It's nearly noon on a Saturday. I'm working. I mean REALLY working. I've been tweeting, posting, writing, blogging, emailing and strategizing since 8 am.

Does it matter that I'm still in my housecoat? Not right this very minute...but then again, since I'm thinking about it, maybe at this very minute it does matter that my housecoat has become my pinstriped suit.

While I ponder my "work" wardrobe, I'm relieved to know others too think about the very same question. Appearance. Do we dress to impress? Should we dress to impress? What do spider socks have to do with the value of our words, accomplishments and friendships? 85 Broads member Kira Zmuda (she's also Exploring New York City Examiner and a Not-for-Profit Director in Manhattan) got me thinking about this (thanks Kira). Here's her blog "Spider Style or lack thereof":

At least my hair was clean today. Magical curlers substituted for the baggy eyes my colleagues could not ignore under fluorescents. I allowed myself enough sleep last night, finally, and I was punished.

Dear Body of Mine,

I’m cutting out 20 minutes of sleep tonight. Maybe then you won’t swell in your pleasure. Warning: I will continue to shed minutes until you are obedient.

Love, Kira

Beyond cosmetics, I was not aware of my distasteful outfit until I hit my 10th hour. I found my uneven khaki pants and over-sized navy sweater (snagged from my Dad’s closet in 7th grade) very much present at the Toastmaster’s public speaking event. My mind, on the other hand, was barely in attendance.

I showed up to the formal meeting as a guest, clueless of the details and meeting protocol. As a first-timer, I was called upon to give an impromptu speech for one minute.

All confidence fell to my ankles as I realized that my spider socks were not only creeping into the non-Halloween month of February but also creeping up my leg and clearly visible to those surrounding me.

I don’t actively think about my appearance around other civilians. I might care what my stubbly date thinks, and I might even want to impress my friends, monthly, with some effort and accessories.

I haven’t decided if I should start caring more or less about style. How do you know if your appearance is authentic and quirky or just sloppy and disastrous? Or does it even matter?

Read more of Kira's blogs on The Mathematics of Glamour http://themathematicsofglamour.com/