Thursday’s TPS Report: Ribon Belt 2 in 1 Dress

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Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. Ribbon Belt 2 in 1 DressReaders mentioned this dress in comments yesterday, and it seemed great to feature for today's TPS. While I wish the skirt were just a few inches longer on the model, I'm hoping in real life it won't be an issue. I like the khaki skirt and its pleats, as well as the boatneck top (and slight empire waist to the dress). It's always great to see actual sleeves on a summer dress, and the pockets are also a nice touch. I might throw in a pop of red somewhere — perhaps a necklace or cuff. It's $79.90 at The Limited. Ribbon Belt 2 In 1 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 2/14/25 (Happy Valentine's Day!):

  • Nordstrom – Winter Sale, up to 60% off! 7850 new markdowns for women
  • Ann Taylor – Up to 40% off your full-price purchase — and extra 60% off sale
  • Banana Republic Factory – 50% off everything + 15% off (readers love their suiting as well as their silky shirts like this one)
  • Boden – 15% off new season styles
  • Eloquii – 300+ styles $25 and up
  • J.Crew – 40% of your purchase – prices as marked
  • J.Crew Factory – 50% off entire site and storewide + extra 50% off clearance
  • Rothy's – Final Few: Up to 40% off last-chance styles
  • Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
  • Talbots – Flash sale ending soon – markdowns starting from $15, extra 70% off all other markdowns (final sale)

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. I tried this dress on in the store. I am 5’11 and it was too short for work. Every time I shop for slacks or skirts and they are too short, I check the seam to see if there is enough to take out. Sadly, there was not enough to take out on this dress. But on the plus side, this dress was very figure flattering.

    1. This is my biggest gripe too — why not add enough fabric at the end of the dress to be let out?? I’m not particularly tall like you, but I like my dresses to hit right at the knee, and so many do not these days. It’s very frustrating. I suspect that the manufacturers are being really cheap.

      I have found that the Classiques Entier and Taylor brand dresses always give a generous amount of fabric at the end — both available at Nordstrom.

    2. I hate it when this happens. I just got a Pendleton jacket as a gift for Xmas and had to have the sleeves let out (which was fine), but the inseam on their pants is only 31.5 or something. I called to ask if they had extra to let out, and the guy said no, there was only about 3/8 of an inch. Grrrrr!

  2. I noticed a lot of ladies asking for professional shoes without a high heel that are not ballet flats. My absolute favorites are on sale right now for 40% off at Famous Footwear. I have the navy blue and the gray/silver. They have a tiny heel so your arches don’t hurt from standing flat. I actually ran a mile in them once to catch a bus home when I was working out of time and my meeting ran over.

    I bought the blue in store and they felt wondeful immediatly. I bought the silver online and they were a little stiff and needed to be broken in but now fit just as great as the blue. I bought the silver in the winter and wonder if mailing them in the freezing weather made them stiff. Anyway, that is my PSA.

    http://www.famousfootwear.com/Shopping/ProductDetails.aspx?p=33795&pg=1021006

    1. And Ecco Bouillion flats are great for this also. Endless is having them on a really good sale right now, &75, down from $110.

    2. I have a pair of LifeStride mary janes that I (recently realized) I have worn to death. I wear them at least 4 times a week and they’ve lasted for at least 9 months. Now the sole is starting to separate from the shoe, but not a bad run for $30 and under shoes.

  3. That should say out of town, not time, but I guess I was out of both and about to be stranded!

  4. PSA: After your input, I recently got a Nook Color. For those of you in D.C., the public library has a ton of free books that work with the Nook. And not just classics but recent popular books.

  5. I am an unemployed B school grad. My husband’s friend has arranged for me to interview at his company, and I am extremely grateful. I would like to get this friend some sort of gift as a thank-you, and to give it to him when I’m there for the interview next week (so that he gets it regardless of whether I receive a callback and/or offer). I asked DH for recommendations for a gift, and the best he could come up with was Starbucks gift card, or taking the friend out for coffee. But I don’t want to give this friend anything that is cash/debit, and I would feel a bit weird taking him out on a Starbucks-y date. (He is more DH’s friend than mine, although we are friendly and I like him a lot.) I would also like to spend not more than maybe $15. Does anyone have any ideas/suggestions?

    1. I think a bottle of wine with a card is very standard–sounds like that’s what you’re going for. Unless there’s some reason this wouldn’t be appropriate.

    2. Is wine weird for a male friend? I’d think you could get him some wine or some kind of fancy beer that he likes.

    3. You don’t think giving the gift while there to him is a little weird? Wont you then have to tell someone so you can stop by his office and then those that are interviewing you will think that you only got the interview because you know someone?

      In my office, a large office somaybe it’s different, if you interview you go to reception and they know where you are supposed to go/who. If you wanted to drop by and say hi to someone it would be out of the ordinary and personally, if I was interviewing you and then you requested to stop by and see someone else I would be put off.

      Just my two cents. I’d just either mail him a gift or write him a nice card/email.

      1. Hm, in my office it’s standard for both the interviewee and the person who referred him/her to mention the relationship to recruiting and for the recruiting person (who walks the interviewee from interview to interview) and it’s normal to go by for a quick visit. I work in a 300 lawyer office, FWIW.

    4. I think wine is a good idea, unless you know (maybe check with your husband) that the friend doesn’t drink. I don’t think it’s a weird gift for a man, and you can get something good for under $15. Something for around the office, like a business card holder, a mug (maybe you could do a mug or travel mug + a sbux card), a paperweight if you know his style, although that is getting away from standard gift and more personal.

    5. Business card holder?
      For my male friends, I usually buy a tiny travel kit or trial size of upscale shaving brands. People generally like it … but that might be too personal.

    6. I would give it to him the next time you see him before or after the interview–I would not bring it to the company’s offices. Maybe you won’t be meeting with him as part of your interview, and even if you are, trucking around a bottle of wine seems really odd to me.

    7. I want to agree with other replies that giving him a gift while you are there is unusual and I would say inappropriate. You do not want to do anything to give the appearance that he has helped you “too much”. I think that if you want to send a thank you gift later, a reasonably priced bottle of wine is appropriate.

      When I was doing a networked job search I made sure to send thank you notes to everyone who helped me or connected me to another person. In the end, I got a good job and sent a special thank you (Harry and David’s dried fruit platters) to the homes of the two people who most directly helped put me in touch with my new role. I did NOT send a gift to the in-house person who helped connect me to my new boss. I think that would have been inapporpriate because ultimately I was actually joining his extended team (in that the company is one joint effort) and it seemed like it would almost be suggesting he did more than simply connect a good candidate to an open role.

      1. Why don’t you and your husband take him out to dinner some time in the next week or so to express your appreciation?

    8. I know you didn’t like the Starbucks idea — but what about a gift card for a lunch spot right by the office? You could scope it out when you interview. Send it to him with a thank you note saying you’d like to treat him to lunch.?

    9. Just wanted to add to the other comments here that I would not bring it in and give it to him at the interview. Mail it, drop it off at his house, etc. – it sounds like he’s a close friend of your husband so its not like you are randomly showing up at a stranger’s house.

      Also agree with others that edible gifts are great for these kind of things – wine, nice coffee, taking out for lunch/dinner, etc. are all great and neutral gifts without going over the top.

  6. Also, if your DH means that he likes coffee, you can get some kind of artisan coffee beans for him to enjoy at home (if he has a coffee maker and likes that sort of thing).

    I think a consumable-type gift is what you need to go for.

    1. That was supposed to be a reply to Gift for male friend, obviously. Now I am going to step away from the keyboard……

    2. Honestly, I think what DH meant was that DH likes coffee. When I asked whether the friend actually drinks coffee, he said he wasn’t sure and advised me to post on Corporette. (I sometimes tell DH about interesting posts on this site.)

      1. Hilarious. Get DH some artisan beans as a thank-you for his advice :)

      2. I would advise against giving it there, unless you can do it in a discreet way. I think it would be a bit odd to walk in with a gift bag to your interview.

        Otherwise, I think a bottle of wine seems a good option; if you want to spend a bit more — maybe a nice bottle of whiskey. You could also get some food item if you know something he likes. Or maybe just offer to take him out for a drink.

        But honestly, I would just write a really sincere thank you. If you get the job, then go for the nice gift. But, if I got someone an interview at my workplace, I would feel a bit uncomfortable to get a gift from someone who then doesn’t get the job.

        1. That is a good point about delivery. Friend lives near us, so maybe I will drop it off at his apartment the day of, instead.

          1. Yes, I think this is a much better idea. And I think a bottle of wine is always fine unless the recipient doesn’t drink. The gesture of appreciation is the important part, imo.

          2. If he’s local you could just take him out to a nice dinner with your hubby and pick up the tab. Doubles as additional networking.

  7. Wanted to share that I just made a lump payment on law school loan debt and it feels great! Paid off a little more than 75 percent of balance in 3.5 years.

    1. Congratulations! I just paid mine off this week, and I wanted to shout from the rooftops (I restrained myself knowing that most of my friends were not so lucky to get out of school with less than $20k in loans). I was down to $14k balance and got my first big settlement (attorney for 5 years) and could wipe it out. Yay!!!

      1. I just got a job that will pay off a huge (HUGE) medical school debt…I’m going to a beautiful rural area that has loan repayment, and three years from now I will be debt free, minus the taxes I pay on the payback. So excited I can taste it!!

        1. You ladies inspire me! I just accepted an unpaid internship for my 2L summer while meanwhile my school loans are racking up…but someday it will ALL be worth it… (and the internship sounds totally awesome!)

      2. Congratulations! I just paid mine off last week, and I’ve been keeping it quiet too because I don’t really want to brag about the windfalls that allowed me to pay of $12K in a year. It’s just amazing to know that, at this moment, I’m 100% debt-free!

    2. Awesome!! I am working on doing the same right now. But mine will take a lot longer…

    3. Awesome! We’re socking away some cash right now, but, since my pay varies (dramatically!), we’re not ready to throw it at the loan yet. Hopefully, we will in the next few months, and knock out most of one of them!

      1. I have heaps of loans $160K+ but I did pay off one of the smaller higher interest rate portions last month and that felt amazing! I’m takling the next smallest higher interest rate portion but its 13K so its gonna take most of this year I think. Still the progress feels good.

  8. I would not wear this to work. It is too casual. It looks like lunch with the girls on Saturday, not serious business on any day to me – not even casual Friday – unless the office dress code is very casual as a rule.

    But to its credit, at least it has sleeves.

      1. Heh, it’s almost TOO nice for my office. But I bought it anyway. Love the sleeves!

        As far as length goes, I’m 5’3.5″ and it hit bang on the knee, maybe base of the knee cap. The pockets are nice but bunch as you put it on, so just check and make sure they are laying flat, or it gives you a weird hip tumor. I don’t think they’ll move around after you put it on, though.

    1. I think I know what you mean. The ribbon belt makes it wade into preppy territory. That said, it would be totally fine at my (admittedly, business casual) office.

  9. Threadjack. I am a first time poster (so please be gentle!). I am a solicitor (admitted in England) who is considering a move offshore (BVI or Cayman). Has anyone any experience of making the move and, if so, any advice?

    1. Sorry, no good advice, but I have friends who did it rather seamlessly, so it can be done. Good luck!

    2. No advice, except I’m super jealous that you can just kinda hop on over and practice in the Cayman islands. :-D

    3. Hi Jenny – I follow this woman’s blog and she recently moved from Cayman to London with her husband. You may want to send her an email and see if she’d be interested in answering questions over the phone or in person. You can also check out her blog posts from when she lived there – from what I can tell they had mixed feelings about the place. Good luck!

      http://www.pinkjulepabroad.com/

    4. No specific advice, and maybe this is alarmist, but … there was a post on the website abovethelaw.com a few weeks ago about lawyer layoffs in Bermuda and the problems it caused for expat lawyers. Would recommend checking for similar news on the locations you’re considering and figuring out how the legal market looks there. With the US doing all sorts of tax-shelter enforcement aimed at these tax haven countries (such as the FATCA provisions to take effect next year), I would want to be comfortable that the local legal market wasn’t going to take a severe hit while I was the low man on the totem pole.

      Here’s the article: http://abovethelaw.com/2011/01/the-grass-is-not-always-greener-layoffs-in-bermuda/#more-52489

  10. Was anyone listening to WNYC this morning? They had the editor from T magazine (the NY Times style mag) on talking about fashion week. She said that sleeves on dresses are expensive to make, which is why we don’t see them often enough. But that designers are starting to make more dresses with sleeves as fashion designers start to cater to more conservative cultures around the world. Three cheers for sleeves!

    1. So glad to hear it! I can’t believe the number of sleeveless dresses that are being sold right now when it’s 30 degrees outside.

    2. Yayyyy!! I get so tired of selecting a nice dress and then having to find the right cardigan to wear with it. Blasted air conditioning!

  11. Anyone have any experience with Invisalign? I keep debating whether or not it seems like a good idea because I imagine it’s more noticeable than they let on (visibility and speech-wise). TIA!

    Beautiful dress, Kat, although I think I’m in the too-tall boat as well. It’s still nice to have the reminder that warmer days are coming :)

    1. I have a friend who completed her treatment a few years ago and her periodontist thinks it contributed to some pretty severe gum recession. She had to have a large graft on several teeth as a result. I can tell you from personal experience that a gum graft is horribly painful- much worse than a root canal.

      1. If you do decide to go with Invisalign I’d check out Lifebooker.com. It’s like Groupon but geared toward cosmetic procedures/haircuts/massages/etc. I happened to notice that the NY Lifebooker site is advertising a $2,000 gift certificate for Invisalign on sale for $39.00 today.

      2. At the risk of sounding terribly naive, what is a gum graft? I’m too scared to google it (do not want to encounter pictures).

        1. Don’t google, just be sure to floss. Keeps your gums healthy. Of course, some people are just really unlucky and get recession despite good dental care.

        2. Basically a periodontist grafts some skin from the roof of your mouth onto an area with receding gumlines. You can’t eat on that side of the mouth (or solids at all) for some time afterward and it’s also hard to talk. I have good oral hygiene but have inherited terrible gums. Generally speaking, braces or any other oral appliances are probably going to increase the risk of gum disease.

    2. I have not had invisilign, but have two close friends who have. They really are not very noticible, I could only tell if I was just a couple of feet away from them and it did not affect their speech at all. Plus they have both gotten excellent results!

    3. I saw on Chelsea lately last night that Justin Beeber has invisalign.

      That’s all.

    4. I am finishing Invisilign — started it during law school, so I interviewed for jobs and clerkships while wearing it. I did the top and the bottom, although the bottom finished sooner so I just wore the top one (and a retainer at night) for awhile more. I had a very noticeable lisp for the first two or three days (my friends thought it was hilarious), but then I adjusted and it made no difference in my speech. My younger sister had much less of a speech problem at first, so perhaps it varies by person? I can’t tell you the number of times that people were surprised to find out I was wearing them (if I mentioned it or had to take them out for some reason). Yes, someone could tell that you’re wearing them if the person was looking for it, but I don’t think anyone would notice in casual interactions. Because they’re removable, you can always just pop them out ahead of time if you are concerned. (This is what I’d do before a work cocktail party where I expect to be eating and drinking, for example.) I am so happy that I decided to do it!

    5. Consult an orthodontist. Mine said invisalign would only fix 30-40% of the issues in my mouth and so now I have braces. Which is just lovely, at 38. Bleh. But after next year, all should be well!

      1. So is having braces in your late 30s as bad as I imagine it to be? I have some major crooked teeth issues that can’t be fixed with invisalign, mainly due to grinding my teeth and being a tongue-thruster (ew, that sounds so gross) in my sleep. Every time I go to the dentist there’s a new problem and every time she tries to get me to go to the orthodontist, but I don’t wanna! However, she says it will help with my TMJ issues (because the braces will correct my horrible bite) and the crookedness and the bruxism and a whole lot of other things. How long are you going to have to have yours on? Are they really noticeable? Does it hurt a lot?

        1. I have similar issues, and my dentist keeps urging me to, as well. I really, really, really don’t want to, and feel like I can deal with the occassional jaw pain and less than beautiful teeth.

          Sad thing is, I actually wanted them as a kid (since I knew I had bad teeth and most of my friends had them), but for some reason, my parents just never got around to getting them for me.

          1. I’m in a similar boat. My teeth are crowded and could be resolved pretty easily with Invisalign. They aren’t awful, though, so I’m trying to weigh the year of inconvenience with having teeth that make me a little less self-conscious (not that I am terribly self-conscious now, but I’ve started noticing teeth more as I consider possible options).

            Ugh. Makes me wish I had braces at 13.

        2. It’s not as bad as you imagine it to be. I know a number of people from mid-thirties to mid-sixties who have braces, and I watch as it doesn’t affect their professional or personal lives. So you have some stuff in your mouth – who cares? If anything, it looks like you’re taking care of yourself and being a responsible adult. You need braces? Get braces! And no, it’s not that painful and well worth the result.

          1. There was a spate of over 40s in my office with braces for a couple years – at least five people. The litigators went to court, did depos, and generally did nothing different; they just had braces, too. Now they all have lovely straight, aligned teeth. Don’t be afraid!

        3. The issue you have to consider is this: are you ok with having your existing teeth for potentially the next 40 years or more? If you’re already struggling with your teeth now, I would imagine they will only get worse as time goes on. I certainly sympathize with getting braces in your 30s, but think of it as a life investment. These are your TEETH people! We need healthy gums and teeth to maintain a good quality of life. If you need braces, get them. A horrible overbite is only going to get much, much worse as you get older.

          1. This is a good point. I do have to live with these for another 40 years and yes, the problems just seem to keep getting worse. I have crowding on one side now that’s making it hard to floss and I am actually breaking down the molars on the back right side with grinding, which two dentists have told me would get better if I got my teeth straightened. Mostly I just don’t like pain, the actual wearing of the braces doesn’t bother me as much.

            And Lyssa, I’m like you – I wanted braces as a kid, but in my case, my parents were teachers and barely had two nickels to rub together. Back then, the teachers’ dental plan only covered 20% of orthodontics and the remaining 80% was just too much money for them to handle – like they wouldn’t have been able to pay the mortgage. To this day my mom talks about how much they regret not being able to get me braces, which makes me sad :( but maybe if I got my own braces she would feel better about it :)

            I’m going to call and get an appointment with the orthodontist a friend recommended…cover me gals, I’m goin’ in :)

        4. I had braces in my late 20s and jaw surgery to fix crooked teeth and a pretty bad underbite. It sucked short term but the result was worth every ounce of discomfort. Being able to chew normally has greatly improved my quality of life and having straight teeth has increased my confidence. When I looked back at old pictures, I realized that I never smiled in photos because I was so self-conscious about my smile.

    6. I’ve been doing it for about 2 months (I have 8 more months to go). I don’t think it’s too bad. Nobody has asked me about it, but friends a few close coworkers who I told about it were surprised and said they didn’t notice until I said something. I still take them out (discreetly) if I’m going to a meeting where I’ll be doing a lot of talking, or a place where there will be eating involved. You’re supposed to wear them whenever you’re not eating or brushing your teeth, but a lot of days I eat at my desk and then realize it’s been two hours since I had them in (I don’t put them back in unless I can use a restroom to brush my teeth and the trays.)

    7. My mom had Invisalign, and I didn’t even notice the first day she had it in. Some of her close friends were surprised to find out about it a year after she started.

      She said the hardest part was the brackets they have to cement to your teeth to hold the trays – that the brackets catch on your cheeks and lips just like real braces, and make speaking difficult unless you wear the trays. In turn, the trays changed her speech a little bit (not very noticeable, but I could tell), and she tended to put her hand over her mouth when talking.

    8. I went through Invisalign last year for about 5 months and it worked great. My teeth only needed a little straightening back to their post-braces position from 25 years ago but the difference was noticeable. They felt just like retainers (like the ones I lost so long ago, hence the teeth regression, sad) and it wasn’t that awkward to deal with them. I also had some laser gum work, since I had a gummy, uneven smile, and caps on my front upper teeth, after the Invisalign series was done. It seems like a lot of work but it wasn’t, really, and I’m smiling much more now.

    9. Funny you should ask. I just finished my Invisalign treatment yesterday. My teeth feel all shiny and smooth after wearing that Invisalign for the last year. I am totally thrilled with the results and would highly recommend them. I had worn them for months before people who I see every day even noticed that I had them.

      I wore them for 3 weeks at a time because I found that I had working lunches and such frequently enough that I was leaving them out longer than I wanted to. I talked to the doc about it and we decided to just wear each tray 3 weeks so I didn’t have to stress about making sure they got popped back in after I finished my lunch.

  12. Professional etiquette threadjack! I am moving departments within my employer after a little over a year. My old boss was responsible for recruiting me to this employer (which I LOVE), has been an incredibly great manager and mentor including greatly assisting me in expanding my network and professional development, and is now a friend. I would like to somehow thank him for all of this, particularly since he has repeatedly asked if there is anything he could have done differently to keep me. (There isn’t – it’s just the nature of the work in the two departments). What is appropriate? I am thinking of inviting him and his wife to our home for dinner both as a thank you and to try to keep the friendship going socially (they have never been to our home but we have gotten together socially a few times before). We will still be both working at the same employer after I transition in 2 weeks. I know Corporettes will have great advice! TIA!

    (As an aside – can I give a little SQEEEEEE for how excited I am for my new move? Thanks for indulging.)

    1. As someone on the mentoring/boss side, may I suggest that no matter what else you do that you also write a handwritten note to the boss saying the kinds of things you say in this post? It means a great deal to get a note like that. (It also means a great deal to have people say those things, but it’s nice to have it in writing. And it might even be useful to him at review time to show that he is a good boss, although that’s not the most important aspect of getting a note like this.)

    2. anonymous at 12:32 is right. I recently sent an e-mail to a boss from my first job out of college thanking him for being such a terrific leader and manager. I didn’t know at the time that was so rare! Though my e-mail to him was a bit more lengthy and personal, I also posted a recommendation for him on LinkedIn. He will not forget your kind words of appreciation.

    3. Congrats on the move — very exciting! Since you have gotten together socially with your soon-to-be-former boss before, I think it would be perfectly appropriate to invite boss + spouse over for dinner.

  13. just wanted to post as a PSA that i found a wonderful top at ann taylor loft yesterday!
    http://www.anntaylorloft.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=31000&N=1200005&pCategoryId=3359&categoryId=204&Ne=1500001&gridSize=sm&Ns=CATEGORY_SEQ_204&showAll=true&Nty=1&loc=TN&defaultColor=Melba%20Pink&defaultSizeType=Regular

    i got it in the “warm iron” (really more of a dusty purple) and i think it’s a color that would be flattering on most skin tones – the fit is v flowy and forgiving (i normally am an XSP or a SP but sized up to an MP so i could wear it as a flowy oversized top on the weekends). best thing about it is that the button placket has stitches BETWEEN the buttons to keep the top from gaping!

        1. you could try going to a store if there’s one near you – i am in chicago and the store i visited was full of XS, S, and Ms but no Ls or XLs!

  14. Did anyone get the sale email for Banana Republic today? I only caught a brief glimpse of it before I accidentally deleted it and my iPhone sent the message off into the abyss of the interwebs but I think it was for one of their sales that only lasts a couple hours. If there was a coupon code, could someone please share it? Thanks

  15. Second etiquette threadjack (I am full of questions today, thanks for your well-reasoned answers). I was nominated for a prestigious weeklong seminar in June – 40 attendees from across the country will be selected. I am starting a new position Feb 28; my application for the seminar is due before I transition to my new position. I feel my resume should reflect what I will be doing at the time of the fellowship, especially since it is not what I am doing now. Do I put the narrative under my new position (starting March 2011) as “Will [verb]” and keep my narrative under my current position (Dec 09 – Feb 11) in the present tense? Any other approaches? There is no cover letter – just a resume, recs, and essays.

    1. You can put your anticipated start date and position and have a word like “expected” or “anticipated” so it’s clear where you will be headed. I have frequently seen notations like that on resumes from law students/lawyers who have clerkships lined up that have not yet begun.

  16. Did not get into MBA program. Am disappointed, but also wondering if this is a good thing… Higher education seems to be a huge gamble now.

    1. I’m bummed for you, but I think you are smart to look at the silver lining. You are right – higher ed (law and business) seems to be a big gamble. It’s true that sometimes, having the decision made for you makes it easier than having to make the decision yourself. Does that make sense? Of course this doesn’t mean you couldn’t apply later if you wanted to, but I’m with you – I wonder if it’s a good thing in disguise. I truly wish you the best of luck (can you feel good vibes coming your way from Texas??) and hope you’ll keep us posted on what you decide to conquer next.

    2. Hug. I’m sorry for your disappointment, but I think your response is wise. If you truly want to get the degree, you’ll get it later (maybe even soon) with a clearer idea of why it’s worth the investment of time and money TO YOU. If instead you discover you’re fine without it, you go on your merry way and can forget you ever even applied. Either way: no regrets. (We have this conversation all the time in my field…)

    3. I truly believe that everything happens for a reason. I applied to law school two years in a row, and did not get into any of the “name” schools I was hoping to get into. I felt terribly discouraged and my ego was wounded. I ended up going to one of the lower ranked schools on a full scholarship and it turned out to be the best decision of my life. I had amazing professors, friends, and ended up with my dream job. And, I have no debt to boot.

      So please hang in there. I honestly feel that if it didn’t happen for you this year, there’s a reason for it. Try to build your resume this year and reapply at a later time.

  17. Speaking of higher education being a gamble…
    I just finished my first semester of law school at a top 30 with a 50% tuition scholarship and hated it like I never knew I could hate. It’s not the material or the environment that gets to me so much as the gamble I feel like I’m taking as far as employment and paying off loans. I’ve taken a leave of absence to earn some money and figure things out.
    So, I’m wondering how I should address this on my resume. As of now I have the law school information listed below my undergraduate education with a career note stating that I “Voluntarily withdrew with good standing in order to pursue a career in x.”
    Any thoughts on this would be deeply appreciated.

    1. I think your method is good.

      I want to congratulate you for knowing yourself and making this move. I saw a number of people in law school (during an earlier economic downturn) who were there because they didn’t know what to do with their undergraduate degrees, not because they really wanted to be there. Despite performing well academically, they were never happy. Post-law school, they were the ones that most resented the burden of their law school debt and did not like their jobs. 15 years later, they are generally no longer practicing. Kudos to you for taking the time to considering what works for you!

      1. I think quitting mainly because of the fear of debt is somewhat misguided. It seems like the OP’s scholarship was good. I have a lot of debt but before law school I was in a career I hated so much that it literally made me sick every morning because of the dread I had going to work. There was little to no flexibility with that field and very limited advancement potential.

        While my salary now is abysmal, I know it has the potential to go up much more than it ever would have in my other field. I like my job most of the time and have a decent working environment. At my law school (top 25) more than half the people in my class had some work experience before law school and it didn’t seem like we had many who went to law school because they didn’t know what else to do.

    2. No suggestions for you, but I think you are making a smart move. I’m in my second year after transferring and HATE it! Probably due to the transfer, etc, but I’m sick of reading cases, boring statutes, and being called on constantly. However, if you like the material and the people, did well, and have a 50% scholarship you might do pretty well. I would just make sure if you decide to return you can keep your scholarship too.

      1. OP Here.
        Can’t thank you enough for the support. Right now I feel like the biggest broke, depressed, quitter out there. To make things even more fantastic: nobody gets it. Most people still seems to think that law school is a golden ticket and I’ve completely lost my mind. I haven’t, right?
        I’m so worried that potential employers will view me the way I’m feeling right now. Maybe it’s just insecurity talking but I’m worried that leaving law school will be the red flag that prevents me from getting my foot in the door.

        1. There’s nothing wrong with knowing yourself and being honest with yourself. Sometimes it’s hard to do that when there are a lot of outside voices telling you that you made the wrong decision, but at the end of the day, you are responsible to yourself, not them.

          In my mind, there’s a big difference between “this was harder than I thought, I don’t feel like putting in the effort, so I left” and “I thought this was the right path for me, it doesn’t seem like it is right now, so I’m re-evaluating.” You are not a quitter. It sounds like you made a decision that weighed more heavily on you than you expected it would. Instead of soldiering through the discomfort, you’re taking a step back to determine what makes the most sense for you. I think that’s smart.

          As for it being a red flag, I think it is and will continue to be about the way you frame it. A clear and confident explanation about your choice–to friends and potential employers–will go a long way.

          1. I completely agree with Laura #2. You are not a quitter. The number of people I have seen who are in law school only because they didn’t know what else to do and thought they could make a lot of money is frightening – these are the people who seem desperately unhappy with their situations, now that the economy isn’t doing so well and they are tens of thousands of dollars in debt. It’s much, much better to take some time off or even just leave law school if you think it might not be the right choice for you.

            I can sympathize with feeling depressed because you’re kind of at loose ends right now, but this too shall pass. I really, really wish you well. *Hug*

        2. You could always take that off your resume altogether. One semester is not a particularly large gap to have on the resume. You can disclose it if it comes up, or just say that you were taking some continuing ed classes.

          But honestly, I don’t think it’s going to be an issue.

    3. I wish I had felt the burden of the debt a bit more strongly when I was in law school – I had a great scholarship but decided to take on student loans just to ‘get by.’ I could have and should have worked to earn the money instead; it would have been manageable while I was in school.

      Did you enjoy law school? If you want to get a law degree, is there a way to do a part-time program and work part-time? I went to a full-time only school, but I had classmates on an unofficial four-year program who worked nearly full-time.

    4. If you only went to LS for one semester, you should be able to leave it off your resume entirely. A 6 mth break is not a huge amount of time, and you could always address it at the interview, if the question comes up.

  18. My friend has this dress on today and she looks very cute! Appropriate for our office and a nice dress to wear in this transition time where it’s in the high 60s outside today.

  19. This Careerist post — http://thecareerist.typepad.com/thecareerist/2011/02/dress-codes.html — raises the issue that I spend too much time thinking about. After nearly 15 years as a big firm lawyer, I’m sick of black, gray, and navy blue. How about you? We women professionals really should be able to dress fashionably and still be respected. I don’t mean short skirts and low cut blouses. I personally think those choices show a lack of common sense. But I do mean jackets with a feminine flair and cut. And I do mean color. E.g., what’s wrong with a pretty jacket (like this Rippling Pond jacket from Anthropologie (I own it in purple: http://anthroholic.blogspot.com/2010/02/some-lust-worthy-new-arrivals-at-anthro.html ) if you can pull it off. I for one am done with the man suits.

    1. I kind of hate this argument. The “women should be able to be fashionable and stop dressing like a man!” In many offices, men would be looked down upon for: earrings, mohawks, a purple suit, tight pants that are in now, nail polish, stud necklaces, etc. If the jacket is professional, of course you can wear it. But a man dressed in a professional but purple suit would be judged for it to. So yes, corporate america is super boring sometimes. Yes, someone with say 15 years experience should definitely test those boundaries a bit if they feel so inclined. There are plenty of corporate men who are snazzy dressers and long for some variety as well, its really not a man/woman thing, and I think thinking about that way hurts yourself.

      1. I mainly agree with this. And, I disagree with the hatred for “boring” work clothes. You can be 100% professional and still look great; and this can be done in a navy or black suit just as much as in any other color.
        To achieve, it requires the same thing as it does for men — great tailoring, good quality fabric, good accessories. I am actually much more annoyed with how shoddy the tailoring on women’s work wear tends to be, how irrational the sizing is, and how cheap the fabric tends to be vs mens. But I don’t think I can ever have enough black, navy, and gray (and add brown, too) to chose from in my work clothing options; and the bain of my existence is needless “feminine” details manufacturers are forever sticking on women’s suits like bows over pockets, cutesy raggedy ann big round buttons, silly ruffles on backs of skirts and blazers, etc., etc.

        I love Anthropologie, btw, but I seldom find work appropriate clothes there.

          1. I wish I could find some good, basic suits in black, navy and charcoal right now — they all have some “detailing” that I either don’t like or feel will look dated in one or two years. I used to be able to rely on J. Crew or Banana or even DKNY, but no longer.

      2. Tight pants and mohawks are not professional for men or women. However, women do not need to dress like men. Feminine suits, with a ruffle or other styling, are perfectly acceptable.

      3. It’s not really an argument, but rather more of an observation and opinion. I spent pretty much all my associate years in very conservative (but well tailored) suits and shoes that didn’t reflect my personal style. I don’t at all disagree about AIMS’s comment re the importance of quality clothing. And of course what you wear should be appropriate based on environment. What I would wear in my office is obviously different than what I’d wear to court or even possibly to meet with a client, depending on the client.

        Thankfully, much has changed in the years I’ve been in practice. I recall going to lunch my first week with my assigned mentor (a female partner) and being told (in subtle terms) that it would be to my professional advantage to wait until I made partner to have children. Better to blend in with the men. And sure enough, I looked around and next to no female associates had children.

        Fast forward to today, and it’s a whole new world. And I’m so glad for it on behalf of the women lawyers coming up the ranks after me. Dressing rules have evolved as well. It makes me happy to see it. Of course, black, gray, navy blue, and brown will always be staples in my closet (and all of our closets, I’m sure), but as a mid-level partner I have no problem with a female associate showing a bit of tasteful style. Like microentrepreneur, I’m cheered by it.

      4. I continue to laugh at this “corporate America is boring” comment. Corporate America went to business casual dress a LONG time ago. There is not a single one of my Fortune 50 clients where business casual — even eliding into everyday casual — is not fully and completely appropriate. Sometimes I think I’ve stepped back in time to the 1980’s when I hear these discussions about navy blue, black and gray suits or “fear” about wearing something in plum or yellow or whatever.

    2. Cheered by your point, and I second it. Love the name of the blog where you found it, since I’m an Anthroholic myself.

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