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Updated: Oct 31, 2018 147 Comments · by

Frugal Friday’s TPS Report: Wrap-Bodice Dress

The Personal Shopper (TPS) |

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Talbots Wrap Bodice Dress | CorporetteOur daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. This wrap-bodice dress has mixed reviews, but hello: it's marked down to $17-$30 at Talbots, and it's available in regular, petite, plus size, and plus size petites. I like the ruching detail, the faux wrap skirt, the three-quarter length sleeves, the work-appropriate hem, and the fact that it's machine washable (and “travel friendly,” whatever that means). It's part of the big sale at Talbots right now where they're offering an extra 50% off markdowns (the prices DO reflect the discount). Talbots Wrap-Bodice Dress Seen a great piece you'd like to recommend? Please e-mail tps@corporette.com. (L-2)

Sales of note for 9.10.24

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Comments

  1. KT

    I love Talbots sales. I can always get nice basics for bargain prices.

    Also, I used to not be a fan of Talbots, but their fall collection looks gorgeous. Lots of timeless classics and some trendier pieces mixed in. For a plus size girl, well-made clothes are really hard to come by in nice fabrics and classic looks…I’m usually stuck with bedazzled polyester prints :(

    • anonymous

      I think a lot of their clothes look super cute, but do they all run so big/boxy? is it just not a place that a small person can shop?

      • CPA Lady

        I’m a 5’3 hourglass (a 4 in Banana Republic) and about 50% of my clothes come from Talbots. I can’t do their pants, but everything else fits me very well. Some things are boxy, but a lot of their dresses have nicely defined waists. Generally I have found their quality to be quite good, and they have my favorite cardigans out of anywhere at the moment.

        • Red Fleece

          FWIW, I had a lot of merino Charming Cardis that I had worn to pieces. I replaced my red one with the current red Red Fleece one a day or so ago and I just love it. It fits me much better (I am more of a pear and my one problem with Talbots is that they seem to be designed for a more hour-glass figure).

        • PolyD

          Similar shape here. I don’t buy a lot from Talbots, but last winter I got a sweater dress (50% wool + 50% something else, probably fake, but nice texture and machine-washable) that I absolutely adore and will be looking to see if they offer anything similar this year.

          I also bought a pair of wool pants from them that fit pretty well, but, shameful confession, I ordered them late in the season and haven’t actually worn them yet. But they seem quite nice.

          And, having a plus-size sister and plus-size good friend, I appreciate that Talbots makes nice plus-sized clothing that isn’t covered in glitter, cats, or Tweety Bird.

      • Red Fleece

        I am a Talbots fan. I have found that it’s a place where you need to go in and try on things to see what actually fits you. Sometimes, a smaller size in a petite size fits much better (trick works much better in jackets and some blouses). I haven’t successfully mail-ordered in years, but really like their basics (especially the washable pants — I have worn out two sets in black and tan) and some of their casual prices. And their sales are a steal.

        ALSO, I really love their shoes. And Brooks Brothers shoes.

        FWIW, my 70-something mother did not like the fall catalog (which means they are doing right by our demographic).

        • January

          I liked their spring collection (wasn’t sure if I was just getting old!). I think if you’re on the smaller side, you just have to size down (unless that sizes you out of their clothes). I have occasionally gotten an item tailored.

        • anonymous

          I love BB shoes and think Talbot’s shoes are really cute, but have never tried them. How do they compare in terms of quality/longevity?

          • Red Fleece

            I’m new to BB shoes (which I also really like). I like both because they do a good block 2″ heel that works for me for a lot of city walking / standing at meetings. BB may have a little more padding under the forefoot. Talbots sales are killer though. Would be a tough call.

          • Em

            I tried talbots shoes but i found a lot of them to be cheaply made. Extra petite has worn a bunch of them but she’s also getting a lot for free and just takes pictures, isn’t necessarily buying all her items to be “workhorses”. Tl;dr = if you want a cheapo pair of sandals equivalent to a F21 costume jewelry piece, great, if you’re looking for workhorses, not so much.

            For context, my shoes are a mix of Colehaan, kennethcole circa 2006, LKbennett, and recently, Vince Camuto and Via Spiga.

          • Anon

            Way harsh, Tai.

            I think that Talbots isn’t comparable to LK Bennett — those are expensive shoes. Even Cole Haan is expensive (to me). Same with the ubiquitous Tory Burch shoes.

            I grind through shoes, so I am reluctant to go >150/pair. I have a pair of Talbots tan pumps that are three years old that look brand new and are in heavy rotation. I feel like they are a great budget option (FWIW, I buy Brooks Brothers shoes only if they are marked down to ~125 or so and consider that to be an excellent value.)

            I got a pair of sandals on sale last summer for $40 and thought it was a steal.

          • Anon

            I have a pair of black heels from Talbots that I’ve worn a couple times a week for 3 years now. They’re nearing the end of their lifespan (being worn 100 days a year for 3 years, yeah, I’d say so!), but they’re amazing quality. Leather sole, leather upper, leather insole, memory foam footbed, and I got them for $40 on clearance.

            Name brands don’t mean quality. Construction and materials mean quality.

          • Maddie Ross

            I don’t have any pumps/heels from Talbots, but based on the pair of shoes I did buy from them (over $200 retail price knee high boots), I’d agree with Em that the quality is just not there. They were not comfortable and the leather seemed really cheap. I’d put the quality below Nine West.

      • Ellen

        Yay! Fruegel Friday’s! I LOVE Fruegel Friday’s, and Talbot’s, which alway’s have a lot of dresses that I can wear, like this one. Thanks, Kat and Kate. I will show Rosa and she will get 3 or 4 of them to wear around the house at this price! YAY!

        This weekend, Myrna is takeing me up to the Burkshyre’s (a nearby Mountain Range), near the Catskill’s b/c she is planning another run up there. She barley recovered from the Tryathalon, and now she is thinking of a Labor day run up there. I have NEVER been there, and she says it is a good place to run. I said I would NOT run anywhere b/c I do NOT have a sport’s bra and my tuchus is NOT fit for all of the bounceing that running does. When I told Frank, he said he could get my tuchus in shape but I said no thanks. I have 3 brief’s to write today, so I will be busy, and need to complete my billing for this month. Frank say’s that he needs another 34 hour’s from me to hit 5000 for the year. I sure wish I could find a guy to MARRY me so that I can stop all of this nonsense. FOOEY on billing. I have to many client’s that are VERY demanding of me and my time. DOUBEL FOOEY!

      • lawsuited

        Their clothes are boxy in larger sizes too, but being plus-sized, I’ve stopped having any expectation that clothes will fit me off the rack (and when they do it’s a pleasant surprise!) and factor the cost of a bit of tailoring into most everything I buy.

      • Snickety

        You might try their petite line. I get a better fit from their petite dresses and skirts and some tops. I’m 5’5″, small pear. Their misses sizes tend to be generous in the bust.

    • Wanderlust

      I like a lot of things on this website now. I’m just not willing to pay $8 for shipping! Free shipping comes at $175+ which is quite steep…

      • anon-oh-no

        I really don’t understand why there are still places that don’t offer free shipping. I shop almost exclusively at Nordstrom for this reason. I order a whole bunch of stuff so I can try it in the comfort of my own home and free shipping and easy returns makes that possible. and I usually wind up keeping more than I planned to. so its a win-win for everyone. why don’t other retailers get this?

        • Anonymous

          Well, Nordstrom is quite a bit more expensive than some of the places without free shipping. So they build it into the prices.

          You might compare the cost of shipping to the cost of taking a trip to the store itself, if you did want to shop at these places.

          • PolyD

            Not trying to pick a fight, but Gap/BR/Old Navy offer free shipping once you hit $50, so I’m not sure free shipping is limited to more expensive stores. Also, Anthropologie pretty much NEVER offers free shipping (although there might be a free ship code floating around now) and actually increases shipping costs the more you order – and their stuff is not cheap!

            I am not an economics person or involved in shipping, so I’m sort of fascinated by this. Maybe it has to do with volume? Or store reputation – like, Anthro feels like it will seem less desirable and exclusive if it offers free shipping regularly?

          • anonymous

            It’s probably more about profit margins- stores that have higher margins can take risks like offering free shipping and be more likely to absorb the cost. Yeah, free shipping makes you order more and that’s great, but if the margins aren’t there, it’s probably of dubious benefit to the retailer.

    • lawsuited

      I am a loyal Talbots shopper because they make clothing in natural fibres in a wide range of sizes. About 90% of my work wardrobe is from Talbots, including all my suiting, and I find it to be great quality and great looking. The other day, a woman approached me and said “Your blazer is beautiful – is that Ralph Lauren?” I LOLed, because, no, Ralph Lauren does not make blazers that fit me, it’s from Talbots.

  2. Le Pliage TJ

    I know there’s a lot of talk about nylon bags, and the Longchamp totes, and so on on here – I just got one of the Le Pliage shoulder/ hobo bags secondhand and it’s even more perfect than I thought it would be. I’m one of those people who likes to carry everything I could need but not look like I’m carrying the kitchen sink, and it definitely fits that bill.

    • S In Chicago

      They’re everywhere, so I had avoided. But I got a leather version at the NAS and have to agree with you that it’s so lightweight and well shaped for carrying a ton without looking like it that I have to agree. I came back and ordered a nylon expandable one for my commute. There truly is a reason they’re everywhere as much as I hate that.

    • CPA Lady

      And just a PSA- I threw mine in the washing machine with a regular load of laundry and hung it up to dry and it did great.

    • CeCe the BeesKnees

      Any ladies with Longchamps use organizer inserts? Just would like to add a few pockets and more shape to my large le pilage. I am sure this may have been covered in the site before. TIA!

  3. Two Cents

    I’m looking for work appropriate blouses/tops WITH sleeves, that are relatively fitted (I’m a standard hourglass and don’t look good in blousy tops). No more than $75 and ideally less. It should be a blouse/top that looks good untucked. I’m normally a size 4/small. Any ideas? I have scoured all of the usual stores. I already purchased a few Pleione tops from Nordstrom, which are coming in the mail this weekend. I love the colors of the Ravello top from Boden but the reviews say that the top is boxy, which won’t look good on me. Thanks!

    • Lsw

      I’m an hourglass and the ravello works well for me, but I’m also tall. I do wear it tucked in to a defined waist.

    • new anon

      Good luck with the Pleione. I have similar top-purchasing problems and tried one the other day–close but no cigar for me (just a little too big overall, though I think if I were taller and had less child-sized shoulders, it might have worked). In any case, no great advice from me, but I’m following in the hope that someone else will come up with some!

    • Maddie Ross

      I have several from Banana Republic that are silk or silk blends that (to me) fit this bill. I think regular price they may be a bit more than $75, but I’ve always purchased on sale for $40-ish.

      • Two Cents

        BR is normally my go to but they have few sleeved tops right now that are not drapey/baggy.

    • J

      I’m a tall long hourglass and really like Joie’s silk camp -style shirts for work (not sure that’s the name, but they’e collarless and have a henley style placket with the sleeve tabs that can be cuffed and buttoned up). Despite being silk they’re pretty sturdy and don’t require a camisole when worn with a skin tone bra. . Also love the way DVF button downs fit, and Vince Camuto’s pullover blouses. I always tuck them in to further define the waist

    • Eliza

      The Ravello is very boxy on me, and my waist is not well-defined. I wanted to love it, but returned it without hesitation.

  4. Mischief Managed

    Informal poll…. How much did you pay out of pocket in medical costs for your last pregnancy? NPR was airing horror stories yesterday from women who had paid 40k+ out of pocket for routine deliveries. And they had insurance. I don’t have kids, so am wondering, is that common?

    • Jb

      All in all, between $3k to $5k for each of my two deliveries. For my first, it was more because we had to pay for the epidural (which I’m still peeved about).

      $40k for a routine delivery is incomprehensible.

      • Mischief Manage

        Thanks everyone, I feel much better! I didn’t actually hear the story on the radio–just my husband’s version of it. I suspect something got lost in translation. I thought the numbers sounded astronomical, but not having any experience with it, I thought maybe there was something to it. Phew!

        • Esquared

          I think if you don’t have insurance, or have one of the ones that only cover 80%,t hat’s where you start getting into crazytown– esp if you have an emergency c-section or some other major operation.

      • Mischief Managed

        Thanks everyone, I feel much better! I didn’t actually hear the story on the radio–just my husband’s version of it. I suspect something got lost in translation. I thought the numbers sounded astronomical, but not having any experience with it, I thought maybe there was something to it. Phew!

      • JEB

        Once I hit my $2,500 out-of-pocket max for the year, everything else was free. I hit it pretty early in the year, due to a trip to the ER at 20 weeks.

        I know someone whose baby was in the NICU for almost 2 weeks. The specialists at the hospital apparently were not preferred providers on her insurance, and because of that, she was hit with a very hefty bill (around 20K). The hospital made them sign a form saying they understood the specialist wasn’t in-network. But really, what were they going to do…they had a brand new baby who needed specialty care. They couldn’t get up and go somewhere else. I think they’re trying to negotiate it down.

        Just goes to show that even with good insurance, you’re sometimes hit with surprises. I never would have imagined this scenario, but it might be worth checking into during a hospital tour before you decide where to give birth.

      • In House Lobbyist

        I paid about $4000-5000 out of pocket each time with C-sections both times. My insurance had a $4000 out of pocket family max and then I had to pay 20% after that. I think the total was billed at about $10,000 per delivery but I paid so much along the way – my OB required a $250 payment each month leading up to delivery. Once baby is born, they will also have seperate charges for hospital stay and dr visits.

    • anon-oh-no

      literally nothing. but at the time I had kids, we were on a high premium plan. so our premiums were higher but insurance covered 100%. for normal medical visits there was a $20 co-pay, but maternity care was totally covered w/o the co-pay. I was in the hospital almost 5 days with my second due to C-section complications.

      we now have a high deductible plan — which is basically the opposite. so I think I’d have to pay my out-of-pocket cap — which is like $1,800 a person or $6500 for the family. I suspect I’d pay the $1,800 for me, and then likely the same for the new baby for basic care in the hospital after the baby was born.

    • Anon

      Agree with Jb.

      Not sure where the NPR stories are from in the US (I heard the explosive-sniffing rat story twice though), but was 40K the initial bill for out-of-network care or something? Initial bills are usually like car sticker prices — no one pays that.

      That said, hospital bills with a newborn is awful. And I got grilled re insurance and counseled extensively by my doctor and hospital prior to delivery, so hard to see how this actually happens. [Did the person have health coverage but not maternity coverage, which I think used to be an option, and probably something that 45-year-old me still has by default though work.]

      I feel like I’m missing some pieces.

    • Wildkitten

      Under the ACA the out of pocket maximum for a family plan is $13,200, so I’m not sure where $40k would come from, but I’m not an expert on health insurance.

      • A Nonny Moose

        That was my first thought too… That doesn’t even make sense that she would have to pay that much oop.

        • L

          Pre-ACA. the average cost for a c-section was somewhere in the neighborhood of 25k. That of course was the bill and not necessarily what you’d pay. If you don’t have a routine birth, I’d imagine the costs would be astronomical (at least sticker value).

      • L

        Grandfathered plans are exempt from most coverage requirements, so if someone had a grandfathered plan the cost could easily exceed that.

        • Anonymous

          We used to have a grandfathered plan so we didn’t benefit from the new ACA coverage. When my employer switched providers, we were no longer grandfathered but our coverage with the new plan is much much worse and a lot more jumping through hoops. My employer also exercised its right to not pay for birth control (a religious exemption) and we are stuck with a very small limited plan from our health insurance provider. It’s been a mess. I pay out of pocket for BC now.

          • Anonymous

            How expensive is B/C? The last time I was on the pill, it seemed like there were a lot of generics that were not that expensive or otherwise it wasn’t that expensive. Do they let you use flex spending for the out of pocket cost?

            [Just trying to do some math on plans with high cost v. high deductible + flex spending for the balance. It seems that we pay one way or we pay another, so all of the “free” stuff is still pricey. I used to hate flex spending b/c of the annoyance of tracking $5 here and $10 there, but we now have a debit card feature and I just adore it.]

          • Another Anon

            I order mine (Nordette) through an online global pharmacy and it’s $25/three months, and you can order a year supply at once.

          • Wildkitten

            When I was on the ring and my insurance didn’t cover BC it was $140/month. Now I have an IUD and it was covered or it would have been $1000.

    • Lazy lawyer

      A few hundred dollars, but I’m fortunate to have free secondary insurance through my husband (Tricare) that picked up the costs my insurance didn’t cover. I had a four night hospital stay (c-section). Without secondary insurance, would have been approx. $5k total out of pocket for all maternity care (OB visits + actual delivery).

    • Maddie Ross

      Agreed – that amount is shocking to me. I was on a normal PPO when I had my first and paid about $2,700. We have since switched to a high deductible plan, as per person max on the plan is $2,000, so I’m assuming even with separate baby costs, we would likely come out the same or ahead (and the monthly premium payments are less, so even more likely to be ahead).

    • Anon

      Our hospital deductible was $500. We also have to pay a percentage of lab work and ultrasounds. Regular OB visits did not have a co-pay. So I would guess it was less than $1000 for the entire pregnancy. This does not include the amount that comes out of my check each month for health insurance.

    • ace

      Several thousand for my first, which included a loooooonnnnng labor and v-birth (starting one evening & continuing over 2 nights) followed by 2 nights in the hospital.

      Second was an induction so labor started in the early AM and baby born the same day. Maybe $1K total in co-pays, all or most of which were from flex spending dollars?

    • Blonde Lawyer

      I wonder if this has to do with accidental out of network care. I’m on the federal blue cross basic. If I go to an in-network hospital, it doesn’t matter if the various providers that see me there are in-network, it is all covered. If I had blue cross standard (last time I checked) every person would have to be in network, not just the facility, and it is really hard to find out unless you bring a laptop and look up every person who talks to you. Even then, you don’t know about the pathologist in the back room or the off site radiology.

      With basic, the downside is, if I go to an out of network facility I get zero coverage. With standard, I would still have coverage, I would just have to pay a higher coinsurance. My out of pocket maximums with basic do not apply to out of network care. There is no limit on that. I can petition to get out of network coverage if I feel in network is insufficient. Where I live, almost all facilities are in network, thankfully. There are also emergency care exceptions but you might end up in a fight over whether what you had was so emergent that you couldn’t take the time to find in-network care. Car accident and unconscious, absolute emergency. Sprained ankle? Probably need to find an in-network place.

      My husband recently hurt his foot ( I won’t get into the gross details) and was hobbling distance from an urgent care place. He didn’t think he could drive (it was his pedal foot) so he went there. While I totally understood, I didn’t know if they were in-network so I was afraid of getting a big bill. Luckily, they were in network.

      That’s my long way of explaining why someone may have ended up w/ a surprise big bill but I would be shocked if someone didn’t research whether their L&D facility was in-network over the 9 months they were pregnant.

      • Blonde Lawyer

        Unless the hospital changed its contract over the 9 months which I guess could happen but it is usually very publicized when a major hospital is dropped from a major insurers network. The media eats that up.

    • Need to Improve

      My first delivery was a $500 co-pay

      My second one I paid $0

      Both v-births

      My insurance is not fancy.

    • hoola hoopa

      With (a good) PPO: $1,500
      With Kaiser Perm (love): <$150
      All uncomplicated v-births, although I don't think the cost at KP is different for c/s.

      I know one person who had a $30k birth with insurance, and it was no where near a 'typical' birth. Not even remotely typical. Partly due to expected costs from choosing a birth center not covered by their insurance and partly due to a major complication that resulted in unexpected copays.

      Someone with a more typical-but-expensive birth (c/s) had $30k on the bill to the insurance co, but their share was maybe $3k?

    • Esquared

      Kaiser (HMO), pretty good insurance, 2 months to go until delivery– my company does a $1k deductible, but then gives us an account with $1k. I do not expect to pay anything out of pocket unless I decide to get care outside of Kaiser (like a doula, or additional coach or something). It’s actually one of the reasons I changed back from my husband’s gold plated firm plan to my gov HMO plan.
      It’s been pretty awesome so far at least in that respect and I haven’t had to deal at all with billing.

    • profmama

      $250 for the unmedicated hospital delivery, with hemorrhage after. 2 days in hospital.

      Home visit from a nurse at 3 days to check on baby care my anemia = $0

      Very pleased with our insurance.

  5. NYC tech

    Paid nothing at all, for any of the births. Not even a co-pay. These were home births with a midwife, so it took some fighting, but eventually our insurance covered it fully. Two different insurance companies & plans.

  6. NYC tech

    Styling help please! Afternoon wedding in a church, evening reception at a rural country club. Other guests will run the gamut from casual to formal, so I can wear pretty much anything.

    I would like to go for very chic but not flashy. Dress is a navy lace cocktail: http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/ivanka-trump-lace-popover-dress/4059144

    Help with shoes and accessories (especially thoughts on color)? Heel height can be 3-4 inches, but has to either be narrow size or have an ankle strap to stay on.

  7. Rentals

    TJ: Any recommendations for DMV apartment rentals that are short term or month to month? Or where to look?

    Parents are moving to the area and would like to rent for a few months before buying. Bonus if the place is furnished. Thanks in advance!

    • SH

      A ton – what’s the budget? I found out that a lot of the larger management companies will do 6-month rentals for a higher rental price because there are so many people coming in for a few months (and you can rent furniture too). There are more than a few executive apartment-type buildings as well downtown DC, which will be more expensive. And then there’s always craiglist, under the sublet heading.

    • JEB

      We sometimes put our out of town witnesses who will be here for several months in Oakwood properties. They’re short term and many are furnished. We’ve used the Crystal City location.

    • CountC

      I know the damage is done, so to speak, but I couldn’t. Not only would I not want people to see me wearing it, it just makes me sad.

      • ace

        +1. Even if the animal died long before you were born, it still would make me uncomfortable because it indirectly says using these animals for ornamentation is OK. I’d feel the same way about fur (so +1 to the comment below, too).

          • Anonymous

            Honestly if it were me I would probably bury them? I would want to get rid of them but also not have other people use them.

          • CountC

            I would throw them away. The person who owned them is dead and won’t know and I don’t want anyone else benefiting from it.

          • CountC

            Truthfully, I would have gotten rid of them immediately upon inheriting them. I wouldn’t want it in my house.

          • anon

            Sell and donate to a charity? Kind of not a great answer since you are still selling them but maybe the end justifies the means

          • Original Posting Anon

            Would it change if it was a piano with ivory keys and not jewelry?

            I guess I feel like throwing away the things is wasteful. Just like how I know vegans who wear leather goods they have bought from Goodwill because its better that its going to get use then to have it just go to waste.

          • CountC

            Yes, I struggle with the wastefulness aspect too, but my sadz take over in this instance. Disposing of jewelry is quite different than disposing of a piano however. I wonder if the ivory out of the piano could be donated for something useful? I really don’t know. I want to say donate it to a place that gives music lessons to low income children, so at least that way it’s being used for good, you know? But ugh, the feels.

            Niki

          • CountC

            To add, I like the idea of burying it better than throwing it away. Didn’t think that one fully through before posting.

    • Marilla

      I think (like inherited coral or fur), it’s okay to wear. But if anyone compliments you on it or asks about it, just make a point to note that it was inherited.

      • Anonymous

        Right. So let’s just carry on with the wealthy who have inherited deeply problematic but oh so pretty things wearing them. Because seeing rich people wearing consumer goods that are hard to obtain never has an impact on demand. Exactly.

        • Marilla

          It’s possible to make your point without quite such a heaping dollop of sarcasm. I think it’s a point on which reasonable people can disagree. It’s also not an opinion I hold particularly strongly, although I do own a few small inherited things from my grandmother (who was not wealthy, nor is my mom, nor am I) that I wouldn’t buy today. If I wear them occasionally (like a coral ring), it’s a tribute and memory to her – not a flag that I am a big fan of environmental devastation for the purpose of pretty things.

          • emeralds

            I agree with you, Marilla. I don’t have any ivory (although I may inherit a decorative piece when my father passes away) or coral, but I do have a vintage fur wrap that was a gift from a beloved family friend/surrogate aunt who has no children of her own. I guess she would count as wealthy, although I certainly am not. I don’t wear it frequently, and on the rare occasion that I do I always say that it’s a family piece.

            I also feel some cognitive dissonance about people who are so concerned about vintage fur, ivory, or coral, but still wear newly-made leather goods (using different animals for personal ornamentation) or buy a ton of fast-fashion clothing (which has a negative impact on the environment). Lest anyone think I’m some kind of monster, I eat 90% vegetarian because of concerns with the factory-farming industry and animal cruelty, and make a sincere effort to source any animal-based products ethically. Personally, I think those choices have a greater influence on animal and environmental welfare than not wearing a long-dead animal’s fur to two holiday parties a year, but of course, an individual is free to do what she wishes with those decisions, and draw lines where she is most comfortable.

          • CountC

            FWIW, I am a vegetarian for the reasons you mentioned (among others), only buy used leather (and really only for my horse gear), try to buy used clothing versus fast fashion (although I am certainly not perfect at it), don’t buy new cars, don’t use plastic shopping bags (and the like) or paper towels, try to use as much reusable items and recycle as much as I can. Again, I am certainly not perfect, but for me, this is what works. She did ask us what our own view was on it so . . .

        • DisenchantedinDC

          It wouldn’t stop me from wearing an inherited item if it had sentimental or other value. I’m not on a crusade to single handedly stop all the “deeply problematic” issues in society. Nor is my family particularly wealthy.

        • Not Wealthy

          I think this is a pretty ridiculous assertion. Ivory was incredibly common not that long ago, and was certainly not in the exclusive possession of the ‘wealthy.’ My inherited ivory comes from a grandmother who grew up on a depression farm eating lard sandwiches (if she was lucky) and didn’t have a new pair of shoes until she was 30 years old.

    • Jules

      Personally, I could not ignore the fact that I was wearing part of the body of a murdered animal, so I would throw it away (or burn/bury it).

      Just now, I got an e-mail from HSUS about a petition to press the Fish & Wildlife Service to finalize regulations intended to help stop the ivory trade; here’s a link for anyone who’s interested.

      https://secure.humanesociety.org/site/Advocacy;jsessionid=568229CACBAE9E4FBBCBB64CF222773E.app304b?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=6987&autologin=true&s_src=em_ha073115

    • Anon for this

      I think it in part depends on where you live. If you live where fishing is big industry, ivory and scrimshaw jewelry are much more prominent and everyone around there knows that it is only old ivory being re purposed to make these signature pieces. I’m still not totally comfortable with it but they are symbolic traditions from my hometown and mean a lot to my family so I would not throw them away. I was recently gifted a beautiful hand made basket that has an ivory shell at the bottom. Honestly, it made me sad even knowing the ivory was very old and that this was meant to be a heirloom piece. It was from my parents and cost them a lot so I smiled graciously and display it in my home. You can see the ivory unless you look down inside. I would do with your pieces what you are comfortable with.

      The laws in my hometown may change though and if that happens even this old reused ivory will be illegal.

      • Anon

        I think I have such an anti-waste mentality that if we’ve already killed an animal (or a tree, for that matter), I do not want a part of it wasted. And to then throw the item away to me disrepects the animal that much further. I’d treat it as a relic. It doesn’t belong in a trash heap, ever. I would bury it if I had to get rid of it, but would prefer to tuck it away and treat it with reverence.

    • Cream Tea

      Interesting question. I am of the view that wearing ivory or coral, even if inherited and the damages has already been “done”, maintains the visibility of the use of these materials in our society, whether widely acceptable or not. I would keep them for their sentimental value, but would not wear them.

      I would (and do) wear leather and fur, however. Sustainably sourced furs are an important industry, and if done responsibly, is no different to sustainable fishing or hunting. Similarly, I think leather is fine as it’s a good use of resources (i.e. farmed cows already being slaughtered).

      To me, the difference is irreversible and unsustainable environmental harm, vs. responsible and sustainable farming or hunting. Wearing the materials from either category promotes that practice. Poaching endangered species is not a practice I wish to support; responsible farming is.

    • RED

      Is this that different from inheriting jewelry with precious stones? Even “vintage” diamonds mined before blood diamonds became a thing could still have come from dubious sources (colonial Africa, apartheid S. Africa etc.).

  9. Roadtrip Books

    About to go on a long road trip and want some book recommendations please! I am into more mainstream/not-particularly-literary-masterpiece type books. Some of my favorites are John Grisham anything, Dan Brown anything, Harry Potter Series, James Patterson murder mysteries. I also like comedy-type books and enjoyed Mindy Kahling’s biography and Tina Fey’s Bossypants. TIA!

    • Sydney Bristow

      Check out James Rollins. The Sigma Force novels in particular sound like they’d be up your alley. Fast-paced, international settings, and cutting edge technology. I blew through everything he’s written over the past year and anxiously await new releases.

      • Roadtrip Books

        Audiobooks, but I have some beach time too so open to any recommendation

    • Jules

      Defending Jacob by William Landay

      Hunger Games trilogy (I listened in the car on CDs, definitely not literary masterpieces but kept me awake and interested on long drives)

      Station Eleven (which maybe IS a literary masterpiece but works on a lot of levels and has an engaging storyline)

      Jeffrey Deaver mysteries and short stories

      Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children

    • Runner 5

      I recently read the first book of the Outlander series… and then immediately books 2 and 3 too. I’m holding off on buying the rest purely because I’ve spent too much on books recently.

      On a totally different vein, Ghostman by Roger Hobbs is a great adventure/murder type book which I couldn’t put down.

    • DC emily

      The audiobooks of the Divergent series are pretty good – the books aren’t my usual taste but the narrator does a good job, especially in the first one.

    • Anon

      I found Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing to be an amazingly great read. It is an OLD book. But it is non-fiction that reads like fiction. An amazing job with a remarkable story.

    • January

      I recommended it last week, too, but Aziz Ansari’s “Modern Romance” is very funny and informative (more so than your standard celeb memoir). I read it, but I think it would probably be great as an audiobook.

    • Susie

      I recently started the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. It’s great light, fun summer reading/listening.

    • Bonnie

      I listened to Where’d you go Bernadette? on a recent long drive. Hilarious.

    • Eliza

      I read the All Souls Trilogy after a recommendation here and recommend it heartily. Easy read but absorbing, and the story’s a good one.

  10. Boston noms

    Recommendations for food in Boston? Both in terms of dishes and restaurants. Are lobster rolls popular there?

    So far I’ve heard:

    -Mike’s Pastries
    -Faneuil Hall
    -Harpoon Brewery

    • Anon

      I vote for Modern Pastry over Mike’s, but you can’t really go wrong either way.

    • Anon

      I vote strongly again Faneuil Hall, although it is a popular tourist destination, but as a resident I generally tried to avoid it at all costs.

      Do you know where you will be staying? Other ideas: Flour (my favorite bakery), South End – (Toro, Gaslight, Drink for drinks, but tons of options), Food Trucks (Bon Me, Kickass Cupcakes). In terms of classic seafood, I’d go to the wharf, Legal Seafood (which is everywhere) or Summer Shack.

      • anon

        Hard to say without knowing what you like or where you are staying but I would check out the new Boston Public Market instead of Faneuil. http://boston.eater.com/2015/7/30/9072483/boston-public-market-opens.

        These are all boston proper suggestions, but there are lots of great places in Cambridge, Somerville, ect.

        Cheaper breakfast/lunch: Flour (south end and back bay), Tatte (Beacon Hill), Paramount (Beacon Hill)

        Brunch: South End Buttery, Coppa (south end)

        Dinner… South End: The Gallows, B&G oyster, Toro, Coppa, Oishii, Banyan, Myers + Chang, Seaport/Fort Point… Blue Dragon, Row 34, Legal Harborside… North End.. all of the Italian restaurants, Crudo

        Happy to give more suggestions if you give me a bit more guidance!

    • PEN

      I love Neptune Oyster. I think I prefer their hot lobster roll—but the cold is also wonderful. Get one of each!

  11. Katniss Everdeen

    I’m looking for pretty tops to wear under suits. The ideal top is made out of a natural woven fabric, not jersey or knits, and is not clingy. No buttons. Muted colors (although prints are good too). Short sleeves would be dreamy. Oh, and I’m plus-sized (in the 22 range) – so the Ravello top from Boden won’t work. Any suggestions? Help!

  12. anon

    For people who have gotten laser hair removal (specifically on your underarms)… I had my first session on Monday, and ever since my underarms have been bumpy and with very visible hair roots (almost like little black dots), but I can’t actually shave because there is no hair poking out of the skin. Generally my underarms have a bit of a shadow (I have dark hair) but are smooth to the touch after I shave. Thoughts? Will this improve? The technician said something about the active hairs “falling out” within 2 weeks of the treatment. FWIW, I had 10 laser hair removal treatments on my bikini line and did not have this issue (after the treatment, the area was smooth, and the hair grew back normally after the first few treatments so I could shave normally).

  13. OCAssociate

    I don’t have experience here, so can’t help, but: I’ve been considering bikini/underarm laser hair removal. How painful is it, really? I have basically zero pain tolerance, so I’m scared I’m going to pay for 6 sessions and then chicken out after 5 minutes.

    • anon

      There are different types of machines… supposedly the most effective ones hurt the most. The machine they used on Monday for my underarms hurt SO bad I kept yelling “ouch ouch ouch” but laughing at the same time because I was embarrassed (so, it hurt A LOT but not enough to make me want to stop or actually cry). The machine they used for my Brazilian hurt a lot less but I still got great results (I think it was IPL?)

    • Anonymous

      It is rather dreadful but honestly, so so so worth it – especially underarms. Take a bunch of Advil before you go, use the Emla (?) numbing cream, grit your teeth and do it. If you choose to shave regularly now, your only regret will be not doing it sooner.

      I cannot stress enough the joy I feel when lifting up my arm after a long day, say after a flight, and not seeing a (to me) unpleasant shadow. No judgement towards those who choose not to remove hair there, of course!

      To anon at 1:25 I didn’t have these issues with either my bikini line or underarms. I did find my underarms much more sensitive to the treatment – maybe it is just swelling from the trauma of the laser that will subside? Please report back if you get an update!

    • Meara

      I’ve had several areas done at a few different places–and yeah, the most painful one was the most effective. But with numbing cream it was fine.

      I found if I shaved the same morning of the procedure I was more likely to have weird bump issues–almost ingrowns–than if I shaved the night before. Enough time for the hair to be just poking through the skin, maybe?

    • Anonymous

      It hurts horribly but like others have said, there’s things you can do. The numbing cream works OK. The aesthetician who did mine would let me hold ice on the area for a few minutes right before she did it, and that pretty much eliminated the pain. Totally worth it.

    • Double-Bingo

      As a counterpoint – I just had my first bikini/underarm session, and I didn’t think it was painful at all. It started out feeling like bursts of cold air, and stung a little bit by the end. Far and away less painful than waxing, in my experience. I’m sure it varies based on the machine and your skin/hair type, though. Maybe you could ask for a test first?

  14. elizabeth

    I bought this dress after seeing it here, and it is lovely. I am a size 6/8 and preferred the fit of the medium to the small. Great color, flattering draping and the price is excellent. Keep up the good recommendations!

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