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:
- I’m a jeans girl. I wear jeans or something very much like them 364 days a year.
- 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.
- I don’t like my knees.
- 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).
- I have a go-to look, and it does not involve bare legs.
- I get cold very easily.
- 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.
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:
- It is possible that boyfriend jeans are not appropriate for every occasion.
- 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.
- 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.
- Sex appeal. My husband will think it’s sexy, at least. He told me so.
- 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).
- 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:
- Don’t Forget to Call Your Mother… Every Day?
- Why Do I Blame Everyone Else?
- Three Words I Want to Stop Saying
- Takeout Takedown: Saying Goodbye to Delivered Food
- No Way Can I Give Up Sugar. But I’ll Torture Myself For 30 Days
5 Responses
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Editor’s Note: A Tweak For 2015 | Tue Night […] Jenna Briand will stop wearing pants. […]
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No Way Can I Give Up Sugar. But I’ll Torture Myself For 30 Days | Tue Night […] I Am Going Pants-Free For a Month […]
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Why Do I Blame Everyone Else? | Tue Night […] I’m Going Pants-Free For a Month […]
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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!
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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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