Letting my freak flag fly? Working on my personal flag...

Letting my inner goth/punk/steampunk/alternative self out to play - at work!  

I work for the government  which is a conservative workplace and as such I am very aware that my proclivities are not what 99% of my co-workers are comfortable dealing with.  I would prefer to wear solely black and grey occasionally punctuated with red, green, purple, and blue.  I am slowly moving my wardrobe to show my more alternative side at work.  On casual Friday I wear dark wash jeans and a black top of some description with my starry low-top Converse.  For representational events I tend to wear black and red only, sometimes black and white.  Thankfully black is an acceptable work color as most folks have it in their wardrobe, but I know that it has been noticed that I don't wear khakis or "happy" colors.  (Someone said to me "you should wear happier colors as it would lighten you up".  I respectfully disagree as those "happy" colors tend to make me look jaundiced.)  I am looking online at regular retailers like Lands End, Lane Bryant, and One Stop Plus for items that are mainstream that I can incorporate into my work wardrobe that can either be modified with some button changes or gothified with jewelery.  I don't wear make-up to work as I don't give myself enough time to deal with that in the morning, but that is something that I am thinking about changing.

I have been dying my hair a dark brown for a while now and am considering getting purple or red in the underside.  I am also toying with the idea of dying my hair a more brown and purple color (eggplant or plum is what some hair dressers have called it).  I have had red streaks in my hair in the past, but my hair wouldn't keep the red - it washed out to a nasty orange/pink shade and I hated that.  So I am trying to have fun with my hair again.  Worst case scenario is that I have to shave my head and start again:o)

I have also been testing out my various shoes at work.  I have a pair of spectator creepers that I wear occasionally and I have received varied comments on them.  I wear a pair of black leather Dr. Martens Mary Janes that I have had since high school almost every day to work.  The other pair of regular work shoes for me are a pair of black patent leather clogs that I bought when I got the job.  The clogs are super comfy, but as I am currently residing in Hong Kong I find that they make me tower over everyone.  I want to buy some more fun shoes that I can wear to work, but I either can't find them in my size or the ones I do find are so far beyond my means that I just lust after them.

I am hoping that as I become more secure in my work and my 'self' that I am able to express the inner "me" as wonderfully as some of the fashion bloggers out there that have been giving me inspiration.  Some are more mainstream than others, but I have found that the people that are sparking my interest are those that are not afraid to let their personal flag fly.  Notable personal flag flyers are Trystan of This is CorpGoth fame, VictorianKitty of Sophistique Noir, Meagan Kyla of Coffin Kitsch, Allie of Wardrobe Oxygen, Sally of Already Pretty, Megan of The Fashionable Bureaucrat, Jillian a.k.a. the Lady of Manners of Gothic Charm School, and The Professor of Professor Z's Cabinet of Curiosities.  These blogs have given me hints, insights, and have also shown me that I am not alone in my quest to find "me".  Plus - they are all a bunch of gorgeous ladies!