Perhaps it is a bit redundant of me to advise on corporate dressing when I left that world in 2020, but there are still certain rules that don’t change. Like no shorts and no flip-flops in the office.
The outfit I am wearing is probably appropriate, depending on the kind of business. In law firms they still walk around in suits and dresses but in an advertising department of a bank for instance, where I used to work, anything goes. It draws the line at old and stained T-shirts, any piece of clothing which is worn-out, damaged or torn. But trainers (sneakers) are no problem. Lots of people wear them to the office nowadays, with a dress or a suit.
I did this photo shoot with Janna (@timelessstyle.nl) whom I met through Instagram. We did shoots together before, like this time. She came up with the subject. “Let’s do corporate dressing”, she said. So we met at the Amsterdam business centre called the Zuidas.
Below: We stepped into the World Trade Centre and it felt corporate indeed.
Below: Majestic. We weren’t allowed to take photos here, at least not photos with people in it. I was allowed one shot and blurred a recognisable person.
Below: We started taking photos indoors as there was a lot of light. Here I am, wearing my reading glasses to enhance the corporate look.
Below: And here is Janna who did the modern thing: trainers and a Chanel-type skirt suit.
Below: We thought this was such a good setting that we took a shot of me in this spot too. The big brown bag is a vintage purchase. Used to belong to a stylist. The necklace is the infamous Paris Necklace; worn with a knot which hides the wrinkles of my decolletage.
The pencil skirt is ancient and the little jumper is from the Meek Boutique in the UK. I bought it years ago. (See jumper in the original post.) I love the white trim on the sleeves and at the hem.
Below: We had lunch and saw a lot of corporate people. Not many suits and only an occasional little black dress. Things have loosened up, especially after lock-down.
We continued outside and decided to shoot both of us with the same background.
Below: Looking all prim and hoity toity here.
The killer heels which I am wearing are actually comfortable. Such a shame that the company who made them, is now part of a chain and doesn’t sell such shoes anymore. They so knew how to design shoes.
Below: This is a sweeter look.
Below: Janna, getting a bit of fresh air during ‘lunch break’. Still ‘working’ on her iPhone. (We love to act.)
Below: Continuing our stroll through the business centre.
Below: All right…stairs…always great as background. Only the trees are in focus and I am out of focus haha.
Yes, I have walked every step in these shoes and it was no problem. Janna can testify.
Below: It is an art to go down the stairs and not fall flat on your face.
Below: With my high heels, wonky knee and track record of falling down the stairs, I chose to just pose on the stairs.
Below: This is where I used to work.
Below: Some drinks to end the afternoon and the waitress took a photo of the two of us. As this was so close to the office I used to work at, I met two former colleagues when we were doing the shoot. Lovely to meet them again.
A bit of a different post than usual, but I’ll throw it at you anyway.
What happened in my life this week
Saturday we went to see my bonus daughter and her husband and they treated us to burritos. Very tasty.
Sunday was mum day again. I put her in a wheelchair to go and get an ice cream at the village square. Nice for her to get out of the house, although she doesn’t like to sit in the wheelchair. I try to encourage her to walk behind the rollator a bit more and strengthen her muscles but she is lazy and doesn’t really feel like it.
Monday I had a list of chores, most of which I managed to do that day. But it wasn’t a day that I particularly liked. Household chores are boring. And the printer died.
Tuesday I invited Kitty for coffee and luckily she was able to make it. Usually she is far too busy. We selected photos of the shoot she did a fortnight ago and she will get them to me by Monday. They are for next Sunday’s post and then my photo stock is gone and I will have to go and shoot again. Luckily the temperatures will drop. Below: Kitty with new sunglasses.
Got the result of the mammogram and I am OK. Yay.
Our next-door neighbours came to dinner which is, as always, fun. Ron cooked the same meal as he did for other friends/neighbours not so long ago, because it is so easy to put in the oven and let it stew. Boeuf Bourguignon. Some melon with Italian ham to start and Eton Mess as dessert. Which means I’ll do the starters and the dessert as I cannot cook and this only requires assembly skills haha.
Wednesday it was mum’s birthday! 94 years. My brother and SIL and Ron and I went over with cakes etc to celebrate.
Below: Mum and Anke (SIL). Mum was very cheerful. She is a petite, Anke is a normal size but looks bigger next to tiny mum.
Below: Ron and me. He actually smiles while his photo is being taken.
We arrived home too late for dinner so quickly ate a pizza, picked up around the corner (the benefits of living in a town). Our IT-guy came round early evening to install the new printer and some other computer jobs. Everything is working again.
Thursday I visited someone I worked with in advertising, who now happens to be working only one street from my house. Had a nice chat and a cup of coffee. Just in time I got home to welcome Marja and we headed into town. Lunch, coffee with chocolate (oh my weight is terribly high) and we both bought the same skirt at kpa.haarlem. I can never judge clothes on a hanger, I have to see them on a person. So as soon as Marja put on the skirt, I knew it would be something for me.
Below: Marja and me. It was still very hot, so we were dressed accordingly. And still managed to shop haha.
Friday was a leisure day with a visit to the pedicure and to the hairdresser. Bought an oversized Kenzo men’s jacket for a sweet low price because one of the sleeves was damaged near the cuffs. As I always wear sleeves rolled up, that is no issue for me. I think it will be a very useful piece in autumn and winter if I have interpreted the catwalk pictures correctly.
That day I wore the blue and white striped shirt which you saw at the end of last week’s post, this time with slim cropped trousers. The pink pumps I just added for the photo. In reality I wore open toed sandals on Friday to dry the nail varnish.
Below: The Friday outfit (almost). Still not completely satisfied. The shoes aren’t right.
Greetje
Interesting to find out where you used to work, Greetje. I bet you don’t miss that rat race!! I love the outfit you chose for the ‘corporate look’. I used to get away with wearing almost anything in my jobs in newspaper and magazine publishing. I did like to make an effort when I was going out to interview people though!
Happy Birthday to you mum. She really is tiny, isn’t she?!
Hugs
Suzy xx
P.S I haven’t mentioned it on the blog because of family issues, by my MIL died last month, that’s why I’ve had some time off. The funeral was beautiful but very sad. We’re ok though, just happy she’s no longer suffering. Oh, and I inherited all of her jewellery!!!!
I certainly don’t miss the rat race, the deadlines, but I do miss my colleagues and the office banter.
My mum is 1m56. Don’t know what that is in feet.
My condolences to you and your husband. I know you were so fond of your MIL and she of you. Inheriting all of her jewellery is awesome. She always gave you so much beautiful jewellery.
Dag Greetje
Wat leuk om onze corperate shoot terug te zien en jouw ondertiteling erbij
Echt nagenieten !
Blij dat je er tevreden over bent. Het is tenslotte voor de helft jouw werk.
Well, your work outfit is very nice. Skirt, sweater and pumps, a modern classic. Also with that big bag, almost a briefcase, it is perfect. You add some reading glasses and even more orthodox. It seems perfect to me that we, already retired, explain to young people how to dress correctly at work! LOL . Actually, looking at your photos, no one would say that you are already a retiree, you look like the top girl in the office.
You just paid me the best compliment and made my day. “I look like the top girl in the office”..my, my. Thank you.
Love your glasses! My aunt always felt that “ladies of a certain age” should wear glasses. Yours are very becoming.
Well, your aunt was perhaps right in her time, but nowadays “ladies of a certain age” cavort when they hear there are ‘rules’ they have to obey to. But it is of course, pretty much a law of physics; as you get older your eyesight diminishes and most people have to wear glasses in order to see properly. Thank you for the compliment about my glasses, I am very pleased with them which is quite something as I hate glasses.
You look great, but I would bet you’re happy to be retired. I used to work in the corporate world, but it wasn’t a good fit and having to get “dressed up” didn’t help. For the last 28 years before I retired, I worked in a private progressive school where people could pretty much wear what they wanted. Some of their outfits were a little unprofessional to me, and one teacher could have been mistaken for someone who lives on the street. I wore jeans every day but with nice tops, scarves, jewelry, and shoes. I was considered one of the most fashionable people in the school!
I bet you were considered one of the most fashionable people in the school. When you put a bit of effort in your appearance, you get easily rewarded with looking good. Clever of you to change career.
I like to get dressed up, it is another part of me which doesn’t get any attention anymore and I miss it. But when you have to walk a lot (as you do when you are retired), it is nonsense to put on a pencil skirt and high heels.
Hello, you…
A belated Happy Birthday to Mama, before I forget. And a hug! She’s looking amazing, tell her.
Great outfits this week. Maybe the shoes are a tad too formal for your Friday outfit but I could live with them, it’s the shirt I’m not sure about. For me, it’s too short for the length at the back. I know the back is meant to be longer, but not overly so….but you still look good!
Have a good week.
Gee x
The pink and white outfit looked great on you! Happy Birthday to your mom🎂 .
Mum reads the comments so she will see your birthday wishes.
Thanks for the compliment on my outfit. I was rather pleased myself (she said modestly haha).
Mum reads the comments, so your compliment will reach her.
I agree that the pink pumps are a bit too formal for the outfit. I just love pumps.
Ah…the shirt. This is a shirt from a young French designer and he or she meant it to be like this. To tell you the truth, it looks rather good from the back as you can see in last week’s post (near the end). But I get what you mean. This is my quirky shirt. (I have more of those haha.)
Fun post. I worked in marketing at a tech company, dress code was very relaxed, although the marketing people tended to dress a bit more fashionably.
If you worked at a tech company, the marketing people dressed A LOT more fashionably. Tech departments are the pits for well dressing. (I am generalizing here.)
I am in love with your Paris necklace!!! Beautiful to be sure!!!
I have a lifetime guarantee on this necklace. If anything ever happens to it, they will fix it for free. But that came at a price. I still shudder when I think of the price. After this purchase I went cold turkey for half a year on shopping haha.
I really like your corporate outfit; the skirt fit and length are perfect. How do you manage to wear those high heels though? Well done.
These pumps were designed by people who owned a shoe shop and knew everything about shoes. They had them made in Italy. Unfortunately they stopped due to the pandemic and are now part of a chain. But the design of this pump is so clever that you can actually walk in them quite comfortably. Very rare.
You look great. Love the outfit, and the shoes—OMG! Just beautiful. Your Mom looks amazing—it’s hard to believe she is 94–she is fortunate to have you living close by.
I know, the shoes are so good. And imagine, so high and so thin and I can still walk in them quite easily.
Yes, mum is aging well. I take after my father haha. So I needed some plastic surgery to avoid looking older than my age.
I don’t live close by my mother, well, not according to Dutch standards. It is just over an hour’s drive. According to American standards, that’s around the corner.
You ticked all the boxes for me in this post. Interesting surroundings, lovely clothes, great photos of you, your friends, family and your mum. I look forward to seeing how you style your new Kenzo jacket!
You will have to wait a while Cynthia as it is a dark jacket, more for autumn and winter. Temperatures are finally back to normal (21 degrees) but it is no autumn yet. Mind you, many trees lose their leaves because of the heat and the drought.