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About: Juxtapose Hard and Soft by Belting a Long Blazer

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Are We Getting Too Used to Comfort?

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Maybe!

The reactions to today's blog post was generally very positive - from afar. Comfort was a great concern with the belted blazer. YES, there is potential bunching on the midsection, and sliding of the belt. And a little more tightness on the waist when you sit down. Can't argue there - especially when you're not used to wearing belts or items that are fitted on the waist. A little or a lot of discomfort for sure.

This raised more of a general obseravation of how used we have all gotten to wearing ultra comfortable outfits - now that it's been fashionable to sport fluid and oversized fits in any wardrobe item, upscale sneakers, and cozy knits because of our age of casualization.

This is NOT a criticism at all. I love my fluid fits and won't wear uncomfortable footwear - and absolutely want you to be comfortable in your clothes too. But I also want to go back to wearing tailored items and defining my waist more often, even if it feels more restrictive. I don't want to JUST wear relaxed fits because that's too easy, if that makes sense. I'm also a little bored with stuff that fits wide.

I'm with a client for most of the day and shan't be able to get back to this thread soon. But I'm eager to hear your thoughts. Are you going to defy comfort just a little to create another type of look? I am.

Dressing

86 replies

Latest reply was from Freckles

Anonymous

I think we are getting too comfortable. But that said, I don't see me giving up that comfort any time soon.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Chiming back quickly to reiterate that I draw the line at my feet. I am NOT wearing uncomfortable shoes ever again. Had my dose in the '90s and those days are behind me.

Rambling Ann

(website)

Veteran

It seems to me that this trend for less constrictive clothing has been going on since women gave up hoop skirts and bustles in the late 1800s. I don't see young people ever accepting the level of fitted restraint we saw in women's fashion in the 80s, but I do think we'll see a time when it's hip to wear a bit more structured style, at least some of the time.

The one thing that could change that is a major economic collapse. I think fashion, especially for business, will take a conservative shift if that happens.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I'm okay with giving up a bit of comfort in most outside the home situations. At home, it is harder for me; I want to be cozy in winter and relaxed and cool in summer.

What's harder for me is to contemplate outfits that are fussy. A little bit more structure is one thing (and fine from my point of view). But outfits that demand constant fiddling and readjustment during the day make me feel frazzled. I lose confidence then and don't feel fab.

So that is my main concern with any new look. Not comfort in the sense of all super stretchy or super loose or super soft. (On the contrary: My structure-loving soul actually finds that uncomfortable, as you know!) But fuss-factor. And those narrow belts over a relatively bulkier jacket spell possible fuss-factor to me.

Susie

Veteran

I agree with Suz. I don't wear yoga pants, sweatshirts or work out sneakers as wardrobe items; I don't require that level of comfort in my out and about wardrobe. But fussiness is different. No matter how good something looks when I am standing still, if it requires re-adjusting or tweaking throughout the day, then that doesn't work for me. I want to look pulled together and polished but I want to focus on my work not my wardrobe. "Fidgeting" with clothes doesn't look professional or stylish.

Aziraphale

Veteran

I think we all have a line somewhere, Angie. You won't wear uncomfortable shoes (I won't either, for that matter!) but you're willing to put up with more restrictive things like hose and tailored blazers for the look of the thing. I totally understand that. Too much of the same can get dull.

I do have a fairly high comfort bar. I wore a pair of nylons yesterday because I was going out to lunch with friends and wanted to wear a skirt, and it was too cold for bare legs. After an hour, I regretted it. I pushed my comfort bar too far for a normal, casual day. I will happily wear nylons for a fancier event, though, because it feels "right" to endure a little more restriction for the sake of elegance. (Never pain, though!). I will wear a restrictive blazer sometimes for "normal" days, but I draw the line at hose. It's just not worth it.

I think it all depends on what we find uncomfortable, too -- for example, I'm physically more comfortable in jeans than in leggings (which cling to my belly in an annoying way, or else they slide down), whereas many other women view leggings as the ultimate in daytime comfort.

rabbit

Veteran

I will fairly often wear more than one outfit a day, and will plan them around my activities (I work at home so have flexibility). So movie date, meals out or short errands can be more restrictive in terms of clothing - I'll wear heels, fit and flare skirts, tucked and belted tops, jeans I couldn't sit cross-legged in, artfully arranged scarves and layers, etc. Running errands for a long time and grocery shopping is basically the same minus heels. I think the belted blazer would work in this situation, although it would take some testing to find a combo that required no tugging when getting up from sitting down.

When I come home and settle into several hours of sitting or doing physical things I tend to default to tunic and legging type pants or boyfriend jeans and a semi-tucked top.

I really enjoy the first group of outfits (and enjoy taking them off after an hour or two), and I really appreciate the second group of outfits which can take me through the rest of my day without requiring me to pay any attention to them.

Gaylene

Veteran

i'm with Suz here in drawing a line between fussy and structured. I like fitted clothes, but refuse to wear something that requires constant fiddling to look right. Once I'm dressed, I like to get on with my day without having to continually check a mirror or be worried about my appearance.

Helena

Veteran

Was going to respond but Suz took the words right out of my mouth (and arranged them in a much more effective way at that!)

Diana

Veteran

Interesting question, Angie. I definitely have lost some of my tolerance for uncomfortable clothing/footwear over the years but I actually attribute it to growing older/more mature/less willing to let my clothes boss me around rather than a change in fashion per se. I still wear tight pants all the time, for example, even though baggy pants are more comfortable. I wear my woven blazers when I want to look more polished, even though the knit ones are undoubtedly more comfortable and less restrictive.

Re: waist belts. Last time around I participated in this trend and lived with the discomfort of always fussing with it and readjusting the belt. However, sometime during that time I finally figured out that the weird fluttering pulse and diaphragm cramps I would occasionally get were directly related to my waist belt migrating up over my ribs and squishing them while I was sitting. I still don't know whether this was a physical or psychological reaction, but whatever it was, it was highly unpleasant. (It was like a mild panic attack, which may in fact be the psychological component at play).

So, the belts are a definite no-no for me. It's not worth it and may in fact be damaging my body. Other uncomfortable things are dealbreakers for me are uncomfortable footwear (hurts too much, and would potentially make my foot problems worse), and very itchy clothing. Things that are simply annoying or fussy, I might be willing to try out, although in my experience these types of things are best saved for special occasions and will not become workhorses.

Anonymous

Tailored items need to fit properly to look good. That's the problem with them...they just don't look that good on a lot of people.

Off the rack tailored shirts all look bad on me because they're made for people who have squarer shoulders.

Maneera

(website)

Veteran

I'm in the same boat as Suz. I'm more than happy to wear structured clothing when going out ( and I often do). I love skinny belts and wide belts and will happily belt over a shirt, sweater or dress. But at home? Probably not....

I need my at-home wear to be 100% comfortable so I can move around freely. But when I dress up to go out, I like tailored fits. They make me feel prettier & more feminine.

Mac

Veteran

Great question, Angie. I think the pendulum has swung verrrry far towards the comfort side and I must say I do love being comfy but I'm willing to put up with certain kinds of discomfort to look smarter. For example, wide belts are a personal favourite but can sometimes feel a bit restrictive; oh well, I wear them anyway because they are fabulous and suit me. But shoes that cause blisters or jeans that need to be hiked up every 10 minutes or a shirt I worry might show too much at any given moment or sexy undies that scratch me all day long: these are the kinds of discomforts I will no longer abide.

Anonymous

I'm with Suz. I don't have a problem with the blazer/belt look in terms of comfort; rather, it's a fiddling and fussing factor. With looks like these, it's having to readjust the jacket, the whateverisunderneath, and the belt every single time you sit down and stand up. I suppose on a very straight-up-and-down body type it might not be as big of an issue, but belts over things end up riding up and creating a need to yank down and smooth the jacket underneath.

I don't mind structure either, and in fact like a fitted jacket, or a belt over a dress, but belted layers .....not so much. Again, as Suz says, my goal is to remain confident, pulled together and fuss-free during the day. The minute i have to adjust my clothes every time I move, those 3 things are gone, and I can't focus on my work, or whatever it is I'm doing. I'd consider doing this with a fitted blazer I could cuff up, button in the middle, and wear over a flowier dress.

BrieN

Veteran

I love tailored clothing -- nipped jackets and pencil skirts, but am so thankful for the stretch they are incorporating into fabrics now. A bit of the best of both worlds.

Anonymous

No, I don't do uncomfortable. Tailored, yes, but it has to work with my body.

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

I don't think we're getting too used to comfort. I've wanted it all along for myself. But I think people are demanding it more. And reasonable comfort should be a given for many reasons, including health. If you can't move pretty easily in your clothing, chances are you are not going to move a lot. And when we move, most of us perspire and require clothing that doesn't have to be professionally cleaned just because of that. Not to mention the wrinkling that takes place with activity.

Tailored fits don't have to be uncomfortable do they? It's the material
that is typically uncomfortable in a tailored fit (to me at least). A
substantial softer knit can be tailored for example. Harder to do with
lightweight material of course so for those of us who live in hot
climates, we're not going to wear quite as much tailoring I'd guess. Unless we
spend most of our time indoors.

I really think designers need to think more in that regard. There are so many new fabric technologies, it seems designers could hone
in on using these newer fabrics and newer concepts to create
interesting *new* fashions to meet today's demand. Women have tortured themselves for centuries with high heels, girdles, fabrics that don't breathe, etc. I think that is partly why many of them "give up" on grooming (related to my OT discussion). They feel it's either one way or the other. I don't agree with them, but I can see how it might get to that point for some who don't have time to search and search for the perfect comfortable, still stylish items.

I'm not sure exactly how to do "crisp" in a comfortable feeling fabric, but I think it can be done - Brooks Brothers shirts look crisp to me but everyone says they are extremely comfortable. Is that true? (I don't own one).

Even a belted blazer could be comfortable if done correctly. I don't think I would personally be comfortable with a stiff leather belt around my midsection all day but if it were butter soft and had some give, it might work.

Gaylene

Veteran

YES to Lisa's "...my goal is to remain confident, pulled together, and fuss-free during the day." I think fitted, structured clothing can be just as comfortable, non-fussy, and non-restrictive as unstructured clothing BUT ONLY IF THE ITEMS FIT PROPERLY. Achieving that fit off the rack, without alterations, can be very difficult for many body shapes.

I think fitted clothing is going to be an uphill battle because most woman's clothing today is not designed to permit easy alterations around the bust, waist, and hips. If women get dismayed in a dressing room because "nothing fits", I can't see that helping retailers, manufacturers, or women.

Anonymous

One advantage I can think of for restrictive clothes is that they probably keep you from gaining too much weight. A pound or two, and you really feel it. Whereas in comfy, stretchy things, you can gain quite a bit more and still wear the same things, since they'll expand to accommodate the extra bits. Corsets, anyone? (I'll pass, thanks.)

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Oh, I completely agree with Elisabeth re the fact that different items make different people uncomfortable, whether that is due to body type or some other factor. I am just like her in that I find leggings downright uncomfortable E.en after experimenting in order to discover pairs I might like, I'm still not crazy about even the *best* versions (best for me, that is) and am more comfortable in jeans any day than in leggings. Whereas I know that for many women, leggings are super comfortable and jeans are iffy. So one group could look at the other and think, "How can she bear to be so uncomfortable all day?" while that group would privately be thinking the same in reverse!

Peri

Veteran

Interesting question. And speaking only for me and what I wear, because I never spend a lot of time lamenting "society", the answer is pretty much yes, with a qualifier.

Yes because I won't even consider anything that isn't completely comfortable. So forget restrictions, tight shoulders, tight waistbands. I don't even own a pair of jeans. My style word is EASY, and my goal is to look okay while I'm completely comfortable. I think it can be done. I was 100% comfortable in every outfit I posted on my last WIW, and no one said I looked too casual. (Maybe someone thought so and didn't say it!)

The qualifier is, what is "too" used to comfort? What would constitute it being a problem? Surely tailored and waist defining doesn't rule out comfort? Does it? If something made you uncomfortable, wouldn't you just keep looking for the same look in items that felt better?

For me, the items that feel awful no matter what (4 inch stilettos) I just have no desire to wear. And if someone truly wants to wear them and does, then they don't have a problem sacrificing comfort. So the only person with a problem caused by being "too" used to comfort is the one who desperately wants to wear those stilettos but also refuses to be uncomfortable and so can never reconcile the opposing wishes and remains horribly unhappy forever. That would be a problem. But not mine.

LaPed

Veteran

I like structure. I like good, heavy woven fabrics, as long as they're breathable. I'll take rigid denim over stretch denim any day, because it just makes me *feel* better on a psychological level. A pair of jeans in rigid denim make me feel tough, armoured, ready for anything, in a way that stretchy skinnies do not. The same goes for a "real" blazer vs a knit one. If I need to feel tough and ready, I'll wear a substantial jacket in twill or gabardine etc. A knit blazer would not give me the same psychological boost.

That said, I'm not interested in squeezing myself into clothes that are patently uncomfortable -- wrong size, wrong cut, etc. Stretch fabrics allow us (and manufacturers) to cheat/compromise with fit and sizing because they're forgiving.

Diana

Veteran

Another way to put is is that I don't always have to (or want to) wear the MOST comfortable choice, but I won't wear anything that is UNcomfortable. So, a well-fitting tailored woven blazer is less comfortable than a knit one, but it's still comfortable and I would definitely wear it. A blazer, whether knit or woven, that's too tight and restricts movement, on the other hand, is uncomfortable and I would never wear it.

catgirl

Veteran

Interesting question. It would be nice to think we could be comfortable and stylish! That is my entire goal these days. I simply can't handle anything restrictive around my mid-section (and now I know it may be due to medical issues!). What Diana describes with belts happens to me DAILY. And I am super-uncomfortable in crisp woven items or anything that restricts arm movement. On the other hand, I am not at all bothered by so-called "calf-sucking" skinnies and leggings, and I have pretty hardy feet when it comes to shoes.

Generally I won't wear anything uncomfortable - why suffer? - but I think everyone differs on what's comfortable to them.

Catnip

Veteran

I've nearly given up on tailored jackets or blazers because they require so many alterations to get the fit right... and then they often don't look or feel that good. My new normal is knit jackets and sweaters that have some give and don't require endless alterations. Many, perhaps most of us do not have perfect bodies and manufactured tailored clothes are going to fit well on only a few of us.

Suz is so right about the fuss factor. I do not own a trench coat because I cannot stand having to fuss with the belt... and always being the last person ready to leave the restaurant. This is not really a matter of comfort, but of not needing to worry about whether clothes are properly positioned to look right.

And shoes! I will never wear uncomfortable shoes again, and will spend more to get exactly the right size. If my narrow feet are only comfortable in a AA width, so be it.

So no, you will not see me in a belted blazer, but I will enjoy seeing this look on others.

Comfort is addictive, but it does not have to be sloppy. I cannot imagine that many of us will go back to wearing constrictive clothing that limits movement no matter how fashionable it may be.

RoseandJoan

Veteran

There is a balance between being physically and psychologically comfortable, I will personally compromise a little physical comfort if it will give a psychological boost.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

You ALL make sense. For your own personal styles AND from a general point of view. Thanks for your thoughts. I REALLY enjoyed reading them.

Suz, thanks for making the distinction between tailored and fussy. For your own style, I can absolutely see how the two are different.

For some, or even many, tailored IS fussy. Then I ask the question again - have we become too used to wearing ultra comfortable clothes? Can the world remain a stylish place when most people demand extreme comfort - to the extent that aesthetics are secondary to comfort, or don't even play a role at all.

It's an interesting thought, and it's anyone's guess what will happen. Designers and retailers have absolutely embraced our needs for extreme comfort over the last ten years. Workplaces and all sorts of settings become more casual by the year - so that we can be more comfortable. Where will it all end? I guess that's my point for these questions. I believe that if there isn't some sort of "uncomfortable dressing standard", the concept of fashion and style will probably disappear.

Okay! I have to go. Have fun debating the topic further. There are no right or wrong answers - merely different points of view. I am definitely rethinking what comfort means for my own style, and perhaps you will too. I do not want to get too comfortable.

Joy

Veteran

Comfort doesn't have to be sloppy but it feels like too many men and women, even children, are using it as an excuse for sloppiness. I know way too many boys who will only wear those awful nylon basketball shorts. Fine for sports but not for church or a restaurant dinner. Then there are usually retired adults, men and women, that are stuck in their sweats or pajamas. Today's fabrics make it possible to be comfortable in many other types of outfits. I agree that feet need to be comfortable in shoes that fit properly.

Cookie10415

I love the fashions of the 40s & 50s. The beautiful tailoring and the way they fit. I would love to wear those type of clothes BUT I no longer have a waist, my knees are bad as well as my feet and I spend more time in the garden than out of it. (Oh to be 30 again.) So comfortable it is. There is little negotiation w/ my feet. I wear walking support shoes or I can't walk. I do try to wear figure flattering comfortable clothes when I do leave the house. I am always on the lookout for looks that combine comfort and style

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