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Our daily TPS reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices.
Sales of note for 9.10.24
- Nordstrom – Summer Sale, save up to 60%
- Ann Taylor – 30% off your purchase
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything + extra 20% off
- Bergdorf Goodman – Save up to 40% on new markdowns
- Boden – 15% off new styles
- Eloquii – $29 and up select styles; up to 50% off everything else
- J.Crew – Up to 50% off wear-to-work styles; extra 30% off sale styles
- J.Crew Factory – 40-60% off everything; extra 60% off clearance
- Lo & Sons – Warehouse sale, up to 70% off
- M.M.LaFleur – Save 25% sitewide
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – BOGO 50% everything, includes markdowns
- White House Black Market – 30% off new arrivals
Some of our latest posts here at Corporette…
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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…
goirishkj
Like, but would have to try it on as with all of JCrew’s dresses. Some work on me, some don’t, such is life I suppose.
Anyways, speaking of JCrew dresses, I’m wearing a wrap dress from there today. I’ve got a cami underneath to raise the neck line. While drinking coffee at my desk (in a travel mug, with a lid!) the coffee spilled all over me, mostly on the white cami. Without my handy dandy tide pen, the only option is icewater to try to lighten the stain. So now in my attempt to look professional by raising my neckline with a cami, it has a giant wet spot. Hope you all are having a better morning!
eaopm3
Is the cami uniform enough in the front and the back to just turn it around backward? Some of mine are, but not all…
goirishkj
Brilliant–did not even think of that! I think that might just work :)
eaopm3
Always glad to help! :)
anon-oh-no
this was my trick when i was pregnant, given that i would always spill on myself. One day, I had to turn it inside out, and then backwards.
bibliophile
Ooh, I love this! Shirt dresses have been a recent obsession of mine. Does look a little short for work sadly. Might be cute for weekend wear though!
Also re the styling: didn’t realize sexy librarian was part of j.crew’s aesthetic.
Bunkster
Actually, with the messy hair, she looks more “sloppy librarian.”
bibliophile
Ha, true. I was just thinking the short hem line and leopard print heels, she could be working a little more than the circulation desk.
Bonnie
With the messy hair and wrinkled clothing I’d say shacking-up-in-the-stacks-librarian.
EPLawyer
“Heather saddle?” While better than “earthworm” they are still sounding desperate for interesting color names. Why not call it beige and be done with it? Because you know that is what everyone who buys it is going to refer to it as.
Kanye East
I just love that someone gets paid to name colors.
Actually, I hate it.
Actually, I’m jealous.
Pepper
I’ve noticed the following color names recently:
Light black
Faded steel black
Faded black
Guess what color all of these items were? Gray.
GRA
*sigh* why must I love everything at J Crew so much … ?
Attendance Issues
I am just curious what others’ attendance policies are at their workplaces. I’m in the legal field now, but when I was in other fields you were generally expected to maintain the same schedule and not call in regularly. It just seems like people here end up having to cover for others in important meetings fairly regularly because others have major attendance issues that never seem to get addressed.
Anonymous
No official policy at my office, but it’s unofficially frowned upon to call in.
AccountingNerd
I work for the govt. As long as we don’t miss any big deadlines, they pretty much let us use our annual and sick leave whenever. One of my supervisors actually said that she approves any time off requested because if she doesn’t then we will be grumpy and she doesn’t want to be around that! Ha.. Oh, and there is one lady in our office who goes to Disney World for a week every 3 months. A whole week. About 4 times a year. And she’s been doing it for years. I like taking half days once or twice a month. If it’s a nice day outside I’ll take off early. In our office of 200+ people, they are pretty laid back. I couldn’t work in an office that looks down on half-days or taking days off.
Ru
That’s similar to my situation, even though we’re supposed to get “prior approval” before taking vacation. I’ve never heard of a supervisor denying someone leave.
mamabear
That’s similar to my situation, even though we’re supposed to get “prior approval” before taking vacation. I’ve never heard of a supervisor denying someone leave.
Accountress
I think it’s an individual thing- because to me, NOT spending time at Disney every three months sounds like hell on Earth.
anon
I’m just astounded at the idea of 4 weeks vacation every year. Now I’m just depressed.
Pepper
I don’t think that’s unusual if that’s literally all the vacation she takes. 4 weeks is about right. I can’t imagine squandering all of my leave at Disney, though.
AccountingNerd
I don’t like Disney either! I don’t see why some people love it so much. The crowds, the heat, the prices of everything…it just doesn’t seem worth it. I’d rather spend my time and money on a relaxing vacation on or near the water or in a scenic place away from a million kids wearing mouse hats!
MelD
It’s totally different if you’re a regular. I’ve gone with people who rarely go and try to cram everything in and agree it’s miserable. When you’re a regular there’s no pressure and it’s pretty relaxing. If the park gets too crowded, you leave. If a ride has a 70-minute line, you skip it. If it gets too hot, you go to the resort pool.
I know people who like to go to Epcot to sample the various beers and drink around the world, others like to try different restaurants around the resort. Disney gets a good portion of its revenues from Floridians who come regularly, so they have to keep offering up different things to attract Floridians to return- Food and Wine Festival, Flower Festival, etc.
E
Elaborate? Are people “calling in” sick, calling in to use a vacation day last minute, there’s no official time off policy (or it’s not enforced/tracked) and people are abusing it?
In my office, we have a fixed number of vacation days and sick days. We can use them as appropriate, and we tend to stick them on the shared calendar as far in advance as they are known. Sometimes people decide to take a day last minute (and of course, sick days tend to be used this way). I try to avoid being out during busy periods, important meetings, etc. but that’s not officially required.
Attendance Issues
We have a generous sick/vacation policy, but people seem to abuse it. They’ll miss a week a month ( we don’t get that much) and not call in at all, or they’ll call in last minute before a meeting and delegate others who may be clueless to do the meeting for them. People will also plan vacations but other people will have to cover for them because they won’t prioritize their work to get things completed/set up for their time off.
Consultant in NoVA
Most places where I’ve worked have had a policy along the lines of if you don’t show up for two or three days and don’t notify your supervisor, you’re terminated or it’s taken as your resignation. I know someone this actually happened to.
E
That sounds like a difficult situation, but on the bright side, it sounds like you have a very flexible employer of whose flexibility perhaps someday you’ll be the beneficiary!
Pepper
Having to cover for other people on vacation is a problem too, but that’s because we’re understaffed. There’s just too much work to go around and it can’t be completed to accommodate a vacation. Either someone covers for you, or you have to work on vacation.
Bunkster
At my company, we officially get 10 sick days, but HR will start investigating if you take more than 5. Nice, huh?
The problem I’m having is that the new guy on our team is contract-to-hire so he can take days whenever he wants. He’s been here just over 3 months and hasn’t worked a full work week yet. He’s already taken 10 vacation days and 5 sick days. And everytime he calls in sick, it’s during a full-on crisis so then I have to handle his load as well as mine.
Janie
Bunkster – my husband is about to start a contract-to-hire position on Monday. What do you think is an appropriate amount of time to take off? He wants to do well there but we have some family stuff going on right now, so ideally he would want to take a couple of half days off in the fall and a week or so off in January. Is that too much too soon?
Bunkster
Sorry. I was out this afternoon for my company outing, but that’s a different story.
I think it’s okay to take vacation, but not to abuse it, particularly when you’ve just started. The main reason we have a new hire is to help out during crunch times, but he is always out.
If your husband is starting now, he’ll be at 3 months by the time he takes vacation. And January would be perfectly acceptable.
Eponine
My organization also uses a lot of contract-to-hire positions. They basically get treated like any other employee – a reasonable number of here-and-there days off, preapproved of course, would be fine. If someone just started not showing up, or asked for leave at the last minute for a non-emergency during a crunch time, he wouldn’t get hired when his contract expired.
Pepper
All full-time personnel at my public interest legal organization (not just attorneys) are required to work a minimum of 37.5 hours per week, and we aren’t allowed to telework (with rare exception), so that means you’re supposed to be present in the office a minimum of 37.5 hours, excluding any breaks. Hours can be flexible so long as you arrive by 10 and don’t leave before 3 (so you can work 7-3, 10-6, etc). In practice attorneys work more than 37.5 hours, and no one ever enforces the 10-3 requirement for attorneys (it is enforced for staff who might be responsible for answering phones, etc). However, if you were late for a meeting because you didn’t roll in until 10:30, you’d get your a– handed to you.
We get 4 weeks of paid leave (5 weeks if you’ve worked here more than 3 years), plus federal holidays, and although you have to get approval before taking leave it is never denied. We also get compensatory days for business travel that includes weekends or holidays.
I’m not aware of anyone who abuses the attendance policy. Some attorneys spend about 8 hours per day actually in the office, and an hour or two more doing whatever work can be done from home. Others spend 9-10 hours in the office and don’t check email or work at home.
Calling in to a meeting would be ok if you are on business travel or if you’re on vacation but your contribution is required in a meeting. Since we aren’t allowed to telework, you can’t stay home and call in just because.
B
I love the blue! For my office (casual outside of legislative session) this would be totally appropriate in the fall with tights and knee boots, or maybe even booties…
Clerky
J Crew dresses are all too short and I’m only 5’5. I wish they made everything just 2-3 inches longer, or at least added some length to let out the hem. I don’t like how the “tall” sizes fit on me generally.
Panda
I don’t see the appeal in this at all. To me it looks cheap, safari style, sloppy, and also makes the model look at least 10lbs heavier than she most likely is.
To each their own
AN
Would hit me mid thigh and I’m just 5″4!
Boden?
Cute dress! OK, threadjack … just received the fall Boden catalog in the mail … never tried anything from here before, would love people’s thoughts on the quality, cut, durability of their clothes? Based on the price points I’m expecting same or higher quality than BR/J Crew?
Not for work, and a lot of it is too preppy/whimsical for me, but also a lot of cute basics in there – would love anyone’s opinion. I know I’ve seen mention of them in the threads .. thanks!
GRA
I received the Boden catalog last night in the mail and I loved almost everything in it! I’ve ordered from them before, and as long as you follow the measurements in the back of the catalog, I’ve found their items fit quite well. The quality is about the same as J Crew – but a bit “sturdier” IMO. Now if only I had a couple thousand dollars sitting around to order everything I marked in my catalog … :)
Clerky
I love all of the pretty patterns and colors at Boden, but everything that I’ve bought from there I have ultimately returned. The biggest problem is that the vast majority of their dresses have an empire waist, which is really unflattering on me. I wish Boden would drop their waist placement on at least one of their dresses. Quality is great, colors are beautiful, and returning is pretty easy. But be aware, if you don’t like empire waists, you won’t like Boden dresses
AIMS
I like Boden. I would say the quality is usually pretty good (as is my general experience with most UK brands). Higher than BR forsure, imo anyway, and more like JCrew used to be. The customer service is great, too. A lot of their dresses are lined, which is a nice touch. I have had great luck with their jackets, toppers, etc. Never bought pants. I rarely buy anything there though unless it is already on sale or I have a 20% promo + free shipping (usually comes with catalog). I don’t think I would pay full price for their stuff. But, admittedly, I just hate paying full price for anything. I recommend reading the reviews — they tend to be fairly spot on and they don’t edit them like some other retailers.
anon-oh-no
this. I am a recent convert to Boden thanks to this site. I think J crew is comprable. I’ve returned all dresses i tried except one dress though. I have 3 cardis and love them all — they are thin but hold up well, which i love. I also bought the coat that was recommended here a while back and i love it.
Bunkster
Boden’s clothes are beautiful and the quality seems fine to me. The one thing I will say is that I believe the clothes are designed for curvier women, or at least women with a bit of a bust. I’m a 34C and their size 8 is such a perfect fit I could be their muse. My friends who are not flat-chested love Boden. My other friends are less enamoured.
Boden
Thanks ladies – much appreciated. I can see what you mean about the empire waists – yep, every single dress in the catalog has one. I’m a little surprised that it’s better for bustier women, as most of the women pictured seem pretty small chested – but i guess that’s just a model thing. And glad that the relatively high prices are at least partially justified with high quality, durable materials.
Anyway, i may utilize the promo and free shipping :) and pick up a jacket or a sweater instead of a dress – seems like a safer bet. Thanks!
Curl Friend
I believe that empire waists are considered most flattering for women who are pear shaped and rather small busted — the eye is drawn up, balancing the figure. Women who are rather full in the bust sometimes complain about looking like tea cosies.
I’ve read that most women in the U.S. are pear shaped. As Boden’s designs seem to be aimed at ordinary, attractive, middle-aged women I’m not surprised that empire waists dominate. It’s very body-friendly.
AIMS
I think this is a good point. I would not characterize them as always “bust friendly” — as a D cup with a small waist, the dresses & tops don’t always work for me. But I do think they are cut well for the bottom-heavy among us — lots of A line silhouttes, etc. The dresses I have liked from them are all stretchy on top (obviating the too tight in bust issue). What has not worked for me are the ones that are fitted on top — those were all either too small in bust or too big in waist if the bust actually fit. Regardless, their measurements are spot on, so just trust the tape measure when ordering.
Clerky
Interesting, I’m pear shaped, small busted, and hate empire waists. I’m reasonably thin and they always still make me look pregnant.
shrink
I agree, clerky, all the dresses have incredible fabrics, yet they stick to the empire waists. I don’t care what anyone thinks or promotes on tv (I’m looking at you, Stacey and Clinton), they make me look preggers. I have to stop myself and pinch myself not to order their dresses. It’s a shame as they don’t repeat those fabrics in much else.
I love the tailoring, seaming, other types of linings, and overall attention to details. The measurements in the back are accurate…and your sizing may vary by item. Adore their skirts. Wearing a pencil skirt today with a white background and pink/beige ikat print with a black tank and the new Halogen old man (?) cardi belted widely. Love it. My first time to try cotton skirts – fearing so much wrinkling from so much sitting…went with Boden because of their quality. I have no complaints.
Love their printed cardis; the buttons and taping of edges set them apart. However, I find they do run a bit small. Perhaps it’s the bustline issue. I am keeping myself away from their newest, the dotty ones. Got the hatched/brush strokes from summer at recent clearance. Love the color combos they use.
Got some really thick and bulky boucle jackets last fall. Wear like iron and look grand once I had the waists nipped in. I wish they offered more jacket styles this year, all seem to be nearly the same in appearance and cut.
Their site is user friendly for browing. No problem with returns, except at sale time, you have 7 days to return for cc refund, otherwise store credit. At least now they state that more directly. Shipping can be slow as some things come from PA and others from the UK. SO if you are ordering with a date in mind, be aware.
Cheers –
Bonnie
Ditto. All that extra fabric in the waist makes me look prego. Maybe I’m just paranoid since I’m of the age where people raise an eyebrow whenever I wear something like that.
anon
I would have said just the opposite–that it works better on smaller busted. I’ve only gotten a couple of dresses and a cardigan from them but both dresses were way too low cut to look right on me (36D). Also check length. I usually like longer dresses but one of the two actually came below my knees and hung like a sack (I’m 5′ 9″).
Annon for this
I think empire waists are incredibly flattering on all women, giving those without curves so curves, giving those with curves a balancing effect.
Those who are complaining they make them look preggers, how tight are you wearing your clothing?!?!?!?! Or are you just self-conciously thinking it makes you look preggers just to have an few inches of extra fabric at the waist? Cause in all honesty you should have some extra fabric at the hips, thighs too unless you’re rocking skin tight pants and skirts.
Empire waist is universally flattering hence thier popularity and their constant praise by those in the industry like Staci and Clinton.
Bonnie
I don’t wear my clothing tight at all. In my opinion, empire waist dresses look like maternity clothing. Having that much extra fabric billowing from a high waist makes it look like I need the extra fabric for a bump. They’re attractive on some women but I disagree that empire waists are flattering on all women.
anon
Can’t agree with this either. They look silly on me. I’m pretty thin and don’t wear normal-fitting, not tight, not loose, clothes. Wearing empire waists gives me the appearance of a gut that I don’t have, while hiding the waist and hips that I do have (and like just fine). Some women look wonderful in them, I am just not one of them.
MelD
I disagree- even with your assessment that S&C praise the empire waist on all figures. S&C try to find outfits that bring the eye to the smallest part of a woman’s body. If she has a small waist but larger hips/chest, they’ll probably choose structured blazers, belts, or skirts/dresses that bring the eye to the waist. With the empire style, the eye tends to straight to the bust if you have a larger bust, or to the extra fabric at the stomach if you have a smaller chest but larger hips. Neither of those are attractive styles.
Anonymous
LOVE it. High quality, linings, hems, service, tall/petite. Nothing not to love if you dig the aesthetic. If not, obviously not your bag. I say, if you are tempted by the look, have faith in the hand and product– it’s good!
AEK
I have had a lot of success with dresses; unlike most places, they have dresses with BOTH higher necklines and lower hemlines, so I feel comfortable wearing them to work. In fact, I think the entire 5% of my work wardrobe that is NOT grey, black, navy, or white, is from Boden—their prints and colors work well for me. (And I agree with Clerky that Boden dresses usually have the empire waist, but for me, that’s a good thing, especially in a straight-cut sheath. But I know it doesn’t work for all.) I haven’t tried any of their pants.
Curl Friend
That’s funny, because one of my style “identities” is “whimsical preppie.” I love Boden’s patterns and prices, but sadly the clothes didn’t fit. They were both too big and too small in places.
PollyD
Boden clothes are horrible and cheaply made. They finish the hems with staples and glue and use safety pins to fasten any embellishments. The zippers split and the colors will rub off on you. Boden clothes definitely won’t look good on you, especially if you take a size 4 in dresses or a size 6 in skirts and prefer the slightly wacky prints to the solids. Nope, don’t order them. Don’t even think about it. Stay away, stay away, you will be so unhappy!!!
Just trying to save you from a bad experience. However, I will be happy to take one for the team and order from Boden. Maybe their quality has improved. Maybe I’ll even suffer through keeping some of their items and wearing them. But I’ll resent doing it!
bakema
I am a fan of Boden dresses and tops (haven’t tried pants, the one jacket I tried didn’t fit my narrow shoulders well). Their quality is excellent, really impeccable. I also really like that their prints and designs are a little more interesting and unique. That said, I wish that fewer of their dresses had empire waists. I too only purchase when there’s at least a 15% off coupon – their prices are high!
Love Boden dresses
I love love love Boden dresses. My narrowest place on the torso is under my bust (where the empire waist hits), hence they are very flattering on me. Plus they are completely work-appropriate. I am 5’3” and their “above the knee” dresses hit me exactly on the top of the knee cap.
However, I hadn’t had any luck with any of their pants or shorts.
I believe their fit model has a narrow waist, wide hips, and slender legs (which is pretty much the opposite of me).
The quality is great, and when it isn’t, their customer service is superb.
Having said that, I never buy anything full price from them – but that can be attributed to my reluctance to buy anything full price in general. Their sales is great, though.
michelle
love the quality, find the fit a bit boxy and therefore can be a bit matronly, depends on the item. Fits true to size or a bit large given the boxiness. I think I’ve only bought jackets from them, but I love the detail they put into the linings. Delivery seems to take a while too.
gov anon
I love, love, love, love Boden and I love, love, love, love that they have empire waist dresses! They work so well with my body shape. I have a bunch of Boden dresses, tops, and jackets. I was even seduced by a pair of shorts this summer. And whenever I wear something from Boden I get compliments. The clothes just seem to be made with my body in mind.
I’ve also gotten my fall Boden catalog and I’m trying to narrow down what I actually want. I love so many of the skirts and dresses. Sigh. If only I had a bunch of extra money sitting around.
Did I mention that I love Boden?
MHM
Interesting opinions. I find Boden’s quality for women’s clothes varies a lot. T-shirts, tops and sweaters I have generally found very thin and overpriced for the quality. On the other hand, some things are really well constructed (I have a couple of jackets from a few years back that continue to do heavy duty and were well worth the price; I also just bought a cute skirt that is well made). I have never had a problem with the kids’ clothes, which are pricey but consistently well made and durable through two boys, but with women’s, I always assume it is a 50/50 chance of keeping an item I order.
I agree the sizing is true to their size chart measurements. For me, bottoms fit smaller than other big brands (I need an 8, when I wear a 6 in Talbots, Ann Taylor, Banana).
Anonym
PSA re: Ellen
It appears our friend Ellen likes to comment on others sites as well:
www(d0t)bitterlawyer(dot)com/i-need-a-drink-while-studying/
Anonymous
Awww! It thinks it’s people. Cuteness.
Sanz
I think Ellen’s been commenting at the ABA and bitter lawyer before she ever found corporette. I think she even used the last name Barshevsky.
Sanz
Ah yes, here it is: http://ellenbarshevsky.blogspot.com/
Alanna of Trebond
I am so glad you found this! All the classics.
Lola
This has brightened my day.
Eponine
Oh. My. Gawd.
AN
PEARLES of WISEDOM!
Anonymous
Anyone else just get the email from Ann Taylor that their entire online shop is 40% off today? This is including their sale stuff…
Ballerina Girl
Is there a special discount code? Ann Taylor Loft, too?
MaggieLizer
Website says no discount code needed. Thanks for the PSA, I’m looking there now!
Janie
Thank’s for posting this! I’ve been eyeing the perfect lizard flat and waiting for a sale… 40% off is perfect!
E
ooh, those are pretty.
Janie
I’m hoping they solve a couple of “hemmed these pants too short” problems I have… oops :)
another anon
I did. I wanted to get that orange skirt with the exposed zipper that was mentioned in the comments (totally appropriate for my v. casual workplace), but now I can’t find it on the website. I guess it must have been popular.
Pepper
It sold out… I wanted it too and when I checked a few days ago it said it was sold out. Sad face.
kellyn
Oh, nice! I was able to catch a “50% off all already-on-sale items” sale last week, I think thanks to Corporette readers. Scored a beautiful light stone silk/cotton suit with a drapey collar jacket for $135 total–skirt and jacket. Waiting for it to arrive….very impatiently.
Bonnie
I just placed a big order. Most of the things will probably go back but it’s easier than going to the store for me. It looks like things are going fast. A dress I had in my cart was sold out before I could check out.
Bonnie
Don’t forget to go through ebates for 2.5% back.
Westsidebee
Thanks for the tip! I just placed a big order too. Fingers crossed most of it works out!
eh230
PSA – they are honoring the discount at the store too if you mention it. I went in the store to try on items so that I could buy them online, but no need. Hurray!
AK JD
Grr. Their shipping fees are ridiculous. In an age where so many online stores offer free shipping, the $19.95 I had to pay last time for shipping turned me off of Ann Taylor online.
(I mean, sure, I do live in Alaska. But it’s not another country. USPS still delivers here, so far, for actually pretty cheap.)
roses
Anyone have any advice for temporary relief from allergy symptoms that doesn’t involve allergy meds? I have infrequent allergy flare ups, and one hit me today but allergy meds make me drowsy and I need to get some work done this afternoon. Symptoms are pretty typical: runny nose, irritated eyes, slight headache. Any thoughts would be appreciated!
AIMS
I find emergen-c to be pretty helpful. Not sure if it’s all in my mind or not, but I drink a glass or two in a short time and it seems to help. I recommend drinking it down all at once, slowly. If I just sip it like a beverage, it doesn’t seem to do much for me.
I also find fizzy beverages generally (seltzer and regular coke, from a can, only) to help; and, at least temporarily, spicy food clears up a runny nose for me.
GRA
Weird but true. I find drinking coke from a can helps clear up my allergies (temporarily), too.
SF Bay Associate
Benadryl makes everyone super drowsy, but have you tried OTC Claratin or Zyrtec? I take Claratin every day and have not noticed any drowsy side effects.
If you really want to avoid meds, you can get your nasal cavity flushed with saltwater via a neti pot: http://www.webmd.com/allergies/sinus-pain-pressure-9/neti-pots
roses
Zyrtec makes me drowsy too, and I can’t take Claratin because it interacts with another medication I take.
I’ve used Neti Pots before, but clogged sinuses aren’t really my problem today – my nose is actually running non-stop!
TAH
In the past, before my allergies got truly horrendous, I used Zicam allergy relief nasal spray. I thought it worked fairly well, and it didn’t make me drowsy.
I miss the days when I wasn’t on 4 different meds (plus daily saline rinsing) for my allergies!
Bunkster
I’ve actually been having bad allergy symptoms for the past couple of days, even though I take Claritin 24/7 and the pollen count is only about 5. The itchy eyes and postnasal drip are killing me.
So I’m interested in any solution. I took Benadryl last night, but no can do at work.
Anonymous
Use Zaditor (Alaway is same active ingredient, too, I think) for itchy eyes – works for 12 hours and even if you wear contacts, they just recommend waiting 5 mins before you put them in.
Noner
Eat something or suck on a piece of hard candy. I have the seasonal/hay fever type allergies and seemed like as long as my salivary glands were working, my nose wasn’t running. And eye drops for the eyes.
Failing all that, I stop up my nose with a Kleenex (to address the dripping).
Good luck.
Ru
I can’t take Zyrtec because it makes me drowsy (and Claritin doesn’t work for me). I mentioned it to my doc and she prescribed a nasal spray that I take twice a day and it’s great: Patanase. My allergies are ferocious if I miss more than one dose. Non-drowsy and no side effects. Smells awful tho.
Pseudophedrine will help and it actually makes you more alert. Drink lots of water to flush your system as well.
Anonymous
Try the allergy meds with pseudoephedrine, like Claritin-D (I think). In my state, you have to get it from behind the pharmacy counter, but it will actually perk you up while fighting the allergy symptoms.
Argie
Or, just get plain old Sudafed (usually behind the counter). Its just pseudoephedrine, without any other allergy meds.
anon
I went to Whole Foods and got a homeopathic nasal spray called Sinusin – I was happy with the results.
Anonymous
I use a simple saline spray (about $2 at Target) and it really helps on bad days. Drink lots of water. Generally, if you don’t want the side effects of pills, the nasal spray meds are great. I take Flonase and it’s a lifesaver.
MelD
Use the Neti Pot or Sinus Rinse- it helps immensely. I know my allergist is a strong proponent. If you have any allergens stuck in your nasal cavity, it should rinse them out.
mamabear
If you can get your doc to prescribe over the phone, try a prescription nasal spray like Nasonex. I take Claritin or Zyrtec every day (switch back and forth) and I only add in the Nasonex when whatever it is is making my allergies extra intense. It totally works for me.
Pepper
It’s not something you can do immediately unless you have time to go out and buy one, but I recommend using a Neti pot.
anon
advil allergy and sinus (it’s a green box).. it’s kept behind the counter but it contains a dose of advil and a dose of pseudoephedrine- the advil helps with inflamation that comes with everything else and the pseudophedrine takes care of the rest. I am working in a pharmacy for the summer. Our pharmacist swears by it and everyone who uses it is in love
T
Allegra is now OTC and it works pretty well for me.
Anonymous
Dimetapp has been the only allergy medicine that hasn’t knocked me out. It works really well for me. It may technically be a kids medicine, no sure, but there are adult dosing instructions.
AIMS
Cute dress. I find shirt dresses to be very hit or miss for me, and with the chest pockets on this one, I fear it might be more miss than hit on my frame.
On an aside, I know a lot of the ladies here travel for business, so just wanted to bring this article to your attention. Be safe, everyone.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/26/business/at-a-hotel-on-business-be-on-alert-too.html?_r=1&src=me&ref=business
Anonymous
Thanks for the link, AIMS. I’d be very interested in hearing other tips on safety from Corporettes.
Road Warriorette
Interesting. Thanks for posting, AIMS.
Ses
Good post. I travel monthly and have only once felt unsafe when at a hotel. It was a complete non-incident, and I could have just been imagining bad intent. I shared an elevator with a man who got off at the same floor I did, which is totally normal except it seemed like he was hanging back to see which way I was going to turn when we came out of the elevator hall. I walked a few steps with him right behind me, thinking I would seem completely weird if I didn’t just go to my room, but then I thought- who the hell cares if some random guy thinks I’m weird? I turned around (he did look surprised and was following a little too close) and got back on the elevator and asked for a room on a different floor.
Two lessons I’d share from this are: 1) try really hard not to let manners or self-consciousness get in the way of your safety. I think sometimes we’re taught to be polite or non-judgmental about people’s appearances or social behaviors, but those *do* tell you something about the person, and if you get bad vibes you don’t owe it to anyone to put yourself at risk. 2) hotels will fall over themselves to move your room if you say it’s for safety reasons, and “a guy on that floor seemed shady” is a good enough reason. If not, use a different hotel.
Ballerina Girl
Great advice–your gut is usually on to something when it tries to alert you to something. And who cares if you look like a weirdo? It’s your own safety!
Anon
I agree. I packed up my food and left a restraunt once, with my family (hubby and three kids) because a guy who walked in looked totally shady. And I am a criminal defense lawyer–I do not scare easy! But really got an awful vibe. My husband thought I was crazy, but I really felt like the guy was about to shoot up the place! Better safe than sorry…
Anonymous
Very good advice. For more info, see “Gift of Fear” by Gavin de Becker
anon
Great link and Kat if you’re reading, this would be a great post topic …
Generally in life, you don’t want to be that fussy woman who over-reacts and makes a scene, but if some guy is looking around for someone to harass, that is EXACTLY who you want to be!! Please forget proprieties if you have the least hint that something is wrong. Criminals look for easy targets, like women who seem passive and not likely to put up a fight. A self-defense instructor once told a story about a guy who hung around grocery stores, leering and making inappropriate comments to single women. The ones who reacted swiftly, he ignored. The ones who did the equivalent of “closing their eyes and wishing he would go away”, he followed outside the store and harassed further. Fight your instincts to “shut up and put up” and instead, do whatever it takes – change seats, cross the street, turn around, walk away, end the conversation. Lest you feel embarrassed, realize that a man who puts a woman in that situation – intentional or not – is the one who should be embarrassed. Not you. If you’re by yourself in a strange place, stay alert, look around you, be vigilant and don’t be afraid to over-react.
And don’t liberate yourself to death. I’m all for women’s rights, but unfortunately we will never have the “right” to walk down dark, empty streets as safely and confidently as men can. Sorry.
Anonymous
Just a general everyday tip (especially if you frequent various courts which aren’t always in the best locations) keep car keys in hand when walking to car, lock it once your in even before turning it on and never tailgate (while driving or stopped). I know a few people that the guy in front of them got out of the car at a light and they were too close to move theirs or approached their car when they were still in park at a place.
Eponine
If you’re staying in a nice hotel (which most business travelers do), you can always ask someone from the front desk to escort you to your room. They won’t mind at all. If someone knocks on your door, you shouldn’t open it all the way unless you were expecting someone and you’ve verified via the peephole that it’s the person you were expecting. Otherwise, leave the safety latch engaged and open it a crack to find out what the person wants. And when you’re in the room, you should always engage the safety latch – without it, any staff member with a key can come in (I’m not particularly worried about being attacked by staff, but it’s embarrassing if housekeeping comes in while you’re in the shower or sleeping half-naked).
Eponine
Oh, and use the safe in your room. Don’t leave cash anywhere. I stayed at a hotel without a safe and was told by a colleague that I didn’t need to worry about carrying all of my cash with me because she knew the hotel owners, and I was more likely to get mugged then have it stolen from my room. Of course it got stolen from my room – my friend may have known the owners were trustworthy, but she didn’t know the staff.
Also, make sure to count your cash and keep a good tally. Most of the time when someone gets robbed it’s a small amount that they figure you won’t notice.
Eponine
And one more thing – if your hotel key or key card comes in one of those little envelopes with the room number, don’t carry that little envelope. Otherwise, if you lose your key or it’s stolen, they’ll be able to rob your hotel room too.
ks
I was a crime prevention specialist with a local police department in a past career life. With regard to room numbers, if the person at the front desk ever says out loud “you’re in room 246 Ms. KS” I will immediately ask for another room and ask that my room number not be repeated out loud, but rather written down. You never know who has heard the exchange and it’s better to be safe than sorry. Also, women travelling alone should always try to get a room on a higher-than-ground-level floor of the hotel to avoid peeping and break -ins though ground level windows or doors. Second an earlier poster’s comment that hotels are usually happy to oblige in the name of safety.
Hel-lo
Recently I saw a post (I don’t remember if it was on here or not) that your hotel keycard is linked to your credit card, and can be swiped at retail establishments, and it will charge to your credit card. So the article recommended saving all your keycards and destroying them after you return home.
Have any of you Corporette travelers ever experienced this? It seems pretty far-fetched to me…
Anon
Hel-lo
Check out snopes.com – its totally false and I get annoyed when false info is spread for fear-mongering purposes.
http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/hotelkey.asp
Hel-lo
Thank you! I had forgotten to check snopes on that one. (Probably because it didn’t come from my nutty aunt who sends me all the crazy fear-mongering emails.)
M in CA
Great article. Thanks for posting, AIMS.
When I travel alone, which I often do, I do as much research as I can about the place ahead of time. I stay aware and alert in transport areas like airports, train stations, bus depots, etc. No checking out by listening to my iPod. The most I’ll do is read a magazine. If I sit down and my bag is on the ground, I hook my ankle through it so someone can’t try to grab it and make a quick getaway. Sometimes in foreign countries I will wear a simple wedding band (I am not married).
I also have what I call is my “hard face,” which I remind myself to wear if I don’t know the area, and especially if I am lost/confused/don’t know what’s going on. I convey the exact opposite of that — that I know exactly what I am doing and where I’m going. Stay calm, walk with purpose and all that, until I get to a place where it’s safe to “pull over” and investigate. An important part of this is not getting into those situations in the first place, which comes back to doing prior research.
As with everything, it’s important to be alert, aware, and in control of your faculties.
Elysian
Unrelated – I bought a suit a few months ago from Ann Taylor, have worn it a couple times and have also had it cleaned, but it still has a kind of “new suit” smell that bothers me. Has anyone had any luck getting this smell out? How? I haven’t had this problem with anyone else’s suits, which seem to lose the smell of the store much faster. It’s bothering me and prevents me from wearing it.
E
I’m sure all the proper-garment-care fanatics here will cringe, but if it’s a dark color, I’ve been known to use a light spray of Febreze.
eh230
Last year I bought several dry clean only items from AT that seemed to have a strange odor that never came out. I had the items cleaned several times and even aired them out outside. Nothing worked. Luckily they were transition pieces for the postpartum period of my life, and I did not need them for very long. Both were wool pants in the same style. I have subsequently bought wool pants from AT and did not have this problem. Maybe it’s a particular fabric blend?
Hel-lo
Last week, someone recommended washing dry-clean-only things like suits in your home washer with a detergent from Laundress.
The detergents are expensive, but they apparently have a fantastic smell.
LB
To SF Bay Associate and anyone else who bough the Eliza J wrap dress at the Nordstrom sale —
What shapewear do you recommend for wearing underneath the dress? The dress material is thin and my bra strap clearly sticks out when you look at me from the back, which I don’t like at all. Is there something that will smooth out the entire backside? Thanks!
GRA
I find anything from Spanx (or the Target brand Assests) works wonders with smoothing out under clothing. I have a slip from Spanx that I wear under wrap dresses and it works great!
mamabear
Hey GRA, how do you keep that Spanx slip from riding up? I’ve had no luck with mine.
AIMS
On a related note, does anyone here ever wear slips (not shapewear, just regular slips) and, if so, where do you get them? A brick and mortar store in NYC would be ideal, but I would appreciate any online recs, too. Thanks!
GRA
I wear slips whenever I wear a dress and buy all mine at Target. They are cheap, but do their job.
BAB
I get my non-shapewear slips online at J.C. Penney. Anthropologie sells prettier (and more expensive) ones too. You might check Macy’s B&M too.
Ru
I’m always hunting for non-spandexy-slips in stores, although I hate spending more than $10 on them. I’ve had odd luck at Daffy’s, Target and Walmart but a more reliable source is the Jockey’s brand slip. It’s $30ish and available in the lingerie department of the Herald Square Macy’s.
Anonymous
Vermont Country Store. They have everything that used to be everywhere but isn’t anymore. Online coupons.
shrink
I wear slips daily, being a skirt girl. Even when the skirt has a lining (which I try to always have as well). Things flow better. I was in your position, needing to replace old ones…went to amazon.com actually as I wanted a variety of lengths (3) in both black and white. (not togther, of course)
AIMS
Thanks, ladies! As always, you are a wonderful resource.
I am actually going to be by the Herald Sq. Macys & Daffy’s tonight, so will check both, and then may order some online, too. It sounds counter intuitive, but I have one dress that comes with a slip and I really think the slip somehow keeps me cooler on the really hot days. Or maybe just less obviously sweaty . . . Either way, with another heat wave promised, thought I would give it a try with my other dresses. Thanks again!!
mamabear
AIMS, I wear them occasionally and I found them on Amazon. I went the full old-lady for mine – wide lace adjustable straps, stretchy nylon material , longer length – because that’s really what works best under most lightweight dresses. The chemise types you find most often in stores – unadjustable spaghetti straps, woven satin material, short length – are really better for sleepwear.
AIMS
Ha! “Full old-lady” — love it! I will have to try out both styles, then. Thanks for the heads up :)
CN
Commando for slips. I bought mine online from Nordstroms.
AIMS
Thanks :)
Frump
I wear slips to add warmth in the winter and prevent too much sweating in the summer. I get a lot of my underpinnings from Mary Green- they sell high quality, silk knits that are really great for layering. Unfortunately I have to collect pieces slowly, as their slips are about $50-75, although I really like them.
SF Bay Associate
I haven’t done the full undergarment try-out with it yet, but I suspect I’ll wear a sized up Spanx/Spanx knockoff cami – anything with a thicker fabric should do fine for smoothness. And if you want the entire backside, you can either do a Spanx cami and bike shorts (tuck cami into bike shorts), or get a full slip. I have a Jockey not-Spanx full slip that I like because it provides smoothness without the crazy compression that the Spanx full slip had. However, I find that full slips ride up during the day, so I need to yank them back down a few times, so I tend to prefer the cami-and-short combo.
But for me, if my bra strap still shows through in the back, well, whatever. It’s no secret I’m wearing a bra. If you really want to avoid strap lumps, I guess you could go for a strapless bra :).
Take the dress to the Lingerie department at Nordstrom after the sale is over on July 31, and see what they come up for you!
LB
I like the cami idea. I already have Spanx bike shorts so I can just tuck in the cami, as you mention. Unfortunately, a strapless bra wouldn’t work because it’s not the strap on top that sticks out, it’s rather the strap that clasps the two parts of the bra together. I tried the dress on in navy and clay, and the thinness of the material is MUCH more apparent in the clay color, which is the color that I’m keeping. Thanks!
Ru
Maybe you can get a bra with a clasp in the front?
Ballerina Girl
I gotta say, I find it sooo hard to use this stuff in the summer. So hot! How do you do it?
LB
Yeah, it is harder in the summer to wear Spanx, but not too bad. My office is so cold that I now have my heater on, and Spanx makes me feel warmer.
shrink
I have tried all the spanx’ bra-lleluiah (? sp) and found one that works for me. I love that the back and sides are thick and stretchy and good-bye straps or “back fat” lumps. Wish there was some way to adjust the straps though, in terms of length … I have friends that find them too “short.” Took myself to bra smyth dot com and ordered all styles in two sizes, then returned the no-gos. They had the best selection I could find, including B&M stores.
Anonymous
There’s a cheaper Assets one, too, 30-something bucks– at Target or Spanx.com.
Emma
On a related note, I just got my Eliza J dress yesterday and LOVE it. I’m so happy with it. And I never would’ve picked it out but for the comments here!
AEFlaw
Love this shirt dress! Also love this Tory Burch shirt dress http://www1.bloomingdales.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=536291&cm_mmc=Froogle-_-n-_-n-_-n
It’s called the “Blythe” belted shirt dress
Curl Friend
What the heck is “Gatsby Green”? The phrase ” fresh, green breast of the new world” does not conjure that color for me.
Why do they refer to a “cardi”? Brother, can you spare a syllable?
Nice dress, as noted, a bit on the short side.
found a peanut
Maybe it’s the same color as the green light that called to Gatsby from the other side of the water…
Argie
Or, its alliterative and an allusion to the film production of the Great Gatsby being made. Maybe J.Crew is hoping the Great Gatsby will do for 1920s fashion what Mad Men did for the 1960s?
Emma
I read on Vogue that that is the case — part of the fall collection is inspired by the 1920s, thanks to the Great Gatsby remake.
Anonymous
Oh, I hope so! Not good styles for me, of course, but very pretty. I’ll take 40s any day.
Ann Taylor Anon
Same anon who posted the Anny Taylor 40% — they keep adding more final sale items but they are selling out quick. I just missed skinny jeans for $9.99…
E
Just ordered the crossover top ($26.40 after 40% off) and the crew neck cardigan ($40.80 after 40% off) – both new, not already marked down – in a variety of colors. We’ll see how it goes!
shrink
PSA “the” halogen skirt from Nordstrom’s Anniv. Sale is listed on today’s email as one of the “favorites.” Must have been the legions of Corporettes!
Just got my 10 reg and 12 petite (just had to have that berry color). Will report back soon on the length and width differences for the community.
MaggieLizer
Ugh please tell me chunky heels are not back in style….
AIMS
Well, we are just finishing up an 80’s revival. . . so . . . it only makes sense that early 90s are up next!? (Hence all the grungy plaid shirts and denim jackets) . . .
MaggieLizer
SIGH.
Betty White
Any advice for a newly minted (well, three years ago) lawyer who is discovering that she may just not like practicing law at all? I was at a firm, now at a dream-job non-profit (admittedly very new and junior so maybe that’s part of it) but I’m realizing that I hate legal research, like writing briefs, but hardly in love with it, and am just generally wondering if I should be considering non-law jobs for my next move. What’s out there for former-lawyers? And is this just part of being junior? Does it get better?
MelD
I think a lot of people have unrealistic expectations about finding the perfect job at which they like every single job duty. Most people I know hate redacting, but they still have to do it anyway. What you need to ask yourself is whether you are content in your job, not whether you absolutely love it. I don’t love any of my job tasks, but I’ve had jobs where I hated every task I had. Believe me, there’s a huge difference between the two. The reality is also that junior employees tend to get the less interesting tasks, and if you switch, you’re going to be in that situation again in another field. You do have to pay your dues in order to get the more exciting tasks. Hopefully in a non-profit field, you’ll be able to get more interesting tasks more quickly.
Argie
Also – do you like the people you work with? I have found that if I like the environment that I work in, I can usually handle boring/non-inspiring work. But if the environment is toxic….the work would have to be pretty frickin’ awesome to overcome that.
Betty White
I can’t overstate this: I LOVE the people I work with. And the work that we do. It’s high profile, impact litigation for a cause I believe very strongly in.
I think I just don’t like the tedious aspects of litigation. I am not that interested in legal research, but I love thinking through legal arguments and winning big legal battles as a means of making lasting social changes. But that doesn’t make me less bored to tears when I’m doing legal research…or writing document requests.
So
So… did you not realize that being a lawyer would be as boring as law school?
Ballerina Girl
Not all that helpful to realize once you’re in law school. And I actually think being a law student and being a lawyer are very different experiences. I find legal *theory* to be fascinating–that’s most of what we discussed at my school–but I find *practice* to be less than interesting. We didn’t really do much of that in law school.
Regardless, my question is more about whether things change as you rise in the ranks. Maybe I’ll love practicing when I have associates to do my research while I focus on editing their briefs or fine-tuning arguments?
So
Wait, I’m confused. Ballerina Girl – are you and Betty White the same poster?
I’m not sure how it works in Big Firms. I’ve only worked in government and criminal law. But from what I’ve heard, legal research and writing are pretty much what practicing law is.
Sure, some lawyers spend more time explaining things to clients, and some spend more time working on transactions and contracts and whatnot, and some serve on boards and advise corporations.
But practicing law involves making sure you know the law, expressing it or explaining it to people (client, judges, juries, opposing counsel, businesspeople, whoever), and forming opinions about it based on your legal judgment.
If you don’t enjoy researching the law or explaining it to someone (either in writing or verbally), then law practice might not be for you.
That said, impact litigation can be *really really* boring and slow. Before you give up the practice of law completely, you might give another practice area a try. The career office at your law school might be a place to turn… they often have career counselors for alumni.
AEK
Quick vent: My boss just bit my head off for not attaching a document to an email (just to him), and he was wrong; I had sent it. And the document is also on our share drive, which he or his secretary can easily access, instead of having me email him something that is actually already sitting right there inside his own little machine! (BTW, not a situation where delivering a hard copy was called for; this is neither his practice nor office practice; paper copies are even frowned upon.)
If I’m going to feel bad because he snapped at me, I’d prefer it if it were over an ACTUAL mistake (which I would feel bad over anyway, since, you know, I actually do care about doing things correctly).
E
Has he realized his mistake? I’m sure if and when he does (perhaps with your prompting – e.g., forwarding the message again and noting that it looks on your side like the attachment was there all along), he’ll apologize. I think this is one of those super frustrating situations (as in, “I can’t believe I work with such idiots!”) but certainly nothing to feel bad about. You clearly did nothing wrong.
M in CA
This happens to me a lot. And I rarely get apologies. *grumble.* If they’re loopy enough to forget you actually sent it to them, and don’t realize it on the passive-agressive re-send of your original email with attachment, maybe they’re also loopy enough to forget they’re mad at you? I don’t know. Some people … *sad head shake*
EM
This Anthro dress is super similar and may be longer!
http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=22806756&catId=CLOTHES-DRESSES&pushId=CLOTHES-DRESSES&popId=CLOTHES&navCount=0&color=030&isProduct=true&fromCategoryPage=true&isSubcategory=true&subCategoryId=CLOTHES-DRESSES&templateType=subCategory
Ru
You led me to this dress, http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=22833768&catId=CLOTHES-DRESSES-PRINTED&pushId=CLOTHES-DRESSES-PRINTED&popId=CLOTHES-DRESSES&navCount=30&color=079&isProduct=true&fromCategoryPage=true&templateType=D , which has me wanting to cut up a sari and getting one tailored for myself.
GRA
Which would be much cheaper than the $358 price-tag on such an amazing dress! Nice find!
anon
I ended up at the same dress too! Soooo gorgeous. But yes, $358 is more than a bit steep.
South of Houston
Wow, love that! Wish I had an excuse to buy it…
LB
Ru, have you ever had a dress custom stitched in India? I’ve always wanted to try that but end up chickening out, mostly because I’m just not sure how Indian tailors handle American clothes. Thoughts?
Alanna of Trebond
I’m not Ru, but I recently had a suit made in India. It worked out pretty well – but I would recommend buying the fabric here rather than in India (although you may know better fabric vendors than I) — it was relatively easy to get suiting material because men wear suits, but our other clothes are made of stretchier materials than most of the natural fabrics that Indian clothes are made from. Also, you have to work a bit to find a tailor who has experience with women’s cuts and western-style clothing.
LB
This is what I figured. Thanks!
Confessions
My blood is boiling right now. I’ve just been told that my boss (sr. partner in small firm) is upset, “more than pissed,” that I am taking a week off for surgery. I had an injury to my foot and w/o airing on the side of TMI, let’s just say it is painful. My Dr. said that I should take 3 weeks off and that he can’t believe that I am working right now considering my condition. I am working up until my surgery and then taking one (1) week off and even then will be working on two (2) major projects from home. My boss apparently feels that it’s just my foot and I should be able to come in. FWIW I’ve had this type of surgery before and it is very painful and I’m not supposed to put any pressure on my foot. Ladies what would you do in this situation???
Eponine
Hasn’t your boss ever heard of the ADA or other laws that protect you from this sort of behavior?
Take care of yourself. It is not worth your health to make some grumpy old fart happy.
anon
ADA doesn’t typically apply to short-term conditions, even with the new-ish amendments from a couple of years ago. Not enough info in her email to determine whether her condition would be covered, but I wouldn’t jump right to ADA just because she’s having surgery.
Not to say this guy isn’t being a jerk; he clearly is.
Hel-lo
Bring in a note from your doctor? Write a letter to your boss specifically outlining your concerns, so he knows it’s a serious issue for you?
I’m not sure what other employment lawyer Corporettes might recommend… but your boss’s behavior is pretty unacceptable. And possibly illegal.
Fiona
I would go speak with him directly, and say something like “Partner, I hear you are unhappy that I need to take a week off to recover from my surgery.” And then explain to him what you’ve explained to us about how it’s very painful and your surgeon told you that you need to take three weeks — not one week — off. If he doesn’t back down when you speak with him directly, he is an irrational jerk and there’s nothing you can do about it. Your health comes first. You will have to be walking on your foot long after you’re done working at that job.
mamabear
Confessions – take the medical time you need, come back when you say you will, and do excellent work when you do. A year from now it will be forgotten. I know it’s upsetting – I had the same reaction from my boss when I got pregnant with my second child, who is only 20 months younger than his big sister – but all is forgotten now. No one remembers how long my leave was or the fact that my kids were close together.
EmpLawyer
Is your employer large enough for the FMLA to apply? If so, I strongly suggest you get the paperwork from HR, have your doctor fill it out, and take the medical time off you need. It may not make your boss any less angry, but it will provide you with some protection should he choose to act on his anger.
ADB_BWG
I had a similar situation following rotator cuff surgery. I wasn’t cleared to drive, so my boss wondered why I couldn’t take a cab (15 miles!) to a metro station and then take two trains to come to work.
Sometimes you just have to hold your ground.