Monday, October 24, 2011

Inside and Out

A very dear friend has recently introduced me to the idea of inside clothes and I have embraced it wholeheartedly.

The idea of different clothes for different things isn't a completely new idea.  Growing up, we had a strict dress code that required dress clothes--longer skirts or dress pants, nice shoes, blouses...  So every day, coming home, we put on play clothes--standard jeans, t-shirts, tennis shoes.  My parents also changed when they came home.  Ties exchanged in favor of Periodic Table shirts, pantyhose shed for socks and sneakers.  But it was never clothes only meant for inside, not to be seen by others outside your family.

The idea of inside clothes is completely different than simply having dress clothes vs play clothes.  Inside clothes are lounge clothes--soft shirts, knit pants.  Not sleepwear, exactly, but not something you'd wear out in public.  Only those closest to you get to see your inside clothes.  Inside clothes are your private persona, your most intimate wear.

I've dug out some old comfortable clothes (as well as purchasing some new ones).  As soon as I get home, I put on my inside clothes to vacuum, cook, nap, paint, play or write.  If I go out to run an errand, I change--even if it's changing into casual clothes.  When I get return home, I immediately put my inside clothes back on.  I wear inside clothes several days in a row before washing them.  Who cares if they smell like last night's dinner?

I like the idea of inside and outside.  A public me and a private me, a comfortable persona that exists underneath the skirts and high heels of the office.  I do often think of clothes as a form of protection.  I dress a certain way to invoke a certain image, but every so often, it's good to remember just me.  To shed that external skin of appearance and take a deep breath to just exhale.    The inside me in my inside clothes can relax enough to know just where I am at this moment in time, even if it's in lounge pants.


4 comments:

That gentleman's lady said...

I used to having those while growing up. Inside and outside clothes.

Interesting thoughts though. Not everyone sees the inside clothes of my soul. Just a special few :)

Here's to hoping you keep remembering just you.

Carol Willette Bachofner said...

I too have inside clothes. It is very comforting to know that one doesn't have to be all trussed up and "public" all the time. I also reject shoes for inside activities. I find this to be kinder to my feet and also to the carpets.

Mei said...

I have "inside" clothes also. Since coming to Japan, I have discovered there is also a private part of the house. There is the house all may see. But there is another that only family and those very close may see.

I believe that is the portion of the house I should wear my inside
clothes. :)

PJ, Minnesota said...

I know this is an old post, but I found it accidentally, and had to comment. The first thing I do when I go home is change into my inside clothes. They're so comfortable! One of my office friends sometimes says "I can't wait to go home and put on my eating clothes." I think we all have those. In the fall, I have favorite soft "after bath" clothes. It's so comforting! I'd die if anyone came to the door, though.
Nice blog. Interesting reading!