The Intersection of Comfort and Work-Appropriate

So I'm reading this hilarious article on the New York Times today, which ponders "Is It O.K. to Wear Yoga Pants to Work?"

Then I stop laughing in my tracks. I guess some folks believe this is perfectly acceptable. Just look at one of the women being discussed in the article, Ms. Greenky Herz. I definitely couldn't take my eyes away from her figure trying to pinpoint ripples and soft spots.

There's tights and leggings, and then there's Yoga pants, people. Seriously. There's a huge difference.

It just comes down to yoga pants being too skin tight of an apparel choice for the workplace. I have been guilty myself, of wearing J Jill's WearEver wide leg pants at work, on occasion. But not without the accompanying guilt. I always feel way more casual than I should when I do don them. So I guess I'm one to talk, right?

But this yoga pants at work thing, it's just another reincarnation of that old sweatpants argument. Why are Americans so comfort-driven (obsessed even) that they lose all dignity and style on their way out the door?

Remember those girls who never take off their flip flops, or more likely these days, their Ugg boots? *shiver*

Why don't we demand more out of apparel designers and textile manufacturers if properly tailored clothes are that uncomfortable or inconvenient to wear? Or why don't we just adjust our attitude and dress up more, like they do in Europe? Why, why, why.

All I know is, I'm going to be more judicious when I chose to wear my J Jill WearEver pants. And...oh, yeah. There's still no way in hell you'll ever catch me in Pink-branded sweats. Or Juicy leisure suits. No siree.