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Updated: Nov 1, 2018 209 Comments · by

Thursday’s TPS Report: Cap Sleeve Dress

The Personal Shopper (TPS) |

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Loft Cap Sleeve Dress | CorporetteOur daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. Happy Thursday! I dig the front pockets, cap sleeves, and tiny pleats on this sweet dress from Loft. This lovely red color is available exclusively online, but it's also available in black. It comes in sizes 00-18, in regular, petite, and tall, for $89.50 full price. Loft Cap Sleeve Dress Psst: here's a similar plus-sized version. Seen a great piece you’d like to recommend? Please e-mail tps@corporette.com. (L-3)

Sales of note for 9.10.24

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Comments

  1. Contracts

    I used to shop at the Loft often, but I have been disappointed in the decline of their quality over the last few years. I’ll go in for t-shirts or cheap casual clothes, but only when they have a very big sale. I would rather the company increase their quality and decrease the monster sales. I’ll pay more for clothes that last.

    • roses

      Once in a while, I will find a high-quality Loft piece that lasts a while – in particular, I absolutely love their slim-cut colorful pants for work (I think it’s the Zoe cut), and they have held up well for 2 years so far. I think it’s actually really evident just by feeling the material whether it will last a while. Something that is weirdly shiny and polyester, feels super thin, or the buttons are already barely holding on is not going to last more than a few wears. But you have a better shot with the sturdier-feeling garments.

      • AIMS

        I hadn’t been in in a while and then ended up stopping in last night and it’s the weirdest combination of visibly horrible quality items and a few really cute things. So many of the blazers and skirts looked like they were constructed out of actual potato sacks, but then this dress was totally adorable (and much better in person – the print is really great): http://tinyurl.com/m4y6hqu

        I didn’t have time to try on but I think it would be really cute in the fall with black tights, booties and a black blazer. I couldn’t bring myself to pay full price at Loft, of course, but I’m keeping an eye out for their next promo.

        • Hollis

          I tried this dress on because I love the print. I’m 5 foot 7 and I thought the waist was way too high for me (empire waist) and the skirt was too short, too. Not appropriate for work, and an elastic on my rib cage was not comfortable either. I think if you are petite though, this could be a great dress for you.

      • PolyD

        Agreed. I think their pants and jeans are pretty decent (although I recently went DOWN a size in the Julie fit, despite weighing the same or slightly more than I did last fall, for anyone interested in trying the pants), and they have some very pretty blouses (I don’t really mind wearing a cami under a sheer top). But their sweaters lately are just so thin! I recently received a Loft order and in it was a yellow-mustard cardigan that is very cute, but I don’t know if I will keep it because it’s so thin. Same for Gap, actually. I ordered one of their merino cardigans and was really disappointed by how thin the fabric was.

        This seems to be an across-many-stores thing lately – what’s up with the super-thin wool? Is there some sort of sheep crisis?

        And yeah, I pretty much don’t buy from Loft/Gap/Banana/Old Navy unless they are having a 30-40% off sale.

        • Lyssa

          Super-thin sweaters of the past few seasons is driving me crazy, too. I get cold; I want a sweater because I want to be warmer, but so many lately are no better than t-shirts.

    • tesyaa

      Loft is a second-tier brand to Ann Taylor. It was never intended to be high quality so it’s not surprising that it isn’t.

      • mascot

        I feel like when Loft started out, it was the more casual version of AT, but still had decently constructed clothes. Over the past few years, the quality at both stores has declined significantly.

        • Orangerie

          Yes, agreed. Also, the style has changed along with the quality. Several years ago they sold some solid work-appropriate pieces. Now the majority of what I see there is shapeless casual clothes.

        • Contracts

          Agreed. I’ve always gone there for my more casual stuff, but even that’s gone down. I will have to say the one exception is that I bought a white cotton blazer on super sale last year, and it’s been great.

        • HSAL

          Yep. I even got some great suits there back in 07-08 when I started working, and a lot of other items I got back then are still in great shape. I can’t say the same for stuff I bought a year or two ago.

        • hoola hoopa

          Yes, this.

          If I had known their quality would nose dive, I would have bought the whole store in 2006. Their clothes fit me like a glove, but most items I’ve bought lately haven’t even lasted a season.

      • Anon

        That’s what I always thought too – like old navy is to gap, loft is to ann Taylor.

    • Anon in NYC

      I think this dress is cute and some of Loft’s new “sweatshirts” look really cute too, but I can’t get behind paying full price for it since so many people here complain about the quality.

      • LawyerinChicago

        I’ve had no real issues with quality at Loft–it’s no better or worse than comparable priced women’s wear across stores in my experience–but I will be d*mned if I’ll buy any dress with an exposed zipper. ESPECIALLY a work dress. It’s cheap and lazy garment construction AND it will look like 2014 for the rest of the life of the dress, but I expect my work clothes–especially the base garments–to wear longer than one or two years.

        • Charlotte York

          I’ll cosign on the exposed zipper trend. I refuse to buy any dresses with it. I totally agree – it’s lazy and cheap construction. It looks like some sad sewing class project where you hadn’t learned how to do a zipper…

      • S in Chicago

        I just wish they would get the length of their dresses right. I’m 5′ 8″– so not tall enough to work in traditionally tall pieces (waist, arm length off), yet the regular stuff usually has to be worn with flats if I plan to even remotely consider wearing on a casual day without showing too much leg. I don’t have this problem ordinarily when I shop elsewhere. So it’s not like I’m someone who is usually on the cusp of tall. Wish they would get it right.

    • Bonnie

      Loft has definitely moved to casual from office appropriate over the last few years. I am frustrated that so many stores including AT and BR now jack up prices to compensate for their frequent sales. I don’t even walk in those stores now unless it’s 40 or 50% off everything. This dress is cute but probably too short. I’m 5’4″ and buy their dresses in tall sizes.

      • MissK

        I just tried this on in Petite and it was not inappropriate at all (I’m 5’3″) so the regular might work for you.

  2. Curious

    I’m curious to see what the demographic is here (one, because I’m curious, but also because it’s relevant to my work–I do TOD / housing / urban planning). For the purposes of this, even if you live/work in a small community rather than a big city, don’t think of urban as necessarily high-rises only–there’s nothing bigger than 4 stories in my town, but it has a downtown, etc.

    age:
    own/rent:
    Do you live in an urban/suburban/rural area?
    Do you work in an urban/suburban/rural area?
    Do you walk/bike/transit or car-commute to work?
    Do you walk/bike/transit or car-commute to services (retail, commercial, restaurant, entertainment, etc)?

    • Wanderlust

      NYC, so I live in an urban area and take mass transit (the subway) to work. I can walk to “services” in and around my neighborhood, but I can also take the subway to places that are farther away.

      • Ellen

        Yay! I love survey’s and this dress, Kat! It is cute! Thank’s for p’osting this survey! Here are my answers:

        age: 33
        own/rent: I own, technicaly Dad is the owner of RECORD, but I live here in my new COOP on the Upper East Side of Manhattan!
        Do you live in an urban/suburban/rural area? I live in the UPPER EAST SIDE of Manhattan, NYC YAY!
        Do you work in an urban/suburban/rural area? Also in Manhattan.– but in Midtown Manhattan.
        Do you walk/bike/transit or car-commute to work? I can take the subway, but my dad makes me walk a lot with my FITBIT because he wants me to have a smaller TUCHUS so that I can find a guy to MARRY me.
        Do you walk/bike/transit or car-commute to services (retail, commercial, restaurant, entertainment, etc)?
        In the City, I try to walk or take a subway, but I have to take the LIRR to go home to see mom & dad or go shopping at Rosevelt Field. And when I go to see Rosa, I have to get a ride or take the train.

        I have to work on a project for the manageing partner b/c he is goieng to let me speak at his CLE next month. YAY!

    • Curious

      I’m 34
      we own
      we live in a suburban-style neighborhood, but it’s only a mile from anything on a good transportation network. By any other yardstick, we’d be called urban except for the way our neighborhood looks
      I work in an urban area
      often car-commute, but sometimes will walk
      Almost always car-commute to services (usually because I have one of my kids with me, and we no longer own strollers because they’re too old)

    • roses

      Age: 26
      Rent, work and live in an urban area
      Transit or walk to work and commercial services
      I don’t own a car.

    • RR

      age: 38
      own/rent: Own
      Do you live in an urban/suburban/rural area? Suburban
      Do you work in an urban/suburban/rural area? Urban
      Do you walk/bike/transit or car-commute to work? Car
      Do you walk/bike/transit or car-commute to services (retail, commercial, restaurant, entertainment, etc)? Car

      • Diana Barry

        Ditto – I am 35 and all of the above is true for me too, but we can walk to some services (food) if we are not in a hurry – they are 0.7 or 1 mile away.

        Also we live in a close-in suburb that some people would call a city.

        • Mom here

          Same here, except that I live in somewhere like Arlington, VA where I can walk to things from my house (many options < .5 mile).

          Due to children in two schools, I drive b/w home and work, but formerly I walked (3 miles) or took transit.

          43

      • hoola hoopa

        This. We recently move from urban. It’s been a real mix of good/bad. Nothing walkable from our new house except the kids’ school, which is a huge bummer.

    • Brit

      26, rent and work in a urban area. Where I live, we have fairly poor public transit unless you just want to get to the business/downtown area, so I drive to work. Because of the neighborhood I currently live in, I can walk to most restaurants, but typically have to drive for grocery shopping or other entertainment (movies, clothes shopping, etc.)

      • Anon OP

        31
        rent
        suburban
        commute: car
        other transportation:car

        we have near zero public transportation on weekday (one bus circling the city every 90 mins) and zero public transportation on weekend (those buses don’t operate on the weekends and other public holidays)

    • Roman Holiday

      Interesting survey! Here goes:

      Age: 27
      Rent
      Live in urban, work in suburban/rural
      Commute via public transit
      For commercial services – combination of all options, but prefer to walk if possible/weather permitting.

      FWIW, I’m about to transition to living in the suburbs and commuting by car/carpool (S.O. and I are moving in together). Of course I’m excited for the change, but I am very very sad to leave my city apartment and easy bus commute.

    • Anon

      34
      Own
      Live and work in urban area
      Take mass transit to work
      Can walk to services in my immediate vicinity and also mass transit to those a bit farther

    • LF

      Age: 27
      Own in a suburban/rural area.
      Work in a small urban area (college town under 100,000).
      I almost always car-commute to work and services.

    • jc

      26
      Rent
      Work in an urban area
      I take public transit to work, usually the bus but sometimes the train
      I use all forms of transportation for services depending on the distance (I walk if I can, usually to restaurants, etc. but I drive to the grocery store because it’s hard to carry a whole lot of bags on the train).

    • Hildegarde

      29 (30 in a week!), rent, I live in an urban area and car-commute to my job in a suburban area, but walk to entertainment/restaurant services near where I live. Some retail isn’t within walking distance of my house, but it is in the suburban area where I work, so I do that shopping over lunch or on my way home from work, so I don’t have to make separate car trips.

      • Terry

        Happy birthday! I remember thinking, on my 30th birthday, ‘finally, I’ll get some respect’…

    • Liz

      Fun question!

      Age: 26
      Rent and work in the suburbs
      Commute via bike or car
      Commercial/entertainment: public transit, bike, or car depending on what it is (groceries? bike. dinner with friends in big city? train/bus. epic weekend hiking trip? car)

    • Miss Behaved

      Age: 44
      Rent in Suburban area
      Work in an Urban area
      Take mass transit to work
      Usually drive to services, unless it’s during my work day…

    • long time lurker

      40
      Own in urban area.
      Work in urban area.
      Mass transit to work.
      Walk, bike or mass transit to shopping, restaurants, etc. Do not own a car.

    • Cb

      age: 29
      own/rent: own
      Do you live in an urban/suburban/rural area?: urban
      Do you work in an urban/suburban/rural area?: urban
      Do you walk/bike/transit or car-commute to work?: transit
      Do you walk/bike/transit or car-commute to services (retail, commercial, restaurant, entertainment, etc)?: transit / walk

    • AnonCo

      23.
      Rent in an urban area.
      Work in an urban area.
      Walk to work.
      Walk to most services, public transit to see friends.

    • BLSF

      30
      Rent
      Urban for living and working
      Mass Transit to Work
      Car or Mass Transit to Services

    • Anon

      32
      Own
      Live in close-in suburb
      Work in urban
      Walk/mass transit to work
      Walk/drive/mass transit to services depending on where they are

    • Anon

      34
      Rent
      Live in urban
      Work at border of urban and suburban
      Drive to work
      Drive to most things

      We have public transit, but it is terrible, and our city keeps voting down efforts to improve it (grrrr).

    • Blonde Lawyer

      32
      Own
      Live in suburbs
      Work in urban
      Drive to work but would bike if infrastructure was safer
      Drive to most services but can walk from work to pharmacy/restaurants/market and can bike from home to pharmacy and small grocery store.

    • Red Beagle

      age: 52
      own/rent: own
      Do you live in an urban/suburban/rural area? urban
      Do you work in an urban/suburban/rural area? urban
      Do you walk/bike/transit or car-commute to work? all + sometimes run but car most days, transit tuesdays, bike occasional thursdays
      Do you walk/bike/transit or car-commute to services (retail, commercial, restaurant, entertainment, etc)? walk or car; nice shops and cafes nearby but malls/supermarkets need a car to get there and to schlep stuff

    • CPA lady

      30
      own
      Live in suburb technically, though it’s only about 10 minutes from downtown
      Work in urban
      Drive to work
      Drive everywhere else, unless I’m doing something downtown during the work week, in which case I walk

    • ac

      – 34 (eek)
      – just purchased & moved into second/suburban home from first/urban home
      – work in urban
      – drive to train, train to city, walk from train station to office.
      – drive almost everywhere else

      Like others, having kids is a huge factor for driving to services. We could theoretically walk to a lot of services (0.75-1.5 miles away) but when you factor in loading up stroller or double stroller, or walking with a preschooler, it rarely works out based on time. My non-driving nanny ends up doing a lot more walking with the kids than we do, though.

    • Anonymous

      24
      own
      live and work in and urban area,
      sometimes drive and sometimes take public transport to work.

    • Constant Reader

      age: 31
      own/rent: Rent
      Do you live in an urban/suburban/rural area? Urban
      Do you work in an urban/suburban/rural area? Urban
      Do you walk/bike/transit or car-commute to work? Pub trans
      Do you walk/bike/transit or car-commute to services (retail, commercial, restaurant, entertainment, etc)? Combination of both. Since I’m close to urban downtown I have the option of walking/pub trans/taxi to restaurants/nightlife but also own a car for trips to grocery, movies, road trips, etc.

    • Woods-comma-Elle

      33, rent and work in urban area. I walk or take the bus to and from work or to get around the city (sometimes the underground). No car as the faff/cost of insurance and parking is not worth it and public transport is good and cabs are widely available.

    • anon2

      age: 53
      own/rent: own
      Do you live in an urban/suburban/rural area? primary home in urban, vacation home in rural
      Do you work in an urban/suburban/rural area? urban
      Do you walk/bike/transit or car-commute to work? none – I work from home
      Do you walk/bike/transit or car-commute to services (retail, commercial, restaurant, entertainment, etc)? car

    • Anonymous

      age: 37

      own/rent: Rent

      Do you live in an urban/suburban/rural area? Urban

      Do you work in an urban/suburban/rural area? Urban

      Do you walk/bike/transit or car-commute to work? Car

      Do you walk/bike/transit or car-commute to services (retail, commercial, restaurant, entertainment, etc)? Walk (occasionally car)

    • Lyssa

      age: 34
      own/rent: Own
      Do you live in an urban/suburban/rural area? Suburban
      Do you work in an urban/suburban/rural area? Urban
      Do you walk/bike/transit or car-commute to work? Car
      Do you walk/bike/transit or car-commute to services? Car

      There’s basically nothing that can be walked to biked to in my neighborhood. It’s a very nice place to live, but it would be nice to be able to get out without driving, but that’s very unusual in my area (mid-south, small city). I do love driving in general, though! (The whole self-driving cars thing makes me a little excited, but also a little sad.)

    • OttLobbyist

      Cool job!

      Age:37
      Rent/Own: Own
      Residence: Suburban
      Work: Urban
      Work Commute: Car+transit (drive to suburban transit hub, bus into urban core. Occasionally walk to transit, but because I lug a laptop everywhere, I usually drive to the bus)
      Services: Car

    • Little Red

      Age: 41
      Own/Rent: Own
      Live: Suburban
      Work: Suburban
      Commute to Work: Car
      Commute to Services: Combination of car and walking

      I live in Tysons so while we now have the Silver Line and things are SLOWLY becoming more walkable, it’s still very suburban and I have to drive to most places. My office is only two miles away and yet I can’t walk or bike since there are no sidewalks or bike lanes to get me there. I’ll be trying out the Silver Line train to get to work as soon as the ragweed pollen count goes down.

    • Anon

      Age: 31
      own/rent: Own
      I live in a suburban area
      I work in an urban area
      I car-commute to work
      I either walk or car-commute to services. There is a grocery store and a couple restaurants near our house and so sometimes we will walk to those.

    • anon99

      38
      own
      live: suburban
      work: urban
      commute to work: train
      commute to services: drive (mostly)

    • nutella

      28
      own
      Live – urban
      Work – urban
      Walk to work, but can do all 4 options
      Walk to services, but can do all 4 options

      What an interesting poll!

    • Cat

      early 30s
      own
      Live – urban
      Work – urban
      Walk to work
      Walk to services, primarily – occasional car errands in suburbs on weekend.

    • Alice

      30 (almost)
      rent
      live and work in urban area
      walk to work
      walk or use transit to services
      no car

    • Eliza

      45
      Own
      Live and work in a rural area (albeit separated by a 45 minute drive)
      Drive everywhere

    • wintergreen126

      Age: 28
      Rent, work and live in an urban area
      Transit or walk to both work and commercial services
      I have a car that is currently not in my possession (my brother totaled his, and since I really don’t need mine, he’s taken it for the time being).

    • Jules

      Age: 54
      Own
      Live – small rural-ish town
      Work – urban
      Commute: 20 miles/30 minutes by car
      Services/entertainment: walk or bike to many — I’m lucky to be in a small town that has an art house movie theater, a good grocery store, coffee houses, etc. that also is bordered by a large nature preserve. Otherwise, 15-minute drive to big mall area.

    • DCR

      age: 30
      own (I’ve just purchased in the last month!)
      Do you live in an urban/suburban/rural area? Urban
      Do you work in an urban/suburban/rural area? Urban
      Do you walk/bike/transit or car-commute to work? transit and sometimes walk
      Do you walk/bike/transit or car-commute to services (retail, commercial, restaurant, entertainment, etc)? Depends on what I’m doing. I have the option of walking or taking transit to all kinds of restaurants and entertainment, but I also own a car for trips to the grocery store, road trips, going out to the mall (since there is not one in the city) or other specialized stores, ect.

    • Demographic Answer

      1. 31
      2. Rent, about to buy
      3. Suburban
      4. Urban
      5. Car commute
      6. Car commute

    • snowy

      28
      own in the burbs
      work in the burbs
      car to work
      car to services

      I am 100% proof when you move to the burbs you get super lazy… in the city, and even inner-ring suburbs I ALWAYS took public transit, walked, or biked. Now w/ increased distances and less conducive infrastructure, I never do. My husband does bike work and some services, and I need to get on that bandwagon. 20+ miles a day biking is not something to take lightly though…

      • Little Red

        It’s not really about getting lazy. The suburbs have been specifically designed to make people car dependent. Why that was ever considered a good thing is beyond me and nothing I’ve ever read has had a good explanation for this.

    • Two Cents

      35
      Rent in urban area
      Work in urban area
      Walk to work
      Walk or take public transit to most services (but we use our car on weekends for big shopping trips, seeing friends in the burbs, etc.)

      We owned in the burbs and moved back to the city 3 years ago. I couldn’t be happier. 1 kid, another on the way.

    • pd

      26
      own, kind of (well, like Ellen, technically my parents own the house but I pay the mortgage)
      house is in a suburban area
      work in an urban area
      drive to work
      drive to entertainment

    • Annie

      age: 26
      Rent, but looking to buy in the next 6 months
      Live in urban area
      Work in suburban area
      Drive to work
      Walk or bus to most things on the weekend, except grocery shopping or costco.

    • Susie

      age: 32
      own/rent: own
      Do you live in an urban/suburban/rural area? suburban
      Do you work in an urban/suburban/rural area? suburban
      Do you walk/bike/transit or car-commute to work? car
      Do you walk/bike/transit or car-commute to services (retail, commercial, restaurant, entertainment, etc)? walk to some, car to others

    • Senior Attorney

      I’m about to move so I’ll answer for now and for beginning next week.

      Now:

      Age: 55
      own/rent: Rent
      Do you live in an urban/suburban/rural area? Urban
      Do you work in an urban/suburban/rural area? Urban
      Do you walk/bike/transit or car-commute to work? Usually drive but occasionally walk
      Do you walk/bike/transit or car-commute to services (retail, commercial, restaurant, entertainment, etc)? Usually drive but some walking. Walk a lot on the weekends.

      Beginning next week:

      Age: 55
      own/rent: Own
      Do you live in an urban/suburban/rural area? Urban
      Do you work in an urban/suburban/rural area? Urban
      Do you walk/bike/transit or car-commute to work? Drive
      Do you walk/bike/transit or car-commute to services (retail, commercial, restaurant, entertainment, etc)? Drive, with a small amount of walking

    • gingersnap

      age: 29
      rent
      Mostly work at home these days (dissertation stage doctoral student, moved halfway across the country for spouse’s job)
      Don’t own a car, so walk/public transit everywhere.

    • locomotive

      25
      Rent
      Live in an urban area (Boston)
      Work in an urban area (Boston)
      I usually bike or walk in the summer (~2 miles) to work, public transit when it’s snowing/icy
      I walk/bike/metro to everything I ever need. I use a zipcar about once a year to go to Costco.

    • Away Game

      early 40s
      We own (ok, fine, mostly the bank owns)
      Live in very close-in suburban-looking neighborhood
      Work in urban area
      Usually car-commute to work (carpool) but can take transit if carpool sked doesn’t work
      Usually take car to services if with two or more of the kids (parking is cheaper than public transport for the five of us)

    • Anon

      27
      Rent, about to buy
      Urban
      Suburban
      car commute
      usually car commute, occasionally walk

    • In the Pink

      50+
      Own in suburb
      Work in suburb, 7 miles from home (on purpose)
      car commute (it’s so humid here)
      drive everywhere: ac house to ac car to ac destination

    • Middle Coast

      55
      Own
      Live in 1st ring of suburban next to urban
      Work in an industrial area adjacent to Urban – e.g., port, shipyards, manufacturing
      Car commute – no public transportation to where I work
      Car to services cause I’m lazy and its a two mile walk to the nearest bus stop

    • Lynnet

      age: 29
      own/rent: own
      Do you live in an urban/suburban/rural area?: bedroom community/small town
      Do you work in an urban/suburban/rural area?: urban
      Do you walk/bike/transit or car-commute to work?: 15 minutes in car, 30 minutes on bus
      Do you walk/bike/transit or car-commute to services (retail, commercial, restaurant, entertainment, etc)?: Walk to the four restaurants in our town, drive to anything else.

    • anon2b

      age: 54
      own/rent: own
      Do you live in an urban/suburban/rural area? suburban
      Do you work in an urban/suburban/rural area? urban/downtown
      Do you walk/bike/transit or car-commute to work? Bike or drive car to transit stop then bus the rest of the way.
      Do you walk/bike/transit or car-commute to services (retail, commercial, restaurant, entertainment, etc)? Driving mostly but can (and do) bike to grocery/drug store retail center or to Trader Joe’s.

      Very jealous of people who can bike walk everywhere but I don’t want to pay high prices to live in central core where my job is.

    • Curly Sue

      27
      Rent, planning to buy in next year
      Live and work in urban
      Walk to work, walk or public transit to commercial services.
      Do not own a car

    • Charlotte York

      Age: 44
      own/rent: Rent
      Do you live in an urban/suburban/rural area? Urban
      Do you work in an urban/suburban/rural area? Urban
      Do you walk/bike/transit or car-commute to work? Usually walk; occasionally drive
      Do you walk/bike/transit or car-commute to services (retail, commercial, restaurant, entertainment, etc)? Depends. I’ll walk to most in my neighborhood but it’s LA so driving is a must to get anywhere beyond my neighborhood.

    • Philanthropy Girl

      Age: 32
      own/rent: Own
      Do you live in an urban/suburban/rural area? We hit the line between suburban and rural
      Do you work in an urban/suburban/rural area? Same as above
      Do you walk/bike/transit or car-commute to work? Drive
      Do you walk/bike/transit or car-commute to services (retail, commercial, restaurant, entertainment, etc)? Mostly drive – but will occasionally walk as our downtown is walkable. Our town is in process of becoming more bike/walk friendly, but has a long way to go.

    • anonsg

      age: 24
      own/rent: rent
      Do you live in an urban/suburban/rural area? suburban
      Do you work in an urban/suburban/rural area? urban
      Do you walk/bike/transit or car-commute to work? transit
      Do you walk/bike/transit or car-commute to services (retail, commercial, restaurant, entertainment, etc)? car

    • Portia

      26
      Own a home
      In an urbanish area (old brick homes on small lots)
      Work downtown
      Walk to work
      Walk to almost everything else, although I will drive if I know I need to buy dog food, I’m meeting friends in the suburbs, etc.

      Being able to walk everywhere (work, groceries, restaurants, library, etc.) was my #1 concern in deciding where to buy a house.

    • Anonymous me

      64
      Own
      Urban home
      Urban workplace
      Drive to work
      Mostly drive, a little walking

    • ExecAssist

      24
      rent
      suburban
      suburban (seriously, this whole county is like a sprawling suburb)
      car
      car (even if something is close, there are not enough sidewalks so I’d rather just drive)

    • DowntownBK

      29
      Own
      Urban (name probably gives that away…)
      Urban
      Public transportation
      Walk

      We own a car, but only use it when we’re getting out of the city…

  3. Wanderlust

    29
    Own
    Urban (name probably gives that away…)
    Urban
    Public transportation
    Walk

    We own a car, but only use it when we’re getting out of the city…

  4. Last Day in Biglaw

    The day is finally here! I just wanted to share my excitement. Of course I’ll be professional and graceful on the outside but on the inside I am giddy with joy to move on to life without billables!

    • Anonymous

      A glorious day indeed. Calendar it as a recurring reminder anniversary observance of the happiest day of your life.

    • Anon

      I just escaped two weeks ago! I still haven’t gotten used to the feeling of not having to bill everything I do (or as I like to put it, justify every 6 minutes of my existence).

    • anon

      No billables = greatest thing ever! Been a little over 3 years since I fled midlaw

  5. MK

    Does anyone know of any current coupon codes for Lo and Sons? I have been searching online, but without any luck. Thanks!

    • RR

      I’m on their mailing list, and I don’t think they have any codes right now. But, if you can wait a week or so, they almost always have a Labor Day sale.

      • West Coast Lawyer

        I just got an email that their Labor Day sale starts today. Sale prices appear to vary by color.

        • RR

          Was just coming to report the same thing. If the color you want isn’t on sale, I’d still hold off for a code. They do them fairly frequently.

    • DC Association

      I also just got an email about their Labor Day sale. Some styles are discounted up to 30% and some are not discounted at all (there is at least one color of every bag on sale). I’m going to get a bag but am wondering what is best. I’m wondering if I should go for the OG or the O M G. Main thing to use it for it toting my laptop around, and secondary is for traveling (either one day trips or long trips as a carry-on supplement). Thoughts? Thanks!

  6. RR

    The LOFT dress is gorgeous.

    I really like the plus size option, but I think the neckline is NSFW.

  7. oxford

    I’m intrigued by the oxfords-wingtips-brogues around…How do you style them?? I had a pair of bucks as a kid, and I’m excited to see them coming back.

    • nutella

      I like to wear mine with ankle-length pants (for work) or skinny jeans. I do have some black ones that I will wear with black tights in winter, too, but usually I’m wearing them with pants that show them off.

    • Hildegarde

      I wear mine the same way I wear all my other work shoes: with socks and pants, with bare legs and a skirt in the summer (as I am doing today, actually), and with tights and a skirt when the weather gets cooler. I was hesitant to wear them with bare legs and a skirt, but when I tried it I didn’t think it looked odd, so I just do it, though on my most formal days I stick with less fashion-y shoes. When I wear them with bare legs I do wear those invisible footie things so my feet don’t get sweaty against the leather. I love them, though, and find them very versatile!

  8. Clementine

    Today is one of those days I’m really thinking I should just cut my losses and go home.

    Woke up to go for an outdoor run: raining. Forgot my lunch in the fridge. Have a massive headache. Can’t find the document that someone else (who is of course on vacation) was able to narrow down to ‘I think it was 2011? Maybe 2008?’

    And THEN, I dumped a cup of coffee on my lap. Luckily, most of it landed sort of on my hip, only mildly scalding me and getting all over my dress. I don’t have any meetings today, and I don’t believe I can leave even if I wanted to. I realize there are much larger problems out there, but today my little universe is just crummy.

    • roses

      I’m sorry you’re having such a bad day! The only teensy tiny bit of advice I have is for your headache – did you get more coffee after you spilled yours? Last week I was so busy that I skipped my usual morning coffee and couldn’t figure out why I had a headache for 2 days. Eventually realized I was going through caffeine withdrawal!

    • oxford

      I had one of those this week too. It started off terrible, but I nailed my presentation in the evening. Maybe yours will take a similar turn.

  9. Blonde Lawyer

    I have this dress in blue and love it. Be advised that it runs large so you may wish to size down. It is accommodating to the large of chest. It is also dry clean only and I can’t quite figure out why.

  10. AIMS

    Does posting a tiny u r l link get you into moderation now? I’ve noticed all my comments with those links end up there now and I can’t find anything else objectionable in my posts….

  11. BB

    So this may be a bit of a dumb question, but I’ve actually never been to a wedding so…

    …is it okay for me to bring a medium-sized tote bag as my purse to a wedding? I have a dark blue tote that I love that I think would go better with my dress than the pastel lavender clutch I have. The bag is ~19″x10″, so not a huge tote, but I feel like most people on TV at weddings seem to have small clutches with them.

    • AIMS

      Most people at weddings IRL also have smaller bags, but that said if you want to bring your tote you can. I personally like smaller bags though because to me it feels more “evening” and also because smaller tends to just be easier when you’re out all night, dancing, eating, drinking, etc.

    • Red Beagle

      I’m inclined to advise some sort of clutch so that the bag doesn’t overwhelm your outfit.

    • Silver

      I think it’s probably ok from a fashion perspective and anyway you’ll probably be putting it down. But it might be an armful considering you may be shaking hands, holding a drink, hugging people etc.

      • mascot

        This. Would you take this bag to a cocktail party or other standing event? Because those can be similar to parts of the wedding reception.

    • Maddie Ross

      I usually carry small clutches at weddings (same as I would for an evening event or cocktail party), but have taken totes to weddings in the past. One in particular comes to mind where it was an outdoor wedding, but indoor reception and I wanted to switch from flats to heels, so I used the tote to stash my heels. Don’t overthink it. Carry what you want. No one will really notice during the ceremony and you can stash on a chair or under a table at the reception itself most likely.

    • MNF

      I don’t think you’ll commit a faux pas by bringing a tote to the wedding, although it may not be the best compliment to your outfit. It’s also hard to answer without knowing about the wedding – barn reception with mason jars (tote more ok?) or black tie ballroom (maybe not). It sounds like a good opportunity to buy an evening bag that you can use in future (maybe in black or metallic, so it will get lots of use). I’ve found great inexpensive evening bags at Marshalls and TJ Maxx.

    • Anonymous

      Day or evening? Daytime and casual sure but a tote to me isn’t an evening bang. I think it will stand out and feel too casual. A great source for evening bags is work colleagues, FYI. Someone nearly always has one from an event to lend out.

    • TO Lawyer

      I honestly think totes don’t really “go” with nice dresses – you can do it, but something just seems a bit off. I would get a clutch in a neutral colour (nude, black, metallic) so you can repurpose it. Besides, I always feel a bit more dressed up when I’m carrying a clutch

    • BB

      Thanks, all! I think I’ll default to the clutch after seeing your responses. It’s a day wedding, but I don’t want to have to stash my tote anywhere (it was a kind of investment/splurge purchase, so I’d be scared of losing it).

      • Anon

        Just because you sound on the younger side, there is almost no such thing as an “investment” accessory (save for possibly some antique Birkin). Splurge, yes. Investment, no. Don’t let the fashion industry trick you into thinking this.

        • BB

          That’s fair. I guess I’m mostly just using the term as synonymous with splurge – I don’t expect any of my expensive fashion pieces to ever appreciate in value. Even my watch is losing value as we speak. :)

        • LilyStudent

          When I say ‘investment’ I mean ‘I’ll spend £200 on this now instead of £50 each on four or five similar items that I like less.’
          So now I’ve figured out what I need from a bag in terms of size, shape, and handle drop, I find it easier to make those slightly bigger purchases instead of continuing to buy slightly cheapie bags

        • tesyaa

          I think of an “investment” piece as in “one that will help me earn more money”. The only example I can think of is an interview suit.

    • Anon

      These are great! I am trying to resist the Tory Burch jeweled flats (I have a strict “no suede” policy because I can’t keep them from getting smudged – but so pretty!)

    • A Nonny Moose

      I don’t think 1, 5 or 6 would fly in a business casual environment that trended toward business. I wouldn’t wear any of them to my workplace (business casual leaning casual) but I am making an effort to dress with less frills. I like the other ones a lot, though.

        • A Nonny Moose

          Yeah, all the straps around the toe area just make it look a little casual for my taste. I probably wouldn’t do more than double take if I saw someone else wearing them, but I personally wouldn’t pick them up for work wear. Which is how I feel about a lot of profusion all wear I see out and about (I’m thinking hem lines in particular), though, so maybe I’m just a curmudgeon. A 30-year old curmudgeon.

          5 is too va va voom for me and 6 looks like something I’d wear to a holiday party when I didn’t want to wear heels– I don’t like the bling on toes. Ditto for the super blingy necklaces I see rocked with sheath dresses (looking at you j. Crew)

      • Anon

        Really? They all look fine to me. Uncomfortable but appropriate. The comfort factor is what stops me – if I’m going to wear uncomfortable shoes, I’ll just go ahead and wear heels.

    • Spirograph

      I also love them all (except 5. not really my style, although I could totally get away with them at work), and am looking for more flats. I wore heels most of the way through my first pregnancy, but I’m wayyyyy too lazy this time. Thanks!

  13. Home improvement ?

    I’m getting new windows installed in my house today. Problem is, the installers told me that my current (custom) blinds won’t fit properly with the new windows. There’s a sort of “box” enclosing the blinds at the very top that’s too deep for the new windows, so it’s going to stick out from the wall, whereas it was flush with the wall before. The window people never mentioned anything about this before today. The windows were already a financial stretch; I really can’t afford to do all new custom blinds too. I would have held off on getting the windows had I known I would have to get new blinds, so I’m more than a little annoyed that I’m hearing this for the first time now (along with some other surprises today that no one told me about).

    So here’s my question – it is possible for the blinds manufacturer to put the blinds in a smaller “box” that will fit into the space? Any other suggestions on what I can do to salvage the blinds? Or am I just SOL and have to get all new blinds? TIA.

    • anon

      If you asked in advance if they would fit and they said yes, that’s way more than annoying. However, if you didn’t, maybe they didn’t realize that your blinds were custom/expensive and just didn’t think it would be a big deal. I don’t know if this is entirely their fault.

      It is really frustrating though, and I’m sorry. Maybe I’m way off base here (not a home owner) but is there something you can do to make the sticking-out-box work or look better?

    • Clementine

      Can you call the manufacturer of the blinds?

      Also, just as a plan B, I’ve gotten semi-custom blinds at Lowe’s for about $40 a window. They mount from the top or side (no box), so I imagine they would fit your situation. They cut them in store to fit your windows. You could always start with just the most essential rooms (bedroom and bathroom for me) and then move from there.

      Also, this sucks and would p!ss me off to high heavens.

      • nutella

        I don’t know if this is possible, but if Lowe’s is cutting blinds in-store, perhaps they could trim yours?

    • Katie

      Just to add a data point, the blinds in our living room have a header that extends outside of the window, and I think it looks fine. Keep them for a bit and see how you feel about it before throwing money at it.

  15. Vicarious shopping challenge

    Looking for a silk navy top with 3/4 length sleeves. Petite would be OK. Ideally, not too boxy or billowy (at least a little shape).

    Difficult part: Under $75.

    TIA!

  16. Anon For This

    To all the lawyers out there, will your firm hire an assistant who isn’t a ‘career assistant’? I have modest student loans and a year in this job would pay them off entirely and a second year at the job would let me save enough to pay for a masters. Is it realistic to go into this interview knowing I’ll likely only stay a few years?

    • Silver

      I say go for it. Everyone is looking out for their own interests. I would not mention in an interview that you plan to move on in a few years though. Plus, if you rock at your job and then move on, people won’t fault you for it.

    • Maddie Ross

      I wouldn’t go into it (or really any job interview ever, unless it was a summer job while in school) saying that you only intend to be there for a year or two. You never know what might happen or where life might take you, so I would apply with confidence and not mention it at all. And besides, while my firm’s never lost an assistant to law school that I can remember, we lose paralegals to law school on the regular. Going back to school or otherwise moving on after a year or two (or sometimes even less) is not unheard of.

    • Anon

      I wouldn’t hire knowing that, but you’re under no obligation to lay out your life plan or goals. Apply and take care of your needs. If we lived in a time when companies cared about people I may think differently,but we don’t. So apply and keep your master plan to yourself.

      • Anon For This

        I wouldn’t tell them, but my specialized BSc would be a pretty big red flag

        • Parfait

          Of course there are. You’re planning to apply to be one. Why do you think there aren’t any others with the same idea?

          • McGiggles

            To “anon for this” (it won’t let me reply to you) this is a joke, right? Of course there are.

          • Middle Coast

            My agency won’t hire an assistant who doesn’t hold a bachelor’s degree.

    • Em

      We would but where are these legal assistant jobs paying enough in one year to fund a masters?

      • Anon For This

        Canada! Our tuition is pretty universally 8k/year with law school at about 12k/year and med school at about 15k/year.

        • Anon in Canada

          I think you’re right for Canadian masters programs, but law school in Canada is significantly higher than 12k/year. I pay upwards of 30k/year.

          • Anon For This

            Oh wow, my reference for the cost of law school is my own university (in ontario) and a friend of mine at McGill.

          • Anon For This

            I just double checked and my memory served me correctly about 12k/year for in province

          • LLBMBA

            $30,000?! I graduated 10 years ago from Queen’s and paid less than $10,000 per year ($8,000, I think, in my last year). Crazy that it has gone up that much.

        • (Former) Clueless Summer

          Osgoode and U of T were at 20 and 25 respectively when I attended a few years ago. I expect they’re now close to 30.

          McGill is particularly cheap but I understand the others were around 15.

        • Anonymous

          Umm.. It was a few years ago and I paid *significantly* more for med school than that (in Ontario). I don’t know where you are getting these numbers.

    • C

      Not a lawyer but I do a fair amount of hiring. I would much rather hirer a stellar person and only have them for a year and see them move on to something better than have someone who is mediocre at best and have them hanging around for years.

    • anon

      My firm, and other small public interest type firms I know, very very often hire people who are planning to go back to school in a year or two.

  18. Requium for The Dress

    I have a few LE dresses. I love how The Dress looks in the catalog. I have come to the conclusion that it’s just not the best dress on me (but it is easy, easy, easy and like pajamas to wear and I love that it has pockets). I feel like I may get kicked out the this-site sorority, but I am just going to let this one go (or keep it strictly weekend, although it seems too structured for that).

    le sigh

    • Meg Murry

      I’m slightly less in love with mine now, but I’m thinking I’ll like it again in winter with tights. Its borderline too short for me to feel comfortable in, so I think I’m going to try ordering it in a tall next time there is a super sale and see if that works a little better for me.

      • Wildkitten

        Yeah I’ll get tall next time. The first one I ordered was plenty long but the next 3 were like 2 inches shorter, and apparently those 2 inches matter to me.

  19. Like a BOSS

    Ladies,

    AAHHH! I just have to say that I am so pleased with a settlement I just negotiated on behalf of our plaintiff client. This is my first ‘major’ (solid six figure) settlement and I settled it for about 90% of our initial demand after coming into some seriously amazing discovery material.

    • Anonymous

      Did your settlement agreement by chance have a confidentiality clause? Because sharing this here in so much detail is kinda dumb. I can’t figure out who you are, but if I were involved in the case I would recognize the detail immediately.

      • Like a BOSS

        I had preemptively tweaked/changed all of the facts above…maybe I should have just said “had wildly successful settlement” or “had a settlement that does not reflect these numbers I am putting forth, just for purposes of illustrating how super winning today is”.

      • ac

        Eh — it looks like it has been revised to remove identifying details, but yeah, assuming OP posted something more specific then what’s there now, it could be problematic.

        Congrats OP — great feeling but celebrate vaguely & confidentially :)

  20. pregomama

    how much notice should i give for a baby’s 1-year birthday party? It’s just a family/extended family thing, nothing fancy, but i did sort of go overboard and ordered elaborate invites ;) . Most of my family / extended family is 2-3 hours away, so this is the sort of thing they want advance notice on…..but how advanced?

    • ac

      I am for about a month, particularly during a busy season or with people traveling. Any longer just gets lost.

    • Meg Murry

      Tell the people who you most want there (and will care the most about missing it) like the grandmas now over the phone, mail actual invites 3-4 weeks out.

    • Philanthropy Girl

      My sis gave me 6 weeks notice on my nephew’s birthday – we’re two hours out of town, and I’ll have a newborn, so she wanted me to be able to prepare. Under normal circumstances, a month would have done for us.

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