How To Be The Ultimate Wing Woman

Looking for more “make-life-easier” tips? Visit www.mywingwoman.com or follow the conversation on Twitter @mywingwoman. I received compensation for this blog post from Teva Women’s Health.

In college I was not one of those girls who woke up three hours before class to make sure I was polished and primped head to toe before headed to my first lecture of the day. Sure, I got up three hours before class but that was to head to the pool, swim a few miles, and then sprint out of the water, into the shower, through the locker room, past the grab-and-go breakfast station, and into my classroom seat seconds before the bell rang. I would pack and plan as diligently as I could the night before but my hair was always damp and I was definitely not a Southern beauty queen.

One morning I was extra stressed running to an advanced finance class as I had a big presentation. I knew the material backwards and forwards and had practiced my part of the group project many times and was confident in what I was going to say. After the professor held rollcall, the groups were chosen at random to present, and of course, we were picked as second. I nervously sat through the first presentation waiting for my turn and as applause broke out I got ready to stand up but froze, halfway out of my seat when the girl behind me asked a question. While one of the presenters answered, she leaned toward me and whispered that the back of my shift dress was open and you could see my bra. I turned scarlet, mumbled thanks, and managed to fix it on my way up to the front of the 75-person class.

The presentation ended up going well, but from that moment, the girl and I became fast friends. Even just this week – we were texting about our college reunion next spring. I’ve kept this embarrassing moment in mind since then, and try to pay the kindness I experienced forward not only to my best friends but to my coworkers and complete strangers as well. While it is true, for the most part, New Yorkers are a bit sour, when you let someone know they have toilet paper on their shoe or their dress is unzipped, their demeanor changes completely! Just last week I had to act as a wing woman to a woman I barely knew letting her know that her undergarments were clashing with her outfit (a hot pink thong and a white skirt). We had only met once before but I decided to be bold and let her know before she presented a very important review to 30 clients. If I had made that oversight, I would want someone to let me know!
In the hopes of being a good wing woman, here are my top tips for preparing for a big meeting, presentation, or appointment:

• Confirm nothing is in your hair
• All of your clothes are fashioned (zipped, buttoned, tied, etc.)
• You arrive early
• Your lipstick is fresh and nothing is in your teeth
• Your makeup is not smudged
• Have an emergency desk kit with deodorant, a white shirt, nude undergarments, safety pins, gum, and a stain remover pen

Why am I telling you this today? Because Teva Women’s Health has launched their “Wing Woman” campaign highlighting those wing women who swoop in to save women from difficult situations and embarrassing moments by providing helpful life advice. Every woman has a Wing Woman in her life, no matter it’s her mother, sister, friend or a public figure!
Who is your wing woman?

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.