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Suit of the Week: Calvin Klein

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Suit of the Week: Calvin Klein Tweed || CorporetteFor busy working women, the suit is often the easiest outfit to throw on in the morning. In general, this feature is not about interview suits for women, which should be as classic and basic as you get — instead, this feature is about the slightly different suit that is fashionable, yet professional. I noticed this peacock blue suit a while ago and I love it — I think the pieces look nice together and separately, and the color just strikes me as so, so pretty. (What can I say, I'm a blue girl.)  I particularly like the fact that it's available in regular, plus, and petite — it always strikes me as a vote of confidence from the manufacturer (and buyer). Pieces are selling out fast — it looks like the regular size skirt and the plus size blazer are already gone — but petites, you're in luck! The petite blazer (Calvin Klein Petite Jacket, Tweed Two-Button Blazer ) was $129 but is now marked to $89.99 — and then take another 15% off with code FALL, bringing it down to  $75ish; the skirt (Calvin Klein Petite Skirt, Tweed Pencil) was $89, then $53, but with code FALL it comes down to $45. Nice.
Calvin Klein Tweed Blazer Calvin Klein Tweed Skirt Calvin Klein Tweed Plus Suit.indexed
(L-all)

Sales of note for 1/22/25:

  • Nordstrom – Cashmere on sale; AllSaints, Free People, Nike, Tory Burch, and Vince up to 60%; beauty deals up to 25% off
  • AllSaints – Clearance event, now up to 70% off (some of the best leather jackets!)
  • Ann Taylor – All sale dresses $40 (ends 1/23)
  • Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything
  • Boden – Clearance, up to 60% off!
  • DeMellier – Final reductions now on, free shipping and returns — includes select options like Montreal, Vancouver, and Venice
  • Eloquii – $29 and up select styles; extra 50% off all clearance, plus ELOQUII X kate spade new york collab just dropped
  • Everlane – Sale of the year, up to 70% off; new markdowns just added
  • J.Crew – Up to 40% off select styles; up to 50% off cashmere
  • J.Crew Factory – End of season sale, extra 60-70% off clearance, online only
  • Rothy's – Final Few: Up to 40% off last-chance styles
  • Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
  • Talbots – Semi-Annual Red Door Sale – extra 50% off

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

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

139 Comments

  1. Assistance needed — I have to present on a topic at a women’s affinity group meeting next week and am looking for suggestions. Past presentations have started with articles which were circulated in order to spark discussion, but I could simply start with a question or a thesis and go from there. Has anyone seen any interesting articles lately, or have any suggestions for topics? Work/life balance topics are usually popular, but I’d like to stay away from anything that’s specifically geared at mothers/parents. I’d prefer to do something with a marketing/mentoring bent.

    3. For timeliness, how about discussing Jessica Yellen’s nomination to be Fed chair? You could discuss whether these kinds of “firsts” are important for women generally, and why / why not.

    6. You could discuss mentoring vs. sponsorship and how they’re different. You could also discuss “how to get a mentor”… we just had a mentoring panel at my office, hosted by our Women in Leadership committee, and it was interesting to hear how many people had formed relationships with their mentors organically.

    1. Ditto. Love tweed, love blue, petite. This suit was practically made for me.

      1. Yay, so jealous of both of you!! Enjoy it and report back, please! need to live vicariously ;o)

      1. Don’t look to hard at macys.com, you’ll want to buy all the colored tweed. I may have made 2 large orders in quick succession… I’m assuming that they won’t all work/fit, but damn if I wanted all of it.

        1. not looking not looking!:::coveringeyes::: lalalalalllallalaala (not sure why i’m singing to help not looking at something.. whatever)

  4. TJ : Ideas on styling the BR Issa collaboration dress? For whatever reason, it doesn’t look right under a blazer to me.

    Help!

    1. I’ve worn it with cardigans, but honestly, since it’s got sleeves and such a nice shape, I usually don’t wear anything over top of it. Sometimes a big giant scarf. Sorry I’m not being super helpful.

  5. AAM has a follow up post today about someone who had asked about whether to send a thank you note to her bosses after being given her year-end bonus. Is thanking your boss for your bonus a thing? I thought the bonus was already a thank-you — from the company to you. If, that is, it’s really a thank-you in any way and not just part of a business transaction. As a boss, I think I might think less of an employee who sent me a thank-you for a year-end bonus, assuming year-end bonuses were part of the overall compensation package. (If an employee went out of the way to help the company, and then the company decided to issue a one-time bonus as a special thanks to that person, then I could see a thank-you.) I would think the employee was a little naive and that s/he didn’t feel the bonus was fully earned, which might make me subconciously start to agree with the employee. Am I totally out on a limb here and should I have been sending thank-yous for my bonuses all this time?

      1. Would you walk into the person’s office and just say “I saw my bonus in my account this morning and wanted to say thank you”? Or do you mean if the check is physically handed to you you’d say thank you? I’ve said thank you in the latter case, but I’ve never taken it upon myself to seek out my boss to say thank you. But maybe I’m just thinking of bigger organizations where bonuses go out to everyone at once, and it’s not a question of whether there’ll be bonuses, just how much? I guess I just always felt like I earned mine, whatever it was, not like it was a gift.

        2. No, I’ve always been told in a meeting/review. I agree that in your situation I wouldn’t say anything.

      2. Agreed. We find out our bonus amount in a year-end review each year. I say “Thank you” but have never written a note.

        1. Yeah Ive said thank you in a review because its more like great, thanks for the feedback. agree that i would find it odd if they sought me out to thank me

    2. I TOTALY LOVE THIS CALVIN KLEIN SUIT, and I agree with Wild Kitten. A Bonus these day’s is just a way to keep your BASE salary low, so that in future year’s they can lower your bonus and onley have to pay you the BASE salary. That is why my dad is finalizeing my partnership package, which has a guaranteed base and a guaranteed MININUM BONUS. This way, the manageing partner can NOT decide NOT to pay me much by cutteing my BONUS, b/c DAD is insuring that I have a minimum bonus equal to 2X my base salary, and that amount is guarenteed. While it is NOT final yet, I think Dad say’s I can fairly expect to get between $250K and $300K next year provided that I meet certain GROWTH Target’s that he has NOT yet negotiated, and that is BEFORE MY 401(k) is contributed by the firm.

      Yesterday the manageing partner showed me his copy of SUPERLAWYERS, where 3 of his freind’s are in it. I asked him why isnt he in it? He did not know so I read through it. It seem’s that you have to be NOMINATED for it, so I spent 3 hours (which the manageing partner made me bill to 3 cleint’s) figureing out how to nominate him and for him or someone else to NOMINATE ME as a SUPER LAWYER NEXT YEAR. I figure if we are both super lawyer’s, we can get alot more business and I can meet my GROWTH TARGET’s and make even MORE MONEY NEXT YEAR. I cant wait to tell DAD, b/c I will ask him to nominate the manageing partner as a CLEINT!!!! YAY!!!!! And I will have JIM or ROBERTA nominate me!!!! DOUBEL YAY!!!!!

      I am still concerned about the CLE thing, but Frank assure’s me that he will get an AFFIDEAVIT from the building super attesteing that our records in the basement were destroyed by the floodeing of Hurricane Sandy, and then by sewage that overflowed from the toilet in the lobby. GROSS and DOUBEL FOOEY!

    3. I get an annual bonus as part of my compensation package, the amount of which is performance-related. If my boss says “You achieved all your goals this year, so we’re paying your bonus at 100%” I say “Great!”. If my boss says “You did such a great job this year, that we’re paying your annual bonus at 150%” I say “Wow! That’s awesome, thanks!” but I wouldn’t grovel or say thank you more than once. In my company, I know my boss would have to fight (maybe not down-and-dirty fight, but s/he would have to recommend and support the case that I should get more than I’m entitled to) for anything more than 100% so I think a “thank you” is justified. But I guess it’s more “Thanks for fighting for me” than “Thanks for the cash”.

      Occasionally I’ve gotten other performance bonuses sprinkled throughout the year. I also say thank you for those, because they have to be fought for & won by my superiors.

      tl;dr: my rule of thumb would be, if it’s in your offer letter, no need to say thanks. anything above/beyond that or if your boss had to fight for something for you,a thanks is probably a nice idea and appreciated.

      1. My general rule as well. Always a verbal thank you or a casual email (ie, replying to email about the bonus).

    4. I always say thank you and sometimes send an email too (but never a hand written card). Then again, I’ve always worked in small offices where getting an end-of-year bonus (or any other bonus) was never a given. Also, it was always very clear who made the decision to pay bonuses, so knowing who to thank was never in question. Also, it was the one or 2 owners who were choosing to dip into their not-excessive profits to pay bonuses to employees.

      I could see not thanking anyone for a bonus at a larger organization, where there are formulas for bonuses, or where bonuses are standard, or where the supervisor making/recommending a bonus for an employee is not a profit participant in the company and there are a lot of profit participants who may or may not know anything about your bonus (or may not even know you).

  6. Insurance question – I need to get health insurance for a month as a move from one job to another. Should I get COBRA which will cost $1300+ for one month or will buying personal insurance under the new Affordable Care Act be more affordable? I realize this may not be a simple answer but how do I go about pricing plans under the new act? Thanks in advance!

    1. One option would be to go bare and then retroactively sign up for COBRA if you need it — you can retroactively COBRA for 60 -90 days post separation from your prior insurance. That way you wouldn’t have to go through the hassle of securing one month of insurance if you don’t end up needing it.

        1. +1 This is what I did for my last 6 week gap. I didn’t need it but it was nice to know the option was there.

      2. This. I’m doing this right now. Cross your fingers for me that I don’t get hit by a bus in the next eleven days before my new job starts.

        Of course this doesn’t work if you have some kind of chronic condition where you know you’ll need to go to the doctor multiple times during this period.

    2. Cobra is retroactive so you don’t need to actually fork over the $1300 for the one month. If you need to utilize it in the period between jobs, then you enroll and it’s retroactive back to the date you left your job.

    3. Healthcare.gov will give you a quote for your insurance from the exchanges.

      1. But the exchanges don’t offer coverage until Jan 2014. So if it is between now and then, ACA exchange plans aren’t an option.

        1. Speaking of the exchanges, I finally got through NY’s website and saw the plan options. I almost leapt for joy! Even the most expensive platinum plan was $100/month cheaper than I could buy a year ago. The plans I’m looking at are 1/2 that amount. From what I can tell so far, the premiums are about the same for similar coverage if I was to get on my boyfriend’s insurance.

          I know it didn’t work out well for everyone, but as someone who has to buy individual insurance I’m really happy with how it has worked out for me.

    4. I love this board. I do. You all are so savvy.

      I didn’t realize ACA doesn’t start until 2014. And I didn’t realize that COBRA is retroactive. That might be the best plan but the only reason I am hesitating is because I have an infant who might need a well visit in that one month. We are going to make sure he gets his 4 month visit and shots before my current coverage runs out but don’t know if he will need another visit in the next 40ish days. If the doctor says he will then I guess I have to get COBRA, right?

      1. Would it possibly be cheaper to pay for the well visit out-of-pocket? You could look into how much it would cost, and if it’s significantly less that $1300 then I would do that.

        1. And often times your doctor will discount the price if you don’t have insurance. When I was between insurance coverage right out of college my gynecologist discounted my procedure 30% – which of course just taught me that some of that crap doesn’t cost near as much as they say it does, they just charge you more because insurance will pay it.

          1. +1 If you’re not using insurance, it also cuts down on a lot of paperwork and hassle for the doctor’s office, so they’re saving money too.

      2. I have no idea how much those types of appointments cost, but maybe you could ask your doctor’s office. It may be cheaper to pay out of pocket for that I stead of paying for COBRA.

      3. Or perhaps pay out of pocket for the well visit? It seems that it would be cheaper than $1300 for cobra if you only need it for the one appt.

      4. Pay out of pocket, and if you have a real event, pay your cobra retro and submit your well baby appointment for reimbursement.

      5. yep I think you all are right that it would be cheaper to pay for that one visit. $1300 is crazy!!

        1. Definitely the way to go. Maybe we’re overly cautious, but when we’ve been in between coverage with COBRA retroactive as our back up, we have the forms signed and give a copy to someone that could send them in for us if we needed.

        2. $1300 is not crazy if something unexpected were to happen during that time. You can’t always rely on being healthy . . . and without insurance, were something bad to happen, you might find yourself much further in the hole than $1300.

  7. Wow, I love this. Just ordered it from some store called Boscov’s, which I have never heard of but has it in more sizes and for a bit cheaper. It’s worth a gamble (site had free shipping).

    1. Boscov’s was an inexpensive department store with many outlets in my area when I was growing up. I don’t see many of them around anymore.

      1. That’s so funny that you say “inexpensive.” I remember when Boscov’s went in near me when I was little — it was all gold and fancy (it was the late 80s…) and by far the nicest department store ever built in my area. I always thought of it as being so fancy.

        1. ha – I last went in a Boscov’s in 2002 or so, in search of some inexpensive furniture that wasn’t Target/Ikea. Place had MIRRORED, low, ceiling tiles. Ack.

        2. That’s funny. I guess I am comparing it retroactively to Nordstrom! This particular outpost also may not have been the best, I’m guessing, based on the city it was in.

          1. Mind you, when Boscov’s went in, I had never been to a Nordstroms, Saks, or the like and thought they only existed in places like NYC and Chicago. And yes, I’m fairly certain the one by me had mirrored ceilings. Swanky! Ha!

          2. I remember spending a lot of time looking up at the ceiling when I went to Boscov’s as a kid. :)

    2. It’s the only department store in the town where my Dad lived (or the closest town to it). After Katrina, I spent a lot of time driving to Philadelphia to do real shopping.

        2. Haha! I went to college close to Harrisburg. Boscov’s gives me fond memories lol.

    3. Yes there is one in Harrisburg, PA. It’s still very 80s but I spent a lot of time running around there when my mom went shopping with me as a child. I still find some stuff in their jewelry department, but it’s on par with JC Penney.

      1. In all my years in Harrisburg, I never stepped foot in the Boscov’s. It looked so mirrory from 581/Camp Hill Bypass!

    4. Boscov’s is from Reading, PA. They always sponsor on of the Philly parades, I’m kind of surprised they haven’t gone out of business yet.

  8. Suggestions for ways to style a turtleneck? I’m looking primarily for off-work outfits. Links to photos a plus.

      1. +1 for the Archer reference.

        Archer: …Now arrange those by color.
        Woodhouse: These are all black.
        Archer: Oh are they? Or are five in a dark black, and five in a slightly darker black?

        1. +1000 for Archer references. DH calls them tactlenecks whenever he wears them.

    3. I like big chunky cable knit turtlenecks with leggings, skinny jeans, or shorter skirts with tights.

      1. Ooh, I like the idea of short skirt+tights.

        I feel like I too easily fall into turtleneck+pants, and it’s just really boring. Turtlenecks are so all-encompassing. I never know what to add to the outfit.

    4. uh oh, why such interest in a turtleneck all of a sudden? Got some hickies!!?!?! ;o)

      1. HAHA!

        Actually, sort of. I’m trying to wean my toddler. I found them helpful when weaning my oldest, but so very drab. I came off a lot more lake wobegone than chic. Plus, they are just so cozy :)

        1. oh, that’s a good reason, too. ;o) although, not as much fun, heehee

          I always default to scarves to ‘un-drab’ an outfit. Wouldn’t help when you actually are holding the baby, probably, but could help when going out of the house. Or throw a lightweight but flowy sweater/topper over?

          1. I think a long necklace would look good, but it might be a bad idea with a grabby toddler.

          2. Are scarves and necklaces okay to wear with a turtleneck? I somehow had the impression it was ‘against the rules.’ And yes, toddler hates both, but I wear them when we leave the house and she’ll be cranky with me anyway. I also saw a pic with stacked bracelets and oversized watch that looked good.

            I like the idea of a flowy sweater over a tissue weight turtleneck. I’ve also been thinking that I have some dresses that could work over a tissue turtleneck, more for office than home.

  9. Sh*t week continues. If you had three days left with your dog, what would you do? Thus far she has enjoyed a plate of short ribs with extra bread, finished my large ice cream cone and snoozed extensively in the sun. Extra cuddles and scratches have been constant as well as her favorite treats and toys. Walks aren’t really an option anymore, which narrows down most of her favorite activities but we will enjoy a couple more car rides. I want to make the most of these next couple days, because I’m going to be devastated come the weekend.

      1. I’m a little hesitant to take pictures, as she’s just a skeleton of what she was even a few months ago. That said, we have approximately eleventy-billion pictures already including some professional ones taken back in April.

        1. Maybe something closely cropped, then – like an image of her paw in your hand? I feel like this is one of those situations where you won’t necessarily want the picture now, but you’ll be happy that you have it years from now. But maybe not. I haven’t had to cross this bridge with my guy yet.

          1. Agree. I have a pic of one of our dogs’ last day where he is wearing sunglasses. It makes me happy and sad in a nice way.

    3. I’m so sorry :( I would just continue to do what you do, and make sure you tell her how much she means to you (I talk to my dog all the time). I know they can’t understand it, but if you can give her some sort of “closure” speech it would probably make you feel better. Anything you don’t let her do that you can now? Jump on furniture? Sleep in your bed? Spend lots of time outside with her. I’m so so sorry you have to put her down…losing a pet is just horrible.

    4. I am so sorry.

      Banana bread would be at the top of our dog’s list, if her gut can take it. Can you borrow a bike trailer and walk/bike her around? Agree to talk to her and tell her how much you love her.

      1. She loves peanut butter sandwiches (particularly if she thinks it’s mine and she’s being sneaky in her swipe).

    5. :( This breaks my heart for you.

      Steak cut into pieces? Paw Imprint (for you to keep afterwards)?

      A squirrel/cat brought up close (finally get a nip at them!)? Maybe a ride outdoors in a wagon?

      I am so sorry for your loss, and hope that you can find comfort in the blessing your dog was to you!

      1. very sad about your girl. It sounds like you are making the most of your last days. that said please dont take the advice to catch a squirrel or cat for her to try to bite.. that seems super stressful and cruel for all parties.

      2. I like the paw imprint idea. We had a bit of cement poured in front of the house a few years ago and being the exceptionally aloof dog she is, trotted right through it. Now I laugh everytime I hear someone walk by and exclaim, “Wow – I wonder how big the dog is that lives here!” Gotta love the paw size on the giant breeds.

        1. That sounds awesome. So sorry about your doggie. When I lost my big cat, he had been to the vet so much that we put together a photo collage of him and they posted it in their scrapbook.

    6. Walnut I am so sorry. I second the recommendation to take pictures. Losing a pet is awful. I’m sure she has had a fantastic life and just spending lots of time with her over these next few days will be great for her. I’m crying a little at work now, partially because I just recently came across a picture of my dog on her last day, which brought back a lot of memories. I’m really sorry.

    7. Oh I’m so sorry. It really is so hard. I am glad you have lots of pics and it sounds like you’re already doing all the best things for her. I would just want to cuddle pretty much all day, but there are some other good ideas above. I just want to send more internet hugs and sympathy, and it sounds like she was soooo lucky to have you giving her a loving home for her whole life.

    8. I’m so very sorry for you. I’m dreading that day. My dog had a scare this year and I was a basket case for days. A very special treat for my dog is time on the human bed. Is there anyone else in your life that needs to see her too? I know my parents would be upset if they weren’t offered a chance to say goodbye to mine. :( I’ll be thinking of you.

      Also I found comfort when my cat was ill on a “prayers for my pets blog” and I stumbled along a poem awhile ago that I saved for when the time comes. I can’t find a URL so I”m copy and pasting here.

      The Last Battle

      If it should be that I grow frail and weak,
      And pain should keep me from my sleep,
      Then will you do what must be done,
      For this, the last battle, can’t be won.

      You will be sad I understand,
      But don’t let grief then stay your hand,
      For on this day, more than the rest,
      Your love and friendship must stand the test.

      We have had so many happy years,
      You wouldn’t want me to suffer so.
      When the time comes, please, let me go.

      Take me to where to my needs they’ll tend,
      Only, stay with me till the end

      And hold me firm and speak to me,
      Until my eyes no longer see.
      I know in time you will agree,
      It is a kindness you do to me.

      Although my tail its last has waved,
      From pain and suffering I have been saved.

      Don’t grieve that it must be you,
      Who has to decide this thing to do;
      We’ve been so close,we two, these years,
      Don’t let your heart hold any tears.

      Author Unknown

      1. what a beautiful poem… I’m sitting here crying thinking about all the pets my family has had to put down over the years. it’s such a hard thing to go through but it’s really the right thing to do.

      2. I’m tearing up just reading this poem! And I don’t even have a dog or cat!

    9. Oh, I am so, so, sorry this is happening.

      You’ve given your dog a good life, and some really great days. So many good suggestions above; I second the peanut butter sandwich and snuggling in/on furniture recs heartily.

      *bighugs to you and your dog*

    11. Walnut, I’m so sorry. Just reading this made me cry. I love all the suggestions above. What about just sitting outside in a park or somewhere your dog can watch squirrels, smell the air, etc.? Also: letting your dog eat peanut butter from the jar? Get in lots of wet kisses. Internet hugs to you and your sweet dog.

      1. +1 to the peanut butter. My dog would love it.

        Hugs. I’m so so sorry, Walnut.

    12. I am so sorry for you, Walnut. I’m crying thinking about your situation and reading the related posts, but I don’t have any further suggestions, just complete sympathy. You and your pup are in my thoughts :/ The “Perfect Day” article and the poem were really moving.

    13. Walnut, my heart breaks for you and your pup.

      My dog Tag was my constant companion and in her last few days, she could barely walk. We scheduled the home visit for the afternoon but she couldn’t bear to have me feed the horses in the morning without her. So she staggered out there and stayed with me one last time while I fed them. I could barely see through my tears. But she was happy – it was her job to help me with them.

      So do what your dog loves and love her for the time you have left.

    14. I just wanted to say that I am so sorry that you’re going through this. I’d just hang out on the couch with my dog and cry.

    15. Oh, one last thing. Is it possible for her to be put to sleep at home? If you are in a city (or in a rural area that has vets that travel), you can usually find someone to come out to your home. I imagine it’s a lot less stressful than having it happen at the vets (think of dying in your bed vs dying in a hospital). My dog is only 3 but once I heard that you can do that, I’ve decided that’s what we’ll do for her even if it costs a lot.

  11. Have anyone of you gotten shingles from being too stressed out? I’m only 24 years old but was recently diagnosed during an outbreak. It’s horrible and the only explanation my doctor gave me was that I was too stressed. This has made me revaluate my life goals and pursuit if happiness. Not to be an over dramatic, but I now realize that health comes first. I work in finance and have to take care of my mom while also studying for the gre. I guess I didn’t even realize I was burnt out until this. Now I’m not sure if this field is even for me. I know there’s going to be stress no matter where I work but I truly do by enjoy the work. I find it boring and meaningless. At the same time, I feel like I’ve come so far so I shouldn’t quit. What should I do? Is it too late or early for me to switch fields/career?

    1. Not shingles, but ulcerative colitis at 31. Partially due to genetics, likely triggered by stress and lack of vitamin D sitting in an office morning until night. I was able to move in-house this year, and it has made all the difference!

      Shingles are awful too, though. When my aunt went through it she swore by the oatmeal soap they sell at Whole Foods.

      1. I don’t mean to be unnecessarily contrary here, but I think that most of the link between inflammatory diseases like UC and peptic ulcers and stress has been debunked. I’m saying this as someone who was diagnosed with UC at 17 (living with the disease more than half my life) and has not ever seen a strong correlation between flare ups and stress. It’s almost entirely about how good I’ve been about keeping up with my meds etc. You are lucky to have such a late diagnosis, it may be an indication that your disease is relatively localized (mine is actually not so bad compared to some).

        This isn’t to say that stress can’t have an impact on your health…just that there are serious diseases that have historically been linked to stress that really aren’t. And it doesn’t help to tell people who live with them that they need to “be less stressed” (which I’ve gotten a lot in my life).

        1. Ok, well, stress is definitely a trigger for me. Horribly stressful time – flare. I’m religious with my meds, never late by even an hour, much less missing a dose.

          Mine is bad enough, although I was diagnosed quickly enough to stop it progressing any further. No one fully understands the causes and complications of the autoimmune diseases, but, for me, stress is certainly a flare trigger. But each person is different. I wasn’t told to be “less stressed” – I was told to find another line of work or a less stressful job or I would probably die of a heart attack by 35 and have my UC progress far past where it started. It took time, but I did, and….symptoms are much reduced. But it’s all anecdotal anyway. Do what works for you.

    2. Yup. I was 37 and stressed out over money. Not only did I have a HUGE credit card bill, but I also was a bridesmaid in a wedding with an out-of-control list of expenses.

      It’s very painful. Take care of yourself and don’t try to get back to work too quickly. I did and ended up being on the drugs for a lot longer.

      If work stress is the cause, you probably should at least reevaluate and figure out whether there are any ways you can reduce the stress. Since mine was caused by money, I asked my parents for a loan to cover the credit card bill and I paid them back over the next year or 2. Unfortunately, the bride married my brother so I couldn’t push back on that front.

    4. Yes – I got them at 21. To be honest, my life is much more stressful now than it was then, but I learned to manage it better in the intervening years, I think. Give yourself chunks of time throughout the day when you’re not doing something stressful, and try to practice not thinking about the stressful stuff during that time.

      Of course though whether you should quit the stressful job depends on whether you actually enjoy it. If you don’t, by all means start re-evaluating your choice and switch careers.

    5. I had them in grad school. So much stress. It was awful. It broke out on my elbow and my scalp. The scalp was so painful and awful.

    6. Had them at 18 in January of my freshman year. I had moved from growing up in a tropical climate to New England to attend my dream school. I wasn’t feeling stressed at the time, but the cold did me in.

      Ditto that I was way more stressed after, during grad school, but didn’t get it again then.

      If you don’t like the work, finding something new is a great idea.

    7. Got them when I was 32. Not fun. Also a period of high-stress, no-sleep, and trying to help an extended family-member out of a bad situation, plus lots of business travel.

      Some things to consider:
      (1) What’s the state of your finances? Have you got your emergency fund? How much debt do you have? (There have been a number of posts on personal finance and managing these things, so I’d Google for those.)

      (2) It’s helpful to make a list of all the things you like about your current job, and all the things you don’t like. And think about what you *might* like to do. Do informational “interviews,” use your alumni (and other networks) to talk with people in jobs that you think you might like to do. Learn what characteristics these jobs have and how they line up with the stuff you like/stuff you hate.

      (3) Be realistic about whether you have the skills for a new type of job that’s not directly related to your current one. Some people over-estimate their qualifications, some people (often women) under-estimate their qualifications and don’t apply for the job where they meet 65% of the qualifications, etc. More on this, but I think with (1) and (2), you’ll have your hands pretty full for the next few weeks.

    8. I’ve had them twice in times of high stress. Fortunately both cases were relatively mild but still not fun. I want to get the shingles vaccine but haven’t mustered up the strength to argue with my insurance company.

      1. I had them at 28 or so and was told that stress was the cause too. Since it’s an outbreak more commonly associated with the elderly I assumed it had to do with a weak immune system as well. I took some solace from being told that once you get it you can’t get it again but I’m somewhat distressed to hear Bonnie got it twice!

          1. My grandmother got them nearly yearly for about a decade, so sadly, yep, you can get them more than once.

    9. They get worse as the stress gets worse. I am not going to tell you what to do, just giving you that bit of insight to weigh with your decision.

      The nerve pain was getting so bad for me that I could barely move. I am not at the job anymore and have had like one small flair up in the past several years since then.

    10. I got shingles at age 44 — due to a combination of mental or emotional stress and physical stress. I had had to have my 19 year old cat put to sleep (and I had had her my entire adult life), I was going through a lawsuit brought against me and my law partner (the guy who sued lost and is now in federal prison himself, but he was at the top of his profession at the time–I should really write a book), and I was training for a marathon and had done a 20 mile run the previous day.

      Domboro, an anti-itch medication, now over the counter, worked fairly well for me. The only other thing that helped was a minimal amount Xanax (one-half tablet once a day). I had pain initially but that changed to itching and a less sharp pain; the itching was the worst.

      The shingles lasted about 6 to 8 weeks, and I ran the Boston Marathon that year and have never had a recurrence. That said, if I were 24 and miserable in my job, I would definitely strongly consider changing careers. From the older side of 50, you have many more years to do this, and it’s better to be happy at what you will spend at least half your waking hours doing.

      Good luck!

  12. Love the suit!

    What is the best way to deal with a manager that is not great with communication? I find myself getting very frustrated because my manager just does not keep me in the loop. For example, I sent two important emails the end of last week, I didn’t want to be overly pushy, that makes manager testy, I deciding I would wait for our normal team standup meeting to follow up. The standup meeting never happened, so I then sent a follow up email. The manager replies he has been out of office sick and will follow up on his return! Am I crazy for expecting an I’m sick but checking email note? How can I improve our communication?

    1. Not sure how to advise you on general communication issues since there aren’t enough details beyond this one anecdote, but I do think that you’re expecting too much in this one instance. He’s sick. He can be forgiven for not responding to non-urgent emails. I guess I would have expected him to send a “hey guys, I’m out of the office until X date” email at the beginning of him falling sick, but really, if it were a sudden acute illness and he is the boss, I would probably forgive this too (especially since he did eventually email to tell you what was up with him).

      1. Thanks BB,

        I should have included there were a few days between the emails, with no responds and the meeting which he never canceled just was a no show and him saying today he was sick.

        It is at least once a month he is out and tells me he was out when he responds to something the next day! It makes me crazy!

        1. It sounds like he expects you to use a different form of communication if you *really* need something. I would start calling him if you have a question instead of just email. I know email is nice because it leaves a clear history, but you can always email and follow up with a phone call an hour later.

  14. It’s 8pm and I’m still in the office faced with what appears to be an impossible task to complete by 9am. Any commiseration/stories of superhuman accomplishments overnight? I’m already starting to fade and am getting hungry/cranky/whiny but I don’t want to leave and lose all progress.

    1. Order in dinner, take a few minutes to walk outside a get some fresh air to clear your head. Try to refresh your mind a little. Maybe call a friend for a quick chat. Then hopefully you’ll be able to attack it with a clearer head. 15-30 minutes now to refresh will be totally worth it because you’ll probably be able to work more efficiently with a clear head. Good luck!

    2. One more “good luck” message which I hope finds you closer to completing your task. If it’s any comfort, I have to do at least two loads of laundry before I go to bed tonight. This is nowhere near as taxing intellectually but when I’m already tired my last choice is to undertake more motion (load washer, move clothes to dryer, retrieve clothes from dryer, fold or hang and put away)! It’s especially challenging (whine, whine, whine) to have to keep getting up to handle the next step when I just want to sit down (better yet, _lie_ down) and stay there for the next eight hours.

      Could be worse. At least neither one of us is washing clothes in the nearest river, commuting while dodging the bullets fired by crazed militia members, or otherwise trying to live a normal tranquil life despite an authoritarian government and its high and mighty, take-no-backtalk, never-you-mind-about-civil-rights police squads.

      Seriously, may your work go smoothly and your deadline-dispensing supervisors find another way to give assignments.

    4. Hang in there! In my old IB days, I felt this every night at 10pm. After getting up and making myself a cup of tea and just doing a 5 minute timeout to savor the tea, I was able to refocus and power through whatever it was that was due the next day! You can do it!

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