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Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. Love this richly colored blue dress from Target, and I like that it's a bit more relaxed than a lot of dresses we see for work. The empire waist is forgiving, as is the A-line skirt, and the sleeves and high neckline make it appropriate for work. The fact that it has several 5-star reviews throughout all the colors (it's also available in black, red, purple, and orange, as well as plus sizes) is impressive, especially considering the price: depending on color and size the dress is $19.99-$32.99. Merona® Women's Ruffle Neck Dress – Blue Seen a great piece you'd like to recommend? Please e-mail editor@corporette.com with “TPS” in the subject line. (L-7)Sales of note for 11.5.24
- Nordstrom – Fall sale, up to 50% off!
- Ann Taylor – Extra 40% off sale
- Banana Republic Factory – 50% off everything + extra 25% off with your GAP Inc. credit card
- Bloomingdales is offering gift cards ($20-$1200) when you spend between $100-$4000+. The promotion ends 11/10, and the gift cards expire 12/24.
- Boden – 10% off new styles with code; free shipping over $75
- Eloquii – Fall clearance event, up to 85% off
- J.Crew – 40% off fall favorites; prices as marked
- J.Crew Factory – Up to 60% off everything + 60% off clearance
- Lo & Sons – Fall Sale, up to 35% off
- M.M.LaFleur – Save 25% sitewide
- Neiman Marcus – New sale, up to 50% off
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – Buy one, get one – 50% off everything!
- White House Black Market – Holiday style event, take 25% off your entire purchase
And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!
Some of our latest threadjacks include:
- What to say to friends and family who threaten to not vote?
- What boots do you expect to wear this fall and winter?
- What beauty treatments do you do on a regular basis to look polished?
- Can I skip the annual family event my workplace holds, even if I'm a manager?
- What small steps can I take today to get myself a little more “together” and not feel so frazzled all of the time?
- The oldest daughter is America's social safety net — change my mind…
- What have you lost your taste for as you've aged?
- Tell me about your favorite adventure travels…
houda
Hi corporettes!
So I followed your advice and shared my phone number and I did get a call from the head hunter today.
She first asked if I were scouring the market and if I had been contacted earlier by her firm.
She quickly described what her client has to propose and offered to set a meeting at their location with a consultant from the HR firm.
I was fast and set a meeting and committed on sending my resume so they have an idea on my qualifications.
I haven’t updated my resume since 2 years when I was applying for internships (gasp).
Any tips on getting started and dusting off my resume? I do not even have a copy f it! I will have to dig through my old emails.
Also, as I said, I still didn’t get my signed diploma paper and this is haunting me. Well, it has never been an issue for my current employer but I am not sure if it will matter to the prospective one. Maybe they will want to see all my diplomas? Or they will ask why I have been able to have such a high salary without showing the actual document? Or maybe they will rely on my tiny 2 years work experience to overlook this detail? What do you think?
Lana Lang
It may be a good thing if you don’t have a copy of your CV if that copy would be really old. Sometime’s it is good to start from scratch. I’m not familiar with your back story but I would start with just bullet points about what you do at your current job, good projects you’ve worked on and what skills you gained from them, before even starting to put it into any kind of format.
Also, one piece of advice I was given which I thought was excellent: do not put anything on your CV unless you can talk about it in interviews. They will ask about it – if e.g. as a lawyer you said you’d drafted an escrow agreement and it was four years ago, it may get very awkward if they ask you at the interview about issues you faced, clauses you put in etc.
Eponine
I think it’s good to start from scratch with the CV. As Lana Lang said above, if something is so old you can’t remember the details of it, it doesn’t belong on your CV anyway. Just make sure you include all your professional employment.
As for the diplomas – any way you can push the university to issue it? I realize that things work far differently in Morocco than in the US, but maybe if you make a few calls the thesis committee will get around to meeting? At any rate, if you’ve completed all the requirements for the degree and you’ve been successful in your two years of work, I don’t think it will hurt you that much if all you’re waiting on is the thesis approval. Just make sure you make it clear to the recruiter that you’ve met all the requirements for the degree.
Hollis
I just wanted to add that I have never been asked to show a copy of a diploma. If you have a transcript from your school, that will indicate that you got your degree. Sometimes getting an official transcript can take a few days so you may want to get on it. As for updating your resume, you may want someone (a mentor maybe) in your industry to review it for you because resumes are very industry-specific. Good luck!
Eponine
Outside the US, it is extremely common to be asked to show a copy of the diploma. Many non-US institutions don’t provide transcripts, but rather the diploma serves as proof of completion of the degree.
CDN Anon
I’ve been asked for a copy of diplomas on several interviews.
One hired a company to actually verify that I did go to the schools I’d listed. One school even told the company that I had never attended their school, even though I had, had graduated, and had used that degree and certification on several government projects.
The interviewer called me and told me about this, and actually said “I know this is an error because why would anyone lie about going to XXXX?!” (XXXX is a horrible school.)
Associette
Great color and price point. Corporettes be sure to wear shapewear with this! Although the A-line shape is flattering, the jersey fabric is not. Happy Friday!
LawyrChk
Agree. Add an order of spanx to your shopping cart to go along with this dress.
Lydia
I don’t know…this kinda looks like a maternity dress to me.
dress fanatic
Agree. And I just put away all of my maternity clothes. Pass.
Bunkster
Agreed
KOB
Yes! I sort of thought, “hmmm . .. maybe Kat’s trying to tell us something — nursing top yesterday, maternity top today. . . . “
Anonymous
I had the exact same thought :)
*Formerly* Preggo Angie
Same thought here!
Bleh
Eyeroll – everything with a empire waist gets this comment.
Anonymous
Because it’s true.
Anonymous
Wow, don’t you sound pleasant. Empire waist looks a lot better than women wearing tight shifts with bellybutton fat area showing through it. And I refuse to believe everyone on this blog has a models body. Lately though, the size 0, nothing fits its all too big comments seem out of control. Ladies, get over yourselves.
Bleh
I happen to like empire waists – regardless of whether anyone thinks I’m pregnant. I’m very short waisted so its a very flattering style.
I guess the question is – why is everyone so concerned with being thought that they are pregnant?
Honey Bear
Bleh – maybe b/c people don’t want to look like they have protruding bellies?
Bleh
Well, unless they *have* protruding bellies, an empire waist isn’t going to give them one.
Monday
When someone posts that they need plus sizes and are having trouble finding them, nobody says “get over yourself.” It’s an objective fact: they are a certain size and struggle to find clothes that fit. Likewise tall and petite women. If someone needs smaller clothing, it’s exactly the same thing. To call it bragging is to endorse the idea that smaller is better, and it isn’t.
This is all setting aside the issue of vanity sizing. When someone says they are a size 0 in major retail stores, they’re also saying they would have been a 6 or 8, 50 years ago. It’s not “I’m the skinniest girl in the world!” it’s “the brands keep sizing up, and it’s creating a problem for me.”
anon
Both smaller women and larger women are sized out of tons of mainstream retailers, and it sucks! I don’t see why it needs to be snarked on that some of us on either end of the spectrum have trouble finding clothes that fit well.
Honey Bear
Amen, Monday!
Anonymous
HoneyBear – You’re attitude and judgmental fear of body image is really offsetting. I suggest you examine your motive before attacking others choices/critiquing their body types.
Honey Bear
Anonymous:
I don’t have a motive. I express my opinion, and that’s all. You don’t have to agree with it nor do you have to like it. Personally I don’t want to look like I have a protruding belly, so if that is me attacking others, then so be it.
SF Bay Associate
Ladies, please do not feed the trolls. Let’s remember what kind of environment we like to have here and help create that ourselves :).
Anonymous
I dont get how half the stuff that isn’t form fitting everyone assumes is maternity wear-ish. For your knowledge not all of us like to wear fitted clothes. I prefer breezy and loose over Kardashian tight any day of the week. Thank you very much you judgmental ladies.
Anon
I’ll try and strike a balance.
I don’t personally like tight clothing (I’m pretty modest) and so my work tops are either button downs, cashmere tee shirts, or some sort of flowy top for more casual days. I will say, however, that I don’t wear empire waist tops because they DO create a phantom belly. Just a thought. I love me some loose, flowing clothes, but I stick to the non empire options because otherwise I do feel like I’m in maternity wear.
So, it could be that other corporettes are also voicing a dislike for the maternity vibe without being opposed to a flowy top in general.
Lyssa
There’s a lot of middle ground between something with a lot of extra fabric at the belly like this and “Kardashian tight”. You really shouldn’t be calling other people judgmental if you’re going to paint everything else with that broad of a brush.
Anonymous
I stand by my comment. I feel there must be a ton on women on this board wearing tight, non-appropriate clothes everywhere. Not that this is themost appropriate outfit but half the time theres a work shift shown half the comments are “this doesnt fit me, I’m thin like a model” blech comments.
Anon
I’ve actually seen very, very few “I could never wear this, I’m too thin and svelte!” comments on this site, and I’m a regular reader.
I don’t wear tight clothes. I also really don’t like this shirt. It’s okay not to like this shirt without the dislike being interpreted as a sign that the rest of my wardrobe is fashioned from saran wrap and lycra and bodypaint.
Lyssa
I agree with anon- other than, say, “Ellen”, I can’t think that I’ve ever heard anyone say anything like that. I am pretty thin, and I sometimes comment that certain things are not flattering because my bust doesn’t fill them out (I’m very flat-chested), but I’ve never thought of that as bragging (exactly the opposite!)
Anonymous
May I reference the comments above suggesting any empire waist implies a “protruding belly”.
Bonnie
To me, empire waist dresses usually look like maternity dresses. While disguising stomach pooch, they emphasize the area. It’s like wearing oversize clothing makes one look bigger.
Lyssa
It depends a lot on the structure of the skirt below the waistline. If it’s straight, the it usually looks OK, but here, with the pleats, there is a lot of extra room right away, over the belly area. It definitely looks like it’s made for an expanding belly. (That said, it would make a *very* cute maternity dress. I would certainly buy it, were I preggers.)
Nonny
Agreed, and I usually *like* empire waists – but not here.
Bonnie
That’s true. An empire waist that’s not too high and drops down without pleats is less likely to look like a maternity dress.
PollyD
I think it also depends on where the “waist” falls and if it’s a band or just elastic. I think a band is more flattering and less likely to make it look as if you are with child. Strangely, elastic waistband empire dresses make my arms look fat. Puffy sleeves only emphasize this.
Just in case anyone cares, I bought two Merona “ponte” (not really ponte, more a jersey knit) dresses recently. One is the sleeveless Ponte Side Tab dress- I got it in green and it’s really nice in a Mad Men way. The other is a 3/4 sleeve burgundy Ponte Tab Waist dress, also pretty cute. The fabric is not terribly substantial (yeah, Spanx or tights), and the dresses probably would not work in a very formal office, but for my informal office + temperate to hot DC weather, I think they’ll be useful.
For full disclosure, I am 5’3.5″, about 117-118lbs, have a 32D bra, usually fit curvy cut pants, and the Small fit pretty well, maybe a leetle bit big, especially the 3/4 sleeve dress. I may look into having it taken in – I know spending money to alter a cheap dress seems strange, but I mostly wear cheap things and I am always looking for dresses with sleeves. Plus I’m not sure that XS wouldn’t be too small, and it’s not available anyway.
Thus endeth my Target dress PSA.
Littlest Attorney
I have the 3/4 sleeve one in burgundy too and get lots of compliments on it at work in my business casual office.
Emily
Target must have a maternity version of this dress because I have seen it while looking for maternity clothes!
Anon
I dislike this dress a lot. Can we get some nicer suggestions? I second someone who earlier this week said everything is casual now. I feel like all I see is jersey and casual. I couldn’t wear this to work. And we have a pretty casual office.
Bonnie
For something similar to this dress, I prefer this: http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=548827&CategoryID=5449&LinkType=#fn=COLOR%3DPurple%26DRESS_LENGTH%3DKnee Length%26sp%3D1%26spc%3D32
It has the same saturated color without the prego look.
Anonymous
LOVE this one!!
Nora
They do – I own it!
http://www.target.com/Merona-Maternity-Short-Sleeve-Ruffle-Dress/dp/B004EMWK4E/ref=br_1_32?ie=UTF8&id=Merona%20Maternity%20Short-Sleeve%20Ruffle%20Dress&node=2235209011&searchView=list&searchSize=90&searchPage=1&searchNodeID=2235209011&sr=1-32&searchRank=pmrank&frombrowse=1&qid=1305306596
Hollis
This dress screams maternity to me as well. It’s not just the empire waist – an empire waist on a sheath dress would be fine – but it’s the fuller skirt that goes out from that empire waist. For most people (including those of us with a muffin top), fitted or tailored (and I don’t mean tight) clothes are more flattering and make us look better proportioned. You will never see a C-level corporate executive wearing this type of dress to the office.
Lydia
I am actually wearing an empire waist dress right now. It isn’t just the fact that it has an empire waist that makes it look like a maternity dress. And BTW – Target also sells a maternity version of this dress…so I stand by my prior statement, looks like a maternity dress.
Lydia
Sorry Hollis – meant to reply to my post not yours.
AIMS
I agree. The ruffles also give off the maternity vibe somehow.
And the ruffles + the jersey + the color + the casual overall nature of the dress = not a professional work dress, to me anyway. I understand everyone’s office is different, but I see the the male equivalent of this dress as being roughly khakis and a polo shirt. Not exactly overachieving material.
Anonymous
This is a little too reminiscent of a beach cover-up for the office (even on a casual Friday)…at least for my office.
JJ
Review!
After the comments earlier this week, I bought two France Luxe headbands. I like the look of headbands, but don’t often wear them because by then end of the day (at the latest) they give me a headache from the pressure behind my ears.
Well, I wore one of the headbands (just the thin, tortoise-shell band) all day yesterday and no pain. It even stayed put. I’m a believer. Also important to note: I wore my sunglasses on the way home yesterday and even with those and the headband on, I didn’t get a headache. Can’t speak to whether that would work for wider ones, but it did for this thin one.
L
Thanks for the review. I was tempted to buy them, but waited hoping that someone would comment. Looks like it is time to order.
Atlantia
Nice specific review…my problem is always the headband plus sunglasses on the drive home issue. Thanks.
SF Bay Associate
Awesome, so glad you have the same good experience I do!
JJ
They’re great – so good that the next time I need basically any hair accessory short of ponytail holders, I’ll see what they have to offer.
somewherecold
Thanks for the review! I may pick some up myself.
K
I also bought a France Luxe headband (it’s the wavy one). Very nice. I have thick hair, and this is working with little to no headache. I wore it with sunglasses this morning and no problems there. Yay!
Anon
Was it the comfort kind or regular one? Thanks!
JJ
The ones I bought were the comfort kind.
ADL
I love these type of dresses; I’ve found them to be best for summer weekends and airplane travel days when you want to be comfortable but not frumpy.
Honey Bear
I heart this dress, too bad there isn’t a target near me. :(
SSJD
I want to ask other readers whether you really find the quality of Target clothing (like this dress) to be acceptable. Each time I see a target item on this blog I mentally dismiss it. In my experience shopping at target, everything seems pretty low quality (you get what you pay for, of course) and not like the kind of items I would want to wear to work where I try to live by the philosophy of “dress for the position I want”. Have people really found that they can mix in Target pieces with their banana republic, j crew, ann taylor, and classique entier items? To me, it just seems a really different level of quality.
As an aside, I agree that this particular item looks too much like a maternity dress.
s-p-s
Depends on the Target dress – agreed on this one, but I’m actually wearing this great deep red lined sheath from Target (from several seasons back) that has outstanding quality, and often wear the store’s grey herringbone dress, and a black-and-grey dress with an abstract print on a silky fabric. You can find some gems (especially in their larger online selection), but it can take a bit of searching (followed by some in-store returns) to find the ones that look formal enough for the workplace.
Sydney Bristow
I think it depends on the item. I have a great pencil skirt from Target that fits in well with everything else I own. The fabric is fine and its fully lined. There are definitely items that look and feel cheap, but not all of them are that way.
Bonnie
I have a few target dresses but they’re weekend only wear. They’re especially great for beach vacations. IMHO their professional wear tends to be too short and looks cheap.
Janie
Same here. I love my Target dresses for summer weekends, and have a few t-shirts from there too. I recently picked up a cardigan that’s cheap quality but looks nice – it’s the only “workwear” I have from there.
soulfusion
There is definitely a difference in quality and the pieces don’t necessarily last as long but I find I can still have a put together look with one Target piece such as a dress paired with a nicer quality cardigan or jacket, jewelery and high quality shoes.
MelD
I have a set of Target cardigans I wear to work regularly and they are still holding up well. In the past I’ve gotten some suiting items that were really nice for the price, but they don’t seem to carry them in my area anymore. I’ve also had luck in the past with blazers, but again that’s not anything I’ve seen terribly recently. I’m in a college town now so I think the Targets here skew more to the young/casual population.
E
There are some very low quality options at Target and the in-store assortment in certain areas leans toward many of those pieces. However, I do have two Target sheath dresses I adore – they fit well and look like they could have come from Brooks Brothers. With those two dresses, I also ordered a skirt that I never got around to returning, which is extremely low quality and that I’ve never worn to work or anywhere else, and which will be donated the next time I make a Goodwill run.
Two cents
I’ve bought a few dresses online from Target and ended up returning them because they were poor quality and I could not see getting away wearing them at my big law office. Unfortunately, my local Target carries almost none of the dresses featured online, so I have no idea of gauging the quality of some of the other dresses, and I don’t want to run the risk of buying online again.
cbackson
If you buy the more expensive Target stuff (Merona or Mossimo Black Label), the quality’s actually very good. I have a beautiful, very structured vintage-style cream dress from Target that cost about $40, and it is better-constructed than many of my J.Crew clothes. Similarly, I have a dark denim sheath from there that looks like a million bucks and cost about $35.
The key, to me, is that you have to try it on in-store, because occasionally the sewing (particularly in bias-cut items) is off. That’s more of a problem with their teen line (xhileration) and the normal Mossimo than with Merona and Mossimo Black, though.
Ashley
I’ll second the sewing/cut of the dress issues sometimes. I’ve got 2 sheath dresses that look great, and fit right off the rack. Then, I’ve tried on other dresses in the same line that were too tight or too large. I agree that you need to try them on, since my “normal” size has been perfect, huge, and tight, all in the same line. However, the sheaths I did get are closet staples now, fully lined, great length, and holding up well to machine washing (they are machine washable, which is great!).
s-p-s
And if you can’t try it on in-store (such as an online-only item), they’re inexpensive enough that you can buy a few sizes – or even two or three of the same size, if sewing is a concern – and then return the ones that don’t work. Ensures that you get free shipping, too ;)
AEFlaw
I agree! I have a great Mossimo dress that fits like a glove. It was $24 and I’ve worn it at *least* 20 times!
Lobbyist
I am wearing a pencil skirt from Target (Merona) right now. I bought it last year. Its still in great shape.
Eponine
Cheap jersey dresses from Target – you get what you pay for.
Nicer suiting-style dresses from Target – usually awesome.
tar-jay
I have bought a fair amount of casual wear at tar-jay. Some of it is well made and lasts a long time (I’m thinking of a pair of stone colored cotton twill cargo pants I bought in March 2008 that I still wear a lot and are in good shape. I also buy bikinis there because they are so cheap that I can buy several each season (southern California) and not worry about it. I wear them in the ocean (salt) and in the jacuzzi (chlorine), and they hold up for 2 or 3 seasons. I also regularly buy exercise clothes there (mostly Champion, but also some other brands); the prices are very good and the clothes last several years.
On the other hand, some items I have bought at Target don’t last. I bought several cotton jersey tank tops in 2008. I don’t recall the brand. They were sleeveless and had a crossover front. Totally cute and about $10 each. I bought them for a vacation to a very hot climate, and they were perfect. But they died that year. The material was too thin, didn’t hold the color, pilled and became misshapen (sp?).
Never purchased office wear at Target, so don’t know about that.
Seventh Sister
The quality varies a lot with the clothes. Some of the maternity stuff is actually quite sturdy (better than the specialty store stuff, actually), but some of is very flimsy.
As for the regular clothes, the higher-end stuff seems to last longer, including some (but not all) of the capsule collections. The Liberty stuff I bought last year still looks really nice, while my Rodarte t-shirt is getting scruffier by the hour (but I still love it). Weirdly enough, the Rodarte lace-print dress is holding up nicely.
In my neck of the woods, the Target in the less-nice section of town has BY FAR the better selection of clothes. Don’t know why.
Eponine
Have any of the larger-busted Corporettes tried this on? I’m very tempted, but I can’t tell if how low cut it would be. There’s not a Target near me so I’d have to buy online.
Eponine
Have any of the larger-b–ted Corporettes tried this on? I’m very tempted, but I can’t tell if how low cut it would be. There’s not a Target near me so I’d have to buy online.
(Really, b-st gets a comment into moderation now?)
Praxidike
Great color, but guaranteed to make me look pregnant!
Legally Brunette
Beautiful color, but empire waists definitely make me look pregnant. Of course, there is nothing wrong with being pregnant if you are, but the one time I wore an empire waisted shirt I had two people ask me if I was preggers. No thanks.
Elle21
I always have issues with dresses that have “designated spots” for your boobs to go. Mine never fit! The seams always wind up crossing right across my chest or pulling *really* tightly.
CW
Me too!
Lyssa
Heh, I have the opposite problem- they’re always too loose!
Elle21
Grass is always greener, right?
V
I ordered this in purple yesterday for an upcoming vacation. I wanted something that allowed for belly room since it’s a culture (esp. eating) vacation, so the maternity-level empire cut works for me. But I can’t see wearing it to work – the fabric is too thin on Merona dresses like this (I have a few that I love for weekends), and unfortunatly, in my experience any whiff of maternity starts gossip, at least among the staff.
Anon
Speaking of vacay’s … I don’t have any booked! Anyone just have dead-on, wonderful spots they’d recommend again and again?!
found a peanut
Are you looking for a vacation within the US or international, beach vacation, adventure vacation, culture vacation, and how much money are you willing to spend? I have a few spots in mind but depending on what your criteria are I’d recommend some of them over others.
kz
Depends on what you’re looking for. If you want a beach vacation, I went to Vieques, Puerto Rico about two years ago and highly, highly recommend it. It’s not *that* well know or touristy (though it’s been getting a lot of media coverage lately, so this may have changed since I went), and the beaches are practically deserted. There’s also a wide range of quality/price of accommodations, so it basically works for any budget–you can stay in the $80/night guesthouse, or the several-hundred dollar a night W Resort, and everything in between. There’s also a lot of things you can do–kayaking (including in a Bioluminescent Bay), snorkeling, riding, biking, etc. Or you can just lay on the fabulous, fabulous beaches. I will warn you that in terms of restaurants and activities, it skews toward casual operations. (though there are some nicer restaurants). This isn’t one of the more touristy islands, so it’s much more laid back and casual. Think Key West before Key West was so popular.
Anonymous
I’ve been to Viques and I think its one of the most spots. The beaches are gorgeous, private and plentiful. PR in general is a great destination.
Anonymous
one of the most *beautiful* spots
MelD
Someone was going to Slovenia on last week’s post. I had an absolutely wonderful time there and would recommend it highly. It is one of those places that has something to offer year round.
I just went to the Yucatan a few months ago. There’s a lot to do there other than just the touristy/spring breaky stuff, but I wouldn’t recommend it as a good summer destination. I went for a week and could easily have found activities to keep me occupied for at least two weeks. It’s relatively easy to drive around (get an upgraded car though) and the people were extremely friendly.
houda
Shameless plug to visit the kingdom of Morocco :) (I am moroccan so had to do this)
fresh jd
I’m not Moroccan but I can vouch that it is truly incredible and I would love to return to see more cities!
CS
By the way, I ordered the black-and-white Michael Kors pencil skirt from Dillard’s that was featured earlier this week. It’s a really lovely skirt, nice fabric — substantial enough to keep its shape, but lightweight enough to work in warmer weather — and it cost less than $50. It does have an exposed, gold zipper in the back, which I happen to like but might not be everyone’s cup of tea.
I also ordered the Cole-Haan “gateway” bag that someone mentioned in a thread sometime last week or perhaps earlier this week. I got the black, and I’m not entirely thrilled with the quality of the leather (the two-tone brown looks nicer, at least on-line), but I think I’ll keep it anyway because it’s a great shape and size, and actually the fact that the leather isn’t super-soft means I’ll be less worried about it getting banged up. It’s a tote-sized bag that can be used in lieu of a briefcase for letter-sized documents or a laptop or iPad, with a long, detachable cross-body strap (a must for me), but also nice long purse-style handles that you can use to carry it over your shoulder, and that make it look more like a large purse than small tote. It was also marked down from $378 to $278 on the Cole-Haan website.
Kat, for what it’s worth, I’ve bought a number of things that you have featured on this blog, or that readers have recommended. And by the way, I’m way older than your target audience (i.e., a 50-something NYC lawyer). Thanks!!!
EC MD
It was me! Mine is “out for delivery” as we speak. I’m hard on things, so the fact that the leather is more structured is a plus in my book. Thanks so much for the review. I am planning to use it as my “work” bag, so being able to fit a few charts and my lunch, etc will be great!
I’m so excited!
jo
I hope this is not too late in the day. I just found out I’m going to Napa this weekend as a surprise get-a-way for my birthday. I’m so excited, but I really have NO IDEA what is appropriate to wear wine tasting in that environment. Any suggestions?
AIMS
Happy birthday and congrats!
I would pack lots of flowly dresses and either wedges or boots depending on the weather. I don’t think you should stress over clothes when going wine tasting. Wear what makes you feel good!
Lydia
Napa is beautiful. Don’t worry about clothes. I wore a tank top and a skirt…anything casual and comfortable would be fine. Flats/sandals/flip flops would be better than heels. If you have time, go over to Sonoma too. There was one small winery, Robledo, that I loved. Cute tasting room, great wine and the winery had a great story – started by a Mexican immigrant who used to work the fields. Happy bday!
AL
Napa (and wine country generally) is great! I’ve been three time and have never noticed a standard for what to wear, beyond most everyone being pretty casual. I usually go in the summer and wear causal dresses, not because others at the wineries all wear dresses, but because it’s a special outing for me and I want to feel slightly dressed up yet comfortable. That said, nice shorts or pants or jeans and would be totally fine. Looks like it’s mid 60s there now/low 70s there, so maybe take a sweater.
Some wineries are more uppity than others, I guess, and some are really really low-key. But most are full of laid-back people drinking wine and having fun. Not many rules. :-)
Quick recommendations: Do a tasting on the porch at Duckhorn, more for the view than the wine, but both are pretty good. Heitz Cellars has delicious wine.
Have a great time!
Ashley
Definitely don’t feel pressured to dress up, but I’m with AL… it was a special outing for me, so I wanted to look nice. Highly recommend a fun sundress or jersey dress with cute sandals or flats. We went in the fall, so I wore khaki pants, a flowy blouse, and dressy sandals. That said, I’m a little ashamed to say that a member of our party showed up in basketball shorts, a t-shirt, and a baseball cap! Granted, he’s an engineer, so he thinks “work attire” is appropriate everywhere. I think that’s one of the few professions where it might be best to leave the office-wear at home when going on an outing to a winery :)
AL
Second the cute sandals or flats. I seem to recall that many wineries have gravel parking lots or gravel/dirt areas between the parking and the winery. Not great for high heels.
Lee
Agree with the advice given above, but we are supposed to have cooler than normal weather this weekend (mid-60s) and there is a good chance of rain on Sunday. Bring layers!
Scully
If you are at all clumsy and you like read wine, do not wear white. Speaking from experience here.
Scully
“red” wine
Jr. Prof
It’s supposed to be unseasonably chilly, with a chance of thundershowers this weekend in the SF Bay Area. Bring layers, including a pretty cozy sweater. People are always surprised how cold it is in “sunny California.” Most people at wineries are pretty casually dressed – jeans/ boots/ cute top or flat sandals and sundress if it’s warm enough (which is probably won’t be).
Lizzie
It’s pretty, but I’m not quite sure the fabric is right for the office. Maybe more for the weekends? Or a casual dinner out?
curious
Over the years I have done pretty well with washable tailored jackets by Target. Maybe I have just been lucky! I don’t tend to wear dresses to work, with a few exceptions.
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