Sheela Writes

Shorts for work?

Oh goodness!! Scandalous!!

Fashion has always been my favourite form of escapism.  Reading, writing, dancing, sketching.  They all come a close second.  But fashion.  Fashion has, is, and will always be the tabernacle upon which I worship.  Religiously.  Since I was 6 years old to be precise.  Since I caught sight of my very first Issey Miyake piece.  And then laid my hands upon a coffee table book cataloguing what goes into the creation of a collection, courtesy of the god known as Bruce Oldfield (shamefacedly I confess to pinching this from the British Council library).  From then on, I was fairly obsessed with all things style and fashion-related.  Mostly European, primarily British the likes of Zandra Rhodes, Jasper Conran, Vivienne Westwood, Arabella Pollen, Philip Treacy.

Life in Kuching was a bit of a bubble.

A complete style bore.  Yawn.

Far and away from the fashion world or cultural meccas like Paris, New York, Milan, London or Tokyo.  I used to think of it as a fashion wasteland.  And it is still rather much the same, to be honest.  But it forced me to be resourceful.

To create my own fantasy fashion world.

A place wherein my outfits represented the opportunity for me to come out of myself, play a part.  Enact a role.  Chronic rebirth.  Live a persona for that brief camera moment.  To thrust myself into adventure.  Characters from scenes in which I get to be someone else, just for a wee bit.  Being a clothes chameleon, if you like.

C H R O N I C    R E B I R T H    O F    A     N E W    M E

Taking risks.  Digging deep.  Digging into unexpected places and sources.  Finding things or ideas that encouraged me to experiment and express my own point of view.  No matter the number of raised eyebrows.  Or whispered mutterings behind my back.

Weeding through my wardrobe.

Rediscovering gems amongst what I already owned.

Think about it.

Fashion is far more interesting when you push the boundaries.  Balancing what’s typically viewed as controversial with what’s usually thought of as must-have staples.  Marrying something current with something timeless.  Putting them together in the most (delicately) perfect (and precarious) of couplings.  The perfect pairing.  That’s what fashion, nay, style is all about.   Balance.  Achieving balance.  Building a look which blazes a trail while simultaneously being mindful of the message you’re sending by showing up dressed in a certain manner.

As a grown ass woman, my thoughts on the matter haven’t changed at all.  Although, I think back upon my style experiments of then and shake my head.  With equal parts bewilderment and pride.  And remind myself that today, fashion is but the adult version of a childhood game of dress-up.

I certainly have a playful approach to fashion.

A T    T I M E S    B O R D E R I N G    O N    T H E    O U T R A G E O U S

In the past, black and total goth looks used to be my only leitmotifs.  But an improv for a style challenge completely converted me into a colour slut.  Everything from top to toe red (it’s always lured me with its sultry ways, the wanton) and making onlookers blink by wearing dazzling all-over colour, to modest jolts from small pieces.  I adore both basic bold black as well as parading around in the bright stuff.

Additionally, despite being somewhat restricted due to allergies from Lupus, I have an insatiable magpie eye for jewellery and trinkets and glitz, and wear the most opulent of pieces whenever, wherever I can.

Style for me is all about having fun and not being afraid to go over-the-top.

(waves to Eve)

Let’s talk about shoes.  Some shoes make me feel so great, I have the urge to kick up my heels in them.  From chunky boots to gladiator sandals, from sporty heeled sneakers to whimsical wonders, my favourite footwear can be a bit impractical as times BUT as long as it allows me to be happy and playful, I’m all for it.  After all, vanity very often trumps sanity.

All these mantras leading up to what I proposed as September’s Fab 40s theme – wearing shorts for work.  Just a scant years ago, that would’ve been cause for termination in certain verticals but today, very few people even blink twice.  Isn’t that insane?

I wanted to see how my ladies would go about interpreting wearing shorts in their respective professions and I am most excited to share them with you today.  Come have a look.

Suzy, Suzy Turner

It’s as though this challenge was made for Suzy, eh?  That’s because she works at a golf shop.  And I had absolutely no idea of that when coming up with the theme of shorts (but you’re welcomed, Suzy)!!  I like that easy, breezy vibe this entire outfit is exuding.  No fuss, no muss, just casual and comfy and utterly cool.

Shelbee, Shelbee On The Edge

I’d wear this look in its entirety in a heartbeat.  Well, except the fanny pack because, you know, me and fanny packs, there’s no love lost between us (right, Annie?). To work.  To play.  And everything in between.  There isn’t a single aspect of it that doesn’t sing to me.  If I had to single out a fave aspect, it’d have to be that beret.  Swoon, Shelbee, swoon.

Daenel, Living Outside The Stacks

As always, Daenel has infused a fabulous bohemian flair to the theme.  This time, it’s beautifully present in that vivid top and darling neckpiece (when you go over to her post, be sure to check out the other necklace she put on, the one with fringes which I positively adore). Be sure to also read what she wrote about that braless colleague 😛

Dee, Dee Sayz

Black + White = eternally chic but when you add in man-style brogues.  Woo.  That unexpected element of androgyny makes for such eye candy.  I mean, just look at Dee.  Yet another outfit I would happily wear, with my 5″ heels (but of course).  What really makes everything come together, for me anyway, is that bag with the cheeky colour-blocking.

And then there’s me.

Yes, I do actually wear this outfit to work.  In fact, I’ve worn it twice.  Once for a committee meeting with the Houston West Chamber of Commerce to discuss a cybersecurity panel for 2020.  And the second time around was a meeting with a partner.

On both occasions, I was taken seriously.

Pinstriped Shorts Suit (Forever21) | Heels (GX by Gwen Stefani) | Top (NY&Co) | Kate Spade Clutch, Sunnies, Pins & Ring (thrifted on Poshmark) | Leather Cuff (c/o Unearthed)

Would you wear shorts to work?  If you could?

Until next time friends, slay.

Love, Sheela

p/s I link up here.

Sprucing up the shirtdress.

Making it fancy, schmancy, but still wearable.

I struggled with this month’s theme, shirtdresses.  I truly did, Dee.  Can’t lie.  And I don’t even know why that was so because I used to wear them.  All the time.  Perhaps the operative words, “used to” were a telling means to explain my conundrum.  Conversely, my mental block made no sense whatsoever given (1) the frequency with which shirtdresses had permeated my wardrobe in the past; and (2) their undeniable mega “slay” factor.

In my 20s, I practically lived in shirtdresses all the work week long.  Mostly in jersey so I didn’t have to iron them and mainly in blacks or browns.  Yes, I spent over three decades decked out primarily in black, channeling Mama Rei and bringing out The Crow in me.  As such, one would think I would’ve had an easy peasy time pulling together a look based on a button-down garment but that was not the case, my friends.

T I M E    T O    S H I R T    U P

Fact: I almost purchased five different shirtdresses for the #fab40s.  Fact:  I already own two shirtdresses, one brand new, and because of that (as well as the added expenses of settling Eve into her new apartment, love you boo), I refrained from clicking the Buy Now button.  Fact: I was so flustered by the theme that I couldn’t even assemble my outfit until the 19th, and even then, just before heading out for our photo shoot.

Faced with two shirtdresses on hand, one in white, the other olive green, I had to choose.

In truth, I was leaning towards the olive piece and simply because I hadn’t yet worn it (tags still merrily hanging from its collar) but I felt it was just a little too dark/heavy for August.

Which is why you now see this white number here.  I’ve worn it before, in its original state, in a six-way Yuletide #fashionfaceoff with Eve and Michael and Jodie (and her ladies).

Once I settled on the actual star piece, I knew how I wanted to present it.

Somewhat classic but still infused with my signature rock n roll somethin’ somethin’ extra.  In this case, the shirtdress with its crisp high collar is indeed immensely Grace Kelly-esque.  However, when buttoned only to the extent of maintaining one’s (bare minimal) modesty and then paired with ripped camo jeans, it’s instantly transformed into something a pop diva would wear.  Perhaps for brunch with Gaultier to review designs for our collaboration, or a meeting to discuss world domination.  Or to have a discreet private viewing of their latest collection in the nearby Bvlgari atelier.  Sipping rosé as tattoos on wrists and hands peek out discreetly.

At least, that’s how I see it GRIN

Despite the haste with which things came together, I think it went well.  I think.

I rather like the very blatant juxtaposition between my shirt(dress) and my scruffy skinnies.  Very much me, very much unapologetically flamboyant.

Come see what my ladies did in sprucing up their shirtdresses!!

Dee, Dee Sayz

They say that (at times) less is more, and in Dee’s case, truer words have not been spoken.  She’s letting the classic lines of her blue shirtdress speak for itself, whilst adding some equally elegant brown leather accessories to the mix.  Well done, lady.

Jennie, A Pocketful Of Polka Dots

I can’t say which has caught my attention more.  The fact that Jenny had the genius idea to convert her shirtdress into something utterly completely transitional for Fall OR that divine backdrop she chose which is ever so reminiscent of Rome.

Suzy, Suzy Turner

Sporty Spice. Hands down. Pure funk with that sassy animal print number, which is then infused with major dollops of street cred by virtue of her fire engine red kicks, Suzy is channeling her inner pop diva on vacay vibe.

Shelbee, Shelbee On The Edge

Who else thinks Shelbee could give the greatest showman a run for his money?  The flamboyance and visual exuberance of her outfit this month is supreme eye candy, bar none. Such a fun rendition of how (else) to wear a shirtdress.

Daenel, Living Outside The Stacks

And then there’s me.

Completely dripping with sweat in these photos.  You have NO idea how many beads of sweat are dotting my forehead and my upper lip in these photos.

White Shirtdress (thrifted from Poshmark)  Heels (GX by Gwen Stefani) | Ripped Camo Skinny Jeans (NY&Co) | Hat (a gift from Eve) | Yellow Leather Cuff (c/o Unearthed)

Would you say a shirtdress is your friend?

Or foe?

Until next time friends, slay.

Love, Sheela

p/s I link up here.

pp/s all photos by Eve