by Solange Lopes | Feb 14, 2015 | Career
Girl Boss – Photo credit: amazon.com
I finally read “Girlboss” by Nasty Gal’s ex-CEO Sophia Amoruso (she stepped down this past January, yet will remain active in the company she founded as executive chairman). Yes, the book is not a novelty, but with two toddlers and a non-existing dishwasher, you learn to celebrate small victories, like getting through anything, especially a book…
I was glad to read Girlboss after most of the mostly positive noise around it had subsided a bit. I finished it during a flight to a mini-vacation in the Dominican Republic, just in time to get me off my ass, out of a temporary funk and into some new determination territory. The book is un-pretentious, refreshingly honest, and so candid it makes you want to share your most intimate secrets with the author over a glass (or bottle) of Sauvignon blanc.
While it details in hilarious episodes Ms. Amoruso’s journey from middle-class kid to introvert anarchist (yup) and finally ground-breaking, magic-producing, no-nonsense girl boss, what this book really succeeds in doing is giving you hope, unabashed, get-off-your-couch-and-do-something kind of hope, with a side of funny, edifying quotes you’ll want to paste on all your social media walls. Things like ” It is she who listens to the rest of the world who fails, and it is she who has enough confidence to define success and failure for herself who succeeds“, or ” Money looks better in the bank than on your feet” (oh boy, how that spoke to me), or my introverted self favorite, “in no way does being an introvert doom you into a life of shadows“.
Sophia Amoruso is that introverted girlfriend who won’t come to parties with you (because dealing with people is not exactly her thing), but with whom you will recreate the world through endless conversations, exciting experiences and even meaningful silences. It’s that girlfriend nobody else gets (and even finds a bit weird), but you, the dreamer, the entrepreneur, you, the girl boss at heart, you get her. She inspires you, she lights that quiet fire within you, she gets you off your funky couch into Possibility Land, all in a very real, very funny way.
And that’s why this easy-to-read, no-nonsense book about life, fear, success, failure, money, work, and finding yourself in the midst of it all, may just be the one book you will keep on picking up off your bookshelf over and over again (or pulling up on your Kindle, sorry I’m old-fashioned), long after you’ve forgotten all about the conventional work and life wisdom advice your mama gave you…
A must-read, at any age, any time, any life station…
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Feb 14, 2015 | Career
vibevixen.com
President’s Day is Monday, and for those who’d like to stretch out the Valentine’s Day love, here are 10 President’s Day sales to keep on spreading the love, mostly to yourself, with limited guilt and limitless enjoyment:
- Ann Taylor is having its Declaration of Style Event this week-end, with 30% off full-price styles, and 50% off sales styles. Here’s to declaring your shopping independence;
- Banana Republic is offering 40% off online and in stores until Monday;
- Express is also shaving off 40% must-haves, including women’s tops and men’s shirts;
- H&M’s deals are available from $4.95 up, with discounts as deep as 50% until Monday;
- J. Crew is offering discounts up to 40% and 50% off sales styles online (use code WEEKENDMUST) and in stores;
- Macy’s President’s Day sale shaves off 20 to 50% select styles, and an extra 25% off clearance styles;
- Nordstrom’s Clearance sale is continuing up to February 22nd, with 40% off discounts;
- Old Navy‘s entire store is on sale, up to 50% off;
- Loft is daring you to eat up their 50% offer on sweet styles, and sales styles as well (Pssttt…become a Loft insider, and you can save an additional 25% off);
- The Limited is offering limitless opportunities, with 50% off sweaters, 30% off collection suiting, and 40% off tops and blouses. Who says there has to be a limit?
Enjoy!
Any great sales you’d like to add? Please leave us a comment!
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Feb 14, 2015 | Career
Ms. Phillys Wheatley – Photo credit:http://2.bp.blogspot.com
Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!
You know what they say, Valentine’s Day is everyday, and as far as I’m concerned, so is Black History Month. To quote my favorite funny man Chris Rock, “I’m Black so it’s always Black History Month”! So I’m taking all this early morning love (before the kids start realizing they haven’t asked for anything in about 10 minutes, which is probably due to all the Valentine’s candy lying around the house), to give a loving shout out to the 10 career firsts by pioneering African-American women, because I love strong women who defy the odds and start something magic, right where they are, with what they have:
- Ms. Phillys Wheatley, my absolute favorite, was the first African-American woman to accomplish my dream, that is to write and publish a book in 1773. This is despite the strongest of odds, including the fact she was sold into slavery at 7 years old! She wrote “Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Mortal”. Thank you Ms. Wheatley!
- Ms. Sarah Jane Woodson Early became the first African American college professor at Wilberforce College in 1858. Thank you Ms. Woodson!
- Next time you look at your B.A degree, think of Ms. Mary Jane Patterson, who in 1862, became the first African-American woman to earn a B.A. Thank you Ms. Patterson!
- Ms. Fanny Jackson Coppin served as the first African-American woman superintendent of a school district in the U.S. in 1869, after being born into slavery and purchased by her own aunt! Thank you Ms. Coppin!
- Ms. Mary Eliza Mahoney became in 1879 the first African American professional trained nurse in the US. She also served as the co-founder of the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses, known today as the American Nurses Association. Thank you Ms. Mahoney!
- Ms. Judy Reed was the first African-American woman to hold a patent in 1884. Her patent was for an improved dough kneader. Thank you Ms. Reed!
- Ms. Maggie Walker became the first woman to found and preside over a U.S. Bank, the St. Luke Penny Savings Bank, in 1903. Ms. Walker was later the recipient of an honorary Masters degree from the Virginia Union University. In 2002, she was inducted into the Junior Achievement U.S. Business Hall of Fame. Thank you Ms. Walker!
- Who can ever forget about Madame C.J. Walker, who became the first self-made millionaire woman in America? She created the Walker Company in 1910, an African American cosmetics manufacturer. Thank you Madame C. J. Walker!
- Ms. Georgia Robinson became the first African-American woman police officer in Los Angeles in 1916. Thank you Ms. Robinson!
- In 1921, Ms. Sadie Tanner Mossell became the first African-American woman to earn a Ph.D. in the US. Thank you Ms Mossell!
Would you like to add to this list?
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Feb 13, 2015 | Career |
Work spouses and Valentine’s Day – Photo: http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com
We’ve discussed work spouses on the blog before, and with Valentine’s Day looming near, what did you, ambitious, fun-loving career girls plan for your other spouse, the one who helps you through the sometimes dreadful eight hours, hears you rambling about your grouchy boss, and lets you know when your skirt is stuck in your pantyhose as you’re strutting your stuff around the office?
My $0.05: Having observed multiple office spouses in the course of my career (one of which I have actually served as work “maid of honor”, yes, this is serious stuff), I’ve noted a few Valentine’s Day trends specific to “office marriages”. First, the “chronic lunchers” tend to celebrate with a longer than usual lunch break a day or two before, sealing their work union with whatever V-day treat the cafeteria would put out that day. The “coffee break lovebirds” would treat each other to a special-themed Starbucks espresso in matching cups and love-quote-filled corresponding sleeves. Last but not least, the “after-hours lovies” would put productivity ahead of fun, and vow to meet up for the most office-gossip-filled session at a bar near you.
Which pair are you? How do you celebrate V-day with your work spouse?
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Feb 13, 2015 | Career
Claudia Dress – Photo credit: desigual.com
Happy Galentine’s Day! Today is February 13th, also dubbed “Galentine’s Day”, courtesy of Leslie Knopp from Parks & Recreations! In honor of the day to celebrate other ladies, I’ve drawn some inspiration from NYFW and selected this fun, girlfriend-ready Claudia dress from designer label Desigual. Loving this fun take on the classic little black dress, with the red lips also serving as a pocket, and the chic sheer polka dot sleeves as well. Love, love, love! The Claudia dress is on sale for $69.50 at Desigual!
Psssttt….Another reason why I also love Desigual is that one of the faces of the brand, model Winnie Harlow, suffers from the same pigmentation disorder as the late Michael Jackson, yet it hasn’t stopped her, or the brand, from putting a beautiful (and brave) fashion face forward. That’s beautiful fashion to me, and I just wanted to salute them in this post…
Model Winnie Harlow – Photo credit: BBC.com
Happy Galentine’s Day, ladies!
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Feb 13, 2015 | Career |
Desigual – Photo credit: eonline.com
New York Fashion Week is in full swing, what with its slew of original fashion gracing its stylish runways. In the midst of all this blindingly fabulous fashion extravaganza, and all the reports on the best (and not so good) shows out there, it can be at times a bit of a challenge to distinguish between the fashion you’d sport to work (read, not the fur boa that’d freak your boss out) and the stuff you’d wear to impress your friend (exactly, that fur boa)…
So, since I couldn’t be at the front row of some of my favorite designers’ shows (hint, hint), I scoured the blogs and online magazines to compile my 10 best favorite designer looks for work, courtesy of NYFW2015. Here we go:
Desigual – Photo credit: eonline.com
Josie Natori – Photo credit: forbes.com
Marissa Webb- Photo credit: fashionista.com
BCBG Max Azria – Photo credit: silhouetteandstyle.com
Tadashi SHoji – Photo credit; forbes.com
Desigual – Photo credit: http://www.fashionisers.com
Trina Turk – Photo credit: fashionisers.com
by Solange Lopes | Feb 11, 2015 | Career
Photo credit: redstamp.com
Did we mention Valentine’s Day is right around the corner? Other than your favorite gifts for the career women in your life, there’s an app for sending personalized cards, in paper or digital format, out there…
It’s called Red Stamp, and is available on iOs Android.
My $0.05: I love cards, in paper or digital form. And if there’s an app for it, all the better…
The Corporate Sis.
