Uniformity (workday attire for the deep pocketed)

It's the hardest part of my day.

That twenty minutes after the 15minute wake-up period after the alarm has gone off (it takes that long to get my eyes open).  Twenty minutes spent mentally perusing my wardrobe in a vain attempt to work out what the heck I'm going to wear today.

I have attempted to be organised and make the decision the night before.  Even to the point of ironing and setting out in readiness.  But I've since determined that it's a waste time because, without fail, what I have selected the night before, in the morning becomes too hot, too cold, too tight, too dress-up, too something.  Unfortunately for me my new job doesn't have a uniform so I've been facing these mental dilemmas every morning for four weeks. 

I give up.

Well, actually no I don't.  I didn't.  I instead got uniformed.

Over the weekend I went shopping and bought myself my own uniform.  Five of exactly the same shirt.  One for every weekday.  Easy.

I must admit that this sounded a whole lot easier to do than it turned out.  I mean, how hard could it be to find a nice shirt (collared, 3/4 sleeves, subtle colours, good fabric, good fit) and then get five of them?  Clearly harder than I was expecting it to be.  I know I was limiting myself with my stipulations that said shirts must be under $30 each - I'm tight, I rarely pay more than $20 for a shirt (and truly, that's a dressup one) - but I figured with a $30 limit I was guaranteed to find something suitable for work.  Right? Wrong.

I first went to Kmart.  I was sure they had a 'business' attire section....wrong.  Not out here they don't.  'Business attire' doesn't seem to be a market that needs targetting.  If I was in the market for cheap and skanky I would have had it covered and then some!  


I then braved Target.  They had some nice shirts but my purse was clammed shut too tight to pay their prices (tight, I'm tight!).  I was by then getting a little discouraged by then and decided to head to one of those workwear places.  Bad move.  Really bad move.  The cheapest shirt I could find (top quality mind you and beautiful colour/pattern) was $55.  I think I may have gasped out loud.  Or sworn.  I do know I stopped touching things and clasped my hands tightly behind my back in a 'look-with-your-eyes-not-with-your-hands' fashion before making my hasty retreat ("just doing some research - I'll be back later" - yeah right).

Finally, when I was about to give up on the whole shenanigan and stick with my morning mental anguish, I ventured into Big W (on a Saturday morning - God help me!).  Bingo.  Five shirts, good fit, nice fabric, uniform-y colour, GREAT price!  $14.98 each - my kind of shopping!!

And then, because I had scored such a bargain  on each shirt and was well under my $30-each budget, I then proceeded to spend the remaining $15-per-shirt-budget surplus on more clothes for me.  Just cos I could.  

Dressing for work this week is going to be a breeze!!