Congratulations Lisa! What a great job for you. Wearing black sounds very freeing to me. There always seems to be lots of black pieces available in the stores. I find people who wear mostly black never tire of it.

Congratulations on your new job,having to wear black is a small sacrifice compared to having a job that you enjoy.l m sure that you ll manage to look your usual stylish self with in no time.

Congratulations! This sounds like a fabulous opportunity, and the perfect career change for you!

What an amazing opportunity and you jumped at it! You must have known how perfect this would be for you. I wish you lots of fulfillment in your new role.

Many congrats to you on the new opportunity! It sounds like a job that was created for you. I will also be looking forward to your WIWs which I am sure you will know how to make fashionable, interesting and fun.

Lisa, how fantastic! Congratulations! It's the best thing when you have a job you love. About the dresscode: I think the situation calls for your patience as you will adjust on that level. It's been only four shifts. As you go on, you will find more comfortable black pieces. I'll be looking forward to your updates on this, it's most interesting. Good for you to have made this move!

Congratulations on your new job!

This is such amazing, fantastic news!!!!!!!!!!! I am so happy for you.

Congrats on the new job!! I have no wisdom to add that hasn't been given upthread. Can't wait to see some WIWs!

Lisa....WOW....congratulations! How exciting to be starting a new journey....

Woo Hoo!! What a great job!!

I think wearing all black will be an easy transition. Black linen and cotton in warm temps, and black wool, cashmere etc. in the winter.

I think a black knit pencil skirt (I have a work horse from EF in a nice heavy ponte knit) would serve you well, and it's always to find black sandals, shoes, boots, ankle boots, etc.

Can't wait to see what you come up with!!

Congratulations on the new job! It sounds perfect for you.

Looking forward to seeing your black ensembles. I think Deborah’s outfits would be a great source of inspiration!

Extremely fabulous when the planets align so perfectly. Congratulations! I wish you every success in this new chapter of your work life, and have fun putting your new work look together. Good thing you like black and Birkies

How fun that you shared all this! I’m fascinated and thrilled for you.

Here’s my 2 cents ( free!):
I would use the dress code as very freeing. Lets you focus on work, relationships there, and less on WTW. Develop your black capsule of good- quality, super- fitting items in fave silhouettes. At least black is so widely available that you have a lot of choices in brands and styles and also high quality, or “ enough “ quality. Have enough items to not run out of clothes during the week but repeat outfits without worry , and don’t duplicate so much that you lose flexibility to try some “ new black” or a size change whenever you want or need to. Because it will still be fun to “ refresh” even an all- black capsule and to see what other people there have figured out and are wearing. You may find your fits and style preferences evolve even more in your new job.
Then create “ off duty” capsules in your favorite and best colors, use your jewelry, have fun with makeup.
So exciting! Best of luck.

Congrats on your new job! Sounds like you will need to reassess your wardrobe a bit, but the all-black requirement makes things easier.

Congratulations Lisa - this sounds like the perfect job for you. I wish you the VERY best of luck for this exciting opportunity.

Cingrats! Sounds like you get to have the best of both work worlds.

Thanks friends! Again, I am SO thrilled to be part of something meaningful and powerful, and you have no idea what new lease on life it's given me. Literally.

It's not a fashion environment at all (think fancy private hospital crossed with a massive fitness centre crossed with a luxurious architecturally designed business area). I"ll be in Lulu woven pants ( I have a pair already and they are perfect), MPG pieces. drapey yet structured athetic-inspired tops, and a jacket/cardigan/bomber of some sorts. I've worn black mules, black Vince sneakers, and black slip on Gap sneakers, and all are totally acceptable. The "no sneakers" rule refers to actual gym/training shoes. It is indeed a blessed relief to not have to worry about clothes for this job - and yes, as Sally said, wearing a uniform of sorts is very freeing. That said, I've already been tasked with coming up with our new t-shirts and cardigans/jackets as the centre recently rebranded and has a new logo. I'm having fun with that too

And not wearing much makeup and feeling fine with it? FANTASTIC! I did have to divulge my age to a couple of my co-workers yesterday when we were learning the EMR system (electronic medical records) and hope I didn't scare them. Lol. Out of a group of 12, I'd be among the 3 oldest. I also already feel like I've lost 5 lbs just from all the walking and not-eating My fitbit loves me again.

unfrumped - you are SO right, and I'm already working on this !

So exciting! Congrats on the new path. It sounds like a great fit for you. I too can’t wait to see some WIWs.So exciting! Congrats on the new path. It sounds like a great fit for you. I too can’t wait to see some WIWs.

Ironic indeed! Congrats and hope it works out well for you. As far as the black outfits, I'm thinking of the huge variety I see at salons where black outfits are the uniform. You should be able to have a lot of fun with it!

Suz - yes! Free membership for me, and half-price for R and J. Plus, I can easily walk to work (13 minutes ) and am getting in far more general movement than I am used to.....which is a bit scary. Never overestimate the amount of movement and exercise you are getting

efbgen - we most certainly can wear our Jets' gear on game days - one of the nurses on staff is setting up a big screen TV right on the gym floor tonight and Monday night. LOL!

Janet - I'll be honest: one of the main reasons for my looking for something new and different to do was based on worrying about being alone too much. Although I'm an introvert , I couldn't see any benefit in spending my days alone, and not interacting with many other people other than in bits and spurts. It's been 20 years - at least - since I've worked in a group setting and was part of a bigger picture, and I knew I needed that. The majority of the members are older - this is not just a gym, - but that's ok. Old people are hilarious

Congratulations, I am sure you will have a blast. And nothing wrong with all black. My honey wears air force green everyday and loves it.

Lisa, congratulations! What fantastic news. And though you're scrambling for the moment to come up with versions of your work "uniform", you should be in your comfort zone. Almost everything comes in black, you're instinctively drawn toward it, and nobody will remember which pieces you wore when: monk-like bliss! I get the impression that your nerves are quieter already. So happy for you.

Fantastic! Very good planning! I am actually a little envious of the work code - I am looking forward to seeing how you curate a collection of black items.

BiiiiiiG congrats on venturing into something new and very kewl it’s health related, wishing you fun/success and all the upward/sideways whichever mobility you want in the organization.

Lisa, this is so amazing, you're my hero! There is nothing more inspiring than seeing someone fearless pursue what makes them happy. So happy for you. As for the dress code, you can always do the column of black concept and have fun with statement pieces to throw on for commute and after work activities!

Nothing like a new job to give you a new lease on life and new habits that you may have been trying to get to for years sounds like this is perfect for you Lisa and I think the health/fitness focus of your job will influence your life as well (just as your old job had you focus more on style/decor.) I think it will be very freeing for you and likely unlock a part of yourself you've been wanting to express (or maybe I'm just projecting )

One tip (maybe an unpopular one?) Perhaps try to step away from the forum for a while - while I suspect you'll find the all black very freeing and not miss getting dressed up every day at all, there's nothing like seeing others WIWs to make you want what you don't truly want. Again, maybe I'm projecting, but I think you and I may share the awful compare-and-despair habit, and strong away may allow you to step into your choices and step into your own. In case it's not clear - I'm So, so happy for you

Lisa, what a wonderful opportunity! I too think the dress code will be very freeing. Great time to make a career shift (by the time I hit 50 I was totally burned out as a public librarian). Terrific that you could find something meaningful.