Housemates are more than just people you live with, they can be your fashion gurus too.
Getting ready for a night out can be great fun. Especially when you get ready with a group of girlfriends, have your music up loud and there’s plenty of wine! However, crisis is never far away when it comes to creating the perfect look. One minute you’re putting on your funkiest crop top, and then suddenly you’re flinging clothes around your room in a frenzied state of panic because there’s a massive pasta stain on it. Yep, we’ve all been there: the wardrobe whirlwind.
It doesn’t matter how many nice tops you own, sometimes you just hate them all. You’ve worn them too much, they feel too tight or too baggy, and your jeans are starting to fade. BUT FEAR NOT! This is when your housemates enter the equation. I am very lucky to be living with girls who are as happy as I am to share clothes. When my stripy top is not suiting my mood, it looks fantastic on my housemate and in return, I get to enter the realm of her amazing clothing collection. It’s a little bit like being a child in a sweet shop: so many patterns, so many colours, and they all seem so new and fresh.
Sharing clothes with housemates is, in my opinion, not only a really good way to bond with the people you live with, but also a way to experiment with fashion. I’ve tried on various tops and dresses which I wouldn’t consider buying in a shop, and yet have loved it once I looked in the mirror. It allows you to feel new and adventurous, and you don’t have to go out and spend money on a new outfit that you’re bound to be bored off within a few weeks.
However, it is important not to take complete advantage of this mutual generosity and remain considerate towards your friend’s clothes. Without fail, I will always ask my friends before going into their wardrobes, and return anything I borrowed within 24 hours. Even if it’s simply an old jumper, it is given back swiftly. It’s not fun when you really want to wear your favourite pair of jeans but they’re locked in your housemate’s room and she’s gone home for the weekend. It’s a one way ticket for an undercurrent of tension, which is not ideal with someone you’re living with. Additionally, wearing friend’s clothes embodies a whole new level of responsibility, especially on a night out. You have to be extra careful not to ruin it or cause a tear, and if you do, you make sure you sort it out immediately.
But despite these two possible sources of contention, sharing clothes with housemates is the perfect way to enhance a friendship, because not only are you helping each other feel good about yourselves, you’re showing trust and generosity which are important for maintaining healthy relationships.
(Header image: www.femalefirst.co.uk)
(Main image: “Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion”)