What she's wearing: not sweatpants

Again with the sweatpants?

What? I'm comfortable.

You know the message you're sending out to the world with these sweatpants? You're telling the world, 'I give up. I can't compete in normal society. I'm miserable, so I might as well be comfortable.' — Jerry and George, Seinfeld, "The Pilot"

As I looked out the window at yet another day of pouring rain, I really wanted to put on some warm, cozy sweats and hunker down. But, not wanting to send the message that I have "given up" (although many more of these stormy days, I just might), I opted for real clothes. I'm a little sick of wearing jeans, but this super rainy weather is not working well with my lightweight spring trousers. My two pair of full-length jeans were in the wash, so I grabbed these cropped ones. It was pouring out, so I dug the thick cable sweater out of my winter drawer, donned the rain boots, and then threw on a hat, necklace and earrings to fight the shlumpy factor. I worked from home on a corporate training presentation, shuttled kids, and went to friend's house for a casual dinner.

• Boring (I mean basic), black v-neck T-shirt (two yars old, JCrew outlet, $10)
• Cozy camel wrap sweater (six years old, Loehmanns, $38)
• Dark wash Levis 515 jeans (two months old, Kohl's, $29.99 sale + $12 to shorten to cropped length)
• Yellow "duck feet" rain boots (one month old, DSW, $55 — pricey, but bought under duress)
• Black "newsboy" cap (two to three years old, Claire's, $10 - originally bought for a 60s theme party)
• Venetian glass pendant added to diamond solitaire necklace ($15 to have pendant made in Venice 12 yrs ago; diamond necklace was gift)
• Thin wire gold hoops (one year old, Target, $30)

Previously worn: pin-striped trousers.

• Meredeth McMahon is a Seattle-based personal-image consultant who writes a regular blog about health, fashion, and attitude. She can be reached at nouveauimage@comcast.net.