The Garments I Put on For Consolation and Confidence

Final month I shared a journey by way of the recesses of my mind, or at the very least, the clothes and appearance-related recesses of my mind. In case you haven’t learn that submit but, I like to recommend you go there first since at present’s article is the second on this mini-series. Right this moment I’ll take you on a journey by way of my closet, with far much less emotional toil and much more sensible lists.

Now that you simply all understand how I FEEL about my clothes, I do know you wish to know what clothes I put on. Proper?!?

My Uniform

Given my previous penchant for weird outfit concoctions, I by no means pictured myself as a uniform particular person. However now, with two youngsters, one job, 9 chickens and one homestead? Uniform me up, child. I didn’t deliberately got down to create a uniform, it simply occurred as I noticed that I wish to put on snug clothes each single day. Up to now, I used to be keen to endure for style. Now? 0% curiosity. Lower than 0. Unfavorable % curiosity. Right here’s one thing I’ve discovered about myself: I don’t do small screens or high-waisted denims.

Since we get pleasure from all 4 seasons right here in rural Vermont, my uniform rotates commensurately. I’ll take you thru my closet for every season, which is definitely the identical closet as a result of all of my stuff now matches into my facet of our main bedroom closet.

Winter

1) Leggings

I put on leggings each day. I gave away each single pair of pants I owned for the straightforward purpose that I DON’T LIKE PANTS. I’ve NEVER favored sporting pants as a result of I discover them so uncomfortable. I can keep in mind in first grade begging my mother to not purchase me pants. I don’t know why, I simply hate how they really feel. However, I used to put on denims (skinny ones, even) as a result of they had been of the style. Now? Hells no.

I discovered two pairs of Felina leggings (unopened of their bundle!) at a yard sale like 4 years in the past and cherished them a lot that I purchased this 6-pack on-line (affiliate hyperlink). Additionally, not going to lie, they’ve added 6 new colours since I final purchased them and, uh, no touch upon whether or not or not I’m proper now, at this second, clicking over to purchase them… Ahem.

Right here’s what I really like about them:

• They’re extraordinarily snug.
• They’ve a comfortable waistband that doesn’t dig in, roll down or slide round.
• They aren’t “slimming.” In different phrases, they don’t attempt to compress my pure abdomen area. My abdomen is what it’s, I don’t want some piece of spandex making an attempt to hem in my pure state.
• They aren’t saggy or bunchy
• They’re low cost!
• They appear to be extremely sturdy, particularly in mild of how low cost they’re and what number of occasions I’ve worn them over the previous 4 years. I’ll observe that I don’t put them within the dryer, I allow them to line dry.

I put on them for:

• Fancy events!
• Non-fancy events!
• All of the events!
• Below my snowpants within the winter for outside recreation!
• Doing yoga!

2) Attire

Over my leggings I put on a costume. Each single day. As aforementioned, since I HATE pants, I really like clothes. I don’t put on skirts as a result of then I’d should coordinate a shirt with it and that’s an excessive amount of effort. A costume is a whole outfit multi functional! Pair with leggings and you’re finished! I additionally like clothes as a result of I really feel like they translate effectively to totally different conditions: fancy sufficient for church, snug sufficient for grocery purchasing, good sufficient for a dinner out.

I’m not snug sporting a shirt with leggings as a result of I don’t like my bum using on the market within the wind (until I’m doing yoga).

Listed here are the kinds of winter clothes I personal:

• Lengthy-sleeved turtleneck clothes
• Lengthy-sleeved scoopneck clothes
• Lengthy-sleeve cowlneck clothes

Basically, I personal the identical costume in several colours and totally different neck strains. All of my clothes are:

• Knee-length.
• A-line (flowy?) with out a waist band, with out zippers or buttons and with out patterns.
• I’m allergic to wool, in order that they’re all artificial or cotton.
• All of them have absolutely lengthy sleeves as a result of it’s approach too chilly right here to fiddle with partial-sleeve conditions. I’m going to pay the identical quantity and never get your complete sleeve?? I believe not.

I’m not against patterns, however I by no means appear to seek out any that I like. Plus, with stable colour clothes, I’m in a position to combine and match the whole lot with my different-colored leggings and my…

3) Sweaters

Being in Vermont, I have to prime my clothes off with a sweater. 

All of my sweaters are:

• Knee-length
• Open within the entrance
• Totally different colours and patterns
• Not wool

I’m in a position to combine and match the sweaters with the clothes and leggings for near-endless mixture potentialities.

4) Lengthy Underwear Tops

On very chilly days–or for outside recreation–I put on an artificial long-sleeved shirt beneath my costume and/or snowpants. I’ve tried many various manufacturers and I like this one the easiest (affiliate hyperlink). They’re clean and slim sufficient to go underneath all my clothes with out being bunchy and heat sufficient to put on whereas snowboarding/snowshoeing.

5) Snowpants

I slip my bib general snowpants* both over my costume or over my leggings and lengthy underwear prime and I’m good to go (affiliate hyperlink). I want general snowpants as a result of they hold me hotter and snow doesn’t go down the again. I like them roomy in order that I can tuck a costume in if I would like and, they supply loads of flexibility after I’m snowboarding/snowshoeing.

*Notice: these should not the model I’ve, so I can’t converse to their particular high quality–they don’t appear to make mine anymore, however mine are the identical primary thought as these.

6) Winter Gear

Since we spend a number of time exterior year-round, heat gear is a necessity. I’ve:

Carrying all of this–with my leggings and lengthy underwear prime beneath my snowpants–I’m good to go in any climate. The one occasions I get chilly are if it’s about -10 Fahrenheit and actually windy.

Summer time

You may be unsurprised to be taught that my summer season wardrobe bears a placing resemblance to my winter apparel…

1) Brief Leggings

Sure certainly, my hatred of pants extends to a detestation of shorts. This is sort of a lifelong hatred, so why struggle it? I personal zero pairs of shorts and I’ve zero regrets.

By the magic of the web, a Fb mother’s group, and a good quantity of analysis, I found my magical summer season unicorn: quick leggings! I’ve 5 pairs of those in black (affiliate hyperlink).

They’re tremendous snug, not compression or slimming, don’t roll or bunch and attain to only above my knee. Carrying these permits me to climb, hike, sit on the ground with my youngsters and never flash anybody. An actual precedence for me. I additionally put on these for hot-weather yoga paired with an outdated t-shirt.

I put on these each single day beneath…

2) Attire

Unsurprisingly, I put on a short-sleeved costume each day in the summertime.

3) Cardigans

I’ve three lightweight, flow-y cardigans that I throw over my costume within the occasion of a petite summer season chill.

4) Overalls

For warm-weather outside labor and mountaineering, I put on certainly one of my two pairs of males’s overalls, which I really like (affiliate hyperlink). They’re terribly snug, roomy, and have tons of pockets for conserving instruments in–very useful after I’m out working within the backyard or cleansing the rooster coop. I additionally discover them far more snug for mountaineering than conventional mountaineering pants. I’ll by no means return!

5) Solar shirts

I personal two of those sun-shielding, long-sleeved shirts, which I put on underneath my overalls for all train/homestead labor (affiliate hyperlink).

6) Swimsuit/Quasi-Westsuit

I personal this long-sleeved, long-shorts swimsuit thingy, which I like (affiliate hyperlink). I put on it when swimming and paddle boarding and it’s the swimsuit of my desires. I’m absolutely lined from the solar and in no hazard of flashing, which as beforehand famous is a precedence for me.

I really like that it has:

• Lengthy sleeves
• Is manufactured from a sturdy materials
• Sown-in chestal-region basis (no have to put on something beneath it)
• UPF 50+ solar safety
• Knee-length shorts, which I admire for some actual apparent causes

Pajamas

The one different class of clothes I personal are of the “lounge/pajama” varietal.

I’ve just a few pairs of pajama pants and a few of Mr. FW’s outdated basketball shorts, which I put on on the odd event that I wish to put on shorts round the home (often after I’m cleansing and it’s actually sizzling). Rounding it out are some giant, outdated, cotton t-shirts, sweatshirts and hoodies.

And…. that’s it!

That’s The Full Listing

I’ve gotten rid of just about the whole lot else as a result of I by no means wore it. I noticed no level in conserving stacks of denims, skirts and tops that I by no means wore. I’ve realized that I would like to decorate for myself as a result of nobody else cares and life is simply too quick to be uncomfortable. I believe I look put-together and first rate more often than not, because of my easy costume and leggings combos. I’m not forging any new style frontiers right here, however I do really feel assured each day.

It takes me about 2 minutes to dress as a result of I’ve a U-Choose-3 menu each day:

1. One costume (short-sleeved or long-sleeved)
2. One pair of leggings (quick or lengthy)
3. One sweater (heavy or mild)

My system removes all of the guesswork and energy. I’ve so many different issues to spend time enthusiastic about that my garments don’t charge. I’ve additionally accepted that I like modest stuff, not as a result of I’m conservative (the alternative!), however as a result of it makes me snug. I’m clothes on-line pondering, “the place’d the remainder of the costume go?!?” My midriff is not going to be on show anytime quickly and I’m high quality with that. I really feel assured, wholesome and engaging in my full-coverage outfits.

Oh, Footwear!

I virtually forgot about footwear. Sure, I do put on these.

Summer time:

• 1 pair of these black, canvas, low-top converse sneakers–bought new 1 million years in the past (affiliate hyperlink).
• 1 pair of these mountaineering footwear–a hand-me-down from a good friend who wanted a special measurement (affiliate hyperlink).
• 1 pair of flip flops for the seashore and pool ($1 from a yard sale!)
• 3 pairs of ballet flats (bought from Goal like 12 years in the past and nonetheless going sturdy)
• 1 pair of knee-high rubber boots for rooster/homestead labor ($5 at a yard sale!)

I’ve some fancy heels leftover from my dress-up days, which I very sometimes put on, however truthfully, they’re too uncomfortable. Though they’re very cute, which might be why I can’t bear to provide them away…

Winter

• 1 pair of these insulated muck boots, bought new 5 years in the past (affiliate hyperlink). I put on these for the whole lot: snowshoeing, outside labor, going locations. It’s too chilly for the rest.
• For the uncommon occasion necessitating a “fancy” shoe, I’ll put on my muck boots and pack my ballet flats to alter into. Final 12 months I did this precisely one time: for our Christmas Eve church service. My toes had been so chilly whereas I used to be singing with the choir that I’ll by no means do that once more.

Fall/Spring

• I’ve a number of pairs of cute boots leftover from my fancy days that I wish to put on earlier than it will get too chilly OR if it’s dry exterior (throughout the pre-snow part).

Did You Purchase all of this Used?

Nope. Nope I completely didn’t. Curious people can scroll again by way of my years of Month-to-month Expense Experiences, which embrace all the garments I’ve bought.

Once I made the transition from OUTFITS to clothes, I purchased most of it new. Up to now, thrift purchasing for myself was a treasure hunt and I wore all method of weird issues as a result of it was enjoyable! Now, I simply want stuff that I like and that matches. When I discovered leggings I favored, I purchased 6 pairs of the very same leggings (in several colours!). Once I discover a costume I really like, I sometimes purchase a number of in several colours. I’ll say that I have a tendency to purchase pretty cheap clothes and probably the most I’ve ever spent on a single merchandise is about $50.

There’s nothing incorrect with shopping for nicer, costlier items, I simply appear to have the ability to discover stuff I like at locations like Kohl’s, Previous Navy and Goal. It really works for me, it may not be just right for you! Anytime I would like/need a new costume, the very first place I verify is Kohl’s, particularly the Apt 9 model. I personal extra Apt 9 objects than the rest and I’ve for years! I began purchasing at Kohl’s in highschool and by no means stopped.

For no matter purpose, that model most almost matches my style sense and finances. It additionally appears to carry up very well over time. I’ve owned Apt 9 stuff for over a decade that also seems nice. I’ll observe that I do line-dry all of my clothes except for my pajamas, socks and lingerie. You’ll be able to inform I’ve a uniform when it’s laundry day and all my an identical clothes are hanging up within the breeze.

I nonetheless discover nice objects at thrift shops sometimes and there are a number of in our space that I like so much. I’ll say that, since I solely put on clothes, it’s fast and straightforward for me to breeze by way of the costume part in a thrift retailer. Both they’ve clothes I like or they don’t! I really like that about my simplified fashion.

Will You Purchase Extra Clothes?

In all probability. I sometimes purchase 1 or 2 new clothes every season only for fun-sies. I haven’t purchased new leggings or sweaters in a number of years as a result of I appear to have loads of these. However, I get pleasure from discovering a brand new costume that I like and, I strive very exhausting to comply with the 1 in, 1 out rule. If one thing new joins the closet, one thing outdated should be donated.

The one factor I don’t have proper now’s a elaborate costume. We’re going to a marriage in November (with three separate occasions!) and I’m debating if I wish to attempt to discover one thing fancy. Alternately, I’d simply put on my good, black, long-sleeved sweater costume–which was a present from my fabulous mother-in-law and is pictured above within the kitchen w/the children–with a elaborate necklace. That’s what I’ve been doing for all “fancy” occasions up thus far and it’s labored out completely high quality. I’ve no want to be uncomfortable at this wedding ceremony and I’m undecided I care sufficient to spend cash on one thing I’ll put on very not often. However it could be enjoyable to get one thing glitzy… Nonetheless, I actually don’t like purchasing, which is why my uniform fits me so effectively. I don’t should go strive on one million clothes to seek out one I like–I do know my measurement and my fashion.

Will You Ever Change Your Uniform?

In all probability. Who is aware of? I’m rather more open to variation and alter than I was. Up to now, I felt like I needed to make one choice FOR LIFE and by no means deviate. Now, I’m of the mindset that, “that is what actually works for me proper now.” There’s nobody proper solution to costume or purchase clothes or current your self on this planet. We’re all amalgamations of our experiences and tastes and what’s proper for me proper now may not be best for you. What’s proper for me proper now may not even be proper for me in one other 10 years! Enshrining that sense of flexibility and openness has actually helped me to be much less inflexible, much less anxious and happier. That and taking my Zoloft each morning.

What do you put on? What clothes makes you content and comfy?