Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve done one of these!
But, we kicked the new year off with a “return to office” initiative, and once I took a look at my closet, I realized I needed new clothes.
I’ve spent the last three years working from home in leggings, slippers and Patagonia fleeces, and before that, I spent six months of unemployment wearing sports bras and running shorts. Prior to that, I rotated through the same five outfits as a Peace Corps volunteer and before that, it was 2019 and I was running through Chicago in dark skinny jeans and ballet flats.
Fashion has changed quite a bit since the last time I set foot in an office environment.
The youths wear baggy pants now.
RIP business casual.
Plus, the agency I work for is focused on public lands, forestry and wildfire. It’s a casual environment where most of my coworkers wear hiking pants and UPF-rated shirts every day. My collection of blazers left over from my Chicago journalism days look really out of place.
So… I went shopping!
Pssst: Affiliate links to follow.
Most of what I’ve been wearing lately has been Old Navy. I’ve been trying to get away from my preferred color palette of black, dark gray, medium gray and light gray, so a lot of what I’ve been buying has been (allegedly) flattering for my coloring.
I’ve kinda been into color theory lately, don’t judge me.
Apparently my favorite colors — harsh blacks, bright whites, cool-toned grays and muted sage greens — are the worst colors I can wear because they wash me out and make me look sallow.
Warm colors — like browns, camels, oatmeals, golden yellows, reds, oranges, pinks and warm-toned blues (like… Honolulu Blue, thank gosh) are more flattering on my pale freckled skin.
I get compliments every time I wear rust orange or my Lions jersey, so I guess that makes sense.
I’ve been trying to lean into my color palette when shopping lately, so this post reflects that a bit.
Also… almost everything I’ve bought has been from Old Navy! Cool-toned neutrals are really in right now, so the retailers I normally gravitate to just seemed to sell a lot of cool-toned taupes and grays, and Old Navy has, oddly enough, been fantastic.
・・・
Cropped high-waisted wide-leg pants. I’ve been coming around to the baggy pants. Because I lived through the ’90s and the 2000s, I cannot, in good conscious, allow my pant hems to drag along the ground. These are a good compromise. They’re cropped enough that if I wear them on plowed or tamped-down snowy sidewalks, I’m not walking around with wet ankles all day. I bought these in both black and olive.
Cropped high-waisted wide-leg pants, round 2! These are similar to the above, but with cute detailed front pockets! I bought these in both rust and khaki.
Long-sleeved ribbed tees. These have become my go-to shirt to pair with the above pants. They’re easy to wear solo, or to wear underneath a jacket or a…
Loose chunky cardigan. I like to carry one of these into the office just in case it’s chilly.
Waterproof slip-on lug-soled booties. I’ve been rotating between these and my trusty Doc Martens when I wear my cropped wide-leg pants.
Thick turtleneck sweaters. This turtleneck is SO SOFT I cannot stop wearing it! I like to tuck it up into my bra and wear it with my cropped wide-legged pants, my ’90s-style mom jeans and with a black mini skirt and tights.
Olive green twist-front bikini top. I am a member of the small-ribcage-and-large-bust club and finding comfortable, supportive, cute and flattering swimwear is a CHALLENGE. But this bikini top is AMAZING! This is my second swimsuit from Abercrombie & Fitch’s Curve Love line and I can’t say enough good things about it. I’m not linking the bottoms because I don’t love them, but they’re on the site as well if you need a matching pair.
Detroit Lions pom-pom beanie. Enough said! The exact beanie I own was a gift and is sold out now, BUT, if you’ have a different team you’re not a Lions fan, there are plenty of other NFL team beanies still in stock. This is the New Era “2023 cold weather pom cap,” so a bit of Googling should help.
Leaf climber earrings. I love my delicate necklaces, but they tend to be unwearable with turtlenecks and other high-neck shirts. So… earrings it is. I have a pair of these in a distressed silver shade, which I get compliments on all the time.
・・・
Let’s see if this new color palette sticks around.
This post contains affiliate links. For more information, please read my disclosure policy.
