by Solange Lopes | Sep 8, 2014 | Career
Collarless blazer – $99.90 – Photo credit: zara.com
I love the bold yet classic look of this collarless blazer from Zara. The fuschia color is as unpredictable as it is classy, and the collarless cut is simply original. While I usually favor darker-colored blazers, this one just makes me smile and look forward to dressing for work (especially on a Monday).
I don’t think I would do the whole pink suit though, I’d probably pair it with dark pants or a black pencil skirt and minimal jewelry. This blazer is $99.90 at Zara.
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Sep 8, 2014 | Career |
Go ahead and let go; Photo credit: http://citysearchblog.yellowpages.co.za
Happy Monday!
I’m afraid of heights, there I said it! I’m also afraid of losing control, even a little bit. Over the family budget, the kids’ clothing choices, or the direction of my life. And I’m not alone…From the time we’re asked as kids what we want to be when we grow up, society places a heck of a heavy expectation on us. We’re supposed to know at about 5 or 6 years of age the occupation that would fill our lives for decades to come. And we had better make the right choice…Are you going to be a doctor, or a lawyer sweetie?
I wanted to be Superwoman, and as it turns out, I did not strike out too far off. Neither did most of us…We are all superwomen alright, except our brand of superwomen is not as glamorous as we had initially thought. For many of us unsung career women struggling to “lean in” and sit our tired selves at the crowded corporate table, we’re super-everything, yet not quite as super-successful as we ought to be…And when you’re afraid of heights and losing control, that can be super-unnerving!
Could it be that the same expectations to figure out and control our destinies as we were growing up, are now robbing us of success? Could it be, maybe, that we were (and still are), given the message that we can fix it all by applying certain gymnastics principles (lean in, speak up, sit down, jump up) totally unrealistic for the way women’s lives are shaped… when in reality we never had any control over expectations which were not even of our making? That if we actually let go of our desire to fit in and resulting control inner control freaks, we could actually regain our power?
After all, doesn’t the most popular vocational development theory, the Self-Esteem Theory by Columbia psychologist Donald Super, around the traditional career mindset totally obliterate women’s realities? By outlining the three stages of Establishment (20-30years), Maintenance (30-50 years) and Disengagement (50 and over), this model totally forgot about women having and raising children, or ethnic minorities even being part of this ideal picture. And what had happened was, we were given this model as a whole society, and taught to mold our lives and careers after it. And when we, as women tried to take control of it, we kept failing miserably…
And then we were told to act more like men, and stills subscribe to the myth that we can have it all at the same time? So we took up the challenge, vowed to keep it all under control, from our careers to the best partners, not to forget the safest way to freeze our precious eggs…
What we may not have realized is as long as we don’t let go of our fear to be inadequate as women and not fitting in the mold, we will stand in the way of our success, right there at the edge of the plank…
So go ahead, let go, do your best, on your terms…
Happy monday!
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Sep 7, 2014 | Career |
Weekly news update – Photo credit: clutchmagonline.com
Happy Sunday! Hope everyone is enjoying their week-end, and as you’re relaxing (or catching up on laundry, everyone has their own way of relaxing), here’s what made us smile, laugh and tear up this week in the news:
- We said good-bye to a strong, funny lady this week. RIP Joan Rivers! And while there are many articles out there about this funny lady pioneer, I particularly enjoyed the Daily Beast’s witty take on the Ms. Rivers’ famous quote: “Death is like plastic surgery”;
- Speaking of women pioneers, The Huffington Post spells out a five-step action plan for women to land a boardroom seat;
- It was also Queen Bey’s birthday this week, and in honor of the shrewd business woman, Her Agenda lists 6 career lessons we learned from watching the Beyonce Doc;
- We already knew millenials are not very well perceived. CNBC argues that indeed, that millennial you’re working with may be a jerk (ouch, that hurts!),yet, on a more positive note, the Huff Post Impact introduces 7 millenials who are too busy changing the world to take selfies ;
- Fast Company confirms women do make better investors (among other things), although Daily Life wonders if flexibility in the workplace is putting women at a disadvantage ;
- Speaking of women, Marie Claire asks the interesting question” “What if there was a dictionary of words used only to describe women?” (hmmm, would Sheryl Sandberg be interested?);
- And while women constitute 1/2 of the population, the Pew Research Center confirms they are only 1/4 of those saying they’ve run for political office (got female political representation?);
- Speaking of women’s equality, the Washington Post reveals women have the strongest working status in the Northeast, with MA and D.C. raking the highest (yayy to us, Northeast peeps!), while the Huff Post Business gives kudos to GAP for instituting equal pay for men and women;
- My kids love Doc Mac Stuffins, yet Blog Her‘s Dr Mama Esq writes when it comes to teaching kids about race, Doc McStuffins is not enough, and she’s right;
- Last but not least, The Corporate Sister argues slow days at work are no time to slow down, and reviews Lauren Maillian Bias’ new book The Path Redefined.
Happy Sunday, and happy reading!
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Sep 6, 2014 | Career |
Glass vase – $12.95 – Photo credit: hm.com
I’ve been curious about the H&M new Home Collection, so I decided to go check it out for myself. Hence today’s week-end pick, this simple yet original glass vase that I can see as well in my kitchen than on my office desk, or even in a cute corner of the bathroom.
It’s different and versatile at the same time, and it’s $12.95 at hm.com. As for the rest of the H&M Home collection, it’s just as original and unique, with modern and rustic accents galore.
Glass vase – Photo credit: hm.com
Enjoy your week-end!
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Sep 6, 2014 | Working Mom & Woman Tips |
Mommy, Why you didn’t tell me – Photo credit: jiyobefikarwomen.com
My mother always worked. She was always the busy, well-dressed career woman climbing down her high heels after work to rush into the kitchen and fix us a hot plate. It’s through her that I learnt the meaning of work, and all that being a career woman represents. From the struggles to get promoted, to the unsuccessful yet hurtful sexual harassment attempts from male colleagues and superiors, not to mention the passive aggressiveness of fellow women at work. I saw it all, absorbed it all, and…wished it all upon myself…Except my experience was going to be better, easier and much, much more successful…After all, doesn’t each generation make better, more informed decisions? And aren’t women progressing so much more now than before?
Yet, what I didn’t realize, as I gathered all my hopes for career and life success, is that I may have missed an important part of the picture. The internal part. That secret, inside part of every woman’s struggles, that unfortunately we tend to shield our children, and especially our daughters from. I missed the down, dirty truth about what my mother really felt about her career and life…
Until I faced my own struggles at work, gave birth to my first child and witnessed the death of my most profoundly ingrained beliefs and assumptions about life. Until I asked my mother what the heck was happening, and she finally told me about it all…All of it…
All of it, from the exhilarating feeling of achievements, to the fear to disappoint, the gut-wrenching pain at leaving our children to get back to work, the push and pull between tradition and modernism, family and work, ourselves and everyone else. When the strong facade fell, and words of wisdom, pain and ultimately victory, started rolling, I understood and started forgiving myself…
Are we telling our daughters the truth about being a woman at work and in life? Or would we rather shield them under covers of private education and women’s empowerment speeches, leaving them to fend for themselves when reality hits? And does it hit hard…
Mommy, why didn’t you tell me it was ok to choose myself? Why didn’t you say having children would be considered a career mistake? Why did you shield me from the realization that it was going to be hard but oh so rewarding? Why, why, why….
It may be time to start telling…
The Corporate Sis.
