True confessions time, ladies! Do you wear your yoga pants everywhere? Have you ever had a day of just wanting the comfort of the workout wear without the discomfort of the workout? Or perhaps you just leave them on after your morning at the gym? I admit it, I’m guilty! I have totally, shamelessly been guilty of this discretion. I wear yoga pants when I’m not doing yoga! Mostly I am guilty of leaving them on after a morning fitness walk and workout, knowing the only places I’m going that day are to pick my daughter up at school, and to take her to tumbling or Cheerleading…at the gym. Um, I’m just going to the gym again, so why get all dressed up, right? Right, sometimes!
Yes, I said sometimes! The thing we have to be very careful of is getting too comfortable in the yoga pants and forgetting that certain situations call for certain outfits. For example, just recently my daughter had an inauguration celebration in her classroom at school, and all the kids were expected to dress up (girls in dresses, boys in shirt and tie) for their formal luncheon and ball. They were allowed to bring one guest (parent) who was also asked to dress formal, as were the volunteers who would act as dignitaries, servers, and assistants. The kids were all so excited, and so proud of their fancy clothes; and the parents made sure to participate and share in their enthusiasm for this extraordinary event. All but one, that is. I will give this mother due credit for arranging child care for her toddler and for showing up for her son. But that is as far as I’ll go. This mother showed up on the red carpet for a formal luncheon in yes, yoga pants! Seriously? Oh and her yoga pants were accompanied by untied running shoes, a t shirt, and a baseball cap! She did not even attempt to “dress up” her yoga pants at all! Being the Pollyanna I tend to be, I have tried to come up with every possible explanation to excuse this seeming lack of good judgement, but I just can’t. I thought maybe she’s a fitness instructor, but there are restrooms everywhere, including the school, where she can change. Maybe she just came from her workout and was running a little behind. Nope, not good enough. This was a one time event you need to plan a little better for. The only explanation would be that she does not own one single outfit that is not workout gear. That’s it! That must be what happened. Because I cannot imagine a mother showing such disregard for her child, and such a lack of respect for the teacher that she would just ignore the required dress code without a very plausible reason. Yoga pants are not always ok!
Ladies, we know we work hard, we play hard, and we parent to the fullest. Our husbands should just appreciate all that we do for our families, and not worry about what we’re wearing while doing it, right? Um, maybe sometimes. Just don’t wear out the yoga pants welcome. Sure, they can really look great on you…when you’re going to work out. And I bet your husband thinks you’re super sexy in your workout gear, going to take good care of your body! But does he want to see the yoga pants all the time? And what message are you sending about your self and the value you place in you if you aren’t even worth the time it takes to get dressed. I remember a time when I became an office manager in a medical facility. The dress code for my position was business attire or scrubs. I knew the managers in the other offices opted for scrubs since they were quick and easy and required no thought, and minimal time. I personally felt that wearing scrubs every morning gave the appearance of laziness, and I didn’t feel much like a manager. If I woke up in the morning, threw my hair in a ponytail and put on scrubs, I felt like I didn’t value myself, my position or my employer. I felt as though I would be taken less seriously than if I wore business wear. So I chose to get up early enough (4:45am in this case since I worked an hour away and had to be there by 6:45) to ensure I had time to shower, style my hair, apply my makeup, and dress for success. And when I walked into my office I believed I commanded much more respect from my employees and patients than if I had come in all scrubby. Well, the same holds true for our yoga pants days. Yes, of course they’re ok for some days. I admitted I love my yoga pants, I love the comfort they offer, the ease of dressing, and I even kind of like the way they look on me. But I also love the way I feel when I change from my workout wear and put on something that shows my style, that makes me walk tall and feel proud.
Yoga Pants...Not Just For the Gym Anymore
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