Today was an interesting day. It started out with having secret Santa and someone totally nailing it with a light up pokeball that makes sounds and a Pikachu figurine, and ended with me questioning my worth at my work.

This morning as I opened my gift I was elated that someone had noticed I liked Pokémon. It’s not like I wear my fandoms on my sleeve or anything (I’m wearing a Pokémon crop today…), but honestly it was a well thought out and sourced gift. I was chuffed and it made me be super productive.

Then we had our work end of year thing where the directors went around to every employee in front of everyone and said thanks and what they mean to the agency. I’m not going to lie, when it came to me I was a little put off about what they said. It seemed like my whole life at the agency was about what I wore and my fashion sense and the last sentence was a throw away line about how I do great work.

Now I will be the first one to admit, I dress a little differently to everyone else at my work. That’s me. It is extremely hard for me to put an outfit together without a pop culture reference. But I wear what I feel comfortable in and what makes me feel good.

And I like getting compliments on my outfits. I do. Who doesn’t really. Fashion is completely about the person wearing it and how they feel. However, in my workplace I was hoping my work ethic and work I produce is what makes me shine. Given that I define myself by my work I guess this hit me hard.

And I’m probably over thinking it. My brain does that. But still it got me thinking to how people perceive you and how you percieve yourself.

I think of myself as a hardworking person who gets shit done and I guess has a quirky-ness about them. But do others just see me as a quirky person who brings a “fashion sense” to the workplace? Does my actual work I do go unnoticed?

Clearly my secret santa knew that I was a Pokémon fan who likes toys and collectibles. So that perception was spot on. But just being known for my fashion sense in the office has really irked me. Probably because I’ve worked really hard to get where I am in a male dominated industry. I don’t know. Again, I’m probably over thinking it. I’m going to have a glass of wine and mull it over in bed. I’d like to say tomorrow I’ll wear something super conservative just to prove them wrong, but boo to that. I have an awesome outfit planned. Also it’s good to stand out and be yourself right?