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Frugal Friday’s TPS Report: Knit Grid Skirt

pencil skirt The Limited Knit Grid Skirt | CorporetteOur daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. What can I say — I'm a sucker for a grid skirt. We’ve seen some high-end versions, but I don't think I've seen one for under $50 that I liked as much as this one. It's available in sizes XS-XXL for $29.97 ($59 full price). The Limited Knit Grid Skirt Here's a plus-size option. Seen a great piece you'd like to recommend? Please e-mail tps@corporette.com. (L-3)

Sales of note for 12.3.24 (lots of Cyber Monday deals extended, usually until 12/3 at midnight)

And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

226 Comments

  1. Ugh, all these limited pieces are killing me (but kind of great) – thank god for ShopRunner free with my Amex…

    1. YAY! Fruegel Friday’s!!!1 I love Fruegel friday’s and the LIMITED Skirt. Acueally I had a skirt exactley like this in BLUE (with White Stripes) and the manageing partner loved it. So did Frank and THAT was the probelem. He kept comeing into my old office wanting to play checkers on my skirt with his GREAZY fingers, and that was NOT accfeptable even if his hand’s were clean b/c they did NOT belong anywhere on my skirt. FOOEY on men like him that think that b/c I am a woman that he can play game’s on my skirt. I would NOT even let my HUSBAND (if I wwere MARRIED) put his greazy hands on my clotheing b/c I have to get it dry cleaned.

      But I do NOT have a HUSBAND and want one! DOUBEL FOOEY! I am a profesional that works hard, makes an HONEST liveing and has a nice apartement, but I am STILL not married. NYC is the worse place to find a guy to MARRY b/c all the guy’s do here is to SAMPEL different women, then moove on to the next one after soiling their Eg;yptian 1000 threadcount sheet’s. TRIPEL FOOEY!

      To the rest OF THE HIVE, have a great weekend. I am goieng TO LONG ISLAND w/MYRNA to see if any men out there want to MARRY me. YAY!!!!!

    2. +1 for ShopRunner I keep approximately .0234% of things I order online and this is life saver…

  2. I like the skirt. I think I tried it on and didn’t like it well enough for $59 but might for $30.

    Does anyone happen to know a good place to get a facial in Omaha, NE? I’m looking for a “thank you” gift.

    TIA!

    1. I would suggest Te Bella Med Spa (I had laser hair removal there and my mom has had a ton of facial-related services there) or Kimberly Spa.

      1. I second Te Bella. I know someone who works there and it seems to be very high quality. I’ve heard positive comments from people who have been there also.

  3. I’m getting old. Anyone have suggestions for affordable but stylish reading glasses?

    1. Just go to Walgreens or Costco and try on a bunch. Buy something cheap and brightly colored and it may make you happy.

    2. Amazon! You can get packs of 4 in various fun colors/designs. Last time I bought, I got a 4-pack of animal prints and a 4-pack of multi stripes. All that for under $40.

    3. In getting contacts for social/evening wear, I’ve had to not wear my prescription glasses which are progressives. But even with the contacts, I now need readers. It’s such an ageing issue. Driving me nuts to wear contacts and then still have to wear glasses. So I use the contacts only for social stuff, not daily. Just can’t deal with contacts and readers on and off and on and off all.day.long.

      Rant over.

      Anyway, with my contacts, I’ve gotten readers at drugstores but been unhappy with selection and sizing. Amazon to the rescue!

      I like the sturdy and flashy readers by a company called Peepers. I saw them at a fancy boutique and couldn’t get the colors I wanted in my number. Amazon has them. (they are nearly full size, not the half-size lenses that remind me of Ben Franklin or “women of a certain age”)

      http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I4T8WTK?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00

      1. You might try multi-focal contacts. I love mine. It can take some time to adjust to them. I was able to go without my readers immediately and now I only need them in dim lighting. My distance vision was a bit fuzzy at first, but it eventually cleared up.

        1. Thanks, I actually have the torix multi-focused contacts but I still can’t read with them…so the readers too. Oh well, who needs to be glamorous and younger-looking on the job? Happily, DH doesn’t care one way or the other.

      2. Have you looked at Vision Shaping Lenses? You wear them at night and they reshape the lens of your eye, eliminating the need for contacts or glasses of any kind during the day. I’ve worn them about 4 years now, and can’t imagine going to something more conventional.

    5. There are always a ton of these, in three or four packs, in the register lane of TJ Maxx or Marshalls. Nicer quality than those from the drugstore, but still very reasonable.

  4. Recommendations for a tailor in the Bay Area (preferably SF, but willing to go elsewhere too)? I’ll likely want work that’s somewhat more involved than just hem and sleeve shortening, and would love someone who will give me some feedback about whether what I want is possible/makes sense, and if not, will offer alternatives.

    Thanks for any suggestions!

    1. Eli at Uni Tailor on University in Berkeley has altered everything from wedding dresses to shirts, pants, & jackets for my friends and me.

    2. Jackie’s Sew & Sew in Palo Alto did my wedding dress and suits, but there has GOT to be a wonderful tailor in SF who can do anything you need. Maybe call Neiman and ask who they refer their clients to, since they don’t have someone in house like Nordstrom does.

    3. I like Escobar Bros. They have several locations in SF but the one I have gone to (and had good results with) is in Embarcadero Center Two on the mezzanine level (right next to Banana’s women’s section). They have done things far more complicated than hems for me — including taking the waist of tailored trousers (bought larger to fit hips), slimming a blazer and taking in the waist/bodice of a long jersey dress to make it more shapely/fitted on top (given that I needed the larger size for my hips). The latter was a difficult fabric to work with and I was thrilled with the results. The one thing that came out poorly was when I asked them to take in the waist of what were essentially Nike full-length yoga pants in that stretchy part-Spandex material — so I won’t be asking them to alter any workout clothes again . . . .

  5. Thanks for all the advice on making Serious Calls for personal business the other day.

    I ended up chickening out and found email addresses for the real estate lawyers who were recommended and emailed them. They all called me back within a few hours and gave me their sales pitches. This was way, way easier than initiating the calls.

    I’m a lawyer in government and have always worked in the public sector so I’ve never had to solicit business. But the difference between the lawyers was absolutely astounding. It was immediately obvious who was the right choice for us to work with (even though he was the most expensive) – based on tone, friendliness, etc. I now have a new appreciation of what those of you who do this regularly as part of your job do.

  6. Reposting re: looking for a recommendation for a laser (unwanted hair removal) facility in Princton or nearby for my daughter who goes to school there. TIA.

  7. Leaning towards a Levenger for my annual work related present to myself. Any tips or recommendations from anyone? I’m feeling a little overwhelmed by the website possibilities. Main use will be for day to day lists and note taking – I live by my phone/outlook for calendar, but I need lists and quick notes on paper!

    1. I’ve had one for the past year now and I LOVE it. I bought dividers and the elastic loop that holds a pen. I use the meeting notepaper more than the To-Do list paper, and I bought a section of smaller sized paper to keep in front as “immediate note taking” section.

    2. Bomber Jacket Circa Zip Pro. Lovely. Size of your choice.

      They have 25% off today and free shipping on all orders.

      The Zip Pro in red would be my second choice.

      1. I don’t use the zipper one because I like mine to fold completely over when I use it. Consider the pros and cons and what would work best for you.

    3. OMG I love Levenger so much—but the Staples knockoffs ARC are really nice too, and cheaper. I went crazy getting dividers, tabs, to do list sheets, and the giant hole punch and it has been a godsend.

      I also love the mini-post it insert for ARCs/Levengers/Rollabinds–I use different colors for dfifferent things (blue=urgent, pink=helpful hint, etc)

      1. I buy all my accessories — dividers, zip pockets, post-it holder, pen holders, etc — at Staples, because they are much less, but the ARC leather cannot hold a candle to the Circa leather, and the Circa aluminum discs are to die for perfect.

    4. I love Levenger for pens and ink!!! Rollerball, actually.

      I also like the ACME pen brand on amazon and in Levenger.

      Levenger’s leather goods are great.

      Have you looked at Gallery Leather for a yearly calendar planner “book” ? Super nice quality.

      I use Stationery Studio dot com online for memo pads, lists, etc. personalized. Good stuff and a million choices.

      If you want to outfit yourself with correspondence cards, I find that those offered by American Stationery dot com/catalogue to to be superior to those offered by Levenger.

      Happy shopping!

    5. I have the Circa and love it. I got some of the action sheets and some of the general writing paper, as well as a bunch of dividers.

  8. Sometimes the question about whether to have kids comes up here… it is definitely a hot topic on my mind. Found Penelope Trunk’s blog post on it yesterday to be really interesting – she talks about the “bad” reasons to keep a job (i.e., protect yourself in case of a divorce, people will respect you more, etc.). I found it thought provoking enough that I wanted to share it here, too. will post the link as a reply.

      1. I find her fascinating but not sure I’d take her advice. I seem to remember her advocating having kids in your very early 20s and then ramping up later. Different strokes for different folks, but I shudder to think who I might have had kids with / what kind of mom I would have been.

    2. Hm. Definitely a thought-provoking read. Not sure exactly what my thoughts are, but it’s an interesting perspective.

      If I ever have kids, I will probably work even if I do not need to financially–just because the thought of doing nothing but mothering all the time makes my skin crawl. Maybe that would change if I had kids, probably not.

    3. Interesting that she says “society does not really” give permission to be a SAHM. I guess “society” is too nebulous a concept, because I see “society” celebrating SAHMs–or if not doing so directly, then just setting expectations of motherhood that aren’t compatible with holding a job, especially not a full-time job.

      This was much more thoughtful than my previous experience with Penelope Trunk. I overall don’t agree with the post, but I used to think of her as a feminist-baiting troll, so I’m glad I bothered to click through.

      1. I feel like society does generally say that kids are better off with a parent at home…but then they demean or belittle the women who actually do it. I also think it’s sort of scoffed at when women in certain field or of certain professional backgrounds do it.

        1. Society is set up so that women cannot “win.”

          SAHMs are demeaned vs. working mothers who are called selfish
          madonna vs. whore
          nice girls don’t get the corner office vs. corner office women are often disliked
          etc.

      2. “setting expectations of motherhood that aren’t compatible with holding a job, especially not a full-time job”

        Yes!!! This!!! Every school related event starting at 6:30 p.m. (no consideration of commute, picking up kids from childcare, let alone eating dinner.) Summer camps that end at 3:00. F’ing Elf on the Shelf. I could go on and on. . . . .

        1. Well, and also just the idea that children must have a parent in attendance at every extracurricular activity, that every holiday and event must be administered by parents so as to be “magical” for children, that the parents’ happiness/satisfaction/peace of mind must always be given less weight than that of the children, that the “good” option in terms of child-rearing isn’t acceptable when there is a “best” option, no matter the impact on the children of obtaining it…

          I have no kids, but the expectations around modern motherhood terrify me. I deeply love my parents. And they did not come to my every sports practice, and they went out by themselves to dinner/movies/etc. and left me with babysitters, and my brother and I went to the same private school because my parents’ desire to not spend their entire lives in the car driving us around outweighed their feeling that it wasn’t the best fit for me (not bad, but not the most ideal). My mom worked. I had a nanny and I went to afterschool care, and sometimes (gasp!) I was a latchkey kid. And my parents had what I, to this day, see as a much healthier marriage than many of my friends who are currently parenting.

          1. “We don’t do X because Mommy works” is something I say a lot.

            I felt bad the first time my children realized that they didn’t get spring break (in regular school; no spring break in daycare) b/c Mommy has to work (but Mommy also does awesome stay-cations for when I can take off a Friday or Monday or just any weekend I want to . . . all of that is also brought to you “because Mommy works”).

          2. If it helps, there are plenty of us who raise our kids in pretty much exactly the same way as you describe your childhood. And (for me at least), it’s working out great! You just don’t hear about it much, because we don’t have time/energy/desire to write blog posts about it.

          3. For me, I never said “We don’t do X because Mommy works”. Why should the woman’s job or the woman bear the guilt burden???? (Unless of course, you’re a single mom.) I always said things like “We don’t do X because Mommy AND DADDY work…and you’ll notice that ABC family across the street don’t do that either because their mommy and daddy both work.” And then I would go on to point out the things that we did do that were valued and important.

          4. +1 to coach laura. We need to treat women working as though it’s as natural as men working. B/c it is….

          5. Late to the conversation, but I had to comment on how much I love your post, cbackson. DH and I grew up similarly to you, and the changes in parenting floors us both.

            We haven’t had a real adult conversation with our friends in years, simply because they won’t go out without their children, won’t vacation (even for a weekend) without their children, and allow their kids full access to any adult gathering. It’s not healthy: not for children or for adults.

        2. Oh my goodness, I hate the F’ing Elf on the Shelf too! End the tyranny.

          1. Ok, I’m lost. I don’t love Elf on the Shelf, but what does it have to do with mothering/parenting?

          2. If your elf does not appear in a different, adorable, Pinterest-worthy tableau every morning, you are a Bad Mother. My child complains about the fact that her friends’ elves do all kinds of exciting things (ziplining across the kitchen on a candy cane, etc.) and hers just hides in different spots.

      3. I think this is also regional. I’m overgeneralizing here but there are parts of the country that are all about breaking tradition and being “good feminists” and that I could see putting pressure on a friend to not leave her career and “give up” her education etc. There are other parts of the country that are more conservative, traditional and religious where being a SAHM is the norm still.

        1. This also varies with socio-economic status in some circles.

          Relatives who live in the wealthiest enclaves of Silicon Valley are all stay at home Moms and most of their friends are the same. The SAHM are a strong clique. Of course, the working Moms are so busy they don’t have time for the school committees and the power hiking social gatherings etc…

          And when divorces happen in this group…. yikes… as the husband typically finds a younger hottie…. the SAHM has a very nice divorce settlements thanks to the CA laws. But you see the fear ripple through the group. Deep down, these women are very insecure unless they come from their own family money.

          Not for me!

        2. Different but related point,-if it were fathomable, I would quit my job and not work in an instant despite having two graduate degrees. With or without kids. I like working at a BigLaw firm way more than most and consider it a long-term option. But it is still a job. I do this job to earn money and have a nice lifestyle. If I magically had money, I would not work and would do things that interest me more-hobbies, travel, volunteer work, and perhaps having children and being a mother. Who knows. In reality, I am aiming to retire by the time I am 50 and go live in Hawaii. I am confident that I won’t miss work at all.

          1. I came to the same realization after taking my first truly unplugged two week vacation. It was an international cruise w/ no cell phone and $1/min internet. I never thought I’d enjoy staying home but I realized if I was rich and could retire on a beach I would have absolutely no problem doing that. And then work seemed a lot less fun and interesting after that realization. I want to retire early too.

        3. True. The pattern that I noticed when living in the Midwest is that the SAHM spouses of my coworkers typically did not have graduate degrees. It’s probably different in high-earning environments, but it seemed that graduate degrees often price a woman out of SAHM due to student loans, unless she comes from a wealthy family, earned scholarships, married a wealthy spouse, or paid off her debt quickly due to a high-paying job.

      4. Another plus-one to “setting expectations of motherhood that aren’t compatible with holding a job, especially not a full-time job.” Well put.

    4. “taking care of kids is way more difficult and more meaningful than going to work”. For everyone. Everywhere. Obviously.

    5. I guess I’ve been living under a rock, because I haven’t heard of this woman. But from this one article, I have soundly concluded that I do not like her, thank you. “I have a job because I like working, but last week I didn’t like it, so I didn’t work.” Pardon? I literally want to tell her where she can go. Being an adult means making realistic decisions and the corresponding commitments. Deciding, “Eh, I don’t want to today,” is neither being a good role model nor a responsible adult.

      Additionally, maybe a family can live on $55k in some small town in the middle of the country, but certainly not on the coasts, or even in a midsize city.

      I’m just blinking in disbelief at this woman.

    6. I’ve never seen this blog so I don’t know her philosophy or background, but I found it to be 90% BS. E.g. I think you can prepare so that you are not financially devastated in the event of a divorce yet not get a divorce. I think working does make you feel independent even if you have to stay home with a sick kid (or rely on my husband to stay home), I think it’s OK to divide up some labor without saddling one partner with 100% family financial responsibility and I think that I’m a good role model to my sons because I work (even though I also think that moms who stay home are good role models too). If you can make money from writing such junk, I should be a blogger. Rant over.

    9. Penelope Trunk is the worst.

      She may, at one point, have had vaguely useful career-related advice to offer, but her retrograde b/s about marriage and children has completely overwhelmed any possible usefulness. She has advocated for (in no particular order, and this list is not exhaustive): (1) staying in a physically abusive marriage, because the person being physically abused is 50% of the problem and therefore can stop the abuse by changing their behavior; (2) never divorcing ever, because divorce always harms kids and volatile marriages never, ever harm kids as much as divorced parents will harm kids; (3) the position that people who divorce are mentally ill, stupid, immature, selfish, or all of the above; (4) either working 100% (by which she means, working at Amazon-levels of dedication) and handing parenting responsibilities over to your spouse, or not working at all, because if you both work and attempt to parent, you will suck and fail at both; (5) going to business school early (no later than 27) to strategically snag a husband of the appropriate caliber, so that you can parent full-time once you have children; (6) investing in plastic surgery in your 20s and 30s because everyone knows men only promote women they want to bang, so make sure you’re maximally bangable if you want to be in the workforce; (7) homeschooling your kids, because they will “be screwed if you don’t”; (8) not sending children to school, because school puts them at increased risk for obesity and mental health disorders; and, my personal favorite, (9) not bothering to have an emergency fund, because “your ability to make money fast” should be your emergency fund.

      There’s no version of the world where I can take this woman seriously as a source of good ideas.

      2. My first ever encounter of her and am still not sure if it’s all a trolling scheme. Either way, I regret giving her a click.

        1. I think she’s a deeply scarred and very unstable person. There’s a lot of pain and loss in what she writes and I admire her candor, but ultimately feel she’s still banging around trying to find something to grab onto.

          1. I’m pretty sure her (subconscious) logic is something along the lines of “I am unhappy and it must be because I divorced my children’s father and worked 100 hour weeks and left them with nannies when they were small and sent them to public school for some period of time, ergo doing the opposite of that = being happy.”

          2. I may be confusing her with someone else but didn’t she originally blog about her child’s autism and her discovery that she is also autistic. Isn’t part of her spiel that she lacks social awareness and will just say what she thinks? I’m not at all defending her I just think it is part of understanding her theme. I think she rights outlandish things that will get talked about to generate click revenue. Genius business model but not good advice to follow.

          3. Yes, wasn’t she in an abusive relationship that she blogged about extensively? I’m sorry for what she’s dealt with and that she doesn’t seem to have support to help her heal, but also not going to take advice from her.

          1. … her stirring up shit 2 days after Dave Goldberg died that he “must have committed suicide because the family isn’t releasing TONS of details about his death and therefore the happy partnership with Sheryl Sandberg was all a LIE!!!!”

            she struck me as insane before, but she struck me as scum after that.

  9. I’m looking for suede pumps for work. 3″ heels, pointy toe, interesting colors (ex. rich burgundy) that I can wear with tights this winter. No tiny heels that will be easily marred – a more substantial heel, narrow block heel etc..

    And I am on my feet for much of the day, so comfortable.

    Which are you wearing now?

    2. The Payless “magic heels” that have been mentioned here before come in a rich suede-look burgundy that tick all of these boxes except the pointy toe (they have an almond). I think its called the Karmen. I own them and they aren’t feet-enveloping comfortable, but I can wear them all.day. and walk several miles and my feet magically feel like I’ve been in sneakers all day.

      1. Payless also has a pointy toe version called Janine. The colors are not as exciting but right now there are two shades of “nude” patent, a houndstooth, and a grey “snake”.

        1. Thanks! I do have a couple pairs of the Payless Janine and they do fill a niche, but I just destroy those narrow heels in no time. Too much walking, and I am rough on heels… I admit.

          I just need to invest in shoes with substantial heels, unfortunately. But I have a hard time finding the silhouette I prefer. Want to avoid a dowdy/lady of a certain age look.

          1. I switched to wedge pumps because walking around cities was killing my heels. Nine West has some nice options that are pretty sleek for a wedge. Amazon also has a nice selection.

        1. Yeah, love it. Great shape. I’d destroy the heel in no time unfortunately….

    4. Thanks for the links to some nice heels. I think my problem is the heel I’m looking for. Maybe it is just too off trend, but I just can’t wear a tiny spike heel when I’m walking much of the day (including lots of stairs). But I’d prefer not to jump to the full block heel.

      It’s hard to find things like this link, especially in suede, pointy toe… But this sort of heel, or a wide but narrow heel, can work well.

      https://www.etsy.com/listing/186704276/size-9-n-1980s-etienne-aigner-black?ref=market

        1. Thanks for this. Hard to find interesting colors here but I may just have to get a black pair and call it a day.

          I love having a rich pop of color in my heels, especially in winter… and especially when I am wearing a lot of black tights/pants/skirts.

        1. Thanks for this research. The Anne Klein is passable, although I could do without the details. The Weitzman really hits the mark on the style… the heel from the side view is a preferred silhouette for me. I have a near identical pair that are vintage and work well. Would love a true pointy toe though….. but I’ll consider this pair. Thanks!

          1. Ah I just came on to recommend the Anne Klein Thrya and I see someone beat me to it.

            It’s funny how unbalanced some of these high skinny heels look compared to the front of a more structured shoe. I hear you on your quest for a wider heel. I have fully embraced the block heel.

  10. this looks similar to a Brooks Brothers skirt on sale (with a boxy cropped jacket of the same print) as part of a suit.

    crazy to consider getting it with the jacket. I could see myself wearing both pieces separately often, but together? Is this print too much?

    1. I ordered that suit from BB and found the fit of the jacket paired with the skirt to just be hideous. The silhouette of the suit did not work for me at all. I don’t think it’s a body type thing – seemed like more of a cut/style issue – but if it helps, I’m 5’10” size 12 hourglassish.

  11. I have $100 for a splurge and need suggestions. I just got a mani/pedi, a massage isn’t an option, and I’m super pregnant so not really interested in clothes (although I am considering a nice robe). What would you buy?

    2. Cozy robe or slippers or a supersoft cashmere scarf. Or an indulgent face cream for the winter months.

      1. +1 on the scarf – a big wrap style. When I was super pregnant I couldn’t button my coat and the big scarf kept me warm.

    3. A nice hand cream in a scent that you really love. Maybe something from Fresh? I remember a friend got my a Fresh and Loccitane hand cream and I loved it esp bc you are washing you hands so much after baby is born. A nice haircut, or some fancy foods that you would never buy but always wanted to.

    4. These UGG Moccasin slippers (link to follow). Bought them for myself last fall as a “push present” (even though I didn’t push…haha) and hands down the best thing I have purchased for myself in a long time. Warm, comfy, and so so so necessary for maternity leave in cold winter months (particularly if you have wood floors and are worried, like I was, about slipping while carrying the baby).

    6. A gorgeous matching nightie-and-robe set (preferably nursing-compatible if that’s your thing). It is wonderful to have something comfortable but *beautiful* to lounge around in for the first week or so after you give birth. You never know when people will drop in, and even if you’re alone, it can be a great boost to not feel completely sloppy. (Not that you should feel obliged to look good – do what you have to do!)

        1. When I looked a few years ago, I thought Pea in the Pod had the nicest matching sets. I splurged and got two, and to be honest I still wear them to this date. They have held up beautifully and work as “normal” robes too.

  12. Nordstrom has a similar skirt with a matching sweater. Even the petite was much too long on me so may work for you tall ladies.

  13. Anyone know where I can find ole henriksen products on sale? My sister bought me the Nurture Me face cream several years ago, and I really miss it. I’m a drugstore-price-point girl, so $40 for a small tub is a lot.

    Or, if you’ve found another face cream that you love–I’d love to hear about it. I’m 35, still get acne, and have combo skin. I could (should?) probably start using some kind of wrinkle mess, but I figure for now, if I just hydrate & protect, that should at least help. I don’t like putting a whole lot of products on my face. I wash with water most of the time, occasionally with Yes to Carrots cleansing cream (about once every few days). Since I haven’t had a good face cream, I’ve been using Kiss My Face olive & aloe (which I do really like, but it’s a little oily /heavy for face all the time) when I need a little moisture. I don’t ever wear full foundation (see above–hate stuff on my face), but wear concealer & cream blush daily.

    1. if you are wearing makeup and are prone to acne, you should be washing your face with more than water more than once every few days… I guarantee you the concealer and blush are not coming off with just water.

      1. Yes, this is probably contributing to your acne.

        Washing your skin isn’t bad! Just use something gentle. Cetaphil works well.

        Lots of hydrating (oil free) night cream, good spf during the day. Maybe a benzyl peroxide for the acne.

    3. I agree that if you are having skin problems you should probably be taking better care of your skin….Cleansing (with something mild) every day to take off the makeup, dirt, and some oil. I like Philosophy Hope in a Jar Night. The alpha hydroxy mildly helps with adult acne.

      1. Agree that you should be cleaning your face regularly. Since OP said she prefers a drugstore price point, I would suggest Cetaphil cleanser. I have similar skin and that’s what I use. I splurge on the Ole Henrichsen Truth Serum and use Sephora Instant Moisturizer at night time. To answer your original question, I have never seen Ole Henrichsen products on sale, and I have done some minor shopping around. I buy mine from Amazon Prime so I don’t have to go to the store – I figure I am at least saving on gas.

      2. I’ve been using the CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser (pale green label, pump bottle) and CeraVe Moisturizing Cream (cobalt blue label, tub) every night for the past six months with great results. Not perfect, still breaking out a bit, but a marked improvement during that time.

  14. Any BigLaw finance lawyers who have left BigLaw care to share where you moved on to?

    I’m in a (relatively) niche finance practice in BigLaw and I like the work and generally like my firm, I’m just fed up with the hours. I can’t see an obvious path to go in-house other than going to a bank which may not help with the hours issue, and I would lose the part of my work I like the most which is drafting and running the deals. Equally, I’m not sure that a smaller firm would necessarily be much better because a deal is a deal and with that come long hours at times.

    1. No BigLaw experience, but I’ve always done transactional work at small to mid-size firms. Yes, hours can be long when you are closing a deal, particularly so at year-end, but generally speaking, the hourly requirement and expectations are manageable. Presently, my hourly requirement is 1600. So while things are crazy at the moment (boo to year-end!), I can generally work 9-6 with minimal weekend hours. NYC/NYC Suburban market FWIW.

    2. Where are you? I’m in DC and the paths people in your shoes have taken are generally: Hill staff, in-house at a financial institution (here or in NYC), govt (SEC, CFTC, CFPB, Treasury), think tank, academia.

    3. Move to Charlotte? Lots of finance work here, better commute, better weather. Lots of ex-NYCers here, so it’s like a very outer borough sometimes.

    4. +1. Transactional finance work at a small-midsize boutique firm. Closing deals/year-end often means 12-13 hour days, but there are no billable hours requirements. I’m in LA, and the firm has a few offices throughout the country.

    5. I moved to a trade association. It’s pretty much the ideal job if you’re interested in the business/policy side of things and are a strong writer who also enjoys frequent client interaction, public speaking, etc. There are a lot of well-funded trade associations in DC, so the pay can be comparable to biglaw.

  16. Any recommendations for an affordable yet effective vitamin C serum? I’m late 20s, still have acne and am trying to stave off wrinkles as long as possible.

    2. I am in a similar boat, 20s looking for a vitamin C serum. My skin is dry and sensitive though. I just ordered a serum off of Amazon and used it once so I can’t comment on it yet but the reviews were largely positive. “Majestic Pure Vitamin C Serum for Age Spots,Wrinkles, Sun Damage and Dark Circles Under the Eyes, 30M”

    3. I use Avalon organics vitamin C facial serum and I like it a lot. It is not expensive and brightens my skin. However, I am not using it to treat or manage any skin condition.

    5. Paula’s Choice has a vitamin c toner that’s mostly the vitamin and she’s upfront about the fact that vitamin c is unstable so the stuff will only be useful for a few months. Well-priced and she seems to really do her research.

    6. Cosmetic Skin Solutions Vitamin C+E Serum Advanced Formula +

      I know people who have used it for years and absolutely love it.

  17. Does anyone have a favorite zip-around wallet? My 31 wallet is beginning to show its age, and I need to find a replacement. I love the organization–there are two columns of card slots plus 4 different slots for unfolded bills (or checkbook, etc), and an external zip pocket. What I especially like about it is that it unzips and lays flat.

    I think I would prefer a microfiber, but leather would be ok too.

    Not a “money is no object” thing, but I would like to see the range of options.

    1. I love the Target version and replace it every year or so. It’s about $15 full price, and right now it’s on sale for $10.50. Fun colors and very sturdy for the price! Link to follow.

    2. I have a Cole Haan one that was a gift 5+ years ago and is still going very strong, even for this wallet-stuffer. It’s leather with a chunky (read: still good looking, but not a flimsy little thing) zipper. Shocked by how happy I’ve been with it given that their quality has fallen off.

      It’s a different color/material, but same shape/features as this one I believe:

      http://www.colehaan.com/adeline-continental-zip-wallet-chestnut/U00693.html?dwvar_U00693_color=Chestnut&dwvar_U00693_width=B

    4. It doesn’t zip around, but meets all your other criteria: Kate Spade Stacy. I bought mine at the outlets last year and love it…I seriously have not used another wallet since switching.

      1. The Kate Spade Lacey is a zip around that otherwise meets most of OP’s criteria (other than that I don’t think it lays flat when unzipped). You can get it for around $80 if you stalk the outlet sales or secret/surprise sales online and if you’re not tied to a specific color.

  18. How do you tell whether the cup size of a particular bra is too small? I’ve read all the stuff on this, and it’s obvious when a bra is definitely too small, but unclear to me how close your breast can be to bulging out of the cups a little (very little being key here) is this just a comfort issue, or is the whole breast supposed to fit all the way in the cup?

    1. I think the good rule of thumb would be that you shouldn’t see a demarcation when wearing a t-shirt. (If it’s a lacy bra you wouldn’t ever wear with a t-shirt, just pretend for these purposes.)

      1. Actually I learned something mind-blowing last time I went to the fancy bra store — a (flat) lacy edge to the cup can actually look better under a t-shirt than a smooth, straight edge because it is a more gradual transition between the bra and the skin. Who knew?

    2. My rule is that it should look smooth from the side in a shirt (i.e. I don’t want any bulges on the top, making it look like quad boobs, or like my boobs have muffin top)

      1. Okay, but for bulges on top, is that just in most normal situations? Like, if you move your arms all around, move your shoulders back, etc, should you still never see any bulges on top? I just realized I’ve been wearing the complete wrong bra size my whole life, so clearly I don’t know what I’m doing.

        1. You should never see bulges, ever :)

          Have you gone to a lingerie store? They’re the same price as a nice department store because prices are set by the manufacturers ($50+ per bra; mine from Chantelle run $65-ish normally), but the service is out of this world good. They’ll bring you every bra they have in your size and you can see how they fit and how they look under your clothes.

          If you don’t have a lingerie store (and don’t be intimidated!), I like Bloomingdale’s and Dillard’s.

    3. I highly recommend Reddit’s thread on bra fitting for really through explanations on how a bra should fit, should be put on, etc.

  19. Any recs for an electrician in the NYC/Brooklyn area? I need to get a electric heater installed but have no idea what to expect in terms of cost. Any advice appreciated!

    1. Have you asked your building’s super for a recommendation? Or a recommendation from another contractor you’ve worked with, if you own a house? This can be a good way to go – yes they might be taking kickbacks, but that also gives you at least one small bit of leverage if the work goes slowly or whatever. (Sorry if this is a completely obvious response!)

  20. Workplace etiquette question – I know to introduce lower-ranked people to higher-ranked people (“CEO, this is Jr Guy”), but when someone is interviewing with us and I’m introducing to someone who’d be a peer, who gets introduced to who?

    1. Traditionally, women are introduced to men and younger to older. Other than that, it doesn’t much matter between peers.

    2. I would introduce the person being interviewed to the person they’d be working with, but I’ve never seen a rule regarding it.

  21. Hi friends – husband is getting a vasectomy next week Thursday. Any advice from past caregivers? He’s nervous in general about medical procedures so I want to be supportive. I’m planning to take the day off work to transport him to/from his doc’s office, and will be doing as much as possible to keep our three little kids out of his hair (and off his lap!). Any other words of wisdom for me?

    1. I read an article some ago about men who schedule theirs during March Madness as an excuse to lay around watching TV all day and that doctors are happy to schedule it then but admit they don’t need that much time for recovery. All this is to say, as some one who has not cared for someone after this, I’d imagine the best bet is tv/movies, rest, and taking it easy moving around.

      1. There was a doctor in our area who actually advertised March Madness vasectomies one year.

    2. Anecdotal evidence from friends and family suggests you should stock up on ice packs and beer…

    3. My husband had one a couple of months ago. The actual procedure was quick and almost painless. He really should spend the rest of the day and all of the next day off his feet as much as possible to control the swelling. He basically sat in our recliner and iced (rotated between a bag of peas and a reusable ice pack) on for 2o minutes, off for 20 minutes (or something like that. The dr gave written instructions.) He had to take a sponge bath for a few days until the incision healed. But by probably the third day he was pretty much back to normal. He was sore for a while so keep up with the pain meds.

    4. Well my husband had a hard time with his. Lolled around with his bag of frozen peas for more than a week. I swore that if I had to hear him say, “ow, my ba11s!” one more time I was going to kill him.

      But they did tell him when they went in that he’d be extra sore because they had to work around a variscosity (?).

      And then his follow up tests never cleared. They wanted to go back in. He was very grudgingly willing, but I decided I couldn’t deal with that again so I made my own appointment for a tubal ligation. “ow, my tubes!”

    5. Bags of frozen peas. It sounds a little strange, but they are malleable where a lot of ice packs aren’t.

      A new video game, if he’s into gaming?

      A friend who had small children bought a couple of small throw pillows to put over his groin so that it was harder for small feet, knees, elbows, etc to find sensitive bits.

    6. Not been thru this, and I appreciate the concern and care for your husband, but there is a huge part of me that gets really stabby about guys making a big deal about a vasectomy. Between all I’ve been through with BC pills, pregnancy, child birth, and even just periods for 20+ years now, I’m pretty sure a guy can handle some minor pain to actually step up to the plate with regard to birth control. But that’s just me and my rant.

      3. I have a hard time believing a vasectomy could possibly hurt more than getting my IUD put in for the first time, and the ensuing three months, when I would have random bouts of sudden cramps so bad I couldn’t even stand up, but would sit clutching the arms of my office chair and clenching my teeth to keep from sobbing.

    7. My husband didn’t realize that he was essentially supposed to be on bed rest for 24 hours, and then no lifting more than 15 pounds for a week or 2. That was inconvenient information to find out after the procedure, and we were unprepared. He overdid things for the first couple days and ended up having more pain and discomfort than he likely would have if he’d taken it easier.

    8. Serious question not meant to be judgmental: Why are vasectomies still so common when 10-year-no-hormones-required IUDs are available? I used to think my hubs wound get a vasectomy when the time came, but now I think I’ll just keep my copper IUD through menopause. I know some people can’t have IUDs for various reasons or do not tolerate them well, but is there something else I’m missing?

      1. I think there are a lot of people who can’t handle IUDs for various reasons. But also, why not be safe on both ends?

      2. I know of a lot of women who thought they’d kept careful past menopause and now have one kid much younger than their others…

      3. My boyfriend has one and I can’t love it enough. I dislike birth control, don’t want an IUD, and frankly am sick of being the one to truly have to worry about it.

        1. +1

          I can’t wait for the day where the birth control is no longer my problem!

      5. I have had both the copper IUD and mirena (IUD with hormones) and my husband just had a vasectomy. For us, the main considerations were that we are still fairly young (early 30’s), but have 3 kids and know we absolutely do not want more and have known this for many years now. Our youngest is almost 5. The copper IUD made my periods unbearably heavy and painful. I was used to pretty heavy periods and cramps before that, but this was terrible and much worse. The Mirena has been fine, I would get another one, but I would probably have to get another 3 to get me through menopause. So my husband offered to be the one to deal with it after I had 3 children, haha!

      6. I don’t think insertion and removal of an iud is really any simpler than a vasectomy. Also, women are responsible for the vast majority of reproduction and avoiding reproduction, and vasectomy is super simple and permanent, why wouldn’t you do it?

        1. I have an IUD and would be very very surprised if a vasectomy would be more painful than it has been. Insertion, terrible; months and months of bleeding, terrible; this week crying in the office trying not to faint from cramps (or is it the blood loss?), terrible; the TV ultrasound to confirm it wasn’t poking a hole through my uterus, terrible. And that’s on top of my being the one who dealt with pregnancy and childbirth, and before that taking a pill (side effect galore!) every day. I’ll be sympathetic in a few years when he gets the snip, but I’m not going to forget that I’ve borne the majority of the pain with everything reproduction-related in our relationship. Anyway I guess that’s why some people (us) will opt for a vasectomy when we’re sure we’re truly done. Because I am DONE having it be my job.

        2. I am sort of surprised to hear about the IUD issues people have had, and really sorry to hear about it. It truly sounds terrible.

          I have the mirena IUD. I didn’t really find the insertion that painful, more like a pinch that lasted about 30 seconds. And then I had a some intermittent cramps for 2-3 hours, but they were really mild-sort of like cramps from gas/bloating. After that, I have never known it was even there and haven’t had a period or spotting since. I guess they work well for some and not for others.

    9. Patience, and watch for complications. My husband had some; nothing serious but his incision kept bleeding and he had severe pain for close to three weeks. They think he probably formed a hematoma that had to resolve.

      I was not all that patient at first because I’d wrongly assumed he should be fine in 3 days, (and was a few months down the road from my own c-section), but his misery was real and it just took time. He’s not sorry he did it, but afterwards he found out more of his friends had had a similar experience than he would have guessed. Hopefully you get the three-day version, but I think it helps to be prepared.

      1. Mine is the Harry Winston halo design…Super tiny stones on halo, large diamond in centre. Also I prefer a cushion cut diamond. But I think rubies or emeralds also would look fab!

  22. Ladies, if you could design your own engagement ring and money were no object, what would it look like? Boyfriend comes from a family of jewelers, so I can design my own. I would like a ring (not engagement earrings, for example), and am 99% sure a diamond (or many). I have thoughts — but many of them! I am open to any and all ideas.

    1. Not exactly what you asked, but a friend has an opal ring (modeled after Kate Middleton’s) and they wanted the husband to have something connected to that on his band, but he didn’t want to wear an opal ring. They got a few (maybe three?) small opals set into the underside of his silver band. I think it makes the band a little more special and it’s sweet that they both know it’s there. So, in short, no advice for your engagement ring, but maybe your future-fiancé’s family can make him a band that has a similar theme to your ring.

      2. Oh, I really like that idea!

        I am no help on the engagement ring design because I also have ALL THE IDEAS. I like something big (although not a diamond) because I have large man hands and I am really hard on jewelry. Delicate items get lost and destroyed. I can’t have nice things. I told bf that I didn’t care if it was CZ, I just wanted to like it. I am leaning towards a cushion cut sapphire center stone with moissanite as the accent stone. I honestly care less about the e-ring than I do about the wedding band. I really want an eternity band with alternating sapphires and moissanite.

    2. I would absolutely do the Princess Diana/Kate Middleton big-sapphire-surrounded-by-diamonds thing. For sure. Without question.

      1. Or if you want the center stone to be a diamond, reverse the colors and surround a big diamond with little sapphires.

    3. Go into the store(s) and try on a bunch of rings. See what you like on your hand. You can mix and match elements from different rings to create something unique that you’ll love. If you like a more vintage look, check out antique shows for ideas on different settings.

      FH and I designed my ring. I/we did not find it helpful to look at rings online. It was just overwhelming. And when we went to the store, we discovered that a lot of the styles I loved online I didn’t love on me. It’s also pretty much impossible to tell what carat size you’ll like on your hand unless you’re actually in the store. My ring turned out a lot different than the rings I was looking at online, but I’m absolutely in love with it.

      1. I will of course try on and already have an idea of what size should look like given my hands and stature. It is not a storefront jewelers, though, but rather a wholesale/custom shop in the jewelers district of my city, so the selection to try on is limited as items are typically custom or sold to retail jewelers. In store, it’s mostly looking through catalogs of previous designs, which I find to be just as overwhelming as pinterest! They can do anything and can do so beautifully, I just thought it might be fun to hear some ideas from this group!

        1. I’d go to a different store to try on just for ideas – I ended up with something completely different from what I originally wanted because I didn’t like how what I wanted looked on my hand.

          2. +1 agreed. I thought I liked a certain style online, but tried on a lot of others and discovered that I still liked the design of the one I selected.

    4. Halo settings, fancy / intricate bands, etc. are all popular now, which is great if that’s what you really love, but don’t feel pressured to have a complicated ring design just because it’s available to you! Seconding the advice to go in and try on styles too – what looks beautiful and intricate online could look too fussy to you once it’s on your hand.

      My favorite style has always been a solitaire on a platinum band, which is exactly what I got. (I also love the Harry Winston style with the two small bague t t e s that run parallel to the band.) However, I do always pause to admire the Wisteria engagement ring by David Yurman.

    5. I love my vintage style ring, but if I was buying a new one I’d totally make the trip to McTeigue & McClelland, probably something from their Flora line. They.are.amazing!

      2. It is seriously difficult to impress me, especially when it comes to diamonds, but my jaw dropped. Stunning jewelry.

    6. There is someone on thiss!ite who had once posted a picture of her ring – I think it was an aquamarine surrounded by small diamonds and it was lovely.

    7. I have a flattish comfort fit band on my e-ring so it can’t spin. I love that feature and wish my wedding ring (family heirloom) had it as well. Not a true eyestopper or anything, but it’s an awesome feature.

    8. I actually did design my own ring. It was a diamond surrounded by rubies and little diamonds. I loved that ring; I still break it out from time to time and wear it on my right hand when I’m dressed up for an occasion.

    9. My husband and I were planning to custom design my ring together, but ended up “borrowing” a Harry Winston design that I tried on and loved (their cushion cut micropave design). Go try on a bunch of different shapes and styles – something (or a combination of somethings) will jump out at you.

      Also, trying rings on in person was much more helpful to me than browsing online. I originally had my heart set on an oval cut engagement ring after a lot of online browsing, but really didn’t like how it looked on my hand once we started shopping. I ended up with a ring that was totally different than I thought I wanted, but I’m so happy with it.

  23. My mother in law sent a very specific list of items my husband and I are supposed to buy her kids for Christmas (oddly irking, but ultimately helpful since I don’t know what they want and have no time to shop). For my brother-in-law who is 23 and just started a PhD program in math, she requested a tie since he needs to give more presentations now. I am all for this, but am considering also getting him a gift card to somewhere he could get a blazer, since he doesn’t own one and any tie I would get him would be worn with khakis and a white shirt with a button down collar. Sticking with the math professor vibe, does anyone in NYC have a suggestion of somewhere I could send him for a reasonably affordable first blazer? He’s probably on the larger end of the normal size spectrum, so somewhere with a good size range is a bonus. Thanks!

    1. I think the best bet for a men’s blazer is Macy’s *during a sale*. Men’s Wearhouse is also an option if he would be overwhelmed at Macy’s.

      1. My grad-student son has had good luck at Men’s Wearhouse. The salesguy took him in hand and fixed him up and he was really happy with the outfits he ended up with.

    2. Not NYC specific, but Lands End actually has decent wool blazers – esp. for someone who won’t wear one that often and it sounds like isn’t on the super-stylish end of the spectrum (not knocking, meaning I’m not picturing him in one of the skinnier cut blazers of today – more the traditional navy blue blazer guy).

    3. This is a very interesting idea from your MIL! As a grad student in economics, I’m pretty sure I didn’t wear anything nicer than jeans until at least my 3rd year.

      1. +1. I have to give presentations fairly often as part of my degree and I never wear anything particularly smart (other than making sure my hair is alright and I’m not wearing sports kit).

    4. An alternative to a store is to get him a gift card to Alton Lane, which does custom suits, tuxes, blazers, shirts, etc. for men. My husband has gotten multiple suits, blazers, and shirts there, and we’ve referred a bunch of friends there, including hard-to-fit people, who have all been pleased. They take the person’s measurements and then create the item. They’re really good at customizing things for you. For example, my husband likes his left sleeve slightly wider at the wrist than the right, because he wears his watch on his left wrist. They built that into their file for him, so it’s an automatic thing they do now when he purchases a shirt. They’re also good with tailoring and small fixes (like a replacement button or collar stay). We haven’t needed any major repairs. The cost can vary depending on what fabric you choose. My husband has purchased suits from them that are perhaps slightly more expensive than BR or J Crew. I imagine you can call them and ask for a price range for their blazers, which would give you an idea of whether this is feasible.

      1. Great idea, especially since he will have to handle the shopping/fit on his own since we are not in NYC. Thanks Anon and everyone else!

  25. My fellow big law ladies – WHERE ARE THE BONUSES? Weirdly, I’m enjoying the hilarious game of chicken these firms are playing.

    1. Seriously! I can’t believe no one’s announced yet. Our firm needs a separate time code for bonus speculation.

      I’m sure ATL’s page hit numbers are through the roof.

  26. Ladies, did you feel like you learned a lot about being a girl/woman from your mothers? Like, did you learn to shop for clothes, put on make-up and other women-specific things from her? What about relating to other women, interacting with men, etc? I was raised by a single father and find myself less knowledgeable about these things than I should be, and I’m wondering how much of it is because of a lack of a female figure or influence in my life.

    1. Ugh no, but I think that’s because of my mom. She’s not into makeup, shopping, not boy-crazy etc…and was incredibly shy about bring up puberty-related issues. I learned this stuff from my friends. I guess I did learn how to relate to other women through her, but probably not men (I figured that out on my own).

      1. My mom has zero interest in clothing, shoes, makeup, or other things like that….definitely didn’t talk to me about s3x or puberty stuff at all, except when I didn’t get my period until age 14 and I learned that apparently that was weird.

        1. Same. Except I didn’t get my period until 15 and my mom reassured me it was normal because apparently she didn’t get hers until 14 or something like that and so she told me late periods were genetic. But otherwise we never talked about puberty stuff and she has absolutely no interest in fashion or beauty.

    2. Most of it was from interacting with my friends. Around 5th/6th grade was when we all started playing with makeup, though having access to my mom’s (which I wasn’t allowed to play with, but I digress) probably helped. My mother is not fashionable and has never tried to talk to me about boys, and that was stuff I started figuring out in my early 20’s.

    3. My mom loved shopping, so I definitely did a lot of that with her. My taste in clothes is actually more influenced by my dad – my mom loves the shopping process; my dad loves clothes. This may be why my wardrobe leans hard to the tailored/preppy/traditional end, especially for work. I picked up make-up from friends – my mom wore it, but I don’t remember ever really even seeing her put it on. Honestly, I’m sure there are a lot of ways in which my female identity reflects what I learned from her, but it’s hard to see them because it’s my only frame of reference.

      That said, my dad was my primary caregiver during my childhood, and I definitely think I view male/female relationships (particularly when it comes to dating and work/family stuff differently). The concept that a woman’s career would be secondary and that a man would not have an equal (and at times, the primary) role in parenting is utterly foreign to my experience.

      I guess another way to put it would be to say that there was no “default” parent in my household. If I got sick at school, who picked me up? My dad if it was before 4 PM during the school year (my mom taught elementary school), my mom if it was after 4 PM during the school year. In the summers, it was whomever wasn’t busy (my dad is also in education, so summers were more flexible for him as well). And at any given time, it could be the nanny, a baby-sitter, our next-door neighbor, one of my dad’s graduate students, or a friend’s parent if neither of my own was available. For many of my friends (as a child and even now), the answer was always, regardless of day or time, “mom.”

      1. This is so great! We are trying to do this – have no ‘default’ parent – and it’s great to read about role models.

        I learned no girlly stuff from my mom, other than cooking if that counts, b/c she had/ has no interest in clothes, makeup, hair, dating, decorating, etc. Learned some from my friends, and from my aunt, as well as reading Seventeen Magazine at a teen, and later Glamour and that ilk.

        Now my daughter is a huge girly-girl, all pink and ruffles, stealing my lip balm for “lipstick”. Go figure.

    4. Not at all. My mum does make up and clothes but never talked to me about them. She has had super short hair since I was born so she never did hair with me. I had to Internet search how to shave my legs…

    5. Yes I learned how to be a woman from my mom – that a woman is an individual with her own personality and preferences (regardless of what a stereotypical woman is supposed to be e.g. make-up, heels, which my mom does not do). I would say that I have more female friends, but that I relate to my husband the most of all other people because of our personalities.

    6. Nope, not at all. My mom seemed to have given up on most of the “girly” stuff a long time ago. She had short hair and let it go gray and wasn’t much into fashion or makeup. And what I learned from her about relationships took ten years of therapy to un-learn!

      I guess the one good thing I learned from her was “have a career and have your own money.” Which was worth a lot, now that I think about it.

    7. My mom didn’t impart any knowledge to me. Looking back at it, most of my knowledge came from magazines (Seventeen!). And of course, my friends with older sisters.

    8. My mother did teach me how to be a woman – always be able to support yourself, have money in the bank, feed yourself in a healthy, economical way, keep a house clean, know how to change a tire, hang a level shelf, get stains out of your favorite shirt, always send a thank you note, never try to truly change a man (this I learned by negative example), and leave any place better for you having been there. But I had to teach myself all the beauty stuff. Actually, just over Thanksgiving, she asked me to help her figure out how to pick a good skincare regime (at 67!) and how to tell which makeup colors she should wear.

  27. I need party-hosting advice! I’m having about 10 people over for a Christmas party and would like to serve a nice meal. Normally I order fajitas or BBQ, but I’m leaning Italian (basically just don’t want to do Mexican or BBQ because that’s my typical party fare). I’m torn between two options: (1) Making some kind of entrée ahead that can just be in the oven when people arrive (like a lasagna) or (2) Ordering the entrée from a restaurant and doing the rest of it. Which would you do? And then what would you make or order?

    1. I’d do meatballs, à la Friday Night Meatballs. My recipe is just meat held together with pesto, super tasty. The longer it simmers in sauce the tastier it gets.

      1. This sounds delicious. What proportion of meat-to-pesto do you use? Do you oven bake or just simmer in sauce?

        1. About a tablespoon of pesto per half pound of meat. I brown in a sauté pan and then add a couple of cans of chopped tomatoes and one jar of shop bought tomato and basil sauce (you could make your own sauce but I’m too lazy). It was based on a ‘pesto turkey burger’ recipe from Waitrose, a British supermarket chain.

    2. I would order the entree. I’d provide salad and bread and dessert.

      I’d consider doing two lasagnas (one veggie and/or one with meat) because I do have vegetarian friends.

      Also, chicken parm and eggplant parm. Zitis can be good too (easy to have the restuarant make one veggie).

      A lot of them already have catering menus, which may help the decision.

    3. I would probably either make or order the main dish (something relatively simply like lasagna as you mentioned or a baked pasta). I would supplement with an assortment of lots of Italian cured meats and yummy cheeses, crusty bread (maybe with some olive oil for dipping) and a simple (probably vegetarian) chopped salad with garbanzo beans and shredded parmesan. I think roasted broccolini or Brussels sprouts also goes well with heavier pasta dishes if you want another green thing, but not necessary at all.

  28. And I repeated myself about the Mexican and BBQ because I thought I’d deleted it….I miss editing.

  29. PSA – I just went to Gap to do some returns and got the Confetti fit and flare dress (I won’t link because I’m in the UK). It’s a lovely shape and would look good on pears and straight up and down ladies. And it has POCKETS.

  30. Ordering or making lasagna sounds great. I like the idea of having a meat option and a veggie option.

    I hosted a party recently for about that number and did a pot of beef chili and a pot of veggie chili, both in crockpots so they were super easy to make ahead. I had cornbread and a variety of condiments like grated cheese, chopped green onions, sour cream, and so on. It was a big hit.

    1. Sorry, that was for Care, above. I’m not doing so well on this thread…

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