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Thursday’s TPS Report: Davie Leopard-Print Taffeta Jacket

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Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. Lord & Taylor is having some crazy clearance sales right now. Today, for example: buy 1 pair of boots, get 1 free. They're also offering an extra 50% off lots of items (that price is now marked), plus an additional 15%-25% off with code LASTCHANCE. Insane! For today's TPS I like this deeply discounted jacket from BCBGMaxAzria. I can see why it's so deeply discounted: even I don't quite know how to describe it. For purposes of getting dressed in the morning, I would probably think of this more like a very structured blouse (and less of a jacket). Love the big short sleeves (they look both looser and longer than most short sleeves), and that peplum detail and curved hem look very 40s to me (always a good thing). Love it styled with the belt, too. It was $248, but is now marked to $79.36. (Unfortunately BCBG is excluded from the LASTCHANCE sale — but still, it's a pretty great deal!) BCBGMAXAZRIA Davie Leopard-Print Taffeta Jacket Seen a great piece you'd like to recommend? Please e-mail tps@corporette.com. (L-2)

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+

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

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

239 Comments

      2. I LOVE Lord and Taylor! Especialy when they have a clearence. I also get a coupon for 20% off.

        I want this blouse b/c the manageing partner can NOT look down and see anything. FOOEY on him.

        He is MARRIED! LET him Look at his OWN wife, not me.

    2. LOL! I don’t own a single animal-print item. This is interesting, but it would only work in a warm office – otherwise you would have to keep putting something over it and it would look weird.

      1. That’s what I hate about the whole short-sleeved jacket trend. I never know when I’m going to be somewhere were I need long sleeves.

      2. I have a great, short sleeved cowl-necked sweater that gets worn maybe three times a year because…lets be honest. What is short sleeved sweater weather? And when is it ever that temperature in my office? NEVER!

        1. Not sure it would work for this jacket, but I will sometimes where a long-sleeved shirt under a short-sleeved sweater dress. Would that work for your sweater? I agree that short-sleeved sweater weather is a weird category.

        2. I have one too and I’ve been trying to wear it more! It’s such a beautiful color and is absolutely perfect with one certain pair of pants…but I wore it, um, Tuesday? The beginning of this current heat wave here in Northern CA, and I was sweating by the time I got home. Not good. Earlier in the winter I was cold and had to turn up the heat in my office. *sigh*

        3. I saw a pic on pinterest where a girl wore a long sleeved silk shirt under a short sleeved cowl-neck sweater. Super cute.

        4. I have a short-sleeve turtleneck sweater. I like it, but have yet to figure out when to wear it. When do I want my neck warm but my arms cold?

    3. Haha, I know!! But I actually dont like it very much at all – eek!! I think it would make me look like a Soviet cinema star circa 1978. Something about the combination of the wide near-elbow length sleeves, the mandarin-esque colar, and the high neckline — it just wouldn’t work on busty old me at all….

      But I am psyched that leopard seems to be getting an official corporette seal of approval :)

    4. I think this print would suit me as I’m southeast asian and brown skinned. Alas, I don’t own a single animal print yet :(

      1. Then you must get one pronto! ;)
        In all seriousness, animal prints (esp. leopard) tend to be surprisingly versatile. Like red shoes and purple purses.

        1. And purple shoes and red purses.

          Since I have all the aforementioned purses and shoes, perhaps I should branch out into leopard. Although I’d bet money I’ll take lots of ribbing from my own personal MANAGEING PARTENER.

  2. AIMS, Kat must have been listening to your plea!

    Also, I was too late to comment on the “ain’t” thread from yesterday, but it got me laughing at the memory of my little brother using “I amn’t” instead of “I’m not.” It was especially funny when he was mad (“stop, you’re acting out” “NO I AMN’T!!!”) But thinking about it… why shouldn’t that work? We use both “He isn’t” and “He’s not,” “We aren’t” and “We’re not” etc…

    1. Actually, “amn’t” is used in Ireland. I grew up in an Irish immigrant community in the US, and I was about 12 before I figured out that Americans don’t say “amn’t.”

  3. i kind of love this, but it would look absolutely awful on me (curvy and shortwaisted). maybe unbuttoned, over a long-sleeve shirt?

    for anyone who missed it – reach out to phillycorporettes at gmail to get in on a philadelphia meetup.

  4. Hi all, reposting from yesterday in the hope of getting a few more responses. Thanks to Diana Barry and others who responded!

    Thoughts on flying while 5 weeks pregnant? DH and I were excited to have booked tickets to Hawaii for my post bar trip. However, I just found out that I’m pregnant. DH wants to rethink the trip because of the flying involved — the flight will be about 6 hours for us. I know that there is a greater chance of miscarriage in the first trimester, so I too am wondering if we should rethink this flight. This is my first pregnancy, I’ve never had a miscarriage before and I really really really want this baby. Even if flying is not a big issue, I’m wondering if I will be spending way too much worrying about flying, and not enjoying my vacation like I should be.

    (We bought the flight on miles and we can cancel the hotel, so we wouldn’t be losing any money on this if we had to reconsider).

    Thoughts? Am I being paranoid or is this a legit concern?

    1. It’s not a problem, though you might want to talk with your doctor just for your peace of mind. For anecdotal evidence, I travel a lot for work and flew all the time, including to Hawaii, during my pregnancies with no problems. The biggest problem was when I was really big, and I’d get stuck in the aisle while the flight attendants were moving the drink cart (because you have to pee all the time), and I could not suck in my stomach to let them get by. That stomach will not budge!

    2. Here’s the thing corporette babymama….you may be a little paranoid. And I’m not sure that there’s anything any of us here on this anonymous website could tell you to reassure you to fly. Other then that lots of people don’t even KNOW they’re pregnant yet at 5 weeks and do way unsafer things.

      Probably the only thing that’s going to reassure you is research and talking to your GYN. And if it really bothers you — not going.

    4. Take the trip! It’s only going to get harder for you and DH to get away to Hawii together, so go now while you can. Yes, you are being paranoid, but that goes along with a first pregnancy (or with later pregnancies for those of us who have had difficulties), so go ahead and ask your doctor about it too.

    5. My understanding is that flying is only a concern closer to the due date. I honestly think you have nothing to worry about. I’m not a doctor, but my sister in law and her husband are, and they both flew to Asia when she was 2 months preagnant. I doubt they would have done that if there was anything to worry about. Just take the normal precautions – stay hydrated and have some snacks on hand to combat morning sickness (I’ve heard ginger candies are good, found some recently at World Market). Other than that, I think you’ll be fine.

    6. I think you should double check with your doctor if you’re concerned, but I don’t think you have anything to worry about. A friend traveled to Costa Rica in her first trimester without any problems (her doctor gave her the go ahead).

    7. I think it would be fine so long as you don’t have any sort of predisposition to blood clots (which can be worse during pregnancy and during flying, so the combination could be quite dangerous). Talk to your doctor if you’re concerned, but there’s really no reason why most pregnant women in their first or second trimester shouldn’t fly.

    8. Thanks all for the comforting words! Seeing my doctor today, I’m sure you’re right that it is fine but I will double check with him.

    9. Check with your doctor, obviously, but don’t let it keep you from travelling! Some other posters previously mentioned to be careful about clots. I haven’t been pregnant, but I’ve had two separate clotting incidents and they’re not fun (and pregnancy does increase the risk of clots). So, drink plenty of water, get up and move around on the flight, move your legs in your seat, walk the concourse during any layovers and if your doctor recommends them, go buy compression socks. They aren’t pretty and aren’t always comfortable, but it is better than twice-daily heparin injections.

      Go on the trip! I can’t remember if you said you’ve been to Hawaii but it is absolutely gorgeous and would make a GREAT bar trip! And didn’t you say on the last post that you weren’t sure you were pregnant yet? I presume this post means you confirmed it? If so, giant congratulations!

      1. Thank you! Confirmed this morning via a at home pregnancy test, going to the doctor today to get the blood work so that I know for sure. Very exciting, but hard to concentrate with the bar exam next week! :)

        1. Don’t forget to tell security so you don’t go through an X-ray machine if that is what they use! They will give you a pat down instead (and high five your baby daddy if in attendance by my experience).

          1. I’ve also seen TSA allow a visibly pregnant woman to go through the metal detector when they were making everyone else go through the body scanner (they actually pointed her to it, she didn’t even have to ask). I’ve never been pregnant so I don’t know if the metal detector carries any risk, but assuming it doesn’t, that’s another option if the pat down bothers you. You may need a letter from your doctor though since you obviously wouldn’t be showing.

            And congrats!

          2. Oh yeah – don’t go through the body scanner. It isn’t clear if the extra radiation is dangerous for your baby, but why risk it. If they direct you to a body scanner, you have the right to request a pat-down instead.

          3. Good point about the body scanner. I requested a pat down instead while visibly pregnant, and the female TSA officer admitted that she had been nervous working near the machine while pregnant and had asked to be switched to another station. She was completely supportive of the decision not to go through the xray or body scanner.

        2. Yay! And I just realized how harsh my blood clot post seemed. I didn’t mean it to sound so scary–chances are you will not throw a clot but there are easy precautions to take. I give the same spiel to my long-haul travel friends all the time. Good luck with the bar as well–it’s a sucky test but you’ll get through it. Sending happy internet thoughts your way!

    10. GO! Unless there is some reason for you to be considered high risk (bleeding, etc.), in which case your doctor might tell you to take it easy. You’re lucky you’re only going to be newly pregnant – it would be worse if you were 7-11 weeks or so, since that’s when people tend to have the worst nausea and exhaustion. Hopefully yours won’t hit until you’re done with the bar and your trip. I fly all the time while pregnant – just make sure you drink a lot of water and bring snacks with you. And there is no risk of going through security, whether through the older machines or the newer body scans. I had a nice chat with one of the FAA agents who said the new body scan machines are even safer for pregnant women, but of course you can always ask for a pat down if you’re worried. You only have 7-8 more months of it being just the two of you – take advantage!

    11. I wouldn’t worry about it. I flew to the UK when I was about 6 weeks pregnant, roughly a 5 hour flight. Other than advising me to no go through the full body x-ray machines (which I refuse to do anyway) my doctor was fine with me flying.

    12. Take the trip! I did a fair bit of flying during my pregnancy and was never any worse for the wear. I flew to a conference the day after I learned that I was pregnant, and didn’t give it a second thought. Stay hydrated, get up and move around the cabin every hour or two (necessary if you’re staying hydrated), and take some healthy snacks to keep both hunger and nausea at bay.

      I read extensively about travel during pregnancy. Flight attendants (and probably pilots, though they weren’t mentioned – too few female pilots to study?) have a very slightly higher risk of miscarriage, presumably because of the increased radiation exposure at higher altitudes. But nothing I read said that this tiny increase in risk for women who spend weeks and months in the sky translated into any increased risk for your average business or pleasure flyer.

      The thing about early miscarriage is there’s nothing you can do about it. It’s generally linked to a genetic problem with the fetus, or no known cause. Neither of these issues are in your control, so you might as well go to Hawaii and have a great time with you husband (who know? the relaxation could even be GOOD for your pregnancy). Later on, you’ll be making plenty of sacrifices in terms of diet, mobility, and travel, so live it up now!

  5. My 5-year old son says amn’t! I’d never heard anyone say that before! I do correct him, but it’s so endearing I kind of don’t want it to change too soon!

    2. ha, glad he has a kindred spirit! That was about the age he grew out of it. Very logical of them, IMO.

      I had a similar streak around age 2 when I was learning how “I” vs. “you” worked – because everyone was referring to me by using the word “you,” I concluded that by me saying “You do it” I conveyed that I was going to do it. According to family lore, plenty of “who’s on first” entertainment would ensue with people who didn’t know what I meant :)

    3. My five year old says, “yesternight.” As in, last night. I mean, there’s yesterday, why not yesternight?!

      I don’t correct him because it is the most adorable thing!! “Mom. Yesternight. When you had to work late? I had psgetti.”

      1. That’s a great word. I am going to try to work that in to my vocabulary ! It IS the most adroable thing. We still use words in my house that the kids came up with like ” Buyit Coke” ( Diet Coke) and “bessert” (“dessert”) and “menna penna cheese” ( Pimento cheese; a regional spread/dip).

          1. At our house, they are boo-boo-berries :)

            DC Association, yesternight is adorable!! There are some things my child says that I also haven’t corrected because they are just so darn cute.

      2. Awww! My kids had some local ones – Lake Temescal was Lake Tennis Ball and Semifreddi’s bakery was Cinnamon Freddy’s.

      3. I actually think Jane Austen uses the word “yesternight” so your five year old is way ahead in his literary skills!

    4. My 4.5 yo son has a ton of these and it makes me so sad to watch them disappear as he internalizes language. One of my faves has been “Am are!” instead of “I am.” He also refers to Chuck-E-Cheese as “Chuckie Cheezits.” :)

    5. My brother and I would say “plug it out” instead of “unplug” as children, and it took years for our parents to convince us we were wrong. I still think it makes sense that you “plug it in” and then “plug it out.”

      1. At our house, we have “fruck” instead of “truck”. The first time my 4 yr old said it, I almost passed out thinking he had picked up my sailor’s vocab:)

  6. Oh, and I love the collar and the sleeves, but I hate the bottom part. If this were more fitted on the bottom, I would definitely consider it!

  7. ladies, odd question. where do you buy your pillows? my sore neck for the past 2 days tells me I need a new one, but I don’t want to spend $150 on a tempurpedic unless it’s actually just that great and will last 10 years. Thoughts? I’m a side/stomach sleeper depending on how tired I am if that matters.

    TYIA!

    1. my husband and i each have one “good” pillow that we bought at a mattress store, and the rest are homegoods/tjmaxx/marshalls. i can’t recall how much the expensive pillows were – i’m thinking in the $65-100 range? but we bought them about four years ago and they are showing absolutely no signs of wear. i’ve bought more than my fair share of cheap pillows from target and needed to replace them about yearly; i upgraded slightly with the homegoods pillows about a year ago, and expect that i’ll replace them in another year or so. in my opinion, it’s well worth it to buy just one good one.

    2. I like Target’s brand name pillows. They’re often on sale for about $5 so you can switch them out frequently, which I like. I think new pillows are much more supportive than a $50 pillow that’s been around for a year or two. Plus I feel like pillows get cooties after a while, but that’s just me being a germaphobe.

      DH got a tempurpedic pillow at Costco for about $25-30 that he loves. He was having neck and shoulder pain from his (gross old) pillow, and the tempurpedic pillow solved it. Worth checking out if you want to try a tempurpedic pillow without the big investment.

      1. I’m also a fan of the $5 target pillows, but the thinner ones, they have queen sized ones that funk my neck out.
        For more expensive pillows– I’m watching this board.
        I’m not a huge pillow fan in general, but my boyfriend LOVES them, so I was thinking about getting him some for our anniversary. Have my eye on some nice looking down ones @ Costco or LL Bean ones on Overstock. He also got the name of the ones they used at this hotel we went to a few weeks ago… but I wasn’t at all paying attention and don’t want to tip him off by asking (imho, they were too stuffed… but it isn’t a gift for me… sooo….).

    3. You can try the pillows that are like the tempurpedic ones at Target — they’re $25 or so — to see if you like the shape. I’m a side/stomach sleeper too, and I like it for side sleeping, but it’s hard for stomach sleeping. (I know stomach sleeping is hard on my neck but there’s something deeply comforting about it to me.)

    4. I buy memory foam pillows for $30-50 from Target or Walmart. They usually have a few options to choose from and so far everything I’ve bought has been great and lasted 1-2 years. I wouldn’t spend the extra money on a name brand.

    5. Tempurpedic is really that awesome! I love mine. I was having shoulder and neck pain too, but it’s all been alleviated by that wonderful pillow. I’ve had mine for . . . maybe a year or so , and it’s still in absolutely perfect condition. You can tell that the materials it’s made of are going to last a long time. And when they do give out, I’m going straight to a matress store to buy another one. Seriously, I love it. What amount of money would you spend to feel more rested and to help your body recover after a long day sitting at your computer?

    6. I have a Tempurpedic pillow that I absolutely love– it’s been 8 years since I purchased it, and it’s still going strong. It definitely solved a lot of my neck soreness problems, because it’s firm enough to support my head properly when I sleep on my side (which is most of the time) but it also sinks in enough to allow me to sleep on my side.

      The other thing I loved about the Tempurpedics was the extra zippered case that came around it. I’ve read one too many allergen/dust mite/bed bug articles about how your mattress and pillows absorb so much gunk, but this zip-around cover was one of those impenetrable ones. I have my normal pillowcase on top of the zip-around, which just gives Paranoid Me good peace of mind.

      1. Oh, but I wouldn’t get it for $150. I got mine from Overstock (dot) com on a 2/$50 promotion or something, and I know I’ve seen them at Costco too…

      2. Warning re: the Tempurpedics and the other memory foams. If you are married to a person (or are a person) who happens to be particularly frugal AND live in the great North and thus it gets cold at night, since of course your beloved will turn the temperature down to near nothing. Those pillows will become rock hard. They will no longer mold to your head.

        Just a warning. :-)

          1. Though…in relation to our preparedness discussion yesterday, you wouldn’t need to keep a baseball bat underneath your bed!

          2. I am here laughing at the mental image of a pillow fight with rock hard pillows :)

        2. Temperpedics (both pillows and mattresses) also get very warm when it’s hot – so if your beloved is thrifty with the AC, you will not have a good time sleeping on these in the summer.

          FWIW, I buy my pillows everywhere from Homegoods to on sale at Bloomies, I just make sure they have real down, otherwise I don’t sleep well. I’ve even once brought a pillow over from abroad (one of those huge square European deals) because I take my pillows very seriously.

          1. What is this “AC” of which you speak? Truly thrifty SO refuse this concept and insist “it is only truly hot two weeks a year” here.

      3. Wow, I’m jealous. I purchased a tempurpedic @ BBB 6 months ago and its already started to loose shape and density. Have you done anything to your pillows to help them keep their oomph?

        1. It might be you. DH and I had a pair, and his got squished while mine was fine. I replaced both, and again, his got squished and mine was fine. I stopped buying them (they’re not cheap!), so the experiment ended at two rounds. My conclusion is that his head is way heavier than mine. (No comments about relative brainpower, please.)

          1. Or maybe you roll around in your sleep and that distributes the weight all over the pillow, as opposed to people who stay very still so that the pillow only gets weighed down in one place?

    7. My dad got me a tempurpedic pillow my first year of college, and I had it for about 8 years. I probably should have gotten rid of it before then to be honest, but it was so comfy. I now have similar pillows that I got from Target or Wal-Mart a few years ago which are good, and big pillows from Macy’s Martha line that are comfy as well. I don’t know that spending the extra money on the tempurpedic is worth it because the technology has trickled down to the average consumer, but damn was that pillow comfy.

    8. I got the Oxygen Pillow from European Sleepworks in Berkeley and haven’t had a sore neck since. You have to be fitted for them in person, though. Not sure who else sells them.

    9. We’ve been using Ikea down alternative pillows for the past 6 months, so far, so good. You can buy different ones depending on how you sleep–I have one side sleeper and one back sleeper, but I prefer the back sleeper for all sleeping.

    10. I bought a pillow from Brookstone for DH’s birthday. He seems to like it. Link to follow.

  8. Strangely, I had a Corporette nightmare last night about a short-sleeved jacket. I dreamed I was out of town for a court hearing, and unpacked my suitcase to discover that my conservative navy skirt suit suddenly had short sleeves. Of course I could not wear a short-sleeved suit jacket to court, so in my dream, I missed the hearing. I wonder if that means I’m stressed about my case, or about my wardrobe.

    2. At least your shoes were not peep toe…then you really would have been up a crick without a paddle.

      Also, suits magically transforming into shortsleeved is a valid reason to ask for a continuance. It is under Corporette Rule of Civil Procedure Rule 1.1.1

          1. Yep! Born and raised. I don’t sound like I’m from there though. I lost a lot of my western PA-isms in college. I don’t have family there so I don’t even visit.

          2. I was also born and raised… and am back again now. I don’t sound like I’m from here, either, though, because my parents were not natives and refused to let me pick up most of the words/phrases. My mom was on a one-woman elementary teacher quest to stop kids from dropping the infinitive (you can probably guess how well that worked).

          3. I thought the same thing!

            Also – @Mrs. Jackson, I wish my mom had taught me not to split my infinitives – I STILL do it and have to consciously correct myself. Instead, my mom was on a one-woman mission to keep us from saying “yeller” and “wishrag.” Letting slip with a “yinz” resulted in soap for breakfast.

        2. That was my thought, too. Next she’ll be saying “any more” and “red up the house” :)

          1. I’m struggling to figure out what’s wrong with “any more”.

            I’m not sure what red up the house means…but I’ll adopt it if you’d like. I’m a language chameleon.

          2. “red up” is western-pa speak for “clean up”. As in: “I need to red up the house because we’re having company.” We have a million of ’em :)

          3. Meh. I’m gonna sit here and eat my utz chips while yunz all figger this out fer yourselves.

          5. Weirdly enough, I knew that one already.

            Now…someone bring me some Vernors (Verners?) to go with my Utz and I’ll be happy.

          6. OMG, I <3 Vernors. And want some immediately. It's a Michigan thing, though — actually somewhat hard to find in Western PA. TCFKAG, I'm starting to wonder if you're inside my head.

      3. Lol. First, I don’t really have any problem with peep-toes in non-formal offices and non-court proceedings.

        Second, no…I’m not from western PA. Though my father is from Ohio and my husband is from PA and I’m not entirely sure where I picked up “crick” as alternative to creek though I feel like I’ve always been aware of it.

        Between this and my y’all rant yesterday, I feel like y’all are going to expect me to have a really weird accent if you meet me and are going to be sorely disappointed. :-P

        1. From KY originally, and it wasn’t until I was in college that my (little) sister told me that crick is just creek with an accent. I honest-to-God thought a crick was a small creek…

        2. Fifth generation Seattleite here, and my people all said “crick.” Although if you go back far enough, some of my ancestors came from Lancaster County.

      4. In my experience, “crick” is native to the Midwest (the Western PA comment makes me think it’s not exclusive), so the Ohio tie would make sense. Don’t hear it too much on the West in my experience.

        1. Western PA should really be included in the midwest :) It has much more in common with Ohio than it does with Philly.

          signed,
          western PA native

          2. Oh absolutely! When I was growing up, I didn’t even realize that people elsewhere didn’t talk that way. Everybody I knew was from there and we didn’t travel a whole lot. My mother didn’t allow us to say yunz or yinz (the western PA version of y’all) but my parents said “liggle” for legal and “iggle” for eagle (Gynt Iggle – a grocery store). When I went to college, I had a rude awakening! The first time I said “My hair needs washed” to my friend from New England, he laughed out loud. I learned fast.

          3. When I visit my husband’s family in Western PA (near Erie) I feel like Lily on HIMYM visiting Marshall’s family. All of the salad’s have mayonnaise in them!

          4. Oh, and by the way, when we were going to visit my aunt and uncle’s cottage in Darlington, we said we were going “out to the crick.” Went rafting on the little Beaver many times.

        2. I hear crick all the time in upstate NY. Originally from Long Island, I had no idea crick was supposed to be creek.

  9. I got mine at JCPenney, during what turned out to be one of their final “sales”, as it were. Buy 1, get the second for $1. I double and triple up on pillows anyway, so it doesn’t matter quite how quality they are.

  11. I love this and just ordered it. It looks like a totally interesting jacket that will go with black and brown. Fingers crossed it works!

  12. I work at a small division of a large university, and our office is both fairly resistant to change and fairly behind the times–most of our internal procedures and memos were set fifteen years ago and haven’t been updated since. I have a very good relationship with my immediate boss and mentioned to him that there were a few procedures we might consider changing; he suggested that I write up my proposals for his review, indicating that if he was convinced, he’d implement my suggestions throughout the office.

    I just put my memo in his inbox, and now I’m nervous! Anybody have any experience (positive or negative) trying to urge revision for internal procedures?

    1. I have done this at a few firms. My experience is that if a process is giving me a headache, it is also causing pain for other people. In most cases, as long as the proposal showed the benefit (time/money saved, risk avoided, etc.) and the procedure was clearly outlined, it wasn’t a problem implementing it.

      Of course the main thing is to have it “handed down” from as high as possible to try to head off those who would resist change ordered by peers.

      Good luck!

    2. By and large, universities are behind the times. At mine there has been very little turn over and no fresh eyes revamping policies. When I came in I made some massive changes and it went over very well! There will always be someone who has difficulty catching up with the times, but for every one person like that there are five who are thrilled to see progress. You will stick out in a very positive way for being the one to suggest improvements. If they get shot down this time, wait a little while and submit a revised proposal. Those who hate change can be worn down eventually! Good luck!

    3. I also work at a large university. I’ve been in two very different divisions in the last 5 years and my experience has been that you really have to prove why your revision would be beneficial.

      I think the fact that your supervisor is even open to hearing your suggestions is a good sign. Just be prepared for the fact that nothing may come of it because either they don’t think the trouble of implementing the changes is worth the benefits or if your suggestions are received well may take a while to put your suggestions into effect depending on how high up the bureaucracy things need to be approved before they can change. So long in fact that it just doesn’t get done.

      Sometimes it seems like policies and procedures are just for our office/division/faculty but it turns out that they’ve stemmed from a bigger umbrella policy maker at the university. If the procedures are really autonomous to your division then your revisions could be put into effect very easily.

      If there are a lot of people in your office that have been following those procedures and memos for 15 years than they could be very resistant to any changes even if coming from your supervisor, as Legal Marketer suggested. Sometimes it’s easier to start with just your posisitons procedures and then once your colleagues see that your way is more efficient/easier they’ll be more open to your broader suggestions.

      1. I worked at a university for about five years, in a couple of divisions (administration and student support) and agree with all above. Having your supervisor’s interest is a very good sign. Although there was initial resistance (which seemed to stem mainly from confusion) I found that once the initial hump was passed, people fell into the new process quite nicely. Seemed there was always one long-tenure person who completely resisted, but that was overwhelmed by the adoption by everyone else (who were generally relieved, once they adapted). I found “pick your battles” to be useful and left the resister to their old ways if possible. They seemed to catch up eventually – or retire.

        I’m in the process of suggesting policy and procedure changes at my non-university (but long-tenure) company. They’ve been received surprisingly well so far. The key is having affected others find what’s in it for them. GL!

  13. Wait – So we are allowed to wear animal prints to work now? I thought for a while there we weren’t.

      1. Yesterday I wore a leopard print blouse with a cream cardigan and skinny brown trousers, and the ensemble made me feel fabulous. I would like to thank JCrew for endorsing leopard print as classic prep so that I’m okay wearing it to the office. :-)

  14. Anyone have experience with Jim Barnier boots or shoes? They look awesome, but they’re at the upper limits of what I can spend and I want to make sure they’ll last if I order them.

  15. Hey NYC corporettes, I noticed your facebook group calls yourself the nyc corporette group. I think Kat has specifically asked people not to do that but to call it group of people who enjoy the website corporette. She trademarked the term.

  17. Double post b/c of moderation.

    Boston Meetup is today at Elephant and Castle. People will arrive between 6 and 7. Reservation under Corporette. Hope to see some new Corporettes there!

    2. I had hoped to make it today, but was felled by a terrible cold, which I did not want to pass along to all of you. I hope to make it next time! (Although the thought of meeting you all is a little intimidating – what if my elastic is around my wrist?)

  18. Well, since everyone is in the mood for animal prints. … Any suggestions on how to style this sheath I just bought at the Talbots outlet? It’s pretty far out for me, although the cut is classic and it’s a nice heavy fabric, almost a twill. I would like to hear thoughts from the hive, as I would be most likely to wear a crochet-y cropped grey sweater or something else conservative. (If you zoom in, you’ll see it’s a zebra pattern but the individual, um, stripes are more like feathers.) For some reason, that made it OK for me to buy.

    http://www.talbots.com/online/search/searchResults.jsp?removeAllFacets=true&addFacet=SRCH%3Azebra+sheath&question=zebra+sheath&pageNum=0&sort=newest&sorting=property&sortMode=strprop&sortProperty=ICHDate&sortOrder=descending&sortProperty=string%3AICHDate%3A1&sortPropertyDefault=ICHDate&_requestid=1772587

    1. Wow — that’s beautiful.

      I think that would look great with something conservative like a black or grey sweater/cardigan or jacket over it with maybe either a long, opera length necklace or a bright statement necklace. Then if you wanted you could add a little pop of color with a contrasting shoe (like a red) or you could keep it conservative with a grey, black or a nude pump.

      You could also go more fun by pairing it with a fun colored blazer, like a bright kelly green or a navy or a red or just something different. But then I’d keep it with maybe less jewelry and a nude shoe. And maybe a bracelet or something.

      But maybe other people will have other ideas.

      But seriously, I like the dress A LOT. Thinking about snapping it up for myself. :-)

    2. I’d style it with a belted or fitted cardigan, probably a v-neck, in a bright color. I think it would look especially good with kelly green. I have a similarly-patterned top that I often pair with a turquoise cardigan.

    3. I don’t normally like animal print, but that’s absolutely gorgeous. You’re going to look amazing.

    4. For work, I’d skip the crochet sweater and do more of a solid piece in a saturated color. A fitted blazer or belted cardigan would look great. If you want to avoid color, perhaps a fitted gray blazer and a pop of color in a necklace.

    5. Thanks everybody — what great ideas. Also, I appreciate the kind words on the dress itself. It’s a perfect example of something I would not have bought before I started reading Corporette.

  19. Boston Corporettes!

    We’re doing our monthly meet-up tonight at Elephant & Castle at around 6 (though some people are swinging by a bit later).

  20. Not helping my leopard print obsession…

    Hive, what are you thoughts on the differences between 1st and 2nd year associates? Due to some recent staff shakeups and office moves, our small to medium-ish sized firm has me (a 1st year) and the other associate (in his 2nd year) sharing space for a few months.

    I have received excellent and supportive feedback on my work so far but am starting to feel self-conscious since sharing space. The other associate seems to have much more going on in that he has more cases with more responsibility, is on the phone constantly, and in court more often. Should I feel worried that my work seems different from his or is the differences in case load, contact with clients, etc natural at this early point in our careers?

    1. I wouldn’t worry about it. In my experience, during your first year or so you age at toddler-speed (no, you still don’t know a ton, but a year makes a huge difference as your learning/growing pace is really steep). During my first year, I went from being in the room and listening to client calls (but never speaking – just learning and using the information to help revise documents) to actually sitting at the negotiation table.

      Also, this is a great way to build a relationship with the 2nd year – invaluable when you want informal drafting tips, advice on how to handle something, etc before talking to the partner.

  21. Does anyone have Talbots coupon code? I have my eye on a couple of skirts and can’t find a code online. They emailed me one but it seems to have expired Monday.

    I like this blouse. The shape reminds me of something from Dynasty, and I always wanted to be Alexis Carrington.

    2. I’d also like to know if anyone has coupon codes… I’ve never bought anything from Talbots (except, if I recall, some pantyhose when I was interviewing), but they have some nice sheath dresses in petites that I have my eye on. I have really been on a kick with sheaths lately.

  22. Not really feeling this jacket/blouse, particularly in taffeta…I agree with poster above who thinks it might look odd under something long-sleeved, and unfortunately I think a lot of offices are so chilly they require long sleeves!

    Now for a job search related threadjack!

    I’m applying for a position with a fairly large organization. I really want this gig and am thinking that maybe its time to revamp some of my job application protocol since I haven’t yet managed to land a job I really want. So I’d love some feedback and insights on the following questions:

    1) A couple months ago I applied for a very similar position at this same organization but wasn’t invited to interview. I think this might be at least in part because submitted my application at the very end of the submission period, which is why I think it’s worth trying again. Should I mention in my cover letter the fact that I applied for the other position a few months ago?

    2) I always format a cover letter with street addresses and so forth in formal letter format, but most of the time, I’m emailing the materials. Over the years, I’ve stopped printing out, signing and scanning these letters as I started to think that it looked a little silly and was unnecessary. Should I “modernize” my formatting somehow and stop putting the street address on the letter when know I’m emailing the submission? If so, exactly what should my letter look like? If not, should I go the other way and submit a scanned copy in traditi0nal format with a handwritten signature?

    3) I’m very apathetic about my current position and feel its only marginally related to the job I really want. I can only scrounge up one sentence to describe the current job’s relevance to the one I am applying for. Meanwhile, I have several internships and courses from law school (2011 grad) that *are* relevant, so imostly focus on those in my cover letter. Is this ok? Does it look strange?

    Thank you all so much for any insights you might have!

    1. I’m currently applying (thus far unsuccessfully for jobs) so I guess take my thoughts with a grain of salt.

      (1) I wouldn’t mention your prior application in the cover letter. If they are organized to notice it, they will either care or they won’t, but there is probably nothing you can say in your cover letter that will make them not care if your prior application is a problem. And your supposition as to why they didn’t interview before is just that, a supposition.

      (2) I’d leave the top formatted as a traditional letter, but I don’t print it out and sign it. I think its useful because that way they have all my contact information on the top page for entering into their database, so they don’t have to flip to my resume for filling out their form — which I assume the HR assistant has to do. Plus, I assume it won’t bother someone who’s younger and more “modern” to see a traditional formatting, but it might bother someone who is more traditional to see a “modern” formatting.

      (3) This might be a red flag. You should do the best you can to pitch your current position as a learning experience and as if you are doing substantive work. Don’t just avoid it. Unless it is somehow entirely non-legal in nature, you should be treating it equally on your cover letter and resume. The only exception maybe is if you are working as a pure doc reviewer in a contract position — but even then, pitch the quality of the case you’re doing and the firm you’re doing it at. At least you’re still doing legal work, yada yada yada.

    2. For (2), what I do is:
      -scan an image of my signature onto my computer
      -insert the image at the signature line in the Word version of my cover letter
      -print my “signed” cover letter to PDF
      -prepare email containing the text of my cover letter, but minus the address, date, and “signature”
      -attach PDFs of cover letter, resume, transcript, etc. to application email

      1. Thank you both! So far I the one sentence I have re: my current position is about the litigation skills I am gaining. I am thinking I could possibly add a sentence about how my current positon really emphasizes “self directed work.” (this is one of the qualifications listed in the job posting for the job I want).

        But I don’t know if it’s appropriate to mention the reason my current position emphasizes self-direction. The truth is, I am only paid for the time that I bill, down to the 6 minute increment. (Side note – this is really anoying because there is a lot of dead time in my day, for example, I finish a project 20 min before a meeting is scheduled, I don’t always have a task that’s practical to tackle for only 20 min, so I end up wasting those 20 min). I have a fair amount of freedom to work as much or as little as I want. Bottom line is if I want to make any money, it’s on me to get and do the work – ie, success/ability to pay bills requires a lot of self-direction. But I don’t think it’s appropriate to describe that situation in a cover letter… any more wisdom on this?

        1. Okay — no you really can’t write about how you’re paid in your cover letter — but you can write about how you have focused on “client-focused cost management” or something like that. But you should be talking about the actual skills you’re acquiring, the types of projects you’re doing — if you’re writing thing, if you’re researching thing, if you’re working on types of law, etc. Even if they’re not what you want to do long term, the next job wants to know you’re doing SOMETHING and not sitting around all day staring at the ceiling.

          Or posting on corporette…as the case may be. :-P

          1. haha, point taken, and thanks for the phrasing suggestion… I guess I just feel that the fact that I am doing “something” is covered by the fact that my curent job is on my resume, and that the cover letter is the place to highlight the really important things related to my interest in the particular field of the job I am applying for….seems you have a different take?

          2. I would say that a cover letter is a place to include the flattering facts about your job, and take any unflattering facts and spin them to the extent ethical. For example, I had a job in biglaw but was paid below market to work on some special non-billable projects. When I interviewed, I didn’t mention that I was paid below market; I just said I worked on a new line of products marketable to all our clients and driven by major overhauls of certain laws and regs, rather than on “bespoke” matters for individual clients as they requested them. What I said wasn’t untrue, but it certainly didn’t cast my work in the light in which I viewed it. You don’t have to confess; you just have to point out the things that you want your potential employer to know. It is the interviewer’s job to figure out what dirt there is; you don’t have to proffer it up.

      2. FYI, I’ve been told that some HR departments use outdated systems that do not easily process PDFs. HR processing systems are large and very expensive so they often won’t buy new ones for years at a time and they can be shockingly behind the times. You may want to avoid using PDFs. Also, putting in an electronic signature seems a little over the top.

    3. I’m also applying for jobs, so, like TCFKAG, take what I’m saying with a grain of salt. (Or, considering how it’s been going, three heaping tablespoons.)

      Re: 2. I include the street address, even for electronic submissions. I think it looks more formal and professional. I have read that you should absolutely not print your cover letter, sign it, and scan it in, because it apparently gives the impression that you don’t really get electronic communication.

      Re: 3. You need more than a sentence on the current position, but I think it’s fine to highlight your more relevant experiences. I’m also sure that your current job has given you *some* skill your desired employer would want, even it’s something like making frequent presentations or improving your multi-tasking skills.

      Other than that, good luck! It’s rough out here.

    4. I am shocked you print out and scan your cover letter! That seems very outdated and seems like a totally unnecessary extra step that might mark you as out-of-the-loop and stuck in your ways.

  23. I’m not pregnant but I’m trying to become pregnant. Between the self-inflicted stress of TTC, going off various meds – including the hormonal changes from going off the pill, going off caffeine (which has me reaching for sugary snacks instead when my energy wanes at work) and my normal winter weight gain, I’m behaving – and looking – like I’m already eating for two. My clothes are getting tight (if I did get pregnant, within no time I’d have nothing that fit!). Has this happened to anyone else? Any advice for getting back on track? I know what I should do, but I seem to be lacking the motivation to do it…

    1. I’m also TTC and don’t have any advice but I am interested to read others’ responses. Good for you on the caffeine! I still drink 2 strong cups a day. Also, I am trying to lose 10 lbs., which obviously I will stop doing once I conceive.

      1. Don’t assume. My SIL is four months into her pregnancy and is still throwing up every day. She’s lost something like 15 pounds…so — yeah, who knows. (She had it to lose, but its getting ridiculous). As she said, who thought pregnancy would be such a great weight loss plan.

        I’ve never tried to conceive, but it sounds like stress is perhaps causing much of your problems. Maybe add some yoga and massage into your routine? I know that’s actually really hard and I’m not really that good at coping with stress myself, so, yeah.

    2. I am 8 months pg now and still drink one cup of coffee a day. (You are allowed 250 mg, I measure it so it is 180 mg of caffeine.) So my advice would be not to give up the caffeine entirely! :) Try green tea, gum chewing, diet soda if you drink it, etc., for the snack dilemma at work.

      Also, the hormone swings from going off the pill can last for a long time – so that may be part of why you are experiencing some weight gain.

      Good luck TTC! :)

      1. I would not have made it through 9 months of pregnancy without a daily cup of 1/2 decaf. Seems like experts agree that a little caffeine is ok. You can stretch it out through the day by drinking iced (or hot) tea instead of coffee.

        Aerobic exercise is good for reducing stress, which is good for conception. So is yoga.

      2. I also have been drinking one cup of coffee every a.m. I put extra milk in for the calcium and other benefits. On the green tea, though, I have read to avoid it while pregnant and while TTC because it interferes with the absorption of folic acid in your prenatal vitamins.

    3. I’m in the 2 week wait post IVF. I’ve lost a few pounds probably from cutting out alcohol. TTC can take a long time. There’s no reason for you to completely cut out caffeine at this point. As for motivation, keep in mind that being over or underweight can decrease your chances of getting pregnant.

      1. Thanks all. Yoga and Pilates do help, maybe I should step them up to daily. I would run, but my mom and aunts weren’t able to conceive until they stopped running and while I know that it’s a bit silly, that has me scared to run. On the caffeine matter, I should have been clearer: I haven’t cut out caffeine entirely. I just cut down from an *insane* amount to a cup or two a day. I went through major withdrawal while cutting down, but I’m glad I did it. I can’t imagine having to deal with that on top of any pregnancy-related issues like morning sickness and tiredness. Caffeine is like crack to me!

        Good luck Anon and so anonymous! The TWW is so distracting and has made me realize how badly I want this to happen (put it off for a while for professional reasons). And good luck to you too Diana Barry!

        1. Thanks! BTW, if you are regular in your periods and charting etc so you can see you’re ovulating, there should be no problem with exercising every day. But if lots of exercise = amenorrhea or not being able to get pregnant in your family, you may want to keep them every other day for now.

          1. You’re right – I am charting now so I would be able to see if I’m ovulating or not were I to start running again. (I stopped b/c of winter, not TTC. I only run spring, summer, fall b/c I just don’t have fun doing it in the cold.) My doctor wants to see me in March if we’re still haven’t conceived so if I didn’t get knocked up this month, so I’ll ask her about it too when I see her.

      2. Best of luck to you, Anon! As a veteran of IVF, I know how stressful this wait it. I am visualizing your embryo/s snuggling in! Good luck, hang in there.

        1. Thanks Westsidebee. That’s a great visual. How did you not go crazy with the wait?

          1. Hmm, I think I may have slipped into crazy just slightly each time, but it’s only temporary. I think distraction is key. Whatever it takes, day by day, anything — work, tv, out to eat, online shopping, whatever feels good at the moment. It’s whatever you need to do to get through the slow part of the day, or to get to the weekend, or to get to that next meal you have planned, whatever. It adds up, and it gets you through.

            Is this your first IVF? I sincerely hope it works out for you.

            Good luck!!

    4. Envision yourself having a happier, healthier pregnancy if you are strong, fit, and active. Then begin a pregnancy-friendly fitness routine – walking or swimming or cycling (good until you get big enough that your center of balance is off) and think of it as your preparation for a healthy pregnancy.

    5. I am not sure sugar is better than coffee in a TTC situation. If your blood pressure is normal or on the low side, you won’t be harmed by a nice cuppa. Consider drinking tea if you feel bad about coffee.

    6. No real advice, but I started this pregnancy (due any day) about 10 lbs over due to weaning-related weight gain. It made me nervous – especially when I gained more weight right out of the gate instead of loosing it like I did with my first – but the pregnancy went well and I’m ending at the same weight I ended my first (~35 lbs over my normal, healthy/fit weight). Hopefully that will help quell some of your concern.

      And not to be an enabler, but any clothes you buy sized-up now will be useful in the post-partum period.

      1. Enabler! No, seriously, I’m glad your concern was unfounded in your case. And good luck with the last few days of your pregnancy!

  24. I got a summer associate position at a firm in Houston this summer, but I’m from the East Coast. Can any Houstonian lawyers give advice on what kind of suits/shirts/shoes a summer should wear in Houston? I know it will be hot, but that’s about it. Also: are otherwise-conservative peep-toes okay? Thanks!

    1. No hose. For sure. Also, I say peep toes are okay, although I know some people swear you shouldn’t wear them. In fact, I wore peep toes as well as crazy-colored shoes during my summers in biglaw, and it was fine (I got offers from both places). I did wear a jacket every day but not always a suit. And while it is hot, downtown has a huge tunnel system that can pretty much get you anywhere you need to go, so you really won’t be walking around outside much.

      Also, remember, you are coming to Houston at the worst time of year! The other 8 months, we have great weather. :) Of course, I still fell in love with Houston during the summer, so it’s totally possible. I hope you enjoy it!

    2. It depends on the firm. I’d say the majority of professional women in town don’t wear hose and wear open toe shoes. In the summer, I tend to wear short sleeve jackets, skirts, and dresses. BUT, I’m in-house, so I don’t have to go to court. You may want to pack some longer sleeves and warmer clothes because the air conditioning in most buildings gets really COLD! While we didn’t have any rain last summer, when it rains, it really pours. Also, the humidity is no joke.

      Have fun. I love Houston. It has great diversity-in people, jobs, housing, food, culture, etc. I hope you enjoy your time here.

      1. This. I think you need to wear outfits that can handle both the ice-cold air conditioning indoors and the very hot, humid weather you will walk into when you go outside. This probably means lots of short sleeved shirts or dresses paired with jackets/cardigans. If you wear a lot of skirts, you may want a drapey cardigan that you can keep in your office to throw over your legs while you are sitting at your desk. If you sweat at all, choose shirt colors that won’t get obvious sweatmarks.

    3. I’m in another southern city that gets insanely hot in the summer. I’d suggest shopping for dresses and blouses with sleeves or at least wide straps and full coverage. (See previous discussions about whether sleeveless is appropriate at the office). That way, if you have to walk around outside or your office gets really warm at certain times of the day, you can remove your jacket without worrying about being appropriately dressed.

    4. It depends not only on the firm, but also the section. Within my biglaw Houston firm, some sections wear mostly suits most days, others are very business casual with the ladies wearing lots of dresses and print skirts. You’ll definitely always want a sweater or jacket as the office can be freezing from the AC. If you do wear a more formal suit, make sure you wear a top that would allow you to take off the jacket. I think, at least in some of the sections, that women that wear more stylish clothes with colors and cute shoes and everything are looked upon more favorably for some reason. Peep toes are definitely fine and no hose. Make sure you wear shoes you can walk in, as sometimes you walk pretty far for lunch.

    5. Agreed that it depends on the firm. Some firms are definitely more formal than others (and often dress department to department varies, as well). My department was essentially suits or suit separates every day without fail, whereas in others you could get away with more skirts and cardigans, dresses without suit jackets, etc.

      I always wore hose, but that’s mostly due to my own craziness about it– I don’t think it’s required or really noticed. I do think peep-toe shoes may get noticed (not in a good way) and are less accepted at certain firms/in certain departments (I personally would not have worn them at my former firm).

      Agreed with the layering advice and the need to have blouses/shells/dresses etc. that you can wear without a jacket while walking somewhere, if necessary, and that won’t show sweat.

      Most of this boils down to knowing your firm, and that’s hard to do until you’re actually there. As a summer, I think it is good to err on the conservative side of dress until you know otherwise, but (as my craziness re: hose demonstrates) I may be more cautious about these things than is normal/reasonable.

  25. What does one wear to a corporate curling event? I’ve been invited to go to one this afternoon, and I’m the only lady going, and also the most junior.

    I wore a black sheath dress and sweater to work today, and I brought a couple extra outfits. The first is trouser jeans and a sweater, and the second is an assortment of lululemon clothing that will keep me warm, yet let me move (since curling requires lunging).

    I’m not sure which is appropriate to wear, since this event is client development, so I don’t want to be underdressed, but I also don’t want to be overdressed, and look like I didn’t show up ready to play.

    What to wear?

      1. oops, posted too soon. i would wear the lululemon, assuming that it’s not, say, boogie shorts. if you’re expected to be participating in something sort of athletic, i would not wear jeans and a sweater. what an awkward event.

      2. Oh yes, I’m curling. I’ve actually curled a few times before, but always in very casual situations where lululemon was definitely appropriate.

        I’m in Canada, so…this actually isn’t unheard of as a corporate event. To be more clear, it’s for an industry association, and my firm is attending for client development, so I will be curling with complete strangers (likely all men).

          1. Wow. Just wow. This does sound like it could be fun. I assume drinking is involved at some point?

        2. Also, not to sound TOO much like ELLEN, but there are going to be some men staring at your *SS no matter WHAT you wear.

        3. So cool, ED! I’ve been curling once (not work-related) and it was so fun. I would think that given the context and your location, jeans would probably be fine.

        4. I am adding this to my list of reasons to move to Canada. That’s pretty awesome.

    2. Like curling the sport? If so, I guess jeans and a sweatshirt…because isn’t that on ice. Seriously, go casual.

      When I did a corporate 5K I think I wore lululemon pants with a longer t-shirt to kind of hide my butt a little.

      But seriously, curling as corporate event. That’s one I’ve never heard. Though kind of awesome frankly. You should watch the movie Men with Brooms if you never have — its hilarious.

    3. My father does these sometimes (lucky) and reports a mix of jeans and athletic wear. I’d probably go with jeans, but I’d think whatever you’re comfortable in is fine. As long as your athletic stuff isn’t super tight and bum hugging.

    4. I went curling once, it was so much fun. I wish we had curling where I currently live (not close enough to Canada any more, I guess).

      If you can move in the trouser jeans, I would do that, if not, yoga pants. I would probably try to wear a dressier top if you have it available, or at least a little nicer than standard workout/loungewear, since it’s a company thing with clients. Go for warmth, too–I feel like you’ll look silly if you are too cold to move.

    5. Curling’s a sport, remember? Turn on TSN and see what the women at the Tournament of Hearts are wearing, then totally go for the Lululemon. You’ll look completely appropriate! If I remember, you’re in Calgary, land of Stampede clothing. Nobody’s going to bat an eye at you dressing in sporty clothing for a sporting event. I love curling, however, curling as a corporate event – dreadful! We Canadians ARE crazy, TCFKAG!

    6. Um, I am jealous. I have always wanted to try curling.

      I say the Lululemon stuff, so long as it doesn’t look scrubby (not faded/pilled/frayed, as all my workout attire seems to be).

    7. I was in your exact situation last year, but in the US. I wore dark jeans, cute tennis shoes, a cute but comfy sweater and gloves. I fit in just fine and was happy with my choice. Others were wearing anything from workout wear, to jeans and sweatshirts to actual slacks and dress shirts (bad idea).

      Have fun and don’t forget…. hitting your head on the ice is not advisable when you use your brain to earn a living (or just to live) so please be careful. It’s a seriuos risk.

  26. Question for the Hive – I work in a big firm, and people in my large office often work with people in another large office in a nearby city. An associate from another office asked me to introduce him/her to one of the partners in mine so as to hopefully get work in the future. This is not unusual, so I agreed. However, another associate I trust above me heard me agree, and later warned me that the associate has a very bad reputation for work quality in his/her home office. After asking a few other associates in that office whom I know, they said they won’t give the associate work anymore. I have never worked with this person. So, do I still introduce the associate to my partner? If not, how do I say I changed my mind? And should I warn the partner about the associate’s poor reputation at the other office? If so, what should I say?

    1. Wow, that’s awkward. I would make the introduction so that you don’t have to explain that you’ve changed your mind, then politely warn to the partner in your office of the associate’s reputation. You could say something like, “I hear Associate has had a difficult time finding work,” or “I don’t know the details, but it seems that there was a falling-out between Associate and Partner X,” or “I’ve heard recently that there may be some problems with the fit between Associate and the people in Other Office.” At my firm, all of those would be red flags without making you sound like the office gossip.

      1. If you did this, wouldn’t the partner wonder why you’d introduced the associate in the first place? This is probably a know-your-office deal, but I would feel incredibly awkward introducing someone to one of the partners at my firm and then going back and saying something that could be even remotely construed as negative about the person I introduced.

        1. Agreed! I think that might make you seem a little bit like a backstabber to go to the trouble to introduce someone but then speak negatively about them behind their back right afterwards. I would definitely question if you were really trustworthy if I saw you do that.

    2. What about making it sort of a lame intro? “Hi Partner X, Associate A asked me to pass along his/her contact info. Please see below” (or something similar). I’d do it in an e-mail, and cc Associate A. After that, stay out of it…

    3. Is there a way you can wiggle your way out of the introduction? It won’t help your reputation at all (or benefit your colleagues since this person sounds like a possible dud). Plus, it sounds like you don’t even know this person that well, so do you really have much to lose if you tactfully back out? Maybe just avoid contact or make gentle excuses until the issue drops?

  27. Ladies,
    I’ve recently moved to a place with a much bigger bedroom but a smaller bathroom and find myself wishing for a vanity table. I’m hoping to be able to do my makeup and hair routines at one, but all the ones I see have very little storage. I’ve considered desks, but they are too big or have no storage. Does anyone have one of these and have any advice to offer? Thanks!

    1. I did the same things and looked for desks at my local thrift stores. I was actually able to find a couple of cute vintage-looking pieces.

    2. I would check vintage stores and, oddly enough, teen furniture catalogs (PB Teen, etc.)

      My grandmother used to have something similar to this and it was super awesome. I spent hours sitting there playing around with her jewerly and makeup as a little girl.
      http://www.postfurniture.com/servlet/the-6758/Google-Shopping-Cherry-wood-vanity-makeup-table-with-Tri-fold-Mirror-Stool/Detail

      Personally, although it doesn’t have a whole lot of storage, I have been lusting after this piece: http://www.potterybarn.com/products/chloe-wall-mount-vanity-entryway-desk/?pkey=cfurniture-outdoor-clearance

      1. I LOVE that potterybarn piece! The postfurniture piece looks gigantic, pretty, but imposing. I don’t think I’ve ever been so tempted to spend $575!

    3. I used an antique vanity table in my first two apartments for the very reason you give – large bedroom, tiny bathroom. I miss having it. You should be able to find a vintage style on craigslist or at an antiques shop. You can paint it white if you want the shabby chic look. My first husband refinished mine and it was gorgeous when he finished but it took him at least three months to do it (perfectionist.)

        1. You would need a little bench, stool or other low seating surface to go with it.

    4. Thanks for the advice ladies, but my style is definitely NOT vintage. I like the pieces, but for other people’s homes :) I guess I’ll just keep looking…

      1. There’s an Ikea piece in the “Malm” family that is basically a very modern vanity. It’s narrow and has a huge drawer with trays for makeup, etc.

  28. I have a question about something that has been stymieing me. I am a grad student and have touching-my-collarbones wavy, thick hair. My problem is that it’s unpredictable (less of an issue) and very frizzy (big issue), and I live in NYC, and someday I’m going to need to look professional, and my current “oh, I put no time or effort into my hair and yet it looks great!” look is not going to fly.

    I have an interview with a large engineering firm coming up. Please tell me how to make my hair look professional.

    1. Go to a hair dresser the day before and get a professional blow out. If you want to really ensure awesomeness get either a deep-conditioning glaze or a keratin treatment. Your hair will look awesome and silky smooth, but they’re kind of pricy.

      The blow out will only last the day (don’t wash your hair the day of the interview!) but it will look good.

    2. I would just go to Devachan for a decent haircut (you can ask for their cheapest stylists, who are priced at about $75 before tax and tip) and then ask for styling tips while you’re there. They do wavy and curly hair. They also have a book that you can buy, although I did and still haven’t bothered to read it. They are of the don’t-shampoo philosophy, which I reject for myself, but some of the tips they have given me in terms of during and post-shower routine have been helpful. My hair is curly-to-frizzy, and I think I manage to make it look reasonably okay, if not super-professional. I usually straighten it for interviews, then put a lot of effort into it the first few days of work, then slack off. On a day-to-day basis, I shower in the morning, get to work while the top is dry enough that I don’t look like I have wethead, and then, once it is really dry, put it up with a barrette. A bit boring, perhaps not the most fashionable, but it gets the job done without driving me crazy. (I am not a hair person.)

    3. If you want to wear your hair curly and down, I second the recc for going to Devachan the day before your interview and having it cut, styled, and set. They don’t put sticky products in your hair or leave all the little clippings in, so you really can wear it comfortably for a day or two after the appointment. I cannot (Idon’t have the patience or the skill, or both) get it to look as good as they do, so that’s why I would say go the day before the interview, if you can swing it. Your hair will look awesome.

      My hair is pretty unpredictable, too. Some days I just put some Ouidad spray in it and go (I wash in the evening), other days I have to pull it all back in a ponytail, which I would not want to do for an interview, so when I need my hair to be reliably manageable and professional, I usually flat iron it the night before and touch up in the morning.

    4. Aveda Be curly really helps me to control the frizz but maintain the softness for my curls in the city.When it doesn’t work (unexpected rain or snow), I throw it up into a half way pulled through bun type thing with the curls on top of the half way pull through.

      For an interview, a good blow out always works to eliminate the worry behind unpredictable curls.

    5. I second or third going to a salon that specializes in curly hair and getting a good hair cut. It makes a world of difference. As for the blow-out, don’t waste your money because they only last for a couple of days. Also, try reading product reviews on www naturallycurly dot com and picking up some good products to help fight the frizziness. I swear by Tigi Catwalk Curl Creme (turquouize squezee pump, about $13.99 at my grocery store) and a good gel spray (Garnier makes one for curly hair). I’ve also found that towel drying my hair and only shampooing every 2-3 days has helped battle the frizz.

    6. Living Proof products! They totally changed my life and almost completely eliminated my frustrations with my frizzy hair. I think you can request samples on their site, or Sephora carries their products.

      (This might be more appropriate for after you get the job, when a Deva style is not an option every other day.)

    7. I have similar hair, thick and wavy/curly. My hair looks terrible short! Right now it is almost at my elbows but it is layered so it doesn’t pouf out. My suggestions are to grow it out and get it layered, straighten it, or use hair products to make it more manageable. Also, on important days take a cab if possible rather than the subway/walking long distances.

    8. LOL, I have the same daily routine.

      For events when my hair MUST look nice, such as job interviews, I straighten it the night before. It’s the only way my hair is predictable.

    9. Ouidad’s curl quencher treatment is great for this. Just follow instructions on the bottle. You can choose to air dry and style or use a hiar dryer to blast dry. Curls/Waves will be super soft.

  29. Bostonians:

    If you’re around tonight — we are doing a meet-up at Elephant & Castle around 6ish tonight. Its between State Street and Downtown Crossing.

    Hope to see you there.

      1. I am scared to go. Then you will all know who I am!

        (Plus, I can’t do after work stuff since I have to get home to the kiddos.)

        1. Mutually Assured Destruction Diana. We all know who everyone is.

          Plus, I exercise the first rule of all internet commenting, never say anything anonymously that I wouldn’t say non-anonymously.

          I hope…I say a lot of sh*t on here.

        2. If I went to a meet up, I just wouldn’t say my name/handle. Can remain double annonymous that way.

          2. Claim to be Ellen, though you’d really have to sell it.

            We’d all play along.

          3. I’d probably just say I post under a variety of random handles/don’t really go by just one name. :-P

  30. Just wanted to say that I am wearing a bright pink dress today. I don’t care if I am hurting people’s eyes or look like I walked out of Legally Blond. I love this dress and am loving myself today for once.

  31. Ladies, I am so excited to tell you that apparently the firm that has been courting me for the last couple of months is in the middle of putting together an offer! If it is in the right ballpark, I will accept!

    YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!

    Not BigLaw, but a very respectable firm with good work and reasonable hour expectations in nearby Big City where I previously lived and where my BF and all my friends live. I can’t wait to be back there! Now I just have to pack everything up, sell my house and buy another one….yikes.

  32. Hive, I’ve asked a couple of times for help dealing with a recruiter and now I’m just not sure what the proper course of action is. We had a really great, lengthy phone conversation on Feb 6th and she was going to try and get interviews set up for later that week. The position starts as a “class” with a group of people hired together and the “class” starts next week and then not again until July.

    After not hearing from her, I emailed her a week ago and got an out of office response that she was at a recruiting event. I still haven’t heard back. Is it appropriate to call at this point? Or should I just let it go? I’ve been trying to work with her since mid-December and I understand being busy, but her lack of communication is frustrating.

    2. Call her. And for more advice, check at askamanager.org — she’s very helpful.

  33. Any ‘rettes at the DRI seminar today? (I’m studying the crowd, looking for advanced trolling with hair bands on the wrist…)

  34. Posting again to avoid moderation: any ‘rettes at the D R I conference today?
    (I’m watching for Advanced Trolling with hair bands on the wrist)….

  35. Love, love, love spring (that’s the weather here) and wearing bright colors again. Yesterday wore a bright sun yellow jacket and today a fun Boden printed jersy dress and orchid cardigan. Tomorrow maybe going for coral or tomato red. The new pops of color trend is in sync with how I feel!

    1. Hooray for color. I’m on a bright color kick lately as well. I love the sound of your outfits. I am wearing a bright pink shift dress today. Tomorrow I am thinking of wearing a similarly bright pink skirt, turquoise blouse, and silk scarf that has a whole myriad of brights (hot pink, turquoise, navy, orange, yellow, and white).

      I could go on and on about how much I love color lately.

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