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On Natural Hair in the Corporate Environment

10/06/2011 By 126 Comments

Can natural, kinky hair be a professional look for women of color? We’ve talked about long hair, blonde hair, even no hair — but we haven’t truly talked about this. Accordingly, I’m thrilled to introduce Patrice Yursik, the blogger behind Afrobella, where natural hair is a regular topic. (It was not so long ago that some women — even fashion magazine editors! — professed that natural hair was a “don’t,” so I’m curious to see what readers say here.) – Kat

There are so many things to consider when beginning a new job. Will you be able to live up to expectations at work? What will your new coworkers be like? What should you wear? And what about your hair — how should you wear it to the office? Hair might not seem like an issue worth seriously worrying about, especially if you’re born with naturally straight tresses. However for many women around the world with naturally curly hair, there can be deeper issues at play. You might encounter old fashioned and unfortunate attitudes about office appropriate hairstyles. And if you’re a woman of color who wants to wear your hair as it naturally grows out of your head, things can be even more complicated. (Photo credit: stevendepolo.) [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fashion Gaffes, Hair, Professionalism, The Personal Shopper (TPS)

Beauty Wednesday: Lash Extensions and the Professional Woman

09/14/2011 By 126 Comments

The hunt for the perfect, clump-free mascara can be trying — are lash extensions the answer?  The first person to introduce me to this concept was Amber Katz of Beauty Blogging Junkie — we met at a PR dinner for bloggers and I couldn’t take my eyes off her lashes!  Today she’s sharing some of the most common questions she gets (both as a beauty blogger and a girl with fabulous lashes) here with us today.  Welcome, Amber! – Kat

I’m so excited to guest post today on Corporette. It’s especially apropos as I’m just “rolling off” an 8-year corporate experience fully to be 100% freelance. After 3 jobs at various financial firms ranging from suit-corporate to business casual, I’m fully versed in the magical world of staid nail polish, patent pumps and wearing hemlines that won’t cause people to call me “that girl who wears the minis” at work. Running a beauty and fashion blog by night and being a financial writer by day often caused wardrobe conundrums–anything I wore that was appropriate for my day job made me look as if I belonged at a nunnery at my post-work event. By the same token, anything I wore that was remotely fashionable and cool for a beauty launch was TOTALLY tarty for work. But one thing that was always appropriate and–dare I use this terminology–a PARADIGM SHIFT? My eyelash extensions. I started getting them in 2009 and I haven’t stopped. I tell you, corporate women of the world–this procedure while lengthy in one shot will save you an abundance of time in the morning putting on mascara and liner. You simply won’t need it for daytime. Imagine a world where you WAKE UP Starbucks ready. It’s amazing and I’m never going back to the clumpy world of mascara. However, be prepared for a metric TON of questions about your lashes. I half-joke that 87% of my conversations are lash-extension related. I’m constantly answering the same few questions from everyone to my former financial side-hustle’s CFO to the woman in front of me at Jamba Juice. Here they are: [Read more...]

Tagged With: , Filed Under: Beauty, Makeup That Stays Put

Open Thread: Tell Us About the Most Stylish Professional Woman You Know

09/12/2011 By 107 Comments

I thought it might be interesting to have an open thread about some of the most stylish professional women we know personally. I would suggest we avoid names and, instead, focus on painting a picture of the women who inspire us. I also suggest that we limit this to women we know personally, not famous people — unless you see the person every day it doesn’t count.

Personally, I’m lucky to have almost too many women to inspire me! It’s funny to me that some of the most stylish professional women I know are also some of the most senior and successful women I know. Some of the stylish women I remember the most…

  • When I was an assistant editor at Family Circle magazine in my early 20s, the editor in chief of the magazine was stunningly put together every day. Beautiful suits that never looked wrinkled… shoulder-length blonde hair that was somehow perfectly coiffed — it had volume and bounce and curl. She had 2 or 3 children under the age of 15, also, if memory serves — no idea how she did it.  She was an extremely intelligent woman who had interviewed for an assistant editor’s position and, when asked what her ideal job was, had said “editor in chief of this magazine” during the interview — and 15 years later, there she was. [Read more...]
Filed Under: Hair, Inspiration, Nostalgia, Professionalism, Style, Success

The Feminine Touch of Gray

09/01/2011 By 156 Comments

Men who go gray gain an air of experience and gravitas — but women who go gray are often seen as “letting themselves go.” Why can’t we go gray too (wonders the girl who first saw gray hairs at age 26)? Today’s guest post from anonymous blogger Siouxsie Law tackles the issue. – Kat

The recent lawsuit filed by a 52-year-old woman who says she was fired over her gray hair makes me wonder whether it is okay to go just a little gray in the corporate world.

There are, of course, some women in the corporate world who have a complete head of stunning silver hair.  This, though, is only occasional.  But what is rarer yet is a woman who is partially gray.

For men it is common.  There are even products designed to let them retain some of the gray to achieve that “distinguished look.” [Read more...]

Tagged With: , , , Filed Under: Beauty, Career, Hair, Personal Care, Professionalism

Beauty Wednesday: Nail Envy

08/31/2011 By 132 Comments

OPI Nail Treatments Nail Envy Natural Nail Strengthener, OriginalI sometimes wish I could be one of those girls who had a perfect manicure all the time. For a very brief while I tried to be, namely right after I got engaged.  And you know what? Spending 30-60 minutes a week getting my nails done is not my idea of a good time.  I hate sitting across from a stranger trying to make small talk while she paints my nails, and I hate the way I invariably chip them about 10 minutes after leaving the nail salon (and I am definitely one of those people who has to remove chipped polish, STAT) — and ultimately I can think of a zillion better things to do with 30-60 minutes than go to a salon.

In addition to this hatred of the nail salon, I’m also not very good at painting my nails.  So my solution over the years — when I want to add a little somethin’ somethin’ to my nails without heading to the salon — has been this:  OPI’s Nail Envy.  I’ve actually used this product off and on since I was 15 or so, and just rediscovered it recently.  Don’t get me wrong: it’s just your basic clear polish.  But what I truly love about it is that it dries in about 2 minutes — and has ingredients that are actually meant to strengthen your nails.  It lasts for forever, and you’re actually encouraged to apply new coats right on top of the old for the “maximum” effect of the nail strengthener stuff.

OPI Nail Treatments Nail Envy Natural Nail Strengthener, Original is available at Drugstore.com for $15.50.

(L-2)

Tagged With: , , , , , Filed Under: Beauty, No Time

Is Curly Hair Professional?

07/26/2011 By 210 Comments

Pictured: Curls 1/27/09, originally uploaded to Flickr by dianecordell.Is curly hair professional enough for interviews? Reader R writes in to ask the question, which has come up a ton of times in comments but hasn’t been discussed directly. So let’s talk about it. First, her Q:

I am 23 and interviewing for a new position. I have the suit/shoes/accessories combo set for interviews, but my problem is my hair. I have very curly (shoulder length)hair, which is made more curly because I live in the very hot, humid South. I do have any frizz under control (with a veritable arsenal of hair products), but I have had trouble deciding exactly what to do with my hair on interview. I have worn my hair both straight and curly for interviews in the past, but it takes forever to blow my hair out, and it seems like my potential new bosses should see me the way I will really look when I come to work everyday. What do you think?

This question hits near and dear to my heart because, as I’ve mentioned a few times, the older I get, the curlier/wavier my hair gets. For my $.02: There is nothing unprofessional about curly hair. It looks beautiful, and a lot of strong, professional women I know (whose style I envy!) in fact have long curls. Furthermore, I strongly believe that it takes more time and energy to FIGHT your hair’s natural texture than it does to work with it — time that, frankly, is better spent elsewhere for most women.  (Pictured: Curls 1/27/09, originally uploaded to Flickr by dianecordell.) [Read more...]

Tagged With: , , , , Filed Under: Hair, Interviewing, Professionalism