Top: J.Crew | Skirt: Target | Wedges: Target | Cat: Lily
As I have steadily clawed my way to completing this month's small goal #1, I have encountered some needs. Most recently, I decided to change a shade of metallic thread in the pattern from copper to purple. I didn't want to buy it online and pay for shipping and wait a week for a three dollar spool of thread, so I found a shop on the outer edges of Cardiganland that sells the thread and decided to drive out on my day off to buy the thread.
On the way there, the guy in front of me on the interstate hit a shred of tire, which went airborne and slammed into my headlight, skidded across the hood of my car, then slid off at the windshield, but not before wailing into my side view mirror and ripping it from the body of my car, leaving it hanging by a strip of wiring. My poor car lost an ear!
I've been driving around ever since with only one side mirror. I used to make fun of people with only one mirror and now I am one. Shame on me. But hopefully my car's ear will return by the end of this week--the body shop is getting a replacement--and I think I've found a way to file a claim to make the state pay for it, since they aren't cleaning up the roads. It's better than nothing, right? And now I have a spool of thread that cost only $350.
Dress: Belk | Tights: Target | Boots: Target
I really liked this dress the first time I tried it on. And I still do, months later. But I could never bring myself to wear it. Despite being basically the same cut as a pencil skirt and a short sleeve shirt, it's a lot different for me somehow. But I came up with some rules for wearing intimidating clothing that I thought I should share, because I finally got the balls to wear this thing out in public.
Wear it on a Sunday. I am lucky (?) enough to work one Sunday a month. The library operates on a skeleton crew of 1-5 people per department, public services staff only, so not nearly as many coworkers are around. I find this the best time to try weird clothing for the first time; my department coworker is really supportive of my style, and I think generally people are more forgiving of what I wear on Sundays because maybe I came from church and they don't want to offend what I wore in god's house.
Pair it with something comfortable. I don't mean sweatpants--though if that's what works for you, go for it--but other clothing that you know you feel good in and looks right. I've worn this tights/boots combo before, and I know it looks solid. Now isn't the time to go crazy with new colours and patterns and insanity.
Do one other bold thing. But! Now is the time to one small nibble of vibrancy that you're already comfortable with to offset the clothing. For me, I already know this lipstick is a friend, not a foe, and it's something I can rely on to take a little attention away from the dress. I don't recommend wearing a neon top with a neon skirt if it's your first time out with the skirt, but a bold necklace or something similar helps even out the attention you perceive yourself as drawing to your body.
Don't hide behind your hair. Seriously, don't. First of all, it looks a mess. Second, it's going to drop your confidence tenfold if you think you can successfully hide behind your hair. Pull it back this time and let the clothing shine. It's like ripping off a bandaid.
Remember that no one will remember this tomorrow. Seriously. No one cares.
