by Solange Lopes | May 5, 2014 | Career
Happy Monday!
Hope everyone had a great week-end and is starting the first work week of May in good spirits…or barely open eyes, we know, it’s a process…Yet new day, new start, right?
As corporate sisters and minority women at work, this couldn’t hold truer. Being under-represented at work, suffering from a serious yet silenced identity crisis both within ourselves and our professional environments, every day for the professional, ambitious corporate sister is a new start, and a constant push against perceptions. Perceptions that Black and minority women are unsophisticated, inarticulate and aggressive. Perceptions that we may not possess the necessary professional qualifications. Perceptions, perceptions, perceptions…
And as much as we would like to blame society, the boss, or just plain everyone else around for the challenging professional cards we were dealt, it only takes one look around to realize that more has to be done to turn the situation around. Just turn on the television on Sunday night and watch the Real Housewives of Atlanta feed these same negative perceptions…Yes, RHOA is certainly not the only housewives show out there, yet it is one more negative perception magnet we did not exactly need…
In my career in the Big Corporate, I’ve felt at times that resisting and pushing against the barriers of perception is unavoidable, although not necessarily yielding the positive results we’d expect. That working hard would hardly prove enough. That only the right cosmic mix of unbiased, positive professional environments, combined with just the right mentoring influences, could propel some of us to the top. That if we keep pushing and striving and working, that we might also stand a chance…
Except that we no longer just merely want to stand a chance, or get a shot at success. In an era where women are reclaiming and owing their power, where we are now understanding that both our voices and contributions are valuable (and have always been), we want MORE!
More than a chance or incidental stab at success…More than a dim probability of success reserved for the chosen few.
We simply want to earn what we work for, perceptions or no perceptions!
Do you think it’s too much to ask for?
by Solange Lopes | May 4, 2014 | Career |
News Round-up – awomansworthonline.com
Happy Sunday!
Hope everyone is enjoying their first week of May, what with the nice weather finally showing up…It’s Sunday, and as we’re praising the Lord, relaxing, (and trying not to think about Monday), this is also a quick round-up of the news that made us smile, think or even tear up a bit this week:
- As a nice follow-up to the Thrive conference this past week in New York, The HuffPost asks us, and rightfully so, “Why Just Survive at Work… Thrive at Work?”;
- For all of us social media enthusiasts (or shall I say addicts, hmmmm), Black Enterprise teaches millenials how they can leverage social media popularity for career wins;
- We loved loved this column in Essence by K. Neycha Herford about transcending mediocrity and “turning up” for real;
- This New York Times confirms what many of us were sometimes scared of recognizing, that pay gap is because of gender, not jobs:
- For the commuters among us, Refinery29 compiled a nice list of 12 commuter staples that will make us reconsider our own commutes;
- Don’t like office politics? Well, the Daily Muse tells you why avoiding office politics could hurt you more than you think;
- We enjoyed this Forbes Woman article about how for working women, focusing on beauty erodes our self-confidence;
- Just in time for Mother’s Day next week, The Huff Post Black Voices makes a nice list of 14 Mother’s Day Presents that Are Better than Flowers;
- For all the professional naturalistas like myself, Naturallycurly.com has a nice list of the top 10 naturally curly hairstyles for work (and we loved every single one of them);
- Last but not least, our own The Corporate Sister is ready for summer with our tips and tricks to dress for warmer weather at work.
Hope you enjoy these articles, have a relaxing day and a great start of your week!
Much love, peace, and thanks for all your continued support of our work and cause!
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | May 2, 2014 | Career |
Split crepe top – $69 – anntaylor.com
Happy Friday! TGIF!
So the weather is getting warmer, at least for some of us, if you discount the recent torrential rains and temperamental temperatures…And for corporate sisters, dressing for warm weather means an urgent need to update one’s work wardrobe. And with this, comes a slew of questions as to what is appropriate, what is borderline, and what is just NOT OK to sport to work.
In most, if not all work situations, keeping one’s wardrobe choices classic is the best, if not most economical option. For the fashionistas like myself out there, or those in less conservative professions such as fashion, PR, advertising or design, we can always add a fun spin to our work clothes by playing with funky shapes and colors. However, keeping a wardrobe foundation built on breathable, natural fabrics like cotton, silk and linen, and classic, tailored choices, such as sheath dresses (love love my easy, colorful and classic sheath dresses), blazers and cardigans (to wear over your clothes once inside), lightweight trousers, and nice, elegant tops or shells, guarantees you impeccable fashion choices at work.
On the list of NO-NO fashion choices for the office:
- Anything with spaghetti straps: if your bra straps (even your best Victoria’s Secret’s bra) are showing, or if you have to dig out that strapless bra, you’re stepping in “poor fashion” zone;
- Anything that exposes cleavage: if you can look down and see your bra, you know it’s a no-no;
- Shorts: we actually have to add it on the list, because believe it or not, some people will just roll up in the office sporting shorts, talking about they’re heading to the beach after work. And sporting a shorts suit does not make it ok either…
- Sandals (NOT peep-toe pumps): if you have more than three toes enjoying the sun, you’re in WFDZ (Work Fashion Danger Zone);
- Wrinkled clothes – simple rule of thumb: if you look like you rolled out of bed all dressed after waging your best pillow fight, please…change before you work. And don’t use the linen fabric as an excuse…
In most office environments, you have to follow the “know your office” rule. During my time in one of the Big 4 Public Accounting firms, some of my clients, mostly insurance companies, would require auditors to only wear suits and closed-toe shoes. Back then, showing your toes was considered “offensive”. Depending on your office, dress as required and expected. No idea what is required or expected? Another simple rule of thumb: look at the higher-ups around, and mimic their dress style. Sure, some of them certainly do not have your style, but if you can follow the basics, you are pretty much in WFSZ (Work Fashion Safe Zone).
Among some of the items you can now safely sport during the summer, depending on your office, of course:
- Cropped or ankle pants: we recommended this one earlier;
- Sleeveless tops or dresses: I’m a bit hesitant with sleeveless anything, preferring to not bare arms in the office. However, as long as your bra straps are covered, you may be safe.
- Peep-toe shoes: Yes, you may show your freshly painted toes (no more than 3 at a time per foot please). However, if your nail polish is chipped or your toes look like they need some serious assistance, please refrain!
Stuart Weitzmann Suede wedges – $385 – neimanmarcus.com
What do you usually consider to be ok to wear in the office, or to be an absolute no-no at work when the weather gets warmer?
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | May 1, 2014 | Career |
Puff Sleeve Sweater – $44.88 – loft.com
For our lunch break today, we’re in a cool, unfussy mood, hence our selection pick of this backstitched hand puff sleeve sweater from LOFT!
It’s perfect for one of those cool, rainy days like today when you just want to be still fashionable but relaxed enough to make it through the day. I can see it worn casually with elegant, comfortable slacks, or paired with an elegant suit and fancy accessories.
Love, love it!
Do you like it?
by Solange Lopes | May 1, 2014 | Career |
faithtruthandlovemag.com
Happy Thursday!
I once heard this manager, who also happens to be THE most dedicated and passionate Little League baseball coach I’ve ever met, say that in his team both in baseball and at work, he always recruits for character as opposed to ability. “If the character is there, ability will come.”
Should this mantra also be applied in Corporate America at large? It seems without an Ivy League education, a bevy of certifications, and stellar recommendations, getting a foot in the corporate world’s door is close to impossible. What with unemployment still fluctuating in abysmal depths, companies dabbling more and more in temporary rather than permanent hiring, and job requirements getting increasingly more demanding, character appears to be relegated to the professional back burner. And shall we even mention the disturbing office backstabbing, haunting gossip and ruthless competition occurring in most companies?
Add to that the still pervasive racial and gender bias in Corporate, and you get a nice melting pot of deteriorating work environments and morale. Sounds like a dreary enough picture? Maybe so…
As this manager seemed to suggest, it may be high time to go back to corporate teams founded on character as opposed to ability. Sure, we cannot afford incompetent workers as a society as a whole, yet is foregoing the lasting impact of human character the solution? I would strongly disagree.
Since we let go of character in the workplace, since we started valuing profit over loyalty and fiduciary duty, we’ve dug a corporate hole into which the likes of Enron have buried our integrity and faith in our markets. Hence the slew of new regulations and legal requirements we now have to abide by, just to prove that our businesses are doing their job!
Maybe, only maybe, if we simply followed the advice of this passionate Little League coach, maybe we could go back to having a fair, equitable and thriving corporate world…
Along with some happy, successful Little League players…
Just sayin’…
by Solange Lopes | Apr 30, 2014 | Career
Donald Sterling – nowhiphop.com
By now, most of us have heard of the controversy over LA Clippers’ Donald Sterling’s racist remarks. And many, if not most of us, have digested the news and the massive media outpouring surrounding it, through our own internalized, somewhat biased and experience-based thought process.
And here we are, a day after NBA’s lifetime ban and financial penalty on Mr. Sterling, picking up the pieces of this unfortunate, yet significant, event, and frankly wondering what to make of it at the end of the day…
I am a firm believer in crisis, even the ones deemed unnecessary and highly unfortunate, as they always tend to teach us something. And throughout this one highly controversial crisis, as a Black woman in Corporate America’s male-dominated, race and gender-biased trenches, I’m looking around and thinking that maybe this crisis was needed after all…
That maybe it will help us uncover some of the harsh stigmas plaguing not only the NBA, but also mainstream Corporate America. Maybe it will help us expose the sad realities around how as minorities, our professional contributions are truly valued. Maybe it will help us all uncover wounds of the past, and a persistent cultural ignorance blocking us all from real progress. And maybe we need to foster both in the NBA and in mainstream Corporate America, a sense of cultural awareness, and a need for cultural intelligence, especially from the tone at the top.
In Corporate America as in the NBA, minorities are still undervalued and misunderstood players. And while we may tend to blame the leaders of our organizations, leagues or teams, we may also want to think about educating them first.
Every crisis is a wake-up call to a deeper, lingering issue to be resolved. And here again, it’s not so much about the offender than it is about the offense itself…
by Solange Lopes | Apr 30, 2014 | Career |
Poplin Polka Dot Skirt – laredoute.com – $34.57
Ooh lala! For our lunch break today, we are going all Frenchy with this polka dot stretch poplin polka dot skirt from French retailer La Redoute.
Loving the classic mix of the polka dot pattern with the springy appeal of this skirt for a charming, contemporary yet still classic work silhouette. Paired with a crisp button-down or an elegant work blouse, this skirt definitely offers a refreshing take on your professional Spring wardrobe. And the bonus? You can certainly remix it after-hours or on the week-end with a more relaxed top and a great pair of flats.
Seen a great, work-appropriate fashion piece you’d like to share? Please post a comment, or email us at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
The Corporate Sister.
Happy Monday!
