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The clasp on my belt bag just broke, so I’m on the hunt for a new one. This heather gray option from Dagne Dover looks like a promising weekend option.
This bag is made from neoprene, so it’ll protect your belongings from sudden showers or spilled drinks. It also has four pockets for your belongings, a recycled polyester lining, and adjustable waist belt. It’ll comfortably fit a phone, small wallet, and keys (there’s even an interior key hook).
This belt bag is $90 at Nordstrom.
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Sales of note for 3.28.24
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Ann Taylor – Up to 40% off your full-price purchase; extra 50% off sale
- Banana Republic Factory – 50-70% off everything plus extra 20% off purchase
- Eloquii – 50% off 2+ items; 40% off 1
- J.Crew – 50% off select styles
- Lands’ End – 10% off your order
- Loft – 50% off everything
- Nordstrom: Give $150 in gift cards, earn a $25 promo card (ends 3/31)
- Talbots – 40% off 1 item; 25% off everything else
- Zappos – 37,000+ women’s sale items! (check out these reader-favorite workwear brands on sale, and some of our favorite kids’ shoe brands on sale)
Kid/Family Sales
- Carter’s – 50% off entire site
- Hanna Andersson – 30% off all swim; up to 30% off HannaJams
- J.Crew Crewcuts – 40% off sitewide; 50% off select swim; 50% off kids’ styles
- Old Navy – 50% off Easter deals
- Target – 20% off Easter styles for all; up to 30% off kitchen & dining; BOGO 50% off shoes & slippers for the family;
Anon says
I need to just be excited for a minute.
Yesterday, we had a good 6 week ultrasound for our second child (IVF, same as the first) – everything seems to be progressing well!
Today, I got the news that I’m being promoted to SVP.
There is a lot of heaviness in the world right now and I feel the weight of a lot of it, but I also feel really, really good :)
CHL says
Congratulations! Those are both great news!
Boston Legal Eagle says
Love it, congrats on both!! Being empathetic about all the pain in the world is a good thing but it doesn’t mean you don’t have a right to also be happy!
Spirograph says
This, this this. Congrats on both, OP!
anonamama says
wooohoooo!!! good news abounds!!! Congrats on the promotion!
GCA says
That is wonderful news! Congratulations.
Anonymous says
curious what everyone’s thoughts are about the big debate on the main site today – would you wear a pushup string bikini from VS to a neighborhood family pool?
Anonymous says
Not that one. It’s ugly.
Anon says
It’s so ugly! I don’t even think it’s that sexy because it looks so outdated and cheap. And I’m someone who actually really like Victoria’s Secret for bikinis. Until recently most of my swimsuits were from there.
Anon says
Nope, but mostly because I wear a rashguard for sun protection and if I were wearing a bikini only I’d want a sportier, more practical one. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with her wearing it if she wants to, but I also think it was fair for people to point out she will really stand out at the community pool in that look. It would definitely be very unusual attire for a 40-something mom at our pool and I’m sure people would stare and whisper.
I also think (depending on the ages of her kids) it could be really hard on the kids to have a mom who’s always dressed in a really overtly sexy way that stands out from all the other moms. I had a friend in elementary school whose mom always wore really short skirts and low cut tops and knee high boots and the parents all talked about her and her clothes in very unkind terms and the kids repeated what they heard at home and made life really hard for that kid. I kind of LOLed at the “my kids will *never* tell me how to dress” comments. There’s wearing shoes to the office that your tween daughter thinks are ugly and then there’s dressing like a lingerie model at the pool around your kids’ friends.
Spirograph says
Haha thanks for that, I don’t always read the main page, but that brouhaha was worth a scroll. I always wear rashguards for sun protection, but even if I didn’t….
No, I would never wear that to my neighborhood pool with my family. To a random beach or on vacation, sure (maybe not that particular one because I agree it’s not attractive), but it would be wildly out of place in my neighborhood. Sporty two-piece or cute one piece all the way.
Anon says
Yeah, I know people were jumping all over the commenters saying not to wear that, but… she shouldn’t wear that. It mostly looked impractical to me! And yeah, my kids would hate it if I wore that (she was a mom right?) and I wouldn’t want to subject them to feeling awkward about their mom in that way. Just not worth it. Save it for the couple’s trip.
NYCer says
I would not. I was also not a fan of that particular suit, and I generally stick to one pieces. That being said, I am thin with tiny boobs, so I don’t have much to flaunt! ;)
In general, I think there is a time and place for most everything. And for me, the time and place for a suit like that isn’t the neighborhood pool. Other people may have a different calculus, and that is fine. To each their own.
NYCer says
To add.. That suit would be wildly out of place at our neighborhood (club) pool too.
Anon says
“To each their own”…except that those who said the neighborhood pool was not the time and place for that suit were compared to the Taliban. I take regular breaks from the main page and that thread reminded me why.
Boston Legal Eagle says
“In general, I think there is a time and place for most everything.” – I think that’s where I land with this too. I’d feel the same if a dad showed up in a speedo or tight boxer brief trunks too (do those exist? I hope to never find out!) I’m not sure it’s the kind of attention I’d want at a neighborhood pool with lots of kids. Also, so much sunscreen to constantly apply and I don’t know that I could chase my little kids with that!
Anonymous says
I would not. However, it would be quite entertaining if another mom did.
The “Stacey’s Mom” comment was spot-on.
Anonymous says
Oh definitely this. I would watch (surreptitiously) and laugh about it later with my husband, for sure. I would try not to judge her, but irrespective of what makes her happy and comfortable, a 40-year old woman knows what she’s doing if she wears that top to a neighborhood pool. Especially with a newly enhanced chest, it’s just asking for attention.
FVNC says
I want to live in the utopia that apparently exists for some of those main s i te commentators, where no one judges or gossips and where kids don’t get teased for parents’ choices. Since I live in reality, I would not wear a suit like that for the same reason I wouldn’t lounge on my front porch in underwear or show up to work in a bandage dress — I don’t need my neighbors thinking about me in a s3xual way. Adult getaway? Sure! Neighborhood pool? Good lord no.
Anon says
Yeah exactly.
Aunt Jamesina says
Guess I’m the outlier :-) I’m just really tired of women being d@mend both for being too frumpy or too s*xy.
That suit is not my taste, but I really don’t see what the big deal is like… at all. Women’s bodies get policed, yes. But we know better and shouldn’t be the ones to perpetuate that. Now if you think it’s ugly/tacky/impractical, I totally get it.
Anon says
I think you might feel differently when your kids are older. It seemed like a lot of the commenters on the main page were childless and I probably would have had the knee jerk reaction before I had a kid that of course women should wear what they want and feel good in. But now that I have kids who are old enough to be teased about this, I see it very differently.
Anonymous says
Exactly. She can be as trashy as she wants when it only affects her. But her kids are going to get bullied because of her behavior and that is not cool. Good grief, my kid complains if her friends even see that I exist. I can’t imagine the fallout if I paraded around like a 1980s Sports Illustrated model.
Anonymous says
That suit somehow manages to be both frumpy and se*y at the same time. Absolutely terrible.
GCA says
Many of the replies there, and here, are *still* policing, just in different ways (‘i’m just concerned about the poor kids getting bullied!’). No, we teach our children not to bully others, and certainly not about things beyond a kid’s control (like what their mom wears). If you believe that women should be able to wear what they want and what makes them feel good, then you should also be cultivating an environment in which women can actually do that without being policed…
Now, I personally think that suit is kind of ugly, but I could see myself in a similar top (too flat for triangle tops – need some structure to look proportionate) if I could basically sit in one place and not move (on the beach, with a fluffy book, a frozen daiquiri, and no kid-chasing responsibilities whatsoever).
Anon says
I don’t think “we teach our children not to bully others” and “I wouldn’t wear clothing that was causing my kids to get bullied” are mutually exclusive though. I do my part to cultivate good kids but I can’t control the fact that other kids will still be mean. Unless you live in a utopia where no one judges or gossips or teases, like FVNC said, this is still a real world issue that one individual can’t change.
Anonymous says
That whole discussion is proof that VS and Playboy and their ilk were successful in brainwashing a whole generation of women into believing that dressing for the male gaze was an act of female empowerment.
Anonymous says
And dressing specifically to show off a recent plastic surgery!
Emma says
I mean, I didn’t like that particular suit and would not wear it. I’m personally into cute one-pieces. But I wouldn’t spend too much time judging another mom for wearing it either. My mom wore pretty skimpy bikinis when I was a teenager, and I found it mortifying at the time of course but lived to tell the tale and have a strong relationship with her, and am happy she did whatever made her feel good at the time (and still does).
AnonM says
This is nuts to me! Wear whatever swimsuit you like and you don’t need to have separates suits for separate pools! Ugh!
Anon says
I keep getting in a situation where I’ll run into another mom (at school, library, etc.) she’ll suggest a play date over the upcoming weekend, I say great, she asks for my number so she can confirm details via text and then never follows up. I’m a planner and this kind of flakiness drives me crazy. Is this just how things are now? I totally get that not everyone is a Playdate Person, but why would you suggest something like this if you don’t want to follow through? It leaves me anxiously looking by my phone all weekend like a seventh grader waiting for their crush to call and I hate it.
NYCer says
I hate to say it, but I think if you want these playdates to happen, you should get the other mom’s number and reach out to her. I agree, I also do not understand why people suggest something and never follow-up, but it happens all the time in the non-kid context too (e.g., run into an old co-worker or classmate, and you will inevitably get the “let’s grab a drink/coffee/lunch sometime” … and 95% of the time it never happens).
Anon says
I feel like with the old classmate or coworker it at least makes a little more sense. I think in that case it’s usually something people say out of obligation to avoid seeming rude and they never really intend to follow through. But here there’s zero obligation to suggest a playdate or any kind of get together (I’m talking like, someone stopping me passing in the hall of school where a smile and a wave would have been more than enough), so it’s just weird to me.
NYCer says
Hmmm, I still think it is about equivalent. Are you sure these moms just aren’t saying it out of obligation to avoid seeming rude and never really intend to follow through? That is my take. Which is why I suggest that you reach out if you want to schedule the playdate.
Anon says
I agree that this is different than a old coworker situation. In addition to it not feeling as necessary, she could also keep it much more vague (“hey let’s get the girls together at some point”), she wouldn’t specifically add “this weekend” if she had no intention like an old coworker. Also, admittedly the flake might not think like this, but pretty rude to do to a kid who might hear about it and get excited vs an adult who is well versed with the ole’ this-coworker-doesn’t-actually-want-to-get-together-bit.
Anon says
Yeah I feel like “we should get the kids together sometime” is the coworker equivalent of “we should get coffee sometime.” These conversations are more like “Would Jane like to come play with Billy at our house this Saturday? I’ll text you our address and a time.” If they have no desire to actually see us I have no idea why they would say something so specific, like just be vague. Or just say nothing? I pass moms in the school hallway without pulling them aside to suggest playdates all the time. And yes my kiddo is disappointed, which is another thing that sucks about this.
Anonymous says
This. I think either they’re just saying it to be polite and have no intention of following through, or they genuinely want to set up a play date but they’re busy and forget and are reminded each time they see you. Either way, I think it’s fine to follow up with a text: “hey we’re going to the park Saturday if you want to join!”
Anon says
If you are the planner, grab her number too and then you can text her first with date/time/location. I would be driven nuts by this too.
Anon says
This level of flakiness, I bet texts from OP get ignored for long periods of time and still probably end up as a flake. No offense to OP, I bet it’s not personal, but it sounds like that is the level she is dealing with.
I would nod and smile to these suggestions, plan my weekend as if they weren’t going to happen, and if they do and you happen to be free great, but if she does reach out and you already made alternative plans (even if it’s just that you already planned the day as a family) I would not give two thoughts about it. “Sorry, we already made other plans for that time!”.
There are other planners out there, find your people. It is okay to focus on them for your sanity. Luckily it sounds like these requests aren’t being driven by either of your kids? Once that starts happening it’s harder to deal with.
Anon says
Also, at least with the mid week conversations it sounds like the time is enough up in the air where the OP can plan her whole weekend without it being too weird if the flake does ever reach out. If the OP texts and throws out an actual time and date, that is really where she gets put in limbo and is really maddening if she still gets ignored (ask me how I know). How long do you keep that slot open for before calling it? If OP does reach out, I would still keep it vague and force the flake to suggest the time. Unless it’s to invite the flake to something OP would be doing anyway, although TBH that would still annoy me to have to feel like “will they or won’t they show up?”.
anon says
Can we talk postpartum anxiety? I’ve always struggled with anxiety, but after the birth of my now 11-month old, it has become really debilitating. I am often gripped with icy cold fear and keep picturing all the horrible things that could happen to him. It’s getting in the way of enjoying my adorable cheerful baby. I have a prescription for Zoloft but have avoided starting it, because I had a really difficult time weaning off an anti-depressant in the past. I may have to bite the bullet and try the Zoloft, but what other strategies have worked for you? I’m already doing therapy, although not as consistently as I probably should (logistically it’s hard for me – I have to go and sit in my car to take an appointment and it’s always during the workday when I’ super busy, so I feel like it adds more to the stress). I used to exercise a lot but it’s been really difficult to find the time for that lately (new job, house renovations and young baby – it’s been all consuming). I’m getting OK sleep (baby is a magical unicorn of a good sleeper) – eight hours most nights, but I’m still sharing a room with the baby due to my own anxiety. I feel better sleeping in his room. I’m just really struggling.
Anon says
This is what meds and consistent therapy are for. Who cares if you are on the Zoloft for a long time. It’s safe while breastfeeding and pregnant.
Anon says
This is what meds and regular therapy are for. I don’t get the resistance to the meds. Who cares if it takes a long time to go off. Zoloft is considered safe for pregnancy and breastfeeding. Think about what you’d tell a friend in this situation- wouldn’t you tell her to take the meds?
Anon says
Intense exercise worked like magic for my postpartum anxiety. I was doing stuff like Tabata, CrossFit, and the like. I stopped going to those gyms because of covid (and really miss it), but I find that even two or three 10-minute sessions four days a week works wonders for anxiety for me.
Anonymous says
Betterhealth has virtual therapy appointments in the evening.
Momofthree says
Please take the meds and prioritize the therapy. There’s no magical answer here -like a juice fast or more sleep. It will get better at some point- meds and therapy are tools to help you manage.
You’re going through a severe phase of anxiety- it sounds like it’s also interfering with your choice to take meds (anxiety about getting off them before) and attend therapy (anxiety about performance at work/ when will I find the time).
I’ve been there/ am currently there. I know it’s hard. Please use the tools at your disposal.
Anon says
Can you find a therapist who offers virtual appointments?
EDAnon says
The psychologists in my network offer virtual appointments.
EDAnon says
If anyone sees this – our puppy amchewed up the insole of our son’s shoe. The show is otherwise in good condition. We tried pulling invokes from other shoes but he hates the way they feel. They’re very simple, flat insoles. Is there any way to get replacements? Everything I see online is designed for “comfort” which he will not find comfortable. I thought about the odor eaters, which can be cut to size. But I was hoping for better ideas!