Sorry to hear about your icky day. Gosh-- I honestly think that one of the reasons that I have such a hard time shopping is that MOST of my days involve some impossible combo of tasks. On any day I can end up carrying 50+ pounds of mining drill steels up 4 flights of stairs, spend 2 hours on a ladder, AND be the person a donor looking to give our organization $100,000 worth of art speaks to-- and that is just at work. Add 1.5 hour commute, dog walks, walks for coffee, a SO that dresses exactly the same for grocery shopping and dates, and snow shoveling and things get crazy. One thing about living in CO, I think, is that people expect you to be ready to go on an adventure or handle anything at a moment's notice because so many people wear gear at all times and you never know what the weather will throw you. Beyond that, I've been dressed for gallery openings and have had to move broken concrete before I go.
My rule of thumbs are:
Embrace denim
Don't own uncomfortable shoes (secure flats and low heels for the win)
pick durable fabrics
leather and nylon are your friends
everything should be washable or wipeable
flexibility is your friend-- not being able to kneel or squat in a skirt or dress is a deal breaker, as are snug shoulders in jackets and blouses
layers are good--- being able to take off a blouse and wear the tank underneath or add a "in the car" fleece has saved many outfits
