Thursday, February 2, 2012

Uniformity

On my days off, I’ve settled into a uniform of sorts. It’s not surprising really. All of those years spent in Catholic school wearing jumpers and skirts and mary janes and little socks with ruffles on them make it a bit easy for me to backslide into the ease and simplicity of a clothing schedule.

Though my occasional fits of outfit-related redundancy might suggest lack of purpose, that is anything but the case. Those summers spent wearing girly dresses with swinging skirts were about trying to be the carefree and light person that I so often am not. Last winter I tried to mentally, if not physically, block the cold by wearing dresses and skirts with tights in blazingly, bright hues.

The stripes, that staple that I rely on so frequently…well the stripes I just love.

This winter I’ve been pairing my army of skinny pants with slouchy, and sometimes oversized, sweaters that I started collecting at the beginning of the fall. Dolman-sleeved lightweight pieces littered with sequins. Men’s crewnecks worn belted. Chunky, cream-colored cableknits. The point is to appear relaxed. At ease. Almost lazy. Because that’s what days off are supposed to be. Of course, these outfits are none of those things. I stalk around my house contemplating sweater after sweater even though most of my “down time” is spent in the library surrounded by students fighting off the urge to use their textbooks as pillows.

Though the library, with its soaring ceilings and many murals, is far less oppressive than staying at home stewing in my thoughts, the time spent there is rarely relaxing. It’s all about hard work. The work of piecing my professional life together. And so to try to hold at bay all of that stress and all of that worry, I’ve settled on an effortless look filled with a devil may care simplicity. It’s all a bit laughable. Trying to nudge life into favorable conditions using my clothes. Like my penchant for wearing sequins when I’m in a bad mood. Or the headbands I wear to turn my hard edge into something sweet.

So I keep buying things like these.

Gap


H&M


Guess


And hoping the relief and release follow.


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