ByKat Hours Updated
Comments 127 Comments

Thursday’s TPS Report: Linen Jacket

· ·

This post may contain affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. Brooks Brothers.Linen JacketBrooks Brothers has some great items in their clearance section lately, including this linen jacket. Yes, yes: linen wrinkles. But it also breathes like nobody's business — perfect for that time you have to look professional while attending one of those maddening “outdoors during 100-degree weather”events that companies and firms so like to hold over the summer. The jacket was $198, now marked to $79.20 at Brooks Brothers.Linen Jacket 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 3/15/25:

  • Nordstrom – Spring sale, up to 50% off
  • Ann Taylor – 40% off everything + free shipping
  • Banana Republic Factory – 40% off everything + extra 20% off
  • Eloquii – 50% off select styles + extra 50% off sale
  • J.Crew – Extra 30% off women's styles + spring break styles on sale
  • J.Crew Factory – 40% off everything + extra 20% off 3 styles + 50% off clearance
  • M.M.LaFleur – Friends and family sale, 20% off with code; use code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off
  • Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
  • Talbots – 40% off 1 item + 30% off everything else (includes markdowns, already 25% off)

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

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

127 Comments

  1. Oh my. The matching linen skirt is also on sale. Wish I had the funds for this.

    Wearing linen yesterday got called on account of 19 degrees. I was not wearing a skirt. We shall try again tomorrow.

      1. My stab at it – She wanted to wear linen yesterday, but decided against it because it was only 19 degrees out. The linen suit she wanted to wear didn’t have a skirt, like the one advertised does. She might try to wear the linen suit tomorrow, since it didn’t work out today.

        How’d I do?

        1. I thought it was right up until “didn’t have a skirt”; I interpreted that the linen suit she had DOES have a skirt and she did not want to wear a skirt given the 19 degrees…

          I am not thinking about wearing linen until the skating rink that is my driveway melts! It’s all I can do to wear wool pants and sweaters when all I want is Uggs and fleece.

          1. I took it as “There was no way I was going to wear a skirt [as opposed to pants] when it was that cold out.” Which was my thought exactly yesterday.

        2. You were close. Michelle got it right. I won’t wear a skirt if it is in the teens or below when I leave the house. I can handle cold calves, but only for a given value of calves.

          Tomorrow is supposed to be nicer and I have to leave later so better chance of a warm up. So, skirt it is. Winter be darned. Linen it is.

  4. I love this. Am on a shopping ban until March though. Maybe I can catch the summer things when they go on sale in June! :)

  5. Threadjack :)
    I will have the pleasure to travel to the US again (yeay me).
    My trip last year to Cincinnati was amazing and I managed to renew my entire wardrobe.

    This year I am going to LA in California. I will be working 3 days and have 3 days off.
    I will visit DisneyLand and Nordstrom. Other than that I have no idea what other fun things to do in LA. Any no-miss suggestions are welcome (I don’t go to bars and breweries but am open to everything else).

    Also do any of the road warriorettes have tips on organizing such a travel? I remember some corporette posting how her assistant made a travel portfolio. Any useful links to help me organize my trip better? I know what to pack etc. but it is more challenging to organize tickets, agenda etc.

    1. I don’t have any suggestions, but I love that Disneyland and Nordstrom are on your list.

    2. Visit the Griffith observatory! They have a planetarium show which is nice, but the tickets for shows get sold quickly. It’s definitely worth going in the morning, buying tickets for the evening show and coming back for the evening view of LA (as well as the show). Seeing the whole city laid out – it’s stunning. If you go during the day, you can also see the iconic “Hollywood” sign on the neighboring hill.

      Random aside: why isn’t the “Hollywood” sign lit up at night?

    3. Where in LA will you be staying – it’s a pretty big city. Do you have access to a car?
      Some nice places to walk around outdoors and maybe do some shopping are Old Town Pasadena (on the subway line) and/or Santa Monica (easily accessible by bus).
      Don’t forget to hit up Nordstrom Rack too! And there are Sephoras everywhere so you can browse for some makeup and perfume.

      Have fun!

    4. I love this jacket and it makes me long for spring.

      Houda, what a fun trip! I don’t know that much about LA so I will let other Corporettes answer that part of your question.

      To stay organized when I travel internationally I do a few things. First, I make a single document with my itinerary, including flight numbers, addresses, phone numbers, etc. This way I have my flight, car, and hotel information, as well as the office address, all together. I then print it and email it to myself. I put the printed copy, any maps I may need, my ticket, and any other documentation in one of those manila file folders and slide it into my purse next to my laptop. I also email myself links to anything I have printed out, just in case.

      Once I’m at the airport, I keep my tickets and passport together in the inside pocket in my purse.

    5. I second Road Warriorette on putting everything in one document, but I also have another trick (which is probably based more on superstition than anything else, but I won’t travel without it) – I photocopy my passport, credit card and plane ticket 3 times and leave one set with my assistant, the second set with my parents, and the third set in my suitcase (i.e. in a separate bag from the originals). That way, if anything awful happens (fingers crossed), I always have access to copies of everything. So far it has worked, meaning I haven’t had to resort to using any of the copies!

      1. I also email myself scanned copies of my passport but it might not be a bad idea to add the rest of the things you mention.

      2. Not to be overly paranoid, but given that airline security has every right to inspect your suitcase (and that items do go missing) I would probably NOT leave a copy of your credit card in your suitcase. Copy of passport plus copy of credit card = wonderful opportunity for someone to make fraudulent charges on your card, or attempt to steal your identity. Not worth the hassle.

        1. I put a copy of my passport in my suitcase when I travel internationally mainly to increase my chances of getting the suitcase back if there was any kind of problem or discrepancy. I think not putting a copy of CCs is a good idea, though–maybe if you wouldn’t put cash in the bag, you shouldn’t put a copy of your CC (and maybe I’m naive about the passport)?

      3. Can I ask what your idea behind copying your CC is? I would think you would only need the 1-800 number to call if you need to report it stolen. I have the actual card number, security code, and expiration date memorized on all 3 of the cards I would ever carry. No idea what my debit card numbers are though!

    6. Yes, that’s my assistant, also known as The Best Assistant Ever. I will have to tell her that again sometime today. She makes portfolios for me from those clear colored plastic folders, and includes my itinerary, which lists my hotels, my flights, and all phone numbers I might need. She also includes a paper envelope for my receipts. I empty out my wallet of the expensable receipts every night, and also write on the envelope for expenses that didn’t have a receipt, like the $2 tip to the bellman for my luggage.

      One thing I would do though is to scan all of your tickets and other documents to PDF and email them to yourself, just as one does with one’s passport and credit cards for international travel in case of theft. I send these sensitive documents to my law firm email since the firm is greatly incentivized to maintain security of our email. That way, even if you happen to misplace something, you know exactly what it looks like and it could be easier to get a replacement.

      Nordstroms vary greatly in awesomeness (size/selection). I’m sure LA corporettes can chime in about which Nordstrom is the best one in LA. Be sure to use a personal shopper again, too.

      Since you’re going to be here for six days, skip bringing shampoo and dealing with liquids on flights etc – if you’re staying at a just ok hotel, go to the drugstore when you get here and pick up what you need. Depending on where you are staying in LA, they are everywhere. If you’re staying at a nice hotel (four star plus), the free products will do nicely for only six days.

      I was just in downtown LA last fall living out of a hotel for trial. While I now think I have some familiarity with downtown LA, I know nothing about elsewhere in LA. To help you better, I think we would need to know 1) where in LA will you be and 2) which days will you have a car?

      1. check out the Getty Center for art and awesome architecture, Venice Beach for quirky culture, the Grove is a fun shopping area in LA but if you can make to the OC I would recommend hitting up South Coast Plaza. Also, enjoy all the amazing Mexican food!

        1. Getty Villa is even better — on Pacific Coast Highway, so combine with a trip to the beach. This Getty location has the ancient greek/roman, etc. collection, and a great cafe. I also live in LA and work in Santa Monica and would be delighted to show you around for a day, but am hesitant to post my email here (sorry, love a lot of posters here, but have really heightened privacy concerns in a public forum). I’ll email Kat privately, maybe she would be willing to put us in touch privately. I’ll call myself LAinhouse to her.

    7. I just posted a long reply but I think it got stuck in moderation or something… anyway – email me at twinkltwrp@hotmail.com – I’m a SoCal native and have lived in LA/the valley for the last 7 years – so I can send you the huge list we gave people attending our wedding last year that has shopping and tourist stuff to do :)

    8. Thank you ladies !
      So far, I still do not know what hotel I will be staying at but it should be 4 stars minimum (business trip). I will probably not have a car (and I do not drive) but I do not have an issue taking public transportation if it is safe.
      I still need to finalize the details for my trip so I will know more in a couple of weeks. I will keep you posted.

      1. In LA I recommend you visit the Nordstrom at the Grove shopping center. Aside from Nordstrom there are other nice shops and restaurants there. Closer to Disneyland, the South Coast Plaza in Orange County is great, but all shops are very high-end.

        If you are staying in downtown LA, they have done a lot to spruce up the area. There are actually several business areas that aren’t downtown- the traditional downtown, the “mid-Wilshire,” and Century City. I do business in the traditional downtown.

        If you are a music lover, and it is at all possible, I would try to see a concert at the Hollywood Bowl. It is quite an experience. I’ve been two times and will never forget them. It’s best to tag along with a local who knows the whole protocol re: picnicing, which is part of the experience. Also, downtown’s new Walt Disney concert hall, home of the LA Philharmonic, is supposed to be amazing, but I’ve never been there. (I’m in SF, I just travel down to LA for business.)

        I like to stay at the Millenium Biltmore hotel in downtown, which is the historic Biltmore hotel. The rooms are a little shabby compared to a modern high-end hotel, but I kind of like that old Hollywood feel. Most of the hotels downtown are new and nice and are walking distance (though sometimes several blocks) from the skyscraper office buildings that form the downtown area.

      2. Houda, I had lunch today with my friend who moved up here from LA. She likes The Grove for shopping, and says you can valet park at the steak restaurant there (parking is so important in LA!) She also likes Century Plaza and the Beverly Center for higher-end shopping in LA.

  6. Love it (and the matching skirt – that’s one cheap suit). I could never wear white linen though with my coloring and predilection for spilling … but I would admire it on someone else!

    Given the winter we’re still having where I’m at, this could double as camoufalge in a pinch :)

    1. I second the “spilling” danger; with me, it would attract tomato sauce like a magnet. For more graceful types, more power to you.

  7. Okay, so this is a bit embarrassing, but I have a real problem with my feet getting all sorts of sweaty in dress shoes. I don’t think my feet smell (though they probably would if I didn’t slip my feet out of my shoes a lot during the day) but it’s made wearing work shoes really uncomfortable. I wish I could get away with socks in my office but I can’t really.

    Any suggestions? Inserts are great for a while but they get gross and the ones that stick inside my shoes tend to rip the lining out when I try to replace them.

    1. trouser hose? (and regular hose for when wearing them with skirts?)

      also possibly – baby powder?

    2. Have you tried Summer Soles? They stick, but come off easily as long as the shoes don’t have cloth/fabric insoles.

      1. I also have this problem. I dust the inside of my shoes with Gold Bond Foot Powder before putting them on – it absorbs moisture and has some antiseptic properties, and doesn’t have a strong scent. The only downside is that if I slip my feet out of my shoes and pad around my office or home barefoot without wiping my feet, I leave a trail of white footprints behind (that is non-staining and easy to vacuum up).

        1. I will try this! I tried some other type before and it smelled very medicinal and weird.

        2. second on the powder. I use Gold Bond or Dr. Scholls every single time I wear shoes barefoot. I personally do it so that my feet will “slip” in the shoes and not give me blisters, but I think it works for odor too.

      2. Summer Soles changed my life! I have sweaty hands and feet and could not wear any shoes that didn’t allow me to wear thick socks (as a result, I wore boots to the office through several hot Texas summers so I could wear my socks–not cute). Then I discovered Summer Soles and now I can buy all of the cute shoes I always wanted to wear and couldn’t. While my feet still sweat, the Summer Soles absorb the sweat and my feet don’t squish around in my shoes anymore.

        1. I second this. My feet sweat A LOT and used to slide around in my shoes all the time causing blisters, bleeding, etc. Summer Soles are amazing. I can wear peep toe shoes with no sliding around, no pain, and no problems whatsoever. They work really well, are not very expensive, and last a long time. I think I had a pair in some black shoes that I wear at least once or twice a week in the summer and finally replaced them more than a year later because they were starting to bunch up in my shoes and didn’t absorb as well.

        2. I tried these and didn’t have the same sort of reaction. I thought they were okay but I felt like they didn’t let my feet breathe at all.

          How often do you swap them out? I think maybe I didn’t give them enough of a chance.

          I also like Aldo’s terrycloth shoe inserts. They’ve very absorbent and you can wash them (by hand) and reuse them. I would buy a bunch and alternate them so I didn’t have to wash them constantly.

          1. The wool ones can get a bit toasty, but the suede ones are great for heels. My main problem with heels is that my feet slide around and I end up getting blisters on the bottom of my feet from all that sliding. For me, the casual flats need to be swapped out more often than dress shoes, but I have a lot of shoes.

          2. Yeah, compounding the problem is that I have foot problems so a lot of my shoes don’t fit well and I end up going back to the old faithfuls.

    3. I have the same issue. My remedy is super simple: apply your deodorant to your feet. It is really that simple. I actually have one that I keep in my sock drawer and use it only for my feet but it works great. I saw something years ago with some physician on a talk show who recommended it and it was so simple and seemed so obvious that I can’t believe I hadn’t thought of it before.

      You might experiment a bit to see what works best for you but I apply it and then have breakfast so it dries on my feet before I put on my shoes. That keeps it from feeling so slick in the shoes. And, for me, a cheap white generic brand seems to work just fine.

      1. I actually thought to try that this morning which is what prompted the posting! Helping a bit so far!

        Thanks all!

      2. I don’t have this problem, but your post made me wonder: are you using a “deodorant” or an “antiperspirant”? Wouldn’t the latter be better? Just to clarify for those interested in trying this. My understanding is that they have different qualities.

        1. I just use the term deodorant as a shorthand–it’s a combo deodorant/antiperspirant.

    4. My feet unbelievably bad. I use Dr. Scholls or Odor Eaters foot spray (or powder) while getting dressed, at the same time as my regular deodorant. I also use sheer stocking peds in all of my shoes if I’m not wearing trouser socks or tights. The foot antiperspirant is my first line of defense, and the peds help absorb anything “excess.” It’s made a world of difference, and frankly my shoes (and feet!) don’t reek anymore. My mom had the same problem. Hope that helps :)

    2. I ordered and returned it.
      I am a 34D and I ordered a size 4 and it was huge on me, up top. Sizing down wasn’t an option because the bottom was perfect & the size 2 bottom would have been a bit too vavavoom.
      I think it’s a probably a great dress for women who are more broad shouldered, but it did not work for me at all. Just FYI.

  10. Following up on Boden – I just placed another order and actually read the terms and conditions part on their website. Another poster said earlier this week she has only gotten credits, rather than refunds for her returns. The t/c says that a refund is issued if the item is returned within 7 days, and a credit is issued after that. Boo on Boden for not making that a little more clear.

      1. Hmm. It distinctly said 7 days for my order yesterday, no mention of 3 months whatsoever, in the terms and conditions box that does not pop up until after you enter your payment information, and then you have to check “I agree” before you can submit order. I was making a purchase under a special promotion (buy 3, get 1 for $1 and free shipping). Could it vary based on whether you’re buying under a promotion? If so, it would explain why it happened to another poster.

        1. I buy from them all the time– the 7 days is for sale, so they can get the returned stuff back up quickly for resale. They give you wiggle room on that before issuing credit only. I’ve only gotten a credit (vs. refund) once over many many orders of regular (no particular time problem there) and sale (with its 7 days plus wiggle room limit.) Tho most of their stuff comes to us from the UK, thru Switzerland, thru customs, etc. and take a while, returns go right to Pittston, PA, so those move quickly. (After the season wears on and more folks have returned items to PA, orders shift more and more to being shipped form PA and come quicker.)

    2. yeah, for sale items it’s 7 days only.

      But for regular items you get three months to return them and still get the full refund. I’ve ordered thousands of dollars of clothes from boden and have return ~50% of what I buy and I’ve had absolutely no problem with them giving me a full refund credited back to my credit card.

      Don’t Boo boden, love boden. They are great.

  11. Hello all–
    Regular poster, anon for this one but adopting the recent suggestion to make up names other than “anon for this one.” Bear with me — this is kind of a long “life coach” type question. I would really appreciate your thoughts.

    I have a few years of MediumLaw under my belt. I left MediumLaw a year ago in search of a better workplace environment and have been working in state government (law enforcement) for the last year. I like my current job but am not sure what the long term track is going to be — there isn’t much upward advancement. I’m also concerned about continuity in my career.

    A posting for an academic fellowship has just come to my attention that perfectly suits my interests predating my current job – my MediumLaw field and my academic interests from law school, a master’s degree, and undergrad. It is a 20k paycut from my gov’t job (which already slashed my MediumLaw pay in half). It would start in fall 2011 and be for two years. I could work from home with occasional travel, which seems like it would be great because DH and I are thinking of starting a family in the next year.

    My questions are as follows: Have any of you done academic fellowships after a few years in private employment, and if so, how did your career progress after you completed it? Is it reasonable to think I could work from home with occasional travel with an infant or two? Do you share my concerns of career continuity between MediumLaw, a year in unrelated law enforcement, and then an academic fellowship in my MediumLaw field? Are there any other issues I’m missing?

    Thanks much. I am pretty torn about this. DH thinks I should go for it as he knows the fellowship’s subject matter and working from home appeal to me.

    1. Is there a teaching component to this fellowship? If so, to what extent?

      1. There is an optional teaching component of one course per year and guest lectures.

        1. OK. I’m from an academic background mixed with private sector work. Not in your field, so I can just speak to the upper-level teaching aspect of it–but I don’t know what your own teaching experience is, so if you know all of this I apologize.

          Teaching your own course, particularly if you have to design it yourself, is incredibly time-consuming. You may be able to work from home most of the time, but expect a steady flow of student e-mails and time-sensitive grading. There will also inevitably be things that come up over the semester that you did not anticipate. Even guest lectures are quite time-intensive to prepare for. One’s work hours can easily extend past the full-time mark, so if you don’t love it you might feel underpaid and as if you didn’t get what you bargained for.

          So I would say: if teaching interests you (in the short and long term), and a substantial time committment to it would not detract too much from your other goals with this fellowship, than accept the teaching option. Otherwise, decline and remain focused on your own research–which may be the more flexible model of time management you had in mind. My suggestion as to whether to apply at all or not probably isn’t useful…but FWIW, I’m with your husband. I think if it excites you, then go for it! (I also really enjoy teaching, but mentioned all of the above because you may not).

          1. Thanks. I was thinking of declining the teaching aspect with the exception of a few guest lectures (assuming I get the fellowship) – I would be working remotely in a different state (already approved) and I don’t want to up the travel more than necessary. Your insight about the amount of time necessary is helpful – and thanks for your encouragement!

    2. (1) Given the fellowship is only for 2 years, it’s pretty ambitious that you think you might have 2 infants (unless you’re planning for twins for some reason).
      (2) If you are thinking about getting pregnant during the fellowship, you might want to check on the terms of the fellowship w/r maternity leave. Will they allow let you to makeup time that you “lose” b/c of maternity leave?
      (3) Career trajectory-wise, you should only do this if you think there is a reasonable likelihood that you will stay in academia. It isn’t totally difficult to move back into practice after doing an academic stint (and in fact, happens all the time b/c academic jobs remain scarce and competitive), but since you’re already worried about your prior jumps, it doesn’t really make sense to make another drastic change unless this is a long-term path you think you can be on/you want to be on.
      (4) Academia can be both flexible and inflexible in terms of raising a family. It is flexible because outside of some set hours (e.g. teaching, which you probably won’t do on a fellowship), you have a lot of discretion on what you do with your time. On the other hand, schools tend to be very concerned that you’re meeting your “clock” (i.e. hitting the appropriate research goals at the appropriate times), and people who aren’t aggressively on track are summarily discarded, sometimes with few options.

      HTH

      1. Thanks. Your point (3) is my main concern. WRT (1) – we would like to have our children close together in age so having two within 24 months of each other isn’t totally out of the question. Good point on (2) — does anyone have experience with this?

        1. Everyone I know who has had two kids a year or slightly more apart were wrecks until their youngest kid was about 2, just FYI. I have not know anyone who did that without being in an established position where they already had a good reputation and therefore, were cut some slack when they showed up to work completely fried from not sleeping for a week. Having two under two is extremely hard, from what I have heard from the people I know who have done it, and of the 4 families we know who ended up in that situation (intentionally or otherwise, and I have to tell you, mostly it was otherwise) 3 of the moms ended up staying home and quitting working for awhile because it was so intense. People who have never taken care of babies full-time very often do not understand just how much work and how draining it is. Even if you end up with “easy” babies – and there is no guarantee of that – having a baby and a slightly older baby is not easy. I barely made it through with my one colicky, high-needs baby who did not sleep through the night until he was a year old; I can’t imagine what it would have been like to then have had another baby within a few months of his first birthday. I probably would have jumped off a building :)

          I love your optimism, but I think you are really being extremely overconfident about the ability to A. get the fellowship and do a bang-up job so you get quality experience and develop a good reputation, B. get pregnant and have a baby, C. get pregnant and have another baby, and D. do quality work and make positive connections, while going on two maternity leaves and caring for two babies, all within 2 years. Life generally just does not work like this, sorry to say. If you want to do the fellowship, do it, but I would NOT look at it as “well, it’s not law so it will basically allow me to coast for a couple of years while I have a couple of kids.” You can trash your professional reputation and career by thinking of any job, no matter how easy it looks, as something you do on the side while you’re busy with other things. If you are really serious about wanting to have two kids that close together, and don’t want to do it while you’re working in your current job, I would plan more for taking a couple of years off, then trying to get this job. And just so you’re aware, there are many many people in the world who do not get pregnant exactly when they want to, just because now is the right time for them. If you take the fellowship and then have trouble conceiving – and the two years comes and goes without you even having ONE baby – will it still be worth it to you? Something to think about. Just my $.02.

          1. Thanks for your candor, Ann. I hope to find the sweet spot between planning for work-life balance and thinking of a job as “something [I would] do on the side while [I’m] busy with other things.” I feel like I’m at a tipping point in my career and family trajectories and -as you’ve pointed out – I have a lot of goals and obviously no experience being a parent. I’m spinning here!

            Thanks also for the perspective on would I take the fellowship if there are no babies in my future. My objective interest in the field and in workign from home would still hold . . . but I think the career trajectory / “what would I do next” issue would be heightened.

        2. Many fellowships do not have any real maternity leave policy, so you just have to check. Often it’s handled on a one-off basis and is in some way tied to the academic institution’s policy (which often isn’t great for term employees). If you get pregnant in your first year, it’s highly unlikely you’d be paid for your maternity time off.

          None of this is to discourage you from doing something you really want. But like others have said, taking an academic fellowship to give yourself flexibility while having babies is probably an indication that you shouldn’t. Academia is competitive, and I’m not entirely clear on what you want to get out of the fellowship. Also, I think that government jobs are usually better in terms of giving you decent maternity leave, though I suppose it depends a lot on what level of governement (municipal, state, federal, whatever…).

          Maybe the best thing to do would be to talk to other people who’ve received the fellowship and ask them what they feel are the benefits and trade-offs. I love higher ed, but I’m also very wary of academic term appointments. They often cover up their meager benefits by calling them fellowships and making them competitive. I’m sorry to be so cynical, I just think that you have to enter any academic appointment with eyes wide open. They are rarely what they claim to be (increasingly, this even includes tenured faculty).

    3. There is no harm in applying. If you are early in your career, I don’t think “career continuity” is a problem- most employers expect it to take a while for people to find out their long term plans. In fact, even if you are late in your career people make career changes all the time. When it comes time, you can reflect in your resume-building how to make the positions sound like they’re on a certain track…but you don’t have to worry about that now.

      From reading your post it sounds like you are really curious about this position since it matches your academic interests and work/life balance needs. I say go for it.

    4. I can only answer about working at home and having kids. Working at home is GREAT for me, but you can’t really work when the kids are there unless you have a separate office (we have one in the basement). The exception is when they are tiny babies and sleep a lot, but the caveat there is that you yourself will be so exhausted that you won’t get much done! By the time they are 6 months they need more stimulation and interaction, and won’t stand for you being on your laptop while they are there. :)

      I work from home 1 day a week now. I did it 2 days a week with the baby when he (#2) was 3-5 months old. I have a nanny who takes care of the kids and often will take them to her house. You really need childcare for the hours in which you will be working. If the fellowship can be done part-time and you are able to get things done in small snatches of work, then you may be able to get by with less childcare, but I wouldn’t recommend that from my experience. I can’t really comment on travel as I don’t have any in my job.

      A final note – working from home is great for me and my husband bc we are both introverts and being “on” at the office is very draining for us. If you are very social/thrive on interaction/etc, working from home may not be as good a fit for you.

      1. Thanks — I thought that additional help would be necessary. We do have a separate office but it sounds like I will need to budget childcare help in to the pay cut.

      2. I was thinking this as well. I work mostly from home, and I find that even the dog is a big time-sucker. If I were to work from home with kids, even babies at home, I would definitely need a full time caretaker as well.

        (P.S.- Anyone have experience on pricing that sort of thing? Since I’d be there most of the time, maybe I could get someone with less experience, or flexible hours? Just thinking about it in the back of my mind right now.)

        1. I have a friend who does this – has a nanny who stays with her kids while she works from home – and she told me the good nannies do not accept being paid any less because you are there in the house, they command the same rate as if you were out of the house at an office all day. They look at it as, if you are working, you are not there providing care, you are working and they are taking care of the kid(s), period. Which I think is totally reasonable. So, I imagine that whatever the going rate is for a full-time, in-your-home nanny in your area is – that’s how much it would be to have a nanny in your house while you work from home. There is an advantage, though, in that you don’t have to worry about paying for “commuting time” hours, which is the sole reason why my friend does what she does – a commute would mean 3 additional hours a day she’d have to pay for care. Her nanny shows up at 9 and leaves at 5 and so she only has to pay for 8 hours a day instead of 11.

          I think flexibility is one thing and is a good idea to explore with a potential nanny, but I wouldn’t have someone “less experienced” taking care of my kid for any length of time, even if I was there. That would probably be MORE stressful – you’d constantly be worried that the less-experienced nanny was having trouble and therefore be less able to focus. My experience that in childcare, you get what you pay for – and this is your child we’re talking about, so pay for the best. :)

        2. This is a tough one. We pay our nanny on the books, which was VERY hard to find – we interviewed 17 people and she was the only one willing to go on the books. (I am a lawyer so I need to pay on the books!!!) We pay $16.50/hr. I think this is on the low end for our area (Boston) but she has lots of flexibility, e.g. to take the kids to her house, and is happy with it.

          When we were interviewing people, there were several who would charge less ($12/hr) but they were illegal workers, and we couldn’t hire them.

          I think pricing depends a lot on location – if you are in the midwest or south, finding a provider at a lower cost may be easier.

          1. Hmm, I live in the south (cost of living is A LOT lower here than where most of you guys live), and I have no idea what the going rates are, but that’s probably on the lower than what I might have had in mind. To be honest, I’ve never even heard of anyone in my area having a nanny. I’m sure its done, but I don’t think its common. I wouldn’t hire illegal, and I wouldn’t hire someone untrustworthy or something like that, but I think I’d be OK with someone on his or her first job or something along that lines.

            I don’t know; just trying to get creative, given the fact that the economy still stinks.

  12. Does anyone have a rec for a fave concealer?
    I need something to cover up the occasional gruesome blemish, need good staying power and pref something non-pore clogging so that covering up doesn’t just lead to more break outs.
    Everything I try ends up looking cakey or does not cover well or comes off in like 5 minutes.

    1. I just started using a Neutrogena concealer that has salicylic acid in it, and I believe it meets your requirements. I forget the name.

      1. Ditto the concealer w/salicylic acid. It blends in, stays, and the sponge tip applicator makes it very easy to apply without involving oil from fingertips or using separate applicator/brush. Bonus: With that salicylic acid, it really helps make my blemishes go away faster.

    3. I recently bought some MAC Longwear concealer. The bottle sucks (it’s a pump that pumps out twice the amount I need and it’s glass so when I dropped it it broke), but the actual concealer was great. It blended well and did not budge all day, and makeup usually slides off my face by noon. I really hated the bottle, though, so I’m trying the non long-wear stuff next.

    4. I use Bare Minerals, and I LOVE their concealer (Bisque or Summer Bisque) or just the regular foundation – the key is using their concealer brush (the tiny one)). I think you could use it on top of other makeup even if you prefer a liquid foundation. This has been the best for me in terms of coverage, and I have actually realized after a snowstorm that led to me skipping all makeup for a week, that my blemishes heal faster when I use it. I used to love Prescriptives Camouflage Cream, but they went out of business…sigh.

    5. laura mercier. I think it’s called perfect camouflage or something like that.

      I also use clinique’s concealer that’s designed specifically for acne if I want something faster to put on (clinique’s is more liquidy and easy to just slap on once you’ve found the right shade, laura mercier’s is a cream-like substance and involves blending colors for a good match)

      1. Also, I haven’t tried their concealer, but I recently started using Cover FX’s foundation and powder and really love it, so their concealer might be worth a try.

    6. I just tried out a couple and decided the HD Makeup Forever one is my favourite. (My sister, on the other hand, tried the same couple and didn’t like that one at all – she liked one by a company called “The Balm,” which I didn’t like at all. So YMMV? The HD one is quite liquid, the Balm one is more like a little pot of concealer with a lip balm-y kind of texture.)

  13. Threadjack: Anyone have experiences with fit on Anne Klein? I’ve only ever had shoes, but I’m loving this skirt: http://www.anneklein.com/Slim-Skirt/90520958,default,pd.html?cgid=90330453&itemNum=6&variantSizeClass=&variantColor=JJ3RBXX&ep_tag=AF200905#, and doubly loving the price (39.99) (thanks, ShopItToMe post from a couple of weeks ago!), but the smallest size is a 4.

    I’m most often a 2, but skirts vary so much that sometimes it’s a 0, sometimes it’s a 6 (which is why I almost never order bottoms online). I hate, hate, hate to return ship. Help!

      1. OMG. I love the houndstooth ones. And they have my size. WANT.
        But I start a new job on Monday and have been paycheck-less for quite sometime. I really, really, really shouldn’t.

      4. Yes, the pattern shoe is fabulous, they have my size and….I’m going for it. Thanks for the tipper!

  15. Maybe it’s just me, but I can’t stand linen and can’t stand white suits (they scream Miami vice to me).

  16. This is kind of a basic question – what do you all wear under V-neck sweaters? At work I usually wear a button down shirt under a V-neck sweater. But on the weekends, I’m never sure what makes sense. T-shirts never seem to look right. Are camisoles/tank tops the answer? Scoop neck shirts? Something else?

    1. I often just wear the sweater. If I wear something under it, I wear a thin camisole-like tank top with spaghetti straps.

      1. I’m with Ballerina girl. I either do nothing or a thin cami if it’s cold or I know I may want to take sweater off.

    2. I have the same question…the v-necks on sweaters are so low lately! (Particularly at Ann Taylor!) I’ve tried putting tanks, etc. under, but it looks odd to me.

      1. I got a few cami/tanks at the Ann Taylor outlet–lots actually–they were about $12 and have good coverage but aren’t bulky.

    3. if it’s not too low, I just wear the sweater by itself. If it’s low, I wear a spaghetti-strap camisole.

      1. oh, if it’s super cold, I layer a long sleeve scoop-neck t-shirt from forever-21 under it, because it’s a super thin shirt.

    5. If it’s lower than I want, I usually wear a basic cami in warmer months. Now that it’s cold, I really like something long-sleeved, particularly since every sweater seems to be paper-thin right now, but am having a hard time findng things that look right. (All I can find in long sleeved shirts is high crew necks, which is what I usually wear but they look weird with a low V, or v-necks, which look completely ridiculous if I try to do a V-on-V thing. ) You really want something with a fairly low neck line, not something up near your collarbone.

      If anyone has a source for deep-scooped plain long-sleeved shirts, let me know. (I asked this once before, but the sources recommended (Target and Cuddle Duds, IIRC, only had the crews and Vs).

      Also, I’ve never been able to pull off the button down under a sweater look. I love it on other people, but it feels completely frumpy on me. I’m pretty flat chested, so I guess it just evens out any and all tiny curves that I have. Wish I could, though, and I think that’s fine for a weekend look.

      2. I am on the same quest – long-sleeve tees with a low scoop neck. I just bought 3 at a local consignment store this weekend. I wear them under v-neck sweaters all the time. (It’s too cold in my neck of the woods to wear just a sweater with a cami. Also, it means you have to clean the sweater more often.)

      3. @Lyssa:

        >source for deep-scooped plain long-sleeved shirts,

        Try Land’s End, in the “Fit 1” or “Modern” Fit — they are changing the names right now. The scoop neck is fairly deep, but not too deep. HTH.

        1. Good tip, but the only scoops were with shorter sleeves (which I guess would be better than a cami, but I’d still wind up wanting something warmer). I’ll keep checking, though.

    6. It depends on the neckline, I think. I have a few with such wide V’s that cami straps tend to show, and for those I will wear tissue turtlenecks (usually with short sleeves). Otherwise I just go for the cami or nothing at all if the V is high enough. For 3/4 sleeves at AT/Loft I usually end up going for the petite because the necklines there are so low lately.

    7. I usually do a camisole or tank, but remember that for both warmth and coverage, you also have the option of a scarf! I do this a lot, both for work and weekends.

    8. If I’m layering a pretty high neck tshirt of some sort under the vneck a statement necklace over that helps make it look non weird. Then it looks like three layers which looks intentional and less jarring.

    9. I can never get a button down to sit right. I usually wear a camisole, I got some from the Ann Taylor Outlet that have ribbon trim at the top, which sometimes shows, depending on how low the sweater is. I have some Jockey seamless camisoles that I got a while ago that are good for making sure I don’t have bra lines. I have some shirts like http://bananarepublic.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=5040&pid=769583&vid=1&scid=769583042 that are a little nicer than a regular t-shirt (note–the collar on this shirt doesn’t fit right on me, but I like it in a tank top, and the t-shirt version I has one solid ribbon instead of the layers). The collar isn’t too high that it looks weird, and I prefer to wear a t-shirt under sweaters that I have to dry clean so I can go longer between cleanings.

      Similar question–what do you wear under a scoop neck sweater? I don’t think a button down looks right, but I could be wrong. Maybe if I need to wear something under a scoop neck, it’s too low for work?

      1. I’ve worn a button-down under a scoop-neck sweater, but I agree it’s not ideal.

        You could also wear a higher scoop underneath, or a cami. (It’s tough to match up the v-on-v look, but easier IMO to do the scoop-on-scoop.)

        For the most part, I’ve had a hard time with them.

      2. I’ve seen people (not me) with button downs under scoops that looked great. (I’ve been re-watching old episodes of Gilmore Girls on Hulu lately, and I’m on the first year that Loralie opened her new Inn, and she’s wearing the button-down under a sweater look a lot and I’m watching in envy.) But generally, I consider a scoop that needs something under it to be too low for work. Of course, on complete lack of cleavage me, it’s not really too low unless you’re getting into R-rated territory.

    10. During the week, a button down. During the weekend, I follow J-Wow’s advice and “air them [boobs] out”

  17. Is this the type of jacket you guys would pair with a separate pair of slacks? If so, what color/fabric. Im really trying to get into wearing blazers but just can’t figure it out. Thanks!

    1. I could see wearing this with a dress or skirt/slacks.
      I think a stark white suit might actually be a bit much on most people/in most situations.

      I would probably pair it with navy, in terms of colors, though I don’t think that it would be out of place with black or many other colors either. From personal experience, although I love this jacket, I find a slightly off white to be a bit easier to wear frequently.

      1. I agree that a stark white suit is usually a bit much. I know I’ll show my age here but I always feel a bit like Don Johnson on Miami Vice when I wear a white suit.

    2. I have a white jacket that I wear with crisply ironed khakis and different tops (orange, red and white print). I wear white sandals and a white handbag for my business casual environment. I’m not that great at putting together outfits, but this one works.

    3. I’d probably wear this with navy slacks or khaki/taupe, or you could pair it with a fun printed skirt/dress.

      As for whether this white works for you, I think it may depend on your skintown. I do better in a more pure white than a slightly off-white, as I am pasty and the latter tends to wash me out while the former brings out the color in my skin.

      2. Wow- skintown- I have no clue what that is. Reminder to self- do not try to type while eating.

    4. I also think it would look really nice with any pastel skirt – say a light pink for a very springtime look. Or a beautiful blue of pretty much any shade. Or a crisp red, with some black patent leather pumps! Or any shade of gray with some colored pumps. Or a warm brown… I think I’m talking myself into buying this item! I also think the cut would make it a suitable jacket to wear to wear with a lot of summer dresses, and would work with any shade or pattern. Really, I think the color is very versatile – just is a crisp look. What you’d want to watch out for is finding a fabric that works with the linen (which would be most fabrics).

      And of course, a linen jacket + jeans is always a great casual look!

Comments are closed.