Since I was a child I’ve been allured by fashion and design. During my girlhood, I used to sit beside my mom while she was working in her sewing machine; I sometimes threaded the needle when she had lost her eyeglasses or helped her unpick when she wasn’t satisfied with the stitches. I grew up admiring her skill to make clothing over and watching fashion runways. Nowadays, I still wear my mom's creations; she taught me it is neither necessary to spend a fortune to dress up, or to show too much to look sexy.
My naive idea of fashion clashed with the new reality of the fashion industry, In fact, handcraft is no longer worshiped, the human side of design as well as the artistic touch that made it unique have disappeared. The hasty world we live in has alter fashion. Indeed, fashion does not only mirror society, but has leverage on it as well.
We must be smart consumers, not to buy garments out of whimsy. Moreover, we shouldn't wear an outfit just because an “influencer” wore it and got many “thumbs up”, or wearing designer clothing only to get a higher status. Actually, we must ponder whether we like the clothing we wear, whether it goes well on us, whether it opposes our principles or conveys a distorted image of ourselves. Furthermore, we should consider the outcomes of the manufacturing process of clothing we wear, such as exploitation of labour and pollution.
Doubtlessly there are many other things buyers need to enquire, and the actual fashion industry might help us in this quest. Not only consumers are to blame, but producers and retailers are culprits too. Cannot largest apparel companies advertise values instead of anti-values? Cannot them draw public attention to social issues?
I do believe fashion can advocate important causes. For instance, Franca Sozzani, ancient chief editor of Vogue Italy, used to address controversial subjects such as racism, domestic violence and oil spills in the magazine.
Fashion must play a relevant role in society. It is time to deal with issues, to promote values, to encourage the use of eco-friendly fabrics, to finish with the tyranny of thinness. Moreover, there are many ways for fashion lovers to foster social reforms. Let us become responsible and wise consumers.
By Grisel Sánchez
I received my Christmas bonus, I felt as if it shouted to me "spend me, I am the result of the hard work you did this year." While laughing at my thoughts I tried to control my impulses and ponder upon the following:
"For Christmas eve I usually stay at home and have dinner with family, which I enjoy no matter the clothes I wear. On the other hand, for every new year party I go to different places and meet new people, so I do not feel like wearing that outfit again for long. Thus, I asked myself: is it worth to invest that much money in outfits for Christmas time? What should I consider when buying new clothing? "
Even though fashion trends, in Christmas season it is common to find luster everywhere, such as satin fabrics, sequins and the like. These kinds of fabrics are more difficult to wear in another time of the year, so it is better not to purchase them in great quantities. For those of us who live in countries where winters are not cold at all, long-sleeved garments we wear should be strictly made of fresh fabrics such as cotton. Moreover, we must be careful with trends, it be better to buy things that fit us well, instead of "fashionable" ones.
Another important piece of advice for this holiday season is to check out our wardrobe, it may turn out a very insightful experience. By organizing your clothes you should know what to purchase this year, if you have already spent enough, if you need to buy more clothes or if you have bought a lot of stuffs that don't fit you at all. If you analyze your wardrobe before you go shopping you may find some tagged clothing you did not remember you have; indeed it might have happened to many of us and it feels like if Santa had already come to our wardrobe.
In this season when everything drives us to spend, I invite you to think over so that you can buy in a smart way by looking beyond the party or dinner you may have; you could instead invest in things you may wear not only during this holiday season but all over the year. It is always good to reward one's work but do it consciously.
Grisel Sánchez
I firmly believe that we must always look good, according to what we are or mean to be, whether we go shopping or working, we must be stylish. I try to do as I write, but I know it's not an easy job; once someone asked me: what would you say to convince a member of a cleaning staff to be stylish?
It's certainly a challenge since I'm used to address myself to office clerks or freelance workers who may choose to wear a blazer, a nice necklace or to change footwear; although, there are some positions that imply wearing a practical, and yet not necessarily nice outfit. Members of a cleaning staff must wear clothes that enable them to move swiftly as to fight dirt; thus, comfort precedes beauty.
Even though, beauty is in the eye of the beholder; therefore, we must focus on another facets of the image we convey. To begin with, let's talk about clothing size, it's important to choose the right size (not so tight, not so loose); next, the hairstyle, to avoid wearing hair accessories such as those we wear in a hair salon; finally, to keep clothes tidy, so no wrinkles or holes. Furthermore, mannerly, pitch, gestures and attitude, are important as well to boost the impression we make on others.
No matter your rank, the traits mentioned above may count to get a promotion. I know a real story about a stylish postman who always wore tie, he was ready to take over the host position if needed, and nowadays he works in the accounting department. I also know the story of two cleaning women, both did a great job, but just one of them took care of her appearance; thus, the latter kept her job while the second was laid off.
Every day we hear stories like these, whose formula to success has been a combination of behaviour, style and goals. No matter which position you hold, whether it's difficult or not, it's not impossible to be stylish at work.
Grisel Sánchez
I close my eyes and I can see a man wearing a suit, a white shirt, and a mix-and-match blue emerald and red silk scarf that hung loosely from his neck and sank into his chest. It’s a scene from a movie whose name I’ve forgotten, though that man’s refinement still lingers in my memories, particularly, his beautiful scarf that made him look elegant, chic and calm all at once.
I felt in love with scarves at first sight, so I collected them in different colors, tissues and sizes, but for a reason or another they became just part of an assortment. I barely wore them, and anytime I did, I took them off because it felt hot. Thus, they always ended up dangling from my purse.
For me as for any of us comfort came first in a rushed world. Therefore, it’s become unusual to see a man wearing a tie, and women have shifted from high heels to sneakers. Furthermore, it’s become easier to wear a plain outfit to come to work. Even though, we need to understand the downside of this trend, how important it is to the personal image we wish to convey. Afterwards, every effort to embellish our outfit will pay off.
The actor I mentioned before was able to convey the essence of the role he played, a clever, genuine and bold gentleman. Wearing a scarf was crucial to it; this piece enables us to show our style no matter how eclectic we are. You may wear it loose or tight around your neck, inside or outside a shirt, even around your wrist or head. Moreover, its warm colors convey eagerness and dynamism, while its cool colors radiate elegance and composure.
It’s been a while since I became passionate about scarves. Nowadays, I wear them despite warm weather to enhance my look and transform my outfit. Therefore, I am different from everybody else at work. Commit yourself to reveal the best of you by enhancing your look, as to this, a scarf may do. For what it’s worth, you should try it on.
Grisel Sánchez
A rumor spread in office that we were going to have a new manager in the finances department, so we were looking forward to meeting him. Every time we saw a man wearing suit and tie, we thought he was the one; it was amusing, we seemed to be playing "guess who".
Image is so powerful we rely on it to judge what we see; indeed, our brain assembles and commits to memory images and behaviors that, in turn, nourish stereotypes. We may think all of our judgments come out of logical reasoning, but truth is we are liable to misjudge because of missing some piece of information.
While we were trying to figure out who our boss would be, we made up a doll; according to his curriculum he was an experienced grown up man, not that old, who came from a renown enterprise, so must of us pictured him wearing a very formal outfit. To our surprise, he wasn’t any of the men we had seen parading in office. First time I saw him, he was wearing dark denim pants, a white short sleeves shirt, and brown classic shoes, all of which fit him perfectly. Moreover, he spoke with a moderate pitch and quick cadence, so he seemed to me an affable, dynamic and respectful person.
It is important that managers and all people who lead teams be approachable; thus, if they like to wear suit and tie very often, they could break down any barrier their outfit might have put up between them and their subordinates. Likewise, they may empower them to propose new ideas and make out problem solving strategies. I have had bosses whose tidy style seemed proper to their status; nevertheless, they exhibited a conservative and aloof attitude, which intimidated their subordinates into staying afar.
Finally, my first impression regarding the new manager was right, although I wasn’t able to figure it all out at a glance. Since appearance do not tells us all about a person, interaction is necessary to validate our intuitions.
Grisel Sánchez
This Project comes as a result of a lifelong battle between my uniform and me. Wearing the same outfit everyday was gnawing my inspiration, my wish to be special, unique. Every morning I chose the same shirt, pants, and low heel shoes. Every morning I was overwhelmed; therefore, one day I decided to change.
I remember my last job interview, when I asked the recruitment manager if it was imperative to wear black shoes, and she answered me: “Everything is fine as far as you don’t wear disco shoes”. Her answer made me laugh and feel at ease all at once, since reinventing my look had become essential to me.
I’ve always loved fashion, though I may have hindered my professional growth because of wearing the same outfit. In fact, when you learn to dress properly it becomes a communication tool that may be advantageous out of transactions. Thus, your look matters to reach your goals at work.
Farewell routine, push yourself to think out of the box, begin by wearing different accessories, new shoes, an attractive bag… In brief, shift paradigms and face up every challenge with positive vibes. Furthermore, avail yourself of the photo galleries and articles you will find here to mirror your dreams, passions, and personality through your outfit. You wont get worn out because of a boring uniform!
Grisel Sánchez
Back in college I used to daydream of becoming a bank manager, not that I was good with numbers, but anytime I saw a businesswoman wearing a suit I found it gorgeous, Moreover, her outfit told me about her success and her enterprise’s as well.
The banking field was alluring to me because of the corporate image conveyed by its employees’ outfit. Many companies take on this marketing strategy disregarding the employees view. Indeed, it’s not only a matter of what you wear, but the way you feel while wearing it.
Although there isn’t a model suitable to everyone, it’s always possible to allow employees to wear tailored garments to enhance their silhouette. In other words, if an outfit is made of a white shirt and black pants, employees may choose among a Palazzo, a straight or a flared pant. Furthermore if the outfit comes with a jacket, employees could choose between a long and a short one, so as to look higher or shorter according to their height. Nevertheless, we must hold on to the company criterion regarding color and logotype.
Every detail counts when it comes to boost employees confidence and well being thanks to their uniforms. Thus, a company will communicate effectively and efficiently not only to advertise its assets, but to achieve its goals.
I’ve worked for companies whose dress code was unbreakable or lenient. Anyway, my last experience allowed me to prompt my partners to see their outfit as a fulfillment tool. Afterwards, I wasn't able to become a bank manager, but I did realize it does not imply I have to wear a boring uniform.