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Frugal Friday’s Workwear Report: Ponte Pencil Skirt

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A woman wearing a white top, pink cardigan, black skirt, and white kitten heels

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

I love using a long weekend for a closet purge. In my most recent cleanout, I discovered that some of my favorite basics needed a bit of a refresh after many years of dedicated service. If you’re looking for wardrobe workhorses on a budget, Nordstrom Rack is your girl.

This ponte pencil skirt isn’t going to be the most exciting thing in your closet, but you’ll be glad to have it when you need an outfit that looks professional and put-together. (For the OG readers, I dare say that it reminds me a bit of The Skirt from days of yore.) 

The skirt is $24.87 at Nordstrom Rack and comes in sizes XS-XL. 

Sales of note for 6/5:

184 Comments

  1. Does anyone know if Ayr denim ever throws discount codes besides email signup? Or anywhere to buy rather than their website?

    1. FWIW, I paid full price and they are the best jeans I have ever owned. I have the secret sauce in good mood.

    2. They very very rarely do discount codes, but I just checked my emails and the last one I have from them was for 10% off so no different. They do good sales though so maybe check that.

    3. I bought the High Hopes pants for travel and was low-key hoping they would not be perfect so I could return them, because spending that much for glorified sweat pants seemed ridiculous.

      They were perfect.

      Lesson learned: I will pay $$$$ for one perfect thing rather than $$$ for multiple “just OK” things.

      1. +1 to your last sentence. I never reach for the meh clothes and am perpetually trying to find better than what I have.

        Buy once, cry once.

      2. So true! . I gulped hard and bought a $500 Goop sweater. Actually was $595 with a welcome coupon. Anyway, five years later it is still perfect. Like new. I’ve worn it a million times and still love it.

    4. They occasionally include jeans in their end-of-season clearance section, but sales are usually final.

  2. Long shot but has anyone had to have asbestos removed from ductwork? Did you replace the all the ducts or just ones with confirmed asbestos? Our heads are spinning between obviously fake reviews for local companies and local rumors that HVAC companies upsell and R3ddit being snarky. Not sure how to approach this job anymore.

    1. Oh, and quick clarification that we can’t just let it be because the HVAC guys won’t go down in the crawl space to do some other work until it’s addressed. Anyone been through a recent remodel or reno with any advice?

      1. It’s been a long time since we had to do this remediation and the only advice I can offer is to see if your state offers any suggestions as to contractors. This was 20+ years ago, but I do remember our state had a page of information on remediation and even offered up the name of companies who did it, and we used one of them. What a PITA this process is, but the peace of mind in knowing it was gone was worth it in the end. Good luck to you!

    2. We are in a state where asbestos removal is highly regulated. You need to get a service certified to do this work. And remove everything you can get to.

  3. I need a last minute gift for my nephew and his fiancee, who I’ll see this weekend. Nothing elaborate, but just something to mark the occasion that I don’t need to order from Etsy! They just moved in together and purchased a house, but I want to mark the engagement more so than the house. All ideas welcome – thinking a budget of up to $75.

        1. To pile on, I am a fancy person who uses lots of silver, the good china, entertain frequently and all that and never have I ever used the ice bucket I got as a wedding gift. It is pretty and sits on the bar cart. I’m pretty good at repurposing things too and this just isn’t one of those items. If you want this category, a good cocktail shaker is a better call.

      2. I like this idea. Unlike ice buckets, you can never have too many bud vases. I mean, you can, but that number is definitely more than 0-1.

    4. Maybe some really nice picture frames they could decorate their new place with. Long term they could put engagement photos in them.
      I good friend who go to gifts for this type of occasion is usually Crate and Barrel type items like a nice water/lemonade pitcher, or something like a pizza peel with a pizza cutter, stuff like that. It always thought it was so thoughtful

    8. I know this isn’t classy enough for many people on this board, but my go-to gift for this kind of life event is a nice first aid kit. You can never have too many bandaids, and having a good organization system for the first aid supplies is quite handy even if they’ve already got the basics.

      1. My husband likes the Battery Daddy, which organizes batteries by size. It is remarkably handy.

      2. Similarly, we always gift 1-2 small fire extinguishers to friends when they buy a place, gifted alongside champagne and something else festive. DH was a firefighter, it makes sense.

    9. Spend all the money on a nice bottle of champagne/wine. If they don’t drink, I’d get them a certificate to a nice restaurant near them.

  4. Have a question for the skin care junkies among us. A few months ago, I started using a body lotion with retinol in it once or twice a week (yes I was definitely influenced by SM on this). Now that warm weather is here, I typically would start using a gradual skin tanner to warm up my ghostly arms and legs, but am wondering, is the retinol just going to undo what I hope to accomplish with the gradual skin tanner? If retinol promotes skin “turnover”, is it just going to help shed the layer that the gradual tanner is working on??

    2. Yes, I think it is likely the retinol in your lotion is going to eat away at your fake tan. Also, be sure to be slathering on sunscreen daily now!

      1. It’s ok. I am not at home right now but think it is by Shari Darden? When I am done with it will try a drugstore brand.

    4. Yes, the retinol increases cell turnover. But it shouldn’t be super drastic, and you’d be loofah-ing off old skin before reapplying anyway

  5. If you wanted to look, not necessarily “old money” but upper class or chic what are the main do’s and don’ts? I am trying to upgrade my overall vibe.
    No logos? no patterns? stripes yes polka dots no? I am so confused.
    Thanks.

    2. What is your current vibe and body type? It has to match the look you’re going for or it will just look like a costume.

      Also where are you spending the most time? Is this vibe upgrade for work or weekends?

        1. My kids go to school where most houses cost 7 figures but all the teens (and their older siblings home from college) are all wearing giant hoodies, shorts that are really short, and a center part (but no split ends). The hoodies are all from Kiawah vs Myrtle Beach, sort of IKYKY places.

          1. But again, why are we taking style cues from the teens? Middle aged (or older) people dressing like teens is going to read as pathetic, which is not what OP was asking for.

          2. I feel that cues move in all directions. Streetwear to high fashion to mall fashion. Think of Timberlands.

            But rich teens and young people wear stuff in good repair, have healthy hair, and if they are wearing stuff with words on it, it’s VIRGINIA or CHAPEL HILL (not random schools or places unless done ironically or vintage) or a concert they had good seats at. You can tell there’s a lot of funding behind even casual looks.

            To our poster: J Crew Factory is a good to use as a lookbook

          4. I think you want an average of older teen / college girls and the moms to get what the OP wants. Moms are in tennis or rufflepuff, also a lot of full printed skirts with a smocked waist on each. Golden Goose shoes still going strong (but a lot of clean fashion sneakers). Socks are white, but all over the place in length. Casual dresses that seem to be of some cotton variety that look like what you put on after showering after tennis — not right, some elegant details, but it’s not a fussy / fancy look. Just better than gym attire. I can never find things like this but would like something relaxed. I feel that people who dressed up for SEC football games easily do a more adult version in their 40s, but that wasn’t me. Just an observer.

          5. Right. I see a lot of this from the thin/blonde/doesn’t work crowd. I find it very fussy and could never emulate it, even if I was inclined to. Know your own preferences.

          6. As a brunette, my guides were Love Story / Katherine Ross and later, the Onassis era Jackie O (not the first lady era version, but the 1970s/1980s version). Sort of preppy, sort of maybe I am going to Capri but not trying too hard. Jane Birkin, but my hair doesn’t do bangs.

          7. No no no to J Crew Factory as an “old money” lookbook. It’s more “elementary school receptionist.”

          8. I think that JCF is good basics on a budget, with fabrics that can handle a washer and dryer. You could tailor them to get a better fit, but they are Divorced Muffy wallet friendly. It’s I have a trust fund, but it’s depleted or my uncle embezzled. You could get lucky thrifting heritage brands, but if you just need a chambray button-up or shorts that aren’t stretchy or for the gym, you won’t go talon-nail wrong there.

      1. This doesn’t mean that you have to wear expensive shoes.

        I saw someone last week at a more formal event wearing leather shoes where the finish was flaking off. I’m guessing he was starting out and couldn’t afford better shoes, but you want something that is neutral vs memorable.

    4. The easiest answer, knowing nothing else about you, is moisturize, stick to solid colors, don’t show too much skin, when in doubt, go up a size, have glossy hair, keep your nails from being a focal point, don’t show your toes unless they are ready for prime time. Re mannerisms, avoid filler words—be silent when thinking, avoid ummm, whaaat?, uhh. Shut your mouth and breathe through your nose. Check your posture—farmers walks can help, brush and floss regularly so you can smile easily at people, if you choose to.

        1. A friend moved to Miami in the 2000s and told me that in Miami, my size would be my DC size minus two sizes

      2. Not the OP but I would gladly read more like this, please.
        I find I make mistakes with jewelry — it seems pretty to me, but is a class marker to those who know.

        1. I mostly wear vintage jewelry for this reason. It already had its season but still looks appropriate now? I’ll try it out.

    5. Have your clothes be clean and in good repair. I see so many younger women in longer pants and the hems are just dragging on the ground. Fine if that is how you want to be on a weekend (but seriously though with bar bathroom sludge?), but that’s not a good look for work pants. If it’s raining or at all wet on the sidewalks, it’s just a rough look.

    6. Well-maintained hair – no split ends, no roots. Well-fitting, well-maintained clothing. This may mean tailoring. Neutrals seem to be very “in” right now for an “old money”/UMC vibe, but I don’t think you need a wardrobe entirely of neutrals. No ostentatious logos or brands, but this one is kind of a judgment call. If you’re just getting into it, I’d steer clear of loud logos where possible.

      1. Plus once you have a neutral wardrobe you like and gain a bit of confidence, you can start to mix in some patterns that fit your style.

        1. +1 I won’t pretend I scream old money – I’m not actually sure what that is other than wearing vintage pieces or expensive things just because… but I think for the first time in my life I do project polished, timeless confidence (and I’m 41!), which may be what you’re after? If that’s not it, you can disregard all of this but… I rebuilt my wardrobe from zero, focusing on neutrals, modern silhouettes but not trendy pieces. I don’t do logos on anything except my Adidas sneakers because those are my fave, but no LV logos or anything like that. I get my hair done ever 4 weeks because I’m just not ready to go gray and I have naturally dark brown/chestnut hair I love.

          Inspiration comes from mall/mall-ish brands like Everlane, Evereve, Jcrew, Tuckernuck, to name a few. I have some Veronica Beard but my go-to boxy plain black/white/gray tees that are a staple are from Banana Republic. I don’t think you have to spend $$$$ on everything in your wardrobe to achieve this aesthetic, but I also think the solution cannot be bought on amazon or at old navy. I also follow Jillgg and All_themoments on insta for a lot of inspiration.

    7. Tailoring and grooming are typically more important than the actual clothes (which do matter, too, obviously). Also, jewelry that is real or a very very good fake.

      1. I was recently at a conference and the tailoring and fit mattered so much more than the level of formality.

    8. Be a bit self-critical when trying on new looks. It’s ok to love a look and acknowledge that it isn’t YOUR look. I think often of that one commenter who couldn’t fathom that a bun and a white shirt weren’t considered universally elegant. It CAN be, but isn’t always.

      1. That’s me! I still maintain the truth of that opinion ;)
        However, I also agree it’s not a look for everyone. But if it is your look or your vibe, it’s always elegant and classic.

    9. Clothes that fit you perfectly, something in your outfit is structured, accessories that look intentional instead of wearing the same purse and jacket every day (color, material, and style that matches your clothes), wear all the jewelry but make it understated. Minimal patterns. Figure out what colors look cheap on you.

      1. Actually I think it is an “effortless style” or “old money” thing to wear the same jacket and carry the same purse all the time.

    10. No long talon nails or nail art
      No logos.
      Groomed well- hair is important as others have noted.

      I live in a very wealthy area and the weekend clothes tend to be the tennis outfits, or linen sets. One of my good friends is a multi multi millionaire and lives in Vuori on the weekend.

      Everything should be understated.

      1. Nail! Nails are so important. Nails tell me so much – men and women. Subtle and not long are important.
        Same with visible tattoos. Tattoos are pretty mainstream now, but they don’t say anything close to old money to me.
        Don’t forget to differentiate between people with money and people with old money or “high class.” Money does not equal class and no money does not equal low class.

        1. This. I live in an area with a LOT of money, and folks don’t care and wear whatever they want. I can think of one billionaire that would regularly wear a frayed button down. Another billionaire that wears jeans and sneakers. And another billionaire who wears what you would expect— lots of understated cashmere.

    11. Generally, I’d say: No logos. Stick to a palette that involves beige, white, cream, tan, brown, navy. Go luxe with your fabrics. Go classic in your cuts and your jewelry. Avoid anything too on-trend. Keep the makeup and hair simple–nothing a Kardashian would ever do, that’s your guidance.

      In terms of specific pieces, I’d think about some nice slacks, shift dresses, cable knit sweaters, etc.

          1. I think it’s just easier if you are thin, but I know plenty of women who are a 14ish size who just wear clothes that fit them and they look smashing. I think you have to be patient and try on a ton of clothes and then maybe invest in tailoring so things aren’t giant rectangles. But I see it IRL. There is a level of rich where you don’t have to be thin.

          2. Truth. As someone with hips, I could never wear a shift dress, even when I really really wanted to be able to.

        2. Glad I’m not the only one. I’ve discovered that a cable knit polo sweater that I thought would be cute is actually the most unforgiving garment I own.

        1. Gingham not in winter though. And bonus if it’s something that could be school colors (this is where the SEC people have an edge). Or matched a smocked dress you had as a kid.

        2. And to be specific, when they say a Breton stripe, they usually mean Saint James, though Madewell had a collaboration with a brand I can’t remember a few years ago that was pretty cool.

    12. First this is hyperlocal to the point where my friends one town over will have a different answer. Where I live the rich ladies are perpetually in Pilates outfits and tennis skirts and occasionally riding gear. Theyre wearing tennis necklaces and tennis bracelets and their hair and skin look extremely natural although they are almost certainly the result of a ton of intervention. I’m seeing less carrier and van cleef branded Jewelry than I used to but it’s still worn.

      This is probably easy if not cheap to emulate. The thing is, you can dupe their outfits perfectly but really, to what end? They’re mostly friendly but they’re mostly not interested in being friends. Do you play tennis and mah john? Can you play them during the weekdays? do you belong to the country club so exclusive that you’d need to be asked to join? Are you on the board of the local charity where fundraising is mostly about securing a huge check from your husband’s family’s company? I’m not and don’t see the point of trying to trick others into thinking this is my lifestyle.

      Finally, although these women clearly put some effort into their looks, they’re not, for the most part, truly stylish well-dressed women even when they dress up. . I’ve known some of those truly stylish women and really that is a habit that transcends social class, at least once someone is comfortably middle class. But professional working women, in my opinion, tend to be the most stylish.

      I think about clothing and style a lot. I care about how I look. I want to seem sophisticated and worldly. I want to be appropriately and well dressed whenever possible. But looking like I belong to a certain so social class, which to be clear I do not, isn’t on my radar.

      To answer your questions and also illustrate my point: one of the most stylish women I know favors extremely expensive jewelry and handbags, extremely simply but well tailored basics in neutral monochrome and frequently heels. She looks like old money out of tv show. But because she’s wearing this to the chorus concert and going back to work after, it’s extremely clear that she’s an upper middle class working mom. Which I think is awesome because I’m one myself but we’re not fooling anybody .

      1. I don’t disagree, but I don’t think the goal is usually to fool anyone, but to avoid sticking out too much.

        1. I agree with both of these comments. No, you aren’t going to trick anyone, but you’ll be able to stand out for reasons other than what people think about your outfit or style. Your opinion will have more of an ability to rise because people aren’t second guessing your nails or shoes as their first impression of you.

        2. Presumably if she’s looking to not stick out with a particular group she’d have more information than us about what they usually wear. She just asked how to look upper class so it didn’t seem that way.

          1. I don’t know. I used to (like 20 years ago) read through all of the books about how to dress like a stylish French woman. This is a newer variant of that question. It’s just wanting to put your best foot forward if you were never taught how.

          2. You might think so, but people don’t always take cues naturally. Or they will take cues 70% of the time, but completely miss that a particular outfit is totally off the map, or lose the plot in a new setting.

    13. I recently purchased some clothes from Tommy Bahama for a vacation and find the look just perfect for weekends in Florida, where I live. More pricey than what I usually pay but worth it and I think it looks more high end.

  6. I have a tan 3-season lined wool pencil skirt from Banana that I wear the heck out of now that 90s minimalism is back. I wish they had not sold out of my size in other neutrals.

    I can’t do a knit pencil skirt to save my life.

  7. What would be your ideal hotel staycation itinerary for 2 or 3 days?

    I’m in the Chicago area and thinking about scheduling a staycation- getting a hotel and taking a break from the day to day for a couple nights. Ideally doing something touristy, some shopping, middle of the afternoon coffee or wine breaks, some people watching etc…

    My summer is bookended with flights for family trips. I’m not feeling up for an international trip this year.

      1. +1 on this. If it were me — I’d probably try to get a Hogsalt reservation, maybe do a visit to Three Dots and a Dash for a fun cocktail experience. For cultural stuff, I’d probably see if I could get a walking tour of Chicago, maybe spend a long time at the Art Institute, Field, or MOCAD. Also, Chopping Block classes are super fun, so I’d see if I could get something there.

        1. +1 – I’d get a room service breakfast, get ready slowly, get to a museum for 10ish, have a fun lunch out with a cocktail/mocktail, take a nap/use the hotel gym, and then order your favorite dinner to eat in bed in a robe while watching your fave show.

    3. ooh ooh! I got one if you’re adventurous

      Chicago Boat Rentals. I rented an 18 ft pontoon with my husband and we cruised around the river just the two of us and it was so fun. you have to be comfortable in a boat, but we prefer to captain on our own.

    4. Dh and I are in the far burbs and love a Chicago staycation as a kid-free couples trip. I’m doing one solo for the first time this summer and am sooo excited.
      We usually just do fancy hotel + spa + fine dining + theatre. This year I’m going in early July and seeing Suffs (national tour) and Iceboy at the Goodman with Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally. I’m not a shopper for physical stuff, so no help there.
      I’ve stayed in most of the city’s fancy hotels. They’re all great but the post-reno Waldorf Astoria really punches above its price point.

    5. I just came back from a Michigan Ave shopping weekend and it was very fun. Aritzia was a hit for everyone in our group (and ages ranged from 25-65). Upstairs at The Gwen was nice for cocktails and Planta was another big hit.

    6. Stay at the Peninsula, do a bunch of spa stuff, go for long walks, and drink Sancerre during daylight hours. And then the hotel robe/tv thing someone else mentioned.

  8. My mom died of ALS-FTD after a 3 year struggle. Today is my first day back at work. I’ll be working for the next few days. I’m struggling a bit but I think getting back to routine is what is best for me.

    Please send me ideas on how to get through this. Or how you got through it.

    1. Go slow at work and plan a spa weekend solo where you just go get a lot of massages and relax for next weekend. Or this weekend.

    2. I’m so sorry. My mom died this year and I felt like being busy at work was a welcome distraction.

    3. My dad died last autumn and people around me kind of assumed since I was back at work I was okay. I started being honest with my own team and with some trusted external people about when I was having a difficult week and wasn’t going to be on top of everything, and had to remind myself that major bereavement comes only only a couple of times or even less in most people’s working lives and yes it will change my capacity and that’s okay. Hugs to you: it’s such a hard time.

    4. Btdt, and I don’t have any great advice other than to give yourself grace and the time not to be totally okay. Try to take on as unimportant and routine work as possible for a bit, so that you can autopilot as much as possible. I’m so sorry for your loss.

    5. I think about my mother’s death from pancreatic cancer, not all the time, but a lot. I wasn’t really prepared for all that that would entail. I don’t think that she was, either, or my dad. We knew, intellectually, the result. The journey to it was just harrowing. I don’t think that we were prepared for that at all or how the care would really need to go as the end got closer, and that at some point, it wouldn’t be safe or feasible for her to be at home without substantial outside help 24/7. IDK how people do it, but it has been a lot unfolding while dealing with her estate and the amount of mail that still comes for her.

      So, I’m sorry for your loss. There are some really meaningful lives that transform with death but don’t leave us once the funeral is over. I think some people can process things for a long time, especially when a death occurs after a period of decline like ALS features.

    6. I am so very sorry. My mom died 5 months ago and I know the heartache all too well. I work from home, so taking mini breaks throughout the day saved me. Even if you work in an office, hopefully you can implement something similar.

      – 5 min break to refill your thermos and make some fresh coffee. 10 min break to go to your car and close your eyes or call a friend. 15 minute break to walk around the office and stretch your legs, etc.

      Grief is really hard on the body and mind, so you may feel yourself thinking more slowly and less strategically in your work for a while. Give yourself grace.

      If your work situation allows it, sign off early a couple days a week or take a longer lunch break when you can. Buy yourself the fancy coffee on the way to work on especially hard days, that kind of thing.

      For what it’s worth (I realize not everyone grieving likes this expression) I do find that it gets easier with time. I love my mom and miss her so much and some days are still brutal, but I have gotten better at living post-loss. You will too!

    7. You will find the people who have also been through major loss to be more empathetic in general. Most people will sort of move on after a week because our culture expects performing ok. If you’re barely holding it together, you are ok. I cried in the bathroom for months after at work. And I absolutely would not go to any holiday parties the first year — and my mom died in early spring. I would say expect the first year to be up and down. Do more when you can and when you can’t, don’t beat yourself up. You just have to move through grief. I listened to a lot of grief podcasts because most of my friends hadn’t gone through losing a parent yet.

    8. I’m sorry OP. I’m going through this myself, my mother recently died, and I was her caregiver. I’m an only child too, so I’m going through a lot. Am also back at work, which is a good thing.
      The biggest thing is to realize that grief brain is very real-I am not 100% right now so this means reading things multiple times, writing everything down (lots of lists!), and things just generally taking more time. I’m learning to be kinder to myself, and not try to be perfect.
      Next, I recommend leaning on community. This means community at work, let people know what you’re going through. Community of friends and family let people help you. It’s just as important for them as it is for you.
      A bit of advice I just got from a friend at work who lost his father last year is to just be in the present moment. It feels great to get back to routines and maintain the routines, yes, there are many many things that need to be done after a death, but learning to sit with grief and loss is a really important thing to do for yourself right now.
      Hugs to you OP

    9. It is so hard. Not the same situation but I lost my son unexpectedly during his senior year of college. In my case, returning to work gave me a respite from the constant grief. I barely put in a full day, but it was a relief to have a distraction from the grief. Have a plan B, use the grief card to escape any social situation that is overwhelming. There will be a lot of them.

      The intense grief lessens over time although it never completely goes away. Check out Anderson Cooper’s podcast All There Is. Grief can be very isolating but you will find many people are walking that road. I don’t know you personally but I’m teary as I write this. The first year is so hard. Hang in there. Sending hugs.

  9. I am trying to be a better desk snacker. Like healthier choices, less sugar, etc. I bought some walnuts. OMFG I won’t have to worry about over-eating because these things are so damn bitter. Who eats these? Do they taste good to some of you? Maybe in a salad they wouldn’t be so awful but solo they are not delightful. Still: a few of these may tide me over until I can get lunch.

    I had had peanuts and had run out, but dislike having peanut breath at work and was trying other things.

    1. This was hilarious to me. See about getting some dark chocolate chips to mix in with them. At least you know you don’t care for walnuts!

    2. Agree! Walnuts are the worst nuts.

      Cashew and almonds are good for desk snacking. Prefer salted and roasted, but they are healthier raw – of course.

    3. Pecans are far superior to walnuts, this is a hill I will die on. The sweet and spicy pecans from Trader Joes are addictive.

      1. Grateful I’m trying to avoid added sugars or I would probably go through these too fast. Sounds delicious!

      1. For some people cashews have a laxative effect – could be a plus or minus for OP, depending.

    5. I eat walnuts as a snack and on yogurt instead of granola and don’t find them bitter. Maybe try a different brand? I make a mix of cubed cheddar, blueberries, and walnuts. Baby carrots are another good desk snack if you just want to mindlessly crunch on something.

    6. Walnuts taste less bitter to me when they’re roasted. I keep a jar of dry roasted, unsalted mixed nuts into my desk drawer. If I get salted nuts then I end up overeating because I love salt so much.

      1. That can be true, though rancid nuts usually also have an off smell that you’d notice. But walnut skins have a lot of tannins that are the source of bitterness in fresh nuts, and depending on how they’re processed, they might have more or less of the skin removed. Roasting walnuts helps remove the skin, so roasted nuts are less bitter, especially if they’re also salted. I mostly eat nuts in things rather than plain, so I like a little bitterness of walnuts in baked goods, but wouldn’t really want to eat them plain.

    9. I love walnuts. I get them from Costco. I wonder if yours are not fresh, because I find them sweet. I eat them with apples, yoghurt, in oatmeal, or just plain. Fun fact they are good for your brain. I find this funny because they kind of look like tiny brains.

    10. Walnuts and pecans are not something I would ever eat on their own, only as part of a baked good or salad. Or candied.

    12. I like getting the unsalted roast nuts from Costco and mixing in M&M and dried cherries.
      FWIW, I do like walnuts myself, but I think taste buds differ.

  10. I’m not a big NASCAR fan but live where it is popular. A 41-year old racer died yesterday from some sort of health issue. These guys are all fit and it wasn’t a crash. I don’t understand why I’m so distracted by a sudden death, but I am really distracted by it for some reason.

    1. I felt the same way when a professional kayaker and father in his 30s had a massive heart attack. I know rationally that we cannot know someone’s health status by observing their body size or activity level but it’s still jarring and unexpected. My own mother died very unexpectedly of sudden cardiac death in her early 30s and it bothers me so much when people’s first question is “was she overweight?” She wasn’t and it doesn’t matter.

      1. I am so sorry about your mother! And what a horrible and insensitive question (not to mention ignorant- when someone dies young of sudden cardiac death the cause is much more likely to be long QT syndrome or something similar than lifestyle).

        Life is short and nothing is guaranteed so all we can do is try to live our best lives and be our best selves now.

    2. Are you in the same age bracket? I feel like deaths of strangers always hit a bit harder when they’re the same age as me.

      1. No — I’m slightly older. Early news mentioned sinuses (mine have been at war with me for a decade), so I think that helped get my attennas up.

    3. My money says he died of Covid (the breathing problems – misdiagnosed as sinus issues) and that’s why they haven’t said anything bc the fan base has Opinions about Covid.

      2. Maybe if this were 2020 but I really do not think so in 2026.

        If he was spinning around in a simulator just before he went to the hospital, I am guessing that it was a coronary artery dissection or some sort of aneurysm. The sort of thing that can go wrong at the chiropractor if you get forced into the wrong position.

        But also, your sinuses are close to the brain, so something septic could have be going on in a horrifying way. But allergies and NASCAR go together and this not something I’ve run across in the news before for this sport.

        1. I know someone who died of covid (much younger) in the past few months. It’s still happening.

        2. To be fair, COVID is totally capable of infecting sinuses and leading to sepsis. The understandable focus on ARDS sort of distracted from all the other ways it can kill people.

        3. The reason Covid is so mild now is that most people have been vaccinated. If he was unvaxxed (seems possible, given his demographic) the odds of severe illness aren’t really any lower than in 2020.

      3. Now that you mention it, that sounds extremely plausible. Covid is around and I feel like it’s less mild/predictable than people think.

        1. This was someone who really was suddenly taken down by something very serious. Absent Ebola, the lack of lingering to me says that this was something traumatic vs a disease. It’s hard to go that quickly from 100 to 0.

          2. Now I’m invested in this and “coughing up blood” in the current news reporting to me suggests something traumatic. Ruptured varices can kill you, but we see that more in alcoholics (but not exclusively).

            Also, cue the HIPAA police.

    4. I’m in my early 40s and a former classmate of mine slipped in the shower and died. We are slip in the shower and die age I guess?

      My thing is: this was always the deal. You’re not guaranteed any time. People far younger than I have died far more tragically and unfairly. I don’t waste too much time obsessing over these things. I find it vulgar when people inquire as to the specific circumstances of another person’s demise as if to search for reasons to assure themselves that they have plenty of time left. We don’t know. That’s always been the deal.

      1. I think it’s just human to try to understand the why. From a young friend who died of colon cancer in his 40s (too young for a scan): do what you can and understand how bodies work and how they fail. You can do your best, and maybe move the needle some, but sometimes you just have bad luck.

      2. I completely agree that no one is guaranteed any time, but I also know too many people whose deaths were very preventable. I don’t take every recommended precaution, but it feels a little disrespectful on some level to take certain kinds of needless risks?

        1. (And by needless I mean, not even rewarding or life enriching, but just kind of lazy. Like putting off a repair I can afford, things like that.)

        2. Some might say this man’s entire profession was a needless risk. I just think it’s vulgar to speculate about someone’s death in a way that makes it clear you are only worried about yourself. If his family wanted to use his death to warn others of the danger of something that contributed to it that’s fine and even noble. But to dig until you’re satisfied you’re not at risk because you think he was an alcoholic or didn’t get his colonoscopy or whatever is personally gross to me. It seems extremely self centered. I can see I’m in the minority here because everyone here loves to do that.

          1. It’s human nature. You’ll be happier when you learn to just let people do their thing.

          2. I don’t know why you think that’s the goal. Maybe his family will share more, and I’ll learn that I totally am at risk in ways I can’t do anything about. I don’t think people are driven to distance and downplay just because they want to know what happened.

            I don’t think humans got to where we are today by straight up ignoring what causes the deaths of people around us. Maybe it feels parasocial when it’s a stranger via the media, but overall I think it’s better when people care why people died when people don’t care at all.

      3. This is why I take my bucket list vacations now instead of waiting for retirement. I know way too many people who have died in their late 30s/early 40s (often from previously undetected heart issues or cancer that they had no reason to suspect until something bad happened).

      4. Don’t know anyone who slipped in the shower (how terrifying!) but I’m also 41 and 2 people in my high school graduating class have already died of cancer.

    5. Being fit is subjective because you can’t know what someone’s underlying health issues are. We assume thin people are healthy and overweight people aren’t when the opposite can be true. It sounds like whatever was going on had been going on for nearly two weeks, if not longer. Someone mentioned covid, but even a sinus infection can be deadly if he was just masking the symptoms to get through a race.

      It’s surprising because we don’t think 40 is old, but it’s past the middle of life. But yes, I saw the story too and thought how sad that someone at their apparent peak died.

  11. Fellow government contractors (policy analysis), do you bill all your time for travel time (i.e., the time spent at the airport and on the plane when you aren’t actually working but you’re traveling for work and not pleasure)? My company has given bad guidance on this in the past and our contract doesn’t specify anything. I want to bill the entire time so I can comp some hours but it’s probably going to ruffle feathers.

        1. Policy analysts usually write laws and design things like costings for programs which is classified in most countries.

          1. Most program budgets are not classified in the US–in fact, they are probably subject to sunshine laws.

    2. I do, but there is a segment of our business that does not. Frankly I would always want to count travel as working time by default.

    3. I always follow whatever my employer’s policy is. At my last employer we billed for time en route (in the cab, on the plane, waiting at the airport), but if we were working on another matter while waiting or on the plane we didn’t double-bill. We did not bill for downtime at the destination.

    4. Yes, I bill when I leave my house for work travel. Now I will say if I’m trying to get comp time, I would usually just take a couple of days off after or whatever the time averaged to. What your company can bill to the government contract will depend on the contract language.

  12. Those of you that wore NY&Co pants to work a decade ago: what are you wearing now? I’m doing some consulting after having kids and I need a wardrobe workhorse with not much stretch. Thanks!

    1. I forgot all about NY&Co but yea, those were great. My work pants are now J Crew, Ann Taylor, or Talbots but it usually takes trying on every variation they have to find the right ones. Aritzia also sometimes works if you have one of those nearby (I think they’re a need to see/try on in person).

  13. I could use advice on spinning a layoff / job restructuring in an interview, especially when still sort of employed.

    Background: my role was eliminated in March and asked to fulfill a project through the end of May, after months of uncertainty and knowing my role was likely going away. This week I learned the vendor I’ve been doing the project for wants to keep me on for 3 additional months.

    I’ve been interviewing but to date have been employed so it’s truthful when I say I’m still there and I’m looking because my company has been restructuring and the industry isn’t doing well. As of next week I won’t be employed there, but I’ll be a contractor and still gainfully employed. I don’t want to fail an employment verification check but I also don’t want to add a new role to my resume when it’s likely to be short.

    1. Can parentheses be your friend?

      Contracting Assistant (ABC Company, 2021 – June 2026; Vendor LLC, July 2026-present).

    2. Just say you’re a consultant. You are one. They will reach out to the vendor if you give them as a reference, but I’ve never been asked to provide a client list if I say I’m consulting in an interview.

    3. I think you want to put it on your resume to show the client was happy with your performance. But yes, ideally the listing will reflect “continuity.”

  14. Where are we buying cute reading glasses? I keep buying the cheapo 3 packs at TJ Maxx/Marshalls and they inevitably break. Looking for a step up from those.

    1. I was really reluctant to spend this much when I can get readers at CVS, but my Warby Parkers are cute and sturdy.

    3. I buy similar cheaper packs at Costco and and sometimes Amazon. I am planning to step up to Zenni at some point. But I literally need like 20 pairs, as I lose them / break them / want a pair everywhere so cheap and easy to replace makes sense.

      1. I love Zenni! I’ve got 4 or 5 pairs from them with my prescription (slight adjustment for reading – mostly correcting an astigmatism) scattered in purses and around my house. I can go crazy with the pair for my bedside table and boring for work calls all for about $30 a pop. Next batch I will pay extra to get the antireflective finish as I notice it in teams calls.

      2. I was gifted EyeBobs and have bought Ryan Simkhai. Both are incredibly sturdy although the Ryan S ones are a “look” and the Eyebobs are a little thinner and more streamlined. I paid almost $100 for the Eyebobs though so I’m definitely trying to have fewer pairs and keep them with me vs having multiple pairs everywhere! I haven’t had them long but I think they will for sure last much longer than the cheap ones.

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