The problem with business formal

My closet feels a bit schizophrenic these days. I feel like I have three types of outfits:
-business casual, for work days sitting at my desk churning out reports and emails, and generally solving the problems of the universe. I want to be comfortable, but also a little trendy, on these days.
-business formal, for work days at meetings with executives, nuns (I am not kidding), and assorted people at higher levels than me. I need to be conservative, polished, and professional on those days.
-casual, for weekends and the rare vacation. I consider these my "play clothes", like what we would get changed into after school to go play. I'm not a grubby t-shirt gal, so this is usually jeans and a sweater and cute top, and either a scarf or necklace.

Angie at YLF calls these "capsules", which is a great way to think about it. Maybe that's what my problem is: I recently stocked up on business casual and casual -- those ribbed layering tops, a fabulous pair of Gap Long & Lean jeans, etc -- and as much as I have tried to get new tops for my business formal capsule, I am still struggling with dressing myself on meeting days.

Part of it is I am hesitant to invest in a real suit when I am at this weight. It seems dumb, since I have turned over my entire closet to buy enough pants, tops and sweaters, but there is something about buying a suit that seems so final, like I have officially stopped trying to lose weight. Even buying the ball gown (post and pictures coming soon!) didn't have the same impact, even though the cost of it was equal to a suit. I think because the gown will only be worn once, so I convinced myself it was a temporary, necessary purchase.

Anyway, in lieu of a suit, I have two tweed jackets that I am using with my Gap pants for business formal, and I rotate a couple of tops with them. But it doesn't seem like enough, and since I see the same people in these meetings I feel like I need to have more than two jackets. I long for a solid, dark jacket to wear with my patterned tops, but a solid jacket means it must match the fabric of the pants, and that means suit.

Damn you, Talbots. Why did you stop making suits? They had the best ones, with lots of non-black options, and skirts and pants to match.

Plus, nice tops to wear under jackets, that aren't just boring shells and/or cost a fortune and/or come in my size? Soooo hard to find!

Do any of you have the same struggle? I feel like I am caught between two work-clothing options, where it's not completely business casual or business formal, but a bit of both. It's tough to navigate!

Thursday: In which I use the word pretty a lot

Does it really matter what else I wore? Look at that pretty brooch! I scooped it up from Julia's sales blog Shop Exile Style for $5 (for both sweet blue ones). I needed a brooch, and now I have two.

Anyway, the rest of the outfit was a suit. It was the pretty Forth & Towne suit with the ribbon waist, but still a suit. I've got three, and they're all black. Maybe that will be one of my splurges when I get back to goal, to get a grey or navy suit. Goodness knows I will be in these meetings a lot more these days!



The top is new from Target. Pretty ruffled neckline, pretty grey pattern. I didn't check it in the mirror before I snapped the photo so the ruffle was flipped out, but trust me, it's pretty.



Hunh. All those pretty items, but I didn't actually feel very pretty. Looking at the photos now, I think it has to do with the sleeve length; they're 3/4-length but they're too short. I look like Gigantor!*

(*Slight exaggeration for dramatic effect.)

But the clothes sure were pretty! So where the shoes; even George agrees.