Mo Kim

And just like that, we’re officially done with the first week of the February Fashion Challenge! Whoo!

One of the questions I had when I was initially planning this month was how I’d keep my outfits work-appropriate. My company doesn’t demand that we show up in full suits every day, but since we work with students, we still need to model what it means to be professional in your presentation: sure, you might still opt for jeans and a sweater some days, but they better look clean and well-fitted! Truth be told, though, what counts as work fashion in education is a question I’m still figuring out. I don’t always feel like I’m totally sure about what I wear into the office, and it’s something that I’d like to develop more confidence around this year.

And who better to get inspiration from than my fabulous co-workers?

With the help of my work friend, Jess (who suggested today’s theme), we talked our entire Program Team into dressing up as a different team member for a day. After writing our names on orange Post-Its, we picked randomly out of the resulting pile to learn whose style we had been assigned to emulate. No spoilers for who I got:

The top half of this outfit really pushed me out of my comfort zone! Years of wearing my cousin’s leftovers to school (and suffering in 90-degree heat) have turned me off turtlenecks for life. In fact, the one I’m wearing in this picture is the only one I own, and it was technically a Christmas gift from my mom. And although I’ve always thought leather jackets look great, I’ve rarely mustered the courage as an adult to break them out of my closet: they feel like they were made for people way cooler than I am, like motorcyclists or Soundcloud musicians. But if there’s one thing my co-worker wears a lot of, it’s black…and leather. I owed it to her to be as true to her aesthetic as possible.

I was thankful to find that after my initial discomfort, my outfit was more comfortable than I expected! In fact, the turtleneck was a godsend during one of San Francisco’s windier days; it was soft enough to relax in and thick enough to keep the cold out. The jacket also helped me walk with a little more swagger in my step than I’m used to. I wouldn’t wear these pieces every day, but maybe I’ll incorporate them into my regular rotation more often from now on!

And when everybody in the office successfully guessed my fashion muse within five minutes of my arrival, I knew that my effort had paid off. My colleagues were no slouch in the dress-up department, either. Here are some highlights:

• A loose polo shirt paired with a beanie
• A classic puffer vest over the coziest flannel ever
• Cashmere, oh my gosh, so fuzzy and warm

I just wish I had remembered to take pictures of everybody else’s outfits. That’ll have to happen next time we do this!

Steal the look:

• Black leather jacket (No motorcycle required.)
• Black turtleneck (If I had to estimate what percent of my wardrobe is just things my mom found on sale at work, I’d guess it’s over 30% at this point. Shopping for clothes is one of her top love languages.)
• DKNY slim-fit jeans from TJ Maxx
• ASICS OC Runner in Cream/Beryl Green (After just one week of wear, they’re already getting a little dirty on the sides. Goes to show how often I’ve been wearing them!)

Coming tomorrow: I get a little bit jealous…and my outfit says it all.