Coffee Break: Heattech Leggings
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Hunting for warm pants for winter walks and other moderate activities? Whether it's just a walk to the mailbox or something a bit more active, these Heattech leggings are nice and thick. I got them last year and really like them.
They're just pull-on leggings, but I like that they have back pockets as well. They're $39.90 at Uniqlo, available in sizes XXS-XXL, in seven colors. “Dark orange” is pictured.
Of course, another great way to handle cold temperatures is with smart base layers, whether they're silk or synthetic. I've always been a fan of silk long johns because they block the wind, but they're super lightweight and don't add bulk. (They're actually my preferred thing for layering under itchy unlined suit pants!)
We always recommend silk long johns to layer beneath unlined suit pants in winter, both for warmth and comfort. Some of our 2024 favorites include silk ones from Lands' End, L.L. Bean, and Terramar, as well as the budget friendly Heattech from Uniqlo.
Readers, do you have any favorite warm leggings, whether for winter walks or more active pursuits like snow shoeing or outdoor runs? (I've always just worn things like these fleece leggings, these Hyperwarm leggings or UnderArmour leggings like these — but a lot of those are being clearly marked this year as “base layers,” such as for beneath ski pants, so, um, perhaps I'm wearing them inappropriately…)
Sales of note for 2/7/25:
- Nordstrom – Winter Sale, up to 60% off! 7850 new markdowns for women
- Ann Taylor – Extra 25% off your $175+ purchase — and $30 of full-price pants and denim
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything + extra 15% off
- Boden – 15% off new season styles
- Eloquii – 60% off 100s of styles
- J.Crew – Extra 50% off all sale styles
- J.Crew Factory – 40% off everything including new arrivals + extra 20% off $125+
- Rothy's – Final Few: Up to 40% off last-chance styles
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – 40% off one item + free shipping on $150+
Sales of note for 2/7/25:
- Nordstrom – Winter Sale, up to 60% off! 7850 new markdowns for women
- Ann Taylor – Extra 25% off your $175+ purchase — and $30 of full-price pants and denim
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything + extra 15% off
- Boden – 15% off new season styles
- Eloquii – 60% off 100s of styles
- J.Crew – Extra 50% off all sale styles
- J.Crew Factory – 40% off everything including new arrivals + extra 20% off $125+
- Rothy's – Final Few: Up to 40% off last-chance styles
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – 40% off one item + free shipping on $150+
And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!
Some of our latest threadjacks include:
- My workload is vastly exceeding my capability — what should I do?
- Why is there generational resentment regarding housing? (See also)
- What colors should I wear with a deep green sweater dress?
- How do you celebrate milestone birthdays?
- How do you account for one-time expenses in your monthly budget?
- If I'm just starting to feel sick from the flu, do I want Tamilfu?
- when to toss old clothes of a different size
- a list of political actions to take right now
- ways to increase your intelligence
- what to wear when getting sworn in as a judge (congrats, reader!)
- how to break into teaching as a second career
Thank you to the poster who recommended Laura Vanderkam’s book Off the Clock yesterday. I started it last night (thank you, library with a great selection of ebooks!) and it’s already resonating with me SO much. Even though we’re still in lockdown and the situation is pretty dire where I live, I want to do everything I can to make sure I don’t spend 2021 coasting along and not putting in the effort to manage my leisure time well (I was getting burnt out on couch and mindless Netflix time even before the pandemic started). My ideal day involves adventure, physical activity, risk (does anything else make you feel more alive?), and then cozy time at the end of the day – all things that can still happen on lockdown, even if it looks different from before. Would love any other recs for books or articles about living life fully/using leisure time well since I think I’m going to blaze through Off the Clock pretty quickly! I read Digital Minimalism a few years ago and enjoyed that, although I prefer books written by women if possible.
That was me! You’re welcome! I also enjoyed Digital Minimalism.
A friend recently published a book, “The 7 Day Digital Diet” How to use your phone less and live more. I haven’t read it yet but I’m intrigued. Author is Tim David.
Has anyone had success changing their oral health to the positive? I had a wakeup call this year and need to try and save my remaining natural teeth. (I’m in my early 40s and will need to remove 2 teeth this year). Besides the usual brushing and flossing, I think reducing added sugar and sugary drinks (and even diet drinks) may be helpful. Looking for any success stories, inspiration from the board, and, if necessary, tough love (aka flogging). I always had a sweet tooth but it has done no favors to my waistline or my teeth and I’d like to use this year to right the ship if you will.
If you are flossing daily and still having problems, I’d not let things stay on my teeth (so not all the way to brushing after eating/drinking, but at least swishing a bit of water around to rinse sugary things off). I don’t drink sugared drinks other than an occasional grapefruit juice or fresh-squeezed orange juice (very very rarely) or alcohol much more than weekly. But some people have bad teeth almost by genetics than habit (my mom’s family seems to produce bad teeth — weak enamel, chip easily, roots go bad, etc. even though she has always taken care of her teeth).
Odontohypophosphatasia runs in my family. Doctors often don’t bother diagnosing it, but it helped me make peace with our teeth issues. I use a lot of calcium hydroxopartite products and make sure to see my dentist extra frequently!
I reduce sugar consumption by making a rule that I have to brush my teeth each time after sugary treats. That makes me more likely grab a banana instead of candy with my afternoon coffee. If I tell myself I can’t have something it just makes it more appealing. Basically I use my own laziness to my advantage. Also on the using laziness to your advantage front, I’m not signed up with Skip the Dishes or Door Dash, I don’t use them as a rule so I have to actually go to Dairy Queen or wherever when I want ice cream.
I don’t keep chips, ice cream, or more than one package of cookies in the house. I can eat those things when I want them but having to take myself to the store to get them usually acts as a disincentive.
I have a permanent retainer (bar behind my bottom front teeth) and tight spaces between a couple of my top teeth so I easily get food stuck in my teeth and that’s really good motivation to floss multiple times a day. I also rinse with water and chew sugarless gum after most meals, which some research shows helps prevent cavities. I don’t have super terrible teeth, but I do have bad allergies and take medication that causes dry mouth and that makes me prone to cavities. I don’t drink sugary drinks in general (don’t like them and think they’re bad for you), but if I was having problems with my teeth, that would definitely be motivation to at least cut back- it doesn’t have to be all or nothing.
Using a Waterpik daily really improved my oral health. If you brush + Waterpik + floss daily, that is a really phenomenal routine. If you’re still having issues, can you ask your doctor about fluoride treatment?
I use a mouthwash with added flouride a few times per week.
+1 to a fluoride treatment at the dentist. I have it done 3 times a year. It’s not a rinse, it’s a paste that they brush on and you leave on until it dissolves. It’s done wonders for my oral health.
I’ve struggled with the same thing — bad teeth, big sugar habit. I cut down to no more than 1 sweet a day, and now I often don’t have any sweets for several days running and don’t miss them. The best advice I can give you is that the more sugar you consume, the more you crave it — if you cut way back, you’ll notice wanting it less. This came as a huge surprise to me because I loved and craved sweets my whole life.
a combo of using an oralb electric toothbrush (circular rotations are better) and a waterpik has kept gum disease at bay for me for the last 5 years. My hygienist has been thrilled with my progress. Meanwhile my younger sister is having surgery this month for the same issue (we have major gamily tooth and gum issues) and I had been headed down that road prior to getting serious.
Reducing sugar and sugary drinks is important, but you should also reduce acidic drinks (like diet drinks and many seltzers). I would ask your dentist about a prescription toothpaste like Prevident 5000 – sounds like you might be a candidate.
This is correct. Some fruit teas are also quite acidic, so you want to be careful about substituting sugar free drinks for sweet ones. And like the poster below says, it’s much worse to spend hours sipping something sweet or acidic than to just drink it, rinse your mouth, and be done with it.
According to my dentist, it’s not necessarily the amount of sugar you consume but the amount of time you spending consuming it, because the acid that digests sugar and causes decay stays high for about 30 minutes after you eat something sweet. So drinking a cup of coffee with sugar in it along with your breakfast isn’t as bad as slowly drinking a cup or two of coffee with sugar over the course of the morning. It sounds like you want to reduce sugar for more than just dental health though. I did a Whole30 a few years ago and the biggest impact from it was that it totally reset my taste buds around sugar. Even when I reintroduced sweets after it was over, it was a lot easier to have a small portion and keep it limited. I’ve gotten back into bad habits since covid started, but I’m actually thinking about doing another Whole30 (or maybe just a month of no sugar) to get that foundation back.
+1
I literally drink 1 cup of coffee all day. I switched to splenda instead of sugar.
I am an expat, living in new country every 2-3 years and it is difficult to find a good dentist & hygienist, so my dental hygiene slipped few years ago. I ended up with 5 cavities, a root canal infection and one tooth was extracted and replaced with an implant. You can imagine the price tag on this (luckily, it was fully covered by my employee benefits). This was my wake up call. Since then, I do the following:
* dental hygiene (aka cleaning) every 6 months at the office. They clean teeth, interdental spaces, polish teeth and apply fluoride and also can spot first signs of problems
* I clean teeth properly (brush for 4-5mins with Sonicare, interdental brush, chlorhexidine mouthwash every morning, no excuses (yes, I am the “no flossing, no mascara” poster). In the evening, I brush teeth with Sonicare and then do a final brushing with a very soft manual toothbrush to make sure my uneven teeth are clean.
* Every Saturday, I apply Elmex fluoride gel to protect enamel and it can also stop small/emerging cavities.
* I do not drink sugary drinks, no fresh juices (sugars and acids) and I try to limit the amount of citruses in my drinks (eg lemon in tea) to protect enamel.
* I use parodontax toothpaste (best cleaning and I like the salty taste) and switch it with pronamel (bc enamel) as these to are SLS free.
I believe that you need to prioritize three things – enamel protection (hence limit sugar/acids; extra application of fluoride gel), cavity protection (regular brushing, antibac mouthwash, limit sugar) and protect the gums (correct brushing technique, use of interdental brushes and antibac mouthwash). Honestly, it is a few steps, which I have on autopilot, it takes 7-8mins and my gums are perfect, cavities are now very rare.
If you don’t already have an electric toothbrush, I got one this past year and had the best dental check-ups I’ve ever had. Mine was a Sonicare DiamondClean (buying at Costco netted me a fantastic deal) and it has made a huge difference without any other. big changes. Very highly recommended.
Sugary and starchy foods increase sugars in your saliva long after you eat them, so maybe make dinner just protein and veg.
Gummy foods, even healthy seeming foods like raisins and other dried fruits, are really hard to dislodge from teeth, even with flossing and brushing, so avoid those as much as you can.
I just read a thing that says to brush before breakfast. I have been brushing after breakfast since working at home since I figure I’d like to brush away my breakfast remnants + any tea staining. But apparently your sleeping saliva process makes your teeth more sensitive to things like acids in the morning, so you want to brush that all off before you eat your first meal of the day.
Get an electric toothbrush. I have an Oral B base model that has made a huge difference. Some people like their Sonicare. If you think you need more discipline around brushing, pay attention to the timers. My Oral b has four 30 second timers, one for each quadrant of the mouth, so I get 2 minutes total brushing evenly distributed.
Last, I will tell you my husband, who has a lot of dental problems, thinks his brushing and flossing habits are better than they actually are. I live with him. I know what he is and isn’t doing. Be honest with yourself. Maybe make a diary of sorts or a checklist until this all becomes routine habit (things like flossing every day, brushing for 2 minutes, brushing before breakfast etc)
I routinely had 1-5 cavities per year until a couple of years ago. I became very, very diligent about brushing diligently for at least two minutes, flossing really well in every single gap, and using listerine total care (or something) twice a day. No skipping ever.
Happy to report I have am cavity free! My dentist and my dental hygienist compliment me each visit now.
I like cocofloss. I swear part is knowing I paid for the expensive floss that gets me to do it. My dentist recommended Livonex toothpaste and Oxyfresh mouthwash, and using them seemed pretty effective. Also, sonicare tooth brush!
Oh, so these would be appropriate for walking to my mailbox? But what type of bra do I need? What about a gadget to count my steps? Is SPF 50 enough?
And I’m not sure what my tween kiddo should wear…
I so appreciated the reference :)
The OP was here before and asked the same open ended question. I think she is being silly. What kind of bra does she need to walk to the mailbox? Puhleese! If she is just going to wear a bra without more I think she should wear the bra like a mask, with the cups snugly it over each of her two ear’s.
This way, she would be making a fresh statement. Not sure anyone is interested in that statement, but she would at least be original. Let us know how it turns out, and whether this helps you to find a boyfreind! YAY!!
Lol, I started that thread and still don’t regret it, but I am pretty sure I’ve seen the same poster with a few more anxious posts since then. I don’t like to pretend like I can diagnose people over the Internet, but that level of anxiety seems debilitating and I wish we could really destigmatize mental health care (and of course improve access to it). If that poster is reading, please know that there is absolutely no shame in getting mental health treatment for anxiety, especially during this year. It’s just like any medical condition.
Actually, I haven’t posted in weeks…So there has to be multiples of us. But thanks for your input.
Bra? Can you explain what you mean by this? Thanks!
It’s an old fashioned device women used to wear to constrict the chest. Went out of style during the pandemic of ’20.
Best comment of the day
Ha! With a newly developed interest in history, this sentence makes me laugh. What other things do we think this sentence will apply to? High heels? Butts in chairs at work?
NGL, I have these heattech leggings pants and they are pretty amazing for walking to my mailbox. And running out to the grocery store, gas station, and big box store. Also were pretty amazing last winter to keep me warm inside my fairly casual workplace. for extra warmth, heattech socks.
I need some financial advice. I have about 30K in cash and 10K sitting in an old after tax IRA. I’m 35, single, no debts, have 6 month emergency fund, and I recently started to max out my 401K. I live in an expensive northeast city and don’t make a ton, but I’d obviously like to see more than 50 cents a month in interest with my savings account. I probably won’t need most of the money for 5 years, unless I decide to purchase a home/apartment. What about I do with my cash and old IRA? Should in continue to fund my IRA or just focus on investing through a brokerage account? Should I have an advisor or try to manage my funds on my own? How did you get started investing? I heard good things about a Vanguard Index fund but there are so many. Also, I’m nervous about investing because of the apocalypse and have a low/moderate risk tolerance.
Sorry for the typos! I blame my iPhone!
S&P 500 index funds at your age
+1
Thanks! I was thinking of that but it just seems like the market is so high/inflated and I’m worried about investing now and losing money. Is that a ridiculous concern?
If you invest a small amount each month (dollar cost averaging), you won’t have to worry about trying to time the market. The key is to just get IN and not wait. Good luck!
Thank you!! So don’t drop the whole 30k in at one time.
Yes it is a ridiculous concern. That concern = trying to time the market. Which you shouldn’t do.
Look into a backdoor Roth and see if it works for your situation.
Depends on how risk averse you are and whether you think you will definitely need this money for a down payment. I’m in a similar situation and of similar age. I have all of my retirement savings invested in the market, but picked a well performing but pretty safe mutual fund (at Vanguard) for my savings that are separate from my emergency fund. It’s not going to see huge gains, but I’m highly unlikely to lose much, if anything — it’s had a consistent 1-3% return for a very long time, and that (sadly) beats savings accounts…
What fund is that, anon at 2:31? I’m considering moving my down payment money and that fund sounds ideal.
Keep the old IRA and start contributing to the Roth IRA for 2020/21 (you have until April 15 for 2020). You can always withdraw Roth IRA contributions without penalty. The only reason not to do this is if you actually think you might buy a house soonish and need the money for a downpayment, in which case short term market losses are more of a concern. In that case, you might not want to invest as much of it or think about keeping it in a brokerage account instead of the IRA. Either way S and P 500 or the Vanguard total market index fund (VTSAX).
Start investing in a Roth IRA, if you qualify. You can put into the allocated amount for 2020 up until your April tax filing and then also put in for 2021. In your IRA invest in index funds, S&P 500 is standard. IRAs lock up your funds, but are better for taxes. If you will need the money skip the IRA and just go with an S&P 500 index fund. The market seems inflated, but overtime it should win. Would not recommend a mutual fund due to the higher fees that eat away at your compounding gains over time. Mutual funds don’t beat the market (on average).
Any tips on fighting despair? I am usually the positive one, but lately between the weather, the pandemic, and ongoing election insanity, it feels like things just keep getting worse.
It’s ok to struggle right now, but if you feel like you are in despair, maybe a therapist would help. You don’t have to be the positive one 24/7, especially right now. That being said, I’ve been focusing on my goals which include fitness, running and reading more books. Things will improve. It’s just a matter of getting through the next few months after the hell of 2020. I also do virtual sessions with my therapist and try to see family and friends or at least zoom/FaceTime with them.
News and social media hiatus for three days.
I specifically had to leave a local community page because it was causing serious anxiety and stress. There’d be community news like 15% of the time, but the other 85% of the time, it was people complaining about, well, everything (I cannot imagine how bad its’ been with people complaining about masks and freedom). I’ve been so much happier without even the temptation to read it.
Also, would a sun lamp help? I park myself in front of it in the mornings while doing my emails and such.
Oh, not a bad idea. NH checking in here. Our governor (R) had to cancel his outdoor inauguration because he and his family have been threatened by armed protestors, that have been on his personal property over …. a mask mandate. I just can’t even. I like to keep up on official FB and Twitter pages but I always make the mistake of reading the comments and oh boy, is it a special kind of crazy here.
Yep, agree with the below. I am big on we need to stay engaged and aware, but that still allows for breaks. I took two months off my normal podcast consumption during the election because I just couldn’t anymore, and after about a week, felt a huge weight lift. Now I am trying to only allow myself on social media on the weekends now (delete the apps from my phone on Sunday night at bedtime and allow myself to redownload them Fridays after dinner). Doom scrolling just spirals me and it starts to reach the everything is terrible and its never getting better point. And a sun lamp if you are in a grey state is a game changer. Even just a set of grow lights for my plants in the same room as my office seems to help.
Cliche but here is what’s working for me: consistent meditation. Deleting social media. Limit screen time outside of work. Designate set periods of time for internet browsing/doom scrolling. Self-care that is more focused on making sure my apartment is tidy, fridge is stocked, and personal hygiene is kept up more than giving myself “permission” to slack.
+1. Practical self-care is oddly more soothing to me than the usual “take a bubble bath and watch Netflix” trope. Although that’s fun, too, in small doses.
How do people in unions figure out which union a union affiliates with? I know that most government workers are in the communications workers union (which I guess makes sense) and that there is a union either just for treasury employees or IRS employees. I ran across one a while back that was affiliated with the Teamsters, but aren’t truckers or mostly even men, so maybe they have better benefits or something (this local must stick out a ton at conventions). My mom was a teacher where you had to be in a union and I can remember a stink at some point about remaining a NEA union or a UFT union (it seems that they compete among teachers unions). At any rate, I get how some unions are industry-specific but then some seem totally random at times.
Interesting questions! It does often seem random. I used to work at a legal aid that was an UAW (united auto workers) workplace. The back story as I was told, was that in the 1970s, an organizer for them reached out to various legal aids and unionized them. I have a friend who works for a different legal aid that is a CWA (communications workers) member. I haven’t been in any other union work setting, so I am unclear.
That is wild.
In a past job, I used to be in a union of academic workers that was a local of the UAW. Commonly known as united auto workers, but in fact united automobile, aerospace and agricultural implement workers (and we were joking about getting another a for academics added). For us it was the fact that the larger UAW organization provided significant assistance in getting our union started and there was collaboration with e.g. the grad student union that existed earlier. So joining UAW at the start was a fairly straightforward decision. Over the years, the relationship wasn’t/isn’t always easy and the relationship to leadership is not ideal, but for me it’s sort of akin to how you feel about your insurance, if that makes sense? The one you have has certain annoying quirks, but other options come with their own problems, and there is overall a huge intertia to shift, once you have committed to one.
Annoying quirks? I cannot imagine any entity I regard with more actual hatred than my insurance.
oh, wait a second. I was thinking more car or homeowners insurance, not health insurance.
I guess my mind just jumped to health insurance since I’m always engaged in some kind of battle with them! Okay, car or homeowners insurance definitely have annoying quirks I can live with so that makes more sense to me.
Mergers. There’s more of a history than that, but mergers is the short answer. And I wouldn’t say that “most” government workers are in the CWA. I think AFGE is the largest for federal workers and AFSCME is pretty big at the state and local level.
AFSCME member here! Randomly some of our municipal employees are in the Masters, Mates, & Pilots union. I can’t remember why, but I think it was a boring reason.
That Masters, Mates, and Pilots union sounds like they would have interesting stories. Like something out of Season 2 (or 3?) of The Wire.
Who organizes and who wins an election.
Whoever gives them the successful sales pitch first.
To the poster this morning who asked about the claw-clip for her hair, I just bought these and they were delivered Saturday. They’re great! As soon as I get home I put my hair up and the ones I was using before (Goody Brand, I think) wouldn’t hold and would slip out of my hair. I especially use them when cooking. These hold great – I think I could go for a run and they’d hold. Just FYI. I’m not sure I’d wear it outside of the house other than just to run errands.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08M3VGWXC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Agreed. For going out, get colorful schrunchies to match your outfits, and they even have schrunchies to match your facemasks. COVID has created a whole new medium for making fashion statements.
Call me crazy but I think alot of the women reporters on the TV news stations actually look cuter with their masks on b/c you only see their hair and eyes which do not vary that much. It is only when you see their full faces that I can determine their imperfections. Does that make sense to the hive?
I am seeing a lot of shirt-dresses with fuller skirts and a tie waist. Maybe these are the comfy one-size-fits-most dresses that I need now and can wear to a denim casual office if we ever really go back? Like this morning’s poster, I like to look put-together, but also be very comfy.
I am pretty short-waisted and a pear. I fear that a full skirt will just make my bottom half look larger (not on a zoom call, but I still go out to shop in my mask-compliant neighborhood, walk the dog, etc.). And that if dresses have loops for a tie belt, they may be where my stomach is (vs my waist, which is pretty high on me but wouldn’t be on a taller or normal-torsoed person).
I’m feeling brave and want to try. So tired of Just Leggings.
If the dress fits well otherwise, you or a tailor could easily adjust the location of the belt loops. Also, it’s counterintuitive, but don’t tie the belt too tight, which just maximizes the contrast between your waist and your hips.
It sounds like you want a Work Muumuu. I would like a Work Muumuu, too. A winter version and also a summer one. Does this garment exist? If so, send links!
How about tunics that hit mid-thigh, with glorified leggings (or just any leggings) underneath? For a casual workplace.
Also a pear (though taller). My current favourite work outfit is the longer sweater dress trend. “luxe” knit at the gap last year positively surprised me. Also a handme down one from my mom!!
I think you should try one out; after all you want to be comfy these days, and when we all return to the office, I don’t think pencil skirts are going to be as popular as before for us. Since you are short waisted and a pear shape, people will always be focused on your tuchus if you have the belt sitting up high, but that is not necesarily a bad thing. I dated a guy who loved me for my tuchus, and the days I wore a short dress with a belt, he got his eyefull and he couldn’t wait to grab my tuchus. So if your SO loves you as you are and you have a big tuchus, go for it! If you have a small tuchus, it is even a better case for buying a belted shirt-dress b/c your other body parts will be the focus of the men. You will be cute I am sure no matter what b/c you are focused on your body! YAY!!!
I find the key to this looking good and not sloppy is for the torso part to be tailored to absolute perfection. One size fits most is not good for this. Having bunchy fabric at the tie waist just looks messy and puffy, not slouchy and cool.
I always feel giant in this style of skirt. I have wide hips and they just seem to do me no favors. I’m far better off in a pencil style skirt (though who am I kidding, I’ve worn nothing but leggings and stretchy jeans and pj pants for months).
I think if you want a simple one piece, you’re better off in a straighter wrap dress.
Any clothing brands you all are liking now? I’m not 25 anymore and am trying to avoid the mall brands I’ve relied on for a decade or so (I will never leave BR for suits, which are the only suits that work for me, but I’m unlikely to need a suit soon). I’ve tried places like Amour Vert and Cuyana and Everlane in the past. I think I’m a non-sheath-dress+boots+tights woman this year, so it’s the dress part that I’m looking for.
Boden, Woolovers (pretty specific to sweaters), Nordstrom
I feel like Boden requires a bit of a Zooey Deschanel as a wearer. Like I’m not happy enough to wear their things. I need a more . . . Fiona Apple version of Boden. Like their clothes are fine, I just think they might wear me. [OTOH, I wear Lilly Pulitzer, but only in the summer and only for drinking. I feel like the bright prints hide any sweating.]
Bwahaha. I wear Lilly only in the summer and only to church. Can’t imagine wearing it to drink, except maybe for brunch at the country club?
We were outside all summer last year, so just my yard, neighbor’s yard, pool. Highly recommend. I felt like Lovey Howell.
If you find the Fiona Apple version of Boden, please report back, because that sounds like my aesthetic most days.
I love that you have special clothes for drinking. I do too, but mine are called pajamas.
Joules is one of the other yummy-mummy UK brands, you might like some of their striped darker dresses. Possibly People tree. Maybe Seasalt of Cornwall (like the Merchants dress), depending on what about Boden is almost right.
But my favourite place to look for contemporary but not too young, is &Other Stories. Look at the Relaxed midi dress, or the Wrap midi.
I’m having a major British brands moment – Hobbs and The Fold. (The Fold more drooling than purchasing at this point since WFH, but they are first on my list for real clothes.)
The Fold clothes make me want to go out and acquire billion-dollar companies. They just look so .. . powerful.
The Fold has been tempting me with their “up to 50% off plus another 10% off” sale, but the two dresses I let myself buy in March are still in a box waiting to be worn…
Yes, I loooove the Fold. Also Reiss is great (and Theory, for a non-British brand).
I just listened to a podcast episode on this. (Get excited about getting dressed again from the podcast Everything is Fine.) It’s aimed at women over 40. THe specific brands they listed were Vince, J Crew, Everlane, Emerson Fry, Sezane, Theory, Jenny Kane, Maria Cornejo and The Great (mixed review). I wrote them all down because I’m so confused about what looks good at 43.
Huh. I love the aesthetic, but these brands don’t fit me that well. I’m medium in build but don’t have slim, narrow legs that seem required for those brands.
I’m 40 and definitely feeling the “what shall I wear now” vibe. Thank goodness I’m not going anywhere?
Yeah, Kim France and I clearly have opposite body types (and budgets) – I read her blog, and am convinced that most things she thinks are universally flattering will not work for me. I think she may be a little pear shaped, but she is small busted, and is also pretty thin/small in general. I like the look, but never actually am willing to buy things she recommends.
For an average build late 30’s I’ll personally vouch for Vince (sweaters and blouses). I feel too ‘old’ for Theory and have learned not to bother for the most part (their pieces have gotten thinner in weight and their pants were never great for a pear). JCrew is fine and all but I’m tired of their sale games and sizing is all over the place.
For non-sheath dresses, maybe J McLaughlin? They have many crazy prints, but also a few each season that are subdued enough for (my) office. And once you know your J McLaughlin size, there are often good options on eBay and Poshmark. And the dresses pack extremely well, should that be a factor.
Anyone use the Dyson AirWrap on fine, straight, hard-to-curl hair? I missed this morning’s thread about it. Does the curl hold? Any tips or tricks? My hair is a few inches below the shoulders and does not hold a curl for very long; wondering if it works for anyone else with similar hair.
I am in the SEUS and the only thing that gets my hair to curl is a skilled woman (my grandmother calls them “Beauty Operators”) wielding a can of Aqua-Net.
Grandma sounds great. A whole can of Aqua-Net seems to be the answer.
I can’t speak to that one but the BabyBliss MiraCurl does create lasting curls in my fine, hard to curl straight hair. It works even better than the elaborate styling a high end stylish did for me on my wedding day (hours of curling and pinning the curls up to set for hours, lots of product).
Does this one do the wrapping for you like the Dyson?
It does
I had a Dyson Airwrap briefly but returned it because I realized blowing out my hair is never going to be routine for me. Already have a dyson hair dryer I was tempted to keep it because on the rare occasion I want to dress up and make my hair look great, the Airwrap was miracle. My hair doesn’t hold a curl, and I don’t know how to use a curling iron. However, the Airwap made my hair curl easily, without me even really trying, and last all day/night.
I am very wary and suspicious of any product that claims it will give me waves and curls. It might, for 10 minutes. Then they’ll fall out and I’ll look like a drowned rat.
I am the original poster from this morning. It sounds like we have about the same hair type – fine and hard to curl, but I have a lot of hair. I really, really like the Dyson Airwrap! My hair is shoulder length and as of right now (4:00 Central) I still have loose curls. For me, I think it’s using the airwrap while my hair is damp – the hair is drying as a curl and so it’s holding. I use a serum and styling gel and it’s really working. I live in the south and it’s very humid here, so I’ll be curious to find out how it holds up in August. But right now, I’m really thrilled with the Dyson Airwrap. I bought it for myself for Christmas and spent my 2 weeks off playing with it and when I went back to work yesterday, getting ready in the morning didn’t take any more time than usual. On my post this morning, I confirmed that you can return it if you don’t like it. And I bought mine directly from Dyson – because we already have a Dyson vacuum cleaner, I was able to get 20% off the airwrap. I hope this help!
A friend posted her Christmas table and I was wowed by how elegant it was. Granted, her husband is the cook and they only need to cook for themselves, but the rest was so pretty. It’s sort of a blur (I should have screen shot it), but it seems like china, stemware, and silver were involved. But I’m drawing a blank — table cloth? Or placemats? Which is considered fancier?
I feel that I can make a pretty turkey or roasted chicken, but most of my food isn’t really insta-worthy and my table (fancy! mahogany via Craigslist) is something I keep dumbing down with thinks like kid-friendly placemats and a kid-friendly table cover (we also zoom school on it).
This year I’d like to adult a little and work on my eleganting skills. I do have silver. And white Corelle (which is neutral, but nowhere near fancy) and some other white plates with beaded rims. And even stemwear (but we lost some so I probably have 2 of this and 3 of that). Advice on how to start small? It would be nice to have something prettier in my life now that I am cooking all the dang time.
I have napkins, but I feel that they are more homey than elegant. Just use the h*ck out of them and toss when the pandemic is over?
I’ve found myself really wanting nicer serveware lately so I’m not just setting down the pot I cooked something in on the table.
I bridge this gap by cooking everything I can in Le Creuset. It’s truly stove/oven to table. They also sell really pretty Le Creuset trivets specifically for it.
OMG I got all new Le Creuset cookware for Christmas and I am in heaven. Seriously it makes cooking so easy and it’s so easy to clean and it is so pretty!! Pro tip: They have the Dutch ovens at Costco.com.
Also: I plate everything in the kitchen and very rarely put serving dishes on the table.
I do have a Le Creuset braiser that I use all the time and love it for this purpose. I guess this is a good excuse to get more Le Creuset!
Wait, can you put Le Creuset directly on a table?
I bought several of the Soleil Du Provence tablecloths (which were recommended here! Thanks!) because they wipe right off but look like regular tablecloths. I actually put 2 layers of tablecloths so the kids won’t make dents in the table. Then for our fancy holiday dinners I put placemats on top, then a big charger plate and then the dinner plates go on top of that, plus we actually light the candles. I can’t leave the table uncovered because the kids will destroy it.
I have a friend who does floral design and gorgeous home settings (also only has 1 kid) – she had no tablecloth but fancy placemats and napkins with *personalized napkin rings*, candles, decorative candles (in evergreen shapes), flowers, water and wine glasses, and evergreen-shaped ice cubes! I am not that extra. ;)
I’m an Old so I know this: For a good dining room table, you get pads that you put on the table and then you put your tablecloth over this. If your dining room table has an unusual shape, they just get custom-made to fit. I fear that even my young adult children are probably unaware of this!
Back in the day when you bought your (multipiece including massive china hutch and sideboard) dining room set, they would sell you table pads (as well as inserts to make the table bigger) to fit.
Check out Between Naps on the Porch (.net). She loves doing tablescapes and has a bunch of friends and they do various tablescape “tours.” I’m surprised to see that she doesn’t really post much on IG, so her blog is where to go.
I think the key on mixing and matching is to do so intentionally. When setting for 4, use 2 of one, 2 of another or 4 different, for example.
As far as fancy, the market is completely bottoming out of crystal and china as baby boomers start passing away, so you can pick up something for a steal at thrift or antique stores if you keep your eyes open. I found 25 stems of my great aunt’s crystal that I have for $50 six months ago – I grabbed it because it was too cheap to pass up in case some pieces ever get broken. And I just found a couple pieces of my wedding china for $10 per plate at an after-Christmas sale.
As far as napkins, we have grubby everyday ones and nice cotton ones. You can find darling ones for a song at antique markets – they had such pretty patterns and colors in the ’40s-’60s.
Oh, and re: Zoom school, get a cut-to-fit table pad and then put whatever tablecloth you want over it. My grandmother kept a plain, everyday tablecloth on her table and changed it out every Sunday or whenever there was a spill, whichever came first. We did our homework or puzzles or clipped grocery coupons there :)
Something like this is fine: https://www.amazon.com/Quilted-Heavy-Protector-Flannel-Backing/dp/B013RU9HR6
I would go a step further and get a custom table pad, the rigid folding kind with a felt bottom and vinyl top. This provides a firmer writing surface than a cut-to-fit pad.
Yes! This is the kind I’m referencing above. Between table pads for the dining room table and having glass cut to fit on top of desks and dressers, I am really feeling very old. Pretty soon I’m going to plastic-wrap all the sofas, lol.
I’m 39 and the poster who said get a cut-to-fit…because I was afraid if I told the OP she needed a custom hard pad she’d throw up her hands and run away screaming from all of this haha. She said easy, so I figure, what’s easier than cut-to-fit vinyl? ;)
Btw, Naps can be kind of fussy/precious, but if you subtract a few things from each setting she shows, you can envision something more modern.
I recommend those pads too. I don’t cut too close to the table size, I leave a little overhang but less than the tablecloth overhang
100% this. I have picked up lots of odds and ends of serving ware to use with my plain white bone china and it’s super fun (and relatively cheap).
I think traditionally tablecloths are fancier but I like the look of layering them together. For everyday, I like wipe-off placemats.
A tablecloth is most formal and allows you to use a table pad to protect the table. A table runner, perhaps with charger plates, is more contemporary. Placemats are more casual.
I have some woven placemats that are basically the same color as my table. It’s not ooh exiting to buy brown placements, but they protect the table and make it look less cluttered.
All of my serving dishes are either white or the Le Creuset mentioned above, which is red.
I don’t like a lot of fussy unnecessary stuff on the table – the consequence of growing up in a pro-clutter household I guess. Like, we would eat at one end of the table with piles of homework, newspapers etc at the other end. This is an absolute no, never ever for me. Everything gets cleared off of the table before a meal.
I had the happy accident of being the only unmarried granddaughter when my grandmother passed (I was also 12), so I inherited her china.
It’s great because I would never register for china/crystal/silver (my mother is horrified) but I have it* if I want to get fancy.
*china is in my parents attic so I have it, but not easily accessible, my parents have three sets of silver – their own + both grandparents sets so I’ll eventually get one, just missing crystal but also I don’t care.
That being said – you can create beautiful tablescapes without that (I don’t, but I could!). Flowers/greenery, candles, a centerpiece, all go a long way. A tablecloth is fancier than placemats, even fancier is to add a runner to your tablecloth.
It’s kind of ironic to hear all you 30-somethings expressing interest in china/crystal/silver, as all the 50-something s I know (self included) are trying to figure out ways to dump our china/crystal/silver, as well as figure out what to do with our parents’ stuff. It’s really hard when it’s something that you or someone else paid a LOT of money for, to put it in a resale shop where you’re lucky if you get $100 for it — especially because if you were to re-buy it new, you’d be out an arm and a leg.
Cut flowers or maybe little flower pots with little small succulent plants can be nice for decoration.
If your plates are white, it can be nice with a darker coloured tablecloth. A small pattern will be more useful for when your children spill things, but a nice, thick fabric in a medium deep colour will enhance your plates.
Also, we have a set of black plates for light-colored food. It sounds silly, but we really enjoy them. For everyday use we have four each of four or five differen kinds of dishes (white Fiesta, plain black, red enamel, square Aisan-inspired greenish) and it’s fun to switch them out according to what we’re serving.