Getting Dressed for Yourself

There was a short period of time after the birth of my first child where I sometimes stayed in my pajamas all day. The same thing happened after the birth of my second child. After I had my third child, this phenomenon lasted for a longer period of time and I sometimes exchanged my pajamas for loungewear. When the pandemic hit a little over a year ago, I was back in the practice of dressing myself each day. However, because we couldn’t go anywhere, I regressed a little and spent many days in loungewear.

Though pajamas and loungewear are comfortable for the body, I’ve found that they aren’t that great for my mindset. It feels as though there is an invisible connection between what I wear and how I approach my day. If I dress sloppily, then I go about my daily tasks sloppily. Likewise, if I dress neatly, then I go about my tasks in a neat manner.

I came across an article a few days ago that indicates that I’m not the only one who benefits from getting dressed. According to the psychologists quoted in the article, getting dressed in the morning can increase our motivation to complete other tasks throughout the day and can help us feel more energetic. Moreover, getting dressed can boost our moods. This is because when the aesthetics of life (including how we look) are good, then we feel good and feel like we’re celebrating life.

As I’ve realized the importance of getting dressed, I’ve taken note of a few important details.

Dressing for myself means wearing things that I like

I’ve never really kept up with fashion, but when I shop for clothing it is easy to see that certain colors, cuts of pants, fabrics, lengths of skirts, etc. are currently in style. I have no clue why our society thinks a few fashion designers should get to decide what looks good. To be frank, I often disagree with their ideas of what looks good! Thus, if I’m going to dress for myself, this means wearing clothes that I like, even if these aren’t at the height of fashion.

I’ve found it helpful to simply choose clothes that I think I look good in and that I enjoy wearing. I’ve never been a fan of skinny jeans or tapered leg openings in pants, so I wear boot cut instead. My feet hurt when I wear high-heeled shoes, so I don’t own any. I like certain colors, so I have a closet full of clothes in these colors. When I get dressed in the morning, I like what I put on. The way I see it, this is key to dressing for myself. Getting dressed would lose some of its benefit if I were wearing clothes I didn’t like.

It’s best to wear clothes that fit

I have some clothing items that I’ve had for years. I’ve kept these because I like them and they are in good condition. However, over the course of my adult life, the shape of my body has changed and they don’t fit anymore. I don’t want to spend money on new clothes because I already have these clothes, but I’m learning that it is worth it to spend the money. This is because I don’t feel good wearing clothes that are too tight. In order to like what I wear, I have to wear clothes that aren’t bursting at the seams and that don’t emphasize the extra padding I now have around my waist and thighs.

Dressing nicely does not mean sacrificing comfort

One of the reasons I was staying in loungewear is because of comfort. The soft, stretchy fabrics that typically comprise loungewear are super comfortable! Thankfully, designers have begun to use some loungewear features in normal clothing. This means we can have the best of both worlds!

Final thoughts

I don’t ever want to be preoccupied with how I look or put undue importance on my clothing. However, when something so simple as getting dressed can have such a positive impact on my day, then I think it is a worthwhile thing to put a little effort into!

Have there been seasons in your life that you wore PJs or loungewear all day instead of getting dressed? If so, how did that impact your productivity and mindset? Do you find that getting dressed instead of staying in those types of clothes is beneficial?

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Busy Monday and Encouraging Hearts and Home.