Wear Your Vegetables

When I was a stay at home mom, I made myself get up and get dressed and do a little make-up every day.  I didn't have to, but I did it because to me it was a mental cue that it was time to go to work.  That's right, being at home was my work, and I dressed up for it as I would any job.  I wore dresses occasionally, but not my pretty stuff because there was no point.  No matter what I was wearing it was under an apron all day because due to my oldest daughter's allergies, I had to cook three meals from scratch and then do all those dishes.  I lived in that apron and yearned for the times when we went out so I could wear my pretty dresses.

Entering the work force has definitely provided me with opportunities to dress up.  It has been a blessing and a gift to work in a place that has allowed me to dress however I wish so long as it is both modest and professional.  I've worn things that were extremely fancy and incredibly colorful and creative and it's been loads of fun to finally be able to wear all my pretty things.  As much as I love my new/second job things are a little different there.  It has the same basic guidelines for dress, but it's a totally different vibe.  

I have noticed that I dress more conservatively at that particular workplace.  Because  the work is of a more serious nature wearing my regular clothes feels like too much, like wearing a clown costume to a funeral home.  Wear a clown costume to a carnival or a child's birthday party and you're right in line, but wear one at the funeral parlor and suddenly tongues wag. So, like any rational person who is secure in themselves, I have adjusted my style to suit the location and the work.  I wear trousers more often now and my dresses tend to be in more neutral shades

I'm not totally a conformist, because I still wear whimsical prints with my trousers and just the other day, my officemate and I were walking down the hall and someone asked if we had coordinated wearing dresses together.  I said, "No, we're just in sync!"  Later I asked why someone would ask us that and she replied, "Before you came here no one really wore dresses at all.  Now that they've seen you, more people are wearing them."  Holy smokes, it only took 42 years but I'm finally the cool kid.  So, even when you have to tone it down a little, don't be afraid to wear your style and be yourself.  So, today's outfit is my standard trouser-sweater combo but unlike typical office wear, I chose teal trousers instead of khaki or black and my sweater is covered in veggies instead of stripes or dots and it makes me happy.

Shopping Info:  Trousers from FemmeLuxe, Sweater from ModCloth