Ask the Editor: Vol. V, No. Six

Last week, Capitol Hill Style turned 17. The little blog that I started in my studio apartment, sitting on my rust-colored couch, on an ancient Toshiba laptop is now a high school junior. This endeavor has paid for law school, helped me make lifelong friends, and keeps me sane, a constant in difficult times. Thank you for being here. Thank you for sticking around in a world conquered by the TikTok influencer. Thank you for everything.

Now, let’s reach into the mail bag

Hi Abra,

We are having a baby in January and are hiring a nanny.  How do you pay yours?  What do you pay her?  What does she do for you?  I’m in the weeds on this one and I could use some guidance.

I appreciate you.  Hope Sloane is doing well.  KHJ

To find out what market rate in your area is for a nanny, Zip Recruiter can show you the range.  Obviously, this varies based on number of children and the nanny’s workload.  We pay in the middle of the pay band for our area because we have just the one kiddo, but we want to pay a good wage.  

To get the taxes collected, we use Poppins Payroll.  You input the hours the person works, and the benefits they receive, and then, they email you on pay day and tell you what to pay and collect all taxes quarterly.  We pay by Zelle, but Poppins also has a direct deposit service.

As for tasks, Sloane’s nanny is only responsible for taking care of Sloane.  She does Sloane’s laundry and cleans up Sloane’s messes (with Sloane’s help) and washes Sloane’s dishes. We don’t ask for meal prep, cleaning, or any tasks for us.  Sometimes, if Sloane needs a pair of socks or a gift for a birthday party, we will give her money and she will drive Sloane to the store.  

She also uses my car to drive Sloane, not her own.  If she used her own, we’d pay gas and provide a car seat.

If others have tips for nanny-care or best daycare hacks leave them in the comments.

Abra:

I just turned 46 and my eyebrows are fading away.  Help me.  I look like Fester Addams.

Stacy M.

I apply GrandeLash to mine to keep the hair growing in, but as I’ve gone grey, they have certainly lightened.  This drugstore eyebrow pencil is the best one.  It gives you feather strokes.  

I’ve also toyed with the idea of tinting my brows, but haven’t done it yet.  I’m still looking for the right technician, since the style of brow I prefer is more natural than the Kardashian-forward style many women are looking for right now.

DM: Do you whiten your teeth?

I used to get treatments from my dentist, and I should schedule another one.  I started using this pen recently and I think it’s doing a good job of knocking down the staining from coffee, soda and the like.  I’ve also used the strips, but they’re a hassle and some of the brands are hard on my very sensitive teeth.

DM: What is your body hair clean up routine?

I shave my underarms every day, and I shave my legs and arms every third day.  I rarely miss because it’s so ingrained into my routine.  I like this Flamingo razor, and I love that Costco and Target both stock refills.  

I don’t use shave gel.  Instead, I use hair conditioner in the winter to keep my skin from getting too dry post-shave.  I do believe in applying product post-shave to keep in-grown hairs away.  This concentrate is my favorite, I use it on my underarms and my bikini area. 

For bikini hair removal, I get a wax one every four weeks in the summer and every two months in the winter.  I used to do the Brazilian, now I just get a simple bikini wax.  In between, I like to keep things trim with this water-resistant trimmer from Fur.  If you want a cheaper option, try this one.

Abra:

Can you help me find a pair of flats for job interviews?  I have to wear a suit to firm interviews but I cannot wear heels or pointed toes.  What do I wear?

Kat 

First thing, you want leather.  No Rothy’s.  No suede (can look a little worn).  No satin, mesh, etc.  

Also, no Mary Janes (too young) and no bows (same problem).  I also prefer square toe over round toe because it feels just a hair more polished, though I would struggle to explain why I feel that way.

Vionic makes a very comfortable, simple flat.  Also a slingback might look a little fancier than a ballet flat.

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