Accessory Tuesday: The Starling Flat

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Has anyone had any success with the Birdies “flat that is secretly a slipper?” I am very tempted to order a pair of these, but I don’t have great luck with buying shoes sight unseen. However, these look incredibly comfortable and padded, while still being professional and fun. Since there’s free shipping and free returns, my finger is hovering over “add to bag.” Can anyone who owns these attest to their slipper-like qualities? I like the velvet versions, with my favorite being the python velvets that are sadly only in limited sizes. The Starling style is my favorite, and the price ranges from $95 to $165 depending on material. The Starling

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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 interestworking mom questions asked by the commenters!

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I am OBSESSED with Birdies! I now have 7 pairs (mostly the Starling but I have 1 Heron and 1 Blackbird style), a few of which I keep solely at work for days I want to ditch the heels I wore just for a meeting. They are unbelievably comfortable and exactly like a slipper but I am fully comfortable wearing them to any work event that I would choose to wear a flat for. I work in an academic medical center with a business professional to business casual attire depending on whether I’m seeing patients or in the research lab that day, and I wear Birdies almost exclusively these days. Grade A addicted. Rothy’s are good too, but not as comfortable as Birdies in my opinion.

Has anyone here taken two maternity leaves relatively close together? I’m unexpectedly pregnant with #2 and the thought of telling my firm that I’ll be going out on leave again is giving me major anxiety. I can’t imagine they are going to take it well.

#1 took multiple rounds of IVF so this has been a huge (but positive) shock in a number of ways.

just found out the daycare I thought I had lined up for my 4 week old baby is not an option anymore–they changed their program so they now no longer accept infants and only accept 2 yos and up. No notice, didn’t even email me to tell me, I called them to see where we are on the wait list. There are very, very few infant care options in my city so now I don’t know what to do. I guess we’ll have to go the nanny route, which we did with my daughter for the same reason, but its so expensive, not sure how we’ll afford it. i’m so annoyed that its so impossible for families with two working parents to work! i feel so frustrated and angry that i want to cry.

Give me any and all recs of suppressing a cough. I had bronchitis for 3 weeks in December, but couldn’t take anything good because I’m pregnant. Was in and out of work due to nonstop and uncontrollable coughing, but plowed through knowing it had to get better at some point. Felt better for a week or so, and now I’m getting sick again (as in, the epic coughing is back). I do not have any patience for this, and can’t handle hiding in my office and/or shuttling back and forth between home and work for another three weeks. I drink all the tea, get all the sleeps, take all the hot showers, have a humidifier going at night, and down all the unhelpful cough medicine I’m allowed. Any old wives tales or sorcery to recommend?

PSA, reporting back on those inflatable cushions you can use in front of airplane seats: we traveled to Asia and back over the Christmas period and used one for each kid (.45, 1.5) on all 4 flight legs. Each kid had their own seat and was able to lie down, though not stretch out flat, using the cushions. Flight attendants said nothing. Would definitely use again!

any tips on getting an almost-2 year old to eat faster? toddler likes to talk, sing songs, play games, ask for a fork, give back the fork, etc. etc. and takes nearly an hour to eat a dang waffle.

Our kids napped great on drives so that was the main motivator for us to rent. We got in naptime while driving from point A to point B vs taking trains where everything was much too exciting to nap. Take window sunshades as well.

Any tips for helping your toddler adjust in a new time zone? We are doing CA to Hawaii (backwards three hours) in a few weeks and I’m a little nervous about messing with my amazing sleeper’s schedule. We’ve never traveled with her outside of our time zone before. Any advice from those who have been there, done that?

I have a sabbatical from work this summer (4 weeks!), and I am taking my kids to France for two weeks in June (split between Paris and Provence). My biggest question: Has anyone rented a car and driven in France? I am thinking of renting a car once we get to Avignon. Is it terribly stressful? I am concerned that the public transit will not permit us to come and go as we please and see the things that I’d like around Provence. Second, does anyone have a recommendation of a place to stay in Paris? Thanks!!

Why can I post here but not on the main page? My comments on the main page never appear, not even the next day.

I have the black velvet Starlings. Love them! Super comfortable and professional enough for my casual office. I’ve had them about 2 years and they are still in pretty good shape.

Anyone have any good recommendations for tall maternity clothes??

The few places that I can find online (gap, old navy) are almost entirely sold out of tall pants have been for weeks. No better luck if I call customer service.

First time mom – we are due in May and trying to figure out childcare right now. We live in the urban core of a major NE city and currently have transit commutes. There are several reputable day cares nearby that would be like a ten minute walk. How do I do this in the morning with the baby? Like if I tote the baby in a stroller or carrier do I leave the stroller or carrier at daycare or do I take it with me empty to work? This seems silly but just trying to figure out the logistics.

Thanks! Any other tips for urban baby wrangling are appreciated!

My husband has the opportunity to go on an 8-day trip to Europe with a team from work (it’s not exactly a business meeting, but more like a goodwill/get to know your European counterparts trip). We have a 6-month old in daycare, and I’m in BigLaw. I’m thinking he should go but we should get a part-time nanny/baby sitter to do daycare pick up/evenings while he’s away. He thinks he should skip it rather than go to the trouble of finding a caregiver. We have no family nearby. What do you all think?

Wise hive, what has made your bedtime routine with little ones easier? We have a strong willed 3, almost 4 year old who fights us tooth and nail at bedtime each night. This has been a constant for probably a year. We have a routine that we do every night: shower/bath (every other day, wash cloth wipe down on other day), teeth brushing, pajamas, 4 books, cuddling, hugs and kisses, lights out. Story time is the only enjoyable part of the routine. Every other part is met with physical resistance to each step and she is always looking to add things to the routine to make it take longer. I know this may be standard for someone of her age and personality but looking for adjustments that might work. Does it help if one parent only does the routine and then do stories together? Let her do more on her own even if it takes longer?