Once upon a time I studied abroad in the Caribbean, where I learned that all-patterns-all-the-time in many bright colors is perfectly acceptable. And then I moved back to New England, and many people, who I thought loved me for what was on the INSIDE started telling me that they would refuse to be seen in public with me if I continued to insist that pattern mixing was A Thing.
(And then pattern mixing DID become A Thing, but my patterns remained sub-par and un-fashionable. WHATEVER, world. I don’t need your stupid approval.)
Warning: Neon in picture is brighter than it appears.
Soon after, I became a Grad Student in a grey and windy country, and I toned down the patterns (sometimes) but decided that hoodies were sensible and appropriate for most occasions. This worked until the Great Hoodie Incident of 2010, when my friends almost suffered a nervous breakdown trying to figure out how to tell me I couldn’t wear my hoodie to a night club. Guys, I’m not totally inept. I was planning to take the hoodie off, ok? In what was definitely a well thought out protest, I chose to continue wearing my flip flops. So there, y’all.
What do you mean this isn’t appropriate clubbing attire? Just let me finish chasing this duck and I’ll be ready to go. (Photo courtesy of my EnablerFriend)
ANYWAY. Now I work in an office, where I am perfectly capable(ish) of putting together professional and appropriate outfits. People have even been known to comment on how I “always have the best shoes”. Which is why, when I am sulking because I feel like I might sort of, kind of be vaguely injured (or just sore because that’s what happens when you run fast), I feel like occasional lapses are ok.
In an attempt to make the maybe-sort-of hamstring pain GO AWAY I decided to be sensible, or whatever, this week and I rocked my sneakers. But I didn’t want to be professional on the top, sporty on the bottom – the mullet of office wear – so instead, this happened:
All I needed was to jack up my pony-tail and throw on some track bottoms. Yesterday, I swapped my wannabe (see what I did there?) 90s pop star look for a rugby shirt and jeans. Just in case I found myself in an office wide scrum, or something.
Me: My editor just told me I look “all rugby-d out.” That would be because I have totally given up on any attempt at professional attire and am actually wearing a rugby shirt today. At least it’s not my in-your-face Saltire one?
EnablerFriend: I know that you have multiple rugby shirts. But I only think of the Saltire one. And I didn’t think there was anything wrong with wearing that one to the office.
Noted.
Balance, guys, I swear I’ll get there. At least I took the hoodie off?
Your turn: Is there such a thing as too many patterns/colors? What’s the professional limit you can get away with at work? Does anyone else chase ducks and traffic cones? Just me and my friends? Oh. Ok then.
