Someone once asked me "What was my work uniform?" I looked puzzled, so they explained, We all wear uniforms, some are just more obvious than others.
When I worked for a non-profit I wore long dresses or long skirts with long sweaters. At the time, it was stylish, artsy, and comfortable. My next job was corporate and my uniform was pantsuits with an occasional skirt thrown in. The job after that was professional but not corporate, so I combined the uniforms from my two previous jobs, until I got pregnant ~ then all bets were off. I kept up the image for awhile, but my comfort became of key importance.
I guess uniforms tend to define us in the work place and it's a bit more difficult to know who's who. It's an image maker that acts as a shield to hide our true selves. I feel it inhibits me and the people around me.
At times it made me uncomfortable.
I'm a very down to earth, no frills kinda chick. I have never had my nails manicured, or a facial, and I only recently started to have my hair colored professionally (It's too hard now to do it myself). I basically wear the same shoes everyday depending on the season. I only buy dress shoes as needed. I need of a pair of basic black heels, I can't believe I don't own a pair of black heels. I do have a weakness for boots and sandals and often treat myself to a new pair in the winter and summer, respectively.
At the job I have now one of the few perks I have is the fact that I can practically roll out of bed and show up. Sometimes I'm not sure how much of a perk this is. When I think back, dressing up forced me to feel good about myself. Somehow my uniform prepared me for whatever the day had to offer. It gave me a clear delineation of work time vs. relax time.
Maybe I could use a little wardrobe discomfort during my day.
