Frugal Friday’s Workwear Report: Midi Slip Skirt
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Our daily workwear reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices.
I saw a character on a TV show wearing a midi-length plaid skirt recently, and I’ve been on the lookout for one ever since. Initially, I was thinking of something with a more substantial fabric, but this slip skirt from LC Lauren Conrad might do the trick. I would wear this with a cozy turtleneck and boots for the office (and probably add a slip under the skirt for some extra warmth).
The skirt is $12.99, marked down from $39.99, at Kohl’s and comes in sizes XS-XXL. It also comes in four other colors.
Sales of note for 10/16 (ALSO, friendly PSA – check any NAS or Amazon Prime Day purchases for the return policies…)
- Ann Taylor – 50% off + free shipping on everything!
- Brooklinen – Friends & Family – 20% off sitewide and 50% off select bundles
- J.Crew – Extra 50% off 3+ sale styles with code – includes lots of suiting, sweaters, and pants
- J.Crew Factory – Friends & Family, extra 15% off your purchase
- M.M.LaFleur – October Sale Event, best prices of the season (Try code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off on other items)
- Nordstrom – 5840+ new markdowns for women, up to 40% off
- Talbots – Friends and family, 30% off your entire purchase
- Theory – End of season sale is on with extra savings (new prices are marked)
If you have a solid daily driver purse, particularly if:
— you are a car commuter
— you have a separate laptop bag
— you have a narrow shoulder that shoulder bags just slide off of (but if they are “baguette” types that get tucked under your armpit, they stay, but those bags tend to be very small).
Could you say what you have and if you like it or not? I feel that I keep getting bags that turn out just to be C- bags — maybe they are too heavy, maybe they are too large or too floppy, maybe they are too open or the pockets aren’t quite right, or they are too open and spill out or too hard to get into (i.e., why a Birkin would never work for me). I would give Goldilocks a run for her money! I want to get a good bag AND donate some of the others.
My daily bag is a Clare V Moyen Messenger. It is the most perfect unicorn of bags. It has a wide shoulder strap short enough that the bag tucks under your arm and a long, narrow crossbody strap. I have narrow shoulders and the shoulder strap stays on unless I’m wearing a big or slippery coat, in which case I use the crossbody strap. It is big enough to hold a large wallet, sunglasses case, phone, keys, small notebook, small umbrella, etc. but still looks relatively small, and somehow manages to be proportionate on people of all sizes.
What’s the pocketing situation like?
I have a small camera-style bag from Madewell and really like it. The strap is very versatile, so I can wear it crossbody when I want to make sure it doesn’t slide off my shoulder. It’s small enough that I usually just tuck it into my EDC laptop backpack for my car commute. It is large enough to comfortably accommodate my basics (keys, wallet, phone, lip balm, etc.) and but small enough that it prevents me from stuffing so much into it that it becomes heavy. The zip keeps things securely contained. Even when the zip is open the shape means things do not readily fall out, although I don’t have any issues reaching in to find things.
I have the Lo & Sons Pearl and it might fit your needs. There is a long strap or a very short strap, and the long strap is adjustable, so you can carry it in your hand, wear it as a crossbody, or shorten the strap to put it on your shoulder. I prefer a smaller, lighter purse and it is not terribly large, but is set up to hold a fair bit and keep it organized. There are two zipper pockets on the sides and an open snap section in the middle. I don’t have trouble with getting things in and out and the zippers and snap keep it closed, but I rarely snap the middle section and still don’t have trouble with things falling out easily. The different sections make it easy to find what I want without having to dig around.
When this bag is empty, how flat is it? E.g., could you stick it flat in a laptop tote at a conference, and then take it out to use for evening events while ditching the tote at the hotel desk?
I’ve been looking at a smaller shoulder bag and don’t want a black hole. My front-runner is the new Veronica Beard Dash shoulder bag, but haven’t tried it on IRL.
https://veronicabeard.com/products/dash-saddle-bag-burgundy?_gl=1*1yj4aff*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..&gclid=CjwKCAjwi-zWBhAdEiwAqlRf-NTgCHLa67YE4q5thNcZR90W04SSq4ygxQs6w1WuVd4N0A-rtr3AARoC7jQQAvD_BwE&gbraid=0AAAAABMxaq_92tTCt-Hl94Pi2G8mw2WtU
I just had a very mediocre performance review, down from last year despite having a better year, objectively. My whole leadership chain is new this year. It wasn’t a bad review, just not great- the middle ranking. I don’t have visibility as to how the new big boss views performance and my boss was not particularly helpful. Suggestions for how to sit with this, and also to try to intuit whether this is a precursor to more serious concerns? I’m not great with reading the tea leaves generally.
For the current law students: how is it on campus these days? Are people running scared that AI is going to take away legal jobs? And how is it with what I understand to be some big firms hiring people permanently as 1Ls?
And for recent grads: do you feel that law school actually prepared you to pass the bar and start practicing? Or is it “we teach you to think and you will learn everything you need to know on your actual jobs”?
Following with interest!
I will answer based on my daughter’s experience. She is a second-year in BigLaw and went to a state flagship school. She knew she wanted to litigate, so took classes very much focused on litigation, and she participated in trial team. The training in civil procedure and in legal writing has proved very on-point for her job (not so much for the bar exam, but that’s what bar study courses are for). From the time she was a summer associate, she was learning to use AI within the firm’s guidelines, but there is no fear that AI will take her job.
I haven’t heard anything about permanent 1Ls?