by Solange Lopes | Jan 18, 2014 | Career |
zora-alice.com
In a recent post, we discussed whether we should be in or opt out of the corporate group. Well, about that…In my years in the corporate environment, if there’s one thing I learnt, is that high school never really is over…Not even when you graduate out of college and get your first real job. Not when you spend upwards of 10 hours at work interacting (or not) with your co-workers, bosses and management. Not when you ponder over what to do to belong to the corporate group instead of feeling constantly excluded…Because this is high school all over again, except we’re older, better dressed, and we all have cars..
click
You either click, or you don’t! No matter where you work, or what type of office environment you are or will be called to professionally evolve in, groups and group-think are still the norm. Just like in high school, you either belong to the group, or you don’t. And if you don’t happen to belong to the group, you’re potentially in professional danger; so you either have to try to find ways to belong, or ways to get out…all in one piece! Sounds scary? Yup, but it’s true…and for women, especially minority women, the reality is even bleaker. Faced with a leadership that is largely male and non-racially diverse, getting in to the group, and by the group, I mean the leadership group, is a real challenge! So no wonder many of us opt for getting out, most times to our own detriment…
lonerwolf.com
It’s all a facade! My sister is a clinical psychologist, and every time I recount to her some unfortunate “corporate” stories, she reminds me that in corporate as in many professional environments, it’s all a facade! We have our true personalities, and we have our work personalities. While these may naturally intersect for the most authentic among us, for the rest, they do not meet anywhere between the hours of 9 and 5. Translation: most people are pretending at work! Pretending to care, pretending to be genuine, heck, pretending to be at work for that matter! Just like in high school, some of us pretend to be cool so we can hang out with the cool kids, and not be associated with the geeky loner (except when we need help with homework of course)! So what are we to do with all this pretense? Just like in high school, we learn to spot it, adjust to it, and make it work to our advantage, not by emulating it, but by not being fooled by it…
It’s the survival of the (mentally) fittest! If high school is a jungle, the corporate world is its bigger, meaner, better dressed big sister! You know, the one who smiles in your face as you walk by in your Manolos just to better trip you? Yup, that one…And if you could at least see an end to your high school dilemmas, now that you’re immersed into the corporate way of earning your livelihood, the light at the end of the tunnel can look pretty…dim, to say the least! And rightfully so…Now that you have to survive in the midst of all the economic crisis, the raging unemployment, not mentioning the slew of natural disasters, your career may look more like a marathon than the rapid sprint past the glass ceiling. Meanwhile, as your brain is being bombarded on the daily with life’s incessant noise, you still need to be a top performer in a challenging corporate space. And this is where mental endurance comes into play, as you pick your battles, re-focus daily on your goals, shut out the noise around you and keep moving along. Just like in high school, when you didn’t quite make it into the “Popular Girls” club but kept persevering and working those grades, and 10 years later, guess who’s working for you? Yup, the entire “Popular girls” club…
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | Jan 17, 2014 | Career |
For our lunch break, in honor of First Lady Michelle Obama’s 50th birthday today (happy happy birthday), we’ve decided to round up our favorite fashion staples from our very favorite corporate sister, and First Lady of Style, Ms. O herself!
fashionbombdaily.com
The Cardigan: We wrote an earlier post about cardigans, in which we reiterated that if anyone can make a cardigan look like a million bucks, it’s Ms. O herself! Over the years, we’ve seen her sporting fashionable yet affordable cardigans from everyday brands such as J. Crew with such grace and elegance that we’ve had to follow suit and restock our own cardigan collection. From declining these in bright and unexpected colors, to merchandising them with belts and brooches, Ms. O. Has shown us that our best jackets and blazers ain’t got nothing on a well-worn cardigan. For our pick of the day, we’ve selected this J. Crew “Jackie” fuschia cardigan now on sale for $49.99!
Jackie Cardigan – $49.99 – Jcrew.com
Structured Sheath Dress – $160 – whitehouseblackmarket.com
Michelle Obama – ladyincharge.files.wordpress.com
The Structured Sheath Dress: Now you already know we think the sheath dress is the new power suit! Well, Ms. O. definitely confirmed what we already knew. Over time, from her first appearance besides newly elected President Obama to her epic epic visit to The View, she’s demonstrated how the sheath dress is an indispensable part of our fashion wardrobe. For our pick today, we’ve selected this White House Black Market structured Sheath. It’s $160, and the colorblock pattern and slimming effect will leave you wanting for more…
Kristen Blake Lambswool Coat – $144.98 – nordstrom.com
yahoo.com
The Elegant Coat: Remember President Obama’s Inauguration Day? We sure do, and one of the things we remember most is that blue topper Ms. Obama sported walking the streets of DC alongside her husband. Since we’ve seen her, countless are the ways women around the world now wear a coat. From the fashionista’s belted version, to the more colorful versions of traditional toppers, Ms. O. has given us some of the best fashion options. For our pick today, we’ve selected this Kristen Blake Lambswool coat available at Nordstrom. It’s on sale for $144.98, and the color is just amazing! Besides, the classic cut is impeccable, and offers many an opportunity to merchandise it with an elegant brooch, a statement belt, or just a great bag!
Happy birthday Ms. O.!
The Corporate Sister
by Solange Lopes | Jan 17, 2014 | Career |
elev8.com
So it’s a snow day and you get to work from home? Or you’ve arranged to telecommute one day a week for added flexibility? Even better yet, your job may allow you to work from home most, if not, all the time? Psyched…Yes! No longer do you have to worry about getting up at the crack of dawn to get ready! Or worry about dropping off the kids and barely making it to work on time! So here you are in your PJ’s, coffee cup in hand, ready to work, only…on your own terms…However, even if the boss or that annoying co-worker is not around, there are some rules you still have to follow when telecommuting:
- Be courteous! Although you’re working from home and are not in the office, it’s always good policy to remain as courteous as if you were in the office; which means responding to emails promptly, checking your voicemail and responding to messages, and if required, checking in at some point during the day. Another good practice as recommended by numerous managers is to provide a status update towards the end of the day summarizing what’s been accomplished throughout the day.
- Be Professional! It’s not because you’re taking a work call from the comfort of your home that the level of professionalism should suffer. I learnt the hard way when taking a call from home as my own home phone was stubbornly ringing in the back, and obviously forgetting to mute the call. Always remain professional even as you’re addressing a sticky work situation in your PJ’s and comfy pink slippers. The person at the end of the line could just be gauging how professional you are in all circumstances…
- Be Effective! Contrarily to public opinion, it’s actually harder to work from home than from the office at times. Despite the convenience of being in the comfort of home, there is also a myriad of distractions to keep away from. From the dishes left in the sink, to the kids running around as you’re trying to tie out these quarterly financials, to the cat litter’s smell begging for replacement, your home is like a mine field of distractions calling at you from every corner. So devise your own strategy to be as effective and productive as you can! What has always worked for me is to start very early in the morning, when everyone is still asleep. As the day goes by, I schedule time for each task, carving out some specific time slots to check email, voicemail, take coffee breaks, or even change the cat’s litter.
What are your rules when working from home?
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | Jan 16, 2014 | Career
Michelle Obama wearing pearl studs – overstockjeweler.com
In one of our earlier jewelry recommendations, I shared that I don’t necessarily care much for jewelry at work. As a corporate sister, I like my jewelry to a minimum while at work, yet polished enough that it makes a subtle, yet sophisticated statement.
And what is more sophisticated and traditionally classy than pearls? I love pearls for this very reason, especially at work.
Yet speaking to many other corporate sisters, and even in my own fashion monologues, it’s obvious that while these are great fashion accessories, there are also certain wisdom pearls to follow…
- Please don’t overmatch! Remember the old English movies with the imposing matriarch donning the pearl necklace, pearl earrings, a pearl bracelet on each hand…Stuffy much? Yeah…When sporting pearls, I prefer to wear one accessory at a time, two at most. Anything more than two pearl accessories just gets to be too much, especially for work…
- Mind your strands! For the office, sporting multiple pearl strands around your neck or wrist is not always the best! I would go for the single, elegant strand instead; or even two strands of fine pearls at most…
- When in doubt, go with pearl earrings! Some of us are not exactly into the pearl trend, but wouldn’t mind trying. If you’re in doubt as to whether to pearl or not to pearl, and want to limit your investment just in case, I would suggest investing in pearl earrings. Mine are my favorite accessories, as they pair with everything, look natural and sophisticated all at once.
Zigfield Pearl Earrings – $175 – tiffany.com
For our pick, check out these $175 Zigfield Collection earrings from Tiffany & Co. Classic and timeless..
So to pearl or not to pearl?
Seen a great accessory you’d like to recommend? Please post a comment below or email us at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | Jan 16, 2014 | Career
Cashmere Dress – Neiman Marcus – $180
For our lunch pick today, we are combining two of our fashion favorites, cashmere and dresses. And the result is this overlap-collar cashmere dress from Neiman Marcus, that is seriously to die for! It’s beautifully cut with a ribbed hem, is great for both work and play, and will probably be your next wardrobe go-to this winter. I love it in this wine color, and the combo with a grey pair of pumps is both unexpected and oh so fashionable!
It’s also on sale, from originally $290 to $180 at Neiman Marcus. Can you say beau-ti-ful?
Seen any great piece you’d like to share? Please email us at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
The Corporate Sister
by Solange Lopes | Jan 16, 2014 | Career
Got Style – thefeministwire.com
So as you may or may not have noticed, we love fashion and style here at the Corporate Sister! And we think that as a corporate sister and a successful professional, you should always try to look your best as you perform your best…We wrote an earlier post about whether it’s ok or not to sport bright colors at work (please chime in, the crickets are taking over), and in line with that, we thought we’d explore how style may cost you in the workplace. In our opinion, not only does great (and work-appropriate) fashion motivate you and help your day started right (nothing worse than starting the day wrong and looking the (wrong) part), it also has this lil’ something something that just makes you stand up straighter as you’re getting ready to make that epic sales presentation….
However, being a corporate fashionista can have its downsides, especially when it comes to the way you are being perceived at the office. While paying attention to your appearance and the way you present yourself can work in your advantage in certain professions, such as in sales-related fields when you are called to meet clients and close deals, in other fields, the perception can be totally different. In some very conservative fields such as Accounting and even Finance, especially in older, patriarchal institutions, veering off a conservative, somber wardrobe is not always well perceived. Being fashionable, especially when you dress better than your boss, can give the impression of being too much into yourself, and maybe not enough into your work….Ouch!
I’ve personally had to face this situation with a lady manager who did not admire my fashion sense, to say the least. I was working at the time in what I will call a Big Accounting Firm, and my main client was a very conservative institutions. While I tried to downplay my wardrobe, it became obvious that as a young associate my crisp suits, impeccable shoes and other great sample sales finds were not going to be my best allies here. And while it took me some time to figure this out, it also helped me garner a few grains of wisdom as I moved on to better (and more fashionable) pastures:
- Not everyone will welcome your sense of style! Of course, when dressing for work, you should always keep in mind the type of environment you are working in, as well as the types of people you are working with. However, I don’t believe one should sacrifice their sense of style entirely, you cans still be stylish and professional! Yet bear in mind that part of the competition in the workplace is not just professional; it’s also around other mundane attributes, like…style and presentation! So be prepared for some sideways looks and snide comments, as it’s part of your professional experience…
- Remember that the focus is on your work! As fashionable as I may be through all facets of life (and work is part of life, so why separate the two, right?), at work, my focus is on…WORK! It may seem easy enough of a concept to grasp, yet keep in mind that many distractions can interfere with your work performance. As you keep your sense of style, and pride in who you are, up, remember that the best way yet to present yourself is through outstanding professional results! And the fashion can only complement that….
- Last but not least, when in doubt, bring it down a notch! Having worked in ultra-conservative professional environments, I’ve learned along the years that Coco Chanel could not be more on point when she recommends that “before going out, take out one piece of jewelry!” And that’s been my fashion mantra ever since I could slip my toddler feet into my mom’s stilettos…When in doubt as to whether your fashion is a tad much for work or just enough, bring it down just a notch. You don’t have to compromise entirely on your entire sense of style, and your hard-earned wardrobe, but the key is to adjust! Lunch meeting with the uber-conservative CEO? You may thin of trading that bright orange jacket for a stylish grey suit, and for your colorful touch, you can always jazz it up with an orange camisole under your suit jacket: this way, you get to protect your style and make a great impression! On the other hand, you may very well be meeting with a prospective marketing client in the fashion industry who happens to be very fashion-forward: well, it may be time to dig out that asymmetrical jacket in bright orange!
Have you encountered any difficulties in the workplace because of your fashion sense? Please sound off…
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | Jan 15, 2014 | Career |
Color at the office? – thelimited.com
Our fashion lunch pick today was this bright magenta jacket from the DVF line. And as much as we love it, it got us thinking about how comfortable we are in general with donning bright colors at the office.
Too pretentious? Not serious enough? Flat-out inappropriate for work?
Please sound off and let us know your thoughts.
The Corporate Sister
It’s the survival of the (mentally) fittest! If high school is a jungle, the corporate world is its bigger, meaner, better dressed big sister! You know, the one who smiles in your face as you walk by in your Manolos just to better trip you? Yup, that one…And if you could at least see an end to your high school dilemmas, now that you’re immersed into the corporate way of earning your livelihood, the light at the end of the tunnel can look pretty…dim, to say the least! And rightfully so…Now that you have to survive in the midst of all the economic crisis, the raging unemployment, not mentioning the slew of natural disasters, your career may look more like a marathon than the rapid sprint past the glass ceiling. Meanwhile, as your brain is being bombarded on the daily with life’s incessant noise, you still need to be a top performer in a challenging corporate space. And this is where mental endurance comes into play, as you pick your battles, re-focus daily on your goals, shut out the noise around you and keep moving along. Just like in high school, when you didn’t quite make it into the “Popular Girls” club but kept persevering and working those grades, and 10 years later, guess who’s working for you? Yup, the entire “Popular girls” club…
