What was it like for exec women & mothers 20+ years ago?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The "dress code" was dresses, stockings and heels.

I remember this all too well.

Thankfully in most of Europe, this is still expected.

Hence people don’t look like slobs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The "dress code" was dresses, stockings and heels.

I remember this all too well.

Thankfully in most of Europe, this is still expected.

Hence people don’t look like slobs

The women executives in Europe all wear dresses? I don't buy what you're selling. A well tailored suit with pants is fine if needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The "dress code" was dresses, stockings and heels.

I remember this all too well.

Thankfully in most of Europe, this is still expected.

Hence people don’t look like slobs

It’s sexist. Why can’t women wear pants, oxfords & a button up shirt like men?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In 1999, I took short term disability to recover from childbirth and spend 6 weeks at home with my newborn. I was in commissioned sales for a staffing company.

My female boss called me every week to ask if I was still planning to return to work.

On my sixth week, she set up an in person meeting. I brought my newborn along with a written proposal that I’d like to work part-time, basically 4 days a week.

She was very dismissive of my idea, said that if she allowed me to go part-time that the other “girls” on the team (4 total) would then want the same and she’d not start such a precedent. It was FT or nothing. Also invoked that anything less than FT would
have me ineligible for commission due to the pay structure.

I submitted my resignation that day.

Had my first child in 2008. I was denied opportunities by my FEMALE bosses because I was pregnant. Only given 4 weeks of leave. I have a great female boss now but the only discrimination I've faced has been from women, not men.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The "dress code" was dresses, stockings and heels.

I remember this all too well.

I had my first office job in 2001 and it was still this. And it wasn't even a particularly conservative place.
I was still wearing suits and stockings and heels in 2008/9/10 at an L street lobby place (but a nonprofit!).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The "dress code" was dresses, stockings and heels.

I remember this all too well.

Thankfully in most of Europe, this is still expected.

Hence people don’t look like slobs

*People* just dress better in general in many parts of Europe (think Paris or Spain. NOT Germany). Nothing to do with dressing more feminine -- the men look better too. I think they just wear clothes that fit and that's a good start.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The "dress code" was dresses, stockings and heels.

I remember this all too well.

Thankfully in most of Europe, this is still expected.

Hence people don’t look like slobs

*People* just dress better in general in many parts of Europe (think Paris or Spain. NOT Germany). Nothing to do with dressing more feminine -- the men look better too. I think they just wear clothes that fit and that's a good start.

People dress better in Munich than DC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The "dress code" was dresses, stockings and heels.

I remember this all too well.

Thankfully in most of Europe, this is still expected.

Hence people don’t look like slobs

*People* just dress better in general in many parts of Europe (think Paris or Spain. NOT Germany). Nothing to do with dressing more feminine -- the men look better too. I think they just wear clothes that fit and that's a good start.

People dress better in Munich than DC

That's a low bar.

[Anonymous]

Me: I'd like a flexible schedule after my baby is born. Single male boss: sure, but you will have to take a demotion to your previous title and your direct report Bob will take your job and title.

This was 18 years ago and, what do you know, Bob is now SVP and our F500 company still hadn't figured out how to fill the pipeline of talent with women.

Also Bob had four children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Me: I'd like a flexible schedule after my baby is born. Single male boss: sure, but you will have to take a demotion to your previous title and your direct report Bob will take your job and title.

This was 18 years ago and, what do you know, Bob is now SVP and our F500 company still hadn't figured out how to fill the pipeline of talent with women.

Also Bob had four children.

But Bob’s spouse picked up the slack your deadbeat husband did not.

[Anonymous]

Mid-90s law firm, we could wear jeans on Fridays during the summer if we made a donation (put a couple of dollars in a fish bowl) and there was a sign next to the fish bowl explaining why we were wearing jeans and where the money was going. We all thought it was great, even though jeans during the hot summer are not great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mid-90s law firm, we could wear jeans on Fridays during the summer if we made a donation (put a couple of dollars in a fish bowl) and there was a sign next to the fish bowl explaining why we were wearing jeans and where the money was going. We all thought it was great, even though jeans during the hot summer are not great.

My job did this the last four weeks for once a week for jeans day with a donation thing and I found it so out of date and ridiculous that I did not wear jeans and I did not donate. I am 45. I felt like I had traveled back in time to my first job in DC 24 years ago.