Overexposed

Leather Vest: Topshop | Beige Loose Batwing T-shirt: Zara | Ruched Leggings: Topshop | Oversized Sunglasses: Aldo | Cabas Chyc Bag: Saint Laurent | Woven Neutral Heels: Topshop

I find the title a bit of a contradiction to this outfit as this is probably the most tame and neutral outfit I am wearing. It is also probably one of the simplest. But I have to confess, it is when I am casual laid back  and lacking all the much loved and known for frou frou that I feel most exposed. I don't know why but probably an acceptable reason is that as a fashion blogger I am expected to be dressed up and when I decide to dress down, I feel I am opening myself to scrutiny. It's almost a double standard but it's part of the job and I love what I am doing but hey, sometimes, a girl has got to take a breather. This outfit was the perfect choice for just that.

The reason for the outfit is that I am exhausted. Even someone who seems to have it all together in juggling gets exhausted and here I am in probably all my exhausted goodness. But that won't stop me from taking an outfit shot as that is almost a part of daily life for me. Charlotte Whitton once said, "Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be thought of half as good. Luckily this is not difficult." Whew! Talk about a double standard! As sad as it is to admit, there is definitely truth in this statement and I feel it in my everyday life. Even if some of us hate to admit it, it is indeed true that we have to do things "twice as well as men to be thought of half as good." And isn't that a worrying concept? Despite that, it is probably true that we can produce at a level that boggles the mind. I have heard men look at certain women and exclaim, "I don't know how she does it!" Yes, we women are quite a force to be reckoned with. What we tend to ignore is the cost. Working as hard as we do, as I know I do, and as long as I am sure most of us do is exhausting. Sometimes, we dread becoming aware of how tired we are. Sometimes, it almost feels as if the marrow in our bones ache. The pain of extreme exhaustion is debilitating. The thing is, I think that I, like most women, have this tremendous fear of feeling our tiredness. I know I am. We are afraid that if we let ourselves feel it, we will never get up again. Our tiredness is ours. I have earned mine. Perhaps taking a breather is not always such a bad thing. It leaves on refreshed. And then we get up again. 

xx, JL