Britney Spears poses for the September cover of Allure

Tomorrow is September 1, which means that it’s time to start showing us what you’re wearing to work. I hope it will be a shirt and some pants that fully cover your backside. Unless you’re Britney, and then I guess you can wear whatever you like.

I’ve been getting a lot questions about The Working Closet Flickr pool, so I thought it would be worthwhile to take a minute and address some of them. Are you ready? Okay then!

Do I have to post every day? No. I will be posting every day, because this was my crazy idea, but you should add photos as the whim strikes you. You can add as many or as few pictures as you like, although I would encourage you to post at least a couple of times a week, so that you can get a sense of what you are wearing and how your closet is working for you.

Do I need to write a description of my outfits? It’s not a requirement, although you are welcome to; it’s always interesting to know where people shop or why they chose that top with those pants. You should also feel free to ask questions, if you’re looking for feedback. I will be responsible for making sure that all comments are polite and appropriate. I promise.

What if I work from home? You’re still working, right? And you still have clothes on, don’t you? So let’s see it! I work at my dining room table. Sometimes in my yoga pants. And occasionally a baseball cap. You will get to see it when I do.

In addition to the frequently asked questions, I’m hearing some Frequently Repeated Excuses. And just so you know, I’m not buying ANY of them.

I would do it, but I’m just a mom–I don’t work. In fact, most days I don’t even get dressed. So you probably don’t want to see what I’m wearing. Yes we do. If you have kids, YOU ARE WORKING, and unless you live in a nudist colony, you have clothes on during the day. So let’s see them. Because there is no reason that spending the day with people who see you as a combination jungle gym/giant Kleenex means you can’t look nice. And I refuse to believe that any of you will actually spend the ENTIRE month of September in your pajamas.

I would do it, but I just wear the same things over and over. It’s boring. There is nothing wrong with relying on a core set of pieces or outfits that really work for you; it makes getting dressed quicker and easier, and if everything fits right and is flattering, it’s a simple way to always look great. Photographing what you wear, even if it’s the same pieces again and again, will give you the chance to see how that core wardrobe is working for you, and to think about ways you can tweak your look with accessories. I won’t be wearing 30 different outfits this month (get ready to see my little black Gap dress a few dozen times) and there is no reason you should feel compelled to either.

I would do it, but I really need to lose ten pounds/get a hair cut/buy a whole new wardrobe first. You’re not the only one saying that, you know, which means that if EVERYONE who has an excuse for not participating actually DOES participate, the Flickr pool will work in the way I’m hoping it will and we will get to see what REAL women are REALLY wearing to work. You’re already getting dressed every day, and I assume that you are making an effort to look your best with what you’ve got, so let’s see it. Don’t spend your life waiting to have smaller thighs/blonder hair/nicer clothes. Work with what you’ve got. We’re ALL doing it, I promise. Right now I have the World’s Worst Haircut. Tomorrow, you will see it in all it’s glory! Unless I have a ball cap on, since it IS the weekend.

There are a lot of great reasons to participate in this project–it’s a chance to show off some outfits you love, to see what other people are wearing, to meet some terrific women. It will also, I hope, help you to think carefully about what you put on each day. There is something about the act of taking a photo that makes us more conscious of what we’re wearing and of how it looks. Taking the time to photograph your outfits compels you to think about what is working and what isn’t, in ways that just getting dressed and going about your day might not.

Tomorrow is September 1. Time to show us what you’re wearing. And while you’re at it, show us your workspace, too, in the Work It, Mom! Workspaces pool. You’re already taking pictures–what’s one more?

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