by Solange Lopes | Jun 24, 2014 | Career
OMG Travel bag – $275 – loandsons.com
Are you heading out to one of the hot professional conferences this summer? Or just packing for a week-end getaway? Stress no more! Organization and style can be yours to take on the fly, with this dainty yet oh so practical Lo&Sons travel bag!
I have to admit, I am a horrible packer (and equally dreadful traveler)! One of the main reasons why I don’t enjoy traveling so much (other than packing is a royal pain in the you-know-where) is that everything gets thrown out of place, I end up not finding what I need when I need it, and before you know it, things get real chaotic…
Well, I’m loving this lightweight carry-on from Lo&Sons, because not only does it actually have compartments (bye disorganized tote!) to store your laptop and tablet, it also has a space specially reserved for…your shoes. Now if you’re a true shoe addict, you know how important it is to have at least one extra shoe on hand (did I say at least?)…Not to mention the adjustable sleeve to slip over your luggage handle…
It’s $275 at Lo&Sons! Where are we packing to again?
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | Jun 24, 2014 | Career |
Paneled flare dress – $128 – crew.com
It’s lunch time! And as usual, time for our fashion mini-escapade! Today, I’m loving this paneled flare dress from J. Crew! I cannot speak enough about how alluring, flattering and oh so forgiving, the fit-and-flare silhouette is! This classic silhouette is nothing but boring, and here’s the proof…
This body-contouring ponte dress acts like Spanx for workwear, as it is structured yet stretchy at the same time, and offers enough coverage without sacrificing style and yes…feminine appeal! I am all for the red power color as well, which gives it the added “oomph” for that marketing presentation or brown lunch bag you’re about to head to…
It’s on sale for $128 at J. Crew!
Pssttt…J. Crew is having a 30% sale on select styles for women, men, girls, boys and baby…in addition to an extra 50% of sales styles. Use code HISUMMER!
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | Jun 24, 2014 | Career
madamenoire.com
Happy Tuesday!
Much has been said on and off about work-life balance. The White House hosted yesterday a celebrity-filled conference “focused on efforts businesses could take – including paid maternity leave – to make their environments more amenable to work-life balance and working women.”
While the very concept of work-life balance is certainly overdue for consideration (and application), it’s also a very elusive one. Indeed, the US is one of 3 countries worldwide, along with Oman and Papua New Guinea, which lacks guaranteed paid maternity leave for working moms,as reported by the United Nations. As a result, today the US ranks 17th in female labor participation among 22 of the world’s wealthiest countries.
So yes, as corporate sisters in the US, we are seriously behind! And as much as we welcome and applaud the government’s efforts to establish an equitable balance of responsibilities at work and at home, we also need to take one step further and consider what is really, actually feasible for us.
The reality is that as women and corporate sisters, we are most often at the intersection of work and home, rather than actually trying to balance the two. Rarely can we draw a distinct line between our careers and personal lives as one keeps intruding into the other constantly. Establishing balance between the two would almost imply that we could realistically separate one from the other, which in many cases, is not…the case!
Doctors’ appointments happen during work hours, so do pumping times for new moms, and kids’ sick days. Real life happens as work is in session, and rather than balancing the two, what most of us want companies and top corporate players to understand is that we need to integrate both in order to be most successful and most productive.
There are times when work will take over and home may take a back seat, and vice-versa. Or when emails will be addressed in the doctor’s waiting room. Or when we may miss a family dinner to meet that deadline.
The balance is not always going to be there. Yet what will always prevail is the need to understand and accept that life will happen, and the pieces will somehow somewhat have to fit in together for the good of all concerned. Now that is real, and much better than any balance in the world…
Would you agree?
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | Jun 22, 2014 | Career |
News – inclusivecommunities.com
Happy Sunday! Hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful summer week-end! As I’m relaxing checking out the Melissa Harris-Perry show (my favorite on Sundays), here’s a quick and dirty recap of what made me smile, laugh, tear up a bit this week in the news:
- For all the multi-taskers out there(guilty as charged..), Black Enterprise tells us about the power of chunking: 5 steps that radically reduce the burnout;
- Planning to go through a phone interview? Madame Noire Business tips us off on 10 phone interview tips to land the gig;
- I loved, loved this new ad from Pantene about the need for women to stop apologizing and the related Huffington Post commentary, so yes, not sorry I’m not sorry;
- In other positive diversity-related news, this earlier article from Ebony Mag confirms that yes, Black women (and women in general) are taking over TV;
- Thinking of switching jobs? Linked In influencer Lou Adler shares with us the 30% rule that should be the test for switching jobs;
- Want to remedy gender inequality at work? Inc. reveals to us having daughters changes male CEOs’ leadership styles, as dads with daughters are more cognizant of women’s issues in the workplace;
- After all the controversy on affirmative action, The Economist offers an alternative by encouraging selection procedures based on economic disadvantage, good food for thought;
- On a more festive note, the New York Times gives us the lowdown on three-ingredient summer cocktails (hmmm…);
- Lat but not least, The Corporate Sister is all up on the summer fashion, with this bright layering top, this A-line skirt, and for the week-end, this casual borrowed-from-the-boys button-down.
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The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | Jun 20, 2014 | Career
Halsey Button Down – $29.95 – anthropologie.com
It’s the week-end, and we’re pretty excited about it! Hence our week-end fashion pick, this Halsey button down from Anthropologie!
Love the soft, comfy look of this top, which would look great with your favorite pair of jeans or shorts. Definitely a “borrowed from the boys” item for your lazy (and stylish) week-ends. You can even recycle it for a casual Friday at the office, with a nice pair of cropped pants, and voila!
It’s on sale for $29.95 (down from $88) at Anthropologie!
Pssst…Anthropologie is currently having its summer tag sale, with over 800 styles up to 50% off…check it out!
Any plans this week-end?
The Corporate Sister.
