Hey there!

Well, aren't these strange days indeed? When was the last time the entire world was on the same page? We are all cocooning now, willing or not, ready or not, but we can use this valuable pause to do something, make something, build something.... We're all being shaken to the core of who we are and what really matters, and that's a good thing.

I, for one, am scare-inspired. I'm nervous about this mystery illness and it's potential, health wise and economically, but not to the point that I am shutting down, or disappearing into my weaknesses and vices, because I'm also, oddly, inspired. I have coping strategies in place for this, old and new. Not that I'm going without my glass of wine, but I also have kids to keep happy, art to make, and blogs to write! If you think I will do this in my pajamas, with ratty hair and no make up, you'd be partially right, but not completely. I love fashion, and I like to dress up daily, seen or unseen, I don't care. Especially since I discovered Simple Moderne! I've been a customer/collector long before this blog, and a huge selling point, to me, has been COMFORT! I am not going to sacrifice comfort for style, especially as I get older, PUNK THAT! 

This blog was supposed to feature a few pieces from the Miss Office Punk Collection, but due to recent annoyingly inconvenient circumstances, it will now temporarily be referred to (by me) as the 'Miss Home Office Punk Collection' since many of us are now working from home, or just plain stuck at home! 

I was going to compare the old-school, traditional office wear, with this new, completely overhauled Simple Moderne look. I was going to say SM office wear has discarded the old stiff and stuffy, but maintained the sophistication, respect, and conservative nature (more sexy with less skin) that's most conducive to the work atmosphere. I was going to make the relevant point that competition used to be the office mantra, but innovation is now gaining momentum and the the Miss Office Punk Collection reflects this. Now, before you start actually missing the office, (gasp!) let's get back to the present....

Luckily, these styles work as comfortably at your home office as they would at your conventional office. I'm wearing them right now as evidenced by these pictures....LOL! Actually, I don't always stand on our coffee table drinking coffee, but I really do wear one piece or another pretty much every day. I live in these clothes because they're so LIVABLE! I even do yoga in most of them. They maintain their shapes and styles through all of my abuses, and keep me looking fashion forward during bad hair, face and/or body days. I love clothes that help me look "put together" when I'm feeling anything but. There will be some challenging days ahead but keep in mind, we're not drivers in this, we're passengers, so just let go of some of that control freakiness, Miss Office Punks! You know who you are! 

If you're interested in any of these styles, The Maxi Pocket Office Punk Pullover is a lighter fabric that could be worn in lighter weather. I love the pockets and the black on black fabric inlay details. I wore it with my Vintage Punk Comfy Harem Pants, but they recommend knee-length, wide leg pant styles, which I could also see.

I wore the Simple Moderne Casual Punk Pullover (different than the Simple Moderne Office Punk Pullover) with the Simple Moderne Street Punk High Waisted Skirt, as suggested. This is a great combination. Both are a heavier fabric, best for spring, fall or winter months. The top is so flattering, the loose turtle neck lengthens the neck, the body is cut into a rectangle to create the sharpest bat wing sleeves that taper into thin arms that overextend the wrist. The skirt has some really cool layering, a comfortably high leg split, one large pocket, and some fabric ribbons. They show the pocket worn to the side but I actually prefer it front and center. Weird but true. This skirt is very true to size so don't go big, if you do, the weight of the fabric will pull it down.

One of the great things about SM styles is that they have so many interesting cuts, textures, and details in their black pieces. You might not notice from a distance, and it's even hard to capture in pictures, but up close, there is such great craftsmanship in every piece. 

The last piece, the Simple Moderne Maxi Pin Belted Bag, can be worn in a few different ways. I wore the belt separately, and the bag over my shoulder like a regular purse. This was the best option to accommodate my bat wing sleeves. You could also pull the chain into the bag and wear it attached to the belt, although I had a hard time keeping it from falling forward that way, I think it could be figured out. The other way to wear it is attached to the belt, with the chain going across the body. If you wear as much black as I do, I really like a pop of color to break it up a bit, so this bag was perfect for that.  

This was a fun assignment for me. I may not break out in strange poses on my coffee table every day, but the photo of me sitting on the couch drinking coffee, computer in lap, wearing some SM selection of the day, is pretty authentic. I am definitely in my happy place, luckily, because now I'm stuck in my happy place, like everyone else!  

Don't forget to maintain your momentum. It's not vacation, it's transition. Get up, take a shower, throw on something that makes you feel good, and go to work on ANYTHING! Whatever you never had time for, do it now! It's OK to not be punking miserable every punking day!

And one other thing, there may be some unease about receiving packages from anywhere, especially non-domestic. This was a concern of mine too, so I researched and learned that this is the least of our worries. There are no cases associated with imported packages. Since December, I have received about 4 SM shipments, and no problems! I take my temp daily. No issues. 

If you need to vent or emote, feel free to leave in the comments below. We get it!

All the best for now!