Frock Fridays: Dare to be Only Slightly Different

To: Betsy’s “dear readers”

From: her fashionably inept sister.

Betsy has been on me (in the way that only a bride-to-be knows how) to write a Frock Friday entry for quite some time. My tardiness has been two-fold. One: I just haven’t made the time (how’s that for honesty up front!) and two: writing for an audience not being paid to read my work freaks me out. It’s right up there with surprise parties and blind dates. I’ll punch anyone who plans either for me. Additionally, Betsy and I, shall we say, have slightly different styles and as you are her readers, I’ve also been a bit nervous to put my ideas on her blog.

A little about me: when I find something that is comfortable and fits, chances are I will buy it in 4 colors. Unless forced by The Man to dress appropriately for work (ugh, finance) or attending a cocktail party, put me in athletic clothes any day of the week. If prompted to select my “typical” outfit, friends from college would imagine me in jortz (jean shorts) and a white v-neck tee, regardless of season. I will wear any and all shades of blue, black, white, and gray. Most varieties of yellows, greens, and definitely orange are just not in my color wheel, which my mother definitely agrees with.

At the end of the day, most of this stems from my fear of personal risk taking. I realize this sounds incredibly psychoanalytical and might be an overshare for the Betsy Transatlantically readers, but I know that part of what brings you back to my sister’s blog is her whimsical ability to share any number of intimate details with a larger audience. She is fearless and open, and I would rather jump into a dark hole then voluntarily let people in. I know… I’m working on it.

That being said, I’ve come up with a couple of outfits for today’s post that utilize pieces within my comfort zone but still make me feel a little edgy. The combinations center around the events I plan to attend this fall (ie: Oktobfest at a local brewery, my liberal arts college’s Homecoming, a horserace in New Jersey, and an Ivy League football game). New England fashion, like mine, is fantastically mundane – sorry, I meant “classic.” Therefore, I’ve tried to add some details to spice up the drab and add a little dash of unexpected flavor. Please don’t mock me for feeling trendy and exciting by throwing on an extra bangle or wearing colorful cropped pants – these are big steps for me.

jewelry, top row from left: watch / earrings

jewelry, middle row from left: bracelet / ring / necklace

jewelry, bottom row from left: bracelet / bracelet / necklace / ring

clothes, left: shirt / vest / pants / sunglasses / boots

clothes, right: jacket / tank / necklace / leggings / boots / bag / bracelet / ring