by Rosanna Carlucci
There is a lowly hum. She sits, uncomfortably, in a crowded, gray office and stares longingly at the man before her. He is reading over her memo, checking for grammar and spelling. She assures him that after four years of writing memos she is more than capable; he laughs. He stares straight into her eyes and assures her that after four years of proof reading her memos there is always room for improvement. She laughs and shifts nervously back and forth, breaking the stare. She always breaks the stare.

She loves everything about him, his gray eyes and his dark hair, the way he plays with the tip of his tie, fluttering back and forth through his fingers like a butterfly trying to escape his grip. If only she could escape his grip.

She rises from her chair and reaches for the file he is waiting for her to take, their fingers touch and she can feel her legs begin to tremble and her heart stop. He reaches for the tie of her blouse and begins to pull, she knows she should stop him but his lips convince her otherwise…

Less is more, especially at work. No other piece of clothing seems to embody this statement more than the tie front blouse, commonly known as the “secretary” blouse. Usually detailed with ruffles or lace down the front, it has come to represent a restrained and subtle sexuality, popular in the fifties and the sixties.

Fresh off the runways for Fall 2008, designers such as DKNY and Nanette Lepore have taken inspiration from this iconic workplace fantasy. Available in demure silks, rich jewel tones and soft neutrals, the secretary blouse is perfect atop a fitted pencil skirt or a great pair of jeans.