Happy Friday, sweet gal! Today I am here to solve one of your biggest problems…she said, tongue in cheek. Recently my husband passed on to me an article he had read from Fox News stating that choosing what to wear out to eat is actually stressing out half of America.
Here’s an excerpt from the article my husband passed on to me:
While going out to eat might seem like a simple way to enjoy a great meal with good company, a new study reveals that the entire dining out process, from choosing where to eat and what to wear, is actually quite stressful.
A poll of 2,000 Americans, conducted by OnePoll on behalf of personal styling service Trunk Club, discovered that 65 percent of those surveyed felt overwhelmed when choosing what outfit to wear to a restaurant. Additionally, a third of those studied believed that choosing what to wear is more difficult than deciding where to eat.”
( By Zoya Gervis at FoxNews.com)
Gervis goes on to say that most Americans waste a lot of time staring into their closets full of clothes trying to figure out what to wear, many trying on over half of the contents in an effort to put together a stylish outfit for a simple lunch or dinner out. I’ve been there. What about you?
So what exactly is the struggle about?
- Some are concerned about spilling something on their clothing, so they choose accordingly. In fact, I have a friend who wears a particular pair of old jeans every time she goes to a movie for that very reason.
- Thirty-three percent of those surveyed feel like their friends are more stylish than they are and want to choose something to look on par.
- And 30% don’t really like anything in their closets to begin with.
In fact, about 25% of the people surveyed admitted to passing on invitations out because they couldn’t figure out what to wear. Gals! Surely that’s not us!
I’ll admit, some nights I’m just so grateful to go out to eat that I don’t even care what I wear. Ha! But often I do like to put a little extra thought into what I’m wearing to a restaurant. In fact, going out to eat is a good reason for me to wear something beyond leggings and a sweat shirt!
So I’ve put a little thought into this conundrum and come up with a few tips for choosing what to wear out to eat (if you need them).
- Steer clear of clothing that will get in the way of eating – neck scarves, bell sleeves, tie necks, etc.
- Wear a pretty color near your face since your dinner partners will be seeing you from the chest up most of the evening.
- Wear or carry along a jacket or cardigan that is optional to your outfit so you can adjust according to the temperature of your environment.
- Wear something that is both comfortable and flattering, but gone are the days when you need to dress to the nines for a casual lunch or dinner out.
- Add pretty earrings for some sparkle around your face.
- As a rule of thumb, it’s actually better to be a little under-dressed rather than over-dressed, but in a sophisticated, put together sort of way. To achieve that balance, wear something simple and understated and then add a structured top piece such as a blazer.
- Whatever you wear, put it on and forget about it! Going out to eat ceases being about what you’re wearing and becomes more about engaging around the table the minute you leave your dressing area. Put on a smile and focus on enjoying the food and your companions above all else.
Buon appetito!
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Blessed for My Day
I have a relationship with the God of this universe, the Creator of my being and my soul. That amazes me! If I slow down my activity and calm the emotions that stir in my heart, I can actually feel His presence. And if I shut out the voices of the world and open the pages of His Word, I can actually hear His voice speak to me.
More amazingly, when I do feel His presence and hear His voice, God is loving and kind and gracious to me. While He often points out the err of my ways or convicts my heart of faulty motives, He is always patient and gentle and for me, not against me. How can this be? The only reason I can have this amazing relationship with the Creator God is because His Son, Jesus, paid the price for my sins and brought me into a right relationship with our Holy God. Today, let’s be thankful for the price Jesus paid on our behalf.
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit. ~ 1 Peter 3:18
A blazer (or cardigan) and top with jeans is pretty much my “go to” outfit to go out to eat. Ha.
I’m glad your father is doing better. And I’m glad you were there when this took place. Isn’t it amazing how God has us at the right place at the right time?
I appreciate how hard you work to bring us posts but certainly your family comes first so don’t ever feel bad about that. ❤️
May God grant you safe travels home.
Thanks so much Gina. I was pretty well prepared to write up the posts easily but the gift guides require a bit more research and time, so I didn’t even try. Thanks for your kind words. ☺️
I’m thankful that your Daddy is on the road to recovery. And I’m glad you & James were able to be with your parents. God is good! I was amazed to read about the level of stress Americans put on themselves over eating out. I love your ideas about thinking through the logistics and comfort level of what we wear, yet looking stylish. It’s good to remind ourselves that our friends want to be with “us”, not our outfit! I’m just wondering out loud here, but could it be many stress because our society has become programmed to present our lives to be complete perfection on social media, therefore, face to face engagements are stressful in order to keep up with the “perfect life”? Please don’t stress about getting a post out tomorrow and have safe travels home. Be blessed!
I don’t know if it just my computer, but I tried several times to use the link in your email and it kept coming up “page not found.” I just went to your blog directly. This is a great outfit with great tips on eating out! Thanks Kay. Praying now that your father heals completely.
I had the same problem with link, but found it directly. Thanks for the tips, Kay. So glad your father is recovering.
Good morning Kay,
Thankful to hear your father is on the mend. God knew the timing to have you right where you belonged when he became ill. I’m certain your presence was a comfort to your parents. Take all the time you need returning to your posts. We will all be here when you are ready!
This post spoke to me for sure. Ever since the creation of Pinterest, I ruminate over what to wear all the time. In fact, this Sunday right after church, my kids are taking us out for dinner to celebrate my birthday. So I’m the one standing in my closet staring at everything wondering what to wear. Thanks for the reminder it doesn’t really matter as long as I’m smiling and enjoying their kindness and company.
A blessed day to you.
I also could not connect with the link in the email. Just went to your homepage. So sorry to hear your dad has been ill but grateful he’s on the mend. I recently went to lunch with a friend and a stranger came up and complimented me on my outfit. Guess I got it right but I was in my closet the night before stressing. Thanks for even getting a post done today. You know we would understand if you didn’t. Safe travels home. ?
Prayers for your dad’s healing and strength. Be sure to take some “self-care” also.
Also, I love the ease and classiness of today’s outfit!
I’m glad your dad is doing better. It’s scary when our parents are ill. I’m not sure the results of that Trunk Club sponsored poll reflect what I see around me in the NYC metro area. My husband and I waited for a table at a restaurant last Sunday night, and almost everyone entering the restaurant wore jeans, sneakers, and a black casual jacket. Nobody looked remotely fashionable or like they had thought twice about their outfit. My cynical side thinks Trunk Club probably worded the questions on the poll so that the answers would reflect the results they wanted–that people need to use their service so they won’t be so stressed out about what to wear, haha.
Oh I’m pretty sure you’re right about that Terri. Hahaha!
I’m so sorry your dad was ill but I’m glad he is doing better! It is SO stressful to see our parents struggling with health issues – but what a blessing to be there to be a help and a comfort!
God puts us where we are needed, I believe. This is a pretty look. I can usually do the block version of a Tee and jeans, add a jacket, maybe a necklace or scarf, and go go just about anywhere,. I love this green sweater.
So glad your Dad is doing better. God is so good to us! Thanks for the message and reminder of how good He is to us.