Finally Friday: Julianne Flat
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Sales of note for 2/14/25 (Happy Valentine’s Day!):
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Nordstrom – Winter Sale, up to 60% off! 7850 new markdowns for women
- Ann Taylor – Up to 40% off your full-price purchase — and extra 60% off sale
- Banana Republic Factory – 50% off everything + 15% off (readers love their suiting as well as their silky shirts like this one)
- Boden – 15% off new season styles
- Eloquii – 300+ styles $25 and up
- J.Crew – 40% of your purchase – prices as marked
- J.Crew Factory – 50% off entire site and storewide + extra 50% off clearance
- Rothy’s – Final Few: Up to 40% off last-chance styles
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – Flash sale ending soon – markdowns starting from $15, extra 70% off all other markdowns (final sale)
And — here are some of our latest threadjacks of interest – working mom questions asked by the commenters!
- The concept of “backup care” is so stupid…
- I need tips on managing employees in BigLaw who have to leave for daycare pickup…
- I’m thinking of leaning out to spend more time with my family – how can I find the perfect job for that?
- I’m now a SAHM and my husband needs to step up…
- How can I change my thinking to better recognize some of my husband’s contributions as important, like organizing the shed?
- What are your tips to having a good weekend with kids, especially with little kids? Do you have a set routine or plan?
I’m about 24 weeks and so, so tired today. Like first-trimester sleepy. With a headache. Waaah.
That’s all.
vent- my four year old is acting out at school. We told him that if his bad behavior continued that we would not being having the fun family activity that we planned. He had another bad day so we have called off the activity. Boo.
Parenting and discipline are hard, yo.
LeftCoaster- from Monday-
I just wanted to answer… my husband was mildly against (and didn’t want to hear about) our fertility treatment stuff for Clomid and Follistim (injectables) which was a total of 10 cycles. We then were waiting a year (because obviously in his male mind that would help) but at about 9 months I cried uncle on being very sad about delaying and the fact that I am demonstrably a cactus who repels babies. He was VERY VERY against IVF but after several talks he has somewhat come around. I think their lack of general knowledge about fertility etc makes them envision all sorts of side effects and creepy genetic engineering. I’d frame it as a medical issue you are having treated, just like a low thyroid or migraines or anything else. It might help him to accept it better.
Blerg.
I’m doing an off-site training all week next week, and when I signed up I confirmed that they had accommodations for pumping moms. I’ve been stressing about when during the day I will be able to pump because I usually do 3 pumping sessions for 30 minutes each, but this course only has 10 minute breaks in the am and pm plus lunch. Now I just found out that the “pumping accommodation” is “the lockable women’s restroom.” This is going to be terrible, isn’t it?
I know it’s normal for feet to grow during pregnancy (swelling, ligament stretching, etc.) – but I am curious to know how many of you had a permanently changed size? Eagle up top got me thinking – there are some wedges I’ve been eyeing and in my gut I know it’s not a good idea to get them during pregnancy but if my feet didn’t grow permanently they would be so great for a few months now and then post-partum…
Do you have any video of that? I’d love to find out more details.
Expanding Feet – I am 33 weeks pregnant, and suddenly, my shoes aren’t fitting. I knew this might happen, but it seems very sudden, and I don’t know how much of it is swelling/water retention (temporary) and how much is permanent spreading/growth. I have one pair of black flats that are comfortable, but only because they are so old and stretched out that they basically fall off my feet. They were good quality to start with, so they still have a little support, but I know I need to do some quick shopping to make it through this pregnancy. Ideally I would like some support, but I am tempted to just get some flats at Payless to get me through until I know for sure what size I will be long term. Any suggestions? If the solution is to suck it up and buy a pair or two of decent shoes for the next two months, suggestions as to the absolute most versatile shoes would be great (I’m thinking black flats and black oxfords? Somewhat boring but go with everything? I am unfortunately having to swear off heels, even wedges, for this last bit, as they seem to make the swelling worse.
If anyone cares— I said I’d report back on the maternity tops I ordered from H&M, where I couldn’t decide whether to go with M or L. I’m keeping a couple synthetic silk blouses in size M, but returning one style because it was tight across the shoulders and another M because it was too big overall. The others are relaxed but fit nicely. I am returning the cotton/poly tees in L. They were a bit big but probably just fine for late-pregnancy belly, but the neckline was more open than I wanted so I decided not to keep them.
The upshot is that for tops, I didn’t think overall it was necessary to size up, but the sizing seemed to vary a bit by style.
Caution: I am at 5.5 months, and my b**bs are as small as they ever were (small B), although my band size is quite a bit larger. Can’t speak to how sizing would work for the more-endowed.
Will you guys let me vent about my crazy reproductive issues? I’ve been on the pill basically forever. When I first went off it to TTC a few years ago, my periods just stopped. After 100 days of nothing, I went to the doctor – she gave me progesterone, which was to start a period, and Clomid to take after that to induce ovulation. I never even got to the Clomid; I got pregnant immediately and never even had a period. Exciting stuff.
Anticipating that I would have this issue again, I went off the pill last April, with the intent to start TTC in June. Same deal happened, one period after a 50 day cycle, then nothing. I went back to the doc, but this time saw a nurse practitioner. I explained what had gone on last time, so she gave me just the progesterone and said hopefully the same thing will happen again, and if not, come back. She didn’t suggest the Clomid. I took the progesterone, and, this time, it just did what it was supposed to and induced a period. And then, big fat nothing. I started temping to track ovulation, then, after 30 days of no temp changes, called the doctor again. I’ve always been able to get into that office right away, but for some reason, this time my appointment was a month away. And pretty much right then, I did ovulate (just as I was getting over a terrible sickness – so not many attempts made during the fertile window), and had a period 2 weeks later, just as you would expect (making the last cycle another almost 50 days long).
My appointment’s on Monday. If I were running an average schedule, you’d expect me to ovulate around then, but with my schedule, who knows? Maybe I just naturally have a super-long one? Maybe I’ll ovulate next week, or next month, or who knows? I guess I should keep this appointment (I’m sure that if I don’t, I’ll just have to make another one because of another big fat nothing happening). I have no idea what they’ll want to do, or if they’ll just tell me to let things go and see what happens. I’m fast approaching that big 3-5, so I’d really like to get this moving. Grr – body, just work right!
I like the look of a heel and don’t mind the boost in height (at barely 5’2″ anything helps) I’ve discovered wedges to be a great compromise. Stable enough to chase after and tote a small child but still gives me the right heel height for my work pants.
CPA Lady, I added a C-section story to yesterday’s thread. Good luck!
I love the look of heels, but I prefer to wear flats. Pregnancy transformed my feet from size 10 to a true size 10.5- Wide with a narrow heel. What a bummer. I sold all my old shoes on Tradesy and I am on the hunt for some replacements. I have purchased and returned well over $2K worth of shoes in my search for shoes that merely FIT. All hopes of cute shoes are out the window. I’m also that guy that wears sneakers with a dress for daycare drop off and commute. I carry the bucket car seat thing and 2 bags on one side and my 18 month old on my other hip from the car to the daycare center. I rolled my ankle once when I was wearing sensible dress flats and juggling babies so I have demoted myself to sneakers for the time being.
Does anyone have a recommendation for 10.5W dressy flats? I’d prefer a stylish pointy toe, but will take what I can get.