Ginger Rogers

One of my favorite quotes of all time is, "Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did except backwards, and in high heels." For me, it's not even about men getting the acclaim when often our job is even harder (although I have had that situation with male co-workers in the past), it's about remembering that often the work we do is even more complicated because of where we are standing in the dance, and how we are required to present ourselves. So when we succeed at work despite being hobbled by those restrictions, I think we deserve extra praise.

For example, a waitress required to wear heels ends up often working physically harder than one who is allowed to wear practical shoes, or a female middle manager who does not have staff to help with a project but produces the same results as someone leading a team. I have extra empathy for women in those situations, and I confess I cheer them on harder when they kick ass.

Anyway, this week I have felt like Ginger Rogers; it's been the first week of a new company-wide software, and I have been fighting an uphill battle to get my issues resolved in a sea of issues, and worse, getting people to pay attention when I have found serious issues in the new system. Because I work on a smaller software, my position in the dance is definitely "backwards". But I cajole, and I make jokes and get people to relax, and I have been onsite all week as a presence, going to the Command Center personally to follow up on open problems and talking to people face-to-face. The first couple of days I even brought home-baked cookies. Slowly but surely, I have been succeeding at getting my voice heard and the problems noticed and fixed. Slowly.

I realized last night that I have done all this in high heels.

In fact, by mid-week my high heels became the tool in which I got people to pay attention to my issues and work with me on problems; they helped me in the dance. I would go upstairs and the first thing the other women in the room would do was smile and check out which ones I had on, then with the ice broken and having given them a minute to not think about the frazzled, overwhelming number of things they were dealing with, they could concentrate on the issue we were working on together, and they helped me get my thing fixed. Then we would smile at each other, and they would dive back into the chaos. (Truly, I do not envy them; as hard as I was working, they had it much worse.)

My outfits themselves have been remixes of ones you have already seen or I discussed:

Source: polyvore.com via LowFatDressing on Pinterest

I do have pictures of all the shoes!

Sunday, the olive suede Clark Vermont Vistas (available online still):



Monday, the burgundy Franco Sarto Deers:



Tuesday, the Payless leopard wedges with red bows:



Wednesday, the Nicole Blessed heels with red, purple and brown colorblocking:



I got these last year from a tip from Barking Dog Shoes. Super comfy and strikingly different.



Thursday, the Franco Sarto Deers in grey:



Oh, Thursday's outfit was worth taking the time for photos. It's a new dress I got at the Half-Yearly Sale at Nordstrom. I love it beyond reason.



Get used to seeing it a lot -- it's a fabulous heavy knit material and will layer so well with everything. This time I did my old trick of a long-sleeved layering top underneath and a short-sleeved cardigan on top.

Best of all -- it's not actually lace. It's a lace print on the knit. Flipping gorgeous.



Did I mention it was also on sale??



It's a faux-wrap, but it is actually a teensy bit too big right at the wrap part. I am going to take it into Nordstrom and have them take it in; they did a great job with my other dress, so I trust them with the trickier tailoring. My dry cleaners can do my hems, but this I want to go to someone I trust. Plus, I bought it from them so if they ruin it, hopefully they would replace it. They are Nordstrom, after all!

Today I finally get to work back in my own office, mopping up various problems and catching up with my boss and co-workers on other ongoing projects. To complete the Ginger Rogers metaphor, I get to dance facing forward, in flats, today. I earned it! ;-D