Got Finals? Don’t Be Seen in Sweats

If you’re in high school or college, you probably already took or are about to take your finals. And you’re probably thinking, I’ll just throw on my favorite sweats and a t-shirt after rolling out of bed, before heading to those awful testing classrooms. WRONG! I know you want to be comfy when you’re taking a miserable, multiple-hour test; I get that. But you also want to be feeling fresh, awake, and productive in order to do your best on your tests. That’s why I’m lobbying for you to leave the sweats at home and try something a little cuter instead. 😉

For me, waking up and throwing on a really cute outfit can be a total mood changer. It takes me from “zombie mode” to “hey, I can actually get through today.” More so, a good outfit makes me feel confident. I don’t think there’s a single girl out there who doesn’t enjoy feeling pretty, so why not set yourself up for a good day when you know those tests are going to be awful?

What it boils down to is how your clothes make you feel. While you may feel extremely comfy in sweats, you may also feel tired, lazy, and like you’re still in bed (or at least want to be). I know when I put my sweats on, my brain immediately associates them with lazy afternoons on the couch, watching movies. And while I’d love to be doing that this time of year, it’s not conducive to good test taking!

On the other hand, if you put some effort into your outfit and try to feel pretty, you’ll feel better about yourself, more confident, and ready to take on the day’s obstacles. That’s why during AP testing last week and this week, I’ve been putting together extra stylish outfits to set me in the right mood from the moment I wake up.

So now if I’ve convinced you that you shouldn’t wear sweats, you may be wondering about a comfy yet stylish alternative! I’ve been wearing a lot of skirts during my testing. They’re breezy and comfortable for your legs, rather than skinny pants, which might ride up as you’re sitting at a desk for hours. You can still wear a t-shirt to be comfy (or a lace-up shirt like me), but dress it up a bit with sassy shoes or a piece of jewelry. A cotton or t-shirt dress is another great option. I can tell you that my outfit is test-approved comfy because I wore it during a five hour car ride last weekend! And boy, I slept a lot (so you know I was feeling cozy in this look).

Some other things to remember when planning your test-day outfit: I always wear a watch, even if it clashes with my outfit (gasp). Make sure to bring some sort of jacket because the rooms are generally freezing. Tie your hair back—if you’re like me, I want as little distractions as possible during a test, and hair falling in my face while looking down at my paper is pretty annoying.

If you’re feeling super adventurous about your test-day outfit, you could even try wearing something that you generally wouldn’t feel comfortable in on a normal day of school. Here’s why: taking finals probably means you’ll be in the same classroom for a certain number of hours, sitting in the same chair. There’s not that much movement throughout the day, and there aren’t many classmates in that single room. So feel free to experiment! Last week during my tests, I chose to wear heels that I normally wouldn’t wear to school. It worked out fine though because I didn’t have to walk around that much. 🙂 This sort of experimenting is obviously an advanced maneuver, and I only recommend it if you’re feeling super confident about your style and testing already (without the sweats), hehe. 😉

I hope you found this post helpful and inspirational to stop wearing sweats during finals. 😉 I know for me, it really does make a huge difference when I wear a stylish outfit. Thanks for stopping by today!

Miles of smiles,

Grace

Pink Lace-Up Top: JCPenney, $20 // Black Pleather Coat: A.N.A. via JCPenney, $62 // Floral Skirt: Nordstrom Rack, $10 // Sparkly Espadrilles: White Mountain via DSW, $40 // Black and White Sunglasses: Charming Charlie, $7 // Grey Purse: Charming Charlie, $16