Weekend Open Thread
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If you’re in the market for a sweatshirt to keep in the car for unexpectedly cool weather, this sweatshirt from L.L.Bean has been a real winner for me. It’s thick enough to provide actual warmth for early morning sporting events or late-night gatherings, but not so thick that you’ll end up sweating. I bought it in my normal size and it’s the perfect not-too-slouchy fit.
The sweatshirt is $89.95 at L.L.Bean and comes in sizes XS-XL, XSP-XLP, and 1X-3X. It also comes in eight other colors (some on sale for $64.99).
Sales of note for 7/29/25
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Nordstrom – The Anniversary Sale is open for everyone — here’s our roundup! (ends 8/3)
- Ann Taylor – 50% off wear-now styles + $50 off dresses and shoes + extra 60% off sale
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything + extra 20% off
- Eloquii – $19+ select styles + extra 45% off all sale
- J.Crew – Up to 50% off summer styles + extra 50% off sale
- J.Crew Factory – Extra 70% off clearance
- M.M.LaFleur – 25% off all previous flash sale items! Try code CORPORETTE15 for 15% off.
- Spanx – Free shipping on everything
- Talbots – 25% off your entire purchase + extra 50% markdowns on top of that
Random tip to check if your health insurance offers access to telehealth- ours has free virtual visits with MDLive, and it totally saved the day today (Sunday) when I noticed the sore on my daughter’s back had gotten much worse, and within an hour we had an appt, diagnosis, and meds sent to a nearby pharmacy before it closed (it was a staph infection that kids pass around at summer camp).
Possibly a dumb question, but how do you tell when your daughter is beginning to develop breast buds? My 7 year old can now shower alone (yay!) so I haven’t seen her naked in several months. I saw her shirtless today and her chest looks less flat than I remember. But I don’t really feel any lumps or anything and she says there is no soreness or tenderness. It’s possible I’m just not remembering well. I know breast development before age 8 is considered precocious puberty and I would want to at least take her to see a doctor if that’s happening, but I honestly can’t tell. I can’t find a lot of photos of breast bud development online, just drawings. I understand the reason of course, but the drawings aren’t as helpful.
introducing! me :) I am about to start the process of becoming a single mother using a sperm donor. I am an expat located in a Scandinavian country, so not the U.S., and love learning/thinking about how parenting is the same and different all around the world.
Hoping to post here often, since I obviously won’t have a partner walking these trenches with me. I have read consistently for about a year, but never posted ‘til now.
My first cycle is in September! I am picking a donor now! (Side note: picking a donor is the weirdest process – it feels so influential/momentous and also…so tedious! And ethically challenging!) It is all so surreal, and I am so grateful. Fingers crossed for an easy process.
I’ll ask this again next week, but just in case (because I might attempt it this week). I have a couple of close friends that are all in different life stages and ages that I made through work. We get together at least once a month, but sometimes more often, and it’s really my turn to host them at my house since others are hosting at their homes. Usually we eat little snacks, chat, drink, and sometimes even knit. Usually our retired friend hosts. I have a 3 and 6 year old, and none of them have young kids. How do I host them with my kids around, so they can kind of get a sense of my life, without making it a “hang out with my kids” event?
I really like this, but the sleeves on LL Bean tops run too short for me. Doesn’t look like there’s a tall option in this sweatshirt. If anybody has ideas for other retailers that have something similar, I’m open to suggestions!