Me in Melange

The BEST co-workers ever!

I just want to say, on this fine Friday morning, that I work with the BEST women EVER.  I'm so proud of everyone and the job we do.  Each person contributes something so important, both in spirit and actual results, and without the team effort, we couldn't produce our vision.  I love that everyone actually cares about our store, and the job they do, and the people they come in contact with.   It shows in a 100 different ways that I see every day...and because I don't always get a chance to stop and say, "AWESOME guys", I thought I'd take a moment this morning!  THANK YOU for making Melange all that it is!  Signed, ME {lv}

new month... new look

One of my favorite updates that LV and I have made to the website are the monthly headlines.  We used to just have a pic of our storefront, but now we change it up every month with something new and fun.  And I always get really giddy when the last day of the month is here, knowing tomorrow the site will have a fresh new look. Here's a look back at past headlines...

Be on the lookout for a new headline tomorrow!  signed, me {CA}

fashion in the office...

As I worked in our office today (that's getting more cheerful and organized by the day ;) I couldn't help but get annoyed with the furniture... not that I think we should be wasteful and run out and buy new furniture, because when it comes down to it the desks still stand on their veneer covered legs. But it made me wonder about the choice. Ladies from about 7 years ago got to pick it out, they chose the standard, mainstream Office Max desks... WHY!? I don't get it. Especially when there are companies like Ikea, who bring fashion to a mundane thing like an office desk.  For instance...

Ah, these bring a smile to my face. No clutter, clean lines... fashion extends beyond just the clothes we put on in the morning. But for now, our outfits will definitely be the most fashionable thing in the room. ;) signed, me {CA}       

Sunday afternoon project...

I kidnapped these old bulletin boards from work today...

They were collecting dust and getting really ratty looking.  But, after about an hour, they're looking brand new...

Gave them a simple makeover and hopefully now, they will spread some colorful cheer in our bleak office.  All you need is fabric (cut 2 inches bigger than the dimensions of the board), grosgrain ribbon, scissors, and a staple gun.  I separated some of the boards from their frame and spray painted the frame a nice red... I have a plan for those, I'll share next time. :)  Overall, a fun and easy project to revamp an office or a bedroom.  signed, me {CA}

office transformation...

About a year and a half ago, our little web office moved from a very inconvenient 3rd floor location to right behind our store front. We love being so close to all of the action and it really helps unite the store front with the web... actually, it just makes a whole lot more sense.  But, we moved down here in kind of a hurry and didn't really think through how to make our little space functional, as well as pretty!  And for the past year and a half we have lived in a space that was neither.  YUCK! We thought, so our New Year's resolution was to make our little office space as functional and fashionable as possible.  We've already started the transformation by rearranging the furniture and trying to purge as much stuff as possible.  We thought about showing you guys some "before" pictures... but quite frankly, it was too embarrassing to show!!  So we'll start with where we are now...

Yep, four (pretty much blank) walls, but overall, the placement is at least better (believe it or not!) and I'm not facing the back corner anymore... so that makes me especially happy.  LV painted the far wall blue and I hung up some words that I found in the clean up... these show through our one window into the store front.  But we have a long way to go before we reach "pretty".  We'll keep you updated on our progress but I thought I'd share some office inspirations I found on a fantastic blog called Design Sponge.  They do sneak peeks into artist/designer homes and work spaces.  Really fun to page through the very creative rooms!  Here are a few favorites...

Sigh, we'll get there soon!  signed, me {CA}

Cool site about working at home!

Just heard about this site on CNN this a.m.....thought it was kind of cool!  www.freelancemom.com

Signed, ME {lv}

Fashion and the workplace.

This is an interesting topic that was actually brought up by a Melange friend today.  She had some really interesting points to make and it got me thinking about in general.   In many professions there isn't much room for "fashion in the workplace", there is a stigma associated with it that discredits the person who is interested in it.    I think most professions, outside of the fashion, artistic or beauty industry, are not that receptive to women expressing themselves through fashion.  I think what goes hand and hand with this is the uncomfortable feeling toward women expressing themselves with confidence, with feminity and sensuality which is something that fashion most often accentuates.    Fashion says, "I'm beautiful and I deserve to care about the way I look", it says, "I love my body and the way it looks", it says "I'm sexy, gorgeous, and attractive to myself and other people."   There is something about a well dressed, confident woman that isn't afraid to be a woman, who is confident in her intelligence, that is very threatening to men, AND to other women.   

Why is it threatening to men?  Well, I think that is simple enough, it is intimidating to admit that we are just as intelligent and simultaneously acknowledge that we have the power to still be womanly.  Men are pretty much powerless around that combination and they know it.  The average man is totally thrown off by the sexuality of a woman--workplace or not.  When we are confident and feel put together physically we exude more sexuality (and this has nothing to do with a low cut blouse, this has to do with more subtle sexuality, the type of sexuality that comes from confidence and a respect and reverance for our bodies which is the backbone for fashion).    Someone might say, "well, I don't want a man thinking of me as a sexual object in the workplace."  Valid point I suppose, but I guess I'm not sure why we are suppose to "not be women" for a huge chunk of the week and deny an inate part of our being just because men think with their genitals (their biological calling).  Quite honestly, I think they think about that aspect whether we want them to or not, whether we drape ourselves in navy shapeless tops or black head to toe.   You would never catch a man hiding his virility by wearing suits that tried to hide his wide shoulders.  As women we look at a fit man's body as a sign of power, but somehow we've been convinced as women that our bodies aren't powerful, they are "sexual and out of place in their sexuality" in the workplace. 

Why do we compromise our dress or our look to fit into the male dictated workplace?  I think perhaps it is simply the result of having to claw our way up through the years and the need to assimilate into the male dominated workplace to survive (especially through the years when we were so few in numbers in male dominated fields).  Many of those fields are now much more equalized, at least at entry and mid-level positions, but the perception is still there among women, and the expectation is still there among men.    I remember starting out after law school.  I was barely 25 years old, loved clothes but was hyper aware that I was in a profession that was dominated by older men, and older women that did NOT want to see a young attorney walk into a courtroom with confidence in herself, looking attractive, or in the least bit out of the plain jane fashion arena.  Conservative was mandatory.  Those were the days where I couldn't think outside of the Ann Taylor box, and even then it was hard to get people to take me too seriously.  It took me years to stop buying boring navy blue suits, and to show a little of my personality and I only wish I would have had the confidence to do it earlier.  It is funny, I think in my efforts to be "taken seriously" I may have inadvertently sabotaged my ability to stand out.  What I should have done is gone for glam, everyone else be damned, and then while I may have been underestimated, I would have surprised everyone by being just as smart, and just as ambitious.  There is nothing more fun than catching the opposing counsel with their pants down because they didn't expect you to be all that good---they will never forget you after that.

If you care about fashion, or spend any time on what you look like, in many fields you are less credible, somehow less "smart" because you are worrying about something frivolous, and extraneous like clothing or makeup.    It is so industry specific.  Clearly if you are a film star, what you wear is highly important, but you aren't usually a Standford graduate.    If you are a Stanford graduate doing cancer research, you can't be bothered with fashion, somehow it would take away from your intelligence. 

Then there is the question of why other women in the workplace are sometimes caddy and unsupportive of a woman who is attractive and fashionable, and who takes pride in the way she looks.  Jealously in part I'm sure, and also a fear that if we remind men that we are in fact women, that our work won't be as respected or as valued, so we strive to blend in as much as possible.  Don't stand out, don't be too pretty, or too feminine.    Maybe it is a sense that no one should be able to "have it all", you can't be a successful career woman, AND look great...next you are going to tell me you're a great mom too and that will really throw me over the edge!

Isn't it funny that you would never find women making comments about a well dressed, well groomed man, instead he'd be seen as powerful, successful, and ahead of the pack.  Metrosexual yes, but successful for sure.  Doesn't matter what industry they work in, it is pretty much universally true.

In a perfect world woman would be able to express themselves in all areas...through fashion, through intellect, through their sexuality and feminity, through their maternity.  In a perfect world these would all be aspects of a woman's personality and the appreciation of one wouldn't come at the exclusion of another.  The unity of all of them would make women ultra powerful and we'd be kicking a lot more ass than we already do.  Signed, ME {lv} 

A trait of a successful woman.....

I was thinking about this early this morning as I looked over my calendar for the day and saw my 1:00 p.m. appointment to help a woman I know do business cards.  Not the first thing I feel like doing to be honest...it is a busy day as it is, but I am so impressed and inspired by this woman that I can't help but be a little excited to spend time doing it.  So let me back up.  This woman use to nanny for a very good friend of mine.  She is originally from Africa and came her to the U.S. without her children under asylum (leaving three children with their father for 3 years) and later (after much work) being able to bring them over here with proper visas.  She is a facinating person, who speaks fluent English and French, was a headmistress for a school in Africa, and is constantly looking for new opportunities to better her life here for her and her children.  During the past 2 years I've seen her relatively consistently (my friend use to live next door to me) and my kids and their kids play constantly.    She recently decided to move on from nannying and become a teacher at a French preschool and during her last day on the job we did a playdate between the children--I happen to be off work that day and met the children at the park with her.  Here we sat and chatted and she told me of all her "extra-job" efforts...she sells organic cleaning products, she tutors in French, and she organizes closets.  She is very enthusiastic about everything and during the conversation she mentioned wanting to do business cards.  Since I didn't think she had access to a computer or graphics programs I offered to help her design one and load it to a site that printed cards. 

NOW..finally, the point of my entire post....she called me about a week later and set up a time to come and get help doing her business cards.  I think most people would have been too prideful, or figured my offer wasn't genuine, or simply been embarassed.  I was impressed she called, and thought a lot about it because this is something that most people aren't good at, but successful people are.  Asking for help.  Pretty simple really, but most people don't do it.  Asking for help or simply accepting it when it is offered is such a key part of being successful because if you don't acknowledge what you need help doing and actually seek to get the help then you can't move forward toward the goal.   Signed, ME {lv}