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Updated: Mar 21, 2019 248 Comments · by

Thursday’s Workwear Report: Square-Neck Ponte Sheath Dress

The Personal Shopper (TPS) |

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.

Our daily workwear reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. We've sung the praises of the ponte sheath dresses at Lands' End many times over the years — including in our post on how to build a work wardrobe at Lands' End — and this square-neck style has pockets, is machine washable, and comes in four size ranges. (If you don't like the square neck, there's also a scoopneck option.) The dress comes in four colors and is on sale — it's available in sizes 16W–26W for $63.99 (originally $84.95) and in sizes 0–18 in regular, petite, and tall for $55.99 (originally $74.95). Square-Neck Ponte Sheath Dress 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! Seen a great piece you’d like to recommend? Please e-mail tps@corporette.com.    

Sales of note for 9.30.24

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

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Comments

  1. Anon

    To the CC Debt versus cash on hand OP from yesterday. I personally would keep $1,000 on hand and use the rest to pay off your credit cards. Your credit cards ARE your emergency fund right now, and that’s ok! It’s better to pay down your card now to pay less interest. If you don’t have an emergency, then that debt is gone and you can work on paying down the rest of you consumer debt. If you do have an emergency, then you can put it on your credit card and work to pay it off.

    I look to the rules on the reddit personal finance board – (1) small emergency fund first, (2) 401k up to employer match (don’t give up free money!), (3) high interest debt, (4) increase emergency fund to cover 6 to 12 months’ expenses, and so on.

    Sounds like you are getting everything on track, while having the ability to cover some emergencies. Keep it up!

  2. Raincoat

    Any tall ladies have raincoat suggestions for spring? I was going to order the tall hooded waterproof coat from Land’s End but the tall sizes are on backorder until July! I’m a small at Land’s End and Eddie Bauer doesn’t work because the tall size range is limited. Any ideas? There must be somewhere else to order tall women’s raincoats that I’m missing.

    • anon

      North Face works well for me, even though it doesn’t come in tall sizes. I don’t love how Eddie Bauer OR Lands End fits me. I’m 5’9″, though, so YMMV.

      • Anonymous

        Thanks – how do you find the sleeve length with North Face products? That’s where I need the extra space most. Any particular raincoat you like? I do have a North Face ski jacket but sleeve length is less of an issue because my gloves cover the wrists anyway.

        • anon

          The sleeve length is plenty long! I can’t remember which raincoat I have, to be honest. I bought it at the North Face outlet. I tried on several styles; I remember there being some minor variations in sleeve length. My coat has the adjustable cuffs like a lot of winter coats — those always seem a little longer than a finished cuff.

    • Mpls

      I have the Columbia Arcadia II jacket – it doesn’t come in tall sizes, but the arm length is generous (I’m a 34″-ish arm length, which works for the Large) and is a little bit longer. So, it might be worth a try?

      • Anonymous

        Didn’t think of these! I buy work out/kids clothes there but don’t think of them for coats – thanks.

    • The original Scarlett

      I don’t know if they still make it, but someone on here suggested a “it’s really raining” raincoat from Lululemon – it’s lightweight, basically a long coat and hood, and I’ve used it for years now. I’m tall so if they still have it, might meet your transitional season need.

    • NYCer

      I have a raincoat from Athleta that I love. I am 5’9 and it is almost knee length.

    • lsw

      I’m 5’10” and love the Joules long line raincoat – but caveat, I don’t have long arms, so I’m not 100% sure about that.

  3. But make it fashion!

    I wonder what would happen if someone put LE clothes on runway-type fashion models or tailored them and then had celebrities wear them. I wonder sometimes if I’m just a sucker b/c one of the reasons I don’t shop much for myself (outside of swim tees, which are awesome at LE) at LE or Talbots is that they feature normal-looking people. I am a sucker for how “good” clothes look when they are pinned in the back for models for are size 4 but 5-10 (whereas I am a hippy size 4/6 and 5-4).

    • Anonymous

      LE and Talbots would look just as awful on runway models. The model is not the problem in today’s featured photo–she would look awesome if the dress weren’t a shapeless sack and her shoes were not from 1998.

    • Pompom

      Interesting! Sort of reminds me of that Payless/Palessi ad that went around recently (marketing and retailing payless shoes to look like high end designer shoes). Worked there haha

        • Anonymous

          I’m weeping — they were the best places for my kids, especially since one is in women’s shoes and growing like a fiend. They had lots of cute flat or flat-ish shoes that didn’t blister up their feet.

          Any good recommendations for a successor?

        • Anon

          Which is super sad because it was the only place with stylish, affordable wide shoes. :(

          • JuniorMinion

            Amazon – 206 collective, naturalizer both come in wides.

            Also the dexflex comfort line is sold on amazon.

            – Another sad former payless shopper

    • Anonymous

      I can’t wear LE/Talbots and I’m convinced that they cut for a more “womanly” figure. I’m pretty flat-chested and just cant fill out anything tailored.

      I do love LE swimwear and love it for other family members. And their towels are great!

    • Anon

      I think if someone closely tailored LE clothing it wouldn’t be Lands End clothing anymore.

      I want to like their basic stuff, but as an xsmall, young, slim person, their clothing isn’t cut to be flattering on me.

      Coats/fleece/etc. are obviously worn much looser and those do look good/fine on me. :)

      • Anonymous

        Yes — I can’t generally get LE to work for me but I swear by their coats, especially their wool ones.

    • Anon

      The skirt does not taper toward the hem line. That’s why it looks boxy on the model.

      They’re doing you a favor, really – if more heavily styled on a size zero model, they’d clip the center seam at the back to make it form fitting on the model, but then when you received it you’d be wondering why it didn’t look that way on you.

      • Anonymous

        +1 re. the skirt. I have my tailor taper the skirts on most of my sheath dresses–it really helps to de-frump them.

  4. Suede shoes

    I love how suede shoes are everywhere. Such pretty colors. And a nice change from the “blush sugar” patent or whatever it was called.

    BUT I sense a conspiracy — this is a way to guarantee that I need new shoes next season, no?

    I live where it rains a lot, sidewalks get mucky, and the toes of pointy suede shoes get all visibly worn and faded rather quickly. Just accept that suede shoes are one-season items (two at best)? That these puppies actually last?

    • Anon

      I wear Crocs ballet flats for my commute or when I have external meetings on rainy days and change my shoes when I get in the office.

    • anon

      I saw a woman with awesome-looking boots that were plain leather up to aeound to line where a ballet flat would hit your foot, and then suede to mid-calf. The two materials were perfectly color matched, and had decorative seaming, so they didnt look like duck boots.

    • Anonymous

      Have you tried suede spray? It’s made a difference for me. I reapply every year.

      • Anonymous

        Yes, but when you have a driving commute and walk outside on rough cement at lunchtime or for meetings, it seems like the spray doesn’t help with the wear patterns / fading / looking roughed up.

    • Mpls

      I haven’t been brave enough to wear my suede boots outside. But it’s been cold/wet enough (until recently, not its just wet) that I was wearing my snow boots to work and then switch to the suede (red!) at my desk. Strictly indoor shoes. I might get brave if there’s not rain in forecast.

    • anon

      My suede pumps live in my office, and are only worn indoors. They last for years.

      • Curly

        Mostly same, though I will wear suede shoes outside if I’m not walking far and there’s no rain at all in the forecast for that day.

    • Delta Dawn

      I have just given up on suede shoes. I love them, and they are beautiful, but I’m too lazy for them.

    • S in chicago

      Blondo booties are the only suede of mine that sees the outdoors. Whatever they use, it wears like nothing else. I wish they would share their secret with other shoe retailers or start making dress pumps.

      • Anonymous

        Yes — I have Sorel suede booties that I wear all winter. I wish they’d start making pumps.

    • Anon

      I mean, wear shoes that are appropriate for the conditions you normally walk in. This isn’t a conspiracy.

  5. Anon for this!!

    Has anyone had used lasers to slim down? I’ve been working out and dieting for a year and lost 20 lbs, but I still have weight around my stomach that I can’t get rid of. I made an appointment with a laser place that guarantees to get the fat at my stomach to shrink. They advertise on TV and they have 5 locations in my city with tons of photos of happy customers. I signed up and start on Monday. It’s 20 minutes under the targeted laser and then 10 minutes on a “shaker.” Wondering if any of you have tried it? TIA!!

    • Anonymous

      I’ve been curious about CoolSculpting, if that is what you are looking at. It might work for me (at a fairly static weight, 125 #, but lumpiness has set in with age /creeping towards menopause / sedentary job). The lumpy-squishies are what I want to vanish and I fear that they are permanent without help.

      • Ellen

        I would not try anything that involves surgery or anything similar. I have gotten used to having a little paunch now that I am 38, but do not care that much about my tuchus any more since so many guys seem to like big these days. I just hope I land a husband soon b/f my eggs go stale! FOOEY!

    • Anon

      There is literally no proven or approved way to target spot fat other than: weight lifting and weight loss, liposuction, and cool sculpting. Whatever “laser” has been advertised to you is a blatant lie unless you are referring to cool sculpting.

    • ...

      i have. it works. it was expensive, and the procedure is not as painless as i initially was led to believe. It feels numb when the cooling things are attached but when sensation comes back into those areas its very painful (although the nurse that did mine told me that most people don’t complain so much, so who know!) It did work though and made me a waistline and flattened out my stomach. the recovery process involved swelling and feeling weird but otherwise i was fine. i am going back this year to re up on my stomach and do my arm flab.

  6. Anon

    Does anyone follow up on job applications anymore or is that a thing of the past? I feel like there is no way to stand out as a candidate anymore and you just have to hope your resume gets through HR and lands in the right hands. I applied to my dream job recently and usually all my job applications feel like they end up in a black hole but I really want to hear back on this one. In the past, I would sometimes contact a recruiter on LinkedIn for whatever company I was applying to but I never heard back. I know who the manager is (based on my own research, I don’t know anyone at the company) but I don’t think I can bring myself to contact him directly. That would be weird and annoying, right? Is there anything I can do besides hope and wait? Not in law, job is at a large media/news company.

    • The original Scarlett

      That’s not going to get you out of slush. Instead, I’d make sure your Linkedin is robust so you can figure out if you have any internal contacts or friends of friends who work there and use that connection to try to get in front of the hiring manager.

    • pugsnbourbon

      I think prevailing advice is no follow ups. I’m sorry – it feels crummy when your applications seem to disappear into the ether. The best thing you can do is make sure your resume and cover letters are tailored to the job description, but once you hit submit it’s in the employer’s hands. Ask A Manager has a lot of advice on this and good tips on reframing the emotions associated with job searching.

    • Anonymous

      If you can’t find any other connections, why not ping the manager on LinkedIn and say, you are so and so, you are just reaching out to introduce yourself, that you applied for the position of X on Y date, that you are really excited and that you’d appreciate the op to discuss further. That way, it’s a low priority message for the manager, requires no direct action, but mayybe s/he picks up your resume or inquires about it. If you believe you have nothing to lose, what’s the harm in following up.

      • Anon

        That’s spam that the hiring manager is either going to ignore or be slightly annoyed by.

        • Anon OP

          That’s my fear. I think I am going to just sit tight, unfortunately.

          I did realize I have a LinkedIn connection (after having a brief encounter with him at my last job when we were his client) with someone of substantial experience at the company’s parent company. I’m debating reaching out to him since he’s not in the same area.

      • Sam

        I have done something similar and I think it worked for me. Contacted the manager from Linkedin and expressed my interest. He responded and I got an email from the recruiter same day. I think it helped me get noticed. It may also have been because my current role is an almost-identical role with a large and well-known competitor company, so he knew I was an automatic fit for the job.

        On the flip side I had a prospective intern message me and my team members multiple times and though we were in equal parts annoyed and amused (when we all realized the same person pinged us), I pulled his resume out of the pile and looked at it, and set up a preliminary call with him.

  7. C

    For Reasons, I will have a 50 dollar a month expense cancelled soon. The whole thing is part of a complicated situation that makes me angry but I can’t do anything about so I’m trying to designate the money for something positive rather than just throwing it back into my account for regular expenses and seething. I know this isn’t a huge amount of money, but it seems like enough to add some kind of little luxury to my life. I had thought about budgeting it as my fancy coffee fund from the pricey shop near my office, but would like to hear if the Hive has any other suggestions!

    • anon

      I got the Sephora subscription box for a while. It was a fun way to try different makeup and beauty items and it’s $10 a month.

    • Carrots

      Do you enjoy getting manis or pedis? At the nail salon I go to, that would definitely cover at least one service and you could swap off each month so you don’t go over that $50. But I also like the fancy coffee fund idea!

    • Anon100

      Subscription things I’ve been thinking about but haven’t decided to splurge on yet:
      – a $35/mo plant subscription from The Sill
      – A planner subscription from Silk + Sonder (so pretty but then again, a $8 planner from Target works for me already…)
      – fitness classes
      – save up for a spa treatment day

      I totally support your idea to put the money towards your coffee fund! Find something that you’ve wanted to splurge on a bit and apply the money towards a happier life

      • Vicky Austin

        I had never heard of Silk & Sonder before now, but I think I might be in trouble…

      • Anon

        Never heard of the The Sill before, but I love the idea! Unfortunately, for me it would just be the Expensive Pet Salad Bar subscription…

    • Curly

      If you want to designate it for something positive, you could do a $50/mo recurring donation to a charity that you like and that is doing concrete, good things in your community.

      • Anon

        +1000. This is what I would do. You can probably afford to get occasional little treats anyway, and knowing that the money was going directly to a charitable cause would make me feel a lot better than knowing I could afford fancy coffee twice a week instead of once a week or whatever.

    • anon a mouse

      If you drink, that would cover 1-2 bottles of decent wine. Have dates with friends to share, especially now that the weather is nice.

      If you exercise, get one new piece of exercise wear or gear.

      I also really like the idea of donating it.

  8. Unicorn

    What would you wear with a pair of pants that are navy with a pink stripe down the sides? White seems like the obvious choice, but I typically wear a blazer or a sweater over a blouse, and I don’t have a white “topper.”

    • Anonymous

      What about light gray or pale pink or some other very light solid color?

      Or: navy

      Or white blouse with navy blazer / sweater over it?

    • Housecounsel

      White button-down (sorry) and gray cardigan? I bought Sloan pants in black with a white stripe down the side and am pretty excited to wear them. They were shown on the site with a green sweater so I bought it. Not my usual look but I love it.

      • Unicorn

        Interesting! Would you choose a navy that’s as close as possible to the pants but not a perfect match, or intentionally have a bit of contrast between the navy pieces?

        • Anon

          I wear navy with navy all the time and don’t worry about whether it’s a perfect match. Whatever you have would work.

    • Vicky Austin

      In case you need a new sweater, I think I saw some in the Talbots catalog that were white, navy and light pink…might be worth peeking at?

    • Anonymous

      I’d do navy or white as others mentioned, but I’d also do a contrasting pink. So if your stripe is fuchsia, I’d do pale pink. If it’s pale pink, I’d do fuchsia.

    • anon

      Um, where did you find these pants? I think I need them because they sound awesome.

      • Unicorn

        Boden, but a couple of years ago. They have some different styles of pants with a side stripe right now though!

  9. Favorite Shampoo?

    What are your favorite shampoo and conditioner? I’m looking to try something new. My hair is fine but I have lots of it so it can be hard to manage. Straight on top and wavy on the sides and back. I’ve been using various versions of Wen for the past decade and now periodically my boyfriend’s Moroccan Oil Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner. I’m willing to pay for an expensive brand that’s good but would love a cheaper drugstore type product if possible. I’ve tried and rejected for my hair the various options at Trader Joe’s. Any suggestions? Many thanks.

    • Anon

      I’m using Living Proof “restore” in the purple bottle and I love it. I also like their “full” line in the gray bottle. Both smell amazing. It is expensive so my first time trying them I bought the travel size to see if I liked it first. I have very long hair and find that it really lathers so I use so much less than I normally would.

    • Anonymous

      Oily fine hair and I just use Tresseme or whatever is cheap and has a pump.

      • anon

        Same. I have lots of fine hair and I’ve had better luck with Tresseme than most more expensive options.

    • Aggie

      Kevin Murphy Angel Wash is my go to. I gave up sulfates in my hair products a year ago and my hair is MUCH better for it.

    • anon

      I have the same hair type. I’ve rotated between Redken Color Extend and Redken High Rise shampoo.

    • Anonymous

      Caviar Alterna Anti-Aging. I use it once a week or so and my hair is soooo shiny and soft. At Costco.

    • Cb

      Have you tried a shampoo bar? I really the bright blue one from Lush, it works well on my fine but voluminous hair.

    • Anonymous

      Not cheap but I love the Davines Oi line. I have a lot of fine hair that I wear straight sometimes and curly sometimes.

    • Anonymous

      Arrojo Shine Luxe. I have your hair and love this shampoo and I’ve tried many.

    • West Coaster

      I use a smoothing shampoo by Joico and the silk treatment conditioner by Biosilk, both of which I buy at Home Sense or Winners or Marshalls for a good discount off the regular price ;) Sometimes I rotate in a hair reconstructing mask by Redken or the reconstructing K-Pak treatment by Joico, but both take 5+ minutes and I’m usually short on time so these applications are few and far between ;) I have thick, medium-coarse, wavy dark blonde/light brown hair. I usually buy these products in the largest size they sell so they really are an awesome buy for the quality level at the stores I mentioned.

  10. Anon

    I got an email from Uniqlo for “EZY” pants for $24.90. They look like nice high waisted ankle pants for the office in lots of colors and patterns (subtle patterns not floral or polka dot). Does anyone have experience with these? How do they run?

    • Cb

      I bought a pair of wool ones over winter and thought the quality was good but they sagged a bit on me. Uniqlo is great but their sizing is bananas – I’d order a few sizes and see what you think.

    • Anon

      For size 6/8 pear-shaped me, these did not work. They fit in the waist and hips but the legs were cut too narrow for my curves. I was not a fan of the bunched elastic waist or full exposed elastic waist either. I, personally, would wear a shirt covering the waist because, at 46, I feel like this verge into grandma territory. YMMV.

    • Anonymous

      I have two, because I’m a lazy something who doesn’t like actual waists on pants most mornings. However I’m a size 8/10 moderately pear shaped and tall person, so they don’t look like the best fitting pants. They’re tight on the thighs but way too big on the waist and sag.

  11. Anonymous

    I have a big meeting in CT next week. Temperatures are predicted to range from the 30s to the 50s. Black tights with booties or no tights and (suede?) pumps?

    • Anon

      I was in NJ earlier this week with similar temps and wore tights with a dress. Did not stand out as overly-warmly dressed. I took along a thinner wool coat, not a puffer, and I was fine – maybe a little on the cold side at night.

    • The original Scarlett

      That is absolutely freezing to this California girl! For me that is no question tights weather.

    • Anon

      We’ve been like that here in D.C. lately, and on a sunny, warmer (like 52 degree) day this week, I went (“I can’t take it anymore!”) bare legged. While there were one or two other ladies abandoning tights with me, nearly everyone I saw was still in tights or pants.

    • anon

      Everyone in the NY/CT metro area is still wearing tights. It’s not bare leg season yet with the weather we’ve been having.

    • anon

      Midwesterner here. That’s not bare legs weather, IMO. You will be cold and look silly, IMO.

    • rachelellen

      It’ll be tights weather here for another few weeks here. It’s in-between winter coat and spring coat weather until at least April 1…

    • Momofboys

      I am still in tight but use lighter weight for this transitional season. They are known as a lighter denier.
      HUE makes great ones & sizing is spot on.

    • anne-on

      Locals (and those from further north) will likely go bare-legged or much lighter tights/hose (50 is so warm after the long winter!) but almost everyone else will be in tights. Perhaps a good time to break out grey/colored tights if you have them?

    • Velma

      Everyone is still wearing tights here. Booties would be fine. Light winter coat.

  12. Too good to leave, too bad to stay?

    I need some advice about knowing when you are stagnating in your career/staying too long in a job. I have a masters (terminal degree for my field), am in my early 30s, have been working full time for ~10 years, in my current job for 2.5 years, and feel I will have maxed out all learning/experiential opportunities it can offer by the end of this calendar year. While I value many aspects of my job (the work is interesting to me and I have a ton of flexibility), I do not enjoy my colleagues, the pluses and minuses of my org essentially cancel each other out, and there is zero upward mobility/visibility/prestige in my role. I do feel like it is time for me to start planning a jump to the next level – and am actively seeking advice from my network about how to do that. My question is timing. Some people I trust have advised me that I am already hurting myself by staying any longer – that stagnation undermines your ability to move later. I felt like I had a good ‘gut’ sense of when was the right timing to move on in my 20s but I’m struggling now – how do you know when to go?

    • anon

      You’re in the ideal situation! You start applying for jobs now, but stay put until the perfect offer comes along. Maybe it takes 6 months or a year, but that’s fine because you’re OK with your current job. You only leave when you find something with the right kind of work, right location, right salary, that makes you excited to get out of bed.

      • Anon

        Yes ideal situation- plan to move on by end of year. Could take 6 months to find the right position- that’s ok because you have time on your side and a solid paycheck. Don’t stay any longer than you have to though – you put your time in there, now it’s time to grow. And I was you last year – good job but didn’t like the org or the colleagues any more, had been there 10 years so I put a full court press on the job search and landed a much better job with much better comp in 6 months.

    • Anon

      I mean, it sounds like you’re very ready for something new. Which means it’s time to go! This would be more of a conundrum if you were really happy where you are but worried that staying too long would reduce your options later or something like that.

    • Anonymous

      The time to go is when you get the gut sense you are stagnating. Doesn’t mean lack of room to grow in an organization necessarily. But more when you’re not excited about the challenge of new projects anymore and feel like your education and skill development aren’t changing enough. I also don’t think this is a set year thing. In my experience, you only start to really know a job by year two.

    • Anon

      If you’re planning to leave by the end of the calendar year, when did you plan to start job searching? Every time I job search it usually takes months and even up to a year to find something

    • S

      Sounds like go time to me! You’re stable so you can take your time finding new opportunities and choosing the right one.

  13. anon

    Have any of you had experience being a team of one — meaning you, and you alone, handle that function for a company? I want to get away from managing people but would still like to contribute at a senior level. There are positions in my field that would allow me to retain my title, make 80% of my current salary, and not manage anyone. The catch is that I wouldn’t be one of many contributors; I would be the sole contributor. I’m worried about two things: 1) burnout; and 2) my skills failing to keep pace without having other people around to challenge my thinking. I would have to be very cognizant of not ending up in a bubble. I recently turned down a position because I was worried about being a team of one in a nonprofit organization. Also, the pay was … not great. Several months later, I feel like it’s very possible that I made a mistake in turning down that offer. I convinced myself that my current situation was better, but I’m still pretty unhappy and stressed at work.

    I’m very risk-averse and can see the downsides to any situation, which isn’t a great quality when you’re job hunting.

    • Anon

      I moved to a similar role as an individual contributor- totally worth it not to manage people as a parent of young kids for me (and I was actually able to negotiate a pay raise- but even worth it for a pay cut!). I work with other people that can cover some stuff, but there are things that they don’t know how to do and would be difficult to train them on…. just makes long leaves harder. Otherwise I manage my deadlines around time off.

    • Senior Attorney

      I do this and I agree it’s great. One of the things I like is that I can take time off pretty much whenever I want without having to coordinate with a team.

    • Anon

      I have done it twice, and I wrongly thought it would give me job security. I was still downsized, in 2008 and 2011. Now I am part of a small group (three of us) and like it much better. We are few enough to keep things flexible and make group decisions as a team, but someone is always there to deal with feces-in-fan situations should one (or two) of us be out of office.

      While it’s unfortunate that you aren’t happy where you are now, toughing it out long enough to find just the right fit for you would be a real boon. Keep looking. More information will give you a mental aggregate of what you can expect in your area, so you’ll know if your unease at that first offer was warranted.

    • OP

      In my tech field, it’s virtually unheard of to have more than 1 or 2 people in an org, whether you’re at a non-profit, government, or academia–although there are contracting firms that specialize in it. So, obviously, it can be done.

      OTOH, you’ve spotted exactly what the problems are. We form “user-groups” that meet regularly in person, but if most organizations have bigger teams, you may not be able to find other people in the same lonely boat. And there are a lot of online resources for some things, these days, depending what you’re looking for. But it is so, so, hard to stay current.

  14. Capsule Wardrobe Help

    Would love any help with transitioning to a capsule wardrobe. I have been gradually thinning out my closet down to only the pieces I really like and wear often. Now I’m ready to evaluate the “keepers” and supplement my wardrobe with any missing pieces. I love the idea of a capsule– and am particularly excited about having fewer clothes and making fewer decisions– but struggle with cohesion throughout my closet.

    One problem is I really like color. I have been able to eliminate a few colors (red, purple, yellow– I am a redhead and don’t look great in them), but some colors I really love (all blues, almost all greens, some corals, some orange, oxblood, blush, I have a problem). I read about doing one capsule every season (or maybe a fall/winter capsule and a spring/summer capsule), and I like that idea because it does help with the colors. The fall/winter capsule is more hunter green/navy/maroon/cognac, and then the spring summer capsule is more mint/pale blue/blush/white. But I’d still love any advice on narrowing this down.

    I’m also pretty sure I need separate capsules for work and weekend… I’ve tried to combine, but there’s really just not much crossover for my business casual/sometimes formal wardrobe and my mom-of-two-toddlers-who-very-occasionally-goes-to-dinner wardrobe. Anyway, I’m rambling, but if you’ve had any success converting to a capsule wardrobe (without just chucking everything and starting over) I would love to hear your suggestions!

    • Idea

      I am also in the process of converting to a capsule wardrobe, or so I tell myself.
      The Vivienne Files dot com has been very helpful!! You can search the archives there for help with colors or lifestyles. She’s very artsy and not really constricted by budget or sizes, but very helpful. I’m sure I heard about this blog here .

      • Vicky Austin

        +1 to Vivienne Files, that helped me immensely too!

        I am (lazily, slowly) working my way towards having three capsules for work, all based around Vivienne Files 4 x 4 model, in which you have 16 pieces across one base neutral, one second neutral, and two accent colors. I kept the same base neutral color for all three capsules for winter, fall and warm weather (I live in a state that ends in Dakota and we don’t really have spring, lol), but swapped out for more timely colors for the other three. This meant I invested in one good set of neutral pieces that I can build around with fun, weather appropriate stuff. I LOVE my plan, even though it’s not complete. I don’t have a capsule for weekend wear, just a pair or two of trusted jeans and leggings and a couple sweaters/tops I love. And lastly, I didn’t purge stuff that I loved even if it didn’t fit with the plan. I have a black sweater that I’ve owned literally for ten years and which I look smashing in – I won’t get rid of it until it’s hanging off me in shreds. Or my MIL gave me a gorgeous yellow cashmere sweater for Christmas. Yellow isn’t part of my winter capsule, but I love yellow and it’s a beautiful sweater so you bet I’m gonna wear that thing.

        TL;DR: Vivienne Files, but with a grain of salt.

    • Suburban

      This may not be helpful, but my spring capsule is pretty simple. I have a bunch of fun pattered popover and button ups in blues and whites. For court days they go under pantsuits (one navy, one gray) with a fun belt and maybe a scarf. For casual office days they go under a navy ,cream or green sweater (cardigan blazer or lightweight crew neck) with navy or gray pointe pants. On weekends, I trade the pointe pants for distressed denim or white denim. I also have a fun navy polka dot sheath and light pink blazer to mix it up. The patterns keep it fun, but it’s really just the same thing over and over. I don’t tend to go out at night (toddler mom life) so I’m ok venturing outside the capsule for a date night outfit.

      • Suburban

        Should add that I do capsules every three months, so this one is done by June. I’ll probably wear more casual dresses on the weekends and shirt dresses to work this summer.

    • anon

      I also love color! That said, narrowing my palette has made my work wardrobe so much easier to maintain. You can throw in the occasional wild card to keep things fun, but you can’t have alll the colors. My wild card is a color that I’m consistently drawn to, even if it’s not 100% perfect for my skin tone.

      I roughly have a fall/winter capsule and a spring/summer capsule. The base colors — black, navy, gray — stay the same, but I work in seasonal colors for each. I also have a few colors that work no matter what the season, like light blue.

      Here’s what my spring/summer capsule entails:
      Charcoal/navy/gray/ivory or white base pieces
      Tops and lightweight sweaters in neutrals, plus blush, blue, mint, lavender
      My cardigans, blazers and pants are neutrals or near-neutrals. Most of my variety comes from my tops.
      Dresses in black and navy
      Wild card: Coral or bright pink

      In contrast, my fall/winter wardrobe is more like:
      Black/navy/gray/ivory/camel base pieces
      Tops and lightweight sweaters in neutrals, plus burgundy, blue and teal/hunter green
      Wild card: Plum/purple/berry

      I have found the Project 333 concept super helpful. I don’t apply it to my whole closet, just the season I’m in.

      And I completely agree on your assessment that you need separate capsules for work and weekend. There’s not much crossover in my closet, either. Once I accepted that, shopping actually became easier.

    • Anon

      I do base colors in neutrals – so I have bases in black, gray, and navy most of the year, and an additional base in beige for warmer months. A base to me is skirt, pants, and matching tops, and a “third piece” – jacket or cardigan or whatever to wear as a topper.

      I incorporate color one piece at a time. So if I’m wearing a navy top and skirt, I might wear a teal green jacket. I could also wear a navy long cardigan with navy pants and a print top with some color. So I do color one piece at a time and I think of the colorful pieces as “extras” in my closet, but the base colors are my basics that are more thoughtfully chosen. I also spend more on the base pieces because I will wear them more and want them to last longer. If I find a base piece I like, I tend to buy it in all my base colors (Eileen fisher crepe ankle pants, Talbots seadonless wool skirt.)

      I would not do colorful base pieces because they are too memorable and hard to get a lot of wear out of.

    • Ariadne

      I don’t have what would be defined as as a ‘capsule wardrobe’ in the true sense of the word, butI have a similar system that seems to work.

      I love colour too, and rather than limiting myself to a few colours, I just buy the colours I love, but mostly in tops— blouses, dresses, and cardis/ jackets. My neutrals are mostly skirts (black, navy and a touch of grey) and a couple of black pants. Pretty much everything matches or goes. I also try and buy the basic bottom in different shapes flared skirt with subtle pinstripes, or pencil skirt with stripe— so a navy skirt may have a subtle texture, but reflect differently from a smooth fabric.

      I have a few colourful skirts, but they are not patterned, so they match a few of my plain tops— I have a small amount of ‘plain’ tops in navy, and black for an occasional column of neutral with bright pop scarf look, but essentialy, all my tops have some sort of pattern or colour that seems to go with everything and sparks joy:)

        • Ariadne

          Thank you:) I love colour and pattern — it Would be really hard for me to exclude certain colours!

          • Ariadne

            I also wanted to add that I actually do have more patterned skirts than I realized (floral to stripes to geometric prints), and I wear those with the few plain tops. For example, dark flowered patterned skirt goes with navy or black top, which can also be worn with the non patterned blush skirt or navy skirts— hope this makes sense. I think having a few basic plain tops and bottoms that go together, allows me to,pretty much incorporate any colours and prints to mix- ymmv, but I love to mix and match things, as it is a creative outlet for me.

  15. ANP

    We’re going on a family vacation next week that entails a lot of walking (Disney!). I have sneakers already but am interested in comfortable and not-ugly sandals, too, for when we have shorter stints walking around. Any recommendations?

    • Cat

      Birkenstock? They’re trendy again, though whether they are ugly or not is a matter of personal taste :)

      • Anon

        I wear my Birkenstock mayaris all over Disneyland every year. But you do need to break them in. Use a 2-4-6-8 schedule, number of hours wearing them each day till you get up to 8. The breaking in is getting the cork footbed to conform to your foot.

    • Anonymous

      Depends on your definition of “ugly.” I love my worishofer 811s and get tons of compliments. Very comfortable.

    • BeenThatGuy

      Anything from Vionic works best for me. They have lots of arch support (if you need it).

    • Anon

      I used the Sanuk Women’s Yoga Sling 2 Flip Flops for my Disney trip a couple of years ago and they were pretty comfortable, but they aren’t super cute. (Got them on Amazon.)

    • Pompom

      Naot Kaylas, which are comfortable right out of the box. I have the biscuit leather, which is skin-tone-to-me; reduces their visual weight and lessens the crunchy granola effect, if that’s a concern.

      There’s little room for common irritation points, in my experience: nothing between the toes, straps are wide enough and soft enough, and the back strap will keep them on securely.

      They do run narrow.

    • christineispink

      I spent 34 of the last 365 days at Disney World. I like Keds for my everyday sneaker. The two pairs of sandals I like are T-strap Rainbows (alleviates some of the toe-grip cramps that come with just straight flip flops) and Havaianas’ Luna sandals (but they call any shoe with an ankle strap a sandal).

  16. Anon Traveler

    I’m visiting a friend in NYC next weekend and have a question about the weather, and I hope it makes sense! I’ve only ever been to NYC in the winter (cold) and dead of summer (humid) so I was wondering how much of an actual spring there is? It’s supposed to be 60 and partly sunny/cloudy, so does that drop the temperature a lot? I’m from Ohio so I can take lake effect anything, just trying to plan what jacket/s to bring and if I should pack one of my blanker scarves/light gloves for during the day. Thank you!

    • Anonymous

      I find the winters to be damp and have regretted it every single time I didn’t have gloves with me.

    • buffybot

      It’s still pretty chilly in NYC – especially if you’re somewhere along the river where it gets windy. While afternoons are pleasant, mornings and nights can be even colder. You definitely don’t need a heavy jacket, but a lighter coat (e.g., I am wearing an insulated raincoat from Boden today, or have been wearing one of my lighter wool coats) and a scarf is wise. I think a leather jacket would be overly ambitious but a heavier trench would probably be fine. Then just layer for the daytime so if the sun happens to come out, you can enjoy it. Don’t think gloves are necessary but something other than ballet flats are wise.

    • Anonymous

      NYC gets about 2 days of spring before we launch straight to summer. 60 in NYC isn’t actually particularly warm. It’s never really sunny here — tons of cloud cover/pollution holds the temps down and if you’re in Manhattan, depending on where, it can be windy too with breezes coming off the rivers. BUT that being said if temp says 60, it’ll feel like the 50s, that’s not hat and glove weather either. I’d bring whatever you’d wear in Ohio 50 degree weather. If it makes you comfortable throw a scarf and gloves in your luggage but I don’t think you’ll wear them.

      • JB

        I’m pretty sure I’m from where OP is (lake-effect is a dead giveaway) and now live in NYC. NYC definitely has sunny days and significantly fewer clouds than where OP is based.
        OP – I’d watch the forecast and consider bringing a raincoat/ trench if any rain is in the forecast. In this weather I wear a packable down jacket under a trench, pack a scarf and hat just in case and hope that I don’t need it. Also, I would definitely wear closed toed shoes.

    • S

      I am firmly of the opinion that a blanket scarf that doubles as a wrap can literally never be regretted on any sort of trip. Bring it!

    • Anonymous

      I disagree that it is never sunny here but agree that nice warm spring weather is pretty short-lived. We get some nice warm days here and there in March-April but I don’t think it gets reliably warm and pleasant until May. It has definitely snowed before in April and did last year on the first day of spring. The temps vary quite a bit day to day, so I would wait and check the forecast right before you leave and pack accordingly. (I can’t tell if you mean you are coming in 2 days or 9 days). And definitely check the windchill – makes a big difference. I am still wearing my winter coat and gloves and hat because I don’t like to suffer at all.

    • Senior Attorney

      I just got a lightweight down vest at Uniqlo and it’s been great for temps like you describe.

  17. Anon

    Will be buying myself a laptop for the first time (last one was a gift). What are things go look for? I know nothing about technology so don’t know what I need hardware wise.

    It’ll be for personal use, but Ill likely be starting grad school in the near-ish future, so would then be used for that.

    I have a chrome book now and I HATE it. Looks like there are currently a lot of cheaper laptops at Walmart; I’m on a budget and can’t spring for a Mac or anything. Under $500 and cheaper the better I’d say. Any recommendations?

    • Anon

      I have a MacBook and like it e cause it had been plug and play from the start. I don’t need to know anything about the operating system or whatever. And there are fewer viruses in the Mac world.

      • Anonymous

        My work laptop is a Surface Pro and has already had two technical problems in less than six months. I am also pretty sure they cost way more than $500. I would get something else.

    • Lana Del Raygun

      If you’re not gaming or doing lots of AV, video, or image processing, almost any laptop is going to be just fine specs-wise, so I would focus on your personal preferences for weight, screen size, and keyboard feel. Last time I bought a laptop (2012) I tried a lot of them out at Office Max and discovered that keyboard feel is pretty consistent within brands. Personally I like Lenovo; their keyboards are nice and firm, and the frames are solid. Mine is from their G series and has a metal frame but it’s only 14″ so it’s not too heavy.

    • Anon

      Make sure to get the best screen resolution you can afford – if you’re choosing between two nearly identical ones, get the one with the better screen. My husband got a cheap laptop a couple months ago, and the difference between his screen and my pricey work laptop is extreme. His looks like an old gameboy screen – it’s really bad.

      I’ve had good luck buying online from NewEgg.

    • Bon

      Get a refurbished laptop through the Dell outlet. I recently got a top of the line laptop for $300 when they were having an additional 50% off sale.

  18. Anonymous

    I’m going to a wedding in August and they’re suggesting 16 hotels to stay at, no group rates. Is that common? I’m used to the “stay at one of these 2 hotels we got a group rate” thing.

    • Anonymous

      Where is the wedding? Usually, there aren’t a lot of hotels and they get a block not just for rates but to make sure guests have a place to stay at that is convenient to the reception and/or has a good breakfast if they know nothing about the area. If it’s not super fancy or a vacation area, usually they are so cheap that my AAA discount rate is still pretty good (e.g., Hampton Inn in random spot in Ohio).

    • Anonymous

      16 is a lot.

      I’ve seen like 5 referenced when the attendees and their accommodation needs were very diverse – families with small kids, wealthish elderly grandparents/friends of parents, loan poor recent college grads etc.

    • Anon

      Recent experience with this: when I spoke with a hotel (national chain), they offered me $3 off the highest rate on the website as a “group rate.” The problem was, the website also advertised much lower rates (sign up for the rewards and get $20 off the highest rate; AAA was $10 off the highest rate; non-refundable was something like $30 off the highest rate). Obviously, I didn’t want to screw over my guests by doing a “group rate” there!

      I ended up finding a different chain that gave us a better deal ($25 off for everyone, and $40 off my suite), more variety in rooms, etc. But given the plethora of ways to decrease hotel costs – points, Hotwire, waiting for one-day deals – I also listed other hotel options and told people that I would be happy to help them find other hotels if they would fit their needs (pet friendly, cheaper, kitchens, etc.).

      What I’m saying is, it’s possible that the bride couldn’t get a decent group rate at any one hotel, and decided that it was better to just list out options and let you all figure out what works best for your needs and budget.

    • Anonymous

      Why does it matter? They prob couldn’t get a group rate so are giving you all the options.

      • Anonymous

        I resent having to do more research than necessary for a wedding though! It’s not a vacation. Plus rehearsal dinner/wedding brunch are usually in one spot.

    • Cat

      Kind of weird they listed SO many… but whatever. It should also probably signal to you that they are not doing any central transportation — i.e., no buses.

      • Anonymous

        That’s the weird thing, they said there WOULD be buses to “some” of the hotels… then didn’t say which ones. I wound up emailing the bride to ask for clarification, sounds like they’re still figuring out options.

  19. BB

    Recs for a good antibacterial, hypoallergenic bar soap? My doctor recommended I use one to prevent some fun stress boils (ugh) from forming. I prefer bar to liquid soap, but the only ones I see in drug stores are scented Dial ones, and I have a bad history with scented soaps. Cetaphil used to make one but looks like they discontinued.

    • Anon

      The US gov’t made antibac soaps illegal in recent years. They are no longer manufactured or sold.

  20. Anon

    Somebody just posted a car break in on NextDoor…his loaded gun was stolen. This is the SECOND time that a gun was stolen from a car in the neighborhood. Idiots.

    • CountC

      A police officer in my “city” had, on separate occasions, her personal and service firearm stolen from her car. I mean come onnnnn

        • anon

          How is this her fault? Sounds like a lot of victim blaming to me. If this were another crime, I don’t think folks here would be singing the same tune about it.

          • Anonymous

            Pretty sure she is not supposed to keep her service weapon unattended in her vehicle.

          • Anonymous

            How is it victim blaming to say it is a fireable offense to not adequately secure your service firearm? I’m a lawyer and I can be fired for failing to adequately safeguard my *cellphone*.

          • Anon

            Because leaving your gun in your car is kinda dumb in the first place, but to do when the neighborhood has had break-ins is negligent. We have become so desensitized to guns in this country. Leave ’em everywhere! No Consequences! Whatever! Freedom!

          • Anon

            It’s not like another crime because by choosing to have a gun you take on the responsibility of keeping it secure.

            I think this is similar to if you have a pool it’s your job to secure it with a fence, etc. it’s not victim blaming to say you’re responsible for someone who could just wander on to your property and fall in and drown even if they were technically trespassing

        • CountC

          She was also accused of stealing money from the PAL. She did end up getting fired after she went into ARD for the theft. She then filed a civil suit against the city, which went on for three years and ended in a settlement. Then she ran for mayor! What a great time to be alive . . .

  21. Anonymous

    I know this has been addressed before but I can’t find it. I have top of shoulder length 3a curly hair. Mostly I just leave it curly. I recently heard some women talking about how curly hair is so 1980’s and frumpy. Is this true? Not that it matters but I have gotten hair compliments from men every so often when it’s curly (never when blown out straight) . Feel a side-eye from some women though. Am I happily walking around looking like an out of style idiot and not knowing it?

    • Anon

      I’m also curly (and not super stylish tbh) but it seems weird to say that all curly hair is out of style and frumpy? I feel like there’s a movement right now for people to embrace their natural styles (obviously this has a lot of connotations when it comes to race and professionalism). It’s possible that a specific styling of curly hair would look dated (think the Elaine from Seinfeld half pulled back/semi frizzy look), but not all curly hair.

    • Senior Attorney

      Actually my sense is that stick-straight hair is somewhat out of favor and curly hair is making a comeback. And in any event it’s your hair so go ahead and rock it!

    • anon

      No, I don’t think hair types can be out of style. Hair styles maybe, but not hair types. If you’re getting compliments, it’s probably because your hair looks great.

    • Anon 2.0

      I am firmly of the belief that the natural state of your hair cannot be out of style. I mean, it’s how your hair grows! If you were still rocking an 80s perm and blue eyeshadow that would be a different story.

    • Anon

      I’m curly/wavy/thick hair and get lots of compliments- I have heard some snobby comments many years ago about ethnic hair and how you need to blow it straight to look professional- didn’t care then and don’t care now – I’m very proud of my natural hair and you should be too – go you!

    • Anon

      Well, you can tell who straightens their hair, because it is straw like and often greasy, because they only wash once a week and then damage the hell out of it. The argan oil just makes it greasier looking. Oh, and then there is the f-ed up looking hairline with the crinkled texture, and wayward hairs sticking up from the shower cap getting them wet/them attempting to fix it. So they’re not exactly #winning.

    • Anon

      I’m a 90s baby that fully embraces the 80s. Vicki Vale is my hair hero. Big volume curls are always in!

  22. S

    I think for the first time ever, I have a job that values me for being competent and strong-willed over being ‘likable.’ I am actively encouraged to get things done, even if it ruffles feathers, and I’m respected for it. I didn’t realize how much this was missing in my life until now.
    Has anyone else had an experience like this? Is it just a product of being more senior and therefore having my opinions carry more weight?

    • Suburban

      Good for you!

      I don’t think we have similar personalities, but I do think that people expect me to be less agreeable in my late 30s than they did a decade ago. Maybe it’s a societal shift, or maybe it’s just that I care less about being liked, but the respect that’s come with age and experience very liberating. I’m raising a glass to you and all the ruffled feathers. Here,here!

    • Anon

      I am you – just changed jobs and feeling much more respected and no one telling me I need to make sure everyone likes me – in my case it is completely a function of org culture – love the new culture and don’t ever want to go back to the former…congrats!

    • Anon

      I’m sure part of it is due to experience. I would certainly trust somebody with experience to ruffle feathers in the right way more than I would a person brand new to an industry or to the workforce.

  23. Help me assess job options

    I’m applying for new jobs right no with the goal to have something new by EOY the latest, and have these options:
    – stay with current job: City A, 70 min commute one-way, total compensation ~125K, flexible work from home arrangements, limited growth potential
    – prospect job 1: City A, same commute, total expected compensation >150K plus more vacation, unknown flex schedule/WFH policies, hiring manager just transitioned out of the role, i.e. I don’t know my new boss yet, good development opportunities
    – prospect job 2: City where I live, 5 min commute, total expected compensation <100K (need to clarify extras, but unlikely), expect some flexibility on schedules, limited development opportunities

    I have a 3 yr old son, and would love to not spend 10-15 h a week in my car, but the pay cut for option 2 seems hard to swallow.

    Help me think this through, please.

    • Help me assess job options

      *pay cut for option 3, obviously

      I should drink more coffee.

    • anon

      Are these the only three options? Can you stay at current job, turn down the other two offers, and keep applying elsewhere? Neither prospect seems the right fit for you, and you have 2 offers already, which leads me to believe you can generate more offers later this year as new positions open up.

    • AFT

      I’d stay with current and keep looking for something that’s more middle of the road – without awful commute but at or near your current comp. You could apply to prospect #1 and feel out WFH/flex working, but plan to decline if there is no flex and you’d have to do 5 days of 70 minutes each way. -yikes.

    • Help me assess job options

      Thanks AFT. Unfortunately, there’s no place to work in between current city and City A (I’m in the Midwest), and we’re bound to current city due to my husband’s job which is not flexible.

      • Anon

        Is City A substantially larger than your current city? If it is, I would take the new job – the increased compensation plus the development opportunities and vacation would be amazing.

        If not, continue to look in your city.

      • Help me assess job options

        City A is the largest city in the area. And yes, the extra vacation is calling my name.

        • Anon

          I’m in a similar situation (I make a bit less than you do now), and I would lean towards the new prospect. We live in a small city; husband’s job cannot move; and I commute to the outskirts of a large city.

          Realistically, you cannot move up the food chain unless you take a job in the larger city, or get very very lucky by finding a high-powered job in the smaller city. I know people who have job-searched in the smaller city for a year and come up with nothing.

          Is your 70 mile commute approximately an hour each way, or is it more because of traffic? Is the new prospect in a different part of the city that would, with traffic, substantially change your time frame?

          • Help me assess job options

            About an hour. Mostly country highways. The other job in the city would be downtown instead of outskirts, so potentially more jams, but same commute time according to Google/Waze at the usual times.

            And yes to all you said re: moving up.

    • Anonymous

      Can you afford the pay cut? a 5 minute commute vs a 70 min commute seems like a no-brainer to me, esp with a 3 year old, but to me the difference in pay is something I can afford.

      • Anonymous

        This. Look at the after tax salary difference not the gross difference and deduct higher commute costs for long commute job. Then you know how much more $$ the job is. Then work out how many more hours it is away from your family and determine if the additional hours are worth the money you get for them.

    • Leatty

      Keep looking. Option 2 isn’t feasible long term because of the commute (unless you WFH several days each week) Option 3 isn’t great either because you are taking a big pay cut for no real benefit other than the reduced commute. If you take either option 2 or 3, you’re committing to stay put there for a while. Staying where you are gives you the opportunity to jump ship when the right opportunity comes along.

    • Anonymous

      Do you have offers on the table? If not, why decide now? Apply for both and keep looking for others, and then see what happens.

    • Help me assess job options

      Thanks everyone.

      My husband is for Option 2, new job to move into new company boosting my salary.

      I guess reducing my commute sounds very appealing right now to my heart (not my brain) – coming off a bad cold I’ve had for 3 weeks and an intense work schedule (over now) where I didn’t get to spend more than 1 h daily with my son even WFH… But earning 30% less while not having better growth in the future is really not a smart move.

        • Help me assess job options

          True that. But thinking through the implications of the potential options helps coming up with a negotiation position.

          I have some insider intel for the job with other company in the city that tells me there’s not many applicants for that role – still no guarantee, but there’s a good chance I’ll get an offer.

    • Anon

      I would take Prospect Job 2 in a heartbeat, especially since you’re in the Midwest. We have a HHI of <$150k and we honestly feel so incredibly wealthy. We're not flying on private jets or anything, but we live in a beautiful, spacious home, travel a ton, sign our kids up for all the activities and camps they want to do, employ a cleaning and yard service, grab takeout whenever want, save for college and we still save somewhere north of $50k/year for retirement. More money would not make me happier. I know we wouldn't have such a great lifestyle on this salary in many other places, but money goes so far in most of the Midwest, especially if the biggest city in the region is an hour away.
      But I've never had over a 20 minute commute (even when I lived in California) and can't imagine spending that much time in my car.

      • Help me assess job options

        Well, I’m in a niche field with a unique background and it so happens that these opportunities line up now. There is no guarantee something like this will coming later.

    • HSAL

      I’m a fan of a short commute, but break down the numbers for it. After taxes you’d be bringing home 1500/month less, but saving 40+ hours. Is your time worth $37.50/hour? That would be decreased even more by spending less on gas, car maintenance, etc, which I bet would put it below $30/hour. Anything you could stop outsourcing with that additional money?

      Otherwise Prospect 1 seems like a good fit, but I’d want to make sure you knew what you were getting into with an unknown flex/WFH policy.

      • Help me assess job options

        Good point on doing the math. I’ll sharpen my pencil.

        • Anonymous

          Don’t underestimate the benefits of a short commute. Kid was up a lot last night so I went home at lunchtime and took a half hour nap on my own sofa. 45 mins was enough time to get home, nap and get back to work. Way more productive this afternoon as a result.

    • Help me assess job options

      Also, there may be an opportunity for an internal move to another area in the next week or so, so I’ll potentially have a 4th option.

  24. Anonymous

    I started a new job in biglaw this month that is pretty WFH friendly- on a given day its unlikely that more than 1 of my colleagues/superiors is in the office. My husband had a full on panic attack last night due to a work situation and I was up all night dealing with that and just could get up today. I’m mortified to not be in the office today but I’m not busy yet and feel physically terrible. I hope it’s not reflecting poorly on me at my new job.

    • Anonymous

      It’s probably fine! But you can’t let your husband’s job issues turn into an issue for your job.

    • OP

      Update: posting this convinced me it’s not too late to salvage the day and I’m on my way in! Any time billed/Face Time is better than none.

    • Anon

      I’m in the same position (minus husband’s panic attack) but I went to work today and feel silly that I’m here when I could have just worked from home. My commute is 90 min each way until I move closer to the new job, so it’s a real time-cost to come in just to show my face to the 1-2 people who are here from my team. I totally understand the need to make a good first impression and the common wisdom of lots of face time early on in an office to build up credibility and connections, but I wouldn’t feel guilty as long as you’re proving yourself with your work product and coming in on strategically important days where face time is going to count. My two cents!

  25. Horse Crazy

    Where do you buy your simple v-neck t-shirts? I used to buy the Mossimo ones at Target, but they don’t have that line anymore (and not sure I would buy them anyway after the whole admissions thing), so I’m looking for an equivalent. No more than $15-$20 each. Thanks!

    • Anonymous

      I’ve tried a lot and the only ones that I like are Everlane. They’re durable, thicker material, not weirdly cut. I’ve tried Grana, J.Crew, Uniqlo, Gap, to name a few.

    • HSAL

      I was so confused by your comment – I had no idea that the Mossimo line was that guy!

      Try A New Day tshirts – they replaced the Merona line and I didn’t see much of a difference between my Merona and Mossimo tshirts.

      • Horse Crazy

        Haha I only found out after reading the insane Buzzfeed story about their daughter!

    • Anon

      Mossimo the guy hasn’t had any connection to Mossimo the clothing line in many years.

  26. Summer Shoes

    I need some shopping help to find some basic casual brown or tan (flat) sandals for the spring/summer/fall (I’m in Texas so it’s warm enough for them now through November). I’d like them to be reasonably comfortable but it’s okay if I need to wear them in. I know they’re in style at the moment, but find Birks uncomfortable–the hard cork bed just doesn’t get along with me (even their new softer version), and they are also ugly on me (but okay on others–how does that work?). Leather is probably best, and I’d love for them to have a back strap (not flip flops). What are the go-tos at the moment that I’m missing? Budget is ~$150 with the hopes that they will last at LEAST a couple of years with heavy wear for eight months out of the year. (I saw the string above for the Disney trip, but I think I’m looking for something slightly different–I don’t need them to be all day walk-able comfortable.)

    • Anon

      I have the huaraches from Nisolo,and they are amazing. Super comfortable– I wore them all over Seattle/Portland last summer, and I normally have to have inserts in my shoes to walk around in them.

  27. Anon

    I know there are former skaters/figure skating fans here…what do we think about Mariah Bell (allegedly) slashing her South Korean rival during the warm-up at Worlds? I find it really hard to believe she would deliberately attack a fellow competitor in full view of coaches, judges and the public, but I also think it’s kind of weird that she didn’t immediately stop what she was doing, apologize and help Eun Soo off the ice, which would be the normal reaction when you accidentally cut someone with your blade. The whole thing is just so weird to me and I don’t really know what to think!

    • Anon

      I don’t find it hard to believe. I know nothing about this instance so I don’t know if that’s true or not, just commenting on whether somebody would do that. It’s an intensely stressful, high-pressure situation. That can sometimes make people do irrational things.

      • Anon

        And I just read she’d allegedly been bullying the Korean skater for months. If she’d gotten away with other stuff for that long, she probably felt she could get away with this no problem.

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