I’ve always loved Tim Gunn, formerly of Project Runway and currently part of Making the Cut. Since I’m love-blind for him, I always forget that he’s kind of mean about people wearing comfortable clothes. He’s ALWAYS judged people who wear sweatpants or yoga pants and loose, comfortable streetwear. His whole thing has been that fashion and presentation is more important than comfort. Remember this tweet?
When it comes to dressing, comfort is overrated. A little discomfort probably means your clothes fit and they're not pajamas.
— Tim Gunn (@TimGunn) August 27, 2012
I bring this up because after months in lockdown, Tim Gunn is a changed man. He now stans pajamas-as-daywear and comfortable casual clothes:
Tim Gunn is letting it all hang loose. The fashion consultant says the impossible has happened during the lockdown — he’s fallen in love with comfortable clothes.
“I used to condemn the whole notion of comfort dressing,” he said during a 92nd Street Y digital event, adding that after weeks in “pajamas and loose-fitting clothes,” real clothes are “an absolute assault on your body! You think, ‘I feel so constricted … I feel like I’m wearing a wetsuit!’ I have a tremendous amount of empathy now for people who want to dress comfortably.” Gunn revealed how far he’s taken comfort, saying, “I have on, below the waist, only underpants and a pair of socks.”
Finally! We can’t come together as a nation on anything besides “not wanting to wear hard pants.” We are one nation, in sweatpants. I would love it if I never had to “dress up” for anything ever again.
I was looking around for Gunn’s full comments and I came across this interview he did with NPR’s Fresh Air about a month ago, where he spoke about how he came around to comfort dressing:
What clothes mean during isolation: “It’s been a very interesting experience for me because I’ve gone through an evolution in these last five, 5 1/2 weeks – a fashion evolution or a clothing evolution of sorts. And it’s helped me to understand a lot of issues that I’ve talked about in terms of the sorts of things that I observe in other people. And one is, I now understand the comfort trap. I used to bemoan it and say, you know, if you want to dress to feel as though you never got out of bed, don’t get out of bed. Well, now I understand. I mean, why should we be self-isolating in clothes that constrain us and constrict us and are not as comfortable as something that’s a little looser and more forgiving? However, I will say this. Having been introduced to video conferencing, which I – was unknown to me until this self-isolation – having been introduced to video conferencing, I’ve dressed up for it after, say, days of wearing, quite frankly, my pajamas and a robe. And when I got into my normal clothes – a proper shirt, a proper pair of pants, a jacket – I felt as though I was wearing a wet suit.
FINALLY. SAY NO TO HARD PANTS. And bras. I swear, if men had to deal with bras, *everyone* would comfort-dress 24-7.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Welcome to the dark side.
😂🤣😂. LOVE this comment!!
I have not gone near makeup, a zipper, a blow dryer, or a bra since the last week in Feb. My *BIG* concession to a bra is wearing a (looser) shape wear cami under a t-shirt or whatever when I have to go to the pharmacy. That’s it. And dammmmn, it feels GOOD!
I am so southern I wear lipstick to go outside, lol, and I have not touched makeup since we started staying in entirely in March. No bras except when I went on some neighborhood walks early in the morning. I’m still wearing sun screen, but, damn, my skin is so good and I moisturize all day long. I think this is going to really change peoples relationship to “lounge” clothes, and I can’t freaking wait for more cute AFFORDABLE just going grocery shopping lounge clothes.
Hell yes. I am definitely not interested into going back to uncomfortable clothes. I’m actively looking for more comfortable yet fashionable clothes. Definitely not interested in skinny-anything anymore and ‘very fitted’ anything either.
Or heels for that matter. I haven’t worn any in 4 months. Probably will fall flat on my face if I try again and they are uncomfortable now. Comfy flats for the win!
LOLOL, I love it! Good for him.
I remember when Project Runway did a season in LA he said he got funny looks on the street for always wearing suits.
I’m a big fan of Tim Gunn. I wish he could have done the show with Iman (she did the Canadian version and she’s lovely). Speaking of Iman, Halston gave her her first job!
I was just thinking this morning about how I haven’t been in a hard bra since March 15, and it’ll be an interesting day when I put one on ‘just to see”.
Love Tim and I’m obsessed with Making The Cut. I am happy to see he finally gave in the comfort trap, ha!
I will say I was quite sad to learn I cannot go braless anymore because although I don’t have big boobs, they really hurt when they’re roaming free. Something about the muscles… Anyway I have to have some support.
@Loonaticcap – yeah, I’m not crazy about going braless either, although in my case it’s more about body anxiety, but I have stopped wearing underwires, and it’s the best thing I’ve ever done!
I’ve given up underwire completely, at the advice of my doctor ( I have cyclical breast pain every month). I already wasn’t wearing underwire during that week of pain, but for some reason stopping it completely drastically lessened the pain when it did begin. I don’t understand the science, but I’m super happy with the results. And I have found some good non-wired bras that give me a lift and pretty great cleavage!
Yeah I need the support, especially sitting at my desk working.
But I’m all for comfy clothes. My office is generally pretty casual, if we ever go back, but I’m loving the comfortable clothes aspect of lockdown.
When we first started zoom meetings at work. People were more polished on camera. But after month 3 we were all looking Raggedy Ann & Andy on camera. We all just want to be comfortable and not having to worry about makeup and just throw on a sweatshirt. It is so much more comfortable and conducive to working. Since it’s ridiculous to dress up for a 45 minute video meeting. When the rest of your day is stuck inside seeing no one. Welcome to stained shirt club Tim!
I keep seeing ads for sweatpants and leggings that look like work slacks and I am intrigued… I don’t want to look shluby and frumpy but I’m also so over polyester. I need a soft polycotton blend with some spandex.
I feel you… I can’t just wear anything polyester it’s uncomfortable. I go for pure & natural fibres as much as I can. Anyhow, I understand track pants conceptually yet can’t enjoy the fabric choices.
So now I have pure linen pants that are basically that cut like track pants. It’s of my better choices when COVID-19 panic shopping.
I’ve seen those ads and am intrigued too. I’ve been wearing a lot of causal, shift-style day dresses. They are soft, breezy, I’m not confined and can throw on a cardi or strappy sandals to look relatively put together to grab groceries. It’s like wearing a giant T-shirt all day.
I really got into lounge pants, they are super soft and comfortable and you can get cute prints on Amazon. They can be PJs and look normal enough to go run out an errand. Or just lounge around in. They are light for summer and loose for the quarantine fluffiness.
A friend of mine got them and really loves them. I haven’t tried them yet.
Yeah, I have been looking at Lands End’s stuff because they have comfortable pants that look like normal pants.
LMAO. I, too, love TG very much. I am sure his loungewear pieces are just as great as his regular clothes.
Exactly! You know his comfortable clothes are all beautiful colors and fabrics, with matching robes and slippers. Not like my torn up sweatpants and nearly sheer old Target Halloween t shirt.
My people! Lol I love comfort wear
That’s so funny because I’m a stay at home mom and I used to dress comfortably most of the time and now I would love to get dressed up and wear some cute shoes!!! I can’t wait to wear something non-elastic waist. Makeup, hair, all of it!!
I have been looking at alternatives to traditional American every day clothing, clothing that is more flowing and yet not completely slouchy all the time. I have been looking at the sort of pants you find in India/Pakistan and what they have at Gudron Sjoden. I am planning to build up a wardrobe over time, so that I don’t get too comfortable in my Lands End loose pants.
Linen tunic dresses and cotton no wire bras for me. My one pair of yoga pants needs some new buddies but I’m very particular ad can’t find what I’m looking for:thick fabric, mostly cotton, loose fitting. I’m glad Tim Gunn finally came around to comfort dressing, the ambassador it needed all along.
Yeah, I don’t see “real” bras and makeup making a big comeback for me either. I don’t like the ladies flapping around so I’m a sports bra woman. But a good sports bra and some brow tint have been my summer look.