ByElizabeth Hours Updated
Comments 253 Comments

Tuesday’s Workwear Report: Vida Skirt

This post may contain affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

A woman wearing a white blouse and blue midi skirt with black slingbacks

Our daily workwear reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices.

If you ever want to make yourself feel a little crazy, go to your favorite department store’s website and find the “wear to work” section. You’ll discover that the people who do the sorting for Nordstrom think a sweatpant-jean combo is work-appropriate in 2026. (Honestly, maybe they are work appropriate. Who even knows anymore?)

On the plus side, a recent browsing session led me to this beautiful midi skirt from Hobbs London. (A new brand to Nordstrom, I think!) The accent colors on the pleats give it a little extra pizzazz.

I would double check the sizing guide because I can never seem to get it right when I buy from this brand, but the skirt is so pretty, it might be worth a shot!

The skirt is $310 at Nordstrom and comes in sizes 2-14. You can also find it at Hobbs.

Sales of note for 4/24:

253 Comments

  1. Travel help! I need to get out of the cold snowy north. I’m planning a long weekend trip the last weekend of April. Ideally a direct flight from Minneapolis, to a resort on a beach where I can push my baby in a stroller to the beach, and then to restaurants at the resort or within a couple blocks walk. I don’t want to get a rental car, I just want to Uber to a resort/beach community and stay put with everything I need right there for 2-3 nights. Budget is up to $500 a night for lodging. I was thinking about Florida but I’m overwhelmed by options. A resort in Pheonix with a great pool would also be an option. I haven’t flown with the little one yet, so I’m prioritizing a shorter flight if possible. Do most resorts have bassinets available for rent or is that something I need to specifically call and ask? Thanks in advance!

    1. Most hotels have a crib they’ll roll into your room.

      I’d probably go to Miami, which is quite walkable and has a lot of great Cuban food.

      1. +1 it might seem counter-intuitive, but Miami Beach is a good place to go with a baby. DH and I had a great vacation there when our daughter was an infant. A lot of stroller walking + great meals while she snoozed in the stroller.

        Save the resort in Phoenix for bigger kids who will be bored with “walk around and eat” vacations.

        1. I agree with this, and I love Phoenix. The pool compounds are best for older kids. Miami Beach is so walkable with beautiful paths. Baby will love the stroller there. The Lowe’s is family friendly.

      2. IME, most hotels just have pack and plays. (Even if they say they have cribs or bassinets, the people at the front desk normally just don’t know the difference) They tend to be in ok, but not great shape. I’ve used them for my kid from about 6 months to 2 years, and they are fine for a trip. But if you have a very young kid, I might just buy a very cheap bassinet and have it delivered to the hotel.

    5. I’ve found Miami kind of stressful and not relaxing due to all the traffic and people. Scottsdale (Phoenix) is a similar flight distance and I found it more calming. There’s not as much within walking distance but you could stay at a resort that has everything.

  2. I’m curious if anyone has retired early (or just retired) – which budgeting app is your favorite? We have plenty of money but less income so that seems a bit different than the apps like YNAB… thanks in advance!

    2. We aren’t retired but we are drawing down savings while I’m on extended parental leave.

      We just transfer a fixed amount of money from brokerage to checking each month as my “salary.” We calculated out what that number should be via our expenses vs how much money we want in brokerage when I go back to work.

      1. Same. I have a set amount that is my monthly budget. I transfer that to my checking account and treat it as my income in ynab for the month.

    3. Post-retirement, I have continued to use Personal Finance / Empower as my dashboard for seeing everything in one place.

    4. Retired 5 years (for me) and 20 years (for dh), we are still using YNAB but mostly because it has so many years (since it’s release) of our data already in it and we don’t want to start over.

  3. PSA fiberglass in memory foam mattresses.
    Over the weekend, I was changing the sheets and noticed the cover on my mattress looked dirty. I checked the label and it said the cover could be removed and machine washed. So, I unzipped it and started taking it off. Noticed immediately the mesh layer (which I now know was fiberglass) was deteriorating. I put the cover back on and re-zipped it but the damage was done, fiberglass everywhere. Later that day we got all the PPE (coveralls, N95, gloves) and sealed the mattress and bed frame in plastic bags and disposed of them. Bought a HEPA vacuum (after probably ruining my Dyson) that is arriving today to properly start cleanup. Lint rolling all the clothes we’ve been wearing but worried it’ll get in the washing machine. Closed the vent in the bedroom but worried its in the HVAC too.

    We live in a rented townhouse, can I just call a HVAC cleaning service without going through the apartment complex? Or I should just tell the property manager what happened and they can hire a cleanup company? I doubt renters insurance would cover any of this. Generally I’m stressed and fixating on this, and it was all my fault to begin with.

    If you have a memory foam mattress, check if it has a fiberglass fire retardant layer. In general, never remove the cover (EVEN IF IT SAYS YOU CAN). Apparently fiberglass can leak out of them eventually anyway so look out for that. I know there’s a class action lawsuit looking at several companies that make these mattresses but who knows what will come of that.

    1. Ugh I’m so sorry this is still happening to people and that it happened to you. It’s such a nightmare.

    2. This is not something for your property manager to deal with. It’s your fault, whether accidental or not and you should hire a company to clean it up.

      1. I’m aware its my problem, but they may want to know one of their units is contaminated with fiberglass.

        2. If I were your landlord and you told me the unit was “contaminated” with fiberglass, I’d honestly think you were off your rocker.

          1. You sound like somebody who hasn’t had to clean up after one of these mattresses before. It gets EVERYWHERE and is so, so itchy.

            I really appreciated the warning never to remove the cover on mine.

    3. If I were in your shoes, I would just wear a mask, vacuum any loose dust in the general vicinity, and take a good shower. Maybe change the furnace and vacuum filters if there was a lot of stuff to clean up. It would never dawn on me to toss the bed frame itself, and I’m not sure why fiberglass in the washing machine would be more of a problem than general lint, microplastic, and dirt.

      I’ve also personally worked with fiberglass insulation (added to our attic in several of the houses I have lived in) and other than minor skin irritation if it got through my gloves, have had no problems.

        1. No, asbestos is toxic. Fiberglass is a physical/mechanical problem. The microscopic glass can hurt your eyes and skin and damage your lungs, but it’s still just glass; it can’t poison you. Though I guess microscopic glass can damage your organs internally if somehow it gets inside you.

          There are reasons people are supposed to use PPE to work with it.

        2. I’ve done a lot of googling over the past 48 hours and from everything I’ve read (fiberglass contamination from mattresses is a very common thing), this is supposed to be taken very seriously. Short term fiberglass exposure is mostly skin irritation but over a long period of time it can cause breathing problems. It can become embedded in clothes and become impossible to remove, which is why I’m worried about washing things that have been exposed.

          1. It’s tiny splinters. It doesn’t multiply. Unless you were aggressively fluffing the fibers all over the place, had all your doors and drawers open, and had heavy industrial airflow spreading it further, and you have actual symptoms, this is overkill. Long-term exposure isn’t from a one-time incident that gets cleaned up, it’s from something like working in a fiberglass manufacturing facility.

          2. Have those sources you are reading been associated with mattress companies and air purifier services?

          3. It’s tiny splinters that are hard to clean up thoroughly.

            This isn’t that hard a concept. It does suck when it gets everywhere and wasn’t cleaned up 100% and you’re still getting itchy weeks later. It’s a huge hassle.

            Some of you sound like you work for foam mattress co. It is actually bad to contaminate somebody’s home with glass splinters so small they can get into the air.

        3. I thought the same thing! Girl it’s fiberglass not anthrax. This level of remediation is unnecessary. I wouldn’t have even gotten rid of my mattress (unless I was just looking for any excuse to get a new one). No you do not need to clean the ducts that are probably already surrounded by fiberglass insulation anyway.

          1. Please don’t breathe in fiberglass. The insulation in the ducts isn’t getting into your breathing air unless it was very improperly installed!

          2. Cleaning ducts that have fiberglass insulation lining them can actually cause the fiberglass to become airborne.

          4. If the duct cleaner uses a brush, especially one that spins, it can scratch that sealant loose which means every time the ducts are in use going forward there is a risk that the air is blowing the insulation particles around.

          5. Right? Airborne fiberglass particles aren’t a good thing, but they are not infectious. My googling turned up several “sources” that recommend the steps OP is mentioning she took, but they are all tied to mattress or indoor air purifier sales. Actual science-based sources basically say to vacuum it up and wash your clothes, and they differentiate between a single incident like this and long-term exposure.

          6. Who said it was infectious?

            Yes you vacuum it up and wash your clothes. And then you do that thirty more times over the coming weeks because you didn’t get it all the first time and you’re still getting symptoms of exposure. OP is trying to handle it all at once so it isn’t a whole era of her life. She didn’t say she thinks she’s going to die.

    4. You should directly bring in a company to address it. I don’t know where you are, but FiberClean probably does a lot of the work you’ll need.

    5. I have personally blown in and laid fiberglass insulation and never found cause to freak out about the exposure. What, exactly, are we remediating?

      1. Most people don’t look at risk in pure actuarial terms and instead include a certain element of vibes. Hence people who do are afraid of planes yet drive.

      2. Its in my bedroom, not an attic that no one goes in or a house under construction that will be cleaned up. Its in the carpet, our clothes, our furniture. Somewhere we spend minimum 8 hours a day in. Long term exposure can cause breathing problems and probably other health issues too.

        1. You’re doing the right thing by taking this seriously. No specific advice but please ignore anyone who is implying you’re overreacting. There’s a contingent of posters here who like to say things like “haha I can’t be bothered to worry that my gas stove is going to kill me” because it makes them really anxious to follow basic precautions or to choose cleaner options.

          1. Thank you! I’ve read enough about this over the last 48 hours to know its serious. Ignoring the more serious health impacts, it also makes you itchy!! Do you all want to be itchy all the time? Trying to get rid of as much of it as possible should be the goal.

          2. Agreed and I’m not generally a worrier. I thought most people here were hysterical during Covid but I would absolutely do the max to remediate a fiberglass issue.

          3. right but itchy-ness is a clear symptom. If you’re still feeling itchy, then obviously do more cleanup. But if you have cleaned all of it up, then presumably you don’t see or feel it in your environment anymore. Therefore the disclosure to the property manager seems a bit much.

          4. sorry I feel like I’m being more snarky lately. If we had an edit button, I’d change my last sentence to The disclosure to the property manager is the part that I don’t really follow.

        2. I mean, I actually did lug fiberglass insulation across my carpeted house, through my bedroom, stood on the bed, and shoved it up through the attic access panel in the ceiling. I spread a tarp over the bed first, and vacuumed the walking path after. Put my clothes in the laundry, took a shower. Went about my life without a freakout.

          1. Cool story. You’re not morally superior to OP for being “chill” (negligent?) about a health risk.

          2. Mental health is also important, and OP is clearly struggling to differentiate actual risks from anxiety.

          3. She isn’t, actually. You should not breathe loose fiberglass or get it onto your skin. It is harmful for your health and it isn’t a mental health issue to point that out.

          4. That’s why you clean it up. But it’s not a BSL-4 hazard. And tossing the bed frame and lint rolling the clothes in lieu of just doing laundry is performing anxiety to her detriment, not addressing the actual mess.

          5. The bed frame was fully upholstered so it would have been impossible to remove all the fibers. I’ve also read that fiberglass can get in the washing machine and dryer and get in subsequent loads so its best to lint roll exposed clothes as much as possible before washing.

    6. Not saying it will cover this, but renter’s insurance might cover this since it’s an accident that potentially caused damage to the property. You might consider talking to your insurer.

    7. With kindness, I would not worry too much about this. We (stupidly) removed our mattress cover when cleaning up after an electrical fire when our baby was 3 months old. Dealing with the fire and a baby was so much worse, so we did not have a ton of bandwidth but we did do several hours of focused cleanup before moving on. I think the HEPA vacuum is a great choice (make sure you are using a HEPA bag as well as a HEPA filter) and also make sure you have a good mask (not just an N95 but an actual respirator). We did put things in the wash, with several rinse cycles and changed the HVAC filters ourselves (now would be a good time to use a high MERV if you don’t already). I don’t think I would call an HVAC cleaner unless you are actually experiencing issues. For us, it was not fun but it was manageable and we’ve had no ill effects; in fact I often forget it even happened.

      In contrast, we had an asbestos contamination issue a few years back due to a very bad contractor and while had it professionally abated, remembering that one still keeps me up at night.

      1. Oh thank you for this!! This is very helpful and also a bit calming. I did also get HEPA bags to go with the vacuum and will pick up real respirators on the way home. To be honest I’m not sure where the HVAC filter in our townhouse is, I know the maintenance folks are supposed to change them every so often. I’ll look into getting a MERV one though. Thank you!!

        1. I hope you ultimately have the same experience – frustrating but OK in the end. Good luck!

  4. Oh no I’m in Italy and no one warned me about the toilet seat situation. What do I do if I have to go number two. How long can you hold it in. I’ve got a full day tour ahead. Serious.

      1. I’ve been to Italy a lot and have never noticed anything weird about the toilets. All of Europe typically has bidets in addition to toilets but I don’t think that’s what OP is talking about, since you can just ignore the bidet.

      2. There are no seats on the toilets (other than in my hotel) but I’m not always near my hotel. So people squat but it’s a mess you can’t/don’t want to sit in.

    2. Immodium. Don’t use it for days and days, but if you want one day where you don’t have to worry, it’ll do the trick. One warning – it makes me a little drowsy, but that may be unique to me.

    5. Italy is wonderful but every trip to the toilet you discover new and bizarre ways to design a bathroom.

      Espresso first thing in the morning, use the toilet in your hotel room, then take imodium.

    6. What toilet situation? Did you find a squatting toilet with a “tray” and hole in the floor? Those are quite rare!

      Go to a hotel bar, MacD or restaurant. I have only been to squatting toilets in railroad stations or very old trattorias.

    8. Ewww to pooping in public absent an emergency. Train yourself to go before you leave your hotel, fiber gummies at night are great for this.

        1. lol agree i was wondering how common this is

          like it isn’t my preferred place to drop kids off at the pool but you gotta go when you gotta go

      2. There’s to pooping in public bathrooms whenever the spirit moves. That’s what they’re *for*.

        (Unless we’re talking about simply pooping in public, absent a bathroom, which I very much agree is an emergencies only situation)

      3. Omg no. Go when you have to go.

        This reminds me of women who hold in their gas all day thinking they’re being ladylike around a new love interest… and then they light up the bedroom as soon as they fall asleep.

      5. That is not how my digestive system works. I used to go at work which I didn’t love. I rarely go when I am on vacation due to stress. But keep your ew to yourself. People poop.

        1. Huh, I would much rather do my business over one of those than in a nasty skin-contact-required public restroom.

    10. feel free to stay home, We don’t need Americans over here. Mess up your own country and leave us alone.

        1. There are plenty of non American tourists. My Italian friend tells me they are increasingly hostile toward the US tourists.

      2. Yeah, Italy hasn’t had a corrupt billionaire sexual predator as its prime minister for *checks notes* a whopping thirteen years.

    11. Oh my god with this thread. I’m dying laughing. And for everyone who is freaking out about pooping in public, etc. — I guarantee your phone screen is filthier than squatting over a toilet, whether Turkish or Italian.

      1. If you want a fun listen, the podcast Science Friday had an episode last week that was “You’re Pooping Wrong” that was both entertaining and informative for people who might want to be poop-positive, or listen in on what that might be like. Also, squatting is good for you, and not having pelvic floor support while seated for long periods of time (phone scrolling) is bad for you/leads to hemorrhoids.

      1. I’d be ok with squatting low but I hate the hover squat you have to do over toilets

    13. If this toilet situation is frustrating, I would then maybe suggest avoiding Taiwan.

        1. Ugh! Japan still had its share of squat toilets when I was there. Not fun when you’re tall and achy from sitting on the floor through a multi-course dinner.

    14. I have been in Italy twice in the last 6 months and no “toilet situation” apart of having to pay between 50 cents or 1 euro un public toilets. Bring coins.

  5. Housing help. I’m single, 39, no plan to change that. I have a large immediate family who often stay with me in my city. About 2x/month I have 1-4 people staying with me for a long weekend. I rent an older 3b 3ba house with a large basement for $2200/month all in – utilities and rent. A 3b 3ba house in my region costs ~$340k. A 3b 3ba townhome in my area costs ~$285k (in my region this means horizontal development, HOA – shared walls, but no one above or below) . I make about $200-250k/year. Stable job but commission ranges from 25-70k, hence the range. I do not need to move right now but my rent is going up this summer so want to think about it.

    What should I pick? I love the idea of a single family house but the 60k price difference makes me anxious. I hate maintenance but HOAs in my area are notoriously hard to deal with.

    1. SFH all the way. 60k is immaterial in the cost of a house and you’ll save that in spades over time not dealing with an HOA.

      1. We live in a SFH with an HOA and maybe we got lucky with our HOA, but we pay a small monthly fee which covers a yard company to deal with the weeds in the front yards and to upkeep the common areas. They require approval if you want to add something structural to your house, but as long as it is not crazy it gets approved. We needed to replace our garage door and I wasn’t sure if they would care about the color or design so I contacted them and they did not care at all.

          1. We have lived here for 15 years. This will not be our home in retirement (it has stairs and will be too big once our teens move out and we plan to retire elsewhere). So if something bad with the HOA is coming, we hopefully won’t be here for it!

          2. Wait…for what? If you really abhor the idea of sharing a building (and some governance), that’s fine, but the idea that you’re going to “make up” the additional cost of a SFH by NOT being in an association is…erroneous. Sharing expenses like lawn care/snow removal, heating, insurance, major repairs, etc. is more likely to save you a ton of money. Could you get hit with an assessment for a major repair? Sure, but that’s homeownership.

          1. I own a townhouse in a condo HOA, and have had no problems in the 11 years I’ve lived here. I love not having to deal with outside maintenance.

            I’m sure there are horrible HOAs, but not all of them are. I wouldn’t buy in a small one, but my HOA has over 100 units. They have an attorney who files suit against owners who don’t pay their dues, manage outside maintenance, and limit rentals. Overall, they do a lot that maintains my property value.

        3. Yeah I don’t get all the HOA hate. I grew up in a neighborhood without one. Nice neighborhood, sidewalks, kids rode their bikes in the street. But one house that was of course at the entrance of the neighborhood had rusted out cars and a random toilet and junk in the front yard. Only house in the whole neighborhood that was like that. Would’ve been good to have an HOA.

          The HOA in my neighborhood is generally fine but every once in a while goes on a war path. I’ve personally been caught in the warpath once (driveway arguably needed resealing) but it was actually great because they negotiated seriously discounted prices for everyone who wanted to get the work done. I think I paid $1k like 7 years prior, it was only $200 the time the HOA chastised me. I’m fine with the finger wagging if it saves me hundreds of dollars!

          1. HOAs are a problem in townhouses and condos where you as the homeowner are depending on the HOA to pay insurance premiums and to maintain the property. My in-laws were forced to sell their condo after one owner started buying up multiple units to turn into short-term rentals and then refused to pay his share of the property insurance premium. This put the association in the position of either letting the insurance lapse or forcing the other remaining owners to cover the premium. He essentially extorted all the other owners into selling to him. A more common problem is that the association fails to maintain the property. If disaster does not ensure (see, e.g., the FL condo collapse a few years ago), residents are hit with large one-time assessments or increases in regular assessments to pay for major repairs.

    2. Is there a difference in location for the SFH vs TH? I’d get a TH if it’s in the kind of walkable neighborhood where you can’t (or can’t reasonably) get a SFH.

      I wouldn’t buy a TH in a neighborhood with both SFHs and THs. That said, I currently own one and rent it out. But there are down sides: a ton of those units get bought up by investors and rented out, everyone hates the renters and often with good reason, over time there are more renters than owners in THs and so all the THs get a bad reputation in the neighborhood, your shared wall means that the quality of your neighbors matters, and maybe most importantly – a TH generally won’t sell for more than a SFH in the same neighborhood so you’re essentially capped on how much money it makes sense to put into upgrades/big maintenance items on the house (which is true with any property but the existence of more desirable SFHs seems to keep the price of THs artificially depressed).

    3. At your income with your region’s house prices, I’d totally go for the single-family, I’d really value not having to deal with an HOA

      I obviously don’t know your expenses, but it seems like you can easily afford it too, unless you have someone unusual going on financially – would just mapping out your expenses, the actual $/month mortgage difference between the two, and fully funding your emergency fund make you comfortable spending the money on this?

      1. Yes, this. I think you need to do some more concrete work on what is behind that nervousness about the higher cost — is it justified by actual numbers and concrete lifestyle implications now and in the future, or is it a vague nervousness whether or not the numbers are reasonable?

    4. You love the idea of a SFH it hate maintenance. Decide which one is more important to you, and the rest will fall into place.

  6. I’m looking to buy a new thermos tea/coffee carafe with a handle (vs. a push button dispenser), as ours needs to be replaced after years.

    Criteria:
    – Needs to fit at least 1 liter (better 1.5 l)
    – stainless steel exterior, no paint or coatings that chip (e.g. no non-stick etc.)
    – as little plastic parts as possible (except the ring)
    – does not drip when pouring
    – coffee/tea stays hot for at least 6 hours
    – standard porcelain filter has to fit on top (we brew coffee directly into the thermos).
    – Bonus points for easy to clean with a bottle brush.

    Anyone has a recommendation?

    I bought the last one in Europe so I’m completely unfamiliar with the brands in the US, and overwhelmed by the options if I just google.

    1. For something that large, I think you would need to look at the Thermos and Stanley brands. Look for a Thermos Stainless King Beverage Bottle, a Thermos Icon Beverage Bottle, or a Stanley Classic Legendary Bottle.

    2. Zojirushi! I’ve been using their carafe to make tea for years. I also have a twelve-inch long set of tweezers to get the tea bags out before pouring a cuppa.

  7. Pants help. I have an extremely long torso. I need full-length, boot cut or slim straight pants for work. I need a super high rise. I have PCOS and experience wide ranges of size throughout the day. I am learning a high waistband above the normal zipper is helpful – something with multiple buttons or tabs is helpful. (not corset tight, but like 4″ tall above the zipper, not just one single button at my natural waist with a 1″ waistband) I am OK with any closure – zipper, button – but find pull-on pants usually have a 1-2″ elastic band and that is uncomfortable for me. Fold over waist just never looks right with my tops, maybe I feel like it’s too ‘yoga-pant’ from my college days.

  8. I have a coach outlet bag that is starting to show wear – the gold zipper is looking silver (gold plating rubbed off I guess ?) and the handle is fraying. It’s not particularly nice – it’s that cheaper looking cross grain leather. But it’s my everyday work bag , toss on the ground and toss in the metal detector everyday. Are these expensive repairs or is it time for a new bag? I hate feeling wasteful.

    2. Time for a new bag. The repairs will cost as much as a new bag. But, donate the bag — someone else may still find use for it.

    3. Buy a vintage Coach replacement. The old Coach bags are so good, and you won’t be adding any newly manufactured goods to the world.

  9. I have a friend who is quite uncomfortable with dating and new relationships. She always said she wanted to skip over the dating part and just be married to her person. She finally found a guy she really liked at ~40 and started her first and only relationship. They had been together for about 2.5 years, including vacationing together, spending holidays with each other’s families and setting long-term plans. They both seemed so happy and well suited. I just found out that he broke up with her out of nowhere and she didn’t want to break up. She’s devastated and heartbroken. Any suggestions for how to support her?

    1. Aw, that’s a shame. I’d say just be there for her with a listening ear. Also if it’s in your wheelhouse, make her a batch of breakup cookies (chocolate chip cookies with half chocolate chips and half butterscotch chips — yum!).

    2. oh man that stinks. i think you’d support her the way you would any other friend — maybe direct her to some reading on the ace/aro spectrum? sounds like she might be demi. there are dating apps just for that group I think.

    3. Oh, I’m sorry to hear this. Just be her friend. She might be feeling unwanted, so make sure you remind her that she’s wanted, liked, and loved — hang out, send her texts, etc. You don’t need to overwhelm her but definitely be there for her as someone who cares.

  10. On the topic of mattresses…does anyone have a mattress they absolutely love, especially if it’s lasted a while? I am replacing a cheapy mattress and want to invest in something I really love. I don’t want memory foam, and I generally like soft yet supportive beds (if that’s even a thing…)

    I have my eye on a mattress from Long’s Bedding & Interiors that I tried in store, but want to keep my options open. Anyone here obsessed with their bed? What do you recommend?

    1. I have the same question. I will say NOT the Westin mattress. It has a lot of hype online but that’s the one I’m replacing and it’s been terrible since we bought it. It never felt anything like the hotel beds and it wore out super quickly.

      1. Hmm, not my experience at all, where did you get it? I get ours through pottery barn. Maybe you just got a dud?

      2. I have the same opinion on the Westin mattress. It was fine for a while and then it was horrible.

    2. Through trial and error, I’ve found that I NEED an innerspring mattress – foam and latex do not work for me at all and leave me with back pain every time. I wouldn’t say I’m “obsessed” but I do like my Saatva. It also doesn’t have flame ret@rdants, which matters to me, and has held up fine so far.

      1. My whole family is very happy with our Saatva mattresses. I do find that Saatva transfers motion more than an individual pocket coil mattress, but those are increasingly difficult to find.

        1. Oh interesting! Saatva is one that I see recommended online all the time but then I’ve also seen people say they fall apart after a couple years. How long have you had it? (to both 11:56 and 12:00 anons!)

      2. Don’t get the extra tall one, though–it’s ridiculously heavy and makes changing the sheets unnecessarily difficult.

        1. I am an idiot and thought you meant extra long for the first few times I read this through, lol. But thanks!

      3. If you are a small or thin person, beware of Saatva firm mattresses. I had to exchange for a less firm mattresses because my hands kept falling asleep during the night. Saatva honored their policy and there was no issue with the exchange, but told me that this is a recurring issue.

    4. Hotel mattresses. I have the four seasons mattress, bought from them, worth every cent. We have Westin heavenly beds in our guest rooms and those are lovely too.

      1. Counterpoint – we had a Four Seasons mattress that was noticeably saggy after 2 years. I was so disapointed.

        1. Gah I feel like this is the conversation everywhere online about mattresses– someone suggests a mattress they love and someone else says they have the same one and it was disappointing.

        2. Hotel mattresses don’t wear well. It’s a known thing. In hotels, especially luxury hotels, mattresses are replaced often and just not made to last for the 5-10 years most people will expect to keep a home mattress.

    5. I always go to a local mattress company – everywhere I’ve lived there is a company that makes mattresses nearby (Midwest, Mid Atlantic, and New England so far) that are competitive with the online retailers. I’ve always gotten an innerspring that holds up for 10 – 20 years.

      2. That’s good to know! Long’s Bedding that I referenced in my post is an NYC retailer that works with mattress companies directly, mostly small or local ones. Which sounds great to me, but also makes it challenging to find info or reviews on how people like them years down the line.

    6. We love our latex foam mattress, although it was a floor model that we bought on closeout as the brand was no longer making them. It is about 15 years old and we will be searching for a dupe to replace it, since it has been very comfortable for us. Very minimal movement txfr, and regulates temps nicely in all seasons. FWIW, I cannot stand memory foam.

    7. I got an Avocado mattress plus a topper. Their prices have gone way up, but are still lower than my dream mattress (Aireloom).

      2. I have an Avocado too and I love it, had it for about 5 years now and it’s held up great.

    8. It’s a budget mattress, but my Serenity Sleep Cadence firm is the best mattress I’ve ever had and it’s not even close. The lady at the store (local mom and pop in the south) said, “this is what all the firemen and roofers buy”. It is some of the best money I ever spend and I wish they were available where I live now.

    9. Highly specific rec–Beautyrest BRS900C Extra Firm Innerspring Mattress. Def get the extra firm, not any other way. It’s firm innerspring with high coil count, but has give because of a foam layer on top. I LOVE IT. Have had it about three months. Highly recommend. I got mine at Macy’s and they offer mattress exchanges if you don’t like, for a nominal restocking fee. I had to do that last time, but not this time, because this mattress is awesome.

      1. Recommend the 13.75/13.5inch deep one, not the 12 inch deep one. I just bought another one I love it so much, for my guest BR, because it’s on super-sale at Wayfair.

    10. My mattress is from Costco. It came in a box and expands when you open the packaging.

      My ex husband took my mattress from my bed when he moved out. It wasn’t his to take an he did it to be spiteful. The only reasons I didn’t go after him on it was because it was $600 and my lawyer was $550/hr and it turned out to be a good mattress!

  11. Love my Hobbs pieces. They are really good quality and have some fun knit jersey tops and work appropriate sweaters. I find them short waisted, so don’t buy their dresses. They are also at Bloomingdale’s.

    1. Agree about the dresses being short-waisted.

      I love this skirt and if I were still working I would wear the heck out of it!

  12. Anyone else nervously waiting around for 8pm and our psycho president to commit more war crimes?

    1. saw an interesting thread about how he’s trying to instigate Iran to attack America so he can move the troops here (and of course shut down voting) — this is apparently how Putin came to power

    5. I heard that tonight at 8pm (?eastern time I assume) those who oppose should open their doors/windows and bang on pots/yell/blow whistles/whatever to express our outrage.

      At least it will feel good for a few seconds.

  13. what water bottles is everyone using now? I’ve been using Nalgene for years but after watching the microplastics doc I wonder if I should find a glass or steel one instead. Glass seems so breakable and I dislike the heaviness of the steel ones.

      1. I use a smaller hydroflask. I think it is 24 ounces. It is less heavy than the larger one. I don’t take it on long hikes where I need to carry more water, but for everyday use including when traveling I like it.

    2. Honestly, I still use my nalgene. But if you want to switch to metal, the single wall (uninsulated) ones are pretty lightweight!

    3. I swear by Simple Modern double walled stainless steel. Very easy to clean, not that heavy, keeps things cold.

    5. I am generally trying not to buy from Amazon, but love the stainless steel bottle I got there:

      https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08MFSPHL5?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_3&th=1

      I don’t find it heavy, and it keeps cold beverages cold all day; sometimes I still have ice from the day before in the bottle in the morning (and the ombre purple just makes me happy). I broke the sippy part of the top and had to replace it; they don’t sell separate lids but a Hydro Flask top fits perfectly.

    6. I see a lot of Owala water bottles around nowadays. They’ve got a integrated straw/open top design that’s pretty nice so you have options.

  14. Has anyone here done the health retreat at Canyon Ranch (AZ)? If so, what was your experience like, and would you recommend it?

    1. I recently stayed at the one in the Berkshires. It was not my idea, it was pricey, but I actually had a really good time and was glad I did it. It was a chance to try wellness/self care things. Great service. Good bonding time if you are going with another person. If it is in your budget, would recommend.

      1. Thanks. I’m thinking of nope-ing out of a work trip and going solo, because I feel burned out and frazzled. No illusion that 4 days at a health retreat will fix anything, but I’m interested in what I can learn. I also don’t want to be forced to take part in any group activities or discussions because I’m feeling particularly curmudgeonly right now (and I already spend my work days in group activities). I just want some peace and quiet and focus on my health, which is not great right now.

        1. Sounds like you need and deserve the solo trip. Keep your expectations of what you can learn very modest, and consider any learning a bonus. Relaxation and peace and quiet in itself will do wonders for your health. Enjoy.

    2. I’ve been to Canyon Ranch in LV but just for treatments. In AZ if you can swing it the Mii Amo Spa in Sedona was great!!

    3. I’ve been to Canyon Ranch in Tucson, AZ but over a dozen times. There’s something magical about the Tucson property. My sister has been to
      all the properties and says Tucson is the best.

      It’s a fabulous solo or to meet a friend and spend a few days.

      If you’re looking for a transformative health experience, the week long life enhancement program is incredible.

  15. What’s something you have no right to be annoyed about because it isn’t your business and doesn’t affect you but it annoys you anyway? I’ll start: my sister is letting my four-year-old nephew grow the world’s worst mullet and I hateeeeeeee it.

    1. Lol! I have (an otherwise lovely) co-worker who talks like she’s using an SAT vocab list every day, the type of obscure academic words no one else ever says out loud. I can tell it’s just part of her personality and I don’t think she’s trying to show off. But if I talked that way in my house growing up, I would have been pummeled.

      1. The upside of this is learning how to pronounce words I’ve only ever read before.

    2. We had a flight Sunday and we were in the third row. Even though the overhead space above us had room, the flight attendant told us we couldn’t use that space and took our bags back 4 and 5 rows. And then the last people on the plane used the space above us. I’m still annoyed! It makes no sense and disembarking was as convoluted as you’d expect when bags are behind you.

        1. I’ve been on flights where flight attendants straight-up lied repeatedly – “I repeat, ALL overhead bins are full, you MUST gate-check, ALLLLLLL overhead bins are TOTALLY full!” and then you get on the plane and they’re mostly empty.

          1. Same. I’ve always assumed it’s a time thing. It takes marginally more time for 100 people to stow their bags than to gate check, so we’re just going to make everyone gate check to shave off 10 minutes or whatever.

      1. I never noticed it or knew what it was until I heard a story about it on NPR, specifically talking about how young women tend to do it more. Now I hear it everywhere and it drives me crazy. Same with upspeak. Please stop.

    4. Lol to the mullet! My SIL, who is in her mid-40s, still refuses to eat a single fruit or vegetable, eggs, potatoes, etc. Her diet is like a toddler: chicken tenders (but no ketchup–only BBQ sauce), bread, and desserts. Totally none of my business, but I wonder how you make it to middle age and still have no desire to try an apple or corn or whatever.

        1. You have no idea what this person’s cancer risk is. I’m more worried about her vitamin C status, but it’s 2026 and we can get vitamins from pills.

          1. I’m a different poster, but it is pretty well established that a diet like this puts you at higher risk of colon cancer.

          2. When people talk about cancer risk, they’re talking about an increase from a very very small risk, so overall it’s still a small risk. There’s so much randomness. I feel like everyone I know who got cancer young was healthy and fit.

          3. Anon at 4:05, you literally don’t know this individual’s medical context. A high fiber diet that slows transit times can increase cancer risk instead of decreasing it. Just because adding fiber to your diet increases transit times for you doesn’t mean that’s true for her (it is not true for me and I’ve received
            medical advice to limit dietary fiber).

            She might have lower cancer risk than a vegan who eats fiber all day long but isn’t benefiting from unbound calcium in dairy.

        1. Supertaster here. Normal cooking can smell like high school cafeteria cabbage.

      3. We hosted an au pair who called herself a vegetarian and we thought it wouldn’t be a problem because we eat lots of fruits and vegetables as a family. It turns out she only ate Oreos and Doritos. We spent the whole year waiting for her to get scurvy, but there must be enough vitamin c to sustain a person in the orange Dorito powder.

        1. People don’t always notice the symptoms of scurvy when they begin (since a lot of them are things that are common anyway, like bleeding gums or fatigue).

          2. A multivitamin (or prenatal) is not generally a crazy intervention to try for fatigue. Sometimes it’s exhaustion as in we exhausted some nutrient and are struggling.

      4. I get so unreasonably annoyed at adults who eat like 5 year olds! It doesn’t impact me at all! In fact it’s easier for me to host them because I always have chicken nuggies in the freezer!

      5. I will happily accommodate real allergies or very specific food aversions (i.e., I’m not going to serve scallops to someone who cannot with fish). My sixty year old uncle who dislikes onions, carrots, chicken unless it’s breaded, mayo (only Miracle Whip), green vegetables of any kind, cheese that isn’t American, fresh fruit (only canned), Tuesdays, and the full moon? He can suck it up and eat what I serve, or fend for himself at family dinners.

      6. I see we have the same SIL. Mine’s a bit younger and I’m honestly concerned how that’s going to work once she has kids, because they need vegetables.

        1. You can serve your kids vegetables without eating them yourself.

          Also I eat plenty of vegetables and my kids don’t touch them. Kid eating is mostly not within your control. The vast majority of picky kids grow up to be normal adults. I figure my kids will be like me and greatly broaden their food horizons in college, so it’s not something I’m going to stress about that much.

          1. Honestly it’s what taking vitamins is for. Nobody in this day and age needs to suffer inadequate dietary intakes or deficiencies because they didn’t eat a food they didn’t like.

    5. Maybe this is too serious of an answer: people who don’t push themselves. I feel like at some points in your life – not all the time, not even usually – you should work as hard as you can, leave nothing on the table, and still face the very real possibility of failure. It’s an unparalleled growth experience.

      I don’t care if it’s “I tried to clerk for the Supreme Court” or “I tried to run a 5k in under 30 minutes.”

      1. This is personality based. As a child I realized pushing yourself hard hard hard was not a thing I would do. I like to work smart, but I’m not going to kill myself to reach any goal.

      2. Failing and burning out seems worse than just failing to me. Actually winning and burning out is worse than just failing really!

          1. Do you have a reliable way for people to push themselves as hard as they can without risking burn out?

      3. As someone who comes from a family who enjoys comfort over achievement, this is such a foreign concept I can’t relate even a little

        1. My family is all about achievement. I wish I knew how to just be average, life seems a lot better that way.

          1. Reminds me of a line from the best worst movie, Garden State: “I like being mediocre. I sleep better.”

      4. I mean, there’s a difference between people who refuse to help themselves or expand their horizons (extremely annoying) and people who are content with their lives and happy to enjoy the moment (admirable and enjoyable to spend time with).

    6. I don’t like the way most of my friends parent their kids. Before I had a child, I wasn’t judgy about parents at all. I figured they’re probably doing better than I would. But now that I have a child, bad behavior from other children irks me, and parents watching bad behavior and not correcting it drives me up a wall.

      Oddly, DH and I have opposite views on who are the better parents among our friends. I think his view is based on the child’s behavior whereas my view is based on the parents’ efforts. Some kids are harder than others! Example: we went to an Easter egg hunt with a bunch of toddlers. Two kids tried to steal eggs from other kids. Parent 1 let it happen; parent 2 stepped in and kid 2 had a meltdown. In my view, parent 2 was the better parent. DH thinks the opposite; they were both bad but parent 2 was worse because kid 2 was screaming. We’ll see how that works out when our child hits the tantrum phase!

      1. On the parenting theme, I admit to being super annoyed at a friend who is very much “we’ve tried nothing and we’re all out of ideas” when it comes to their child’s horrific sleep habits. If you don’t want to try a single thing differently, then stop complaining about it every time I see you.

        2. Are they those people who believe that any kind of sleep training / sleep-in-your-own bed regime is going to psychologically damage their kids? I made the mistake of reading some of those books and am so grateful that my pediatrician was able to talk my sleep-deprived self into trying a very modified version of sleep training. It worked in literally a single night.

          1. Yes. For her it’s a combination of that plus convincing herself that trying anything at all will actually be more tiring than getting a few hours of broken sleep a night for years.

      2. I feel really lucky because I feel like I love how my friends and siblings parent their kids; I feel like they’re making such thoughtful decisions about how to do things a little differently than how we grew up, and they seem to know their kids really well and anticipate issues arising so they can head them off vs. constantly reacting after the fact, in a way that still seems kind of hands off (I guess setting them up for success and then not needing to hover and monitor as much). I think they also just have the basics down, so fewer behaviors are stemming from being hungry or overtired or seeking any attention however negative. Some kids are still harder than others, but it feels more like just people issues than parenting issues, like what happens when people are also children.

        I have no idea what I’d want to see happen in the egg hunt situation though! I wouldn’t know whether it was a situation for letting kids sort things out for themselves or not.

        1. Before kindergarten, yeah I think parents should heavily guide social behavior. Around kindergarten is when I’d expect kids to have the building blocks of manners – please and thank you, asking permission, sharing. I’d expect to have to prompt them, not to hover over them. I’d probably keep an extra close eye out at a sugar and adrenaline fueled event like an egg hunt. I’m not sure at what age I’d sit back and let kids figure it out themselves. Maybe 7 or 8? Mine isn’t that old yet so I’m not sure! Eight year olds seem like basically adults to me at this point!

      3. Becoming a parent made more judgy about other parents as well (though I really try to make my judgments “inside thoughts” even with very close friends). I’m definitely Team Behavior over Team Feelings, and was probably more so when my kids were really small. Now that my kids are older, I think judgy thoughts about parents who do every little thing for their kids. A high-school age kid can make their own lunch and write their own essays! A middle-school kid can do dishes! I just have to remind myself that my kids can do those things and I don’t *really* know the whole story about others.

        1. We sound similar. I keep my thoughts inside my head and think it’s very important to do so, but some level of judgment does exist in there.

          1. My first is what I call a “stunt toddler,” she had her moments but was incredibly well-behaved and generally docile. My second was that kid who you’d see in a public place like an airport causing extensive, super-loud mayhem and think, “wow, that kid has crap parents.” He was a wild, nearly-uncontrollable kid for the first 5-6 years of his little life. I’d known at some level that my first just had an amiable personality, but I really had to walk back some of my judgment with my second.

            I just don’t want to end up like my mom. We were at a family funeral recently and the little grand-nephews (4 & 6) were there. She thought they were “bad” because they (quietly) walked down the aisle to sit with their dad mid-service (their mom was running a photo slideshow at the back of the church). They did great!

    7. Related to the mullet, a guy I work with who has a very public-facing position apparently stopped getting haircuts when he took the job two years ago. He is still using an old headshot in which he is well groomed. I imagine that people are taken aback when they meet him because he looks like a completely different person.

    8. A coworker – who is generally awesome – brings up Trump and their hatred of Trump multiple times a day. To them, it’s always a good time to complain about Trump. Every conversation could be better if we brought up Trump.
      I’m not a Trump fan, never voted for him, am not impressed by him in the slightest. But – Trump does not live in my mind rent free. And I like keeping it that way.

      1. This this this. Giving him more attention honestly feels like anticipatory compliance the way things are headed.

    9. Catholic wedding ceremonies with child free receptions. If the doctrine of the venue you’re getting married in says my uterus needs to accommodate children no matter what my budget or preferences are, you sure as shit better be accommodating them at the Marriott ballroom you’re having your reception in.

      1. This is fair. Exclusionary wedding celebrations are uncatholic in spirit and tradition.

          1. And I find it irritating when people expect a couple to cater to them and their needs when the wedding is not at all about them. I am fine if you tell me that you can’t come because your child is not invited and you don’t want to/can’t find childcare. And, no, I don’t expect you to send me a gift. But someone else’s celebration does not revolve around you and your children.

          2. agree with 4:40! when i got married all of my friends who had kids (literally ALL of them) had 2 year olds. i didn’t want a million 2 year olds at my wedding, sorry. i didn’t bring a 2 year old to their wedding, if they can’t come without one to mine that’s cool.

          3. I am the OP of this comment, and I have kids, and if you have a child free wedding in a context that makes sense, absolutely go on with your bad selves. I have friends who got married in a glassblowing studio/museum. It was obviously child free as it should have been! It is the hypocrisy that grinds my gears, not the choices people are making.

      2. As a Catholic, I abhor that you are wildly misstating my faith.

        That said, the general idea of “Catholics should choose children over luxury goods” means that the receptions should probably include children.

        Mine did. I even had the reception in the afternoon to accommodate children’s schedules.

        4. Yeah, every Catholic wedding I’ve been to where the couple believes and accepts the Church’s teaching on birth control has been VERY family friendly! That’s obviously not “all weddings in Catholic churches”; but I would kind of find it weird to have a no-kids Catholic wedding. It’s not *only* a celebration for the couple; it is also a witness to the community, and kids are part of that!
          (Also practically speaking, when you’re that couple, your friends have kids. So you arrange babysitting and chicken tenders and a quiet room to nap, or a lot of people can’t come)

      3. Given your attitude toward the Catholic church, my suggestion would be to skip the wedding (child-free or not).

        1. I’m fine with Catholicism when people actually practice it (most of my family is Catholic). I’m not fine with people getting married in a church if you don’t actually live the values. Follow through or find a different venue.

          1. There was an NPR story a few years ago where the reporter interviewed a bunch of Catholics coming out of church in the DMV area. The reporter was asking questions about birth control and pretty much every person they interviewed was pro-birth control and didn’t follow Catholic teachings on that point. And that’s from a selection of Catholics who actually attend mass on any given Sunday.

          2. I’d feel the same way about serving alcohol after a Mormon temple wedding or pork after an Orthodox Jewish wedding, FWIW. It’s the fundamental disconnect between the beliefs underpinning the ceremony and the choices made in the reception, not the underlying beliefs themselves.

          3. My vehemently atheist friend “converted” to Catholicism for about as long as it took to get through her wedding ceremony, all because she wanted photos in that specific venue. She had no intention of actually becoming religious and continued her vocal atheism as soon as the reception started. He divorced her in less than a year.

          4. The contempt for atheists is funny. You picked one god of hundreds. Atheists picked none.

Comments are closed.