Suit of the Week: Boss Hugo Boss

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Boss Hugo Boss Textured Stretch Cotton Skirt Suit with Striped Trim | CorporetteFor busy working women, the suit is often the easiest outfit to throw on in the morning. In general, this feature is not about interview suits for women, which should be as classic and basic as you get — instead, this feature is about the slightly different suit that is fashionable, yet professional. This gorgeous navy suit is that rare bird, I think: a fun, interesting suit that is also sophisticated and appropriate for a variety of situations. I love the variegated stripe details, and that stretch cotton has such a texture to it — it looks like it would hold up really well on a hot summer day but still be breathable. As always, I'm a fan of the modest hemline, and I always like a three-quarter sleeve to the blazer. The blazer (Jeisina Blazer) is $595, and the skirt (Valyn Skirt) is $295. The suit is available at Hugo Boss, Bloomingdale's, and Nordstrom.      
Boss Hugo Boss "Jeisina" Textured Stretch Cotton Striped Blazer Boss Hugo Boss 'Valyn' Textured Stretch Cotton Blend Pencil Skirt | Corporette
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Sales of note for 2/14/25 (Happy Valentine's Day!):

  • Nordstrom – Winter Sale, up to 60% off! 7850 new markdowns for women
  • Ann Taylor – Up to 40% off your full-price purchase — and extra 60% off sale
  • Banana Republic Factory – 50% off everything + 15% off (readers love their suiting as well as their silky shirts like this one)
  • Boden – 15% off new season styles
  • Eloquii – 300+ styles $25 and up
  • J.Crew – 40% of your purchase – prices as marked
  • J.Crew Factory – 50% off entire site and storewide + extra 50% off clearance
  • Rothy's – Final Few: Up to 40% off last-chance styles
  • Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
  • Talbots – Flash sale ending soon – markdowns starting from $15, extra 70% off all other markdowns (final sale)

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

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

123 Comments

  1. So pretty! Although I don’t understand the styling with the sandals at all.

    1. I agree. In fashion I feel like it’s always sumner and this is how buyers assume women dress when it’s above 70 degrees. It looks ridiculous!!

    2. Those shoes are all wrong for that suit. I’d wear it with my gray suede heels.

    3. I agree – what a lovely suit. And, while the sandals are completely wrong for the office, 1) I might like them on their own and 2) I think the stylist was trying to play off of the horizontal lines in the suit and the sandals.

      1. Yes, the shoes do play off the suit stripes, but I would not wear them with the suit. Love the suit but it wouldn’t look good on me…luckily for my clothing budget!

  2. Sorry for the immediate TJ, but need salary negotiation advice. I just had a second round interview for a business-side position at a very large company. I was told that, before the next round, we would have to discuss salary to make sure we’re in the same range. My contact at the company said that I could just call HR there to find out what the salary range is for this position. Is this something people do? I’m in a law firm market where the salaries are basically fixed by year, and I have no clue how it’s done in the business world. I want to go in with an ask that’s reasonably aggressive.

    TIA!!! And I love this suit but I don’t think Hugo Boss loves me.

    1. No, I don’t think this is something candidates normally do. I would talk to others in similar roles at similar companies to try to find out the salary range.

    2. This seems really sneaky. Why doesn’t she just tell you what the range is for the position and ask you if its in line with what you are looking for?

      1. Because the unspoken rule in salary negotiation is that whoever names a number first loses, so companies always, always try to get the candidate to name their price. If they will pay up to $200k, but you only ask for $150, they will happily meet your offer or try to negotiate down without telling you the top of the range. Only once in my career has the company given a number first (and it was legitimately a lot lower than I expected/would have accepted, so I didn’t even have to feign shock). I agree with tesyaa… talk to others in similar positions and try to find out a salary range that way. I have never heard of HR providing that kind of information, and if I found out that a candidate asked I would think it a little strange.

        1. Yay! I love Hugo Boss — this suit is so versatile! Great selection, and Rosa can pick it up at Nordstrom! Doubel Yay!

          As for the OP, companie’s alway’s try to cheapen down the range. FOOEY ON COMPANIE’S THAT DO THIS! DOUBEL FOOEY!

          When I was still in the business world (workeing as a process server), the guy would NOT tell me how much he was goieing to pay me until I told dad. Dad called him up (after talking to one of his Army buddie’s) and told him how much he was goeing to pay me! Dad was abel to get more for me then any of the other peeople workeing there. The boss told me later that he agreed to dad’s demand’s b/c he needed a very gal like me who could “open doors” for them. This was the first time that being a WOMAN helped me make MORE then the men who worked there, b/c the men were kind of skeevey and were NOT the types to get past the receptionist. When I acted as a process server, most times I was abel to get the receoptionist to have the guy come out and meet me. I must confess that I fibbed a littel to the receptionist, most of the time hinteing that the guy had to come out b/c I had a “personal problem” because of our “releationship” which useually meant — between us girls — that the guy had messed up and that I needed to fix thing’s right away. Of course, the guy came right out, not knowing what was goeing on, and once I IDENTIFIED him definitevely, I served the SUMMON’s or the SUBPEENIE right on him, and documented it for the file! YAY!!

          But for the OP, alway’s shoot high, and if they balk, you can alway’s lower your demand’s later. DOUBEL YAY!

    3. I just negotiated for a position and I used salary dot com to figure out what the average salary was for this position in my marketplace. I had a contact at the company who was able to see what the previous person in this position was being paid and the information from that site was within $2k of what the previous person was making. you could check it out and see if it gives you any insight.

    4. Try salary[dot] com. Enter the city/state, industry, job title. They have a ton of information on salaries, most of it free without a subscription. I used it to negotiate a 15% raise in 2013.

  3. For those of you who live with your significant other (or did before you got married, etc.), how long did it take for you to “adjust” to living together?

    My problem now seems to be remembering that this is now our shared space, rather than just my own space. In the past when we had separate places, we spent most of our time at my place, which meant I still did things the way I wanted (cleaning, cooking, etc.). Now, I’m having trouble remembering that not everything can be done my way because it’s his place too, so if he wants to leave his shoes in the middle of the hallway, I can’t always nag him about it.

    Similarly, I’m having a hard time adjusting to being in the same apartment but not spending time in the same place (i.e. watching TV in different places or reading separately) because when we used to have separate places, we spent all our time in the same place when we visited because there wasn’t really a choice. I’m sure it will pass, but I’m just wondering what others’ experiences are like.

    1. Well it was a long time ago for me. We’ve lived together for 5 years (still not married). It was also different because we basically moved in together right out of the dorms, so neither of us got used to living alone. So as far as figuring out our living ‘styles,’ like where do shoes go, it was more of a logical conversation about where does it make the most sense for them to go? It would have been different, and harder, if one of us had moved in to the other’s existing space because then you don’t want to come in and change everything. So while I don’t think you can go straight to nagging him about where he leaves his shoes, if it’s a new place to both of you, I think you can frame things in a more logic based way and ask if there is a better place to put shoes. The we’re-together-but-not-really-together feeling will pass and eventually you’ll just be used to having them around all the time. It’s totally ok to not actually spend all your time together.

    2. My SO and I have lived together for 5 years and been together for 9 years and are getting married in a year. I would say the adjustments over living together purely adjusting schedules etc fix themselves pretty quickly however the personalities and melding those are issues you will need to work on for forever. We have gone to couple therapy in preparation for our wedding and our therapist always points out that the only coaches you ever receive on how to be a family or live in a house come from your parents and your family from when you grew up. So it might be nice to sit down with him and do Start Stop Continue. Which means discuss what things from his childhood/family that he does want to continue with your relationship, what things does he not want to continue, and what things didn’t happen in his childhood/family that he wants to add in his future. That way if he is doing something a certain way (which you might disagree with) you can remind him that he said he didn’t want to do it that way when he talked about Start Stop Continue and he can do the same for you which helps your relationship get stronger. For example my SO’s family had ZERO traditions, but he wants to have traditions with our future family. So we plan out the year with some things that are “our” traditions. When he says let’s skip a friends pumpkin carving party this year because work is crazy I remind him he picked it as a tradition and it helps him work towards his goal. If that makes sense.

    3. I can identify with your SO because I moved into my boyfriends condo about 2 years ago, which he had already owned for 6 years. He was very set in the way things were, and didn’t want me to change ANYTHING, which of course always made me feel like a visitor or a sub-letter, as opposed to a co-owner. It didn’t help that he was very tidy whereas I had usually lived in a bit more chaotic of an environment. However, I tried to respect his boundaries (didn’t mess with the colour scheme or redecorate anything, tried to keep my things as tidy as I could, didn’t make any big organizational changes) and he was appreciative of my efforts even if they weren’t always perfect. He loosened up over time, so that now we really work as a team and I feel like the place is as much mine as his. It was definitely a learning curve getting used to living together but you get used to it and now I can barely remember the early frustrations.

    4. Did he move into your apartment? Could you move into a third/neutral space together? I think that is hard to adjust to. We read different books side by side while dating (hey law school) so that part never bothered me.

      1. It’s a new place for both of us, it’s more of us trying to meld together our living styles/personalities (clearly, he is the messy one that cleans once in awhile, and I’m the tidy one who cleans often).

  4. My general travel philosophy so far in life is to avoid seeing the same place twice. There is just so much world to see, why see the same place? But this morning’s conversation about Barcelona really made me want to go back. I also don’t do many closer to home trips, and there is a lot to see nearby. But then I think “well, I’m young, see all the far away things now, you’ll spend plenty of time in the US and Canada over your lifetime”.

    I know a lot of people that just go to hawaii or palm springs, to the same hotel/condo, etc. year after year, and I never really saw the allure, but then I think of places like Barcelona and Lisbon and Munich and Prague and I think maybe I’m doing it wrong, because I loved those places so much that I would love to be there again and again- whereas there are new places that I’m sure I won’t love nearly as much.

    What’s your travel philosophy? Always new places? Often the same place?

    1. There’s something to be said, for being a visitor versus being a traveler. Getting to know places, knowing where to go back to.
      Sounds like you’re like me. No real interest in going to the same US beach town over and over, but the major cities of the US and Europe over and over, where everything changes all the time? Yes, please.

      1. Paris has been an annual trip for years. We keep in touch with friends, bypass major sights in favour of current exhibitions and more local neighbourhoods, I know my way around the local dining scene and the regular trip provides the necessary motivation for both my husband and I to keep our French in use. We often combine with another French destination if we can get away for 2 weeks (because we also enormously enjoy the smaller towns and rural areas of France, rather than because Paris fails to sustain our interest), and we sub in Rome every 3 years or so.

        Since it came up elsewhere, I’d also add that I specifically avoid travelling to these places ‘in season’ ie. the summer months, especially August. These cities have lives of their own year-round, but get absolutely mobbed in summer when many local businesses actually pack up for their annual holiday in August, including restaurants and favourite boutiques.

    2. Same thing over and over with occasional other trips thrown in. There is a difference for us between vacation, which is at the same place and is relaxing in its predictability, and travel, which is to different places and is to run around all day seeing new sights/cultures, etc. We take a vacation nearly every year, but only travel every few years.

    3. Someone said here that there are three things to do on vacation – travel, relax, or visit family. And you can’t do all three at once. I love travelling to new places and I also love relaxing in the same places because they are both good and different from each other.

      1. I agree with Wildkitten. When I was younger, more of my vacations were travelling vacations but now I take more relaxing vacations. With those, we have tested out a few resorts and have found our favorites. We plan on returning to one of them in a few months because we know that it will be perfect for us to relax.

    4. I like to go new places. That’s not to say I never repeat… I have been to several European cities multiple times because I loved them and I lived in Europe at the time, so it was cheap/easy. But if I’m making a *trip* it’s going to be to somewhere I’ve never been.

      I never thought of it this way before, but I think ITDS and Wildkitten nailed it: there’s a difference between vacation and travel. If I want a “vacation,” I go to the beach or on a Caribbean cruise. Any beach, because as far as I’m concerned all beaches are the same, just categorized by activity (surfing, scuba diving, lounging). I have a vacation coming up because I am burnt out and exhausted and it’s necessary for my sanity. But I love to travel, so that’s where I usually prioritize my money and time off.

      I’ve mostly traveled internationally for the past 10 years because I had lots of disposable income and could travel light… Now that I’m in the young children phase, I see a lot more cheap driving vacations in my immediate future. I have very fond memories of driving vacations to national parks when I was a kid, so I’m kind of looking forward to it (even though I’m sad that my passport is gathering dust).

        1. OMG, glad there are other nerds out there with their parks passports! I just got mine a year ago, I didn’t even know they existed. And now I totally envision a retirement (…in another 30 years) where I’m merrily traveling about the country getting stamps in it. :)

    5. A little bit of both. I think ITDS hit it by saying that vacation is one thing, travel is another.

      We vacation at the beach whenever we can (usually every other year or so), but we travel to new places less frequently, as those trips tend to be more expensive for us. I love the predictability of the beach, but short of my aunt’s beach house (which she no longer owns), we don’t worry about booking the same house or anything.

      I will say, that having visited the Caribbean 2x to 2 different locations, I would absolutely nab up the opportunity to visit one (Virgin Gorda) again, but not the other (St. Thomas). It’s not that our trip to StT was awful, it was just not worth doing again. If you count The Caribbean as a single destination, then yes, I will absolutely go again, but I feel like The Caribbean is not a single destination as each island has its own personality.

      Largely, though, our travel philosophy is to go a little off the beaten path, and live like a local, as much as we can. We stay in houses/apartments/condos rather than hotels. I like the ability to cook, do laundry when needed, have a little extra room, and feel a little more like home, than a hotel. We rent a car, and try to steer clear of tourist traps. On our honeymoon in Virgin Gorda, we never made it to The Baths. THE place to go if you go to VG. But we didn’t. We went during the middle of summer, so it’s not like it was crowded, but it still was more crowded than our totally secluded beach. One day would I like to see it? Sure. But I’m not going to pass up other travel opportunities to try to strike that off the list. We didn’t go to any of the other tourist spots, we stayed far away from the tourist destinations–our house was on the “local” end of the island. We did the same sort of thing when hubs & I went to Arizona. We stayed in a condo on the way northern end of town, and we hiked daily, and were often too pooped to go out to dinner.

      We don’t typically go to places where we are waited on hand and foot–they tend to be out of our price range! But that’s also not what we’re looking for either. We’re looking for quality time together, without interruption. As for where is next, I have no idea. I’ve seen some parts of the southwest, but hubs hasn’t. I would totally go back to experience it with him.

      1. Can I ask what you didn’t like about St Thomas? I’m planning a trip there, but could change destinations!

        1. It was a variety of factors. In comparison to VG, hubs described VG as third world, and StT as ghetto. I know it’s a little harsh, but that was kind of the vibe. It was a short trip, just a long weekend (we went over Lee-Jackson-King holiday weekend), and I was pregnant but in my second trimester. We didn’t have a fabulous location for our condo, but it was nice enough. The weather wasn’t perfect, but it was nice enough. The whole island just seemed more American, whereas VG was, while third world, more civilized! The house we stayed in on VG was a part of a little neighborhood that had its own private beach. There were no other beach-goers the entire week we were there. We ran into 2 small yachts that anchored just offshore whose patrons were snorkeling near “our” beach. That was all. In StT, we had to drive to a good beach for snorkeling, and that just made it more of a hassle.

          In the end, it was a nice vacation, but not as amazing as I had envisioned, but that may be because I was so clouded by our fantastic trip to VG a few years earlier. But as far as accessibility, it can’t be beat. We had a direct flight out of Charlotte, and you don’t need a passport.

    6. We are about 60/40 new vs repeat. For shorter, closer to home vacations (usually family vacations) we go to the same places over & over – we have our favorite campgrounds, we’ve done Disneyland as a family twice, and will go again, I’m sure. For bigger, splurge type vacations (normally dh & I alone) we go different places and we try to alternate beach/relaxing vacations with busy/city vacations. Sometimes we’ll go somewhere as a couple, then go back again as a family, which gives a different take on the location.

      I do think, though, that I wouldn’t enjoy going back to the same place every year because there are so many places in the world (and even in North America) to see. I wish I had the money to go everywhere!

      1. The money and the time! I think America as a country needs a statutorily required minimum paid time off, like, you know, every other country in the world (and a culture where you are expected to take your vacation time and will not be bothered while on it). We as a nation do not take enough vacation time. I’m convinced it’s bad for mental health and productivity.

        1. amen, amen, amen. This country needs a lot of workplace reform. Maternity/paternity leave, vacation, minimum wage…I was out of the office for the better part of July between a week at home with my kids while our nanny was out on vacation, back to back with a work conference. Then, 2 days in the office, a weekend, and another Monday off (while the nanny used sick time to care for her husband who just had surgery). It felt incredible to not be at my office. Did I do exciting things with my kids? Not really. Was it a vacation? Not really. But I wasn’t at my office. And I feel way better, less stressed, having had that time off.

          1. I just went on a week vacation with my family (husband, 3 kids) and honestly when I came back I was so incredibly productive in the two weeks following my vacation. It really surprised me how some time away, relaxing, really had that result.

      2. As I get older and achieve greater responsibility at work, I value the ideas of vacation (vs travel) and going back to the same places again more and more. I can remember driving a bigger car through some very small streets in France trying to make our train and thinking “Wow this is more stressful than my job!” But we are planning another trip to France because you can’t possibly see everything you want to see in 1 or 2 weeks. So when you go back, you have some familiarity with the place and still much more to see, do.

    7. I’m a “always the same place” type of traveller. I used to be a “novelty is a good thing” traveller but then I had a string of bad luck and nasty surprises.

      So when I found a resort that I enjoyed, was not a 2-day trip to get to, and within budget, I decided to stick with what works (I’ve been an annual guest there since 2009). Plus, I travel mostly to scuba dive and even the 12th visit to the same reef can be completely different.

      When I have been back to “my resort” within the last 12 months and get some extra vacation time, I do try a new place (or re-try an OK place if I think it was my hotel or dive shop that could have been better). It’s just that with limited vacation time (e.g., 1 or 2 weeks per year), I have less tolerance for a bad trip. I want to be assured of at least one good vacation.

        1. The place I return to every year is Bananarama Resort on Roatan. Awesome dive masters and cute little rooms with private porches.

          I really enjoy diving with the Dive Bus on Curacao. I don’t really enjoy the rest of Curacao, I’ve been there twice and my land-experience was meh.

          I would go back to Bonaire again in a heartbeat if I could find a shore-diving buddy who can drive stick. Buddy Dive was a good resort. I would research resorts there if I return but I wouldn’t be disappointed to end up at Buddy’s again (but I really did not like the guided boat dives/divemasters on the resort).

        2. This is way late, but I have to chime in to second Bonaire. Instead of staying at a resort, we used Dive Friends and stayed in an apartment complex away from the shore (but within walking distance of bars/restaurants). The diving is outstanding and the island is so relaxed- DH and I went there for my post-bar trip last year and are already planning another trip there in March!

    8. For relaxing holidays or ones where the travelling isn’t the ‘point’, we go back to the same places. I grew up going to the same tiny ski area every year for over ten years. We’ve been to Whistler twice and absolutely would go back. We’ve been to the same Neilson beach club multiple times (Halkidiki).
      For more exploring and ‘travelling’ type trips, yes, we do visit different places

    9. I like going back to places I like. I did enough new places when I was younger that the allure of it isn’t there for me anymore. I also like really getting to know a place so it feels local and not touristy.

    10. I have a couple of friends with beach houses, so I usually end up “vacationing” with them at least one or two weekends a year, at the same place year after year. I traveled so much growing up, it’s nice to know where the good ice cream store is in the little beach town.

      That said, I have a lot of places left on my travel list. Antarctica, New Zealand, Alaska, Australia, Argentina, Mexico, Prague, Mongolia, Peru, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Namibia…

    11. We generally go to the same place – CA wine country – for shorter trips (like a 3-day weekend kind of thing). It’s relatively close by, so we don’t spend a lot of time actually getting there, and the more we get to know the area, the more it feels like a “home away from home” kind of place. We’ve been so many times that it feels less like a vacation or getaway now and more like a relaxing weekend in a place I love and have come to know.

      Our bigger 1+ week trips tend to be international and to new places we haven’t been. Last year we did Paris & France’s Loire Valley. This year we’re looking to see Rome & Florence/Tuscany in 10 days. Next year we are planning to do Bora Bora (our honeymoon) and hopefully one more big international trip (Greece, possibly?) before we have kids.

    12. A mix. I’ll always go back to Paris if given the opportunity but I do like to see new places.

  5. I need hostessing advice regarding hosting my neighbors who have a strong belief in their evangelization-based religious tradition.

    They hosted me for dinner a few months ago and I have yet to return the favor. Oops, right? Here’s the thing: they are very religious and I am not. We said grace before dinner (I respectfully bowed my head). They asked me for my testimony and I admitted to being a “None”. We had a pleasant evening, even if they did intersperse the conversation with their testimony. Eh, I grew up with religious people so it didn’t faze me…I know this is just one way how people of faith relate to others.

    I need to have them over for dinner. I don’t say grace and I feel uncomfortable/hypocritical leading grace or having grace said in my house. With family, I put up with it to keep the peace. But with neighbors, I don’t feel the same compulsion. When I was religious and visited friends who didn’t say grace, I never insisted on saying grace but I was raised in a non-evangelical tradition.

    I want to have a pleasant relationship because their son cat-sits for me. Do I offer to let them say a grace, lead a humanist/secular reflection, or just say “Bon Apetito!” when they come over?

    1. I would say nothing and just start eating as you ordinarily would, but if they started to say grace let them.

    2. “I don’t typically say grace, but does anyone else want to lead a blessing?”

      or

      “Thank you so much for coming to dinner. I’m glad we were able to get together again. Here’s to good food and good company. Cheers.” Then you be the first to start eating and hopefully they will follow your lead.

      The first allows them to say grace if they prefer. The second isn’t religious but it fills in the ritual aspect of somebody-talks-now-we-eat that can feel a little awkward if it doesn’t happen and someone is used to grace before meals.

    3. I’d just ask one of them to say grace. That’s no different than what happened when you were at their house.

    4. In case it ever happens to me, what does it mean when someone asks me what my testimony is? And what would the question sound like (“So, Ms. X, what is your testimony?”)?

      I honestly have never heard this use of the word. I was born, raised and live in the US, if that matters.

      Thanks!

      1. For evangelical Christians, “testimony” is the story of how you came to be a Christian; a Christian “testifies” their faith. It is a very personal (and moving) account of one’s inner faith journey and relationship with Jesus.

    5. this is your house, so apply your rules, just like you followed theirs in their house. That being said, to be a gracious host, I would probably say a few ‘humanist’ words, such as ‘I am so please you are here with me tonight, and am very grateful that we are building a solid neighbourly relationship’.

    6. Thanks everyone! I really appreciate your advice.

      I think I will just say something like “I don’t normally say grace but does anyone else want to lead a blessing?”

      If they weren’t bringing their son, I’d just skip grace entirely. But I respect that they are trying to bring up their son according to their beliefs. So I think this is a good compromise.

      1. would offering a toast be a good alternative? seems like a polite and festive way to honor the occasion without demanding any religious-ness. Something to acknowledge your appreciation of friends/neighbors and how they add value in our lives

  6. CV advice? I’m applying for a fellowship that asks for a “professional CV.” I recently read that there is a difference between a CV and a resume. I had never before considered that, but it does feel odd to include my job duties and description for this fellowship application. Should I only list my jobs, and job titles, plus education and awards/honors? I’m worried that my CV will look really short with out all my job duties.

    1. Your CV should be longer than your resume – a typical resume being 1 page or so, a typical CV being multiple pages. Focus on your academic career, research, publications, awards/honors, teaching experience, applicable volunteer experience, etc… It may fill our faster than you think!

      Many institutions of higher learning publish a “how to” for CVs – see if the place you’re applying has some guidelines already established.

  7. Does anyone know whether you can let out the seat of pants? Ann taylor pants in particular. I’ve gained a tiny bit of weight recently and it’s made a couple of my pants the least bit inappropriate for work.

    1. Usually not likely–there is only so much seam allowance in the crotch, darts & hips. You may be able to gain about a quarter to half-inch, but there’s usually not enough fabric to work with. Weighing the added layer of spanx with their slimming properties is going to be your better bet.

  8. Am I doing something wrong to cause the hems to fall on every single pair of pants I own within the first few wears? I buy from a variety of different brands/stores, so I think it must be me.

    1. It could be you, but it could also just be that machine-made hems fall out easily. I am not much of a seamstress by any means, but I am grateful that my mother taught me basic repairs like hemming. If you have any free time in your life, I encourage you to learn to hem (Youtube maybe?) because it’s actually pretty easy and sometimes even quicker than dropping the pants off and picking them up.

      1. +1, I’m very glad that Mom taught me how to hem, sew a button back on, etc. It really only takes me about 20 minutes max to hem a typical unlined pair of dress pants.

    2. Are they too long? If your heels are catching the bottom of the pants, maybe that puts pressure on the hem and makes it start unraveling? Idk.

    3. I have a pair of shoes with hardware on the heel that would catch on the stitching of the hem and eventually caused those hems to fall.

      Or it could be cheap-@ss thread or technique – maybe it was stitched up, but not knotted off, so it has an easier chance of unravelling.

      1. If a machine hem breaks in one place, the whole thing unravels easily. With a hand hem, you can reinforce every few stitches so if the thread breaks, only a couple of inches unravel.

  9. I would seriously appreciate any help! I’m a 2013 grad working as a legal assistant in a small firm for over a year now. I’ve been really antsy to go in-house and work for attorneys who practice legal areas that I’m more interested in. I have a good relationship with the recruiter at this tech company where I had a very good chance of getting the job- until the hiring manager decided to do away with the position. The recruiter told me that she was hopeful that we would find another position for me.

    This week I saw a new position and applied, and dropped the recruiter a note to let her know and asked if she could pass my information (from initial interviews) on to the recruiter for this new position. She was very happy to do so and told me to let her know if she could do anything else for me. Today there’s a second new position that I’d like to apply for as well…and I feel awkward asking the same thing of my recruiter for the second time, but I would really like do. What’s the proper thing to do? I don’t want to be bothersome/show lack of business etiquette. I would really love to hear what you experienced/more knowledgable ladies think!

    1. In my opinion, this would depend if the positions are peripherally related or if they are quite different. If related, then I would apply and reach out again. If opposed, I would be cautious you’re jeopardizing the first application. If you’re young, I’d apply anyway–it’s easy to look eager and say, “I’m interested in X and Y” when you’re in your early 20’s, whereas harder to pull that off once you should have a better handle on your interests.

      1. Thanks so much! You make me feel a lot better about doing it- I just didn’t want to come off as a pest. I am in my early 20s and the positions are very closely related btw :) thanks again!

  10. I’m sick of wearing camis under low-cut dresses and having the edges bunch up under the dress. Does anyone know any good thong bodysuits for longer torsos? It doesn’t have to be shapewear – I just want something where the cami is connected to the underwear, and I generally wear thongs.

    And yes, I recognize that I’m reaching back to 80s/90s aerobics here.

    1. not so sure about bodysuits (though I do see them from time to time as shapewear in department stores/TJM/Ross/Marshalls occasionally), but what about a slip instead of a cami? I recently bought white & black slips to wear with both dresses & skirts to avoid the whole cami/slip/tights waistband issue.

    2. I wear a Spanx version of the cami/bodysuit with jeans, pants, etc. But if you don’t need the slimming effect and it’s only for dresses, I’ll wear the Gap pullover bra (over my real bra) and it acts as a cami and doesn’t add the added bulk elsewhere. I size up so it will go over my regular bra and I don’t have to adjust for either the camisole riding up or the bodysuit annoying me.

    3. If you’re just looking just for bust coverage, you can also consider one of the bras designed for that exact purpose. Unfortunately I don’t have an item to point you to, but I know they’ve been discussed on this site a couple of times and maybe you’d get lucky with a search.

    4. Check out gap. They have bodysuits and camis that actually stay in place. Zara has nice camis too – they’re about $10-12. Also American Apparel has a TON of bodysuits.

    5. Not a body suit, but I love the Shimera tanks at Nordstrom – no rolling up/they stay put under dresses (which I wear daily.

  11. Threadjack! Car question. I have 2 cars, both Toyota Camrys. One Hybrid (2009); one regular (1999). My husband and I travel long distances frequently by car (mostly for family/pleasure rather than for work). We bought the 2009 in 2011 and have since put more than 60,000 miles on it (it’s now at almost 90K). We have about 6 months left of payments on it.

    The 1999 has about 160K miles on it, and runs fine for in-town, but is not suitable for long trips. We drive about a 400 mile round trip 2-3 times per month, and only use the 2009 for those trips. While the 1999 runs OK (and is totally paid for), I am afraid I’m running the 2009 into the ground more quickly because it is our exclusive car for these long trips.

    My fear on waiting to buy a new/new to me car is that by the time the 1999 dies, I could be looking at having to replace the 2009 soon after because of the high mileage we put on it. At the same time, I don’t want to have a car payment if I don’t have to.

    If it matters we’re thinking Honda Accord as replacement.

    My question for the hive and all of you financially savvy ladies is what do I do?

    1) Stop the bleeding on the 2009, and trade in the 1999 for something new (or new to us) – probably in September when I’m told the best car deals are available;
    2) Drive the 1999 until the 2009 is paid off (I think February), then trade in the 1999 for something new (or new to us);
    3) Drive the 1999 until it dies, which could be years, then get something new;
    4) Ditch the 1999 now, get a cheap lease, and make sure we keep it under mileage per year while swapping it out with the 2009 on long trips.

    Thanks in advance!

    1. The 1999 Camry could indeed last many more years. I say go with option 3, but put aside the amount you would spend on a cheap lease or a trade-in so that if you are faced with needing two new vehicles at the same time, you can afford it. I have heard of Camrys easily lasting 200K miles. While a newer car may (may) save you money on gas, you may spend a lot more on insurance if you no longer have collision on the 1999.

      1. Agreed. My 1997 Toyota (4Runner, not Camry) is still trucking along nicely just shy of 200K, and I don’t expect it to wear out anytime soon. Why get something new when the others still run fine and one’s paid for? Don’t replace anything until you have to. Plus, I can’t imagine you’d get much for a trade in on the old one.

      2. I agree too. My 1989 Camry went well over 200k (close to 225k if I remember correctly) before it totally died. I’d just run the 1999 into the ground and then buy a replacement when you have to. You should have plenty of time to save up cash to buy at least 1 nice used car, possibly 2 if your 2009 needs to be replaced too. I’d start setting aside a certain amount each month into an online savings account specifically as a new car fund.

      3. This, this, this.

        I adore my 93 corolla with nearly 200k miles. It’s such a trouper (trooper?) and a very comfortable car. Just routine maintenance.

        I’d do option 3 with a twist: after you pay off the 2009, start putting the same payment into a savings account for the down payment on the next car.

    2. You have less than 100k on a 5-6 year old car. That’s pretty average, so I don’t think you are really in danger of running into the ground, unless you have different information regarding the Hybrids.

      I’d keep driving the 1999 until it craps out, and start paying yourself the car payment after you are done paying out for the 2009, so that when you have enough to buy outright you can replace the 1999.

    3. I’m a little confused by the dilemma. Miles are miles, right? If you spread them out over two cars or keep them on one car, they’re still going to diminish your car’s/cars’ life expectancy and resale value. Why would you feel better about racking up mileage on a new car? Is the issue that you don’t want to buy two cars in quick succession? If so, I agree with Tesyaa’s suggestion.

      1. Yes, I’m worried that both will end up dying around the same time and I’ll have to replace 2 cars within the span of a year or so. Thanks for the response!

        1. So how will it be cheaper to replace one car prematurely? That’s what I don’t understand.

    4. You have 2 amazing, reliable, work-horse cars. There is no reason you should be even contemplating buying another. Honestly, if you can’t pay for a new car cash, you can’t afford a new car anyway. I am really surprised by your post.

      Everyone in my family has Toyotas. I drive a 1997 Camry that I keep up well and I will drive it until it dies… probably another 5-10 years. Everyone else in my family has Toyata has Hybrids and their durability is amazing. You are no where near needing to worry about replacing your Hybrid. Those long distance miles are “good” miles, if you know what I mean and you will not be nearing the end life of your Hybrid for many many years… or needing a new battery.

      So my recs. Drive both cars until they die. Only once they die, consider buying another reliable car you can afford… cash. Never buy new. Buy in December, buy “pre-owned” but dealer certified so you get a great warranty. And if you have to buy new, again…. buy at the end of the year just before they release the next year’s model. And always buy at the end of the month, when the dealership is struggling to meet their monthly goals. And pay cash. Wheel and deal.

      Be frugal, and be smart. Maintain your cars, and they will last you many more years. Never lease a car again. And save your “car payment” $$ in your retirement fund instead each month, and retire a few years early!

      1. +1. I would drive both of them into the ground and only then would I buy a new-to-me but slightly used car, in cash. And another Toyota (have a 1997 4-Runner with over 250,000 miles on it. Still runs great! And just got back from an 1600 mile road trip with it.)

        1. So we actually need two cars, and the 1999 isn’t all that reliable. Definitely not going to make i on a 1600 mile trip!

    5. 3. You don’t need a new car, since you have 2 that are already meeting your needs. If you are concerned about possibly needing to replace them at the same time, save more money for that.

  12. How do you know when it’s time to move on? I always thought I could make it to partner (and wanted to), but after taking maternity leave / going part-time – and realizing how badly even my well-meaning firm handles working motherhood – I’m not so sure anymore. I’m also feeling disillusioned/discouraged with litigation in general. But I’ve been committed to this path so long, it’s hard to see moving on now as anything but a defeat – and I do still think I have a decent chance if I stick it out. Can anyone share advice/inspiration on how to find and think about the right path forward, or what worked for you? Many thanks, from a regular reader and former Anon-poster…

    1. I don’t have any advice, but my fear is that this will happen to me when I get to the same point as you. I am interested to see the responses you receive.

    2. It is not a defeat if you are abandoning the goal, because it no longer suits you, rather than abandoning the effort to reach a goal you want to achieve, because you don’t feel capable of reaching it.

      Why would you devote more of your precious energy and other resources toward attaining something you don’t want? Spend the extra effort on determining what it is you really do want now, and don’t beat yourself up for discovering that your desires and priorities changed after many years.

      It would be boring to turn around at 70 and say “Well, I did it all just as I had planned at 25, with no detours. I was never distracted by any of the opportunities I saw, and was changed not at all by the experiences I had.”

      1. Wow, your response really spoke to me. Especially your line about not being changed by the experience I had. You’re seriously making me re-examine my life.

        1. I think it depends on the wearer and her overall style. I know a few people who would rock the shoe pictured. It would be cute, retro, slightly funky – overall awesome. On others, it would be frump city. You have to know yourself. I have a pair of similar SW heels in black suede and I don’t find them matronly in the least – you just have to make sure the rest of your look is modern and stylish.

          1. I would take a pair in every color C ole H aan has them in, including the leopard. Especially the navy. Oh, the navy.

            #SturdyGalsUnite

    1. IMHO comfort trumps cute every time. I don’t give a crap if my shoes are matronly; the rest of me certainly isn’t so it balances. I prefer the Cole Haan Edie Low Pump though because I’m not a fan of the flared heel on this one.

    2. Not cute, but not bad – just okay. Better with pants than skirt in my opinion, and I never wear pants so I wouldn’t have much use for them.

  13. I have a comment that’s been in moderation for over three hours (no idea what triggered it). What gives?

    1. If the comment you are referring to is the one at 2:37 pm with the same handle, I think v i s i t e d put you in moderation (anything with s i t e does).

  14. I’m a 3L and I just got a job with the DA for the fall semester. I hear they just throw you in and it’s sink or swim. What are some good, practical books for criminal practice that I can read to prepare?

    1. If you have the opportunity to go sit in the courtroom and observe prior to starting work, do it. Do it often. Even better if you know what judges you’ll be appearing in front of regularly.

    2. Other people have suggested McElhaney – I haven’t yet read his books myself, but they’re on my list to get from the library and investigate.

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