Washable Workwear Wednesday: Gates Blazer
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If you’re looking to up your office-wear game, but your Before Times suits seem a little stuffy, try this collarless blazer from Of Mercer.
This blazer is made from a lightweight (and washable!) Italian fabric meant for warmer weather. It has an open front, welt pockets, and clean lines. While you could add coordinating pants for a full suiting look, try pants in a complementary color instead. For example, for a vaguely nautical look, pair the navy blazer with crisp white trousers.
The Gates Blazer is $228 at Of Mercer and comes in fuchsia (which looks more merlot on my screen), shell, or navy. It’s available in sizes 0–14.
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.
Sales of note for 12.10
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Nordstrom – Beauty deals on skincare (ends 12/14) including La Mer, Kate Somerville, Dior, Sunday Riley, Dyson, and gift sets — the deals include reader favorite lip balms Dior Addict, NARS Afterglow, and Clinique’s Black Honey, as well as Too Faced mascara and Sunday Riley’s Good Genes.
- Ann Taylor – 40% off your purchase, up to 50% off outerwear
- Banana Republic Factory – 50-70% off everything + extra 20% off
- Eloquii – Extra 50% off all sale + extra 25% off 2+ items
- J.Crew – Up to 60% off everything, with 40% off their newest styles
- J.Crew Factory – 50% off everything + extra 25% off when you buy 3+ styles
- Macy’s – 15% off beauty, including Tarte, Clinique, Dior and gift sets
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off, plus free shipping on everything (and 20% off your first order)
- Talbots – 50% off everything + extra 25% off when you buy 3+ styles
I have a 3.5 month old baby, who I have been nursing to sleep for basically every nap and night. Of course, now we can’t get him to sleep without the nursing. We have tried moving the nursing earlier in his wake window and doing a consistent short routine before putting him down but he simply will not sleep. I let him cry and grouse for a bit but eventually cave and nurse him till he falls asleep, Where do we go from here?
Can you please give me your best recommendations for comfy sandals/slippers for the hospital and postpartum? I am picturing plastic or synthetic Birkenstocks but don’t know brand names. Thank you!
I’m a partner at a mid-sized firm and am seriously considering asking to go part-time. I’m in burn out mode as we have lost so many employees lately (who lateraled to other firms) and it feels like I either figure out a way to regain some sanity or leave my job. Historically, they have been very against granting part time requests. I guess I’m trying to figure out if it is worth having the conversation where I’m pretty sure the request will not be granted. I dont’ know anyone in real life that has navigated this and would love to hear if anyone has been in this situation and/or any resources that anyone suggests about pros/cons of going part time.
Home repairs are one of my least favorite things, so I’m sympathetic, but, 2 things, in my experience: (1) technicians are wary of giving diagnostics and estimates over the phone, without laying eyes on the appliance, especially to lay people. (2) Companies often can or will roll the diagnostic cost into the cost of repair or replacement, especially if you are a good customer. I’ve had HVAC techs not charge me to remove a plastic bag from the unit because it was a quick fix and I’m a regular customer, or when we need a new hot water heater, they credited the diagnostic visit fee toward the purchase and installation either because we had a regular service plan or it was more than a $1,000 issue.
WWYD? We are considering switching our daughter’s daycare to one that makes more sense with my commute. We have a strong contender- great reviews, location, price, etc. The lead infant teacher is a witness in a case of mine (I’m a prosecutor) and I know she has multiple mental health diagnoses, some of which have contributed to causing our professional relationship to be extremely strained. Think- she is attempting to sue my office because we legally cannot turn over certain discovery to her. There is one other teacher in the baby room besides her. Our daughter is a toddler but we hope to have another child who would be in the infant room. Would you forego this daycare because of the issue with the infant teacher? We are not desperate to switch, and although there are some other possible options nearby, they are slightly out of our price range and mostly have long waitlists.
I need more sleep!
My 22 month old/ almost 2 year old has been waking up every night since January between 5 am and 6 am. She generally wakes up crying/ yelling for “mama, mama”. We have a noise machine, we tried to make the room as dark as possible with a window AC unit. We have a wakeup clock. Pretty much no matter what she wakes up early. My husband or I try to keep her in the room until her clock turns green at 6.
Suggestions? I thought this would work itself out (this is my second) but it doesn’t seem to be improving.
She normally is sleeping around 7:30pm. She has all her teeth so I wasn’t worried about that. She will take a 2 hour nap at daycare (!) and usually only 1 hour with us at home on the weekends.
Did y’all do this testing? I’m leaning toward yes as I’m over 35, but for some reason it stresses me out so much to think about.
Vent ahead. My husband thinks I am too slow getting through the massive list of home-related to-dos, so he took it upon himself to call for an appliance repair person. We know the issue has to be one of two things, and that if the repair cost is more than $XXX we are going to replace the appliance instead of repairing it. He refuses to ask the repair place what the cost of each fix would be and instead prefers to spend a fortune on a diagnostic visit. I don’t see why we should waste money on a diagnostic visit unless there is a good possibility that the repair bill will come in under our threshold. This is why I have to do everything myself. Now I am going to have to call the repair place myself and ask, which will make him feel emasculated. Why do men take such pride in a lack of common sense?
Hey, wise-hive. I work in a state government agency and I am anticipating that with this election cycle my job might become less stable (maybe a new governor?); I’m having a hard time accepting this and would love to stick around through the election and beyond to see if I can stay; I’m also facing a work culture that has turned toxic with the stressors of the electoral environment and I don’t know if that will get better post election or not. I love the work, have a great position with flexibility and also the chance to do real good. I would love to see if I can stay and continue to try to make changes I feel are necessary at the agency, continue to mentor direct reports, etc. Sometimes I think to myself: “okay, I’ll stay till I’m fired.”
However, waiting for something to happen to me instead of pursuing outside opportunities involves financial risk — my husband and I just have not built up the emergency fund we should have and everything else is in retirement or college accounts that aren’t really that flush either.
My husband is about to make partner at a small firm; we are also about to put the kids in school and say goodbye to our full time nanny, which should free up some cash. But given our ability to save in the past and how stressed out we are with two small kids, I’m trying to be realistic about what we really can save, how much different my husbands salary will be as partner, and if we can swing some time for me to recover if I get fired and also find something new, which most likely will pay much less. Right now I make 170K and husband makes 110k, we are in a mcol city with a mortgage. I’ve run the numbers and we can pay expenses on my husbands salary alone but I am anticipating some consumer debt.
So, with all that:
(1) have folks here ever experienced a big loss of income? What was it like, how did you manage (or not)?
(2) for those in govt/politics with jobs that are more variable, any advice?
I want to start tracking my ovulation. I’ve seen the clearblue tests, which would get very expensive, and some on Amazon, but I’m very skeptical that I’m getting quality, non-knock off products from Amazon based on a prior experience. Any recommendations for other places to look or specific brands?
Can I get some anecdata about late(ish) talkers? Eleven month hasn’t said any words yet. She’s also just pulling up to stand and still army crawling, so not really doing awesome on gross motor but at least that’s progressing. She’s our fourth, so I know there’s variation across kids but it still has me mildly worried. She makes a lot of noises but doesn’t babble consonants and doesn’t point at things (does clap and sometimes wave sort of and generally makes her wishes and needs known). She has great eye contact and knows names. Good fine motor skills since she loves to eat! Going to tell this all to the ped next month – but tell me about your late bloomers please? We’re talking and reading to her and doing all the things, she just doesn’t seem to feel like she needs or wants to talk!
Speaking of upping one’s workwear game, my work wardrobe from the Before Times is feeling tired. My office is now 100% remote, but in-person meetings and conferences are starting to come back. I work mostly with attorneys, judges, and federal agencies, so business formal is still the dress code, but I don’t appear in court. I mostly have tailored black and gray sheath dresses and jardigans bought at MMLaFleur a few years ago (before it jumped the shark and pivoted to weird work pajamas and sack dresses), with a few similar pieces from Goat and other brands thrown in. I am pretty senior and my job involves a lot of telling people who think they are Very Important what to do.
All the current workwear looks I see on line are giant blazers with pants and lug-sole loafers, but those outfits make me look like a little kid playing dress-up in my grandparents’ attic. I like The Fold, but I don’t think their architectural details would work on me because I am smallish with no curves. What’s in style these days for a boss lady with a “gamine” figure and features? Or should I just stick with what I’ve got?
Does anyone have a poorly-timed (but desired) pregnancy story to share? I just started a dream job and unexpectedly found out I’m pregnant with my third child and due at a time that is inconvenient for the new job which is technically a temporary position. I’m excited about the pregnancy as we have a history of infertility/IVF. But I’m very nervous about telling work and I imagine they may not have hired me if they had known the timing. (I found out the same week I accepted the job so telling them at that point really wasn’t on the table.) I won’t qualify for leave or FMLA or anything so I really am at their mercy. Good vibes appreciated!
It’s my oldest’s first day of kindergarten and I’m a mess. I’m so proud and sad and all the feels. Any good kid stories to take my mind off this big change?