Looking Good

I have never been accused of being stylish. In fact, anyone who wears a lab coat for their high school graduation picture automatically gets kicked out of every fashion club everywhere.

But lately I've been discovering the joy of dressing well. It started three years ago when Willie convinced me to stop window shopping at Coldwater Creek and actually go buy some nice clothes.

Since then, my enthusiasm for dressing up has waxed and waned a few times. Right now I'm in an up-swing, due mostly to an addiction to the show White Collar. Everyone in that show dresses really well and it looks good.

I also attribute some of my desire to dress nicely to the Advanced Style blog. As one of those ladies said, "I miss elegance. There was a time when everyone used to dress up." When I see men and women of all ages, dressed well and comfortable with it, I smile and think "that's for me!"

Dressing up can be like swimming against the tide some days. As a software developer who doesn't interact with customers, the dress code is casual. Jeans and a t-shirt or polo shirt are the norm. I feel like there's a perception that dressing up is for managers and sales guys, that wearing slacks somehow makes you less technically competent. Fortunately, there seems to be an exception for women. Or maybe once you prove your geek cred, it doesn't matter what you wear.

I am far from a fashion maven, but I choose to dress up. I choose to look good. I choose to raise the standard level of dress wherever I go. And I choose to have fun doing it.