The Women Will Not Be Wearing The Company Polo Shirt
No woman needs to network looking like they work at Walmart.
Several years ago, I was a vice president of a management company whose parent company was traded on the NASDAQ. We were worldwide. This was a time in my life when I would go to work every day donning lipstick and a boatload of audacity. It was fun for four minutes.
The executive team often has to do considerable networking. One year, we put on a large event that would be attended by all of our clients’ board members with a keynote speech by now-US Senator Mark Kelly.
My boss wanted us to wear coordinated outfits. The executive team. In matching outfits. That would also be worn by the rest of the company. The proposed outfit? A royal blue polo shirt with the company logo and khaki pants.
Khaki. Pants.
I looked my boss straight in the eye and in front of the whole team, asked him what about this (gesturing wildly to myself) gave him the impression that I owned khaki pants.
I was a grown-ass executive. I refused and informed him I would be wearing a suit. My fellow female VPs joined my mutiny and refused as well.
I do not wear polo shirts. I do not wear khaki pants. And I…
