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This cashmere blazer is one of those things that Neiman Marcus always seem to have on sale in new colors — for $138 now (down from $398) it’s at a pretty great price, and there’s a lot of inventory left. I may be a bit biased because I always have good luck Woolite-washing my cashmere, but I think it’s a great way to straddle the lines of comfortable, warm, and professional — and it works whether you’re pregnant, nursing, or beyond. The sweater is $138. Neiman Marcus One-Button Cashmere Blazer
(L-2)
Sales of note for 9.10.24
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Ann Taylor – 30% off your purchase
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything + extra 20% off
- Boden – 15% off new styles
- Eloquii – $29 and up select styles; up to 50% off everything else
- J.Crew – Up to 50% off wear-to-work styles; extra 30% off sale styles
- J.Crew Factory – 40-60% off everything; extra 60% off clearance
- Lands’ End – 30% off full-price styles
- Loft – Extra 40% off sale styles
- Talbots – BOGO 50% everything, includes markdowns
- Target – Car-seat trade-in event through 9/28 — bring in an old car seat to get a 20% discount on other baby/toddler stuff.
- Zappos – 26,000+ women’s sale items! (check out these reader-favorite workwear brands on sale, and some of our favorite kids’ shoe brands on sale)
Kid/Family Sales
- Carter’s – Birthday sale, 40-50% off & extra 20% off select styles
- Hanna Andersson – Up to 50% off all baby; up to 40% off all Halloween
- J.Crew Crewcuts – Extra 30% off sale styles
- Old Navy – 40% off everything
- Target – BOGO 25% off select haircare, up to 25% off floor care items; up to 30% off indoor furniture up to 20% off TVs
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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?
KJ says
Is anyone here into Montessori? I remember Kat once mentioned that she organizes toys “the Montessori way” of making them easy to reach for kids. Does anyone do anything like that? I had always thought that Montessori preschools were part time and thus not for working moms, but I’d be interested to hear ways to incorporate the philosophy* in a two-working-parent household. I tried googling for “montessori at home” which turned up a lot of SAHMs and homeschoolers and is obviously not helpful for me.
*My understanding of the Montessori philosophy is that it’s about kids being independent and self-sufficient, which appeals to me. Feel free to correct me if I’m mistaken.
JJ says
My two kids (3 and 18 months) are in a Montessori school/daycare and we LOVE it. They do focus on independence and being self-sufficient. A lot of daily activities for them are learning how to “chop” fruits and vegetables with plastic toys and plastic knives, putting away all toys after they finish playing with them, and music/drama/stretching and exercise classes.
We didn’t know anything about Montessori before putting our kids in this school (we chose it because it was brand new and literally across the street from our house, but they have thrived. My three-year old will soon be moving up a class to the 3-5 year olds, so I’m curious to see how he’ll do once he’s the youngest. But other than that, I love that the school focuses on education (they learn ABCs, 123, etc.), but not in a forced way and with so many other life lessons, as well.
The school is open from 6:30 – 6:30 for extended care for all ages, and the actual “school hours” are 8:30 – 3:30. So maybe a school in your area would have the extended hour options.
Mrs. Jones says
Our 4 y-o son is in a Montessori school that is open from 8 till 6 (school is 8:30-3). He loves it. He is more self-sufficient and learns a wider variety of things than he did in his old “traditional” day care.
EB0220 says
My baby is in a montessori program, so I’ve been learning about the philosophy over the past 6 months or so. I think it’s pretty neat. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a full-time program for my preschooler so I’ll be trying to incorporate the philosophy at home. I think it’s fairly easy to do – just create a child-friendly environment at your house and have your kids help with everyday activities. We’re about to move, so I’m planning some montessori-style spaces in the new house. I’m going to do an entryway with low hooks and bins for the kids’ coats and accessories. Preschooler will be transitioning to a full-sized mattress, but we’ll put it on the floor in her room. I’m going to create a kid kitchen area in a low cabinet with the kids’ plates, cups, utensils, etc. We very frequently have our preschooler help with cooking, cleaning, etc. From my reading, it boils down to: create kid-friendly spaces that encourage children to learn self-sufficiency.
kc esq says
There have been examples of Montessori-inspired play on Hellobee. I don’t recall which blogger in particular provides it. One small Montessori-inspired idea that I saw somewhere and plan to implement when my kids are a little older is giving them access to a pitcher of water and a cup so that they can get a drink (or offer one) whenever they are thirsty without needing to ask.
ANP says
Our daughter was in a Montessori pre-kindergarten program this year (4K) and has totally thrived! There’s definitely a difference between what I’d call “true” Montessori and “Montessori-inspired.” I think Montessori schools get a bad rap sometimes — people think they’re not about real learning or something — but our daughter has become much more thoughtful, independent, and interested in the world during her time in this environment. In terms of how to replicate it at home, I’d look at some of the certification websites and see what they recommend.
EB0220 says
Check out this link (hopefully it works)!
http://milkweedmontessori.com/tag/the-working-moms-guide-to-montessori-at-home/
KJ says
Thanks so much, this is great!
Anon says
Definitely check out the “How We Montessori” website. She does a lot of home integration and explains the philosophy well.
KJ says
One more question: Is it normal to spend the month leading up to your child’s first birthday looking at photos of her as a newborn and getting weepy, wondering where the time went? Umm…asking for a friend.
CHJ says
Totally normal! (According to my… um… friend…) Although year two is really fantastic too! They learn all sorts of cool things, start talking to you, develop interests, make little friends, start giving hugs and saying they love you. It’s very cool. And they don’t grow and change as fast in year two, so it’s not as much of a head trip!
JJ says
Yes! I remember thinking that my one-year old was SO OLD when his birthday came around. Now when I look back at those pictures, I think “He was still a baby!”
Totally normal. But year two is pretty awesome. Seeing what personality your child has and watching it develop is amazing.
Spirograph says
+1. :)
noob says
My, uh, friend, hasn’t gotten there yet, but did get weepy putting away the outgrown 3 month clothing (so tiny!), so it seems normal to me.
FVNC says
I tend not to be that sentimental, but packing away the clothes gets me EVERY time. Especially the six month or larger sizes, since I remember thinking my baby would never be big enough to fit into them — let alone outgrow them!
CPA Lady says
I know! I’m having a freak out over the fact that my daughter will be 6 months old in two weeks. I got those month by month onesie stickers, and I remember putting the first one on and thinking I’d never make it to month 3, and now I feel like if I blink I’ll be on month 12.
KJ says
I’m doing the stickers too and going back and forth between the one month photos and the recent 11 month photos, like, how did this happen? Waaah!
CHJ says
Yes! I have a laundry basket overflowing with his (current) 18-24 month clothes because I can’t bear to take his 9 month clothes out of the dresser to make room. Someone please stage an intervention.
Momata says
I did this too with the 12m clothes. Poor thing was wearing 12m leggings far longer than she should have.
noob says
I need to do the 6 month to 9 month switch this weekend. The only reason I’m somewhat okay with it is that the 9 month onesies are springy and short-sleeved (at least some of them are).
It’s not bad yet, since she’s just 6 months, but I haven’t been able to get rid of the stuff she’s outgrown. I should, because we’re one and done, but giving them away will really just mean I won’t be doing the newborn thing again and that makes me surprisingly sad.
pockets says
The other side of the coin is buying 12 or 18 month clothing ahead of time when your baby is 3 months old and thinking, Man this clothing is SO BIG my baby will NEVER fit into it. And then of course your baby will and you’ll get all nostalgic.
NewMomAnon says
Or buying larger sizes ahead of time and realizing when you finally pull them out of the closet that your kiddo has already outgrown them…d’oh. I’m looking at you, size 24 month summer dresses!
EB0220 says
Yeah…I really need to donate the baby clothes that my baby has outgrown since we’re done…but I’m having difficulty. I’m still holding out hope that my husband will come around to a third…unlikely!
NewMomAnon says
Confession: I’m NewMomAnon and I have a problem. When I bolt out of work at the end of the day for daycare pickup (supposed to leave at 5, lucky if I’m only 15 minutes later than that), work seems to be just picking up steam. The last few weeks, it doesn’t matter how much work I had during the day, it is inevitable that EVERYONE wants to do a “quick call” or slew of e-mails between 5 and 6. But….I’m driving my kiddo from daycare to home during that time, and I’m finding myself typing out e-mails while navigating rush hour freeway traffic. It is super unsafe, but I can’t stop myself.
Daycare pickup can be as late as 6 and it’s only a few minutes from work, but we have a 30-40 minute commute home….so if I pick her up at 6, then I’ll only have 15 minutes with her before she crashes and burns. If I leave the office by 5:15, then I usually get an hour with her.
Her dad picks her up twice a week, and that was a struggle to negotiate so I don’t think I can ask him to do more nights. I consistently log back on and work for a few more hours after she goes to bed at 7.
Anyone have end-of-day strategies that work? Or ways to calm that horrible feeling that you’re letting people down by not being available during “peak” work hours? I try to give a half hour heads-up to my work providers before I leave, but it’s not helping. Also, this is the Midwest and our business community is on an 8-4:30 schedule, so it isn’t an “early” departure time.
Noelle says
I’m in the same boat except and have no good answers. Hoping that others have good suggestions.
pockets says
You need to set boundaries. No one is going to say, “NewMomAnon is unavailable after 5 so I’ll make sure to email her by 3pm.” You need to say it yourself and then stick to it. They email you after 5 and expect responses because in the past that’s what happened. You’re not in control of when they email you, but you are in control of when you respond. Very few things are such emergencies that they have to be accomplished between 5 and 6 pm and can’t wait until after 7 or the next day. Put up an auto-response email if you have to – something like, “I am unavailable between the hours of 5 and 6 pm but will respond to your email after 7.” My advice is to a) shut your phone off (or at least silence notifications) and b) stop feeling guilty that other people can’t plan and manage time and feel the need to get everything done at the last second.
mascot says
1) Put the phone away. You can’t play with it if it is in the backseat/trunk. If handsfree calling is something you do on the way to pick-up, then do that. I don’t like taking work calls in the car and certainly not with my noisy child in the car.
2) Just say no. Easier said than done, but I found that people were pretty understanding when I set a hard deadline about getting out of the office. That 5-6pm hour is super productive for me too, but if there isn’t anyone to pick up my child, then I can’t be available during that time.
FVNC says
Couple of things. First, if you can’t stop yourself from looking at your phone while driving, put it in the backseat or glove compartment so you won’t be tempted (I have been guilty of this as well). Please be safe.
Completely contradicting my advice above, can you take “quick calls” after daycare pickup? E.g., “Client, I have to leave now, but you can call me at [number] in 20 minutes and we can chat.”
Are the emails urgent? Does your company/firm have a culture of requiring immediate response to emails? If not, then just don’t worry about them until after your daughter is in bed. If they do require immediate response, then I’d write back quickly saying that you’ve seen the email and will respond in detail later in the evening. (ETA: assuming you are still at your desk when you get the email — not while driving!)
My company is family friendly and having a hard stop for daycare pickup (with the understanding that you’ll be back online if needed later in the evening) is completely acceptable. Obviously, know your company culture, but I bet once you stop being so responsive between 5-6 pm, you’ll see a decrease in the last-minute flurries. At the very least, unless you’re in the middle of a deal, you’ll set the expectation that you’ll respond, but maybe not immediately.
CHJ says
I completely agree — if you keep setting boundaries and are consistently not available from 5-7 p.m., people will adjust. That feeling of trying to do both a daycare pickup AND still be available for work emails is the absolute worst. You feel like you are failing both. It’s much better for your own sanity (and your reputation at work, I think!) to be upfront and say “I can do a call anytime before 4:30, or anytime after 7” and stick to it. And go ahead and respond to those emails at 7:30 after your daughter is in bed — it will make you feel like you’re on top of things at the end of the day.
NewMomAnon says
Thanks everyone – good reminders that the only thing I can control is my response, not the behavior that leads to my response. Tonight I’m putting my phone in my briefcase, throwing it all in the back seat, and leaving it there until kiddo is asleep. She deserves it and I do too.
Pogo says
Putting it in the backseat is key. I’d also be curious to know if anyone knows of a way to have a “driving mode” on the iPhone where you can use GPS but not other services? Or at least disable the other notifications from popping up? Last week on a business trip I was navigating unfamiliar roads, in a rental car, and colleagues were texting/emailing me. Seemed very dangerous (I wasn’t even trying to respond, just trying to use google maps!)
mascot says
Try going into Settings/Notifications and turning off banners on text and email programs. Enabling badges will still allow you to see the number of msgs in each program icon on the home screen.
I don’t know if there is a way to set that a mode that you can toggle on/off in one step.
Momata says
I have used “Do Not Disturb” for this purpose. If you swipe up from the home screen, a little moon appears – this means you won’t get any notifications on calls or texts, but you can still use the phone’s data connection (unlike going on Airplane Mode). You can tinker with DND to let just your favorites through if you want to be sure to not miss a call from your boss or spouse.
Pogo says
brilliant! good idea.
Jen says
Put your cell phone in the trunk. It is the only way. I caught myself doing it a few times and realized that it was SO STUPID on top of the fact that I literally have the most precious cargo with me.
Putting it in the back seat didn’t help. It had to be totally unreachable.
At home, DH and I had to institute a policy where the phones go away from 5-7pm. At 7pm, ONE of us can take calls/email while the other is doing bathtime. After 7:45, when the nugget is in bed, phone calls and email can commence. I work with teams in other time zones, so 6pm is only 3-4 PM in their office. I just blocked the time out and always offer late meetings as an alternative.
Warning: Rant Ahead says
Spring cold= sucky. Third trimester of pregnancy with a cold and thus no access to the good drugs= super sucky. Racking cough with compromised bladder control= yipes.
Someone, please, if you are currently enjoying beautiful spring weather, let me live vicariously through you.
Thanks, I needed to get that out there.
KJ says
I’m sorry, that’s so miserable! I hope you feel better soon. Maybe try a neti pot/sinus rinse for some drug-free relief? I have the NeilMed sinus rinse and love it.
Manhattanite says
I really feel your pain! Ask your doctor if you can take Benadryl? Mine said yes (really, ask yours — I’m *not* suggesting to anyone to follow my second hand advice) and it allowed me to get a night or two of sleep where otherwise my nasal passage were too swollen to permit breathing. (Benadryl is still not what I’d call a “good drug” for a cold…)
mascot says
Along those lines, ask if there is a Sudafed product that’s safe. The vapor plug-ins are helpful for nighttime. Honey is also a surprisingly effective cough suppressant.
Maddie Ross says
At least 2 years ago when I was pregnant, sudafed (the plain ol’ red pill stuff) was safe. I Definitely check.
Newly pregnant says
My doctor has given me the green light for regular Sudafed (nothing extra strength).
Lyssa says
My doc approves Sudefed and Benadryl (which doesn’t do much for cold symptoms, but helps you sleep a lot). I went through 3 in a row during my first tri, so I completely feel your pain.
NewMomAnon says
Mucinex was really helpful during pregnancy and nursing – ask your OB, of course. Because sudafed dries up your milk supply, I don’t think I’ve taken any of the “good stuff” in 2 years. So excited to be back among the living this allergy season!
OP says
Thanks for the sympathy ladies. I’ll have to email my OB regarding some of these. Last pregnancy I was told just Tylenol and cough drops. Maybe if question specific drugs, I’ll get some green lighted.
MomAnon4This says
I”m in 3rd trimester and got bad cold + conjunctivitis.
Doctor prescribed some Category B meds. I am so, so glad I did that.
I am too drugged up during this pregnancy, between my SSRI and the anti-nausea pill I took until 26 weeks, and the occasional Unisom. :( But they’re all safe, so :/
Pogo says
Well, it finally happened: another of my high-achieving college friends managed to get knocked up before me, despite the fact that I was one of the first of my friends to get married. I told myself I wouldn’t be upset by that (because it’s not a race for goodness sake!) but I found myself feeling frustrated.
I’m sure a big part of this is Facebook and obviously her life looks perfect (she’s a resident at a top hospital in the US, married to a banker, they’re always going on fab vacations, now they have a baby on the way, etc etc) but who knows what it’s really like.
Seriously, the competitive/high-achieving part of me is not loving this TTC business.
noob says
Many hugs.
I had to remind myself (over and over, and usually after a burst of spontaneous tears) that there weren’t a limited number of pregnancies out there, and a friend getting there first didn’t hurt my chances. But it still sucked.
TTC is a nightmare for Type As, I think.
Newly pregnant says
Hugs. I know how frustrating it can be. I went through this with getting engaged/married and also pregnancy. I felt like everyone I knew was getting engaged/married or pregnant before me, and for a while it was okay, but then it was Not Okay. When I could feel myself getting frustrated I reminded myself that I was happy in my relationship and life, and (especially related to pregnancy) I would have me and my husband do something that I wouldn’t do if I were pregnant.
Pogo says
Thanks guys, these comments really helped. I had some sushi and wine last night and that did in fact make me feel better!
NewMomAnon says
Hugs. This is probably cold comfort, but parenting is one of those things where being “first” really doesn’t equate to winning.
I was the first of my friends to have a baby, and it was really hard (think, everyone going to the bar at 9 pm which was when my “morning sickness” usually kicked in, or nobody wanting to grab early morning breakfast with me and early-rising kiddo because they were all out late the night before). It’s really hard for people to understand the challenges of a new parent and the schedule of a new parent, until they have kids of their own. So at some point, you may feel grateful that one of your friends went before you and can hopefully be a good resource and support when you do have a kiddo of your own.