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Fashion and Film Collide: Day Four
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Day Four:
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After yesterday’s professorial approach to my office outfit, I decided to relax today. I’m still dressed up but the look’s not as formal. Most congregations wouldn’t sniff at me if I entered their church and few restaurants would deny me admittance. I wouldn’t strut down the red carpet in this, though. I just have on what’s considered fairly typical office clothes. Admittedly, that sort of robs the magic out of wearing this outfit; it is too much like something I would wear on a slightly average, dressy day and not enough of a “specially reserved for my externship” ensemble.
You may notice that I have on what appears to be a necklace. But I have duped you! I took a beaded eyeglasses holder and wrapped it around my neck twice. Do not ask me the origins of the holder for I do not know. I only know that the string of beads was resting peacefully in my mother’s costume jewelry box when I seized it. I have no qualms about re-appropriation, in case you couldn’t tell.
The deep purple top by Express came from—guess!—Fantastic Thrift in Richmond. It cost $2 or $3; I grabbed it on the same spree as the black flats from Day Three and the brown boots from Day One. When I saw it, I immediately lunged for it simply because I owned nothing like it. I have virtually no formal, solid-color, button-up shirts. I prefer to wear camisoles under interesting jackets or blazers instead of the standard “office shirt.” This shirt was the exception mainly because of the color. My favorite colors fall under the categories of “rich red,” “dark purple,” “jewel tone blue-green,” or, more non-pretentiously, “brown.”
The white and lavender top I have on under the darker top was an early Christmas present at Kohl’s one year in high school. I had only stepped inside a Kohl’s once or twice before the event of that purchase, so I was surprised by the breadth and depth of their juniors’ collection. I remember romantic gypsy-inspired pieces were especially popular that season so embroidered jeans and glam hippie sweaters hung up everywhere. Perhaps Kohl’s juniors’ collection would not impress me so much today; I know they are more concerned about catering prevailing trends to the masses than being on the cutting edge of fashion. Anyway, I do not remember how much the blouse cost but I do recall buying a matching knee-length skirt in rose-colored velvet. It was in the tiered, prairie style every girl my age seemed to own at the time. I definitely committed a faux pas by pairing this shirt with the skirt and pink ballet slippers the first time one day in December ‘05. Anyone who passed me must have confused me for “Strawberry Shortcake” incarnate.
My pants are my favorite aspect of today’s outfit. They are denim trousers by American Rag. I saw them in Macy’s shortly before this past Thanksgiving and asked my mother to buy them because I knew she had a coupon. What can I say? My advanced knowledge and sense of timing are an inseparable duo. As soon as I saw the pants, I rushed to the dressing room to try them on. I felt like Mary Tyler Moore (and, for the record, I love her sophisticated, 1970s yuppie style.) At checkout time, I didn’t notice that the casher forgot to remove the anti-shoplifting tag, so I couldn’t wear the pants until I had a chance to return to the store. I certainly felt some intense longing during those two weeks. Ultimately, I was rewarded, though. I snagged a second pair of pants—retro, acid-washed skinny jeans, also by American Rag—for free, courtesy of the manager. This meant that I—er, my parents—only paid $9 for each pair of pants. If you’re familiar with American Rag, you know each pair costs about $80 or $90 originally.
My shoes exhibit a Southwestern influence. They look like the bottom part of cowboy boots, but with buckles. Like so many things I own, these mysteriously appeared in my closet one day. I guess my mother bought them at a thrift shop because they do not seem new, but, again, that would be a guess.
Reflecting upon it now, this outfit may have been more appropriate for Friday since it is more casual than anything else I wore this week. In dressing down, I diminish the joys of emulating “grown-ups” yet it’s a welcomed change from the confines of tweed style pants and blazers.
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