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Monday, June 23, 2008

WorkWear Daily, June 23rd, 2008

Finally, I have created an outfit for work that I feel proud to post here! It just took a little shot in the arm to revive my wardrobe. Nothing like rediscovering an old-but-now-new (do you know what I mean?) skirt to revv up the ol' outfit stamina.

When I set out my clothes last night, I was so proud of myself--the bow, the lovely pleated skirt, the tying in of the colors in the Target flats, the femininity of it all! Well done, me! I got a compliment on my "colors" from an Italian colleague who rocks the best comfy-business-casual style ever. Silvia is always sort of lovely, soft, and rumpled, she has an adorable two-year-old daughter who puts her through her paces.

Anyway. I thought I'd pull out the blue and brown from the shoes and try out a little retro vibe with the almost full skirt and nipped-in waist. This would have worked better with heels, as the skirt length is a few inches below the knee. I love the Japanese pop flowered shoes, they are great with pedal pushers (I also love the 1950s, can you tell?) and knee-length skirts. The necklace is a moonstone on a silver chain, a gift from my parents.

I definitely walked around swishing my skirt all day and feeling girly, a fairly big achievement for a tomboy like me! Does anyone else find it difficult to pull off those soft, flowy princess looks without looking lumpy and blah? I need structure, pleats and pintucks and horizontal stripes! My day of girly coquettishness is ending with me sitting in a coffeeshop typing this in my gym clothes and my badass teal distressing jacket from H&M. Ah, well. It was good while it lasted.

4 comments:

Susie Bubble said...

The shoes are so cute...

Lizzy said...

That is an awesome outfit! I _so_ wish I could piece an outfit together like that for work.

My problem is that I work in a chemical lab so skirts... are impractical. It can be quite challenging to be 'girly' when in pants and on your feet all day. Any thoughts?

Karen said...

Hi Susie_bubble (love your blog)!

Thanks for your comment, those are definitely becoming my go-to shoes for the summer because I have a bit of an aversion to sandals. Target put out several (uglier) versions of those flats, with embellishments like ribbons and chains. I've seen women on the train wearing them and they're just...not right. The original is always best, wouldn't you say?

Karen said...

Hi soapchemist! Thanks for your comment! Believe me, it's a miracle that I banged that outfit together the night before, it's extremely rare that I walk out of the house in the morning thinking, "My outfit is AWESOME!"

As for your question, of course workplace safety comes first, and I'll bet wearing a lab coat all day puts a great big cramp in a girl's style! If we start at the bottom, definitely go for the most comfortable shoes you can, don't try to sacrifice your feet for beauty when they do so much for you in the workplace! I like Sofft brand, they have extra-cushy support and a laid-back, but work-appropriate styling. Since you're a pants-wearer (I normally am), stick with long, straight-leg or bootcut pairs--skinny jeans under a lab coat will make you look like you have teeny Tweety-bird legs and a giant body! I'd say you can be a little more adventurous with your blouses, as long as there are no extraneous ruffles or dangly bits to get in the way of science.

Of course, you can always go to town with jewelry and hair accessories! Whenever I find myself schlumping around in my favorite black pants and the Black Shirt of the Day, I try to up the girly factor with a little more jewelry than I would wear with a more feminine outfit. Something delicate that won't get in the way--for inspiration, check out what they've had Mariska Hargitay wearing on the past few seasons of Law&Order:SVU, I think her wardrobe is a prime example of "I am comfortable, confident, professional, extremely capable at work, and have a bit of a softer side at home."

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