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Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. This week's guest posts are from one of my best friends since college, who we'll call Auntie M – read more about her here. – KatSales of note for 10.10.24
- Nordstrom – Extra 25% off clearance (through 10/14); there's a lot from reader favorites like Boss, FARM Rio, Marc Fisher LTD, AGL, and more. Plus: free 2-day shipping, and cardmembers earn 6x points per dollar (3X the points on beauty).
- Ann Taylor – Extra 50% off sale (ends 10/12)
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything plus extra 25% off your $125+ purchase
- Boden – 10% off new styles with code; free shipping over $75
- Eloquii – Extra 50% off a lot of sale items, with code
- J.Crew – 40% off sitewide
- J.Crew Factory – 50% off entire site, plus extra 25% off orders $150+
- Lo & Sons – Fall Sale, up to 35% off
- M.M.LaFleur – Save 25% sitewide
- Neiman Marcus – Sale on sale, up to 85% off
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – 50% off 2+ markdowns
- Target – Circle week, deals on 1000s of items
- White House Black Market – Buy one, get one – 50% off full price styles
And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!
Some of our latest threadjacks include:
- What to say to friends and family who threaten to not vote?
- What boots do you expect to wear this fall and winter?
- What beauty treatments do you do on a regular basis to look polished?
- Can I skip the annual family event my workplace holds, even if I'm a manager?
- What small steps can I take today to get myself a little more “together” and not feel so frazzled all of the time?
- The oldest daughter is America's social safety net — change my mind…
- What have you lost your taste for as you've aged?
- Tell me about your favorite adventure travels…
anon
Lovely. At 22″, a little long for me, but perfect for others I’m sure.
In other news, M. Bachmann is declaring that Hurricane Irene is a sign from God that we need to cut spending.
Alrighty then.
Anonymous
My feelings about Michelle Bachmann are very similar to my feelings about Sarah Palin – thank goodness they talk so much, as it keeps everyone else from trying to concoct crazy or ridiculous things to say about them. No one can beat the crazy or ridiculous things that they say themselves!!
I do hate how early pre-election campaigning starts in this country.
found a peanut
The difference between the two (to me at least) is that Sarah Palin never seemed very intelligent, but Michele Bachmann seems like she’s a smart lady. A little misguided, but smart. The article about her in the New Yorker makes her seem like a complete loon, though, so I think her days are numbered.
Anon
I’ll admit, I liked her when she first entered the scene. However, her comment about being subservient to her husband and all of her religious rhetoric as of late have turned me off. I understand if you are religious in your personal life but those beliefs should never enter your professional life. I’m a firm believer in separation between church and state and don’t want religion of any kind in my government. And that’s coming from someone who goes to church every Sunday!
GRA
Amen to that!
agnostic anon
I really respect that.
Runnin for it
Dream on. She won’t get the nomination. Perry will. She will continue to have a long and galvanizing career in politics.
anon
If you had listened to the speech, it was obvious she meant the remark in a lighthearted, joking way. Everyone laughed. It’s the kind of comment I hear people make jokingly all the time, but then I’m one of the slope heads in flyover country, so YMMV. I’m so tired of the constant attempts to smear conservatives, and particularly the attempts to make Bachmann look crazy. She’s not, she’s smart, and she’s a Christian, not an extremist. It’s very sad that we seem to have reached a point where the press, as well as a certain segment of society, views Christians as crazy extremists, even though about 76% of Americans identify themselves as Christians.
Diana Barry
I would characterize Bachmann as both a Christian and an extremist. The views she holds are not mainstream by a long shot.
Anonymous
I agree with this.
I also don’t want religion of any kind in my government – Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, etc. Keep it separate. And I’m very tired of the “but it’s okay because X majority of the US identifies as Christian” argument – that is a slippery, slippery slope.
Nonny
That’s right – that’s what gets you to places like the British National Party in the UK. Scary, scary places. *Shudders*
Anon
Really? I listened to the speech and got the sense that she wasn’t completely joking. Also, I think a lot of people who identify as Christians (like my family and myself) can’t identify with her brand of politics or her sense of a woman’s place in marriage. So even to some Christians she seems extremist and a little crazy.
I think the press and a certain segment of society view SOME Christians as crazy extremists, which let’s fact it, in every group, ours included, there will be some. But I think as Christians, we need to do a better job of picking people in politics who more represent the vast majority of us in the country, rather than people on the fringes.
b23
I really wish we were not having this discussion on Corporette.
Anonymous
Look at the pretty skirt!
anon
Why? We’re all well-educated women who are politically aware and opinionated. If you don’t want to read politics here, then skip over it.
anon
Why can’t we talk about politics? It’s important and something we should all be concerned with, whatever our views. Why is it uncomfortable to talk about differences in our opinions? No one ever learned anything by discussing the issues of the day only with those who are in complete agreement with her views.
eo
What about this discussion is not appropriate for Corporette?
b23
I certainly don’t “discuss the issues of the day only with those who are in complete agreement with [my] views.” I debate politics tons in my daily life; I just don’t want to do it on Corporette. I think if we start getting into politics, it could easily dominate the threads and offend people. I don’t think that serves the purposes of this blog. I also think there is a reason it’s generally avoided. After reading this blog for years, I believe this is the first time I’ve seen national politics come up.
anon
b23, i see your point, although there are plenty of threadjacks that veer into divisive territory (see: the marriage and motherhood conversations, pregnancy, religion and job hunting … etc). But all those things, and politics too, are part of our lives, so I think it’s inevitable that as educated and opinionated women, these topics will sometimes arise.
As long as it doesn’t come up too often and start to dominate the conversations (which seems unlikely), I don’t think there’s any risk to Corporette.
anon
for what its worth, i agree with you b23. I like to come to this blog for fashion and fashion-related discussions. i dislike the threadjacks on threads other than the open-threads that go into other subjects that often take over. Its frustrating to have to skip over huge chunks of comments to find the ones actually discussing the fashion. I dont have a problem at all with this discussion or other non-fashion discussions, I just wish they would be kept to the open threads
Terry
Agree with b23 – it’s hard to have a good political discussion in person (as opposed to an argument, or everyone just stating their views) but on the internet it’s a very tricky proposition.
Anonymous
I know many Christians, and zero percent of those agree with Bachmann. Just because she identifies as Christian does not mean the 76% (assuming your stat is correct) of self-identified Christians agree with her.
Praxidike
Who cares if the majority of the US identifies as Christian? We are NOT a Christian country, full stop. The FIRST Amendment to the Constitution is one that clearly separates church and state. The founding fathers – upon whom conservatives like to call regularly – obviously felt strongly that this should not be country governed or controlled by religion.
I don’t particularly care what religion my elected officials are. I DO care that they keep their religious beliefs out of my life and out of our laws. But Bachmann, Christian or not, clearly cannot do that. For that reason alone, I don’t think she’s fit to hold office.
And, yeah, she is an extremist. I don’t think her views on Christianity comport with the majority of Christians in the US.
agnostic anon
Amen.
AccountingNerd
Yes, 75% of Americans identify themseleves as Christians, but most of them don’t read the Bible and couldn’t tell you the fundamentals. Very few people actually believe the WHOLE Bible in it’s entirity. Most people pick and choose the verses they want to believe.
a
So if you believe the whole Bible, you are an extremist? I think that is pretty extreme.
Anonymous
If you believe it’s an abomination to mix fabrics or eat shellfish, and that it’s ok to own slaves because it’s endorsed by God, and to punish your children for talking back by killing them, and to stone unmarried non-virgins to death, then yes. You probably are an extremist.
well ...
It’s fact that the Bible has some (many?) references to violence and killing, hate-filled rhetoric, treating women as chattel … and so on. Pretty intense stuff. Most people ignore it or see it in the context of history, not as instruction. Those who do see it as instruction, yes, are viewed as extreme. I think that’s what AccountingNerd was referring to.
anon
I don’t eat shellfish, or wear clothes made of wool mixed with linen. Am I an extremist? As far as I know I’m just Jewish..
wool & linen
out of curiosity, what’s wrong with wool & linen?
Anonymous
@anon – note the use of “and”s rather than “or”s.
Former 3L
@wool & linen: I believe (the last time I checked) that the rabbis think it’s probably just one of those “because I said so” commandments. You know, keeps you on your toes. You can google “shatnez” for more information. (I wasn’t allowed to have a peacoat growing up for precisely this reason. Geez, Mom.)
Lyssa
I was going to say the same thing. I’m not a fan of her, and don’t think that she has the experience to become an effective president, but I think taking things out of the clear context of a joke is really dishonest (I don’t know that the OP was aware of the context, so I’m not trying to say that she was dishonest, but clearly some people who are reporting on it are), and has no place in a discussion of any candidates’ merits.
Supra
I have not heard the speech, but I will say that if it *was* a joke, its not a funny one. People died from this storm. I think its in poor taste to joke that God had anything to do with causing death and destruction.
Supra
I should say that its in poor taste to “joke” that God had anything to do with causing death as a way of punishing liberals or over-spenders.
Monday
It’s also too soon after Katrina, and the highly offensive comments about who deserved that (far more devastating) hurricane, to be making that kind of “joke.” Everyone remembers–or should.
Lyssa
I agree, very poor taste. But it’s more akin to the old adage of a “lightning strike” being a message from God sort of thing. (Is that an adage? No, a trope perhaps? A cliche? Whatever.)
Anonymous
The sad part is that she is intelligent but she panders to the same fan base that love Palin and other anti-intellectuals. One reason that Christian conservative politicians get bashed is that they focus on what gay people are doing with their lives at all the debates. It is small and mean. Ron Paul is the only Republican who knows that sex between consenting adults is none of our national business.
Ellie
Actually, she is pretty crazy.
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2011/06/16/246618/bachmann-craziest-quotes/
Annon
Just because she is a female candidate doesn’t mean she is good for women or a supporter of women’s advancement. Her views about women’s place as “serving her husband” are ridiculous, I would never want an idiot like as president of this nation.
Hiatus815
In a way, if it was meant as a joke, that makes it even worse to me. I’m in the northeast. Some of my friends are stranded because every road and bridge around them is gone. Many houses that were not in flood zones and therefore not ensured for floods have been completely destroyed. Hardworking people have lost everything. This is not a laughing matter.
found a peanut
We live in a Christian country, but most people would agree that Christianity (or any religion) should not pervade our civic institutions (such as education, the judicial system). Michele Bachmann simply does not believe that. She believes that as a Christian she has a duty to bring Christianity into the public sphere. You see this when she started her charter school, her choice in law school (a school that advocates biblical law) and you see it when she talks about her faith and what it means to her. If you still believe that this is an unfair characterization of her, I encourage you to read the New Yorker article on the subject: http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/08/15/110815fa_fact_lizza
found a peanut
Oh, and at her charter school the students were not allowed to watch Aladdin because it contained magic. That’s totally normal.
Runnin for it
My aunt wouldn’t allow her children to watch Aladdin, because it advocated stealing.
Bee
I didn’t hear the speech, and I don’t know enough about Bachman to speak on her intent. What interests me in this disussion is that there is much concern about her religious views, but no mention of her economic views. Some thoughts:
Hurrianes and earthquakes are often refered to as “acts of God”.
Unplanned natural disasters necesitate additional spending.
Conservatives have been saying the country’s debt, proportional to GDP is the highest it has ever been. This is true. If you take a Keynesian approach, that might not matter to you. But we’re not all Keynesians.
BTW, if anyone is interested, Econ Stories did a video (you can see it online) called “Fear the Boom and the Bust”. It’s done as a rap, a discussion between Keynes and Hayek. I think you would find it entertaining, whichever side of the argument you prefer.
Where?
Where is my comment about her “law degree?”
Anonymous
My comment disappeared, too. I said something about Christian conservatives get bashed because they think too much about sex between same-sex adults. Only Ron Paul seems to know that it is not a national concern to get into people’s beds.
kz
according to some article I saw, the hurricane completely spared the beach where Jersey Shore is filmed, while hitting the rest of NJ pretty hard. I’m pretty sure this is proof that the hurricane was not, in fact, a sign from God.
Anonymous
This just made me laugh out loud. Thank you.
GRA
Yes, thank you!
Nonny
Thank you for lightening my otherwise very nasty morning!
mamabear
I’m stealing this. Awesome!
Oral Roberts
Bachmann went to law school at Oral Roberts University’s O.W. Coburn School of Law. The school describes its own goals as:
1. “To equip our students with the ability to bring G-d’s healing pwer to reconcile individuals and to restore community wholeness.”
2. “To restore law to its historic roots in the Bible.”
Ryan Lizza, “Leap of Faith,” in The New Yorker (August 15 & 22, 2011) at p. 59.
I doubt she believes in separation of church and state.
anon professor
okay, maybe I don’t agree with her politics, or Sarah Palin’s either, but I think they both look awesome most of the time. Great suits or separates, great hair, very polished. And thin after having so many kids.
Ellie
As would we all if we have $150,000 to spend on a makeover… http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/fashion/galleries/sarah_palins_makeover_before_and_after/sarah_palins_makeover_before_and_after.html
Ru
Burnt orange, coral, mustard and olive would go amazingly with this skirt. Also navy.
Eponine
What color is the skirt? It looks black to me but your color pairing suggestions make me think that it must not be…
Anonymous
It looks like a deep olive green to me.
anon in manhattan
It looks black to me too. My monitor is unreliable.
GRA
It says Dark Loden on the AT site.
Ru
It looks like deep olive green to me, too.
Diana Barry
Ru, I love your color suggestions!
This skirt is too short for me. Does AT have tall sizes? I haven’t shopped there in a long time…
Oneanon
No tall sizes.
MelD
No tall sizes, but many skirts come with a 2″ hem that you can easily let out up to around 1.5″ if you need some length.
Oneanon
I’ve tried a few times to have skirts/dresses professionally let out and was disappointed every time. I always felt there was a telltale “line” around the bottom of my skirt/dress where the original hem had been (so a line about 1-2 inches up from the hem) – sort of like the pressed fabric couldn’t ever go back to being completely flat. Have other people experienced this? Do I just need to get over it? This is why I don’t buy anything I need to let out anymore – too disappointing.
found a peanut
I’ve let out numerous skirts and never noticed the problem. Maybe your tailor is not adequately steaming the fabric afterward?
and so anon
It may depend on the fabric. The creases in real wool can usually be steamed out because the fibers will absorb moisture in a way that synthetic fibers can’t. I assume the same holds for wool mix with a low synthetic fiber content.
It would be a pain, but could you take things like that immediately to the tailor for an assessment?
Anonymous
I wanted to have a dress hem taken out and the tailor recommended against it for this reason. He offered to try if I *really* wanted it longer, but in his opinion, the old crease line wouldn’t have come out. If it matters, the fabric was Jcrew superfine cotton.
anon in manhattan
I wanted to have a dress hem taken out and the tailor recommended against it for this reason. He offered to try if I *really* wanted it longer, but in his opinion, the old crease line wouldn’t have come out. If it matters, the fabric was Jcrew superfine cotton.
Ru
Honestly, except for the navy, I used to *extremely* dislike all of the colors I suggested as well. Once these colors became more mainstream, with the corresponding variations in the hue saturation and tints, I began liking them more, especially since I could see which variation of mustard would go nicely with my own coloring. It takes a while but I’m slowly learning to like colors.
SAlit-a-gator
I like this skirt. It looks like it would be very versatile and add polish to an outfit. I have a similar skirt from Ann Taylor Loft from two seasons ago and I wear it all the time.
Bonnie
Lovely skirt. I’m not sure about making it work for work though.
AIMS
This might be a little too evening for me for work, but I do see how you could style it otherwise with, say, opaque tights and the right shoes. I would not wear anything silky with it though to avoid platying up the silky/lacey angle of it all.
Anony
Threadjack! This isn’t a very well-developed question, but I thought I would throw it out there. I’m waiting on an offer from another firm, which I feel pretty good about, but in the interim I was going to send my information out to a broad range of jobs. Not to sound naive, but are in-house legal jobs at fashion houses almost impossible? I would enjoy trademark/copyright work and have a little experience, so it isn’t just the idea of being in the fashion industry that’s the primary incentive.
If they aren’t impossible, how do you go about contacting the appropriate people? I know one person who was involved more in the designer side of a couple of houses in NYC, so I’ve already contacted her to see what information she might have.
Thanks in advance! Not that I think I have a serious chance about this, but I figured there’s no harm in trying :)
anon in manhattan
This is a total guess on my part. I’m posting only because you don’t have any replies yet. I would imagine that most fashion houses use outside legal counsel and that when they have in-house people they select people with some experience from law firms.
Fordham University recently instituted a fashion law program. Maybe you could look it up and try to find some people to talk to there.
SF Bay Associate
This is my guess as well. Only truly massive companies with dozens and dozens of in-house counsel take on first years, such as Google, Oracle, and HP. It’s actually a pretty big deal around here that companies are taking first years, since it’s basically unprecedented. Usually you need 3 years experience at minimum, more often 5 years.
I like anon in Manhattan’s idea – buy a professor a cup of coffee and see what s/he says.
Anony
Thanks for the advice! I figured contracting out would definitely be a possibility. I’ll definitely look into contacting someone from Fordham.
Anonymous
There’s so much going on in that field now– copyright law is aflutter and could change to encompass non-functional aspects of design soon… or not… there are arguments to make on both sides and you could be the one to argue them!
Anonymous
Gucci has in house lawyers. I met one at a party once. I imagine the international and copyright situations are so complicated they need in house.
Kady
I interned with the in-house counsel group for a west coast brand quite a few years ago. The competition for these positions is fierce (I believe several hundred applied just for the internship). I was told that the “ideal” resume is usually 3-5 years with biglaw, followed by 2 years in-house at a smaller company. Because these positions are so competitive, the compensation tends to be below market.
annon
I’m not in the fashion world but am in another very very competitive, high-profile, relatively small industry. It will never hurt to put your resume in but remember that these companies get hundreds of resumes on a regular basis so take some time to think about how you can set yours apart (shared interests with other attorney employees or hr employees, shared law school, special experience, etc.). Also, make sure you are sending it to the right people. I’m not sure about the fashion industry but in my industry, we get so many resumes, often people from T1 lawschools willing to work for peanuts that the compensation is below market.
Good luck!
Anon for this --
I’m not sure it would qualify as a fashion house, but out here in the Bay Area, Gap has tons of in-house lawyers. I also know two people who are corporate counsel at Zappos (based in Las Vegas) and love it.
OTOH, my former midsized firm (not an IT specialty boutique in any way) had several high-end denim designers as trademark litigation clients(as outside counsel), Citizens of Humanity and Paige Denim among them.
anon in manhattan
I like the idea, but wonder about the fabric. It looks black to me, which is the only color I would probably buy it in. My philosophy is that if I’m going to try to wear something a little borderline, it’s better to choose black or gray.
AJ
I’m feeling the midweek wardrobe slump (and I didn’t even go in on Monday), so what’s everybody wearing?
I’m in a black tweed pencil skirt with a deep rose scoopneck tee. Black ballet flats and a pair of natural stone earrings I bought on vacation in South America.
eo
Chocolate tweed pants and orange/purple/navy button-down shirt. Camel colored heels. I’m ready for fall!!
Nancy P
My favorite navy sheath dress and an oatmeal cardigan that I got at a Gap outlet last week. Nude for me pumps.
Equity's Darling
That sounds like a super adorable outfit!
Equity's Darling
The above is in reply to eo- but Nancy P, I wore something very similar to that yesterday, so obviously I think it’s a nice outfit also:)
eo
Thank you! :)
kaydee
My outfit is boring today – navy pencil skirt, peach cardigan and white tank…. I should have worn what I bought at Target yesterday – this oh so pretty, totally reasonably priced (and perfectly fitting since I’ve been working out like a crazy person) dress: http://www.target.com/p/Mossimo-174-Women-s-Herringbone-V-Neck-Dress-Black/-/A-13517524
I loved it so much in the store I bought it in the black and red online!
Maddie Ross
Oh, I like it! I might have to go check it out in my Target tonight!
Ashley
Haha, I’m waiting for the red one to go on sale ;) I’m tempted to buy the gray and black as well, though, as you can never have to many basic, well-fitted, easy-care dresses in the closet. And, there’s a Target right by my office… darn you for reminding me about these dresses! :)
anon
What’s the sizing like? I can’t find a fit guide on the website.
kaydee
I’m between a 6-8, after a loong stay at 8. I went with the 6 here, and it fits great. It has a slight A-shape to it, which accomodates a little bit of hip. There is some stretch to it as well.
Ashley
I think it’s true to size, the slight A-line mentioned by kaydee makes it fit well in the hips. I also find the bust/shoulders to fit nicely without bunching or gaping, and I’m fairly busty. I’m usually a 2/4, and I can take either/or in this dress.
Ashley
Guess I should clarify the either/or sizing in this dress. For me, the 2 would be a touch too va-va-voom for the office. I prefer my clothes to run a little loose, so the 4 would be my first choice to allow a little “wiggle” room vs. “perfect” fit.
Anon in the Midwest
That’s lovely! What’s the fabric like? Is it something that could be transitioned into fall, or will it look to summery/light-weight? As you can tell, I’m tempted to order!
Ashley
The material is pretty substantial IMO, I don’t think it’s a “summer” fabric. I have another dress with the same material/cut/brand from Target, and I wore it in the dead middle of winter with tights and a cardigan with no trouble (just add a slip to mitigate sticking to the tights). I actually tried on the red with a tan/creme print cardigan and thought it would be great once the weather cools off in *hopefully* October :)
Anonymous
This prompted me to make a quick Target run and it is, indeed, a really sharp, professional dress, especially for $25. I had to go up two sizes, from my usual 8 to a 12, to accommodate my bust and rib cage, so I’d recommend trying it on if you can. It would easily transition into fall and even winter with a cardigan and tights. What a great find.
While I was there, I also bought this dress:
http://www.target.com/p/Merona-174-Collection-Women-s-Graham-Knit-Dress-Black/-/A-13561905
It’s a sleeveless knit black dress with a belt. Very comfortable and very flattering. And even though it’s knit, it’s thick enough to go Spanx-free. Again, I think it could transition into fall with boots and a cardigan.
SeaElle
Just swung by Target to get a prescription and tried this on. Loved it. I ended up getting it in the grey. The red and the black looked a little cheaper to me but the grey is really nice in person.
Anonymous
I’m totally slumpy too! Grey jacket, grey patterened scoop-neck blouse, black slacks, black flats. Woohoo, I’m breaking fashion barriers and taking names.
Maddie Ross
Wearing my seersucker blazer for the last time today. I feel a little too summery, since everyone is starting to go more towards fall colors, but I didn’t want to put it away for the year without one more wearing. I paired it with navy pencil skirt and nude for me heels. Same simple gold jewelry, diamond studs, and platinum wedding ring I wear everyday.
eo
I wore seersucker pants yesterday and felt the exact same way!
R in Boston
I’m also hanging on to the last bit of summer. Navy pinstriped slacks, blue-grey silk blouse, and white linen jacket. Eggplant pumps and a brushed-silver square pendant. (Pendant was a gift from my in-laws who are, in other news, driving me craaaaaaaaazy this week.)
Annie
This sounds so cute!
AnonInfinity
The heat index where I am is still in the 100s, but I’m rebelling today and wearing fall clothes. So.sick.of.summer.
Anon
Very similar outfit for me, except I’ve got a tweedy jacket that zips, navy pencil skirt, nude for me pumps and gold hoops in my ears. Under the jacket, I have a light pink shirt, but you can only see the crew-neck neckline if it.
Always a NYer
Navy slacks, yellow blouse, black patent pumps and small garnet drop earrings. I’m totally feeling a wardrobe slump – I spent the last two days in yoga pants and a t-shirt as I worked from home due to Irene.
Diana Barry
Working at home in Iron Chef t shirt and shorts!
GRA
J Crew Origami dress is grey (it was featured in a TPS report in early summer, I think), black cardigan (also from JCrew), and grey and black heels. Now that the temperature is cooling down here in NH, I find myself moving back to my “mostly black and grey” fall and winter wardrobe.
anon
Elie Tahari camel-colored sheath, ss black sweater on top, nude & brown pumps from Costume National. gurhan gold studs.
a passion for fashion
black wide leg cuffed trina turk trousers with a wide black patent belt; silky grey detailed AT shell, tucked in; turquoise boden cardi; black patent SW kitten heels.
RR
This sounds completely adorable!
Black pants, patterned rose and cream shell, BB stretch cotton blazer in palomino, black flats. Relatively boring.
a passion for fashion
Thanks!
Anonymous
Purple faux-wrap dress, nude-for-me peeptoes, sparkly purple pendant necklace, cocoa-colored cardigan with some ruffle details. The cardigan is surprisingly nice with my coloring – I need to wear it more often.
SAlit-a-gator
Gray pencil skirt with small gray on gray square patern from Ann Taylor LOFT outlet; orange knit top from BR; black cardigan from Talbots; red-orange agate necklace made by me; gold kot earrings; black ballet flats from GAP.
Bonnie
On vacation in “winter” in South America. I’m wearing gray straight Gap cords, a loose cream open-knit sweater with a matching tank, black Cole Haan flats, a green stone and silver necklace purchased here and my black leather jacket. Being here, I definitely feel ready for fall.
Anon in LA
Mixing summer and fall over here — pastel lavender silky top from BR, with a dark purple cardigan for fall, over light tan slacks and darker tan kitten heels.
Hike!
This is my only non suit day this week! I am wearing navy slacks, white frilly (pirate according to my boss) blouse and a charcoal blazer with a hand painted Elephant on it. (no relation to the conversation above about Michelle Bachman). Speaking of crazy, I am wearing purple flats and a single teal bangle & no other jewelry.
Recently I have been getting bummed about my summer wardrobe going away, but I was in the mood for pants and a fall outfit today.
EC MD
Cornflower blue with tiny white square short sleeve BR silk top, BR wide leg cuffed khakis, red meetoo patent wedges, wedding ring.
Kind of boring.
Another Anonymous
Black Banana republic cuffed wide leg slacks, cream silk v neck shirt with some pretty ruffles that aren’t outrageous, and a cream-steel grey-pale blue-patterned cardigan, with simple silver jewelry. I’m traveling, so I wish I was wearing steel grey pants to match the sweater, but I only have black.
Ru
Suffering from post-Eid food coma today (Eid Mubarak all!), so I just slapped on a light green jilbab/abaya with a plum and lime green patterned headscarf AND managed to make it to work on time. Score. Secret awesomeness of wearing a jilbab/abaya to work when you feel like it – I’m wearing pajamas underneath =).
Sidenote: it’s exhausting to eat after fasting for so long. These sugar highs and lows are driving me crazy. I feel like fasting again.
Terry
Happy Eid!
Ru
Thanks!
Kaye
Wow, pajamas to work! That’s awsome :)
Kady
Boring for me today too. Boden jersey dot print dress (black/grey), grey knit blazer from H&M, AT perfect pumps. I very rarely wear the black/grey palette w/o any color, but here I am!
K
My entire outfit is from Ann Taylor today (just realized that): black pencil skirt, black patent leather skinny belt, and blue/black/tan/cream printed silk blouse (sounds hideous but it’s actually my favorite shirt, I love it!). Accessories: vintage gold ring (was my mom’s), and Prada black patent leather peep toe shoes.
src
Short-sleeved yellow blouse, dark jeans (ok for my work), black flats and a brown cardigan. This outfit is a result of having a predicted 90 F high today outside and a perceived 50 F temperature inside.
shrink
THE halogen pencil skirt in black, animal print (tawny, black, cream cowl vncek w/peplum AT blouse (untucked for the style of it), black Jones NY blazer (open), burgundy/deep red patent Isola pumps (Love them), hose, silver wide hoop earrings (James Avery, old), silver collare (James Avery, old), red sponge coral pendant with silver bale and grommet(?) in the center, wedding rings/watch, mesh braclet. A good day, but I wish I had more pop. Was afraid to add another color in the jacket choice…staid is the result I’m afraid. Thoughts? Has to be a vneck for the blouse to work.
Nonny
It was downright chilly last night and this morning. We hardly had any summer at all out here, and now I am feeling a shift to fall weather already.
In response: a black, heavy jersey, A-line dress with V-neck and half-sleeves (one of my favourites; it is nicely cut and flatters me very well); a robin’s-egg blue cashmere cardigan from Brora; and a light green and silver orchid brooch from Singapore that I’ve had for about 20 years. Black flats, since I didn’t have time to find the perfect shoes before running for the bus this morning and keep heels in my office anyway for emergencies.
Jas
Grey pencil skirt, cream/grey/tan/black patterned blouse, black pumps, and a black cartigan.
I’ve given up hoping summer will finally show up on the west coast and have put on black tights for warmth. This summer has been ridiculous. The only warmth and sunlight I’ve gotten has been on visits to the arctic tundra, where even thought it’s fall now it was STILL warmer there last week than it was here this morning.
Seattleite
Olive slacks, pink and white paisley print tee, grey boyfriend cardigan, stacked-heel slides (black). I thought I was grabbing the charcoal grey slacks but my room was dim. When I looked at myself in the mirror later I thought of changing precisely because of this question. Then I remember ‘it’s only clothes,’ cheered up, and left the house.
KD
grass green (think the green from ksny’s April motif) vintage linen wiggle dress, with bone/off-white belt, and bronze/metallic brown t-strap pumps :)
I’ve felt out of step with my closet since last Monday. Finally broke out this dress and, maybe bc I also had a good night’s sleep, feel a bit better about my wardrobe today ;)
the dresss -> www[dot]etsy[dot]com/transaction/53356208
Looking for Tall Jeans
I’m in the middle of a wardrobe revamp and am looking for some great pairs of jeans – bootcut, straight leg, skinny. Any brands that cater to long inseams and someone on the curvier side? I’m 5’11” and would need at least 34″, preferrably 35″. TIA ladies!!!
Anonymous
Paige Denim comes in 34″ or 35″ – Montecito, Hidden Hills are good bootcuts for curvy girls. Check the “fit finder” on the Paige Denim website. Love love Paige.
Ha!
Upthread discussion of Michelle Bachman + pre-coffee + fit of mild dyslexia = reading this as Looking for Tall Jesus
Fashion Faux Pas
I’m not blessed with curves, but second the recommendation for Paige. I’m tall (and I love tall heels) and they’re definitely made for those with long inseams. Plus, I’ve found that they hold their shape much better than other brands I’ve worn (Seven/Citizens of Humanity and Joe’s, I’m looking at you).
Anonylawyer
I have Paige Hidden Hills jeans – Amazon has a few washes for a great price so check Amazon first! I LOVE them, they fit greight. They run on the smaller side so you may want 1 size up. They run long.
eo
I love Hudson, Joe’s, and Rock & Republic. I always have to get mine hemmed because the inseam is so long, so you’ll be fine! I have boot and straight leg in all of these, but I’m not a huge skinny jean fan so I can’t help much there.
Paige
I second the Hudson rec. I normally wear a 34 inch inseam and had to have my Hudsons hemmed.
found a peanut
For more spendy brands, J Brand is a great brand and they make great skinnies, esp if you’re curvy. Seven for all Mankind is also a very popular brand and while there is a little bit of I-am-wearing-what-everyone-else-is-wearing problem, they have so many cuts, washes and fits that you will almost certainly find something that works for you.
KW
Rock & Republics are super long. I usually wear a 36″ inseam and I can wear R&Rs with my highest heels. PZI jeans are supposed to be specially made for curvier gals and come in inseams up to 37″. I haven’t tried them yet, but if anyone has I would love to hear your thoughts. Gap jeans come in longs in the stores and extra longs online and I’ve heard wonderful things about how their skinny jeans fit.
Anne Shirley
And as a complement, any recs for short legs? 30 inch inseam and looking to upgrade from Gap. I’m okay with hemming, but so many of the premium brands are so long- hemming half a foot often distorts the shape. Size 10 if that matters.
AIMS
Anthropologie sells a really nice pair of “petite” jeans. Citizens of Humanity “Dita”, I think. Might be worth a look at the store.
I also like Levis that come in 30 inch inseam. 501 or 505? 531? Can never remember, sadly. Would love other ideas, too — I also drown in most jeans and hate paying for hemming especially b/c most tailors screw up the line and it always looks “hemmed”.
AIMS
Oh, and not so much an “upgrade” as maybe a change of pace, but Uniqlo has nice jeans, does free hemming, and they’re not expensive (as low as $20 when they have promos).
Anonymous
Paige denim has a petites line that brings the location of the knee up, among other things.
Jr. Prof
Joe’s Jeans Petite Provocateur.
They don’t fit me, but my shorter friends really like them.
Argie
Lands End Canvas. All of their pants have 32″ inseams , which means only 2″ to get to your 30″ goal.
Another Anonymous
I am petite, curvy, and a size 10, and I actually really love Old Navy jeans. I like the Diva or Flirt in bootcut. I used to wear more expensive jeans, but like these so much that I just buy these now.
Nonny
I’ve had good luck with AG “Stevie” jeans from Anthropologie (straight jeans). Mine aren’t cropped, but they do also have a cropped version in right now which might also work for you as normal jeans.
Equity's Darling
I wear about the same size as you, and my inseam is the same length, and I love Fidelity denim- plus, they have a few ‘petite’ cuts. I find them very flattering.
roses
You all might think I’m crazy for suggesting this, but I have gotten in the habit of buying ankle-length “normal” size jeans. They end up fitting just like normal pants on me in most brands! It works particularly well with skinny jeans. For reference, I’m 5’3.
Inva
I have some Chip & Pepper jeans with an insanely long inseam. I am 5’9″ and they drag on the floor with heels!
LawyrChk
I like Joe’s Jeans Honey fit. I believe they come in 35″
Emily I
Charcoal pinstriped skirt suit over bright yellow t, chunky silver necklace, and brown pumps with a silver buckle detail. One of my go-to outfits when I want to look polished, but I don’t want to think about it too hard.
Emily I
Supposed to be a response to “what are you wearing” above. Sorry!
anon
May I ask where you got your chunky silver necklace? I am looking for one myself.
Emily I
At an art fair. I prefer to get my jewelry from artists (preferably local) whenever possible. I think it’s a lot of fun to hunt for interesting pieces. When I wear them, I always think of the cool places I found them or the interesting people who made them!
anon
Thanks for your reply. I prefer to get my jewelry directly from artists too (or places like Novica, ten thousand villages, etsy, etc.) but have been on the lookout for a nice, chunky silver necklace for ages and have not found anything!
Amy
Posted this before but it disappeared. Sorry if this is a double.
Just wanted to do a bargain Wednesday shopping tip for size 10 Corporettes. I think this dress is a fantastic work basic, but alas it’s not available in my size, so posting here in hopes it will work out for one of y’all. Really great deal, IMO – was 238$, now less than 50$ with discount. Free shipping, too. Man this would be so in my cart right now if it was a 6. I think the high neckline on this is exactly the kind of crewneck that flatters. May it find a good home. http://tinyurl.com/3odlzw4
Jr. Prof
So cute! And what a steal. It would be in my cart in a heartbeat if I wasn’t dealing with constantly changing body shape right now.
Anon
Threadjack:
A while back, there was a discussion about the amount of time wasted per day online. I have had a lot of problems with this (aimless surfing, etc.) and finally found a quick way to curb it, so I thought I’d share. If you use Firefox, go to Tools –> Options –> Privacy –> Firefox will “Never remember your history.” This will prevent ANYTHING from being stored in your browser history. So every.single.time you log onto your browser you will have to re-type in a web address. It’s ridiculously time consuming and has shown me how much time I have been spending just clicking on websites. As for websites I need to access for work purposes, they’re bookmarked for easy access. Granted I now have to manually type in my passwords everytime, but it isn’t that much of a hassle and the benefits outweigh the costs.
Happy surfing.
Emma
Great tip!
Blonde Lawyer
I’m curious what people think about the Bloomberg decision. I haven’t read the full opinion, just legal blogs commenting on it. To sum it up, women sued claiming they were discriminated against for taking maternity leave or caring for their kids. Court held that there is no right to “work/life balance” and choosing your family over your job has consequences. They determined that there was no discrimination because people who took other lengthy leaves were treated similarly.
It seems like the Court completely ignored the fact that it is illegal to punish people for taking FMLA. Unless they are referring to other random leaves like going to travel the world for 6 months, but I doubt it. Do you think the decision went this way because the lawyers didn’t argue FMLA violations and rather went the gender route?
Or was it based on people taking time away from work past their FMLA allowance? Thoughts?
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/18/nyregion/discrimination-suit-against-bloomberg-lp-is-dismissed.html?_r=1
The full opinion is also somewhere on the NYT.
gref
I think there are some unfortunate quotes in that piece (I’m looking at you, Mr. Welch). That’s not a good way to attract smart women to work for you.
My impression is that the claimants and the EEOC didn’t have the data to back up the discrimination claim. That’s not to say that they didn’t create a bad environment for working mothers. Hopefully the ordeal will at least be enough to make the company be really careful about how it deals with maternity leave.
Lyssa
I’ve read a little bit about it, and I agreed that it left a lot of questions open- you mentioned some good ones that I think would make a difference. I’d agree that there is no “right” to work life-balance (whatever either “right” or “work-life balance” even mean), but, of course, there are certain protected rights, such as FMLA. I would find it hard to believe that they would have failed to argue FMLA if it were applicable.
More generally speaking, though, I really resent the idea that “work-life balance” is seen as a women’s issue- it feels demeaning to me. If I choose to go into a demanding field, it’s because I choose to, and I’m capable and mature enough to understand that it does involve some trade-offs. It’s not anti-woman for the employer to demand from me the same things that it demanded of a man (I’ll except actual child-bearing issues, but post-pregnancy parenting issues can be shared by the couple, and the couple together must decide who they wish to take any necessary career hit. It’s not the employer’s concern, and it’s not up to the employer to “make it equal” in some way just because some couples make the decision (either explicitely or implicitely) to have the wife take the majority of the childcare responsibilities.) (Obviously, I’m not saying that it’s wrong for a business to have a good work/life balance or family friendly policy; there are benefits and losses there, and it’s good that there are businesses that do focus on that, and that there are businesses that don’t.)
In short, I find demanding “work-life balance” as a woman’s issue implies that women are less capable or that women’s must have the bulk of the responsibility at home. Either of these are unacceptable to me.
/soapbox off :)
Always a NYer
I agree about resenting that “work-life balance” is seen as a women’s issue. As a woman who entered a demanding field, I did so knowing about the hectic schedules. To insinuate that women will scale back their careers and “want” more time at home just because they are the ones who get pregnant and then endure childbirth is insulting. Men have just as much responsibility in raising their children and I would personally like to see the stigma of “stay-at-home dads” disappear. Never have I heard of a man’s ability to continue working on high-priority projects be questioned when his employer learns that his wife/SO is pregnant. It is a double standard that I’ve long resented.
Rant over now.
Lyssa
I completely agree about SAHDs, but I actually do think that the majority of the stigma is gone, and that it mostly lives in our expectations, not actual stigma. My husband and I have always planned to have him stay at home w/ the kids, and the only people I ever get weird looks about it from are other high acheiving women. Both of our families are very traditional; neither of our moms have ever really had a more than entry-level job, but they’ve been entirely supportive of this idea. Also, we live in a very red state- if there’s a stigma, it’s really doing a good job at hiding.
Eponine
I think you’re actually less likely to see a stigma in a smaller, family-oriented city like the ones in the mid-south. In testosterone-driven, high-powered careers in big cities, there is definitely a stigma. I don’t think it’s a red state/blue state thing, but rather an issue of overall family friendliness.
Diana Barry
Agreed. I think we should have mandatory parental leave (like in Scandinavia!) so dads would have to take time off for new kids too. That will never happen in this country, sadly.
Lyssa
As in the government actually forcing new parents to take leave? I would definitely not be OK with that. Talk about your personal decisions that are none of the government’s business!
AIMS
I read the opinion, the evidence just wasn’t there to bring a pattern & practice class action.
I agree with Judge Preska that career choices are just inherently about trade offs. I know men who choose a career that is less demanding in order to be more present in their family life, and their career trajectory reflects that accordingly. Unfortunately, it tends to be a woman’s issue because women are the ones who end up making that sacrifice, for whatever reason, and not their significant others. But the reasons for why that is are not the sort of thing one can address in a lawsuit. Until we as a society make a decision that we want to make it easier for working mothers to actually be working mothers, not much is going to change. And, contrary to what many would like to think, private sector can’t be the force to do it because as talented as those women who are dropping out might be, there are that many more qualified individuals — both men and women — ready and willing to take their place (especially in this economy). Whether that’s intrinsically fair or not is besides the point, because women who take maternity leave and demand more scheduling flexibility will inevitably be at a disadvatage in a highly competitive corporate culture like Bloomberg; but so would men who did the same thing. The law only requires that both genders be treated equally.
Always a NYer
What do you think of using the term “working parent” instead of working mother? Fathers work but the term working father is never used. Sexist much? Maybe I’m still ranting but it’s food for thought.
Anon in NYC
An older gentleman said at work yesterday, in reference to a senior female manager in the company who was taking her newborn to visit her parents, that she was going to be a “very busy girl” over the next few weeks. I thought it was an appalling comment.
AIMS
I think terminology is important. It should be working parent, and it should be paternal leave . . . But, ultimately, it’s still going to be seen as a “women’s” issue because more women will take maternal leave and because women — for whatever reason — are more likely to should more of the family responsibility (Judge Preska actually discusses this at some length, and rather eloquently, I thought).
Actually discussed this with my S.O. yesterday. His work offers paid parental leave to anyone with a new infant, but out of an office of 500+, he could only think of 2 men who ever took it. Until that changes, we’re going to be stuck having this conversation. This is not the kind of thing you can do by impact litigation.
Lyssa
Aims, I would argue that it’s not something that society needs to change, but something that individual couples need to change. As long as you and your partner want to live in a certain way, you pretty much can (assuming that the employers are following the applicable laws). There’s no need to worry about society’s approval.
AIMS
All change begins at home. Agreed. I am not worried about societal approval, either. But societal “norms” affect the choices many people make because they form our expectations and perceived options, which is how all of this is perpetuated. The only change I would actually advocate is free good quality day care, conveniently located and open from, say 8 30 to 6. Or at least till 3. There are countries that have this option as a matter of course, and I think it makes being a productive working mother much more tenable and leads to an ultimately better society.
ANON
Seriously? So that all of us without kids can pay for childcare for yours? That’s an insane proposition.
Anon Right Back
Um… we already have it. It’s called primary education. And if you are one of those “libertarians” that don’t like the fact that you subsidize education, there’s plenty of research out there about the benefits of education to the childless as well as the childful.
SeaElle
This skirt looks great but I’d have to see it in person. The color looks black on my monitor so I would want to see the green in person to see if I like it.
housecounsel
This skirt takes my breath away. I love it and must hunt it down this weekend.
Wearing really, really old black pantsuit from Express, of all places. Maybe I am kidding myself but I think the Editor pants look really good and still current. Patterned Sweet Pea top underneath, black patent peeptoes from Cole Haan.
Blonde Lawyer
I have that suit in black and gray and love it!
Jennifer
I still wear editor pants. If they flatter your body, and are basic black who cares where they came from? The fact that I can machine wash them doesn’t hurt either.
PollyD
Vacation tips! The SO and I have finally planned a vacation, we are going to Los Angeles at the end of September. Plan to spend a couple of days in LA, go to Santa Barbara and one of the beach towns (SO is more familiar with the area and is doing a lot of the logistics), probably hit a vineyard. I was wondering if there are any sites/restaurants/vineyards/shops I absolutely must see. I was also wondering about clothing, which sounds weird, but I usually vacation when it’s cold (so wool pants or jeans, sweaters, boots), or at the beach (bathing suit, sandals) so am not sure what to wear for lovely temperate weather (and I live in DC which is temperate for maybe 2 months of the year). I think LA is probably more casual than the East Coast, too. Not that I care too much about looking like a tourist, but I’m sort of curious about how people tend to dress there. I’ve been to San Francisco, but never to LA. Well, Anaheim about 15 years ago, but I was at a scientific convention and the less said about the mode of dress there the better.
Thanks in advance for any responses in case I don’t get back here today.
Another Anonymous
It will still be really warm in September, but will be cool (not cold) in the evenings, so bring dresses, jeans, and layers. What you should wear depends on where you are staying and what you are doing–the temperature, weather, and attitudes toward clothing vary wildly depending on where you are. It might be 90 degrees downtown (yes, in September) but 65 degrees in Manhattan Beach. So more info will be necessary to provide real advice. :-)
angeleno
it might be chilly in LA at that time, or it might be really hot (last year was 113 at the end of Sept), so you’ll have to check the temperatures before you pack.
I can always spot European tourists – the men have gel in their hair and they wear really brightly-colored pants. This week near my office I’ve seen orange pants, red pants, and mint green pants.
There’s no specific way way people in LA dress, I don’t think. I see a huge variety of styles every day
PollyD
I think we might be going to Manhattan Beach. Sounds like I will have to do some last minute checking. I hope it’s at least cooler there than DC, but I suppose at least it won’t be grossly humid, right?
Thanks!
Fashion Faux Pas
It’s rarely humid in SoCal, so even if it’s hot you should still feel like you’re getting a break from DC weather.
My favorite winery in the Santa Barbara area is Clos Pepe. They specialize in pinot and do a nice tasting (complete with cheese and coffee) in the owner’s house. You’ll need a reservation if you decide to go there. I’ve also heard good things about Tantara, but I’ve never been.
Another Anonymous
Oh, excellent! I live in the next town over. Manhattan Beach is lovely. For breakfast, check out the Local Yolk–they have excellent omelettes and you can have pancakes as your bread with the omelette. This is a MAJOR selling point for me, because I can never choose between omelette with toast or pancakes–I always want both an omelette and pancakes!! It’s a little diner–not at all chi-chi, but it’s great because the locals come with their dogs for breakfast and the staff is super friendly.
There is also an excellent little sushi place in Manhattan Beach called Katsu (not Katsuya).
It’s fun to rent a beach cruiser and ride the boardwalk bike path up and down the coast. It will be sunny and beautiful. Can you tell I love MB?
PollyD
Thanks again! I will have to print out those suggestions. Actually, a few months ago I asked here about places to eat in Philadelphia – Farmer’s Cabinet is now one of my favorite restaurants. Ate there in May and then insisted on going back when I took another trip to Philadelphia in July. So, I totally take all corporette food suggestions quite seriously.
Formerly Preggo Angie
I love the mix of fashion, politics, and work issues today. Sigh. I love this site.
Anonymous
Moi aussi! I don’t always even read every comment, but just knowing you all are out there being interested and interesting makes the day better.
Ru
Concur! I’ve really enjoyed catching up on the threads earlier this week also, such a great mix of topics with wonderful discussions.
don't need a boyfriend
Well, since I have culled out the loooong cardis off my shelves, I am back to mostly blazers as toppers. What’s the hive mind for the newer skirt suts which have the structured, wide, pointy shoulders? I’ve been around long enough to have lived and professionally dressed through the 1980s with Dallas, Falcon Crest, etc. There’s also all the old Star Trek movies which are creeping into my mind. They just are concernng to me.
What’s the “new” way to wear this recurring trend? Usually shown with a pencil skirt, which is what I”d wear on my 5″4″, 36D/DD frame. Heels, yes.
Run my own shop, conservative to business casual w/flair. I’m always in skirts/jackets or dress/jacket. Not matchy-matchy unless a hi profile meeting day.
Thanks for the thoughts before I pull triggers on sales online!
don't need a boyfriend
suits….gosh, horrid typo.
AnonInfinity
I love them, but I was not a professional age in the 80s. I think the conservative answer is that if you wore it the first time it came around, then you probably shouldn’t wear it again for things like this that are very trendy. Also, do you have a good rotation going in your wardrobe? They’ll probably look dated in a season to two, imo.
don't need a boyfriend
Thanks, AnonInfinity. I always refer to Joan Rivers’ giving that advice. So I am steering myself away from yet another trend. I love the tailoring on an Albert Nippon suit…but those shoulders! I know that it would be ruining the lines to have a tailor reduce the shoulders. So I must resist. Thanks for the encouragement to do so. Yes, I have a big rotation in my wardrobe, so things last a while…except THE Halogen skirts … which I wear out quickly it seems…because the “go” with anything and on those blah mornings – so easy.
Cheers to all the first timers on the shoulders…
RRugosa
Bit too brocade-y for me. Also, I wonder if the raised surface would pill too readily.
Jennifer
Don’t know if anyone else reads the mint blog, but I know that clothing budgets have come up before on the site, so here is monthly spending based on city and as a percentage of discretionary spending:
http://www.mint.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/mint_fashion.png