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Updated: Nov 1, 2018 171 Comments · by

Splurge Monday’s TPS Report: ‘Claire’ Silk A-Line Dress

The Personal Shopper (TPS) |

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Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. Tory Burch 'Claire' Silk A-Line DressTory Burch's silk dresses are becoming modern classics, and I must say I love this version:  wheat blowing against a field of navy, with an amazing secondary geometric pattern — love the way they work together. Gorgeous. The dress is $395 at Nordstrom. Tory Burch ‘Claire' Silk A-Line Dress Seen a great piece you'd like to recommend? Please e-mail tps@corporette.com. (L-2)  

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Comments

  2. AN

    Looks good but suitable more for biz casual, I would think. What is Tory Burch’s quality like?
    I bought one of her tees a year or so ago from Nordstrom and quality sucked.

    • qwerty

      i have several tory burch silk jersey dresses and tops and the quality if great. they drape perfectly and are a bit heavier weight than dvf silk jersey. i also love how versatile the pieces are for casual to biz cas, and iron free!

  3. Ellen

    OMG, how PRETTY! I LOVE TORY BURCH, and it is not that EXPENSIVE, either! I may ask the manageing partner if he will give me 30% I will get it and it will be my FIRST purchase since SANDY not counteing the down coat which was a GIFT, and the shoe’s, which was a BONU’S! YAY!!!!

    My dad was responsible for turneing HENRY into an animal. FOOEY! He told Henry’s dad that I was DESPARATE to get MARRIED and that if HENRY took some initative, then I would literaly melt in his arms. How REVOLTEING! Henry has NO real expierence with women so he just did what he saw in the movie’s, but that is NOT what ladie’s like me want. I want to be wooed and charmed by a man, not have my tuchus man-handeled. Mabye that is what goe’s on somwhere, but NOT with Ellen Barshevsky, no way HOSE.

    When I told HENRY to get his hand’s off my tuchus, he said that his dad told him he could grab my tuchus b/c my dad told his dad that I liked men to be in charge. I ONLEY want men to be in charge when it come’s to figureing out how to take care of me. Henry makes alot of money doeing algorithm’s for a big INVESTEMENT BANK downtown that I never heard of, and my dad say’s I should give him a chance b/c he will be abel to suport me after we have a baby.

    I do NOT even want to THINK about Henry makeing love to me. That is so gross b/c his teeth are still FILTHY! He does NOT have any hair, and look’s alot like the janitor here (but not as old). I could NEVER even picture him in bed, OMG! And my dad must have seen him at his house on LI, but he eveidently does NOT even care! He just want’s me married to this goon b/c he makes alot of money? I told my dad that I am a profesional and do NOT want to settel for some geek just b/c he is makeing more money then me.

    My dad say’s I am bieng to picky and should marry the first guy that is willing to grab me, so this guy grabs me? My tuchus is not for sale. For some reason, Myrna thought he was cute — I think b/c he has alot of money, but I do NOT go for money, and did NOT think she did (until now). I know if he was a schlub on the street, she would NOT be interested. She want’s me to give him a second chance or go out with her and Esteban. Some choices. FOOEY! A beautiful legal professional like me who has a job, a post gradueate education and an apartement in the City should NOT have to choose between these loosers! FOOEY!

  4. Diana Barry

    Very nice!

    Can we talk Oscar fashion? I really liked Kerry Washington’s dress. Jennifer Garner’s was nice but I kept thinking the waist was in the wrong place…and I LOVED Halle Berry’s, even though it was crazy.

    • Gus

      I thought all three of those were just meh. Jessica Chastain’s dress was just stunning on her, with the curving lines of the beading and the color of it.

    • JK

      My favorites were Jessica Chastain, Reese Witherspoon, and Amy Adams.

      Kerry Washington is gorgeous but looks totally skeletal. She didn’t used to look like that, did she??

      • AIMS

        Just goes to show you how subjective all this is. I had a super hateful reaction to Reese Witherspoon’s (reminded me of a prom dress circa 1992), and thought both Chastain’s and Adams’s washed them out.

        Not sure what Aniston was doing at the awards, but I thought she looked awesome in that bright red dress. Also loved Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron, and all the pale pink gowns.

          • Cat

            me too – it reminded me of the Samantha Jones haircut when it’s growing back after her chemo treatments. Both ladies really pulled it off.

    • Blue

      I loved Jessica Chastain’s, Amy Adams’, Kerry Washington’s, and Jennifer Aniston’s. I wanted to like Jennifer Lawrence’s, but something about it was just a little off. Hated Renee Zellweger’s and Anne Hathaway’s.

    • NOLA

      I loved Octavia Spencer’s dress! Gorgeous. And Charlize Theron and Jennifer Lawrence. I thought the pink looked beautiful on her. Too bad she got tripped up in the skirt.

      • a.

        Octavia Spencer and Jennifer Lawrence were my top two. I really liked the fit and style of Jessica Chastain’s dress, but I don’t think the color did much for her complexion.

        Also, Quvenzhane Wallis and her puppy purse(s) are the cutest things I’ve ever seen in my life.

    • TO Lawyer

      I really liked Stacey Keibler’s dress. I also thought Nicole Kidman’s dress was beautiful, as was Jennifer Hudson’s.

      • Jenna Rink

        Never thought I would say this, but I really liked Stacey Keibler’s dress too. She looked really lovely. I was generally not wowed by the red carpet though. After the Golden Globes I had lots of strong opinions, but last night everyone seemed kind of middle of the road.

      • wintergreen126

        Agreed! Stacey Keibler looked fantastic. Her dress looked great and fit her perfectly.

    • CW

      I loved Jessica Chastain, Stacey Keibler, Jennifer Hudson, and Amy Adams. I wasn’t crazy about Kerry Washington’s dress – I liked the color and thought it looked stunning on her, but I didn’t like the dress itself.

    • MB

      I loved Amanda Seyfried’s and Naomi Watts. Liked Kerri Washington and Jennifer Lawrence. Hated Jessica Chastain (wrong color). I liked Jennifer Aniston in the full dress. Jennifer Hudson looked great in blue.

      What was Anne Hathaway thinking? Where was her bra? Was that supposed to look like that? I don’t “get” it.

        • MB

          Maybe it was my imagination, but I could have sworn I could see nipple right through that fabric.

          Either way, I did not care for the neckline or what it did to her body. I wasn’t a fan.

          • Mpls

            Maybe? That looks like pretty thick fabric to be getting that kind of bleed, though. I can almost see the nipple action as actually being a shadow from the peak of the dart. And that’s about all the analysis I really want to do regarding A.Hath’s chest.

      • a passion for fashion

        I actually liked Anne Hathaway’s dress. I was totally her style, fit her perfectly, and I thought it was pretty.

      • Apple

        I thought Hathaway’s dress was meh but I HATED the necklace with it. So 90s in a bad way.

      • SFBayA

        Anne Hathaway’s unflattering pale pink dress reminded me a lot of Gwenyth Paltrow’s ill fitting pale pink dress when she won her Oscar. Pity. I read somewhere that there was a rumor that Anne had another dress and then chose to wear her secondary dress.

        Helen Hunt’s dress would have been pretty if it wasn’t so damn wrinkled. And poor Melissa McCarthy. What an unflattering and shapeless disaster. And the hair… like they made it as big as possible in an attempt to make her body look smaller by comparison?? I don’t understand wtf they were thinking when they dressed such a beautiful woman so badly.

        Loved the dresses worn by Jennifer Lawrence, Jennifer Garner, Jessica Chastain, Octavia Spencer, Charlize Theron, Queen Latifah, and Jennifer Aniston.

        • Calibrachoa

          that McCarthy dress, I swear at first I thought it was a PVC platform boot peeking out from a slit, not that… thing.

    • Anon

      Likes:

      Sandra Bullock (but wish that knees down had been lined as well instead of sheer – otherwise great)
      Jennifer Garner
      Daniel Day Lewis’s wife
      Jennifer Lawrence
      Adele (both red carpet dress and performance dress – think I liked performance dress better)
      Octavia Spencer

      Dislikes:
      Jessica Chastain (dressing like an Oscar won’t win you one)
      Kristen Stewart (omg wash your hair, stand up straight, try not to look bored/jumpy)
      Anne Hathaway

      • MB

        Adele’s performance dress was great. Perfect for the song / backdrop / everything. She looked fantastic.

      • mamabear

        I loved Nicole Kidman’s dress and I thought she looked unusually healthy.

        I’m more or less over seeing princess dresses on anyone older than Jennifer Lawrence.

        • Senior Attorney

          I know, right? Try not to look bored/stoned/just rolled out of bed.

          I especially loved the gowns of Jennifer Anniston and (I can’t believe I’m saying this) Nicole Kidman.

    • Lynnet

      Likes:
      Jennifer Lawrence
      Nicole Kidman
      Catherine Zeta-Jones
      Zoe Saldana
      Amanda Seyfried

      Dislikes:
      Halle Berry
      Naomi Watts (seriously, what was going on with the chest there?)
      Jessica Chastain (no contrast)

      Kerry Washington’s dress was ok, but I never think she looks as good in the dresses she picks out herself as she does in the dresses the Scandal costume designers pick out for her.

    • a passion for fashion

      Jennifer Aniston was my favorite, with Amanda Seyfried a close second. I also loved Gulianna Rancic’s dress. BUT, if you did not see Brandi Glanville, please use the g00gle machine to look.

      • mamabear

        OMG yes, and what was Brandi Glanville even doing there? (Other than flashing everyone)

      • Herbie

        Thank you for bringing Brandi Glanville’s Oscars dress into my life. Wow. Just… wow. And why???

    • ouch

      Loved Jennifer Lawrence’s dress, but I’m in the J-Law can do no wrong camp. So, yay Jennifer! Adele looked gorgeous as well. Charlize Theron is so gorgeous.

      And I actually though Anne Hathaway looked nice?

      • January

        I liked Anne Hathaway’s dress, but I agree with the poster above that it had some awkward headlight issues (and maybe the fabric was a little transparent?). Other than that, though, I thought it was pretty, and I actually liked that color on her.

    • Coalea

      My favorites:
      Charlize Theron
      Jenna Dewan-Tatum
      Octavia Spencer
      Adele
      Sandra Bullock
      Jennifer Lawrence (hair, makeup and jewelry = A+; dress = B)

      Least favorites:
      Anne Hathaway
      Nicole Kidman
      Zoe Saldana
      Halle Berry
      Kristen Stewart (brush your hair!!!)

    • Miss Behaved

      I really liked Jennifer Lawrence’s dress. Yes, it was a bit princessy, but it fit her perfectly and her makeup and jewelry were fabulous.

      And I hated Anne Hathaway’s dress, but I hate her anyway.

      Everything else was pretty much in between, with Jessica Chastain, Jennifer Aniston, Naomi Watts, Octavia Spencer and Jennifer Garner on the higher end and Amy Adams on the lower end.

      • Miss Behaved

        What amuses me, though, is the after-party dresses. I can see that Jennifer Lawrence might need a second dress, especially after tripping over her first dress, but do they all need them. And if you do need one, why would you choose something equally fancy? Why not go with a cocktail dress?

        Reese Witherspoon and Sandra Bullock stayed with their original dresses. Jennifer Garner did, too. I liked Amy Adams’ second dress better. And Naomi Watts’ was quite nice, too. But I didn’t like Anne Hathaway’s or Amanda Seyfried’s.

        Oh, and I forgot to mention earlier… Helen Hunt’s H&M dress, which is kinda cool.

    • Nellie

      I loved so many of them. The only big misses for me were Hathaway and Amanda Seyfried… that gorgeous dress Did Not Fit her. The keyhople effect was ruined by the way it was gaping. Also thought Jennifer Lawrence’s dress was too bridal but the styling was fabulous.

      • Nonny

        Anything to divert attention from Amanda Seyfried’s complete inability to sing.

        I may be biased, but I really just wanted to fast forward through all her scenes in Les Mis.

    • ABC

      Favorites were Stacy Kiebler, Charlize Theron and Jessica Chastain. I also really liked Amanda Seyfried.

  5. Today's Fashion Sin

    is brought to you by Just Because You Can Wear It After Two Babies, Doesn’t Mean You Should.

    Circa 2005 black pantsuit. Am channeling Hilary Clinton (in a bad way; not as in the good mature lady hair telling off Congress way). Too much fabric in pants; rise is too high; crazy volume in thighs. All I noticed at home was (1) no muffin top and (2) no VPL.

    • LackingLuster

      It’s okay– tomorrow is a do-over. But remember to chuck it the minute you walk in the door so you don’t make the same mistake twice. And buy yourself a new necklace or something online today.

      • Houston Attny

        Totally agree with advice to “chuck it the minute you walk in the door” and am hoping I’m not the only one who forgets how awful something looks or feels or a little visible tear or stain or whatever until I’m back at work in the same dang thing.

        • LackingLuster

          I try not to hang that kind of stuff back up for fear I will think “it wasn’t that bad . . .” I actually had a similar pant suit. It wasn’t circa 2005 but was a black Tahari by Arthur Levine cheap polyester suit I bought post-baby#1. I still shudder when I think of it. The pants were lined– polyester on top of polyester. Bleh.

    • mamabear

      This is why I truly think there’s no such thing as classic. One would think a black pantsuit would fall into the classic category, but there’s always some difference that makes older items look dated.

      Case in point, all the skinny leg tuxedo pants on the gents at the Oscars last night.

  6. Equity's Darling

    Three styling questions:

    1) what colour tights can I wear with light gray suede wedge booties?
    2) what colours can I wear with black and white tweed, I always wear black and white because more colours seems like a lot of outfit, but then I feel dour in my outfit.
    3) my ponte dresses always feel so shapeless on me- I’ve been belting them and wearing them with blazers to add structure, any other tips?

    • TO Lawyer

      1) What are you wearing with your grey booties? I personally think black tights goes with everything but I could be boring/wrong.

      2) I would wear a really rich colour with your black and white tweed – red, cobalt blue, emerald green, purple – I think you could almost wear anything as long as it’s solid.

      • Equity's Darling

        I haven’t worn the booties yet- they’re pretty new. I almost wore them this morning with a mauve ponte dress, a gray blazer and black tights, but I wasn’t sure about the light shoes with dark tights.

        I’ll try it out with a saturated color:)

      • LackingLuster

        I agree with TOL, but I would keep the red on the burgundy side, avoid bright colors. What about gold (not the sparkly kind but the honey-colored kind)?

      • TBK

        I have a lot of black and white tweed and I wear it with plum, claret, forest green, and fushia (can you tell I have “winter” coloring?).

      • Nonny

        I love magenta with black and white tweed.

        And yes, I know I owe you an e-mail. Please forgive me – the last few days I’ve hardly had time to breathe.

        • NYNY

          I wear b&w tweed a lot, and usually go for a rich tertiary color: plum, magenta, burgundy, teal, turquoise. By the same logic, I think mustard/gold would work, but those make me look like Kermit the Frog, so I can’t speak from experience.

          I find that primary and secondary colors are too much against the tweed, sort of crayon-box, but not in a good way. The tertiaries are muted but still clear, and for me, at least, strike the right color balance.

    • ss

      My favorite way to warm up a blank and white outfit : gold jewelry, tan shoes and bag (or chocolate brown if you feel tan is too unseasonal).

    • goldribbons

      1. Where can I buy light grey suede wedge booties?! Those sound fabulous.
      2. Black & White tweed: I agree on a rich color – and I usually go with burgundy. Navy can also work, I find.
      3. hmm. Belt & blazer seems like a safe solution – but maybe you could try structured boots and a big necklace? Not sure on that one.

    • j

      Rich/bold colors are always great with tweed, but I also like mixing patterns with some types of tweed. It’s not for everyone and trickier to pull off in the office, but I’m kind of addicted to it. It’s a lot easier with the speckled-type or herringbone tweed than it is with houndstooth or checked tweed, but I treat subtler patterns of tweed like neutrals or solids and just roll with it. I like to mix larger florals/abstracts or polka dots and avoid anything that’s too geometric or busy (more than 3 colors, etc). Caveat: I’m the boss of my own company and work in a creative field, but I have done it in much more conservative industries.

  7. anon

    So, I heard today that Yahoo! is banning telecommuting for employees.

    So, that’s what you get with a female CEO? LOL. Wonder if they’ll give everyone a raise so they can hire the nanny to stay home when the kids are sick. MMM, probably not.

    • Maddie Ross

      I read the article as banning telecommuting as a daily practice, not the once off “the kid is sick” sort of situation. And while I realize it doesn’t work for everyone, I personally think it’s fine to require people to work in the office on a regular basis.

    • mascot

      Without having seen the memo, it sounds like routine telecommuting is being phased out. There still seems to be some possibility for emergencies like childcare. Although, I would hope that Yahoo would have some back-up childcare options available too.

    • Fiona

      Oh good grief, Yahoo. I guess they really don’t mind being the internet company for our grandparents’ generation.

      • Diana Barry

        Ditto. I have a young programmer friend who used to work for them and jumped ship for a more agile startup (with no offices!).

    • Lyssa

      Am I the only one who finds the expectation that a female CEO should provide more consideration for employees’ families and children a little bit sexist?

      Presumably, this change is being made because Ms. Mayer believes it will improve business in a company that seriously needs improvement (the memo stated that it was to encourage “communication and collaberation” and “decisions and insights” – as someone who has worked from home, this sounds pretty reasonable, particularly because Yahoo seriously needs more new and creative ideas). If we want women to succeed in business, we need to allow them to make changes that might lead to improvement, not just assign them to a caregiver role by another name.

      • TBK

        +1 I actually think that perpetual telecommuting isn’t healthy for a company if the company depends at all on collaboration, or if you have any interest in having company culture. There’s just something about having people occupy the same space that builds cohesion.

        • anon

          My understanding was that it is an outright BAN on telecommuting. As in, this is not an option. Period.

          No, I don’t think a female CEO should provide MORE consideration for employees families but I also don’t think it’s ok to provide LESS just because you’re a woman. The whole, “this decision isn’t bad because I have a vagina” idea is equally BS.

          This is totally outside of industry standard, and the ‘rumor’ (Which YES, is just a rumor) is that she wants to get rid of a lot of people, but doesn’t want to do ‘layoffs’ and so is hoping people will walk because of this.

        • PollyD

          I think you just can’t make a name for yourself as a top level manager if you go with, “You know, a balance of time in office and telecommuting options would be best.” All-or-nothing pronouncements make better headlines.

          I heard friday that a group within my agency is building a new building in which there will be offices for only 30% of the workforce, with people expected to telecommute most of the time. I don’t get why having private offices is considered so “bad” for rank-and-file employees – I would bet that most of the people advocating officeless offices are not giving up their private offices! My job, and that of many of those in the agency, involves a mix of activities that need quiet concentration and activities that require collaboration. I wouldn’t want to telework more than once, maybe twice a week, but I wouldn’t want that option completely eliminated, either. And I like having an office! Much easier to get “thinking” work done.

      • a passion for fashion

        But the real probelm is that this is yet another woman acting like a man to get to the top. And that is not what we need. A lot of women have come a long way in recent years because of flexible schedules and the ability to work at home when needed (whether that be all the time, 1-2 times a week, or jsut occassionally). Many of these women would not be working if this was not an option. While there may be somewhat more cohesion (though many studies say that is inaccurate), you lose a tremendous pool of talent if working women stay home.

        Whether she likes it or not, she is the first pregnant CEO of a fortune 500 but instead of helping women (at her own company and throughout the working world), she now provides a good example of “quit your whining and act like a man.”

        • anon

          Gimme a break. She’s been at the top of her career for a while now, I don’t her acting like a man all of a sudden. Plus, Yahoo needs all the help it can get. Making employees come to work is a good starter if the company wants to stay around.

        • Lyssa

          A lot of women have come a long way because they are smart, hard working, and dedicated. I resent any implication that a woman can’t or won’t succeed on the same terms as a man would. If they choose not to because family is where they’d rather spend their time, good for them, but that’s their choice. I’d add that in the job that I did telecommute to, it was strictly forbidden to be caring for children while doing it (no kids under 12 unless there was another adult in the house was the specific rule) – which made perfect sense – you couldn’t do the job and also providing hands-on care for children at the same time.

          If “act like a man” means do your job and contribute to the company, then I have no problem with “quit whining and act like a man.”

          • a passion for fashion

            I was not implying that a woman cant succeed on the same terms as a man, but they should not have to because women are not men. That in no way, shape, or form, means that the do not work as hard, are not as smart, and cant do the job just as well or better.

            Your comment that “its their choice” if they want to have children and stay home is just ignorant. As is your suggestion that hard working women and mothers cant do their job at the top of their game if they do it from home once or twice a week. Maybe its not for you — thats great, no one said you have to do it that way. But I am a partner at a top 50 law firm in a major city. Like me, many of my partners, and associates as well, are mothers and have husbands who also work. We of course have help (nannys, day care, etc) but many of us also work from home once or twice a week to make things smoother. I resent that someone would think I am slacking off (my 2500 hours last year, multiple trials etc, would beg to differ) because I work from home sometimes, of suggest that I need to make the choice to give up my work to stay home all of the time with my children.

      • Silicon valley chick

        I totally agree. Certain companies in Silicon valley thrive on very bright young people working long hours…… together. Google has their own amazing chef with free meals/snacks, gym, childcare on site, tons of perks to keep you on campus. Yeah, campus…. They try to promote the college dynamic. Because it works. Collaboration is key in this creative and techie industry. It is what it is. If you don’t want to work in that sort of scene, then there are many other Bay Area companies that allow telecommuting and have very different work cultures. Silicon Valley is way ahead of the curve c/w the East coast when it comes to telecommuting.

        I also totally agree that we should not be holding the CEO to a different standard because she is a woman. Yahoo is on the way out and she needs to make some drastic changes or there’s no hope.

    • Anonymous

      I’m pretty sure that they’re banning telecommuting because they have a lot of dead weight and they can’t tell who is and isn’t working. I bet they’ll make everyone work on site, re-evaluate their performance, cut the fat, and then reinstate telecommuting next year. Yahoo as-in is like an ineffective dinosaur.

      • Anonymous

        yep. Or people who really don’t want/cannot come into the office will quit. No severance pay, cheaper than layoffs.

    • Susie

      I work in a similar type company (large SV tech), and I actually don’t like how prevalent telecommunication is becoming. In my former group there wasn’t much sense of team or collegiality. In my current group everyone works from the office, and we have a lot of face to face meetings and if an issue comes up we get together and resolve it on the spot instead of emails back and forth the rest of the day.

      • Praxidike

        I agree. I don’t work at a tech company, but we allow a significant number of our employees to telecommute. I don’t like it. First, it feels like they end up acting entitled in a number of ways. Second, I often feel like we’re providing what is essentially a free babysitting service to some of our employees, even though the work-from-home agreement explicitly states that it’s not to be used in that manner. And third, simply being IN the office and seeing someone makes communication so, so, so much easier. When I telecommute, I always feel totally distant from the office and I know I’m not getting the same amount of interaction that I’d have if I was in the office.

        • k-padi

          Praxidike, agreed. I’ve gotten in trouble here before for not liking working with telecommuters (even though it’s part of our office culture). I try my best to work with remote people but it would be a lot more efficient to just have them in the office. I think Yahoo! is completely justified in wanting people on campus.

          BTW, Google and many other tech companies do have an issue with routine telecommuting of more than 1 day/week or for the occasional “cable guy”. My source: several online dating interactions with google-ers and other SV tech company employees.

        • Kontraktor

          Just because something doesn’t work for you doesn’t mean it’s completely ineffective. A lot of people find telecommuting as efficient as you find it inefficient. I think it’s more important for companies to assess whether people are utilizing the time productively. If nothing is getting done and operations are suffering, by all means, curtail the practice or severely restrict it. But, if it’s working for a company’s workforce, why should it be abolished just because some people have different preferences or life circumstances? I also think to say that business must always be done one way and only way is stifling/limiting and a big part of the problem, at least culturally. Sure, a company may not have a majority teleworking model, and that’s fine, but I still think it’s important to have the theoretical support for it, at the very least to accomodate random life happenings of people to make it just easier and more flexible for employees to work and do business. You are always going to have some jobs that by their nature are not remote-capable, and that’s fine, but to me, offering the capability and support for some remote delivery helps people be flexible/promotes work life balance, but also is in line with a more connected and electronic world.

          • Praxidike

            I don’t disagree with telecommuting simply because it doesn’t work for me. It DOES work for me, and I do it at least once every two weeks. I disagree with telecommuting because there is a significant potential for abuse, and in my industry that would spell bad news. And my experience has been that the female telecommuters in my company often DO use the flexibility of telecommuting as a sort of babysitting service.

            We still have almost a 100% telecommuting staff except for executives. Just because I don’t like it doesn’t mean we don’t do it. It just means I am very strict about productivity requirements for my telecommuters.

        • InfoGeek

          I don’t find working with telecommuters any harder than working with employees at our other facilities?

          Why should it matter to me if they’re at our HQ or our plant or at home? Our workforce is already spreadout, so it just doesn’t matter.

          It does mean that we have to be more intentional in our communication, but that’s good in many ways, too.

          • Veronique

            I agree. I work in a large company with locations all over the US and around the globe. I have an office, but work from home most of the time because a. I prefer it; and b. currently, I don’t work with anyone in my location, so it really makes no difference if I go into the office or not. If you work in a company where you’re regularly working with people in multiple offices, it makes very little difference where you work.

          • anon

            Agreed. Our workforce is spread out in four states – bosses here, there, co-workers in different time zones. Office or not, we connect via cell phone, internal IM and email. Works fine.

      • Susie

        My other issue is with training. I recently changed fields and it great to have everyone in the office so I can learn from them. The more people telecommute the less resources there are for the new employees.

        • Silicon valley chick

          But do you guys work in the same internet industry? Changes are of the moment, lots of brainstorming/trouble shooting minute to minute. Lots of group projects, lots of trickle down. Some industries work well with telecommuting, and of course the Bay Area is in the forefront of this. But for a company about to go bust and clearly lost…. Yahoo is no longer innovative, it is losing its smart people and it is not succeeding … they need everyone working as a unit. Conference calls cannot solve all problems.

          This is not a critique of telecommuting in general. Of course it can sometimes work, and the people who use it usually love it. But there are downsides that are felt more in some industries then others.

          My brother works in a mellow as hell academic department where most people telecommute. He finds the collaboration terrible, that innovation is lacking because people become too set on their own ideas and there is less of a team feel. There are downsides in the work world, regardless of the benefits in your personal life. It is the choice of you and your company as to your priorities.

    • Kontraktor

      This doesn’t seem like a woman/man issue to me. Flexibility, work life balance, and technology/changing ‘way we work’ dynamics are everybody’s issues, not just women’s. This seems like a person/life issue that isn’t great for a variety of reasons.

      1) this doesn’t seem to be in line with standards at other companies in the industry. I feel a lot of tech companies brand themselves as having a whole range of benefits, many of which include flexible work arrangements. And this is also becoming a general large corporation standard. So, to stop offering this capability seems a bit stupid from a competition perspective, when so many other companies offer this, what incentive is there to stay with a company that has a blanket ban when you can go somewhere else that will be a lot more accomodating?

      2) I have read this is just a stealth layoff campaign, in which case I feel it’s shady to be laying people off through ‘natural’ attrition without giving them a chance at severence, etc. Also, as sucky as targeted layoffs are, at least those are sometimes done with planning and deliberation. What happens here when a random portion of the work force jumps ship? Things will be worse off because the exodus will occur in a very helter-skelter/random way.

      3) Seems like this is just dumb because banning telework is just behind the times. Technology is changing. The face of business is changing. Pretending like we always have to do work in-person from our desks is to ignore that this is the internet age where a lot happens remotely. Even if our work is not remote, clients/service offerings/etc. often are. Also, if we want society to change and work life balance options to change, companies need to understand that at minimum, the occasional amount of flexibility is going to promote that. What does it say about a company that refuses to let an employee stay home occasionally and work to accomodate whatever thing (personal illness, sick family member, cable guy coming, weather incidents, etc)? What values is that super restrictive attitude promoting? That doesn’t help anybody, men or women. Nobody is saying that everybody has to telework 100% all the time. But having the ability there and the support allows people to be more flexible and deal with things that come up in life vs. being forced to not work at all or make way more drastic choices than they might have had to otherwise if their company just let them work from home now and again.

      • anon

        This is what I was saying. This is totally out of line with industry standard, and for all it’s “campus” aesthetic, Google doesn’t have an issue with telecommuting (and has said they’ll be happy to take on any talent that doesn’t like this decision from Yahoo.)

        It does seem like a stealth layoff, that’s sort of the scuttlebut, but that’s why it seems sketch. You can posit that it’s to get rid of people who ‘aren’t really working’ but I don’t think the research backs up that telecommuters generally aren’t working. It will, however, likely get rid of a lot of parents who value the ability to telecommute sometimes. That seems unfortunate.

        • Maddie Ross

          This is purely anecdoctal based on my experience, but I know a lot more non-parents who telecommute than parents. I know a lot of parents with flexible schedules that often include one day out of the office, which may entail some working at home, but the people I know who truly work every day from a home office are mostly non-parents working in a remote location or who don’t want the hassle of a difficult commute.

          • anon too

            That may be so, but the question isn’t who telecommutes more, but who is more likely to leave for another company because telecommuting isn’t an option

        • Wow.

          I bet everyone that’s advocating against telecommuting are the same people concerned with face time – and not just their own, but everyone else’s. I guarantee it. You’re the same busybodies obsessed with making sure everyone else is working just as hard as you, and who “notice” if someone comes in late or leaves early.

  8. Hollis Doyle

    Any suggestions on where to find biz casual work dresses that aren’t too expensive and are longer? I need at least 41″ length to be appropriate. I bought the Land’s End wrap-dress in tall and it’s a perfect length.

    • Maddie Ross

      The GAP wrap dresses in tall/long are a great length if you’re on the taller side and are very reasonably priced.

      • Sugar Magnolia

        I am going to have to look at this too. I generally only like the “faux wrap” style like the Lands End dress, but I will check out the Gap. I am tall as well, and it is hard to find things that are an appropriate work length.

    • LH

      Others on here have recommended Talbotts and I have found them long enough for me (5’11”)

    • Anonymous

      Ann Taylor and Boden dresses also come in tall. And Talbots dresses (regular sizes) are longer than most. Gap and Banana Republic also have tall dresses.

      • Parfait

        I’m 5’10” and the Boden talls are too tall for me. Second them as a resource for the lengthy among us.

  9. Lynnet

    My husband got a job and we’re moving in the near future. Since I’m still looking, I’d like to put some of my copious free time into making our new place look like somewhere grown-ups live. Every other move we’ve made we did a wonderful job with about half the unpacking, and then got bored/tired/life intervened, and the other half of the unpacking kind of didn’t happen. Does anyone have any amazing unpacking/moving in strategies that might keep this from happening?

    Also, now that we have a little money to play with, I’d like to put some time into interior design. Tips/websites for someone who is severely aesthetically challenged?

    • mascot

      Professional packers/unpackers would be a start. I wish I had been able to get my house decluttered more before our packers came. The boxes that we haven’t unpacked are from closets that were full of misc. junk so they require me actually going through them. Next time I will do a huge purge so anyone can unpack.

      • Pip

        +1 on purge before packing because those boxes of random junk really suck up energy. You feel like you´re not finished moving in until you have unpacked all the boxes, but on the other hand there is nothing in those boxes that you need or have a place for, so they remain in a pile of shame. Puuuurge!

    • Nancy P

      I was actually looking for design ideas yesterday, and spent a good hour on HGTV’s website. They have loads of different rooms and you can flag ones that are your favorites. I got some really good ideas there (for example, baby’s room could be a darker charcoal with bright blue pops; different textures of pillows are neat; I love print fabrics on chairs). It’s amazing how, if you look at 200 living rooms, you can at least identify what you like and don’t like.

    • Sydney Bristow

      Check out the website/ipad app Houzz for inspiration and ideas. People do some beautiful rooms and there is often information provided on the individual pieces if you see something you love and want to buy.

    • NYNY

      Apartment therapy dot com is great on design, with a focus on small spaces. Even if you’re moving to a house, there’s good stuff there and lots of new posts daily.

    • wintergreen126

      My roommate and I moved this summer, and as far as unpacking and moving-in, get rid of as much junk as you can. And lists! I’m a list-happy person. We made a plan as to what we were unpacking (other than pulling out daily essentials) and when, like the kitchen one day, then the living room the next. We got everything done in a few days and without feeling overwhelmed. Trying to do everything at once is exhausting.

    • Laura B

      I’m slightly obsessed with interior design/home decor. Pinterest is your friend in collecting and organizing ideas. Apartment Therapy home tours and home decor/DIY blogs (Apartment Therapy just did their annual Homies awards, which would be a great place to start looking for blogs) are awesome. Young House Love is my personal favorite blog.

  10. A Series of Unfortunate Events

    Semi-regular poster, anon for this.

    Advice please Hive!
    First – my soon-to-be sister in law has had a rough few days. Her long time pet passed away and they had to put her grandfather in hospice 2 days after. I wanted to do something nice for her this week (beyond sending flowers). We don’t live close enough for personal contact, but thought I could maybe send her something? Any ideas?
    Second – the (male) friend who introduced me and my SO was recently diagnosed with cancer. We’re in our late 20s, and though I know friends of friends with cancer, this is a first for me for close friends. Chemo starts this week. What can I say/do for him?

    Definitely a series of unfortunate events… TIA.

    • MB

      I would send something to take her mind off things. Does she read? Maybe you could personally pick out a couple of paperback books and write a nice message inside the covers and send them to her.

    • LLBMBA

      If you can, go visit your friend when he’s having chemo/staying at the hospital. My friend said she was just super bored. I think company would be very appreciated.

    • Lynnet

      Your sister-in-law might appreciate a personal call and a gift certificate to a restaurant nearby? When so much crazy is going on in life it’s hard to find time to cook and eat real meals.

      I also don’t know anyone going through chemo, but I feel like light reading material might be appreciated? You know you’re friend’s tastes better than I, but I feel like the male equivalent of chick lit is the Tom Clancy style thriller, so that might be a good place to start.

    • TBK

      Oh how terrible. On the second one, I have no suggestions since this isn’t something I’ve dealt with myself. But on the first, I think it can really depend on the person. I’m the sort of person who would love a beautifully framed photo of my pet, while my husband hates to look at things that remind him of those he’s lost. Can you ask your fiance/brother (can’t tell if she’s soon-to-be because she’s your fiance’s sister or your brother’s fiancee — probably brother’s fiancee since otherwise it would be your fiance’s grandfather, too?) what she might prefer? Options would be a nice photo of her pet, a gift certificate (to a restaurant, spa, dinner delivery service, or maid service), a box of fun little things (mindless magazines, a paperback, sparkly nail polish, a fun pen, etc.), something to read to her grandpa (whether he’s aware of what’s going on or not — it might be easier to have something to do so she feels like she’s interacting with him if she isn’t sure what to say to him). But whether she finds any of these comforting will probably really depend on what works for her. I’m sure whatever you send, though, she’ll feel very happy she’s gaining such a thoughtful person as an SIL.

    • Anonymous

      For cancer side, I lived with my aunt to help while she went through breast cancer treatment. chemo will make you tired – so anything that he enjoys that takes little energy – movies , books on tape/CD/audible.com, magazines, books. While getting the iv drip of treatment, you can’t do much – so company or something with little arm movement.

      Mostly -having someone to come and hang out, make food and clean up is useful – or help getting to and from treatments. It’s the day to day living that is hard.

      • SEATTLEITE

        If you live close, this this this.

        If not, letters and cards. The fatigue is also incredibly isolating.

        -almost done with chemo.

        • TBK

          Good to hear from you, Seattleite! Glad to hear the treatment is almost done!

          • Jules

            Yes, ditto! Glad you are nearly through the chemo. We’re all pulling for you.

  11. Blue

    If anyone needs a very basic ponte sheath dress, I just got this one from Lands End and really like it: http://www.landsend.com/pp/womens-sleeveless-ponte-sheath-dress-with-pockets~242219_59.html

    It’s very heavy (in a good way, some ponte stuff looks flimsy and cheap) and fits well. Also, it’s true to size (which is unusual for Lands End, usually I go 2 sizes down for their stuff).

    I probably wouldn’t pay the full $70 pricetag, but they’re always running 30% off sales.

    • Granola

      Thanks for posting. I just ordered this as there’s a 30% sale today on their website (+free shipping over $50).

  12. Anon

    TJ/rant:

    Does anybody else in NYC mistake your generosity and hospitality and take it for granted?

    • ouch

      When I transplanted from the midwest to the east coast, people kept mistaking my friendliness as flirtatiousness (um, no, just asking how your day is going). Not the same thing but I empathize.

      • TBK

        Ha! When I was living in the midwest and south, people thought I was grouchy/didn’t like them. Nope, just from the northeast.

    • anon

      Yes! I’m from California. Have been reminding myself lately to not be so nice to everyone and to not smile all the time. Sounds ridiculous, but on a daily basis people think I’m either flirting with them or pulling a fast one on them. Actually, the last straw was after I told my therapist it was fine for her to have lunch during one of our sessions because she was starving and then she kept doing it for the next few sessions while telling me how nice I was. Seriously?!?

  13. anon

    What type of tights/stockings and shoes would one wear with this dress in the winter? It looks great with bare legs . . . .

    • Lyssa

      You could probably get away with navy tights (though the overall look would be sort of dark and heavy), or maybe cream (though I tend to think cream/white tights look a little weird on an adult), but I think nude hose would be the best bet.

  14. Anon OP

    Hi guys, I would love some advice if anyone has been in a similar situation. My car (with me in it) was hit by another car over the weekend while I was stationary in a parking lot. I got the driver’s insurance information and I also have a witness to the incident (the parking lot attendant). It looks like my car only has scratches, but a fairly large area is scratched up. The driver of the other vehicle was extremely unpleasant, and told me I’d be “an idiot” to claim this on insurance as my rates would go up. Is this true? Why would my rates go up when she was clearly at fault? (I wasn’t moving, and she misjudged a turn and smacked into my car.) She took my insurance information as well – is that normal? I’ve never had to make a claim on insurance, and although I am really annoyed with the scratches that are now on my car, I don’t want my rates to go up for such a minor damage.

    • TBK

      I’m sure it depends what state you’re in, but when I got hit by a car (I was driving down the street and another car pulled out of a space and directly into me, then sped off) I don’t recall my rates going up. Exchanging information is common even if it seems clear that one person is at fault.

    • anon

      Whether YOUR rates go up depends on your insurance, and how they calculate not your fault damage into your rate…

      But the person who HIT you’s insurance will definitely go up, which is I am sure why she discouraged you from reporting it.

      Also, if the scratches span more than one ‘panel’ on your car, fixing it might cost a LOT more than you think.

      • Ann

        Agreed. It will add up. Go through the insurance and ignore the fact that the other person was rude. You won’t have to deal with them now that you have their insurance information anyway.

    • mamabear

      Don’t report it to your insurance. Report it to hers. She is 100% at fauly if you were not moving. Resist providing your insurance information to her insurance company.

      If there’s an idiot here, it’s the other driver, not you.

      • Bewitched

        Agree with Mamabear that you should call her insurance to file a claim-but be aware that the first thing they will ask is for your insurance. I was rear-ended by someone at a red light and that is what happened to me-but I did not see it as a red flag. Your insurance company is your advocate in this situation, not your enemy. Mine asked me if I wanted to get the repair done under my collision coverage while they negotiated with the other company-I said no, I would wait until the other company took responsibility (which was only a day or two). Again, I did speak with my carrier several times, and they were my advocate. I did not suffer any damage to my insurance rating as a result of the accident-it was 100% attributed to the other driver. My only advice is that if you have collision coverage on your own car, don’t use it. It is no-fault coverage, so your company will be glad to star the repair under your policy, but you don’t want that to happen. Good luck!

      • Laura B

        This. I was hit by a truck in a parking lot a couple months ago and the entire claim went through the other person’s insurance company. My insurance agent played the go between, but we actually never filed a claim with our insurance. According to my agent, if the other person/insurance would have been difficult/refused too cooperate nicely, then we would have filed with our insurance and they would have went after the other persons insurance.

    • PollyD

      I’ve been rear-ended (smashed into the car in front of me, so my hood was crumpled, but fixable, no engine damage) and had my car keyed (entire length of car, both sides) and had my windshield replaced 3 times within 1 to 1.5 years (thanks I-95 by Baltimore!). Reported all the incidents and had my insurance cover them and my rates have not gone up.

      That said, I have been with State Farm for 15+ years and have an old (12 years) car and no moving violations, so I don’t know if that plays into it.

    • Eleanor

      Yeah, this sounds like she was just trying to talk you out of reporting it to any insurance company, since her rates would certainly go up if her insurance company has to pay, which it sound like they would.

      I had something very similar happen to me once: another car backed into me while I was stationary in a parking lot. That driver also tried to talk me out of reporting the accident, and strongly suggested that it could be my fault (not sure how, since I was NOT MOVING). Needless to say, I did report it to his insurance company, his insurance company paid for repairs to my car, and my own insurance rates did not go up.

      Your insurance may work differently, but don’t let the other driver intimidate you.

    • MaggieLizer

      People get weird and defensive when they know they’ve done something wrong. I was in an accident once where the other driver ran a red light and hit me, and she told me, “This is going to be VERY expensive for BOTH of us, I sure hope you have good insurance.” Don’t be intimidated by silly posturing. And please go through insurance and don’t try to deal with the other driver to get your car fixed; you don’t need to expose yourself to any more crazy.

    • Praxidike

      Unlikely that your rates will go up UNLESS you have a lot of activity (meaning other accidents) on your insurance history. Or, at least, that’s the way it works at my company.

    • Anastasia

      I’m a little late in the day, but hopefully you’re still reading.

      I belive you are actually *required* to report this incident to your insurance, but you don’t need to file a claim through them… that should be handled between the two companies after you provide the other driver’s insurance information.

      Whether or not your rate goes up will depend on your company. I was very upset when mine went up after an incident in which the other driver was 100% at fault and his insurance paid for everything. The good thing is, because I was angry, I got quotes from other companies and now I’ve switched providers and am saving $300 per half year for the exact same coverage. So if your rate DOES go up, shop around. The new company did not count that incident against me.

  15. anon

    I love the dress, but do you have to have a prefect body to wear silk jersey — i.e. will it cling to every small bulge.

  16. Veronique

    My online recipe collection has outgrown pinterest, so I’m looking for an app, website or software to help me manage it. I’d like to be able to import recipes from various websites and organize them like a cookbook. Ideally, it should have seamless importation, allow me to change recipe quantities, create a grocery list and I’d like to access it on my iphone and pc. Any suggestions?

      • Lyssa

        Totally amazing. My method is a word document with bullet points for each recipe that I’d like to make, catagorized by meal type and main ingredient, showing where to find the recipe. It’s approaching 40 pages now. (I have a subscription to Bon Appetite, and it’s mostly references to issue/page number.) I’d love a better way.

      • In-House Optimist

        No suggestions, but I’m with Apple – it sounds amazing. If you find something that does this, please report back!

      • Blue Moon

        Agreed! If it doesn’t exist already, a tech-savvy ‘rette should jump on it!

    • Meal Planning

      I use www . plan to eat . com I think it does pretty much everything you listed with a low annual fee (less than $50).

    • AnnonFoo

      Excellent idea for an app, my recipe collection has outgrown evernote. I have always wanted to learn android app development, this seems like a good idea to play around with. Now if I only had time outside of my day job.

    • lizzie b.

      Try pepperplate – the website syncs with iphone/ipad aps, and it does pretty much everything you described.

    • Khar

      Pepperplate.com has integration with a lot of recipe websites and you can edit and adjust quantities.

    • midwest anon

      I do this via Evernote. It’s basically all I used it for, so it reads like a cookbook, but allows me to make changes to it and to cut and paste a grocery list out of the text of recipes. I don’t know of any specific app for the functions you seek but if there is one, I would be on board!

      • mascot

        Regular Evernote or Evernote Food? I want to like Evernote Food, but I can’t get it to connect to all the food websites I like, at least from my iPad app.

    • Veronique

      Thanks for the suggestions! I think I might download pepperplate (free) as well as start the 30 day free trial of Plantoeat to see how they compare. I’ll report back with my results.

      Other options (from comments on a kitchn post from last year):
      -Ziplist, though the commenter said that she recently upgraded to plantoeat and likes it better
      -BigOven
      -ShopNCook
      -Springpad (doesn’t have the options I want, but may help someone else)

      If you use your tablet as a cookbook while you cook, I highly recommend the Joseph Joseph cookbook stand to hold your tablet. It’s sturdy and easy to use; protects your tablet from messy work surfaces; and collapses like a book, so that it’s easy to store. I use it almost every day!

    • RR

      Paprika. It has mostly seamless integration with most major recipe sites, has iPhone/iPad app versions and computer versions, makes grocery lists, etc. etc. etc.

      • Plan B

        I’ve heard good things about Paprika as well, but haven’t gotten around to trying it yet.

  17. Houda

    I am just back from a 1 to 1 with a senior manager at our company. The least I can say is that it was awkward.
    I was to explain my entire action plan in under 20 minutes so was already stressed.
    I guess he has allergies because he kept doing a weird thing with his tongue somehow trying to scratch his inner ear and whatnot.
    My ADHD brain wouldn’t let go, each time he’d do that sound, I would stop talking, stare at him for 5 seconds thinking that he sounds like a turkey especially with the neck moves, then my brain wanders somewhere and then I realize he is there expecting me to talk about my projects so I start talking again.
    I hope I didn’t make him feel weird. Why am I THAT awkward, couldn’t I just ignore that sound.
    Sometimes I just hate how my brain works

    • LilyB

      this made me laugh really hard because I thought I was the only person in the world who did that weird ear-itching throat maneuver. But I definitely wouldn’t do it in a professional setting…. I try to limit it to when I’m alone! Poor guy, maybe his ear really itched!!!

  18. anon for this

    First-world question: for all you engaged and married ladies, what’s the protocol on telling your colleagues about your engagement?

    For context, I’m not wearing a sparkly ring, but BF and I have had the conversation, started looking at calendars, making plans, etc. Our families and close friends know that we’re planning to get married, but we probably won’t make a point of being more public until we have a firm plan to share. I work in a small, close-knit office–do I need to think at all about how this information is eventually prioritized? (Ie, do I tell my boss first or do I tell my closer colleagues first?)

    • Cat

      Although I haven’t seen this used for engagements, a common approach for pregnancies is to tell your boss, but then only a few closer colleagues, and ask them to spread the word on your behalf, thereby minimizing the number of people at work that you have to tell yourself.

      I’d mention it first to Boss so that he/she hears it directly from you – something like “Oh, I have good news from this weekend, Fiance and I have decided to get married.” For the close colleagues, you could also ask them to give others the heads-up that you decided not to get an engagement ring, which will hopefully minimize awkward OMG LET ME SEE hand grabs.

    • mascot

      I think you can tell whoever you like and in whatever order. For a wedding/honeymoon, you likely aren’t missing that much work, similar to a long vacation. So there isn’t that much accomodating around your schedule that will happen. Pregnancy and maternity leave on the other hand (or another major medical/leave issue) affect the company more, hence why you go to your boss first. This also is a know your office thing so if your boss needs lots of lead time for anyone taking time off or is very involved in people’s personal lives, then act accordingly.

    • Parfait

      I don’t think you have to tell anybody until you have a firm plan. But I am weird and like to keep things close to the vest until others NEED to know.

      • anon for this

        Yeah, that’s me, too! But it also seems like it is something that one’s colleagues will want to know–just because it is nice to be happy for other people, I guess? And perhaps because it would be perceived as odd if I *didn’t* say anything? I don’t know. Unfortunately, there are no examples I can follow, so I guess I’ll just have to bite the bullet when the time comes.

  19. alice

    The Tory Burch dress you have featured here is on sale at tory burch website and they have an additional 25 % off with the code that is on top of website.

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