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Updated: Nov 1, 2018 105 Comments · by

Thursday’s TPS Report: Miro Blouse

Fashion· The Personal Shopper (TPS)· Wear to Work | · · ·

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Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. Miro BlouseLeifsdottir has had some amazing sales lately, including this gorgeous blouse, inspired by the works of Miro. (Love his Blue Series.) For the blouse, I like the silk jacquard, the flattering V-neck, and the the intriguing, asymmetric pleats at the neckline. Orange is a hot color for the season, too — I'd wear it with a gray, navy, or white bottom, or even layer it under a suit. Was $188, now $49 at Leifsdottir (sizes 0-12 still left as of this AM). Miro Blouse 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 10.10.24

  • Nordstrom – Extra 25% off clearance (through 10/14); there's a lot from reader favorites like Boss, FARM Rio, Marc Fisher LTD, AGL, and more. Plus: free 2-day shipping, and cardmembers earn 6x points per dollar (3X the points on beauty).
  • Ann Taylor – Extra 50% off sale (ends 10/12)
  • Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything plus extra 25% off your $125+ purchase
  • Boden – 10% off new styles with code; free shipping over $75
  • Eloquii – Extra 50% off a lot of sale items, with code
  • J.Crew – 40% off sitewide
  • J.Crew Factory – 50% off entire site, plus extra 25% off orders $150+
  • Lo & Sons – Fall Sale, up to 35% off
  • M.M.LaFleur – Save 25% sitewide
  • Neiman Marcus – Sale on sale, up to 85% off
  • Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
  • Talbots – 50% off 2+ markdowns
  • Target – Circle week, deals on 1000s of items
  • White House Black Market – Buy one, get one – 50% off full price styles

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

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

About Kat

Kat Griffin is the founder, publisher, and editor-in-chief of Corporette. You can read more about her here.

Comments

  1. nonA

    Gorgeous! I would love this with a navy suit, as just a bright and unexpected pop of color.

  3. EC MD

    I just ordered this! I love a bright blouse under my white coat for clinic. Makes me feel bright and feminine and office appropriate. I think this is the first time I’ve actually ordered a TPS! So excited. Hope I ordered the right size.

  8. Grump

    It’s definitely a good deal but a little too 60s for me to contemplate wearing it to work. That said it would look cute with white shorts and some funky earrings for casual wear.

  9. kng

    any advice on how this brand/blouse runs with sizing? i’m thinking about ordering

    • JJ

      In my experience, they usually run true to size, if maybe (maybe) running a bit small. More often than not, that’s only if I need something to fit over my disproportionately large chest.

      If you have time, Anthropologie (and maybe Nordstrom?) offers a lot of Leifsdottir, so you could pop in to one and check out the sizing in general.

      • AIMS

        I agree with that assessment – true to size, meaning a bit smaller than some of the vanity sizing brands. I usually wear 2 or 4 depending on how skewed the size, and am a 4 with their tops (2 only in the ‘generous cut’ brands).

        Really like this one.

        Sadly still banned from work access. Is this problem just not getting fixed, ever??

        • AnonInfinity

          What are the “generous cut” brands? I’m usually a 2 up top at Banana Republic and Ann Taylor (sometimes a 0 there).

          I want this top. So. Badly.

          • Anonymous

            I tend to find that the more mass market, the bigger the cut. Also, if the brand skews older, it’s sometimes runs a bit bigger — though I suspect that’s more of a fit issue. As an ex., I swim in smalls from Land’s End, but have sized up to medium in Theory t-shirts.

            I can’t comment on BR or AT because their sizes are all over the place. The last time I was in BR, I found a size 6 jacket that was way too snug for comfort, and a size 2 that could have been taken in.

            Order a 2 and you should be fine. I am a huge fan of this line — there stuff is very pretty and well made.

            On a happy aside — (at least temporarily) this site seems to be working for me, woo hoo!!!!!

          • q

            Here’s what is confusing me: their sizing seems to be MORE vanity than BR–at BR, a 25″ waist is a 2, but here it is a 0?

            Also eyeing the flounced suede dress ($159 down from $458). Can’t decide when/where I would wear it.

  11. in the office

    love it but wish i could try it on first. i’m SO pale and concerned about orange and my skin tone.

  13. AN

    Bee-yoo-tiful! I’m boring so I’d dress that neckline with a strand of pearls. So tempted to buy it!

  14. Emily I

    Beautiful! I can think of so many things I could pair it with for work and fun.

    I also just got a light gray pinstripe skirt suit. What do you ladies think – would this top be too much under that?

  15. L

    I loooooooooooooove this. Just bought it – I hope the sizing is correct!!!

    Their shipping is 12 bucks. What a ripoff!

  16. Kady

    Torn. Love the color, love the print. But the ruffle at the neckline seems like it might sit funny under jackets/cardigans/etc. Also, I lol’d at the jacket they’ve styled this with. The shoulders are just too much!

  17. Classof2011

    So pretty. I love the bright colors and the asymmetrical ruffle on the neckline.

    Sale Alert: RueLaLa has Spanx on deep discount. They have the half slip or shorts for $35!

  18. janep

    LOVE, love; do not love the $12 shipping, but I might splurge. There are some fabulous dresses, but only in size 12. If they fit take a look.

    • SF Bay Associate

      Youch, too bad about the shipping. I have an unbreakable vow against paying for shipping.

      • q

        Yeah, but the lack of CA sales tax is a good thing (and it was the same $12 to get it shipped priority as standard which is a better deal).

  19. lostintranslation

    Wow, I wish that I could fast forward to graduation and when I start earning more money so I can buy this top! I’m usually pattern-shy, but the colors are gorgeous.

    Threadjack: I’m just starting work as in a technical field in a non-English speaking country. Though I’m half American and did most of my primary education in the US, I’ve never worked in the US/for an American company. My bosses and colleagues here ask me for help when writing all kinds of documents in English. I’m beginning to become wary of my writing since I don’t ever speak or write English in a professional context. Even if my writing is still okay, the rewording and second-guessing is costing me a lot of time.

    Are there any books that Corporettes would recommend as “go-tos” books for business correspondence/writing? (ideally with both guidelines and examples) The kinds of documents I would be looking at are reports, letters, e-mail-writing, protocols, invitations, etc. I’d really like to improve my writing skills so that if nothing else, I can turn out the same level of work more quickly. Thanks in advance for your suggestions!!

    • Anon in NY

      My all time favorite book for non-fiction writing is “On Writing Well” by William Zinsser. Its what every professor in my journalism school swore by and I still reference it. I’d also use “The Elements of Style” if you’re more concerned with sticky grammatical issues.
      Personally – I find every corporation (and every boss!) has different criteria for business writing. Some really like things very short with lots of bullet points/bold and some don’t. Personal preference, but I prefer to err on the side of writing clearly and concisely without extra flourishes (when possible!).

      • L from Oz

        I posted a long message which disappeared, but just a quick note: if editing isn’t in your job description, don’t do too much of it, even if you want to be helpful. It’s time-consuming, poorly rewarded and can come to take over far too much of your time. And probably won’t get you promoted. (I’ve been the token Anglophone in the office, and it’s not a lot of fun.)

        These days I only edit dubious English for close friends or for money – I’m not employed to read every report that leaves the building. If a company wants that sort of service, then they really should pay for it…

        Sounds harsh, but I feel it’s only fair to pass on the warning! (Let’s just say I can do a good impersonation of a doormat at times, which isn’t a helpful career-building quality!)

        • lostintranslation

          No worries, as I have tons of doormat experience, but have since learned to stand up for myself quite a bit : ) I wholeheartedly agree that editing is a worse than thankless task, and have had people argue with me that their incorrect grammar is “right” because they “learned it in school (20 years ago??)” rage.

          Thankfully I moved on to a situation with really supportive bosses who don’t saddle me with this kind of work, and seem to genuinely appreciate the input I give when asked. I guess the helping colleagues thing was on my mind because I wrote a letter for my boss today that took 20-25 min when I only wanted it to take 10. Even if I have 25 min to spare, I asked myself why I took more than twice as long as planned, so decided to ask here.

      • lostintranslation

        Thanks everyone! I’ve made a note of the books, and knew that you would have more experience than me both in writing and career-wise. As L pointed out, I made it seem like my chief concern was helping my boss and coworkers, but as I thought about it on my way home, 95% of the concern is just for my own work. I get the feeling that technical people actually have to do a surprising amount of writing, but we do less coursework for it and get less feedback from professors/supervisors/etc. Since I enjoyed English class in school, time to figuratively roll up my sleeves and work on it a little bit.

        • L from Oz

          Ex-doormats of the world unite!

          One thing that can be useful is to consider which errors are most common among speakers of whatever language dominates your office. These ‘transfer errors’ are likely to crop up again and again, and some sort of handy guide might help your colleagues and save time. Obviously certain problems will be individual, but there are typical mistranslations, grammatical problems and linguistic gaps that come with every language. (If your office is very multilingual, good luck!)

          And actually, you’ve reminded me that it wouldn’t hurt for me to do a bit more work on my own second language, as I have a similar problem – I can do everything but it takes longer than it should for no reason I can pinpoint. So thanks in return!

  20. Emma

    Threadjack!

    Planning a trip to England and Scotland with my mom. Does anyone have recommendations for hotels in London? In a convenient area for tourists, nice, not tooo expensive.

    We’re planning on going to Bath, Blenheim Palace, the Lake District, and then Edinburgh. Any tips on those stops?

    • MelD

      King’s Cross area is very reasonable. Check EuroCheapo and TripAdvisor for reviews of the B&B’s in the area. Some people think it is sketchy but it’s gotten a lot nicer since St. Pancras (Eurostar terminal) came in. I had no concerns walking there by myself in the evenings. Earl’s Court is the other place with inexpensive lodging but it is not quite as convenient. Unfortunately anywhere really central is going to be expensive.

      If you’re okay with a business hotel, the Premier Inn is a reasonably priced brand that is fairly nice inside. My parents stayed in the King’s Cross and Belsize Park branches when they went to London last and were satisfied. There is also one in Borough, which is a more touristy/fun area. I have no clue about the price there though.

      • L from Oz

        Premier Inn isn’t bad. Avoid the Travelodge near Kings Cross, as it’s really, really noisy. (I sleep like the dead, so it has to be loud to annoy me!)

        There’s a bunch of mid-price hotels around Russell Square, which is a nice area. Not flashy, but the location is good. (Bloomsbury is a nice area, actually.)

        Not sure how you’re planning to travel, but be aware that parking in Edinburgh is a nightmare – either get the train up there (a nice trip, particularly the stretch along the coast from Newcastle), or make sure your hotel has parking.

    • Tara

      The Royal Garden Hotel in South Kensington is my favorite when I stay in London!!! It is right next to Kensington Palace (where Diana lived when she was married to Prince Charles). Some must see places are the Victoria and Albert Museum as well as the British Museum. If you like history the Cabinet War Rooms in Westminster are amazing. Also High Tea is a must, I’ve been to the Lanesborough Hotel and the Langham Hotel. The London Eye would also be worth a trip but I’d make reservations before you leave so you get to do it. And the tube system there (aka the subway) is the best public transport I’ve ever used, definitely take advantage of it.

      Wishing you and your mom a great trip, London is such a fun city. It reminds me of New York but with a more old-school vibe. Have a great time!!!

    • lostintranslation

      We went to a wedding in the Lake District last year in Windermere, and it was so pretty!

      We stayed in a bed and breakfast where the owners were a really nice couple. The rooms are really traditional, so my boyfriend and I were a bit skeptical at first, but we slept so well, and the breakfast was nice as it wasn’t so big that you feel sick afterwards. http://www.glenwynne.co.uk/

      The wedding itsself took place in a hotel that was also really beautiful, but since we didn’t stay there, I can’t personally recommend the rooms: http://www.elh.co.uk/hotels/lowwood/index.aspx

      Not sure if that’s where you were specifically looking to stay, but have fun and I hope that the weather is nice!

    • Anonymous

      Maybe I’m overly ghoulish, but I LOVED the tour of the haunted vaults in Edinburgh- you learn a lot about the city’s seedy history.

      I don’t know if you can still do this, but I stayed at the Norwegian YWCA (the Norsk KFUK or something) years ago. Paid about $30 (American) for a hudge room with private bath in a beautiful embassy-filled neighborhood near the Tube. They only take Norwegian men, but any woman can stay there.

      The London Eye is nice. If you like oil paintings, block out a good chunk of time for the Tate. The Turner collection will blow your mind.

      • Jas

        Maybe I’m overly ghoulish, too, because I was about to recommend doing a ghost tour in Bath. I sadly can’t remember the name of the company I went with, but I loved it.

      • AnonInfinity

        I also loved the ghost tours in Edinburgh!! In fact, I loved it so much that I did 2 different ones, 2 nights in a row. :) Some don’t include the vaults, but those are a must-see IMO.

    • EQP

      I lived in Edinburgh for 5 months during college – one of my absolute favorite places on earth. Edinburgh Castle is of course a must, I also highly suggest doing a “ghost” tour, there are several some that are more history oriented, some more spooky. Arthur’s Seat is a great place to get a panoramic view of the city – its a bit of climb (but not anything you cant do in good walking sneakers) but so worth the trip. For shopping, Princes street in a good starting place. Finally, the “High Street/Royal Mile” is a great place to walk down and get a feel for old city, plus has some great “tourist” shopping (the really touristy places, but also a couple of good places to buy wool, whiskey or other Scottish memtos), the Castle is at the top, St. Giles is in (about) the middle, the “End of the World” tavern marks where the old city ended – it was the “end of the world” for many residents of Edinburgh 400 years ago, and Parliament/Palace of Holyroodhouse (where the Queen stays) is at the bottom.

      Have a great time!

      • JessT

        I lived there for a semester in college too, and agree with all of EQP’s recommendations. Also, the Scottish National Gallery has a small but great art collection. If you can, take a couple days to head up to the highlands (Glen Affric, Rannoch Moor, Inverness, Loch Lomond) — there are charter trips you can take from Edinburgh.

        When are you going? There is a military tattoo in August (I think) that is impressive, and the Fringe Festival is amazing fun. Around Christmas, there’s an ice rink and Christmas market in the Prince’s Street gardens that you shouldn’t miss.

        • Emma

          Going in the beginning of September. Wow, thanks for all your help, everyone! This is fantastic.

    • kz

      me, too! Looking forward to everyone’s recommendations (and if someone could magically make plane ticket prices go down, that would be awesome).

    • LinLondon

      I think Bath is pretty dull (some people love it, though). I think it’s day trip-worthy, mostly to see the baths and the cathedral, so spend your time elsewhere! Ambleside in the Lake District is lovely (much like the rest of the Lake District, haha)

      London- For tourism convenience, pretty much anywhere near a Piccadilly Line (the dark blue one) in Zone 1/West London Zone 2 will be fine, since that lets you off near pretty much all the biggest tourist spots. If you’re going to be here for more than a few days, I’d really recommend looking at renting out a flat. I’ve done that on trips in Europe and it’s really economical and convenient to be able to prepare food.

      Unsolicited food recs:
      Indian (well, Pakistani)- Tayyabs on Fieldgate Street between Aldgate and Whitechapel
      Ethiopian- Marathon on Caledonian Road north of Kings Cross
      Turkish- the Gallipoli Cafe “group” on Upper Street in Angel
      Lunch-while-sightseeing- The crypt at St Martin in the Fields, Trafalgar Square

      I also recommend Sir John Soanes and the Geffrye Museum for slightly less mainstream, but still great museum choices. (The British, V&A, Natural History, and Science Museums are all great, though.)

      • Nonny

        Totally second LinLondon’s recommendations, though as to hotels on the Piccadilly Line, Bloomsbury is good (look into the Thistle Hotel group – they have a couple of hotels around there that aren’t very expensive) – I think you can do better than stay around King’s Cross. I’ve also had good luck with the Strand Palace Hotel (Covent Garden Tube).

        I second Tayyab’s but you should know that Tayyab’s gets massive queues early on and does not take reservations so be prepared to either get there early or wait!

        Another good Indian restaurant that is breathtakingly cheap and good is Diwana, on Drummond Street near Euston Station. Seriously good South Indian food.

        Another slightly less mainstream museum that is fabulous and SO worth seeing is the Wallace Collection (which also does a really nice afternoon tea).

        For a hotel in Edinburgh, I suggest the George Hotel in the New Town – clean and comfortable, and you can get reasonable prices online. For Edinburgh food reccies, I suggest any of the Dogs restaurants – Amore Dogs, The Dogs (conveniently right around the corner from the George Hotel), The Seadogs – really phenomenal food and just thinking about my experience at The Dogs is making me hungry.

    • So

      For Edinburgh: The literary pub walking tour was super, super fun and takes you to some great parts of the city (including a pub where Robert Burns and Wordsworth rented rooms – at different times, of course!). Holyrood palace, Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile and the Haymarket area of Old Town are all great fun, with lots of fascinating history. Try to peek down some of the closes off the Royal Mile – never know what you might find!

      In London: if you don’t have too much time and want to get a lay of the land and see some of the most famous sites, I suggest buying tickets for the Original Bus Tour. It’s a great deal – 25 quid per person (i think?) gets you access to the company’s four bus tours, walking tours, river tour, and discounts on some other stuff AND it’s available to you for 24 hours. Which basically means that you can take advantage of whatever tours you like during that period and use the company’s buses as a sort of taxi around the central and western parts of the city. I literally just did this last week, and it ended up being a highly efficient, economical and fun way of seeing quite a lot of London in a very short amount of time.

      Also, if you’re going to Blenheim and have some time, I highly suggest checking out Oxford, if only to walk around for a couple of hours. It’s a beautiful town, and the colleges and libraries are truly extraordinary to see.

  21. Ameila

    Threadjack:

    How do you tell someone you can’t afford to go to their wedding? It’s not so much that I don’t have the money, or that using the money would be a severe financial hardship, it’s just that my husband and I have a lot of financial responsibilities and we can’t afford to have an emergency and attend every wedding we are invited to. This year I have a million weddings to attend all over the country, and I would much rather send a gift than go alone, empty handed, and end up spending more money in the long run. I’m guessing my friends would rather have me there, but in all honesty I don’t think they’d notice if I was missing (weddings are so much work and stress, I wouldn’t have noticed if my hair was on fire at mine).

    So what’s the best approach? Phone call or email? And do I mention to finances, or just say I’m unable to attend?

    • Annie

      It is a close friend? If so, call and explain. Otherwise, that’s what the regrets box on the reservation is for.

    • Miriam

      I agree. Unless it is a good friend, who would completely understand your financial situation, you have no obligation to explain. Just select “will not be attending” and send a gift if you feel obliged.

    • kz

      Agree with the others. If the wedding requires travel, I’m sure they’ll understand. Most of my out-of-town wedding friends have been very understanding, even telling people “we’d love to have you, but please don’t feel like you have to come if the cost is going to be burdensome.”

      • Anon in NY

        Agree with checking the regrets box on the RSVP card, but it would also be nice (and classy) to write a personal note wishing them well on their marriage which you can then follow up with a card and a gift closer to the wedding date (if you choose).

    • Ann

      Agree with the previous advice – just RSVP “no.” If questioned, you can always just say “I am so sorry, but we have a schedule conflict that weekend.” Usually people don’t press further – if they do, just say you’ll be on a business trip or something. No guilt necessary.

      • anonymous

        I agree about just saying no, maybe with a note on the RSVP card that says you’re really sorry you can’t come and you wish them all the best. But DO NOT say you have a schedule conflict – first, it isn’t true; and second, it’s rude, because tells your friend that you have something that is more important to you than the wedding.

    • nonA

      Are there any with really close friends or family that you think you might regret attending? As much as i love all my friends, there are only a few whose weddings I would literally drop everything and make every effort to attend a wedding that wasn’t an easy drive from where I live. Focus on those, if any.

      For the others, I agree with what everyone else has said – just send regrets, a nice handwritten note or call saying you really wish you could come, and follow up with a wedding present. It’s a bit ridiculous to expect people to use up their limited vacataion time and travel budget to come to an out-of-town wedding – and I think most true friends understand.

    • EC

      Definitely send back the RSVP card with the Regrets box marked – when I got married, friends kept e-mailing me changes to their RSVPs, and suddenly I had to go fish around in the box where I kept the RSVP cards and write notes on the cards…not good when there are a million other things going on.

      Also, it sounds like you would prefer to not go, which is fine. But if it comes down to either a gift or attending, I don’t even know who didn’t give me a wedding gift. I was just glad to see them at the wedding. So I would lean toward attending and leaving a nice card, but no gift.

      BUT if you don’t want to go, and it’s a close friend or family member (think sibling or cousin that you saw all the time growing up), I would call. If it’s a more distant family member (a cousin/aunt/uncle you see every couple years, a business colleague, an acquaintance, etc), I think just the regrets box is enough. That’s what it’s there for!

  23. Anon

    Wow, soo much praise. I honestly think this is hideous. To much going on, like the shirt is trying too hard.

  24. elz

    So cute and versatile. I’m a little scared about sizing and the shipping is kind of steep. I might wait a while and see if it is still there in a few days. Thanks for the tip.

  25. *Formerly* Preggo Angie

    Oooh, I want this so badly! Unfortunately, I just can’t justify buying anything until I know what size my boobs will end up.

  26. Jas

    Sometimes, online shopping in Canada sucks. $35 shipping? Plus duties. I’m tempted anyway, but I probably shouldn’t.

    • academicsocialite

      I’m Canadian in NYC and get stuff for my family shipped to me all the time (so much cheaper here than it has a right to be – isn’t exchange at par??). Any American friends who can hook you up without too much trouble? Sometimes you can use a CDN cc as long as the shipping addy is in the “right” country.

      • Jas

        I was just lamenting to a coworker that all my American friends live up here! She thought it was a great idea, though, and is going to start having stuff shipped to her grandparents in the US.

        I really don’t understand why things are all so much more expensive here. Exchange has been at par for a while, and some sites send to Canada for $5-$10, so what’s with the $35 to have it send USPS? Not to mention, the food prices are so much higher the mother of an American ex-pat friend of mine brings cans of food up here every time she visits, because she’s convinced her daughter is going to go broke buying food!

        • academicsocialite

          Yeah, sad to say it’s one of the things keeping me down here – the shopping is way better!

          Jokes aside, it seems like it’s one of the tradeoffs; clothes (and other things) are much cheaper south of the 49th, and you get WAY better family leave policies and healthcare. Wanna trade?

  27. Apparently adorable

    I’ll just chock this one up to things ladies get to deal with that I’m sure my male counterparts rarely encounter.

    I tend to wear basic biz-cas dress pants, top, blazer to work. I have a great Tahari dress suit that is too formal to wear to work if I’m not in court but I’ve been dying to wear it. (Too formal for my office that is.)

    Today, I decided to wear it with a dress shirt underneath, tights, and rounded “girly” shoes, to make it more casual. EVERYONE is talking about my outfit today. Granted, I have heard only nice things – “you look freaking adorable,” “wish I was skinny like you and could pull that off,” “too cute,” “awwww you look like a cute teacher.”

    I’m sure I sound ungrateful complaining about praise but I know you ladies feel where I am coming from. Ugh….. I dont’ want the focus on my outfit and I certainly wasn’t trying to be “cute as a button.” I know everyone is trying to be nice and the people commenting are mostly support staff but that makes me wonder what my superiors are thinking. I forgot to mention, I totally forgot I have a firm wide meeting today too. Rock on.

    Signing off as the “adorable skinny dressed as a teacher” lawyer lol

    • Apparently adorable

      Also now waiting for the inevitable “I know you, you work at my firm!” comment.

    • cubedweller

      Could you sneak to the ladies’ room and take off the dress shirt and, if you have other shoes at work, change your shoes to something less girly before your big meeting? Maybe it’s weird to make a wardrobe change halfway through the workday (I’ve never done it), but you might feel more comfortable.

      • SF Bay Associate

        Great suggestion if you’re feeling uncomfortable. I wouldn’t take the support staff’s comments as representative of what your superiors notice though. The support staff at my office are much more wardrobe-observant – they immediately noticed my new shorter haircut, or if I am wearing a new pair of earrings. They like to chat/gossip with each other while they work, and wardrobe is a fun thing to talk about. OTOH, the superiors here, all men, took a couple weeks post-haircut before they said vaguely “you look a little different… did you change something?” They are worrying a lot more about cases, or March Madness, or whatever, but not associate attire.

        Also, unless you are presenting at the firm wide meeting, or the firm is small, I doubt anyone will notice one audience member’s attire!

    • AtlantaAttorney

      No! Rock it! It means you’re starting to find your style groove…keep it up and pretty soon people will no longer comment, they’ll just wistfully think of you when they shop, wishing they knew how to pull things together like you to. KEEP IT UP.

    • Ashley

      If the superiors are all men, they definitely don’t notice! One of my male bosses saw me in a dress and heels the other day, and asked in a totally surprised tone, “Why are you so dressed up today?” To which I replied, “Um, I’m not any more dressed up than normal?” He was genuinely confused by me wearing a dress and heels, which I’ve been doing at least once per week for the last 7 months of my employment!
      I’m with some of the other ladies to say “rock it”!

    • Apparently Adorable

      I got more comfortable as the day went on. Thanks for the vote of confidence!

  28. Midori

    Threadjack for relationship advice?

    Husband has applied for a job he REALLY wants that would take us elsewhere. They are a bit slow getting back to him with a verdict (2-3 weeks is turning into 4-5), and until we hear, we’re kind of putting our lives on hold (Why buy things for the house/wardrobe if we might be moving and have different needs? Why get concert tickets when we might live on the other side of the country by then? Why buy place tickets for vacation when we don’t know which airport we’ll be flying from? etc. ad nauseum).

    My problem: Husband is so tense about all this it’s making him hard to live with. I’m tense enough already. How do I help him calm down? And if he doesn’t get the job, how do I help him through the disappointment?

    • AnonInfinity

      Sometimes my DH gets very stressed about his job. I always provide a willing ear when he wants to talk about the stress, and I’ll help him take things off his plate when I can (get the car washed while I’m running errands, put away the dishes more frequently, etc.), but I find the best way to deal with my DH is to just get on with daily life and not let his tension affect me. I guess that means I kind of ignore his tension, which sounds really mean, but I really am supportive when he needs it. I just figure that if both of us are tense, it makes the situation worse. One of us needs to be calm and able to handle whatever comes up, and if that takes ignoring the other person’s day-to-day background stress, then so be it. He does the same to me when I start getting very stressed about school or work. Sometimes just letting the other person deal with it is the best way to get them to calm down.

      As for helping him through the disappointment if he doesn’t get it, the way you can do that will probably be apparent if it happens. If it seems like he needs to rant to someone about not getting it, then listen. If it seems like he’s getting overwhelmed with daily tasks, then help him with those. If it seems like he needs to get away for a bit, then plan a trip for the two of you.

    • WB

      I just went through this with my SO, and the result was not what we wanted. We will now be long distance for at least a year because we did not get jobs in the same city.

      Try to keep him busy. Do some of his favorite activities. Cook his favorite meals or go to dinner at his favorite places. If he likes sports, go to a game with him. Try to stay positive and make him laugh. It isn’t easy, but it might help him. If he doesn’t get the job, plan some fun activities for the two of you to do. Book a weekend getaway, go to a concert, etc. It will give him something to look forward to. Most of all, listen to him when he is upset. Let him talk through his frustration.

      • AnonInfinity

        Yes, this is what I was trying to say. Keep him (and yourself) busy without dwelling on the stress. Much better way of saying it than “ignore.”

        • JJ

          I knew exactly what you meant, AnonInfinity. My husband just went through the same thing. He was anxious (it ended up well, yay!), but basically I just tried to stay positive about it, even though I knew one of the options would be great for him and not-so-great for me. Half the time, I just made sure to act like nothing was going on because I knew my continuously asking him about it would just make him more anxious.

  29. Praxidike

    I love, love, love this. Too bad I am too fat to fit into it! Nice find, Kat.

    • Mella

      Yup. I’ve lost some weight over the last two months, but that top looks like it’s supposed to lie flat over a relatively flat belly which I do not have.

  30. JessC

    Oh, Corporetters! How I’ve missed you all of late! Between Kat’s technology issues and being busy at work, I haven’t checked in in what feels like forever.

    Threadjack:
    Any advice on writing a bio for your firm website? I’ve been tasked with having mine written and turned in by Monday. There’s the obvious where I’m from and where I went to school and when I gradauted. Anything else I’m missing? Also, to what extend should I include accomplishments/activities from law school? I’ve only been practicing a few months so all of my accomplishments and/or professional afiliations are from law school.

    Thanks ladies!

    • AnonInfinity

      Are there other relatively new associates in your firm whose bios you can look at online and use for guidance? If not, I’d look at some websites for firms that your firm works with or prominent firms from your area that are similar in size, practice area, etc. of your current firm and get hints from those.

    • Maddie Ross

      Same advice as AnonInfinity. Poke around on your firm’s website and other firm’s websites and see what type of profiles you like. Also, I find it helpful to check the firm profiles of my peers from law school to see what types of information they focus on (bonus if they were in similar activities / had similar honors as you). As a rather new associate, don’t feel badly also about having a sparse bio or a school heavy bio. As a slightly senior associate, I’d rather see one like that than one that looks like it’s grasping for content.

    • Legal Marketer

      I do this all the time for attorneys at our firm, so hopefully I can help. (I draft them, attys review/revise.)

      Many times, your bio is the first impression a client gets. Fill it with examples of what you have done, and tailor it to emphasize that of which you would like to do more. Even if you barely worked on something, but want to do more of it, phrase it as “worked with a team of attorneys to structure a buyout…” Specific examples (obviously not too specific, but don’t be afraid to include industry and/or size of client) are best. “Performed due diligance for merger involving major international manufacturing companies in the electronics industry.” (Interesting side note: Some of the partners refer to new associate bios on our website when trying to decide who to add to a matter’s team.)

      As for your law school activities, include them for now, but after you’ve gotten some additional professional experience, make sure to update your bio. I always try to check in with our associates during their 2nd and 3rd year to see if there is anything we can do to update their bios.

      In general, if you’re a client looking to purchase legal services, what would matter to you? Include that.

      Check out bios of other newer associates in your practice area at your firm/similar firms for some ideas, too.

      • nonA

        Hah. Partners at my old firm used to read young associates bios only to make fun of the ones who overemphasized really obvious things like “doing due diligence” or included every mundane law school extracurricular (it wasn’t exactly the nicest of places) – I guess every place is different!

    • nonA

      Do as the others in your firm do – you do not want to be the one first-year associate with a 5-paragraph bio when everyone else has two sentences. At all places I’ve worked, first-year associates bios tended to start out as “So-and-so is an associate in the X group and focuses her practice on Y.” There’s an additional sentence for people who clerked, had published an article, were on a communtiy board type of thing, or similar. That was about it. Then, as you start adding practice- and firm-specific experience over the next year, go in and add some more specifics as necessary to your bio.

      Education and the major honors (law review, order of the coif, summa/magma, etc.) tend to be in a separate box on the side at most places, but if they aren’t, include a sentence on that. I wouldn’t put accolades that aren’t on that high of a level in your bio.

  32. GovtMom

    Quick thread-jack/Q: what do you ladies wear with suits in March/April, when it’s too cold to go bare-legged, but tights feel too wintery? I’m not thrilled with wearing pantyhose but black tights feel too much right now, as cherry blossoms are peeking out around DC. But it’s still chilly so bare-legged is not so much fun. Any other ideas (besides wearing pants until May)?

    • Faith

      Not the advice you want to hear probably but I just stick with pants. If I need to wear a skirt I wear hose or a calf length skirt w/ boots.

    • L from Oz

      Good question – I have the same problem. I’ve ditched the woolly tights for opaque ones, but even so, black etc feels unseasonally grim, so I’d love some suggestions!

      (And no way am I going bare-legged yet. The locals would think I’d gone mad! And I’d freeze to death!)

      • L from Oz

        I can certainly get away with them, but I have trouble matching tights, boots and tops. Must take a closer look at my wardrobe in natural light!

    • AL

      I’m in DC and I’m wearing tights today. Opaque ones, not sweater-material ones. A few days ago, I was brave and went bare-legged; yesterday I wore pants. I’m also one that is not afraid to wear pantyhose because where I grew up, a girl should always wear hose. It’s a never ending battle, especially when the weather is constantly changing. Hang in there, it’s going to get warm soon.

    • PollyD

      What about lighter-weight tights? Maybe gray or light brown (whichever is appropriate) in a material that is more sheer than opaque tights, but not as sheer as pantyhose. I have several pairs like this, mostly from Target and Old Navy. Some are “patterned” but it’s just vertical lines, so pretty conservative.

      When it’s in the 60s, I like to do knee high boots without nylons or tights, but usually throw bike shorts under the skirt for a little extra warmth. Then again, I work in a government agency where the dress code is decidedly not formal.

  33. Alias Terry

    I love “and even layer it under a suit”. For work, that is the only way I would wear this.

    If I wore sleeveless tops ever, this would be cute with jeans on the weekend, too.

  34. AL

    Beautiful piece. Love it. Should of jumped on this earlier as some sizes are now sold out.

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