Corporette.com

Updated: Oct 31, 2018 162 Comments · by

Weekend Open Thread

Weekend Open Thread |

This post may contain affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

M Missoni Sparkly Rain Boot | CorporetteSomething on your mind? Chat about it here.

OK. I may be insane, but look how pretty! I love the unexpected sparkle (how great for a dreary day!), the traditional look of a Chelsea boot, and the practicality of it. In general if you're spending this much on rain boots I'd just advise you to get Hunter boots, but, WELL — these sparkly rain boots from Missoni may just have to be in the mix. (They also have some solid-colored boots without the elastic gore, in case you dislike that feature.) The pictured boots are $145. M Missoni Sparkly Rain Boot

Here's a lower-priced option (but be warned, they are super-sparkly!).

(L-3)

Sales of note for 9.10.24

Some of our latest posts here at Corporette…

RSS Error: WP HTTP Error: cURL error 60: Issuer certificate is invalid.

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

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

About Kat

Kat Griffin is the founder, publisher, and editor-in-chief of Corporette. You can read more about her here.

Comments

  1. anon

    I’m thinking of getting a reclining exercise bike for my basement but I have no idea what a good price is or where I should look for one. Any suggestions?

    • tesyaa

      My husband’s is from GymSource and it is at least 10 years old and still going strong (it has undergone some repairs in that time). I’d recommend them.

      • MJ

        Yes to Craigslist. I also have a FitDesk, which is amazing. It is a desk-bike so I can work on my laptop or read while I bike. LOVE IT.

    • Ellen

      Yay! Open thread’s! I love open thread’s and these Missioni Rain Boots! Yes, they are expensive, but sometimes you have to treat yourself b/c no one else will! Great pick, Kate and Kat!!!

      I got a nice pair of leather boot’s for myself when I was in DC shortly after this guy rejected me — actually we NEVER dated, but he liked to hang around outside my dorm room and I eventueally warmed up to him. So after he decided I was NOT marrage material, I needed to convince myself that I was not the mess he thought I was. After all, I did have a 3.3 GPA and was headeing to law school. So, I got a nice pair of boot’s.

      As to the Other OP that is thinking of getting an exercycle, the smartest thing to do is to go to a club, like NYSC, and look at their stuff (which is not cheap). Then go to an exercise store (they’re in the yellow pages), and of course you can go to SEARS in White Plains to see their stuff. Then make sure you or your husband will ACTUEALLY use the machine b/f you buy it. Then, with this information in hand, you will not make the wrong move. YAY!!

      Finally, today is Mason’s last day. He did NOT pass the NY Bar (again), so he is NOT happy b/c he needs to be a lawyer to get a head. Lynn is upset b/c she will not see him all day, tho he is liveing with her, and still will be living toegether. I told Lynn not to worry b/c she at least has him to come home to — I do NOT even have a man at all! Everything must be kept in perspective, I told her, and now I am telling the hive! Have a happy weekend, all, includeing Kat and Kate! YAY!!!

    • Anonymous

      I got one from BJ’s a couple of years ago — was like $160, free delivery, but it weighed a TON (the wheel is like 45 lbs). I like it because it folds up really small. The seat wasn’t the comfiest, but the tension the magnets gave was really good. Not a top-of-the-line gym quality one, but it’s survived a couple of years with two people using it 3x a week. It’s also super quiet. The calorie / speed function isn’t great, but the timer works just fine.

  2. Anonymous

    Like many of us, I order a ton of stuff from Nordstrom and then return it all.

    Well, last night I started thinking that I hadn’t seen a few of the items I had ordered. I went through my order history and, sure enough, three orders were never delivered.

    Nordstrom was (unsurprisingly) great about refunding me the money. But geez, I’m glad I noticed! I very well might not have.

    So does anyone have any tips about how to keep track of this sort of thing?

    • tesyaa

      Keep all confirmation emails until you have the item. Having them in my inbox serves as a reminder. What else can you do?

      • KinCA

        +1 – I don’t delete order/shipping confirmation emails until I’ve received the items.

    • WomenLawyersNews

      Those are pretty, and someone on here was looking for shorter rainbows the other day.

      A few ideas for keeping track:
      * Print your order confirmations and throw away/check off as they arrive.
      * If you keep a clean email inbox, leave the order emails in there until you receive the items.
      * Similarly, create a separate email folder for just receipts or even just Nordstrom receipts, delete things from the folder as they come in.

      Finally, I want to share an awesome new tool I just discovered – it’s called Unroll Me. You can download it for your email and it 1) identifies all your subscription-type emails and puts them all in one email you can easily scan through then delete; and 2) it will unsubscribe you from any you don’t want for you if you tell it to. I’m in love.

      Have a great weekend all!

      • Runner 5

        I’ve been using Unroll Me for a while and I love it. It’s so useful!

      • shadow

        In Gmail, whenever I get a confirmation email for something I bought and has yet to be delivered, I select or open the email, go up to the top to click More, and hit Add to Tasks. It generates a Google Task for that email with a link to the email (the task list can be viewed by click Tasks at the top left where you would go to find Mail/Contacts/Tasks) and I edit the name of the Task to include the number of items I expect. When I receive a package, I check the box off after I make sure the items I ordered are in the shipment. I check the Tasks to see if I ever received some packages (sometimes things get lost in the mail) so I know which ones to follow up on.

    • SSC

      I’ve had good luck with an app called Slice, which pulls order and tracking information from your email. Might be worth a try.

    • Sydney Bristow

      There is an app called Slice that I use on my iphone. It needs access to your email, but then it tracks all of your order confirmations and tracking info. When you click through it you can go directly to the UPS/FedEx/USPS/etc sites to get the detailed tracking. It saves info on everything even after it is delivered.

      You can also manually enter things to track if you don’t want it to access your email. I use that feature to track returns.

    • Anonymous BigLaw Associate

      I keep an Excel sheet of all of the things I am waiting on from other people, with a tab for each matter I work on. I also have a tab called “personal” where I keep track of orders and when they should arrive by (and returns and when I should receive a refund by). If they don’t arrive, I see if I can track the package and if not give the place a call where I ordered from.

  3. Anonymous

    So, I have a party planned in one week. 15 people will be coming over to celebrate my husband’s birthday. I’m trying to keep it a surprise. He’s turning 35 and we’ve even gotten his 2 closest friends to come into town for the occasion. I have a babysitter/neighbor coming to play with the kids for the evening.

    I have done literally no planning. What would you serve? Decorate? Do? I’m not sure i can pull off the surprise but i can get close (“having [couple] over for dinner to celebrate…go take the kids out for the day while i prep.”) I have money to throw at this — not more than $1k– but just have not put any time into it due to 2 straight weeks of crazy work and illness making its way through the household.

    HELP

    • Anon

      If this was me, my husband, and our friends, I would get catering from the local delicious BBQ joint. Big pans of ribs, chicken, pulled pork, all kinds of sides, cornbread, etc. I’d probably buy a bunch of fruit and ice cream and then bake a cake.

      • Anonymous

        I have the local BBQ place’s menu up on my screen right now! I was thinking it wasn’t very “fall” ish and was struggling to think through how i can get fall drinks to pair, other than beer. ideas?

        • Baconpancakes

          Cider + whiskey cocktails
          Octoberfest/marzen beers
          Seconding hard cider – I really love Bold Rock’s IPA – much milder than most hopped ciders but enough tang to make it interesting
          Sangria with apples, apple cider, cinnamon and other spices, adding some sherry to give it a kick

          For decorations, depending on the location of the party, scatter tiny pumpkins and gourds on the table, and you’re pretty much done.

          Definitely get this thing catered. I also think BBQ is a great idea, maybe get some pies from whatever local pie place is best for dessert.

          As for what to do, with 15 people, once you plop 15 people in a room with drinks and food, you’re pretty much done. They’ll entertain themselves.

        • NOLA

          I came across a fun c*cktail made with apple bourbon, caramel vodka, and cider. And it’s made by the picture, so easy peasy!

        • Cp2344

          Hot cider with mulling spices on the stove on low…and a bottle of Woodford Reserve on the side. People LOVED it, and it feels fancy and seasonal.
          Definitely get catered
          Make a playlist

      • Anon Worker Bee

        +1 I love BBQ for large groups because it is so economical and easy

      • Anon

        Also, your decorations? 15 of his closest friends. You don’t need anything else.

    • kc esq

      If you can handle the extra expense, I’d go out to a local restaurant. To me, it feels more like a party. If you want to stay home, I’ve heard good things about Kitchensurfing to rent a fixed-price private chef for the evening.

    • Anonymous BigLaw Associate

      If you want to cook, doing a slow cooker type thing would be easy. I love this recipe for groups (or just the two of us to enjoy over a week): http://www.chowhound.com/recipes/easy-slow-cooker-pulled-pork-30356

      I omit the BBQ sauce, and do it soft tacos usually and have some queso anejo, cilanto, and limes on the side. That along with maybe some rice/beans and a salad would do it for food. Or you could do it with BBQ sauce and get some good rolls (brioche?).

      Agree with others you really don’t need decorations. Maybe getting a cake/ice cream would be fun.

    • Coach Laura

      * Pre-order from local restaurant (BBQ as suggested above, Mexican, Italian or even a chain like Chipotle)
      * Costco – Caesar salad, poached shrimp trays, ribs, deli tray, fruit trays – I think that there was an article about how to do this, can’t find it now.
      * Taco/Fajita Bar – taco meat, refried beans, rice, shredded cheese, lettuce, pre-made guac and salsa, sour cream, chopped tomatoes, premade taco shells. Put taco meat, rice and beans in separate crock pots to keep warm during serving (borrow from friends).
      * For desert, Ice cream bars, ice cream, purchased cake, fresh cut up fruit from deli

    • Brunette Elle Woods

      I would cater your husband’s favorite foods and buy his favorite beer/liquor/wine. You can probably just order pizza or something for the kids. My favorite fall drink is warm apple cider with either cinnamon liquor or fireball whiskey, but that is more of a dessert drink. Just cater as much as possible and let your husband’s preferences guide you.

  4. lost academic

    Wow- shiny sparkly paddock boots is the first thing that went through my mind!

    • CountC

      Same! The piping on my half and full chaps is purple, so I am all in on sparkly purple paddock boots!

  5. Riri

    Hello! Looking for some massachusetts help. Does anyone live in Milton? Care to share your feelings? I would also love any realtor recs for the outside of boston- ish area. No kids and moving from dc. Ideal would be a condo with some space (800+) in an area where I could walk to some great restaurants. So city light maybe. Would love any realtor or town advice!

    • Anonny

      Went to Milton Academy, although not from Milton – from a town 20 mins away. Milton is very suburban, excellent public school system, and close to Boston, so if you’re buying it’s expensive for those reasons. The commute on 93 into Boston is a b*tch, but at least you’re half the distance people on the South Shore are. Milton is definitely suburban, though, and not city-light. City-light might be Brookline, parts of Somerville and Cambridge. Not much city-light living south of Boston, in my opinion, other than Quincy which is “up and coming” if you ask the right person, but it’s definitely not my taste.

      • K

        Not sure I appreciate the diss of the town I live in…. Quincy is definitely improving. Townshend is quite nice, as are a number of other venues. And I went to St. Mark’s, FWIW.

      • R in Boston

        Seconded all of this and hi other Milton alum!

        I would also add in general that the South Shore is not the most diverse place in the world (one of the partners I work with who lives in Hingham jokes that diversity there means having a brunette wife). Milton is not all the way to the South Shore towns where I think that really applies, but in my experience it is less diverse than some of the metro-west suburbs (not that those are perfect either).

        With no kids and wanting to walk to stuff, I’d say Milton is not right. From your description, I would use Anonny’s list and add JP and Roslindale (technically in the city, but I think of them as city-light).

        • Anonymous

          Used to live in Hingham- spot on. We liked it but ultimately decided we didn’t want to raise kids there. Schools are just fine, but not for us. Sad to sell the boat though. Shipyard area is nice these days.

      • Anon

        K, calm down. I don’t know why you keep posting here if you get your knickers in a twist any time someone expresses a different opinion. Quincy is perfect for some, not for others, and that is okay.

        Signed, lived in Wollaston as a child but have been gone for years so I don’t have a dog in this fight.

        • K

          Perhaps, but I don’t see anyone making disparaging comments about any other town on this list. And I really hate it when someone who goes by the handle “Anon” calls out someone who uses a handle that is not anonymous!

          • Anonymama

            “It’s definitely not to my taste” is not exactly a ringing endorsement, but I’d hardly call it a diss.

    • Anonny

      Ugh. My answer is in moderation. Milton = not city-light. Milton = suburban. Try Brookline, Cambridge or Somerville for city-light, in my opinion. Maybe even parts of Waltham and Newton, though I’m less familiar with metro west.

    • K

      My brother and his wife live in Milton. I live in Quincy, which is the next town over. Quincy is more urban and has condos/apartments with a town square. For Milton, if you want something that has more restaurants, etc, you should look at East Milton Square. There’s a condo building at 88 Wharf in Milton. It has an eponymous restaurant in it. The neighborhood is called Milton Village, I think.

      I can ask my sister-in-law for the name of her realtor, if you like.

    • Riri

      Thanks for all the responses so far and keep them coming! Cambridge would be ideal I just don’t think the budget is there for it, but waltham may be an option. I thought Milton might benefit from being close to Dorchester but it sounds like a true suburb. I appreciate the comment about diversity- coming from dc it might be a bit of a culture shock. I’ve been out of ma for 15 years now and never as an adult so that is good to note. Any thoughts about safety/ walk ability of jp and roslindale?

      • Anonymous

        I lived in Waltham in law school (at the Longview Place Apartments). The apartments themselves were pretty nice (spacious, clean and reasonably priced) but overall Waltham has a very suburban feel. I don’t think it’s particularly distinguishable from more suburban places like Milton, except for the fact that it’s easier to get into the city. It certainly isn’t comparable to Cambridge in its “city-ness.”

        • K

          Actually, I don’t think it is easier to get into the city from Waltham, than from Milton. Milton is on the red line and is right off 93.

        • Anon

          The moody street area of Waltham has a more urban vibe, but it’s definitely “light.” I think the apartment complex you lived in is in a more suburban-feeling area.

    • MJ

      So um, any interest in a Boston meetup? Reply here and we’ll make it happen in the next month or so.

      • Riri

        Yes! Thank you for the offer :) I won’t be there until dec but am certainly freaking out a bit about leaving my friends and network in DC and would love to meet some Boston this cight-ers(for moderation)

      • K

        There’s actually a boston group email list. It’s called bostoncorpor3tte @ gmail. Just replace the 3 with an 3. I’d be very glad to hand over the reins – password, organization, responsibility, etc.

    • Anon

      Take a look at Waltham! I feel it is city-light. My husband and I bought a condo here. We can walk to about a dozen bars and restaurants, the grocery store, liquor store, post office, library, farmers market, movie theater and more. You can catch an express bus into downtown Boston or take the commuter rail – I commute in to downtown every day. It’s west of Boston and on the weekends with no traffic it’s a 25 minute drive downtown. Also really close to I 90, 95, and a bunch of state highways.

      I think a lot of people rule it out because the schools aren’t as good as the districts around it, but if you don’t have kids then who cares.

      • Riri

        Thanks- I do like the idea of living of moody. I would love to hear about your condo buying experience if you wouldn’t mind sharing!

        • Anon

          Sure! It’s a hot market, so my advice is that if you see something you like on MLS move fast. It is not as bad as some of the other suburbs where you have to bid like 10% over asking to be in the running. Most good condos around here are on the market for a week max. Our place was on the market for one day before we bought it. The bad news is there may be less available this time of year, but it will start to pick up again in February or March.

          As for pricing, you can find a nice place for under $500K, maybe even as low as $400K. Property values are rising – today ours would sell for 10% more than we paid for it two years ago. There is a lot of new-ish construction or newly fully renovated property, while in suburbs like Somerville and Medford I think you see more older stock. You cannot always find a condo with garage parking, but most have at least one deeded spot and parking on the street in this area is safe and easy too.

          I would search the Moody Street area between Main Street and Maple Street, other streets nearby like School Street, and Main Street up to a mile north of Moody Street. Going further south and toward the Newton line from Moody, like the River Street area, is less nice in my opinion but you can certainly still find something decent.

          Sadly I do not have a rec for a buyer’s agent, we used a close friend who usually does not do much work in this area, although she was fantastic for us.

          • Riri

            Thanks so much. My dream would be to move into a place before the job starts but I think its just not going to be possible, so Feb might be the time for us anyway, and it will give us time to get some extra downpayment. I love tempo and some of the other places in waltham, so I think it would be a good place for us for the next five years or so. Also going to look into JP and Rosalin too. Thanks everyone!

  6. anon

    Has anyone here thought about running for public office at some point? What made you decide for or against it?I’m in my mid-20s and I don’t see myself attempting this for some time, but it’s something I think a lot about. I’m trying to figure out if it’s some pipe dream/ thing for an alternate life or something I’m serious about pursuing. Thoughts?

    • WomenLawyersNews

      We had a local politician talk to our women’s bar group about her experiences, which was really helpful. Reach out to someone who is approachable but experienced and pick their brain. People are often very willing to help when asked.

    • Sydney Bristow

      Kirsten Gillibrand’s book Off the Sidelines had a bit of a discussion of what pushed her to run and covered some of her campaigns, if I remember correctly. I thought the book was interesting and recommend it.

    • Anonymous BigLaw Associate

      I think a lot about trying to be a federal magistrate judge later in my career, and perhaps even trying to be appointed as a district judge. Not really the same as running for an election being voted on by the masses, but somewhat related and political in nature.

    • Bonnie

      Years ago, my DH ran for local office. Campaigning was horrible, totally took over our lives and made us decided against further political aspirations. I’ve thought about becoming a judge but am now leaning against it after seeing the intrusiveness of a friend’s vetting.

          • Solo

            Like what? I am as boring and stable as they come and have thought about being a judge. I don’t think I’d have a problem with any questions but I’m curious as to what they are.

          • Anon For This

            Applying for a judgeship can be a horrible slog. I applied a while back with support from judges, elected officials, etc. and advanced in my application, but ultimately, I did not get the call. They never tell you that you didn’t get it, you only find you did if they call you. Meanwhile you application just sits there and you wait and wait and wait.. Be prepared. It’s a very difficult process.

          • Anon for this too

            And then the governor goes out of office without having appointed you… It’s pretty horrible.

    • Semi-nonymous

      My husband is done a couple of terms as city council member in our small town and is up for re-election this year – I spent the day today going door to door placing door hangers. Most years it isn’t too bad, but there are a lot of candidates this year, and some of the race has gotten ugly. Thank goodness around here the heavy campaigning only lasts for a month or two, I don’t think I could take it much longer.

      We’ll see whether he gets re-elected – ask again on Wednesday. :-)

      As for the job itself – its a lot of work to do it properly, for very little pay in our area. Not a full time job (either by pay or time) but enough work to make it really hard to do in addition to a full time job – my husband runs his own business, which he probably only is able to put in 25-30 hours a week,including some nights and weekends work. There are a few council members with full time jobs in our town, and they say it’s a constant juggling act to get everything done. Most of the council is retirees or people who are semi-related and run their own business or act as consultants.

      Plus everywhere we go in town (restaurants, banks, the grocery store) winds up taking forever because everyone in town knows him and has to stop and ask him about the most recent votes, or upcoming issues.

      It’s not for everyone, but my husband loves it, so its just part of the package in our life/marriage. He was actually recruited to to be a candidate for our congressional seat one year – and the one month we spent discussing that was super stressful and it hadn’t even gone public, I don’t know that we could ever take that on. To (roughly) quote another wife of a candidate who writes a funny blog about it “He already used up the “for worse” in our wedding vows with politics, I can’t take another “for worse”. ” – from diaryofagolddigger.blogspot.com

      • Anonymous Poser

        I’m not a politician and neither are any of my family members, and to some extent neither is anyone I’ve worked for though they’ve held public office.

        Semi-nonymous gives a good overview, I think.

        Other things to consider…
        Public office as a judge or some other sort of position?
        At what level? Local? State? Federal? In the past I would have offered that of the 3, local tends to be the nastiest, politically speaking. Now I’m more hesitant to say that though it’s most likely still the case.
        Would the election be partisan? I think that your experience as a public servant can vary greatly depending on whether your party is in power during the time you serve.

    • Lo

      I’m a political consultant, so I’ll try to give you the counsel I give clients and potential clients:

      First of all, we NEED more women running for office. So for that reason alone, I’d encourage you to seriously consider it. So many women get tied up in self-doubt or waiting to be asked. But this is totally in the realm of do-able if you are serious about running and committed to what’s involved.

      That said, some things to consider:
      Running for office costs money. The higher the office, the more money you have to raise. Some people really hate “dialing for dollars” and doing fundraisers, but it’s a big part of getting elected. You don’t have to love it – but you do need to be committed enough to winning to do it.

      Start thinking now about how you build relationships that could support a future run. Depending on the office, it may mean taking a leadership role in certain organizations, meeting people that could be future donors or even simply volunteering on a political campaign. (Many political campaign staffers go on to run for office because they already have a network of people that could support their campaign – endorsements, donations, etc.)

      Take advantage of the resources available to future women candidates. There are a lot of great organizations like She Should Run, EMILY’s List and the Yale Women’s Campaign school that are focused on cultivating female talent – definitely get to know them.

      Do a good assessment of your vulnerabilities. Keep your social media clean, know what’s out there publicly about you.

      Think about your rationale for why you want to run. Answering that will become your speech, part of all of your campaign materials and your in-person sales pitch to voters. It’s the foundation of your campaign.

      Pick the right place to run from. Ideally, you want to run from the community where you live now or a place you have strong ties to like childhood hometown. But if you are running for partisan office, you also want to make sure you are in a district or area that is friendly to your party. It’s very, very tough to win in a place where 60% of voters support your opponent’s party versus 50/50.

      Start talking to political consultants (finance, media, polling, etc.), even if you are just in the thinking phase. Many will work pro-bono on an early race if they see long-term potential in you. For example, if you are running for city council or state Rep, but could run for Congress down the road.

      Good luck! I hope you do it!

  7. Shopaholic

    These are so cute! I’m seriously considering them because I wore calf-length rainboots earlier this week and found them so uncomfortable and hard to keep on my feet.

    • Stormtrooper

      +1 These are not something I would think that I like, but I kind of love them.

    • NOLA

      I bought the Dirty Laundry moto rainboots at DSW recently because a) my cowboy rainboots are a little tight on the calf, and b) they are awesome looking.

  8. Anon

    I am just not a Halloween person- I enjoy seeing the costumes and the costume parties, but I find the idea of coming up with my own costume overwhelming and not fun. We’re supposed to go out tomorrow night for festivities and I need to come up with a costume. Any ideas for an easy “homemade” costume? Halloween-procrastinators – lets unite!

    • Anonymous

      I’d search on Amazon for prime ones that are under $25 and can be here tomorrow if it were me!

    • mascot

      Following. Not feeling a whole costume myself, but thinking maybe some sort of face painting. The sugar skulls look awesome, but I’m not sure I can pull that off with no practice. I’m hosting a party with lots of little kids so I need something comfortable and not s*xy.

      • Anon

        I have seen temporary tattoos for sugar skull make up so you don’t have to do it by hand at my local Spirit Halloween store. That with a homemade skeleton shirt (just google it–you cut a shirt and it looks like a skeleton, then wear over a black shirt) would be cute and easy!

        Other ideas–superwoman (shirt underneath a dress shirt and tie), cat with black dress and ears and tail, same idea for a witch plus face paint, Cleopatra with a white dress and gold jewelry plus cat eye makeup.

    • Anonymous

      Black dress + fancy mask (like venetian/mardi gras) from Target. Boom, woman of mystery, and done.

    • anon

      I saw some great Wayne and Garth costumes that are super easy and super awesome on two separate groups of friends on FB.

      I think depending on what you have in your closet, you may be able to pull off a Valerie from Scooby Doo.

      I saw someone do a jelly belly bag. Seems uncomfortable but cute (not S*xy)… Clear plastic bag, different colored balloons inside, print out from your computer that says jelly belly.

      Doctor

      any athlete (got a jersey? Throw it on, grab some eye black and a cap and boom)

    • DisenchantedinDC

      I’m going to a “Risky Business” party tonight, which is always a good fallback… white buttondown, tall white socks, black sunglasses, done.

    • Honeycrisp

      If you already have a chambray shirt, a pair of jeans, and a red bandana/scarf, then you (like me) have a Rosie the Riveter costume. Boom.

      • emeralds

        That was me last year. This year, I am choosing different boots, and then repurposing the chambray shirt, pair of jeans, and red bandana to be a cowgirl. No, I don’t have a hat. And yes, my boyfriend does love dressing up and just won his workplace Halloween costume contest, so it’s going to be mega-obvious which one of us gives a sh*t…

    • annoyed in-house

      I have done a 20-minutes-make-it-work costume a few times: devil horn headband and either a black t-shirt with sticker letters that spell out PRADA (if it’s at a bar or somewhere where beer will inevitably end up all over me) or a regular outfit and carry a prada bag. Devil Wears Prada. But I’m lazy and a very reluctant halloween costume participant.

      • Meg Murry

        Nice! Similarly, devil in a blue dress (devil horns plus dress from your closet or Goodwill) is fast and easy. Or a just plain old devil with horns plus a red shirt or dress

    • lawsuited

      Pick a lawyer from a TV show that looks a bit like you and wear your regular clothes. I have twice been Jane Bingham from Drop Dead Diva by wearing a black suit and fuchsia shell from my existing work wardrobe and slapping a “Jane Bingham” name tag on my brief case.

      • Anonymous

        At my old job I was forced to dress up and I was always “Alicia Florrick” aka wearing pretty much my normal clothes (which are cheap knockoffs of her clothes).

    • Baconpancakes

      Ears + black on your nose + whiskers = cat/wolf/dog/mouse

      Or you can always wear all black, grab a witch hat from almost any store at this point (pretty sure they have them at CVS now), do a super smokey eye and you’re a witch.

    • CherryScary

      I’ve done the “Morning Grump”: Throw on sweatpants/PJ’s, houserobe, slippers, muss up your hair, carry a coffee mug and wear a sign saying “I’m not a morning person.”

    • Anonymous

      we all black and do cat make up (eyes, whiskers and nose), and maybe pick up a headband with ears.

    • Aunt Jamesina

      Identity thief: wear all black (you don’t even have to wear all black, but I think it helps the “thief” part of the costume). Then post “Hello, my name is” tags with different names all over yourself. Bonus points for working in names that are cultural references names of friends that you’ll be hanging out with.

      • Aunt Jamesina

        … and add one that says, “Your Name”, that way when people ask who you are, you can say “I’m you!”.

      • Aunt Jamesina

        and I meant “cultural references *and/or* names of friends you’ll be hanging out with”.

    • Ideas

      A good homeade costume: Freudian slip.

      An easy buy (can go to a restaurant supply store): chef!

    • Lavender

      can’t offer much substantial advice but I just wanted to commiserate that I feel exactly the same way about Halloween.

    • Rogue Banker

      Suit + devil horns = Devil’s Advocate. Alternately, suit + devil horns + “Hi My name is [least favorite politician]” (easiest)
      Flowy white button down + black pants tucked into knee-high boots + your gaudiest gold jewelry (walmart is great for this) + lots of smokey eyeliner and teased/fluffed/messy hair with bandana = pirate (less obvious “I didn’t have a costume”)
      Black pants + solid color shirt + construction-paper cone-shaped ‘hat’ in same color as shirt + logo printout taped to your chest = Crayola crayon (most kid-appropriate)

    • Brit

      We had a party last night and I dressed as Julia Child. 50s type clothes, apron, utensils, hair back, pearls, and talked with those long o’s that she does.

  9. Baconpancakes

    Anyone who looks a lot younger than their age struggle with being talked down to when they went back to school? I started off wearing smart business casual to my grad school classes, but got way too many “do you have an interview? Why are you so dressed up?” questions, so now I’m wearing jeans and nice sweaters like most of the other students, but in my internship (within the school) and what feels like every interaction with someone in a position of authority, I keep getting comments like, “Well, I know YOUR generation doesn’t use phones,” and it’s driving me nuts. Yes, professor, I know how to use a rotary phone, and I’m very comfortable using the telephone. My last job before I came to grad school was almost entirely phone-based client work.

    Do I just suck it up when they give me well-intentioned but what feels like insulting advice, or is there a way to broadcast without being rude that I’m not coming straight from undergrad, I do have life experience, I understand what deadlines mean, and they can assume I know how to function outside of an academic setting?

    • Brunette Elle Woods

      Unfortunately, these people just sound rude and you just have to deal with it. Wear whatever you want to class and treat this like a job. If other students comment, just say you are used to dressing this way from years spent on the job. Be nice to everyone and make friends because it will probably help with networking down the line. Focus on impressing your professors. If they make comments about “your generation” just ignore it and try to build a relationship with them. If they are used to students being a certain way, use that to your advantage and show how you differ. I know it is frustrating, but you’re there to learn and advance your career. Don’t lose sight of that.

    • Anonymous

      No. They are not rude and their comments are not offensive. Just smile and take it easy.

      • Brunette Elle Woods

        They are being rude. They are making negative generalizations to Baconpancakes about her generation and assuming that she has those same qualities.

    • Anonymous BigLaw Associate

      This is me, but I am a mid-level associate and am in my mid-thirties. I get odd questions from all sorts of people, including people I work with. One of the partners I work with made a Back to the Future reference and asked if I was old enough to understand it.

      You ability to actually do work should come through in your performance.

      • Baconpancakes

        Yeah, I’ve already been put on three projects because I’m getting work done faster than everyone else (and we’re paid hourly, so I’m going to keep requesting work until I can’t do it anymore), but it’s mostly the friendly professional advice that I learned in the first four years of my career, like, “Since it’s your first day, I’d just like to let you know we’d prefer if you didn’t take long personal calls in the office where everyone can hear them,” and “We’ll be with a client, so make sure to wear something neat and clean,” and the phone one was just the one that really got my goat: “She hasn’t responded to your email? Well, I know your generation grew up with so much technology, but she’s older, and sometimes our generation just prefers to talk on the phone, especially when there’s details to go over…”

        I’m 31, but in off-duty clothes, I look 24. I know I’ll be thankful in 10 years, but right now it’s just annoying. But Brunette Elle Woods is right – the career path is the important part, not these two years. Thanks, ladies. It’s good to check back in with the working world occasionally and be reminded that professionalism is still out there.

        • Anonymous

          Dude, you’re brand new on the job. They’re teaching you how. It’s not because you look young. And just because you worked a while doesn’t mean they should be assuming you know everything. Calm.

        • Anonymous

          Also, as a 25-year-old in a new job, this sounds really nice to me. I would so much rather people directly tell me about the office’s expectations than try to guess all the time about what I should be doing instead (usually based on comments/posts on this page).

    • Anonymous

      I suspect this is probably more about being in school than looking young? In my law school classes, professors made comments all the time about “your generation,” even though we had people from 22-50ish years old. If you’re obviously way older than your peers you probably wouldn’t be getting these comments directed at you, but 31 is still young enough that you get lumped in with the young-uns. I don’t think they mean any offense and I would try not to read to much into it. And fwiw, you’ll soon appreciate looking younger. My entire life I’ve been mistaken for being younger and not in the “oh you have great, wrinkle-free skin way” but more because of having freckles and just having a round, juvenile looking face, which is not particularly an asset as a lawyer. I was regularly mistaken for a decade younger (seriously, when I was 26 and a practicing lawyer, I was asked to show ID to prove I could sit in an exit row of an airplane…for which you have to be FIFTEEN). I absolutely haaated it. Everyone told me I would appreciate it soon, and I rolled my eyes at them. And then I turned 30 and now I love it when I get mistaken for much younger.

    • babyface

      I look very young, too. Three years ago as a law student, I was mistaken for an undergrad and even a high schooler. This summer I was not only the only one carded at a wedding in which I was a bridesmaid but I was also carded to get into a Rated-R movie! I’m 29. I graduated law school at 25, but graduated early and worked full-time for two years before law school, so wasn’t unfamiliar with working in the adult world.

      I don’t mind looking young and as a lawyer, have learned to enjoy it when old men underestimate me in court and I mop the floor with them. :) I think acting young, however, is a different story. And it sounds like you aren’t acting young, just look young.

      All this being said, I think there are some different things at play in your story. Workplaces just have a way of treating newcomers as “kids,” even when they are older or second-career adults. Schools, even grad programs, also have a way of treating all students as “kids,” too. I think this happens even when you look your age. When you get comments about using a phone, laugh it off as a bad joke, because that’s all it is. Show you are competent in your work and behavior and you’ll do fine. As for other students commenting on your clothes, I also think there’s a funny thing that happens when adults go back to school – they want to be casual and carefree. (In my law school and in many friends’ b-school experiences, the atmosphere even becomes like high school 2.0.) You do you. If you only wore ‘professional’ attire because you were afraid you looked young and actually prefer wearing sweaters and jeans, then do what’s comfortable. If you hate wearing casual clothes and prefer business attire, then do that. My rule in law school was to just not wear something I’d be embarrassed to talk to a professor in one-on-one, which was also comfortable for A/C lecture rooms and studying all day (so, sweaters and jeans but not sweatpants.) You do you!

      PS- as we all know from the comments here, there are plenty of people — of all ages, many years in their career — that still don’t know how to dress for clients or not to take long personal calls, so maybe they just try to say it to everyone in hopes of nipping it in the bud across the board.

    • Anon

      This is definitely me as well. I am in my mid-thirties and even with the engagement / wedding ring and in a full suit I have been carded (while on a work business trip).

      I try to use it to my advantage. People think I’m very young and have lowered expectations as a result. It makes it easier to really impress them and once you get known for doing excellent work I find no one cares that without makeup I look 17.

    • Anon

      This is the worst! (I was once mistaken for a high school student when I was 28.) I work my age / how much people suck when they mistake my age into LOTS of conversations. I barely remember the Reagan years (I remember quite clearly Clinton’s election) but man do I bring up “in elementary school, under Reagan…” ALL. THE. TIME. And “watching the first Iraq War on television as a kid profoundly influenced my views on …”

      If someone tries to lump you in with the current crop of Millennials (of which I am technically one) I would smile wanly, point out your too old for that sh!t and if they look at you just say — Morgan Freeman? Or is that before your time. (And if you really don’t want to hear about Millennial nonsense again in an academic setting, point out that they’re stereotyping an entire generation based on the behaviors of a few white, upper middle class, coastal, overscheduled children and you hope they don’t apply those stereotypes to all their students of the same cohort. Any decent academic will die of embarrassment or whither away before your eyes.)

  10. returning things

    Like the poster above, I buy a lot of things and return most of them from stores like Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack. This is kind of how I decide what I REALLY want. I assess the month’s purchases at home, remind myself what I actually want to spend this month, and return whatever is out of budget and doesn’t make me want to wear it tomorrow.

    I always return them well within the store’s requirements, I never wear them or anything. Still, I worry that I’m on some kind of list for doing this often. This is pretty common, right? And stores expect it?

  11. Ekaterin Nile

    I have to share this news–DH and I paid off our mortgage on Monday!!! We truly own our house and are debt free!!!

    That’s all.

    • Disenchanted

      Congratulations!! you should be so proud. What’s your next financial goal now that you’re freed up all that money?

    • Anonymous

      That is awesome! I hope you are able to treat yourself to something fun with all the money you’ll be saving!

  12. getaway recs

    any suggestions for a solo 1-2 night getaway within a reasonable drive from silicon valley? I’ll have a day or two to myself with a car and am looking for a spa/wellness type place. Thanks in advance!

    • Anonymous

      Meritage in Napa. There are probably also some good places in Carmel but I haven’t been to any.

    • Anonymous BigLaw Associate

      I used to live in the Bay Area. I was always underwhelmed with drive-able getaway options (but in full disclosure I also hated living in the Bay Area). Although not drive-able, Palm Springs may be a good option. Flights are really cheap and the hotels/spas are less expensive than in Tahoe, etc. Plus the desert is beautiful and it is getting to be cooler this time of year.

      • Anonymous

        What!?! The Bay Area has all of the following within a three-four hour drive (some are much closer): Napa and Sonoma wine country, Marin County and Point Reyes National Seashore, Half Moon Bay, Carmel/Monterey, Yosemite National Park, Lake Tahoe, Big Sur, Pinnacles National Park…I’d be hard-pressed to think of a major US city that has more driveable getaway options.

        • Anonymous BigLaw Associate

          Note that I hated living in the Bay Area, and I recognize that a lot of people actually like living there. So I am likely going to differ in opinion with what I consider a good weekend getaway with someone who likes living there as well. Nothing wrong with difference in opinion, at least in my book.

          • Curiosity

            Can I ask why you hated it? Don’t live there and don’t have plans to move — just genuinely curious.

          • Anonymous BigLaw Associate

            Replying to Curiousity: It was a lot of small things all combined together. It is very fast-paced/not laid back, inconvenient to get around, cold, dirty/gritty and hard to find a decent place to live-even the “nice” neighborhoods aren’t really that nice (specifically SF, wouldn’t say the same about the peninsula/East Bay), and the culture didn’t jive with my personality. And in addition to all those complaints, the cost of living was really high.

          • @Curiosity

            I’m not Anon BigLaw Associate but I’m also not a big fan of Bay Area life. I lived there (Peninsula/South Bay) for 5 years but recently left. I do miss some things about it, and there are a lot of great things about living there, but after 5 years I was exhausted and couldn’t wait to get out. Living there is stressful and really wears on you. The crazy cost of living is well known, but I found it soul-sucking after a while. My husband and I made $300K combined while we were there and yet buying property (even a townhouse or condo) would have been years down the road for us. The rent on our 1 bedroom apartment was almost $4K. Most people in the US pay significantly less than that for a mortgage for a single family home. Traffic is horrible and getting noticeably worse all the time. There is no public transportation to speak of, and commuting more than 5 miles is awful. My commute was only 3 miles, and so it wasn’t a huge amount of time (20-25 minutes normally) but sitting in traffic not moving really stressed me. I would much rather have a 20 mile/25 minute commute than a 3 mile/25 minute commute. People define other people by what they do and there is a lot of social climbing related to jobs and tech. If you are not in a startup, working with startups or obsessed with startup culture you will find it hard to talk to a lot of people. I found that people were far braggier about wealth and status than I expected. Not in a “look at my $1,000 handbag way” but in a tech culture heirarchy way where startup founders who have made big money are the cool kids. If you are not particularly interested in technology and tech culture or you view your job as just a way to pay your bills and not your life’s meaning you will find it hard to fit in. I have heard dating as a heterosexual woman is awful but have no personal experience. The HBO show Silicon Valley is pretty spot-on about the culture. If you don’t think it would be fun to live in that show, it’s probably not the right place for you.

            Some good things: the fine dining (if you can afford to eat there), both in SF and Napa, is unparalleled anywhere in the US except maybe NYC, the weather is good in the peninsula and south bay (SF is always cold and foggy), there is excellent cheap Asian and Mexican food (and In-N-Out), there is a lot of fun stuff to do within driving distance, and there is easy access to three major airports so you can fly a lot of places directly on many airlines.

          • South Bay

            I live in South Bay and can relate to some of this. Curious where you moved to. I keep wondering if there’s another place with great weather and job opportunities but cheaper cost of living. Even Seattle is getting ridiculous – that gap in COL is shrinking day by day.

          • @South Bay

            We moved to the Midwest (not a major city) for my husband’s job. It was the right decision for us (we both grew up in Midwestern college towns so we’re familiar with this life and we wanted to be closer to family before having a baby) but most bay area residents would probably hate it here. The winters are very bad, for one thing. If you’re looking for places with good weather and cheaper COL and still a lot of jobs in tech, I’d think about Austin, TX or Raleigh, NC. I have friends from the South Bay who have moved to both and been happy. Also not sure how much tech there is there, but I’ve always thought Portland, OR would be a lovely place to live.

      • Anonymous

        If you do go to the Palm Springs area, I enjoyed a solo weekend I spent at The Spring in Dessert Hot Springs last winter.

    • Jen

      Monterey/Big Sur! Gorgeous drive down, good hiking where there are people (I have done them solo and never felt afraid, but also wasn’t mobbed with people). The little diner on the pier in Monterey has a delicious breakfast.

    • Sunflower

      I went to the Farmhouse Inn in Sonoma by myself for a couple of days and it was great. The spa is excellent and I enjoyed a wine-tasting class the sommelier presented during one of the mornings I was there. The restaurant is wonderful and I wasn’t uncomfortable at all dining by myself. I really felt restored by the time I left.

    • MJ

      Solage in Calistoga. Hot springs in Calistoga. Mendocino. So many options.

      I would check out weekendsherpa if you’re not familar with that website. It has so many good ideas. Also Sunset Magazine too!

      Even the Spa at Cavallo Point in Sausalito is amazing.

      • getaway recs

        Thanks everyone! I’m flying in from out of state, so probably won’t take another flight, but I’ve had friends really enjoy Palm Springs. I’ll check out the drivable options.

    • Carmel rec

      Depending on your budget, Bernardus is Carmel Valley is lovely, and has a nice spa. Just go into Carmel proper for dinner…

  13. sale stalking...

    I have a somewhat pricey item I want to buy a family member for Xmas, but I’m sure it will go on sale at some point, somewhere online before the holidays. It is clothing, a well known brand, and sold at many places.

    What website/search engine can I use to keep searching for this item for me and will let me know when it goes on sale?

    Thanks! Sorry for re-post…

    • Runner 5

      I use ‘shoppingnotes’ but for that you would have to put in a link to it at each individual place you would consider buying it. I’m sure there are better options for this task.

      • sale stalking...

        Thanks – I’ll check this out.

        Maybe I’m misremembering…. but I thought I read on this site a few years ago about a way of putting some sort of alert on an item and you didn’t need to link to every site. It searched the whole internet for you on a regular basis. But I never tried it, so maybe I’m wrong…

        • Aurora

          Hukkster was mentioned a few years ago on here, but they went out of business. Should also recommended Shopittome, shopping notes, and ShipMents, but I haven’t tried them. Not posting a link to avoid moderation, but they’re under the “tools of the trade” tag if you want to check the archives.

    • KateMiddletown

      I’m doing this for a grill for my S/O (as well as a PS4, in his dreams.) I’m just googling it every so often right now, knowing that Black Friday is probably my best bet.

  14. SF in House

    Does anyone have a white chili recipe (chicken) that they love? I had one, but can’t find it.

  15. Shanghai

    My husband has a great career opportunity which involves a move to Shanghai (we are American). We are in our mid/late 20s and would love to live abroad. Our main concern is my career (corporate finance). Does anyone have any experience moving abroad with a spouse and finding a job? Also would appreciate any info on finding a job in China as an expat or life in Shanghai in general.

    • anon

      Quite a few of my friends and acquaintances have moved to Shanghai (as well as some other cities in China) for work and adventure. Without exception, every single one has either moved away or is desperately trying to get out because of the air quality. (Some within a few months, others after several years). It’s one of those things that’s hard to understand how much it impacts your life until you’ve experienced it long-term. At least half of these folks would have gladly stayed otherwise – it’s a fun city. I think it could be great for you if: you don’t have kids, you don’t have asthma or other chronic health problems, and you’re only planning to stay 1-2 years before moving on.

    • Catherine

      I can tell you a bit about life as a trailing spouse in Tokyo, where I live. Haven’t done this myself but I know a number of people here who came for their partners’ jobs. It’s hard to find work if that’s your situation, because employers assume you’ll be leaving in a few years. The situation in China may be different of course.

      Being a trailing spouse is a great time to work on another degree or qualification and gain language skills.

  16. Lavender

    Anyone know if you can return Jcrew Factory (online) purchase to the regular Jcrew store? I’m thinking no but just want to double check in the hopes of saving myself some work.

  17. Me-Too

    Need a reality check from the hive, please. Is this no big deal or should I be bothered?

    I put an enormous effort into opposing a huge sanctions motion, which the partner is aware of. I’m a mid/senior level associate, so this means that the partner didn’t have to do any work on the brief, except that he did look it over before I filed it and added 1-2 sentences. The partner was in charge of the oral argument. The day before the hearing, I was on the phone with the client on another matter and the partner came in with the tentative ruling. This is a savvy client; not a layperson. I put the client on speakerphone and the partner announced that we received the tentative and that it was in our favor. The client then said, “Great job, Partner!” Partner did not mention anything about the fact that I wrote the brief or even that I had any involvement, even though savvy client clearly knows me and I was sitting right there. The next day, Partner attended the hearing and the judge adopted the tentative. Partner came back to the office and wrote status emails to savvy client, our other layperson clients on that matter, and to our co-counsel on a related matter. In each of these emails, Partner wrote, essentially “I [partner] went to the hearing this morning and the judge ruled in our favor.” Each email recipient wrote back essentially congratulations, Partner. Partner never acknowledged my contribution to me either (i.e. no “good job”). He was obviously happy with the outcome though.

    Is this completely normal? At my previous firm, the partner would have shared the credit and acknowledged to the clients, “Associate did a great job on the brief” or something to that effect. This is not the first time this has happened and I think it makes things difficult when I have to work with the clients (the laypersons) because they have no idea what I do, so when I need to get things from them for discovery and whatnot they obviously don’t trust me (as in, they seem to think I’m a paralegal or secretary) and tell me they need to talk to Partner.

    If it isn’t normal, should I say or do something, considering that this seems to be a pattern (i.e. this is not the first time this has happened)? And if so, what?

    • Anonymous

      Yeah this is completely normal and it’s part of why working in law firms sucks so much.

    • Anonymous BigLaw Associate

      It doesn’t have to be this way, but it is like this at many firms. I was at my Firm #1 for several years, and the above behavior would not have been considered acceptable. However, at my Firm #2, this is what happened all the time. I didn’t see how I could possibly build my own practice in that environment. One of the many reasons I went back to Firm #1.

  18. anon

    It’s the partner’s client, the partner’s relationship, and the partner’s case. It’s too bad that he doesn’t say thank you to you, but I think your expectations are off.

      • Another Anon

        Although this is how law firms often work, I’m not sure that Don Draper models the best managerial behavior.

        I actually do think we should expect people to be kind to each other at work, which includes saying, “Thank you” or “Good job” sometimes. It doesn’t always work that way, which I understand, but nothing wrong with thinking it’s crappy.

    • Me-Too

      Yeah, thanks. It’s not so much of an expectation– I’m just trying to make sure I’m not being a pushover by not saying/doing anything (though I have no idea what I would say).

      • anon

        I don’t think you’re being a pushover by not saying anything. I think you would be a pushover if another associate was claiming the credit and you didn’t saying. But not a partner.

  19. Rose

    Any recommendations on starting a meditation practice? I’ve been using the Meditation Oasis podcast and app.

    • Amy

      The Insight Timer app has tons of guided meditations and great audio/bell sounds, and also has forums where you can talk to others about practice (some forums better than others). Another great resource is Audio Dharma from Insight Meditation Center. And if you can find a group to check out in person, a lot of people like that, too.

Back to Top

About

Work with Corporette®

Serious Stuff

work fashion blog press mentions