Maternity Monday: MAMA Cotton Tunic
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H&M has become a favorite in our house, if only because a) they have affordable organic cotton underwear for my boys, and b) my husband loves the way their T-shirts first — but I’ve also heard great things about their maternity collections, particularly their jeans. This cotton tunic (pictured here in the blue, but also on sale in a black checkered print) looks great for a casual office work look. It’s $15-$30, at H&M. MAMA Cotton Tunic
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Building a maternity wardrobe for work? Check out our page with more suggestions along both classic and trendy/seasonal lines.
Sales of note for 3/15/25
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Nordstrom – Spring sale, up to 50% off
- Ann Taylor – 40% off everything + free shipping
- Banana Republic Factory – 40% off everything + 20% off
- Eloquii – 50% off select styles + extra 50% off sale
- J.Crew – Extra 30% off women’s styles + spring break styles on sale
- J.Crew Factory – 40% off everything + extra 20% off 3 styles + 50% off clearance
- M.M.LaFleur – Friends and family sale, 20% off with code; use code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – 40% off 1 item + 30% off everything else (includes markdowns, already 25% off)
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?
“Do you ever get the sense that your very existence irritates someone?”
This question from an above comment kind of made me have a revelation. Yes, I do. And that person is my husband. Last night I was pointing out a drying feature on our dishwasher to him and he responded with a lecture about how wasteful I am and questioned if I ever thought about the future.
I am so sick of him being mean to me. And I told him that it seemed to me like he didn’t like me or respect me. He responded that he did but that he didn’t show it in a way that would be evident to me. I was like “no kidding.” I feel like round two of this argument is coming tonight. We went through a really rough patch that I thought we were finally coming out of, but maybe not. Then I read all these stories on the main s i t e about how if its not easy 24/7 and if you’re not blissfully happy you might as well just walk away. Is that real? Or is it just different when you have toddlers?
Please, please, please, don’t buy organic cotton. It is almost entirely grown outside of the US and has labor abuses that are unbelievable (it’s not slavery, it’s “forced labor” because even though children and women are beaten if they don’t make their daily quotas they get paid at the end of the season). Victoria’s Secret, H&M and others have been implicated (though it’s always their “contractors” faults). NOn-GMO organic cotton is a huge investment in human labor and that cannot be changed. In most places organic cotton is still harvested by hand!
I grew up where they grow cotton in the US and I will tell you that the newwest GMO cotton uses less water than it did even five years ago (although still tons of nitrogen fertilizer) and requires almost no human labor. The engineered the plants so the cotton grows closer to the top of the plant, so they plant them closer together which reduces weeds and pretty much gets rid of the need for “choppin’ cotton” (weed removal).
You’re literally dressing your family with labor of children.
I am in the middle of review season. I have six reviewers, plus my supervisor and the head of my section need to review me. Every year there is one “exploding review” that comes in at the very last minute, and is really negative. We end up spending my entire review discussing that one negative review, which I inevitably haven’t had a chance to follow up on (because usually that person hasn’t been in the office since submitting it).
Two of my reviews are in and they are both glowing, awesome reviews. Of the four outstanding, any of them could be the exploding review this year…or all of them…. or none of them. And the head of my section always seems to just recycle last year’s evaluation, which is unfortunate because I’ve made a lot of progress since he started reviewing me, but his “review” will be the same as it has been for the last three years regardless. The waiting is awful.
This is likely old news for many of you but I recently discovered The Longest Shortest Time podcast (all about parenting) and it’s amazing!! Love it so much. Particularly moved by the Accidental Gay Parents podcast episode (about a gay couple in their mid-20s who became parents to a 1 and 3 year old, virtually overnight). Check it out.
http://longestshortesttime.com/
I think that does it. I agree that it is not necessarily expected. It is a bittwersweet moment — I felt sad about this too, I think because you put so much faith on the infant teachers to care for your littlest ones and there is so much tenderness, and they feel like surrogates for you in a way that is different than the teachers for kids who are older and more independent.
My youngest is transitioning out of the infant room this week. One primary teacher has been in that same infant room for both my kids, and it feels so sad to be moving on from her. I’d like to do something nice for her — is it just as simple as a gift card and lovely note?
There is so much! The National Air and Space and Natural History museums are always a hit. The American History museum has a great toddler play area as does the National Building Museum. The zoo is also awesome and free. We also like just running around the national mall and bringing a picnic.
i will be in DC with my 2.5 year old for one day soon. personally i love the smithsonians but i’ve never paid attention to their kid appeal. any particularly good for this age? or any other suggestions for fun things to do?
I have a 500$ gift certificate to Mandarin Oriental hotels/spa that I am never going to use. Where can I sell it?
Actual work wear question: I’m meeting with an internal, senior recruiter for a University next week. I’ll be in town for a house-hunting trip because we’re relocating in the summer to this U where my husband will be teaching. Would it be appropriate to go in a black, ponte, long sleeve sheath dress with boots and tights? We’re meeting at a Starbucks; the weather could be rain/snow.
It’s not an interview for an particular position; I think this is more of a get-to-know you/your skills type thing, although I’ve never worked with a recruiter before, so I’m also open to any advice about that! I’m at a point in my career where I could feasibly make a move to management.
How does the sizing run?
Savannah ladies – would anyone like an almost-new rock n play, or know of a local org that might be able to use it? We’re here visiting and bought one for our infant to sleep in at the hotel, so it’s been used a total or 4 nights. Ideally someone would pick it up from our hotel in the historic district sometime tomorrow (we leave in the morning). If you reply here I’ll post an email so we can coordinate.
Mamas, here’s a PSA: buy this dress if you have a Costco membership! It’s a thick, substantial fabric and great for a business casual workplace with jewelry and booties/heels. So inexpensive and super forgiving of lumps and bumps: https://www.costco.com/Hilary-Radley-Ladies%E2%80%99-French-Terry-Dress.product.100318484.html