Weekly Wear

Photos by Allison Stockwell

Ah, the first day of school, where everyone’s outfits have been carefully picked out, planned for weeks in advance. From then on it’s all downhill. 2015 WPA T-shirt, athletic shorts, Nike shoes, hair in a ponytail. Comfort takes precedence over effort. Wearing what is comfortable and what looks good shouldn’t have to be a choice. With easy touches, sweats can transform into so much more than loungewear.

Relaxed Cute and Comfy

To create a façade that time was spent getting ready, go for a romper. This means that time doesn’t have to be spent matching a shirt to pants, as trivial as that sounds. Rompers made out of a simple cotton material are just as comfy as a T-shirt and athletic shorts, except now you’ve
pulled off a “fancy” look. However, no outfit is complete without accessorizing. Shoes are the ultimate accessory– they can make or break the outfit. If the shoes don’t elevate the look, they’ll drag it down. Comfortable shoes that won’t ruin the look can vary from a trendy sandal like Birkenstocks to a pair of New Balances. Jewelry doesn’t need to be huge and bulky to make a statement in the outfit–a thin gold chain necklace would work perfectly. Combine all these basic elements, and people will successfully be fooled into thinking excessive time was put into getting this look. Hah, fooled them.

So You Want to Wear a T-shirt

It’s often tricky figuring out how to style a comfy tee with things that won’t make it look like pajamas. An option is to wear the shirt with something that is subtle but also comfortable, like black Lululemon shorts or just plain jean shorts. The outfit will be cozy enough to relax in all day without having to worry about constantly adjusting the shirt or un-bunching the shorts. Make sure that the shoes add to the outfit but don’t clash with the look you’re going for, like wearing wedges with athletic shorts. Instead, go for a look that flows with the outfit, like Converse. Adding funky and trendy jewelry to an otherwise casual outfit can really boost the look. Chokers are a great way to style up a T-shirt and plus you’ll look cool as hell. It now looks like the relaxed T-shirt Tumblr look, when really there wasn’t time to iron out that one blouse. It will be comfortable enough to wear all day and even to musical rehearsal or during your daily nap .

Sporty but Cute

Going for the all athletic look is common at East, throwing on the first sport shorts you see in your drawer. But the trick is to avoid looking like you just spent two hours on the treadmill. Instead, go for a more fashionable tennis shoe, like Converse or Superstars by Adidas, and avoid an athletic shoe, or even a casual sandal such as Rainbows. To liven up a look, throw on a headband. The headband goes along with the athletic look, but also makes the outfit appear like it wasn’t just thrown together especially if the headband matches the colors of the outfit. In order to stay away from the gym look when wearing a headband, wear your hair down. Another accessory essential to upgrading a look is a charm necklace, which will make the look more ‘going to school’ and less ‘going for a jog’. Together, this will make an elevated outfit for school while also keeping the comfort element.

Making PJ’s Cute

It’s been a rough week and the only thing that will make the day more bearable is wearing a comfortable pair of sweats. Don’t worry– because even these comfort essentials can be styled. While sweatpants and a hoodie are easy and comfy, skip the hoodie and instead wear an athletic fitted top. With some tennis shoes and a cool subtle necklace, the outfit will go from just ‘rolled-out-of-bed’ to ‘actually-tried’. A fashionable tennis shoe is the way to go when wearing sweats; sandals will make the look very hobo-esque. Bunch up the sweatpants at the end to show some skin and to create a break between the pants and shoes. This will also allow the shoes to stand-out a little more. Try jewelry such as thin gold hoops or a gold chain necklace to make the look trendy. Throw it all together to make sweats a decent outfit to wear to school.