Have you ever taken a long time to make an outfit? Maybe hours? Well, that’s me. For as long as I can remember, fashion has been one of my most beloved interests, and my style, in particular, is something I’m somewhat picky about. Ever since I started dating my boyfriend about a year and some months ago, I have really fallen more into what I would like to call my own style. I’ve learned to be more confident and in control of my outfits instead of letting my style be too influenced by trends.
My boyfriend is my best friend. I’d rather hang out with him than anyone else since we know each other pretty well. So I thought it would be interesting to let him dress me for a week and see the results of his picks. I know he knows me like the palm of his hand — but does he know my style?
Day 1: An outfit that fell (velvet) short
One time, I thought my Walmart non-slip shoes for work were comfier than all of my other shoes. Little did I know, that thought would be the defining statement of this week’s outfits.
As you can see, my boyfriend picked green velvet shorts, my black work shoes and a black quarter-sleeve. Personally, I would never put these pieces together, but to my surprise, it was super comfortable! It was the perfect outfit for a day of studying and running errands. The downside though was that the velvet shorts felt incredibly hot in the blazing Florida weather, so maybe a different material would’ve been better suited for me.
Later in the day, when I was heading home, I overheard some girls that were walking behind me talk about “how terrible that girl’s outfit is” and I really hoped they were not talking about me. Letting someone else picks your clothes requires a lot of confidence in their decision-making. Not only that but giving someone the ability to control your clothing choices can be a little overwhelming for any low-key control freaks out there.
Day 2: A matching improvement
This outfit was so much better. Since I’m on the shorter side, I’m usually wearing some form of heel, usually platforms. I can say that although my work shoes were more comfortable, I felt a lot more confident with my platforms on. My boyfriend chose some ripped skinny beige pants, a simple white shirt and the necklace he got me for our anniversary. Unlike the previous outfit, I could see myself wearing this outfit, so I felt good about it overall. However, I was a little nervous that with the similar colors of the platforms and the necklace, the outfit would be too match-y and tacky looking.
Day 3: Timeless and sleek
Around twice a week, I broadcast the news in Spanish on a local TV network. Therefore, I really need to look polished and professional. So while I enjoy the thought of having my boyfriend pick my outfit for this day, this job is a wonderful opportunity that I could not compromise for this dress-me-up challenge. So, the way I managed to still do both was to wear my boyfriend-approved outfit off camera and wear my own pick when I was recording for the news.
Thankfully, my boyfriend knew what he was doing (kind of). I was pleasantly surprised that he chose such an elegant outfit. Many times, I have told him about how I prefer timeless outfits instead of trendy ones, and this outfit totally fit that bill. The outfit consisted of a black cocktail dress, black pumps and a white and black jacket. Additionally, he chose a brown bag as my purse of the day.
I normally don’t really like combining browns and blacks on the same outfit but somehow, I feel like it worked because of the white jacket.
Day 4: A bad blanket statement
Honestly, this was my least favorite outfit of all. It even sparked an argument between us; I mean, who in their right mind chooses a blanket as part of an outfit right? We usually do some form of outdoor activity once a week and, given the warm weather, he decided to combine a crop top with some Nike shorts.
He also chose my work shoes again, under the excuse that they were comfortable, which really annoyed me. Lastly, he chose a blanket because “I’m always stealing his sweaters”.
I felt really ugly in this outfit and overall, did not enjoy our outing because I felt so uncomfortable.
Day 5: A spooky Gator look
After spending the night before watching Halloween movies, we were both in the spooky mood. Feeling those Halloween vibes, he decided that I would wear orange and black as my colors of the day. Unfortunately, I don’t own anything orange, so he gave me one of his gator shirts to use for this outfit. He paired up the shirt with some low-cut black jeans, light orange socks and ONCE AGAIN MY DUMB WORK SHOES.
This outfit was pretty comfy. By Day 5, I was finally starting to notice a theme throughout each of the outfits: comfort. Still, I was very annoyed of repeating the work shoes. By this point in the week, I really regretted having said they were comfy on the first place.
Day 6: Plain and pink
For this outfit, my boyfriend chose a simple pink day dress and some brown sandals (yes, my work shoes complaints finally got to him).
The outfit was okay, but very under-accessorized. I felt like the outfit looked somewhat too plain just because of the lack of accessories. Overall though, I also felt confident and pretty in it.
Day 7: A formal fit
This last outfit is definitely my boyfriend’s favorite. It’s a cute little jumpsuit from Forever 21 that I usually use for formal day events, but he decided to pick it out for a lunch date. In contrast with the previous outfit, I feel like this one does well on its own. However, I would have preferred for him to pick a different pair of shoes because the cut of this jumpsuit does highlight my curves more, which makes me look shorter. So, a trusty heel or platform would’ve brought his outfit all together.
My final thoughts
This was a fun little challenge that allowed me to experience my boyfriend’s style and it was overall fun! The hard part of this challenge wasn’t the outfits itself, but the understanding that confidence and beauty comes from the inside and not always from what you wear.
Additionally, people that enjoy control can feel threatened by the idea of letting someone else choose something as personal as one’s clothes.
I don’t think I would ever let him pick my entire outfits again, but I can understand his suggestions and his “fashion priorities” much better. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention this, but I’m definitely getting new work shoes.