Barely female
I think I need new work pants. Mine literally fall off if I don’t wear a belt.
But I don’t want to shop for pants. Even though I know I like the pants at Banana Republic (I even have a gift card to there!) and Erin has recommended the pants at The Limited… I just don’t feel up to pants shopping. It’s not as fun as shopping for workout clothes or cute tops. It’s hard work. It can be upsetting. No matter how much you tell yourself to just buy the pants that fit, you secretly hope you will fit in to a certain size (even though you know the sizes change from store to store!). And the dressing room mirrors… yikes, they can be harsh!
Ugh, sometimes I feel like I am barely female*. I can’t seem to figure out how to dress nice (I mean, look at that picture!), do my hair, or make an effort to be put together. I’m barely in to fashion, wear the same things for days in a row, and hate to shop. As soon as I get home at night I change in to sweatpants! And I wear sneakers to work! And avoid buying pants that fit!
Why do I always dress for comfort?
And why am I am comfortable this way? Why doesn’t it bother me that I am not more feminine?
You know, at my review for my first job, my boss took me aside and told me I needed to dress nicer. I did look like a slob. I wore slacks and a untucked button-down every day. And I was quite overweight. I didn’t take care of myself.
I feel like I have improved a lot, but could still make a lot of changes.
But at the same time, I am kind of fine with me the way I am. Right now anyway.
Do you like to shop for clothes? Do you feel “put together”?
P.S. What do you think of the new “Yoga with your Pets”** concept?
*Not for anatomical reasons, mind you.
**I made that up.
Themocracy
I think you might have described me. I hate shopping for ‘normal’ clothes. I get frustrated and annoyed and depressed. Workout clothes though? I have almost two full drawers filled with stuff! My friends always make fun of me when we go out that my wardrobe rotates between a few outfits. I just couldn’t be bothered. And in my mind, I could use that money for a trip or something!
I don’t mind shopping but I don’t always love it. I don’t mind when I have a specific item in mind that I’m looking for. And I don’t mind helping other people shop. Come to DC!
I definitely don’t look put together everyday. Maybe a few days a week… but a lot of days I just put on slacks and a shirt and call it a day. And I always wear my hair down and wet and let it air dry on my way to work.. and I only wear makeup once every other week or so (because I just sweat it off at lunch anyway!).
Ooo, where are you going to take me shopping in DC?
Last April (at my last haircut, oops!) I had this awesome haircut where I could let it air dry over night then wear it down the next day! Sigh. I need a haircut!
I hate shopping period. I have to be in the mood and want to try things on. usually I don’t want to try things on and I just get frustrated with the sizes and prices. I just cant justify spending 70+ dollars on pants! ugg! I need new pants too. Mine still stay up with a belt but are just too baggy, I need something a little more fitted and not so boyish!
I am the same way. In fact I am laughing because when I was having trouble deciding which way to go as far as school, I actually did consider the fact that as a nurse I could basically wear pajama like clothes to work and would never have to dress up for work or worry about what to wear.
Yoga with pets is making me laugh! And I always think you look beautiful, although since I just admitted I am not a girly fashion girl, that might not feel like as much of a compliment. But I mean it, you are beautiful!
Aww, thank you for your nice compliment 🙂
What do you end up wearing to class?
LOVE love love the pic of you and Data!!
Thanks 🙂
Shopping for pants is definitely the worst. (And I know what you mean–shopping for workout clothes is way more satisfying and fun!)
You should see yoga-with-Bodger. He is way less accommodating than Data!
Ha! When do we get to see the yoga-with-Bodger pics?! 🙂
Ugh. I hate shopping for clothes. It’s not really a size issue I guess, but I just want things to fit “perfect”. Why I think that will happen with mass-produced racks from The Limited, I do not know…
I wish I could accessorize better. Some people can pull together an outfit out of literally anything. I’m jealous of this talent…
I really do hate shopping…for pretty much anything. UNLESS I am in the mood to shop…but the mood doesn’t last long. Working from home makes it really hard to ever dress up, do my hair and makeup – hey, if I don’t have to leave the house, so I have to change out of my yoga pants (that I wore yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that…??) 🙂
i hate shopping. especially for things that i will be wearing to work, for the most part. luckily now, i’m in a SUPER casual job and wear jeans, but i cringe at the thought of shopping.
Hey, I got that same talk from a boss once! 😛
I hate clothes shopping, too, but for me it’s gotten worse since becoming a mom. I feel guilty spending money on myself in “frivolous” ways. What works for me, then, is taking Eric along and having him play dress-up on me; he likes to pick out my clothes, and it eliminates my own guess-work about whether something looks good. 🙂
I think we might actually be the same person. I was looking at a girl today on the subway that had nice skinny jeans tucked into her cute rainboots and a cute lil peacoat. She looked so put together and fashionable and I was like WHY? WHY CAN’T I LOOK LIKE THAT! Probably because I need to put in the effort. Or put more effort into effort. Sigh.
Since your pants are falling off – shopping might be more exhilarating!
Ha. I think I am lacking the effort in to effort part too 😛
The thing is, I have more weight to lose, and don’t want to spend money on pants that are going to fall off again in 3-4 months. I guess that would be the right thing to do though!
I do find that it’s not as much fun to buy strictly work clothes – and so I have lots of random tops that are really cute but that I can’t wear to work and I don’t wear all that often because I’m really not a “dress-up” person. I can be, at times, but I’m happiest in stretchy yoga pants and a cute t-shirt.
That said, I do feel better at work when I am “put-together”. Not that I’m running around in suits (yikes), but if I have to talk to a group of parents (like today), then I will make more of an effort. I don’t necessarily correlate the “I look nice” = “I have confidence”. I think if people are comfortable with who they are, then that can go a long way.
For you – if you are fine with where you are right now, why change? Do you feel that you are “supposed to” for work? Or is it a more internal nagging voice?
I don’t feel like I am supposed to, it’s more of an internal thing. My coworkers are so cute. And I am Mrs. Frumpy!
I think I’d have a great time shopping for work clothes if I had money to do so – I feel like it’s expensive to buy decent clothing even when you’re a smart shopper. I actually read an article (or saw on tv – probably more likely) that when you change jobs you should consider the costs associated with the new job, including transportation, professional association fees, and the clothing you need! For some reason it really hit home, oh yeah, that costs money!
My old office had a hardcore dress code, and was colder than the arctic circle, so i ended up wearing the same 4-5 outfits every week. Now, it’s a big day when i put on real pants… still working on that.
I totally understand!! I hate shopping!!! And my work outfits consisted of t-shirts and jeans.. I would just wear the same t-shirts every single week, until one of them got a hole in it and I felt really bad about wearing it. I have no sense of style at all… and now with the “new” job, well, it’s stretchy shorts and t-shirts every day!!!! Data looks like he is loving yoga!!!!
=^..^=
I would love shopping if there were clothes that were cute and that fit me. That isn’t usually my experience. That said, I do enjoy putting an outfit together. I enjoy accessorizing. I like being feminine. I think I might wear pants 1x a week. Though I do put my yoga/sweats on as soon as I walk in the door if I haven’t just come from class. 😉
Hey! This reminds me, weren’t you going to put some fashion tips on your blog? You always look so cute 🙂
For some reason, dress pants always fit like pajama pants on me. They look terrible. I feel ya. Let’s start our own business and work in our sweats all day 🙂
Yeah that is GREAT news!
I hate buying new pants. Actually, I hate shopping. Girl truth- some girls hate shopping 🙂
I need new pants, jeans and skirts for spring. I have zero desire to deal with any of that noise. Which is why when I do find something I like…I buy more than a few.
I hate to shop for clothes too, especially work clothes. On the weekend I don’t even wear makeup when we go out. I am all about being comfy and I say it’s all good. Kitties love to get in the way when we exercise in the house and see what we’re up to, so I say why not include them 😉
First of all – you look great! Also – I’m the same way. Hate shopping. Would rather be comfy. I’m in Nike yoga pants right now and a NorthFace fleece shirt. Barely appropriate for work. 🙂 Thankfully, my boss doesn’t care.
LOVE the idea of pet yoga. 🙂
Sometimes, I can be that way. It’s mainly when I’m too tired to wake up in enough time to shower, do my hair and make-up. But I also know how much better about myself I feel when I take the time to look presentable and nice. 🙂 Although I will always feel more comfortable in sweatpants than dress pants, it does make me feel more put together and in control when I “dress the part”.
I’m so glad I wear scrubs to work. I hate shopping for dress pants!
I wear sweatpants when I’m at home now, but for different reasons than you. 🙂
When I saw the pictures (before reading), I seriously thought this was an announcement post and you were showing off your baby bump. Ha!
HATE buying pants. If they fit over my thunder thighs and humongous hips, they gap badly at the waist. No good.
Sometimes I wear pants to work with holes in them. I should buy new ones, but I hate shopping. I have NO problem with looking like a slob at work. Right now, I have super hot, after workout style hair going on. Im ok with it.
OMG YES. THIS: “I just don’t feel up to pants shopping. It’s not as fun as shopping for workout clothes or cute tops. It’s hard work. It can be upsetting. No matter how much you tell yourself to just buy the pants that fit, you secretly hope you will fit in to a certain size”
I am a major PEAR shape (huge butt/thighs) and I ALWAYS have to go a size or two up in pants to get them over said butt and thighs but then have to wear a BELT to bring them in at the waist. It drives me friggin BATTY. This is why I love yoga pants and wear them to work at least once or twice a week! Teehee.
Also that last picture is adorable. Webster does “downward dog” all the time 😉 Hehe
Your pants situation is so frustrating! That is what turns me off from it – will I ever find the perfect fit?!
Why do you think all my clothes are from The Limited? It’s because I know what fits me and I barely have to try anything on. I hate “the hunt” part of shopping but don’t mind picking other things out for people to try on 🙂
I am excited for our proposed outlet mall shopping trip in May. You can find lots of things for me to try on 😉 You have an eye for fashion!
I could have written this!!
I hate shopping-HATE IT. Nothing ever fits right and 90% of the time I will not try on clothes first and will just buy something I think will fit and then hope for the best (sometimes this works, sometimes I have to take it back).
I do straighten my hair and put on makeup, but that’s the extent of my pretending to be female.
And I wear jeans to work every day. EVERY DAY. I hear rumors that our dress code will be beefed up in the near future and I might have to actually get dress pants…and will be miserable.
And even though I wear jeans to work-I still get home and put on some “house pants” – ones that I wouldn’t wear outside because they are just that unflattering, but way comfy!
I love Data! (I think I end every comment to you with that)
You look great! By showing that you no longer fit into your pants, does this mean you’ve lost a lot of weight? One day, I hope that’s my “problem,” too.
The last time I went shopping was for maternity clothes. And now, I still don’t fit into my pre-pregnancy clothes. So, I’ve been wearing maternity pants (ugh) and stuffing myself into pre-pregnancy lounge pants. I keep thinking I’m the perfect candidate for What Not To Wear. Sigh.
Thanks 😉 I have lost some weight, thanks for noticing 🙂
I bet you still look more put together than me! 🙂
I have to go shopping for clothes for my new job, because my pants are all in really bad shape. I am also on the cusp of needing the next size up but I am trying really, really hard to keep that from happening.
I held off because I didn’t know if I would be staying here or moving on and what the new dress code might be, but now that I know I can go shopping. However, I am planning on going alone on one of my days off because I fully expect it to be FRUSTRATING.
What a great problem to have though, right? Congrats, Kim!
I am NOT your typical girl in that I really don’t like to shop. I don’t like the process, don’t like spending money, and just get impatient. 🙂 That is why I LOVE online shopping!
OK, this sounds ridiculous, but one of the things I have always looked for in a job is a relaxed dress code — either corporate casual or just straight casual. I hate to dress up. I hate to shop. When I was a kid, my mom made me dress very formal (I could only wear jeans to school once a week) and she still tweaks if I want to wear jeans on Christmas Eve. I think I still look cute, but I’m just not terribly into fashion and trends. And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.