If the shoe fits (and is also cute)

[katiefoolery]

Things that vaguely freak me out that never used to before: getting dressed for work.

Let me take you back a bit, first.  Back to a time where I was blessedly unfreaked about the business of dressing for work.  Back to a time where I may not have been too fussed about what I looked like, provided all the necessary parts of me were covered and I was vaguely aware of the current fashions.  (Please note that "being vaguely aware" does not translate to "actually wore them".)

Back in that time, I looked like the person under the cut here:

This is mostly because I was that person.  I was that person on the first day of 2007, spending some awesome time with awesome friends.  And then I saw this photo (and others like it) and decided I needed to change.

Suddenly, I had a whole bunch of less-awesome friends.  Hello, eating sensibly.  Hello, getting more exercise.  Hello, self-discipline.  We didn't get along so well at first, but gradually, we worked out our differences to the point where phrases like "well-oiled team" started to apply.

And now I look like the person under the cut here:

(I honestly think it's best if no-one asks why people keep taking photos of me from behind.  I'm not sure I actually want to know the answer to that one.  Seriously, here's another one taken at a point roughly in between the two above.)

But to return to my original point: the freaked-outedness.  At one point, before I met my new friends, a staff member mistook me for a student on free-dress day.  Most people figured I should be flattered, attributing this mistake to an apparent youthfulness of appearance.  I, on the other hand, suddenly had to face the following fear: It was entirely possible I dressed like a student.

From that day on, I have made damn sure I do not dress like a student.  I guess it's made me more comfortable about clothes and having fun with them.  And getting fit has done a fair bit for my body confidence.  Strangely. :P

But still.

I've only been back at work for just over four weeks, and I can't count how many times people have complimented me on what I'm wearing.  Last Friday, I fielded a comment on my dress roughly every ten minutes (or so it seemed) from staff and students alike.

At the end of the first week, a teacher mentioned I had some nice clothes, and then said something that seriously made my blood run cold:

I've been watching what you're wearing all week.

Uh, ack?

And yesterday?  I was talking to a staff assistant who said:

Your clothes were the talk of [insert name for end-of-week drinks here] last Friday.

Uh, what?

Also last Friday:

We're all talking about you in the staffroom - about all the clothes you're wearing lately.

And please to be cuing a small, mid-level panic on my part.

You know when you think people aren't paying that much attention to what you're wearing?  YOU'RE WRONG.  They're watching your every move.  They're watching what you wear and THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT IT.

And that's why I'm now facing the wardrobe doors with trepidation every morning.

The comments haven't all been terrifying, though.  My favourite so far this year came yesterday morning, when a student came to the door of the workroom with a request to look at my shoes.

So my year is proceeding in a slightly different fashion from the one before it.  How about everyone else?  Have you been surprised?  Complimented out of the blue?  Share! :)

Comments

[bethamphetam1ne.livejournal.com]

Wow! Well, I definitely would rather have my clothes complimented and talked about rather than be thought of as "the one that dresses like a 45-year old woman" etc. I feel a little frumpy today because I have long pants and flat shoes on with a loose top. Lately, as the fashions have come in, I have been favouring waisted dresses which are getting many compliments and enquiries, to which I usually respond with "Target" or "eBay". I like nice stuff, I don't like spending lots of money on it!

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Yeah, good point! It's just so weird - I'm not used to dealing with so many compliments at once.

I love the dresses at the moment - so gorgeous. Do you get a lot of stuff off eBay? Is it sort of random things, or are there eBay stores you like? Or... however eBay works, since I clearly have little idea. :D

[bethamphetam1ne.livejournal.com]

I've just sort of got back into eBay after a year away and managed to score two cute dresses for $12 and $15 each from the same "shop".

http://myworld.ebay.com.au/lena56red/

I keep a look on there but being a certain body shape, there's only certain things I'll buy without trying on and I usually look for their return policy and if they're happy to swap sizes.

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Oooh, there's some gorgeous stuff on there! And it helps that it's Australian and I have some rough idea of the sizes. Thanks for the link. :)