Tuesday’s TPS Report: Modern Jersey Dress

189 Comments

1. Will the exposed zipper trend never die?? *sigh*

   1. Karen Millen’s been on that train, being edgy for 15+ years. She’s been riding that wave forever–little chance it will die with this specific designer.

      1. I really don’t love the Karen Millen look. It always reeks of “trying too hard on a date w/o any sense of humor whatsoever.”

   2. I had the same reaction. The zipper completely undermines the look (for me).

      1. I had the same reaction. The zipper completely undermines the look (for me).

         1. Me fourth. Exposed zippers are tacky and they need to go away.

2. I need help picking a pair of leopard print pumps. My intent is to find a way to wear them this fall and winter with tights and dresses/skirts (if you get Real Simple magazine, they showed a model wearing a plum colored dress with charcoal tights and Cole Haan leopard pumps – it looked chic!) I know I like the second pair linked below, but am wondering if for the sake of variety, I should try the block heel of the first pair (and yes, I like my leopard print done in calf-hair):

   http://www.dillards.com/product/Louise-Et-Cie-Jadyn-LeopardPrint-Pumps_301_-1_301_503865502?rr=true

   http://www.dillards.com/product/Gianni-Bini-Danna-Leopard-Pumps_301_-1_301_503932956?df=04050811_zi_lovie_black_black

   Thoughts? Votes?

   1. I like the block heel on the first better. I could see the second one getting completely nicked up. I also just like the look/shape of the first one better.

   2. I like the block heel too, primarily because I have too many heels that have been shredded by sidewalks.

3. Career TJ – Ladies, I am being courted for a serious career transition to move from support to sales. More money, real benefits, oh and having to relocate to a different city.

   thing is, I am not sold on how good a fit sales would be for me. I am going to talk to some people I know in the sector but have any of you made similar transitions you were unsure about? Am I letting the money goggles blind me? (Their starting bids are higher than my salary here after 7 years… before commission. And I’d relocate to a region with a lower cost of living to boot…. )

   Any advice is welcome!

   1. I used to be a sales field, and while I didn’t hate it, in fact I enjoyed it at the time, I’m now in a project management role and love it. That said – the type of sales /commission structure would be key for me personally before going back into sales. You mentioned your base salary is higher than your current, before commission – so that’s a great start! Do you know how the sales commission is structured? Do you get paid only on new sales or for retention as well? Are there monthly/quarterly quotas? What type of support will you have? (Do you have a department of sales support who can provide you sales packets, marketing materials, talking points, or do you have the create/compile them yourself?) Will you do RFPs or is that a sales support function? Some folks love the natural competition of sales but hate the paperwork – some don’t mind it. Make sure you find out what you’ll be responsible for in terms of the support functions to determine how much time you’ll have to actually sell. How much travel? Local or nation-wide, or international? (I’m sure much of this you’ve already asked yourself!)

      Good luck to you!

      1. Thanks! I don’t know how the commission is structured, but the figures they were stating implied that it could be as much as half of the base salary. (Also, benefits. I get none right now. the idea of full pension and health insurance makes me swoon… so yeah money goggles) The position itself is taking over an established role with an existing customer base with the focus being on retention – it was made clear that there will be no cold-calling shenanigans. Since it is for the market in my native country, I would expect travel but as far as I am concerned, frequent trips “back home” are a plus.

         I now have a lot of questions to ask when I talk to them again, so thank you :)

   2. I LOVE THIS DRESS, and as a littel girl I litterally grew up with the Flashdance look! YAY!!!! But so expensive? OMG, dad would be so mad!

      As for the OP, I have NEVER officialley done sale’s (unless you agree litiegation is like sales), but the manageing partner told me that I could sell ICE CUBE’S to an Eskimo! So I think I can be of SOME ASISTANCE here. If you like dealing with peeople, then jump at the job. If you are to be paid based on the selleing that you do, then if your a hard worker, you can make alot of money, but if your lazy, dont even bother. Just stay and collect your salary. As for the relocation piece, figure out if you want to live there irregardeless of the amount of money you will be makeing. After all, all the money in the WORLD wont be worth much if you are stuck in a crummey place. FOOEY!

      Right now I have to figure out how to collect alot of CLE certificeate’s before the Auditor comes over to Audit. One bright idea — he manageing partner said that I should send him to Frank, who is suposed to keep track of them for all of us. He then told Frank to tell the Auditor when he show’s up that his files got soiled when the Hurricane Sandy flooded the basement. I hope that will work (YAY for the Hurricane– at least it helps me now even if David did NOT back then. FOOEY ON CLE CERTIFICATE’s!

   3. 1) Is the area you’d be moving to an area you’d want to live in even absent the job? That is, if the job doesn’t work out, would you be upset that you had moved? Or would it be difficult to move back? If you don’t like the job, are there other job options in that city that might interest you?

      2) If you took the sales job and didn’t like sales, would the job nonetheless position you for other options you might like better? That is, would it be a resume booster for you even if you didn’t stay in sales?

      3) If you didn’t take the job, what would your career path be? How long do you want to stay in your current position? What paths might be open to you other than sales from where you currently are? Do you think you’d like any of those better? Could you go back to any of those if you don’t like the sales job?

      Bottom line: What doors are you opening and what doors are you closing by either accepting or not accepting this job? How do you feel about each of those doors? That should tell you whether to take a chance on this job or not. And congratulations!

      1. 1. A month ago I would have said oh hell no but… okay, this sounds ridiculous but I am really involved in the local goth scene. And as of this week, our weekly club will be no more and whatever comes back will be monthly or fortnightly – so it would no longer be a major commitment. the city I’d be moving to is 2 hours away on the train, 3 on the bus so coming back to my social life and for anything else is not a problem. (heck, with the $_$ I could probably get a car…) the city itself has pretty solid tech sector and I’ve been approached about other positions before, they just.. did not interest me because I prioritized things differently…. the urge to “get out and eave everything and everyone and especially the smelly boys” Is high.

         2. Pretty likely – with my delivery background, there is a good chance I’d be able to move laterally (of course I will confirm this from then) and if not, the position has a lot shinier title and is somewhat higher in level than what I am doing now. I have been in what is technically a low-level position at one company for nearly 7 years now and that does not look so good in the long run.

         3. Honestly, I am stuck at my current company. :/ my team at the moment gets paid extra for unsociable hours. If I get promoted, no raise is going to match that. (the base salary in the other job is higher than my salary + the shift premiums) I know I could make my way into management within 2 years, to Delivery project exec within 5 (because I am that awesome) but I.. can’t afford to get promoted. I know I would thrive in the DPE role, but.. ugh money. I know I could come back if this did not work out (one of the guys in my team has left and come back 3 times in the time I’ve been here) and although it would hit my salary being re-hired, it would not close the doors here unless I was a complete doooshcanoe when leaving. I also know people have moved form sales to service delivery before.

         Thanks for helping me articulate how I feel about this! Yeah this does open a lot of doors and the money alone makes me wnat to grab it…

   4. Just a thought (with the caveat that I am not in this kind of industry so I may not know what I’m talking about) – BUT, if you are truly being “courted” for this job, maybe use this as a talking point. Make them sell you on why this is a good move for you. Ask about the transition and what makes people succeed in this kind of role.

      1. Thank you! :) they’re coming on pretty strong, and it’s pretty overwhelming. I was all “.. you know I have never worked in sales and i don’t really know what you guys even do” half asleep on the phone to the lad who rang me and he still wants me to please maybe give them a phone interview in a few days’ time. After looking at glassdoor, it seems like they could be desperate for really competent people who aren’t sick of the bad management…. I am pondering if it would be okay to ask if the person who is vacating the role could spare a few minutes to discuss the role, since they are v. fond of informational interviews.

         1. I’ll echo NOLA’s advice to get them to really sell you on it. If I were on your shoes, I’d also pause and think about the bad management aspect that you mention… I used to think that I could handle bad managers or at least not let them hamper me but I am wiser now. Perhaps tell yourself that even if the management is bad you will stick it out in the role for X time (e.g. time it takes for benefits to kick in, time it takes for this role to open other doors etc) and then you will begin exploring other jobs. Lastly, keep in mind that enthusiasm from the HR/recruiter does not mean the job is in the bag… I just came off of a round of job interviews and for one of them I was heavily recruited by HR but when I started talking to the hiring manager, he seemed lukewarm. I ended up taking another job that’s my dream job and will pay much more so all’s good but next time around, I’d really make the recruiter/HR articulate why they think I’d be good for the role.

            1. I’ve figured that after the many years with the monkey show at my current place of employment, not much could be worse hen it comes to management…. I could probably take a lot of poo-flinging and rotten bananas if it meant shiny things.

               And yup, you are so right about the recruiter s. hiring manager…. I am taking the fact that the guy is one of their internal people as a good sign, because agency recruiters are… well. agency recruiters.

   5. In addition to Working mom’s excellent q’s about the internal aspect of a sales role, you should use your time with your contacts to form your own view about what drives successful sales in your industry. Is it reputation, relationships, repeat business, a vendor’s ability to invest/ take financial risks with the customer ? How would your potential employer and its products/ services rate on this basis ? And what would you bring to this kind of sales role ?

      I myself made this kind of transition nearly 15 years ago and it’s been a career-making one (turns out that I have a real vocation for the new role). I had great advice about thinking through the competitive issues from an external perspective, as above, so hope it helps you a bit as well. Good luck !

      1. Thanks! I have already hit up 2 of my contacts and hope to hear back from them soon…. One of them is no longer in sales and transitioned back to support, the other is pretty high up in the food chain so his advice will be invaluable. Plus, he seemed to think I’d cut it in sales back in the day when I first met him, even if it never did happen, so I am taking that as a good sign.

4. Adventures in pregnancy TJ.
   In the last week or so, I’ve noticed the top of my head has turned into an oil slick and my hair (close to my head) is extremely greasy. (I’m 22 wks.) Dr Google says I can use dish soap and that’ll help get the oil out. Any advice from fashionable ladies here? Has anyone done this successfully?

   1. What about clarifying shampoo? If you’re looking for a homemade version, a paste of 1 part baking soda to 3 parts water also does the trick. Mix in a squeeze bottle or glass and pour over wet hair, then massage gently. After you rinse, be sure to condition the ends well.

   2. No no no. Detergent is SO bad for your hair, and the more you strip oils from your hair, the more oil your skin produces to try to make up for the lost oil. Try an SLS-free shampoo with tea tree oil instead. Trader Joe’s has a really great one for less than $5.

   3. That is one pregnancy symptom I’ve not heard of. Sympathies, my friend. I got back acne, dry eyes, and tons of other random things. It’s so weird what pregnancy can do to your body.

   4. I’ve never been pregnant, but this has happened to me 2-3 times in my life. The crown of my head just gets suuuper greasy/waxy, and regular shampoo won’t get rid of it. A couple of times what has really helped was rinsing my hair with vinegar. Once it was too stubborn for just that, and the clarifying shampoo didn’t work either. I admit to having resorted to dish detergent. Although I’m sure Anonymous is right, and it’s bad for your hair, the one wash did the trick, and I haven’t seen any lasting effects. If you have generally pretty healthy hair, I think it’s fine for a last resort.

      1. +1, this happens to me occasionally, although I’m not pregnant. I use Suave clarifying shampoo whenever I have an “attack.” It’s worth a shot, especially since it’s only a couple bucks a bottle.

   5. Mine was a combination of sweat and just increased oil. I switched to a sulfate free shampoo (and conditioner just on ends) and it seemed to help quite a bit. Burts Bees has a great one that I still use on weekends. I have no idea if the two were related, but it seemed to help.

   6. Awesome! Thanks ladies.

   7. Dry shampoo sprayed at the problem area as soon as you finish blow drying your hair will significantly decrease the grease-ys.

5. TJ – ack! My booties have little back zipper, and the pull is clacking with every step! Any suggestions on how to stop the madness? The zipper isn’t necessary to get them on and off, and I am seriously considering removing the pull completely when I get home. Suggestions on how to stay sane until then would be much appreciated!

   1. Got any bluetak around? You can use a small bit to temporarily hold the pull in place without it being obvious.

   2. Use a dab of superglue to affix the pull to the zipper?

   3. The booties may unzip without the pull.

   4. I wouldn’t remove the pull if I were you – it might make the zipper unzip more easily. You could put a tiny stitch in the pull to attach it to the shoe.

      1. +1 on a tiny stitch in the pull. At this point even a few stitches with a hotel sewing kit will suffice.

      2. Perfect! I hadn’t thought of tacking the pull down. I’m pretty adept with a needle & thread and have some on hand; an easy fix. Thank you from me, and my officemates thank you for keeping me sane today!

         Just wondering out loud now: I’m not seeing how removing the pull would turn it into an aut0-unzipper…how would the zipper even know its pull is gone? Seems like having the weight of the pull present would cause more unzipping problems than having it gone (although it would be harder to manually zip/unzip without the pull).

   5. Are the the Sam Edelman booties from last year? I had to return mine because it kept doing clanging and unzipping!

      1. No, they are actually the Myla by Tsubo. I *love* them, expect for the clacky zipper: http://www.tsubo.com/women-boots/myla/737872840631.html

6. This dress makes the model look a bit like a linebacker.

   1. It kind of does, but for women who have narrower shoulders than hips that could be helpful. However, I think this type of somewhat baggy cap sleeve is unflattering on most women’s upper arms – I think my arms would have to be pretty toned before this sleeve would look fashionably slouchy rather than just sloppy.

      1. The sleeves on this dress looks incredibly annoying – with such a baggy sleeve, it will bunch underneath a blazer/cardigan.

7. Does anyone have any experience with Tahari shoes? I ordered a pair of basic black pumps yesterday but there were no reviews, and I’m wondering if I made a bad choice.

   1. I have a pair of black patent Tahari pumps that I snagged at Marshall’s on sale last year – they’re not the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever owned, but they’re good quality and not painful at all. I wouldn’t commute in them (commuter rail/two subways/walking, so I’m picky about shoes for commuting), but for around the office they’re good.

   2. I have two pairs. Agree with Killer Kitten Heels – they are not my most comfortable pair of work shoes but not my least comfortable either. I wouldn’t pick them for a day with a lot of standing but they are very cute and well made and are fine on a normal work day.

   3. I have a pair of Tahari Collette pumps that I purchased from DSW four years ago. They are difficult to walk in and not very comfortable, but I was in a pinch and needed a pair of black pumps. I haven’t worn them in three years…

   4. I have a pair of low-heeled (maybe 2 inches? I recognize that different people have different ideas of “low”) Tahari leather pumps I bought at DSW a year or two ago. They’re really comfy for me, although maybe because 2 inches is my idea of low…

8. I ordered a couple of Lands’ End dresses when they were on sale and the order tracker shows they were delivered on Friday but I don’t have them! I’m annoyed with the USPS since they’re the ones who mis-delivered them but I have to put a plug in for Lands’ End customer service. They’re sending me new dresses via UPS and were super nice on the phone.

   1. My Lands’ End orders always go to the post office first and then it takes them at least 2 days to get them to me — so the tracking just ends mysteriously when they get to the PO.

   2. As an aside, the USPS is unbelievably awful. Just the other day, I was sitting in my living room. I saw and heard the postman come up to the door, the screen door was closed, but the door was open, making it pretty clear that someone was home. No knock, no doorbell, nothing. Then, when I went to get the mail, there was a “we tried to deliver” slip. I had to go to the post office to get my package. I was so mad. I was sitting right there and the door was open. How hard is it to knock once?

      (I wasn’t expecting a package, which is why I didn’t go to the door and greet him, but I certainly would have if he knocked or rang the doorbell).

      1. That is so frustrating. I HATE having to go to the post office. I would have been livid.

      2. I always have this experience with UPS (in Canada). They update the tracking to say they tried to deliver but no one was there, and they don’t even bother coming by (I’ve asked our awesome doorman each time). And they send the package way out to the middle of nowhere, not a local branch, so I have to call them and yell at them to get them to re-deliver.

         Canada Post is fabulous in comparison and luckily delivers most of my online shopping orders. UPS’s awfulness makes me very leery of ordering from Amazon, actually, because it’s usually not worth the hassle.

         1. I think everyone’s complaining about the US Postal Service, not UPS.

            Also Canadian, I’m actually cool with UPS, they have a brick and mortar store close to where I live, and they just deliver packages there, and leave me a note to pick it up, just like Canada Post does. USPS seems to end up with Canada Post for me. FedEx, on the other hand, is absolutely terrible. They try to make my pick my packages up at their depot near the AIRPORT, like I’m willing to drive 45 minutes to pick up a pacage, no thanks – I always make the delivery address to my office if I know places use FedEx. I just wish companies would say in advace who they use, because I’d adjust accordingly. DHL is also a pain, but I don’t get many things through them, it’s usually UPS and Canada Post, thankfully.

            1. I know – I was just using it as a jumping off point to vent about UPS! I’ve never had anything delivered by FedEx but the UPS depot they always try to send me to is also a 45 minute drive away. UPS told me they wouldn’t send packages to UPS stores near me unless I had prior written agreement from the store manager. Reeeediculous.

            2. UPS refuses to leave packages in my purportedly “bad” neighborhood, so it takes a few days while we play the game of them leaving a slip, me signing off and waiting for them to actually leave the package on my completely safe porch. I always ask that a shipper use USPS or Fed Ex, with whom I have no issues. Unfortunately my agency has a policy of allowing no personal deliveries, so no option to have it sent to work.

      3. Joining the anti-USPS rant. Sent 3 boxes from the post office on the same day. All had insurance/tracking. According to the tracking, only 2/3 made it out of the post office and to their destinations. The third box showed that it was still at the original location for THREE WEEKS. But nobody could find it! So I have to go through the whole rigmarole, file a claim, etc. etc. and lo and behold, one day, four weeks after the package was sent, the tracking shows “delivered.”

         The worst part was the attitude that I received about the whole thing– like it was MY FAULT their scanning system/ tracking system/ package moving process was broken! I even had insurance!

         1. Yes! I returned something using a pre-paid label and it showed in the tracking as sitting in the same location for about 3 weeks. I called and called and called and the USPS had no explanation as to why it was sitting there. Finally, the company (Shopbop) refunded my money before they received the item because they could see it sitting there in the tracking system. Then, one day, it inexplicably just started moving towards its destination and got there. But nobody from the post office could tell me why it just sat there for weeks.

            As an aside, I LOVE UPS. I use UPS MyChoice and I get notifications and can change my package to same day pickup at a convenient location or release a signature requirement. They are awesome.

   3. I live in an apartment building with parcel boxes out front so I don’t understand how hard it is to get a package, put it in the box and put the key to the box in my mailbox. I’m beyond frustrated because I’ve called the post office twice now and they don’t have any sort of answer for me. I may have to skulk around outside after work and wait for the postman.

      1. When this happened to me (also while living in an apartment), I left a note in my mailbox explaining that tracking showed my package had been delivered two weeks ago but I hadn’t received it. The next day, the package showed up in my mailbox. Who knows where it had been in the meantime, maybe in the parcel box for someone else’s mailbox? I hate the USPS with a burning passion, but at least that time things worked out. They were pretty incompetent about getting mail in the right box- we were constantly getting things for people in the other apartments.

   4. I actually prefer USPS to UPS. There’s Saturday delivery. My postman actually knows how to use the parcel box, and has access to our locked door building so I don’t have to buzz him in.

      UPS on the other hand will leave a note that they’re coming back tomorrow, give me a 4 hour timeframe, which I will make a point to be home during, and then attempt to deliver 40 min before the timeframe starts, resulting in a delay yet again with a note about the 8 hour timeframe they will attempt to deliver in tomorrow.

      So, if I have a choice, I’ll got for USPS over UPS everytime.

      1. Totally with you. It’s very area-dependent.

         USPS in my area is great. The postal worker even puts a plastic wrap over packages left on my doorstep if it’s rainy weather.

         UPS local management where am I sucks donkey-wang. Seriously. They leave packages in the fricking driveway. And lie about it by logging it as “left at front door.” Those packages have melted in heavy rain.

         1. [I accidentally hit ‘report’ at first–sorry!]

            I completely agree that it’s area-dependent. I’ve lived in an area where my UPS driver was so incredibly lazy, that he occasionally THREW my packages up the flight of stairs in the general direction of my door. If it was too heavy or oddly shaped to do that, he just wouldn’t deliver it. I’d hear the truck roll up and stare out the window waiting for him to come up. All of a sudden, without ever leaving the truck, he’d drive off, and the tracking would update to say that he’d attempted delivery but no one was available. USPS there was also terrible–my family would send something urgent via Express Mail and instead of coming to my unit, he’d just stick the slip in the mailbox. This was before USPS upgraded their online system for redelivery requests, and I’d want to go pick it up but couldn’t because he was “attempting redelivery” (in the form of another piece of paper–did he think I was suddenly going to appear in a 4″x6″ box?). FedEx was my friend there.

            Where I live now, my regular UPS driver is amazing and always leaves packages at my door. Sometimes during heavy periods, my package will end up on an overflow truck and that driver is running too behind to come up or doesn’t know the gate code to get in, so he delivers it to the apartment office. FedEx *always* delivers to the office. Deliveries to the office drive me nuts because it is only open 10-6 Mon-Fri and 12-5 on Saturday, which means if I get something on Monday, I can’t pick it up until Saturday, and if I have something scheduled on Saturday I have to wait another whole week.

            Lately the problem I’ve had with USPS is that sometimes a package will show up as “Delivered” but actually wasn’t. It shows up the next day or two, but that status causes lots of freaking out and unnecessary phone calls in the meantime.

9. Ladies – can I get another tailoring cost check? I took 2 things to the tailor – a wrap jersey dress to be shortened into a tunic length (12 inches), and a pair of suit pants to be taken in and hemmed just a bit. Total for both is $105! With a sale I could just about get a new tunic and pair of pants for that price! Is this normal?

   In other news, I am so excited for MOAR RUPERT FRIEND on Homeland this season. :)

   1. Does not sound normal! I was just quoted $50 to tailor an entire skirt suit (take in skirt; slim jacket). I’m in Philly- maybe that’s normal for NYC or DC?

   2. i think that is really, really high. the hem of slacks, even with lining, should be about 20 bucks. Even if was 25, that means 75 for the dress. it was 8 years ago, but it only cost me 75 bucks to get my wedding dress hemmed, which included significantly more work than hemming a jersey dress.

   3. I should have said that the hemming of the dress also involves re-attaching the trim (solid color) to the new hem of the tunic. It still is a lot, seems to me.

      1. Even with the re-attaching, it definitely sounds like too high of a price to me – I get pants hemmed for like $8, and I’ve had jackets tailored (sleeves shortened and shoulders taken in) for $40-50. $105 sounds insane.

      2. You had the pants hemmed AND taken in? Taken in where – reshaping at the hips, waistband?

         So you basically had 4 things done, right? Hemming the tunic, removing and reattaching the trim, hemming the pants, and taking in the pants. Might be a bit a high and worth an ask for the breakdown of the labor, but it does sound like you had a lot going on with that.

         1. Yeah, this doesn’t sound like a crazy price to me for everything you’re having done – maybe a bit high, but not crazy.

         2. Yup, hemmed and taken in – just at the waistband.

         3. I missed the “taken in” part on the pants… that can be expensive. I still think $105 is high, but it makes more sense.

         4. Seems a bit high. I assume they will break down the price by item if you ask (my tailor always tells me what each portion will cost when I drop things off so I know if I really want to get it done-hemming pants without lining is $12, for reference), so it might be easier to judge each portion than the total.

         5. I agree that when you break it down, it doesn’t sound completely off. E.g.
            – hem pants $15-20
            – take in waist $15-25 (?)
            – cutting dress and reattaching trim $30-40(?)

            I paid $100 to get a trench shortened 3″ last year if that helps to compare.

   4. I know you’re in the Boston area. I’m in an expensive Boston suburb and it cost me $10 to get a pair of (unlined) suit pants shortened. Figure double that for a lined pair? Triple that if you want to have it done downtown, same day?

      I do know (lined) skirts are on the high end– I think I was quoted $30 or so for one (didn’t end up having it done).

   5. That is high for my tailor, but I am in a lower COL area than you, so I don’t know if that helps. I agree with you though, I would be so annoyed if it cost that much.

   6. Keep in mind my perspective here is from someone who sews and not someone who gets alterations done by someone else frequently — what you’re asking for here sounds non trivial. If the dress has a trim that needs to be reattached, you have to pick off the trim off by hand, clean off the thread bits, and then reattach it, rather than just cutting the dress off and sewing a new hem. If the pants are lined, you have the hem them twice (as others have noted), take them in at the back twice, and then reattach the waistband. Some pants have a split in the back waistband that’s designed to make this alteration easy, but most women’s pants don’t. I’m always a bit amazed at how little people seem to pay for alterations, knowing how long these same alterations take me to do!

10. I look at this dress– which I like, by the way– and think there’s no way it’s office appropriate. The combination of the material, the gathers and the drape of the neckline/sleeves makes it read far too sexy to me. “Throwing on a blazer” doesn’t seem like a good answer either. I don’t see anyone wearing things like this in my Biglaw office or on my commute. Admittedly, Boston tends towards frump, but am I wildly out of touch? I must be because I tend to think the Black Halo/Origami style dresses are too much for the office too, but they seem to have a following on this site.

    1. I agree with you; it depends on how it hangs on a real person and whether it is as body-con as it seems on the model, but the exposed zipper just kills it for work-appropriateness for me. BUT I have fully embraced the blazer-every-day model of work clothing, so for someone with a more relaxed dress code at their office, maybe it could work. Like a design firm or PR, some kind of creative field.

       1. Ok, I get people not liking exposed zippers, and I get not thinking this is work appropriate, but I don’t get the idea that something with an exposed zipper is not work appropriate. Is that what you’re saying. I don’t really care about zippers, and I don’t even notice if a zipper is exposed or not. It’s not something I’d take into consideration when deciding whether a dress is work appropriate.

          1. For me, exposed zippers do make the difference between a work appropriate piece and one that isn’t. I’m youngish (27) and think exposed zippers have a s*xy, kind of cheap, unfinished look that is exactly what I’m avoiding at work. What drives me nuts is that I think that’s the reason I see exposed zippers so often on otherwise conservative, structured, office appropriate clothing — I can see how a designer might think it “balances out” a more stuffy dress or skirt. But I just wish they would stop it.

    2. It does seem like something you’d see in a tv series versus in real life but it is a lovely dress.

    3. Wow that just goes to show you how different cities/offices/people can be! This actually reads fairly conservative to me and I would definitely wear it to work with a blazer, pumps and maybe a long necklace – big city/big law. I probably wouldn’t wear it to a big meeting but an office day? Most definitely.

       Can I ask what you think is office appropriate? (Not trying to start a fight just curious)

       1. NYC BigLaw associate (been at two business casual firms) and this dress would have not been appropriate at either firm. It’s too casual (because of the jersey –at most, I would maybe wear a ponte knit fabric if it were structured and not body conscious), too “partyish” (because of the big drapey sleeves) and too s*xy (because of how tight it appears too be). It’s not egregious, and maybe I could wear it *once* — but if one were to wear something like this on a regular basis, people would comment.

          1. That’s why I posted – I’m genuinely curious if women in other cities (or other offices in Boston) are wearing dresses like this to the office. I didn’t mean my original post to sound snarky.

             I think anon 10:39 described my take on the dress accurately. I described it as “sexy” in my original post, but “evening” would probably have been a better word. It’s not that I think it’s not conservative. It certainly covers all the necessary skin, and it’s not too tight. I guess, to me, it doesn’t seem like something you buy deliberately for work. Rather, you buy it for social events and try to make it do double duty on days when you’re going out after work.

             I’m not sure how to answer your question about what I think is office appropriate. It very much runs the gamut. I started working in the Ally McBeal years, so I have a high tolerance for short skirts. I guess it mostly comes down to fabric choice for me, and, because jersey/ponte is a more casual fabric, the rest of the design needs to be more pared back.

    4. I’ve been in many legal sectors in Chicago, and I don’t know that I’d be *surprised* to see this, but I think that it’s got a fair amount of c*cktail / date dress vibe: the fabric, the length, the ruching, the trendy sleeve. All these elements together at once make it seem less office-y to me, whereas any one or two of those elements wouldn’t. And I agree a blazer wouldn’t look great.

       I don’t know that’s “inappropriate”— I kind of hate that designation—but it’s not straightforwardly professional look, IMO. Which doesn’t mean it’s not “conservative,” to Anon’s point; it’s pretty covered up… for a c*cktail dress, anyway.

    5. Interesting comparison, this, but for what it’s worth, in my London Biglaw business casual US firm this would be totally fine.

    6. I agree with you, Perplexed, but at the same time would not be at all surprised to see it on a lawyer in my Atlanta law office.

    7. I think it would be fine with a blazer, and I also do the orgami dress thing, but I live in SoCal and work in house for a GC who wore a metallic knit dress (with a sweater over it) to work yesterday. I’m not usually wild about exposed zippers and agree they make it less professional, although I have one Kate Spade dress where I think it works– the neckline is very high and conservative, so the back exposed zipper is the only slightly saucy thing about it. I still keep a sweater or blazer on unless I’m sweltering though. I am shocked sometimes at what online retailers list as “work attire.” Seriously, on Nordstrom’s site, they have like bandage dresses. And I don’t even know what to say about the Theory dresses that are like upper thigh length.

11. TJ: Somehow, in my professional life, I’ve never mastered a way to very politely say “I’ve already told you that.” For example (and this has been happening all the time lately to me!), someone Important (a boss or client) will ask for information that I should have and did already give them, they just either missed it or forgot. I don’t mind repeating it, but I feel like that leaves me looking bad – I would prefer to be seen as the sort that they don’t have to come after for these sorts of updates (because I’m not!). But I always feel like saying something like “As I told you in my email last Thursday, ” comes across as vaguely hostile – like there’s an implied “You idiot” in there somewhere. Any suggestions? Am I overthinking this?

    1. there is no nice way to say it. if its a client or a boss, just give them the information and be done with it. a lot of times, people are asking for the information again not because they didnt see it the first time but becuase they dont want to go find it again. if its your boss or client, you want to make their life easy, so just give it again and be done with it.

       1. I don’t know. I feel like my boss might be getting the impression that I’m flaky about getting information to her. I’m definitely still learning this job and there have been some times where that’s been true(ish). And these are definitely circumstances where it’s not being asked just to make things easier, but there is no awareness of my having previously provided it. So, I’m really worried about taking this route.

          1. I’m having a similar problem with one of my managers. I fear it makes *me* look silly. I’m sure you already do some of this, but CC yourself on emails, log your efforts in your company’s CRM (or whatever database), and fwd or attach the original email to your new one. Sometimes you don’t even need to say anything, but the fwd and/or attachment will speak for itself.

             That said- if a partner, managing director, or very, very senior person is asking for it: send to them and.let.it.go.

    2. Can you forward your last email and add a message at the top saying, here is the information in case you missed it, and please let me know if you need anything else?

       I have done this when I feel fairly comfortable with the recipient and it lets them know you already sent it. It probably depends on your relationship with the person and your workplace environment, but in my workplace it is common knowledge that senior people have a lot of emails coming in and may not catch something the first time around, so forwarding an old sent email does not come off as passive aggressive.

       1. I do this too. It’s also a defensive move against your boss thinking that you are flaky or aren’t keeping up.

          1. Ack! Did not mean to report.

       2. Yup. Leave the date from the original email on there and resend with an additional note at the top. As for this happening in person, I do sometimes gently say something like “right–not everyone may have seen my email…” or, “yeah, as we were saying yesterday…” I’ve never gotten any looks or bad reactions doing this.

          1. Or if it’s in person you can say something about how you’ll recirculate it for everyone’s convenience. Then they understand that it was sent, but don’t feel badly for not seeing it/finding it.

             1. Yeah, this. “Oh, ok, I’ll resend my email from last week to make sure everyone has it.”
                I think it all comes down to your tone not making it sound passive aggressive. Also, just doing it anyway. We all do that around my office, and even if there is a hint of passive aggression in the tone, whatever, it doesn’t make it unprofessional. Guys and higher-ups I work with do it all the time. It might be a little bit of ‘nice girl’ complex you have here. Just say it and don’t worry about whether it annoys people.

       3. This is what I do.

    3. This is silly wordsmithing, but I usually say “as I mentioned on our call/in my email/whatever last week…” I feel like “mentioned” instead of “told you” is less accusatory – I mentioned it (implication: so I’m not a forgetful spaz) but since it was only “mentioned,” it’s completely understandable that you might have missed it. It sounds dumb when I type it out like this, but that’s how I handle it.

       Also, I work for someone notoriously forgetful, and I’m at the point now where I just re-forward the prior email when he asks me to repeat information, usually with a “here’s that info you requested on the Smith case.”

       1. +100. The word “mention” helps, and I usually also attach the prior email so they can see that I did actually send it to them last week.

          1. Agreed. I wouldn’t put them through the step of, “oh, didn’t I send it?” Part of your job is not to waste their time (not in law, but this is the approach I take with senior management here). I agree you want them to know you’re on top of things, so I like this approach of “As mentioned” and re-send or attach the original email.

             I do occasionally pop in to my director’s office to say I’ve already sent, would you like me to re-send so it’s at the top of your email pile? Or if I’m sending email via my phone. But I have a good relationship with my director and in those cases it’s usually about what will get her the info faster – scrolling through her email or me re-sending.

       2. Hi Killer Kitten Heels. I mean this as a sincerely useful bit of information: I recently learned that the term “spaz” is offensive, particularly to the British set. It’s slang for retarded and has a highly negative connotation. I personally hate making cultural mis-steps I’m not even aware of, and I know lots of ladies on this blog work or live internationally. Just an FYI for you if you were previously unawares (as I was).

          1. Had absolutely no idea. Thanks.

    4. I think you feign ignorance a bit to redirect as a question. For example, VIP: “Can you send me that report I need?” You: “Oh! That wasn’t attached to my email Thursday afternoon? I can definitely resend now.” Likely the VIP will say “Oh, maybe it was. But if you can resend, that would be great.”

       1. This is what I do. But, I have a great relationship with my boss and he knows that he is the flaky one most of the time. He generally knows that if he has asked for something and doesn’t have it, it is usually because he lost it or overlooked it.

          BUT, I will caution that there are genuinely times when I have thought I have sent something and I haven’t. Maybe I’ve completed it, but never took the extra step. So, I try to be gracious and nice because I know that sometimes its actually my mistake.

    5. As someone who has lost things in my inbox, I don’t mind the email forward with “Here is the info you asked for- see below”. If you just say “I sent that to you already,” I will feel like an idiot, and also just be mad because I wouldn’t have asked for it if I couldn’t find it.

    6. I usually re-forward and say “Re-sending per your request.” or “Reattached for ease of reference.” along with a “Happy to discuss further” or “Please let me know if you have any questions” etc.

    7. I usually re-send the email I already sent, with the cover email giving the highlights or the summary answer, and then “for reference, you can see my email below. Please let me know if you need anything else.” So you’re answering their question, but also letting them know that you already told them.

    8. This has become a big issue in my work of late. I can’t decide if the partner is getting senile or just doesn’t respect my input. Accusing him of the latter may or may not have been the appropriate response, but when a client accused me of failing to pass on her directions, and the partner just let me twist in the wind, I did not feel I had much choice.

    9. Save all your sent emails in the same folder where you would keep the ones people sent you (so organized by topic, not just in a “sent” folder”). When something like this happens, forward it to them with a very nonconfrontational message like “here’s the info on that topic we were just discussing.” If it’s in person, say “you know, I think there may have been some email traffic on that, let me check and get back to you.”

12. Ladies, I have what I think is a pretty dumb question, but I can’t seem to figure it out. I very recently became a commuter (moved from NYC to Westchester, commuting into the city for my job). So far I’ve kept all the same healthcare providers, since it’s easier for me to get around in the city and to run out for appointments from the office etc. But now that I’ve become pregnant, I assume I’ll need an OB in my town, since I presumably wouldn’t want to travel 45 mins into the city to deliver. But that’s very far in the future and in the interim, trying to make/ attend appointments in my town would be a serious pain. What do you commuter ladies generally do about this?

    1. Maybe look for a provider with a practice in both locations? I live in an NYC suburb too, and several of my healthcare providers keep a split schedule – a few days a week in the city, and a few days a week at an office nearish to my home. That way, you can do city-based regular appointments, but still deliver close to home.

    2. I’m very interested to hear what others have to say about this (currently contemplating a similar move myself!) BUT one of my doctors works 2 days in the city and 2 days in the ‘burbs. So maybe there are OBs like that? who are affiliated with both a NYC and a Westchester hospital?
       Also — something to consider — any chance you’ll go into labor at work?

    3. I don’t know the area, but I know my OB-GYN has multiple offices (and some deliver at multiple hospitals). Can you find an OB that has a city office and a Westchester office. Or also delivers at a Westchester hospital?

    4. Honestly, this was just me, but I didn’t really care who delivered me. If you like your current OB, I would just check with their practice about how it would be handled if you were to deliver at a hospital near your home (i.e., do they have a doctor they would refer you to, or does someone in their practice have privileges there?). I know some people have a real relationship with their doc and would be upset if “their” doc didn’t deilver them, but I honestly didn’t care. And it’s good I didn’t as I went into labor in the middle of the night on a sunday and my doc wasn’t on call anyway.

       1. Yup, me too – I didn’t have “my” doctor for any of my 3 deliveries, and I didn’t care particularly. I would try to get a provider near your home if possible, since driving/being driven while in labor is not very comfortable, and it is nice to be at a familiar hospital when you deliver.

       2. Sorry for the ignorance, but isn’t this expected – that you can’t guarantee that your regular visit OB will be the OB who delivers your baby, because it depends upon who is on call?

          1. Usually the case, especially in a big practice. Maybe in a smaller practice your odds are better (assuming they can somehow limit the number of patients due in a given month)

       3. I agree that if you like the doctor you will most likely enjoy the whole practice. However, my poor sister had a horrible experience with her OB’s practice. Had it not been for me (I work in healthcare at the hospital where she delivered) and my over bearing married into an Italian Family mother, my sister would have had a horrible experience. We really advocated for her and got her a better doctor. She was in active labor and they kept trying to send her home because she wasn’t dialating to their standards/procedures. I finally got a good nurse who know the right questions to ask. I still cringe when I think about my sister’s birth experience.

          For what it’s worth, just make sure you like all the OB’s in the practice. Should I have another child, I will do all my prenatal appointments with the NP in my OBs office (NP’s don’te deliver and only assist in csections in my state) and then my appointment wouldn’t get bumped because doctor had to run into labor. I had a c section with my only child so far so would likely opt for another c section after full term.. Just my thoughts :)

    5. For a first baby, it is usually doable to deliver in the city even if you live in the suburbs. First labors are generally long, and you will have plenty of time to get to the hospital. And if you have no older kids at home, you don’t have to wait for whoever you arranged to watch them to show up before you leave for the hospital.

       If you want to deliver near home, look for a local doctor who has evening and/or Saturday hours for regular OB visits.

       This would all be exponentially more annoying for a second or third birth.

       1. +1 – this is what my friends have done.

          1. I have also heard of folks doing this, but from Westchester I imagine you’d want a hospital that is more north than south (i.e., maybe not NYU, but Presbyterian or Weill Cornell or other uptown places could be fine).

             I was lucky enough to have my OB deliver my kids (I lived pretty close but really it was that my kids were kind enough to be born during regular hours). I was happy that she delivered my first, but I would have been fine if she didn’t, and couldn’t care less for my second. Plus a lot of the doctor interaction during L&D is with residents who are on call (and you certainly have not met them). This is where having a good birth partner is great–they can help you articulate your needs/desires/questions/etc. to whomever is around.

    6. I was in a similar situation when pregnant, and I had an HMO that wouldn’t let me switch providers or deliver at another hospital unless it was a medical emergency, which was apparently more than normal labor and delivery. I ended up going into labor at home and driving 1.5 hours to the hospital near my office, which wasn’t a big deal until the hospital tried to send me home and I told them that was unacceptable. In retrospect, the parts that were annoying were (1) postpartum check ups when I was on maternity leave and (2) having to drive 1.5 hours on the weekend when I had pregnancy-related scares/emergencies. I don’t really have any suggestions, but hopefully my experience will help you decide what to do. I did appreciate the convenience of having my doctor near my office for routine checkups.

    7. One consideration: if you decide to switch to an OB in Westchester, many OBs have early morning appointments. So it might not be that big a nightmare to schedule an early appointment and then commute to work (depending on what time you need to be at work obviously).

       My commute is about 40 minutes by bus and train. I go to the OB at 8am and am usually at my desk by 9 since the regular 4-week check ups are so quick (pee, weight, blood pressure, fetal heart rate, done). I also make my 4-week appointments in advance to ensure I get the 7:45 or 8:00 time slot, and it’s never been a problem.

       But I may feel differently about this in 8 weeks when I start having check ups every 2 weeks! And on the flip side, I was thinking about this last night: if I go into labor while I’m at work, I dread having to navigate out of the city at rush hour. So who knows – you can only plan so much! Good luck!

       1. Some people must go into labor at the office, but I’ve never met one. I have 6 kids myself and all my labors started late at night, in the middle of the night or very early in the morning. I have heard (and it makes some sense) that labor tends to start when the body is relaxed.

          1. I just wanted to say congratulations on the 6 kids! I would very much like to have a big family someday and it’s heartening to hear of other ladies on here who’ve done it.

       2. Just be sure that the OBs that say they have early morning appointments really stick to them. Be prepared to switch OBs if they don’t.

          Just went to an opthalmalogist that gave me a 7am appointment and didn’t show up til 8am. So I ended up super-late for work. Not cool.

          This sort of thing is bad enough on a one-off basis (opthalmalogist, in my case), but sounds like it’d be nightmarish if it’s pregnancy/OB related (repeatedly, frequent office visits.)

13. This is the second dress with short/cap sleeves posted on this site and I really love those. I loved the other dress Kat posted too, with cap sleeves. And looking at this I wonder … I’m living somewhere I can’t wear sleeveless or short sleeved dresses most of the year without something beneath it because I’m likely to catch a cold doing so, and my office isn’t very warm. I like to wear sweaters, blouses or dressy button downs below some of my sleeveless dresses, and I wonder – can you style a cap sleeves dress with a sweater either? I’ve recently bought a cap sleeves dress and I really love it, however with winter incoming, I’d like to wear it during the colder months too instead of waiting some months till next spring.

    1. In my opinion, the only thing that would work under this silhouette might be a long-sleeved tissue tee, but with all of the feminine detailing on this dress, I think the tee would look way too casual. I think a more structured sheath with cap sleeves could look good with a tissue or thin knit tee or turtleneck.

       1. Yes, I agree, with that dress above it’s going to be difficult. I thought of a plain sheath dress with a more slim fit and without the details. I love the turtleneck plus sheath dress look, however whenever I wear turtlenecks, even silk ones, I feel uncomfortable in them. My neck just doesn’t like them. I love the look, though.

          And sorry for accidentally hitting the wrong “report” button.

    2. I hate to be the one to say this but… you don’t catch a cold because of cold temperatures. I can understand not wanting to be cold in the office though… there is nothing more miserable!

14. DC recs for a metro accesable dentist?

    1. Watergate Dental (in the watergate, if you couldn’t tell). It’s a few blocks from the foggy bottom metro station. Any of their dentists are fine. They’ve even given me discounts on stuff.

    2. Not DC, but Rosslyn is closest Metro stop. Arlington Dental Team. Elsy (dental hygienist) and Dr. Palabrica. http://www.arlingtondentalteam.com/ Elsy is awesome.

    3. Dr. Blicher at 1800 K St. Great for regular checkups and veneers, if you ever need to go that route…

    4. Dr. Yalch in 1747 Pennsylvania, by the White House. He was great when I went to him before moving.

    5. Washington Center for Dentistry, 1430 K St NW, is near the McPherson Square metro station. Dr. Doctors there is great. http://www.washdent.com

    6. I adore Dr. Cheek at Cheek to Cheek Dental (202) 387-6116, at 13th and Mass. He has his own practice and does not take insurance but his rates are lower than the insurance co-pays.

       1. Best name for a dental office EVER. I can’t stop chuckling at this

    7. Dr. Schneiderman at 900 Dupont Dental (www.900dupontdental.com) on 19th Street is THE BEST. Seriously, I now love going to the dentist. The address is 1234 19th Street, NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20036 and their phone number is (202) 296-7455. They take most dental insurance as far as I know, and the administrative staff has been great about trying to get me coverage for things like when I needed a mouthguard for grinding my teeth.

15. Offtopic, but for anyone who runs and bikes, how much does biking “count” if I am training for a half marathon or marathon.

    I used to run a lot and ran a four-hour marathon (for me, incredibly fast) a few years ago, but haven’t run more than 2 miles at once since then. I have picked up biking casually. I have a steal surly cross-check that I ride occasionally during the week, but always 15-30 miles on the weekends. Biking feels SO MUCH EASIER than running, even on a steel frame, but I’m hoping it can somehow “count” towards my training so I don’t have to give it up/be undertrained. I live in NYC and walk quite a bit with my dog and on errands, as well. This weekend I walked about 6 hours total, which is pretty standard. I guess to find out how much these “counted” I should probably get a heart rate monitor, but that’s not in the budget right now.

    My plan is to, at a minimum, have a long bike ride, a “long run”, and a during-the-week run for the next few months leading up to a half. Obviously I’d like to get in another during-the-week run, but at a bare minimum, will that be enough?

    1. Cross training has a purpose, which is recovery, and strengthening muscles and increasing lung capacity, getting your heart used to working hard, without putting the stress of running on your body, but, if you simply want to be a better runner, then you need to run more.

       The minimum training for a half is usually about 3 runs a week, one of which is long, but if your goal is just to finish, I’m sure you’d be fine with two runs and biking.

       1. That’s what I was hoping to hear. I’d like to add another run (maybe just a short hill workout if nothing else), but I sort of signed up for this half so it’s less likely my firm will take my weekend getaway away from me, haha.

          I figure if there’s any time to prioritize getting another run or two in, it’s probably 4-6 weeks out, pre taper, right?

    2. Hmmm . . . interesting question. I am a runner and I never “count” other exercise towards my running training. I recognize that it can have added benefits (cardivascular, muscle building, flexibility, etc) but if I feel like I need to run a certain number of miles or get a certain number of running workouts in, I don’t count cross-training towards that. I think that biking can make you a better runner for lots of reasons: (1) stave off burnout; (2) strengthen different leg muscles; (3) give your joints a break / rest; (4) improve your cardiovascular fitness; and more. But, I don’t think its going to do anything to shave two minutes off your 10K time or carry you through a half-marathon if you haven’t done the requisite long runs.

       Edit: I just re-read your specific training plan and goals. I would add another 1-2 during the weeks runs for a total of 4 runs (1 long run, 1 medium run, two short runs) and your bike and that should be enough. I’d be wary of running a marathon on one long run and one during the week run. Under those circumstances, I would not “count” the bike as training for the half.

       1. *running a half-marathon, that is. I’d be EXTREMELY wary of running a marathon on two runs per week and would be wary of running a marathon on 4 runs per week.

          1. Just for a different perspective – I’ve done four marathons, and trained for all of them on 4 runs per week (2 short, 1 sprint intervals, 1 long). I think as long as you’re getting good distance work and enough miles in, 4 runs a week is fine.

             1. Agreed about the marathon, anonymous. When I first trained for a marathon I tried to just use my half-marathon training (3-4 runs a week, including one long and one 5-7 mile trail run) and increase my long run mileage, but I think at some point the long run becomes too large a portion of your overall mileage. I never got my long run much past 14 or 15 miles until I added another easy 5-6 mile run and upped my overall mileage.

                I went out on a hilly two mile run yesterday and my muscles feel fine, so I think cardio will be my main issue, and I’m hoping biking can help there.

    3. I am training for my first 1/2 marathon. I think that I need the extra runs, because my body needs to get used to some of the impact and building up some of my joints/muscles to handle running for repeated/longer distance.

       when I do a longer run without two shorter build up runs the week before, my body needs more time to recover. my joints are a bit achy, and I also have a tendency to have shin/hip pain.

       So, that is also something to take into consideration.

       Although, I am confident that at my level of fitness I can finish a 1/2 without major health issues. I maybe a bit sore the next day…

       1. That’s interesting. Something I hadn’t considered until right now is that I’ve historically run about half my miles on some sort of trails (are you in Austin by chance? the greenbelt for 10-20 miles, and proper rough trails west of Austin for another 10 ish), and although I’m not prone to achiness or shin problems, I may be now that I’m running more on road.

          I guess that means I should probably reevaluate my shoes and see if I can get some miles in on a trail.

    4. I think a lot of this depends on your natural athleticism and overall fitness level. I am not a “runner” but am very active in other endeavors. I ran one half-marathon with a group of friends. I only ran twice per week in the 2 months or so leading up to it (one a 3-4 mile run, the other a “long” run maxing out at 10 miles). I was fine and finished in around 1:50 (which was fine by me considering I wasn’t really looking to hit a specific time, just enjoy myself). But I’m generally in very good shape, and I didn’t have a specific goal other than to finish and have fun with friends. So I think a lot of it depends on what you want to get out of the race and where you are, fitness wise, regardless of the running component. Unless you are looking at seriously impressive times (sub 3 marathons etc) I think you can be a lot more flexible with your training plan than a lot of running programs would have you believe. But that is my $0.02 and others may have a different perspective.

       1. I share your perspective. I’ve trained for 2 half-marathons and a few 10 milers doing 3 runs a week and have been pleased with my times. My knees and hip flexors start to hurt with anything more than that. If I wanted to get serious about improving my race times, I probably wouldn’t add much more mileage but might throw in an extra super short speed workout every week or so.

          1. Thanks, two anonss. In the past my sort of base, year-round training was a long road run on Saturday (between 8 and 15) followed by a short but brutal 5-7 mile trail run on Sunday, plus one or two short runs during the week. Since i’m not injury-prone, I think smushing my long and hard runs back to back sort of doubled down on their effectiveness. It’s a trick that my ultramarathoner friends use. It’s hard to realistically run 100 miles in one day and keep your job/family/etc responsibilities under control, but running 50 Saturday and 40 Sunday seems to be pretty effective for them.

    5. The cross check is a nice bike! My SO rides one and loves it. I think that the speed and elevation of your weekend rides matter a lot in this equation. When I do a long ride at an average speed of 10-12mph (meaning that most of the time when you look down you’ll be going 13mph or so, but with starting and stopping your average drops), I count this as more of an endurance activity rather than cardiovascular training. A ride around the local race track with an average speed of 14-16mph is a much different story. Hill climbs are great for building leg strength, but if you don’t ride with clips (and therefore are pushing down much more than pulling up), you might end up unbalanced in a way that doesn’t translate as well to running. I ride mainly with normal shoes, and when I run I always find that the back of my legs gets sore very quickly, but my quads are fine.

       1. I love the cross-check, but it weighs a quarter of what I do, haha. It really is a great all-around bike… I can throw a rack on and go grocery shopping, tour, take off my racks and ride in the drops, or even get a small trailer, apparently. I need to swap the bar end shifters out when I get some money, though, and steel really can end up weighing a huge amount for a small woman. Is your SO a man?

          The clips are an interesting point. I don’t clip in, and definitely use my quads more than my hamstrings, which was a conscious choice, because a. clips sort of scare me, b. I’m really not a gearhead/in possession of lots of extra cash, and c. I had a hamstring injury and try to baby them a bit. I wonder if I can balance that with running hills or something.

          1. Clips sort of scare me, too, I never really got used to them. My SO (a very tall man!) also finds that the cross check is heavy, and he now rides a Gunnar roadie for sport riding and uses the Surly for touring and everyday riding. The Surly’s a good all around bike if you’re only going to have one, though. And just think — if you ever do get a sport bike, you’ll be super strong from riding around a heavier bike. When I switch from my city bike (which is very heavy) to my steel frame touring bike, I feel like I have an e-assist or some sort of other magic going on. It’s great!

    6. If you’ve been a runner before, you don’t need to do more than a few 4-mile runs a week and a long run here and there to do a half, IMO. So I wouldn’t worry on that front.

       However, I agree (as both an avid cyclist and runner) that cycling doesn’t ever feel as hard as running. it’s just different. And to me, not the same kind of “high”. I don’t think I’ll ever love cycling in the same way as I do running (especially because I still have a lot of fear/technique problems – worried about clipping/unclipping at stop lights, getting hit by cars, wiping out at 35 mph on a hill, etc). I can’t get into the same groove as I can w/ running, so it just never feels like it would “count” as training for me. Objectively, I know it’s still great exercise, but I totally agree with you on how it just doesn’t feel the same.

       1. I feel like biking requires that you become a bit of a gearhead, which I hate. I also don’t like that it takes so much preparation (at least since I live in NYC)… I have to find my helmet and sunglasses, figure out what clothing I can shove money/etc in if I want it, find and clean my water bottle, go to the basement, drag my bike up the stairs, determine whether I want my lock with me, ride through icky traffic for a mile before I can really open up, etc. Running feels much easier.

          But I do love how much sightseeing you can do on a bike, and how if I feel unsafe, I’m pretty certain I can move quickly enough to get away from the men making me uncomfortable. I’m planning a 50-ish mile trip in the Hudson Valley this weekend to see the leaves and am super excited.

          1. Confirming that you can get away from creeps quickly on a bike.

             I was biking the west side and this mentally disturbed person came at me with a cardboard box or sign and while I swerved to avoid him on the bike path, he touched me with the cardboard which was unnerving and annoying but apart from him knocking me off the bike, I knew I would get away quickly from the situation. A lovely speed cyclist slowed down to ask me if I was okay as she saw it unfold from behind, and thankfully, I could answer yes.

             1. Terrifying. I once had a guy come at me with a log (six feet long maybe 10 inches across) on a trail in Austin and it was very scary on foot.

    7. I read in the book “train like a mother” which I HIGHLY recommend for working/running moms that one of the authors trained for a full marathon on a bike due to a stress fracture. She did not, however, detail out the plan. So I know it can be done, I just don’t know how…

16. Hey ladies! I just started working in a new position (atty) in an office that is totally casual. Nearly an “anything goes” situation. I’ve seen jeans, leggings & boots with socks, hoodies, the works. I’m coming from a business casual office that was a sometimes-suits-office. I feel woefully confused. The lack of guidelines is making choosing an outfit in the morning tough. Suggestions?

    1. Hmm. I would stick away from jeans, leggings, and hoodies until you’re more established, for sure. Can you just add some washable/less formal materials to your wardrobe (ponte dresses, etc) and use your old wardrobe to round it out?

    2. Jeans are probably ok, provided that you wear them with nice heels or flats, and a blouse.

    3. Sounds like trouser-cut-jeans-plus-blazer territory to me. You can downgrade the blazer to cardigan or sweater (or fancy hoodie, apparently!) as you get more comfortable/established.

    4. I work in an office that is casual on days we don’t have clients. Most women wear jeans or knit (ponte or twill or khaki) pants and a nice top on the casual days. The ankle length pants with ballet flats are very popular right now. Nice fitting pants with a blazer is fine. Just because they don’t look professional doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. Wear what you are comfortable in. I would shy away from flip flops, uggs, leggings, hoodies, even if other people are wearing them.

    5. I would stick with blazers and cardigans over blouses or *maybe* a very structured tshirt, and really nice dark jeans or decent pants with real shoes– nice flats, boots, etc. Just because people dress like crap doesn’t mean nobody is judging you by your appearance. We have a woman in HR who literally wears worn out jeans and faded hoodies to work, and that look exactly matches her total incompetence. It’s certainly not doing anything to help her, even though tons of people here (large company) dress horribly. I watch, and people respond better to those who are at least presentable.

17. TJ: Do any of the DC ‘rettes have a GYN that they really like? Mine is closing up shop. I’ve already had my 2 kids, so no OB services required. BCBS insurance (in network) preferred.

    Thanks, all!!!!

    1. I used to go to Dr. Nancy Gaba at 22nd and I, right near Foggy Bottom. I really liked her and only switched because of an insurance change. I don’t know whether she takes BCBS. The front office staff were a little brusque, but they got the job done.

       I now see Dr. Biggs at Arlington Womens Center (near Ballston) and really like her.

    2. Hello there. I go to Virginia Thompson at 25th and M. She also has an office in Bethesda. (office hours in DC M-F and in Bethesda on F, I think.) She was an OB GYN but now only does GYN. She is a lone doctor with her own practice, is pretty matter-of-fact. If you want someone who has a “touchy-feely” bedside manner (for lack of a better word), she is not the person for you. I have been going to her for about 7 years – started seeing her about a year before I had my first child. I had an emergency c-section and she was great.

       and as an FYI she is a single mom so she gets the whole superwoman thing.

       Hopefully you don’t also go to her now and are going to tell me she is the one closing up shop. ha ha! I have BCBS and she is in-network.

       1. original poster here–nope, it’s not Virginia Thompson. My OB/GYN who is closing up shop is Elizabeth Ann Garreau (and her partner Theresa Soto), their office is near Innova Fairfax Hospital. Thanks for the recommendations!

    3. Dr. Powers in West End. He’s amazing. I never thought I’d be OK with a man, but I found him on y e l p and gave it a shot. Very conversational, actually talks to you in his office before “diving in.” He accepts the Blues. I’m grouchy that I will have to find a new one for OB services when that time comes.

    4. I like One Medical, a lot.

    5. I have BCBS as well. I just started going to Dr. Darcy Hansen at 1145 19th St NW #210, Washington, DC 20036. I last saw the nurse practitioner, Meghan Kneemiller, who also does OB/GYN check-ups and birth control prescriptions, etc. and she was fantastic. What’s also great is you can use ZocDoc.com to make an appointment. If you need to actually call, the phone number is (202) 223-6199.

18. Anyone going to the juvenile defender conference in Boulder this weekend? What to wear?

19. Desperately need some help, folks.

    Need some decent plus size (16-18) recommendations for pencil skirt suits for a formal workplace in NYC. I’m 29 and I wear size 16 BR skirts but they always ride up and don’t fit very well. I’m heavy on the bottom and would prefer skirts that hit my knee or may be a little longer, and dont have a slit (imagine my thighs as I walk up the stairs to the subway!) :( A small slit is probably fine but I’d be much more comfortable if there’s no slit.

    1. My cousin wears a similar size and has a lot of nice looking suits from (I think) Dress Barn. I was skeptical of a clothing store with “Barn” in its name, but she looks very put together. I just looked at their website and I see a few work-appropriate skirts from Jones Studio.

       1. I’ve only been to Dress Barn once, years ago, (agree on the name!) but one of my favorite shirts and also a dress I love is from there, they’ve got some cute things! I’m not plus size, but they had a decent petite selection.

          1. A good friend is plus-size (22, I think?) and swears by Dress Barn. She always looks fabulous, so I’d say it’s worth a look.

    2. Looks like Macy’s might have some pencil skirts for you. I like Alfani or Jones NY from them (fellow plus here!)

    3. I get pencil skirts from NY & Company. There are some scattered locations around NYC (the one in midtown has a pretty good selection) but I typically wait for a sale that includes free shipping.

       1. Sorry I missed the no slits portion. All of mine have slits. I’ve considered taking them to a tailor to have the slits closed or partially closed but haven’t done it.

          I don’t know if they have any that don’t have slits, but every season they have a bunch of new options so there may be some at some point.

          I’ve worn them (and some from the Limited) since I got down to a size 18 and below and they’ve held up surprisingly well.

          1. You can also have your tailor insert a kick pleat, rather than sew the vent shut.

    4. Get Thee to Nordstroms Rack or Nordstroms and look for the Sejour brand suiting. It is good quality and fits well.

    5. have you tried Calvin Klein? I just recently bought a suit sans slit at Macy’s that was
       Calvin Klein. I also find Calvin Klein to run really big, so you’d almost definitely be able to get away with non-plus sizing (I can be a 10-12 in J Crew/Banana type places, but I bought an 8 in this suit, and wear 8’s in all my Calvin Klein suit separates).

    6. I belive the Skirt goes up to size 16, and fits most of your criteria.

       Lands End has some options, although they often skew more casual (i.e., ponte fabric). Check out this adorable tweed kick flounce skirt:
       http://www.landsend.com/products/womens-plus-size-paneled-skirt-with-kick-flounce/id_244333

    7. Check JC Penney! Similarly to Dress Barn, I never would have expected to find nice, good quality clothing there, but they’ve been proving me wrong, particularly with suiting separates.

20. Kpadi – how is your diabetic kitty doing? (I think I have the right poster here.) I picked up new insulin for mine the other day and was thinking of you.

    1. You do have the right poster, but she is traveling right now, so she might not get this. just to let you know she’s not ignoring you. ;o)

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