I’m in my nightshirt and bathrobe right now…furry lined slipper clogs on my feet. This is my blog writing outfit. It’s soft and comfortable and when I sit at the computer I just feel ready to write.

When I sit down to work on my book I wear t shirt dress and some sort of soft cardigan/jacket over it. When I go out, I just switch out the layer and add different shoes.

This clothing combo of dress/covering/comfy shoes is the armor I wear no matter what I am doing. This way of dressing makes me feel powerful.

A dress is part of my identity.

Recently I read “After You” (I know- I am very late to the JoJo Moyes party). In the book she makes mention that women wear pants to feel more comfortable and more in control.

Hmmm

So I began to think about how we get dressed…

Do women feel more confident in pants because they feel they are channeling men? That wearing pants is like an act of defiance because there was a time when women in pants was shocking? There’s a scene early on in Downton Abbey, where one of the female characters appears at dinner in a sort of Harem pants outfit. It was scandalous to her Mother and Grandmother who would never wear fabric down the insides of their legs. She was breaking the established mold. It empowered her at that moment.

So what does it say about me that I feel much more confident with my calves out?

Is it just because I like my legs?

Is it because I love a nice knee high boot and can really show them off if I’m in a dress?

Or is it because most men don’t wear dresses and the most empowering thing I can do as a woman is by making a statement that a dress or skirt is the most powerful piece of clothing there is, simply because men routinely choose not to wear them?

When you get dressed, what are you thinking about? When you choose an outfit, what goes through your mind?

Are you consciously or unconsciously lifting hangers and scrolling through shelves?

What are you wearing?

Why?

65 thoughts on “What Are You Wearing?”

  1. I’m wearing jeans and a jumper. I’m pretty much always wearing that or pyjamas 😂. I occasionally don a dress if I’m going to a wedding or a fancy night out but I generally feel more comfortable in jeans or leggings. Maybe it’s because I don’t really like the shape of my legs? Maybe it’s because I like to sit on the floor or have the option to do a forward roll whenever I feel like it 😂 – okay that’s not often these days! I do think women can look really powerful in a dress. In my opinion it’s not your clothing that gives you an air of authority but the way you carry yourself.

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  2. I’m a child of the 60’s and 70’s. I swear, blue jeans were made for me. A pair that fits me just right and a cute t-shirt with a denim jacket or a sweater—that’s all I need.

    I dressed professionally when I taught. Lots of skirts, (dresses seldom fit me right), heels, jewelry—the whole nine yards. I thought the kids responded to me better when I dressed the part.

    But nothing makes me feel younger and more powerful than a good pair of jeans. I think maybe that’s what I want to be wearing when I die. No house coats or dressing gowns for this old broad.

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  3. On a daily basis I wear sports tank and shorts change it to leggings and long sleeve when chilly out. When I run errands I change it up to jeans and sweater or shorts and pretty top. When I go places, like dinner, get togethers(I wish) and touring on vacay I like to wear dresses. Wearing a dress is my favorite way to dress. It just makes me feel good and confident. I have never felt the need to dress like a man because I like being a woman and I like to look feminine which I think is powerful in itself! Of course everyone wore scrubs back when I was working but If I had to come in for meeting when I wasnt working I would frequently wear a dress or nice dress pants and top. I was definitely overdressed but dressing differently than scrubs felt empowering and made the statement that I was an individual, original, had my own thoughts and personality and I was not just another person in scrubs. Great post!

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  5. I never wear pajamas during the day unless I am sick which, thankfully, is rare. I am fashion-impaired. Loathe shopping and have always said that if I am cast into Hell, it will be a 3-story mall. I love to see elegantly dressed women. Just wish I had that skill and flair.

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    1. I’m out of pajamas after I blog. Presently in gym clothes now as I’m exercise biking. And malls are the worst for me too! In a funny note, by daughter read Dante’s Inferno in high school and they had to do a project about it.she did a three story diorama equating a mall to the levels of hell….

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  6. Every weekday finds me in a black uniform, but on weekends I am also a blue jeans girl. Also a child of the 60-70s. There was a time when I was REQUIRED to wear a dress to work and that felt VERY sexist at the time. I am more comfortable in pants and shorts.

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  7. I’m wearing jeans and a top, having dressed for walking to the creek. After showering, I’ll put on the same type of clothes for the rest of the day. It’s cost and comfort that matter to me. How would I feel empowered? I’d wear a crown and wield a scepter! People would scatter, knowing a dangerously crazy person just got lose.

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  9. I tried to remember the last time I wore a skirt or dress and I honestly can’t–it’s probably been close to 10 years. I dress first for comfort, and for me, comfort begins with shoes. Shoes that go with dresses and skirts do not make my feet happy. So pants it is. After comfort comes color and texture–is today a blue day, or purple, green, black, pink, grey? Grey goes with everything and it’s one of my most energizing colors.

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    1. I think dresses are the most comfy thing in the world. Now, that being said, today I’m wearing a black t dress with striped converse. Yesterday I wore a dress with motorcycle boots. And I always wear black or grey, so there’s that…side note. I’ve thought of painting my apartment and doing it in grey. I recently read a hygge type book that says you shouldn’t use grey in your house cause it’s too somber. Like you, I find grey wonderful, so it was surprising to read that

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  12. Jake from State Farm…sorry, that was my first thought. When I worked outside I had to wear a uniform for part of my career but then I wore dresses with heels. Everyday. Until the last pregnancy. Then I wore dresses but moved to flats or low heels. Since I have been working from home comfort is the most important thing. Even when I go out, comfort is my thing. I’ve never been a name brand shopper either. Right now it’s warmish so I am wearing shorts and a tank with bootie slippers.

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  14. I wear casual t-shirt dresses in the summer when I go someplace that requires me to look like I made the effort, this is especially important when hot. I love jeans different styles for different looks and occasions. I dress for myself not how others view me, well most of the time, there are times when my appearance to others is important (mother of the groom coming up and when I was mother of the bride). I feel powerful when I am comfortable, if I am thinking of my outfit then I am not comfortable hence not powerful.

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  18. I tend to practice simplicity when it comes to my wardrobe. Most of the time. It has to look good but it also has to be comfortable. My blog wardrobe is usually stuff I could run in, just in case I feel like going for a run in mid sentence. Which . . actually, I’m about to do!

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  19. I don’t wear clothes as a statement of anything except possibly to say, “You really don’t want to see me naked.”

    I change my clothes a lot during the day based on temperature and activity. Always a good idea to wear something dark when eating chili or marinara!

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  20. I wore dresses and skirts for years….but now I have twenty pairs of black pants, (which I blogged about once as that’s what my wardrobe has deteriorated to), including yoga pants which I live in these days. I like pants for comfort, but also because my legs and feet would get cold in a dress, even in A/C. I have that problem with capris too unless it’s a really hot day. And I could never wear a nightshirt, although I think they’re cute, for the same reason. It amazes me that I dressed up for work and weekends for years and never found it a chore, but now it’s all about comfort. But then I loved fashion back then. Most days I’m in my PJ’s and bathrobe until about ten as I am not a morning person.

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  23. I prefer pants because of my lifestyle. At any moment I might be called on to participate in one of my husband’s active activities—motorcycles, target practice, home repairs or remodeling or the dogs will beg for a walk. In elementary school in my day, girls only wore dresses to school. Grades 7-12 was a girls’ school, and the uniform was a dress. As a first grade/K teacher, I sat on the floor a lot, so pants were more practical. Now I can wear whatever I want, and I usually choose pants. Besides, I get cold easily.😉

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