Holiday Weekend Open Thread
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Something on your mind? Chat about it here.
It's almost the end of 2023, hooray! As the New Year looms (and the holiday season ends), undoubtedly everyone's mind is on the fresh new start they'll make in 2024 with health and exercise goals. (At least, I'm definitely saying “I can't wait to start again… next week!”)
One thing that always helps me to get started is exciting new exercise clothes… and there are some great ones in the Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale.
These Beyond Yoga leggings are highly rated, with a bunch of colors on sale in sizes XS-XL. The orange ones pictured are $58 (down from $97). (There IS a plus-size version, but it isn't on sale at all, alas.)
Sales of note for 3/21/25:
- Nordstrom – Spring sale, up to 50% off: Free People, AllSaints, AG, and more
- Ann Taylor – 25% off suiting + 25% off tops & sweaters + extra 50% off sale
- Banana Republic Factory – 40% off everything + extra 20% off
- Eloquii – $39+ dresses & jumpsuits + up to 50% off everything else
- J.Crew – 25% off select linen & cashmere + up to 50% off select styles + extra 40% off sale
- J.Crew Factory – Friends & Family Sale: Extra 15% off your purchase + extra 50% off clearance + 50-60% off spring faves
- M.M.LaFleur – Flash Sale: Get the Ultimate Jardigan for $198 on sale; use code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – Buy 1 get 1 50% off everything, includes markdowns
can someone help me understand bonds, or suggest a good resource? i’m comfortable with mutual funds, stocks, and CDs, but i don’t understand why i’d put money into a bond right now when rates are better with CDs or savings. also, what about bond funds? thank you!
Great question. I was wondering the same…
My “free” investment “advisors” at Fidelity and TIAA/CREF have been calling me telling me I need to move my cash in high yield savings into bonds now, and I am also just mulling over this. Yes, the interest rates will likely go down this year, but I am certainly not going to “diversify” into a bunch of messy bond funds with these “advisors”. But I know I should be trying to figure this out too. I just don’t understand bonds well.
I am at that age where I don’t want all of my investment $ in the market anymore. Like 70/30 for me.
This is a good overview of bonds vs CDs and the advantages of each. https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/122914/cds-vs-bonds-which-better-investment.asp
The current rates for CDs and savings are really high, but they won’t stay this high forever. Over the long run, bonds often have higher interest rates. Both bonds and CDs are much safer investments than the stock market, so as you get closer to retirement age you typically shift from mostly stocks to mostly bonds/CDs.
2024 intentions, resolutions, or anti-resolutions? Looking for inspiration. Have gotten some great ideas from this board in the past. (If I missed a post earlier this week- apologies and feel free to direct me.)
So far my list says to go on at least 12 hikes, and then lists two specific craft projects and one new recipe that I want to try.
Physical goals here- cut back on alcohol and sodium from processed junk, and increase protein and healthy fats. Not going to be fun, but I have examples of aging in my family from those who did and didn’t do so when they reached midlife (as I’m entering now), and know which had better QOL in old age. But also, I am giving up on stressing about the same 10-15 pounds I’ve been feeling guilty about not losing for like a decade. IT IS OK that I’m not at college weight 20 years later, even when my mother says arch things like “oh, those pants are slimming, good choice.” .
Good for you on getting to that level of self acceptance! And also your mother sounds .. a little challenging … so even more impressive that you can rise above that.
Depending on how much you’ve been drinking, perhaps consider cutting back on the alcohol first and then later make the diet modifications. When I quit (and this seems to be common among others I know IRL and online), for at least a few weeks, I definitely took solace in pizza and ice cream (all my knicknacks are well organized in Talenti containers now!), along with lots of sparkling water. My body initially craved the empty carbs it was getting from beer, in addition to the something in my hand. Ice cream and fizzy water got me through.
Be kind to yourself. You got this!
OP of this comment here – thanks for the advice! My trouble time is before dinner when I love having a c-cktail and some snacky nibbles (aka the processed junk), wine with dinner, and then succumbing to a second glass of wine while finishing a show. Goal is one glass of wine at night only, maybe also a c-cktail once a week.
I had to stop drinking due to some medication I am taking, and I’m finding a mocktail before dinner is a great replacement for my cocktail.
Your mom, oof. I think most of us have a family member like that.
Physical goals: Putting a bit more yoga back in my life and work on core strength. I do Peloton workouts on my treadmill and some pilates/yoga/barre on the Peloton app, but I need to strengthen my core more so I don’t have as much lower back pain.
Other goals: I stopped drinking alcohol about 4 months ago after reading This Naked Mind. It’s been great. I’m sleeping soundly, I feel so much better when I wake up, and even though I’m eating more, I’ve lost a little weight. My face is less puffy and my skin is better. Making the choice to not drink alcohol at all turned out to be a lot easier than sticking to rules around moderation. So I’m going to continue along that path, perhaps with a little bit of focus on eating better. I do not want to walk back on this in 2024.
Happy New Year, all!
Ugh, my mom, not slim herself, did a lot of commenting about how other people had put on weight. Not usually about my weight, but it let me know exactly what she was thinking about me.
I have found forgiveness now that she’s gone – she was a product of the environment and time she was raised in. Her own mother was highly critical in a very direct way, so it was just deeply ingrained in my mom. I know she wasn’t happy that I was overweight, but she also loved me.
I’m sorry you dealt with that.
My entire family of origin is so toxic about weight. Before I cut off contact I was openly criticized for “gaining so much weight” and told that I “have to start being careful about what I eat” when I went up to 140 pounds at five six. I’m a pear so most of it is in my hips and thighs and I can still hear the comments…some people are just awful.
Do more things; have more fun. Try saying “yes” to anything that does not sound unappealing.
Super cliche, but I want to be better about fitness and go to the gym more (not a huge goal considering I go almost never currently). I put on a lot of weight in early Covid and although I don’t really expect it to come off at this point, I don’t want to gain more. And more importantly, I want to get stronger and maintain my energy as I head into my 40s.
Decide what you want most and make a plan.
For myself, I’m actually looking forward to February and March when the people who made resolutions start to donate the supplies and equipment they bought. I’ve made some great scores over the years.
Haha, I’m browsing vinted as people clear out stuff post Christmas. I’m pretty minimalist, but I’d like a few more sweaters given they are basically disposable now.
Yeah, the post Christmas cleanout is great too.
Overall, I find January great for shopping for clothes and housewares because so many people make decluttering and minimalism resolutions, and then February and March is when the supplies and equipment for resolutions like fitness start showing up.
I would like to better practice and embrace patience. I am very impatient behind the scenes of things – at work, personal life. I don’t take it out on people most of the time, but it messes me up. I want to be more mindful and more patient. What is so important in my life that I can’t be patient? Nothing. My life is easy. My work is not life saving. It will be fine.
My resolution is to move to a different city, and paint at least once a month.
I’m going to try out a slow-buy year.
Not a no-buy, that’s not going to work out at all, but I’m making some restrictions on how I choose things.
In practical terms, it means things like actively using a wish list to quarantine wants for a while before I decide whether to buy items; using the items I have in new and creative ways; looking for thrifted before choosing new; no next day deliveries. No revolutionary strategies, but restrictions like these and the places I choose to shop. My plan is setting aside a weekend around every two months as the only active shopping time, based on curated wish lists.
There are several goals in this, but one of them is to remove any daily decisions about shopping. Whether or not I want or need something I see isn’t relevant today, since it’s not my shopping weekend, but I can put it on my saved-for-later list. I can get anything I want, just not today. Deprivation is not the point.
I’m buying a membership to the rec center near me and going to take swimming lessons with the hope it will get me over my fear of deep water.
I have a bunch of fitness goals (daily planks, including reverse planks, lifting a few times a week, walking 2024 miles, etc), but my non-fitness goals are really unformed right now. Read more, bake more, knit more, do more fun things. I know I need to make them actionable.
That is a high walking goal. Are you including general movement or is that just focused walking?
Get out to hear live music at least once a month. I am following a couple of local groups I like and also putting the freebie local events on my calendar so I don’t forget about them.
I want to learn tai chi.
My goal is to use what I have and be more conscious of needs vs wants.
Floss nightly. I made the same resolution 3 new years ago and haven’t missed a night since. Cheers to achievable goals!
I’m going to spend some more time listening to music instead of endless podcasts/news.
Stop running myself into the ground. I need to remember that I am not doing less than others and I need to limit myself to projects that I can take on without sacrificing family time and exercise time. Being physically active is essential for my mental health so cutting it to spend more time working is counterproductive.
Looking for advice as we head into the new year.
(1) As I am trying to save money and eat healthier, I would love to hear other ‘rettes veggie-forward lunch ideas to bring into work.
(2) I work from home two days a week and would like to look less like a troll. Any suggestions for looking put-together but still comfy?
FWIW:
1 – think in a formula – 1 green + 1 protein + 2 fruits/veggies + oil/vinegar self made dressing = lunch salad
2 – solid color top + strategic makeup (brows, lashes, blush, lipstick – or whatever version works for you) + earrings & short necklace (solid pants/leggings below).
I find the rule of 3 to help in dressing for WFH too
Yes dressy top + small jewelry and/or makeup + That Third Thing
The Third Thing can be a blazer a brooch a scarf some brighter lipstick or a vest or something. A third thing to make your outfit from chest up on the screen complete. It helps me.
I honestly can’t remember the last time I’ve seen a broach or vest (unless puffy) worn IRL. I’d scroll Instagram for a style you like and use as inspiration. I’ve discovered I’m a fan of monochromatic dressing in neutrals with a shoe, bag, coat in another neutral or color.
I guess it depends where you live because I wear both vests and and brooches (I especially love vintage brooches) and see others wearing them too.
Right obviously don’t take final fashion advice from an internet comment
But I wear my consulting firm vest like almost every day I WFH and show up on Teams calls
Much better than my ugly office sweater for sure
I wear brooches around this time of year – mine tend to be Christmas tree or wreath shaped. But that’s it. It feels off for the rest of the year. I love jewelry & am a pearl girl (collector) so I’m always wearing something. Just not brooches.
Like Lady Consultant, I wear my company fleece dress like a tech bro. You can even skip a bra if you feel like it, which is convenient for WFH pumping with an infant. Vest power.
I have been actually really liking a lightweight puffy vest as a third piece this winter.
That’s me every day. Also a Californian (Bay Area here) and that’s all we need unless we go to the snow or something!
Regardless of what I’m wearing, and assuming my hair is tied back, I find that small stud or hoop earrings + eyebrow color (I used Boy Brow) + a brighter than normal lipstick / gloss = looking awake and put together on Zoom camera.
If you tire of salads, consider an adult Lunchable approach with a few corners of pita, hummus, and cucumber and carrot sticks for dipping. You can add in almost any other dip (whether yogurt-based, lentil, Indian curry, etc) for variety and layering.
+1! The charcuterie approach is a lifesaver also because it’s very fast to pack lunches in case you commute. In addition to the above, you can do cheese, little tomatoes, grapes, really most fruits or vegetables, any bread or crackers, olives, salami, chutney and so on.
I like to copy the Starbucks protein boxes. They used to have a really good one with a BBQ pulled chicken and cheese sandwich on flatbread and I think carrots and grapes. The one with a hard-boiled egg and a little round flatbread with cranberries is good too. You can buy Ozery Snacking Rounds, which are very similar to the bread, at some grocery stores.
for WFH, I prefer dark neutrals (black, navy, deep charcoal, dark chocolate brown) with a high neck, like a funnel neck, boat neck, or crewneck for contrast with my coloring, never cutting off the neckline at a weird place, and looking polished. White can also do well here depending on the top. These colors disguise knit material better than “colors” and aren’t as memorable for repeating.
Examples- the Dudley Stephens mock turtlenecks, Talbots microfleece, JCrew perfect fit long sleeved T.
This sells a subscription service, but there are a number of free recipes on the website and she posts ideas and recipes on IG regularly. https://workweeklunch.com/recipe-index/
I love orange leggings. They remind me of summer.
This shade of orange makes me think of crimped hair and jelly bracelets and “Get in Shape Girl”.
Does Tory Burch ever go on sale? The classic things like black leather loafers. (Excluded from current promo)
There’s a bunch of things on sale right now.
Nordstrom carries some of her stuff and it goes on sale periodically.
I’m sad today. I’m 50 and am cutting out a friend I made in college. I spent time together during the holidays and realized how different we are—during the course of normal conversation I listened to her make a disgusting comment about Jewish people, deny that long Covid exists, blame welfare for encouraging people to have large families, and a bunch of other views that I found absolutely repugnant. On top of that, she’s become excessively self absorbed through the years. So much so that she made a story about a mutual acquaintance’s suicide attempt a couple of years ago about how people at her job viewed her when she got off the phone when she found out instead of how the person is doing now or really anything about the person.So many things. I hate the idea of throwing away a 25 year friendship. But I think the reality is that when you start to dislike someone like this more and more, it’s a sign the friendship is already over. I think it just hadn’t hit me until now since it had been awhile since we had seen each other in person. Does anyone else feel like they’ve stuck with friends because of time rather than value? Like I wouldn’t have accepted a fraction of this in someone new.
Don’t let the sunk cost fallacy rule this! She sounds awful. Who cares how long you have been friends. She is no longer the friend you had and she isn’t bringing anything beneficial to your life right now. This internet stranger gives you permission (that you don’t need) to let this friend gooooooo
I might not put it this way, but agree with not getting stuck on the sunk cost. You enjoyed many years of friendship and that was a great gift at the time. It’s unfortunate that it didn’t last.
I am still friends with a woman I met in elementary school, and we’ve definitely drifted apart in terms of what we want in life, and I feel like whenever we talk it’s all about her life updates and I’m just there as the audience. I still have some fondness for our shared history, but I am closer to other people these days and most of the time I am at peace with that.
Coming back because I finally put my finger on what I was trying to say: you can create some distance now and hopefully hold on to positive memories of the good old days, or you can force yourself to maintain the friendship until the bitter end until you can’t look back without bitterness.
Never. I have cut contact with family I have known from birth, so I have no problem letting a friendship fade away.
This is tough, but I think you’re on two different paths and not compatible anymore. I would slow fade it out, and grieve for a bit.
I have a few longtime friends where I’ve drifted away over stuff like that, or because we have such different life experiences that it’s hard to maintain a connection. With new people, I feel like I’m more likely to ask leading questions or bring up topics to figure out whether they have repugnant views or politics. With friends from say, law school, I didn’t know that they thought public schools were all trash or working from home is “faking it” when I met them at 22.
I have a longtime now-aquaintence that I’ve faded away from because we just grew into very different people since we met in 7th grade. If I met this person tomorrow I would not be friends with them, but when we met we had a lot in common. I think that’s how life works, friends come and go as we grow and change over the years.
I’m 50 in a few months and am going through this. While my friend isn’t as bad as yours sounds, she is pretty self absorbed and rather pretentious. Add to this an absolute lack of time to be there for me when I need it. Not her fault, she has a massive job …think CEO…and I’m proud of her.
But you can’t be a friend if you’re never around, right? In my mind, she is an old friend, not a close friend.
I cut communication with a friend like this a year or so ago. We worked together for years. She and her husband moved to a very conservative area for retirement because it’s cheaper. And now all she can talk about are immigrants and the “wrong” people having too many babies. It’s disgusting. I just stopped answering texts from her after that last miserable dinner with her.
Looking for some health advice. My husband has gained a lot of weight in the last decade – probably 70 pounds – and would like to start addressing it but doesn’t know where to start. I read a lot about nutrition and exercise and am very active, but he doesn’t really know or care about any of that—and I think that my involvement in his journey should be solely as support (happy to help cook and prep meals or weigh in if he ever does want my advice). My question is: what resources could I share with him? He’s a big blog and TikTok/instagram follower (also quite different from me!). He has a gym membership but I think his real challenge is nutrition. Would any of you recommend Noom, a dietician, something else?
I have 2 friends plus my husband who had great success with Noom and have kept it off. It was also covered by health insurance, so it is worth checking that out.
Does he not have a doctor he trusts with this? There are some medical tests that might inform his next steps (e.g. if he’s American, the odds are pretty high that insulin resistance is a factor, which might lead to different dietary advice than if it happens not to be). If sleep apnea is a factor, that’s also something they need to discuss in medical terms. I’d also probably start with my doctor’s recommendations when it comes to dieticians..
100% start with doctor
Ask for a sleep test also – he can only stick to a regimen if he’s well-rested
A blood test will also determine what he is at high risk for right now and that will help determine direction. If he has high cholesterol it’s different than if he has high A1C or whatever
Start with the doctor – why not
Agree with starting with his doctor. Depending on your insurance coverage, he may have a certain number of nutrition appointments covered!
From a relationship standpoint, it’ll be so much easier if you’re receiving and following the rules he brings home from the experts and that can be the way you support him rather than going to Instagram or TikTok first.
Given how frequently it’s talked about here, I’m surprised nobody has mentioned ozempic and the like. I mean, if somebody wanted to use it for 12 pounds, I think 70 pounds would be a no brainer.
I agree.
But does he really want to start with a medication that is expensive, has risks, and has to be taken for life? It’s often pretty easy for men to lose weight with lifestyle changes, much easier than it is for women, and that seems worth a try. I know a guy who lost 30 pounds in 5 months just by working out and giving up dessert. Also, if he does choose Ozempic he should still make lifestyle changes for health so he’ll need to figure that out anyway.
It doesn’t have to be taken for life, does it? I have a number of acquaintances who took it, lost some weight and are now off it.
All the media coverage I’ve seen says you gain the weight back once you go off of it.
Were your friends obese trying to loose large amounts of weight, or using it more as a dieting aid, as many celebrities/wealthy folks are doing? That’s quite a bit different…. and really not the intention of the medicine and contributes to the shortage.
Supposed to be for life. It doesn’t take away food cravings permanently.
It’s not really supposed to be a first line treatment if he hasn’t tried any lifestyle modifications first and does not have urgent medical issues. If modifications do not work or if he develops urgent medical issues it’s worth exploring but it’s not a first line treatment for someone who is not even obese.
Unless OPs DH is insanely tall and jacked, 70 lbs makes him obese. Maybe not morbidly obese.
He (and you, and almost all of us) can benefit from walking more. Put away the car keys and walk some errands instead.
As far as nutrition goes, I’ve known lots of men (but far fewer women) who drink a ton of full-sugar sodas and energy drinks. Cutting those out (or switching to diet) is enough for many of these guys to drop quite a bit of weight without changing anything else. If this is your husband, he should consider starting there (and walking!).
I got the Couch 2 5K app last week and signed up for a 5K. It’s an 8 week program that claims to have you running a 5K. I’m ok with walking it but distance friend and I are being accountability buddies for the workout portion
I started running before smartphones and apps were a thing, but many of my workout friends got started running via some version of Couch 2 5k. I hope y’all have fun with it!
His doc is likely to recommend weight watchers, which I’ve done with great success.
Yikes. Please get off social media and start with an actual medical professional who can run tests to see if there is an underlying medical issue that needs to be treated.
Rotate between 2-3 healthy breakfasts and lunches.
You cook a healthy dinner for both of you.
Make a list of healthier alternatives for snacks – pretzels over Doritos or popcorn over cookies.
Aim for protein, some carb and fat, and 2 veggies at each meal.
Figure out if he is an abstainer or a moderator. I am not a moderator. I can’t keep ice cream in the house other than popsicles because I will binge eat. But I do regularly enjoy it as a treat at an ice cream shop on the weekends. I’m a much better moderator with alcohol and cookies/chocolates. I can have lots of those options in the house and not binge.
Aim for one small measurable change each week.
My fitness pal. Log everything you eat. It’s the only way. Get a digital kitchen scale. Most of us are really bad about estimating portion sizes.
I think you mean “the only way for me.” There is no “only way”
My doctor put me on it with the advice to lose weight slowly. It has totally worked.
Good. You should keep using this method. It works for you! I would never keep up with it. I lost 38lbs slowly by learning to stop eating no matter how much food is on my plate and by making consistently good food choices. If I’d been told the only way is to measure and log my food, I would have given up early.
+ 1 million. I lost the baby weight on my second pregnancy literally just through reading packaging and measuring potion sizes. I was badly misjudging a lot of things especially pasta like rotini vs spagettini
I think your sole role here is support. If he has asked you about where to start, then I think you help him start. If he hasn’t asked, then I think you don’t do anything. Even if he has asked for your help, this has to be his project that he leads and he invests in.
I agree that nutrition and sleep generally are more important places to start than exercise. I’ve been using the LoseIt app to track my food for about 8 weeks, and it’s been very helpful; I’ve lost about 4 pounds. I ate a healthful diet, but I realized I consumed a lot more calories than I was aware of. I also find that exercising my self-control over food is easier at the grocery store than it is in the house – for example, I don’t buy chips so I don’t have to fight my temptation to eat too many of them. I suggest that whomever does the grocery shopping in your house only buy healthful food; if you guys want to eat something un-healthful, then you have to go out and buy it.
Sorry I can’t help on the social media front. I don’t do social media. But I agree that if that’s the way he consumes information, then finding those places would also be very useful.
I tracked my calorie intake to lose a similar amount of weight and what I think is the most important thing to know is set realistic goals. Losing 1/2 a pound a week or just cutting a small amount of calories (maybe 500) helps with feeling defeated. It took me around a year to lose the weight without making drastic life changes. The calorie counter worked for me because it reminded me to think about what a serving size actually is. Now, my body feels full on that amount of food.
There are other tools that might help him like using a meal delivery service or meeting with a nutritionist (outside other expert medical advice from his doctor). But my philosophy is no one wants to be on a “diet” forever so cutting out all types of food completely often doesn’t work. Just have them in moderation which is also true when you’re skinny. Also, celebrate the wins — 5 pounds is still an achievement.
I woke up this morning with an idea for a novel.
Here’s my New Years Resolution, ladies: I’m going to write it! Spent this morning working on the book’s blurb, and to keep myself honest, I will post progress here daily.
Wish me luck!
Good luck!
I think that’s great, but how about monthly updates instead?
+1
Yes please.
My partner joined a local writing club they found through our city writer group
They also subscribe to the writers digest magazine
You probably already know this!
That’s a much better place to find accountability!
Yup! We are all happy for people to go after their goals but do not need daily updates.
Agree.
Just for fun, as I take a break from making my yearly discretionary expenses journal: how many others still use paper and pens for things? Or has everyone gone digital and I’m one of the last of a dying breed?
I have a paper family calendar on the fridge and a paper bu11et journal for to-do lists etc.
I don’t use paper and pen very often (only for things that can’t be digital, like my kid’s reading journal for school) but I’m a big fan of physical books. I sometimes grudgingly use a kindle for travel but otherwise I want to read the physical book.
Paper is my love language. I do all the following on paper:
* I use a paper calendar (the New Yorker desk diary).
* I make myself a daily to-do list on paper every night for the next day.
* I send the kids a real letter (on our house stationary, monarch sheets) every month.
* I write my husband love notes on paper (our house stationary correspondence cards).
* I balance my checkbook in the bank-provided paper register weekly.
* I proofread briefs and memos on paper.
* I read fly-by-night books virtually, but I read “real books” on paper.
Candidly, I don’t fully trust people who think the whole world can be “paperless.”
Still use paper and pencils/pens for checklists, a lot of note taking, and a paper pocket calendar.
I have a mix of digital/paper. Long-term things are digital, shorter term (like weekly to-do list, meal plan for the week, etc.) is on paper. I also do a lot of my brainstorm on paper.
I just penned a thank you note to a colleague on a lovely, very basic note card.
My office life is digital but I’ll never give up what I call “fun paper.” I have monogrammed stationery I use for notes and letters, a month at a glance calendar so I can organize things in a big picture way, notebooks for lists and illustrations and things like that. Paper for grocery lists and notes to my husband. Also place cards and handwritten menus for dinner parties. And yes, I was raised in the south.
I’ll probably repost tomorrow but…what would you buy with $100 at JJill?
A well meaning relative got me a sweater (and a gift receipt) from there but it’s just not my style. I think I’m either in the wrong part of the country or perhaps a decade too young for most of their stuff.
I would give the credit to my mom.
They have some cute shoes online, although I’ve never seen them in the store. I’ve only been in the store 2 or 3 times, but I have a button-front blouse from them that I wear a lot. I’ve never found anything else, but the blouse is something they seem to have all the time.
Another vote for shoes. They have some reasonably current styles in a lot of non-store brands (Born, Sofft, Superga, etc.)
Give to your mom or auntie. Or buy someone a random gift with it who might be delighted by the surprise! I find giving surprise gifts to be a lot of fun, and this one would be actually cost free or close to it.
Op here- the only person in my life that would shop there is the person that gave me the gift ;).
Unfortunately, your comment made me laugh.
Lol in the activewear section for some lounging pants.
I got a nice blouse there this fall – dark green, heavy rayon that feels like silk. Good for work. There’s good stuff there if you dig.
They have nice soft knit pants that are great for WFH.
I have bought some basic sweaters there before. Definitely look online but I would just buy some basic that doesn’t depend on “style.” This is my strategy any time I get clothing gifts from places I don’t like.
They probably have jewelry or bags that are age agnostic :)
The strategy for spending gift certificates or store credits for returned clothing to retail establishments that don’t stock your style is to sift through the accessories, including shoes! Enjoy!
Check out their jewelry. Other accessories. Socks?
I’m looking for some edgy shoes that aren’t Doc Martens (they don’t fit my feet). Under $200. What style/s or brands would you recommend? Thinking ankle boot, or flats with a thick sole but probably not loafers as they don’t stay on. Would love suggestions! Thanks.
I have narrow feet and can wear the Sam Edelman Laguna chelsea boot with thick socks.
Stuart Weitzman narrow widths.
Freda Salvador, lots on sale right now and close to your budget
Linea Paolo
Miz Mooz
No new post?
I was surprised also and wondered if more people are off today than I imagined. I know people taking PTO because kids are still out of school, but I don’t know of any offices that are closed today.
What part of the country has public schools still off today?
I’m in Texas. Some public school districts were closed the weeks of Dec 18 and 25. Other districts closed the weeks of Dec 25 and this week. All in my large metro area.
A friend in south Florida – her kids are off this week also.
Midwest. My kids are off this week.
Not everywhere in the midwest; the schools around me in Wisconsin are open today.
Northeast Ohio – one kid goes back Thursday, the other one goes back Monday (1/7!!)
Southwest. My kids are off until next Tuesday.
Um, lots of them.
We are visiting family in CA, and all my friends’ kids have this week off. NYC private schools do too.
Midwest and we go back Monday the 8th. They didn’t get out until 12/23 though, so only two weeks off total, which seems short to me. I recall having three weeks at Christmas as a kid.
Wow! Growing up, and in all three places I’ve lived with kids, the break is Christmas Eve until Jan 2 (with an extra day if a holiday falls on a weekend and is observed on the weekday). Public schools. We do get a week off in February, though. I never got 3+ weeks until college!
yes they’re super late this year — but maybe it’s a good thing since it’s always covid soup from thanksgiving to new year’s.
Wow, that’s so short! Two weeks is totally normal these days. All the kids I know had either the week of the 18th and the 25th off, or the week of the 25th and this week.
I’m in Indiana. Our school district was on break this week and last.
My office is closed today and so are my local public schools in NJ.
We’re in NC and out until tomorrow
I’ve decided that Kat is helping me with my resolution to be more productive at work by not posting today …
But for real – the lack of posts around holidays has been a bit of a bummer as someone who worked full days 22, 26-29th and today.
Considering that this blog is focused on working women in generally demanding jobs, I am also surprised. Especially now that the holidays are technically over.
yeah but most executives and stakeholders aren’t working today they’re still traveling or enjoying the holidays. it’s just the rank and file among us.
So true! CEO at company where I work is still on vacation in Asia.
I don’t know, maybe it’s regional but in NYC, courts are open and lawyers are mostly at work.
Agreed!
Concur.
Yeah I had a comment deleted on this subject before, but it seems like she’s taking tons of holidays that aren’t really holidays and it’s annoying. I don’t know anyone who has today off without using PTO.
We’re at work and had a staff meeting today.