The Pajamafication of Style

Have you noticed that there is less and less style out there? Where are the people with style? Why is every one out there walking around in some kind of co-opted sleep or athletic wear when they are neither sleeping nor athletic? Why? My two favorite fashion snobs recently referred to it as the pajamafication of America. In other words. People are trying to make laziness and apathy seem like a style, but it's not.  

Everywhere I go everyone looks the same. No matter the weather; no matter the occasion.  The dress code in this country is: Ultra (almost shamefully) Casual.  I went to a funeral a few weeks ago and was surprised to be the only one  not just wearing black, but dressed up in any way.  I've been to a few weddings like that too.  Church? Check.  Holidays? Check.  Work? School?  A nice dinner out? Check, check, and check.  No one dresses up for anything and that stinks, because it's not an income issue; it's an effort issue.  

Not only does no one dress up, no one dresses out.  No one dresses differently from anyone else anymore either.  Where are the rockabillies, the punks, the mods and twees?  Where are the goths, steampunks, cowboys, and skaters?  Coquettes, preppies, anyone? Where are all the new fashion groups people are inventing?  Where is anyone wearing anything other than disgusting athlesiure or sloppy jeans and tees?  I'm going to say this again because it bears repeating: Finances are not the explanation.  Creativity and effort are free.  A lot of the very best fashion niches were based on having no money and still creating outfits that had maximum self expression.  

Where'd they all go?  And, not on social media, it's easy enough to fake style there.  Where are the fashion subcultures, the interesting, self expressive people in real life?  I'm beyond bored with jeans, t shirts, athleisure slop and the complete lack of effort that goes into wearing them.  (Although, I will say that it's much more physically demanding to wiggle into stretchy pants than it is to just slip on a dress, so the effort saved is mainly...mental? spiritual?)  If you see the any of the niches that used to say I am me, I'm unique, and I want to I express it, will you tell them I'm looking for them, because I really miss them.

Outfit Info:  Bernie Dexter Polka Dot Dress and Petticoat are thrifted, Bag is vintage, YeMak Sweater, B.A.I.T. Heels

Times I Walked Away

Since my previous post was about highlighting my spending struggles, I thought it only fair to be transparent and discuss victories too.  I've been watching budgeting content in an effort to keep me motivated in 2026 and one habit that I decided to put into practice is: keeping a list of the times I walked away. It may sound strange, but writing down all the times I wanted to buy something and walked away instead (please note that today's photos are from a time I definitely did not walk away, but rather found a dress that has always been very pricey, even thrifted, for under $35) has really helped me to see that how far I have come at gaining self control and using discretion on my purchases. I've gone from constant impulse buys in every category to just the necessities in every area except clothes, and even then frequently walking away from things that just aren't worth it to me, no matter how low the price drops. 

 Rather than only looking at the totals for all the things I bought in a week or a month, which can feel like a tally of my failures, I can look at this list of all the things I didn't buy and see my successes as well.  For example, over Memorial Day weekend (you know, for the sales) I had a number of items in various carts.  Looking at just this thing here or there it didn't seem like a lot, but rather than immediately buying, I prepared my carts, looked at the total of everything together, and then waited until Sunday evening to purchase.  During that time I realized I didn't want to spend that much money.  I removed all the items I was buying just because it was a "bargain" and not because I really loved it.  I whittled a couple of carts down to half their contents, and the others I deleted altogether.   

In a more recent example, I needed, actually needed, some walking shoes.  They're a performance item and I found a pair with great reviews and had worn a pair in the past that I loved.  I went to buy, and found a great promo code...that only worked if I bought 2 or more pairs.  The shoes were originally $110.  If I used a promo code, it took two pairs down to $70 each.  But then I'd end up spending $140 and did I really need two pairs of walking shoes?  I thought long and hard, even asked a friend for advice on whether this was a good deal or just a gimmick.  In the end?  I found a NIB pair for $30 on a thrift site.  So, it was a win all around.

If I were to just look at the total spent on an ever continuing tally, it might not feel like a win.  But, if I look at how much I intended to spend and then didn't, combined with the fact that I had been waiting for this sale for weeks, delaying purchases to try to get a better bargain, and then took 3 days to think it through before buying, it seems like a total win.  Taking time to record the things I didn't buy or found at a bargain price is a great reminder of the fact that not only do I have will power and self-control, but I actually use them more often than I give myself credit for and that is a far better motivator to keep going than guilt and shame will ever be.

Outfit Info:  Anthropologie Maeve Star Turn Dress, YeMak Cardi, Amazon Flats

Second Hand Business

As much as I love my novelty prints, they're not always appropriate for work.  But, just because things have to be a little less whimsical and a little more geometrical doesn't mean that doesn't mean you can't get creative with your style though in the workplace.  I'm a big fan of print mixing, but for today's outfit I thought I'd take two similar polka dot prints and just mix up the colors instead.  The result?  Something timeless and perfect for the office.

Outfit Info: Skirt and Top are thrifted from Poshmark, Bag is from Ecosusi, Watch is vintage, Shoes are from B.A.I.T.

Chambray and Polka Dots

    Ok, so Memorial Day rolled around and I hit a few of the sales a little harder than I should have.  Honestly I don't know why I spend money any other time of year besides Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Black Friday because those are the best sales and the best time to get the pieces I love at a small fraction of the price.

    This olive green polka dot dress from Unique Vintage is something I've been watching and waiting to go on sale for a while and I knew it was finally time.  And since I'm trying to step out of my comfort zone a little, I thought I'd style it with a tied waist chambray shirt and matching VIVAIA ballet flats instead of my usual cardigan. 

    Since purchasing in May, I have worn this dress, actually this exact outfit, about half a dozen times already.  It's been great for work and fun and although I could never give up my cardis entirely, I'm thinking I really need to rock this tied shirt look more often.

Outfit Info:  Olive Green Polka Dot Dress from Unique Vintage, chambray shirt is old, Flats from VIVAIA

Dropped Dots

The year was 2016 and Anthropologie was a very new brand in my thrifting repetoire.  I found this Dropped Dots dress on ThredUp and purchased it for a song.  See how I styled it here for a more in-depth post with lots of pics or keep scrolling for just the highlights.  Dresses like this one made me a fast and firm devotee of Anthro pieces.  Nearly a decade later I actually swapped this dress for one that was the correct size and I love it even more now.  This dress is still in my wardrobe, just as lovely as ever and I still thrift Anthropologie because they really have been a very flattering and quality brand.

2016

2025

Outfit Info:  Dropped Dots Dress is thrifted, Shoes and bag are from SheIn