29 Comments

  1. I have these mugs, and they are absolutely amazing. You can’t feel the heat/cold of the beverage at all.

  2. Is it true that you’re supposed to “size down” when you’re getting body shapers? And does anyone have suggestions for some “law school budget friendly” shapers that are of good quality. Thanks.

    1. Spanx makes a more inexpensive line, called Assets, that you can buy at Target. I haven’t bought any in a while but I remember the quality being pretty good.

      On the topic of budget, I’ve been wondering lately about what Corporette (and its readers) would consider to be an appropriate yearly clothing budget. I know not everyone makes the same salary, so let’s say that there’s some percentage of income that you should be spending to be appropriately dressed for work. What’s the magic number, and what are people actually spending?

      1. K, I have been wondering the same thing about budget. I currently spend about 6% of my after-tax income on all clothing expenses (work, casual, laundry and dry cleaning). I think just work clothes and dry cleaning is probably about 4%.

    2. I would say sizing down is better than sizing up, and Spanx are probably the best you can get. The high-waisted one that goes 1/2way down the thighs is perfect for suits and dresses. The power panties are only good for pants; they don’t come high enough to look good under dresses. I know the Spanx designer also does a lower priced line for Target called “assets,” so you may want to check those out if Spanx aren’t in your budget. But check on discount sites for them-Nordstrom sometimes has them on sale, and their own website has them occasionally on clearance too.

  3. Anonymous – I would definitely NOT size down. I have had good luck with the L’Eggs brand body shapers they sell at drugstores. Actually, I like them better than Spanx. There’s also a line called Assets that’s made by the same people who make Spanx that’s available at Target.

  4. What do you want your doctor to wear? I’m a surgeon in a large market on the west coast. I have trouble pinpointing what exactly I want my wardrobe to look like. Business casual? Suits? What would inspire confidence in you?

    1. Do you wear a lab coat? I like a lab coat on a doctor. I think simple is best – a suit doesn’t seem appropriate, but decent black slacks and a nice (silk?) button down or sweater is fine.

      I will say that what I found incredibly offensive was going to an Upper East Side surgeon and being treated to the sight of her humongous diamonds. Yes, they could have been gifts or family heirlooms or who knows. . . but the serious rings and earrings she was rocking were horrifying. Looking like business is good – when your business is removing lumps from women’s breasts – is a no-good, even if it means you look successful.

      1. Interesting question. Late 20’s on the east coast here. I have no preference coat vs. no coat unless physical examination is going on. I also think simple is best – not necessarily boring, but I would probably notice/think about and want to comment on an outfit that stands out (whether good or bad) – kind of a distraction. A suit seems like overkill and a little staid.

        Never thought about jewelry but – especially with the current healthcare debate – I’m thinking it might look insensitive to break out major rocks.

        1. I met with 2 ortho surgeons a couple of weeks ago. It was on a Friday. He wore a button down shirt and dockers. She wore a V-neck sweater that wasn’t too low-cut and a pair of understated plaid pants and these shoes I can’t really describe but seemed fine. It may be because they’re in ortho, but given that both spend their day moving legs and hips around when doing assessments, they both seemed to be dressed fine. Neither was wearing a lab coat but it would’ve just gotten in the way. I had done a great detail of research on credentials beforehand, and I appreciated that they both seemed thorough and competent and if they’d been wearing anything flashy or that got in the way it would’ve been distracting.
          If you’re meeting with a surgeon (aside from for an elective plastic surgery, maybe), you’re more or less terrified and any surgeon with fancy jewelry or anything flashy would be distracting in an incredibly stressful and scary situation. I want a surgeon who exudes calm, quiet confidence. So I’d suggest surgeons wear things that they feel good in help them feel confident, but nothing that is going to be revealing when you’re leaning over patients to examine them, etc. And no scrubs unless you’re walking in or out of an operating room — unless you’re Dr. Oz, it just makes you look cut-happy and/or like you’re wearing your pjs. Just MHO, of course.

      2. I agree with NB. I once had to sit through a lecture from a well known lawyer and the spotlight on her kept flashing on her huge diamond rings. It was distracting and I believe, in very poor taste.

    2. Re Body Shapers- I got a pair of Assets tights this spring that got holes in the shaper area after one wear. It was very disappointing. Discount stores like SteinMart sell Spanx and other shapers for a lot cheaper than you can find in department stores, so that might be a good alternative for those on a budget. Hanes also sells body shapers. I’ve bought a pair, but haven’t gotten the chance to try it out yet.

      Ellen- I think nicer business casual is appropriate. A suit doesn’t seem practical or necessary since it’s so challenging to wash. I have one friend who just started out as a dentist a few years ago and she said she had a real problem with some of her patients actually believing she was a dentist. She upgraded her wardrobe to something slightly more professional, but still comfortable enough so she could do her job easily.

      As NB pointed out, I’d avoid looking to ostentatious. Keep the jewelry small and tasteful and don’t wear any clothing that screams expensive. I think that gives patients the impression that you’re in it for the money and aren’t looking out for their best interests.

    3. For the doctor: Lab coat is a must! If you’re a surgeon and spend all day operating, just wear your scrubs under your lab coat! If no scrubs – Wear suit pants or slacks – no skirts please, especially if they’re shorter than the lab coat. Wear a butt0n-down or sweater, or similar top that would go under a suit jacket – no ruffles, no sparkes, etc! Wear flats or a low heel – always closed-toe!!! (In addition to the comfy shoes you probably have for standing during surgeries.)

      I take inspiration from my father, a surgeon … although obviously the female wardrobe presents different challenges than the male wardrobe. He goes to work wearing a suit (unless there’s an early surgery, in which case it’s scrubs). He leaves his suit jacket in his office and wears his lab coat around the hospital, i.e. for rounds. If he’s between surgeries, he wears scrubs and his lab coat. And forget about the commenters disliking scrubs outside of the hospital – surgeons keep crazy hours, and scrubs are part of the game.

      I’m a law student and I tease my dad that I need to buy more suits because lawyers should have more suits than doctors.

      First impressions … Your professional dress will reassure your patients and their families! (I agree with some other commenters … no flashy jewels … isn’t this stuff banned from the operating room for sanitary reasons anyways?) I think doctors should look sharp, professional, clean. Classic! Save the trends for your valuable days off.

    4. A lab coat over slacks and a professional-looking top. If you work in a hospital and you want to, it would be fine to wear scrubs every day. I think the important thing is to look like a doctor. Also, speaking as a patient, it feels quite awkward to be naked or in a gown while talking to someone in formal business attire or even in street clothes. Wearing something that’s clearly medical attire just makes the interaction less awkward.

      1. Totally. It may be unfair, but I don’t want to see sparkly gems when someones advising me to get a procedure. Makes me feel like I’m making their car payment.

  5. I agree. I like to see my doctor wearing a white coat. Business casual is fine underneath. The coat inspires confidence in me. I will say that my number one pet peeve with doctor clothing is wearing scrubs outside of the hospital.

    1. YES. It terrifies me when I see a hospital employee wearing scrubs on Metro. Think of all the public-transportation germs they must bring into the hospital. Ew.

  6. I’ve tried Assets several times in an attempt to be thrifty, and have regretted it every time. Spanx are the gold standard, but Hanes makes a line, called something like It Figures, I think, that is a pretty good and much cheaper substitute.

  7. My opinion on shapewear is size UP! I guess it depends on your goals. For me, I just want smoothing, I’m not trying to fit into something a size smaller. If thats all you want, then size up, you’ll be more comfortable. If you actually want “compression”, you might want to consider getting bigger clothes. Even if you fit in, and are perfectly smooth, wearing small shapewear all day isn’t worth it, at least to me!

    As for my doctor: I think black slacks, and some nice top are good, with or without the white coat. Sweaters or button downs would be appropriate. I hate to say it, but I would avoid anything too fussy, to ruffly, or too youthful, or anything that looks hard to move around in. I must say, I like the white coat. It seems to me to be the doctor indicator when compared to nurses and office staff, in the way a suit is the lawyer indicator.

    1. For shapewear if you just want slimming I would agree that wearing your normal size is fine. I wouldn’t size up or down in that case. However, as I’ve lost weight, I’ve found that my old shapers are actually becoming too loose and slipping down and moving around in ways they aren’t supposed to, and in ways that make them more obvious.

  8. For the doctor: I like to see my doctor wearing a white lab coat, especially when it’s my first time meeting him/her since that coat is the indicator that I’m not talking to a LPN or someone else on staff. I don’t particularly care what the doctor wears underneath; in fact, I seldom notice. The few times I’ve noticed, it’s been because it was something flashy (e.g., once my OB/GYN wore a maxi dress so I couldn’t help but notice).

    Re shapewear: I buy the size that corresponds with my weight/height and that works fine for me although I am only trying to smooth a bit. The previous poster gave good advice about shopping bargain stores like TJ Maxx or Marshalls for Spanx. Only problem is it’s often hard to find your size or the particular style of Spanx you like. I agree that Target’s Assets are not as good quality as the regular Spanx so you would be better off shopping the bargain stores.

  9. I’m in Dallas and both doctors I can think of off hand don’t wear the white lab coats and I wish they did. I’m distracted by the male derm as he dresses uber contemporary, while the female pediatrician is more business casual.

    Wear the lab coat, even open, and dress as you’d like underneath. I’d vote for keeping it closed if your clothing taste is more on the edgy side.

    It conveys authority and a uniform is a good thing.

  10. Re: physicians’ attire. I think it would largely depend on what kind of doctor you are. I have only seen my OB in anything other than scrubs one time – when she came to check on me the day after my third child was born – and it was clear she was on her way to or from a meeting. I think it would be weird for her to be doing pap smears and exams in dressy clothes. On the other hand, I would expect a doctor who does exams that are more like consulting (like my son’s pediatric plastic surgeon) or even less “messy” exams” (like my dermotologist or even my primary care doctor) to do a dressier version of business casual, but probably not a full suit, depending on the type of patient interaction she has on a daily basis.

  11. Thanks for all the feedback — you’ve echoed how I dress most days (I own a ton of stuff from Banana, and have dress slacks in every neutral) but reading this blog has both opened my eyes to possibilities and made me question whether I was hitting the right mark. It’s interesting how many of you want the lab coat; I don’t find them particularly comfortable to wear, but I’m certainly willing to if my patients prefer. Guess I’ll find a good tailor and get mine so they fit right. Not surprisingly, all white coats are made as though a man would be wearing them. If I get it nipped in at the waist and taken in at the sleeves, it may feel more comfortable. I’m not talking major revisions, just little changes so that I notice.

    Thanks everyone!

    1. As you can imagine, there are subtle signals sent with subtle changes in dress. Those coats say “nurse administrator” or “nutritionist” (all typically female roles in the hospital). The starched heavy cotton white coat, even if it is fitted for a man, speaks more to the authority of a physician, at least in my mind.

      I appreciated everyone’s comments about the stress of seeing a surgeon. Since I’m surrounded by surgical issues 80 hours a week, I forget the emotion of it. I think of all you strong, emotionally steady big law types, and forget that while the world of law is intimidating to us doctors, the world of medicine may hold some insecurities for you. A nice reminder as I see my patients each day. (In dress slacks).

      I do go by the rule that if I wouldn’t want to crawl around on the floor in my outfit, I probably shouldn’t be wearing it. There’s something a little down and dirty about my world somedays.

  13. Ellen – good for you, get it tailored.

    A research scientist contacted us for a lab coat tailored to fit her large breasts. I sent her to the tailor.

  14. Fall is here and thinking of outerwear. Any thoughts on Pea Coats for women? I love the length and the nice autumn, warm wool feel. Most I have seen are double-breasted and would like something with a cleaner line. Thoughts about them stylistically and in terms of fit?

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