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These beautiful, feminine heels look gorgeous — and while there are only a few reviews, they're all really positive. I like the bow, and in general I'm a fan of strappy pumps. They're available in four colors at Zappos for $495. Ron White Celine
These pumps are similar but more affordable.
(L-3)
Sales of note for 10.10.24
- Nordstrom – Extra 25% off clearance (through 10/14); there's a lot from reader favorites like Boss, FARM Rio, Marc Fisher LTD, AGL, and more. Plus: free 2-day shipping, and cardmembers earn 6x points per dollar (3X the points on beauty).
- Ann Taylor – Extra 50% off sale (ends 10/12)
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything plus extra 25% off your $125+ purchase
- Boden – 10% off new styles with code; free shipping over $75
- Eloquii – Extra 50% off a lot of sale items, with code
- J.Crew – 40% off sitewide
- J.Crew Factory – 50% off entire site, plus extra 25% off orders $150+
- Lo & Sons – Fall Sale, up to 35% off
- M.M.LaFleur – Save 25% sitewide
- Neiman Marcus – Sale on sale, up to 85% off
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – 50% off 2+ markdowns
- Target – Circle week, deals on 1000s of items
- White House Black Market – Buy one, get one – 50% off full price styles
And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!
Some of our latest threadjacks include:
- What to say to friends and family who threaten to not vote?
- What boots do you expect to wear this fall and winter?
- What beauty treatments do you do on a regular basis to look polished?
- Can I skip the annual family event my workplace holds, even if I'm a manager?
- What small steps can I take today to get myself a little more “together” and not feel so frazzled all of the time?
- The oldest daughter is America's social safety net — change my mind…
- What have you lost your taste for as you've aged?
- Tell me about your favorite adventure travels…
tesyaa
I always like a shoe with a strap. Very pretty.
Ellen
Yay! I agree with Tesyaa, AGAIN! (something tells me that me and TESYAA are kissing cousin’s!). My onley reservation about pump’s like these (even tho closed toe) is that I can NOT wear them in the WINTER. It is way to cold in NYC to wear them if I have to go outside, even for a minute, with them, even tho the JUDGE loves me to wear pump’s. I have Mason carry them to court b/c in NYC you simply ruin more shoes walking on the street then anywhere else. Between salt, grates, and poopie, the life of a pair of pumps is measured in week’s! FOOEY!
Debra D.
Ellen, these are $500 shoes. You should never wear them on the streets of NY City, with all of the poopie out there to step in. You are smart to have your associate (Mason?) carry your shoes to court. Query, though, why you are paying an attorney to perform such a ministerial task, unless of course it’s being billed back to the client.
MJ
I think these are lovely, but how do you style them? They seem really dressy/like they would only work with dresses. Thoughts?
KT
I think these would be great with cropped pants…especially burgundy or emerald! Then a plain black shirt and blazer
Bonnie
I think they’d look great with cropped pants, dresses and skirts.
memorial mass
I’m attending a memorial mass for a close relative who passed away earlier this summer. Should I wear black or subdued colors, like at a funeral mass, or just regular church clothes? Memorial mass is largely for family and friends in the states who weren’t able to attend the funeral abroad, and will probably be followed by a dinner or some social gathering.
ALN
This probably varies regionally, but I’d still wear subdued colors. No need to wear head to toe black though.
Anon
+1. You can’t go wrong with black or subdued colors, and I only deviate from that when it has been specifically requested that attendees dress in color (ex: a woman who loved gardening requested that attendees to her funeral wear “all of the colors of a beautiful garden”)
Red Velvet
Wear whatever is normal for a funeral in your local area, which can vary greatly. I live in the UK, and we wear all-black to funerals. An aunt from Vancouver attended wearing black trousers but a light blue t-shirt. We thought she was off her rocker. She commented we looked like the mafia. If people are visiting from all over the place, there will probably be a lot of variation.
Betsy
I’m house hunting with a limited budget for my area, so I’m realistic about the fact that I can’t afford my dream home this time around. I know the generally held advice is “location, location, location” but I’m curious if current homeowners have experienced that to be true. I have narrowed my options down to two choices. Option A is a house that has a great interior and meets almost all of my wishlist items inside, but has a small yard with very little privacy, and is on a street that is fairly quiet but narrow. Option B is on a beautiful lot on a cul-de-sac, but the inside of the house meets my minimum requirements but doesn’t have any of my wishlist items. Which would you choose?
RED
Any chance you can build/install your wishlist items once you are in Option B? You can’t change the location of the house, but you can change what’s in it.
anonymous
You’ll spend a lot more time inside your house than in your yard/on your street.
Jules
And you can landscape for privacy.
I think location location location most commonly refers not just to the street layout but proximity to work, transit, shopping, amenities, whatever. Is Option A conveniently located for whatever you want to be near, but just not on a great lot?
HSAL
I would go for Option A. Outdoor space just isn’t that important to me. If the narrow street was also busy, that might change things for me.
tesyaa
I think it’s a personal decision and neither one is really wrong. You can always upgrade the interior of the house on the beautiful lot. OTOH, a small lot on a quiet street can be charming, but it will never be bigger. (Some people prefer a smaller lot – when I was a kid, my father found mowing a big lawn and shoveling a long driveway to be a big hassle). I feel like the emphasis on “location” refers to things like school districts, convenience to shopping and transportation, and safety/amenities. If those are more or less equal, this is really a personal choice.
Cat
+1
If you will feel overly crowded and not enjoy your outdoor space because of it, AND you don’t mind spending either a lot of time or lot of money on yard care, maybe prioritizing a big yard is the way to go.
Husband and I recently decided to stay in the city and buy a rowhouse rather than move to the burbs, because we’re going to be close to park space if we’re craving grass, but on a day to day basis are perfectly happy with a small patio space and a walking commute.
Blonde Lawyer
It all depends on what matters to you and what your goals are. If you are looking to sell again in a few years then you want to consider what is important to the public more. We got a great deal on a house because it was on a corner lot. One half of the corner is a quiet cul-de-sac side street. The other half is a major road that is very busy. It does not bother us one bit so we were happy for the deal and the interior had most of what we wanted. We upgraded the rest within 3 years with the money saved. We know if we ever have to sell though, it might be harder to find a buyer than if we were further away from the main road.
tesyaa
Our previous house was a very pretty house on a busy corner. We know that it deterred some buyers, but the overall appeal of the house was enough that we were able to sell it fairly easily.
Anon
I think when people say “location” they don’t necessarily mean the specific lot. More things like quality of the neighborhood (is this house the most expensive on the block, the least expensive, or somewhere in between?), the schools, whether there are things nearby that are walkable, access to transportation (either public or whether you’re close to major highways), and whether the neighborhood is on the way “up” or “down.” That matters especially if this is a house you intend to sell in the next few years (you say “this time around” which makes me think this is a starter home).
Anonymous
Exactly. The expression refers to the neighborhood. I’d advise buying the worst house in the best neighborhood over the best house in a so-so neighborhood.
mascot
Depends on the nature of wish list items- are these cosmetic like countertops or are they the number/types of rooms? What is the climate for use of outdoor space? Do you entertain a lot? Is this a family neighborhood where a cul de sac/big lot will help re-sale?
Bonnie
I’d pick Option B. Over time, you can update the interior of the house but you can’t change it’s location.
padi
Agreed with the others that the phrase refers to neighborhood, not any specific characteristics of the lot.
For option A: so long as the street itself is quiet, and people don’t park on the side of the road every night, it doesn’t really matter how narrow the street is. Can you make the yard more private by adding trees, an awning, or an arbor?
For option B: do you lile yardwork? Can you hire a gardener? How much work would it take to bring the interior up to your standards and are you able to DIY or pay someone to remodel?
All things being equal, I would ask myself if I was more picky about the outside or the inside and what kind of work I am willing to do to make the house my own.
It sounds like you have two great options! Good luck!
for anon biglaw violinist on manicure thread
..or for others who still play an instrument: How do you find the time to practice, and how do you manage your expectations when music can’t be the most important thing in your life? I am a working mom (law degree but not practicing) with an undergrad degree in music performance. I gave up my instrument after college and lately have been dying to pick it up again, but I just can’t find a spare minute even to get started, and I’m afraid that I would always be disappointed because I’d never sound as good as I did in college.
Violinist
This is actually hard when you are once quite proficient, but possible.
But you need to pick it back up, as your skills wither fast, I find.
I kept up a chamber music group all through my 20’s and much of 30’s. My closest friends from college were all musicians, and we would have gatherings every few years. Like ….. Rent an entire small inn in Massachusetts and play music all weekend.
Or just join your community orchestra. Usually only one night a week rehearsals, you can hack away with too much embarrassment, and maybe find other musicians / friends to play chamber music with.
My fantasy is to have a beautiful house with an open floor plan and a grand piano. Every Saturday my musician friends come over. We eat, drink, laugh and play music. Nothing better.
National_Anthem
I would like to attend your fantasy Saturday evening gatherings. That sounds amazing.
(and I let my skills lapse during law school, so I don’t sound as good as I did in college, but it’s fun to keep doing it anyway)
OP
I quit 18 years ago and have tried to resume lessons twice during that time period, with little success in establishing regular practice habits. One of those attempts was during law school, which was just nuts. In addition to the time issue, my instrument is in desperate need of maintenance, but I haven’t been able to get a good recommendation on where to take it. I also don’t want to invest hundreds of dollars in fixing it up if I’m not actually going to use it, but on the other hand if I get it overhauled then it will work correctly and I will be more likely to play it. Sigh.
Violinist
My dear…. Your instrument is your baby. YES…. You put in the $. Get a bow re-hair, a new set of strings from SHAR, and bring in your violin for possible new bridge and sound post adjustment. Just do it or you are right…. There is no hope.
And give up on the private lessons. And give up on real practicing. You simply need to PLAY!!!
You work and have kids? Practicing the violin to regain technique is painful and not fun. You need it to be fun or you won’t succeed I getting back in at this time in your life. Find the once a week community orchestra. I promise you this is the least painful way of easing back in. And it might be fun.
Dalhia
When I was a child my dad used to practice the violin after all the children were in bed at night (there were three of us all at similar ages). He wasn’t very good, in all honesty, but I loved falling asleep listening to him practice. To this day, the sound of a solo violin makes me feel so relaxed and safe and loved.
Mpls
I’ve seriously considered beginning piano lessons again, like through the local music school or university. Provides the structure needed to get disciplined about practicing. I’ve still got some of the muscle memory, it’s just rusty through lack of use. I think if you played through college, a few months of going to lessons would help loosen up the rust.
Sigh. Would have to get a piano first.
piano!
We just got a piano – for free!! Turns out lots of people want to get rid of their pianos but they aren’t motivated enough to pay for someone to move them out of their homes. So I just spread the word that I wanted one and my kid’s teacher’s neighbor offered it up. $150 later (for piano movers), I had a pretty nice piano. A friend got a gorgeous grand piano from a church in the same way (moving for that was a bit more but still basically nothing for a quality instrument).
lkl
We did this too! It’s great to have around (although the baby hates it), and if we move or need the space, I’m sure we’ll find someone else to take it. Pianos are for free ALL THE TIME on craiglist or freecycle.
moss
I recently scored a baby grand piano for $400 at my local Habitat for Humanity ReStore. We paid about $300 for the movers to bring it here & remove our old upright and then another $100 or so for a tuner. My husband is super happy with it :)
Susie
I played piano until midway through high school, when I gave it up to pursue other activities/sports. I was pretty decent at it – could never be a professional but I was very proficient and enjoyed it quite a bit. Of all my sisters I was the only one who didn’t have to be told to go practice – more like get off the piano and let your sister have a turn. To this day giving it up is one of my biggest regrets. :( My parents sold the piano when I went off to college and I didn’t play at all for about 6 years. Then I got a keyboard and tried picking it up again. Even took lessons again for a while but it did not come to me like it once did, and it was very frustrating and depressing. I don’t even like to play anymore because of that.
CPA Lady
For me, I had an instrument that I loved playing (though I was really never that great at it), and once I stopped playing it, it became a weird psychological burden to still own it. It was a relief when I finally sold it and felt like it had gone to a good home with someone that would play it for real. If you really want to start playing again, seriously, go ahead and spend the money to have the instrument restored. But if you aren’t going to, it can be freeing to let it go, too.
Cellist
I would also love to hear more ideas on this. I recently re-connected with some musician friends (undergrad performance and music ed. major), and I know I need to get back into it. Law school took over life, and then I had a baby.
My only plan right now is to devote 2 hours every Saturday so that my husband can have special father-daughter time while I hack away at scales to get my chops back. Then, hopefully after my fingers heal a little, I’ll try to add a second or third day a week. I don’t know how anyone has time for chamber groups with set, weekly rehearsals.
Violinist
Weekly rehearsals aren’t practical. But if you are at the level where you can just get together and site read chamber music, then you just get together whenever the planets align…..
RDC
I played an instrument thru high school and college, but by the time I finished I didn’t love it anymore. About 4 years ago (late 20s) I decided to start violin (having never played before) and have been sloooowly progressing. I try to practice 4ish nights a week and take lessons, which as someone pointed out is crucial for motivation (and improvement, at least with a new instrument). I only practice 15-20 minutes a day, after the baby goes to bed, but it’s enough for slow progress. I try to think of it as my “me” time and try to enjoy the practicing (not just slog away in the hopes of some day being good enough to enjoy it). My goal is to someday play in a community orchestra but not quite there yet.
Sydney Bristow
Sometimes I think of trying to pick up the flute again. But what I really want is to learn to play the drums. I don’t think my neighbors would appreciate it though.
CTAtty
I played violin in high school and college, then stopped and didn’t pick it up again until after law school. I play in a community orchestra that rehearses once a week. The music isn’t too hard so I don’t necessarily have to make time to practice outside rehearsal (I probably should, but oh well). Once a month I can usually find an hour or two on the weekend to practice.
framing
As part of my work, I write various things for publication (but I’m not a journalist). I just had a piece featured in a very prestigious publication (think NYT but it wasn’t the NYT). I’d like to frame it for my office (this kind of thing is customary in my line of work — I’ve been assured it wouldn’t look too showy). Has anyone had this done? Do you have any companies to recommend?
Mpls
I think any business that does framing could probably handle it. You are really just looking for someone to mat and frame it (and choose a kick-a$$ mat and frame combo), right?
Stormtrooper
I did this for my SO through a company called In the News. They actually preserved the article and mounted it. It turned out great!
lost academic
Make sure whoever does it uses a glass that will protect as much as possible against UV weathering, unless you want it to be yellow very fast! We did a custom framing of an article covering our engagement and even with that, in the last several years I can see the yellowing setting in slightly.
AnotherAnon
There was a big debate pro and against abortion on this site a few weeks back. Some women here were against abortion even in case of rape. I wanted to ask if they were against abortion even if the raped individual is a child. However, it was too late that day. I want to know what are your views when it is a child’s life in question. The child in the report below had to undergo c-section to give birth to a baby which she conceived due to rape. Link to follow.
AnotherAnon
http://news.yahoo.com/11-old-gives-birth-girl-paraguay-160528769.html
Deep Thought
If you believe the baby is a human life from the moment it is conceived, as I do, then it is wrong to intentionally kill it regardless of who the mother is. Because ending a human life is always going to be worse than causing damage, however terrible, to one that survives. I know that many people do not see an unborn child as on the same level as an adult, so I can understand why they would support abortion in this case.
However terrible?
“Because ending a human life is always going to be worse than causing damage, however terrible, to one that survives.”
Do you also believe that people don’t have the right to defend themselves?
Do you also believe in forced organ donation?
If it were possible, would you elect to save a coma patient from death by causing a healthy person to be damaged such that the healthy person also fell into a coma?
Would you torture a healthy child for the rest of its life to save the life of an adult? A 90 year old? A 90-year old coma patient? An axe murderer?
Just curious.
Anonymous
@DeepThought. That’s just vile. Absolutely vile.
Pro-Choice
I will bite.
The girl got pregnant by rape. She was 11 years old and 5 months along when the pregnancy was discovered.
At 5 months, pre-viability, the girl absolutely has a right to an abortion. Full stop. It was a violation to force her to carry the pregnancy for even a few more hours.
Should Grandma (custodial guardian) have to right to force the girl to have an abortion? No. Her Grandma does have a duty to ensure that whatever her choice is, that she receives adequate medical care.
Does the State have the right to force her to terminate or to carry to term? No.
Her life. Her body. Her choice. Even if she is only 11.
Doodles
I am pro-choice but I struggle with this situation. How can an 11 year old make this choice?Her brain isn’t even fully developed to understand the consequences of either an abortion or keeping a child. Adult women in their 20s and 30s struggle with the decision to abort yet you think an 11 year old can do it? Realistically, if the government didn’t step in, then this girl would have “chosen” exactly what her mother and grandmother wanted her to choose.
Anonymous
Why does the reason matter? Wanting an exception for rape is hypocritical and misogynistic.
anon
+1,000
Lyssa
Random question inspired by the thread below – When people say “I have a manicure/pedicure” do they mean that they have had their nails professionally done (or some intensive dyi process), or just that they have them polished and neat? I saw a lot of comments along the lines of “If I’m wearing open toed shoes, I definitely would have a pedicure.” I always keep my toenails polished, and try to keep them neat during sandal season, but I don’t think of that as “having a pedicure,” just as having them polished. (I’ve never had them done professionally, or even really seen the appeal.) Just curious.
Clementine
For me personally, when I say ‘I have a manicure/pedicure’ that means that my nails are either buffed or polished, cuticles are in check, and any dead skin has been removed so to make my hands/feet as presentable as is possible. This can be done by me or a professional.
Polished means polish on toes, not the extra ‘making everything look nice and removing gross excess skin’ to me.
anon-oh-no
when I say I have a mani/pedi, it means someone at a nail salon did my nails. If I do them myself, I say so.
Sydney Bristow
If I go somewhere to have it done, I say that I had a manicure or pedicure. If I do it myself, I say that I painted my nails or toenails. When I paint my nails myself I file, buff, clean up my cuticles, etc but I definitely don’t do it as well as a nail salon does.
Anonymous
I “do” my nails myself and pay someone to “get” a manicure.
Meg March
I mean my nails are clean and filed, cuticles taken care of, rough heels smoothed away, and usually paint applied (my toes are ALWAYS painted, because I think my feet are ugly). This is usually done by me, although not always. I use the same language, regardless of who does it.