I like dressing up for work. That seems to be going out of style everywhere west of New York and D.C., judging at least from the lack of ties in my own office and the 12-for-1 suit deals Jos. A. Bank keeps advertising. So, you tend to see less of this...
And that's fine. It just makes me kind of an oddball, since I wear skirts and dresses most days. I just like it. I prefer skirts to slacks, and high heels to flats. Our workplace is officially business casual with casual Fridays, but I'd say just plain "casual" is more the status quo. Jeans are fairly common on other days of the week too. Most people would say they're more comfortable, I guess.
But honestly, I'm more comfortable in something like this:
Actually, I've never done the "casual suit" thing like in the above picture, but I think it looks cool. I'm very into cardigans, which I guess may be more "librarian" than "power-chick" but that's how I'm comfy, and sometimes a sweater can casualize a dressier dress, so that works in making me not feel too overdressed in my casual office! I like feeling professional and polished, and I feel like it helps me be momre focused and productive.
I confess I'm not going anywhere with this. I'm certainly not making a value judgment on dressy vs. casual offices. It's just my personal preference. I'm not a clothes horse by any means, but I like feeling like I look nice. (And I love Ann Taylor LOFT, from which I snagged the photos for this post.)
I've actually become a little more casual in my style since becoming a mom. BK ("before kids" or "before Kate") I never wore jeans to the office, even on casual Fridays. I would wear khakis...with heels. Now, jeans and flats are not unheard of for me, and I actually love that leggings-under-skirts look.
On the weekends, I live in flats now, and really don't like wearing heels any time I'm with Kate. They make me feel like I've got cinder blocks on my feet because I can't run after her or pick her up as easily. I change into pajamas or yoga pants as soon as I get home from work now. And Sundays have gotten way more casual for me, as I wear pants or a more casual dress that will work with my Mom Shoes.
But Monday through Friday (or at least Thursday) I'll keep my business casual, even as it goes out of style.
What do you wear to work?
4 comments:
Jeans and a casual top mostly. Only dress up if a client is in town or the mood strikes me. Very rare! sometimes skirts or the leggings look is fun :)
Okay, I had to read your Mom Shoes post, which then led me to the Mom Jeans clip from SNL....and I'm sorry to say that Mom Jeans are also Clergywomen Jeans. Seriously. "I'm not a woman, I'm a CLERGYwoman!" Perhaps this clip should be shown at annual conferences next year to buck the frump trend.
As for work clothes...last time I was in them I was preggo and on my feet a LOT (as a chaplain), so I def. went for casual comfort. I recently had a wardrobe update, as my BFF forbade me to wear t-shirts anymore...but since comfort is still my priority (along with kid-chasing-compatibility), I now LIVE in leggings and tunic-length shirts or dresses. And I do still wear t-shirts, just not as often. Maybe once I go back to getting paychecks I can REALLY update my wardrobe (though I'd still probably choose to spend it at Old Navy).
I'm much more comfortable in a dress or skirt. In fact, I'm still trying to prolong my summer wardrobe into fall because I'm not ready for pants! I work in a school so it ranges from casual dress to casual. We are a small district so really you can get by with almost anything. I have seen older teachers where what is almost a sweatsuit in the winter!
I dress up more than the majority of my coworkers, but I do wear a lot of pants. They tend to be a little more practical when you're sitting on a stool, criss-crossing on the floor, and bending over to talk to six year olds!
My feet wear a mix of heels and flats...but I always have a comfy pair of shoes in my classroom just in case.
Ann Taylor Loft was my main clothing source for a few years, but since they changed their "$25 savings card policy' (to only include full-price styles) I haven't been able to buy as much from there.
I found a great Taylor dress at Nordstrom Rack in August, and I'm hoping to be able to purchase more dresses by the same maker the next time I hit up one of their stores.
Post a Comment