Tuesday, January 10, 2006

Does This Shirt Make Me Look Minimum-Wage?

Today I went to Liz's for lunch. The first thing she said to me when I walked through the door was, "Wow, you look like you got dressed for work today!" I should explain...I work for The Nature Conservancy and we have a relaxed dress code which is understandable. I guess they figure they owe us the right to wear cut-off jean shorts and "I heart nature" t-shirts because we're making little more than the high-school kids at the Weinerschnitzel. And I take full advantage of their concession. I generally throw on a pair of jeans, flats and a hooded sweater and call it good. Today I wore a shirt with buttons and I guess that seemed "grown-up". I blame it on my acquisition of a flip cell phone. I'm a big kid now. Next up, a car with FOUR doors.

All of this is prologue. The truly remarkable thing about today's lunch and discussion of my clothing was this: About 5 minutes into my lunch visit, Liz walks out of her bedroom with another shirt and tells me to put it on. She heard me tell her brother Arthur that I thought I looked like I should be catering something (white button down, black pants) and she agreed. She told me I couldn't have the shirt back until I got a part-time job at Biaggi's in the Gateway.

Why is it that we need our friends to save us from our own fashion mistakes? I knew when I left my house this morning that I was not wearing my most attractive outfit. I felt frumpy and kind of gross. But I didn't do anything about it before showing myself in public. I needed Liz to concur with my projection and take control. And she did, God Bless Her Soul. So here is to the Liz's in our lives...the girls (and boys) who will tell us when we look like Little Kim on a bad day and help us regroup.

7 comments:

Adrianna said...

My worst outfit ever comes from middle school. I set it all out the night before. I got out my white, cotton, stretch capri leggings with the black polka dots. Then I got out my white cotton button-down shirt with the lace around the collar.

I had no Liz in my life! No one said, "No sweetie. You're not going into public looking like a white cotton polka dot cloud." Oh the humanity!!!

Hey, It's Ansley said...

Yikes, so many of my middle school outfits were atrocious. I too had white cropped (non-strech) pants with black polka dots but I chose to pair them with a very baggy white shirt with hot pink polka dots. They both had dots, that works, right? I also had bright yellow cargo pants, a jackson pollack-esque shirt with some red in it and a big red sweater. I'm sure it was all belted too.

Let's just say that The Limited and Express have classed themselves up a bit since 1986.

I just wonder why I was cursed to go through the awkward middle school years during the awkward style years of the mid 80s. Middle schoolers today have it so much easier (at least fashion-wise). My mom still won't let me have the photo albums, knowing I would destroy them.

Adam said...

I can't pick out a decent outfit to save my life. Every now and then I'll get lucky and stumble onto something that's not horrible.

Someone needs to setup a real-time fashion check website. Where hopeless cases like myself can post what they are planning on wearing, and get instant approval or warnings. Help for the fashion impaired.

But I think you can get away with almost anything NB. Your attitude and witt will make up for any fashion faux pau.

Sara said...

Pegged jeans with the sweaters that practical fell to the knees (even after you belted them with a thick belt. That was me in my "casual" outfit of the mid 1980's. Luckily I never succumbed to the bubble/balloon skirt that sadly is making a comeback, yikes!

If having four doors is a requirement for being a grown up, I may stay young for a LONG time. Unless they come out with a 4-door MINI.

Sara said...

Pegged jeans with the sweaters that practical fell to the knees (even after you belted them with a thick belt. That was me in my "casual" outfit of the mid 1980's. Luckily I never succumbed to the bubble/balloon skirt that sadly is making a comeback, yikes!

If having four doors is a requirement for being a grown up, I may stay young for a LONG time. Unless they come out with a 4-door MINI.

Tamara said...

I love that NB's current dose of fashion humility is compared to our decisions in middle school.

lenalou said...

I just have to say thank heavens for school uniforms. They save us from ourselves.