Breaking the Tie Barrier

So last week I wore a tie to work. It represented something of a final frontier for me, since it's one of the few articles of clothing I had never worn to the office. Another is a corset, but I assure you it won't be for long -- I've got an outfit all lined up, and as soon as this spell of unseasonably warm weather is over, out it comes. The tie is one that I bought to wear at Burning Man, but I thought that with the polka dots it was just too cute to relegate only to costume wear.

I really liked this outfit, although it did feel a bit Michael Jackson-y, which I don't consider to be a good thing. Don't get me wrong, I think his music is great, but I just don't get why everyone is suddenly so in love with him now that he's dead. If I were a conspiracy theorist I'd swear he faked the whole thing, because frankly this is some of the best press he's had in years. It's as if the last couple of weird and creepy decades of his life were magically erased, and he's now forever frozen in time back in the good old Thriller days, when he still had a nose. I don't get it.

Anyhoo, let me tell you about these pants. I've had them for ages and ages, and even though I wear them infrequently, I keep them around for a couple of important reasons. First and foremost, they have a lot of interesting detailing that makes them somewhat irreplaceable; I just love all the snaps, the riding-style panels on the inner thighs, and the tabs on the back of the calves with multiple snap positions that allow me to adjust the fit and flare. But also, they represent a time in my life when I was really starting to figure out what looks good on me, and when I was learning to appreciate unique quality items such as this. At the time, this was the most I'd ever spent on a pair of pants, but now, years later, I'm glad I took the plunge and invested in them. Incidentally, the main reason I don't wear them more is that they're a bit short for my liking, nor is there enough fabric to let the hem out. But since the tops of these shoes are black anyway, they worked fine with this outfit.

Having broken through the tie barrier, I feel emboldened to play with this look some more, especially since menswear is going to be a strong trend this season. Perhaps I'll throw a cravat into the mix before the winter is out, or even an ascot!

Top: Max Studio
Tie: thrifted
Pants: Elie Tahari
Shoes: vintage