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Snap ‘Em Up Friday’s TPS Report: Mini Cable V-Neck

Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. Our guest poster this week: Lisa Carnochan from Privilege — a huge welcome, Lisa! – Kat Old Navy Women's Mini Cableknit Vneck SweatersThis cotton Old Navy sweater gets rave reviews online. To wear with a brown tee/camisole underneath and black pants. Or the brown tweed trousers that are all over this season, maybe with a skinny dark red belt over. With a blazer for more formality. The sweater comes in multiple colors, but I like this warm brown, as it can be paired in a fairly sophisticated way with corporate hues like pale blue and oxblood. We will pause now to imagine the marketing meeting which led to the Old Navy decision that “Taupe Hat” was a good name for any color. Click the link if you don't believe me. The sweater is currently on sale for $20 (originally $26.94) at Old Navy, and available in 11 colors, as well as talls and petites. Old Navy Women's Mini Cableknit Vneck Sweaters It's been a pleasure. Lunch will be served in the Golden Gate Ballroom. Have a wonderful weekend, and don't get stuck in O'Hare. Seen a great piece you'd like to recommend? Please e-mail editor@corporette.com with “TPS” in the subject line. (L-2)

Sales of note for 12.5

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

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

169 Comments

  1. It’s $22 and that color only is left in XS. I know you’re new here, but please be a little more accurate and it would be helpful if you could choose something that more of us could wear (size-wise).

    1. I think these have been a regular staple at Old Navy for years, so I’m pretty sure they will be restocked online in all sizes and colors fairly regularly.

    2. $2 is fairly negligible, and not worth that snippiness, in my opinion. I see it still available in S as well, and there are plenty of other colors (Baby Spinach, for example) in all sizes. Yeesh. It’s Friday – cheer up!

    5. Ouch! If you add the promo code “ONBIG20” at checkout, they come down to $17.60 each. Maybe that will cheer you up a bit.

    1. Oh Lisa, we’re gonna miss your posts on Corporette! Please stick around in the comments!

    2. I saw it in store in this color in all kinds of sizes yesterday, so that’s an option too. I find old navy not great in terms of website/ store matchup. Fabric felt nice, a good weight for fall and one of those pieces that will probably only last at work quality for a few wears, but will still be really good for weekends.

      Thanks for visiting with us this week Lisa- it’s been fun pondering fashion goals for the future!

    4. Lisa, I really have enjoyed your posts. Unfortunately, I’ve been holding back from buying any of your recommendations because I’m in the process of taking off the 4o (yes 40) pounds I gained in law school. After 3 months I’m 20 pounds away and going strong, so I don’t want to spend money on clothes until I’m stable at my goal weight (although fall is my favorite season). I’ll keep an eye out for this one because it’s priced well for a few months of wear.

        1. I only gained 10 pounds in law school. Then I gained another 15 in my first year of practice. Nice work, Amelia-you are my inspiration. I’m ready to start getting back to be healthy. I’ve done weight watchers off and on and am thinking about getting serious with it. What did you do (if I may ask)?

    5. I like your suggestion, and will likely go out and buy it today. Plenty of items featured on this site sell out quickly, or have limited sizes. Please do not let one grumpy user ruin what has been a wonderful week of suggestions. And as a smaller sized person, it’s refreshing to see something that’s not sold out in MY size! Usually all that’s left are the odds and ends of larger sizes and colors.

    1. Thank you =) I was so sad that I had to miss the sale last night because there isn’t a store close to me.

    3. ACK! I can’t believe I just now saw this (2:00 Pacific Time).

      Cole Haan is my go-to brand! Why did they not inform loyalists like me?

      Sad.

  5. I bought this in two different colors last year. For $20 sweaters, they look great and have held up astonishingly well. This reminds me that I need to go buy it in more colors!

    Also, to all of you who are serving as mentors…. if you haven’t caught up with your mentee lately, now’s a good time to go do it! The mentoring discussion on this blog a few days ago reminded me that I hadn’t seen my new-hire mentee in about a month, so I made plans for a coffee date with her yesterday afternoon. Turns out the poor thing was under so much stress she was about to have a nervous breakdown. She hadn’t eaten in almost 24 hours, and if I hadn’t force-fed her a granola bar I’m pretty sure she would have fainted. She REALLY needed a safe place to vent and unload. I’m so glad I reached out to her, and I will definitely be making check-ins on a regular schedule in the future!

    Lesson learned: even if this is your first time serving as a mentor and you don’t think you have any wisdom to share, remember that new hires don’t know how to do anything at work; something as simple as dealing with mild negative feedback can be a really crushing/disorienting experience for them, and you can help give them a better perspective on these and other everyday stresses of office life.

    BTW she’d never even heard of NGDGTCO. I totally took it for granted that all working women have had this book recommended to them. But hey, now I get to look like a smart older woman for recommending it to her :)

    1. Wow, she’s so lucky to have someone like you for support in tough times. I was in a really bad place my first year at my job as well, and having someone in the workplace who I could confidentially vent to would have been great. Instead I used all my wonderful mentors here at Corporette (one day I should go back and look at all my desperate posts crying out for help).

      One of the things that would have also been helpful was a periodic walk by my office to offer a kind smile and a shoulder squeeze. It doesn’t take much time for the person offering it, but sometimes that kind of quiet “I know what you are going through and I believe in you and your ability to overcome” encouragement can get you through a bad day or week. DC Kolchitonigi, f you don’t mind my asking, what industry are you in?

      1. Thanks for the kind words, and the ‘pats on the back’ are also probably a good idea right now given what kind of stress she’s under.

        We’re at an economic consulting firm that does a lot of litigation support = tight deadlines, late nights, low tolerance for mistakes. All of which are completely brand new to her.

        Looking back on it, what were the hardest parts of going from college to office for you? I was so mixed up and just didn’t know my a$$ from my face for the first few months. I had no idea what ‘success’ looked like, nor did I grasp what sort of professional behavior was necessary to help me achieve it. I even started an office romance with an older man a few levels above me — something which I now CANNOT believe I thought was a good idea! But then we ended up getting married, so I can’t exactly say it was a mistake :)

        1. DC, I’m a regular poster here, anon rt now to say that I work in an economic consulting firm (litigation) also! Nice to see that there’s more than one of us here from this very niche industry.

    2. I lurked on Corporette for months before someone mentioned NGDGTCO. And it was several more months before I read one in a Barnes&Nobles.

      My generation of women is pretty clueless about the realities of the working world, especially when it comes to feminist issues. I considered myself pretty knowledgeable about stuff until I started reading this site. ;)

      Thank you so much for mentoring — we need lots of you out there!

  6. It’s been really fun – you guys are some smart women. I’m sure you’ll see me in the peanut gallery. Thank you all.

    3. Interesting posts this week, thanks! And Lisa, no offense intended, but for some reason this week seemed a little like the peanut gallery was taking advantage of the baby sitter – I think this was one of the funniest weeks for random silly threadjacks ever.

    4. I hope you guest-post more often Lisa. I love your writing, and I (one of the many regular visitors to this site who falls securely in the over-40 demograhic) found your selections and perspective extremely refreshing!

    5. Great job this week Lisa. Your picks this week have been fab.

      & I 2nd what AD said above, but I’ve really enjoyed the general hilarity of the week.

  7. ok, Ladies, I am having a major brain f@rt right now: what is the correct possessive form of parties? IE, is it “the parties’ agreement” or “the parties agreement” ?

    1. Parties’ agreement. Just like it would be Patty’s agreement or the the Smiths’ agreement.

  8. I think I have this sweater in one of the spring/summer colors. It’s surprisingly nice quality — no piling, etc. It is thin though. Only downside (assuming it’s the same sweater) is it stretches easily, so size down.

    1. I have this sweater in black, and totally agreed on all points. It washes up nicely too, which is sometimes a problem with Old Navy’s stuff.

  9. Good reminder to check Old Navy now that fall shopping urges are striking. And love Lisa’s writing (yes please do continue to stick around in comments).

    Corporettes, I am so cold and tired and mildly irritable this morning. Hopefully my coffee will help. I got pulled onto a suddenly-urgent project last Friday morning which was supposed to be an hour of speed edits. Now it’s morphed into a week of constantly “urgent” work and rushing to deadlines only to get more edits, and more rush deadlines, and all of this on documents that a) someone else is responsible for, and b) have been sitting waiting for management review and approval for at least a month. I like rush projects, but not every day, and it’s having a big impact on my ability to get my own assignments done. I’m trying to remind myself that I am just about a year into my career and this is the time to pitch in with a smile and show off my skills and efficiency, but I sure am glad it’s Friday…

    1. I wrote a reply to you, but it was eaten up for being posted too quickly.

      In short – I empathize. But recognize this as an opportunity for people to later say – “when we were really jammed on that project, E stepped in and was a huge help.” That is what reputations are made of. Particularly if you’re early in your career, take every opportunity, whether within your specific job responsibility or not, to show that you add value.

      1. Thanks for both the empathy and the reminder :) That’s been my goal throughout my year here (to build my reputation especially based on being able to add value and get things past the goal line, which can be a huge hurdle in my area of work) and I’ve gotten some feedback to indicate that it’s working. So now that the giant urgent project is submitted and done for now, I just need a weekend of sleep and hopefully I’ll be able to charge ahead on my other assignments Monday morning.

  10. Quick hijack – need style help from the hive.

    Q is outerwear. I know we’ve covered raincoats and winterwear before. However, today in MA is a sunny fall day but was about 52 degrees when I left for work; needed a coat, but not a raincoat or winter coat. So, went without and am now sad and cold…

    Any recs for stylish, mid-thigh-ish coat that will go over a lightweight sweater or blazer? Preferably not black, as it would be great if it could be both fall/spring appropriate, and also hoping to avoid camel (the color of almost every rain/trench coat I see). Also, have to do a moderately dressy weekend-in-the-country type thing for work in October so something that can carry me at least through the day events would be great. TIA!!

    1. Why not a pea coat? In a nice mid-weight wool it should fit just fine over blazers/sweaters. Personally, I like my pea coats to hit just at the hip or upper thigh as I’m not very tall. Jcrew has a bunch of fall colors, but I’ve also had good luck at H&M for fall coats.

    2. I’m in MA and had the same problem today. Ended up running late as I waffled between a camel colored Max Mara blazer and my red neoprene hooded raincoat. Finally chose the raincoat because it went better with the red long-sleeved tee and black trousers I was wearing.

      As for your question, how about this? http://www.landsend.com/pp/SolidSunShowerCoat~218736_59.html?bcc=y&action=order_more&sku_0=::KHA&CM_MERCH=IDX_Outerwear-_-Women-_-JacketsParkasCoats&origin=index

      1. Is the material a little shiny? It feels pretty raincoat-y. That said, I like the shape and particularly in the ‘washed berry’ color would be a great bright replacement for my boring beige raincoat. May have to purchase – that sale price is great! Also like the ‘women’s luxe rain swing coat’ in that great washed teal color.

        PSA- lands end is running a 30% off highest priced item + free shipping over $50 thru 9/18

    3. I vote colored trench – burgundy/navy/forest green… look at the Burberry line for inspiration, then check alternate brands for something more affordable as needed. My London Fog trench with a zip-out wool liner is a fabulous burgundy color. I am surprised at how often I find myself reaching for it in the closet.

      1. Seconded. I feel like this is our weather in SF nearly year-round — somewhere in the 50 – 65 degree range, with wild fluctutations possible due fog or lack of it. I don’t have a colored trench yet, but end up wearing my black one (Banana from several years back) 80% of the time. The fabric doesn’t have any shine, so it doesn’t look like a raincoat-type trench coat (which my khaki London Fog does).

    4. I’m on the lookout for a trench for those types of days. Any recommendations or reviews would be great!

      1. Oh, and here’s a silly question: does a trench coat have to be double-breasted to be a trench coat? Or is this just the classic style and single-breasted styles are available, too?

        1. It’s the classic style. I am fairly short and look totally overwhelmed in double-breasted styles, so I had a heck of a time when trying to find a new trench coat about 2 years ago. I did end up finding a few single-breasted versions, but they are few and far between. Unfortunately I was living in the UK at the time, so don’t have any North American suggestions, but I found one single-breasted version at Burberry (which I didn’t buy because it didn’t fit right), and another one at Hobbs (a UK chain), which was the one I ended up buying. It takes perseverence, and, in my case, 6 months of searching. Good luck.

          1. I know this is a week late (silly work!) but hopefully you’re still tracking this Anon IB. I agree with SF Bay Assoc. and the others in the trench coat boat. I have a single-breasted version from Coach that had their wallet turnlocks as the buttons. I found it on ebay last year, so it’s a few seasons old and I can’t seem to find a picture for you.
            I agree that you don’t need to feel restricted to the traditional khaki color, too! Gray, light buttercup/mustard, dark burgundy, all great options that’ll make the trench more fun. Happy hunting!

    5. Im a bit coat obsessed, so I have a number of them that fit this request. However, my one that works for everything — spring, fall, even winter when its above 20 degrees, and rain — is my red burberry “trench” raincoat. Its not too “rain-ish” though, so you can wear it when its not raining. It has a button out lining and a button off hood. plus its red. i got it at a nordstrom sale a few years back, but even at full price, id say its totally worth it. nordstrom usually has it or some more recent version of it.

    7. A few years ago, I got a tan/khaki double breasted trench coat from Zara and it’s my go-to staple for early fall, late spring weather. Check online and see what they have.

        1. I’ve never heard of Tulle, but wow! There are some really cute coats on the site, and in a lot of colors. I honestly don’t understand why 90% of coat manufacturers seem to stick to black or tan.

          Great price points too – can you tell me anything about the quality of the material (ie, should I expect this to be a 1 season coat)? Thx.

          1. I love Tulle coats. I only have two, and I got the first last season so I can’t speak to how long they last, but I love both of mine and it’s become my favorite coat brand. I love their styles and their pricing. I have a long grey wool coat which is really warm, and a lightweight navy pea coat with a detachable which is perfect for the middling SF days around here.

          2. Mine held up well last year – I was pleasantly surprised by the quality, actually – and I would expect it to last for a while. But I am not really hard on coats.

          1. I like that! I think what I dislike about my current trench/raincoat is that although it’s CK and nice quality, there’s just not much tailoring too it. It’s almost like an A-line, no back flap, venting, belt – for me at 30# over fighting weight, just makes me feel lumpy. And who needs to feel like that on a rainy day!

    9. In MA too, LOL at sad and cold (I feel that ALL the time in NE, being a transplant to this part of the world).

      I have a trench from Ann Klein that I wear during the fall, but I’ve always associate trench with rain, so I don’t always feel it. My usual fall go-to is a lightweight quilted coat like this one:

      http://www.landsend.com/pp/DoryJacket~227399_59.html?bcc=y&action=order_more&sku_0=::CLN&CM_MERCH=search-_-quilted+coat&origin=search

      But it’s not hip length, so I’m not sure it will fulfill your need.

  11. Great pick! I’ve just added Old Navy to today’s errand list.

    E, thanks for the recommendation to size down since it stretches easily.

  12. Ladies, I have a question. What do you wear underneath sweaters so they aren’t so itchy? I have some tanks but it doesn’t help on the back near the neck which is where I think it’s the itchiest. Any ideas or secrets I don’t know on what to wear?

    1. I stopped wearing wool sweaters for that very reason, even merino wool. The only time I wear a wool sweater is on cold weekends with a cotton turtleneck or long-sleeved shirt underneath. Cashmere doesn’t itch if it’s good quality, but who can afford a lot of that?
      I’ve switched my ntire sweater wardrobe over to cotton or silk or blends of both. They don’t hold up as well as wool, but they don’t itch, either. Over the years I purchased a number of fine gauge cotton twin sets from Lands End, but the sleeve cuffs and bottoms bag out within a couple of months. Any alternatives?

    2. I usually get thin t-shirts from places like Old Navy, H&M, or Target. You may have to get v-necks and scoop necks depending on the necklines of your sweaters.

      1. I don’t have problems with itching, but I do get really cold, so I usually wear a long-sleeved tee under my sweaters, often times the “thermal undershirts” or cuddleduds varieties, so you could try that. I’ve been complaining about the necks (they all seem to be very high crew or v-necks, neither of which looked good under a v-neck or scoop neck sweater), but I just found a tissue-weight long-sleeved tee from Target (about 10 dollars) last week.

        1. Those tissue tees are one of my favorite things!! I have a bunch and they hold up well, especially with the hint of stretch.

      2. I would add forever 21 to that list–I usually get super cheap thin tshirts there to wear under sweaters. Also, if you’re in new york and cold’s an issue, Uniqlo makes that thermal tech clothing that supposedly holds heat–I’ve never tried it, but I hear it’s good.

        1. I wear the Uniqlo thermal tech underlayers, and I can totally vouch for it, speaking as someone whose favourite temperature is 28 degrees Celsius (and who therefore really ought to live in the tropics).

    3. I believe Kat mentioned in her ‘who’s the professional woman you admire?’ post this week that one of her style mentors wore scarves under certain garmets because of the itchy tags at the back of the neck. I think this would work with sweaters too. I have a friend who has this Old Navy sweater in a camel color, and she wore a gorgeous scarf with it. I loved this for work (and am so pleased to have Lisa remind me of it) because it paired a classic item with a vibrant scarf.

    4. Try silk underwear. It’s thin, so it doesn’t add bulk, but it adds protection from wool to the body.

    5. thanks ladies! these are all good ideas. i guess i never thought of a tshirt since i pictured it adding bulk but a tissue thin would fix the problem, or a scarf. I haven’t quite figured out how to rock a silk scarf yet but this is inspiration to try :)

  13. What about a trench — but not one from raincoat-like fabric — in a jewel tone? I wore mine today, and it was just right for similar weather. I got it at a BR outlet a year or two ago and it’s held up well with near daily wear in the Fall and on non-rainy spring days. I don’t know where you find one, though…did a quick search and nearly everything gray or camel. Navy might work?

    http://www.shopstyle.com/browse?fts=mid-length+trench+coat

    2. Advice on buying a raincoat: If you don’t already have one for work, invest in a REALLY, REALLY good raincoat, such as a trenchcoat in a neutral color, so it won’t matter what color pants or suit you’re wearing. A boyfriend bought back a Burberry’s trench coat for me on a trip to London – in 1986. I’m still wearing it, and it still looks great.

  14. Maybe this was the only submission you had for the day, so I understand, but this isn’t Corporette for me. I don’t shop at Old Navy and I’m willing to bet the vast majority of your readers don’t either. The quality is really abominable and best left to high schoolers. (I myself worked there in high school and if you could only see the large amounts of inventory that get shipped to the store but don’t get put out because of obvious defects, you’d feel the same.)

    1. I love Old Navy for casual clothes. I’ve posted several times about the crossfront jersey dress. I loved it so much I bought it in every color. And I thought the $20 pricetag on today’s post was refreshing.

    2. I also love old navy for layering pieces. I wouldn’t buy work pants/skirts/dresses there, but for the jersey dress I throw on on a summer saturday or the t-shirt I wear under a sweater, it fits the bill. I have never understood people who spend $50+ on a white t-shirt.

    3. i respectfully disagree. this site, to me, is about identifying a range of clothes, at a range of prices, that work at a range of professional environments. i’d say 75-80% of what is recommended ranges from widely accepted, relatively affordable brands (say, Land’s End, AT Loft, Gap, similar price points) to total luxury (see the occasional Fendi, etc. kind of piece that we all drool over). That’s a good variety there. Maybe 20% then is (arguably) below that – say, Old Navy here, and maybe the Kohl’s bag from yesterday. Maybe some Target pieces (but a lot of corporettes have found great stuff at Target).

      But it’s a good mix. Nothing is to everyone’s taste, but it shows that you can find interesting, affordable, professional fashion in all kinds of places. You may not agree, but then that’s also part of the beauty of Corporette.

    4. Wrong. I’m an attorney at a business casual BigLaw firm and I wear a lot of Old Navy and routinely receive compliments on how well I’m dressed. Also, Old Navy offers a ton of options in “tall” lengths, which are necessary for me but rare.

      Is my entire wardrobe from Old Navy? No. But it’s a great supplement to my basics.

    5. Frugal Friday (or Snap ‘Em Up Friday – love the term, Lisa) is always something lower-priced, and often features pieces from Target and similar brands. I really like that Corporette recommends items for a broad range of budgets, especially for simple basic pieces like the one featured today. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the quality of some of the Frugal Friday features, which has helped me to become a more savvy shopper.

    6. I once bought an Old Navy sweater after seeing it recommended here, and get more compliments on it than almost anything else I own.

    7. I think the cardigans currently at Old Navy are nice – in fact, if you regularly shop at Banana Republic or the Gap, for example, I think they’re probably better value on the $ – not likely to last as long, but much cheaper and I actually prefer the way they fit to the last ones I got at BR. And I agree that they offer a good way of bringing down the budget on casual clothes (although the crossfront jersey dress sadly turned out to not suit me as well as it does Bunkster – I think I’m between sizes on it).

      1. I agree, particularly with what we’ve been saying about the sinking quality of BR. Might as well spend a little less for something that will probably last just as long! I also agree that some things are crazy at ON – some of the t-shirts are so thin, it’s crazy. But for things like cardigans and sweaters, I think ON’s quality is better in the past couple of years than it’s been in awhile, maybe since Anon worked there.

    9. Old Navy pops up on this site all the time for Frugal Fridays. It’s a great place to pick up tanks/t-shirts to wear under sweaters as well as workout gear. I’m just not a person who likes spending $50 on a pair of yoga capris or a workout top and most of the clothing I’ve bought there generally has held up pretty well considering the cheap pricetags.

    10. I LOVE Old Navy for simple tees (which I tend to replace every year, so the cheap price is great!) and I have some lovely wrap dresses I wear to work and get lots of compliments on.

      @Ru – Snarky Friday? agreed – what’s up today??

      1. I have several of these sweaters from over the years – one in white that has held up really well during repeated washings and one in a teal argyle pattern (last fall I think) that I get tons of comments on!

        1. I have that teal argyle sweater. I love it and get tons of compliments, too. You have great taste!

    11. I love Old Navy for casual clothing, especially for trendy pieces that will only be fashionable for a season or two.

      1. I agree on trends- any time I see a new, trendy thing that I want to try (but not necessarily commit to), my first thought is Old Navy- If I love it and it winds up being a classic, I can always get a nicer one later, but if I just want to have some fun with it, why would I pay usual TPS report prices?

    12. Disagree. I have casual fridays – and am wearing Old Navy corduroys right now. Obviously quality of Old Navy may not be a great as other brands…but just because it isn’t for you, doesn’t mean others can’t appreciate a good deal on basics.

      1. I also disagree. Today is casual Friday and I’m rocking black Old Navy Rockstar leggings/jeggings.

        Agree with Ru, it’s been Snark City today

      2. This. I appreciate the deals!! It probably makes me even happier when I get a complement on something that I got a good deal on, versus when I went all out on an outfit.

        And I’m also wearing some Old Navy today too – a two or three season ago lightweight camel stretch trench from ON, purple cable 3/4 sleeve cardigan from ON, white tank from ON, and dark jeans with flats.

        I love their basics and, that lightweight trench as well as several other pieces have surprised me with how much wear I get out of them.

      3. I love my Old Navy corduroys – they have lasted me 3 years so far, and I would buy another pair in a heartbeat.

    13. Sorry, not true. I shop at ON all the time and totally mix pieces into my work wardrobe.

    14. Wearing an Old Navy cardigan over my Boden dress today. It’s held up better than some “nicer” cardi’s I had and been much cheaper to boot.

    15. Agree on the snarky Friday thing.

      And totally disagree with Anon 10:42. I’m an attorney on a very limited budget due to student loans and mortgage payments. I love looking at the other days of Corporette stuff, and frequently try to find similar styles in cheaper renditions (and sometimes find a splurge piece!) but I can rarely rarely do even that. Knowing that here’s something I can actually buy AND feel good about AND justify to my SO?? Priceless.

    16. Have to stand up for Old Navy, too. Their Perfect Khakis fit me, well, perfectly. I also like their t-shirts, even the thin ones, because they are excellent for layering under sweaters during hot DC summers (indoors = sweater on, outdoors = sweater off). I also got from them this summer a sort of polo-style shirt but with slightly puffed sleeves and small ruffles at the placket – it’s a nice alternative to a white t-shirt. And as others have said, it’s great place for test-driving new trends.

      Also, I work in an office that is decidedly business casual and in a field in which people tend to look askance at people who are dressed “too nicely.” Annoying, but true. We’re all mostly very highly educated and responsible for overseeing the distribution of millions of dollars for some very sophisticated projects – do I still qualify as a corporette even though I regularly wear Old Navy and Target (gasp!) to work?

      BTW, wore the Target sheath dress yesterday and got loads of compliments.

    17. I also disagree. I am an attorney, but I just realized today that everything I am wearing is from Old Navy, including a pair of dark wash jeans, and a cardigan and tank underneath. I have also gotten a number of compliments on this outfit. Now, the cardigan is not going to last 5 years, but who cares for $20! Plus I really like the way the stuff fits.

    18. wow .. Old Navy marketing team, are you listening?

      maybe you don’t need the help, but based on this thread perhaps there’s an opportunity in targeting professionals a *little* more directly … as opposed to those vaguely creepy ad campaigns you keep running. appreciate the clothes, hate the ads.

      1. I haven’t shopped at Old Navy in years *because* of their ads. First, I was annoyed that the “performance fleece” song kept getting stuck in my head every time I thought about the store. Then they started with the mannequin commercials. Ugh.

        I might give them another chance, though. I desperately need to breathe a little fresh life into my wardrobe, but can’t bring myself to make any clothing “investments” right now with holidays and vacations coming up.

    19. You don’t have to be wealthy to be a “Corporette.” I think plenty of this site finds wardrobe basics from Old Navy.

    20. I still think that offering lower priced work appropriate pieces is important for those that don’t pump $100k+

      I don’t think you can necessarily judge an entire brand. Sometimes there are jewels in the piles of junk.

  15. Personally, I love the name taupe hat for the color! It reminds me of something OPI would call a nail polish, and I would definitely wear that polish in the fall.

    1. Personally, I love the name taupe hat for the color! It reminds me of something OPI would call a nail polish, and I would definitely wear that polish in the fall.

        1. A very strange name. In my world, “Glamour Purse” should definitely be bright red (or at least sparkly). “Sophisticated Purse” is dark purple. I’m just trying to think the type of purse to correspond to pale pink!

      2. I always thought it would be fun to have the job of naming nail polish colors. Whenever I get a manicure/pedicure I choose several colors I like, but ultimately decide based on which of those has the best name…

        1. Did you see Eternal Sunshine (of the Spotless Mind)? Kate Winslet’s character says the exact same thing – ok, but about hair dye, I think. “Blue Ruin.”

          Totally random thought over.

  16. Why are so many sweaters and shirts so long now (this sweater looks like a perfect example of this problem). I’m quite tall (5’10”), but find that so many shirts and sweaters are made to come down and fully cover my hips–even the XXS sizes are really long. This is fine if I wanted to tuck in everything; but when I try to wear these shirts/sweaters untucked, they look terrible. I prefer my shirts/sweaters to fall closer to the top of my hip bone, not to the bottom of the zipper on my jeans. Thanks for letting me vent about this continuously annoying problem.

    1. i think it’s related to the leggings/skinny jeans trend. those kinds of bottoms are best worn with longer tops that cover the hips and even reach the upper thigh. see also, the long top with a skinny belt around the waist – all part of the same trend.

      i think wide-legged pants are coming back into style though, and with that should come shorter tops – so there’s hope!

      1. Lightbulb moment for me – didn’t even think about the whole skinny jean/legging thing leading to longer shirts. Huh. Yeah, I’m annoyed by this, too. I already have to get my pants hemmed, I am NOT going to get shirts hemmed, too.

        Or maybe I need to learn how to sew. Like with a sewing machine.

    3. Agreed. I’ve found Land’s end has a good length, at least on their cardigans. Haven’t bought any pull-over sweaters from them.

    4. I miss shorter tops, too – the longer tops are terrible for my pear/hourglass shape, not only because they then cut me off at my widest point, but because it creates sheath-dress-like sizing issues. Small enough to show I have a nice waist in there = the bottom is too tight or fits snugly in an appropriate way, but starts rolling itself upward throughout the day. Boo!

  17. Alright, for once I am posting a threadjack actually looking for work-related advice!

    Currently I work for Fabulous Employer A. I love my job and the people I work with, but it’s a fixed-term position. Therefore everyone knows I am in the market for something permanent that is up one rank, and most are offering to help out. I’m networking a ton. I would love to stay at Employer A, but officially we are not hiring at the appropriate level anytime soon.

    Recently I had a one-on-one meeting with a senior person in another unit here. He told me that while they are not posting jobs, “if we see someone who we know is good…”. He hinted several times at the prospect of my joining his group, and then said “I probably shouldn’t say anything more at the moment.” It would be AMAZING if I got an offer from them, and I am doing all I can to follow up in the ways he has suggested, but obviously I cannot count on anything.

    Meanwhile, Fabulous Employer B actually IS officially hiring at my level. They are equal in every way to my current employer, and there are a lot of collegial connections (and quite a revolving door) between the two. The guy I mentioned above said several times that he wants to help me in any way I can to advance next year, and I know he knows folks at Employer B who would likely be involved in hiring decisions.

    So the dilemma is: do I ask him for advice/insight as I apply to Employer B, since he offered to “help”? Or, because he’s been hinting at my staying at A and working with him, would this send the message that I’m not interested? (For what it’s worth, my ideal would be to stay at A and work with him if that became an option.) I was thinking of saying something like, “Obviously, I would love to stay here, but I recognize that that may not work out, and so I have to explore other options”–and then bring up Employer B. On the other hand, I can’t sound too lukewarm about B if I’m asking for help getting a job there!

    Corporettes, what would you do? If you were the senior person involved, what would you want to hear? Thanks…

    1. This is really complex. I had to advise my daughter about related situations. I would say nothing about Company B – it smacks of manipulation. I’d go to Company A guy and meet with him for mentoring. Let him lead. He will give you cues about how much support he can really give you, either at Company A or via leads into Company B.

      If he doesn’t pick up on your move, then go down the path of Company B yourself. Managers hate being threatened, i.e. Company B wants me, now ante up.

    2. Thanks — that’s exactly what I’ve been looking for, and in my size! Just snagged one!

      1. I think you got the only one! Congrats.

        On me (5’6″, long legs) it’s about knee-length.

    3. I’m lucky size 8. I added it to my cart, but then a message appeared saying that it’s no longer available.

  19. I have a question re: pantyhose that I’m sure the lovely Corporettes will be able to answer. Next week is the OCI process at my law school, and I have most of my outfit nailed down (charcoal skirt suit, pearl necklace/earring set, black pumps that I’ve broken in so I won’t be blistering all over the place). However, I don’t usually wear hose, and I think consensus is that at law interviews one should err on the side of caution and wear it (correct me if you disagree, of course).

    My question is, if wearing hose w/ the outfit described above, what colour should I be wearing – black or taupe/beige? And where should it fall on the opaque/sheer spectrum?

    Small caveat: I have a small tattoo just below and to the left of my kneecap. My skirt is on the longer side and covers it when I’m standing up, but it is visible when I sit down and sometimes when I’m walking, so I’d prefer if possible to minimize its visibility with the pantyhose.

    1. Put a Band-Aid (or just the skin-colored adhesive part) over the tattoo and wear midweight or sheer nude-for-you hose.
      I think black hose is an evening look.

  20. Alright, for once I am posting a threadjack actually looking for work-related advice!

    Currently I work for Fabulous Employer A. I love my job and the people I work with, but it’s a fixed-term position. Therefore everyone knows I am in the market for something permanent that is up one rank, and most are offering to help out. I’m networking a ton. I would love to stay at Employer A, but officially we are not hiring at the appropriate level anytime soon.

    Recently I had a one-on-one meeting with a senior person in another unit here. He told me that while they are not posting jobs, “if we see someone who we know is good…”. He hinted several times at the prospect of my joining his group, and then said “I probably shouldn’t say anything more at the moment.” It would be AMAZING if I got an offer from them, and I am doing all I can to follow up in the ways he has suggested, but obviously I cannot count on anything.

    Meanwhile, Fabulous Employer B actually IS officially hiring at my level. They are equal in every way to my current employer, and there are a lot of collegial connections (and quite a revolving door) between the two. The guy I mentioned above said several times that he wants to help me in any way I can to advance next year, and I know he knows folks at Employer B who would likely be involved in hiring decisions.

    So the dilemma is: do I ask him for advice/insight as I apply to Employer B, since he offered to “help”? Or, because he’s been hinting at my staying at A and working with him, would this send the message that I’m not interested? (For what it’s worth, my ideal would be to stay at A and work with him if that became an option.) I was thinking of saying something like, “Obviously, I would love to stay here, but I recognize that that may not work out, and so I have to explore other options”–and then bring up Employer B. On the other hand, I can’t sound too lukewarm about B if I’m asking for help getting a job there!

    Corporettes, what would you do? If you were the senior person involved, what would you want to hear? Thanks…

  21. Hi All,
    Daily reader, first time commenter. Someone on WSJ’s The Juggle mentioned there is a Boston Corporette meet up planned. Would someone mind sharing the details? I’d love to attend!

    2. Hi, Lurkerette.

      I set up that email so we could facilitate the meet-up. I suggested October 13th or the 20th because weekdays seem to fit better for most of us. The emails I’ve gotten suggest that the 20th would be better, but I’m flexible.

      I was planning to post in today’s weekend thread, but I’ve already heard from 6 people.

      And I’m going to leave the choice of venue up to the rest of you.

      Also, I can’t believe we got a message on the Juggle. Cool.

      1. We love Corporette on the Juggle!! I think think there are several Jugglers who post here as well.

        Bunkster – I will email you tonight. The 20th looks good to me.

  22. What *is* it with WordPress these days?? Has anyone else found that the “posting too quickly” page is really getting out of hand? I’ve totally given up on a few comments I’ve tried to post this morning.

    Now watch this be the only one that gets through.

    2. Someone posted this months ago, but it still works.

      You can get around the “posting too quickly” page by holding down the button for a few seconds before releasing. I don’t know why it works, but it works.

      1. WordPress ate my “Submit” because I put it in brackets (HMTL FAIL) but that should say “holding down the *Submit* button.”

      2. I like this think that the “posting too quickly” message is literal. As in I am literally hitting the “submit” button too quickly.

  24. Just a vent. I’m so exhausted and sleepy and headachy at work today. Can’t really indulge in a stiff espresso because I’m nursing and limiting myself to one tea a day.
    The reason – My baby kept waking up almost every hour this early am. I ended up bringing her to bed with me and she kept fussing, wailing, wanting to feed, dozing off,… and then the process started again. I ended up getting a broken maybe 3 total hours of sleep.
    Happened to have a scheduled dr. visit this early AM and everything checks out so it’s not like she’s unwell or anything. But my husband was out of town for the night, it was only me, (since I’m nursing it’s usually me anyway) and I am SO glad it’s friday!
    Ah, what I would give for a continuous 4 hour stretch of uninterrupted sleep.

    1. I can sympathize…my sleep was not as broken, and I have pretty much learned to semi-sleep through the baby nursing, but I think it has been about 3 years since I had a full night’s sleep. (Pretty much since I was pregnant with my older child…)

    2. Have a coffee! I would have 2 when baby didn’t sleep well. My pediatrician said it was fine – the amount of caffeine that would come through the milk is TINY. :)

      1. This. A small coffee will be ok. My baby is starting to teethe… it’s been a rough couple nights in our household as well. Hang in there!

    3. Sooner than you think, you will wake up in the mornng and realize that you’ve been able to sleep for 5 whole hours! This realization almost carries the euphoria of the “pass” letter for the bar exam. For the first 4 weeks of my daughter’s life, she wanted to nurse about every 1-2 hours. I started nursing her in the bed lying down, rather than sit in the rocking chair, so I wouldn’t drop her if I fell asleep. But then came the night I almost rolled on top of her. These are the worst days but they do end pretty early on, and some discreet cat naps at work help a lot.
      How’s this for a unique perspective? After I went back to work after maternity leave, my husband’s mother came to live with us. When the baby cried in the middle of the night, I would go into her bedroom only to find that my MIL had beaten me there and was holding my baby. It got to the point where my daughter would barely peep but I would LEAP out of bed and dash down the hall so I could beat my MIL to the baby’s room. I finally had to tell my husband to tell his mother that nighttime baby wake-up calls were MY time with the baby, after being away at work all day, and to just stay in bed and let me take care of her.

    4. Thanks everyone. I should’ve been more clear – I already had one morning coffee, but I was trying to limit myself to that.
      I know I’ll probably feel this phase went by quick, but now that I’m in it I feel it’s neverending.

      1. My DS didn’t sleep through the night until 10 months…I feel ya. Hang in there, it will feel like it flew by when you look back on it, but at the time it is not fun. “Rosy Hell” a Japanese friend of mine called it…so true.

        PS – Lisa, have LUUUUURVED having you here this week!

  25. Feel the need to put a word in for longer shirts! They cover up so much more than short ones–no peeking underwear, no gaping pants, no belly buttons showing! Am personally dreading the return to short shirts (and their companions–flared jeans).

  26. I just want, as the new week begins, to say an enormous Thank You! to all the Corporettes for having me. It’s been such a pleasure. Go you guys, go.

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