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Updated: Jun 22, 2023 96 Comments · by

Coffee Break: Cass Heel

Coffee Break

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beige heel that mixes suede and patent leather

Oooooh. OOOH. I absolutely adore these heels from Jimmy Choo — Bloomingdale's includes these ballet pink ones among their bestsellers; and so does NET-A-PORTER (image from NET-A-PORTER).

I love the way they combine suede and a really glossy patent leather, and the 95mm looks so sleek if you can swing it.

The shoes are $775 in the ballet pink pictured; you can also find light blue and light purple versions on sale at both Jimmy Choo and Bergdorf Goodman. (Looooottts more sizes available at JimmyChoo.com than Bergdorf's.)

Sales of note for 9.30.24

About Kat

Kat Griffin is the founder, publisher, and editor-in-chief of Corporette. You can read more about her here.

Comments

  1. Elle

    I really like the shape of the Neely and Chloe lady bag, but in person the quality wasn’t what I expected. I like a very boxy, structured small purse. Does anyone have suggestions for a similar bag under $2k?

  2. Anonymous

    I am going to Northern Italy for two weeks at the end of July and beginning of August. I realize it’s not the best time to travel there because it’s going to be hot but we are going because of wedding and adding on time for sight-seeing in Lake Como, Florence and Tuscany. Any packing recommendations? I was thinking of light day dresses along with shorts. I want to be cool but still presentable.

    • Cat

      For a similar trip I based wardrobe on general touring days vs. church days. Church days I wore lightweight dresses that covered shoulders and knees (Nap Dresses are ideal for this). I also wore a ton of linen blouses with the sleeves rolled up + cute shorts. Looked intentional and dressed but still cool.

        • Cat

          Depends on your body I guess but the “original” Nap Dress fluttery sleeves on me are generous enough that they drape over the top of the shoulder like a cap sleeve. There’s also styles that have true short sleeves but similar floaty fits.

    • Anonymous

      I love Italy in the summer. Florence is going to be hot and humid, Tuscany coastline or hills can be hot and breezy.

      I think wide-legged linen trousers are perfect for days you want to look presentable, with a loose cut top. While you will stand out as a tourist, a nice wide-bremmed SPF50 sun hat is great to bring. A loose long sleeved linen shirt that can be be both shirt, jacket or an ouch-I’m-so-sun-burnt layer is very versatile.

      I would bring at least going out for dinner summer dress.

      If you are doing any Cinque Terre walks in the hillside, bring actual sporty sneakers or sports sandals for hiking – there’s always tourists in flip flops and they look miserable.

    • A

      They have sales in July, keep an eye out for max mara and Ferragamo – if you visit the outlet outside Florence.

    • Ellen

      Ooooh, I love Italy, and I love these shoes, Kat! I still must wear 4″ heels to court b/c of the Judge, but these are worth the pain on my schins!

      As for the OP, you will love going to Lake Cuomo as this is where George Clooney has his own villa! Or at least he did if he hasn’t sold it. Rosa and I were crazy about him about 20 years ago, when she was just in college and I was just getting out of college. We had to sware to Grandma Leyeh and Grandma Trudy that we would not lose our virginity in Italy, as the men can be VERY romantic. One guy with a mustache wanted to marry me. He promised to “show you my Rome; show you my Venice and show you my Naples.” He was looking right at my boobies when he said “Naples” and I knew what he was really thinking about, so I said thanks, but no thanks. Had I said yes, I would have been married with 5 kids by now, and that is no joke! The guy had bad teeth, so I wonder what kind of teeth our kids would have had. FOOEY!

  3. Anon

    Is apple-pear a body shape you all can help me with?

    I used to be pear-shaped. Between my COVID-15 and maybe a perimenopause / aging-related metabolism slow-down, I seem to have added a layer of insulation below my navel. Per my OB, it’s not fibroids, just my new shape. That bad thing to my eyes is that styles that worked now just don’t look good. It’s like I am wearing a puddle-jumper. I used to be able to hide it all under a midi, but it’s not cute now and I feel like I just look like the frumpiest of the sisterwives. How do I dress this shape better? It’s like a pear but with a tummy.

    • Anon

      Kindly, it’s time to stop stressing about this. Try on different styles and see what you like. There isn’t any advice anyone here can give you that you haven’t already received.

      • Anonymous

        Kindly, do you ever stop stressing if someone tells you not to stress? Kindly, have some compassion.

        • anon

          Lol, at all the passive aggressiveness in this hive! I’m going to start comments with, “Bitchily, I think you should stop stressing about this despite all the pressure that women face about their bodies their entire freaking lives.”

    • Anon

      I’m the same shape – always a pear, but now with a tummy for the same reason.
      What is working for me so far is a little bit looser fit. I have been wearing shirt dresses, tied at the waist, loose enough so that they don’t cling to my stomach. Also, higher waisted pants that sit above the tummy. Drawstring linen pants seem to work well. Looser tops, untucked. It is a big change, since I always wore more tailored fitted clothes. I am trying to still look tailored, as much as possible, by avoiding anything too flowery or puffy, more simple shapes in solid colors. Better quality fabrics seem to make a big difference. Lots of Eileen Fisher, sized down so a little more fitted but still not clingy. You will figure it out! Just takes some experimenting.

    • NYNY

      I’m in the same transition. I think of it as shifting from a bosc pear to a bartlett. I knew how to dress my old small top, flat tummy, curvy hips & booty situation, but am still figuring out how to deal with more tummy.

      Things that have worked best:
      – wrap dresses or dresses with waist definition and some draping
      – high-waisted tailored pants with a flowy top that is not puffy
      – shift-style dresses with shaping at the waist, but a loose overall fit
      – loose tops with some structure over a longer pencil skirt or slim cropped pants

      If I’m not showing some skin, I can look swallowed up by my clothes. Options include cropped pants, 3/4 sleeves, or a v neckline, but all three at once looks off.

    • anon

      I carry most of my weight in my belly. I like fit & flare styles that are fitted under my bust and then drape over the rest of my body. I don’t ever tuck in tops. I still wear high rise skinny-ish jeans with looser tops that aren’t fitted over my stomach.

    • Anonymous Grouch

      Sorry, but what is a puddle-jumper, and what was the midi that used to cover this? As someone who has always had that soft lower belly, even when I weighed 90 pounds in high school, I am staying far away from the current style of high-waist jeans with a shirt tucked in, even if it’s just tucked in front. Nothing shows off that little belly in a more unflattering way. (No Zoomers, I don’t care that I should be more body positive). So skirts and dresses with just enough give/fullness to not cling to it, and tops that float a bit, are your friend.

    • Anonymous

      I’m hourglass but now have more insulation bellow the belly button too. My life style is also more causal and I’m finding some of the styles I liked pre pandemic just don’t work for me. I used to wear more fitted clothing like sheath dresses and now I prefer fit and flare dresses. I also find that woven fabrics are less likely to cling than knits. I also prefer different underwear now. I like something that holds me in — Soma Vanishing tummy underwear are my favorites. If you like podcasts, try listening to the “Everyday Style School.” There are some really helpful episodes on dressing your body shape, dressing for a changing body, and so on. Upping your style game in other areas might help too—like updated hair or makeup (if you wear makeup). Accessories always help too! An outfit can look really plain but fun shoes or a cute necklace can elevate it.

      • Anon

        Can you explain the difference between woven fabrics and knits? I don’t understand. Thanks.

        • Anonymous

          A knit is like t-shirt material. Of course they vary in how much they cling. I find knits with model can cling more than 100% but in general they cling more than woven fabric. Think about your traditional button down shirt — that is made of woven fabric. I used to wear lots of knit sheath dresses. But now that I have more fluff in my lower abdomen area, I prefer a shirt dress made of woven material that flairs at the skirt. These glide over my problem areas rather than cling to them like knit dresses do, although knit fit and flair dresses are better than knit sheath.

    • Anonymous

      Be sure there isn’t an underlying issue for the bloat like a food intolerance (probiotics did a world of good in helping to flatten mine). Otherwise, I prefer straight cut dresses or wrap styles. Pants are tougher but a higher rise on a pull on style also helps a ton.

  4. Anonymous

    what hotels stand out in your mind as truly excellent, memorable stays? one of our favorites has always been the biltmore in miami — the vibe is very old school and the spa involved a subteranean walk in a faux candlelit river, if memory serves. it was so cool.

    • Anon

      Le Meridien Bora Bora, just because that’s the only time we’ve done the overwater bungalow thing and it was so unique and romantic. I will say the Le Meridien chain has never let me down and even the boring business-y ones in major cities are always nice. Going to the Le Meridien Maldives next year!

      Esperas Hotel in Santorini, where we stayed on our honeymoon. The rooms and pool area are all caves – very unique and as an extremely pale person I loved the substantial shade at the pool. Service was also fantastic.

      SAii Phi Phi Island Village Beach Resort on Koh Phi Phi Island in Thailand. Beautiful natural setting, gorgeous landscaping and design, and dirt cheap for a luxury hotel by western standards (like $100/night).

      If you have kids – Beaches T&C. It’s very pricey and the food is just ok, but it’s so, so easy with kids and really the only place I’ve been where you can have a thoroughly relaxing vacation with young kids.

    • Anon

      American Colony in Jerusalem (it was safe for Jews when we were there – check before you go because that’s dynamic)
      Alfonso XIII in Seville
      Bradenbacher in Düsseldorf
      Magnolia in Victoria, BC
      Four Seasons in Istanbul
      Ritz in Madrid
      Stanhope (?), upper east side, directly across Fifth Avenue from the Metropolitan Museum of Art (now closed)

      Biggest disappointment: Hotel del Coronado in San Diego (mostly because the staff were not trained)

    • BeenThatGuy

      The Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa in Poipu Beach Hawaii.

      The Grand Fiesta Americana Los Cabos.

      The Cove at Atlantis Bahamas.

    • Formerly Lilly

      Audubon Cottages in New Orleans. Specifically Cottage 3. Audubon Cottages are a quiet, elegant oasis in the French Quarter.

    • Anon

      Umaid Bhawan Palace. Jodhpur. Rajasthan. India. Spectacular in every possible way. If I ever win the lottery this is where I’ll be hiding out while my lawyers and accountants get everything sorted.

      • Anon

        Just don’t look at the window at the absolute squalor that children are living in, in the adjacent field. That ruined my stay there.

        • Anon

          That’s unfortunately an issue throughout south Asia and southeast Asia. I haven’t been to this particular hotel, but it’s not a problem that’s unique to one particular hotel.

          • Anon

            Yup. That’s the view in India. Even if you’re smugly staying the most modest hostel, the view will be squalor and begging children. So no, I did not feel bad at all staying there. If you feel guilty around poverty, or feel like others should feel guilty about it, don’t visit the 3rd world.

    • anon

      For what it is, the Grand Hyatt at SFO. I literally felt my travel stress melt away.

    • Anon

      I had my honeymoon at the San Domenico Place in Sicily – where they filmed The White Lotus – and everything about it was magical. The Four Seasons in Buenos Aires was also a standout.

    • Sunshine

      Greenbrier in West Virginia at Christmas. Absolutely magical for the adult crowd I was with. It’s been more than 15 years since we were there, and I hear it has changed and is now less magical.

    • A.

      Aulani in Oahu (and we are vehemently NOT “Disney people;” this place is a “hint of Disney” and the food/service/facilities are awesome)

      The Grand Hotel in Mackinac Island, MI — super old school, Mackinac is amazingly charming and The Grand Hotel is an icon of yesteryear.

      • Anon

        Please tell me more about this. I have a 6 year old who has started whining “why don’t I get to go to Disneyworld like all my friends?” (Mind you, this poor, deprived child has been to Europe half a dozen times.) DH & I are vehemently not Disney people. I would be willing to suck it up and go if I thought it would make my kid really happy, but I think she’d hate the theme parks. She’s not into thrill rides, doesn’t really know many Disney characters and would hate having to wait in lines for everything, and it’s such an incredible expense for something that I think isn’t going to be any better for her than a random hotel in Florida with a pool. Wondering if we can do Aulani instead…

    • wet ink sigs

      Las Alcobas in Mexico City – Service struck the perfect balance of warm and solicitous without being overbearing. Crazy attention to detail.
      Seikoro Ryokan in Kyoto – Japanese service is already excellent, and these guys took it to the next level.

    • DC Anon

      Late on this, but my top hotels have been:
      -The Cavalier at Virginia Beach – beautiful historic hotel that’s been recently renovated, private beach club is a great spot to hang out with a book/drink, really great restaurants on site and a distillery in the basement!
      -Mandarin Oriental in Doha – the brand is really nice in general, of course, but the Doha location was a lovely oasis downtown with beautiful cream-colored architecture and amazing service/food
      -Kings Camp in Timbavati Private Reserve (South Africa) – tons of great luxury safari lodges around Kruger, but we ADORED Kings Camp for all of the great animal sightings, wonderful food, and private pools in every room

  5. Deedee

    Speaking with a recruiter about a role of interest to me this week. I am currently on maternity leave. At what point should I disclose that?

    If it matters, I have another special element to my situation, as I work remotely in major metro area A for a company in major metro area B. I don’t have flexibility to move at this time due to spouse. Potential new employer is also in area B. Job is such that frequently folks negotiate hybrid and remote situations and I believe this employer may even have a satellite in area A. In a normal search I would disclose this in first convo with recruiter as a “does it make sense to continue, very interested, etc. Should I handle differently given my double whammy of potential dealbreakers?

    • Anon

      How much maternity leave do you have left? The hiring process usually takes several weeks anyway; I would simply state availability as when you intend on returning from maternity leave.

      • Deedee

        Fortunately I have four more months of leave left, which gives me some pause. Helpful framing though, thank you!

        • anon a mouse

          I wouldn’t mention mat leave unless there is an element of timing that they mention (e.g., if they need to have someone in the position by 9/1). If you’re just at the recruiter stage, no reason to bring it up.

          The remote status is a much bigger deal and something that a hiring manager should be aware of before your candidacy goes further.

    • Anon

      I’d mention the remote / local to you work situation first, as that is a true dealbreaker. IDK now maternity leave is a dealbreaker, as it would just affect your start date. FWIW, a lot of families (and people of all sorts) have travel plans booked already for June-Labor Day, so a September start to me wouldn’t seem all that odd if that is when you’d look to start anyway (different story if you have something like 6 months of leave that you’re expecting to take or need to go back to your job after leave for whatever reason before changing jobs). So I wouldn’t mention it off the bat as it’s not a dealbreaker and I see it as just a schedule thing to iron out if it goes forward.

      • Anon

        +1 mention the location but not the mat leave, unless your mat leave is going to end more than 3 months from now.

    • Anon

      Wait, you live in A and the job is in B? That is something you should definitely bring up, why waste anybody’s time if that’s not going to work out. I don’t know about the mat leave part.

    • No Face

      I don’t see a reason to disclose that you are on maternity leave, assuming your leave is only a few months or less. The hiring process may not even be done by the time your leave is done anyway.

      The location issue matters, but I would bring it up in an interview rather than before getting started.

    • Vicky Austin

      I don’t think mat leave is a deal breaker, so hopefully that eases the calculus somewhat. (Congrats by the way! Hope you had some good freezer meals along the way ;) I’d still disclose both on this first call, but not worry about mat leave – as others have said, the timeline probably won’t change much.

  6. Mirrors

    Sometimes I feel like I have no idea what I look like.

    I get ready at home, looking at my mirrors in the bathroom / hanging on my doors. I don’t use a lot of make-up, but take care of my skin and define my eyes/lips. And I feel that I can get my healthy, mixed color hair (includes grey) presentable.

    But then I see myself in a picture, or on a video call, or catch a glimpse in a mirror (?outside bathroom, ?hair salon) and think…” OH my goodness. What the…Who is THAT!” and I feel like I look 10 years older, washed out, not myself.

    Am I kidding myself as to what I actually look like?!? Are all my home mirrors liars? Do I need to re-touch up everything like 10 times a day? Do I need to wear a flattering color as a turban / close to my face at all times?

    • Monday

      There is no objective truth to what anyone actually looks like! All views are distorted in some way, so just do what you want.

    • Anon

      A very chic older woman I once knew said the key to looking put together as you age is a bright lip color. You can go minimal on the rest of your makeup, you can go gray, she said, but you need that bit of color on your lips to wake up your face and keep you from seeming washed out.

      • Anonymous

        Co-sign this. Zoom has a filter option that adds lip color. I have this activated and it’s nice not to be frantically fumbling for a lipstick before a zoom call.

        I have similar experiences. It’s helpful to remember we are our own worst critics. Most people are either fretting about how they look or busy living their lives. Once you get past looks, people remember you more for how you treat them and make them feel rather than how you look.

    • Anonymous

      The light in my bathroom mirror is warmer and more flattering than cloudy daylight or office-bathroom lighting, so this happens to me a lot. {{shrug}}

      I try not to worry much about it, because I’m not suddenly going to become a person who refreshes lipstick and make-up multiple times a day. I do try to wear colors that look good on me. But, also, I AM aging. It’s a fact.

      I console myself that I see people all the time who are older than me and I don’t ding them for looking their age or not having great lipstick or whatever. So why would I be hard on myself for the same things?

    • Anon

      Makeup always looks more subtle on camera. If you wear minimal makeup it seems like no makeup on camera. You decide if that matters on a daily basis. Fluorescent lighting in public spaces is harsh so you look washed out in comparison to your flattering lights at home.

      It’s normal to reapply blush and lipstick throughout the day. Unless you’re spackling it on it’s going to fade. If you’re still self conscious then yeah you need to wear more makeup. As your skin and hair coloring shifts the same ol’ makeup routine won’t provide the same results anymore.

      • AIMS

        I agree. If I know I will be photographed I tend to a bit more make up. Also standing up straight makes a huge difference. It took me way too long to figure it out but it’s a huge part of why I look better trying on clothes in front of my mirror when I stand up straight just looking at myself vs. when a photo catches me slouching.

  7. Vicky Austin

    Alright, my work shoe wardrobe straight up sucks. I have one crappy pair of black LifeStride loafers, one ancient pair of red Payless flats (RIP), and two pairs of Payless heels (equally ancient, one black but scruffy, one red). I haven’t worn the heels since getting pregnant.

    I still think I probably need a good pair of black heels. What other basic shoe types should I focus on first to actually have a functional shoe wardrobe? Business casual workplace with frequent client interaction and travel.

    • Anon

      Most of my work shoes also do double duty as “fun shoes”. I’m business casual, about your age, and into fashion.

      I have 3 pairs of shoes that are only worn at work: black Rothys flats (I never wear these), block heeled suede Clark’s heels (tan), black structured but not chunky loafers (black).

      Everything else I wear to work pulls double duty as “fun shoes”. This includes black mule clogs, black flat horsebit mules, 2 pairs (black and cognac) Clark’s Caroleigh Anya heeled sandals, and several types of boots: flat black Chelsea boots, heeled black Chelsea boots, cognac mid-calf clog boots, black tall boots.

      I cannot wear sneakers to work at all, but I do commute in them.

    • Moose

      I would do upgraded/new/current versions of what you wear already, so sounds like elegant loafers/flats, in colors that work with your wardrobe. No need to go back to heels if you don’t want to.

    • Anon

      Red shoes feel very harsh (assuming you’re wearing black or gray pants). I’d focus on black, tan, cognac, white shoes and make the “statement” part of the shoe be the style.

      Right now mules and platforms are in and so I’d follow the trends in style and then keep the colors neutral.

      • Vicky Austin

        Yeah, the red heels have been gathering dust (despite how much I love them) because they seem a bit too loud and fun for work. Any recs for favorite, hopefully supportive mules?

    • ALT

      My workhorse shoes for work are:
      Black/tan/cream snake print loafers
      Leopard print loafers
      Cognac woven flats
      Black pointy toe flats
      Tan suede block heels

      I also have a pair of black point toe flats with gold cap toes that I LOVE but need to get resoled. I’m on team Shoes With Personality. I do own plain flats and plain loafers but I tend to wear those with patterned pants or patterned dresses. A patterned shoe makes the most basic outfit look pulled together if it combines the colors of your outfit. So my snake print shoes work with all white, all black, or black+white+tan. I’ve worn them with navy too.

  8. So Anon For This

    I haven’t been paying attention to the news about Jeffrey Epstein, so I just learned that an ex of mine was one of the people mentioned in the WSJ article about his calendar. Eek! We have lost touch completely, but I am so so put off by this information and had to tell someone, since my husband does not want to hear about it.

    • Anon

      FWIW, an ex BF of mine is doing time for a grip of disgusting, sex trafficking crimes, lots of press. It so weirded me out; I get how you must feel.

  9. Anonymous

    I am feeling extremely disorganized. To be honest, I’ve never been organized – I have always relied on my (excellent) memory. In BigLaw (for 8 years), I did not track anything in any way – I just remembered what I needed to do by when and did it, and shuffled priorities as needed. I moved in house and had a bigger variety of complex projects and put in place a very low level system of organization which was ok. Then I got moved from an individual contributor to managing a team of 12 very quickly and never figured out how to stay organized. I also had a baby in this very short span of time so my personal life is not well organized.

    I honestly don’t even know where to start. Are there books about systems for project/task management or just managing teams that are helpful? Blogs? Free online classes? Are there systems of organization you like that I should read about and check out?

    • MJ

      If you are managing an in-house legal team, you need something like Monday or Trello or JIRA where you can put a project in, put who’s responsible, when it came in, when it’s done, and have different “statuses” the project can move through, such as backlog, to do, doing, reviewing internally, reviewing externally, out for signature, done. These programs have ways you can collaborate and ask questions, add attachments, and add client “watchers” so they can see status too.

      You may need more than one project board, such as one for confidential issues (like employment or board-related matters), one for commercial contracts, etc. You need to think about who needs to see what in your team (and who should not see other things).

      If you have projects that have many parts, then you can have sub-projects live under the main project, and have different people own those too.

      The easiest for visualization is a kanban board. There should be easy educational materials on this online. Look it up and see how it works for you. In smaller legal departments, these have worked well for me to organize myself and my team.

      And remember, when you are in house, it’s just as important to decide what you are NOT going to do, as what you are going to do, because there’s a truly endless stream of possible projects.

  10. Anon

    What drives someone like Walt Nauta? It didn’t seem strange to him that his boss instructed him to lie to the attorney and hide documents from her (assuming facts in indictment prove true)? He has no attorney and so did not enter a plea in today’s hearing, but he served as his boss’s personal aide during that same hearing? Does he lack any sense of how wrong this is because he never took a civics class? Does he feel he has no other options? Help me understand.

    • Anon

      He’s military and used to a chain of command, so he did what was told of him probably without critical thinking. It’s definitely sad. Trump didn’t even bother securing an attorney for him…

      • Anon

        This commitment to authority confuses and disturbs me. Saw the same commitment in Happy Shiny People.

      • Runcible Spoon

        The Internet suggests Mr. Nauta he has an attorney, paid for by a Trump PAC, but not admitted to the Florida Bar. He needs to find a local attorney to sponsor/supervise his DC-based attorney (who probably is not experienced in national security/CIPA cases, which is unfortunate). Mr. Nauta’s life as he knows it under normal circumstances would be over, but because Mr. Trump was not remanded to custody pending trial as a danger to the community (like pretty much each and every other defendant who is accused of the same type of Espionage Act offenses), Mr. Nauta continued immediately after the initial appearance in court today to serve as Mr. Trump’s servant, at least for now. It’s sad.

  11. Trish

    Samsies! I was a skinny pear until I quit smoking when I became a chubbier pear. Post-menopause and I am a pearapple. And to top it off, I am petite. Honestly, the clothes that fit my belly are from JJill now. Also, I am spending more money at the tailor now. But it is very frusrating.

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