I Feel like a Worn Snuggie, but I Refuse to Look like One

Ugh winter. My lips are two chapped gummy worms accompanied by the rhythm of chattering teeth. My skin is dry and is quickly losing its usual sunkissed sheen. My hair is matte black and brittle like the mane of a synthetic Barbie doll. When I wake up I'm greeted by a cool Arizona darkness that makes me want to stay in bed and avoid the desert elements. I have become a chapstick junkie, and if I could find an ivory tub filled with Hope In A Jar moisturizer, I would call it heaven on Earth.

Winter also means finals week--countless hours spent at the library where my brain melts and my eyes become baggy and heavy from staring at the computer screen. In the midst of writer's block I realize the weird noise I keep hearing isn't the stale heat whistling through the dusty vents, but rather my stomach. All I've had today is a cup of coffee with too much Sweet n Low and a handful of cashews. I'm not at my prime by any means.

Between the sudden weather shift and the dark cloud of homework lingering over my head all I want to do is wear sweats and complain. However, I know I shouldn't let my appearance go to the trash because as leading studies show, “The way you look directly affects the way you think, feel, and act . . . . When you dress down, you sit down—the couch potato trend. Manners break down, you begin to feel down, and you’re not as effective" (Kaplan-Leiserson).

So where can I find the motivation to keep up my appearance? Well, thanks to Zephyr at College Fashion, I have 25 reasons to get dressed up every day- including during this god awful drab time of year. I've chosen to include my favorite reasons in this post, but if you are feeling any of what I'm feeling you should definitely check out her article and/or compile your own list.

Here are my favorites from Zephyr's list:

• Because life’s too short to blend in. Don’t settle for average.
• Because fashion is a method of self expression. What are you trying to say?
• Because you never know who you’ll run into. Brad Pitt at the grocery store? Hey, stranger things have happened.
• Because you deserve to look your best at all times.
• Because you’ll never improve your sense of style if your default look is “I give up”. Yes, that was a Seinfeld reference. But it’s true!
• Because parties aren’t the only time to celebrate.
• Because dressing up helps you make fashion mistakes and get past them. Mistakes happen to everyone and that’s how you learn what not to do – get them out of the way now!
• Because it’s a test of your confidence. Dressing unconventionally forces you to develop the self-assurance necessary to stand out from everyone else.
• Because fashion is one of the rare instances where art comes alive. What artistic statement do you want to make?
• Because someday when you have a 9-5 corporate job and are required to wear business suits, you’re going to miss the freedom of dress you had in college. Experiment now! There’s no better time.
• Because Carrie Bradshaw would not approve of your sweatpants and UGG boots. You can do better than that. And deep down, you know I’m right.
• Because nothing beats the rush you feel when you look in the mirror and LOVE what you see.

Hope everyone powers through finals and/or the winter! If you have fashion affirmations or reasons why you get dressed every day, let me know with a comment!

Kaplan-Leiserson, E. (2000). Casual dress/Back-to-business attire. Training & Development, 54(11), 38-39.