Thursday, April 8, 2010

Library lady


At work today I was told that I looked like a proper librarian. And she didn't mean in the saucy sense, like the leggy lovely on the left.

"Look at you!" she chortled (we're friends so it's just about okay.) "Bun, check. Glasses, check. Cardigan, check. Snaggletooth - oh, okay you don't have one of those. If I didn't already know you worked in a library, I'd guess straight away."

How very rude.

I've run out of contact lenses, which accounted for the specs. My daughter says they make me look like the love-child of Austin Powers and Ronnie Corbett. If that were even remotely possible. The bun I like to think was more Penelope-Cruz-at-the-Oscars than Mrs. Pepperpot, and the cardigan was definitely quite stylish. Well, it wasn't baggy at the elbows or hand-knitted or anything.

Maybe we subconsciously dress to suit our environment, and I couldn't help myself. I reached in the wardrobe for a slinky top and my hand just fell on the cardi.

Oh alright, so I don't own any slinky tops.

I do hope the contact lenses turn up tomorrow.

26 comments:

Queenie said...

Hahahaha, er, sorry, heeheeheehee *wipes streaming eyes*

Fran Hill said...

That was a very funny post. I love the idea of the Powers/Corbett combination. I'm sure you looked very cool and she was just jealous.

Cheryl said...

I definately dress for comfort.. I don't care for unconfortable fashions. lol I loved watching Mrs PepperPot before school.

There's an award for you on my blog

Ann said...

Put those rumours to rest and run out straight away and get yourself a slinky top!

Joss Albért said...

Ronnie Corbett + Roger Moore = Powers.

Faye said...

At least nobody is calling you "pleasant", I hope. In college I had this librarian named Libby whom everyone described as "pleasant." Hate that. Call me anything but pleasant--how dull! Looks like you need to put in for some work in the upper stacks--bring out your vamp side. Wait 'til the contacts arrive though.

Jenny Beattie said...

Brilliant.

Dumdad said...

It's time to retaliate! What does your friend do for a living? Tell her she looks just like that; unless, of course, she's a Page 3 model or something.

Word veri: comic

Very apt for this post!

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

Love it. I'm sure your glasses don't look bad at all.

I hate my work clothes, although they look fine and are even rather fairly comfortable, so it's probably because I associate them with my job.

Paul Capewell said...

Haha, I love this. Nothing wrong with looking like a librarian! Some of us strive for it... Hmm!

HelenMWalters said...

I hope you gave her your best librarian stare and shushed her.

Jayne said...

I loved reading this – was chuckling away at the ‘snaggletooth’. I do love the thought of working in a library (it is up there with chocolate-tester) but that is because I imagine more ‘reading in a library’ than the ‘working’ bit. I also imagine the sort of glorious libraries I remember from childhood – old buildings, stone steps, bit draughty – you’d definitely need a cardigan for those sorts of places. The local council has since updated and modernised all the libraries near me so they now resemble some sort of giant plastic port-a-loo with shelves. Probably tons more practical, but inevitably more unloved.

Chris Stovell said...

I look as if I should be wearing a fair isle tank top and smoking a pipe in my specs so you're ahead of the game! Hope lenses turn up.

Francine Howarth said...

Hi Karen,

Hee hee, love it!

Does the damn woman not know that retro is high fashion at present on the catwalks?

Cardis are in, seamed stockings, pencil and full skirts, anything 40s-50s era. Sheesh, so too horn-rimmed Marge Proops type specs!

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Kat W said...

Oh you consistently make me laugh with your witty posts. You surely have a fantastic writing career as a bestselling novelist waiting for you.

"love-child of Austin Powers and Ronnie Corbett" - now my 8 year old daughter can already be fairly harsh with her comments but this comment was so creatively cutting it made me crack up. Classic.(Although I'm sure completely unfounded - I'm sure you look great in your glasses.)

Jan Jones said...

Well, obviously you were in disguise. Do these people know nothing?

Kath McGurl said...

LOL! I think you are right though - you do begin to dress like your job. I find myself in rock tour t-shirts and brown sandals, with frayed jeans. I also let my hair grow long and greasy.


Yes that's right, I'm a computer programmer.

Suzanne Ross Jones said...

Hee hee - brilliant post.

I have to say, don't think there's anything wrong with a nice cardi. I have several.

XX

Sheila Norton said...

How funny - and it made me wonder, do we all give clues to our occupations by how we dress? (assuming we're not in uniform of course - which I was for some of my working life). I'll be looking at people in future and trying to guess ...do they look like teachers/bankers/etc? Good exercise for writers, anyway! xx

KerryTravels said...

Helen - I love the librarian look. Not only that but I can tell you with authority that 'The Librarian' is being rocked by all the cool Shoreditch kids...fair play the do team it with neon high-tops and facial piercings but still! xx

Annieye said...

Lol. I think we do, Karen.

At work, my colleagues make me put on my glasses - which I don't really need - to deal with difficult customers in reception because they reckon I look scary in them.

Amanda said...

I think you're right about the environment, I know when I stopped being a school secretary, my whole wardrobe went in the bin! Well not all obviously! :-)

Ladybird World Mother said...

Loved this... right up my boulevard. Hope you found your contacts... x

broken biro said...

This is serious. I start work in a library just as soon as my CRB check comes through (a few more months maybe?) and I'm already prepping, so thanks for the heads up on this, Karen:
Glasses, check. Cardigan, check (I bought 2 new ones with a Discretionary Grant from the Job Centre - and they say 'Britain's broken'). Snaggle tooth, nope, but one of the bottom row is getting out there on it's own. Bun... bun? I don'thave enough hair for a bun, and I'll NEVER grow it in time... then again...

Lady Ursula Major said...

Karen, I unearthed my blog and with it your link. So happy your writing is going so well! Looking forward to reading your funny and smart posts again.

Karen said...

queenie - Well I'm glad you find it funny ... double harrumph

fran - I think she had a point, sadly :o)

lilys - I'm glad someone remembers Mrs. Pepperpot - I loved those books! And thanks so much for the award, I'll be over shortly :o)

ann - I'm not sure the library's ready for slinky-top wearers - I don't want to frighten anyone :o)

joss - Hopefully I bear no resemblance to any of them!

faye - Hmm, I don't think I've ever been called pleasant. Mind you there are worse things ... :o)

jj beattie - Why thank you :o)

dumdad - I would if she wasn't such an annoyingly yummy mummy type - typical!

debs - I do tend to reach for the same outfits every time - they'd be shocked if I turned up in something new and sparkly!

paul - I suppose if we looked like pole-dancers the customers wouldn't take us seriously!

helenmhunt - Ooh no, we're not allowed to do that any more, it's considered unfriendly donchya know :o)

jayne - Ours hasn't had a makeover for years so still quite old-fashioned, in a nice way :o) Bit like me really ...

chris - Ha ha! My daughter's other favourite is that I look like Hugh Fearnely-Whittingstall's twin sister!

francine - Ooh thanks so much, I'll be heading over to gaze at new header and pick up lovely award - how kind :o)

katw - You are lovely :o) I should be used to wearing specs really, but I do feel a bit fuddy-duddy in them. Luckily the contacts turned up the next day :o)

jan jones - Now why didn't I think of saying that??

womag writer - I thought you were going to say roadie at first!! I know what you mean though - my brother's a computer progammer :o)

suzanne - Hurrah for the cardi! I've got an embarrassing amount in my wardrobe but they always come in handy :o)

olivia - That's a good point - I'll be scrutinising the library customers more closely in future! Mind you a lot of them are quite old, and sport funny coats and wrinkled tights (and that's just the men.)

kerry - Yes my daughter's made reference to 'library chic' before - but apparently I don't have it :o(

annieye - Lol! I like to think I look more intelligent in mine, but maybe I just look scary too :o)

amanda - Ooh yes, I used to be a secretary moons ago, and never had any use for the suits once I stopped!

ladybird world mother - Thank you - and I did :o)

brokenbiro - Well I hope I haven't put you off! If you haven't got enough hair for a bun, how about cultivating one on your chin - that should complete the image :o)

virtual onion - Lovely to see you back, and thank you :o)