What comes to mind when someone says they only wear comfortable clothes? Do you imagine them in sweats? Linen? Birkenstocks? How about these?
A little backstory....
I once worked at a non-profit in town and while my colleagues were very nice, they thought I was odd for wearing stylish outfits every day. They tended toward the boxy floral print tee shirts with beige, elastic-waisted polyester pants and "sensible" shoes. I remember being in the break room when one of them looked me up and down, eyed my blouse, belt, pencil skirt, and stiletto heels and said, "I just don't know how you wear that kind of stuff! It's just so uncomfortable!" I'm sure she mostly meant the stilettos, but she was judging my whole outfit.
Wait, what?!
I was a little stunned, to say the least. Not only were the stilettos not-at-all painful (I could ride my bike in them!), I was really, really comfortable. Did she seriously think I'm spending 9 hours of my day being uncomfortable for the sake of how I look?
Then it occurred to me: she's either had a really bad experience with how clothing fits and hasn't spent the time figuring it out so she defaults to the elastic-waisted pants and flat shoes,
OR she thinks fashion is frivolous and therefore beneath her, so to justify it to herself, she equates style with discomfort.
I actually felt sorry for her because maybe she feels she's not worthy of being stylish. And by stylish, I don't mean spending a fortune on designer labels. I just mean looking and feeling good in a way that elevates you.
It's never been my habit to immediately get out of my work clothes when I get home because there's nothing about them that I want to escape. The heels above are a happy find from Gilt & Gossamer at 5th Street Market (FYI: they're closing their store downstairs so all shoes are currently 40% off!) and they're the kind of shoe I can - and do - run around town in, literally. I can wear them for hours, walk really easily, and it doesn't occur to me to kick them off as soon as possible.
Finding them took some time (and practice walking in heels) but it's worth it. Your feet's happiness is crucial to how you go about your day, so never settle for something that's just "ok".
This goes for the rest of your wardrobe, too! I remember talking to a friend about how dresses are her uniform of choice because - as she put it - she just throws this sack over her head, pops on some shoes, and boom! She's dressed and looks put together with almost zero effort. She also said she's surprised at how people think she spends ages getting dressed when in reality, it's the easiest part of her day and takes minimal time and brain power.
Yes, sweats are comfy but so is a ballgown! However, there are a huge number of garments to choose that are in the middle of the spectrum. If you're going to put clothes on this body of yours, why not give that middle bit a chance? You might be surprised at how comfortable you are!
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