Sunday, 26 April 2015

Working For The Man

I work with a number of men and I must confess that it is one of the pleasures of my job, as they are all delightful. I definitely make an effort to dress well when I am going to work, irrespective of the gender of my colleagues on that day. I aim for professional, modest but also feminine. Not everyone at the places I work knows about my cancer diagnosis and treatment and I prefer to keep it that way, so I also tend to avoid anything that is tight or revealing across my chest. That can be a bit of a challenge in winter, where long-sleeved T-shirts are often the warmest and most practical option.
This is the top I bought this autumn in my quest to solve my winter wardrobe blues. The first picture isn't particularly flattering, as it stretched the fabric over my chest, but I wanted to show you the dolman sleeves. This is a style I have avoided in the past, but as you can see in the second picture, when I am in a more normal position the excess fabric drapes and falls really nicely over the front.
                                                                    Top:ScanlonTheodore
                                                                  Skirt:ScanlonTheodore
                                                                  Boots:Wittner
This was the outfit  I wore to work today. I think it meets my work criteria pretty well. The high neck is modest, but the welted waist brings the top in, giving a hourglass shape which ticks the "feminine" box for me. I think the simplicity and neatness looks professional and the texture of the fabric and the cut of the sleeve makes it less revealing than wearing a knit T-shirt.

And, perhaps most importantly, it is a wool blend and is consequently warm and cosy to wear.
Working for the man is a positive joy when you have the right clothes for the job! Do you dress up for work?

Working For The Man by Roy Orbison

4 comments:

  1. That is a lovely top! The neckline is very flattering and the outfit has a touch of "Mad Men" about it. Very sophisticated and womanly looking. I dress up for work. I like to be taken seriously at work and presentation along with ability goes a long way to creating the right impression:)

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    1. Thanks, Deborah. It does feel a bit retro and I was struggling to place the era, but I can see the Mad Men vibe now! I totally understand the "being taken seriously" aspect of work dressing. It can be so easy to inadvertently appear frivolous - an element of sexism, I suppose.

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  2. I also dress up for work. I teach at a community college and feel very strongly about modeling professional attire. I love this outfit and will try one of these tops...I have seen them but have shied away because of all that volume . I am short and have to be careful about getting lost in my tops, which I always seem to buy too big because of my shoulders. It is now getting inot the 90s here in AZ and soon to be 100's. Although I agree that separates are often the best choice for this body, I miss my dresses terribly ( for comfort, ease of wear and coolness) and am purusing your older entries trying to find some ideas that might work.

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    1. I love that you see your role as a teacher as encompassing more that just the subject you are lecturing in, and I completely agree about the power of role models and mentors for young women. I love dresses too, and they are especially nice to wear on the really hot days. Let me know if you find some styles that work out. I don't feel like I have this quite right yet!

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