Tuesday’s TPS Report: BCBGMAXAZRIA Printed Silk Dress

143 Comments

1. Cute dress, but I think I’d have a hard time pulling it off at work.

   I hate to threadjack already, but I’ve been wanting to ask this for awhile … do you ladies have any recommendations for underwear for long-waisted, pear-shaped ladies? I’m a size 10. Mediums don’t fully cover my butt, while the larges look baggy and gross. I hate thongs and refuse to wear them. I’ve been wearing bikinis, but maybe girl shorts or boy shorts are the way to go? I want something that’s mostly seamless under work pants.

   1. I’m a long-waisted pear shape! I exclusively wear boy shorts under work pants and skirts. I got some at a department store that are thin lace with no seams, so they don’t show. The ones I always get are kind of low-rise so that they literally only cover my butt

      1. I swear by the cotton knit boxer briefs sold in three packs by the register at H&M (the ones that are actually in the men’s section are diferent). I wear small or medium (normally I’m a size 4-6 petite). This avoids VPL, they are super comfy, and it’s one of the only cuts that stays put on my pear shaped rear without riding up AND has no VPL. I have never found “girl shorts” or “boy shorts” cuts that do so. The longer leg of the boxer briefs are what keeps them in place. Hanes ( I think) does make boxer briefs for women but they have this weird seaming on the backside that shows through clothes sometimes. The H&M ones do not have a little pocket or opening in front the way traditional men’s boxers do so I am pretty sure these are gender neutral. Hope that helps!

         1. Also, FWIW, I have been told by a couple different guys that they think they are cute, so if that’s a criteria that’s important to you. . . there you go : )

            1. Oh, the days when that was an important criteria for me… :)

      2. I typically wear boy shorts with a lower rise as well. There are lots of seamless varieties, but some still show if you have bigger thighs. If that is not an issue or if you have wide-leg pants, there is no VPL at all.

      3. I had to stop wearing boy shorts because they just lowered the VPL to my thigh as opposed to my rear. They also seem to bunch up in the thigh area as well. I don’t know, maybe I just haven’t found the right ones. I just switched to seamless briefs and I’m pretty happy with the results.

   2. I’m not pear shaped, but I am high waisted. I like high cut panties. These are full coverage like briefs or bikinis on the butt, but they are cut very high on the hips. They come up higher on the waist than boyshorts do, but not as high as briefs.

      1. Victoria Secret has some good seamless bikini cut undies. I usually get a size up so there’s no tug–not pearshaped, though.

   3. Another long-waisted pear shape! After trying all sorts of cuts and brands at all sorts of price points, I pretty much only wear these http://www.polyvore.com/old_navy_womens_black_jack/thing?id=13060359 . They’re comfortable, actually cover my butt without riding up and no VPL. Unfortunately, it looks like Old Navy no longer sells them, at least not online. Maybe it’s just temporary… :( I’m going to scour my local Old Navy store and outlet to see if I can stock up on more.

      1. I agree with the old navy mesh hipsters, though I haven’t seen them in stores lately (they don’t last very long, I’ve found, because they’re mesh. Or perhaps my washer is harsher than it should be). If you see them, grab a pack while you can, I guess.

         1. Mine have lasted a long time, but I always wash in cold water and often on delicate, then hang to dry. Have you found anything else that has a similar fit?

            1. i try to wash them on delicate, but I don’t put them in a lingerie bag or anything, so perhaps they’re catching on other clothes.

               I got some hipster underwear at victoria’s secret at the semi-annual sale that seem to be similar. I’m not sure what line they are, but they’re the seamless, supposedly no-vpl kind

   4. I got a bunch of barely there bikinis at an outlet and i have been very happy with them.

2. I’m sorry but this print is making me seasick.
   I like the winter styling suggestion, but would wear prefer that all with a much less turbulent pattern.

   1. I’m with you. I want to love that pattern but just can’t. It is a bit conspicuous for me. The cut of the dress is great, however.

3. I like the colors and the pattern, but I’m concerned about how wide it makes the model’s shoulders look.

   1. As someone who has no shoulders, it might actually work to give me the appearance of some.

      1. I have no shoulders too! Problem is, I’ve gotten so used to it that when I find something that enhances my shoulders I feel like a football player.

4. Speaking of nude shoes, patent nude pumps are for summer only right? I just got a chocolate brown with small cream pinstripe suit and don’t know what shoes to wear with it. Brown shoes I guess but I don’t have any yet. Anyone have recs for brown shoes. Close to $50 or under would be best

   1. Maybe I’m in the minority, but I think black shoes would be fine with that suit.

   2. Do you have any shoes in the purple/aubergine/mauve family?

   3. I’d go for taupe shoes. If your nude shoes are more of a taupe or beige I think they’re fine, but if they’re more toward ivory or very light beige I’d say they’re for summer.

      Burgundy or aubergine shoes would look nice.

   4. Oh, speaking (again) of nude shoes, something like 2 years ago (so you see the impression it left), I saw this attorney wearing the most fabulous gold shoes for arguments in court. She was was caucasian, and wearing an otherwise unremarkable black suit with bare (or nude hose) legs, but the shoes were the most perfect shade of gold- not sparkly, but very, very subtle. They had all of the benefits of nude shoes- made her legs look like they went on forever, were a perfect neutral, but the gold gave them just a little bit of fabulous.

      I’ve been dying to find a pair like that since then, but haven’t seen any that aren’t flashy or platformed or otherwise inappropriate. But they were just gorgeous.

      Unfortunately, I saw her after she left the courtroom (not back at the office or outside, but just after leaving the courtroom), and she had immediantly changed into Uggs, which ruined the whole effect. But the gold shoes were lovely.

      1. Born (love!) calls that color ‘pana cotta’, ‘champagne metallic’, or ‘silver’; soft, matte shimmer less than reflective foily sparkle.

         1. I’ll try looking for those!

      2. I am always on the look out for matte metallics for day wear (gold, silver/pewter, copper/bronze). Not only shoes, but other accessories as well. For the very reasons you stated. They can sub for neutrals but done well, they kick up the chic factor a notch or two.

         I think the shiny, sparkly metallics are best for evening.

   5. Brown or nude would be your best options. I definitely would not wear black shoes with that suit. Something like these:

      http://www.dsw.com/shoe/jones+new+york+delmonaco+pump?prodId=200080&productRef=SEARCH
      http://www.dsw.com/shoe/jessica+simpson+secert+pump?prodId=221864&productRef=SEARCH
      http://www.dsw.com/shoe/liz+claiborne+johnnie+pump?prodId=194548&productRef=SEARCH
      http://www.dsw.com/shoe/jones+new+york+mirinesse+snake+pump?prodId=dsw12prod2080005&productRef=SEARCH

   6. thanks everyone! love the dsw shoes and the idea of a mauve shoe

5. Question unrelated to the dress: I am a partner, and recently I got an email report from a first-year associate that included an obvious error, which struck me as not just a typo but a grammatical error (“your” instead of “you’re”). I haven’t worked with her much, and this kind of mistake sets my teeth on edge, gives me a poor first impression of her writing abilities, and could well have the same impact on other partners. What should I do about it – tell her, or let it go and see if it happens in something more formal in the future?

   1. I’d let it go if it was a one-time error but would mention it if it’s a repeat offense. I’m very particular about grammar, spelling and punctuation myself (my boss calls me the “word police”) and it made me want to crawl under my desk when I realized I misspelled a word in an email I sent to my supervisor this morning but I don’t think your situation is a big deal.

      1. Same here, but I still make them and kick myself immediately after sending. I think a gentle reminder would be appropriate, but everyone makes mistakes, particularly as a first year.

   2. This happened to me as a summer associate (as in, I made the error). I sent an email to an associate with a typo that looked like a grammatical error (I wrote pled instead of plead). The associate just forwarded the email to one of the managing partners. Oops. The partner sent me a polite email that started with a sentence that was something like, “I’m sure this was a typo, but just in case…” I was hugely embarrassed, but it taught me a good lesson to proof read everything I sent everyone. So, I think it was best in the long run.

      1. Ok, now you have me nervous – plead is the word that rhymes with bleed and pled is the word that rhymes with bed right? So pled is past tense of plead?

         And we wonder why so many lawyers have anxiety problems.

         1. It’s archaic, and I hate how it sounds, but “pleaded” is technically the correct choice.

         2. Yeah, the partner told me that pled is sometimes used as a past tense, but most people prefer pleaded. I think either is grammatically correct, but to conform to the typical style, I now use pleaded.

   3. I’d tell her quietly. When I was a first year associate, I craved feedback from the partners so that I could improve my skills. She’d probably appreciate the advice now rather than to keep on making the mistake and fall on her face later. It may be a typo, but she may simply not have learned that grammatical rule properly.

   4. Did it only happen once? It’s not uncommon for people to know the difference but be writing quickly and just type the wrong one since they’re typing based on what they hear in their head. * It’s not necessarily indicative of lack of knowledge. If her work is fine in general, I’m not sure one typo should be treated as a big deal; we all make them and that’s why we have several levels of review of important documents. If it happens repeatedly, then I’d say it’s time for a talk.

      Of course, I guess none of that matters if the firm culture is that typos are absolutely unacceptable; in that case, she deserves a heads up and a warning that if she’s going to go anywhere at the firm, she needs to proof-read meticulously.

      * If I got through that whole sentence without messing up any of the homonyms, it will be a miracle.

   5. You should let it go. This was a phonetics mistake. I’m sure she knows the difference between “your” and “you’re.” Especially if this was a quick email, it hardly reflects on her writing abilities. Think of all the times that people on Corporette correct their typos/spelling substitutions the second they read their posts. If it recurs, or if it appears in more important writings (indicating that she doesn’t proofread), then it’s worth bringing up.

      1. I am completely on the other side of this. I would probably judge her for it, like the OP, and I would also say something to her to make sure that it was just a mistake and not a regular thing.

         My firm is currently searching for a spring semester law clerk. I got about 35 applications, several of which spelled either my name or the firm’s name incorrectly. I did not even bother to look at those applications. If someone can’t spend the time to make sure words in a cover letter and/or resume are spelled correctly, then my assumption is that they either don’t need/want the job, or they have crappy attention to detail. I am not interested in any of those possibilities.

         1. I think there is a huge difference between misspelling a name on a job application and one grammar/typo mistake in an everyday email.

   6. I would gently say something. I’m sure she knows the difference, but she should get into the habit of quickly proofreading any emails she sends to partners/clients/etc. Spell check won’t pick up on little irritating mistakes like this. I often catch extra words that I accidentally leave in–a “by” or a “for”–when I have edited a sentence in an email. Mistakes like this make it confusing for the reader and can make the sender appear careless.

      1. I agree. I would give this person a heads up in the spirit of helping them. What if she honestly didn’t know she messed up? I don’t think it would hurt to make sure. Might lower the OP’s blood pressure in the future, too.

   7. I’m with you about the you’re/your thing making me crazy (about as crazy as the they’re/there/their thing). But I’d let it go this time. It was an internal email and not a document filed with a court or sent to opposing counsel (I’m not saying one should never proof-read emails – but a typo in an internal email is far from the end of the world). My guess, it was probably just a mistake. If you see her doing it again or other similar spelling/grammatical sloppiness then definitely talk to her.

   8. I’d be on the side of saying something to her. All judgments, etc. aside, the best superiors are the ones who communicate their expectations. If the OP’s expectation is that there are no typos in a report email, then there you go.

      “This kind of mistake sets my teeth on edge, gives me a poor first impression of her writing abilities, and could well have the same impact on other partners.”

      I would want to know that if I were the junior person in this scenario.

      1. This is a good point. My personal opinion is that the OP might want to go easier on people she supervises in terms of forming mental opinions, but barring that, informing her is definitely the way to go. I shouldn’t conflate the two.

      2. I agree. It sounds like the issue is about her proofreading emails before she sends them, not whether or not she knows the difference between your and you’re. The truth is you have already judged her for this and it gave you a bad impression. She should know this so she can act accordingly. Then, if it happens again, you’ll know you have a bigger issue–someone receiving feedback and not acting upon it.

   9. Personally, I think there is a big difference between an e-mail and a more formal memo in terms of proofreading, but still…you are a partner, and I know I would have tried to make any communication error-free.

      If it made a bad impression on you…mention it. Replying to her e-mail with a “Thank you for that…blah blah blah…by the way you might want to watch your typos.” I don’t think you need to draw attention to the mistake particularly, since she’ll probably read the e-mail in horror and any mistakes she made will pop out at her. She’ll be horribly embarrassed but in the end it’ll be a benefit to her that she knows the standard for emails is no less than the standard for any written work.

   10. Perhaps the context could give you an idea whether it was a typo or whether she doesn’t know how to use your v. you’re. I see “your welcome” frequently, which makes me think those people don’t know they should be using “you’re” in that context.

       1. Along those lines, any thoughts on whether (and how) to comment on an assistant’s frequent email response of “yur welcome”?

          1. Oh please, any advice on this?? I work with a support person who constantly writes “doc’s” instead of “docs.” It drives me CRAZY. Nothing belongs to those documents! Every time she writes it to me I write back to her immediately without the apostrophe, but it never sinks in. Makes me feel a little better though….

             1. Actually, I think your support person is correct. “Doc” is itself an abbreviation, and you can use an apostrophe after an abbreviation to demonstrate that the term is plural. Would you say pdfs or pdf’s?

             2. LawyrChk, I have to respectfully disagree. I do not believe that an apostrophe is a proper way to make an abbreviation plural. To use your example, I would absolutely write “pdfs,” not “pdf’s.” As a former English major and member of the grammar police, I’d love for someone to answer this definitively.

             3. According to Grammar Girl, the correct way is PDFs. She does say that there are some holdouts to PDF’s, but the New York Times recently changed to the PDFs format, and that is what she identifies as correct.

                That is also what my former English major/grammar police self says.

             4. But if the NYT just switched, surely both usages are correct even if one is “preferred” (I always omit the apostrophe myself). It’s not like there’s an actual body that hands down rules; the borders on these things are always going to be fuzzy.

             5. Former English teacher/editor- it’s definitely PDFs, CDs, etc. The only time one uses the apostrophe is if there would be confusion without it- e.g. A’s on a report card.

             6. This conversation worried me, so I looked up the answer. According to the Chicago Manual of Style, the answer is

                No apostrophe is used when using capital letters, abbreviations that contain no interior periods, and numeral used as nouns. (Examples: the three Rs, the 1990s, IRAs)

                Use an apostrophe when using lowercase letters and abbreviations with two or more interior periods or with both capital and lowercase letters. (Example: x’s and y’s)

                According to this then, the support person is correct when adding an apostrophe to the abbreviation doc because it is lowercase.

   11. Can you mark up the document (on paper or electronically, whatever is appropriate) and return it with a note saying “I expect this is a typo, but please note that this usage is not correct.” I don’t think this issue requires that the associate be “spoken to.”

       1. that seems way worse. As a junior associate I would feel awful if someone did that to me. Also I would kind of hate the partner – I would be thinking, What, she doesn’t have 3 seconds to come and talk to me? I would feel much better, and get the point just as well, if you came to me privately and said, “You probably know this already, but lawyers are real sticklers for grammar and spelling. You made a tiny mistake and I know it was just a typo, but some people would unfairly judge you on that. Even though it was a quick email you should always proofread your work. Luckily it was only an email and not in a huge memo where it really would have mattered!”

          1. This. This way it comes across as mentoring and not as much like annoyed peevishness (aka reality).

          2. I like this approach.

          3. I also like this approach. Please do not print out the email and mark it up with a red pen. I’d be mortified if a partner did that to me.

             1. Ok maybe I have been practicing too long but partners used to do this all the time, to everyone, when I was a junior associate. I never took it personally. Practicing in Big Law I generally don’t have time to discuss every typo with a junior. Nor do I get peeved necessarily unless it’s a court document. If I were the junior I’d much rather get the note than sit there trying to defend/justify myself in person while feeling mortified. It just seems much more easy, breezy to me than a sit down. I guess I’m in the minority. I also expect that she does know the difference and the best option is probably to let it go.

             2. Good point about discussion in person vs. writing it down. I would prefer a quick, gentle email back. That way I can just say “Oops, sorry” and privately be embarrased rather than turn bright red in front of the person. Printing the paper and handling it seems much more serious to me for some reason.

   12. If the e-mail was intended to be just a quick note to you, I’d let it go this time. If the e-mail was intended to be work product that will either be forwarded internally or to a client, or be part of a file, I would send her back an e-mail that says something along the lines of “Thanks, this is what I needed. I caught a typo in it (‘your’ instead of ‘your’re’), so before I forward to XYZ/include it in the file, why don’t you resend it to me with that word corrected.”

       This is taking a page from the old parenting advice – offer an opportunity of redemption when you point out a mistake. The opportunity to fix something is so much more effective than just being told you messed up.

       BUT if it truly doesn’t matter, let it go until you see a pattern.

       1. This.

   13. Tell her, but gently. Hopefully she knows the difference and just goofed up. Better to communicate openly with your colleagues than carry a grudge, even if unwittingly.

   14. I find this thread disheartening. It is one thing to demand perfection in work product that matters (filings, communications to clients, etc.). It’s quite another to take time point out a simple typo in an internal email. This kind of hyper-perfectionism is why lawyers are so exceedingly stressed. We send hundreds of emails in a day. Even the most diligent associates (and partners) can’t catch every mistake — especially given the time crunch under which most communication is sent. If you observe a pattern of carelessness, that’s an entirely different story. But is an honest mistake of the type that all of us have made many times over really worth causing this associate embarrassment and pain?

       1. This! I would feel so small and be completely beside myself if someone sent an email back to me or felt the need to talk to me about a small typo in an internal email.

          That said, if this is a pattern (i.e., we have a secretary who if you email them “thank you” for anything, she responds with “your welcome” — that makes me crazy because it happens every.darn.day), then address it. One time error, you’re liable to ultimately lose an otherwise good associate. Or cause her to lose confidence in herself.

       2. I can see how it would seem nit picky, but I viewed it differently. Different people have things that get them–I used to work at a place where the word “significantly” was never to be used–and I think it’s better to learn sooner rather than later about those stylistic expectations. If I know that someone will notice and be bothered by a grammatical misstep, I’ll be doubly sure to give emails a once-over.

          It kind of reminds me of the never-season-your-meal-before-tasting-it-at-an-interview thing. Should people really cast judgment about when you season your food? Probably not, but some of them do, so it’s better to know that and act accordingly.

       3. Same here. I would also think it very very artificial.

          I see emails from senior people and between senior people, often substantive important emails with a lot of careless, obvious typos. So someone telling me that a minor typo in an internal email sent only to them is very important – lowers my opinion of them. Not that I don’t proofread the emails I send, I do and think everyone should and not that you necessarily care at all if the first year thinks badly of you. Just my two cents.

          I am also 100% sure the associate knows the grammatical difference between your and you’re.

       4. It is stressful, but the way I look at it, the client is paying hundreds of dollars an hour for my time whether I’m drafting internal reports or memos to be filed. They deserve me to be paying attention. And, not paying attention to typos could translate to not paying attention to other details. Like it or not, the law is a detail-oriented profession, and a client’s case can occasionally turn on something incredibly small. The sooner a lawyer learns that, the better.

          I once had a client call my supervising partner and then call me because I omitted a word from an enclosure letter. Was it tiny and not a big deal? Yes. Was he absolutely correct that he should expect better attention to detail in professional documents? Yes.

       5. I find this thread disheartening. I can’t believe this is how you lawyers actually interact with one another. A typo of no consequence in internal work product? Really? I’m a spelling and grammar perfectionist, but really, now.

   15. I’m a third year associate and I would think that the partner was a total jerk if they pointed out that sort of typo in an internal email. Clearly the associate should be careful but it’s a minor mistake on an internal email. If it were going to the client, then sure, but just to you? I think pointing it out is a bit much unless it were to happen again. The associate knows the difference or he/she wouldn’t have gotten a job at your firm. It was clearly an accident and one that is easy to miss even if you read over your email.

       1. You’d be surprised at how many people don’t know the difference. I wouldn’t count on it being a typo.

          1. Fair enough. But I’d wait until I’d noticed a pattern. I’m sure the associate’s nervous enough as it is and good impressions go both ways.

          2. Anyone here willing to admit they’re unclear on usage? I’d put the odds of this associate not actually knowing right around a tenth of a percent.

          3. I support someone who writes legal opinions for a living who doesn’t know the difference between past and passed. So no, I would not assume this person knows your from you’re.

             1. Knowing the difference and not catching the difference (repeatedly) aren’t the same thing. I think it’s more common for someone to write “a lot” as “alot” and not know the difference. But what do eye no? Get it? (So cheesy, sorry).

       2. I’m sorry, but even if the mistake is in an internal e-mail, as the recipient I would wonder to myself whether, if the associate can’t be bothered to get it right in a low-stress situation, can I trust him or her with getting it right in a more important external communication? Senior associates and partners are always thinking of how the firm is perceived by clients and other outsiders, and this is one example of creating and maintaining a culture of excellence.

          1. But they also need to be thinking about whether they’re going to burn out their staff to a point where they can’t retain quality people or get quality work out of the ones they have left. (Yeah, I know, the hyper-perfectionist atmosphere works for some people and if that’s the atmosphere you’re going for, by all means have at it. But there are consequences to that as well.)

   16. Let it go. Everyone makes mistakes. If it happens again, then say something.

   17. I would say something to her, nicely – this kind of mistake is, sadly, not something that people catch every time. (Kind of like it’s/its, GAH!)

   18. OP here. Thank you for all the feedback. The reason for my writing to ask what I should do is that I am concerned that she doesn’t know the difference between “your” and “you’re.” If I thought it were just a typo it wouldn’t bother me. I’m not sure if we’ll end up with any written work product in this case, but if we do I’ll let her know gently–or at least as gently as I can–about any grammatical errors.

       1. The fact that you are even asking what you should do means that you are far more considerate than many partners in the legal profession. If someone is going to call her out on typos and poor grammar, it should be you! At least you’ll have some gentleness/ tact.

   19. I would not mention anything unless it becomes a pattern.

       If you do decide to say something to the associate, consider starting with acknowledging that everyone makes these mistakes, and perhaps even sharing a personal story about one time that you made a similar error.

       Frankly, if I were this associate and you brought up the one grammatical mistake that I made in an email (and you didn’t at the very least take the approach I suggest above), I’d be proof-reading every single thing that YOU send to ME for all eternity, and I’d have to sit on my hands to not call you out on your mistakes (you are eventually going to make one). Perhaps I’m just an enormous brat?

       The thing that keeps me from going over the ledge when I discover a mistake that I’ve made is the realization that everyone — no matter how careful — makes mistakes.

       1. Same here. I’m a grammar police kind of girl, but every now and then something slips through and I feel like a total idiot because I can see it sitting there in my sent box. Obviously if it were written work product going to a client or for broader distribution you should get it corrected (the approach of having her re-send in a clean email is fantastic) but really? really?? I know the difference between it’s//its, their/they’re/there, your/you’re, and every other homophone, but sometimes things just get by. I think anything going to a more senior person should of course be proofread meticulously, but mistakes happen. From a quick internal email, note it, move on, and hopefully it will never be an issue again.

       2. The difference is, an associate doesn’t get to demand perfection from a partner. A partner does get to demand perfection from associates.

          1. No, but it can matter what associates think. I know quite a few associates who have left to work at client firms and are in a position to direct/not direct work back to their old firm.

   20. I’d recommend “The elements of style” to anyone who makes these errors (once is ok, any more and you should give feedback). Brilliant book and easy to read and absorb.

6. The print is gross; it really hurts my eyes :(

7. Can I mention how much I love Lord & Taylor? It may be the most underrated department store (at least in NYC).

   1. I agree! It’s almost always empty, there is a whole floor devoted to petites and another for plus sizes…. they almost always have great sales (coupons on website). . . and sometimes, rather randomly, you come in and they serve you champage for some promotion or other.
      It can be a little frumpy but there is enough there than I invariably walk out with something.

      1. I am actually amazed that it is always so empty. L&T could dominate a market of young female professionals who want clothes that are more upscale than those at Macy’s but less expensive than Bloomingdales or Saks. There has to be a huge demographic for this store, but L&T has not yet figured out how to target those people.

         1. I think one reason is that their online site is so poor. I find it very difficult to find anything on the L & T site and they have a limited selection online (they have TONS more inventory in store). I tend to buy the majority of my clothes from Nordstrom online, mostly because they have really fast shipping, a very user friendly site, and an amazing return policy.

            I agree that their store is great though, and I also agree that they need to figure out a way to target a younger demographic because some of their clothes are very cute. Whenever I walk in there, I see mostly middle aged women. Their dress selection in particular is fabulous.

            1. Their online site is not the best but I have found great stuff on there. ITA about the comment from EC MD about formal/semiformal wear. I have found fabulous things at L&T online that I didn’t see anywhere else. And the prices are great too. After Christmas, they had Tahari and other suits for under $99 with 20% off on top of that – great if you are starting out and building a wardrobe. I wonder what the issue is with their marketing – it seems like Nordstrom has really figured out that there is a market out there of young women looking for business-appropriate attire and tapped into it. L&T could take a page out of Nordstrom’s book.

         2. I also find L&T extremely useful for formal and semiformal wear. It has the right mix of grownup (definitely not PROM) but not mother of the bride either. I found the price point very appealing (decent quality but not shockingly expensive either) and it was very useful to me several times.

   2. Wow, I’m going to have to check them out. I have purchased one or two items online but never in-store. I get easily overwhelmed by crowds which means I hate, hate, hate shopping at Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s and I think Sak’s is pretty over the top in terms of prices. I generally reserve my shoppping for online or when I’m visiting a city with a Nordstrom or Dillards. I’ll re-think my anti-NY department store stance and check L&T out.

      1. Just make sure you ask around. Their organization is not obvious. E.g., more trendy, young, designer-ish dresses on one floor (Tracy Reese, DvF, etc.), somewhat frumpier dresses on another . . .

      2. You will be pleasantly surprised – there are essentially no people in the 5th Ave store ever.

   3. I love the one in Friendship Heights D.C. Great sales and a good inventory. Although Macy’s downtown is the closest department store for me, I find it overwhelming.

8. Threadjack question – do any of you ladies have any thoughts on using a Nordstrom’s personal stylist? I love clothes but hate shopping, and these days I’m mostly in the market for basics (e.g., black pencil skirt, cashmere seaters, etc.) or very specific items (e.g., formal dress for wedding). I would love to be able to tell the stylist that I’d like to see a selection of X, Y, and Z and then get all my shopping done with one appointment. Any particularly good or bad experiences? Am I expecting too much? Just in case you have specific recommendations, I am in DC and would be using the Pentagon City Mall Nordstrom.

   1. I’m basically on a first name basis with the sales folks in the Individualist department at the Nordstrom in Bethesda. I haven’t used a personal stylist there, but the woman who normally helps me essentially acts like my stylist and pulls things that she thinks would look good for me. The woman I really like is Carolina – she has a great sense of style and won’t force you to buy a lot of expensive things.

      I have seen Nordstrom personal stylists helping other women and they seem to be pretty diligent and pull a ton of stuff for the women. It’s free, so I don’t think it would hurt to try it out.

      Since I’m in the DC area as well, I would love any specific recommendations on which personal stylists are good.

   2. My sister just started using a Nordstrom personal stylist and is totally in love with the whole experience. The stylist also will sometimes hang out to things or give her a pre-sale discount. My sister, at least, says that even though she might be buying more expensive items, she’s spending less and loves what she’s getting. If I were in the same area as her, I’d probably think about going as well.

   3. vent tag open
      If I could get Nordstrom to even set up an appointment, I would let you know. You would think here (SF Bay Area), of all places, they would be clamoring to part me from my money. But instead, they are so disorganized and unprofessional that after about a half dozen tries over a nearly year period, I gave up. They are great at taking messages, not so much at returning them.
      vent tag closed

      NM is coming to town anyway.

      1. Which store are you having problems with? I’m guessing you’re in Walnut Creek if Neiman is “coming.” I’ve never used the WC PS, but I have successfully used Stanford as well as downtown SF. If you want to give WC one more chance, I would call and ask to speak to the manager and explain the issue. I expect they’ll bend over backwards at that point to make it up to you.

         1. Have you tried anyone at Valley Fair? TIA

         2. Bingo, SFBA!
            I am considering giving them another go because they are incredibly convenient to where I live. Then again, I also thought maybe problem is that WC is a little backwoods and I just need to go to the City.

   4. Hi there – hope it’s not too late. My mom, brother and I have all used Susan Dyes, one of the personal shoppers at the Pentagon City Nordstrom. We range in age and size and have all been really happy with her services. You may give her a try.

9. Slightly related question – I see Kat suggests wearing black tights and black shoes. Does it matter if the shades of black are the same? I have yet to find a pair of black tights that “match” any of my black shoes, and I’m afraid this looks strange.

   Also, it occurs to me that black patent leather shoes might be the solution, but I have yet to find a pair of patent leather shoes that don’t destroy my feet. Suggestions there would be helpful too.

   1. Unless your shoes are fabric, I don’t think it makes a difference. And even then I don’t think it would…though I would only wear fabric shoes for evening.

      I wear/am wearing black leather shoes with black tights all the time.

   2. I’ve never given a thought to whether my black tights/ black shoes match, and I’ve never looked at somebody else’s legs/shoes for those purposes either. So, in my opinion, it’s fine if they don’t match!

   3. I don’t think it matters, but I think a solution — if this bugs you — would be suede shoes.

      1. Suede shoes would blend much nicer than patent.

   4. I wear black shoes/black tights all the time, and I’m not that concerned about matching blacks.

      I really like Paul Mayer Attitudes shoes. I had one pair of quilted black suede flats that I walked a lot in, very comfortable. They are not cheap (maybe $120-$225 range), but I wear them all the time and they held up well, so I ended up getting a pair of black leather quilted with black patent leather toe in both flats and with a small heel. They both are very comfortable and kind to my feet. I think they may have them in all patent leather, too.

   5. I actually prefer black suede shoes with matte black tights because I like the continuity of textures. I haven’t had a color matching problem with black. I am short so I don’t like the way patent leather and tights contrast each other. And obviously I avoid shiny tights for work.

   6. I have this qualm. In fact, I’m on the hunt for the perfect pair of black tights to match the black shoes I have. I hate mis-matched blacks- just a personal annoyance of mine that I realize not everybody shares.

      To avoid the problem, I usually wear black hose. They match much better with my black shoes, and they also match black skirts/dresses better.

10. Does anyone have any idea where to get an “unfrumpy” dress slip? I want one that ideally could sub as the “cami” I often wear under my dresses, but still be long enough/ silky enough to avoid static cling with dresses. I don’t even know if such a thing exists, but if you have any suggestions, TIA!

    1. It definitely exists! I have two, one is Calvin Klein but I don’t know who makes the other one. They have no lace. Just a plain top that looks like a cami. Check the department stores. I think I got mine in Bloominhdales.

    2. Take a look at the commando slip, available online and in some stores. It is very basic, no lace or trim. The top part is similar to a cami, but I don’t think I’d let it show, so it may not be suitable is you want it to fill in that V space.

    3. Original Anon here: I will definitely check out the Calvin Klein selection at Bloomies. And I may take a look at the Commando one – I love their panties, so maybe it will be a worthwhile investment for my dresses that don’t need a cami… Thanks!

       1. I bought a Commando one after it was suggested on this site a year or two ago and I love it although since mine is nude, I wouldn’t wear it to fill in as a cami – I have a dress where I wanted it to work that way but it looked odd. But that may be due to the nude color against the cream dress (which, incidentally, I never wear because of this low V but needs a slip issue).

    4. Gap body!

    5. Two words. One name. Mary Green.

11. Hello Corporetters!!!

    I am looking for some advice. I am just about to graduate in May and at this point, I am beginning to scramble to try and make connections before I hole up for the bar. I found FREE business cards at: vistaprint.com. My question is: Do I have to go for the super plain ones or can I take the liberty of choosing one with some color? Obviously I wouldn’t go to the extreme and choose the flowery print but any guidance/advice is greatly appreciated! Thanks!

    1. I think a plain black and white/ecru/ivory business card would make me think of the iconic scene in American Psycho. I wouldn’t hesitate to use a thin blue stripe to separate your name from your contact information, or have 1/4 of the card be a block of forest green or something.

    2. earnest question? Or clever attempt at spammery? It seems like one of those posts that are spam-ads… you know them… I love this show! but I love my boyfriend more. I met him at old men like younger girls dot whatever….

       1. Hi hmmm…

          it’s an earnest question- I would love to get your opinion, too! :)

       2. VistaPrint is a company that’s been recommended by commenters on this site quite a bit and they’re successful enough that I doubt they spam blogs.

    3. Please do not use the free cards at vistaprint. They have an ad for vistaprint on the back, and it will likely reflect poorly on you. If budget is that much of an issue, you can buy plain cards for around $8-10 per box (and since you’ll likely be updating your contact info regularly, this should be adequate).

       1. Not only that, their quality can be extremely poor. You can pay to not have their ad on your cards. However, your first order may be perfect but don’t expect them to repeat it correctly. (Just my experience.)

       2. You can pay about $5 and get them without the vistaprint on the back.

       3. Ummm, I have a box of their cards (bought about within the past 6 months) and there are definitely no ads on the back. I don’t remember what I paid but it wasn’t much, maybe $12-$14 total.
          Just looked at the website, you do have to pay a couple dollars ($3.99) on top of shipping to have back blank. I’d agree with LawyrChk that it’s worth it.
          FWIW, a little color is fine. Mine have red stripe along the top under my name. Other than a colored block or stripe, keep it simple.

          1. Looking at what kz said, below, sounds like I probably bought one of the premium styles (also, probably when there was a sale going on). That may be the better option for you.

       4. I have some VistaPrint cards that I paid about $15 for that are a nice heavier-weight cardstock, and I got the back printed solid red to match the design on the front. People always comment on how nice they are. I think spending $10-$20 to get a nicer card is worth it. Keep the information simple – my personal cards have just my name, personal email address and cell phone number – and you’ll be able to use them for a long time.

    4. I remember when Vistaprint started up maybe a decade ago, and I still see a lot of their cards. My impression when I receive one is “Oh, this is the free Vistaprint card!” When they come from my plumber, my appliance guy, or my contractor (whom I know is not good at office correspondence and marketing) it’s one thing, but the ones I’ve seen do not seem sophisticated enough for law. It’s something about Vistaprint’s font/layout/paper weight combo; they may have heavier, more sedate options I’m not aware of.

       tl;dr version: If I got a card like that in a hiring setting I’d think “Oh this is the free VistaPrint card!” and NOT “Thanks 3L. I hope we keep in touch.”

       1. This, buy the heavier card stock ones. Those are pretty good value and you have complete control over the lay out.

          But please don’t use free cards made of cheap stock with ads on the back. You’d be better off not having them at all.

       2. Hmmm… this is making me question the VistPrint cards I am currently using (as a sole practitioner). They do NOT have an advertisement on them (don’t say VistaPrint anywhere on them), are on decently heavy stock, and are matte (and black and white) – no floral, but they do have a stylized design on them… Maybe I should get myself to a stationary store asap?

    5. I just got some from vista print for my unemployed self for networking (and thank you to everyone who gave me suggestions for what to put on them). They definitely do not have an ad on them and are decently heavy stock, matte finish. I got one of the “premium” styles (which was like $10 for 250–I think they were having a sale) with just my name on the right, a green line under it, and then my other info justified left at the bottom. I searched “conservative” under styles. I think it’s pretty much the same thing you’d get at Kinko’s (er, FedEx office, or whatever it’s called now). The trick is figuring out what information to put where, since what you want to put on there probably won’t correspond to the labels. On the lower left side, I had my law school degree and year, undergrad degree and year, a blank line, ny bar admission pending, another blank line, and email and phone number. I thought they turned out well.

12. I didn’t go to the website, but I seem to remember the free Vistaprint cards come with their logo on the back side. Not worth it, IMO.

    I’ve used VP for grad invitations, and my friends have used them for save the dates and wedding invites. The printing looked great and was fast, but they really try to upsell you during the transaction and for weeks after (“It’s not too late! Add 25 magnets in your design for just $9.95!!”). The free cards with their logo are one of these promotion tactics, and they might work for something less formal, like a Super Bowl party invite–but not a lawyer’s business cards.

13. Whoops–I hit reply to 3L in LA, but it created a new message. Oh well, looks like someone already said the same thing above.

14. I’ve created a template in MS Word and purchased blank card stock from Avery (#5371 – Laser Business Cards) and printed the cards myself. I did this during a period when my office moved locations (and new cards with new address hadn’t yet arrived) and I’ve also used them to make quick filler cards. They look reasonable and I’ve never had complaints.

    A thought…

Comments are closed.