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Weekend Open Thread

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Something on your mind? Chat about it here.

I, like many of you, was taken with the criss crossy sweater that was styled with a skirt we featured a few weeks ago. If you want the exact $248 bodysuit from Goldsign, go for it — it looks gorgeous.

But not long after I looked at that bodysuit, this verrrry similar knit sweater showed up in my social media feeds… and for $15-$25, it's hard to resist. Apparently you can pull the sleeves down to have the top be totally off-the-shoulder as well.

It comes in 24 colors, sizes XS-XXL(plus).

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Sales of note for 3/21/25:

  • Nordstrom – Spring sale, up to 50% off: Free People, AllSaints, AG, and more
  • Ann Taylor – 25% off suiting + 25% off tops & sweaters + extra 50% off sale
  • Banana Republic Factory – 40% off everything + extra 20% off
  • Eloquii – $39+ dresses & jumpsuits + up to 50% off everything else
  • J.Crew – 25% off select linen & cashmere + up to 50% off select styles + extra 40% off sale
  • J.Crew Factory – Friends & Family Sale: Extra 15% off your purchase + extra 50% off clearance + 50-60% off spring faves
  • M.M.LaFleur – Flash Sale: Get the Ultimate Jardigan for $198 on sale; use code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off
  • Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
  • Talbots – Buy 1 get 1 50% off everything, includes markdowns

Sales of note for 3/21/25:

  • Nordstrom – Spring sale, up to 50% off: Free People, AllSaints, AG, and more
  • Ann Taylor – 25% off suiting + 25% off tops & sweaters + extra 50% off sale
  • Banana Republic Factory – 40% off everything + extra 20% off
  • Eloquii – $39+ dresses & jumpsuits + up to 50% off everything else
  • J.Crew – 25% off select linen & cashmere + up to 50% off select styles + extra 40% off sale
  • J.Crew Factory – Friends & Family Sale: Extra 15% off your purchase + extra 50% off clearance + 50-60% off spring faves
  • M.M.LaFleur – Flash Sale: Get the Ultimate Jardigan for $198 on sale; use code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off
  • Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
  • Talbots – Buy 1 get 1 50% off everything, includes markdowns

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

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

220 Comments

  1. Random, but does anyone remember the It’s Me Again… poster from 5 years ago who had a hysterical blowup with her investment banking boyfriend? I wonder where she is now / how she’s doing…

        1. I miss Killer Kitten Heels. I feel like she always had sensible advice. And good travel recs too, IIRC.

        3. Oh wow – that was something! How do we find the other updates? I tried searching it’s me again but couldn’t find it. Also agree that KKH seemed like a gem – wish she was still around!

    2. Maybe? What was the blowup about? Did she think it was funny or was she having a hard time?

      2. Omg ELLEN! Her lawyer pants were too TIGHT in the TUCHUS. I want to read every Ellen comment there is in the archive…

        1. Be sure to read the serious and sad posts she’s replying to from people who are going thru deaths and divorces and being told by Ellen that they should’ve shaken their TUCHUS’S and worn SHORT SKIRTS LIKE ALAN LIKES more and then nothing bad would have happened to them. Sad times (made worse by Ellen). I’m still astonished that people … like(d) … her.

          I hope if you did revisit those posts you’d see them differently and not like getting hazed by Ellen was such a cool/mean girl necessity to participate here.

          1. Eh I’ve gone through plenty of tough times (seriously, we can compare tragedies if you like and I absolutely guarantee I will “win”) and I still enjoyed Ellen.

  2. Anyone want to help me settle a minor marital dispute?

    My husband wants me to go camping with him. I have avoided it for years because ever since having kids I have to pee in the middle of the night. Husband is a sound sleeper and doesn’t want to wake up to walk to the campground bathrooms with me and I’m too much of a wuss to go by myself in the dark.

    Our compromise right now is that I will go for one night, not the two he wanted. Then I said but I’m not going if it’s raining. Which I think is reasonable and what most people would do. He says he can’t control the weather (duh) and that “people who camp” would go regardless.

    We live in Nor Cal where it’s either dry or raining all day, especially in the spring. We don’t get those 1 hour rain showers like the east coast.

    So am I right that most “people who camp” would still go even if it’s raining all day?

    His issue is that we have to pay about $50 to reserve a campsite once you include all the fees, and it’s non-refundable.

    1. Sorry said that wrong. My side of the argument is that most people would not go camping if they knew it was going to rain all day.

    3. I can’t speak for anyone else but I wouldn’t go camping if it’s going to rain and have cancelled trips for that reason in the past. Especially with someone who doesn’t like camping in the first place – does he want you to be miserable? It’s only $50.

      1. +1 as a medium camper (enjoy it once I’m there but rarely have the energy to overcome the stress, logistics and planning so go rarely).

      2. Yep. He’s being cheap. And stupid — because he should want you to love your camping experience, not hate it. Also he wants you to go camping and you need to pee in the middle of the night = he gets up with you.

        1. He did agree to that. Otherwise I wouldn’t have said yes to the one night!

          He always agrees to it. It’s just that when it actually happens, he’s hard to wake up and is grumpy about it. Which is why I stopped camping with him in the first place.

          The current agreement is that he will not be grumpy about it but we’ll see!

        2. Yes to all of this. You reserve a campsite and cancel if it rains. I have cancelled tons of weekend camping trips where it was predicted to rain the whole time. The whole point of camping is to be outdoors, not huddled miserably in the tent or under a canopy. And what do you do if there is lightning?

    4. I’ve definitely gone camping when I knew it was predicted to rain all day. Same with friends and family of mine, but I don’t think it is crazy to not want to do so.

      But the peeing — why go to the campground bathrooms? One of the great things about camping is that you can pee outside, particularly at night. Just pick your spot a few feet away from your tent ahead of time. I have never had babies and I still have to pee in the middle of the night every night (too well hydrated) and I also have never sought out the campground bathrooms unless it is full daylight AND super crowded.

      1. Well, I, personally, don’t know if I could pee in the woods! I was at the beach, in the ocean some years ago and I really had to pee but I. Could. Not. Had to get out of the water and go the actual bathrooms. I’m not sure if this was a physical or mental thing, but as much as I tried, I just could not let go and pee in the ocean.

        So I don’t know. I think I might have trouble peeing outside, plus I don’t understand how people don’t pee on their underwear when squatting.

        1. I was supposed to go backpacking last summer and I think guys underestimate my skills at this (never mind the anatomy difference). It got cancelled but is rebooked for next month. Advice welcome! I am a good car camper but backpacking will be a new chapter, starting from scratch almost.

          1. When you squat, make sure your pants and shoes are far in front of your butt and your legs are far apart. Pull the crotch of your pants forward and out of the way. Ideally, have your feet pointing uphill so the pee flows away from your shoes, but that’s more planning than I can usually muster.

            Pooing in the woods is much more complicated! One tip – if you are planning to dig a hole, do not wait until it is an emergency because murphy’s law dictates you will only find rocky ground when you really gotta go.

          2. Anonymous is right! And squat really low, like almost sitting on your heels. It helps a lot.

        2. We have a mini potty from potty training our kids that we bring with us. I can pee in it (awkwardly). I am a small person but that might also give you options. We actually bring it for the kids to use in a emergency, but it works both ways.

      2. I think you are thinking of backpacking, not camping in a campground where the sites are packed in together.

          1. Also, peeing in a bucket in the tent during the night is a thing. Ice cream bucket with a lid, or a five-gallon bucket with a lid for a fancy version.

    5. Would he be interesting in glamping or a more cabin-based experience? He might not be if he wants the tent experience, but it could also be a compromise that you would be okay with for longer.

        1. I would Glamp, and to be honest, even Camp with someone who marries me and wants me to camp with him. There are so many men who want to go away for the weekend “with the guys” where they leave their wives at home and then go into town where they find women willing to have s-x with them for drinks and money. Then they come home with disease that they give to their wives. FOOEY on that!

          My Dad wants me married now, but I will not just throw myself in front of any man for a ring, but I do think if I find one that I will be more flexible to ensure he wants me to go camping with him, even if I don’t love camping. In turn, he will have to go shopping with me sometimes and carry home the stuff I buy. That is marrage equality. YAY!!!

    6. I wouldn’t plan a camping trip during the rainy season, but waking someone up to walk you to the bathroom in a campground is a bit extra. Get a headlamp and work on that (also a tent with 2 doors so you don’t have to climb over someone to get out), and he can book the excursion so it’s during a better time of year.

      2. This. Just get a headlamp and a tent with two doors. I wouldn’t go for a full day of rain. And I probably pee 3x overnight unless I’m strict with limiting liquids starting with dinner (harder to do in warm weather). I expect kids to bring a buddy but not adults.

      3. op here. That wasn’t really the question and this is my personal boundary. We are camping in bear and mountain lion country and I’m not going camping unless he walks with me to the bathroom.

        I mean good for you if you do it differently, and it sounds like you’re an enthusiastic camper where I am not, but a flashlight is not the answer to this one.

        1. Not particularly, just aware that the number of bears and mountain lions prowling around, much less harming anyone in established park campgrounds is zero.
          If you don’t want to go, use your words and don’t go. Inventing weird conditions to make everyone else miserable is not going to be fun for anyone.

          2. This campground has a warning about bears and mountain lions on its reservation page!

          3. When’s the last time someone was actually harmed by a bear or mountain lion in an established campground? Wildlife existing in a park != actual threat.

          4. There most definitely are bears and mountain lions in established campgrounds, at least where I go. I don’t know of any instances of them harming anyone, but I have been trapped in a community bathhouse by a bear looking for food outside the door.

          5. Bears break into cars in densely populated areas of Yosemite all the time. I don’t think people die from bear attacks very often but I’d rather not have a bear ransacking my stuff. It’s also bad for the bears because if they get too dependent on human food they lose their wilderness survival skills and can die. They also get shot for getting too close to humans. So keeping wildlife wild is good for everyone.

        4. I know it violates Leave Not Trace principles, but you could pee close to your tent if needed for safety as long as you try to be considerate and limit it to just peeing. We had a car potty for my kids when they were little and you could also use that. It’s like a thing you squat over and uses a gallon ziplock bag.

          In scouts, kids take a kid buddy for safety; an adult taking a buddy (we do camp where there are bears and the general public) seems a bit extra. For backpacking, they make shield things so the world doesn’t need to watch you go if you are where there is no cover.

    7. Counterpoint – here’s what works for me. He agrees in advance that you wake him up and he will walk with you. He also will make or provide a nice breakfast (or whatever you want). You pack Wellies and a huge poncho and he must walk with you, with a huge flashlight, every time you need to pee.
      My DH gets huge amounts of glee from camping and roughing it, and has been willing to bring mattress pads for me/gourmet coffee for the French press, etc. Also, he sets up the tent basically alone, and groggily escorts me during the night because he loves having me there. Basically we agree that for that 48 hours, any time I help set up is “above and beyond” (I usually hold one or two tent poles and make faces at him, and he lavishes praise). I begrudgingly attend because I know how much he loves it, and he enthusiastically plans for All My Things because he knows it’s the only way I’ll go.

      Do what works for you.

      1. This is adorable. Not my MO, but he is clearly smitten and it’s just so heartwarming.

    8. 1. Of course it’s reasonable to not camp in the rain. Good grief.
      2. Even if most people would camp in the rain, you get to decide you’re not “most people” and you’re not going to camp in the rain.
      3. If it were me, I would absolutely say “Sweetheart, this discussion has made it clear to me that I am not a ‘person who camps’ and I have changed my mind about going at all. I think you should take a friend instead.”

      1. +1 he needs to find a friend to go camping. Are you married to Jackson Avery from Grey’s? He’s always trying to get his significant others to go camping too. So annoying. And then Maggie twisted her ankle and they get in a huge fight and basically break up. The moral of that story is that camping is bad.

      2. I mean, that’s where we are right now, and have been for several years. If he wants to go camping it’s fine with me, it’s just not WITH me.

        At this point we’re just arguing about who’s right regarding his assertion that most people would still camp in the rain.

        Whatever you otherwise will say about my husband, you have to at least admit he has an absolutely terrible negotiating style! :)

        1. I live where there are downpours. I cancelled a kids’ trip b/c of a 2 4 hour rain forecast. How are you going to cook or eat or even pee multiple times with that weather? All your gear inside your tent will get wet if you keep going in and out.

    9. I’ve done it before out of pure stubbornness, and camping in the rain is miserable. My hard core backpacking brother will not hesitate to go home when car camping and it starts to rain unrelentingly. (When backpacking they tend to stick it out.)
      Besides, you don’t sound like a “people who camp” you sound like a loving wife who doesn’t want to be miserable. My husband is not a camper and I would rather go home than listen to him be miserable.
      Also a suggestion… just drive two cars. My husband refuses to camp until our youngest is out of diapers and we drive two cars so he can leave.

    10. Some would cancel for rain, others wouldn’t, but if you are not a camper I can see that being a deal-breaker. Now for the middle of the night peeing issue – I’m sure many will disagree with this but as far as I am concerned, one of the joys of camping is peeing in the woods. Or in the grass next to your tent.

      1. Look for Dear John/Dear Jane – they are portable things you can pee in. You can find them at Bed Bath and Beyond. I do it in the vestibule of the tent. I don’t like going in the grass/woods, because you have to leave the warmth (the vestibule is usually dry and warmer than outside). Also, BTW, CA state parks – campsites are refundable, minus an $8 reservation fee. And frankly, in CA you know if it’s going to rain like a week in advance.

        My husband is an Eagle Scout, and I camp only if (1) there is signal, (2) he does all the cooking and (3) there is wine.

        1. Oh that cancellation thing is an interesting tidbit because he’s claiming it’s not refundable. Hmm

    11. DH and I are campers, we camp with our friends regularly and we always cancel if there is going to be rain, it’s $50, like who cares?! Regarding the bathroom issue some campgrounds allow you to book a specific spot and provide maps, so we typically strategically book our sites to be close to the bathrooms (but not too close, to avoid smells).

    12. I stayed in campgrounds all over the country for 30 days last summer while doing a cross country road trip. My husband and I rented a campervan without a bathroom and I had to get up to pee nearly every single night. I would suggest investing in a little camping toilet and tent that you can keep at your campsite, like literally right outside your tent door. Dometic makes a little camping toilet that’s like $100 and privacy tents are <$50 for a cheap one. On my trip I vastly preferred using the camping toilet in the van to walking to a (sometimes) sketch bathroom. If the portable toilet has a flushing mechanism it won't smell and if you're only peeing you don't need to put the chemicals in, just dump at the designated place in the campground.

      As for the rain, it depends on a bunch of factors if I'd cancel or not. If it's an in-demand campground you have to book way in advance I'd go anyway (understandable that others wouldn't though). Why don't you guys come up with a backup alternative date for if it rains? That's what my hardcore backpacking friends do.

    13. I love to camp and go often. I would not go if it was supposed to rain all day though. A little rain is fine, but an entire day is not (for me.) I also find it too much work to camp for one night. All that set up and we are at least staying two nights. My husband will come with me to the bathroom if I ask him to, but I typically just go outside the tent with a battery powered lantern.

      1. Longer post in mod, but I use a Dear John/Dear Jane in the vestibule of the tent (not cold, not wet).

    14. I’m with Senior Attorney on this. Not super relevant what other people will do. If you don’t want to camp in the rain, then you don’t want to camp in the rain and he can go without you. My back hurts camping so I generally would rather not. I would pee on my pants and feet if I tried to do so by my tent at night. Or I’d pee on a sleeping rattlesnake, which would then kill me. I’m always sure I’m going to stumble upon a bear, which would mean me no harm but would be so freaked out by my freak out that it would kill me, which would be a bummer. I don’t ask for an escort to go to the bathroom in the night, but the whole time I’m sure I’m moments from a mauling. I think a mountain lion is stalking my children for the duration of dusk. City threats? No problem. Mountain threats? Probably we’re all going to die.

      Also, I live in a place where everyone camps always unless they are also actively skiing down a mountain, so I wasted time trying to like it so I could fit in. I find I can cheerfully partake once every two years, but if I forced myself to do so more than that, no one involved would have fun. Not everything is for everyone. You offered terms that would make you comfortable enough to go for a night. He’s rejecting them. No hard feelings. You don’t go.

    15. Ugh, I hate camping, did it once so I could legitimately say I hate it. Since you’re in NorCal, I’d propose a compromise of going to Autocamp https://autocamp.com/
      There’s one in Russian a River, it’s rustic enough to count and nice enough for you. Plus there’s no need to invest in all the equipment and stuff.

      1. That’s so funny. We go to the Russian River every summer! We rent a house though, and for all these years my husband has called it my version of camping.

        For this trip though, he wants to go to the Big Sur area and he specifically wants to camp at a particular state campground that he has been to before.

        1. Big Sur national park has a phenomenal lodge- requires reservations a long time ahead, but is a gorgeous spot, with a hotel, great restaurant and access to trails.

          1. We are planning to breakfast at the lodge but no room reservations available anytime close to when we need to go

          2. Yeah but if you’re paying $500/night why wouldn’t you just get a hotel?!

            I love paying $50 for camping. I would love something like this for $150. I love staying in hotels for $300. I cannot imagine paying $500 to be in an airstream or cabin.

        2. Well camping is expensive too, you gotta buy or rent all the gear. Without doing all the math, avoiding that purchase and attendant storing of the stuff, sounds like a bargain to me!
          On this specific place, I haven’t been but friends have and it’s apparently quite luxurious – five start hotel style with airstreams more as a gimmick than a non-fancy experience.

    16. You’re wrong. Pee a few steps away from the tent, don’t walk all the way to the bathroom. I have an irrational fear of serial killers when I go camping and that’s what I do.

        2. Neither. I am on your team. I would throw a massive fit if my DH wanted to camp in the rain and you best believe I’d be waking him up to walk with me at night. Despite what other posters say, I am sitting on your bench for this one.

    17. I don’t think either of you is “wrong” per se, I think it’s a reasonable difference of opinion.

      This may not work for you, but in my state we have a fancy spa hotel near one of our nicer state parks (this is a pretty blah part of the Midwest so “fancy” and “nice” are relative). My husband and I have discussed a trip in a couple of years when our child is older where we drive there together, he and the kid camp while I stay at the hotel and we meet up for hiking in the state park and meals at the hotel. He gets the camping experience without having to do the entire trip himself, and I get to do fun outdoorsy things without having to sleep in a tent.

    18. I think you both need to compromise here:

      – Many people like camping but are fair-weather fans and don’t like doing it in the rain (myself included). I’m a hard@ss about plenty, but like a dry place to sleep after being a hard@ss.
      – I’m assuming that $50 is not a lot of money to you two. If that assumption is correct, then cancel and choose another time – it’s only $50. I’m definitely one of the lower income people here, and I would definitely cancel for $50.

      However, it reads to me that you’re looking for any excuse to get out of this and the weather/bathroom situation are just excuses. That may be true – which is fine – but then you need to tell your husband you really do not want to go and come up with an alternative plan for a weekend away.

      For future camping trips (if they exist), there are some good recommendations here about bathroom alternatives.

      It sounds like your husband really wants to go camping with you and is willing to make concessions (escorting you to the bathroom) to make it happen; in that case – sometimes in a relationship we have to do something we really do not want to do in order to make the other one happy. (I presume he also does things you don’t want to do to make you happy).

    19. Some people who camp would still go, and some people who camp would not.

      In my experience, the ones who will go are the ones that really enjoy roughing it and making fires and sit in a tent or under a tarp and camp in the wild. They want to go fishing in the rain (best time for a lot of fish) and love being all alone in the wilderness.

      People who camp at campsites? Maybe less interested in roughing it and it makes a lot of sense not to be there in the rain.

      Your husband is being cheap, not clever about this.

      If you do want to have an easier time peeing in the night, maybe get a shewee or similar. Still make him come, but you don’t need to go that far.

    20. I went camping exactly once. It was raining. It was awful. I told my husband never again and I’ve stuck to it for 15 years. I say book a spa trip and let him sleep outside in the rain for fun.

    21. I would not camp in the most perfect 70 degree weather with no clouds in sight and just the right amount of breeze. Just here to say it is 100% okay to be team no camp. Is he willing to take the kids and totally lean into this being his “dad thing”?

      1. Our kids are young adults now so no more camping with them, which used to be our solution, so it’s all on me!! Our son was a boy scout who is now fully converted to backpacking / hike-in camping so has become super snotty about his dad’s beloved car camping. (Ah to be 18 and still know everything)

        I really am willing to go as long as it’s for one night and it’s not raining, the latter condition is the one my husband was digging his heels in on, and so was I, but he’s relenting, especially after I called his bluff on the so-called non refundable reservation thanks to anon at 2:58 (thanks for that.)

        He’s tempting me because I do or did like to cook over the fire and I’ve taken up bird watching over the pandemic, and camping would give me an opportunity to see all kinds of species not already on my Life List.

    22. I’m your husband and b/c my husband is not going near a tent I haven’t been camping since 2005. It’s fine. Marriage involves compromise. I LOVE camping but trying to get my husband to do it seems like a miserable exercise to me.

      1. I hope you can find friends or someone to camp with!

        Marriage absolutely involves compromise (and I also have zero desire to force someone to join me camping – sounds miserable for me too), but hopefully there’s compromise both ways and you can still find ways to camp.

      2. Same here. I dragged my husband to Yosemite once and the bear box nearly did us in. Him: You want me to OPEN THIS BOX every time I want food or toothpaste? And then put the food or toothpaste BACK IN? Me: What do you mean you have never heard of a bear box?

        I miss camping but camping with my husband is worse than never camping again.

    23. My read on this is that no matter what happens, you are not going to enjoy camping with your husband. If that’s the case, don’t go.

      We went car camping as a family with several family friends once as kids – it POURED. As a kid, I had a ton of fun (and all the adults did too), but my dad decided once was enough for him. So, now every year the rest of the group goes camping and my dad stays at home and plays 27 holes of golf a day. He cannot golf enough, while my mom taps out at 18 holes a week. My mom has fun because she likes camping, my dad has fun because he likes golf and then the weekend ends and they resume doing activities that they both like together, like tennis and kayaking.

      My dad was clearly never going to be a camper but he tried it, was a really good sport despite the weather, had fun but decided once was enough.

    24. I love camping (like lived in Yellowstone one summer) but camping in the rain, esp all day rain, is a pain. We went on our first family camping trip last summer and decided to tough out a night of rain, which ended up with us moving to the car at midnight with a 1 year old and the tent blowing away because the wind picked up. We recovered the tent the next morning but everything was so wet and a mess. I don’t expect we’ll willingly embrace camping in the rain for a long long time.

    25. I believed that I hated camping until my boyfriend convinced me to try it and now I love it. He made me love it by doing every.single.unpleasant.thing. himself at the beginning. He still does most of the logistics of packing and planning meals, and I wake up to coffee in a French press.

      We are now people who camp, and even we would cancel if it was going to rain for the entirety of the stay – it’s just no fun! We have gone when there were showers on/off and that was fine, although not my favourite.

      Your husband should deal and lose the reservation if it’s going to be unpleasant.

  3. Does anyone actually buy clothing from Amazon? Some of my friends are hyperconsumers and even they don’t get clothes from Amazon.

    1. I’m not sure I understand the question? Obviously people do buy clothes from Amazon. Personally, it’s not my favorite, since it’s sort of hard to know what you’re going to get, but it’s a good go-to if I want something pretty standard and don’t have a brand in mind. I’ve gotten workout clothes, bathing suits, some shoes, etc. not so much work wear, though there is a particular dress I’ve gotten from there in 3 colors because I love it. I find shopping online in general a major hassle, and Amazon makes it much easier (easy to return, no shipping min, quick delivery, it knows all my information), which is the biggest draw.

    2. Occasionally. A few influencers I follow will include Amazon Basic’s clothing line in their round ups and I will sometimes click through. I don’t buy clothing from Amazon without it being pre-screened so to speak – e.g., seeing someone actually wearing it or it being something I would otherwise buy but just happen to buy through amazon.

    3. People have recommended a couple of things on here that I’ve tried. There’s one top I really like that was like $20, washable, and came in two colors I liked.

      I know people have Feelings about Amazon that are mostly related to Bezos, but honestly if you’re buying cheap crap, which I admit I did, it’s not that different than buying it at Target or Walmart or whatever.

    4. Definitely not. Can’t imagine any of these Amazon clothes being anything close to environmentally or ethically good. Not to mention I’m sure the quality is atrocious. And I try to give Jeff Bezos as little money as possible.

      2. Eh, Biden won 85% of the counties with a Whole Foods (owned by Amazon) and 35% of the counties with a Cracker Barrel. I’m fine giving Bezos my money . . .

    5. The brands are not predictable at Amazon, but they’re not predictable at Nordstrom anymore, either. A lot of them are complete unknowns. So as long as there’s free shipping and returns and lots of good reviews, I sometimes buy clothing from Amazon. When I say good reviews, an average of 4 stars is actually pretty bad. At least 4.5 or higher or I don’t buy.

    6. I do on occasion, usually for something very specific, and it’s very easy to return if it turns out to be a piece of crap

    7. I buy jeans on Amazon. Lee, straight leg or boot cut. They are about the only place that consistently has them in stock in the correct size. I also picked up a pair of tennis shoes and a pair of snow boots.

      My husband buys t-shirts and has bought a couple polo shirts.

      I have ordered a couple other clothing items but sent them back. I can buy t-shirts cheaper from Old Navy that will last for a long time.

    8. I buy shoes from Amazon and have also bought clothes. 6pm is owned by Amazon so if I see shoes I like on there I usually look them up on Amazon and can order them with prime.

      I also buy clothes and so does DH. You just really need to read reviews if it is a weird brand.

    9. The Amazon basics cotton underwear are awesome. Also i got a cute and comfy cotton jersey jumpsuit that i get tons of compliments on.

    10. hive help please

      i know of a cat hoarder. it is an older couple in nj, in their 80s. they live their life around the many many rescues they have. she is a hoarder of all things, has started to have dementia and has mobility issues and he is sharp but cannot walk.

      they have 2 sons, 1 of which started this whole bring home lots of feral cats business. he lives 3 doors down, having moved out only in his early 60s (yes really) and in with his girlfriend. he expects then to make all the food for the cats each night and is not mentally stable, he could possibly be violent to others but not his parents. both sons are useless about this topic they refuse to see it or engage. i believe both still get money from the parents!

      the couple live in a two story house which is full of clutter and dirty. they avoid having anyone come to the house because they love in fear that someone will find out and they will be arrested. they have delayed medical care including an ambulance until they could get outside to avoid anyone in the home.

      it’s a house of cards and it will come down soon! i sorry about it being A THING involving police, mental health services, senior services, hospitals and newspapers.

      they are nice people that need help and I don’t want them to live this way anymore nor the many cats.

      any advice of how to gently assist without legal woes? i have a very very full plate but I think i will regret not helping if it all falls apart.

      especially looking for legal pointers including the kind of attorneys or other professionals who can help them avoid legal issues as we get cats rehomed.

      thank you for your help.

        1. It can become one quickly, depending on how bad the situation is. Sometimes criminal animal cruelty charges are the only thing that can separate the owner from the pets.

      2. Why are you considering getting involved here? Are they your neighbors that you like and care about? Have you been inside the house and see that they are in danger? Or are you more worried about feral cats, who have been rescued by this couple?

        You could call your local Department of Aging/social services, but honestly I don’t see any reason for you to get involved. They are in their 80’s, and if this is the way they want to go, let them be. They have earned it. They have sons nearby who clearly are involved and know them well. What are you really trying to “prevent”?? It is very common for an illness/aging/accident to lead elderly folks to changing their life situation. Who are you to draw that line now? Shoot… part of me wishes I could be living independently with my spouse in my 80s with a bunch of cats and sons nearby. I have heard of so much worse, you know?

        Just…. why?

      3. I would repost this as a standalone post. But you need to call Adult Protective Services. Your heart is definitely in the right place, but this is not the sort of situation where you can gently assist.

    11. Do you mean Amazon brand clothing, is that a thing? Or do you mean clothes purchased through a shop that sells via Amazon in some way?

      If the latter, I have purchased clothes via Amazon. Not very often, but if I go five-ten years back I bought a few high-end sports items that were not available at home but that I could get through local sporting shops selling via Amz.uk when on holiday in the UK. Those items were generally sent directly from the local shop.

      In later years: I purchased a pair of leggings recommended here on corporette during the pandemic. Those were sent from an Amz warehouse.

      Would I buy something like the featured sweater or a work-appropriate item? No.

    13. They’re one of few places that allow delivery to a PO box, which is a necessity for rural routes around here. That option used to be NBD, but companies have dropped it left and right over the past few years.

    14. No. Nobody ever buys their clothes. They advertise them for fun. We only buy ethically sourced clothing made from organic fabrics sewed by people who are paid at least $15/hour. Of course we also reject shoes and clothes that were perfectly acceptable 3 years ago for fear of looking frumpy and save 3 times the average US salary in our 401ks every year.

      Also nobody reads WaPo or buys from Whole Foods because Bezos and Amazon are evil. We would rather take an Uber 2 hours round trip to buy from Walmart because those companies treat their employees so well.

  4. Since we’re doing camping questions:

    I change 100% of my clothes before bed when I camp to avoid sleeping in damp clothes (damp = cold to me). A friend says I should put my morning clothes in the sleeping bag to warm them up to change into. Another friend says yes, but that may make them camp from sleep sweat (unlikely, I think, since it will be freezing overnight tonight, the night that matters). At least no rain where I am (and I keep my headlamp in my boots for the inevitable overnight trip to the bathroom).

    1. Totally depends on the weather, the temperature, if your day clothes have had a chance to dry, how nasty your clothes are, etc. There’s no one ring to rule them all on this one.

    2. I’ve had good results avoiding dampness by putting them inside my sleeping bag’s stuff sack, then inside my sleeping bag at the foot.

      1. To put one’s change of clothes in the sleeping bag or not.
        I’m an “or not” because my clothes get nasty and need a good airing much more than they need to be warm, but to each their own.

    4. It doesn’t matter. If they get warm, it will only last for about a minute. If they get slightly sweaty, they will dry fast once you are wearing them and moving around. If they get extremely sweaty, it is likely hot enough that you will welcome damp clothes or at least not be endangered by them.

  5. Can anyone comment on Castle Hill Inn in Newport? On a whim (and having not had a vacation in 2+ years, and having always wanted to go to Newport), I booked a 3-night stay in late July in one of their beach cottages. It will be me, husband, our 3.5 and 1.5 year olds, and possibly my mother (there is a pull out couch). Let’s just say, it was … not cheap. I can still get a full refund, but wondering if this was an insane idea. Is it worth spending so much to go there with two toddlers? Appreciate any input!

    1. It’s beautiful. I’ve never stayed there (because I grew up like 15 min from there), but have visited numerous times for meals and sunset cocktails on the lawn.

      Newport is a very fun town, especially for kids, though maybe a bit older than yours? Beaches nearby are good–you might like Third Beach with littles, rather than 1st or 2nd–and the mansion grounds are neat, but could be boring for littles. The city itself has lots of walking, small boat ride options, and parks nearby. Get a kite and a picnic then head to Brenton Point!

    2. It’s gorgeous. I’ve never stayed there but have visited for meals. I can’t bring myself to spend that kind of money on a hotel unless it’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing like an overwater bungalow, but if it’s in your budget I’m sure you will love it.

    3. I went to a wedding there about five years ago. It was absolutely beautiful but I was only outside. I got the feeling that it was really special place for Newport where everything is special. You have young kids and have not had a vacation in two years. This internet stranger thinks you deserve it!

    4. I have not been but it looks gorgeous and I would die to own a beach cottage like the ones they rent!

    5. I love Castle Hill Inn! One of my favorite places in Newport, if not my favorite. You will have a great time.

    6. I haven’t been there, but just a voice to say splurge on the nice hotel! Having kids doesn’t mean you’re relegated to crummy accommodations. Where I stay on vacation makes or breaks a trip, so go without guilt and enjoy yourself!

    7. Sounds awesome! We haven’t been to Newport since pre-pandemic times, so keep in mind my comments are two years out of date, but had great times there with our child around both of the ages you mention. Save the Bay at Easton’s Beach had huge touch tanks and a snack bar. We haven’t spent much time on the beaches but the ones we have visited have been on the rocky side – ok for us as our child really likes rocks :) Some of the mansion tours are stroller friendly. Lots of cobblestones downtown so I would bring your regular, shock absorbing stroller instead of an umbrella stroller. We always do a lot of walking in Newport and our little one has taken a lot of stroller naps there! Have a great time!

    8. Can’t speak to Castle Hill Inn, but if you go, check out Green Animals Topiary Gardens in Portsmouth – your kids are probably the perfect ages.

  6. Where are adults buying their iPhone cases now? I’m getting a new phone this weekend and I cannot find a case that isn’t glittery or obnoxiously bright or juvenile…or on the other end of the spectrum, they’re black or gray and beyond boring.

    I want something that has a bit of personality but isn’t juvenile. My current one is an abstract snow leopard print and is very low profile. If I can’t find anything else I like I’ll just repurchase this one but in the new phone size…but maybe you all have better ideas!

    2. Ted Baker. The current offerings are not my favorite ever from this brand, but I still like them.

    4. I buy mine on Etsy – there’s a very large range and many are good quality!

    5. I love my Flaunt case. The square edges give it a little bit of uniqueness I like a lot.

    6. I get mine at Society 6. They support individual artists, the only downside is that it is a total time suck. The “tough case” – with a glass piece added on the screen – does a good job of protecting my iPhone, which I drop a lot.

  7. What news sources do you read regularly — and which ones do you feel are toxic to you? For me: I read the NYT and local paper every day. Try to read WSJ and WP when time allows; ditto for New Yorker, New York, and Atlantic.

    I avoid MSN and CNN (clickbaity), local TV news (secretly conservative), the morning shows (time sucks), and MSNBC (love them but Maddow/Hayes/Reid increase my anxiety).

    3. NYT, my local NPR affiliate (website and radio), PBS Newshour for television news, Le Monde and BBC for international perspective, Chicago Tribune for more local stuff, and occasional New Yorker and Atlantic articles through my library. I also avoid any of the cable news networks, they’re exhausting and ridiculous. If I were Queen of the Universe, I would ban 24 hour news networks. They just blow up tiny issues to fill time and get people outraged.

    4. L.A. Times (paper, delivered to the house), WaPo and NYT online, listen to local public radio to and from work. Haven’t watched TV news in years and years and years. Also subscribe to a bunch of online magazines (Vanity Fair, The Atlantic, New York, The New Yorker, Slate, probably others) but don’t read any of them daily.

    5. Reading the news and distilling it for my clients is a big part of my job. But I need, ya know, facts, not opinions or “facts.” Bloomberg Government is my ride or die for daily reporting. I also rely on the AP.

      I don’t trust the NYT implicitly anymore – I read with a dash of skepticism. I’ve lost all respect and trust in the WaPo after how they conducted themselves during the 45th administration (sensational, no attempt at being a neutral source of facts). (I mean, they’re fine for fluffy reporting on what countertops are in style or whatever – and I enjoy reading that.)

      I live in a world where I have to be able to talk to people from all across the political spectrum, so I can’t risk alienating anyone by spouting partisan information, so I check and triple check most stories by seeing how a particular story is playing in liberal and conservative sources to make sure I’m as neutral and factual as possible.

      For personal stuff, I read our small town print paper that comes out every Thursday (I have no idea how it stays in business, but I have an online subscription and buy a paper copy too in case that additional 75 cents helps them ;) ). I also listen to NPR Marketplace because I love Kai Ryssdal’s voice and all the stats :)

      1. I’ve been disappointed in the NYT the past few year too. Their journalist standards seem to have declined (less of a line between fact and opinion), and their headlines have been click baity.

    6. WSJ for business news, Politico for political news, and SFGate for local news. I used to read the NYT, but it’s no longer fair and balanced. Politico has sort of filled the gap.

      2. I’ve been telling you for years, this is not your crowd. The Fox News/OANN/Breitbart people congregate elsewhere; you might find it more satisfying to go commune with your own people elsewhere.

        1. I like to see what’s happening on different echo chambers from time to time, you should try it.

    8. We get the SF Chron Sunday paper (physical, delivered), I have an online subscription to the NYT, and I look at headlines throughout the day on Apple News to see what I need to look into.

      My favorite, least biased world news sources are NPR news (not opinion) and BBC news. NPR when I’m in my car and BBC streaming.

      We used to watch the local news at night there was an issue with a local anchor we liked (the station fired him for wanting to bring up missing black woman syndrome) so we stopped watching that. I read Berkeleyside pretty often, which is hyper local.

      I agree with OP that MSNBC is the anxiety channel. We used to really enjoy Brian Williams but since he left it’s kind of miserable to watch and we’ve all but stopped.

  8. This mornings thread got me thinking. I’m bored out of my mind with my 9-5.

    I just completed a whole house renovation and I think it came great. And I really miss the design aspect. A new friend came over and was surprised we didn’t use a designer. I’m wondering if there’s some kind of side gig space to consult on decorating/renovation decisions for regular people.

    I’m not a real decorator or anything but I think I’d be good at advising on tile and faucet finishes and stuff like that. I could suggest retail furniture and rugs and lamps and things and I think it would be a blast. I’m not interested in a career change wherein i design rooms that cost tens of thousands of dollars.

    I really hesitate to even suggest this because I feel like people use online services for this stuff, but today’s conversation made me think “hey maybe someone would pay me a hundred bucks or so to come over and tell them whether carpet and polished nickel are good ideas and maybe tell them what size and style rug to get and suggest whether we should move the couch.” Would you pay for this (assuming I had a website with photos that appealed to you and your style)?

    1. I think a good initial step is perhaps to do research/meet people through your local Chamber of Commerce/Small Business Association.

      I would probably look for someone with professional expertise like an interior design degree or a very impressive portfolio of long-term work if I were going to hire someone to be honest. Perhaps someone recommended by my local furniture store or something in addition.

    2. I would look at some of the freelancing sites like Fiverr to see if there are similar things on there — or see if there’s a way to connect with the bigger places like Havenly or Homepolish or whatever and work for them. I paid a designer $500 per room to do 3D renderings with furniture and details that fit the space and she gave me a shoppable list of all of the furniture/fixtures/details down to paint color/finish and a shoppable list of alternatives. She doesn’t do that aspect anymore but she obviously was a professional with paint swatches at the ready and a deep knowledge of products on the market.

    3. I think there’s definitely a market for this based on friends who have made comments about needing something like this. I do, however, think you would have to do a lot of marketing/blogging/networking to get it started and off the ground.

      1. +1. I follow a bunch of decorator influencers on IG, which led me to the account of a woman who is not an “influencer” but has a healthy following (10k+), and who does room design/finishing work. She is not an interior designer.
        Coincidentally, my mother had been looking for this sort of service, and this account I found was my mother’s style exactly. The woman who runs the account does room design ($400-600 depending on room) and will either put together a shopping list or do the shopping for her local clients. She also has a full time job, so this is her side-gig. My mother decided to work with her remotely and is very happy with the process. So it can be done! You’ve just got to figure out the marketing / IG algorithm pieces.

      1. I’m 6:09 below, and OP, don’t let this get in your way. Unlike law, medicine, etc. the creative arts are where having an eye matters. Yes, you can learn design fundamentals (I recommend taking some classes) but that’s not what people are looking for in a designer. They are looking for someone who has an eye and can put things together. This is a space where if you’re creative, school and certificates can help raise your game but they aren’t the be-all/end-all.

    5. I would 1,000% encourage you to just do it & to do this. I think there’s a market for it, based on what’s here & from personal experience doing a side hustle as a photographer for many years, having a creative outlet as a business is one of the best things you can do. You already have a house full of inspo that you can photograph as a portfolio, so I would start there. I found the best way to get something like this going is to start small, build up and don’t undercut yourself or the market because it’s not your primary profession. I would offer your services to a few friends for free at first to build a portfolio, take some design classes (university extension courses are great for this) & then start charging once you figure out what you can offer people. I also love design & have been playing around with Spoak, which lets you design rooms & it might be a fun resource to check out. You could focus on kitchens and bathrooms, materials selections, etc. It’s a lot of fun & can breathe life back into your world. You might even find yourself ditching the day job.

    6. Same yes, they would. I would! I used a friend of mine. Try connecting with realtors in town- they are often great resources.

    7. I would 100% pay for this and it really surprises me that its not really an option. I don’t want an interior decorator but I would LOVE for someone to help me adjust how certain pictures are hung and tell me what to do in a few spaces. I’d happily pay.

      1. I should add I did a reasonable amount of IG sleuthing when we moved to try to find this and didn’t.

    8. I have been looking for exactly this! If you post a burner email, maybe we could chat to see if we could work together?

  9. I got breast implants a few weeks ago, and I’ll need a new sports bra for (casual) running in a few weeks when I’m allowed again. I’m very small in general, and even with the implants, I’ll probably still only wind up in a b-cup in the end, so I don’t need anything extraordinary, but I figure I should probably step up to something a little higher quality then the cheap-o Old Navy I’ve worn in the past. But the different kinds out there are overwhelming!

    I’d prefer not yo spend a ton (more then ON, but more Gap then full-price Athleta), though I’m open to arguments that I really need something higher end. What features do I need to look for, though?

    1. Talk to someone in your running/triathlon community who has implants and find out what they liked when they first got back into it. I haven’t had implants, but am about your size and have always liked the cheap seamless sports bras from Target, so my recommendations probably only hold water once you’re fully healed. I have a couple of “better” ones from Moving Comfort/Brooks that I use for long runs, but most of my runs for the last 15 years or so have been in the Target sports bras.

    2. There’s a womens running group on Facebook and people ask about running with implants often.

    3. I have small saline implants (b cup) and I jump rope for exercise. The crazy thing about implants is that they don’t bounce much, so the sports bra issue isn’t super important. I can jump without a bra.

  10. Question for lawyers. If you spend an hour multi-tasking on matters for two clients, you can’t bill each client for a full hour, right?

      1. That’s what I thought. Good thing the lawyers who were arguing for double-billing don’t bill.

      1. Yep! I can’t believe this was even asked! Doing 1 hour of work does not equal two on paper.

    6. I hope you’re not a lawyer, because the answer to this is absolutely not. And any lawyer who’s taken the MPRE or just practiced in general should know this.

    7. Partner and assoc firm GC in regional mid law firm here. Answer: in my state, no, Unless you have a high mandatory minimum increment in your fee agreement (in which case I could see you ethically billing both clients .75) or one/both clients permit value billing. But I sometimes have similar questions. If anyone has a recommendation for ethics CLEs specific to billing practices, I’m always on the lookout for more and better info.

    8. Um.. No.
      BUT all the lawyers who say you can will outpace you and most if not all of them are men.

      1. Can we stop with this stuff? Gender, race, sexual orientation—there will always be unethical people of every type and they may indeed “outpace@ (whatever that actually means) until some of them get called on it. But that should have nothing to do with how you comport yourself as a professional. The “someone else will do it” argument isn’t a great way to set your moral compass regardless.

  11. we need a vacation, help is choose a place?

    3 adults – including my mother who is 87 with mobility issues and dementia. we’re nyc area now and we would love a change of weather, somewhere warm.

    due to my mother’s health, we usually vrbo a one story home but open to ideas of locations and places to go once there.

    if Florida, we would drive down so along the way places too if you have ideas.

    1. Traveling with someone who has dementia is incredibly difficult and can be dangerous for the person with dementia and potentially others as well. Is there any way you can bring in a backup caregiver so you can get away just you and your spouse?

        1. It actually can be really harmful to someone with dementia. Before you go all “FFS” on the comment recognize that’s like someone pointing out a well-intentioned but safety questionable idea like riding in a car with a baby in your lap—you speak up.

          1. OP here

            we’ve leaned a lot in this journey and comments are reasonable.

            we don’t have anyone else and leaving her with anyone else would cause extreme panic and distress, she enjoys new places. we went to the Dr today and like other medical pros he has commented on how well cared for loved and gappy she is.

            it’s a know your own loved one situation.

            any suggestions for places to visit in Florida?

    2. I was surprised how many people at Disney were in those scooters. The magic bands probably also have trackers in them.

  12. We just bought a house in Southern Westchester – Rye/Mamaroneck/Larchmont/New Rochelle area. Does anyone here live there?

      1. I am sure you will find one! Good luck to you!! We are not moving for a bit yet.

    2. Hi Neighbor! And congrats–the housing market is crazy in southern westchester! (We are getting outbid left and right…)

  13. Work advice needed – has this happened to anyone else and how did you deal with it?

    My manager put me on a project recently, in a role/responsibility that I normally wouldn’t have at my career stage, but he feels that I’m ready for it. I’ve done similar work before, but this is a step up, and it’s quite terrifying (I don’t want to let everybody down).

    Anyway, the main two people I’ll be working with on this are sort of excluding me from their meetings (I’ve had to ask to be invited) and it’s honestly being a huge struggle. I mentioned this to my manager, and he said he’d tell them to knock it off, but I’m not sure if that’ll make it worse? FWIW, I got along reasonably well with both of them beforehand. I’d have to be an idiot to say “actually, I can’t do this, I’m sorry”, but I also don’t want to seem like I don’t know my place / have people disliking me?

    I’ve basically been told that I’ll have to get used to it (not quite so bluntly), and I’ll always have to deal with it, but I don’t think I can? I’m just too stressed about whether this will damage my career and those two will grumble about me to others.

    This has never happened to me before – help??

    1. It’s basically a promotion without the promotion itself – my company gives you the work first and then possibly promotes you if you do well.

      I’m not sure how other women at my company have dealt with this, and I’m too scared to ask IRL.

    2. Are the meetings that you are being excluded from directly related to your project? If yes, then you need to double down on your authority NOW to nip this in the bud. You weren’t there / no meeting minutes / the project manager didn’t okay it? Didnt happen and now we’re behind and it’s their fault. Rinse and repeat. Esp if this roll is a stretch for you, you may have to work at establishing authority. It’sa process and your instincts are probably correct, you need to establish authority yourself, not bc your boss told them so.
      Now, are they meeting about aspects of the project that they have control over? Like this is the teapot painting project, and they are meeting to talk about options for sourcing paintbrushes? If it’s an aspect that you don’t need to be intimately in, and they have some latitude to make decisions… i would let them, and thank them profusely and publicly for being so proactive (i know, it may suck, but it’sa good long term move) AND THEN HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
      Good luck. As a young female POC in a white male dominated field i have had to deal with no end of similar crap, and the only thing that seems to make it better is to be hard right out of the gate. Once they get used to respecting you, then you can ease up occasionally. Basically i treat these people like i used to treat my kids when they were toddlers and it works….

  14. we have learned that an elderly couple (mid 80s) are cat hoarders. she hoards other items as well but this is obviously so much worse.

    they are in nj and live in fear of being arrested for this. they will not let anyone in their home for repairs and it is becoming increasingly dangerous. she has dementia and mobility issues. he is sharp but cannot walk without help. c

    there are other issues with their fabulous. they have 2 sons, one is a nearby but has mental issues as well. he is the one who brought all the cats and thinks he’s some sort of savior. the other thinks everything is fine.

    this could all blow up at any moment. does anyone have advice on how to help? the first thing i need to know is how to keep them from being arrested because they won’t consider help until they know they won’t go to jail.

    thank you.

    1. I’d the local cat/animal rescue and see if they can help re-home the animals. In my city, there are several cat societies. Otherwise call the local humane society. These are the people that might be called in, anyway, if police are called. Ask the cat/humane people for help, tell them what you told us. I doubt they’ll go to jail but I’m not an expert. Are you local? If you are local, you could offer to be there and be the intermediary when the cat experts come to get the cats. But I would have the next step lined up before you pull the trigger on the cats.

      Are they willing to move after the cats have homes? Then get an eldercare social worker involved.
      Ask for help getting the humans into a elder apartment, assisted living or care facility. This is hard because there may be funding issues, maybe Medicare and it gets complicated. If these elders have primary physicians (usually hoarders don’t), call the physicians’ office and ask for a social worker or eldercare referral. If not, check the local county/city website and see if they have an eldercare department. Do google search for social workers/eldercare in their local area. “A place for mom” has a referral service, I believe it is free or reasonably priced, also try Senior advisor dot com. Call local facilities to see if they have space. We’ve used Sunrise on the other coast and they are legit, have facilities in NJ, maybe call them. Assistedliving dot org in NJ looks good, no idea if they’re legit or not.

      When dealing with hoarders, the hard part is getting them to agree to move. So if they agree, try to have them move and *only bring what will fit in the new place*. This is where you may run into issues. The good news is that the facility will limit what they can bring. Then deal with the current residence – there are companies/services that will come in and help you/them sort through things, give to Goodwill what is salvageable and shovel out the rest so the property can be sold. Some house flippers will buy as is and shovel it out themselves. Good luck! I’m in the thick of it with my semi-hoarder parents, no pets luckily, and it is a difficult thing.

      1. thank you so much for the thoughtful comments! they don’t have doctors as you suspected. she doesnt trust them. she also keeps him from talking to his family and she has no remaining family members. he also wants to move but she won’t. they’ve been together over 65 years so…..

        it’s the legal issue that I need to solve before I can get them to think about the other options.

  15. Any ideas for a huge vegan tote bag? Ideally similar to the biggest LV neverfull, and under $200 (though for something fantastic, I could be flexible).

    I’m a lawyer, and would use the bag for carrying files between home and office…traditional briefcase/laptop bags are way too small, I want something I can just chuck a stack of legal-sized files in and go. A laptop pocket would be a plus, but not a requirement.

    1. I’d suggest commissioning a piece from the COB shop on Etsy. She’s an amazing small business who makes totes (and a whole bunch of other bag types) using second hand fabric, leather, belts etc. One of the best ethical zero waste companies I’ve ever encountered. I own many of her products.

  16. I think you want the urban outfitters knock off of the madewell tote. Plenty for sale on poshmark: e.g. https://poshmark.com/listing/NWT-Urban-Outfitters-Vegan-Leather-Tote-5e893cd3163df4f969aa4460?utm_source=gdm&utm_campaign=9913725581&campaign_id=9913725581&ad_partner=google&gskid=pla-1394679751890&gcid=432263847352&ggid=99959872305&gdid=c&g_network=g&enable_guest_buy_flow=true&gclid=CjwKCAiAx8KQBhAGEiwAD3EiP57ejy8ebk443UaUUUKvQ6i7jU8dFyQ9m1_j1L5RnCQpSJF8orcyZhoCxbQQAvD_BwE.

  17. Hopefully a fun question – what is your go-to work outfit when you don’t know what the dress code will be? Possibilities range from non-distressed jeans and polos/sweaters to sheath dresses and blazers.

    1. If I have no idea what anyone else is wearing (and there are no obvious clues) – black pantsuit with heels and a colorful / nonboring top with sleeves. I can then be the appropriately dressed person in a suit, a person in short sleeves, or the person with rolled / scrunched up sleeves. The short sleeves are key so I can take the jacket off and not looked undressed. Also the fun top, hopefully in a big bold graphic print, brings the dressiness down, but I could always button the jacket and cover it up if needed.
      But i err on the side of dressing nicer esp if I’m not sure!

    2. Black pants with flat shoes (booties in cooler weather flats is warmer), a colorful blouse and non suit Jacket. Appropriate for basically any dress code and easy to walk in.

    3. A jersey dress and light tweed jacket, dressy flats. Pull off the jacket and it looks casual.

    4. I wear black tights, nice black flats, comfortable dress, and bring a jardigan wrap or sweater-blazer in black. If I don’t need the wrap, I am wearing a comfortable dress w black tights. If I am cold or need to look more formal, top layer makes it look more like a suit.

  18. Looking for suggestions for a last minute trip to Hawaii in April for a honeymoon. Thinking the Big Island and Maui but very open and flexible to any recommendations.

    2. Just pick one and stay there. I love Maui and Kauai. For a honeymoon, I’d do the Ritz on Maui – close enough to town to get out and about, but a lovely and luxurious property to hang out in.

    4. How long? With a week or less you should stay on one island but if you have 10+ days you could definitely do two islands. I don’t have hotel recs as my family normally stays in condos. IMO Kauai, Maui and Big Island all have stunning scenery and hiking and Big Island has the best snorkeling (with Maui a close second and Oahu third). I’ve seen sea turtles on every visit to every island except Kauai, I think they’re a bit harder to spot there (but I’ve seen monk seals and humpback whales on Kauai, which are also very cool). Big Island is my personal favorite because I’m a big snorkeler and because I think it has a little bit of everything.
      If you go to the Big Island, don’t miss the nighttime snorkeling or diving with manta rays. I’ve been to 50+ countries and snorkeled all over the world and it remains in my top 10 all time travel experiences.
      If you go to Maui eat at Mama’s Fish House. It’s touristy and stupidly expensive but worth it.
      Hawaii Revealed guidebooks are great, they have one for each of the major islands.
      Enjoy! Hawaii is so beautiful and romantic. I live much closer to the Caribbean but still feel the longer, more expensive trip to Hawaii is always worth it. It’s a magical place.

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