ByKat Hours Updated
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Wednesday’s TPS Report: Wool Draped Sheath Dress

Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. OneForty8 by Lafayette148 New York Wool Draped Sheath DressI thought I'd swing by Gilt today and see what was available, and there is, as always, a ton of great dresses — if you know what you're looking for. I like this wool draped sheath dress from OneForty8, which apparently was created by Lafayette 148 New York just for Gilt. I love the color (“dusk”), the waist details, the sleeves, the modest hemline, and the mix of wool (95%) and lycra (5%). It's $159 (“was $418”), and is still available in most small and medium sizes. OneForty8 by Lafayette148 New York Wool Draped Sheath Dress Here's a plus-size version that's similar. (By the way: we've just started a Pinterest board for pretty plus-size picks we find that aren't necessarily similar to what we've picked for the TPS reports — check it out.) Seen a great piece you’d like to recommend? Please e-mail tps@corporette.com.

Sales of note for 12.5

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

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

151 Comments

  2. If it’s created just for Gilt, what does the “full price” number actually mean? Seems rather arbitrary and disingenuous if no one ever would be even asked to pay the full sticker price.

    1. I guess that’s why Kat listed the full price in quotes. I’m a little slow on the uptake for a weds…

    2. Ditto, those are a false anchor!

      I don’t wear blue like this (less offensive than cobalt, LOL) but I do appreciate that it’s 40 inches long!

    3. It’s what Gilt thinks it would retail for if it sold in stores. I agree, it’s pretty arbitrary and misleading.

    4. Everyone makes up fake anchor prices, like outlet stores and ross/marshalls/etc. It’s dumb, but it’s ubiquitous.

      1. Many mall stores have 40% of sales every other week. If most people are not paying full price (which I assume is true), I don’t think those are true anchor prices either.

        2. It irritates me so much that I have to have a minimum of a store credit card, a coupon, and then deal with earning rewards cash and redeeming it within a certain time frame, just to get items down to a price that is around what I’d be willing to actually pay for it. I know I could shop elsewhere, but I haven’t found a better alternative for a lot of things.

          JCP tried pricing everything at the real price to begin with a few years back with disastrous results, so these tactics are probably not going anywhere.

          1. I share your frustration, but I don’t think JC Penny’s disaster necessarily means this sort of pricing is doomed to failure. JCP had conditioned its customers over many years to expect and wait for extreme discounts, and then only tried the new, no-discount pricing system for a short time. I think they didn’t give their customers enough time to adjust, and didn’t market the pricing change well. Also, JCP implemented the pricing change at the same time they changed other things about their stores (like brand-specific “shops” within the store, if I remember correctly), so some of the fall-off in customers could have been due to those changes, or just to too many changes at once. Finally, the change in pricing coincided with a play toward more upscale customers, and away from JCP’s traditional base. The attempt at change was so brief I wonder if the customers they were looking for didn’t have time to get in a JCP and “discover” it, if you will. So, they alienated their traditional customers quickly and didn’t give new customers time to come around.

            I realize the guy from Apple (I forget his name) who came up with the new system was controversial within the company for other reasons as well. I also realize the company was hemorrhaging money, so possibly they just couldn’t wait long enough to see whether the new changes worked and also make payroll. I thought it was a fascinating experiment, though (in case you couldn’t tell), and I hope some other company tries it, possibly one better situated from the beginning for that type of pricing scheme.

          3. Blonde Lawyer, I was a huge fan of the new-now-former JCP model too. I was shopping there routinely for the first time in a decade. Apparently we’re a rare breed.

            Hildegarde, agree to your assessment. There really wasn’t enough time to the customer base change. Plus, there were serious stocking issue that held up purchases. I’m not sure what that was all about.

          4. it was actually Bill Ackman who came up with the pricing strategy. The guy from Apple was just executing. I don’t know why but it makes me crazy that people don’t know an activist hedge fund was behind JCP’s demise.

    1. I must be missing something (I am on my phone)…
      What’s wrong with the back?

          1. I actually wonder if the problem is that she is too skinny for the dress and it would lay flat on a non-model body.

    3. Lafayette 148 designs for busty women in my experience. This model is not busty, so the front of the dress does not lie right and I think the back then also crumples. But if you’re curvier, and perhaps willing to still have some tailoring done, this looks like a great go-to dress for work.

      1. That’s what it looks like to me, but I’m not as familiar with the brand. A 38″ bust on a size 4 is exciting as a busty gal. This isn’t a color I like to wear, but I otherwise like the dress.

  4. Hi, I’m commenting for the first time to ask for some advice: I’m buying my first house, and my offer just went contingent (finally, after I lost a bunch of bidding wars). What kind of stuff should I be doing during this time? I have an inspection scheduled, and I have plans to go sit outside the house twice, once during the day, once at night, to get a feel for the street. I’m also going to try to pull previous utility bills, and I have a long list of little things that I want to look at inside the house. Is there anything else I’m not thinking of? This seems like a time where my instinct to be a neurotic over planner will actually be useful. Thanks!

    1. I would try commuting from the house in the morning to your office and then from your office back to the house, to get a sense of the traffic (if any) or commute times.

      1. I would try commuting from the house in the morning to your office and then from your office back to the house, to get a sense of the traffic (if any) or commute times.

    2. Make sure your home inspector goes up on the roof, inspects any crawlspaces, etc. You’ll be able to tell if your inspector is doing a good job because it will feel as though the inspection is dragging on! Depending on your relationship with your realtor, you may want to look into selecting an inspector outside of your realtor’s recommendation.

      Also keep in mind that your contingent contract clearly defines the contingencies (inspection, maybe appraisal/financing/etc depending on how you wrote your offer). So while it is definitely useful to get a feel for the neighborhood and check things inside, etc–what you discover may or may not allow you to walk away from the contract without potentially sacrificing your EMD.

      Also, the sellers are under no obligation to give you unlimited access to the house prior to closing–use your time wisely (i.e., when you do your inspection, use that same window to get any other professionals in for estimates for upgrades you want to make).

      Goodluck!

      1. +1. Make sure your lawyer writes all contingencies INTO the P&S. Also try to get an inspector that is independent – not just a real estate agent who does ‘inspections’ on the side. Look on Angie’s List if you don’t have a recommendation from a 3rd party. When we bought our house and told the real estate agent that we were having X as an inspector, her face fell – she had used him and knew how thorough he was! :)

        I would look at utility bills from the high season – heat in January, AC in July, etc.

      2. Actually for those of you who know this stuff, if you back out between offer acceptance and contract signing, do you give up just the small earnest amount you put in when offering, or do you forfeit the full deposit that you’ve agreed to for pre-closing? (The deposit having not gone into escrow yet.)

        1. Sometimes just the deposit, sometimes nothing at all. The P&S deposit (usually 10%) is only depos*ted when you sign the P&S. If you back out AFTER the P&S for something that’s not in the agreement, then you lose that 10% deposit.

          1. My agent has the contract set up so that I can back out for any reason during contingency, but if I back out afterwards I would lose the money I have put down already (I think 100% of it, but I’m not totally sure). The house is vacant at the moment and the sellers have given me pretty much free reign to go in whenever I want (with my agent), although I do only get one official inspection.

            I chose the inspector off of a very long list from my agent, he has straight A’s on Angie’s List and I couldn’t find anything negative from googling. He told me to expect the inspection to take 2 1/2 – 3 hours. Should I be following him around while he’s inspecting? My instinct is to do that, but I don’t want to be in the way – and I kind of doubt I will be climbing up on the roof with him!

          2. Yes, I would follow the inspector around as much as you are able. I was not able to do that, and regret it. If something looks weird, ask. If you don’t understand why the inspector concludes something, ask. You might also get helpful tips about how to fix something (& how much it will cost to do so).

          3. It’s a great idea to follow him around because you may end up learning a lot about the house. My inspector encouraged it and showed us how to deal with the boiler, etc.

          4. Yes follow him around and take notes- he should be able to give you estimates for repairs which will help you decide how hard of a line to take during negotiations. Ours actually had great recommendations for improvements that would be relatively cost-effective that do would not be appropriate to put in an inspection report but were great to know as first time buyers.

            Also, if you don’t know how, have him show you how to turn off the main water supply! If a pipe bursts you’ll want to cut that ASAP.

        2. Sorry, this will show up twice bc moderation.

          Sometimes just the deposit, sometimes nothing at all. The P&S deposit (usually 10%) is only depos*ted when you sign the P&S. If you back out AFTER the P&S for something that’s not in the agreement, then you lose that 10% deposit.

      3. Thank you all so much for your detailed responses! The input is helping me calm down a little, even though its a lot to think about.

    3. If you haven’t already, try to get some information on the room sizes. I don’t remember how we got that document when we bought our house, but we did get something.

      Also, speaking from experience, try to find out as much as you can about the major appliances and heating/cooling systems. Find out how old they are, if they still have warranties, and if they’ve had any major repairs. This is especially true for your furnace and A/C (if you have central air, or even if units are included in the purchase). We bought our house, and a month later found out the entire furnace had to be replaced. It ended up costing us another $13,000.

      1. +1. Also the roof, that is another biggie, and water issues in the house in the basement.

      2. Good advice on the appliances and utilities…

        Usually room dimensions are listed on the house’s web/realtor listing.

        Also have the inspector look at windows; are they in good shape, do they seal. If appropriate, do they actually open.

        If there’s a chimney, be sure to schedule a chimney inspection with a chimney sweep. Real estate inspectors will not inspect chimneys.

        Ask about the security system if there is one. Is it wired or wireless? With the main equipment stay with the house?

        Ask about HOA dues and then try to find the requirements on line. Many require you give info and get approval for any visible changes you make. Ours said we did not need permission/permit from them to get the pool replastered. Even though the company truck at our curbside explicitly read “Joe’s Pool Replastering” the person on the HOA in our neighborhood reported us. We got a nasty letter saying we were in violation. When we sent them a reply (incl. the highlighted part of the HOA rules about replastering), all we got was a voice mail saying “O.K.” No sorry, nothing in writing. HOAs are not always a two way process I guess.

        Check at night for neighbors’ cars. We were horrified to find that those across the street had 4 kids, all had cars, and all had friends that came/went all afternoon and all weekend long. There are always cars in front of their curb and OURs. As a result, for the past 10 years, we have to back into our own driveway because we can’t back out without hitting cars at their curb or it is impossible because of cars at both curbs (all four sides of their and our drive). While we mention it and get agreement from the Mr. Owner. Nothing.Ever.Changes. Although 3 of the 4 are out of college, two are back home with girlfriends which multiplies the cars again.

        Lessons learned, I tell you.

        Good luck! Hope it is all you want it to be!

        1. my inspector inspected the chimney for the basics- does it open, any major issues. But he did not get all up in there

        2. No HOA (I think I would lose my mind, that sounds like such a pain) and I managed to find the unicorn urban house with a garage back behind the yard, and I am pretty sure the street is permitted parking – I need to check on that.

          1. I have one of these unicorn houses – make sure you have checked whether you can get to the garage, get out of the garage, etc. My neighbors have a construction crew that parks behind my garage, which doesn’t leave enough room for me to get out. I just moved in – it’s not a dealbreaker kind of thing, but it’s also something I wish I’d paid more attention to.

          2. Oof that sounds annoying. It doesn’t seem like its a problem right now, but obviously that could change pretty quickly. I hope the construction crew moves out of your way soon!

      3. I just thought of this and it’s something I really wish I knew about also: ask about whether the basement gets or has ever gotten water! This spring we had a huge melting period in the northeast, and we pretty much had a stream running through our basement. It hasn’t been too bad lately but we were really panicking about having to have a weeping system or something put in to manage it. If they answer that it has been a problem, run far away.

        1. However, depending on your area, running away may not help.

          My town is built on a swamp. Pretty much every basement in the town gets at least a little damp. Houses built on a hill may stay mostly dry and only get a little water every 5 years or so, but otherwise water in the basement is a given – so ask your neighbors before you think to finish a basement, there may be a reason the basement was never finished.

        2. Yes! That is a huge problem around here. One of the things I liked about the house when I went to see it is that it had one of the driest basements of any of the houses I had seen. Albeit with a dehumidifier running, but that’s pretty standard around here. I will ask the inspector about flooding issues, previous leaks, etc.

          1. Know where you are in the flood plain – for 100, 500, millenium (?) flooding. Just because you are miles from the nearest river (lake/ocean/body of water), doesn’t mean its not an issue.

        3. agree. our house is at the bottom of a GIANT HILL. And we are all on the coast. every house gets water in the basement. we just have mitigation in place- a sump pump with excellent backup, a french drain, etc.

          I have neighbors that have a stream running through their basement, but it’s no biggie because they knew how it would be- they don’t store stuff down there, the furnace etc is all on platforms, etc. The house was built to get water in it (and was built in the 1800s and doing fine)

    4. Reach out to the local police department and talk to the crime prevention specialist to get crime stats for the area.

      1. Don’t call them, police budgets are tight and most stations don’t have a general inquiry person to help you. All crime stats are online.

        1. This has been super easy to find online – and it was actually part of my preliminary neighborhood search.

    5. If you’re looking at an older house (like pre 1980’s) there’s a chance that it may have cast iron pipes, which disintegrate in approx. 40 years. In that case, you should have a plumber do a waste pipe inspection to make sure there is no leak. If there is, it could mean major repairs are needed and you can use it to negotiate the price of the home down. Ask your inspector if he thinks there a chance your house could have cast iron pipes, or the more modern pvc pipes.

      1. The pipes that are visible in the basement are PVC – although I will definitely as the inspector about that in general. It’s an old house (early 1900s) that was totally redone last year. So all of the appliances, furnace, windows etc. are pretty much brand new. I think that the roof is also new but that’s on my list of things to ask the inspector. I’m not sure if this is really within the scope of his work but I am also interested in hearing his opinion on the quality of the renovation work – do any of you know if this is something that’s ok to ask the inspector about?

        1. You can ask anything. Make sure to ask about knob & tube wiring and insulation. Lots of homes from that era has no or poor insulation and hazardous electrical wiring.

          1. Yes, ask about knob and tube! Some insurers won’t provide coverage if it is present in the home. Although keep in mind that an inspector can only inspect what is visible, ie he will not be cutting through drywall to check for hidden outdated wiring.

        2. Bring a level for all cabinets and stairs. Make sure the floor is supported by proper beams, all new flooring is on top of proper sealed plywood and not just on top of the old floors. Ask the previous owners about the contractor, independently verify that they are insured, get proof don’t take their word. Make sure the bathrooms are properly vented. That’s all I can really think of off the top of my head

      2. +1 Had to replace our main sewer line a year after purchasing our house at a cost of $12k. We didn’t do a camera inspection because the house was a steal (foreclosure) back in 2008 and even if it needed significant repairs we knew we’d come out ahead (and it was “as is” anyway). We have a lot of equity in our house now even after all the fixes….but I certainly wouldn’t want to pay current market price for it and have to fix the sewer line.

      3. In addition to a normal inspection, we did a sewer scope, checked if the decommissioned oil tank was properly decommissioned, and did radon testing. We learned the sewer pipe needed to be replaced, which cost about $8k, and the oil tank needed to be topped off with grave. We renegotiated the price and got the fixes paid for by the seller.

        If you can, check out the basement after or during rainy weather to see if it gets any water.

    6. check the s3x offender registry. We once rented a house in a VERY nice Boston suburb. Our next door neighbor was a level 3 offender. Multiple convictions. We’d chatted with him, nothing seemed off. But….

      That was before we had kids, but i FREAKED. Went door to door in the area–where i had never met any of the neighbors– and per the instructions of the police when I called them told them as much as i legally could and left them to google the rest.

      Then we cancelled our lease and skeedaddled. I am now TOTALLY paranoid and check that everywhere I go.

      1. I’m not sure why you called the cops here. Was he living somewhere he wasn’t allowed to (near a school for example?) I get that this is a “not in my backyard” issue but the guy has to live somewhere. It is good to know about and you don’t have to be friends with him or anything but you should also not be trying to drive him out of the neighborhood. Sex offenders come in all shapes, sizes and economic classes. Living in a nice neighborhood doesn’t make one immune. One other thing about sex offenders is they usually stick to their MO. So, if the guy had passed convictions with kids and you are not a kid and you don’t have kids, you are probably safe.

        They are also usually on probation meaning (in a state that does good supervision – no comment on yours lol) they have their place checked for pornography, may have their internet access limited, may be restricted from being around children, etc. A registered sex offender is usually a lot safer than one who has never been caught. Those are all around you too.

        2. I didn’t “call the cops”- I spoke with someone at the police station about s3x offender rights to make sure I wasn’t violating them when sharing what I found with the neighbors.

          All his offenses were young child related, and extremely violent, and recurrent, and he happened to work as landlord’s repair guy at various buildings that had children. And lived one house over from kids, etc. To my original point, though, I would absolutely want to know if someone living 3 houses away from me had multiple convictions for very violent acts with children before I bought a house.

          1. If the information is on google, why would you need permission to talk to your neighbors?

          2. Woah, what state is this in? It seems strange that a repeat violent offender would be able to have a job where he would be able to enter private residences as a major part of his work. Many offenders actually have a difficult time finding anywhere to live or work, as the restrictions are pretty rigid.

          3. @ Katie: it’s Massachusetts. He is NOT allowed to have the job, that’s the point. A relative is/was the landlord. I let the police dept know– they did not have it on his offender sheet as his place of work. I moved pretty much immediately (for many reasons, but that lit the fire) so I don’t know how it all played out.

            @ Anon: because it’s Massachusetts, and we regulate EVERYTHING, and there are lots of restrictions around the rights of offenders–probably moreso than federally. I wasn’t sure what the rules were, and knew I couldn’t do things like print out a copy of his file (which is available online) and put it in everyone’s mailbox. I wanted to do things by the book but get the word out. That’s why I called to check.

        3. This is a non issue in the house I am looking at because it is right next to a school, but I agree. I have a lot of complex thoughts about our policies towards sex offenders in this country, obviously too much to go into here, but I don’t think this type of reaction is helpful or appropriate. And I’m also not buying a house in an upscale suburb (not that there’s anything wrong with that). It’s in an urban neighborhood that is both economically and racially diverse. I hope that I will have a good relationship with my neighbors, like I do on my current street. Having neighbors who will watch my back is the most important thing for my feeling of safety – more than crime statistics, sex offender maps, etc.

    7. If the house is currently vacant, some things (gas, electric, etc.) might be already turned off which can limit what the inspector can check. I don’t have any advice on how to get around that, but just be aware that more costs might come up if certain things can’t be checked.

  5. I bought a oneforty8 dress from Gilt and I was pleased with the quality. It wasn’t Lafayette quality, but still pretty good and worth the price. I’ve been looking at this dress for a while but I hate Gilt’s return policy.

  6. I just tried my first barre class yesterday morning, and my behind is in so much pain! Good pain! Does anyone else do barre? What are the long term results like? Does it get easier?

    1. I do barre – biggest results for me have been a better bum, firmer thighs, and a flatter stomach.

      It doesn’t really get easier in my experience, because the moves are designed so that you can always challenge yourself more and more and more. But the more you do it the more fun (in my experience) it becomes.

    2. I love barre. At first it was hard to make myself go because I felt like if I wasn’t dripping sweat after a class it wasn’t a “real” workout. But my core has gotten so much stronger and I can notice the difference in my legs and arms. I think it’s also helped me avoid back problems from sitting in a chair all day at my desk.

    3. I love barre too. I’ve only been doing it once a week for the last three months, but I already notice more definition in my thighs, and my butt is a little higher and more shelf-like. It has not gotten easier for me – I think that is by design. And watch out, because the worst soreness hits on the second day after class!

    4. Barre was very effective for me. I always loved walking out feeling like my butt was higher (could have been in my head, but, eh). The classes I went to never got easier – was always good sore.

    5. I use barre as a conditioning workout if I’ve too many tweaks to run. I spent so many years in ballet classes that I can put together a good set of barre exercises for myself without even thinking. I love grand battements en cloche!

    6. I do Barre Method and I am really grateful for it. I will have been doing it about 2 years in a couple of months. At first I was going 4-5x a week as my only/main form of exercise. Over the last 3 months I’ve reduced down to 2-3x a week supplementing with running about 25-30 miles a week training for a half marathon.

      It’s hard to talk about ‘results,’ as it depends what your goals are. I lost about 12 lbs through slightly reduced portion eating and barre alone the first 16 or so months of doing it. I then got ill and lost about 12 more lbs because of it over the course of 3 months but have kept off for a few months due to barre and running. So, for me the weight loss has been slow. However, holistic results have been great. I know I am stronger and healthier overall. I literally did nothing else before starting my half training and it was barre alone that had given me the strength to be able to do that. I have had no injuries in the time I’ve been exercising (including running) and I was literally starting from ground 0. Barre has helped my terrible flexibility and I’m convinced my running because I can loosen up. I will continue to do it as much as I can because I believe more in the holistic benefits of strengthening our muscles even if weight loss is slow or I have to do other things to keep that up. I would highly recommend it to anybody.

    7. Related question: anyone care to comment on the relative benefits of barre vs. yoga?

      I’m a former college athlete and not very graceful, so the idea of barre kind of turned me off initially. But thanks to a BigLaw job, I really need to strengthen my core to alleviate chronic back pain. I used to do hot yoga regularly but fell off as my work schedule got unpredictable and enjoyed it, but I’m definitely willing to try new things!

      1. I’ve done both and found that I benefit most from the combination of strength training, active/passive stretching and yoga-inspired moves in barre. Maybe it’s an issue of finding the right yoga class for me, but I have found that flexibility seems to be about strength as well and barre just seems to give me more of that directly. In our barre class we also have sets of exercises to specifically target certain muscles (at least 1/3 is dedicated to core specifically but lots of the exercises involve it), so I feel like I know I’m targeting certain areas vs. in yoga classes you may or may not, depending on the sequences the instructor chooses that day. I’m actually cancelling my yoga studio membership and going to focus more on barre to build my strength more while I’m tapering down from my half and prepping for the next one.

      2. Pilates! See if you can find a drop-in mat class in your area to try it out – one of the best ways I’ve found to build core and back strength.

      3. @Kontraktor THANK YOU. When it comes to strength vs. flexibility I care more about strength (while recognizing that a certain amount of flexibility is required to fully strengthen properly), so it’s good to hear that you found that with barre!

        @Seattle Freeze I keep hearing this about pilates and haven’t pulled the trigger. Looks like I might have to!

        1. I am seriously like the world’s most inflexible person and have made great strides with barre. Obviously different things work for different people, but I would give it a go. It’s also nice that it’s a bit more ‘active’ than certain types of yoga and can definitely serve as the day’s workout if you need.

  7. I have a question regarding tights. It’s been said here that black tights in summer are unprofessional/unfashionable. I wear some kind of dress or skirt every day, and I never ever ever do bare legs, even on the hottest day of the year. This is for a few reasons. First, it’s always unbearably cold in this office.

    Second, I hate my legs. Really really hate them. They are very pale. I have the beginnings of varicose veins. I still have mosquito bite scars from summer (that will fade around spring, just in time for those jerks to destroy me again). I constantly have bruises from deadlifting and jiu jitsu and walking into things. They are jiggly. They are just not great to look at, and I would rather not inflict them on my colleagues.

    Is this irrational? Would it be better to suck it up and let them just be out?

    1. The reason of cold is fine, the second reason is silly- go bare leggd it you want to. No one has perfect legs, andhonestly, you’re not “inflictng your legs” on your colleagues.

      I used to avoid shorts because of comments my mother made. Eventually, I got sick of steaming myself to heat exhaustion in jeans, bought shorts, and you know what. I love them. I don’t care what others think, they’re comfortable when it’s hot, and I think I look just fine.

    2. Have you considered fake tanning just your legs? Its a pretty simple process (15 minutes once or twice a week) and the tan helps hide a multitude of problems.

      1. +1 for fake tanning. I start a week before I’d like to go without hose and use a darker shade to start a “base” then use a lighter version on Monday and Friday continuously throughout the summer. The first few coats for me are never perfect so that’s why I start early, then it evens out.

    3. I have varicose veins and I refrain from wearing shorts or dresses without tights whenever possible. Has anyone tried treatments for varicose veins? What has worked? Is it painful? Expensive?

      1. I had varicose veins surgically removed from both legs when I was in my early 20s (genetically predisposed with no other risk factors – it was just inevitable that I’d get them, and I got them early). Although I didn’t like how they looked, the motivating factor in getting the surgery was the pain/discomfort – throbbing and aching, worse with physical activity (and I’m very active).

        It was an outpatient procedure but I was fully out. Took a few hours. The first several days of recovery were harsh (lots of pain, nausea), and then the next several weeks of wearing compression hose and feeling a bit achy were annoying but fine.

        I will caution that, if you are looking for photo-perfect legs, surgery will leave you with scars. They do fade, and for me, I’d MUCH rather have scars that don’t hurt than veins that throbbed. But just a heads up.

        Insurance fully covered it (likely because I was young, no risk factors other than my genes, and I had it done by a vascular surgeon not a plastic surgeon). No clue how much it would have cost otherwise.

        In case you are wondering – i’m over 10 years out from the surgery and they haven’t come back (I do have spider veins and will surely end up with more of both as I age). Will probably put on compression hose the day I find out I’m pregnant as a preventative measure, since I am sure this will trigger them as well.

          1. Also – I did do one session of injections for spider veins but didn’t notice significant improvement and decided it was a waste of time and money (for me). They’ll always come back, they don’t affect my abilities or quality of life, and I’m not a bikini model by trade. And FWIW, if my SO is bothered by them, then he’s managed to keep his opinions to himself for many years :)

    4. You could wear nude hose instead of black tights if you’re concerned about being fashionable. Worrying about ‘inflicting your legs’ on your coworkers is a bit odd – they’re just legs! Nobody cares if you have mosquito bites or a bruise. Truly.

    5. Nude hose will cover or at least lessen the impact of imperfections – they won’t totally hide a bruise, but they make colour variations less noticeable. I understand your worry about inflicting your legs on co-workers, but nude hose should deal with that. Black tights are super unfashionable in the summer…and aren’t they hot when you’re outside?

      1. I’m fortunate that my time spent outside while commuting is very minimal. I just walk out my back door to my car, and spend no more than 5 minutes getting from my car to the front door of the building. If I were walking or taking public transportation, I’m sure I would get over it pretty quickly.

    6. I never go barelegged in the office. Team Hose. Sargent At Legs here. I just feel I look better and more polished. Most folks don’t even know I wear them. Be comfy.

    7. I would wear nude hose in the warmer months if you’re concerned about warmth and/or the appearance of your legs — hose will make these imperfections, such as they are, less visible. And no one’s looking that closely at your legs, anyway. Promise. :)

      1. And if they are, they are probably thinking, phew, I’m not the only one with pale/scarred/veiny/jiggly legs! And may themselves decide to throw caution to the wind and leave the hose off in the summer.

        But yeah, I think nylon technology has advanced a lot and it’s possible to get very nice, sheer, nude-for-you hose these days, if you prefer.

    8. I have very noticeable spider veins on my legs, I always wear nude hose in the summer, tights in the winter. I’m just not comfortable with bare legs at work. I tried sclerotherapy a few years ago, which got rid of them for a while, but they all came back. I’m going to try again one of these days, but it’s about $2,000, and then you apparently need annual touch-ups or you end up right back where you were.

    9. Thank you ladies! I know most people probably don’t pay attention to these things but I have always been so self-conscious of them.

      If I didn’t have to work, I would get full sleeve leg tattoos. That would certainly solve the paleness problem.

      1. If you get the full tattoo on your legs, are they then full pant leg tattoos? (Since sleeves are for arms… :) )

      2. Might be a pain to add to your morning routine, but you can put on leg makeup/airbrush.

    10. I would say it is a bit irrational to not show your legs because you don’t want to “inflict” them on others. My legs are always bruised because I am active and fall a lot and also have the scars to show for it. The people you work with are not likely to notice the imperfections that they see.

    11. I used to feel this way until I dated someone with a prosthetic leg. Really puts things in perspective–never again have I said that I hate my legs.

    12. I’m also very pale and simply prefer how my legs look in nude hose, so I wear hose all summer under dresses and skirts. Do whatever makes you most comfortable. On the rare occasion that I don’t wear hose to work, I feel awkward all day.

  8. It’s gotten so cold the past few days- does anyone have tips for staying warm outside? I was thinking of buying a snow skirt from Skhoop-is this an awful idea?

      1. It’s a tad ridiculous looking and not long enough to provide much warmth. You could buy a longer coat than that – it’s a miniskirt.

      2. Only worth it if you get the long size, I’d think. And yeah, funny looking, but when it’s cold enough, do you care?

      3. This. Secret has a good line of them. Tip: Don’t put them in the dryer. Ever. It unravels the waistband and makes them go weird on the inside.

    3. I can’t see how that would be any warmer than pants and a down coat? Am I missing something? I’ve never heard of a snow skirt before.

        1. Hence, I wrote “pants and a down puffer coat.” I am aware that not all pants are warm.

          I can’t imagine that a skirt that either doesn’t cover the legs or that could allow air flow to come in under the skirt could be that warm.

    4. That may be the most impractical item of clothing I’ve ever seen. If it’s so cold that you need that much insulation, then you will need it over your whole body, not just your waist to your knee. Get a long puffer coat and some snow boots and you’ll be good to go.

      1. This might be good for modest/religious people who don’t wear pants even when engaging in winter sports. I can’t imagine any other need for it.

    5. I have a down skirt made for running that I love. When it’s 35 or below, my butt gets really cold but my legs don’t need that much warmth, so it provides just enough cover. I’m not sure how that would really be practical for just walking around or sitting outside though, because like others mentioned, you would probably would not want the cold air coming up your legs (even with FLEECE TIGHTS).

      1. Team Frosty Buns FTW! Really though, a running buddy has one of these and I keep considering it- my legs don’t get that cold but my backside gets and stays cold for a very long time.

        1. Give it a shot! I feel really silly when wearing it, but it really is amazing for warding off that feeling of having two blocks of ice mounted to your backside that sets in at about 45 minutes and sticks around until I’m done.

    7. That skirt seems very impractical. Layers are probably a better option. When it’s really cold, I’ll wear fleece lined leggings and long socks over my tights and peel off layers when I get to work.

    8. Number one is hat, scarf, gloves and warm feet (boots or actual shoes with warm socks), and earmuffs if your hat doesn’t cover your ears.
      Second priority is to keep warm at your core – wear camisoles under your shirts tucked in to your pants or skirt and tights or leggings under your pants or even silk long johns under pants

      If your butt and thighs are cold – get a longer coat, way more practical than a down skirt.

    9. Big fan of the Skhoop skirt, the long one. I wear it under a long coat so you can’t see it and it’s like wearing a sleeping bag.

  9. I have a bit of a silly Word question–my company upgraded its Office version, and now for some reason the default formatting for footnotes (including the separator line) is center-aligned. I know how to make the separator line move over to left-adjusted, but it is annoying to have to do this in every document and realign every footnote (I know I can do them all at the end, but sometimes I need to align them correctly to send a draft out, and then more footnotes get added, so I have to repeat the process with every version).

    Does anyone know how to fix this default? Our IT is outsourced, so I’m hoping I can figure it out without having to request a support ticket.

    1. EDIT: I was going to delete because I figured it out, but I’ll go ahead and add the solution in case anyone else has had this issue (and I timed out of editing while writing out the solution). The problem was that our “Normal” style was set to center align every new document. I’ve changed it in the past to justified text, but I didn’t see the toggle button at the bottom that I needed to select for it to apply to all new documents, not just the one I was working in. Once I did that, it was fixed! Even just posting here brings solutions sometimes :)

    2. Just a quick tip – anytime I have a question like this, I type it directly into google. If you have the question, someone else has had it too, and I can always find the solution already posted on a tech message board, tech blog post, etc. Much faster than waiting on IT.

      1. +1. My mum is always asking me to fix her computer, and she’s finally realised that all I do is type the problem into Google then follow instructions!

      2. Oh I agree, I always Google first but sometimes with a really specific issue, it can be difficult to whittle through the general “How do I create a table in Word” type questions. In this case, I was able to find the specific issue and that’s how I knew how to manually move the footnote separator and edit the Normal template, but the results just didn’t mention the button to apply to all new documents, and I didn’t see it buried at the bottom of the dialog.

  10. Can anyone who has gone in-house after being at a firm provide some input on the following questions? It would be helpful if you could include how many years you were at a firm and how many years you’ve been in-house, and the size of your company.

    1. Is it less flexible? (Do you feel you have to be at your desk at certain hours, versus being able to leave for appointments during the day when you’re at a firm without really having to tell anyone, as long as you’re not in the middle of something and you’re reachable)

    2. Are your hours better? (Few or no nights, weekends, working during holidays) But are you just as chained to your phone/email after-hours because your internal clients can have questions and urgent issues at any time?

    3. Do you feel less pressure to do MORE and feel you’re performing well just by doing legal work? (versus having to do marketing, community involvement, firm involvement, etc. at a firm)

    4. Do you feel more or less job security? (At a firm you have a pretty good idea how good your job is based on your hours, but with corporations it seems more volatile and less predictable.)

    5. Thoughts on working for one boss v. law firm life where you are more of a free agent and control your work and who you work for, to some extent.

    Any other thoughts? I’m comfortable at my firm as a senior associate, but not excited about the marketing pressures of being a partner (and could do without working through the holidays almost every year). However, I don’t want to give up my flexibility (including part-time schedule) and autonomy for the rigidity and hierarchy of corporate life. Thanks!

    1. I’ll bite.

      2+ years in BigLaw, 6 years in-house. Very large international company.

      1. More flexible. Unless I’m leaving for a huge chunk of time in the middle of the day (I count more than 2 hours as a huge chunk), I don’t tell people that i’ll be out. And unless I’m coming in really late (like 11am) or leaving really early (3pm), I don’t tell people about that, either.

      2. YES, and no. Few nights, very few weekends, haven’t worked during a holiday, can count on one hand the number of times I’ve been bothered while on vacation. My internal clients know to call my cell phone if something urgent comes up.

      3. I don’t. I contribute/perform well by stepping outside the legal box and knowing that my internal clients value my business judgment as much as they do my legal acumen because I know the business.

      4. More

      5. Prefer it.

      To address your closing thoughts – as with everything, you need to do your homework about in-house positions. I know people who have been MISERABLE in-house because of crazy hours, unrealistic expectations, constant travel, etc. I would hate that, too. But it isn’t like that everywhere.

    2. ETA times – 3 years in firm, just over 2 years in house
      ETA again for spelling errors, jeez louise

      1. Same amount of flexibility, if not more. My firm was pretty restrictive. We do have much less flexibility for those “I don’t feel like showering so I’ll work remotely” days.

      2. Ten thousand times better hours. I don’t even have my work email on my phone any more and it’s glorious.

      3. Not really. We still have department involvement, community involvement, and other org-wide obligations like mentoring or volunteering.

      4. Less, I think, just because I don’t have that straightforward “Bill X hours, get Y bonus, partner in Z years” setup behind me anymore.

      5. I actually feel more “free-agenty” here than I did in a firm. Any department in the org comes to me with work, so it’s more like I have 54 bosses than just one.

      Agree with Anon above me, this will vary wildly by org, so talk to as many people in that place as you can when interviewing.

      ***Just noting that my in-house move was to the public sector, which may impact 1 and 2 quite a bit.

    3. Yay Kat! I love this dress, and the neckline too!

      As for this OP, I would like the answers too b/c I am thinking of going to Roberta to see if she needs a young and vibrant Assistant General Council who can take the heavy load off her, while letting me work part time, if the pay is right. I have been CARRYING our law firm the last 2 year’s but am NOT considered seriously when it comes to pay, even tho I am a PARTNER. FOOEY! If I must work cheaply, I will do so in house, where I get all the benefits w/o the long hours and having to please the client, the judge, other partner’s and everyone else. I do not think ANYONE in house bills 7200 hours a year, so even if I go full time, I will be working a lot less, right?

      Myrna thinks Roberta will take me on b/c she knows Roberta is near to retirement and she would love to have me take over, if NOT marry her son also, but that I do NOT want to do, b/c he is kind of a schlub, like Alan.

      I am still on the look out for a rich guy in NYC who wants to marry and impregnate me this year, so if anyone in the HIVE knows of such a man, please direct him to me. THANX in advance!!! YAY!!!!

    4. Law firm almost 5 years. In house 3 years. Edited to add that my company is a very large private company.

      1. Flexibility is basically the same. Like PP, I really only tell someone if I will be out more than 2 hours. It is, however, not as convenient to go out since the corporation is in a tiny suburb versus the law firm being downtown in a large city.

      2. Hours are a gazillion times better. I still check email at night but only respond if there is an immediate need. I occasionally work nights if there is an urgent deadline, but nothing like I did at the firm. I don’t think I have ever worked over a weekend, and I actually get to take holidays and vacations off now.

      3. Like PP, yes and no. There are still outside obligations and pressures, they are just of a different nature.

      4. Same or more. My particular company is very dependent on the legal division, and I am the top performer in my area, so I am not particularly worried about job security. I think it is easier to stand out in-house, and you certainly get thanked a lot more.

      5. I usually only worked for a handful of partners, so in house life is not so different.

      The answers to these questions are super dependent on the company and to an extent the type of law you practice.

    5. 7 years in BigLaw (the last one at a 70% schedule), 3 years in house.

      1. For me in-house is more flexible. I do let people know if I’m going to be coming in late or leaving early, and what days I’ll be working from home, so I guess there’s more accountability for my time than when I was in BigLaw and didn’t technically report to any one person, but no one bats an eyelash when I’m out.

      2. Hours are much better. I do sometimes work in the evenings or respond to emails on the weekend, but there is much more predictability in my schedule and I no longer have emergency deals popping up at 4:30 on Friday afternoon.

      3. There’s really no BD-type work in house. The most successful in-house lawyers also understand the business and partner with the business teams, so I have invested some additional time to improve my other skills, like attending accounting workshops, but this is part of why I find in-house so much more interesting.

      4. I think this depends entirely on the company. I get great feedback from my supervisors and know that my work is valued, so unless the company were circling the drain I wouldn’t be worry about job security. I actually think companies are hesitant to fire poor performers unless they are really bad because it leaves them without anyone to fill that role. In BigLaw, even though I got good reviews, I was basically a (relatively easily) replaceable cog in the machine. Also, I also couldn’t always control whether I hit my hours, so that aspect felt less secure, and firms have no problems firing people when the economy is bad and then picking up someone else when things rebound.

      5. I like the consistency of working with one team and building those relationships while learning more about my company and industry. Law firm life always felt a little nomadic. For several months I’d be talking to a client several times a day, and then once the deal was done I wouldn’t hear from them until the next matter came up.

      I have been so happy I went in house, but do your diligence. Just like law firms, there is a wide variety of corporate cultures and some teams are better than others. Also, some companies shut down between Christmas and New Years, which has been my own personal nirvana (as opposed to firm life where I inevitably had a client who had to have something done by January 1)!

    6. 3 years in a small boutique firm, 3 years now in house for a Fortune 100 company (Silicon Valley tech)

      1. Much more flexible. My old law firm was kind of crazy in this respect, I had a designated lunch hour and needed to clear with the office manager if I was taking lunch at a different time.
      2. Work more now, I am always on call. I will check/respond to email evenings and weekends which I didn’t before.
      3. Yes, as long as I respond to queries that come in I’m doing my job. Don’t need to “seek initiative” so much.
      4. More.
      5. Less variety in terms of client and types of project is a slight downside.

      My specific job is pretty sales-driven, so we get crazy at quarter ends. I will work over Thanksgiving weekend, but Christmas and New Years tends to be very slow.

      Overall I am very happy with my in-house job and leaving my law firm where I was under-utilized and under-paid was the best decision I could have made.

    1. I saw these at a local DSW last week as well. I’d heard good things on this s!te, so I tried them on and really liked them, but not in my budget to buy new shoes I won’t wear until spring. And if I buy them now, the “newness” effect will have worn off by spring and I’ll want another new pair – but I’ve put them on my list to look for again in March

    2. I have two pairs of the Noah, and I love them. I was (am) a die-hard fan of the Felicias, and I saw the Noahs on sale at Nordstrom. Decided to give them a whirl since they were considerably less expensive, and they’re great. Super comfortable. My only complaint is that the toe area seems to have too much leather, so it’s not as smooth of a look as I’d like, but I also admittedly have narrow feet, so someone with a wider forefoot might really love them.

    3. I had brought the Saks off 5th hidden wedge ballet flats in every color. Love them, didn’t like the customer service reps at Saks off 5th though. The Sam Edelman hidden wedge seems to be a short height?

      1. The wedge looks like these same height as the Saks flats. I bought the Saks ones in the nude, black and rose gold and I love them. The leather is kind of wearing at the back heel from driving and front toes just because I’m a klutz and don’t know how to walk so I’m always looking for more.

  12. I’ve been feeling really blah lately. No major problems, just stuff not going quite as well as I’d like despite my best efforts. I also have very little time between my job and writing my dissertation. any advice on how to feel less blah that doesn’t take a lot of time or money?

    1. Yoga at home, cooking new recipes, having a dinner party, going for a run, watching guilty pleasure tv, and getting more sleep.

    2. I second keeping up with exercise, it will help keep your energy levels up. Get enough sleep even though it might be tempting to skimp on this since you have so much on your plate. Have a regular coffee date with a friend or friends.

    4. A happy lamp, making sure you are eating vegetables every day, a multi-vitamin and anytime you see the sun out the window go outside and stand in the sunshine for at least 5 minutes. If you haven’t seen the sun for several days or don’t have a happy lamp, vitamin D.

  13. Our nanny is getting married in March and taking a week off for her honeymoon. I figure we might as well go on vacation too, but not sure how to do that with a toddler. Somewhere in the lower 48 states… the default is to visit my parents in the Bay Area. I welcome your ideas on other locations, and also length!

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