by | Nov 20, 2013 | Career
Ann Taylor Ensemble – Photo: anntaylor.com
I’m a corporate sister with a love for fashion. I admit it, the love borders on obsession at times…I mean, you know what I’m talking about, because you’re just like me. We like clothes, and shoes , and accessories; we like to buy them, mix and match them, strut our stuff in them…but most importantly, we like to look good in them. Seriously, some of us have it down to a science, so much they know their fashion stuff…
Yet as many of us know, dressing for the corporate world is NOT an exact science, to say the least. You can’t just rock your 8-inch stilettos with that leopard print dress you got on sale at NY & Co at the bi-weekly update meeting…unless you’re trying to give the wrong kind of impression, and by wrong, I mean WRONG!
So how do you transition to fun yet appropriate corporate fashion without losing your fashionista’s edge? And most importantly, how do you get out of the mindset that corporate fashion is boring…As I navigated the ins and outs of corporate fashion, from seriously conservative to totally laid-back (and I mean, TOTALLY), I learnt a few tricks of the trade along the way:
- Work around the Basics! The foundation of your corporate wardrobe is made of the basics. So think basic everything first! Pants, skirts and dresses in solid fabrics and solid colors. Blacks, greys and browns rule as your wardrobe foundation. Doesn’t sound exciting yet, but necessary comes first…And do not hesitate to invest in these, because if you are going to build your professional wardrobe around them, then you need them to be of great quality and last a long time. My go-to stores to stock up on greatly cut pants is Express, love love the fit of the Editor pants! As for sheaths and skirts, I favor Ann Taylor for their uber-elegant cuts and precious fabrics..
Express Editor Pants
- Add color as you go! As you go from wardrobe foundation up, the numero uno rule of jazzing it up is to add touches of color…Whether it’s a shirtdress in bright orange under your black suit jacket, a bright yellow skirt in an all-black or brown ensemble, or just a leopard print scarf tied around your neck under a white button-down shirt’s collar, touches of color will add pizzazz to your corporate outfit in no time. Now of course, be mindful to the type of environment you are working in…While you may not be able to rock a yellow skirt in an uber-conservative lawyer’s office, a printed scarf in a colorful pattern may add just the right amount of funk without compromising the sophistication of the outfit… New York & Co. and The Limited are my current destinations of choice for jazzy yet tasteful pieces…
Photo: anntaylor.com
3. Invest in Accessories! The same way diamonds are a girl’ best friend, accessories are your corporate wardrobe’s besties…Plus they tend to be much more affordable than diamonds, just sayin’….From sparkly brooches, to understated yet elegant necklaces, accessories will bring your wardrobe to that level of sophisticated originality! I tend not to invest much in everyday accessories, unless they’re my go-to jewelry, and like to mix highs and lows in terms of accessory pricing…And here, sky is the limit! Love love The Limited jewelry for their elegance and affordable prices, but I also do not hesitate to stop by Forever 21 for a quick, funky accessory fix…
NY&Co Accessories
How do you jazz up your corporate wardrobe?
The Corporate Sister.
by | Nov 20, 2013 | Career
The longer your journey in the corporate world, the more you’ll realize that it is strikingly similar to high school. Unless you’re in one of the most structurally evolved corporate structures known to Mankind (which I have yet to witness the existence of), you’ve probably landed in some version of Corporate-Meets-High-School, the musical version!
Your boss is the nice or downright wicked principal, your co-workers are all members of some corporate clique with special interests, there is the unmistakable nerd, the gossip-queen (or king), and your other usual suspects…
And you, the corporate sister on the block, are left to take sides or forever keep your peace. As if you weren’t already struggling with figuring out your professional identity as a Black woman, or how to fit your generous 34DD chest size into anything that remotely looks like a white button-down shirt…For the record, keeping your peace is a viable option only for a limited amount of time, after which you eventually will be assigned to a side or another. In the process, you will probably get really closely acquainted with what I’ve come to call the “only” syndrome. Through my years in corporate, as saddening as this may sound, I’ve learnt to expect to be the “only” woman in the room, and unfortunately, the “only” Black woman in the group…
See, the interesting thing about the corporate jungle is while it claims left and right that employee initiative and innovation are key to career success, it also fosters a generalized groupthink type of mentality that, left uncontrolled, stifles that very spirit…
And you, my dear, happen to be at the very edge of this double-edge sword of a conversation. With very few role models or mentors to identify with, and limited resources for sisters on a corporate mission, you are like that kid, you know, the newbie who stands alone at recess…that is, until they decide to walk over and make their way into one of the groups, after having carefully weighed the pros, cons and extent of their involvement…
Just like high school, except that even if you’re at a disadvantage in this real-life popularity contest, you still need to know the rules of the game…
The Corporate Sister.
by | Nov 20, 2013 | Career
One of the dilemmas that many of us corporate sisters struggle with in the corporate jungle, is whether to fit in, make no waves, stay safe, or to stand out in all we are and all we possess of uniqueness. From our dress to our hair to the way we speak, there is no denying that more often we stand at the crossroads between conformity and originality.
I mean, let’s be real, we look different than what is considered to be the norm. We pull from a richness of cultural sources and influences that, whether we like it or not, are reflected in who we are and how we carry ourselves. And THAT, all of it is beautiful because it’s part of the fabric of our identities…And here we are, a double minority in the somewhat traditional mold of Corporate America, faced with an apparently narrow path to success on one hand, and our own larger-than-life uniqueness as a people and as individuals. And as we make our way through our respective professional careers, what with society’s limited exposure to and constrained view of Black women in the corporate world, we can’t help but wonder: “Should we fit in or stand out?”
It’s not a hypocritical question, neither is it an admission of guilt. Certainly, we are who we are; yet certainly, we need jobs, and paychecks, and a way to make it. And in order to reconcile the two, we need to face the tough questions…
For many years, I tried too hard to fit in, to the point of stifling my own personality. My hair was pressed too straight, my suits too dark and conservative…And no, for as long as I was able to sustain it without blowing up on the inside, that did not work out…Not for myself, and not for anyone around me. People can sense your lack of authenticity, even before you can realize it yourself.
By the time I realized that I was no longer myself, I also realized that there is no perfect answer to the question. That in one hand, there is a need to conform to some extent to a certain organizational image that we chose to subscribe to, whether deliberately or not…And on the other hand, our authentic selves are our best assets and should not under any circumstance be stifled. So nowadays, you can find me rocking my natural curls in the meeting room, while sporting classic outfits with my own brand of funky touch…
So, when it comes to fitting in or standing out for sisters in the corporate world, there is no right or wrong answer…As in real life, compromising without losing our authentic voice is key. Now how we each go about it is our choice…
Do you fit in or stand out…
by | Nov 20, 2013 | Career |
One thing you will find through your journey in the corporate jungle, is that as “professional” and nice as everyone else seems to be, it still IS very much a jungle…And you still need to survive, perform, exceed expectations, and climb up that ladder…There, as in any other highly competitive environment where minorities are under-represented, and women are still striving to leave a mark, it’s about “survival of the fittest“. As simple, basic and raw as that…Except here, in addition to learning the mechanics and politics of the job, you are also facing the ghosts of prejudice and stereotype. And that’s when it becomes about survival, and keeping yourself, and most importantly your most precious asset, your mind, from succumbing to the pressure…
And that requires mental preparation and acute awareness of the type of environment you are working in, and the various personalities you are working with…An African-American woman executive once gave me this piece of advice, that I’ve preciously carried with me ever since, and that has served me in professional as well as in real life: ” If you’re gonna succeed, the most important thing to do is train your mind to prepare and confront difficult situations and difficult people.” A bit pessimistic? Not very positive…Maybe, but certainly quite real and fitting to any sister’s journey in the corporate world…
As you step into the double glass doors of that law firm you’re just starting in as an associate, or as you’re getting ready to give this presentation to your team, or even as you are presenting new ideas and concepts to your boss, it’s important that you have mentally prepared before-hand. Knowing your material, looking the part, or developing persuasive arguments is no longer enough…In order to not only survive, but thrive, you must mentally ready yourself for the most difficult of situations and the most uncertain of outcomes…And for each one of these undesirable scenarios, be mentally prepared to have a professional yet sharp, game-changing response…
As they say, preparation is key, but mental readiness is priority….
The Corporate Sister.
by | Nov 20, 2013 | Career
Through your corporate journey, however long it’s been, you may have noticed that there are not a lot of sisters out there with you…Look around you at meetings, and you can count on the fingers of one hand the number of minorities sitting at the table. Divide that by 2, and that may just equal how many sisters are actually present (which most times is closer to 0). That’s just a fact, plain ol’ simple fact.
I remember my first years in public accounting, being assigned to successive audit teams where time and time again, I was the only Black woman standing (or sitting or counting). And during those long “busy season” hours when we worked 12 to 14 hour days, I found myself seriously missing the unique comradery of sisters, the occasional hair or outfit advice, or the more than occasional cultural references… Not to be exclusive of anyone else, we just have to admit that as human beings, especially through the ups and downs of the corporate jungle, we find comfort, strength and resilience in those things and people who are familiar. And whether justified or not, our natural first reaction is to feel somewhat intimidated when frankly, there are not many of us around…And in an environment when you’ll come to learn that unspoken alliances and tacit codes very often rule over actual performance, and in a society where prejudice and discrimination are still very much rampant, it’s even more prevalent…Just sayin’…..
So where are the corporate sisters at? With the number of Black female college graduates rising, and despite the fact that women’s workforce participation is about equal to or greater than that of men, they are nowhere to be found…Actually, according to a survey by League of Black Women, professional black women make up only 1% of U.S. corporate officers, despite the fact that 75% of corporate executives believe that having minorities in senior level positions enables innovation and better serves a diverse customer base, says Sandra Finley, CEO of the League of Black Women.
There, you’ve got your answer…For a variety of socio-economic, political, and simply historical reasons that this post cannot even begin to get into, sisters are painfully absent from the corporate world. And for the few that happen to be there, they are stuck somewhere between menial jobs and middle management…It’s just the reality, and it’s just the reason why you, yes you, one of the rare corporate sisters out there, can make a difference…
The Corporate Sister.
by | Nov 19, 2013 | Career |
So there, you’ve made it through 4 years of grueling college courses, mid-terms, finals, and all the academic gymnastics that went into granting you that coveted degree! Now it’s all behind you, and there you are, proudly announcing to your entire family and friends that not only did you ace that interview, but you also scored that big corporate gig right out of college! Or maybe you’re just transitioning into the corporate world, after a series of smaller gigs…Or you could have just stepped away from the entrepreneurial path, opting for the safety of stable earnings, a retirement fund and health insurance…
In any case, there you are, sitting in your corporate cubicle on day one of your corporate journey…You knew this was going to be a challenge, and truthfully, you are quite excited about it…As you look around, you realize that apart from the lobby receptionist who took you up the elevator, the janitor you met cleaning the ladies’ room, there may be a couple, if that, of people who look like you…And right then and there, you start realizing that this is not just going to be a professional experience, but also a personal, psychological and emotional journey…
In this corporate jungle, you’ll come to see that there are many animals, some stranger than others, and some more familiar than you may think. Yet what you’ll also come to find out, is that you are truly one of a kind, your very own species, your own kind of animal whose journey will be as unique, empowering and inspiring as it is rare…
Welcome to the Corporate Jungle…
