It’s fall, and for the first time in 6 years, I’m working in an office.

I haven’t shopped for work clothes in almost 10 years! In my last in-person gig, I lived in a corner office with a view, and dressed the part. Lots of pant suits, 3 inch heels (albeit block heels), inseam 30 inches so the bottoms skimmed the floor perfectly.

When I was on a break to stay home with the kids again, I lived in jeans, sweaters, and runners. Very suitable to be on school councils, meeting other SAHM’s for coffee, running errands, a little consulting here and there. The wardrobe suited me well for remote work, which followed. I loved the Pacific Northwest style of that job – jeans, puffy vests, boots, running shoes – perfect! Did not have to shop for a wardrobe.

So today, even though workwear is decidedly a lot more casual, there’s an inner girlie shopper in me who feels the need to flex her retail muscle! Yikes! I am conflicted, because remember, I am in a decluttering mode. I already donated a lot of my shoes of yore (no more Cinderella, I will never get back into them, darn bunions – and my daughter is not the same shoe size). The suit pants I have can work, but they are all slim ankle grazing. I have a couple of the trendier wide-leg pants, but they now pool on the floor when I wear my ballet flats or flat booties. I have a sewing machine (remember, the masks I made during Covid)… but I don’t have the patience to hem them. And hemming these days costs more than the pants themselves, especially if I get an amazing sale at H & M, Uniqlo, Old Navy or the Gap.

“Shop my closet” – well, that has merit, as some of my stuff is so old it’s on trend again. Not even kidding – big padded shoulders a la 1980s – it’s a look! Long leather coats? Pointy-toed shoes – yes, even my flat boots, all pointy. Skinny leggings for the win!

But still, I have the urge. After all, most of my stuff is black. And the newest trend – Nature, browns,, animal prints – brown is the new black. Thank goodness Black Friday deals are coming up early.