This post may contain affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices.
I always love a good jersey dress for summertime, and this Tahari one looks great for work as well as the weekend. I like the high neckline, the ladylike length, the full back coverage, and the really flattering ruching at the waist. Lovely. It was $128 but is now marked to Sales of note for 10.10.24
- Nordstrom – Extra 25% off clearance (through 10/14); there's a lot from reader favorites like Boss, FARM Rio, Marc Fisher LTD, AGL, and more. Plus: free 2-day shipping, and cardmembers earn 6x points per dollar (3X the points on beauty).
- Ann Taylor – Extra 50% off sale (ends 10/12)
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything plus extra 25% off your $125+ purchase
- Boden – 10% off new styles with code; free shipping over $75
- Eloquii – Extra 50% off a lot of sale items, with code
- J.Crew – 40% off sitewide
- J.Crew Factory – 50% off entire site, plus extra 25% off orders $150+
- Lo & Sons – Fall Sale, up to 35% off
- M.M.LaFleur – Save 25% sitewide
- Neiman Marcus – Sale on sale, up to 85% off
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – 50% off 2+ markdowns
- Target – Circle week, deals on 1000s of items
- White House Black Market – Buy one, get one – 50% off full price styles
And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!
Some of our latest threadjacks include:
- What to say to friends and family who threaten to not vote?
- What boots do you expect to wear this fall and winter?
- What beauty treatments do you do on a regular basis to look polished?
- Can I skip the annual family event my workplace holds, even if I'm a manager?
- What small steps can I take today to get myself a little more “together” and not feel so frazzled all of the time?
- The oldest daughter is America's social safety net — change my mind…
- What have you lost your taste for as you've aged?
- Tell me about your favorite adventure travels…
anon2
Right now there is actually another 40% off making this dress only $45!
KC
Anyone else overwhelmed by the vast number of sales right now? I’ve done little shopping this year in anticipation of the NAS, and as soon as I placed that order I started seeing deals everywhere. Here’s hoping I can exercise some restraint and not give in to the slippery slope! :)
Alice
Yes! I have definitely exceeded my budget this month–and I am slightly embarrassed at the sheer number of packages arriving at my apartment.
Cornellian
I know, and I’m about to close on an apartment and can’t participate in any of them!
I have definitely been embarrassed by the number of packages my firm’s mail guys have to deliver to me, since I can’t accept them at home. I need to get them something at Christmas…
Lyra Silvertongue
Very cute, but I feel like it may show all my lumps and bumps. Jersey is kind of hit-or-miss for me.
Immediate TJ- I just wanted to thank everyone who gave me advice last week after I was laid off. I’m definitely feeling better this week. I’m also working on finding silver linings- it turns out there are quite a few, including the fact that I now have time to help my aunt, who is dealing with both breast cancer and an acrimonious divorce right now.
On that note, do any NH ‘rettes have any recommendations for family therapists? Southern NH preferred. My aunt and her daughters are looking for a new counselor after an uncomfortable experience with their previous one.
roses
To the poster from yesterday who got the keratin treatment – sulfate free shampoo and conditioner shouldn’t be hard to find (at least in the US, can’t speak to other countries). L’Oreal’s sulfate-free line (the ones that start with “Ever”) and Organix work just fine and are sold at CVS.
Keratin
Yes! That was the *only* thing I found (but so many varieties — curly, color-treated, something else, something else).
Hair is beyond nasty today. But with the straight-ironing, it looks really sleek and shiny (still no fuzzies and it’s August and I’m in the south), so not as nasty as if I had done my own hair and let it go. We’ll see how I do tomorrow, but at least I can probably bear to touch my hair again by then.
Anonymous
Its August in the South? How did that happen?
Keratin
Rounding :)
AIMS
Walgreens and Duane Reade have a sulfate free line called Ology that I really love – it’s the only sulfate free shampoo that made my hair noticeably nicer (not sure if it’s sold elsewhere). Trader Joe also has a store brand (Nourish?) that’s sulfate free. If you go to Whole Foods, they have tons of other options.
Sims
The smell is the absolute worst. Hang in there! The keratin does make things a lot easier. I loved the after effect and think my hair seemed healthier (maybe from less straightening) but I have to admit it didn’t “stay” all that long in my hair. My hair only seemed less frizzy for a few months to be honest. Hopefully it works a lot better for you (I don’t think my experience is t ypical from what I’ve heard from others.) One other thing: If you’re stylist didn’t tell you already, watch out for salt, too. That’s the other big no-no. I had a beach vacation that was pretty much ruined by me not wanting to get my hair wet in the ocean.
NewMama
I want to share how much a well-fitting bra makes a difference. I’m in nursing bras right now and I keep shrinking. Getting fitted for a new one that’s just a cup size smaller has made a huge difference in how my clothes fit me. My new bra has made my week!
Diana Barry
Yay!
I have SOOOO many nursing bras in different sizes. Sigh!
Maddie Ross
Can I ask where you were fitted? I start back Monday and desparately need to do that. My one stretchy nursing bra isn’t really going to make the transition back to work well.
Diana Barry
If you have a measuring tape, you can do it yourself. See the size chart at Breakout bras dot com (they are a great site for those).
NewMama
Linda’s in NYC. Love that place. I’ve heard from others that Diapers dot com and Amazon both do free returns for nursing bras, so you can try it on.
Good luck on your return to work!
TO Lawyer
After staring at my closet for 30 mins this morning, I realized I’m devoid of wardrobe inspiration. So I thought it would be a good topic for a conversation here today. What do you wear to work when you don’t have any meetings/court appearances? How do you put outfits together in the morning when you can’t seem to find anything to wear?
TBK
This doesn’t happen to me because I’m so into charts and lists that I have a spreadsheet showing all my outfit options. Typically, I have a three-week rotation so I just look at what day it is on the spreadsheet (e.g., today is day four of week two) and wear the outfit listed in that cell. Yes, really.
Susedna
I do the same!
I enjoyed thinking up the outfits (and trying them out ahead of time), but once I made the spreadsheet, it was nice to be able to not have to scratch my head thinking of what to wear first thing in the morning, and worrying that I’m repeating certain looks too often.
Manager by Day, Mom at Night
For those with outfit/wardrobe spreadsheets, how did you set them up? Columns – day of week, row – type of clothing (e.g., skirt, pant, dress, blouse, cardi, sweater)? Do you organize by color too?
TBK
I start by writing out all my bottoms, then all my tops, then sweater/jackets, then shoes, then jewelry. Then I’ll start writing out outfits based on those items. So I might start with my charcoal pencil skirt. I can wear that as a suit with the matching jacket, and my rose color silk shell goes underneath, plus black heels, and pearl jewelry. I can also wear the skirt with a violet cardigan, white cami, black heels and pearl jewelry. I try to use every bottom the same amount of times (since I have fewer bottoms than tops, I tend to repeat bottoms a lot more often and use them as the base of the outfit). So if I see I’ve only used my navy pencil skirt once, I might look to see if I can put together another outfit with it. Once I’ve made up the outfits, I try them all on. Things that sound great often just don’t look right when you’re actually wearing them. When I have fifteen outfits, I make a spreadsheet. The sheet is really just like a three week work calendar (rows: week 1, week 2, week 3; columns: days of the workweek). I know I’m more likely to feel like wearing jackets earlier in the week so I push my suits etc. closer to Monday and more comfortable clothing closer to Friday. I space the outfits out so that I’m not wearing the same dress two days in a row, or the same jacket twice in a week. If something comes up, say a meeting on a Friday, I’ll just swap two days’ outfits.
goldribbons
TBK that is so impressive. How often do you recreate the spreadsheet? once/season? every 3 weeks?
Susedna
My rows are the days w/date:
Monday July 22 2013
Tuesday July 23, 2013
Wednesday…
My 6 columns are:
Dress (Y/N) Top Bottom Add’l Top Layer Accessories Notes
If I’m wearing a dress, the top and bottom columns are blank, of course. But I might have a cardigan on, which would be logged in the column under “Add’l Top Layer”.
Notes are for useful stuff like: When worn in winter w/my Target Tights, I had static cling up the wazoo. Or, “wore this outfit when I had PMS water-weight but felt fantastic in it — hides lumps and bumps and bloat really well.” Also, if I went to some sort of conference or event that required slightly different attire, I note something like “Phoenix AZ Conference Day 1 Outfit”.
TBK
Goldribbons, I usually do it about twice a year. For example, at the end of next month, I’ll probably create two new spreadsheets — one for fall and one for winter. Because winter is longer than fall (realistically it’s more like Nov-April than Dec-Feb) my fall list will just have a two week rotation, then I’ll add in the heavier stuff (my tweed jackets etc.) to make up the three week winter spreadsheet.
BMBG
Sweet Jesus, that’s impressive. *Bows down.*
M
Love the readers on this blog.
ADL
Honestly, I am wearing more and more dresses since I can literally take them out of the closet and put them on. The only thing I have to think about is what color cardigan to pair with it. Shoes are usually nude or black.
NOLA
That’s what I’m doing, too. Even on weekends.
Cornellian
This. I love dresses for work. So easy, and no accidentally pairing navy with black in the early morning light. I throw on a tailored sheath dress, watch, shoes and cardigan and call it a day very often.
If I’m feeling ambitious I might play with jewelry.
emeralds
This. I have some easy-to-style dresses (and a few skirt/shirt combos) that are just completely brainless and involve no mental effort to put on. The nice thing about dresses, is that you don’t have to think about pairing them with anything–just put on some shoes, pick up your purse, and walk out the door.
Veronique
This. Pick a dress, pick a cardi or blazer, grab shoes and go. I would like to create a spreadsheet for good skirt, shirt, cardi/blazer combinations. My challenge right now is that my weight has fluctuated, so it may take a few tries to find something that fits the way I want it to.
ADL
I’ll also add I just added to my dress collection thanks to the huge sales going on. I like the Devon dress – a sleeveless sheath – from J McLaughlin, which is having 20% off sale prices.
bella
Same here.
Seasons
I love this idea. Can you tell me how you make this work during the cooler seasons? Tights? Boots? Do you need different types of dresses that work better with tights/boots?
Brooklyn Paralegal
I’ve always found that wrap dresses are great for all seasons. Last fall/winter I wore patterned wrap dresses with black or navy tights and riding boots 1-2 times a week.
Amy H.
This is exactly why I need more work dresses! I have exactly one, and every time I wear it I spend half the day wishing I had the same dress in six more colors.
KC
When I’ve spent more than 3-4 minutes staring at my closet, I will grab one piece that I can’t remember wearing for a while and try to make an outfit with that. The risk is that sometimes I grab something that I haven’t worn for a while because of fit or comfort issues and then put it in the “to donate” pile when I get home.
Some days I pick a pair of fun shoes (colored, printed, embellished, etc.) and use those to put together an outfit. That way, even if I reach for something basic like a navy skirt and white top, the shoes keep it interesting. The same could go for jewelry or a scarf.
mintberrycrunch
I’m looking forward to reading the responses…
After the last time I did a big closet purge, I put everything back in my closet with the hangers facing the wrong way. Then once I wear something, I turn the hanger around the right way. Originally, I did this to help me figure out what I wasn’t wearing (I was going to donate anything that made it a year without turning the hanger around), but it’s also been encouraging me to try new outfit combinations. This is particularly important for me since I get into a rut of wearing the same few tried and true outfits over and over and over…
I definitely still stand and stare at the hangers in the morning, trying to come up with outfit ideas…
a passion for fashion
About three months ago, i started tracking what i wear. the inspiration was a self-imposed shopping ban (which, incidentaly has been lifted for the NAS). no charts or anything, rather, i take little colored sticky tabs and put it on the hanger each time i wear something. I use a different color each month, and a sharpie to note the date on the tab.
This helps me figure out what i am and am not wearing in my closet, but it also helps on days i dont know what to wear — i can pick one piece and look at the date, then figure out what else i wore with it that day and just recreate the outfit. Or, i can pick something i have not worn in a while and make an outfit out of it.
At the end of my experiment (maybe 6 months or so), my plan is to go through all of the stuff without sticky tabs and either find a way to wear it or get rid of it.
Brooklyn Paralegal
This is a brilliant idea. I just did a giant overhaul of my closet and finally threw out dresses I bought in college or got from my sister as hand-me-downs she didn’t wear anymore…I haven’t worn some of them in YEARS and still hung on to them for whatever reason.
Last night when I got home from work I had a glass of wine and just marveled at my new, suddenly spacious closet.
Blair Waldorf
I too fall back on the dress option, especially during the summer. At this point I have a good collection of dresses and if I’m feeling uninspired, I just open my closet, pick one I haven’t worn recently, and find a jacket to go with it.
Two tips that helped me:
First, I did a DEEP CLEAN of my closet. I was ruthless. I donated anything that I kept hoping would work but never did. I’m embarrassed at the number of things I donated that still had tags on them. This not only left me with a smaller amount of options that I 100% liked, but also informed me of what I need to stop buying in the future.
Second, whenever I get a new item of clothing, before I put it away, I try it on with a few different options so I know whether it works with that blouse, skirt, or jacket. That seriously cuts down on the trial and error in the mornings. I have a pretty good memory for this stuff, but my mom used to take pictures on her phone to remember the combinations that would work. Pictures, spreadsheet, whatever works for you, but think of all the combinations BEFORE you put it away and forget about it.
At this point, I require very little advance planning for getting dressed. If I don’t have something in mind by the time I’m out of the shower, I open my closet, pick a piece I feel like wearing, and know what will go with it. Then I can play around with jewelry.
Aspiring Minimalist
I did this as well–the RUTHLESS clean. I got rid of anything that didn’t fit properly and I didn’t want to / couldn’t have tailored. I also got rid of things I kept with the idea that “I’ll wear this to {insert random situation that has never actually come up yet}.” I had two full trash bags of stuff. I did shoes, jackets, everything!
Diana Barry
I pick the first thing I like and go from there – today it was my crazy shoes, so I wore plain navy suit, navy/white striped shirt, pearls. I will usually wear a suit as they are easy, etc. I am still pumping (!) so no dresses.
It is much easier when everything for work is in the closet. I keep all my work tops folded in a hanging-up sweater organizer, so I don’t have to go back and forth between closet and drawers.
Veronique
I have a rolling clothes rack in my bedroom that holds all of my work clothes. It’s great because I can see all of my options at once, which sometimes helps to spark my creativity about what items might go well together.
ss
I’m fussy about the quality and fit of my basics, and am usually happy enough with them to put on a basic white top with a basic greige/ navy/ black bottom, add jewelry and shoes, and be on my way.
Miz Swizz
I did that this morning because I realized I haven’t picked up my dry cleaning. Oops. I try to hang all my work tops next to my work bottoms so I can mix and match from the hanger. Even the tops that could be folded get hung up. It’s easier for me to see the shapes together. But I also have a rotation of sheath dresses that I’m looking to expand.
Lilly
What I wear to work when there’s no court and no meetings is usually whatever selection of Eileen Fisher separates grabs my fancy. I don’t buy the EF pieces that are really casual, such as cropped pants, or the odder pieces – harem pants (!?wtf Eileen Fisher?), hugely slanting hems, or the exceedingly sheer. Over the years I’ve developed a collection of the more basic pieces, and it all goes together. My thought process is limited to pants, skirt, or dress, whether I want layers, and whether I want sleeves. I know many people consider EF a dowdy look, but I think it depends on which pieces, how they’re put together, and accessories. It’s easy to care for, long lasting, and suits my modern, minimalistic sensibilities.
Hel-lo
I pick two neutrals. Add a color piece. Add a contrasting color if I’m feeling up to it. I don’t add another color until I add a neutral.
I’m in an ultra-casual office and nothing on my calender today either, so it’s jeans, a linen button-down, open-toe flats, and a bright green light cardi.
Bonnie
I usually wear a dress or a pencil skirt and top. I’ve been slowly purging my closet by making myself wear everything. I started with underwear and lounge clothing and did not put any clean clothes back in the drawers until I had worn everything. I found many items that went into the trash can or Goodwill pile. Now I’m doing that with my work tops. It takes longer than just purging by looking but I think it’s more effective at keeping clothing that is in good shape and fits well. The current top phase of the purge has also made me more creative with my clothing choices.
Ms. Basil E. Frankweiler
Just wanted to swing by and say thanks to mascot, Anonmyous, and TO Lawyer. I’m going to try the chart idea and see how that goes. Back to the grind.
Anon
Bikini thread jack…
Ladies, now that summer is here, the hubs and I will be going on a beach holiday. Here’s the thing… My swimsuit is utilitarian as I use it for laps in the pool and I bought a retro style halter neck bikini to wear on holiday. But I am not slim ( size 10) and have butt, b@@bs, thighs and a tummy ( after 2 kids).
I don’t think I look any better in a tankini.
Do you think it is ok to just rock the bikini ( after all I will never see the people at the resort again) or should I cover up more? I live where women are very petite and need to order online even for swimsuits and the like.
What do the not- slim ladies among you do on vacay?
S
Rock it! I think pretty much everyone looks better in bikinis than full piece suits. And buy a really cute cover up for some extra sun protection and when you want a little more coverage.
mascot
If you like the swimsuit, then wear it. Vacation is great for boosting the self confidence like that.
I see women at the pool rocking their bikinis and playing with their kids. Yes, they may have some soft spots and stretch marks, but they look fine to me. They aren’t 22 and super models, they don’t need to look like it.
bananagram
And, hey, all the super-slim girls will be jealous of your b**bs!
a passion for fashion
totally depends on whether you are comfortable in a two-piece or not. I disagree that most people look better in a two piece (in fact, I think most peopel look better in a well-fitted one peice, particularly if you are not super skinny), but you are going to look best in what you feel most comfortable in, regardless of your size.
Anonymous
Agree, I think a lot of people look good in one pieces, even people who look good in bikinis. But I think the OP should wear whatever she feels like wearing!
AIMS
I love one-piece suits. I wish I could wear them more. Even though they’re more popular now, I still feel like the only people I actually see wearing them are either pregnant or are women of a certain vintage. I don’t really see to many non-pregnant women my age doing it.
Meh
Meh – if you wish you could wear them more, and the only thing holding you back is that you feel like your peers aren’t wearing them, then GO FOR IT! Make yourself happy. I wear one-pieces exclusively because I like them better. I’ve had many people tell me that if they had my figure, they’d wear bikinis. Okay…good for them! I’m dressing for me, not so that random strangers can think I look _____. If I wanted to wear a bikini, I would wear a bikini – but I think I look d*mn good in my one-pieces and I don’t care if i’m the only late 20s/early 30s gal at the pool/on the beach rocking one.
A Nonny Moose
+1
DC Wonkette
As long as you feel comfortable and there’s no danger of things awkwardly slipping out of place, wear whatever you want! I have a couple of skimpy bathing suits that would probably look much better on a model, but I don’t like tan lines and prefer not to cover up. Total sl$tette, I know :-)
Black Leather Pencil Skirt
I have sun concerns that trump vanity concerns and have made friends with rashguards and bikini bottoms (so I still need to use the bikini top) or the “mini swim minis” from Land’s End.
emeralds
Wear whatever makes you feel comfortable, happy, and attractive. If that’s a bikini…wear the bikini.
Anon
Thanks, ladies.
I will wear the bikini. I have actually made peace with my thighs ….so what if they have some cellulite…it is the tummy that gets me each time.
And anyway, if I don’t wear it at 38, when am I ever going to?
Helen Mirren
In your 60s, as well as at any other age you d*mn well please!
Brooklyn Paralegal
+ a million
Susedna
Yup. People come in all sizes and shapes, and different-levels of toned-ness. And it’s all good. Enjoy being your happy healthy self, pick a suit in colors/patterns that go well w/your skin tone and hair color and you’ll be fabulous in whatever bathing suit option you choose. :-)
emeralds
Yes.
Hel-lo
You earned those curves, babe. In the sense that Presidents earn their gray hair by all the stress of their job, you earned those curves by being a fantastic mother.
Wear the bikini and rock it. All the younger women will be jealous that you’re so accomplished and gorgeous, and want to look like you in 10 years. All the women older than you will think, “Wow, she’s hot.”
NYC
Picture what your 65 year old self would say when she sees a picture of you in a bikini on this vacation. She will probably say, “damn, I looked good in my 30s!”
(Size 10, post baby belly, bikini lover here)
Ellen
Great Dress! But not with my tuchus this week!
As for the OP, and her batheing suit issue, I have kind of a similar issue, tho it’s not from haveing kids. My over sizedtuchus is a family legacy, from MOM’s side, dad says, and Grandma Leyeh agrees I did NOT get it from the Barshevsky’s. I have been invited to the Hamton’s by Sam, but my tuchus is to big for my bikini, and I have a 1 piece Speedo, but even that is tight. I do NOT want to ruin my chance’s with Sam if he see’s all of me hanging out of a bikini, tho my top is VERY flatering. If ONLEY I could keep his eye’s ABOVE my waste, I would be fine, but men tend to look below the belt b/c that is where they ALWAYS go once we start dateing. FOOEY!
Dad e-mailed the manageing partner his report. He has a SCANNER at home so he sent a PDF in. I want a scanner for my birthday so that I can do that too, but dad says I do NOT need it. I would like to scan in magazine articels so that I do NOT have to keep the paper copies. I have about 3 inches worth of Marie Claire articels that I have saved and now Grandma Leyeh gave me a book of recipe’s that I have to try. Sam keep’s texteing me and he has a place we should eat that is GLUTEN FREE VEGGGAN in Brooklyn. I think it sound’s FOOEY, and Brooklyn reminds me of Adam (doubel FOOEY), but I will try it. I wish he was a meat eater and we could go to PETER LOUGER’s! That is also over there some where, and that I can eat! YAY!!!!
Lyra Silvertongue
If you feel like the bikini looks better on you, then wear it. I’m 5’9”, size 12, hourglass, and I honestly feel like I look like Mrs. Potato Head in every one-piece I’ve ever tried on. I generally wear bikinis in light and bright colors. Also, I find that side-tie bottoms help ensure a perfect fit on my rather generous bottom, while underwired tops (by bra size) give the best support by far.
Rising 2L
+1 to the side tie bottoms and underwire top combo
One pieces make me look like I’m self-conscious about my body, even if I’m not. It’s like a beacon, saying “Look at me, too fat to wear a bikini.” So even though I’m a size 14, I rock a bikini with confidence! I’m 24 dammit! And I will wear a bikini, cellulite and tummy be damned!
Anne Shirley
Rock it. I wear a tankini, but that’s primarily because I don’t want to deal with even more sunscreen. And every time I got to the beach I see women of all shapes and sizes wearing all sorts of things. The only ones I judge are the lobster fried ones who are still oiling up.
Black Leather Pencil Skirt
So, there’s a black leather pencil skirt in my closet. And I saw one (different length / cut) in the J Crew fall catalog last night. I haven’t worn mine (which is lined and from Talbots, of all places) since I was a big-city singleton (not to say that I did it well, even then). My thought was to have it be the only out-there item in an otherwise-conservative outfit.
Or not?
cb
I think there is something super sleek and cool about this. Maybe test it out on a quiet day?
Sydney Bristow
I saw a woman last fall wearing a black leather pencil skirt with a camel colored sweater and thought she looked amazing. I loved it so much that I put a skirt like that on my shopping wish list. I’d wait until fall but would definitely wear it!
emeralds
Sounds fantastic. Go for it.
TBK
I think it can be a great look, but the trick is to pair it with really classy pieces (e.g., the camel colored sweater Sydney mentioned). I think a cashmere sweater in a modest v-neck, or a (quality, work-appropriate) camisole or shell with a drapey, soft open cardigan over it could work. I’d also stick to more conservative jewelry.
Brooklyn Paralegal
I third the camel colored sweater. I think leather paired with something really soft (like cashmere) can look really amazing. A modest v-neck could look really nice like TBK said, or, depending on its length, I think a crew neck could look really beautiful. I would do really simple jewelry and low heels–nothing with a platform. Thankfully I made the mistake of pairing my leather pencil skirt with platform heels when I was interning for a fashion designer, so it was a far more lenient environment in terms of dress code, but it immediately made me look like I was going out to party after work.
Gus
It’s on my shopping list for the fall too. I think it you wear it with something really conservative on top, it could be great. A well cut gray blazer, or a gray or camel sweater, maybe with pearls, black tights, and conservative pumps.
P
Ooh, now I’m lusting after one. I think you’re on the right track with making it the only out-there item in a conservative outfit. Basically, plan it as though you’re wearing a plain black pencil skirt, and try to create an intentionally boring outfit otherwise and you should be fine.
I would also try hard to avoid anything else that has sexy undertones: e.g., a lace detail here or there might be fine normally, but that combined with the leather could be over the top.
Senior Attorney
I have a black leather pencil skirt and I style it like I’d style any black pencil skirt. I especially love it with my black/white tweed jacket.
Bonnie
I agree. I think black leather skirts also look great with classic long-sleeved white blouses and simple pumps.
AMB
I hope everyone checks out the google doodle today for Rosalind Franklin, a truly overlooked woman in science only more recently getting her due.
Mpls
Totally fantastic.
Susedna
Love it!
Susedna
So, a friend of mine is sick of her IT job and has been talking to me a lot about playing the lottery more often. I have never bought a ticket, so I just sort of shrug and say, I don’t see much harm, unless she’s one of those folks spending hundreds each month on tickets.
But it got me thinking about the practical and logistical concerns of large-prize lottery winners ($10million or more.)
1. Is the optimal time to claim the prize sometime towards the deadline? Preferably timed to the latest Kardashian or other silly tabloid headline so you can get a smokescreen and try to slide under the radar?
2. Name change + move to another state, so you aren’t hounded for money by certain deadbeat relatives?
3. Hiring a private wealth manager?
4. Creating all these LLCs and trusts to avoid lawsuits? Someone once told me that really rich people do this to avoid nuisance lawsuits where someone pretends to be hurt by you and then tries to get as much out of you with tort cases.
It seems like a lot of trouble. (And, I admit, I always find an excuse to not participate when coworkers do a big pool to buy lottery tickets.)
Anonymous
I’m not sure of the laws concerning the lottery. But do they have to release your name? The most recent big winners in MD revealed their occupation (3 teachers) and the general area where they lived, but they all kept their jobs and wore gloves in the big check photo so you couldn’t even see their race/hands. I just would only tell my immediate family members and boyfriend if I won. I would never tell extended family members or acquantances so I didn’t get hounded for money. And even if you do. Just say no. I would definitely hire a private wealth manager and try to protect the money in case I got sued. Even if somoene didn’t know you won the lottery, they could still sue you for a car accident and then claim like 100K in lost wages etc…
Mpls
I think the reveal of name and other information varies from state to state.
Anon
State law dictates whether or not the winner’s name must be revealed – some states require, others don’t.
Diana Barry
Varies by state. MA does require you to reveal your name.
Susedna
It’d be easy if I won — I have no difficulty saying “No,” pretty much to anyone and being totally OK with the possibility that bridges might get burned. (Anybody who tries to make their friendship or a cordial family-relationship conditional upon your giving them money is not worthwhile. I always say: better to burn a bridge that’s too rotten to stand on.)
I love that the recent winners in MD wore gloves.
I would think that even if your state didn’t publish your name, people would be wondering if a person and his/her spouse quit their jobs and were quite young…and suddenly had all this free time. I guarantee friends and acquaintances would cotton onto something like this. *shrug*
Anonymous
Love your “too rotten to stand on” line.
manomanon
So I love to imagine what I would do with lottery winnings of that value (or higher since I don’t even think about buying tickets until powerball is above 200 million)
For your questions- 1) I would claim about 24 hours before the deadline if possible, enough time to contact a lawyer and figure out if I can claim anonymously (which solves the need for 2) and if I can’t wrap the money up in a trust or something similar to buy myself time to deal with it.
2) I’m very good at saying no to everyone except my parents (whom I would probably give as much money as they possibly could want anyways so its a non issue) so I wouldn’t worry too much about it.
3) I might hire a manager for it, at a minimum find someone who is good at handling it and spend a lot of time asking questions and learning how things work.
4) I have no idea about the lawsuit aspect but I would put it in a trust to preserve it a little more and to fund a foundation of my own.
manomanon
A tangential threadjack, Powerball’s jackpot is currently about 200 million. What would you do if you won that?
For me it would be, pay off all of my many, many, many student loans, buy my car out of the lease I currently have, pay off my parents mortgage, buy my parents new cars and pay all of my siblings tuition bills/loans. Then take a dream vacation as a family (like the trip to Europe we wanted to take nearly 10 years ago but had to cancel and haven’t been able to afford since)
I’d probably buy a house for myself and then split the remaining money in half, putting the 1 half in a trust for myself to have/share/pass down etc.
The other half would be to form a foundation dedicated to helping fund whatever worthy causes I pick.
Anyone else?
eeyore
It literally pains me to think of what I would do with such a windfall because it will never happen, and I am so far in the hole of debt and financial obligations.
Brooklyn Paralegal
Word. Unfortunately, strongly seconded.
manomanon
Haha – my financial situation is atrocious at the moment, this is how I make myself feel better- what could I do with imaginary money!
Brooklyn Paralegal
I tend to window-shop at high-end home decor stores while sitting at home staring at my Ikea bookshelves and weeping.
(Actually, I find myself working and studying harder as I envision the beautiful hand-carved bed frame I want in the Prospect Park West brownstone I want because I’ve gotta make $$$$$$$!)
SoCalAtty
Thirded. Pay off debt, buy a barn, ride horses for the rest of my life.
Diana Barry
200M before tax or after?
Say I got 100M after tax. We would pay off the mortgage, put the max into the 529s for this year (5 year ratable), I would quit my job to manage our estate plans, but keep the nanny for a while, plus do some big charitable giving to offset the big income for this year. I might also pay off my SIL’s loans and help fund my sister’s business, and DH would probably pay off his brother’s mortgage. Also, take a vacation (we haven’t been out of the country in 7 yrs!).
We would also hire a money manager, I think, but probably not right away.
TBK
Fun! Well, after taxes it would probably be more like $100m (anyone know what the lump sum payment is? less, I know, but I’m going to go with $100 m for now). I’d give a total of about $10 mil to my parents and in-laws. Then spend about $10 mil to buy the big country house and land my husband has always wanted (which would also be our primary home). Then about $1.5 mil to buy a house in Chatham, so I could have my beach house. Let’s say another $5mil for odds and ends, including furnishing the houses, buying a sailboat to tie up at the beach house, etc. $500k for a fantastic vacation. We’re now at $73mil. Properly invested, that should provide an income of about $3.5 mil/yr. without touching principal. If we start by living on $2 mil/yr and reinvesting the other $1.5mil, we’ll have plenty for the rest of our lives, even with inflation, and will be able to leave a considerable legacy to the charitable cause of our choice when we die. Assuming we have children, we’d give them the best educations we could afford and plenty of great experiences growing up. I’m torn about giving them a fortune to live off of. If we’d made the money ourselves, I definitely wouldn’t. I would give them $1 mil each to start their lives and subsidize things like internships, etc., but would want them to have a need to make their own way in the world because I think they’d ultimately be happier. But that’s a harder case to make when you’ve gotten a windfall fortune yourself. Not sure on that one.
Susedna
I’ll play devil’s advocate here.
If you are concerned about how a huge inheritance would affect your children’s character (e.g. work ethic, life path, compassion for others, sense of responsibility, etc.)– would it matter how you and Mr. TBK came by that huge amount of money?
B.c. I’m thinking that the possible*deleterious effects on character are driven by the hugeness of the inheritance ($20+million, rather than $20K). There are plenty of moguls who earned all of their fabulous wealth, but whose children became wastrels due to their knowing they have at least a $20m trust fund waiting for them.
*On the other hand, not everybody who inherits a crazy amount of money becomes Paris Hilton.
abogada
I love this game! My current plan… First, I’d pay off all debt and hire financial advisers, then sit on the money for 6 months before doing anything (give myself time to get adjusted to a big life change, and all that). Then, I’d probably quit my job, start a non-profit organization so I could continue to do the same work I do now, only do it pro bono and for significantly fewer hours per week. I’d travel a bit here and there, hire people to do chores I don’t like (yard work, housecleaning), and then use my greater free time to read and exercise more (without worrying about the cost of classes and gym memberships), play my instruments (and learn new ones), and socialize much more, accepting practically all social invitations, joining more groups and hosting dinner parties myself more often (I love to socialize, but being an introvert with a busy job, I frequently don’t have the energy for people most evenings and weekends after a busy day/week at work dealing with co-workers and clients).
Hel-lo
Ooh, I could have catered dinner parties! I love being hostess, but the cooking just takes so much time…
MH
Love this game as well.
I’d first pay off my parent’s mortgage so they can retire, and I’d give my dad a little bit of start-up seed money because he’s been wanting open his own law practice for a while but has been too afraid of the risk.
Then I’d pay off my student loans and mortgage, and do all the house renovations that I’ve been wanting to do, which is basically a complete overhaul. I’d probably hold onto that house as a rental and upgrade to an awesome, already renovated 100-year-old house in my fave neighborhood in my city.
I’m not sure if I would keep working for a few years build experience in my field, or if I would leave my job. Hmm. . .
I would definitely take a long, extravagant vacation going to all the expensive places I’ve been dying to visit (Vienna, Napa, Paris, London, Tokyo, etc.) I would eat amazing food and drink expensive wine, and stay in the nicest hotels.
Then I’d invest the remainder and live off the interest. If I did continue working I’d do an easy schedule and spend money on housekeeping and personal trainers, and I’d buy expensive ingredients and cook all the time, and buy awesome clothes.
Wannabe Runner
Absolutely you will need to pay someone to manage that money.
I would also always opt for the “Payments” option rather than the cash lump sum. You’ll have to pay like half of that lump sum in taxes the first year.
BTW, I used to work in convenience stores during high school and college, and saw lots of people pay with food stamps and then spend like $25 a day on lotto tickets and scratch-offs. I’m not a fan of state-sponsored lottery. It is a tax on the poor and those without education.
MH
Mint’s blog just had an infographic on lotteries, and they had a shocking statistic: “households earning less than $12,500 a year spend 5% of their income on lotteries.” That is $625 a year!
Michelle
You know you don’t realistically need to worry about this, right?
breaking out
I’ll be 28 in a few days and in the past year I’ve dealt with acne for the first time in my life. Right now I’m suffering from my first real breakout (thanks, stress), and I’m considering finding a dermatologist. But, a lot of people seem to be unsatisfied with whatever acne treatment they get from the derm. Could anyone speak to their experience treating acne with a derm? Were you satisfied with results, etc.?
Veronique
I have had multiple dermatologists in multiple locations. Some I have been satisfied with, some I have not. It really comes down to their standard of care. The dermatologists that I have been least satisfied with (both in terms of care and outcomes) seemed to treat it like a business. They only saw me briefly and seemed to already know what they wanted to prescribe before they saw me (X for hormonal acne, y for non-hormonal). They also pushed their office’s line of skincare products, even when it should have been obvious from the beginning. The final straw was when one of them suggested I used two ingredients together that I learned (through my own research) could cause skin darkening!
Just like any other provider, there are good derms and bad derms. The best way to find a good dermatologist is from personal referrals. The next best way is online reviews. Even bad derms can be effective (my meds from the latest bad derm are finally working), but you might have to do more research and trial and error yourself (I went through 3 face washes before I found one that worked well with my treatment). You also have to remember that most treatments aren’t instant gratification. It’s normal to take up to 6 weeks to see improvement and it may get worse (purging) before it gets better.
Brooklyn Paralegal
Maybe take this with a grain of salt because I only saw a derm for acne when I was a teenager, so I don’t know if it’s radically different when you’re 28, but the only thing I ever got from a derm that worked was benzoyl peroxide.
Salicilic acid sort of works for me, and now I use a nightly cleanser that has that to maintain clear skin, but I swear by BP for treating acne. There are a few OTC acne creams and washes that have that, but a derm can prescribe something stronger. It can be really drying, so I suggest using it 1-2 times daily to start, and moisturize every morning and every night. (I use CeraVe AM in the morning and Korres yogurt face mask at night.)
I’m not an expert by any means, and everyone’s skin is different, but after struggling with acne for a long time, I haven’t had anything more than a stray pimple in years.
January
I have had good results, but there is a process of trial and error, both with the doctors and with the various treatments. My skin never really adjusted to Retin-A, for example, so I was always red and peeling while I was on it. My current derm prescribes oral antibiotics and once he got me on the right medication, my skin has been good. Not everyone is comfortable with the antibiotics route, though, so that may be a consideration.
big dipper
This is late so you might miss it. But I think the reason most people are dissatisfied is that they expect instant results. Many people I know go to the dermatologist expecting perfect skin in a week, which is just not feasible. It takes time for your skin to adjust to new products, so it might get worse before it gets better. And acne is is not a one size fits all problem – you might need to try 2-3 things before it gets better.
I think if you find a derm who you get along with and you get a good vibe from and trust that they are competent, over a period of time you can find something that works for you. It just requires some patience.
Since your acne is new and probably stress related, it’s likely that some of the “first lines of defense’ the doctor will recommend will be very effective and clear it up relatively quickly.
emeralds
Investment question. Is there any point in having a life insurance policy if you’re younger (mid-20s), have no dependents, and are not sure you will ever have children? I recently got control of a life insurance policy that a family member opened for me when I was younger, and I’m trying to decide what to do with it. It has a not insubstantial cash value ($10-15k), but obviously that pales in comparison with the value of the policy were I ever to die ($80k+). I understand my options to be: 1) leave it, with the option to borrow against the cash value were I to need to; or 2) dissolve the policy and re-purpose the money (would top up my emergency fund, add a chunk to my IRA, give myself a small splurge, and invest the rest, aiming towards an eventual down payment on a house).
Thoughts? Part of me feels like it’s stupid to throw away the policy, but I don’t think I fit the criteria that usually suggest a life insurance policy. So the rest of me feels like the money could be working a lot harder for me somewhere else. I just have no idea, since this is outside my usual money-management skill-set (e.g., budget, save, and invest in retirement accounts).
Anonymous
I think the biggest reason for someone in this situation (young, no dependents, etc.) to have life insurance is if you have student debt. If you die before you pay off your student loans, your parents will be stuck paying them (from what I’ve read in the newspapers) and having a life insurance policy to cover the balance can be very helpful/comforting to your parents. Just a thought. I have no idea if your parents are on the hook for all student loans or just ones they co-signed, or what.
Anonymous
In terms of student debt, that only concerns private loans (not federal ones). So if you got a student loan from a bank instead of federal student aid. Your parents are on the hook for private student loans if you die. I have life insurance through work equal to my salary. I cashed out my childhood life insurance policy because I needed the money.
Black Leather Pencil Skirt
The loans go with the signer, so parents aren’t on the hook for loans were they aren’t a co-borrower or guarantor. The lender has the estate of you (if you are a sole borrower) to look to for payment.
A reason to have insurance as a single person can also be if you buy a condo or house — I didn’t want to have my parents have to pay my mortgage if something happened to me (they wouldn’t be obligated to, but would need to do something while emptying it out and selling it and might want to pay for movers, slap on a coat of paint, etc.). I might have some other assets (car), but not liquid ones.
Black Leather Pencil Skirt
I’d add to this:
Cash-value policies are reputed to be very high-fee for the value you get. Instead of that, when you’re young and single, you can lock in a 30-year fixed-rate term policy for peanuts (so it renews every year at the same rate for a fixed amount of coverage).
I think I used to carry some outside of work (didn’t want my parents to deal with picking up the tab for my city apartment, which was more than 2x their mortgage, if something had happened to me and the LL held them to the lease) and upped it when I bought a condo, etc.
Anon
Federal loans made only to you are not payable by anyone else upon your death.
http://studentaid.ed.gov/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation#death-discharge
anonforthis
that is just incorrect- parents are not on the hook for federal student loans unless they co-signed them (i.e. plus loans).
Aon
My understanding is that’s only the ones you co-sign, which many parents do. Particularly private loans.
Absent a co-signor, I believe federal loans (Like Stafford and perkins) are cancelled on death of the the student.
P
Is that true for federal student loans? I thought that with my parent plus loans, if either I or my signing parent dies then the loans are forgiven. I could be totally wrong, but when we were deciding who would sign for the parent loans we joked that my dad was more sickly than my mom so he would be the smarter choice – “I’ll try to die before you get them paid off”. Maybe it’s just the parent ones.
P
Or, given the other comments, maybe I’m wrong. Hopefully I never have to know.
Anonymous
The link above addresses your question
Anonymous
Since it’s a parent plus loan and someone co-signed, then if you died your co-signing parent would still be responsible. If you and both your signing parent dies, your other parent is not responsible for the loan. If it was a federal loan in just your name then no one would be responsible for them after your death.
SoCalAtty
This is true – if it is a parent plus loan, if either the student or parent is permanatley disabled or dies, the balance is cancelled.
I just had this done for my SIL’s PLUS loans after my FIL had an accident that left him in a vegetative state. Poof! Loans gone.
P
I’m not crazy, then!
TBK
One thing to consider — it costs a bit to bury someone. We recently had to bury a family member who died young, with no assets, and (aside from the obvious sadness) it’s not cheap. I think it’s worth having a policy just to make sure, should something terrible happen, your parents aren’t in the awful position of having to pay those costs out of pocket just when they’re suffering most. Plus think of the cost of packing up and getting rid of all your stuff, any legal costs associated with wrapping up your estate (even if it’s very simple, just things like getting access to your back accounts, retirement accounts, title to your car, etc. can require more than you’d think), and other incidentals, and $80,000, while ample, is by no means a huge amount (much less than you’d need if you had depedents). Think of it as a generous gesture to whoever has to tie up your loose ends in this life.
cbackson
This is why I carry life insurance. This is also why I’m about to add one of my parents as a joint tenant on my checking account. If I die (or am incapacitated), I don’t want them to have to work through legal process to have access to the funds needed to care for/bury me.
May seem grim, but I almost died in an accident 18 months ago, and after the fact I realized that single people (for whom there’s no default legal representative like a spouse) need to think about these things.
NOLA
I had a similar life insurance policy. My parents had what were probably burial policies for us from the time we were born (gruesome, I know, but necessary). When we became adults, my Dad transferred them to each of us. They were inexpensive so I continued to mindlessly pay for it despite the fact that I had life insurance through work that was much better. I always figure that since I have no children or debt, I only need to leave enough that my brother would be able to pay for my car, any credit cards, etc, which isn’t much. And, of course, burial or whatever. At any rate, I decided to cash in the small policy. I think I got about $2,200 for it, which wasn’t a lot, but it was a nice little windfall and I used it to do some work around my house. I later found out that my brother had cashed in his years ago.
Anonymous
I am NOT an expert but here is what I would do. I would cash out the policy and put it in savings, etc. An $80k policy is really not that much. Check if your employer has a life insurance policy for you. When you marry or have children, you could think about paying a small monthly premium for a much bigger policy (like $500,o00). That amount will help your spouse or dependents pay off debts, mortgage, college, whatever. Again, I am by no means an expert.
MH
+1.
Sydney Bristow
What kind of policy is it? Whole or term? I’ve been reading and listening to a lot of financial advice books and podcasts for the past year or two. There seems to be a nearly unanimous dislike (hatred might be more accurate) of whole life policies because of the huge premiums compared to term and that the cash value of the policy rises so slowly. I’ve heard callers who have bought these policies and paid $30,000+ in premiums and can’t afford to keep paying them but the cash value is something like $5000. Do you need to pay the premiums now?
I may get term life insurance someday after I’m married, but it seems like the real reason to get it is when someone else is dependent on your salary. In my case, nobody is and my dad could pretty easily cover the few student loans he cosigned on for me. I’ll reassess as my circumstances change, but honestly I’m not sure what I would do in your situation.
k-padi
I have a similar life insurance policy and am only a few years older. It’s a term life policy with limited rate increases until I’m in my late 30s. I got it mostly for student loans that I consolidated through a private company. I don’t know if my estate/parents would be responsible or not but I don’t doubt that the bank would harass my parents just to get money out of them.
It’s a cheap policy that might come in handy if, before I die, I have to leave my job for health reasons and am no longer covered by their policy. The limited rate increases stop at an age when I will either have a family or know that I probably won’t have a family so I’ll revisit keeping the policy then.
emeralds
Thanks for all the input. I don’t have private or Plus student loans, so my parents wouldn’t be on the hook for those; and I don’t own a condo or house, so they wouldn’t have costs associated with that, either. I’m not sure whether it’s term or life, but it is paid for completely, so I don’t have to contribute more money towards it going forward. It is reassuring that I could potentially get an equally- or more-valuable policy through a future employer, so I think right now I’m leaning towards cashing it in. Off to do more research.
Anonymous
I wouldn’t cash it in until you have that other life insurance policy set up. I only cashed mine in since I have one through work. You always want some sort of money for your parents to be able to bury you if necessary.
emeralds
I want to be cremated. In the event that I died before my parents, I would not want them to fight about where I would be buried (which they would). And the two of them are more than capable of paying for a service–when I talked about this with my mom she specifically told me that she was comfortable covering the cost of a memorial service. Maybe this is callous but this is just not a concern for me.
Walnut
I don’t think it is callous. I don’t carry life insurance outside of the provided work policy because my assets are sufficient to pay off my liabilities and leave a good bit leftover. I have a basic will in place to state my directives and have had very frank conversations with my parents about how to access my financial affairs.
Perhaps it is a bit morbid, but my parents and I make it a point to discuss end-of-life situations on an annual basis.
NYNY
Another vote for keeping it. If you discover a health issue that prevents you from qualifying for life insurance down the road, you still have this.
Wannabe Runner
What’s the hard in keeping it? I have one that my parents got for me when I was little. It’s cheap. I’m keeping it. Every little bit will help when you’re gone.
Anonymous
Work Rant: Finding out that a key team member has gone on vacation the same week a big project is due and not telling the rest of the team. That, and PM not giving the team a heads up. Good for us though we are strong team and can pick up each others slack. Key person that went on vacation has been airing many many work gripes out to other team members so the perception is going to be he/she did it on purpose. As ELLEN would say FOOEY ON HIM.
LOL
Anon
Piggy backing on that: Boss goes on vacation without telling ANYONE, including me, his senior legal assistant. So I look like an idiot having to field calls from every client calling for him wondering where the hell he is.
OG Lady Lawyer
Could he be hiking in the Appalachians?
PHX
Here’s one for you: Only paralegal goes on vacation for three weeks, and doesn’t tell the attorneys until the afternoon of her last day in the office.
k-padi
Bay Area Women:
Here’s the details for Saturday:
Meet at Noon at Vino Locale off of University in Palo Alto:
http://www.vinolocale.com/index.html
OK, finally, I’m getting it together. Here’s the details for Saturday:
Meet at Noon at Vino Locale off of University in Palo Alto:
http://www.vinolocale.com/index.html
LizNYC
So kind of piggy backing off the closet discussion above: I’d really like to go through all of my clothing — I have at least 10 large bags of clothes currently in storage of all various sizes. Some of these clothes fit. Some don’t. Some really don’t (as in haven’t in, oh goodness, 10 years). How do you make decisions about what to keep and what to donate/throw away?
(And yes, I’d love to fit in to the smaller stuff some day. I just don’t right now. How do you decide what, if any, and how much to keep of the smaller clothes to keep. Or do you not keep any of it for inspiration?)
L
I went through it all in brutal fashion. My criteria was
– if I’m X size, is this even worth keeping?
– if I fit in this is it still appropriate?
– can the item be easily replaced
– is it ‘classic’ or ‘trendy’
This helped me realize that I was holding on to things that one day I might be able to wear again, but look absolutely ridiculous in. For example, there was no point in holding on to a $12 tshirt because it was a pretty color, but it made sense to hold onto my cashmere sweaters.
I would also recommend giving yourself a time limit. So maybe if in a year, you aren’t X size, you go through and have to halve the number of boxes you have.
Merabella
This! Going through your stuff and really thinking about these questions will help you pare stuff down. I particularly like the question of “Can the item easily be replaced?” Why keep 10 white t-shirts in different sizes when you can easily, in a pinch even, head to any store and get a new one in less than half an hour. I would only keep things that can’t be replaced, or are very classic and expensive/difficult to replace.
Gus
First question to answer is whether you’d really want to wear that item even if it fit. When I gained some weight, I kept all my skinnier clothes for years and years, until my mother pointed out that by this time they were hopelessly out of fashion anyway. She was right. In the last two years, I’ve lost a lot of that weight and just bought new clothes. I’ve kept some of my clothes from when I was heavier — hopefully I’ll never need to go back to those, but it’s hard to find quality work clothes in bigger sizes, so I hung on to the suits, dress pants, anything that was really good quality, but got rid of stuff I didn’t love.
For the things that do fit you now, be ruthless about whether you really will wear it. If you don’t have something it goes with, then either (1) make a list of what you’d need to add to your wardrobe to turn that into something you really would wear, and go get those things, or (2) get rid of it. It’s ok to admit to yourself that you made some bad purchasing decisions. Admit it, get rid of things, and move on.
Anonymous
I would only keep smaller stuff that is absolutely classic and good quality. Because even if you do fit into again, if its trendy or poor quality, its going to look dated and not worth keeping.
One of the things I like to do when I get rid of clothing that doesn’t have obvious defects or is not completely worn out is give it to a consignment shop. If I can make $50 – $100 per closet clean out, I feel better about the whole thing.
Diana Barry
I have only one box of smaller size clothing. Some of it was about 8 yrs old, and I recently went through it – all out of style. So I got rid of all of it.
I am keeping all of my maternity stuff to give to my sister, but otherwise I get rid of everything that doesn’t fit or that I haven’t worn in a year.
Anne Shirley
I try to only keep clothes that don’t fit if I really really love them. I figure if I lose weight, I can buy new button downs and black pants, but that one fabulous teal sequined skirt? I want that.
Sydney Bristow
I’ve done a few intense closet purges over the past few years. I used to keep a fair amount of clothes that were too small as inspiration but I wound up moving them so many times that I just couldn’t do it anymore. I now have one dress that I absolutely adore and will wear often the second it fits, which sadly won’t be for quite awhile. Other than that, I get rid of the vast majority of things once they are too big. I tend to keep a skirt or pants that are a little big as a backup, but in general I want to make it as painful as possible financially for me to help avoid regaining weight. I will not be having kids so I don’t feel the need to keep anything else that is too big to get me through a little time if I got pregnant.
ss
Don’t forget to set aside stuff which your kids/ younger family may one day enjoy. I have some much-loved dresses from my mum and various ladies of my husband’s family, and am so glad they found their way into my hands instead of the donation box.
Otherwise I give away everything if it’s not well-made, well-loved and fits properly but caveat that I’m happy to store the good stuff until a suitable home can be found for it. I recently gave some never-worn shirts – classic, cotton, handmade in an old-school Roman camiceria – to a young teacher in her first job who won’t be able to afford such frivolities for a while yet. Very satisfying.
Wannabe Runner
I do not keep clothes that do not fit. Period. They are not an inspiration to me – they just make me feel bad.
I want to be happy about the size I am now, and not fuel the body-hate.
(Could I be more fit? Sure. But only because it’s healthier, not because I *look* bad.)
I donate everything to a consignment store so I can get $$ when it sells and use it to spend on more clothes from there that will be in actual fashion when I need them.
Senior Attorney
I kept some things that were too small for years after I gained a significant amount of weight, and when I finally lost the weight they were all either out of style or too young for me or I just plain didn’t want ’em any more.
Merabella
Do we think it is worth it to get business cards for a mid-level job? I keep wondering if I should get some printed, I don’t often find myself in need of them, but I could think of places I could use them along with notes for work. I’d have to pay for them out of pocket, but the $40/250 would probably last me a lifetime. Worth it?
Monday
I think yes, unless you think you’ll be moving on from this position/org very soon. I find that once you have a good card, you find yourself handing it out, and that’s usually a good thing. I’ve also switched positions but added a personal email or phone # to outdated cards until I got new ones, and it’s still more professional and easier than trying to give contact info to someone starting from scratch. The company name on there may also jog people’s memory about who you are if they met you at a large event.
NYNY
If you think you’re moving up soon, leave your title off.
Wannabe Runner
Yes. Business cards can’t hurt.
Jo March
MORE VENTS.
I am attempting to give my ex our old house. Well, actually, I seem to have been all too successful. The bank assured me that he was pre-approved for a mortgage in just his name, so I went ahead and signed the land transfer papers. The bank is now saying – contrary to what they originally told me – that they will require me to sign an affidavit waiving my right to sue for spousal support (AND child support. Which is a whole other set of ridiculous because a) we don’t have any children, and b) I’m pretty sure you can’t actually waive a right to child support!). So now I’m in the position of NOT having any entitlement to the house, but being on the hook for the mortgage! My ex claims he has no money to go see a lawyer so he can sign the separation agreement that he asked me to have made up, that I paid for, and that would satisfy the bank. Instead, I am supposed to “solve” the problem of being on the hook for the mortgage but further giving up my rights. I AM SO FRUSTRATED.
I know I screwed up, but it was this ridiculous catch 22! The bank would not take his mortgage application until I was off the title. And now of course the ex has no freaking reason to change the status quo. This is so ridiculous.
Black Leather Pencil Skirt
SRSLY, a bank is asking for this? You are completely correct re child support, by the way.
I’d sign, just to get you off of the loan. It seems that your risk re being on the loan > ever needing / being able to get alimony $ out of him.
Not sure this sort of waiver is worth anything.
mascot
RAWRS on your behalf. In the event that you somehow had kids with him in the future (unlikely I know), I imagine a court would find the waiver of child support void as a matter of public policy if nothing else. Also, there is probably a statute of limitations for how long you have to seek spousal support so you may already be barred or close to it. Plus, sounds like he doesn’t have much anyways.
I think the waiver probably isn’t worth the paper its written on and with enough money and effort, it would be overridden. Is this a hill you want to die one? I’d probably just sign and get on with my life. But yes, RAWR to stupid bank requirements that are quasi-legal.
Susedna
*RAWR*ing with the others over the ridiculousness of this (and the lameness of your ex.)
Hel-lo
What state are you in? You need to consult a lawyer in your state, STAT.
Anonymous
Hive, going anon for this, but I need your help! Looking for gift ideas fort
Bf of 6 years. Our anniversary is coming up but also his birthday. I have no idea what to get since he has everything already. He likes basketball, beer, cuff links, sneakers, and the usual guy stuff. Fwiw, he’s turning 26. TIA!
Anon
Is there a pro or college basketball team near you? Can you get him tickets and take him to a game?
Susie
Yeah I was going to suggest the same. My husband and I (together 10 years) usually just do something together instead of exchange gifts for special occasions. Often concert tickets, but could also be a weekend getaway, couples spa day, or taking a class/trying a new sport or activity.
Merabella
Or you could go to a beer tasting at a local brewery? Or a homebrew kit?
Granola
Bacon of the month subscription?
nycanon
monogrammed cufflinks from Tiffany?
Brant
I’m in Denver for the next two days for work….I’m staying in the DTC area and have a car. Any suggestions for things to see/places to go after work to eat/shop/sightsee? I have from 5pm on open.
Lynnet
Depends on what you like. If you’re into beer, I always take people to visit the amazing microbreweries we have around here. You could check out 16th street mall in downtown Denver or Pearl Street (also an open air mall, but more granola) in Boulder. If you like to hike, there are tons of hikes by NCAR that you can do in a couple of hours after work. I almost never go as far south as the DTC, so unfortunately I don’t have any suggestions in that area.
Jules - and paging Mrs. BEF
I was in a Denver for a few days last summer and can give you a few recs — you also need Mrs. BEF to weigh in, as I recall she lives there.
Drive to Red Rocks right after your work one night, it’s gorgeous. (Check to see if there’s a concert there, though; if it’s one you want to see, great, but if not I imagine the traffic would be a problem.) The downtown pedestrian shopping mall (14th or 16th street, I can’t remember) was missable, IME — it seemed a bit grungy/tacky and the stores were nothing special. However, I liked the LoDo area (for lower downtown, maybe?), which had restaurants and cuter shops. There’s a Tattered Cover bookstore there which was great if you like that kind of thing; the store’s other location, in a restored movie theater on Colfax, was especially cool.
I didn’t get to the Cherry Creek area — I believe it has a mall and other stores and restaurants around it — but that might be a good shopping spot for a weeknight, when the independent shops in LoDo might not be open.
Have fun!
Ms. Basil E. Frankweiler
Hey, thanks Jules.
A lot of the rec’s that I would have made (Red Rocks, Denver Botanic Gardens) have already been said.
I would add that if you’re still here on Saturday morning, there is an awesome Farmer’s Market on 1st Avenue and University Avenue (get on I-25N, exit at University, make a right onto University, and you’ll see the market on the right hand side near the Bed Bath and Beyond). The best time to get there is when the vendors are setting up because it can get crowded.
If you’re into outdoor malls, you’re in luck. As others have stated, 16th Street Mall is overhyped. Stapleton (29th & Quebec) and Northfield (49th & I-70-ish) are good. Park Meadows (I-25S) is another one.
And if you’re interested in food, http://www.tvfoodmaps.com shows you places that have been featured on the Food Network. There is some pretty decent food here.
If you want more suggestions email me at cbwpa_cliff_effect [at] hotmail.com.
KA
Second Red Rocks, though it is a haul. Denver Botanic Gardens are really pretty and serene, and about 20 minutes from DTC. I agree that 16th street mall is skip able. If you like art, the Denver Art Museum has two terrific shows right now, and I think the building is just plain fun. I don’t know if they are open at night, though, so you may want to check their website. If you love sweets, it is worth driving up to Uptown for cake at DBar. Lots of good restaurants within walking distance of DBar as well.
Sasha
Go to Golden Gate Canyon park and go up to the viewpoint see the continental divide. It’s a steep drive, but totally worth it. Drive up to Boulder and hang out on Pearl street. I think I used to sometimes drive from Golden Gate canyon along a windy back road to Boulder. You could definitely spend hours shopping and eating in Boulder.
I would also drive down to Colorado Springs and go to the Garden of the Gods (about a 1 hour drive but worth it). Roxborough state park is a little closer, but Garden of the Gods is better. There’s also the red rocks amphitheater, they used to do free movie night so maybe check the website. I think shopping in Denver is kind of underwhelming (I thought the 16th street mall was lame). I don’t really have any restaurant recommendations, I used to like Domo’s and Vesta, but I don’t think there’s an oh my god have to try it restaurant. Mexican food is pretty good in Denver, if you’re not from an area that has good Mexican food.
Humdilly
For anyone who machine washes clothes that probably should be dry-cleaned – what do you do when the outer layer shrinks slightly (still fits fine), but the lining keeps its original size? Currently wearing a skirt that I washed in cold water and hung to dry but the lining is hanging out about 1 centimeter and it’s driving me crazy! The lining is also just bigger so it’s bunching in between my legs and making swishing noises when I walk. So self concious.
Anony
Can you get the lining tailored? I know that’s not an immediate fix (try scotch tape or paperclips?)
Blair Waldorf
I have used safety pins to pin the lining up. I originally used it as a quick fix but it worked so well that I haven’t brought my clothes in for any additional tailoring.
ITDS
When you get home, iron a new hem into the lining and glue with elmers glue – works perfectly. I once had to staple up the lining of an evening dress in the lobby of a hotel, with a stapler borrowed from the concierge, because I noticed in the mirrored elevator doors that the dry cleaner had shrunk the garment but not the lining!
Humdilly
Thanks everyone! Any ideas for making the outer layer return to the original size?
Merabella
I don’t know if this will work, but I saw on pinterest that you can use baby shampoo to make the fibers more malleable and then stretch the fabric back to the original size. I don’t know if I would want to do this with dry clean only clothes, but the lady did it with jeans.
Humdilly
I’ll try it! I’m don’t play it safe with my clothes (obviously)…
tesyaa
I once lost a skirt the same way (outer layer shrunk but lining didn’t). I figured out what’s going on and I’ve been fine since. Anything made of polyester, rayon or even silk can be handwashed instead of dry cleaned, if you are careful enough. ACETATE CANNOT BE WASHED. The skirt I lost either had an acetate lining or outer layer, I don’t remember. Just check the label and don’t ever try to wash anything with acetate, period.
Cali CPA
I had someone hem the lining for me. Still fits, just shorter now!
abogada
I hem the lining (machine hem, not by hand). Of course, that only fixes the length problem, which doesn’t appear to be your only concern.
Anonymous
So I know they say not to “gift up.” But I’m leaving my job (first post-college job) for graduate school. My boss has written me letters of recommendation, promoted me several times, given me great advice about career development, and truly been a mentor. He’s even organizing a (very expensive) luncheon in my honor when I leave.
I’d like to get him something as a “goodbye/thanks” gift but I’m blanking on what. Anyone have any thoughts?
Anonymous
Is there something kind of “sentimental” that you could give him? (For example, I had a boss that used to collect interesting paperweights.) Or a bottle of wine, if he likes wine? I think a gift isn’t a bad idea, but I’d keep it more towards the “token” side of the $$ scale.
mascot
A nice handwritten note telling him how much his mentoring has helped you would be a good thing, gift optional.
ss
This is the best thing. I’ve kept every on of these that I’ve received, long after the wine has been drunk and paperweights boxed up in forgotten offices …
k-padi
This. Maybe a token gift if you really feel the need. Honestly, the best gift would be staying in touch with him. Have lunch with him every few months or when you are back in town.
Blair Waldorf
Shopping TJ:
I’ve been eyeing this purse for awhile. Thoughts? Just wanted to see if other people liked it, had tried the brand for handbags, and thought it was worth the larger price tag (despite the great sale). I’m envisioning this as a work bag for when I do not need to haul my lap top around.
Link to follow.
Blair Waldorf
http://www.6pm.com/pour-la-victoire-maison-med-tote-white-black
Gus
It looks like a bowling ball bag to me, sorry.
Anonymous
It just looks like a Celine knock-off to me – those luggage totes are so ubiquitous these days, the resemblance really hits you in the face. Maybe look for a different bag with its own unique style?
mintberrycrunch
I love it…. especially love the orange, although I know it’s probably less practical. Not sure that it would fit files or a padfolio though?
Mrs. Jones
Nordstrom sale success report: Spanx Bra-llelujah bra, green Halogen pencil skirt, and gray metallic coated Jag Miranda jeans all fit and look awesome.
a passion for fashion
Good haul. Here’s mine:
I stocked up on some basics: spanx and hanky panky; 2 zella workout outfits; a pair of asics running shoes
for work, i got the skirt in red and the white and black polka dot sweater it was shown with. I also got navy halogen taylor fit slacks and a teal green hinge top. and the calson (i think) merino v-neck sweater in black. I’m also on the fence about the black tahari “davis” dress with 3/4 length sleeves. I cant decide if its a little too fitted for work, but i love how it feels.
And a ordered 2 more dresses and a natori bra that have not arrived yet. we shall see.
SFBayA
My nth shipment came yesterday. I absolutely hated the Kate Spade dress that was on TPS earlier this week. It had cheap, thin fabric, a cheap, big, exposed black plastic zipper, and it smelled funny, probably from the black dye. A tag on the dress said it was exclusive to Nordstrom. No kidding, KS, this dress would never pass muster in the stores. I was SO disappointed. $249.90 my left foot. I also ordered the Classiques Edith Weave suit on NAS – despite being listed as dark purple, I think it’s closer to a dark navy. The skirt fits like all other Classiques pencil skirts with the added bonus of a cute ruffle in the back center, so it fits great, I’m keeping it. I hated the jacket – the lace fringe around the bottom of the jacket and the sleeves looked funny, and the belt is purple on one side, lace on the other. Weird.
So, from NAS, I’m keeping the Classiques Edith skirt, the Halogen pleated dress, the Ivanka wine patent pumps, the La Marque purple leather jacket, CK bras, Natori boyshorts, Shimera camis, Spanx boyshorts, and the Halogen dot top.
Sweet as Soda Pop
I didn’t go too crazy, I only ordered 2 items, but I definitely could have done more damage!
I ordered the Jessica Simpson dress featured in Kat’s Picks (hasn’t arrived yet), and the rose gold Movado BOLD watch. I didn’t own a watch, and this one is the perfect color for my skin and such a classic style. I love it!
Equity's Darling
I am freezing. My fingers are purpley.
It’s like 14C outside and raining (~55F?), and the air conditioning is still on in our office, because it’s “summer” (I’m being generous with that word), and obviously summer means air conditioning. I’m wearing a long sleeve blouse, cardigan, wool blazer, wool pants, and I am just so bitter about the awful rainy cool summer that we’re having. Usually summer is so pleasant here, ugh. I’m going to make myself some super hot tea in an attempt to warm up.
JJ
If it makes you feel better, it’s supposed to be over 100 today with high humidity. At night it cools off to maybe 80 degrees – so I would die to see rainy, cold weather. Alas, not until October or November for me.
Nonny
Joining you with the tea. Cheers!
Brooklyn Paralegal
Accuweather told me it would be 75 in NYC today, which I was so looking forward to after a week of 85-100F. I wore a button down and cardigan with a pair of nice slacks I’ve been looking forward to wearing and it’s FREEZING. I don’t understand how this is late-July in New York, or how it’s going to go up to the 90s again.
Dammit, I just want autumn already!
Green Lamp
Planning on getting DH these cufflinks for bday. Anyone know if they are part of the NAS or will go on sale? They’re currently the same price they were a few weeks ago…
Link to follow.
Green Lamp
http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/boss-black-basty-cuff-links/3398547?origin=keywordsearch-personalizedsort&contextualcategoryid=2375500&fashionColor=DARK+RED&resultback=254&cm_sp=personalizedsort-_-searchresults-_-1_2_D
RED
Just ordered these shoes from the NAS sale, in the “wine patent” color. Question: What color purse would you carry with these shoes?
Link to follow.
RED
http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/ivanka-trump-janie-pump-exclusive-color/3561543?origin=keywordsearch-personalizedsort&contextualcategoryid=2375500&fashionColor=Grey+Patent&resultback=0&cm_sp=personalizedsort-_-searchresults-_-1_1_B
Gus
Oh my lord, those are gorgeous! I’d pick my purse based on what goes with the rest of the outfit, not the shoes. So if you’re wearing it with black or grey, I’d carry a black purse. If you’re wearing with camel or brown, then a brown purse.
RED
Thanks for the tip: it’s very helpful. These are my first pair of red shoes (seriously), and needless to say, I am so EXCITED (Ellen caps necessary).
Chai
Question for traveling ladies:
My close friend is taking a long-awaited trip to Paris with her husband over her birthday. They’re so excited and they’ve been working apart so want it to be kind of a romantic trip. I’d love to give her a birthday present that isn’t just euros but maybe something nice for the two of them–tickets, a tour, a gift card to a romantic cafe, etc. Any suggestions for something I can set up from the states that would be under $50?
Merabella
You may look into a museum pass for them so they can see the sites, or you could pre-book entrance to one of the many awesome museums.
Statutesq
Send some wine/cheese/chocolate to their hotel room?
MH
This is a great idea. If you call the hotel there are probably a few different options.
KinCA
You can also pre-purchase Seine river cruise tickets online from Vedettes du Pont-Neuf and they can use them at any point during their stay. Just make sure you purchase the tickets with her name/email address as you are required to present ID to use the tickets.
Chai
Thanks, everyone, those are great ideas! I don’t actually know where they’re staying but I will try and find out.
ss
Caveat on getting the hotel to organize delivery is that it can be very poor value.. A 10-euro bunch of spring tulips delivered to a friend’s room last year cost me 75 euros because ‘they’ll need to come from the hotel florist, for security reasons’.
One super-romantic outing I can recommend is a candle-lit visit to the Vaux-le-Vicomte chateau, about an hour from Paris, every Saturday from March to October. You can enjoy the gardens in the afternoon, there are a couple of cheaper/ fancier dinner options on-site including an offer of champagne on the lawn at twilight, then you can tour the candle-lit chateau, then there are fireworks at 11 pm. The candle-lighting reproduces the look of the chateau interiors as they would have been when it was first built, all delicate reflections and sparkle, really magical. The tickets for a basic entry are 17 euro each I think.
Paging Nonny
Brora sale on their site! If you scroll up to the leather skirt discussion above, the verdict is strong on camel cardi + black leather pencil (which I will substitute for black The Skirt).
Which cardi do you like from Brora? Is the cropped too cropped? I have a cropped Boden cardi that I wear a ton in the summer, but it may be too cropped and this would be for fall.
THANK YOU!
MJ
I am a big Brora shopper too–used to live in Notting Hill and had a little Brora problem. I still buy 1 or 2 pieces per year from there. Some thoughts:
–I don’t think their clothes are nearly as nice as their cashmere. Even on sale, not very worth it.
–Their summer cashmere is generally considerably thinner than their winter cashmere, so just know that going in, and you won’t be disappointed. It’s more like “featherweight.”
–The cropped sweater is VERY cropped. I am short waisted and it’s very mid-90’s. Looks great with Empire waists, otherwise, not so much.
–Their sizes are UK sizes, so subtract 4. e.g. a UK 14 is a US 10. Even then Brora generally is cut pretty small (think Theory or so), so I would keep that in mind.
Nonny
I agree with you on their other clothes. I have never found a Brora dress that worked for me. I did buy a skirt there once that I quite like (for casual wear). People seem to like their camisoles and my mom has a cashmere robe from there that she absolutely adores, but I agree in general – stick with the knitwear.
I disagree on what the cropped cardi goes well with – I guess it depends on how you wear it. I like the sort of ’60s cardi and pencil skirt look and find it works very well for that. I also wear it open with shift dresses, quite successfully. Maybe I am even more short-waisted than you?
Re sizing – I am generally a size 6 US and wear size 10 UK in Brora items.
Nonny
Brora expert on deck. [OK, just kidding, I am not an expert, just an aficionada.]
Yes, I’m on their e-mail list and saw they are having a sale, but am trying to stay far far away from it since I’m only supposed to be purchasing maternity clothes right now (and even that, sparingly). But I love, LOVE the idea of Brora camel cardi plus black leather pencil. I am SO there once I fit into normal clothes again.
I wear their cropped cardi to work, religiously. I don’t find it too cropped – it comes nicely to my waist. But I am 5’4″ and a bit short-waisted so if you have a long torso you may find it is not long enough. I think it goes beautifully with a pencil skirt or a shift dress.
I do have a couple of their other styles as well, including one of their classic cardis. I wear it more for casual wear, but if you are longer-waisted it might work better for you.
Enjoy!
Paging Nonny
Thanks!
This seems to be wee bit longer than the cropped cardi: http://www.brorausa.com/Product/Product.aspx?WebShopCodeStr=S3&WebSegmentCodeStr=S2&WebCategoryCodeStr=CA&StyleCodeStr=WQC04&PT=1&PC=S3-S2-CA
One problem I am having with my Boden cropped cardi is that it is easy to wear with dresses but sometimes doesn’t hit right with the waist of pants / skirts. Also, I really can’t wear it closed — it has to be open and I’d want to be able to button the buttons in a cooler season. FWIW in Boden, I went up a size in this and it is just cut snug.
If they are good w/ returns, I may order both and just play with what fits better with various outfits.
I’d love this for when I am rich: http://www.brorausa.com/Product/Product.aspx?WebShopCodeStr=S3&WebSegmentCodeStr=S2&WebCategoryCodeStr=CA&StyleCodeStr=WQC47&PT=1&PC=S3-S2-CA#CustomerReviews
anon
Thread jack late in the game. I have been asked to be Godmother to a friend’s baby. I’m struggling with how much to give as a gift for the christening. It’s a Catholic baptism so I have purchased a tiny Tiffany’s cross whis was around $150 and feel like I should offset with money as well. I know this is one of those give what you can/what you feel is appropriate situations, but I really don’t want to under (or over) do it. Anyone willing to share what they have given?
Veronique
I’ve never been a godparent (peers are more in the married stage than the baby stage), but I think that is a sufficient gift (and very appropriate). Give more if you would like (maybe a $50 savings bond or something like that in baby’s name), but don’t feel required to do so.
Susie
I’ve never been a godmother, but I think you’ve already spend over $100 you’re good. The point is to be in the child’s life and help guide him/her spiritually.
Diana Barry
Sounds like a lot to me – we are not Catholic but I think our kids got gifts worth $50 at most from the godparents.
NYC
I don’t think you need to give money. I gave a silver spoon and cup to my god-daughter. I also like to send things at her birthday, christmas, and easter, but some of them are just for fun gifts (dresses, etc). I did send a nice silver “First Christmas” ornament.
Veronique
I don’t think you need to give money. I gave a silver spoon and cup to my god-daughter. I also like to send things at her birthday, christmas, and easter, but some of them are just for fun gifts (dresses, etc). I did send a nice silver “First Christmas” ornament.
Anonymous
Ugh I hate that. I also hate when they say “2 bedroom” and fail to mention the second bedroom is actually the living room, and the apartment has no living space if you use both rooms as bedrooms.
Brooklyn Paralegal
Or failing to mention that that 2 BR you listed is actually a railroad. Last summer I schlepped around in brutal heat only to learn that 9 out of 10 apartments I scheduled viewings of were railroads.
Anonymous
So I know what a railroad apartment is but for some reason, I read that as though you were just showing up at 123 Anywhere Lane on a 90 degree day, looking for an apartment building, and finding nothing but railroad tracks and the distant horn of a train.
Wannabe Runner
I don’t. What is a railroad? If it’s an actual antique train car that I can live in, please tell me where I can sign the lease and pay the deposit!
RR
I’m still picturing that. What’s a railroad apartment?
TEH INTERWEBZ
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railroad_apartment
bananagram
It’s an apartment like a railroad car. All the rooms line up in a row and must be sequentially accessed. (That is, to get to the back room, you don’t pass through a hall, you pass through the rooms further up.)
NOLA
That’s what we call a shotgun in New Orleans – as in, you could shoot a shotgun straight through all of the rooms.
Hel-lo
The wikipedia entry says it has a hallway, and the rooms just come off that, but the hallway goes from the front door to the back door.
This sounds like if you stacked three on top of each other, you’d get a Boston “triple-decker.” If you’re looking for apartments in Boston, 90% of them will be triple-deckers. No need to put that in the ad. I lived in some really nice ones.
Is there a specific reason why you would reject all railroads? It’s just an apartment layout. There could be nice ones.
anonfish
Would it be insane to order Halogen New Taylor pants in a size smaller in every color just to get the sale price? I’ve been losing weight after having a baby and am back down to my pre-pregnancy size (10) but plan to keep going to get back to what was my pre-wedding size (8). This isn’t just a pipe dream, I’m actually working on losing weight. I have the (old) Taylors in every color in a 10- they are the best fitting pants that I’ve found and they’re perfect for work for me. Before I got pregnant, I lived in them. So, to save $80 is it worth it to buy these in the size I’m working towards and let them hang in my closet for a little while? Or am I insane?
Bonnie
Not crazy at all. Since they have such a great return policy, you can return them if the weight does not come off easily.
NYC
Keep in mind the “New Taylors” run a bit smaller than the old ones. It says so in the description (and was also my experience, trying them on).
I would buy one pair, as motivation, but not commit to a bunch. They will also go on sale at the end of the season.
anonfish
Thanks- that’s good to know. I will try to get there to try them on and judge from there.