I’m Wearing A Dress Every Time I Leave The House In January

The editors here at Evie have made the resolution for ourselves: we’re going to dress better in the new year. Our editor-in-chief Brittany is already getting started!

It’s not just about “looking better” – it’s about gleaning all the psychological and social benefits of looking, and therefore feeling good. It seems to go without saying, but how you dress affects not only the way you feel about yourself, but how you’re perceived by others. This applies to everything from work to romance. 

The Benefits of Dressing Well

Most of us spent the majority of the last year at home. There’s no real incentive to dress well when the biggest thing you’re doing that week is hopping on a Zoom call. While many people took this as an excuse to give up dressing nicely at any time, I found myself doing the opposite. With so few opportunities to dress up, I started wearing all my favorite outfits every time I left the house. 

That skirt I was saving for a special occasion? I wore it to dinner. That gorgeous satin dress I bought for a party? Perfect for a Christmas shopping trip. To my surprise, I felt great about it. There were so many gorgeous outfits in my closet that I was “saving” for a special occasion that never came. Sure, when I went out I was a lot more dressed up than most of the people around me, but I felt amazing. My husband loved it, and it made every outing feel that much more exciting and romantic.  

There were so many gorgeous outfits in my closet that I was “saving” for a special occasion that never came.

Upping your style can improve every facet of your life. Do you want to be taken more seriously at work? Want to attract the right kind of man, or spice up your current relationship? What about making a good impression everywhere you go? The key to all of these is…style. 

We spend so much time teaching women about how to ask for a raise and how to be assertive in dating, but we rarely – if ever – teach women that dressing well is an important part of achieving their goals. I’m trying this experiment so I can tell you exactly what dressing up every day for a month will do for my life. 

Why a Dress?

There are a million and one tips out there on how to be more stylish, so it can be hard to know where to begin. Since one of my goals in the new year is to be more feminine, wearing a dress seems to be the obvious solution. Don’t get me wrong, I love jeans and yoga pants as much as the next girl. But I never feel as beautiful in jeans as I do when I’m in a gorgeous dress. 

Maybe you’re thinking: “But it’s winter! How can you get away without pants in the cold?!” Good question. I live in LA, so those cold winter days are really a thing we dream about but never experience. Even when I lived in a colder climate, I always wore dresses in the winter. Pair your dress with boots and a good pair of tights, and you’re all set.

I never feel as beautiful in jeans as I do when I’m in a gorgeous dress.  

The best part is that midi dresses made a big comeback in 2020. I love midis so much because they can be paired with a pair of chic boots for a cool night or a pair of flirty heels for going out. I find them much more wearable for everyday life than mini dresses, which are always cold and constantly feel like they’re going to fly up. As I write this, I’m wearing my favorite midi of all time: a super chic black number from Revolve. (It’s sold out now, but the silhouette is a classic.) 

I hope that by making this commitment, I will use some of the beautiful clothes that otherwise languish in the back of my closet. I hope that date nights with my husband feel more romantic and special. I hope it encourages my friends – and you – to dress up too.

Closing Thoughts

I’ve got a good selection of dresses to work with, and I’m excited for this challenge. It’s so easy to get caught up in life and just throw on whatever is most convenient. Maybe too easy. I think we’ve forgotten something that our grandmothers knew: a well-dressed woman is unstoppable. Dressing well is one of the best ways to build your confidence and radically change the way you present yourself to the world. Will you join me?