Borrowed From the Boys: Styling Men's Clothes for Chic Comfort on Flare Days

Flares are the worst. I know them all too well. I've dealt with one myself recently, of the Lyme variety. Good times (that's sarcasm, if you haven't guessed). I wish we could be talking about the other kind of flair, but, here we are. I know more than anyone how soul-crushingly awful they can be. But know this: you're not alone. And we're in this together.

Now, it's totally understandable to have fashion on the back burner when you're feeling completely drained of energy, have migraines that would make a neurologist blush, and insert your other awful flare symptoms here. But after years of feeling crappy but yet stilll needing to leave the house for doctor's appointments, etc.,or entertain company at home, I discovered something. As you know, when you're in a flare, it's hard to leave the couch, never mind put a cute outfit on, even if it's comfortable. I don't know about you, but when I'm in one, all I want to do is wear sweats. As someone who, before I got sick, never left the house without being in full makeup and wardrobe...let's just say that becoming chronically ill meant coming to terms with a lot of things. I fought it for a long time. But when I stopped railing against my limitations, and started embracing them, I realized something. 1. It was okay to dress differently than I used to. 2. I could pivot, style what felt good and still look cute, even if I felt anything but. This required thinking outside the box. Way outside. But you know what they say: necessity is the mother of invention.

Now, I'm not unearthing anything super original here. But hopefully these tweaks and tips will help you as much as they help me. Now on to my discovery.

When I'm in a flare, I find incorporating men's clothing - sweats especially - into the mix is extremely helpful. I don't know why, but their clothes feel so much more comfortable. Like wearing a hug. And nobody deserves one more than us! So it may be sacrelidge to say this, but when I'm in a flare, I'm also in men's clothes, in some way, shape or form. I discovered this early on, since I have a big brother who has always been generous with his clothes, even now that we're both adults. I've been known to "borrow" a pair of his sweatpants or sweatshirt on many occasions throughout the years. And he's always generously obliged. Have I mentioned that he's the best? Anyway, when chronic illness hit, I realized there were ways to style the blissful comfort of men's leisure clothing into outfits that us gals can rock harder than ever. Forget cozy chic. This is stylishly plush.

Men's sweatpants

Let's face it. Men's sweatpants are unbelievably comfortable. But if you want to wear a pair out, there's a way to do so without looking like you just rolled out of bed. Now, men's sweatpants are going to be big on us. That's what we're looking for when our bodies are railing. But we can use that bagginess to our advantage. Men's pants typically feature a higher rise and have more room in the hip and thigh area. So I use the extra height and slack in the waist of the sweatpants by pulling them up and wearing them as such - high-waisted. My favorite brands are Under Armour and Champion. I found super comfortable, fitted, long sleeve tees from Wal-Mart (in the women's section) that are incredibly soft, and come in a variety of colors and prints, meaning you have endless styling options. So when I'm flaring, I wear one of the long sleeve tees tucked into the men's sweatpants with sneakers or Ugg slides, and both my body and fashion sense are more than satisfied.

Men's crewneck sweatshirt

I love a good hoodie as much as the next person, but, especially when I'm in a flare, I need to be unencumbered. I find hoodies to be too restrictive, especially around the collar area. So a men's creweck sweatshirt is the perfect option. The baggier, the better. Champion makes sweatshirts with their signature logo on them, and the inside is blissfully soft. But my favorite sweatshirt to wear when I'm flaring is one I "borrowed," that was probably worn a million times before I got it. Its an old-school Gildan military PT sweatshirt. That thing has been with me through everything. Infusions, physical therapy, doctor's visits, travels to see specialists...its my emotional support sweatshirt. We all need one. Something that comforts us the instant we put it on. I wear it with my most comfortable leggings. Feel free to pair it with whatever shoe is most comfortable; I usually wear mine with sneakers or Ugg Disquettes. It gives that boyfriend chic vibe that I think is super fab. Your body will thank you, too.

Men's Flannel

I've written about this in another post, but it bears repeating. Most, if not all, of the flannel shirts I own are men's. They are extra soft and slouchy, and can be styled in a variety of ways that come in handy when you're feeling lousy. You can wear it as an oversized alternative to a cardigan, over a loose t-shirt with leggings. Or over a long or short sleeved tee with a more fitted pair of sweatpants. You can also wear it over a comfortable jersey dress, or as a jacket/outerwear.

Men's socks

Even the smaller details can have a big impact. If you're hanging around the house, and your feet are always cold (like mine), men's socks are a wonderful option. Again, because they're men's, they have extra room, which is perfect for feet that are cold, sore, swollen, etc. And they are, naturally, super comfortable, too.

Basically, when it comes to wearing men's clothes, the golden rule is proportions. If you're wearing a men's top, balance it out with more fitted bottoms, and vice versa. That way you'll stay on the streetwear/boyfriend chic side of things. And as far as being in a flare is concerned, just surround yourself with comfort, both in clothing and lifestyle-wise, too. You deserve it. And you'll get through this.