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Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices.
Sales of note for 9.30.24
- Nordstrom – Beauty deals through September
- Ann Taylor – Extra 30% off sale
- Banana Republic Factory – 50% off everything + extra 20% off
- Boden – 15% off new styles
- Eloquii – Extra 50% off sale
- J.Crew – 50% off select styles
- J.Crew Factory – Up to 60% off everything + 50% off sale with code
- Lo & Sons – Warehouse sale, up to 70% off
- M.M.LaFleur – Save 25% sitewide
- Neiman Marcus – Friends & Family 25% off
- Rag & Bone – Friends & Family 25% off sitewide
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – Fall Cyber Monday sale, 40% off sitewide and $5 shipping
- Target – Car-seat trade-in event through 9/28 — bring in an old car seat to get a 20% discount on other baby/toddler stuff.
- White House Black Market – 40% off select styles
And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!
Some of our latest threadjacks include:
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- Can I skip the annual family event my workplace holds, even if I'm a manager?
- What small steps can I take today to get myself a little more “together” and not feel so frazzled all of the time?
- The oldest daughter is America's social safety net — change my mind…
- What have you lost your taste for as you've aged?
- Tell me about your favorite adventure travels…
ADL
This is a great pick, a good staple for the closet. I love White House Black Market. Thanks for the tip on the coupon – and if you’re a black book member for WHBM, you get your extra 5% off on top of that. What a steal.
Oneanon
Kat, can we occasionally feature a slightly longer skirt so us tall girls can benefit? 20 inches is office-very-not-appropriate on me :(
Midwest
Agree. This skirt is adorable but I’d look completely inappropriate for the office. And I’m only 5’8″ — not giant by any stretch.
txclerk
This just answered my question. I’m 5’8” too and still just wear my size in skirts and dresses off the rack. I’ve had an internal debate about having the hems let out, but somehow I’ve convinced myself that the skirts/dresses are okay (mainly because I see how they look on the models and the hems hit me at the same place). Alas, I will be visiting the tailor’s this weekend — with about 10 skirts and dresses in tow. Thanks for keeping me office-appropriate. :)
Yup
20 inches isn’t appropriate for me either, and I’m only 5’5. I like this skirt otherwise though.
Anon
I’m 5’3″ and look for skirts that are at least 21 inches.
Diana Barry
Ditto! I like 26″.
Eponine
OMG. That would be nearly ankle-length on me.
Kat, there are plenty of us out here who need 19-20 inch too!
mamabear
Agreed. 25″ – 26″ is knee length on me.
Bette
I am 5’10” and my favorite skirts are 22″ long. I think it all really depends on where on your waist/hips you wear your skirt and how long your legs are relative to your torso.
Bonnie
I just measured and 20 inches is knee length for me as well and I’m 5’5″. Maybe it depends on how high people wear their skirts?
Atlantia
5’4″ here and 20″ is perfect knee length on me. Most of my height is in my torso.
Anonymous
Theory is having a sample sale today on 36th street in Manhattan – has anyone been before? Is it worth skipping out of the office?
found a peanut
I went; it’s good. There are many full suits there and you’d pay ~$250 for the jacket and pants. The line outside moves super-fast but the line to try stuff on can be slow.
Lydia
I went today before the lunch rush. No line to get in and no line for the dressing room.
2L NYC
It is excellent. I go every time they have one — 2x a year.
Anon
I have knobby knees, so this does not work for me, but it is still very pretty :)
GovtMom
PSA: I just got an email from Banana Republic advertising a sale tonight : $30 off $100 if you use a Gap family card, plus free ship. Code is BRSUMMER, plus they are having some 5 pm to 9 pm sale tonight only in-store.
Bunkster
Gap’s got a similar one. $20 off $80 using code GAP2080. And both deals aren’t just for the GAP card. They also work for the BR and Old Navy cards.
anon
I think this reads too young (college goer not career climber) and too short for the office. Would maybe have to wait to wear until fall with opaque tights and flats to make it office suitable.
Anon
I agree that depending on how its styled, it could look very young, however, opaque tights and flats would make it look even younger and less office-appropriate
CT
Threadjack — for all who went to law school (or other professional school), how do you handle one bad grade? I just finished my first year of law school and have been getting consistently good grades, but I just got my spring grades and I have one bad one. I was not expecting it, but after talking with some classmates I can see that I missed some important issues on the final and it is probably deserved. Any advice? Will I have to explain this to potential employers? Should I discuss it with the professor, even though he probably won’t change it?
Diana Barry
How bad is it? My one bad grade was 2/3 of a grade lower than my normal grades (B- when I got mostly B+) and I only had one interviewer ask about it. I later learned that most of the people in the class had collaborated/cheated on the exam – it was a take home and we were supposed to do our own work. Not sure whether I mentioned that to the interviewer though. It didn’t make a difference in my offers/getting hired at all; however, the market was great then, so it may be a little different now.
Anon
I would discuss it with your professor, not in an attempt to change your grade, but to see what you did wrong so that you won’t do it again.Email him or her and ask if you can meet with them. At my school, many professors would pull your exam out and look over it in advance, so they could discuss with you where you went wrong. The professor also might let you take a look at your exam and their written comments.
Learn from it and then move on. Don’t beat yourself up over it. I’ve only had one interviewer ever ask me about a specific grade, so don’t worry about that too much. Just be prepared with a mature response about how you didn’t do as well as you wanted, but you did X to improve upon that.
anon
Recent law school grad here. I had VERY mixed grades (range was C to A+, averaging around a B+). I think interviewers responded really well to (1) accepting responsibility; (2) a good attitude; (3) my ability to put the bad grades in perspective of other accomplishments. I’ve always had my choice of biglaw jobs, internships, clinics, etc. and got several post-grad offers.
Good luck!
Anon
Agree with putting it in perspective. I got a bad grade in con law, and in an interview, I emphasized my success arguing constitutional issues and writing a brief in a moot competition to show the grade wasn’t completely indicative of my ability for the subject. And taking responsibility/positive attitude is also key!
Miriam
If they see that is is an outlier, they will know it was just a fluke. I agree with taking responsibility for it and having an explanation. Saying what you learned could also be good. I didn’t do so well my second semester, but if a potential employer asks, I can always say I devoted too much time to my summer job search and extracurricular activities and learned how to balance my responsibilities in a better way.
Mel
I’m sorry about your bad grade. The same thing happened to me my first year too and it was annoying. I barely thought about it after the initial shock though. If your other grades are good, one bad grade won’t make much difference. Most people only care about your overall GPA and won’t look at individual grades even if you provide them. I would only suggest talking to the professor if you think it will help you avoid similar problems in the future. Otherwise, it may come across as whiny and be a waste of your time. Given that you are otherwise a good student, my guess is that this was a fluke (or a bad professor or a topic you weren’t interested in, etc.). Shake it off and focus on all of the good grades you do have. And NEVER apologize for or highlight a bad grade in interview unless asked directly about it – it will just draw attention to something most people will overlook. We all got a few bad grades here and there. We get it.
CT
Thanks everyone! Your responses are all really helpful.
Bk foette
Oh boy — I still occasionally get questions about my 2 B- from my first year writing classes because they look so out of place in regards to my other grades. I have a quick spiel that explains part of it – that I did not fully “get” legal writing until after my summer internship, see look at these other writing classes were I got much higher grades. But that is only part of the story as the other part is that I was in a writing section with people who spent a great amount of time in undergrad writing (English majors, newspaper contributors and so forth) and we had a B- curve at the time, but I don’t want to say those reasons as it sounds like making excuses. I took my 2 B- with pride that year and I still graduated 6th in my class.
I do think you should discuss it — I talked with my professors all the time about my performance, I think it is a learning experience and helps you take criticism I am sure you will get once you get into work.
Good luck to you!
Fiona
To put grades into perspective – I have done a few rounds of on-campus interviewing from the employer side. I had about 60 seconds to look at a candidate’s resume and transcript before they came in. I would basically just scan the transcript to see what their grades were like on a very aggregate/general level, and then spend most of the time looking at their resume for things to ask them about during the interview. (And FWIW, I think most law students get a random combination of As and Bs, unless they are extreme superstars). I know of one firm that had a grade cut off, but it was a GPA cut off and not an individual grade cut off. If the rest of your grades are decent, I don’t think one bum grade in one class is going to hurt you all that much. (Of course if you had all Cs and Ds, that would be a different story.)
Anon
I’ve done on campus recruiting also and I concur. My office DID have a grade cutoff, but we paid attention to the overall GPA not individual grades. I interviewed at a law school that doesn’t give out transcripts beforehand (the students brought them to interviews) and doesn’t post GPAs on transcripts (we calculated them ourselves). Our call back decisions were made on a combination of (1) personality and (2) GPA. One bad grade isn’t a big deal.
mia
First year I was in the top half of my class but on our curve that meant I barely squeked a 69% average… yeah, there was a horrific grade in there.
I am going to be honest with you here and say that yes, the low mark will matter, particularly depending on if you are looking to summer next year. Make up for it by having a fantastic resume, looking professional at your interview and simply being honest if asked about the mark.
If it seems to be important and this is an option, bring along a class breakdown to show the interviewer that your mark was not freakishly low if in fact it was not (sometimes the average mark in a class is unusually low). Good luck!
shrink
Threadjack –
Ah, ageing and hormones! Anyone had any luck thicking (?) hair? Saw reviews for Bumble & Bumble thickening serum. Pricey, so would love ideas.
I’m early 50s, greying, which gives coarse unruly hairs here and there. The hair I have is and has always been thin. Now more so (see above)
TIA!
halogen newbie
Thanks to this blog, I’ve gotten three of the ponte knit, pencil skirts this spring from Halogen. I like them (and their price point) alot! Have not tried the jackets and I see that folks mention them as “suit pieces.” My Nordstrom’s doesn’t seem to carry them or I can’t find them. Can anyone give impressions on cut and fit? I wear the classical, curvy, single breasted jackets at Talbots for what it’s worth.
Angie
I used the B&B Thickening Conditioner which worked pretty good. I purchased the huge salon bottle and it lasted for several months. If you find a salon that has B&B products, they usually also sell smaller sample-type bottles as well.
mamabear
The John Frieda Luxurious Volume line (in light blue tubes and bottles) that you can get from the drugstore is pretty good. I saw so many magazines referencing it as a top product, that I had to try it. I switched from the much more expensive Sebastian Volupt line to the Frieda and I’m not disappointed!
Kanye East
I wasn’t impressed with the B&B thickening serum, to be honest. I noticed a tiny difference if I remembered to use it every day, but it wasn’t noticeable to anyone else.
I have total baby (very fine) hair, fwiw.
mia
I have a foot issue. Most particularly the spot on my feet where ballet flats and the backs of highheeled shoes rub against that spot just above your heel. I’m sure you all know what I am talking about. :)
Quite frankly this area of my foot looks usually sore and is often bandaided.
How do I minimize damage to skin in this area and conceal the damage?
SF Bay Associate
I get that spot too. I’ve basically gotten rid of all the shoes that did that to me. Softer/higher quality leather helps.
Oneanon
Second to SF Bay Associate. If I make the mistake of buying a pair of shoes that does this (beyond a one or two wear breaking-in period), I get rid of the shoes. Life is too short for my feet to hurt because of my shoes :)
mia
But I love my shoes. >_<!
My workplace is fairly conservative, (I cannot wear slingbacks). I've invested in good quality shoes and while I have looked at other shoes, I find I have this problem with anything from Prada.
I find that wearing tights helps alot but bare legs being acceptable on noncourt/nonclient meeting days is one of the few awesome things about my work dress code and I'd hate to give it up.
Oneanon
Hmm, well, I don’t know what to tell you then :) I also do not wear open toed shoes or slingbacks to work, but none of my shoes mess up my feet because, if they did, they’d be history. Could it be that the shoes are a teeny bit too tight and stretching could help? (I’m just guessing here)
Anon
It may be that Prada just doesnt fit your feet right. In cant wear ferragamos or coach shoes for that reason, and live almost exclusively in stewart weitzman and manolos.
PollyD
It seems sacrilege to say try sticking a heel pad on Pradas, but they might help. I’m talking those sticker things that you put along the back of the shoe, on the inside.
Bunkster
I like to combat that by wearing slides as much as possible. Good thing it’s spring/summer so I won’t have to worry about it ’til October or so.
In fact, last week when I posted about looking for comfortable shoes, I ignored all the suggestions for basic pumps or closed toe flats.
mia
Are slides and mules really acceptable work wear? I’m at a law firm and I’ve honestly just assumed they were not.
mia
Same for open toe shoes.
cbackson
It’s a know-your-office thing. I work in non-NYC biglaw and I’m wearing open-toed slingbacks today. Slides are also acceptable in my office.
Anon
Yes, it’s definitely firm specific. I’ve worked at several firms and open toed shoes and slingbacks have always been ok, but I only wear closed toed pumps for client meetings.
Bunkster
Yeah. But I work in Business Intelligence for a business-casual company in Boston.
Eponine
You have shallow heels (as do I). Buy a small gel pad that goes under your heel to raise it about 1/4 inch. Problem solved.
Yes, I couldn’t believe it was that easy either.
Eponine
Oh, to conceal the damage – instead of regular bandaids, I use liquid bandaids for blisters and cuts on my feet. It’s invisible and looks so much better than having gross bandaids hanging off your feet.
mia
YOU ARE THE BEST.
Eponine
Get one that sticks to your shoe so it doesn’t slide around under your foot :).
Anon
This is the other thing i do — where there is a spot on a shoe that rubs a bit too much, i put the bandaid on the shoe rather than my foot. works like a charm
eb
Whoa – brilliant. I have this problem a lot too. Thanks! What I’ve been doing until now whenever this comes up is putting on one of those gel-y blister cushion band-aids on the back of my heels.
Miriam
I am obsessed with these Band-Aid Blister Blockers. If you know where a pair of shoes causes a blister, you can put it on in the beginning of the day and the shoe will rub the band-aid rather than your foot. I have weddings some up and these will be my savior!
BKDC
I put mole skin directly on my heel (when the skin isn’t broken). I find that to be a quick and easy solution, and the moleskin stays on much longer than the Bandaids. Maybe your feet just need a little time to toughen up now that it’s summer and you’re not wearing tights/socks?
A. L.
You can also try the Heavenly Heelz heel cushion. HH makes those flower petal pads you put in your shoe toward the front, and the heel cushion is the same idea but goes on the back of your shoe in the heel cup. I ordered mine from drugstore.com (at first I tried a 3rd party seller on Amazon, but they sent the flower petal ones, so I wouldn’t recommend buying there).
I added these to a few of my heels and they’re great. The only caveat is that the padding does take up a bit of room, so they aren’t great for shoes that are a bit snug already. Going forward, though, you can just err on the side of slightly big and the cushions will absorb the extra room.
Before I got these, I tried Blister Block, Body Glide, Aquaphor, and a number of other lubricants. For me, they last about an hour, and then once the irritation had started, reapplication was completely ineffective.
Bunkster
I actually like this skirt and would wear it. But I have a rule for myself right now. I’m not buying any clothing items that cost over $50.
I can still get into enough trouble at that price, though. Last week I bought 2 pairs of the Gap premium trousers. They’re $59 retail, but I had a coupon. I bought a navy Anne Klein sheath dress at Marshall’s for $49, and 2 pairs of shoes at TJMaxx: a pair of Ralph Lauren wedge sandals for $49 and a pair of Aerosole 2″ slides for $29.
Mika
Oddly enough I vowed to do the opposite. Everything fairly high end designed but all at least 75% off including shipping.
Joy
Where is everyone today?