by Solange Lopes | Feb 5, 2014 | Career |
I was just chatting the other day with a girlfriend of mine, and we both found ourselves complaining about how hard it is to find work pants that fit great. They’re either too long, too baggy in the bottom, too tight, or just not as befitting as we’d like them to be…
Case in point: I’m 4’11” with an hourglass silhouette, short bust and short legs. And honestly, saying that finding pants that fit well is more than an understatement…So far, Express “The Editor” pants have been my favorite, but my friend recently suggested that I should try Banana Republic’s pants.
So what are we looking (AND not looking for) in a perfect, or at least a well-fitting, pair of work pants:
- The “Hanging” Waistband: if you find yourself pulling your pants up every time you get up, or find that your pants are anywhere below your belly button, the fit is simply not appropriate.
- The “Hanging” Crotch: Yup, it is as bad as it sounds. If the fit is loose enough that there is a suspect amount of fabric between your lady parts and the bottom of your pants, then you need new pants.
- The unflattering “camel toe“: The popular expression is as unflattering as the effect of ill-fitting pants that hang way too high. Too tight pants are not appropriate for work (even for those with the body shape for it), nor are they very comfortable to spend the day in and actually be able to concentrate…Just sayin’…
- The “second skin” syndrome, referring to pants that are so tight in the thigh/leg area that they literally look like second skin. Not only does the fabric on said pants tend to thin out over time, but you run the risk (literally) to have your pants bust out at the seams.
Martin-fit Pants – $98 – bananarepublic.com
For our lunch shopping break, we are suggesting the Martin-fit pants from Banana Republic, which comes in Regular and Petite sizes. I love the mid-rise fit and trouser silhouette, that is universally flattering. It’s $98 at Banana, to which you can add a 35% discount on your entire purchase (and 40% off if you use your Banana Republic card).
Readers, any thought on what makes a great-fitting pair of work pants?
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by Solange Lopes | Feb 4, 2014 | Career |
Quilted Tote Bag – $49.99 – mango.com
For our coffee break, we are luvin’ this quilted tote bag from MANGO. Now this is not your lug-my-entire-life-around bag, but it’s definitely one fashionable and sophisticated bag for the office or week-end!
I love the quilting on the bag, which gives it that “Chanel” feel. And the Bordeaux color is as unique as it is distinguished…Love my black and brown bags and purses, but nothing like a non-traditional color to perk up your outfit (and your day for that matter)…
And the price is pretty perky as well, at $49.99 at Mango.com!
Seen a great, work-appropriate accessory you’d like to share? Please email us at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
by Solange Lopes | Feb 4, 2014 | Career |
BR Turquoise Shirtdress- $55 – bananarepublic.com
Spring is not quite yet in the air, but nothing like a bright, cheery dress to bring us closer, at least in spirit…in fashion spirit that is! I love the turquoise hue of this Banana Republic shirtdress! The color is cheery yet sophisticated, and the long sleeves and straight cut make it a versatile choice for both work and play. I can see this dress styled with tights and black pumps, as well as I can visualize it with flat boots or elegant flats on the week-end.
The split neckline is also very flattering. It’s now on sale for $55 at Banana Republic, down from $110.
Pssst! Banana is currently offering 30% off on dresses and 50% off on select items. It’s online only, and it ends today so hurry!
Seen a great, work-appropriate fashion piece you’d like to share? Please email us at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
by Solange Lopes | Feb 4, 2014 | Career
Women Leaders – madamenoire.com
Women’s leadership has been undervalued for the longest time, and still is…Even as more and more women are learning to lean in and fill increasingly important roles in the corporate world, women leaders are still desperately undervalued. As reported by Forbes, “as of July 2013, there were only 19 female electedpresidents and prime ministers in power around the globe. In the business world, women currently hold only 4.6 percent of Fortune 500 CEO positionsand the same percentage of Fortune 1000 CEO positions.”
I grew up in West Africa surrounded by powerful, strong, hard-working women. Most of them did not hold anything close to a high school or college degree, and that is if they had ever stepped into a school at all. Yet they supported our family with an iron fist and the loudest of laughter, as the men in our family unfortunately faltered. They built small businesses selling just about anything from clothes to beignets, made sure all the children were taken care of and the household was running like a well-oiled machine.
While women may process things in different ways, their leadership should not be ignored or misunderstood. Instead, we all, and professional men who have not been exposed to female leadership in particular, should learn to recognize the great leadership traits of women. These are only three of all these female leadership traits that I find to be the most amazing:
Women are passionate leaders. What many see as weak emotion in women leaders is really an indomitable passion in what we stand for and in what we do. My mother is the most independent and passionate person I know, and over the years, has turned this passion into excellence by always striving for the best. I believe as women we tend to always want better, better for ourselves, better for our families and better for the world out there, and that makes us go beyond what we ever thought we could do.
Women are nurturers of tradition. Even as a single mother raising four children, my mother gave us the stability of a family like any other. A family with traditions, a family glued together. She taught us to pray together, eat together, bond together, and fight together. She not only held us together, but taught us to hold each other together upwards. As leaders, women have the potential to hold businesses and institutions together, to instill a sense of tradition and belonging to keep most structures together.
Women are born entrepreneurs. When she occasionally ran out of money, my mother started baking wedding cakes for a fee. She invested in gold jewelry when the market was profitable, so she could re-sell at a profit. As women, we are not just resourceful, we are born entrepreneurs. In the face of difficulty, we strategize, plan and devise schemes to turn obstacles into opportunity. From baking cakes for a fee to building empires, women have the potential of turning seeds of entrepreneurship into full blown business ventures.
Do you believe women make great leaders?
by Solange Lopes | Feb 3, 2014 | Career
Houndstooth Dress – $149 – Macy’s
For our (late) lunch break, I’m loving this Ralph Lauren pleather-trim houndstooth sweaterdress. I love the houndstooth pattern, which is always a classic. The three-quarter sleeves are a great wardroble staple year-round, and come in handy in the winter.
My favorite is the faux-leather trim, which takes this dress to the next level and adds a great touch of sophistication. It’s $149 at Macy’s…Be-au-ti-ful!
Seen a great fashion piece you’d like to share? Please email us at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | Feb 3, 2014 | Career |
Time to Move On- blackamericaweb.com
So you’ve been absolutely miserable at work! Just the thought of going to work would drain the life out of you! Not just because like most people, Monday mornings bring out the worst in us…No, it’s more than that…
It’s that visceral feeling grappling at you in the middle of the night, as you lay awake fearing your entire career demise… It’s the anxious thump in your chest as you open your inbox and find yet another belittling, micro-managing email…This tightness in your chest as you hear your manager’s voice in the hallway…
Many (if not most of us) go through our careers with this impending sense of doom hovering over our stressed-out heads. Subject to economic, financial and social threats, along with our own self-imposed agendas, we sacrifice happiness and self-contentment for what has come to be known as “golden handcuffs”.
As described in Forbes Woman, golden handcuffs are “the financial security, comfort and safety of high-paying, cushy jobs that are unfulfilling in some way or all ways, or downright miserable-making, but they keep us bound to our desks and offices because we become dependent on them or scared to leave or addicted to the various aspects of fast-paced, high-stress career”, according to the author of “Where in the OM Am I? One Woman’s Journey From the Corporate World to the Yoga Mat” Sara DiVello.
Yet for many of us, the reality is that it is (and has been fro some time) high time to quit! Of course, you need a job. Sure, you’ll be missing the perks and advantages of that miserable but well-paying career. Absolutely, you are scared out of your favorite pair of flowery socks and can’t seem to see where this would leave you!
Yet in your heart of hearts, you KNOW what you need to do, and no amount of procratination or inertia will change that! And if like so many of us, you just can’t seem to peel yourself off that desk to announce to your manager that you are moving on, here are our $0.02 on the dilemma:
- Time to bulk up your savings! One of the cardinal rules of saving is to put aside 6 to 9 months of your current salary in your savings fund for emergencies such as job loss, dire health circumstances…etc. If it has become obvious that you will eventually have to move on from your current job, take a look back at your savings fund, and work on building enough of a cash reserve to cushion your landing as you make up your mind…
- Look for a new position before you leap! We all live in the real world right? And in the real world, you can’t exactly live off dreams and plans, as exciting as they may be…So if your savings aren’t exactly up to par, or you cannot afford to live without income even momentarily, start your job search for a position that is a better fit for you.
- Remember, it’s your decision! Every time I’ve had a challenging decision to make, the single thing that’s ever eased the process is to remember that the decision was mine. Do not waste precious time or energy blaming anyone or any circumstance for your decision. Instead, refocus your energy on understanding why you’re making the leap, and how this decision will contribute to a better YOU! The more ownership you take of your decision, the better!
Is it time to move on?
The Corporate Sister
by Solange Lopes | Feb 2, 2014 | Career
News – visualphotos.com
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We hope everyone is having a great week-end! I certainly am, and as I’m enjoying a strong cup of coffee on a quiet Sunday morning (and no, it does not happen very often), I’m also compiling what we’ve been reading this week…Here’s the 411:
Happy Reading, and happy Sunday! And enjoy the Super Bowl…
The Corporate Sister.
