“The problem with the rat race is that even if you win, you’re still a rat.” — Lily Tomlin
Sunshine Days. This yellow dress is work appropriate, brunch ready, and cocktail approved. And it’s $115. Bring it.
I Apologize in Advance. If you’re between 21 and 37, you might be a Millennial. That seems like a wide swing, right?
Simple Jewels. These hexagon hoops are a modern classic. And these black stone moons? For $18? Done and done.
Green Eyed. What to do when your friend is jealous of your success.
Dresses Up. ASOS has some lovely dresses right now. This orange crepe dress, this maroon drape dress, and this printed wrap are all lovely.
Filthy. The healing power of rage cleaning.
Get Wristed. This mixed metal link bracelet and this gold gemstone bracelet are both fabulous and under-$60.
All the Bad News. Greater confidence does not equal career gains for women. And being successful in you career doubles your odds of getting divorced. Just peachy.
Versatile. This navy sheath dress is the under-$100 dress for work. Plus-size? This one.
Raising the Bar. Four traits that keep you from making more money.
Designer Obsession. I am so in love with Veronica Beard. This piped blouse, this twisted bodysuit, and this black flutter sleeve top — so good.
Swagger. Why the Oscar presenters need to pay taxes on those luxurious swag bags.
Tropical Skincare. This coconut mask is like a vacation for your face.
Burning It Up. Why Millennial women experience more career burnout.
Who I’m Loving. Tiffany Haddish, the realest real girl in Hollywood.
What I’m Wondering. How do we feel about the handbag raincoat? Smart? Silly?
What Made Me Laugh. If Literature’s Complicated Men Were on Tinder.
What I’m Lusting Over. This Isabel Marant printed dress.
This Tickle Me France-Y from OPI is a more modern pinky-nude if you’re over Ballet Slipper. I also like Deborah Lippmann Modern Love for a chic mauve.
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The Deborah Lippmann nail polish links to a firearms shipping guide on GunBroker.com…
Helpful. I was answering a question for a Dem hill staffer, and mixed up the links. Hopefully, I didn’t send her the nail polish.
LOL!
LOVE those ASOS dresses, bummed those styles don’t come in petite.
ladies —- HOW do you paint your nails as to not have streaks/air bubbles (like in that nail polish photo)?
I do my nails myself, and am not planning to go to a salon. But whenever I do them, they never look even like that. Help a sister out!
thanks!
Apply nail polish in very thin coats and give about a minute between each one. A nail primer also helps.
Yep, although I tend to go with two to three minutes between coats to be safe. Also, don’t shake your polish bottles to mix them up, roll them in your palms while the bottles remain upright. This causes less bubbles to form in the polish bottle. I also find that old and cheap polishes do this more than the nicer ones. Finally, practice. It just takes practice! I have been doing my own for years now and most people think I get them done at a salon.
A good topcoat helps. I’ve found that the kind of brush the polish uses also makes a difference for us amateurs. Essie brushes are the hardest to work with. OPI and Zoya have thicker brushes so they spread out and cover more of the nail without streaks.
That’s so funny! Essie brushes are my favorite. I also find the length and width of the brush holder to matter. Sadly, I no longer buy Essie (not CF) and haven’t found a brush I like as much. First world problem of the Nth degree!
Oh yeah, the handle definitely matters. I guess the brush is a personal choice then :). I just find the Essie brush really thin, so I tend to get streaks, at least with the lighter colors. The pros work with it really well though, and the polish lasts a while. And they have the best colors. I really like the Zoya brush, but it’s definitely wider than Essie’s. They appear to be CF.
Ahh, the dreaded streaks. I find that any of the Essie colors (most brands actually) that have a white base are streakers. My only workaround to that is three very, very thin coats and a non-clear base coat (ridgefiller, etc.).
Oh, thanks for the Zoya tip! For some reason, I don’t love their colors. I have started buying some Butter London (don’t love that brush – wide and short) and Smith & Cult, which I really like but is a treat yo self polish because it is $18!!
Have you looked on their website? They have an obscene amount of colors and run pretty good sales. The colors I’ve seen in stores haven’t been as varied.
I’ll go check it out, thanks!
Don’t shake your nail polish! That’s where most of the bubbles come from. Then, you’ve got to let it dry a bit between coats. Just a minute or two.
I thought it was interesting that the burnout article focused on internal causes/solutions because that’s kind of the opposite of where mine came from. My (now ex) company told me we were parting ways and my stress levels went down to near zero within 24 hours. Turns out it had been impacting me more than I realized.
I forget how much the stress of being a lobbyist impacted me until my old employer is in the news. I stop sleeping, start having nightmares, get sick to my stomach all the time, my acid reflux comes back, and I’m just like…”Oh yeah, quitting was good.”
“At the end of every week, you aren’t just tired… you’re totally energy-depleted.” THIS. WAS. MY. LIFE.
I think in my case the causes were both external and internal. The problem was the job itself and the office dynamic (i.e. lack of support from my boss) but also internal in that I reached a point where I was so mentally exhausted, that things that in the past would have been commonplace seemed insurmountable. The minute I was told I’d be parting ways with my employer, it was like a huge weight was lifted. I hadn’t realized how profoundly unhappy I was, and it was all because of the job. I came across this article from Forbes when I was contemplating quitting my job and it totally hit the nail on the head for me: https://www.forbes.com/sites/lizryan/2015/12/29/five-unmistakable-signs-of-career-burnout/#6b38616106f6
Did you know that I was about to send in an Ask Belle about alternatives to Ballet Slippers, because after however many years, I can’t stand it anymore? Mind reader! Thanks, lady!
I went to paint my nails yesterday and was like, no, no pale pink today.
You may be mis-summarizing the Fortune article. It’s only success in relationships that started out “traditional” that have the greater odds of divorce. Their definition of traditional is the woman takes 80% or more of the parental leave for the kids. (And in my experience whether a father takes paternity is SO telling of the marriage and the values placed on the respective careers by the couple).
If the employer even offers paternity. I currently live in a place where large employers still don’t offer maternity. And let’s not forget that there’s no requirement on the Hill that Members offer maternity.
I am in love with your picks of ASOS dresses! They are conservative yet interesting. Thank you!