In the general theme check out these articles:

Penn Badgley’s take on what the sexiest things women can wear

what not to wear on a date

These few weeks in December can be a bit much for some of us.  The other night as I tried to finish an assignment online, my Internet connection decided to take a personal sabbatical.  As I prepared myself for an unfortunate trek to functional wi-fi connection (a harrowing 4 blocks away!), my mood was towards the bottom of its barometer. I picked out a “scrub outfit” (running a quick errand, studying at the UGLI, etc…), sweatshirt and sweatpants and Uggs ­– the kind of ensemble I primarily wear on bitter cold days when I am running on a few hours of sleep and have essentially given up.  And doesn’t it always work out that when this kind of apathetic fashion moment strikes the normally fashion conscious, we see someone we know, and would prefer to not see our ancient sweats tucked into salt-stained Uggs, and our glasses in action?  And by “someone” I do not mean a girl you never talked to in AP Calculus… I’m thinking more along the lines of the old (or new) crush, or the ex’s new relationship, kind of someone. Needless to say, when fate struck me, I was cursing my temperamental Internet again!

This post is an attempt to do the comfortable, effortless look, without looking like you have the flu and have been lying on your couch for 2 days only to emerge to buy more cough drops from Village Apothecary.  I know that if I am in a bad mood, looking the way I feel only makes it worse, and sometimes a compliment can really lift the spirits.  I think that you can project a much different image than sweats and an old tee, without putting in additional effort.

This is especially important if you have put on your scrub look to go to class (or office hours!). I mean not everyone has to look like they should be sitting front row in NY fashion week or anything, and everyone deserves to have some days where they do not try at all, but if you look like death every time they see you, people are not going to take you very seriously. You won’t look like an eager intelligent student to a professor, just another kid who is miserably suffering through the class, who rolled out of bed, but probably without turning on their brain…

Let’s consider the umich female population’s go-to scrub items:

-leggings/yoga pants/Hardtails

I am not a legging hater, so don’t get me wrong when I say this, but you can’t wear leggings with everything (i.e. short t-shirts and beaters), and please world, never buy leggings that are too tight on you!!

I personally think it is hard to look good in yoga pants without actually doing some kind of yoga-esque activity, but if you feel good, I think they are fine.

But I think that Hardtails are really expensive for what they are, and there are many better style investments to make… They have perfectly normal looking versions at Orchid Lane.

-sweatpants

Michigan sweats, high school cross country team sweats, VS pink sweats, juicy sweats… oh my.  The idea that people could say like dressing nice all the time is just so expensive, but then buy and wear neon lime-colored pink by victoria’s secret sweatpants with rhinestones saying “Love PINK” for like $60 tucked in to their $150 plus uggs baffles me.

-Pajama pants.

Just no, please no, at least not to class.

-Ugg boots, (also appears in ugg slippers, or ugg-cassin form)

It is what it is…  comfortable and casual wear compatible (but not for a second stylish!) When you tuck baggy pants into them they become even less cool looking, and more sloppy.

-t-shirts or free-shirts (whether from a club, sorority, or American Apparel)

-hoodies, zip-up or plain.

Now for the alternatives. These items represent the average look, but here are a few ideas that retain the heart of the scrub outfit (ease and comfort) without looking as messy.

Look 1:

Leggings, long cardigan, baggy tank/longish tee

Look 2:

Comfy jeans, a t-shirt or a sweater

Look 3:

Leggings/jeans and some type of top that covers your butt

My next post will follow up with some ideas of how to do these look…

Black Friday is a crazy crazy day! How did everyone who ventured out do?