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Dec. 2020 Update: The white version of this blazer is on sale for $90 in the 2020 Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale.
Our daily workwear reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices.
I feel like this blazer has been around in seasons past, but this “lush green” color looks fresh to me. (It's also in cobalt! A beeeyoootiful cobalt! But I've posted a lot of cobalt lately, so let's post the green. It also comes in black.) Green, of course, is harder to wear than cobalt, but I think there are a lot of opportunities — try it with navy, gray, black, even a smidgen of dark purple (hello, purple pumps).
If you have a French blue or other light blue blouse, I might try it with that and gray pants for a very springy look. The blazer is $150 at Nordstrom, available in sizes 0-14. Vince Camuto One-Button Blazer
Some of the best blazers for women in 2024 — great for wearing as separates! — include options from Cinq à Sept, J.Crew (collarless and collared), Everlane, and Madewell. Hunting for a deal? Check out J.Crew Factory and Amazon (Cicy Bell, The Drop).
2017 Update: This simple cotton blazer is still available in regular, petite, and plus sizes, and is STILL in our Workwear Hall of Fame! It continues to come out in new and neutral colors, season after season, and wins rave reviews. (It's often available in petite and plus sizes, too!) Nordstrom seems to have the best selection, but you can find the blazer elsewhere; 6pm.com and Amazon both have options.
Seen a great piece you’d like to recommend? Please e-mail tps@corporette.com.
Sales of note for 9.10.24
- Nordstrom – Summer Sale, save up to 60%
- Ann Taylor – 30% off your purchase
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything + extra 20% off
- Bergdorf Goodman – Save up to 40% on new markdowns
- Boden – 15% off new styles
- Eloquii – $29 and up select styles; up to 50% off everything else
- J.Crew – Up to 50% off wear-to-work styles; extra 30% off sale styles
- J.Crew Factory – 40-60% off everything; extra 60% off clearance
- Lo & Sons – Warehouse sale, up to 70% off
- M.M.LaFleur – Save 25% sitewide
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – BOGO 50% everything, includes markdowns
- White House Black Market – 30% off new arrivals
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ANP
Love this, but am pregnant and therefore on a (mostly) general shopping moratorium.
Ladies, can we talk about Costco? We’re throwing a party this weekend for my son’s 2nd birthday — mostly an excuse to get together with close friends and family, 14-18 adults and 6-10 kids 10 and under. It’s a Saturday night and I need to figure out what to serve for dinner — and since I’m doing a Costco run this week, I’d like to get the food there if at all possible. Any recommendations for easy-but-delicious party eats from everyone’s favorite warehouse club? And, while we’re on the subject, what else do you love to buy at Costco?
TCFKAG
Costco does large pans of pre-made (heat and serve in the oven) dishes including mac and cheese (delicious), a “ravioli lasagna” (also really good) and Shepherd’s Pie. They also do chicken wings that are delicious. And then there’s always the frozen section that has things like pigs in a blanket, mozzarella sticks, or dumplings.
They also do sandwich platters and fruit platters. Oh, and their cakes are awesome. As are basically all the things in their dessert section.
I may spend too much time at Costco….
Anonyc
I served the heat and serve mac and cheese at a party with many little kids and it was a big hit. I’ve also liked their heat and serve salmon steaks. And perhaps I put these things in my own dishes to fake it even more…but I digress. My mother is a devotee of their sheetcakes for large groups.
As for more normal fare, I love the dark chocolate covered fruit things (which are outrageously expensive elsewhere). For the kids I load up those yogurt drinks and fruit bars (the fig/strawberry/blueberry combo pack–huge hit in our house). They generally have prices equal to sale prices on Carter’s baby/kids stuff. Clearly I could happily spend an afternoon there, topped off with a frozen yogurt sundae ;-)
Baconpancakes
I can’t quite pull off pretending store-bought is my own. If I ever do put it on my own plate, to make it look nicer, and it’s delicious (which Costco usually is), someone compliments it and I shamefacedly admit I bought it.
HSAL
With that many people, I’d go sandwiches and sides. They have a lot of great bread (I love their pretzel rolls) and you could get a deli tray and then also pulled pork or chicken for a hot option. Throw in some potato salad/baked beans/other random sides and some chips and I’m content.
Amelia Bedelia
the store bought chicken salad (that Costco makes from old rotisserie chicken) is seriously awesome.
I frequently buy a bunch of rotisserie chicken and pull apart and then have all the fixins (store bought gauc/cheese/etc.) for make your own chicken tacos. Fabulously good.
ELS
I agree with sandwiches and sides, or buying pre-made (just throw in the oven) pizzas or lasagnas from the deli.
As far as what I buy at Costco generally, the list is long. Most of my cleaning products/paper products, garbage bags, individually frozen chicken breasts, apples, lunch meat in blister packs (about $3/lb, and I freeze the unused portions), bread (my brand is $2/loaf if you buy two loaves, also freeze one), cereal, rice/quinoa, olive oil, the occasional red meat if we’re there and something looks good, butter, and soda, when we drink it, which is rarely. We’ll occasionally also stock up on protein powder and/or granola/protein bars. We also recently bought the Kirkland brand stainless steel pot and pan set, and I’m in love with it, especially for the very reasonable price. Oh, and wine, since the one I frequent is permitted to sell it.
For me, the secret to Costco shopping is having a little storage space (our house isn’t huge, but we do have a small set of shelves for paper towels/toilet paper, which take up some space) and freezer space to allow you to take advantage.
I realize I sound like a Costco evangelist. I’ve just really enjoyed A) not having to think as much about what I need weekly at my grocery store and B) saving some money bu buying much-used items in bulk. I’ve officially become one of the suburbanites, it seems.
ANP
Yessss — exactly what you said. I love just having food/staples around and not having to think, “Shoot, better add Kleenex to the grocery list this week!” so often. Being a Costco member also keeps me out of Target, which is good for my bottom-line budget. We also have much lower grocery bills because I only need to get fresh fruit/fill-ins for dinner/milk/etc., and I never buy snack food at the grocery store anymore.
ELS
Same! Making a list for staples once every two months/per quarter is amazing, and cuts down on my impulse spending both at Target and the grocery store immensely.
AIMS
Cream puffs! Sold in a big bucket. A-mazing. I first tried them at a big fancy catered party and couldn’t believe when the caterer told me they were from Costco. I’ve since gotten them for my own parties and they are always a huge hit (except for this one really snooty guy someone invited the last time around who, I think, was disappointed when he found out they weren’t from a fancy dessert shop).
cbackson
…I really want a cream puff now.
TCFKAG
Costco cream puffs give me life. How did I forget about them.
Baconpancakes
I have to admit, I kind of like them still a little frozen. Is that weird?
Clementine
Wait… there’s another way to eat them?? If eating semi-frozen Costco cream puffs is wrong, I don’t wanna be right.
TCFKAG
If they aren’t semi-frozen, what’s the point. (I never fully defrost the whole thing and and I transfer a bunch to the fridge in phases so there will be a constant stream of semi-frozen cream puffs. This behavior is why i had to stop buying the cream puffs.)
Bonnie
I love the cream puffs. You could do all finger foods with cream puffs, frozen apps like chicken tenders, a veggie tray and a fruit tray.
Samantha
Costco has cream puffs?!! I nearly used EllenCaps this is such important information!
Are they less expensive than bakeries and Beard Papa’s? I sometimes see a pack of 4 in Safeway but this is (big) news to me.
Anon
We have used Costco for food for all our kids parties so far. Their take and bake pizzas were a huge hit – we bought some extra add ons for some of the cheese pizzas to make them a bit more fancy (tomato/basil, ham and green peppers, etc). If I had not confessed, no one would have guessed it was Costco. If they still have them their fresh chicken pot pies are always a huge hit. You really cannot go wrong in the prepared food section.
We have also made a huge crockpot of pulled pork for a party using meat, buns, sauce all from Costco and it was also a huge hit and very easy because people could serve themselves and eat whenever they wanted.
Oh, and definitely a sheet cake. Best value you will find and very delicious. We just got cakes that said happy birthday (child) and added some of his favorite toys and we had a fancy character cake for much less than elsewhere.
Sydney Bristow
Costco sheet cake is really good. I always like to get that if I can’t afford to use a specific local bakery that I love.
Anon
It seems like every party I go to servers the kale bagged salad from Costco – it’s pretty good.
Senior Attorney
Wine! Good selection, good prices. Also liquor.
*hic*
lucy stone
I am a huge fan of their Jack Daniels BBQ chicken.
Pink
Their cake is the best.
They also have shrimp cocktail in the ready made.
Second the mac & cheese
Also fab:
– party cracker box
-hummus
-salsa
-chips
-cheeses
– frozen apps
-cases of beer
-ready rubbed ribs –> these were GREAT. slow cookin’ but great.
anonymous
Love Costco but I can’t eat much of their pre-packaged party fare due to dietary restrictions.
Anon
Spinach & artichoke dip with pita chips!
Hollis
Two meal recos made with all Costco stuff:
Make your own BLT’s – cold cuts, bacon (that you can put on a baking sheet and bake until crisp), lettuce, Havarti cheese, tomatoes, bread, etc. Add a bag of ridged chips and maybe some fruit and you are set.
Salmon and potato wedges – get a bag of red potatoes, cut them up and add some seasoning and throw them in the oven for oven-baked home fries. Season and throw a large piece of salmon in a foil tent and throw it in the same oven for the last 15 minutes. The broccoli salad kit is good, as is the Asian cole slaw salad. I also like to add the corn on the cobb, each one broken in half because not everyone wants a whole cobb.
Anonattorney
So, I like Costco when I need a lot of something, but I realized that it actually isn’t cheaper than my decent neighborhood grocery store. I did price comparisons one day and learned that the only thing that was cheaper (based on price/weight) at Costco was avocado oil. It was very surprising.
That said, it’s where I go if I have to buy a lot of stuff for a party. Or just a lot of stuff all at once.
AN
Question on business casual dressing….
I am usually more conservatively dressed than most at work, my style is very classic. Sheath dresses, slim fit pants, button down shirts etc. Of late though, I find that I am less able to tolerate pumps (2.5-3″) as my feet ache. Is it ok to switch to cole Haan air tali patent leather wedges? I like the peep toe ones which would be fine for my office. Or do they come off as too casual?
NO
They are perfect for the office. I am in a business casual office, also tend to dress more conservative than my co-workers, and everyone wears those shoes. I tried, but don’t they were not comfortable for me.
Anon
Why wouldn’t it be ok? You can wear almost any shoe that isn’t a sneaker or a flip-flop.
anonymous
I love my leather wedges, patent or regular leather. But I can’t wear the Cole Haan air tali wedges for some reason.
AnonLawMom
Wearing mine right now. Love them.
Anon
I’m going through a divorce, but I’m not telling my work because they know I’ll leave in an instant to move closer to my family. (And they’d be right: I’m leaving in May when our busy season is over. I only started here in the fall.) For the next few months, I have to find ways to deal with a couple things that are bugging me.
My boss LOVES to socialize. This has the unfortunate effect of making for lots of “mandatory fun” events like cocktail hours and dinners out. My commute is longer than anyone else’s in my department, and with all I’m going through personally, I just want to be at home in a bubble bath. I don’t want to be standing around for hours drinking with my boss and making awkward small talk. For example, last night my boss and co-workers were all out til 2:30 am (on a Tuesday!!!!) and I begged off at 11 pm. Is there a way to minimize the number of these things I have to attend without seeming like a downer? (I understand I’ll still need to go to quite a few, just not every couple days, please!)
A friend met my boss last night and described her as “an overgrown sorority girl.” (She’s in her 50s.) Wow, um, lol, I guess that’s about right. Accordingly, there’s lots of hugging, squealing over vacation photos, and rehashing of reality tv. None of these things are me. I LOVE the work I do, and I’m very outgoing when I’m with friends, but at work I’m pretty much all business. I don’t want to seem stand-off-ish, but I’m not a hugger at work and I don’t squeal. For instance, the boss travels often, and whenever she comes back in town from being gone, there’ll be hugs for the whole team. I’ve tried pretending a little to be a hugger and squealer, but it’s making me uncomfortable.
Advice for getting through the next couple months without being exhausted and twirly girly?
ace
Invent/undertake a hobby that has a specific schedule so you can say, “Sorry Boss, I have to dash to get to a 7 p.m. pilates/basket weaving/tap dancing class every Tuesday, otherwise I’d love to go out drinking to the wee hours!” Ideally don’t lie about it and actually make a commitment.
The other thing is, if you’re only sticking around for a few more months, does it really matter if your boss thinks you’re awesome & fun? It sounds like this workplace is not a good fit for you personality-wise, and in my experience that will come through no matter how much you try to fake it. Hopefully your boss is still somewhat responsible and will give you a good reference based on your work, even if you aren’t best buddies.
Paty
This. Schedule something and use that as an excuse. Other than that your boss sounds like a riot! Aside from the drinking till late I wouldn’t mind working in a place where people are this outgoing.
Anon2
It’s funny how for some this sounds awesome. This would be my personal hell. I like a firm distance between work and play (aka drinks till 2am are reserved for friends, not coworkers, and definitely not bosses). I also dislike strongly the sorority girl/squeely girl, particularly in a professional setting. My professional setting is 95% male, so maybe that’s coloring my opinion, though.
In any event, you’re done in May. Play nice until then, but I agree with ace – does it really matter in the end?
Anonymous
All of this. You’re quitting soon. Just say “no can’t tonight, see you another time” combined with something vague and fitnessy.
Clementine
I think you might need to start training for a distance running event… But that’s my personal bias. Seriously though, I use ‘sorry, I’ve got a training run’ as my ‘get out of awkward’-free card.
It’s also a really easy reason to explain why you’re not drinking without people assuming you have a bun a-cookin’.
Anon
OP here.
Clementine! Hi, I wanted to thank you so much for your advice on Christmas Eve. I’m the same person who posted about the divorce and state legislature. (So yes, the boss above is my elected official :blink blink:) I can’t thank you enough for your advice – having a plan (your plan) has been so comforting.
And distance training sounds like a marvelous excuse! I hope I’d be able to keep up the excuse as we head into longer nights as session ramps up?
And it just so happens that tonight is my first night of private yoga. It’s yoga therapy, which they don’t need to know, but it’s private yoga just the same. So that takes care of one night per week…
Clementine
Oh good!! Glad it was helpful! Also, oh sweet lordy lordy. Everything makes sense now. Working in a State Legislature is so much like college, it’s bizarre. There are cliques, there are ‘popular girls’, there are secret makeout places… it’s basically a Shonda Rhimes series with less blood.
With your member, you really do need to occasionally do the boozing thing. I personally am a club soda gal at these events, but it’s part of the gig. …I think your plans for having a pre-scheduled yoga class or running plan are excellent ones. Use them as excuses for skipping the optional stuff, but really try to be around for the late night session stuff- that’s where the fun happens.
Try and use these events as networking. You can be subtle about it, but also emphasize that you’re new to the area, recently graduated law school, etc. These legislative gigs have high turnover and people expect that someday you’ll be looking to move on.
Meg Murry
Well then, it sounds like you need to schedule a few more yoga classes – whether you actually schedule them or just pretend is up to you. Honestly, given what you are saying about your stress levels, finding a studio with an after work class 2-3 days a week is probably a good plan. Maybe your private teacher also teaches a group class in the evenings you could go to?
Brunchaholic
I am now imagining OP’s boss as Joni Ernst. I know it’s not her, but I can’t un-imagine this.
Senior Attorney
They don’t need to know it’s only one night a week.
Just sayin’.
Senior Attorney
Yes, I was going to suggest the same thing. “Sorry, but belt testing is coming up and I can’t miss my karate class.”
Baconpancakes
The above advice for getting out of the situations is great, and I’d add – make it a joke about how you “hate fun,” and then laugh it off. You won’t necessarily be the most beloved team member, but that’s not important anyway, since you’re leaving in 3-4 months. If you laugh at yourself, your team will feel more comfortable and less rejected. And definitely don’t stay out until 2am on a week night, but do try to join the team for at least one drink out every 3 happy hours, and be as social and outgoing as you can stand during that 1 drink. You’ll come across as still the life of the party, but the limited time frame will be easier for you to handle. That sounds like it will translate to one night a week, which is doable, gets you kudos, keeps your face in the game, and still builds rapport without straining your liver too much.
cbackson
No advice, just kudos to you for honoring what you need to do to take care of yourself right now – it’s SO important.
Warm Weather Vacation Ideas??
Hi all – a little while ago I checked in for advice on where to go on vacation in Feb and got a bunch of great ideas. We ended up deciding to go to Vieques, which we hadn’t thought about but several of you suggested it so thank you! I’d love to hear if anyone has any must-dos while we’re there!
Zelda
Definitely go to the bio bay at night. It was one of the highlights of my trip to Puerto Rico. Also, if you rent a car and drive from San Juan to the ferry dock (which is what I did), take a few hours to visit the national rain forest on the way down or back.
Anonymous
Bring bug spray! The bio bay is a must, but it’s definitely buggy, and there are reports of a new mosquito virus in Puerto Rico. This isn’t to say not to go, just be prepared!
Sutemi
Actually, usage of bug sprays within the bio bays are prohibited. It can kill the microorganisms that are bioluminscent.
Anonymous
Only bug sprays with DEET are prohibited.
Miss Behaved
Watching this thread…
I booked a trip to Vieques in the beginning of March.
I found this list of Top 10 things to do: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g147326-i649-k8045788-Ten_Things_to_do_on_Vieques-Isla_de_Vieques_Puerto_Rico.html
One of the bars listed in the first tip is in the hotel I’m staying in. And my friends and I made some Painkillers over the weekend just to get us in the mood. They’re tasty…
anonymous
Is it normal to get a job offer and be told that it’s not negotiable as a means of deterring the prospective employee from trying to negotiate, when it in fact is entirely negotiable? This happened to me recently, and my contact put on this big show to make the point that they absolutely could not negotiate when I learned later that it’s entirely false. Also I attempted to negotiate anyway, and my salary increase is pending approval. Normal or weird?
AIMS
This happened to a friend of mine last year. Told it was non-negotiable, turned out to be their lowest offer. The firm ended up being a terrible fit for her anyway and she has since left for another “non-negotiable” offer that she did negotiate and successfully; it’s a much better fit. So long answer but yes, I think it can be, esp. in certain industries.
anonymous
Huh. I mean I didn’t expect them to be like “Here’s your offer, but you can negotiate!” but this woman made a huge production over the non-negotiableness of it all. When I attempted to negotiate the first time, she cut me off and did it again. Then I submitted it in writing, and that worked.
Would you consider this a red flag? And in what industries is this common?
tazdevil
Who is your “contact”? If it is someone from HR and recruiting, I would take it with a grain of salt. Those
b!t@he$ get “cost savings” bonuses for strong-arming candidates to agree to work on the cheap. I am so aggravated that the greatest obstacle to women receiving pay equity are (the mainly female) HR/Recruiting dept.) Anyway, sorry for the rant, but going back to your question, in many cases, hiring managers have different ideas about market rate salaries than HR due to the fact that hiring managers are tasked with achieving their departments end objectives, while HR is compensated and lauded for hiring people quickly and on the cheap. Write directly to the hiring manager and mention how excited you are about the offer but that it is imperative that you guys come to an agreement on compensation. Reiterate why you are worth the extra $$ that you are requesting. In many cases the hiring manager has to ask for upper level approval for compensation packages that are higher than originally budgeted, so no it is not weird. I would, however, explore other positions until the actual written offer comes through.
Anon
The contact is an HR person, and I’m very well aware of the dynamics you’re talking about here. I randomly happened upon a couple of HR people who were more sympathetic to my situation (the offer is within my current organization). These people basically said that they’re aware that some people (women, minorities, etc) are less inclined to negotiate than others, so chances are they thought that because of things like that, they could intimidate me into taking a lower offer. I realize things like this happen, but I was sort of amused and dismayed that this is something that is just shy of being actual policy, the way they told it.
Anon2
Totally curious: what industry are you in?
anon a mouse
I would only believe someone that an offer was non-negotiable if it was a government job, or if the offer was already at the top of a published range. Otherwise, no reason not to try to negotiate.
Anon
PSA to anyone who may want to work in government: salaries are definitely negotiable. It’s a huge misconception that they’re not. Obviously it works differently, there are more constraints, practices vary enormously by agency, etc. But always get some intel on how to manage negotiating government salaries and always, always negotiate.
anon a mouse
Agree, and it definitely varies by agency. But the times I’ve been involved with hiring, we’ve been very clear when it was non-negotiable (and silent if it was negotiable).
Anon
This has only sometimes been my experience. At one agency it was true. At the other they always told me it was non-negotiable but it never was.
OOF
This so very much depends on the employer. When I make an offer, it is not negotiable. I look at equity for others with the same title and candidate experience, then offer the maximum amount I have to give. When I make the offer, I share that it is not negotiable.
But yes, the posted range goes higher. There’s nothing I can do about that due to the employee classification system my institution uses. The range says higher, and there is no way in the world I could get to the top of it in reality.
2 Cents
Just a question then: do you get offended when someone tries to negotiate? Since all of the advice now says when you get an offer, it’s expected you’ll negotiate–even if someone tells you it’s “not negotiable.”
OOF
Not the first time. When they try to negotiate (and that does happen), I say again “I need to be clear. This is absolutely the final offer, and there is no room for negotiation.” I also, through the first and/or second conversation, walk them through the “why” and “how” of the offer and the lack of negotiation room.
The only candidate who ever came back to me AGAIN to negotiate did so in such poor taste and tone that I ended up pulling the offer.
Anon
What was in poor taste about it?
Emmabean
There was a case in Texas recently that followed similar facts, I remember reading a summary in a L&E newsletter. A male and female candidate were both told the offer was non-negotiable, and handled it differently. They were both hired, but the male candidate had a higher salary. I don’t recall many details beyond that, and I think the court only denied a motion to dismiss, but interesting nonetheless.
Hildegarde paging Salary
To Salary from yesterday, I saw your update on yesterday afternoon’s thread, but thought you might not check back there. Congratulations on your successful salary negotiation!
Salary
Thank you! It was my first negotiation and I was so relieved it went successfully!
Storage
How do you all store your earrings?
Rogue Banker
The usual culprits (the six or so pairs I wear on a daily basis) are just laid out on my dresser. The fancier ones that I don’t get to wear to work live in my jewelry box.
Anonymous
In a giant pile on my dresser in one of those decorative tray things, and the pearls in the box they came in hidden under my hose in a drawer.
Meara
I have a lot, so I bought a wooden rack thing on etsy that has several horizontal pieces of wood with slots and holes in them (for hanging the fishhook kind and also post ones, though i don’t have many of the latter), and then the bottom row has some pegs you can hang bracelets or necklaces on (I don’t tend to wear those much/have many)
anon a mouse
The grey stacking jewelry trays from Container Store. Easy to use and compact. I have several – everyday earrings go on the top one, with things I wear infrequently on the ones below.
ANP
I have a clear, hanging organizer that goes in my closet. It’s divided into maybe 30 different small pockets and I group the earrings by general type. Works for me b/c I can see them all. I got my organizer for $10 at TJ Maxx.
ss
Pearls and softer minerals in their own tiny ziplock baggie. Everything else in a box on my dressing table (the bagged-up earrings go here too).
Anonymous
Is it OK to store pearls, etc. in plastic? I was always told cloth, but I’m not sure if there’s any basis to that. It would be a lot easier to use plastic bags.
Wildkitten
My pearl studs are $50 so I’ll store them in anything. My pearl necklace I would keep in a cloth bag.
I keep all my earrings jumbled in a section of my jewelry box.
ss
Dunno. But virtually all the gem/ jewellery/ fine-watch professionals I know store and transport in similar baggies.
ss
My pearl necklaces live in old socks fwiw.
kellyandthen
Tiny Ziploc bags–like the ones that extra buttons come in–available at a craft store for super cheap. Each pair gets a bag, then they all go into my jewelry box. The studs or nicer ones that I wear on a regular basis–pearls, diamonds, gold shapes, whatever–live in tiny ziplocs in a much smaller box only for those earrings, as I tend to reach for them more frequently.
Silver
In the little plastic tray thingie that comes with Trader Joe’s mochi. It’s sort of like an egg carton. ;-)
Houda
I have a clear standing sheet of acrylic that I bought from the container store. It is an earrings display pierced all over and you stick your studs in the close holes, but you also have some space for hoops and creoles.
I don’t have clip earrings so not sure how to store those.
Houda
it cost 6 dollars only
http://www.containerstore.com/shop?productId=10031022&N=&Ntt=earrings
Anonymous
In the box/bag they came in, on a divided shelf in my closet.
anon for this
In the box they came in. Mine are all fine jewellery and get stored in a locker in my cupboard.
Video Ads
FYI Kat/Kate: Seeing one for Almay today.
Anonymous
FYI: I’m seeing a video ad for Lysol!
TNTT
FYI: I’m seeing a video ad for Lysol!
Lunches
Looking for more lunch options. I need something that I can make Sunday and just grab during the week. Not assemble in the morning, not add a dressing, literally just grab from the fridge or freezer and go. Requirements- must feel like a meal (I see you, nuts yogurt and carrots and you’re not a meal), should have lots of veggies in it, cannot be soup (because I just hate soup), must last through the week either fresh or frozen.
I’ve done freezer bean burritos but need more variety.
Miss Behaved
I love soup so that’s what I’ve been doing currently, but here’s something I made on a weekly basis in the fall: http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/asian-broccoli-salad-peanut-sauce/
It’s really yummy.
Lunches
This sounds amazing. Does it last until Thursday?
Miss Behaved
Yup. I make a big batch and portion it out in individual containers.
anon
Thank you for posting this!
mascot
Rice and beans, stir-fry bowls (add all the veggies and proteins you like), chicken salad, egg salad, hummus or other dip with bag of pre-cut veggies. A rotisserie chicken can be used for a lot of things. Is a stew too close to soup (chili, gumbo, all freeze well in small portions. You can also make and freeze PBJ sandwiches.
For salads, could you not pack the dressing separately and add at lunch?
Baconpancakes
These are a bit expensive, but 100% worth it. The mini tupperware containers always leak, but these have yet to stain the bottom of my nice bag, and one container filled is about the right amount of dressing for two days, so I just leave it in the fridge at work for the second day. http://www.crateandbarrel.com/to-go-salad-dressing-container/s217705?b=1&a=1552
tesyaa
I love the look of that, but it makes me wonder if the 3 oz containers for traveling with liquids might work just as well!
Baconpancakes
Probably? Might not be food-grade plastic, though.
Rogue Banker
Stir fries have become my go-to for office lunch. Can be as heavy on the veggies as you want it to be, you can switch up what you make it with each week, and even though you can’t freeze it (or at least, I haven’t tried to freeze it yet) it lasts pretty well if you keep it in something air-tight. I have some partitioned tupperware-type things, so I can just put a scoop or two of stir fry in the big compartment, some rice in the smaller one, and that’s lunch taken care of.
CKB
I freeze stir fries all the time. The veggies can get a little soft but it’s nice to have those lunches in the freezer
Rogue Banker
Ah, good to know. I tend to undercook my veggies by a hair so they still have a little crunch to them, so maybe that will help them not go soggy. And you’re right, having an entire lunch available to pull out and run is the best thing. Thanks!
emeralds
Bean burrito bowls are my go-to. Make a pot of beans and a pot of brown rice. You can pre-assemble beans, rice, sliced cherry tomatoes, and Mexican cheese blend into microwaveable bowls. And obviously you can add whatever other veggies you want to that as well–I’m sure bell peppers, onions, etc. would be good; I regularly throw in leftover kale or other greens. Possibly have some sour cream/plain Greek yogurt and avocado on hand if you want to get fancy.
JJ
I started doing a hybrid salad thing that I really enjoy. I put a layer of hummus on the bottom of the plastic container, then spinach/lettuce on tops of that, sauteed veggies (I do a huge pan of them on Sundays while I cook dinner and use it throughout the week – normally onions, zucchini, broccoli and anything else I have on hand), diced tomatoes, diced roasted chicken breast (normally I cook this Sundays, too, but will also buy a rotisserie chicken if necessary), and feta cheese on top. I take it out of the fridge, mix it all up, and use the hummus as a “salad dressing.” It’s a lot more filling that a typical salad and for me, at least, tricks me into thinking I’m having more than just chicken and lettuce for lunch.
Calico
This is my dream lunch and sounds totally manageable. Thanks for the idea!
JJ
No problem. I was so happy about it that I just started eating it, earlier than I had originally planned…
Shayla
I get several chicken breasts from our grocery store’s meat counter (Mariano’s, like whole foods but doesn’t cost your whole pay check). Sometimes I buy them pre-seasoned (lemon pepper, Italian…) sometimes plain. I bake them on Sunday night, cut into portions, place in tupperware and throw as much spinach as I can pack into the container on top. I spray olive oil on the spinach. I heat them for about 1.5min in the microwave, the fresh spinach comes out almost perfectly steamed, and the chicken warm. I usually have an apple or other side to go with it.
anon-oh-no
You’re from Chicago! Mariano’s is fantastic and that is exactly how I describe it.
Shayla
Yup! I have a love affair with Mariano’s (maybe the way some people feel about Costco?)
Rogue Banker
Now THAT is a good idea – steaming the spinach as you heat the chicken back up. I may just have to try that one. Thanks for the tip!
Shayla
You’re welcome! I think the moisture from the spinach also helps the chicken stay tender (if it dried out after baking, add a splash of broth to the container).
ELS
Veggie lasagna?
Em
Lasagna or any kind of noodle/pasta bake (Smitten Kitchen has some good ones). Do you hate stews too, because they reheat well. So do curries, which you can serve over a batch of rice. If you google “peanut curry” and “Simply Recipes” that will take you to a nice peanut curry recipe that is quite easy. I will also do a big batch of peanut noodles when I want something easy for the week. Stuffed baked potatoes are another nice grab and go option.
anonymous
Get a crock pot. There’s a million recipes you could make with one. I usually just throw in whatever sounds good, season it, turn it on at night, and then my food is ready in the morning. Feels like a real meal with minimal effort.
Rogue Banker
I love my crockpot. I do something similar for dinners – put all the dry stuff (meat, veggies, seasonings, etc) in the pot before I go to bed and put the (covered) pot in the fridge. In the morning, take the pot out, put in the liquid, turn it on while my toast is toasting. Delicous dinner is done when I walk in the door, and the leftovers pack into lunches for the next couple days.
tl;dr Crockpots are amazing. :D
Hollis
Any suggestions for crock pot recipes that can be on for 10 hours and not get gross? My work day is long, and no chicken dish will work for me. And, my crock pot does not have a timer either.
Baconpancakes
Grab a light timer from the hardware store, plug the crockpot into the timer, set the timer. The residual heat from the crockpot, even after it goes off, will honestly keep food safe for about 1-2 hours after it turns completely off, and you can leave it sit in the crockpot on the “off” position for 1-2 hours before it turns on as well, since the food will be at a high enough temperature for a long enough period to kill germs.
Boom. Crockpot with a timer function.
Rogue Banker
Pulled pork and pot roast both fall under the “the longer the better” heading (at least for me/my family, I cook like my mom does :P). But the light timer idea is brilliant!
… totally did not see that pun until I was about to hit post. Whoops. XD
Apples
How about quinoa patties? You can put all kinds of veggies, cheese, whatever you’re into in them, and they freeze well. You can also make them as “cupcakes” instead. I like this recipe + spinach. http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015996-crisp-quinoa-cakes-with-cilantro-scallions-and-sriracha
TO Lawyer
I usually make a few things on Sunday (when I’m organized) and pack it all into tupperware containers. Then in the morning before work, I grab one and I’m good to go. I find basically anything vegetarian lasts almost all week. I found this really easy recipe for chickpeas, spinach and coconut milk (that I actually think someone posted here) and it’s a good basic. I also sometimes eat pasta or quinoa salads (look at Skinnytaste).
Marie
I use the one-pot recipes from Veganomicon (and big stewy/one-pot-ish recipes from other cookbooks like Plenty More) and other similar recipes, which are thicker and tastier (IMO) than stew, divide into tupperwares and mason jars, and grab on my way out the door in the mornings. Chili, rice and beans, rice and lentils, etc also work well for this. It all freezes well too so I can just grab one out of the freezer and not eat the same food every day for lunch all week (not that I really mind doing this, but it’s nice to have the option not to).
HSAL
I have two chicken bowls I like. Both start with chicken and brown rice, and one I add edamame and soy sauce, the other black beans and cumin/chili powder/garlic/onion powder. I cook it all up Sunday and usually eat it until Thursday. Pasta salad with chicken is also good for weeklong eating. I’m not a veggie person but you could add veggies to any of those really easily.
Bonnie
Quinoa bowls. You can add different toppings to each one so you’re not eating the same thing everyday. Look here for ideas http://www.theproteinbar.com/120-s-riverside–menu-13.php
Zelda
Mason jar salads. If you google them you’ll find a ton of recipes and it really does last all week. You put the dressing at the bottom of the jar, then layer your other ingredients from dense to delicate. I usually put my protein on the bottom because it won’t soak up the dressing and the greens on top to prevent wilting. At lunch time I just dump it all into a plate or bowl and mix.
Bee
Eggplant “parm” (without breading so it’s healthier and won’t get soggy by the end of the week) over spaghetti squash. Lentil stew. Almost any Indian or Indian-inspired vegetarian dish; I’m partial to chana masala. Mini quiches (baked in muffin tins) or just a quiche cut up. I find the mini quiches retain more moisture several days out. Sweet potato stuffed with whatever you want; I like a bean/quinoa/spinach/tomato mix. Wrt to the dressing issue (I always forget to put it on in the morning too), you could put the dressing in a small container inside the Tupperware containing the salad, so you just grab 1 thing and go.
Anon
Sometimes I make a big batch of curried lentils and portion it out in tupperware containers with basmati rice. It tastes better with age.
Anon
I like to make a casserole-type thing or a one-pot skillet meal on Sunday and then portion it out for the week into glass containers. Some things I have done: Tuscan chicken bake with canned fire-roasted tomatoes, mushrooms, white beans, artichokes and sundried tomatoes, black bean spinach artichoke bake, southwest quinoa (with black beans, corn, cilantro, tomato and jalepeno), lentils, quiche, egg bake/frittata.
Also, I know you said grab and go, but I find it fairly easy to assemble a salad at night if I have already cut up everything ahead of time. I have a special salad container that I then fill with lettuce and just sprinkle toppings into the top of the container and it has a space for dressing. It takes a few minutes after I clean up dinner.
LilyStudent
I buy ready made quiche, slice it, and wrap the slices individually in the freezer. Just grab and go in the morning and it defrosts by lunchtime.
mintberrycrunch
Spaghetti squash (cut short-ways instead of long-ways in order to get longer, more pasta-like noodles), meat sauce, parm cheese. I make up 4 on Sunday and then just grab and go. So hearty and filling (and warm, which is nice in the winter). Plus- veggies!
Lunches
Thanks everyone! So many fabulous ideas!
Bringer of Food
I often make a edamame salad. It has corn and red onion in it with a honey Dijon dressing. It’s super filling, and not boring to eat every day. I make a huge batch of it Sunday, pre-pack it in containers after I make it, and then just grab a container out of the fridge when I need it. I know you said frozen, but this seemed up your alley. Not a hot lunch however.
Peasy
I’m into this avocado/chickpea spread that you can throw on a sandwich with some spinach (I make it on Sunday, it lasts several days in the fridge for multiple sandwiches): w w w . loveandlemons.com/2012/03/29/avocado-chickpea-salad-sandwich/
New manager
For the first time in my professional career I have two people who report to me. They’re both women, and both are knocking my socks off with the quality of their work, their professionalism, and their productivity. My own daily work has changed dramatically for the better as a result of having these two people on the team, and I’m beyond thrilled. I’ve told them how impressed I am, how grateful I am for their hard work and how it’s helping the organization, etc, and have mentioned to the recent college grad that I’d like to help her reach her professional goals and identify any trainings, skills, etc that she’d like to work on while in her current role. I guess my question is, for those who manage staff that you’re consistently impressed with, how do you convey this? How often do you bestow praise, and can it be too often?
anonymous
I think if it’s done too often then I’d doubt the sincerity or how high your bar for being impressed is. As a junior person, I’m less interested in praise and more interested in actual help. For example, if you came across an opportunity that you think I’d be well suited for, encouraging me to pursue that and supporting me with putting in a good word or whatever would mean the world to me.
My boss thinks my work is awesome, so he makes sure that I get a ton of visibility from the higher ups for it. It makes him look good (I don’t necessarily think he’s doing it to help me), and it seems like a natural reward for a job well done.
Former Partner, Now In-House
In my opinion, when it is warranted, praise can never be explicit enough or frequent enough. I know people who have gone years getting great results for the client/institution and garnering nothing but good responses from clients but who have not received a single comment from their supervisor that would even indicate the supervisor knows or cares about the results or the client feedback. It is so great that you are doing the opposite.
West Coast
The best praise you can give is to delegate new and challenging assignments / opportunities (i.e. of it doesn’t make both of you a little nervous, it’s not really delegation, but just giving more work). If they are high performers, make sure to keep them challenged.
New manager
Thanks all, this is helpful. I’m going to practice promoting their visibility to my superiors, giving credit where it’s due in meetings, and giving them better/more interesting work as we go along.
Anonymous
Does anyone have a recommendation for a blog that features a lot of Indian recipes? Bonus points if it’s South Indian, and preferably on the less Americanized side
desi inside and out
I am a huge fan of indianasapplepie and show me the curry
Idea
I thought this was Indiana’s Apple Pie and I was going to be mad on behalf of the poster.
FWIW, I like both food from India and Indiana.
I stayed in Tamil Nadu for 6 weeks but never got the hang of cooking beyond the pressure cooker. I rely on frozen Indian food for my fix, some restaurants, and a couple of dosa/idli mixes, almost like Bisquick.
Sam
I see that Indian as Apple Pie is by Anupy Singla – I am a huge fan of her Slow Cooker cookbook for Indian recipes. Have tried a few and they came out really great!
Marie
Vegan Richa
Sam
Cookatease dot com – Very traditional south Indian recipes
themahanandi dot org – unfortunately she isn’t posting anymore but she has a great recipe index that you can search by ingredient etc. The blogger lives in the US but her recipes are traditional South Indian, so it’s a good mix because it uses ingredients and substitutions easily available in the US.
anon for this
Go to vegrecipesofindia.com and check the southie ones.
cbackson
Tips for visiting Scotland for a week? Especially if one must fly into London to get there?
I like historical stuff, hiking, all the brown liquors, gardens, nice restaurants, and golf (although I am a beginner). Price point is generous.
LondonLeisureYear
Where in Scotland and when? I went with the fiance this past September. We started in London, took the train to Edinburgh. Spent 1 night there. Rented a car drove to the Isle of Skye and spent 3 days there. And I could not recommend the Isle of Skye more. I loved it. However its not always a great time of year to visit it -so let me know when you are headed and then I can give you the details. You also have to be comfortable driving. Dinner at http://www.threechimneys.co.uk/ – would be a must. I made my fiance stop the car hundreds of times because its just so gorgeous.
cbackson
April, so I know it’ll be chilly/rainy. I have no “where” as yet – there are so many places that I’d like to go, that I’m trying to think of this as my *first* trip to Scotland, not my *only* trip to Scotland.
I’m not sure about the driving, though – I’ve never driven on the left…
LondonLeisureYear
I would not go to the Isle of Skye in April. Most things won’t be open. We got there the last weekend that things were open in September, and most bed and breakfasts were then closing til May/June. Many of the ferries shut down also for the winter season. Make the Isle of Skye your #1 goal for when you return to Scotland and go from June – September. We drove back from the Isle of Skye past Loch Lomond which takes longer than other routes but was so gorgeous. Our driving plan: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zcPT-Jwc1Cbk.kojwFwlb7RW8 Our trip was only a long weekend so I need to go back.
hoola hoopa
I went too long ago to give specific advice, but I *loved* Scotland. We spent about two days in London to see the major sites and a musical, and no regrets there. We did a stop in York, Edinburgh, and Glasgow and spent the rest of the time in villages and rural areas. At the time (pre-internet), the local tourist offices would connect you with bed and breakfasts, which we enjoyed. We also travelled by car, which I’d recommend if you’re up for it, solely because it was a nice way to see the countryside.
An acquaintance recently hiked along Hadrian’s Wall and loved it. I would have been happy to trade a day in York for a hike along a section of the wall.
LilyStudent
If you’re flying into London, you have no excuse not to get the sleeper train at least one way. I used it in the summer and it was fantastic.
I spent the entirety of the summer in Edinburgh so if you want tips for there email me at tinea at hotmail dot co dot uk
Aberdeen and Glasgow are worth a visit too; if you want to travel between cities and you’re happy with driving on the left I would recommend hiring a car.
cbackson
Thanks! Do you have an opinion about which direction (NB or SB) is better for the sleeper?
buffybot
I spent a week in Scotland earlier this summer. Flew in to Edinburgh, drove up to Inverness for a few days, then drove from Inverness to Glasgow. I’d spent time in Edinburgh before so we didn’t stay for long, but it’s a great city to visit.
I thought Inverness itself was a town of moderate charm (although with several good restaurants), but the excursions from there were great. If you have any interest in Scottish history, the Culloden battlefield visitor center is very compelling and gorgeously done.
My favorite part of the trip was the drive along Loch Ness through Fort William and Glen Coe, past Ben Nevis and then down past Loch Lomond to Glasgow. It was spectacular. We did it in a day, but you could spread it out.
If the weather allows, the outdoors are just so, so spectacular that I think any opportunity to hike and see the countryside is the best. We went to Glen Affric for hiking rather than some of the more well-known parks and it was fabulous. But, driving down narrow country roads is a close second if you’re not the hiking sort.
Food can be excellent if you plan ahead (yelp, trip advisor, guidebooks). Or you can just subsist on a diet of scones and clotted cream, because why not?
Anonattorney
I think you can do at least 2 nights in Edinburgh, if not 3, assuming you fly in there. We got in at around 9:00 am, so we had one whole day with jet lag, and then a second day after getting a good night’s sleep. That was probably enough, but it would have been nice to explore more of the city. There was also plenty of hiking right around there, so you can get some wonderful walking in with great views.
Our trip was primarily a golf trip, so I can’t say a lot more about other cities, except for St. Andrews. I think that’s worth a day. We stayed at Rufflets House just outside of St. Andrews, which was beautiful. St. Andrews is a college town, but it has some beautiful architecture and it’s pretty neat to tour such an old university. The old course is cool too, and right in the center of town.
cbackson
Ooooh, tell me things about golf. I am a beginner (but enthusiastic) golfer, so I have entertained the idea of finding some place in St. Andrews that I could take a lesson, because St. Andrews! And who knows when I will be back! Do you have any thoughts?
Anonattorney
It’s kind of an intense process, because I think the Scots take their golf very seriously. We ended up going with a golf travel agent guy who has a ton of experience setting up these packages. To golf the Old Course (which is actually a really easy course and fun for beginners, like me), you need to get your name in the lottery. They then draw names (I think a few weeks before the requested tee time?) to see who gets tee times. Apparently it’s a pretty big crapshoot whether you actually get to play or not, and you won’t know before you get your plane tickets.
The golf courses we played at also required us to have caddies and handicaps, which was tricky because I’m not a great golfer and don’t really have a handicap. We golfed enough in the months leading up to the trip to get our official handicaps, and then got them registered.
I don’t think you need to do it that way, though. They have some more modern clubhouses and courses that I bet would set you up with a lesson. St. Andrews has a few different courses with newer clubhouses other than the Old Course, so I would check there first. There is also Kingsbairns nearby, which is pretty modern and very nice. I would check those first, and then just do some reconnaissance on the interwebs.
cbackson
Awesome, thanks! I still have to pick up a lot if I’m actually playing a round, so I’m definitely thinking that lessons are the best way for me to have a little bit of a yay!Scotland golf experience.
Double-Bingo
I’m way late to this but wanted to chime in, because DH and I went with some friends the week after Labor Day last year and it was just lovely – perfect weather!
Highly recommend Edinburgh for strolling through the streets and up King Arthur’s Seat. We spent 3 days visiting distilleries in Speyside and loved it. We stayed at a B&B on a working farm outside Dufftown, and also had great luck finding nice places on airbnb. Loch Lomond is gorgeous, and you can hike a bit of the West Highland Way there. If you like historical stuff, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and/or the Starz adaption of Outlander, check out Doune Castle – the tour is great and it’s a beautiful place. Enjoy!
mo' money
I am being grossly underpaid (50% less than industry average and peers in my organization). After receiving stellar performance reviews and several big accomplishments (e.g. highly relevant certification), I asked for a significant raise – 15-20%. I was told I deserved a raise, but was given around 2%. The reason was budget constraints, but this seems like BS- I work for an investment bank. It’s non-negotiable and won’t be reassessed for another year.
So, I am job hunting. My question is whether I’ll be able to negotiate a giant pay increase (30-50%) at a new job, and how? This would put me in line with averge pay for my work. I think the reasons for my current underpayment are that I never negotiated when initially hired and that they think I’m naive/unaware of my worth. Can I avoid salary history altogether when negotiating for a new job?
locomotive
So you shouldn’t outright lie when you are looking at a new job, but you can give numbers that indicate where you would like to be. A colleague/friend just moved from a tech analyst position at BigBankA to BigBankB with a large raise (90k->120k) by saying that she had just received good performance reviews and was looking to get a raise of ~10% from her base of 90. They surprised her by going over by 20, but her possible bonus percentage is lower. So I would just indicate that you are doing a great job at your past place with good reviews, and they will likely ask you what range you are looking for. Just avoid talking about your specific salary as much as possible and I think it is likely that will be fine, especially since you’re looking for parity and not a huge increase over average industry numbers
Zelda
Don’t volunteer past salary history unless asked. Instead, state that you’re looking for a salary in X range. Ask a manager has great advice on how to approach this issue and ways to avoid giving salary history (if possible).
Anon
+1
Anon2
Tell them what salary range you’re looking for in a new job before they can ask what you currently make. My husband just did exactly this and got a 25% increase from current job to new job that starts next week!
2 Cents
Not to sound like a broken record on here, but AskAManager’s personal story mentions how she was able to negotiate a 50% pay raise when she switched jobs. It’s about sidestepping the ? of what do you make now and answering “Based on my experience and industry standards, I’m expecting a range of $X-$Y.”
Anon for this
Ladies,
I’ve been a loyal reader for probably three years now, and I’ve gotten so many good tips as to how to update my own wardrobe on a reasonable budget and what brands offer products at a particularly good value. I was hoping to get some tips for my husband for doing the same. He works in an office with a dress code that’s at the “casual” end of “business casual” – he’s been pretty consistently wearing polo shirts and khakis (maybe a sweater in the winter) for the entire time he’s been there. While he doesn’t want to appear overdressed (i.e. a suit wouldn’t make sense in his office environment), he’s expressed an interest in updating his own wardrobe (piecemeal) to appear a bit more professional.
Does anyone in the hive have suggestions for particularly good value for “upgrade” pieces from the above? Or anything to avoid? (We just didn’t want to drop $200 on a cashmere sweater of poor quality, etc.). He was thinking maybe a few sweaters, a blazer/jacket or two, and maybe a few pairs of dress pants to start. Most of my work clothes (for a less casual “business casual” office) come from J Crew, Boden, Banana Republic, or the mid-priced Nordstrom brands (usually on sale) – he would be most interested in pieces in approximately the same price range. Bonus points for not having to dry clean the pants/sweaters (although that would not be a deal-breaker necessarily). And he’s kind of a bigger guy (average height but very broad-chested and kind of . . . burly (?)), so he’s not had much luck with “slim-fit” or “skinny fit” or even “vintage fit” anything. He’s in his mid-30s if it helps in terms of appropriate style.
Thanks so much in advance – I have plenty of tips for women’s clothes, but none for men!
anonymous
No advice, but my husband is in need of the same guidance, so I’m interested to hear responses.
BB
For quality questions, try Style Forum. It’s a men’s clothing forum that offers very good advice. Might also be a good place for him to explore what style he wants to upgrade to. Like does he want to look more hipster-like, more traditional conservative, etc.?
Anon for this
Thanks so much for the recommendation- I’ll tell him to check it out. That’s interesting about the different styles – this probably makes me sound less than intelligent, but it really never occurred to me that there were different styles. (All the men in my office in his age range seem to dress pretty similarly, albeit at probably a higher price point than we’re aiming for.)
Going with my gut, I’d say more conservative than hipster – I think he’d probably say his hipster days are behind him, sadly.
mascot
How about some of Brooks Brothers button down sport shirts? They are no-iron, have a variety of patterns/colors and can be dressed up or down. I think Jos A Banks has a similar product that’s a little less pricey.
Anon
My husband likes some J. Crew stuff (some is too slim fit for him), Brooks Brothers and Ralph Lauren (when he can find a good price, though he does like the Polo brand too.) His favorite “casual” dress pants (if that makes sense. . .) are actually from Men’s Wearhouse.
LondonLeisureYear
Get him a personal shopper appointment! If you are in the bay area by chance Mimi Glumac is great and then you don’t have to spend forever trying to figure out his best fit/outfits. She does it for you. http://www.mimiglumac.com/services/
hoola hoopa
My husband has a similar build and similar needs. He has zero interest in researching styles, and I found it frustrating because most blog options I found focused on the long/lean figure.
What worked for him was a Nordstroms stylist, which got him about 2 pants, 3 shirts, 1-2 ties, and a pair of shoes. He was nervous, but they guy was great and zeroed into colors, styles, and fits that suit my husband perfectly. It was not piecemeal, but once he got over the initial shock he was excited to be done. FWIW, I stayed in the mall for a review before final purchase (per his request), but I intentionally was not there for the selection.
We also did an exhaustive search on our own for nice jeans (appropriate for his office on days without client meetings). Again, one day of pain and done. We went to 6-8 stores including designer and the surprising winner by a mile were Roebuck from Sears and a particular Levi’s fit (sorry, can’t remember the number). I was skeptical, but they have held up quite well.
From there, he’s been able to fill in with a piece here or there. What I noticed is that once he had the basic capsule, it was easy for him to add. He initially wore the same couple of outfits that the stylist put together, but about a year out he’s really putting together his own great outfits and has a sense of his personal style.
Anon
Yes to Levi’s jeans! My husband also wears them on more casual days to work. Also, great for kids too. The only jeans my son hasn’t put holes in the knees.
LilyStudent
My Dad has always worn a lot of Boden to work – media casual.
kc
My husband likes pants from brooks brothers, and then we piece together sweaters and button downs from macy’s and jcrew (jcrew for sweaters).
Pink
My finance SO has a collection of Brooks Brothers non-iron shirts supplemented with cheapos from JosABanks, etc. They wear well as long as he doesnt’ get pizza grease on it. They’re easy to wash and dry and doesn’t need ironing as long as you hang it up straight out of the dryer.
Shoes – Allen Edmonds.
Pants – he used to go to Macys but has gotten into boutique european brands lately for wool pants.
Sweaters – he’s got this odd affinity to sportswear for his desk job, but I think the sweaters from jcrew/BR are fine.
anne-on
Allen Edmonds shoes are pricey but the quality is amazing, my husband loves them.
Brooks Brothers non-iron shirts are great, especially if you can get them on sale. Charles Tyrwhitt is another good bet.
West Coast
Try Bonobos, and then add in a few really pricey blazers.
OCAssociate
Hugh & Crye makes great quality button up shirts (& t-shirts), and they have a system that lets your husband find the right fit, so the shirts actually fit well. My husband hasn’t tried the blazers, but I’d expect similarly good quality.
anon
Bonobos and Gant
Brunchaholic
My guy loves Bonobos and he’s recently been on an Everlane kick. They make these hybrid blazer/sweaters that are a great polished but laid back look.
Out of Place Engineer
My husband has liked Ask Andy:
http://askandyaboutclothes.com/
especially for the forums. I’ve used them when I have been researching presents for him.
He likes pants from Bill’s Khaki’s because they are really consistent, which we usually get at Sierra Trading Post once you know the size/model he likes. He wears a lot of Brooks Brother’s, Hickey Freeman, older-school stuff, and has had good luck at the Neimen Marcus/Nordstrom/Saks outlets for the nicer stuff.
anonymous
For pants – a step up from khakis are usually wool. Most of the dressier pants for men are dry clean only.
My husband is one of the most best-dressed of his co-workers in a polo/khaki workplace. He gets his wool pants at Costco – Kirkland brand usually on sale for $40. These would be $100+ pants at Macys or similar. He’s also gotten some nice merino or cashmere sweaters there too though it’s more hit/miss.
You could also try an outlet mall for Brooks Brothers, Banana Rep and JCrew for the prices plus you could hit all of them at once to see/compare.
anonymous
How to treat dry scalp?
hoola hoopa
I’m not an expert but, IME, you have to pin down what’s causing the flaking. If it’s dry skin, a scalp conditioning treatment will do the trick (there are specific products or coconut oil is common at-home option). If it’s build-up, then changing products will work or I’ve heard apple cider vinegar and baking soda periodically. If it’s dandruff, salicylic acid or coal tar with perhaps a treatment (ie, scalp exfoliants) to remove existing build-up should work. If it’s psoriasis (caused by yeast/fungus), then tea tree oil, selenium sulfide, zinc pyrithoione, ketononazole, etc are what you’d need.
anon
I was told I have dry skin at my last haircut. The stylist suggested cutting down how often I shampoo to every 2-3 days (as opposed to daily, I was terrible, I know). When I do shampoo, she told me to rub oil (argan oil or similar) into my scalp before showering–even a few hours or the night before.
Cashmere PSA
Talbots has cashmere sweaters for $54.99 today only. I ordered one a few weeks ago when it was mentioned here and really liked it. I like them even better at $54.99.