Ahh, the joys of loungewear! For years I’ve been wearing old sweats around the house, each pair with a story.
Pair 1 I bought at United Colors of Benetton in Rome when I was in 8th grade (I’m turning 32 tomorrow – the 16th – so you do the math).
Pair 2 was Rodrigo’s, the first item of clothing he bought when he crossed the border from Mexico to the US in 2002. I’ve been wearing them since 2007.
Pair 3 I bought when I was working my tail off as a pre-med student at Mills College. Ah, to have short-term memory again!
Pair 4 was my dad’s that he for some reason let me have, most likely to do with a large goober of epoxy glue that will never, and I mean ever, come off.
There are so many memories and meanings attached to these items, and sometimes you need that sense of comfort or nostalgia when you’re getting some r&r around the house.
I Dream of Matching Loungewear…
There are other days when you want actual loungewear, like that matches and doesn’t have a million unidentified stains on it. Something soft, cozy, and *maybe* flattering (although the latter is by far the least important in the arena of lounge, right?).
Lately, I’ve really struggled with some health issues surrounding my TBI – to make a long story short, I’m straight-up TIRED. I love being busy, feeling productive, and having full, packed days, and I haven’t been able to have even a slightly packed day, let alone a packed one, in awhile.
It’s easy to pour on the guilt (who else is great at that?), and I won’t deny that there is a bit of that lurking in the corners of my mind. But instead of pure guilt, I’ve poured my focus (or lack of it, on account of the TBI, haha) on GUILTY PLEASURES.
[The all-caps is really for me, to grind it in there that GUILTY PLEASURES are a-ok.]
That isn’t to say that I ignore my responsibilities, I just give myself a lot more forgiveness when it comes to my taste in extra curricular activities.
… As Part of a Square Diet of Guilty Pleasures
I’ve followed my impulse to partake in a few activities I’d define as guilty pleasures, like watching Murder She Wrote reruns after work while snuggling with Sici and our new kitten, Meowsy Pawlosi. There is usually a Coke Zero involved, and some kind of breakfast cereal.
Another one is investing in loungewear. Yes, you heard me right: it’s an investment, OK?
So what if I bought a matching loungewear set from notorious fast fashion brand Nasty Gal? So what if it is probably made of some iteration of plastic and will never, ever biodegrade? And that when I wear the sweater with the sweatpants, I look like an Ewok? Or that. I also bought a bra and underpants set that matches my matching set and loved it so much that I bought another one?
I get it – this is not ecological or ethically responsible behavior. That being said, may I hazard to comment that if this loungewear outfit lasts as long as any of my current pics (see the Sweatpants Saga above), I won’t be making another such purchase for quite awhile? Does that make it better, or at least, less bad?
And did I mention that this set is soft? Like, REALLY soft?
Ok, I know that doesn’t make it better. Maybe this calls for an investigation into eco-friendly, sustainable loungewear that’s actually cute and not some kind of twist on burlap. Suggestions are appreciated!
love,
Stig.
