For many years I have been a silent but avid consumer of social media. To this day, I can watch all the major black beauty Youtubers, get lost in Instagram too regularly and somehow remain kinda productive in my day to day life. While working full-time, and managing a family, I’d still be able to squeeze out enough time to keep up with the latest social media craze. You wouldn’t catch me posting though. I had the typical Instagram account of a busy working mum – 0 posts, 30 followers, and following 357. I hardly took a selfie, and on the first occasion that a friend tried to post me on IG stories, I’d not be sure what that was and would awkwardly pose for a photo rather than perform for a story as that seemed alien to me.
Although social media was entertaining, as I got older and continued to navigate through a career, family and my changing body, I found the style or beauty tips difficult to translate into my everyday life. I
I’d rarely find someone online who could give me tips on beauty and style that worked with the woman I was today. At best, I’d have to pick a few tips on makeup from a black beauty blogger, some more tips from a mummy blogger style video, some seemingly
In the end, I ended up going offline to study books on style and fashion and going to professional makeup artists and stylists as they were used to working with other women usually in similar positions to me. Resources that were particularly useful were created for women striving to build a business or creating a platform as well as taking on the hard road to the executive suite, but they were few and far between.
I decided to share what I’ve learnt because I didn’t think my dilemmas with style and beauty as a ambitious woman were specific to me. More women than ever are graduating from university at the top of their class without understanding the work environment and the culture that goes along with being successful in a white-collar job. Navigating that culture is a key component to successfully transitioning into leadership positions, and I’ve found that a suitable wardrobe is a surprisingly useful tool to supporting my career goals. Even if a women’s choice of endeavour is entrepreneurial or in the new creative industries, presenting one’s self with the appropriate professionalism can be incredibly difficult without guidance and we’re bound to make mistakes when there are so few women who have taken the path to positions of leadership.
So, I am taking up writing, as I want aspiring ladies to
Let me know if you have any questions on getting dressed when you need to show-up and lead. I doubt you are the only one asking these questions, so let’s brainstorm and get them answered.
Much Love,
Zeinab
Lindsey Lee
Love the site!! So proud of you for sticking with it and getting your voice out there!! Congrats 🙂
Zeinab Ozigi
Lindsey LeeHey home girl 🙂 Thanks for the support hunny 🙂
M
Thank you! I am a new follower and it’s true – rare to find guidance on what works for me for the woman I am today or striving to be tomorrow. I appreciate your online “voice.”
Zeinab Ozigi
MM, thanks for following. You have no idea how much this comment means to me. I’m glad that I can help, we’re not alone. There’s so many more women like us and I hope this site can be a place for us to share our experiences and what we’ve learnt along the way.