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Updated: Oct 30, 2018 167 Comments · by

Suit of the Week: CALVIN KLEIN 205W39NYC

Suit of the Week

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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. Calvin Klein's newish designer line, 205W39NYC, occasionally has bonkers suits — but the unusual teal color seems to be the only “surprise” here. (If this is too tame for you, check this out.) I like the cut, and I could see the blueish teal color being great as separates as well as a full suit for a high-impact day. The jacket (Wool blazer) is $1800, and the pants (Wool slim-leg pants) are $850. (I believe this is the same blazer at another store if you'd like another view.) Looking for an affordable dupe? This suit is down to almost sold out but a great match for color. If you just like the look of the longer jacket with looser pants, try this suit, this suit, or this suit in a wide range of sizes (all in more traditional colors). 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!

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Comments

  1. schools for gifted kids Q

    In my city, there are charter and magnet schools for kids who are “two standard deviations above the mean” on IQ testing. Can someone translate that into a # for me?

    Also, FWIW, I have two children. Would it make sense to even consider this for one kid (if other kid might be slightly below whatever the cutoff winds up being)?

    I feel #notgifted b/c I cannot figure out if we even meet their floor for giftedness.

    [Our schools vary b/c not caring about kids generally unless they are about to make the nightly news in a bad way and throwing a lot of effort behind bright shiny programs that only benefit a handful of kids. This year we’ve had one kid have nothing but rotating subs and the other get regularly punched in the stomach by another girl in her class. This is in a “good” school. Gifted school is close to where I work; other options are further away / don’t easily accommodate having two working parents.]

    • Anonymous

      I have generally seen it as an IQ of 130 or above. (Mean IQ is 100, standard deviation is 15, so two above is 130.) This is what our public school uses for giftedness as well. Giftedness is more than just IQ and very bright children are often not gifted, though good students. It might be worth it to do the testing, but also read up on other “sings” of giftedness.

      • Anonny

        Mhmm brightness and giftedness aren’t the same. I have a 142 IQ and you probably wouldn’t have known that as a kid I just could not for the life of me do homework or focus on such simple school work. I needed a challenge, but I was able to graduate highschool top of my class when I had the ability to do more complex physics and math that engaged me.

        • CKB

          So much this!! I have 3 boys who all are 135+ IQs in grades 12, 10, and 7. Youngest 2 also have learning disabilities.

          Oldest barely made it into one university for next year – definitely not his first choice, but something. And he deals with depression. He’s in counseling.

          Middle we are struggling with because he wants to drop out of school. Thank goodness the end of the year is soon. He is also in counseling.

          Youngest actually is doing well in school, but should be putting more effort because his work is full of careless mistakes.

          In many ways high IQ can be more of a curse than a blessing. I think the ideal is around 120.

          • Anonymous

            Most schools cannot accomodate gifted/high IQ students even when they try (not to mention twice exceptional). Their needs conflict with the needs of the students that our entire model of schooling was designed for. School was both depressing and a genuine waste of time for me. I did so much better in every area of my life when I quit in favor of a more challenging and independent course of study (for me that meant an online program).

      • schools for gifted kids Q

        OK — thanks for quantifying!

        FWIW, we tested early b/c one kid has a thyroid issue and we wanted extra confirmation that we were OK and the synthroid had in fact worked. Also, all private schools required it and we weren’t sure where we’d wind up. So I’ve always had the # but not really want it meant. With a low-thyroid kid, I wanted to make sure that the # wasn’t something like “whoops, the synthroid dose was wrong all along and your kid has an IQ of 57.”

    • Anon

      I know my district has a gifted program that has stated requirements, but I’ve heard from several parents that the rules aren’t nearly as strict as stated on the website and forms. Are you having ongoing conversations with the principal? Can you schedule time and ask her if she thinks the gifted program would be a better fit for your kids, or if she has ideas for other alternatives that will address your kids’ needs? In bigger school districts, it seems like the squeakier wheels who repeatedly schedule meetings get the grease.

      • schools for gifted kids Q

        Our school does not care. My initial interaction was going over in person to discuss how one kid’s leg braces were making finding extra-wide-width shoes that fit the dress code a challenge. And the counselor’s response was that I just needed to work harder on it (said to someone who had all of zappos offerings in my kid’s shoe size in her house already).

        • Anonymous

          Ouch. I hear you.

          btw on this question, the best place is likely the orthotics clinic or his physical therapist. My Dad has leg braces, so we are very familiar with this. Velcro closure shoes are great for slippers in the house and New Balance in adults has up to 4 or 5W. Wonder if in kids…. Also ask orthotics for streamlined braces options, and consider paying out of pocket if they still give your child enough support and insurance has cheap limitations. My Dad’s new braces almost look cool/bionic. Please ignore this if you have solved the problem!

        • Anonymous

          I would reach out to the principal of the gifted school, not your current school.

      • Ellen

        Rosa’s kid’s are ‘gifted” but I do not think it is based on IQ. Rosa had a higher IQ then I did, but I wound up doeing better in school then she did. I think being gifted means that you can work if you want to but don’t have to work that hard if you do work. In my case, I DO have to work hard, but I also am more successful doeing things in the legal world b/c I DO work hard. Rosa was focused on marrage so she got married and is NOT working at all. I now think that is why she was gifted. But she is also prettier then me so that has a lot to do with it too. Dad tells me this all the time FOOEY!

    • Anon

      Agreed. I don’t know if I could pull it off (and the long jacket would not work with my body), but I love it.

      Too bad the Nine West one is almost sold out. I could probably manage to rock the dress suit look.

    • Senior Attorney

      Yeah, I love it but I am short, busty, and short-waisted so I think it’s a no-go for me.

  4. WCEC

    I’m trying to figure out a good way to tote around my essentials now that I finally bit the bullet and got separate work and personal smartphones, and any suggestions would be welcome.

    I’m often running between floors at work which requires carrying around my key fob. Plus my phone. Sometimes my outfit doesn’t have pockets (dumb work dresses!). I used to carry around a wristlet that fit my old phone and had an outside zip pocket containing my key fob. Worked great for quick happy hour drinks too. This fit neatly in my huge work bag, and on weekends I could pop it into my small purse. No shuffling cards, IDs between wallets o what have you.

    Wristlet option is now out, my two huge phones won’t fit, obviously. Considering a small pouch w removable strap that fits both phones and a smaller wallet, but this seems so clunky. What do those of you with this situation do?

    • ollie

      I have the Lo & Sons smartphone wristlet – it holds both phones, a couple cards (ID + credit card), and has an outside non-zip pocket for key fob. I still carry a separate wallet for everything else but it works for these running-around-the-office/quick happy hour scenarios.

    • Anonymous

      If I’m just moving around on the office floors, I don’t take both phones. Often I don’t take either, but a personal phone you can just kind of ignore all day. I also slip them in a portfolio pocket rather than taking a wristlet sometimes.

    • AIMS

      Bigger wristlet? You can also potentially get one of those “phone” bags but I don’t know if I like that look, esp. for work.

    • anon

      Do you need your personal phone at all times during the day or could you get away with forwarding your calls to your work phone sometimes? That way you could still get any emergency calls although it doesn’t fix things if you do a lot by text. I also have a case on my phone that will hold my ID and a credit card or two which means I don’t need my full wallet to go to lunch.

      • AnonTechie

        If you text a lot- you could consider sync-ing laptop with the phone for messages

    • Anon

      I would get a sticky wallet to put on the back of your work phone so you can fit your work ID in there. And I would not carry my personal phone around the office for meetings in addition to my work phone unless I had children that tend to have emergencies or a family member was in the hospital or the like–most of my work meetings are short, and if they are long, people can email me to get my attn.

    • Anon

      I got the Dagne Dover Essentials Wallet. It has a couple slots for ID/cards and two zipper compartments. I use one side for phone and the other for cash, but you could use one for each phone. It would be a little bulky, but not horribly so.

      • WCEC

        Thanks for the suggestions everyone! Am considering the Dagne Dover. And yeah, I don’t need to carry around my personal phone during the day, but I only want to buy one new wallet/clutch that would ideally fit both if I need them, but maybe I’m being too inflexible.

    • Nerfmobile

      I’m almost always carrying a (paper) notebook with me at work, so in your situation I’d get a portfolio of some kind with pockets and a zipper.

    • Nesprin

      Magnetic cellphone cases with card slots- so the phones stick together. My friend has these with a wrist loop for 2 cellphone problem

  5. Anon

    I have an interesting outfit question: marketing meeting with a professional sports team, I’m in a casual work place, I won’t be leading the meeting, and last time in the winter multiple people from the team wore leggings. What to wear? I’ve only been to the one meeting so not much else to go off

    • Anonymous

      dark skinny jeans + better quality cardigan/ponte collarless jacket + shell or nice tshirt in one of team’s colors.

      dark skinny jeans + blouse and maybe work in team color via jewellry

      • Anonymous

        What is your role? Jeans seem wrong to me for a client meeting, but I’m an attorney, so maybe ignore.

        • OP

          Advertising – sales/operations side.

          We dress very casually in office, as in jeans every day (even leggings with tunics), but I’m on the fence about jeans

          • Anonymous

            I would go with some straight-leg black or navy pants, patterned blouse, cardigan/ponte blazer, pumps
            I think people look to their marketing folks to be sharply dressed and none of this suggests overdressing to me. Do not wear leggings. You will never get dinged for not wearing leggings to a meeting. Or to work. Or to the store. Only to a workout.

          • OP

            Of course. Never suggested leggings so a meeting (which are perfectly acceptable to the store???)

          • Anonymous

            I was agreeing with you. You said some people wore leggings last year, so it was making you question what to wear. I was confirming you shouldn’t wear leggings and, even though some people did, dressing up more (pants or skirt vs. jeans), as you were considering, is the right call in my mind.
            And yes, if you want to wear leggings to the store, you certainly can. My comment is that you will never be dinged for NOT wearing leggings except to a workout of the kind where leggings are the most/only appropriate choice (e.g., rather than shorts, or sweatpants, or jeans, or a skort, or a suit, or whatever). ;-)

    • CountC

      With the caveat that I prefer to be slightly overdressed, I would wear ankle pants a flowy tee and a casual-side blazer.

      FWIW, I worked in sports all through college and in sports marketing for several years.

  6. AIMS

    I’m going to a bridal shower where the bride politely but pretty explicitly requested no physical gifts (very small registry that seems to be just for the “if you insist” relatives and lots and lots of options on Honeyfund). I obviously want to make the bridal couple happy and don’t want to deprive Aunt Eunice of her choice of 4 presents, so it’s fine, but my question is logistical: do I bring just a card to the shower with a print out of whatever “experience” I got them? Is there just not going to be a gift opening portion to the shower? Should I just get a small token gift to add to the honeyfund experience so there is something to open? I get how this works for weddings but I’ve never been to a shower like this before.

    • Anonymous

      I would bring a card with cash or check, or do the honeyfund with no print-out. I doubt there will be a gift opening portion if the bride asked for no physical gifts.

    • Anonymous

      I’m kind of morally opposed to honeyfunds so I wouldn’t contribute to that. I don’t like the ones that tell you that you’re buying an experience, like say champagne in their room, but really the couple is getting cash not champagne in their room. I also don’t like that there’s a fee (like 2-3%?). If the couple is just getting cash then why does some website get a cut of it??? If you want to give cash just give cash.

      I like to give experiences though so I’d probably do a $50 GC to their favorite restaurant for the shower, and enough to cover a meal to their favorite fancy restaurant for the wedding.

      • Marshmallow

        This is so me. I was forever soured on Honeyfund by a “honeymoon themed” bridal shower in which the only options were Honeyfund “experiences.” I purchased some kind of tour experience and brought a printout in a card and yes, the bride did open every.single.card. at the shower and describe the “experiences” she and her husband would do.

        After the honeymoon I asked the bride how her tour was and she seemed really confused. “Oh, we decided not to do that stuff. Honeyfund just sends you one giant check and you can use it for whatever you want.”

      • Anon

        I agree. I don’t object to people who want cash, but telling your friends you want to go parasailing or stay at a certain hotel or eat at a certain restaurant and then using the money they give you for that experience to do something else just seems incredibly dishonest. Also how do you write thank you cards in that situation? If someone gives you $100 for a one hour jet ski ride (or whatever) and you don’t jet ski, what do you say in the thank you note?? “Thanks for the money, we decided not to jet ski and instead treated ourselves to a nice brunch” seems rude but I was always taught you have to be specific in thank you notes and just saying “Thanks for the gift, we really appreciate it” is not ok.

      • Anon

        Showers are supposed to be for smaller presents to help set up the household. Honeyfunds are basically asking for money. I’m anti-Honeyfund anyway, and even more so for a bridal shower and not the actual wedding.

        Just let people get you gifts. If you don’t need more stuff, then be very thankful for what you have and your wealth. FFS.

    • Aunt Jamesina

      I always bring a print out of my gift if it’s too large to bring or couldn’t arrive on time, so your plan sounds good to me!

    • Linda from HR

      I wouldn’t expect there to be a gift opening portion if guests were told “no physical gifts,” so you’re fine to bring just a card, and if you do a Honeyfund contribution, maybe in the bit you write yourself you can say “have fun doing [thing you paid for]” as a nod to what you contributed without explicitly saying “HEY, I BOUGHT YOU THE WINE TASTING! THAT WAS ME!” (Honeyfund would probably tell them what you contributed or paid for). Alternatively, if you know they really like a local restaurant or movie theater, you could give them a gift certificate to that place, in the hopes they can take a night to just relax and have fun amidst all the pre-wedding craziness.

  7. Anonymous

    Anyone know of any good sales going on? I need some new work clothes to get my through the too-big-for-old-clothes-but-not-enough-belly-for-maternity-clothes stage of my late first trimester and early 2nd trimester. I’m larger in the belly, hips, and thighs, so the belly band is not enough to get me through. I’m down to 2 dresses, no skirts, and one pair of pants that fit (my shirts are fine for now). I don’t want to throw a lot of money into these clothes since I think I’ll only wear them for a few weeks. Sadly I am the first of my friend group and first in this generation of my family to get pregnant, so no hand-me-downs.

  8. Anonymous

    I have a job interview next week!! My job has been miserable lately and I’m really excited about the opportunity…but now that an interview is actually happening (versus me just day dreaming about leaving) I’m terrified and wondering if it’s too much trouble to leave and should I just stay here where it’s safe.

    Yay, anxiety.

    • Lana Del Raygun

      Anxiety sucks but you can do this! Remember, interviewing doesn’t commit you to anything. It just gives you more information to make decisions with. Take deep breaths, do your interview prep, go to the interview, slay, treat yourself.

    • DCR

      I always felt that way when interviewing – maybe BigLaw wasn’t so bad, etc. If I was you, I would focus on getting an offer and then you can decide if you actually really want to leave.

    • TheElms

      Ha ha you are me. It sucks, I’m right there with you, so lots of commiseration. I have an interview next week too and I can’t decide if it is the best thing or the worst thing. I think I’m most hung up on the fact that if I were to leave some people would feel betrayed and I don’t think there is a way to leave without burning bridges.

    • want out of biglaw

      I could have written this. I also have an interview next week at a small firm, but wonder if I should stay in biglaw too.

      Agree with others – focus on getting an offer. Once you have that, you can ask all of the questions you want to know to help make your decision that you wouldn’t feel comfortable asking. I am fairly senior so I have a zillion and a half post-offer questions.

  9. Lana Del Raygun

    Here’s a sort of goofy question for your afternoon: How do you pronounce the “x” in collaborations, like “Audrey Hepburn x Macy’s” or “Carly Rae Jepsen x Justin Bieber”?

    • Rainbow Hair

      The first one I would say “by” though now I’m wondering why…

      • Lana Del Raygun

        That’s what I’ve been saying too, like “Audrey Hepburn multiplied by Macy’s,” but that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me.

    • Anon

      I don’t. If I were talking about one of those collaborations I’d just say with or and.

      • Lana Del Raygun

        That sounds like what it *should* mean (and I have seen it written out) but … where on earth does the “x” come from?

      • Anon

        I would say “Audrey for Macy’s” too. For the music I’d probably say “with” or “featuring.”

    • Another anon

      I think the kids these days would say the Carly Rae and Justin collab.

  10. Achilles Tendonitis?

    Hi all – What kind of specialist should I see for achilles tendonitis/tendinosis (e.g., physical therapist, podiatrist, ortho, etc.)? I injured my achilles through overuse and have been off for two weeks (icing/compression) with no improvement. I have a half marathon in July so am hoping for a speedy recovery!

    Any thoughts? TIA

    • cbackson

      So I developed Achilles issues last year, and have been through the wringer on this. The bad news: serious Achilles injuries can take a very, very long time to heal (in my case, it was a full six months of very minimal running to get to the point where I didn’t have pain). Your best first stop is going to be a sports medicine doctor so that they can insure you haven’t actually ruptured it; assuming you haven’t, they’ll refer you to a PT. Ask to be referred to a PT that works with athletes, and be honest about the fact that you have an event coming up. Talk with them to see what’s feasible in terms of the race – and adjust your expectations.

      I had an ultra and a sprint tri on my calendar when I started PT. My PT was upfront with me that I could keep running, albeit slowly, to get through those events and that I probably wouldn’t make the problem worse – but that I also wasn’t really going to be healing until I laid off completely. Whether that’s the case for you will depend on what exactly is wrong, but just be prepared to hear that this is going to take a bit longer than a standard overuse injury to heal, and be really clear and honest with the PT and doctor about the extent to which you’re willing to actually rest/not run.

      • cbackson

        I realized I didn’t specify this, but I did get through both of my events before I stopped running. So you may still be able to do your race if you’re willing to lay off afterward! FWIW, there were times last year when I thought my life as a runner was over. Almost a year later, although cycling has become my primary sport, I’m back running without pain and recently PR’d my 5K. So you can fully recover from this if you’re willing to trust the process and do the work.

      • Anon Runner

        Similar to Cbackson- i had to STOP running in order to get better. Otherwise it just lingers. Is it stiff in the morning? if so, put on shoes before you even get out of bed in order to allow it to loosen up before walking around barefoot.

        Ice wont help- you need blood flow. Warm is better. I went to a physio where I did exercises and he also used some sort of electro-therapy on it (name is escaping me) which I think is what ultimately sent me on the road to recovery.

        I know this all sounds dismal but i will say- because i took so long to properly treat it, I was in pain for literally a year (not terrible pain but every morning, and after running). Once I healed, I honestly haven’t had pain since. I ran two marathons last year and I regularly do hard training. Just attack the problem now and stop running!

        Spinning was a great way for me to keep my fitness up. I ran a half marathon (my first) on only a few weeks of running training because I did a lot of spinning.

      • Anon

        I had Achilles problems this last year. I took about two months off from running – completely – and then eased into it slowly. The stretches helped a bit, but it got better when I foam-rolled my hamstring and calf muscles.

        I used to be a very, very good runner, but cannot do it anymore because of a series of injuries that never properly healed. The half marathon will be there next July, and if it’s not, a similar race will be.

    • Achilles Tendonitis?

      Thanks cbackson and Anon Runner. This is helpful and I will def hit the cycle studio. Its very encouraging to hear you got through your races and that full recovery is possible. My mom and I do halfs together and this is our first destination race (Missoula!) so I’d be so sad to be out completely – hopefully I’ll be ok to trot through!

      Tons of stiffness in the morning, slight soreness throughout the day and acute pain at the beginning of runs that generally subsides once I am warmed up. I’m definitely at a point where I need some intervention and not just rest.

      Was compression (via a sleeve or something similar) part of treatment for either of you ladies?

      • cbackson

        Oh yeah, that’s a classic Achilles issue. Yes, definitely go get it checked out just to make sure you don’t have a tear.

        No compression for me – mine was mostly rest, exercises/stretches, staying out of high heels, and doing other kinds of exercise. My PT did a functional movement assessment to identify the imbalance that was causing the problem. You definitely want to cycle, swim, or do other kinds of exercise because you do really want to keep the blood flow going.

        You could probably get through a half based mostly on cycling for the next 2 months since you’ve done halfs before, TBH.

      • Torin

        You’re describing how my plantar fasciitis felt 4 years ago about 2 months out from a half I ran in Napa. I cut mileage and got to a point where it “didn’t hurt that badly” a month before the race, and decided to run it. I finished the race in what was for me a good time, but in a lot of pain.

        I was then out for almost 2 years before finally getting back to running pain free after multiple rounds of PT. I’m back to running now, and have run another half since then, but running through the injury was not worth it to me in hindsight and if I found myself in a similar amount of training for another race I would quit in a heartbeat. YMMV, but, I would seriously consider whether this is worth it to you.

      • Anon Runner

        No compression sleeve but as someone mentioned earlier- rolling my calf (which probably got tight because I was always compensating for my sore achilles) helped.

        For a long time before my runs I would run slowly for about 0.5-1 mile, then foam roll the heck out of my calf, then continue the run.

        This does sound like a very classic “achilles” issue and if I was you i would 100% sit out this race and keep resting . Just because it feels better when you warm up does not mean running is okay. Trust me I KNOW.

        • Torin

          “Just because it feels better when you warm up does not mean running is okay. Trust me I KNOW.”

          Word.

  11. In-House in Houston

    Ladies…I just found Poshmark. OMG….why didn’t I know about this sooner?? It’s like eBay, but much better stuff!! If anyone hasn’t found it, let me know and I can refer you which means I get $5 off my next purchase and so do you.

    • Anonymous

      I’m just getting started with Poshmark too. But I haven’t bought anything yet. There are a few things I’m definitely interested in, but I’m a little confused … is there a way to see reviews for the seller? I was hoping to see some kind of verification about the person I’m buying from, along the lines of reviews or something with people saying that items were actually as described, that kind of thing. Am I just not looking in the right place, or does this kind of thing not exist on Poshmark?

      • Aunt Jamesina

        Poshmark has you post a review after you’ve received an item, so what they must do is weed out the bad ones. I’ve bought a few items over the last year and haven’t had an issue yet. I make sure to only buy items that have a number of clear pictures and list specifics about the condition. Everything I buy is either new with tags, new w/o tags, or like new, though.

        • Aunt Jamesina

          … just remembered I bought one item that was never shipped, so Poshmark allowed me to cancel in a reasonable amount of time with no hassle.

      • Annony

        I just started using it … my first order is (supposedly) shipping today – 8 days after a I placed it. The only way to communicate with the seller was to leave a comment on the item. If she had just said, “I’m running behind but will ship this soon …”. no problem. But no response, nothing. I finally contacted support and they said she was non-responsive as well. My other order went fine, but it gives me pause … lack of ratings for sellers and not having a more secure way to communicate with them … not great.

    • Shananana

      I have bought and sold TONS on Poshmark. If you click on the sellers name and go to their about section, what you are looking for closet info (which will tell you average ship time. Nothing means they haven’t actually sold anything before) Below that will give you any 5 star reviews with comments (called love notes). Because Poshmark supplies the labels/shipping, they are way more on top of where things are in the process than eBAY ever was for me.

  12. anon a mouse

    Piggybacking on the rash guard discussion from this morning — suggestions for rash guards if you are, um, rounder? I have a bit of a belly and the few that I’ve tried all ride up at my midsection, totally defeating the point. If I go up in size they are baggy in the shoulders and too long in the arms. Are there any that have hip shaping?

    • Rainbow Hair

      What are you wearing on the bottom? If the waist of your bottoms go up higher than the bottom of the rashguard, that could like hold it down, by friction?

    • Shortie

      There are some that are a looser fit. Speedo has loose fit rash guards available on Zappos. I’ve bought the women’s long sleeve for myself and the men’s short sleeve for DH.

    • Annony

      I bought one from athletes last year that had ruching on the side which made it a bit more forgiving and easy to manage my muffin top

    • Annony

      I bought one from athleta last year that had ruching on the side which made it a bit more forgiving and easy to manage my muffin top

  13. Bra sized bikinis?

    Anyone have a great source for cute/stylish bra-sized (or at least fairly supportive) swimwear? I’m 32DD and just wrapping up nursing, so I definitely need something with support. But almost every bra-sized bikini I’ve come across is very matronly… Would appreciate any advice!

    • AIMS

      I’ve had luck with JCrew for this in the past. Not sure what they currently have but in the past they’ve had lots of options and free shipping and returns on swimwear so you could try on a bunch.

    • Anonymous

      The best place by far used to be Victoria’s Secret, but RIP their swimwear collection. Athleta has some options, but their styles vary. I think their Aqualuxe fabric looks and feels really good in person. I would also not bank on the bra-size swimsuits looking matronly in person. They usually use models with a small chest, which does not have the same effect. Also, I’m the same size and often wear tops that are not bra sized. As long as they tie in the back, it’s easy to size up in bikini tops. 32DD = 34D = 36C, so a “d cup” style in S or M or a regular in M or L will work.

    • Pompom

      Freya, Panache, Pour Moi, etc. tend to have stylish bra sized bikinis that aren’t too matronly. Do they have some that are sort of blah looking? Sure. But there are some great looking styles too!

      • Shortie

        +1 on panache.

        It’s amazing how much more comfortable being in a swim suit for hours can be when it’s bra-sized.

      • Anon

        +1 Freya for small band / large cup. I just search for my bra size + Freya in Amazon and can always find reasonably priced bras and swimwear. Check return policies. I have 5 of their underwire swim bikinis that I wear as bras. They wear like iron, stretch to accommodate PMS bloating, and are incredibly comfortable. Fit does vary between styles.

    • Anon

      I bought a 32DD/34D (tie back) from Target last year that is really cute. It was their “Sea & Shore” collection. Not nursing, but it is fairly supportive.

  14. Anonymous

    Has anyone tried anything by Title IX? I saw it mentioned this morning and I just randomly got one of their magazines in the mail. I was turned off by the spam mail but maybe I should give it a try. Thoughts?

    • Anon

      I believe they have some of their own stuff, and then they also carry a lot of stuff you could find at a local outdoors wear outfitter (e.g. Horny Toad). I’m too short/round for their cuts these days, but when I was younger and more athletic, I liked their performance fabric dresses (for pairing with sneakery flats as casual wear).

    • anon

      The stuff is high quality, but I feel like it’s cut for a very specific body type. Average height, curvy. I’m only 5’8″ and T9’s tops/bottoms are very short on me. The longest inseam is 31″ or 32″, if I remember right.

  15. Organizing

    What are your best hacks/tips/products for bathroom / laundry/ kitchen/ pantry organizing?

    • Anon

      Get a smallish tray for my bathroom countertop to hold all daily skincare – anything not in the current rotation goes in a basket or drawer under the sink til it gets cycled back in

      • 3rd year trial lawyer

        Keep most used items where they are easiest to access, put away extras/refills or things used seasonally.

  16. AlsoAnon

    Just a vent: I’ve taken a new job and my current employer just told me I will forfeit my dependent care FSA. It fully funds at the beginning of the year. During open enrollment I was told these funds would roll over. Fast forward to today and HR tells me “whoops that’s the HSA lol sorry!” We can afford it, but it sucks to leave thousands of dollars on the table. Lesson learned I guess.

    • Lana Del Raygun

      Oooh that sucks. Do you have it in writing that it would roll over, by any chance?

      • AlsoAnon

        I do not. I’m combing through HR documents/intranet to see if I can find it!

        • Anonymous

          I thought the ability to roll over is the function of the type of account, so I’m not sure that even having it in writing would help. This is why I choose the HSA at my last job.

    • Blonde Lawyer

      No idea the rules on those things but can you prepay for your childcare to drain it?

    • Mpls

      Do you mean roll over between jobs? No – no flex spending accounts transfer between employers. Each FSA plan is unique to specific to that employer. So you are not going to find anything that says you can roll over a Dependent care FSA to a new employer.

      HSA are Health Savings accounts and are held in your name, so the funds are always yours. (this is different from a healthcare FSA, btw). So they don’t really “roll over” – you just continue to be able to use the funds because it’s a savings account in your name. You can’t contribute anything new unless you are currently covered by an eligible HDHP, but you can always use the existing funds.

      And that’s really crappy of your HR.

      • Mpls

        Adding to say – for the Healthcare FSA, employers have the option of allowing a rollover of unspent funds from the previous year. Don’t have to offer, but it’s an option. But that is a rollover of funds between tax years for the healthcare FSA (not dependent care, as far as I know) with the same employer.

        I’ve never heard of being able to roll these types of funds between employers…

  17. DC Endo

    Any recommendations for an excellent endocrinologist in DC who takes insurance (United Healthcare, in my case)? I’m hypothyroid and my PCP is not managing it well, and I think it’s time to see a specialist. Thank you!

    • Endo Rec

      In case you are still reading this, I see Dr. Sarika Rao at Medstar Health – she takes United and is great. My PCP also wasn’t managing my hypothyroid very well – I raised concerns about how high the level was for trying to conceive and she shrugged it off but Dr. Rao got it immediately and helped managed my dosage.

  18. New high earner questions

    So, I am new to becoming a high earner, and I have been pretty good about saving, so I have a decent amount of savings now and am hoping this continues. Is there an idiot’s guide somewhere to being rich? My parents were lower middle class, so other than pinching pennies, this is all new to me… In case it matters, my earnings are mid 6 figures and my savings are low 7 figures.

    For example, what type of accountant do I need? Is it simply someone to advise on taxes and tax planning? Will they also be the ones that can help advise me on financial planning (such as setting up college funds for my nieces) or should I get a separate financial advisor? What else should I be thinking about? The discussion a while ago on the umbrella insurance was fascinating – I had never even heard of this before! I am happy to outsource some of this stuff, but what on earth do I even need and how to I find good resources?

    Anyone have any recommendations for an accountant and a financial advisor in NYC? I would prefer women, if you have recs!

    • Flats Only

      Keep in mind that advisers on any of these topics will be salivating over the idea of a naive person with a lot of money who they can convince to buy many different products/types of advice, and earn commissions for themselves. So no matter how nice and thorough they seem, meet with more than one, and be aggressive about discussing fees.

    • Anonymous

      You keep saying savings – are you literally saving in the back or investing? If investing – in what? Flats Only is right – you go in sounding this clueless, they’re going to set you up with a bunch of private placements with high fees and low returns rather than low cost ETFs/mutual funds. Also what type of tax planning do you need? Are you a W2 employee?

      • New high earner questions

        Yes, I’m a W-2 employee, but will also get a K-1 for my equity plan at work. I would like some advice on tax planning, too, like thinking of ways to reduce my taxes so I’m not impacted by AMT (which may be a fruitless exercise)…

    • New high earner questions

      I am investing. I am very familiar with investments – I work in finance at an investment manager. I have some more complex investments now, private equity funds, equity in my company, etc. I have to use my company for my investments (and it’s all no fee for employees), so they can’t sell me on any of it!

      • blueberries

        If you’re a finance professional or otherwise quite savvy, you might be well served by first researching/Googling the topics you care about, like college savings plans.

        I don’t know of any good guides/professionals for new high earners for their entire financial picture. A lot of professionals are not so great outside of their narrow areas.

    • Anon

      Where are you located? Someone here can probably suggest a good investment advisor for you.

    • Anonymous

      If Turbo Tax is no longer sufficient, I would ask your co-workers if they would recommend their tax person. The tax person will be familiar with your employer’s equity plan. For a financial adviser, you could ask someone at work too.

      FWIW, I’m in a similar boat and I use the recommended turbo tax program (Deluxe? Premier?) and, because I have 1M+ at Vanguard, I use the annual financial adviser consult that they offer for free. I’m not always impressed but I’ve gotten lucky a few times with the random pairing that they do.

    • Anon

      Look for a fee-only financial planner. They can be your quarterback and help you with all of these questions. XY Planning Network has a directory of planners you can search. I know of a firm called Brunch and Budget in NYC, but no specific recs otherwise.

  19. Anonymous

    Did Sephora get rid of The Ordinary products on their site? It’s just showing one now, there used to be a bunch.

    • Anon

      I read something about them not being paid in a timely manner by Sephora so they will be in Ulta now.

  20. Trish

    Would you advise an 18 year old college student to put savings from his job in a CD for when they graduate, or in a ROTH IRA to start the practice of saving for retirement? He may have between 500-1000 to save a year.

    • Nesprin

      Roth IRA in money market or CDs or other short term investment- they can pull the basis at any time and the interest is tax free.

    • Anonymous

      If they do not need the money to pay for college now, it is WONDERFUL to put it in a ROTH IRA. My father helped me start doing this in grad school and I will be forever grateful.

      At 18, I was pretty dumb about money and if I didn’t have to put every penny towards college, I would have just spent it. I am so grateful to my father……

  21. Anonymous

    thinking about planning a bach in Chicago in September. Any recommendations on location? both areas and specific places would be great, as well as any must sees! I think it will be about 10-12 ladies. I would love a great airbnb down town but they seem hard to find!

    • Anon

      I like the river north area. It is super close to all the touristy stuff but a little calmer since you’re not technically in the Loop. Great shopping and restaurants there too.

      • anon

        Noooo. Way too touristy, not calm, too expensive for what you get. That’s where most of the hotels are unfortunately, so you might just have to deal, but I would check into boutique hotels in Lincoln Park, Wicker Park, Logan Square–or Airbnbs in those neighborhoods. Then you can choose to go out in River North or Fulton or wherever else, or shop on Mag Mile without having to stay in tourist h*ll. Or honestly, stay somewhere cool in the Loop (like the Chicago Athletic Association budget permitting). It will calm down a bit at night and on weekends relative to River North, actually, since the Loop is almost entirely business-oriented.

        Can you tell I work in River North and haaaaate the tourist traffic all day every day? Yep. At least folks are helping our local economy…

    • Lived in Chi for 4 years

      The Gold Coast neighborhood is walkable to River North, and Mag mile and a short train/bus ride away from the loop. Also walkable to the lake. The Loop is mostly businesses so not much going on there during the night/weekends.

      Lincoln Park, Logan Square are full of hipster-style bars and restaurants. Lively but not walkable to the lake or the touristy areas. Wicker Park is closer but also not walkable, full of sports fans and college kids at nights. I lived there for a number of years and would recommend air bnb in the gold coast/Old town area but if one of the other scenes seem more your style, you do you

  22. Anonymous

    Help! I need summer cardigans, does anyone have any idea for good cardigans for the lighter months? (I’m in bay area so not super warm)

    • Erna

      I purchased two recently from Ann Taylor that I like: the Pointelle Stripe Ann Cardigan and the Popcorn Stitch Ann Cardigan. I wear them with wide-legged pants (yay wide-legged pants! May the trend come on strong and never end!). Links to follow. Retail @ $80 each, currently 40% off.

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