This is a staple outfit that you should have in your closet – and no, it’s not a LBD, or a work outfit, it’s a lot more important than that. It’s your every day, go-to, comfy uniform. It’s your best sidekick on long travels, on cozy Netflix nights in, and productive coffee dates.
You all know I’m a huge proponent for comfort and that I hold it as the #1 in anything I do or where. If you’re not comfortable, it shows, and it can ruin your entire look. They say beauty is painful but it doesn’t have to be.
Lately, Toronto has been having some crazy weather. It’s been a mild winter, but even still, trekking through unknown and changing weather can be a hassle. Being comfortable is a huge help to your hustle. And we all know that the beginning of the year is all about the hustle!
A comfy uniform is really up to you to define. I love the idea of it because it helps me to be more creative styling my “sweats” (as it’s commonly categorized as). It doesn’t always just mean sweats though. It could be your favourite bag that transforms from day to night. Comfort is about versatility as much as it is about coziness.
That being said, I have a ton of go-to comfy uniforms. I do have a comfy uniform version for different occasions – for work, for press events, and for photo walks. This outfit here is all about the “cover-all-your-basis” comfy uniform though. It’s good for those long, never ending days, where it’s just one thing after another.
I typically find one overtly comfy piece and begin styling around that to elevate the look. I decide to choose my new favourite, crisp white “Original Overhead – Bright White” cow neck hoodie from Bench Canada as my main comfy uniform piece. It’s oversized (I bought a size Medium instead of a Small so it would be drapy), and is made of probably the softest cotton I’ve ever felt. I love the large middle pocket because it serves as my make shift hand warmer, when I’m dumb enough to think it’s warm enough to skip on gloves.
I layered a neutral coloured, collared button up underneath it just to give it a bit more sophistication. Also, just in case I have a “super business – y” type of meeting. I pull off the hoodie and we’re good to go.
When I’m wearing some really oversized, I find it’s nice to accentuate the other part of my body. So I paired it with a pair of faux-leather leggings (yes, the same one every has from Aritzia, I’m #basic haha).
To really vamp up the outfit, I layered a metallic moto-jacket overtop (also-oversized) and threw on my comfiest heeled boots. I was super inspired by the crisp white of the hoodie that I felt ambitious enough to sport my crisp white boots to. TBH though, I am THE WORST with whites. I always seem to find a way to spill something on myself. Here’s to being ambitious though, right?! I’m teaching myself to learn how NOT to be clumsier than a kindergartener.
To finish the sporty look off, I decided to wear my favourite bag of the season – a backpack. Bench probably makes some of my favourite backpacks in my bag collection. They’re amazing for stuffing to the rim and throwing around. Perfect for the on-the-go city slicker. This one is called the “Ornamentation” bag which just makes me feel like it’s the perfect finishing deco piece to my comfy uniform ensemble 
This knapsack actually doubles as a bucket bag too. So yes, you’re hitting 2 trends with one. BAM!
I ended up taking this look from morning appointments, to a full day at the office, to 2 events in the evening. Yes, I also was doing this via the subway, streetcar, and walks (with distances I definitely misjudged as being “short”).
And I was damn happy that I decided to sport this comfy uniform; because if not, I would’ve probably been the most miserable gal in the town.
Clothes should never make you feel uncomfortable. And your comfy uniform is the number one sidekick backing you on that!
What’s your version of a comfy uniform?
