Coffee Break: The Uniform
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I really like this tinted sunscreen from Merit that I was gifted … especially compared to a few others I've tried.
Now, I will fully grant that this may be because I didn't get the palest shade (as I normally do) but instead got the palest neutral shade… but I think the things I like about it aren't just about the color. I feel like a little bit goes a long way and it evens my skintone. I like that it doesn't sink into my pores (the way the Jones Road tinted moisturizer did). I like that it doesn't feel like anything on my face, either in a drying or greasy way (the way the Bare minerals or Fenty tinted sunscreens did). I also like that the product has a nice texture — it isn't runny (like some of the skin tints out there) or goopy.
I always worry that these sunscreen+ products aren't great as actual sunscreens (you need to apply quite a bit to get the benefit for most sunscreens — but maybe that's different for zinc oxide products?!), but in the winter I'm reluctant to wear sunscreen anyway, so this feels like a slightly indulgent compromise.
The Uniform comes in 15 colors for $38; you can get it at Sephora and Merit.com.
Sales of note for 1/15:
- Nordstrom – Designer clearance up to 70% off
- Ann Taylor – Up to 40% off your purchase, including new arrivals + extra 50% off sale
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off + extra 20% off
- Brooks Brothers – Extra 25% off clearance, already up to 60% off
- Express – 30-70% off all sweaters
- J.Crew – Up to 40% off peak-winter styles + up to 70% off sale styles
- J.Crew Factory – 40-70% off everything + extra 60% off clearance
- Lo & Sons – Winter sale, up to 50% off — reader favorites include this laptop tote, this backpack, and this crossbody
- M.M.LaFleur – Extra 25% off sale with code + try code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off
- Neiman Marcus – Up to 70% off select sale styles
- Talbots – Semi-Annual Red Door Sale! 50% off + extra 25% off all markdowns + Red Door Deals $24.50+
I am looking for ways to accept more mess in my life. What does that look like in practice for you? Recently I’ve left dishes in the sink overnight, had undone/chipped nails, waited a day to respond to a text. Baby steps I know. Usually I feel like allowing more leniency in my life only hurts myself (for example, skipping a workout class or overspending).
I’ve got an ex husband you could go on a date with.
Kidding! I actually love this goal for you and I hope it serves the ends you want it to!
It’s not about allowing more mess in my life, it’s about what gives me joy. Usually having a clean sink gives me a sense of accomplishment, but my workout class gives me more joy, so if I had to choose between the two I would choose the class and let the dishes wait until tomorrow.
If staying on top of your dishes, neat nails, etc. make you happy, then I wouldn’t stop doing them unless they are robbing you of joy in other parts of your life.
It looks like scheduling the fun first and fitting in the chores in the time remaining. Baseboards are dusty af but I wasn’t thinking about that tearing down the ski hill.
One idea you might consider is to fill in the things that you know you should be doing to support your health, and making room for everything else by priority after that. We all only get 24 hours, most of us need 8 to 9 hours to sleep, 2 hours to prepare food and eat, and a certain number of hours to work and exercise. Once you put the big balls in the jar, then you try and fit the other things in – hobbies, cleaning, etc. Not the reverse.
I’m thinking a lot about what the goal of the mess tolerance is. Like, I tolerate messes not just because I think it’s good for me, but because I have other things that I value more. My health is more important than a spotless house so some nights I go to bed with a muddy floor and a bunch of dishes in the sink, just to make sure I get enough rest. Flip side, my health is important and so sometimes I make sure to do the dishes so that I can make myself a healthy breakfast in the morning. I parent a small child, so being present and letting them have independence is a big reason I tolerate mess. In college the mess was because I prioritized studying or socializing. Your priorities look different than mine, but I tend to think if I have enough time to clean my house every day, I am spending too much time cleaning and not enough on exercising, getting outside, learning new things, etc.
agree with your last sentence.
Why? This seems so self defeating. I wouldn’t make this a goal.
Agree. it’s not hard to be a slob. This is a dumb goal.
Why is there always at least one mean girl every day? My husband was abused into perfection by his father. Part of his therapy was to learn not to clean everything perfectly before he could allow himself to relax. What is wrong with some of these women.
It’s also not hard to not be mean.
It’s the same as don’t let perfect be the enemy of good. Accepting something is good enough can help people stress less and focus on other things.
Presumably, they are struggling with perfectionism.
Most research on forming habits suggests reframing things around a positive and specific, measurable action. You’re looking at things in a way that doesn’t seem like it’s going to set you up well for success. I’d reframe it around what the “real” issue is that you’re trying to address. Is it more time on X instead of worrying about my nails? Or doing X, Y and Z, so that I reduce anxiety in general? The problem isn’t the nail itself or some vague and subjective sense of mess.
Happy New Year! We are looking for a place for a short 4 to 5 day getaway this fall, probably mid-October, in the midwest. Looking for something outdoorsy with lots of hiking and scenery. Does anyone have any good ideas for a resort/cabin somewhere? Thanks for any/all ideas.
maybe Hocking Hills in Ohio? Lots of fun yurts/geodesic domes to stay in. mid October should be ok but it can be tricky that time of year.
piggybacking on this: spent my entire weekend looking for something similar also for Oct but expanding to all of US. I am not a yoga person, so yoga retreats were not calling me out… and everything else seemed way too expensive. I was hoping to be under 4k for husband and myself. Appreciate any leads! Think more like summer camp ie lots of activities but for adults.
I LOVED rush creek spa, just outside Yosemite. Gorgeous, affordable for what it is (I went a bit later so that October may be more high season prices), good food and activities.
Not sure where you are but Sequoia National Park is beautiful that time of year.
I also love Sequoia, but that’s definitely not the midwest though. :)
If you can move up to early October, I’d suggest the Michigan Upper Peninsula. Late October is getting into a more weather temperamental time – it could still be nice, but chances are in early October you have a good chance of really nice fall weather. The only problem is I think you have to move around a few times to really experience it vs just stay in one cabin…
It’s definitely not hiking in the mountains, but the waterfall hikes are fun. In particular I really love the Tahquamenon Lower Falls to Upper Falls hike. Bond Falls is fun to hike around. We randomly visited Mackinac Island this last year when we were passing through and had some time, and we want to go back and hike around the whole thing.
oh yeah I totally overlooked that little detail!
The Ozarks? I recently watched a show on them and they are gorgeous.
Lots of hiking and gorgeous scenery in MN that time of year. I’d love to cozy up at Bluefin Bay and watch the lake that time of year. Hiking could be chilly but they do offer lots of activities. Or what about the Kohler Lodge in WI?
Go to the North Shore of Lake Superior in Minnesota. Larsmont Cottages outside Two Harbors is a great base, and you can get to several beautiful state parks from there. Duluth has some delicious restaurants and is worth a visit as well.
When do you take down your Christmas decorations? We’ll leave our tree up until curbside pickup in mid-January, but I like to keep the other Xmas decorations inside, and string lights outside, up throughout winter. Keeps the hygge vibes going. I was surprised by an IG post where everyone took their decor down immediately.
I’m a firm believer that decorations stay up until the wise men made it to Bethlehem (e.g., Epiphany). So, with you on mid-January for taking everything down.
Same, the 12 days of Christmas START at Christmas; the Christmas season doesn’t end at Christmas.
yep! Tree comes down on Epiphany. Lights/hygge decor stays out until Candlemas (Feb. 2).
Usually this for me, but we got everything up earlier than normal this year (right after Thanksgiving), had free time this weekend, and the tree was getting crispy (and my cat was drinking out of it), so we went ahead and took everything down.
Same! It irks me to no end to see them taken down on the 26th!
EPIPHANY FOR LIFE!
…is how you know I’m still Catholic after all these years, however lapsed/gay I become.
Right after New Year. We don’t have space to keep things up all the time but more importantly, I want the decorations to feel special and not become ordinary.
I don’t always decorate for the holidays, but when I do, I don’t do it until mid-December, so I leave things up until the 2nd or 3rd weekend in January. But there are a lot of people who decorate the day after Thanksgiving (or earlier), and it makes sense to me that they would want to take it down right after Christmas. I think a 4-6 week period makes sense, so the end point depends on the starting point.
Realistically with my ADHD, I won’t notice them for weeks… so whenever I notice them AND then remember to do it.
I don’t “see” clutter or other stuff, which last year apparently included my wreath (on a door I used every day!). It was up til a friend pointed it out to me in late Feb.
I do like to leave lights and maybe greens uo as long as I can. The winter is long, dark, dreary and cold. The outdoor lights really help!
We are having house guests the weekend of Jan 16-17, so that’s my target. We put them up pretty late this year (and also had’t had the big Christmas tree for a few years) so I’m in no particular hurry.
Not before the 6th (Epiphany); it’s usually the weekend after that when I have time. Tree stays up until it’s a fire hazard (around the 15th I think, it hasn’t been drinking water for like 3 weeks at this point).
Tree has to come down this week because it’s getting to be a fire hazard, but I like having lights up at least indoors through the dark and cold of winter. Upper Midwest, need all the hygge I can get.
Tree pickup is next week, so we’ll take it down this weekend. Might leave up some lights and a few of the less Christmas specific decorations through the end of the month. It’s cold and dark here, so having some extra winter cheer makes the house feel more cozy. It seems like most people here keep their outdoor lights up for quite a while.
For the tree and Santa-esque decor, the weekend after Epiphany. But I leave the window candles up until the batteries die; partly because it’s easier and partly because my teen said he liked them and I’m not going to mess with a good thing. This year I dried orange slices and made a citrus garland for the kitchen windows, and I’ll probably leave that up for a few months. We don’t get much winter weather here, so hygge-coded decor makes me feel cozy even when the weather is swampy.
I decorated mid-November, so my decorations are down already. But I left some lights up so I can turn them on and keep enjoying them until the days start getting longer again.
As soon as I get sick of looking at them and the tree starts getting irreparably dry.
This year, that meant Saturday the 3rd. Previously, it has meant later.
Caveat that we don’t have kids and our decor dials up or back depending on the mood we’re in that year. This year, we got our tree “late” (the 12th), and I only put up maybe 25 ornaments, 4 stockings (us plus dogs; yes, we’re you’re neighborhood Todd and Margo), and a red/green block print tablecloth on the dining room table. The wreath out front is unadorned and will stay til it falls apart.
Most Christmas decor comes down around New Year’s Day (especially the real tree), but I keep a few winter-themed decorations up, ones that don’t scream Christmas.
I’m in the process of getting divorced and I just said to my daughter last night that I might dedicate a room in my new house to be Christmas all year round. Tree, lights, village, etc. Like a holiday-themed library!
I love this!
I know several people who have a year round Christmas room (in one case, it’s an actual library/study where the household professor writes his books!).
I don’t do much decorating, mostly just lights. Those stay up until I get tired of them. Indoors, that’s probably going to be in early February, when we start noticing a later sunset. Outdoors, that’s going to be later in the spring on a dry weekend after things thaw out and melt.
After Epiphany (~Jan 6) for indoor decorations. But I put them up “late”, so they still feel special
Outdoor decorations, I am lucky to live in a city with a tradition of leaving lights up until late January, so I am on board with that! It’s still dark, they’re pretty :)
They come down right at the New Year, sometimes earlier depending on whether plans for the week following Christmas include any belated celebrations or visitors.
Oh, I take it all down the weekend after Christmas, if possible. I love how much more space it feels like we have after it’s down, plus my cat likes to poop on the tree skirt. We decorate right after Thanksgiving and I feel like the 4-5 weeks is plenty of time to enjoy the decor, I am ready to move on once we’re past it.
“plus my cat likes to poop on the tree skirt.”
My cats do not like to poop on the tree skirt specifically (they prefer to nap on it) but this makes me feel so seen.
Same here. Plus we’re Jewish (although I converted so I still do a tree) so no special attachment to the Epiphany or anything.
Christmas decor is coming down this weekend. Hanukkah decor came down a couple of days after the last day. Winter/hygge decor is staying probably through February.
My cats have been using the tree skirt as a racetrack, and will be very disappointed when it comes down.
I take it all down the weekend after New Year’s. We all go back to school and work on the following Monday, and I like to have the house reset to normal before we return to our normal routine. Otherwise, it’s hard to find the time once the kids’ normal weekend activities start up again.
When the snow melts enough for my husband to safely climb a ladder and take the lights off the trees in the front yard. At this rate, that may be a while!
I took mine down on New Year’s Day. I typically wait until the Sunday after New Year’s but I was tired if it this year so took it down early. My compromise with my kids is that we put it up fairly early. Usually in mid-November.
Tree comes down after Epiphany. I usually leave my outdoor wreath up a little longer because it’s an evergreen so I just wait for it to die and then trash it. Why toss it while it’s still green?
Last Saturday right after New Years. I like a clean start to the year and feeling fresh. By then the holidays are over and stuff looks sad to me, not joyful.
not until after Epiphany, as January 6 is midweek we will take the tree down the weekend of the 10th. might start other christmas decor after the 6th
Where I live (Scandi) the oldest traditions are for Christmas to end on the 20th day after Christmas Eve, i.e. January 13th. It is also common to take decorations down on Twelfth Night / Epiphany, which is called the Day of the Three Kings here.
Some people do take their decorations down earlier, but I don’t know anybody who would take down the tree before New Year’s. The council pick-up of dead trees are generally around Epiphany. People often don’t decorate their trees until around December 23rd, though, so the season isn’t really that long.
We’re currently on six hours of daylight, and winter lights can stay out as long as it’s dark and cold, but Christmas specific lights are taken down.
Help me shop. I want an off-white blouse that has sleeves and is not sheer. I will usually wear with swackets and blazers, but I want the ability to take off my outer layer and still be work appropriate. Silk would be great but I’m open to synthetic. I’d like something more than a plain, dressy T-shirt but am otherwise open to necklines/design. Budget around $100 but willing to stretch for the right thing.
I don’t know this brand, but I love the elegance of this top
https://slipintosoft.com/products/silk-blouse-for-womens-100-mulberry-long-silk-pullover?variant=42360396677345
but those buttons really cheapen the look
Antonio Melani add Dillards has great quality silk blouses and usually has cream.
I can’t wear the light color, but I like this style, slightly over your target budget: https://www.everlane.com/products/womens-wrap-top-in-silk-charmeuse-peyote
Related to the Christmas decorations post – do you have non-Christmas seasonal decor for the rest of the winter?
I’m thinking of my mantle and dining room table. I usually have a wreath or some other floral on my mantle and a tablecloth and centerpiece on my table. I’m struggling to think of a wreath or centerpiece that reads winter but not Christmas.
Pinecones in a decorative bowl make a good winter centerpiece. The caveat is that if you have cats, you will have to put away said pinecones because felines view them as toys!
What about some kind of metallic wreath or one that looks frosted?
One of my Christmas decorations is a large vase with faux evergreen and red berry stems. I swapped out the red berries for white ones and plan to leave it up until the end of January. Other possibilities are white candles and paper snowflakes.
At Thanksgiving I switch all my sofa pillow covers to white and cream faux fur and velvet. They stay on until early spring, when I switch back to my usual mix of blue woven fabrics.
We will keep Christmas up probably til this weekend, and then we will begin decorating for Valentine’s Day. But I have kids!
Apartment dweller here, and that’s one of those optimal household management tasks that I kinda like but don’t want to commit to. Having some sort of seasonal decor seems nice, but then you have to store it, handle putting away the old stuff and getting it the new, keeping it clean while it’s up…
Anyway, you could make a venn diagram of winter decor and Christmas decor, and I’d say anything that isn’t specifically Christmas (evergreens, pinecone, candles, snowy/starry things) is still fair game.
Yeah, I feel similarly. A wreath every so often is about all I’ll do – the expense and storage space aren’t worth it to me. I promise I’m not a Grinch! It’s just not my thing.
+1. I try to use seasonal decor that can apply to multiple holidays. So in October I have pumpkins, in November I add dark red candles, in December replace the pumpkins with pinecones or snowflake knick knacks, in January ditch the red candles, and so on.
I have a house and don’t want to store it either. Ornaments for my real tree and a couple of stockings for my mantle are enough for me. I have a pumpkin for Halloween candy and that’s about it.
My grandma has an old-timey ice skating on the pond themed mantle scape that always strikes me as seasonal without being stale. It is older than me and it’s one of my favorite signs of the season.
My mom (not a huge decorator besides this) has snowmen decor she puts out after Christmas.
I have a white table runner and placemats with silver sparkly threads and silver candles that I use in January for New Year’s. I’ve already had to heavily spot clean it once, so in retrospect, white may not have been the best color choice.
We have plush snowmen for each of the family’s various alma mater schools, so those stay out until Spring officially starts at the end of March Madness.
I have a couple of battery candles in lanterns next to my fireplace, as well as a few white wooden trees. I keep that stuff up through February.
Last year I bought this pair of tabletop birch trees with lights from Amazon for this purpose that I love. They stay up until the Easter decorations come out.
Swap out candles. I like Stonewall candles and they have pillars that don’t scream holidays.
I have a non-Christmassy winter wreath for the front door, and a non-Christmassy throw pillow for the main couch. I’d like to have some more seasonal decor in general, though.
I do a nod here and there – I love Valentine’s Day and will put out pink and red flowers and maybe a chandelier garland. Big ole flag from Memorial to Labor Day outside in our gazebo. Pumpkins in the fall inside and out. Seasonal throws and bedding – cozier stuff in the winter, lighter stuff in the summer.