J is for Jeggings

 
This isn't the first time I've worn jeggings for my blog, but it is the first time I've made them the centerpiece of my outfit, so I think it's high time for a discussion on what jeggings really are.

The word jeggings is a portmanteau of jeans and leggings, so you can expect any pants referred to by such a name to have some combination of the qualities of both. In my book, the most authentic jeggings are the ones that are made of a stretch knit like leggings but are printed to look like denim.

I don't actually have any pants that meet that description, though, so how could I say I've worn jeggings for my blog? Well, I do have a number of pants that are made of a stretch knit just like leggings, but the fabric is slightly heavier. They also have a functioning zipper fly and pockets, so their construction resembles that of jeans. I call those jeggings as well. I've already worn those in many combinations on this blog, including once or twice at work, so they are really old hat (old pants?) by now.

The only thing I haven't worn at work, that could possibly be novel enough to warrant a whole post in my alphabet challenge, would be jeggings that actually look like jeans. Fortunately, I recently acquired a pair of pants that almost fit the bill. If you wanted to be a stickler, you'd probably classify them as skinny jeans, because they are made of real heavy denim fabric. However, they have so much spandex in them that they cling to my thighs like a second skin. They have so much spandex, in fact, that the fly at the top is only decorative—you actually just pull them on and off like leggings! They must be jeggings!

Wearing jeans to the office is not a novel concept for me, but I try to do it sparingly and only with my most sophisticated dark washes. The "dirty," slightly weathered look of these pants, makes them much more of a workplace risk!

So how did I mitigate it? By wearing a button-down blouse (button-down blouses are my very definition of stuffy and "professional") that was long enough to completely cover my Spandex-encased derriere. I was sorely tempted to do a repeat of my lazy yesterday (still not feeling my best) and just wear the comfiest shoes I could get away with, but when you're rocking such casual jeggings, you really have to keep your shoe game on point. In this case, the point was literal, since I chose my pointed-toe pink stilettos, which just happen to match the shade of pink in the blouse. 

When choosing shoes, pointed toes (of a not-too-extreme length) will give you more of a professional edge than round ones.

I also kept my jewelry minimal (well, as minimal as my gaudy wardrobe will afford) and sophisticated. I once heard from a career expert that the best earrings for a job interview are large studs. Whether that is true or not (I doubted it at the time, because they were not at all stylish and reminded me of what a grandmother would wear to church), I took it to heart for this outfit, forgoing my usual dramatic dangles for some sparkly grey studs that could easily be covered by my hair.

What do you think? Can pointed toes, a long button-down blouse, and oversized stud earrings make you look professional in spite of your grungy jeggings? Looking in the mirror, I have to say no. It's a good thing I work in a casual office!