1. Karen Walker dress & blazer, Triwa watch, Pointer loafers
2. Luella cardigan, J. Crew blouse, Karen Walker skirt & belt
3. Striped singlet, Topshop jeans & boots
4. Karen Walker blazer, Zara skirt
5. Topshop heels
6. Karen Walker bracelet
2. Luella cardigan, J. Crew blouse, Karen Walker skirt & belt
3. Striped singlet, Topshop jeans & boots
4. Karen Walker blazer, Zara skirt
5. Topshop heels
6. Karen Walker bracelet
Work attire. After getting asked a question about the types of things that I wear to work on Formspring, I thought I would elaborate a little further here. I've always felt that the clothing that you adorn yourself with every day in its own way, is a mild reflection of who you are as a person. In this respect, I've been lucky that I've only worked at one establishment where a strict corporate form of dress was required, and admittedly, I felt stifled by it.
Last year, I had the privilege of attending a Youth Leadership Workshop in Taiwan, which was an eye-opening experience, and one that I will never forget. One of the smaller things that I noticed while on this trip, was that the other girls in similar positions to myself in Australia adhered to a much more refined, and what I consider to be a corporate style of dress in their workplaces, which encouraged me to re-evaluate what I would wear to work.
It probably took me a little longer than I would like to admit to realise that yes, there is a too short for work; Yes, certain garments are only appropriate for weekend wear; and yes, cozy cardigans can sometimes look a little dowdy when paired with the wrong thing.
On the whole, I tend to adopt a more relaxed style of dressing for work, which is "put together", and not scruffy. I occasionally pair blazers with loose silk blouses and skinny jeans, delicate dresses with a cardigan or a jumper thrown on top, or a blouse tucked into a skirt. I've realised that pencil skirts with a stiff cotton shirt tucked in doesn't work for me, and I'm still trying to find the right pair of work pants that I feel completely comfortable in. While it might seem painfully simple to some, it creates a canvas where a chunky necklace or interesting bracelet can take centre stage.
Footwear is a little more varied, and with a considerable number of suede shoes, often leaves me with little choice on rainy days. It tends to range from black ballet flats or loafers, to Isabel Marant dicker boots or black Chelsea boots, or a more sensible pair of heels at a medium height, depending on the type of day that I am expecting it to be.
I wonder if I had been asked this question a year ago, how drastically different my response may have been. Since then, my wardrobe has undergone quite a transformation, and my heel heights have dropped considerably. I think that while it's important to retain who you are in what you wear, it's also important to project who you want to be, and where you want to be in the future. Every workplace is different, and what works for me, doesn't necessarily work for everyone. Enough from me, happy Friday!