Comfort Vs Trends
How true “loving the skin I’m in” comfort is about authentically owning your style.
Three years ago, we saw ourselves reach toward things that make us comfortable, like re-watching our favourite shows on Netflix while the world descended into pandemic chaos. This gravitation toward comfortability included clothes. Comfort was packaged and sold to us as a trend. Cue countless emails and ads for loungewear, but really we all know that the best lounging outfits are the likes of that old festival t-shirt from uni you never threw out, but it hugs you like a good old friend on gloomy days.
For a time, I thought my lockdown outfits represented my state of mind, often very anxious and worried. I thought my slouchy, mismatched, food-down-the-front outfits were a mirror of that. Many people found themselves coming to terms with the ‘changing definition of who they are, and what their wardrobes meant to them.
All this made me contemplate what being truly comfortable in your skin means, specifically when it comes to the clothes we wear. Regardless of how ‘unkempt’ my comfy outfits might have seemed to the outside world – I found a lot of liberation in being comfortable and choosing comfort over the pressures of keeping up with fashion trends.
These days, I find myself reaching for comfortable clothes above all else. I now actively incorporate comfort as an integral part of my style and self-expression. I particularly love cargo pants and big baggy box t-shirts – something still ‘in-fashion’ today. Any clothes I found uncomfortable and/or didn’t fit me right, I started to sell on apps like Vinted and Depop.
A lot of these uncomfortable clothes in my wardrobe were items I wore infrequently, further instilling in me a desire to really hone in on the question: ‘Am I truly being sustainable if I don’t wear half my clothes in my wardrobe?’. It felt like a revelation to me that clothes were actually for WEARING – who knew!
There are many reasons why being comfortable sticks and why we return to the comfortable items in our wardrobes over again. Comfortable clothes allow us to be ourselves. They allow us to pause the act and sink into our skin, and when we wear something comfortable we find ourselves at ease with our surroundings and the people we interact with. We are authentic because the outfit is not trying to communicate much, except I feel good about myself. Despite the fact that comfortable clothes are often sold as a trend, it goes beyond that. Trends can never outdo comfortable, easy-to-wear, “feel good in your skin” clothes. The twist to it is that it’s possible to feel comfortable in trendy clothes as well. As long as the trend aligns with who you are, then there’s a high chance you’ll feel comfortable too, even if it's a leather mini skirt. This reminded me that it’s really about being myself in the clothes I choose to wear. To not just jump onto any trend if it doesn’t reflect who I am. There’s a sustainability element to this too: the idea that we can choose our clothes well. That something that is comfortable for us will likely be worn over and over again, cherished for years to come. Just like that old festival tee.
Sustainable and ethical brands have honed in on this idea and love to emphasis the long-lasting benefits of sustainable materials and a great fit. Some personal favourites of mine are Organic Basics, WildClouds and LF Markey.
Choosing comfort over trends is both good for the planet and people and will help declutter your life. There are plenty of ways to embrace fashion trends and be entirely comfortable when doing so.
The benefits of making comfort an integral part of your wardrobe :
Comfort is sustainable. It will be in your wardrobe longer because you’ll naturally gravitate toward something that feels soft and wearable on your skin.
Comfort is confidence. When I feel comfortable in something it affects the way I speak and act the whole day. The more comfortable, the more confident
Comfort is caring for you. Comfort is an act of self-care. Choosing to put your comfort over everything else means choosing something that will make you feel good all day long.
