by Solange Lopes | Jan 24, 2015 | Career |
3 Tips to Dress to Work on Week-Ends – Marled Woven Top – $59.00 – Photo: anntaylor.com
Are you working this week-end? I’ve always found dressing to go to work on week-ends particularly tricky. First, it’s the week-end, and I’d rather be lounging around than doing anything remotely associated with work, especially dressing. Second, I like to look good, which is hard when you’re in “lounging” mode, and third, there’s no such a thing as “professionally casual”, it’s like sugar-free cake, what’s the point?
After walking a few years back into the partner on the job dressed in my favorite low-rise jeans and my own 90’s version of the crop shirt, I seriously started considering how looking busted on week-ends at work could cause me a little more than just the aggravation to put up with the week-end T schedule. If I were going to lose my job, I would have liked it to be over something more substantial than low-rise jeans. Someone once said you never lose unless you lose the lesson, well, here are the 5 most important week-end work dressing I learnt since then:
1. Skip the casual altogether! The last thing I want to do early on Saturday morning is think about the difference between casual and not casual enough, or too casual. Besides when I looked around, all the powerful women around me were not exactly rolling in in their sweatpants. Since you’re dressing for the position you want and not the one you’ve got, don’t hate, emulate! I’m not saying, you have to dress up to the nines on week-ends at work or finish up your already severely maimed toes in board meeting-style heels! Instead trade your low-rise jeans for trouser jeans like these, laundry-tried T-shirts for easy blouses like this bold stripe pocket top, and tired sneakers for comfortable flats! if you can’t meet the partner in it on short notice, don’t wear it. Period.
2. Quality is the word! Even if your week-end work style is easier, bank on quality clothes! Cheap is loud! Invest in quality basics such as breathable wool and cotton tops like this luxe silk tee, or well-cut flat-front trousers and skirts. If possible, stock up on classic colors like, black, white, navy and/or brown.
3.Last but not least, grooming is key! Even when working on week-ends, keep your grooming immaculate. Well-kept nails, groomed hair, go a long way towards making your appearance professionally on point. For the busiest, on-the-go ladies, nude nail polish hues are perfect, this one from OPI is my favorite.
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Jan 24, 2015 | Career |
Sandra Bullock & Jesse James – Photo credit: examiner.com
I met L through a friend of a friend of a friend (at this point, I probably met her more than she met me, but that’s besides the point). Actually I met her Hermes bag first, which magnetically kept my eyes glued on it as I was introduced to her. Some stare at boobs, I stare at expensive, unique luxury purses; to each her own. Luxurious purse or not, the woman looked incredibly successful. No wonder she had just gotten promoted to Vice President of her firm! Oh and rumor was, as she announced to her dear hubby she had finally broken through that stupid glass ceiling, he let her know he had already broken through her successful career woman’s heart and slept with the intern in Accounts Payable…Ouch!
Typical, right? Brilliant, attractive woman gets to the pinnacle of her career, and less brilliant, more threatened man, cheats, aka the Sandra Bullock-Jesse James syndrome! In a twenty-first century where men’s inner sense of security is still tied to their earnings, despite all the talks about gender equality, closing the pay gap, smashing the glass ceiling etc, making more money than your man or receiving more accolades than he does, still puts your relationship at risk. And chances are, you know it, and you’re doing your best to make him feel like he’s still the man. Things like downplaying your successes, washing the dishes, ordering take-out and pretending you cooked, you know, whatever it takes…
According to this 2013 Catalyst report, 37.6% of wives out-earn their husbands, within the same household. Given that “roughly 30 to 60% of all married individuals will engage in infidelity at some point during their marriages”, it’s not exactly surprising these two factors combine to create difficult situations for and around successful, partnered women, and their partners.
Is the solution to ask women to dim their successful lights? Educate both men and women on the meaning of success nowadays? Or just hope and pray for the best? I don’t have an answer, but I sure hope L found the right answer for her and is still strutting her stuff, inspiring other women and giving purse addicts like myself, well deserved “porgasms” (orgasms triggered by the sight of unbelievable purses, help me out here, please…).
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Jan 23, 2015 | Career |
If you’ve been in any office environment long enough to make it through Friday, you’ve answered this question more times than you can remember: “Any plans this week-end?” It’s just part of the office conversational lingo, right along with “Did you do anything fun this week-end?” (sure, if you consider catching up on laundry and potty training my toddler fun).
Now if you’re the fun employee who’s always got a good story, you’ve got this. If you’re slightly lower on the employee food chain, you’ve got to give it some thought, rattle your brain and re-visit your definition of “fun” since college, and come up with some way of making weekly house cleaning exciting (how about going on a disinfecting adventure in Toddler Land?)
My $0.05: I don’t have any plans this week-end (or the next). After a week of chasing after projects and keeping on my grind, I’d like to wake up late and have a cup of coffee, uninterrupted. That’s all.
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Jan 23, 2015 | Career
Khombu Cold Weather boots – $89 – bloomingdales.com
We’re supposed to get a pretty substantial snow storm in the Northeast this week-end, and that had me thinking about snow boots, my least favorite of shoes, ranking right after boring sneakers and bland flip-flops. I like my shoes like I like my coffee, tall and with a jolting, effect which is not exactly the case with most efficient, warm yet not exactly style-jolting, snow boots. Hence my week-end pick, in search of snow boots I would not be embarrassed to meet my movie boo Idris Elba in (heyyyy)…
Loving these Ecco women’s boots in coffee, very chic and understated, just like this La Canadienne wedge boots in caramel deliciousness! For the attention-grabbing ladies, this Coach Samara pair is to die for! My favorite though is definitely this pair of Khombu cold weather boots from Bloomingdale’s, which go with pretty much anything you may own in your wardrobe, and matches my January skinny budget too at $89!
Now Idris, we’re ready for you, snow and all (wink, wink)…
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Jan 23, 2015 | Career |
Photo credit: http://onlinelaw.wustl.edu
This post is from an interesting conversation I had with a great friend of mine, who also happens to be a strikingly beautiful and undeniably professionally successful Black woman. My friend is a marketing genius, and has made leaps and bounds in her career from the very start. It doesn’t take long to notice how smart my friend (we’ll call her A.) is…Neither does it take much of a mental stretch to notice the absent ring on her all-important finger, or the painfully envious stares she gets when walking down the halls of her company. As many millennial and other professional successful women, A. is single, envied, and way to o often her success up the corporate ladder is attributed to her being no less than a…slut!
Although the myth of attractive people being more successful exists out there, truth is many a beautiful, successful woman is alone. Not only do these women appear unattainable, “un-dateable” and at times plain dangerous to potential partners, but they also are subject to the assumption they didn’t get there on their own…
This is all the more prevalent for women of color, and the perennial distinction between those women who’ve “slept their way up the corporate ladder” and those who’ve done it the “right way”. The underlying notion that women of color are not capable of achieving professional success the traditional way still heavily weighs on mentalities, the media and work statistics.
So does one have to hide their attractiveness to professionally succeed as a woman, especially as a woman of color? Does professional success and physical attractiveness make a lethal combo for women? Or is it time to change perceptions towards women who are making it to the top, and making it well?
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Jan 22, 2015 | Career
Photo credit: lovecurriculum.com
Listen, we spend upwards of 8 hours at work. We’re told to bring our best face forward, present ourselves in the best light, and be as cooperative as can be. We’re even told make-up makes us look more competent and trustworthy. Not to mention the sheer abundance of advice out there on how to dress (well) for success. In summary, as a woman, you’ve got to look good all day long at a workplace including 57.2% of women, as compared to 69.7% of men. And isn’t it surprising that 35% of extramarital affairs happen during business trips, with an overwhelming percentage of extramarital affairs happening behind cubicle/office doors.
My $0.05: If you’ve never ever ever flirted at work, even in the most innocent of ways, go check your pulse. And if you have, you’re far from being alone. It may, and can, happen to anyone. And rather than vowing it would never happen to you (because you’re so above it), learn to recognize the signs and set clear boundaries for yourself and others. And yes, you may bask in your flattered ego for a few hours too…
Have you ever flirted with a co-worker? Lessons learned?
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Jan 22, 2015 | Career
Open Drape Front Jacket – $82.20- Photo credit: thelimited.com
For today’s Work It pick, I selected this unconventional yet work-friendly open drape front jacket from The Limited. Loving the edgy yet feminine look of this smooth leather draped jacket in pale pink, with original oversize lapels. This jacket is on sale for $82.80 at The Limited!
Speaking of draped jackets, I also like this open layering option from Target, this luxurious wool version from Neiman Marcus, and this stylish tweed pick from Macy’s.
Would you like me to feature certain work fashion picks in particular? Please email me @ thecorporatesister@gmail.com!
The Corporate Sis.
