Work Clothes

During the summer of 2007, I took a work shop on resume writing at which I remember all of the attendees being women over-40. The instructor had us describe in detail our ideal job, including the type of work, environment and the clothes we would wear. She started on the opposite side of the room, so I was among the last to speak.

Every single woman said she wanted to wear jeans to work!

I could not believe my ears. Why? Although I was in college during the 1960s, my Catholic woman's college did not allow pants, let alone jeans to be worn. We had a pants day in the early spring of my senior year which was a big event.

I also remember Jacobson's, then Michigan's answer to Saks Fifth Avene, finally allowing its sales women to come to work in pants suits, probably sometime between 1968 and 1972. That sent ripples through the community.

I also remember buying my first pair of jeans as an adult during my senior year of college. I went to one of those $5 jean stores and tried on the jeans over my panty hose. I didn't like the fit when I walked out into the main part of the store but the salesman said when I tried them without pantyhose, I would be happy with them. He was right.

I was a stay at home mom for many years. There was a long stretch of time (before I discovered thrift shops . . . although my ex would have forbidden me to shop at them) when my wardrobe was pretty sparse but I preferred cordoroy or cotton skirts to jeans.

The idea of wearing jeans to work does not suit me. I want to wear what are called "European comfort shoes," skirts with either a blazer or a twin set. Dresses are fine in warm weather.

I said so at this workshop. I want to project confidence and polish and not a haphazard attitude. Personally, I feel like crap wearing jeans.

I remember the crones having this discussion and learning that a winter work uniform was a mid-calf skirt worn over silk long johns with wool socks and clogs. The long johns and wool socks would be removed in an overheated office and put back on for the trip home.

I wear a blazer or vest or cardigan to teach. Often, I have to take the outer layer off. With the warm weather, I have a couple of dresses that I will pull out which are simple, solid colored dresses in cotton knits or woven linen.