Through stories and statistics, we have learned that dressing for success leads to success.
While rocking a tailored suit may be considered dressing for success, it is also important to incorporate your personality into your career looks. I will admit that for years I chose to wear more classic styles because I was fearful of what my coworkers would say. Tyra Banks said it best, "Never dull your shine for somebody else."
We should all feel empowered to be the perfect balance of Annalise Keating and Cookie Lyon in our respective workplaces.
We all strive to be booked, busy, and blessed, much like style aficionado, Kéla Walker. This #girlboss is a seven-time Emmy nominated television host, producer, and life and style content creator. Kéla manages to boss up 24 hours a day and keeps it super stylish while she does. She's the woman we all strive to be with her bubbly but relatable personality. There is never a moment we aren't wondering what she's wearing and how she so skillfully curates her outfits.We follow her on Instagram, not only for inspiration, but to see how she's able to infuse her personality into her work wear.
"I work in a creative environment so the dress code policy isn't very stringent," Walker said. "As a result, I get to wear whatever I want, but I'm no slob. I wear a lot of dresses, matching sets, and dressed up denim. I feel smart and most stylish when I wear a dress—specifically a great fitting shift or sheath dress with a pair of killer heels. I feel like the boss even though I'm not."
Though dress codes can vary between offices and industries, Kela gave us the scoop on how we, too, can look stylish at work.
Here are her suggestions for how you can feel like a boss (even if you aren't—yet):
1.Shop Smart
"Everyone knows the popular spots like H&M, Forever 21, and Zara, but one shouldn't turn their nose up at fashion from places like Kmart and JC Penney. They have some great pieces at competitive prices. You shouldn't spend a lot on pieces you're only going to wear for a couple of months. Also, check out Target. They have an incredible fashion department outside of their designer collaborations. Really you can shop anywhere, all you need is the style and know how to make pieces work to your benefit."
2.Invest Wisely
"Think [about] pieces that will work for both your professional and personal life. One of the reasons I love dresses (besides the fact that they're great for those days when you're running late and don't have time to put an outfit together) is that they are easily transitional. You can dress them up with heels and blazers during the day, or dress them down with sneakers and flats on the weekend. And depending on the cut, they also make great layers once things start to cool off. On the flip side, separates are also really great because you can mix and match them with other pieces in your wardrobe to really maximize their budget."
3.Get Colorful
"A great way to make office attire stylish is to infuse color—whether it be with your blouse or slight details like your nails. Also, great heels and accessories that complement your personality without disrupting your professionalism always make for great style. Also wear pieces that fit. Nothing screams polished and chic more than well-fitting clothes."
4.Don’t Feel Like You Have to Wear a Suit
"I don't wear suits in the traditional sense to work, only the trendy matching sets and coordinating suits."
5.Still Embrace Trends
"I'm into culottes, I love that they are not quite pants but much longer than shorts, which can be a no-no at work. Also sleeveless coats and vests. That makes every look polished and chic. And when the vest and culottes come together, they make really cool suits for summer."
Isn't she great? Be sure to check out her style blog, Kéla's Kloset for more tips for maximizing your style.
26 Apple Cider Vinegar Uses
A trip to Sephora or to your local grocery store can sometimes be overwhelming with the wide selection of products and brands to choose from. Not to mention that so many beauty and house cleaning items have harmful chemicals in them that will send your body into straight defense mode (but that's a discussion for another post)! Some of the best beauty and house cleaning items are right in your kitchen, saving you from a stressful trip to the store and keeping money in your pockets.
Apple Cider Vinegar is like 'Tussin. It can do all things (joking—I hated when my Grandma told me to, and I quote, “put some 'Tussin on it"). But seriously, Apple Cider Vinegar actually has a magnitude of benefits. From facial toner to deodorizer, it's that one staple product that you always want to keep on hand.
My favorite brand of Apple Cider Vinegar is Bragg's Organic, which contains “mother," or in other words strands of proteins, enzymes, and friendly bacteria. It's magical. And to prove it, here are 26 ways that you can use ACV as a part of your daily cleansing and beauty routines.
1. Clean and Disinfect
ACV can disinfect just as well as bleach—minus the harsh smell. Dilute the vinegar with water (one part water, one part ACV) and can be mixed with lemon juice, salt, or essential oils for added benefits.
Be careful when using this mixture on wood floors, you don't want to get them too wet.
2. Un-Wrinkle Your Clothing
This is my favorite (I hate to iron). Fill a spray bottle with three parts ACV and one part water, spray all over your wrinkled clothing and hang to dry.
3. Freshen Up a Room
In a spray bottle, combine one part ACV, one part water and one part Essential Oil. Mist in to the air as frequently as needed.
4. Clean Your Coffee Maker
Pour two parts ACV and one part water into your coffee maker and run it as you would normally. For fresher tasting coffee, repeat every three months.
5. Remove the Annoying Stickers
Soak stickers with vinegar and let stick for at least 20 minutes, scrap it off with a butter knife.
6. Brighten Up Your Electronics
Disinfect your phone, tablet, computer or TV screen using vinegar to wipe them down and give them fresh out the box shine.
7. Make a Toner
Neutralize your pH, making your skin soft and smooth using ACV as a toner. Dilute if the smell is too strong.
8. Condition Your Hair
Remove buildup on your scalp, making your hair shiny in the process.
9. Prevent Ingrown Hairs
Dilute with water, shake well, and apply after shaving to prevent ingrown hairs.
10. Aid Your Digestion
Apple Cider Vinegar has pectin, which calms intestinal spasms, and it can ward off the bacteria that causes diarrhea, bloating and gas. Add 1 tablespoon of ACV into a cup of water and drink before meals.
11. Treat Toe Fungus and Warts
Tape a cotton ball soaked in ACV and leave it on overnight. Repeat until the wart or fungus is gone.
12. Get Fresh Breath
Gargle with water and Apple Cider Vinegar for 10 minutes to get rid of bad breath.
13. Use as a Natural Deodorant
Applying ACV to your armpits neutralized odors, acting as a deodorant.
14. Boost Energy
Drinking a tablespoon of ACV with water, helps to prevent exhaustion, thanks to potassium and enzymes in the vinegar.
15. Soothe a Sore Throat
Kill off the germs causing discomfort by gargling ACV—they can't survive in an acidic environment.
16. Whiten Your Teeth
Brushing with ACV works as a natural whitener if you give it time (at least a month). It's important to be careful using this method, too much vinegar can remove enamel. After brushing with ACV, you will need to brush again with regular toothpaste, preferably a non fluoride paste, or rinse your mouth out really well.
17. Clean the Oven
Mix ACV with baking soda to clean your drains and oven.
18. Get Rid of Smoke Odor
Remove the lingering smoky odor by placing a small bowl of ACV where the smell is the strongest. The odor should disappear in a day.
19. Trap Fruit Flies
You can get rid of those pesky flies by filing up an old jar about halfway with ACV, punch a few holes in the lid, screw it back on.
20. Wipe Away Mildew
Remove mildew stains by wiping at the stain with a cloth, diluting for lighter stains.
21. Disinfect Toilet Bowls
Pour two cups of Apple Cider Vinegar and let soak overnight before flushing. Do this weekly to prevent water rings from appearing.
22. Clean Your Toothbrush Holder
Get that disgusting grime off your toothbrush holder by cleaning the openings with cotton swabs soaked in Apple Cider Vinegar.
23. Keep Flowers Fresh
Mix two tablespoons of ACV and two tablespoons of sugar with the water before adding the flowers.
24. Ward off Candida
Apple Cider Vinegar helps to fight off the intestinal yeast overgrowth by killing the yeast, creating a die off reaction.
25. Soothes Sunburns
There are several ways to soothe a sunburn with ACV. Fill a spray bottle with vinegar and water to spray on the sunburned skin. Dip a washcloth in vinegar, wringing the cloth out, and patting it gently on the affect areas. Take a cool bath with the diluted ACV.
26. Detox
Apple Cider Vinegar alkalizes the body, playing a major role in the way it heals itself. It helps the body to remove toxic waste before it can do damage without sacrificing minerals, vitamins, and enzymes. It aids digestion, improves bowel movements, detoxifies your liver, purifies your blood or clogging your arteries.
