Life is too Short to Wear Frumpy Clothes – Dress Up!

Why Don’t We Dress Up Anymore?

I love dressing up!  I like to put time into my appearance and feel presentable when I go out of the house, but sadly most people today don’t agree with me.  In fact, I finally stopped asking about dress codes last year because I was tired of being told, “Oh, you know, just wear whatever.”  Well, my goodness – “whatever” sounds like a simply lovely thing to wear to that party!   Or what about the time I was going to an important business meeting a while back and was instructed that I should wear (and I quote) “jeans and a top” to the owner of the company?  Whatever happened to trying to make a good impression?  Whatever happened to showing people you care enough about them to dress up, or that you at least have enough respect for yourself to put on something that shows you care about your job, your position, or whatever it is you’re doing?  The pervading attitude seems to be, “Why should I get out of my sweatpants to go to a function when they are so comfortable?”  Is comfort really the number one priority when it comes to our lives?  Are we all a bunch of grown-up little kids who need our clothing to feel like soft and cuddly teddy bears in order to not have an “uncomfortable” day?

Besides “comfy” clothes, another common theme is brand-new “threadbare” clothes…  It never ceases to astonish me that people pay good money for pants that have holes in them, or unhemmed shirts that are already unraveling where the hems were supposed to be.  The sad thing is that frumpiness is so common in our culture that we don’t think there’s anything wrong with it.  It has become a common occurrence to see a 40-something year old lady grocery shopping in her gym clothes, a mother of toddlers dashing about town in leggings and her husband’s t-shirt, and teenage girls walking down the street in such small amounts of fabric I’m not sure they quite get the point of clothing…

All kidding aside though, I feel sad when I see people who live their whole lives in such a hurry that they never take time to really dress up.  One does not need a grand occasion to put on a neatly pressed outfit and some lipstick before you leave the house.  Simply waking up is a good enough reason to be in a happy mood every morning and let your attire reflect that mood by putting some effort into your appearance!

Merely being a lady is a good enough excuse to spend 15 minutes doing your makeup and a few minutes choosing a flattering outfit for the day. Life is precious, and you deserve the time it takes to feel beautiful every day!

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In days gone by, ladies spent a large amount of time in the morning at their dressing tables, whether it was the in beruffled days of Victorian times, or in the more glamorous decade of the 1950s.  The early morning routine was a time to get ready for the day ahead…

I know that many people dress up only for rare occasions, but here are several thoughts I’ve had over the last few years:

(The dress shown above is what I’m wearing today as I write this post.)

• When you look nice, you will FEEL nice!
• If you think your appearance looks bad, you are more likely to feel terrible.  It’s hard to think positive, happy thoughts when you look in the mirror and see something you don’t like.
  
• Dressing up makes people happy when they see you.  I couldn’t possibly count all the times that a lady at the grocery store or someone at the post office has smiled and said, “Oh!  I love your dress!”  (Or lipstick, etc.)
• When you dress up, you are automatically treated with more respect.  Wearing something professional, classy, or fashionable makes people think more highly of you than if you came to the store in, say, your pajama pants for instance.  If you *look* like an important person, people will usually treat you like an important person.

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Wearing Classy Clothing

As a little girl, I remember sitting on the living floor in my grandparent’s house and playing with toys while family members sat on the couch going through old photos.  Aside from the general remarks about, “Oh, how she’s grown” that you might expect, the majority of the comments were sprinkled with giggles and moans and remarks such as, “Oh, that DRESS!  It’s hideous!”  “I can’t believe we used to wear shorts like those.”  “Can you believe that they thought that was pretty?”

And then someone randomly made a comment that has stuck with me for the rest of my life.  She said, “Someday people will look back at the pictures of what we’re wearing today and probably think the same thing.“

And you know what?  She was right!  In the early 90s women’s wardrobes consisted of those dreadful stirrup leggings, oversized t-shirts, neon colors, frumpy flat loafer shoes with tassels, and lots and lots of jumpers…

~ Elegance is Always in Style ~

  But no matter how hideous an outfit was at any time in history, you can be pretty sure that the long haired hippie or the bobbed haired flapper who wore it thought she was awfully cool at the time when she wore it.  So here’s my point – we must choose clothes that are BEAUTIFUL, and not just trendy!  There HAVE been decades of clothing when no one could ever look back and say “That was ugly”, because nearly all of the clothing from that era was designed with class, taste, and elegance!  No one could possibly say that Grace Kelly’s wedding dress was out-of-date, that Lily Elsie’s lace gowns were unbecoming, that Queen Victoria’s ball gowns were unflattering, or that Lucille Ball’s 1950s day dresses were ugly.  Because you know what?  All of these ladies’ outfits were designed in such gorgeous styles and fabrics, with such classiness and elegance in the cut and fit, that at no point in history could they ever be considered unattractive or overdone.  It *IS* entirely possible to choose such lovely and timeless clothing for today that even in twenty years from now people won’t shudder and say, “That was SO 20-teens!” just like we say, “That was SO 1980s!” about perms and oversized pouffy sleeves nowadays.

So what styles can we choose to wear today that will always be as classy and beautiful as possible?   My motto is:  “Elegance is always in style!”  Here are some observations I’ve made:

• As a general rule, romantic and feminine styles will always be beautiful, no matter the decade.  Stick with truly beautiful and flattering styles whenever possible!

• Lace – Lace blouses, skirts and dresses are almost always beautiful.  Yes, Gunne Sax dresses can still be dated to the 70s, but most of them are still gorgeous even if they aren’t the latest fashion.   Lace is probably one of the most elegant fabrics of all time, so you really can’t go wrong with lace, as long as it’s not in a bizarre color. 🙂
• Ruffles – I have yet to see a ruffled blouse from any era that I didn’t absolutely adore!  Many modern takes on the Edwardian shirtwaist (think Anne of Avonlea), have resulted in gorgeous, ladylike versions of office-attire blouses.  Ruffles at the neck, down the center, and at the wrists are just dazzling, and when I look at all the ruffled blouse patterns from the last 40 years they are almost all still classy and gorgeous.

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• Defined, natural waistlines – When in doubt, always choose a natural waistline over a dropped waist dress!  The “hourglass” silhouette is SO much more becoming than “tent” shaped silhouette.  The most beautiful decades of fashion history all had the same thing in common – the cinched waistline.  Empire waistlines *can* be pretty when done right, but they oftentimes tend to suggest pregnancy so they are usually best avoided unless you’re wearing a Regency costume.
• Classy colors – Neutrals like White, cream, ivory, browns, greys, navy and black usually stand the test of time.  Golds, peach, light pink, bright red, sapphire blue, periwinkle, aqua/mint, silver, forest green, lavender, and royal purple are colors that still look elegant decades later.  However, some of the more abstract or “avant garde” colors will only be “in” for certain seasons and then will be “out” again in a hurry.  These typically include neon colors such as lime green, orange, very bright yellows, or any unusual combination of colors.
  

• Dainty prints – Polka dots and small to medium floral prints have almost always been in fashion.  Large oversized prints, geometric designs, or anything too out of the usual tends to go out of style quickly – and stay out of style permanently!  Honestly, I have been shocked at the outfits that many girls I follow on Pinterest have pinned (even girls who are into vintage clothing!), and that they usually add these pins to “Beautiful Clothing” boards.  Not to be unkind to anyone, but a mustard colored sweater over a red and aqua chevron striped dress is not pretty today, nor will it ever be pretty in the future.  We must make sure that we are choosing clothes that are truly lovely and tasteful, and not just because everyone else is wearing it.
  
• Tasteful, modest styles – I believe that dresses look prettier when skirts are not above the knees, (as did Edith Head), and when necklines are high enough to not show off so much skin.   Think of the elegant dresses worn by Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, and Lucille Ball – many of these dresses were conservatively cut but looked fabulous, because they were tailored to fit, and made of high quality fabrics.
  

• Boleros –  They are so effortlessly elegant and flattering.  You can wear a simple knit one over any a casual dress, or a lace bolero over an evening gown.  The shorter cut of boleros makes them so much more becoming on most women than longer jackets.

• Circle skirts – While these originated in the 50s, many high end designers today use this silhouette in refined solid fabrics like wools, silks, or suedes.  Toss on a sweater, add a sparkly pin, grab ballet flats and a purse, and you’re likely to be the best-dressed lady in town.  When made in a ponte knit or denim, circle skirts are a highly fashionable alternative to yoga pants or jeans for busy mommies.  They can pair with most any casual top you own, and make you feel dressed up on hectic days, without taking any more time than pulling on shorts.
  

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• Pearls!  – Small or large, white or ivory, single or double strand, I doubt whether any decade passed without pearl necklaces and earrings making their mark.  Pearls are really the ultimate go-to accessory to keep on hand.
  
• Nylons/Tights! – I’m not as good at wearing tights as often as I should, but if you’re wearing a dress that isn’t super long it will look SO much classier and more polished if you wear tights.  Nylons are for your feet and legs what foundation and powder is for your face.
  

  

 So now that I’ve elaborated on what exactly I mean when I say “dressing up”, I’d love to hear from anyone else who does this, too!  Please leave me your thoughts in the comments.  I’m reminded of that song that Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra sang that goes, “You can pass any mirror and smile…”

Till next time!

Katrina