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Thursday’s Workwear Report: Poplin Wrapped Midi Shirtdress

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A woman wearing a sleeveless white-and-navy striped shirtdress and black flats. She is carrying a black woven bag.

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

Banana Republic Factory has really been killing it over the past few years in the summer work dress category. I have a few still in rotation from previous seasons, and I may be adding this gorgeous shirtdress to the roster. I love the wrapped waist panel for adding some definition and shape, and the poplin fabric looks like it would be airy and cool on a hot day.

I would add a navy blazer and some comfy flats for a summer-y business casual look. 

The dress is $65 at Banana Republic Factory — with 20% off at checkout — and comes in sizes XS-XL and XXSP-XL. It also comes in white and navy.

Psst: Kat just rounded up the best dresses for work!

Sales of note for 7/11:

197 Comments

  1. I am looking to store some clothing with sentimental value. I moved and have a huge garage now. I’d like it there instead of taking up closet space. Anyone have experience with a specific airtight (bug/liquid proof) storage option? I have searched online for totes and have been overwhelmed with options and various reviews. Also, clear or not clear?

    1. I’ve done this with wool items. I don’t think any plastic storage tote is really airtight, so I first used those giant ziplock clothing storage compression bags then stacked them flat in a plastic tote bag.
      I wish I’d had them cleaned and aired first – one of the sweaters came out smelling bad in a hard to describe way. Like dentures? Haha

    2. How’s the climate control in the garage? The combination of heat/cold/plastic offgassing does risk damage to the clothes.

    3. What type of clothing are you storing? And for how long? How clean and protected is your garage from weather, bugs, dirt, critters?

      If you are talking about storing old college tees over winter, that’s a different scenario than storing heirloom linens and wedding gowns handed down from your great-grands.

      Wool and silk, being protein fibers, are susceptible to degradation from light exposure. Colors on other fibers will fade with time and light exposure, too. I would avoid clear containers for this reason. I would also avoid compression storage for very precious things, because that can damage the fabric over long periods of time and exposure to heat. Will moisture be a concern? Do you need acid free paper to wrap things and protect them? Are you storing synthetic cloth that could get weird (I’ve had neoprene or polyester basically start to melt after a few years)?

      1. I bought their archival storage for this purpose. Definitely worth the expense for things you want to keep.

    6. I use Sterilite-locking totes, 64-quart. They are available in 6 and 12 packs for very economical prices. They stack well. If the fabrics do not need to breathe, then I will also seal clothes (washed/dry-cleaned and gently folded) in unscented, clear plastic trash bags. This has served me well. Note–I am in California/humidity is not an issue.

      1. Have done the same with textiles like quilts, and everything was fine after several years (15-ish). Am also in CA.

    7. You can also add clay desiccant packets to help absorb any moisture buildup during storage. I get them from Amazon. More natural than the ones that come in food packets or new clothes.

  2. If you are in a big law casual office, what are the senior female lawyers actually wearing in the summer. I’m trying to level up my game now that I need to reshop a size but I can’t figure this out because summer clothing is just so casual already. I have an emergency suit but what in the non-suit space conveys “friendly expert?”

    1. I am going with linen blazers. Currently wearing a longer one from Abercrombie over a ponte dress.

      1. I wouldn’t wear (and haven’t seen other senior people wear) linen at work as it’s too easily creased. There’s a need to look polished even in the heat, so I recommend light summer dress in a breathable fabric, and layers to account for air conditioning.

    2. very casual not suits but pants and blazers. summer dresses. it’s cold in the office.

    3. Dresses in “summer dress” shapes and fabrics, but in solid neutral colors (black, navy, tan, pale blue) check the summer business casual box well. And with hemlines longer these days your legs won’t freeze in the office!

    4. i recently consulted a lawyer in Florida. She wore a plain ponte type short sleeve dress in emerald green with tasteful jewelry. Her shoes made the outfit–blue and green abstract art textured kitten heel sling backs.

  3. Hi, I had posted last week pondering posting something on LinkedIn about my leave… consensus was no… well, found out that the way my boss had replied to a ‘hey, is Anon coming?’ question made it sound like I had been put on leave involuntarily.. so there’s that…

    However! As somebody pointed out, my absence showed my value. I actually got a phone call from a really valued contact basically checking on me, and that turned into a meeting which is kind of a harbinger of me moving towards my end game…

    That being said, planning on wearing a black sheath dress with a linen blazer. Reads as ‘professional but it’s also 90 degrees and I know how to read the room’. For shoes, would you go with a low black pump or a block heeled sandal. I feel like a pump is the move… thoughts?

    1. of those two choices, I would pick the pump. A sandal with that outfit sounds kind of “Morning Show Host.” However, I think a sleek black flat would read more modern.

  4. Hi! I will be in NYC with a couple of friends next month. We want to spend an afternoon shopping probably in Nolita. Can someone give me a rec of a specific place to start and where to head? I don’t know the area so was hoping to get some general ideas of what streets to walk along. Also if there is a cute place for drinks and a late lunch nearby and also coffee. We are coming from the South and it isn’t our first trip but have only seen the major attractions like Statue of Liberty etc. We have one afternoon to shop and family time for the rest of our time there. Thanks!

    1. Nolita is tiny and practically all shopping, so you should just go to whatever subway stop is closest and wander. Without knowing your budget or vibe, some places I like:

      Book-themed things
      – Goods For the Study – if you like stationery stores, this one is the best
      – McNally Jackson SoHo – a little ways away but all McNally Jacksons are my favorite bookstores on earth (also, they have great merch)
      – Bibliotheque – coffee/wine bar and bookstore
      – Housing works book store – used books and clothes with a cafe inside

      Shopping
      – Status Anxiety – Australian leather goods, surprisingly reasonable price and I’ve been impressed with the quality
      – Scent Bar – run by Luckyscent, if you’re a perfume person
      – Every upmarket women’s retailer has a brick and mortar here, so if you want to go to sezane, everlane, cuyuna, clare v, mujuri, etc., this is your chance

      Food
      – La Pecora Bianca SoHo – I have this saved but haven’t been there yet, seems like a great place for a girls lunch though
      – Thai Diner – instagrammable vibes and apparently the food is very good. I haven’t eaten there yet because there’s been a long line every time though
      – Odd Sister – middle of the road, crowd-pleaser vibes, food and drinks were really good, was a hit with my friend visiting from out of town

  5. For anyone here who has passed the NREMT exam, do you recall what you did to study? Or anything that was helpful? I feel like I am doing OK with the book learning, but getting a critical fail on the TSOP exam I hear is where most people fail (so there is no shame in that, many people re-take, but I don’t think I can juggle work and this sort of class twice; I’d rather give it the best possible shot now). I’m having to study on my own a lot due to work schedule but am on a group chat with fellow students and meet them when I can.
    I did get a good stethoscope based on recommendations here and can actually use it now. Was told to get a good pair of personal trauma shears (any recommendations?) and a good non-LED pen light (same).
    My prior background was just to have the NOLS WFA class, which is an excellent 16-hour class that I’d recommend to anyone who is even a day hiker recreationally.

    1. I bought a study guide (mine was “Crash Course EMT Emergency Medical Technician” there probably are a few) and just reviewed a bunch of flashcards I had made over the course of my class. I just bought whatever trauma shears and pen light were cheap on amazon – I never used them during class and now work provides them. For the TSOP just take your time. It’s easy to blank on something, but you don’t have to rush as much as you might feel you need to.

      1. Also – and I say this as an actual EMT, so with no disrespect to the profession/test – don’t overthink it. Sometimes the smartest people struggle with these tests because they’re reading too much into the questions.

  6. Anyone have any experience with thigh society cooling shorts? Their ads are all over my social media and I’m curious. I regularly wear jockey skimmies under dresses to avoid chafing, for light smoothing, and to avoid lightweight skirts blowing in unwanted ways. However, they can be hot in the heat and humidity, so the cooling short promises are appealing, but I’m skeptical of the social media blitz. They are also significantly more expensive than the skimmies, so seeking any opinions.

    1. I haven’t tried Thigh Society, but I have tried the Jockey cooling ones and they do zero cooling. So I’m skeptical.

      1. i just posted blow. i have jockey cooling as well a uniqlo pair from a few summers ago. these are better. 4X the price but better.

    2. I’m also a skimmies person and wouldn’t switch. But I also do megababe thigh antichafe gel – I like that better in summer.

    3. I’m also curious. I don’t love the fabric of the Skimmies, TBH. I agree that they can get hot.

    4. same experience. i fell for it and bought them. they are better than skimmies. much cooler.i don’t know that they are cooler than plain old cotton panties but they are much much much cooler than skimmies or comparable. they are not as “smoothing” as skimmies but i think that is the balance… anything that really holds you in is going to be warmer. I had posted a few days ago about an increasing VPL issue so am debating buying more. I kept clicking on them and not buying hoping i would get a coupon but the cooling ones don’t seem to go on sale in summer. ultimately they had a “buy two get 15% off” so that’s what i did. i may by more.

    5. I do find them noticeably cooler than skimmies, but agree with the poster who said there is very little “slimming” or compression to them.

    6. Yes I’m wearing them now and have been for years. I’ve also tried skimmies and these are much much better. And super durable.

    7. I strongly prefer using the Megababe anti-chafing cream – easy to reapply on the go and a million times cooler than having another layer on a hot day.

      1. +1 – but depends on what I’m doing. A ton of walking, slip shorts please. Being out but not too about, megababe all the way.

    8. They’re very lightweight, but they help up worse than all the other brands I use, in the sense that the legs started rolling up very early on (after a few washes).

    9. i got the thigh society one but haven’t worn it extensively yet; the one time i did it seemed about the same as skimmies. i got it in dark gray so i could tell it at a glance from the skimmies; the fabric kind of reminds me of pantyhose in a way that skimmies does not. which may be good for being hot?

  7. Another NYC question (same OP as the other post). We want to have a nice dinner in little Italy one night and open table is showing lots of options – they all look amazing. Any recs in particular? Il Cortile and Casa Bella caught my eye. Also is there anything to see there afterwards besides just taking in that area – I am sure it will be cool just walking around. Will have a few kids aged 8-13.

    1. I’d check out either the Museum of Ice Cream or just wander around SoHo, there is a ton to see/gawk at in that area. Unfortunately it looks like Economy Candy closes at 6, but maybe hit that first? My teenage kids adored that place.

    2. I’m the person who replied to your above comment :)

      You’ve probably noticed this looking at a map, but Little Italy is directly adjacent to Nolita, so essentially the same exact area you’re going to twice. If you’re going to skip one, I’d skip little italy! It’s always seemed like kind of a tourist trap to me. Of, if you’re set on going there, make your girl’s day shopping in Williamsburg instead.

      2. +1 that Little Italy is basically a tourist trap. There are good Italian restaurants there but there are good Italian restaurants in many other Manhattan neighborhoods too, and there’s basically no reason to go there besides restaurants.

  8. Underwires are REALLY bugging me these days. Any recommendations for a comfortable wireless bra that also gives some lift? I’m a 38D, for reference.

    2. Check out EBY. I wear their Relief Bra most days and their sheer bralette around the house as a 36D.

    3. Go to the “A Bra That Fits” subr3eddit and use the calculator there. Issues with underwires generally mean your bra is the wrong size and/or shape.

      1. Yes, this. And D (or DD or DDD) is a cup size that has a particularly high suspicion for being in the wrong size, because it’s the lazy saleswoman’s recommendation when they don’t carry your actual size. They’ll just sister size you up to whatever they do have in stock.

        I went from spilling out of a 32D to properly fitting a 28G, and it changed my life.

      2. Listen this OP.

        If you truly are a 38D, the Panache Envy is one I find comfortable. Took some time to get the right cup and band combo, though, before my old versions were so stretched out and wrongly sized that I couldn’t go by the tag any longer.

      3. I appreciate the recommendation, but I’m fairly certain I’m in the right size. I have used this calculator before. My bras appear to fit. Underwires never used to bother me. Now they do.

        1. Are your bras worn out? Even if you confirm your own size hasn’t changed, if your bras have been in circulation for a bit they may not be the same size any longer.

    4. I find no underwire just folds into itself and is very hot, not what I’m going for. I use baby powder on my bust under underwire and it’s been life changing, especially in summer.

      1. Careful with this. I put powder there for a while one summer, and it caused a number of skin tags to develop, which I had to have frozen off. Ouch. (And it was non-talc powder).

        My solution on very hot days is to wear a thin camisole and put the bra on over it. Totally eliminates chafing and absorbs sweat well. I get the Uniqlo Airism camis for this.

        1. you may want to try those bra inserts instead like Wick Em brand. it’s just like a fabric layer designed to tuck under your underwire.

      2. +1. The only wireless bras I have that don’t do this are sports bras, which I’m not comfortable wearing to work (not yucking anyone’s yum – i just don’t like that look on me).

        I have also used baby powder, but most recently I’ve been using a little deodorant under the underwire, which has also helped a lot in summer months.

      1. Co-sign this. It’s really the only one I’ve found that works. I have now purchased 4.

      2. YES love Evelyn & Bobbie. I prefer the ones that snap in the back vs over the head.

        I’ve also liked Chantelle wireless.

    7. I had a lump removal a few years ago that resulted in a scar right where the underwire hits, so until very recently I was in camp no underwire at all and am a 38F. Can confirm the Knix bras (with the stupid swimwear cups pulled out cause OMG do I detest them) were the best of the no perfect options in that size range. They still feel supportive, but are a better shape than a sports bra. They are never going to give as much support or shape as a wired bra, but they worked until the scar healed. I still have two in the rotation for days when I just cannot with the real bras. I will say if you are a very sweaty person, something about the material of those really brought that out, but thankfully they are easy to throw in the wash without destroying them.

  9. Going to a bluegrass concert tomorrow night and had planned to wear some Western-style suede booties. There is now a decent chance of rain, so I’m thinking that suede is going to be a bad choice. What would you wear instead? I have taller leather boots, but that sounds really warm for the weather.

    1. Are they not western style boots? Those are all year depending on the weight of the socks.

      1. My alternative is a pair of tall Western boots. I love them, but I’m not sure I will love them as much in high humidity and warm weather.

        1. I think with shorts or a mini skirt they won’t be much hotter than the shorter boots.

          1. For me, it would be the shafts of the boots chafing my legs in heat and humidity. I’d probably wear sneakers.

    3. Huge bluegrass fan here. You wear normal clothing, not a costume. If you’re not in, say, TX/LA/MS/AR, I’d be giving serious side eye to someone wearing cowboy boots.

      1. People wear western boots to the grocery store in many states other than TX/LA/MS/AR. You’re making things up if you think people went and got boots as a costume for a bluegrass concert.

        1. They do and they don’t. For a while 15 years ago, sundresses and cowboy boots were all the rage for girlies. So sure, you’d see boots in the grocery store in that context, and that style pops back up every now and again. And certain types of working men across the country wear Justin work boots to the grocery store and church and everywhere in between. But OP is posting on a fashion board asking about what to wear to a concert, talking about wearing short cowboy booties or tall cowboy boots, and my point is bluegrass fans wear normal clothing, not western gear unless she’s somewhere western gear organically belongs.

          1. I hear you. But tall cowboy boots are in style right now as normal clothing. They’re also functional anywhere in the country that’s ever buggy or has ticks.

          3. I live in the Midwest, too, and cowboy boots are definitely costume attire in my region.

            If they are a normal part of your wardrobe perhaps they won’t read that way for you, but they are just not a thing I see here, even at bluegrass concerts and festivals.

          1. It’s really not. It’s relevant to know that how you *think* you’re portraying yourself might not really be coming through.

          2. I just think it’s weird to think that someone is wearing boots because of some misconception about bluegrass who wouldn’t be wearing boots to any other summer concert.

          3. How do you know she wouldn’t wear the boots to another concert? Maybe she is a boot person. Certainly seems that way if she owns both short and tall pairs.

      2. Agreed. It is not a prereq to wear boots to listen to bluegrass. If it is too hot, wear sneakers or sandals.

      3. Haha, but people are addicted to “dress up” culture. Same vibe as “European vacation clothes.”

        I find it a bit silly.

        1. I went to see Yungblud and would say 75% of the women and girls (age 5-90) were in black rocker chic get ups. Why not?

      4. What on earth? I live in NV and CO and wear western boots all the time. If you think it’s “costume-y” I think that says more about you than alllllllllll the people living in western states who wear western boots because that’s a normal thing people wear. good grief.

      5. I drive by a great music venue regularly. They have acts of all types come through. You can 100% tell what kind of band is playing, based on what people are wearing. People most certainly do dress for the specific show they are seeing. That doesn’t make it a “costume.” And even if it did, so what? Costume are fun.

    4. I’ve been to lots of country concerts and have never worn a pair of cowboy boots in my life. I’d wear the shoes you’d wear with the outfit otherwise (ballet flats, sneakers, sandals, etc). If you want “western” shoes, I would buy cheap ones online.

    5. Is the concert outside? If so, I’d wear sports sandals (Teva, Merrill, or similar) that are not going be damaged by rain or mud. If it’s inside and there’s AC, I’d go with the taller boots if they’re cowboy-style and if that suits your fashion jam. Or, really, whatever you like. The bluegrass crowd is very eclectic/forgiving when it comes to dress.

    6. If the concert is outdoors your primary concern should be mud, not dressing on theme. Wear socks and sneakers you don’t care about. If the concert is inside then the heat won’t matter much and you can wear leather boots.

      1. Boots that can handle mud are also what I wear for mud (I hate soggy sneaker feet in wet weather).

    7. I went to a concert in Ohio last Saturday. Not bluegrass, but not hard-core country either – Tyler Childers, Red Clay Strays, etc. I’d guess close to 50% of women of all ages were in cowboy boots with cutoffs, denim skirts, ruffly lace skirts, or sundresses.

      1. +1. This would be very normal for both the artist and the area I’m asking about.

          1. Probably. My NYC friend told me that my plain, boring ropers (which I’ve had for years and years) were “MAGA”

  10. Can anyone recommend a good fee-only financial planner who works near Williamsburg or Richmond, Virginia? Or, if remote meetings work for this kind of thing, a good fee-only planner based anywhere in the mid-Atlantic.) Asking for a friend.

    2. Wealth Enhancement Group in Falls Church is top notch. They’ll do Zoom meetings. Their Joshua Graham is really sharp. (I’m a very satisfied client.)

  11. Q – I need a few new things and I know Prime day is coming up. Do we think that actual brands use Prime Day for sales instead of sketchy third parties? from an operating standpoint it’s hard to believe any of the third parties doing fakes are big enough and have enough balls to really promote a big sale during Prime day.

    1. Not what you asked, but consider dropping Amazon. Their “deals” have gotten worse over the years. My last order was in late 2025. Since then, I’ve found that buying what I need from local stores or the manufacturer has worked out really well. And since I’m not sucked in to the algorithm when browsing for furnace filters or a new set of bed sheets, I am not tempted to buy stuff I didn’t set out to get in the first place.

    2. Just buy from the brand shop and not some third party shop. It’s listed right at the top of the page where you’re buying from. Or skip it altogether and get the same item from another retailer copying prime day – Walmart, Target, Ulta, they all run sales and try to match.

      1. +1.
        I keep a bunch of amazon lists and have noticed that some items get a price hike and then an artificial “sale” price on prime days. Not everything, but enough to make me wonder.

        1. you can use camelcamelcamel to check for price history of an Amazon article. It helps to check if you’re getting a deal or not.

    3. I dropped Amazon several years ago and don’t miss it. They stopped offering good deals on things I actually wanted to buy and I got tired of weeding out knock offs. Besides, Bezos has enough; I would rather my spending go elsewhere.

    4. Write down or take screenshots of current prices for your wish list. The last few years Amazon has acted as if something is 30% off but the base price had jumped so much that the effective “deal” was more like 5% if anything. Pass.

    5. I would price compare anyway because a lot of other retailers offer competitive sales around prime day. They’re all just days to move merchandise that aren’t the typical shopping holidays.

    6. Not related to Amazon specifically, but we’ve seen some sketchy price activity from other retailers lately. Costco literally had a $400 swing in price for a washer-dryer we had our eye on – the price went up for its “sale.”

  12. I’m going to Ireland next month. Will be in Dublin, Killarney and Cork. I love going to bookstores (new and used). Any recommendations for bookstores in those cities?

    Two years ago I asked this board for bookstore recs in NYC and got some great ones and had a really fun bookstore trip.

  13. If you buy underwear for the men in your life – what are their favorites? My husband needs new boxers and I’d like to buy him a few nice ones to upgrade for Father’s Day. Tommy John? Vuori? Lulu?

    1. Patagonia capilene boxers, they are cool and comfy, last forever, and have fun patterns. They’re all my husband wants to wear. I air dry them after washing and it is shocking how long they keep their elastic, shape, etc.

  14. Random Q re colleges since I have a rising senior. Will I just be spending a lot of weekends going to colleges for open houses and admitted student days? I feel like for a kid who is remarkably open to schools and has at least set for on them before (like toured but not been to the open house for a specific program or talked to students in that program), this is all helpful in filtering out where you ultimately attend and getting the right fit.

    The volume of mail and e-mails is insane, but she has a list of 10 reasonable-seeming choices and maybe 10 others, all generally drive-able.

    I got lucky to get into the school I wanted to attend and having it actually be what I wanted, but transferred in grad school due to fit issues and see how it would be better to nail this the first time. Kiddo is looking at looking at smaller regional colleges, not the sort people here seem to go to, where we really don’t know a whole lot of people (vs huge schools where we know tons of alumni).

    1. Sure, you can go to all these things. Your daughter can also go alone like I did and get a feel for a place without mom since she’ll ultimately be there…without mom. It’s the rest of her life, encourage her to take the lead.

      1. I feel like where we are likely to have a keeper, we like to spend the night and go out to a casual student-focused restaurant as a vibe check. But I’d maybe up for that up to a few times, like 3.

        IDK that a kid who may barely be 18 (if that) can check into a hotel solo even if they can manage the driving (and I feel like many teens are not driving, or just driving for daily short trips vs going on the interstate to a new city and navigating that). I know. It used to be what people did, but I think that COVID up-ended many of the old ways.

      2. Kudos to the few SLACs we visited that do “family tours” and “interested student tours,” so separating kids from parents on purpose. So many family members are just cult-like cheerleaders for their schools and kids just need an honest tour vs one with their funders trying to relive college and sway the decision. I love a good college tour (and would love to talk, but not with my kid there) but do not want to have my kid to feel any weight on the scale.

        1. This has been a very normal tour structure for years and is not unique to SLACs. If you only encountered it at a few schools, the rest that you toured are behind the times.

          1. My kid toured like 10 colleges and we never had this tour structure. I would have liked it.

    2. You don’t have to tour AND go to an admitted student day at the same school. Admitted student days are helpful if she applied without visiting or if she has narrowed it down to a couple of schools and needs a second look at her finalists. There are a few schools, though, that throw in an extra bit of scholarship money if you do an in-person tour or attend an admitted student day, so be on the lookout for that fine print.
      If any of the colleges are not locks for admission, keep in mind that a lot of schools take demonstrated interest into account in evaluating an app. They know that she took a campus tour in September when they review her application in January, so I would prioritize pre-application tours for the schools in which she is most interested.

      1. I would do the visits before admissions decisions are made because demonstrated interest is important, not just to admissions but also to merit aid. Colleges are trying to game yield rates and are looking for kids they think will accept an offer of admission. A visit can mean the difference between admission and the wait list.

        1. This is mostly a SLAC thing. A lot of schools don’t track demonstrated interest and visiting is irrelevant.

    3. I think it depends on the kid. We visited some of the places before my kid applied, and visited a couple after she was admitted. That said, she narrowed it down pretty quick after the acceptances arrived.

    4. If your student is even remotely motivated to take action on this herself, let her decide how much visiting to do and whether she wants you to join or not.

      With our student, we did a few random campus drive-throughs (no tours, just drove through). Most of those were instantaneous “no” and we managed to cross off several schools in one weekend. The one campus she did enjoy, we went for a big tour and she hated it because crowds and packaged speeches were very much not her vibe. She didn’t want a sales pitch, she just wanted to know what the dorms looked like and what a normal day on campus involved. She almost backed out until we found a friend-of-a-friend with a student on campus who was willing to just give a chill, unofficial tour.

      1. +1. You should always try to have lunch with a current student. I got the wrong impression from my college tour and hated it until I talked to a student I went to high school with. It doesn’t need to be a close friend. Most college kids won’t turn down a free meal.

    5. So much will depend on who your kid becomes friends with, that’s usually the reason for leaving a school, not the physicality. That said, I’d be realistic about the kind of campus and size of the student body that’s the best fit, but you can get that from looking at archetypes and not every school.

    6. I think you’ve already gotten some great advice here. We also did a mix of touring before applications and touring after admissions, depending on the school and how far away it was. We did not visit any school more than once, although we would have gone back to a couple that offered a small scholarship amount for attending an admitted students’ event if they had ended up in the final group.
      I would also strongly encourage you to encourage your kid to do any online tours that are available, probably before applying. My kids ruled out a couple schools they thought they were interested in by doing that, which saved us time and money down the road. They aren’t usually enough to be sure a school is a great fit, but they can be enough to make it clear that they aren’t even a good fit.

    7. I solely toured college before I applied to them. The summer before senior year my mom and I went on a road trip to see different types of schools: big, medium, small schools and urban, small town, and in between settings. Then, after I decided I wanted a medium sized school in a larger town setting I toured 2-3 universities near-ish by, happened to fall in love with one, and applied early action and got in.

      I had a list of other schools to apply to (some I had visited, some I had not), but ended up not needing to apply. I had applied, and gotten into, our flagship state U very early via rolling admissions. I hadn’t toured that yet, because I knew it was going to be my backup (so I was unlikely to attend). Also, having the backup of “I’ve already gotten into college” made the decision to apply early to the school I loved easier. It also was a nice confidence boost of “I know I’m going to college, now it’s just a matter of which one”.

      I knew myself and once I saw a school I loved I need to apply early. I was a very indecisive teenager and having to make a choice among several schools I got into would have been overwhelming for me. It was much, much easier for me to decide to apply somewhere early and go with it.

      FWIW, I just had my 10 year reunion so this info is old, but not super super old.

      1. +1 to this, choose an initial set of schools strategically (variety of types of campuses). Don’t try to go to 20 manicured-campus SLACs all within a 2 hour radius of your house.

    8. I will admit that I have always been a very practical woman, and I made my college choice based on cost/programs offered/distance to home, and with those metrics my state U was a very clear winner before I even visited. But I simply cannot imagine visiting 10 colleges. I would strongly encourage her to make a data-driven choice of top 3-5 that you actually visit, and then use the visits to further decide. I think it’s a lot easier to be clear-eyed about what the best schools are for you and your situation/life plans before you visit and fall in love with a extremely impractical place.

      1. I would have her pick 3-5 very different colleges to tour so she gets a sense of what she is looking for, then tour her top 3 choices within that category. My daughter got so much clarity out of touring colleges she didn’t like that after that first round she knew exactly what she was looking for and accurately identified her dream school before we visited it. That visit was just to confirm.

  15. Do you typically wear sandals to work? If so, which brands do you prefer? I am shopping for some new items for a new hybrid position and am considering whether to include sandals in my wardrobe.

    1. Yes, when it gets stupidly hot. I prefer leather sandals with an ankle strap to prevent sole-slapping when I walk, and a suede footbed because I find that more comfortable underfoot all day.

    2. Yes, in a warm climate. Like Cole Haan for comfort, and they have styles that look elevated for work.

    5. I wear them from late spring – early fall. I almost never wear non-sandals to work during this time.

    6. I never wear sandals to work, mostly because my toes are terrible (ballet) and I don’t want to subject my coworkers to that, but its not forbidden.

    7. Yes, of course. All summer.

      But I don’t think a poll like this is helpful without also asking about what our workplace norms are and what the dress code is there, if there is one.

    8. All the time! But my office is not fancy.

      I like sandals from Rockport and Clarks. They are not super fashionable (or polished or sleek or whatever is the latest buzzword around here) but they are comfortable and most styles have straps so they stay on your foot and don’t make that slappy noise when you walk.

      I would not wear the so-called “naked” sandals to work, but I wouldn’t wear them any place. I think is silly to call a few pieces of leather string attached to a bottom a “shoe.” And, especially for work, I like a sandal with more foot coverage.

    9. I do not wear sandals to work, but I like the brand Margaux for non-work activities.

    10. A fisherman sandal is your friend here. Depending on your office, you could do a fun one with studs!

    11. Yes. They are very, very common in my office, and it’s also what I wear when it’s hot. Sofft has some work-appropriate sandals.

  16. What’s the best place to get some plastic organizers for a pantry and bathroom drawers? I need a few things for our new place but I can’t really stomach The Container Store charging $36.99 for a small plastic bin. I’ll keep an eye out for stuff at Goodwill but I need a few things quickly too. Is this a job for TJ Maxx?

    1. TJ Maxx if you don’t need a million, since their stock isn’t that deep; Target for more aesthetic options; Walmart for the cheapest and most utilitarian.

      2. I have the Walmart ones (Home Edit, maybe? Idk) and they are fine-sturdy plastic, I think I paid about $5 a box? Multiple sizes. I have at least 6, ranging from the larger ones (bigger than 8.5X11) where I store toiletries, sunscreen and supplies in my linen closet, to small narrow ones that I use to separate items in my bathroom drawers. I don’t love that they are plastic but I don’t expect to be replacing them-ever!

    2. Silly but hear me out: empty Whitman’s chocolates boxes are awesome as drawer organizers. I don’t even like their chocolates, but the boxes and lids have been keeping my spatulas tidy for years.

      1. RIP to the PopSugar Must Have box, because those things were tanks, and I still have one holding my socks.

        1. I still have boxes from back when the world used paper checks; they are fantastic for organizing office supplies. I even lined some with contact paper so they are pretty and more sturdy for bathroom drawers.

      2. Yeah, whenever I get a nice box I keep it and most of my drawers are organized with candy boxes and similar.

      1. I got a Tower of Treats years ago and still use the boxes in my bathroom vanity!

    7. HMart or other Asian grocery store often has lots of small storage bins solutions.

    1. What is the wrinkle situation like? I’ve been burned by poplin in the past, but love the style and colors of this one.

      1. Poplin needs to be ironed. I send mine to the place that does my husband’s shirts.

  18. Any tips for a surprise layoff? My best friends was whipped like a racehorse to finish several large, high-profile projects. Everyone was elated. Then her boss terminated her the next day, telling her that “now everything is set up well, we don’t need you.” She wasn’t given a chance to do a handover or say goodbye and she was KILLING herself for this company. How do I help her process this?

    1. That is a massive betrayal. That’s the only way she can reasonably process it. Eff those people.

    2. Any interest in naming & shaming the company? That is awful.

      I think she needs to give herself grace to feel all the emotions. And then determine her next steps. Did they at least give her a fair severance package and agree to a solid recommendation?

    3. Offer to treat her for meals or other outings if you can over the next few months. Most searches will take 6-12 months so many people will start to cut themselves off from contact with their friends. She will unfortunately have to grieve this loss while also going through the emotional struggle of finding something new.

    4. Some companies do this and it’s about them, not her.

      Does she have any coworkers there who could give her a recommendation?

    6. She needs to negotiate her severance, including if she wants to work on contract when/if they need help on the projects.

      Help her take time to care for herself, invite her out, I’ve taken a friend out to the beach for a week, and have had friends do the same for me in similar circumstances. She needs to recover

    8. same thing happened to me – i was on a VIP case, the partner in charge told me “you have no other cases now!” and it settled like december 22 and i was laid off early jan. glad to hear people saying it was a massive betrayal, it sure felt like that. one of the other partners on the case was on the executive committee and told me she hadn’t heard my name being called out on the list of layoffs. i never spoke to her again.

      i’d encourage your friend to take some time and then figure out exactly what she wants from people for recommendations and connections. i lit a match and threw it behind me but probably should not have.

    9. I was laid off unexpectedly too years ago. It felt like a massive betrayal. I would just listen to her and let her talk about it if she wants to. It can feel like you were “voted off the island,” so it’s good to have people affirm you and hear you out as you process. But in the long run, she should know it won’t always hurt this bad. She will move on. She will get another job. This will not hang over her forever. The prospect of layoffs aren’t as scary for me anymore because I’ve lived through it. I really liked the book Keeping Your Head After Losing Your Job to help me mentally recover. I also gave it to a friend after she was laid off and seemed wounded by it.

  19. Someone I know is on a jury for a criminal case in superior court. The trial is several days longer than the judge originally estimated (2-3 day estimate, and it’s day 6 today. Apparently the jury has three times told the judge they can’t reach a verdict, all yesterday, but continue to be sent back and had to report again today to try to work it out. Friend has some family obligations next week and is starting to freak out (tomorrow being an holiday so they wouldn’t go in tomorrow). The plans are movable theoretically but there are implications, both tangible ($) and intangible. Asking truly for no reason other than my curiosity, how does something like this play out? At what point is a hung jury or mistrial declared? From what I gathered, there are no hard and fast rules but curious what the lawyers here might think.

    For what it’s worth, I know zero detail details about the trial. She’s been very much keeping all of that to herself as instructed and as she should. It’s just the timeline that she has shared as she continues to figure out what to do about next week.

    1. Not a litigator, but have been on a jury as an attorney (it was a criminal trial). Our judge made us go back and deliberate in good faith for a few sessions (sessions being “a morning” or “an afternoon” with the typical court breaks included. We had multiple counts on which to come to agreement, and we were clear on several of them (and in agreement) and hung on several others.

      If she has today, and if court is in session tomorrow, then it’s possible the judge will call it before next week. If not, she should speak with the court clerk to understand if pre-existing family obligations are a valid reason to not show up. They likely are not.

      Also matters whether alternates are available and have been in deliberations thus far. If not, her leaving could throw the whole trial into a tailspin.

      Bottom line, she should speak with the court clerk ASAP.

      1. +1 – speak to the clerk straight away.

        I hope her jurisdiction uses some amount of common sense and empathy here. Mine is really bad and basically punishes jurists for not having white collar flexibility with deep pockets to accommodate the scheduling limbo. Jurists with children to care for, who have no easy access to a car, and pre-existing medical appointments are forced to upend their lives, often involving expenses they did not anticipate and cannot afford. Their desperation to get the trial over as fast as possible in order to minimize the harm to themselves results in some really bad outcomes.

    2. Hopefully she told the court during jury selection that she had a hard “out date.” If not, she should definitely tell the clerk ASAP.

      That said, I’d be surprised if the judge had them back after a long weekend if they’re still hung by the end of the day.

  20. Note that the back of this dress bodice is not sewn to the skirt, making it a poor candidate for most office settings without some hand-sewing first.

    1. Oh wow, that was not obvious at all.

      I’ll be glad when that trend is done. It never looks good IRL.

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