I've probably mentioned this many times before, but just for the sake of context, I'll say this again: I work at a software company with a very lenient dress code, and I'm quite thankful for it because I can wear jeans and sneakers to work whenever I want. However, this is just one of many factors conducive to casual dress at my workplace. For one thing, most of the people I work with are internal-facing (i.e. they don't interact with clients or people outside of the company regularly, if at all), so ultimately no one is out to impress anyone and we only have to look tolerably presentable to each other. Also, many of these coworkers are male; although a good number of them have sartorial smarts, they still prefer more casual clothes. Couple this with the laid-back vibe of the West coast, and suddenly jeans and sneakers become the implicit uniform du jour.
So what's a girl to do if she wants to break out of her wardrobe rut, if only for a day? Some of my female coworkers have a ritual called Skirt Day. They send an email calendar reminder to whoever's interested, telling her to wear a skirt or a dress on a designated day. Skirt Day usually ends with a dinner reservation and a couple of drinks. It's a chance to dress up, have fun, socialize with coworkers, and be an out-and-out girly girl.
Yesterday was my first ever Skirt Day, and I'm looking forward to more in the future. I chose to wear my Charlotte dress with a white tank layered underneath to conceal the low back and neckline. It turned out to be a great outfit for the hot day and the Tequila Kitchen patio in Yaletown, where I had delicious guacamole and tostadas de atun for dinner. Mmm.
- Pink and white floral dress (from Mexico)
- White tank top with shoulder ruching and ties (RW & Co)
- Low black wedges (Karen Elise)
- Pearl stud earrings (Claire's)
YAY for skirt day:) i'm all about an excuse to dress up
ReplyDeleteYou look sweet. I want skirt days at my office! I mean I wear a skirt every day anyway, but it would nice if someone turned it into a monthly event!
ReplyDeleteIt's so funny. Having worked in a hospital setting where scrubs were worn by so many, it was hard to not look like I had an interview on the days when I just felt like dressing nice. There's definitely a better mix here but every now and then I still get the surprised, 'You look nice!' comment. As if it's so out of the ordinary (eyeroll.)
ReplyDeleteAmbika, I know what you mean. I wore this new gray sheath dress last fall with tights and leather shoes, and people kept asking me why I was dressed up. One coworker even joked, "Where's the interview?"
ReplyDeletehaha I really emphasize with how you feel, I get that all the time too! Hmm could it be b/c I once worked at the same company as you? :p I didn't know there was a skirt day! Ah, I miss that place.
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