what i wore ~ working girl…

ByMary Lenaburg

It has been quite the week. 


I said goodbye to my two little four year old companions and entered the land of full-time working girl. 


Phew. I did it. I became an actual grown-up with an office and a desk calendar. Who knew it was possible? 


“Not I,” said Mary “not I.”


This week’s What I Wore includes several outfits from my week. I tried to wear things that brought me confidence as  I enter this whole new world. I didn’t take photos everyday because overwhelmed with adulting thy name is Mary. I have not quite figured out how to get a photo before I leave for work because my guys are already gone for the day.  Then the thought of taking one in my bedroom mirror with the disaster that is my bedroom behind me for the world to see was not an option this week. A girl has to maintain a little mystery here and there. 

All of these photos were taken between 6-8 pm. Some of them were taken in front of my day care shelves filled with disorganized toys and a few were taken in the front yard. So if my hair or makeup looks a bit off, just know it was fixed/applied ten hours earlier. 


#1 was my last day with my little wonders, so casual was the name of the game. Long sleeve navy tee and jeans from Nordi’s, orange flats and striped sweater from Macy’s. All these pieces were in my closet. 


#2 Both pieces are new. Yes, I said new. Jerry took me on a little shopping trip one afternoon to celebrate my new position. I was in desperate need of some dress pants and a few tops that fit into the “business casual” box. Both pieces are from Dress Barn. They were having a wicked sale and the whole outfit was less than $50. Score!!


#3 These are also two new pieces from the same shopping trip. The green top with lace sleeves is from Land’s End and the black slacks were from Dress Barn. Both on sale, both can be worn with other things. The shoes and accessories are older. 


The key to making a business wardrobe work is to select pieces that are interchangable. Think of it in terms of a capsule wardrobe. Basic colors, staple pieces and then let your accessories do their job with creating different looks. 


One very big part of my job is to co-ordinate funerals. This means being appropriately dressed for both the meetings and the Mass. Black is most appropriate and as you can imagine I did not have a lot in my wardrobe. I am a fan of color but with new responsibilities come new wardrobe requirements. 


Enter #4. Basic black with a lace panel down the front. It is appropriate for work and for a night out with my guy. Again, watch for those sales. This number is from Dress Barn and was under $40 and is machine washable. My kind of awesome. 


So there you have it. My working girl wardrobe week one. I am looking forward to the challenge of my new job as well as actually wearing real clothing for the first time in a few decades day after day. 


Happy Sunday Y’all, 

11 Comments

  1. Lookin' good Mary! You look professional and comfortable – a great combination in my book!

    Navy is also an appropriate color for funerals, in case you have any navy dresses, etc. hiding out in the back of your closet.

    Lea

  3. Girl, you look good! Lands' End is my FAVORITE – I love that if something pills/fades before I would expect it to they give full exchanges with no questions asked.

  4. Wow! You rock, Mary! Looks like you've been dressing for a "real job" all your life! I put "real job" in quotes to differentiate it from what you've been doing at home all these past years. That has been and will continue to be both real and a job — a sacred charge that you have carried out and do carry out so beautifully — but you know what I mean, now you are in the business world, so to speak. I am in awe of you as you make this transition with such dignity and strength. What a shining example you are for any and all of us as we face changes in our own lives!

    I left a comment on your FB page about Gold Bond Pain Relieving Foot Cream, which works wonders for my own aching feet. I've had arthritis, bursitis, tendonitis, etc. in my feet and elsewhere for over 30 years so I have tried just about everything out there. Maybe Gold Bond will help you, but I must warn you that it does have a strong odor, as is common with this sort of stuff, so I use it only at bedtime. Of course, being a consecrated virgin, I sleep alone and thus do not bother anyone with my smelly stuff! There is also Tiger Balm, Flexall (odorless), Biofreeze (dynamite!), and Badger Balm (a sore muscle rub and a sore joint rub, among other lovely things). I've tried them all on different body parts with success. Badger Balm I like because the odor isn't offensive so I can use it on my arthritic fingers when I am working outside the home. Biofreeze tends to be expensive, and I can't always find Flexall though I could order it online. There's lots of other stuff out there, too, and I hope you find just the one that will help you lots.

    As an aside, remember the old days when the good sisters wore the traditional habits with their granny shoes? Those habits may have been unwieldy, but those shoes were surely a lifesaver!

    Blessings on you and yours! AC

  11. Go Mary! What an awesome week for you! May I say that you are a ray of sunshine, and coordinating funerals and not necessarily the one attending means you can wear colors, maybe not always bright, but I think it will be fine to mix in a little. My sainted mother had a "funeral dress" that she used to wear to sing at funerals. Lots of colors and flowers. If my mother who would love to appear invisible can wear that, I think you can do some Courtney colors. ☺️

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