Hi friends. Here I am, in all my domestic glory. This is what I wore for a weekend morning spent deep cleaning the apartment with the new Robyn album blasting in the background. This is what I call fun!
I decided to layer this EF jumper dress over this all cream outfit to add big utilitarian pockets into the mix.
Was anyone else super disturbed by the slack Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez got from creepo “journalist” Scarry for being a woman and wearing clothes according to congressional dress code? WTF!? And then to cop out and say he just meant to comment on how nice she appeared. B.S.! Even if that was his genuine intent; it’s misogyny and it doesn’t make it any better!
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with admiring/commenting on a public figure’s style choices. I do this all the time. But when it’s coming from a man and meant to be demeaning… it’s so intolerable. I can’t even…
I feel a connection with Ocasio-Cortez. We both grew up from working class families. I used to work and live in the district she serves (the Bronx). And socialism? I’m down with that. We are around the same age, and are both starting our careers in challenging, high pressure male dominated fields. And we also carry the same purse, see!
She’s wearing the Dagne and Dover bag. It’s a little insane that I was able to recognize this bag in her viral campaign ad.
Even if she is wearing designer/expensive clothes, does this necessarily mean she is out of touch with the working class? We also have no way of knowing how much she paid for such clothes. She could have bought it secondhand. Or maybe she skimps on other things so she can spend more on professional clothes. The whole question is problematic and it’s not even worth entertaining.
The Dagne Dover bag retails for about $245, which is expensive to most. But buying secondhand, you can snag it for less than $100. That’s what I did.
Even if she paid full price. It’s no ones business. Professional women have to dress professional and this is not cheap. Even if we are broke, we have to prioritize paying for appropriate work wear because we just have to! It’s hard enough to get the respect you deserve no matter how competent you are as a young professional woman.
I bought my Dagne Dover bag from Poshmark for $80. It looked brand new and no one would have known it was so cheap, except for you guys of course. Fashionable broke women know how to dress like they aren’t. And men like Scarry who think they can cast judgment on a woman’s worth/priorities based on what’s she wearing need to get a clue and fuck off!
Dr. it girl 
Loved her response to that whole thing. I feel like my whole feed was grossed out by Scarry but that’s the social circle I live in so who knows.
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I liked her response too!
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Hi, I’m a relatively new reader who hasn’t been following along long enough to comment, and I’m really really sorry that my first comment isn’t something positive–but although I hard agree with you on the struggle of professional women and on supporting Ocasio-Cortez, as an autistic person I’m shocked that you would use the word “r*tard,” which has been used so often to denigrate neurodivergent people such as myself, in a clearly pejorative way and to describe a man whose problem seems to be more linked to male entitlement than developmental disability. I definitely understand not being careful about language when writing about something passionately but seeing that word was like a slap to the face.
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Hi Jenna, I’m so sorry! You are 100% right about using that word; that it shouldn’t be used anymore, which is why I’ve removed it from the post and will be more careful. Thanks for calling me out about that, so I that I can correct it.
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Some of the news coverage about that tweet included a lot of past instances where he posted creepshots of women, always to say something unkind about their appearance. That tweet was so awful and gets at some of the issues I regularly think about, that women (particularly minority women and/or women of modest means) are in a total no-win situation when it comes to professional dress. Dress too nicely and fit in too well, and people will imply you actually secretly come from money and didn’t actually work hard (I don’t know if it’s just the circles I run in, but successful minority women lawyers get this a lot, in my experience), fail to comply with all the unspoken rules and people will doubt your competence. I’ll probably have my own post about this whole brouhaha at some point, though by the time I get it written the news cycle will have moved on.
Incidentally, I think she’s carrying a Lo and Sons OG or OMG (a product from the same niche as the Dagne Dover) in the photo that accompanied that tweet, and there was an interesting discussion of the bag on twitter here that I think gets a lot of similar points to the ones you make here: https://twitter.com/anacaprana/status/1063202439736770560 .
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I’m grateful that my job let’s me get away with business casual. The dress code is so much harder in fields like law and government. I sort of just haphazardly rushed out a rant on the issue. Even if the news cycle moves on, I’d still look forward to what your thoughts on this whole issue! When the story broke, I thought Xin would have something to say about this! And oh wow, did not know that was a Lo and Son’s bag. I thought about buying that bag!
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I’m a little starstruck by Ocasio-Cortez myself.
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Wow! I hadn’t been following this. Ugh. This world. I dress for myself—mostly second hand Poshmark, and items foe which I wouldn’t spend full price. You’ve taught me so much about quality and timeless class. I can’t help but filter my outfit choices through the perspectives of my colleagues and students. I hate that I even consider their judgment when dressing, but like you, I have to dress pretty modestly (I work with teens).
Do you enjoy your Dagne Dover bag? The pockets alone are why I’m asking for the classic tote for Christmas to haul essays and my teaching paperwork, but I’m wondering if the midi would be would be easier to carey (I’m 5’4). The shade range is interesting. Which color did you choose?
Thank you for continuing to write this blog. I always look forward to reading new posts. You are so down to earth and practical!
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Oh no—please ignore my typos. I’m responding on my phone and didn’t see the whole text box.
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Aww thanks Beth! So glad you continue to visit me here. As for the Dagne Dover bag, I did find it really practical for commuting to work for the pockets alone. I have the midi one because the other one seemed too large. The only reason to get the larger one is if you have a very large laptop. Otherwise the midi should be large enough to hold files and notebooks. I chose the black one.
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