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Hunting for a lightweight jacket for your commute? Classics include the designer trench ($$$$), as well as this affordable reader favorite raincoat, this classic packable raincoat! Know your office before wearing a jean jacket with your outfit, but if you're on the hunt, this one is a bestseller every year. Check out some of our latest, trendy favorites for 2024 below!
Sales of note for 10.10.24
- Nordstrom – Extra 25% off clearance (through 10/14); there's a lot from reader favorites like Boss, FARM Rio, Marc Fisher LTD, AGL, and more. Plus: free 2-day shipping, and cardmembers earn 6x points per dollar (3X the points on beauty).
- Ann Taylor – Extra 50% off sale (ends 10/12)
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything plus extra 25% off your $125+ purchase
- Boden – 10% off new styles with code; free shipping over $75
- Eloquii – Extra 50% off a lot of sale items, with code
- J.Crew – 40% off sitewide
- J.Crew Factory – 50% off entire site, plus extra 25% off orders $150+
- Lo & Sons – Fall Sale, up to 35% off
- M.M.LaFleur – Save 25% sitewide
- Neiman Marcus – Sale on sale, up to 85% off
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – 50% off 2+ markdowns
- Target – Circle week, deals on 1000s of items
- White House Black Market – Buy one, get one – 50% off full price styles
Sales of note for 10.10.24
- Nordstrom – Extra 25% off clearance (through 10/14); there's a lot from reader favorites like Boss, FARM Rio, Marc Fisher LTD, AGL, and more. Plus: free 2-day shipping, and cardmembers earn 6x points per dollar (3X the points on beauty).
- Ann Taylor – Extra 50% off sale (ends 10/12)
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything plus extra 25% off your $125+ purchase
- Boden – 10% off new styles with code; free shipping over $75
- Eloquii – Extra 50% off a lot of sale items, with code
- J.Crew – 40% off sitewide
- J.Crew Factory – 50% off entire site, plus extra 25% off orders $150+
- Lo & Sons – Fall Sale, up to 35% off
- M.M.LaFleur – Save 25% sitewide
- Neiman Marcus – Sale on sale, up to 85% off
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – 50% off 2+ markdowns
- Target – Circle week, deals on 1000s of items
- White House Black Market – Buy one, get one – 50% off full price styles
And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!
Some of our latest threadjacks include:
- What to say to friends and family who threaten to not vote?
- What boots do you expect to wear this fall and winter?
- What beauty treatments do you do on a regular basis to look polished?
- Can I skip the annual family event my workplace holds, even if I'm a manager?
- What small steps can I take today to get myself a little more “together” and not feel so frazzled all of the time?
- The oldest daughter is America's social safety net — change my mind…
- What have you lost your taste for as you've aged?
- Tell me about your favorite adventure travels…
Anonymous
I posted this at the fading end of the morning thread and am keen to get more of your views. I did get some very valid responses and am editing my post to clarify along that line.
Seeing all the recent discussion on the importance of networking over and above other application channels, I wanted to ask this of the hive.
If I were interested in your company and team and reached out to you on LinkedIn hoping to pitch myself for the role, do you always prefer to chat with me over the phone? I’m hearing and speech impaired (I’m verbal but have the inherent deaf accent) and when I suggest alternate channels to the phone call (such as a text/email chat or a Google Meet with live transcription that is not recorded) I’m always, always ghosted. What am I doing wrong – should I be suggesting more options to consider your comfort and convenience (which I know is critical and I’m not judging at all)? I have the same issue with headhunters but have understood it is because of their business model and need to procure the most saleable and unproblematic candidates.
Pre-pandemic I would always offer to travel to their city and meet up for a coffee chat (which wasn’t taken up due to their full schedules). Currently, with dispersion of workers, that option is also out of the window.
One concern is that folks don’t want to dish out on their company in written form, which is valid, but I’m hoping to pitch myself for the company rather than find out the dirt. Would you still want it to be offline?
I’d love to hear what I should do to capture and sustain your time and attention. Thanks for reading!
AIMS
Are you sharing why you are asking for this mode of communication over a phone call? I can imagine someone being thrown off if someone just says no to a phone call and wants everything in writing but I think you would get a more receptive response if you said that you are hearing impaired and would it be possible to do a google meet to accommodate that.
Betsy
Personally I have found for me and the people I know that either you get a job by applying through the regular channels, or you get a job by networking through people you already know either hiring you or making connections to someone else in their network who hires you. This middle ground of using LinkedIn to essentially cold call is not something that I’m aware of having worked out for anyone I know. It sounds like your need to use specific technologies in order to connect at that point is adding an additional layer of difficulty to an already low yield option. If it were me, I would try switching tactics entirely and focus on maintaining/refreshing your contacts with people you already know, or getting involved with organizations that might help you build the connections you are looking to make.
Anonymous
Yes this. If there’s a position posted, apply. If there isn’t, I’ll only talk to you if there’s a specific connection or reason to do so.
anon
+1, reaching out on linkedin takes the minimum amount of effort. I get so many pings on Linkedin. Stand out and find my another way. I’m in a line of work that requires building a book of business in addition to having a specific skill set – not enough people we interview are good at the first part. If you can find your way to me NOT on linkedin or a cold email, you stand out and I want to talk to you.
The disability is a different take, and I have to admit I don’t know how to account for that specifically. I, like others, will not put anything in writing unfortunately.
Bonnie Kate
Agree. There’s so much spam these days I look at cold call messages and emails extremely suspiciously. I would probably ghost you, not because of your message request/way you want to chat but because I don’t know you.
If you have to LinkedIn network, maybe try to form connections with people by commenting on their posts or in industry groups? I personally despise this version of networking, but I have product partners who are alllllll about it, so it must work for some people
The best real networking I’ve ever done is getting involved with industry associations and serving on committees.
Anon
This is spot on. When people say network, they do not mean go and randomly hit up people on LinkedIn. They mean go talk to your friends and former colleagues and people you know professionally, and tell them you’re interested in making a move. They mean if you see a job you’re interested in, find a connection at the company who can help get you in front of the hiring manager (often by passing along a resume with a warm note about you).
Anne-on
This. I’d be happy to speak with you via GoogleMeet if I knew you and knew why you were asking for that format. There is absolutely no way I’d respond to a cold outreach attempt on Linkedin if I have never met you before, there just isn’t enough time in the day.
Anonymous
As I said before, I’m not willing to do this in writing full stop at all. Fundamentally you’re asking a favor, I am not doing it in writing which is riskier to me and more time consuming. I would try suggesting a video chat and then just send a google meet invite, but understand that I ignore most of these requests because I’m not in a position to give anyone a job and I don’t like wasting my time or yours.
Emma
I tend to agree with the posters above. I’ll spend time one of one with friends of a friend type people, but tend not to respond to random cold calls (I’m sure you’re great but there are too many random creeps on LinkedIn). Assuming there is a connection, I generally prefer the phone for the reason noted above – there are a lot of things I’ll say but not write) but would try to accommodate you if I knew why, although truthfully I will always be less candid in writing or if I’m being recorded, which would make me highly uncomfortable.
Cat
I responded before about the written aspect, but re-reading, tbh if you see an opening posted, the way to get noticed isn’t by separately pinging people you don’t know for informational chats.
Katrinka
The strategy of “pitching yourself” to individual employees of a company via LinkedIn is not sound. As someone who has gotten this kind of outreach, I have NO influence on the hiring process at my company. Your best way to “pitch yourself” is to apply for an open position via standard methods, or to reach out to someone you already know at the org and ask them for advice on how to get priority.
Anonymous
This. I apparently don’t even have influence to vouch for people I actually know and want to have hired.
Anonymous
I don’t respond to any of these requests even if the person just wants a phone call. If a mutual acquaintance introduces us, then I’ll be happy to talk to you over the phone or on a Google Meet, but I’m probably not going to take the time out to write up an e-mail.
Anonymous
Cold connecting through LinkedIn is difficult and it’s kind of awkward for anyone. It’s risky to recommend someone you don’t know. I don’t want to be offensive, so please know my intentions are good, but I believe there are companies that will be very interested in hiring someone with speech and hearing impediments. I recently worked at an F50 with 50+ million customers, and they are eager to hire people that represent the overall US population. They consider this good business and really value the input they get fr
Is there anyway to combine companies and/or jobs you are interested in with finding a second or third degree connection to introduce you and start with asking how someone that is speech and hearing impaired should approach applying, candidacy, etc.? Maybe some companies will falter, but there are likely others who may have an existing process for this.
I apologize in advance if this is dumb or uncomfortable, it’s just based on my experience.
Anon
You’ve gotten some good advice, but just wanted to add – there’s no way that you “pitching yourself” to me is going to result in me being able to hire you extraneous of our defined hiring process. All I can do if I like someone who reaches out to me is say to our talent acquisition people – “this person reached out, her resume is definitely worth another look.” You’ll still have to go through the hiring gauntlet, including filling out our online application, interviewing, getting past the powers-that-be, etc. Additionally, after a couple of really weird and/or awkward conversations I don’t respond to cold inquiries on LinkedIn…I will do informational interviews if people are introduced to me by someone I know/am connected to. But as others have said – only over the phone, I won’t put things in writing.
Anonymous
OP here. Thank you so much for each and every piece of advice here! It’s been thoroughly helpful and gives me an idea how to relaunch my networking efforts – particularly the need to only approach people you know and see if they can help or know someone who might be able to speak.
Have a lovely Friday!
Anonymous
supplements: yea or nay? someone just told me they build up in your system and a pharmacist friend dislikes them because “they are drugs but not regulated.”
i’m taking vitamin D, evening primrose, B12 (AM) and magnesium citrate, Costco multivitamin, and fish oil (PM), with the occasional CALM gummy thrown in (also mag citrate)
Anon
Are you taking them for a reason, or are you just taking them because you think you should? I am prescribed a number of supplements because of specific medical conditions, so I take them for that – but would not specifically seek out to take additional supplements aside from a multi-vitamin ‘just because.’ Because they are prescribed, they show up on my records for all doc appointments so my docs know what interacts with what I already take.
Anon
This- my neurologist has actually written prescriptions for magnesium and riboflavin because there’s good evidence they help with my condition and this allows me to use my FSA to purchase them. I also take B12 because I’m vegan. But I wouldn’t just take supplements randomly unless I had some reason to think that I was deficient or that that they’d help with a medical condition. I really dislike that there’s no regulation or quality control and a lot of the supplement business is really sketchy. As to whether they build up in your system, some do and some don’t- it depends on whether they’re water soluble (e.g. vitamins C, Bs,) or fat soluble (e.g. vitamins A, D, E).
Bonnie Kate
Over the last few months is the first time I’ve ever been consistent with supplements because I started buying vitamin gummies (we are children apparently), decanting into mason jars (I hate looking at labels), and leaving them on my kitchen window sill (so DH and I actually see them and remember to take them). We only do vitamin d and magnesium citrate.
I don’t get crazy about them but do think that a moderate dose is good, particularly for those of us who don’t have perfectly balanced diets of fresh fruits and vegetables and live in climates that have dark winters.
Anon
Ohh, don’t do this, at least not more than with a few week’s worth at a time. I think vitamin D and magnesium aren’t especially light sensitive compared to some others, but there’s a reason that they come in dark colored jars. Heat and light are the enemies of vitamins and lots of other healthy and tasty things in foods (the same reason why you want to keep oils and spices in cool, dark places). Realistically, most vitamins have such ridiculously high doses it probably doesn’t matter, but if you think it’s worth paying for them to begin with, might as well not throw your money away.
Anon
All my supplements are gummies. It’s fun to have my treats every day and it’s the only way I consistently take them!
Anon
I only supplement in conjunction with medical supervision, and these honestly strike me as some pretty normal supplements to be taking. Contra your pharmacist friend, I wouldn’t classify any of these as “drugs.” I’ve been advised before to take OTC vitamin D3 instead of prescription D2; it’s not always as simple as regulated is better. (I also take OTC methylfolate instead of Deplin, and why not.)
My doc isn’t crazy about multivitamins (he prefers a moderate B complex + mineral supplement since it avoids some of the controversial supplements that show up in multis, like vitamin E). So if I went to my doc with this list, he’d just tell me to swap out the multi for a B complex that’s not too high in B6 (no more than 20mg B6 is the rule I’ve been given). That’s the advice I’ve been given personally.
Study after study shows that Americans typically eat a diet that’s inadequate in multiple essential nutrients. (It’s also very easy to check one’s diet for oneself using FitBit or Cronometer, weighing food up, and using official data sources.) But on testing, Americans don’t seem that deficient. Sometimes that’s the inadequacy of the test (deficiency tests aren’t always very sensitive), but I suspect a lot of it is just that supplements prop our diets. It’s definitely better to get essential nutrients from supplements than to not get them at all!
Anon
Oh and like B6, it’s definitely possible to overdose on vitamin D, and it’s not something you’d ever want to do, so hopefully if you’re reporting your supplement regimen to your doctor they’ve included Vit D in your check up labs.
Maintaining better levels of vitamin D appears to be protective against MS, so for “people who have had mono before,” I’ve been wondering if it’s smart to monitor D? But I haven’t talked to my doctor about it yet (and I already take vitamin D because without supplementing, my levels are insufficient).
Anon
It is possible, albeit extremely difficult, to overdose on Vitamin D. My doctor said that you basically have to take an entire bottle every day for months on end.
Anon
Yeah I guess it probably depends on the dose! I’m on a very high dose because my levels just wouldn’t weren’t budging on a lower dose, so maybe that’s why I was advised to monitor.
Clara
I take them if I have a specific reason – I am deficient in B12 and vitamin D. I wouldn’t take them randomly.
Anon
Even in this case I ran into trouble. Apparently treating a B12 deficiency caused by malabsorption with supplements can mask the deficiency by improving serum levels of B12 without increasing the amount of B12 that the body can actually use. Now I’m on B12 shots and actually asymptomatic. Lessons learned the hard way! (B12 supplements work fine for dietary deficiencies though.)
anon
Yes. I have pernicious anemia and B12 supplements are useless for me. Shots shots shots forever!
Anonymous
I’d also caution that you don’t want to mask an actual deficit. The only way my colon cancer was found was that i was so severely anemic. If I had just arbitrarily upped my iron to feel better, it would have taken much longer to identify I was losing blood (cancer was in my ascending colon, so blood isn’t visible when it, um, stuff comes out). Much better to have your doctor check your levels and only use supplements under their supervision.
Anonymous
How DID you find out? I have low iron (without anemia, it’s confusing) that is not getting better on supplements – now doing IV iron – but other than asking about blood in stool (none) that isn’t something my doctor brought up. There are other likely issues such as heavy periods so I’m not super worried, but curious!
Anon
Fat-soluble vitamins will build up in your system, water-soluble ones are urinated out.
Anon
This is a rule of thumb but there are exceptions (e.g., pyridoxine is water soluble but overdose is still possible).
anon
Certain vitamins (A, D, E, K) are fat soluble and will build up in your system if your body doesn’t use them. Other vitamins are water soluble and you pee out any excess. It is true that the FDA doesn’t regulate vitamins, but that doesn’t mean all vitamins are bad. Source: husband is a pharmacist
Walnut
You might consider chatting with a chiropractor/functional medicine doctor or someone in that vein. They’ll likely run bloodwork and specific testing to understand where you are deficient and the appropriate dose, duration and combinations to optimize.
Anonymous
My internist recommends them so I take some – multivitamin, iron supplement (I tend to be low and donate blood regularly), vitamin D (was low), and evening primrose oil (recommended for PMS rage; not sure if it helps).
Anonymous
Where do you live, and what do you look like? How old are you?
If your skintone is darker and you live in a Northern place with less sun? TAKE YOUR VIT D PRIMROSE FISH and whatever helps with absorbption.
If yous skintone is lighter and you live in a Norther…… TAKE YOUR!!!
If your skintone is darker and you live wherever ….. TAKE YOUR!!!
If you are getting close to menopause …yes, do the magnesium and calc and D and primrose and WHATEVER will make you not snap like a twig fifteen years from now.
Seriously. Fuck your pharmacist friend. Look in the mirror and on the Weather channel. You can probably ditch the multivitamin – the calm one depends on geography, skin tone and age.
Anonymous
has anyone seen all the new romcoms out now?
– lost city
– marry me
– hating game
– one i’m forgetting
where should i start? will husband like any of them? (any other great rom coms from past 5 years or so?)
Curious
Crazy Rich Asians is the best rom com in a decade! Have you seen it yet?
Anon
+1 Also my husband enjoyed it (it is still a rom com and not a Mission Impossible movie, but I thought it was more “date night” and less “girls’ night” as rom coms go).
Allie
Marry me was fun! Gorgeous NYC shots are a plus.
Senior Attorney
We really enjoyed Always Be My Maybe.
Divya
I loved Always Be My Maybe
I think your husband will like Crazy Rich Asians too
Marie
+ Always Be My Maybe
Will also add Set it Up on Netflix with Lucy Liu and Taye Diggs.
AIMS
Have you seen Palm Springs? It’s a legitimately fun movie.
Anon
I really liked this one!
Anon
From this list, I’ve only heard of Marry Me (although I read the book The Hating Game and hated it). Marry Me was extremely cheesy and not at all believable, and felt very much like an excuse for J Lo to sing and dance, but I enjoyed it. I doubt many straight men would be into it though.
My favorite under-the-radar rom com is Two Weeks Notice, although fair warning that the 45th president has a cameo. My husband made me a DVD with that scene cut out and I have never loved him more.
Anonymous
I have an immediate crush on your husband for this edited DVD. It’s just so thoughtful.
Anony
DH and I have watched Marry Me, Always Be My Maybe, Love Hard, and Palm Springs in the past few months. We both enjoyed them equally – my super-masculine, blue collar, manly-man DH will never admit that he loves rom-coms and Hallmark movies, not to mention that he watches When Calls the Heart with me every week, live with commercials <3 He absolutely loved Always Be My Maybe!
Lawyer Rec
Looking for recommendations for a divorce lawyer in the Boston MA area. Will include complex asset division and custody issues. Thank you in advance!
Anon
Lance Law LLC.
Anon
Arthur Sneider in Chestnut Hill. I actually didn’t have to use him because I didn’t file for divorce, but he was such a comforting presence in the initial meetings I had with him. He was ready to go to bat and do whatever I wanted on a scale of: “let’s stay friends and do this the easy way -to- I am going scorched earth I will ruin your life in this divorce”
SF chic
Does your annual PAP smear / pelvic exam usually get covered as a preventative service, so you don’t have to pay co-insurance/deductible? I thought that was now universal among all plans that preventative stuff was “free”.
I have been very lax in seeing my Doctor and am trying to catch up on screening tests. And I am being hit by a ton of bills I didn’t expect. Just wanted to check what you guys have experienced.
Thanks
anon
Yes my annual is covered free of charge to me but only the bare bones of it. If you add additional tests, for example an STF test, that will not be covered free of charge.
Anon
I’ve always had a copay for this
Anon
The exam and a pap should be free. But they often order a lot of other labs that could have copays, and it’s also possible that they’re sending your labs out of network, which could result in higher copays or not getting covered at all. And if you’re talking about things like mammograms, screening mammograms are free but diagnostic mammograms are not. Our health care system is so horribly confusing.
anon
Preventive health care is one of the 10 essential health benefits for plans covered by the Affordable Care Act, so, if you have one of those plans, preventive services are fully covered (i.e., copay and deductible do not apply). But the essential health benefits requirement applies only to non-grandfathered, individual and small group plans, and not to large group health plans or to plans self-funded by an employer. Some states have state-mandated benefits that generally or entirely track the ACA’s essential health benefits and may apply to different types of plans than the ACA requirements.
So it’s possible, even likely, that your insurance plan is allowed to charge copays and deductibles for preventive services. If your plan is subject to ACA or state requirements for essential health benefits, then it’s likely that your doctor’s office is coding the services incorrectly.
SF chic
Thanks everyone! Really appreciate the clarifications, and sharing your experiences.
I do have an ACA / Obamacare plan that really costs me – high premium (over $700 with dental for a Bronze plan just for me) and a high deductible (almost $9,000!). My only solace was that I thought my PAP and Mammo should be “free”.
I called the doctor’s billing office first and they confirmed that the doctor coded the PAP appropriately, and even the customer service agent said in her experience her insurance paid 100% and told me to fight with my insurance. I have BCBS and their customer service has been awful ever since their Marketplace plans opened, so I know fight with them is useless. I am so used to fighting for my parent’s medical bills and doing pretty well, but my own experiences have been terrible.
Anon
It should be free as preventative care. But if you discuss any concerns (even as something as mild as like “my period has been wonky lately, do you know what might be going on?”) it can be coded non-preventative and billed.
SF chic
Ahh… I thought this could happen. I’m in perimenopause, where everything is wonky. But that’s “normal well person care”, yes? Abnormal periods in perimenopause? I am sure I will lose this battle.
Anon
I agree with you but doctors will seize any opportunity to bill. I took my kid into the ped for a well check and asked the ped to confirm her eczema was in fact eczema. It took 10 seconds and I gave them the diagnosis! It was coded as diagnostic and billed.
Clara
What’s your favorite low-key date?
I went to a bar that had live music with the guy I’m dating last night and it felt like the right combination of having an activity but also not being a big trip or anything.
Going to exhibits or galleries, especially at the museum where I already have a membership would be a good one. I don’t really like bowling or mini golf.
He plans things too, I just like having a chance to put my Infatuation and Grubstreet research to use (where I found last nights place)!
Duckles
I like to do trivia for a first date; it gives you an activity, I love trivia and it also tells you a lot about the person. Also have loved doing a ropes course, though that’s less low-key. Comedy shows can be fun too though you don’t get to talk as much.
No Face
Botanical gardens, winery, picnic in park. I like having pretty stuff to look at.
Cat
if there is a marina wherever we are, we end up there – boatwatching and associated peoplewatching is always great.
Anon
I like to sit at the bar with my husband and try a new cocktail and share a few appetizers. I like this better than going to a full dinner. Kind of basic but we always like it.
Anonymous
Who else knew this was BR before opening the post? So many layers!
Anon
+1!