But Liese said "band" and "cheap" and that seemed the best place to find a bunch of stuff online.

Wait, so you're disagreeing with the age-appropriateness?

No, just with me being part of the "y'all" shopping.

Edit: But not because it's age-inappropriate!

Yeah, it took a while, but better late than never.

Yes!

I'm wearing it if I like it, and being guided not by embarassment, but rather by appropriateness, which is a whole different vibe.

nods

Appropriateness and what else makes up the outfit. I get strange looks when I'm wearing a corset with a high-collar blouse and knee-length, petticoat-enhanced skirt, but I feel I'm no less work-appropriate than the girls running around here in low-rise capris, kitten-heeled flip-flops, and tank tops that don't entirely cover their abdomen.

Ooooh, it's almost black as night outside!! I hope this passes over in 90 minutes or so.

It's still gray here and raining and the temperature has dropped more than ten degrees.

...and now it's dark as blackest night.

Tornado Warning. Okay, it's not quite done ('til 3:15 here) but it's on it's way East. Enjoy Chicagoans!

I wondered about that. In the last 2 minutes the wind whipped up like mad and the temp dropped noticeably.

I was just gonna post about how the tornado warning sirens had gone off in Evanston. But then we had a series of power surges and I lost my post.

Hate it when that happens.

Our tornado warning ends at 4:00.

eta: and the Chicago Tribune weather site is still down. (Regular Chicago Tribune is OK.)

Weather.com just posted a cancellation of the Tornado Warning. The hot part of the storm is over the lake now.

But not because it's age-inappropriate!

Just teasing.

I feel I'm no less work-appropriate than the girls running around here in low-rise capris, kitten-heeled flip-flops, and tank tops that don't entirely cover their abdomen

See, I figure you may be dressed differently, but you will always be dressed politely. The women flashing tummy? No. And polite is more important in a business setting, by far.

My big travail these days: the breasts. They're there, they're DD. This has been the case for quite a while, sure. But there are women out there with bigger breasts who don't shy away from showing cleavage, even in the workplace. Not only has the world failed to end, but they carry it off without looking inappropriate.

Now, I'm never going to show as much as they do (not only because I'd need much bigger boobs to have that much cleavage). And sometimes when the breasts are apparent guys act differently. But I'm a big girl. I can defend myself both verbally and physically.

Looking good--admitting to my secondary sexual characteristics--isn't a crime. I need to stop dressing like it is.

I'm calling it a midlife crisis, but honestly, if at nearly 40 my breasts look decent in skimpy tops I should just take advantage of it, because it's not going to last.

now it's dark as blackest night

Cue Hal Jordan...

Finally managed to finish my breakfast. This week is such a fucking loss as far as pain is concerned. I'm working from home, but very slowly, and I intend to call it a sick day anyway. It just makes me feel less tense about not going in--losing sick time is just about me. Still being useful is about more than me.