Work Wardrobes: Follow-up & Further Reading / Listening

Photo of the author standing in her office

I write about many different topics on this site, but you all must be particularly interested fashion, because my recent piece about dressing professionally quickly became my most-viewed post ever. I certainly don’t consider myself a fashionista, but I do frequently think about what I wear, how I present myself, and what I buy. For me, these topics are not just about image but also touch on issues of feminism, sustainability, and ethics, and they raise questions about my priorities for my time, money, and mental energy. Read more

Understanding the Declining U.S. Fertility Rate

Photo of a mobile over a crib

A few days ago, data was released showing that the fertility rate in the United States – the number of babies born per 1,000 women of childbearing age – hit a record low in 2017, for the second year in a row.  The fertility rate has been declining every year since 2008, and the 3% drop from 2016 to 2017 is the largest single-year decrease since 2010.  The New York Times published an article about the phenomenon in Thursday’s paper with the headline “Fertility Rate Again Falls to a Record Low, Confounding Demographers.”  It seems no one can figure out why women between the ages of 15 and 44 aren’t having as many kids as they once did.  As a 33-year-old woman who conceived my first child in 2017, perhaps I can shed some light on the topic. Read more

The Weekend Listen

A pair of wireless headphones for podcast listening

I listen to a lot of podcasts while driving, working out, and doing chores around the house. In this weekly feature, I’ll tell you about one episode I particularly enjoyed that week.

This week’s selection is HerMoney Episode 44: Moneyball, The Dating Edition.  As you might have guessed from its name, HerMoney is a women-focused financial advice podcast.  This episode is a little different than some, though.  In honor of Valentine’s Day, host Jean Chatsky interviews Date-onomics author John Birger about his economics-driven analysis of dating.  Interesting!

Have a lovely weekend, and if you are listening to a podcast you think I should hear, let me know about it!