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Updated: Nov 1, 2018 204 Comments · by

Wednesday’s TPS Report: Cashmere Blazer

The Personal Shopper (TPS)· Under $150 |

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Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. Neiman Marcus Cashmere Blazer I love a good sweater blazer — they're just a bit more dressy than a cardigan, but so much comfier than a blazer. These are on a pretty good discount, too: they were $395, but are now marked to $138. Lots of colors and sizes left, too. Neiman Marcus Cashmere Blazer Seen a great piece you'd like to recommend? Please e-mail tps@corporette.com. (L-2) Psst: Check out more great deals at the Corporette Bargains page!

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Comments

    • Ellen

      I agree, it is very nice, and reasonabely priced too!

      I have a question for the HIVE. I read all about YAHOO and thier new policy of no workeing from home.

      Personally, I have to work from home alot b/c I have lousy DSL internet from work, and often I have to research at night, which I do on my Apple MACBOOK AIR and WIRELESS ROOTER, which is so much faster then the DSL conection we have at work.

      Do other attorney’s work from home like me? Would they if they could? If not, why not?

      The manageing partner is doeing a study, and I told him I would ask the HIVE b/c your all very smart!

  2. Kerry

    Speaking of difficult to care for fabrics (or insert other segue here) – does anyone have advice on how to keep an embroidered dress from pulling? I have a woven silk/wool dress with an embroidered pattern in the fabric, but I noticed today the threads are starting to pull out. Any tips on how to keep it all in place?

    • V

      Craft stores sell something called Fray-Check (and there are similar products). Maybe it’s also on Amazon? It’s a glue-type thing in a tube that you can also use to keep the raw edges on hair bows from unraveling. I’ve used it on embroidered things, but just in spots, to keep problems like this from getting worse (pulling the threads in from the wrong side is best, but sometimes you have to get creative to stay there — again, only work on the wrong side). It doesn’t work well on large areas and a delicate touch is a must (you may want to practice laying thin lines). And you must let it dry undisturbed. But perhaps that’s a fix is the rest of the embroidery is intact?

    • Mpls

      Have you washed it yet, or is the fraying just from regular wear? For cleaning purposes, I’d be sure to handwash/dry clean only, because agitation is going to be hell on the embroidery. If it’s just from regular wear, and the threads are pulling out from the inside, I’d suggest adding a lining to keep the threads from catching on whatever fabric you are wearing underneath. If they are pulling out from the outside….you might be SOL and you’ll just need to limit to wearing the item when you know you won’t be rubbing up against anything.

  3. AIMS

    I like a good sweater blazer too, usually, but this one seems a bit dowdy. I think it’s the boxy cut and loose, bunched sleeves. Definitely more cardigan than blazer, insofar as these things go.

    • CW

      I agree. I love sweater blazers but I don’t like the shape (or color) of this one. Also, does anyone look good in olive green?

      • gouda

        Yes! I have fair skin and green eyes, and it’s one of my best colors. Black, on the other hand, makes me look like I’ve been dead for a week.

      • CKB

        I do! It matches my eyes and makes my skin look great.

        I agree about the shape of this. It’s a little off.

      • Anastasia

        I have pale skin, hazel eyes and medium hair with reddish undertones, and olive green is one of my best colors!

        But I agree about thes shape of this sweater; it’s either hanging really strangely or it’s oddly boxy. It does look like it has very long sleeves though, which I’m always a fan of…

      • petitesq

        Agree on the shape. Tends toward schlumpy. Also I look pretty good in olive green for many of the reasons above – light but olive complexion, green eyes.

      • hellskitchen

        I do. I have brown skin and black hair and olive green brings out the warm tones in my skin without washing me out (like beige and taupe does)

        • Olivia Pope

          I have similar coloring and get a lot of compliments with olive green. Im wearing it now!

  4. NOLA

    I wore my favorite cashmere sweater yesterday and discovered a hole in one sleeve. It looks like the thread is broken. I know it came with a small amount of yarn for repair, but I can’t find it (the sweater is two years old). I don’t know what else to do. I know I could sort of darn it with like-colored thread (I’m a knitter so I know how to pick up the loops) but I’m afraid it will show on such a delicate sweater. Any thoughts? Time to throw it away?

    • ss

      I’d darn it and keep it if it’s cashmere and a favourite. Maybe delegate it to more casual wear if you’re really self-conscious about the patch ?

    • Monday

      I’ve mended many cashmere sweaters in the way you describe. I find that as long as the thread is well-matched to the color it hardly shows at all, unless you’re very close and looking for the stitches. I say definitely don’t give up on the sweater without trying this.

      • NOLA

        Yeah, I really wish I could find the yarn that came with it. That would solve the problem. But I cleaned out a bunch of old buttons and stuff awhile back and may have inadvertently thrown it away. I’ll check my thread colors and maybe buy something. It’s mint green so it’ll need to be a good match. I guess I’m just concerned about the size of the hole, but it may be smaller than I think once I get it pulled together. It’s sort of on the back of my arm so not too noticeable. I put a piece of tape behind the hole yesterday morning to hold it together.

        • Anon

          Nola – if your options are (a) fix it and hope the fix is not noticeable or (b) throw it away, you may as well try to fix it first. Best case scenario is that it looks great and you can continue to wear your favorite sweater. Worst case scenario is that it looks terrible, you end up having to throw it out anyway, and you’ve only wasted 30 minutes (plus some thread).

          I hope it works!!

        • Monday

          Naturally, I have a million yarn swatches for who-knows-what, kicking around for years, but never the yarn swatch for the sweater that actually busts a hole. I try to keep a wide color spectrum of thread around all the time, but I agree that for a favorite item it’s probably worth it to buy a new spool to make sure it’s the right color.

        • zora

          I hear that if you’re patching without the original thread, you should go a tiny bit darker, rather than lighter. If you go darker the eye will see it as a shadow, whereas something lighter will catch the eye. If it’s just one hole, you should be able to salvage it. People probably won’t notice.

    • O.

      I had a tailor make a long sleeve cashmere cardigan into a short sleeve cardigan after I got holes in the elbows. Maybe an option if you can’t mend the hole.

    • MB

      I know this sounds very fancy pant-sy, but I love wearing older cashmere sweaters around the house as loungewear. They are so comfortable and warm (although you are in a warmer climate, so you may not have the same urge to run home and put on fleece pants, slippers and a cashmere sweater).

      I would definitely not throw it away, though.

      • NOLA

        That sound awesome! Actually, I don’t have central heat so when it’s cold here my house is cold and it tends to hold the cold (raised house). So that’s not out of the question. Of course, I also noticed yesterday that it has gotten really dingy so second priority is cleaning.

      • Anon

        I do this, too. My oversized grey crewneck cashmere sweater (4 holes and counting now, I think) is my favorite home lounge top. It feels like I’m wearing a hug.

      • a.

        I do this, too. I also love pulling my ancient, hole-ridden black cashmere sweater on for stuff like walking the dog or quick runs to the grocery store. It’s still so warm and snuggly and comfy, I wouldn’t even think of throwing it out, even though I’d never wear it to work or anything fancier than a coffee shop.

    • MJ

      You could also take it to a french reweaver. They will have a matching color yarn. I just had two small holes done and it was $35 (in NorCal, where everything is crazy pricy). Worth it though…the sweaters cost much more than that and now look like new.

  5. darjeeling

    I like this. The sleeves look like they would stretch halfway to my knees but it also looks like they could be easily hemmed.

  6. Headphone/Earbud Recs?

    I currently use cheap Apple earbuds that I think came free with my iPod. They never fit comfortably, which makes me wonder whether I have very small ear holes. Now, five years in, they are also falling apart. I would love recommendations for replacements — ideally not too expensive and able to reduce outside noise. I don’t know that I have a huge preference for over-ear v. in-ear, although I wear earrings regularly, so maybe in-ear is better. Thanks!

    • BB

      My husband really likes the Skull Candy in-ear headphones. He spent a long time looking for the right “fit” in in-ear ones too and the ones that came with his iPhone never fit properly. I’m more of an over-ear person, but I also don’t wear earrings.

    • momentsofabsurdity

      I also find in-ear headphones don’t fit comfortably. Sometimes, I find a pair of ear buds with the little rubber/silicone surrounding the speaker, and those occasionally fit better – BUT they get grosser because I think the ear wax (ew) sticks to the rubber more than it does to the plastic. They do hurt less, though.

      I use over-the-ear headphones at home (the really big ones that fit over your whole ear), which are incredibly comfortable and keep your ears really warm, and I am constantly cycling through earbuds and haven’t found the right one that works for me, for the gym.

      • Emmabean

        For the gym, I wear in-ear buds that go over my head. I think s ony makes the ones I have. They were cheap (<$20) and never fall out because of the over-the head design.

        The interesting drawback is that they're kind of out of style these days and difficult to find!

        • esquared

          These are my fave too! They didn’t have them at Target the other day, so I bought 2 pairs on Amazon, they are about $10/pair.

    • mascot

      I have a pair of Creative in-ear buds that do a decent job of blocking out ambient noise, but aren’t noise cancelling. Nice for work or other times that I need to be aware of what is going on.
      I have a Sony pair of over the ears that I use for working out.

    • SFBayA

      I love my Bose earbuds. They came with several sizes of the actual “bud” part so that I could find the small size that fit my ears. The iPhone/iPod earbuds are awful. I’ve had the Bose ones for at least five years and they still work great.

      • TBK

        I have the Bose ones and even with all the attachments, none works for my earholes, so YMMV.

      • eek

        I am on conference calls all day and I just purchased the Bose MIE2i In-ear headphones w/ mic. I’m very happy with the comfort and also that they stay put (even when exercising). I don’t like that the wire is black and white – why? The newly designed Apple earbuds didn’t work for me (fell out, uncomfortable), but neither did the old ones, except that they were free.

        I recently purchased and returnd the Monster iSport in ear headphones w mic. They were uncomfortable and I couldn’t get them to fit correctly. I did like the flat cable, it made them less likely to get tangled.

        • eek

          I forgot to mention that with the Monster ones, several people mentioned my voice sounded bass-y, which is distracting on calls.

    • Dulcinea

      There are earbuds that come with little loops that go around your ears…I had a cheapo pair from an airport convenience store but I bet some of the good companies make them as well…I have the same problem as you, regular earbuds don’t stay in my ears, but the ones with the loops were good. Mine were sort of like this: http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR-AS20J-Active-Headphones-Hangers/dp/B0015AHRFK but the loops only went around the top, if that makes any sense. Good luck!

    • a.k.

      I bought some Yurbuds at a sports expo – they are silicone covers that help the apple earbuds fit better, and actually stay in your ear. It was kind of an impulse buy, but they are terrific – they fit comfortably and I can still hear loud ambient noise like cars. And a bonus is that they never ever fall out when I’m running.

      • phillygirlruns

        another vote for yurbuds – you can get them at target. they’re about $30.

    • Bailey270

      I like the JVC Marshmallow earbuds. They’re in-ear, but squishy, so they stay in. I have never been able to get the apple earbuds to stay in, for even a minute, but I can run with these. They are usually about $20, so not too expensive to try out. I have had problems where the volume was reduced or absent on one of the earbuds, but only after about a year, and that may be largely my fault, as I tend to have the cord tangled up and pulled on other things in my bag.

    • wintergreen126

      The new Apple earbuds are actually pretty nice. They’ve reshaped them so they fit well, they stay in, and the sound has definitely improved over the old ones.

      I’m happy with them.

    • 312

      Love my $6 Panasonic earbuds from Amazon. They also noise reduce. They’re pretty comfy too.

    • Cornellian

      Brookstone has quite a selection of earbuds. I have a pair that was a bit pricey for earbuds (maybe $80?) but has AMAZING sound, three sizes of ear… plugs?, and a longer cord than normal, which I love. They’re black with wood around the actual ear bud.

    • BAB

      MEElectronics sport earbuds. They aren’t as good as the Bose ones, but they do a pretty good job at noise cancellation, come with six different tips, and have a pretty decent microphone (I’ve used them for videochats while traveling). I got mine from amazon for about $20. I liked them so much, I bought a bunch to give out as stocking stuffers last Christmas.

    • Parfait

      I have tiny earholes too, and I’m pretty well resigned to over-the-ear models. I did find some earbuds with multiple sizes of the rubbery in-ear bits, and the extra-small size worked great. Until i put them through the wash accidentally. Search Amazon for extra small earbuds and you should find various brands and also the replacement rubbery bits.

    • Anon

      The kind of earbuds that comes with different sized plastic things are the best kind, imo. The standard apple earbuds never fit in my ears either (they must be designed for men!) but a bunch of different brands that came with multiple sized things have on the smallest one.

    • Calibrachoa

      I love, love, loooove my Sennheiser earbuds – they’re pricey, but the sound quality is heavenly and the buds are very “moldable” – my ears are different sizes and both sides fit perfectly.

    • a lawyer

      Shure E215! Fabulous, comfortable, they stay in during vigorous activity–running or elliptical, or even housework. Two year warranty (they sent me a brand new set when mine shorted due to too much moisture).

  7. Harrumph

    This conversation should never, ever happen.

    Man: “Looks like you don’t have much more to go – how are you feeling?”
    8-months pregnant woman: “Pretty well, thanks, but tired!”
    Man: “The last few months are the worst, huh?”
    Woman: “haha, I guess so, but the whole thing isn’t exactly a picnic.”
    Man: “Well, pregnancy isn’t difficult, as long as you don’t have morning sickness.”

    Oh really, dude? I’m sure you know better than I do. Please, tell me again how it is easy to be pregnant on top of a demanding career and all your other responsibilities. I’m fascinated.

    • A nonny moose

      I really would have put on a huge, interested smile and said “Oh wow! Cool! How many kids have you carried!”

    • CKB

      Sorry he put you off, but maybe he has a wife & can sympathize with what you’re going through. I know my dh has talked pg with pg women before, and never thought he was offending them. Just trying to show his support & that he was sympathetic. I mean, he listened to me complain through 6 pg (3 m/c) so he does know a little bit about it, even though he hasn’t experienced it himself.

      • a.

        Eh, granted I’ve never been pregnant, but I was fine with the exchange until he got to “Well, pregnancy isn’t difficult.”

        • Harrumph

          I was ok with it until that point, too. Then, I’m pretty sure smoke started coming out of my ears…

      • new york associate

        Also, the truth is that every pregnancy is different – so just because a man (or woman for that matter) has experienced one pregnancy does not make him or her an expert on all pregnancies. Your wife had an easy pregnancy? Great! Doesn’t change the fact that I might not be having an easy pregnancy.

        • new york associate

          (Wait. I just saw that you had SIX pregnancies. Having been through six probably gives people some expertise!)

  8. TO Lawyer

    My office is so quiet today due to all the snow – I wish I had an excuse to work from home in my pjs…

  9. KC

    Anyone else frustrated with retailers that only offer returns for store credit? I don’t mind paying return fees as I tend to do most of my shopping online and figure that $5-10 probably nets out with time/travel saved. But having a store credit/gift card return makes me very hesitant to buy from a retailer because I’m not sure if they’ll have something that I like (or that fits) in the future.

    • MB

      If I can try it on in the store, and its a smaller, boutique store, I understand and don’t mind the policy. Online where I can’t try on first, or in large mass retailers, I won’t buy something if its store-credit only.

    • Sydney Bristow

      I avoid shopping at places like that when I’m buying online because I never know whether something will fit right or not. If I shop in person, at least I can try it on and know if it fits but I’m still hesitant about store credit for the same reasons as you unless it is a major department store or something.

  10. Jane Fairfax

    I found a pair of “original tall” Hunter boots in my size and a color I like online, but I haven’t pulled the trigger yet because I have wide, muscular calves and I have a hard time finding dress boots will fit me. (I’m really on the border, boots made for women with wide calves are too loose on me and most “regular” boots won’t zip up all the way.) Is this something I need to be worried about with Hunter boots?
    I guess I could go to a store and try them on, but I’d rather not take the time if I don’t have too.

    • Divaliscious11

      I have large calves and the original were too narrow but I have the Huntress, not the original and they are roomy enough to wear with boot liners.

    • phillygirlruns

      i have ~16″ calves and the original hunters fit me, but i don’t use the fleece liner AND i sized up one to be safe (from a 9 to a 10).

    • Anonymous

      i would be cautious with the original talls – I’m in the same position you are and found the original short to be way more comfortable and avoid the tightness around the calves

  11. Cb

    Ugh, so high school but inquiring minds want to know. How long before you or your partner (current or past) said the l-word? Began to talk about the future?

    My boyfriend and I have been talking about a trip to my home country in kind of a casual fantasy trip sort of way. I joked that I couldn’t go anywhere before the *massive political event* in 2014 and a friend was a bit shocked that we were (albeit casually) talking about the future like that. Is that weird?

    • cc

      I don’t think its weird to talk casually like that about the future. Probably if you were like let’s buy plane tickets for 2014, it would be weird. L word for me was about 3 months in, but we were in college and hanging out everyday so it is a little different than dating I think. For a lot of my friends it seems to be around the 5-6 month mark (mid 20s) I imagine it moves up the older you are, because I think you know what you want more and don’t waste as much time

    • TBK

      With husband, L-word was about 6 weeks in, but we were talking marriage after four months and engaged after seven, so that’s all pretty quick. My last long term relationship, it was more like at five months.

    • mascot

      Met each other’s families around 4 months, l-word somewhere in there, started talking about future (which would entail us moving to another city) at about 6 months, moved to new city at around 14 months.

      • Cb

        That’s helpful, I think we’re talking about things early because things are quite complicated in terms of my career trajectory (expat, fieldwork abroad in the fall, who knows where in 2015).

        I did meet his family (or at least part of it) really early as they had me along for dinner when I was solo over the holidays.

    • NOLA

      I think, for us it was about 4 months in, but we had known each other for many years before we got together. And we didn’t really talk about the future because it was a weird time (my divorce wasn’t final, etc.) – but we’re older and not planning marriage.

    • Sydney Bristow

      My boyfriend and I said “I love you” after 2 months, travelled to meet each others’ families at 8 months, and then moved in together a few weeks after that.

      It seems fast when I think about it in those terms, but it felt completely natural so I think it happened at the perfect speed for us.

    • Terry

      If you weren’t thinking of some kind of future with this guy there would be no point in dating him.

    • Terry

      If you weren’t thinking of some kind of future with this guy there would be no point in dating him.

      • a.

        Eh, people can want different things out of relationships. Just as an example, when I got to Spain I was licking some emotional wounds from the hardest breakup of my life, and had a fling with a guy that I certainly did not see a future with. It didn’t end well (this is the one who slept with my former roommate, if anyone remembers) but I don’t regret it–having him made me stop thinking about my ex from America, which in turn helped me stop moping and actually commit to my life here. The end game of dating is not always getting some kind of definitive, you-are-my-future type commitment.

        • a.

          And to Cb, only you know what the right pace is for your relationship. As long as both of you are happy, there isn’t a right or wrong timeline for things like the l word or talking about trips.

    • aft

      Last serious BF and I were talking marriage at 6 months. Current BF and I have been together 9 months and I’m considering breaking it off because it’s not progressing quickly enough for me, though I think he’s happy with the pace. Different relationships just move along at different paces; what’s important is that both people are on the same page. And I should probably take my own advice.

    • Anon

      My fiance and I had met families, traveled together, and were already looking for a place to move in together (about 10 months into the relationship) when I finally I asked him if he thought it was weird that we were moving in before we had said I love you. This lead to a conversation in which we defined the term “love” for ourselves and said it to each other. Now we say it all the time. Before I brought it up, and I been expecting him to say it for several months, and it was driving me crazy.

    • Calibrachoa

      Well, mine knew I loved him before we actually got together but then again we have the story of friends for 6 years, one horrible attempt at dating 3 years ago, a year of slowly growing together and realizing this is it behind our 4-month relationship. He knows he’s getting dragged back to my native land during the summer to meet my mom, we’ve casually talked about living together, kids and stuff but in a “yeah it’s in the books once it feels right” kinda way. But I recognize it is different for people who don’t have a strong foundation of friendship to base these things on.

  12. mbs

    Can I just say, Hart of Dixie made me cry last night? Wade, Wade, Wade, what were you thinking?

    • Ugh

      What happened? Do I even want to watch now? I don’t think I can watch. I love Wade and last week’s episode made me super sad but I was hoping nothing happened. Like he just walked her home and realized it was wrong and went home to Zoey.

    • Miss Behaved

      I know. And I loved that both Lavon and George wanted to punch him so Tansy got there first.

    • Susie

      My gym no longer has CW so I’ve missed the last few episodes. I’m team George though.

    • zora

      Ok, I really don’t want to sound like a b*tch, but can we be more careful about spoilers on tv shows here? I watch everything on Hulu so I am always one day behind on tv shows, and it really bums me out when i inadvertently read something like this before i’ve had a chance to watch it :o(

      All it would take is writing an opening line: “Hart of Dixie Spoilers Ahead” at the top of your comment. That would give me the warning i need to scroll away before i read anything substantial. I would then be your best friend and love you forever!

      Ok, you may now proceed with the mocking and telling me to get over myself ;o)

  13. TBK

    Can anyone recommend a good resource (online or print) as a sort of “what to expect when you’re trying to expect”? We’ve been TTC for 10 months and I’m 35, so my OB/GYN gave us a referral for an RE. She also ordered an FSH test (which will be Friday, since I found out today I’m definitely not pg this month) and an HSG. We’re seeing the RE next month. I just don’t know what to expect. What tests might be done? What are the different treatments? I mean, you hear about IVF but also that that’s the end of the road — what other stuff is along that road? How effective is all of it? What are the most common issues? If it’s a Mr. issue, what can they do about that? Just realizing I have absolutely no information about all this and for someone like me, lack of information is very anxiety-producing. Anyone with good recs?

    • Anon

      First, best of luck as you head down this road. There are plenty of us who have been there too and can attest to the highs and lows of the process. Several years ago, my DH and I went down this road and we now have a beautiful (crazy, active and hilarious) toddler.

      This is just my experience, but: At the initial appointment with your RE you should have a chance to ask all kinds of questions about testing, possibilities and procedures. We went through a battery of tests at the initial stages, including having blood tests for genetic issues (you need these anyway when you do become pregnant) and hormone levels. DH was tested for his issues. I had a thorough ultrasound to check out my issues, and I had an HSG (actually, I have had two). For me, neither HSG was too bad, a bit uncomfortable but bearable. When all came back ok, we received the “unexplained infertility” diagnosis.

      Yes, IVF is there at the end, but you may have options before getting to full-blown IVF. We did three cycles of IUI with injectibles (Gonal-F, or similar, if I recall). (I opted to skip clomid as my insurance did not mandate it as a first step and if we went to IVF, we would know how my body reacted to the hormone). Even with IUI, I had every-other day monitoring and blood draws. The third time was the charm for us.

      As for resources, I highly recommend checking out a few books just to educate yourself on the terms, procedures and pros and cons of various options. Taking Charge of Your Fertility is good background on basic fertility. Conquering Infertility is good for the emotional side of things. I read a couple of other books that addressed more of the clinical side, but I can’t seem to find them now. In general, I remember reading a couple of “Get Pregnant Now!” type books and found them to be pretty generic and cheesy. If I can find/remember the better clinical books, I will pass the titles along. Resolve is an infertility action group (may not be the right descriptor) that has a website and is a great source of information.

      This has ended up very long. Sorry about that.

    • eh230

      Have you read Taking Charge of Your Fertility? I think it has a chapter about different procedures.

    • Diana Barry

      If you go on fertile thoughts dot com, they have very helpful message boards.

      Your RE will probably order hormone tests on different days of the cycle to see how your hormones are, whether you’re ovulating, etc. Also a test on Mr. TBK. Note – the HSG test is a little painful – like a bad pap smear – so I would def take advil beforehand.

      The general path if you are not ovulating is clomid with timed garden parties at different strengths (50-100-150), clomid with IUI, maybe some other stimulating drugs thrown in, and then eventually IVF. If it is a Mr. TBK issue, they may jump right to IUI or IUI with sp*rm washing, etc.

      Take heart – I and several of my friends went to REs and took clomid – many of us were successful on month 1 or 2. I only know one person (super skinny, had hypothalamic amenorrhea) who had to do IVF.

      Also, as another side note, after not ovulating for almost 2 yrs before having my first, my cycles came back very regular after #1, and we were able to get #2 and #3 on month 1 or 2 trying.

      • Anon

        Just to echo your comments, after going through several rounds of infertility treatments for #1, we became pregnant with #2 after 2 months of trying. It was wonderful and highly shocking for us!!

        • Anon

          This happened to my mom also. She had infertility treatments in order to get pregnant with me, and then had my brother and sister each two years later without any trouble.

      • Another S

        Seconding the recommendation for pain meds before the HSG. Unless you have a high pain tolerance, definitely take at least Advil before the HSG (my doctor recommended 800 and offered a prescription for something stronger if I wanted it). In my experience, the procedure was a lot worse than a bad pap smear. I took nothing and it was insanely painful but only for about 30-45 seconds. However, holding still enough for the doctor to do the test while in that much pain was very, very hard. Luckily, my tubes were okay. I know people who have had blocked tubes and they said the pain lasted and lasted until the doctor gave up.

        • TBK

          Oh geez, and I’m always in a lot of pain during just regular pap smears. Thanks for the heads’ up. I’ll definitely ask for some pain meds whenever I wind up going.

    • anon

      Sorry you’re going through this. One often recommended resource is RESOLVE’s website. You can also pick up a lot in online forums and blogs, but you have to wade through a lot of cr@p too.

      You didn’t ask about testing but I hope you won’t mind my saying that I’m surprised you’re being subjected to a procedure as involved as an HSG if the Mr. hasn’t been tested at all. Testing him is the cheapest, easiest, least painful of all and statistically speaking he’s just as likely to be the issue as you. My doctor wouldn’t order anything more than blood work for me until my Mr. had been tested. Mr. results come back quickly so it probably won’t set you back time wise.

      • TBK

        Thanks. As for the HSG, a friend who’s an OB said she was also surprised. It turns out I’m going to be out of town around Day 10 (and we’re seeing the RE about one week later) so maybe I’ll just go get the blood work done and see what the RE says about HSG.

        • Anon

          For my RE, the HSG was part of the standard battery of tests prior to any treatment. As I said, for me the HSG wasn’t too bad, but I did take the 800 mg of motrin before hand. Also, in my experience OBs and REs approach fertility/infertility differently. What may be acceptable or in a “normal” range for an OB will not be for an RE.

        • anon

          If you do go through with the HSG (now or later) you may be able to lie about it being day 10. Check with your doctor, obvs, but mine told me to lie. It opens up a larger window in which to have the test and if you know you ovulate on the early side, it gives you time to potentially catch the egg that cycle.

          The one rule is that you should be pre-ovulation, and it definitely helps to be post-period. So, for example, if you got your period on the 10th of the month and you bled until the 15th you could get it done on the 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th or 20th. Just say your period actually started prior to when it really started so that the person performing it thinks it’s day 10. Using the example, if you got the test on the 17th of the month, you’d say your period started on the 7th.

    • DealCube

      Diana Barry hit most of the things I would.

      The “what’s next” will depend on what the initial tests find. You should have a sp*rm analysis done on Mr. TBK before your RE appointment. The appointment will be a waste of time without those results. Treatment plans are highly individualized. IVF can be the end of the road. It can also be the beginning.

      The big thing I would be concerned about with any clinic is that they do frequent monitoring. The only thing worse than going through infertility is going through it and then being faced with high order multiples. You want to be at a clinic where they will be checking you all along the way to make sure you are not only responding, but also not responding too well.

      Good luck!

      • TBK

        Where would he go to get the analysis done? He’s been very bad about getting a GP and so I don’t think he really has a doctor right now. Who would typically order the analysis for him?

        • DealCube

          If your insurance requires an Rx, your ob/gyn should be able to order it. Otherwise calling a urilogist directly is the easiest way to go. You can call the RE’s office and ask if they have any urologists they recommend.

          • Another S

            This was my experience too. My OB ordered my husband’s test – he didn’t have an appt with my OB or anything. My OB’s office had the test cups and the paperwork for him to fill it out, gave it all to me to give to him so he could drop it off at the lab. The results came back to my OB’s office and she gave them to me. Seemed weird from a privacy perspective (not that my husband cared) but it seemed standard procedure.

    • goldribbons

      I believe The Impatient Woman’s Guide to Getting Pregnant has some information on this. Best of luck, and sorry to hear you’re having trouble but it sounds like you’re headed on the right track!!

    • Nutter

      Lots of good practical advice above. I will add from experience that certain parts were really tough for me, largely the dreaded “two week wait” (i.e., you don’t know if the procedures were successful until two weeks later). Try to do what you can to take care of yourself during the proces, and also take steps to make sure you are in a good spot before you start. Sometimes, I would get down that we didn’t know what the road would look like for us, and had some dark times thinking that it might not work for us at all.

      Also, if I had to do it again, I would have put/kept fun things for DH and I on the calendar, even if it meant we ultimately had to cancel sometimes for the timing of a procedure. I really regret cancelling or not scheduling certain things b/c we “might be pregnant!” – in hindsight, trips still would have been fun if I was pregnant and/or would have been good to cheer us up if I wasn’t. Also, I leaned heavily on a close friend who had gone through a similar experience.

      tl; dr – take care of yourself during the process, and keep an eye on your DH. Men have surprisingly little support through the process.

      Ultimately – we were a happy story and I have a beautiful 7 month son who delights me every single day :)

      • Anon

        I will second Nutter’s comments. Take care of yourself through this process. Just going through the testing and diagnosis can be a whirlwind. Lean on those you can. The two week wait can be dreadful and I was absolutely crestfallen when it didn’t work. And definately plan some fun stuff during these times. It is easy to get caught up in the process but don’t forget to take care of yourself and each other through it all.

  14. Midwest

    I’d love some advice from the Florida r e t t e s. I’m planning a family vacation for the third week in May. We’d like to go to the Florida Keys. Any recommendations for family-friendly places to stay and things to do? Ideally, I’d love to stay at a B&B type place instead of a hotel. Beach activities are the priority, but they’d need to be low-key enough for a 3-year-old to participate. We’re open to traveling to any of the islands.

    Basically, we just want to get away from everything and relax. I miscarried in October and would’ve been due around this time. The last few months have been emotionally trying and I want something positive to look forward to during that time.

    • mbs

      I’m not from Florida, but I stayed at the Island Bay Resort several years ago in Key Largo, and just loved it. It was very quiet, very relaxing. It may not be what you’re looking for, but if you want quiet and relaxing, it might be good. No restaurant, but there were several places to eat nearby.

      http://www.islandbayresort.com/index.html

    • NPR addict

      On morning edition today they had an interview about a song that Miranda Dodson wrote about a series of miscarriages. It was a beautiful interview and song and I thought that people here would appreciate it. This is an incredibly hard topic but not one that you often hear songs acknowledge.

      javascript:NPR.Player.openPlayer(171749560, 173035115, null, NPR.Player.Action.PLAY_NOW, NPR.Player.Type.STORY, ‘0’)

    • Famouscait

      As an alternative to the FL Keys, I’d highly recommend Pensacola Beach in northwest Florida. Its beaches are more sugar white than any place else, and its very family friendly. I can also highly recommend Lee House Bed & Breakfast Inn http://www.leehousepensacola.com/ out the waterfront in Pensacola’s little historic downtown. You can walk to dinner and galleries from there, and its only a 15 min. drive to the beach.

    • IronJoJo

      In Miami and the choices in the Keys are many and varied in price. But be aware, there are very few beaches as we all know them. I agree with the Pensacola suggestion – lovely small town locale. Also I think St. Pete, Captiva, and Marco Island are all good choices if you need activities for the kids. As for the islands, try the Abacos or Bimini and rent a condo. Best deal and most versatile, and you’ll know you’re away from it all…promise!

  15. Equity's Darling

    This is so weird, I know, but on my commute to work, I *always* run into one of the assistants maybe about a block away from our office. I always wave and say “hi, how’s your day going, etc.” And she always ignores me. She will in fact often look directly at me, see me smile and wave and say hi, and then turn around.

    We then awkwardly walk with the group of people going into our building, take the elevator together, and then scan into the floor, and then she proceeds to sit right outside my office. Is this weird? I’m a little insulted that she doesn’t acknowledge me, and I’m not sure if I’m doing something wrong? Or if I did something wrong? We’re both quite young…I’m 25, and I’d bet she’s no more than 33 years old. And all the other assistants/paralegals really like me, so I don’t think it’s how I come off, hopefully.

    Even more awkward is the fact that I’m supposed to start working with her in the next week or so on a couple of matters. Has anyone else had this problem? Or any tips?

    • Cb

      That’s weird! However, I wouldn’t take it personally. I tend to be in my own little world when I’m out and about and am horrible with faces out of context (I seriously didn’t recognise one of my best friends when I ran into her unexpectedly! It took me a good minute of talking before I realised who she was).

    • cc

      odd, but I would just ignore it. I would tone down the wave and hi, and just say hello name once you are in the elevator together. Is it possible she does not have good eyesight? When I wear my glasses to work I see much worse and I know I accidentally ignore people sometimes.

      • KC

        I’m this way as well. If I’m not wearing my glasses, odds are I won’t recognize someone until they’re a few feet away. I also tend to be focused on wherever I’m walking and not the people around me. Perhaps she’s like this? I’d wait to see how things go when working with her.

    • momentsofabsurdity

      It’s weird but I wouldn’t take it personally – because I am probably the nurse in your situation, to someone else. I’ve been teased about it since before I can remember (and sometimes to my detriment – according to my sister, in high school, a cute guy I knew would ALWAYS smile and say, “hey!!” when walking by me and apparently I always ignored him).

      When I’m walking I’m just… in the zone. I get where I’m going and I don’t really look at faces/stay alert to people around me. I also think like the poster above, I have a mild form of prosopagnosia and it’s really tough for me to recognize people outside of the contexts I know them in.

      So in other words – if you interact with her otherwise and it seems normal, it’s possible in the morning, she is just “zoned out.” I would see how it goes with the working with her closely in the next few weeks – if she’s cold and distant then, then I’d be wondering, but if she doesn’t notice/acknowledge you while walking, but is perfectly pleasant to work with otherwise, she might just be a weirdo like me.

    • Jill

      My guess is that it has nothing to do with you and she’s just not up for interacting with people early in the morning. She may be under the impression that you would also rather just briefly say hi and then go back to your book/iPod/whatever you do during your commute than talk to someone.

      • Paralegal

        Agree. OP sounds like a friendly person, but she isn’t friends with the assistant, which means that any type of conversation is likely to be cordial but bland (Hi, how are you? Good, you? Good. How about that weather?). Maybe I am just grumpy in the morning, but I would rather keep listening to music for a few more minutes than chitchat. It’s nothing personal, and might change once the two of them start interacting regularly.

        Also, if she is listening to music (like I usually am), she may have no idea OP is talking to her beyond saying hi.

      • Anon

        I do not like interacting with people in the morning, so maybe that it part of it. I am introverted anyways, and in the morning I really don’t like trying to make small talk with people. It takes a lot of energy and first thing in the morning, before I have finished my coffee I am particularly quiet.

      • n.

        This was my first reaction as well. I’m a miserable person in the morning and I know it, so I try to avoid interacting with people as much as possible until I wake up a bit. If I run into someone occasionally I try to act peppy, but if I were regularly running into someone on my morning commute I’d probably also try to establish a routine of waving hello and nothing more because I wouldn’t want to have to talk to someone on a daily basis. For me at least, it would only be a matter of time before I couldn’t keep up the cheery pretense and I’d accidentally say something rude.

    • ChandraNH

      She may a person with poor facial recognition skills or someone who is face-blind. I had a boss just like that, away from your work area, this person did not remember people unless they spoke and mentioned their name. it drove us all crazy.

      does she speak to anyone else in the crowd she might know?

    • TO Lawyer

      I can understand how it’s weird to you but honestly, when I run into people on my morning commute, I’m usually totally caught off guard because I’m not expecting it so my reactions are delayed and also kind of grumpy because I’m not a morning person and not a normal human being until I’ve had my coffee (which happens first thing at the office). I wouldn’t take it personally at all!

    • Meg Murry

      My son often walks right by people who are saying hi to him when he’s in a crowd, because he has a hard time picking out individual voices among crowd noise, and although I’m not quite as hard of hearing as he is I’ve been told by my husband I do this sometimes too. Also, don’t you live in a cold climate area? Its possible she doesn’t recognize you when you are bundled up in winter coat + hood + scarf + earmuff, etc – or she could be wearing earbuds under her hood that you can’t see. Unless she actually makes eye contact with you, even “looking directly at you” doesn’t necessarily equate to “sees you and recognizes you as someone she knows” – she could actually be looking just past you and paying attention to something or someone behind / next to you. I would just continue to do a smile & nod/half wave until she actually recognizes and acknowleges you.

    • eek

      There are lots of possible reasons I suppose, but it is weird and possibly rude (caveat if none of the special situations above applies). The strange thing is that you mentioned this happens all the time, so maybe there is something more going on. Have you observed how she interacts with others in similar situations? No tips other than keep on being you.

    • Elle

      I think that it’s rude to continuously force conversation on people who don’t want it. She may not have heard you; she may be face blind; she may not be wearing glasses; or she may be a morning grump. But on your end, I think if someone is not responding to additional social contact that you are initiating, you should drop it. Nothing is worse than hiding in your office at lunchtimes because your new “office best buddy to be” will not stop talking.

    • Equity's Darling

      Thanks everyone- I guess I won’t bother in the future? I mean clearly there’s no point, so I may as well drop it. I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt that she’s just not a morning person/prefers her last few minutes of quiet, etc. Or maybe she doesn’t recognize me? I’m generally pretty good with faces and where I met people, even if I don’t always remember their names.

      I hope working with her isn’t a problem? She’s actually super nice and friendly to the other lawyers, so I hope it’s just that she doesn’t know me well. She also doesn’t know that we’ll be working together yet, so maybe if she knew she’d be more friendly. Essentially, I’m going to assume it’s not personal and that it’s just how she is until I hear otherwise.

      Elle- I am pretty certain that I’m not forcing conversation on her. I’m generally pretty introverted and I don’t really ever force conversations on people other than the usual social niceties of “hi, how’re you doing, gosh the weather is XYZ today”, and smiling at them in the halls.

      • Parfait

        This is a good opportunity for the head-nod of greeting. Smile and nod, and you’re good.

      • Anon

        Yes, but she doesn’t know that you’re not going to force conversation on her. If she’s had to face alot of blabbermouths who use “Hi, good morning,” as an opening for their 10 minute blabberthon, she might be guarded.

        She might think that acknowledging your greeting and saying some sort of banal pleasantry back might be read as, “OOH OOH NOW I’VE GOT A COMMUTING BUDDY WHO I CAN BABBLE TO ABOUT OOKY PERSONAL STUFF TO IN FULL HEARING OF ALL OTHER COMMUTERS.” Once the floodgates are open, it’s very hard to stop a blabbermouth, it’s uncomfortable to listen to them spill your guts, and worse, when you stop them, they either get huffy or they think it’s their cue to now start asking you all manner of personal questions on the train/bus/whatever.

  16. Dulcinea

    Boston ladies – when you absolutely, positively HAVE to be at the airport at 5am, what taxi company do you trust?

    • momentsofabsurdity

      In those situations, I just book a car service. I find even with taxi companies, the reliability comes down to the individual dispatcher and driver, even if the company has been in the past otherwise reliable.

        • momentsofabsurdity

          I am! I’ve used Go Boston Shuttle, which was fine (but yelp reviews are mixed — it seems they’re good at ontime pickups from your home, worse at pickups from the airport itself) and on time, and I’ve used Uber a few times which has generally always come on time but I’m not sure if you can schedule it in advance. I’ve also used Knight’s Transportation, which has also been on time.

          On the taxi side, yelp seems to really like Chill Out cab:

          http://www.yelp.com/biz/chill-out-first-class-cab-cambridge-2

    • lucy stone

      I’ve used SuperShuttle from Westborough at that time of day (gross!) and it is has worked well.

  17. Legally Brunette

    Thanks to everyone for your helpful responses yesterday re: discreet nursing gear! I really appreciate it.

    Couple of other questions:

    1) For those who had a c-section, when did you start taking long walks (30 min – 1 hour)? I would like to start walking on the treadmill (too cold to walk outside) at a slow pace (like a 20 minute mile). I am three weeks post partum. I was very active pre-baby and during pregnancy. Can I start doing this? And can I walk faster or should I take it very slowly?

    2) What did you ladies DO while b-feeding? My baby likes to marathon BF and I’m sitting around wondering what to do. I hate watching TV during the day and there are only so many phone calls I can make during the day since my friends are working. I’ve been browsing the Internet and listening to NPR, but looking for other ideas. I find reading hard since it’s hard to flip pages with only one hand.

    • SpaceMountain

      It’s been a long time since I was a nursing mother, but I recall that the baby gets all the food he/she needs pretty quickly, then is just sucking for comfort. If you don’t want to nurse all day, you don’t have to. My second would nurse for exactly 8 minutes then stop. I’d also suggest getting some of those wrap-around nursing pillows, or use a sling, so you can use both arms and actually move around while nursing.

    • Merabella

      An e-reader might be a good idea for you since you can flip the pages with one hand.

      You might also try audible and listen to books instead of reading.

      • Meg Murry

        You can also download audiobooks and ebooks from a lot of libraries now, so check there before you buy anything you buy anything you don’t want to spend a lot of money on. If you have a smartphone there is an app for the audiobooks. Even now audiobooks are the only way I can get through my commute and tedious chores like folding laundry without going stir crazy.

    • V

      OMG — this was the only time in my adult life where I could indulge in my romance with the screen (and the web browser on my phone). I was stuck sitting down, and the baby was looking at me, so as to not inflict Real Housewives or Teen Mom on tender eyes, and resting on the boppy. You could also experiment with snacks that you could eat one-handed. But, yeah, you don’t need to drag it out each time.

    • mascot

      2) I treated myself to a Kindle for that reason. Very easy to hold one-handed.

    • Lyssa

      For the C, I’ve never really been into long walks, but I think around 5-6 weeks, I pretty much felt like I could do anything that didn’t directly stretch or impact my incision, and by about 7 weeks, I was OK even to stretch and do crunches and such. (I’m almost 10 weeks now, and barely notice it. It’s a little bit numb to touch, but that’s all.)

      For nursing, I usually would browse the net on my phone or laptop (this site was great for it!) or set a magazine on a pillow next to me on the couch to read.

      • JJ

        I walked a 5K (at a moderate pace) six weeks after my c-section. I’ve always been a fast healer, so at that point my only issues were tenderness at the incision site. Once I hit 8 weeks, I was walking 3 miles or so routinely with the baby in the stroller. I also started that Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred when I hit 8ish weeks.

        As for nursing, my Kindle and I were inseparable. I’ve lost track of how many books I read while the baby nursed.

    • CKB

      My babies got way more efficient as they got older, so you may find yourself not sitting as long. I always either watched TV or read a paperback so it was lighter & easier to handle (it was the days before e-readers). Talking on the phone was also easy.

      Even after nursing 3 babies at least 8 months each, I was always amazed at the moms who could wander around the house doing stuff with a baby on the b00b. It definitely wasn’t me!

    • LackingLuster

      My first was that way. She was small, so I was able to hold her with the crook of one arm and use both hands to read. Then I got a Kindle and my life changed forever, especially when I learned about the Kindle app on my iPhone and synced everything up. I was also a TV-hater but found some shows that I really got into thanks to Tivo and Hulu. I always nurse my babies as long as they want– if they want to use me for comfort I’m fine with that, that’s what I’m there for. At about 6 weeks you might find the marathons ending though– my first went from 20 minutes per side, taking both sides, every 2 hours, to 10 minutes per side, taking both sides, stretching to 3 hours. My second has always been super efficient and only takes one side at a time. Get a lap desk with a padded bottom for the sofa and you can put your drinks, laptop, thank-you notes, books, etc. on there. And enjoy it. This part is over far too quickly.

    • Diana Barry

      No! Do not take long walks yet! I have a few friends who tried to get back too soon and they ran into all sorts of complications. Wait at least 6 weeks and talk to your doctor about it. You are still healing internally even if you feel fine.

      While nursing – ipad on a pillow! I also watched a ton of TV – find something you like/fluffy but you haven’t watched yet (gossip girl? the office? arrested development?) with a bunch of episodes. :)

      Marathon nursing sessions – yes, but it does get better after 12 weeks (when your supply is established).

      • darjeeling

        this is what I did, the weeks-long TV marathon- West Wing with baby 1 and Friday Night Lights with baby 2. It was AWESOME.

    • Meg Murry

      Marathon b-feeding is good for your supply, so let him/her nurse away – especially during the critical 3 week growth spurt that should be coming up soon. Things I did while nursing – websurfing on my smartphone, I set up “appointments” with friends in other time zones to talk on the phone during times that weren’t otherwise convenient for people nearby (for example, midnight on east coast when no one else is awake = 9 pm on west coast and a reasonable time to talk on the phone). I shopped way too much on Amazon and the BRU website, and made grocery lists, etc for my husband. I sent thank you emails (yes, I know, not as nice as thank you notes, but better than nothing, and I included a current picture or two of the baby, preferably using their item, to the recipients). I also watched a ridiculous amount of Tivo’d shows, and sent my husband and other family members with long lists of movies to pick up from the public library and indulged in my favorite musicals, etc. Our library also carries tv series, so I would watch entire seasons of shows in a week. I also listened to a lot of Pandora while basically zoning out. We also had a local new mom/bf support group at our hospital 2 days a week, which was a good place to get advice from other moms and gave me a reason to get dressed and out of the house and practice being comfortable nursing around other people.

    • Anon

      I watched lots of TV, read on the Kindle, surfed the internet, and organized my pictures on the computer and uploaded them to shutterf l y. I also made photo books on shutterf l y. And dealt with some work stuff–emails mostly.

    • Sugar Magnolia

      Your baby will get more and more efficient at BFing, so you won’t be doing this for that long. At around 4 weeks, my daughter started only feeding 3.25 hours a day (20 minutes a feeding, around 10 times a day) (I know, because I tracked with an app – I love data!)

      At 4 months old, she sometimes powers through a feeding in 10 minutes. So it will get easier.

      But I encourage you to be in the moment, and enjoy bonding with your child, memorizing your baby’s cute little face. These memories will help you let down when you pump upon returning to work. When you need to do something else, I liked to participate in the discussions on the Kellymom Facebook group or on the WTE App Forums. I also watched TV early on using my Ipad, but once baby gets bigger she got distracted by it, so I don’t do that any longer.

  18. AIMS

    Today’s rainy weather reminds me that I am in the market for a new rain boot. I am not sure I need something that goes all the way up to my knee since I rarely wade through anything other than your standard NYC puddles and my last pair, I basically have been folding over to be lower down the leg anyway. I just want something semi-attractive I can wear year round; it doesn’t need to double as a snow boot because I already have snow boots I love. I was originally thinking of getting something mid-calf, but then saw these and am a bit in love. Question: are these too low to be actually useful? Am I going to regret not having a taller boot down the line? Will these look weird with bare legs in summer? Thoughts? TIA!

    http://www.6pm.com/loeffler-randall-rain-slip-on-mini-lynx?zfcTest=mat%3A1

    • A nonny moose

      Those are really cute.
      They’d also be awesome in the summer. I hate wearing my knee high rubber boots in the summer, especially in DC humidity.

    • Monday

      Those are cool! Such a different take on rain boots, in a good way! I think they will go with a lot of things.

      If you’re trying to protect pants from splashes, they may be too low (even if you tuck in your cuffs). For this reason I usually wear skirts in the rain, because tights/stockings dry so quickly. If you do the same, I see no problem. As for wearing with bare legs, no I don’t think they’d look weird. I would probably only do that on rainy summer days though.

    • magnolia

      I JUST got the cole haan air laney wedge bootie about 10 min ago! haven’t worn them outside yet, but they seem to be great – waterproof but stylish enough to wear inside too. also the wedge will keep you a few inches above the puddles. $98 for lucky sizes at nieman marcus right now!

    • Meg Murry

      is the goring going to be waterproof though? That would be my only concern – it seems to come pretty low to the ground, so I don’t know if it would be puddle proof.
      FYI, the same boot is also on Zappos for the same price if you have a preference between the 2 sites (and the reviews there are all positive)

    • shortiek

      I have a pair in this style, but with a black lace pattern, and really like them for late spring/summer. Not winter shoes! I mostly wear mine with black leggings, but these would look great with bare legs.

    • Sydney Bristow

      I have a similar pair in NYC and think they work fine. Slipping a pant leg into them works, but not perfectly. I tend to wear skirts when its raining here though. They do tap and rub the back of my calf when I walk, so I don’t think I’d wear them with bare legs, but if you could figure out some sort of sock that is just a little taller than them, it would solve that problem.

      • AIMS

        Thank you guys! So glad others have had good experiences with this height. I think I am going to order them (though maybe from Zappos since they have free returns). I also only wear skirts in the rain, so pants aren’t a concern. And, agree that they’re different take on rain boots – I think it’s why I love them so. Something about the almond toe and the little wedge really appeals to me. It all feels a bit delicate somehow. Plus, I always love a good leopard print. Thanks all!

  19. Online Shopper

    Has anyone had any luck with towels on amazon? I need some new ones and know it is a risk to order without feeling them, I just don’t have the time or patience to go shop for towels!

        • eek

          Yes, the Nordstrom at Home Hydrocotton towel (not the ribbed ones). I’ve had mine for 2 years and they feel brand new and are very fluffy/absorbent and don’t pill/shed. I use detergent only, no fabric softener or dryer sheets.

          • Famouscait

            I just bought myself a set of these towels after feeling them in-store. They are absolutely the best towels we’ve had, and if you can get them in the sale, not too badly priced. I also like that they’re not too heavy; some lux towels feel like a gym weight!

    • NOLA

      I ordered mine, sight unseen, from JCPenney. I figured if they were awful, I could return them to the store. But they turned out to be great – a good color (dark brown) and very fluffy.

      • Online Shopper

        I am nervous about JCP…I actually have some from there that I love, but of 3 towels, one developed a massive hole in less than a year. So now I’m just worried about quality.

    • Senior Attorney

      I love the Hotel Collection towels from Macy’s. They go on sale pretty regularly.

    • Sugar Magnolia

      I received monogrammed Lands End towels for my wedding, and I think the quality is really good.

  20. Anon

    Ugh, on my way walking into work I realized that my dress might be borderline too short. To make matters worse, it is a shirt dress, so I feel like I’m doing the walk of game in my boyfriend’s shirt. It’s going to be a great Wednesday…

    • HSAL

      I have never heard “walk of game” before, but I love it. I normally used “strut of awesome.”

    • Cb

      Are you me? I am just glad I didn’t have meetings today because my dress is definitely walking the fine line between tunic and dress (it must have shrunk???). It doesn’t help that I have 3inch wedge booties on. I look like a giraffe, a brazen giraffe.

      Luckily I was working at the library today. The undergrads were there in backless shirts (seriously, it’s february, we had snow!) and pantyhose as pants so I didn’t feel like I was doing too badly.

      My boyfriend was over and I was wearing a plaid shirtdress and he said, ‘I like your shir….dress???’ and then looked confused. Should probably restrict that to working from home days.

  21. Mountain Girl

    Have you seen the Mad Man collection at Banana Republic? There are a couple of the dresses that look like they might have potential. The shirts don’t do much for me. But I am absolutely loving the green and navy accessories. I wear navy and green with some regularity some I may have to own some of those pieces.

    • Susie

      This is being heavily promoted in magazines and I was not drawn to the featured pieces, but reserve judgment until I see more of the collection / see it in person!

  22. Chicago

    Does anyone have guidance as to what “casual attire” means in Dallas? It’s a 6pm engagement party – being in Chicago I just feel like I have no clue what southern women expect “casual” to mean, haha..

    • Herbie

      If you don’t mind, where is the party? “Casual” at an engagement party at Fearings or one of the galleries is different from “casual” at engagement party at Bolsa.

      • Chicago

        It’s at a family member’s house. Mostly I am just terrified that I’ll show up in jeans or something – my hair is already not big enough for this party.

        • Herbie

          I’d go with a dress, dressed up or down based on how fancy-pants the invitation was, what you know about the couple, etc. Hard to go wrong w/ a dress.

    • Lyssa

      In my experience in the South (TN, not TX), casual means casual – as in, jeans or similar. I would wear a casual dress or skirt and tights, probably. Or, alternatively, trouser jeans and heels or boots with a nice sweater. But I would expect a lot of people to just be in whatever jeans they had lying around and sneakers.

      • Herbie

        I clutched my proverbial pearls at the thought of wearing jeans and sneakers to an engagement party. Now I hope OP reports back and lets us know what she found!!

        • Lyssa

          To tell you the truth, I find it a little bit off-putting myself. I would prefer to dress up a little bit and make the occassion feel special. But when events are at someone’s home and are specifically labeled casual, at least around here, most people really don’t put much effort into it. (Or perhaps have better things to do.) Think of it as what you would wear to a casual dining restaurant.

          If it were summer, I would expect people to be in shorts and tees. I went to a wedding (a Catholic church wedding!) a couple of years ago where we were specifically told that jeans and shorts were fine, and the *groom* not only wore jeans and an untucked polo for the ceremony, but changed into shorts for the (indoor, air conditioned) reception!

    • mascot

      “Snappy casual” would be what I would go for. Probably wouldn’t wear jeans unless it was an outdoor event. So pants/skirt and cute top or sweater. You could probably do a dark denim trouser if you wanted. If it is a warm weather event, ladies tend to wear sundresses or equivalent. My date would wear a polo shirt or button-down shirt and khakis.

      • Chicago

        This is all helpful – thanks everyone! Also I love the term “snappy casual.” I think I’ll take advantage of the chance to wear a sundress in March..

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