Suit of the Week: Reiss Atelier
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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. Also: we just updated our big roundup for the best women's suits of 2024!
This color strikes me as so unusual for suits — we've seen beige suits aplenty, and bright pink suits, but we haven't seen this champagney, taupey pink before, at least as far as I can recall. (Eye shadow, yes — but in suits, no.)
It's from Reiss Atelier, which is an elevated line from Reiss — as they describe it:
Elevated beyond convention, Reiss Atelier is a chic collection of timeless wardrobe staples and occasion pieces for women. Expertly designed by our in-house team, this collection boasts premium tailoring, bridal wear, and elevated basics for women in luxurious Italian fabrics, silks, and virgin wool. Now in its second season, Reiss Atelier has expanded on its initial offering with denim, coats and jackets, and luxury jumpsuits.
They describe the suit as a “lyocell-linen blend.”
The blazer is $900, and the matching pants are $510. There's a matching “corset vest,” pictured — I like it from a style perspective, but it is very boudoir inspired, so know your office.
Sales of note for 1/31/25:
- Ann Taylor – Suiting Event – 30% off suiting + 30% off tops
- Nordstrom – Cashmere on sale; AllSaints, Free People, Nike, Tory Burch, and Vince up to 60%; beauty deals up to 25% off
- Banana Republic Factory – 50% off everything + extra 20 off your $100+ purchase
- Boden – 15% off new season styles
- Eloquii – 60% off 100s of styles
- J.Crew – Up to 40% off winter layers
- J.Crew Factory – 50% off sweaters and pants
- Rothy's – Final Few: Up to 40% off last-chance styles
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – End of season clearance, extra 70% off markdown tops + extra 60% off all other markdowns
I need some light summer pants that aren’t too tight in the waist or too compressive overall (which worsens my pregnancy heartburn). Would the Athleta Brooklyn pants work? How’s the sizing? I’m normally a 12/14 and I have large calves. Sometimes tapered pants can be too tight below the knee. TIA!
The quince linen pants (in darker colors) are fabulous as long as you’re ok with the inherent wrinkling that comes with linen.
I prefer the Lilly Pulitzer ‘Corso’ pants or the ‘Travel Trouser’ over the Brooklyn pants. I may be alone in this opinion but the fabric the Brooklyn pants are made of feels oddly stiff/crunchy to me. I also prefer the flat waistband of the Lilly pants (vs. the gathers in the Brooklyn pants) which makes them a touch dressier.
Are you confusing the Athleta linen pants with Brooklyns? I find the linen ones kind of crunchy. The Brooklyn fabric feels more like a light cotton shirt with some stretch to me–totally soft and doesn’t wrinkle. I have them in black, navy and a mauve,and they all have been that same light fabric.
OP, I’m plus sized. The waist on the Brooklyns is elastic (like 3/4 around, but it’s not too tight. Straight leg not tapered. I think they are TTS or even a little big. I generally wear a 20w in pants and can wear a 20 in the Brooklyns (normally that would be a 22 in straight size).
I know I’m in the minority but the Brooklyn pants have a weird hand feel to me that is vaguely plastic like.
I have a pair of Brooklyn pants and hate them.
I have no experience with the Brooklyns but I recently bought linen pants from Old Navy and I really like them.
I have a couple pairs I bought last summer that are great.
+1 to Old Navy linen and chino pants.
Talbots has wide legged linen with either tie or elastic waists.
If you’re pregnant, maybe the Lululemon align joggers? More casual but they are wearable for all 9 months.
I tried the align joggers; they aren’t very loose in the calves.
I will add the Ready to Rulu joggers or the Adapted State joggers, depending if you like softer or slicker, respectively.
I got a pair of Beyond Yoga maternity joggers as hand-me-downs and they are sublime.
They’re not making the align joggers anymore.
Jcrew Factory has some great cotton-linen drawstring pants as well – I just got 2 colors.
I do not get the love for Brooklyns. I have a pair that I never wear. They are so unflattering.
I am dealing with a medical mystery and am curious if anyone has any tips on hastening a diagnosis. Since the beginning of the year, I’ve been to a gastro, two ENTs, two PCPs, a rheumatolgist, and probably more I’m forgetting. It seems like each doctor orders a test then sends me on to someone else. This all started with a trip to the ER because a superficial blood clot caused my leg to swell up and hurt. Since then I’ve lost 10% of my body weight (which I didn’t have to lose) and have vague symptoms like fatigue and a pressure feeling in my chest. I have a few abnormal labs (low ferretin, low WBC), but nothing to point us in a direction. A few of the doctors have mentioned cancer, but others say not to worry. Next stop is an abdominal CT (already had chest CT at the time of the clot) and an endoscopy. Is there anything else I should be doing? I’m not asking for medical advice (though at this point I’ll take it where I can get it), but rather help with navigating the disaster that is our health care system. I feel pretty much fine so it’s very hard to get motivated to chase this down.
Hematologist or immunologist? My daughter had a superficial blood clot and ended up being diagnosed with antiphospholipid antibody syndrome. This requires two sets of specific blood tests three months apart.
I have had some of this testing and was negative, but I don’t think my PCP ran all of the tests. I was told I would be sent to a hematologist STAT but when they called the first appointment was not until mid June, so I will be waiting for that.
Yeah, I was going to say that you should confirm you’ve had a full clotting panel. It’s a lot of tests. From working in healthcare liability, I’ve seen situations where doctors have run a partial panel in a hospital setting (so just the tests that can be done quickly and that are emergent), and then somehow, an understanding develops that the patient has had a full clotting panel done when that isn’t the case. (The case I’m thinking of involved a relatively youngish patient who had a blood clot and then all of these unexplained symptoms for a year that no one could figure out.) Again, could be unrelated, but that’s the first thing that came to mind.
Are you seeing doctors at a medical facility where doctors with different specialties collaborate? So much easier said than done, but I do wonder whether anyone is looking at your entire picture/all the labs/all the symptoms rather than just the individual piece that one speciality considers. I’m amazed by how segmented doctors are – so many specialists only consider the tests that they need for their specialty.
If you have money and time, I’d try to go to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN because this is what their doctors do. I realize that sounds drastic, but I also think Mayo is an amazing place where the docs aren’t paid to run tests or do procedures but are there to figure out problems and collaborate between departments. They’ve solved several medical mysteries for members of my family over decades.
+1 on somewhere where doctors are with different specialties are given time to collaborate, likely an academic medical center. Some academic hospitals have a remote second opinion service where you can have your records sent and doctors of different specialties collaborate. Unfortunately, I’m only familiar with Johns Hopkins, which was excellent for a relative with an advanced prostate cancer diagnosis. I don’t know if they have a program for issues where the diagnosis has yet to be made.
The Johns Hopkins remote second opinion was surprisingly affordable given the cost of U.S. healthcare. I think it might be a bit of a loss leader to bring in patients.
Different person here – how do people actually go to Mayo? Like it’s a high end place so can people just decide to self refer? Or do the person’s existing drs. have to recommend them to Mayo and then Mayo decides whether to accept their case or not? Senior citizen dad who just hasn’t been doing great for years and he’s seen a ton of specialties and they all say he’s basically fine. Maybe this is just aging for him but IDK.
Mayo decides. They actually turn a lot of people away! I think their contribution is usually just getting a lot of tests done at once. They really put a lot of eggs in the testing basket and can be at a loss if someone tests false negative.
Before I’d invest in Mayo, I might make sure that a good internal medicine doctor was part of my team to make sense of coordinating what’s happening with all the specialists.
My mom went to the Mayo for cancer treatment. Her doctor suggested it and maybe did some work to help with admission, but it was ultimately the Mayo’s decision. I know of another person who self-referred and Mayo took them.
No, I live in a small city and the care options here are not great. No one talks to each other and it seems like no one wants to hear about any symptoms that don’t fit into their specialty. If I need to go to a Mayo or similar I have the means to do it, but I don’t know where to begin. I also can’t figure out how serious this is when one doctor compeltely ignores me (and didn’t even call to tell me the labs she was rechecking were now worse) and the next says it could be cancer.
You can self-refer to Mayo and they will tell you if they think they can be of help. You just fill out the form online and send in your records. https://www.mayoclinic.org/appointments
Yes this works. I filled out this form for my MIL to get a second opinion on her heart issues. She had an appointment within a month. Highly recommend.
I’m in MN and having the Mayo close by is one of the best parts of living here. I’ve not heard of anyone being turned away. Customer service (such a rarity in health care) is superb and they’ve been a Godsend to my mom who has co-occurring rheumatological, cardiac, auto-immune, and mental health (bipolar) conditions. She can go down for a day and see all her specialists at once, and they can review each other’s records when figuring out meds.
Losing 10% of your body weight without meaning to in combination with low ferritin and WBC sure sounds like a big deal to me. I’d really suggest pushing on the hematologist (ask to be on their cancelled appointment lists + ask if there’s someone else they could refer you to) + getting an oncologist referral.
What has been ruled out?
No one ever tells me anything was ruled out, but I have had normal chest CT (except an incidental tiny nodule I’m told is nothing), EKG, echocardiogram, clotting bloodwork, thyroid bloodwork,
pulmonary function test, CMP, and a bunch of autoimmune labs (including celiac).
Celiac blood tests are not very sensitive. You can talk with GI about this, but they need to think about the intestinal biopsy to rule out celiac if they are going to be doing an upper endoscopy anyway. That is the true diagnostic test. Your complaints of early satiety with weight loss make me think of gastroparesis as well, which can sometimes be seen with autoimmune diseases with neuropathy, including with Lupus.
Do you have fevers, night sweats?
Losing weight without meaning to can be a serious sign.
Yes, intermittently, but that’s not new for me because I have lupus. My lupus is well controlled and my rheumatologist does not think this mystery is lupus related.
Scleroderma, which affects a lot more than the skin?
Autoimmune neutropenia?
Ahh… you have lupus. Well, chances are good this is also something autoimmune.
Buried the lede there.
Agree re: burying the lede.
Well or if the lupus is being treated with immune suppressants, there are a lot of conditions whose risk goes up on immune suppression.
sounds like perimenopause!
j/k although i’ll bet at least one doctor has said that to you… i’d be worried about a blood clot near your heart if you’re fatigued and feeling pressure on your heart.
has your appetite changed or are you losing weight despite eating the same?
Most people gain weight…. not loose 10% of their body weight… at perimenopause.
PE has been ruled out via CT scan and I had an echocardiogram and EKG which were fine.
My appetite has changed and I feel full sooner. There was certainly a period I probably wasn’t eating as much due to that, but my husband has been adamant about making me eat for months now and I’ve been adding in milkshakes and other high calorie things to try to sustain me.
have you had a colonoscopy?
(I ask this as someone who had something pre-cancerous found this year through a colonoscopy, so I push them on everyone now.) I had weight loss and bleeding, but no other GI symptoms.
+1 Given how colon cancer is becoming more prevalent, especially in younger people, I think a colonoscopy is not unwise.
I will ask for one!
Low iron usually means bleeding somewhere. The endoscopy and CT scan will help rule out if there is cause there–my boss had a hernia cause bleeding and similar symptoms except she was also getting a lot of food intolerance. If nothing shows ont hose scans, you might consider a colonoscopy. Low iron was the only sign of my colon cancer. And diagnosis is happening younger and younger (I was 46 but know people in their 30s). The fatigue is often linked to low iron. If it’s in the ascending colon, you won’t see blood, and you won’t necessarily see a change in bathroom habits (I didn’t).
I wouldn’t necessarily assume the blood clot is related.
Thanks for the info, that is good to know. I’m 38 so it’s certainly not off
the table. I will bring this up with the gastro doctor. And I am not assuming anything at this point, that just happened around the same time after years of being healthy so it seems odd.
Boss also had a biopsy done during the endoscopy that showed celiac. I only mention it because Celiac came up with other comments here, but the bleeding appeared to be hernia-related.
Oh also I stopped having periods. I had been on the pill and had almost non existent seasonal periods, and then I quit the pill after the clot and had one period and haven’t had any again. So very strange.
Anemia without a period would be a red flag (so to speak) to a hematologist. I have experience in this kind of thing too. Definitely go for a colonoscopy.
If you do not have some other obvious explanation for no periods, see an endocrinologist. The way I discovered I had a pituitary tumor (benign) was that I didn’t get periods after I stopped taking the pill. In retrospect they had become extraordinarily light even on the pill but it was so gradual I didn’t even see what was happening.
Can I ask how low your iron was? Borderline or severely low? My iron is consistently borderline low (just over or just under lower limit) and I’m taking iron every day, per doctor’s orders. My ferritin is increasing (still low but normal) but my hemoglobin is not changing much.
You need a good PCP to hold all the specialists and test results together and look at the big picture. If you connected with one of the PCPs more, go back and see them to review everything you have done and make sure the next steps in the plan are coordinated. I’m a PCP and coordinating care for big work-ups like this is a large part of my job that patient’s don’t realize. However, if you don’t go back and see them again they aren’t going to spend a couple hours reviewing your new tests just for fun and call you out of the blue. You have to get on their schedule so they have allocated time to devote to you. Make a follow-up appointment and make sure they have all your records. I second getting your testing done at a large medical center or academic center so everything is easily available to everyone. If you are hopping between private specialists all with their own electronic health system this can be harder to coordinate. I wouldn’t pull the trigger on going to Mayo yet. An abdominal CT and endoscopy are pretty low hanging fruit that may yield you answers. A colonoscopy also sounds like a good idea as a previous poster mentioned. Let your PCP review everything and consider referring you to a place like Mayo if your testing remains inconclusive.
Thank you!! I really liked my first PCP but he quit to be a concierge doctor and so I am trying to build rapport with the new one. She seems very motivated, but I think it’s a lot to be coming at her with as a brand new patient.
If paying for concierge an option for you, I would 100% do it. Having a doctor… actually follow up on test results is very needed, and sadly really hard to get
I was going to suggest that this is exactly the type of situation that has “concierge” written all over it.
Thanks for this, AnonMD! I don’t have any pressing issues, but this is really helpful to know for the future.
You actually have a lot of similarities to me, actually. I even had the same weight loss, low ferritin, low WBC, and a superficial blood clot. However, those things are all pretty non specific, as you are learning, and none are a big red flag to most doctors. But for me…. that weight loss was NOT normal and never in my life have I lost 10% of my body weight.
I knew something was seriously wrong, and really struggled to find doctors to help me.
In the end, I have a few autoimmune problems, and still don’t have a grip on everything. But I do think it is very important for you to have all of your well woman screening, including cancer screenings. Mammogram, skin check, and get that abdominal CT scan. If the low ferritin is not consistent with the anemia so many women have with heavy menstruation, and especially if oral iron is not correcting it, then the endoscopies are important, and I wonder if they are thinking about doing an intestinal biopsy while doing an upper endoscopy to rule out celiac. I need that, but have been delaying it, as I am dealing with a lot right now and am dreading they are going to tell me I have celiac too…
Has anything abnormal come out of the rheumatologic testing?
I would also look at your family history to see if there are any things that run in your family, especially autoimmune/rheum/heme onc stuff.
Good luck getting to the bottom of this. I hope you have a PCP that is supportive.
Hi! Sorry you are dealing with this too. The weight loss has been scary because I have tried hard to lose a couple pounds here and there over the years without much success. I have mild lupus and my family has a lot of autoimmune issues. My mom and aunt have lupus too and an aunt had scleroderma and grave’s disease. My rheumatologist is adamant this is not related because my inflammation markers are all low and I’m not having any of my normal lupus symptoms. I am inclined to agree with her but what do I know? Keep us posted if you get a diagnosis!
Your rheumatologist seems very… concrete. It is very common for people with one autoimmune disease to have another one. I already have 3, and not all autoimmune diseases have abnormal markers. It also sounds like you are higher risk for this due to your family history.
And since you stopped having periods…. very unusual… you should also check in with your GYN to have a thorough work-up. If you are actually going through a very early menopause, that can also be triggering for some new autoimmune diseases.
Often these things will become clear with time. Keep pushing for answers. You are lucky to have a supportive husband with you. My doctors mostly ignored me, and I always wished I had someone coming with me to appointments who could be my advocate.
I would push for a pelvic CT or MRI to rule out ovarian cancer. I’m so sorry for all this work up and stress!
Have you been going to academic health systems? Not to say they’re perfect but they usually see a lot of stuff. You say you’re in a small city – would you be able to get to a bigger city to a large academic system? Added plus could be that if you can’t get a hematology appointment for months in your city, maybe in a different city you can get one sooner. I have seen that happen.
OP, I have nothing to add that hasn’t been said already, but I just want to pause and appreciate this community of people coming together in support of one of our own. Some days there’s terrible sniping, but some days there’s this, and it’s lovely. I hope you find the answers you need.
I thought the exact same thing. A bunch of women supporting a woman who is trying to get answers and struggling. And so glad we had an MD who piped up also!
Hair salon question:
I’m going in for an all-day process (gray transformation). The stylist/colorist has estimated this at about 5-6 hours, and it’s $200/hr. Fine, that’s expected. So we’re looking at likely $1200 or so total. My question is, with a cost that high, am I still tipping? If so, what’s the % or amount? I ask because one of the reasons given for the high hourly amount (not directly by the colorist, just from what I’ve seen) is “the day is being blocked out for any other paying clients; you’re covering their hourly seat rate for other paying clients”. Since most haircuts and other services are flat rate and not hourly, I assume a tip is “baked in” to this higher hourly rate? But I’m not sure.
Interesting article here on hourly rates for hair stylists:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/of-interest/2024/03/18/hair-stylist-salon-expensive/
Wouldn’t the clients you’re replacing tip the stylist too? Maybe you need to tip to cover that.
The way I think of it (and I could be mistaken) is like this:
Let’s say Sally books a haircut at 10 AM: $80 + a tip of unknown amount, let’s say $20. That’s 100/hr.
She books a $40 bang trim + a tip for 11 AM. That’s $60.
And so on.
According to what I’ve read, Sally can’t book that haircut and bang trim while she’s working on me, so she’s blocked out that time 100% and is charging on a totally different structure–one that covers not just the service but the “opportunity cost” for any clients she could have been taking during those hours.
I’m being charged more than any single service (outside of highlights) could cost per hour even including tip, I’m being charged $200/hr. So that would presumably include even the most expensive service + the highest tip.
It seems odd to bill you for the entire time you are at the salon, because presumably the stylist will schedule other clients during your processing time. At least that’s how my stylist does it.
This
Yeah and I kind of…don’t want that, if the idea is “I’m charging you for every single hour you’re sitting here, even though I’m making money on another client”. If they want to do a flat fee for the service, that’s one thing. But hourly to me personally means they aren’t “doubling up” because my higher hourly rate is paying for their time, not their service alone, if that makes sense. I also don’t want my hair fried because they were off cutting someone’s hair.
Like, the higher hourly rate blocks OUT the time and the higher rate is a compensation for the fact they can’t take other clients at that time. If they charge that higher rare and double dip, that’s not cool, to me.
But my understanding is that this person is a specialist who only does this service and it will just be me the entire time, but I could be mistaken.
Yes. You are tipping 20%.
Is the stylist an independent contractor? If so I wouldn’t plan to tip 20% as presumably they set their own rates which (should) cover their chair rental/equipment/etc. If the salon just referred you to one of their colorists then yes, I’d tip on top of the service charge.
I’ve done it both ways and currently see an independent stylist who rents a chair. I still tip him because I want to keep myself on his books and he’s like half the price of the other good stylists/colorists in my areas.
I have heard that gray transformations are insanely expensive, partly because the process is so long. So I dunno, this doesn’t seem out of line.
The hourly place I go to specifically says they do not accept tips. They don’t like tipping culture. But if it is not explicit, I would assume you still tip.
What is a grey transformation?! I’m naturally half grey (skunk style) but dye my hair and would prefer not to. Just want to look professional and not take a hit with pay/being heard at work.
It depends on the plan you develop with your stylist/colorist. But generally the overall idea is to bleach and tone the non-gray hair to match or blend with the gray. It usually takes all day–double the time of highlights or single process, because they’re essentially doing the whole head.
It’s a little different than going in and getting highlights because those are generally blonde, not gray. They don’t tone out your hair to be white/gray with highlights/balayage/babylights etc.
I want to have a new friend come by one afternoon and I don’t know what to serve. Ideally we will sit outside, so it needs to be easy to transport. Cheese and crackers? A veggie tray? I can’t cook so it needs to be something I can pick up or assemble. Also what are people drinking these days without alcohol? Iced coffees? Seltzer water? I am not in the know.
Something that looks like you just had it in the fridge and didn’t go to any effort, like veggies and pita chips with a dip from the Trader Joe’s refrigerated section. Seltzer and/or iced tea is good. I wouldn’t say no to an iced coffee before 3 p.m.
I would be thrilled if I showed up at someone’s house and they had cheese, crackers, grapes, and some iced tea.
Same! Except I’d prefer sparkling or flat water, which is what I drink in the afternoons and evenings. You could also add pickles, olives, nuts, hummus, sliced bell peppers. Basically as charcuterie board – which is assembly rather than cooking. To transport, put the various items in separate containers and assemble upon arrival.
Either would be great – a plate of cheese and crackers or a plate of veggies with a dip which can be store bought dip or hummus. If your friend likes sweets and this isn’t a formal thing, a plate of chocolate chip cookies can hit the spot.
Drinks – just offer water, seltzer. No need to make coffee or iced coffee or tea unless you’d like to do that. I feel like in my friends and coworkers circles there’s been a huge shift away from sweet drinks as people are more conscious of added sugars and on. I always feel like a bad host offering water because that was never done growing up – in my Asian home it was always tea or soda, but it seems like most people decline those things anyway now.
I always love a veggie tray + something crunchy – seasoned nuts, fancy pretzels, etc.
And seltzer is a nice option!
Hummus, pita chips and celery sticks
Business casual wardrobe advice needed. I have a new remote job that requires me to spend one week on campus in Dallas each quarter. I have been advised that the dress code is “the business end of business casual–no jeans but not a full suit.” I don’t think the white/black/gray jeans + blazer or t-shirt dress + jean jacket outfits I wore in the office at my old job will cut it. I have some blazers, dress pants, and sheath dresses that I wear for big meetings and to court, but they are so hot and I don’t want to be walking around campus in the summer heat in these outfits. What can I wear that will be cool and comfortable yet polished?
I’m in Dallas, and I absolutely would suggest a dress or skirt if you come here between May 1 and October 1. Our summers are hot and humid. Even walking to and from your car will make you sweat because of the humidity. Lighter clothing, less clothing, and a breeze on your undercarriage help a lot. If you care about your skin, consider whether you can wear a hat if you’re going to be walking around a campus. Our UV index also is high.
All of this!!!
It’s also high on the ac. My skin suffers with the heat and freezing ac. I wear suncream and I’m getting sun damage to my skin after 10mins outside. I now run in the dark because I do longer runs of 60-90mins and I’d be fried if I did it when sunny.
I read your comment and then saw this photo of Lily Gladstone at Cannes. Crisp co l l ared shirtdress, contrasting belt and statement shoes seem like it would work for you.
https://assets.vogue.com/photos/664376050167f89ac4eac937/master/w_1600,c_limit/GettyImages-2152908364.jpg
Also, look for dresses and pants in lighter fabrics (linen, cotton). This is also probably an occasion for seersucker.
Is this for one of our local airlines? If so, I have a friend that works at one with this set up and can ask her.
It’s a university, but thank you!
In that case, I used to work at a university here (probably not the one you are working at), so I can give some advice there! That’s actually exactly how I described my wardrobe when I worked there – business end of business casual. I mostly wore slacks with a nice top and a sweater or knit blazer for inside because our buildings tend to be very air conditioned. I also wore wrap dresses or shift dresses in the summer. I even occasionally wore a nicer t-shirt dress (like a jersey fabric, not cotton) with a light scarf or a blazer (blazer removed when walking across campus in the heat). You will definitely see people in lighter fabrics in the summer though so it wouldn’t be out of bounds to wear linen as suggested above. Also, sandals were pretty accepted on my campus in the summer, so don’t make your feet suffer!
All of this is great advice. I’d add that Texas LOVES air conditioning so make sure to pack one warm layer in for when you are inside. If you’ve ever wondered why there are summer colors in winter weight cashmere its because we freeze but then have to quickly disrobe the second we go outside.
If you have been to Greece, is there a Greek island that fits the bill for what DH and I are looking for? Easy to get to, relatively. Large enough that we can spend an entire week there though we’d prefer our major activity to be walking around town, getting meals, and basically sitting on a private balcony looking at the Mediterranean? We’re looking for someplace large enough and walkable enough that we can just walk and walk and walk and explore as we both love architecture. But we don’t want a place with a ton of people – cruise ships etc. Not only because that makes a place hectic but also because DH still has to be covid cautious for a reason so we are specifically seeking vacation spots that are open, outdoors, and uncrowded rather than places where you are packed in with people. But we are tired of just going to our beaches or national parks here and really would like an international trip.
Also is there an off season for Greece or shoulder season that’s still worth it? I know everyone goes in summer but we’ve waited too long to plan and were wondering if a Sept or Oct trip would be nice weather wise and there would be enough restaurants etc open. If you think we should split time between say two islands, please tell us though we aren’t interested in going to 4 islands in 7 days or anything. We’re both also luxury hotel people, even small hotels, if anyone has ideas there.
The Galaxy hotel in Naxos in September or early October would be great. Rent a car to explore the island too.
Naxos FTW
I loved Crete when we went last year, look at the areas around Agios Nicholas for luxury hotels but you could hire a car to go to Chania and Knossos. We went end of September and it was hot/everything was open. I’d also recommend reading The Island before you go.
so I think if you go in September or early October that would be ideal. Santorini does have a lot of cruise ships, BUT I think could also fit your criteria because you can walk around Oia, walk from Fira to Oia, there are all different sides of the island, you could rent a car to explore further. For hotels, in Oia I’d recommend Andronis Boutique Hotel (even though it is more steps, ask for a room closer to the water) or in Imerovigli where you’d definitely meet fewer cruise guests Astra Suites in Imerovigli. We also absolutely LOVED Chania, Crete and would actually recommend a split between Crete and Santorini. We stayed at Casa Delfino, which was fantastic, great location and a friend stayed at Alcanea Boutique Hotel. Greece is one of my favorite trips ever and I would highly recommend.
We enjoyed our time in Naxos. It has the traditional Greek feel you are describing without being overwhelmed with tourists. We stayed in an AirBnB. You can also take a day trip to Paros.
Anywhere in Greece is going to have lots of outdoor dining options in summer and early fall, I wouldn’t worry about that at all.
Santorini seems to be kind of unpopular here due to the fact that it’s overtouristed, but imo it’s so crowded for a reason – because it’s spectacularly beautiful and so unique. I’ve been to a lot of places and that’s on a very short list of the best. I think early fall would be a lovely time weather-wise, although we went in August and even with the peak summer heat and crowds it was still amazing. We stayed at Esperas in Oia and loved it. The cave pools were so much fun, we had easy access to a nice beach (and the beaches aren’t crowded – the cruise ship crowds stay in the villages), the food was good and the owners were the kindest people. If you’re reasonably fit, you can walk all over the island, including from Oia to Imerovigli and Fira.
Agreed, Santorini is gorgeous, especially in the off season. I’ve never met a Greek island I didn’t like. We especially enjoyed Hydra, Naxos and Amorgos. On the other side, Corfu is lovely, and Rhodos, further South, was also very cool.
We’re heading to Corfu this summer. We chose it because it’s lush, has lots of towns and villages to visit, and has a 30- minute ferry to the Albanian Riviera. There are ruins, fortresses, monasteries, other historical things to do. It’s in the Ionian Islands, not the Cyclades, so while it’ll be touristy, we’re still hoping to have a more authentic experience.
Came here to suggest Corfu. The rest of the Ionians are easy day trips (sailing, boat), Corfu is big enough not to be tiny. It has some fantastic beaches. Recommend.
We went last September and the weather was divine. Our least liked place was Santorini because of the cruise ships, they let off several times per day and streets get packed with tourists. The hike from Fira to Oia was lovely and hard. Chania, Crete was lovely. We we stayed in what they call pensions (essentially a 4 unit guest house). Small, quiet with a mini kitchen to make coffee in before getting dressed and seeing the world.
Hydra is a nice option, it is a short ferry ride from Athens. The island is small and has no cars on it, so you get around either by walking or biking. It makes for a very peaceful atmosphere. It can be crowded in the summer, but its mostly Athenians who visit, not so many foreign tourists. But agree with others that September would be ideal given what you’re looking for.
Many of the less well known islands in the Cyclades might also be a good fit — so rather than Santorini, Mykonos, Naxos, or even Paros these days, try Milos, Folegandros, Sifnos and Serifos. They still cater to tourists but more local, would have a least a few higher end hotels, and be less crowded than the others.
That timing is great for the Greek islands. Still warm but not as massively populated.
If visiting more than one island, do yourself a favor and pick a pair that are on the same ferry route. Santorini and Crete, or Naxos or Paros and Santorini, are some of these. Santorini does get a bad rap for overtouristing and if you visit Oia at sunset you’ll see why; I’d suggest staying in Imerovigli for the most peaceful lodging.
Dining in general is open air; we visited in post-vax but Delta era and the only time we spent inside was the Parthenon museum in Athens.
Crete, Corfu, Paros, Rhodes.
Corfu is lovely, especially if you’re interested in the Durrells.
Has anyone ever returned something already worn to & Other Stories? I paid almost 100$ for a pair of pants that looked nice on the rack but turned out to be the wrinkliest pants I’ve ever owned – disappointed after just one wear. Happy to dry clean before
Why bother dry cleaning? They’re trashing your used pants if they are even willing to take them back
+1
I’d probably just sell them on Poshmark.
Is it a “user error” – as in disappointed that linen trousers wrinkle, or similar? I would eat the cost, wash and donate.
If they are faulty, or the quality in use a lot poorer than expected from the vendor and price, I would take them in, wrinkled, as a consumer rights’ complaint return, rather than a regular courtesy return.
Where I live, a faulty item would be covered in the Consumer Act.
This is fascinating to me, because the idea that the wrinkliness of any fabric is something that would be akin to a “faulty” item for a consumer protection act claim is a bit beyond. That seems to be taking advantage of what that act should cover…
Yes, this is wild. I am a lawyer and exercising that muscle in this way is really icky to me.
I never ceased to be amazed by how entitled people here think they are to get their money back.
4:21 anon here.
Yes, of course! There’s a reason I lead with user error! :D
If the OP is just a little annoyed that they don’t like the fabric, that’s on them. But sometimes things are faulty. Clothes’ manufacturers sometimes cut fabric on the bias or half-bias when it should have been on the grain, to save money. That can make a pair of pants wrinkly in an unintended or faulty way even if it looks okay on the hanger – because the fabric stretches in way it wasn’t supposed to.
I can’t see any hint that these were linen. Seems like we are jumping to conclusions. A lot of stores advertise a satisfaction guarantee, I was more thinking along the lines of that (as opposed to Consumer act definition of a manufacturing flaw).
I’ll be in Vegas in a few weeks for work for just one night, on my own. What’s a great restaurant to try where I won’t feel super awkward as a solo diner? Probably somewhere I can sit at the bar. I’ve heard Vegas has a great food scene so would love to try something cool. Thanks!
Hell’s Kitchen (sit at the bar). Excellent food.
Peppermill (classic Vegas vibe)
Guy Savoy
Also, not the best food (although not bad) but Mon Ami Gabi at Paris or Trevi in the Forum for the people watching (the first for brunch the second at night – the later the better). Because you can get good food anywhere but the people watching in Vegas is amazing.
The Vanderpump bar at Caesar’s is surprisingly good. Not earth shattering food but great people watching and drinks.
I love Bouchon at the Venetian.
Best Friend at the MGM – fabulous food and nice bar to sit and eat and people watch, I had a very pleasant solo dinner there few months ago.
Mother Wolf in the new Fountainbleu was lovely, and a really cool setting
The Library in the NoMad (inside MGM) was fun and I agree with the Best Friend reco
I am awaiting the return of suits with not so very much fabric.
Saaaaame.
Short and round and the wide pants and long jacket are not a great look for me. I’m sitting this one out.
Yes. So much this. I want to wear pants again but I keep wearing dresses on suit-possible occasions because I’m big enough without all that fabric and it never feels quite right even with tailoring.
I am tall and thin with ex-swimmer shoulders, and these giant, double breasted, super-wide leg suits make me look like an extreme, masculine giant. I suppose that’s someone’s look, but I look terrible in current offereings. Normal pants are wide-legged on me. Wide-legged pants are comical on me. And huge blazers, not good when you start with broad shoulders and go from there. Fashion has been rotten the past few years. Just ugh.
The only person who could pull off this suit is Tilda Swinton.
What are your favorite socks to wear to the gym or running? I’m tired of the cheap Target ones having holes in them within a few months. I want something fitted, grippy, and durable.
Feetures, on a recommendation here!
Same!
I always recommend Feetures and have done so here. If it was my recommendation, glad you like them!
Smartwool running socks
My Lululemon socks were expensive but have lasted forever.
Balegas are my favorite.
Balega or smart wool
I have some Skechers no show socks that I bought at Fred Meyer of all places that I only use for running and workouts and they have developed no holes in a couple of years of use.
They’re these ones, I think: https://www.amazon.com/Skechers-womens-Pack-Socks-11-Sep/dp/B08P3SPR2S/
I’m a Bombas die-hard. They do get holes occasionally, but the company will replace them for free no questions asked.
Balegas.
Balega
Bombas!!!!
I am so annoyed. I feel a cold coming on. Again. I just had one last month. And several others over the winter. This is pretty unusual for me, and I can’t figure out what has changed. No new environments. It’s just annoying because they take me down and make me miserable for about a week, and I really don’t have time for that right now.
Cold or hayfever/allergies?
Are you being exposed to a new colleague’s kids?
See your doctor. They can check for obvious things like vitamin deficiencies or nasal polyps, or refer you to an ENT or a immunologist if it’s beyond what they can investigate.
Just seconding this. I think at three colds I would personally still be like “eh, crappy coincidence,” but after over a year like this I went to an ENT, and it turned out I had a nasal polyp. After I got that removed, I basically almost never got sick for like 15 years (until I had a child in daycare, so, c’est la vie).
Are you getting enough sleep? Also keep an eye on hand sanitizing. It really does make a difference.
Would you rather have great eyebrows or great eyelashes?
Brows
Eyebrows
Brows. Mascara is easier to fake than brows.
Brows bc (1) they influence the overall look of your face and (2) lashes are easier to enhance with makeup
I feel like great bows and great lashes usually go to Person 1, with mediocre brows and lashes going to Person 2. It’s rarely a mash-up.