We’ve been updating you on all the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals — and now it’s time to talk about Giving Tuesday! Are you giving to charity today? In general, do you prefer to focus your contributions locally, nationally, internationally, or a mix? Is your city doing a big Giving Tuesday campaign today — led by the United Way, for example?

{related: the 411 on how to help charities — how to start donating money, time, or something else}

Giving Tuesday Resources and Tips

1. Find your country’s Giving Tuesday hub with this map. GivingTuesday.org offers lots of info and ideas.

2. Consider using an online platform that evaluates charities, such as Charity Navigator, BBB Wise Giving Alliance (Give.org), and CharityWatch. (ProPublica has guidance on evaluating charities.)

3. On Giving Tuesday, lots of nonprofits will have a particular donor matching people’s donations up to a certain amount, so look for those opportunities on individual charities’ websites to double your contribution!

{related: under pressure: charitable giving at the office}

4. Check if your employer has an employee matching program — you can ask HR, use Charity Navigator’s search tool, or check the website of the organization you want to donate to.

5. Think about lending a hand more “casually” and/or in person. You can help local mutual aid groups, for example. To find them, use this search tool from Mutual Aid Hub or google “[Your City] Mutual Aid Network.” (The Cut offered tips in this 2020 story.)

GivingTuesday.org has lots more options, such as giving blood (here’s what it’s like), distributing necessities to unhoused people, and paying for the person behind you at the drive-through (just not like this (NSFW)).

6. Remember to deduct your charitable contributions on your taxes if you use Schedule A of Form 1040 to file. (Here are tips from Investopedia.)

Have you donated to charity today, or are you planning to? Does your company typically match donations?

Stock Photo via Pexels / RDNE Stock project.

Some of the top matching opportunities we’re seeing for Giving Tuesday 2023…

(Let us know if you find any! Here’s Charity Navigator’s article on how these “matching” opportunities might be working behind the scenes. Mentions are not endorsements of the charity.)

• American Red Cross – 2x match up to $100,000, ends 11/28
• Americares – 8x match
• Doctors Without Borders – 2x match through 11:59 p.m. EST on 11/28
• Donors Choose (specific classroom resources requested by local teachers) – 2X match, ends 11/28
• Greenpeace – 5x match, ends 11/28
• Heifer International – 4x match, ends 11/28
• Nature Conservancy – 2x match, ends 11/28
• NAMI (National Alliance for Mental Illness) – 2x match up to $70,000, ends 11/28
• No Kid Hungry – 2x match by Citi up to $500,000, ends 11/28
• UNICEF – 5x match, ends 11/28

The post 6 Tips for Giving Tuesday 2023 appeared first on Corporette.com.

Our daily workwear reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices.

Amazon has some great Cyber Monday deals right now on Rocketbooks. This digital notebook, which started with a Kickstarter, feels like a regular notebook, and you write on the pages with a Pilot Frixion pen, then scan them with the app (iOS and Android), and wipe the notebook clean with a wet cloth. The system connects to the cloud, and you can search past notes by keyword, which is a huge advantage over pen-and-paper notes, of course!

The Cyber Monday deal we’re featuring is definitely one to check out — you can get the Rocketbook Core today for under $20! Amazon even allows free returns on it! (See details.) This notebook measures 6″ x 8.8″ and has 36 lined pages. It includes the pen and a microfiber cleaning cloth and is available in lots of notebook-cover colors. The Core has 4.6 stars out of 5 from 27,000+ (!) reviews (and Fakespot verifies most reviews as legit).

(Readers, are you a fan of any higher-end digital notebooks, such as the ReMarkable or Kindle Scribe? Any smart pens you recommend?)

Workwear sales of note for 11.28.23

Our favorites are in bold!

• Nordstrom – Black Friday deals have started! 1,800+ sale items! Shop designer, get bonus notes up to $1200. Markdowns include big deals on UGG, Natori, Barefoot Dreams, Marc Fisher LTD, Vionic and more!
• Anine Bing – Sale, extra 20% off! Many blazers down around $250
• Ann Taylor – Up to 40% off your purchase
• Banana Republic – 40% off your purchase, including cashmere; up to 60% off sale styles
• Banana Republic Factory – 60% off everything & extra 20% off purchase
• ba&sh – Up to 50% off Fall/Winter styles
• Bergdorf Goodman – Extra 30% off select sale, save up to 70% off
• Club Monaco – 25% off almost everything
• Cole Haan – Up to 60% off almost everything plus extra 10% off (ends tonight 11/29)
• Express – 40% off everything
• Her Room – Up to 50% off 1000s of items
• Hugo Boss – Up to 40% off women’s & exclusives
• J.Crew – 50% off everything + free shipping
• Kule – Up to 40% off, $50 off when you spend $250
• Lands’ End – 50% off sitewide (readers love the cashmere)
• Loft – Free shipping, 60% off 2+ styles or 50% off 1
• Lo & Sons – Up to 70% off; spend $100, get an extra 10% off wallets – reader favorites include this laptop tote, this backpack, and this crossbody
• Ministry of Supply – 25% off sitewide with code (ends 11/29)
• Summersalt – 30% off everything plus extra $10 off sweaters with code; up to 60% off (this reader favorite sweater blazer is down to $75)
• Talbots – 50% off all markdowns and 30% off entire site — readers love this cashmere boatneck and this cashmere cardigan, as well as their sweater blazers in general
• Theory – Cold weather essentials up to 40% off
• Theory Outlet – up to 80% off sweaters and outerwear – readers love this t-shirt
• Uniqlo – Limited time deals starting at $14.90 (ends 11/30)
• Universal Standard – Enjoy 30% off everything (as a minimum) + extra 10% off
• White House Black Market – Up to 60% off sale styles
• Zappos – Early Black Friday sale! Save BIG on footwear, clothing, bags and more. Daily Deals 50% off, and check out these reader-favorite workwear brands on sale, and some of our favorite kid shoe brands on sale.

Kid- and Family-Related Sales

• BabyJogger – 25% off 3 items
• Crate & Kids – Up to 50% off everything plus free shipping sitewide; save 10% off full price items
• J.Crew Crewcuts – 50% off everything + free shipping
• ErgoBaby – 40% off Omni Breeze Carrier, 25% off Evolve 3-in-1 bouncer, $100 off Metro+Stroller
• Graco – Up to 30% off car seats
• Nordstrom – Big deals on CRANE BABY, Petunia Pickle Bottom, TWELVElittle and Posh Peanut
• Strolleria – 25% off Wonderfold wagons, and additional deals on dadada, Cybex, and Peg Perego
• Walmart – Savings on Maxi-Cosi car seats, adventure wagons, rocker recliners, security cameras and more!

The post Coffee Break: Rocketbook Core Digital Notebook appeared first on Corporette.com.

Something on your mind? Chat about it here.

Happy almost Thanksgiving!

I love sweater dresses. I live in upstate New York, so I only mean the ones that actually, you know, keep you warm, i.e., not those with no sleeves, a very low V-neck, cutouts, and so on. Specifically, I love crewneck, knee-length, belted styles, like this affordable sweater dress from Caslon.

I prefer the rust (a perfect autumn color!) to the black, though the styling certainly doesn’t do it any favors in the first image — a multicolored fleecy zip jacket?! I like the chunky knit, which isn’t TOO textured. The belt is removable, but since the belt loops are not, it’s kind of a moot point (or a moo point if you’re a Friends fan).

Yes, the dress only has 3.5 out of 5.0 stars so far, but what’s bringing it down is the one-star review that laments that the dress arrived wrinkled. And anyway, it’s machine washable.

This dress is $69 at Nordstrom and available in sizes XXS–XXL.

Looking for other sizes? Here’s a plus-size option from Arula and a maternity sweater dress from Gap.

And now, let’s look at something gorgeous — this (much pricier) sweater dress from Isabel Marant. LOOK AT IT. I’ve never seen a cable pattern anything like this one, and I think it’s striking and beautiful. This dress is $1,650 at Nordstrom.

P.S. Stay tuned for our roundup of Black Friday sales!

The post Holiday Weekend Open Thread appeared first on Corporette.com.

Here’s a great gift idea for the holidays — or a little treat for yourself as we move into 2024…

If you want to get back into journaling, or you want to finally start the habit, here’s a method that’s low-pressure and low-effort, but totally worthwhile. This small book holds five years of journal entries, but each day only has room for a few sentences or so — just the right amount of space for quick-and-dirty summaries of what happened on that day.

Each page has a space for the same day of the year for each of the five years you’ll use it, though everything is undated so that you can start it anytime. The journal also has three blank pages at the end that are labeled “Dates to Remember,” and I use them to list major things that happened in each of the five years.

I’ve gone through two of these over the years, and while there are big gaps here and there (VERY big gaps in my second one), I’m really grateful even to have little tidbits of both notable days and more run-of-the-mill ones.

If a journal full of big empty pages seems intimidating to you, this is the perfect way to ease into a regular journaling habit.

The One Line a Day journal from Chronicle Books is available at Amazon. The company also makes other cover designs, as well as special editions for newlyweds, moms (not dads, apparently), and families, plus a gratitude journal format.

P.S. If you’re looking for a kids’ gift idea along these lines, I recommend this “Letters to Me, When I Grow Up” time-capsule kit!

Workwear sales of note for 11.28.23

Our favorites are in bold!

• Nordstrom – Black Friday deals have started! 1,800+ sale items! Shop designer, get bonus notes up to $1200. Markdowns include big deals on UGG, Natori, Barefoot Dreams, Marc Fisher LTD, Vionic and more!
• Anine Bing – Sale, extra 20% off! Many blazers down around $250
• Ann Taylor – Up to 40% off your purchase
• Banana Republic – 40% off your purchase, including cashmere; up to 60% off sale styles
• Banana Republic Factory – 60% off everything & extra 20% off purchase
• ba&sh – Up to 50% off Fall/Winter styles
• Bergdorf Goodman – Extra 30% off select sale, save up to 70% off
• Club Monaco – 25% off almost everything
• Cole Haan – Up to 60% off almost everything plus extra 10% off (ends tonight 11/29)
• Express – 40% off everything
• Her Room – Up to 50% off 1000s of items
• Hugo Boss – Up to 40% off women’s & exclusives
• J.Crew – 50% off everything + free shipping
• Kule – Up to 40% off, $50 off when you spend $250
• Lands’ End – 50% off sitewide (readers love the cashmere)
• Loft – Free shipping, 60% off 2+ styles or 50% off 1
• Lo & Sons – Up to 70% off; spend $100, get an extra 10% off wallets – reader favorites include this laptop tote, this backpack, and this crossbody
• Ministry of Supply – 25% off sitewide with code (ends 11/29)
• Summersalt – 30% off everything plus extra $10 off sweaters with code; up to 60% off (this reader favorite sweater blazer is down to $75)
• Talbots – 50% off all markdowns and 30% off entire site — readers love this cashmere boatneck and this cashmere cardigan, as well as their sweater blazers in general
• Theory – Cold weather essentials up to 40% off
• Theory Outlet – up to 80% off sweaters and outerwear – readers love this t-shirt
• Uniqlo – Limited time deals starting at $14.90 (ends 11/30)
• Universal Standard – Enjoy 30% off everything (as a minimum) + extra 10% off
• White House Black Market – Up to 60% off sale styles
• Zappos – Early Black Friday sale! Save BIG on footwear, clothing, bags and more. Daily Deals 50% off, and check out these reader-favorite workwear brands on sale, and some of our favorite kid shoe brands on sale.

Kid- and Family-Related Sales

• BabyJogger – 25% off 3 items
• Crate & Kids – Up to 50% off everything plus free shipping sitewide; save 10% off full price items
• J.Crew Crewcuts – 50% off everything + free shipping
• ErgoBaby – 40% off Omni Breeze Carrier, 25% off Evolve 3-in-1 bouncer, $100 off Metro+Stroller
• Graco – Up to 30% off car seats
• Nordstrom – Big deals on CRANE BABY, Petunia Pickle Bottom, TWELVElittle and Posh Peanut
• Strolleria – 25% off Wonderfold wagons, and additional deals on dadada, Cybex, and Peg Perego
• Walmart – Savings on Maxi-Cosi car seats, adventure wagons, rocker recliners, security cameras and more!

The post Coffee Break: One Line a Day, A Five-Year Memory Book appeared first on Corporette.com.

Happy short workweek (to most of our readers, at least)! We thought we’d start off Thanksgiving week with a chat about some movies you’re, well, thankful for. Let’s talk about holiday movies — and feel free to go beyond winter celebrations into any holiday themes!

Looking for non-holiday movies to watch during your time off this week, maybe even during Thanksgiving family get-togethers (to avoid political talk, perhaps?)? We’ve discussed office movies (including 9 to 5 and Working Girl), underrated movies, and fashion movies in the past…

When I think of my holiday faves, what immediately pops into my head is Love Actually, which somehow came out 20 YEARS AGO. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen that thing. (For a while, my husband and I watched it every year at Christmastime, but we fell out of the habit a few years ago.) Yes, a lot of the movie is definitely, er, problematic (even “for that time”), as Lindy West explained in 2013 when she ripped it to shreds in Jezebel.

My feelings about Love Actually are perfectly represented by one of my favorite Onion articles, “Woman Takes Short Half-Hour Break From Being Feminist To Enjoy TV Show.” Because it has Emma Thompson! Alan Rickman! Colin Firth! Laura Linney! Bill Nighy! THAT Mariah Carey Christmas song, which I unabashedly love! (Film trivia: Olivia Rose Olson, the young actress who sung it in the movie, performed so well that Richard Curtis told her to tone it down so that she’d sound more believable as a 10-year-old.) Love Actually will probably always be one of my comfort movies.

As for Kat’s picks, her votes for holiday family movies are Elf and Home Alone, and though she says she typically can’t stand Hallmark movies, she gives Vanessa Hudgens’ Netflix holiday movies a rating of “OK” — Movies to Wrap Presents To, as it were. (I’ve watched a couple of the Princess Switch movies myself when I wanted some brain candy, and I’d say they’re holiday-serviceable.) As The Cut declared a couple of years ago, “Nothing Says Happy Holidays Like Another Vanessa Hudgens Movie on Netflix.”

So, do tell, readers: What are your favorite holiday movies? Does your family always watch It’s a Wonderful Life (speaking of The Onion, here’s their NSFW “review”), Miracle on 34th Street, or another classic? Would you die on the hill that Die Hard is a Christmas movie? Are Hallmark Christmas movies your guilty pleasure? If you don’t celebrate Christmas, or Christmas movies just aren’t your thing, what are your favorite movies about other holidays?

Image via Stencil

The post Open Thread: What Are Your Favorite Holiday Movies? appeared first on Corporette.com.

Our daily workwear reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices.

I’ve been using The Body Shop’s Camomile Gentle Eye Makeup Remover for years and years, and I’ve sung its praises before, including way back in 2015. In 2021, a Body Shop customer service person told me it had been discontinued (my reaction: noooo), though it came back in 2022. A few months ago, it was out of stock again, but this time I found a great replacement, especially because it’s $7 less. I’m going to stick with it and not switch back!

The replacement, Burt’s Bees Micellar Cleansing Water, works perfectly. lt doesn’t have a strong smell, it’s gentle on your skin, and it takes off makeup easily (for me, brow pencil and mascara) with only a small amount. (You don’t have to rinse off micellar water, but because I wash my face with a salicylic-acid cleanser afterward, it gets rinsed anyway.)

This cleanser is free of parabens, phthalates, and petrolatum, and is designed for all skin types. (Burt’s Bees says it doesn’t have a fragrance, but it definitely has a mild scent.)

Note: On the Burt’s Bees website, the product only has 3 stars out of 5 (from 100+ reviews), but I’ve never had a problem and have been using it daily for a month or two.

This micellar water is $11.99 at Burt’s Bees and also available at drugstores, grocery stores, etc.

Workwear sales of note for 11.28.23

Our favorites are in bold!

• Nordstrom – Black Friday deals have started! 1,800+ sale items! Shop designer, get bonus notes up to $1200. Markdowns include big deals on UGG, Natori, Barefoot Dreams, Marc Fisher LTD, Vionic and more!
• Anine Bing – Sale, extra 20% off! Many blazers down around $250
• Ann Taylor – Up to 40% off your purchase
• Banana Republic – 40% off your purchase, including cashmere; up to 60% off sale styles
• Banana Republic Factory – 60% off everything & extra 20% off purchase
• ba&sh – Up to 50% off Fall/Winter styles
• Bergdorf Goodman – Extra 30% off select sale, save up to 70% off
• Club Monaco – 25% off almost everything
• Cole Haan – Up to 60% off almost everything plus extra 10% off (ends tonight 11/29)
• Express – 40% off everything
• Her Room – Up to 50% off 1000s of items
• Hugo Boss – Up to 40% off women’s & exclusives
• J.Crew – 50% off everything + free shipping
• Kule – Up to 40% off, $50 off when you spend $250
• Lands’ End – 50% off sitewide (readers love the cashmere)
• Loft – Free shipping, 60% off 2+ styles or 50% off 1
• Lo & Sons – Up to 70% off; spend $100, get an extra 10% off wallets – reader favorites include this laptop tote, this backpack, and this crossbody
• Ministry of Supply – 25% off sitewide with code (ends 11/29)
• Summersalt – 30% off everything plus extra $10 off sweaters with code; up to 60% off (this reader favorite sweater blazer is down to $75)
• Talbots – 50% off all markdowns and 30% off entire site — readers love this cashmere boatneck and this cashmere cardigan, as well as their sweater blazers in general
• Theory – Cold weather essentials up to 40% off
• Theory Outlet – up to 80% off sweaters and outerwear – readers love this t-shirt
• Uniqlo – Limited time deals starting at $14.90 (ends 11/30)
• Universal Standard – Enjoy 30% off everything (as a minimum) + extra 10% off
• White House Black Market – Up to 60% off sale styles
• Zappos – Early Black Friday sale! Save BIG on footwear, clothing, bags and more. Daily Deals 50% off, and check out these reader-favorite workwear brands on sale, and some of our favorite kid shoe brands on sale.

Kid- and Family-Related Sales

• BabyJogger – 25% off 3 items
• Crate & Kids – Up to 50% off everything plus free shipping sitewide; save 10% off full price items
• J.Crew Crewcuts – 50% off everything + free shipping
• ErgoBaby – 40% off Omni Breeze Carrier, 25% off Evolve 3-in-1 bouncer, $100 off Metro+Stroller
• Graco – Up to 30% off car seats
• Nordstrom – Big deals on CRANE BABY, Petunia Pickle Bottom, TWELVElittle and Posh Peanut
• Strolleria – 25% off Wonderfold wagons, and additional deals on dadada, Cybex, and Peg Perego
• Walmart – Savings on Maxi-Cosi car seats, adventure wagons, rocker recliners, security cameras and more!

The post Coffee Break: Micellar Cleansing Water appeared first on Corporette.com.