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Thursday’s TPS Report: Julie Belted Sheath Dress

Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. Today's guest post is from Capitol Hill Style. Tahari ASL tan space dyed cotton blend 'Julie' belted sheath dressI’m always on the lookout for easy pieces. Dresses and suits that I can just throw on with a pair of pumps and go. This tan sheath dress from Tahari (Bluefly, $88) is such a dress. I’d wear this dress with a chocolate brown pump (tan would just create a washout) and wood bangles. If you were so inclined, you could also wear it over a tie-neck blouse in ivory, tan or navy. Add a simple gold earring to coordinate with the belt, and you’re all set. Tahari ASL tan space dyed cotton blend ‘Julie' belted sheath dress Seen a great piece you'd like to recommend? Please e-mail editor@corporette.com with “TPS” in the subject line. (L-2)

Sales of note for 12.5

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

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

181 Comments

  1. I like this but have a hard time visualizing it over a blouse, as suggested. Don’t the cap sleeves limit your ability to wear something underneath it? And wouldn’t the tie-neck look a bit odd with the neckline of this?

    I can only imagine wearing a blouse under one of the “schoolgirl-esque” dresses that someone posted about recently … e.g. sleeveless dresses. Just me?

    1. Love long under short or sleeveless for transitional seasons, amortizing and spicing up favorite pieces, and bearing the cold in deepest winter. Especially love long under 3/4 with a very intentional color contrast, peeking from neckline as well as sleeves– sleeves only seems unbalanced and unintentional to me. I’m a believer.

    2. you can totally do a white button down under a dress with cap sleeves. and this one could work that way for sure.

  2. For the NYC-based .. the Barney’s Warehouse sale starts today to Sept 5th.

    255 West 17th Street (7th & 8th)

    I have terrible luck with this sale, but maybe it will turn up some good finds for other corporettes!

  3. Meh. This seems more blah than neutral to me – I think the color would also wash me out or make me look yellow.

  4. Didn’t Kat already recommend this dress? Cuz I bought it! It’s a very unique dress, but in terms of sizing it is snug at the bust and looser at the skirt. Also, one of the beltloops ripped off immediately, but that doesn’t really matter.

    1. Thanks for the sizing info. It sounds like it might be a good dress for me, since I’m flat as can be up top, but have terrific hips!

    2. Good to know! That’s my body too :) It’s hard to find dresses cut like that, so now I’m thinking about taking the plunge…

    3. I think there might have been an Antonio Melani dress recommended earlier that looked almost identical. Maybe I’m remembering wrong, but I also thought it was previously recommended as soon as I saw it!

  5. I have no place in my closet for Plain Jane dresses. I wear a dress so seldom that I feel that each dress must make an interesting “statement” through color or line or both. If I want to dress plainly I am wearing pants or a simple skirt and a blouse or a top.

  6. The What Are You Wearing? Thread! We haven’t done one in a while and I love them.

    Me: Land’s End Canvas shift dress in beet root/magenta, gold chain and ball necklace from Ann Taylor, black headband from Target, and black Calvin Klein heels.

    1. Me: Light blue Theory wool suit, ny&co mauve frilly blouse, light blue/gray cole haan wedges. Feeling very coordinated today!

    2. I was just going to post that, LOL! I love these threads =)

      I’m wearing black dress pants, a yellow blouse, and black snakeskin loafers with black dress socks. Jewelry is a pair of large yellow gold fan earrings, my watch, a plain gold bracelet, and my usual rings (college ring, claddagh, grandpa’s ring.

      1. Theory dark grey skirt suit, BR coral/peach/grey floral print ruffled tank, Nine west nude 1″ wedge sandals (no hose), J crew pearls.

        1. Love to read this What are We Wearing thread. You all sound as though you look so great! Here in Nevada it is just past 7:30 so I am wearing Nothing but you have all inspired me.

    3. off white slacks (got to get one last wear before september!)

      coral and off white shell from Boden with petal “neckless” detail

      tan blazer with braclet length sleeves and nude for me pumps

        1. Ooh, I love that top & have been ogling it for a couple of weeks now. How does it fit, size wise?

          1. Oh, and I guess I should add that I am very staid looking today. Black BB dress, brown-ish “sharkskin” theory blazer, and “nude” shoes. Mixed metal jewelry.

          2. I find that a lot of boden stuff runs small-ish. i am a 2 normally, but a 4 in boden, and many boden dresses in size 4 are too small. i bought a 4 in this shirt and it fits perfect. its a tiny bit snug across the chest (feel wise, but not look). Its fitted enough that i can wear it untucked if i want. Its lined as well.

          3. Thanks! For me boden is very odd because I wear my usual size in the dresses (though granted the only boden dresses I have bought have been looser constructed types to begin with), but in tops I have found them to be a bit too snug at the very bottom — almost as if they were tapered. I think sizing up will do the trick though.

        2. I have this in the taupe/blue. I love this top and can’t wait for fall to come so I can wear it.

          @AIMS, it runs small on top, so I had to size up; I also have broad shoulders.

        3. Love the top but have been wondering if you can wear it with a blazer over it! The “petals” still allow a blazer?

      2. Black and white print dress, black skinny belt, pink boyfriend sweater, black ballet flats.

    6. Black skirt with a more fishtail then straight hem (if that makes sense), blue and white striped shirt (from the boys section at H&M) with a black v-neck sleeveless top over it, dark and light gray striped jacket (which I’m not wearing as it’s so warm in the office today), nude-for-me hose and black heels.

      Love these threads!

    7. BR light grey pencil skirt (I think it’s the “lightweight wool” one.. I cut the stitches closing the pockets which was a giant mistake)
      Black Joe Fresh “u-neck” tee
      Teal drapey cardigan from F21 ($7 and I bought 4 colours..)
      Black Aldo wedges
      Usual jewelry (small gold necklace, gold wedding/engagement rings)

      Not the world’s most exciting outfit but I’m feeling good because after a week of lingering stomach flu, I actually had energy to put on makeup today beyond just concealer and powder. Hurray!

      1. You can baste the pockets back together – not a big deal. Or a tailor/dry cleaner could do it for you.

    8. I’m in a black pin-striped skirt suit, white short/puffed sleeve button down, red open-toed pumps, and a cool blue and silver statement necklace I got from an antique store. Happy day!

    9. I’m on vacation. Old Navy stretch denim skirt with buttons down the front. Striped v-neck sleeveless top from TJMaxx, I think. Adorable blue halter bikini with green embroidery from the Calypso for Target line. And pink polka dot Land’s End flip flops.

      I’m off to the beach in about 15 minutes.

      1. hopefully you’re not anywhere on the east coast! or if you are, you’re close to the end of your vacation and not the beginning…

        1. I’m on the Cape and I actually like hurricanes. Hurricane Bob hit this week 20 years ago and I had a blast. Of course, I was in college and turned 21 the same week. Oops, now you know how old I am.

          1. I think you mentioned it was your birthday this week – Happy Belated Birthday, Bunkster!

            And I’m just out of the shower – on leave this week because of more exams.

      2. Grey Calvin Klein A-line skirt suit; light blue and grey pinstripe button down; magenta Pour la Victoire pumps.

    10. White House Black Market white skirt with black pinstripes (featured on Corporette a while ago), mustard Classiques ruffled top (336930 at Nordie’s), 3/4 sleeved black blazer, silver beaded necklace, black patent Kate Spade shoes with a little bow, and nude hose.

    11. Woven black Tahari sheath dress that completely flatters my figure and always makes me feel like a million bucks, gold earrings, gold bracelets.

      As an aside, Tahari ASL dresses are perfect for my hourglassish/pearish figure. However, I’ve seen this tan dress in person and it doesn’t look that great.

      Anyone know where to buy Tahari ASL dresses for cheap online besides Bluefly, Overstock, and Smartbargains?

      1. Rue La La often has Tahari ASL on sale. You can sign up for notifications.
        Maybe Amazon?

      3. Check out Macy’s. They definitely have them in store, so I’m assuming it’s online as well.

    12. tan pants, teal sleeveless knit top from coldwater creek, elbow-length cream blazer with black and teal stripes from express that’s years and years old from back when Express still had suitable clothing for work (the last time I wore it, one of the other associates said “Oh, i think I almost bought that blazer! Is it nanette lepore?” So it’s fine). black pumps, white gold ball earrings, and a necklace I bought in turkey that’s an oval pendant painted like izmir tile.

    13. Long black skirt, plain white top, turquoise (!) Lilly Pulitzer shoes (my all time favorite shoes), turquoise and pearl statement necklace.

    14. Spaghetti strap romper from Forever 21! It’s red with lace piping and a kind of 80s print! Set me back $19. Nude-for-me sandals and tiny gold jewelry so as not to compete. Needless to say, I am not going into the office today :)

    15. Black sleeveless sweater from Target’s old Isaac Mizrahi line (proof positive that Target items hold up – I have had this for five years and it still looks good).
      Dark denim pencil skirt from BR outlet.
      AT perfect pump in black.
      Silver teardrop earrings and a black enamel and silver bracelet.

      The workload at my non-profit is crazy right now, so this was easy and basic to throw together, if not fashion-forward.

    16. Black Boden jersey v-neck dress with chunky bronze jewelry and my new tan Duo boots. Love love love these boots. They were pricey, but it’s SO worth it to finally have lovely boots that fit over my cankles and thick calves.

    17. BR brown herringbone pencil skirt, ATL stripe tee w/ lace embellishment, navy 3/4 sleeve blazer, brown brooks bros pumps.

    18. Dark blue trouser jeans, a 3/4 length sleeve sweater called “oatmeal” color (which BTW I have had for years–I bought it at Mervyn’s when they were still around!! It still looks brand-new, no pilling or anything!) And black flats.

    19. Blue and white checked cotton button down shirt, black pencil skirt, black statement necklace, white pumps and a good hair day.

      These threads are so fun!

    20. Yay, I look nice today :) Multi-colored high-neck jersey dress, black pumps with a subtle croc-skin detail, cream 3/4 sleeve cardigan, chunky navy/silver/clear beaded bracelet, navy/clear bead earrings. The dress has a diagonal pattern with a nice summery green, blue, white, and black; purchased at Ross for about $15 :) Business casual office in TX.

    21. Black Calvin Klein sheath dress, black pumps with cut-out details, and a snakeskin-patterned scarf tied around my shoulders.

    22. BR eggplant short/puff sleeved button down, BR brown herringbone a-line skirt, eggplant kenneth cole pumps, silver and turquoise earrings (my mom bought them in Mexico City, she has fabulous taste), sapphire/diamond/white gold pendant on white gold chain.

      1. Are we wearing the same skirt? Dipped front waistband, angle pockets? I love this skirt, it’s so comfortable. : )

    23. The nordstorm halogen skirt (posted here before) in light gray color with a BR top in dark peach, black pumps and pearl earrings.

    24. Kind of a boring clothes day for me… black J. Crew slim fit button down top, ‘burnt ochre’ (i.e., dark mustard) double serge wool J. Crew pencil skirt, gray to black ombre pumps from BR.

    25. Black Ann Taylor boatneck sheath dress, thin stretchy black headband, silver chain with palm tree pendant; Bandolino black peep toe pumps. And a turquiose wrap for my chilly office.

    26. cream lace sleeveless tank from BR (bought last week!), grey trousers, taupe long cardigan, rose gold watch and pearl bracelet and pearl studs. Oh, and creamy (nude for me) snakeskin heals.
      I wore long and drapey clothing today because I feel blah. It makes me feel very lean and fluid and stylish (which is, of course, all in my head – but it works for me!).

    27. THE Halogen skirt in a dark plum; black v-neck shirt; black elbow-length v-neck cardigan; my favorite scarf around my neck; teal Seychelles pumps. Oh, and a thin green enamel bracelet studded with a few rhinestones along with my normal jewelry (watch, silver bracelet, diamond studs, engagement/wedding rings). This is WAY more color than I normally wear, but the scarf has splashes of plum, kelly green, and teal on a black background.

    28. Fun! Navy J.Crew suit (with a Mad Men-esque jacket) Navy and white striped H&M cotton shell tucked in. Red patent leather round toe pumps and my grandmother’s pearls.

    29. Peach half-button down shirt with peach tank underneath both from Zara with navy Barami pants and navy Bandolino wedges. Burgundy Kenneth Cole bag.

    30. Love this thread!

      Lime green silk dress from Hobbs (UK) with paisley highlights; black 3/4 sleeve cardigan from Shanghai Tang; black ballet flats. My fun gold necklace with Swarovski 4-leaf shamrock.

    31. Black and white Michael Kors pencil skirt (recommended on this site), black 3/4-sleeve cowl neck cotton knit top from Banana Republic, unique dangling silvery stone necklace from jewelry designer Katherine Kornblau, black stretch-and-patent-leather belt from Calvin Klein (also recommended on this site), black Cole-Haan Air something-or-other wedge sandals, Skagen watch with black lizard-embossed leather strap and crystal-encrusted bezel.

    33. Black Tahari “Ellen” dress, bronze Croc Havana wedges, and my standard silver Claddagh ring (heart out, in case any one has some young single male friends in the Tampa area ;) )

      1. Hah! I think wearing a dress called “Ellen” might make me feel like I should AVOID the manageing partner’s BAD BREATHE and go Home to my BOYFRIEND Allan. Or something. :)

        Working from home, so a racerback DKNY grey/blue/cream patterned tank, rolled up straight leg jeans, and cream Born sandals with a flower.

        What I need to do is go to the tailor with some of the new things I bought recently (thinking of Corporette and being inspired to buy dresses!), so I can wear them soon!

        1. Girlfriend, where have you been? ALAN had a drinking problem, so Ellen dumped his rear.

          But this dress is so amazing- I bought it on super-sale from Bloomie’s ($50 each), and I couldn’t make my mind up between the red one my size and the black one a size large. I ended up keeping both and get the black tailored a little. Both get me compliments, so I think that not deciding was the best decision ;)

          I would love to work from home sometimes, but it couldn’t really work out with our department layout- is it a full-time at-home deal for you, or just a one-off thing?

          1. It’s a full time thing…sort of. I travel, so I’m on the road 2-4 days a week, most every week. And then when I’m not on the road I work from home–so do all my coworkers and bosses! It’s mostly nice, but occasionally I wish for coworkers to chat with and share baked goods with and dress up for! (Dressing up for the travelling is good, but requires some special things like comfy shoes for walking through airports, so I have heels from old jobs I never get to wear!)

    34. Black ruffled sleeveless top from Target’s sales rack that I just love with very light grey slacks, lavender lightweight cardigan from Gap, and…flip-flops (sorry, flip-flop-at-work haters). Flip-flops are a perk of the job (and 100+ degree weather).

    35. Blue & Green silk blouse with subtle ruffle at the collar, light grey short sleeve cardigan, dark trouser jeans, black fabric ballet flats, pearl necklace & studs. Since I work in a very causal office & also do field construction work, if I have to go out to a jobsite I would put on socks & safety boots, take off jewelry, take off cardigan and put on black North Face jacket (zipped up to protect blouse), add safety glasses, traffic vest & a hard hat and I’m ready to go! … some days I wish I could just wear a suit.

      2. Bah humbug. I had to wear steel-toed boots to the office today but the job got postponed due to the rain. I’m leaving them in the office tomorrow night so that I can glamourously pair them with my vest and hardhat tomorrow.

    36. I’ll play! The Halogen skirt in bright pink, white Boden tee, beige cropped cardigan from Old Navy, light pink nude-for-me pumps, mother-of-pearl and glass bead bracelet, and mother-of-pearl earrings. Plus, my watch and great-grandmother’s ring. But I wear those every day so I often don’t think of them as part of my outfit.

    37. Black jersey dress with a cap sleeve and some pleating around the neckline, grey cotten blazer with ribbon piping from H&M and a big ‘ole statement necklace from BR in grey and white “agate” stones and black cap-toe flats.

    38. Black cigarette ankle pants, black patent Stuart Weitzman flats w/ silver buckle detail, black camisole, and slouchy dolman-sleeved lightweight shirt from H&M in navy. (Hooray … for feeling bloated?)

      I take comfort in that it’s a good hair day for me. Everyone sounds like they look fab today!

      1. Well it is Friday here (and I am out of here and on vacation in about 30 minutes!) so I am wearing my tan hugo boss heels, dark boot cut jeans, a BR black and tan print shirt and brown beads (with the usual gold huggies and gold wedding ring).

        I *have* to track down THE Halogen skirt when I am in LA on vacay next week!! :)

  7. I like this a lot. I think it would be very functional, and the fact that it is plain means I could work a lot of different looks with it!

  8. Very unusual day for me in that I am not in a suit. Brown Alice & Olivia pants, hippie-ish 3/4 sleeve brown and purple paisley blouse from Banana, brown patent peep-toes and sort of hippie-ish jewelry. Brown cashmere wrap thrown over . . . my chair. Feel like hiding in my office, so I am.

  10. Shopping PSA:

    Bloomingdales put a bunch of stuff on sale today, and is taking an additional 15% off with code FASHION (20% if you spend $300+ & use your Bloomingdales card).

    1. I just wasted a good chunk of my morning adding stuff to my cart, and will probably spend lunch editing it for the actual order.
      They have some great stuff there!

      1. They do! I got a great DKNY dress and I splurged on a full-price DVF dress.

  11. I am wearing a dress that is pretty similar to that today, but I do like mine a teensy bit better. It is Antonio Melani and has origami-type folding around the neckline. It’s also a bit of a richer color of khaki and has a darker belt.

    On another note, do y’all tend to think that wearing SPF 15 every day is sufficient for a lawyer who spends a depressing amount of time indoors? I’m kind of paranoid about getting wrinkles, but I also really like my Cetaphil lotion that only comes in SPF 15. Nonetheless, I will gladly give it up if the hive mind thinks I should be wearing a higher level. I usually only am outside for a 10 minute drive to work each way, the walk to my car, perhaps a short walk to get something for lunch, etc.

    1. I used to wear just SPF 15 but have upped it to SPF50 because a few weeks ago when I was washing my face I noticed that the skin around my eyes (that’s covered by my sunglasses when outside) was lighter than the rest of my face. I should mention that I am very fair to begin with so to see a color difference really made me take notice.

      My drive to work is 45 minutes and I’m usually outside during lunch for 10-15 minutes or so. I started using Neutrogena Facescreen Lotion SPF50 (not sure of the exact name) and cover not only my face but my neck as well. I still have a “tanline” around my eyes so makeup has been covering it until it goes back to one color on its own.

      But I would definitely use a higher SPF on your face, wrinkles are never a good look and it’s better to be overcautious now than try to repair the damage later.

      1. The one I use by Neutrogena is called Healthy Defense Daily Moisturizer SPF 50 – Sensitive Skin and it has UVA/UVB protection as well. I really like it because it doesn’t feel greasy like other sunscreens I’ve used.

    2. I live in southern California and have very fair skin and a family history of skin cancer. So this is a topic on which I have spent a lot of time and research resources.

      It tooks me years to find a moisturizer with any sunscreen that did not make my very oily skin break out. I now use Shisheido White Lucent with SPF 15 every day on my face and neck. It is SPF 15 for UVB rays and PA++ for UVA rays. I expect you like your Cetaphil for the same or similar reasons.

      However, I am very attuned to the fact that SPF 15 is not enough (although the PA ++ is pretty good at 2 out of 3 plusses). To make up for that, I do the following:

      * in addition to the Shiseido on my face and neck, every day on my decolletage and arms and hands I use Cetaphil UVA/UVB Defense SPF 50. It is supposedly for the face, but it is too heavy for me to use on my face. Sometimes I mix it with the lighter Shiseido for ease of application.

      * if I am not going to spend the day in the office (weekend, vacation), instead of the Shiseido, I use either Clarins UV Plus HP (SPF 40 and PA+) or Kiehl’s Super Fluid UV Defense (SPF 50 and PA+). Both are light enough to not make me break out, but a little too heavy for every day in the office. In the US, they both offer only PA+. But abroad you can buy them both with PA+++. The Clarins one has the same fairly fluid consistency in PA+++. The Kiehl’s one is much, much heavier in PA+++. (Chanel also makes an SPF 50 and PA+++ that you can purchase abroad. I forget what it is called, but I tried it recently and it seemed nice and light.)

      * I wear only high crew necks — no more V necks for me. When running outside and on the weekend, I wear UPF shirts. Mott 50 makes some nice ones.

      * I wear hats a lot.

      * I see my dermatologist every six months.

    3. You should be fine with 15 if you have limited outdoor activity. The reality is that SPF measurements are misleading and there really isn’t an increase in protection nearly as much as the numbers would suggest. I thought I read that they were supposed to be redoing the system entirely to create something that gives you an actual measurement of sun protection. For instance, an SPF 50 that only protects against UVB (the rays that give you sunburn) probably isn’t going to give you the sun protection you’d like. I think as long as your 15 has both UVA and UVB protection, you’re fine staying with it.

    4. I’ll admit to not having studied the issue at all, but I really have a hard time believing that, absent some special concerns like a skin cancer history or family history, you really have to wear sunscreen at all for that little time outdoors. I’m a redhead, and I’m pretty fanatical about high SPF with frequent reapplications if I’m actually spending any signficant time outside, but I don’t wear any on a day to day basis (with similar time outdoors as what you list), and I pretty much never hear people talk about it, so I assume that most of my female friends don’t, either.

      If I die of skin cancer or look like an old hag at 45, you can make fun of me, but, to my mind, it just sound like more trouble than is necessary or worthwhile. We need some sun exposure.

      1. As someone who has gotten a slight sunburn just from a quick trip to Wal-Mart (in a car), I think that she should wear something with an SPF if she’s concerned. I apply sunblock to my face and arms when I leave the house for work, re-apply if I’m going out to lunch, and re-apply before I leave for the night; weekends and holidays, I wear cotton cardigans and apply every two hours when I’m out-of-doors. Could I still end up with some type of skin problem? Anything is possible- but at least I’ve done what I can to prevent it.

        Besides, I look terrible as a tomato.

      2. It all depends on what you want to look like in your 40s…

        I started wearing facial moisturizer w/ SPF 15 in my 20s, and using Retin A at night to combat acne/ avoid wrinkles. In my late 30s, I upped the SPF, and stopped the Retin A while trying to conceive. In my 40s, I’ve started using a skin brightener to even out inevitable discolorations, and continued to use SPF 35 on my face. Most people assume I’m 8-10 years younger than I am (even though I’ve spent many summers outdoors every single day), so the dedication on sun protection has been worth it. I like Origins’ Brighter by Nature moisturizer, which has both SPF 35, and brighteners.

  12. I own this dress. It’s not super flattering on larger chests. Any idea if you can alter the neckline to a lower scoop neck (it’s got a faux leather banding thing around the neck) and how much something like that would cost (NYC prices if possible)?

  13. So, there have been lots of threads on bras and whatnot- I just wanted to know how the Bravissimo bras fit, because there have been so many people raving about them.

    I was recently fitted, and my band size went down, but my cup size went way up, so I invested in a couple of Chantelle bras, and I really, really like them, but they’re ~$100 in my city, so to restock my entire bra supply will be excessively pricey (though admittedly, Holt Renfrew might not be the cheapest place to get Chantelle bras…)

    Bravissimo seems to have better prices, so I just want to know whether they are true to size, or if anyone has just general comment on how they fit? Thanks!

    1. Now I’m curious about this too, because I wear Chantelle bras and LOVE THEM. I have an odd side (small band, large cup), and theirs fit great. But, like you, I never want to go drop $500 on bras. May I ask why you are inquiring about Bravissimo in particular? Did you hear they are similar?

      1. I did not hear they were similar, but I heard people say they like them and that they’re good for larger cup sizes, hence my inquiry.

    2. They’re great!! But you may find you need larger cup sizes in them compared to typical US brands like VS…..i won’t wear anything but bravissimo now…

    3. I just bought a ton of Chantelle bras from Nordstrom Rack for ~$26. Good deals on the internet, too. If you find something that works, stick with it!

      1. I’m in Canada, so no Nordstrom Rack available. And all the online places that ship to Canada are around the same price of a least $90 (which is not a huge savings, and possibly none at all once shipping is included).

        Thanks for the comment though- I think you’re right that I know these ones work for me, so I should stick to them. I may try one bra from Bravissimo to see how it works, I just hate ordering and having to ship back when/if it doesn’t fit.

        1. This is totally why I save up and go shopping in Seattle. I don’t even have a Holts in my city. :-(

    4. I have one of their bras. As compared with Simon Perele, the band size is tighter. Much tighter. Cup size is an F in Bravissimo is comparable to a G in SP. I don’t love the bra. But its an option for the more unusually sized of us.

    5. I have one of their bras. As compared with Simon Perele, the band size is tighter. Much tighter. Cup size is an F in Bravissimo is comparable to a G in SP. I don’t love the bra. But its an option for the more unusually sized of us.

    6. check out Nordstrom Rack. I also like Panache – actually I usually like Panache better than Chantelle.

  14. Threadjack: It’s becoming apparent to me that there is no way I can manage my work life and my personal life with my kids going back to school next week. I need a nanny but haven’t found one. I am busier than ever at work. I can see disaster looming on the horizon (right behind the hurricane which is looming first). Wondering if I should resign before things fall apart? Try to juggle and see how it goes? Tell my boss I just can’t handle all of my projects? (I hate to be the office “mom” who needs extra support but, well, I feel like I can’t handle what’s coming.) What do people do when they see a short term crunch that doesn’t seem remotely manageable?

    If you’ve been through a hurricane, any advice? I don’t think we have the time or help to board up our windows.

    Thanks for listening.

    1. I’m so sorry to hear about your crunch; I unfortunately don’t have any advice, but I wish you the best.

      A Houstonian here, so I know a bit about hurricanes unfortunately. :) Go to the store ASAP and buy bottled water and some non-perishable food, mostly things you can eat without heating or cooling in case you lose power. If you don’t have time to board up your windows (Have you tried hiring a handyman? It may be too expensive, but worth a try.), move your stuff to the interior of your house away from the windows. If you have a two story house, you may want to move your valuable stuff to the second floor in case of flooding.

      1. By the way, there is most likely already a rush on the stores, so they may run out of stuff. I seriously recommend going ASAP – even if you go across the street to the CVS at work.

        1. Yes, Houstonian, familiar with hurricanes. Three weeks without power from H.Ike and a week without power when temporarily relocated to MD/DC in H. Isabel.

          batteries for your flashlights
          hand crank canopener of some kind
          juice boxes and water and juice bottles
          snacks
          bread and pb
          tang/crystal light if you need flavor in your water
          books, playing cards

          battery powered or crank radio (ordered one at the start of the H.Ike via amazon and it arrived ups in two days…sanity saved!)…esp. a red cross one that has your local tv new stations etc.

          a pail or bucket
          consan triple action 20 for mildew and smell control for your fridge/freezer

          battery powered fan (amazon?) if you can’t sleep without air

          dry shampoo
          talc

          rx meds up to date
          first aid kit

          plastic in sheets if you have to cover up broken windows or a tarp with grommets

          I know it’s a long list, but a hardware store and pharmacy should have most of it! My experience was that a few days prior to H.Isabel, no one was at Home Depot in MD/DC stocking up.

          From now on, you’ll have the hard items in place! Esp. the can opener!

          Be safe

      2. I’ll add to the “food you can eat without heating and cooling.” I’m in NYC and I saw the OEM is recommending canned foods. I’m wondering if anyone at the OEM has actually ever tried to eat with no electricity or gas for more than 2 days, because there are really very few options for canned food that taste appetizing or are edible with no heating. I’m personally a fan of peanut butter sandwiches in situations like these.

        also, plenty of flashlights and candles. I used to have some battery-powered camping lanterns that were great for power outages.

        1. I’m in MD, just went and bought some water and other supplies. For food without heat or refrigeration, I got dates, almonds (the kind that are cocoa or cinnamon-roasted, my Atkins-dieting boyfriend turned me on to those, a bit pricey but really good), slim jims, and some cookies. I have a gas stove and so could light the burners to cook. I was without power for about 48 hours during Thundersnow, mostly ate out but also made oatmeal and ramen noodles. Pasta with tuna could be a possibility, too.

          I’m really hoping that any power outages around here are brief, so I didn’t stock up like someone on the shore, but feel a bit better having some things to eat. I also went to the library and stocked up on books, especially of the fluffy chick-lit variety.

        2. Grill and camping pots for the canned food. If you don’t have one or either, find neighbors that do and barter for something.

          Also with a grill: slice potatoes and line on tin foil. Dust with garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, etc. Fold up the tin foil and cook on grill until the edges of the potatoes are nice and browned.

    2. Can you find a temp nanny through your work, EAP if you have one, or similar, or through sittercity or craigslist? I have had good luck with craigslist. Also, try a nearby college for temp babysitters if you are near one.

      I would also try to push back the deadlines on some projects – bring to your boss and say “I’m really overworked right now; can we push back project A to Z date?” Or ask boss which projects to prioritize/get done first.

      Good luck – you will get it all done somehow! :)

    3. Oh goodness. Do you think there might be a stay-at-home mom at your kids’ school, a neighbor or someone from your place of worship who might be able to watch your kids for a couple of hours in the evening? Or maybe even a high schooler who wants to earn some extra cash? I was thinking that if you could give someone the responsibility of helping kids with their homework, preparing meals (or warming up something for them), it might help you feel like you have a little extra time to get things done. Also, if you have some time and are inclined, you might want to make several dishes that you can freeze and pull out for dinner. At least that’s one less thing you’d have to think about.

      As for hurricanes, gas up your car a couple of days before it hits, and make sure you have a flashlight with working batteries or a few candles. I wouldn’t worry about buying water – just fill up several pitchers and your bathtub. Bring in everything that’s outside – hanging plants, lawn furniture, rugs, flower pots, etc. Know that your power might go out for about 3 days or a week or it might not go out at all, so you might want to have some handy snacks (peanut butter, crackers, fruit that doesn’t need to be refrigerated, etc). Also, at our last hurricane in Texas, I had friends who fired up the grill and cooked all of their meat from the freezer. They said they’d never eaten so well!

    4. Ive been there.
      Hang in there – I hated it too, and wanted to resign rather than face the pity and irritation of my colleagues.
      But it was a temporary problem that I managed to fix (in a couple of weeks) and now I’m glad that I swallowed my pride and told my boss I needed a bit more time and flexibility to work things out just then, but that I was committed to sorting the problem out as soon as possible so it would not interfere with my work any more than was totally unavoidable.

      I did find that I had to be a little extra ?professional ?smart for a while for people to get over thinking I had left half my brain at home but the work/home balance sorted out and Im happy at work again.
      Hope this encourages you to not throw in the towel.
      Sending a huge cyber-hug your way. You will be in my thoughts!

    5. I don’t think you should resign, unless that is something you already wanted to do. It sounds like you just need to get a good schedule/routine down and find someone you can trust to help with the kids. Do you just need afterschool care? Does their school offer anything? My daughter loved going to the aftercare program at her school and they helped with homework and gave them snack and she got to play outside with her friends for an extra hour everyday. I also think trying to find a college or mature high school student is a good idea.

      The initial weeks are hard to adjust to, but once you get in the swing of things it will become much easier! Also, figure out a few simple meals you can cook quickly–for us it is spaghetti and salad, chicken tacos with an already cooked chicken from the grocery store, make your own pizza with dough from our local pizza place (the kids love this one!), etc.

      I found that the juggle was much easier once my daughter was in school!

      No advice on the hurricanes. Yikes!

    6. I don’t think you should resign, unless that is something you already wanted to do. It sounds like you just need to get a good schedule/routine down and find someone you can trust to help with the kids. Do you just need afterschool care? Does their school offer anything? My daughter loved going to the aftercare program at her school and they helped with homework and gave them snack and she got to play outside with her friends for an extra hour everyday. I also think trying to find a college or mature high school student is a good idea.

      The initial weeks are hard to adjust to, but once you get in the swing of things it will become much easier! Also, figure out a few simple meals you can cook quickly–for us it is spaghetti and salad, chicken tacos with an already cooked chicken from the grocery store, make your own pizza with dough from our local pizza place (the kids love this one!), etc.

      I found that the juggle was much easier once my daughter was in school!

      No advice on the hurricanes. Yikes!

    7. A hurricane can cause flooding, roof damge, lost of power or safe water, and impassable roadways. Consider your home’s elevation and distance from water, type of construction, number and size of trees nearby, etc. We had 3 in a row a few summers ago (lucky location), 2 of them cat 3s. Our sturdy old house had minor water damage, but some buildings lost roofs and had water everywhere. We did not cover windows, but did do alot of yard cleanup. Heavy things like flower pots and roofing tiles can fly. Cars should not be parked under trees.
      Hurricanes are unpredictable, and can change intensity and direction quickly. Maybe it will miss you.

    8. No tips on the kids beyond what others have said, but I tape my windows rather than boarding them (also depends on the forecast where you are.) Take some masking tape and make a big star/asterisk shape on each pane. That way, if the windows break, it minimizes the shards of glass flying around. Definitely bring in outdoor furniture if it’s not bolted down.

    9. As a native Houstonian, I’ve lived through lots of hurricanes. I’m in DC now and did my stock pile yesterday before everyone else gets panicked.

      Gas up the car, today, while there’s still gas in the area.
      Matches, candles, flashlights, batteries.
      Canned food, i.e. tuna, vegetables, apple sauce, fruit cups.
      Peanut butter & bread.
      If you have a gas stove, noodles, rice, beans, soup, etc. Nothing that needs refrigeration prior to or after cooking.
      Charge all of your electronics and remember to plug them in while you still have electricity.

      Finally, depending on where you are, you may not have to board up your windows. (i.e. on the beachfront or in-land). My parent’s house in Houston has never had a broken window (knock on wood). Agree with the tape recommendation if you’re worried.

      1. Also a good idea to pick up an extra battery for your cell phone and make sure it is fully charged.

    10. Thanks for the input, everyone! I do have an emergency checklist but it’s good to hear practical experience from people who have been through it. We have some food and emergency basics like flashlights, I’ll pick up some more things asap, especially tape. I’m inland so maybe I should not be so worried about the windows? The windows breaking or a tree falling on the house seem to be some of the worst case scenarios, so with the kiddos, that’s what I feel I should prepare for. It’s expected to hit New England with full force on Sunday.

      Re: school being more difficult than day care, our school district has a ridiculous number of half-days and random holidays and events requiring parent attendance and the afterschool program is quirky at best. My backup plan B and plan C have fallen through for various reasons. I guess it will all work out, it always has before, but it’s really making me crazy right now.

    11. Now you guys have me thinking that my house will be torn to shreds when I get back to D.C.

  15. SOULFUSION – HOW ARE YOU??

    I’ve been thinking about you and your treatments and wondering how you are. Please let us know! (And if you posted and I missed it, someone please let me know that too!)

  16. Emma,
    I posted in response to your achey legs question, but way after everyone else apparently, so hope you’ve seen it.
    Hope it settles soon!

  17. New job (yay!), but I have to go through an exit interview with HR at my law firm. HR sent me forms yesterday that I have to fill out before the interview. The questions are awful: 1) what are the major factors that led you to leave; 2) what did you like best/least about your job; 3) constructive comments/suggestions for making the workplace better, etc. The form is a minefield! Do I stretch the truth or make up some generic answers? I don’t want to burn bridges, and I know that it is basically useless to try and tell them anything constructive. They never listen to associate feedback. Thoughts?

    1. I would be as generic as possible, especially if you are looking to the employer for a recommendation at some point. I always go with this mantra: anything in writing could end up on the front of the NY Times. So… do you really want your exit interview to end up in the wrong hands? Probably not. Be gentle, be nice, and get the heck out of there! Congrats on your new job!

    2. I’d go generic. I answered honestly when I left my last job, and while I’ve never spoken to anyone there again, I regret that I probably burned bridges. Besides, you already know they’re going to ignore your feedback.

    3. I would just make up something vague – eg “better opportunity at new firm” etc. Good luck! I wouldn’t put anything critical bc like you say, you don’t want to burn bridges.

    4. From what I understand, you are under no obligation to fill out an exit interview form or even have one. Is that right that you’ve already started your new job? Have you gotten your last paycheck? If so, I don’t see how they could possibly think that you would take your own presumably personal time as a courtesy to them.

      I left my last position for various reasons, one of which was poor management. I opted not to fill out an exit survey and simply left the form blank and untouched on my desk on my last day. Nobody ever contacted me demanding that I fill it out. Frankly, I think NOT filling an exit interview out can be a more powerful statement than one filled with watered-down platitudes because they’ll wonder why you refused to fill it out. :)

      1. Usually exit interviews (in places I’ve worked, and in talking to my friends) are prior to or on your last day (and before starting a new job).

  18. Question for the hivemind – Is it appropriate for me to wear silk scarves to work? I’m 23 and have a collection of Hermes and Valentino scarves that I inherited from my mom and grandmother and love wearing them but wonder how it would look to have something so expensive when I’m at the bottom of the ladder, so to speak. The office is towards the more formal end of business casual and I prefer to dress more formally anyways.

    Thanks in advance and I look forward to reading your comments!

    1. I wouldn’t. YMMV, but I did something vaguely similar and got some odd looks and comments. From senior people whose opinion mattered to me.

      1. I’m curious as to what kind of comments the senior people gave you, can you share some of them?

        1. Along the lines of, “You’re looking nice today. That a VERY nice ****. Are you going somewhere special?”
          That particular department wasn’t particularly well dressed so it would have seemed out of place there I guess. And it felt awkward to have to say, “Er no, I just put these on to come in to work”.
          YMMV

    2. I think it depends, but based on the info supplied, I’d go for it (in fact, I do sometimes wear silk scarves, inc. Hermes, to work, and while I’m a bit older than you, I am still one of the younger people in my job). I don’t think there is anything inherently wrong with it, and most people cannot tell whether you’re wearing an hermes scarf or a something pretty & silk you picked up at the Met museum gift shop unless they are either a) really into scarves or b) really, really up close. That said, I don’t know how you are wearing yours, but I would not wear it in any way that the “hermes” part becomes the obvious focal point.
      Now, of course, some people in your office may think you should not wear silk scarves when you’re so young to begin with, but if that’s your thing and it works with your overall style, I say go for it.

      1. This. If it’s iconic, then wait a few years to wear it at work. Otherwise, go for it.

        Kat had a great post about wearing scarves a while ago, so I’m sure a 20-something can rock scarves in a youthful way, though it’s a lost cause for me personally. I might not show up on the first day of work wearing a scarf (or anything particularly fashion-forward, unless that’s important in your industry). But I agree with AIMS that if it’s part of your aesthetic then enjoy!

    3. I also say go for it. I love the sh!t out of my Hermes scarves! If you want tying ideas, Hermes has a few downloadable instructional PDFs on their website.

      1. Me too, I heart H-scarves. Maybe tie them in a funky way or wear them as belts. A scarf ring might help (FYI, my scarf ring is a giant murano glass ring that echoes the colors of the scarf.)

    5. Do it- but I agree, don’t make the fact that they’re Hermes or Valentino that focal point.

      I have a burgeoning collection of the Hermes scarves, because I absolutely love them. I just turned 24, and I wear my three pretty often- not every day, but frequently enough.

      There’s a great PDF somewhere of all the different ways to wear the Hermes scarf (I think it’s the Hermes Carre book or something? Maybe? I don’t know, check their website).

    6. Just make sure the tags are cut off. I wore a silk scarf recently and got a LOT of comments, but all of them were good. It’s just not a look you see every day, and a lot of people are intimidated by tying scarves. Or so they told me.

    7. Of course it’s appropriate. Silk scarves are a classic and elegant professional look. Wear them with pride.

  19. Are they some sort of distinctive pattern so that people would recognize them as Valentino and Hermes? I am not sure I would ever realize they were those brands, just that they are beautiful. I think you should go for it. We worry to much about what others think.

    I am all over this thread today.

    1. The names are in the corners on the scarf so unless I strategically hide them they are noticable.

      1. Sometimes I wonder how much of this is in our heads. I have a plain, white Burberry button down that I always feel self conscious wearing to work because a bit of the check is visible on the colar. But the last time I wore that to the office, someone complimented me on the nice pattern and asked me if it was Nautica because apparently they do something similar. My point is that I don’t think others pay nearly as much attention to our clothes as we do. In fact, when I mentioned the story to a work friend, she commented that she never would have noticed or even associated the pattern. So go figure . . . . (and, to B23, apparently I am all over this thread today, too).

  20. I have a question. Should a woman pay 1/2 for dinner when a man invites her if she is thinking that the man may be interested in dating her?

    1. I think it is always polite to offer. Certainly be prepared to do so at the end of the meal.

      But then you have to gauge it too. What tone does the meal take? How good is your existing relationship with this person? Are they likely to be offended if you offer? If you are determined to keep things even, I have often found it is just easier to offer to pay next time (assuming you want there to be a next time).

    2. If it’s a date, then whoever invites, pays. The invitee should offer to pay their share, though, and be willing to actually go thru with it and pay if the offer is accepted (e.g. don’t do a fake wallet-reach).

      If it’s not a date, or it might be but you don’t want it to be, split the bill.

      The obvious exceptions are if someone is buying someone else dinner for a specific reason, like to thank them for a favor or whatever.

    3. In a similar vein, I go out to lunch on a semi-regular monthly basis with a male colleague that I met via a young lawyers local sports team. I’m married, he’s single. The lunches are completely professional and friendly. He has always insisted upon picking up the tab, even when I offer/insist upon paying. I’ve insisted upon leaving the tip the last few times, and that has worked. I know he’s just being nice – he is probably aware that I am a relatively poor first year associate – but it makes me slightly uncomfortable for reasons I can’t put my finger on. I am thinking that next time we discuss going to lunch, I am going to recommend where I’d like to go and then say, “My treat this time.” Does that sound okay?

      1. I think that sounds fine. Another way to go is excuse yourself halfway through lunch and slip the waiter your credit card for before the check arrives at the table. That way instead of bringing the bill he’s just giving you back your credit card with the receipt and there is no discussion of who’s paying.

  22. jewelry question –
    i am shopping for a wedding ring and am having a hard time finding one that goes well with my eclectic engagement ring. i know that the style is to wear both an engagement and wedding ring together, but does anyone wear just their wedding band? if so, how or when do you wear the engagement ring?

    1. wear it however you like. some people wear the band on one hand & the ER on the other; some people wear them together; some people just wear one OR the other and only bring both out for certain occasions.

      And some people go without! so it’s up to you entirely.

    2. I ditched my ER when it kept getting in the way. I just wear my 2mm white gold wedding band.

    3. I just wear my engagement ring by itself. No one ever gets confused and asks me how the wedding planning is going.

      1. I’m one of those people that would ask because I’d wonder why your wedding band wasn’t on. While I wear both my engagement ring and wedding band, if I were to wear only one it would be the wedding band. That, and most women I work with wear both.

    5. I’ve seen people do a lot of different things, so you don’t have to wear both together. I have an eclectic engagement ring too, and I bought a wedding band that 1) I liked on its own, without my engagement ring, and 2) would look fine with my engagement ring, knowing that without a custom band nothing would ever be perfect. I’m debating wearing my engagement ring on my right hand (a few of my coworkers do this).

      In other words, it’s totally up to you and there’s no right or wrong way.

    6. i have an ecclectic ER too. i went to tiffany’s and tried on every single wedding band they had and they patiently worked with me, i ended up going with the most unexpectred combination -it just works to my eye.
      for what its worth, my ER is a 3 stone yellow diamond and white diamond combo set in white gold. my wedding band is the tiffany half novo diamond band set in rose gold. i never would have thought it worked, and only tried it on for sizing purposes. i wear both as a set and love it and it encourages me to mix metal finishes too.

    7. My mom had her set made by some eclectic artist, and the wedding band is kind of curved so it hugs the nonconventional setting she has (if that makes sense). Maybe you could have a similar ring made to match your ER, depending on how much you’re looking to spend.

      I like the look of just the band but the stacked ER+Wedding band does please the magpie in me. In the earnest words of my ESL-bf “why do (married) American women wear big clunker when they are no-more engaged?” :-D

    8. I see a lot of people who wear their engagement ring on their right hand, their wedding band on their left.

    9. I wear my engagement ring on the right hand, my wedding band on the left. My engagement ring is platinum, my wedding band is plain yellow gold. I love mixing gold and silver together, and sometimes i wear them together on my left hand- just depends how I feel. Do what you want!

  23. PSA re Brora sale:

    We were talking about Brora cardigans yesterday and one of you asked about sales. Well, funnily enough their Bank Holiday Clearance Sale just started today – up to 60% off.

    Now excuse me while I go check it out….

  24. Just wanted to say thanks to all who gave advice yesterday re the situation with the second chair and the boss accusing me of “politicking.” Really helped me make it through the day. You guys are awesome!

  25. I’ll gear this review to 2 types of people: current Zune owners who are considering an upgrade, and people trying to decide between a Zune and an iPod. (There are other players worth considering out there, like the Sony Walkman X, but I hope this gives you enough info to make an informed decision of the Zune vs players other than the iPod line as well.)

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