As I sit behind my desk in my collared shirt and sweater with dress pants and boots on, I realize something... This is almost exactly the outfit I had once worn to the barn!
I bought the sweater I'm wearing today from Izod on sale because I needed "professional" barn clothes for a barn manager job I had accepted. I was expected to dress to impress every day-- dress to impress high dollar clientele at the BARN. Yes, this is a real thing. I bought 3 Izod polos of various colors with jewels or preppy stripes/plaid on them... I bought barely used second-hand britches to replace the holey and stained ones I had had since I began my riding career. I had wonderful muck boots for when I was doing the dirty work, and I had a brand new pair of paddock boots with shiny half chaps ready to throw on when the clients arrived. I got myself a puffer vest, a Carhartt for the outdoorsy work in the winter, and a sleek fitted black all-weather jacket to throw on if I needed it when clients were around. I also was requested to either wear make-up or at least have lipgloss and mascara on me should the need arise.
This was for a barn job. The owner was a (nasty b**ch of a) woman. The 'lure' of our facility was that we offered trail rides on well-trained horses far enough from the city to see unadulterated wilderness beauty, but close enough to make a half-day trip. She marketed towards high-end clientele who want to escape the city and engage their "wild" equine side. It was a good plan. I was hooked. But when the owner turned away numerous paying customers because they didn't live up to her expectations... well it was a short-lived employment for me.
But this sweater that I'm wearing today is actually a piece I bought to look professional at the barn. I wore it to that barn many times that winter- of course, I swapped out the layers underneath. And when I left that barn, I packed away the sweater with my other riding stuff because it wasn't really my style, although it was super functional and versatile.
Today I am reminded that wardrobe pieces that are super functional and versatile are what you should invest in. Now-a-days, I don't buy a piece if I can't wear it to work. Dresses for weddings? They had better be appropriate enough to wear to the work Christmas party, too! I don't buy t-shirts, the newest ones I have are from participating in 5ks or mud runs. I haven't bought a sweatshirt since the Giants won a Superbowl. I only bought new jeans because my old ones got a hole in the crotch (jeans with holes are not allowed in the office on jeans days).
When I get an e-mail saying "come shop our sale", I get super excited... who doesn't like new clothes?? But an item has to pass this test for me to buy it:
1- Can it be worn to the office?? Multiple times? In multiple seasons?
2- Can it be worn to the barn??
3- Is it cheap enough justify buying it if it doesn't fit into the aforementioned categories??
This was for a barn job. The owner was a (nasty b**ch of a) woman. The 'lure' of our facility was that we offered trail rides on well-trained horses far enough from the city to see unadulterated wilderness beauty, but close enough to make a half-day trip. She marketed towards high-end clientele who want to escape the city and engage their "wild" equine side. It was a good plan. I was hooked. But when the owner turned away numerous paying customers because they didn't live up to her expectations... well it was a short-lived employment for me.
But this sweater that I'm wearing today is actually a piece I bought to look professional at the barn. I wore it to that barn many times that winter- of course, I swapped out the layers underneath. And when I left that barn, I packed away the sweater with my other riding stuff because it wasn't really my style, although it was super functional and versatile.
Today I am reminded that wardrobe pieces that are super functional and versatile are what you should invest in. Now-a-days, I don't buy a piece if I can't wear it to work. Dresses for weddings? They had better be appropriate enough to wear to the work Christmas party, too! I don't buy t-shirts, the newest ones I have are from participating in 5ks or mud runs. I haven't bought a sweatshirt since the Giants won a Superbowl. I only bought new jeans because my old ones got a hole in the crotch (jeans with holes are not allowed in the office on jeans days).
When I get an e-mail saying "come shop our sale", I get super excited... who doesn't like new clothes?? But an item has to pass this test for me to buy it:
1- Can it be worn to the office?? Multiple times? In multiple seasons?
2- Can it be worn to the barn??
3- Is it cheap enough justify buying it if it doesn't fit into the aforementioned categories??
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