Corporette.com

Updated: Dec 6, 2023 361 Comments · by

Thursday’s Workwear Report: Plaid Turtleneck Elbow-Sleeve Sweater

The Personal Shopper (TPS) |

This post may contain affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

A woman wearing plaid turtleneck sweater and ash grey pants

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

As someone who runs hot, I’m a big fan of the short-sleeved turtleneck for winterwear. The turtleneck looks seasonally appropriate, but when I take my blazer off, the short sleeves actually let me cool down a bit.

This plaid version from Ann Taylor would look so cute layered under a sweater blazer and tucked into a midi skirt. If solids are more your thing, it also comes in ivory.

The sweater is on sale for $37.90 (originally $45.64) at Ann Taylor and comes in sizes XXS–XXL.

Jessica London has a houndstooth short-sleeved sweater on sale for $32.99 that goes up to 4X.

P.S. Happy Hanukkah to those who celebrate!

Sales of note for 9.16.24

About Elizabeth

Elizabeth is a 30-something lawyer living on the East Coast. She spent seven years as a Biglaw associate in NYC, three years as a partner at a medium-sized firm, and is now in-house counsel for a large company. She loves Diet Coke, '90s sitcoms, and dresses with pockets.

Comments

  1. GIFT SOS

    I have recently accomplished a HUGE thing in my career and would like to get a thank you gift for a long time mentor who was instrumental in helping it happen.
    We have given each other gifts in the past so this is appropriate and called for, I just don’t know what to get.

    He’s in his 60s, a bit of a homebody and family man, doesn’t drink, and is a judge, if that matters. I will obviously write a very heartfelt note to him about how much all his advice and guidance has meant to me over the many years we have known each other. I just want to get something tangible to go with it. In the past, things like plants and baseball souvenirs have been successful gifts, but I’d like to get something a bit more meaningful. Perhaps I am overthinking this though; would love ideas. TIA!

    • anon

      i’m not looking at guidelines right now but judges ability to make gifts to certain sorts of organizations can be limited. What about you making a gift to some charity or school or cause that you both believe in?

    • Anon

      I don’t know what judges can and can’t accept, but maybe an experience? Tickets to a baseball game (if he likes that), or the orchestra, or something like that?

    • Anon

      The best thank you gift I got was a handwritten framed poem/note from a mentee that explained how I had helped her and what my help has meant to her. It has a treasured place in my office and is something that I look at on hard days — and presiding over trials, there are many emotionally hard days. So my advice is something personal from your heart that he can use as a reminder of good things on those bad days.

    • Anonymous

      Could you find an artist who paints/ draws scenes of his alma mater or something like that?

    • Anonymous Canadian

      I am a judge and OMG I am here to tell you that the accomplishment of one of my mentees would be more than gift enough for me. The note would be icing on the cake. I 100% would NOT want anything physical. Maybe more like one million percent. Write the note. If you have a pic of the two of you together maybe include that. Full stop – I’m promising you he will be thrilled with that. Then pay it forward as you go on flying in your career.

      Congratulations on your accomplishment.

  3. Anon100

    Anyone have suggestions for good US-based food gifts to bring to my extended family in East Asia? I haven’t seen them in over 5 years, and since I will be coming from the DC area, it’s going to be at least 24 hours of travel time. The main food restrictions are no nuts (peanuts and tree nuts) and no cheese. So far my sister and I have brainstormed the following but we need about 5 more items to have enough for the family gathering:
    – girl scout cookies
    – cheddar & jalapeño kettlecorn from a local vendor
    – maybe some Trader Joe’s specialty items like cookies?

    • Anne-on

      Oreos in different flavors (or the Trader Joes chocolate dipped Jo-Jos) would be my go to. If there are kids I’d also add in fruit by the foot/gushers/fruit roll ups – anything artificial and weirdly colord should be a hit! The American expats I work with always seem to stock up on Ranch, American chips (cheetos, cheezits, etc.), cookies, american gummy/chocolate candy (Reeses, sour patch kids) and mac and cheese.

    • Anon

      Not fancy but what about junk food aisle items like Oreos, Doritos, and ranch dressing for dipping veggies?

    • anon

      Can you ask them? My family tends to have idiosyncratic requests on what stuff they want from the States (e.g., ranch dressing mix).

      • Anon100

        Some have never been to the US and I’ve never met either – think second or third cousins and some family friends of my grandparents, which is why I’m at a loss for ideas. For the closer relatives and the ones that have been to the US, I’ve already bought and packed all their requested items!

    • Anon

      Blueberry muffin mix if you are able to bake? I know from scratch is better but I think of blueberry muffins as quintessentially American. Same with brownie mix.

    • Anan

      For my nephews in the Netherlands I always bring them breakfast cereal and pop tarts and home made chocolate chip cookies

    • Emma

      Kind of boring, but as a little European kid I liked to get candy in the US. Nerds and cinnamon flavored gum were major hits with my friends (and small and easily packable).

    • anon

      Ah good reminder that I need to get on this myself! Not sure where your family is in East Asia, but keep in mind that their tastes may skew towards lower sugar levels even in sweet treats, so I would include a mix of savory/sweet options.

      Other ideas:
      – Chocolate covered dried berries/figs/fruit
      – Peppermint bark
      – Riffing on muffin mix, pancake mix might be nice if they don’t have ovens.
      – Honey mustard pretzels (snyders?)
      – Cheese straws (not sure if this is ok if no cheese)
      – Stuffed olives/artichokes/sun-dried tomatoes

      • Potato chip swoon

        This Snyder’s ref made me think of Utz chips, my absolute lifetime favorite potato chip, which I can’t get in California (and is assuredly not a ready option outside the US) but is definitely available in and around DC. OP, if salty snacks might suit, please consider this a strong recommendation for the regular, red bag Utz chips.

    • NYC

      I like to bring pancake mix and maple syrup when I visit abroad (although he syrup has to be checked). Fluffy American style pancakes are always a huge hit.

    • Runcible Spoon

      See’s Candies in a fancy box
      home-made (or good store-bought) chocolate chip cookies — quintessentially American, and nobody can replicate these in any other country (or bring the chocolate chips and bake them upon arrival)
      A jumbo bag or two of “fun size” candy bars
      Tabasco sauce — very American, and also will not go bad if accepted cheerfully and then tossed on a pile of gifts and forgotten

  4. anon

    any penn/harvard/mit grads? i’m just appalled. want to do something and have no idea what.

    • Anon

      I am appalled too, especially after years of BS and drama about Halloween costumes and microaggressions and the like being unforgivably “unsafe” on college campuses. Now calling for actual genocide is “context-dependent?”. If you donate or get involved with alumni events, I would stop and tell them why. Donor revolt is powerful.

      • Anon

        Yeah, the statements in the hearing would have landed differently if these institutions had been holding a firm free-speech absolutist position for the last few years. They haven’t, so cautious statements now are suspect.

        • Anon

          +1. It’s also unbelievable to even have to mention that Halloween costume incident in the same breath as calls for genocide.

    • Anon

      Please. These institutions are hemmed in and do not have free rein on this issue. As an attorney who represents educational institutions, their answers hit the mark. It does not mean that the presidents are fans of the answers, in this or other hate speech contexts.

      • anon

        penn grad and also a GC who represents a university. The suggestion that saying you think being pro genecide is free speech is a travesty. They weren’t asked about Israel, they were asked specifically about the genocide of jewish people.

      • Anon

        Then they are cowards. I don’t want cowards at the helm of our leading institutions.

        • anon

          I can’t remember the last time I saw a university leader make an argument that is not bloodless and approved by their legal department. This is the norm, whether you talk about war, unions, Dobbs, or gropey faculty members.

      • Anon

        Jewish university counsel here. The entire hearing was a sh&#^*w. With “friends” like the Rs on the committee, Jews don’t need enemies. Do you really need to call university presidents “miss” and “gal” and quote Jesus to them and yell at them and wag your finger (literally) at them when you could be asking thoughtful questions about a complex issue?

        • anonymous

          Comparing Congressmen/women (even Rs!) to “enemies” of Jews, when there are true genocidal enemies of Jews inside the gates, is just despicable.

          • Anonymous

            But these “friends” also are for a genocide of Jews, just later rather than sooner.

      • Anon

        I mean, even if they are being pressured, saying calling for genocide is context dependent is bananas and whatever pressure they are under is extremely concerning. That’s not a politically correct answer to any call for genocide and the brilliant young minds of tomorrow should be learning to do better.

      • Anonymous

        I’m an attorney but don’t practice anywhere close to this area. Is it not possible for them to say something like, whether a statement is calling for genocide is context dependent, but a statement calling for genocide is bad?
        I can see some issues of interpretation of whether a statement is, in fact, calling for genocide – but if someone actually says the words “we should kill all [group]” or “genocide of [group] is a good thing and we should do that”, is it really not ok to call it bad?

    • Anonymous

      I’d suggest you pause to question why these three presidents in particular were singled out among all presidents of “elite” institutions to participate in the hearings. I find it not at all coincidental that they’re women. So, particularly because you yourself say you have no affiliation with the institutions, maybe consider the ways in which you’re being manipulated and to what end. That is not to say that I think any of these leaders should be shielded from/excused for any statements because of their sex— just take a step back and look at the larger picture.

      • Anon

        i’m a female penn alum and do not think they were being singled out because they are women. penn and harvard in particular have been in the limelight in regards to anti semitism on campus. not everything has to do with s*x/gender!

        • Anon

          I’m an MIT alum and am a little confused about why MIT was there. I don’t think any of these elite colleges have had a great response to this, but MIT has definitely not been in the news the way Harvard and Penn have. But I agree, I don’t think it has anything to do with the genders of the presidents. Women lead a majority of the Ivies now (which is awesome!) so you’d expect to have mostly women testifying.

          • Anonymous

            kindly, you are not paying attention to what is going on at MIT then. pro Palestinian protesters are interrupting classes to chant” free, free Palestine” and Jewish students have been physically threatened and prevented from moving around campus.
            I’m an MIT alum too, and I have former classmates who teach there. they are absolutely appalled at how the campus is these days, and those who are Jewish are scared

    • Anon

      I didn’t love the answers either but let’s face it: were these people supposed to sit in front of Congress and say “those people are terrible and we’re going to expel everyone who was at a pro-Palestinian protest and then burn them at the stake and p*as on their ashes”? I feel like some of you have not been in professional environments very much, if you feel like that’s the statement that should have been made. Statements from big organizations by the leaders are generally pretty weaselly and noncommittal, and don’t take an unequivocal position on things. If the people testifying had been like “those people are bad and they should feel bad” there also would have been an outcry. A congressional hearing isn’t like this board, where people can anonymously say terrible things with impunity. Some of y’all seriously need to get out more, if you don’t understand what was happening yesterday.

      • anon

        no they were suppose to say that yes, advocating the genocide of jews is a violation of our honor code. did you actually watch any of this?

        • Anon

          “Of course we don’t support any calls to violence against any religious or ethnic group whatsoever, that is a violation of our conduct code”. No one is asking to take a side here, but the amount of “meh, violence may be justified” we’re hearing in this discussion is astounding. It really shouldn’t be that complicated to say that violence is wrong, whatever “side” you’re on.

        • Anon

          Exactly – this was a softball question and they all failed hard. It’s not about their sex or whether the committee members were Republicans.

      • Anon

        of course not – but they could say that students or groups of students who congregate in large groups for protests without permission will be disciplined, that they will take action against students who commit vandalism or make others feel unsafe.

        also, as an aside, where is the protest calling for the release of the hostages and for hamas to surrender – that would be the most expedient way with the fewest deaths to help the Palestinian people

        • Anon

          I keep seeing comments about why aren’t people protesting Hamas/calling for the release of hostages. It’s a silly comparison. Hamas is a terrorist organization. Clearly it is run by evil people, some of whom may even be hyped up on drugs. They aren’t going to pay any attention to random people protesting and calling for the release of hostages. They don’t respond to pressure in that way. On the other hand, we (Americans) are funding Israel’s bombardment of Gaza. We hold the purse strings. Israel is ostensibly a democracy where its leaders can be held accountable. Advocating for Israel to cease fire and for the U.S. government to stop funding the war can effect real change in policy and save lives.

          • Anon

            Right. No one protested Osama bin Laden either, because what good would it have done? Would a bunch of privileged Westerners protesting him made him stop doing what he was doing? Hamas are terrorists. They’re not listening to reason or behaving rationally. It’s like “protesting” against serial killers. I think we can all agree serial killers are bad and they shouldn’t serially kill people. Does anyone think protesting serial killing will make a serial killer be like “oh wow, now I see the light, I should really stop what I’m doing”?

          • Anon

            the difference between Hamas and serial killers is that people don’t all seem to think that Hamas is bad. according to some they are apparently not a terrorist organization, but a militant group. a group of students at Columbia School of Social Work hosted a teach in referring to the events of October 7 as a “counteroffensive.” The fact that r*ping women and kidnapping children could be considered a “counteroffensive” is troubling

          • Anon

            i am not going to pretend to be a military expert because i am not, are you? but presumably there are some people out there who are experts on military strategy who can help determine whether there is a better military strategy for Israel in this case. it is terrible that so many people are dying. in WWII more german civilians died than british civilians and that doesn’t automatically make the british bad

          • Anon

            Yeah, the issue I have with these protests is of course I think it’s terrible that all these people are dying, but what exactly is the suggested alternative? That Israel do nothing? Abandon their hostages and let Hamas do their thing? Or better still, just leave and go I don’t know where? None of these seem like realistic options. We need a real peace process, but asking Israel to just drop it while innocent civilians are being held by absolute barbarians is not the way to achieve that.

          • Anonymous

            It is not accurate to say that Israel is acting in the way it is in order to obtain the freedom of the hostages. That has not been the priority of the Israeli government until the families and the US forced them to make it a priority. Their priority is destroying Hamas and seizing control of Gaza for the foreseeable future.

          • Anon

            to the anonymous at 1:06 – why is destroying Hamas a bad goal? Shouldn’t that be the goal? Destroy the terrorist organization that attacked your government?

          • Anonymous

            I was not saying ending Hamas is a bad goal. I was pointing out that it is the goal that eclipsed any intention to seek hostage releases

    • Lily

      Can someone please clarify for me: specifically for the Penn president, she was being asked about calls for intifada, right? And then immediately after, asked about genocide being against the school’s code of conduct? Isn’t it a matter of debate whether a call for intifada is a call for genocide? It means “uprising.” Many people view “intifada” as violent resistance to occupation. Isn’t there a nuance there that she was trying to get at? If she had been asked about genocide with no other context, I think her answer would have been different.

      I am really concerned about where these witch hunts are leading. We must be able to make a distinction between incitement of violence (which certainly there have been recent instances of toward Jews on college campuses) and free speech, which must include the right to protest Israel’s occupation of the West Bank/blockading of Gaza and the right to advocate for Palestinians’ right of self-determination and self-defense.

      • Anon

        I agree. I don’t agree with calls for genocide or violence against Jews, on any level. But it is very convenient to me that so many people are equating any pro-Palestine statement as antisemitism and using that false equivalency to shut down dialogue. I am not a free speech “absolutist” but I am a defender and there is a lot of infringement on free speech coming from the pro-Israel side right now. And it’s backfiring in a big way. You can’t attempt to shut down conversation on an issue without bringing up big questions about why the dialogue is being censored.

        • Anon

          i don’t think being pro-Israel and pro-Palestine have to be mutually exclusive. I am pro-Israel in that I agree with Israel’s right to exist, but I disagree with many policies of the Israeli government. I am pro-Palestine in that I think it is horrible so many Palestinian people are dying and I believe in a two state solution. I am anti-Hamas and think characterizing the r*pe and kidnappings on October 7th as legitimate acts of resistance is anti semitic.

      • Anon

        there is not a debate about whether intifada refers to genocide. some people say intifada simply means uprising while others view it as a reference to a specific time period – the First and Second Intifadas as the specific time periods (1987-1990) and (2000-2005) when there were many terrorist bombings in Israel.

      • Anon

        The whole Liz McGill thing has been a witch hunt from Day 1 because rich Jewish and/or Republican alumni overreacted to what was initially a completely fine statement. Now she really can’t win no matter what she says. I’m shocked she didn’t resign after the first round of criticism, but I’m pretty sure she’ll have to after this. As an alumna, I find it unfortunate as she seems to otherwise be a pretty good college president, but I just don’t see how she comes back from the smears of this witch hunt when she was already on thin ice.

        I think it’s also obvious that they were trying to give very carefully worded statements that didn’t run afoul of any legal issues because all three of the presidents essentially said the same things and are now being blasted. It’s not as though only one of them said something that offended people.

        • Anon

          i personally disagree with this characterization. As a Jewish Penn alum, I had no issue with her until her response to the terrorist attack on October 7th. I think some of this was she was in the wrong place at the wrong time and is fairly new in her role and is probably still coming up to speed on a lot of things. Part of the problem with her response was that if University presidents are going to get into the business of commenting on various political/social etc. things, they need to be consistent in the speed of their response and the amount of publicity they give to their messages.

      • Anon

        if back in 1947/1948 the other Arab nations had just accepted the UN’s partition plan a lot of lives could’ve been saved.

        • Lily

          Yeah, how dare Arab people not just roll over and give over their land because Europeans said so, when it was Europeans who carried out the Holocaust.

          That’s like saying, if the Muslims and Hindus had just accepted Britain’s partition of India, a lot of lives could’ve been saved from brutal slaughter. Who was actually at fault there? The British, in my view.

      • Anonymous

        Yes exactly. The questions in the hearing were based on an assumption that intifada and genocide are one in the same. For the people who have been using the word intifada, that assumption is false. For the people hearing it, that assumption is true.

        This is why policing speech is always fraught. The bar for speech as harassment has to be really high, or else people on the receiving end of speech can claim anything is harassment based on their personal interpretation.

    • Anon

      I haven’t been following this closely, but the top story on the Philadelphia Inquirer right now is that PA Gov. Shapiro (who is Jewish) is criticizing the Penn president over her testimony.

    • Anonymous

      The Supreme Court has to date limited what hate speech can be banned. I think Wikipedia has a good summary of the First Amendment cases. It’s pretty dreadful, as it doesn’t seem to recognize that hate speech can be a violation of another’s rights not to be discriminated against on the basis of religion, race, etc. The ACLU has taken perfectly dreadful positions on this.

      • Anon

        I’m sorry that you think the First Amendment, which is a cornerstone of our American democracy, is “dreadful.” I am 100% a fan of it and will fight to the death (really) to defend it. If you find our Constitution so problematic, perhaps you would be happier living in another country where they are much more comfortable abrogating people’s individual rights.

      • Anon

        What does the first amendment have to do with it? They’re all private institutions and can make whatever restrictions on student and employee speech they want. Public schools are much more constrained, but none of these schools are public.

    • Anon

      Harvard grad here with a Jewish stepmom and siblings – I’m very concerned for free speech on campus. It’s a slippery slope. Students can and should be held accountable in cases of unequivocal hate speech or making real threats. However, my understanding is this speech (intifada or from the river to the see…) isn’t unequivocal in meaning and intent. That there are are, in fact, different, contested meanings of the words that these students and other pro-Palestine activists are using.

      I recognize it means one thing to Israel and another thing to those students. Who is the arbiter? I don’t think the university should step in to stifling that debate and grappling by banning the speech or kicking out the students. Is the university not an ideal place to debate intent? To help students recognize intent doesn’t equal impact? That learning is possible only through free exchange of ideas.

      I do think there’s a level of sexism in attacking these women university presidents for not suppressing other’s contested free speech. It’s interesting that Ackerman, one of the most vocal critics of these women, is ok with his billionaire buddy Elon Musk literally posting an uncontested anti-Semitic trope (his free speech) and then walking it back. That’s ok?

      • Anon

        for one thing the students could select language that isn’t quite so inflammatory if their goal is really to share and promote their ideas via speech…but that wouldn’t be as exciting. for another, one question posed during the hearing was if the NAACP told the university president that they had concern about a specific group planning an event on campus as promoting racism, would they have responded in the same way that they responded to the ADL?

        • Anon

          I’m not saying the speech *isn’t* inflammatory. It’s certainly not the speech I would use, but you’re right – it’s “exciting” and garners attention, which is likely their goal. I haven’t seen that actual violence is the students’ goal – correct me if otherwise – obviously that would be a true threat and not protected speech.

          I worry that if this particular contested speech is ruled to be a true threat, what is next? It’s a huge slippery slope. It particularly scares me in the context of bodily autonomy. Many anti-choice lawmakers genuinely believe that abortion is murder and promoting access is a true threat to the life of a living being. Abortion access has been called a genocide of Black babies. Is that speech next?

  5. Jelly

    Does anybody here know a recipe for Kendal Cake (NOT Kendal Mint Cake!)? Kendal is a town in Cumbria, the UK. The sheet pan cake was a staple ingredient of family Sunday afternoon tea when we were growing up in the Yorkshire Dales. Now we are all globally distributed. Recently somebody asked for the recipe but nobody could find it, not even in my mother’s handwritten recipe book which is usually the best source.

  6. Anonymous

    Would love travel advice! I’m going to Vienna in August, with lodging booked for three nights (may add another night). Would like recommendations for another city or two to visit on this trip, as we’d like to end up staying for two weeks. Traveling with another couple, their toddler, and my own husband and three kids under nine. Right now, we were thinking Vienna, then Prague and Berlin– any recommendations for what to add or remove? Thanks!

      • NY CPA

        Definitely Salzburg. It’s about a 3 hour direct train ride, and I loved it.

        • Anon

          also LOVED salzburg. i know toddlers aren’t old enough to watch sound of music, but if the others are, then watch it in advance and they’ll love it even more

        • Anon

          +1 I really enjoyed the train ride from Vienna to Salzburg. Have a fantastic time!

      • Anon

        +1 to Salzburg, and stay at Hotel Schloss Leopoldskron. It was the outdoor filming location for The Sound of Music and the grounds are just beautiful, but it’s not hokey and cheesy like some of the other SoM things in town.

    • Tea and Crosswords

      I used to live in Vienna, and I would second recommendations for Salzburg, and potentially add a day trip out of the city to Klosterneuberg–the medieval abbey is reasonably cool, but there is plenty of running around space for antsy kids and excellent wine and chocolate for the adults.

    • Anon

      I was just in Vienna in October and LOVED it. We did Vienna and Prague in 10 days and it felt like the perfect amount of time. In two weeks adding Salzburg would be ideal; it’s so charming (I went on a previous trip or I would have added it this time!).

      In Vienna, if you like classical music, seek out some concerts in unusual venues! One of my favorite moments from the trip was seeing Vivaldi’s Four Seasons performed in the stunning Baroque church Karlskirche (St Charles) by candlelight, as well as Mozart’s greatest hits at the Musikverein.

      Vienna is abundant with palaces, and you could easily spend a week just seeing those! We especially loved Schonbrunn (the Summer Palace), which is a short metro ride outside downtown, as well as The Belvedere, where you can see Klimt’s famous works like The Kiss.

      If you like art, we also enjoyed The Leopold Museum’s exhibits about the Vienna Secession artists from around 1900, featuring their revolutionary (at the time) perspectives on everything from design to furniture to art to politics.

      And the cafe culture is lovely. The two big ones most tourists go to are Cafe Central and Cafe Demel, and they lived up to the hype for me! We heard live music at Cafe Central and it elevated the experience. Cafe Demel has a nice-sized patio (with hefty blankets!) if the weather allows for outdoor dining. Both buildings offer stunning architecture.

      Have fun!
      Enjoy!

    • Anonymous

      So helpful, thanks everyone! Definitely adding Salzburg to our itinerary.

  7. Anonymous

    I have never been good at doing my hair. It’s not the cut – it’s me. I’ve tried several different cuts, taken tutorial video after video, different tools, tried to have my stylist teach me- I’m just legit terrible. That said, I feel (and look) so different when it’s blown out. My salon charges $60 plus tip for a blowout. My hair is above shoulder.Has anyone found a less expensive way to get / Justify regular blow outs?

    • Anon

      I think you need to practice. Make sure you have the right tools and just practice.

    • Anon

      It takes more than you probably think it does. I can do a professional looking blowout on myself, but it’s a multi step process, starts with a rough dry, then a blow dry brush, then a straightener, then a curling iron. I am good at hair and even then getting it really polished just takes time and tools.

      • Anon

        Yes, in my experience it takes way more patience and more products than you think you’ll need. Have you bought the same products your salon uses? I don’t buy all of them but notice a huge difference with a few of the styling products – for me that’s primarily a texturizing spray. Some of the others the salon has given me samples for haven’t made a big difference at home so I skip those.

        Also, this goes against many comments I’ve seen here over the years, but for me the shampoo I use makes a huge difference in the finished result. I’d say it’s been trial and error for me on the right products/ combo of products.

          • Anon

            When hair is towel-damp but before starting blow-drying. I use Bumble and Bumble’s texture spray – my naturally fine hair has no texture and will not hold any shape without it. If I want it to hold any kind of curl, I have to use mousse and hairspray also!

          • Anon

            I’m the 11:36 anon and use it a little differently than anon @1:57 – I do a fairly complete rough blow dry then put on the texturizing spray before styling with the blow dryer. I use Oribe.

          • SFAttorney

            Thanks both Anons. I have thick curly/wavy hair, and I’ve never used texturing spray. Not sure what it would do on my hair.

    • Anon

      I don’t know how prices run where you live, but you may be able to find a cheaper blowout than that and certainly don’t have to be faithful to your salon. There are “dry bars” that specializes in this. There may be salon schools near you that are cheaper because it’s student work. Or just a salon that charges less! Then just budget it out based on how long it lasts for you. If you want to get it done less frequency, maybe have a plan for some updos in between.

      I assume you already tried the round brush style dryers. It’s okay to give up though. A lot of people can’t do their own hair for various reasons (coordination, thoracic outlet syndrome, POTS, pain, etc.), so it’s a helpful service in general for a community to sustain (and it’s okay for people who can’t do their own hair to want the blowout look too).

      • Anon

        Is there a cosmetology school near you? The Aveda school here charges $20 for a blow out. Hours might be more limited.

    • Anon

      Don’t forget products. Depending on what results you’re after, the right products can make the process a lot easier.

      • Formerly Lilly

        This. I use a conditioning and heat protectant serum or lotion, and also a heat protectant blow out spray.

        And the blow dryer can make a big difference too. I have to be super careful with a hotel blow dryer or with one that is essentially a drugstore brand, or I get the frizz and some damage. With an Amika, GHD, or Dyson blow dryer I can get just a couple of inches from my hair on a brush with no shirt or long terms bad effects.

        OP, I don’t know if you have good quality products, good brushes, and a good blow dryer, but if you don’t it’s an uphill battle to produce a salon quality blow out. Not impossible, but difficult.

    • PinkKeyboard

      I’m awful UNLESS I use one of those heated blowdry brushes. I cannot two hand it to save my life. With the dry bar one? I like my blowouts better than my stylists!! It gets a little hot thought, the T3 is safer for your hair (but the results are less stunning tbh).

      • EB

        YES, this. Same for me. And I recently bought the Shark one to replace my drybar one, and love it even more because it works so fast.

      • Anon

        Yeah I cannot do a blow out to save my life unless I use one of these! I just have the Revlon but want the Shark!

      • Anon

        The Revlon One Step was life changing for me. I always felt like I was bad at doing my hair and had a lot of frustration trying to do my own blowouts. The One Step changed all of that for me.

    • Anon

      The Revlon blow dryer brush. It makes it so easy. The caveat is that I have thick hair so I have to use a regular blow dryer first to rough dry until my hair is 90% dry, and then use the Revlon brush to make it look like a blowout.

    • Anonymous

      I used to blow out my hair every day before I got a pixie cut. Unless your hair is exceptionally thick and curly, an at-home blowout should not be too difficult on hair of that length. I would rough-dry it about 75% of the way, then section it with clips and dry it a section at a time with a concentrator and a round brush with a metal core. It’s critical to point the dryer down the hair shaft instead of perpendicular to it, and to make sure your sections are not too big. You also have to pull on the brush to almost stretch the hair while drying it and make sure that it’s 100% dry before moving on to the next section. It takes quite a bit of practice and patience to learn.

      That said, I finally gave up on having hair longer than a pixie because there was no way my hair was ever going to look nice without daily blowouts, and even then it often got spoiled by humidity.

    • Anon

      Get a brazilian blowout. It costs $300 and lasts for >6 months, potentially more depending on your hair texture. I got mine on 1st January this year and lasted for me ~9 months where I could just wake up and go, or wash my hair and go (air dry, no blow dryer needed).

    • Anon

      This was me a very long time ago, but I went to a famous hair guy in New York and paid him $400 for a cut (that was a lot of money 15 years ago; it’s still a lot) that did not require blowdrying. And other than when I’ve had my hair cut since, I’ve never blown it or had it blown dry. It’s short, so it’s definitely not to everyone’s taste, but I put product on my wet hair and let it air dry on my way to the office.

      • Anon

        This would hugely depend on your hair texture – if I had short hair and let it air dry, I would end up with a curly afro.

    • NaoNao

      I have thick, wavy hair that’s just below chin-length and I’ve found that setting it when it has just a touch of damp left in larger velcro rollers, then letting it dry, then brushing out gives the volume and “done” look of a blowout. Not as shiny, but you can mist it with a dry oil or touch it up with a shine gloss product. It’s relatively easy and great on days where you can let them sit for 1-2 hours. If you’re in a rush, plan for 45 minutes in the rollers and then blast with a hot hair dryer for a few minutes to ensure they’re fully dry.

  8. Anon

    Here’s a fun game, my work has an annual award and the prize is plane tickets for two to anywhere in the world. Where would you go if you won?

    • Cb

      Oh wow, that’s an amazing prize! I’d go to Japan, my son is really keen to go.

    • Anne-on

      I’d pick Japan or Seoul, my son is desperate to visit both and they’re so far and tickets are pricey!

    • Anon

      If you want the most value from the tickets (from the US), Australia/NZ is probably the answer. We were considering going in 2024 and the ticket prices were truly insane.

      To answer the more fun question, “where do you most want to go,” my short list includes South Africa, the Maldives, Patagonia, the Galapagos, and Norway.

    • Anon

      Iceland or Scotland would be my top picks.

      What a fantastic prize. Do they cover costs for any other part of the trip, too?

      • OP

        Unfortunately not, which would limit me – I can’t afford an elaborate trip, even if the plane tickets are comped. The UK would be my top pick too!

    • anon

      Costa Rica and Martinique have both made it onto my wish list lately. I believe the airfare is the most expensive part of those trips, so once that hurdle is removed it would be a fun lark to go!

  9. anon a mouse

    Poll for the group: do you buy ticket insurance for expensive events? I’m getting ready to buy 4 tickets to a Broadway show in spring and the insurance adds about $100 to the cost, but obviously the tickets are a lot more than that. I’d typically do travel insurance for a big trip, but the tickets are our only big expense (we are going up to stay with friends who live nearby, just driving).

    • Anon

      Never. If I get tickets through tickmaster, I can sell them back. Otherwise if they’re expensive enough I’m going or selling some other way or just taking the loss.

    • Anonymous

      First find out if the tickets can be changed. Since the pandemic, a lot of producers started offering exchanges. If not, I probably still wouldn’t because you could likely resell them if you can’t use them if they are expensive – that means it is a high demand show.

    • Anonymous

      Are the tickets in such high demand that you’d probably be able to resell them easily (and legally) if you got sick and couldn’t attend?

    • Anon

      I never have because if something comes up that prevents me from going, I can resell the tix online.

      • anon

        my grandparents indoctrinated my father who indoctrinated me, “if you can afford to lose it, don’t buy insurance.” not sure if this is great advice but one that i have followed and for the few times i ate a ticket or a hotel room or whatever probably works out to less than all the insurances i didn’t buy…

    • Anon

      Is there any fine print about how far in advance you have to cancel, or other limitations? The last time I was tempted to buy insurance it stipulated you had to cancel five days in advance, which obviously would do no good in case of a sudden illness. So I declined

    • Anon

      It depends on what the insurance covers. I “self insure” smaller ticket costs (eg local 5k race registrations), but I insure larger ticket costs if the insurance is comprehensive.

    • anon

      I self-insure for this kind of thing because I don’t trust insurance to a) cover the kind of loss I experienced and b) not take a lot of my time and energy if I do have a claim.

      As much as it stinks to lose money on expensive tickets, I don’t buy tickets I can’t afford to not use.

        • anon

          anon at 10:18. I plan on just saying “too bad” if I end up not getting to use the thing I paid a lot for.

          I don’t formally have separate accounts where I save what I would have spent on premiums. If I did, I’m certain it’d be high enough to cover the occasional time when I didn’t get to use the tickets, go on a trip, etc plus have plenty left over.

        • Cat

          just means that you are prepared to eat the loss yourself. Given how expensive “cancel for any reason” type insurance is vs. how much it covers, we’ve never bothered. We minimize the risk of self-insurance by, for example, flying on US carriers where we can easily reuse credits if we have to cancel our plans, booking accommodations that are either fully refundable or have a generous change policy, etc.

        • Anon

          I’m the Anon above who buys insurance on bigger races but not smaller ones.

          Example: I run several local 5k or 10k events every year, average cost $50. I could buy insurance for $8 per race. I will be unable to do 1 in 10 races for a “covered reason” (injury, death in the family, etc).

          If I buy insurance, I would be spending $80 to be reimbursed $50. If I don’t buy insurance, I don’t spend the $80 but don’t get reimbursed for the $50. The latter is self-insurance.

    • anon

      We do for venues that make re-sale hard (yes, they still exist) and did get the full value of our tickets back when we both had COVID.

    • Anon

      Nope. For Broadway shows you can typically exchange tickets if you get sick, which is the most likely scenario in which I’d have to miss the show.

    • self insured kinda

      we have a family policy to never buy such insurance, extended warranty, rental car insurance etc. the one time we do have a loss that isn’t covered by Amex will probably still be less than all we’ve saved under this “no warranty/insurance” policy. caveat that I did buy it for a cruise in mid Feb 2020, because the FLU was so bad lol. We were literally the last ship out

      • Anonymous

        Oh I always buy rental car insurance in a foreign country. I know it will ultimately be covered by Amex or my actual car insurance but I do not want to deal with the headache.

    • Anonymous

      No, because the insurance typically doesn’t cover much. Read the fine print but usually it isn’t cancel for any reason. It’s like, you were hospitalized or have a doctors note, not, you had a scheduling conflict.

  10. anon

    I have the next 6 months fully paid to to 1) find a new job and 2) do some self exploration and enjoy myself. What would you do with such an opportunity?

      • BossinBos

        I took a 3 month unpaid sabbatical a few years ago and centered my days around a few key words (think “eat, love, pray” type works). One of the best activiites I did was take a 8-week improv class – highly recommend looking into it in your area!

      • Panda Bear

        Wow, that sounds amazing! For the self-exploration/enjoyment part, I would take a week or two to travel alone (if that appeals to you). I love to explore a new – or old favorite – place at my own pace, accountable to no one. Or maybe do some kind of retreat for an activity you enjoy, or would like to learn (yoga, cooking, art)? For the job searching, I’d take some time to reach out to my network to check in, say hi, and let them know I’m looking. Best of luck and enjoy your time.

    • Anon

      Job search – it’s more time consuming and takes longer than you might think.

    • anon.

      I would move to a country where I want to learn a language, enroll in a multiweek language program during the day, and enjoy myself in the evenings. I really missed the boat on languages and have a lot of regrets. Probably Barcelona. Stay about 3 months, ignore job stuff, then come home and use the rest of the time to find a job.

    • Anon

      Not to stress you out but I’d start looking for a new job ASAP like it’s a full time job, get one, then delay your start date as long as possible and travel after that. I am early 30s and know several people looking right now (finance/tech, with prestigious schools on their resumes). It’s tough out there.

    • Anonymous

      Wellness resort for sure
      Travel if you can do it with your partner or are OK to do it by yourself or with friends
      I’d read the Happiness Project or take that Yale class on happiness and really try to do the work

    • Anonymous

      I would job search so I didn’t have a gap on my resume and have to explain to interviewers what I had been doing or make health insurance crazy expensive. It also may take a lot longer than anticipated to get the next gig. Once gig is secured, I’d negotiate a late start date and use a month or more to travel. Any money left from this period would go to future amazing trips.

      I can’t enjoy myself if I feel like I might be hurting future self to do it.

    • Anonymous

      Personally this is what I would do – not saying it’s for everyone:

      Create a habit of job searching as my “job” now actively. Agree that starting this process now vs. later will really help it feel less burdensome. Very hard boundary though with new jobs that I’m only available in 6 months, not now.

      I would get really super into yoga + weight training. I’m really into yoga already, but with 6 months with no job, I’d go for daily studio classes or home practices with no exceptions, followed by weight training with a trainer a few times a week.

      I’d also do another silent meditation retreat. I did one a few years ago and it was hard and also had really great benefits that I felt for quite a while afterwards.

      I’d do one big hiking trip, assuming DH could get the vacation time because I would want to go with him. Besides that, I really don’t care about traveling.

    • anon

      For the first ten weeks: take an intensive beginner art class in one of the absurd mid-day weekday time slots. Either Intro to Sketch or Intro to Watercolor or Intro to Oil Painting, like what the Palette and Chisel Academy in Chicago offers.

      From week ten onwards: Join the local plein air society and really immerse myself in that scene. And job search, because it will not be a fast search.

    • Anonymous

      Travel and rest (read books) for at least a month. Yes it will take time to find a new job but we all need rest as well.

    • Anon

      Go to Paris for a language immersion course, holiday with my mum who is again, girls trip with my pals.

  11. Anon

    as a follow up/aside to the above question re the congressional testimony of the college presidents- there are limits as to when/where speech has free rein, right? like it is ok for a University to impose some kind of penalty on someone who interferes with students ability to attend class, professors to teach, etc.? and schools can require student groups to ask for permission to use certain spaces at certain times? does this differ between a public university and a private university? and then what about not university related – if a group of protestors are blocking a sidewalk, they can be asked to move or disperse and does that violate their right to free speech?

    • anon

      So this is a very complicated area. First off, there is a difference between legal obligations with respect to freedom of speech (which very generally speaking apply only to government/public institutions) and cultural commitments to free speech. There is a well-developed body of law around when and how free speech can be limited, but that applies only to entities that already have legal obligations relating to free speech. Private institutions that have made cultural commitments to free speech are in different territory.

      Universities typically take the position that they are committed to free speech even when not subject to legal obligation. But that means that they have greater freedom to define what they will/won’t allow. It is common for universities to prohibit what’s called the “heckler’s veto” (ie engaged in conduct or speech that is so disruptive that it prevents an invited speaker from delivering remarks). Private universities have great latitude to limit speech based on content (so-called “speech codes”) – public university speech codes have generally been found to be unconstitutional.

      Some of the reason this is controversial lately is that many private colleges/universities have been pretty inconsistent on what type of speech they allowed or didn’t allow over the recent years, and there has also been some weakness in universities’ statements on speech. The idea that speech itself – even absent corresponding conduct – is violence or makes people unsafe has taken hold in a lot of progressive spaces and is something that gets thrown around in academia not-infrequently. Even a lot of civil liberties organizations have recently been less willing to take the “I abhor what you say but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it” position. (For example, the ACLU is deeply internally inconsistent on this point – I’m not sure they’d take on the Nazis in Skokie as clients these days.)

      Campus speech is a pretty complicated topic, but the Foundation for Individual Rights & Expression (historically focused on university-level speech issues, but they do have a broader mandate now) has a lot of info on various specific topics.

      • twentytwo

        “Some of the reason this is controversial lately is that many private colleges/universities have been pretty inconsistent on what type of speech they allowed or didn’t allow over the recent years, and there has also been some weakness in universities’ statements on speech. The idea that speech itself – even absent corresponding conduct – is violence or makes people unsafe has taken hold in a lot of progressive spaces and is something that gets thrown around in academia not-infrequently.”

        This is my cue to plug The Coddling of the American Mind by Greg Lucianoff and Jonathan Haight. It digs into the origins of pressure for this lopsided approach to speech via safetyism.

    • Anon

      You are referring to two issues.

      “Forum analysis” – Your instinct is correct that a public university can regulate speech more in some forums (like a classroom or the front of the student health clinic or outside a room where people are taking exams) than it can in other forums (like the main plaza on campus that it full of public activity).

      Speech vs. Hostile Environment – The difference between student X’s free speech and student Y’s right to access education/get to class/etc without being in a hostile environment that is so pervasive it prevents student Y from doing so. The Department of Education tells campuses that they have to eliminate the hostile environment for student Y without silencing student X.

      • Anon

        so like if a group of students is holding a protest (or whatever word you want to use) and is blocking entrance to a classroom and is asked to relocate and refuses, those students could be penalized for creating a hostile environment? and the topic of whatever it is they are protesting shouldn’t matter?

        • Anonymous

          Wouldn’t that be disturbing the peace or something else bigger than creating a hostile environment?

        • Anon

          There could be a couple different issues here:
          – preventing ingress/egress could violate a physical security or fire rule (regardless of what words are being yelled)
          – disrupting class could violate a disruption rule (regardless of what words are being yelled)
          – based on the words, this could be a hostile environment (highly fact specific)

  12. anon

    real question, not looking to argue. my son (teenage junior) is politically conservative. we are looking at schools, he’s not applying ivy but definitely looking at very select nationally known schools. For those in education, is flagging his politics an interesting sort of diversity these days or likely a mistake? most of his extra curricular activities are political/ civil but not party leaning (he’s president of his class, involved with our town’s government…)

    • Cat

      personally I would stay out of political views in the application process. just highlight actual meaningful civic work (did he get something changed at his school? what projects did he contribute to in your town) to show substance.

      • Anon

        Agreed. I don’t know your son, but if he’s considering highlighting his conservative political leanings, then I assume he doesn’t have other types of diverse experiences or life circumstances he can list. It would not give me warm fuzzies to see a white, cis boy from a potentially well off family trying to claim he’s diverse when he belongs to all the same categories as the people who hold the most power in this country.

        I do think that diversity of thought is important in one’s friend group, and I am friends with some (sane) conservatives (which I assume he is!). But that’s not the same type of diversity that colleges are typically trying to ensure within their classes, as far as I understand.

        • anon

          original poster. certainly he is not intending on suggesting that this makes him diverse. the question was whether a school might look at it as adding something to campus life or a big red flag.

          • Anon

            The important part would be the substance of what he’s done, in my opinion. I don’t know that I’d try to hide it but also wouldn’t highlight the specific strain of political theory behind what he’s done, if that makes sense.

          • Cat

            I would say red flag, not because having any conservative or moderate views is a problem per se, but someone who so strongly identifies as R-conservative that they make it a point in their college app is probably going to imply all the downsides of that association.

        • anon

          original poster. he was talking about college essays in general and i was talking about what i had written and my memory was that one fairly common one when i applied was something like “what is something that makes you different from your peers” and we were sort of debating whether it might be an interesting to essay to talk about feeling that his politics are very out of kilter with most of his peers…

          • Cat

            no, I just replied above, but this is not the thing you want to brand yourself on. what meaningful outcomes did achieve as a result of civic participation, regardless of party line?

          • Anon

            No, definitely not. I agree with Cat, focus on what he actually did and would contribute to the college, not playing the victim. Especially because it’s just not that unusual to be conservative, but it would be unusual to actually get something done rather than just be performatively liberal (I say this as a liberal).

          • anon

            I don’t think there’s anything here that suggests he’s playing the victim or intends to do so. It is factually correct that most younger people are liberal. His views are different than his peers. I don’t personally think that’s a good college essay topic, but it’s not playing the victim to state that (also, I suspect the reaction from many commenters here would be different if he were a very progressive high schooler in a deeply conservative area and was considering writing about that).

            Either way, OP, it’s not a good idea bc of the risk that college admissions staff react as some commenteres here are.

          • Anon

            The problem is that there’s a fine line between feeling that his politics are out of kilter with his peers and the argument that lots of conservatives make that white men are the real victims of racism and sexism. I think the first part is fine and I have sympathy for him, but if he comes across making the second argument, it definitely wouldn’t go over well, so it’s probably better to steer clear of that whole line of thought unless he is a very, very good writer. And as someone who has read a lot of too fluffy personal statements, I think it’s always better to focus on concrete actions than ideology, so I’d give the same advice to a liberal student too!

    • Anon

      Lol being conservative doesn’t get you diversity points in college applications.

    • Anon

      Focus on substance – anything he worked on that makes an actual (positive) difference for real people. Otherwise, what’s the point of those views, beyond being an Edgelord online? Plenty of guys talk about their Eagle Scout projects, for example.

    • Anon

      Talking about political and civic engagement is great. Trying to sell yourself as the “real” diversity on campus is likely to backfire. I definitely support ideological diversity, but there are still plenty of conservative men on most campuses and I think that’s likely to rub a lot of people the wrong way. I’m a professor at a public university and my students don’t even remotely resemble what you see portrayed in the NYT. I suspect even the Ivies aren’t as liberal as portrayed in popular press, (I’m an alum), though clearly students differ based on locations and majors.

      • Anon

        +1… your son sounds like a solid majority of undergrad business, econ, pre-law or poli-sci students at the state flagship R1 I’m at. He’ll fit right in.

      • anon

        no intention of selling himself as real diversity. question was more whether if it was apparent in his application (like if he said if he could have dinner with anyone alive or dead and he said pat buchanon) would that be a red flag or an interesting “less common” point of view….

        • Cat

          you seem really defensive based on your replies here. That wouldn’t seem cute or original, it would sound tryhard and obnoxious. Sorry.

          • anon

            I think you’re projecting, Cat. I don’t read these responses as defensive, just as clarification.

          • Cat

            sorry, just chatty today and it feels like every response of ‘huh no def not diverse’ is about how the person misunderstood the question vs absorbing the rest of the response. I will chill :)

        • Anonymous

          I think the question is whether he can write a compelling essay about that. I don’t think shock value or “diversity” will help him here.

        • Anon

          Plenty of students say someone like Pat Buchanan for that question. It’s not clever or original, but it’s also not going to get him blackballed.

        • anonn

          I mean if that’s his honest answer and a school blackballs him for it, he wouldn’t be happy at that school anyway? Or is he trying to sneak his way into a liberal student body and be THAT guy?

      • Anon

        I’m a HYP grad, married to an immigrant who attended a top 20 school, and let’s face it, Wall Street heavily recruits from these schools, and these grads literally reproduce capitalism. I don’t understand the stereotype that higher ed is a liberal utopia. I think students are often more socially liberal, but they go into careers to make money, not to do charity work, and they support policies to facilitate that. There’s also a large international student presence at elite universities, and these students are the 1% in their countries to be able to learn English, pay for and excel in English speaking private schools, and pay for American college with the sticker price. My husband got no financial aid, and his family could pay it. If a campus is 15-20% of these students, that’s another “bucket” of people who are likely more conservative.

        Also, I think your question implies that schools seek diversity for the sake of diversity. I’m an alumna interviewer, and the best candidates talk about impact. Not “I’m Conservative, and I’m an independent thinker” but “my values are X, Y, and Z, and these values have led me to do A, B, and C, and it led to this impact that is meaningful to me”.

        • Anon

          Wall Street isn’t conservative. Look at where they donate money. Besides, “conservatism” is not synonymous with “corporatism.”

      • anon

        original poster here. what is the ugh for? that my kid is conservative? that i’m wondering about something like this?

        • Anon

          I’m not this anon, but I interpreted your question to be asking if he should claim he’s diverse because of this, and that’s what the ugh is for (because he belongs to the group with the most power nationally–white conservative men). You clarified above, so maybe it’s more clear now!

          • anon

            not claiming on saying he’s diverse. wondering more whether colleges would view it as a red flag.

          • Anon

            Right! You said that above. I was just clarifying what I thought the “ugh” meant!

    • anon

      It’s a mistake, if you look at the political leanings of those who make up university administrations.

      • Anon

        The administrators don’t have anything to do with admissions. But I agree with the broader point that most people in academia are left-leaning and it’s more likely the person reading your file is left-leaning than conservative.

        Fwiw, I worked in admissions for years, albeit in a less politically polarized time. We saw lots of “leader of the Young Democrats” type things and slightly less but still lots of “leader of the Young Republicans.” Neither got a black mark or diversity points. They were treated the same and basically just checked off as leadership in a student org and civic involvement. If a student wrote an essay supporting the events of January 6th or something like that, it would obviously be a different story. But generic Republican stuff is unlikely to help or hurt you anymore than generic apolitical stuff.

        • FP

          Agreed. I worked in T20 admissions. Lots of kids involved on both sides of the spectrum. The only time I saw people actively trying to hide it was with Trump stuff (e.g., they would say “Volunteer for a National Political Campaign, 2015-2016” although I guess that could have just has easily been Clinton). It does nothing to add to the school’s diversity – no matter how liberal Fox News tells you college campuses are. I would not address this other than itemizing his volunteer or paid work.

    • Anonymous

      i don’t know, after reading Who Gets in and Why I’d almost say it might distinguish him but only if he can talk about how his interest would be applied to campus life, like joining x club.

      (in that book though they’re like, gee, she says she wants to become a neuroscientist but NONE of her activities look like they’re involved in neuroscience so she must not be serious. like, what? how many neuroscience-related opportunities are there for high schoolers?)

      • anon

        original poster here: right, that’s what i’m thinking. and again the essay would not be” i’m a conservative” but if he has to write about a person he admires for example, he could easily make it apparent and yes, thinking it might distinguish him (not that he was the new face of diverstiy on college campuses)

      • Anon

        Eh, if you’re talking about people aiming for the elite colleges, it’s not uncommon for kids with a unique interest like that to have summer camps or college classes on the subject or to have worked with a university professor in their lab.

        The book is right that if you’re going to position yourself as someone with a niche interest you should explain why beyond just “it sounds cool.”

    • Anonymous

      I’m a conservative and would not do this. High school students can be very bright and hardworking but they are also very young. The vast majority of teenagers will come across as very immature when describing their political views, regardless of what their views are.

      • anon

        the idea isn’t that he would be describing his political views but could be made apparent or not…. my thought was that it might sort of distinguish him, not that he’s “diverse.”

        • Anon

          If you’re thinking that these schools are somehow short on conservative students, I think that’s out of touch.

        • Cat

          at best he’ll blend in with the other conservative applicants, at worst he’ll look obnoxious. You’re getting pretty unanimous advice to steer clear and focus on his actual civic work!!!

        • Anon

          I think you’re getting unfairly put upon, anon. It’s a legitimate question.

          Considering this a bit more, I can see some angles working (provided they are true). One would be “iron sharpens iron.” He could say that he’s politically active, involved, and actually enjoys getting to know liberals/progressives and debating them. Both walk away with more nuanced views and a better understanding of their opponents’ beliefs, which is important in today’s world. His lefty friends feel better equipped to defend their own beliefs. He is excited to dive into Middlebury’s liberal atmosphere.

          • Anon

            The part of this I would leave out if he wants to write about the topic is the debating bit. I would think this would make an admissions officer believe he intends to be one of those “Well, actually…….” people that we all hate (on all areas of the political spectrum).

        • Anon 1139

          I have a concrete suggestion related to your son’s initial impulse, based on my reading of many of these comments. It sounds like your son is interested in politics, based on the activities you describe. It would be in keeping with his interests to write about dinner with public figure X to ask him how he or she views current political situation Y. For example, the Alien and Sedition Act was passed during the administrations of John Adams. What would he think of our current free speech environment, both legally and otherwise? In this case, however, Pat Buchanan is a tough sell as person X since he’s still alive and may have weighed in already! (And, FYI, I do not work in college admissions so maybe spouting pure BS.)

    • Anon

      I don’t think he can win here, unfortunately. The risks are pretty high that left-leaning colleges would nix his application over this, and a moderate or conservative-leaning university would not care.

      Ideological diversity *should* matter, if you’re looking for robust campus and intellectual life. However, it’s become clear that calls for a “diversity of diversities” are a fig leaf for “admitting and hiring only the people the authorities approve of.”

      Consider schools known to be more centrist or right-leaning. You don’t need to go full Hillsdale to find a university with ideological diversity.

      • anon

        Original poster here. would love suggestions. have done a fair amount of research and other than that generally southern schools are more central, i haven’t had a lot of luck finding guidance on this.

        • Anon

          Princeton Review used to include characterizations of the student body that included culture and politics; does it not anymore?

        • Anon

          Southern, Midwest, public, schools with larger numbers of engineering, business, econ, or STEM majors generally, schools outside of big cities

          • Anon

            This is the answer. Schools that are dominated by engineering and STEM, including MIT and Caltech, are comparatively apolitical. Which is not to say you can’t find a way to get involved in D or R politics if you want (most large schools have student groups for everything under the sun) but it doesn’t dominate campus life the way it does at many liberal arts school and private universities in blue states.

        • Anon

          George Mason
          Washington & Lee
          Texas A&M
          Clemson
          Bentley (Massachusetts)
          Baylor
          University of San Diego (Catholic but more like Notre Dame Catholic and not like Steubenville Catholic)
          Service academies
          Catholic University of America

          A lot of the very religious schools are conservative: BYU, Gordon, Liberty (okay that’s super right wing), Wheaton, Biola, Grove City, Berry (Georgia); for Catholics, Assumption, Ave Maria, Steubenville.

          Personally, I would lean my kid towards somewhere like A&M or W&L.

        • Anon

          My god, every university has a college Republicans club full of people just like your son. I don’t think your concerns are at all based in reality.

    • anon

      Not in education but I would urge him to focus on what he did when involved with town government – e.g., pushed to get sidewalks installed, etc – rather than any particular leaning. I would proceed cautiously if that involvement reeks of the intersection of fundamentalist Christianity and conservative politics — e.g., joshua generation.

    • Anon

      I did this in my college essay in the 2000s, and I got into a fairly elite, Catholic university (Boston College). I mentioned how I’d want to join the conservative student paper, how I was secure in my views, etc. My parents thought it was great!

      I cannot tell you how much it makes me cringe looking back on it. I have so much embarrassment for my younger self. As much as you think you do, a 17yo absolutely does not know themselves and what they will become.

      I did move to the middle during college (and joined the mainstream student newspaper instead), though many on this board would consider me fairly conservative. I mean, I voted for John McCain and Mitt Romney, but also Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden. And even still, I wish I had never written that essay, and that my parents had encouraged me to have more humility.

      • Anon

        I worked in admissions at an elite college and 95% of high school college admissions are extremely cringey, even in a pool of extremely bright and motivated kids. You’re fine. It’s a not terrible perspective for a student essay. Defending the insurrection or something would be bad, but what you wrote is fine. It’s as much or more about your writing skills than what you say.

      • Anon

        Maybe it’s just me: I find the entire essay concept to be a bit cringey. These are 17 year old kids! Their essays are almost always going to be trite or cringe. If it were me, I would either give them 1,500 words to work with or a prompt like “discuss a character in a book who you admire or can relate to.”

    • Anonymous

      It won’t matter to admissions. No school is looking for more conservative boys but they also aren’t discriminating against them

    • Anonymous

      You’re starting from a faulty premise. You can highlight positive things that distinguish you without comparing yourself to others. “I’m conservative (vs liberal) therefore different (in a good way)” suggests that being liberal is less desirable. When that comes from the group that’s traditionally on top – an upper middle class cisgendered straight white teenager – it sounds like punching down. Not a good look.

      He should highlight his civic engagement and leadership skills. If he’s involved with young republicans or something then I would keep it on the resume, but focus on the skills he has learned, not how much he enjoys being around like minded young white men.

    • Anonymous

      It won’t help because it’s a boring viewpoint. Well off white male is a conservative is like writing an essay that says ‘water is wet’. Like yes, but? It’s not special and doesn’t make him stand out. It’s expected, ordinary, boring.

      If he’s talking about some project he undertook or impactful volunteer work that he did or some formative experience he had but the conservatism comes up in passing, it likely won’t hurt him. Like is he writing about how a summer internship he did with XYZ financial institution that was formative towards ABC conservative view on monetary policy or is he just saying that he was president of the GOP club at his high school. The first one might be interesting depending on the specifics. The second one is boring AF.

        • Anon

          Do you have the same attitude towards a LGBT student who writes about that experience?

          • Anon

            Probably not because that is a group that actually faces discrimination. At least in my area, kids are still literally kicked out of their homes for being gay or transgender.

    • Anon

      Am in higher ed and work with admissions officers at a nationally known liberal arts college. Flagging his politics will not make much difference in either direction — schools tend to be much, much less full of liberal students than the press likes to project, and there are few admissions officers who will care very much about the political leanings of a teenager. That said, if he wants to use his essays to write compellingly about his views, then great. But flagging that he’s politically conservative is neither a help nor a hindrance, in my opinion.

    • Seventh Sister

      For my $.02, it doesn’t strike me as an interesting sort of diversity. Being involved in town government, yes, interesting extracurricular. But not being conservative per se.

    • Anonymous

      I find it very interesting that the answers here seem to start from.the premise that college essays are mostly ways to figure out if the applicant has been a victim of society, so even though the OP did not say that was the point her she on wants to make, most people framed the responses through the lens of “the point of all college essays is to show victimhood so mentioning college narrative views would mean the applicant is inherently saying he is the victim bc of his views and that is a no-no.'” I am not saying college essays these days aren’t aimed entirely at that, of course. They probably are.

  13. A.

    What are your favorite/most engaging audiobooks? I recently listened to Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara and The Woman In Me (Britney memoir); I’m not typically a huge fan of audiobooks but I TORE through both of these in record time. I’m going to have ~10 hours in the car alone in the coming week and I would love recommendations of books you’ve found to be particularly good — especially nonfiction, as the vast majority of my paper book-reading is in the fiction realm.

    • Mrs Luke Danes

      Daisy Jones & the Six! (full cast)

      Also Anne Bogel at the Modern Mrs Darcy blog just posted her top audiobooks of 2023.

    • Anan

      I really enjoyed Kal Penn’s memoir You Can’t Be Serious- Hollywood and Capitol Hill hijinks all in one.
      Thank You For Listening, fiction audio book about an audiobook narrator, written by Julia Whelan was also fabulous, I thought.
      I’m currently listening to The Chiffon Trenches and it is also very juicy.

    • Anon

      If you are at all interested in horror books, Michael C. Hall narrates Pet Cemetery by Stephen King, and it is phenomenal. He’s an excellent reader, and I wish all audiobooks were read by him now!

      For nonfiction, I have recently loved “The Art Thief.” It’s about a man who stole 200 works of art from European museums. In a similar vein, “The Feather Thief” is amazing. It’s about a man who is very deeply into Victorian fly-tying who steals a bunch of priceless birds from the British Museum. Clearly I have a type, but both of these are fascinating stories and excellent for a drive.

    • New Here

      I also enjoyed Britney’s book on audio. After that, I listened to Jill Duggar’s memoir and found it super fascinating.

    • Formerly Lilly

      “Good Omens” by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, narrated by Martin Jarvis. Even if you’ve watched the Netflix series the book is still a good listen.

    • Anon

      Andre Agassi’s memoir, “Open”, is a terrific audiobook. I’m not even much of a tennis fan, but I was fascinated.

    • JTM

      I flew through “Money: The True Story Of A Made Up Thing” and I found it fascinating. The author, Jacob Goldstein, used to be on the Planet Money podcast, and he also narrates the audiobook, so to my ears it was an extra long podcast & I loved it. I learned a ton about how money was created & how it’s changed over the centuries.

    • Senior Attorney

      I enjoyed The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society on audio. It’s an epistolary novel and all the letter-writers are voiced by different readers in the audiobook.

  14. Anon

    We are planning a trip for 3 people to Japan next year – last week of May and first week of June. I know a few here have been and would really appreciate some help!
    – Is there a best time to buy plain tickets? I am wondering if we should buy already or if there is a chance they will be cheaper if we buy, ex. mid-January or closer tot he event.
    – Overwhealmed at where to stay in Tokyo and Kyoto. We don’t need much and Inwoudl like to save rather than splurge, but still decent and safe. Hotels? AirBnB? Any recs? Particular districts or areas?
    -Do any attractions require pre-booking months in advance (ex. like the Alhambra does in Spain)?
    – We would like to add a quick stop in another city – is Nara worth a stay for a night or two or is it best as a day trip? if not Nara, other suggestions? Or is it worth staying at a traditional spa inn (vs visiting for the day) – any recs?
    Thank you!

    • Cat

      just a random travel tip, but if you’re planning to fly a carrier you use regularly, check if you can get full “credit” if you cancel your tickets. we’ve cancelled and rebooked the same itinerary when prices dropped, and then had credit we could easily use for another trip.

      • Anon

        This is what I always do – book ASAP and get credit if prices drop. It works on domestic tickets (assuming you don’t buy basic economy) and tickets to many international destinations, but fwiw someone on the United Airlines subr3ddit mentioned that tickets to Japan are an exception to this policy. I’m not sure why, but I imagine it has something to do with local laws or regulations.

      • Cat

        Adding – G–gle Flights will show you in green or red if prices are currently high or low for your itinerary. While not future-proof, based on routes we fly often, we’ve found it to be decently accurate.

    • Flats Only

      I went to Japan this year, and am planning a return trip for next year! My dates are similar to yours, but I’ve not bought plane tickets yet. I’m watching prices and will probably buy in the new year. For hotels, what worked well for me was being as close as possible to the main train station. It made it so much easier to get around via train, subways, taxis, etc. and the stations all have tons of shopping and dining. I liked the Mitsui Garden Hotels, and the Granvia Hotels when I was there (each chain has many branches. I did Tokyo and Kyoto, and also a couple of nights in Hiroshima.

      If you want to add a day or two at a traditional ryokan and experience onsen culture you might enjoy a trip from Kyoto to Kinosaki Onsen, which has many ryokan and 7 public baths. It’s been an onsen town for 1300 years, so even through it’s touristy it’s a place the Japanese go for a fun and relaxing time, and well worth the side trip.

      If you want to drop a burner email I would be happy to chat offline.

    • Hellooooooo

      For Tokyo, highly suggest a hotel in Shinjuku near the Shinjuku station for ultimate city buzz and feel – and easy train and subway connections. Some other thoughts- just came back from a trip recently: For train and subway, they may still be out of prepaid debit transit cards due to chip shortage so research ahead if you have iphone how to download app and etc. Or know before you go that you’ll have to buy single tickets each trip. Suggest downloading the official Japan train app (forgot name) that tells you what platform and next train time and transfers if needed to get to other parts of city. Also if getting to and from airport stresses you out (it can be very pricey in a taxi in traffic whether Haneda or Narita airport), consider a hotel where the “Airport Limousine Bus” stops. Also know that most hotel rooms are pretty small…Some folks like Shibuya or Ginza for hotels.Unless you know Japanese, suggest Google translate app for menus and such. Most have English now but not all. Also, unlike most countries, highly recommend bringing some cash. Ramen and more casual restaurants are all cash sometimes- paid at the vending machine for a ticket. Even train tickets are cash at the machine unless you have the electronic transit card, which they were out of… unless you go to the ticket office, which usually has a long line and not all stations have them. Have a great trip!

    • Japan Travler

      I loved staying at Shijo Kawaramachi Onsen Soraniwa Terrace in Kyoto. I thought it was well-located and close to a major bus hub, and has an onsen in the hotel that is open late. When in Tokyo I stayed in Ginza and Shibuya. I think where to stay just really depends on what you want to do. Ginza was closer to shopping for fashion and close to a large train station, my hotel was attached to the Shibuya Station – which is MASSIVE and very confusing, especially as it is under construction (may be done by the time you are there). I preferred Ginza, but Shibuya has its perks. If you want to stay at a ryokan, definitely book that far in advance. I stayed in both very cheap hotels and high-end hotels. All were clean and safe – honestly, Japan is the safest feeling place I have ever been.

      Some things like the Team Lab experiences and Micheline-starred restaurants need to be booked in advance- but the most important thing to book in advance is hotels, as they do book up quickly and get significantly more expensive.

      Nara is a perfect day trip – no need to stay overnight, but it is a full day. I also would consider Osaka, especially for Himeji.

      If you leave an email, I am happy to send you the planning document I used for a ten-day mid-may trip this year.

    • Anonymous

      Agree that Nara is fine to do as a day trip, but consider it to be a full day.

      Hotel rooms do tend to be small, so I always try to book something that seems a bit more than I need (if its not too expensive to do so). But every hotel I’ve ever stayed in has been clean and safe. And it’s totally fine to book a local brand — and in fact may be more fun, as I’ve stayed in Japanese hotels that have traditional Japanese baths, etc. as just a part of the hotel. Staying near a train station is good advice; and staying in a hotel attached to the station isn’t a bad thing at all. Train stations are not just transit points in Japan; especially in Tokyo they are full of great eating and great shopping too.

      Royokan are trickier and there’s more variation; I’d do a fair bit of research and try to book any traditional inn stays earlier. And if you want to do that within a city, rather than going to a specific spa town to do so, we had luck in Kyoto.

      One thing I noticed on my most recent trip is that they much more widely accept credit/debit cards than they did a few years ago. It’s still good to have cash handy, but you probably won’t need to have nearly as much cash in hand as you used to.

  15. Anonymous

    Anyone have suggestions on where to find outfits/fashion inspo for people built like me?

    I’m 40, 5’10 and a pear shaped size 10/12.

  16. Anon

    How do you handle when your partner is in a bad mood and it becomes grating to be around them? I will try to cheer them up, but when it’s clearly not working I just want to distance myself and do my own thing. My partner finds this deeply hurtful and it makes everything 100x worse, even if I‘m gentle about it. It feels like he thinks I’m obligated to “fix” his mood or something, or to just ignore how unpleasant he’s being. I prefer to be alone when I’m in a bad mood so there’s also a disconnect there.

    • anon

      What kind of support is he hoping for? I think this is a conversation to have when you’re both relaxed and in a decent mood, rather than in the moment. (I also want distance when I’m in a mood so it’s hard for me to understand what exactly is needed from someone who is not wired that way.)

    • Anon

      One of the most important things I learned in therapy was that another adult’s feelings are not my responsibility, as long as I’ve acted reasonably and kindly. My whole life, I have tried to “fix” people’s moods (emotionally abusive parents!!). The thing is that I can’t truly do that, and it ends in me taking on a new responsibility of someone else’s bad mood.

      What I do now is I tell my person that I’m sorry they’re in a bad mood. I ask if there’s anything they want to talk about or anything I can do to help. If the answer is no, then I honestly go about my day. I don’t make a big production of leaving the room or anything, but I read or watch tv or whatever I want to do. It’s hard the first several times, and I’d have to talk to myself in my head the whole time, but now it’s second nature.

    • Anon

      Agree that you two need to talk. Your partner needs to tell you what he wants you to do when he is in a bad mood, bc you aren’t a mind reader. He also needs to tell you why he finds it hurtful when you distance yourself-AFTER trying to help and getting a bad reaction.

      You, then, are free to say I am unable to provide XY but I can provide Z. He cannot make you responsible for his mood and if he hasn’t told you what he needs, he should not be upset with you for not being able to mind read.

      I have had this conversation many times in relationships, “Hey, I am in a really crappy mood today. I know you want to help and what would be the most helpful for me is if you could make me a cup of tea and give me X minutes alone to regroup. If I need something else, I will let you know. Is this something you can do for me?”

      Or you, here, “partner, I want to be able to give you what you need when you are upset. I feel like when I try to help, it makes things worse. Can you tell me what I can do to help you when you are upset?

      Or something like that.

    • Cat

      DH and I are good about asking. “Do you need me to help fix it, need me to listen, need me to distract you, or need me to leave you alone to stew?”

      • Anon

        I don’t think this solves the problem of the partner expecting OP to fix their bad mood.

      • Anne-on

        I use this language with my tween son, I would NOT offer to try to ‘fix’ a problem for my adult partner. I’m big on this script as we’re modeling adults using it (I had a rough day so I may be a little quiet at dinner tonight, and then I’m going to go watch a silly movie if you want to join me). We also talk a lot about how everyone is allowed to have feelings but not to dump them on/take them out on other people.
        Personally, it would worry me if my grown adult partner couldn’t get to that conclusion themselves, I’m not ok with being the in house therapist for another adult.

        • Cat

          To clarify- not “fix” the bad mood but help fix the problem that’s underlying it. Like if it’s a bad mood caused by family drama, the options IRL would result in-
          1- talk through different approaches to address
          2- let DH vent about how annoying his sister is being and then move on
          3- DH realizes there’s nothing he can do about it so let’s go to the Christmas village or watch a movie or whatever
          4- none of the above, I’ll go about my day until he stews it out of himself

    • Anon

      You should not be expected to “fix” his bad mood or whatever problems are causing his bad mood, if you haven’t directly done something wrong to cause them. No, no, no. He’s being a baby.

    • H13

      I’d use the three Hs. Ask if he wants you to 1) hug, 2) help, or 3) hear. I get easily overwhelmed by my partner’s sometimes big emotions and my instinct is to create distance. He feels release by sharing them. It helps me to take a pause and ask what he needs so that I can prepare. It also gives him a chance to reflect on what he is actually seeking. 99% of the time it is just for me to listen.

      • Anon

        If a partner can share appropriately, that might work. Many will choose option 3 as an opportunity to word vomit. Then they feel a little better and the listener is covered in filth.

        • BeenThatGuy

          But the listener can make the choice to dust off that filth and not take it on as their own.

  17. Anon

    i am wearing the Steve Madden Elina Crystal Bow Ballet Flat in Natural Multi with a long sleeve short black dress to a holiday event. if it is cold and i need to cover my legs, what do i wear? nude pantyhose? opaque black tights? just be cold?

  18. Anonymous

    Any suggestions on specialty hot sauce or a hot sauce sampler for a holiday gift? Thank you!

    • NYNY

      Last year we gave my BIL a hot sauce subscription from Fuego Box after he moved across country and had to discard his massive collection. He loved it and has found some new favorites. Also, if your giftee is a fan of the show Hot Ones, you can get the same sauces used on the show from Heatonist.

    • Anonymous

      I got one from DiBruno Brothers that was great. It had some seasonings along with sauces.
      Also, Senor Lechuga makes great hot sauces. They won our friend group Hot Ones competition.

    • Anonymous

      I got one from DiBruno Brothers that was great. It had some seasonings along with sauces.
      Also, Senor Lechuga makes great hot sauces. They won best tasting sauce in my friend group Hot Ones competition.

  19. Anon

    What sweater blazer (link/brand and style and color) would you wear with this sweater? I am assuming black, but curious which one.

  20. Anon88

    Since I know folks like updates, here’s mine: I’m the OP from a couple weeks ago who was considering leaving my high school sweetheart husband. And well, I’m doing it. I signed the lease on an apartment and told him the night I signed it. Getting the courage up to tell him was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but I know it was the right choice. He was devastated, but didn’t try to convince me to stay.

    I’m moving out on 12/30. Seems kind of crazy to do this over the holidays, but seemed crazier to pretend everything was okay and then drop this in January. Feels surreal to be packing and getting ready to leave my house, but when I think about being out on my own I am excited for the future, despite it being kind of terrifying.

    And lest you think this was a rash decision, we really did try our best– couple’s counseling, individual therapy, etc. I made a list of all the times I’ve thought about leaving or been seriously unhappy in my relationship over the years. There ended up being 26 items on the list. 26!!! It made me so sad that I didn’t make this decision earlier.

    A huge thank you to everyone who responded to my post. I saved everyone’s responses and have gone back to look at them a couple times now. I come from a marriage-is-work, no-one-gets-divorced family, so it was really meaningful to have the input of people outside that bubble, and you all helped me work up the courage to actually do it this time.

    • Anon

      Good luck, Anon88!!! There are a lot of people rooting for you from this corner of the interwebverse. I bet that a year from now, you’ll look back and marvel at how far you’ve come.

    • anonshmanon

      sending you lots of support! I am glad you feel confident in your decision, but even if you are having a low moment (this is hard), know all of us internet strangers are rooting for you!

    • Anon

      Hugs. In a way, moving out right around Christmas means a fresh start to 2024. I hope the actual divorce moves smoothly.

      This is NOT meant to judge you: the older I get, the more I see the “high school sweetheart” marriages as just overall… not a great idea.

    • Senior Attorney

      Congratulations on taking the big step! This time next year you will be in your whole new life!! Big hugs!!

    • ArenKay

      Good for you. I’m channeling Senior Attorney here: you will feel SO MUCH better next year at this time.

    • SFAttorney

      Good luck. You’ll will have ups and downs, but things will be better. I was one who said to get an apartment. Based on my experience, that made the leaving more real and almost inevitable.

    • Anon

      I’m proud of you for putting yourself first and making moves toward the future you envision for yourself.

  21. smurf

    my direct report lost a family member this week – I would like to send a gift from our team (company will also send flowers/donation). I think Spoonful of Comfort has been recommended on the site before, can anyone vouch for if it’s actually good?

    (Yes, I am also doing the other important things like time off, flexibility, taking projects off their plate, etc.)

    I’m 99% sure a food gift will be very well received but open to other input.

    • Anonymous

      I sent Spoonful of Comfort and it received rave reviews from the recipient.

    • FP

      If you think food for their freezer is a good idea, Southern Baked Pies have incredible pot pies that are lovely to have on hand for the nights where they don’t feel like cooking.

  22. NaoNao

    For the 4 people who may be following or care (haha!) I’m the ‘Rette that wrote in about the sequin pants.
    I did wind up wearing them!
    A couple things: the Farm Rio blouse was white lawn with ditsy scattered embroidery, it was actually rather subdued for the brand, FYI.
    Yep, everyone else was in casual barely business casual (ugly sweaters or shimmer waterfall cardigans) and I did stand out BUT I got lots of compliments and I paired the pants with sneakers so they weren’t quite as dramatic as they might have been.
    My “big boss” didn’t even show up, she was ill, so the “outshine” worry was moot!
    All things considered, it was fine. If I had it to do over I’d wear a cozy sweater with the pants I think as the shirt wasn’t reading very “Christmas” but other than that I didn’t get any visible side eyes or frowns or muttered remarks. I mean, who knows what got said behind my back, but I WFH 90% of the time and I’m in office maybe once a month. My immediate team is really scattered too, so any impression sequin pants might have made will likely dissipate pretty quickly.
    But thanks to those that said go for it! :)

Back to Top

About

Work with Corporette®

Serious Stuff

work fashion blog press mentions