Before Marissa Mayer took charge at Yahoo, the 'old dog of the tech world' was marching into probable oblivion. Taking a hard line by signing off on a complete homepage re-design. Marissa Mayer singlehandedly taught an old dog new tricks.
There has never been a tech executive quite like Sheryl Sandberg, champion of the idea of 'leaning in', as leading operations director at Google, she now sits at the table where all the big decisions are made as the COO of Facebook and the first woman ever to be elected onto the board. Then there is Diane Von Furstenberg who despite marrying into royalty was determined to be her own woman, so she made a $30,000 personal investment and started what is now the global fashion empire 'Dvf'.
There are so many other examples, Michelle Robinson Obama, Carolina Herrera, Arianna Huffington, Mindy Grossman, Dr. Precious Motsepe, Jackie Burger, Angela Arehndts, Miuccia Prada, I could go on.
I've never heard anyone say, that Pep Guardiola in his three-piece tailored Antonio Miró suit and vintage Cartier cufflinks must not know much about football
What I'm getting at is the surprising idea that smart girls can't be interested in fashion. The idea is that they aren't mutually exclusive. Society would have us women of the world, believe that you can't be a rocket scientist and care about your nail polish colour. Or if you care about your nail polish colour then you probably aren't a rocket scientist.
I've never heard anyone say, that Pep Guardiola in his three-piece tailored Antonio Miró suit and vintage Cartier cufflinks must not know much about football. Mind you, under his leadership Barcelona stormed to a treble win in his first season as manager of the Catalan club. His intelligence or suitability for his job, isn't questioned based on what he wears. Why then do women feel the inexplicable need to 'dress down', to be taken seriously?
I had an interesting conversation with a friend who moved abroad to further her career ambitions and she told me about her 'Saturday ritual'. She gets up early on weekends to put on her favourite Ruby woo matte lip colour and emerald green heels. She does this strictly over weekends because as she says, who would take a scientist in engine red lipstick and emerald green heels seriously?
Not so many moons ago, I was busying my way to a degree at the University of Pretoria. The dean of the faculty at that time was, Professor Karolina Koornhof.
A decorated academic and celebrated business mind she motivated, inspired, disciplined and guided at head of the table. She made all the tough calls, rallied the troops when needed and she did it all, while looking like she'd casually stepped off the cover of French Vogue.
The point I'm getting at, is that Ruby woo and emerald green heels worn on a Monday chemistry lecture shouldn't be the yardstick by which a woman's intelligence or capacity for intelligent opinion should be measured. Fashion isn't a frivolous toy, you put away while you wait all week for Saturday.
It is how you express an essence about you, while you live every moment as though it were a Saturday.
Why can't I be a smart, outspoken, determined, resilient and sassy woman who cares about fashion?
"Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, except backwards and in high heels"
Be smart.
Be in red lips and emerald green heels.
Be good.