Wednesday, August 5, 2020

Uniform Essentials


Level Four Lockdown: Day 3
Curfew. 8 p.m.
Mood: Calm and reasonably content

My current work uniform consists of a pair of trackie dacks or stretchy jeans, long socks, ugg boots and a top. On a dress-up day it's leggings, long sleeved top, comfy tunic over both and Doc Martens.  This is what I've been wearing for the last four months as I put myself to work at my work computer most mornings (not my home computer - the laptops get swapped over at the tops and tail of the day giving me an office and a home in the one room).

But I have a new item in the wardrobe. I see it as a piece of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment).

It is the humble oodie.

Oodie you ask?

Yep, I've gone down the bogan road, gone completely suburban and got myself an oodie.

What is an oodie? Well it's basically an oversized jumper, made of polar fleece, with a hood. It's advertised as a wearable blanket.  It's completely bogan, but it is very cozy and very warm.

One of my classmates has one, and living at the foot of the Dandenongs, she swears by it. Another friend got one for each of her family members, saying they were invaluable in a lockdown winter.

So why not, I thought.

Mine is also very ugly. As there has been a run on oodies, rather than wait for a basic one colour one to come in September, I found myself buying a yellow one with blue cartoon cats emblazoned on it. It's pig ugly. But that doesn't matter, it's incredibly warm. It's saving me on heating bills. It's comfortable. And it has a hood so you can feel like an Eskimo when you work. Oh, and it's thick enough to save me from Lucifer's random attacks with his murder mittens. It's also made of better material than my snuggie, which Maow Maow used to use as a bed and it probably needs throwing out...

There are rules to oodie wearing. I'm not permitted to eat in the oodie. I'm a messy eater at the best of time - I don't think this would wash up well. I don't wear the oodie to meetings where the camera is turned on. That's a no-no - I'd get laughed out of the meeting. An under layer is always worn under the oodie - just because.

But it's keeping me warm and cozy and it has a lovely calming feel to it.

It makes a difference to my normal office wear. Structured trousers, a top, dresses, sensible shoes. I can't remember the last time I put on makeup. My collection of red lipsticks lie dormant on the bathroom shelf. My handbag sits deserted in a cupboard.

Part of me wonders how I ever fronted up to the office every day for so many years.

As much as this lockdown is hard, I quite like these working conditions.


Cat Oodie | Wearable Hooded Blanket – The Oodie

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