ByKat Hours Updated
Comments 177 Comments

Weekend Open Thread

Oooh: this boot has THREE things I generally love. First, a pointy toe — it goes so far towards making every outfit look polished and sleek. Second, I love a good comfortable boot, and Cole Haan's Grand 360 technology is excellent for responsive cushioning and breathability (I also think of the Grand line as being crazy lightweight, if that matters to you).

Finally, I love a good sale. The pictured boots were $200, but are now marked to $104.92, with lots of sizes left between 5.5 and 10.

(Nordstrom in general is having crazy deals right now — online clearance prices are marked to reflect an extra 25% off. Woot!)

These boots are similar to the ones pictured, but are waterproof and also 55% off.

Sales of note for 12.5

Sales of note for 12.5

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

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

177 Comments

  1. Is anyone doing anything to celebrate inauguration next week? I want to but not sure how. Maybe pop some bubbly on the 20th? I cannot put into words how much I am looking forward to the current administration.

    1. We’ll probably bake something special. It’s tempting to visit family, but we’re in California and it’s a no-go. Our disease burden is staggering and vaccine distribution isn’t going smoothly so we’re going to stay the course and celebrate at home.

      I won’t breathe easy until Trump is out of the White House. I don’t think we’ve seen the last of his disruptive attempts to impede the functioning of our democracy – and we DEFINITELY haven’t seen the last of the pardons he’ll bestow to his cronies and probably himself.

    2. Holding my breath, praying, and popping prosecco once he’s inaugurated.

      2. Yeah, I’m with you. I woke up on the 6th so happy about the Georgia election. I breezed into work and made a “special” coffee as a treat.

        1. Ha. I was on a call with some DC insiders at 1:00 that day. The mood went from celebration to panic very quickly.

    5. I was planning to put my Biden signs back out on the lawn, and add a standee of Joe and Kamala plus patriotic balloons. Now I’m afraid some of my neighbors would throw rocks at the house, so I’m keeping it to just flying an American flag (something I would urge everyone to do), and having a lunch of junk food I usually reserve for treats.

    6. Good call on buying bubbly, I should have a fresh bottle of prosecco ready to go! I think we’ll have a nice steak dinner that night.

    7. I took Wednesday off from work many months ago, as I had thought I would be going to the inauguration. I’m really upset that I won’t get to see the first female Vice President inaugurated in person, but I’m trying to make do. I kept my day off and plan to watch it at home. I had a new sofa delivered this week so I will be sipping a cocktail on my new sofa while watching this historic event with my cats.

      1. I am also taking the day off. I’m not in dc but I knew I would just be trying to breathe all day.

    8. I think those of us who haven’t put out American flags for a while (due to not wanting to endorse the former regime) should get them out and decorate our neighborhoods.

      Kind of a take-back-the-night signal…

    9. We are flipping our programmable Christmas lights from a random icicle pattern to red, white & blue. I’m taking the day off work and will be pretty much glued to the TV through most of the day. Then, we’re doing a Zoom Canadian whiskey tasting with a friend’s pub that night.

    10. Good question! I think I will make a special dinner, similar to what I do on New Years Eve. We are in CA and everything is completely closed so no going out. Interested to see what others say!

    2. Definitely good to be aware of the possibility, but “All were treated with steroids and antihistamines and all of their reactions resolved.”

      At least it sounds like they didn’t have to have the fillers dissolved, lol.

    3. I presume this side effect was discovered after Ivanka volunteered to take the vaccine to inspire us all, especially “Women Who Work” just like her, to follow suit.

    4. Please stop. Don’t vaccine scare. I’m sure there’s enough people here who are TTC who may forego the vaccine now because “but it’s my only chance to have a babbbyyyyy.”

      1. Obviously, people should listen to their own healthcare providers, but at almost 28 weeks pregnant, my OB told me this week that I should get the vaccine as soon as one is available to me. I can’t imagine it would not be the same for people who are TTC.

        1. I asked my GYN this question (TTC in the next year or so hopefully) and she also said there was no reason not to get it when it was available to me.

      2. Mama Doctor Jones just posted a video today debunking the myth that COVID vaccines cause infertility. One tidbit of info that stood out to me was that while women in the clinical trials were asked to use reliable birth control, some of them did end up with surprise pregnancies – that’s a pretty promising sign that the vaccine doesn’t make women infertile.

    5. I was talking about this with the NP that was doing my Botox. She had some patients that were worried and skeptical about the vaccine. Her good point was anyone who is willing to have a toxin injected into their face is being hypocritical if they are worried about the vaccine.

        1. Sorry saw you were getting it out, just sounded like lumping people who get it into some antivax crowd – ignore my comment!

  3. What are some of your favorite blogs and newsletters? Any topic! Just looking to add some new things and want to keep an open mind.

    2. Anne Helen Peterson, Aminatou Sou, men yell things at me, lots of feminist culture and politics substacks.

      1. Would love more recommendations for feminist culture and politics! I like Anne Helen Peterson.

    3. The newsletter for the NYTimes Cooking site is great. It’s a quick read, and while a Cooking subscription ($40/year) is required to link to the recipes (well worth it IMO), the newsletter always includes links to songs, books, TV series, and articles at other sites.

    4. My main favorite reads besides the comment section here are interior design/decorating blogs. Here are my favorites:

      Style by Emily Henderson – She’s moving to Portland and has a new old farmhouse project that she shared yesterday that I am super excited to follow. She has younger staff who also write for the blog so it posts daily, but Emily’s stuff is by far my favorite (although her fashion posts are not for me. :))

      Orlando Soria – he posts less often, but is one of my favorites. Moved from LA to a mountain house in Yosemite that he’s re-doing and I love that project too. He’s very thoughtful and still humble and very funny.

      Manhatten Nest/Daniel Kanter – also posts less often, but amazing. Literally does it all himself and it’s so interesting, and he’s hilarious.

      I also really like Carmeon Hamilton and Shavonda Gardner, but mostly follow them on instagram stories.

      1. Thank you! as a bay area person who loves Yosemite and is thinking of moving to Portland these are great!

    5. Matt Levine writes the best newsletter ever, Money Stuff (see NYT article about his cult following). I used to also get Dan Primack’s email but don’t like it as much as I used to so stopped. These definitely have a business bent.

    8. Two blogs about adventures in dating: hot mess in high heels and swipes and dating tales (that is all one word) at WordPress dot com. Neither post often but you could start with the archives for lots of fun reading!

  4. I would love to have another thread on k-beauty (or asian beauty) thread. I know at least a handful of you guys know a lot about this.

    I so far have the cosrx BHA liquid and the nourishing rice overnight spa mask, and I recently bought the Banila Clean It Zero cleansing balm, but haven’t used it yet. I’ve used the Laneige lip mask for years and it’s great.

    What else should I be looking at? I have sensitive skin, sebaceous filaments, mild rosacea.

    I love Tatcha (mostly from trying samples) but I don’t think its really asian beauty and it’s SO expensive.

    1. I love the Etude House Soonjung line, have similar skin to yours. It is super soothing and nourishing. I think the CosRx 96% Snail Mucin Essence will always be in my cabinet, just love it and easily layers with everything.

      1. Thanks! What sunscreen do you use? I’m even more confused now after the whole Purito thing. Also, how do you layer it and in which order?

        1. I layer toner, essence, serum, moisturizer, sunscreen (am) or sleeping mask (pm).

          I don’t have a favorite sunscreen right now, am using a Missha and Vella, but they are fine and not anything special. I like La Roche Posey for sunscreen, and am curious about some Neutorgena ones. Am leaning towards EltaMD as well.

          I think any sunscreen is better than nothing.

    2. I don’t have sensitive skin so YMMV but I like the Laneige Cream Skin toner& moisturizer bottle. It’s super hydrating. I pat it on top of my AHA or Vitamin C depending on the day and I’m usually good to go.

    3. Hada Labo cleansing oil is my HG for both solo use and double cleansing.

      CosRx 96 Snail Mucin is also an HG product; I buy en masse when YesStyle has a sale.

      Not k-care, but you mentioned rosacea. I am prone to cherry angiomas (tiny ones, like dusted red freckles) and I’ve just started on tranexamic acid serum. It’s marketed towards hyperpigmentation, but is also said to work on blood vessels.

      1. I love that cleansing oil. That was my baby step into k beauty. I will probably go back to it in the summer but I’m really enjoying a cleansing balm right now. I’m making my way through the drunk elephant and going to use my new Banila balm next.

    4. I also like CosRX BHA and rice sleeping mask as well as Laneige lip mask :) I am in my early thirties, have an oily dehydrated skin and I am using k-beauty skincare almost exclusively since five-six years. I never bought a product I was dissatisfied with – as in, disliked it so much not to enjoy using it/did not finish. For rosacea you may try Pyunkang Yul. I liked their moisturizer and toner/essence, yet wasn’t a fan of the moisture serum (too sticky). My favourites that I’ve been constantly repurchasing are Tony Moly Banana Sleeping Mask, CosRX Birch Sap Lotion, calendula soothing cream, niacynamide serum and snail moisturizer, Missha sunscreen, Skinfood cleansing oil, Krave cleanser.

      1. I have the Tony Moly I’m Rose sleeping mask (it was in a gift set and was a gift) and I tried it once. It felt kinda like putting the Laneige lip mask all over my face – a bit sticky. Which Missha sunscreen do you like? I tried layering my Dr Jart + Premium BB over my Elta UV Clear sunscreen today and …. I’m a pilly mess.

    5. You should get the Soko Glam owner’s book. It really explains K beauty and her life as well. I’ve reread it several times. I love the Banila Balm and use Neogen foaming cleaners for my double cleanse. I love The Face Shop or Son and Park beauty water for toners. I use Royal Honey eye cream; Skin Foods strawberry exfoliator and I love the Neogen exfoliating pads but they are pricey. I have mostly Missha essences (first treatment liquid and mist); Mizom Snail repair; Etude House collagen Emulsion (winter day time moisturizer) and their sleeping pack too. I love their sleeping pack. I have the Neogen powder Vitamin C and Neogen serum spray. And the Neogen truffle stick I use around my eyes and checks if dry. I don’t use them all every day but mix and match on what my skin needs. I also use Son and Park Beauty Gel for summer moisturizer. And the-heal face masks have been a game changer. I use Missah sunscreen normally but am using A’pieu now and like it ok. And I have discovered the cushion foundation and hoard it.

      1. I will do that (get the book). I tried a couple of cushion foundations (Amore Pacific and Laneige) and didn’t like them. Amore was too strongly scented. Laneige didn’t wear well on me. But I love the idea of them. Which do you like!

  5. I’d like to explore hiring a cleaning service for the first time. I’m in Midtown East, Manhattan. Any suggestions for me on where to look, and any ideas on what I should expect to pay for a large one bedroom?

    1. I use the Si Se Puede/We Can Do It co-op (website is wecandoit dot coop). They send out a person and then you work with the person directly after the first service. I’m on my 3rd person with them and all have been amazing (the prior two moved away). They train their cleaners very well, and my cleaner has sometimes brought a new person with her who she was training. They are based in Sunset Park Brooklyn but will travel to anywhere in the city (a friend used someone from there on the UES). What I pay is exactly what’s in their listed prices — a friend whose place is always very messy (2 small kids) always gives their cleaner more.

      1. Oh and also, prepare for the first cleaning to take a really, really long time. They are very thorough and subsequent cleanings are much faster as long as you have someone come regularly. My (messy home) friend was horrified that the cleaner took like 12 hours the first time!

    2. I actually found my cleaning woman from a recommendation from the superintendent in my old building. He said several people in the building used her and all liked her. I moved across town (previously Murray Hill, now Columbus Circle area), and she still comes to me now in my new place. We have her come monthly. She charges $100 but I tip her and pay $120. I used to live in a large true 1 bedroom/convertible 2 bedroom. I live in a true 2 bedroom now, and she charges me the same.
      Happy to share her number if you’d like! (bxvcorporette@gmail.com)

      1. My cleaning lady is not coming as regularly b/c of COVID. Luz had it she told me so I gave her some more clotheing to wear. I recommend haveing an interview with your putative cleaning lady b/f letting in your house alone. Mine likes to take things for her family, and for the most part I don’t care b/c what she takes is stuff I don’t really like. I am missing a few earrings that I wonder if she took. How can I find out?

  6. Dear world,

    I am tired of looking like I need a What Not To Wear intervention. Can we get a reboot of that show? I feel that will need it when I finally get released into the wild again.

    Also, could my next convention please be in New Orleans once the world opens back up? I saw an article on float-houses replacing parades this year and my heart fluttered. Also, I am tired of cooking for myself and NOLA has good food.

    Also, will LIBOR really go away this year? I feel like there is too much going on already to have this on top of other things.

    1. That show was fun in theory but I always felt like they left the poor madeover woman with like, 5-6 outfits that required ironing or dry cleaning. I wonder if they did the show now if they’d include a specific “athleisure” category?? Not that I really want to see my leggings-clad rear in the special mirror… but that’s what tunics are for!

      1. I wasn’t a parent yet when I watched the show but I remember them coming up with an outfit to take your kid to the playground that was like, trouser jeans, cute flats, and a casual blazer. I made a mental note to dress like that when I became a mom… and subsequently realized why no moms at the playground actually dress like that.

        1. ha, I can picture that outfit perfectly. Yeah, that’s what people wore for casual Friday in Biglaw. Not for chasing a preschooler around a mulch pit.

      2. Interestingly, I re-watched some early WNTW recently and it doesn’t hold up at all. Like, AT ALL. Stacy and Clinton come barrelling in and say, basically, “Hi, we are here to substitute our judgment for yours about how you should dress and live your life, and we have no interest in your input” and all the person’s friends are there going, “Yeah, we think you’re a mess.” Stacy has said that times are different now and the concept of “rules” is kind of obsolete.

        But I feel you, OP. We all need a little help now and then. I think Queer Eye does a lot better job being collaborative with its subjects.

        1. I was remembering this too, SA. Like maybe not everyone wants that exact same look? And they could be so mean about the perfectly average bodies of the women on that show, eesh. (Not that a body needs to be average to be acceptable, but I remember feeling for a particular woman who ended up saying her butt was awful when it was just the most normal 30-yr-old butt in the world.)

        2. On the other hand, the friends function like the Roman chorus and see things for what they are and are Truth Speakers. They were right that large clothes can make you feel larger. And there was a woman (I loved her) who complained about there being too much fabric in some clothes (and wore clubwear 2 sizes too small everywhere). Sometimes, we need a gentle nudge and sometimes more of a shove.

          There is a woman I know in my city who does styling for fashion pictures (like our local City Glossy Magazine). I don’t know her well, but would feel terribly awkward saying “Please come stage an intervention because I am in a rut and will find a million things I “have” to do rather than get myself out of it.” but I totally should do this as this is her *business* and I don’t even wing it on oil changes or really anything that a pro can do for me. There is also a high school senior wanting to go to design school who was featured in the newspaper (the other woman is a single working mom and might sort of get my life a bit more).

          Ugh. My first conference back where my mean girl hated rivals will be at will make me care (and by then it will be too late).

        3. I met Clinton Kelly in a bar in Brooklyn about 13 years ago. I had had enough drinks to ask him if he liked my outfit and he couldn’t have been more gracious or complementary. He also had really kind words for another women who did the same thing. I genuinely got the impression he liked to make people feel good, rather than criticize like they did on the show.

          Anyway- I agree the “rules” aged really poorly. But guidelines are super helpful so I see the appeal of saying, for instance, dark denim works for your lifestyle and body and personal aesthetic. It’s really hard to create those rules for oneself but it does make shopping so much easier.

      3. I loved that show and it definitely changed how I dressed. The clothes I wore in response to that were a product of their times, so not things I wear now (plus, they wouldn’t fit anymore!) but I actually learned a lot and started getting compliments on how I dressed.

    2. Isn’t the new Queer Eye a bit like WNTW?

      I was supposed to be New Orleans for my sister’s 40th this October… wompwomp. I’ve never been, and really really want to go!

    3. I had to cancel my flight and hotel for a NOLA conference in late March 2020. I’m with you!

    4. Please post here before your trips to New Orleans, and meet me (and any other locals) for a drink!

      1. +1 – also agree that the house float are so beautiful. I think they’re going to end up doing a virtual tour of them, and I’m happy to share that here when it goes up.

    5. oh I have a convention that alternates NOLA/Chicago every other October in Normal times and I love NOLA SO MUCH for conventions. NOLA was supposed to be in 2020 so now we missed it until 22. that should happen. Right? RIGHT?!

      1. NOLA is my favorite conference location of all time. I have been to so many conferences at that Hilton that’s walkable to just about everything. One was cancelled this past summer, and it was the only business travel I was disappointed to miss out on all year.

    6. We had a webinar from one of our investment managers all about LIBOR replacement this week. It all went over my head, with everything else going on.

    7. I enjoy following Trinny London on Instagram. She’s the Trinny of Trinny & Susannah the British show WNTW was inspired by. She has a very distinctive colorful style that will seem quite over the top for most of us, but interspersed in her try on demos are tons of useful tips and good ideas. Pre COVID she would post individual and group shopping trip/makeovers for women of all ages and shapes that are full of ideas and very accepting of all body types. And most shopping is done at Zara and the like so not too expensive for most of us to emulate.

      If you’re interested she has a bunch of those shopping videos on her youtube channel and they are fun and informative, imo.

  7. Has anyone here worked online with a yoga teacher, similar to a personal trainer? I’ve been doing yoga on and off for years and I’m still very inflexible but familiar with the basics. I would like to start working more intentionally on developing my practice (I’ve just been using Down Dog app recently) and some guidance would be nice. My favorite ever yoga teacher retired years ago and I never found a local studio/teacher who appealed to me, so I’m not sure where to turn.

    1. my studio does one on ones, but I’m not sure how you’d find someone in Covid Times. Maybe some zoom classes to find someone you like.

      1. Oh yes, I’m definitely looking for zoom/online right now! I can’t imagine returning to a studio for a long, long time, perhaps not even this year.

        1. Same, and it makes me super sad because the space where I’m supposed to open my own studio will be ready soon, but the world will very much be not ready for a bunch of people to be in an enclosed room breathing together.

          For the OP, I think this is awesome that you want to do this! Do you know what type of yoga your favorite teacher taught? Vinyasa, yin, power yoga, Ashtanga, etc? After you find a zoom/online class that you really enjoy, just send the teacher a message asking if they would do a private session via zoom. I am positive most yoga teachers would be thrilled to do this – I know I would.

      1. He was a guy in his 60s and very, very chill about the fact that I’m just not naturally very flexible, and just got that different bodies are different. He seemed very aware of what everyone in the class was doing and suggested modifications that were very helpful to those struggling with one thing or another, and also modifications to challenge and push those who could do more — so his class was neither “beginner” nor “intermediate” because most of us are at different “levels” in different areas (e.g. I can’t touch my toes but have superb balance). This all might seem minor or obvious but I’ve gone to so many classes where the 22 year old instructor saw my skinny-a$$ self and kept trying to adjust me way too deep into poses in ways that I just could not do, causing me to fell terrible about myself and avoid yoga for months and thus never improve. His classes are the only ones where I never felt judged (except mid-2000s Yoga to the People on St Marks, which had the same vibe for a while).

        At the same time, his classes were *hard*. Nothing was beyond what I was capable of, but I worked hard the whole time. Other teachers seem to make things hard by going through flows super fast or by adding really hard poses that I can’t manage at all yet (like most binds), but he knew how to design a sequence that was the right balance of challenging but impossible. And he just had a really chill demeanor! His yoga class was definitely not a fashion show or a prelude to brunch, it was for people who are serious about the practice regardless of level.

        So yeah, someone like that. Thanks for reading :)

        1. Man, I suspected this. And it is probably why I’ve never even tried yoga but bought a pilates VCR tape (my parents have one, was visiting) for a well-worth-it dollar at a thrift store.

          There is a yoga place in my town that is probably excellent but is very popular with the SAHM private school country club need to be size 00 crowd, so probably not for me (my thumb is a 00). I hate to be Debbie Downer, but a little truth in labeling for yoga studios would be welcome b/c there are so many.

          1. What’s funny is that I’m actually a 00… which doesn’t mean I can touch my toes! I would say that the majority of women in yoga classes who were much more flexible and stronger than me were larger than me — the two things have no correlation whatsoever… don’t assume that someone’s fit or not fit based on their size! I really don’t want you to avoid yoga for this reason!

            Once it’s safe to go back to studios, I highly recommend reading online reviews for studios, and I hope you find a place where you will be comfortable (and me too!). There may also be different class times and teachers that have different vibes — my favorite class was Saturday at 8am, where I was the only person under 50.

        2. I took a class really similar to that from Fran (Francesca on the class schedule) at Yoga District in DC…really loved it although I haven’t tried the Zoom/pandemic version. I suspect she could suggest some similar instructors if she doesn’t do private/semi-private instruction!

        3. The yoga instructor at my gym who convinced me I actually like yoga was the 30-something version of this guy and I was so, so sad when he stopped teaching.

    4. If you’re looking for somebody, I would recommend Hunt Parr. His website is huntparryoga dot com. He’s definitely doing online lessons now so you don’t need to be in New York.

    5. I can recommend my yoga teacher, who I pay for personal Zoom classes. Her name is Sandi Boerum. She taught all over NYC for years, had a cult following, and then moved down to Florida to open a retreat. Casacalm dot com. I always was, and still am, the tightest girl in the class, and she understands that and we work on it, but we do other things too. Her classes are fun and she’s wonderful.

    6. My Aunt Tasha is a yoga instructor. At her age, she is still more flexible then I ever was. When I was dating my ex, he always complained that I could not get into certain positions so I consulted with Aunt Tasha. She told me that what Alan was asking for could only be done by a very small percentage of gymnasts, and I certainly could not expect to do those things. So do not listen to men that say you should be abel to do this or that b/c not all of us can do that stuff. Besides, men who want women who are as flexible as GUMBY generally can’t even walk a straight line, let alone put their legs behind the ears. Talk about a doubel standard! PTOOEY on men like this!

  8. Can you share your favorite beauty/makeup artists of color? I love love Lisa Eldridge’s youtube tutorials but would like to watch someone with south asian (think Frieda Pinto) coloring.

    3. Here are some great places to start, I live on makeup youtube: Jackie Aina, Amy Serrano, Alissa Ashley, MakeupShayla, Shrey Jain

  9. What’s a good store to shop for sports bras? I am looking for something that will support with structure vs. just squishing. I tried ordering the sports model from my regular bra brand, but the sizing was wacky and customer service said “yeah, it’s a problem”. I would normally just hit the mall and/or drive to a bunch of places to try on, but given COVID I would rather target one or two stores that are more likely to have a wide selection to try on. Any suggestions? I’m in NoVA, so plenty of large chain stores to choose from

    2. Depends on what size you are, but i’m a 30DD and do really well with the Lululemon sports bras that are in their normal numeric sizes but state in the product title they are “for c/d cups”. Since I figured out my size there, I always buy them for ~$40 in the sale section (non refundable). They also sell bras with band/cup sizes but I have not tried those.

    3. If it’s high-impact sports bras you need, I really like Under Armour. There’s one model (the Eclipse high-impact) that has molded cups (so no headlights), comes in actual bra sizes (and are true to size!), and zips in front. These are the ones I reach for again and again. Try large sports stores like Dick’s Sporting Goods or better yet, running stores like Road Runner Sports or Fleet Feet.

    4. I order bras almost exclusively online. I have an odd size not often carried (30G) and got frustrated with stores.

      I specifically wanted a regular bra style that clasps, because I was tired of wrestling a sports bra over my shoulders like a bird with a busted wing.

      The one place I order from, Bare Necessities, has a hotline for style suggestions. I called and explained what brands and styles fit me well, and they suggested the Panache Ultimate High Impact Underwire Sports Bra, which is now my favorite one.

  10. What kinds of sneakers are in right now? I don’t need the absolute cutting edge of fashion, but I honestly don’t even know what is aggressively out of style. Comfort and practicality are important to me in a Covid/post-Covid world, too. West coast city, early 30s, if it matters.

    3. New Balance has some sleeker city-style options that are okay for me, but not for days with TONS of walking.

      Related, comfort and practicality are a big deal to me right now, more so than ever. When I saw some of the pictures from the Capitol insurrection and noticed female lawmakers running wearing heels, it drove the point home for me more than ever that women’s fashion can negatively impact your ability to save your own life. It doesn’t feel too dramatic to say that in a time when terrorist attacks are happening in public spaces with more frequency.

      1. This is the hill i will die on – my building was evacuated once and the women in tall heels held us up when 12 floors of people were trying to get down the stairs quickly. Don’t let fashion/vanity/feeling cute get in the way.

        1. I just keep an old pair of sneakers and a pair of socks at the office. I also drive in in Rothys which would be fine for my feet in a pinch (only 10 floors; 40+ is a whole different ball game and IMO more leg muscle dependent for the last floors than footwear).

          1. Can we stop using dying to describe the defense of a fashion choice? I dimly recall my office set up…. I had a pair of old sneakers and socks for impromptu walks and also had a pair of roll up ballet flats for impromptu travel or site visits.

          2. I drive to work in flats and change into heels at work if I feel like it (rarely in the office these days). I try to remember to keep an old pair of flats in my car, but I really never drive in heels anymore. I’d never ask someone to wait for me because I was wearing heels. And while I have some that are pretty high, I can walk a couple blocks in any of them.

            FWIW, I’ve worn heels for plenty of fire drills, but I also work on the ground floor.

        2. Yeah, and not if public transport or major highways get disrupted and you’re in a city trying to get home. I’m old enough to remember 9-11 scenes of people walking for hours. I always keep a pair of sneakers in my desk at my downtown office as well as in the trunk of my car (said trunk also has an emergency shovel and blanket right now). “It’s called taking off your shoes” isn’t going to be a whole lot of help when you need to go more than a short distance or walk through snow or debris or what have you. It’s also not a far-fetched scenario. I was in a fire at one of my first jobs–it was electrical and took out the whole building. We stood there for hours because they didn’t want folks to leave until everyone was accounted for. It was really cold and I had on cheap shoes with no arch support. I would have killed for a pair of sneakers.

          1. Yeah, “take off your shoes” is extremely bad advice for women. Between debris, hazards, snow, ice, etc., it’s just completely not good. “Wear shoes you can run in if you have to” is good advice.

    4. Yeezy (not my taste though)
      shopbop has a good selection of sale sneakers right now, including Vejas.

    5. I have just worn through my third pair of New Balance 373s and am replacing them with Allbirds. I also have a pair of the ‘Winterized’ leather high-top Chuck Taylors with fluffy inners.

    6. I love Puma clydes- golden goose look without the ugly. I also like a Nike AirMax 90 if you are going sportier.

  11. Are there any bread bakers in the group who can help me? I’m making the No-Knead Bread Recipe from the NYT and for the next-to-last step (letting bread rest between two cotton towels for 2 hours) I’ve screwed up and have 4 hours before I want to cook it. Can I leave it between the towels or should I do something else with the unbaked bread? Was hoping to serve it fresh from the oven at 5:30; it’s been rising since 1P ET.

    2. I’d say your best bet is to cook it at the time called for in the recipe, but pull it a little early, before it has a chance to get brown. Then put it back in a warm oven about 10-15 minutes before you want to serve it.

      You could experiment with putting it in the fridge (or outside, if it’s cool) to slow down the rise, but I can’t tell you how long or how much to let it rise after pulling it out. But if you continue to let it rise for 2 extra hours, it will likely get over-proofed and possibly collapse, so I definitely wouldn’t recommend that.

      1. Yes, this is 100% right. You def need to bake it as soon as the dough is ready. But 2 hours will be an approximate time, and cooling it off will slow it down. And warm bread baked 2 hours ago will still taste incredible and fresh!

    3. You can leave it or you can let it go between the towels for 2 hours, then stick it in the fridge to slow down the rise. But really, honestly, either way will be fine.

    4. I’ve heard it’s best to let bread rest for 1-4 hours before serving because cutting it hot may make it gummy. (source: Baker Bettie – her youtube channel is great). Plus the crust changes a bit as it rests. If I were you, I would bake the bread on-schedule to give it some time before serving at 5:30.

      1. Agree with this, come to think of it. I have been disappointed with fresh-baked bread because cutting it does mess with the texture. Try baking it now and warming it up a few minutes before serving.

      2. My husband who is an amazing bread baker advised this strategy too – go ahead and bake on schedule because it will need time to cool. If you cut it while still hot, the moisture evaporates and you end up with dry bread. Okay if you’re going to immediately eat the whole thing, but not good if you’ll have any left over. Then toast or reheat in the oven to warm before serving. He also suggested sticking it in the fridge to slow down the rise but cautions that’s kind of an advanced level skill to know how to do. It sounds delicious by the way, enjoy!

        1. THIS EXPLAINS SO MUCH!
          I’ve always wondered why my homemade bread was stale after about 15 minutes, but I can never wait more than 45 seconds after it’s out of the oven to cut it…

          1. Yeah, this may be what you’re supposed to do, but hell no am I passing up an opportunity to eat warm from the oven bread.

          2. Agreed! My reply to him was that I’d just have to eat all of it immediately ;)

    5. That recipe is basically foolproof unless you’re like a super sticker for your bread a la Paul Hollywood. :) I’ve definitely left it longer at both proofing stages before by hours, and it still came out great!

  12. I’ve posted a similar question before, so feel free to collapse if it bothers you. I’ve decided I’m buying a Samsung Galaxy watch, and now I’m trying to decide between the Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Watch 3. I’ve read some comparisons online, and it seems like the Watch 3 doesn’t do much more than the original, and that its battery life is actually worse. The 3 is also more than twice the price of the original, and I love the rose gold color of the original. My only concern is that the original is a couple of years old and might be out of date at some point. Does anyone have thoughts on this?

    1. I don’t think a one time repeat is a big issue. It’s just when certain topics are addressed OVER and OVER again. I recall the group forcing off the intermittent fasting dieters who were super repetitive. I’ve also seen some folks attempting to get the TTC folks to go join a Reddit group or something, since this board is inundated with those threads (even though they are probably triggering for a lot of folks).

  13. I read a WSJ article about Coty that mentioned a woman who had several thousand dollars worth of Kylie cosmetics. Like what do you do with that much makeup? It just goes bad, right? You can’t stockpile it and once you open it, some things have a life of mere months. But seriously, it was like north of 5K worth of crappy makeup.

    [Note to self: consider selling crappy makeup made by third parties that you slap your name on. Consider changing name to “Mylie” or something more catchy.]

    1. I just treated myself to a ‘splurge’ order from NYX, so like, all the grains of salt, but I imagine you don’t use all of it, but you do use each thing? If pallets are $100, you only (“only”) need 10 to hit $1000! If you want to do this look and that look, and try out this product and that… I could see how you get there without anything languishing unopened.

      1. Can you not blend more colors? And isn’t the point of a pallet to have similar things that go together and all work for the buyer? Do you need peacock blue from here and robin’s egg from there and jade from elsewhere . . . especially recently? Is the person a clown? Is there a reason Wet & Wild wouldn’t work?

        [Seriously, I thought blending colors would solve a lot of this. Yes? No? My skin is so oily it can eat through any major color quickly unless formulated for synchronized swimmers (not a good daytime non-pool look for a person with an office job).]

    3. Not in defense of Kylie, but I buy almost all of my makeup from Bobbi Brown and I can tell you there is a vast difference in quality for almost everything I use over my old drugstore brands. The only place where my drugstore brands performed better was with a Maybelline BB cream and a Soap and Glory powder. It’s expensive but I don’t buy more than once a year because the palettes are not very trendy.

      1. IIRC the Kardashians are suing the makeup company for using basic formulas on their stuff. So it isn’t just me saying it.

    5. I assume makeup is either a hobby or part or full time job for her. I would guess several people (here, too) spend that amount of money on gyms or other sports hobbies in a year or two?

      If you really enjoy playing with looks, and keep buying new things for inspiration, it can pile up. Sure, it goes bad, but not all makeup go bad at the same speed.

      She could also be a beauty influencer (or wannabe) and have enough followers to get freebies to review, but probably not if it’s all fangirl style from the same brand.

  14. I have avoided doing a home haircut thus far. My fine curly hair is complicated, and it took me years to find a good stylist. But it’s been 16 months since my last cut and I’m dying, y’all. It’s so heavy that I can’t clip it up without headaches. I think the front is thinning from the tension of the weight. It might be time to YOLO and poodle it up.

    Am I dumb to consider this? Cases are out of control here, and my hair takes a couple of hours to cut. I don’t even think curly-centric salons are open here. I know it won’t look great, but at this point I think it’s a matter of avoiding discomfort.

    Any other curly heads do their own cuts since quarantine? How’d they get?

    1. Curly head here. My childhood self beseeches you not to do this.

      Signed,
      “Bushwoman”

    2. I don’t have curls and I’m too chicken to cut my hair so no direct experience, but do you think the unicorn / front ponytail method would work with your curls and texture? I’ve seen pictures (of real life people, not you tube or influencers) with long loose-ish curls who did this and it turned out as long layers, I thought it looked really great!

      1. seconded! (depending on length of hair, works best for longer). You can also just cut off a teeny bit at first and see if it’s a disaster or success.

    3. My fine hair has quite a bit of natural curl but I wouldn’t consider it curly. With that said my last professional haircut was about a year ago. I have trimmed my own hair about every six weeks. I watched a bunch of youtube videos and gave it a try. My thought was, well it can’t get too much worse and it will grow… The first few home cuts weren’t great (fortunately I was able to just put it up) but I have pretty much gotten the hang of it. I would still prefer going to the salon and will do so when I feel it is safe. The question is, are you ok with it not being great the first few cuts?

    4. Last professional cut was February. My husband did mine in July. It went…OK. I bought professional scissors, which helped a ton and I kept having him wet it and comb it straight as he cut since it starts to spring up as it dries. The good thing is that any uneven areas are pretty well disguised with my curls (looks kind of crummy when I straighten). I didn’t have him mess with following the layers. Not going to lie–I wear it up in a big pony a lot right now. Some days I’ll do a part and things seem to fall in place–but that’s luck. But it’s a ton easier to wash and the drying time is less now that it has been cut. I also am using more product. I discovered if I spray a ton of 10 min miracle leave in and scrunch that the curls are pretty defined. Still looking forward to getting to a salon when it’s safer to do so. My husband is getting hair cuts. But, like you, my visits are a whole lot longer, so I’ll wait it out.

    5. I’ve cut my own thick, curly hair for a few years. I would start by following some curly stylist Instagram blogs to get a sense of shaping – I love “atoya- thecurlyhairstudio” or “desert curls.” You can also watch YouTubes. Get an idea of the shape you are looking for and try it!!!

    6. I have fine curly hair and lots of it and while my stylist was good with it, it only looked slightly ‘better’ after a cut— lol colleagues and family say I have nice spiral curls regardless of how it’s cut, but ages ago, I had one great cut by a stylist that left the salon suddenly, and sadly I could not find her again. I last had my hair cut over one year ago, and though salons are open I’ve decided to wait. I have been cutting or slightly trimming my hair once every three or four weeks. I cut it when it is just washed and almost completely dry, but still a bit damp. I carefully trim about half an inch or less per curl one side at a time. It doesn’t look bad, but it is not a super high level cut either. I just go curl by curl taking a bit off the bottom. I cut it in 10 minute intervals, and over a week so I don’t take off too much at once. I watched a variety of curl tutorials here and there.

    7. I would be scared, but check out Manes by Mell on youtube. She’s got 2 tutorials on it!

  15. Highly specific question… Does anybody here do body pump classes at home, and if so, have you found a good cheaper substitute for the weights than the Les Mills branded weight set (which is quite pricey)? I browsed around a bit on amazon to try to mix and match (1″ bar plus some 5, 10, 2.5 lbs. weights and clips), but it’s hard to get a sense of quality and feel. Just thought I’d ask if anybody on here has hacked this!

    1. In March I panic-bought the BodySport Pump Set, aka the BodySport Rubber Encased Steel Weight Bar Set. The quality is good and the price is decent. I believe it’s manufactured for use in actual gyms, so it should hold up well over time. Some searching might be required to find it in stock, though.

      1. I have the same set and it’s fine. I bought some extra plates from another source and just noticed that you can also buy extra body sport ones. https://www.bodysportproducts.com/collections/all/products/body-sport-rubber-encased-steel-weight-bar-set?variant=28368626386

        I also bought a step that wasn’t a great fit – not long enough to lie on and not many risers. Obviously it’s fine to just lie on a mat for most things, but if the step is important to you then check the dimensions.

    2. I do body pump at home, but I just use a set of handweights (2, 5, and 8s). Works for me (for now).

    3. I love Les Mills! Even before LM, I had a set of a bar with weights. MI bought mine in local fitness online shop and picked: 150cm EZ bar 10kg (not sure about he material, some silver metal, looks like steel), clip closures (allows you to change weights quickly), set of weights 2x 1.5kg, 2x 2.5kg, 4x 5kg (some black metal). Just make sure that the diameter of bar/clips/weight whole is compatible (they are standardized in a few sizes). I am happy with my set up – it allows me to create a combo for when I need light weights for warm-up/biceps (bar + 1.5 or 2.5kg) and quickly add on 5kg for legs. It also allows you to go to a nice heavy weight if you wish – 10kg bar + 25kg (combo of 2.5 and 5kg). My set was cheap, 100€ (it was 6y ago). You don’t need LM weights, trust me. There is no justification for that premium. Same goes for step. Buy studio-type step from Reebok on Amazon, mine was 20€ and Adidas expansion tube for CX, mine was 30€. Proper metal bar/weights will last you ages, mine still look like new, no chipping.

  16. I want to improve my understanding of what colors look good on me, both in clothing and makeup. There are some colors I know look good, some that I know look bad, and a big range that I’m unsure about. I’ve read some blogs and watched some You Tube videos but they haven’t really helped. Like the advice to try colors on and see what makes your skin look alive has not been helpful because my skin looks the same to me no matter what I’m wearing. I think I may benefit from an explanation of color theory rather than trying to judge with my eyes. Anyone have recommendations?

      1. OMG so true. An Auburn-haired friend got married in a blush gown that would have made me (ruddy-skinned winter) look like a cadaver. I dress like Steve Jobs and it works for me, but I do envy my strawberry blonde neighbor who can wear tan and beige tops. Me, never, unless I have a scarf to offset it.

      2. Yep! When I figured out that soft, dark colors are best for me, it was a game changer. I still love bolder color but indulge it differently.

    2. Inside outside style — a blog and podcast by Imogen lamport ( I think that’s her name) has lots of colour theory. It sounds from your description that you probably have a complexion that is both warm and cold toned, and this would likely make a variety of colours look good. I love colour in general and I’m not afraid of colour. I would start by wearing colours I love in a shade I like. For example, I look good in most blues, but I gravitate towards a warm Smokey blue and cobalt, but I’m sure I could wear others if I liked them (and could find them in retail) I love yellow and look best in a brighter canary yellow that’s buttery, but I can also wear mustard as long as it is a vibrant enough and not too muted. I am pale but have lots of pink, yellow and blue undertones in my skin and in my opinion, if you can figure out your skin undertones and colouring, it helps with colour choices. For example, I have bluish grey eyes and the opposite colour of blue is orange, so coppery apricot shadows bring out my eyes. I find blue grey shadows make them blend in more.

      1. +1 for Imogen

        Some of the most helpful is her pre-video posts, just find the older stuff.

    3. I did a private consultation some years ago when I was changing roles and it was really worthy. That person not only give me advice regarding colors (putting different color scarfs near my face) but also cuts and shapes that suit me better. As I do not live in USA then I cannot recommend you a specific advisor, with pandemic restrictions now you should look for someone doing online I am afraid.

      1. I learned a lot from Anuschka Rees’ 3-part series on colour analysis on her blog. She goes into how contrast between skin and hair tone affect what colors look best on you. I had to read through it a few times to truly get it, but it helped me a lot in choosing my best colors.

    4. The ones you know look good (or bad), are they:

      -bright and vibrant, clear colours?

      -darker shades like jewel tones or deep autumnal?

      -lighter shades like cheerful pastels, breezy and delicate?

      – muted, lighter colours, like pebbles at the beach, beiges and greys, grey pinks?

      – muted, softer darker colours like greys, worn denim, less clear and more soft?

    6. There’s a Reddit sub that might help you figure it out but you have to post pics of yourself. I think it’s called r/coloranalysis.

      I always ask people what colors they feel awful in. That usually gives a really good clue. Then what is your favorite top, where you feel like you look really good. For me, I feel awful in anything in a goldenrod/mustard/yellowish brown hue. My favorite top is a dark blue and dark green plaid pattern. I look a lot better navy and gray neutrals than black. It was no surprise to find out I’m a cool summer.

    7. After I spent what was at the time a fortune on professional analysis, a friend who had studied costume design in college told me to hold either a stark white or a cream-colored piece of fabric near my face, and see what flattered me. One or the other will make flaws seem to disappear.

      The other quick and free test is to look at the veins in your wrist: are they blue-ish or green-ish?

      Judging from life experiences in the decades since then, I might also advise to wear three or four similar jackets or sweaters out and collect reactions. Use exemplars of the four main “seasons.” Navy, pastel pink, brick red, etc. In which do you get compliments seemingly out of nowhere? This happened to me a couple of weeks ago while wearing an olive sweatshirt (I’m an Autumn.)

      Just reading the books, though, which I did after the professional consult, would have confused me, as the requirements for eye color and hair hairlights didn’t always jibe.

      And if you can find a make-up artist, or several, that you think you can trust, have them recommend a lipstick color. That should at least tell whether you are warm vs cool.

    8. Several years ago I did a consultation with David Zyla and it was wonderful. He did colors and clothing lines, and showed me how to tell what works and what doesn’t. It has given me a lot more confidence in my clothing choices. For makeup, I did a consultation with Elea Blake, and I know which color families work with my face and which don’t, and they will even do custom colors for me.

  17. What’s the general consensus on over-dressing at work?

    I’ve been WFH since I started this job, so I don’t know what the actual habits are, but I’ve seen everything from yoga pants and flip flops to full suits depending on the role at this institution (it’s huge, with many divisions). We may start going back in the spring. The position is a lot of desk/office stuff, but may interface with a lot of different ranks. Unlikely to be anything messier than my coffee/lunch.

    I’m not thinking uber-fancy/business-professional-formal, but sheath/shift dresses, blouse/skirt usually with a cardi but maybe a non-suit jacket, boring heels or wedges. I don’t wear pants much (although I kinda wish I could pull off some of the really power-dressing-pants). Dresses that aren’t sundresses/t-shirt dresses always seem to read more formal to me, but dresses are where I’m most comfortable. Thoughts?

    1. TLDR: if you have a strong personality element in your clothes you will hardly ever be perceived as over-dressed, just stylish.

      I think everyone should be free to do their own thing in an environment like you describe, and it may be a “read your office” thing. But if you concern is being well enough dressed to interact with higher ranks without coming off as overdressed, and you are looking for a formula, I can share mine.

      I find if you tend to dress up more than peers at work, as I do, it helps to balance that off with elements of your style that are either on-trend or creative/different, to avoid looking stodgy or stuffy or way more corporate than the environment warrants. I have used things like colourful shoes on an otherwise neutral outfit, prominent artsy jewelry (ex. large statement earrings) with a more typical corporate outfit instead of studs or dainty necklaces, or something wih a slightly sporty vibe thrown in a more formal outfit (think for example a sheath dress with a more sporty cut jacket on top, or a more sporty or trendy cut top in a nice fabric instead of the expected shell with a pencil skirt).

      Takes a bit of time to mix and match and find what “your” unexpected thing is but its fun.

    2. I’m basically Team Overdress Slightly. People tend to perceive me as more senior if I’m a little bit better dressed (e.g., nice jeans and a blazer instead of jeans and a t-shirt). It’s worth it to get a few less requests for copies or “are you the older man’s secretary?” Yes, I do know how the machine works, but you walked right past the male assistant at the front desk to bang on my door and ask. And the older guy is my paralegal.

  18. Good chance this is too specific but just in case: I am in a category of people who are now permitted to get a vaccine based on my work but it has been next to impossible to find an appointment. The only time available that I’ve been able to secure is going to be a huge problem because of something else scheduled by my work for the exact same time. My boss is not even remotely the sympathetic type so going to be a very big ask.

    A friend has an appointment this week at a better time and is now suddenly not going to use it, and offered it to me. But it’s not in my name. What are the odds that I could just show up with his confirmation number? In NY if it matters.

    1. All of the people I know who have been vaccinated (health care and health care adjacent) needed to provide full proof they were who they say they were. The vaccination records carefully note what batch of vaccine was administered and the exact time (down to the minute) – it’s unlike any other vaccine I’ve heard of where it’s just kind of “eh, ok, you got the flu vaccine.” I would not think you’d be able to get away with this, to be honest. If what you do — healthcare/healthcare adjacent/essential worker — puts you in the category that you’re a high priority for the vaccine over us everyday people, then really your boss SHOULD let you go. What would happen if you “became ill” that day? Or simply said you couldn’t go?

    2. I would call the place that is administering the vaccine and ask. If that fails, I would sent boss email informing him/her you need to get vaccinated, date is not negotiable and interferes with thing X. Boss will have to find a way to deal with it. If boss pushes back, involve HR. I would not prioritize boss that does not value you and your wellbeing over your health.

    4. No. I think there are a number of things in the future that will require proof ofa vaccine and this would create a huge mess for you and your friend to prove who had gotten what.

    5. Yeah, I wouldn’t risk it. Can you try 1. making the next appointment, even if it’s days/weeks later, 2. telling your boss your have an appointment that could not be rescheduled (and not go into details on the appointment since it’s medical/health-related/private), or 3. showing up way earlier the day of your appointment, explain that your work conflict will make it impossible to be at the appointment time and whether they can squeeze you in earlier?

Comments are closed.