On Dressing Comfortably

Tommy Hilfiger slacks, F21 tights, kitty shoes from daddyos.com, my new Studio DVF carryon bag!

Airports. Test days. Sick days. Long weekends.

What do all of the above have in common? On all of the aforementioned occasions, even the most stylishly-minded of us probably have a tendency to dress....well, like a bum. "I just want to be comfortable!" is not a difficult excuse to use, or buy! Yesterday, while waiting for my flight back to school, I looked around and took in the following:

It's pretty obvious Americans like to travel in comfort. This translates directly to jeans, sweats, and sneakers.

Sneaky pic of woman sitting next to me. Is her way of dressing really that much more comfortable?

I want to talk about a topic that's sort of evolved into a passion of mine: why I believe dressing comfortably is a state of mind.

Honestly, dressing like anything is a state of mind. Why do people get dressed up for big events, or work-related engagements? Part of playing the part is dressing it. Not only would showing up to an interview in a tracksuit be unprofessional, you would also feel ridiculous. Likewise, wearing sweatshirts or lazying around all day in your PJs probably makes you feel lazy and yes, comfortable-- but also sluggish. If you're sick, you're not going to feel attractive to begin with, so why dress to magnify that feeling? I make it a point to dress better than usual when I'm not feeling well, because it's a mental-pick-me-up.

Furthermore, if you're sitting at a desk in a big comfy sweatshirt, would you not be more likely to fall asleep than if you were wearing a nicer, more fitted top? I can't tell you how many people I've talked to who have done just that- fallen asleep during class or even in major test-taking scenarios. Any number of factors can play into that, but I think it's probable that none of them were particularly dressed up! Tons of people thought I was crazy for wearing heels to my AP tests in high school, but they made me feel on top of my game- and hey, we were sitting down!

So why look as tired or as sick as you feel? And since when was it decided that sweats and jeans are the only comfortable attire in the universe? Hmm. Feels like an American Eagle marketing ploy evolution based on what is socially-accepted, to me.

I've jumped on the Polyvore bandwagon to highlight a few alternatives to typical "comfort dressing." If you have any suggestions of your own, feel free to comment!

Alternative Comfort - Chic ~ Get upgraded to first-class with this pulled-together look!

Alternative Comfort - Classic ~ Update your t-shirt and jeans with a (still soft!) cute top and skinny cords. Pair with funky but practical sneaker flats and some classy jewelry.

Alternative Comfort - Eclectic ~ I love wrap cotton jersey dresses- in fact I almost always travel in one.

The thing is, most people dress up for other people. And then maybe test days, sick days, and traveling days become exceptions to the rule where they don't have to care as much. But why not look AND feel good, for yourself? So before you automatically slip into that same pair of sneakers you trek to the gym in, ask yourself if that's really how you feel today (this could also be called "Conscious Dressing"...I might just have write about that later on!) College Fashion has a great expanded list here on reasons to dress up every day.

What do you guys think? Do you dress down on certain days? Or do you fly in crinolines, go grocery shopping in sequins? Do tell!

Love,

Tee