Finessing the Client Visit

Yesterday, perhaps still lethargic from my Mardi Gras festivities, consisting of a delightfully cheap guacamole-chicken-cheese filled burrito, I again did not have the creative energy to construct an outfit involving more than two pieces. Luckily, I own an army of dresses, and have a budding arsenal of jackets, so again, I opted for the arguably office inappropriate dress under a formal, business-inspired jacket. Earlier, I wore this black tuxedo jacket out on a Saturday evening, mixing professionalism and frivolity in an edgy monochromatic look; here, the striped pattern of the dress still adds some spunk to the look, however, the longer length of the dress creates a more career adaptable one.

One of my colleagues was hosting a particularly diabolical and disagreeable client yesterday; during such client visits, sometimes with more pleasant and rational personalities, the office attempts a constructed veneer of superficial professionalism and productivity by donning more business ware. Generally, we consider ourselves a business casual environment, though that label in both my own work place and countless others around the world has been contorted and perverted to include velour sweat pants, stretch pants, over-sized tunics, hoodies, and other pieces of the like. Needless to say, I never much mind putting on a tailored look.


The alternating width of the thin stripes on this dress create an almost optical illusion effect; this pattern gives the striped classic a fresh twist.


I adore these tuxedo type lapels.

Hanging in my living room and desk area, I have a collection of black and white Aubrey Beardsley illustration prints, from his "Salome" set, for Oscar Wilde's play interpreting and modernizing the historical tale of the swinging, sultry seductress. Something about this dress reminds me of the geometry of Beardsley work, in particular with his macabrely erotic visual complements to Wilde's lyrical and beautiful prose.

This necklace is actually a brooch, which I slip on a gold chain; I frequently wear this chain, alternating the decorative pendants and brooches. In addition to having a beautifully delicate and unique shape, which has been described as subtly weapon-like, as a harp, as a fish hook, it has intense sentimental value, as it belonged to my grandmother, who died of cancer when I was a young adolescent. My grandfather, an architect, enjoyed buying her unique jewelry pieces, from one Baltimore artisan and sculpture in particular; this is one of those pieces. I like the fish hook image in particular, probably because the top of my left foot bears a lamda-shaped scar, from being stabbed with a fish hook while frolicing in the Atlantic waves.

Although I am sure I will not get the opportunity to wear these as frequently in the spring, for fear of ruining them in rain and puddles, I cannot get enough of these black lace-up heels.

Wednesday morning commute soundtrack: "Road to Nowhere" the Talking Heads; "Straight to Hell" and "Overpowered by Funk" the Clash; "Kooks" and "Oh, You Pretty Things" David Bowie