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After all, it is meet your friendly anonymous blogger day!
So here's the deal, guys — we have been incredibly, incredibly honored to have such a great dialog with you since we started this blog in May 2008. We've gone from having 400 readers that first month, to about 35,000 unique readers each month. With growth comes new opportunities, and so we have some big news — starting soon, we'll be partnering with InStyle magazine and AK Anne Klein for a series of fashion events at Macy stores around the country, where we'll advise on trends as well as how to adapt different AK Anne Klein pieces for different situations. We're so excited!
However, it has occurred to us that it's rather difficult to host a fashion event anonymously. So… if you've ever wondered who it is behind this blog, read more, after the jump…
(Originally pictured: Mask II, originally uploaded to Flickr by Audringje. 2018 Update (mask) via Stencil.)
Hi. I'm Kat Griffin, your resident blogger. I'm a 33-year-old lawyer and writer based in New York.
Some other questions you may be wondering:
Who the heck are you? David Lat was kind enough to interview me on Above The Law today, so I'll let him do most of the background stuff. Briefly: I've been a lawyer for about seven years now, mostly as a litigator; in July of last year I started as a staff lawyer at a non-profit. I went to Georgetown Law ('03) and got my undergraduate degree from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism ('99). I live in Brooklyn with my husband, where we enjoy our experiments with the crock pot. (We've also updated our “About” page, and I've also posted some video clips (below) — just your general intro stuff, as well as some common questions.)
How are you qualified to give us all this advice? I have a board certification from the Fashion Blogging Academy, and have a black belt in the Dark Arts of Networking . . . just kidding. How is anyone on the Internet qualified to give you advice? For what it's worth, I've been a lifelong fan of fashion and style, was a fashion journalist for about half a second, and have been there — trying to adapt my personal style to a conservative office environment. Around the time that I was a fifth-year litigator at my firm I realized, NO ONE is giving out this advice, and everyone is struggling to learn the same fairly basic lessons (if they even realize that said lessons needed to be learned in the first place). So I started the blog. Am I always 100% right? Nope — that's where the good folks who comment here come in. And I love it when you guys tell me that I'm completely 100% wrong, because that's when I learn the most. (Although, hey, I do prefer to be right.)
How are things going to be changing? Not that much, at least for the moment. Posting will continue as normal, although the byline may change from “C” (which I've used because “Corporette” seemed so long) to “Kat.” Perhaps we can schedule some meet-ups in different cities — I'd love to meet the readers as much as possible.
What's the deal with AK Anne Klein? We're really excited about this! Invitations for the first event are going in the mail today. Here's the schedule for the events (we'll have more details in the future). We hope you can join us!
- April 1 – 6 pm – Dadeland in Miami, FL
- April 10 – 2 pm – Cherry Hill Mall, NJ
- April 21 – 6 pm – Oxmoor, Louisville, KY
- May 8 – 1 pm – Southdale, Edina, MN
Are you going to stop with the “we” now? Undecided, honestly. I started using “we” in the “my friends and I” sense, not in the “royal” sense — and that's still true.
Oh yes — and the video posts…
- So, Hi
- Why I Started Corporette
- What I meant by “overachieving chicks“
Anyway, that's the 411 on me — if possible, we'd love to learn more about you. Would you please consider taking this survey?
Clerky
Oh my goodness, this is huge!! I know that I’m not the only one who has wonderered who you really were. Thanks for a wonderful site, it has been EXTREMELY helpful to me as a young associate in BigLaw. Best of luck with your new endeavor!
Radu
Wahoo! I love it! Thanks for revealing yourself, Kat! This blog has definitely made a difference in my world.
R.S.
Wow – I always suspected you, like me, were 33 years old and a ’99 college grad! So nice to finally meet the face behind Corporette! Keep up the great work on this excellent blog!
Diane Danielson/CEO, Downtown Women's Club
So great to meet the woman behind Corporette. Keep up the great posts!
Diane
Jessica
It’s great to put a name/face to the blog – thanks for the great advice, deals, etc. I just want you to know that this goes way beyond the world of law – I’m a lobbyist at the state level and find your blog completely relevant to my field, so thanks for that!
Molly Fanning
Great to put a name face with this blog. I enjoy your info and it helps me give my clients good advice from someone who has been there and is doing that.
anon-nyc
Congratulations on the new opportunities. Love the blog!
J
Nice to “meet” you! I’ve been a reader so long I feel like I “know” you but it’s nice to put a face/name to the blog!
Also — did anyone else notice that Allison Sweeney wore a dress featured on Corporette on last night’s Biggest Loser?
J
it was this Trina Turks dress:
https://corporette.com/2009/10/13/tuesdays-tps-report-trina-turks-statuesque-ponte-knit-dress/
michelle
happy for you, and a girl’s gotta make a living… but I am a bit troubled by the timing of today’s recommendation as AK … and not widely available and quickly sold out at that. I understand the need for the sponsorship and relationship, but really hope this site doesn’t turn into an AK ad.
C
Everything that is paid for by any advertiser or sponsor will be labeled as such — today was not one of those posts, beyond any/all affiliate links — I honestly just do like the dress! Thanks for reading.
Micheline
It is awesome to see and get to know the face and person behind this blog. I stumbled upon you what seems like ages ago (more likely a year and half or so), and you’re one of the few blogs I keep coming back to day after day. You’re even bookmarked in my “professional blogroll” list.
Keep up the good work and congratulations on an amazing opportunity and expansion of your resume outside of the law.
F
Nice to meet you! So glad to hear Corporette is getting more recognition and more opportunities. I’m behind you 100%. One plea: hire a graphic designer to redesign the awful unprofessional, unfashionable blog masthead.
PurpleViolet
The website is perfect just as it is!
Delta Sierra
PV, yes, me too, I think the website is great the way it is. Uncluttered.
v
I like it too, but if someone comes out of the woodwork and offers design help, I’d love an iphone friendly format!
RoadWarriorette
Wow, the big reveal! Congrats on the new opportunities. I love the blog and am so glad I discovered it last year. It has definitely inspired me to take my wardrobe to the next level. Thanks for writing it!
Abby
This is great news! I am a 36-year-old partner in a law firm and found this site a couple of months ago. I’m now a daily reader and really enjoy it. Congrats on the opportunities coming your way!
D
Congratulations on getting the recognition you deserve! Blogging takes tremendous effort. I love checking in each day to see what you’ve recommended, and the discussion strings lead to great new ideas and other recommendations. I love the community you’ve started for us!
B
A fellow media lawyer here who has been reading this blog for about two years, has met you through the MLRC, and honestly had no idea! Congratulations on the success of the blog!
Louise
Hi, Kat! What a treat to see your face and hear your voice. Looking forward to more great things from corporette.com.
G
Kat, congrats and glad (but not surprised) to hear you’re a GU law alumna and a New Yorker! If you do a meet and greet in DC perhaps the Georgetown Alumni Club could invite our members to attend.
m
Love the blog and love now knowing who is behind the scenes! I am not a a lawyer but translate your advice to a public affairs role in an academic medical center. 95% of your topics apply to me! Keep up the good work!
housecounsel
I am thrilled to meet you, and so happy for you! I am a 40-year-old general counsel in the midwest and take your advice into account nearly every day!
Meghan
I work in Big Law, but not as a lawyer, and read your blog every day. I love your advice because I feel like it pertains to all working women. My sister lives in Edina, MN – I’m so jealous she’ll get to see the AK show. I hope you come to DC!
Lobbyist
Love your blog. Its one of my first morning go-tos (as a reward after doing my work go-tos). I hope you make tons of money doing it and get to quit being a lawyer (if that’s what you want). Although the fact that you actually work does make your advice all the better.
On the survey, it wouldn’t let me check its great for each of the categories, (on the question about how satisfied are you with your job) when I checked the same category for the next section below, it erased my previous chedk.
ARinFL
Same here.
KH
I provided feedback to Kat about this within my survey response – It looks to me like she used the “Rating Scale” question format and needs to either uncheck the box in her survey design (that says “force ranking”) or change the question format to “Matrix of choices – Only one answer per row.”
(Ideally, she should add an option to Q6 “did not receive a bonus” rather than just say “How much, if any…. ” Right now she can’t be sure that no response really means no bonus. It could also mean the respondent just skipped the question.)
And yes, Kat – these are changes you can make even though the survey is open. If few enough people have responded already, you could disregard their data. But right now, what you are getting for Q8 likely does not reflect what people truly feel.
The lesson here is: Do not use Survey Monkey without having several people test it (or testing it yourself with a variety of response possibilities). It’s never obvious how it will work.
I’m a program evaluator and love having all of Kat’s advice to keep me looking nifty while I’m busy making surveys and not being a lawyer.
C
Thanks for the tips — I just tried to make all the changes. (This is my first time running a Survey Monkey questionnaire, can you tell?)
EG
Congratulations! I love this blog and check it every morning! Keep up the great work.
Violet
Wow, so happy you finally “came out” (so to speak)! I have been reading this site for a couple of months and have even purchased some of the items you’ve recommended. Even though I’m just a 1L, you’ve already helped me immensely in crafting a good, professional style.
TallTexGrl
Great blog, so happy for your opportunities!
Jill
How cool! Your site is great. I’ve always wondered if there were actually 25 different C’s behind Corporette; how in the world to you find the time to keep up the regular posts with all that you must have going on!
lawschoolfashionista
I’m so excited to finally “know” who you are because honestly it feels like I’ve known you for a while. Your blog has been absolutely wonderful and I recommend it to as many of my law school friends as will listen. Congrats on the opportunity.
lk
Congratulations! I’ve been hooked on the blog since I found it … I read it several times a day. I also have utilized this amazing network of women for advise on more than one occasion, and you (the collective you, as well as you personally, Kat) have not steered me wrong yet! Good luck with everything, keep up the good work.
Claire
Wow! What a wonderful opportunity. Congrats! And thanks so much for all of the great fashion advice! I live near Edina and hope I get to check out the show.
ARinFL
Great to finally meet you. Thanks for being an integral part of my day and my wardrobe!
Shayna
Congratulations! I’m loving your blog… And am hoping to see you/AK/etc. in Cherry Hill :-)
KatyEsq
It’s so nice to meet you, Kat. I’m a young attorney trying to adapt to a corporate environment as well and found your blog by searching for “rules” about wearing black and navy together. Your articles are very insightful and, at the very least, always give me something to think about. I think it’s wonderful that young professional women finally have a realistic resource to consult on the fashion “issues” we all face. Thanks for all the great info! Congratulations and best wishes for your continued success.
RR
So exciting to finally “meet” you! I can’t tell you how much I love your blog and your advice. I read every day. Congrats on your new opportunities!
JF
Congratulations! I love the videos.
SUCL 3L
Yes! Love the videos! Can there be more? Maybe doing readermail pieces as videos? Just a thought to mix things up! :)
Amy
Congratulations K! I am so happy to meet you. This is one of my favorite blogs and I read it every day. I’m a Senior Associate at a NYC law firm who loves fashion and looking fashionable (while still paying off law school loans/debt)! Love your recommendations (especially yesterday’s dress!!). Good luck and I hope to come to the AK show in NYC.
lawyerette-to-be
Congratulations and thank you so much for running this website. I feel that the world of the overachieving chick can be kind of lonely sometimes. It is not always easy to find other women to talk to about this issues in a non-competitive forum. And this is information we do need. I, for example, was raised by a stay at home mom that did not inform me that I should only wear lined pants in the workplace. Information like that is really nice to hear anonymously and preemptively ;-)
Thank you!!
R
Yeah, Brooklyn! Congratulations, Kat, and THANK YOU.
Heather
Congratulations! It is fun to see you also. You are adorable!
Amanda
Nice to “meet” you!! I’m a 2L and absolutely love this blog…I send all my friends here!
JSB
Congrats! And nice to finally “meet” the woman behind one of the best corporette fashion sites arounds!
Can’t wait for the Louisville event! See you there!
M in CA
Congratulations! As usual, all the other posters have said it better than I ever could, but keep up the great amazing work. Looking forward to seeing where the future takes Corporette!!!