I have a soft spot in my heart for sophisticated Mary Jane heels like this, and when I saw the reviews this shoe was getting I knew I had to post.

“Single, greatest pair of shoes EVER!” said one woman who “bought them on a whim;” another reviewer said the heel height was “perfect, complimentary, and comfortable.” Yes please!

Patent leather shoes can be a bit controversial for the office, but I think these work — particularly for the holiday season.

I’m picturing them in bordeaux, but they’re also available in black, emerald, and a goldish velvet — Nordstrom is down to lucky sizes in some of the colors, unfortunately.

The shoes are $350, and available in sizes 6-11; you can find them at Nordstrom and Bruno Magli.

Looking for something similar? There aren’t a ton that I know of — Manolo Blahnik has had this heeled Mary Jane for years, and Jennifer Chamandii has some cute styles now. In terms of affordable options that are less than $350, Amazon also has a “limited time sale” on these SJP by Sarah Jessica Parker Mary Jane pumps, and these Kurt Geiger pumps are only $150 at Dillards. If you prefer block heels, M.Gemi has a Mary-Jane, and if you prefer wedges, Theory has some Mary Jane wedges.

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: Gemma Pump appeared first on Corporette.com.

Have you played around with a lot of the AI tools? There are a lot of possible issues with the results from AI (such as entirely made up answers!!), so use these tools with a LOT of caution and only as one tool in your wheelhouse. Still, some that could be useful include the following — and I’d love to hear if you know of any other!

AI Tools That Could Be Useful at Work

Zoom Summary

Have you noticed that new little button on your Zoom dashboard, Summary? If you click that button from in-meeting controls at the beginning of your Zoom meeting, the meeting summary will begin to be generated, and participants will see a notification informing that the Meeting Summary is active. When the meeting has ended, the summary will be finalized and sent out.

(You do need a certain level of admin access to Zoom, but participants can request Summary… if an admin is not present on the call, an email will be sent.)

It can keep notes on what is said, consolidate ideas into different categories, and keep track of to-dos and follow up tasks, including who said they would do them.

At the moment it’s available for users as a free trial – here’s more info on the Zoom blog.

ChatPDF

Chat PDF promises to “extract information or answer questions from large PDF files like manuals, essays, books.” You can upload a PDF of ANY size and, apparently, in any language, and then ask the AI chatbot to answer questions based on that source PDF by citing and highlighting specific paragraphs.

For professionals, you could use this to do an initial assessment or help you pinpoint a section to look at of a manual, a book, a contract, a financial report, or more.

AudioPen

AudioPen “converts unstructured voice notes into text that’s easy to read and ready to share.” As they note, “if you like thinking out loud, you’ll love Audio Pen.”

You can draft articles, emails, messages, and more, just by talking. The program will consolidate ideas into categories or even an outline form — not necessarily in how you spoke about them, but how might make sense contextually.

On the free version, you get up to 3 minutes to talk, whereas on paid versions you can get more.

Readers, have you used any AI tools for work-related purposes? (Personal?) How are you using them, and what are your thoughts?

The post Three AI Tools That Could Be Useful at Work appeared first on Corporette.com.

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

A good fit-and-flare workwear dress is hard to find these days, but if this is your preferred silhouette, White House Black Market has just the thing for you.

This stretch ponte dress with gold button embellishments comes in both navy and black — perfect neutrals for any wardrobe. I would add a white blazer for a classic look.

The dress is $170 at White House Black Market and comes in sizes 00–18.

For a more affordable option, check out this one from Black Label by Evan-Picone (on sale for $39.50 at JCPenney; sizes 2–18); Calvin Klein has a dress available in plus sizes for $99.95 at Belk.

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 Wednesday’s Workwear Report: Luxe Stretch Button-Detail Fit & Flare Dress appeared first on Corporette.com.

I know that gold jewelry is super trendy right now, but I still like a little color in my jewelry… and these bestsellers from Julie Vos look gorgeous, especially for work.

I like how they’re substantial earrings but also just basic posts — there’s no movement near your face, which can be distracting. I also like how they bring a beautiful pop of color to your face.

(Maybe this is a “me” thing — as a pale brunette with brown eyes I really feel like I have to rely on lipstick or jewelry near my face to bring some color into the mix! It probably doesn’t help that I wear a ton of black, ha.)

These pretty earrings are $165 at JulieVos.com. They come in 10 colors, and you can also get them as clip-on earrings if you prefer.

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: Catalina Earring appeared first on Corporette.com.

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.

This stretch silk top from Veronica Beard would be a beautifully versatile addition to any wardrobe. It would look equally pretty paired with denim or a pair of trousers. I would wear it with a charcoal suit on a more formal day or tucked into a midi skirt for a more casual look.

The top is $278, marked down from $398, at Saks Fifth Avenue and comes in sizes 00–16. (PSA: If you’re in the mood for some fun window shopping, check out the “Revenge Dressing” section at Saks. It’s totally bonkers and absolutely perfect.)

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 Tuesday’s Workwear Report: Henrieta Floral Stretch-Silk Top appeared first on Corporette.com.