Dress code: Festive Attire

I looked out my window about 3:50pm and saw a beautiful sunset. That is one nice thing about still being at work when the sun goes down - I normally turn around and catch all of the color in the sky (of course with the short days, I get the sunrise colors also). It is a pretty ending to a snowy day. Yes, it started snowing sometime last night and I was outside this morning at 5:30 shoveling a path for the pooch to get through. Our house received 5 inches before we left for work and while it tapered off downtown by lunch it was still snowing steadily at home. After getting home tonight, I finished shoveling the deck and yard for the pooch while Robert got the driveway with the snow thrower….at about 5:30. I would guess we got about 7 inches.

Squirt update – Saturday makes 11 days since he received stitches and we plan to go to the pet hospital and have them removed plus a general check over. Robert thinks the bruises are fading but I am not so sure. He (Squirt) is back to his normal antics and Robert and I must check with each other before Squirt gets a biscuit as he has been asking for one from each of us – and normally getting a total of two. Who says dogs can’t train humans.

Back to “festive attire”! Dress in the office here can range from suits and ties to jeans and polo’s – like any other office. I think a lot depends on what the weather is like. Since it snowed quite a bit overnight, I think I only saw one person not wearing jeans and boots today. (I actually wore my giant killer snow boots today and was happy I did! While not exactly stylish - very functional and warm.) After hours functions however are a different story.

We have attended a few organized events since arriving and have seen others going to events of some sort. Many dressed in very formal attire. Being new in town and with the weather increasingly colder for each event, I generally ask someone attending or coordinating the function what they expect the general population to wear. Each time I have heard business casual but you’ll see everything. And you do.

The first function we attended was a lot of fun and very enjoyable. It had warmed to 23 degrees with a north wind so I only needed a light jacket, which happened to be part of my business casual work outfit. Walking in the door, the first person we greet is in a tux. I’m thinking ut oh…way under dressed. Ten minutes later though I see someone in jeans. I would estimate there were about the equivalent number of jeans vs tuxes and everyone else fell in between.

Friday is the Christmas party and once again, “festive attire” is required and once again I ask around. This time the description was not tuxedos and ball gowns but suits and cocktail dresses or velvet pants with sparkly tops. (Guess how many of velvet pants and sparkly tops I own.) But – you will see everything.

So now I have another excuse to go shopping (my business casual clothes are tired of pulling double shifts anyway) and I am sure whatever I buy to wear will require new shoes. (I wonder if Hawaiian would work – that’s festive…probably not…) I wonder if Christmas shoppers will be out?