The Edition: No. 345
Nov 18, 2022
+ Are you busy or is it toxic productivity?
+ This amazing duvet cover is under-$200 for a king-size.
+ No politics, no religion: Holiday small talk tips.
+ This penguin onesie is too cute for words.
+ Can’t sleek? Try sticking your head in the freezer.
+ Laundry Needs: Agitators for softening and the best stain remover.
+ How to make the most of your one-on-one meetings.
+ Party Outfit: Balloon sleeve dress + slingbacks + hoop earrings
+ Plus-Size Party Outfit: Velvet dress + classic pump + jeweled headband
+ ‘I am not ready to take maternity leave.’
+ This mockneck and turtleneck have gorgeous weave patterns.
+ Tips for managing the rising costs of being a single lady.
+ Tall rain boots and short rain ones for bad weather.
+ Why do we find LinkedIn so cringe?
+ This <$75 boucle sheath and wrap dress are perfect for work.
+ How America turned against the First Amendment.
+ This 10-pack of Dr. Jart face masks is the stocking stuffer you want.
One Infuriating Thing. On wearing crop tops to the office.
The link for One Infuriating Thing goes to the sleep article.
Crop top link went to the NY Times article on not being able to sleep,
Also, that quote is really, really speaking to me. Thank you!
Boden is NOT plus size. At all. Mid-size, at best.
I wondered if the crop top piece would make it here (though, yes, it is directing to the freezer thing at the moment).
But as I am familiar with it and sent it along – DEAR HEAVENS. The young lady who feels entitled to dress in a crop top in both law and medical offices is something else. “I don’t want to spend on clothing I only wear sometimes?”
I found her take childish and inappropriate. As much as I don’t like policing clothing and bodies, no one’s navel needs to be visible in a professional environment.
If you’re working full time in a non-uniformed job, you’re wearing your work attire more than just *sometimes*. You are likely wearing it for half (or more!) of your waking hours five days a week. If you’re lucky enough to get 8 hours of sleep a night, have an 8 hour workday with an hour lunch and a half hour commute each way, that’s still damn near your half of your conscious hours for the week. That isn’t just, “sometimes.”
I googled the crop top article because I was so intrigued. I work in a role where I speak with lots of nonprofits about their challenges and a common theme right now, as they shift to hybrid work models, is that Gen Z does not at all know how to operate in an office environment. This feels like just another example.
Send Gen Z here! I’m a est. 1991 millennial who did NOT have good role models on how to dress professionally. Now, granted, I never would have thought that was acceptable (never owned a crop top), but still – this blog taught me how to dress in a professional environment back when I was 20-21ish (31 now).
It is seriously wild, though. The woman in the article, “I’m not going to buy clothes specifically for my job,” she said. “I’m stubborn that way,” and, “I don’t want to buy things that I don’t think I’m going to wear.” Another complained that, “it’s more me.”
FWIW, I’m *not* team, “bring your whole self to work.” You don’t neeeeeeeeed to express every facet of your personality at work, because you’re there to work.
Also a millennial (est. 1990) and started reading this blog when I was 22 to learn how to dress in the workplace!
***standing ovation***
You nailed it, Jenn!
Love the artistry of the Banana Republic website but could it just get to the clothes, lol.
On the topic of holiday dinner conversation: https://thefamilydinnerproject.org/thanksgiving-conversation-starters/
The Maternity article leaves out a huge piece of the puzzle: paternity (or partner) leave! Maternity leave can be shorter if a partner is taking back to back paternity and there’s no better peace of mind for returning to work than leaving your baby with your partner rather than plunging into new care option while returning to work which compounds stress. The men at my law firm (not my husband thankfully) still won’t take paternity(beyond a week or two with mom) so taking maternity is still a massive disadvantage to women at my firm. The key is not to have longer and longer maternity leaves but to have a partner to extend the time baby is at home with a parent. Also if only mom takes leave she’s cementing default parenting mode.
That’s the question I’d ask someone (and myself!) while dating: will we expect dad/partner to take leave too. Tons and tons of wives say they want societal/workplace change but don’t change their expectations at home. I don’t think you actually get workplace/societal change without making these changes at home.