So, my husband spontaneously planned a nice evening for us at one of our favorite places. It is by no means "fancy," yet, it is still a place one should be smartly dressed. You can certainly get by with dark jeans when paired with the right top/accessories, as you can in most places these days. So, given that there are many nice "informal" attire options to choose from you can imagine my surprise when, just as I was taking a sip of my vintage-inspired cocktail, in the vintage-inspired cocktail lounge, to what do my wondering eyes appear? A young woman in loudly patterned yoga pants, a sweat headband and, (dare I say it) flip flops! Que record player scratch, drink spill and gasp. I was simultaneously disappointed, bewildered, and utterly deflated. Why, oh why, do we think yoga pants are appropriate for any occasion?
Now don't get me wrong, I'll be the first to admit that I do wear yoga pants/leggings regularly. In fact, I am wearing some at this very moment in my home office. And, I have been known to wear them while running errands (call it caving to modern peer pressure and limited time). Let's face it, today's fast paced world makes it necessary to pack as much in two hours as any human can, and this is especially so for women. We are supposed to work (full disclosure, I am not actually employed at the moment), have a family (neither do I have small kids at home), do household errands and stay fit, all in the same day. Yes, I am guilty of going to the grocery store, dry cleaners, ATM, drugstore, etc., in my workout clothes. How do I justify this as acceptable in comparison to my vintage-inspired lounge offender? Well, first of all I don't really consider it acceptable - but I do consider it a necessary circumstance in today's modern world when your just trying to get #$%* done. Nor do I believe we need to go back to the facade of the 1950s when it appeared women woke up wearing perfectly coiffed hair and neatly pressed dresses (and perhaps stunted psyches?). However, what I do absolutely require (or, wish I could require since I have control over absolutely nothing) is that women would take more pride in themselves when heading out for the evening. That's all I ask - just one evening. Make it special for themselves.
Of course we do not need to dress nicely just for the sake of others (don't start worrying feminist friends). And, I do applaud feeling secure in any outfit you choose to wear. But, at the same time, I think we may have gone to an extreme. And I do believe it to be a poor example for the young ones. Let's face it, yoga pants/leggings are rarely as flattering as we think they are. And, do they not reveal a bit too much at times? Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, I cannot stress enough the difference it can make in ones attitude, confidence, and self-esteem when (no matter how modest of an income) effort is made in appearance. This is also not to say that if you just aren't keen on dressing for an occasion (happens to me all the time), just choose a locale equally as casual. Blanche Ebbutt in her 1913 etiquette guide said, "Don't dress badly, even if your allowance is small...There is nothing gained by being dowdy." She is correct.
Yes, yes, I can hear the outcry now. "We can wear whatever we want and don't have to dress to impress." "Yoga pants/leggings are the fashion now." "OMG, you are so old." All of that may be true (with the exception of the in-fashion part - I challenge you to find a picture of Anna Wintour wearing yoga pants in public), but perhaps it could also mean we are leaning a bit too much in the direction of apathy, and that is saddening to me. I feel special when I dress nicely for an occasion. I feel I am showing myself and others respect by making an effort. And, is that not a good thing to do?
So, I beg you, plead with you, cajole you, whatever it takes with you, the next time you think "nah, I'm not going to bother changing," STOP. Think about it for one minute, then, for heaven's sake, leave the yoga pants at home!
p.s. See Life Should #20
p.p.s. In case you are offended by this thought and feel it is terribly sexist, you could exchange the yoga pants reference with a grungy t-shirt and baseball cap sometimes worn by men for an evening out and I would have the exact same reaction.