Summer puts me in the mood to try a bold print like this one.
This midi dress from Boden has a sleek column silhouette, matching self-tie belt, and side slits so you can get to where you want to go. Add a pair of block heeled sandals and dangly earrings for an instant outfit.
Note that the comments mention it runs long, so this may be a great choice if you’re taller.
Boden’s Short-Sleeve Column Midi Dress is on sale for $158.40 (originally $198; all new styles are 20% off today) and comes in sizes 2 to 20/22 as well as petites. It’s available in black and bright emerald.
Looking for other washable workwear? See all of our recent recommendations for washable clothes for work, or check out our roundup of the best brands for washable workwear.
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Sales of Note…
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Nordstrom – 2,100+ new markdowns!
- Ann Taylor – Extra 50% off all sale styles
- Banana Republic Factory – 40% off everything; extra 30% off orders $100+
- Eloquii – $39 select styles; 50% off select styles
- J.Crew – 25-50% off wear-now styles; extra 50% off select sale styles
- J.Crew Factory – Up to 60% off everything; 50% off women’s dresses; extra 60% off clearance
- Loft – 60% off sale styles
- Lands’ End – Up to 40% off your order
- Talbots – Semi-Annual Red Door Sale: Extra 50% off markdowns
- Zappos – 26,000+ sale items (for women)! Check out these reader-favorite workwear brands on sale, and some of our favorite kid shoe brands on sale.
Kid/Family Sales
- J.Crew – 25-40% off kids’ styles; extra 50% off select sale
- Lands’ End – Up to 40% off your order
- Hanna Andersson – 30% off all kids’ & baby clothing; PJs on sale from $25; up to 75% off clearance
- Carter’s – Rule the School Sale: Up to 50% off; up to 40% off baby essentials
- Old Navy – 50% off back-to-school styles; 30% off your order, even clearance
- Target – Backpacks from $7.99; toddler & kids’ uniforms on sale from $5
- Pottery Barn Baby – Summer sale: up to 50% off
- Nordstrom – Limited time sales on brands like Maxi-Cosi and Bugaboo.
- Strolleria – Free infant seat car adapter with any Thule stroller; 30% off all Peg-Perego gear in our exclusive Incanto Collection
anon says
Long shot, but does anyone have a recommendation for an insulated container that can keep a portion of ice cream somewhat solid for a few hours?
My kids’ elementary school doesn’t have air conditioning. And when it gets very hot, they just won’t eat, which means they’re in rough shape by the time they get home. I’m hoping maybe ice cream will be tempting and refreshing.
Anonymous says
I haven’t but another trick that works for us is to freeze a portion of greek yoghurt mixed with fruit (frozen mango is our go-to), in a round plastic container and then pop the container into a regular round thermos. By lunch time it’s usually thawed but still cool. You could also do that with individual prepackaged yoghurts as well.
When it’s hot, our kids to better with snacky lunchs like pretzel chips, apples/bananas, salami slices or turkey sticks. It’s also not a big deal if they eat mostly at breakfast and dinner and just snack a bit during the day.
Anonymous says
Adding that for hot foods I let the thermos sit with boiling water in it for 15 mins before filling and for cold foods I fill it with ice cubes before filling with yoghurt container or a frozen portion of gazpacho as well. Side benefit of our Italy vacation is that the kids are obsessed with gazpacho as a hot weather food.
If your kids like babybel cheeses, those would work great to pop into a thermos with some ice cubes as they are wrapped so they wouldn’t get wet as the ice cubes melt.
EDAnon says
We also do frozen yogurt that warms but is still cold and our kiddos love it.
Anon says
I use the Pack-It freezer snack bags for things I want to keep cold and it works pretty well, although I’m not usually trying to keep things frozen. Maybe freeze individual scoops of ice cream on a sheet pan until they are solid, put them in a small chilled stainless steel container and pack that in the Pack-it? You could also add a few small ice packs or a baggie of frozen grapes for extra insurance.
Other options would be frozen yogurt tubes, frozen fruit, or even a mochi might work if it’s frozen enough when you pack it.
TheElms says
A Pack it lunch bag kept frozen smoothie popsicles frozen for my daughter at the splash pad in 90+ degree heat for at least a couple hours. I never tried more than about 2.5 hours though, so not sure if it would make it to lunch. That said, with an extra ice pack or two (those thin ones you see for lunch boxes) I think it would keep ice cream frozen until lunch.
What about also sending a frozen juice box? I’m hoping it would sort of end up as a slushy consistency once it melted a bit, which could be fun. At worst it would end up as cold juice and if they drink some juice it might help them to eat a bit more.
FP says
I freeze yogurt tubes often to send in lunch. They won’t stay frozen all day but serve as ice, and then a very cold melty treat.
Anon318 says
Thirding the Pack-It recommendation. The more full you pack the pack-it, the colder everything will stay. I’ve never tried ice cream, but I’ve packed a frozen yogurt tube, a small tupperware of fruit and a juice box together and the yogurt was still frozen after 7 hours of direct sun on the pack-it in 90-degree heat.
Anonymous says
Doesn’t the cafeteria sell ice cream?
Anon says
Not OP but our school cafeteria definitely does not sell ice cream!
anon says
We have both PackIt lunchbags and snackbags, and I wouldn’t trust the snackpacks to keep something solidly frozen. The lunchbag could probably do it, especially if the ice cream is inside a prechilled thermos. We also freeze juiceboxes and send them to summer camp, so that they’re thawed but still very cold at lunch time.
Kids Eat in Color on IG did a roundup of which lunchbox/ice pack combinations stayed cold the longest outside in Maryland in the summer, so might be worth checking there to get ideas.
OP says
Thank you, all, for all the advice!
Anonymous says
Apologies if this is a duplicate. Where would you travel in Europe in September with a 10 month old baby? We, the parents, have been to most of Western Europe and would be open to repeating. Probably not Switzerland as we’ve been there a lot to visit family. Eastern Europe/Scandinavia would be new to us.
Inspired by the travel threads yesterday!
Anon says
Wherever you, the adults, most want to go. Your child will soon have opinions and needs that make certain places easier than others but at this age is very portable so just pick the place that most interests you.
NYCer says
+1. Especially in September where the weather will be nice basically all over Europe. Personally, I would skip a location with a lot of hiking (e.g., Dolomites), because I don’t enjoy hiking with a baby, but YMMV.
Anonymous says
Agree with this. My kids are 8 and 11 and now have lots of opinions about where we should go and what we should do. Pick where you want to go and then figure out the necessary baby friendly adjustments – for us that’s accommodation with a separate sleeping space for baby (Even if a pack and play in a walk in closet), and a minikitchen to prep breakfast/snacks/picnic lunch for the day so we are not doing 3 meals/day in restaurants.
September can be really lovely in Italy – especially if you are staying on an agritourismo and can watch the olive harvest. Sweden is also super popular with family in Europe at the moment. My own bucket list includes the north coast of Germany. If you like hiking, Italian Dolomites are great. If you like music/museums maybe a loop through Vienna/Budapest/Prague? 10 months is a great age, especially if you can get a stroller or ergo nap in while you stroll around a museum.
Anon says
Agree, although I will say that you normally have a slower pace of travel with a baby, so it might be best to go to a city you’ve been to before or a place where there isn’t a ton of stuff to do. I think you’d likely have FOMO in Paris or Rome unless you’ve been before or are staying for longer than a week.
Anon says
I have 3 kids who have traveled extensively and now have Opinions, and agree with this. I am a vote for hiking destinations with a baby because I carried my kid anyway, so why not carry the kid somewhere gorgeous?! I took a 2 year old to a hike in only lodge in British Columbia, so I fall on the extreme end of travel, FWIW. I also have a really hard time with the age where your baby is toddling around getting into danger all the time, so I’d vote for a trip at that age where you are moving with the baby strapped to you (again, this is a huge personal preference) rather than refereeing a frustrated kid from eating sand or trying to climb stairs.
My only vote against the Dolomites is that you can probably tack them on easily to a trip to Switzerland. If you travel to northern Norway (Lofoten Islands would be great – you can stay in a Rorbu, so no adjoining neighbors to hear the baby) or Sweden in September, you can potentially see the Northern Lights in either place without it being freezing.
Anon says
I’d go anywhere where you can get a bedroom separate from a living space where you can sit and enjoy a beverage with a view. That way the baby can go to bed or nap and you can sit and enjoy visiting with your spouse and still enjoy being on vacation. I don’t like sitting silently in a dark hotel room.
We had a lovely AirBnb in Bath and again in the Cotswolds with lovely views. Italy or Croatia or Greece and a balcony would also work. Maybe even a small cruise down the Dalmatian coast?
AwayEmily says
Prague!! Tough for a stroller, GREAT for a baby carrier, and lots of soft dumplings for babies just learning to eat.
Anon says
Vienna is super stroller friendly if you plan on doing that even on public transportation.
Anonymous says
I moved to Charlotte during the pandemic from an area where we didn’t go to summer camp as kids, especially if you had a mom at home in the summer. Can someone explain places like SeaFarer/Seagull (which is a Y camp) and Ilahee? It terrifies me a bit to hear other moms say “well, they don’t want too many Charlotte girls at any given time, so it is very hard to get into if you didn’t go there.” Like what did I get myself and my kids into by moving here?
Anon says
I think you’re overthinking this. It’s camp, not college. If your kids don’t get into a particular camp you find a different one or your kids don’t go to camp. Either way it’s fine.
Elle says
In Raleigh, and went to Seafarer as a kid. I’m happy to help- but can you tell me more what you’re asking? It’s a sleep away camp at the beach with your normal activities (archery, tennis, horseback riding, soccer) along with water spots (sailing, fishing, water skiing). It’s a month long and reasonably inexpensive (since it’s a Y Camp) so it fills up pretty fast. FWIW, I’m more of a mountain girl and loved camp Ton a Wandah in Hendersonville more. I think sleep away camps in general are great for fostering independence. The kid gets to pick their own classes based on their interests and gets used to being away from their parents. I give it a lot of credit for college being a much breezier transition for me than it was for other people.
Elle says
Also wanted to say that when I say spots fill up fast I mean it, you probably want to register for next year as soon as registration opens. Let you kid try it and if they hate it you don’t have to send them the next year.
anon says
I was a counselor at Illahee in college. I think the June term in particular is very hard to get into unless you’re already a family there. The girls all had loads of fun. Not the place if you’re looking for diversity.
Anonymous says
You’re just talking to snobby people. You don’t have to send your kids to a camp like that.
Anonymous says
Now I’m curious. YMCAs in my city had day camps for working parents, but the only other kinds of camps I know about are boy scout camps. And some kids in high school went to sports or enrichment camps at college for a week or two, largely for being able to eat unlimited ice cream in the cafeteria. These are different?
Anon says
These sound like traditional sleepaway camps except for the part about selective admission. My kids go to camp and you just…register. There’s no “getting in” or not.
anon says
These are very different, yes. Southern summer camps are largely a vestige of the past. They’re great for getting into sororities!
Anonymous says
Like Bama Rush but for kids?
Mary Moo Cow says
My sister moved to the Charlotte suburbs recently and whoo boy, camps. From what she says, camps are expensive, fill up quickly, and are awesome. Like grit/lifeskills camp, water sports camps, etc.: more options that I have a few hours up the road.
I will also add that from what I’ve observed, there is tons of money sloshing around that area, much more than I remember when we lived an hour away in the late ’90’s. Her circle is one working parent, private school, luxury SUV, so perhaps I’m biased. (And her kids go to summer camp, whereas we did not because we had a teacher mother.) However, there are friendly and down to earth people within that set and I hope that, with time, you’ll find your people and hopefully feel like you made the right choice moving there.
Anonymous says
Currently in Charlotte and don’t run with the fancy camp crowd. I know parents who have kids working at scout camps starting in late middle school and working at grocery stores (and then am adjacent to people who send their teen kids away for a month for “life skills”). I am not sure, but my sense is that the former kids are well prepared to adult but when porters greet you to unload your things for camp, you may wind up like Lilly Bart (or that would be my fear).
Anonymous says
What on earth is life skills camp?!? Normal camp teaches plenty of life skills like laundry, cleaning toilets, and putting on your own sunscreen. Teach them to cook and make them get a summer job in high school, and they’re all set.
Anon says
I dunno life skills camp is kind of intriguing to me! I feel like there’s so much that’s not taught in high school and college.
Mary Moo Cow says
This was for kids, so fun “make you feel like a grown up” life skills: making your own hamburgers and grilling them, basic first aid, using power tools. It looked like a ton of fun.
Anonymous says
Ah. Most of this stuff we did at Girl Scout camp. Our VBS lets the kids use power tools.
Anon says
Honestly, I’d go for whatever camp provides the best traditional camp experience – no electronics, lots of independence, tons of time in the outdoors doing things like archery that you don’t get to do at home. If that’s what these selective camps offer, I’d be trying to get in.
3rd birthday gift ideas? says
Birthday present ideas for grandparents to give a 3-year-old? Loves being outside and has a lot of “big” things already – play kitchen, balance bike, scooter, etc.
OOO says
Gardening/outdoor tools made for kids, like hand shovel, watering can, rake, snow shovel
Bubble lawn mower
Soccer ball and goal
Stomp rocket
Large dump truck made of steel for outdoor play
Inflatable bounce house
Anon says
Foam water guns from target. They are basically retrofitted pool tubes so they can pump/squirt water.
Also that age loves realistic animal figurines…
Anon says
We got an inflatable waterslide during 2020 and have gotten a lot of use out of it, both solo and with friends/parties. We’ve also loaned it to people for parties.
Anonymous says
I want an inflatable water slide for my 40-somethingth birthday.
Anon says
It’s very fun! Highly recommend if you live somewhere with hot and humid summers.
TheElms says
Outdoor ideas: Reusable water balloons; water table (if you don’t have one already); bubble machine; wand/kit to make giant bubbles; sandbox (if you’re ok with that); splash pad that hooks up to a hose; mud kitchen for outside; inflatable bounce house (with or without water option -if you have space); a bunch of sports balls (soccer, basketball, tennis balls, kickballs, beach balls, football); a kite
Inside options: More magnatiles/duplo (we are a house that can never have enough magnatiles); Sneaky snacky squirrel (good first board game); simple craft kits (Target has a lot of $5 and $10 options that work for this age); more art/craft supplies (since they are consumable); yoto player if your child likes listening to stories
Anon318 says
Kinetic sand and little toys to play with in the sand (mini animals, little “gems” to dig for, little construction vehicles, etc.). We always did kinetic sand outside in a sandbox table. It lasted longer than regular sand and my kids loved the colors and feel of it.
Anonymous says
Kinetic sand in the sand table is genius. Indoors that stuff is a menace.
Anon318 says
YES. RIP playroom wood floors… But outside it was great.
anonM says
Sarah’s silks foam kit, little metal tins/cups/scoops for playing in sand/mud/kinetic sand, LCD Writing Tablet For Kids, kid tool kit
Anon says
Anyone on here a Mainer or knowledgeable about Maine? Already dreaming of next summer and wondering if there are local realty offices etc. I should be reaching out to if interested in booking a summer rental (versus airbnb or vrbo). Also wondering if folks have thoughts on Boothby v. Blue Hill areas specifically. Thanks!
Anon says
We have a family home in downeast Maine and go every summer. You can find listings on Vrbo like any other place. I haven’t heard of calling realtors for a summer stay. Things book up in advance for summer high season but not normally 12 months in advance.
I have been to both Boothbay Harbor and Blue Hill but not stayed overnight in either. How old are your kids? I think with school age kids you likely want to be somewhere closer to Portland or Acadia. Boothbay Harbor is charming but tiny and >1 hour from Portland. Blue Hill is closer to Acadia but quite a schlep to the main attractions in the park and not as scenic as Mount Desert Island imo. You’ll be spending a lot of time in the car unless you want to stay in these tiny villages.
Anonymous says
agree. My only comment is for mid-coast, I think it can be fine to stay in a tiny village if your only real plans are to go to the beach (we stay near Popham).
We also stayed in Brunswick once, which is a college town (Bowdoin). It was lovely to be able to walk or bike around the little downtown to go to breweries, coffee shops, etc. We did more day trips to other midcoast locations on that trip.
You can contact realtors directly if you want to save fees, but it’s not required.
Anonymous says
My in laws have a rental on cape cod and it does seem to be mainly realtors. More recently the realtors will also list the places on Airbnb / vrbo, but it does cost more.
anon says
Is the Guava Lotus travel crib worth it? We have a few upcoming trips with DD, currently 7 months. She hasn’t spent a night outside our house yet and after hating two bassinets (a Graco Pack n Play and a Fisher Price bassinet) I’m nervous about how to get her to sleep away from home. We moved her into her own room around 1 month namely because she slept so much better in the crib.
In general, I haven’t bought any fancy baby stuff though we could easily afford it. I’m wondering if the Guava is truly worth all the hype.
Anon says
Have you ever tried the bottom of the Graco pack and play, rather than the bassinet portion?
Anon says
+1 I don’t think we ever used the bassinet portion
Cerulean says
I would try trying to get her to sleep in the Pack and Play a few times before you go on your trip. I’m not sure a kid that won’t sleep in a P&P would be any more willing to sleep in the Guava. I think the benefit of the Guava is that it’s a bit lighter and more compact when folded.
Anon says
If she rejects the PnP, you may want to try it with a mattress. That really helped my picky sleeper.
Anonymous says
We used the PeaPod but Guava Lotus would work as well for the same reason – we were mostly traveling in Europe where the beds are often lower, and my kids slept better if I could stick my hand in and rub their backs when they fussed. That didn’t work with the pack and play because it was too high. I also like that the PeaPod and Guava Lotus are carry on sized because with airport these days – who knows when you’ll get your luggage if using air travel.
Anon says
We use and like the Guava, but I’m not sure it’s functionally more likely to be enjoyed by a kid who doesn’t like pack and plays. It is a pack and play… we only chose it because it was compact, light, and rests directly on the ground (thus higher weight limit). The side zip is nice.
TheElms says
The fact that it rests on the ground means that it doesn’t jiggle. I think that it what some kids don’t like about the Pack n Play.
Could you borrow a Guava from a friend or rent one from babyquip and use it at home to see if it solved the problem? If it doesn’t you may want to rent an actual crib at your destination.
More Sleep Would Be Nice says
I forgot to order a Fire tablet in last week’s sale for DS #2. We have an upcoming international flight next month (but it’s only ~3 hours). So annoyed at myself!
We have the same tablet for DS #1, and honestly – we downloaded some of the games/videos but I feel like for most of what he wants to watch we still have to flip it to adult mode (e.g. accessing Netflix). Is this right?
Anon says
I don’t think you need adult mode to access Netflix. We’re not Netflix subscribers but have Disney+ and Hulu set up on the child’s profile.
anon says
Yeah, I’m pretty sure we had Netflix accessible from the kids profile. You have to download it on the adult profile, but then there’s an option in the settings somewhere to add certain apps for each kid.