What To Wear To ... A Sci-Fi Convention

This weekend gone I drove 5 hours to Pontins in Camber Sands, East Sussex for the SFX Weekender. Actually I drove 5 hours to Camber Sands to hang out with two old friends, one of whom I've not seen in a decade, the sci-fi bit was just an added bonus.

I tried, I really did, but gale force winds and no proper heating in the chalets or the main building meant that my jeans and my huge woolly cardigan was just not going to be removed for the three days I spent freezing my butt off down there. Photos of the weekend are limited and I'm going to share with you just two.



If you follow me on twitter (shameless plug: @torsgrantham) you'll know the guy in the middle, holding on to me rather tightly, freaked me out one evening when I was alone in my chalet by breathing outside the door. In his defence, he was just walking past.

I'm wearing my red checked shirt as support for the Welsh rugby team who unfortunately didn't manage to win their match against England on Friday, my Mum's flared jeans that I've stolen because I love them and a scarf and cardi I refused to remove the entire weekend. The guys are wearing their standard work clothes.

What I should have done is something a little more along the lines of this:

As soon as I saw her I was in envy. I didn't catch her name but she had great style and really stood out from the crowd (which, given the crowd was made up of stormtroopers, people on stilts, superheroes and general sci-fi fans, was quite an achievement). She was a little shocked at being asked to be photographed for my blog but happily gave her permission. Lovely lady, should you, by some miracle, be reading this, thank you!

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What To Wear To ... A Job Interview

Yesterday I had a last minute job interview pop up. I got the phone call Thursday afternoon asking if I'd go to Cwmbran for the interview the next morning. This is a job I really wanted despite only being a nine month maternity cover so I agreed because, well let's face it, it's not like I'm doing anything more important right now!

This, of course, then prompted the problem of what to wear. In my previous life in the television industry there was no dress code unless you were filming a live event and then you had to wear black. Didn't matter what you wore, so long as it was black. There was one, never to be forgotten, immortalised on the Doctor Who website, morning when I turned up at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff in my PJs. However, it was pre-dawn and mid winter and I was going straight home again so I figured I was allowed.

What this has meant, though, is that I own no suits. I own very little that can really be construed as smart casual enough for a job interview or anything smart casual that goes together, fits me, appeals to my current sense of fashion and is good enough for a job interview.

The email said suited and booted. I decided to ignore that, not having any other choice and not being the kind of person who'll wear a suit when made too (and being broke) I wasn't about to go out and buy a cheap one that wouldn't fit properly anyway (and would no doubt be made of a stretchy material).

So what did I choose? Why, this of course:

The dress is a tea dress style navy and white polka dot dress from La Redoute, a french catalogue that I love. It fits a lot better than the photo implies (I don't photograph well, particularly not when taking it myself on my phone).

I had put my hair up as per Super Kawaii Mama's tutorial, an easy to do style that I adore.

I wore my tan t-bar heels and took my tan saddle handbag and garnered stares wherever I went.

This is probably one of only two dresses suitable for interviews/ work that I own. The other is a bit too low cut and apparently doesn't flatter me as much as this one. Looking at this photo I'm not sure I believe my Mother anymore!

As fab as I think I looked, I don't think I got the job. They want someone to start on Monday and I've heard nothing so I'm guessing that's a big fat nope. On to bigger and better ... hopefully!

What about you, do you have an interview outfit? Or a 'best' outfit? What is it?

Dress: La Redoute
Shoes: Hush Puppy

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