An Update from Last Week

OFFICAL UPDATE FOR CONVERTING YOUR DOWDY BOSS INTO A FASHION ICON!

If your following me on twitter you'd be well aware that over the past week I've been "discretely" (read: not-so-discretely) passing on ideas and suggestions to my boss, Mr. X.

Mr. X (my lab rat) is responding very well to the "boss improvement" treatment. The positive signs that assure me that he is doing well are as follows:

• His shirt & tie combo's are less mismatched and more Ralph Lauren quirky
• He knows that shops like Marc by Marc Jacobs exist, and sell nice suits. As opposed to Target..
• Has given his PA (ME!) an honourable mention for the discouragement of black suit pants and brown shoes
• And is it just me or does he look more confident? Maybe I need to clean my eye glasses.. Wait I don't wear eye glasses?!

Until next time,
CC xo

Converting Dowdy Men into FASHION ICONS

MR.X NOW:

MR.X WHEN I'M DONE WITH HIM:

 
Fashionably speaking, this post is dedicated to internal office improvements.

To be exact, this post is dedicated to my fellow receptionists, secretaries, PA's and anyone who works in close contact with their boss.

Read on if you want to score serious brownie points in guiding your boss in the style department. My inspiration for this blog came from my role of shadowing my boss (let's call him Mr. X) all day, every day. And everywhere I look, I see dowdy men in equally dowdy suits. Consider this a FASHION EMERGENCY!

I must admit, Mr. X does take good care of himself - owed in part to his lovely (and stylish) wife, but either way I'd like to inspire him to improve his overall business look. The first step is the establishment of a genuinely trusting relationship. This may take months to cultivate. But believe me, the end result is worth it.

Secondly, drop subtle hints re: style. Comment on a client's tailored suit jacket, forward menswear sales to his email inbox, pass by the shops on the way to a client lunch.

But also consider the thought that he might be shy of asking for style advice, and would rather find it himself. Direct him to the Art of Manliness - a style website with loads of information regarding fashion, money & career, health & sports, and the cultivation of other manly skills.

The Art of Manliness recently featured '15 Great iPhone Apps for Men', covering everything from tying a half-windsor knot to an SAS survival guide. I recommend 'borrowing' his iphone and downloading these apps immediately.

This week, I'm going to put this guide into practise and report back on how Mr. X responds.

Until next time,
CC xo

My Fashionable Office Picks

As a personal assistant, I'm usually trapped behind my desk for hours at a time. And since I'm in the office 5 days a week (sometimes 6), I want my workspace to be bright, fun and comfortable.

Other PA's and receptionists, I know you feel my pain!

I also know that most offices don't allow you creative reign over your personal work space, so here are my top picks for fashionable office accessories that are discreet enough to pass under the nose of management, but fun and funky enough to make work just that little bit easier!

• Purchase a fashionable wall or desk clock. It could be digital or analogue, red or black, you name it. Not only is a wall clock essential to organising schedules, it's imperative you know when your next break is coming up!
• Invest in bright coloured document holders, staplers, pens and other stationery items - Officeworks, Kikki-K, Smiggle or David Jones are great places to start
• Hang a white magnetic board with Command hooks above your desk and decorate with funky magnets, personal pictures, timetables and more. The white of the board will blend in with the wall, and the command hooks ensures no marking on the walls (and ease of removal if a manager catches you out!)

Stay tuned for more hints for the workplace very soon!

Until next time,

CC xo

An Interesting Experience

Yesterday I had an interesting experience that I thought I should share. 

Seated at my desk strategically placed outside Mr. X's office, a client appears with a request to see The Boss. He's staring, and not in the "Pleased to meet you, I need some help" way, but in the "I am imagining you naked" way. I fumble around, trying to look elsewhere as he steps forward to my desk.

"Hi, I have an appointment with Mr. X…"

"No problem, please take a seat and he will be with you shortly."

The man doesn't move.

"Busy day?"

I try to hold back rolling my eyes, I'm too busy for idle chit chat.

"Very busy"

That's right, I think to myself, keep it short and sweet.

"Mmm.. Perhaps a nice lunch will take your mind off things? Care to join me?"

I'm shocked. What to do? What to say? I have a boyfriend at home but risk offending said client and ruining Mr. X's professional relationship with him. I wish I could crawl into a hole.

In the end I look him in the eye and politely decline, citing other plans. Luckily for me, he takes it no further and happily resumes contact with The Boss. Today is not the day for clingers. 

*Phew*, I sigh.

Has anyone else been put in a position like this?

The Man-Style Girl

This totally goes against my femininity, but I'm oddly attracted to the notion of man-style dressing. Maybe I'm spending too much time in a male-dominated office.

But if you see me out on the weekend I'll be decked out in black, silver sequins and pletty of GLITZ & GLAMOUR ('Cause that's what I'm about!)

Until next time,
CC xo