by Solange Lopes | Jan 16, 2017 | Career
Fringe Tweed Pencil Skirt – Photo credit: shopstyle.com
Our Wear to Work feature presents workwear for business and professional women in a range of styles and prices. Please note this post contains affiliate links.
Tweed and fringes make a great combo, jus like with this tweed fringe-trim blazer. But who said you can’t add a fun fringe to an otherwise classic pencil skirt? Well, I sure didn’t…Hence today’s Work to Wear pick, this Ann Taylor fringe tweed pencil skirt, on sale for $69.99.
I like the fun balancing act between the flattering slim pencil silhouette and the playful fringed hem. Plus this skirt has a hint of a sparkle for those days when you need a little pick-me-up.
I also love this racer stripe tweed pencil skirt available in sizes 00 to 18, also from Ann Taylor.
Psst! Ann Taylor Flash Sale is on through tonight!
Would you like to recommend a great piece? Email me at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
by Solange Lopes | Jan 16, 2017 | Find Your Purpose
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I remember walking around Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard next to the Terrou Bi hotel in my native city of Dakar, Senegal, a continent away from where one of the most influential Black leaders in history lived and died. As a young African girl living across the ocean from the U.S. back then, and despite the distance, Dr. King’s name was already imprinted in mine and millions of other’ stories. That’s how much of an impact this extraordinary man had on the entire world…
Every year as we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, we’re reminded that if it were not for his work and mission, we wouldn’t be where we are today. All of us. Not just Black men and women, but for all of us people. Because every time progress, equality and justice is accomplished for even one person, it’s done for all of us. We may not always see or recognize how it affects our lives, but it’s on days like these that we have the opportunity to sit back and ponder how far we’ve come. And how far we still have to go…
From his powerful story to being celebrated in the movie “Selma” decades later, Dr. King continues to teach us some of the most important life and legacy lessons. Which is why I’ve taken a reflective pause today to gather 12 of my personal favorite quotes from Dr. King to inspire us to keep reaching higher, wherever we amy be in the world or in our lives:
“Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve…You only need a hart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” From “The Drum Major Instinct“, 1968.
“The time is always right to do what is right”.
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”‘
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
” I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”
“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”
“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?”
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”
“The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people.”
“Intelligence plus character – that is the true goal of education.”
“No person has the right to rain on your dreams.”
In closing, check out this great video to learn even more about the great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.:
Happy MLK Day!
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Jan 13, 2017 | Career
Welcome to our weekly career, entrepreneurship, lifestyle and fashion news roundup! Think of it as your online watercooler/work gossip station/coffee break spot for now…Want to add anything to our list? Email us at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
- As we bid farewell to my favorite First Couple this month, the Huffington Post reminds us of 12 little-known facts about Michelle Obama that will make us love her even more;
- After a new law in France bans work email after-hours, Inc. asks if American workers should have the same right;
- “No” is a full sentence. The Lindsay Pollak blog reminds us of the importance of saying no at work;
- Want to crack the glass ceiling in 2017? Ellevate Network explains what it means to lead like a woman;
- Workology lists the top HR trends for 2017;
- This company is helping female entrepreneurs transform society, read more about it here;
- Business Insider lists the best high-paying jobs in every state;
- Looking for business inspiration in 2017? Black Enterprise lists 7 business books to drive your success this year;
- Speaking of books, The Cubicle Chick has its own selection of awesome books to start off the New Year on a good foot;
- Ellevate Network asks why so many women are leaving your organization;
- The Corporate Sister shares 7 tips to change careers in 2017;
- New year, new healthy habits! Love and Lemons lists its favorite healthy (and delish) recipes:
- Alert to all The Limited customers! Fortune reports that the fashion chain is closing all of its 250 stores.
Happy Friday, and happy reading!
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | Jan 10, 2017 | Career
Our Wear to Work feature presents workwear for business and professional women in a range of styles and prices.
Nothing like a warm cashmere sweater to make you spend the winter in style and in warmth! Like this Neiman Marcus cashmere collection half-sleeve buckle cardigan. Loving the shawl collar on this 3/4 sleeve open front cardigan. It’s perfect to pair over a dress, or with a pencil skirt or straight slacks for work. The buckle detail adds a touch of contemporary style to it as well. It’s $153 at Neiman Marcus.
In a similar style, I also like this open-weave buckle-front cashmere number, also from Neiman Marcus. I also like this Lafayette 148 V-neck magnet-close cardigan.
Which one is your fave?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Jan 10, 2017 | Career
New year, new goals, right? If changing careers or starting a new career is on your vision board this year, it might not be as difficult as you may think. Challenging, yes? But definitely not impossible….
Here are a few ways to get started to follow a new career path this year:
Read More
Yes, as in reading more words…
I know as a busy working mom, it can be a tall order to find ANY time to sit somewhere, anywhere, let alone with a book filled with words to read… But even if your intellectual side has been on lockdown mode after the holidays, or just because alone time has become a totally foreign concept in your world, you can still fit some reading knowledge in, especially around the career you desire to pursue…
Consult some industry-specific newsletters such as Broadsheet, The List, the Ann Friedman newsletter. Open Campus also has numerous courses in management, leadership and entrepreneurship, as well as in Marketing, Finance, and Design.
Follow influential people in your desired field
I started out writing online by following entrepreneurs and influencers whose work I admired. And I still do, actually more than ever…
There’s nothing like learning from people who’ve been there, done that, and have been successful in the field you’re looking to transition in. Make a list of the influential people in your desired field, and collect their social media references. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or your any of your favorite social media channels. Even better, reach out to them and ask them for advice…
Seek Mentors
Speaking of reaching out to people in your desired field, you can go one step further and ask them to be your mentors. But wait, how do I reach out to people who don’t know me from a hole in the wall and ask them to be my mentors?
You’d think it would be nearly impossible…Yet reaching out to potential mentors can get better results than you may anticipate. So send an email, a quick message on Twitter and Facebook, and politely ask if they would be willing to be your mentors. Yes, you may get some resounding No’s, or sometimes no answers at all, but you may also get some sweet Yeses…It did happen to me, and I would never have had the opportunity to benefit from some great connections had I not taken the plunge…
Interview at Your Dream Companies
What if you’re not quite ready to jump ship just yet? Even if you’re thinking of switching careers, you may still like your current job…
This is when you may be able to seek and schedule informational interviews. Keep in mind that informational interviews are NOT job interviews. These are opportunities to literally pick an executive’s brain. You could gain insight on your resume, experience and network.
Use these to learn as much as possible about this new industry, and how influential people got to where they are.
Develop Your Expertise
In learning you teach. And in teaching you will learn. Phil Collins.
I’ve learnt only on that as counter-intuitive as it may sound, we learn best by teaching. Because teaching forces you to learn and stay up-to-date with what you already know. It also makes you accountable to keep growing and expanding so you in turn can help others grow and expand.
So if you’re looking into a new career this year, consider teaching what you’re learning along the way. A good way to do this is to start a blog, or start sharing some of your lessons and journey through your social media channels. Find ways to enrich others with your purpose, and you will find yourself growing as well.
Go Back to School.
Have you considered going back to school? If taking formal classes with a formal schedule isn’t in the cards for you this year, why not enroll in online classes? There are loads of available online classes that you can learn from for free or just the cost of a kale smoothie (still on my New Year health kick people)…
I mean, you can get an entire MBA in one course for 10 bucks, and a bunch of other classes on Udemy for just about the same price.
Volunteer in your desired field.
Last but not least, volunteering in your desired field can get you a (pretty) foot in the door as well. Even if you already have a full-time job, a couple of kids, and some seriously late laundry, you can devote a couple of hours a week to volunteer.
This could be as simple as offering some online services, like blogging or writing. Or offering to run classes at the local gym after-hours to build your career in fitness. Or even dedicating your Saturday mornings to become a tax specialist.
Look for opportunities to offer free services, time or energy to the industry you’re looking to transition into. Not only will it provide you with real-life experience, but it may also very well attract the attention of people who may be able to help you crack that new career door open…
Are you considering switching careers this year? What tips would you add to this list?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
