The Fab 40s Get Shorty

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.