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Updated: Nov 1, 2018 114 Comments · by

Coffee Break: Take Me Tech Me Tote

Coffee Break· Under $150

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Marc by Marc Jacobs Tote - Take Me Tech MeBloomingdale's just added a ton of bags to its sale section, and I'm in love with half of the Marc by Marc Jacobs bags in the mix. For today's coffee break I like this quilted nylon bag — it looks durable, lightweight, and I always like interior slip pockets. It was $198, but is now marked to $138 (and if you're a Bloomingdale's Loyallist there are mega-points to be had right now!). Marc by Marc Jacobs Tote – Take Me Tech Me (Looking for more black totes? Check out our last roundup from a few months ago!) (L-2)  

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Comments

  1. Equity's Darling

    What perfume do you wear? How did you go about picking it? Do you have a signature scent? I seem to fall in love with a perfume for maybe a month or two, then I get bored, or hate it. I want to find a perfume that is “me”, if that makes sense.

    I’ve recently fallen in love with “Love, Chloe”, but I have no idea if it will last, or if it even actually smells that good on me. I got a sample from Sephora, and so far, so good, but I’m still curious.

    • Anon

      I don’t wear perfume because my SO is very sensitive to fragrances. Pre-SO, I wore Shalimar for years.

      Confession: I kept my old bottle and every 6 months or so, when I find it in the back of my toiletry cabinet, I give it a whiff. I love how it smells.

      • Sydney Bristow

        Me too. I love and still have a bottle of Banana Republic’s Classic scent, but I never wear it.

        Years ago I went to a perfume counter at Nordstrom and the salesman gave me some sampler spritzers of a couple of scents. That was nice because I could wear each 2 or 3 times and live with the scent for awhile. If I was trying to find a new scent today, is probably try the Sephora sampler thing since scents change so much over the course of a day.

    • Ellen

      My mother gave me some WHITE SHOULDER’S and on those FEW ocassion’s when I still need to use it, I do, b/c I normally do NOT use perfume at all. I think it is b/c Guy’s like to NUZZELL up to me and if I wear perfume, it ONLEY give’s them another excuse b/c they are alway’s saying “OOOH, I love your perfume. What is it?” So if I don’t wear it, they cannot do it. YAY!

      You do have to stay very clean and shower EVERY day, so that you smell if at all, only like the SOAP you use. That is what I do. I use Safegard soap and I smell very little. Men need to bathe more often b/c they smell bad if they do not. I do not like the smell of the stuff they put on b/c it onley cover’s over their smell and that mean’s you get 2 smells, and 2 is NOT better than one. DOUBEL FOOEY!

      I am goieng out tonite with Willem. He is stoppeing by at 5:30 and we are walkeing over to 3rd Avenue and we will find a place to eat. He then said he would walk me all the way home b/c I need to get into a size 0 by the end of the year and he PLEDGED to help in any way that he could. I am not sure wether this means’ I have a new walk buddy or not. We shall see. YAY!

      • Susie

        Just remember, even if you don’t lose weight you can find a brand that runs larger and fit into that 0.

    • mascot

      My go-to is Coco Chanel “Mademoiselle.” I started wearing it probably ten years ago and keep going back to it. I’ve used a couple of other Chanel scents, Allure and Allure Sensuelle. For a lighter fragrance, say weekend errands, I like Philosophy “Amazing Grace.”

      • Pink

        That’s also my go to! It used to last all day with just a spritz or two, but the last bottle I bought (1) leaked all over my wooden dresser and (2) doesn’t seem to last the way it used to 7 years ago so I am debating ditching perfume altogether.

        For finding a signature, I highly recommend getting samples so you can wear it for a couple weeks before committing to it.

      • NYC

        Ditto. I’ve worn it exclusively for 5 years. I like to pick a perfume for a few years. I was going to switch but then got another bottle as a gift so stuck with it another year. I’m thinking of switching to a Jo Malone scent. I love perfume, and will spend 6 months or so picking out the next one.

    • Woods-comma-Elle

      I find it really hard to find new perfumes. There is a scent I absolutely cannot stand and it is in a lot of perfumes. Somehow it is very pungent to my nose and I can always sense it. I actually need new perfume right now, but I’m struggling with what to get, I have been going around shops for the past six months trying stuff but I tend to find that the ones I try and like, never seem to last that long. I love the Guess Gold and Guess Woman scents, but they aren’t made anymore (though I found the latter on eBay), and recently I have worn Gucci Envy Me and the J-Lo scent. In the past a staple was the gold Emporio Armani one and Romance by Ralph Lauren.

      • Anon

        I love envy me! It’s my favourite and I get compliments on it often. Not too powerful but different. and I’ll be honest, i love the name.

    • preg anon

      I have the hardest time with perfume. I either can’t smell it on me or it gives me a headache. And every time I go to pick one out, my nose gets overwhelmed with scents and can’t distinguish. So I have nothing to add but will be interested to hear what others say.

      • Cb

        I’m the same. I think I’m quite smell sensitive to begin with. I’ve been known to gag at smells on the street and cooking odors kill me. I suspect I’ll be a nightmare pregnant person.

        I can handle Lush’s solid scent Lust and the Earl Grey perfume from Anthropologie.

      • Fiona

        I have read that if you can’t smell perfume on yourself (short of putting your nose directly on your wrist) after the first few minutes, it actually means it’s a good match for your body chemistry.

    • Amber

      Light Blue by Dolce Gabbana is my favorite. It’s not inexpensive, but just a small amount lasts all day. People frequently ask me for the name of it (and not in the “OMG WTH is that awful perfume” kind of way. :)

      • AMB

        I used to wear that before I started working in a Scent free workplace… sigh…

    • Anonymous

      I have a couple that I like but my favorite is Flowerbomb by Viktor and Rolf. I have Coco Madamoiselle that I wear for special occasions. I also have Paco Rabbone Millionaire, which I like a lot. I like the Fresh scents (I think I like the Citron one best), but those are a good choice for daily because they are light and not overpowering at all.

    • Lady Harriet

      I occasionally wear Fragonard’s Etolie du Sud that I bought in Paris in 2001. My mom loves perfume and owns a ton of it, but her signature is Emanuel Ungaro’s Diva.

    • anon-oh-no

      I have worn marc jacobs (the original one) for years, but recently discovered the new Kate Spade (Live Colorfully!) and have been working that in as well. I think you just need to smell a bunch of stuff and find a scent you like.

    • Monday

      My name refers to a certain flower and I like to try perfumes that include its scent because it feels personal. I have one I’ve used every day for about 2 years but I guess I shouldn’t identify it now! Anyway I try others once in a while but never find anything I like better. I feel fortunate that I’m turned off by most other perfumes–otherwise I’d probably have a large collection as I do with lipsticks.

    • Frou Frou

      In the fall and winter, I alternated between Gucci Guilty and Coco Mademoiselle. In the summer, I wear Laila or another Chanel floral scent, but I can’t remember the name of it.

    • Anonymous

      I wear Miss Dior Cherie. I found it through a magazine perfume sample, rubbed it on my wrist, and 15 mins later it smelled so good on me. It takes me about 1-2 years to get sick of a perfume and then I switch.

    • AMB

      I’ve recently bought one of the Jo Malones – I wish I could buy the entire line…

      • Lilly

        Me too. I stick with my favorite, Grapefruit, and I try to buy it in the store instead of online in hopes of getting some generous samples. Works most of the time.

    • Samantha

      I love trying out perfumes at Sephora and usually have a current favorite that changes every year or so. Past favorites have included Romance by Ralph Lauren, Clinique Happy, Miracle so Magic (ugh the name!) by Lancome (light and fresh scents), and Estee Lauder’s Beautiful and Pleasures/Pleasures Intense, and J’Adore by Dior (more smoky or reserved scents).

      I currently like Honey by Marc Jacobs but am crushing on Couture La La by Juicy. I tried the ‘waiting to see if I really want it’ trick, and it appears that I do want it, so will probably buy it soon.
      To choose, I usually go try them in-store and get samples from sephora of whatever I like, and then try them out. I love the perfume samplers and often give them as a gift!

    • belils

      Dior Eau Sauvage. Growing up I had a tiny bottle my mom gave me, and just love love love love love the way it smells. It’s supposedly a man’s fragrance but I know I’m not the only woman who wears it.

    • Anon

      I usually pick a perfume after smelling it on someone else, asking what it is and then trying a sample. My grandmother was one of those people who could wear any scent and it would smell divine – from the cheapest drugstore stuff to super expensive stuff. Unfortunately, I didn’t inherit that trait and some perfumes won’t smell as good on me as they did in the sample or on the person was wearing it. I adjust for season, work or fun, and type of event. In my current rotation I have Miss Dior Cherie (longtime favorite), Quelques Fleurs, Chanel Chance, Burberry The Beat and SJP (gasp!) Lovely. I tend to wear the same thing during the week at work – usually something lighter and more subtle like the Miss Dior or Lovely. I save the Chance for weekends because it is less subtle and more spicy and may bother someone who is sensitive to fragrance. I wear the Burberry in summer because it feels light and fresh.

      Someone mentioned getting fatigued from trying/smelling multiple fragrances. A good perfume counter will have bowls of coffee beans available to sniff in between scents. It’s like a palate cleanser for your nose.

    • cbackson

      I wear Jo Malone Red Roses, and it’s become kind of a signature for me – people who hug me often comment on it, and a lot of my friends recognize it now as my scent.

    • amelia earhart

      Narcisso Rodriguez For Her. I sprayed it on myself waiting for a flight at Heathrow once and a strange man thought I smelled “magnificent” and bought me two bottles at £90 each. It was very random, but I was incredibly grateful!

    • j

      I go between 3: Chloe EDT by Karl Lagerfeld, Kiehl’s Original Musk, and Oscar de la Renta EDT. In the summer I add in Trish McEvoy’s #9 Musk. I really want Tom Ford’s Violet Blonde. I have a type that I prefer – things that are floral/cedar/woody/musky. I don’t like citrus or sweet smells much at all.

  2. Ashley

    I’m looking to replace my worn-out boot collection that I wear to work and out with friends. In the past, I’ve purchased poor quality from places like Tar-get and Char-lotte Ru-sse, and of course, you get what you pay for ($35-$50 quality that falls apart after 1 season). I’m looking to upgrade the quality, but what price point is reasonable? Can you get boots that are nice for $75-$100, or do you need to move into the $150+ range? The shaft of the boot from the cheap places actually holds up well, but the soles are problematic, so that’s really the area that I’m lookin to improve in quality.

    Also, which brands do you recommend? I’ve seen bloggers promoting Chinese Lau-ndry and Steve Mad-den, which both offer styles under $150.

    • zora

      Three Words: D. S. W.
      they have stores and are online. It takes more work and digging, but you can get $200 boots for $100, etc. It depends on what styles you like and your foot shape/fit. Chinese Laundry=NO. they are also a cheap brand. i Have had good luck with Steve Madden, Born, Arturo Chiang, Sam Edelman, Ecco, Coconuts by Matisse, probably more I”m not thinking of. Basically my strategy is to get the higher quality boots, but only on sale prices so that I’m really getting what I pay for.

      Also, if you’ve paid more like $100 for a pair of boots, and once a year you get the cobbler to put on a new sole for $30, it’s totally worth it. Same or lower cost per wear than cheaper ones that fall apart.

      • Eleanor

        Yes to this. I got a pair of Franco Sarto (I think that’s the name of the brand) boots for $100 or so at DSW in the Fall of 2011, wore them almost every day for the past two winters, and they’re still going strong. I do drive to work, though, so they might not have held up so well if I were walking miles through the snow in them every day.

      • NOLA

        Yep, just got a pair of leather riding boots that fit my enormous calves for less than $100 at DSW. They’re Bandolino. I bought some cute fringed booties from Amazon because I found out I could get 25% off of the price I had from anyone else (and 2 day shipping!). And I found the very expensive boots I returned last year in leather on 6PM for less than half of the original price ($140 at 6PM).

        • LizNYC

          I tried finding those boots you bought, NOLA, but now they’re all sold out in my size. I resorted to Lane Bryant, which I normally avoid, but they have a good selection of wide calf boots. I bought two pairs. It remains to be seen if they hold up for more than 1 season.

      • Violette

        Yes, I love DSW. The majority of my shoe collection is from there. I love the brand Impo for dressy knee high boots and ankle boots. They are all under $100. I just recently bought a pair of Steve Madden boots – brown, slightly slouchy, casual and they were right at $100.

        Also, you can join the rewards program and get points towards coupons.

    • tesyaa

      I’ve actually had boots by both Steve Madden and Chinese Laundry and they’ve held up OK. The last several years I’ve noticed leather knee-high boots really don’t exist at a price point below $125-$150. If you are looking to stock up on a few pairs, I recommend the Black Friday online sales, if you can wait. My daughters each got a pair last year for like $90.

    • S in Chicago

      I don’t think it’s really so much a brand thing as a material thing. Look at the soles–good boots will have solid construction and can be resoled. (Cheaper versions often build into the boot or look glued rather than having a distinct footbed and stitching or will be largely rubber.) If the boot is leather, how supple is it? Low-quality leather (notice I don’t say cheaper), doesn’t wear as well over time. Also, it may be handy to look where it is manufactured. I have a pair that was made in Italy, and I swear they’ve lasted 10 years with just some minor leather treatment and occasional repairs to sole.

      • Traditionalist

        Speaking of re-soling, has anyone had luck with getting Steve Madden Intyce boots resoled? Mine have lasted a few years but are starting to pull apart from the boot itself.

        • Duchess

          I had it done to mine last Fall. I think I paid $10? I was expecting much higher. I will definitely need to get them done again this year, but I figure investing $10 a year is worth it for how much I love those boots.

          • Traditionalist

            Oh wow, really? Thanks for the info! That’s definitely worth the investment; those boots are the best and I get compliments on them all the time. Now I just need to find a decent cobbler in DC or Arlington.

        • Duchess

          I don’t know if you’ll see this, but I’ll post again later today just in case. I got mine done in Old Town Alexandria at Old Town Shoe and Luggage Repair. If you can get down there, I’d highly recommend it.

    • A Nonny Moose

      I love Corso Como boots for casual selection. Full price I believe they’re $200 ish, but I have always purchased mine on sale. They’re often on 6pm and Bluefly, for example.

    • Anonymous

      I would check out TJMaxx and Marshalls for deals on good leather boots. My rule with footwear is only real leather. I prefer a leather sole, too, but that really drives the price up. I have gotten great leather boots at TJMaxx for a fraction of the price. Michael Kors boots that sold for $400 in Nordstrom for <$100, for example.

    • Cb

      I have Sofft boots and while I’ve replaced the linings, they’re going on 8 years?

    • Killer Kitten Heels

      I find Aldo boots to be pretty well-constructed for the price point (almost entirely <$150, with a good selection in the $75-100 range). I usually get 2-3 seasons out of them and I'm a heavy boot wearer.

      Also, stalk the Rockport sales – their boots are super comfy and last for.ev.er. (Full retail price is in the $200-250 range though, hence the need to stalk the sales.)

      • Lady Tetra

        I wore through the insoles (reached the hard plastic beneath) in my Rockport boots after 2 years of heavy use. I loved them though, and I think they were $90 or so on 6pm, so I’d say they were worth it.

      • Samantha

        Agreed, my ~$100 Aldo boots are going strong after over 5 years of seasonal but fairly regular use.

    • Ashley

      This is all great info, thanks for the replies! Let the sale-stalking commence :)

    • Bonnie

      Amazon is another great place for deals on shoes. Make sure to click free shipping on the side and you can even pick by the discount %. I agree about looking for boots made from supple leather.

  3. AG Jeans

    I know AG’s Stevie is only at Anthropologie, but is the same fit/style of AG jean available elsewhere under a different name?

    • emmabean

      I’m STILL lusting after the Stevie Moto Cords, but can’t bring myself to pull the trigger. I have a hard time paying full price for denim (or cords in this case).

  4. NYC

    I missed the rest of the discussion with preg 3L yesterday. I think it could work out well with your sister as nanny, is what I was going to say. I would all take an infant CPR class together.

    But now I am distracted by trying to figure out what her job is, that she only works 5 hours a week and usually on the weekend, and could be described as a “trade.” (I laughed out loud at the Mrs. Claus joke). The thing that sprang to mind was, uh, escort. Not meaning to imply anything about your sister…I think I just have last night’s episode of Modern Family on the brain (so funny when Claire said she did it for the whole neighborhood). Oh wait, maybe wedding singer? Clown?

    You don’t have to tell us. I’m really just amusing myself with this exercise.

    • preg 3L

      Ha, you’re so sweet. I mentioned yesterday that she’s a professional musician, so nothing illegal or fictional!

      • Nashvillian

        Honestly, I just read through yesterday’s thread now and the professional musician thing would scare me off. Maybe this is just my experience, being a Nashvillian and all, but I’ve lost two good pet sitters that were part-time musicians/part-time pet sitters to their music with little to no notice (with one, her voicemail message changed one day suddenly from “X’s pet sitting” to “X, country music singer with X group”). And I’ve had friends lose nannies that way. Everything is hunky-dory till they get tapped for a tour or a gig. Which usually comes up with little to no notice. If I were you, I’d keep a back up plan in mind.

        • Nashvillian

          Although, on second thought, maybe this is just a Nashville problem where everyone is a “something”/country music singer/songwriter/musician. Like waitress-slash-country music singer. Or attorney-slash-songwriter.

          • preg 3L

            Thanks! I think sister + classically trained + not trying to start her own band = much more reliable than what you’re mentioning. Definitely something to keep in mind though!

          • Nonny

            @ preg 3L – let me just say, it is so sad that classically trained musicians have such a difficult time finding steady work. I almost went in that direction myself once upon a time, but decided to become a lawyer instead, and job security was a big part of my decision-making process. I really hope that the arrangement with your sister works out, but at the same time, my fingers are crossed for her as well! It’s tough out there.

          • SoCalAtty

            Me too Nonny! You can imagine my consternation when I found out that for my instrument, there is plenty of studio work in LA for about the same rate of pay I was making as a 1st year attorney…and without the student loans!

        • Kate

          I have to say, I don’t understand why being an out of work professional musician would exempt one from having a regular job. My husband and I are both classically trained musicians and I work an unrelated job to support us while he stays home with our infant daughter. Unfortunately, having chosen a low-paying career doesn’t exempt one from paying the bills in order to live.

          • Em

            Since she’s looking to be the nanny for her sister, apparently it doesn’t.

          • Kate

            From yesterday: “She is not actively looking for a regular full-time job and she has no plans to do so.”

          • SC

            Wouldn’t being a nanny be a full-time job? If so, then preg 3L’s sister, in asking to be their nanny (presumably in exchange for room/board and some compensation), IS looking for a full-time job. I would guess the statement, “She is not actively looking for a regular full-time job and she has no plans to do so,” really means that her sister intends to take the position of nanny for the foreseeable future, and not merely as something to do while looking for a traditional office job.

        • Susie

          Most nannies work at-will anyways and can leave at any time if a better offer comes up. Not sure why being a musician makes any difference?

          • NYC

            I feel badly for starting a thread that prompted people to rehash whether the sister should be looking for other work! I’m not sure why it is really rubbing people the wrong way. I think it is great that she is available and will be able to help out her sister in a way that could work really well. I think in those early months it could be much easier to leave your baby with a family member (even if you are paying them and/or compensating them) than at a daycare or with a paid employee (who you don’t know from childhood). Let’s just focus on what preg 3L actually asked about, rather than harping on the “red flags” about her sister not looking for another job while she’s pursing her childhood dream of being a clown on the weekends.

  5. HM

    Styling question: I’m in my 2nd trimester, and am attending a black tie wedding in a few weeks. I ordered a velvet empire waist dressed from ebay (link to follow), and I think it fits well, but I need some help styling it.

    My thoughts questions are as follows:
    1) Since the top is a different material, should I buy a dressy belt to go over the empire waist?
    2) The dress hits me at a midi-length, just below the knee. I sort of like the throw-back vibe this creates, but would that just make me look frumpy?
    3) Please confirm that this dress is ok for a late winter, evening, black-tie wedding!?
    Thanks in advance!

  6. TravelMoreRoads

    Related question for the group that I’m curious about, do you generally bring a purse and a work tote with you? Or do you just put wallet and other key purse items in the work tote and bring that one bag?

    The latter seems easier but I hate switching things back and forth. I do keep a separate travel purse ( http://travelmoreroads.com/make-these-3-lists-today-to-be-travel-ready-all-the-time/ ) and am thinking of doing something similar for work bag versus normal purse. Wondering what works well for others, thanks!

    • Susie

      I just carry a handbag – the smaller Michael Kors Hamilton. I don’t bring a lot of stuff home, but if necessary I can put some papers or a notepad/binder in my purse (yeah they stick out the top). I keep a laptop bag at my desk so if I need to take my laptop home (relatively rare) I carry that in addition to my purse.

    • Lady Tetra

      I was just wondering about this. I’m currently doing tote + clutch/wallet thing, but I’m considering bringing a purse too. Sometimes I want to bring sunglasses, chapstick, etc. with me but not my whole briefcase. But I’m also terrible at remembering to switch my wallet from bag to bag. Looking forward to see what other people do!

      • Parfait

        This is my solution, and it is great until I need to bring my sunglasses. I am contemplating the return to a purse as well. Sigh. The OMG was supposed to be the one true bag. And yet.

    • TBK

      I just carry my tote. But my wallet is a wristlet that also holds my iPhone, so when I go out at lunch, I can just bring the wristlet. I have a different purse I use for weekends. On Friday night or Saturday morning, I move my wallet, phone, keys, sunglasses, and make-up pouch from work tote to purse, and then back again Sunday night/Monday morning. I’ve been doing it so long that it doesn’t really seem like a big deal to me.

    • Jules

      I carry a small purse/cross-body bag and a work tote. The purse holds wallet, credit cards, phone, and small items (lipsticks, tiny container of advil, business card case, etc.). I have a zippered cosmetic bag in my work tote (which I then also put in a zippered pocket) with other personal items that are too large for the purse, like a hairbrush, protein bars, tooth brush in holder, etc. My purses are all small enough to get crammed into the work tote if needed, such as on an airplane.

      My work totes are always black — my law partner gave me a red laptop bag several years ago and now regret — but my purses are red with camel, geranium pink or dark purple, so there’s some color in my mostly boring appearance.

      FWIW, I tend to favor the wallet-on-a-string type organizer purses, with a slot for credit cards and pocket for my phone — I have this one from Kohl’s in plum, and get tons of compliments. (It’s non-leather and admittedly cheap; the strap broke after about a year but it was so cheap that I just bought a replacement.)

      http://www.kohls.com/product/prd-326509/rosetti-miracle-minibag.jsp

    • hoola hoopa

      I bring both… plus a lunch bag. Is it ridiculous to bring three bags? Yes. But I car commute and they sit happily at my desk until I need *one* of them, so it doesn’t feel worth it to me to try any harder.

    • Kontraktor

      Generally I bring a smaller purse and a Le Pilage tote. I also have a Vera Bradley lunch bag I will also bring. Purse is for cell phone, wallet, headphones, makeup bag, general purse things I want to have with me if we jet somewhere during the day. Tote is usually for my workout clothes (I go straight from my office to gym class) and water bottle, and when I was doing a long public transit commute, tote was for my heels, any clothing layers (like scarf or a change of clothes for commuting on hot days), and I’d usually stuff my lunch in as well. If I am not bringing gym clothes to work now, I usually just bring a purse and lunch bag.

    • TravelMoreRoads

      Thanks all! I like the idea of doing the wristlet/small purse thing, same reasoning, want to consolidate but something small I can take to run out to lunch would be great. Plus, nice not to have a million separate bags if I’m heading to an event after work. Bringing a lunch does make it tough though. Hoping to still duplicate between work tote/purse combo and non-work purse as much as possible like I do with my travel purse and toiletry kit, just really hate switching items back and forth.

  7. zora

    Ok, another “Nothing Is Perfect For My Totally Crazy Picky Self” issue: why are the straps of big bags like this so NARROW!?!?!? if i have a big bag, with heavy things like a laptop, i want a nice wide shoulder strap. Little narrow straps like this just dig into my shoulder.

    Rawr, I just need to win the lottery so I can have all of my things custom made to my exact, crazy-person specifications. ;oP

    • Sydney Bristow

      I completely love the look of this bag, but I’m with you on the straps. I’d love to design my own bag because I’m so picky when it comes to bags.

  8. NYC

    I also missed the follow up on the Chanel nail polish discussion, sorry. I use an essie base coat and seche vite top coat, which is exactly what I use with other polishes. I reapply the top coat after a few days and my nails usually last a full week. But with the chanel polish, it had chipped by day 4/5! Twice! Lasted a bit longer when I used a coat of an OPI color then a coat of the chanel polish, but still not as long as my usual essie. Do folks have other base coat recommendations?

    This is making me sound a little crazy. But I’m sharing because there seem to be other home manicure folks in the group. I still love the color. It is unlike anything else I’ve seen.

    • Lady Tetra

      I tried some Chanel polishes, and my problem was that they seemed streakier than Essie. They also chipped, though I find that Essie chips after 4 or 5 days as well. I like gel manicures the best, though I think they damage your nails more if you have them on all the time.

      I just tried Sally Hanson’s gel strips out. They are weird to apply and a weird concept all together, since they’re not any easier than painting, but they have stayed on for a week so far with no signs of chipping or peeling! I guess the one downside is that they are single-use, so you pay $11 for one manicure instead of the several you could get out of a bottle. Still cheaper than a salon though.

    • Pancakes

      For some reason, I find Chanel sticks better without a base coat.

      My favorite polishes are Illamasqua. They last a long time without chipping. My nails grow out before the polish chips, or it wears a little at the tip.

      Illamasqua and China Glaze are the longest lasting for me.

  9. Cb

    Thanks for the advice on lecturing and maintaining my voice yesterday. I slowed my normal California warp-speed a bit, the students and staff members seemed to find the Prezi presentation quite engaging, and I had loads of good questions at the end. I spoke for 45 with about 40 for questions.

  10. Anon

    Maternity wear review: last week (?) I mentioned my frustration with finding straight leg maternity pant with a demi panel (I know, I would vomit about this if I weren’t me). I have now received and am wearing the Gap demi panel skinny pants and they are getting a thumbs up. Have enough stretch and the cut is better than I expected. I know everyone says to order your pre-preggers size but I usually put on some weight before any stomach enlargement (eh) so I ordered one size up and it’s fine. Compared to the ON ankle zip ponte pants, I think the cut is waaay better; for some reason the ON feels oddly tight in the legs and too large right at the waist, plus a lower rise than I prefer. Not that I don’t wear it, I’m just constantly hitching up my bum (discretely, I swear).

    And heading off the inevitable, the AT maternity pants look nice but (1) I’m going cheap on the third pregnancy clothes front (and used some sale Gap was running to bring the pants down to about $35ish), plus (2) AT regular clothes have been so crummy lately quality-wise that I felt the heavy rotation in my minimal mat wear wardrobe would render them rags before I hit 30 weeks.

    /end niche rant-review

    • posey

      I loved Gap khakis pre-pregnancy, which if you know me is very surprising because I am kind of a designer-all-the-way person and didn’t expect to love $35 pants as much as I did. So when I got pregnant I got a pair of the Gap maternity khakis. MI snagged one pair in my size (after stalking for days) and honestly if there were other colors in my size I’d buy them all, but they’re all sold out and don’t look like they’re restocking. They’re ~$35 (with the coupon codes they’re constantly offering) and fit perfectly, what is there not to love?

      I’m majorly bummed that the cords are all sold out in my size.

      I’m going to go check out the jeans, I have really high hopes.

    • preg anon

      This is all very helpful info. If you look at my blog today, you’ll see that I featured some reader recommendations. Would you mind if I posted these there?

      • Anon

        Post away! I will second endorsements for the Asos striped shirt-sweater (I mentioned this last week as well–I have to resist wearing that every day) and the Target ponte dresses (got the short-sleeve gray one and it’s perfect).

  11. Samantha

    Question for the Clarisonic experts out there. My Clarisonic used to work fine when I used Bare Minerals foundation. But now that I’m using a BB cream regularly, and use the Clarisonic to take off my makeup (with face wash), the brush smells funky even after a use or two. I rinse off the brush thoroughly after every use but it looks like it’s not drying completely, or the makeup stays on the brush causing an odor.
    Every time you clarisonic your face, do you spend an equal amount of time cleaning your clarisonic?

    • mascot

      I have this issue. I mixed a few drops of tea tree oil with some Purpose soap and washed the brush head with that. It seemed to do the trick. You could probably just use anti-bacterial soap with same result and I think that is the recommended method from Clarisonic. I also wash off the makeup with my cleanser and then use the brush to cut down on the problem. It’s fussier than I anticipated.

    • another Kat

      It’s not recommended to remove makeup with the clarisonic. The makeup gets into the brush and then you’re grinding old makeup into your face. It’s intended to remove makeup residue that your standard hands/washcloth method doesn’t get, not the bulk of the makeup itself. I remove my makeup fully (I use coconut oil because it neutralizes the makeup), rinse quickly with face wash, and then use the clarisonic. Fussy like Mascot said, but better than grinding old makeup into my pores.

      • Joanna Toews

        +1 for not grinding it into your pores. Them vibrations be POWERFUL.

        My routine:
        – Wash off makeup with Cetaphil
        -Rinse
        – Use Clarisonic with Cetaphil
        -Rinse
        – Moisturize, etc

        I spray my Clarisonic brush with hydrogen peroxide every once in a while, but otherwise just wash it with anti-bacterial soap after use.

      • Baconpancakes

        Wait, what? That makes it considerably less attractive. I don’t want to have to wash twice.

        • Anon

          My dermatologist told me Clarisonic is one of the worst things you can use on your face unless you are super oily. She said even the softest brush can be damaging to your skin when used too frequently.

        • Monte

          This is why I use mine in the morning. I wash with a cleanser at night, but I use the brush in the morning for exfoliation. But I am not as big a fan of it as others are on this site — it makes minimal, if any, difference in my skin.

  13. zora

    Dear Hart of Dixie,

    Moar Shirtless Wade this season, plz. kthxbiyee!!!

    -love, all of the r e t t e s

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