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1) Ask a Boss: The interns don’t know how to dress. (NYMag)
2) This Henri Bendel West 57th briefcase triggered by bag lust.
3) A feminist defense of bridezillas. (NYTimes)
4) Love cardigans? Don’t miss this Boden ruffled cardi or BR tie-waist cardi. Plus-size? Try this printed, tie-front cardigan.
5) How to work with someone who’s always stressed out. (HBR)
6) This caffeine-infused stick is perfect for de-puffing your eyes or brightening skin.
7) 9 questions to ask before moving for a job. (The Everygirl)
8) BP. Must Haves: a gorgeous sleek clutch, a leopard scarf, a wide stretch belt.
9) This is why some women support sexism. (Buzzfeed)
10) 40%-off at LOFT. Don’t miss this wrap shirtdress or this sateen utility jacket.
11) Fashion for the 67-percent: Plus-size fashion is booming. (The Cut)
12) This jersey faux-wrap skirt is the perfect mix of casual and office.
13) Who thought rebranding the Swastika was a good idea? (BBC)
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What I Agreed With. Instagram is ruining food. (aka. Why do bloggers choose restaurants by how they photograph instead of how it tastes?)
What I’m Looking Forward To. Smitten Kitchen’s new cookbook, filled with unfussy favorites.
What Everyone Should Read. What protections does the First Amendment actually provide?
[image found here]
Love that first amendment article. I’m a lawyer, but I don’t always want to explain the complexities of first amendment to some family members who want to engage in “debate” on the topic. Now I can just send them this.
There’s also a pithy cartoon that I love which explains this: https://xkcd.com/1357/
As a woman working in tech, it seems lots of people need a refresher these days…
well, that’s amazing. also, what made this guy think he could openly criticize his bosses and keep his job? I don’t know of any employer who’s letting you do that.
So much good stuff here. The First Amendment article makes me think of that line from The Princess Bride, “You Keep Using That Word, I Do Not Think It Means What You Think It Means”. If incorrect info gets repeated enough times, it seems to get internalized!
re: Bridezilla. Also seems like lineup with the myth of the “cool girl”. I didn’t spend a lot of money and did a lot of stuff myself or with my friends, so I guess I could only have gotten angry with myself if it didn’t work out. But I do think that the root problem is feeling pressured to live up to unrealistic standards for weddings. Half the article is talking about this pressure that brides feel, and I think that’s the root of the problem. Why do we succumb to this impossible pressure, in all things, not just in weddings?
The article about sexism made me think of a line from an interview with Richard Spencer. When asked whether he was at all interested in the fairness of the white national concepts he espoused he replied
“And you can talk about this being fair, or what have you. But I will be brutally honest with you. Fairness has never been really a great value in my mind. I like greatness and winning and dominance and beauty. Those are values. Not really fairness.”. This seems to line up with the fact that people can think it is fair for all people to be treated equally (egalitarian) or that hierarchies exist for a reason (my group is naturally better than your group). Then the question becomes, how do you change peoples minds?
I think the response to the manager with unprofessionally dressed interns offered some good advice, but avoided the big elephant in the room: professional clothing is expensive and a lot of college interns (especially unpaid ones) can’t afford a work wardrobe. It’s an issue that has come up in other forms during hiring discussions at my workplace. If you want to hire a diverse workforce (meant broadly to include race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, geography, etc.), you need to cut people some slack and stop assuming that everyone knows how to look and act professionally. You can certainly have expectations, but the differences in individual backgrounds have to be taken into account. Whether it’s solid coaching/mentoring/training or just giving folks a sufficient amount of time to save and prepare for the expense, we need to do more.
True, BUT THERE ARE TONS OF SECOND HAND STORES AVAILABLE. nOT EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE BRAND NEW OR EXPENSIVE. SOMETIMES I THINK IT’S A PERSONS THOUGHTS ON THEY SHOULD HAVE THIS TYPE OF SHOE OR THAT TYPE OF BAG. WHEN REALLY, A BLACK SKIRT FROM THE GOODWILL AND A NICE BLOUSE SHOULDN’T COST ALL THAT MUCH. MOST PEOPLE START AT THE BOTTOM AND WORK THEIR WAY UP IN THEIR CAREER, AND CLOTHES ARE KIND OF SIMILAR. SORRY ABOUT THE CAPS, I TRIED TO CHANGE IT BUT IT WON’T LET ME.
What browser are you using? I thought we fixed this, but it might not be fixed for everyone.
chrome.
interesting, i just typed that and it showed all caps but then when it posted it was lowercase.
I think the biggest issues with interns dressing inappropriately isn’t the quality of their clothing but the fit. I see too many interns in super tight or short skirts and teetering in sky-high heels. They think that work attire is what they see depicted in office scenes on tv. I don’t expect female interns to own several suits or even several blazers, but skirts and slacks and blouses aren’t very expensive. And I would never begrudge a male intern who wore a blazer that wasn’t part of a suit or if he wore the same suit several times a week (I know staffers who do this).
But see I think fit is related to this issue. Imagine a scenario where you have to wear clothes past when they still fit (or hand me downs that don’t yet fit) because you can’t afford an alternative. I think it’s also a symptom of only having casual clothing (because again, no one has told you to think about building a professional wardrobe) that you then try to repurpose in an office setting. I don’t know. Obviously this doesn’t apply to every intern – some have no excuse and are intentionally trying to stretch the meaning of the dress code. I just think we need to step back from this assumption that every intern should automatically know better or is capable of meeting expectations without help and empathy.
I agree about the fit. I think a lot of these ladies are shopping at stores where clothes are geared to younger women, and therefore, tighter. I’ve seen a lot of interns dressed in an outfit that would have been fine if it fit.
That Henri Bendel bag is gorgeous. Any suggestions for something similar, but a little less expensive? Thanks!
Belle the new layout is terrible on mobile. I have no idea where no content is or how to find anything.
Oh man, that intern article. At my first think-tank internship right out of college, I had NO IDEA. I once got completely chewed out for wearing leggings under a very long tunic-type blouse…
Then I floated around temp positions, and I would ask every time what the expectation for dress code was. I was told “dressy business casual” before starting at one place. What the $%#@ does that even mean!?
Managers need to spell it out EXACTLY for interns or entry-level hires, because dress code can vary so wildly. What might have been OK at your small non-profit might not be OK at a corporate office (but might be OK if you’re in a non-client-facing position?!) What I’m trying to say is, it’s all a mystery and you can’t blame clueless interns.
Instagramming food so much is good for one thing – it has raised the bar on proper food presentation. I wonder if the kids are eating more doughnuts and less fast food – is it changing our junk food habits?