Corporette.com

Updated: Aug 29, 2019 133 Comments · by

Coffee Break: Sophie Bag

Coffee Break

This post may contain affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

I don't normally think of myself as an “animal skin” kind of person, but I always drool over Nancy Gonzalez pieces. This particular shoulder bag looks like the perfect combination of matte suede and textured leather, and I love the way the color plays into both. It also seems like a great size — not huge, but not like some of the mini bags that are out right now. It's definitely a splurge, though: the pictured bag is $2,850 and available at Neiman Marcus and Saks. Sophie Medium Crocodile and Suede Shoulder Bag Looking for something similar at a much lower price? There are a few of these fairly similar Boden bags left on deep clearance — we featured them a while ago. If you like the general “animal skin” look you should definitely check out the embossed leather bags from this more affordable (but still quality) line. This post contains affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For more details see here. Thank you so much for your support!

Sales of note for 9.10.24

Some of our latest posts here at Corporette…

RSS Error: WP HTTP Error: cURL error 60: Issuer certificate is invalid.

And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

About Kat

Kat Griffin is the founder, publisher, and editor-in-chief of Corporette. You can read more about her here.

Comments

  1. MJ

    Drool-worthy in an super-editorial way. Love it. It’s gorgeous.

    It just doesn’t fit into my life. This looks very “ladies who lunch” to me. I also find blue leathers/suedes super hard to match. But if I had unlimited fundage and didn’t need a bag that held files and a computer…(and had an extra $3K in disposable income) done.

  2. What to wear to Amazon?

    What should I wear to interview for a senior HR communications role at Amazon in Seattle? I am used to relatively business formal and am not sure if jeans are the way to go…

    • Seattle is Casual

      Business formal in Seattle is going to scream “not from here,” pretty much regardless of the company. Even big law firms are more high end of business casual.

      A-zon is pretty casual, but I wouldn’t do jeans for an interview. Maybe a ponte dress and blazer? Or black ankle pants, a printed top, and a ponte black blazer? I also would not wear formal heels- maybe more in the range of Tali wedge or block heels.

    • Anon

      I would not wear jeans! Amazon is not that casual, especially in a non-technical role. I would do formal-ish business casual with an emphasis on power pieces. Personally I’d do a dress + power blazer or skinny pants, heels, blouse and blazer. You probably know this, but HR/comms trends much more female than tech as a whole so you may want to dress knowing that many of the people you meet will likely be women, ie., a tailored dress and chic statement necklace are likely to be better received than a drab but formal suit.

      • Anon

        +1 but also no suit. Interviewed there 3 months ago for non technical manager.

    • Anon

      I’m normally the person saying you can’t go wrong with a suit for an interview, but I think this is one time when you could go wrong with a suit. I would wear a nice dress, and a more “fun” blazer in a coordinating color. But I still think jeans are too casual.

    • Anonymous

      Don’t do jeans or a formal suit. I’d go for a sheath dress and colorful blazer or a simple sleeved dress (like the Etsuko). I work in marketing tech (creative and IT types who often are in super casual settings wearing jeans) and I still would avoid jeans for an interview–even if theres a good chance they will be in jea.ns

    • In-House in Houston

      Did you see the suit featured yesterday from J Crew? It looks very professional but not a boring black suit. You could put a fun shell under it in the event you feel overdressed and take off the jacket. I bought the same suit for an interview I hope to have soon. I also bought this dress, it was only $50 after the 40% discount. I love the texture of the fabric.

      https://www.jcrew.com/p/womens_category/suiting/novelty/boatneck-sheath-dress-in-matelass/K5582

  3. Anon

    We’re moving my mom to our little town to be near us. She’s single, 75, and I’m an only child. Because she’s…not financially astute, I’ll be buying a property for her. My mother is in good health, physically and mentally, and is likely to live to 100. Which property would you choose?

    Property A

    New construction condo development intended for aging in place but not age restricted. Charming vintage style construction and every unit has a huge screen porch. All the units are one story, have heated floors, doorways wide enough for a wheelchair, and showers you can walk into. 2 beds, 1 bath, 1120 sq ft. Drastically, absurdly overpriced for our market at $275k. HOA is $175 per month. Because it’s a condo, they’re responsible for the exterior maintenance and lawn care.

    Property B

    Existing 1970s ranch home. Fully remodeled inside and out – new kitchen, new baths, new roof, etc. Cute curb appeal (I couldn’t tell it was originally built in the ’70s). Lovingly maintained half acre yard. 3 beds, 2 bath, 1150 sq ft. $175k. No HOA (just a normal neighborhood).

    The condo development has only sold one unit in the year it’s been in existence because the pricing is so out of step with our little town. (I guess they’re expecting wealthy people from the small city an hour away to retire to the country? No idea.) But the idea of no/less building maintenance or yard maintenance and knowing that all the doorways are wide enough for a wheelchair is tempting…but not $100k tempting. Is there an upcharge you think would be worth it? Or is the condo not worth it? Would love the opinions of others who’ve cared for their aging parents. Thanks.

    • Anon

      Mom will likely be more social with option A. With option B, you can hire a landscaping company to do all the yard/snow removal. Not sure if that would cost more or less than the HOA fee. Does B have a full bathroom and bedroom on the first floor?

    • Anon

      I would choose Option C – a retirement community where she can currently live independently in a condo or apartment (but with useful help like maid service and snow removal, plus meals and a social network) and then move into assisted living when it becomes necessary. Women in my family usually live to 95+ but very rarely live completely alone past 85. I don’t think it’s realistic to assume she will live alone at 100 or even 90, even if you purchase Option A. I know some seniors resist the idea of a retirement community, but to me that’s the smartest option if you’re making a move at age 75+.
      Fwiw, my parents are 70ish, in good health and married to each other. They’re moving to my town in 3-5 years (sooner if one of them were to unexpectedly pass away) and will be going straight to the retirement community across the street from my neighborhood.

      • Anon

        I agree with looking for a retirement community. Your mom is losing her social network by moving to be with you, and having her live in a place designed around providing a community for people in retirement would be extremely helpful. There will be others there open to making friends, there are planned activities and outings, and she could develop a social network. I’m less convinced the other amenities will be helpful at this point (but I also had a grandfather who lived to be 100+ in a SFH). But if she isn’t able to develop her own social network, that means that you and your husband will be it. That’s a lot for you to take on, and if you can’t fully provide it, which is likely, it can lead to mental declines because a person isn’t intellectually engaged.

      • anon.

        Thirded. Not to throw in a wrench in your plans, but neither of these sound great. If there is an option like she describes above, I’d look into that. My grandparents lived in an independent apartment in one of these communities for years before requiring assisted living, but it was the best place in our town and you couldn’t get into the assisted living without first having been in the apartments (crazy but due to demand).

        • Ellen

          +1. Granny may have all her marbles now, but once she starts loosing them, you will want to make sure she gets 24/7 care, unless you want to do this yourself. We are in a similar situation with our grandmas. Both are independent now, and in their 80’s, but who knows? Both have had little issues, and Grandma Leyeh (the healthier of the 2), has had digestive issues, making her likely to have to run to the toilet on short notice, making it difficult for us to go any where without a toilet nearby. Grandma Trudy also has alot of gas, but this can be controlled by diet, Beano, and with access to a toilet. Mom also has alot of gas, and she deals with it the same way as Grandma Trudy. I sure hope I will be able to avoid this, but I first need to make sure I have a husband who will support my issues, knows about the gaseous matters running through my family, and will be there for me. YAY!!!

      • Anon

        If finances allow and there’s a good CCRC in your area, that’s your best option. That would be very similar to the condo, plus have options if she needs higher level assistance.

      • Anonome

        Fourthed. In my experience, a gradual decline in health and ability to live independently is not very common. A fall or unexpected diagnosis is more frequent in my family, requiring a fast decision about a huge change in housing. Option C smooths that transition.

      • ToS

        Table the idea of a retirement community, and think about how your mom socializes. Is she a confident driver? That’s one for the rancher.
        Does she connect well with a faith community? Look at her social options. And seriously, don’t assume she will magically join a group because of her age – consider her interests, and you’ll get more traction. Would she volunteer in the community? Does she enjoy gardening in her own space?

        Your impression is she has 25 years. The rancher should appreciate over 10 years when you might consider talking with her about an all-inclusive condo situation.

        I am middle aged, and I would not be surprised to be practicing law when I’m 75, but thinking about easing into more volunteer/leisurely pursuits, as I will likely live to see 100, too.

        • Anon

          How can you possibly know that you’ll likely live to see 100 just because you feel youthful and energetic in, what, your 40s? 50s at most? So much of illness and death is entirely random.

          • Anonymous

            But much of it is genetic too. If your grandparents lived well into their nineties, then it is not a bad idea to plan for the same for your parents and yourself. Not a guarantee by any means, but good to consider the likelihood and plan for.

    • Anon

      Would it be possible to move her into an apartment for a year or two and see if the condos come down in price?

    • Anonymous

      I would think about whether the 100k saved (plus the HOA fees saved over 25 years) would cover 25 years of building/yard maintenance and any possible remodels that might be required (doorways, shower etc).

    • Age in place

      Can the rancher be retrofitted for age in place supports as that becomes necessary? Would retrofitting cost less than the cost difference? Are there bathrooms and rooms on the main level? Is it near public transportation or walkable so that she can continue to socialize, shop, etc without depending on driving or being driven?

      Also, only having one other person in the complex seems like it would be a very difficult social situation.

      I’d go with rancher if it’s going to be possible to make it a place she can age comfortably and safely.

    • Anon

      Condo buildings will need a lot of maintenance over 25 years and the fees will go up.

    • Vicky Austin

      You say she’s likely to live to 100, but is she likely to be able to live that entire time at the level of independence the ranch house would require? It sounds to me like the condo is overall more expensive, but she could stay there longer, while the ranch is cheaper, she probably couldn’t stay as long, but you can maybe turn it into a rental property once she’s not using it anymore.

    • Anonymous

      Two additional questions for you: 1) Does your mom enjoy porches, and 2) Do you have any other family members who would come stay with her? Does she have any friends who might live with her?

      If NO to 1, then I’d reconsider option A — they might be a noise source if other people are using them.
      If NO to 2, then I’d reconsider option B — sounds lonely to have a 3-bedroom house to yourself.

    • Anonymous

      Are you concerned that the condo development will fail / go under because it hasn’t sold any units and may not offer the maintenance, etc. if it goes into foreclosure? I mean, she owns her unit, but if the bank owns the rest, it may be hard to get it to pay for its share of HOA fees (or to revise them downward).

      • Blueberries.

        THIS. I’d probably be fine with the premium of A not to worry about landscaping/exterior maintenance and to have the social outlets. However, if A goes under financially, that’s going to be a mess. Also, it’s not going to be great for her, new to the community, to live in a mostly empty building.

        I’d say a retirement community with an assisted living (and maybe nursing home) option would be a first choice. If that’s not possible, are there other decent condos suitable for aging in your area?

        No way would I go with B unless yard maintenance is what she adores and keeps her feeling good.

    • Anonymous

      If return-on-investment is in any way a factor for you, then option B, since it seems reasonably priced and likely to appreciate in value (unlike the absurdly overpriced option A with add-on HOA fees). However, with option B, you have to factor in the risk of loneliness/social isolation and accessibility if something were to happen to her (falls are a big deal for older people, from which they seldom fully recover and then solo living becomes exceedingly difficult). I think the best option is C: rent in a senior-friendly retirement community or home/condo, as the case may be. It won’t be a financial drain and preserves flexibility if circumstances change.

    • Anon

      Option A but negotiate the price down. If they aren’t selling then you should have lots of room on the price.

    • Anon

      OP here. Thanks for your thoughtful replies so far. A few comments:

      I guess I didn’t fully convey that we’re in a rural, LCOL area. There are no apartment complexes anywhere in our area (people who need to rent rent a house). The nearest retirement community is an hour away and a studio apartment there is $4,650 per month, which is absolutely not even remotely within the realm of possibility, especially not while she’s in perfectly good health. The condo community was built on spec by a developer from the big city 2 hours away taking a stab at trying something new in our community, to make us the next big thing, but clearly he missed the mark since it’s not selling. A condo community – heck, building a whole new neighborhood of any kind on spec – is a really radical concept here.

      My mom’s an odd duck who LOVES being alone in her house. She generally only leaves the house once a week and doesn’t see another person except on her errand day. That’s my own defintion of he11, but she loves it. She’ll get involved in something if you invite her, and she’ll be happy to be involved, but she doesn’t put herself out there. (She says it’s because she was in customer service for 40 years that she’s perfectly happy not interacting with other humans.) So I want her to have neighbors close by, just in case she could become social, but even if there were planned activities, I don’t know how much she’d participate.

      Also, here at least, ranch = one level house. So this is a choice between a stand-alone one-level structure vs. a stand-alone one-level structure. (The condos are not attached – the units aren’t in a building – it’s just a new neighborhood that’s legally set up as a condo association.) Both options are walking distance from Main St, should she feel so inclined to browse our couple antique shops. And our house is 10 minutes from either option. A half acre is a tiny yard for this area – the norm for a SFH is 6-8 acres, but many people have dozens of acres.

      When we went into the condo model last week, the agent said they were having their first team meeting this week to discuss “incentives.” Btw, $265k is the cheapest unit available. They go up to $450k. I think the one that sold was on the higher end, so I think they think If You Build It, They Will Come. She said she’d call me if they decided on anything, and I can’t imagine an agent not following up on a good lead, and my phone hasn’t rung, so I guess they decided not to offer any incentives right now.

      • anon

        With this information, I would go with the ranch house! You could always sell it if her needs change.

      • Anon

        Yeah, this information changes everything. The ranch is the way to go here.

        But, more importantly, what does your mom want?

        • Anon

          If her mom can’t afford to pay her own expenses, I’m not sure her mom’s preferences are that relevant here. I believe we have an obligation to keep our parents in safe, sanitary living conditions but beyond that, the person paying the bills makes the decisions.

    • Anon

      Can only speak for my mother’s experience. She has disability issues but is a social butterfly, and went with a townhouse that has a yard and shared maintenance fees. However, she keeps complaining to me about not buying the condo that was around $250k -350k a year ago and regrets buying the townhouse.

      1. She fell recently and it’s been hard for her to get around in the townhouse. She sometimes feels very lonely and scared being in the townhouse and misses the feeling of an apartment. We also lived in apartments our whole lives.

      2. Even with the maintenance, the cost of upkeeps to the townhouse via hiring people to do various fixes is quite costly and annoying. An apartment would have been much more manageable.

      3. The condo was not selling for the first year but once about half of the units were sold, it suddenly became super popular as words spread and prices doubled in a year. Now the developer is building another one next door and the cheapest unit is going for $450k! Meanwhile, the value of the townhouse has actually dropped, so go figure.

  4. Anonymous

    I’m headed to my small hometown this weekend and I am sure to run into my most recent ex. We split up about six months ago and have had limited contact since then (he’ll send me a link or photo of his nephews every few weeks). We split up because we have very different goals for the future – I’m decidedly settled in a state with seven years of practice, soon to make partner, love my job, don’t want kids, while he still plans to become a surgeon someday and thinks it would be fun to have 5-6 kids and travel until those things happen (he just went back to school full time for an engineering masters). I know we are not long term compatible, but I think it’ll be painful to see him, because the day to day of our relationship was pretty wonderful…when I could turn off the future plans part of my brain. I guess I’m just pouring this out to internet strangers.

    • Anonymous

      Just remember there’s nothing wrong with protecting yourself and not engaging with him

    • Anonymous

      He wants to be a surgeon but is heading to school for a masters? He sound like a sweet dreamer, which would get old fast for me.

      • Anon

        Yeah, this. That’s cute when you’re 16; if he’s old enough for a master’s, and he’s old enough to date someone who graduated law school seven years ago, he should have his head out of the clouds.

        • Monday

          He also “wants to have 5-6 kids and travel” BEFORE all of this. OP, I’m sure you’ve already gone through this intellectually, but breaking up was definitely the right call based on what you say. You can handle the pain of seeing him. It will be over quickly and probably get easier next time.

          • Anon

            It’s all so confusing to me. 5-6 kids and tons of travel are not the most compatible life plans, to say nothing of the whole “going back to school to be a surgeon” thing. This guy has no idea what he wants.

          • anon

            “This guy has no idea what he wants.” Ding ding ding!

            I broke up with someone who had no idea what he wanted. It was painful. It was the right decision. I would never have been able to pursue ANY goal while tied down to someone who couldn’t make a decision about anything.

          • Nah

            I read that to say he wanted to “travel until those things happen,” meaning he wants to travel until he becomes a surgeon and they have 5 or 6 kids. None of which is going to happen, btw….

      • OP

        yes… It did get old. And he’s 33. So if he did go to school, he wouldn’t start his ‘career’ until his early 40s. I had such a hard time wrapping my head around that, but he didn’t see it as a big deal.

        • Senior Attorney

          You dodged a bullet. And I see nothing wrong with dodging him while you’re in town.

        • Anon

          Curious as to whether you know his Meyers Briggs type. My sister is an impractical/idealistic dreamer and she sounds a lot like your ex. I’m a planner and she will tell me her future plans and they make absolutely no sense. Like there is no way to get from where we are standing to where she plans to be. Like, she keeps saying she’s going to go to medical school part-time at a school that is 4.5 hours away from where she lives and works full time and has two elementary school aged children. Did she plan to move, I asked her? No, she said, she would commute.

          • Anon

            I’m willing to chalk a lot up to personality, but some people are able to be like this because other people sort out their lives for them. If they ever had to get their heads out of the clouds to avoid starvation, they would.

            Alternately, with some people, you can interpret “I want to go to medical school part-time” as “I am a big, important person, who pursues her dreams while managing her family! Think highly of me!”

        • Nope

          Yeah this dude is not going to be a surgeon. It’s a coin toss if he’s going to finish this engineering masters.

    • Vicky Austin

      Sometimes when it comes to kids I think men can’t count. 5-6??? Good lord.

      • Anon

        It’s not about not being able to count, it’s about not bothering to understand or, even worse, actually enjoying, the physical, emotional and career impact that children have on women. My best friend’s husband jokes in earnest that he wants 6 kids. He’s an a55 and it’s absolutely about keeping my brilliant, talented friend barefoot and pregnant at home so he can be the breadwinner and the one with the Big Career.

        • Anonymous

          Yea seriously. At 33 and going back for an engineering masters, he’s not going to be a surgeon. He might land an ok programming job and pull in 80-100k. Good luck raising 5-6 kids to him and working past retirement.

        • anon

          This. Dating men in their mid-late 30s… “oh I guess I want to have kids some day.” Or they’ve just barely thought about it. Cool. I guess then you’ll be “resigned” to looking for women in their mid-20s because “they still have time left.” Funny how that worked out.

          • Anon

            They will try to date the 25 year olds. They might get a date or two from a few of them. They will then start pursing 35 year old women.

        • Anon

          Ugh, I dated a man like that for all of about three months. It was so obvious that he was into undermining me. They get a high off of wrecking what they can never be, rather than enjoying being with someone who can outshine them.

      • anon

        Seriously. My SIL and BIL once said they wanted 5-6 kids. Then they had 1. He happened to be the kind of kid who never slept. They didn’t have a second until the first kid was 5 years old, and they laugh at their past selves.

  5. Anonymous

    My parents are both retired, early 60s, computer literate but not savvy (i.e., they can turn it on and use email/Google, but can’t troubleshoot, need training to find new programs, they don’t find them on their own). They’ve decided to replace their old desktop. I’m inclined to recommend a couple iPads or other tablet – I think they want a keyboard, but will like the portability. Any recommendations? Budget approx. $500 total.

    They need something that will use Microsoft Word, Google docs, and the internet. No storage concerns, we’re looking for user friendly.

    • Seattle is Casual

      Both my parents and my grandpa likes their tablets a lot. My dad, who is possibly the most tech illiterate person in the world, picked it up with no issues. My mom got an iPad Pro and frequently remarks to me that she doesn’t even need her laptop anymore! Which, yes, I told her that.

      The only tricky part is that printing can be a PITA if there are no AirPrint printers.

    • Anon

      I got my mom a chromebook for this purpose and she loves it. But it did take some getting to used to.

    • Ms B

      I love my Chromebook for basic uses. It has a hard shell, a carry handle built into the case, a full keyboard, something like 8 hour battery life during use, and recharges in 90 minutes. I plug in a mouse for office purposes and use Word through an app, plus Google Docs, Evernote, and all the thingz on the internet; the trackpad works fine for surfing etc. Very happy with my choice. I believe the total cost was around $200 a couple years ago (I won it in a drawing, so I do not know the actual price).

    • Anon

      If they are using Microsoft word, I don’t think a tablet will be enough. I have let to find a tablet on which office products really work.

      Maybe something more like a chromebook. It has that functionality, when still being portable.

    • Anon.

      Don’t get your parents a tablet without a keyboard. That’s not what they want nor what they’d use – you’re trying to determine what is best for them. If anything, get a small chromebook or very light weight laptop so they can still send email and use the internet easily. Just because they’re retired doesn’t mean they’re only going to use it for watching shows or want to tip tap one by one on a screen to send an email.

      Generally, I don’t recommend getting someone something that YOU think they need but that you can pretty objectively sense that they won’t want.

      • Senior Attorney

        Amen. I would HATE a tablet in place of a real computer with a keyboard. If you must, get them Chromebooks or similar.

        • Senior Attorney

          And also? Have they asked for your advice? Because if not, how about letting them choose for themselves like the competent adults they are.

          • Anonymous

            +1000. I read this twice making sure I understood what you were asking. They are in their early 60s. My dad carries an iphone, an iPad pro, and a laptop with him everywhere he goes, you know, for HIS JOB at age 65. And I just finished talking to my partner about a case while he tapped away on his laptop and he’s 68. We’re not talking about an invalid who can’t figure out newfangled technology, I suspect.

          • Anonymous

            I’m sure they’ll appreciate her thoughtful recommendation. There’s no indication here that she’s going to strongarm them into something they truly don’t want.

          • Anon

            Right? My husband is in his early 60s and knows more about software and computer systems than anyone I know, and is paid handsomely for it.

            Please reset your perspective on early 60s being dottering old age.

          • Anon

            I think all these comments are overreacting. She didn’t say they’re not computer savvy *because* they’re older. Some 60 year olds are super proficient when it comes to technology, some aren’t, and it sounds like her parents aren’t. That doesn’t mean she implied that 60 is dottering old age.

    • Anonymous

      Thanks for the feedback, all! They have asked for my help, I’m going to bring my iPad and laptop for them to try out. The only store they have near them is a Wal-Mart so we will probably stop there to try out whatever WalMart offers in stores. They don’t like having to sit at the computer desk for every email or video (my mom has a room on another level of their home dedicated to crafts, but her phone screen is too small for her to watch instructional videos there). I’m not sure if they actually will end up with the same thing. We will check out Chromebooks for sure!

  6. Anonymous

    What foundation do you wear, and do you wear it daily? I’ve got the Perricone no-makeup one and only wear it for special occasions.

    • anonymous

      I have a few different foundations I rotate between:

      Wet n Wild Photo Focus
      L’Oreal True Match
      Cover Girl True Blend Matte
      Makeup Forever HD Mat Velvet

    • Eager Beaver

      I recently got the serum foundation from The Ordinary, and I like it a lot. I wear light make-up on most days of the work week. Weekends are hit or miss.

    • Anon

      Maybelline Fit Me. A little goes a long way and gives great medium coverage (so your skin looks smooth and like you but better but not “gosh she’s wearing makeup”, but will give full coverage with an extra layer.)
      Super coverage – Kevyn Aucoin
      Lazy days for me call for powder makeup applied in 30 seconds – MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation

    • pugsnbourbon

      I just found Covergirl’s Active line and really like it. I’m oily and ruddy – it handles both and doesn’t feel heavy. I wear it most weekdays, on the weekends if I feel like it.

    • Small Firm IP Litigator

      Makeup Forever Ultra HD in Amber Honey. Set with Givency Prism Libre in Taffetas Beige. Every day.

      Thank goodness makeup brands are offering a wider range of shades, including the formerly elusive foundation for light skin with strong golden undertones. No more messy mixing. :)

    • anon

      Bobbi Brown turns too oily on me, and Chanel was fine but too expensive to not wow me. I finally went back to old-school Clinique and absolutely love it. My favorite formula is the Acne Solutions.

    • Stars

      Been wearing the Lancome tient idole ultra long wear foundation daily for years. Stays on all day and doesn’t irritate my sensitive combination skin.

    • Anon

      I wear the Dr. Jart+ premium BB cream a lot of us on here wear. The light color is a great match, and it has a non chemical physical only sunscreen, which my mild rosacea requires.

      I would actually like a different light foundation for a rare night out when i don’t need the sunscreen, but I haven’t found one.

    • Biggest Balls in the Room

      I wear Amorepacific Color Control Cushion Compact Broad Spectrum SPF 50+ daily. I love that it’s very sheer but evens out my skin tone and provides some spf protection.

    • Anon

      The new Pat McGrath foundation is my holy grail!

      I have dry, pale skin with pink undertones, age 36. I have some redness, but otherwise very good skin, so I just use foundation to even out the redness. I don’t like my foundation to be visible at all, so the issue was finding the right color match in a foundation with sheer coverage where it evens out my skin tone without looking like I have anything on my face. I put on a separate layer of sunscreen (Elta MD) so no need for sunscreen in my foundation. I’d been wearing the DiorSkin BB cream for ages, but it was recently discontinued and I went on a long hunt for new foundation while using up the last of my discontinued product. I am happy to report that the Pat McGrath foundation is it for me.

      Oh, and I usually apply BB cream/foundation with a brush, but the Sephora rep suggested that it was meant to be applied with fingertips and I’ve found that applying with my fingers does actually work even better than with a brush. So that’s a positive as well.

  7. Anonymous

    I have a nice standing desk at work (the whole desk mechanically moves up) that I never use. i want to use it more. For those of you who have one, how did you ‘train yourself’ to use it? Should I start with an hour a day? Move my chair to the other side of my office?

    • Standing desk

      Get one of the standing pad things that allow you to stand in different positions; also, don’t wear shoes or wear supportive shoes. I can’t focus when I just can think about how much my feet hurt.

      I like to use mine when I’m focusing- reviewing a long document, on a call, etc. If I’m just mindlessly switching to different programs or doing a bunch of things I tend to focus more on “this sucks, I want to sit down.”

    • Anonymous

      For me it’s more task based. Tasks where I stand- Filing a bunch of emails/ organizing all conference calls, and days where deals are closing so I’m pacing and writing only quick emails and likely on a bunch of calls. Tasks where I sit- drafting or reading documents or when I’m tired of standing.

    • Coach Laura

      Love standing. I use my phone alarm on a repeating 30 minute window so sit for 30, stand for 30. I have back problems if I sit too long but I don’t get the pain if I alternate, so before I had a stand up desk, I’d have to get up and walk every 30 minutes so this is a continuation of that. The cushy pad helps but sometimes I don’t use that. If I’m wearing slip-off shoes, I change to supportive shoes but I never go out of my way to remove buckle sandals or zip-off boots. Most of my shoes are 1.5-2 inch heels and pretty comfortable, enough that I could walk a mile in them no problem, so standing isn’t an issue.

  8. Anonymous

    My college roomie (we’re in our early 30s now) is coming to my city with her family this weekend, but I’m headed out of town and can’t change my plans. I’d like to leave a gift at the hotel for her. She has 4 small kids, and her husband and parents are also coming. She recently started traveling a lot for work (cross country flights) and her family is having a hard time adjusting to her being gone so much (her 4 year old daughter pours on the guilt!). Any gift ideas? budget $30ish. I was thinking some face masks from Sephora?

    • Anun walks into a bar

      How about making a memory, like a small quick game that works well with 4 year olds, like Uno? A gift card for a quick stop, like to go out for ice cream or snow balls (a MD thing, something else for your region)?

      A little something to have a midnight-snack picnic in the hotel room?

    • Vicky Austin

      That sounds really kind. I’m gauche, but I always love microwave popcorn in a hotel – maybe include that as a fun bonus for the kids?

      • Vicky Austin

        – in addition to the face masks, which is what I thought sounded so nice.

    • Anonymous

      I think facemasks would be great. They don’t count as liquids (at least, I’ve never had a problem with that) and are great for travel.

    • anon

      A local sweet, or gift card for a local place famous for its desserts (ice cream, donuts, ice + sugar syrup concoction, candy, etc).

      I also like the idea of microwave popcorn in the hotel room.

  9. Anonymous

    Tips for healing blisters? Breaking in a new pair of shoes and it’s not going well.

    • ToS

      Time heels them. Get a shoe stretcher for whatever part is rubbing hard if there is an optioni for stretching them without your feet doing the pushing. Put powder in the shoes to ease friction. You may need more mid-day. Protect the blistering area with band-aids (yes, it might be several) to ease further rubbing – let them take the friction (Hikers have been known to use duct tape for this purpose)

      Air out your feet at home and remove the band-aids. Put your feet up when you can. Soak them if you want, but start with dry feet before the next round with band-aids and any shoe.

    • Anonymous

      Compeed Advanced Blister Care, recent discovery and game changer for my summer sandal shredded feet.

    • Anon

      Good shoes won’t give you blisters. If shoes hurt me that much I return them.

      • Anonymous

        They’re dance shoes and for them to fit correctly, they need to be bought a bit too snug and stretch to my feet. So the blistering is to be expected, just looking for ways to encourage faster healing.

    • Anon

      If I’ve already formed a blister and it’s too late to prevent one, I personally invest in those expensive Tylenol brand blister bandages that become a part of your foot for a while until they fall off like a gross artificial blister and underneath my skin is 100% fine again.

    • Coach Laura

      I used Nexcare Waterproof bandages every time I wore a pair of new sandals this summer. After 3-4 wears I could skip them. They are good because they keep the skin from tearing and are waterproof (mostly) so I could wear for a day or two without replacing.

  10. Clara

    Boston ladies – where would you suggest going for a walk at night once it’s dark? Back Bay Area? Harvard square? Anywhere in the city works.

    I like to go on walks, it’s getting dark earlier and I work late. When I lived in Manhattan I did this without really thinking twice but where I live now I don’t think it’s the same . I should / could go on morning walks, but I’d like to ask about this too.

    • Ellen

      Boston is very small compared to NYC, and you can find yourself in a $hitty neighborhood within blocks of downtown. Once you start walking, you really don’t have to much control as to who is near you and has bad intentions. If youre new to the area, talk to other people who walk and ask them. There may be some walkers in the HIVE. I would walk at lunch for starters (in Downtown, Beacon Hill, the Italian North end) and that will get you some perspective. BU area is mixed, Dad says, and just b/c it is Commonweath avenue does not mean there aren’t alot of scuzzballs out there to oooogle you. Dad says NOT to walk at night, nor to early in the morning, as there are alot of drunks that first start moving early when the sun comes up after sleeping it off on a park bench. Once it starts getting cold, they may stay inside (in places like Brighton) but Dad says that unless you’re out far in the subburbs (near Boston College), you can expect to have more then your share of weirdos ooogeling you if you are out there in tights. FOOEY on men who have nothing better to do then oooogle us!

    • Anonymous

      I think anywhere near the universities would be nice and still populated – Harvard Square, up Commonwealth Ave or Beacon St near BU, etc.

    • Anonymous

      I can’t think of anywhere I’d recommend for long walks after 8pm on Sunday-Wednesday, to be honest. The Harvard Sq suggestion is probably your best bet. How much walking are you talking though? If you’re just looking to stroll a bit and be around other people, you could safely wander around Quincy Market or a short stretch of Boylston near Copley or Charles Street in Beacon Hill.

    • Anonymous

      Anywhere near the universities will be a) well-lit and b) amply equipped with emergency call posts. You could do a loop or part of a loop around the MIT campus – the full loop from Kendall Square to Cambridgeport and back is roughly 3 miles. The sidewalks are also shoveled and well salted (perhaps too heavily salted for something that drains into the Charles River) in the winter.

  11. Kat G

    Just for everyone’s amusement, here’s a crazy spam comment we got earlier today…

    I’m Lina Merlina from the United States, i was been transformed to a Vampire through the help of Vampire Family in California, it was just as easy as possible, at first i was thinking it going to take a while for my ( D.N.A.) to respond to the spell, all i did was just to follow the procedure that i was been told, and i bet you that procedure I took change my entire life to something i ever desire, freedom, sickness free, pains free, fame, influence, connections and even more that i can. Thanks to my dear friend Mr. Enrique who directed me to Mystic vampire home.

    if you wish to be like me contact the vampire at

  12. Anonymous

    So a couple of weeks ago, I had a Tinder one night stand. The guy texted the next day, said he had a great time, I said I did too, he said he had a really great time again, and I didn’t respond. A couple of days later I deleted my kik account. Would it be weird to contact him through a new kik now? Just to say hey?

    • Anon

      I mean, it sounds like he was feeling you out for a second round. If you’re interested, then by all means go for it.

Back to Top

About

Work with Corporette®

Serious Stuff

work fashion blog press mentions