Let's Talk About Dress, Baby

Good Afternoon, Bloggies!

I hope this Tuesday afternoon finds you all well.

Today, I wanna talk about clothes. Specifically, the clothes we wear to work. You see, most of the work I do, I do from home. This means that the people I dress for are myself, the cats and the dog, and therefore more than half my intended audience comes to work naked...just to give you an idea of where this discussion is starting from.

However, there is one other person I work with, and that person is Brian. And as we all know, Brian is not one to follow the "norm." Brian has worked from home for two years now, and I think I have seen him work in his pajamas maybe a handful of times. The man likes to dress, and I mean DRESS, for work. He wears his slacks, his button downs, his loafers...the whole nine yards. When he's feeling fancy, he even puts on cologne.

I, on the other hand, am a subscriber to the theory that working from home means working in my PJ's. I've seen the commercials, you know the ones where the girl is all of 12 and making this great career for herself working from her couch in her PJ's and laughing at her computer screen like the data entry she is doing is a rendition of Monty Python performed entirely by an esoteric mouse troupe. No? Is that just me?

Anyways, that is the category of "dress" that I fall into. I do coordinate my lounge wear though, and keep it classy with bright colors and making sure I don't wear the 10-year-old Bishop Kenny shirt with the mustard stain. But honestly, I get paid for my brilliant writing and communications skills, not to look good, and for the most part my coworkers don't comment on my wardrobe. The other day, however, someone just couldn't keep their thoughts to themselves, BRIAN, and this conversation ensued:

Brian: What are you typing so furiously about over there? And why are you huffing and puffing?

Me: And blowing the house down? I am FINE. I am just commenting on an article online that is filled with completely misleading information.

Brian: Mmmm hmmm. How is that social media strategy coming along?

Me: Are you insinuating that I am wasting my time? Because I assure you I am not.

Brian: I'm just trying to figure out what you're working on.

Me: Serious journalism.

Brian: I may take you more seriously if you didn't say that while wearing Christmas pajamas. In May.

Me: I will thank you not on comment on my choice of outfit, Mr. "What do you mean a purple shirt doesn't go with blue shorts?"


I only wear the Christmas PJ's when all of my other "outfits" are in the wash. Or when it is Christmas...or somewhere around that season. Basically they are very comfortable and it is my house/office and Lord knows the cat isn't judging. And it's not like I don't own work-appropriate clothes. I worked in an office environment for years, so I have the skirts and dresses and slacks and boots and heels and button downs and on and on and on. I just don't enjoy wearing them to come to work in my living room.

I am alone in this? Is there anyone out there who dresses up for working from home? If you don't work in an environment where the dress code has been set for you, is it ok to make your own rules?

I think so.

Thoughts?

- Shana

Gooooooin' To The Chapel, and I'm Goooooooonna Get Married

Hi Bloggies!

First off, I apologize for my absence. I have bride brain right now since I am getting married on SUNDAY!! I will probably not blog again until after that day, but I wanted to pop in to say "Hi!" and "I miss you all!"

There have been SO MANY things that have made me ask, "Is It Just Me?" in the last few days. But there is not enough time right now to explain it all. Let me just say that they all basically end with me calling people dirty liars.

Here is a short rundown of the various situations I found myself in:

- Me and fabric lady getting into an argument about $0.17 on tulle. I was the one willing to admit the higher price. Brian had to pull me into an adjacent fabric aisle to tell me that I was fully engaged, as far as he could see, in Bridezilla behavior. Apparently I had previously asked him to let me know if I behaved in such a manner. Which does not sound AT ALL like me.

- Me telling Kia dealership guy that either he rotated my tires and therefore did mess up my car, or he lied about rotating them and so could not be trusted to tell me the truth about whether or not he messed up my car. Lose-Lose.

- Possible legal action regarding some suspicious algae type gunk on my parking spot. Cut to neighbor taking pictures at 2pm in pajamas. Of the "algae", not herself. Although that would not surprise me.

- Fisticuffs situation in the stationary aisle over a Ninja Gnome kit. I think this one explains itself.

This is just a small sampling. My life is pretty much always a series of instances in which I am questioning either my sanity or the sanity of others. It's also a constant string of moments in which I attempt to understand the male species. One such instance occurred last night when I told Brian he needed new clothes and I planned to purchase them today. He said he has plenty of clothes, and not to get any more for him. Basically it went something like this:

Me: You need new sweaters and a pair of khakis. I will get them when I am out tomorrow.

Brian: Please don't. I'm fine, I have enough clothes.

Me: No you don't, because I buy you new stuff and you just throw the old stuff out.

Brian: Gosh, that must be frustrating. It's also a perfect reason for you to not buy me anything new. You wouldn't want me throwing out all those perfectly good clothes you ALREADY bought.

Me: Whatever. I'm not interested in controlling what you do.

Brian: Just what I wear.

Me: You need new clothes. I'm getting them tomorrow.

Brian: I think you just like to shop.

Me: That's immaterial here. What color sweaters do you want?

Brian: Green. Maybe some blue, if they have them. I don't need sweaters.

Me: Ok, green and blue it is then!

Brian: I don't need khakis.

Me: Yes, you do.

Brian: I'll get my own.

Me: When?

Brian: Get me flat-front.

Such is my life. He knows I am going to buy him the clothes, and he knows that he always loves what I pick out. He wears the things I buy him ALL THE TIME. You can't fake that kind of satisfaction. 


I promise to tell you the rest of the stories after this weekend!!

Not single for much longer,
Shana