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Updated: Nov 1, 2018 190 Comments · by

Frugal Friday’s TPS Report: Italian Flannel Ruched Dress

The Personal Shopper (TPS)· Under $150

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Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. Talbots Italian Flannel Ruched DressI am sure that I've posted this before (ah! here), but considering the deep discount on this dress (and others at Talbots), I had to post it again. It's available in seven colors, sizes 6-20 in regular sizes (as well as more sizes in petites, women's, and women's petites). It's fully lined, and made from 99% wool and 1% spandex. It was $169, but is now marked to $55.99. (Once you pick your color, you may want to see if any of these pieces match.)  Italian Flannel Ruched Dress Seen a great piece you'd like to recommend? Please e-mail tps@corporette.com. (L-0)

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:

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Comments

  1. Cb

    I love the seamed bodice dress in the pink.

    Thanks everyone for the cold advice yesterday, I’m currently working from bed and keeping up on fluids.

        • Miss Behaved

          Question, though… Since Talbots usually runs very big, does this mean the dress was TTS?

      • Anon Talbots Fan

        This is disappointing to hear. I ordered a ton of stuff with their sale yesterday (all suiting pieces). I have always loved that they line their suits (esp. the wool ones) and that they accomodate a lower half that has hips and a bit of tummy.

        • RR

          They haven’t lined most of their seasonless wool pants at least for years. They used to.

          I officially hate Talbots at this point. For years, most of my work wardrobe was from Talbots, and I still wear suits I bought 5-10 years ago that look great. But now, everything is cheap, poorly made, ill-fitting. The jackets and shirts are weirdly small in the arms but weirdly big in the body. The wide-leg pants are like skinnies. The exact same product (e.g., Lindsey fabric, Heritage fit, wide leg black pants) is a totally different shape from one season to the next.

          I have a gift card I have to use, and I think I’m just buying some cotton tanks and calling it the end of a long relationship with Talbots.

          • Anonymous

            Oh, this is how I feel about AT and BR lately. poly everything and so many things poorly made.

          • RR

            Declining quality makes me so frustrated. I feel like we deserve better after years of loyalty.

            I could really get on my soapbox here.

          • Anon Talbots Fan

            That’s funny — I think that much of I have is wool suit jackets that I wear as blazers now from skirt suits where the skirt no longer fits (or would require control top hose that I don’t wear anymore). I respect how they have M, MP, W, and WP sizes. I do love their ponte sheath dresses (from at least two summers ago) — they are a bit more polished than the LE ones (which I have, too, but they have seams to the point where I wonder if they are piecing the dress out of smaller scraps of fabric).

            Pretty soon I will just embrace business casual but like the ease / authority of suits and dresses w/ blazers.

          • RR

            I do respect that they are one of the few offering formal business wear in a variety of sizes. Particularly as a plus size woman. That’s why so much of what I owned for years was from Talbots. It was easy, always fit, great quality. And then everything went bad.

            Now, my loves are Lafeyette 148 and all things Nordstrom.

          • Anon Talbots Fan

            Interesting to me that you list Lafayette 148. I have heard that the rise on their pants is super-high. I had a skirt from them that was awful (every time I drycleaned the wool, it shrank and I was perpetually hemming the lining before I cut my losses and donated it). And from the catalogs, I can’t figure out if this stuff is for work or for lunching somewhere. It seems sort of Sprokets but with color. My waist is right under my armpits it seems, so a high rise on pants looks beyond awful.

          • RR

            I love the “Sprockets with color” reference. The catalogs are ridiculous, but I’ve had great experiences with the quality and fit of the clothes for me. I haven’t personally noticed an issue with the rise. I definitely have to pick more classic pieces and ignore styling, but I LOVE (Ellen caps LOVE) the pieces from them that I have.

          • Anon

            This is how I feel about J Crew and BR. Poor quality fabrics, poor construction and overpriced relative to quality.

          • Monday

            I was ranting to my mom about J. Crew’s declining quality, and she said “I have J. Crew things from 10 years ago that have held up perfectly!” But that’s exactly the point–I do too. The old stuff from these companies is so much better than the new stuff.

            Particularly for knits, I absolutely do not buy from J. Crew, Gap, BR, Old Navy, any of these companies anymore. This has led to t-shirts being virtually eliminated from my wardrobe.

          • PHX

            Re Talbots: I have two pairs of the unlined wool suiting pants. One pair is a year and half old. I looked at the crotch of those pants and the fabric is threadbare. I’m a few wears away from having a hole in my pants in court. The other pair isn’t far behind (no pun intended).

            Not cool Talbots, not cool.

          • NbyNW

            I thought it was just me. Talbots supplied 90% of my work wardrobe from 2000-2010. Now I rarely buy anything there except the occasional jersey dress. Blah.

          • Paging Monday

            If you want to put some t-shirts back in your wardrobe, try the shirts from Everlane. I tried them on a whim last year and will never buy another piece of see through cheap fabric from J Crew! The Everlane shirts are less expensive (almost cheap!) and better made.

          • Monday

            Thanks to she who paged me. I have indeed looked around Everlane and their v-necks looked nice, so I appreciate your review.

          • RR

            I hear you on t-shirts. I like some of the Nordstrom house brands. Sejour is great, but I think it’s a plus size brand.

      • Cb

        You too! It was apparently good timing as the network went down on campus. I should probably start packing but it seems like a bridge too far.

    • B

      I ordered this dress along with the matching jacket that has the ruched trim to wear as a dress suit and I love it. So much so, that when the dress went on super sale, I also ordered it in green, so now I can wear the black jacket with the green dress for a slightly less formal look, or the all black dress and jacket for really formal. The dress also looks nice with a cardigan.

      I could see how the dress might not fit everyone, but I am super short-waisted and need petites in dresses (or alterations). I ordered the 12 petite and found it TTS – same as what I wear in tops and dresses at Banana and Nordstrom.

      The quality of the fabric may not be oustanding, but at the sale price, I think this is a great buy. I wish they still had the jacket in colors other than coral.

  2. EB0220

    Apres-ski question: I usually go skiing with my husband, and sometimes his family, but this year we are going to Colorado with some of his co-workers. We are renting a house with a bunch of them. I usually go really casual (jeans and random long underwear top/vest) in the evenings but I’m wondering if I should try to look decent since we’ll be spending the evenings with co-workers. Thoughts? I’m pregnant, so looking decent would probably involve buying some new clothes!

    • EB0220

      PS. It wasn’t clear…I’m not skiing since I’m pregnant – just playing in the snow with my toddler.

      • Anon

        If you want to, you may able to ski while pregnant. I believe many women who ski all season do.

        • EB0220

          I do want to! I’m still thinking about trying to do a half day, but I haven’t skiied since last season so I should probably err on the side of caution.

        • KLG

          I know people think I’m crazy (and I admit I did not mention it to my OB since I had already made up my mind and every book I’ve read says no downhill skiing), but I am 20 weeks and skiied the weekend before Christmas and 2 weekends ago and might try to go one more time. I go skiing multiple times every winter so I felt comfortable with the risk (and I didn’t push myself, I stuck to blue slopes I’ve skiied a million times, nothing remotely challenging).

        • Anonymous

          I think the only real threat to skiing and pregnancy is falling. If you are an expert skier and are confident in your ability, there shouldn’t be a reason not to ski. The skiing itself is not inherently dangerous to pregnancy.

        • anon

          The biggest risk is from other skiers who may not be as careful as you are. My brother has worked ski patrol and suggests it is extremely unadvisable to ski while pregnant for this reason.

    • Anon

      Unless you plan to go to trendy restaurants and art gallery openings in Aspen, I see no reason why jeans wouldn’t be acceptable après-ski wear. I guess it depends if you tend to ski hard and take it easy in the evenings or do the opposite.

      • KC

        Agreed that it depend where in Colorado. There are some swanky resort towns, but also plenty of places wear jeans and leggings are the norm. Unless you’re going out to a fancy dinner, I think jeans and thermals are just fine.

        I also echo TBK’s point about work friends vs. work function. It sounds like the former, in which case, casual should be fine, especially if you all are lounging around a house together.

      • annie

        I live in Aspen and you can definitely show up to both trendy restaurants and art gallery openings in jeans!

    • rosie

      I would say be comfortable in what you usually wear. However, do you think you’ll be going out to dinner more (or be going to fancier places)? Have you been to the particular resort area before, or are you going somewhere new?

      • EB0220

        We’re going to Keystone, and I’ve never been there before. I expect we’ll stay around there for dinner, etc. I’d love some feedback on Keystone if anyone has been!

        • Anon in CO

          Kickapoo Tavern for bar food and Wolf Rock or the Ski Tip Lodge for a nicer dinner. I’d avoid Mountain House and the food on top of the mountain. The food’s overpriced and not great.

          • Maddie Ross

            Love Kickapoo Tavern. And I cannot remember the name of it, but there’s an italian restaurant in the village that is great, too. THey have awesome meatballs. And good desserts/coffee. We often go out night skiing and then come back in for a nightcap and dessert there. I love Keystone in general though – have fun!

        • CDA

          Jeans will be fine. Also, if you are comfortable enough with the coworkers to rent a house together, you do not need to dress up for them so don’t worry!

    • TBK

      Is this a work thing, or is it a renting a cabin with friends-who-happen-to-be-coworkers thing? And does your husband (and you?) frequently socialize with these people outside of work? If it’s a work thing then maybe I’d dress a little nicer. But if it’s a friends thing, then I’d just treat it as a friends thing.

      • EB0220

        They are co-workers that my husband has been on projects with – so they were together Mon-Thu for at least a year. I’ve met a few of them briefly, but we all live in different cities. They are all peers. I guess it’s somewhere between a friend thing and a work thing, so I’ll try to dress somewhere between relaxed and nice!

    • EPorsch

      How about some fun scarves and earrings that will dress up the jeans or leggings a bit. Maybe then you’ll feel pulled together, but still comfortable.

  3. Two Cents

    I’m planning a birthday party for my 1 year old in our apartment. Looking to cook lunch for about 20 people (15 adults, 5 babies/toddlers).

    I’m thinking that something that I can make ahead of time and just warm up the morning of would be the easiest. Any ideas? Must be vegetarian (cheese, eggs ok). I was thinking veggie lasagna, but please advise if you have other ideas! And if you have an excellent veggie lasagna recipe, share that too.

      • NOLA

        Oh, and I should say, his veggie lasagna has mozzarella and ricotta but his regular lasagna (with bolognese) uses traditional Italian bechamel and Parmesan. I prefer that!

    • Sydney Bristow

      I made pumpkin mac and cheese for a Halloween party and it was super easy to put together. I did it in advance then left it in the fridge for hours and baked it in the oven during the party. I don’t have kids though so I have no idea whether they would like it!

      • Lyssa

        We served chili at my 1 year old’s birthday, and it was a big hit. Easy to keep on the stove and eat whenever people wanted, offered a number of toppings so that people could customize it to their tastes, etc. I think that stew-type things are the best way to go for a casual crowd. My little guy loves chili; I think that it’s pretty kid friendly as long as you keep the spices down (and offer hot sauce, etc. for people to add to taste).

        • Susie

          Isn’t one year olds + chili really messy? Even when I host people my age I try to think of foods that aren’t saucy/messy!

          • Lyssa

            We’re still mostly spoon-feeding him, so it’s less messy than most things since he isn’t touching it and smooshing it around with his hands. But I can see how it would be messy for a slightly older kid.

    • marketingchic

      I’d do a big crock pot of veggie chili, with macaroni noodles and various toppings on the side.

      • roses

        Oh man, this reminds me that I got into a big debate with a group of friends a couple weeks ago about whether pasta belongs with chili in any way shape or form. There was a big split among those who considered chili to be a sauce (to put on top of pasta and hot dogs) or a dish in itself. I’m in the latter camp- for some reason in my mind the two just don’t belong together!!

        That said, veggie chili is an amazing meal and so easy to put together for crowds. Perhaps if you are among a group of friends with a diverse opinion on the chili/pasta issue, you could make the chili and then have a topping/mix-in spread of cheese, sour cream, extra jalepenos, and pasta.

      • RR

        I think there are some regional differences here. Cincinnati-style chili, for example, is truly a sauce for pasta and hot dogs. But I still think of “regular” chili with meat and beans as a dish in and of itself. Like a thick soup.

        • baseballfan

          Unless you’re a Texan, in which case beans are NEVER acceptable in chili. Ha ha!

          I totally agree chili is great for a crowd because it’s easy to serve and you can offer fixings for people to dress it up as they wish. I went to a coed baby shower some time ago where they served chili and cornbread and fixings, and brownies, and it was the perfect setup.

    • AIMS

      What about quiche (which you can serve at room temp) and some finger sandwiches. Asparagus seems to be in abundance right now, I *love* asparagus and gruyere quiche. And you could do a couple of different little sandwiches – cucumber; cheese & watercress; and/or salmon & ricotta.

    • RR

      I would vote for a veggie lasagna or a veggie chili that you could make in the crock pot (I would tend toward the latter because it can hang out warm for a couple hours while people graze and can be doctored up to various tastes with like a chili topping bar.

    • Bonnie

      If you want an easy meal, you could also lay out a taco bar with sauteed mushrooms or beans to make is a substantial meal.

    • hollis

      Here’s my go-to recipe for guests: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/spinach-lasagna-iii/.

      That being said, when I have my kids’ birthday parties, I make it super easy on myself and I buy some pizzas from costco (all of the kids just want some cheese pizza and no utensils needed) and I make it fun for the adults by adding a cheese platter, veggies (baby tomatoes and carrots), crackers and dip, prosciutto, fruit, and sometimes ready-made sushi rolls. People like having a variety of food and a lot of finger foods – plus paper plates – make clean-up easier in my opinion.

  4. NOLA

    Bleah, I can tell I’m stressed because I want to buy jewelry. At least I’m not sitting around eating chocolate! Just have to get through the day – and not buy that bezel-set diamond pendant.

    • Silvercurls

      “Sitting around eating chocolate”
      Please don’t diss one of my favorite de-stress methods!
      Seriously, I hope your day either gets better or goes faster.

    • Wardrobe Advice!

      Oy, I mean in the bright persimmon color … the link doesn’t take you that far.

    • Killer Kitten Heels

      I have no issue with the color – I think it’s memorable, but not crazy – but I’m concerned that it’s maybe sheer? The mint one looks sheer on the model, but I can’t tell whether it’s a styling choice or the result of the lightness of the mint, and there are no pictures of the persimmon one on the model. Even if sheer, I’d wear it to work, but I don’t think I’d wear anything sheer to an interview, just in case your interviewer is from the conservative side of life.

      • ac

        I agree — If it’s for an interview, I would make sure you very thoroughly test it — in different lights, moving around, etc. — in front of someone who will be brutally honest as to whether it’s at all sheer (or could be mistaken for sheer). And if you try it on and aren’t sure… yeah, don’t wear it.

    • TBK

      I’m always super conservative on these things, but my view is why risk it? White/cream or light blue are totally safe options. You could even probably do black. But I just wouldn’t take the chance.

      • Wardrobe Advice!

        TBK and all, thanks, I know you’re right. I shouldn’t take the risk in an interview, and even thinking I’m taking a risk will make me uncomfortable, which is never good. I still may buy it though for when I wear the suit in a non-interview setting!

  6. OttLobbyist

    Does anyone have a sense of how Talbots sheath dresses are in the armhole? They never seem to have my size in-store when I go, and I am having a heck of a time with the armholes on sheath dresses coming too far forward or being too low (I’m a bit busty, which may have something to do with it, I know).

    • Ellen

      Yay! Fruegel Friday’s! I love fruegel Friday’s and this Talbot’s dress, tho it is NOT a sheathe dress! Usueally I love Talbot’s and wool, but some times it can be VERY itchey if the wool dress is NOT properly lined. From what I read above about the HIVE’s Experience’s with Talbot’s, they are giving it the Thumb’s down FOOEY, but when I went there with mom to get a dress when I was in law school, it was OK. Mom also used to go with Grandma Leyeh and Grandma Trudy, tho the clothe’s are NOT good for peeople older than 55 year’s old. Grandma Leyeh has more clothe’s then she needs, so she get’s most things by Mail Order on the INTERNET! YAY! Both of my grandma’s have new Ipad’s and know how to surf the web!

      The IRS guy and I are goieng to go to the MOOMA museum this weekend. He said he LOVES modern art and there is a great museum in DC that is called the EAST WING that he goe’s to. I think I was there once. I looked up the MOOMA and it costs alot of money to get in but he said he would pay for me to go. I said we should pay each for ourself so as NOT to create any feeleings that it is a date b/c I do NOT want to start bieng romantic with him. The last thing I need is to start a long distance romance with an IRS guy.

      I remember when I was in law school, I knew a woman who was dateing and married a guy long distance, and he was a teacher somewhere in the midwest, and he wound up haveing sex with other women who I think were his student’s. Even a marrage can’t go long distance unless you see each other every weekend, but then you have to have sex most of the time b/c you have NOT seen them all week. FOOEY! That would pretty much waste much of the weekend, so you could NOT have time to go shoppeing or out to eat b/c you would have to be in bed to long. Therefore, I am NOT an advocate of a longdistance relationship. If you are married, you are together every day, and then you can choose to have sex whatever nights are best and do NOT have to do it all on the weekends. DOUBEL FOOEY!

      The manageing partner says I should be helpeing get the file’s in order this afternoon with Frank. I do NOT have any idea what I am suposed to do (and neither does FRANK).

    • B

      I can only speak to the featured dress, but I can wear a normal bra with this sheath dress and it doesn’t show in the armhole, whereas that same bra shows in several of my other sheath dresses (such as the Emmaleigh from J Crew).

  7. Brunette Elle Woods

    My sister just went into labor, but she is about 3,000 miles away. I wanted to send her something just for her since I already sent a ton of baby gifts. Any suggestions on something for a first time mom? And also the father? Thanks!

    • Anne Shirley

      If they are in the US, Zingerman’s sells some really fun snack baskets with little tidbits they can grab between feedings and diaper changes and eat one handed.

    • Brant

      Snacks were great. We were flowered to death so I definitely suggest something more practical. I actually had nothing to wear when I gave birth because all my maternity clothes were summer, but I have birth in the fall and after the baby came home, the dresses/skirts I had been living in were not warm enough. I went to old navy in a sleep deprivation coma and bought the one shirt that for and was nursing friendly in 10 colors. And cried because it was 2 sizes up from my normal size. I wore that + leggings until I dropped enough weight to fit back into my early-pregnancy maternity jeans.

    • Philanthropy Girl

      I love Earth Mama Angel Baby products, and they have a kit especially for postpartum.

    • EB0220

      Here is my postpartum gift pack for mommas: Snacks that are healthy-ish and not too crumbly (I hated dropping crumbs on my nursing baby), snack tray to put food/drinks on when mom is sitting on the couch/bed, giant insulated water bottle, amazon gift card (specifically for buying a bunch of e-books to read while feeding baby).

    • Anon in NYC

      I always send a food basket with healthy-ish snacks. I’ve sent things from Harry & David (great if you want to include fruit as part of the basket) and this company called Mouth (great for “indie” or small-batch food producers, based in NY).

    • B

      A friend sent an Edible Arrangement, which was perfect in those first few days as I needed to be eating fruit to help “get the plumbing working again,” which was one of the things that terrified me the most after giving birth.

    • Anon

      Nice pajamas. Fancy hand lotions. Something to make her feel like a human female instead of a milk machine/ spit-up target.

    • Brunette Elle Woods

      Thank you all for the suggestions! I’ll probably send some kind of fruit basket now and something to make her feel like a “human female instead of a milk machine/ spit-up target” later on! :)

      • Anon

        My most favorite gift I received after having a baby was what I can only describe as a “sleeping jacket” from my MIL. It was like a short, open, super soft jacket. It was perfect for wearing around the house and to bed over a nursing tank because it kept my arms and back warn and covered while still being able to nurse my baby easily. I’m pretty sure she got it at somewhere like Dillards or Macy’s.

  8. Anon in NYC

    Does anyone in NYC have a sports medicine doctor that they could recommend (preferably in Manhattan)? Thanks!

    • xoxo Gossip Girl

      I go to West Side Spine & Sports Med. on 54th and 8th. They’ve been great.

  9. Rant

    I’m waiting to hear back about a position from my dream company and I cannot take the tension of waiting. Why does it take so freaking long for companies to get back to candidates? The longer I wait (a week and counting after a final interview), the more I think it’s not going to happen. Ugh. I sometimes feel like hiring managers today don’t remember what it was like to job search themselves.

      • Monday

        People say this about dating too: the best way to stop thinking about whether you’re going to see one person again is to go out with others rather than waiting around.

      • Rant

        That’s what I know I need to do, but it got so busy this past week and I just didn’t have time. You’d think being busy would be enough to keep my mind off it, but apparently not.

        I know that “dream” companies and jobs are a myth, but that’s what it feels like right now, especially as I grow increasingly desperate to leave my current job. I have had NO other luck with any of the other applications I’ve sent out recently – not even one other interview.

        Sorry for the pity party. I’m just so frustrated about this, especially since I already dealt with being unemployed for a long time after graduation.

        • Ashley

          You certainly don’t need to apologize to me as I share many of the same feelings. The position looked beyond sweet, the commute would have been heaven, I am highly qualified to the job, know the industry and the compensation would have made my life FAR better than it is now. In short, a dream job.

          Never got the courtesy of a response to my application or the 2 follow-ups I sent, the last one to the director himself. But what really incensed me was the part of the job posting that said all applicants would be contacted with a decision. Why lie about it? Hence I share your frustration and feeling that hiring managers with cushy jobs don’t get what it feels like to the on the opposite end of the process.

        • Lady Harriet

          I just waited 6 1/2 weeks to hear back from a company after my third interview. I sent emails to the hiring manager and internal recruiter once it got several weeks past when they told me I’d have an answer. I got no response. Finally on Friday I called the recruiter and left her a voicemail. She called me back Tuesday saying they’d decided I wasn’t the right fit, and hadn’t I gotten the email she’d sent a couple of weeks ago? Why no, I didn’t. I’m going to be charitable and assume that she misspelled my difficult name in my email address or that the email was eaten before ever reaching my spam folder, rather than that she was lying. Ugghhhh!

    • tesyaa

      Two responses – I apologize in advance if you don’t like them. One, there is no “dream job” or “dream company”. There’s no way of knowing for sure in advance if a job will work out, so there is no reason to get fixated on any one opportunity.

      Two, hiring managers are not all mean spirited. There are a million reasons a hiring decision can get postponed. It would be nice if all managers reached out to all candidates and said “one of our decisionmakers has a family emergency, so our process is delayed” or “we made an offer and we’re waiting for a response; if the other candidate declines, we’ll make an additional offer”, but realistically, this doesn’t happen too frequently. I understand your frustration.

    • Anon

      I agree that a lot of hiring managers and HR managers conveniently forget what it’s like to be the candidate. It’s a combination of laziness, poor process management and wanting to avoid “conflict” a.k.a. delivering bad news. I work in talent management/acquisition and if I treated my company’s recruits the way I’ve been treated while job searching in the last few years I would fire myself. Seriously. I understand the volume of applications – I review probably 10-12,000 applications a year, anyone not getting invited for an interview gets an automated response letting them know, anyone we’ve interviewed gets a phone call letting them know we won’t be proceeding or we will be moving forward. Last September I spent 8 hours at an interview, met 12 people, sent thank you notes and diligently followed up. C r i c k e t s. I heard nothing. I still officially don’t know the outcome but I looked on LinkedIn and spied a new person in the position. Congrats to her but why couldn’t you take the few minutes to call me after I spent an entire day there?!? My only consolation is that my industry is not huge and if my path happens to cross with one of these lackadaisical HR/hiring managers in the future (i.e., when they are looking for a job), they won’t get very far in the process but I’ll be sure to let them know the outcome of their application.

      • Ashley

        This!

        In my case, I never even made it to the interview stage. But I followed up twice on my application and not even the courtesy of a canned auto response.

        Although, after the fact, I spoke with someone who knows the director for the particular position well, I am probably lucky that I was not chosen. My friend said the director is known for his ‘agendas’ said in a tone of voice that sent all manner of red flags flying.

    • snowy

      I finally heard back from my current job after over 8 weeks. It was beyond annoying. I don’t think it’s usually the hiring manager that’s being inattentive, but rather HR and other administrative processes that take forever to “officially” iron things out. My interviewers told me when I visited that I basically had the job. It took 8 weeks for HR to get management to sign off and get me a formal offer. I was sweating it because it had gone so well and everyone told me they hoped I could start immediately, and then it was radio silence.

      Instead of leveling with me (yes, you’re getting an offer, we just need the CEO to sign it) HR said things like “I do not have any update yet, but I will follow up with the Team and loop back with you as soon as possible.” Which was super frustrating, because what the heck does that mean.

      • tesyaa

        I think it’s a somewhat reasonable response. They are waiting for the CEO’s approval for a reason, and if he/she doesn’t approve, you won’t get the offer. It might be pro forma, but until it’s signed, it’s not a done deal.

        • snowy

          For sure, and I can’t really blame the HR person because as far as I can tell she really didn’t know if they were going forward with my candidacy or not. But basically I would email and say, “Am I still being considered for this position?” and she would say, “Let me go ask the team and get back to you” , which wasn’t at all reassuring.

          • Anon

            But I would argue as the HR person/contact for candidates it IS her job to know the status of the position and candidates as well as the timeline. The status may be “there is no update yet” but she/he should relay that without having to ask another person. Every interaction with a candidate is an opportunity to market your company. Each time she demonstrates a lack of knowledge or a lack of communication within the company, it doesn’t make the company look good.

    • Stormborn

      Yup. Had my final interview mid december. They told me 2 weeks ago that all candidates would hear “soon.” at this point I am almost certain I didn’t get it, but I want to know so I can get rid of that last bit of hope everytime I look at my phone, and the sinking feeling everyday at 5 pm when another day has gone by and no word. Even if I did get it at this point, it would be very hard to supress my resentment.

    • Anon

      I think the lack of follow-up is what seems to piss off most job candidates the most, especially after being told “we’ll be in touch by Tuesday” or whatever. I don’t think there’s ANY excuse for an organization to not respond to candidates who interview – it can only happen if they’re disorganized, rude, dysfunctional, or a combination thereof. If employers have time to design terrible online applications that duplicate your resume, request your salary history going back to high school, and time out after 15 minutes, they can also prepare an auto-send form letter for any candidates who won’t be invited to interview.

  10. Gail the Goldfish

    It’s my last day of work! Just needed to share my excitement.
    (Now to pack and move before my new job starts in two weeks)

  11. School Closings

    Our schools are closing a lot more this winter than I can ever recall from before. Last week I missed 2.5 days of work with not a lot of time to prepare (just running into my office, grabbing everything I could need for the week, and sprinting home). I am lucky that I can work from home, but the expectation is that you work as if you are in the office (which is hard with one is at home all day with a 5 year old and a 3.5 year old). When my children were tiny and napped a lot, I could get stuff done at home. Now, it’s just triage, triage, triage. My husband is an hourly worker, so this is going to be my cross to bear. How do you all deal with this? Just white-knuckle it?

    • Senior Attorney

      Sorry to say it, but I think with two children those ages, it is unrealistic to expect that you can work from home without child care.

      • Senior Attorney

        Oops… hit “reply” too soon.

        Can you get someone to come in? Even a high school or even middle school student (who is presumably also out of school due to closures) would be helpful in keeping the kids safe and occupied.

        • Equity's Darling

          My sister had this arrangement with a family in our neighbourhood when she was in high school. The mother worked from home, so my sister would pick up her daughter (Grade 1?) in the morning and walk her to school in the morning, walk her home after school, and hang out with her for a couple hours until 5pm. She’d essentially “nanny” on school holidays for them- the mom was around in case anything really important came up, but my sister dealt with homework, food, playing, etc. The high school class hours were about 30minutes shorter on either side of the day than the elementary school, and they were nearby, so it worked out well.

          My sister seemed to enjoy it, she’s still in contact with the daughter, I think they’re friends-ish.

      • Mpls

        Agreed. Are there neighbor kids in the high school/middle school range that could come over and watch/corral the kids, assuming they are off of school as well?

        Otherwise, it sounds like a vacation day at work.

      • tesyaa

        Under normal circumstances, it is inappropriate to use a work-from-home arrangement for childcare, but in emergency circumstances like major storms, there may be more leniency. OP, during the snow emergencies, can you work partial hours during the day and work additional hours at night when the kids are asleep?

        • School Closings

          I don’t disagree, but in my part of the country, once the schools close, transportation for everyone becomes unreliable, so even theoretical backups vanish. Or unless you’re paying someone to be on standby, they may pick up another job. Not just for child care, but for things you rely on in an office, like secretaries being able to get in or problems with FedExes getting in on time.

          Luckily, I can get stuff done around the clock if needed (so if documents are drafted, it doesn’t matter if they come out overnight — for all the world knows, I’m still at my desk). But it is hard, hard, hard.

          Having the power go out would have been fatal, since I can go to a hotel, but I might not have the fax/scanner thing that I have at home that I really rely on or my printer.

          #needtowinpowerball

      • anon-oh-no

        my kids are 6 and 3.5 and i work from home on snow days with them all the time. obviously its ideal to have childcare, but not always necessary or possible. i dont necessarily get a full 10 hours of work in, but i can get a lot of work done. find things for your kids to do — at least one of which can be a kid friendly movie — and have them planned in advance in case you need to rely on them. I’ve found that if i think it wont work, it wont, but i find the things that i have to get done that day and tell the kids i need x amount of time where they watch a movie, play in their room, color quietly etc. of course its not perfect, but it works.

    • new york associate

      I am in a similar boat – not with school closings, but with nanny illnesses. Our nanny is lovely but was sick all week and it’s been a huge crisis for us. Any tips on how to make it work?

      Some ideas I have include:
      1) swap playdates/care with another family or a neighbor
      2) copious use of the television
      3) books on tape – my 3.5 year old is very into those books where you can listen to the story and follow along in the book

      But these are not very good suggestions. Good luck.

      • Senior Attorney

        The very first thing I learned as a working mom was “you’re only as good as your backup child care.” You really need to have somebody lined up and on call to take over when your nanny is sick — either a family member, a paid sitter, or drop-in daycare center.

        It’s tough but as you are finding out, those arrangements need to be in place.

      • academama

        new york associate –
        Would you mind sharing the names of some of these books on tape and also the logistics?

        Is the “tape” part on an actual tape player or a CD player (do you give it to your 3.5year old? does he/she know how to use it?). Do they listen out loud or through headphones?

        • Anon

          My 3 year old loves to listen to stories on our Ipad. She will listen to the Cat in the Hat over and over again. There is a setting that does autoplay so it turns the page and reads to her. My 5 year old likes to click each word to be read to him and then he clicks to turn the page.

          When my 13 year old was little, we had a fisherprice story reader that had these little tape things that went with each book and you popped them into the “reader” and it had headphones. It also made a noise when it was time to turn the page so she knew when to turn it. I was in law school at the time and she would sit next to me while I was studying and would do her “homework” too, listening to books and writing in her own notebook.

        • new york associate

          My daughter is currently using the “Me Reader” set. It comes with a little talking computer device and eight storybooks. She has a Disney set, but there are several. It’s been a really good investment for us. I wish they made more variations because we’d buy them all!

          • academama

            awesome! I found Thomas and Dora sets too. I think I might pick up a couple. thanks for the tip!

      • hollis

        we had the same problem with having a nanny – not illnesses always, but doctors’ apptmts, planned trips, etc. got in the way. ultimately, we put all 3 kids in full-day care and we haven’t looked back. our children have really thrived in daycare and have bonded with multiple teachers. it probably costs the same to us, but we don’t offer anywhere near the same collection of books, large playground, and fun activities that they have experienced at daycare.

    • Anon

      My company’s work from home policy requires that there be another adult present if there are children under 12 in the home. It sounds a bit extreme but unfortunately we had too many people abusing the work from home benefit. I’d like to think they would relax it for unforeseen/unusual circumstances such as weather but who knows. We don’t live in an area with snow/ice.

      If all schools are closed, I’d recommend hiring an older teenager to watch the kids while you’re working.

      What I’ve done with my kids/working from home – I’m a member of a babysitting co-op in my neighborhood so we trade babysitting. A few of the moms are SAHM and are generally available at the last minute. I make it up to them by taking a Saturday night gig with their kids. I have two nearby neighbors with older teens who I’ve used in last minute situations when the nanny can’t make it. My parents are also relatively close and my mother loves any excuse to see the kids.

    • In Rem

      I’ve worked at home since mine were babies. I had them in a nearby in-home daycare when they were younger, and she almost never had to close, plus my mom is nearby for back-up. Mine are 12 and 14 now, and I can easily work a full day with them here. With your older one, you are close to the age where having friends over takes the load off you, actually, as they are happy to play with friends while you work. Even better is sending them to a friend’s house. I remember doing some serious training with my kids about how to be quiet when Mommy is on the phone. Once that lesson was in place, things were much easier for all of us.

    • Blonde Lawyer

      What are your co-worker’s doing? Presumably everyone is in the same boat, right? Can you share childcare with them? Alternatively, can you take their kids for four hours and you take theirs for four hours so you each get half a day in?

      Any chance your employer is into creative suggestions? A friend works in a 10 attorney office with a large break room. On rare school emergencies (one time the school inexplicably lost heat in the middle of winter so early released without warning) all the kids go in the break room w/ movies and coloring books and stuff. Each support staff does a one hour shift in the break room watching the kids. Everyone gets their work done.

      I’m not particularly good with kids myself and I don’t have any so I’m not sure how I would feel being asked to watch a room full of kids for an hour but small employers get away with that kind of thing.

      • M

        I would be so annoyed if I was the support staff at this firm. I worked for a solo who would bring his kid in all the time and leave him with the paralegal. She wanted to murder him and I don’t blame her. Talk about things that aren’t in your job description.

        • LeeB

          +1,000,000,000
          I must admit that I would never want to work as a support staff member at a law firm after some of the things I’ve read on this site.

    • anon

      Television/dvr, pbskids.org and snacks. Copious arts and crafts supplies. Yes I do let them watch 3hrs straight if that’s what I need.

  12. new york associate

    Fashion question: My office does casual Fridays, which means jeans. I’m having a hard time figuring out the right footwear. I tend to wear dark-rinse trouser-style jeans with a fairly wide leg, with a drapy open cardigan on top, and I can’t find the right shoes to wear. Today I’m wearing black wedges, but that doesn’t feel quite right. Any suggestions?

  13. LilyB

    Ladies, looking for travel suggestions. I’m going to have 4-5 weeks off between my clerkship and my new big law job. Ideally I’d like to take 2 trips. One trip I’m thinking about is a week in the UK with a law school friend; we’d probably have people to stay with and/or stay somewhere cheap(ish), and we are both familiar with the country so I’m not too concerned about planning that.

    But I’d also like to do a week somewhere with my bf. He can really only take a week off from work at the most. And budget is definitely a concern. I think the max we could do would be $3k pp (and I’d be subsidizing part of his trip; but it seems worth it since once my time off is over I will presumably be working very hard). I’m torn between Europe (he hasn’t really been, except Sweden a couple times when he was younger) and somewhere exotic like Seychelles- it just looks so breathtakingly beautiful. Does anyone have suggestions for a destination we could spend a week in, spend $3k or less pp (breakfast and/or booze included would be a bonus), and have a really good time? I’m worried that if we did a place like Seychelles we’d lose a lot of time traveling. What about Hawaii- would that be doable within our budget?

    Finally, any thoughts on whether it’s a bad idea to use such a large chunk of my clerkship bonus on travel stuff? I do have quite a bit of credit card debt, but I will still be able to pay it off with my bonus even after accounting for these trips. Of course, it would be nice to have $7-8k in the bank. But I want to enjoy life!

    • LilyB

      should have mentioned- my time off will be in September/possibly into early October.

      • new york associate

        That is a great time to go to Hawaii – it’s low season in Hawaii, so everything will be cheaper. For me, a week isn’t long enough to justify a flight to a place like Seychelles or Bali. But Hawaii is about the right distance and truly, it’s beautiful. I thought it would be cheesy, but it’s just awesome, with a perfect mix of stuff to do.

        • ginjury

          I think it really depends on where you live now. I’m in Boston and recently took a week long trip to Hawaii. It wasn’t nearly enough time for us considering travel time and time spent adjusting to the time difference.

      • B

        As long as you can also pay off your credit card debt, I say go! It may not be the most financially wise decision, but you are not going to have many opportunities to take a long trip like this once you start work. I started work in late 2009, so I was lucky to even still have a job, although we did get deferred a few months. We used a no interest credit card so that we could still go on a bar trip, and then quickly paid it off over my first few paychecks when I started work. It was a slightly risky financial decision, but we still talk about our bar trip all the time and are SO glad we went, and I know so many others in the class of 2009 and 2010 that skipped out on it. Can you keep your living expenses low and save a large chunk of your first few paychecks to get some savings in the bank?

    • Woods-comma-Elle

      When will you again be able to go on a 4-5 week trip? That’s like you entire year’s vacation time right there. I say go!

      (Also, if you come to London, I’d love to meet you – if you are who I think you are, you will know me from the FB group).

    • Well Heeled Blog

      You can definitely do 1 week in Europe for $6,000 for two people – and probably for $1,000-$2,000 less if you are willing to compromise a bit on your quality of stay.

      My bias is for Europe, but if your choices are between Europe and Seychelles, there really are no wrong choices. ;-) If you decide to do Europe (a week will probably get you 2 capitol cities + some countryside/smaller towns, or 1 capitol city + towns if you want a more relaxed pace), flights from the States shouldn’t be more than $1,200-$1,300 RT. I did a quick search on Kayak and NYC – Paris in the last week of September is $1,233 RT. You can get it for <$900 if you are willing to have 1 layover.

      For hotels, if you are gone for 7 nights and you budget $200/room, that's still $1,400 for hotels – you can do this even cheaper if you do AirBnB, stay in bed & breakfasts, have some hotel points you can use, etc. Then throw in food and local transportation at $100 a person a day, and that's $1,400 for the both of you. That comes out to a total of $5,300 ($1,400 hotel + $1,400 food/transport + $2,500 flights), plus another 10% in budget overage, and that brings you just under $6,000 very nicely.

      If you want to cut down on your expenses, do the flights with 1 layover ($900), rent a room in a house on AirBnB ($120/night), and cut back your dining budget ($70/person / day). That brings your total down to under $4,000. That might be a compromise between traveling and still saving a bit before you start work.

      As to whether you should go on this trip or now, well, I'm biased to going. I'm in a similar position where I'm spending my sign-on bonus on travel, travel, travel (budgeting $7,000 for my husband and I on a 3-week jaunt to Europe, we'll be using hotel points in several cities, staying in AirBnB and sharing a bathroom in others, and I've made my peace with living on supermarket sandwiches if I have to).

      It's one week, you'll have paid off your credit card debt, and you'll be in a high-earning profession for at least the next 2-3 years. Make a commitment to save X% of your income once you start to build up an emergency fund, and enjoy this travel to celebrate your achievement. :-)

      • LilyB

        thanks for your suggestions! I’m definitely open to doing air b&b. I absolutely love Europe, and there are still quite a few places I haven’t been yet, like Greece/Eastern Europe/Austria or Denmark/Netherlands/Belgium. On the other hand, since I will probably do a week in the UK with my law school friend, I’m thinking a week of relaxation on a beautiful beach plus some outdoorsy activities (snorkeling, hiking) would be the perfect counterpoint.

    • Anon

      My fiancé and I did 10 days in Europe (Germany) for $2k each. We stayed in private rooms in hostels in three cities, traveled by train, and ate a fair amount of street food/quick meals. Completely worth it.

    • Anon

      Definitely GO, especially since you’ll be starting in BigLaw. I took a 7-week bar trip between law school and starting at my firm. It was a LOT of money to me at the time, and it took me a couple of paychecks to pay off my CC debt from the trip, but I do not regret it at all. It was the most incredible trip of my life. Three years later the money feels like a drop in the bucket and I cannot imagine having not gone. (Although I would have spent money either way — I was living in NYC at the time, and staying in the city for those two months and hanging out probably would have cost the same or even more, because I subletted my apartment while I was gone and was traveling in a cheap part of the world).

      You will never again have the chance to take a vacation like this. DO IT. DO IT. DO IT. (But be financially responsible when you get back — start saving for an emergency fund and retirement and try not to “upgrade” your whole life right away based on your new income.)

    • zora

      I am too brain dead to make travel recs right now, but DO IT!!!! Do not second guess this, it’s things like this you remember when you’re old and grey, not how many days you went to work and were responsible. ;o) DO IT!!! And then tell us all about it. ;)

    • LilyB

      thanks for all the recs so far! any thoughts on the Greek islands in September, as far as costs plus any specific recs for islands/hotels? My heart is kind of set on the beautiful water/beaches of Seychelles, but if I can get something comparable in europe that would be a compromise!

      • Pink

        Since you’ll be doing UK for a week anyway, I would take that Eurostar to Paris, meet you bf there, do Paris/France, then you can train to Belgium or Spain or Italy (or take short flights) and do snippets of Europe.

        OR

        from London you can also take a short/cheap flight to Croatia, where it’s still relatively inexpensive, but you can do city and beaches and wineries and all the amazing things. My bf and I did 10 days and I think he budgeted $1500 RT/pp from NYC in late September just getting there so by you already being in the UK, you’ll be saving money. We also spent about $1000 on rental car getting from Dubrovnik to Istria and then flew back from Zagreb (including gas, insurance, ferry fees to Hvar). Our time there was too short, and we weren’t going “budget” by any means, but it was truly magical. You could do it cheaper by doing public transport and not splurging on pricey meals. e.g. lattes were around $2, meats, cheese and groceries were the same or cheaper than NYC. Oh, and if you can, fit in Plitvice Lakes–they’re just gorgeous!

        I personally LOVE Hawaii, but I since you’re planning on going to the UK anyway, I would travel in that regioin and save Hawaii for some other time.

        You can always earn more money but you won’t have this time opportunity again (when you’re young, able to travel, and willing to forgo luxurious travel).

      • amberwitch

        I’ve only been to Crete in the late summer, but it was kind of worn out that time of year, especially compared to the beginning of the season. The greenery a little too burned away, the garbage build up everywhere.

      • anon

        One thing to think about is that a beach vacation is usually within reach at other stages of life– even if you work, have kids, etc., you can probably manage a week at a resort, which is all you really need (as lovely as two weeks or more would be). But touring Europe? You won’t get that chance again for awhile, most likely, and definitely not without severe time constraints and risk of having to cancel for some stupid work reason. We went to Italy in 2001, and didn’t get back to Europe until 2012– had kids and jobs in the meantime.

        Italy was AWESOME (Ellen caps, apologies) in Sept/Oct. Truly spectacular cool but a little warm weather, the kind where you can dress nice and still be comfortable walking all around. London and Paris is a great trip, of course, and I think the weather would be great there, as well. If you’re staying a week, you might consider an apartment rental.

  14. Anon

    WHY am I so obsessed with having kids? I’m mid-20s and every time I see a baby/toddler I WANT ONE OR THREE RIGHT NOW. When I see my boyfriend caring for his DOG it’s like.. what a great dad. None of my friends are like this. Someone slap me.

    • Eleanor

      Why is this bad? Millions of women in the history of the world have had children in their mid-twenties or earlier. It is a normal human reaction to want children at this age – not everyone does, but wanting them is normal, and not something for which you should be slapped or be comparing yourself to your friends.

      • Lady Harriet

        +1 I’m the same age and I’ve had intense baby fever for the last 3-4 years. It doesn’t help that I come from a religion & general social group where relatively early marriage is common and children are viewed very positively. Plenty of my friends are married and do have kids at our age. I do spend a lot of time babysitting for a friend’s kids, so even the runny noses, sticky fingers, and diapers don’t phase me. There’s nothing wrong with wanting children. If I could trade my current life for one where I’m already married with children I would in a heartbeat.

    • Joanna Toews

      Poor Mr. Toews put up with a decade of baby fever before I came around and agreed it was time to pull the goalie.

      We babysat for our friends. A LOT. Sometimes — you know the nights I mean — it was really good birth control!

      • Brunette Elle Woods

        Yep! My other sister has a one year old and although I love my nephew, my sister’s life literally revolves around his feeding and napping schedule. I want kids eventually, but for now, I’m enjoying all of this “me time”. Also, I’m in my late 20’s.

    • Anonymous

      Instead of just thinking “cute kid” focus on the runny noses, sticky hands and possibly stinky diaper whenever you see one?

    • Samantha

      It’s a hormonal thing, it really is. My best friend had the Urge when I was all, I love my life and the freedom and your kids are going to blame you for everything anyway blah blah. Then a year later, it hit me. If you want to ignore the Urge, just tell yourself that its hormones, and rationally list out the reasons you don’t want to heed the call, or do what Joanna Toews suggest above and babysit little kids.

    • anon

      Kids are great– I have two, and it’s awesome, although I think it’s important to find the right time obviously.

      I can help you with waiting, though. Do you know what it means to “tear” during delivery? As in, “when the baby was coming out, I was positive that I tore from stem to stern, but it was only a small tear with just a few stitches.” Also, did you know that little kids can get an anal parasite that requires medication and causes terrible itching that makes them unable to sleep? Let’s see, what else. My kids are in a talent show at school tonight that has SEVENTY-ONE acts, so pretty much every kid in the entire school. And finally, were you aware that there are people you can pay to come to your house and get rid of the lice on your kids . . . and you?

      Parenting takes a few years to psych up for.

  15. Peasy

    Hey Ladies,

    I just bought a townhouse, and slowly but surely I am finding that a lot of the appliances are TERRIBLE and barely functioning properly. Has anyone recently bought a new fridge or dishwasher and do you have recommendations for brands or stores (online or brick & mortar)? Sears’ customer service is terrible so I will definitely avoid.

    • LilyB

      I had terrible experiences with both Home Depot and Lowes when it came to getting a dishwasher. They canceled on me multiple times, delivery people didn’t show up, didn’t haul away old one even though they were supposed to, etc etc. By the time I got a functional, non-dented dishwasher installed it was like 3 months after I actually wanted one.

    • tesyaa

      Actually, I bought my dishwasher from Sears after a poor-quality dishwasher from HD wore out after just a few years; and I also had problems with HD’s installation people (nothing awful, except they refused to install the item).

      We also got a refrigerator from Lowe’s and that seems OK.

      It’s very hit or miss, I find. After having a horrible GE oven in my old house, and less-than-amazing experiences with their repair crews, I swore I’d never buy a GE appliance again, but I rescinded this promise to myself and have been using my “new” GE oven for about 8 years now.

    • OCAssociate

      I’ve always bought appliances from Best Buy. I’ve had great experience with their customer service. They tend to have sales for holidays – with President’s day coming up, you might be able to get a big discount.

      I recommend paying the $5-10 for an online Consumer Reports membership, and looking at their reviews. We bought Samsung for our new fridge & washer/dryer 2 years ago based on its rec’s. No problems so far.

    • Lyssa

      I have an anti-recommendation. We bought a new house that needed appliances the year before last, and bought Fridgidare (sp?). We’ve already had two things break (the oven stopped working and the ice maker break), and I’m pretty sure that the fridge is not maintaining as low of a temperature as it should. We thought that we were buying fairly high quality stuff, so we’re really disappointed!

      • Senior Attorney

        Costco is great. I’ve also had a good experience at Best Buy.

        Re: brands, I loved my KitchenAid dishwasher and my GE Profile oven.

    • Anon for this

      We bought our washer/dryer, plus a relatively cheap 2nd fridge from Home Depot a few years ago. I think there was some delay on the delivery date, but installation was quick once they did show up (and had to convert the dryer to gas once it was there). Don’t know which area you’re in, but my husband has had things delivered from P.C. Richards with little trouble. I’d stay away from Sears — just read the Consumerist website if you want justification.

    • PHX

      Stay away from LG appliances. LG bought and re-branded Gold Star, which was no great shakes to begin with.

      I bought a fridge, stove/oven, microwave, and dishwasher in May 2008. I have already replaced the d/w in it ENTIRETY, probalby about 1.5 yrs ago.

      My microwave handle continues to break.

      The fridge drawers are falling apart, and you can’t get replacements without it being a total PITA. The doors don’t shut correctly any more.

      So far, the stove/oven is hanging in there.

      LG –never, ever ever again.

    • Anon

      Buy the best you can afford. I had a Bosch dishwasher in my old home and I forgot to exclude it when I listed and sold the house. My new place has what is considered an upgraded GE profile. I can’t wait for it to die. It is loud and doesn’t do as good of a job as the Bosch. My plan is to replace the appliances as I go. I recommend not buying an entire set from one manufacturer. I know I want a Bosch dishwasher, I have a relatively new LG washer/dryer. I love to cook so I will probably spend more on my range/oven than my refrigerator.

    • Peasy

      Thanks so much everyone! This has all been really helpful. Its funny the things that you just assume will work properly in a new place until you start using them regularly and learn all of their, uh, “quirks”

  16. Miz Swizz

    Has anyone ever cut the waistband out of tights? I bought some tights for my ballet class that fit everywhere except the waist, which cuts in. Alternatively, is there a good way to stretch out the waistband of tights?

    • Lyssa

      I did this while I was pregnant, and was shocked at how well it worked. I really thought that they would fall apart, but they didn’t. I wound up continuously cutting further and further and wearing them for most of the pregnancy (which wasn’t actually a good idea after a while, but I just didn’t get around to getting maternity ones). I pulled out an old, cut pair a few months ago and was surprised to learn that it not only still stays up, but is so much more comfortable than my usual pairs. I keep thinking that I should just do that to all of my tights and hose.

      • Miz Swizz

        Good to know. Since I hand wash them, I figured it’d be fine but dance tights are much more expensive than my work tights so I wanted some reassurance.

    • Philosophia

      In my experience, the LAST thing you want to do is cut the waistband out of your ballet tights. The elastic waistband stretches out with time. So does the elastic on the bottom of a leotard. I finally switched from leotards to camisoles with shelf bras, plus a dance brief over the tights.

    • Jo March

      I totally do this and it’s the only way I can wear tights/nylons. I’ve never had a waistband wear our before the legs did!

  17. Stacey

    I love great finds like this … if you’re shopping for new additions, this would be an awesome dress to scoop up!

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