I am in no way a morning person, but getting dressed in the morning is one of the few things I can look forward to before 10 a.m. This week, however, putting outfits together was taken out of my morning routine.
Instead, I decided to hand that responsibility over to my roommates. One of my roommates, Kayli, has been begging to dress me for the last few months. Kayli’s style is very different from my own. Where she loves rainbow Chacos and anything Vineyard Vines, I’m more a fan of muted colors and Urban Outfitters. There’s nothing wrong with either style; It’s all about personal preference. But Kayli’s request got me thinking, how much does my style and how I dress really affect my day? I put this question to the test this week and let my trustworthy roommates style me.
Day 1
The first day was Kayli’s day to dress me. She chose an outfit straight of her closet, grabbing exactly what she would wear on any given day: Nike shorts, a travel tank top, rainbow Chacos and the brightest Vineyard Vines cap in existence. I’d worn elements of this outfit before but not all together. This outfit is the definition of “granola,” a type of style made popular by frequent hikers and travelers. I have never been a fan of the look of Chacos, but I understood that their value was in comfort. Now, I will never understand because I did not find them comfortable in the least, but to each their own.
Day 2
The second day of this challenge happened to land on the day that Young the Giant was coming to UF. Concert outfits have the advantage of being a bit outlandish. My other roommate, Pierce, was to dress me that day. Pierce and I have more similar styles, compared to Kayli and me. Pierce likes to mix patterns and create quirky outfits. For this night, Pierce dressed me in two-toned ripped jeans from American Eagle, a rainbow-striped crop top, checkered Vans and pink circle glasses. The outfit is a bit funky, but I really liked it. If someone commented on the outfit, I didn’t have to explain it; I could just say I let someone else dress me.
Day 3
Day 3 fell on game day. This was the first day I woke up feeling disappointed I wasn’t going to be able to pick out my outfit. However, I never realized how nice it was to not have to think about what I was going to wear. For this outfit, Pierce dressed me again, in her own striped crop top, high-waisted denim shorts, black high-top Converse and a Gator-blue scrunchie. This outfit was so like my own style that it felt normal to wear.
Day 4
Sunday is wind-down day for my roommates and me, so that meant a chill outfit. All I did that day was go to the library and get some coffee; There was no need for an elaborate outfit. Pierce dressed me one more time — because Kayli didn’t get up in time — in an outfit that felt strangely nostalgic but also not my style. Her specific instructions were a band t-shirt, Nike shorts, high socks and running shoes. To me, the strangest part of the outfit was the high socks and running shoes because the last time I wore that was during high school basketball, a very different time in my life.
Day 5
The last day of the challenge was reserved for Kayli. She had full reign over my closet and she surprised me by picking out an outfit I’d never worn before — at least not altogether. She chose my overall cutoffs paired with a white crop top I hadn’t worn in a year. It was cool to see someone look through my closet and put together an outfit I’d never thought of.
What I learned from the experience
1. My roommates don’t hate me because they didn’t dress me in a Wonder Woman costume like they said they would.
2. Not having to think about what you’re going to wear in the morning saves a lot of time.
3. Choosing outfits is a creative outlet I look forward to in the morning that I really missed.
I never felt uncomfortable in the clothes I was wearing, there was just a sense of “this isn’t what I would choose to wear.” It can be fun to test out different styles, but there is a reason everyone has their own preference. It’s a way to show off a part of your personality in a way that feels authentic to yourself.