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Friday, April 23, 2010

If You’re Shallow and You Know It, Wear Your New Shirt to Work

Once again, we find ourselves running headlong into the weekend. Are you as excited as I am?

If only there was some way we could tell what would happen, a little leg-up, as it were…

But wait! There is!

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the cockamamie idea that my iPod, set on “shuffle”, is a doorway into the future, a guide regarding behavior, transportation options, and possible choices in apparel.

So what was playing on my way in to work today?

Anyway Anyhow Anywhere by The Who
Ballroom Blitz by Sweet
McFearless by Kings of Leon
I’m a Man by Chicago (almost eight minutes!)
Berlin by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
My Mistakes Were Make for You by The Last Shadow Puppets

And there you have it. And now that you have it, I’m thinking a stiff round of antibiotics oughta take care of it…

Actually, the only reason I heard these songs – the only reason I even came in to work today – was because I had a new shirt to wear.

Sad, iddin it?

And as vain as it strikes me, I somehow feel I do a better job when I’m pleased with my clothing.

I am as my mother raised me. I accessorize. I wear skirts and dresses to work, weather permitting. I fix my hair every day and I wear make-up even to my weekend cleaning jobs.

Surely I’m not alone? Oh, tell me I’m not alone! Why, there are whole days when the only good thing that happened was the way my skirt was the absolute right color, my jacket fit just so.

I don’t have to dress up for work, but what would be the fun of that?

You might as well ask me to stop putting that little fedora on the cat or insist that I stop plucking my eyebrows.

I won’t, I tell you. I won’t! I don’t care how casual it gets in the workplace. I don’t care if it’s “I’m With Stupid” t-shirt Monday or everyone’s wearing rubber flip-flops to work. I won’t do it! You hear me? I won’t do it!

The blood of William Wallace and countless other stubborn bastids runs through my veins.

They can take away our cost-of-living pay increases, but they can never take away our lipsticks!

24 comments:

cfoxes33 said...

Good post. We get to be casual on Friday, for a price. But I still dress nice the other days and on Sunday. If I am going to the market on Saturday, I don't get as dressed up, but I do get dressed.

Unknown said...

Well, I'm not gonna lie although I'm very tempted to...I love casual, no make-up, jeans and flipflops, t-shirt, no showering kinds of days. I'm sorry Pearl. I know I'm a disappointment to you. My husband feels the same way. But I do agree about the lipstick. A girls always gotta have her lipstick on no matter what.

Simply Suthern said...

I am not into the casual Fridays. I am more casual 2010 so don't rankle my chainmail with your spiffy new shirt, as I am a descendant of Longshanks. Sure you look good with a crisp collar and all dolled up. But, but. What am I sayin. Just because you are funny don't mean ya gotta dress funny. Keep on styl'in.

Menopausal New Mom said...

since having my daughter 4 years ago, I can count on one hand how many times I've worn make up. You're right, there is just something about feeling good about clothes we have one that puts a little extra spring in my step. If only I could wear the nice clothes without putting that "spring" in my husband! Think I'll stick with sweats just a little longer

SparkleFarkel said...

"They can take away our cost-of-living pay increases, but they can never take away our lipsticks!"

*with strong-arm pitchfork to the sky and ready to roll any "R" that comes along* Aye!

Cot ye by sehprrrise with the Scottishspeak, didnee "aye"? *reverts back to Farkle-voice* Yeah, I took four years of Scottish Gaelic in high school.

Sarah said...

100% agreement here! On the days when I try out a new combo of clothes and it turns out to be a fantastic outfit, I am SuperWoman and you don't want to mess with me.

And at the same time, I am much more cheerful and happy when my clothes are rockin'.

Now if only my hubby would allow me to dress him...we could both look kick!

Adlibby said...

I completely get the need to feel awesome about your ensemble... it frees you up to worry about the important stuff... plus, you look AWESOME! However, since having two kids and experiencing bouts of time where even a shower felt like a major accomplishment... I am equally free to drive carpool in my yoga pants and go to the grocery store (where I always run into the hot perfect moms) sans makeup and with no evidence that I've brushed my hair. It's liberating! Then again... it might be laziness.

Great to see you're still bloggin it Pearl!

Cal's Canadian Cave of Coolness said...

Ballroom Blizt by Sweet? I think I love you. And who doesn't want to look fabulous. You are only as marvelous as you feel. Now tell me the truth, the Batgirl outfit still technically is allowed on 'casual Fridays'? The fact that you stubbornly refuse to wear it is just you being passive/agressive.

Unknown said...

I don't even work. Yet I wore heels to take my daughter to preschool yesterday. With jeans, yah, but I wanted to just feel like a grown up woman for once.

Batgirl outfit! - Cal's comment cracked me up!

Flea said...

The blood of Bruce runs through my veins. What was Bruce called? Anywho, I don't dress up almost ever. And makeup? Ack!

The Jules said...

Casual Friday is Mankini Friday!

Also, Written Warning Friday.

Anonymous said...

I love that you put fedoras on Dolly G. Squeakers. I know Liza Bean would never tolerate you selecting her wardrobe accessories. Never.
Ballroom Blitz is one of my favs....rock it!
=]

Sage said...

William Wallace was a Scot--like me--which means fashion better be cheap!

Anonymous said...

Oh, I used to wear a shirt to work Pearl. Got drunk one night and thought that a skirt would work to (it was hot!) It didn't and I left the job with my tail literally between my legs!!
And Sweet! Fantastic!
BRMC! Lovely, although I'm not to sure about there latest CD...yet!

Madame DeFarge said...

I have rarely understood lipstick, but my lips are naturally rather red anyway, so I hardly ever use it. Makes a mess of my pencils as I chew the end of them.

Anything Fits A Naked Man said...

When my sisters and I were younger, we LOVED "Ballroom Blitz," solely because of the beginning. We'd do it for hours:
"Are you ready Steve?"
"Yeah!"
"Mick?"
"OK"
"Alright, fellas, let's goooooooo!"
Thanks for the fun flashback!

(And, have a great weekend!!)

Indigo Roth said...

Hey Pearl! I wear a suit to work because I like neckties. Vanity. Indigo

Nancy/BLissed-Out Grandma said...

I wear makeup just about everywhere. And I used to dress up for work. A few years ago I started wearing sneakers on the way to work, and over time I stopped bothering to change to the dressy pair I kept under the desk. A bit of a slippery slope.... I seem to enjoy the rocking outfit days, but also the really comfortable these-chinos-don't-cramp-my-waistline days. Good for you, upholding the standards!

anon said...

I just love you, Pearl : )

Of course I haven't worked in a many places where dressing up was even allowed, never mind condoned, certainly didn't wear a lt skirts to the construction sites, you know? But as blasters go, I'd say I may have been the best of breed in the grooming category, at least, I started ever day like that. And if there was a creek, a lake or even a hose near by, you can bet I used it every chance I got. Its nice to be fresh and clean, yes?
Funny story(now). I have many chronic grooming disorders, there's the glove wearing disorder, the hand cream disorder, the very chronic present opening disorder...I digress. The really big one is the lip-moisturizer disorder. There were probably 10 tubes of the stuff rolling around my work truck at all times. I even have a little lanyard that attaches a tube of gloss to my tool belt. I once unknowingly bought a pack of lip gloss tubes that went on clear but turned bright red after you;d worn it for about 5 minutes. Of course I never used a mirror to apply clear gloss, after all, my mouth is right where its always been, right. So at the end of a long hot shift I got into my truck and as I adjusted my side-views I caught a glimpse of myself. Huh, I'd wondered what the funny looks were from the crew, quite a sight, all geared for work and sweaty and dusty and greasy, and a great, big, shiny, red mouth. Nice of the boys to tell me, hey? They said they figured I knew what what I was doing...f'ing dunces, all of them.

And who would invent a gloss like that anyway?

Viv said...

I am so pleased to read this post, Pearl! I have to say, I barf a little bit (not really, just in my imagination) when I see women slumming around in the middle of the day in jogging suits or track pants or pajama-looking-non-outfits... Ok, I understand if you just came from the gym, or if you have the flu or if you JUST had a baby... but other than that, seriously... You (and I) will feel (and look, duh) so SO, much better, if you dress up just a little!

ellen abbott said...

I am as my mother did not raise me and proud of it!

Marla said...

I always wanted to be a girlie girl, but alas, I taint.

Bill Lisleman said...

well it's ok if you like to dress up but don't expect everyone else to. I'm wearing my old t-shirts. If it's clean then it's wearable.

Cloudia said...

Marlon Perkins!

"Man needs insurance to live."

Always thought he and Jim had a suspect relationship, LOL.

We ALL wear flipflops here but we call them slippahs ("slippers") and never to work!



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