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Updated: Feb 24, 2021 221 Comments · by

Frugal Friday: Long Sleeve Turtleneck

Layering Pieces· The Personal Shopper (TPS)

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Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices.

Halogen turtleneck

I've often suggested layering pieces beneath sheath dresses, but it's been hard to find good pictures, so when I saw that this lightweight turtleneck not only had good reviews, was recommended by reviewers as being a great layering piece, and then Nordstrom actually SHOWED it as a layering piece beneath a sheath dress, I had to post it.

The lightweight turtleneck layer isn't for everyone, obviously, but if it is for you it's been hard to find recently — this Halogen turtleneck comes in black, gray and white and looks perfect.

Layer it beneath cardigans, sheer blouses, sheath dresses, vests, blazers, thicker sweaters (they're particularly great beneath itchy ones!), and more.

The turtleneck is hand washable, and $39; it comes in regular and petite sizes XS-XL. Halogen® Long Sleeve Turtleneck

Here's a more lux version (Vince) if you're on the hunt, and here's a plus-size version (Lands' End) that also comes in regular, petite, and tall sizes in a zillion colors.

Seen a great piece you’d like to recommend? Please e-mail tps@corporette.com.

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Comments

  1. NYNY

    I’m sure the photo was chosen because it looks arty, but I can’t help but feel like the model is being choked by that turtleneck. Makes me a little claustrophobic just looking at it!

  2. Anonymous

    I grew up in the Northeast, so I think of a turtleneck as a birthright of sorts. But I live in the SE now and it just doesn’t seem as worn down here (esp. in offices). It still gets cold! Our building is always freezing (“green” building = no heat). I have tried to go dressy with microfiber ones, but I feel like I’m not getting it quite right (this looks good). It’s like we *should* be warm enough with crew-neck layers (and infinity scarves aren’t warm enough b/c they don’t snug up to my neck).

    Signed,
    Enjoying the warm weather while it lasts (and wearing a fleece at my desk)

    • co-miserate

      Re: your green building. Mine too. Geothermal + historic preservation (single-pane windows) = terrible temperature. It’s like a meat locker in the winter, and like a meat locker in the summer (because stupid air conditioning)

  3. Anonymous

    TGIF!!

    Tell me something awesome that happened this week, or that you have coming up over the weekend!

    • Runner 5

      I’m having a big family dinner to celebrate my big birthday! I may be looking forward to the food more than the event at this point though

      • Sydney Bristow

        Happy birthday!!!

        I had a job interview for a job that I’d really like to get. Also, a friend of mine I haven’t seen in years is staying with us while she is apartment hunting and it has been so fun to catch up with her. Hopefully trying a new-to-us Indian restaurant in our neighborhood this weekend.

    • Cb

      One of my best friends called on Wednesday and she’s in town from Ghana! Have had a horrendous week and can’t wait to catch up over Mexican food tonight.

    • jc

      SO and I just bought a new grill for our new condo and it’s being delivered tonight (it was assembled for free)! Can’t wait to make some steaks, have a beer and relax.

    • OttLobbyist

      Fun idea! Just completed my transition from suburbanite to urbanite this week. Spent the week exploring my new environment! (Plus will be shoe shopping this weekend for comfortable walking/commuting shoes!)

    • Jitters

      Moving in with my boyfriend, into a cute 1BR on a quiet street just off a busy and exciting main street in a neighborhood i really like!

    • Anon

      Moving home!!! My ex-h was transferred to this state and asked me for a divorce shortly after we moved here. I’ve been so unhappy. This weekend starts a completely new chapter, a blank page in my life :) I’m so excited. I don’t have a job and I don’t even care! Something will come along :)

      • emeralds

        Also wishing you all of the freedom and happiness in the world!

        I’ve been digging into my job, and am so far still really liking it. And I’m going to a fun concert with my BF tonight. We’re longer-distance now than we were before I moved for this job, but I’m really happy that we’re still making the effort to see each other (almost) every weekend.

    • young kids

      I didn’t run away from my house and my (sometimes) terrible children! Exciting: logged 24 miles between walking commute, biking commute, running & rec biking. That’s the most I’ve done in years, probably.

    • Anonymous

      my partner just worked three overnights, and I am so excited that we get to spend some downtime together. also I cooked shrimp ettoffe for dinner.

    • moss

      I’m going to be a vendor at an art fair this weekend. We’ve been making crayons & binding the coloring books all week. I’m excited because everything looks really nice and I hope other people like them as much as I do.

    • lawsuited

      I managed to schedule lunches with two (seperate) out-of-town friends this week – one is having a baby and the other is moving to my city! Their happiness and excitement definitely spilled over into my mood this week :)

    • Chicago Bean Accounter

      Traveling to Cincinnati for the Bears-Bengals preseason game! It’s a tradition to go to Cincinnati once a year for a Bengals game for a girls weekend, and this year my Bears are playing them!

    • Anon

      I’m telling my family I’m pregnant! I’m actually super nervous about it. I don’t deal well with overwhelming displays of emotion. But, will make it all finally feel real.

    • Where would you go...

      Starting my two week “retirement” by flying to Jamaica! Thanks to all the responses a few weeks ago – we considered a more adventurous trip, but decided that (1) we both really enjoy the planning process for overseas trips and would feel cheated if we didn’t prepare as much as normal, and (2) we really wanted an easy R&R vacation on an island that wouldn’t be too “shut down” for the off season.

    • CountC

      I’m catch riding one of the other horses in the barn at a show tomorrow (first show in 7 years for me). I snagged a compost tumbler and a Sodastream off Craiglist for more than 50% of retail price (yay for recycling, attempting to be frugal, and reducing my waste). And I am supposed to go kayaking (weather dependent) with a friend of mine on Sunday.

    • Senior Attorney

      My raise showed up in my paycheck this morning! Not huge (2.4%) but every little bit helps!!

    • SC

      My 4-mo-old slept through the night last night for the first time! (Except for the time he woke up crying because his arm was stuck between the crib slats, but he went right back to sleep after I freed him.)

    • Jules

      Going to a small dinner party to meet a new woman in my neighborhood tonight and reconnecting with an old friend on Sunday.

    • Anon for this

      Not this weekend, but I’m starting a yoga teacher training program next week. Very excited (and nervous). This is my last open weekend for a few months, so I want to go see a play at a new theater near my house and otherwise just chill.

    • Bonnie

      Taking the pup to the beach this weekend. Can’t wait to see her reaction.

  4. (Former) Clueless Summer

    Has anyone seen/read an article about how detrimental it is for men to refuse to work with young women out of fear of impropriety? I’d like to share with a fellow associate who admitted that he doesn’t pick female students because he’s worried about being alone at the office with them late at night (not worried that he’d do something, worried it would look bad).

    It surprised me. I would never choose a student based on gender (or anything else but merit) and I never worry about inappropriateness between myself and students.

    (Remember I’m in Canada, so this isn’t just summers, we have articling students (1st year associates in the US) in all year so it’s a constant issue.)

    • Anonymous

      Good grief — this is an associate. What does he fear he has to lose?

      [We had a former equity-level partner go to town with a non-lawyer former staff member. They were both married and both had children. Someone wrote a note to his wife. HE had a lot to lose. (She did, too, but not in any monetary sense, just a personal non-work sense.) And if he loses it, it will be because of the actual actions of the two participants. Not because of any seeming impropriety.]

      [FWIW, this is not why he’s former or she’s former. Just explaining my lack of knowledge of how it all wound up / is winding up.]

      I hate to say it, but dude needs to man up: conduct yourself appropriately, remove those who do not. Don’t let gender be some proxy for actions that haven’t yet occurred. For all you know, the ladies may not even like men (or may like men, but not you). It is offensive to presume this about other people and almost a damning admission about what the guy thinks of himself and other co-workers (of both genders).

      • (Former) Clueless Summer

        I’m not sure – this is in the face of numerous suspected or confirmed affairs between partners and students or partners and associates in our office. Nothing has happened to any of those people (to my knowledge). They still work here.

        I’m just hoping to have something to send him to show him – look, this is the reason that women have a harder time advancing. Because of guys like you.

        • Anonymous

          Well, it sounds like the guy has reason to fear this. This sounds like more of an organizational issue (that people who do have affairs aren’t handled properly) than a problem with this guy. People ARE likely to think something is going on if that’s your firm’s culture. Right or wrong.

          • Anonymous

            Then people already already think that about him and everyone else. Time to do the right thing.

        • Anonymous

          The office for the promotion of virtue and prevention of vice in my office suggests the following:

          door is open (esp. at night / weekends)

          # of feet required to be on the floor at all times = N (number of people in room) *2

          • Anon

            HAHA this sounds like my mom’s women’s college in the 70s – do you also yell out “Man on the floor!” to alert everyone to the dude’s presence?

          • Blonde Lawyer

            I worked in a juvenile correctional facility and had to announce my presence at the start of my shift before making rounds if I was in the boys unit. This just brought back funny memories.

    • Shayla

      Well, you could start with “choosing based upon gender is against the law.” Which, I’m fairly certain is as true in Canada as in the U.S. Justifying your discrimination with fears of looking bad doesn’t remove the discrimination.

    • Alli

      A man mentoring a woman has the same benefits as… a person mentoring a person. If he needs to be persuaded that women have the same beneficial qualities as the men he is willing to mentor, that’s disappointing. If he needs to know why it’s detrimental to refuse to hire female students, it’s detrimental because IT IS ILLEGAL.

    • bridget

      Working late with a woman, with open office doors, is not a problem. Working late with a woman, going out for drinks with her one-on-one, putting your arm around her, etc., causes problems.

  5. Living By Yourself

    After some bad roommate situations in college (some with strangers and some with (now formerly) good friends) I decided to get a studio (more like a junior one bedroom) after I graduated. Its been a little over a year now and I really love it. I wasnt nervous at all about living by myself and its a really affordable apartment near work and metro to visit friends. However, for some reason in the past few weeks when I mention it to people they almost have pity and its weird/almost makes me second guess my decision. About 90% of the time I love it but there are some days I wish I could have someone to watch a silly movie with me or cook with (I’m also single so I’m sure that plays some part in this). For those who have lived by yourself at some point, what was your experience like? Any tips for when I feel like this?

    • mascot

      Do you have other friends nearby that are also living alone? Make plans to cook dinner or watch tv together. Sometimes you just want to co-habitate for a few hours and that is ok. I lived alone in law school, as did many of my friends. We would get together to study even if it just meant someone came over and sat on my couch reading without talking for several hours. It met that need to companionship, but I still got the benefits of having my own space.

      • Runner 5

        I’m cosigning this. Sometimes I have a friend come around and we just sit in companionable silence, each doing what we need to do on our own laptops and occasionally sharing a wisecrack. It fills the void when you really need to see someone (either that person specifically or just ‘a person’) but also have a huge to do list.

    • Mpls

      Don’t let other people’s expectations about life ruin your good thing. Just because they can’t imagine it working for them, doesn’t mean it can’t/shouldn’t work for you. (Also, guys live alone all the time. Are they giving you the pity-eye because you are a *woman* living alone and hence doomed to spinsterdom?)

      I love living by myself because it avoids all the roommate-type negotiations. I see people at work, I hang out with friends, I invite friends over, but the majority of my time at home is by myself. And it is awesome. I don’t have to worry about my mess bugging me or anyone else’s mess bugging me. No one borrows my stuff without asking and I don’t have to worry about how someone will react if I borrow their stuff without having an opportunity to ask.

      I can only remember one person ever expressing surprise that I liked living alone. She knew I came from a large extended family (and have younger siblings) and she seemed to think that meant I was used to have people around all the time and would feel lonely living by myself.

      • CountC

        All of this. I LOVE living alone. LOVE IT. Mostly because I do’nt have to wear pants (as I have mentioned before), but also because I can do whatever the sam he11 I want to!

        If you miss watching a silly movie with someone, invite someone over to watch a silly movie! I am sure one (or more) of your friends would appreciate the invite. :) I don’t invite people over because I don’t particularly like people in my space, so this isn’t something that I struggle with. I would rather be alone that with people most of the time, but I don’t struggle to make time to see my friends otherwise. Just not in my own house!

    • Killer Kitten Heels

      Living by myself was glorious. I’m married now, and I absolutely long for the days of having a space that was 100% mine. My guess is that the people who are making it weird are people who have not lived alone, and/or major extroverts who don’t quite understand how much some, less-extroverted people can truly enjoy the quiet of their own company.

      I do get what you’re saying about sometimes wanting someone to cook with, or watch a silly movie with, but honestly? Roommates aren’t always able to fill that role anyway (nor are significant others, all of the time). I think if you’re happy with your arrangement 90% of the time, those are pretty good numbers, and you’re doing the right thing for you.

      For the times you do feel lonely, are there friends you can call? When I lived solo, that was usually when I’d Skype with a friend who was living in another country. Also, if it happens consistently at the same time each week, maybe find an activity to fill that particular time slot on your calendar? (Example: I found Sunday mornings super lonely, since most of my friends were typically still sleeping off Saturday night, so I found a yoga class to go to on Sunday mornings, then took myself to “breakfast” at the coffee shop next to the yoga studio after class, and it helped a lot to just be around other people.)

      • SuziStockbroker

        it’s not weird to enjoy living alone at ALL. Like Killer Kitten Heels, I loved it (and miss it a lot sometimes now that I am married with 3 kids!).

        90% is a pretty good ratio. Try to figure out, as KKH notes above, if there is a specific pattern to any loneliness and see if you can address that.

    • Alice

      I loved, loved, loved living alone in my studio apartment. No idea why people think it’s weird. Maybe because you are doing it right out of college, rather than doing the roommate thing for another decade? If so, they’ll think it’s less weird as time goes on. I have plenty of friends who live alone. Really, enjoy it, have get togethers with friends as mascot suggests, and ignore those people.

    • Living By Yourself

      OP here, thanks for all the great responses thusfar! just to clarify I do have several friends in the area I make plans with and I work out a few times a week so I definitely get out. But when plans fall through, I’m having a bad day/week, etc the (albeit rare) comments about living alone can get to me but other than that I’m happy with my choice. I think its also just rare for someone my age (23) to be living by herself to begin with along with the change in socializing post-college as well.

      • CountC

        Here’s where you have to work on not letting other people’s judgments affect yours. Why does it matter if someone thinks it’s weird that you live alone? Or sad? Or whatever adjective you are perceiving they are throwing out there? That’s on them. They are projecting some insecurity they have on you. It’s not about you, honestly, it’s about them. If you are happy, that’s what matters. I would doubt that anyone is 100% happy with all of their choices 100% of the time, that’s just not how life works IMO. I agree that 90% is awfully darn good! When you get discouraged by a comment, force yourself to think back to a great moment of living alone and choose to remember that, not the comment. Choosing how you react to things is one of the great parts of becoming an emotionally mature adult :)

      • anon

        It is not odd for a 23-year-old to live alone. You are fortunate to be able to do so. Living alone is an important step in establishing your own identity as an adult. Among the people I know, those who lived with roommates for an extended period of time after college tended to take a lot longer to grow up, stop acting like college kids, and start making smart decisions.

        • Carrie...

          +1

          I was unable to live alone at your age because I couldn’t afford it. But as soon as I could I bolted. Loved it so so much. Too much drama living with women in their 20’s. Too many boyfriends staying over. Too little privacy. And the older I got, the harder I found it to live with friends and keep the same expectations about being roommates.

          I think a lot of your “friends” making comments about you living alone are doing so out of ignorance and jealousy. It’s not like they all have done it for a few years and gone back to living with roommates, right? Or if they have, it is likely because of job loss or failure to launch etc…

      • lawsuited

        Maybe remember that having a roommate wouldn’t stop plans from falling through sometimes or prevent you from being on your own occasionally when you’d rather be with other people. In some cases, you often see more of your roommate’s dishes than you actually see of them. I’m surprised that anyone reacts to you living alone by feeling sorry for you, I feel sorry for people who have to live with roommates!

      • bridget

        Think about it this way: if you lived with roommates, people would judge that, too. There’s always lame people who get judgy over things that aren’t worth getting judgy over. (Career shoplifter? Judge away. Living in a studio versus living with housemates? BFD.)

      • Killer Kitten Heels

        OP, at 23, you are doing yourself a big favor by learning to live on your own now.

        I know too many women who went straight from parents’ homes, to dorms, to shared apartments with other women, to living with significant others, who are held back from leaving bad relationships at 33 or 43 or 53 because they are “afraid to live alone” (their words, not mine). My own mother delayed a very-much-needed-for-her-emotional-health-and-financial-well-being divorce for FIVE years because “then [she’d] be all alone.” Knowing you can keep your own company can be hugely empowering for your future self.

        • JJ

          I agree so much. My mom told me that I needed to spend time living alone before I moved in with my fiancee at the time. She was right – it’s important to learn how to be alone with yourself.

      • cbackson

        FWIW, I lived alone for two years in college and I still live alone today. I LOVE IT. I love it so much that sometimes I think that when I get remarried, I may need to have a separate apartment just to go hang out in by myself from time to time. So I don’t view it as lame at all, for what it’s worth!

          • cbackson

            No, just thinking optimistically! :-) I’m not even seriously dating anyone, but I just sort of have the sense that I’ll end up married again (hopefully more happily!).

        • Anon

          “I love it so much that sometimes I think that when I get remarried, I may need to have a separate apartment just to go hang out in by myself from time to time.”

          Okay, good. I’m not the only one who thinks this type of thing (I was thinking just a room of my own: YMMV, and I may not be thinking big enough)!

    • Anonymous

      Living alone isn’t weird, it’s awesome! Married now, but let me tell you, the adjustment period when he moved in was rough. I cherished my alone-ness and peaceful, uninterrupted downtime. Sure, there were brief bouts of loneliness, but having a roomie didn’t always alleviate that anyway. Usually I just invited friends over or vice versa. Having a dog made me feel not alone too.

    • Great decision

      Here is another thought: you can be surrounded by people and still be lonely. That is something most people don’t realise. I too was somewhat forced into living alone because of awful roommate situations. I use the word “forced” because I really did not mind having roommates–however the people I was living with constantly argued and would not handle their chores around the house, despite us having come to an agreement. So in the end the house never truly felt like home.

      I was scared when I decided to get my own place, mainly because of the cost–I was in grad school. But looking back it was one of the BEST decisions I made for myself in my twenties. Over the years there are times when I felt lonely but it was mostly because I did not make an effort to be social with people. So my advice to you is to CHERISH this time and when you want company invite people over. I came to realise that some people just don’t have the confidence to live by themselves. So all the talk of you being weird or whatever is the result of them projecting their own insecurities on to you. It may sound harsh but I believe it to be true. So you go ahead and enjoy your space!

    • Senior Attorney

      OMG living alone is the best! I am honestly surprised that your peers are anything other than pea-green with envy that you are able to pull it off at your age. (Which they probably are, and covering it up by saying it’s weird…)

    • SC

      OP, I’m in the same situation — studio, 24 yrs old, single, living alone right after college. I also really love it, although the occasional loneliness sets in, esp when I see friends from other cities who are together. But I think that’s normal. Most of the time, I like being in a place I chose & decorated, getting to do, cook, watch, etc whatever I want. Don’t regret what feels good for you, it’s your life. When I feel down, I look around my apartment and think about how great this adventure is, and I try to feel proud of what I’ve accomplished in my new city and my new space that I couldn’t have done with roommates present. That usually helps. Good luck!

  6. tesyaa

    I have a similar lightweight turtleneck (in black, thought) that I got at Kohl’s for $9.00.

    • Meg Murry

      Yes, my lightweight layering turtleneck is from Target and was probably in the $10 and under category. It is tissue weight though, so somewhat sheer on its own – I only wear it under something I would never take off, like a sheath dress, to avoid wardrobe malfunction.

  7. Paging Classpass DC

    I missed your post yesterday, but I live in DC and got a free two-week trial code in the mail. Happy to post it later today (it’s at home), but will be on the afternoon thread.

  8. Osteoarthritis?

    We’re generally a young and healthy crowd, but does anyone else have osteoarthritis? I thought I’d pulled something but it turns out it’s osteoarthritis (and I have no risk factors, aside from being female). I’m trying the take-it-easy approach (NSAIDs, rest), but have no idea what this will be like long-term (right now, it’s like a pulled muscle level of inconvenience and pain, but I feel like I’m starting to break down and am poorly assembled).

    • Anonymous

      I lived by myself after college in the cutest studio and I loved it. I made sure I had plans every Saturday night and spent a lot of time on the phone with friends when I was feeling lonely.

    • tesyaa

      My sister-in-law has had this for at least 15 years, since probably her early 30s. She recently completed a triathlon. I’m not sure what her treatment involves, but she is obviously doing well.

    • Batgirl

      I was recently diagnosed with it in my lower back. No real solution yet to the pain it’s causing, but it does make me feel like a grandma and is a little depressing. It definitely strikes at young ages, though. And you can reverse a lot of it through specific types of exercise, at least according to my doc.

    • Carrie...

      Yes, I have it. It runs in my family. It is also quite common, and for most of us it will not inhibit function.

      Which joints are affected to you? Have you had trauma there in the past, or did this just arise on its own in symmetric joints?

      Definitely using anti-inflammatories can be helpful in a flare. I like to minimize my medication use at times, so I learned that heat or cold packs, or topical anti-inflammatories (if it is just a joint or two) can work well.

      I also strongly recommend a round of physical therapy so you can learn some good strengthening exercises to keep up with on your own to help prevent flares. I try to keep my weight down, which definitely improves symptoms in hips/knees. You want to delay progression, as those of us with osteoarthritis that progress may need joint replacements later in life. That = surgery, which is expensive and time consuming for recovery, although life changing for many. But joint replacements don’t last forever, so you want to delay them as long as possible. Healthy habits now can help do that.

      • OP

        Thanks!

        It’s a finger (and not on my dominant hand). I’m not sure my weight should be a factor, but I’ve always been around 125 pounds. The sports I do are pretty low-impact for hands (so no roller derby or softball or anything that might be hand-involving). And I’m pretty sedentary these days.

        It’s been eye-opening. I totally appreciate now how prosthetic hands are not just cosmetic (as they were for a long time) but are functional (but nothing beats a working hand / finger), too.

        • Carrie...

          Hands are hard…. I have post-traumatic arthritis in one finger due to a bad break in a knuckle, and then very mild arthritis (inherited from Mom…) in all my finger joints that will progress over time. My joint arthritis right now manifests mostly as stiffness and enlargement of the knuckles, which will increase with time. Hopefully the pain comes late…

          My exercise/weight loss recs can’t help the hands, unfortunately! That is more for the knees/hips. I’m glad it is your non-dominant hand. I would try to maintain flexibility though. When you are watching TV, or sitting on the train/bus, or relaxing…. do some of these simple exercises for your finger to maintain flexibility.

          http://www.healthline.com/health/osteoarthritis/arthritis-hand-exercises#FingerBends4

          The topicals might be good for you. Heat/cold, topical anti-inflammatories.

    • Little Red

      For the past week, I’ve been feeling shooting pain in my left arm and near left shoulder blade. I went to the NP on Monday because I wanted to rule out a heart attack. I had x-rays done of my neck area and she just called me to tell me that I have cervical spondylosis which also goes by cervical osteoarthritis. I’m one week away from my forty-third birthday. So I feel your pain. Quite literally. She wants me to go for an MRI just to rule out anything more serious. And I’ll be starting physical therapy next week. Hopefully, the PT will be sufficient. Hang in there.

    • De

      I have rheumatoid arthritis, so that’s quite a different illness, but I know how much your body failing you sucks, so you have my sympathy. I was 24 when it started…

      One word of advice is to talk to your doctors about how to protect your stomach from the NSAIDs. I now have gastritis on top of all the other stuff and that’s just not good.

  9. have you handwashed "the skirt"?

    I got two of these during the latest NAS and love the fit, but the tag says dry clean only. I haven’t worn them yet, so they’re either going to be returned or get hand washed if I keep them. The fabric content is polyester/viscose/spandex with nylon(? I think) lining. Does anyone successfully handwash theirs?

    • Anonymous

      I have been surprised that I can go shockingly long without cleaning this thing at all. I just iron it and go. Maybe I get the two I have (one is tan) cleaned annually? I think you’ll be fine.

    • Lisa

      I wash ALL of my The Skirts. Delicate, cool water, hang dry and have never had a problem. I only wash then two, maybe 3 times a season (meaning spring/summer and fall/winter)

    • have you handwashed "the skirt"?

      Awesome, thank you! I’m transitioning from a casual to business casual office, so I really want these to work. Plus, I love the dark camel colored one.

    • (Former) Clueless Summer

      I assume it is lined. Given the fabric, you can definitely wash but put in a mesh bag if you put it in the machine. I have a machine wash lined skirt and the outside is fine, but the lining keeps getting ripped. I wish I had put it in a baggie from the beginning.

      • Bonnie

        Washining it in a mesh bag actually made it really wrinkled. I wash mine on the most delicate cycle and let it dry on a rack.

  10. In the Pink

    I find that turtlenecks don’t work for my hourglass type. I also need to have a neckline showing to look “good.” I have really enjoyed the V neck and scoop neck tops by Judy P. At times, they are carried in Gumps catalogue. Otherwise, I can just order from her web shop or an area boutique in my town. The variety of colors is amazing. I like that there is double fabric on the fronts of each, but sometimes I still have the headlight or strap bump issue. In the winters I find they do a great job as a layering piece. Although I’m not a fan of layering under dresses, I do like them as a layer with a shorter sleeve on top. In the summers they are workhorses with suits (esp. their tank style) or underneath cardis. I just hand wash and hang over the shower rod on a chamois to dry, then hang on hangers to lose some wrinkles. Ultimately, when I have alot worn and then washed/dried, I do the steamer routine. Then I fold up on a shelf in the closet. Lovely products. I don’t have any relationship to the company.

    • LBH

      It looks like this is from the people who make my favorite LBH shirts (LBH sells to tennis shops in my area and markets itself as for sports, but I just use the shirts as shells). Glad to see them up and running. I really can stop buying at any time. IIRC, they run a little small (so I buy a medium here even though I am XS at land’s end; their S was a little snug on me).

  11. Anon S

    How frequent do you guys redecorate your home? And I’m not talking about major renovations or big ticket new pieces of furniture, but things like pictures or things hanging on the wall, items such as vases or something on your table or mantle, etc.?

    • Wildkitten

      I change up some decor for the holidays, but other than that, basically never.

    • lawsuited

      I don’t very often change things on the walls, but will change a rug, throw pillows, a few decorative accents, maybe a small piece of furniture like a coffee table or accent chair or coat rack every season (but not all at once).

    • Gail the Goldfish

      Other than decorating for holidays (hello, Halloween, my favorite holiday ever. And Christmas), almost never. I buy art as a souvenir when I travel, so I usually add something after a trip, but that’s not redecorating so much as finding space to accommodate the new piece.

    • Anon

      I find it’s a lot like my wardrobe. When I was younger, I was always buying fun and trendy things at stores and changing things up. Now that I’m older, I’ve defined my signature style and only buy (and keep around!) things I love.

      I’ll change a few home accents for the seasons, but other than that, I leave it alone because I love it all.

    • Anomanom

      As the counter to these, I tend to make changes seasonally now that I am back somewhere with 4 seasons. That said, I rent my home, so am limited on major changes I can make and am not in a life place where buying makes sense. New throw pillows and changing out the table decor helps satisfy the desire for change on a level I can realistically do.

    • Chicago Bean Accounter

      We also mostly add to what we have vs redecorate – we have fairly minimal decor so it’s quite easy to find places. Most of our things come from events and travels or are created from random inspirations I get – small print of the L line that runs by our place purchased at an art fair, antique brass sailboat statue found at an antique store in Austin, a wooden crate I stained to store paintings I do at Bottle & Bottega events. Some are gifts – a German glass bowl I received from a VP at my company.

    • graphite

      On my own I added or subtracted about once every 2-3 years. (I’m not a very visual person.) Now that I live with my DH, an amateur artist, the nick-knacks are in constant rotation! Every few months he’ll pack a few up to the attic and take a few others down. I absolutely don’t get it but it makes him so happy.

    • Maddie Ross

      I have a young child, so I’ll add a photo or two every 6 months or so. Right now, I have lots of empty space on my bookshelves so it makes sense just to add. When it fills up a bit more, I’ll probably rotate or change out as she gets older.

    • Senior Attorney

      I just did a top-to-bottom renovation/decorating project so at this point the decor is pretty stable. Generally, though, it’s an ongoing project — I change things out as time goes by to keep it current. Major room re-do’s maybe once in 10-15 years, much less for built-in areas like kitchens and baths.

    • Sus

      I call it rearranging, rather than redecorating and I do it all the time. I inherited a few favorite pieces from my grandmother and my mother is a professional photographer, so between those two things and my own favorite items I have plenty of things to bring out and put away as the mood strikes me.

    • Must be Tuesday

      In my adult life, I’ve never lived in a single home for longer than 4 years, and even in those 2-4 years that I’m in one place, I tend to rearrange and adjust as the mood strikes or when I get an idea for something that might work better than my current arrangement, which is every few months. It’s not a complete redecoration of a whole room or the whole house, but bits and pieces here and there. In the 2.5 years I’ve been in my current home, I’ve rearranged the dining room twice (once when I got a new table), rearranged the living room 3 times (once just because, the second time when I got new stools, and the 3rd time when I got an idea for how to use something from my basement as a coffee table, and that’s not counting the adjustments I make every year when I put up the Christmas tree), and my enclosed back porch 4 or 5 times. Bedroom hasn’t changed, and I can’t keep track of the number of times my SO has rearranged his office and moved furniture in and out of there. We’ve both lived in larger places alone in the past, so we have a lot of spare furniture in the basement and I like to shop at thrift stores and my SO likes craigslist.

  12. Anon

    Where is the feature that allows you to receive emails when there are additional comments?

  13. Shopping Help?

    I finally made the decision to get some professional “work” headshots done – I have my company headshot as my LinkedIn picture and I hate it so much, but prefer to have a professional portrait over a snapshot. I also have had a few requests recently for headshots to accompany speaking engagements, so I decided to go ahead and get some done. Luckily I’m in Los Angeles so there are plenty of great headshot photographers to choose from.

    So, now I’m on the hunt for an appropriate top to wear for this. I am looking for a dark purple or wine colored top with a flattering but not busy neckline. I don’t want to wear a collared shirt and am hoping to find something with a nice v-neck or cowl neck. I’m not sure yet on jewelry – I don’t have pierced ears so it would have to be a simple necklace.

    I work on the West Coast in an executive position in an growing IT start-up, so the overall tone I’m going for is a balance of being young and cutting edge but also responsible / professional. I’m not planning to wear a jacket for the pictures. Any shopping help? Any other tips? TIA!

  14. New Homeowner

    I am a recent homeowner (first time home! really exciting), and so far it has been a little stressful trying to get everything together, including switching our utilities. Since this is our first home, we have never had to get natural gas and now that I am looking into it, I am very confuse (especially since Georgia has deregulated gas) and would welcome any advice. Unfortunately, we did NOT ask the former owners during closing and have no way to contact them and inquire about their gas service. Our home is in metro Atlanta.

      • Senior Attorney

        Or ask your realtor. He/she is probably very familiar with the neighborhood.

    • mascot

      Just pick which rate is cheapest and switch if necessary or ask the company to match. We’ve had Scana, now using Ga Natural Gas. Both have been fine. Clark Howard may have some rate info on his website.

    • Anonymous

      Not in Atlanta so no specific advice, but I find the City-Data city subforums helpful for stuff like this. Your neighborhood’s Next Door page and any neighborhood groups on FB may also be helpful.

      We have deregulated electricity in Texas so to the extent the process is similar, I’ll throw out some tips on that–just sub in the natural gas unit everywhere I say kWH. Here, it basically requires going to a website that lists the current plan promos from different retail providers, reviewing the “electricity facts label” that lists all of the different component charges and making a spreadsheet showing what your bill would be at various kWH usages, and comparing those while also weighing contract lengths and potential for what prices will be at the end of that term

      For example, some plans will start out with a higher base rate but as your usage increases the bill does up slowly, so there’s less risk for a huge bill if you have a high month. Some will give you a super low bill (and possibly even a credit) if you stay under 1000kWH, but if you go 1 kWH over that, your bill is astronomical–so it’s a lot of weighing your expected usage and risk tolerance. If you don’t know typical gas usage from prior owners, I’d start with a slightly higher but steady plan that doesn’t have that super high end skyrocket potential, while you get a sense for what your usage will be. As far as term, you consider for example whether you want to do a 3 month in winter because rates will be better in April, or do a 12 month because rates are rock bottom and you want to seal that rate as long as you can.

      When your contract term is up, you repeat the process and change retail providers. The actual change does not involve any interruption of service–it’s just a hassle doing the shopping again and setting up a new account and payment information. I say “change” because you will almost always get a better deal with a new customer promo from a different provider than whatever your current provider is offering, but it doesn’t hurt to call and see if they’ll match or beat the best new customer offer out there at the time. It is unlikely you’ll be able to keep your original plan because prices change constantly.

      One last thing, I know several providers in Texas try to retain customers by offering referral credits and some even in pyramid scheme fashion where if you refer a friend and she refers 3 more, you get credit for those too. Some people love getting free electricity this way; I find the idea of having to recruit my friends really uncomfortable. It’s just a matter of personality. If you’re a natural at that sort of stuff, those providers may be a good deal for you. If not, their rates are usually not the lowest because they’re compensating for providing for those bonuses, so I’d run the numbers but generally assume you can avoid.

    • Anon

      I used Georgia Natural Gas and don’t have any complaints. I think you’ll be fine with any of the major providers.

  15. question about growing basil

    How long can a small basil plant that just germinated go without watering and survive? I’ll be gone for 5 days on vacation, and I don’t have a roommate or anyone to water it. It’s being grown in a small indoor pot for now.

    • Anonymous

      Look up wicking plant waterers – never tried but a lot of people seem to use them.

      • ace

        Love this comment… and that’s exactly where my mind went. As Seen on TV products FTW!

    • lawsuited

      You can “water” pot plants while you’re away by putting a bottle of water next to the pot with a shoe lace going from inside the bottle into the soil in the pot. I used to do this when I was in university and went away over the holidays without any ill effects.

      • question about growing basil

        this sounds awesome and it’s a perfect way to re-use a shoelace from an old shoe i was going to throw out! (i’ll be sure to properly wash the shoelace first)

        • lawsuited

          I forgot to add that you should cut off the plastic aglets off the ends of the shoelace or not enough water will be able to get through.

    • Lyssa

      I love the shoelace trick idea.

      I used to have a collection of potted herbs, and left them for a week a few times without a problem,. They were indoors, and I watered them very heavily right before I left.

  16. Cleaning supplies

    We’re hiring a housecleaner who asks that we buy the cleaning supplies. Any recommendations on non-toxic cleaning supplies that work very well? Thanks!

    • Anonymous

      Seventh Generation, Meyer’s, and Method are all good. I personally like Method just for the smell better.

      You can also google formulations to make your own.

      • AIMS

        I love Method. I found Meyer’s to be a little too scented and not that impressive quality wise. The geranium smell lingers for hours and not in a good way. Seventh Generation is okay, but I found I really disliked the lack of bubbles in their dish soap. Anyway, Method. It’s awesome and not expensive if you buy it at Target.

        • Anonymous

          I also love that they sell the soft-pac refills instead of always having to buy new plastic dispensers.

    • nontoxic

      Seventh Generation Disinfecting Multi-Surface cleaner does a great job. For some reason, the Disinfecting Bathroom Cleaner doesn’t get anything clean.

      Method glass cleaner works well with minimal streaking.

      For wood and laminate floors, I like Method Squirt and Mop, but it doesn’t disinfect. I have not found a nontoxic disinfecting floor cleaner that works well.

      For furniture, the Seventh Generation and Method products leave a mess. I have used the Mrs. Meyers Multi-Surface Everyday Cleaner on semi-gloss painted wood without any issues. Sometimes I just use a lightly dampened cloth. Swiffer Dusters are good for light dusting.

    • CountC

      I recently bought a bottle of Dr. Bronner’s castile soap with lavender to mix up my own cleaning solution. So far, I love it! Otherwise, I would do vinegar and water.

      • Anonymous

        I’ve been using the Tea Tree Dr. Bronner’s for cleaning and eventually it started building up and leaving a film all over my bathroom. I’m not sure if it’s from the tea tree oil or if it’s Dr. Bronner’s in general.

  17. Anon

    Where is a good place to buy plates and flatware? Not looking for china or anything, just good, quality, everyday stuff. I am willing to spend $$$, but don’t want to spend money just for a label if the quality isn’t there.

    • TBK

      Macy’s, Crate & Barrel, Pottery Barn, Bed Bath & Beyond, Williams Sonoma. Lots of places. Are you looking for anything in particular?

      • Anonymous

        I’ve used C&B and really liked them, but thought the individual pieces were really expensive and I don’t like the dinnerware sets (such as below) there or anywhere because I like to buy nice pretty mugs from places and don’t need or wants the mugs that come in the sets.

      • OP

        I have used C&B dishes and really like them, but think they are expensive and wasn’t sure if the cost was actually worth it or if it was inflated for C&B. I don’t like buying dinnerware sets (like the below) there or anywhere, because they always come with mugs that I don’t need / want. I like to buy my own individual pretty mugs!

        • Anon

          I’m the Anon who recommended the set – they also sell all of these components separately!!

        • Anonymous

          C&B just sent me a catalogue with a 15% off coupon in it. You can probably get one, or if you really want, I can check mine and post the code for you. I would say buy dishes from a big store like C&B, Williams Sonoma, CB2, Ikea, etc where the patterns will not change often . If you shop at Home Goods, in a few years you’re not going to be able to get more plates. Even if they still carry the same line, you’re not going to get a full set at a store. At Crate & Barrel you can waltz in and buy what you want a decade later.

          • OP

            Thanks anon! I will just go ahead and ask them for the discount code now that I know it’s out there.

        • Anon

          I just went through the plates buying process and found it was a lot easier to go to a big mall and sort through things in person. I also didn’t need the mugs that came with the sets. I was looking for something patterned rather than plain; it was easy to find white dishes at a reasonable price everywhere. My thoughts:

          1) Bloomingdales had more options in stock to look at than Macy’s. I really liked all the Villeroy and Boch stuff, though it was more expensive than I wanted; but a friend who has it has said it holds up well.

          2) I found the options at Williams and Sonoma and C&B to be underwhelming unless you were looking for plain white dishes. Though I kind of liked some botanical plates they had on sale at that point at Williams and Sonoma.

          3) Where I had the most success was the mid-ranged furniture/decor stores. I liked a number of the options at West Elm and all were reasonably priced. Ended up buying from a place called Z Gallerie and got 8 place settings for slightly over $200. It happened they had a pattern I liked, but stores of that type had a lot of options at about that price range.

        • lawsuited

          If you don’t want to pay CB or PB prices (which I get), I recommend the IKEA 365 collection. I think it looks and feels nice, it’s cheap as chips, and it’s always available so it’s easy and inexpensive to replace anything that breaks. (And honestly, it’s stoneware, some pieces will get chipped or broken over time no matter where you buy it or how much you pay for it.)

        • OP

          Thanks all – these are great tips! It seems like I should check out West Elm, C&B, Pottery Barn, and Fiestaware in person. Definitely looking for individual pieces and happy to pay, just wasn’t sure if the value was there!

    • Anondc

      I’m a Ross/TJ Maxx/ Marshalls/Homegoods fan and got literally everything for my apartment and it looks pretty great because of it! I’m typically able to find a great full piece set for both flatware and plates (along with bowls, wine glasses, etc). If you’re willing to spend money then I definitely recommend World Market for more unique, colorful pieces and Williams Sonoma for more variety of modern, basic, and unique pieces.

      • Jules

        +1 to Homegoods, etc. I’m furnishing my post-divorce house and left most of that stuff behind; it’s been fun to get all new things. (Ex-H offered to split the dishes and the flatware we’ve had for 20 years. Right, we can each have 3-1/2 spoons.)

        I got good quality Oneida flatware for a great price at Homegoods and actually got most of my dishes at the Dollar Tree. I bought very nice white china square-ish plates and soup/pasta dishes and round side plates for $1 each. I didn’t like the bowls there so got some that match nicely from Ikea and rounded things out with small square dishes (for berries, dips, etc.) from Target and platters from target & CB2. Everything looks great together, I got compliments at my first big dinner. I don’t see any difference in quality, really, from what you would get at PB or the like. (This would be different if you want actual “china.”)

      • lawsuited

        The only problem with buying at these places is that it’s difficult to buy additional/replacement pieces if something breaks or your needs change. My favourite cutlery came from HomeSense (the Canadian version of HomeGoods) and I went to 8-10 different HomeSense stores in neighbouring cities trying to find additional sets.

    • N.C. anon

      I love the Fiestaware plates we received for our wedding. They seem to be very good quality and colorful to boot. I had to laugh when we received ours, though. We got some yellow because it’s my favorite color and some green for my husband. When we put them together it looks like Green Bay Packers colors. Luckily, we’re fans.

      • Anonymous

        I adore my Fiestaware. I have many pieces that are vintage and many new ones and they hold up really really well. As a bonus, they’re easy to find if you need to replace them and you can change up the color anytime you want.

      • lucy stone

        As a Packers fan (and owner!) this made me LOL. We have four colors of Fiesta (cobalt, shamrock, lapis, and turquoise) and love it. I think we might need some yellow now so we can have Packer plates for game day.

    • Anonymous

      I get tons of compliments on my set from Target, which isn’t what i expected. I grabbed a set to be temporary while I looked for a nicer, permanent set, but it has worked so well that I just stuck with it.

      It has also been easy to replace when I’ve broken a bowl.

    • Walnut

      I use Fiestaware and the basic boxed Caterer’s collection from Pottery Barn. Fiestaware can be found for the best prices at Amazon, Kohls or department stores on Black Friday. Also check out ebay, Craigstlist, etc.

      I found the PB Caterer’s collections to be a pretty solid value if you’re just looking for basics. I’ve had all of mine for two years and haven’t had any break or chip yet. It’s also easy to just get the size of pieces you want rather than buying sets and getting sizes that you’ll never use.

    • J

      I prefer stoneware over everything and have a coordinated mix of pieces, all inherited or thrifted over the years. I mix and match Buffalo China, a couple of pieces of Fiestaware, and Franciscan Desert Rose for my everyday meals. I also have a mix of Noritake Painted Desert and Mikasa Aruba (similar ombre-ish designs and complementary colorways) that I use for visitors. Buffalo China is hands down what I’d buy if I were in the market for new tableware. It’s plain, but well made and pretty classic.

    • Unsub

      Take a look at Fishs Eddy (http://www.fishseddy.com). I got our everyday set of really cute Hawaiian Girls dishes there years and years ago and they have worn like iron. We have granite countertops and I have slippery fingers and still not one chip.

  18. OTR and camping

    Yesterday’s discussion of feminine hygiene left me with two thoughts:

    1. If you are going camping, what do you do re supplies / disposing of them?

    2. When you were younger, what did you do re sleep-away-camps?

    FWIW, I’ve always had awful, bordering on debilitating cramps (only better now that I’ve had children, both girls). I got my period when I was 11, which was very early. I’ve never camped, but my husband is a camper and I’d like for us to all start camping now that everyone is school aged and dry overnight.

    For me, what about going OTR in the woods? For my daughters, I’d want them to start some sleep-away camps earlier so they at least get to enjoy them before having to deal with periods at camp (esp. with swimming very common and not being sure when girls start using tampons).

    • Anonymous

      I’ve never seen it as much of an issue, honestly. It depends on what kind of camping you are doing. If you are in a campground, chances are there are regular bathrooms, either with plumbing or outhouse type, that often have garbage cans inside that are taken care of by camp staff, so just toss used items. If going more rustic, just bring a sandwich baggie with you, or even pre-package your tampons and pads in individual baggies, to carry used products in and dispose of in garbage at camp. No biggie. Just don’t discard products down an outhouse hole, that’ll mess up the disposal of the waste big time.

      Also, as a side note, I recently realized that tampons are NOT flushable/dissolvable. I’m embarrassed that it took me so long to realize this. I recently started working on the Environmental side of things, and discovered that flushed tampons, if they don’t plug up the system somewhere along the way, get caught in a screen before entering the water treatment plant and are physically scraped up, loaded in a truck, and ultimately taken to a landfill, where they would end up if I just tossed them in the first place.

      http://jezebel.com/time-to-accept-reality-and-stop-flushing-tampons-down-t-1566737300

      • anon

        A plumber friend calls these “white mice” because they are responsible for a large chunk of his business. They will wreak absolute havoc on your plumbing, eventually.

    • Camp Questions

      I distinctly remember being at camp when I was about 12 and having my period. It worked. It was a co-ed camp, but my cabin was all girls. I just brought supplies with me (at that age, I probably would have packed them as a precautionary measure anyway, as I was not at all regular until my 30s). I was not the only girl in the cabin dealing with it.

      I’ve also camped (backpacking in) during that time. I have no qualms about disposing of tampons in latrines at campsites (not even sure if I should – I think they are somewhat biodegradable). I’ve always packed out used supplies though. Just bring a Ziploc.

      • Anonymous

        Common, off the shelf tampons are not biodegradable. And even if they contain no rayon, they still don’t degrade in the sewer system itself, and need to be collected from a filter screen and transported to a landfill.

      • Parfait

        Ew no. Don’t put them in the latrine or portopotty. Nothing that your body didn’t produce originally should go in there except single-ply rustic toilet paper. Carry a ziploc.

      • Anonymous

        In terms of my ecological impact, throwing a tampon down an outhouse or toilet is the least of my worries.

        • Anonymous

          Not saying you should dive in after it, but what’s the big deal about re-training ourselves to throw them away, vs. creating a potential plumbing issue, or making someone deal with them at the water treatment plant? Just because it disappears down a toilet doesn’t mean it belongs there. Is it so horrible to throw them away? I’m wondering how it became so common to flush them in the first place… no one flushes pads, why are tampons such a big deal to toss? (Says a woman who is finding it very hard to train herself to not flush the darn things!)

          And outhouse is a totally different thing, depending on what kind it is. Those can be a big deal depending on the system, I think, and really effect the efficiency in an eco outhouse, and cause someone to have to do some nasty work in a commercial one that needs to be pumped.

        • Anonymous

          And this isn’t about the environmental impact… this is about being responsible with your own waste products so it doesn’t damage an important system, regardless if it is the local water treatment plant, someone’s septic field, an campground eco toilet, or a private company’s porta-potty.

          • backpacker

            +1

            Everyone should also be required to read/look at the photos from those articles concerning the GIANT GREASE BALLS that are clogging up water treatment systems. Gahhahghghghhg.

      • mascot

        I had just turned 11 when I had my first period. Hated the pads, so by the second month, I was using tampons. As long as a girl knows how to use them properly and the guidelines for length of wear, I don’t see why you can’t start them early on. I went to summer camp and and it was NBD. Tampons were much practical for swimming and horseback riding.

    • Anonymous

      My daughter is 12, started her period at about 11. We go camping and she goes to sleep away camp, no issues. There are restrooms where she goes to camp, think college dorms and girl scout camp. We “car camp” and there are also rest rooms so no usual issues. I think it would only be a major issue is you were backpacking and totally out in the wilderness in which case I would look at the calendar and try to schedule appropriately. For what it’s worth, she uses tampons and has since almost the very first time. Hope that helps!

      • Anonymous

        I think it would be a whole separate post for girls and tampons. My mother didn’t travel for work and I am dreading when my husband has to handle this (even with pads — dude, they are like diapers: change every few hours unless sleeping! biohazard! dispose of property and take that trash outside to the bin!).

        • Anonymous

          I know you probably didn’t mean it that way, but your daughter will be capable of taking care of her pads and tampons herself. Your husband doesn’t need to handle anything, yuck.

    • backpacker

      Avid backpacker here.

      You do what’s called “packing out” your used supplies. Carry a roll of tissue with you, wrap up your used tampons and their wrappers, place them in a sealed ziplock bag (double bag as you see fit), and place that in your backpack and throw away when you’re out of the backcountry (there are no trashcans in the backcountry). It’s so easy. If you are camping somewhere with bears (especially Grizzly), you should be careful to use unscented or lightly scented products and also place your used supplies in your bear box, along with the rest of your toiletries. Bears will not attack women who are on their periods, but have been known to root around campsites in search of food (hence the bear box).

      All- tampons are NOT biodegradable. Please please please don’t bury them in the ground at your campsite if you care at all about the preserved wilderness you’re in.

      Re; summer camps- any remotely decent camp that has overnight trips for girls between the ages of 9-15 will know how to handle girls having their (sometimes first) periods. They’ll have trained the counselors to support girls, will have extra supplies on hand, and will teach packing in/out of supplies.

      • Anon

        Sorry if this is an idiotic question (I’m not a camper/backpacker and know nothing about bears), but do you mean that bears will not TARGET specifically women who are on their periods? Or that they won’t attack them at all?

        • Anonymous

          Bears will not target women on their periods, meaning that they have no additional incentive to attack a woman on her period vs. a person who is not a woman on her period (mountain lions might be drawn to the blood smell and actually might be more prone to attack a woman on her period vs. a person who is not a woman on her period).

          Having your period does not make you resistant to bear attacks :)

          That said, bear attacks are rare.

          • backpacker

            hahahaha, this^^. It’d be pretty cool if your period constituted natural bear repellant, a la bear spray, alas, I do not think that is the case.

            But there are a lot of folks who think that the smell of blood will make women a target, and that isn’t true.

      • cbackson

        I actually put a scoop of ground coffee in my pack-out bag when backpacking…it helps kill odor. A scoop of soil will do the same thing.

    • Anonymous

      When I was through hiking, I used a diva cup to avoid the need to pack out used tampons. It worked well and I would highly recommend.

      Doing so also avoided needing to pack supplies in the bear canister.

  19. TBK

    We’ve had a few conversations on here about ethical clothing production. I came across a couple of articles lately that shed some light on the issue (which is, unsurprisingly, not at all black and white). The first talks about the benefits of child labor in certain areas, and suggestions for what you might call “ethical child labor.” And the second is a broader piece on the world’s very poor, but I was struck by the paragraph about the woman earning 17 cents an hour. Links to follow.

  20. anon

    Quick question. A friend of mine put in a call for me. It led to a new job,including promotion and raise, for me. What would you do to thank her? I’m thinking gift card for a fancy meal for her and her spouse?

    • NYC tech

      Nope. Friends do things for each other because they like each other. Adding a gift (beyond a token) almost turns it into a transaction. Your friend got pleasure from being able to help you, and from seeing the positive result. You thank her genuinely – maybe handwrite a note if that’s your style. Then you do something for her when you have a chance, and/or make it a habit to do something similar for someone else when the opportunity arises (and let her know that she inspired you to pass on the favor).

    • Anonymous

      She’s your friend, right? Take her out to dinner. It seems weird to give her a gift card. She’s not your secretary…

      • anon

        She’s your friend, right? Take her out to dinner. It seems weird to give her a gift card. She’s not your secretary…

        • anon

          Yeah totally right on the transactional and agree it’s what friends do. I’m eternally grateful because I’m getting out of a somewhat toxic situation. Hooray for that! Corporette and AAM were both great helps too.

    • Senior Attorney

      Instead of a gift card, I would take them out for a celebratory fancy meal.

  21. anon

    Thanks! And thank goodness I asked or I’d be the weirdo wielding the Applebee’s gift card (that part is a joke). What about a mentor? Celebratory lunch?

  22. Anonymous

    Does anyone know of a forearm/wrist sleeve that fits the iphone 6 and will stay put while running? I do not need to access it at all (not even headphone cord), I just need a place to carry it because I can’t check it in a bag check at this race nor will I have anyone at the start line to hand it off to. Looking for something as unobtrusive as possible and that will keep the phone covered from moisture because I’m a profusive sweater.

    NOT looking for any hip or bicep options–I’ve tried them all and they don’t work on my body. I was hoping to carry it in the middle-of-the-back pouch of my reflective vest, but I just saw that multi-pocketed vests are prohibited for security reasons.

    I imagine I’ll be wearing arm sleeves for this race, so I’ve considered just putting the phone in a ziploc bag and tucking it under the sleeve. Has anyone done this? Is it too much pressure?

    • anon

      I’m a fan of the zip lock iPhone protector. Use it all the time, but mostly putting my phone in the vest, spi belt, or shorts pocket. Chafing might be an issue or might not – I got some chafing once with the baggie in a front vest pocket – part of it was sticking out and chafed a spot on my chest.

      Arm warmers might work if it’s cool (they’re kind of snug). Haven’t tried anything else.

      What race? and good luck!

      • Anonymous

        Thanks! It’s NYC and I’m not local so I want my phone to make sure I don’t get lost getting to the ferry terminal, or back to my hotel afterward. The bag check option just did not seem worth it overall considering how early bag check closes (such that I’ll still need throwaways and to carry the meds I have to take 20 minutes before start), so I went with poncho to get the collectible and be able to get out of the finish area faster.

    • Anonymous

      I should add that I have very tiny wrists–less than 6″. So I have problems with wrist (and armbands in general) being too loose. Hoping there’s a band that is big enough in the compartment to hold the 6 but snug in the part that goes around the wrist?

    • Anon

      Why not just put it in a Ziploc (to protect from sweat/water) and carry it in your hand? That’s what I do for most of my runs/races.

      • Anonymous

        A few reasons that likely sound like super fussy special snowflake reasons–I carry a small plastic water bottle until the water stops start getting really close together because I have allergies/asthma/dry mouth issues and sometimes just need to wet my mouth to help with coughing. The other hand needs to be free to get gels out of my pockets and eat them, and to grab gatorade cups at aid stations. I also have numbness issues in my hands and do not feel confident in my ability to grip my phone for 4 hours without dropping it and having it get trampled.

    • mascot

      Could you find a shirt that has a zip pocket in the back? Thinking a cycling type shirt…

    • CKB

      I know you said no waist packs, and I’m right there with you, but my SPI belt works really well for carrying my phone on runs. I also don’t need to access it- I just take it for security reasons and it hardly bounces at all in the SPI belt.

      I cannot at all use waist water packs, though. Way too much bounce!

      • blazers

        I second the spibelt suggestion. I am a minimalist when it comes to running, esp. marathons. But the spibelt can be positioned in an unobtrusive way. Good luck!

  23. anonymous

    I think I know the answer to this question, and I realize that I’m being ridiculous, but…
    Does anyone who travels for work take their dog (small) with them? Assuming the hotel is dog friendly and the dog in question doesn’t have any behavioral (or otherwise) issues that would prevent this, is there any reason this can’t work? The one that comes to mind is perhaps being out all day/longer than the dog can hold it. Thoughts? I have to start travelling for work soon, and I really don’t want to be away from my pup. I’m wondering if it’s possible to take him with me once in a while.

    • Anonymous

      If you’re traveling for a two hour meeting, probably. If you’re going to be working 40 hour days at a client site that won’t let you take a morning and afternoon break to go walk your dog, I don’t see how it would work.

      • anon

        some hotels have dog walking services or you could hire a local dog sitter to come to the hotel to give your dog regular walks. might be better for your dog to at least be with you even if you aren’t walking him in the middle of the day. of course, if you can leave your dog at home and have someone live at your home or take your dog to their home, that would probably be the best option.

    • Anonymous

      Some dog-friendly hotels don’t allow you to leave the dog in the room if you aren’t there. Others are ok but you have to bring a crate, if he isn’t too loud (separation anxiety, etc). You also have to consider that last day… I find usually when I travel, I’m still at the conference/meeting/working on the last day, so have to check out at 12. What will you do with your pup at this time?

      Another thing to consider is looking into doggie day care businesses in the cities you are going to. If he is friendly and up to date on his shots, this might work.

  24. katie

    Is the turtle neck under a sheath dress look the equivalent of a jumper and therefore juvenile?

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