Suit of the Week: Brooks Brothers

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woman wears double-breasted pinstriped charcoal pantsuit

For 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.

Brooks Brothers is having some great deals on suiting — lots of it is 40% off. That includes their BrooksStretch line of basic suiting, as well as this classic navy wool suit; readers also love this silk-cashmere shawl sweater (down to $100!), their classic cardigans ($75-$238 in cotton, merino, or cashmere), and their non-iron shirts.

The pictured suit seems great — I think it looks nice as a suit but the pieces would also be individually wearable (and very on-trend right now!).

The suiting is available in sizes 0-16; pieces were $248-$598, but are now marked to $149-$359.

(Psst: this leather jacket also seems really cool and it's down to $478.)

Looking for something similar in plus sizes? Eloquii has this pinstriped vest-and-pant combo, as well as a double-breasted pants suit in red. (Oh, and they have this houndstooth double-breasted blazer with matching leggings.)

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!

Sales of note for 2/7/25:

  • Nordstrom – Winter Sale, up to 60% off! 7850 new markdowns for women
  • Ann Taylor – Extra 25% off your $175+ purchase — and $30 of full-price pants and denim
  • Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything + extra 15% off
  • Boden – 15% off new season styles
  • Eloquii – 60% off 100s of styles
  • J.Crew – Extra 50% off all sale styles
  • J.Crew Factory – 40% off everything including new arrivals + extra 20% off $125+
  • Rothy's – Final Few: Up to 40% off last-chance styles
  • Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
  • Talbots – 40% off one item + free shipping on $150+

135 Comments

  1. I do not like jackets like this. They only right to me if you are standing and the jacket is buttoned. But I sit mostly and it just bunches up too much (plus I’m sitting on half of it). Then I stand up with an unbuttoned jacket and is it a rumply mess. I guess it’s what you wear for a standing day? Maybe if you are showing a house at an open house? But when / how do typical office people deal with this?

    1. I’m a survivor of late 80s-early 90s double breasted everything, and I’m not going back.

        1. Yes, we have to be 25 and 5’9″ or above with a flat tuchus to look good in a suit like this. I used to be 25, but never 5’9″ so I never looked good in this look. As a result, I tend to stay away from pants suits, preferring a pencil dress and 4″ heels, where men can focus on my leg’s rather then my tuchus. One of these days, I am going to land a quality man with a bank account, interested in me for my mind, not my body, and I will be sure to real him in, just like a tuna fish and marry him!

    2. Agreed. The proportions of the jacket and pants together are not quite right. Certainly not if the jacket is worn buttoned. It wouldn’t button over my wide hips without serious tailoring.

    3. I love the pants, but it might just be that I’m thrilled flat front straight-leg pants are coming back into fashion.

  2. I want a pair of pants like the ones in this photo. Anyone have any idea where I might find a pair, or even what keywords to search for?

  3. I feel like I need to completely revamp my career. I’m not sure what would be a good fit. How do I get started?? Life coach? Career counselor? I worry that I’ve talked and thought about this for years and I never do anything about it, just get a different job in my career field every few years. I want to like my work more and feel more successful, rather than feeling constantly stressed out that I’m not working hard enough and that it’s so hard to get myself motivated. I want a major change but I feel like I don’t even know what career is my ideal one. I’m really into breaking things down into steps so I am a little stuck without knowing what my to-do list is for moving forward. Any suggestions from the hive?

    1. This sounds more like anxiety than a need for a career change! Is it possible that’s what is going on?

      1. Sorry , I misread and thought you were changing to a different field every few years.

    2. Spend some time thinking about what you really want. Mission-driven work? Prestige and higher salary? Flexibility? The chance to keep learning?

      Pick apart this statement a little more: “I want to like my work more and feel more successful, rather than feeling constantly stressed out that I’m not working hard enough and that it’s so hard to get myself motivated.” Does feeling stressed come from the field you’re in or just your current job? Can you take a half-step – work for a company in your target field, but in a role similar to what you have now?

      Take a look at your network. Is there anyone out there whose career you admire? Might be worth it to set up a coffee meeting and ask about how they got where they are.

    3. Before you pay money to chat with someone, start with this exercise:
      Grab a piece of paper, turn it landscape & make 3 columns.
      *First column: write what you’re good at – not just what you’re good at in your current role, but holistically…maybe you’re really organized, or doing research for vacations, put all the stuff you’re good at here.
      * Second column: write what gives you energy – do you like working on lots of different things? Do you prefer one big project? Do you presenting/speaking?
      * Third column: write what you want to learn – once again, could be “work” stuff or even something fun like “i want to learn to knit”.

      After you do this, let it sit for a few days and then come back to it. Maybe talk it over with a trusted peer, a good friend or even a mentor if you have one. You can start to see themes come out as you look at what you’re naturally good at, what drives you & pairing it with what you want to learn.

    4. I started by thinking about the parts of my day that I enjoy, and gravitate towards. It also helps to identify the parts that are dragging you down. This is assuming that your current situation is not completely bad.
      Then I started scheduling lunch meetings with acquaintances in different jobs and asked about their day to day, how they got into the role etc. I also brainstormed with mentors and eventually figured out a better path.
      For me, I liked the mission and my organization, but not my role and responsibilities. The new role has less prestige but more security and is a better fit for me.

    5. I would suggest reading Working Identity by Herminia Ibarra. I think it’s one of the best books about career changes/transitions. She includes a lot of real life examples of how people get from point A to point B, and it’s not just thought exercises. I think a lot of books/coaching about career transitions tends to focus on thinking through what you want, and this book really helped me refocus on actions/doing things. I am in a very different role than I used to be because I started just…trying new things at work, and in my personal life, and figuring out what I liked by actually doing the thing part way before making a big jump.

  4. Recruitment vent:
    I had last round of interview Nov 2nd, had a good feeling after, HR promised to follow-up within a certain date. As usual, they did not. I have reached out to check if they have any update, they promised again to follow-up within a certain date, yada yada yada, guess what, they did not.
    It’s clear they are interviewing someone else [probably someone within their salary range], which is fine.
    But why can’t they be upfront about it? A nice email saying “Hey, thank you, we’ll be back with final decision after finishing interview process with the other candidates, expected date end November. If you would have any questions or comments in the meantime, feel free to reach out.”
    When I was running recruitments, I made sure either HR or myself followed up with clear feedback so that people can go on about their lives. Takes 1min to type that email and hit a send button. Candidates judge you on how you manage their recruitment experience, too.
    Thank you for coming to my talk.

      1. +1000

        Also, if someone made it through x rounds of interviews but didn’t get the job, please at least give them SOMETHING if they ask for feedback. I can’t get better if I don’t know what I did wrong.

        1. I find that it’s often true that you have two great candidates, you’d love either of them but you have to pick. In that case, the feedback truly is that we had several strong candidates and went with someone else but you. Had that someone else not competed with you, you would have gotten the job.

        2. Would you be satisfied if they said “we just liked the other person better”? I can see why they’re not giving feedback; I doubt people who ask would take it well.

    1. Thank you for this. You just gave me the courage to do a follow up email to a company that has been stringing me along for forever . They reached out to me initially through a colleague’s recommendation. Put me through three interviews. I thought it was a done deal but then they made me do an application process. Then put me through three more interviews. And still silence. I wish they would fish or cut bait already with me. I work in a very competitive industry (sadly tech adjacent) and it’s a senior level position, so I know this isn’t personal. But I think I’m doubly annoyed because this all started after I had gone through seven (yes, 7!!!) interviews with dream job prior only to have the position recruitment paused and being told it might reopen sometime in February or March. I’m not holding my breath. I am so tired of being treated like a piece of meat at this point. And I sometimes feel like I’ll be at current miserable gig forever.

      1. OP here: I admire your resilience and goodwill to basically restart the recruiting after the “official application”.
        I highly recommend dropping a note to the recruiters – sometimes, their days are busy or fall sick, so a kind reminder never hurts. Plus it saves you the nerves of waiting, and waiting, and waiting.
        A friend of mine is returning back after maternity leave [EU based] and was directly approached by a big global cosmetic company, famous for their leisurely approach to deadlines. The HR even wrote to her that they will be sending her offer letter by the end of the week. That was 1.5 months ago!
        I simply find this attitude disrespectful. I am not even asking for a constructive feedback: just basic “thanks, but no” or “please wait till date X”.

  5. I’m curious about The Defining Decade book. Would it be a good read for an older adult (50s), but who has stepchildren and children who are in college / early adulting? I feel like I am so far removed from what it is like being a young person just starting out, especially now that there are phones, everything is rainbows & unicorns on Insta (etc.), we may be sliding into a recession, and there seems to be constant pressure in my city to buy a place and live the very good life (like the very good life of a private equity person a decade into a successful career). Plus, a lot of them are in the McJob phase of life and feeling like they will never really get it together, which I get is frustrating but at least for 99% of even my ne’er-do-well friends and relatives, it all ended relatively OK after bouncing around a bit.

    1. I read the The Defining Decade. I would say it has some commonality to “Lean In” by Sheryl Sandburg if you’ve read that. Ex. push into your career now, don’t wait for your 30’s, etc. From this angle though, I think reading it as a parent would just stress me out more about my early adult family. I also personally would also not suggest giving it to a early adult. I think it’s the kind of self help book that someone needs to choose versus being given.
      I’m curious if other people might have other book recommendations.

      1. OP here. I totally would not do that (and would have it as something to read that is usually shoved into my gym bag). I am just really struck some times about maybe how lonely and isolated some kids were right when it was their time to launch and how I overhear a lot of comments that they feel like they get one bite at the apple and now it is too late. I think that that is true if you want to work somewhere like a major management consulting company, but generally, it’s like climbing a rung here and a rung there, making a connection at a random event that pays off, etc. I just try to encourage people to get out of the house and talk to live people, just socially but also to ask other people at alumni events about what they do and maybe you will learn something, make some good friends and acquaintances, etc. No magic happens in the house. I guess it is like how to you break the it’s COVID and I feel stalled long hangover.

    2. FWIW I read The Defining Decade when I was 22 and really enjoyed it. Basically the theme is that your twenties matter and what you do in your twenties sets you up for the rest of your adult life. I could totally see how someone could interpret it as stressful and not helpful though.

    3. This book stressed me out. It’s helpful for twenty somethings that are happy to aimlessly cruise along and give no thought to the future. If your kids think it’s NBD to coast for now and can magically get their life together in their thirties then yes, the book could light a fire under them. If they’re already aware that their current choices impact their future then it’s a few hundred pages of pure anxiety.

  6. Has anyone been to Belgium? Is it worth a trip from the east coast US, and are there other cities you can go to via train from Brussels – Brugge and Ghent come to mind but maybe there are others.

    DH and I haven’t traveled at all in the pandemic, but turns out both of us are switching jobs next year and expect to have March off so we’re thinking maybe we just go before the grind of a new job sets in. DH is very covid cautious still and while he wants to go to Europe, he’d only go if he felt comfortable. One of his ideas is Belgium because apparently their government is requiring all indoor spaces to install HVAC to get carbon dioxide levels to a certain safe level and be reporting those levels. It makes him comfortable that running in to pick up lunch or check out a shop while others are unmasked will be safer than it would be in other places. I’m kind of like is there enough to do there for say five to seven days? We’re ok with a cold weather vacation, which March in Belgium probably be. We’re both city people rather than countryside, though we love exploring walkable small towns too. We both love architecture and we’d mask up to go tour historic buildings but are also just as happy walking around looking at town squares and cute neighborhoods maybe with audio tours. Otherwise we both like coffee and chocolate so Belgium seems good for that. We like exploring cute shops but aren’t going for a luxury shopping trip or anything.

    My idea is Rome as I think a lot of that is outdoors esp things like ruins and we could skip Vatican City and the museum. Unfortunately neither of us is extremely interested in Greece as I think that’s a very outdoor trip.

    1. IDK re Belgium but that part of the world can be cold/damp well into the spring and early summer. Spain, maybe, particularly southern Spain?

      1. Belgium is a bit boring. I’d vote southern Spain! Sevilla has plenty of places to eat outside and architecture to walk around.

        1. Any recs? I’m not OP but I’m going to Seville this March and also pretty Covid cautious with a preference for outdoor dining if possible.

    2. Hey there, lots of locations in Europe will have good weather in March – blue sky, sun, with very fresh temperature [10-13C]. I am based in Europe and so far managed to avoid COVID despite heavy travel schedule [off for sabbatical since May this year]. Keeping outdoors [be it streets, parks or countryside] and having a mask in crowded areas, washing hands often and having 4 shots seems to do the trick.
      Personally, I would stick to countries such as Spain, France, Italy vs our northern neighbors [Benelux & Scandi], simply because of lower chance of wind and rain. My rule is – if you are only going for a week, you want to spend as little time limited by rain as possible.
      I would recommend combo Barcelona & Mardrid, Paris, French Cote d’Azur, combo Budapest & Vienna & Prague, combo Rome & Firenze.

    3. Do you ski at all? Austria might be a good option. Skiing still available higher up in the Alps but it’s springtime enough for eating outside at cafes in Innsbruck and similar. Maybe ski/rodel for 3-4 days then 2 days Innsbruck, 2 days Vienna?

    4. Is the Belgian ventilation plan far enough along that by March 2023 he’d feel comfortable? Looks like the air quality label won’t be required until 2025.

      FWIW, I wouldn’t spend the money and time going to a place that’s my third or 4th choice, but maybe that’s your only option. Does he object to Rome?

    5. I haven’t been yet but from friends, I’ve heard that Brussels is not much to see–one day max. Everyone loved Bruges though. You could take the Eurostar from Brussels to Amsterdam for another destination.

      Honestly, Europe has forgotten COVID is a thing, so if your husband is very COVID-cautious, I don’t know he’d be comfortable. For example, I wore a KN95 in a taxi in Paris recently, and the taxi driver wanted to know if I was sick because he couldn’t understand why I would wear one otherwise. I was also repeatedly insulted by a London Uber driver for wearing one recently.

      1. In Spain wearing a mask continue being compulsory in public transport (and health buildings) and the majority of people do it.

    6. You’re right, your DH is wrong. If you’re Covid cautious, go somewhere where you can be outside as much as possible. Even the best indoor ventilation doesn’t compare to the natural air circulation of outdoors. Belgium in March ain’t it. Look at the more southern regions of Italy, Spain, France, Portugal, etc. for reliably decent weather in March. Rome is a good bet if you don’t care about the Vatican or are willing to go in a mask (if you’re masked and there for a brief time, the risk if pretty low, but it’s your call). We were in Florence this past March and had no problem eating all our meals outdoors.

      They’re a little off the beaten bath but the Madeira Islands of Portugal and the Gran Canary Islands of Spain are closer to Africa than Europe and will be very warm in March, if continental southern Europe isn’t warm enough for you.

      As a counterpoint to one of the other comments, yes most people in Europe (and the US) no longer wear masks, but we didn’t experience harassment or anything for wearing them on two Europe trips this summer. We were the only ones in masks but no one said anything rude to us. Maybe some people stared but if they did I didn’t notice it. And there is a big outdoor dining culture in Europe that long predates the pandemic, so even if people aren’t worried about Covid per se you’re going to have far more outdoor dining options than you would in most US cities.

      I am very Covid cautious and we love traveling to Europe. Going back there three times (hopefully) in 2023.

      1. I adore Belgium, but I wouldn’t go there in March if you’re unwilling to do indoor dining. It’s going to be a week of soggy takeout in cramped hotel rooms.

      2. Uncalled for. Belgium may not be the top spot but I don’t think it’s ridiculous at all to care about an airborne vascular disease which is causing people all kinds of health problems even after they are over their “cold” stage of it. Don’t get the sense OP’s husband is demanding that they MUST go to Belgium.

        OP I agree with the posters above, focus more on places that are warm enough that you’re outdoors rather than places that are cold enough that you’ll be indoors so clean air matters. I think outdoor air trumps clean ish indoor air every time.

        1. Maybe I’m wrong, but I read the “He’s being ridiculous” comment as less about him being ridiculous for caring about Covid and more about him insisting being indoors in “good quality” air is better than being outdoors, which does seem kind of ridiculous to me.

      3. Good heavens. I do wish the moderator would intervene to delete unpleasant comments such as this. I’m sure a trip to Belgium would be charming. I hope whatever you decide you and your husband get to both really enjoy your travel. This is such a challenging time but I can tell you from experience that resuming travel (as safely as I feel I possibly can – masked on flights, transit, outdoors as much as possible) has been really a wonderful experience.

        1. I mean good heavens sorry I care more about her not wasting her time on a bad trip than writing like a 90 year old auntie

    7. I agree with everyone else re the weather probably not being what you want, but disagree with all the Belgium hate! Belgium is wonderful. The food! The beer! The chocolate! The waffles! What’s not to like? Bruges has been completely overrun with tourists ever since In Bruges came out, but it’s still worth a couple of days. There is an AMAZING beer bar there called The Bruges Bear that has everything you can imagine and the loveliest bartenders to help guide you through. You can also take day trips out to many of the breweries; tons offer tastings and tours. I’d base in Ghent and do a week or so of that at a leisurely pace, plus a day trip out to Ypres and environs if either of you is interested in WWI/WW2 history. Antwerp is worth 3 days at least; don’t miss the emigration museum (I don’t remember its name off hand, but it’s awesome). I think you can easily spend 4 days in Brussels; take a tour of the European parliament, go to street markets, go to the cartoon museum, eat all the chocolate, go to Cantillon brewery. All of the cities have great but small/approachable museums that are worth seeing. You can get to all of the cities by train, but driving is easy in Belgium.

      You could also pair time in Belgium with a trip to Amsterdam — they are connected by rail.

    8. I wouldn’t plan a week long trip to Belgium, unless you had some other reason to be there (family, work, etc.). At most, I would probably tack a day or two in Ghent onto a Paris or Amsterdam trip. And I would definitely pick Rome over a week in Belgium.

      1. This s!te and my DH talked me out of a Belgium trip this summer and I’m actually kind of sad about it. I know Brussels doesn’t have the best rep but seems like there’s plenty to fill at least a couple days and Belgium is small enough that there are lots of cities to day trip to besides Bruges… Ghent, Antwerp, Leuven, etc. Doesn’t seem like it would be hard to spend a week in Belgium (especially considering a week from the US is really more like 5 full days with travel and jet-lag recovery).

        1. Brussels has fun night life.

          Signed, the two stupidest and most glorious nights of my life, 5 years apart.

    9. To paraphrase Mark Twain, the coldest winter I ever spent was a spring in Belgium. Also we were cycling and that was great but other than that there’s not much to do.

      I’d do Paris and walk around all day long looking at buildings and gardens and drinking coffee or champagne in sidewalk cafes.

    10. I usually combine Belgium with business trips to nearby countries. Would not fly across the pond to it unless going to France/ Germany etc.

    11. Do you enjoy watching professional cycling? Spring classic season begins in March!

    12. I live in Germany and yes of course Belgium is nice to visit but if you’re worried about Covid it would not be my first choice. I was last there in Feb 2022 and masks were basically absent. Brussels is a compact city, there is a lot of rubbing up with other people in restaurants, transport, etc. The weather in Belgium won’t be ideal in March (it will be rainy/sludging and grey), I’d go somewhere more southern like Rome/Florence/small Italian town like Padova. Unless you want WINTER in March, in which case I’d go to Sweden (Stockholm), Norway (Bergen), or Switzerland (Lucerne).

  7. Any recommendations for finding a language practice partner online? I’ve been taking classes through my local Alliance Française, and I’d like to find a native francophone who can speak with me 1:1 a few times/month. I’m happy to pay, or I could do a language exchange.

  8. To the person this morning asking for gluten free sides, I made this recipe last year alongside a traditional stuffing, and everyone loved this one so much more. I’m skipping the traditional stuffing this year and just going with this, even though we dont have any GF guests this year! The only modification is I made homemade turkey stock and used that instead of chicken/vegetable stock, so it would have the “cooked in the bird” flavor without the potentially harmful effects of actually cooking in the bird.

    Also the cornbread on its own is delicious so make extra for snacking while Thanksgiving prepping :)

    https://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/gluten-free-cornbread-stuffing/

  9. I looked at a weather map of North America today and noticed how close Buffalo is to some Canadian cities. Why do we here in the US think that Buffalo is too d*mn cold and yet cool cities that are very vibrant and attractive, especially to young people, are even further north? What am I missing???

      1. Newark has some very beautiful areas. Ditto parts of the Bronx. NYC includes the Bronx (and parts of Newark are closer, especially if travelling by rail). I get by the UES is not, say, Hunt’s Point.

        But without being an expert on either Buffalo / anywhere in Canada, it’s interesting that cities on / near the Great Lakes are really un-fungible. And from watching Love It or List It (OG version), Canadian cities are frighteningly expensive.

        1. I’m in mod for some reason, but my gut reaction is that it’s the sheer amount of snow every year that breaks people. Plus the constant cloud cover – ‘blue bird’ skies, snow, cold > grey skies, snow, cold

        2. Yes I live in Brooklyn and aware that NYC has 5 boroughs, but my point was, just because 2 cities are near each other and may have similar weather doesn’t mean they have that much in common. Buffalo is a lot smaller than Toronto and is, from what little I know, a rust-belt city that is still trying to recover economically from manufacturing moving offshore. It may also get more lake effect snow than Toronto as that tends to move south and east of the Great Lakes I believe.

    1. Universal healthcare and paid maternity leave makes the cold feel less bitter, I suppose.

      1. And those people spend half the year in Florida and drive there. It’s not the going to Florida that kills me (that is a completely reasonable thing to do when it is cold), it is that they have enough time to drive both ways.

    2. Have you read up on just how much lake effect snow Buffalo (and Syracuse/Rochester/Ithaca/etc.) get? I went to school in central/western NY and I was not prepared for what 10 feet of snow a year was like from a practical getting around town perspective. Yes, people roll with it more, but having to regularly snowblow 6-10 inches of snow per storm is NO fun.

    3. Curious what cities you’re comparing. Toronto is globally diverse, with multiple good universities. Ottawa is beautiful and has politics as a draw. Montreal feels like a cleaner European city. These all feel like a draw to me relative to Buffalo.

      1. Yeah – Buffalo has roughly 300k people vs Toronto’s almost 3 million. It’s not apples-to-apples.
        That said, Rochester has its charms if you can hack the snow.

    4. Weather is not the only thing that makes a city considered attractive. Otherwise, everyone would live in Salinas.

    5. Buffalo gets substantially more snow than Toronto and the other Canadian cities north of it. That’s of course not the only reason people prefer Toronto to Buffalo, but the weather is NOT the same.

    6. I mean you’re missing that there is more to life than weather? What a weird question

  10. Anyone have any luck on the east coast with the T Swift Cap One Presale?!

    1. I think I got booted from the queue without a chance to buy tickets? It’s been so confusing every step of the way

    2. My boss got two tickets (for his daughter) to the Friday night show at MetLife stadium.

      1. I will add that he, his wife and his daughter were all trying separately for four tickets. But he was the only one who got any, and he only got two.

    3. I was on about 20 minutes and got a notification that there wasn’t any more presale inventory left.

  11. I’m new to DC and work near the White House. What is something I can do alone after work one day before going home to Virginia? A museum that hasn’t closed? A bookstore? I’ll have my work bag with me if that matters. Bonus points if it’s in walking distance but I’m willing to take the metro. I’m incredibly shy and I’m an homebody and haven’t explored at all. I want to get out there.

    1. 1) Renwick Gallery if you can leave a bit before 5
      2) Go to a show at the many theaters in town – it’s fine to go to a show or a talk alone!
      3) Go to the National Portrait Gallery, it’s open until 7
      4) Walk by the Lincoln Memorial and see what it’s like when it’s dark vs daylight.
      5) Ice skating at the NGA sculpture garden

      What do you like? There’s a lot of us in the area or who lived there back in day and will have a lot of suggestions. Also, consider following the websites of Washingtonian, DCist, and other local magazines and blogs for things to do every week.

    2. Oh my goodness, you have so many options! A few thoughts:
      Kramerbooks in Dupont Circle
      Sign up for lots of the museums around you which will likely have evening events. For example, the National Gallery of Art has evening events.
      See theater. There are a million of them.
      Look for young professional groups related to museums, theater, dance, arts in general, and join those. They’ll have evening events you can go to.
      There are a million book talks you could attend.
      When I lived in DC, people were very into their kickball games on the Mall – see if there’s a league you can join this spring!
      Basically, the world is your oyster, and you can’t go wrong!

    3. You should consider staying home until the WORLDWIDE PANDEMIC is over. Sometimes I can’t with all you people…

    4. 6th and I usually has interesting talks scheduled. Also, the best time to walk the Mall is at night, the monuments are gorgeous. Or just pick a direction and walk and explore neighborhoods – west to Foggy Bottom/Georgetown, maybe to see a show at the Kennedy Center or a movie at the movie theater in Georgetown; up Connecticut to Dupont Circle; up 14th St with a ton of bars and restaurants; east to Metro Center/Chinatown and maybe a Wizards or Caps game. You could treat yourself to a nice meal, as there are a ton of good restaurants in walking distance from your work – Rasika West End, Compass Rose, Lupo Verde, The Dabney, and Baan Siam come to mind. There are definitely less people out than there were before the pandemic after work, but I feel totally comfortable walking in all of those neighborhood in the evening. Also, lots of holiday markets/activities are about to start so be on the lookout for those. I recommend keeping up with Washingtonian and PoPville since they post weekly events.

      1. oh yes! the downtown holiday market (right outside the national portrait gallery) usually starts right around thanksgiving runs until right before christmas and is open until at least 7 or 8pm!

    5. Kennedy Center has free performances on the Millenium Stage every day at 6pm. And the roof terrace there is one of my favorite places in the city.

  12. How many job changes is too many in a certain amount of time? I left a multi-year employer in September of 2021 for a new job. Due to a lot of random (and unforeseen) circumstances, that new job didn’t work out as well as I wanted it to, and when I received a surprising, unsolicited invitation to interview in April 2022, I took it and accepted the job shortly thereafter. I just crossed the six month mark at this job, but I’m starting to feel increasingly like the culture is a terrible fit. My work anxiety is through the roof. Am I torturing myself needlessly by staying, or is this many job changes in a little over a year too many?

    1. Coming from tech: I think it’s really a matter of being able to tell a compelling story and making sure the next place you go is very, very likely to be one you’ll stay (don’t just take the first offer). People will give you some grace in this nutty pandemic period, but a third sixth month stint would have me questioning your judgment.

      1. This. You can get away with it, for now, but definitely pick a place for the long haul.

    2. Start looking and hold out for something great.

      Meanwhile, try to relax and focus on the things about this job that you can talk about in future job interviews and keep a low profile. I know you said culture isn’t a good fit but is there a chance to change teams and see if that’s a bit better.

      1. I interview a lot of people for my company and I don’t see a difference really between 6 months and a year. My view is a mostly stable resume w a few hiccups is fine as long as the story makes sense and comes off honest. Where I think people screw up is not having a story to tell so they come off like they’re hiding something. We’ve all had bad bosses, bad culture fits, etc., you don’t need to treat it like therapy but an honest answer coupled with what you learned and how you’re approaching things now to avoid a repeat is what I’m looking for.

    3. Is there an explanation that you can point to that makes it seem more external (e.g., change in company strategy, etc.?) I think you get one quick stint/freebie, but two stints of less than 1 year start to look concerning absent a good explanation.

  13. My best friend wants a dishwasher safe tumbler (16-24 oz) with a lid. She typically drinks iced beverages but sometimes drinks hot stuff. Needs to fit in a car cup holder. I am overwhelmed by options and it looks like most only the lid is dishwasher safe? Any suggestions or favorites? (No, it does not need to be professional, for long-time commenters here!! :))

    1. Yeti tumblers are where it’s at. I use them for both hot and cold beverages and put them through the dishwasher.

    2. Does it need to be insulated or just something as simple as a Keep Cup that are easy to throw in the dishwasher?

    3. I drink both hot and cold bevs but need different cups for them not due to different insulating properties, but because I drink a lot more volume in cold beverages & need room for ice. I would never drink a 32 ouncer of hot tea, but 32 ounces of iced tea is just getting started.

    4. I have a few from Simple Modern that can go in the dishwasher and come with lids for both hot and cold liquids.

    5. Yeti!!! I was soo skeptical of the fancy tumbler trend, but I went on a boat trip where we each got our own Yeti (different colors to keep them straight) for the week and I became a convert and now have at least half a dozen. They are fully dishwasher safe, keep things hot or cold for a very long time, and fit in my car’s cup holder.

  14. Capital One is offering 3% on their performance savings account. I’ve had an account with them for years at a measly 0.3%. They made me open a new account to get the higher rate but it took about 3 minutes. Much better experience than Ally.

    1. Yea, I realized the other night my Capital One savings account is a higher interest rate than my mortgage, which is just wild.

    2. Thank you so much!! Our $40k emergency fund is there and was earning 0.8%. I just opened a new account!

    3. Is there a minimum amount you have to save to have no maintenance fees? I’m interested in opening one but would probably only have about $5k to start.

  15. Anyone have any experience buying iPhones outright without any trade in? Wondering if it’s worth it to try and play the Black Friday games or if it’s going to be easier just to buy them. A lot of the deals seem to be tied to trade ins. We are happy with Verizon, so not worried about jailbreaking.

    1. People who want the latest and greatest will stand in line at the apple store to buy the newest phone the day it’s released, but then they have to sign up for coverage anyway so probably end up talking to Verizon. I’ve only done it a long, long time ago, once, when it wasn’t as easy to get your phone from the service provier.

    2. I always buy mine outright. Sometimes I sell the old one to Target or something, but I don’t mess with trade-in stuff.

    3. I’ve always bought them outright for myself and my teens. I’ve just bought them as needed so no game playing, just looked for a decent deal at the time.

    4. yes, I use phones for so long that I’d maybe get $25 for the trade in, so I don’t bother with it. The best I’ve seen from Verizon is discounts associated with the purchase, like free Disney+ or Apple Music subscriptions.

    5. I always buy outright. But also, I keep them forever. I went from a 6s to a 13.

    6. I always buy it at the apple store outright. One time I financed it through them (they charged something like $30 to my credit card once a month) and it really bothered me for some reason — it’s easier if it’s just a one time expense.

  16. BREAKING NEWS
    The Senate took a crucial step toward protecting same-sex marriage rights, with 12 Republicans joining all Democrats to advance a landmark bill. The 62-37 vote signaled a remarkable shift in American politics and culture, demonstrating how same-sex marriage, once a politically divisive issue, has been so widely accepted.

    YAAAAAAAAAAAAAY for moments when love wins and humanity wins and decency wins and safety wins!!

    1. The bill protects interracial marriage too. Maybe some Republicans are starting to notice that angering/terrifying large swathes of the voting population is not great for their electoral prospects.

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