As an Denver image consultant, a good 99% of my clients tell me they want to be comfortable in their clothes when I ask they “how do you want to feel and be perceived in your clothes.” They also answer, “polished” and “put together.” The second half of their wants negates wearing only yoga and sweatpants.
Comfy and great basics!
Feeling comfortable in your clothes goes a long way toward feeling confident and put together. Today I offer up 5 things to consider when you’re looking for new comfortable duds or deciding what to wear out of your closet to be as comfy as possible.
5 Tips for choosing comfortable clothes
Fit
The first thing to consider is fit. We all know that clothes that are too small/tight aren’t comfortable, but sometimes it can be hard to remember this when you’re in the fitting room, and you fall in love with something a little too tight.
Conversely, clothes that are too big aren’t always comfortable either. They can move around and irritate your skin, not to mention they just don’t look put together. Never compromise on fit! (Alterations are always an option.)
Fabric
In my post about dresses being super comfy, I mentioned knits are extremely comfortable. In general, most women do find them most comfy as well. However, fit, your body type and personal style all come into play.
Do you like natural fibers or are synthetics okay?
Linen is super cool in the summer heat, but a lot of women just can’t handle the wrinkling.
Perhaps your personal style is more tailored. You may find woven blouses more to your liking. Knits may feel too schlumpy to you.
Body type
Knowing your body type and dressing to flatter it will also help you feel more comfortable. For example, if you carry your weight in your legs, you’ll probably feel more comfortable in looser fitting pants that fit well instead of skinny jeans.
My torso is wider than most, so no matter how well a button up blouse fits, it always feels constricting to me. I also can’t stand how any sleeve feels under a jacket or cardigan.
Take a look in your closet and identify the styles that are comfy (excluding yoga pants and sweats please,) and those that aren’t. Chances are good the most comfortable clothes fit and flatter your body type well.
Sit test
Yes, clothes fit differently sitting than when you’re standing. Either sit on the bench in the fitting room or at home before you take the tags off.
Be sure the rise isn’t too short in jeans or pants and that the waist doesn’t become extra tight. Make sure tops don’t ride up or dip too low when you’re sitting.
When you’re planning your outfit for the day, take into consideration what you’ll be doing and choose the most comfortable clothes for the activity. For example, if I know I’ll be sitting at my computer all day, I won’t wear pants that are a bit tight in the waist.
Make sure it’s really your personal style
No matter how cute something is, if it just isn’t you, you’ll never feel relaxed. Take the time to get to know your personal style.
Follow these tips and you’ll be both physically and psychologically more comfortable in your clothes. And you’re sure to look fab, too!
Before You Go…
At Last, a complete resource with all the stores with sizes and proportions to fit your unique shape!
No matter what your body type, in this guide, you'll find more shops and sites than you ever knew existed... that cater to just your size, height and shape!
I love that you mentioned that the fit of clothing could affect how comfortable it is for you. We want to get new clothes for our son because the old ones are wearing out, and I want to make sure that he could be as comfortable as possible. When we look for clothing, I will be sure to consider how it will fit on him, so I could be confident in buying it.
My sister’s birthday is coming up next week, and she has been struggling a lot with self-confidence issues over the past few years. I am thinking about getting her some clothing that has motivation sayings on it, and I appreciate the tips in this article! I want to make sure that the shirts I choose fit her well, and you make a great point that I should think about my sister’s body type as well as her personal style.
Great article! Thank you!