Washable Wednesday: Valentine Tie Front Blouse
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This really cute blouse is from Cooper & Ella, and I think it’s playful but sort of sophisticated — and I always like red and blue as a color combination because it feels fresh. This top just kind of looks perfect — and there’s a sleeveless style in the same print. (The one pictured also comes in a geometric pattern.) And bonus: It’s machine washable. The blouse is $120 at Nordstrom and has a couple of positive reviews so far. Valentine Tie Front Blouse
A couple of plus-size alternatives are from Eloquii: striped and solid (both machine washable).
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 for 1/16:
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Nordstrom – Cashmere on sale; AllSaints, Free People, Nike, Tory Burch, and Vince up to 60%; beauty deals up to 25% off
- AllSaints – now up to 60% off (some of the best leather jackets!)
- Ann Taylor – Up to 40% off your full-price purchase; extra 50% off sale
- Banana Republic Factory – 50% off everything + extra 20% off
- Boden – 15% off new styles with code — readers love this blazer, these dresses, and their double-layer line of tees
- DeMellier – Sale now on, free shipping and returns — includes select options like Montreal, Vancouver, and Venice
- Eloquii – $29 and up select styles; extra 50% off all clearance, plus ELOQUII X kate spade new york collab just dropped
- Everlane – Sale of the year, up to 70% off — reader favorites include their scoop tee, Dream Pant, ReNew Transit backpack, silk blouses and oversized blazers! New markdowns just added
- Hannah Andersson – Up to 30% off all pajamas;
- J.Crew – Up to 40% off select styles; up to 50% off cashmere
- J.Crew Factory – 40-70% off everything
- L.K. Bennett – Archive sale, almost everything 70% off
- M.M.LaFleur – Tag sale for a limited time — jardigans and dresses $200, pants $150, tops $95, T-shirts $50
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – Semi-Annual Red Door Sale – 50% off + extra 20% off, sale on sale, plus free shipping on $150+
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?
Interested to hear you educated moms’ thoughts on pre-term induction. I’m on my third pregnancy. The previous 2 ended up with babies that were born late and on the large side, but with no complications. The last one was a whopper at 10 lbs. Vaginal births, so I have what I have learned is technically called a “proven pelvis” (although I’m not saying I wouldn’t prefer a smaller baby…) As it turned out, I had GD with the last baby that developed later in my third trimester and was not caught in the screening at 28-ish weeks, and which I was diagnosed with by the time it was really too late to do anything about. This time around, I passed my GD test, but have been tracking my blood glucose nonetheless and being more careful about what I eat. As of my growth scan this week (36 weeks), my baby seems to be in the 50th percentile. I and my doctor both know these estimates can be wildly off, and she is advocating (but not insisting) that I plan for an induction about a week before my due date, assuming my cervix is looking ready to go. I’m going to see what other docs in the practice think over the next couple weeks, because she is really the only one who has mentioned this to me. I suppose the risks of either doing this or not doing this are not terribly high, but I’m curious about others thoughts about which route they would choose in my situation.
In the spirit of venting wednesday: I had an appointment with a new OB/Gyn this morning and in discussing family planning/birth control (I stated I came in because I wanted to go on birth control), she asked if I want any more kids. Yes, I want more children, but my partner and I are choosing to wait 2-5 years before starting to try for more, due to some financial disasters we’ve had that we’re working through. She said, “well, you’re almost 30, you shouldn’t go on birth control! You should start trying now!” I just… want to cry. OF COURSE I WOULD LOVE TO START TRYING NOW. Unfortunately, we can’t afford it!
Ugh. Trying to figure out the mire of FMLA/STD policies for my agency with an HR representative who isn’t necessarily strong on policy. Sigh.
It seems that, if I choose to not burn up my leave while on FMLA (aka go on “leave without pay” status), none of my time is counted toward my time served with the state, and pushes back my anniversary dates for increased leave earnings, becoming 100% vested, etc. That stinks.
HOWEVER it stipulates “more than 14 consecutive days of unpaid family and medical leave” results in pushing back your anniversary… I wonder if I could use a day of paid leave every two days to technically prevent that? Or have they probably thought of that?
Does anyone have experience asking a babysitter you already know to start picking up your kids? I want to broach this with a regular babysitter of ours. Did you ask to check their driving record?
A bit of a rant/ramble ahead: I know this has been talked about many times on here and on the main site, but I’ve just been feeling more and more like I’m fighting an uphill battle in terms of succeeding at work and also having the family life I want. When I look around at my office and see who is at the top, it is either men who have SAHWs and have in essence abandoned their families to focus entirely on work, women who have either done the same (rare) or childless single women.
A couple of kid things have come up this week that have taken my focus, time and energy and I just don’t see how I can possibly compete when my success depends on a comparison to people who are solely focused on work. I just can’t be that devoted to work. Maybe it’s just my office culture specifically, or my field, but I fear that this is how it is in our society in general and the personal life that I want to lead is incompatible with career success. I would like this 1950s mentality of career success to change, but I just don’t see how when all the people I admire personal-life wise either drop out or get stuck in low level positions, with promotions dependent on abandoning their families.
Anyone else been feeling defeated lately?
For all of you who are in midst of first trimester nausea (I’m here with you at 9 weeks)… I feel like Diclectin isn’t available everywhere, but I’m in Canada where it is available and it has made a HUGE difference. I take 2 at night, added benefit that it helps you sleep, and I’m able to function the next day. I understand that it is an antihistamine + B6. I think it is sold under other names in other countries. Just putting it out there in case you haven’t talked to your doctor about options!
I had posted here last week about a pediatrician who gave me a hard time about my 15 month old still being on the bottle; wanted to give an update.
We had a new nanny start yesterday and … guess what? She didn’t give him a bottle. Just one of the 1,500 soppy/straw/trainer cups we have collected and he did fine. Didn’t cry, didn’t chuck it across the room, just happily drank from it.
Kids are so smart. I underestimated how much this little guy was playing me! :)
As an aside, have any of you with nannies purchased a “beater car” to commute in so your nanny can use the family vehicle? If so, what car and why did you choose it? I have a large SUV and think it’s pretty ridiculous to commute in it while she uses her small car to transport the kids to activities. A neighbor suggested swapping cars, but that seems like it could be a real minefield. I was thinking about getting an older Mazda5 or Prius to commute in.
i’m newly pregnant (9 weeks) and plan on waiting to tell work until after the first trimester screening. when i do tell work, am i expected to be prepared to discuss maternity leave/return to work plans or can that be done in a second/separate conversation? i just want to make sure that when i tell my boss i’m prepared. and on that note – any tips? this is my first.
Thanks for all the helpful feedback/commiseration last week on my husband’s irritation with my first trimester exhaustion. He has really stepped up and even took our daughter to his parents’ house on Sunday so I could have some time to rest. Morning sickness hit me like a ton of bricks last week, so I am in the thick of it.
Anyway, I appreciate the encouragement and reality check–this stage of life is just hard, and as a result, I have been going to bed by 8:30 guilt free. ;)
Did anyone else get a little bummed yesterday seeing all the cute pictures of other moms who got to go vote with their daughters on the 100 year anniversary of women voting (in NY)? There were just so many cute pictures of moms doing this with their daughters at like 10am and then going for pancakes! yay!! Of course I voted, but I dragged myself out of the house early and was at the polls when they opened at 6am. I guess I could have brought my daughters when I got home in the evening, but that seemed like a recipe for disaster on a rain day during dinner/bedtime routine. Oh well. Really not a big deal and was probably not as “fun” as it seemed on facebook, but just made me a little sad.
It sounds like you like to give yourself treats, and I think that is great and an important part of self care. Anonymous is on track in suggesting free or very inexpensive treats (a bath, rereading a book, etc). I think you need to find a way to treat yourself that doesn’t cost very much. Would it be enjoyable for you to spend a few minutes adding things to pinterest? I find that is sometimes as fun as actually buying things online, and I can always go to my board and actually buy something when I have the funds to spend.
Fellow working moms, please share any tips for saving money.
Whenever I look at my purchases on my credit card I cringe..I do not mind the once in a while Starbucks at the mall on the weekend because I consider that fun. However, lunches for $10.00 bother me a lot because it is just food and there is no leisure/fun in eating lunch at work. I also tend to have a lot of small purchases that add up: a cute new scarf that I do not need, another body lotion to add to our super extra small bathroom.
I want to simplify and get into a routine of not spending money. When I was in grad school I was perfectly happy with not spending money but now I always want to reward myself because..hey…I am working. We are saving to buy a house in an expensive area with good schools. We want to have a large downpayment but because that is probably 2-3 years away, I cannot get myself motivated for this goal. Do I make smaller goals? How do you reward yourself for not spending?
Thanks!