I don’t know about y’all, but when it comes to picking out clothes for class, I am almost exclusively a t-shirt kind of girl. Whether it’s combined with leggings, Nike shorts, my tennis shoes, or Chacos, comfort always reigns supreme. Therefore, when I set out to go to class all week “Dressed for Success,” I knew I was getting myself into something interesting. Real world clothes, five days in a row? Challenge accepted.
For the first day, I at least had a reason to look presentable! After my classes, I headed downtown to watch a friend of mine present her research at the CURO Symposium. Today, wearing a cute outfit was actually really enjoyable. I got several compliments on my new printed pants, even one from a stranger I had never met before!
Today wasn’t so easy. It was pretty chilly outside when I left for class, but I knew it would be much warmer by the time I got out. Overall, this week was an exercise in choosing temperature-appropriate clothing without relying on a backup sweatshirt or my mom to tell me what to wear. Today didn’t involve as many compliments–in fact, the opposite! When I walked outside to study with a friend on the quad, she groaned and demanded to know why I looked nice. After I explained, though, she understood (and even took this picture for me!) I picked out this outfit knowing I would be heading to a couple of campus organization meetings (including HC!) that night, and it was actually really great to feel like I was putting my best foot forward.
Dressing for the weather was starting to get even more frustrating by Wednesday. I took so long standing in front of my closet that I ended up throwing my beloved sweatshirt on over the t-shirt I slept in and jeans to grab a bagel with friends before class, so I may have cheated a little bit. However, I did manage to pick out an outfit by the time I made it to class! The scarf and cardigan helped keep me warm with the chilly breeze, but the fun print kept it spring-themed.
By Thursday, I was definitely getting into the swing of this whole “real clothes” thing. I volunteer recording audio books every week, and it was nice to show up and feel professional for once! I knew how to handle the weather by then, too. Your moms weren’t lying, you guys. Layers are your friends.
“Just one more day,” I told myself as I ignored my bursting t-shirt drawer for the fifth day in a row. I may not have been as successful dressing for the weather on Friday, but hey, I really liked my outfit! Being able to sail through the day knowing that I looked cute and confident was a huge mood-booster. Plus, it was a Friday, and that always helps!
I’m not going to lie to you: the following Monday, I immediately reverted back to my Nike shorts and giant sweatshirt, but I’m still glad I did this experiment. Overall, “Dressing for Success” every day was a bit of a struggle, especially with difficult weather, but if you’re looking for a boost of self-confidence, it’s an awesome challenge to take! It can feel really refreshing to put some effort into what you wear–and the compliments don’t hurt either.