ByElizabeth Hours Updated
Comments 233 Comments

Frugal Friday: Double Layer Scoopneck Top

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Our daily workwear reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices.

Old Navy is coming in hot this week with a whole bunch of work-appropriate tees. When I’m looking for a t-shirt to wear to the office, I’m usually looking for something with a substantial fabric and a shape that isn’t too boxy. These double-layer scoop neck tops totally fit the bill. With ten colors to choose from and the typical range of Old Navy sizes, there’s something for everyone. Wear one under a blazer for a comfy business casual look. 

The tops are $15.99 today and come in sizes XXS-4X, XST-XXLT, and XSP-XXLP. 

Hunting for opaque white T-shirts for work? As of 2026, we'd suggest checking the double-layer lines from Boden, Express, Old Navy, and Hobbs, as well as great sources for basic Pima cotton such as Uniqlo, COS, L.L.Bean, Everlane, Banana Republic, and Talbots. (This $268 tee also gets great reviews for opacity, as do these two more affordable options — and Elizabeth swears by this tee under $30!)

opaque white tee with scoopneck and elbow-length sleeves; styled with yellow high-waisted pleated pants
Boden
woman in opaque white tee
L.L.Bean
woman in opaque white tee
Uniqlo
opaque white tee with scoopneck
Lafayette 148 New York

Sales of note for 7/3 (Happy 4th!):

233 Comments

  1. Does anyone have any good indoor fly catcher solutions that aren’t flypaper? We seem to get 1-2 per day. IDK if doors are open more when it’s not cold or there are just more of them when it’s hot. It’s so gross because everything but the bedrooms are open and flies in kitchens is a war for me until they are dead. I try to use a dish towel to stun them but they can get up high or go to a pendant light and I have to just glare at them. What else is there?

    1. I had a fly problem when I moved into my place and got one of those Zevo blue lights that seemed to take care of it.

      1. I’m still using my “Truth over Flies” swatter from the 2020 VP debate. To quote Obi-Wan Kenobi, “An elegant weapon from a more civilized age”.

    3. Is installing screen doors and screens on your windows an option?

      We have so many flies here in rural Australia, I’m not opening anything unless there’s a screen.

    5. we have one of the electric zappers if you enjoy swinging a tennis racket-sized electrocution device in your home. also think about how they’re getting in — for us it’s the back door so in the past I’ve rubbed Irish spring along the doorjam top and bottom because animals dislike the smell. hmn but now i wonder if our dog would like that.

      the other thing to do is identify the problem – lots of types of flies. if they’re fruit flies the vinegar/Dawn solution works really well. fungus gnat flies suck but Mosquito Bits in your houseplants works well if you do it regularly (like weekly)

    6. Salt g u n s. Picture your standard super soaker, except it s h o o t s household table salt. Husbands lovvveeeee these things.

      Signed,
      Delaware has so many dang flies we received said item as a housewarming gift

          2. Presumably a grain of salt will absorb water from ambient moisture in the air and basically dissolve itself, then dry up.

            And if not, it probably gets dusted off and swept up with normal housecleaning.

        1. My husband’s an excellent shot. He rarely misses. When you aim right, they die every time. You only s h o o t what you need to hit it.

    8. This may not work for all situations but my most effective approach is to spray them with windex which stuns them enough to squash and scoop them up.

      1. Ok, this just makes me think of My Big Fat Greek Wedding. “Put some windex on it!”

  2. I’m starting to think about buying a vacation home. It would be mainly an investment property that I would rent out most of the time. I (obviously) want the rental income to cover its expenses, but I’m kind of at a loss for how to figure out what the expenses will be. This is probably a dumb question, but how do you realistically budget for utility and maintenance costs when the house is in a different market from where I live? I’d welcome any words of wisdom from others who have done this before.

    2. I used to live in a town where a lot of people had second homes and realtors would actively have this info on hand. Like, these were houses that were rentals for most of the year and there were local management companies that provided maintenance. So, the ads would actually list out ‘active rental with X agency’ and it was pretty normal to have the costs listed out.

      I would ask a local realtor or management company for details on a comparable existing rental house.

    3. Realtors or the current owner should be able to share ballpark utility costs. The silent drag on a vacation home is the regular necessary maintenance both things like seasonal tasks (lawn care, gutter cleaning, winterizing if necessary) to the big-ticket items like roof replacement every 20 years, water heater every 10-15, refrigerator every 10, HVAC every 10-15, etc. Anything interior will likely run towards the shorter end of its life span because renters are harder on it than owners, but you can find home maintenance checklists online that can help you plan.

      1. This, the big ticket items + property insurance and taxes. And I agree, the little things add up. Sheets, towels, and kitchenware get turned over almost every year. I can’t count how many sets of glasses we’ve bought to replace broken ones, and how many totally fine but-for that weird stain? sheets and towels get replaced too.

    4. Don’t do this. Buy a vacation house to use it but they are very hard to make money on as an investment property. We bought one with this idea in mind, but fortunately didn’t need it to be profitable. To make the place attractive to get the nightly rate to make money, you have to put a lot into the place. Then, guests break everything, things you didn’t know could break. Ours is in the Napa/Sonoma area and we made a lot of money on paper, but by the time we paid the property management company (necessary unless you live there), for renovations and decor, fixing literally everything, cleaning fees (no what people pay doesn’t begin to cover this or regular maintenance), the net was nothing. Fortunately we love the place and now just use it ourselves and don’t rent it out. If you want an investment property, buy that – get a rental somewhere, preferably close to you so you can manage issues – but don’t buy a vacation home thinking it’s an income stream. If you buy in a good location, it will appreciate in value so it is an investment that way, but that’s different from it being an income source. I also have rental apartments and those are a different story, but much better from a cash flow investment perspective.

      1. This is helpful. DH and I are considering a vacation home. It seems like most people rent them out, but I have no interest in doing that? Seems like a ton of work only to have guests trash your place.

        1. It really is. I think people do it because they think they have to or someone convinced them they’d make money. Our carrying costs decreased substantially once we stopped renting ours out. It’s also heaven to have a place to go to all the time. My advice is buy something within a few hours max of where you live so it’s easy to use and then go all the time. We basically split our time now between the city and our vacation place. And I will also underscore it’s still an investment, our place has doubled in value since we bought it so we’d make a substantial profit if we sold.

          1. Yeah, this is the real debate. We really want a lake house. We both agree that the house being within a few hours of our own would be ideal. Unfortunately, inventory is really low because we aren’t living in an area with a ton of lakes. So then you start looking at 5-6 hour drives which is totally doable, but makes it harder to do, say, just a weekend thing.

        2. Our second home is for us. However, we do occasionally “rent” it out to friends and family for a contribution of the utility costs.

          1. What part of the country are you in? To me a 5-6 hour trip for a weekend if a no-go but I know in places like Texas that might be more routine.

          2. We do the same. It’s been amazing to have a place of our own in a popular travel destination (3 hours from home) that we can enjoy. When we arrive, we know the condition of everything and who was there last. Only family and trusted friends get to use it. We don’t charge anything but do expect guests to replace what they’ve used (toilet paper, paper towels, etc.)

        3. A former co-worker rented out her vacation home. Whenever she actually got to use it she spent the whole time fixing up damage caused by renters. For some reason they seemed to tend to rip toilet paper holders out of the wall with regularity. Etc.

          1. Do t even get me started! I couldn’t believe the things people broke, faucets, light fixtures, bathroom tiles, like how do people do that!?!

      2. +1 we have had our vacation home for over 20 years and never rented it out. I can’t stand the thought of strangers staying there and I don’t want to deal with the upkeep associated with renting it out.

        It is only 1.5 hours away so we can go up all the time, even just for the day if necessary. This makes such a difference in how much we use it.

      3. I agree with this.

        Unless it is in a place with year round vacation opportunities (San Diego?), the exact times you use this home will be the times that other people will pay top dollar to rent it out.

        Those are the weeks that can make or break your year.

        Then you get all of the inconvenience, expense, and risk of a rental property with none of the benefit of a vacation home.

        The benefits of a vacation home: you leave your stuff there and it is there when you want to go. Your clothes are in the dresser, your food is in the pantry, your games and books are on the shelf, your kids’ stuffies and toys are in their rooms. If you left it clean, it will be clean when you return.

    5. Go watch Pacific Heights. It’s from the 90s. And then read your property insurance exclusions and see if you can get loss of rental income insurance.

      Rule of thumb for residential property you live in full time is 1% of value per year. I’d multiply that several times for a rental. And that’s not counting soft and case goods.

        1. I think that is the rule of thumb for maintenance costs. It vastly underestimates maintenance costs for homes under $1M or so, rental properties, and properties in areas with harsh weather.

    6. Go watch Pacific Heights. It’s from the 90s. And then read your property insurance exclusions and see if you can get loss of rental income insurance.

      Rule of thumb for residential property you live in full time is 1% of value per year. I’d multiply that several times for a rental. And that’s not counting soft and case goods.

      X

    7. Go into it with the expectation that the rent will help you afford a vacation property sooner and the only real “investment” you’ll earn is the equity you get by buying the house now vs in 10 years or whatever. Expect to have to cash flow or dip into savings occasionally for major maintenance, and increase your emergency fund accordingly.

      Where people mess up is when they expect to have a glittering clean vacation home waiting for them at any moment and they also want to make money on the property. Renters, property managers, cleaners – none of them will treat your home like it’s their own. There will be scuffs on the wall and mystery crumbs in the corners. If you want to earn as much as possible then you won’t be able to use the house during peak times like summer holidays (or maybe all summer). But if you’re like me and you hate the beach at 4th of July but love shoulder seasons and snow on the beach then a beach house is probably a great buy for you.

    8. Look into the STR tax loophole. If you are a high earner, it could really help reduce your taxable income for a nice tax break.

  3. I am looking for truly wrinkle-free dresses. I will store these in a suitcase in the trunk of my car. They will get mashed around, not perfectly rolled or stored. I have emergency work travel 3-4 times per year with 1-3 hours notice, so I keep a small carry on packed for these trips. Prefer something with a true short sleeve, elbow, or 3/4 sleeve as I can wear those any weather without packing another layer. Ideas?

    1. I’ve found dresses like this at White House Black Market and Ann Taylor before; however, I think you should just order a $20 travel steamer and keep that in the suitcase too.

    2. Is your job casual enough that dresses can be athletic material? Athleta, lululemon, etc used to have good options – I’d check Poshmark. Also have had some luck with the Northface

    3. No specific suggestions. Generally, a print will hide wrinkles better than solid colors will.

    4. Does it have to be a dress? That sounds inconsistent with emergency travel? I would probably get some of those Athleta pants that are mostly athleisure but pass for real pants and tops in a similar fabric. Maybe they have a golf dress or something if you really need a dress.

      1. Again, I can’t help you with dresses but Chico’s-of-all-places has shirts that are absolutely wrinkle-free. And it looks like they’re on sale today.

    5. Prana or Pact may have some options, but they are very casual. I’m not sure if that fits what you’re looking for or not.

    6. Other than some of the thick synthetic workwear from Express, The Limited (RIP), and Club Monaco (nearly RIP) 15 years ago, I’ve never found anything that is truly wrinkle free. I’ve just started bringing a portable steamer in my carryon. I have the travel one from Jack and Rose, and the iron on it works decently well too.

    7. Karen Kane usually has some jersey options. Talbots ponte knit is heavy and doesn’t wrinkle. And it’s not budget but the Peruvian Connection Pima knits are old school quality and also don’t wrinkle.

    8. Downey anti-wrinkle spray and REI dress https://www.rei.com/product/243596/rei-co-op-savanna-trails-dress?sku=2435960003&store=105&CAWELAID=120217890019398899&CAGPSPN=pla&CAAGID=113169194098&CATCI=pla-297207402159&cm_mmc=PLA_Google%7C21700000001700551_2435960003%7C297207402159%7Cbrand_flag%7C11437667707&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=11437667707&gbraid=0AAAAAD_DTlw1LUtK9QvuVDfycv0AlEqwF&gclid=Cj0KCQjw3K7RBhDJARIsAKRtP5SgBGJMjKaxzEgH4Ri3TVA4gawMVbZ6PNHSuKWhXHYvOM4L7QJpz9MaAmJ7EALw_wcB

    9. Google around and look for “older woman” sites that carry things called a “travel dress.” These are often knit, crush free, have sleeves — the things you’re looking for. They’re marketed for people putting together travel capsules who want a versatile dress with shoulder/arm coverage.

        1. Oh, good suggestion. Pendleton has these as well. They are more work appropriate than some of the travel brands.

    10. Double gauze cotton is great for this kind of packing, since texture and drape is an integral part of the fabric.

      1. Double gauze cotton is definitely not wrinkle free and will look extremely rumpled if pulled out of a bag stored in a hot trunk.

    11. related question, as someone else who keeps a lot of stuff in her car: if you’re keeping meds or things like sunscreen you i always worry that they’re going to go bad if your car is in heat. does anyone know if that’s true? i keep meaning to ask my phamD friend.

      i think you really need to tell us more about this emergency travel because my first thought would be that pants would be better than vacation dresses. not a great example but think of Kristi Noem and her Rolex or Melania and her I Don’t Care Do U coat – there’s a level of appropriateness for emergencies where it’s easy to go wrong.

      1. Yes, every product of that kind has a storage temperature and an excursion temperature.

      2. I’m not the OP, so this is just a guess. Someone like a FEMA spokesperson or a higher-level official comes to mind as needing to be ready to go on a moment’s notice, and needs to have business dress attire in the mix.

    14. J McLaughlin dresses meet pretty much all your criteria. The prints can be a bit exuberant, but they used to always have some solid navy or black options, and a few sedate prints each year. I used to travel a lot, and those dresses were great

  4. Moving in 10 days and two cleaning questions for the group:

    Our landlord has indicated he will be a stickler about the move-out clean. What’s your favorite grout cleaner? I’m going to have to do it myself because I got quotes for $450 JUST for the grout from local cleaning companies. I’ll take whatever toxic stuff makes the job fastest.

    Our new garage is dusty and may have a few rodent droppings on a shelf. We’re going to spray with disinfectant before cleaning them up per CDC guidance (we do have hantavirus in my state). I’m also thinking mopping the garage floor with a water and bleach mixture might be a good idea before running the shop vac. Anyone gone through this who can comment on what’s a good way to do a garage clean?

    1. 1. Zep grout cleaner and brightener.
      2. I have never mopped a garage except for one with the epoxy’d base. For that situation I used a Heavy Duty degreaser (actually – that one was also Zep brand).

    2. I’m not sure the definition of stickler but these seem to go beyond normal move out cleaning in my market. I would sweep the garage and like scrubbing bubbles the grout. If it really is necessary, zep for the grout.

    3. On the garage floor – it is likely porous, so think carefully about what you use.

    4. Check your lease. I bet it says you need to leave the unit in “broom clean” condition. You obviously need to decide if you want to equally be a stickler or just make a best effort to go beyond a normal standard of cleanliness, but having white grout or paying for a deep clean of the space upon departure is far beyond the “broom clean” standard. Depending on where you live there are some pretty tight tenant protection laws about move outs and things of this nature.

      For the garage, and assuming the space isn’t damaged in any way – just regular old wear and tear of the space – I would do a broom sweep and not an ounce more.

      2. This. And document. Take a ton of pictures about how you left it. Back before digital pictures my dad would have be take a photo of that day’s paper in the foreground to prove the pictures were from that day.

    5. My personal experience is that landlords who are going to be obnoxious about cleaning beyond broom swept will find something wrong no matter what – so I don’t go above and beyond because even when I’ve done some insane level of detail on one thing they find something else wrong and still keep the deposit. Unless your deposit is five figures or you truly have unlimited time on your hand, I would never put the amount of time you’re considering into either of those tasks.

      Also as an aside – I think you probably shouldn’t use a shop vac in a garage where there are rodent droppings because it aerosolizes them.

        1. OP here and for the area with visible droppings, we’re going to do the spray with bleach and wipe clean approach (per CDC). The shop vac would be for the floor but I’m trying to decide whether we should mop that with bleach first too.

    6. If he says that just assume he’ll be withholding the security deposit no matter how clean you get it. I would probably either not pay last month’s rent just to make sure, or tell him to choose the cleaning company.

    7. Is the garage concrete all around? Or epoxy floor with drywall walls? Something else?

      My concrete floors and block walls clean up really nicely with a garden hose, some dish soap, and a push broom. But if we had drywall that would not work.

    8. Landlord here and that’s the kind of thing that is actually hard to enforce depending on your jurisdiction. I’d check your local rules and just have a cleaner come in after you move out and do a once over. In many jurisdictions, you really can’t withhold a deposit unless the place is trashed. Take photos and videos if you run into an issue, but I wouldn’t put this much work into it.

    9. Thanks all – the landlord sent a checklist so he’s definitely not just looking for broom clean. He’s a cheapskate but generally fair (very low rent increases) so we’ll make a decent effort here. I will absolutely take pictures and video, though.

      The new garage floor is regular concrete. Does that mean I can’t use a bleach solution?

      1. I’m a landlord, and I think your landlord is being unreasonable. But if you’re going to make the effort, I’d probably text your landlord and ask what cleaning product he’d like you to use on the concrete floors.

      2. What does your lease say? Those are terms you agreed to, in addition to whatever your local LL/T law requires, not some after the fact checklist. As others have pointed out, some states have pretty strict laws governing return of security deposits for this very reason—landlords will look for illegitimate reasons to keep the deposit.

        1. The lease says it should be returned in the same condition (excluding normal wear and tear) that we got it at start of lease. That’s what the landlord also says in his checklist.

          2. It’s really genuinely dirty in the kitchen, though – unfortunately it wasn’t a priority to keep it sparkling with a new baby. I must admit it needs a cleaning.

          3. You do you, but if you have been in this place for more than a few months, I would just clean the surface so it isn’t actively covered in filth or slime, and let the landlord deal with aged grout. It’s like caulk, that stuff doesn’t last forever and a landlord who pretends it should look brand new is going to keep your deposit anyhow. No way am I putting all that effort into restoring grout just to lose the deposit anyhow.

      3. To clarify — you’re asking about cleaning the garage floor in the place you’re moving to, because you’re concerned about mouse droppings?

        You’re not cleaning your current garage as part of the move out?

        1. We don’t have a current garage. We want to clean the new garage a little bit because it’s dusty and has what we think could be 3-4 mouse droppings on a shelf. We would rather clean it now before our stuff is moved in – just get it done.

      4. Is the checklist incorporated in the lease?

        If not, tough luck for him. (Check local laws.)

    11. sounds like you’re going to want to N95 mask up for cleaning the garage. check whether there’s a drain in the garage before using liquid — we have one but not every garage does. (Also something to keep in mind if you’re somewhere it snows.) i’d just say broom + leafblower should help you get it clean and bleach wouldn’t be necessary unless there’s a small area where you want to use clorox wipes. but you’re not eating off the garage floor, amiright?

      2. Yeah, I’d use the leaf blower and maybe a powerwasher. Our garage had some oil stains that powerwashing plus dishsoap did a good job removing. You can rent a powerwasher from Home Depot or buy a decent one for less than $200 if you think you’d re-use it (like cleaning vinyl siding or sidewalks annually).

    12. I’m a landlord. I do not have broom swept in my lease for move out and truthfully that isn’t the standard. Normal wear and tear doesn’t mean not cleaned. It also doesn’t mean cleaning the grout. I also wouldn’t expect a garage to be more than swept out.

      If your landlord is giving you a checklist I’d be hiring a cleaning company to do the move out clean. If the landlord complains, have them speak to the cleaning company to rectify.

  5. I have excellent soft skills, am great at tasks related to my job, am good at basic “adulting”, and am a good friend but I feel like I lack any hard skills. The things I’m good at are just things most capable professionals and adults are good at. I have a bunch of hobbies I enjoy that I think are cool and interesting but are either not particularly useful or I’m not that great at. Like, I’m a below average skier and crocheter and a slow runner: I’m “better” than people who don’t do these things but I’m not good.

    I’m jealous of my friends who are handy around the house, understand cars, or have great creative skills. No one is ever going to come to me for my expert opinion on something or for advice the way other friends get asked. I also feel kinda useless that I don’t have any concrete skills?

    1. Are there concrete skills you want?

      There’s 9 billion people in the world, I figure I’m not going to be unusually fantastic at anything. But you don’t have to be the “best” in your social group to learn how to change your own tires, or try baking a new recipe, or whatever else!

    2. I feel like this is all completely okay (and I guarantee you some of your creative friends are jealous that you’re good at adulting), but if you want to change this, the solution is to try to get good at something. Is there anything that intrigues you? Or that you’d like to become proficient at? It’s going to take work and time, but there’s no reason not to try, who knows what sort of doors you may open.

    3. Don’t sell yourself short, I would not say “most” professional adults are good at soft skills.

      but if you want to develop a hard skill…do it? start now, you’ll get better. you’ll get older either way, and 10 years from now you’ll be good at a new skill

    4. Pick something and start doing reps on it. The ten thousand hours thing is kind of BS but mostly correct in that putting in the hours and actively learning as you go will lead to mastery in a lot of activities. But the first step is just picking something and starting to try to learn and get better for whatever length of time you have available to you each day.

    6. Welcome to being a human being! And also, don’t discount the fact that you DO THINGS. Comparison is the thief of joy, and all.

      Also, if you want to learn something “useful,” you certainly have the option to do that. Take a class, join a group, make it happen.

    7. I would be totally useless in a zombie apocalypse. I have no real skills. I can’t dress a wound or start a fire or catch a fish. I’m CPR certified but I’m not confident in my ability to actually perform CPR correctly under pressure. I would heavily rely on my husband until we get to the reestablishing society phase. Then I could at least do basic planning or something.

      I’ve just kind of accepted this about myself. We all have different strengths and weaknesses. Life would be boring and lonely if you were good at everything.

      1. Sure, but also, these are learnable skills. No person is born knowing how to dress a wound, they learn how to do it. If you want to learn that… then learn it? I don’t know why people are so defeatist about things that literally anyone could learn. Go catch a fish girl!

        1. A lot of people really seem to think skills are inate. The number of times it has been implied to me I got my sewing skills by magic and not through thousand of hours of effort is crazy.

    8. I feel this way sometimes. It is derivative of my perfectionist tendencies. It is perfectly okay not to be the best at everything, or even one thing. When I feel like this, I remind myself it is more important to be kind, to be thoughtful, to be a force for good in the world in the small ways within my control. And I’m sure you are good at those things!

      1. same!!! I can relate to the feeling, but if I die tomorrow, I will be fondly remembered by many, and not because of how fast I run a mile.

    9. It seems like there are two parts here, practical and non.

      For the practical piece — if there’s a skill you’d like to become expert at, you can. Learn a langage, a recipe, take crocheting classes, whathaveyou.

      For the non-practical piece — I think you’re overestimating other people (way overestimating) and underestimating yourself. You’re capable, self-reflective, and a good friend? You can also ski, run, and crochet? You sound terrific!

  6. Between covid and perimenopause, I’ve gained about 20 pounds that are going to be tough to shake and keep off, and I’m okay with that, bodies change over time, I don’t care about the number on the scale, I care about feeling comfortable in my body ….and none of my clothes fit.

    I’ve gotten back in the gym and am making some pretty exciting strides in terms of how heavy the things I pick up and put down are, which means my upper body is also getting broader, and I think I need to throw some money at my wardrobe.

    How much would you budget for this? I work from home most of the time, and even when I go into the office it’s business casual; I strongly prefer pants, natural fibers, and a capsule approach to my wardrobe, so I’m fine buying several of the same basics.

    1. I would think hard about whether I was going to do a GLP1 before investing a lot in clothes. I very much believe in dress the body you have, but I also think those drugs are a miracle.

      2. I would think hard before taking a drug that I would potentially need take for the rest of my life just to lose 20 lbs. GLP1s can be fantastic for lots of people for lots of reasons, but I think unless you have health issues associated with these 20 lbs and are otherwise at a healthy-for-you weight, not being on meds > being on meds.

        2. For many people they also lower inflammation, cancer risk, cardiovascular disease, etc., so it’s all something to weigh and consider.

          1. Are you selling these products? Do we need to hear a push for GLP-1s every day here? Yes, there is promising research on these potential benefits but it’s also reasonable to not want to go on these medications. There are valid reasons to want to achieve weight loss through diet and exercise.

          2. I’m not on GLP1s and don’t sell them. But I do think it’s ignorant to characterize these meds as just for weight loss. When somebody gained weight without changing their lifestyle, diet and exercise isn’t always the relevant intervention. It’s also the first thing most people try. It’s also part of losing weight on GLP1s too.

            There’s decades of research on weight loss through diet and exercise and all the risks of taking that approach as well.

          3. But the OP of the thread said she’s okay with her weight, and she didn’t mention trying to diet, just increasing her exercise. As a fellow woman around the same age, I’m also trying to spend more time on exercise, and it’s to get stronger, not to lose weight.

          4. No one characterized these meds as just for weight loss. And now you’re sitting here talking about the all risks of diet and exercise, good grief. I’m just over this bizarre compulsion you seem to have to push drugs on people.

          5. I didn’t say risks of diet and exercise. I said risks of losing weight by dieting and exercising.

            It’s not pushing drugs on anyone to push back against weirdly stigmatizing narratives about these drugs.

          6. Right, the risks of losing 20 lbs by diet and exercise. Uhuh.
            You are not pushing back on stigmatizing narratives. There is no stigmatizing narrative in this thread. You are pushing the drug. You brought it up. Don’t be dishonest.

          7. Not being on meds > being on meds is a really common opinion, but either it’s true or it’s not for any one of us. It’s likely that many of us will be do better if we take meds that lower the risks of aging even if we’re otherwise healthy. It’s okay for healthy people to engage in preventive care.

          8. So now your message is “everyone should take GLP-1s as general preventative care.” How much pharma stock do you own? Give it a rest. Acting like anyone anywhere challenged the notion that it’s okay for healthy people to engage in preventative care is, like most of your comments, disingenuous.

          9. No one is saying that everyone should take GLP1s! It’s just getting really tiresome watching people characterize taking them as a bad or unwise decision just because they are medical interventions at all. “A drug that I would potentially need to take for the rest of my life” can be a great, great thing.

        3. Well I did exactly that and it’s amazing how much weight 20lbs actually is. I also had all the excuses, I’m tall, it’s only 20lbs, I’ll just lose it “naturally.” Guess what, I felt awful, it was impossible to lose at my age now, and a GLP1 let me drop that in a couple of months. I also feel great on it and can’t understand why you wouldn’t want to keep taking it. GLP1s also address a lot more than weight so I wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss it, it’s a common part of peri and menopause treatment now too.

          1. Seriously don’t need this on every thread. And some of us remember when people had their teeth wired to lose weight, lived on weird pink shakes, took Fen Fen, got their stomachs stapled or took Ally. All of those weight loss trends ended in disaster. To lose weight you screwed up your metabolism and lost muscle and bone you need. When you have to go off, you will gain back your vanity pounds and more.

          3. Yeah this pushy “everyone is doing it” attitude is creepy and goes beyond simply sharing your experience, especially when the OP is asking a totally different question.

          4. Why would you assume there’s an issue with my diet or nutrition? This is precisely the problem many of us have with the GLP1s are “problematic” crowd.

          5. OK, well the OP also says she needs new clothes to accommodate her newly chiseled shoulders and sick bicep gainz, so how much should she budget for that?

      3. I think people should stop shoving GLP-1s at strangers on the internet who did not ask for advice on them. Most of you are just old school fat shamers who are now couching your toxic view of normal bodies as health advice.

        1. Many people here are posting for weight loss advice including the OP here (yes, an ask about clothes to mask weight gain is an ask along these lines and it’s worth pointing out they may consider this before spending a ton revamping their wardrobe).

          1. No. OP asked about a clothing budget. That is not an ask along the lines of asking for advice on losing weight, and no one needs you to remind them of the existence of GLP-1s.

      4. I actually agree that GLP1s are miraculous and amazing in many ways for many people, but I’m not sure why considering them is an immediate recommendation when someone has said she’s okay with her weight? I’m not an expert on how these medications work, just a regular person who’s always been 15-ish pounds over an “ideal” weight, but my understanding is that they change a person’s hunger cues, and personally that seems like a lifestyle change that wouldn’t make my life better because I really like what and how I eat and I think it’s healthy for my body. Not everyone wants to change their body and lifestyle.

          1. Okay! I’m perfectly happy being a little chubby and if someone says she’s okay with her weight I see no reason not to believe her too, since I can’t actually see into the soul of anonymous posters on the internet.

          2. You’re obviously not privy to everyone’s inner thoughts, so what psychological need does it fill for you to insist that everyone is unhappy with those 20 lbs? And that they should use medications to change that?

          3. Acceptance is not the same thing as happy. There’s resignation in the post, not joy.

          4. Yikes!!! I urge you to seek therapy instead of spreading the insidious message that people are lying when they say they’re happy at a certain weight, and implying that people shouldn’t accept their own bodies. Acceptance and resignation aren’t the same thing. Your comments are veering into dangerous territory.

          5. I’d really like to meet someone who is absolutely psyched to have gained 20lbs and have none of their clothes fit.

          6. Again, your need to insist that everyone has self-esteem issues is disturbing. Take it somewhere else. Your not so subtle insinuation that everyone should be upset about a 20 lb weight gain is harmful rhetoric.

          7. Hahaha lies. I and many others indeed are. Take your size-ist attitudes elsewhere.

    2. I’d budget $2000, but I’d spread it out over at least 6 months. Start with new bras and a few basics that you can mix and match ($500-$800). Then gradually build over the next few months ($200-250 per month) so you can find pieces that really work for you and that fit your needs and match the seasons.

    3. Of course you’re allowed to be kind! We need more kind people. <3

      Since you asked the internet, and it’s bugging you:
      One question is perhaps if you are being kind on your own behalf, or if you’re also being kind on behalf of others? Some people are so uncomfortable with potential negative statements that they correct and amend other people.

      This can take the form of always “helping” by pointing out that a third party probably meant well and similar if somebody has a gripe and sort of mediating and buffering and amending how the person you’re talking to *should* feel and react, instead of allowing them to be and feel.

      If that is an instinct you recognise in yourself, it’s good to know that can come off in the range of toxic positivity even though that’s far from what you mean.

    4. I would figure out what items you need first, then browse for those to develop a realistic budget. And then finally make purchases.

      If I go out with just a budget I will blow it on great items that don’t fit my capsule wardrobe gaps.

    5. Realistically, I would not budget a lot.

      If you’re going to keep going to the gym, you might change sizes or shape between this year and next. I know it’s hard because when I started my weight loss journey (before GLP1s) I thought I would get to my then smaller size and that would be it. But I went down below that for the first time in my life. I ended up donating a bunch of new clothes I bought with the assumption I would wear them the next year.

      My suggestion is buy a handful of necessities now to hold you over and do a more serious wardrobe refresh in a few months to a year. I also wfh so I’m in leggings I wear to the gym most of the day with a nice top only if I’m on a call. Then add a pair or two of jeans or maybe linen pants with say 5-7 tops. But even there, I would do outlet or holiday sales until my weight settled.

    6. My shape keeps changing as I age, so I would just do the minimum at your current size and wear the heck out of it. Over time, my waist got wider, my hips got smaller, my chest and shoulders got broader. As far as I can tell it never ends.

    7. How much to budget really depends on how much you are ok with spending per item. With current prices, I’d estimate at least $100, probably more like $200, for pants, and similarly for shirts. If you want silk, you are looking at $250+, unless you are looking at sales. And, tip from a gym girlie, no matter how much you want natural fibers, 100% cotton jeans are never your friend.

    8. If you’re sure you’re staying at this weight, I’d say $800 to $1,000 is basic and reasonable. A blazer for when you go into work, dress that could be worn by itself, a couple of pants, and I’d see if you could get tops secondhand off of Poshmark or on Amazon. One of the pants could be jeans, then I’d look at Ayr or Spanx for a pair that could be both casual and dressed up for when you go into work.

      If you’re on a budget, get some basic pants at Old Navy, and then take your time buying items second hand. I think $250 could get you some solid basics.

  7. What nail colors are we liking this summer? Getting a pre-vacation pedi this afternoon.

      1. That’s what I ended up with :) According to the nail tech, OPI redid some of their color names so now it’s called Shrimp Cocktail. Love a good bright coral for summer, no matter what it’s called.

    3. I like to go nontraditional with toes — I just got a neon yellow/green (tennis ball color) for my vacation pedi.

    4. I’m always happy with classic red – I do Big Apple Red or Cherry Cosmo. My style is preppy bohemian though so it just works with my look.

    7. Short with a perfect sheer nude manicure. Because I’m old money. (Sorry, couldn’t resist the sarcastic throwback).

      1. Don’t worry, old money would approve of my short, unpolished, but otherwise well-maintained fingernails.

        (They used to be more fun, but then I started riding again and can’t tack up my horse without chipping something. I don’t know if that makes it more or less old money…)

    8. I always like mine to go with whatever sandals and clothing I’ll be wearing in the evenings.

    11. I currently have a bright green pedi. Yesterday I saw a woman with a rich black cherry color and it looked great on her.

    12. I got a robins egg blue that I’ve liked a lot and may make my go to color this summer

      Also love the icy lavender idea

  8. I’m in my mid-40s and still am a greasy mess in the summertime. Combo skin year-round but everything cranks way up when it’s hot. The upside is that I’m aging pretty well! The downside is that I need a lightweight tinted something for my face that actually stays on and doesn’t make me look like an oil slick in a few hours. The Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer that everyone loves does not work on my skin, for example. Any ideas? I’m currently using a cheap Cover Girl BB cream that works better than anything else I’ve tried, but I’m not wild about the ingredients.

    1. I use bare minerals. But on days it’s really hot, I just use supergoop glowscreen.

    2. Also a combo-skin girl. What works for me is using a heavy moisturizer at night then only using a sunscreen in the morning, with a little foundation if I feel it’s needed. The Rare Beauty true to myself matte foundation stays put.

    3. I also don’t like Laura Mercier. The Maybelline Dream BB cream without the acne control is my go to.

      1. I love the Maybelkine BB cream! Very good for a drugstore product. I don’t need a lot of coverage and think it’s perfect to even out my skin.

      1. Fellow 40-something combo/oily skin, and this is what I use daily (as it has spf). For evening/occasions where I need a bit more coverage, I use Lune + Aster Realglow Skin Tint, which looks fabulous but does not have spf (and I’m too lazy to do sunscreen+another product every day). This replaced Clinique’s EvenBetter foundation for me, which as I got older, started to settle weird on my face.

    5. For me, holy grail here is a good setting spray. I love the O/S setting spray – it’s amazing.

      So before a Disney trip, I upgraded my makeup routine from what I had been using for 10+ years and I’m thrilled with it. On top of my moisturizer and sunscreen (a liquid chemical sunscreen – switched from unseen sunscreen because it was causing pilling), I layer It Cosmetics CC cream, set it with loose powder with a puff (look up ‘baking’ with powder), then I put on whatever else makeup but the key is to use this O/S setting spray. I still look great in photos taken at the end of the day even though it was high 90’s with 98% humidity.

    6. Reporting in from the other side of Old to tell you that one of these days you are going to love that you were greasy! It really does seem to help on the visible aging front. I like the Juice Beauty primer with a little bit of their foundation mixed in.

    8. La Roche Posay has a tinted moisturizer-sunscreen that creates a lovely finish that is not greasy. It feels like it just disappears into the skin, leaving it looking great. Was recommended by my dermatologist when I was wanting something for my light rosacea.

  9. Where’s the line between being fake and being… idk, polite, or trying to have a functional relationship? I tend to take a kill em with kindness approach. It’s so much easier (for me) to be nice than to be aloof all the time. And regardless of how someone treats me, I am the only person whose actions I control, and I want to be proud of how I treat people.

    Apparently that rubs some mutual friends/colleagues the wrong way. They take a, if I don’t like you I won’t pretend to, stance. Which is fine for them. But it’s exhausting for me. And especially at work, I don’t want to give ammo to someone who already doesn’t like me. Doesn’t that make me a brown noser?

    1. It’s basically impossible to give you any advice without way more context (probably more than you could provide). Obviously, “I’m polite and kind to everyone, even people I don’t particularly like” is pretty unobjectionable. But people are objecting to *something* you’re doing, and doing so strongly enough that you’re hearing about it. So either they’re extremely unreasonable or you’re not describing your behavior accurately. Likely the truth is somewhere in the middle.

      1. +1. It’s definitely good to be kind, but I wonder if it’s coming across as fake or insincere to the people who know you better.

      2. That’s fair. Socially, I’ve received this criticism from people who are a bit rough around the edges and, in my opinion, go out of their way to snub people they don’t like. I don’t do that; I will say hello and if we’re stuck in line at the bar together then I’ll make small talk about the weather. Basic politeness.

        Professionally, I got this feedback from one of my bosses who is a peer to another boss who doesn’t like me. Boss who likes me can afford to snub jerk boss, I can’t. Jerk boss is the head of an initiative my team and I are working on. There was an internal award for the head(s) of initiatives like this, so I nominated jerk boss for the award in an attempt to raise the profile of our initiative. It would not be possible to nominate anyone else on the team for the award; either it was jerk boss or no one from this initiative would be nominated. Boss who likes me thought it was fake of me to nominate jerk boss, and I said I was just trying to support my team, and he kind of rolled his eyes at me. I kind of see his point and believe me it hurt my pride a little to nominate jerk boss. I just hate to see our work go unrecognized just because this person is a jerk. FWIW I also nominated boss who likes me for a different award and I routinely nominate him for external awards (and he does for me too).

        1. The nominating step is way beyond just being kind and collegial. That is definitely taking you into either totally clueless or brown-nose territory.

          1. I guesss it was in an attempt to bring attention to the initiative. It’s very org dependent whether it would actually have brought attention to OPs teams work or just to the boss

            I do think I’m polite and nice but would not have done this.

        2. Maybe you’re contextualizing his response all wrong and what he meant to convey to you is that nominating the jerk boss isn’t going to change the person’s opinion of you. Obviously there is nothing inherently wrong with you doing that. But also, if you rub the person the wrong way anyway, they may actually perceive you as trying to be a suck up which may just annoy them more. Your friendlier boss might have been attempting to remind you of that.

        3. I see what you’re trying to do, but I also see why your boss was annoyed. That is brown-nosing territory for sure.

        4. Yeeeeaaaaa, I wouldn’t have done that. That goes far beyond just being polite, which is how you first characterized your trait in question.

        5. I can be overly self sacrificing and gracious, and I have learned to not nominate people in those circumstances.

          1. You aren’t helping your team. It was an individual, not a team, award.

          2. Part of being a good coworker is not being a jerk.

        6. OP, your initial post made you just sound like a nice, kind person. I don’t think those are bad character traits to have nor do I think you provided an incorrect self-assessment. However, the fact that you nominated this person for an internal award is a sign that you are, at best, quite naive when it comes to navigating interpersonal relationships. If I were your boss, I would not have faith that you are equipped to make good independent judgements on anything involving office politics or requiring nuanced sophistication.

        7. From this example, it sounds like maybe your nominating someone your boss has a problem with came across as disloyal/a betrayal (whether or not that’s reasonable is beyond the scope of this comment); and I wonder if that’s what’s happening in social situations too – making polite chitchat with someone who’s not your cup of tea is one thing; making polite chitchat with your BFF’s ex who abused her is another. You don’t have to go throw a drink on him, but I’d definitely ignore him in a bar.

    3. I don’t think anyone’s ever regretted being kind on their deathbeds. You can be kind without being a pushover. In fact, I’d say being kind requires teaching people how you want to be treated so you don’t end up snapping at them down the line.

      Don’t let people who aren’t nice convince you that their way is better. It isn’t. It sounds like you’ll be proud of who you are and the choices you made down the line, and that’s all that matters.

    4. Get concrete with yourself about who this mutual friend or colleague is, and how you became aware that what you’re doing rubs him or her the wrong way.

      Is this person credible, good with people, wise, emotionally intelligent, and worth modeling yourself after? If not, ignore and keep being you. If they are, ask them some questions to find out more so that you can consider if there’s anything to take onboard, or if you continue to ignore.

    6. Keep doing what you’re doing. The last thing the world needs is more nastiness.

      (Unless, of course, people at work are actually treating you inappropriately. There’s a difference between being polite and being a doormat.)

    7. Being rude to someone you don’t like is not the flex that some people seem to think it is. Keep to your own standards of behavior as you have deemed them to be.

      I tend to take your approach. I value hopefully civilized interactions even with people for whom I have zero respect. If I throw some rudeness or curtness at someone it is because they have in that moment earned it, have it coming, and it benefits me somehow to interact that way.

    8. It depends. For example if you have a chat with someone you don’t particularly like and say ‘it was so nice catching up ‘ that’s fine, but if you do the whole ‘lets grab lunch sometime’ that’s a pretty obvious lie and not cool

  10. I have this top and really like it. Only caution is that it runs short, I guess everyone likes the cropped look now but after a c section I’m not comfortable with that. I bought it in Tall and am glad I did, that fits like a normal tight shirt should.

  11. Does anyone have a really good and totally analog task tracking system? I am over using my phone for it but “just make a list” doesn’t really work either because of things where I am waiting for a response or where tasks are recurring or whatever. I used Mark Forster’s Autofocus back in like 2013 or whenever it came out and liked that, but I find it very, very fun (and motivating!) to try new things, so wanted to see if anyone had a favorite analog system that’s really working for them.

    1. I hate my phone but I find it a necessary evil for staying organized (I’m also managing 5 people’s calendars so YMMV). I’m moving away from my paper calendar and paper to do list because something always gets omitted or forgotten. But my friend who is sticking to analog is using a bullet journal so you may enjoy learning and using that system.

    2. I use a good old fashioned notebook, it I make my lists at the end and take notes at the beginning. That way I don’t lose track of where the lists are. I like moleskins for this too, just enough pages to last a few months but not forever.

    3. I have 2 magnetic glass white boards in my office and a stack of 3×5 index cards I’ve cut into quarters. The left board is for projects in my court, and the right board is for projects in someone else’s court. I move cards back and forth as things bounce to me and back out to a client. I color-code the cards a bit, with some clients getting their own color. Periodically, I remove completed tasks from the right board. It’s super analog, but it’s worked better for me than anything else I’ve ever used.

      2. This sounds like the sort of thing that will perfectly match my weird little brain. What do you do to track tasks when not physically at the office, if you don’t mind me asking?

        1. I am mostly in the office, but I have been known to take a picture of my left board if I am working from home the next day.

  12. The Ottoman fabric dresses from Boden should fit your needs – they are a very thick jersey in a shift or sheath style. They also have some excellent heavy duty ponte dresses, but that is more of a crapshoot – read the reviews and look for raves about the thick fabric – those are the ones you want.

  13. Related to the summer nail color question, I recently stopped doing gel manicures and it’s not going well. I have been using jojoba oil on my nails (as per Redditt) and that does seem to be helping repair them, but my cuticles are so bad! I am a cuticle picker from way back, and the gel manicures seemed to finally help with that, but I was only getting the cuticles done every 3 weeks, but now it’s like they are a mess even if I try to do them 1x a week. There is constantly skin hanging off that I have to pick and then it turns into a bloody and painful mess (IYKYK)! I can’t figure out what is different than when I got the gel manicures. I am using cuticle oil or cream on them every night.

    Help! I really want to cut out the cost of gel manicures but I don’t want to be walking around with ragged fingers or band aids on them!

    1. I have been doing dazzle dry and really like it. Doesn’y last as long but my hands look good without peeling or chipping for about 7-10 days (sometimes up to 2 weeks) and there is no damage. You can do it at home too.

    2. Don’t pick! Every time you see a little bit peeling off, put more cuticle oil on it and otherwise leave it alone. You can also try using a cuticle remover/exfoliator, but I haven’t had super great results from that.

    4. I pick my cuticles unless I do the following:

      Step 1 – prepare a cuticle scrub with baking soda and solid coconut oil. Make a thick paste. Rub the paste around cuticles a several times per week to exfoliate. You can add a drop of essential oil for a nice smell.

      Step 2 – several times per day, moisturize cuticles. Use a moisturizing cream, NOT an oil. I use Nivea cream in a little round blue tin from the drugstore. An oil, or oily, cuticle treatment won’t moisturize, and will eventually dry out your cuticles, making them more pickable.

      Step 3 – carry a cuticle nipper with you at all times, and as soon as something worth picking at emerges, nip it off.

      Step 4 – if you are bleeding, put a proper bandaid on it so it heals more quickly.

      My cuticles aren’t perfect, but are decent if I do these things.

    6. do you have good quality tools like a cuticle nipper? it sounds like you don’t or the one you have is dull. second the recs for having one with you & a cuticle oil pen. Put the oil under your nails as well (at tips).
      but also, if it’s the cuticle condition, not nail color, you’re struggling with – my salon offers a pretty affordable no polish manicure that’s scrub, lotion or oil, cuticle care only. Might be worth it.

    7. Use nail clippers to trim any sharp or snagged cuticles, but don’t pick. Oil regularly, and then just leave them alone. They don’t need to be “done” and the more you mess with them the unhappier they will be.

  14. I’ve noticed that when Ingot to conferences /events most of the more senior women are wearing statement work dresses. Where are your go to places to buy nice, slightly interesting work dresses that don’t need a blazer with them?
    Thanks!

    4. IDK if you’re looking for more business formal, but in my business casual world… last night I wore the Boden Alexa Cotton Midi Shirt Dress in Red Stripe (more like burnt orange in person) to a dinner of 15 people, all men, in dress pants and button down shirts. I added a gold necklace and my structured brown leather tote with nude Vince kitten heel sling backs… it’s one of the outfits I felt the best in recently. I like that the collar is somewhat structured so it added an element of sophistication vs some shirt dresses that look kind of frumpy around the neckline.

      I think when I was younger I would have tried to blend in with black pants, a shell/shirt of some kind and a neutral blazer, but at 41 I and at my level… idk. I’m wearing what I like!

      It was my first time wearing it since I purchased it and I’m strongly considering buying it in a second color/pattern.

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