Coffee Break: Embossed Lizzie Spotless Hobo
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This “vivid lizard-embossed” tote by Marc by Marc Jacobs has me drooling — love the color, the size, the shape, the organization, the multiple carry options, etc. Gorgeous. It's 30% off at ShopBop (was $328, now $230) and Revolve Clothing; Nordstrom also has the cross-body style of the same purple print marked down to $152. Marc by Marc Jacobs Embossed Lizzie Spotless Hobo
(L-4)
Sales of note for 1/16/25:
- M.M.LaFleur – Tag sale for a limited time — jardigans and dresses $200, pants $150, tops $95, T-shirts $50
- Nordstrom – Cashmere on sale; AllSaints, Free People, Nike, Tory Burch, and Vince up to 60%; beauty deals up to 25% off
- AllSaints – Clearance event, now up to 70% off (some of the best leather jackets!)
- Ann Taylor – Up to 40% off your full-price purchase; extra 50% off sale
- Banana Republic Factory – 50% off everything + extra 20% off
- Boden – 15% off new styles with code — readers love this blazer, these dresses, and their double-layer line of tees
- DeMellier – Final reductions now on, free shipping and returns — includes select options like Montreal, Vancouver, and Venice
- Eloquii – $29 and up select styles; extra 50% off all clearance, plus ELOQUII X kate spade new york collab just dropped
- Everlane – Sale of the year, up to 70% off; new markdowns just added
- J.Crew – Up to 40% off select styles; up to 50% off cashmere
- J.Crew Factory – 40-70% off everything
- L.K. Bennett – Archive sale, almost everything 70% off
- Rothy's – Final Few: Up to 40% off last-chance styles
- Sephora – 50% off top skincare through 1/17
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Summersalt – BOGO sweaters, including this reader-favorite sweater blazer; 50% off winter sale; extra 15% off clearance
- Talbots – Semi-Annual Red Door Sale – 50% off + extra 20% off, sale on sale, plus free shipping on $150+
And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!
Some of our latest threadjacks include:
- What to say to friends and family who threaten to not vote?
- What boots do you expect to wear this fall and winter?
- What beauty treatments do you do on a regular basis to look polished?
- Can I skip the annual family event my workplace holds, even if I'm a manager?
- What small steps can I take today to get myself a little more “together” and not feel so frazzled all of the time?
- The oldest daughter is America's social safety net — change my mind…
- What have you lost your taste for as you've aged?
- Tell me about your favorite adventure travels…
So gorgeous. I’m a sucker for lizard-embossed bags, and almost anything purple.
Agreed. I love pieces like this–it’s a classic bag, with a simple shape and not a lot of hardware, but the purple lizard really makes it pop. If I didn’t have plenty of bags (and hadn’t just bought a bag that exact color…) (and, okay, more importantly, had more money in my savings account) I would buy it in a second.
Sighs…
Agreed. I think Rosa will need a tote bag to carry BABY stuff, and mabye this could work. YAY!
I am PRETTY SURE she threw OUT the old one’s b/c those were all DIRTY and she will need something CUTE.
I wonder if these bag’s are WASHEABLE? Does any one in the HIVE think this makes any sense to use for diapers, powder, and baby wipe’s?
I think it might be a littel expensive, but DAD aksed me so mabye I can show him this BAG and HE WILL PAY FOR IT! YAY!!!!!!!!
What does the HIVE think?
Same!
I would have thought purple + hobo could never be wrong, but I’m not feeling this one.
I need ergonomic help. I’ve read up on suggestions online and in pamphlets, but I could use real-life tips for improving my work area and posture to reduce pain/injury.
My job is 90% sitting at a computer, mostly typing (so I can’t print and read elsewhere). I have the added difficulty of being very short, so office workspaces are really not designed for me. I also have two small children, which involves a lot of lifting, carrying, bending (often in situations where I can’t always do it the ‘right’ way), slouching to breastfeed, etc. My back is killing me, I’ve injured my rotator cuff, I have tendonitis in one wrist, and I have developed a ganglion cyst.
I’ve started doing core exercises, avoiding scrolling on my mouse which irritates my wrist, and wearing reading glasses to avoid leaning towards my screen. I’ve seen incremental improvement. Setting up my workspace according to the guides does not seem to be helping, at least in keeping me using my space correctly. I still can’t break a lot of my bad habits, such as slouching, holding mouse correctly, and getting up from my desk frequently.
I figure some of you have crossed this bridge already. What did you do to correct your posture and maintain an ergonomic space at work and at home?
I use a BackJoy, and I think it helps make me sit up straighter.
Filed a Worker’s Comp claim. The medical experience was AWFUL (talk about captured doctors, good lord!) but suddenly there was an ergonomist with a big budget at my desk to adjust everything. Your butt needs to be all the way back in the chair, your entire back needs to be touching the back of the chair, and you should never, ever use your armrests. Same for wrist rests and keyboard rest. They are evil. Type like formal piano style – your palms never touch the keys, wrists stay straight.
The Worker’s Comp claim also gave me access to physical therapy – key- and a medical diagnosis which allows my real primary care doctor to write an Rx for me for personal training, so I can use my flex spending. If you go the personal training route, get the most educated and qualified person you can find – there are LOTS of “normal” exercises which are flat out dangerous for tendonitis people. One good rule of thumb is any time you are moving any weight/pushing/pulling at an elbow angle smaller than 90 or maybe 80 degrees, that’s bad. Don’t do that.
It’s not just your core that’s a problem. It’s your shoulders and upper back and arms, which are all not strong enough to protect you from pain. No judgment here, I have recently been derelict in working out and am deeply, deeply regretting it.
Downward dog is not a good idea when your wrist and elbow nerves are aggravated.
Get a trackball dual handed mouse so you can switch hands. Mine is a Kensington. Love.
Get a banana keyboard tray so you can mouse on either side.
Switch sides every few hours.
Do not ever type on a laptop keyboard or use the keyboard nubbin or track pad to type/scroll.
Stay the hell off typing on your smart phone.
Avoid other repetitive motions like lady garden parties involving hands only unless you reposition yourselves for you to have an ergonomic position (see above re: acute angles in arms). The usual positioning for that involves a repetitive motion at an acute angle for several minutes, and is disastrous for your health.
Stop lifting things over about 10lbs. You physically cannot do it safely. I don’t know what to say about your kids other than it sucks that you’re injured, but stop lifting anything at work. I didn’t want to be “that weak girl that needs men to move things for her” but ooops I actually am. I do not lift bankers boxes anymore. And seriously rethink what you “have” to do for your kids – lots of disabled people have kids and do just fine even if they can’t do All The Things Good Mothers Do.
A skilled, expensive referred-by-a-fellow-injured-person chiropractor really helped me open up some space in my neck vertebrae so my nerves are less pinched and inflamed. I see him twice a month.
Most important: sleep in wrist splints. Not the cute walgreens kind. The heavy duty medical device kind your primary care physician probably has with a solid metal plate bracing your wrists into a straight line. They are the least attractive item ever, but they are an absolute must.
Thank you so much for all of this. It’s really helpful.
For your wrist – see your dr, get a referral to orthopedist or PT if needed. Get the cyst drained or removed IF IT HURTS, then do PT for it. (I had a cyst for a long time but only got it taken off when it became painful). Is the tendonitis in the same wrist? Move your mouse to the other hand. Don’t open jars, chop veggies, etc. Pick kids up using your fist instead of open hand, flexed wrist. Get a My Brest Friend if you don’t have one – the Boppy killed my back.
For work – can you get a standing desk? or a desk that is ergonomically correct? an exercise ball for your chair? I also find that if I am wearing spanx/tighter clothes, I sit up straighter. DO get HR involved and see if they can bring in an ergonomics expert. Ditto on the wrist splints.
I highly recommend a standing desk (or a sit-stand desk). I can’t do my job at a standing desk all day, but even a few hours of standing each day do wonders to help my posture and my back.
You should check out The Human Solution. I have a split keyboard and a vertical mouse from them and both are great. The staff is super-helpful too.
Sorry, early thread check: I need to start swimming as physical therapy and I need some input from the ladies with the bigger busts.
What kind of swimsuit do you use? I want some support for the girls but I don’t need anything slimming. I think I want underwire, but I don’t know if that’s a problem if they get wet regularly, and it shouldn’t break the bank.
Any suggestions?
TIA
I get my bras at HerRoom, and have found that getting an underwire bikini from a trusted brand there, in the same size, works perfectly in terms of support. (I have the small band + large cup issue). The one thing I can’t guarantee is not “breaking the bank”–being in this size category means very few sale prices and usually paying for shipping (doubel fooey).
I like a one piece (TYR) with a sports bra underneath.
I’ve had good luck with Lands End – they have some sporty looking underwire suits.
Try Lands End – they have DD (and maybe bigger) suits and also suits that are designed for actual swimming and not just sunning (although I’m not a swimmer myself so I can’t say if these two categories overlap in their product line).
I actually just wear one of the Speedo suits with no cups in at all. It squishes everything. :)
Yes – you want them squished while swimming, otherwise they’ll just create more drag and you’ll have to work harder.
Unless that’s the point…
Yes to squishy speedo. But it isn’t pretty getting out of the pool but i just hope everyone has on gogles or can’t see without their glasses or something.
No-one else cares what you look like, they’re all too busy worrying about what they look like :) seriously, since realising that I will quite happily hitch up my swimsuit (it’s a few years old and needs replacing) mid-lap.
And this is what I do as well.
This is what I do as well.
Seconded. Get a one piece Speedo (or other brand of real swim suit). It should be tight enough to squish everything. Go to a sporting goods store or order from a site that has free shipping and free returns. Try several sizes until you find the smallest size you can fit into. It will make SUCH a difference, I promise.
This one is 48 bucks: http://www.zappos.com/speedo-graphic-daisy-flyback-one-piece-sunset-orange
Same here on the speedo. Keeping things squished makes you aero-dynamic (hydro-dynamic?) Get the underwire stuff for beach lounging.
I like the Athleta ready to run line.
Me too! If you look on the Athleta site, they have really cute suits that can double as sports bras. My favorite is one they no longer carry, but I have the tankini, bikini bottom, and bikini top but it is shaped just like a sports bra. It’s also reversible, which is nice so you don’t feel like you are wearing the same thing all of the time.
The bonus is that if you keep track of the website once you buy your foundation pieces, they will put seasonal patterns on sale and you can buy more matching pieces as they clear them out.
Also, kudos to showing swim wear for athletes using models that actually look like ATHLETES. I’m totally jealous of their models’ buff arms!
I swim in my sports bra.
Ladies,
2013 has been terrible. My boyfriend who i thought I would marry dumped me two months ago after I moved to a new city for him, I’ve realized that I don’t like the path i’m on career-wise but am unsure of what I really should be doing and don’t know what to do next (or if it’s too late to change things at all), and to top it all off am turning 25 today, alone in my sublet with strep throat.
Can someone reassure me that it gets better? I’m rapidly losing hope.
Happy birthday!
It really, really will get better. Honestly.
What city are you in? I’m sure a R e t t e would take you out for a drink – I will, if you’re in Boston.
Or tea/hot chocolate/milkshake/cupcake with the strep and all :)
Happy Birthday! I’m sorry to hear 2013 has been rough. The good news is that we’re only a quarter in, and yes, things will improve in time. Sending you lots of good vibes!
HUGS. It will get better. And you will vanquish the strep throat. Just get through one day (or one hour, or one quarter of an hour) at a time.
*hugs* I’m so sorry you’re sick on your birthday! Things *DO* get better.
Happy Birthday!!!
It really will get better. It’s definitely not too late to change paths, either.
I promise it gets better. Most of my 20s was a montage of mishap, and it was even worse because I kept thinking I was supposed to be having so much fun, making my way in the world, etc.
I also promise that at some point you will laugh at the idea that 25 would ever be considered “too late” for anything! I’m 31 and already–in kindness–I have to say get outta town.
I’m 29 and agree with Monday! Twenty-five is much too young for despair. Really. I know it’s no fun to be sick on your birthday, so I hope you get better soon.
For what it’s worth, I’ve had a rough first three months of 2013, too, and most of my years from about 25 onward have involved some kind of the angst you’re describing. When I turned 29 last month (after a bout of flu and a not-so-nice romantic situation that quickly soured), I thought it might be nice to be done with my twenties, finally, as they have been kind of rough.
You’ll get through this, I promise. Hugs.
So sorry your life seems to be sucking right now. It will get better. My 20s weren’t so hot either and my 40s have been the best so far. I know that’s not a great thing to hear right now, but just try not to get overwhelmed by everything. Try to solve one thing at a time.
We are really using the “it gets better” campaign for a 25 year old with strep throat?
I’m pretty sure you’re allowed to say “It gets better” without that necessarily being a reference to LGBTQ teens, or to Dan Savage’s campaign. In fact, I’m pretty sure the phrase existed before that campaign.
+1.
Also, ending a relationship with someone you saw marriage with and being unhappy with your career path are legitimate reasons to be upset. Just because she is in her 20’s doesn’t mean she isn’t allowed to have feelings.
I agree. I’m not sure what the point is of playing the Suffering Olympics game.
You want to tell a 25 year old having a tough time that “it gets better?” Seriously? THERE ARE BULLIED GAY TEENS OUT THERE!
You want to tell a bullied gay teen that it gets better? Seriously? THERE ARE HOMELESS KIDS IN AMERICA WHO ARE STARVING.
You want to tell homeless kids that it gets better? Seriously? THERE ARE WOMEN FORCED TO WORK AS LITERAL SEX SLAVES IN CAMBODIA.
Etc, etc. I’m not sure why it’s so hard to accept that all people, everywhere, have a suffering they are experiencing in their own unique way, and that sympathy or support for them does not mean you cannot recognize, care about, give sympathy to or support anyone else.
The words it gets better are for gay teens thinking of killing themselves. Obviously there are people who have it worse. But to use that specific phrase to ask for a bunch of online emotional *hugs* seems frivilous to me. I absolutely have sympathy for the OP. Being dumped sucked, and I am sure it is compounded by the job issues. But I still don’t think that’s the same as wanting to kill yourself.
We never said her feelings were the same as contemplating suicide, but those words were not created for the campaign’s intended message and that message alone.
Yes, the phrase “it gets better” has recently (in the past ~2 years.. very small amount of time) been used as a slogan for that particular LGBTQ campaign, but for you to say that those words can now only be used for that purpose is not really fair. The phrase has been around for a long time.
Totally agree. The fact that there are people that have it worse does not make the OP’s situation and circumstances any less deserving of a hug and reassurance!
I was diagnosed with an autoimmune problem at the same time another family member had a bad fall and ended up in the hospital with some neurological complications. Another family member kept telling me “well you could be her, you could have a brain bleed and…”
Gee. Thanks. Yes I KNOW that I am generally fortunate but, right this instant, I need a hug because a bunch of less than awesome things are happening to be right now!
OP, I can’t guarantee that things will get better. My life was MUCH better at 25 than it was between 29-31, but I just turned 32 and my life is actually shaping up to be pretty good! (Knock on wood!!) Things go up and down, and bad things (and good) tend to hit you in packs, but I promise things will progress and it will always be different, and there will be good and bad…and a great r e t t e community to lean on when you need it!
FWIW, I didn’t know that phrase was tied to a campaign, so maybe we shouldn’t jump to conclusions that people are trying to equate OP’s issues with gay teens?
To the OP- I’m sorry. That really sucks. Here’s a good I hope no one takes issue with “When you’re going through h e ll, keep going.”
Totally agree. The fact that there are people that have it worse does not make the OP’s situation and circumstances any less deserving of a hug and reassurance!
I was diagnosed with an autoimmune problem at the same time another family member had a bad fall and ended up in the hospital with some neurological complications. Another family member kept telling me “well you could be her, you could have a brain bleed and…”
Gee. Thanks. Yes I KNOW that I am generally fortunate but, right this instant, I need a hug because a bunch of less than awesome things are happening to be right now!
OP, I can’t guarantee that things will get better. My life was MUCH better at 25 than it was between 29-31, but I just turned 32 and my life is actually shaping up to be pretty good! (Knock on wood!!) Things go up and down, and bad things (and good) tend to hit you in packs, but I promise things will progress and it will always be different, and there will be good and bad…and a great r e t t e community to lean on when you need it!
Actually, they successfully trademarked BECAUSE it has taken on such significance that that is what it means now
I call BS – Yes, “it gets better” has been most recently used in an PSA-campaign for LBGT teens, but you know what? I think it applies pretty universally to humans.
ALL teenagers, not just the LBGT ones, can benefit from knowing that they will not be forever mired in the hell that is high school. There isn’t some limited supply of optimism and the hope for something better around the bend that it has to be rationed out.
Harumph.
Pretty sure the trademark signifies that no other organization is allowed to associate themselves with that particular slogan, not that it’s now illegal for anyone to utter those words outside of their trademarked meaning.
So this is why I’ve been surfing Reddit instead of [this site] recently. Ridiculous.
Herbie, how awesome is Reddit? I don’t ever post (or even have an account to be honest), because it’s a little scary over there sometimes, but it is a hilarious read, and I think good for making sure my viewpoints aren’t solely the NYT, CBC, BBC, the Economist, this site, and my real life lawyer friends (i.e. it keeps me somewhat connected to popular culture)
I am certain it did. Fascinatingly, though, from the project website it looks like the phrase itself is now a registered trademark.
But…are they suing other people for using it? *cough*for the cure*cough*
we’re not using the campaign. we’re using a saying that has been around for a really long time in many versions (and the most general one with ‘it’ being the subject is certainly something people will apply to many subjects!). life will get better. your idea of what you want your career to be will get better. your relationships will get better. your strep throat will get better. i find it ridiculous that we can’t say ‘it gets better’ in reference to life in general now.
op, it will certainly get better. you will feel way more upbeat once your strep throat clears. its great that you currently have a job so that you are in a position of power to re-think what you want out of a career and make moves towards that. if your previous bf didn’t want to be with you, you don’t want to marry him anyway. there are so many more fish in the sea and if he wasn’t right then he wasn’t right – it sucks, but you can be strong and move on. think of 3 things you are grateful for (saw this on cup of jo, it’s a good exercise) today and write those down. do the same thing every day and you will realize how many awesome things you do have in your life!
She specifically asked someone to reassure her that it does, in fact, get better. Goodness, I didn’t even put the question/responses in the context of the campaign for marginalized teens.
Also, I’m pretty confident that those involved with the campaign would not be bothered that someone is using the phrase to help someone who feels lonely and lost, even if that person doesn’t happen to be a teen or gay. The whole point of the campaign is to help those who are, in fact, lonely or lost.
So Anonymous, when the OP asked “Can someone reassure me that it gets better?”, we were supposed to say “Sorry, no can do. Can only tell that to LGBT teens thinking of killing themselves.”?
Really?
And you being a bitch about it is going to be helpful to whom, exactly?
Her fiance dumped her after she uprooted herself. OP: hugs to you.
So sorry you’re going through all of this, and having a cr*ppy birthday on top of everything. But 25 is YOUNG, believe me, and you have plenty of time to change your path if that’s what you want to do. (For example, I was 25, a couple months away from turning 26, when I started law school — there was a thread on this issue maybe last week.) You will get through this and figure it out, really.
I view the new city/old boyfriend as a great chance to start fresh! Maybe it means that you spend some time thinking about where YOU really want to be, and relocate there. Or, you take advantage of your brand new city to try some new activities/hobbies?
Yes – it will definitely feel hard in the short term, but maybe take the chance to figure out what you really want to do/where you want to be, and look at your circumstances as being the ultimate freedom to pursue that.
Life improves, yes. Take care of yourself (rest, fluids, hot drinks, salt water gargles, adequate medical care) until your strep throat is cured or significantly subdued by antibiotics. And be assured that 25 is not too old to change career paths or meet another guy. Also, at 25 you have something that we older folks don’t have–more physical stamina! (Your strep will pass quickly. My being drained of energy by 9 p.m. will pass only in the sense that eventually I’ll be exhausted by _8:00_ p.m., then 7:30, then 7:00…)
Totally counterintuitive suggestion that sometimes works for when you’re feeling awful: Create something literally or figuratively beautiful and then bask in the satisfaction of knowing that YOU were here to make it happen! This doesn’t have to be a traditionally “artistic” activity (painting / photography / music / textile arts / gardening / etc.). Unfortunately, the world has many injustices that need correcting and sorrows that need mitigating. Even if it’s only a small contribution, your gift of time or money or energy will add up with others to make a difference. And if today you can’t go beyond sweeping the floor and buying a flowering plant for your windowsill…tomorrow, who knows? You might end up painting murals or encouraging impoverished students to become the first in their families to finish college.
Good luck with feeling better soon. And after your Good Deed, find something peaceful and relaxing to do.
There’s a reason someone coined the phrase “quarter-life crisis” and my work BFF who was 31 when I was 25 and (obviously) 36 when I was turning 30 was not lying to me when she said her 30s were far better than her 20s. I am sure that is not the case for everyone, but it is for me as well. It took me that long to figure out the career/serious relationship/I am okay with myself even if I am single and have a crappy job that I hate but can’t quit because I have student loans thing and then all of the sudden I ended up with a great job and married. Your 20s are hard (no, not gay teen committing suicide or homeless kid or sex slave hard, but very much “I have no idea what I’m doing or how I ended up here or how to fix it but everyone else seems like they’ll got it all figured out” hard) and it is definitely a decade for more personal growth than anyone really ever wants to deal with. I’m sorry for the crappy birthday, but I hope this next year goes better for you.
I’ve heard that the 30s are better from at least 4 people. I’m so stressed trying to decide what I want my life to even look like, let alone the steps required to get my life to that place. I’m really hoping those two issues resolve sometime over the next 4-5 years. I guess it’s nice to know that people outside of my friend group feel the same way about their 30s.
agreed on this. i’m only 31, but – at least so far – i wouldn’t trade my 30s for my 20s at all.
I was in your shoes a year and a half ago, same age and same exact situation (minus the strep). Replace the strep with a very tragic death in the family. I suggest speaking to a therapist if it is that bad. It helped me get through it all. It is also important that you make some friends in the new city. Lonely nights and weekends are not going to make this time any easier for you.
A therapist will at least allow you to say what your thinking and put everything into perspective.
you’re
We’re the same age, and in the past 9 months I have moved to a new city where I didn’t know anyone, been broken up with by my boyfriend of 4 years and started a new job in a career I am unsure about at best. So I have some sense for how you feel. Its overhwelming and some days I’m really upset…but those have become increasingly far apart.
I’m just trying to make the most of my fresh start. Establishing myself here was slow at first, but I resolved to be open to anything, say yes to all opportunites, and see where it lead. And I’ve worked my way to feeling happier than I ever did in the stable life I left behind. Got there faster than I would have though, too!
Thanks to everyone back in January for the advice about what to wear to a 1-day CLE Conference in London on IP Law. Per your advice, I wore my one and only suit and was actually a bit overdressed. The conference had about 30 attendees who were mostly men. The men wore clothing ranging from suits to blazers to sweater vests over button-ups.
Among the 7 women, 2 of us wore suits (mine was the more formal suit), 3 wore structured jackets, and 2 wore cardigans. Everyone wore slacks—no skirts or dresses. I was kind of shocked at how unkempt the womens’ hair looked. I was one of 3 women with a pixie (Europe—yay!). Of the 4 women with longer hair, 3 wore it down in kind of a big, ugly, frizzy, wavy mess. Honestly, I wasn’t sure they knew what product is. The other woman had straight, smooth hair but wore it in a really loose and messy ponytail/bun elastic thing.
In the future, I’d probably wear a blazer or structured jacket like my leather blazer. Maybe it was the change in temperature from my house to London, but I found the conference room very cold so layers are important.
One thing I learned: a “3-course buffet” in Europe means that you go through the buffet 3 times! You go through the first part—salads—sit down, eat. Then you go through the 2nd part—roasts and cooked veggies/sides—sit down, eat. Then the third—dessert. Oh, and there is wine with the first two courses and coffee with the third.
For anyone going to Europe—flat, knee-high boots are incredibly popular. Literally, every other woman on the street was wearing a pair.
Seriously? You are judging other womens hair at a CLE?
THIS IS A FASHION BLOG. Get over it!
/steps off crankybox
I thought it was for overachieving woman? Not to go around calling other women ugly.
I’m with Anonymous on this one. Unnecessary.
The coldness will be because the UK’s recently been totally shocked by an unseasonal freeze. Normally in March the heating would have been turned off and it would have been fine :p
And a heads-up: most British traits (like the 3 course buffet) may either just be that venue, or British things. Very few are *European* things. Most Brits will refer to ‘Britain and Europe’ as if they are two separate entities!
I agree on the flat knee-high boots! I think one reason why we’re big on them in the UK is that we have lots of cobbled streets around our cities (I’m in Bath which is definitely not stiletto-friendly) and so heels are less possible. Adding a boot top to a shoe can make it smarter. Plus warmth, and the fact that why think of our stylish French sisters as wearing boots.
I was in London and Bath last December, and I wore my flat, knee-high boots everywhere. They kept my feet warm, dry and comfortable.
I loved the city of Bath, but I agree – not friendly for heels. :-)
Oh, were you here during the Christmas market? I’m at uni in Bath, I love it here so much! And I’m a London (well, just outside of London) native
Just wanted to say thanks for the clear description. This is actually useful information for me if I am traveling there for a similar conference. I did not read this as a knock on the actual appearance of the women but an explanation of how an American might aim to fit in better in a different setting, including not spending so much time processing my hair!
Indeed! What’s with Anon and Anonymous picking on people daily?
And this is why I’m getting my hair cut before I head to my conference next week. What’s the point of trying to be polished from the neck down when your hair detracts from it?
Hah, bird’s nest hair is a very English thing. It’s particularly popular with posh girls to look like you’ve never been near a hairbrush. I got the shock of my life when I moved to the US and saw how sleek and groomed everyone looked!
Just wanted to send a BIG thank you to the recommendations for my trip. I LOVED the Old Town Tortilla Factory – such a fabulous patio and great food. Thanks!!
So glad you had a great time!
To Posey Re: BVI THANK YOU!!! Those suggestions are wicked awesome! I am getting more and more excited!
No problem! Have a great time!!!
Oh and I almost forgot to tell you about Monday Night Mashup at the Bitter End Yacht Club – every Monday (starting at 8pm, but it gets busy around 9/9:30ish) the BEYC has a DJ and people from all over the rock come. Its a great party with a great mix of tourists and locals!
Are there any pregnancy/motherhood blogs that don’t suck? Would appreciate any recommendations!
This question was asked this week. Do a google search for this site
Recently found Pregnant Chicken and think it’s really funny/cute.
I liked Alphamom’s weekly calendar when I was pregnant.
The site “froze” for me again. It was on this morning’s post with 226 replies.
I am using google chrome and cleared the cache to fix it. This is the second time I’ve had this issue.
Hope this error reporting helps!
Any reviews on the Telegraph pencil skirt in super 120s from JCrew? I need a nice grey pencil skirt that I don’t feel frumpy in (my current grey skirt is from when I was a little bigger so it’s not quite a flattering fit).
Also wondering about sizing – should I size down/get petite?
Thanks ladies
I got this and returned it – discovered that I had another almost-the-same black pencil skirt in my closet.
I found that the waist was smaller than on the #2 pencil. I take a 6 in the #2 pencil (in super 120s) and needed an 8 in the telegraph.
It is definitely a longer pencil skirt – I am 5’8″ and it was below the knee – and also fit differently (higher waist etc) than the regular #2s. Those are a bit short for me but I like the fit of the waist-hip better and so get the hem taken out.
Do you think the Telegraph might work on someone who is pear shaped? I’m assuming smaller waist means that there’s a greater waist/hip differential, which is exactly what I need.
Probably! I am fairly narrow of hip so usually the way J crew fits (more straight up and down) works for me.
I bought it last season in black as the bottom half of a skirt suit. The length was the primary motivation (I’m 5’10 and it hits at the knee vs. the No. 2 which is too short for me to wear sans tights/hose).
I agree with Diana Barry that it has a higher waist. I wear the same size in the Telegraph as I do the No.2 (which is also my size in “the Skirt”, if that helps).
Thanks ladies. It sounds like it may not work for me (I’m 5’1) so even the petite size may be too long. I guess I’ll keep looking!
I just ordered the No. 2 pencil & found it way too long & I’m 5’10. Hit me at a super frumpy length. I got a wool one & like the quality/color. Also found it ran large overall. That plus the length makes me send it back rather than try to tailor it to fit.
Cosign–I’m 5’11”, mostly legs. The No. 2 looks good on my curvy waist. The telegraph was too long, hit me at a frumpy below the knee but not the right place, rode up on my short waist and the fabric was very thin in an “emphasize what undies MJ is wearing today” sort of way…not flattering. I’m still a No. 2 girl (but boiled wool only due to admonitions that the cotton one stretches).
Tailoring?
What do you all think of discussing religion in a college entrance essay for a public university? I don’t mean in giving your essay context (ie, describing leadership role that happened to be at church), but full-on writing about your relationship with God and the central role that religion and your church plays in your life. I’m stuck negatively by it, because I feel like it shows inattentiveness to the audience and the environment of the organization they are applying to enter. But I’m not religious (although not anti-religion), so I want a check.
For example: “This illustrates the joy that I received the day Jesus came to earth as my savior. We all have the ability to receive God’s grace freely if we just pursue it.” (exact text altered while keeping sentiment and feel authentic)
That’s inappropriate, right?
Honestly? I kind of disagree. I’ve seen applications written about experiences with sexual abuse, opinions on controversial political issues, and a struggle to overcome alcoholism. If all of these things are acceptable, why couldn’t someone write about her religious views? Especially if it’s something she feels strongly about? Personally, I think it’s good to have a wide variety of spiritual views on campus–atheists, Christians, Hindus, Muslims. Even if the essay weren’t my cup of tea, I wouldn’t ding someone because she wrote about religion.
No I don’t think it is at all.
I don’t think it’s inappropriate, for whatever it’s worth. I think (like with any controversial topic) it’s *risky* but I don’t think it’s inappropriate. Some people think taking any risk whatsoever is unnecessary in the college application process. I disagree.
I think when you’re writing an admissions essay, you’re trying to convey on a couple 8.5×11 sheets of paper, who *you* are. What makes you you, what drives you, what you will bring to a community. And on the other end, the admissions officer reading it is trying to understand who you are, and trying to build and shape a community of many different voices. If who you really are, the most important thing to you really is, your relationship with God – go for it.
But like anything else, when you write an admissions essay, you need to first decide what qualities you want to convey. You want to figure out what you want the reader to walk away with, ie, Jane will go the extra mile for people she loves, Joe channels his passion into activities that make a real difference for kids in Africa, etc. You need to convey more than just what you like – you need to convey what you *do* and who you are. If the all the reader walks away with is just “Kelly really likes God,” then Kelly’s essay is no better or more meaningful (for the purposes of college admissions) than an essay about how she really likes volleyball.
This. Plus, at a large public school, if the grades/SATs are there, are they even going to bother reading the essay?
It’s an application for a specific and elite program within the larger university. I don’t believe the university itself has any essay as part of application.
Who know whether they read them. When I applied to college I knew people who didn’t even bother to submit them and they were admitted. But that was before the 2003 Supreme Court decisions that required public universities with “affirmative action” policies to use holistic admissions procedures and stop using quotas and points systems. Now schools are supposed to actually look at the applications.
Thank you for this thoughtful response. Your last paragraph in particular summed up my feelings far better than I did. The irksome essays fall into the “Kelly really likes God” realm, which you are correct are really no different than “Kelly really likes volleyball, burritos, her mother’s cooking, and holidays.” The essays discussion religion that I have liked go deeper. Tom likes his church BECAUSE he discovered family can be more broad than the people who live in your home; Ana likes youth group BECAUSE she’s had the opportunity to mentor younger teens; Mei values fellowship BECAUSE she has been exposeed to and gained respect for people different than herself. I had mentally separated these from the category ‘religious essay’ even though they should go into the category ‘religious essay: successful’.
So yes, the problem is not the topic but the execution. Thanks, all. I knew you’d help me out!
Again, have not read the essay, but your description makes it sound like the person likes church/religion/faith/whatever BECAUSE they find the experience of believing in God and Jesus joyful and fulfilling. Not arguing that the essay could have been poorly written, but you seem to feel that a religious-themed essay is only appropriate if it reaches a conclusion you and only you deem appropriate. Why is it wrong or bad for an essay to reach the conclusion that the applicant really loves Jesus and the fulfillment believing in Jesus gives him/her? Would you feel the same discomfort if the applicant had written the same things about Mohamed/Islam or a different religion?
Maybe this is not the most mainstream topic, but it doesn’t mean it’s inappropriate. Again, think of essays you have read that may have described a particularly hard or difficult background/illness/whatever that might cause similar levels of discomfort in a reader. Are those topics okay? If so, why is a religious topic that may incite unfamiliarity/discomfort in the reader any different?
By the same token, someone could be passionate about burritos. (I’ve actually read a disturbing number of essays espousing the wonderfulness of burritos, so this isn’t a fanciful example). But if they can’t say something interesting about why burritos are so great and why I should care that they like burritos, then IMO it is not a successful application essay.
In case you think I’m picking exclusively on religion, other ‘diversity’ topics can equally fall flat. There are essays that say nothing about the student other than that they are Vietnamese-American, while other students say powerful things about what their Vietnamese background has meant to them. Student write essays about being gay, being an athlete, being an immigrant, and they too are only successful if they tell the reader more about the student than would could be learned from a short list of adjectives.
Hm, again maybe an issue of having to be there reading the essay, but if the essay (your quote) “espouses the wonderfulness of burritos” how is that NOT “saying something interesting about why burritos are so great”? I mean, how can you talk about burritos being wonderful but at the same time not talk about why they are great? Is the essay literally repeating the words “burritos are great, burritos are wonderful” and nothing else? I guess I don’t really understand what you’re looking for.
Topics aside, it seems like you might perhaps have a very specific style or writing convention you prefer. Perhaps that is what is going on here? Maybe the religious topic applicant didn’t really write in a style you found well organized or convincing? I guess it just seems from the way you described the burrito applicant ,that you have a very particular way you prefer to read things laid out/argued/etc. Or it could just be difficult to communicate in general the subtleties that make (an already stilted) admissions essay good or bad. I am sure when you read lots, you develop a hunch for what is better and what is not so good.
Could that be what’s going on here? Maybe not an issue of topic per se, but rather an issue of just an essay that may not be well written, not really fit with your preferred style conventions, or just lacks that ‘feeling’ of what makes a response good/bad?
I think this distinction (your use of the all-caps BECAUSE) makes sense to me. One goal of an admissions essay is to show who YOU are through a particular lens. Someone who only writes about her relationship with God (or burritos) isn’t showing themselves as a multi-dimensional person and scholar unless the prose is eloquent and just sings with that joy. In my mind, there is a difference between Burritos Are Delicious and going a step further like, oh, “America is a Burrito” (essay about a diverse heritage where all the disparate ingredients add up to a delicious whole) or “Burritos For President” (a satire) or “Making Burritos with my Grandmother”.
Another goal of an admissions essay is to show that you’re capable of writing and crafting an argument at the level expected by your program, and I think the same thing applies to a religion essay. Unless you are the most gifted creative writer on the planet, an essay that discusses loving God needs an additional element that, either a motivation “What I Was Missing Before I Found God” or a discussion of how your relationship with God made you who you are, like “Going to Church with my Grandmother.” I freely admit these are klunky examples, but they speak to that all-caps BECAUSE that I think makes for a good admissions essay. I also think anything remotely coming close to arguing that the reader find God would be inappropriate, though expressing a hope that the reader finds a level of joy similar to the writer’s joy in her religion and relationship with God would be ok.
Finally, I don’t think anyone is unfairly targeting Christians here (though I’d argue that, in higher education, it’s Christians who have a long and illustrious history of discriminating against other groups). An expression of pure joy in any admissions essay had better be elegant, well-written prose in order to pull it off, regardless of the subject matter.
+ a million
Also, Christians can come file complaints about being picked on when they’re not accepted to university solely based on their religion. Or, you know, actually discriminated against in North America. (I don’t dispute the actual persecution happening in other parts of the world.)
Is sounds like this christian will be able to file the complaint after this. And I would argue they are discriminated against in North America maybe more than other places, because it is very PC to bash Christians, but protect other religions.
to me, this sounds like proselytizing (“We all have the ability to receive God’s grace freely if we just pursue it.”) and would make me as a reader very uncomfortable, so I agree with OP that it’s inappropriate
I agree with you. The line sounds a bit evangelising, and I’m wary of that. It conveys an inability to let other people believe what they want to believe.
Me too.
Yup. The last sentence reminds me of the kid who spent her entire freshman year trying to convert her Jewish roommate…
It would strike me as inappropriate if they are applying to a particularly “open-minded” school (eg, I think of Brown as extremely open and accepting even though I didnt go there), because it would seem as though they’re trying to convert the reader or their classmates. (Hope I don’t get burned for putting this opinion out there.) I agree with the poster that if you come away feeling “gee Kelly really likes God” it’s not too different (for college admissions purposes) than if the person had written about how much they like volleyball.
Wow, I couldn’t disagree more. Well, I agree that writing an uber-religious application essay for Brown might be tone-deaf given the school’s culture (and I didn’t go there either). But its inappropriate BECAUSE Brown is so “open-minded” that it would ding a prospective student’s religiosity? That’s not my definition of open-minded.
I wrote a very religious admission essay when applying to colleges 10 years ago, and I was admitted to and attended a college very similar to (but not) Brown. It never even occurred to me that a religious essay would be inappropriate because, at that time in my life, my religion was an enormous part of who I was. Anything I could have written that avoided my religion would have come across as forced and inauthentic because it would have had to be forced and would not have been authentic to who I was. In fact, my first attempt at an essay was terrible because I was trying to do exactly that.
It’s not inappropriate, but I would still counsel against it because admissions officers might unfairly and hypocritically hold it against the candidate. I say hypocritically, because these same officers would hold themselves out as being open to diversity in their admitees. The purposes of these essays are to demonstrate a candidate’s writing ability, personality and goals, and I think that can be accomplished with an essay about one’s faith.
+1. To some people “diversity” only means a minimum percent of people with darker skin.
Personally, I eye roll at anything like what that applicant wrote because I have issues with organized religion and evangelism. However, I think public universities have a vested interest in admitting qualified students to create a diverse student body. My religion classes at a public university were definitely enriched by students who might have written an essay such as that (because their relationship with God was paramount in everything they did) even if I didn’t want to be BFFs with those kids. If the applicant actually answered the essay question posed, I don’t think the fact that the answer was about that person’s personal relationship with God or his/her belief that everyone has the ability to receive God’s grace is inappropriate.
I do want to clarify what I think was a poorly worded phrase in attempt to be brief. When I said “inattentiveness to the audience and the environment of the organization they are applying to enter,” I did NOT mean to imply that a religious student does not belong at a public institution or that there is no room at a public institution for religious dialog or activity. I was referring a few essays which appear to have been re-used from an application to a religious school without considering whether it was the best choice or, particularly in the case of one student, the essay gave the impression that the student would be ill prepared for the realities of a large and secular institution. I was not suggesting they should be scored lower to prevent them from attending this school solely because they expressed religious views that conflict with mine or my perception of the larger student body.
Obviously have not read the essay. But I feel you are making a pretty big presumption to assume the applicant will not be prepared for life at a public secular university just because he/she wrote a religious essay. What does that mean? How would a person be unprepared because they are passionate about their faith?
If the subject matter completely fails to address the essay question, then it is a bad essay because it’s a bad essay that is off topic, not because the topic is religion per se. Further, I generally think that if diversity is a good thing, religious diversity should be considered good as well. If an applicant can write about race, background, family history, an illness…whtever, then so too should religion/faith be considered a permissible topic.
Similarly, I feel you are making a pretty big presumption to assume that I assumed the applicant will not be prepared for life at a public secular university just because he/she wrote a religious essay.
I was responding to where you said (your quote): “particularly in the case of one student, the essay gave the impression that the student would be ill prepared for the realities of a large and secular institution.”
I was asking why you feel that way. And I was saying, that seems like a big presumption to make. How does writing about faith = you are not prepared for life at a public, secular university?
Maybe you had to be there to read the essay.
Yeah, you had to be there to read the essay. It wasn’t “just because he/she wrote a religious essay” but what was in the essay. Obviously, since I singled out one particular essay instead of generalizing to the dozens of religious-themed essays I have read over several years.
I’m guessing you’ve never had the experience of reading entrance essays. After reading mounds of them, you do see one applicant out of a hundred who simply does not seem ready, able, or a good fit. And that’s your job as a reader. The topic doesn’t matter.
Frankly, you seem to be taking this a bit tough on the chin. I’m going to assume you’re directing frustration towards me and my question that stems from something else and stop engaging.
You posted a question about whether a religious topic/conclusion was inappropriate. So, I answered that question and expressed opinions about that issue. You didn’t ask a question about a poorly written essay. It’s one thing to say an essay of any topic is badly written. It’s another to ask whether writing about a faith based topic is inappropriate (which you did originally), and then suddenly say that all you meant to ask about was the essay being poorly written (your original didn’t ask that).
I think this is an important topic in general to talk about because I think a lot of Christian people get unfairly targeted for being Christian. I think people have bad and incorrect perceptions, and it’s sad when those perceptions might affect things like college admissions, jobs, or whatever. I think this is especially important to talk about regarding college admissions because I do feel there is a general perception “out there” that anything except a Christian can constitute diversity (see the comment about Brown).
Hi everyone! Long time reader, first time commenter here! I am just starting my career and am hoping the Corporette community of successful women will be able to give me advice… I am currently working as an equity analyst for a long only asset manager. I want to get into private equity but I only ever hear stories about M&A/consulting experienced people getting into the industry.. I actually think my current job is a really good fit for private equity because I analyse investment opportunities all the time, meet with CEOs all the time, and do loads of due diligence on companies including financial statements, balance sheets etc… My question is – am I foolish? Do I have a shot at breaking into PE or should I just let that dream go? (I should mention I have a quant background and speak 5 languages fluently)..
Thanks everyone… You’re all an inspiration to someone like me who is just starting out.
Hi Lisa, and welcome. This is not my area at all, so I’ve got no advice (but 5 languages — I’m impressed!) but wanted to suggest you repost earlier in the day tomorrow, when more folks will be reading and responding. You know, when we all should be working.
It’s late for posting a new topic for today; I’d repost this tomorrow soon after a thread is posted to up chances of reply.
I’m I the only freak still checking in at midnight?
*Am I
Its only mid-afternoon for us west coast folks :)
Hello and welcome! I’m not in your field so I couldn’t say as to whether there is any bias in PE against hiring from your background, but I would say explain in your cover letter as you did above how your experience translates. Get out there, network and apply. I imagine in this field quant is probably more important than all 5 other languages combined, I’d add a line on the resume listing which languages you speak as an anecdote but that’s all.
Thank you everyone! I’ll post again tomorrow.
No advice (lawyer here), but when you re-post, don’t spell out the name of this site — it gets you stuck in moderation (along with any other word that ends in r*tte).
I work in PE. I think its a long shot, but might be possible depending on the type of asset manager you are working for and its reputation. (For example, if you work for a hedge fund known for shareholder activism, that could transfer more easily) If you could get hired at a PE shop, it would probably be at the entry-level since you don’t have any PE experience. Because of this, if you are more than ~5 years out of college, I think it will be tough.
I’d add that your chances are likely to be better if some of your languages include say Mandarin or Spanish and you have interest to work in markets where these languages are native. I am a banker in Asia and do notice a small minority of PE folks with buy-side equity research in their background, because even today banks tend not to have large financial-sponsors teams (a traditional source of new entrants to PE), let alone 5 – 10 years ago.
Also think about whether your existing employer has any alternative asset business where you can seek a transfer, as a means of getting your foot in the industry.
Today has been so unproductive. I have done anything I can to avoid work. I am pregnant (almost done with my first trimester), feel like sh*t, and all I want to do is go home and take a nap.
I hope I get back some of my energy and motivation soon or my work is going to suffer. And I am going to have to work more hours this weekend to make up for my complete lack of work today. UGH…vent over!
You will get your energy and motivation back! I am in my second trimester now and it’s a whole new (and better) world.
Anyone ever use Rosetta Stone? Does it work well? How often do you need to use it?
I took 4 years of spanish in high school and lost most of what I learned due to not keeping up with it and I really like to give learning it another go.
I do, for a language that I learned growing up and then stopped using for a while. My sister and I share an online account and also practice together by speaking over the phone. I really like the program because it’s easy to use even in small chunks and adaptable to your learning needs and skill level. I don’t think it’ll make you a great writer in the language because that’s not really the focus, but if you want to speak and listen, it’ll get you there. In terms of frequency, I try to “make contact” with the language as many days in the week as possible, even if I only have 10 minutes before bedtime. YMMV, but it helps me keep the syntax and alphabet fresh in my mind.
Thank you. I impulse on-line shopped this bag immediately upon click.
First of all I want to say excellent blog! I had a quick question in which I’d like to ask if you do not mind. I was interested to find out how you center yourself and clear your thoughts before writing. I have had difficulty clearing my mind in getting my thoughts out. I truly do enjoy writing but it just seems like the first 10 to 15 minutes are wasted simply just trying to figure out how to begin. Any suggestions or hints? Cheers!