Splurge Monday’s Workwear Report: The Lola Tie-Neck Blouse
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Our daily workwear reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices.
This tie-neck blouse from Elie Tahari is so striking that it almost looks like a wearable piece of art. It’s a perfect piece for a day when you’re looking to make a bold statement but still want to keep it professional.
Wear it with a suit for a formal look, or a midi skirt and heels for something a bit more business casual.
The top is on sale for $276, marked down from $345, at Bloomingdale’s and comes in sizes XS-XL.
Sales of note for 11/6:
- Nordstrom – Early Black Friday sale! Up to 25% off fashion + 15% off all fragrance
- Sephora – Savings Event! 10-20% off for members, and 30% off Sephora Collection
- Ann Taylor – 25% off your purchase, and $50 off $200
- Brooklinen – Surprise weekend sale, 20% off
- Electric Picks – 25% off
- J.Crew – 2400+ markdowns
- J.Crew Factory – Extra 50% off clearance
- M.M.LaFleur – Save 20% on suiting and dresses! Try code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off on other items)
- Talbots – Enjoy 30% off your entire purchase
I am way, way behind on work – advisory-based private practice. Most of my weeks are made of <1 hour calls with clients. Maybe 10x/year I have research projects or investigations or audits. Between late Sept-early Oct., 11 clients asked me to do pretty big research/drafting projects (estimating 5-15 hours each; all different topics). None are done. I am at a small firm, I don’t have backup in my area. I have had some major family medical stuff but also three gov’t investigations come up unexpectedly that do have real deadlines.
None of the clients have been mad at me yet, this is all internal purposes so no filing deadlines are broken, but I hate being this late. Any suggestions for how I can actually get these done? And how to update clients, other than “hoping next week” or something that feels horribly unrealistic?
Can you bribe yourself? Humans really only work 5ish hours a day at the office (as has been proven by scientists over and over again, lest we have the people who insist they actually work all 8 hours a day), but I can tend to eek out a bit more productivity if I know there will be pizza or a bath or something waiting for me when I get home.
When you update clients, the worst thing you can do is set expectations you will not be able to meet. Since this work is for clients’ internal purposes, chances are good that they can accommodate your timeline, and they are likely to be understanding if you have good longstanding relationships with them. But if you repeatedly make promises you can’t keep, they will be annoyed, and they will think that you are incompetent.
I would block off way more time on your calendar so you are less available for calls.
The answer is just buckle down and do it, it sucks but you’ve just got to put the time in.
Figure out when you will definitely be able to get this work to clients, be conservative about this, and commit to those deadlines. Clients can probably accommodate your timeline, but they will lose confidence if you repeatedly fall short and have to postpone.
How many hours this week can you spend on reports, and which two reports get worked on this week? Book those hours on your calendar and the report name, exactly as if it were a client meeting. If you can get a win with getting one or two done, you may gain some momentum.
Then sit down and map out when all those projects can actually sit on your calendar. Be realistic about how many hours they will take and book those hours.
I find that communicating confidently goes a long way, even if you haven’t made much progress. There’s nothing worse than someone going MIA and never giving a status update. “Hi Client, I’m writing to give you an update on Task A and B. Task B can commence as soon as A reaches ____, which I expect to happen next week. At this point, I’m targeting December 1 for the completed product and will let you know by November 20 if I expect any delays. I’m available to meet this week at ___ if you’d like to discuss; otherwise, I’ll be in touch!”
I leave work early one day per week for a session with my favorite trainer. I would like to wear black leggings and a black sports bra to work those days – needing to change 100% of my outfit has caused me to be late, wearing those items would help me lose less time (could even change the rest in a parking lot if needed). Any outfit recommendations for a business casual office? I don’t feel comfortable wearing leggings alone. I need a layer over my rear.
Wear a skirt so you can put on leggings in the parking lot easily.
Dark sweater dress with knee high boots. Do not attempt to use the leggings in any way as pants.
This, or sweater + skirt with boots.
Sweater dress + tall boots is my recommendation too. The leggings will not stand out, you will be warm and comfy, and you can just take off the dress and change shoes at the gym.
Sue Sartor midi dress and boots or any long skirt plus boots. But I think you either need a later appointment or an earlier hard stop.
I am envious of how everyone in a Bind or MI or Jason Bourne movie can do a lot of sprinting and parkour in business formal attire. That’s what you need.
A sports bra is not going to work with office clothes. You need to leave 5 minutes earlier.
+1. Leggings could work under a skirt but I doubt a sports bra is passable business attire. Change at the gym if you can’t at your office.
See I think the sports bra is the easier part. Assuming you’re wearing a dark shirt that’s not too tight, how would anyone even know?
It’s not about people knowing. It’s about the shape.
Oh this is me today. I cycle 5 miles and jeans are too cold – so today I’m in fleece lined tights, a long sweater skirt, and a jumper. I could definitely pull this over yoga clothes and no one would notice.
Loose sweater/top over sports bra. Skirt over leggings and some type of boot.
Now that it’s the worst season for those of us who are always cold, I am increasingly intrigued by Instagram ads from OGL. They are showing skirts and tops they claim are warm and they look pretty cute in the ads. Has anyone tried? Is it just more cheap synthetic fabric?
I need an Aquitalia-type narrow calf, but either Timberland-type thick rubber soles or something in a slightly-wide width in the ball-of-foot area. I am having foot issues on one foot and sometimes any sort of thin sole has me hobbling around in a shoe that otherwise fits. I need some room for experimenting with under-foot cushions and padding, but the feet don’t need a formal W width.
And a companion question: what fashion sneakers have a thick but forgiving sole? And a generous forefoot area? My Tretorns are officially too narrow on my R foot while the L foot is just fine (favorites for decades and have worked well otherwise).
Love my new balance 574. I don’t know if they are fashion but my 14 yr old tells me she wants to take them from me.
How do we feel about today’s pick? I’m inclined to really like it ane need to be talked into or out of buying it.
I don’t know who “we” is and can’t address that.
I personally really like it.
Haha, I also hate the “we.” It elicits the same eyeroll from me as “Ladies.”
I am a big fan and I think it would be very cool look, even if only for a Zoom meeting.
I already have a disproportionately large chest so I don’t really go for tops with extra volume in that area or really high necks (which also feel a bit suffocating), but if that’s not an issue for you, I think the color is gorgeous!
It feels like too much to pay for a top that I would only ever wear under a jacket.
I have a ballgown type skirt that would look great with this.
I love it.
Any ideas to replace orange package Ole Henrikson face wipes?
I can’t tolerate his blue label or green label skincare but haven’t found an alternative to the orange ones.
They were smooth, didn’t break my face out, and the smell was tolerable. I have sensitive skin that dries out quickly. I also am sensitive to lots of smell so low fragrance is best.
Unsuccessfully, I have tried Neutrogena, Ceraphil, Aveeno, and a Korean rice water brand.
Bioderma
Micellar water and a cotton ball?
Have you already tried double-cleansing?
I have sensitive, acne-prone skin and like the Elf makeup remover balm followed by a cetaphil gentle cleanser. Doesn’t strip my skin but doesn’t break me out, either.
I was going to suggest double-cleansing too. I have sensitive skin that is fairly dry. I use Clinique cleansing balm followed by Aveeno Calm & Restore cleanser.
BigLaw people — are your firms having big Weil postmortem meetings to reassure people that the sky is not falling? What is the vibe?
A bit of sleuthing assistance… There’s an article in the NYT today about a woman with Ehlers-Danos syndrome. There are two photos of her –and I LOVE her cardigan! I even tried an AI thingy to try to find it. Does anyone recognize the maker? TIA
It looks very much like Everlane alpaca rib to me, but I suspect is from a past season. They currently have a non-rib alpaca crew cardigan that’s similar and a cropped alpaca rib cardigan, either of which miiiiiiiiiiiight suit.
Any recommendations for a massage therapist in UWS? I want to send my college kid a gift certificate for a massage and I’m looking for recs. Anyplace or person you could recommend (something in the middle between luxe high-end and budget /economy option)? Thank you!
Are there any serious scholarly pieces in the outfits and accessories of modern powerful women, like worldwide government high-level people or NGO leaders?
Back at work after spending part of last week at my professional society’s annual conference. I went to lots of great keynotes and sessions, caught up with friends from college that I hadn’t seen in a long time and met new connections from all over the country, and shared advice with students. I was also honored to receive my first society award. I feel energized, inspired, and exhausted at the same time.
I love a good conference. It’s so much better to see people in person.