Dressing Up for work Mall Style

I find it funny that most professional women that I have met wear clothes that I think my mom was wearing in the '90's. And by professional women I mean women with advanced degrees. And by clothes of the 90's I mean high wasted pants with a blouse. And by people I meet I mean the lawyer who was trying the case when I was on jury duty.
Truly I usually am surprised by women ( and men) that tend to dress in older (yet sensible), well made (yet again dated) clothes. Then I think to myself, this why they are in the position they are, they are sensible with money, education, careers, etc. While I spend money on frivolity, never completed my second bachelor's (it was too hard and took up too much of the money that I would rather spend, ummm and I already have a degree.....well okay I have a B.Ss in Psychology and I am not sure if that really counts because it sure has never helped me get a job) and I work retail because it is all that I know. (and I also love it, but I do dream of going to work in a cute cream colored dress with a fluffy knee-length skirt to show off amazing (I wish) legs, a cute cardigan in a springy pink and a big chunky necklace) Ooooh and I would be wearing cute low-heeled (hell even in my dreams there is no way I am wearing heels) mules to show off my non-callused/feel like sand paper feet. In my dreams I have perfectly symmetrical, smooth as silk feet. In reality I go to work every day in my dress code black collared shirt (white is also allowed but after a couple of nasty work-related accidents white became an off-limit color for me) black pants (kahki are also approve, but again with the light colors) and little nylon footies (you have to wear socks for OSHA) and closed toe shoes (again with the OSHA). I dress all in black... every day..... I might be a vampire or at the very least a witch.
Well the mall employees (read) retail workers dress nicer than any other working class group I have ever encountered. They also smell nicer, and I am not just saying that because of the permanent smog of perfume scented air which Abercrombie and Fitch have granted the mall. They have better make up and better hair. I am not sure if it is because they are surrounded by such pretty items every day that makes them want to spend, or are they dressing to impress high end clients? Maybe they are impressing each other ( I think this one is dead on in most cases.) At the very least the majority of their salary is going towards their appearance. Hmmmm maybe my dress code black is my own personal savings plan.... Way to go work!