What are some things you need to do to your body or clothes in order to feel presentable?

My list is pretty simple…

1. To be clean

Both body and clothes, mind you.

2. Nothing wrinkled

…which is why I loathe seersucker, I have an urge to iron it out.

3. To be comfortable

Anything too tight, awkwardly layered, strangely mismatched, colours not meshing… any of the above makes me uncomfortable because I do pass by windows and mirrors and each time I see myself I could think: UGH.

These are a few outfits that just hit the mark for me — perfect colour matching, great belt (snatched from my Burberry trench) for the waist:

Or just a great simple necklace offset against neutrals:

4. To be properly fitted

If I am not “feeling” the outfit, I don’t feel comfortable.

This has happened a number of times to me with ill-fitting skirts (too big, needed to be taken in), or hems on jeans that needed to be shortened (too long and bunches up at the ankle), like in this photo.

It sort of drives me up the wall seeing those jeans bunched at the ankle.

I love the entire outfit and then it gets ruined by a lack of attention to tailoring. Ironic, really.

This outfit for instance, looked fine, but I wasn’t feeling it because the skirt was an inch too large at the waist which meant the skirt shifted ALL DAY and annoyed me:

5. Nothing meant for loungewear outside*

*Unless you are in the situation where you are on the beach by a fire pit, or at a cottage in the woods, or at home, I generally DO NOT wear sweat-anything outside.

Sweatshirts, sweatpants, all fine. At home.

Yoga pants, yoga tops, all fine. At yoga.

Outside of these two general areas (not sure if you could tell but I’m not the camping type…), I DO NOT wear “comfy” clothes outside. Good, quality jeans (LOVE THIS PAIR TO DEATH) are as comfortable as sweatpants to me, and they look a thousand times better.

Even cargo-style leggings are acceptable as pants (they have pockets and a zip), and feel AS comfy as sweatpants but look less sloppy.

I wrote a whole rant about this: Why does everyone keep asking me why I am dressed up?

I think what I have on is “normal style and clothes for the public”, but people are so casual these days, I’m considered “fancy” if I wear dark jeans with a nice silk blouse.

That’s just.. everyday wear. Even with a small child. I will wear leather leggings with Little Bun and get groceries.. for real. That is just what makes me happy.

This is an example of as casual as it gets, and these are actual real-life child-wrangling outfits for me:

 

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

The entire series can be found here: Women in Clothes Style & Fashion Survey