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Updated: Jul 19, 2023 118 Comments · by

Suit of the Week: Nordstrom

Suit of the Week

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teal blue pants suit

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.

I keep finding more suiting in the Nordstrom Annivesary Sale (and I still have to do a good roundup!). This dark blue suit comes in black as well (and in plus sizes!), but this deep teal is such an unusual color for a suit — love.

There are a bunch of matching pieces: cropped ankle pants, a midi skirt, a sleeveless vest, a moto jacket, and a number of tops. Most pieces are $49-$119 in the sale but will go back up to $79-$179 once the sale ends.

Sales of note for 9.30.24

About Kat

Kat Griffin is the founder, publisher, and editor-in-chief of Corporette. You can read more about her here.

Comments

  1. Traveler

    Talk to me about how you deal with hot flashes. I’m getting about 3-5 a day.

    I’m 45, pelvic radiation from cancer treatment put me into menopause. Thankfully I’m NED now.

    • Anon

      I’m past them now but I dealt with them.. not very well! I white knuckled through it without hormones because of a family history of cancer. Are hormones off the table for you?

      One thing that was important was recognizing my triggers. Can you keep a notebook of what set you off or are they truly random? I did learn that wine triggered a hot flash more than straight booze – not sure why – but I just cut down on drinking period.

      When I was rushing around I would get very hot and I would try to remember to heed the advice an older than me woman gave me – sit down, calm down, wait for it to pass.

      Good luck!

    • Anon

      Are you eligible for HRT? I started taking it (estradiol + progesterone) a few months ago, primarily to beef up my bone density (I am in the early stage of menopause). A VERY nice side effect is no hot flashes and sleeping through the night.

    • NYNY

      I’m deep in the hot flash portion of perimenopause, and am hoping to get hormones once I’ve had my mammogram. In the meantime, I carry a folding fan in my purse to help cool off and just flick it more dramatically if anyone gives me the side eye. I dress in light, breathable layers so I stay cooler and I can shed something if I need to. Sometimes I hold an ice cube or cold drink against my inner wrist or elbow to cool off quickly.

      I tried some supplements – black cohosh and evening primrose oil – but they did nothing at all. I’m curious about the Embr Wave wearable, and may get over my dislike of wrist jewelry if it works. Has anyone used it?

    • Anon

      I quit drinking alcohol for other reasons, but the best surprise outcome of it was a near total elimination of hot flashes and night sweats. That alone is enough to keep me from drinking again.

    • Anon

      I would see a early menopause specialist in your area. Your cancer center should refer you. Most likely you will be started on hormone replacement therapy (HRT), particularly since you are so young and you want to decrease your risk of osteoporosis and other things that follow a drop in estrogen levels.

      I am perimenopausal and am just starting HRT (progesterone pill + estrogen gel) for terrible hot flashes, which have been disrupting my sleep for a couple years. Last night I woke up ever 1-2hrs. I am so exhausted, and it is affecting my mood and my ability to think clearly and quickly. Unfortunately, I just found out have have a genetic mutation that puts me at higher risk of breast cancer, so I have to stop HRT. I don’t know why you had pelvic radiation, but you will need to discuss the pros and cons of hormone replacement with an expert. It is now off the table for me.

      I am going to attach the recommendations below from my menopause doctor for dealing with hot flashes (“vasomotor symptoms”). She follows good data, and has many years of experience treating only patients with perimenopausal symptoms. I am thinking about starting either Effexor or gabapentin at night. Yoga helps me, for many reasons. There is a very new FDA approved medicine just for hot flashes, but it is a brand name very expensive med (see below).

      TREATMENTS FOR VASOMOTOR SYMPTOMS DISCUSSED :

      Vasomotor symptoms may last up to 10 years or even longer. Generally they get less intense or frequent over time, but when that happens is variable from one person to the next. There are treatments available to help with these symptoms – which affect up to 80% of menopausal patients and can disrupt sleep, and affect mood and cognition.

      Options for management include:

      Lifestyle:
      Dress in layers, avoid food triggers such as alcohol and spicy foods, yoga.

      Botanicals: (OTC)
      Equelle (S-equol) and Relizen (Swedish flower pollen extract) discussed as two herbal remedies with some data to support effectiveness, but not FDA approved as considered an herbal/dietary supplement, so safety data and drug interaction data limited. Aware that effects may be temporary and unlikely to completely eliminate symptoms, but 75-92% felt improvement after 3 months use.

      SSRI/SNRI Antidepressants: (Low dose)
      Discussed paroxitene low dose as non-hormonal FDA approved option. No other benefts other than hot flash reduction. May cause N/V, headache and should be taken at bedtime since it may cause fatigue. Some other anti-depressants and medications like Venlafaxine or other SSRIs have been shown in clinical data to help with these symptoms as well.

      NKB reception antagonist
      New medications just FDA approved May 2023 that is highly effective and rapid onset of action. Fezolinetant (Veozah) targets the Neurokinin B receptor and KNDy peptides that are behind the change to the thermoregulatory centers of the hypothalamus that are triggered by low estrogen levels. This medication should not be used if liver or kidney disease and requires monitoring of liver enzymes prior to and every 3 months of use in the first year as 2% develop elevated liver enzymes.

      Other options:

      Gabapentin (anticonvulsant and neuralgia) or Pregabalin (neuralgia and fibromyalgia) can help relieve vasomotor symptoms and may make sense when indicated for other conditions and dosing can be modified to help with symptoms. Otherwise they can be associated with symptoms such as dizziness, coordination issues, sedation and weight gain. Not FDA approved for treatment of vasomotor symptoms.

      Hypnotherapy, Acupressure/Acupuncture have helped some but do not have consistent supporting data.

      Stellate Ganglionblock is an option for women with severe VMS that have failed or not are candidates for the above options. Studies on efficacy are ongoing.

      Recently marijuana and CBD have been explored for treatment of menopausal symptoms with suggestion of some improvement, but studies and recommendations are limited at this time. If interested, a good resource is Hot Flash Hell by Dr Lauren Streicher MD.

  2. Anon

    I need a dressy black shoe to wear with work dresses that I can walk miles in. Low to mid heel. Prefer block heels because they’re walkable, but I’m open. I had the J.Crew version of the Everlane Day heel and it was my workhorse, but it finally died and the actual Everlane version doesn’t fit my foot. Thanks for any recs!

    • Anonymous

      For me, Clarks are the absolute MVP in this category. I generally am not good with heels, but can easily walk miles in my 3 inch Clarks. Try the Ambyr or the Freva.

    • Anon

      The Everlane Day H-oh, darn. I’d love to have more options here as well, so following this thread with interest. I’ve had good luck with Cole Haan generally but I haven’t tried a block heel from them (although I notice there’s a basic black block heel pump on sale right now from them.)

    • Anon

      My feet love Hush Puppies. Check out their Deanna heel – it looks pretty well-cushioned.

    • Anon

      Clarks and Rockport Total Motion are what I reach for the most for these purposes.

  3. Anonymous

    I love this so much. At the age of 45 I’ve re-embraced suiting because it’s so much easier than putting separates together. I have a deep green suit from MM LaFleur that has been a real workhorse for me, and this looks like it would fall into the same category.

    • Anon

      I’ve done that, but sort of with a “soft suiting-ish set” vibe. Some sort of 2023 soft pants with a jacket that goes with (but doesn’t match) and a simple elevated tee. Not all the way to a Run-DMC track suit or full-on Royal Tennenbaums, but the bastard child of them and a 2019 tropical wool suit. Everything but the jacket is usually washable.

      • Anon

        But please wear the Run DMC tracksuit and tell us all which day you’ll be in the office!! I want to see it.

  4. what shoes do I wear

    I have a long trial at the end of the summer in federal court. I have a few pant and skirt suits that should work. I need new shoes. What should I get? I’m not going for anything super trendy but I don’t want to get a style that is very dated looking. And they will be my basic work shoe after the trial too. What are people wearing for work shoes with suit? block heels ? pointed toe? I’m clueless.

    • Anon

      My difficult feet like M Gemi flats, so I wear those. I have pants hemmed to slightly cropped (that I also have a pair for 2″ block heels) so that it looked more intentional.

      I have the pointy toe Stellato flat, that it looks like isn’t a current model, but there are several similar ones.

    • anon.

      Depending on how spendy you’re feeling, look up the Paul Green Kami pump. I’ve recommended them here before. I think they are super professional and versatile, and wildly comfortable.

      • Anon

        I am wearing this shoe today, chosen because I have a full day followed by meeting friends, and I wanted a 12-hour shoe.

    • Anne-on

      My duck feet seem to only like about 4-5 brands and I don’t wear heels above 2 inches any longer. I have the most luck with dress flats from Kate Spade, Boden, MGemi, or Ann Taylor. I hate to say it since they’re pricey but I just got the Augusta flats from The Fold and they really are cushy and fantastic.

    • Anon

      I just did a 5 week trial in cole haan pointy toe flats with a tiny but wide heel — looks like an older version of the vanessa. I’ve had them for a few years. They were comfortable to sit/stand/walk in and did not draw attention. Basically I didn’t think about them at all.

      • Ellen

        This one sounds smart to me, unless you are committed to impressing the members of the jury. Once they’re picked, you will have to assess whether you will be able to sway more than 1/2 of them, using every tool at your disposal. If you are in NYC, you need to focus on the jurors, and the younger they are, the more you need to be young and flashy, meaning 4″ heels and tighter skirts. On the other hand, if you are dealing with older folks (retirees), block heels are more in order with knee length suits that do not show anything at all. The only exception is if you have a bench trial. Then you focus on the judge, and do everything you can to woo him, down to the perfume you wear and the number of buttons you leave open on your silk blouse. If it’s a woman, then focus mainly on her age, and try to dress like she would if she did not have her robe on. If she has an accent, try to use words that give you the ability to accentuate your vowels, as that signifies courtesy and deference to the bench.

  5. Anon

    How much of your work requires you to actually think and use your brain? I’m an analyst and I feel like a lot of what I do is update trackers, review info coming across my desk, and write reports (from info that’s easy to track down / very easy to aggregate). I occasionally have to really hunt for info and that’s the only time I feel like I get to use my brain. Everything else is pretty rote.

    • Vicky Austin

      This is not an answer, but I’m curious what field you’re in. I’m an accountant and job searching in a rural area where there isn’t much, and I’ve been passing over “finance analyst” type jobs with the assumption that I’m not qualified. Your description makes me question that! Is that the kind of analyst you are?

      • Anon

        No, I’m a security analyst. So I track security breaches and incidents in my trackers. Then I write reports summarizing what’s in the trackers. And I review other analysts’ reports and feed my into larger reports. I spend a lot of time “monitoring trends” which is just reviewing other trackers and other reports. Occasionally something unusual happens and that’s when I get to really use my brain. Otherwise it’s monitor, track, report, repeat.

        • Vicky Austin

          I see. Thank you for responding even though I was leading you on a wild goose chase.

          To answer your actual question: right now I feel like it’s about 50/50. I work in a slightly specialized area of accounting and I have prior experience from other areas which helps, but not a lot. Many of the technical aspects of my current job are sort of gatekept by the folks above me due to their complexity, which is frustrating (I can handle it, I swear!). So I can sympathize somewhat.

          • Anon

            Yes, at previous jobs I managed and ran entire projects so this job has felt like a step back. I’m just trying to figure out which job is an outlier…

          • Anon

            Well both types of jobs exist! I don’t think either type is an outlier necessarily. Sounds like you don’t like this kind, and I totally get that. I don’t either. When I’ve had jobs like this I’ve looked for different ones because I know spending my days like that makes me miserable. I have friends who love having jobs like that and that’s certainly a valid preference too.

      • Anon

        My son has an internship as a “financial analyst.” At his level it is fairly brainless and just cleaning up spreadsheets etc. But his higher-ups do actual brain work. I think your chances may be better if you’re more experienced.

      • Anon

        Im an accountant who’s title is financial analyst! Definitely take a closer look at those job descriptions for what the role actually is. Most of my department actually have analyst titles instead of xyz accountant.

    • Anon

      I’m an actuary so a pretty high percentage. But there are days when I simply cannot brain anymore, and I use those days to organize data, catch up on tax and expense stuff, etc.

      • Anon

        Oh interesting, a friend’s wife is an actuary and she says it’s pretty much setting up excel formulas and letting them run

      • anon

        Ha. I feel this, though I need to use “I simply cannot brain anymore” as a phrase more often. I’m an MD in finance and my brain is dead circa 2-3pm daily. I’m a morning person and get my hard thinking out early. Have learned to use the afternoon for phone calls and follow up type admin-y stuff.

        For Vicky Austin, our financial analysts definitely “brain” daily. But don’t count yourself out – you’ve got one, too! It’s not rocket science and it’s honestly just basic arithmetic. The harder stuff is nuance with just comes with many, many deal reps. I was hired as an FA with zero experience and a resume that didn’t include the traditional path…. like whatsoever. They took a flyer on me and here I am 12 years later at the MD level. The worst they can say is no!

    • Anon

      Homicide prosecutor. A lot, but less than you would think. There’s a lot of paperwork. It’s not like living in a murder mystery 24/7, as my friends seem to think :)

    • Anon

      Minimal-ish, and I like it that way. I’m a lobbyist, so my days are really spent chatting (or setting up chats or writing reports about how the chats went). Strategies about how to achieve a client’s goals are actually pretty rote and follow a pretty standard formula (shh, don’t tell them). I lobby in a technical area, so I get to use my brain when figuring out how to “translate” the technical ask into plain English that non-technical people will understand, but most of the time, minimal thinking. I feel like just juggling life is enough for my brain, ya know?

    • Senior Attorney

      Honestly almost none. Not so much that the work is inherently brainless as that I’ve been doing it so long it’s become pretty routine.

      58 days to retirement and counting…

    • Anon

      C-level executive here. I’ve also “automated” even some complex parts of my job through experience. But I get to crete new challenges for myself — like what does it take to up-level a member of my team so I can delegate (and supervise) parts of my job that don’t stricly require me, or how can I get these two departments to cooperate better. That creative aspect keeps me entertained and nourished while I do the unpleasant stuff that can’t be delegated…

      • Anecdata

        How much of the “thinking” work I do varies a lot week to week, based on what projects we have – but maybe 30-50% of the time I work on areas in my technical area of expertise is “real thinking”

        Now that I’m reflecting on it though — half or more of my gnarliest intellectual problems are non-technical — spend a lot of time thinking through : what is OtherParty’s motivation/goals, what’s the right framing to get XYZ on board, what’s the social and power landscape here, etc

    • Anon

      In house paralegal on track for promotion to whatever non-lawyer title they come up with for me beyond paralegal.

      The brain use is significantly higher now than it was even just a year ago (hence the pending promotion). I used to spend most of my time doing boring, rote, administrative tasks while wishing I had an interesting project to stimulate my mind. Now I do many very interesting projects that challenge me intellectually (and I love it!) but I do cherish the chance to spend ten minutes on one of those old boring, rote tasks once a quarter.

    • Anon

      I’m a Director and manage several teams of analysts. I have both fiscal analysts and management/systems analysts. I probably use my brain 90% of the time in my job but it’s a different way than I did when I was a senior analyst. Then, I did a lot of heavy duty modeling and technical analysis. Now, my job is problem solving, determining what our focus/direction is, and coordinating with fellow directors/leadership about things we’re working to solve.

      The things I don’t use my brain for are largely procedural things which I can trust my team to handle and know I just need to sign the dang letter.

      I actually love what I do about 80% of the time (which is pretty good) which is essential because it’s not easy.

      Honeslty, I still love getting in there and updating a spreadsheet (love a good XLOOKUP) but I use my brain in a different way that actually really works to my strengths.

  6. Mask PSA

    For those who still use masks, or would like to keep a supply, MaskC is going out of business. You can get adult and child KN95 masks for 80% off with code SUMMER80. I used them during the pandemic and they were sturdy and comfortable. They were my best ones for letting sit a week and then reusing, over and over again.

    • Anon

      Thank you. I think I will order some. They have been my go-to, though I did get mad at them a couple of times over false promises around fast shipping. Even so, I’m sorry to hear they’re going under.

    • Anony

      Thank you for posting this! I don’t wear masks very often anymore, but these are my favorite for when I do. I just placed an order that will hopefully keep me supplied indefinitely.

    • Anon

      Thanks! Ordering some. I still wear masks in the nail salon, where it makes a huge difference!

    • Z

      Are they actually going out of business? I saw their email with that in the subject line but the email itself and the website don’t mention it anywhere. Thought it was just for clickbait.

  7. Anon

    Low stakes Q: help me phrase a sentence I want to use in a custom motivational print for my office. I’m stuck between “no one is going to do it for you” and “no one is going to fix it for you”, but open to suggestions.

    • Monday

      I’m picturing this as a sign urging people to clean the microwave. “If not you, who?”

      • anonshmanon

        actually I feel like that is the OP’s sentiment phrased more encouragingly! Personally, the last thing I need is a reminder to step in, fix it, not rely on others – maybe I need the opposite!

    • Anon

      I like “do it for you” vs “fix it for you” because the latter seems to apply only if there’s been a mistake made.

    • anon

      A slightly modified version of a compliment I received today: “[Anon] is the person to go to when you want something done.”

    • nuqotw

      The closest help is at the end of your own hand. (I forget where I heard it.)

    • Senior Attorney

      It’s pretty corny, but I’ve seen “If it’s to be, it’s up to me.”

    • Anon

      I always wanted to put a “Your Mom Doesn’t Work Here. Clean Up After Yourself” sign in the breakroom.

    • Anonymous

      “I alone can fix it” got some play a while back.
      I am sure you can find an existing gif and just use that imagery.

  8. fall outfit help

    I’m a law school adjunct professor – it’s a really casual job. Last few years I wore a lot of dark skinny jeans with flat Chelsea booties and fun cropped blazers with blouses. Give that skinnies are “out,” how do you go casual and still look put together/ professional / comfortable on your feet for 2 hours?

    • Anne-on

      I’d probably go for midi skirts as they’d probably work best with your blouses/blazers. Or you could try straight leg trousers/straighter leg jeans. Boxier blazers are definitely more in style now so maybe pick up a few of those?

      • anon.

        I’m the OP and love the midi skirt idea… any recommendations? I like solids, not a floral person and do not like the tiered style that is all the rage.

        • Anne-on

          I’m short so I don’t own many but Boden and Jcrew both had some cute options the last I checked!

    • Anon

      I’ve been wearing ankle length slim-ish pants in the summer, full length classic trousers in the winter. I wear everything with flat shoes, right now I’m wearing keds skimmers but that may be too casual for you. In the winter I wear shoes I can wear compression socks with, so that’s clogs at home, waterproof low boots outside, and then I have some weird Fly London shoes I wear a lot because my feet like them.

    • Senior Attorney

      Or you could swap out your skinnies for wide leg pants. I bought a couple pair this summer in an athleisure fabric and am really liking them.

  9. NYNY

    Any resources for anodyne phrases to include as feedback in employee reviews? My “do the thing” is finishing the reviews, but my skills at pumping out corporate speak in the comments fields seem to have disappeared.

      • anonshmanon

        yes! The prompt is ‘what is a more professional way to express that Barbara needs to …’

    • Anon

      Can you give a bit more detail? Are they mediocre employees? Is this generic feedback where someone has to do X and they consistently do X?

      • NYNY

        I might try the ChatGPT option. The employees who stand out are easy to write comments for, but many of them are just individual contributors getting the job done. They’re fine, not great. And the format of my organization’s reviews includes 7 skill sections with a lot of overlap, at least 6 of which I should have some feedback. (What is the difference between “problem solving & decision-making” and “planning and organizing”? Why does HR torture me?)

        Appreciate all suggestions!

        • Anon

          To be honest, I look at last year’s review and say the same thing, paraphrased and Ina different order. This is for the middle of the road employees who neither did anything above and beyond nor below and beyond/disastrous during the review period.

  10. Anne-on

    Is it Friday yet? I’ve been working crazy hours to meet some big deadlines this week and my 10 yr old golden came down with tummy troubles on Tuesday night. He’s been going out 4-5 times at night, I’m rushing away from calls during the day to let him out and then washing out his bedding/scrubbing accidents out of the carpet. I feel like I’ve got an infant again and my brain is fried. My husband and I are swapping off at night but the disrupted sleep and disrupted attention at work is awful. This is a ‘decided to eat unripe fruit from the apple trees he’s ignored for his entire life’ situation so nothing serious but just exhausting and stressful!

    • Anonymous

      Ugh, I love my dog but if this were my situation I’d put him in the garage for these important calls. Our garage is perfectly safe for a dog in summer and easy to hose out.

      I’d feel differently if the dog was old and I’ll but dummy dogs get the garage. Or outside if the weather weren’t so hot.

    • Anon

      Do you have a walk in shower or tub with sliding doors? That’s where my dog sleeps when he eats the wrong thing and can’t make it outside fast enough. He’s not terribly excited about it but it’s so much easier to just turn the water on and douse him off rather than clean tracks out of the carpet.

  11. Anom

    Having one of those weeks where I just want to be done. Lots of projects to get done at work, too many medical appointments for children. I want to chuck it all and take the kids to the pool. Why did I think it was a good idea to be a lawyer???

  12. An.On.

    Husband and I arranged to hang out with a friend couple on Saturday (after many rain checks on our part) and I’ve just realized it’s Female Friend’s birthday and I feel like we need to get something special. Any ideas for last minute gifts? She’s gluten free and allergic to olive oil so a lot of foodstuffs are out.

    • Anon

      If she drinks, a bottle of wine or liquor that she likes. Flowers, if she’s not allergic. A book you think she’d like, if you know what her tastes are. Tickets to an event that you think she’d like.

    • Shelle

      If you’re still reading Trader Joe’s flourless chocolate cake is delicious and it looks like it has no olive oil. Had a roommate with Celiac’s and she raved about it too.

    • Senior Attorney

      I just saw yet another Twitter post about how $1 billion is way too much money for any one person to have, so my short answer is “give most of it away.”

      • Anon

        +1

        I would set up a foundation, and focus on giving it away, while investing the money well so it grows. I would really, really enjoy giving it away, in big and little chunks. I would focus on healthcare, education.

        I would help everyone I know and love with any financial problem that could improve their lives and security and health.

        I would buy an adorable small house on a protected coastline somewhere.

    • Anon

      I don’t play the lottery but I think about this a lot, because my cousin who I am close with and has a family of four is struggling financially, and I wish I had a magic wand to help her. So I would give a big chunk to her. But then to avoid family conflict I would probably also have to give some to my sister and all my first cousins. And then to some second cousins that I am even closer to.

      I also think about giving it all to the city adjacent to mine where almost half of the residents live below the poverty line. Everyone would get a check for $2000.

      I’m no martyr though. I would definitely buy a big house with a pool plus a vacation home.

    • NY CPA

      I would probably donate most of it. But for the fun stuff…
      Immediately book a 2 week vacation to the best over-water suite money can buy in Tahiti or Bora Bora. Also a month or so in the south of France aboard a large private yacht.
      Buy a huge penthouse apartment overlooking Central Park.
      Hire a full time housekeeper, a chef, and a chauffeur.
      Buy all the ultra luxury handbags and Ferragamo shoes my heart desires.
      Find a designer to create custom fitted clothes that will both reflect my personal style and fit and flatter my body.
      Switch to a part-time schedule at work (I think I’d need to keep working to keep my sanity/because I enjoy it).
      Make sure my immediate family are set up with trusts to ensure they are very comfortable for the rest of their lives.

    • Anon

      Pay off my house. Buy another in the Russian River area and not worry about long term fire/flooding risks or availability of insurance! Wind down my business. Help my kids get a start in life as young adults. TELL NO OTHER RELATIVES about the money!

      • Horse Crazy

        Just curious, why do you think you’d not have to worry about long term fire or flooding risks if you’re super rich? Obviously it would be easier to replace the house if you have endless money, but mansions burn in fires too…

        • Anon

          Endless money! It would be too big of a financial loss for me in my current situation but with a billion dollars I’d care a lot less.

    • Peaches

      Buy a couple great houses. Quit my job and volunteer and audit college classes to structure my days. Make sure my immediate family is set. Set up a scholarship fund for my small rural high school. Travel travel travel.

    • Vicky Austin

      My fun stuff:
      Start the businesses my husband and I are dreaming of. Donate to the college where we met.
      Get my dog a dog. Maybe two.
      Book ski trip tickets/accommodations for next winter for my family and tell them to block off the week on their calendars.
      One of those infinity pool/spa combos for the backyard.
      Accumulate a shoe wardrobe to rival Princess Kate’s.
      Build a house with “a room of my own.”

    • In My Dreams

      Oooh, I’ve thought about this a lot.

      First, I’d take the cash option and immediately call a lawyer, accountant and financial advisor.

      Then:
      – Give all immediate family plus uncles/aunts, etc a nice chunk. Maybe $2m a pop? Probably $30-40m total, if I’m doing quick math in my head correctly. Maybe more each, depending on how much the below all adds up to.
      – Used to be a TFA teacher (>15 years ago) and have a handful of students I’m still in touch with – I’d definitely give them a chunk each.
      – I’d donate a whole lot of it – like a couple hundred – to causes very near and dear to my husband and I.
      – I’d hire a money manager but ultimately aim to invest a ton for our own benefit, a fair amount of it in commercial real estate (my current profession) so I could still use my brain/contribute to investment decisions and strategy.
      – We’d never work (for need/for money) again. I’m sure we’d volunteer “professionally”, if you will, to keep us sharp.
      – lots of travel.

      Gifts to individuals would either be just cash or set up in trusts or some sort of structure depending on the individual, tbh. Maybe directly pay off mortgages, too. Like, MIL isn’t going to get $2m cash because she’ll spend it by Friday. kidding, but also not.

    • Trish

      My foundation would be geared toward reentry programs and training and assistance for former prisons and drug addicts. I would invest in non-profit law firm and I would be involved in litigating whatever I felt like at the time. For me personally, I would head to cosmetic dentist and dermatologist. I would buy a condo in NYC and homes in Florida and some other beautiful, mountainous state. Homes would not be huge but I would absolutely have cleaners and gardners.I would take painting classes. And I would travel in this hemisphere because I never want to be on a plane for more than 12 hours.

    • anon

      -Set up a foundation and choose my causes/groups to donate to
      -Set up appropriate investments
      -Set up trusts for family members who need them
      -Quit my foul job
      -Move to Denver. Purchase a house, furnish it like I’ve always wanted. Purchase private plane for SO so he can fly back to home city often to see his family.
      -Travel for while, then get a part time job doing my preferred work
      -Spend remaining time doing art and hanging out with my dog

    • Anon

      Pay off all the student loans, mortgages, auto loans, and other debt for my whole family and my very best friends. Buy a Dyson airwrap, hire a personal trainer and personal chef. Sponsor a community garden. Tear out my lawn and have a pro fill it with native plants. Invest, support my favorite causes, fund a few endowments. Set up some trust funds.

    • Anon

      First of all, donate a sh!t ton of it. I think being a billionaire in this world is unethical, so I’d definitely both give a lot away (like Mackenzie Scott) and also probably set up a foundation to do good through. I work in public health and my mom is a teacher, so I’d probably focus heavily on those causes and the environment.

      I’d pay off all of my friends’ student loans and fully fund all of my cousins’ kids college funds. I’d give a big chunk to my parents and my two brothers and my favorite aunt and uncle.

      Let’s say I only keep 50 million for myself (which is still an absurd number, obviously). First, I’d put 40 million of that in a trust and live off the interest. Then, I’d buy out the rest of my family in our family beach house (after my grandparents died my mom and her two siblings inherited it and it’s a cluster!). I’d make a few much needed upgrades and a few low key cosmetic ones. It’s an old, casual beach house and I’d mostly keep it that way, just make it a little nicer.

      I’d buy myself a house (with a parking spot!) in my city. I’d get a dog (since I could afford a dog walker). I would like to say I wouldn’t get a new car, but I probably would (I would get a hybrid). I’d buy myself a few fun splurges: a new road bike, a membership to the fancy gym, a Dyson airwrap, I’d have a spa day, I’d have nicer clothes (not designer, but Madewell for jeans and Theory for work clothes, both of which are way over budget now).

      I’d take my family on a really nice, long vacation while we figure out what to do with the rest.

      I would still work (I’m 28 and single, need to fill my time!) but would switch back to the non-profit world that I loved but walked away from because it didn’t pay enough. And definitely offer to work for free in exchange for more PTO (so I guess just be like a full time volunteer?)

      • Anon

        Is donating really the best way of using that kind of money to change the world? (Maybe it is. I don’t really know how much money would be needed to respond to climate change, stop Russia’s invasion, achieve global food security, etc. But what is the threshold where money translates to power and donating it just preserves the status quo?).

    • Anonymous

      I would donate a real pipe organ and a grand piano to my church. And $ to knock down and replace the whole building to accommodate the instruments and improve the acoustics in the sanctuary. Then I would endow a foundation to support a chamber choir that would tour every year. I have the conductor and a few of the singers already picked out. And because I would be funding the whole thing I would dictate that the conductor could never program anything by his favorite composer, who also happens to be my least favorite composer.

    • Anon

      Honestly the lifestyle upgrades I want (flying first class everywhere, chartering sailing yachts for most of my vacations, modest renovations to my home) would cost a heck of a lot less than $1B. I don’t care about most “stuff” like clothing and I don’t have any interest in major purchases like owning a boat or a second home – the maintenance involved is way too much work. So I guess give most of it away and reserve $10-20M for lifestyle upgrades and future generations of my family. I’d probably offer to fund college for my niblings and close friends’ kids too.

  14. Anon

    Barbenheimer for me on Friday, and yes I’m taking the day off. I’m going with two younger friends, and we’re seeing Oppenheimer first. What should I wear? I’m so excited to just have a break from work.

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