7 Worst Fashion Trends Ever

Listen, I’m not saying I’m the perfect style guru or anything. Just ask anyone who knows me…I’ve been victim of my own fashion bravery on more occasions than anyone can count. For the most part, I feel alright about this fact because the faux pas were committed of my own creative volition; I wasn’t following a trend, necessarily, so much as I was following my own adorably (I’d like to think) misguided sense of what was awesome.
While this is true, I have also gone to the dark side. I have picked up on more bad trends in fashion than I care to admit. It used to be that we could wait for the fashion phase to pass and then not have to worry about such-and-such atrocity again but that’s not true anymore. Everything old is new again.
Decades old styles are popping up on runways. People have forgotten the carnage of the first go-round and now no one is safe. So I consider it my public service for the day to present this reminder of some of the worst of the worst fashion fads and why they were so awful. Maybe now we can keep them in the past where they belong:

Shoulder pads

Who came up with the brilliant idea that women needed to look like chicks from the neck up and robots from the shoulders down? I’ve fallen prey to many bad fashion decisions but I was ripping shoulder pads out of sweaters before I knew how to write in cursive.

Ponchos

Okay, here’s a thought: let’s take every part of the female body that is curvy and fun to put clothes on and just hang my grandmother’s throw blanket over it. Oh and make sure it’s ridiculous colors and fabrics. Seriously, when you have to resort to old Mexican men for fashion tips, it might be time to go back to the drawing board.

Spandex

I almost didn’t include this on the list because of my love of leggings and tights and all things that generally enable me to wear really, really short skirts without looking too terribly naked. But Spandex is a horse of a different color. I’m talking about those oh-so-dark days when it looked like everyone was constantly going to or coming from aerobics class. And not everyone has the sleek physique to pull off the whole painted-on clothes look. We all saw way too much of our overweight middle-aged neighbors.

Tear-away pants

I blame the boy bands. Or maybe I blame Sporty Spice. Either way, all I can say about tear-away pants is that I still don’t get the point. And trust me, I tried, as a 14-year-old cheerleader (don’t judge. It was an awkward phase, damnit), and my conclusion was immediate: it is way faster, you brilliant athletes, to simply take off normal pants than to mess with those stupid snappies on the tear-aways, which make you look like an ass anyway.

Thongs

I’m not talking about thongs in general. I love thongs! Three cheers for no panty lines! But do you remember when thongs were not just tiny articles to keep your bits discreetly in order, but were loudly and proudly displayed where all could see? It’s called the “whale tail” (just look at a picture of a thong hanging out of the back of a girl’s pants and you’ll understand). I know that as a society we’ve gone through some less-than-modest times in our history of popular attire but I really think that putting a big ol’ arrow down your back pointing to your ass might take the prize.

Harem pants

Who looks good in these parachute monstrosities? Seriously, who? Tight at the top, tight at the ankles, puffy in between. Nothing about that even sounds good in theory. I love you, MC Hammer, but you really kinda screwed us with this one. The truly scary part? Harem pants are starting to make a comeback. If you stop seeing my articles on here, it’s because I’ve quit my job to become a full-time crusader against the return of harem pants.

Low-rise jeans

This is the one that just won’t quit. I remember when low-rise jeans first became popular…there was no greater supporter than me. In fact, for years, if you asked me, I would’ve believed that no other style of jeans was acceptable for my stylish derriere. But in recent years, I have seen the light: low-rise jeans are self-esteem killers. They are the chronic over-exposers of love handles, pudgy bellies and (if they’re really low) missed bikini waxes. They used to seem to create a sexy shape but in reality, all they did was point out problem areas and lead to a major overdose of ass-crack sightings. And no one needs that. There are so many other flattering and truly sexy options in jeans out there. Time for the low-rise to go away for good.

11 Ways to Find Women-Friendly Employers

Trying to find a company that will meet your changing needs as a woman? According to experts, you need to investigate how the organization supports its workers, particularly its female workforce.

Jan Shubert, associate director for Babson College's Center for Women in Leadership, suggests you investigate "anything that helps you get a picture of how they look at and value women."

Shubert and other experts say the clearest picture will emerge as you research corporate culture, company leadership, and policies and programs aimed at promoting women, respecting workers and their individual rights, and providing family support.

So how do you obtain the information you need to evaluate these areas? Start your detective work with these 11 strategies:

1. Look for Blue Ribbons
Many companies that recognize women's work issues get recognized. Catalyst, a nonprofit that researches, consults and educates on workplace gender issues, recognizes pioneering companies. For starters, Julie Nugent, senior associate of Catalyst's research and model workplace initiatives, advises women to take full advantage of the organization's Web site. The National Association for Female Executives' (NAFE's) Top 30 Companies for Executive Women and Working Mother magazine's 100 Best Companies lists are also great resources.

2. Scan the Web for Who Came in Last
"You can do this by searching on phrases like ‘gender discrimination' and ‘lawsuit,' or ‘sexual harassment' and ‘settlement' to see companies against whom suits have been filed or with which settlements have been reached," advises Susan Colantuono, CEO of Leading Women, a Rhode Island-based firm offering leadership education for women.

3. Find Out Who's Running the Show
"Take a look at their leadership," says Nugent. "Are there any women? Are there diverse individuals on their site? Do companies have diversity on their agenda, and is it plainly important to them?"
Shubert advises women to scan annual reports and company Web sites to count the number of women in upper-level management. Is it a boys' club, or is it inclusive? Is it diverse? More top-level women usually means a better environment for all women.

Also consider who your boss will be. You can work for the most women-friendly company in the industry, but if your boss does not embrace the company's espoused values and is unwilling to acknowledge individual needs, that potential job may not work for you. So pay attention during the interview process. Look around your boss's office or cubicle. Is there a sign that your boss has a life outside work and respects others? Ask her what she is most proud of. If she says, "the time I got everyone to pull an all-nighter to get a job done," take note.

4. Evaluate Programs and Policies
"A company's policies around what kind of packages they provide speak to their values," explains Deborah Cutler-Ortiz, director of national programs and policy for Wider Opportunities for Women, a Washington, DC-based nonprofit that trains women for better paying jobs. "When you're talking about no benefits, no nothing, you're communicating how you value your employees."

Again, awards, reports and Web sites are excellent research tools. Shubert recommends reviewing the criteria Catalyst, NAFE and Working Mother use to judge companies for their lists. See which policies are most important to you and base your search accordingly. Programs that typically matter to women most are those that affect promotion, work/life balance and pay equity.

5. Rate the Space
Does the physical office space look gender-neutral? Shubert recalls once visiting a company with the women's bathroom a hiking distance from the executive offices. When you visit a potential employer, take note: Do you see women? Are you introduced to women during the interview? If so, what are their positions and do you get a sense of how long they've been with the company? Retention rates are an important gauge of worker satisfaction.

6. Interview Them
Don't be shy about discussing gender. "It's completely appropriate for a woman to ask the questions that will impact her own career and career growth," says Nugent. And when you ask questions, consider: "Does it feel like an open culture where things are shared and the process is clear?" she says.

Poor or veiled communication indicates an unfriendly manager or work setting. This is also the chance for you to evaluate the hiring manager. Look for signs that she is gender-neutral. "Your first and foremost concern as a good leader is the development of talented people," says Shubert.

7. Go to Lunch
In the advanced interview stage, ask to go to lunch with a would-be colleague. Shubert explains this is where you can ask questions about how women fit into the work environment. You also can get a better indication of whether employees feel the company is a good place to work and whether workers feel valued.

8. Turn on the Tube and Flip through Magazines
If a company advertises, see if it recognizes the importance of the female consumer, suggests Shubert. Women affect the majority of purchases in the US, and not acknowledging this fact signals that a company isn't aware of the importance of women to its success.

9. Rank the Industry
Catalyst's Web site lists studies by industry. Here you can get a sense of which are friendly by evaluating the industries big players, says Nugent. But, adds Cutler-Ortiz, don't dismiss industries that aren't yet women-friendly as they generally pay higher wages. Look for standouts and unionized companies to get the best pay and the best setting.

10. Make Some Phone Calls
"Have a robust network of women colleagues who can tell you what it's like to work in a particular company or who can connect you with a woman who can," says Colantuono. And if you can't find someone connected to your prospective employer, try to connect with someone in the industry who can speak about industry practices. Companies will often benchmark their policies against industry practices as a whole.

11. Consult Your Intuition
If your instinct is telling you something's not right in a company, listen to it. That prospective employer should not only value women but value and respect all workers and their rights. If the employer's emphasis seems to be on input rather output, or face time rather than results, beware.

"Don't ever treat any one piece of the puzzle as the big picture," says Shubert. "Trust your tummy. If it doesn't feel like a good fit for you, keep looking."

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By Susan Aaron, Monster Learning Coach