Wednesday’s TPS Report: Arani Skirt
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Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices.Sales of note for 2/14/25 (Happy Valentine's Day!):
- Nordstrom – Winter Sale, up to 60% off! 7850 new markdowns for women
- M.M.LaFleur – Save up to 25% on select suiting, this weekend only
- Ann Taylor – Up to 40% off your full-price purchase — and extra 60% off sale
- Banana Republic Factory – 50% off everything + 15% off (readers love their suiting as well as their silky shirts like this one)
- Boden – 15% off new season styles
- Eloquii – 300+ styles $25 and up
- J.Crew – 40% of your purchase – prices as marked
- J.Crew Factory – 50% off entire site and storewide + extra 50% off clearance
- Rothy's – Final Few: Up to 40% off last-chance styles
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – Flash sale ending soon – markdowns starting from $15, extra 70% off all other markdowns (final sale)
And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!
Some of our latest threadjacks include:
- My workload is vastly exceeding my capability — what should I do?
- Why is there generational resentment regarding housing? (See also)
- What colors should I wear with a deep green sweater dress?
- How do you celebrate milestone birthdays?
- How do you account for one-time expenses in your monthly budget?
- If I'm just starting to feel sick from the flu, do I want Tamilfu?
- when to toss old clothes of a different size
- a list of political actions to take right now
- ways to increase your intelligence
- what to wear when getting sworn in as a judge (congrats, reader!)
- how to break into teaching as a second career
Love the styling suggestion, though not sure I would spend this much on this skirt. But speaking of white blazers, per the styling idea, has anyone seen any good ones? Not even necessarily “white” — I think a light cream might be more versatile, but I cant seem to find a good version of either anywhere.
I would love to hear about white blazer recs as well.
thirded.
Thought I saw some (white/beige blazers on the Nordy website…cannot recall brands…
Re: this skirt, love it, but pale blue top with it? Probably not. It also looks more like a pencil skirt though…
Antonio Melani had a few cute white blazers for spring (with both full-length and 3/4 sleeves) but I am not sure they are still available. There was also a cute Halogen blazer this spring that I got in khaki but was also available in white online. I think they got rid of it in the semi-annual sale, unfortunately.
Oh, just found one!
http://www.talbots.com/online/browse/product_details.jsp?id=prdi25046&rootCategory=cat70008&catId=cat80008&sortKey=Default§ion=Regular&conceptIdUnderSale=cat70008
I really like this skirt option. I find it difficult to find a pattern that I actually enjoy, but I think that this is understated and classy. Also, great styling suggestions. I wouldn’t have necessarily thought of the blue blouse – wearing anything but black in NYC can be such a challenge!
– Meredith
cubiclechicblog.com
Just checked out your blog, it’s great!
I concur! I looooooooove those teal shoes you’re wearing in the 3rd or 4th post from the top…
Thanks so much! And aren’t those shoes just smashing? In all honesty, I wouldn’t be able to wear them around for a full day, but I’m practicing!
Thanks for the feedback!
Cute blog!
Too cute, Meredith! Love your blog.
Love this skirt. Also wanted to let fellow C’s that the new fall Boden catalgoue has lots of great work pieces. My favorite is the “audrey” dress. http://www.bodenusa.com/en-US/Womens-Dresses/Above-Knee-Dresses/WH210/Womens-Audrey-Dress.html
I love wearing my Boden dresses to work! I work in a business casual setting, so there was even a lot in the summer catalog I could wear. I’m actually wearing something I got from the summer clearance today!
It’s probably been asked and answered before, but do they use English sizing or U.S. sizing, i.e., would I have to size up or just order my regular size from their US site/catalog?
They are now using U.S. sizing. I can’t remember when they switched, but they used to use English sizing, which I know has caused confusion for a lot of people! (They even remind you before you check out that their sizes are now U.S. sizes, which is a nice little reminder.)
Thanks!
Gorgeous print! I really like it, but I don’t understand how this can be called an A-line skirt. Seems more like a pencil skirt to me.
ditto. If this is A-line then my A-lines are poodle skirts!
My thoughts exactly!
I was thinking the same thing! Definitely looks like a pencil skirt to me…
I had the same thought. I wonder whether they aggressively pinned it in the back to look more like a pencil?
I’m glad you said something; I thought the exact same thing! I’m wishing they had more pictures so I could see if it’s a true a-line or more of a pencil skirt. I suppose I’d like it either way, but I am in dire need of pencil skirts and I already have a ton of a-lines, so I’d be more likely to get it if it fits me like a pencil skirt.
Hmm, basic question: how is that an A-line skirt? Is it not a pencil skirt? Have I been confused about the two all along??
This doesn’t look like much of an A line skirt, but A line and pencils are different. A lines look like an A (smaller at waist, bigger at bottom), pencils are like pencils (roughly same width at top and bottom :)
Thread jack:
Has anyone tried Cass Shapewear? It’s one of the sales on Rue La La today and a few pieces look like what I’ve been looking for. Can anyone recommend it? (Or recommend staying away from it?)
I bought a full body slip from Cass the last time Ruelala had it on sale and I’ve been really happy with it. It’s not as powerful as Spanx, but it’s perfect under wrap dresses/jersey dresses, etc. I don’t know if I’d buy them full price (whereas I would and do with Spanx) but at Ruelala prices I’d buy something from Cass again.
Thanks, JJ! This is perfect. I’m actually looking for something not quite as powerful as Spanx, so I think I may try a piece or two.
Thanks for the reco, I just bought some things. I needed a new powerslip and a couple of other pieces, and the prices in the sale were pretty good, I thought.
I got two camis and a slip (that can either go on bottom or top!) during the last rue la la sale. I love them all, in particular the slip. The cami occasionally rolls up, but I am tall and long waisted.
This morning I did the HIIT workout that you posted a few days ago on my bike. It was a great way to break up the monotony of just “go hard for x minutes…” I ended up averaging about 2 mph faster than I usually go when I just try to go hard for the same amount of time. Loved it! I repeated the pattern 3 times with 4 mins rest in between. Next time I would only rest maybe 2 minutes between the sets to keep my heartrate up a little more throughout.
Quick, someone talk me out of this before I make a totally unnecessary Wednesday purchase:
http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3110714?Category=&Search=True&SearchType=predictivesearch&keyword=tory+burch+%3E+Handbags+%26amp%3b+Accessories&origin=searchresults
It is office-appropriate by our office’s standards. I inexplicably love it, so I can’t tell — is it hideous? Are gold chain straps ridiculous?
Maybe there’s something wrong with my computer screen, but my problem with the bag is that the spots look like a 3D movie when you take your glasses off.
The spots aren’t my thing, either, but I love it in the solid purple. And, it’s half off! I know we’re supposed to be talking you out of it, but I say go for it!
I like it better in the more muted C color. I think it would probably be one of those pieces that ended up being more versatile than you’d expect, would go with all of your browns and purples for fall. Probably only for fall, though.
Well, you’re all a bunch of enablers, but thank you :) I was leaning towards the C color too, so maybe I’ll order it and give it a chance in person. A-non-lawyer, I hear you on the Magic-eye 3D blur — hopefully that will be my impression in person and I will come to my senses. My budgeting sense has been on summer vacation lately, I can’t wait for the Anniversary Sale to end so I stop refreshing the Nordstrom site quite as often!
AJ – if you love it, and it isn’t a financially imprudent thing to do for your personal situation – then buy it!
Some people on this blog will like it, some won’t, but you are the person who will carry it. but the only one who matters is YOU!
Gold chain straps are very in right now but I don’t think they’ll always be. 7 inches also isn’t enough of a strap drop to comfortably wear with a jacket and you don’t want to have to carry a bag that size in your hand. The pattern also isn’t solid purple – it has light purple flecks.
Sorry – I realized the poster above who said she liked the purple wasn’t the OP.
Duh, thanks for pointing that out! (That it’s not solid purple, as I am now considering this bag, too!) I still like it, though. Nothing against the pattern the OP likes, the slightly more subtle pattern is just more my style.
I’m going to disagree with most and say hideous …. sorry :)
No help here. That’s a great bag. Chic, stylish, trendy but it will last a while, too, if that makes sense.
Kat – one thing I’m realizing is that you are very obviously a dress / skirt person. Can you think about providing pictures of great pants, great stylish looks with pants?
Honestly, when I look at some of the dresses that get featured on here as appropriate for work, that are either very young / clingy jersey looking or evening-gala dresses that are too dressy, it strikes me that a great blazer / silk tee or sweater / pants combination is actually far more professional looking than a too-casual or a too-dressy dress. It certainly is true in my professional world — and honestly, no one seems to wear skirts / dresses all that much in the world of business casual. I wonder if other Corporettes feel this way and would appreciate more pants and styling tips for pants?
I pretty much never wear pants (except jeans on weekends, but referring to work attire), but I have noticed the focus on skirts and dresses; it just doesn’t bother me as much! Although, I have to say, in my business casual office, I’ve found that women almost also wear skirts or dresses, so I think that may depend on the office (and possibly the city).
Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve always thought of skirts/dresses as far more professional than pants. I know some judges really frown upon female lawyers wearing pants suits in their courtrooms. I own 2 pairs of work pants and ONLY wear them in the winter. I also find skirts/dresses generally much more comfortable.
Is this just a southern thing?
Yes. In the north you look girly. I find the few ladies that do wear skirts/dresses all the time get the “girl treatment” and that they ladies that wear pants more often than not get treated equally. Maybe that is just my opinion but I think pants give off a lot more authority than skirts.
Whaaaat?! Are people really that simplistic “in the North”? “You dressed in dress. You must be one of those lady-persons. Cannot respect. You dressed in pants. Me fooled. Will respect you.” Do women get even more respect if they dress like Annie Hall, full three-piece pantsuit and tie, or, better yet, rock those blouses with “women ties” from the 1980s?
“You dressed in pants. Me fooled. Will respect you.”
Nearly spit out my tea all over my keyboard – thanks for the laugh :)
Hm, I did not notice this when I lived in the north. At all.
Upon re-reading my comment it came off sounding trollish. What I meant is, “I live in the North and I think women look more authoratative in pants than they do in skirts. I also find that some of the most successful women at my firm tend to wear more masculine styles. I wear my share of “feminine attire” but I feel much more business like in pants. I have spent some time in the South and felt that it is less true there. In the South, rather, it was more odd for a woman to wear pants all the time. Where I am now I find pants are more the norm.”
I set a time limit on leechblock for how much time I can spend on this site and often I am trying to type fast to get in under the clock. Sorry if this came out all wrong.
Agreed. I am one of the few that wear skirts to work. In my business casual the “uniform” is pants and button down or pants tee and blazer/cardigan.
Sorry, that was a reply to Sharon.
I feel like I’ve brought this up once or twice in the past. I love wearing skirts/dresses, but between my clumsiness and living in Mosquito Central, my legs aren’t always in the greatest shape for showing off.
Skirts before pants for me, always, when playing with separates, but above all, before all– dresses. On my biggest, most polished, professional days, and on my softer, more desk-bound days, dresses and skirts.
Eh, I know this has been debated on the site, but I wouldn’t let mosquito bites keep you from wearing skirts. I almost always have a bruise (or several) on my legs or feet or arms from training, and it doesn’t stop me from wearing skirts or short sleeved blouses.
In Kat’s defense, I am not seeing a lot of pants in stores right now, maybe in another month they will come once fall fashions have hit the stores. I was at Nordstrom over the weekend and pretty much everything was skirts and dresses.
I’m in DC and most all of the women on my floor wear skirts pretty much every single day. Can’t imagine wearing pants in this icky humid weather! But I do agree that some pants recommendations would be helpful.
I would agree — I wear panst & skirts/dresses fairly equally throughout the year EXCEPT in the summer, when I hardly wear pants at all.
I probably wear dresses 3 out of 4 days (Jeans Friday so I appreciate the dresses, but I DO like nice pant suits, so more of them would be helpful (need something to wear on that other day)! About to do a closet refresh very soon, so definitely interested in see what’s out there, although am heavily leaning toward the Hong Kong tailor route for fit purposes, because its hard to find pant suits that fit right when your almost 6 ft tall….. unless you are a size 2.
I feel like dresses and skirts are more forgiving! Whenever I wear pants I feel horribly on show!
I’m the exact opposite. My figure is very difficult to fit properly and I have far better luck with pants – I rarely ever find a skirt that isn’t constantly riding up/twisting around causing me to pull nervously at it all day long. I hate skirts and feel far less comfortable/authoritative in them than I do in pants.
I exclusively wear pants for work, no dresses or skirts, and yes, I would like more options featured here as well. I recently branched into “skinny” pants (Martin skinny at BR), and I’m excited to have some new looks in my wardrobe; I thought I couldn’t do skinny at all, let alone for work, but these look good somehow.
How do you do skinny pants at work? I just got a nice pair from the Nordstrom sale that I think could go to work, but I am not sure what to do with it to make it work appropriate.
I’d rather not see pants. It’s so hard to judge the fit online, I’d never buy them unless I could try on.
I feel like dresses are the hardest, and we see them featured here all the time. At least with pants, it’s pretty obvious when they’ve been clipped in some unnatural way, while with dresses you can clip it in the back and it will look completely normal in front.
I find it easier to buy dresses/tops online rather than skirts. I wear pants 2x weekly & very tempted to get them online sometimes but never have, as I have no clue how they will look once on.
Love the skirt, but would only wear it with back and/or white. Love Dillard’s. I have almost this same skirt and wear it a lot – think it’s well worth the money. I always wear it with black shoes. I think if you wear a pale color with black-and-white it will suddenly look too bright – just like if you were paining a picture.
White blazers – I have a great one for summer which I bought a Target – machine washable, too.
I am starting to think about alternative clothes for the office which are not so very retro as everything seems to be now. American women seem to have very big hips. I am thinking about tunic tops that come down over that area, but which look very professional. Something that could be worn over very narrow-legged pants. So far this is a day-dream – I am not seeing it in the stores.
I’m still reveling in the retro. Love the Mad Men looks. I’m sure we will all be over it by next year, though. As for tunics – as an hourglass shape, I can’t wear them well. Need more waist definition, or your whole body will look as wide as your widest point. They can look fab on the ectomorphic body type, though.
I am LOVING the retro but wish I could find more clothes in this style. I know Shabby Apple has a bunch of retro dresses but I have heard very mixed things about their quality. If anyone has links to some cute retro dresses/tops, please share.
ModCloth has a lot of cute dresses! (Some are work appropriate, some are more for evening or weekends.) They use multiple vendors and I’ve generally found that, like with most things, you get what you pay for. Nothing is overly expensive, but my $100 dresses from there have held up better than my $40 ones.
Oh, and it’s just modcloth.com.
Also, I have a question regarding good vintage stores. Does anyone have recommendations in the D.C. area (preferably actually in the District and if not in the District, metro or easily bus accessible)? I’ve tried Annie Creamcheese and Meeps with varying degrees of success, but I’m looking for somewhere new. I’m originally from Cleveland and, oddly enough, I’ve had way more success with finding good vintage stores there, so I’m missing having two or three “go-to” stores where I always know I can find something.
There are a couple of consignment stores in the Dupont area that have a vintage section — just google consignment and Dupont and you’ll find the names. I think one is called Second Hand or something. There is also Mustard Seed in Bethesda which is metro accessible, but it is more of a used clothing store that happens to have a vintage section.
Modcloth looks cute, thanks. There is also Trashy Diva — LOVE their clothes but I hate buying online from a vendor that I don’t know anything about.
I found the names — Secondi and Second Affair Consignments. I’ve been to the first and thought that they had a lot of great clothes, although I didn’t look particularly for vintage.
Thanks, Clerky! I was Googling vintage and for some reason didn’t even think to Google consignment. Sometimes my brain doesn’t function! Maybe I’ll make a trip to Dupont after work today to check out those places.
if DC people are already on here – this has probably come up before, but does anyone have a tailor that’s one step up from a dry cleaner? my dry cleaner hems pants and skirts like a champ, but I need some pants tailored through the hip and thigh and want it done well.
There are a bunch in the U Street area. There is one that’s on a basement level on the south side of the street somewhere between 14th and 16th that I really like. There’s also one at 18th street near California in Adams Morgan. Sorry I can never remember names :). If you just wander the streets around U and 14th you will find several good stores.
Secondi is a great consignment store, but very little vintage.
Yeah, I think Meeps is the one in Adams Morgan. I haven’t been in a while, so I may have to stop in there and see what they’ve got in. I used to really like them, but the past few times I went, I didn’t see anything I liked.
I have ducked in to a few of the ones on/around U Street and haven’t had much luck; I will have to try to find the specific one you recommended.
And thanks for the recommendations!
Head out to Takoma Park, there’s Moonshadow (the owner Karen has red curly hair, she’s amazing) and Polly Sue’s within a block of each other.
Best DC area tailor I have ever used- Tran at the Lemon Twist in Chevy Chase on CT Ave. Call the Lemon Twist and ask for Tran’s number. Not on the metro, but she’s the best.
For cda: my boyfriend is a professional custome tailor who does alterations on the side. We’re in DC. His website is danielweger.com so you can see his work and contact him if you’re interested.
Some of the dresses on Le Train Bleu (add dot com for the site) are very retro feeling, I think Kat featured a few in the past, here.
Also, BR is doing a whole Mad Men line for the fall — so that might be worth checking out (maybe the homage to the early 60s means less Ally McBeal short skirt suits of the early 90s).
Second Le Train Bleu. Got a couple of dresses there last time they were featured here and love them.
Exciting news re BR!!
Check out Milly at Nordstrom, for retro style. Note, Milly at Neiman’s is NOT retro (well, it is, if what you are going for is Pat Benatar-does-a video-retro). I’m not even sure they are the same brand. But I love almost everything at Nordstrom’s website that is Milly. Can’t afford or fit into (they only go to 12), but like to look at it every now and then.
Clerky – on that posting from this week’s sweater/jacket post. In re: CEAtelier suits. Just got the red jacket in the mail. ICK. So it’s the right size to fit me … and the darts on the front of the jacket extend up past the first button! That puts them atop my cups. This is so strange. The skirt was true to size, the jacket sooooo large that I had to go down 2 sizes…and this? ICK. However, the skirt remains lovely. So if you’re interested, here’s the link on the skirt (must have gotten more returns today from folks wanting the “whole suit”) … This has been a fun conversation. http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3096683?Category=&Search=True&SearchType=predictivesearch&keyword=classiques+entier+atelier&origin=searchresults
Too bad about the jacket, but at least the skirt worked out. Interestingly, I bought a CE wool skirt during last year’s anniversary sale in a slighter darker red than the one you bought. I love it and always get compliments when I wear it. Enjoy your purchase!
Any recommendations for beige/nude/pale-person pumps with closed toes? My office says no to peep toes, and I cannot for the life of me find replacements for my beige heels that I bought last year on a rec off this site–they were Nine West, crocs, with a 3″ heel. I am looking for something similar (or the same) but Zappos doesn’t carry them anymore, and I am very very sad. In the $100 or less price point…..help!
Bandolino and Naturalizer both have comfortable options that fit your description. Both currently have sales on their websites (Bandolino’s website is at shoewoo.com for some reason).
Shoe Woo is the new marketing strategy for Jones Apparel owned shoe brands. The Nine West store in Union Station (DC) is now shoe woo and carries Nine West, AK Anne Klein, Bandolino and something else…
I love Shoe Woo! I just got the cutest pair of Rachel Roy booties there. I am waiting for more fall-like weather to wear them (and, being in D.C., I fear I may have to wait another 6 weeks or so).
How do you wear your booties? I love them, but can’t figure out what to do with them. I’m also a pear/hourglass shape, so I’m staying away from the skinny pant trend. Any other suggestions?
ES, I generally wear mine with almost any skirt or dress. I have one summer peep-toed pair (they are more weekend/evening shoes than work shoes) that I wear with my fun summer dresses. (I once thought summer booties were a ridiculous concept, but I really like this one pair.) They’re nude and almost a perfect match for my skin color. For my winter pairs, I’ve found they look best on me with tights. I am short and on top of that I have short legs (in comparison to the rest of my body) and I’ve found that wearing booties without tights in the same color really shortens my legs even more. I do have a dark purple pair that I sometimes wear with black tights and that looks OK, too. (Hopefully, at least in my mind it does.) I’ll pretty much wear them with any skirt or dress. My office is business casual so most of the ones I have are definitely work appropriate. One of my favorite outfits is this red dress (it’s a pretty simple sheath dress and it’s more of a deep red) I have with a black sweater, black tights, and black booties.
Got it – I was so confused when Bandolino’s trusty website redirected me there!
(Anonymous 1:27pm was me obv.)
http://www.anntaylor.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=20747&N=1200019&pCategoryId=3941&categoryId=1446&Ns=CATEGORY_SEQ_1446&loc=SHLP&defaultColor=Porcini&defaultSizeType=Regular
I love love love these pumps!!!! I have them in nude and black (the black were featured on Corporette). I always get compliments on the nude and I think they are amazing. Comfortable too.
They are a few more $$ than you wanted to spend but AT always sends out coupons!
Yesterday I wore a nude slingback that I bought on sale for 50% off at Kenneth Cole. They are part of their new “silver” line with the most delicious padding. At 6 pm I could have gone dancing. Highly recommend.
http://www.kennethcole.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3583323&cp=3075190.3075225.3075256
Ladies, I need help. I’ve been looking for years for a great, quality black bag that I can use as a work bag – combo purse/file transport system. I haven’t had success finding what I want at a price range I can live with (under $300 would be ideal). I had a stand-in $30 Target bag that I loved for functionality, but it fell apart. So, I’m trying to replace it. What I am looking for is something in a tote shape that has long enough straps to go over my shoulder. And I want big – the one that broke was 17 inches width, 11 inches height, 5 inches deep. It fit my laptop, letter-size files, and small binders, and it had lots of organization pockets. I would also prefer metal feet on the bottom, but that’s not non-negotiable.
I was looking at these bags on endless, and I’m curious as to Corporette thoughts and other suggestions. Thanks!
http://tinyurl.com/336q2es
http://tinyurl.com/395kshw
http://tinyurl.com/2dmvp4h
http://tinyurl.com/2feh2jd
Someone recommended this woman on this site (http://www.etsy.com/shop/paulinacarcach), and I recently sent her message about making one of her bags bigger, so that it would accomodate files and a basic 3 inch binder for depos and court. I just got my bag and it is BEAUTIFUL and enormous. The measurements are approximately 17 inches wide, 15 inches tall, and 6 inches deep. I paid $186.
P.S. It looks like this, but bigger (and maroon). http://www.etsy.com/listing/52440192/lambskin-black-leather-shoulder-bag?ref=v1_other_2.
I searched forever and had a hard time finding something big enough that also closed on top. I looked at briefcases, but found that they could not always accomodate a binder larger than an inch.
Ooh, I really like her bags. Thanks for the recommendation!
I got the LL Bean Town and Field Tote http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/38451?from=SR&feat=sr on the recommendation of someone on here and love it. It’s got the organization pockets you like, a small zip area in the center that can hold a netbook or MacBook-sized laptop, and it zips all the way across. Since it’s LL Bean, you can just send it back and get it replaced if it falls apart.
Nice! I wish I had seen that before I ordered a new tote from Coach, which I don’t think I love because too ‘frou-frou’ – I liked the ‘old’ Coach. This is like that. Maybe I will return the Coach thing and get this (and have an extra hundred bucks :)).
Thanks for the info.
I’ve looked at that before. It has a lot of what I want, but I just don’t look at it and feel that spark if that makes sense.
In my experience, Nine West will not hold up to heavy use. I have a Franklin and Covey tote that has held up well over the years – I recommend checking them out.
I have this bag in red but it also comes in black. It has held up really well, toting legal-sized files, a water bottle, sandwich, and even a small laptop to/from work and on short business trips. It would be better if it had little metal feet (it does not) but so far I’ve managed to keep it pretty clean.
http://www.ebags.com/product/lodis/audrey-milano-tote/97252?productid=1248803
I like that one a lot. It’s going on my maybe list.
I have a Furla bag that I love and has held up well over time. Have had it 3 or 4 years now, and it still looks brand new. Bluefly has one right now, different from my bag but the dimensions look right – 15x10x5.
http://www.bluefly.com/Furla-onyx-pebbled-leather-Giada-medium-bag/cat60024/306443402/detail.fly
Oooh, lurve this! I have a Furla purse of the same black pebble leather and similar style that i have pretty much carried for the last 4 years – it MUST be retired now, not because it’s falling apart (it’s not), I am just so in need of a change. But Furla and this particular leather/style is just great.
This Dooney and Bourke is very classic and is on sale for $184.
http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3113140/0~2376779~6008000~6024190~6024530?mediumthumbnail=Y&origin=category&searchtype=&pbo=6024530&P=1
I just got this one on Rue La La, and it’s on sale on the Hobo website too:
http://www.hobobags.com/pd/p/1451.html
I adore Hobo bags, and this one is no exception. It’s now my go-to work bag/tote. However, it’s only 14″ wide, so I’m not sure if you’ll like it – can’t fit a redweld.
I actually LOVE that bag. LOVE. It’s perfect – exactly what I am looking for except it doesn’t come in black. I’m going to dig around the Hobo site. I’m not trying to fit a redweld (redwell?) – just letter-sized folders and pads of paper.
Thread hijack:
My grandfather passed away recently after a long illness. My small firm (7 parnters, plus me, the only associate) sent a memorial to the charity suggested in the obituary in lieu of flowers and a notice of the donation was sent to my grandmother. I would like to write the thank you, but how do I handle it? Seven separate thank you notes? One note addressed to the firm and delivered to whom? Help!
BTW, our most senior partner – mostly retired – who had met my grandfather (none of the other attorneys had) sent a separate donation as well. Obviously I’ll do a separate thank you just to him.
One thank you to the firm, sent to the managing partner, should do.
Agreed. And you work at a nice place. I’m sorry for your loss.
We don’t have a “managing partner.” All the partners kind of take care of different aspects of management…and I have no clue whose idea it was to send the memorial!
What about baking cookies/muffins/something similar, bringing it in, leaving it in the breakroom, and sending a short email to with everyone copied telling them how meaningful their donation is to your family and that you’ve left some delicious treats in the breakroom to say thank you?
Generally I would say hand-written, not emailed, but seven separate notes seems a bit much.
This would be a nice gesture, but the author of “Good Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office” recommends strongly against baking treats for the office.
I think a handwritten note is much more professional and would show your gratitude just as well. Is there a partner who has been at the firm longer than the others? That might be a more “senior” person to address the note to, but (like everyone else has said), you should say thanks to everyone in the note.
I think there is a difference between “I had extra free time so I made cookies” and “this is my way of saying thank you.” I wouldn’t sweat it. If a coworker brought in treats for the office, I’d enjoy them without wondering if she secretly wanted to be a housewife or how she found the time to bake when I was slaving over documents.
@a-non-lawyer – for reals? I bring stuff in all the time. I love to bake, so if I have free time I bake a bring some in, or if I baked for an occasion and have some left over I bring it in as well. Everyone loves it, and I don’t think anyone ever looks down on me for it.
I read that book too. My take-away was that baked goods/treats on your desk have to do with how you are perceived personality-wise (not necessarily that people are going to consciously think that you want to be a housewife or look down on you). I actually started putting candy out on my desk, to be more approachable – bc I am not the nuturing, let’s-share-our-feelings type. If you are a person who is more nurturing and approachable, then I think it is supposed to be a bad idea. Made sense to me when I read it, but it’s been a while.
And, @Emily I, so sorry for your loss. Agreed that 7 notes seems like a bit much. Is there a bulletin board or some such that you use in the office? I have seen thank you notes posted on those before, for everyone to see.
I just finished reading “Nice Girls”, and here’s what I think about the baking thing. It is all about the culture of your office. I work in a small, woman-owned consulting firm. We have two male employees and seven females. Someone’s always baking something or bringing in treats of some kind, including the men. It’s part of our office culture and doesn’t affect how anyone is seen. In fact, if there were people who didn’t bring in anything, THAT would be seen as negative and reflect poorly on the employee. The author of Nice Girls specifically says, at several points in the book, to understand your company culture before implementing any of her ideas. I found the book helpful in some areas, but we are a very feminine office and our president puts a high value on a lot of the feminine communication traits the author doesn’t like. As with anything – know your audience.
I think an e-mailed note to the group is all that’s expected in this circumstance. I’ve gone in on collections for similar (funeral donations, group gifts for new babies, hospital stays, etc.) and generally receive either an e-mail to the group about how appreciated it was or a single note card (that the secretaries have placed in our kitchen/pantry area). I’ve never expected any more individualized recognition.
Completely agree.
Can you write a thank you and leave it in the break room where everyone will see it? If you don’t have a common space like this, I think an email is fine as well. Since it’s only 7 people, thanking them personally is also nice – you don’t have to send a thank-you card when you can thank someone in person.
Bringing in baked goods seems over the top and awkward. You’re the one who experienced a loss – you’re not supposed to bend over backwards thanking the people who extended their sympathies. A simple thank you is enough.
I worked at a small firm and the firm donated to one of my charity fundraisers. I wrote a note to the firm and mailed it addressed to the firm. The receptionist opens and distributes all the mail. I let her figure it out! She basically puts anything addressed to “the firm” on her desk until each person has seen it and then chucks it.
Love the skirt. Simple and elegant pattern. Not sure I would pay $119 for it though. Also, unless it’s the way the model is standing, I just don’t see the A-line.
Thread hijack…
I’m a rising 2L getting ready for interview season, and trying to figure out what to wear. Is it appropriate to wear colored shirts under suits for interviews? I look much better in rich jewel tones than in white (or off-white, pastels, etc.), but is it a bad idea to wear teal or fuchsia or some other not-so-conservative color?
I think it goes a little against conventional wisdom, but I often wear colored shirts under my suits to interviews. They make me feel fab, and in turn, I think I interview better.
I don’t know if region has something to do with this. I’m in the South. Being in the South, I always break out the pearls no matter what color my shirt is, natch.
I’ve always worn a jewel-tone shirt with a neutral suit to interviews, including those that resulted in a federal clerkship and big-law job! Go for it.
Wear colored shirts, as long as they’re not too flashy or neon. I never wear a white shirt to an interview. I look and feel better in jewel tones.
I am a lawyer and I’ve never worn a white shirt to an interview. Wear whatever color you feel best in, as long as it isn’t neon. Personally, I would also steer clear of most shades of pink – they are great on some people but on others they mostly project femininity, softness, and youth. Probably not what you are going for.
Also: Don’t stress too much about this. Unless you are wearing something bizarre, no one will remember what you wore two seconds after you leave their office.
Wear what you feel most comfortable in so long as it isn’t flashy or distracting. You don’t want to feel uncomfortable or unconfident in your outfit.
I think you can, assuming the rest of you is conservative. A pop of colour never hurts (think Vera Farmiga in ‘Up in the Air’) and makes you look a bit different from the rest of the lot in white/blue shirts.
Guys – I just bought a bunch of LE Canvas stuff and it is adorable — I adore this updated J Crew basics for less $$ concept they’re playing with. The color palette seems hit or miss but everything I’ve gotten thus far is great.
Delicious! White blazer just makes me think of Ségolène Royal, though.
Don’t stress too much about this. Unless you are wearing something bizarre, no one will remember what you wore two seconds after you leave their office.
Personally, I would also steer clear of most shades of pink – they are great on some people but on others they mostly project femininity, softness, and youth. Probably not what you are going for.