Hacking Adulthood
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Hacks
    • Apps
    • Budgeting
    • Friendship
    • Food
    • Fun
    • Health
    • Housing
    • Lifestyle
    • Life Event
    • Mental Health
    • Money
    • Personal Finance
    • Salary
    • Side Hustles
    • Travel
    • Work
  • Contact Us
Top Hacks
Strug Kitchen 1: Pasta Peetamera
My Thoughts on the Free SHS Policy
On Co-Living in Accra
Cons of Working at a Start Up in...
Pros of Working at a Start Up in...
Our Take on Standard Chartered’s New Credit Cards
The Power of Saying No
Want a Better Salary? Here’s How
How to Stop Selling Yourself Short
New Age Entrepreneur: Dedo Azu
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Hacks
    • Apps
    • Budgeting
    • Friendship
    • Food
    • Fun
    • Health
    • Housing
    • Lifestyle
    • Life Event
    • Mental Health
    • Money
    • Personal Finance
    • Salary
    • Side Hustles
    • Travel
    • Work
  • Contact Us

Hacking Adulthood

FashionWork

Dressing for the Not-So-Corporate Work World

written by Hacking Adulthood August 1, 2016
photo-1445205170230-053b83016050-2

For she who does not reside behind a desk for 9 hours a day.

Adulthood is all about choices and discovering one’s self, especially when it comes to what’s going to be your source of bread and butter for the next 20-30 years of your life. For those of us who have chosen to avoid the corporate world like the plague because we constantly have ants in our pants, we find ourselves in the not-so-corporate world. This however, is never an excuse not to slay slay slay! Your style should be both fashionable and functional.

Here are a few tips for achieving this.

The Basics:

  • For a hands on job like mine (I work in event planning), jeans and basic tees are your holy grail. Dark colored jeans are a must, as they do not get dirty as quickly and are quite durable.
  • Cotton T-shirts/basic tees are very affordable and functional. I prefer V-necks because they are breathable, allow you to move around easily, and have just the right amount of edge. You can easily purchase them in Ghana, or you can get someone out of the country to send you a care package. If you’d like some tips on how to style your look, check out this video: How To Step Up Your Style with Accessories to find some style inspiraton.
  • A comfy, inexpensive and well-fitting pair of sneakers or sandals is also a must have, especially if you move around a lot. You’ll also need a good pair of sunglasses.
  • This definitely doesn’t rule out more formal clothes like a button-down shirt and well fitting pants/skirts. The trick is to know your schedule (the calendar on your phone works efficiently or try an app like Todoist), like the back of your hand.

Refresher Bag:

  • Yes, you’ve worked hard the whole day, but NO the whole world doesn’t need to know!
  • For those extra-long days, pack a bag that includes the following to make sure you’re always prepared:
  • Deodorant – This will ensure your pits stay dry and fresh the entire day. My personal favorites are Sure and Nivea for both smell and stay power, and they both come in small sizes for convenience.
  • Face towels/wipes – After all that sweating and exposure to the harsh sun and ever so common Ghanaian dust, it just makes sense to have a towel to wipe your face. We’re all about that ‘fine girl no pimples’ life.
  • A spare white/black tee – It’s always a good idea to have a backup shirt that can easily be accessorized for more formal events. Just add a chunky necklace or even funky pins to add some ‘skirmishes’. Complete the look with a bold lipstick and two coats of mascara and BOOM – Beyoncé’s flawless level achieved.

Makeup:

  • You’ll never find me with full-face makeup for two reasons: my job can get very sweaty, and I’m giving my face a much needed break.
  • However, going without full-face makeup doesn’t mean you should look chapped and worn out. Make it a point to look for makeup options that work during the day. Try a tinted moisturizer instead of a full coverage foundation, or a lip balm instead of bold red lipstick. The look you should be going for is simple, fresh and understated.
  • It’s also smart to keep an emergency makeup bag on hand just in case you need a last minute glam up. Glam necessities include mascara (Maybelline colossal volume is THE one), a bold lipstick, eyeliner (try colors like sparkle green which make your eyes POP) and definitely some blush.

Personal Style:

  • Your personal style cannot be forgotten in everything you do, and your job is no exception. You must discover your individual style yourself, but make sure it shows through in your outfit choices.
  • For instance, if you are a tomboy, feel free to wear sneakers with your skirts or dresses. For more “girly” girls, your jewelry and hair are good avenues for you to express your style. But remember, modesty is everything; you don’t want to end up looking like a clutter queen.

Attitude:

  • Attitude is everything in my business because I interact directly with clients all the time. It might not be something that you physically wear, but it definitely shines through in your look.
  • Even if your muscles are sore after a long day of carrying, screaming, and bending, you MUST wear a smile on your face at all times. Especially when someone says, “Excuse me, can you…?”
  • Attitude is everything; the cherry on top. It’s what makes you Ghanaian jollof instead of Nigerian jollof.

By Guest Hacker Maame Owusua

Maame is an alternative. She thrives in the extremes of life and strives to live every moment to the fullest. She is currently on the search to define her destined purpose and also her more domestic side, which is supposedly, used to lockdown a man. Nothing is more important to her than faith, family, events, her girl pack, the kelewele seller at the junction and a pair of good jeans.

Dressing for the Not-So-Corporate Work World was last modified: August 2nd, 2016 by Hacking Adulthood
5 comments
12
Facebook Twitter Google + Pinterest
Hacking Adulthood

Hacking Adulthood is a platform to learn about and discuss all the things that come with being adults (in Ghana). We’re on the journey of navigating adulthood and learning about how to be adults and we hope you will join us as we learn together.

previous post
The Slow Cooker: The Lazy Adult’s Favourite Appliance
next post
Moving Out: The Big Picture

Related Articles

StartupVG

Pros of Working at a Start Up in Ghana

August 17, 2017
pexels-photo-63196-2

Quick Tips for Looking Well Put Together

May 12, 2016
keep-calm-and-pretend-to-work-hard

How to Look Busy at Work

June 21, 2016
good_hustle_work-2

How to Get Away With a Side Hustle

April 26, 2016
photo-1426523038054-a260f3ef5bc9-2

Dressing for the Corporate World

May 9, 2016
StartupVG

Cons of Working at a Start Up in Ghana

September 8, 2017
Just-Say-No

The Power of Saying No

March 8, 2017
HA-SalarySurvey-Thumb2

PART 2: Get the Salary You Deserve: Survey Results

April 15, 2016
GetARaise-2-02

How to Get a Raise: What Not to Do

April 15, 2016
jim-and-dwight2

Should You Be Friends With Your Coworkers?

May 24, 2016

5 comments

Shalom August 1, 2016 at 1:18 pm

haha super cool – i could definitely use these :) thanks Maame

Reply
Blaq August 1, 2016 at 6:05 pm

Beautiful! Definitely needed dis. U rock gal

Reply
Hacking Adulthood August 1, 2016 at 8:31 pm

Thanks for reading! We’re glad you found it helpful!

Reply
Korkor August 7, 2016 at 12:11 pm

Something everyone can use , love it 👍🏾👍🏾

Reply
Hacking Adulthood August 7, 2016 at 12:46 pm

Thanks Korkor! :)

Reply

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

About Hacking Adulthood

About Hacking Adulthood

Hacking Adulthood is a place to learn about, discuss, complain about, and celebrate everything about being adults in Ghana. Together we will figure out how navigate adulthood and learn more about how to be adults. We’ll cover everything from managing personal finances and how to secure a mortgage to how to make friends as an adult. We can’t wait to start this journey of navigating adulthood with you!

our social media

Facebook Twitter

popular hacks

  • TopFiveGHDestinations

    Mow’s Top Five Ghanaian Travel Destinations

    May 5, 2016
  • Wally-1-01

    Tracking Your Spending

    March 29, 2016
  • Screen Shot 2016-05-03 at 10.43.49 AM

    On Traveling in Ghana

    May 3, 2016
  • photo-1445205170230-053b83016050-2

    Dressing for the Not-So-Corporate Work World

    August 1, 2016
  • computerworld_salary_survey_carousel_hiring-100581638-large.idge

    Get the Salary You Deserve – A Hacking Adulthood Survey

    April 4, 2016

Follow us on Twitter

My Tweets

Archives

  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016

© 2016 Hacking Adulthood. All Rights Reserved


Back To Top