Why Did You Wear That: Blurring Lines in Gempicket

Upon entering my apartment, one of the first things people notice, besides the fact that it took them twenty minutes to navigate the maze like hallway to get there, is the collection of nightgowns hanging on the handles of my closet doors on the left side of the hallway. Some of them are vintage, some of them I’ve never worn, others I wear all the time. You could say that my obsession with nightwear began while watching Golden Girls as a little girl. That’s right, instead of Big Bird and Mister Rogers it was Murphy Brown, Sam Malone, and Blanche Devereaux. I still fall asleep to the sounds of Nick at Nite and all of this ties back nicely to the potential narcolepsy I suffer from. Another hypothesis as to my penchant for boudoir attire is the time I spent buying lingerie for Henri Bendel. One never knew she was missing a waspie or the imperative need for an embroidered kimono until she spent time in a showroom full of silk, chiffon, and lace. I only have one dresser in my apartment and its sole purpose is to house my bras, panties, and bathing suits. You may be wondering why I ever even bother getting dressed. Spoiler alert, I rarely do.

Working from home most days doesn’t require putting on much more than a whisper of clothing. Other than slipping into something spandex to catch a yoga or pilates class, I’ve become quite comfortable in the very basics– as have all of my deliverymen. My freedom in dresscode and days of solidarity have taken some of the stress out of my normal work day, but it has also left me somewhat socially awkward and also in a panic when it comes time to piece together an outfit fit for public consumption. And this is when the beauty of blurring the lines between “your eyes only” and “all eyes on me “comes into play. When you can pair a Gempicket silk cotton batiste cami with your favorite skinny jeans or throw a vintage t-shirt on with your delicately demure tap pants, you’ve perfectly bridged the gap between wallflower and woman of interest. Or you could just call the whole thing off and stay home in your skivvies.