The cure for September sadness

September is here, in all its chilly, soggy glory, and the Unfashionista is depressed AF. We've had nothing but rain and gloom since last Friday, and to top off the general dreariness, it looks like there's a hurricane coming our way. The only thing in my life that's given me any solace is the potential for new and interesting clothing combinations to suit the weather.

First novelty of the outfit: One New Thing. Today's Thing is the skirt. With a solid dark teal color and a simple circle construction, it's more of a wardrobe staple than anything to get excited over, but I've never worn it before, so it counts!

Second novel element: short sleeves! That might not sound very exotic, but I don't wear short sleeves very often. My comfort zone for short sleeves is pretty narrow—maybe 72 to 79 degrees Fahrenheit when I'm sitting still. Anything warmer than that, and my shirts fall victim to armpit sweat; anything cooler, and my body starts to go into hibernation. So it's a rare occasion when I can count on the temperature being appropriate for short sleeves my entire day at work. Today, however, with the outdoor temperatures starting at 70 in the morning and forecast no higher than 82 (though they actually never passed 73), was one of them.

After my push to acquire a collection of solid-colored short sleeved shirts last year, this year I decided simplicity was great and all, but I wanted more work-appropriate short-sleeve shirts with interesting prints, to wear with all my solid bottoms. This tee is one of the results. The simple color scheme and modest V-neck keep it appropriate for a casual office, but to add a little spice, it also has a bird motif (to which I matched my earrings!). 

My styling choices were the third novelty of this outfit. For starters, I knotted the shirt, which, though I've done it from time to time, is still not one of my first choices for at work. Although part of me wondered if a waist-knot might convey a little too much casualness for the office, the larger part of me concluded that as long as I'm not revealing any midriff, it's OK. In this outfit, the waist knot served an invaluable role in correcting the proportions of the short skirt and too-long top.
If your shirt seems too long or too loose, and your waistband is too high for an effective half- or quarter-tuck , try knotting the shirt at the front or side for a slimmer, higher-waisted profile.

The other novel styling choice, an option only afforded me by the in-between weather we've been having, was the combination of short skirt, ankle boots, and calf-length socks. None of my boots have seen daylight since I brought out my sandal collection in mid-May, but since boots are the only good thing about cold weather, I was fairly excited to finally bring out a pair. I don't usually combine such low-topped boots with such a high hemline, so today's outfit felt refreshing and new. Plus, I think the high crew socks added a punky edge to the outfit—just what I needed to express my September angst.