70% Comfort, 30% Fashion

(BTW, I'm sorry that I haven't posted for 2 weeks! I'm still trying to get a routine down for this and have recently been without a home computer, but I really hope to post 1 or 2 times a week from here on out, and I even thinking I should do a monthly surprise, so don't give up on me yet--if you keep checking back, I promise you will be rewarded!)

We all have a few ugly things
for comfort's sake!

I was chatting with my friend the other day about the delicate balance between comfort and fashion, and when I was mourning the rain on the drive into work, I was reminded of the same conversation. Thinking about what was most important to me when I dressed each day, I had stated that I was 70% comfort oriented and 30% fashion oriented--and she was shocked! See, I often covet after or design pretty dresses, and I'm constantly musing on the positive effect of a well-put together look, so she understandably thought that fashion was a high priority for me, but I never think it's appropriate to be miserable in an outfit just for the sake of looking good! Fashion can never trump comfort for me (one of my favorite things about both fashion and photography is helping a person feel comfortable in their own skin), but sometimes comfort is a bully and edges fashion right out of play! Most of us would rather wrap ourselves up in baggy sweaters all winter than freeze while looking great (which is of course my greatest concern as weather changes!)

One of my main problems is with the nature of a dress itself. Many good things can be said about a good pair of pants, but nothing really makes me feel pretty like a dress does. A dress often flatters a figure better, makes a girl feel more confident and generally makes everything a bit more classy, even in the casual styles, but they also very often literally leave you cold--as in drafts on the legs and little to no comfort or warmth in the most appropriate shoes, and considering most offices are air conditioned beyond anybody's comfort level, this is really a year round issue! And what about the outfits that are warm enough, but never seem to be long enough?

So what really makes the best outfits? The perfect marriage of the two! You'll rarely see me wear something that would rock the runway, but I feel pretty nice in a flowey dress and deceptively warm tights, or, as winter approaches, a thick dress accented with a colorful scarf and boots. What's your favorite solution to make you feel comfortably fashionable? Leave me a comment!

(Dress pictures from Grosgrain Fabulous and Kim Grey)