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Readers were discussing tote bags a while ago and someone recommended a brand that's new to me: Jon Hart. I do like coated canvas bags because they're super durable, although I would worry a bit that the beige strap/detail at the top of the bag would get dirty quickly — but maybe that's me.
The pictured bag comes in 20 different colors (mostly solid; I just grabbed the image of the leopard bag because it was on the model), and you can customize the bag by monograming it with three different stamp styles. Interior organization looks great — there's a large middle zippered pocket, an open pocket on the outside back, and adjustable velcro dividers on one side. As I pull open the product details I also realize that bag switches easily from diaper bag to tote, if that's something you want — although it seems like it's just the diaper pad that makes it a diaper bag, and that might be useful as well if you want to carry electronics with you.
{related: we recently discussed the best diaper bags over at CorporetteMoms}
The bag is $315 at JonHartDesign.com. Readers, if you're familiar with the brand, what are your thoughts? I'll put some of our long-standing favorite tote bags below, as well!
This post contains affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For more details see here. Thank you so much for your support!
Some of the best work bags for women as of 2024 include great totes from Cuyana (with a zipper), Tumi, Tory Burch (lightweight, a laptop tote), Lo & Sons, and Madewell (north/south). Also try this highly-rated organizing insert or these clever pouches with some of the less structured bags! If you're looking for a budget tote (or one in a specific color) check this Amazon seller (22K+ good reviews) or this Amazon seller (60K+ good reviews).
(Looking for a luxury work bag? Here's our latest roundup…)
Sales of note for 10.24.24
- Nordstrom – Fall sale, up to 50% off!
- Ann Taylor – Friends of Ann Event, 30% off! Suits are included in the 30% off!
- Banana Republic Factory – 40-60% off everything, and redeem Stylecash!
- Boden – 10% off new styles with code; free shipping over $75
- Eloquii – Extra 50% off a lot of sale items, with code
- J.Crew – Friends & Family event, 30% off sitewide.
- J.Crew Factory – 40% off everything
- Lo & Sons – Fall Sale, up to 35% off
- M.M.LaFleur – Save 25% sitewide
- Neiman Marcus – Up to 30% off on new arrivals
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – 40% off entire purchase, plus free shipping no minimum
- White House Black Market – Buy more, save more; buy 3+ get an extra 50% off
Sales of note for 10.24.24
- Nordstrom – Fall sale, up to 50% off!
- Ann Taylor – Friends of Ann Event, 30% off! Suits are included in the 30% off!
- Banana Republic Factory – 40-60% off everything, and redeem Stylecash!
- Boden – 10% off new styles with code; free shipping over $75
- Eloquii – Extra 50% off a lot of sale items, with code
- J.Crew – Friends & Family event, 30% off sitewide.
- J.Crew Factory – 40% off everything
- Lo & Sons – Fall Sale, up to 35% off
- M.M.LaFleur – Save 25% sitewide
- Neiman Marcus – Up to 30% off on new arrivals
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – 40% off entire purchase, plus free shipping no minimum
- White House Black Market – Buy more, save more; buy 3+ get an extra 50% off
And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!
Some of our latest threadjacks include:
- What to say to friends and family who threaten to not vote?
- What boots do you expect to wear this fall and winter?
- What beauty treatments do you do on a regular basis to look polished?
- Can I skip the annual family event my workplace holds, even if I'm a manager?
- What small steps can I take today to get myself a little more “together” and not feel so frazzled all of the time?
- The oldest daughter is America's social safety net — change my mind…
- What have you lost your taste for as you've aged?
- Tell me about your favorite adventure travels…
Anonymous
Would some of you give me concrete examples of gaslighting? I feel like I should add- I believe it is a thing that happens, and I’ve tried to do some Googling. I am an Old, I hear this phrase a lot at work lately and see my daughter’s friends saying it on social media, too. I think it’s like manipulating the person to believe their feelings aren’t valid or that things didn’t happen? – but I’m not sure if I’m “getting” it.
Mal
I think, on a simple level, its someone dismissing your feelings and what you know to be true. which, in turn, over time, causes you to question your feelings and beliefs. People who constantly tell you that you are being unreasonable or hysterical, for instance, when you are having perfectly appropriate responses to things, might be an example.
For example, I work with medical patients regularly – some of whom are really difficult. Some will claim that you are abusing them or mistreating them when you are asking them to do perfectly reasonable things. If you don’t have people supporting your (coworkers) or backing you up or reassuring you, you can eventually start questioning what you did or how you handled people, because these are are serious accusations – and most reasonable people don’t claim these things without valid reason.
It’s a way for people to get what they want from you indirectly – whether it’s sympathy, or power over you, or something more concrete.
Mal
This article has some good concrete examples: https://www.vox.com/first-person/2018/12/19/18140830/gaslighting-relationships-politics-explained
Anon
I think it was originally dismissing your facts, not feelings, like something happened that you witnessed but then someone very intentionally convinces you that it never happened, making you doubt your own memories.
Abusers do this all the time. Even my “I never said that, you’re crazy” ex husband. (Good effing riddance) Fox News and some elected representatives do it too – January 6 was a bunch of tourists enjoying our nation’s capital, remember?
If it has evolved to denying your feelings I almost think there should be a new word for it, because the original meaning of gaslighting is so powerful.
Mal
Agreed – that’s an important distinction.
Cat
FWIW this comes from the film that is literally titled Gaslight.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaslight_(1944_film)
Anon
I was going to say, read the Wikipedia plot summary for the movie!
Anon for this
Absolutely. So the word comes from an old movie called ‘Gaslight’ where (basically) somebody convinces this woman that she’s crazy.
Example: You and toxic person are making plans to go to dinner together. Toxie decides to cancel on you at the last minute. This happens again and Toxie cancels 5 minutes before you’re at the restaurant. Third time, when you confirm with Toxie and say, ‘Hey! Just wanted to make sure that would work.’, they act totally shocked and insulted that you would suggest such a thing and suddenly they turn it on you being ‘So rigid’ and ‘Inflexible’ and twist the narrative so that somehow it was you who was confused.
In reality, you know exactly what was going on. But Toxie will use emotionally manipulative tactics (common ones are that you ‘misunderstood’ you’re being ‘too sensitive’ or ’emotional’) to convince you that you’re losing your mind because what you experienced clearly wasn’t what actually happened.
This (to me) is where the gaslighting is. The manipulation makes you think you’re going ‘crazy’ because they’re so adamant that this was a ‘you’ issue. That’s where it differs from just normal crummy behavior and manipulation. Now, this was super generic, but imagine this with bosses (‘I never said that, you must have been misunderstanding’ when they 100% said that), romantic partners, etc.
Anonymous
damn it Toxie, not again!
Shelle
My high school boyfriend treated me like crap. When I broke up with him, I had been storing at my house an enormous painting that he’d made. We arranged for him to get it. I put it outside my house just before he showed up so it would be easy for him to load into his car. The kind of considerate move done by someone who lets you store your junk at her house. He showed up with a friend and accused me in front of the friend of mistreating his stuff. See what a horrible girlfriend I was. I just left it outside like it was garbage. Nevermind that I had kept this enormous painting at my house for a year. He would say a lot of little things like this throughout our relationship that basically rewrote our narrative and had convinced me that I was the one mistreating him. He had been hiding a drug addiction from me. Oh I just remembered a couple years later when he went to rehab, he contacted me and blamed me for driving him to do drugs. If I hadn’t mistreated him, he wouldn’t have gotten hooked. This was stuff so devastating for a teenager to live through but now I just have to laugh at how outrageous and unbelievable it sounds. He wanted to get back together and expected me to help him stay sober. I owed him!
Anon
Slightly off topic, but when I look back on the way my high school boyfriend treated me I get so angry! He was so controlling and manipulative. I feel bad for my teenage self and I wish I could go back in time and tell him to shove it.
Shelle
oh my goodness yes. I need a time machine to go tell myself I deserve better!
Also Anon
Me too. My high school boyfriend was mildly manipulative for a while, threatening suicide every few months or so, and then he cheated on me for months, and in trying to rebuild the relationship he got full-on emotionally abusive.
I put up with so much garbage from men in my teens and into my early 20’s. Ugh.
Shelle
A comment above reminded me: this guy used to stand me up for dates pretty frequently. He’d call an hour after he said he’d pick me up with some non-excuse, and what did I mean it was too late now? It’s not like I’m doing anything since I had planned to hang out with him. So now I’m the one canceling and being a jerk. How did I date this guy for years?? He was such garbage!
Anonymous
Example: friend A will push friend B’s buttons or do something that is pretty bad, like putting down Friend B in front of others at a party. When Friend B gets mad, Friend A will say “what are you talking about? I never did anything! You’re totally overreacting and this is all in your head.”
Anonymous
What are your favorite motivational quotes?
Mal
“It’s never too late to be what you might have been.”
Anonymous
I have thousands of them so if you specify what topic area, I’m sure I can come up with some relevant ones.
This week what is resonating isn’t a traditional quote from a famous author but rather a line from a graduation speech Sandra Bullock gave to a high school graduating class in New Orleans a few years ago — “Nothing is a failure . . . it’s just not supposed to work out that way because something better is supposed to come along.”
The poem If by Kipling is also up there for my favorite quote actually – different parts resonate in different situations.
Cat
I am the one thing in life I can control. (Perhaps my favorite line in Hamilton?)
Anon
“Just send the damn email” is on a post it note on my monitor.
Anon
Man plans, g-d laughs.
And I’m an atheist! But it’s so true.
Anonymous
“When you’re going through hell, keep going.” – Winston Churchill
“Sometimes we must decide between what is right and what is easy.” – Albus Dumbledore
“The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is today.” – Chinese proverb
“Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain.” – Jack Kerouac
There are more that I like but those are the first I thought of! Most of the quotes I love from women are feminism-related and aren’t that motivational.
anon
“Everything will work out in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end.” Hokey but I repeat it to myself sometimes and it helps.
bss fan
“It’s a hard parade, just be courageous”
Backyards, by Broken Social Scene
(with a recommendation to listen to the song!)
Anonymous
I don’t know if I’d call it motivational per se, but I like the sentiment: “Some of it’s magic and some of it’s tragic, but I had a good life all the way.”
It’s from a Jimmy Buffett song called “He Went to Paris” (which, fun fact, Bob Dylan once said was one of his favorite songs. If you think of Jimmy Buffett only as the “Cheeseburger in Paris” or “Margaritaville” guy, you’re missing out)
Anonymous
I like that song too. There’s a line in a pat green song that I always think of during tough times:
“There’s a door that leads to light and grace, but the keys are in the darkest place.”
Anonymous
I can do hard things.
Eat the frog. (meaning do the thing you are dreading the most first. Just get it done.)
Anonymous
Pressure is a privilege
Anonymous
A little darker than the rest: “Desperation is the world’s worst cologne.” From the movie Singles. It makes A LOT of sense in A LOT of situations.
Nutrition/Numbers
Those of you who’ve done intermittent fasting to successfully lose weight, what ratio do you follow — ie 16/8, 14/10, etc? Has anyone done more extreme like the 5/2 diets?
Anon
Careful, people here will tell you that you have an eating disorder if you dare mention IF.
Anonymous
I still do 16/8 and I find it pretty easy. I usually skip breakfast (rarely have a desire to eat in the AM anyway) and have some coffee, and then eat lunch at 11:30 and so I start my window there. I think I’d have a hard time doing a shorter eating window.
Anon
I do 16-8 for GERD but also lost weight with it. I eat from noon to 2000, but follow the “under 50 calories doesn’t break the fast” rule and have a morning coffee.
Anon
I do 16/8 and find it pretty easy. I haven’t lost much weight but I find it much easier to maintain my weight with this “diet” than anything else. I enjoy food and will never be able to stick to a diet that doesn’t let me eat certain things. The only thing I don’t like about it is that I can no longer have morning tea, which was a ritual I enjoyed. (Black tea doesn’t break the fast, but it makes me nauseated if I drink it on an empty stomach. Because of the tannins I think.).
Tea FTW!
Try doing the two-tea-bags-quickly dunk. You add two teabags to your mug, add water, steep and stir with a spoon very quickly, then remove tea bags.
You get maximum caffeine, minimum tannins.
It’s inspired by a UK actress, I don’t remember her name, sorry.
Anon
Thanks I will try this. I drink decaf so I don’t need the caffeine but I just like the ritual of waking up slowly while drinking my tea.
anon
Where would you recommend as the best tourist sites for history nerds? Bonus points for natural beauty. DH and I are considering our next international vacation; current front-running idea is Lindisfarne and York, but nothing is set yet.
Anon
I have not been there, but I’d imagine Greece would have to be near the top of the list.
Anon
+1 Greece and Rome.
Anonymous
Quebec city is my #1 for a historic trip. The city is beautiful and right on the water.
pugsnbourbon
“History” is pretty broad! Given the locations you listed, I’m guessing you’re looking at Europe? I’d look at the north coast of France, Amsterdam, Prague, Vienna, or Budapest.
pugsnbourbon
Oh, and for natural beauty I think pretty much anywhere in Italy would fit the bill.
Anonymous
Language might be an issue, but there’s plenty of great historical sites in Asia, too – India, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia etc have thousands of years of history and places natural beauty. I want to go re-visit the Great Wall again someday, went with family when I was 10 and didn’t fully appreciate the experience at the time. Other things on my travel wishlist – the terracotta soldiers, the karst mountains in southern china, the taj mahal (which is more of a jumping off point for me to get to learn about the Mughal empire), angkor wat.
Anon
Peru – Cusco and Machu Picchu
Anon
Naples/bay of Naples.
Anonymous
Jerusalem
Rome
Istanbul
Moscow
Quebec
Shanghai
Osaka
Seoul
Johannesburg
Prague
Berlin
Kairo
Lima
bbb
Funny, you must not be from the South! Or at least Texas? Jon Hart bags are super popular here. They are great quality. In fact, I just got a new makeup bag and a new toiletry bag for Mother’s Day and was reminded of just how nice they are – forever products, really.
Anonymous
From NJ, never heard of them
Cat
PA, never heard of them either
Anone
FL here, and GA prior to that (albeit 12 years ago), and never heard of them.
Anon
Any liberal readers take a job somewhere with primarily conservative co-workers and enjoy your job? I’ve been invited to interview for a really interesting position, basically doing general counsel employment law for a firm’s business clients. In checking out the firm profile, the management has a lot of ties to the Republican Party but mostly from many years ago. For example, they worked for a Republican governor in the 90s or held Republican state senate.
Not sure if there is a way to feel out how much politics permeates the work. I’m sure I could ask a current associate but oddly, I do not know anyone that works for this firm, despite it being well regarded. I know they have been involved in some political legal cases before the state supreme court but they were hired by the state to do so, not a PAC.
My interview is tomorrow and I’m sure I’ll have a better sense after seeing the place and talking to people. I was pleased to hear they have COVID precautions in place and non-vaccinated employees and visitors must wear masks. I took this as a positive sign that they aren’t part of the Q-anon crowd.
LaurenB
Republican in, say, New England, or Republican in the deep South or far west? Two entirely different beasts IMO. For what it’s worth, a very liberal friend of mine worked for a Republican governor in their state capital and it was fine, because while they had differences of opinion, this particular governor was grounded in reality, wasn’t a bible-thumper hating on The Gay Abominations (/s), etc. World of difference between, say, Governor Baker of MA and Governor Noem of SD.
Anonymous
+1. The New England “Eisenhower Republicans” I know are a completely different breed than the Texas Republicans I know. The former did not vote for Trump, isn’t very religious, and won’t shove views down your throat.
Anon
I don’t know a single person who didn’t vote for Trump who still identifies as a Republican. I know many conservative people who left the party and now identify as independents or conservative Democrats. The current GOP and Trump are synonymous.
Anon
Sorry it took me so long to come back but New England!
Anon
I did. Got laid off after four years and it was a relief. It wasn’t so much about openly discussing politics, at least on my end, but I just never fit into the senior management culture. A lot of it had to do with flouting regulation and their belief that regulation was stupid and unnecessary and should be ignored.
Cornellian
I think my answer would have been different five years ago, because I worked successfully at a GOP-tied, Romney-style conservative place and it was fine. We didn’t agree on a lot of things, but we were respectful and living in the same reality. But now I work in a conservative-ish government agency, and I am very glad I didn’t have to look my coworkers in the eye during 2020. I think the brand of conservative matters a lot, and I find it WAY harder in the era of Trump and QAnon than in the era of McCain/Romney.
Anonymous
I did, it was fine from a social perspective everyone was nice enough. But there was a lot of law breaking and I had to constantly save things to CYA incase it ever went sideways. To this day I still have a few pieces of proof for the more egregious law breaking.
AnonMom
Yes. My very workplace has open, visible ties to very conservative people who spend time in the national news headlines and supports all the related projects, yet we are staffed with a surprisingly large number of quite liberal and left-leaning individuals. I am positive we have Q-anon followers here, but surprisingly the politics typically stay out of the office. Like-minded colleagues tend to find their own kind eventually, but we regularly mingle in a pretty free and friendly way across the aisles. It is actually kind of nice to know that I (very liberal) can work with someone who might actually listen to my view because they have grown to respect me as a colleague and work friend, rather than staying stuck in their own echo chamber where they may never encounter an opposing opinion in a functional way.
Anonymous
+1. Everyone here should be able to mingle and get along with conservatives (and vice versa). The media and bad actors have made it sound like that is impossible, but it’s not. I don’t WANT to work with people who share every thought and opinion I hold personally (although I do right now….) because it means we reinforce each other’s stupid biases and groupthink instead of ever considering other points of view.
AnonMom
My *own* workplace…
Anon
I did and it was h*ll. I ended up changing professions to get away from that job. Caveat that this was in a Midwest state that is culturally Southern, but I tend to believe that current members of the GOP (ie Trump supporters) are the same everywhere. The “good” Rs left the party in 2015-16. A Trump supporter in New England is no less toxic than one in Texas.
AFT
I worked for a conservative leaning biglaw firm in Chicago where a former IL governor was the head of the firm for a long time. I am not conservative, but it was OK because people were generally respectful and my peers mattached my leanings.
I’d have less concerns about connections to the republican party that were 10+ years old. I would not be comfortable working for a firm aligned with the elected officials supporting the Jan. 6th insurrection or T r u m p election lawsuits.
Anon
Agreed, I currently work for a university that is run by a former Republican governor and it’s fine. I don’t agree with everything he does, but it’s not a Trumpy culture at all and he’s a pretty reasonable person (I don’t work closely with him but have met him). But he was governor 10 years ago and is very much in the Bush/Romney mold. Trump and the current version of the Republican party are a totally different ballgame compared to the version of the party pre-Trump. The Republican party blew up in 2016 and the new party is completely different. Conservative views are fine, but I would not be comfortable working for anyone who publicly affiliates with the Republican party post-Trump.
Anonymous
Does anyone else have weeks where you just can’t get anything together? This week it’s been swing and miss after swing and miss w/r/t diet, work, sleep, and so much more. Sigh.
Anon
Yup, definitely. I think it’s loosely correlated with my cycle, but also just when I have a lot going on or am feeling particularly stressed.
Anon
+1 except I would say it’s pretty strongly correlated with my cycle. I suffer from migraines, insomnia and fatigue as part of my PMS and then that spills over and effects everything else.
Anon
Oh hey – I recommended this brand! Thanks so much for featuring it!
I have the Left Bank tote in French Blue. It’s my very favorite bag. Very lightweight and easy to clean. They are made in San Antonio, and you can get them monogrammed or heat stamped with foil. I have not had issues with the straps becoming discolored, and I wear it over my shoulder with a lot of black dresses. The straps and trim are really nice quality leather.
anon
Here’s hopefully a fun question! I’m going to an I Love the 90s party soon. I have ordered shortalls from Ebay (I sincerely hope they fit) and will wear a square-neck tank underneath. Naturally, I’ll drop the strap on one side. I also found some very fun iridescent blue nail polish. What other accessories or things should I add to my look? I know chunky slides are everywhere right now but I refuse to spend good money on those ankle-twisting monstrosities again.
Side note: I tried on some denim skirts at T ar get today (in the wild fable line), and wow, I had forgotten how TINY juniors’ clothing is. Sure, I’m 30 pounds heavier now than I was in 1996, but still. No wonder I had body issues as a teen. I’m tall and muscular; that stuff was never meant for me! Weirdly, that gave me some compassion for my self-conscious teen self.
Anonymous
Tattoo/stretchy choker necklace and hair wrap.
Anonymous
A scrunchie!
anon
I have a long pixie, but I could do butterfly clips. Or decorative bobby pins?
Cat
A claw clip!!
Anon
Butterfly clips!
Curious
Yesssss!
Anon
Hmm when my highschool aged daughter had 90s day it was either grunge or head to toe branded tracksuit kinda thing.
Anonymous
Sparkly glitter on your eyes. Maybe jelly sandals? We also wore boys boxer shorts under our overalls so that they could be seen on the side. Extra credit if the waistband said Tommy Hilfiger haha. Add a choker necklace and a scrunchie and that was my middle school/early high school look!
Cat
If you want to add more accessories — a choker, boxers under the overalls (visible of course), Bath & Body Works body spray, get a case for your Airpods that has a caribiner clip and they can stand in for your Tamagotchi…..
Anon
Oooh man those 90s tattoo chokers bring back memories! I wore one of those every day!
Anonymous
I had to google what shortalls are (non-English-native), and yeah, early nineties FTW.
You are missing, IMO, something neon, some plastic hoop earrings or single statement earrings (maybe a crocodile?), and a crinkly sort of sportswear. Bonus points for random grey stuff inbetween I-love-ectacy things.
Paging Cleveland Dining Options
Late to the table, sorry, but University Circle is my stomping grounds and there are so, so many good restaurants to recommend! You will want to cross-reference these with your location and car access, but you won’t go wrong:
– L’Albatros – lovely patio, pricey/swanky
– The Coffee House (on Juniper) – try the iced mocha!
– Tommy’s (Coventry) – FANTASTIC vegetarian options, good stuff for carnivores, and don’t miss the milkshakes
– Grum’s (Coventry) – really top-notch subs–take a picnic to Lakeview Cemetery down the street!
– Algebra Tea House (on Murray Hill Rd.) – funky, cheap, good
– pretty much anywhere in Little Italy – Corbo’s Bakery and Presti’s (better, IMO) are standouts for baked goods and cannoli, Guarino’s is a standout (cute patio) for meals. IIRC, the latter might be the oldest still-operating restaurant in Cleveland and/or some even greater area
– the Art Museum has a nice little cafe perfect for people-watching in a *standout* atrium (stood in for SHIELD headquarters in one of the Avengers movies – the museum is free to browse, don’t miss the armor court!
– Souper Market is a short drive into a bit sketchier area of town, but well worth it for the food
Welcome to our city, and please don’t tell anyone how nice it is here or they will all want to come, too. :) Safe travels!
-DB Cooper
Jules
Also if you have time check out the Ohio CIty neighborhood and the West Side Market. I haven’t been in a few years, but I had a couple of very good meals at TownHall there; my meat-eating clients and mostly vegan me were both very happy