Everyone Thursday: Basket-Weave Sweater Jacket
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This merino wool sweater jacket looks really nice for work and comes in eight colors (two of which are on sale). It’s a great look for situations where a blazer feels too structured but you still want the formality of having some kind of topper. It’s pretty highly rated (with almost 100 reviews), and merino wool always feels warm. This can even make a great in-between-weather jacket when you don’t quite need your winter coat yet. The jacket is machine washable and available in misses, petite, woman, and woman petite sizes. It’s $73-$169, depending on color and size type. Merino Wool Basket-Weave Sweater Jacket
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Sales of note for 4/24/25
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Nordstrom – 7,710 new markdowns for women!
- Ann Taylor – Friends of Ann Event: 30% off your entire purchase, including 100s of new arrivals
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything + extra 25% off
- Eloquii – Spring Clearance: Up to 75% off + extra 50-60% off sale
- J.Crew – Mid-Season Sale: Up to 60% off sale styles + up to 50% off summer-ready styles
- J.Crew Factory – Extra 50% off clearance + extra 15% off $100 + extra 20% off $125
- M.M.LaFleur – 3 pieces for $198. Try code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – Friends & Family Event: 30% off entire purchase, includes markdowns
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?
It may be too late in the day, but we’re planning to give our daughter a huge chest of dress up clothes for Xmas. Can anyone recommend a nice, sturdy, not hideous or plastic chest for such things? I’m planning to go thrifting and find the sparkliest, tackiest prom dresses, etc. for her to have fun with. I really don’t want something that is obviously a “kid” chest, with the ABCs or her name on it in pink puff paint.
My kindergartener has take 18 small gifts to school to be put in a decorated cereal box in lieu of any gifts for the holidays. Anyone have any ideas? I’m thinking play doh or silly putty. I’m already dreading all the plastic junk that is going to come home from this right before Christmas. What would you want your kids to bring home in this situation?
My daughter’s day care class is having a “Thanksgiving Feast” on Monday. It’s a cute idea but the execution seems off to me. There is a list of things for parents to bring in, and on the list is several items that I’m assuming a parent will cook at home (chicken, mashed potatoes) and one item that I, and many other people, do not eat for religious reasons (roast pork). I have reservations on this. I don’t think it’s OK to have my daughter eat something prepared in the kitchen of someone I don’t know and haven’t met (I don’t think that person is lacing the potatoes with arsenic, but who knows about cleanliness, etc.). I think serving roast pork is pretty insensitive, especially when you live in a religiously diverse place. The director is supposed to call me back. Should I let this go or should I tell her my concerns? How should I phrase it?
Advise needed! DH and I relocated from a (non-US) large city to a working-class industrial town 5 months ago when DS was born, for DH´s job. My mat leave is another 10 months, and then I´ll start working mostly remotely for my previous/ current employer.
Overall, this was the right decision for our family (more quality time together, exciting opportunity for DH, I was ready to take a real break from my 80+ hour job, non-bubble environment for DS to grow up etc.) But…
How does one find friends outside of work as an adult?
Our “old” circle of friends lives 2+ hours away. I´ve already joined several mommy-and-me classes, but so far I haven´t “clicked” with anyone (not even close). Mainly because the other moms are significantly younger than me (40 vs. early/ mid twenties). DH does not want to mingle job & personal life by introducing me to his colleagues and their families. Understandable, as the main purpose of his job is to cut costs. The local service clubs are either male only, or invite potential members only if recommended by current members, of which I know none. My professional organization does not have a chapter in our new hometown, nor is there potential to start one. I´m on the wait list for a sports club membership. The church volunteer group consists of (lovely) elderly ladies who lunch. We are on the wait list for daycare with a spot available no earlier than May/June, have no room for an au-pair and no money for a nanny. So going back to work earlier is not feasible.
I´m desperately lonely and at my wit´s end. What am I missing? Should I just let time run its course?
Also, how do I approach someone who might be a potential friend? I´m super anxious about approaching people socially due to a bad case of mean-girl-mobbing in high school. To me, it feels weird to just say Hey, as we both have xyz in common, why don´t we do lunch/ have a play date for the LO…? Would this script seem stalker-y (to my ears, it does)? And what if we do not have anything in common, but the person might be a “good fit”?
Favorite xmas books for little ones? Looking for more religious (story of Jesus) and more festive (santa, etc). We’ve got some of the older kid ones from when I was little, but want some for our toddler. I love how Christmas is becoming so much more exciting for me know that I have a little one – I haven’t been this giddy about the holidays since I was 10!
Yesterday the cashier in the gas station looked at me and said “it looks like someone is pregnant”. I’m nine weeks into my third pregnancy, I haven’t told anyone but our parents yet. My pre-pregnancy jeans fit. WTF lady, uncool.
This jacket in the Black Current might be my new favorite thing. Alas, it is not in the budget today!
Someone asked yesterday about a stroller for twins plus toddler singleton. I recommend the Bugaboo Donkey if you can afford it. It takes two car seats and has stroller seats that can face forward or be rearfacing. The option to have one rearfacing and one forward facing is great when you have a toddler that wants to look forward but a baby that gets upset if they can’t see you. Rearfacing both stroller seats is also great when you want to avoid the attention that twins attract. Much easier to block strangers from touching your babies without asking (yes this is a thing that happens to twins a lot). The Donkey can also be used as a single stroller which will be handy when you are pregnant with twins and can’t carry the two year old.
I also recommend getting two carriers – a Manduca (similar to an Ergo but built in infant insert) and a toddler sized Lenny Lamb or Tula for the two year old.
This way you can have both babies in the carseats with the stroller and when the toddler gets tired, you can put them up in a back carry in the Tula. Or if the toddler is in the stroller, you can carry a baby in the Manduca on your front.
If you can’t afford the Bugaboo Donkey, Stroll- Air Duo is about half the price or less but has all the same options. For reference, I went with the Duo but if I had my time back, I’d get a Donkey. But if budget is tight, the Duo is a great alternative.