Adventures in Thrifting Part 4: Olive Suede Blazer and Gingham Dress & Link Up On the Edge #222

gingham dress, suede blazer, camouflage shoes, thrifted style, fashion over 40, Shelbee on the Edge
gingham dress, suede blazer, camouflage shoes, thrifted style, fashion over 40, Shelbee on the Edge
gingham dress, suede blazer, camouflage shoes, thrifted style, fashion over 40, Shelbee on the Edge
gingham dress, suede blazer, camouflage shoes, thrifted style, fashion over 40, Shelbee on the Edge
gingham dress, suede blazer, camouflage shoes, thrifted style, fashion over 40, Shelbee on the Edge

With all the new holiday regulations on businesses and individuals, I have taken to my sweet isolation once again (although I never really did emerge from isolation) and haven’t gone on a thrifting adventure in a while. But my last few trips to the thrift shops were quite fruitful and I haven’t shared everything with you yet.

Today’s featured thrifted find is this olive green suede blazer. It is the Lord & Taylor brand and it is 100% genuine leather. I paid $2.50 for it at my local Thrifty Shopper! It was marked at $5.00 and I would have gladly paid that amount but I had a 50% off coupon that day which only sweetened the deal on this beautiful piece.

gingham dress, suede blazer, camouflage shoes, thrifted style, fashion over 40, Shelbee on the Edge
gingham dress, suede blazer, camouflage shoes, thrifted style, fashion over 40, Shelbee on the Edge
gingham dress, suede blazer, camouflage shoes, thrifted style, fashion over 40, Shelbee on the Edge
gingham dress, suede blazer, camouflage shoes, thrifted style, fashion over 40, Shelbee on the Edge
gingham dress, suede blazer, camouflage shoes, thrifted style, fashion over 40, Shelbee on the Edge

This new preloved suede blazer reminds me of a dark green leather blazer that I owned decades back when I worked in New York City. I also had a dark red leather blazer during that time, circa late 1990’s/early 2000’s. These blazers were so cool and they fit like a glove. I felt super chic and edgy when I would put them on with my Wall Street attire and my four inch heels as I marched my sassy ass to my 33rd floor office in downtown Manhattan.

Even in a city of over 8 million people, I somehow managed to not quite fit in when it came to my style choices and well, basically anything else for that matter. I was the girl in corporate America who wore trouser suits when women were still expected to wear skirts. When I did wear a skirt or a dress, I challenged all of the corporate expectations by wearing strappy shoes that showed off my perfectly manicured bare toes and no stockings on my naked legs. That was also hugely frowned upon just 20 some years ago…bare legs with no stockings. Eek. The nerve of me to prance around Manhattan on a hot and humid summer afternoon with bare legs!

gingham dress, suede blazer, camouflage shoes, thrifted style, fashion over 40, Shelbee on the Edge
gingham dress, suede blazer, camouflage shoes, thrifted style, fashion over 40, Shelbee on the Edge
gingham dress, suede blazer, camouflage shoes, thrifted style, fashion over 40, Shelbee on the Edge
gingham dress, suede blazer, camouflage shoes, thrifted style, fashion over 40, Shelbee on the Edge

I can recall countless times when I was criticized for my style choices both in the workplace and in social settings. One time I went for a job interview with a huge banking conglomerate in the city. I was wearing a gorgeous chocolate brown silk pant suit from Ann Taylor with a beautiful silk printed blouse in shades of brown and taupe, stunning stilettos, and perfectly coordinated jewelry and accessories.

The woman interviewing me was wearing cropped slacks and hiking sandals with a linen blazer and a golf shirt. The very first thing she said to me as I walked through the door was that a woman wearing pants in the financial services industry was completely inappropriate. She went on to inform me that she was astonished that I would dress like this for an interview and I was clearly not the person for the job.

As I stood in front of her, jaw dropped in astonishment, I literally did not know how to proceed from that point forward. But it wasn’t necessary as she continued to berate me for no particular reason, threw my resume at me and asked me to leave. “Gladly, ma’am,” I thought fighting back tears, “I will leave now with haste…But I am going to publicly share what an awful person you are 20 years in the future when I start writing a fashion blog.” I do remember telling my roommate of the situation right after it happened and she responded that a pant suit should have been fine, but a printed blouse was way too over the top for a job interview. I am still scratching my head 20 years later.

gingham dress, suede blazer, camouflage shoes, thrifted style, fashion over 40, Shelbee on the Edge
gingham dress, suede blazer, camouflage shoes, thrifted style, fashion over 40, Shelbee on the Edge
gingham dress, suede blazer, camouflage shoes, thrifted style, fashion over 40, Shelbee on the Edge
gingham dress, suede blazer, camouflage shoes, thrifted style, fashion over 40, Shelbee on the Edge
gingham dress, suede blazer, camouflage shoes, thrifted style, fashion over 40, Shelbee on the Edge

There was another occasion when I attended an all day corporate training session. I was wearing a midi length pencil skirt in lovely shades of burgundy, tan, and black with leather knee high boots in the most luxurious shade of camel. On the top, I wore a camel colored duster cardigan with black faux fur trim along the lapel. Under the cardigan, I layered a burgundy ribbed wrap style sweater that showed the tiniest peek of cleavage.

My boss’s boss pulled me aside at the lunch break to personally tell me that I was showing too much cleavage and it was too inviting to the mostly male attendees in the training class. He preached on that I had better reevaluate my work wardrobe pieces before I get myself “into trouble.” Again, I found myself completely baffled because literally the only bare skin on my body was my hands, my face, my neck, and a bit of décolletage. Everything fit properly. Nothing was too tight or revealing, yet I was criticized for the way I was dressed and made to feel like a complete fool.

And then there was the time that I was scolded so harshly by my ex-husband for wearing sweatpants to the grocery store. It was my day off and I was wearing my comfy clothes, not ratty ripped up clothes suitable only for gardening or painting, but regular cute joggers and a matching top with a coat because it was winter. Apparently, a friend of his mother saw me in the grocery store and immediately called my mother-in-law to express her great concern for my image which obviously was a direct reflection on their entire family. I was very sternly reprimanded later that night and told that I was to never leave the house wearing sweatpants again.

Yikes. Nasty words stick with you longer than kind ones and I still very rarely leave the house wearing sweatpants for fear that those horrible you’re-not-good-enough messages will creep back into my psyche.

gingham dress, suede blazer, camouflage shoes, thrifted style, fashion over 40, Shelbee on the Edge
gingham dress, suede blazer, camouflage shoes, thrifted style, fashion over 40, Shelbee on the Edge
gingham dress, suede blazer, camouflage shoes, thrifted style, fashion over 40, Shelbee on the Edge
gingham dress, suede blazer, camouflage shoes, thrifted style, fashion over 40, Shelbee on the Edge
gingham dress, suede blazer, camouflage shoes, thrifted style, fashion over 40, Shelbee on the Edge

But I have really digressed into these crazy little memories from a past that was so long ago I barely even recognize the girl from the stories. While I still walk the line between what is considered “dressing appropriately” and “not giving a fuck,” if any one of those events occurred today, I am pretty certain that expletives would flow very easily from my mouth…in perfect accordance with my “unacceptable” style choices.

But let me get back to my thrifty finds. This adorable black and white gingham shirt dress by Popsugar is also a fairly recent preloved addition to my closet. You may remember it from my Thrifty Six post back in October when we featured heritage prints. I layered it over a pair of camouflage joggers and under an off the shoulder green velvet sweatshirt. But I wanted to wear the dress as it was intended to be worn as well. And so this outfit came to life. I really loved the pairing of gingham with camouflage from the Thrifty Six post, so I added my camouflage open toed booties with some polka dot stockings to complete today’s thrifted outfit.

Before I go, I have to add one last silly little story. The day we shot these photos, I was so excited about how this outfit came together…in the mirror. But once we headed to the park for photos, it was so incredibly windy that nothing would stay in place from my hair to my dress. And my stockings kept sliding down so that the crotch felt like it was between my knees.

The blazer was photographing in a way not at all similar to what I saw in the mirror. In fact, I completely hated the way this outfit photographed. I was so disappointed when we finally gave up on it after taking about 200 pictures. As I climbed into the car to head home, I said to my husband, “You know, this outfit is a lot like Communism.” He looked at me somewhat confused. And I replied, “In theory, and in the mirror, it worked brilliantly. But in practice, it really does suck.”

gingham dress, suede blazer, camouflage shoes, thrifted style, fashion over 40, Shelbee on the Edge
gingham dress, suede blazer, camouflage shoes, thrifted style, fashion over 40, Shelbee on the Edge
gingham dress, suede blazer, camouflage shoes, thrifted style, fashion over 40, Shelbee on the Edge
gingham dress, suede blazer, camouflage shoes, thrifted style, fashion over 40, Shelbee on the Edge
gingham dress, suede blazer, camouflage shoes, thrifted style, fashion over 40, Shelbee on the Edge

So what are your thoughts on all of this? Have you ever been so nastily criticized for your clothing choices? Would you pair gingham and camouflage together? Do you give a hoot what anyone thinks about how you dress? I would love to hear in the comments!

Featured Favorites

Reader Favorite (Most Clicked)

Nancy of Nancy’s Fashion Style shared her post, Monochrome Black & Fancy Friday Link Up. I absolutely adore this dress on Nancy and the way she layered it with a blazer and faux leather leggings. Also, take note that she is wearing some really fabulous thrifted booties!

Fashion Favorite

Carrie of Curly Crafty Mom shared her post, Run Run Rudolph {Cute Holiday Tunic}. I am so in love with this adorable outfit from the whimsical reindeer print on this beautiful rose colored tunic straight down to Carrie’s lovely white ankle boots. Holiday perfection, my friend.

Non-Fashion Favorite

Patrick of Adventures in Weseland shared his post, Happy Thanksgiving 2020. It is a beautiful message and a perspective that we can all try. In true Patrick style, he has made a brilliant and important point in a short and concise way to deliver the best impact. Perspective is everything! Thanks for sharing the positive message, my friend.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Keeping it on the edge,

Shelbee

Linking up with these Fabulous Link Parties.

Shop my look…

Outfit Details: Blazer-Thrifted (Lord & Taylor) / Dress-Thrifted (PopSugar) / Half Tee-Torrid (Old) / Tights-Target (Old) / Shoes-Amazon (Old) / Clutch-Old Navy (Old) / Necklace-Moontide Arts / Earrings-Old / Watch-c/o Jord

I am a midlife woman, wife, and stay-at-home mother of 2 boys and 2 cats. I have a passion for helping other women feel fabulous in the midst of this crazy, beautiful life.

60 Comments

  • Nancy

    What a stories! How hierover people can be. Now, yeah now, why not 30 years ago, we, you and me, think, people who say those words are not happy with themselves. Would love to see pictures of you of that time! I tegenbericht when I was 10 or so, that I wore a top and maxi skirt in floral print that my mother made me. I was feeling so nice in that, loved it, until a female neighbor said to me, are you still wearing your pj s. I can still remember how disappointed I felt. Why in heavens name would a adult say something like that to a child! I love that blazer, it’s a gorgeous color. And thanks for the feature, that makes me so happy!

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      Aw, Nancy, thanks so much! People can be really awful and thoughtless when they start saying such things. I was always mistaken for a boy when I was a kid and that gave me such a terrible issue with my femininity as I got older. I always thought I wasn’t girly enough. And would you believe that I have absolutely no pictures of myself from that part of my life. From the ages of about 22 to 36, I very rarely took pictures or would even be photographed. I hope you have a fabulous weekend, my friend!

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • Claire

    What a beautiful green blazer, love it 🙂 I haven’t been thrifting all year, I would love to go and pick up some bargains. Great features, thanks for hosting. Have a lovely weekend.

  • Kathrine Eldridge

    Your words at the end of this post to your husband were hilarious! First of all, so sorry for these terrible experiences. I’m glad you didn’t get that first job because what a horrible person that was. This blazer was an amazing find. I totally get how an outfit looks good in theory and then you shoot and it’s not your fave. I love this look! Thanks for the link up and have a great weekend!

    https://www.kathrineeldridge.com

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      Kathrine, thanks so much! I am glad that I could give you a bit of a chuckle this morning! I think get even more baffled when I style an outfit that looks terrible in the mirror and then photographs beautifully. But with this one, I figured since it looked good in the mirror, then I would blame the camera and the wind for the failure in the photos! Haha. I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • Kellyann Rohr

    I am trying to wrap my brain around your interview experience – the woman conducting the interview was wearing pants and a golf shirt and she had the nerve to berate YOU???? I can remember working in a hospital and the dress code was very conservative – which I hated – and I had to wear hosiery at all times. UGH!
    Loving your hair – it so long and beautiful and boy, what a find on that jacket!
    Take care friend, you are a beauty on the inside and out!
    xo,
    Kellyann

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      Aw, Kellyann, thanks so much! I think I am still trying to wrap my brain around the words from that nasty interviewing lady! I did find out that she was retiring and was interviewing for her own replacement and I think maybe no one was good enough in her eyes. And I guess the only reason she could find that made me unqualified for her job was my appearance. Who knows. People are strange! But I am much happier away from that dreadful soul sucking corporate environment! I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • Niky

    I love your outfit in general, but especially the SHOES! Fabulous! The view is pretty great from your photo shoot, too.
    Also, I definitely think some of those heinous people from your past deserve the big fat F-U. The older I get, the less of a filter I have. 🙂

    Happy Friday,
    -Niky @ The House on Silverado

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      Niky, thanks so much! The older I get, the less f*cks I give as well. I would never stand there on the verge of tears now if some random person delivered such a nasty comment my way. That is the beauty of age. Although that nasty interviewing lady was probably in her 60’s at the time of that incident so she should have known better. But some people stay a-holes for their entire lives, I guess! Happy weekend to you, my friend!

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • Jill

    I’m so sorry you had all of these awful experiences! I can’t believe how horrible that person was at your job interview! I remember how strict dress codes were in the corporate environment 20-30 years ago and it was frowned upon if you added any type of personality to your outfit. And ugh, those pantyhose! I’m so glad dress codes are more relaxed now! I love this pattern mix and how your outfit turned out! That blazer is such a great find! I also love your camo shoes! Have a great weekend!

    Jill – Doused in Pink

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      Jill, thanks so much! My understanding about that interviewing woman was that she was retiring and interviewing people for her own job. I think no one was good enough in her eyes to replace her. Or she was just a mean old thing! In any event, corporate American killed my soul and I left shortly after that incident and never looked back or regretted my decision! And now I can wear whatever the heck I want wherever I want because I really do make my own rules! Happy weekend my friend.

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • Lucy Bertoldi

    Oh you always style up the best finds! And your posts are so fun to read…can just picture you bare-legged in Manhattan..gasp! lol!
    Have a great weekend!!! Should be sending you an email of what I’m wearing on my Friday Linkup post (Paisley!!) xx

  • Cary Jo

    I love your color combination! These might not be the perfect pieces together (not sure why not), but the colors and prints look great together.

    And I am so grateful for trailblazers like you who had to deal with the [insert foul language] people who were afraid of change. Having lived thru the same times, I know the burden you had to carry. I’m sorry you had to go thru such horrific situations, but I’m so thankful for you!

    I’m glad you are finding ways to stay true to who you are and that you have a more supportive spouse and a great community of support online.

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      Cary Jo, thank you so much for this wonderful comment! Honestly, I never considered myself a trailblazer and I never really even thought about how I was treated back then until I started writing this post. I was always well respected for the job I did, but I was often criticized for my appearance. So I always held the belief that it didn’t matter what you wore as long as your performance was on point. And mostly that was true for me, but sometimes, like the job interview, my appearance apparently annoyed the heck out of that woman! I left the whole toxic corporate environment very shortly after that incident anyway and never looked back! I am so much happier now. I hope you have a fantastic weekend!

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • Ellibelle

    I love that blazer! What a great find and perfect color too! It looks great paired with gingham! My outfit post today includes a recent thrift store find as well 🙂

    Those were some harsh words you had to hear, I’m sorry you were treated that way!
    Funny story with the photo shoot (although I think the pictures turned out great). I recently realized windy days really are the worst days for fashion photography!
    Ellibelle’s Corner

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      Ellie, thanks so much for your kind words. Yeah, those New York City folks can be kind of harsh to one another! I am enjoying my rural life these days. The city is way too stressful in so many ways! And yes, windy days are ridiculous for fashion photo shoots, but I always end up laughing when we try to do them! Heading over to see your new thrifted find! Have a great weekend.

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • Patrick Weseman

    What interesting stories. Wow. Times have really changed. I guess I am a little bit of an old-stick-in-the-mud because I cringe when my students (when school is in session) coming to school in their slides and shorts. When I was in school that was a no-no. But I have come to understand that things are different these days and things have changed.

    Thanks for the shout-out. That put a smile on face and it looks like my little dribble will hit 500,000 hits sometime today. Pretty cool for someone who can’t write or take photos. And my messages are simple since I am a simple man with simple words to say.

    Looking very nice and I hope that you have a wonderful weekend.

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      Aw, Patrick, thanks so much! You know I am a big fan of your dribble! And you can write and I always enjoy your photos. I am no photographer either, by the way! I think as generations move on, we all criticize the younger ones for not doing things the way we were taught. Old habits die hard! But at least you are open minded enough to realize that generations have different philosophies and standards about all sorts of things. Some better, some maybe not so much. But we just roll along with it! I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • Di

    I love this outfit, with all of the textures and prints. You put it together so beautifully-you are a master at layering and pattern mixing! Thank’s for sharing your experiences of outfit disapproval from the past, I think we can all relate to that hurt. I’m glad you we can dress more creatively, now.

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      Di, thanks so much! I have always expressed myself through fashion, so it is a relief that dress codes have eased up so much in the past 20 years or so. I have so many other stories about my outfits being an issue. I will have to try to write some more of them down because some are rather funny! I hope you have a fabulous weekend.

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • Terri Gardner

    Wow, what stories. I will always believe that women are always judged harshly than men when it comes to what they wear. I spent my life as an art teacher, so you can gather what I could get away with and no one say a thing-but that is a total different environment.

    Your gorgeous jacket makes me miss those wonderful bargains that I use to get at the thrift. I don’t think I’ve done that in a year. I remember when I even had a once a month link-up about thrifty fashion. Take care, Shelbee-you run a really good link-up.

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      Terri, thanks so much! I remember your thrifted fashion link up! I am really embracing thrifting so much more these days although I have been an avid thrifter since my teenage years (before it was cool)! I bet you were the coolest, most stylish art teacher in the district! I have always expressed myself through my clothing so putting restrictions on what I wear is so uncomfortable for me. I hope you have a fabulous weekend!

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • mireille

    I never was one to like to wear pantyhoses and I am totally with you with them not staying up! I use to be made fun of at school when I was in France because I was never wearing things that were in style but thankfully I was always able to make some friends. I went through a phase when I moved out of my parents when I wore things that were probably a little too short for my work environment (teaching) but that was not the only thing that I wore and it was not too too short. I do remember a student asking me if I was looking for a man one day because I was showing a little cleavage (but she also said that the day I was wearing sunglasses outside too). I cannot believe comments people make. But the outfits you describe sound pretty awesome ! The first thing that drew my attention to this outfit was the shoes and I really like the combo of gingham and green. I don’t think it photographed badly at all. I especially like the sitting down pictures. Blame the wind for any issues! Might also be the different types of materials rubbing against each other not letting the outfit lay like it looked in the mirror. A little static!
    http://www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      Mireille, thanks so much! I definitely blame the wind! Haha. OMG, the things kids will say about an outfit are sometimes the best ones! I was substitute teaching a 5th grade class years ago long before I had kids. I was wearing a simple black dress of some sort when one boy approached me and asked if I was having a baby. When I answered no, a girl yelled at him, “See I told she wasn’t pregnant!” The boy looked me up and down and said, “Then I would get rid of that dress if I were you!” Oh my word, I had to laugh and I never did wear that dress that made me look pregnant again! I hope you have a wonderful weekend, my friend!

      xoxo
      Shelbee

      • Joanne

        I was literally about to write a comment where a fellow student (when I was in high school) who told me a brand new dress my grandmother had just bought for me made me look pregnant and I too never wore that dress again! My grandmother loved to take me shopping but did not like my taste in clothes at all and insisted that “slacks” were only meant to be worn around the house and “dungarees” were for working in. It was often an exhausting day of shopping but somehow we usually found at least a few common ground outfits we could both agree on.

        • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

          Oh my goodness, Joanne, that is funny that you had a similar comment thrown at you and you responded the same way as I did! I remember being at a party with my sister about a million years ago and she had on this star print dress that she loved and it totally made her look pregnant. As her sister, I made her aware of that but she didn’t care because she loved that dress. Someone came up to her at the party and complimented her dress in front of me and she glanced my way gloating. Until the person followed up their compliment with “You still didn’t have that baby? When are you due?” Her head went down and she said, “I did have that baby and he’s 5.” I almost died laughing! (But only because it was my sister and I had told her so!) She never wore that dress again either! I enjoyed your story about shopping with your grandmother. I loved to wear all of my grandmother’s vintage clothes when I was in high school, so I usually shopped in her attic! She really enjoyed my quirky style and she would light up when I would come down wearing some fancy 1950’s get up with one of her pill box hats and then I would add ripped tights and knee high combat boots to it to make it more me. She loved it! I hope you have a lovely weekend, my friend.

          xoxo
          Shelbee

          xoxo
          Shelbee

  • ratnamurti

    Wow. Horrible. An attractrive girl is always a threat. So – a run-in with an absolute mean jealous bitch, and a dirty old man. Room-mate – what the hell was she thinking? I haven’t worn a skirt since a #metoo moment when I gave my boss a lift about 26 years ago. I was teaching some yoga students one day. The room went quiet as I came in, and they all stared in horror at me. Later someone took me aside – my god I’d done the worst thing. I was wearing a white bra under an orange top which had lacey holes, and you could see the bra. Oh my god!! How terrible!! I really wondered about all their values, I can tell you.

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      Oh my goodness, Ratnamurti, what a story! Those boss men can really be something else, can’t they? And a visible bra? Oh my, the horror! But if you were not wearing any bra at all, you would be equally criticized! Society even dictates what we are supposed to wear underneath our clothes, but if you show that you are obeying the rules, you get in trouble for that, too! We can’t win. So I am just going to keep wearing whatever the heck makes me happy because someone will always be there to criticize no matter what! I wonder about the values of too many people! So I will just stay focused on remaining true to my own values. Thanks for being such an awesome human, my friend!

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • Marielle

    I laughed at your communism comment!! 🙂 I say well done on a windy day. I love the green jacket. It really is crazy what some people will say. If my mother-in-law or husband cared what I wore to the grocery store, they never would have accepted the marriage to begin with! Have a great weekend Shelbee!

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      Hehe, thanks, Marielle! People do say some crazy things! Ooh, there was an even crazier one from my ex’s grandmother. The first time I met her, she promptly told me she didn’t like my name and she was going to call me something “more appropriate”. Who the heck says that to a person?! I guess the kind of people who care what others wear to the grocery store! Haha. I hope you have a fabulous weekend!

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • Darlene

    You paid WHAT for that blazer?!! Wow, it looks amazing on you. I love navy and olive together and gingham is genius with that jacket! Not to mention those very cool camo booties! Well, now we know why “he” and his family are your ex’s right? Yikes! Have a great weekend, my friend.

    xx Darlene

  • Gail

    You were too ahead of your time Shelbee – the style grand dames like Anna Wintour never wear hosiery now (not even in winter) and your silk pant suit and blouse are just what power dressing is all about now! I remember starting a job around 24 years ago and being told by the sales manager that I wouldn’t last long as I didn’t fit in with my clothes. I was wearing a red jacket and had to address a room full of men, all wearing black or navy suits. Well I did fit in because I was there for 20 years! And I was glad to stand out because I was “a creative” and not a suit or scruffy engineer. Have a great weekend!

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      Aw, Gail, thanks so much! It still baffles me how quickly people are to judge others based on the way they dress. Personal style is exactly that…personal. But yet so many in our society want to force us to look alike. Still, to this day, it happens. And it saddens me. I dress how I love to dress and I am usually super confused if I feel people looking at me strangely. There are so many occasions when I am somewhere with my husband, especially in his circles of Army friends and such, where I will suddenly feel like people are looking at me strangely. I will usually quietly ask my husband if he noticed anything and he usually responds with, “Do you see how you are dressed compared to everyone else here?” And then I look around and realize that I am in a similar situation as you were…the girl in the bright red jacket in a sea of black and navy! And people take notice and it makes me uncomfortable. Hahaha. Thanks so much for sharing your experience with me! It definitely helps to know that I am not the only one! Have a lovely weekend, my friend.

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • Michelle

    Yikes! You ran into some really shitty people in your career; not to mention your asshat ex. I was never openly criticized about my attire. But when I was a young woman in the Midwest having grown up in Los Angeles, I found myself be admonished by male lab supervisor for being friends with my male co-workers, because my catty female coworkers were complaining. I think I was supposed to join the mean girl club, and I didn’t. My boss wasn’t reprimanding me; he said he was warning me. But I couldn’t believe these women were so petty.

    I like this outfit. I think it works better than you think. You probably just needed some sun and less wind. What a great score on that blazer!

    Michelle
    https://mybijoulifeonline.com

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      Thanks so much, Michelle! I have definitely encountered a lot of mean people in my life. But I have also encountered a lot of really amazingly wonderful people, too. I guess it’s a trade off we have to deal with in this crazy world. I can’t believe that you were “warned” for being friends with your male co-workers. How does a supervisor even deliver such a warning? “This is just a warning, but you are no longer to act on friendly terms with any co-worker of a different gender. If you fail to comply, this warning will be elevated to a terminable offense.”????? Fucking people!

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • Mica

    Such a cute gingham dress and that blazer was a nice find! It’s good you were able to layer up the dress for cooler weather even if you didn’t like the resulting outfit in the end 🙂

    It’s a shame you got such harsh feedback about your clothes too! I’ve had constructive criticism but never anything bad – I seek out the opinions of those I trust when I’m unsure and at the end of the day I’m the ones wearing the clothes not anyone else so as long as I’m happy 🙂

    Hope that you are having a great weekend 🙂 Too hot to do much here so we are staying at home doing Christmas crafts 🙂

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      Mica, thanks so much! I would wear this outfit again even though it wasn’t exactly as I wanted it to look! And I am totally with you on seeking input from trusted people. It is the unsolicited nasty comments that are just so unnecessary! I would certainly respond much differently now to such criticisms…which is probably why I don’t get quite as much criticism these days because I will just shut it down. I wear what I love because it makes me smile and that is good enough! We are staying home as well all weekend because it is too rainy and cold here!

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • Laura Bambrick

    Well I can see why your ex is exactly that! I could never see my husband saying anything about what I wear-anywhere! He may not be perfect, but he is always complimentary! And never cares about sweatpants! That blazer you got was such an amazing steal! I can see why you were suede to buy it! Haha!

  • Leelo

    Wow!
    Firstly, I absolutely love your style and this outfit. That blazer jacket looks absolutely gorgeous!
    Secondly, reading your stories … oh, wow. I can’t believe you have been criticized so much because of your outfits.

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      Thanks so much, Leelo! In hindsight, I realize that those stories really are quite shocking. I guess I just assumed most people were that mean all the time. Maybe I didn’t know the right people back in those days!

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • Emma Peach

    That blazer was a bargain! It looks fabulous with the gingham dress and the camo print shoes. That woman at the interview sounds like a total arsehole – she was probably envious because she didn’t have any sense of style. And as for your ex, well I didn’t realise that going out in sweatpants was a crime! He sounds like an arsehole too, and your ex boss. I often see ladies in my local shop in dressing gowns and slippers…not something I’d do but if that’s what they want to do then good for them – I’m not going to judge them. I think your outfit photographed really well btw!

    Emma xxx
    http://www.style-splash.com

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      Emma, thanks so much! It seems there was a period of my life when I was surrounded by arseholes! Eventually I learned to walk away from all that ugliness and only surround myself with good and kind folks! I have to be honest, I used to judge the parents at school pick up who were still in the pajamas in the afternoon, but I have stopped doing that as well. Because why the heck should I care what someone else is wearing?! Wear what you want, when you want, how you want. It isn’t for me to judge either!

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • Chrissy Rowden

    I laughed many times throughout this post Shelbee, starting with how you had a 50% off coupon for this blazer. I don’t know. I think it’s funny. What a fabulous deal. As for those stories…how crazy and so different. From bank interviews to Gestapo grocery employees. You’ve had an interesting life my friend and I am confident that the adventures will continue; in a good way of course. I’m thinking we need to have that virtual coffee meet up here soon!

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      Haha, Chrissy, I am glad you got a good giggle from it! Who doesn’t like a 50% off coupon for already incredibly inexpensive things?! I get so excited! I have definitely lived a life that is filled with crazy stories! And yes, we do need a virtual coffee date! Oh my goodness, I will welcome that kind of interaction in a heartbeat! Message me and let’s do it!

      xoxo
      Shelbee

  • jess jannenga

    Now those camo heels are cute!! I see camo sneakers but not often do you see camo heels, they look great with the polka dot stockings! I love your thrift find, the olive green suede looks wonderful on you, such a great color with your skin tone. I have to put some items on Poshmark, and of course I look around! 🙂
    thanks for linking!
    jess xx
    http://www.elegantlydressedandstylish.com

    • shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com

      Jess, thanks so much! I used to have an amazing pair of camo stiletto heels. They were so fancy and I felt so sassy in them, but they were way too tight so I got rid of them. I have another pair of heeled camo sock booties that are a bit dressier, too. I love them! I am getting antsy to go on a thrifting adventure soon! My in-laws are visiting this week, so I may see if my mother in law is up for some thrifting while they are here. I hope you are enjoying the weekend!

      xoxo
      Shelbee

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Shelbee on the Edge