What We Wear Matters

What we wear matters. I firmly believe this and today I state my case for why :) Let's continue the discussion in the comment section below. Discuss it on social media using the hashtags #lookpresentablealways #MADAMECHIC

Here are some article that will provide food for thought:

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[UseHERnam]

I think where you get so much resistance is that people still cannot see the wider implications. People are talking about comfort as if there aren't black trousers and t shirts out there that are as comfortable as sweatpants and pyjamas. The reason why people can agree that you should dress for weddings and the theatre is because people (for now) still acknowledge that sense of occasion. The age we live in now, the sense and wonder that accompanies treating daily and perhaps mundane tasks as an occasion is slipping. Going to the supermarket is no longer an occasion, nor is going to the courthouse, nor is going to work. The fluidity that comes with modern times has completely eroded the demarcation between these distinct elements of our lives. As a result we fail to treat it with the dignity it deserves as we cram it into our self-centred ego-driven lives. Comfort is not the issue, nor time, nor budget as these things are not correlated with sloppy dressing. It's about egocentricity.

[brittney]

In high school, I was voted best dressed. No one knew I shopped exclusively at thrift stores. Furthermore, in my school where torn jeans, flip flops and sweatshirts were the standard, I chose to wear pumps, nice tailored jeans or slacks, and blouses with blazers. Having recieved the peer voted award of best dressed, to me, shows that my peers valued the more polished outfits I wore, even while they were mostly in sweatshirts.

[amyk]

I'm a stay at home mom and this is my day... I take my daughter to school in workout clothes because I'm going to the gym. Then I go home, shower and get dressed in a presentable outfit. Then I do whatever errands need to be done. I only wear gym clothes at the gym! I get so many compliments on my outfits when I pick my daughter up from school! I feel better when I look better. I agree with you 100%!

[LindseyMurphy]

If I wear REAL pants or a skirt (not a maxi skirt or yoga/stretchy/comfy pants), I find I have buckets of motivation to keep my home clean and accomplish more during the day. I change from pajamas every single day, but on days that I get lazy and choose yoga pants (on the premise of "I'll be exercising later"...ha...right!), I don't keep up with my daily tasks.

It may not make a difference to some people who argue that "if I'm comfy, I'll be more productive", but it makes a MAJOR difference in my attitude and productivity. I wholeheartedly agree with you, Jennifer. It may not be for everyone, but it is certainly my reality! God Bless!

[lilblondehooker]

One year in elementary school my aunt bought me this beautiful dress to wear for a Christmas concert. I was so proud of that dress and it made me feel good to wear it. As an adult I get that same feeling when I find a really cute top or a nice pair of jeans that fit perfectly. It just feels better to put myself together daily, even if I'm not leaving the house. I really don't understand why people feel so threatened, to the point of being outraged, at the very idea of looking presentable.

[homeforcomfort]

Yes!! This is a topic we need to be discussing in our society! This morning my husband asked if I wanted to come with him to Walmart. I declined, because I hadn't showered or done anything to get ready for the day. He jokingly said, "It's just Walmart - you'll look better than anyone else even if you're in your pj's!" He was kidding, but it's easy to live by society's standards and think you'll be ok if you're not the worst dressed person at the store, wedding, etc. I don't live by Walmart's standards - I have my own! I expect that even on a day that I don't leave the house, I'm still presentable. Thank you for this great discussion!

[victoriaquezada]

I give you a standing ovation for speaking up for so many of us who feel the same way and wish women would respect themselves, feel good about who they are, whether they are home, or out.  In Respecting yourself, you are also respecting others.  Believe it or not women, there are many of us who don't want to see your fuzzy pj's, and everything else that is NOT appropriate.  I personally appreciate seeing others, men and women who take pride in themselves, their overall cleanliness and  grooming:  clean hair, nails,   white teeth, hair that you brushed out to look presentable,  a little makeup,   etc....Yes, you are worth it to spend an extra few minutes on YOU, it is not selfish or egotistical.    Wear your nice clothes, whether they are from a thrift shop or the mall,   because how you feel about the way you look makes a big difference on how you feel about you on the inside, and how you treat self and others!  Jennifer, you are an angel, with a powerful message, delivered in an unpretentious, non judgmental, respectful and classy way.     MY admiration and respects dear.     Victoria

[kimberlyperrotis]

Something you said in another video of yours on this topic really struck home with me. To paraphrase it, you said “Dressing well is about living with dignity”. That hits the nail on the head! It’s about dignity, self-respect, and respect for others and the occasion or situation.

[RikkiTremblay]

I'm a nonverbal communication professor, and yes, how you dress absolutely matters - how you behave, the messages you're communicating about yourself and others and the situations, how others perceive you. It matters a lot.

[SharonWilsonJauquetta]

Jennifer, I completely agree. I was raised to always dress better than my circumstances. Not because I was better than anyone. My parents encouraged dressing well because you never know what people or opportunities you may have that could be lost when you look like a hot mess but also because of self-respect. It is definitely not about brand names. Take care of your clothing no matter how much it cost and dress nicely. It is not about impressing people. It is about showing others that you have respect for yourself, therefore, you will have respect for others. You are representing!

[kiarataylor]

Thank you so much for this video. I just mentioned this to my husband last week. Your clothes are pretty much your uniform. It's the first thing people notice when you walk outside. Whatever message you want people to accept about you starts with your clothes and the way you present yourself. This is also very important if you have children. They need to see how to dress properly and respectfully in this new world of sweat pants and leggings. Btw, comfort does not mean slouchh

[bookssage]

I actually see being "presentable always" as a very centering practice. The less you have to worry about your appearance, the better your outlook, and the easier it is to just BE yourself. On an average day, I'm a "jeans and t-shirts" kind of girl myself, but I make sure the fit is flattering, the quality is nice, and that I always feel comfortable and confident. It does make a huge difference!

Take a closer look at the people who clearly don't care about their appearance...if you listen and watch, you'll likely find that they care little about anything else either. And that's an unfortunate way to walk through life.

If all you have is rags, but you clearly took the time to present yourself the best you could; it shows and you glow. You radiate a sense of brightness, and you affect the world in a positive way; and usually that positivity will come back to bless you.

[ursulamelia]

I once saw an American make over program featuring an excellent teacher working in a deprived area of New York. She dressed like what is called a 'bag lady' in the UK, quite deliberately as she didn't want to splash out a lot of money on clothes and have that as her priority. Her priority was to give service as a teacher in a deprived area. During the program the presenter very skillfully made her realise that the way she dressed set an aspiration for the children she was teaching and to set the bar at 'bag lady' wasn't really going to make them aspire to better themselves. Thankfully she was a bright young woman and got this message very quickly. She was also taught that looking well put together doesn't have to mean to spend a lot of money and how she could source good outfits at a good price point. I thought this illustrated the point of dressing well in relation to setting a standard for children very well. But at the same time being clear about the occasion to dress for is very important. When we go out with our dog during the winter months when it often rains and is quite muddy, we dress in appropriate outdoor clothing that keeps us warm and will wash and tumble dry perfectly.

[carletteseng]

Love your books and channel. I have a quick story to bring home your point. My son attended an all boys Catholic High School and his senior "uniform" was a white long sleeved shirt, khaki pants, belt and a special senior tie. It took him all year to realize he'd been dressing for a job interview the whole time. He is in professional school now and is required to wear similar attire and he's the only one of his friends that doesn't complain about it.

[Sandyyyyyyyyyy]

I'm 40 seconds into the video and I just had to comment and let you know that I appreciate what you do Jennifer. When you make something your passion it can be hard to keep its importance in perspective to the rest of the world. What we wear does matter but at the end of the day it is just clothing. You're wonderful and I'm happy you made that statement in the beginning of the video to ground us, the viewers.

Now, on to the rest of the video.

[eliseeey]

Hi Jennifer,
After coming across your videos and binge-watching them all within a couple of days I started to implement your teachings of a capsule wardrobe and looking presentable always. My life definitely changed. I already had a reputation for being well dressed, a follower of my own fashion and style, and at times more formal than others thought was necessary. Instead of continuing to let this last comment make me feel insecure, I embraced this side of me. When people would say to me "You always dress up", I began to say "No I don't, I just dress in a way that makes me feel happy, life is too short not use the best you have".

I am from Perth, Western Australia which is very similar to California in the way that it is a beach town and exceedingly casual. This is great in the sense that most people are laid back, caring and friendly, but unfortunate in other ways (and not just in the fashion department!). It is common for men to shop without shoes and shirts on and for women to wear denim shorts, singlets and flip flops at the cinema, out to dinner and on other special occasions. There are times when the latter is appropriate but I do not believe it is as often as people think!

I created a summer capsule wardrobe (not quite ten-item...maybe I will get there some day), which included denim shorts and singlets. I found myself reaching for these less and less in favour of my dresses and skirts. They were just as comfortable to wear in the hot weather but looked more polished and brought out my feminine side. A friend of mine who happens to be a fashion model sent me a message the other day saying "Elise I would love to know what you are doing in terms of an exercise regime and diet, because you look slimmer lately and very beautiful". I was shocked because over the holiday season I had stopped exercising as much and was not watching what I ate at all! I had a think about it and I can attribute my apparent slimmer and more beautiful body to wearing clothes that are more flattering on me than jean shorts. And this came from simply wearing clothes that expressed the real me and made me happier and more comfortable!

Thank you Jennifer sharing your message with the world, you are affecting everyone including twenty year olds in one of the most isolated cities on the planet! Sorry for the long comment! If you have read this far could you please check out my blog elisevanaken.blogspot.com.au ...I would love your opinion. I hope your pregnancy is going well xxx

[MustardSeedish]

I believe a lot of this comfort wear started in the 60's. My grandmother, who is my idol, passed away 7 years ago at 93 and she ALWAYS looked classy. My mother who was a hippie in her day is very much the opposite. She does dress when she goes out but doesn't wear a bra. That's a whole other subject. *Shivers*

[deannab]

Everything you said is so true. I don't want to see what it's going to be like in 20 years! I'm not sure how this over relaxed dressing started but it's a sad state we are in. Its not just dress, what happened to Sir. and Mrs. we are getting more casual with everything! How we speak how we act, it's too much. So keep up the great work Jennifer it's very much needed. thank you! Love your books as well. They should be required reading for young girls.

[thevilepoet]

I've noticed that people don't appreciate it when you dress appropriately for an event that they aren't dressed for. This happens with people from EVERY age group. I'm often told I make people feel underdressed, that I shouldn't dress up so often, that I make them uncomfortable with how nicely I dressed. On the other hand, I feel I am dressing appropriately for the things I do. A shift dress to a funeral, the same dress to a wedding, a flowy dress on holidays/birthdays, jeans and a loose top with heels on date night, a high-waisted skirt and a tucked sweater (or even nice jeans and a graphic shirt) day-to-day.

Unfortunately, I've been to parties and family get-togethers at which people have worn shirts with swiss-cheese holes, socks with holes, stained jeans and tops, worn items that are separating at the seams. I've been to weddings (including my own) where people feel jeans and t-shirts were appropriate wear.

That's not to say by any means I'm perfect. I'm guilty of wearing work-out clothes for errands, but ONLY if I'm running errands immediately after, or before my workout. When I was in school I experimented with clothes and didn't dress appropriately for some events at all, but that was how I learned how to dress. Make-up doesn't always happen, especially if I am at home during the day, but I do always fix my hair...even if it means a clean ponytail, or quick bun. Looking as classy and put-together as often as possible, I find my demeanor and mood are totally different. I'm happier and tend to have more determination.

My husband and I are 27 and still have a lot of school debt, which means we don't spend a lot of money on clothes. It takes more effort, and the ability to not settle when shopping, but we try to choose clearance Target/Walmart/Old Navy clothes that LOOK expensive (clean lines, neat seams, opaque fabrics). Would we like to spend more on clothes that will last a long time? Sure, but it just isn't financially possible. Nevertheless, we are able to look presentable and clean-cut.

I, too, am fearful that as time goes on, people will care less and less about what they wear and I'll make more and more people uncomfortable social gatherings. As our culture becomes more casual, so does the way we dress. Dressing appropriately is a reflection of self-care and awareness, not social status or financial standing. If a young couple in their mid-twenties, breaking even, can find a way to dress with care and propriety, I believe anyone should be able to do it with enough patience and care.

[Emilyak]

No lie..I work in a bank and our team leader has to give the staff a lesson on dressing well every week. For example, don't wear clothes with stains, holes, or wrinkles. It matters. People who handle money (other people's money) need to look professional. It doesn't take tons of money either. On my limited budget I purchase things from consignment and I follow the 10 item wardrobe. It can be done. Oh and an iron or steamer is necessary:) great post again!!