Gray Days, we all experience them. These are the days when getting out of bed in the morning seems nearly impossible, and the idea of getting dressed — let alone looking cute — is beyond the bounds of possibility.
Gray days are disastrous dynamites with the potential threat to bomb both your wardrobe and style selection. Addressing the severity of a gray day is crucial for tackling the looming issue with a striking and stylish solution.
First, in the preparation of a what-to-wear response, understanding the source of the daily detriment is essential. Gray days are induced by a multitude of internal and external factors such as: early mornings, oversleeping, break-ups, lack of sleep, late nights, midterms, finals, and most importantly — one’s emotional state.
For myself, a flamboyant fashion-forward style strutter, facing gray days often provoke a series of unfortunate events: early morning chaos, regrettable decisions, and mid-day outfit modifications. Yes, I must admit that I do, in fact — understand the ridiculousness of the statement above concerning the weekly tragedies. And yes, I too can sense the rotational motion of your rolling eyes in this very moment. Trust me, whether you think this all a joke or just a spicy spiel, gray days undoubtedly influence the clothing that you wear when walking out the door.
Navigating the pressing consequences of a gray day permit two contrasting responses located at separate ends of the style spectrum, dressing to comfort or dressing to combat. In the natural world, experiencing excessive stress leads to one of the two reactions, fight or flight. This native response is instinctual, and style stunning or slacking in response to the harmful impacts of a gray day is precisely the same. Take your pick, and think back to your typical apparel approach as we discover the vast realities of the two styling situations.
Comfort clothes are essential components found in every single wardrobe, dresser, and drawer across the globe. Who doesn’t love that silky sweater, flowy flannel, or snuggling pair of sweatpants?
These well-worn articles of clothing continually act as daily quick-fixes — wearable blankets, providing both the warmth and protection to endure the ceaseless chaos of a gray day. Unfortunately, we must address the critical reality of continual comfort clothing allegiance.
Sweats are not sanctuaries of safety.
And this hard-hitting fact is applicable to the entirety of your wardrobe, meaning all of the other comfort clothes that you’ve already worn three times this past week. Comfort means convenient, and we all know that hasty remedies aren’t exactly the smartest and most reliable approach to a situation.
Letting your emotions and challenges get the best of you can be absolutely paralyzing, and when all of the unfortunates circumstance manifest in your style, it produces a public display of the not good, the bad and the ugly.
Why not combat the severity of a gray day with a style-stunning solution?
Dressing to combat negatives emotions simply confronts the situation with an opposing outfit, possessing the ability to alter your perspective and outlook for the rest of the day. You may feel like total trash on the inside, but at least you don’t look like total trash on the outside.
Style is to be used as an effective medium of communication when the time comes, a method of manipulation. Like a mirror, your style frequently reflects both the internal and external self, so why not actively take advantage of this beneficial cover-up?
At least you’re not wearing your problems on your body anymore. But, let’s face it, this simple style solution really isn’t that simplistic after all.
Dressing to cover-up doesn’t necessarily resolve what’s beneath the layers of clothing and can actually increase unfavorable emotions. You may not be physically dressed in your negative feelings anymore, but they are still present beneath the blanket of lies on your body. Dressing up requires time, consciousness, and creativity in the morning — all of which are specifically reduced by a gray day.
Stressing and dressing in the morning is equivalent to assembling an outfit at Goodwill with a blindfold on. Don’t do it, you’ll regret it all in just 20 minutes after stepping into society looking like a mod-podged disaster.
Don’t take this recommendation out of context, but honestly, sometimes it’s better to just not try in the morning and to go with what your gut is telling you to wear. Letting your gut guide you when digging through your dresser is actually a way of being honest with what you are currently feeling or experiencing that day. So what does this information exactly mean when dressing and dealing with a gray day?
Don’t rely on either method. Both can potentially act as an inauthentic shield to your genuine innerself. When tasked with the pressing obstacles of a gray day, incorporate both style solutions, dressing comfortably with the ability to combat whatever emotions or difficulties that lie at the forefront of your day.
Ditch those boring and bad-looking blankets that drown you in your sorrows and embrace the daily possibilities within your wardrobe. Fusing both style-slacking and style-stunning solutions into a single outfit enhances your confidence rather than covering it up.