Snapshot 10/09

It’s any given Sunday night, the lights are off, I’m tucked in – face washed, phone charging, water cup almost empty – and I’m trying to fall asleep. Below is a version of a conversation that I have had in my head many times.

Okay, so tomorrow’s Monday, typically a casual day in my office, so I’ll wear my Levi’s 501s and a striped shirt. Comfortable, relaxed. Yes. Ooor, I could wear that new dress I scored at Crossroads with my denim jacket. Eh, it’s supposed to be cooler in the beginning of the week so pants it is, save the dresses and bare legs for the heatwave that will be Thursday and Friday. Shoes? Old reliable black loafers? I could go Birkenstocks but that might be a little too comfortable for the office. Dang, I really need a pedicure.

I used to feel embarrassed about planning my outfits the night before school, and now, work. Laying out each piece, whether actually laying it out or laying it out in my mind, felt forced and deliberate, and trying that hard never feels cool. There’s a difference between planning an outfit for a special event and planning an outfit for just another day of work. Doing the latter, planning for such a habitual thing, feels like the opposite of effortless. So perhaps the detail lies in the specialness of the event. We put thought into what we’re going to wear to a wedding because it’s an event we will take part in very rarely. But when it’s something like work, a place I go nearly every day of the week with the same colleagues and the same desk, the need to plan each detail seems frivolous. But it’s actually something that satisfies my desire to plan, and being prepared for the hour and change I give myself each morning to get ready for work really helps get me to the office on time. It’s soothing, mentally scanning through my closet and trying different combinations (this skirt, that scarf, that sweater I haven’t worn in forever!). Planning my outfit isn’t a revolutionary idea or admittance, but it’s a little nightly routine that I genuinely enjoy.

Are you a planner? Does organization bring you a secret wave of happiness? Let me know! And have a fantastic weekend!