Sydney Styles

Today has some deja vu for me. It was the first Monday back at the office for my day job. Do I have another job? No. But I like to refer to it as my day job to remind me not to take corporate America too seriously. As I reflect on 2025, it was a beautiful year. 

In 2025, I turned 30, complete with a 13-going-on-30 themed birthday party, celebrated my husband and I’s wedding anniversary on a bucket list trip in Bora Bora, hosted a summer sleepover for my adorable niece and nephews, ran a half-marathon, and cheered my husband on at his ultra-marathon races. Fun fact, he ran 50 miles in the rain and NEVER COMPLAINED ONCE. Anyways, aside from my catch of a husband and a phenomenal year, there was something I didn’t do. 

My day job is great, it pays well (what else does a Capricorn like me want?), I have a great manager, and a wonderful team. So, beautiful year and good job aside, when I think back to the first Monday back at work this year, I’ve been thinking about how familiar it seems. 

In 2025, I knew I wanted to do more with fashion. I consume plenty of fashion content, but I wanted to participate. So, like the true type A, zillenial that I am, I overthought it into oblivion. 

Last year on the first Monday back in the office, I wrote a blog post that I still think fondly of, and now, here we are. Again. In 2026. Writing about the same thing. The only difference is the energy. It can be scary to put yourself out there and sincerely try. But, in case you haven’t heard, trying hard is cool. Timothee Chalamet says so. 

I deeply care about what I wear and I’m deeply interested in what other people wear. It’s important to me. So instead of new years goals and metrics, let’s discuss a few of my favorite things I saw people wearing today. 

Up first, a chic all-black look. Black trousers, black button-up, black boots, completed with a bolo tie. You heard me, a bolo tie. Channeling cool horse girl energy combined with the year of the horse, she nailed it. If you also needed to Google what Year of the Horse means, Google said it represents “energy, freedom, vitality, and perseverance.” So yes, I will be adding a bolo tie to my list of wardrobe wants. 

In other important fashionable office news, one of my co-workers is a crafting queen and showed up with a fish shaped bag that she made herself! It was so cool and I felt weird asking for a picture. So let’s try to describe this. Picture the adorable rainbow fish children’s book meets quilted crossbody bag. Here are a couple of inspo pics to paint the picture. This reminded me that I want to get into sewing.

I love what I wore today. I wore this emerald green futbol jersey for Sporting Club of Portugal. The first team Cristiano Ronaldo played for. Yes, I only know this because of my previously mentioned catch of a husband. But damn, a cool sports jersey does something for me. 

Last honorable mention is a collection of sock choices. Red socks paired with brown crocodile leather loafers and cheetah print pointed flats worn with tights under jeans. Or at least, I hope the tights were just socks. Full tights under jeans have to be considered one of the circles of hell. Can you tell I’m not recovered from a childhood of wearing pink tights to ballet? 

Thank you to my co-workers who also care about getting dressed and make the office more interesting. Here’s to another year of good outfits and a year of trying again. Sometimes it feels disheartening to try again, but also, isn’t it amazing we even get to try again? I’m feeling excited about this year and putting my thoughts out there. It’s just clothes! It’s supposed to be fun!