A few weeks ago, a reader left a comment that made me think about the things we wear every day and why we wear them. She was asking for advice on what to do when people ask “why are YOU so dressed up?” As if wearing something cute that makes you feel good is a “strange” thing to do!
That comment got me thinking about dressing up and what that means.
Since when did it become an unusual thing to put effort into what you wear and have fun with fashion? Since when is anyone not wearing sweatpants and a hoodie breaking unwritten social rules? Why should “dressing up” be reserved for special occasions only?
I was immediately inspired to create this list. I firmly believe in “dressing up” every day of your life, and I think you should too!
So why dress up? Here are 25 good reasons.
1. Because life’s too short to blend in. Don’t settle for average.
2. Because you’re only young once. You’re way more gorgeous than you know and have a fabulous body you’ll one day look back on and wish you had! Take advantage now and show off how fabulous you can be.
3. Because fashion is a method of self expression. What are you trying to say?
4. Because you never know who you’ll run into. Brad Pitt at the grocery store? Hey, stranger things have happened.
5. Because it obviously annoys closed-minded people (like the guy who asks why YOU are so dressed up). The fact that it annoys them so much is all the more reason to keep doing it. They don’t get to control YOU.
6. Because you never know, there’s always a chance you could get snapped by The Sartorialist!
7. Because you deserve to look your best at all times if you want to.
8. Because you’ll never improve your sense of style if your default look is “I give up”. Yes, that was a Seinfeld reference. But it’s true! If fashion is important to you, make it a priority in your life.
9. Because dressing up helps you weed out friends who don’t love you for you. If they have a problem with the way you dress, they’re not the kind of friends you want around.
10. Because cute clothes and accessories are a great conversation starter. Wear something fabulous and people will ask you where you got it.
11. Because parties aren’t the only time to celebrate.
12. Because that fabulous party dress in your closet cost too much to only be worn once. Remember cost per wear?
13. Because it’s fun and can boost your mood!
14. Because even if you live in an “unstylish” city and are scared to dress up, cities don’t become stylish without someone going first. I know it sounds cheesy, but be the change you want to see in the world. Everyone else can follow your fabulous lead.
15. Because dressing up helps you make fashion mistakes and get past them. Mistakes happen to everyone and that’s how you learn what not to do – get them out of the way now!
16. Because it’s a test of your confidence. Dressing unconventionally forces you to develop the self-assurance necessary to stand out from everyone else.
17. Because fashion is one of the rare instances where art comes alive. What artistic statement do you want to make?
18. Because if you’ve got it (great style, killer confidence, amazing legs), it’s just wrong not to flaunt it.
19. Because someday when you have a 9-5 corporate job and are required to wear business suits, you’re going to miss the freedom of dress you had in college. Experiment now! There’s no better time.
20. Because glamour isn’t only reserved for the rich and famous, even though maybe they’d like you to believe it is.
21. Because if conspiracy theorists are to be believed, the world might end any day now. Don’t spend your theoretical final days in sweats.
22. Because Carrie Bradshaw would not approve of your sweatpants and UGG boots. You can do better than that. And deep down, you know I’m right.
23. Because dressing well means you don’t have to do your hair at all – you’ll have that ultra fabulous, slightly disheveled Kate Moss look.
24. Because nothing beats the rush you feel when you look in the mirror and LOVE what you see.
25. Because you want to. That’s the only reason that matters.
Why do YOU dress up?
What do you think? Do you make an effort to dress up every day? What inspires you to put effort into your look? Tell me what you think by leaving a comment.
I couldn’t agree more!
One more reason to dress up…you never know you may bump into your boyfren’s ex or your ex’s present……so be ready gals……
Fashion for me if you say is formal business suit (I work in a corporate world-banking) and I seldom get to dress up. So i use it to the maximum possible but not always with designer clothes. My clothes range from designer brands to flea markets. It about mixing and matching, recycling your already owned clothes with accessories. So don’t fret…dress up gals…its really fun and confident booster. However great mind you have you will not be taken seriously if you dress laid back or shabby..its my personal experience in the corporate world.
I dress up because it feels good to look at yourself in the mirror. You are right! Life is too short so we have to enjoy it in a good way like dressing well. When you dress well , you look dignified. People respect you. I remember a friend of mine who went to one of the most popular skin store. He was just wearing slippers, shorts, and a T-shirt. He looks like a bystander. The salesperson was looking at him intently as if he’s going to steal something from the store not knowing that my friend was a manager of known restaurant. He can afford to buy their stuff. It’s not good to be judged by your looks but people are really judgmental.Lesson learned… dress a little bit better…^^
I get asked this like every single day. I’m from New York City, obviously a place known for its style, but have just started college in a small town in another state. In New York, I just wanted to leave the house looking nice. I’d throw on a skirt and kitten heels to go to the store. Nobody knew you had nowhere to go. Now I’ve kept my habits, but on an itty bitty campus, you’re obviously not going anywhere exciting. There are the people that ask me why I’m so dressed up (I commonly get the “you look like you’re going to work” comment, probably because the only jackets I have with me right now are blazers), but then there are the people that compliment me on consistently having such nice outfits, or even think I’m a model. One of my professors even said I’m their best dressed student.
People say, don’t you just want to be comfy? But I can’t be comfortable in sweats and flip flops, because then I’m worried I look gross. I’m comfiest when I can rock a nice outfit and be confident.
I’m not putting fashion before academics (in the honors program), I don’t spend hours getting ready (30 minutes tops), and it doesn’t cost a fortune. I own damn near zero designer clothes.
My common answer for “why are you so dressed up?” is “this is just how I dress.”
Admittedly, I’m most afraid of people thinking I try too hard. But nobody seems to think that in New York.
I agree! Every time I go out, people are always like why are you wearing heels? Why are you wearing this? Why are you looking nice? I’m feed up with it. Not to sound arrogant, but is it really my fault I’m just good at picking out stylish clothes? What I wear is for myself, and I feel good when I wear nice things. So everyone else can can it. Thanks for posting this!
Doesn’t anyone do any hard labor anymore? Work on a farm, factory work,clean out septic tanks? No?
I love dressing up! Admittedly, sometimes I’ll have those days where I just feel like putting on sweats but I try to dress up every day. It makes me FEEL so much better:) I completely agree with you: I just don’t get why people think it’s weird to be dressed up. Sometimes it makes me feel uncomfortable but dressing up is SO worth it. Great post!
Liza
Great post! I got asked that one time and it made me feel really awkward. This message is so inspirational!
A beautiful post. I agree with your 25 reasons for dress up. I used to think that I need a lot of money in order to have all the pretty clothes to wear and be pretty (so I keep myself low and be ugly) but now I believe dressing up everyday should be a woman’s priority (like you have mentioned life is too short and for that I am only going to live once and be young once why not embrace and celebrate my life the way I want it?) Now I’m just outing here searching for myself and I do think fashion is art-a way of expressing ourselves. Also believe that fashion does not have to be expensive but it is about creative–we could buy an expensive piece but if we do not know how to put it right to fit our body (it won’t look great too) and if we buy a cheap piece (and if we are creative enough the piece itself become rich)
By the way, I’m just someone who just realizes about this and just start searching for her sense of style (I think it is going to take time to find what my style is and type of clothes for my body type)
Thanks for the great post.
Great list. I try to dress well every time I step out of the house. sometimes I even dress up to work on my computer. It makes me feel better.
Hi! I just found your site a few weeks ago and I am in love with this stuff!!
Great job, this is the best one I’ve seen yet…anyway, this article is really meaningful to me, because my husband is always irritated about what he calls my ”vanity”….so now I finally have some powerful statements on my side!
I’m 22, with a 2 year old son, and for my whole life I was a tomboy. My first year in college, I would do my hair and makeup…and then put on jeans. Then, during late pregnancy [summertime], all I could fit into were dresses, and I built up quite a collection.
So, once I lost my baby weight [except in the boobs and hips for whatever reason…awesome!], I decided that, hey, I look really great, and since I’ve always thought women had this feminine, beauty-power type advantage over men…I realized I should be living proof of that!!
Now I try super hard to only wear dresses out…or skirts with leggings, plus I’m building my heels collection…I got myself some white leather wedges with a lacy cutout this summer, and it was worth it even more for each compliment! I love it!
Some people do make rude comments or stare, but I just ignore…I mean, I knew I was challenging people when I got dressed this morning, where were you, in rude-sloppylop land? Must have been…
[At least, I never say, why are you so NOT dressed up? Because it’s rude right? Ok… >.< ]
And as further proof, I can think of at least 1 pair of pants and 1 skirt that get compliments EVERY time I wear them…and I've had them both since high school!
I struggle with guilt for this ''vanity'', but hell, it just makes the whole day better, from the moment you step out the door!!
My father always said mockingly of ''impractical fashion'' [i.e. flipflops/mini skirts in december etc.], that to those girls it's not how you feel, but how you look…which to some extent I agree with…
but now, I also know that it's actually ALL about how I feel!! Which, if I can help it, will be ''Fabulous yet Functional'', as often as possible.
Thanks so much and keep up the good work!
I’m so late on this but, I not only love the article but the comments as well. “Don’t ever save anything for a special occasion, every day you are alive is a special occasion” I marvel at the simple and deep truth of that statement. Also, “Because I can wear anything that pleases me” is delicious, in fact, I think I’ll say that to the people who pose that annoying question at school, but since I’m from Texas and fifteen years old I’ll probably say “Porque me puedo poner lo que me den las ganas” or ” Because I can wear whatever the hell I feel like.”
hi there! i belong to dehradun, india and right now pursuing my b.tech. it makes me really sad that i am still not able to decide that what actually should i wear for my college. i am about to become 19 and my height is 5.7, average built. obviously mostly rather all the girls here wear suits(you must hav seen most of the indian girls wearing it), jeans and a t-shirt or top and i am tired wearing all this stuff. please suggest me what should i wear for my college which would b cool. remind you that we cant wear stuff which goes shorter than even our knee. it would be perfectly very kind of you if would tell something which will go ausum with jeans only but will give a smart look and dont forget to suggest some suitable accesssories also. nw a days monsoon is waiting to come over here but suggest some stuff for summers also. i really really want to know this. please answer as soon as possible. i will be highly greatful.
Plus, it seems that it’s mainly in the monetarily “richer” countries that people dress very casually/sloppily. It is not classist or vain/decadent to try to express onself or look nice. In most countries around the world this is a normal thing to do, and it is polite. It has nothing to do with money.
Anyhow, generic mall-brand clothing is much more expensive than recycled secondhand clothes, and of course the mall/chain store clothes are not as well-made as anything sewn yourself.
Everyone just assumes that dressing up is expensive or that you have to own brand names… no way! I find amazing stuff with sequins and pink and everything for really cheap at goodwill!
This is an amazing post! Especially love 5,7, and the last reason! Thanks for sharing 🙂