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Dresses we only wear once
When I’m invited to a wedding, I’m always the only woman who doesn’t wear new clothes, but a combination of pants, blouse and blazer with pieces that I basically always wear. But I give all women the fun of going shopping for a new outfit for a special event. If this is a must for you and you enjoy it, then in any case continue to do so.
But I never saw any sense in it for me personally. There are three reasons for this.
Reason 1: Opportunity
Why wait for months or years for an opportunity to wear special dresses or an outfit that somehow makes you feel particularly beautiful and attractive and chic? Why not wear things every day that at least partially make you feel comparably good?
Sure, it would be weird to go shopping at the discount store in a ball gown, but maybe there are at least compromises you can make in this regard.
I have to admit at this point, but I never feel the need to wear extraordinary dresses such as an extravagant ball gown. If you feel this way, you probably have more difficult conditions in this regard.
Reason 2: Combinability
These outfits tend not to be easy to combine.
Because they are usually not timeless, but reflect time-limited trends. Also because they are usually eye-catching and the proportions may be coordinated, but not to the rest of the wardrobe. Because in this logic, the new “good” clothes, this special outfit, is just something special, for a special occasion. Ergo, it’s usually completely different from the rest of the wardrobe. And because they are something “special”, an extraordinary amount of money is spent on them.
You have to think about that very carefully.
You probably spend less on pieces that you wear dozens, if not hundreds, of times a year than on a piece that you probably only wear once. And most people find that logical or at least “normal”… I find this completely illogical. For me, this shows once again that most people do not live their authentic selves all the time, but fluctuate like a pendulum between two extremes. The “everyday” ego that does things out of habit and dresses accordingly, with “everyday” things whose wear and tear potentially doesn’t hurt and the “event” ego that wants to show itself from the best possible side, that wants to impress others, that wants to dress up in special clothes. That you need external validation to feel safe and comfortable.
My attitude to this is that I try to stay somewhere in the middle between these two extremes. Every day.
Reason 3: Balance
Of course, it would be super impractical to clean the apartment in a ball gown. I also don’t wear my best blazer when I clean my bathroom. But it doesn’t hang in the closet to be taken out only once a year. I think it’s a waste of resources and money to buy clothes or things you don’t use regularly. And after all, men usually put on the same suit and nobody cares.
We women don’t have to buy new clothes or a completely new outfit for every event. If that’s what you really want, ok, but do you really want that? Or do you just think that because “that’s just how you do it”? I want all my clothes to be of high quality, especially the ones I use every day. I want to feel so good and attractive in everyday things that I might as well wear them to a wedding without feeling underdressed. My motto is generally “better slightly overdressed than underdressed”. But if you’re not invited to a royal event, you can do that with things you can wear on everyday occasions as well. At least that’s my conviction.
Conclusion
I don’t think we should all dress “worse” at celebrations and weddings now. But that we should generally dress better in everyday life. That we should wear our “best” clothes as often as possible. And that these things should not be in contrast to the rest of our wardrobe, but in harmony with it. Above all, that we should not spend more on dresses or a single outfit that should only be worn at one event, but spend at least as much on our daily go-to-outfits. How do you see the thing with the “good Keiders”? Do you like to buy special outfits for a special event? Or do you see the whole thing like me? Feel free to let me know in the comments. By the way, I only partially agree with Iris Apfel (see quote below). There may not be a roadmap to “learn” one’s own style, but I believe there is a roadmap to “recognize” one’s own style.
I wish you an exciting weekend.
All the love
Christina
“You can buy fashion, but you have style. The key to style is to learn who you are, which takes years. There is no roadmap on how to learn style. It’s all about expressing your own personality and, above all, your attitude.”
Iris Apfel
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About the author
Christina Ernst is founder and CEO of Linen & Quince. She is also a designer, author and real estate expert. She shares her experiences and knowledge not only on our Linen & Quince blog, but also on her personal blog, christinaernst.net , where she writes about financial knowledge, starting a business, real estate knowledge and personal development. She loves interior design, art, antiques, as well as elegant, sustainable and high-quality fashion.
