Suit of the Week: The Fold

This post may contain affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

woman wears collarless jacket and matching pants in a textured, nubby fabric; both are navy with speckles of white

For busy working women, the suit is often the easiest outfit to throw on in the morning. In general, this feature is not about interview suits for women, which should be as classic and basic as you get — instead, this feature is about the slightly different suit that is fashionable, yet professional. Also: we just updated our big roundup for the best women's suits of 2024!

I really like the texture on this suit from The Fold. The brand notes that it's made of “one-of-a-kind LInton tweed,” and I love the nubby, noticeable texture, as well as the prolific white speckles.

(I am for some reason not a polka dot person — but speckles like this? Sign me up.)

They show it with matching cropped trousers ($575, call me crazy but I think they'd look cuter with mid-calf, flat boots), as well as with plain navy trousers ($395). There's also a matching dress for $825.

The blazer is $765, available in US sizes 0-16.

Hunting for something similar? So am I… Ann Taylor has a lot of tweeds at the moment, but none quite as textured as this.

Sales of note for 2/7/25:

  • Nordstrom – Winter Sale, up to 60% off! 7850 new markdowns for women
  • Ann Taylor – Extra 25% off your $175+ purchase — and $30 of full-price pants and denim
  • Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything + extra 15% off
  • Boden – 15% off new season styles
  • Eloquii – 60% off 100s of styles
  • J.Crew – Extra 50% off all sale styles
  • J.Crew Factory – 40% off everything including new arrivals + extra 20% off $125+
  • Rothy's – Final Few: Up to 40% off last-chance styles
  • Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
  • Talbots – 40% off one item + free shipping on $150+

130 Comments

  1. I have never hidden that I am a lawyer and a FT working mom. I don’t think it could be hidden — I give strong Meadow Soprano energy (later Meadow, not Season 1 Meadow). I may take corners on 2 wheels and never have my house be on the homes tour, but I’ve been making it work.
    I now live in the SEUS. A bunch of women live on my street with similar-aged kids. They wear rufflepuff dresses and are in the country day school parents’ group. A year later, I am realizing that they are actually practicing doctors. But this is on the DL — like they never talk about their jobs or that they work or that they went to med school (no gear, no car stickers, nothing). It is wild to me, like Fight Club. Is that just how upper-dollar neighborhoods are? I’m first generation to dry cleaning from a solid middle class family, where going to college, much less med school, was a source of immense pride and certainly not hidden away.

    1. I mean what do you expect, that they show up with a stethoscope around their neck and doctor on board sticker on their car? More seriously, most doctors I know try to avoid getting sucked into having to give unpaid medical advice while socializing, which is a good reason not to broadcast to casual acquaintances.

      1. Same goes for lawyers. I don’t even practice, and people are always trying to get me to be the token attorney on various committees.

        1. I don’t mention it, but if I’m waiting in line (or waiting to pick up from rehearsal or whatever), I’m checking for work e-mails if it’s before 7pm (BigLaw’s early time to go dark for a bit) and I can’t really play tennis at 10 or be in your daytime get togethers. And I think I looked stressed. It’s just a vibe — you can look at me and tell that I’m not blissed out. I also look like I could tell you all about exercising remedies in the event of a default. My doctor figured it out and we have good human convos about serious stuff.

          1. It’s not a virtue to be stressed. There was a SAHM in my circle who was always stressed out about how busy she was with her sons’ travel baseball schedules and her marathon training and she was just exhasuting to be around. I couldn’t exactly say “well, I have a kid in travel sports too, and a full-time job where powerful people routinely yell at me, and a two-hour daily commute, and frequent travel, so suck it up and feel ‘blessed’ that all you have to do is to be a mom.” Have some dignity.

          2. lol I’m also in biglaw and make it to the occasional game of daytime tennis, socialize while waiting to pick up my daughters from events and try to have a life apart from work. It’s not impossible or something I need to wear on my leave regardless of my pride in my career successes

    2. This is wealthy and accomplished women in the SEUS, yes. One of the moms at my daughter’s ballet school was a judge, and the only reason I knew was that I’d worked with her. I had no idea what any of the other moms did. All the small talk in the waiting room was about schools and other kid-related matters. What enables these women to maintain separate dual identities is having nannies, private schools with aftercare and full-day summer programs, house cleaners, lawn care services, and local grandmas to do kid taxi duty. When they aren’t at work they have the time and mental energy to disengage from their work personas and assume their mom personas. I have none of these supports (yay public interest salary), so I am always frazzled.

      1. +1. The rufflepuff and not looking like doctors is a southern thing.

        But not advertising your “successful” career? That’s the sign that you DO come from money/wealth/a successful family. Because if you’re secure about it, if it’s normal for you, you don’t need to advertise it. (For school spirit, I grant an exception for military academies and SEC schools ha.)

        But also, I went to a southern day school and the only one of my classmates to become a doctor was a good but not great student and became a dermatologist. I absolutely imagine her wearing rufflepuffs on the weekend. She’s not the type of person I’d be awed by at all.

        1. I guess no one really advertises it. I joined a church formally after having a baby and in the newcomers class, the Finance Bros were very resume heavy in the “tell me about yourself” part of it. It was so off-putting. I just didn’t play along and mentioned where I’d moved from and that I lived by the ice cream store (important local landmark). It was a weird feeling. But it felt a bit like a pissing contest or people were trying to pitch for work and seemed a bit like money changers in the temple. Ick. That I get not playing along with. But half of my leisure clothes have a school name on it and it’s not like my husband went to law school. That was me.

          1. I recently acquired a sweatshirt from my alma mater and a sweatshirt from the college my daughter currently attends, and honestly it feels kind of braggy when people ask me about my association with either school and act impressed. I have reduced the frequency with which I wear those sweatshirts out of the house. Confident people don’t show off.

          2. How is wearing a sweatshirt showing off?

            I guess I see people gathering to wear sportsball in school logo gear a lot. But it doesn’t seem braggy. Half of the people I see in Penn State or UNC gear just follow the teams and have no connection with the school.

          3. How is wearing a sweatshirt showing off? For some schools, like Harvard Law or Julliard, it’s absolutely showing off. You wouldn’t wear one unless you had a personal connection.

          4. I think it’s totally fine to wear a sweatshirt from a college your child currently attends! And it’s a good conversation starter with people who may not know a lot about your family.
            Wearing your own (fancy) alma mater’s gear feels a bit braggier to me, especially if you (like me) were in college decades ago. I guess I sort of feel like by wearing gear from my Ivy I’d be clinging to former glory. I have some stuff from my college but mostly wear it at home. I will for sure be wearing my daughter’s college gear when that time comes though, whether she goes to our local state school or a fancy Ivy-type place.

          5. Yeah, I live in DC, and I try to actively avoid talking about work bc people get so consumed in their jobs. I like making personal connections that aren’t related to what you do, and I usually like hearing about things other than what people do for work. Most people here work, though, so I usually assume people have jobs – we just talk about other stuff. I was at my kid’s basketball game last night with a bunch of fun parents I know pretty well, and we had a great time chatting the whole game — I know everyone in this group works, but no one talked about work. Mostly kid adjacent topics and life stuff (someone had just moved, chatting about how annoying it is that we are already signing up for summer camp, chatting about local event coming up, etc.). It was lovely. And honestly, I didn’t want to chat about work after working all day. Also, everyone was in warm workout gear, so no one looks professional (but again, I know what everyone does bc I’ve been around them for years – and there are some really Big Jobs in the group).

          6. I only have one piece of clothing from my Ivy League alma mater, a 20 year old sweatshirt (in surprisingly good condition). It only gets worn at home, for the same reasons everyone else has said, it just feels braggy. I wouldn’t have the same issue wearing my local state u shirt (where my brother attended, so there is a personal connection in addition to it being a shirt half the state wears).

          7. I’ve been back to homecoming about 4 times since graduating and always hit the bookstore to get more gear (like we want to wear it to the football game and from a sense of nostalgia). Cotton doesn’t live long and my size keeps changing. I didn’t realize it was so . . . thought about. I wore this in my 20s and I guess just see it as my non-work clothes (previously, it was my all-the-time clothes).

          8. That’s interesting — I have bought sweatshirts from schools my kids go to (currently high schoolers in public school), but it’s mostly to wear to school events. I wouldn’t likely wear them otherwise. IDK if college will be different — I guess I may feel like for spending $, I should get a shirt for my trouble. IDK. Often everything is too large for me, so if I could get a good sweatshirt or tee for a triangular short woman, I might just get it to have it. But I think that mostly, gear is for people going to the school.

            Aren’t we all shopping at Lulu or Athleta now anyway?

        2. Derms is one of the most competitive! So she must have started working hard somewhere along the way. Just putting in a plug for her haha.

        3. Surely she was a great student in med school; not everyone gets to be a dermatologist.

          1. Med school in general is hella hard to get into. Like for law school, you just have to fog a mirror. And co-sign derm being super hard to get into now. My daughter wants that and I am trying to find people for her to shadow just to learn more and . . . I guess she will shadow the dads because we all know what they do and don’t even know if the moms work let alone what they do (except the realtors, because their names are everywhere).

          2. True. It is extremely competitive to become a dermatologist. Because they can bill very high and pack in the patients and not worry about managing complex medical problems. In other words – it is relatively easy and you most make a lot of money with low stress. I mean, you don’t get a call at night to come in for a skin emergency. That is totally rare.

          3. She sounds brilliant. Gets paid, doesn’t deal with insurance, normal hours? Your jealousy is showing.

    3. The alternative is the two-doctor couple we know who act like doctors 100% of the time. They are used to getting their way at work and they think they are better and smarter than the uneducated people around them (never mind that I have more degrees than they do), so they try to push around the other parents and the school personnel. It’s super obnoxious.

      1. Interesting. I know one doctor-doctor couple and they are both gems. She was everyone’s favorite head resident and now everyone’s favorite pediatrician (so no hiding it). I think she has a sweet gig where she works 3-4 days a week (but peds are apparently in high demand here and can get jobs on their terms; note that it doesn’t make the med school debt any smaller but it does let her actually enjoy her life a bit more now vs residency).

    4. Yes. And not just in SEUS. I’m in small city Canada and the same vibe. No one is braggy in certain circles because it’s assumed you’re a doctor/lawyer/university prof or senior govt person. The real humble brag is if you’re not working part time but somehow still manage to make all the school events and vacation multiple times a year. I’m in a part time legal role and barely holding it together most days.

    5. Concluding that they are hiding is strange. I live in an affluent school district in the Midwest. Pretty much everyone is well-educated and has a career. It is not special to be a working mom or a professional – we all are. I talk about the law all day in the office and in court. When I’m with other moms from the neighborhood/school, I want to talk about family and life.

      1. I want to talk about family and life, but “life” is consumed with working mom headwinds. Women are leaving my field in droves, especially after having kids. Work was a non-event when it is just me. Now, my life and my work life are in a battle royale and I’m fighting on both sides. The other 1% of my life is needlework — maybe I will bring that up?

        1. Maybe other people just want to relax and enjoy their weekends instead of complaining?

        2. Why not talk about your needlework if it brings you joy? I’m a lawyer at a prestigious job, and a lot of people in my life don’t really know that because I don’t bring it up. I’m not hiding it at all, but it’s the least interesting thing about me. I hate hearing other people talk about their “big jobs” (gross!) and I assume they don’t want to hear about my boring stuff.

          And I grew up in a literal trailer house, so it’s not like I come from money over here.

        3. You could also have a different attitude toward being a working mother than others. I am not fighting any battles.

          If you are burning the candle at both ends, it could be time to re-evaluate the life circumstances causing the stress.

        4. yah, piggy backing on the below – I don’t want my doctor to come in hot with angsty “battle royale” vibes. I want them chill and even keeled. Sure, maybe vent to close friends, but if a doctor is constantly rushing around “fighting on both sides,” I definitely don’t feel like that’s a doctor I want treating me.

    6. I have a big job, I don’t talk about it IRL because I have a lot of other interests and things that make me ‘me’. Separately a lot of people also have opinions of my job because they watch Fox News or whatever and heard a sound bite and somehow think they’re an expert, no thank you not interested in those discussions. I’m not ruffle puff but I have a lot of tattoos, dark hair, rocker chic type of look. Work me and real me are different people.

      1. Also have a “big” job at a well known company and many of my acquaintances have no idea what I do for work. It’s not what I want to talk about in my free time and I think it screams insecurity when people lead with their fancy job. If it comes up naturally in conversation sure but it shouldn’t be a frequent topic.

        1. Can I ask (and it’s a genuine question): what constitutes a “big job”? Is it based on salary? How much time it takes?

          I’m a college professor. Is that a “big job”?

          1. Yeah, I think so. You have authority and plenty of responsibility. It’s not just about salary, ime.

          2. There are jobs, McJobs, and Big Jobs. Most people have jobs. Professor seems more Big Job because there can be a lot of departmental drama to deal with and funding and politics. A job you just get to show up to and do a Thing and that’s it. For Big Jobs, that’s just the start. “A job that weighs on you” is a Big Job. Like being a principal.

          3. “ It’s a job you can use to impress people.”

            Ding ding ding!

            “Big job” conveys elements of socioeconomic class and knowledge work.

            I hate the terminology, personally, because it feels very loaded. The poster could say they have a stressful job or a job with long hours to convey whatever sentiment they’re going for, usually.

          4. I said below that my husband is a college professor and I don’t really consider it a big job, because of both the extreme flexibility (he has like 6 hours of class per week that he has to show up to; beyond that he completely sets his own hours) and the total hours are reasonable (there are busier seasons, but generally he only works ~40 hours per week). It’s a hard career to get into for sure, and very prestigious, but to me the term “big job” (at least as it seems to be used on the moms page) means really hard-charging things like Big Law and Big Finance where your job consumes your life and you can only survive by outsourcing huge amounts of parenting and housework. That’s not my husband at all.

          5. Okay — it seems like “big job” means “consumes most hours and brain space.” Of course, that’s subjective, and the term does seem to carry a whole lot of self-importance. Agree with the response that says there are phrases (“stressful job,” etc) that are actually descriptive.

        2. Same here, big job that people are often shocked when they learn about it because I don’t discuss it or talk about it socially.

    7. I’m not in the south, but I think it’s generally easier for doctors to work part time (vs lawyers and other office workers) so that might explain why they have more time to serve on the PTA and whatnot.

      1. As a lawyer (30+ years now) I want to push back a little bit on the idea that law is 100 MPH or nothing. There is a middle ground where you work reasonable hours and have time for a life outside the office, including doing things with your kid’s school. It may or may not be formally part-time, but I am done at 5:00 pm 90% of the time and can easily take an hour or two in the middle of the day occasionally.

        I am currently in-house but even when I was with a litigation practice, my job did not consume my life. Did I make (a lot) less money than a Big Law attorney? Yes, I did. Did I go to sporting events and concerts and run the book fair? Also, yes, I did.

        1. Yeah, I agree it’s possible to have a normal non-Big Law job as a lawyer. But it’s hard to, say, work two days a week and never do work on the off days. Many doctors can do that easily (if they take commensurate pay cut). I know like half a dozen doctor moms who work very part time (3 days per week or less), but few office workers who are officially part time (lawyers or otherwise). My comment wasn’t really about the law, but more about how healthcare really lends itself to part-time work if you don’t need a fulltime salary.

    8. This is a crazy thing to me to be upset about. I am a SEUS lawyer mom. I live in the suburbs. I wear “rufflepuff” as you say. I will say, I tend to find other lawyer moms without looking. It’s like we attract each other. I go to parties, end up talking to moms I like, and later find out they’re lawyers. It would make me sad to lead with my job though all the time. I think you (OP) need to branch out more.

    9. Ahh, I had a similar experience a few years ago in a new neighborhood. A “working moms” group in the neighborhood spun off of the local moms group, and I was pretty shocked to learn that basically every mom still working by the time her kids were elementary age was an executive or partner or doctor or whatever. I was shocked to learn there were so many women with big careers all around me who never talk about it! It’s been incredible and so great to be a part of it.

    10. Congrats, you’ve discovered that the new money / old money tropes also extend to how ostentatiously you display your academic credentials. First gen folks often take more pride in their accomplishments because the gap between their most likely outcome and their actual outcome is much wider than it is for a professional who is the child of professionals who were the children of professionals.

      It’s just a different vibe. Your approach isn’t bad and neither is theirs.

    11. Idk I’m a lawyer and a reasonably fancy one and I love Nap Dresses and I rarely talk about my job because it’s confidential and especially with neighbors I like chatting about other things!

    12. I think it’s just gendered. Dudes are always talking about work (rarely about having to get Flucinda from gymnastics to band practice to the orthodontist) and are either in sell mode or just bragging. You never wonder if Tradwick is a trader or sells real estate or wants to manage your portfolio. He tells you.

      Tradwick’s wife could be anything or nothing and it’s the same vibe.

      Everyone brags, though, about their kids in that humblebrag of “Trinny’s travel team made it to the playoffs so we are in random city AGAIN for the weekend.” And that’s what’s on the xmas cards. It’s like a promo reel for college sports recruiters.

      1. My husband does not have a traditional “big job” (he’s a college professor) and his friends are mostly fellow professors or blue collar workers he plays sports with, but I don’t think this is necessarily gendered. He mainly talks about non-work stuff with other dads, including a lot of kid stuff. Like they might mention an upcoming work trip or something but it’s not the focus and they talk about kid stuff a ton. I’ve gotten a lot of useful activity and summer camp info from his dad’s running group. It wound make me so sad to live somewhere where dads only talk about work and moms only talk about kids.

    13. Two cool ways my doctor friends differ from my lawyer friends, from small sample size, probably not reflecting all doctors :

      1. Their professional fashion doesn’t seep into their personal fashion. I’m hopelessly tied to blazers and button ups. It’s in my blood now and I’d sooner wear a full suit to a cocktail party than a nap dress. They’re much more likely to be fashionable in a way that wouldn’t be office appropriate, perhaps because they spend less time and money on work clothes?

      2. They have meaningful opportunities for part time work. One doctor friend works three days a week. One doctor friend said she paid for a really extravagant gift for her daughter by picking up a few extra shifts at the hospital. That’s not part time but it’s a helpful level of control to have as a working mom.

      1. Both good points. And yes, I sometimes find it funny that I’m actually a lot more psychologically comfortable in business clothes than fashionable dress-up clothes.

      2. My GP and my children’s pediatrician are both moms, and I agree with statement 1 (no direct knowledge of statement 2, ha). They each wear really cute, but more casual clothing than what I could swing at my Big Law office underneath their lab coats, and I love them bc they both have very relaxed approaches. In each case, I chat with both of them as much about life stuff as I do kid or me specific issues during general wellness visits. Also, my kids are in the same (injury prone) sport as my pediatrician’s kids, and we often chat about injury prevention/monitoring in the context of the league they are all in. I often feel like I would be having similar conversations with her if we were standing together in the bleachers or in her office. Yeah, the conversation can be medically adjacent, but it’s not dissimilar from the conversations I’m having with other parents in the group.

        All that to say, I really appreciate the relaxed conversational relationship I have with both doctors, as I think it facilitates the care I receive. We have a warm, friendly relationship that puts me and my kids at ease. The causal, but well dressed/calm/approachable demeanor is a lot more professional for a GP than a harried, stressed out super formally dressed GP who is going 100 miles per hour. I’m not convinced that stressed out person “sees” me, and I would be worried about why they are churning so hard. I would assume I’d get lower quality, rushed care.

    14. my kids go to public school in Houston and many of the PTO moms are working moms, which jobs like doctor, lawyer, judge, etc. DH and I each have two ivy league degrees, but we dont go around advertising that bc that would be strange. when i was in my 20s and right out of college living in NYC, I often saw people walking around in sweatshirts/gear from the ivy league DH and I attended, and still occasionally see people wearing them where we live now. I think I had a bumper sticker for our school on my car when I was 18 and first admitted, and now that I think about it, both of our key chains have our alma mater on them, but that is because we are too lazy/cheap to replace them and they’ve worked for the past 15+ years. one thing i think is odd about where i live now is that people have yard signs that say where they went to school, but that was not a thing in the northeast suburb where i grew up. i can’t imagine putting a sign like that in my yard

      1. “people have yard signs that say where they went to school,”

        What!? That’s crazy.

        1. Is it a football thing? All I know about Texas I learned from Friday Night Lights, but I’m assuming the high schools have big rivalries?

          1. yes, some of it is for like UT or A&M, or Clemson, UGA or wherever, but I’ve also seen for Harvard, Yale, and the like. Some are yard signs; some are flags/pennants type of thing.

            (also, fyi, at least where i live in Texas is absolutely nothing like Friday Night Lights)

        2. Do they have signs of where they went to school or are they signs for their favorite college sports team? Because the venn diagram of those things are not always a circle in the South. I’ve got a lot of friends who didn’t go to Georgia who have UGA flags/signs.

          1. i mean it is kind of hard to know, i don’t go knocking on doors to ask people. and some is for ivy league schools. i still personally think it is strange. why advertise either.

          2. Ahh, excellent. My neighbors do something no one did where I grew up, so instead of asking polite questions about something that’s important to them for some reason, I choose to think they’re dumb.

          3. Yeah in the Midwest there are flags and yard signs for the big state schools but I always assumed it was mostly about sports. You can be a fan of a team without going there. I think a Texas or a Michigan flag is quite different than a Harvard flag. I’ve never seen the latter (and we live in a college town so we do know a decent number of fancy school alums).

          4. There are many things important to me that i don’t think require yard decor. And i said- some are for Ivy League schools, which i find hard to believe has anything to do with sports

    15. IDK, I don’t think being a working mom precludes you from joining a parents’ group. If I’m volunteering my free time, 99% of the time it’s going to be for my kids’ causes at this point in my life! I am not a doctor or a lawyer, but I think I’m a successful professional woman, and I just prefer not to talk about work when I’m not at work. I’m from a working-class family and now live in a more upper middle-class suburb in the Midwest, for context. I’m more than my job.

      Interestingly, the men in my social circle DO talk about work a lot more, so sometimes it feels like the conversation is skewed and the working women aren’t represented. Maybe that’s what you’re seeing here. Hard to say.

    16. This is weird to me only because I feel like your job is a question that gets asked early on? I don’t like to assume that the other mothers at my daycare are working parents, but I’ve been asked straight out what I do and I’ve asked them right back. But my neighborhood is definitely not upper dollar, so maybe it is a class thing!

      1. Once I started hanging out in places with folks from many different backgrounds, I found out how rarely people talk about their jobs. I’m a lawyer and when around other lawyers, people tend to lead with asking what people “do.”

        But I have other hobbies that attract lots of non-lawyers, and barely anyone asks my job there! I hate talking about my work, so I never ask people their jobs either. It will come up rarely, but we talk more about our shared hobby, books, vacations, etc.

      2. Wait — you don’t assume that the other women using the daycare for their kids work? Why else would they be using a daycare? IIRC they are really expensive — it’s not like paying $10 a visit to drop your kids at childwatch at the Y while you work out for an hour.

    17. I grew up in Texas and whenever we’re back, people still ask about my husband’s job and not mine. They ask about my hobbies. It’s almost comical because my husband will often jump in with comments about my work, how I’m successful in my job, etc.

      Now I live in a big city where everyone only talks about work. And it’s not just the usual oh, what do you do?, it’s a bit of a contest about which fancy company you work for, what kind of comp you’re getting, etc. It’s honestly pretty ridiculous and gets exhausting, even though I think it’s quite normal after living here for over a decade.

      And I spend a lot of time with a community related to my hobby, where everyone pretty much sticks to talking about the hobby. People generally know which field I’m in, but have no idea that I’m quite senior, my company is well-known, I make good money, etc.

    18. Why are people in the comments on a fashion blog acting like women who like a particular look of clothing are automatically stupid or babes in the woods or something? There’s a lot of judgment about “ruffle puff” in this post and some responses, and I guess I just thought we were at a point where we all acknowledged that women who like stereotypically feminine clothing aren’t necessarily vapid?

      1. Right? I mean it is hard to know but it sounds like OP saw women wearing pretty, ruffly clothes who make time to volunteer at their children’s school and was shocked to learn they are educated professional women. And the other posters conclude they must be part-time or have family money.

        I used to live in the South and most of my family is there. Fashion norms are different than in LA or NYC. It sounds OP might be having a culture shock moment but everyone needs to check their assumptions.

    19. They probably are not keeping their job on the DL intentionally. They already know what everyone does for work, probably found out in the beginning with initial introductions. After that, it’s just work and there’s nothing really to talk about. Also HIPPA, so work stays at work.

  2. Related to the earlier TV thread, there were lots of good comedy suggestions, but I’m looking for TV recs for compelling dramas or dramedies that aren’t too heavy. Gilmore Girls and Parenthood are my go-to comfort rewaches. More recently I’ve really enjoyed The Crown, Never Have I Ever and Away.

    Given the state of the world I don’t want anything too dark or political. I read a lot of spy and mystery novels but feel like I don’t generally connect with those kinds of stories on screen although there are some exceptions – I really liked The Lincoln Lawyer, I think because there was so much focus on the characters’ families. I guess the common thread in all the shows I’ve listed is family stories.

    Any suggestions? I have all the major streaming services except Apple+.

      1. I watched a few episodes and didn’t get into it. Maybe I need to give it another try.

        1. I was like you, and initially quit after 2 episodes. But it is really, really high yield if you push further. I went back after it won all the awards, thinking “What did I miss?!” Really outstanding.

          1. Yeah, I think it might feel heavy if you have personal baggage that makes the show hit home (like if you’re a Murdoch or have an abusive parent), but I laughed so much that the heavy parts never weighed on me that much.

        1. I meant more heavy in terms of current events like I don’t want to watch anything about climate change disaster or AI taking over the world. Nasty family drama doesn’t bother me – I’m fortunate to have a really good family of origin so for me that’s just escapist. I read a book that several people described to ne as “Jewish Succession” (Long Island Compromise) and loved it.

    1. Somebody Somewhere, Bad Sisters, All Creatures Great and Small, maybe Dark Winds or Miss Fisher for mystery shows that have more of a family or found family element.

      1. Bad Sisters was really fun. I haven’t seen the new season (heard about it, don’t know whether it hasdropped)

        1. It’s out, but I haven’t seen it either since I don’t have Apple right now. I guess this rec is only for the first season, second season TBD.

    2. We liked The Madness with Colman Domingo on Netflix. An eight-episode political thriller, lots of cliffhangers. It requires some suspension of disbelief, but it’s engrossing.

    3. Leverage. A group of specialists who struck gold in one major heist. They now work together to balance the scales when the rich and powerful take advantage. 5 seasons in the original series, 2 seasons (so far) in the follow up. Streams on Prime.

      Hudson and Rex. Canadian police procedural starring a Major Case detective and his K9 partner, who was fired from the drug interdiction squad for being to independent minded. Ion Plus is where it broadcasts, but I’m sure it’s streaming somewhere.

    4. Hart of Dixie was always being recapped by the Fug Girls, and that sounds like it might work for you. And Virgin River and Firefly Lane kinda sound like they have similar vibes. My mother, who looooves Gilmore Girls, watches Virgin River.

        1. We liked Because This is My First Life, but it’s probably a weird one to start with since it reworks a lot of romcom tropes, and the family theme is more about setting boundaries. I’m behind on Korean dramas, but Coffee Prince can be a good one to start with that does feature family.

          China is good for multigenerational family dramedies; if Chinese dramas are not on Netflix, they’re often streaming on YouTube with English subs on the official studio channels. I just finished Go Ahead (a classic despite some flaws) and am in the middle of Will Love in Spring.

          As for western recommendations, I’m still looking forward to the next season of Lincoln Lawyer, but Superman and Lois has been a surprising amount of thoughtfully written family drama.

  3. If your boss was incredibly stressed with no end in sight (at least not for several months), what would you do to help support her?

      1. I might ask casually, in the right setting, “is there anything I can take off your plate?”

        … if and only if you want to help, have capacity to help, and generally know how to do the thing she asks you to help with. Otherwise, just do your job.

    1. It’s not your place or obligation to manage her feelings or make her feel okay. Do your job well and don’t take on her stress.

      1. This, with the added caveat that her stress and distraction are likely to make your job much more difficult. Managing upwards and making sure expectations are clear will be essential.

  4. First, this is not my first home project of scale. No naivety here. This one wasn’t even all that much “scale.” It’s just the first one to so wildly awry.

    We’re having an old gas stove replaced with a gas insert fireplace. We have a fireplace company that sold us the unit and is the project manager. We have a separate contractor who is building out the framing and fireplace surround, but the plumbing, electric, all associated permits and the fireplace/install itself are all on this fireplace company (they contracted directly with an electrician and plumber). They’re reputable – I did my homework.

    Basically everything that is under the purview of the fireplace company has gone wrong, had SUBSTANTIAL delays (like far beyond the standard “double the estimated time!” adage). I’ve spent a massive amount of time talking to the plumber, electrician, chasing inspectors, talking to the fire department (who is now involved because of a plumbing and install error). We hired these guys and paid almost $2k more than the next company because they were going to manage all of this for us, which was worth it so we thought because time is money and I don’t have the time to manage this myself. Currently, we have a barely patched hole in the side of the house in the depths of a Boston winter that can’t be insulated or closed because the permits can’t be closed. Job was started and supposed to be done before winter. It’s gotten so bad that the owner of the fireplace company is talking about “making things right” once it’s all said and done. He’s specifically referenced money off the bill.

    So, as we approach the end of this hellish process, what should I reasonably ask for or expect in a “make it right” situation? The fireplace company’s portion of the bill is $10k-sih, a bit more I think, which included about $4.5k for the unit itself and another $1k-ish for parts (venting, etc). A percent of the non-materials? A certain fixed amount? I don’t want to be unreasonable but it’s really, really bad. Not sure what’s considered a reasonable remedy.

    1. You said the difference between this company and another was 2k, so I’d go with that. You had the do the project management so they don’t get that fee.

      1. Agree; the $2k seems like a fair amount for them to knock off since that is the difference. However, I would want the fireplace company to suggest a number first in case they offer more than that.

  5. I missed the morning thread, but I don’t think anyone recommended Nobody Wants This, a really lovely rom-com – with some depth – on Netflix. And for the person who mentioned that it was nice to see Janet from The Good Place in Man on the Inside, she also is in this, as one of Kristen Bell’s friends!

    1. I really disliked Nobody Wants This. The guy is a weird combination of a Manic Pixie Dreamguy who exists just as a catalyst for the female main character’s development, and an a-hole obsessed with maintaining appearances. The girl is just obnoxious.

      1. I hated it. I’m Jewish and the stereotyping of Jewish women in the show was really gross to me. This article basically articulates how I feel.

        Also they stole the basic premise (hot rabbi and blond shiksa) from the Ben Stiller movie Keeping the Faith and I found that movie both much funnier and less problematic.

      2. I’m OP from the morning and while I have watched this (and love rom coms and both leads) the show didn’t work for me (a Rabbi falling for a non religious person with seemingly no knowledge of Judaism just did not land for me, and I agree with others that the framing of Jewish women was horrendous).

        1. That whole premise really bugs me and is one reason I haven’t watched it. In the real world, anyone who deeply cares about their religion enough to be a rabbi is not gonna be down with partnering with someone who is agnostic. And yet I can’t deny that the characters are cute together, from what little I’ve seen in previews and such.

          1. I’m the Jewish poster who hated the show but that actually didn’t both me at all. He’s meant to be Reform, right? Reform rabbis can absolutely date and marry non-Jews. Most would probably want their wife to agree to raise the future kids Jewish but Reform isn’t matrilineal like other denominations of Judaism so the children are Jewish if either parent is, so it removes the big “mother must be Jewish” hurdle.
            I actually know one Reform rabbi who is in an interfaith household – the wife actively practices a different religion! Jews in general are fairly open to questioning faith and wrestling with belief in G-d. It’s pretty different than Christianity in that way.

  6. Imagine trying to get dog or cat hair off this suit. I will just admire it on the internet.

    1. It’s so fuzzy that the fur would just blend in and look like part of the fabric.

    2. First thought – there’s something wrong with my monitor
      Second thought – it’s a Nick Cave suit, but make it business

    3. This is what happens when someone leaves a kleenex in their pocket through the laundry.

  7. Ugh, I have until Jan. 31 to commit (or not) to the day-long summer program that my daughter has attended all through elementary school. It has been so awesome, she’s enjoyed it, and it’s very easy and convenient for us as parents, which is no small thing. Unfortunately, she is now in late elementary (age 10) and her same-age friends are not going back this summer, opting for a variety of camps instead. I don’t know what to do. She is a social kid and very adaptable, but I also know she places a high value on being with her friends.

    I have been through the hodge-podge of camps with my older kid after he aged out and/or had specialty camps he wanted to try. As any working parent knows, it sucks. In every way possible. A camp that runs from 9-3 is considered a full day even though it definitely is NOT in terms of working parenthood. It puts an enormous amount of stress on me, as summer is a really busy time for me. Even with a DH who can split some of the driving, it has been hard to manage with our older kid. We have never been able to find a summer driver. Trust me, I have tried and failed.

    What would you do? Opt for the convenient place that my kid is outgrowing, or jump into the camp rigamarole? I want to get my head on straight before I talk to her about this.

    1. I’d talk to her and make sure she’s on board with this plan, but my suggestion would be most of the summer at the easy camp and 1-2 weeks of special camps with friends. See if you can carpool with the friends’ parents.

      This part of working parenthood really sucks, solidarity.

      1. This was what I was going to suggest. Even if that means you’re paying twice, have an easy to get to camp and maybe two weeks of fun camps. She can pick the camps that most appeal (eg rocket camp and sailing camp), and otherwise, it’s Basic Camp.

Comments are closed.