Throughout the world there is a common theme in the eyes of fashion. It is a pity that somehow fashion and comfort do not go together. Clothes are one of the most important necessities in life; they are one of the few things that directly affect a person’s image and reveal a person’s taste and personality. It is, of course, unwise for anyone to let clothes control our whole being! There should be a way for people to feel comfortable and to be in style at the same time. To this end, a recent movement towards “comfy” clothes has been brought up that promotes the idea of comfortable style. Ideas such as fleece lined jeans and spring based high-heeled shoes have been proposed, and while there are still people that live in a state of discomfort, there seems to be many trying to reach this goal of comfort. This is just the beginning of a possibly groundbreaking revolution pertaining to the art of style and clothing.
People nowadays are too concerned with the art of visual pleasure. They are very particular and fussy with what they buy and what they wear everyday. Girls and boys, men and women alike pay too much attention to their attire. Studies show that many spend around an hour a day figuring out what she wants to wear that day. The recent trend is to wear stylistic but uncomfortable clothes. Today, many teenage girls adapt to clothes that are either too revealing or too inappropriate. Some teenage boys wear shirts that are too tight or oversized pants that tightly constrict their legs and way down the hips. Teenage wooden drawers are full of clothes that are very uncomfortable because teenagers are all willing to sacrifice the comfortable feeling to bear up with the discomfort of fashionable clothes.
Older men and women are no different. Many men and women go to work every day wearing a suit. They put on uncomfortable and restricting ties, tight stiff shoes, and sit uncomfortably at a desk for many hours of the day. For most cases, celebrities are usually the instigators of the fashion trends. They all stock up the most trendy and avant-garde clothes with some only suitable for the stage but not for the street. Every time they show up at an event like the Oscars or the Golden Globes, they wear formal tuxedoes and evening gowns to show their celebrity status, that they are the stars who walk the red carpet and who steal all the limelight of the occasion. Although celebrities get all the admirable “oohs” and “arhs” when they appear on starlit occasions, in designer outfits, they actually look every bit like the average man on the street when they are captured in their “comfy” clothes in daily paparazzi photographs. A simple t-shirt and sweatshirt are effortlessly put on and they still look glamorous but casual and smart and it is actually their well known faces that distinguish them from the ordinary folks and not their clothes.
On the other hand, common people, or people on the street, always wear sober clothes that are ageless and affordable for ordinary people. These people, even if they can afford it, are unwilling to pay the high costs of fashions that last a season only. These people go for “comfy” clothes and if they can well afford to, they will pay for classically comfortable clothes that are made with expensive fabrics instead of paying for the designs of the outfits. The clothes they wear never get out of fashion and are a much more sensible way to dress oneself.
We do not propose that one should never dress up to look chic, trendy and smart. There are special or formal occasions, such as weddings, graduations, baptisms and funerals when it is appropriate to wear formal clothes that may be slightly uncomfortable. However, this is unavoidable because we must follow the etiquette to follow the dress codes fit for the occasions to show our respect for our hosts as well as to show our respect for ourselves. This idea of “comfy clothes” focuses more on casual clothes that are worn everyday, common clothes. It says that clothes that are going to be worn after work every day, in the weekends and holidays or even during work. In fact, “comfy” clothes allow us to relax, to look good and to feel absolutely at ease and comfortable as well as presentable. There can be a compromise between comfort and fashion. On special occasions, people can wear formal clothes such as tight tuxedoes and dresses according to the dress code that is often in play. However, daily casual wears should consist of “comfy” clothes like baggy shorts or pants and a plain and loose t-shirt made from soft material. Other accessories may include comfy hats and shoes. At the end of the day, comfort should be at the top of everybody’s list rather than fashion.
Wearing comfortable clothes over fashionable clothes actually affects our health. First of all, it has an impact on our mental health. With clothes that attract less attention, people would naturally become less concerned about their own looks and thus would be less of a narcissist. Feeling more confident about their own looks, people can be less distracted and more focused on life and living life rather than focusing on superficial things like clothes. This prevents them from using up energy, time, and money on picking clothes. On the other hand, wearing “comfy clothes” can help us improve our physical health. People can feel less discomfort during the day thus they are less irritated by clothing. Tight clothes slow down blood circulation and can make people feel numb. For girls who wear revealing clothes, they will more likely become a target of kidnapping and sexual predators. Looser and more comfortable clothes are the obvious choice for people.
Instead of collared or buttoned shirts for guys, they should wear more baggy t-shirts. There should be less form fitting jeans and more sweatpants and gym shorts. For girls, jewelry should be kept to a minimal. During everyday situations, they should also avoid high-heeled shoes and wear flat-soled shoes or sandals. Many women who wear these high-heeled shoes have a difficult time participating in everyday activities. These shoes can even cause abuse such as rolled ankles and possibly apply too much stress on the legs of these women. These are only a few suggestions for the transition from fashionable clothing to casual and comfortable clothes.
We should start a campaign to promote “comfy” clothes and how they could affect people’s lives. As celebrities are usually the trendsetters, celebrities should be more open to the public about the benefits of comfortable clothes. They have the opportunity to use their wide spread influence to positively affect the wellbeing of the everyday person. With that in mind, people would emulate the celebrities and before long, everybody would be wearing relaxed and loose attire.
People are too concerned with looks nowadays. Comfy clothes are the answer to a better and healthier life. It would improve one’s mental and physical health too. If everyone wears the same kind of clothes, they would not be too self-conscious of themselves and preoccupied with how they look. We sincerely hope that this “comfy” clothes trend will quickly become reality, as more and more people could understand the importance of comfort over the usually heavy favored fashion. In this day of high fashions, people are blinded by the trends and choose to forget that clothes are meant to provide comfort and dignity and to protect our bodies from the elements but not to help us show off our wealth and vanity.
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