Talking Chic
The Real Me Every Day
Waking up with the headache of the century and a matching nasty attitude, my workday lay out before me like a pile of bricks. Just the thought that today I had to actually make a wall out of this red mortar, one by one, practically brought me to tears.
So as I pull myself up anyway, click on “Good Day L.A.” for shits and giggles, put on a pot of coffee, and give in to my last morning smoke, I dread standing before my closet. This, of course, would mean I actually have to find something to wear. And with no mindset to be creative, I decided that this would be a brainless morning.
But I never thought that someone would call me out on it. “Elana, are you O. K.? You’re matching today.”
My “matching” sense that day consisted of a black cotton skirt, red blouse, denim motorcycle jacket, and velvet multi-colored Nine West shoes with (gasp!) matching red blazing throughout the tips. No silver-gold-burgundy-black-polka dot-striped combos that day.
Whether shuffling to the copy machine, chitchatting within cubicle confinements, or heading to the stockroom for a fresh stash of toilet paper for the ladies room, I seem to always catch friendly eyes following my strut. Sometimes, I pretend that the office corridor is my very own catwalk – a little less sway and a lot more attitude.
On numerous occasions, my clothing, shoes, or accessories become the topic of discussion. And don’t get me wrong, I definitely enjoy the confidence booster when a word like “sassy” is thrown at me. But because my emotions are the sole force that drive me to put on certain pieces, I’m usually oblivious to other people’s perception of what I’m workin’ with. When a compliment is thrown my way, I actually have to look at or touch the specific item to regain my reasoning for wearing it. As much as fashion weighs on my world, I am not image-conscious and obsessed with pleasing others. I simply wear a great color or slip on shoes that are alive with artistic flair, and if others find their own interest in those pieces, then hey, that’s cool.
Practicality also guides my wardrobe: my royal blue, peep-toe Carlos Santana shoes have been re-soled so I don’t slip again and again… and my billowy blouses are predominantly worn during my bloating “that time of the month” days. So to have certain items scrutinized in a positive light is always enlightening. I must be doing something right, but if they only knew the emotions though that inspired me to wear that outfit….
And I know that I’m not alone. Just the other day, my boyfriend showed up at my place (on a summer evening) in a long, vintage army-like pea coat. Never saw it before, but I knew that this article of clothing gave him the strength he needed. I think he, going through a rough time in his life, was able to stand up a little taller with that on. Then there is my girlfriend at work who seems to forever wear the same brown hoodie with every outfit. Maybe it’s a shield against the cold air conditioning system or a “blankie” of sort. Whether relationship issues, work problems, or any other qualm in her life, she seems to rely on the comfort of her cute jacket. It’s always there for her and she looks adorable and sporty in the process.
Even if you don’t recognize it, what you wear is probably guided byyour emotions as well, whether a subconscious effort or not. My red-matching outfit was the antithesis of how I really felt that day. In that case, I decided to just put on a classic, happy-go-lucky ensemble with hope that it would transform my real emotions into its mirror image (It didn’t really, but the next day I was dressed in black and blue, expressing my true beat-up feelings…somehow feeling better that I was loyal to the real me). I’ve also come to the realization that people really do notice what you have on, whether you are looking for kudos or not.
Written by Elana Pruitt
