There’s a story I heard once, (it may be a complete fabrication, so grains of salt) that the costume designer of Mad Men apparently tells from when they began filming. The takeaway basically boils down to: give yourself time to get accustomed to a new style of clothing.
If you don’t know Mad Men is a TV show that takes place starting in the early 1960s, and going to the early 1970s. The costumes are extraordinary, and were one of the big draws for the show. So for undergarments, we’re talking about girdles and structured supportive garments – they pinch and pull and support your body in very specific ways to create period accurate silhouettes.
Foundational garments that support a 1960s silhouette are very different from the undergarments (if any) that support a 2010s style.
At the beginning of shooting the actors were complaining about their undergarments being uncomfortable. They said they pinched and were tight and uncomfortable, they couldn’t relax, and everything just felt weird.
But a couple seasons in, they grew accustomed to their period specific undergarments. Some actually enjoyed putting on period specific undergarments because it gave them support and structure, helped with their posture, made the clothes fit better, helped them switching into character, etc. (Of course, it also helps that the show spanned a decade and styles, plus the supporting foundational garments, changed over those 10 years.)
But the takeaway for you: take time to get adjusted to a new style of clothing
We often forget that clothes sit on our bodies in intimate ways. And our bodied take time to grow accustomed to anything new. A new workout, a new diet, a new habit, a new clothing style. Remember how odd it feels to put on high-rise or low-rise jeans after years of not?
So next time you’re trying something on and immediately think “oh no! absolutely not!” maybe try a second time a couple days later and see how you feel then, too.
Sometimes it’s still an “absolutely not!” In which case, don’t talk yourself into something that’s not for you. But sometimes we just need a little time to adjust to a new style of clothing before it becomes our new favorite.
If you’re wanting to try a new style but are a little worried, read: Oversized clothes style secrets: when you’re worried trying something new. Or if you’re not sure something is your style, read: What is personal style and how do you find yours?