Almost every day, I experience some form of outfit regret. Whether it be that I should have chosen the more comfortable outfit for the day, or that my outfit comes off a little more relaxed than the occasion deems, I always pick the wrong thing. Do I actually really look out of place? Likely not. Most of the time my outfit can match up with some popular style, however, that does not mean that it always feels right for that particular day.
I used to be die-hard jeans, cute tops, and blazers to class everyday girl. At some point though, I realized I felt out of place and oftentimes I really was not comfortable. However, the leggings and sweatshirts that I have largely swapped this out for typically make me feel underdressed. I always manage to look around class though and find someone else with roughly the same outfit, so it’s not to say that I feel entirely out of place. Oftentimes the more casual outfit simply makes me feel younger, and when talking to professors, sometimes too young.
On the days when I do decide to dress cute, I typically pair a nice pair of jeans with heeled boots and a cute top. The boots are met with instant regret the moment I have to walk from my unnecessarily far away parking spot to class. However, knowing that I am dressed for any opportunity certainly provides a degree of mental comfort that partially makes up for the lack of physical comfort. Unfortunately, on a day when I have many long classes, everything about this outfit eventually becomes a nuisance. The jeans get stretched as I sit. The boots get scuffed from the amount of walking I have done, not to mention a guarantee of aching feet. Oftentimes, the sweater is either too hot or not warm enough and proves itself to be a really challenging obstacle when it comes to temperature regulation. I, like most people, truly despise being uncomfortable and simply have not been able to find a way to make cute and comfortable mirror one another.
The happy medium I have found tends to lie with some sort of leggings and a cute top — really basic, but absolutely does the job. Not always fitting for the occasion, but keeps me from spending the day more focused on how I look than the content I am learning or the work I do. It’s quite bizarre to imagine how much a simple outfit can impact how you go about your day, your degree of concentration, or the like, but it truly can impact so much of what you get out of your day. Visual appeal and comfort are truly a hard balance to strike on a daily basis. I certainly have yet to find the perfect formula for the perfect outfit, but through trial and error, I eventually will find the formula that makes me think about what I am wearing less than I do now.
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