Big day ahead. Important clients in town. Chance to prove myself. I will be in charge of an important presentation – the clients are representatives of big cosmetic company, so I have to be both dependable and creative. Actually, that is easy – just the way I like it.

I chose my outfit so carefully, spent more than an hour, and for me that is a lot. I am known for making quick decisions.  I went for the black jacket and pants combination, but I added a shirt in pink, black and white splashes for a bit of color explosion. The pants are no ordinary pair-drop crotch bottom pants with long ribbon at the belt. The way they fold casually over my high heel sexy black wedges make my legs look way longer than they really are. The pants are a brave choice but I had the feeling I had to show I know the latest trends.  And the jacket is such a cute number – one button, with ¾ length sleeves. It has this naughty but oh-so-subtle air. It’s a jacket with clubbing potential.

 I finished the ensemble with an oversize circular bag in burgundy - so many files and gadgets to carry, but I wanted to look confident, yet casual. The circular shape is so much better than the briefcase. Briefcase -bo-ring! That burgundy color just warms me up every time, like a glass of red wine.

So here I am, feeling very satisfied with myself and ready to go. Just when I am taking my phone to dial–up  Uber, I see a new text flashing impatiently on my screen. I open it with a slight foreboding and Oh my God! I see that the boss of the company I am dealing with decided to join the presentation. The CEO. The big decision maker. And why is that a problem? Well, you see, I always read up on my clients. And while all the young executives I am taking around these days are very bright and up-to-date bunch, the CEO is a quite conservative male well in his fifties. I have never met him, but I read a dozen articles about him. And the key words that stuck in my head were old fashioned and conservative. It doesn’t’ help that yesterday one of the girls of the company was sharing how on the days that he is expected in the office everyone looks more serious and it’s far more quiet. She said she even keeps a skirt and jacket suit on a hanger in her office wardrobe for surprise meetings, because the CEO prefers women to look feminine and business-like. I have to re-think my whole strategy for the presentation.

      And…Damn, I have to change. I have about 10 minutes to do so. I rush back in and jump impatiently in front of the wardrobe. I will keep my cute ensemble for another day. Now I need to look serious and confident, but also feminine and approachable.

Ok, there it is: the black slightly flared ankle-length dress. It is reserved and quite graceful at the same time. Unique in the way it      combines business and sexiness. Black saves me every time I am not sure about the color. But I am  keeping the bag. It adds a touch of unexpectedness.  I don’t have time to rearrange stuff anyway.

 Don’t  you just love the multifunctional bags? The bigger, the better.

 Step into the wedges and march to success.

 And when the Uber arrives, I can’t believe my eyes. The driver - is that…?