This may come as a surprise to those of you […]
This may come as a surprise to those of you who picture the Halcyon Media headquarters to be bustling with freshly manicured, perfectly coiffed, always high-heeled editors, but the truth is: We* keep it pretty casual around here. Now, that’s not to say we can’t put decent outfits together. We totally can. In fact, most mornings begin with a chorus of compliments—“I love that sweater!” “You look fabulous today!” “Sassy shoes, lady!”—all of which are sincere and true.
Sometimes I take a photo of myself in the mirrored doors of the elevator. It’s super vain and I’m embarrassed to even share, but it also helps me document what I’ve worn so I can wear an outfit again if looked particularly good or vow never to repeat it if it was especially terrible.
Much of the time though, these “looks” (that’s much too fancy a word to be using) are fairly low-key. Jeans / blazer / boots. Tunic / leggings / ballet flats. Tee / scarf / rain boots. It’s not unusual to hear kind words about your “amazing ponytail,” “awesome topknot” or other ‘do that works well with not-quite-newly-washed hair. We shop where it’s convenient—you may have heard of
Tar-jhay?—and our favorite shade of lip color is, er, Chapstick? I’m not kidding when I say this, guys: We’re low-maintenance here at P&N. If you do happen to be particularly dressed up (or wearing eyeliner), prepare yourself. You’re likely to encounter a barrage of questions, such as a hopeful “Got a hot date tonight?” or a slightly panicked “Shoot, is there a meeting today?” (Because we do try to pull it together for encounters with outsiders. If you plan to stop by the office for a visit, please call ahead so we can blow-dry our hair and pull on something that’s not denim.)
When an above-average outfit beckons “What’s the occasion?” inquiries, I like to respond, “Job interview.” Throws off the asker every time.
The Halcyon dress code—or lack thereof—appeals to me for several reasons. First and foremost, it’s comfortable (my feet are blister-free!). It’s easy (I almost never iron!). I wear the same things to the office that I wear to the farmer’s market on the weekends and out to dinner on a weeknight. I have one wardrobe, and it’s awesome and convenient and involves only things I like to wear.
I would file this look under “Extremely Casual Friday.” Also, I don’t know why I look so angry in all these photos. I’m actually a very happy person.
There are days when I think it might be fun to don a getup that’s a little more professional and there are days when I probably push the limits on work-appropriate attire (a hooded sweatshirt and sneakers don’t exactly scream, “I have my act together”) but for the most part, I think I’ve got a pretty good gig. And the dress code is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to why.
*I will be using the term “we” throughout this post as I lump colleagues into my generalizations about attire in our workplace, even though they’re less lazy and more fashionable than I am 99 percent of the time. Work friends: I apologize for tainting your on-trend reputations in an effort to avoid singling myself out.
