Coffee Break: Knotted Dress Belt

106 Comments

1. Where do you buy comfortable throw pillows? I just bought two from TJ Maxx and had to return them because they were weirdly crunchy and not comfortable at all.

   1. I have better luck with pillows at Bed Bath and Beyond (dont forget the 20% off coupons!).

   2. I like Pottery Barn covers with their down inserts

      1. +1 for down or down wrapped throw pillow inserts.

   3. I buy the pillows at TJ Maxx/Home Goods, and then refill them with inserts from a fabric store.

   4. Costco often has them, usually in two packs for around $15.

   5. Crunchy probably means feathers rather than down. If you love the covers you can swap out the innards with down from Pottery Barn, or a down alternative. I think the down alternatives are weirdly bouncy, but they are better for allergies.

2. I need a winter coat and am having SUCH difficulties trying to find one. Between being picky about style and finding one that fits properly, I’m almost at the point where I give up. (Note, this is for a real winter coat like when it snows, not just a dressy coat to wear when it’s sunny outside). It needs to be warm enough for temps in the 30s but not much colder than that. I can’t stand the huge bulky coats because they look absolutely overwhelming on my frame even when they fit. And half the time, the coats don’t even fit either. I’m striking out absolutely everywhere. Budget is about $200. Size 2 or XS. I already tried XS petite at Eddie Bauer and it was enormous, which was odd because my last coat was from EB and it felt much more true to size. I prefer hip-length (5’3 here) but am willing to consider other lengths too.

   Any help appreciated!!

   1. Same build – try Zara. They typically stock some puffers that hit just below my bum and have a belt, so the jacket fits my build and isn’t wearing me. I think they are usually around $130.

      1. Have you tried L.L. Bean? They have petite sizes. I have one of their parkas from a few years ago and it fits well. It is perfect for 20s-30s with snow. I have also worn it in colder temps with layers.

         1. How does LL Bean fit? I assumed it fit like Lands End (I don’t know why) and I drown in their stuff lol

            1. It fits much more true to size than Lands End. The stuff from Lands End is too big for me too. Like, I can get an XSP at Lands End and it be loose. L.L. Bean I am normally an XS or SP. (For reference, I normally wear an XS or 4P at Ann Taylor.)

               I get them confused too, but they’re very different. L.L. Bean tends to be much better quality and has less vanity sizing.

            2. LL Bean runs huge. I’m a size 10/12-Medium in most mall brands. I can wear a small and sometimes even XS in LL Bean. I think it’s because of fit – they intend their apparel to be super roomy and if you don’t want it that way you have to size down.

            3. I actually think LL bean runs true to size. You can read reviews for a specific item to see if it doesn’t. I’m very petite (smaller than you) and I have had luck with their XS or XSP.

            4. The regular sizes at least run very boxy/wide.

      2. It is warm? I typically assume Zara is same quality as H&M, Forever 21, etc and I wouldn’t expect coats there to be warm (ones I’ve tried on in the past don’t seem particularly well-made.

         1. My down one is really warm – the first time I tried it on I was sweating in the store but it was still warmer temps. I reach for it when it’s below 40 and am happy with it so should be good for you, too, and you can layer accordingly. It finally bit the dust after 5 years because of the zipper, but is otherwise still a warm coat. But always worth checking out as what I bought 5 years ago may not be the same warmth this year but I’ve seen them offer them over the years. It is one of the only puffers that isn’t frumpy or enormous on me, I think in part because of the length and the waist.

            And BTW I have a lined, 100% wool coat from H&M from a few years ago that I wear when I want to be a little sleeker/trendier, so don’t count them out either for quality! It won out over many j. crew ones I tried, too, that were thin, half nylon and twice the price.

   2. How much are you willing to spend? Moncler makes some very nice (and very pricey) winter coats. Since it is more of a designer brand, the sizing tends to not be huge.

      Otherwise, if you truly want a coat that is going to keep you warm, I think you might just have to suck it up with Eddie Bauer and wear a coat that isn’t super flattering. I also have an old Cole Haan hip length puffer that isn’t huge. Not sure it is actually warm enough for temps in the 30s though.

   3. Look for a Patagonia XS parka or jacket. They are very warm and some of their styles are hip or even knee length. I’m 5’0″ and sometimes hit 100 pounds and these are a great fit. you may have to shop around as they can be very pricey, but you can probably find last year’s colors somewhere for $200 or less. The Downtown Loft is one I have. The Radalie is more in your price range , without any discount.

3. This morning’s thread on modesty classes for girl tweens got me thinking.

   Years ago, on Jezebel, there was something called “Am I wearing a dress” with a flow cart — it was awesome. That may be all your girl tween needs :)

   For boys, could someone tell them that pants below your butt needs to go away? [And as a woman: I have giant hips to hold up my pants. How on earth do men move about the planet with their pants down below their butts? Do they have wardrobe malfunctions? Do they slow down to slower than a woman with blisters walking in new stilletos?]

   I hope my daughters read “go fug yourself” and leave with the idea that fashion is a fashion issue. They can learn all the morals they want from any of the usual sources. But pls leave fashion out of it; we’re Whiskeypalians.

   1. I’m also still thinking about that thread. OP said the inviting friend had been to this event several years before, so she doesn’t want to be too judgy when declining. I just feel like my own thinking around the nuances of what we teach kids, how we treat each other in society, and how it relates to structural discrimination has shifted in a big way in the last five years. But if you have a positive memory about a thing, you don’t necessarily update your view on the memory, until you encounter the thing itself again. In the last year, I have re-watched two movies that I loved, together with DH who hadn’t seen them. One was the most successful comedy in my home country in the last 20 years. We watched it together, and I realized that all the jokes are homophobic, sexist and racist cliches.
      The other one was on TV last week, You’ve Got Mail, with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. I was excited because teenage me loved that this movie has several female characters, centered around an independent business owner. However, it became clear to me, that it is also excusing lying and power plays in the name of love. In real life, this would be suuuper creepy, even if it’s Tom Hanks.

      OP, only you know how to approach this, but it might be that your friend would appreciate your honesty, after all.

      1. I’m imagining this:

         “It doesn’t seem like my kind of thing. I don’t want Janey to dress like a tart, so we’re going to watch Working Girl and then go [not Forever 21] and get our hair did. Want to join us?”

      2. You know what movie does not fare well in hindsight? Love, Actually. Straight up creepy love stories based solely on the male gaze.

   2. I have witnessed a fist fight where the only rule of combat seemingly observes was that they both got breaks to pull up their pants between swings.

      1. OMG this is awesome (fistfight department)

      2. I was on a packed BART train once and was standing next to a boy who was sagging (my kids’ terminology for wearing pants below the butt.)

         BART hit a rough patch and his pants fell all the way down, and then he quickly pulled them back up, but still to below his butt. At that moment it became obvious that the seated lady he was standing in front of was his grandmother, because she lectured him loudly for the rest of the ride, including lots of “FOR SHAME”s, and the rest of us passengers were trying not to crack up.

         He left his pants sagging but hung his head for the rest of the trip.

         If this had been a political race, I would have voted for grandma that instant. She was amazing.

   3. As the mother of an 18 year old girl,I do want to add one thought to this discussion:

      First, let me be clear. My daughter can (and now that she is off to college does) wear whatever she wants. I worked hard to teach her about “appropriate” for work, for school, for church, and for the sensibilities of the people around her (like her grandparents at their 50th Anniversary celebration). We talked A LOT about respecting the place and people around you. We talked A LOT about practicality and not being a fashion victim.

      But modesty was a particularly difficult discussion between the ages of 12 and 16. Not because I subscribe to some idea of purity or modesty as a religious or ethical virtue, but because at 14 she could have been mistaken for an older teen and I did not want men to approach her in ways that would have been perfect appropriate if she had been 18 but would just confuse and frighten her.

      And so that is exactly what I told her. Sometimes her outfits were “too mature” or “too revealing for a girl your age”. I told her exactly why she could not wear a skirt that short, or a midriff-baring top. It was not about modesty; it was about telegraphing to the people around her that she was still a child and should be treated accordingly.

      1. I think is a really wise, and valid, point.

4. Hi Everybody! I am travelling to Germany for a business trip. I will be meeting some large car companies. For ladies who have been in Germany, do you recommend I wear pantyhose with a skirt suit? I know the attire will be suit formal but I dont know if Europeans business women wear “nude for you” pantyhose or if you can skip it. Thoughts?

   1. In principle, you can skip it, but.
      I’d strongly suggest you wear pants. Otherwise, you will have half the men you talk to stare at your legs, pantyhose or not. Not everywhere in Germany, but in a conservative, male-dominated field, absolutely.

   2. I don’t know where you’ll be, but yes to pantyhose in Europe, and also yes to wearing pants. One of the only client factory tours where I was catcalled, yes, catcalled, was an Opel factory in Bochum.

   3. It is cold already here, not wearing pantyhose would be strange (like trying to hold on to summer for too long). You will be meeting executives, not factory workers. Wear skirt or trousers, whichever you prefer. But as poster before me wrote, wearing trousers = full attention on what you say,not on your fashion style.

5. Thank you to whoever recommended the catalog living site when I asked my question about “what catalog would you want to live in” question last week. While the site appears somewhat abandoned, I have discovered they now have an instagram page, and it is delightfully snarky.

   1. I missed that thread, but my answer is Gorsuch.

   2. Glad you liked it! Thanks for sharing that it lives on in Instagram!

6. Can anyone recommend resources for dealing with a later stage cancer for a close family member? Trying to avoid google because the results aren’t encouraging. Feeling rather overwhelmed.

   1. I’m so sorry.

      My Dad died of cancer in his 50s. Looking for reassurance online (or anywhere) that it’s “going to be ok” is just going to spiral you more. I recommend “When Things Fall Apart” by Pema Chodron. Even if your loved one does recover, it’s a tool for handling this time and also the potential for losing him/her.

   2. I know this has been discussed before, but I can’t find it – favorite self-care ideas? I can’t drink alcohol because of meds and I already indulge in plenty of fancy coffees & desserts, so I’d prefer non-caloric ideas. Thanks.

      1. Walks in nature; something to make your home feel cozy; flowers; working out; good TV; time with close friends–those friends who you can just BE with; a long bath w candles; clean sheets; massage, facial or a mani-pedi; fancy lotion.

   3. I’m sorry.

      The American Cancer Society runs family support groups so you might try that – check the website. Leukemia and Lymphoma Association does too. Many are run through the local hospital so check a local hospital’s website. (I doubt that you’d be restricted to only your loved one’s hospital – try one even if it’s not “yours”.)

      For self-care, I find massages and pedicures very calming. A spa day would be great. A yoga class often leaves me feeling like I’ve been at a spa. Try one for beginners if it’s new to you. Being out in nature works for me but if you can’t get away, try a conservatory, botanical garden or even a nursery. My local nursery has a coffee shop and occasionally has live music. Going to a movie is an idea – comedy or drama or whatever. Or try books on tape, either through audible or from your local library.

   4. I’m so sorry to hear this. My close friend group has had a string of bad luck, three have lost a parent or in-law to cancer in the past year and a half. Let yourself grieve and take the time you can away from work for bereavement. If your loved one is mobile, make an outing happen for them that they’d like to do one last time. I know that’s not self care in the here and now, but my friends cherish those memories and have leaned on them through their family’s process of healing. Echo spending time with your closest friends – sometimes we talked about it, sometimes they were looking for a distraction. Let people know what you need, what might take even a small load off your shoulders, when they offer the “anything I can do to help”.

   5. Thanks so much, ladies! I have bought the book and will be checking into the other suggestions. Also, the person asking for self-care tips is not me and must have accidentally clicked the wrong reply link, so please don’t limit her to depressing suggestions on my behalf. :)

      1. Well, my comments on family counselling groups were still meant for you. I hope it helps.

   6. Hugs. Metastatic cancer is awful for the patient and the loved ones.

      My local grief peer support organization also takes people with terminally ill family members—it would have been really helpful to get that support and build those relationships ahead of my father’s death from late stage cancer.

      The cancer center/hospital social worker will likely have resources.

      There’s a theory that grief/venting/bad stuff should go out from patient to closest family to those less close and so forth and support go inward. If you’re having to deal with crap from people who are farther out from the patient, you have this internet stranger’s permission and encouragement to tell them off.

   7. I lost my identical twin sister last year due to breast cancer (10 years). Although she lived half the country away, it was gut-wrenching, and I have recently found myself crying unexpectedly in grief. Honestly, the most comforting things for her/us were her doctors and friends. You simply cannot get information specific enough to your particular situation online to be helpful. At the very end (the last 10 days), hospice came in and was also very helpful. It helped that she had taught (still was to the end) at the local community college, and most of the town knew her. The hospice worker there when she died was a friend. For myself, getting out of the house on a walk or a run on a daily basis was important. There is no good way to get through a close family death. Take care of yourself and hold family close, and visits from her friends was amazingly comforting/cheering to her and to us.

      I would also note that my sister lived over two years after extensive metastasis to the liver was diagnosed and had good quality of life during most of that time. Relying on the patient’s doctors for medical information is critical; I had thought she only had months left at the time of the diagnosis of metastasis and we actually had lots of good times and exciting trips during those last years.

7. I am looking for a recommendation for a makeup salesperson. All my makeup is old (gross) and I haven’t worn it in over a year. But I am starting a job hunt soon and need a new look.

   I had a horrible experience last time I bought makeup and want to have a better experience.

   Does anyone have a recommendation for a makeup person at Nordstrom at Stanford or otherwise near Palo Alto?

   I don’t like Sephora or Ulta because it’s too busy and their people have been too rushed in the past. I want someone to figure out a day look and a night look for me, teach me how to do it, and not make it a horrible experience.

   Thank you!

   1. No specific recommendations, but I have had great luck at Nordstrom. Try to go when it’s not super busy and find a bored looking associate whose makeup you like the look of. I am slowly creeping towards all Bobbi Brown because it seems to be substantial enough without being over the top. Also, I’d suggest building basics slowly. Start with your day look since it’s the new job that’s pushing this and add one different thing at a time to get you to a night look. I wear makeup almost every day, and always have, and only change my eyes and my lips for nighttime. And, by change my lips I mean add gloss to my normal lipstick color…super complicated :).

   2. Can you give some info on what made it a horrible experience? That might help us offer suggestions.

   3. You don’t need a makeup salesperson, you need a consultation with a makeup artist, one who does good basic looks and not over the top art. You’ll get more attention at a makeup counter in a Macy’s or Nordstrom type place, but they really don’t have time to teach you how to do an entire face of makeup with a night and day look. Their job is primarily to sell product, so they can’t and won’t ignore other customers just for you. A makeup artist will be able to give you one on one attention for an hour and recommend products across different brands and teach you techniques and tricks based on your needs.

      1. +100000

   4. I had good luck combining r/makeupeducation, Beautypedia.com, and a quick foundation and concealer color match at Ulta. Tread with caution at Reddit of course. Best of luck!

   5. I’ve had great luck at Blue Mercury.

   6. I know you said no Sephora but I had a wonderful experience with a similar request at the Sephora at the Stanford Shopping Center.

   7. If you go to the Trish mcevoy counter, you will find well trained makeup artists who will listen to you about how much or more importantly how little makeup you want to wear. I have experimented around with other brands and have even experimented with having my makeup done by a clueless 20something at Sephora (clueless as in zero idea about what works in an office environment), but i always come back to Trish because the company trains their makeup artists really well. You can call ahead to find out when someone from the brand will be in-store, which is usually pretty often.

   8. I like Bobbi Brown at the Stanford Neiman Marcus. Call for an appointment so they have time. I ended up with nice natural looks.

8. Any NYCers here use CitiBike regularly? I finally pulled the trigger on the yearly membership and am now feeling nervous about safety. I’ve only used it so far for quick trips around Brooklyn, sans helmet. I did order a helmet but am debating whether or not to use it if I end up bike commuting from Brooklyn into Manhattan. Is the answer just obviously wear the helmet, or does anyone here ride without?

   1. What’s your reason for not wanting to wear a helmet…?

      1. I guess having to carry it on the subway in the morning (more likely to commute home than to work). Also, part of me is still 13 and self conscious. But yes, obviously I should wear a helmet, I’m convinced. Thanks all

   2. Just obviously wear the helmet!!! What is a reason you wouldn’t??

   3. It seems like foldable helmets are starting to become a thing, if that is what is stopping you. Products like these may make it easier to commute with a helmet: https://www.park-and-diamond.com/ and https://fend.io/

   4. Wear the helmet. Pack a hairbrush and dry shampoo if you’re worried about helmet hair. But it’s SUCH an easy thing to put on your head, and can make the difference between headache/concussion and life-altering brain injury if the worst happens.

      I sometimes don’t wear a helmet when I’m in a park or whatever, but any time I’m on a road where cars are allowed, HELMET

   5. Obviously wear a helmet!!!! Head injuries are no joke! Why on earth would you think it’s ok to not wear one?

   6. I had to call 911 recently to help someone who fell off a slow bike on a quiet street onto her head. Wear a helmet every time you ride, if not because you care about your brain, then to be kind to the bystanders who will be shaken up if you badly injure yourself.

   7. You bought a helmet, and you’re not sure whether or not you should wear it, and you’re concerned about safety. To answer your question, yes, the obvious answer is to wear the helmet.

   8. I’ve been Citibiking regularly for 3 years now. I primarily use it for a 25 minute Manhattan commute from April through November or so, as well as occasionally using it to bike to Brooklyn on the weekends or around Manhattan to run errands. I wear a helmet 99+% of the time and I regret the two times I did it without a helmet even though nothing bad happened.

      When it is hot out I put some dry shampoo in my hair before putting the helmet on, which mitigates the sweaty hair aspect a bit. I also recently got a second helmet, so that on days that I opt not to bike home (raining, I went out for too many drinks, I have too much to carry, etc), I don’t always have to carry the helmet on the subway. Carrying a helmet can sometimes be annoying, but it really isn’t too bad.

   9. Please, always wear a helmet. To east coaster above: I’d ask you to rethink even putting one on in the park. Most falls happen at slow speed and because of something largely out of your control. I road bike and clip in, so I’m honestly more nervous in a park or slow speed area because of pedestrians not paying attention, or dogs or kids darting out of nowhere. If I can’t unclip I’m going to topple over sideways and there’s a good chance my head will hit the ground.

   10. This is one of my main issues with Citibike (or ford bikes in my city) – they rent you the bike but who walks around carrying a helmet in case they just decide to take a bike somewhere, which is the idea of Citibike. It’s reallt encouraging helmetless riding.

       But to OP, bike helmets are a thing for a reason. If you have a planned commute on a communal bike, also plan to wear a helmet. Every time.

       Your brain is more important than your hair. That should go without saying!

9. In addition to other eating problems noted in this morning’s thread, I find that I cannot eat a lot of processed foods (like delicious French bread) because . . . I apparently will become blocked. I hate that I am becoming all the commercials I used to mock, but I have added a lot of fruit and vegetables to my diet lately b/c I cannot bear to buy a laxative / fiber-adding sort of product.

   Otherwise, read up on sloths. They leave their trees weekly (for a potty break, among other things). When they return to the tree, they are often five pounds lighter (!) and they are not really heavy animals.

   I feel like that if I don’t eat right (so travel is either hell or filled with salads).

   1. Have you considered chia seeds? I put them in my yogurt.

      1. OMG no — I’ve seen what those things can do to a chia pet. No way I’m eating that (and yet somehow I eat yogurt — slowly rotting milk).

         I much, much prefer raspberries in my yogurt.

         1. …do you think they grow in your stomach? Are you 12? Please only post helpful advice and not things to your childish preferences.

            OP, adding tasteless fiber powder is the easiest way to go, it will help you become more regular. Adding, not a laxative, but a stool softener will make your life easier when you have issues going, but won’t give you the urgency to have to relieve yourself that a laxative will.

         2. Psh you think those are bad? Eating a sunflower seed is basically a death wish. Right up your esophagus. Choke in your sleep, but die with a sunflower sticking out of your mouth. Interesting way to go.

            1. Never heard of this but when the time comes, that’s how I want to go.

               BRB, updating my Advance Healthcare Directive

      2. I suffered constipation for years and tried everything under the sun: more fruits and veggies, prune juice, probiotics, yogurt, metamucil, miralax, you name it. Nothing works in the long run for me except chia seeds (and lots of water no matter what you do of course). I also find it helpful to have breakfast, which gets the bowel moving on a consistent daily schedule.

   2. I’m 30 and take Metamucil pills. It’s really not that big a deal. Literally nobody knows except my husband, they have no taste and it means I don’t have to worry as much about my diet or eat gross things like prunes. It seems silly to cut out foods you like just because you can’t bear to buy a fiber supplement.

      1. Prunes are good too. LIke, they taste good and will get you moving. Just…don’t eat 15 of them in one sitting.

         1. (also…prunes aren’t gross? they’re good! Get the ones with the pits removed are even better)

            1. I find prunes really gross. To each their own but a fiber capsule tastes much better to me (plus I don’t need the sugar and calories from prunes).

   3. I find a daily glass of prune juice helps move things along, if you know what I mean. A little old ladyish, but for me, it’s more bearable than buying the powdered fiber stuff or a laxative.

   4. If you decide to try a fiber product, I reccomend Metamucil once a day. Never have issues with constipation.

   5. I find having a pulse or legume a day helps. French lentils, daal, peas, etc.

   6. I mean, you know what the problem is and what the solution is. Just do it already. I like psyllium husk.

   7. I have tried everything possible over the last 20+ years and the only thing that has worked is a natural stool softner pill everyday. Not the ones with a laxative in it, just the all natural ones. It will take about a week or two to start working but when it does you will go everyday.

10. I am going to my first mammography tomorrow. It is routine but I am still nervous. I have a large chest with a lot of glandular tissue and I worry if that will be a problem. Any advice, stories? I know I will be a wreck while waiting for the answer

    1. Are you a wreck waiting for the results of every Pap smear or blood test? It seems a bit odd to get worked up about a routine mammogram. I mean, theyr’e not super comfortable but they’re almost always normal.

       1. Most helpfull . I still feel nervous but now also Odd and misunderstood

    2. I recently had my first. It wasn’t very painful (I’m large chested as well). Some old scar tissue meant that I had to come back for a closer look and a quick ultrasound 1-2 weeks after my first appt. That scan required some particular placement and was a bit more painful They said that they wanted to be very thorough in establishing a baseline for me. At the second appointment, the radiologist did the reading while I waited (so I got results/answers very quickly). I didn’t worry too much because I knew I had some scar tissue and cysts plus I had no family history.

       1. Thanks a Lot for telling about your experience!

    3. My understanding is that mammos are easier on the large-chested. When I had my baseline done, I had skid marks from my collarbone to the base of my ribs, but I’m pretty flat, so I think they had to pinch a lot of tissue to get something to read.

       Good luck, try not to stress, and do something nice for yourself as a reward afterwards!

       1. Thank you so much for sharing.

    4. Don’t be surprised if they call you back for a second look, particularly since you have lumpy/dense breasts. It’s very common to need a second look at certain spots to get a good baseline, so do not freak out if this happens!

       1. Thank you. That is Very good and helpfull advice

11. I just realized that I mansplained (except I’m a woman, ha ha) a simple concept to co-counsel at another firm (also a woman) because I misunderstood her question. I realized in retrospect that I would have rolled my eyes at my email if I were her. I answered the question, so she doesn’t need any other information. This was a couple of weeks ago. I think I just have to leave it be, right? I have tried to write an email explaining myself but it just won’t write.

    1. Emailing about it now would be weird, but next time you’re in touch with her just be extra deferential and find some excuse to nod to her knowledge/experience. I’ve been on both sides of this sort of thing, and that tends to solve it.

12. If I really like the look and shape of Prada bags with their structured and clean lines, what is something more moderately priced that has a similar look?

    1. I think Michael Kors look a bit like Prada.

    2. Kate Spade? Michael Kors?

    3. I’ve been eyeing a Dagne Dover bag. Also carried at Nordstrom.
       https://www.dagnedover.com/collections/midi-tote

    4. Look up Dagne Dover bags. I really love the shape and no logos.

13. I have been extremely sensitive to smells lately. One day last week, I walked into the office kitchen, and I could smell a bunch of different, distinct smells–food, coffee, cologne, perfume, etc. I became very nauseous, and the nausea lasted the rest of the day. This afternoon, someone has sprayed Lysol or Purel somewhere in the office, and it’s giving me a throbbing headache.

    I’m definitely not pregnant. But this is unusual for me. Are there other potential explanations for this? Is there anything I can do about it, besides OTC meds for nausea and headaches?

    1. This is how I get when I’m having a migraine. If you take an Excedrin migraine, that should kick out your headache and nausea.

       Also, my guess is that there is something else causing the migraine and that the smell is a trigger. For example, if you are stressed, not getting enough sleep, having bad allergies, dehydrated, etc. Try to figure out if there is something that is making you “off balance” and fix that. The nausea by itself can be a pre-migraine– at least for me. Like, sometimes my migraines are more nausea than headache. They can also last for a day or two if you don’t treat them.

    2. It’s possible that you’re having migraines without the headache (it sounds weird but it’s not super uncommon). Your doc can probably help you figure it out, plus prescribe something for it if that’s what it is.

       1. This. I often get a major aura (Pre-migraine) and the migraine after-effects like sensitivity to light and nausea, but not a major headache.

          Pre-migraine aura symptoms for me are visual disturbances (zig zaggy bright colorful lines in a corner of my vision, and dark or blind spots) and sometimes facial tingling or numbness. Did you have any of that?

    3. I get that way sometimes if my stomach is empty. It sounds counter-intuitive but eating a little will sometimes make it go away.

       I hate the smell of coffee. When someone brings it to a meeting and sits next to me, I literally have to focus on not gagging.

    4. That is almost 100% how I react when I’m having (or about to have) a migraine. I suddenly develop the smell of a greyhound. There are also people who don’t get classic migraine pain but ONLY aura. If it persists, I’d mention it to your Doc and maybe a neurologist.

       1. +1

          I also get super sonic hearing and sensitivity to light.

          My migraine triggers aren’t cycle related but seem to be (when a combination of these factors occur): heavy loads carried on my shoulders, hours of night driving or brightlights in dark spaces, more dehydration than my usual.

          Hth

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