I start my new job tomorrow - YAY! I really do wish I could have had a couple of days between jobs, but I couldn't. On my first day at the new job, there is a big meeting in the afternoon. I talked with my new boss yesterday and told her I had a strange and somewhat awkward question to ask her. "Do I need to wear a suit to this meeting?" And when she paused, I knew the answer. She said "well, not really a suit, but you do need to have a jacket on..." I thought of the four suits in my closet that I really can't wear comfortably right now - I have been stress eating for a month or so now and it is not pretty. I thought of the one that IS comfortable and I hate. I don't have a jacket that doesn't belong to a suit. I don't have a jacket that is comfortable.
So, guess what I did? You are right, I went shopping. I went to a store that I knew was having a huge sale. And I got $980. worth of clothing (if you believe that the first price on the tag what it's worth) for $266. Three jackets and four blouses. I counted the pairs of black pants in my closet last week - 10 pairs. I have two black skirts. One grey skirt. A couple of skirts with prints on them. Three pairs of brown pants. Two grey pairs of pants. Etc. I bought a pair of "downtown" shoes last week. They are flat but fancy!
So I have something new to wear to Governing Body this morning. And something new for my first day of my new job. And I got a manicure over the weekend with "gel" polish - which looks great and is supposed to last for 3 weeks!
I love wearing new clothes and it really does help me feel more confident.
My father was a bit of a clothes horse and used to stress to us kids that we had to "wear the uniform." And that meant that you needed to dress appropriately for the occasion. If it was a job interview for a suit kind of job, you wore a suit. If it was a casual occasion, you wore casual clothes. He stressed that there was no reason to start out a situation with a strike against you just because you aren't dressed properly.
Oh, I am a bit of a fanatic, I know that. But I do know myself and know that this is how I am.
Thanks for listening to this bit of fluff about clothes. It is easier to think about that than how momentous this day is.
Please God, be with me today and help me to be an asset wherever you take me. I think that will probably involve me staying sober all day today and I hope you too.
6 comments:
I hope the last day goes well, you are in my thoughts. Your new clothes sound gorgeous and smart.
My example growing up were women who dressed. My grandmother wore heels to the hospital on the day she died at 89. My mother bought her first pair of jeans when she was 42 years old..and only because my father had bought a motorcycle. She does not own a sweat suit.
People treat you differently on how you dress, how you present yourself. Like it or not, it's a fact of life. Your father was absolutely correct.
Yes, it took me a long time to learn that lesson. Wearing the appropriate clothes is important. They do not have to be expensive just appropriate.
And it does make you feel better. When we were attending a hospital clinic when our daughter was a small baby, all the mums were in jeans, sweats anoraks. All appropriate for the environment and young children.
But I noticed that we all looked the same and (this was a long time ago) were treated like cattle. We all looked sad and depressed as well.
I started dressing up in my smartest business wear and although tedious it had a big positive effect on how I was treated, and on my own attitude.
I know that you will look great. Good luck on the last day. I was glad to be leaving as I had done all the prep work weeks before and the grieving as well. Time for another part of the life experience. I will stick to my jeans. Glad to not have to wear a suit in my career.
I love new clothes that fit me no matter what the size. I can't wait to hear about your first day, I will be a saying a prayer for our "uptown girl." So happy and excited for you!
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