Sometimes, a piece in your wardrobe surprises you.
You’ve associated it with one feeling — maybe lazy, maybe messy, maybe uninspired. And then one day, something shifts. You see it in a new light. You feel different in it.
The coolest thing to realize is: it’s not the garment that changed. It’s you.
For a while now, I’ve considered these black parachute pants my “bad day” pants. They were the pants I wore when I didn’t want to be seen, when I wanted to disappear into something oversized and forgiving.
But then I ended up packing them for my trip to Scotland last month — and something changed. (By the way, I shared everything I packed on YouTube last week.) Away from home, out of my normal routine, it was as if something unlocked. The new context made me see how much I loved that they took up so much space — not so I could disappear into it, but so I could energetically inhabit that space and feel expansive.
And when I came home? I brought that energy back with me. The same pants, now with a renewed meaning. No longer hiding. Now, power pants. Still baggy, still black, but now they feel like they’re helping me take up space, not shrink in it.
That’s the thing about how we feel in our clothes — our feelings about them shift as we shift. What once felt like armor might become an exclamation point. What once felt like a backup piece might become the main character.
So don’t be surprised if something you’ve written off becomes something you wear on repeat. And if it does? That’s not inconsistency. That’s evolution.
Have you had this experience with any items in your wardrobe lately? I’d love to hear about it!
OUTFIT DETAILS
(If you see something you like, you can shop it and support my blog at the same time by using the affiliate links throughout this post.)
Old Aritzia Stunt Parachute Pants | Similar: Levi’s Baggy Parachute Pants
Old Roxy Flip Flops | Similar: Reformation Onyx Sandal & Gap Vegan Leather Flip Flops
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I haven’t experienced this shifting of feelings towards clothes, so far, but who knows? Maybe it will happen to me someday. Loved your video about packing for your trip to Scotland, by the way. The idea of defining 3 scenarios, building 3 outfits, then adding clothes that would be nice options for these scenarios is game-changing! I will try this next summer.
Caroline!
Love the video! You are simply amazing! I’ve been following your UnFancy blog and even had a sessions with you – which I highly recommend to everyone! Loved the YouTube video and hope to see you more there.
Loved your YouTube packing video + the 3 outfits/with add-ons is such a great idea! I plan to use it for upcoming trips. You have the best ideas, I still use your method of packing from years ago of writing down the activities/weather to start with. Your ideas become ingrained and stick with me for years to come so I know this one will to. :) I have some similar pants to these I always think of as hiking or climbing pants but am inspired to try them in new ways, as I love the outfits you’ve shown with them. Any other ideas for non-athletic occasions in these pants?