Aside from my few stints as a waitress, I’ve never worked in a place with an official “dress code.”
Restaurant life brought me some unfortunate uniforms over the years: there were the khaki pants at the country club, the American flag tie and men’s button-down for the Fairfield bistro, the blinding green t-shirt from the Irish pub. [Don't get me started on footwear; I cringe at the thought of those service-induced Reeboks].
Later, there was the French women’s magazine, where my outfits needed some element of practicality in order to lug twenty pounds of clothes and accessories on either arm, while walking from shop to shop throughout Prague’s tangled center. And yet, I was a fashion assistant: I was not exactly showing up for work in sneakers.
Of course, there was college life, where I was a part of the NYU majority who brought along eight pairs of shoes and seven belts for semesters abroad. I’ll never forget how everyone stared at the lone girl in my 8 AM Spanish class who showed up each morning in sweats and flip flops. It simply wasn’t done: we proclaimed our style the second we walked onto the city’s streets, whether we were leaving an apartment or a dorm room.
i can’t help loving the colors of this edible spread as well.
I always dress up. It’s not necessarily to improve my mood – I’m unconvinced that a good outfit will make or break one’s day. [Although, I do know the feeling of an uncomfortable ensemble putting me in sour spirits]. I’ve been dressing in my own way for years, donning printed skirts for writing workshops or Spanish class, sliding bracelets onto both wrists for Sunday brunches or long days at work.
I have the luxury of wearing basically whatever I choose to work – I sit behind a desk and type away most days, so I have no outside perspectives aside from coworkers for which to dress. Working in the arts lends itself to more casual environments, but that doesn’t stop me.
People ask me: why? Why dress up? Why seek out the thrift stores and the antiques markets? What’s the purpose, especially for someone who continues to work hard to take emphasis off the physical?
I don’t claim to be the most fashionable person or an expert on style, but I think it comes down to self-confidence. Personal style is a way for me to quite shamelessly and quite literally wear my heart on my sleeve. It is a way in which I proudly proclaim my identity, my individuality, my Leslie-ness. It’s a part of me in the same way as the type of food I eat, and I happily defend my personal take on both.
Ironically, my need to do laundry has resulted in the most mundane of outfits today. It happens.
What’s your take on style? Do you have another way of proclaiming who you are?
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There was a girl on the subway this morning who’s outfit screamed “suburbia”. Had to share.
I like getting dressed up sometimes, but I’m more of a jeans and sweater kind of girl. I loved when I used to work in outdoor education, and I could wear fleece and jeans all day, not having to think too much about what to wear unless I was going out. Now that I’m a classroom teacher, I think I get tired of planning outfits and buying new clothes, but it may just be a phase.
Love this post; I can spot pieces directly from our conversation at Josie’s! Comparing our college’s “college girl” style, so funny. . .
Style/clothing/fashion is my ‘thing’, and has been since I was little. My style is eclectic; one day I like to be the J.Crew super-polished prepster; others I prefer a more urban casual look. I love black, gold vintage jewelry, honey leather bags, interesting shoes (have to be one of a kind!), painted nails (darks, reds, coral).
<3
Hey! Haven’t commented on your blog, but I always read it. Anyway, I agree, style is a way of telling people who you are. I live in the suburbs outside NYC, so everyone at my school dresses exactly. the. same. Everyone tells me, though, I dress like I’m from the city. While everyone at school was wearing uggs and jeans, I had on oversized wool sweaters and riding boots…yep, I got weird looks. I am in love with anything vintage!
I take it back, I don’t want to see photos of your 19 year old self harassing Matthew Morrison, I want to see photos of you in an American flag tie and men’s oxford shirt. Hahaha.
My style has evolved over the years and will probably continue to change. I can’t really put my finger on what exactly my style is, because I love a good birkenstock and plaid shirt outfit as much as I love a ridiculous dress and heels getup. And I’m equally comfortable in both.
I feel like my style is almost more defined by what it isn’t rather than what it is… you’ve seen me in person, so you know that I’m pretty much textbook WASP- super blonde, blue eyed, long-nosed, blah blah blah. Yet I avoid cable sweaters, polo shirts, and boat shoes like the plague because they make me look like a caricature.
im pretty laid back. i like comfy clothes.. more tom boy like. cut up jeans and a vintage tee for sure. but i also love dressing up and being girlie. all of it is so fun <3
I like this post. I think about this kind of thing all the time actually, and I have mixed feelings. In Manhattan, so many people are trying very hard to dress in a unique spunky way (myself entirely included), and after a while I found myself dressing down completely and feeling even more myself in comparison to the swarms of fashionistas. But then after a week of proving that point, I can’t wait to put on something kickass. So, I live somewhere in the middle I believe.