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Nov. 2024 Update: The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is over for the year, and we don't yet know when the 2025 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale will be. Stay tuned for their Half-Yearly Sale, which usually starts around Dec. 23. (Unfamiliar with the NAS? Check out this page for more info on why it's the best sale of the year.) Sign up for our newsletter to stay on top of all the major workwear sales, or check out our roundup of the latest sales on workwear!
The below content is about the 2018 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale.
Ooh: I feel like a low-heeled, pointy-toed booty like this is going to be great for fall. Wear them with bare legs on the weekend, with tights and pants to work — you can even wear them with both skinny pants and some of the wider legs coming out now. I like the little curved dip at the top, and I like the solid block heel — and I always feel like Franco Sarto is one of the most comfortable mainstream brands. Nice. The boots are in black and white (very glam, if that's your thing) for $114.90 — after the Anniversary Sale ends on Aug. 5 they'll go back up to $178. Lowe Bootie
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Psst: check out all of our coverage of the 2018 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, including our top picks for workwear under $200 and our favorite plus-size picks for work!
Sales of note for 11.5.24
- Nordstrom – Fall sale, up to 50% off!
- Ann Taylor – Extra 40% off sale
- Banana Republic Factory – 50% off everything + extra 25% off with your GAP Inc. credit card
- Bloomingdales is offering gift cards ($20-$1200) when you spend between $100-$4000+. The promotion ends 11/10, and the gift cards expire 12/24.
- Boden – 10% off new styles with code; free shipping over $75
- Eloquii – Fall clearance event, up to 85% off
- J.Crew – 40% off fall favorites; prices as marked
- J.Crew Factory – Up to 60% off everything + 60% off clearance
- Lo & Sons – Fall Sale, up to 35% off
- M.M.LaFleur – Save 25% sitewide
- Neiman Marcus – New sale, up to 50% off
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – Buy one, get one – 50% off everything!
- White House Black Market – Holiday style event, take 25% off your entire purchase
And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!
Some of our latest threadjacks include:
- What to say to friends and family who threaten to not vote?
- What boots do you expect to wear this fall and winter?
- What beauty treatments do you do on a regular basis to look polished?
- Can I skip the annual family event my workplace holds, even if I'm a manager?
- What small steps can I take today to get myself a little more “together” and not feel so frazzled all of the time?
- The oldest daughter is America's social safety net — change my mind…
- What have you lost your taste for as you've aged?
- Tell me about your favorite adventure travels…
Anonymous
Exactly a month ago I interviewed for a dream job. I’m not white, I have a disability and I have a kid. Not looking for pity here but interviews are a big deal for me and while I’m comfortably self employed I really don’t get very many of them.
They had told me there would be a decision soon and I’d be informed either way. I know other people who got denials, I got nothing.
Two weeks ago I got an offer for something that isn’t a job but a cool opportunity that would conflict with the job. I told dream job about the opportunity and my deadline and they didn’t respond.
I figured they just were not going to hire me and moved on.
On Tuesday they contacted one of my references again to basically ask about my disability and if it would interfere with my ability to work at the job (seriously, I don’t care, I don’t want to work somewhere where they don’t want me anyway).
Yesterday I got an interesting offer in September for something that could potentially grow into a really good opportunity for me.
Do I contact dream job and ask if I’m still in consideration?
Anonymous
No just keep taking the opportunities. You can back out later if you leave the organization for the dream job
Anonymous
Yes as long as following up won’t be seen as burning some sort of bridge you want to keep. Tell the dream job that you are still very interested and that it is your top choice, presuming that is true, but that you have another offer and out of courtesy will have to get back to them soon.. ask for a status update and reiterate that the dream job is your first choice. But beware that telling the dream job for the second time that you have another offer could be seen as aggressive since you’ve already done it once.
Veronica Mars
A month isn’t that long in hiring time. I’d politely ask again about whether you’re in the running. If they don’t respond again, decide it this way–would it be worth burning the bridge at the September opportunity to do your dream job if they do give you the call Sept 10th? If so, accept September anyway.
Anonymous
Keep applying and accepting things until you get the job. If you do figure it out then.
Anonymous
Thanks for the advice.
It’s really hard for me to turn down an opportunity when I’ve applied in good faith. A lot of the time given where I live I’m the first person with a disability they’ve ever considered hiring and a lot of thought probably goes into that (not saying that’s right or wrong).
I’ve applied to three opportunities with dream job and made it to the final 2 on the last occasion three years ago. It’s hard knowing the questions they’ve been asking my references about me. I am a capable person and I’ve never required any accommodation or special treatment.
I guess we will see what happens.
Anon
I’m wondering if it’s actually legal to ask about your disability!
Anyway, I agree with the others. You keep moving on and taking opportunities as they come your way. And then if you do get an offer, you decide from where you are at that point. Don’t put your life on hold for this.
I don’t personally like the phrase dream job, because most of the time you get there and it’s not what you dreamed of, and it’s still a job. That doesn’t mean you can’t be happy, but it will feel like work and not walking on clouds, because it IS work. That’s why they pay you.
Anonymous
Haha. It’s obvious when someone meets me that something is “off”. It’s easier to just be upfront I find. I’m not ashamed of who I am and I’m part of a great community of people who share my disability including my child. It’s obvious from my resume that I have a kid and I’m associated with certain groups that make it clear I’m not white. I’d imagine that sooner or later I’ll join a board or something and people will think it will be likely from my resume that I’m a person with a disability.
The second call to my reference honestly did make me sad but I’m used to that kind of thing. The reference person only told me because I asked him about being a reference for something else. Dream job and I have a contract relationship so they know what I can do and we are very familiar to each other.
HELP-Jcrew factory sizing
I see a suit on uber sale but have never bought anything Jcrew factore before.
I wear 4 petite for banana republic. I read JCrew Factory runs large. Can I order a Petite 2 with confidence or let a deal go?
It’s final sale so even though I would get an entire skirt suit for 150$ I don’t want to waste 150$ entirely
TIA
Veronica Mars
let it go, too inconsistent across the brand to know for sure.
OP
Thanks as always VM!
Anon
do you have a credit card with return protection? my american express does – if it doesn’t fit, even if it’s final sale, I can mail it to AmEx and they’ll credit the difference.
Also – as a note – I generally find Banana and J.Crew to be pretty consistent size wise, but I’m at the other end of the spectrum (usually wear a 10 tall).
Anonymous
For those of you who had something similar to a starter/training job that you started with a class of your colleagues — so residency, biglaw associate class, banking associate class etc. If you’ve now moved on from that phase of your career and have a regular job, how much if at all do you miss that phase and your class?
I don’t mean to suggest that I have no personal life or friends because I do, but somehow I really miss my residency class now that I’m an attending. I know people always say that work friends are just coworkers but IDK spending 80+ hours with the same people daily was an incredible bond and we really knew each other. I feel like they were my friends more than the attendings I’m with now who are merely coworkers to me with whom I have polite surface level conversation. The residency class scattered far and wide — NY, DC, SF, Portland, Memphis etc and even though it’s been a few years, I find myself missing that bond. Am I the only one? I feel like they’re all settled into their new cities/jobs and likely are so glad to be done residency. I have a few ex biglaw friends and they’ve never mentioned missing their peers — who were close enough back then to have attended their weddings etc. Anyone feel this way ever?
Anonymous
I think residents bond more than Big Law associates. At least at my firm, there were 20+ of us who started together but we were mostly in different groups and staffed on different cases/projects pretty much immediately. You spend way more time with your case team than you do with your peer associates, so we didn’t get to know each other that well. I bonded a lot more with a few mid-level and senior associates who worked on my first case with me, and I was very sad when they left the firm. We stayed in touch for a while but it faded out eventually and I miss them.
Anonymous
Residency is an incredible, painful, stressful, exciting, exhausting, traumatic experience. I literally have PTSD because of it. I trained during a different time during the longer hours, no back-up Wild West. And I have a special bond with my co-residents unlike no other. You will never find that again among attendings.
It’s like the bond soldiers have after returning from basic training, or deployment. No other people truly understand. And most people afterwards move on in their lives.
Anonymous
I am incredibly close with the two other baby associates who started in my group the same time I did. We went through everything together and we’re still great friends. But I have less than zero desire to go back to that time.
Also, I was in the military, and it’s acceptable to miss the camaraderie for a couple minutes every few years, but if you become one of those people who’s always talking about it, it’s the equivalent of being the kid who peaked in high school and can’t stop talking about the big game or prom or what have you. So ditto 4:10 about the importance of moving on.
Equestrian attorney
I’m an attorney who just went in house, and while my job and quality of life are really great, I really, really miss my biglaw class. A few of them will remain close friends outside of work, but it was just so easy to always have people who had similar experiences to share/vent/hang out with. Biglaw was all kinds of unhealthy but we spent so much time together, both for many late work nights and for some pretty intense out-of-work partying. My current colleagues are perfectly nice but our department is small, my reality is different from everyone else’s, and most people do their thing and go home. I was working so much for the past few years I lost touch with a lot of other friends so I am trying to rebuild my circle, but it’s hard.
Former Big Law
Former regional Biglaw associate here. I definitely had more work friends at the old place (more frequent lunches during the day, more company for coffee runs), and they were all invited to my wedding – most of them attended. We keep in semi contact – email, occasional happy hour, texting funny links or checking in to see how things are going, and things that like that. Generally, my life is a lot happier and I have way more time for personal activities and nonwork friends, I do miss having work buddies. My new firm is smaller, and my group is essentially me and a few partners who I am comfortable with, but they’re older so I definitely don’t have the same happy hour, coffee run vibe. The job itself is way more my speed and style, but I know what you mean.
Anonymous
Yep I miss my biglaw friends so much now that I’m in the government. They weren’t necessarily all in my class — some were, some were a year junior or senior, and a few were my mid levels and seniors. It was a bond built by working 12+ hours day, 6 days a week and traveling together for work for weeks all while being totally stressed and sleep deprived. I get what you’re saying — those people were my friends, these people are my coworkers. My brother has similar (but much stronger feelings) re his West Point friends and even the ones who weren’t his closest buddies but just in many of his engineering classes etc; he left the military after 5 years and says he’s never experienced a bond like that and never will.
Coach Laura
I miss my training days and it’s been 20+ years. Many of my training class (finance) are still in the industry and we have reunions with our class and other classes from the same program. I’m in contact with several – had coffee last week with one. But I do miss the ones that are scattered.
I think it’s not only are you with them 60/hours a week but you’re all working toward the same goal. It’s team building, it’s camaraderie and it’s lasting. I’m not surprised that you miss your fellow residents.
Anonymous
I think it’s more about having so much in common than about the shared suffering. I feel this way about my fellow majors in college (we made a lot of our shared suffering but of course we were really having the time of our lives staying up late with homework sets and competing for recognition).
I do not feel this way about my set in graduate school. In grad school, we were legitimately suffering together. I am pretty sure there’s some genuine PTSD going on. But we weren’t really working together towards a shared goal, and I think all of us who made it out are much happier that it’s over with.
Anonymous
As a lawyer who has never worked for big law, from the outside, it looks to me like all of this camaraderie helps give everyone working those jobs the impression that working 80+ hours a week is normal and everyone does it. I’m not sure that’s really a good thing.
Anonymous
You’re right – you are on the outside looking in. The firm doesn’t create the camaraderie. That happens because you’re in the office all the time and so are these people or often you’re on the road with them so you talk to them a lot about your life, you eat meals together etc. You know 80 hours a week is excessive, but since the job requires it, may as well make some friends. And then like the resident above, those friendships become deeper than you expected.
anon
Yes, this. The human brain is pretty resilient. It’s a brutal environment, but bonding with others makes it better (and is somewhat inevitable.) It helps you “choose your choice” to endure an environment like that. I don’t think that being friendly itself normalizes it– just watching all your partners make rounds to see who is still there at 7:00 pm or calling you back from a weekend trip to work on a deal “normalizes” it–but being friendly makes it bearable(ish).
Patricia Gardiner
Yep- I’m in a similar situation. Nothing bonds you like the shared 80hr/week schedules, sleepless nights, having each others’ backs, and going through incredibly stressful life/death situations. Even though we don’t talk much anymore, I know I could call up (almost) any of my co-residents and they’d have my back. There is a level of comfort and shared life that I miss.
However, I don’t miss the hours, the unhealthy lifestyle, the sleepless nights…
Missing my friends too!
Posting late, but I’m so happy to see this thread!! I recently left BigLaw to go in house, and the thing I miss most are the friendships. Mostly with my class, but also with people senior and junior to me. We spent so many hours together – coffee breaks morning, afternoon, and often nights, lunch every day, dinner together during the busy periods. I genuinely miss this, as the new job people work 9-5 and then go home (no coffee, lunch, etc together). That said, I love that I’m not living at the office anymore, but I really do miss my friends.
anon
I’m not a doctor or a lawyer, but for eight years I worked with The Best Team Ever, with a mix of ages. Our work styles meshed incredibly well and we were fortunate to get along well on a personal level. Lots of things happened in all of our personal lives during that time, and we always had each other’s backs, in addition to doing great work. Eventually two retired, one decided to launch his own business, and I was the one who stayed behind. Not having my people around was a HARD adjustment, and I still miss them, both as coworkers and human beings. And, I felt like I was better at my job when they were around. I don’t know if I’ll ever be fortunate enough to be part of a team like that again.
The struggle is real, OP! I’m not sure why we don’t talk more about the positive relationships with our colleagues.
Anonymous
I need someone to teach me how to do my makeup. I’ve watched videos online, but I need someone to tell me what colors personally work for me. The local MAC store has terrible yelp reviews. Sephora employees all seem to have much more wild styles than I’m comfortable with. Where do I go? It looks like Nordstrom has a service like this, has anyone tried it?
Anonymous
You could call anyone who does makeup for weddings etc or most salons and they would have someone offering this service.
Anon
I’ve used the Nordstrom service and loved it. You call up and ask for a beauty director who can show you several brands. And it’s free.
Veronica Mars
I’d find a local freelance makeup artist and contact them to see if they would give you lessons. They would likely enjoy the change of pace!
Anonymous
Bobbi Brown is great for natural looks.
Ella
Have you actually tried sephora? I’ve had really good luck with their employee help and I wear very tame make up.
bbr
+1 – they may want more of a look for themselves, but that doesn’t mean that is the only look they know how to do. Just makes sure you tell them what type of occasions you are looking to have make up for and as they are applying it, if it seems like too much of a “look”
treetop
Yeah, I would just request a natural look for the office or whatever, being as specific as possible at Sephora or the Bobbi Brown counter at Macy’s, etc. I’d probably skip MAC because their brand is edgy or something. Many makeup artists employed in this places are encouraged to go over the top with their own looks to show off their artistry or something … even required to wear daily makeup, etc. But most also have the expertise to listen to a client and recommend appropriate everyday products. If you don’t like the finished look, just try again with a new person.
Pen and Pencil
+1 I wear mostly just foundation and a little blush because of acne, and every time I got into Sephora to get shade matched or to ask for a specific makeup item, the makeup artist usually hits the nail on the head for what I want. They are expected by Sephora to be full glam, and if you have a job where colorful looks are acceptable, then why not! I 100% understand why the makeup artists are wearing the looks they are, but they all know that is not a normal person’s daily look. Also bringing pictures of what you like/don’t like is always helpful.
Summer Vacation
Anyone want to daydream with me? I’m an academic, and if I get tenure, my husband plans to retire to become a SAHD. We live in a Southern city that is wonderful fall/winter/spring, but oppressively hot and humid in the summers. We are toying with the idea of buying a summer house somewhere nicer, and spending a big chunk of the summer there each year. I have to work year round, but I can work from anywhere with an internet connection during the summer.
Where would you buy a vacation house? We’d be looking for something driving distance (within 12 hours) from central NC, with good summer weather and reasonably affordable. Feel free to throw out less practical fantasies, though!
Anonymous
VA mountains. Wintergreen resort might be a good idea. There are a few warm days/nights, but generally in the 60s/high 70s at most on top of the mountain, even mid-summer. Bonus that it’s a short drive from central NC.
Davis
+1 to Virginia mountains!
Depending on what you want out of a summer house, you could do a very small town like Monterey, VA which has cute things like a Maple Festival and farmers’ market and is near Hot Springs, but not too much else. It’s certainly affordable.
cbackson
+2 to Virginia mountains. We often spend part of the summer at the Homestead, which is basically my platonic ideal of the Shenandoah – any place up there would be gorgeous.
Anonymous
+3 to the Virginia mountains, particularly Wintergreen. Added benefit is that it’s in wine (and cider) country with neat towns around it with good restaurants (Charlottesville, Staunton, Crozet, etc.). Highlands and Cashiers in NC are also great.
Anon
Ok I’m pretty jealous. What’s that novel by Wallace Stegner? Crossing to safety I think. You could live that life. I think their summer place was on a lake in Wisconsin.
Maudie Atkinson
Gosh, I love that book.
Anonymous
I’m so jealous of everything about this! I’m daydreaming right along with you….
Summer Vacation
Don’t worry, there are plenty of drawbacks to the academic lifestyle! Starting with the tenure process itself. But I’m trying to take advantage of the upsides as well.
Anonymous
We’re planning to do something similar once DH gets tenure. I don’t think I want to leave the workforce completely but I’m going to try to find some academic year work so I’ll be free in the summers, and our plan is to go different places in Europe and rent apartments there in June/July and then go up to my family’s vacation home in Maine in August. DH has collaborators in Europe so he can use some grant money to visit them, but even if you have to pay for it yourself, it can be relatively affordable if you don’t stay in the heart of major cities and/or rent out your house at home.
Summer Vacation
Yes, part of our debate is actually whether we’d rather get our own place and go back year after year, or whether it would be more fun to pick a new location each summer and just rent. DH is from Europe, so it would be nice to have the flexibility to go over there some summers…but on the flipside, we’d get draw into family politics that we are generally able to avoid by staying in North America.
Anonymous
What about Lexington VA? Profs at VMI or W&L might want a responsible set of grownups to house-sit and/or do a swap while they go away for the summer?
[Man, maybe I could be a prof at either school some day, although there is like one snowplow in all of SW VA and they do get snow in winter.]
Summer Vacation
I do know the person in my field at VMI, maybe I will pitch this to him next year!
Anonymous
I had no idea that academics could life like this on one salary.
TELL ME MORE!!!
I live in your state, but swelter in my city in the summer. :(
#doingitwrong
Anonymous
Academic salaries are fairly consistent across the country. So if you’re an academic in Urbana IL you’ll be doing a lot better than an academic in Boston. My DH is 7 years out of PhD and makes $120k. In our low cost of living Midwest college town we could be very comfortable on that salary, especially without childcare costs. (I work but my salary basically equals daycare for our two kids so we’re effectively living on his salary). But he will probably top out around $150k so it’s not like his salary will go up fast like in law or finance.
Summer Vacation
So, the secret is that my husband is a software engineer, and has been very well compensated for the last decade and a half. He’d just rather stay at home, and we’ve saved enough money to be able to afford to live on my academic salary (primary mortgage paid off, retirements mostly funded etc). But it would be a big risk for him to quit before I get tenure, because if I don’t, there’s a meaningful possibility that we’ll need to move to a much higher COL area and we won’t be able to afford for him to stay home. So he’s working for now, and we are saving most of his salary and daydreaming about the possibility of using that cash to buy a summer house.
RH
We live in central NC also and we bought land in West Virginia where I grew up to build a summer home on the river. It’s a 4 hour drive and not nearly as hot and humid as the Triangle. The area is very affordable but it’s a sleepy town. Greenbrier County is the area. I’m happy to share more details if you are interested Rhokeutk @ the mail that is hot.
NYCer
Highlands, NC is beautiful in the summer!
Lana Del Raygun
Re-posting from this morning:
Any recommendations for long-ish cardigans? I’m looking for something to dress up and/or cover bare shoulders in maternity tops, so ideally hitting around the leg/hip bend. Everything seems to be either hip-bone-length or mid-thigh (and casual).
Anon
I’ve been using the Old Navy Open Front Sweater for this (am also pregnant). I am 5’8″ and the Tall works perfectly.
Anonymous
https://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=89219&pcid=20408&vid=1&pid=202834012
Lana Del Raygun
Thank you! I saw that one online and thought it looked too short, so thank you for the IRL recommendation! I’m only an inch taller than you so that sounds great.
C
I like the cocoon cardigan from Target’s A New Day line. It’s pretty sleek, so not like a cozy blanket cocoon cardigan, and hits about that point on me (I’m 5’6″). It’s $23 so it’s worth a try. I originally bought it on my lunch break one day to cover up a wardrobe malfunction and was pleasantly surprised by how good it was.
NOLA
There aren’t many of them left, but I love the J. Jill Elliptical V-Neck Swing Cardigan. It looks great over my swingy dresses, but also flattering with pants and a tank.
Lana Del Raygun
Thank you guys!
Super Anon
Re-posting from earlier: I am a mid-level associate and a client has asked me to dinner to celebrate the conclusion of a litigation I worked on. The dinner will include 3 people from the client and me. I accepted the invitation of course. Later the client let me know there will be an after-dinner event (think tour of a museum) that I am invited to as well. I am 5-months pregnant and the after-dinner event is scheduled to go past midnight on a weeknight. Do you think it would be bad if I only went to the dinner? During my pregnancy I tend to get really tired and start to feel sick if I stay up very late so I normally do not stay out this late. At the same time, I definitely don’t want to offend the client.
Senior Attorney
Presumably they know you’re pregnant, right? I think it’s more than fine to say “Thanks so much but these days I absolutely have to be in bed at a decent hour, especially on school nights!” If they don’t know you’re pregnant, say the same thing but leave out “these days.”
It’s fine.
Ellen
I agree with this. You do NOT need to hang out with the client that late at night. You are with child, and you do NOT want to do anything to jeopardise your health, or the health of your child. I do this and I am NOT even pregnant, b/c client’s always want me around late at night to hang out with, but I also need my rest. Beside’s I can NOT bill for that time, the manageing partner says, so I do NOT. FOOEY b/c I spend so much time in client development, I should be able to bill for it. I have been to 10+ METS games so far and they are TERRIBEL! FOOEY!
Anonymous
I would bail, but that’s me. Especially if people knew I was pregnant (my advice might differ if I was still trying to hide it). I’m not very functional after 10pm when I’m not pregnant – and unlikely to make a good impression on people frankly.
Anonymous
You’re fine. You won’t offend. Just let them know in advance – “John, looking forward to seeing you, but I’m afraid I won’t be able to join you for Event – you night owls have me beat! See you Tuesday, Jane”
Anonymous
It’s fine to bail on the after dinner event. But, personally, I would “work from home” that day and take an afternoon nap so that I could stay out later.
Anonymous
Is it the type of event you can go to but duck out before it’s over? I would make every effort to go, but I understand not wanting to be out past midnight.