3 Reasons You Feel Uncomfortable in Your Clothes and What You Can Do

Feeling uncomfortable in the clothes they wear is an issue that has plagued all women at some point or another. There are countless reasons for it, but one thing is for certain—none of them are your fault. Discomfort is subjective, but fortunately there are ways to lessen it without throwing out half the contents of your closet and springing for a whole new wardrobe. Below are a few common reasons why you might not enjoy how your clothes feel on you and what you can do to remedy the situation.

They Don’t Fit Correctly

Improper fit is by far the number one reason why you may not feel comfortable in your clothes. It can be caused by any number of things, but the most common culprit is vanity sizing, a widespread practice among many clothing brands that has made it nearly impossible for women to find clothes in their size when out shopping. 

Vanity sizing, put simply, is metrics manipulation. It is the result of brands trying to appeal to consumers by making them feel skinnier through the labels they affix to their pieces, even if those labels do not follow any discernible nominal standards. Making matters worse is the fact that the physical sizes of clothing can vary from store to store: a medium-sized top in one shop can be a size small in another, and so on. 

The good news is that there are a few ways to combat vanity sizing and get clothes that actually fit. Ignoring the labels entirely and making an effort to actually fit clothes before purchasing them can help immensely. When shopping for garments online, it’s best to consult the provided size guide for the piece’s measurements instead of relying on the given size. You can also bring your clothes to a tailor and have them altered to fit you perfectly. 

Barring all of that, you can also wear clothes that aren’t necessarily bound by sizing. Wearing leggings in place of regular pants is a great way to cover up on cooler days. Because these are usually made with more flexible fabrics, they’ll simply adhere to the shape of your legs. Leaning into the oversized clothing trend is also an excellent way to be more comfortable. Looser clothing tends to feel better than ones that are tight and restrictive. 

The Materials Don’t Feel Good

Though clothes are made of all kinds of fabrics, not all of them feel good against the skin. It could be that the climate where you are makes the handfeel of the fabric less comfortable, or you may have an oversensitivity to certain textures. Either way, wearing clothes made of materials that make you feel itchy or scratchy are a recipe for certain discomfort. 

You can manage the issue by taking note of which fabrics and materials your skin especially doesn’t agree with. For example, wool can trigger flare-ups of the skin condition eczema, but it can also irritate normal skin. Certain synthetics such as nylon and polyester are also often heavily treated with chemicals, which can likewise be irritating. Aside from that, synthetic fabrics aren’t usually the most breathable, which can create the ideal conditions for bacterial growth, thus causing itching. Finally, wrinkle-resistant pieces may save you from having to iron or steam them, but the fabrics used in these garments are usually treated with solutions that can also trigger some skin allergies. 

Once you have an idea of which materials irritate your skin, you can start avoiding them. It’s also a good idea to shop for pieces made with soft natural fabrics that are specifically not treated with a lot of chemicals. They are likely to be more skin-friendly.

You’re Not Wearing the Right Underwear

It may come as a surprise, but what you wear underneath your clothes can have an effect on how comfortable you feel in them. These are the garments that sit right next to your skin, after all. If they don’t feel right, the entire outfit won’t. 

One sign that you’re not wearing the right underwear is bagginess and sagging, which might mean that the garment is old or simply doesn’t fit properly. The garment may also feel itchy and are making you scratch yourself unconsciously all the time, or they’re leaving welts in your skin from being too tight. Underwear that isn’t supportive can also contribute to your discomfort. 

Fix the issue by getting yourself properly sized when you shop for underwear. You should be able to fit two fingers between your skin and the band of your bra, and no part of it should ever cut into your skin. Panties should fit around the waist and hips comfortably, with elastics that are firm, but not too tight. They shouldn’t bunch, roll, or sag, either. The most comfortable underwear is made out of cotton, though you might want to consider other natural materials such as bamboo, which will stay cool and comfortable even after being worn for a long time. 

There simply is no good reason to endure uncomfortable clothing. When something doesn’t feel good, don’t be afraid of getting rid of it. Chances are, the discomfort won’t make you any more inclined to wear it even when you tell yourself you will. Avoid uncomfortable clothing by identifying the reasons why they don’t make you happy, and then remedy the issue accordingly.