When Outfits Go Wrong

Here’s a picture from High School. I was dressed for “Punk Day” during Spirit Week. Perhaps it was my Junior year in High School. I worked hard on my clothing, makeup, and hair. I wanted to present myself as edgy, fun, and…

“out there”.

When I go to work, I shower, put on makeup, and do my hair. I like to experiment with long, dangly, and whimsical earrings.  I give thought to what I wear. But my sense of self, how I present myself to the world isn’t always as I expect. 

Outfit #1

I love wearing tunics, leggings, and flats. This combination is feminine, almost like a dress, but more comfortable and flexible. One of my favorite tunics is an expensive, dusty green knit. It has short sleeves and a cowl neckline. I often wore it with black leggings and matching green calf-length Merrill boots. 

I felt put together. 

Until the one day when one of my male coworkers was chatting at the end of the day. We somehow got onto the topic of clothing. He commented that each time I wore this outfit he thought I looked like a leprechaun. 

Ouch. 

Outfit #2

My current day job is as a manager at a large retailer. I’m on my feet all the time and can wear comfortable clothes and athletic shoes. I like myself in bright sweatshirts (I think I have three similar ones that are shades of coral or warm red) and dark blue jeans. My favorite brand of running shoes is Saucony. I usually just get grey or a neutral shade, but since I’m wearing these for work, I thought I would spice things up a bit. So I purchased my last two pairs in a bright canary yellow.

So my current self-imposed uniform is a bright coral sweatshirt, blue jeans, and yellow tennies. 

I didn’t think anything more about this combination until a male coworker came up to me, out of the blue…very random…and casually said, “You know, you remind me of Ronald McDonald when I look at you.”

Ouch. 

In the end, I’ve come to accept that maybe my fashion choices are a bit more “out there” than I’d like to admit. Whether I’m channeling a leprechaun or Ronald McDonald, at least I’m bringing some color and character into the workplace. So, here’s to embracing our quirks and finding humor in those small embarrassing moments. 

After all, laughter is the best accessory anyone can wear!

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