Dressing
This morning, I got ready to go to the gym, but it was storming like crazy and I didn’t want to drive in it. I laid down on the couch and took a little nap. When I got up to start getting ready for work, I decided I would keep my yoga pants on and wear my running shoes, because I was so very comfortable and warm. I put on a nice sweater and some makeup, and did my hair, so I didn’t look like I’d just rolled out of bed.
No one would say a word at work if I showed up dressed like this. When I asked my boss about the dress code, back when I was hired, he told me the office was “business casual, with jeans on Friday, if you want.” This turned out to be completely untrue. There are shorts, flip-flops, basketball shoes, sweat suits, and t-shirts. I am often the most dressed up in the office, even when I show up in jeans.
And yet, somehow, I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. I put on some jeans and some nicer shoes.
Bart came into the bedroom while I was picking out my shoes and I said “I decided to wear real pants.” He said “I knew you would. You just aren’t the kind of person to be okay with wearing that to work.”
And I’m not; I cannot wear my tennis shoes to work. I don’t know whether to be pleased or ashamed.
Marshall is the same way. Often when he wears a polo shirt and dockers to work, his co-workers ask why he’s dressed up. He answers that he’s not dressed “up,” he just likes to look like a legitimate human being. I love him for it. He was born a middle aged businessman. He’s a lot better though ever since he spent a summer working for a software company in Silicon Valley. He finally conceded to wear jeans in light of the “shirt and shoes optional” policy they seemed to espouse there.
It probably depends on what the motivation is. It sounds like your unwillingness to dress it down is more about who you are and what you’re comfortable with than trying to impress anyone, so I say praised.
And, like the sleeping in, dressing down seems to create blah days in my world…except for “spirit” days, when I happily don my jeans, collegiate t-shirt and trainers (I decided to start a new, British trend and call tennis shoes “trainers”). Go Cougs!!!
I love that about you…I’m the same way. Some girls at work showed up in shorts, tank tops or oversized t-shirts, and although we didnt ever have to dress up even a little bit, I always liked to look nice. It’s just as easy to put on a nice jeans and a sweater as it is to put on a pair of basketball shorts and a sweatshirt! I’m sure you looked great both ways 🙂
Don’t worry about it, I didn’t even OWN tie-up shoes until this year… I’m the type that had a “you have to wear nylons to work” dress-code for years, and while I never adhered to the nylons portion of it, I still dress up to go to work, or anywhere else, really.
xox
I’ve heard it said to, “Dress for the job you want” but it’s also been shown that people work better if comfortable. I think it depends on the personality. My hubby wears shorts to work and loves it!