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2019 was a great year for suits for women — these are some of my favorites from our regular feature “Suit of the Week,” which, as we note each week, seeks to find “the slightly different suit that is fashionable, yet professional.”
If you’re on the hunt for basic suiting, note that we've recently updated our roundup of interview suits for women in each price range, as well as The Corporette Guide to Basic Women’s Suiting.
Before I get to my favorite fun suits of the year, I wanted to point to some of our more recent, specific suit-filled roundups in case anyone is on the hunt…
We did a quick roundup of washable suits (a LOT of good options these days!):
We also did a major update on our post on the best plus-size suits for interviews…
The Best Suits for Women of 2020 (Fun, Interesting, Creative, and More, Oh My!)
The monthly links go back to the Corporette write-up for the suit… Anything marked with an asterisk is still in stock!
(If it isn't clear, you have to click the hyperlinks below the picture to see the original post on the suit.)
January (navy) / February (pink) / March (light blue)
(Do note that there are a lot of other colors if you're not into the light blue!)
April* (black) / May* (asymmetrical) / June* (gray)
The McQueen from June is on major sale!
July* (black) / August* (gray) / September* (teal)
(The teal blue one is on MAJOR sale right now, ladies — 60% off!)
October* (green) / November* (raspberry) / December* (white)
These were some of my favorite suits of 2020, readers — which were yours?
Here are links to our favorite women’s suits from 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2010.
Ellen
It was a tough choice, but I vote for the Ann Taylor grey suit you originally posted on August 12, and I bought it. I LOVE Ann Taylor, but unfortunately, I still have not worn it b/c of the pandemic, but hope to do so as soon as I have a litigation in court. The manageing partner normally does not like me in grey, but he made an exception b/c I told him I have so many red, black and blue suits that a clean new grey one would be better appreciated in court by the Judge. Dad hopes we all get to get our COVID vaccines soon so we can be back to regular calendar call and litigeating by March/April.
Anon
Lordy — The last thing I did before lockdown was fly to a large conference where everyone wore suits. Now, a suit is rain pants + 3-in-1 jacket. My closet reminds me of a wardrobe department for a movie, not something for real-life use.
Anon
So true and what is everyone’s prediction for business conferences? I was in Vegas a couple of times per year, then Orlando and potentially a couple more major cities for various conferences on an annual basis.
Anon
Honestly, if they go away, I will miss them and probably need to go more individual client trips vs see them all at an industry-wide conference. [Full disclosure: I’m an extrovert, so the main challenge is keeping up with work while away from work, especially if there is drama.] B/c I am a woman in a flyover state and my competition is often dudes who are local to clients, I really feel like I need to show up and be seen among my peers/competition.
Anon
I would be willing to bet that in my industry (finance) in-person conferences come fully back over the course of a couple of years for a variety of reasons. Maybe the more one-off trips get rethought.
Anon
I love business conferences and need them to drum up business for my consultancy so I hope they’re not a relic! Plus, I miss my industry friends and the chance to go out for fun dinners with them.
Anonymous
Well, I wore one 10 days ago, another the day before that, and I expect to wear another 10 days from now, so some of us still have them in rotation.
Anon
I envy you in a way. You know if your work clothes fit. Even if mine fit today, they may not whenever schools decide to reopen (my guess: after Easter/spring break, which is early April). The plan is for after MLK, but that ain’t going to happen (and for once, I am OK with that; would rather have them online at home vs at school with a sub being even further warehoused).
Anonymous
I do know — they don’t fit! This includes two more expensive suits I bought last summer and barely got to wear. And I have no idea where to find clothes that will fit my new body. I think I am awkwardly between sizes, with new problem areas for dressing. Changing size at my usual stores is not working and I really don’t want to go in-person shopping. I am enjoying decluttering the closet a bit, though.
Anonymous
The movie wardrobe is such an apt comment! Add to the fact that I’ll be WFHing permanently, with maybe monthly in-person meetings, and that means it’s time to part with some of my beautiful items that I loved so dearly.
Anonymous
That’s how I feel. It’s like looking at costumes . Already my office and the conference that I would go to were moving away from suits. This feels like the time I really need to purge. Other than job interviews or a blue moon formal meeting, I don’t think I need them.More often I think there is risk in looking like an out-of-touch Old in my industry. Of course, right now, jeans instead of yoga or track pants feels fancy!
Anon
The out-of-touch-ness makes me fear that it will be time for a reboot when I go back (largely dependent on schools reopening, which may be . . . never?). We were casual, whatever casual meant before we wore pajamas all day and Uggs. We were business casual before that. Some clients and conferences are very old-school: suits even in the evenings. The problem is that nothing wore out. So it will never wear out now. But maybe it will just be time for a refresh.
The few times I have gone into the office recently I have looked like an Everest climber — lots of fleecy layers, socks, hiking boots. I am never trusting that they heat it adequately with so few people there. So Eddie Bauer / Patagonia / LLBean casual? I don’t live in Colorado or anywhere like that, so this is is about just knowing no one will see you or care much as long as no one important ( = external client) sees it.
No Face
I’m an attorney so I will definitely wear full suits to court, but I am very curious to see how people will dress in the office for non-court, non-client days when the pandemic is over. People in my office have been wearing jeans and athlesiure. I am one of the more formally dressed people when I’m there because I built up a collection of stretchy but formal-looking pants from my years of having babies. My old uniform was sheath dress + blazer/sweater/wrap, but I can’t imagine wearing that every single day.
Gail the Goldfish
Yea, I look at the two new suits I bought in February for my anticipated year of lots of depositions and trials and just think, well, in hindsight, that was a waste of money.
Anon
Are you me? I also bought two new suits in February, after not having bought a new suit in years. “Time to reup my wardrobe game for all the conferences I go to!” was my thought process. SMH.
MBA
This hive has covered this before but I would like input on putting MBA after your name at top of LinkedIn profile. I recall it is not a professional license, not required to “practice business” so doesn’t fit like JD or MD. But it is a serious professional degree that sets one apart for senior level roles. Thinking about testing it for a period of time to gauge reactions.
Anon
Do you see other people in your field doing it? It seems very weird to me, but I’m not
I’m that field. (And lol that an MBA is a serious degree.)
Anon
I am not an MBA but an MBA is definitely a serious degree. If I am hiring for certain roles, I absolutely look for one. To the OP, I wouldn’t put it after your name but prominently in your education section and have education up top on your profile.
The above comment must live in an elite bubble where everyone has access to all the higher education they want.
Anon
An MBA isn’t a fluff degree and most people I know with them either worked prior or during their program, which was no treat. That said, I can’t recall people I know putting it at the top. What is “market” for the group you’re competing with for jobs? If it’s maybe just an MBA-preferred job, maybe it matters more (vs something where the MBA is just assumed among job holders / candidates). I don’t know.
JD
My guess is the LOL comment is from a JD. JDs love to look down on MBAs.
OP
OP here…agree with the bubble comment from the other poster. I have a serious 54 credit MBA with published thesis from a prominent program at very large state university. It is in my education section on LinkedIn Profile…thanks for the good idea to put it somewhere up top but not necessarily after my name. Now at a senior level, this has become a little more important to me and I want to ensure it is not overlooked.
Anon
I was with my husband for the tail end of his later-in-life bachelors degree, and then for the entirety of his masters degree. He says he learned more in his MBA program than the entirety of his undergraduate degree, and I believe him.
I helped him with all the math for his MBA so I always say the M is mine.
Anon
I suspect you are not in the small percentage that has earned a graduate degree.
LaurenB
An MBA is indeed a serious degree (you must have been joking) but I have only rarely seen someone title themselves as Mary Smith, MBA. It feels a bit off to me. Of course it would go on your resume and LinkedIn.
Shanananana
So, I’ll bite and out myself as someone who has this after their name in profile. I am in HR, and an MBA is not normal in my profession, but it is for the other people sitting at my level in different roles within the company. I chose to do it specifically to round out a lot of finance knowledge that helps me participate in higher level conversations. I include it in linked in as it amplifies something that can help differentiate me. It is also from an executive program that is nationally ranked, so I stand behind it being a lot of work that has majorly impacted my career and how I think and function at work.
OP
OP here….love this. Similar to you, I want to use it to stand out/differentiate…I am in Big Tech but my expertise is definitely business vs. tech. I get a lot of attention on LinkedIn already so will do a trial with MBA after name and assess results.
anon
I feel like I see people in HR doing this more than in other functional areas. I have an MBA from a well-ranked program, and it’s in my education section along with my other degrees, but I wouldn’t put it after my name in my profile. BUT – I’m senior in my career. I think if I had fewer non-educational qualifications I would feel differently.
Anonymous
How would you gauge reactions? People aren’t going to reach out to share an eyeroll emoji.
Anon
I was wondering this too.
Anonymous
I’m in a position to hire MBAs for my team in key investment roles, and if I see it in your LinkedIn heading, my assumption will be that you are a very recent graduate without a lot of work experience. If I’m looking for a position with experience, I’m not likely to read further than that. Consider if that’s the assumption you want hiring managers to make.
Anon
Sorry but this would be my casual read as well.
anon
+1 in general the more prominent education is in your profile, the more recently I assume you graduated
Cat
I don’t think putting MBA after your name is a thing that actual seasoned professionals do. FWIW I don’t think “JD” belongs after your name in such circumstances either.
Anonymous
Agreed. If I see JD after someone’s name, I assume it is either a poorly-credentialed, job-seeking recent graduate or someone who went to law school and works for lawyers as a non-lawyer and wants (but doesn’t feel she gets) respect as their equal. I say this as someone who had a JD and worked, for a time, as a non-lawyer for lawyers. (But I have never put JD or Esq. behind my name.)
Anonymous
Or it’s the culture of the organization… I’m a jd in the category you described and it makes my skin crawl to have to put jd after my name in my email signature but it’s required for me. Organizational culture is to list basically all degrees (not bachelors unless it’s a BSN or you’re in a field that doesn’t usually require a bachelors, but literally anything else).
Anonymous
Well, then yes, you have to follow the culture.
Litigator
Email sig on your work email is VERY different than your LinkedIn header. VERY.
ElisaR
congrats on the MBA!
do not put it after your name. that’s not appropriate. and definitely would elicit an eyeroll that you likely won’t see.
Anonymous
Putting “MBA” after your name on LinkedIn would be off-putting, suggesting you felt it was your greatest accomplishment (in which case I’d question why you hadn’t done anything worthwhile since) or that you were European and primarily targeting that market. I’m someone who has recruited MBAs, and has earned one myself.
Anonymous
Wow, I actually side eye people that put it in their profile. And I have an MBA myself (and just an mba- not a jd/mba).
It is Not Done in my industry.
Anon
I’m looking for a pajama set where you can buy different sizes for tops and bottoms. I am an extreme pear and tend to be XS/S on top and M/L on the bottom. I love the look and feel of modal sets like Stars Above at Target or Eberjey, but they don’t let you buy separates. Any suggestions? Would like to spend less than $100 if possible.
Anonymous
Soma sells pajamas as separates.
Anon
*facepalm* Totally forgot about Soma! Thank you. Going to stock up there now!
anon
Definitely Soma…you can buy tops and bottoms in different sizes, they have many choices and a big sale right now. I have had their pants and shorts and they last for years…..
Jules
I’d be cautious with the “cool nights” line from Soma. I have some Soma pajamas (not cool nights) I’ve been wearing for four years and they look like new but some I got in October started pilling within the first two weeks.
Anon
I’ve been wearing Cool Nights for 10+ years and still have some of my original pieces. I sincerely hope they haven’t changed, because I’ve had zero pilling.
Anonymous
I purchase the Stars Above as separates on Poshmark or Mercari (NWT), so that I can get the mix and match sizes that I need. It’s an option.
Kitten
Nordstrom Rack website.
Anonymous
Aerie.
Anon
Thoughts on SummerSalt? I love the look of their products, but everything seems to be sold out, always. Do they just not make very much? I swear this happens every time I visit their site. Have my eye on the cashmere scarf and some of the loungewear.
Question
What barre classes are you all doing from home? A former barre fanatic, I was sidelined by an injury several years and would only just be getting into it now (so I know I need to ease in). Am ideally looking for videos 40-45 minutes long, not too loud/crazy music, and free/cheap (less than $20/month). I also want just one chance/person I can consistently tune into several days a week (at my own time) and not have to bounce around between places. Reccs? TIA!
nutella
Obe.
ollie
+1 to Obe. Great mix of live and on-demand classes, including barre and barre cardio. Most of their classes are 30 minutes, but there are a bunch of 45 minute ones. If you’re just looking for barre classes, Barre3 Online is another good option. I only switched to Obe because I wanted more variety in my workouts, but Barre3 has a large library of 30, 45, and 60 minute barre classes that gets updated weekly.
Anon
A local studio is doing online classes for $10/month! I haven’t done it but my friend loves the classes. The studio is in Philly, but it’s online so anyone could sign up. Plus, it’s a local studio/small business.
Google Tuck Barre and Yoga
ollie
Oh I love them too! I went to law school with the owner and she’s wonderful
NYCer
I do Physique 57.
Thanks, it has pockets!
I’ve been using a local studio’s OnDemand platform, they’re called Barre Groove but they offer a lot more than barre! They do dance cardio, “cardio sculpt,” and strength training classes that focus on specific areas of the body. I’ve been using it since June and I swear by it, but it is $25 per month so a bit outside your stated price range. The music’s also a bit clubby, so maybe not your thing.
Anonanonanon2
I like Melissa Wood Health videos, which aren’t strictly barre but are a lot of the same muscles. It’s sort of yoga meets mat pilates meets barre, but she’s all about “long lean lines.” I think she has some you can try for free and then she’s like $5 a month? The videos all also range from a quick 7 minute workout to target one area of the body to full body longer ones
Coach Laura
Peleton now has barre offerings. I’ve used it for indoor spin and yoga and have pre-viewed a few barre classes. I’d be a beginner as I haven’t done barre since I was 20 years old. At $12.99 a month it is cheap. And there is a 30-day free trial continuously so you can try it out and review the barre classes.
SFAssociate
Barre centric is a studio in upstate NY that has an online membership and a ton of free videos on YouTube. The Bar Method also has a pretty extensive video library (and many studios doing zoom classes) but in general their classes are on the more expensive end. They may have promo codes or a free trial though. Peloton video barre classes are good but there are not many of them on the app currently.
Camla
I use ballet based movement on YouTube. It’s a mother and daughter team and is advertised for over 50s and beginners. They have a lovely relationship and every work out is a lot of fun (also free!).
Molly
Second tuck barre and yoga! 9.99 /month and the classes are so fun! I genuinely love the instructors – all so funny amd genuine and each instructor focuses on form which I haven’t found in online classes. Owners are wonderful and both lawyers full time, and tuck is really focused on making barre more diverse and inclusive (they offer free training scholarships for POC).
anon
I know tips have been discussed before here but I didn’t have any luck searching. I’m in Dallas and moved into a new building this month that has concierge and valets. They’ve been helpful so far so even though I have lived here a few weeks I am going to give a NY gift. Is $40/pp acceptable? There’s like 8 of them in total.
Cecily
I think they will be pleased and grateful to get any sort of tip from you given that you just moved in, and $40 is definitely a useful amount. You might want to ask the super or building manager for a full list of the building staff, since there are other people who may do work behind the scenes (porters, etc.) who should be included. If it’s helpful for reference, we live in NYC and generally figure out a total amount we are wiling to give, then break it up among the workers, with more going to the more senior or more appreciated individuals, and less going to the newcomers and the people lowest in the ranks. (I would do a pretty even allocation, but my spouse is of a differing mind.) When we lived in a big building, the lowest-seniority workers were getting like $10 or $15 from us because there were just so many staff members. Now that we live in a small building with only eight or so staff, they are getting substantially more.
Anonymous
Are there any apps that sort of gameify goals? Like, I would like to stretch more, and drink more water, and floss. And I’m the type of person who will entirely forget this absent some external motivator.
Anon
Following
Anon
Not what you asked but the only thing that got me into flossing (or in my part of the world – using interdental toothbrush) daily was sticking to a rule “I am not allowed to put a mascara unless I have flossed“. So I floss daily. It takes a minute if you do it regularly.
The Lone Ranger
There are tons of apps available. I’ll link to some, but assume the post will go into moderation. Check back for a reply to this post.
The Lone Ranger
https://www.lifehack.org/668261/best-habit-tracking-apps
Anonymous
Ohhhh cool thanks. The terminology “habit tracking” was escaping me.
KS IT Chick
Quick PSA: if you’re spending most of your time wearing headphones or earbuds, make sure that you are cleaning them regularly. Otherwise you may end up with an external ear infection.
The urgent care provider I saw yesterday said that he is seeing a lot of people who work from home dealing with this. It hurts out of proportion to the actual problem and you can’t wear earbuds or headphones in/on the affected ear until the swelling starts to subside.
Anon
Also, is that good for your ears / hearing long-term? My kids are on them a lot for zoom school (more than I’d like but what can you do?).
KS IT Chick
Also, is that good for your ears / hearing long-term? My kids are on them a lot for zoom school (more than I’d like but what can you do?).
pnw anon
Thank you for this! Just gave them a big old wipe down. Was grody enough that I’ll probably do this obsessively now, lol.
Anonymous
How do you decide how much clothing you need? I am finally in the headspace to really clean out and clean up my wardrobe, but I have always been one who has too much and I don’t know where to stop. I am not a true minimalist. I want to have more than 2 suits and more than 3 pairs of workout pants. I have a life that involves every level of dressing, from lounge to business formal. I have a social life that involves multiple “social” outfits per week. I currently rotate through more than a corner of my closet. And I like to buy some new things each season (but going forward, I want fewer, better quality things). So I don’t want a capsule wardrobe. But I have wasted way too much time and money managing a boatload of clothes. Does anyone have a formula or a thought process that has worked? I am also curious if anyone has a process for culling their wardrobe at the end or beginning of a season to allow for some new things without bloating.
Anon
Not sure I have a ton of advice, but I actually like to edit out clothes at the end of the season (if I think of it) because I can more easily reflect on what I actually wore and how I felt when wearing it.
I don’t have any hard rules, but I think we all have those items that we almost force ourselves to wear sometimes and are not happy when we do….get rid of those for sure, if you don’t do that already.
Anon
I should also add, I started Anthrolopolgie’s clothing rental service Nuuly over a year ago and I cannot recommend it enough (if it is something that fits in one’s budget/style use). It sounds like something like this might serve you well. The budget portion really depends on if you cut down your clothing purchases over the long term by more than the rental fee, which I think I have (I basically don’t buy “going out” shirts anymore, for example (pre-pandemic)). Even if you end up spending about the same or slightly more, I think you still come out ahead by not having so much clothing to store and constantly having cute new things to wear.
Anonymous
Your tip to clean out after the last season while things are fresh is a helpful one. Thanks!
And I will check out the wardrobe services, but I look terrible in a lot of trendy clothes stylists might pick, so I am not sure I’m a great candidate. I wish I were an Anthro woman, though
Anon
Fair, just to add a detail if it matters to know: you pick the clothes you rent, not a stylist. I dislike services where people pick anything for me.
Anonymous
Oh! I will check it out. Thanks. (OP)
Anon
I do! This process came from actual lived experience. I got invited to a last minute bar gathering after work one day (many years ago) and asked my husband to bring me an outfit to wear when he joined us. (My job at the time involved a uniform and I could not go out in my uniform.) So my husband showed up and I was like ew, why would you bring this shirt, it is so outdated and these jeans barely fit me! His response was “then why do you still have them?”
So they test I use to keep or donate is to pretend I’m in a situation where I need someone to bring me an outfit from my closet. If I would be disappointed to get said outfit, it gets donated, unless it is something I’m saving for a specific occasion – like a polo for golf or a velvet blazer for Christmas. The stuff like that I also keep in a separate closet. My goal is to be able to say oops, spilled coffee, please bring me another dress and have it be one I like and that fits!
Anon
This is a great approach. Having plenty of clothing that fits and looks good also saves so much time – in the morning getting dressed, and in avoiding emergency laundry situations.
OP
I think back and this is what I had when I was just starting my work life. I made little, so I was pretty careful about what I bought and I spent a fair amount of time in-store shopping/trying on rather than Internet buying. (But back then I was also at my ideal weight and had proportions of a fit model, so it was easier.) If I currently had the budget and time and freedom to roam, I would be tempted to just put it all on Poshmark and start over.
Anonymous
Oh, boy. The thought of having someone blindly pick something from my closet to wear then and there is chilling!
Anon
My friend went through a terrible divorce that involved an unwarranted restraining order against her and her having 15 minutes to get items from her house with a civil standby. I was with her and she just totally froze up. So I grabbed a suitcase and picked as many clothes as I could fit into it. I tried to make actually outfits as I put stuff in there and all I could think of was if someone was doing this for me, I’d be lucky if any of it fit!
anonshmanon
I have enough basics for roughly two weeks. DH does laundry on weekends, but often takes another few days until washed clothes come off of the clothesline. I rarely find myself urgently needing laundry to happen, but if there is more than the usual delay, I have to resort to non-favored pairs of socks. For me, that’s the right amount.
From what you wrote it sounds you are less interested in reducing overall, but to keep it more manageable. Identifying a few good neutrals and accent colors (ala capsule) would help to cut down on finding outfits and make more combinations. If you want to buy new pieces each season but keep it manageable, a one-in-one-out rule would work.
Anonymous
I would love to get comfortable with a one-in-one-out habit. And your concept of two weeks makes sense, as I really don’t “need” more than that. I have w/d in the house. I do need to cut deeply, though. I have a lot of excess stuff. Fourteen days’ worth per season, plus some occasion items, should be plenty. Getting there or close is going to be tough — cutting beyond what doesn’t fit or is out of style — but, I think, freeing.
anonshmanon
Going to answer here, but having read your other replies, especially about clothes taking over your spare room and maybe pointing to a way of thinking about the problem in terms of space instead of getting yourself dressed. If you are serious about getting the amount manageable, I think something has to give. Maybe you’ll have to do a drastic purge and free up a lot of space all at once, which will be useful if your collection of clothes has very slowly become unmanageable, over the last ten years or so. If it’s more recent (when was the last time you used the spare room? The last time you moved?), that would indicate that your shopping habits need an update, otherwise any space from decluttering is filled up within a year or so. I don’t know how many “a few pieces” each season entails. If it’s three for the sake of an example, that makes 12 a year – 12 pieces take up quite a few hangers or drawer space. This wouldn’t include replacement or update pieces, where something old goes out when you buy. You can analyze and determine how much growth your wardrobe can afford, and perhaps set a limit of pieces per year (or budget limit, depending on your preference).
This is just a different way to approach the problem.
Anon
In your shoes, here’s what I would do: I would either put things in a separate closet/room/space, or if that’s impossible, turn the hangers the wrong way and put the stuff in drawers/shelves in boxes. Every time you want to wear something, pull it out and add to your regular closet/turn it back the normal way. If after wearing it or trying it on, you realize it’s itchy or doesn’t fit right, then put it in the donation box, not back in the closet. Anything you wear and like wearing, put in your closet. Eventually, you’ll notice that you’re going into the “backup closet” less and less — I bet anything that you haven’t rescued from there *by actually wearing* after some time is not something that you really want. I think this is helpful to find your “click point” — the size of your closet that makes sense for your lifestyle and preferences.
Of course, when I did this I realized that everything I have left is black or denim, so I just went with it! My wardrobe makes me really happy now and I feel very little desire to shop.
OP
I like this idea and have been doing a version of it. I’ve tried wearing things and if, at the end of the day (or upon pulling it out), I know I don’t particularly like it, I immediately toss it or put it in the wash pile and then donate (depending on the item’s potential value to someone else). It’s been helpful. But the biggest impetus for this project is the need to get everything into one room so my only other room can be used for its intended purpose(s). I am so embarrassed by how much I have accumulated, though.
anon a mouse
Don’t get trapped in a sunk cost fallacy, though. Just because you bought it once doesn’t mean you have to keep it. In fact, a friend recommends a test like that when purging: if your house burned down (god forbid), would you re-buy this item?
Anonymous
Oh, yes. I am past that. I was there at one time, but no longer.
Anon
I do the turn the hanger the other way thing and go through anything that hasn’t been worn every six months. I also purge things throughout the season as well– normally, there isn’t a ton left to go through at the six month point.
I have a wardrobe tracker, but have found it’s not that helpful because of the reasons you mentioned– I have a lot of different occasions to wear clothes to. So, I may have a dressy casual top that I wore to 3/3 baby showers that I went to one year, but that still shows up as less wears than my workwear, etc. It is more helpful to keep track of how many items I have, etc.
Limiting buying is the best way to address this problem. I only buy clothes if they are within a certain color palette I’ve chosen and are certain silhouettes, and I avoid buying duplicates of items I already own. For example, I am really into cream sweaters and keep finding myself gravitating towards cream sweaters I already own. Old me would have just bought the new sweater in a different color… which I would have ended up hating and never wearing. Having everything in a similar color palette makes it easier to pack and has helped cut down my wardrobe even more– it’s amazing how many accessories/pants you end up accumulating to go with the shirt in the weird color that doesn’t match everything else.
For leisurewear– I change out my drawer each season and instead of just putting everything in there, I just add it as I need it or want it. This makes it easy to weed out the pair of leggings you hate but feel bad about trashing, etc.
OP
The next phase will certainly be limiting purchases. I, too, have a cream sweater affinity, so I will be working on following your advice to not buy duplicates of things I own. I did do just that in years past.
Anon
At this point I just want enough pants and shirts to wear until the next laundry day. I re-wear jackets or cardigans or hoodies but always change the base layer. This is how I’ve lived all pandemic and could probably live this way going forward. But I did finally reach the point of being sick to death of the seven tops in rotation and am looking to get some new ones, maybe not seven, but at least three or so in order to have a little change.
I haven’t touched my workwear in ages. Occasionally I pull out a nicer blouse and one jacket for an important zoom, but then I find everyone else on the call is wearing hoodies.
OP
This sounds pretty freeing in some ways, depressing in others, but it is not my current life in any way. I realize my post probably seems untimely to many. Getting my spare room and spare time back from excess clothing is both preparation for the coming months of home life and preparation for post-pandemic life.
Senior Attorney
I have a lot of clothes but I feel like that tends to happen if you live a long time and stay close to the same size! Generally I’m okay with that because I also have a lot of storage space, but obviously the space is not infinite and there need to be limits. My rules are (a) don’t have more clothes than I can reasonably store: If I start running out of closet space I know it’s time for a major clean-out. (b) If I don’t love it, I don’t keep it. I’ve made some expensive mistakes but I’ve learned that keeping things I don’t like doesn’t make me like them any more, and if I force myself to wear them I just end up feeling not-good. (c) That said, I’ve been allowing myself to spend more per piece and am quite a bit happier if I spend, say, $200 on a silk shirt I love instead of the same $200 on four or five polyester shirts that are just okay. (d) If it’s worn out or stained or doesn’t fit right, I get rid of it even if I love it (looking at you, fun printed J Crew t-shirt from a few seasons ago with the mysterious holes at the waistline).
Jess
I was just going through my Mom’s closet with her. We got rid of 7 plastic bins of things.
She won’t thin out her collection of basic t-shirts because she doesn’t want to do laundry more. You need to do laundry more often to have a smaller wardrobe basically. (Or you need to be willing to air out a shirt that hasn’t been warn long and put it back on a different colored hanger, which is what I do.) Switching out seasonal items is a pain, but you need to do it to get your spare room back. There are also a number of options to increase your storage (space under the bed, thinner hangers) or to more efficiently fold clothes.
Accessories or changing your hair/makeup can make an outfit feel fresh to you without taking more closet space.
Aunt Jamesina
I’m a… maximalist minimalist, if there is such a thing? I live in a place with four distinct seasons, and like you, have to have a wardrobe that spans the gamut of formality. I also really like clothes and having options when I get dressed. I would decide on clear physical space limits and cull your wardrobe to fit that space without being crammed in.
I decided when we moved into our house with 1960s reach-in closets that my wardrobe (aside from coats in our entry closet) could not exceed the 50% of the closet I share with my husband plus the 6 drawer dresser I have– which really is a TON of space when I think of most of human history and compared to many today! No more off-season bags or bins or borrowing space from the guest room closet since those clothes generally languished. I also mostly practice one in one out. It’s really helped, and I wear far more of my wardrobe now (um, aside from this year!). I can see everything on a daily basis.
pnw anon
I have a sizable wardrobe with minimal storage space in my apartment, and so i rotate between keeping my spring/summer and fall/winter clothes in storage. I cull things as I put them into storage and as I bring them out of storage. When I bring things out of storage I try everything on, which helps me make decisions based on whether I can see myself wearing it in the next 3 months.
I also keep a bag of donations going at all times, so that if I am wearing something where the fit is off, or I come across some old tshirts at the bottom of a drawer that i never wear anymore, etc, i wash then drop them in the donation bag.
I am ruthless about donating things if the fit is off, the color doesn’t work, the fabric isn’t comfortable. They go. I have never regretted an item. I keep some for sentimental reasons, but have found that most things end up getting donated down the line anyway.
Having a small closet really helps me keep my wardrobe more manageable. I love clothing and am nowhere near a minimalist, capsule wardrobe.
Anonymous
I do quick counts of how many pieces I have in a category. For work I can get through a season if I start with 15 pairs of pants and half a dozen skirts or dresses, and if I have that many at the beginning of the season I put them on my Don’t Buy list. For work I also don’t need more than a similar total number of blazers plus other toppers. By the end of the season about a quarter of the pieces will wear out, and I can then fill in the gaps the next year.
Hilaria
Because I have nothing else to think about: Hilaria Baldwin…..
In the spirit of generosity of spirit, I’m sincerely curious – does anyone who identifies strongly with two cultures relate to what she’s claiming?
I’ll admit, I’m struggling to. I am fluent in two languages – English is native and I learned Spanish through school, college and beyond. It was just something I learned. I spent a good lot of time in Spain and respect and love the culture, but it’s not “mine.” That all said, I cannot fathom her having an accent when speaking her native language (English). I also do understand the “cucumber” TV soundbite thing – I think, if I stretch? If Spanish was spoken interchangeably in her home, I can understand the recall issues in one language vs another (and I don’t know if it was for her). But the fact it was on live TV with also a somewhat heavy Spanish accent while speaking English just smells fishy.
Discuss. (and yes I know “who cares?” and “aren’t there more pressing issues in the world?” … but I don’t know why I can’t get enough of the story. Maybe because it’s not politics or pandemic related? Or because I, too, am bilingual and white-affluent-suburban Boston born/raised? Feel free to scroll on by if this story doesn’t entertain you!
Anonymous
Oh I’m so here for this tea party. I loathe her whole yoga in my panties 3 days post partum thing and really the whole family. So much ridiculous spon con too must be hard up for funds.
Anon
This story is giving me life. How could anyone in the age of the Internet think they could get away with this crap? It’s delusional
Anon
How has no one who knew her growing up not casually mentioned this to a tabloid by now?
Anon
I think she was just not famous enough until now for the story to have any traction.
The clip of her not knowing the english word for cucumber is just too much.
Monday
The gossip account DeuxMoi has shared some tips it got earlier about her–exactly along these lines. They’re not sure why it didn’t blow up earlier, nor am I. This is hi-LARIAs!
Anonymous
This story–OMG. I read yesterday that a stalker of her husband’s actually outed this story ages ago but because she was his stalker she was ignored.
Anon
I feel like that actually could be a 30 Rock story line. Hilarious.
Anon
I’m in your same demographic. My college Spanish professor was as well. I went on a summer abroad trip in Spain that she chaperoned and occasionally she would struggle to remember a word in English. As she was Caucasian with English as a first language we all found this cringe worthy. She did not have an accent when she spoke English.
However, as I progressed with my Spanish, I would start to dream in Spanish. As you become more fluent, you are no longer translating words but they are just coming to you as naturally as they do in your native langauge.
I would find times where a phrase would pop into my mind and I would have to find the appropriate English equivalent because it wasn’t a word for work translation. Like Ojala Que being like saying Oh if Only. I enjoyed drinking Clara in Spain and didn’t know the U.S. equivalent was Shandy. Likewise, and my husband LOVES to make fun of me for this, but I never had Fanta soda growing up. The first time I had it was in Spain. I only knew it with the Spanish pronunciation. When I saw it in a US grocery store I said “oh they have Fanta! (with the Spanish pronunciation) and my husband was like, ahhhh you mean Fan-ta? (with the US pronunciation.)
I don’t know the controversy we are discussing but these are my lived experiences.
Anon
I think your pronunciation of Fanta is correct, that’s the way they say it in the commercials.
ElisaR
and now i have the Fanta commercial in my head!
Party Animal
I think the thing that bothers me most is about the Hilaria thing is that she has been posing as an immigrant, even a white, European immigrant. So wrong.
Anon in So Cal
I did not even know who she was before this blew up and have no opinion on her or her family. But I know a fair number of people who are genuinely bi-cultural (both from Spanish-speaking countries and various Asian countries) including very good friends and former roomates. There is a huge difference between learning to speak a language as an adult and growing up in a bilingual/bicultural household. The people I know grew up in the United States with one or both parents who spoke their (non-English) native language at home. In some cases they learned English as a second language in pre-school or elementary school. In some cases one parent spoke English. Some of them have absolutely perfect English (at least to my ear); some of them have slight differences in intonation from native English speakers; some of them definitely speak English with an accent. A lot depends on their home environment, which language their parents defaulted to in speaking with each other, and where they grew up. There is a lot of variation. My own experience (which is not scientific) is that my Asian-American friends who were born here speak absolutely perfect English even if their parents do not while my Hispanic friends often speak with a slight accent. I am not sure why except that the Hispanic kids had more of an opportunity living in Southern California to speak Spanish with friends (or it may just be that you cannot generalize based on a sample size of 20).
More to the point I feel uncomfortable judging the genuineness of someone else’s cultural identity. There is no dispute that one of her parents is Spanish, that she grew up in a house where Spanish was spoken, that she speaks fluent Spanish, and that she spent considerable time in Spain. It is not like the woman is laying claim to a heritage that is not hers.
Anon
But there is dispute as to whether either of her parents are Spanish, and how much time she spent in Spain is also up for debate, not necessarily “considerable”.
Anon
https://pagesix.com/2020/12/28/who-are-hilaria-baldwins-parents/
No Face
Yeah, she claimed that she moved to the United States to go to NYU. She grew up in Boston!
The inability to just accept that some people blatantly lie is how we got Trump in the White House. No need to twist yourself into knots to explain their behavior!
Anon
OK, Hillary.
LaurenB
Hillary didn’t lie. Trump did / does constantly.
Anon
This reminds me a little of Gillian Anderson’s controversial British accent.
Anonymous
I’m with this poster. My spouse grew up as a first-gen Amercian in a culturally European home learning the native language from his parents (spoken full time) and English from his older sister and school. He speaks with no accent but the word–recall thing (…how do you say xx?) is something he and his sister and parents have done before.
Anon
But it’s becoming increasingly clear she is not first gen American….she is like multi gen American, if even Spanish at all…based on what I’ve read.
anonyK
Its a very entertaining gossipy story that you don’t have to feel too bad about enjoying- that’s the appeal I think! Mindless gossip. It’s also pretty much exactly what it looks like- her putting on this accent and changing her name to look more interesting/exotic/special in the influencer world. Nothing more, nothing less.
Lily
I don’t know anything about her and have no opinion of her or this controversy in particular. But it bothers me that people are so ignorant they feel they have to point out that Hillary/Hilaria is a “white person.” People from Spain are largely white. If she is lying about being Spanish, she isn’t lying about her race. She’s just lying about where she is from or where her parents are from, in order to sound more interesting. This is not the same thing as lying about being African-American or whatever. This is akin to someone lying about being British or French. Definitely pathetic but nothing more than that.
Anon
Thinking about doing a buy nothing year in 2021. I already am very decluttered and don’t buy much, but I noticed that since the pandemic I’ve been buying way more stuff that usual — cooking things, stuff for the home, etc. Exceptions would include books because I’m trying hard to keep my local indie in business — I already give books as gifts almost exclusively. Anyone do this and have any advice?
Anon
I would love to do this, too. My boyfriend moved in this summer and very quickly and aptly noticed that my buying things is related to anxiety more than anything else. (I may not be able to control the world, but I can control the way my house looks and the clothes I wear!) So I think for me to successfully do this, I need to work on decoupling shopping and anxiety. Just making a budget or saying I won’t buy X isn’t going to work for me.
Anon
There is a local Buy Nothing group for my neighborhood- you can post for wishes of particular items or if you see something posted that you want, request to be considered. It has seriously cut down on my shopping but still fills the actual need for certain stuff and also the joy of just having new stuff. Check if there is one in your area.
Aunt Jamesina
I typically do this in January and February most years (along with a use up the pantry and freezer period so I pretty much only buy produce and eggs), and would like to extend it longer this year. Once I’m out of the no buy period, I also have a rule that I can only buy non-grocery items on a designated day of the week or month (like I can only shop on the last day of the month). That keeps impulse purchases at bay once my no buy period is over.
pugsnbourbon
Ooh I like the “last day of the month” idea. I think I can work with that.
Anonymous
Does anyone have experience with having a custom closet installed? I have a small walk-in closet, probably 4′ x 8′ and I have no sense of what a custom closet might cost. Are we talking hundreds? Thousands? I’m not looking for anything really high-end, just something better than the wire racks I currently have. I do not want to install it myself. Anyone have any tips or recommendations based on their experience with a custom closet?
Pep
I would talk to a consultant at the Container Store. They can design a system for you, and you can give parameters as to cost, etc. I have their Elfa system and love it.
Lily
We have a similarly sized closet. We paid about $5,500 through CA Closets and they did a beautiful job. You can definitely get a custom closet for cheaper, but I would plan on spending at least $2-3k, assuming you want a combination of drawers/shelves/rods and you do not want to install it yourself.
Anon
I think ours was about $8,000 – not particularly large, maybe ten x ten – love it every day! And keeps me organized, not always easy. Good luck!
Senior Attorney
Years ago I got a closet at Easy Closetsdot com. They have a really user-friendly online design tool and I worked on it for weeks, then clicked “order” and they sent it to me. If you are handy you can install it yourself. I am not so I hired somebody from Task Rabbit who did it with no problem. Highly recommend.
Anonymous
I just purchased an Elfa closet from the Container Store. My closet is 122” x 87” (it’s actually part of what was a bedroom in a house we are remodeling) so a bit larger than yours. It is $2500 installed, or $1800 to install yourself.
My experience with the Container Store has been great, their virtual design service is very helpful. You can increase or decrease the cost by the product line you select, drawer fronts, drawers versus shelves, etc.
Anon
Wow, $700 to install seems like a lot. Did you get it installed? Did you find that worth the extra cost?
Anonymous
It’s for six hours of work They will remove shelves already in your closet, and touch up all the paint as well as do the install.
Aunt Jamesina
IKEA’s closet configurations are really nice and are far less than other options. I also have a friend who used a local closet organizer company to do it, and it cost less than what California Closets quoted her and was just as nice.
ElisaR
i just had 2 installed from the closet factory which is a chain (i think). i haven’t even moved stuff in yet. My young son’s closet is not a walk in, just open 2 doors, so bigger than my closet as a kid but not huge. My closet in the main bedroom is probably 10 by 6 feet or so? i upgraded some features but wound up spending $11k (!) which is kind of insane. but cheaper than california closets. i didn’t want to do any installing on my end. you can get them much cheaper if you spend a day or 2 installing yourself.
Anonymous
Gift ideas, niece, recent law grad. Help!
Anon
A beautiful purse large enough to fit files and a laptop. Black or saddle.
Anon
Honest question…after just destroying my shoulder/back carrying a purse with a laptop in it a few times too many, I switched to a nice looking backpack and never looked back. I wonder if with the younger (tech influenced) generation in general being more accepting of back packs, and there being probably much nicer/functional backpacks out there than there probably was when I graduated from school…will carrying around a laptop in a big purse phase out?
Anon
I don’t think so. Also, laptops weigh a fraction of what they did in the past.
anonyK
I don’t know but I am also 100% team backpack now and I’ll never go back! For me the files are the bigger weight burden, not the laptop.
anon
+1 I’m team back back and never going back. If the young fashionable women want to judge me, I really don’t care. FWIW I have a sleek professional tumi one that pre pandemic I saw other women in midtown Manhattan sporting near my office. I also have had at least 5 women stop and ask me if I liked it because they were also considering the switch. I’m early 30s
Anon
I’m Anon 2:36 – I’m actually thinking the backpack will actually be the young, fashionable thing…if it’s not already.
AZCPA
Counterpoint, when I carry a backpack I read super young – like, being asked if I’m the intern young. So I’d probably ask her (or buy from somewhere with a good return policy and both styles).
If I had a commute with significant walking that would probably skew me more towards a backpack, but for car commute, I’m now firmly large purse. My favs are Dagne Dover.
Skipper
My favorite aunt always marked major life transitions with a gift of jewelry, almost always something lovely and classic. Other ideas: a nice bottle of scotch or champagne, a document case, a fine pen, a gift card for a meal service or to a restaurant.
Cuyana
I would have loved a Cuyana gift card! I am team 100% backpack, but wanted more options, so I got the Convertible Satchel (caramel color). It converts from a backpack to a crossbody to a top handle bag. I also got the monogram (it looks great).
It was my “we’ll have to go back to the office soon (lolololol)” gift to myself when I needed to pep myself up about going back to biglaw office. That said, I have used it for the minimal amount of “going out” I have done and cannot wait to use it every day.
Anon
To whomever recommended the Cosrx Rice Overnight Sp Mask here, thank you. I asked for and received it for Christmas. Only two nights in and it’s really nice. How often do you use yours?
Monte
That was me! In the summer I would wear it a couple times a week, but in winter I would use it every night because to combat the cold and dry indoor air.
pnw anon
I use mine nightly, as a last step in my nighttime routine. Love it.
Anon
Hi, you all helped me a lot with my Christmas wishlist on amazon. I got a lot of La Roche Posay skincare, which are staples for me and I appreciate that they are consumables and not things that will sit in my house forever.
Unfortunately I’m a January baby and now have to make a birthday wishlist. Everyone has agreed to Sephora for this. What would you put on your Sephora list? I need things at multiple price points.
I have a lot of basic cleansers and moisturizers now so I would lean toward serums and possible eye creams for skincare, and I also love eye/brow/cheek makeup. What are your favorites?
Kitten
Some random things I’ve enjoyed lately: Farmacy Honemoon Glow serum, youth to the people Yerba Mate facial and Superberry masks, Herbavore coco rose body scrub and any of their facial oils, Tatcha eye cream and oil cleanser, Chanel eau tendre perfume, Erborian spf cc creme, Fenty blush (the bright red one for me), benefit goof proof brows, Natasha denona eyeshadows. Tarte shadows are the second best IMO and they have some on major sale right now.
Anonymous
I’ve been really pleased with the Anastasia Brow Wiz. Try a splashy vitamin c serum (Skinsuiticals time?) and see it makes a difference for your skin. Laura mercier caviar sticks.
curlsallday
I love the random tarte palates that have their amazonian blush and a bunch of eyeshadow. They are so easy for travel (for the after times). I really like the first aid beauty line for a lower price point and you could always add a couple of brushes. I’ve recently started using the Murad night creme and really enjoy it.
Anonymous
Hourglass powder, blush and highlighter.
Diana Barry
If you don’t have them already, the Urban Decay palettes are GREAT. I have n*ked 3 (rose gold) and the basic one and then the cherry one (yes, I have a palette problem!).
Anonymous
To the person who posted yesterday about seeing a Bumble notification on her BF’s phone – my BF and I met through Bumble early this year. I totally relate and just wanted to send positive vibes.
When we first became exclusive, BF and I didn’t really have a conversation about the app, I just figured (based on his profile) he had at least paused his indefinitely like I did. Turns out he was pausing for a week at a time, but I didn’t know that. One night, we had a miscommunication about whether we had plans (I thought we did, he thought it was up in the air) and at some point he stopped responding to my texts because he was out with friends. Unfortunately, his one week pause had just expired, so when I checked to see if he was online, his profile was active, which led me to believe he wasn’t responding to me because he was on a date. Drama ensued. He felt terrible. We actually came out if it stronger because we both learned to be better communicators.
And as I type this I realize I still haven’t deleted the app because I like to look back at his pictures and our messages. I should probably just screenshot all of that!
Miscommunications like this aren’t necessarily a death knell, it’s really about how he responds. If he acts perplexed why you’re upset then that’s a bigger issue than just forgetting about the app.
Anon
I also wanted to comment to that OP. I am a tech hoarder and have so many apps on my phone that I don’t use. I wouldn’t think much of the app just being on his phone.
Toothapple
Thank you ladies for thinking of me!
He deleted the app on the spot and did say it was a true mistake on his part that he had it! I did see that he had 24000 email notifications and he lets me watch YouTube on his phone & doesn’t fiercely guard it, which is something my ex always did.
Hive, thank you!!!!