Out of My Comfort Zone

So I've been into nail polish lately.  I love color, and nail polish is an inexpensive way to bring a little color into your day, whether it's something bright and sparkly or a modern neutral.  Wet and Wild has a new set of colors out and this week they are on sale at Walgreens for $.99.  I won't even try to photograph the bottles or do swatches.  My photography skills and patience aren't up to the task.  Wonderful bloggers such as Nouveau Cheap have already done better than I could ever do at documenting the collection.

At $.99 a pop, I decided to push the envelope and buy some WnW polishes that are outside my usual comfort zone.  In addition to the sparkly blue I have on today ("Blue Wants To Be A Millionaire") I picked up a lime green and an orange.  I also got a hot pink, normally well within my usual palette, a bright silver and a silver/gray duochrome.  Guess what? I love the light blue, lime green and orange the best.  To my surprise.

So my message to you today is to try something that's outside of your comfort zone. What better way to push back the winter doldrums than a little change? Maybe it's a new color of something, maybe it's a new combination of colors, maybe it's wearing your usual stuff a different way.  So pop up your collar, push up your sleeves, grab your leggings, rock some skinnies, get out a brightly colored purse, whatever! Or blow the dust of your Doc Martens!

No one at work even noticed my blue nail polish, not even the cool young girls who would usually comment!  So much for work appropriate.

Have you incorporated any little changes lately?  Have a great night and thanks for stopping by.

And a big smile to Fabulous Florida Mommy for her nice shout out today.  Don't miss her blog, it's one of the best!

OOTD - Playing Dress Up

Did you ever have to dress up every day for work?  That question is almost like asking how old you are for everyone except a few people.  I did have to dress for my first two jobs, in suits.  We're talking skirts, hose, heels, jewelry the works.  In 1998 I went to work for a company that was casual and we could wear jeans.  My jobs since then have all been business casual. I do try to dress appropriately for my position and profession, so it ends up being somewhat nicer than most other folks.  However, I don't always dress professionally or conservatively (even though I probably should) because I enjoy embracing trends in an age appropriate way.  I also think female professionals can have an issue with approachability.  I want people in my company to feel like they can talk to me about their issues, and I think that if I'm too dressed up I can seem intimidating.

I have to dress professionally for certain meetings and events a few times per year.  For this particular meeting, I didn't have to get "all the way" dressed up due to the people who would be there.  I was also facing five hours round trip in the car.

It's a bit hard to see, but I opted for black work pants, a black silk ribbed sweater, blazer and scarf.  The outfit is built around flats as I had injured my foot the previous weekend. I am sporting my black patent Rockport loafers. I bought them at Marshalls several years ago but they keep going strong. I would definitely pay full price for another pair!

 Talbots petites blazer in taupe, Charter Club black silk sweater, Ann Taylor Loft "Julie" black pants and Jerry Garcia scarf.  The scarf is oblong and silk. I have it knotted at chest level with the ends hanging down.  Nails are Sonia Kashuk's Taunting Teal.  Kinda pushing the limit for a professional setting!

Do you dress professionally very often?