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Updated: Nov 1, 2018 188 Comments · by

Thursday’s TPS Report: Chantal Dress

The Personal Shopper (TPS) |

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Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. Kenneth Cole New York Chantal Dress | CorporetteThis looks like a great work dress. Love the faux ruching/wrap style, the sleeves, and the modest length. I've pictured it in red because it shows the details the best (including the exposed zipper running the full length of the back of the dress, which I have mixed feelings about) — but it's also available in an indigo/black combo that looks flattering while avoiding some of the Star Trek uniform vibe of some colorblocked dresses. The dress is $98 at Nordstrom, available in regular and petite. Kenneth Cole New York Chantal Dress Psst: Here's a plus-size faux wrap dress in a blue print. Seen a great piece you’d like to recommend? Please e-mail tps@corporette.com.

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Comments

  1. MJ

    This dress would be crazy short if that model sat down in a meeting. But great for petites. And I love the color!

    • Anon

      I saw the s-h-o-r-t-e-s-t dress in the elevator this morning. She was completely tailored, crisp and put together otherwise. I just couldn’t believe it. She couldn’t have been more than 25 years old and got off on the Big Law office floor in my building (she works there; not a one-time visitor). Do people not have full-length mirrors? Standards? Geeze.

      • Anonymous

        I’m a junior/midlevel associate in Biglaw, and have noticed that the 1st years this year have been coming in with very very short skirts and very very sheer blouses all the time (by that I mean I have seem them wear both together). I’m starting to think something happened in the 2 years since I started! Is there a competing website out there telling lies to young professional women?!

        • Anon

          +1 to this. There’s been a shift in my (professional dress code) office. Frankly, men are in suits and ties every day. I don’t care how styled/put together you think you look. Match the conservatism/professionalism of the men, meaning leave the short skirt and sheer top in the closet.

      • Anne-on

        What does it matter to you?

        Considering you didn’t even provide any evidence that it’s too short (I could see her butt cheeks, the hem was above her finger tips, etc), I don’t see how this comment adds value.

      • Anon

        This seems really mean. Also I’m sure people think that about me but my dresses/skirts sometimes ride up on my walk to work and generally by the time I’m in my office, they’re an appropriate length. Way to not give anyone a chance.

        • Anon

          +1 I also don’t understand the clutch the pearls reaction to short skirts – they may not be comfortable for everyone but styled right, they can be really cute and not every industry is conservative.

        • Romey

          That’s exactly what happens to me!!! I walk a block from the bus stop to my office certain styles of dresses/skirts always ride up a few inches when I walk.

      • Romey

        Oops, I wonder if it was me haha! I was thinking my dress might be slightly shorter than I would prefer today, but I’m also wearing black tights since it’s freaking freezing today (was the offender wearing black tights?!) and when I walk from the bus stop to my office my dress always rides up against the tights a bit.

      • Em

        I work in an accounting firm, where they hire entire classes of kids fresh out of college, and their questionable outfits and blatant flirting can sometimes be highly entertaining. It’s like high school all over again.

        • A Nonny Moose

          +1. The gap between knee and hem is almost the length of her hand.

          Also, it is on zappos in blue. Zappos says it is 38″ long.

          • Baconpancakes

            38″ is plenty long on me. It would actually hit 1.5″ above the kneecap on my 5’6″ frame. After a few modcloth mishaps, I measured the shortest dress I’m comfortable wearing to work, so I know exactly how long dresses have to be. I love when they give measurements of the actual dress, not “Falls at the knee” in the description. Falls at the knee on whom, precisely?

      • Anon

        Agreed. 100% of my dresses are this length (some shorter). I left parochial school a while ago.

      • LH

        Catalog models aren’t that tall (usually 5’6″-5’8″ I think). Taller than average perhaps but nothing like the 5’10”-6’0″ supermodel height.

        • Anon

          +1. Obviously length of torso vs legs matters, but to add context, I’m 5-8 and this 38 in. dress would hit me exactly where it hits the model. All of my work dresses are 40-41 inches.

        • anon2b

          Being a petite in height (but not in weight) I like shorter dresses for two reasons. One, as in this dress, is that the petite size category usually only has one color option and two, the larger petite range dresses sell out first. So in this dress – which does not have set-in sleeves or set-in waist, might fit me in the non-petite size. And I do like the blue/black combo so I may have to try this one on.

    • roses

      I was going to be like “why are you speculating how short it is? just look at the measurements…” And then I realized that the length is not provided. GAH. Retailers, just take 5 seconds to measure the damn thing. IT’S NOT THAT HARD! (sorry for the caps….can you tell this is a pet peeve of mine?)

      • Anon

        +1. I only purchase from online retailers who post skirt/dress measurements.

      • HSAL

        Mine as well. Calling things “knee-length” or “modest hemline” means absolutely nothing.

        • Wildkitten

          But I know that “above the knee” always means too short for my tall self.

    • Baconpancakes

      I generally avoid red work dresses as a busty, long-haired blonde because I feel like it’s too much, even if the dress is fitted, not revealing, and high-necked. Is this all in my head? Am I overthinking this? I LOVE this dress.

      • Erisa

        I feel the same way and I’m not even busty. Blonde + tall + red dress is too overt for daily workwear. Although a bun or more subdued color, like maroon, usually works for me.

        ETA: we may both be overthinking it.

        • Baconpancakes

          Although I’m definitely nowhere near as attractive as that actress, I always think of the woman in the red dress in the Matrix.

      • rachelellen

        You may be overthinking. But it’s also about comfort level, right? You could wear an outfit that someone else rocks but if you feel overdone or like it’s not you, that’ll show through. You could wear something that’s not someone else’s taste but if you feel like a rock star, that’ll show through. My two cents.

      • Anon

        I’m not busty and have curly brown hair and I also avoid red work dresses because it’s just SO MUCH RED!!! Because I’m WEARING MY RED DRESS!!!!

        It might be all in my head.

        • Anonna

          I get weird about red too. I feel like it can be a little “va va va voom” for the office. On me anyway.

      • LH

        I feel the same way and I’m not blonde. I think it’s also partly because I don’t know what to pair with it except black and the bright red + black combo is very “evening” to me.

        • Abogada

          You could pair red with nude-for-you, cognac (my personal favorite with red), brown or navy.

      • Unicorn

        I kind of get being wary of a bright red dress in the office – has a little “siren” connotation – but I don’t get what hair color has to do with this.

    • anon

      38″ is an OK length on some people (though not on me at 5’8″), but what about the full length exposed zipper up the back? This is an odd dress that I probably wouldn’t wear anywhere. From the front, it’s looks fine for work, but too conservative to wear for most other things. But from the back, with that weird zipper, it’s completely inappropriate for my conservative office.

  2. Pretty Golf Umbrella

    I am in need of a golf umbrella. All the ones I see are logo-d ones from i-banks or things you buy at golf resorts (also with logo). Are there any pretty / girly ones? In my dreams, Lilly or DVF makes wildly-printed golf umbrellas or there is some other great source out there.

    My default is to get one from my undergrad school but want something that I won’t lose in a crowd of drying umbrellas.

    Thanks!

  3. Anonymous

    Love this for date night. I tried to buy something similar at forever21 but it was all kinds of too short.

  4. Em

    Does anyone have suggestions for “half camis” (the ones that are basically like sports bras) to wear under dresses like this? Something that’s available on amazon would be ideal! I hate the bulkiness that you sometimes get from regular camis.

  6. Erisa

    I also thought it was too short, but then I saw it on another model and it’s actually perfect

  7. Red Beagle

    I was reading Slate over the weekend and in a link from a great piece about dressing well while traveling on a plane which I adored (see today’s CHS for the link though I feel like I discovered it first but I didn’t win the internets because she shared it first) is a piece about the Kindly Brontosaurus pose. Link in reply. Anyone ever try it?

      • Cb

        Thanks for that. The image of the kindly brontosaurus is just what I needed in the midst of a manic week.

      • Parfait

        Why the heck does my work block Slate? I really don’t get it. It doesn’t block Salon or any number of other similar sites.

    • AIMS

      This is funny because I have done a version of this for as long as I remember though I don’t think I’ve ever struck quite the pose that the Slate staffer does in the picture. It’s always worked great for me! I never thought of it being the pose, just that I was very persuasive, but now I wonder if body language and facial expression had anything to do with it. When I was 16-17 I even used it to get a police chief to set lower bail for a friend who shoplifted something from the mall (she was my ride home). I always thought of it as “politely insistent” or “forcefully nice.”

    • Baconpancakes

      I’d feel really uncomfortable with it – it seems pretty manipulative. But the reason it’s supposed to work is because it’s not intrusive or rude, so maybe it’s ok?

      I have strong feelings about dressing up for travel, though. If you wouldn’t wear it to a fast-casual restaurant, you probably shouldn’t wear it on a plane. Clothing does impact behavior – if everyone dresses like they don’t care, they will tend to act accordingly.

      • Basics

        I am old enough to remember that my mom used to dress my sister and me up for airplanes: matching nice dresses, black patent Mary Janes and white socks with lace around the border. And we each got one bag with books in it to read on the plane. I think we missed white gloves by about half a decade.

        • Senior Attorney

          And way back in the day, kids would be given (gender specific) pilot’s or stewardess’s wings to pin on their lovely nice clothes.

          • Nonny

            I remember that! I think I still have my wings somewhere….I was so proud of them.

          • Parfait

            I think even though I was a girl I got pilot’s wings in the 70’s. Not sure but I think they were the same as my brother’s. The playing cards! I’d forgotten that. We got a whole little kit.

        • Em

          I remember my grandmother telling me that I shouldn’t wear jeans to fly home with my dad (local politician) after my high school graduation. Of course I just laughed at her, as this was 2001, well past the age of wearing your Sunday best to fly. To this day, my parents wear a “uniform” of navy blazers, slacks and boat shoes to fly.

      • Katie

        I think it is rude, though. You’re supposed to keep staring at the gate agent- the reason it works is because your presence and stare are unnerving. Staring is rude.

      • Gail the Goldfish

        I agree re dressing up (well, “Dressing up” being at least wear clothes you would normally wear out in public) to travel up to a point. That point is usually if you’re on the plane longer than 7 or 8 hours. I will never wear yoga pants in public unless I’m on my way to exercise, or if I’m about to get on a plane for a 12-hour flight. Because coach on international flights is miserable enough without having to worry about what I’m wearing.

    • Anon

      As a person who made her living in customer service for many years, I really can’t endorse any technique for harassing customer service people, no matter how “kindly.”

      Also, air travel sucks. I’m dressing for comfort, 100%.

      • Erisa

        I will not waste 3 solid hours of nap time by trying to look professional (day commutes excepting), but I will wear a jersey maxi dress and yoga-slings–stealth comfort wear

        • Em

          I almost always travel in dresses. Maxi dresses in summer, jersey dress and tights or tunic and leggings in the winter. They’re as comfortable as a nightdress, easy to layer and still look put together. I also kick off my shoes and put on comfy slipper socks after I get settled into my seat.

          • Nonny

            Yes. I have designated “plane socks” – bright red, fluffy and very soft. I don’t wear them for anything except plane rides.

      • LilyStudent

        What I’ve been doing with copious London-Edinburgh train travel this summer is changing into ‘comfies’ on the train – generally a nice T, comfy hoodie, and good skinny jeans. I look presentable and I’m not going to get hassled when I get to the other end at 10.30 like I might in a suit. Oh, and it’s all machine washable for the inevitable spills and crumbs.

      • Parfait

        This is what my ponte pants from Lands End were made for. They look like real pants, feel like yoga pants.

  8. Anonymous

    I live in the DC metro area and I’m thinking about getting a pair of LL Bean duck boots for rain/slushy weather. I have regular snow boots, but don’t need to use them too often here (unless there’s another polar vortex year). Do I need the insulated ones? I have Uggs for cold but dry days. I live within 1/2 mile of the metro so I’m not standing out in the cold for a long period of time. Also, 6 inch or 8 inch? I think the 8 inches look cuter, but he 6 inches are less expensive and people say they are a little more comfortable.

    • roses

      I actually would strongly advise you to get non-insulated rain boots so that you can wear them on warm and humid days when it’s raining. You can always keep your feet insulated on slushier days by wearing thicker socks. No opinion on the 6 vs. 8 inch thing though, I doubt it really matters.

      • Spirograph

        If you don’t already have rain boots I definitely agree with this. The # of days in DC you would actually need more insulation than you could get with thick socks are few (absent a polar vortex), and the number you wouldn’t WANT insulation are many. But if you have rain boots and frequently visit places where it’s colder and slushier, or you think you might ever wear these boots for anything but short-ish walks in the city, the insulation is nice. I like the 8 inch ones and have never found them uncomfortable, but I’ve also never tried the 6 inch.

      • Claire M

        This. The 6 inch would also be cooler. I have tall hunters, which I never wear in the summer (even though that’s when we get some of the heaviest rain here) because they are too dang hot.

    • k-t

      I find wellies to be much more comfortable than Bean’s duck boots. The duck boots are just so darn wide and the soles have no flex to them; I found them difficult to walk in at a decent pace. I still use them for yard work though. It is also easier to tuck work trousers into wellies to keep the hems dry.

  10. Anon

    I need some vicarious shopping help ladies!

    I’m going to a wedding in a few weeks where I’m one of the few single girls left. I’m 27 and have been told that there are more than a few eligible bachelors. I have no idea what to wear – I don’t want to be that girl who wears something entirely inappropriate but also don’t want to look boring or too conservative.

    Any suggestions? TIA!

    • Jeffrey

      What sort of venue/geographical location?

      More importantly – take me with you. None of the weddings I’ve ever been to has had any eligible bachelors.

    • Ellen

      Yay! I totaly love Keneth Kole and this dress, Kat, and I also love the RED. Also, b/c it is at Nordstrom’s, Rosa can get it for me and return it if it is to big/small. Personaly I do NOT care if it is to short, like some of the earlier poster’s b/c this can help me with the JUDGE, who already stare’s at my leg’s! My dad say’s my body is my biggest asset, but then he look’s at my tuchus, so I am not sure what that all mean’s.

      The low cut is usueally something I do NOT want Frank to see, b/c he will stare at my boobie’s but since my REAL job is to win case’s, this will be a great add to my wardrobe, b/c I do NOT care if the judge OOOOGLES me as long as I win! Thank’s for pointing it out. I will show the manageing partner.

      As for the OP here, you are very lucky if you are going to a wedding where there are to be good eligibel men, and you are onley one of a few single women. I recommend you dress VERY provocatively if you want to snare one of them, meaning 4″ pump’s (open or closed toe–but I prefer closed b/c you don’t want them to see everything), and unless you are a bridesmaid (which your not) a very short dress (red or black) with a push up bra to highlite your boobie’s. If there is a decent guy, do NOT be bashful or you will be singel forever (like me). Do NOT have sex with him early b/c he will NOT respect you or want to go out again afterward. Make him think you are the big catch, not him, and do NOT wear to much perfume. Alot of guy’s are turned off with strong smell’s and think that you are not big on batheing (like my German freind from college–FOOEY!). Then, alway’s talk in a loud whisper, b/c they find that sexy. Marilin Monroe sang happy birthday to the president Kennedy that my dad still play’s on MP3 — he said that he become’s immobalized when he hear’s this b/c he wishes he had had a chance to have Marilin Monroe –Mom is not impressed with that, but I can see where he is comeing from there. If you do that, you will surely snare a guy, and you will be askeing us soon about what to do to prepare for getting MARRIED!!!! YAY!!!!!!

      • Ellen

        I need to ammend my earleir comment! I did NOT at first see the back of the dress with the full length zipper, but now I do. Rosa told me about it. FOOEY on that! I could not wear that b/c almost all men I know would want to unzip me, and I do NOT want them to do that unless I am MARRIED to them. I told Rosa that I do NOT want her to look at that dress after all. She is very atentitve to my need’s and agrees.

        Boy, Frank would go nuts with that zipper if I wore it into work. It would be much nicer with OUT a full zipper (mabye a half zipper), and not so color conspicus. DOUBEL FOOEY!

        But maybe the singel OP looking to attract a guy at the wedding could still wear something like this and if she is cute, she might be very tantalising to those eligibel batchelor’s by showing them her full zipper and seeking some help if it is stuck! YAY!!!

    • Clementine

      I need more details. What kind of a wedding? Where is it geographically? How fancy are these people? How about you- what is your general body type? What famous actress would play you in a movie? Anything you’re looking to minimize/accentuate?

    • Anonymous

      You need something that’s insanely flattering on you:

      What are your best colors? What are your best features?

      I think something in a really pretty color will attract the most attention. So, like a pretty blue or a bright pink.

      • Em

        You need something that’s insanely flattering on you:

        What are your best colors? What are your best features?

        I think something in a really pretty color will attract the most attention. So, like a pretty blue or a bright pink.

    • Anon

      I’m petite and about a size 2-4. Wedding is in the suburbs of a big city – at a church and then golf club or hotel reception I think.

      I don’t know how fancy these people are – the bride is really low key. BUT I love an opportunity to dress up. I usually accentuate my bottom/legs but something tight and short is probably not appropriate.

      Thanks ladies!

      Also I’m not entirely sure there are eligible bachelors… it may just be a sad rumor. (or single=eligible to some of my friends)

  11. Scotland!

    Anyone following the Scottish vote for independence? I’m weirdly fascinated by it.

    • Cb

      It’s amazing on the ground, a real sense of political engagement and discussion on both sides. I’ve been run off my feet this month and don’t see any rest in the near future but I’m trying to remind myself that this is democracy at work.

      • Woods-comma-Elle

        Incidentally, CB, what is the general feeling up there? Yes or no?

        It’s interesting that nobody was really taking it seriously and now suddenly the government is scrambling because it’s coming to realise that Scotland could legitimately vote yes!

          • Nonny

            Wow, Cb, this is really interesting. Can’t wait to see what happens though in my mind the logistics of separation would be on par with the logistics of separating Quebec from Canada….which has been referendumed to death.

          • LilyStudent

            On the seeing more yes badges, the impression I get is that there are some communities calling people who want to vote ‘no’ traitors. The yes campaign is very vocal.

            In the last week or so, quite a few of the big financial services companies (including my summer internship employer… who have also offered me a grad role!!!) have said something to the effect that they’re planning a head office move to England should Scotland go for independence.

            One of my colleagues had put £50 on a yes vote, on the basis that he didn’t want a yes vote so it would be a small consolation.

            As a Londoner planning to relocate permanently to Edinburgh once I’ve graduated, and with family split across England, Wales and Scotland, I’m terrified that Scotland will go independent.

            Nonny – quite a bit of the no campaign at present is pointing out that the logistics haven’t been nearly adequately thought out.

  12. Anon S

    I posted this in corp. moms too, but there just isn’t as much action going on there so here we go…..

    1. When did you (if you’re already a mom) or when do you plan to (if you’re pregnant) tell your employer about your pregnancy?

    2. If you’re a lawyer, how did your pregnancy affect your hours? I’m a mid level and in my first trimester and I’m freaking EXHAUSTED and not motivated at all. I am definitely not going to hit the target billable hours this year (also attributable to the fact that we’ve been kind of slow lately).

    TIA.

    • Anon S

      I should have added a #3 to this question too:

      3. I would like to come back at 60% after I return from maternity leave. Would this be something I bring up to the head of my group when I tell him about my pregnancy, or later on during my maternity leave?

      Thanks again.

      • kc esq

        I told at 15 weeks (with twins). I waited until I got some test results back and after my annual review just in case there would be any funny business (total overabundance of caution). One partner was a little irked/ confused that I didn’t tell at 12 weeks on the dime, but too bad for him.

        Do NOT mention the 60 percent thing now. I’d have a silent plan so you know what the firm’s policy is, who to call, etc., then wait until you’re on maternity leave to begin the process of seeking appropriate approval for a reduced schedule.

        • Anon S

          What’s the reasoning for not mentioning the 60% thing until I’m on mat leave?

          • kc esq

            The risk is that if it doesn’t go over well, you will now be looked at as not committed, or unlikely to return after you’ve had the baby. If there isn’t enough work to go around, you’ll get even less of it than you might have otherwise.

            Plus, you should give yourself the chance to get the whole picture in place, including firm child care plans, before you make a commitment to a return to work schedule.

          • Anon

            The reason is that, while it is illegal to fire you for being pregnant/out on pregnancy disability, they CAN let you go if you tell them you don’t intend to come back to the same job you had before. Tell them you intend to come back, that’s it. Then, when you are just about ready to come back, tell them what you would like to do. Since you will have been out for a few months for maternity leave, I think it’s unlikely they’ll have a stack of work waiting for you as if you will start immediately back at 100%, so I wouldn’t worry about not giving the firm enough lead time.

            Also… if the other associate was working 80% and had to lateral to work less, are you sure they would allow 60% for you? That seems really, really low to me. In my experience, a “case by case basis” means “we’ll let you do it if we think you’re exceptional and don’t want to lose you,” not “we’ll let you do it if you ask.”

          • Anon S

            Anon – I honestly have no idea if they will let me work at 60% permanently. The reason the other associate who was at 80% left is because she was technically 80% (and so of course making 80% salary) but she was working a lot more than 80% hours. Supposedly at her new firm, she is considered full time and still working the same amount (b/c they have a lower hours requirement) so she feels like her chances of making partner are better over there.

            I guess I will play it by ear, I could try to do more than 60% but my husband is also at SUPER biglaw firm and I just don’t know if it would work with our lifestyle. To be honest, my career is also becoming less and less important to me. It’s not that I don’t care about it, it’s just that I really don’t know if I want to become a partner or even stay a lawyer forever. Obviously, I will not relay that attitude at work but these are the internal thoughts I’ve been having lately. :-\

        • Diana Barry

          Agreed 100%. You may also find that after maternity leave, your feelings change. Do NOT mention until you are on your way back – like 6 weeks after birth at a minimum.

          I told at 13 weeks every time. I showed very early so there was no getting around telling as soon as “safe”.

          My hours were OK – we were busy enough. I would take naps on my floor when I was really tired, though. I had several days/weeks in the first tri of working 11 hours, going home, eating dinner and going to sleep at 730 or 8 pm.

      • (former) preg 3L

        Everything I’ve read says absolutely do NOT discuss plans about returning until after you’ve had the baby. Tell your employer you plan to come back to exactly the job you’re doing now. You never know how being home with the baby will feel to you, or what other circumstances might change. I, for one, am very happy to be working and believe I’m able to be better/happier/more engaged as a mom since I’m working full-time (I think many women are amazing SAHMs or part-time employees, but for me, I think the right balance right now is working full-time).

        • Anon S

          Good point actually. I want 60% as of now but I guess I could change my mind or things could change while I’m on maternity leave.

          • V

            I think that 60% is very low for part-time, unless it is part of a ramp-up and you want to avoid being penalized for being in a severe hours deficit.

            I think that 75% is more the norm at my firm (and even then, people usually work 80%). If you truly want 60% permanently, you might consider whether your firm has staff attorneys (who can be quite senior and knowledgeable, but the understanding with them is quite different: you work your hours and no more and no surprise hours, but you are not on track unless you get back in the fast lane). We have had a few staff attorney lifers in some very specialized areas.

          • Meg Murry

            Not a lawyer, but I have to say, I would be frustrated with you if you gave no indication that you were thinking of part time, and then while you were out on leave announced you wanted 60%. I suppose it isn’t quite as bad if you are already slow, but its still annoying. Is there a precedent in your office for people going to part time, and at what percent?
            I think (later) you should mention that you are thinking of coming back part-time and then get into the details of how part-time you are talking much closer to the date, and once you have your childcare arrangements setup confirm.

          • Anon S

            V, the firm has a policy that for 6 months after you return from maternity leave, you can be at 60%, and then if you want to extend the 60% time permanently it’s on a case by case basis (that’s what the policy says). We have one staff attorney. Are you suggesting that I could request to become a staff attorney?

          • Anon S

            Meg, there are a few part time partners, but I don’t know their % or how they got there. We had an associate who was at 80% but she just lateraled to another firm (b/c the 80% was still too much for her schedule). I don’t know, I mean, I get that people might be annoyed if I didn’t say I wanted to work part time and then I told them that was my desire on maternity leave, but I also agree with others who say I should wait b/c I might change my mind. I also (quite frankly) don’t really care if I “annoy” someone with deciding to do what’s best for myself and my family. I posted this later, but there is a policy at my firm that for the 6 months that you return from maternity leave, you can be at 60% and then if you want to extend that out then it’s on a case by case basis.

            Also, I wonder if people automatically question whether or not a female associate is going to return to work after maternity leave. At my prior firm (which was a lot more of a grueling pace and absolutely no work life balance) it was honestly assumed that most women would NOT be returning after maternity leave.

          • Diana Barry

            That policy is great. I might mention casually, very near to when you’re going out on leave, that you plan on taking the 60% for the first six months you’re back, if it’s not assumed. If it is assumed – great, don’t mention it at all.

            The reason not to mention PT before you go out on leave is because pregnancy discrimination IS A THING. Getting fired while pregnant IS A THING. As in, I know several female associates who were canned while pregnant in the last 10 years. Unfortunately, that contributes to the “people assume you’re not going to come back” thing. Some of those women may have been fired. You don’t want to do anything that could EVEN POSSIBLY jeopardize your employment while you are pregnant.

          • Anon S

            Diana Barry, that’s insane and so sad that you know pregnant women who have been fired. WTF. Thank you for that insight, I will keep that in mind.

          • V

            I think that at 60%, it’s hard to get staffed on things that will give you a meaningful opportunity to advance. Routine, programmatic matters and covering for colleagues who are out are things I could pass off to you, but advanced or novel matters are (IMO) more unpredictable and don’t take well to being put down per someone’s 60% schedule. But I don’t think you should go the staff attorney route (unless you might want that). I think that the more senior you are, the better things go and they also go better on a deal-by-deal or case-by-case basis (so you are fully staffed on just 1 deal but not 3 or fewer cases), but it’s hard to scale back and keep getting good experience (esp. when that comes to managing more junior attorneys). Not impossible, but definitely harder.

            I think it’s hard to predict how to come back, especially from a first baby. That’s why it’s hard to discuss and to make a commitment that you can stick to (and they can hire / staff around long term). I think it’s fine to drop hints that you may want to PT it (at least at first) per the policy. But it’s like predicting recovery from a car accident: a lot depends on the accident and how on earth are you supposed to know that. All you know at this point is that change is going to happen.

          • abogada

            I agree with Meg Murray that, as an employer, I would be very annoyed if the discussion initially was for the employee to come back to the same job at 100% and then while on maternity leave they changed their mind and want to come back at 60%. They’re entitled to change their mind, yes, but I’m permitted to be annoyed at having to change my firm’s arrangement for coverage of their job duties, yet again.

            Anon S, not caring if you “annoy” someone may be ok for you since you work in a large firm where there is a precedent for part-time employees, but my concern about asking while already on leave would be that if you “annoy” someone by making your request, you may be less likely to get a positive response.

          • Anon

            The reason not to tell is that, while it is illegal to fire you for being pregnant/out on pregnancy disability, they CAN let you go if you tell them you don’t intend to come back to the same job you had before. Tell them you intend to come back, that’s it. Then, when you are just about ready to come back, tell them what you would like to do. Since you will have been out for a few months for maternity leave, I think it’s unlikely they’ll have a stack of work waiting for you as if you will start immediately back at 100%, so I wouldn’t worry about not giving the firm enough lead time.

            Also… if the other associate was working 80% and had to lateral to work less, are you sure they would allow 60% for you? That seems really, really low to me. In my experience, a “case by case basis” means “we’ll let you do it if we think you’re exceptional and don’t want to lose you,” not “we’ll let you do it if you ask.”

    • Sam

      Um, you have like 20 responses on Moms. Not criticizing you for posting here but I don’t think that counts as dead!

      • Anon S

        Um, when I posted on here I didn’t have 20 responses there at the time, thanks though!

          • hoola hoopa

            Agreed. A good take home here is to give people a chance to reply. Next time try giving the mom board a day to reply.

  13. iPhone/iPhoto help?

    Can anyone point me to a simple article/list of steps to help me organize the photos on my phone and in iPhoto? Basically, here is what I would like to do and have not been able to accomplish or find an article on:

    -I want to move some photos on my phone into album folders and have them only show up there and not in my Camera Roll or Photo Stream albums (e.g., those photos of my light bulb types that I keep so I have them handy when at the store if I remember a bulb is out, but don’t need to scroll through every time I’m looking for that one photo of my dog, or any photos that aren’t awful but at the same time I don’t really feel like people need to see when I hand them my phone to flip through a large batch of photos)

    -I want to move some photos into iPhoto folders and off my phone entirely. I can’t figure out how to delete them on my phone but make sure that they don’t get deleted in iPhoto too the next time it syncs.

    Would love any suggestions! Thanks :)

    ETA: I do know how to create albums and move photos into them, the sticky part for me has been how to then delete the photo out of the camera roll/photo stream without it also deleting the photo out of the album, or in the case of my second issue, deleting it off iPhoto if I delete it on my phone.

    • (former) preg 3L

      I would make an appointment with the Genius bar at your local Apple store. They’ll be able to get everything figured out with you, and it’s free. You can bring your laptop & phone so that everything can get addressed at once.

      • iPhone/iPhoto help?

        Thanks for the suggestion :) I knew that was an option and considered it, but I am really looking at having to do this on my own because my free time is usually after store hours or cannot be predicted in advance (and my local store is very high traffic with nonexistent same or next day appointments).

        • (former) preg 3L

          Oh, bummer! I didn’t even consider how limiting store hours might be… bummer. I don’t have the problems you mentioned with my own iPhone/iPhoto so unfortunately I can’t help. Could you try calling Apple Support? They might have 24/7 availability?

    • Blonde Lawyer

      Last I checked, you can’t have it just in folders and not on Camera Roll which defeats the whole purpose to me. You could upload to Shutterfly or another free third party service and delete entirely from phone hard drive and view on phone via the Shutterfly app.

      ETA – apparently the purpose of the folders is to store photos you import to the phone from other sources like your computer rather than for photos you took with the phone. Lame.

      • iPhone/iPhoto help?

        That’s so frustrating! I wish they’d fix this with the new iOS 8, but I don’t have my hopes up.

    • Meg Murry

      Don’t have an iPhone, but in Android if you open Evernote first you can take pictures within Evernote that don’t go into your general camera roll. So look into apps that let you store photos, then use that for your lightbulb photos? I have several evernote files that are pictures of the back of my electronics so I can get to their part number and serial number without climbing behind my TV.

  14. Paging Unicorn

    I never thanked you for your awesome suggestion for the blog name. Once Thrifted will take off! Thank you for your suggestion, it is exactly what I was looking for!

  15. Messed up

    Just discovered I made a big mistake at work, it’s fixable but will annoy an important client or will cost the firm some money, though no long term ramifications. It was due to negligence during a busy time of year, I let something fall through the cracks. The partner who manages the client asked me to look into a related matter for the client and I discovered the mistake. The same partner just asked me to work on a different “rush” project for another client that takes priority. What is the better option, to tell them about the mistake now and risk the big project being pulled, or do a great job on the project and then tell them I uncovered the mistake? The partner is generous with praise for a job well done, but has no patience for mistakes and has been known to withhold work or freeze out associates for mistakes like this.

    • housecounsel

      I would acknowledge the mistake sooner rather than later. Immediately, actually. Also, when I go to the partner, I would present the mistake AND your detailed plan as to how you are going to fix it, and how you are going to manage your other obligations while you do. I think. having a plan, presenting it calmly and executing it quickly will go a long way toward forgiveness.

      Then have a glass of wine and forgive yourself. I know it stinks, but you didn’t kill anyone.

      • Messed up

        housecounsel, thanks for the levelheaded advice and the perspective. You’re right, I should address this now – no way out but through. I just handed off the first part of the project to the first reviewer, so I’m going to tackle the mistake now and figure out the options to remedy/cure, then bring it to the partner in person tomorrow. I feel better already now that I have a plan (and wine in the fridge at home).

        • housecounsel

          I hope you check back in and let us know how it goes. You might try posting this again for other perspectives. I am afraid people didn’t read down this far! Hoping it turns out well.

          • housecounsel

            P.S. don’t just present options. Present the options, and tell the partner which one you think is best.

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