I’m Going Pants-Free For a Month

For the month of January I have resolved to give up… pants.

No, I’m not becoming a nudist. I am committing, for 30 days, to trade in my jeans, leggings, sweats, cords and trousers for bottoms of a prettier variety: namely, dresses and skirts.

“It’ll be fun,” I tell myself. “Different! Like, a whole new me!”

I have since come to realize that it will be hard. Maybe not as much fun as I’d first thought. Actually, it’s going to suck.

There are surely more important things I could have chosen to give up — things that would make me healthier and less anxious. Like afternoon Nespressos, late-night shoe shopping, 2am email-answering, wine. But, as frequently as I partake in all of those activities, there is just one thing my husband and daughter jointly agreed I could never, ever, in a million years give up for a month straight, and it was pants.

The gauntlet was thrown. “Ha! I’ll show you guys!” I said. (That was back when I thought it would be fun.)

I mean, it’s not a matter of life and death. But there are many, many reasons the mere thought of it gives me anxiety. Such as:

  1. I’m a jeans girl. I wear jeans or something very much like them 364 days a year.
  2. The one day per year that I wear a dress is usually mid-summer, when I’m feeling beachy and well-tanned, and it’s still a novelty.
  3. I don’t like my knees.
  4. I don’t actually know how to dress myself in skirts, from a styling perspective (which, practically speaking, will probably add 30 minutes to my already harried mornings).
  5. I have a go-to look, and it does not involve bare legs.
  6. I get cold very easily.
  7. I don’t actually own many skirts or dresses, barring ones I wear to weddings or cocktail parties. Not so good, say, for 8am school drop-off.
Jeanna Briand in her Jeans
Author Jenna Briand with legs fully covered (Photo: TueNight)

But, all that that said, I do have high hopes that giving this pant-less thing a try might add some actual value to my life. Like:

  1. It is possible that boyfriend jeans are not appropriate for every occasion.
  2. I may get insights on social behavior. Years ago, when I changed my hair color from blonde to brunette, I noticed how differently people treated me. I’m wondering if it’s the same with dresses, and if so, if people will be nicer.
  3. I wouldn’t mind being one of those women who can rock sneakers or booties with skirts and not look ridiculous. But I need practice.
  4. Sex appeal. My husband will think it’s sexy, at least. He told me so.
  5. Productive discomfort. The literal and figurative awkwardness of this experiment will force me out of my comfort zone and help me develop some positive new personality traits. (One can dream).
  6. A bigger wardrobe. My late night shopping habit is about to get a reinvention.

So, wish me luck, pants-wearers of the world. And send tips my way, dress-lovers. My knees thank you in advance.

Follow Jenna as she figures out skirts at @jennabriand.

Want to join in the fun? Share your own 30-Day Challenge with the hashtags #2015Tweak or #30Days on Twitter or our Facebook page. And check out our other 2015 tweaks here:

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5 Responses

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    […] Jenna Briand will stop wearing pants. […]

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  3. Monica Dennis
    Monica Dennis (@jigsawverbiage)

    I LOVE dresses and skirts, though I don’t wear near nearly as much in the winter and spring as I do in the fall and summer. My main reason for that is because I hate pantyhose and practically refuse to wear them. I don’t care if my legs aren’t flawless – or hairless (though generally it’s hard to see the hair on me). But for sure one of the things that helps me continue to wear dresses is tights. I LOVE tights. So comfortable AND warm. I live in CT. I get cold too. I shouldn’t even be living in the North, actually. Only recently have I started wearing leggings too under the flowly stuff. You can have the best of both worlds that way! I can’t wait to see how this works out for you, but I really think dresses are actually easier because you can just do that one thing and accessories as opposed to pants and a top or that plus a 3rd item. I hope you have fun with it!

    Reply
  4. 5 Things I Learned By Going Pants-Free For 30 Days | Tue Night

    […] I was ready. My family bought me a handful of great new skirts, knowing 30 days without pants was going to be tough. I dug up a snug pencil skirt from the back of the closet. Pulled out a dress […]

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