How Do You Like To Dress?

[One step at a time]

What kinds of clothes do you wear, and when? What feels comfortable? How has that changed over time? Do you send a message with what you wear?

I think I'm (re)finding my sense of self, and so what I wear has changed.
Dresses and skirts (traditionally feminine clothing) make me feel uncomfortable and self-conscious.
I like to wear jeans and a t-shirt, so that I don't have to think about getting dressed and I can run/move freely. I think there is also another reason, that I'm having trouble explaining... I don't want my clothes to draw attention, and I don't want them to speak for me. So, I want them to be plain. That feels right.

What feels right to you?

 

[BoN-bOn]

I have a very wide range of attire. Work of course is scrubs every day, but I go from shorts & a t-shirt & flip flops, yoga pants & hoodies, jeans, boots (I LOVE boots!) & cute tops, dresses & strappy sandals. Just depends on my mood or where I'm going. I love to dress up & look cute. My motto has always been "even if you don't feel great, you can look good!" ;) I can even make my scrubs look cute!

 

[ShodokanJenn]

I wear tactical pants, t-shirt, and in the winter usually a hoodie or a sweater. I have a nicer sweater I wear for church sometimes. I don't feel comfortable in skirts or dresses (dresses were part of the ritual abuse that happened to me), and I don't feel comfortable in pants I can't easily kick with. Literal kicking, I mean. And of course when I'm at the school, I wear a martial arts uniform and no shoes. :)

 

[Phantom Shadow]

Any clothes that make me blend in. I have to be able to hide. Normal when I am off an going out in public. Jeans, blue jean shirt with t-shirt. Baseball cap. Only wear dress up and suits to formal things an only when I have too. Around the house old jeans an T-shirts with hoodie or field jacket.

 

[Friday]

I prefer invisible :sneaky: Less the Emperors New clothes, more suited to the situation at hand. Cocktail dresses at cocktail parties. (With the appropriate accessories How Can Women Conceal Carry? Let Me Count The Ways! | 30 Cal Gal | Rifles & Competitions ) Tough clothes that can take a beating out of doors. You don't see me. I'm not here.

When things get bad, though I'm often just not able to parse clothes. Decisions? Artistry? Pfft. Forgetaboutit! (Lmao, autocorrect just wanted to make that read 'forgets outfit' :hilarious: So true. There are many times where I just don't go outside because I can't find my pants. Nope. That's it. f*ck it. Going back to bed. Screw this. Of course, I also have no shame -correction, my shame is squarely 6 miles that way- and if I really DGAF will wear a polar tech blanket toga, kimono, or PJs to the shops. I'm covered. Not gonna get arrested for public indecency? Good. Done.) I can manage -at most- what's on me, & what needs to be washed. 2 sets of clothes, and that's it.

Even when I'm doing well, and can manage clothing? I have a whole lotta multiples. A dozen black camis, half a dozen pairs of the exact same jean or grey trouser. Yay. No thinking required! Lingerie. Top. Bottom. Done.

What you'll generally find me kicking around in are jeans or carhardts, bare feet or boots, & a camisole. If it's hot substitute a sarong for trousers. If it's cold? That's meeeeeeeeeee, about 16 million layers, 3 blankets, a bathrobe, and anything else warm I can find and pile on top of myself or roll up into. (Does this sleeping bag make me look fat? Nah. I don't think so, either. Tie it on!)

 

[physicist13]

I dress in comfortable clothes, but mostly I dress to blend in.

I wear jeans and have about 3 or 4 t-shirts I rotate through. I also wear a hoodie under a puffy jacket, and usually have on black converse.
My "style" has evolved overtime, but nothing too drastic in the past decade.

 

[One step at a time]

Blending in and not expending energy [that we don't have] sounds like a common theme.
I also have multiple copies of the same thing, for simplicity.

Part of the reason I asked is that I know someone without a PTSD diagnosis who experienced sexual assault. Her response has been "my body is my temple and I am going to decorate," so for her, taking the time to make herself feel beautiful is a really high priority. Also a valid strategy.

@Friday, you look great in that sleeping bag. Same goes for @BoN-bOn in your scrubs :)

We could have a PTSD fashion show!
...without the flashing lights... without walking, unarmed, down a catwalk in front of people... hmm.
We'll just have to revolutionize the meaning of "fashion show" so that it is a fun, safe(r) time for all?

 

[Sea_lady]

Blending in and not expending energy [that we don't have] sounds like a common theme.
I also...

Like most of the people here, I wear jeans / t-shirt or simple top. I also wear sport clothes a lot these days. Quite neutral colours (dark blue, black, grey, dark green...) I don't want to be noticed either, and always have shoes I can run and fight with in case I get assaulted. A few years ago, I was living in a bad area, so I also wore gloves to protect my hands in case I had to fight to survive an aggression.

But I have plenty of dresses and high heels... They just never leave my flat, and very very occasionally, I wear them, but only at home because that's where I feel safe.

 

[Gamera3000]

I have a few layers of camouflage. I am covered with scars from flea bites from my childhood. Other people didn't know what they were, but I did, so I became heavily tattooed to cover that. A long time ago, that would keep people away from you, but these days it seems to be an invitation for people to talk to you. So now I dress kind of like a conservative religious person, with everything (but my head) covered. I don't wear skirts. I also wear shoes I can run in and never anything that would get in my way for kicking or punching. I also wear things with a lot of pockets so that I can conceal weapons.

 

[heyheyhey]

I like clothes that are like edgy but stylish, that's how I'd describe my style. Like my wardrobe used to be so much black - dark skinny jeans and oversized sweaters are mainly what I wear, but I recently started bringing in more colours. I like cute jackets, leather jackets, cute military style jackets, jackets with Japanese embroidery. I have like a ridiculous amount of party dresses, I love sequins on NYE and birthdays - I'll wear them when I am 80. I also have quite a few hippy-print, vintage style dresses in rich colours. I like makeup too - bold lip colours and taking time on my makeup. I love being a woman. If I am home though I will snuggle in my tracksuit bottoms, PJs and sweaters and always wear my dressing gown - I love snuggling and chilling out.

Guess not really relevant to my PTSD lol. This is just stuff that makes me feel more normal :P :). The only thing that is a bit relevant is that I have a bracelet that reads "Do no harm, take no shit." It's like my words to live by lol.

Blending in and not expending energy [that we don't have] sounds like a common theme.
I also...

PTSD fashion show!! That's so cute lol :D!

 

[heyheyhey]

I guess for me also, I like putting time and effort into my look - especially dressing up to go out, but it really gets my back up when guys catcall, or harass me, or even flirt with me - "No, I really don't want to be tickled - you're killing me" lol. No makeup and not bothering means I don't really get bothered, but getting cat called and stuff makes me feel super hyper vigilant, though sometimes I like snapping off sassy one-liners - depends on my mood lol :) ;).

 

[J'qel]

Usually whatever is clean and comfortable. I don't have the energy to dress up that I used to have. Granted my version of dressing up was goth/punk and involved a chain belt and steel toed boots (for self defense) and a padlock on my jeans. Hypervigilance as fashion choices -.-

Now I'd much rather blend into the crowd and not be noticed. Seems the years have flipped me from the more aggressive version of myself into a quieter, more reclusive version. Partly, I expect from realizing that I need to avoid certain triggers, and partly because I realize that when I get social, I tend to get attached, and so, taken advantage of or treated badly because I give until I'm exhausted. It's easier for me to never be asked to help than it is to say no.