Stifled.

I am still rolling my eyes inwardly.





One of my managers asked to see me personally yesterday.



She told me that my partner feels my dressing is not 'professional' enough.





Hmmm.




Please look at my archive of work outfits!



I don't really feel that my dressing is not professional! Admittedly, I have been feeling rather 'slump-ish' lately, so my dressing is less 'power woman' and more girlie. My slump-ish doesn't equate to dressing sloppily or anything, it's just that I find myself wearing softer fabrics, like chiffon, knits, and the occasional ballet flats (when I know I have to walk a lot), 'cause frankly, crisp, strachy shirts aren't really that comfortable. My only admitted faux paus is this pair of Zara pants I have, hahaha. The story goes like this, I was looking for a pair of black slacks for work, and knowing that Zara has pretty good cut for their pants, I took a pair into the changing room and tried it on. And voila, it fitted perfectly! Like, I didn't even need to alter the length or anything, which is a massive achievement, 'cause the last time I bought pants from MNG, I ended up have to snip off 1 feet of material WTF. Only when I wore it to work the first time, that I saw these little slits at either side of the pants. That's when I realised I bought THREE-QUARTER PANTS! T__________________T That's why they fitted well in term of length for me. T_________________________T Anyway, the only slightly reassuring thought is that the pants is a little too short, like about half an inch up my ankle? Which is why I said it could be a potential fashion faux paux for work la (but I still wear them to work anyway, 'cause I spent so much on the pants already wtf).


Let me reiterate what I wore yesterday, to elicit such a 'talk' from her (I left my camera in KL, else I would have just taken a picture to show you all): I wore a pale pink high-neck chiffon top with exaggerated ruffled sleeves and back sash, and straight-cut black pants (not the Zara ones wtf), pearl earrings, and pointy black pumps. I thought I looked feminine and professional, but apparently not, haih.



I know it's because my partner has extraordinarily high standards, which extends to dressing. Guys can't even wear dark-colored clothes in my deparment, because it isn't 'professional'. :O In fact, our partner has a firm-wide reputation for being really strict. *dark* I was talking to my colleagues, and they agreed that my outfit yesterday was perfectly alright. And they also told me that someone got told off recently for wearing white shoes. -__- And that apparently wearing short sleeves is 'unprofessional'. Wtf?? And that only shirts with buttons are unacceptable. Double wtf?? And that there a time when my partner wanted to make all the girls tie their hair up in buns. WTFFF. Just shoot me and let me die.



I am all for being professional, and looking the part; but I want to look like a professional, young adult. I believe that we can look professional without having to conform to the usual norms of buttoned-down shirts and black skirts with the backslit. I want to look my age, I don't want to dress like a tight-lipped, bun-donning, all pinned-up 30-something woman. :( I admit I am relatively adventurous when it comes to my work outfits, though 'adventurous' is too strong a word. -_- I wear bold colors sometimes, there are the occasional prints, I put on accessories (pearls being a staple, but sometimes I throw on statement-making ones too) and tie scarves... It's because I feel that you can be tasteful and experimental at the same time! But I guess not. :(


I just feel really annoyed. I already feel that I am in a mentally restraining environment, no room for imagination or to expand your thinking ability... A inhibited environment too, because there is a certain way that we are supposed to talk and act... And now I feel increasingly stifled.



Just give me some space, man.