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Coffee Break: Rothy’s Crossbody

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For those of you who are heading back into the office: What bags are you loving right now? For those of you who haven't used a handbag or tote in a year or so, what are you worried might be outdated?

I got this cute crossbody with credits from Rothy's almost a year ago but have gone out so rarely that I haven't really been switching up my bags as usual. As more things are opening up, though, and a return to semi-normalcy seems on the horizon, I can't wait to wear it. It's super lightweight, and the orangey-red is a bright, happy pop of color. It is very flat (as opposed to my ancient MZ Wallace crossbody that I still like), but it's sleek and cool.

The bags are knit with 100% recycled materials and crafted with “ocean-bound marine plastic” — and they're machine washable, yay! They come in three colors; the strap detaches (and can also be worn much shorter if you prefer that look). They're $175 at Rothy's.

(Psst: looking for a referral code for $20 off your first purchase at Rothy's? Try this one.)

Sales of note for 3/26/25:

  • Nordstrom – 15% off beauty (ends 3/30) + Nordy Club members earn 3X the points!
  • Ann Taylor – Extra 50% off sale + additional 20% off + 30% off your purchase
  • Banana Republic Factory – Friends & Family Event: 50% off purchase + extra 20% off
  • Eloquii – 50% off select styles + extra 50% off all sale
  • J.Crew – 30% off tops, tees, dresses, accessories, sale styles + warm-weather styles
  • J.Crew Factory – Shorts under $30 + extra 60% off clearance + up to 60% off everything
  • M.M.LaFleur – 25% off travel favorites + use code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off
  • Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
  • Talbots – $64.50 spring cardigans + BOGO 50% off everything else

Sales of note for 3/26/25:

  • Nordstrom – 15% off beauty (ends 3/30) + Nordy Club members earn 3X the points!
  • Ann Taylor – Extra 50% off sale + additional 20% off + 30% off your purchase
  • Banana Republic Factory – Friends & Family Event: 50% off purchase + extra 20% off
  • Eloquii – 50% off select styles + extra 50% off all sale
  • J.Crew – 30% off tops, tees, dresses, accessories, sale styles + warm-weather styles
  • J.Crew Factory – Shorts under $30 + extra 60% off clearance + up to 60% off everything
  • M.M.LaFleur – 25% off travel favorites + use code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off
  • Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
  • Talbots – $64.50 spring cardigans + BOGO 50% off everything else

And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

96 Comments

  1. Posting this as a reminder of what we know and don’t know about the vaccines. Take-aways: small gatherings with vaccinated people are OK. Medium and large gatherings are not. Travel should be delayed. We do not know how well the vaccines protect against the variants (although some early research is thankfully promising) and we don’t know how many months they offer protection, period. So many of us have NOT been vaccinated at all yet, despite the fact that we really want to be. We do know that greater community transmission makes the variants more likely to mutate and become dominant.

    Let’s all come together and beat this thing – please. We have so much to be optimistic about, but we need to stay vigilant for the next several months in particular.

    https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated.html

    Longer version with more evidence and details (but note that it has not been peer-reviewed): https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/more/fully-vaccinated-people.html

    1. Or, you can also click through the CDC links to find out in more detail what you should do when you travel, or are exposed, etc.

      I am not staying home until some mythical date when everyone on the internet says it’s ok to go out, or I get a permission slip from President Biden. If my state says it’s ok for offices to be 100% capacity with physical distancing, and restaurants, and gyms, and quarantine isn’t required after travel, then it’s ok to do these things.

      If you aren’t comfortable, stay home. Posting on the internet every day to warm your fears isn’t helpful to anyone.

      1. My state is doing OK, but my best friend lives in a state where the people making the public health recommendations are gun-but, anti-science, vaccine-hating businessmen who have no background in health or medicine or public health. I don’t trust them to set the rules for my health and I don’t see why anyone would.

      2. um, based on this, in my state i could eat indoors at a restaurant throughout almost the whole pandemic, there is no more physical distancing or mask wearing. everything is open at 100% capacity with no distancing or mask requirements. so i guess based on your methodology if something is legal it is a good idea. go smoke a pack a day then.

    2. Please stop! People are going to make their own decisions. Your nagging isn’t helpful or appreciated or effective.

      1. Actually, I appreciate it. I don’t think it’s bad to sometimes be reminded that just because something is legal doesn’t mean it’s safe. That’s been one of the hardest things for me to wrap my head around this past year.

        1. Thanks! I’m glad you found it helpful. Others can scroll past if they’re not interested in reading CDC guidelines.

          1. I can – and have – read the CDC guidelines for myself, thanks. I don’t need people on here nagging me about it. BTW, fully vaccinated. Still wearing mask 24/7, not traveling, not eating indoors. I will at some point and don’t need anyone’s permission to do so.

        2. I appreciate this too. I was totally not taking this seriously in Jan/Feb 2020 (though I didn’t post about it!) and reading the comments here of people who had different opinions was really helpful in evolving my understanding of the potential threat and being a tiny bit more prepared for what followed. I appreciate the posters who respectfully disagree as well — I’m very much a COVID-worrier because of the experiences of several people close to me, so it’s good for me to read the points of view of people who see things differently. I do wish everyone was more civil about it though.

      2. I find links helpful. What YOU might find helpful is collapsing the thread or scrolling on by. “Nagging’ is sexist feedback, by the way.

          1. Actually, no it isn’t because you can control what you read on the Internet. No one forced you, reminded you, or cajoled you to read this.

          2. nagging itself is only used to dismiss women’s complaints. I just searched the word nagging in google images, and almost all of the results were showing nagging wives, nagging girlfriends and nagging moms. Men get to voice their concerns without it being called nagging.

        3. Anon @ 4:50 PM – how is what you are posting not nagging? Nag nag nag about how others react. Hypocrite.

      3. Yup, I am so over everyone trying to get to 100% safe. There was nothing in our pre-Covid lifes that was100% safe. If you want to stay home, double mask, get vaccinated, and still not go anywhere, you do you. For me, I can go about my life just fine with wearing a mask and appropriate social distancing. Which is what I’ve been doing since this whole thing began and the world hasn’t ended.

  2. For those on the morning thread asking about rates of COVID infection following vaccination, just thought I’d share the following stat. In IL, of the more than 1.6 million people who are fully vaccinated, 217 reported a positive test more than two weeks after their last vaccine dose: https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/it-hit-me-hard-northbrook-mom-gets-covid-after-second-vaccine-dose/2465900/

    Not sure who needs to hear this, but it made me feel a little bit better, esp if that’s the figure while so many people are not vaccinated yet.

    1. I don’t have a problem with this. Presumably, they are youngish and living their best lives and getting tested the moment they feel sick and then isolating. Hopefully they are not getting very sick (like a BAAAAD hangover) and then 2 weeks later: done. They are probably really full of antibodies now.

      I think it is just going to be how it is in our world. Sick > dying. Dying was formerly our problem.

      1. dying is still our “problem” because newsflash, we are all going to die one day.

    2. It’s a similar story here in Indiana. The state announced last week that there have been “about 100” breakthrough infections so far, and we had about 900,000 fully vaccinated at the time. There is also data out of Israel that suggests virtually no hospitalization/death among breakthrough infections, and the UK variant is very dominant in Israel.

  3. Weight loss question inspired by the morning thread. I like the WW approach of not treating foods as “bad” but rather sticking to a point budget that guides you toward healthy eating. I really need to lose weight, though, and I need to watch calories very closely to do that; I only burn about 1400/day without exercise. I find myself entering meals in BOTH WW and my fitness pal, but honestly I’m doing mfp inconsistently because it’s more complicated than WW. I really wish WW tracked calories too. Is there an easier way to do both?

    1. Try iTrackBites – its similar to WW, but they have a Calorie Command guide that lets you track calories in, calories out.

      Also when you start this you may be surprised by the calorie counts of some things you’ve been eating – MFP is notoriously inaccurate esp for user entered foods, so be aware that you may see some differences. But I found iTrackBites to be really good.

  4. Hi All,

    Back in June, I reached out for suggestions on requesting a letter of recommendation from my current boss. You all provided great thoughts on how to approach it, thank you :)
    I thought I’d stop by to share some great news- I got in to my school of choice and was awarded a large merit fellowship!

  5. The referral code in the story above isn’t working. Does anyone have one to share? Thanks!

  6. I’m not worried my Cuyana tote is outdated but it’s bigger than I need now that I’m not hauling my laptop everywhere. I got sucked into a handbag discussion on here a few weeks ago and ended up checking out the real real, where I found a Longchamp bag (not le pliage, a “real” bag) that I had drooled over in Paris, lightly used, in the exact cobalt blue I loved, and it was only $110 ish with a coupon. So that’s my bag now for my rare trips out of the house. It’s just big enough for my wallet, sunglasses, and small cosmetic bag (for hand sanitizer and sunscreen) with a bit of room to spare – I could fit my ipad, a paperback, or a rolled magazine – so it’s perfect for right now. And it makes me feel fancy after a schlubby year.

    1. I adore the ‘real’ Longchamp bags – I want a 3D style one! Yours sounds beautiful – I hope you get many times to enjoy it!

  7. Thanks for the Everlane rec for white jeans this morning. I never would have thought to look there. I’m a pear looking at either the Curvy Authentic Stretch High-Rise Skinny Jean or the Curvy Cheeky Straight Jean. I think I’d prefer the straight leg kind, but the reviews are sort of either end of the spectrum (v. good overall). Does Everlane run TTS? Like if I am a 10 at the Gap, am I a 10 (or a 30) there? Also, is the curvy both stomach and butt and thigh-friendly? I have more all of the above (thanks perimenopausal shapeshifting) now and it is hard to find a curvy cut these days (and high rises usually just don’t work (camel toe, etc.)).

      3. Ahaha, that tweet is great! And I can conclude, based on the pictures posted in that thread, that I am 100 percent okay with sporting that level of camel. I would not think that any of those were too much, it’s just wrinkles. :D

      4. OMG Bajingo I am ded. That tweet series and the replies brought some well-needed laughs into my morning.

    2. I find Everlane to have inconsistent sizing; I would just order everything in your preferred color and see what works. Things I thought would fit didn’t, and vice versa.

  8. Thanks to all who chimed in this morning about my adopted bulldog mix rescue arriving ahead of schedule today! We have the temporary travel crate plus a bed pad that will fit his real crate arriving tomorrow. We need to get him a collar and ID, although I think because his neck is bigger than his head he will be more of a harness guy. And of course a strong leash.

    He’s a chewer despite being middle aged. What are some great nearly-indestructible chew toys? And if you have a cat, how do you keep your dog away from their food and litter box? Thanks!!!! Any other things you think of would also be welcome!

    1. We kept our cat stuff in an area that the dog wasn’t allowed to get into (we used a pet gate). Good luck!

    2. Order a BarkBox Super Chewer box – treats and durable toys arrive monthly, no effort from you required.

      2. My dog (one year old labradoodle) has actually destroyed the toys in the Super Chewer box. Great box, but her teeth are crazy strong or something, and she tears through everything. Probably good for most dogs, but you might want to start with one box (rather than a subscription) to make sure it works for your dog.

        I get her the Nylabone Power Chew bones/sticks to chew on, they’re the only things she doesn’t completely destroy.

    3. My sister-in-law got a litter box enclosure to keep the dog away. You can find them on Chewy and Amazon and some of them look like furniture so they’re not conspicuous if they’re out in the open.

      If you are leaving out dry food for your cat, you can get a special feeder with a microchip that only opens for the cat.

      Have fun with your new buddy!

      1. That is a smart idea. My cat is older and 18 lb (not overweight, just a big guy per his vet) and I’m not sure he could fit through or jump over the baby gate. We have his litter box in a separate area from his food but there’re fortunately both gate-able areas.

        1. There is a baby gate with a smaller gate for the cat to go through. We had it to keep my lap out of the cat’s food and litter box, but the cat had no problem going through the cat opening.

    5. We have collars with our dogs name and number embroidered on them vs the dangly tag. Initially because of a sound thing with my husband, but they rock and have held up well. Found them on Amazon.
      Also get the little bugger microchipped if he isn’t already. Nice peace of mind for if he slips his collar or harness like my blocky headed mix knows how to do.

    6. Kong toys, forever and always. They were the only toys that ever lasted for our dearly departed Good Boy. Like, a Kong would last years and almost any other toy would maybe last a week. We would stuff the middle with a mixture of plain yogurt and peanut butter and then freeze it for extra fun.

      1. Congratulations! Enjoy! My two year old pooch is asleep on the floor in front of me. One of my very best decisions.

  9. Can we have a Wins, Big, Small and In-Between thread? Cheer each other on a little bit?

    I was asked to train the rest of my department on a project management software that we have, but rarely use. I made up a fake project with funny tasks to demonstrate it. I was super nervous this morning, but it was a huge hit and people are still emailing/Slacking me to say how much they enjoyed it. This was one small hurdle my bosses wanted me to clear in order for me to be promoted sometime soon, and I’m so proud of crushing it.

    Your turn!

    1. We just got feedback on a 99-page report that I wrote the majority of and the client said it was well-written, clear, and easy to follow despite the length. It will be made public soon and I’m so pleased they liked it.

        1. Thanks – and congrats to you too! Making a meeting/training engaging is hard to do, but so much better than the alternative.

          1. Thank you so much! Yes, definitely feels like a real win to have people leave a meeting laughing!

    2. Last week I got a preliminary injunction that essentially wraps up a complicated case, and I beat three attorneys from a 400-person firm (my little boutique firm has five total). The lead opposing counsel has been an asshat, so this was extra satisfying.

      Oh, and I have lost 9 pounds (very slowly, but still) being back on WW since the first of the year. 13 more to go and I will be happy (and at peace with the fact that my goal weight now at 61 is a good bit more than what I thought was fat at age 25).

    3. Rainbow baby is still healthy at 16 weeks along, and I cooked and washed the dishes last night (instead of being too exhausted to do either)!

    4. I kicked some A and took some names during the deposition of an expert witness, to the point that I bet I can get any and all opinions about my client excluded from trial. I fit into a suit for my first in-person court appearance in a year. My billables are way up, after a pandemic-and-insurrection-and-winter slump.

      1. That’s awesome! Especially the suit fit which sometimes feels like the most grueling part!

    5. In process on two different roles I could be interested in – 1 is currently at the reference stage, the other at the personality test stage. And an old boss just tried to lure me into a third role.
      “.. it doesn’t rain but it pours”

  10. Might repost tomorrow because I forgot to hit the morning thread but does anyone have tips for preventing acne/irritation from a CPAP mask? My husband is having a lot of irritation from his and I told him I’d ask here since I’m no great shakes at skincare. He seems to be getting more acne as well as irritation and I think our tea tree oil face wash that I bought is making it worse. Would love any tips I could pass on.

    1. I would recommend taking a look at the cpaptalk.com discussion boards and search for acne. Also the Reddit boards would have some recs I bet.

      http://www.cpaptalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=172958&p=1268357&hilit=acne#p1268357

      Make sure he washes at least the mask cushion every day and his face before bed, if the acne is under the cushion. If it is the straps or part of the frame, then look for “liners” of fabric that are sold for that mask or make your own (a small piece of cotton fabric) so your face doesn’t rub directly on the frame. He may need to wash those (ie wet with a drop of dish soap and let dry) frequently. And take a look at those other discussion boards.

      Good luck!

  11. Help me pick my next short haircut. For about a year, I’ve had either a long pixie or a very short bob, depending on your definition. Currently, the longest pieces in front are chin-to-jaw length. The top is tapered and shorter. Think Erin Napier from Home Town, although I’m not nearly as adorable as she is. I like the style and it’s very easy for me to maintain, but I’m getting bored. Probably not changing up the color because of Reasons that are too boring to explain. How short should I go, and any ideas for cute cuts? Asymmetrical pixie, maybe? (I don’t do the shaved undercut thing.)

    I’m no stranger to super short hair, but I am carrying a little extra weight in my face these days. My overall vibe is sporty yet feminine.

    1. How about an asymmetrical bob, 1960s style? A deep side part (don’t tell the Zoomers) where the longer side is chin length and the shorter side is behind your ear? The part would be on the shorter side.

      If you’re carrying extra weight in your face and concerned about it, I think some hair that contours your cheeks helps a lot.

      1. I had this asymmetrical bob in 1998. Based on what other things are back from the same period, I’d say it’s due a revival.

        I’d go for one of Emma Thompson’s pixies, though, given your description. She has had some fabulous ones with a longer fringe (and no undercut).

  12. Ideas for a graduation dress for law school graduation? I want something with sleeves preferably. I’ve spent way too much time browsing. Looking to spend under $100 hopefully.

  13. Hi – paging Moonstone for your weekend question about experiences with CSA/meat share plans. I had the page open to reply, but forgot. Totally agree with you that less but better sourced meat is the way to go over quantity, and that just choosing not to use meat is a good point of view as well.

    I’ve used a couple of different solutions trying to do the same as you, going for quality of life vs. quantity of product. (Not in the US, so slightly different, and I’m sorry if the terminology is “off”.)

    For beef, the a best I’ve tried in terms of quality is meat from steers left to free range in meadows for a few years. Grass fed, outdoor living in lots of space, no unnecessary medication, organic feed for any supplementary feed during winter. (In terms of animal welfare, a castrated bull will have a much better chance of being able to live outdoors and grass a meadow compared to a non-castrated bull, but the castration of the calf may have been painful depending on whether the farm uses pain relief, that is different in different countries.) My CSA would get a picture and maybe even the name of the steer.

    As for cuts, I like to go for the using-everything-cuts rather than the “premium” cuts if it’s possible to specify. E.g. a tougher, slow-cooker friendly cut like a rib roast or shoulder, and bones for stock. But I also really like to get mince (hamburger?). Mince is a great way to use leftover cuts, and the farm can be sure that nothing goes to waste.

    For pork, I’ve had great experience with getting meat from farms with free-range pigs living in family units in large areas outdoors (with little family huts). Pig welfare is very different in these style farms. Again, using-everything-cuts, sausages, mince and tougher roasts or hocks, and bones for stock.

    I have found places with poultry as well, but what I prefer to get are retired laying hens from free-range, organic, non-factory places. Some of these farms in my country sell their retired hens as soup/stock meat (instead of just destroying them when they stop laying, which is more common).

    Game meat is also better than “quantity” meat as well IMO. Reindeer or elk/moose are both traditional where I live, especially reindeer is part of the indigenous people’s way of life, and better sources available.

    1. I didn’t see the post over the weekend, but this is a topic near and dear to my heart. I get a vegetable CSA and sometimes a meat CSA, both from local farmers.

      As for considerations for your meat CSA — My first concern would be what you normally get, and do you have a choice. There are lots of different models. Some CSAs give you a share that’s literally anything (so you might get necks or other cuts that are more difficult to use as a center piece meal that you mentioned). Some CSAs have an option where you pick a consistent delivery (like, each week you know you’ll get 1 lb of ground meat, 2 chicken breasts, and a pork chop). Some are in between. I like the in-between best. Those will give you a wide variety of cuts but just give you an option of the really hard to use stuff. There’s one CSA here that gives a lot of sausage almost every week. That’s fine if you like sausage, but just ask to see lists of what they’ve given the last few months or what a typical box is. Unless you are getting a CSA with a consistent product mix, just make sure that you are ok using things like chicken thighs instead of breasts, and coming up with uses for other cuts that you may not normally buy.

      Some will also let you add on to your CSA box. This is where you might add on things like backs/necks (my preferred CSA actually gives these kinds of cuts for free if you want to make broth or whatever). Or some let you add on more premium cuts for an extra charge.

      If you’d like, most of the farmers in my area will actually let you come see the animals. I have never done that, but I know for sure that my CSA farmer would let me if I asked. My boyfriend has actually gone to the farm where our vegetables are grown to learn more about their practices for our home garden.

      Anyway, welcome to the world of CSAs! I hope you love it.

  14. “For those of you who are heading back into the office: what bags are you loving right now?”

    My current bag for rare going into the office day, is a Sea to Summit ultralight backpack. Room for my laptop, some clothes and a nice purse. Very suitable for a covid bicycle commute. :)

    2. I don’t need to carry a laptop for work, but being in STEM I prefer the look of a backpack over a purse. I have this Travelon sling bag that is the perfect size for what few items I need to carry on a daily basis, and is very comfortable.

      https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D3S0BHW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

      For non-work, I bought a teal Fossil crossbody early last spring, and while its still very cute, I feel its way too formal for my life this spring. I recently bought a canvas crossbody from Baggalini that feels much more appropriate.

  15. We’re having posole for dinner – what’s a fun tequila-based cocktail to pair with it?

    2. +1 for Palomas

      I like them better if less sweet and made with grapefruit juice rather than grapefruit soda pop (or other sugars), but both are nice. And you will never go wrong with a proper Margarita. :D

      But honesty, for posole, I’d do beer. ;)

    3. We just discovered “tegronis” — like a negroni but two parts tequila, one part each campari and sweet vermouth, garnish with grapefruit twist.

  16. I had the same thought but, like most other aspects of a woman’s body, I have a feeling that this, too, is photoshopped to smooth perfection.

  17. Love your Rothy’s crossbody bag in red. It is a pop of color and will go with anything you wear. Thanks fir your blog.

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