“Can I get you anything, Mr. Trainer? Coffee? Tea? Me?”

[Mike and Chris leather shorts + Theory blouse + Prada suede banana heel slings + DKNY sweater + Marc Jacobs purse + Ben Amun earrings]

Again with the leather shorts? Yep—and as a matter of fact, they’ve been quite the effective little staple—even for work. Cozy at times, yes, but comfortable and versatile. And while earlier in the week I angled them with brogues, a belt, and blue tuxedo shirt (male borrowed accents, kind of obvious direction), I wanted to prove to myself this go-round that I could make them feminine and conservative enough for the office without looking like Joan Cusack circa Working Girl.*

Enter one of my 4 pairs of now seemingly archaic (and completely unfashionable) pointy Prada pumps.

I’ve heard other bloggers use the term “Before Blogging…” as a means to describe former selves. Writing a personal style blog does change the way you dress—it forces you to get in tune. If you want to know me before blogging, it was pretty… preppy. Almost a tongue-in-cheek attempt at a bombshell-sorta-thing at times. I attribute this to my wanting to be taken seriously/as someone not to be pushed around in professional situations. Like, “Oh—my bad—she’s not a total ditz with a Saks account who I swear listens to Huey Lewis and the News—I totally saw the CD in her car.” Ultimately, I always let myself get pushed around then anyway.

With blogging, it’s on my terms, and the last thing I want is to be taken too seriously. So I guess you could say: I inadvertently found my style.

A little epiphany like that is no reason to throw away a closet full of pencil skirts and perfectly good pumps! So periodically I dust them off, throw them on, and try my best not to hate them and other things I don’t feel like being reminded of. In this case, they were just what the doctor ordered.

[Speaking of doctors, here’s a view up my ‘strils, for all the ENT enthusiasts out there.]

It should be noted I got this silk Theory blouse on ebay for $19 exactly 10 years ago. I gave it to my mom, stole it back, and now it’s my default happy shirt. Also worth noting: Huey Lewis and the News WERE COMPLETELY AMAZING I DON’T CARE WHAT YOU SAY! [Hugh Cregg went to boarding school with my dad, and I used to kiss his picture on the yearbook page, so I feel a sort of cosmic connection.]

These shorts are just so bloody much fun to wear. And, I’m learning, very multi-dimensional. It’s hip to be square.

-Carey

*Even though Joan’s awesome and stole the whole show, she was 80s fashion at its total worst. XO, JC:

Hugh: