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Wednesday’s Workwear Report: Cocoon Coatigan Sweater

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

I think we can all agree that the sweater/jacket portmanteaus are getting out of hand (is it a swacket? a jardigan? a coatigan?), but I’m thrilled that the concept is here to stay. This longer version from Banana Republic looks luxe, but cozy.

I would keep this in my office for chilly days or late nights when I would really prefer to be wrapped up in a blanket but somehow still have to look like a professional.

The “coatigan” is $149 at Banana Republic (but be on the lookout for sales) and comes in sizes XS–XL. It also comes in camel, but only in lucky sizes.

This longline, belted cardigan from City Chic is available in plus sizes for $119 at Nordstrom.

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Sales of note for 3/15/25:

  • Nordstrom – Spring sale, up to 50% off
  • Ann Taylor – 40% off everything + free shipping
  • Banana Republic Factory – 40% off everything + extra 20% off
  • Eloquii – 50% off select styles + extra 50% off sale
  • J.Crew – Extra 30% off women's styles + spring break styles on sale
  • J.Crew Factory – 40% off everything + extra 20% off 3 styles + 50% off clearance
  • M.M.LaFleur – Friends and family sale, 20% off with code; use code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off
  • Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
  • Talbots – 40% off 1 item + 30% off everything else (includes markdowns, already 25% off)

Sales of note for 3/15/25:

  • Nordstrom – Spring sale, up to 50% off
  • Ann Taylor – 40% off everything + free shipping
  • Banana Republic Factory – 40% off everything + extra 20% off
  • Eloquii – 50% off select styles + extra 50% off sale
  • J.Crew – Extra 30% off women's styles + spring break styles on sale
  • J.Crew Factory – 40% off everything + extra 20% off 3 styles + 50% off clearance
  • M.M.LaFleur – Friends and family sale, 20% off with code; use code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off
  • Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
  • Talbots – 40% off 1 item + 30% off everything else (includes markdowns, already 25% off)

And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

247 Comments

  1. I’m looking for audible recommendations please! I’ve ended up with 6 credits so I want to download stuff then cancel. I like reading fantasy, urban fantasy, crime and historical dramas. (Robin Hobb, Deborah Harkness & Kathy Reich are some I enjoy). Plus things like Big Little Lies etc. But with audiobooks I’ve more enjoyed biographies read by the author like Michelle Obama or things I’ve read before like Harry Potter. So I’m open to a range of things please!

    1. The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher (Modern day Chicago Wizard fights evil magical forces), or Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor (Nigerian teen discovers she has magical powers)

      Both also have great narrators

    3. Lianne Moriarty’s newest, Apples Never Fall, is really good! Didn’t listen to it, though, so can’t speak to audio-specific. Can vouch for on audio: The Golem and the Jinni, A Tale for the Time Being, Neil Gaiman’s books (he reads at least some of them himself! Neverwhere was great), and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

    4. Daisy Jones and The Six. It uses a cast, rather than a single narrator, which really helps with managing a lot of quick changes in point of view.

      1. Oh yes, I loved this one on audio. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by the same author is also good.

        1. Everything I’ve read by Taylor Jenkins Reid has been amazing – I’d check out her new book, Malibu Rising. Loved that too.

    5. If you like Jonathan Van Ness, he narrates his biography “Over the Top” and I thought it was really great.

      1. I meant to add: The audiobook is better than the paper/e-book because of the taped conversations that could be played

    7. I recently listened to two of the three His Dark Materials audiobooks. They have a full blown cast instead of a single voice actor. Highly recommend.

    8. Hi hello you appear to be my reading twin!

      Currently listening to and really enjoying Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao.

      Also great fantasy: Black Sun Trail of Lightning, and Storm of Locusts by Rebecca Roanhorse. The Fifth Season by NK Jemisen. Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo.

      If you want urban fantasy/crime/romance (i.e. a gay werewolf cop procedural) series, I have been really enjoying Charlie Adhara (The Wolf at the Door is the first one).

      On a non-fiction front: Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman, Full Spectrum by Adam Rogers, and Work by James Suzman.

    9. Maybe not perfectly in your categories, but Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts. It is also very very long so a good bargain when using credits.

    10. So many recommendations:
      Anything by Naomi Novik. Particularly, Uprooted and Spinning Silver were excellent on audiobook. I also just finished new audio version of The Fellowship of the Ring narrated by Andy Serkis and it was AMAZING. For something different and strange and dark and wonderful, The Sandman Act I and Act II are narrated by the most amazing cast. For something different and strange and not so dark and wonderful, Good Omens also by Gaiman is also a wonderful audio adaptation.

      1. Naomi Novik is great – though grrr at that cliffhanger ending in her newest book. :) In a similar vein, the Abhorsen books by Garth Nix are fantastic, and the first three audiobooks (Sabriel, Lireal, and Abhorsen) are read by the incomparable Tim Curry.

        1. OMG THAT CLIFFHANGER. How exactly am I supposed to wait however long for the next book???

    11. I thought Piranesi translated really well to audiobook, and A Burning by Meghra Majumdar – it was voice acted by each of the different characters.

    13. Circe, A Gentleman in Moscow, The Sympathizer, The Committed, The Dutch House (read by Tom Hanks!), The Splendid and the Vile are my fave recent Audible listens.

    14. audiobooks I’ve enjoyed recently:
      Dutch House (it’s like having Tom Hanks sitting right next to you spinning a yarn)
      The Sun Does Shine (memoir of a Death Row Inmate who was falsely cinvicted)
      She Said (about the NY Times journalists who broke the Weinstein story…I was sucked in.)

    15. I enjoyed Mask of mirrors. It is fantasy with good world building, murder, mystery, magic, and costume descriptions. There’s a second book coming out soon

    16. I’m currently listening to Saint X, which is a mystery. The writer is so great at bringing the characters and scenery to life with description, it has been a joy to listen to and get lost in the imagery!

  2. I moved to Iowa (snowy and cold) in fall 2019. In 2020, I worked 18 hour days in my spare bedroom for months straight. When the office reopened this spring and my workload went back to more normal levels post-vaccine, I eagerly went back. As winter approaches again, I’d like to get used to working from home again… but every time I try to work from home, I am distracted, hate sitting at my desk, think about moving furniture- am generally just unproductive. Any tricks for how to readjust to working from home? Last year I had to – and this year it’s hard to want to.

    1. Can you focus on the advantages of WFH? If you want to rearrange a bookshelf on your lunch break, go for it! Have a minute between meetings to keep the laundry moving? Schedule a grocery curbside pickup for your lunch break?
      Great, one less chore for the evening or weekend.

      Do you have any coworkers who feel similarly and might want to meet up for lunch, coffee, or drinks after work?

      1. +1 to your last sentence. On days Im WFH (more frequently in winter bc I have a walking commute, which is harder to convince myself to do when it’s 20F!) I make sure I have social plans after work!

        I also get super distracted when WFH. I rely on the pomodoro method to stay productive when I’m working, and then use my breaks to do home stuff if I want to.

        When I’m in meetings when wfh I also sometimes do home stuff (especially for listen only calls), or I do “fun” things like knit or paint my nails. I’ve actually found that doing something with my hands lets me pay better attention to the call.

    2. I’m in Chicago so I know snowy and cold and dark winters. The struggle to focus is real.

      I moved my desk to a corner and angled it so I had a wall behind me, and just looked into the hallway. I spent some time making the wall look “cute” so I wouldn’t get annoyed with my background on calls, and then spent more time making the area I faced (my hallway) cute so it would make me smile. I added mirrors, a wax warmer, pretty storage for my hats and gloves and boots, etc. That’s helping with the distraction piece.

      Then based on a rec I think from here, I bought that cube clock/ timer. I set it for 30 min increments and tell myself I’ll just work until it goes off. Sometimes I keep going, sometimes I take a break to refill coffee or go for a brisk walk, but at least I know I got some meaningful progress done.

    3. Can you take a weekend and rearrange the office and bring in decor to make it a more pleasant space? About once a year we move some of the existing art and accessories and furniture smalls in our home around in a zero cost refresh.

      1. I love doing this! It makes such a difference in making a room feel different without doing a full-blown redo.

    4. Think about whether you have similar distractions in the office that also detract from productivity and decide if the difference is meaningful. Chatting, going out for lunch, getting water and snacks are distractions that always waylaid me when I worked in an office. If it’s just different distractions, but not significantly more problematic, maybe just let it go and enjoy the lack of commute etc.

    5. I hear you. Question – why are you looking to switch back to working from home? It seems like you are happier at work and (maybe) being back at home reminds you of the bad times so you subconsciously don’t want to be that productive. But… I may be projecting some of my feelings on to you. Overall, what works for me is that little timer cube that was featured on here about a month ago – 50 minutes work, 10 minutes not working, rinse and repeat.

    6. Does it help to take a walk before you start your day (and maybe again at lunch and end of day), to create some mental separation between work and hone? I know bundling up can be tough in cold places but might help.

  3. who has a perfect pink but not too bubblegum pink paint for my new craft/guest/hideaway from the world and read room in my new house. Was in the Caribbean a few years ago and stayed in a casita with the most perfect pink walls that made everything look nicer that was up against it. I’ve been dreaming of painting a space that color ever since. I am 40 and live alone, I’m having a pink room darn it.

    3. Don’t try to match the color from the Caribbean, the light is so different there. Where are you in the country and what is the light like in the room you want to paint?

    5. We have Benjamin Moore Soft Pink in my daughter’s room and it’s lovely. I hate pink (no offense) and was incredibly against it but gave in since this one was so very light. I find this super tasteful and just the right pop without IN YOUR FACE pink. It against the white trim looks really sharp.

      1. My 1950s era bathroom tile and trim are this exact color. There’s a reason people put in pink bathrooms! The color is very flattering.

    7. Pink Ground by Farrow & Ball is a cult favorite, and for good reason. It is really flattering and works with some interesting color schemes.

    9. Depends on the pink you want. I have Benjamin Moore Shell Pink in a north facing bedroom that gets decent light & I love it. Very soothing, doesn’t scream “pink” when you enter the room, looks good with all my furniture.

    10. I’d do a colour consult with Farrow and Ball, they’ve got some lovely pinks. We had a pink bedroom in our old flat, did it as an accent wall in the sitting room and liked it so much, we put it in our tiny bedroom. It was so warm and cheerful.

  4. I have an AZN gift card and I need yoga pants. Favorite brand and style from that s1te? TIA

  5. I desperately need new work pants but I’m having such a hard time finding my size in stock in anything that isn’t cropped. Has anyone found any good size 12 pants recently? Particularly for muscular thighs? I’m on the cusp of regular and tall sizing.

    1. Good luck! I saw cropped “rib cage” pants in a FB ad today already. I’m, shift them down 3” on my body and call me back.

      2. I want ribcage jeans! Not cropped, though, but ribcage sounds lovely, proper high.

        Levi’s Mile High jeans hits me an inch under my natural waist, I can’t get high enough, it seems.

    3. The struggle is real. I am also short waisted and really can’t wear anything with more than a 9″ rise, and there are so few options right now. I ended up getting some used cords from ThredUp.

    4. Boden Richmond. Wearing them today, having remembered how much I liked them when doing a try-on of my professional wardrobe

    5. Tr jc penny petites ~ they have a generous hem that can be taken down for length
      The struggle is real!
      I’m a petite long with muscular legs too
      Max rise for me is 8”

      1. An 8″ rise would not even cover my butt crack, I’m sorry to say. I’m very long in the rise!

    6. I am wearing the Alfani Modern Straight-Leg Pants from Macy’s at this exact moment. They are solid workhorse pants that go with everything. My legs are very long and they go past my ankle. I am wearing a size 8, so I can’t comment on a size 12.

        1. When I look, it says in stock. I had to click “see all sizes” to get to 12 though.

  6. Recs for a therapist in the DC area (I live in upper NW DC) who has a more holistic approach and specifically does inner child / reparenting work?

    1. I’m not in DC but the Psychology Today dot com therapist finder should let you search for these terms. I found my fab therapist there.

  8. The years of leggings…make me want some jeans. I know, a shock to me too. After breaking out some old jeans that were falling apart, but a nice break from never ending stretchy black pants, I want one pair of jeans that make me feel good about myself.

    I’m 5’5 and usually a 16/18. I’m willing to spend up to $150/200 if that’s what’s needed, through I was more of a Gap/Old Navy jeans gal in my youth. I have no idea where to start. Where do you recommend?

      1. +1 to NYDJ. They’re the only ones I buy, typically the Marilyn straight leg style, but I’ve tried others.

        1. None of the Wit & Wisdom jeans seem to be high waist, although they claim to be. I am only 5’2” so if they are not high waist on me, others must be having this issue as well.

      1. The style of the women on that site makes me crazy. It feels so outdated and cheesy to me! Used to love them :/. If anyone has a more modern recommendation I would love to hear!

    3. You did not mention your general shape, but I have been pleasantly surprised by the denim options at Abercrombie, of all places. I am a short waisted hourglass and their ultra-high waist curve-love line is the first time I have found high-waisted jeans that 1) actually come up high enough and 2) fit my waist and my thighs without requiring alterations. They are usually under $100, even full price though you can often find them on sale, and so far the quality has seemed really good. Tons of washes and colors in many of the styles.

      1. Haha its crazy to me that they carry larger sizes now! I have clear memories of been a tween and not being able to buy pants there – times have definitely changed (thank goodness).

    4. Universal Standard! “Real Jeans” construction, but very comfortable with stretch. I am about your same size and height and have been very happy with their denim.

      1. I’m interested in this brand. Can you comment on whether there are any boot-cut styles you like? I can’t do skinny jeans much (I have huge calves from biking and I hate when pants are too tight in that area), but it’s hard finding a true bootcut that isn’t an ankle pant.

        1. Yes I can – My faves from them right now are the Sava flare jeans. Unfortunately they do not carry that style anymore, but they do have a bootcut that looks very similar that you could try that is full length. They also have some wide leg styles if that your thing. I find their customer service to be great whenever I need to return items if you want to give them a try. For your tight calf issue – their denim has a lot of stretch so may allow for some flexibility for you.

    5. Mother! The sizing is inconsistent, so you may need to try on several styles and even different colors of the same style. But when you do find a pair that works, they are so flattering and comfortable. Full price is a little over your price range, but they are sometimes (not always) included in % off promotions at Saks, Bloomie’s, etc. If you order directly from Mother there is a % off for your first order.

  9. Can someone remind me of tights comfortable enough to wear with a casual dress on the weekends? I know some were recommended here but searching isn’t bringing them up. Thanks!

    1. Although not cheap, I think Commando tights are the most comfortable. They have a wide, high waistband so don’t squeeze around the middle. Honestly I find comfort in tights also comes from sizing up if I am on the cusp of a size.

      1. +1 to Commando.

        I’ve never had luck with sizing up on tights. When I’ve tried that in the past they’re still uncomfortably pinchy in the waist but also too long. The waistband on Commando is my very favorite and having now tried them I can’t bring myself to go back to anything else.

    3. I always prefer high waisted but not too tight tights and love these from Amazon –
      No Nonsense Women’s Super Opaque Control-Top Tights

    4. It’s been a while since I wore them, but I got some Capezio tights for ballet (I don’t remember where but there are lots of places online that sell ballet clothes) that were really comfy because they had a sort of soft, integrated waist, instead of a little elastic band that digs in. A lot of them also have convertible feet, so you could wear them covering your feet or footless – in the winter, if I’m wearing a dress with tights I generally prefer to wear footless tights with wool socks and boots.

    5. Snag are super comfortable but I found they run way too big on me, and ended up falling off my hips, so pay careful attention to sizing.

  10. Favorite fleece lined pants? Looking for a pair for evening walks where leggings aren’t warm enough. In the SEUS, but it is windy and damp here in the winter.

    4. I find Athleta’s Altitude tights (leggings) to be warm enough for cross-country skiing – highly recommend.

    5. LL Bean’s camp pants have been my go-to for those occasions. The cargo pocket is a nice bonus.

  11. Hooray! I was able to schedule COVID shots for my younger kids in two weeks! Im planning to post on FB and can’t wait for my antibaxxer relatives to comment. Bring it on! Shots shots shots!

    1. Where?! Any chance it’s a national company like a pharmacy or something? I would love to schedule in advance.

    3. Grow up. You can make medical decisions for your children without provoking a fight. Not being a drama llama, I didn’t post about potentially controversial medical decisions I’ve made for my kid.

      1. Yawn. Hard to start drama when nobody cares. Make whatever decisions you want. Most of us are excited about the vaccine. Shots shots shots!

      2. I think it’s the anti-vaxxers who need to grow up and start getting their information from scientists instead of media personalities and memes.

        1. +1 million. It’s pretty obvious who the giant crybabies are in this national situation, and it’s not the people who are getting their shots.

      3. I don’t often post but I did post my kids getting their shots. One, to normalize it in a 50-50 purple area. Two, so people would know and not need to ask if we had gotten shots for our kids. I liked knowing that our crowd and our kids’ crowds had mostly had shots (a few outliers but our kids eat inside at school unmasked every day and we adults can easily eat in our offices alone if we go to work).

        So we aren’t picking fights but there are some knuckleheads who often are going to demonstrate that fact. At least this clues them that they aren’t likely to get traction with our household.

        1. I think Anon at 10:20 was commenting on the anticipatory glee from the OP re: anti-vaxxer FB comments… which I agree comes across as less than mature, vs. this mindset.

          But, in any event, yay for shots!

          1. I have one antivaxxer relative who now that shots for younger kids have been approved and her oldest grandkids are under 12 has just been posting the worst stuff. She didn’t let out a peep when I got my older kid shots but she is just so unhinged lately.

      4. But COVID-19 for school-aged children are not controversial – at least they shouldn’t be.
        If OP wants to be petty, have at it. That’s nothing compared to the harm from anti-vaxxers themselves. I wish we’d show more grace to people doing the right thing and having human feelings about it than those who stick to selfish ignorance. I’m 1000% over anti-vaxxers and have no sympathy or understanding left for them.
        Signed, burnt out public health worker who pulled 90+ hour weeks to get vaccines into my rural state only to be subject to protests at work and harassed at the grocery store and even confronted in my own neighborhood.

        1. “But COVID-19 for school-aged children are not controversial”

          Hahahahaha! As a public health person, you should know that this is not true. I mean, it’s not controversial from a medical or scientific point of view, but if you think vaccine mandates for adults brought out the crazy, I can’t even imagine how nuts it’s going to get when there are mandates for kids.

          I live in a highly vaccinated area, so didn’t think about posting about vaccination to normalize it amongst my circle, but I applaud the posters who do. And if there’s a bit of, I don’t know, schadenfreude, about making peoples’ head explode, so be it.

          1. completely agree. I’m waiting for the nuttiness to come out… People lose their grip on reality when it comes to kids safety. I am in a highly vaccinated area where the vast majority of adults are vaccinated, but 12-15s are closer to 50%. I expect we’re going to see things like antivax parents not letting their kids play with vaccinated kids, etc. I also know a lot of pro-vax people who didn’t hesitate to get themselves vaxxed but are on the fence about their kids.

      5. I don’t think “controversial” is the right word here. “Controversial” implies that the objections have at least a shade of reasonableness to them.

        1. I have girls, so I can recall when the HPV shots were controversial. IDK if they are currently regarded as such (esp. now that they are recommended for boys also) now but I will get them for my girls. I think a lot of people forget that a very young girl who has s*x may do so under duress (or worse) and may not be able to negotiate for protection of any sort, so they are uniquely vulnerable to a disease with a long tail, which is why we protect them from what may well be predators. The commercials now seem very even-handed but I’ve talked to parents so rarely lately that I feel very out of the loop.

      6. I will absolutely get my 5 year old vaccinated the hot second I can, and I will absolutely get negative comments from people in my life about that choice, in social media and in person. The antivaxxers and antimaskers are extra loud all the time; they always bring the drama. My kid getting vaccinated will be a major, wonderful moment in our family’s life and I will not be silent about it because of them.

        The fact that you describe a kid getting shots as a “potentially controversial medical decision” shows just how much that crowd has molded the narrative. Kids get shots for all kinds of things and have for many, many years.

        1. But did you post that on social media? Also, I don’t know how much good anyone is doing posting this to “normalize it” – there was an interesting piece in the NYT about how many people haven’t gotten vaccinated because of a fear of needles (dumb, yes, but still a thing) and how this kind of thing is actually counterproductive.

          I agree that the antivaxx crowd is worse about all this but trying to provoke a dumb fight for the sake of it seems, well, just dumb.

          1. I still have people posting on my social media multiple times a week about how having children wear masks is child abuse and how everyone who is vaccinated is going to drop dead at some predetermined time. Yes that stuff seems absurd, but I’ve been amazed at how many people have been made anxious by it. I think countering those narratives is important, and that on social media, volume/quantity of posts matters a lot.

          2. I have a nephew in a no-mask college and he thinks masks are child abuse. My kids are so meh on caring — after a year at home they’d have sold a kidney to get back to normal. Masks to them are truly no big deal. I love how everyone has an opinion but the kids actually wearing them (much more than grownups in many instances, including my kids) don’t ever get heard when they truly don’t care much re wearing them (I mean, they’d prefer not to but would also prefer to eat candy for each meal next week).

          3. Before the pandemic, I posted pictures of my kids in the doctor’s waiting room because they were cute and the caption referenced shots. I’m not stopping that because the antivax crowd is emboldened. I’m not trying to start a fight, but the antivaxxers are.

            The reality is, people with a real anti-vaccination agenda are in battle mode. COVID-19 vaccines are just the beginning – the goal change sentiment about vaccine requirements altogether. Staying silent and self-censoring only helps their goal.

          4. I’ve often wondered if being anitvax is just a comfortable cover for someone afraid to admit they are scared of needles.

          5. People should use their words. Being scared of needles is a thing and I’d respect that more (esp. among an adult who is bound to be teased for it) than being antivaxx. Seriously, can something be done for needle-fearers? B/c the alternative involves something much worse (and there is still tetanus, eipdurals, IVs, etc. to deal with in life involving needles).

          6. “My kids are so meh on caring — after a year at home they’d have sold a kidney to get back to normal. Masks to them are truly no big deal. I love how everyone has an opinion but the kids actually wearing them (much more than grownups in many instances, including my kids) don’t ever get heard when they truly don’t care much re wearing them (I mean, they’d prefer not to but would also prefer to eat candy for each meal next week).”

            All of this. So much. Mask-wearing is so not-a-big-deal for my son and his friends (who have to wear them all day at school). He routinely forgets to take his mask off in the car after I pick him up, when it’s just him and me, because it’s second nature to him now. Guess what, this is the first fall since he started preschool he hasn’t gotten a cold within the first quarter of the school year. All the people screaming and yelling about masks aren’t the people who actually wear them. The people who have to wear them got used to it. I honestly think some of these anti-mask/anti-vaxx people, for all their external toughness and bluster, are some of the most delicate little hothouse flowers on the planet. Can’t wear mask for 30 minutes in the grocery store. Can’t get a shot because they’re scared. I hope we don’t have a worse pandemic or World War III doesn’t break out because those people are hosed; they wouldn’t last two hours in a situation where they were faced with real hardship.

      7. I can’t see hiding a COVID shot. I can see not posting re kids generally, but see no reason to hide this and my are is at best 50% vaxxed.

      8. There is no rational world where vaccinating your kids against a contagious and potentially deadly disease should be a “potentially controversial medical decision.” Shots! Shots! Shots! says I!

    4. How did you do this???? Tried to go on to our pediatrician’s office website but no dice.

      1. The adult shot clinic people have opened slots in anticipation of filling them (in my area). So where you had large clinics (e.g., Starmed), check there. They used to date-screen but now let the under-12s sail through (I tried before with no luck and decided to wait vs lie, but would have preferred to lie had there not been a “you are committing a felony” wording on this site and I didn’t want to get them in trouble).

    5. I timed their annual well child visit to be in November. I’m really hoping they can get vaccinated then too. The receptionist couldn’t say for sure but was hopeful. We joked it will be like WWII victory day – lots of celebration!

      1. We are taking as many people out of the risk pool as we can. With older kids, they are away from us and often lightly supervised. When my kids were smaller, I controlled a lot of their risk and always knew where they were and who they were with. Not so much when your kids ride bikes through the neighborhood, stop in at one house to visit and for a snack, and then ride to the park, etc. I wish there were shots for your kid. In the meantime, my shots for my kid tighten the protection for the rest of people. We are trying to do our small part to be our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers.

        1. This is lovely, and thank you for sharing this attitude with your kids. We still mask up, test, and avoid inside socializing even in a state with very high vaccination rates because our kids aren’t vaccinated and we want to both protect them, and others who are higher risk.

  12. Heh — chic store advertising something with trimmed in “bridal leather”. It is a nice day for a white wedding is where my mind immediately went.

    2. Reminds me of the Legally Blonde 2 scene in the bridal salon where they’re talking about the fabric not working, and Paulette goes “or something really classy, like . . . white leather! I’ll call the guy that does my car seats!” Could you imagine Elle Woods (or anyone) wearing a white leather wedding dress?

      1. I’m getting married soon and have been searching and searching for a jacket to wear and I have to say, I am so over the leather jacket over wedding dress look. It is beyond done.

        1. I am so thoroughly out of the wedding circuit I didn’t realize this was ever a thing, certainly not to the point that it is now overdone!

    4. I like the image haha

      I wonder if the bridal in this instance is a misguided//misspelled refc to horse bridle…? So strange

  13. I’ve been asked to work on a side gig/consulting project, and I’m looking for advice on how to set my hourly rate. I know the project budget and honestly it feels like a lot of $$$ for the deliverables they’re requesting. I’m most concerned that I’ll bill myself too low, and unfortunately have no one to ask in this space.

    For those of you who do this type of work, how did you set your rates?
    Anything else I should know as I embark on this adventure?

    Additional context: I have cleared this with my FT employer and know for sure I want to collaborate with this client. I’ve also consulted my financial advisor on the benefits of sole contractor vs. LLC. The work is marketing strategy for a foundation.

    1. I freelance regularly, and I bill 80-120% of my hourly rate at my W-2 job. Remember that your rate should account for the fact that you don’t get intangibles from them (healthcare, retirement, bonuses, etc.) so while it may look high, it isn’t apples-to-apples at face value.

      Agree up front on the scope of work: time for deliverables, number of revisions, billing cycle, billing method.

      Also a good idea to set up a separate bank account for this job, since your taxes and deductions will be different, and keeping 1099 work quarantined for possible audit keeps your life tidy.

      1. ETA I realized I am terrible at math and mis-represented what I meant. 80-120% is on TOP of my hourly W-2 rate, meaning if my FT job is 100 per hour, I charge freelance at 180-220 per hour.

        1. This is a good calculation and similar to what I use in my side consulting business. I make $50/hr in my day job; I charge my consulting clients somewhere between $125-$175/hr. I charge depending on the nature of the work and the scope of the project; the type of business, size of business, budget for the project and how much I like the people I’m working with does not enter the calculation. I made that mistake early on when I started side consulting – I would give people a break because the organization was a nonprofit, they talked about how little money they had for the project and I felt sorry for them, they hinted at more work down the line if I was able to give them a “good value” on the first project, etc. Ask me how that worked out, but you can probably guess. It’s much simpler when you can say, for that type of work my rate is X, or I can offer you a package price that includes A, B, and C for Y. Either they can afford it, or they can’t. At this point I have enough of a reputation that usually people figure out how to afford it and I don’t spend a lot of time in tedious negotiations.

    2. My benefits at my full time gig are 40% on top of my salary. I would want to make at least my salary rate +the 40%benefit factor +7% for employer’s side FICA. Even if you are flexible, I think your salary plus benefit factor plus self-employment tax is good to calculate so you will have an idea what you are asking for.

    3. I’m a consultant and my hourly is 2x my effective hourly rate at my last full time job.

    4. Easily 2x your hourly salaried rate. Probably more.

      I make $200k/year and charge $225-550/hr depending on the project and how badly they want me to do it/how annoying it is/how much time I have/how fast they need it. For some projects I’ll do a big flat that works out to $180/hr.

  14. Yesterdays winter activities thread got me thinking, what are you go tos for staying warm? I’m a transplant to Philly from a city with 70-90 degree weather all year round so I am trying to acclimate and could use some help. TIA

    1. Carhartt fleece-lined overalls
      Handwarmers and toe warmers (big box from Costco)

      (Assuming you mean for non-commuting purposes and more for outdoor activities!)

    3. Being active outside =/= standing around or sitting outside.

      You’ll want a knee-length puffer for everyday winter. Boots with a “fur” lining (hiking style) are popular for dry cold days, but you’ll also want waterproof boots, at least calf height, because while it does snow here (though not as much as you might think), it turns to gross slushy icy puddles of unknown depth…. immediately.

    4. Layers, good boots, and a good parka long enough to cover your bum with a hood big enough to protect your face.

    5. A few things:
      Focus on your feet. Cold feet equal a cold body. Wool socks are your friend. Once late October rolls around, my feet are covered.
      Layers help. It doesn’t need to be anything fancy. Wearing a regular tank or tee under a thin work blouse will keep you a lot warmer.
      Good outerwear is a must. Makes such a difference. You don’t need a Patagonia (unless you want to!); there are plenty of less spendy options out there.
      Warm drinks!

    6. I love threads where we encourage each other to have a positive mindset about winter. It’s so much better than embracing the negative aspects of a season that can be so beautiful and fun if you let it.

      For warmth, I like merino wool baselayers for a variety of activities. Vests can be a good option for adding warmth to your core without adding a lot of bulk. Darn Tough socks are the best for most purposes (Smartwool is okay, but not as durable). When I ski, I like to wear a thin over-the-head facemask to keep my head, chin, and neck warm under my helmet – makes a huge difference.

    7. Function > style in nearly all cases. Warm socks, warm boots, hats, layers. Repeat.

      Also, my Canada Goose jacket is by far the warmest coat I’ve ever worn. I got a Black Label one so it’s not quite so obvious. Yes they are majorly trendy in some circles, but OMG they are fantastic.

    8. One thing that helps me is an earband/headband thingy. I find hats don’t always keep my ears warm, or keep out the wind, and wind on my ears makes me feel very cold. Keeping them covered more than a hat would helps a lot. I just bought a cheap thing from Amazon, I think, but it’s been so helpful for being outside in the cold.

      1. Cosign. I can live with a cold head but have had my earlobes get so cold that they hurt.

    9. Welcome to Philly! As Cat said, we get cold but we don’t get much snow (though, TBD on this year. I’ve heard to expect a wet winter). Yes, a good coat is important, but keeping the extremities (feet, hands, ears/head) warm is truly the key. Also, don’t let yourself get cold. Once you’re cold, it’s so hard to warm back up. You’re much better off never getting cold.

      I spend a lot of time outside in the winter, but it’s almost always waking/commuting/exercising – basically just don’t stay still! Even on the coldest days (like below freezing), I run in a normal (not fleece lined) leggings, long sleeve shirt, and a fleece vest (because my body gets warm running), but still absolutely need warm (wool) socks, gloves, and hat/ear warmers. Keeping the extremities warm is KEY.

      I anticipate socializing indoors this winter but last winter it was outside only. So, I’d bundle up in warm clothes, sit in a sleeping bag and drink hot toddies/mulled wine.

    10. Chicago native who has lived in Siberia here. Some of how to stay warm is accumulated knowledge from experience, so don’t get discouraged if it takes a bit of trial and error. For outdoor hiking etc:
      (1) your base layer needs to be synthetic or wool and wick water away from you (avoid cotton!), because your sweat will make you cold when you inevitably get warm and take off outer layers. I sometimes bring a dry base layer to change into at the halfway point.
      (2) dress warmer than you think you need and strip down. It’s much easier to cool off than to warm up. If you need to warm up, hand warmers, feet warmers, and warm tea or hot cocoa or water (bring a thermos!) are helpful, because they add warmth instead of waiting for your body to generate it.
      (3) focus on staying dry. Waterproof boots high enough to not let snow in over them, waterproof pants, gloves, etc as appropriate make a huge difference in #2.
      (4) keeping your ears, feet, hands, and neck warm really helps. I’ll often be wearing a base layer only on my chest but have a fleecy hat and scarf on. People laugh but when my ears get cold, my whole head hurts.

  15. Resume question: I have 11 years of work experience consisting of 6 jobs at 5 employers. I’m in government and have switched between different agencies, so it’s not as job hoppy as you might think. I’m debating whether it’s time to move to a 2 page resume. I could keep it at 1 page if I removed community activities (board memberships, volunteer, etc.) and dramatically streamlined the earliest jobs. Or, I could have 2 pages (1.5 really) and include everything.

    Thoughts on whether or not to make the shift? How did you decide to move to 2 pages vs. 1? Low stakes question for today but would welcome any thoughts!

    1. I think this largely depends what you did in your previous government roles. A run of the mill operations job could pretty easily be streamlined but of you did anything uncommon or notable (draft legislation, negotiate an international convention, etc) it would be wise to include it.

      1. First jobs were senate staff so useful in showing my familiarity/connections with the legislature, but I could certainly streamline the details to get everything on one page. I suppose anyone I’d be sending my resume knows what an entry level senate aid is doing.

    2. My recommendation is to make it fit in 1.

      I’m in a different sector (tech) with 20+ years of experience. I recently started job searching for the first time in about 15 years (was recruited for the intervening job change). My resume was 2 pages, nice font size, readable etc. Then I remembered that when I am reviewing resumes for hiring, I almost never look at the 2nd page.

      I edited very heavily, and reduced my resume to a 2-column, 1 page format. Since I started using that format, my response rate has gone WAY up.
      Pro tip: I paid around $10 for an up-to-date resume template on Etsy & just had to fill it in.

      1. Counterpoint: I’m in law and I also tried switching to the two-column format while job hunting earlier this year. Based on feedback I got from recruiters, this template has yet to be widely accepted in the legal market, so I switched back to the traditional single column format (and mine is two pages, with about 18 years of experience and 4 post-clerkship employers).

        1. I’m in law and use the two-column format, mostly to keep my education on the front page without listing it at the top.

    3. I vote for dramatically streamlining earlier jobs regardless. No one is going to read those details. If the volunteer activities don’t add much, remove them too if that’s the only thing taking it to 2 pages.

      1. Adding, that being said, I don’t thing a 2 page resume is a dealbreaker and I’ve interviewed lots of people with less than 11 years experience and 2 pages. I’m not judging the 2 pages, but important things sometimes get overlooked if there’s too much clutter.

      2. Same. Leave in only the central parts of those earlier roles and any smaller parts that relate to the job you’re hoping to move into.

        TL;DR is a real thing, resumes included.

      3. I keep hoping that my junior league membership is going to open some professional door for me, but it hasn’t happened yet as a result of my resume – ha.

    4. Regardless of what you do, update your template if you have not done so already.

      If you have the time, write the resume both ways. You may find that a 1.5 page resume has better spacing and looks nicer to the eye, rather than trying to cram everything onto one page.

    5. For government, I have a long resume because hiring criteria is so stringent I feel the need to list off everything I do that is mentioned in the job posting with the corresponding language.

  16. I don’t get all the flak Japan’s Princess Mako is getting for marrying a commoner and being forced to leave the royal family. What was her alternative? I thought Japan only has a small royal family of like 18 people – was she supposed to marry a first cousin or something like that? It sounds like her husband is going to work for biglaw in NY, which enabled them to turn down the $1mm+ They were offered to leave the royal family (she’s the first in history to refuse the money). Happy that she and her husband were brave enough to do their own thing.

    1. The flak is because his mother took a gift/loan and hadn’t repaid it and a whole bunch of people made a big deal of it. It isn’t a big deal she’s marrying outside the family, but most women who have done so have married into very traditional families. Mako is not.

      The Japanese royal court is a seriously misogynistic and messed up institution

    2. Me either, but I also didn’t understand all the flak Prince Harry got for marrying Meghan (biracial, divorced, American). Both of them seem very happy with their choice of spouse, so why should anyone else get to judge?

      1. To be fair, the English monarch’s record with American divorcees is not exactly stellar.

        1. That was 90 years ago, and related more to the monarch being head of the Church of England than a fundamental dislike of American divorcees. Harry isn’t going to be the monarch.

      1. But she would have had to marry non-royalty right if she doesn’t want to marry a cousin? So her choices were get the money or don’t get married?

        2. I thought she was offered a small “severance package” type of deal for leaving the royal family and she chose not to accept it.

        3. Actually, per the news it was a dowry (so by definition attached to a marriage) intended to help in setting her up in her “new life” since women have to leave the royal family upon marriage. She could have taken it but turned it down. Her new husband is going into big law, so I guess they figured they’d be fine on his salary alone – good for them (though I’d have taken it too, haha).

          1. I would totally have taken it. I feel like she’s earned it for putting up with all that cr@p!

          2. She is also well-positioned to work in the NY art world if she finds herself struggling for cash or just wants to, say, live a full life.

          3. I am sure that appearances were a big factor in her decision to decline the dowry. She and her husband also paid for the room where their news conference was held.

    4. From what I have read, it isn’t as much that he is a commoner that has cause the outrage, but the particulars of his family background and his establishing a career that will keep them out of Japan at least for a while. As a general rule, it doesn’t look like royal families have much use for independent-minded offspring.

      That said, the scrutiny they have been subjected to appears insane, so good for both of them for choosing a life that will help them escape that. I hope they are very happy in New York.

    5. I haven’t actually seen any flak (other than from the Japanese royal family I guess) – all the royal news Insta accounts I follow are “you go girl.” Seems like a policy that isn’t designed to encourage the longevity of the royal line, lol

    6. The NYT article on this (yesterday?) was very informative about the cultural bases for the flak, which includes criticism of his suit choice, but it all seems incredibly petty and retrograde. Good for the newlyweds.

    7. Japanese royal family makes the English royal family look woke AF. They are losing their minds over a minor member marrying a Japanese person. Can’t imagine the reaction if she marreid a divorced Black Amercian dude. And the no throne for women is awful too. Are any other monarchies currently patrilineal only? I thought all the Europeans fixed theirs.

  17. Farrow and Ball paint: is it worth it, or just great marketing? We are painting a couple of rooms in our new place, and I have some colors from F&B that I just love. I could likely find pretty close dupes in other brands, but maybe the quality differential is real? Thoughts and experiences appreciated!

    2. So I have a more nuanced take on F&B than most. I think it’s great for walls in historic homes, really the best option, absolutely second to none. However for modern builds I don’t think it really matters as much. Lastly I don’t think F&B should ever be used on woodwork/trim/doors as it doesn’t wear well in that context.

    4. The colors are gorgeous, and if you have an antique home they are almost guaranteed to ‘fit’ the age/style of your home. The “colour” (please watch the SNL skit, it is hilarious) consultants are great, and the depth of the colors is really remarkable.
      That being said, the main selling point for us with 2 people with migraines and 1 with asthma is that there is truly no odor, none, nada beyond a vague smell of slightly sour milk. Not having to deal with crushing headaches/wheezing while having rooms painted is worth it to me.

    5. Don’t find close dupes, all the brands have each others’ colors matched. You can go to BM or SW or Lowe’s or wherever and order F&B colors. No need to guess.

  18. I have an older car that I will probably replace as soon as I can find another one. Nothing is wrong with it, but it is 10YO (low mileage though). I live in a car-dependent city. Most car-donation places just want to get your car to sell it, but I am wondering, would anyone take a car and give it to a poor person who needs a reliable if older car to get to a job or drive family members to doctor appointments or to the grocery store? I could just trade in the car, but don’t need to and am seeing how it could really help a poor family move up in the world. Has anyone done this? The car is probably a 10K car, value-wise. If it’s just going to wind up on a used car lot, it’s hard to get excited about that as a donation. Someone, if it is going to a person, I’d really get it checked out and new tires so that it wouldn’t be a burden to the new owners.

    2. Maybe reach out to a local family/women’s shelter and explain what you have – they very well may have a person or family that needs exactly what you have to get on their feet. A smaller local operation would probably be more willing to work with you.

    3. I think you can totally do that! I know people who have done something like that but usually it was along the lines of giving the car to a younger family member or a babysitter, etc. I would ask around if anyone in your circle knows someone who needs a car/or maybe needs a car themselves. If not, there is always Craig’s List.

    4. I donated my old car to a homeless organization that helped people get on their feet. You might also check with any organizations in your city that work with refugees; several charities in my city are banding together to help around 1000 refugees from afghanistan. A low-mileage, 10 year old car worth 10K will be GOLD to someone. Thanks for doing this.

    5. Yes! My mom knew someone who was in just such a position…finally landed a decent job but didn’t have a car or any way to get a car to get her to the job. Her fellow church members pooled some money to buy her an inexpensive used car. It was a classic example of someone who was trying to pull themselves up by their bootstraps, but she didn’t have bootstraps.

      So yes, I would say women’s shelters, churches/other faith organizations, and similar organizations could all have someone they could directly help with a car donation (as opposed to selling it for cash).

    6. An honest, trusted mechanic might know of someone looking for a car, including people who cannot afford to replace an older vehicle.

    7. Contact your local churches, women’s shelters, DV shelters, and universities. (Explain to the latter that you would like to give a car to a first-gen student.)

      1. LOL I can just imagine the poor student employee who answers the phone from some random person saying they want to donate a car, but it has to be for a first gen student. Don’t foist the logistics onto somebody else, find a program for doing this.

        1. +1 foisting the logistics onto someone else is really rude. I used to be the office manager at an NGO and people would drop off all sorts of stuff we didn’t ask for, didn’t want, and didn’t have programs to process.

        2. Yeah, I don’t like the idea of foisting the work of finding the “right” recipient of the car onto someone else. I would either donate the car to an established organization that routinely takes car donations or sell it and donate the proceeds to whatever cause OP wants to support.

        3. Shrug. I would know exactly which office in my university to call; apparently that makes me weird.

    8. I gave my car away. Great car but it was very old and often in need of repairs and I was in a good place to get a new, reliable one. I had essentially abandoned it at work for several weeks. Someone complained and I ended up giving it away to someone who worked at my building who said he could fix it and that it would be a blessing to him and his family. It was a blessing to him and I have never regretted that decision.

      1. We also just give away our old cars to people. We knew an immigrant family with three working adults in a one-bedroom apartment, with three different job schedules and one car. Adding a second car was a game changer for their lives. They all got better jobs making more money. The youngest saved up, and is now in college full time.

        I like the ideas in the other comments about finding a family like that.

    10. In my town there is an organization run by a coalition of churches that provides groceries, clothing, rent and utility assistance, etc. to families facing economic hardships. If I wanted to donate a car to a person or family, I would get in touch with this organization and ask them if they could identify a recipient. If there’s a similar organization where you live, this might be a good bet.

  19. +1 to NYDJ. They’re the only ones I buy, typically the Marilyn straight leg style, but I’ve tried others.

  20. My 30-something cousin is coming to ATL for the weekend to see all the sportsball. He wants to meet up for lunch, and I am finding myself at a loss for a good, fun spot to take him. Any suggestions? I strongly prefer nothing north of Ponce, but would consider the right thing, and since he is coming from TX, I am thinking no Mexican/TexMex.

    Other suggestions for what to do for an afternoon? He’s been before, but 10+ years ago. Not a preppy/corporate guy; no museums. Just a way to spend time and catch up and see a little of the city.

    1. I would do something along the beltline. Maybe something at Ponce City Market then walk to Krog Street for ice cream at Jeni’s?

      1. That is a good plan, especially if the weather is good. But I’d probably go Jake’s over Jeni’s, esp. given Jake’s is local!

    2. If he wants to watch sports, then you’ll need a place with multiple TVs. So a bar or pub, maybe Manuel’s?
      I rarely have suggestions for visitors to ATL. Like I understand living here but not visiting, if that makes sense.

      1. Exactly my dilemma! Love living here but we did the Sundial in 2005. . . .Also, he has tickets to games so we are not watching together, just hanging out before. Love Manuel’s forever, though.

    3. George’s in Virginia Highland. It’s a tiny bit north of Ponce obviously, but fantastic burgers etc.

      1. Thanks. Yes, great burgers, and it has been years since I’ve had one! I’ll see if he’s more in the mood for walking (Beltline) or shopping (VaHi).

    4. Saying you don’t want to go north of Ponce limits your options pretty significantly. But most of the great options I’d suggest are either east or west, anyway. For pure activity and peoplewatching, Ponce City Market would be good (and you could go up to the roof and have drinks and play the games and see the city). Decatur has lots of good options – current favorites are White Bull (great courtyard in back) or Iberian Pig. Another fun option would be to walk along the Beltline (and you could eat at one of the restaurants along there in Old Fourth Ward or at Ponce City Market or Krog street). Or look for festivals going on this weekend.

      1. I’ll certainly take suggestions for more north, esp since I barely know it anymore, but he is staying south of the city and I live in SE and both for convenience and because I want him to see “my Atlanta”, think I prefer to stay this side of the dividing line.

  21. How long do you typically take for lunch at work?
    I’m salaried, but track time for clients. I typically like to put at least a 30 minute hold (NO title) on my calendar for lunch.

    1. In years past, maybe 20 minutes? This year I’ve been blocking off an hour so that no one can snag any of my time. I probably end up using 20 minutes for work and 40 minutes for personal. (I always pack my lunch.)

    2. I’m expected to have 9 hours of availability total, so I take a full hour lunch. When I was able to leave on the half hour at my previous job, I only look a half hour lunch. I’m in tech, not law.

      I work with a lot of time zones, so I’m unable to block 12-1 off. I grab the hour where I can.

  22. Is anyone here currently getting an LLM in tax? I am interested but have heard that a lot of people wind up in JD-preferred jobs at accounting firms (and IDK what they pay, but feel that with my current loans, I’d need BigLaw $ to afford to live in NYC and get my loans paid off).

    1. I think the key here is deciding what you’d be interested in doing with it. I know lots of people with an LLM in tax, both in accounting and in accounting/tax tech. None of them make biglaw money and in tech, have to live at least somewhat locally to physical offices in CA. Perhaps there’s a BigLaw angle into estate/trust work that’s enabled by getting it that you can pursue?

      1. A lot of people I know got a tax or estate planning job in a law firm and then got the LLM while working.

  23. Thoughts on yesterday’s Ask a Manager post about juniors in investment banking quitting after 6-9 months? Consensus over there was “pay less, let people work fewer hours”.

    1. Maybe repost this tomorrow? I’d love to discuss the thread too. I think AAM is on the money this time – what used to work isn’t working now. It’s time to shift the mindset and trying to find new ways to withhold compensation isn’t going to help morale.

        1. Yes to reposting! I have *thoughts* on it and while I generally agree with the consensus of spread out the work, pay less and work less hours, it seems like a lot of the AAM commentariat doesn’t work in highly intense client driven industries such as law, finance, and consulting…

          I definitely agree it’s time for an industry change – but something that struck me was that the OP of that letter didn’t seem to realize that at some point you’ll have no more juniors, then your mid-level people are going to break and/or leave since they’re doing both their own work and junior work, then it’ll just be the admin staff and senior management left in the end… The pandemic has given a lot of people to reset, and I’m cheering them on. It’s resetting a lot of the stupid expectations built up since the 80s through the fallout of the Great Recession.

          1. I think you’re misunderstanding the commenters. They’re saying a fundamental change in the structure is necessary since it obviously doesn’t work and is pretty inhumane.

    2. If this subject is of interest to you, Industry is a whole HBO show about this . . . and s#x.

    4. The suggestion that these people are consistently working 100 hour weeks is a lie. It is a well-worn and accepted lie, but it is and always has been a lie. It is a lie when lawyers tell it, too. Once in a while, like at trial or when a big deal is happening, sure, but rarely several weeks in a row, actually. It is also a completely unacceptable model to drive people to spend so much time at work that it feels like they are working 100 hours a week, and worse to suggest they actually should be working that much. It is also unethical, bordering on criminal, to suggest you can charge clients full fees for work performed in the 71st or (alleged) 91st hour of someone’s work week. Fixing this problem is not hard, it just requires mega-rich people to acknowledge the lies and give up a fraction of the amount they are being overpaid for the greater good. Get over it.

      1. This is such an odd comment—how can you know precisely how much thousands of people across multiple industries work? These are often roles people take for a few years to pay their loans off—it isn’t like many lawyers stay in biglaw forever. A few years of these salaries isn’t putting anyone in the “mega-rich” category. Your comment also seems to ignore medical residents, who do routinely work these hours with low pay.

        1. I know because (1) it isn’t physically possible for people to do this over 2 years, with possibly a handful of genetic miracles — everyone else is exaggerating or equating being available or thinking about work they aren’t doing or dreading work or commuting to work or socializing with co-workers or sleeping or eating or staring blankly into space while in their office building or working out at the office gym or getting ready for work or talking about being at work all.the.time with “working” (all of these are also problematic but quite different); (2) I know people in law who say they consistently work this much (or even 65-80 hrs/wk) and I have observed that they absolutely do not and the one who I think might is known to be extremely high during many of those hours, which time should neither be counted nor billed; (3) I lived with someone who was dating someone in this junior NYC IB role who routinely spoke of working 100-hour weeks but also managed to be in my apartment in DC, or to host his GF in his (including entertaining/wining/dining her and getting groceries and doing chores together), or to travel to weddings or family events most weekends and to sit on the phone with her for at least an hour on most other days. He worked a lot. It was brutal. It was not 100 hrs/week, nor should it have been. That covers the two industries I professed to have knowledge about. Medical residents are limited to 80, which is a significant difference, and get extended periods off. IB are in the office every day. It’s different.
          Also, I wasn’t suggesting the juniors are mega-rich or even the ones who need to give up their pay. They would probably also get a salary cut (because if they only have 60 or 80 hour work week requirements and are alert and sober during their time they definitely aren’t earning $200k, right?) but my suggestion was for those more senior and C-Suite to take a salary haircut (or slash, I don’t care at all) so as to make working for them sustainable and maybe address the growing wealth gap and correct the myth that these people are worth what they are paid.

          1. It is legal if your firm has adopted Cleint Value Billing and the cleints consent. I am able to do my hours and able to charge multiple cleints for the same work, as long as we show the personal benefit to the cleint. We did have a few cleints who questioned this, but when we showed them they already signed up to it in our retainer agreement, there questions were answered.

            I hope they repost, as no one reads old comments the next day. I’ve been very busy and apologise for not being prompt in p’osting.

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