Budget Thursday: Jersey-Knit Swing Dress
This post may contain affiliate links and CorporetteMoms may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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 posted above about my frustrations with my fertility clinic and doctor and decided I’m going to take the wise advice I received and start looking for a new place in case this cycle is unsuccessful. Does anyone have experience with Shady Grove in DC that they’d be willing to share?
Seeking recommendations for books to help young kids (3-4) learn about death.
How can you tell the difference between PPD/PPA and normal feelings? I am 8 months postpartum and recently I feel super overwhelmed and nervous in many aspects of my life. With respect to the kid, I feel worried about introducing solids in the right way/at the right time, and I feel really anxious that we will ruin any progress we have made with respect to sleeping and eating when we get off-schedule (for instance, when we traveled across time zones last week). I don’t feel like I’m on my game at work – I find it hard to keep track of things and pay attention to detail. And today I feel like I’m spiraling down a rabbit hole of potential ramifications because a client was not happy with my approach to a contract negotiation. Socially I feel off as well – I keep re-playing interactions I had days/weeks ago wondering whether I came off as awkward or rude – did I interrupt that person? did I say something stupid? Etc.
I still feel functional – I’m not having panic attacks, but I feel like I’m living in a constant state of nervousness and inadequacy. I don’t know how much of it is justified because I actually am not doing things right, or caused by sleep deprivation (I’m still waking up once a night for an hour or so for feedings), or if it’s actually PPD or PPA.
Anyone BTDT? Recommendations?
Work maternity clothes help! I bought a single ruched/body con dress from Old Navy a few weeks ago. I sized up and it was s.k.i.n.t.i.g.h.t. It made me feel absolutely horrible about myself, and I returned it immediately. I had dreams of rotating through a number of jersey dresses like this and pants/shirt combos, but I’m utterly striking out and need some work clothes guidance. I’m in a business professional/not quite formal office, but there are so few women that I can get away with a lot so long as I have a cardigan on and a jacket within reach. Last two pregnant women wore ‘leggings’ (nice leggings? where do I find those? Mine are Hue cotton leggings and totally wouldn’t fly…) and flowy tops 99% of the time.
FWIW, I went to Motherhood Maternity over the weekend and had a total meltdown as soon as I left the store. None of the clothes are what I need (I only have a small belly – still in that burrito-for-lunch or baby? stage). Non-full on maternity clothes didn’t fit at all. Maternity clothes looked ridiculous.
Any ideas?
The Amazon deal Kat linked to has some good “gift closet” gifts to keep on hand for birthdays. I’ve been really happy with the Alex Little Hands craft kits we have tried (although there is only 1 of these in the sale I think).
i’m in my first trimester, previously miscarried and for a variety of other reasons would like to keep my pregnancy a secret from my family who i will be seeing next week for thanksgiving. my parents know, but no one else (siblings, cousins, etc.) knows yet and we REALLY do not want them to guess. some ppl might know or think that we’ve been trying. my parents are fine about keeping it a secret, but my dad keeps insisting that it is going to be impossible to hide while i’m home for a long weekend, but i don’t really see why? maybe he just wants to be able to talk about it with everyone so he wants to pressure us into spilling the beans? i’ve never really been a big drinker and we are not a family of drinkers. i dont anticipate any alcohol other than at thanksgiving dinner, but figure i can fake a few sips (or take one sip?) of wine. i am a little bigger around my stomach, but i’ve also always carried all of my weight there and plan on hiding it with clothes. i do get nauseous and vomit, but usually only when i first wake up and right before bed, so i won’t be around anyone right then. i have a sibling who i am not at all close with (we do not talk on the phone, basically only communicate to plan parents’ bday gifts via text), who likes to ask me questions about our family planning (which i do not think is anyone’s business). are we being unrealistic? is hiding the pregnancy really not feasible? any tips for keeping it hidden?
pregnant with my first, still fairly early (10.5 weeks) and getting on my second flight while pregnant tomorrow. the first time i flew i was one week pregnant and felt fine. now, i get nauseous, vomit, etc. and am a bit nervous about being in a closed area for 3.5 hours that i can’t escape. i tend to prefer the window seat bc i feel like it is less germy and i dont like being bothered when other people get up, it feels a tiny bit more private, and i like sleeping on planes, but is that a bad idea when pregnant?
What are reasonable expectations regarding nap improvements at a daycare center?
Background: baby started daycare about 2.5 months ago, and hardly naps. A “good” day is two thirty minute naps. His teachers seem receptive to ideas about how to improve his napping (e.g., timing, rocking him, letting him put himself to sleep) but these ideas aren’t always implemented and his naps remain terrible. I’m disappointed because the teachers are very experienced (like, well over ten years at this center) and the center itself is known to be one of the “best” in town. That said, the napping area is partially open to the rest of the room so there’s a lot of stimulation even with lights off in the nap area, no sound machines are allowed, and the ratio is 1 teacher to 4 babies so I recognize he simply won’t get a lot of 1-on-1 time. Should I expect improvement eventually? Is there any magic solution I’m missing?
His nigh sleep is not great and I think he’s overtired from not napping — otherwise I wouldn’t care as much.
Can anyone share anecdata of successful part time arrangements (bonus points for lawyers)? Just frustrated as 4 days in and I already see the time I really hope to guard getting eaten up.
Ok, ladies, question for you all. Prior to having my child, I really feel like I had a pretty good memory. People would ask me things at work about something that took place a few months prior and I’d have an answer at that moment. Now, I get asked, and my reaction is “what are you talking about?” And then, a few hours later, while I’m in a shower or something, it’ll come to me. Or I’ll get asked about an assignment in which I had a few weeks deadline, freak out about it, and then realize I’d already done it. Does this happen to anyone else? Is there any way to work on this? I have no idea if it is due to having a child, but that is my data point. Or do I just have more in my brain now with taking care of said child that I can’t remember things at work? Fortunately, it hasn’t gotten bad enough that it’s affected my performance, but it’s still annoying.
Can I vent some TTC frustrations? I’m doing my first round of femara right now. I went in for monitoring yesterday, thinking that meant blood work. Turns out it included an ultrasound and it took about 2 hours because the doctor was running late. Then I got a call from a nurse in the afternoon who told me, “Give yourself the shot tomorrow morning.” And I said, “What shot?” The doctor never mentioned this shot to me at all. So she explained that I need to go to a specialty pharmacy (only 2 locations in the city) tonight before it closes at 6:30 and pick up a trigger shot to give myself in the morning and she will email me instructions and a video on how to do it. Luckily, I was able to get to the pharmacy (way out of my way) and pick up the trigger shot. But the nurse never sent me the email. I got the pharmacist to explain how to do the shot. I rushed out of the house in a mad dash this morning after my 3 year old was being very difficult, then I got to work and at some point realized that I forgot to give myself the shot. UGGGGHHH. Luckily (again) my husband was still home, so he’s going to bring it to his office, and I can go pick it up from him. BUT. A) I hate my fertility doctor. B) Is it a terrible idea to go through all this to try for a second kid when I CLEARLY can barely manage my current life with one?
Just in case anyone struggles as much as I do to find cards for DH, I stumbled upon an etsy shop that has some great options — link in reply.
Do you have a favorite set of packing cubes for your family? I am thinking of getting a set for upcoming holiday travel for our family of four (2 adults, 1 pre schooler, 1 infant). Before the infant showed up we could get everything into one large suitcase.
I lived in the sleeveless and short-sleeve versions of this dress in my ostensibly business casual office this past summer. I found the length to vary a lot by color; some of mine are regular length and some are talls. They are super cute and comfortable.