This post may contain affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
We have definitely featured the best-selling Sandra coat in some of our previous winter coat roundups — but I had no idea it came in a zillion different colors! Bloomingdale's has three colors on sale for $345 (down from the regular price of $575), including a really lovely light blue. The coat only comes in sizes 0-10, but if those sizes work for you there are a ton of great reviews at Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom and Ted Baker, particularly singing the praises of the floral lining and the magnetic detail at the wrap top to keep the coat closed. Nice! Sandra Belted Wrap Coat
2019 Update: We're adding this coat to our Workwear Hall of Fame because it's still around, coming out in new colors and slightly different lengths, and getting rave reviews at Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's, Amazon and more.
This post contains affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For more details see here. Thank you so much for your support!
Some of our favorite classic coats for work as of 2024 include: olive / blue / green / caramel / black / gray (not pictured but also) – and don't forget to check out our editors' favorite washable winter coats!
![collage of 5 plus-size professional women wearing winter coats](https://corporette.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/plus-coats-2024.png)
There are a ton of fun trendy winter coats for work at Nordstrom this year – these are our favorites!
![trendy coats for work in the 2023 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale](https://corporette.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/trendy-coats-for-work-in-the-2023-nordstrom-anniversary-sale.png)
Sales of note for 8.30.24
- Nordstrom – Summer Sale, save up to 60%
- Ann Taylor – 30% off full-price purchase; $99 jackets, dresses & shoes; extra 50% off sale
- Banana Republic Factory – 50-70% off everything + extra 20% off
- Bergdorf Goodman – Final Days Designer Sale, up to 75% off; extra 20% off sale
- Boden – 20% off
- Brooks Brothers – Extra 25% off clearance
- Eloquii – Up to 60% off everything; extra 60% off all sale
- J.Crew – 40% off sitewide; extra 60% off sale styles
- J.Crew Factory – Extra 20% off orders $125+; extra 60% off clearance; 60%-70% off 100s of styles
- Lo & Sons – Summer sale, up to 50% off (ends 9/2)
- Madewell – Extra 40% off sale; extra 50% off select denim; 25% off fall essentials
- M.M.LaFleur – Save 25% sitewide
- Rothy's – End of season sale, up to 50% off
- Spanx – Lots of workwear in the big sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – 25% off regular-price purchase; 70% off clearance
- White House Black Market – Up to 70% off sale
Some of our latest posts here at Corporette…
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…
KonMari Addict
Where do you guys buy art for your home? Is it just decor for you or do you consider it a collection? Do you have a budget for art, or a maximum you are willing to spend?
Anonymous
I used to be a photographer and have some of my items framed. And other items of photography (our museum has a fundraiser auction and the prices are not only reasonable but fund a good cause). I don’t like a lot of art as a design style though and I’m picky about hanging location, framing, subject matter, mood, etc. I also like framed maps of all sorts — nautical charts, airplane waypoints, etc.
My office is a riot of framed things (mainly photographs and maps) in all sizes and also framed embroidery.
Anon
I definitely don’t get my art from one particular source because I want art that I actually like and that is good and I don’t want my house to look like a bland stock photo. I have multiple pieces I’ve picked up on vacation, a large print of a painting by an artist in my friend circle, a couple of framed cards, one piece that was a gift, some local indigenous artwork from different galleries where I live, and my absolute favorite piece is something I got at Value Village for $7 when I was a junior in college. It’s been hanging above my bed in every place I’ve lived since I bought it. It definitely sparks joy :)
LAnon
I love to go to art fairs and buy pieces there – there’s always a wide range of prices and it’s so fun to have original artwork.
I’ve also made a point of trying to buy pieces from artists or illustrators whose work I enjoy on Instagrm or other social media platforms – if their work is brightening my day consistently, I figure I should support them with more than “likes”. I recently bought a couple prints from Yaoyao Ma Van As, whose illustrations on Insta always make me stop scrolling. I hung them in my bathroom and have gotten more comments on them than any other piece of art I own.
KonMari Addict
This is what prompted my question! I’m seriously considering buying a piece by an artist I follow on Instagram, but it’s kind of expensive for me so I’m thinking hard before I do it.
Anonymous
I’ve done this (bought a piece from an artist I follow on Instagram) and it was kind of expensive for me and I am so glad I did! I just DM’d her, she quoted me a price, I paypal’d her using the friends and family option, and she mailed it to me.
anon
DO IT. Support your artists! :D
Rainbow Hair
Yes! If you can buy directly from an artist you’re like, funding their ability to keep making art!
LAnon
Go for it, particularly if this is someone you’ve followed for a while and consistently like! You’ve basically gotten to “sample” their art for a while, and if every time you see a sample, you think “oooh, I love it!”, then that’s a good indication that you’ll be happy with some in your home for years to come.
Anon
We have mostly inherited art or been given gifts by friends, but I would spend up to $200-300 at this point in my life for something really exceptional. It hasn’t happened yet, though, even though there is a particular type of print I’m hoping to find. We’ve mostly picked up inexpensive things here and there. Art isn’t a major priority for me right now and I’m happy with the family items we’ve inherited.
Anonymous
I work at a university and have purchased some lovely original paintings from MFA students. I’ve spent up to $500 on a piece of art and it gives me such joy to look at it each time that I consider it worth it.
anon
We have a very eclectic mix of art and decor. We are lucky to have a family member who is a talented artist who gives us art about once per year. Each piece is worth several thousand, so that’s definitely serious enough to be a collection. We have inherited or adopted art we like from relatives and friends. We have purchased inexpensive art on vacations. We have several photographs and prints and maps that we’ve purchased and framed. We mix in family photos and sentimental items to make it feel more like home.
We don’t have a set budget for art. Besides the gifts, the process is more organic. I imagine I’d spend up to $1000 on a piece of art my husband and I both loved enough–but we agree on so little that I doubt that that would happen more than once every 20 years. (We’ve been married almost 9 years and dated for 6 years before that, and it hasn’t happened yet.)
Rainbow Hair
I have artists in my family, so some of my art is from them. I usually buy their work (sometimes with a family discount) but I think some have been gifts. We have a couple (two?) pretty vacation photos that my husband took framed in our living room. We also have some posters and prints with personal meaning (husband worked with the graphic designer, it’s by a local depicting a neighborhood that was important to us, it was purchased on a trip) and some prints I specifically requested from an artist whose work I love. I am also a proponent of putting pretty things on the wall, even if they’re not what immediately pops to mind as “art.” We have tapestries hanging in a few room (partially because they’re so easy to pack, so they’re a great thing to buy when traveling!) and a rug that was too pretty to put on the floor for the cats to destroy, and a tray that would never get used as a tray. We also buy souvenir masks from places we travel (think a Chinese Opera type mask) and just hang those suckers on the wall. I love the color they add!
We don’t have a budget for art, and generally our decision making process is pretty emotional. A lot of “oh, oh wow” and making eye contact and that “oh well shoot, there goes the money” feeling (along with some giddy excitement) communicated between us when we both fall for something.
anon
+1 to the decision making process as emotional. I’m an artist myself (not for a career tho) and I’ll buy something if I am so immediately taken with it that I physically react, then can’t stop thinking about it. There are so many things that are so, so beautiful but my threshold for taking ownership of it and spending the money is whether I immediately say “YES this is it” and have that giddy feeling. I don’t really have a budget, per se, just a gut sense of what’s reasonable in context of my financial goals.
DCR
I pretty much exclusively buy art when traveling. The places I visit are so beautiful and they are great reminders of my amazing trips.
The most expensive piece was about $800, but most of it is less than $100 cause I mainly travel to developing counties. It generally costs another few hundred to frame the pieces, so I would say most of it is in the $250-$500 range. At this point in my life, I would be potentially willing to spend up to $1000, but would be a lot more comfortable in the $500 and under range.
NOLA
I’ve bought most of the art in my house from local art shoes or the art show in the community where my Dad lived, that had a big juried art show (central PA) every August. I also have some funky pieces like a fleur de lis roof or ceiling tile that I had mounted and framed. And at least one from a local artist that I bought in the French Quarter. I really like buying from the artists themselves, even when it’s a bit of a splurge. One time, I thought about a painting overnight and went back to buy it the next day (the art market is 3 blocks from my house) and it turned out that the artist had reduced the price because it was a new series for him and he wanted to sell one. I love it and would have bought it anyway!
Puddlejumper
I need some easy reads that suck you in. Things I have enjoyed in the past:
Tana French (not so much the latest but the others)
Crazy Rich Asians series
The Darling
The Woman in the Window
I found you
The Death of Mrs Westaway
Rosalind’s Pilcher books
The Summer Before The War
Liane Moriarty books
Jojo moyes books
Major Pettigrews Last Stand
The Royal We
The unlikely prilgrimage of Harold Fry
Anon for this
I just read The Proposal; the book before that one (Wedding Date) was good too. Modern romcoms.
Vicky Austin
Currently reading Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld…definitely immersive and easy (yay boarding school books!), although I’m frustrated with the main character right now.
Anon
Just off the top of my head, these are some books that totally sucked me in:
The Power by Naomi Alderman
all of the Neapolitan Novels by Elena Ferrante
A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
Underground Airlines by Ben Winters
Anonymous
Jasmine Guillory– The Proposal and The Wedding Date
Anything Beatriz Williams, especially the Schyuler Sisters books
Curtis Sittenfeld– Eligible
Noah Hawley– Before the Fall
Meg Abbott– You Will Know Me
Rainbow Rowell– Eleanor & Park
Wow
I’m furloughed and am running through anything by Jenny Colgan (I really like Cafe by the Sea and the Bookshop on the Corner). It’s chick lit I guess but well written and easy to read.
Anom
Have you tried Jill Mansell? Also chick lit set in UK.
Anon
Loooove Jenny Colgan even if each book is basically the same (plucky city girl moves to tiny charming town and falls in love with hunky blue collar type). Bookshop on the Corner is adorable.
Anom
Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries by Kerry Greenwood.
cat socks
I like ones from Fiona Davis and Beatriz Williams. I also like the non-Shopaholic books from Sophie Kinsella. Recently read the YA books The Thousandth Floor and Dazzling Heights from Katharine McGee.
cat socks
Oh, thought of some more.
The Amos Decker and John Puller series novels from David Baldacci.
The Lastt Time I Lied from Riley Sager.
Anon
The Selection series by Kiera Cass
Anonymous
This is the definition of “easy reads that suck you in.” I hate how much I loved these books.
Abby
Jodi Picoult books
busybee
We have very similar reading tastes. I enjoy Karin Slaughter’s series involving Will Trent–read them in order. Other authors I like are Paula Hawkins, Susie Steiner, Fiona Davis, and Adriana Trigiani (especially loved the Shoemaker’s Wife). I also enjoyed The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant, The Sandalwood Tree by Elle Newmark, and The Paris Architect by Charles Belfoure. And for silly but funny reads, I like the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. I’m a little embarrassed to admit that.
Lise
Anything by Kate Atkinson, but especially Transcription, Life After Life, and A God in Ruins.
RR
Everything by Kate Morton (The Secret Keeper is my favorite, but they are all great) – I think of Liane Moriarty as a lighter, less gothic Kate Morton. Morton writes really woman-centric mysteries that I never fully figure out, but that come together beautifully. They are amazing.
If you like romance, try Penny Reid. She writes “smart romance,” and it’s funny and involves really interested nerdy themes. I’d suggest starting with Neanderthal Seeks Human. I love everything she writes.
Beans
Another plug for Kate Morton. Love her work.
Anon
Where Did You Go Bernadette was weird and funny and interesting. I also liked The Kiss Quotient if you like a lighter (semi-explicit) rom com.
anon
I just finished A Man Called Ove and adored it. Not rom com but so dang charming.
Emerson
I literally finished that book this morning and I am obsessed with it. So, so good!
Easy read
My Sister, the Serial Killer
Senior Attorney
I love the Cormoran Strike books by J.K. Rowling writing as Robert Galbreath. Also just plowed through the entire works of Octavia Butler, starting with Kindred, which was the best of the bunch.
NOLA
Anything by Jenny Colgan – I got sucked in by someone here.
Nylon girl
I just read The Banker’s Wife & We Were the Lucky Ones. Both were excellent. I just started The Paris Seamstress. Also like Jed From the Corner of the Oval.
Inspired By Hermione
The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, Age 83 1/4
Eligible (+1)
Outlander
Next Year in Havana
Where the Crawdads Sing
Dear Mr. Darcy
How to Stop Time
Goodbye, Paris
Crimes Against a Book Club
This is How It Always Is
When Katie Met Cassidy
The Book of Essie
The Kiss Quotient (+1)
You Think It, I’ll Say It (short stories)
The Wedding Date and The Proposal (+1)
In Farleigh Field
Code Name Verity
The Perfect Nanny
The Couple Next Door
Caroline: Little House, Revisited
Anything by Kristin Hannah
Beneath a Scarlet Sky
The Alice Network
The Vacationers and Modern Lovers by Emma Straus
Fitness Junkie
Station Eleven
The Royal We
Where’d You Go, Bernadette (+1)
Girl on the Train
The Light Between Oceans
Alan Brennert’s books- Molokai and its upcoming sequel, Daughter of Molokai are beautiful
Pachinko
Jamie Ford’s books
People of the Book
Water for Elephants
A Gentleman in Moscow
Royal Wedding if you ever read the Princess Diaries books
Not all of these are “light” reads, but they all pulled me in.
Belle Boyd
I love Ruth Ware’s books. She writes “dark and twisty” thrillers and they are impossible to put down. If you read Gone Girl but didn’t read Sharp Objects or Dark Places, I definitely recommend them – they are both much better than Gone Girl.
The Passenger by Lisa Lutz was really good. And I also recommend The Light Between Oceans, although it is a bit more than a light, easy read. It’s a beautifully written story, though, and so much better than the movie.
Polished but Easy
Wise ladies, I’m looking for advice on hair/makeup. I’m a relatively new mom so don’t want to spend a ton of time on hair/makeup but I’m also getting more senior at work and it’s becoming clear to me that I probably need to be a bit more polished on a day to day basis. I will “do” my hair and makeup for client meetings, etc but any tips for everyday makeup or hair that doesn’t require a ton of time/effort?
ER
This is very hair dependent. For me, I cut my hair to just above shoulder length (my hairdresser is right, longer is a better look on my, but it was too much work) and I bought a fancy hair dryer that would reduce the amount of time it takes to blow dry my hair.
Other moms I know keep their hair long, shower the night before, and find a hairstyle they like that does not require washing day of.
I wear more makeup than I used to before I had kids. I wear concealer, foundation, eyebrow pencil, and some lip product right now. I keep getting sick from my kids, so I skip the eye makeup and wear glasses instead.
Candidate
For my hair, I have a short cut that is easy to style, and it’s the same every day. Put a little product in, brush, style, and let it air dry. I’m lucky and have easy to deal with hair.
For my makeup, I do a brow gel (sometimes tinted, sometimes not) and find that really makes a difference in how well groomed I look. I also do an undereye concealer or brightening serum, and use the Two Faced Primed & Poreless powder. That’s it for an “average” day; when I need to step it up I add lipstick and mascara. Under <10 minutes, usually <5!
BTW if any women out there are running for office, I do this for canvassing too. I typically add a pink lipstick, just slightly darker than my natural color, and skip the mascara, especially when it's hot and humid. For council meetings, I have a range of reds, and escalate darker if I'm mad or expect a fight. It's my own personal "dissent collar."
eyepanda
Honestly, just start small and do it every day. I wear concealer and eye makeup every day, but I started just using mascara. The more you practice the faster it gets. Also, get products that are easy to apply. I use one shade of liquid eye shadow every morning. More dedicated folks will blend three different powder shades – but I don’t want to bother.
eertmeert
If your skin is in good shape, I would focus on neat, tidy eyebrows and mascara.
My eyebrows are naturally pale and sparse, so I fill mine in, and sometimes get them tinted. If yours are more full, you can use a brow gel, which is like a mascara for your brows, really quick and easy. I use a brush and pomade ($8, MAkeup Revolution) and it takes about a minute to fill them in. Wayne Goss has several good, short youtube videos for filling in your eyebrows using a quick and easy technique with a pencil.
A step up from there would be adding a natural looking blush and maybe a tinted lip balm.
I have slightly oily skin and a lot of scarring and redness from old acne scars. My streamlined routine is a bb cream/light coverage foundation that I can smear on with my fingers, cream blush with fingers, setting powder with brush, setting spray to take away powderiness, brows, single wash of cream eye shadow with fingers all over lid and up into crease, mascara, lip something – maybe tinted balm or lipstick. It takes 5 to 7 minutes, and would take under 5 if I could skip the foundation steps, but I feel more confident when my skin tone is evened out.
My hair is fine, thin and chin-length, so it air dries really quickly, and I have some natural wave, so I just throw in some leave-in products and call it good. I was every 2 to 3 days, so second day is mostly brushing it, possibly dry shampoo, and third day definitely gets dry shampoo and pulled back into a ponytail.
If I had thicker, longer hair I would absolutely do more with up-dos, which can camouflage dirty hair.
Aurora
If you’re willing to shell out the cash and keep regular appointments, I’ve found eyebrow microblading and natural-looking eyelash extensions to be the ideal solution. I jumped on the bandwagon after multiple other female colleagues did so and it means my daily makeup routine is zero–I just focus on good skincare. This depends on your office and geographic location though, I know places where these solutions seem like overkill, but in my area its pretty common.
Amelia Bedelia
I heard that lash extensions will ruin your eyelashes. is this true, or is it really a long-term solution to mascara?
Aurora
I’ve found conflicting reports on this, so I can only speak from personal experience, which is that I’ve been doing it for two years with no adverse effects as far as I can tell, and I’ve read interviews with folks who have been doing it for 6+ years. Obviously, finding a licensed and certified technician who knows how to maintain lash health can reduce the risk of damage. I take a biotin supplement and try to be super gentle with my lashes, but for me it’s a risk worth taking. YMMV.
Housecounsel
I have had lash extensions since mid-summer. I absolutely love them. I don’t think my lashes are ruined, but it would be really, really hard to go back to my natural lashes, and I think they’d seem stubby even if they were exactly the same.
Anon
Or you could use Latisse and grow your own.
ElisaR
eek not after the recent reports that came out on Latisse. No thank you.
Anon
I can’t find anything on latisse. Are you sure you’re not referring to the non prescription lash product from Rodan -Fields?
The original Scarlett
To be fair, I think the issue and lawsuits were centered on the marketing not the product being unsafe. That said, I tried it and it barely did a thing. I’m intrigued by the extensions. Can anyone speak more about the maintenance and upkeep involved?
Quick and tested
I put on suncreen+moisturizer then address my problem areas (under eye concealer and concealer on pimples etc), eyeliner, curl my eyelashes, and use mascara. The whole thing takes less than 5 minutes. I have eyeliner in a couple of colors (black, brown, gray, blue, olive green) and switch those around depending on what I am wearing. I also keep a lipstick in my bags when i feel like i need a little something extra.
When i want to do something more, i usually swipe on eyeshadow in a single light color (pink, brown, champagne)
CPA Lady
Unsolicited advice that you can tell me to shove: it is important to take time for yourself too as a new mom. It seems impossible, and can make you feel guilty at first, but it is so worth it when you actually get to feel good about yourself and your appearance.
What I do:
Hair- haircut every 8 weeks from competent hairdresser, that works with my hair’s natural texture. I shower every other day, use one of those Aquis microfiber towels that gets a ton of water out of my hair so I only have to blow dry with my head upside down for about 5 minutes. I use bumble and bumble hairdresser’s oil heat protector spray. I do a deep condition on my hair in the shower when I’m shaving my legs once every week or so (aussie 5 minute miracle).
Skincare- my skin is dry and sensitive. In the winter, I do trader joe’s hyalauronic acid followed by dr. jart ceramidin cream after cleansing my face with Bioderma Sensibio micellar water. I use good genes once a week or so. In the summer I use a lighter moisturizer than the ceramidin cream. My favorite one was discontinued, so I’m on the hunt for a new one. Friday night is bath night for me (I’m a wild woman) and I usually do a moisturizing sheet mask while I’m soaking.
Makeup- I am of the opinion that well groomed brows are more important than almost any makeup I can put on my face. So I get my brows shaped every couple of months and tweeze strays in between. I use maybelline age rewind concealer, gimme brow (eyebrow mascara), lipstick, and sephora brand mascara.
lydia
ooh do those towels actually work? they sound too good to be true but I hate blowdrying so I would love it if they did…
I agree with your comment about brows: I find Benefit’s “Gimme Brow” a lifesaver.
Hair
My time warp is my coarse, thick hair. The biggest time saver of all is Brazilian Blowout or Keratin treatments. It truly makes my hair like doll hair that can be washed and dried quickly. It’s as if the hair is coated with something that allows the water to roll of it. I think light make up adds polish. In 5 minutes, I can do tinted moisturizer, powder, blush, eyeliner, mascara and lipcolor. Another key component is footwear. I try to lean towards sleek instead of the traditional comfort looks for professional shoes, even with casual and business casual outfits.
SoBe Chick
I started a new makeup routine that is surprisingly effective if I gauge it by comments from trusted friends. It consists of primer all over my face, followed by powder foundation applied with a kubuki brush. Then powder blush with a brush, eyebrow pencil (I’m naturally blonde so I need a little kick there but it’s just enough to create a brow – nothing “carefully” applied), brown mascara (more natural), and one of 3 lipsticks – pink-ish, orange-ish, or red-ish. In the right color palette, this combination covers my patchy skin, highlights my green eyes, and makes me look “put-together” in 5 minutes. Truly. Life changing if you struggle with getting it right in only a few minutes.
Anonymous
This morning’s question about paying out of pocket to visit the office reminded me of something – for those who work in firms with lots of offices, do you visit other offices on your own dime? I’ve worked in two (biglaw) firms with offices all over the country/world. I’m frequently encouraged to go visit other offices “if I happen to be in the area on vacation or something.” I don’t vacation in cities, so that’s not an option. I’ve always made an effort to visit other offices for conferences, trainings, etc., and I’ve offered to visit offices if I’m working with anyone there, but the clients/firm have never been willing to pay for me to travel to an office just because. At my last firm, I was criticized for not traveling to other offices on my own dime. It was suggested that I should have visited every large office in the country (paid by me) if I was really invested in my career there (fwiw none of the other associates did that). Nothing like that has been said at my current firm but I wonder if that’s the norm?
Anonymous
Hahahahaha. No. Ridiculous.
anon
I think it’s crazy to expect an associate to travel to other offices on their own dime. My previous firm (regional law) wouldn’t pay for associates to go visit other offices just because. The savvy associates found ways to get some face time with attorneys from other offices on the firm’s dime–present together, attend the same conference, stop by the other office during or after a trip the firm would pay for (any client matter or conference). I never heard of anyone being criticized for not traveling to other offices on their own dime.
I imagine it’s different for partners, who are expected to “invest” more, but only where it made business sense.
anon
Also consider that if you had spent your own money to travel to another office, you’d likely be criticized by some partner in your home office for not being at your desk in the exact moment they needed you, and god forbid they take some reasonable step to try to contact you. Sometimes, there’s no way to win.
OP
That’s exactly the struggle. I get enough pushback for being out of the office to attend, say, a conference on the day(s) that the conference is actually happening. It’s hard to take another day on top of that to work out of another office just because. I try to go to conferences that have some sort of dinner the night before the conference so I have an excuse to fly out in the morning, spend the day at the office in that city, and then go to the pre-conference reception that night.
Anon
I don’t think it’s the “norm” and I think it’s unreasonable for them to expect you to plan a vacation around their office locations or visit every office, but it’s definitely not unheard of to work out of a different office if you have family or some other reason to be in the area. When I was in Big Law, I worked out of five or so different North American offices when visiting family and friends in those cities. All travel expenses on my own dime and the purpose of the trip was definitely seeing my family. I just worked out of these other offices so I could work efficiently while there (with secretarial support, etc) and didn’t have to use vacation days (not that vacation days have much significance anyway when you’re always billing). Honestly, this ability to have a real office in so many different places in one of the things I miss most about Big Law! It was so cool to be able to attend events I would have otherwise had to miss/use vacation time for – like Friday night weddings on the opposite coast – because I could just fly Thursday night and work out of our office in that city on Friday.
anon
Someone from my prior firm did that… he was in a niche practice group that really only had a strong presence in two offices, on both coasts. He paid his own way to travel and work from the other office for short stints and credited that with his having the support in his group to make partner.
cbackson
We have a budget for inter-office travel at my current firm, which is literally only to be used for going to other offices and meeting people. I did do some business development travel on my own dime when I was an associate, because my BD budget wasn’t big enough to pay for much. It wasn’t an expectation, by any means, although I think that the firm did view it favorably.
Emma
I am the person in the other post that budgets $ to visit the office and think it has helped my career. My personal rule is that if I am being asked to go and I otherwise wouldn’t be there, they pay (my boss lets us make our own calls on this). If it’s more convenient for me to be in the other office because of things going on in my life, or I’ve made the trip more expensive because I’m coming from x location that no one asked me to come from, I pay.
Anonymous
Yes, but only if I would have some other reason to go (see friends/family/wedding etc).
Anon for this
Does anyone have any favorite games for iPad? Milkmaid of the Galaxy was enjoyable; now I’m playing one of those stupid hidden object games.
Anon
I’ve gotten completely sucked in by Love Nikki as something I can play when I’m not into the show or game my partner is watching but still want to be hanging out. I think there are other fashion games (Covet? Helix Waltz?) with different art and styles that may appeal similarly to different people.
Anonymous
Is Monument Valley available for iPad? I LOVED that for my iPhone.
Inspired By Hermione
Design Home. I had to stop playing it because I was spending actual money…
Sydney
I love CubeCube, 21 Blitz and Diamond Strike! All games by Skillz.
BabyAssociate
Anyone have experiences with Intrepid Travel? I’m not typically a group traveler at all, but I’m considering them for a trip that is pretty much impossible to do unless you’re with a group (Iran).
Anon
No recs but I am JEALOUS.
DCR
I used them once, and had a great experience. They dealt with all of the hassles of traveling that I don’t like ( getting between small rural towns in an Asian country, checking in to the hotels, etc.), and I got to just focus on deciding what I wanted to do in each area. The thing I liked was that you went off on your own in each city, so it was not like a group tour In that respect. That may not be try in Iran. I highly recommend them.
BabyAssociate
This is super helpful, thanks!
LAnon
Used them for a trip to Egypt and thought they were fantastic! We had a blend of structured and unstructured time in every city. Our guide was a local and really knowledgable and fun. They tend to be a bit more on the adventurous side – we slept on the deck of a boat one night, and later went on a slightly disorganized donkey ride – and it was definitely a more active tour, though nothing more strenuous than a full day of walking. Definitely highly recommend.
LAnon
I should clarify by “adventurous” – basically I mean nothing too wild but a bit beyond what my parents or grandparents would feel comfortable with their usual “on the bus, off the bus” type tour groups.
BabyAssociate
“On the bus, off the bus” is exactly what I’m looking to avoid, so this is definitely helpful!
BabyAssociate
Exactly the kind of info I’m looking for, thanks!
anon
Yes! I used them for a two-week long tour from Croatia down the coast to Greece. It was a smallish group tour (~10) with mostly female English speakers from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Switzerland. The guide was from eastern Europe but spoke English well. The age range was 25-65 and the guide did an excellent job of adapting the days’ activities to everyone’s interests, fitness levels, etc and providing options. I was the 25 year old of the group, and would definitely recommend Intrepid for another tour.
TX-IHC
Excellent experience as a solo traveler with them on a tour through Jordan & Egypt 10 years ago. The guides were great and everything was planned well–able to see things I never could have arranged on my own. Agree with the above comments that it’s more active and immersive than “just a bus” tour.
JB
No knowledge about Intrepid, but I LOVED visiting Iran. Highly recommend
Anonymous
I bought dr Jart BB cream on the advice of folks here. New question: what do y’all use to apply the cream? Fingers?
Rainbow Hair
I have been using a foundation brush. The kind that’s like, flat with a round end, not the kind that’s tubular with a stippling kind of end.
Anon
I use the Tarte powder brush. A big fluffy brush. It goes on better for me that way. I put one or two little squirts on the back of my hand and dip the brush into them.
Then I spray some brush cleaner on a piece of tissue and wipe the brush on it to remove the residue.
lydia
I use my fingers!
Ann Perkins!
I love bright lipsticks, especially in the winter, but they’re driving me a little crazy rubbing off on things (also, there’s nothing worse than having a bright pink napkin at lunch – ugh). My lips are prone to dryness, so I tend to wear balm or chapstick under my lipstick. What’s your favorite lipstick with staying power that won’t dry me out?
Anon
Brush a skin colored or translucent setting powder over your lips through a tissue. It will set your lips. Lipstick will still come off if you rub but not form an incidental touch.
Carrots
I really like Sephora’s Collection cream lip stain, but you have to put it on dry lips for it to stay. I don’t have dry lips usually, so I haven’t noticed it drying out my lips otherwise.
Anon
Someone here once recommended me a YSL lip gloss. I can’t remember the exact line, maybe glossy stain, but it comes in a rectangle container with a gold cap. It stays on quite well and isn’t drying.
Liz
I like Milani liquid lipsticks from the drugstore. You can get matte or metallic colors, they last all day without rubbing off or needing reapplication, and they cost like $7 each.
Horse Crazy
I like the Wet n’ Wild Catwalk liquid lipsticks.
anon
I love the Jeffree Star Liquid lips that I have. They are a tiny bit drying, but not bad at all. Very similar to the wet n’wild catwalk liquid lipsticks.
Anon
I have an interview with a smaller corporate company next week in the Southeast – do I need to wear tights/hose? I work in a big northeastern city now and would just wear tights for warmth, but not even sure I would wear them for appearances. Not sure how the South is these days on formality.
Anon
Disclaimer: I’m in Texas, not the SE/South. My opinion would be yes (hose, not tights) if you are wearing a suit. If you are wearing something less casual, maybe not, but I tend to wear tights from November to mid-March because I find a dress plus tights to be comfortable. In the summer, when it’s hot and sticky, I’m far less likely to wear hose even in a moderately formal setting (e.g., county court).
Anon
I am an attorney in a mid-size SEUS city and would wear a skirt suit with black pantyhose in this situation. It is supposed to be super cold here next week, so if you can find a way to wear tights without it looking frumpy, then I would say go ahead. Women here wear tights to court not infrequently– black sheath dress + tweed blazer + tights+ pumps is a normal court outfit. I personally think tights + a skirt suit looks super weird on most people but that may just be me.
Anon
Unless you’re going to a small very conservative city, tights in mild or hot weather is weird and kind of frumpy, even in the South. Tights in winter / cold is very normal – sheer black tights or nude tights with an interview outfit. Larger SE (think Houston, Atlanta, NOLA, Dallas, Raleigh) cities do wear similar clothes to NE cities, especially in a company v. a law firm, the clothes just skew brighter and lighter weight.
Anon
I already don’t like the word frumpy, but it’s particularly galling in this context because we are talking about a job interview here. Not a fashion show, not a date, not a speaking engagement, not a TV appearance.
OP you should look as polished and well-groomed as possible, and your clothing should seriously be nothing memorable. I’d wear very sheer hose in the color closest to your skin if you decide to wear a skirt suit. Then I’d forget what I was wearing and focus on how to get across how absolutely perfect I am for the job.
littleperfection
+1
Anon
Here is another very compelling reason to see female health providers. 100% of recorded MD abusers were men. 90% of victims were female.
https://www.medpagetoday.com/publichealthpolicy/ethics/77605?xid=nl_popmed_2019-01-24&eun=g958874d0r&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=PopMedicine_012419&utm_term=NL_Gen_Int_PopMedicine_Active
Liz
Female health providers also have lower patient mortality and readmission rates. Female providers follow clinic guidelines more closely than male providers and have more patient-centric communication.
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/women-doctors-better-patient-interactions
Anon
None of this is surprising to me at all.
Baconpancakes
How do y’all avoid getting attached to houses before your offer is accepted? We know what the houses should be going for, and we’re not in a position where we have to move any time soon (we’ll be renting our current house, so sale of that isn’t going to be a factor), but I started imagining our life in that house the minute we started walking through it, and now I’m heartbroken the seller is refusing to budge on their unreasonable asking price.