Dressed for success, Kate-style

I have a business lunch tomorrow with a colleague and a New York real estate dude.

This is kind of a groaner, because I'm not a reporter, I do not leave the office, and I do not do the business lunch thingy. I'm just not the sociable type.

But realizing I was in this for better or worse, I came home tonight and scrounged around my closet for something semi-presentable. I have my work clothes (plain, casual tees and pants in various shades of washed-out black and gray), my funeral and wedding clothes (black skirts, black jackets, a sweater or two), and my play clothes (torn-up baggy jeans, random goofy tees, flip-flops, bucket hats).

What to wear? What to wear?

Then I had a sudden revelation: I have the fashion sense of a moose.

A friend of Paul's, I have heard, said, "Paul married a goth girl." That's just not right. I mean, yeah, when I met Paul's friend, I had purple hair and probably was wearing freaky-dark lipstick. But that does not a goth girl make. I haven't dyed my hair in at least three years (although I'm seriously considering dyeing it red before we leave for New York). And I traded in the dark lipstick and heavy eyeliner for Blistex and, well, no eyeliner because I realized nobody really cared about my makeup other than me.

I liked cutesy skulls-and-crossbones and Jhonen Vasquez before either invaded Hot Topic. I have a dozen pairs of halloween socks. I wear thick-rimmed glasses and Blow-Pop socks. Right now, my hair is in pigtails in Dora the Explorer ponytail holders (Dora on the left; Backpack on the right). I have nerdy shirts. I like hats. You know, whatever.

I gravitate toward comfortable things, things I find cute, things that keep me from feeling old. That's great for casual Fridays at work or just hanging around here playing video games and killing time. Even during non-casual days at work, I don't dress up all corporate-like. I mean, I just never venture far from The Closet, so there's no one to impress other than the same 25 people I see every day.

Oh god. I've made it sound much worse than it really is. Please don't sign me up for one of those makeover shows – not at least until I turn 30.

In any case, I think I've come up with business lunch-appropriate attire, Kate-style: A red sweater that just happens to be the warmest, most comfy top in the world and gray pinstripe pants that just happen to be made out of flannel. Toss in a monogrammed black handbag and a pair of black shoes and I'll be good to go.

... And as soon as I get back to the office, I'm changing into jeans and a t-shirt. Because, hey, that's just how I roll.