Hello Ladies

How to Help Oklahoma

Hello Ladies — Tue, 21 May 2013 13:15:36 +0000

No other topic feels important right now, only the people of Oklahoma who have been affected by the tornadoes. Our hearts especially go out to the children, their families, their teachers and all of the rescue workers. Here are different ways to help, no matter where you are. Red Cross: The Red Cross has shelters open and is also providing food, shelter and emotional support to those affected by the tornadoes. Donate here. You can also text “REDCROSS” to 90999 to give $10 to American Red Cross Disaster Relief. United Way: The United Way states the best way to help is through a monetary donation. Funds will be distributed to United Way Partner Agencies working on the tornado relief efforts. Donate here. Salvation Army: The Salvation Armyis providing food and drinks to people in affected areas. Click here to donate. or by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769). You can also text the word “STORM” to 80888 to make a $10 donation.

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Allure, Disney Remind Us We’re Not Thin Enough

Hello Ladies — Sun, 19 May 2013 14:38:54 +0000

Is it any wonder that in the United States approximately 20 million women suffer from an eating disorder at some time in their life? Or that “by age 6, girls especially start to express concerns about their own weight or shape.” Up to sixty percent of elementary school girls are concerned about becoming too fat. According to MissRepresentation.org, American teenagers spend more than 10 hours consuming media every day. Girls between the ages of 11 and 14 see, on average, 500 ads a day. And what they see when they tune in are constant reminders that their value comes from how thin and pretty they are, and that you can never be thin or pretty enough. The latest reminders came from Allure magazine and Disney. On it’s June cover, Allure features Star Trek actress Zoe Saldana. The headline accompanying Ms. Saldana’s photo? “Zoe Saldana: 115 Pounds of Grit and Heartache” On it’s Facebook page, Allure posted. “The girl is a powerhouse. And we were so impressed by what a tough, confident woman Saldana is (on-screen, in her action-movie roles, and off) that we wanted to capture that. Uh, huh. Perhaps then the headline could have read, ““Zoe Saldana: This Girl’s Got [...]

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What to Give a Working Mother for Mother’s Day

Hello Ladies — Sun, 12 May 2013 13:57:44 +0000

After a long week at work, and the weekend filled with two soccer games, a dance recital and a birthday party, I’ll drive 75 minutes to visit my mother this Mother’s Day. There’s no time for breakfast in bed, a manicure/pedicure with friends or dinner and a movie. That’s okay; that’s not what this working mother wanted for Mother’s Day anyway. You know what I do want for all working mothers? I want: Paid Sick Leave. Almost half (48 percent) of private-sector workers do not have paid sick days. As a working mother, it’s common sense that occasionally you’ll need time to care for yourself or your child when they are too sick to go to school or daycare. It’s also likely you’ll need time to care for an elderly parent. I do. In fact, according to a recent Forbes article, more than 60 million families are caring for an aging or disabled family member. And do you know who does 80-90 percent of that caregiving? Women. Fair Pay. Women are at least partial breadwinners in more and more households, and the sole breadwinner in an estimated 23 percent of families. And yet, women still earn, on average, just .77 [...]

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A little style inspiration

Hello Ladies — Sun, 12 May 2013 11:20:24 +0000

“Florals? For Spring? Groundbreaking.” I love that line from The Devil Wears Prada. Miranda Priestley has no tolerance for what’s obvious and trite and she moves quickly past that which doesn’t interest her. I was reminded of the movie line watching TJ Maxx Style Scout Helena Glazer talk about why she loves her job in the below video (she references florals in store this spring). But TJ Maxx is anything but obvious. The store gives us all the potential to be our own Miranda Priestleys – able to quickly scan the collections and create an affordable and unique style. So when I was asked to host the below videos on Hello Ladies (disclosure: I was compensated for this post), I said yes. Take a peak and get inspired by Glazer, and two other Style Scouts, Jordan Reid and Amy Creyer.

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Hillary Clinton in 2016? Poll Says Voters Ready for a Woman

Hello Ladies — Tue, 07 May 2013 14:50:17 +0000

Watching for signs of a Hillary Clinton 2016 candidacy is the political version of guessing if Jennifer Aniston is pregnant. Unless the women announce something, the answer is no. But what appears to be a clear yes is that voters are ready for a woman in the White House. According to a new poll released by EMILY’s List, an organization dedicated to electing pro-choice Democratic women, 90 percent of voters in battleground states would consider voting for a qualified woman candidate from their party. Seventy-two percent believe it is likely the United States will elect a woman president in the next presidential election. Polling was done by Anzalone Liszt Grove Research and was conducted among 800 likely 2016 voters in nine presidential battleground states. Other key findings from the research include: 51 percent believe the women elected to Congress and Senate last cycle are making a positive difference 75 percent believe a woman president would be a good thing for this country, and that a woman in the White House will send a positive signal to our children and grandchildren A female president is perceived to be as capable or more capable than a male president when it comes to understanding the challenges middle class families face, [...]

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Watch This Video With the Man In Your Life

Hello Ladies — Mon, 06 May 2013 22:20:17 +0000

Excellent TedX presentation about why we need men to use their status to speak out against and challenge gender violence.

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Yahoo! Policy Can Turn Working Mothers Into CEOs

Hello Ladies — Mon, 06 May 2013 12:32:05 +0000

Due to work life imbalance last week, I am just catching up on the news that Yahoo has doubled its paid maternity leave for employees, added eight weeks of paid paternity leave to the company’s benefits package and will reimburse employees for up to $500 worth of “daily habits,” including laundry, house-cleaning and child care. Pardon the pun but, “Yahoo!” This is exciting news because most women who have had a baby will tell you it’s incredibly challenging to return to a work after a mere eight weeks. The one exception, of course, is the policy’s author, Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer, who infamously returned to work two weeks after giving birth. But most women aren’t like Marissa Mayer, with the flexibility and perks of the corner office (including building an on-premise nursery near her office). In fact, only 42 women are like Mayer. That’s how many women are leading Fortune 1000 companies today. And if we have any hope of getting more women in or near that type of position, we need to do a much better job of making work life more manageable. Extending maternity leave is an excellent move, but only part of what’s great about the company’s [...]

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A Woman’s Paradox: Work and Home

Hello Ladies — Wed, 01 May 2013 16:36:11 +0000

Who can’t relate to the below infographic? A compilation of research about women and work tells a story that American women are struggling to seek a balance between work and family and experience career burn out more quickly than their male peers. No real surprises there. But what can be done about it? Our partners can provide more help at home; women do approximately 50 percent more housework than men. Our employers can create more flexible and work-friendly environments. They can open themselves to the possibility that part-time contributors can deliver excellent results. Our representatives in Washington can champion legislation that supports working families. And women? Well we can create our own, unique definitions of success and work to strike a balance that fits our lives. Source: Great Business Schools

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A Feminist Mom Goes Shopping

Hello Ladies — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 17:34:37 +0000

My kids need some new t-shirts so I checked out the Avenger-themed apparel from Marvel Comics. I can buy my daughter the “I Need a Hero” shirt pictured on the left if I want to send her the message that girls need rescuing, don’t grow up to be leaders, and finding the right guy will solve all of her problems. No getting rescued for my son though. Apparently, he needs to be the hero. I can buy him the “Be a Hero” shirt on the right if I want to reinforce the idea of man as provider, and underscore the many messages he receives that he must be strong and tough at all times. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be a hero and certainly heroism can manifest in many different ways. But when apparel companies create two strikingly different messages for girls and boys, they’re feeding into narrow gender roles that aren’t helpful in today’s world. When you consider, for instance, that both the number of female breadwinners and the number of stay-at-home fathers are increasing, you can see just one example of why and how our ideas of traditional gender roles need to evolve. If we want to [...]

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Thank Goddess It’s Friday

Hello Ladies — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 01:12:00 +0000

Thank goddess it’s Friday. It was a looooong week and the weather was wacky. Some mornings, it was extra difficult to catch the early train. But if I had this fabulous green lace trench coat from Burberry, even those super early, gray mornings would be a treat. Enjoy the weekend, and while you’re at it, why not shop for something colorful?

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