people share my affection for that little Anne girl.

      • SF Bay Associate

        I wore a puffed sleeve dress to my middle school graduation. Looking at the photos now, I was so out of fashion, but how I adored my puff sleeve dress at the time.

      • goirishkj

        Oh, I love Anne. My set of the books is so worn from years of rereadings! I don’t usually reread books but Anne is the exception.

      • Ellen

        It look’s like the PUFFY shirt from Steinfeld!!!!! I love the show, but think the epesode was SILLY!

        I could NEVER wear this shirt b/c the manageing partner would be stareing at me! FOOEY!

      • ML

        adore anne! she is one of the best fictional girls evaaah. I re-read that series at least once a year. and i always cry when matthew gives anne the dress. it’s so sweet!

      • Nevadan

        I am named for Anne – my mother and grandmother loved the series so much. You can go to Prince Edward Island and see the actual house – Matthew’s shoes are beside his bed. It sits on a beautiful golf course that was the farm.

        • Canadian

          Anne of Green Gables is fiction… there is a house but it isn’t the “actual house.” Sorry to burst any bubbles!

          • TCFKAG

            Thanks Canadian. Now I’m crying at my desk. And I thought your people were supposed to be nice!!!!!!!

            (Just kidding….SORT OF!) (No really, just kidding. :-)

          • May

            I want to go there! Loved the Emily trilogy too. Still hoping to read Jane of Lantern Hill!

  2. phillygirlruns

    this is really cute – i don’t think i’d look good in puff sleeves, though. i might have to swing by BR this weekend to check out the mad men dresses, since the joan sheath that i want is only in limited sizes online.

      • Supra

        I was going to put something negative in my comment about how if only I had not decided to stop buying things from Banana Republic in the last few years, but I decided against it.

        I know its been done to death, but I am really sick of how the quality of these retailers’ clothing has gone so far down. Prices go up and nothing lasts.

    • PollyD

      Banana Republic has basically been dead to me this year, but I have to say, I ordered a pair of their trouser jeans on a whim and they fit PERFECTLY. It was almost scary, I was sure it was the End Times, seeing as being able to find a pair of pants that fit in the hips/thighs AND in the waist AND did not have to be hemmed (perfect length for the height heels I usually wear) was nothing short of miraculous. I am 5’3.5″ and usually wear shoes with about a 2-2.5″ heel and the shorts were just the perfect length. They also are a very nice uniform shade of dark blue. We’ll see how long they last, but for the moment I am completely pleased.

      Tops, on the other hand – BR seems to have decided not to accommodate women who are even slightly busty. Oh well.

      • goirishkj

        Or with any thighs of size–I’m slightly busty and have stoocky legs from years of running. Never did geet the runner’s body, ha! BR never fits me.

        • PollyD

          Well, interestingly enough, I have what I like to call dancer’s thighs – not huge, but not small, I definitely have muscle. Usually when I get pants that fit in the thighs, the waist is ridiculously huge.

          I cannot believe how well these jeans fit me and am tempted to buy another pair. I also am tempted to check out other styles of BR pants, but that may just be crazy talk.

          I always claim my 0.5″. I wonder if this is why petites usually are too short for me, but regulars usually too long.

          • Nonny

            Other BR pants fit me really well too – in fact the only suiting pants I buy are from BR. But then again, you have to get the right fit. The Martin fit is the one that works for me.

            The extra 0.5″ is important. That also puts me out of the range of petites….well, at least on the lower half. I do occasionally go for petite on the upper half.

          • Sconnie

            Where do you all get your pants? From years of running and swimming I have muscular/stocky thighs too. I end up with a lot of BR pants because I’m about a 2 in the waist/hip area, but more like 6 in the thigh. So I wear a 4, even though they simultaneously are too loose and too tight.

            It’s even worse at Ann Taylor and J.Crew. And forget about sheath dresses.

          • Nonny

            I have muscly thighs (and calves) too, and am all hippy to boot. I am all about lower body strength. BR (Martin fit) is it for me as far as work pants go. Ann Taylor is a joke and I can’t say I’ve tried J. Crew pants (I’m too scared).

          • Nonny

            But – almost forgot – for non-work, I really like my Land’s End cords (fit 2). They fit beautifully and I like that you can order the length you want. I’ve had good success with Old Navy Sweetheart cords too, but for quality Land’s End is better.

          • goirishkj

            I too have my pants big in the waist so they fit through the thigh! But, I don’t like tight waists so I generally prefer the waistband to be on the loose side. Now that I think of it, many of pants ARE BR as I’ve been able to find them on sale and the fit is “good enough”. The JCrew favorite fit (I think? Or maybe the original fit. I KNOW it is not the city fit!) used to work and I’ve had luck at Ann Taylor before with fit, though I’ve somewhat sworn off Ann Taylor due to quality issues. The real gripe for me are all the adorable dresses that just don’t fit because they are too small in the bust and through the seat and thighs. And going up several sizes doesn’t work because then it is like a bag through the middle. Yes, it looks as awful as it sounds. I imagine things could get tailored but by this point I tend to be so horrified by the experience that I just give up and try something else–I’ve found great dresses that work for my body at Nordstrom.

          • PollyD

            Gap Curvy Fit (which they no longer seem to have, sob!) pants fit me very well. Occasionally pants from NY&Co. Come to think of it, I got a pair of trouser jeans at Loft last month that also fit well in the hips, thighs, and waist, although they need to be hemmed (but for $24 for the pants, I’ll spring to have them hemmed).

            Last year I took a boatload of pants (mostly spring/summer-weight unlined ones) to the tailor and got them all taken in at the waist. I cannot believe how much better they all look now. I realize I sound like I do not know how to shop, but I swear I’ve had waistbands GROW – the pants fit just fine in the dressing room, then over the course of the day the waistband expands. So, it was either buy new pants or off to the tailor and since I was not in the mood for shopping for more pants, the tailor won.

          • Bonnie

            I loved the Gap Curvy fit! I have not found a replacement that fits as well.

      • Nonny

        See? See? These are the jeans that I’ve been raving about. I am the same height as you (that extra .5″ is crucial) and I love my BR jeans. They fit me perfectly. I got mine about 18 months ago now and am in fact wearing them today. They are Da Bomb.

  5. rosie

    Ugh. I tripped this morning on the Metro escalator and tore/bloodied my leggings (wearing a dress and leggings for a dress down day). It’s been a long week.

    • Anon

      aww sorry to hear that. I hate when I have days like that! Hopefully your weekend will be much better :)

    • Richmond Lawyer

      Week’s almost over!

      I have a long scar on the front of my right calf thanks to the tripping on the Metro escalator. It takes no prisoners.

      • Mrs. Piggle Wiggle

        I wonder if you are a Richmond, VA lawyer, and, if so, how many Richmonders we have on this site? Maybe we could plan a happy hour or something?

      • Anonymous

        Me too! I ruined a pair of good work pants on my second week of work with the blood from a long gash down my shin. Those escalators are awful (when they work).

        • mamabear

          Oh I’m sorry about the trip. I’ve done that too! It always happened to me when I was walking up the escalator instead of standing to the right.

          Last time I fell up the stairs, as it were, my work husband told me that he refuses to walk on escalators because it is their job to carry him somewhere and he feels he should honor that. I’ve decided to adopt his attitude, and also hopefully scar my shins no further.

    • Ellie

      One of my friends tripped in the Metro and lost a shoe in between the car and the platform. In the morning, of course. So at least you still have your clothes! Sorry, that is horrible though.

      • CW

        That is really awful! I can’t imagine having to walk around the city with only 1 shoe! In rush hour no less!

    • TCFKAG

      Go out for drinks and then get jumbo slice tonight. That’ll make it better. :-) Or at least, you’ll be so full from pizza that you won’t care that your leggings are ripped!

    • rosie

      Wow, some of these stories are terrible (missing shoe? yikes). Sorry so many of us have suffered. Maybe I will limp out for a fancy coffee drink to treat myself.

    • Susan

      Oh my, that’s awful. I’m sorry to hear about that. Be kind to yourself for the rest of the day and the weekend. And, because I’m a “big sis” type, get some alcohol wipes on the wound pronto (or, wash out with soap if possible)!

      • rosie

        Thanks, big sis. It is cleaned and bandaged, and I am up to date with my tetanus booster. :)

        These comments (and this dark chocolate mocha) are making me feel so much better, thanks all.

  6. anon

    A clothing-related rant:

    Am I the only woman who struggles with dressing professionally while raising a young child and planning for more? DH is not happy about how much money I spend on clothing, but I’ve fluctuated between three sizes in three years, and that doesn’t count maternity clothing. I’ve bought lots of stuff and still don’t have much to wear because my body has changed so much. This is especially a problem with my work pants, which are looking terrible and need to be replaced ASAP. I’m having a hard time biting the bullet to buy new ones because I’m TTC. (have been trying three months and keep expecting it any day now, but who knows how long it’ll take). Since this will be kiddo No. 2, any pants that fit now will last a hot second when I actually get pregnant. And then I’ll need to buy new stuff all over again because the stuff that worked during early pregnancy with kiddo No. 1 will not fit because I’m shaped so differently and am 10 lbs. heavier than when I got pregnant the first time.

    I really hate wearing dresses when it’s cold, but I’m thinking that’s the most sensible way to replenish my wardrobe and get me through the next few months. Any ideas for inexpensive dresses that will work now and during that awkward stage when I’m too big for regular clothes but too small for maternity wear?

    Sorry for sounding so Debbie Downer, but I feel SO unattractive these days. I used to pride myself on looking really sharp at the office (thanks, Corporette!) and I have definitely slipped several (OK, many) notches. Makeup and a good haircut are the only things that are making me feel OK about my appearance.

    • B

      Right there with you! Kiddo No 1 is 14 months and I’m pregnant with number 2. I have so many sizes of clothing right now and I feel like I can’t get rid of anything until I’m done nursing the last one. Luckily the shirts I bought when I went back to work and was pumping worked well as early maternity shirts (had to buy bigger cause of the larger boobs, so they were also bigger around my tummy. I have some beautiful clothes I bought my first year of work that I haven’t been able to wear in several years – I miss them! But I am holding out hope that once I’m done having babies they’ll still fit. I keep promising myself I will take care of my body and get back in shape after baby #2 so I can have my old clothes back, but I know that’s going to be really hard early on. I’m tired of not looking nice though.

    • J321

      I have the same issue. I happen to like flowy tops and empire waisted dresses anyway. Wrap dresses are great for this issue. They look really attractive on everyone and fit you in a range of sizes. I also find that my Gap professional pants fit me when my weight fluctuates. They can also be fairly inexpensive, especially when there are coupons out. It’s hard to feel pretty when your size is fluctuating, but 10 pounds isn’t that much!

      • anon

        I’m finding that it’s not so much the number on the scale, but my shape that’s the problem. I gain weight in my stomach MUCH faster than I used to. And I look bloated quite often, which was never an issue before.

        • J321

          Ah. Same here. I keep meaning to do planks and re-strengthen my stomach muscles, but between household stuff, baby stuff, and work stuff, I never get it done. I think cardigans and blazers that go to the hip help a lot in concealing it. I also like to wear v-necks and statement necklaces to keep attention by my face.

          • CT

            This. My daughter is 16 months, and I am more or less back to my pre-pregnancy weight (albeit not my skinniest pre-pregnancy weight), but I still can’t wear a lot of my old clothes. Mainly it’s my midsection, but I think my hips are a little wider too.

      • chellers

        I wish I had some practical suggestions too – I am 9 weeks pregnant and had gained a little weight prior to pregnancy, so none of my pre-pregnancy pants fit, but I’m not really the right shape for maternity clothes yet. I’ve seen people suggest wrap dresses, but those still tie at the waist – where I’m most bloated. What I want are some comfy stretchy empire waist dresses in my new size (and I’m figuring they’ll be useful post pregnancy too) but I’m having trouble finding them. Cute and work appropriate would be a huge plus.

    • AnonOne

      Right there with you. Boy wonder is now 16 months and we’re still trying to decide whether to go for #2 (if we do, it will be this summer, hoping for a spring baby). I’ve bought all new pants to get me through the post-pregnancy period but they’re starting to look yucky. My tops are all a wreck thanks to pumping for a year and continued nursing (plus the toddler boogies all over everything I own).

      I feel fat and disgusting and have no useful advice. Dresses make me look even worse because I seem to have misplaced my waistline somewhere along the way!

    • sadie

      I’m in the same boat. All of my work pants look like clown pants, but I don’t want to buy anything smaller because my weight has been so variable post-pregnancy, and I want to have a second baby. Arghh.

      Dresses, skirts, tights, and ponte fabrics will help — I find dresses and skirts much more forgiving than pants. I also think they’re more comfortable, as long as you have the right hosiery :)

    • PollyD

      You have to be kind of careful/discerning, but Target often has cute, professional-ish dresses that don’t cost much. Also tops. The website often has better options for dresses (stick to the Merona and maybe Mossimo lines) than the stores. Target has free shipping if you order at least $50 worth of clothing and you can return items to the store for free. I guess this advice won’t work for you if you have a very high-powered job, but there you go.

      I guess in your situation I’d make sure I had 2-3 pairs of pants that fit me really well, I’d splurge on those. Also, the tailor is your friend. If you have some pants that are in decent shape but don’t fit, could they be tailored to fit your new shape?

      It’s kind of a pain, but consider signing up for emails/newsletters from stores that have clothes you like and that fit you. Your email box will be cluttered, but you’ll get lots of coupons and news of sales. I don’t think I’ve paid full price for any clothing (except Target!) in years.

      • CHI314

        Amen sister. I have two munchkins now (1 and 3) and I have a closet full of different sizes, including great suits that I bought pre-kids which I am hoping I will somehow fit into some day. I agree, while you are TTC and in early stages of your pregnancy dresses are essential! I am on a shopping hiatus until I either lose the baby weight or come to terms with my new body shape and wieght! Being a working mommy is no joke! :)

    • Blonde Lawyer

      Never had kids but my weight has fluctuated due to Crohns and food intolerances. Most recently, I cut out gluten and lactose and went down a pant size or two. I was also really afraid of getting the pants taken in because I know I put it back on inexplicably and quickly sometimes. I have a great local tailor I work with who took in each of my pants for 20 dollars a piece and did it in such a way that she can take them back out again if I put the weight back on. I spent almost $200 but now have 10 pants suits that fit me perfectly and can be taken back out if need be. I also left 2 pairs untailored that I can cinch tight with a belt for days I want to wear them but will still fit me while the others get tailored if they have to be let back out.

      • TCFKAG

        ha! This is why I currently have pants in three different sizes in my drawers at home. Its a real pain. :-P

      • Anon

        How did you know that you needed to cut out gluten? I’m mildly lactose intolerant too, but usually only have problems if I eat a lot of dairy. I have not notice a correlation in digestive symptoms to gluten, but I’ve wondered if I should try cutting it out. I have the kind of IBS that goes back and forth (const/diar) and problems with bloat and lower ride side pain. I’ve been tested for Crohn’s multiple times due to symptoms and family history, but that doesn’t seem to be the problem.

        Just wondering if I should try cutting out gluten, or if that’s more trouble than it’s worth. Like I said, I’ve never noticed a correlation – don’t necessarily get sick after pasta for instance. I actually have the most trouble with fatty foods – a Big Mac can make me sick for a week. What made you decide to cut out gluten? I know I should ask my doctor for medical advice, but personal stories help too. Thanks!

        • TCFKAG

          Hey Anon,

          So Blonde Lawyer may be back later in the day and should probably respond. But if I remember correctly she cut out gluten after keeping a food diary for awhile. Have you done this? With IBS, it is critical to figure out your own triggers — which it sounds like maybe you’re doing, in as systematic a way possible. Unfortunately, that doesn’t necessarily mean that broad categories like “gluten” are necessarily going to be your trigger. But if you think that fat is one of them, then maybe cut that out for a week or two and see how you feel. The key is consistency and really keeping a diary, not just of what you eat, but how you feel after what you eat. So that you can then talk to your doctor about that.

          However, as a general thought, if a big mac is bothering you but pasta isn’t, it does sound like fat is more a trigger than gluten or wheat (fat is a very common trigger for IBS sufferers). Have you ever gone, even temporarily on a low-residue diet? It is kind of a base-line diet that some IBS sufferers find relieves their symptoms and then they can add foods in as they go, finding what works and what doesn’t.

          • Anon

            Thanks TCFKAG. I haven’t tried the low residue diet but maybe I should. Honestly, I love food (love to cook, love to eat), and I’ve been so reluctant to modify my diet in any radical way up til now because it feels almost like giving up a hobby. But I think I probably should for my health.

        • Blonde Lawyer

          Long story but here are the highlights:
          Got sick, avoided steroids by doing the liquid diet/soft foods thing for a few days. Pants started falling off. Thought I lost weight. Weight self and hadn’t. Realized I just lost inches. Husband surmised I had either lost bloat or inflammation and suggested I figure out what I hadn’t eaten while sick that I eat on a regular basis. I wasn’t eating yogurt or wrap sandwiches, my usual breakfast/lunch. I knew high gluten/lactose foods together bothered me, like lasagna, but I never thought something like a wrap was an issue.

          Boss was reading “the clean diet.” I read it and it discussed delayed food reactions. Decided to just try GF/LF as of Jan 1 and have felt so much better and had an almost flat stomach since. Before I looked like I was carrying 10 extra pounds in my gut at all times, except first thing in the morning. I always thought it was bloat but couldn’t figure out why.

          • Anon

            Thanks for responding. I will definitely check out the clean diet. Now that you mention it, lasagna is killer – I really can’t eat it (but I think it’s the ricotta that gets me). Would love to lose the bloat. Sometimes when it’s really bad I actually have the sensation that there’s a mass on the lower right side – inflammation I guess.

        • another anon

          I think we might be twins with the same symptoms and history (right down to inflammation on the lower right side). I am so sorry. I am gluten intolerant and I figured it out by cutting it out. When I kept to it, it was easy for me to see that when I slipped up, I felt worse. Unfortunately, avoiding gluten does not solve all my ills, but it helps with my various symptoms – I am definitely worse with it. Decreased bloat, joint pain, migraines, constip/diarrhea are my benefits. I have tested negative for celiac and a wheat allergy. Luckily my new doctor confirmed for me that many people just have bad intolerances to gluten that never show up on tests. For me, though, it took a few weeks of being diligent to confirm that it was a problem. Definitely worth a try, and being GF is really not that bad!

          • Anon

            Oh I get migraines too! I am definitely going to have to give it a shot. I love beer though. :-(

        • Jax

          I decided to drop all grains from my diet as my New Year’s resolution. Week 1 I felt a bit better, week 2 I dropped 15lbs in 1 week. Yes, it was probably all water but still. I feel so much better now, the minor joint pain I had is gone. Supposedly it takes 6 weeks or so to really feel different so if you are going to drop gluten make sure to give it plenty of time to see if that’s where your issues are.

    • Lucy

      Thrift and consignment stores are your friend here. I know it’s a PITA to shop at them sometimes, but if you can find one or two good thrifts and one or two good consignment places, and then go once a week to one of them, you can probably solve the wardrobe problem pretty cheaply. If that sounds unpleasant, ask around among your friends as maybe one of them already thrift shops, or wants to, and would go with you.

      Probably half my clothes have been thrifted, and if you’re careful when buying you can do really well.

    • Anonymous

      I am you, except that I am six feet tall (I”m guessing you are not) so there are even fewer clothing choices for me. Pants, schmants.

      Yeah, this is why moms of toddlers often look like crap. Its rough. BTDT. My kids are now 5 and almost 3 and I am JUST starting to give myself permission to buy proper clothes.

    • Susan

      Is your DH just sitting there in exalted testosterone-fueled-skinny-male judgment zone? Men generally don’t have the weight fluctuations that women have, even women who don’t have children, so if he doesn’t realize this, he should be told. He may not know, so perhaps you should explain this to him.

      And then, sit his judgey @ss down to the computer and show him how much work-appropriate clothes costs, and let him do the math. If he still doesn’t get it, he needs a dose of stronger bootykicking—-oops, I meant to say “medicine.” Sheesh.

      • Young Toddler Too

        Early and post pregnancy, I borrowed three skirts from my sister that had a stretchy waist. One black, one black and white, and one black with a red print. Not anything I normally would have bought, but they really worked for me. I bought affordable shirts and wore my suit jackets open. These types of skirts don’t require a ton of tailoring, so they tend to be pretty affordable. I’d try Kohls, Target, or even try sizing up in some of the Juniors sections of the department stores. I found that when I put the skirts with my good jackets they really didn’t look that cheap.

  7. Amelia Bedelia

    love.
    but it would not do nice things to my upper half . . . oh well. saves me money?

  8. Anon

    On an earlier thread I posted about how a friendship with a coworker want sour and many of you suggested that I reach out an offer a sincere apology. Well she has asked to connect with me on a social networking site so I am wondering if now is the right time to do that. This whole mess happened 5 years ago but maybe since she is reaching out to me it would be ok? Should I accept and send her a note? What is the best way to handle?

    Thanks!

    • a.

      A message on the social networking site sounds like the perfect way to handle that.

    • Another S

      I say yes, accept and send her a note of apology. I’m guessing she’ll be very receptive since she’s already reached out to you. Do it soon – she created a great opportunity and it’s just going to get harder and harder if you continue to put it off.

      • OP

        The request has been hanging out for a week so I need to act! What should it say? I feel funny saying anything because it was never actually brought up. This tiny part of me wants to believe if I don’t acknowledge it then it didn’t really happen… I know that is untrue but ignoring things is usually my default! What is the best way to clear the air without being too heavy?

        • Another S

          I remember your initial post about this and someone replied that they’d been on the receiving end of such an apology. It was something along the lines of “I want you to know that I think about that time I did XYZ and I feel badly about it. I hope you can forgive me/we can move on.” In my opinion, making it short and to the point without any unnecessary details keeps it from being too heavy. Maybe toss in a “It is great to hear from you” at the beginning.

          I know this is hard. But you’ll feel so good when you do it and you’ll wonder why you put it off. So go respond now! Good luck!

        • zora

          I agree with what Another S said, and also, just starting with “I’m so glad to hear from you, I think of you all the time, and miss our friendship.” it means a lot just to hear that from someone, you don’t have to say anything eloquent or deep.

          And good luck! I hope it all works out.

  9. Anon for this

    Need some early morning advice from the hive. I’m 27, and was recently diagnosed with PCOS-I don’t fit the typical profile, I’m 5’2 and around 105 pounds without crazy facial hair. I was on Yaz for a couple years but had spotting on it, so went off the pill a year and a half ago. Now that I’ve been dignosed, my doctor put me back on the pill because I’ve been having trouble with bleeding throughout the month. after trying Yasmin, with no success, i’m now on month 3 of ocella, and I feel like a beast-my breasts feel huge and I feel like I’ve put on weight (my clothes also are not fitting me the same). Particularly in my middle-my hips and waist look bigger and fattier than before. I’m pretty petite, so a few founds on me is like 10 on someone else. My lifestyle habits haven’t changed, so can’t chalk it up to food.
    And, I’m still having some (but less) bleeding during the month. Overall, I just feel crummy and out of control in my own body. I don’t know what’s worse-feeling like this or bleeding 20 days of the month.
    Anyone out there have any experience with treating PCOS successfully and without difficult side effects? Or any tips for pills that haven’t caused weight gain?
    Thanks ladies-I’m at my wits ends!

    • also anon for this

      I don’t (to my knowledge at least) have PCOS, but I have had a similar BCP journey – was on Yasmin for awhile, then it seemed like overnight it started making me spot all.the.time. Talked to my doc about it and got switched to ocella which made me feel like I was going crazy. Spotting, cramps, mood swings, irritability, feeling fat. Even my SO noticed I was not myself at all. Stopped taking it after about 4 or 5 months and went sans pill until my next yearly appointment. After explaining all this to my doc, I was switched to enpresse, which I’ve taken for about 2 years now and really like. I don’t think it’s caused any weight gain – if it has, it’s nothing I’ve really noticed. I do have to be on top of taking it at the same time every day though, because if I don’t I’ll get my period the next day, and if I play catch up with pills, I’m likely to get nauseous for about half a day.

    • canadian anon

      No PCOS, but I had similar issues with just plain birth control. I felt not in control of my body or emotions for the first 3 months at least. I still don’t trust my emotions completely. And same situation with my weight – also quite petite, so the extra few pounds around my hips and waist are having a big impact, my clothes don’t fit properly, and I feel terrible about it. I’ve started making a bigger effort to address it in terms of more exercise, but my diet is already pretty darn healthy so not sure what to do there.

      So I have no advice, just commiseration, basically :( The spotting during the month has stopped by now (6 months in). I hope things get better for you!!

    • Anon too

      Don’t have PCOS but I have a friend who has it. The disease itself can cause crazy weight gain, as can some of the treatments. She doesn’t really talk about it, but friend gained about 70 pounds in the last couple years. I think she is also on steroid treatments which are contributing to it. I would work with your doctor on this and have a heart to heart that your weight/image is important to you. Friend had to go to a couple different doctors to find a good fit. One thought she should just be happy to have the medical end treated regardless of what she looked like. She doesn’t want kids and is practically ready to have her ovaries removed to go back to her old size. Please don’t read this as your destiny. She has a very extreme case. I would just recognize the weight issue and get your doc to take it seriously, quick, so they can try you on something else if need be.

    • N

      I got the PCOS diagnosis a year ago, accidentally during another procedure at the doctor. Honestly, it was sort of a relief to discover it – as it was one explanation as to why I was gaining weight, while eating relatively healthy and having a fairly active exercise regime. (Also, as I’m not TTC at the moment, fewer periods a year is okay by me) Since discovering it, I have maintained my weight, but haven’t been able to shred the kgs I gained before.

      A friend of mine who got the diagnosis was recommended to go on a low-gi diet as it is also often in combination with pre-diabetes. This worked well for her (she conceived a month after starting the diet) and combined with a exercise routing helped her keep her weight balanced prior to conceiving. It’s the #1 advise I have heard for PCOS.

      I’m planning on switching to a low-gi diet soon, but it’s taking me a bit of effort to get to the point where I can cut sugar.

    • rosie

      Do you feel good about your doctor? I think the first step would be to get comfortable with a doctor and trust her/him. In college I had a doctor that I loved, and if I called her and said, “I’ve been on this pill for a month, I have been feeling xyz but am willing to tough it out for another month or two so you can see if the pill is causing it,” then she would say, “no, you’re not happy, it’s probably the pill, you can switch ASAP.”

      I have not been diagnosed with PCOS (also not the typical profile, although I have a friend that has been diagnosed and is not typical either), but have cyst issues. I switched from tri-sprintec to lo-ovral 24Fe, which is actually lower estrogen (not sure how great this doc was on this issue), and didn’t help, so now I’m on lo-ovral (if you google you should be able to figure out what other names for all these pills are). It’s ok, although I haven’t been feeling great, and I am thinking about trying to go back to the tri-sprintec once I find a good doctor. Have been feeling crummy lately as well, especially with more hormonal headaches (and I would like to see if switching back will help me loose a few pounds).

    • Bluejay

      Are you seeing an endocrinologist? You need to be, and if you are, discuss with her/him other options besides birth control. What has worked best for me is a combo of Metformin and Spironolactone, and I cannot tolerate any form of birth control pills.

      PCOS is a life-changing diagnosis and you may have to go to a few endos before you find one that works for you. Most endos specialize more in diabetes and thyroid disorders, or in reproductive endocrinology. It can be hard to find one who really knows how to treat patients with PCOS. Keep in mind that there’s no cure, and what you’re looking for is a treatment plan that will minimize your symptoms.

      I also strongly recommend the book “A Patient’s Guide to PCOS”. It really empowered me to take control of my own health and treatment plan. You can find it on Amazon.

      • Anon for this

        Thanks for the support all.
        BlueJay: I’m not seeing an endocrinologist-I didn’t even know I should be! Do you have irregular bleeding that your drug regimen helps?

        • Bluejay

          I don’t have irregular bleeding if I don’t take the pill. But everyone is different and I don’t want to offer you advice based on my own experience – you really need to see an endocrinologist. PCOS is a hormonal disorder with gynocological side effects, not the other way around. A gynocologist is not necessarily qualified to treat it (and if yours didn’t refer you to an endo, I’d surmise she’s not qualified). Your endo will do comprehensive blood tests and work with you to come up with a treatment plan that addresses the particular effects PCOS is having on your body.

          Apart from medication, tracking my cycles (the way you would if you were using natural family planning), eating low glycemic index foods, and lots of cardio exercise have also helped me manage PCOS. But I wouldn’t have come anywhere near managing it without medication.

        • L

          I was also going to recommend an endocrinologist. Mine is fantastic. She made sure to screen for everything else that my PCOS symptoms could be, which is really important. Remember that PCOS is kind of a catch-all diagnosis in a lot of ways, so it’s entirely possible that the symptoms that led your primary to diagnose PCOS are actually something else entirely. She’s also been very willing to work with me to find the birth control that minimizes my symptoms the most.

          One other thing, you mentioned the brand name drugs, but were you actually on the brand name or the generic? I’ve had a number of issues with the Yaz generic that my pharmacy/insurance was automatically substituting. At my last appointment we decided to rewrite the prescription to say no substitutions and see if the brand name works better for me. It hasn’t been long enough to be sure yet, but I’m glad to have a doctor who is so responsive.

    • jlf

      I don’t know if this is a common thing, but I live in Boston, and a hospital here has a PCOS clinic where there’s a team of doctors with different specialties that you can see at once. I have PCOS, and I found this to be very helpful, but I do have all the symptoms, e.g., weight gain/hairiness/annoying skin problems/ovarian cysts. If there is something like this where you live, maybe you won’t need to see all the specialists, but at least you can get the name of the endocrinologist affiliated with the clinic and know that he/she specializes in PCOS.

      • Anon4this

        I have thyroid disease as well as PCOS. Since I don’t plan to have children, and am not on BC, it was more of a ‘aha, that’s why’ when I found out.

        I do have the hairiness, unfortunately, but Laser is a wonderful thing.

        I too recommend seeing an endocrinologist. And I take metformin and have found it helpful. Since my health is more strongly affected by thyroid rather than PCOS, I don’t know how applicable my experiences are to you…but just in case.

        The only way I can lose weight is to A) have my thyroid levels be high (pills), 2) exercise a lot, and b) high protein, low carb diets seem to work best for my body.

        Good luck! I feel for you. PCOS is a bummer in that everything weight-related is harder than the ‘norm’. And it is difficult to be tarred with the ‘you’re just fat and lazy’ brush by people who make assumptions based on your outside appearance without knowing how little you eat and how hard you work out. I had to learn to just shrug it off. I know. My family knows, and if others are judgemental, then that’s their problem and maybe I don’t need to respect their ignorance too much.

        • Cherly

          Never considered or told to consider having pcos… But I have had heavy bleeding, cysts , hairiness, and weight troubles. Hmmmmmm

          Loseasonique has been a lifesaver for me.

    • Anon

      I am an atypical PCOS individual too, as are both my sisters. After being dissatisfied with the pill for quite a while, I decided to just go off it. I feel a lot better. I still track my cycles (family planning style) and see an endo once a year. I think I’m able to do it without the medicine because I control my weight. Of my sisters and I we have all noticed that when we control our weight are symptoms are minimal, but if our weight slips a little, the symptoms get stronger (including more weight gain).

      If you want to go off the pill, I’d recommend talking to your endo about it. It’s really been better for me.

  10. a.

    Okay, interview attire question for the hive. I’m applying for position in higher ed administration, and while I haven’t had any on-campus interview yet, I’m hoping that I’ll have some in the future (otherwise I’ll be moving back in with my mom and reprising my role as a barista with no dental insurance. hooray!).

    Basically, do I need a suit? The school I work for now (big, southern, analogous to most of the schools I’m applying to) is solidly business-casual; but I wore biz-cas (suiting pants, shell, nice cardigan, heels) to my interview for my current position and felt under-dressed, so I’m inclined to think I do. Wouldn’t be a problem, except I spilled tomato sauce on the skirt to my one suit a few months ago and it stained, so while I’ve got nice-looking separates, I don’t have a whole suit at this point.

    Money’s tight, so I don’t want to throw Benjamins at this unless I absolutely need to. At the same time, if I do need a suit, I’d rather start shopping early and find something nice on sale, rather than be all, “Must get suit in next 48 hours!” and pay extra. My budget is in the Ann Taylor/J. Crew range; any other suggestions? Banana doesn’t fit me too well.

    • phillygirlruns

      there is not a ton of selection, but there are some suiting options in j.crew’s final sale section right now. with the 30% off/free shipping promo they have going on, that might be a solid option…but only if you know your j.crew size. final sale is rough.

      • a.

        I actually looked at that yesterday, but waffled (jacket was on sale, pants were not, but there was enough knocked off the jacket to make it within the realm of possibility), and now it’s all gone. Fiddlesticks.

    • Merabella

      I work in this field (and in the South). I wore a nice dress and a blazer to my interview and was about equal with my interviewers. I know the rule for interviewing is usually full suit, but in academia I feel like nice separates would work – no one in my office wears a full suit, ever. Men are usually in khaki pants, no tie and maybe a blazer on a dressy day.

    • GRA

      I work at a college and know that everyone I work with (myself included) would be majorly turned off by a candidate who did not wear a suit to interview. Even if the department, school, or division you are applying to is more business casual, when you interview definitely wear a suit!

      • a.

        Yup, that’s kind of what I was thinking–if there’s any chance that someone would be offended if I wasn’t wearing a suit, I should wear the suit.

    • JessC

      Maybe if you do a nice neutral blazer instead of a cardigan that may help you feel a little more dressed up/less casual.

    • TCFKAG

      If you were interviewing for a teaching position/post-doc position, I would say you don’t need a suit (I’ve been on a couple student hiring committees and seriously, never saw any candidates in anything nicer than suit separates). But since you’re interviewing for something that’s essentially an office job, I think a suit is probably the only way to go.

      Do you have any big outlet malls near you? WhenI was on a low low budget but needed a nice suit, I found that I got better deals at the outlets (I think I got a Brooks Brothers suit for about Ann Taylor prices). Plus — not to sound too presumptuous, but I HAVE found that parents will be helpful with this sort of thing, if it means that you won’t move back in with them. :-P But I’d also check out the department stores — they tend to have a wider assortment, though they can be hit or miss on styling.

      • a.

        This is why I post questions here. I’m under two hours away from a pretty big outlet mall (Ann Taylor, Brooks Brothers, J. Crew, department stores) and completely forgot it existed. I will be going there next weekend!

    • G

      This is the sort of occasion the $35 Kohl’s suit was made for. You wear it less than a half dozen times, total, and it looks good for just that long.

    • Bunkster

      Sorry. No advice, but my mother worked in Higher Ed Admin until she retired 3 years ago. Once you get the job, you should be able to dress in biz-cas. She certainly did.

      Her job was running management seminars to help women in Higher Ed Admin get ahead. So if any of you are looking for that kind of advice, I’d be happy to put you in touch with her.

    • Amanda

      I worked in higher ed admin for a while, and I would say it depends on what kind of department you are applying for. Business school, law school, or president’s office? If so, you should wear a suit. Humanities, fine arts, or student affairs/residence life? Nice separates would be fine. I interviewed for a job in an Arts&Sciences academic unit and wore a black wool blazer with a grey wool pencil skirt (both pieces of suits) and a silk sweater, and it felt perfect. But when I went for interviews at the Business School’s academic advising office, I wore a black suit and was glad I did. These were big, private northeast universities, btw.

      I’ve found good, reasonably priced suits and separates at Talbots–I find their fit is more like Ann Taylor than JCrew or Banana, which is very good for me. Their pieces may veer a little more into ‘old-fashioned’ than JCrew or Banana, though, so try them on if possible to make sure they work for your look and body type.

      Good luck on the interview!

      • Anon Canadian

        I agree. I think it definitely depends on the department that you’re interviewing with. But I don’t think it hurts to be over dressed in a suit either. That being said I haven’t owned a suit in years and still don’t but I would feel very comfortable interviewing for a mid level admin job at my University in a nice cardigan, suiting pants, blouse and heels.

    • NOLA

      Yes, you do. Especially in administration. No matter how business casual your office is (and mine is), candidates always wear suits and we try to dress up more accordingly to make our candidates feel more comfortable.

      • a.

        That’s what I was thinking. For day-to-day stuff, my office is at the more casual end of the business casual spectrum, but when I interviewed, everyone was in a suit but me. Awkward.

    • Emily I

      I once bought a skirt suit at JC Penneys in an emergency interview/no money situation. I was pretty happy with it and still wear it from time to time.

    • Lyssa

      I’m a fan of The Limited for suits, and you can often get them on sale and with coupons for very little money (much less than AT or J, too!) Good luck.

      • a.

        Any thoughts on sizing? I see some okay stuff on their website, and it looks like they’ve got an offer for $100 off a suit. I’m a 2 on top in AT and JC, and usually a 2 on the bottom as well, but sometimes a 4.

        • Lyssa

          You sound a bit like me in sizes. Unfortunately, their sizing tends to fluctuate – I have pants that range from 0 to 4 from there, that all fit the same, though the most common size seems to be 2 for me. I would try on in store if at all possible, but if you need to order, I would probably go with mostly 2s, but maybe a 2 and a 4, with the assumption that you’ll send one back, in pants.

          The 100 off a suit can be a great deal- last time I bought one there, I got a 3 peice suit (jacket, pants, and skirt) and 2 tops for about $110. I’ve had the suit for over a year, and it’s still my go-to best look suit.

        • Circe

          Limited tends to run smaller than LOFT, if that helps – I wear a 4 at LOFT for “work-appropriate” fit, but need a 6 at Limited for same.

    • Bluejay

      JC Penney often has nice suiting options. My interview suit comes from there.

  11. Marketeer

    I love the color, but I’m worried about the neckline … would definitely require a camisole. Does anyone else ever skip all the cute short sleeves that just get hidden under a cardigan because their offices are freezing, or am I alone in that?

    Sorry to threadjack so early in the morning, but I need the wisdom of the hive. Without getting too specific, I had one of my more senior staff quit and walk out with no notice, without telling me, without even saying goodbye. I was relating the whole story last night to my better half and he said “You sound like you’ve gotten broken up with.” In a way, I do … I feel hurt on a personal level.

    No one really prepares you for these things as a manager, do they? Any tips or suggestions you have? Stories you can share? I’m really struggling with how to address it with the rest of my team, when I’m still processing it myself.

    • GRA

      No stories to share, but … wow … that is very unprofessional to quit without notice, without saying anything to your supervisor, and without even saying good-bye. I guess the person isn’t worried about a reference?

    • TCFKAG

      So…that really sucks and there’s no getting around that. But if this person has otherwise been a solid employee, I think I’d be really worried that something was wrong. Think about the things that might inspire you to do that, they’d be really intense or insane right? I’m not sure there’s really anything you can do about it — but if you have her personal contact info, like an e-mail, or if there’s someone in the office who is close to him/her — maybe just reach out to him/her to find out if they are all right and if something in the office precipitated this. Because obviously you need to know if something inside the office was going on.

      But yeah, that is pretty intense.

    • PollyD

      Maybe they had to join a witness protection program? But seriously, I would bet money that it’s not you, it’s them. Even when I had really crap supervisors, I gave notice. I think in this economy there has to be something really drastic going on to make a person quit without notice.

      On a shallower note, I used to never buy cute tops because I do wear cardigans/jackets almost all the time. But, on the occasions that I can take off the top layer, I like having a cute top underneath. Plus I like it better having a cute top peek out of the cardigan. Nonetheless I am cheap and satisfy my cute top cravings mostly from Target or Old Navy.

      • cc

        See I think the opposite. I think the drastic thing is probably your company. Because something like sudden death in the family, something devestating personally. You’d shoot off a quick email. Or you’d leave in the middle of the day but it wouldn’t be quitting.

        I’d want to get to the bottom of why they quit. Who did they tell? Who were they with before they said I quit?

    • Baby DC Attorney

      I once had a co-worker who was meeting with our boss, excused himself to use the restroom, and never came back. She waited and waited in their meeting room for him to come back, to no avail. Eventually he emailed and said he quit.

      Turned out he was making personal charges on his corporate card and expensing them, and accounting had just caught on. He’d received an email about it on his blackberry during the meeting and jetted.

      My boss was heartbroken over it, and finally I think she realized that he must not have been the best employee if he was able to do something like that.

    • michelle

      the only time something similar happened to me, the person (not a direct report) felt they were being sexually harrassed by a supervisor. If they are otherwise professional, I would be concerned that something bad has happened to them, either personally or in the office, and would reach out to the associate (with HR) to get some info and check on them.

    • TechAnon

      Marketeer, I hope you will come back and tell us what happened, if you ever find out the truth.

    • Amanda

      I agree–the v-neck looks too low for the office to me, even on the model. Forget it on my E cups.

      • AnonOne

        Not only is the v neck extremely low, the fabric is lacking in stretch. The size needed to accommodate my DDs would give me a square looking mid-section.

    • Always a NYer

      It’s clothing cut like this that make me grateful for my modest B-cups. Lower cut tops don’t really up any va-va-voom factor on me because there’s nothing showing ;) That and I’m able to get away with backless dresses and tops with no fear of a wardrobe malfunction (on my own time, never for work).

      • Sconnie

        Yes. I’d have to see this one on me, but generally as a proud member of the A-Team, I wear lower cuts to my business casual office without any camisole. I have no cleavage, just sternum, so i don’t feel risque. Sometimes I’ll fill the space with a wide statement necklace or scarf, though.

          • TCFKAG

            Mmmm…I love me some sternum. I’d flounce your sternum all day. Uncomfortable yet? :-) Haha.

          • Always a NYer

            I personally love an exposed clavicle, but sternum looks and sounds more risque, LOL.

          • Susan

            Love this! Joining up. Years ago, on my HS soccer team, my nickname was “xylophone chest” b.c. my bony chest. :-)

  14. anon

    Just realized this morning that I misunderstood a key fact in a research assignment I was given, and had to tell the partner that I botched the issue (after having already provided research on the issue), so have to redo a chunk of the research before client conf call this afternoon. Partner now definitely thinks I’m a twit. Not a good start to Friday! Maybe I will buy this top to make me feel better…

    • AnonInfinity

      Drat. Something similar happened to me a couple of weeks ago — I botched some research and told the partner and the client (several times) that the law is X when the law is really Y. Partner was nice, but I’m sure he thinks I am illiterate.

      Partner B laughed at me this week. Literally.

      So, you are not alone. And hopefully Partner will get over it. You now have the opportunity to dazzle him or her with your marvelous skillz before the conf call.

      • Supra

        This happens to me all the time (although the saving grace is that I *usually* catch it before it goes to a partner, but not before I’ve spent three hours of time, which cannot be billed to a client, barking up the wrong tree). I chalk it up to the fact that the law is complicated (and not uniform) and sometimes it takes a few go rounds to get it right. The important thing is that you caught the error and were able to fix it.

    • Anonymous

      I’m so sorry! But please know that it happens to all of us, and we have all survived many, many screw-ups. Hugs.

    • phillygirlruns

      definitely not alone – we’ve all been there. of course everyone makes mistakes and all that, but it’s a really lousy feeling, isn’t it?

      • anon

        I think I generally redeemed myself, but still stressful nonetheless!! I had a horrible barking-up-the-wrong-tree moment – DURING my 1st year Civ Pro exam. Wrote 1 1/2 essays before I realized I completely got the main issues in both screwed up, so had to scramble and rework. But the gods were smiling on me, b/c I somehow managed to pull off a B+. I’ll probably never get that lucky again!

        Thanks for the support!

    • AG

      The partner is grateful that you caught it before passing the information along to the client.

    • TechAnon

      Admitting you made a mistake then fixing it would actually increase my respect for you in the workplace. There’s nothing I hate more than someone who screws up then lies/covers up/argues about it. Admit, fix, learn, move on. That shows an ability to grow over time.

  15. qwerty

    i am hardcore corporette trolling today. i recently returned from a vacation in london and bought some fun nail polishes at a drug store. i then lost said nail polishes in my luggage and have been tearing up my apartment looking for them. i found them in the laundry hamper last night and had to test them all out immediately! this morning one hand has 5 different colors: 2 shades of purple, 1 green, 1 blue, and one floro orange. the other hand is bare. i’m also wearing a star patterned sheer blouse bought from a tween-store also while on vacation. i feel like the biggest corporette no-no and love it :) it’s friday and i have 2 weeks of depositions starting next week!!

    • TCFKAG

      I home SOMEONE sees you and says HI QWERTY. That would be awesome, and if it happens, you have to come back and tell us.

      :-)

      • qwerty

        why, yes. my ponytail recently came down and the hair elastic is blue. please stone me now!

    • Godzilla

      No, no, no gurl, you’re not trolling. You’re an ADVANCED Corporette. Because you are so awesome, it doesn’t matter that your nails are living out a Crayola fantasy. Rock on.

      • qwerty

        it all sounds so absurd, it couldn’t be better if i made it up.
        BUT my bottom half is uber professional: black below the knee pencil skirt, textured black tights, black suede cole haan booties. unfortunately, you see my top half when i sit at my desk.

        • Sconnie

          Yes. I can see this starting as a harmless just-for-fun thing (Hey, cool, I have a thin pink streak in my ponytail!), then progressing into a kind of grown-up dress-up playtime which will inevitably results in my husband coming home to find me wearing an LBD, crazy high heels, and way too much crayola pink hair doing “edgy” poses in front of the mirror.

          Please tell me I am not the only one who plays dress up.

          • zora

            You are NOT the only one who plays dress up! ;o)

            But the real question is, do you play dress up and then sing showtunes in front of the mirror?

          • Sconnie

            I have a horrible singing voice. Unless I am doing some sweet 80s karaoke. And I am drunk. So no showtunes for me.

            I will neither admit nor deny though that I a) lip sync top 40s pop or b) dance like I am in a Britney Spears music video.

          • Merabella

            I feel like I just read my own post. Zora I totally sing Show tunes in the mirror. My neighbors must thing I’m crazy.

  16. @ Another Sarah

    @ Another Sarah: wondering how your talk Monday went? If you posted about it, I must have missed it.

  17. Bonnie

    I received an email from a current law student at my law school, soliciting help in getting a summer internship for this summer. The email is clearly a form letter, does not address where I work, and is full of typos and strange highlights. In responding, should I remark about the quality of his email?

    • qwerty

      I’ve been burned by current law students who reached out to me on their own initiative. they have stood me up for lunch meetings and failed to reply to my long and thoughtful responses to their questions. i no longer respond to those types of e-mails. not worth the effort.

    • KC

      As someone who has probably sent out emails like that (hopefully not that bad…) but i’ve been encouraged by well meaning but useless career srvcs offices, I’d say reply…obvi you arn’t goign to help this person find a job, but you could maybe help said student from making more of an idiot of themselves to other alumni and burning other bridges. Some career offices hand out these types of emails/letters to students and students kind of blindly trust the advice. I’d say reply, remark about the quality and content.

    • TCFKAG

      Why respond? If someone from my law school did this, I’d almost be more inclined to forward it along to my career services office and say, do you know someone is doing this? Because that’s weird and not cool.

      • cc

        I would also direct it to career services. I would forward it and say, I mean this in a helpful way, but this is not an appropriate or professional email to be sending. I hope you take the time to work with this student.

      • rosie

        I think that’s a good idea. If the person in your case cannot even be bothered to tailor the email to you and proofread, I don’t think it’s worth your time to respond, and I think it would be nice to pass it along to career services.

        I recently got several emails from current students interested in my field and wanting to know about my experiences, and I wrote lengthy emails back to both with (what I considered) a lot of insight–where they should apply, courses to take, general law school advice, etc.–and never got a thank you.

        • MM

          Me too! I reached out to my school’s career services office to offer myself as a resource for students interested in the field (school is very small and the career services aren’t good, so wanted to be helpful). They were very excited, and gave my contact info to a number of students who emailed me – I took the time to send the students long helpful replys about what they needed to do to get their foot in the door, and even talked to a couple on the phone, who were supposed to send me their resumes for possible internships with my office. Haven’t had a single follow-up or thank you email, and the ones who said they would send me their materials never did. It’s kind of turned me off from responding to future students.

      • another anon

        I agree…but career services may not care/may not recognize how bad the student’s email is. I remember being absolutely appalled at the quality of the sample resumes and cover letters that our career services office handed out to the students. So I think it would be kind to take a few moments and respond to the student as well.

    • JAS1

      Letting him know how badly he’s botching this would be the kind thing to do. I am curious what your response will be other than that?

    • Bonnie

      I’d add the unsolicited advice in the hopes that he’d represent the school better in the future. I’ve received poorly written emails before, but this one beats them all. I don’t want the kid to get in trouble with career services but he seems really clueless.

      • JAS1

        It does sound like a terrible email. I wonder if somehow he accidentally sent out a draft version instead of a final version, or some kind of mail-merge snafu resulted in the email being sent before it was finalized, or the school provided some kind of template and he didn’t understand how to use it properly with his email client/operating system?

        Or, of course, it could just be that he was being lazy/lacks attention to detail. Either way, personally, I would tell him because I would hope someone would be kind enough to tell me. If it was just one typo, I probably wouldn’t (a) hold it against him or (b) make him feel self-conscious by telling him. But multiple errors, obvious form letter, and the like should be called to his attention. As someone who has been job searching for over a year with no luck so far, I am starting to get paranoid that there is some inherent flaw in my materials…if so, I really wish someone would tell me what it is!

      • AIMS

        I may be in the minority but I say do it. Write it nicely and be kind but explain that this is not going to help him/her accomplish his/her goal. I am struggling with a similar issue right now with an intern who consistently turns in work that is full of typos and sends emails that would not look right in a text message to friend. I’m supposed to meet with the intern next week to discuss his latest project and I decided that I am going to mention that the emails are just not professional and will hurt him in the future if continued.

      • rosie

        I wouldn’t specifically want him to get in trouble, but I think career services needs to know. While it’s possible that this student looked at firm websites or somehow got your contact info and education info on his own, that seems like a lot of work for someone who couldn’t even insert a specific sentence about you into a generic letter. If career services is making your info available to students and suggesting that students contact alums, they need to offer more guidance where needed–it’s a disservice to you as well as current and future students.

      • cc

        You can’t really “get in trouble” with career services. It is not like they can impact his grade. They will probably pull him in and give him a coaching, which is really probably best for him. I think it would be more helpful to send it to career services then to send him pointers by email

    • Bonnie

      I replied saying that our summer slots were full but that even if they were not, I would not have forwarded his email to HR for x, y, and z reasons. I tried to be nice about it.

    • NOLA

      I am currently doing a national search for a faculty position and I am appalled at the horrible applications. One person had a typo in her own name and had a cartoon of a guy and a dog at the end of her email. It takes everything I have to not write back to these people and tell them that they will never get a job if they don’t learn how to be professional and write a decent letter of application.

    • big dipper

      I’m a current law student, and if I were that student, I’d want a response. I would feel very uncomfortable upon receiving the response (who wouldn’t?) but think of how helpful your criticism will be to him in the future. He probably has no idea what he’s doing incorrectly. Not all career services offices are as helpful as others, and sometimes it takes a wake up call from an outside party to show a student what they’re doing wrong.

      • DA

        My friend’s firm received an application for a law student internship position in which the student listed HIS PARENTS as references.

  18. Canadian

    I finally took the plunge and ordered “the skirt” in storm. With the sale price, plus shipping and duties to Canada, it came to $65, if anyone else is interested.

    Here’s hoping that it works- I hate losing the price of shipping when returning items to the US!

    • Nonny

      If you don’t like it and bought it in size 4, I’ll buy it from you!

      (I am not supposed to be buying new clothes for the next few months but for some reason buying things from another person and not a store doesn’t feel like cheating. Or at least that is what I am telling myself.)

  19. wardrobe fail

    Threadjack! I’m working on my MBA, and I’ve seen the most odd fashion faux pas (fashion statements?) on campus twice! These women were wearing black, control-top panty hose, with the control top showing on their thighs. One girl was wearing a conservative button-down shirt, suit jacket, and a black pencil skirt that hit mid-thigh, with a slit in the back that reached about an inch below her butt! The control-top panty hose were peeking out below the bottom of the skirt in the front, and basically fully visible in back due to the slit. She’d paired this with business-appropriate black pumps! Another girl had on a ridiculous short, tight, thin shirt (dress?) that came just below the curve of her butt, and then control top panty hose so that you could see the darker black of the control top like it was bike shorts or something. She’d paired this with fairly conservative high heels. What am I missing? I thought about telling the pencil skirt girl that her hose were showing, because I’d want to know that, but I decided not to. Then I saw this second girl, and wondered if this is some new fashion statement? Both girls were really thin, so no need for control-top…. just, wow, really odd.

    • TCFKAG

      Meh, if I had to guess, I’d bet they didn’t realize how far down the leg the control top went and that it would show underneath their too short skirts. I’ve actually had this happen once or twice where the control top on a brand of hose I bought were longer than I expected (and frankly longer than they had any right to be) and when I was sitting down they peeked out. It was definitely embarrassing and not a good look — but not a fashion statement!

      But seriously, sounds like the real issue here isn’t the pantyhose but the skirt length. And you know THAT’s and argument for another day.

      • wardrobe fail

        Oh, it wasn’t a little peek when sitting, it was like, bike shorts while standing. There’s absolutely no way they could walk past any remotely reflective surface and not realize their hose were blatantly sticking out. I’d also venture that the skirt length wouldn’t be debatable in any situation. I have underwear that covers more of my behind! (I’m not even that conservative in my underwear choices, so that’s saying something!) It was clear that one girl thought she was dressed “professionally”, and I guess I just wonder how no one has told her that in fact, she wasn’t. Then again, I do understand, because I didn’t tell her!

          • Always a NYer

            How does common sense not tell women that a pencil skirt slit up to the thigh or a lace-backed blazer are completely inappropriate for work? And the suit with just a bra underneath, yeah, I’m having flashbacks to the “CEOs and H*s” themed frat parties from college.

          • Gooseberry

            Seriously — the woman in the “lace back ponte jacket” just made my day. It’s like her bottom half was never formally introduced to her top half, so they don’t yet feel comfortable occupying the same plane. Wow. I am tempted to close my office door and attempt that position — I’m actually not sure I could accomplish it.

          • Tired Squared

            That lace-backed “blazer” is ridiculous.

            The model’s pose also makes her look more like a doll than a human being — something about the way she is turning her head, plus the position of her lower half…

          • Bluejay

            @Always an NYer – it’s totally appropriate for, say, a hostess at a nightclub. Or a Hooters girl at a funeral.

          • Kate

            Wow. The corset up the back of the jacket is just terrible. It is hard for me to believe that women think this is acceptable attire in a professional environment!

          • TCFKAG

            Come on guys. There can’t be that many people in the world ACTUALLY wearing this stuff. At least not all together, right? But there IS a leopard print AND a polka-dotted pencil skirt…so…yay! :-)

          • Blonde Lawyer

            I’ve been looking for a wine/burgundy colored suit all winter. There it is, on the VS website. Maybe I’ll just buy the blazer a few sizes bigger than normally and pair it with gray and black dress pants/skirt…. hmmm……

          • TechAnon

            That page is like the anti-Corporette. If I have them both open in my browser, my computer will crash.

        • momentsofabsurdity

          BlondeLawyer – I can’t get on the VS website from work, but I bought the peplum suit from VS last week and like it a lot, for what it’s worth. I would try and use sale/coupon codes though, I don’t think it’s really worth it at full price.

    • rosie

      I have seen the control top sticking out because the wearer’s shirt is too short. Maybe when they get dressed, the skirt seems long enough, but as you wear it (sitting/standing, walking, etc.), the skirt rides up to expose the hose?

      • Katharine

        The control top showing is a trend. Apparently. I saw something about it somewhere… maybe lookbook.nu? Chictopia?

        Look on the bright side; at least it’s not control top showing PLUS deliberate huge ladders in the hose, like two years ago.

        • PollyD

          I’m officially old. Usually when I see trends, I’ll think eh, not for me, but aren’t those young things cute, trying to push the edge like young ladies often do. But deliberately showing control tops? I can’t go there at all.

      • wardrobe fail

        NOOOOOO, please say it isn’t so! @PollyD, I’m in my 20s, so if you’re old for thinking this trend is terrible, I’m right there with you. I mean, control-top panty hose? WHY? At my age, panty hose at all makes me ask, “why”, but the super tight kind on top? To a 4 hour finance class? That’s one version of h*ll for me!

        • TCFKAG

          I feel so old. First I find out that skirts with slits up the front are a thing (that was a couple days ago) now this.

          Plus, last week when I was out with the teenage girl I was mentoring, we saw some girls out in tiny little shorts over various types of leggings, pantyhose (ripped pantyhose at times) and such and I was like…eeewww…and she was like “that’s a thing”. I’m sooooo old. Then she asked me to take her to the mall…I think she wants me to take her to the store where they sell shorts with words on the butts and I just don’t know if I can do it!!!! Guys, I don’t know when I got this way!

          • wardrobe fail

            For what it’s worth, I’ve never wanted to wear short shorts with words on the butt. Maybe I’m just conservative, but I just don’t get wanting to put the word “pink” all over my behind (or chest, for that matter). I don’t think you’re old TCFKAG, I think you’re classy :)

  20. Marketing Question

    Let’s say you need to bring in big new clients. Let’s say as part of this you need to meet with attorneys you have never met before are referral sources and potentially in house counsel or corporate leaders. How do you dress? Do you dress like going on a job interview or a little flashier? What outfit would you put together?

    • JAS1

      I don’t have any real experience with this, but I’d say go a little flashier ( brighter blouse, or bigger jewelry, or whatever is a “statement” piece for you) because with referrals, people have to like you as well as think you are competent – you have to make a personal impression on them. So if you feel more “you” in something a little flashier than you would wear for an interview, then go for it!

    • TXAtty

      I would stick to a suit that’s appropriate for job interview or trial – conservative and polished (black, navy, grey suit, simple jewelry, plain pumps, etc.). If they were existing clients and you had a feel for their dress code, then I’d say you could relax it and make it more fun. But especially for a first meeting, my approach is that I don’t want someone to miss my pitch because they’re too distracted looking at my clothes.

    • Bluejay

      I’d wear a suit, but no need to wear your most conservative suit and plain jewelry. Wear whatever you’d normally wear for a big meeting at work.

  21. JJ

    I don’t understand why BR and so many other retailers sell shirts that are so low-cut (and why it’s been re-posted here on Corporette). I can’t think of a professional environment where this is appropriate. Straight-on you can almost see cleavage, and if she bends down, it’s all over.

    • Blonde Lawyer

      I love the BR button downs but I have 34 DD’s+ (depending on time of month/current weight) so the low v ends up looking a bit inappropriate on me. My awesome tailor (see above) added a hidden snap where there should be one more button. She charged me $4/snap. Now all my BR button down shirts look professional and I can still get shirts in fun colors/patterns.

    • onna

      Shrug – women’s bodies are so different that it’s kind of hard to say that it won’t work in ANY work environment.

    • KK

      Women’s bodies are definitely different and offices are different. Also, I find deeper necklines (i.e. v- or sometimes cowl vs crew) much more flattering on me, so I appreciate the options.

      I think I probably have a higher cleavage tolerance than most people on here though. Of course if I can see significant cleavage (Sofia Vergara style) at the office, I notice. But it’s not even in my top 10 of pet peeves. I think it could make you look less professional and be a strategic misstep in some circumstances. I have no idea why a shirt like this one would be generally offensive.

    • s

      I’m kind of insane (used to work there) and REPEATEDLY send BR lengthy e-mails about what they can do to better accomodate professional women, calling out the styles that are “almost” there, but not quite. (Last year (and the year before), it was: “I know that this is cute, but if you worked in corporate america, you would understand that professional women do not often “do” ruffles and deep v-necked sleeveless tops at work, or under suits. This means that you are trapped in a blazer OR not taken seriously. I am begging for plain, short-sleeved, un-ruffled tops to wear under a jacket. button downs are not for everyone, and most women are not huge fans. short sleeved shells cannot be hard to produce–no button holes even! I can promise that they will be well-received.”).

      I have been delighted to see more and more short-sleeved shells in the stores (lol…do i get full credit?!). I know that it’s a little crazy, but if we all e-mail them, they might get the hint that real lawyers and TV lawyers (or real corporate women and TV corporate women) do not operate on the same wavelength.

      • TCFKAG

        I did kind of hate that period where you couldn’t get anything without a ruffle. And its not even that I hate ruffles, its just that, I don’t want EVERYTHING I own to have a ruffle on it! Is that so much to ask???

        I’m also super excited that sleeves seem to be making something of a comeback.

      • zora

        you’re right, s, and not insane (well, you might be, but not about this ;o)) we should all send emails more giving specific feedback to these companies. And, I think the review sections on their sites might help with that, too, now that I think about it. I mean, they can’t like having a bunch of negative reviews on something, cause it must hurt sales. So, they might actually READ them to see if there is a way to fix the problem.

  22. Susan

    I love all things puff sleeves, except wedding dresses. (I didn’t opt for the mutton-sleeve wedding dress style when I got married.)

    But I have a puff-sleeve tweed top, amongst all the other puff sleeve tops I own. I think I need to add this to my Museum of Puff Sleeve Tops, a.k.a. my closet. Thanks, Kat!

    • AIMS

      Susan, I love that you have a Museum of Puff Sleeve Tops! Unfortunately, I don’t look so good in puff sleeves or I would start my own. But perhaps I can curate a Dolman Sleeve Collection?

      • Susan

        Sure. We’ll have the AIMS Wing of the Museum, which houses the Dolman Sleeve Exhibit.

        When you are wearing a particular dolman-sleeve top, there’ll be a little place-holder card indicating the provenance of the top, the year it was acquired by the AIMS Foundation, and that it is currently out on loan for the day in a traveling exhibition and will return to the exhibit the next day. We are a very legit museum. :-)

  23. G

    Has anybody else gone sulfate-free with shampoo? I got a fantastic coupon in the mail and tried a sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner starting about two months ago. It took a few weeks to notice a difference, but now the difference in my hair quality is incredible.
    I’m naturally curly-haired, very prone to frizz, and now I use only my shampoo and no other styling products. The frizz has all but disappeared and my hair is much, much softer, yet less oily than ever before. I went to get a trim yesterday (the first time since I switched) and my stylist commented on how much healthier my hair seemed. Anyone else seen similar results? As someone who has been trying to tame this unruly mane for decades, it’s really been wonderful.

    • TCFKAG

      I switched to sulfate-free after many reviews like this. And then, for reasons unclear, my skin DID NOT LIKE, and my face and hands and basically everywhere the shampoo touched broke out in a kind of rashy hive thing. So yeah…I stopped after that.

      • G

        That’s crazy! I wonder if it was something they put in to ‘replace’ the sulfates? My new shampoo is also mostly organic, and while it’s a little wild in that it suds up much less than before, my itchy scalp and periodic flakiness has gone away.

        I hope you either have, or find, something that works for you. Good luck!

        • TCFKAG

          Oh, it was also organic. I just went back to my sulfate shampoo and started getting my hair a deep-condition glaze at my hairdresser every few months.

          My skin is…picky. To say the least.

    • MelD

      I try to avoid shampoo/body wash with sulfates since it seems to irritate my skin/cause eczema breakouts. I have not noticed much difference with the hair itself purely based on changing to sulfate-free shampoo. Like other shampoos, some types are great and others aren’t.

    • rosie

      Yes, I’ve been sulfate free for a while. I’m currently using Costco’s own brand of shampoo and conditioner, and I’m a fan.

    • K

      What brand are you using? I’ve tried making the switch and have tried multiple brands, but my hair either ends up feeling like straw or weighted down. It’s possible I just didn’t stick it out long enough.

    • Bluejay

      Yes. Sounds like my hair is similar to yours. I use a $3 shampoo from Trader Joe’s – I think it’s called Nourish. It and the accompanying conditioner are wonderful – organic and plant based, and super gentle.

    • nev

      Yeah! I have curly, frizzy hair too, and sulfate-free has been a revelation. I would encourage trying no sulfates, no silicones, no glycerin, no protein. Then you can experiment with glycerin- and protein-containing products individually to see what your hair likes.

    • Jem

      I do, but for environmental reasons. I had to try several brands but really love the results now.

    • a.k.

      Yes! I went sulfate-free several years ago and it’s been a great thing for my curly (prone to frizz) hair. I really like Kiehl’s shampoos, but it’s spendy, so my go-to is the Kinky-Curly Come Clean Shampoo that I get at Target.

      Also let me plug the no-frizz styling products by Living Proof, that have eliminated frizz. They work miracles.

    • lucy stone

      I have for the most part, I use Phyto stuff from Sephora and love it….but two times a week, I have a hot date with my dandruff shampoo.

  24. Tired Squared

    What kind are you using? I tried the Loreal line and was unimpressed–I felt like my hair was getting oily faster than usual. Ordinarily I go 3-4 days between washes, but with the Loreal I HAD to wash on the 2nd or 3rd day.

    • Anon

      Jealous that you can go that long w/o washing. I MUST wash my hair every 2nd day or it looks all oily!

  25. Recent law grad

    I am a new lawyer and always bringing work files home with me. Does the hive have any recommendations for a durable, fairly inexpensive but still semi-chic (or at least not ugly) tote bag to use for carting paper files around? I know it’s been mentioned before but I can’t seem to find the thread. TIA!

    On another note, thanks to my new job, I recently purchased a Reiss coat I’ve had my eye on for about two years. I got it on sale (though it was still more than i would have liked to spend) and it makes me ridiculously happy every time I put it on. The tailoring is incredible. My friends in real life just wouldn’t understand!

    • qwerty

      when it comes to totebags my vote always goes for lesportsac. you can get a solid or pattern that is as fun or serious as you want, have zippered main pockets and lots of itty bitty ones too, have a range of sizes, and they wash beautifully so no need to worry about spills or dirt.

    • onna

      Totes – Lands’ End and LL Bean have the canvas ones in various sizes. They are pretty durable.

      • NOLA

        I carry my gym clothes in a giant Steve Madden tote (free with purchase). Not exactly professional wear, but it works. Also works well when you’re traveling and shopped too much to close your suitcase. Will hold a pair of shoes and my purse.

    • Anon

      I like tote bags from Hobo. Right now I’m using the Annalisa, but it’s thinner than a couple of others I have. You can usually find them for good prices when they come up on Rue La La (fairly often).

  26. Diet Soda

    Curious as to how many drink it/how often?

    I used to drink one a day, then I stopped for a while (2-3 years). I started a new job that has free sodas in the fridge and I found myself having a Diet Coke in the afternoon. It got to be a habit, so I stopped.

    I came across these articles the other day…

    http://motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2012/02/diet-soda-silent-killer

    http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2012/03/diet-soda-silent-maybe-not-so-lethal

    The reason I tried to cut back/stop is simply that if I’m drinking Diet Coke, I’m not drinking water. I’d rather reach for a large glass of water in the afternoon instead.

    • Diet Soda

      Curious as to how many drink it/how often?

      I used to drink one a day, then I stopped for a while (2-3 years). I started a new job that has free sodas in the fridge and I found myself having a Diet Coke in the afternoon. It got to be a habit, so I stopped.

      I came across these articles the other day…

      The reason I tried to cut back/stop is simply that if I’m drinking Diet Coke, I’m not drinking water. I’d rather reach for a large glass of water in the afternoon instead.

      [reposting with the links seperate]

      • phillygirlruns

        until about four months ago, i drank diet soda in varying amounts every day and had done so for my entire life. my intake would range from, say, a can or two of fresca at my grandparents’ house when i was a kid, to two liters a day in college. on average, during law school and in the working world, i probably had at least 40 ounces of diet soda every day. i quit artificial sweeteners cold turkey this past october and haven’t gone back. while i’m still not convinced that there are any serious health benefits to avoiding diet soda, i save an embarrassing amount of money by just drinking water instead.

      • Susan

        In undergrad, I drank 2 cans/day primarily for the caffeine. And then, after a particularly harrowing week in junior year when I had too many papers to write, and too many all-nighters with too many cans of soda, I couldn’t drink anymore diet soda. The aftertaste made me want to barf. I’ve not had any soda since then! (I’m older, so it’s been a long time.)

      • Tired Squared

        I recently cut out Diet Coke completely, and I honestly feel so much healthier. I replaced my daily Diet Coke with water … so now I’m better hydrated too. If I feel like having a regular Coke now and then, I will — but the fact that it contains 120 calories per can (or however many grams of real sugar) makes me really question whether I want that, or a piece of fruit or another snack. I also get far less carried away drinking 2-3 cans of regular Coke a day, as opposed to when I was drinking 2-3 Diet Cokes with no problem because “it’s calorie-free!”

        • Tired Squared

          I swear I’m hitting the “reply” button, but the replies aren’t posting where they are supposed to. The above Diet Coke comment was meant for “Diet Soda” above.

          • PollyD

            Testing to see what happens – this is a reply to Tired Squared at 3:39 pm.

            I do not drink and never have drunk diet soda. Don’t drink the regular stuff too often either, mostly if I am out for dinner and having something kind of greasy like a hamburger or pizza. I’d rather have wine or beer. I also have to admit that the constant chugging of diet soda that seems to go on in my office sort of repulses me. There are some people who cannot be without a bottle of diet soda in their hands. But I admit that I have a somewhat irrational hatred of all things diet.

            I do drink a fair amount of club soda/seltzer, sometimes with lime. Recently I’ve been on a kick of drinking club soda with a few drops of bitters in it. It adds some flavor but is not overly sweet or citrusy. I do get tired of citrus sometimes.

      • Sconnie

        I’ve gone through phases. During college I was a regular Coke person. After I graduated and started working I was onto Diet. Then I branched out and switched from Diet Coke to other diets – fresca, cherry 7up, diet rite (sp?). Then, as I got more into fitness and running, I stopped soda altogether, until law school. During law school it was Coke Zero. After graduation, I phased it out and now am completely soda free and intend to keep it that way.

        I can’t quite get the hang of regular water, all the time though. I drink a lot of crystal lite.

      • Kontraktor

        I cut out soda really before I went to college. I drank more in high school, but after 2 years of giving it up for Lent, I found I didn’t have a taste for it any more. I will have soda very occasionally/a few times a year (maybe with a hot dog at a super bowl party or something). Mostly I drink water and carbonated water. That stuff is like watercrack to me. The brands I drink are sodium free, and I find it such a ncie alternative to soda when I want something ‘fizzy’ with zero calories. I like plain flavor, but the fruited flavors are nice too. Otherwise, just plain water or herbal tea.

        I drink 1 or maybe 2 cups of coffee in the morning. That is pretty much my beverage roation.

      • Coach Laura

        I’m older than a lot of you but I found that drinking diet coke/pepsi daily made me gain weight. Something about the artificial sweetner makes me hungry. I’ve stopped it completely and drink unsweetend iced tea at home and when I’m at restaurants. If I’m craving something sweet to drink I’ll have an Arnold Palmer. At work, I drink hot green tea.

      • Gail the Goldfish

        2, 3 if I’m really tired. (well, Diet Dr. pepper, not diet coke, but you know).

        My boss at my old job literally could go through almost a 12 pack a day. Luckily, we got free soda.

  28. Anon

    Ok I know the answer to this question but just wanted to be sure I am not totally out of my mind…
    I have an interest in pursuing a career path that a few of my cousins and other family members already have. I would be way behind where they were during my same age. I know this is ridiculous but I have always been a very independent person and originally wanted to pursue a career that no one in my family had before, so that it was my “own”. Now that I am considering this career path I am worried that it will look like I couldn’t think of anything else on my own and just following what others in my family have done, or that I will be compared to them.

    Has anyone felt like this before?? Is this crazy??

    • Totes McGotes

      Yes… in high school when everybody was applying to colleges and thinking about what they might major in, there definitely some “Well, X is already doing that, so it’ll look like I’m copying…”

      Then I got older and realized, who cares?? It’s your life and your career. You can 1) do something you aren’t as interested in; 2) pursue this career path and cut all ties with your family (might make industry and networking events a bit awkward); or 3) don your big-girl panties, do what you want, and take whatever ribbing comes your way (which probably won’t be that much).

      • Anon

        Thank you. I’m embarrassed that I am letting someone else’s opinion have this much influence. I have always been this way and it is hard to stop that though process but I am trying!

        • Totes McGotes

          Don’t worry about it. Who knows – maybe it’s just in your blood to do well in this industry. Good luck!

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