[stolen_innocence08]

I dont know why I panic so much about going to T and what to wear, lol.
It's summer here and I was wondering how appropriate it is to get legs out on display in T? I have quite ugly looking legs and have cellelute, but im getting too hot for tights and think why should i hide.
I know if I went bare legged I'd feel terribly uncomfortable and it would be commented on as what i look like or dress like is always commented on so it feels.

[Waterbear]

I worry about it too and get over the issue by wearung exactly the same every week. I have a different t shirt on under my fleece but apart from that it is always the same. Problem is as you say, summer is coming up and it is getting too hot to wear the fleece. I feel too exposed in just a t shirt though. I know I am going to have to do something soon, I just don't know what.

I have always just worn whatever clothes I was wearing that day anyway. When I worked I went in my work clothes, now I don't work I just wear jeans, tshirt and cardigan/hoodie. Just wear whatever you feel comfortable in...I don't think it really matters.

[laxer12]

I always overthink what I wear to T. When I first started going I was pretty depressed and didn't care so much but now I always try to match and wear clothes that are a little nicer. I do dress comfortably though...Athletic shorts and a nicer t-shirt/sweatshirt are common for me.

One thing that I struggle with is if I'm just wearing a t-shirt, it needs to be a color that won't show sweat marks...I feel like I'm worrying about it too much but when I get frustrated or upset I'll put my hands on my head and I don't want to show off armpit sweat marks to T...I try not to wear a black t-shirt every time I go, but it's hard not to when I'm worried about this. Another option is a sweatshirt but I live in Texas so it's weird to wear a sweatshirt during the time between late spring and early fall. Plus, it just makes me hot in session.

I think it's important for you to feel comfortable in T so if that means you wear shorts or a dress, I think it's completely okay. Your T isn't (or at least shouldn't) judge you based on what your legs look like or what you wear. We are usually much more critical of our own bodies than we are of other people's. Plus, T is the one place where we shouldn't have to hide anything. I say go for it!

[runlola72]

I don't ever want to look like I put too much thought into how I look. I'm worried he might think I like him, and there is a waxing and waning attraction there that I'd like to snuff out. I show up in jeans usually, with a baggy sweatshirt. I clean up pretty nice when I want to, but I'd rather not go there with him.

[ruh roh]

Originally Posted by stolen_innocence08

I know if I went bare legged I'd feel terribly uncomfortable and it would be commented on as what i look like or dress like is always commented on so it feels.

Do you feel you can tell him to not comment or look at your clothing the next time he calls attention to the way you look? I did that with a pdoc who kept scanning me from top to bottom the first visit. I said, Stop looking at my body. She was uncomfortable enough to keep her eyes on my face after that. As far as I'm concerned, they don't get to do that.

[CyclingPsych]

I always felt awkward since I am a girl, and he is a guy. I use to dress up in jeans, a nice tshirt, etc the first few visits. Now I just wear sweatpants, tanktop, or shorts and a tanktop or Tshirt. I am 20 if that makes a difference.

During the school year, I just went in whatever I happened to be teaching in that day. No time to give it any thought. In the summers, it was usually whatever I was comfortable and was presentable for the general public -- generally shorts or capris. I figure whatever is presentable for the general public is good enough for him.

[ScarletPimpernel]

I wear whatever I want. Don't think T minds. I know she pays attention to my clothes because she commented on them when I wore more color. But I'm already in shorts. Summers are miserable in my T's office. Her AC is wonky. So it sometimes turns the heat on! I'm already sweating in Ts office. So embarrassing!

The more attraction I feel towards my T the worse I dress. I have looked almost homeless some sessions.

i dont care what people think of me or what i wear. I was on the beach in a swimsuit with my t. didnt matter to me.

[nottrustin]

for the most part I see T shortly after leaving work so I wear what I wore to work which is typically a dress/skirt or dress pants. When I am not coming from work I tend to dress up to some degree still. I have worn dress shorts with a dress shirt. I think I have worn jeans once or twice but always with a dressier shirt. The reason I do is I know that often practitioners look at ones appearance is assessing how a patient/ client is doing. I want them to figure out how I am doing based upon our conversations rather than my appearance

[LonesomeTonight]

For my T, I try to look somewhat fashionable/pulled together, because she's very stylish. And I've told her I care about my appearance, so if I showed up looking a mess, she'd probably assume I'm in a bad place. With marriage counselor, because of the transference (which my H is aware of), I do my best not to wear anything particularly revealing (I totally just mistyped "anything" as "anythong," so do with that what you will...). But I don't want to look like a mess either. With p-doc, I mainly try to appear pulled-together, especially when I was hoping she'd prescribe me Ativan on an as-needed basis (she did about a month ago, and I have yet to take one, for the record).

[JustShakey]

I usually wear a tank top and jeans - that's what I wear most of the time anyway. I would wear shorts in the summer, but then I couldn't put my legs up on the chair like I always do, so I stick to jeans.

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[MobiusPsyche]

I wear jeans and a shirt. The shirt is always clean. Of course that's what I typically wear to work, too, although with slightly dressier shirts.

[scorpiosis37]

I've gone to T in everything from gym clothes to dressy jeans & a blouse to business attire. I just wear whatever I'm wearing that day. When we were discussing body image (right before my trip to the Bahamas), I even brought in the swimsuit I bought and changed into it just long enough for her to see it (and then changed back).

If you're self-conscious but still want to dress for summer weather, why not wear a light flowy mid-length skirt or longer shorts or capris? I don't personally like "short shorts" so I usually wear skirts, captis, or mid-thigh jeans shorts in the summer.

[junkDNA]

I wear pants and t shirts. Sometimes flannels over t shirts. My shirts are usually baggy bc I think I'm the fattest person on planet earth some days.

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[Bipolar Warrior]

Originally Posted by nottrustin

for the most part I see T shortly after leaving work so I wear what I wore to work which is typically a dress/skirt or dress pants. When I am not coming from work I tend to dress up to some degree still. I have worn dress shorts with a dress shirt. I think I have worn jeans once or twice but always with a dressier shirt. The reason I do is I know that often practitioners look at ones appearance is assessing how a patient/ client is doing. I want them to figure out how I am doing based upon our conversations rather than my appearance

This. I recently started to suspect that the psychiatrists I've seen over the years have misjudged my mental/emotional state based on the fact that I "present well", especially as they always put that in the appointment summaries they send to my GP. I have copies of some of these letters, and I think that is unreasonable, because there could be any number of reasons why a person looks put together on the outside. For example, I dress well as an attempt to make up for how much I hate my face, and I can spend anywhere up to an hour just trying to make my skin look somewhat smooth and putting mineral foundation on to cover it up. If I didn't do this, I would not be able to leave my flat. Not even just to pop over to the nearby shop.

OP, I hate my legs when they are bare as well, so I always wear black tights, even in the summer. No matter how hot it is. I don't think it's too bad, as the material is very thin, and it makes my legs look longer and slimmer with a pair of high heels (I always wear shoes with heels). I'm also really self-conscious about my arms, and always cover them up with a cardigan with elbow-long sleeves. I mostly wear dresses or skirts, sometimes shorts but still with black tights, and only occasionally do I wear skinny jeans with a nice top or something, with a pair of ankle boots. With a dress I will usually wear a belt around my waist, as my waist is quite small; anything to show off those parts of my body that I don't hate. (I do sometimes get quite hot, though, as a result of my high metabolism. Bloody nuisance, that thing.)

I often wish I could just peel my entire face off and replace it with a paper bag.

Anyway, I dress the same no matter where I am going. I think you should just wear whatever you feel like wearing; whatever makes you feel comfortable. OP, does your therapist comment on your appearance? Because I thought they weren't supposed to do that. At least that's what my university therapist told me, that therapists aren't supposed to talk about a client's appearance unless the client brings it up themselves. If yours does make a comment, could you just ask them to stop? That's not something you should have to worry about. In general, you should not have to worry about being judged by a therapist. I can see why you would, though, as I, too, worry about being judged, no matter where I go or who I see.

[nottrustin]

Originally Posted by Bipolar Warrior

g.

Anyway, I dress the same no matter where I am going. I think you should just wear whatever you feel like wearing; whatever makes you feel comfortable. Does your therapist comment on your appearance? Because I thought they weren't supposed to do that. At least that's what my university therapist told me, that therapists aren't supposed to talk about a client's appearance unless the client brings it up themselves. If yours does make a comment, could you just ask them to stop? That's not something you should have to worry about. In general, you should not have to worry about being judged by a therapist. I can see why you would, though, as I, too, worry about being judged, no matter where I go or who I see.

She has mentioned a couple of times really liking something I am wearing. She has also made comments about liking the color I am wearing on me. Both of these only started after we had been working together for a few years.

As far as the judging, I know T doesn't really care about what I wear. She really isn't a clothes person. I work in pscyh and know that often times ones appearance is one indicator of how one is doing. I know they assess ones body language, appearance, etc. It doesn't tell everything but it is a tool. T has mentioned my body language a lot. She knows when she asked how I am doing....I pretty much always answer "okay". Sometimes she will say, "okay, now how are you really doing?" I just want my clothing to tell her things but in reality I know it is a tool they use.

[Bipolar Warrior]

Originally Posted by nottrustin

She has mentioned a couple of times really liking something I am wearing. She has also made comments about liking the color I am wearing on me. Both of these only started after we had been working together for a few years.

As far as the judging, I know T doesn't really care about what I wear. She really isn't a clothes person. I work in pscyh and know that often times ones appearance is one indicator of how one is doing. I know they assess ones body language, appearance, etc. It doesn't tell everything but it is a tool. T has mentioned my body language a lot. She knows when she asked how I am doing....I pretty much always answer "okay". Sometimes she will say, "okay, now how are you really doing?" I just want my clothing to tell her things but in reality I know it is a tool they use.

None of my therapists seem to care either, I don't see why they would. My uni therapist once said as a general comment that I dress well, as proof that I am "functioning" or something (not that I am doing well emotionally or anything, just that I am able to get up and get dressed, hah). I sometimes try to argue that I am not a functioning adult, and she said that to contradict me. She also once made a comment when I showed up to a session having cut off two thirds of my hair. My private therapist didn't say anything, which I found really interesting.

[skeksi]

When I come from work, I wear whatever I had on that day. I do make sure not to wear skirts on T days--I usually sit with my legs up or crisscrosses and a skirt would make me sit very formally!

If I am going to T from home, I wear something that feels comfortable and safe--usually a hoodie.

[scorpiosis37]

Originally Posted by skeksi

When I come from work, I wear whatever I had on that day. I do make sure not to wear skirts on T days--I usually sit with my legs up or crisscrosses and a skirt would make me sit very formally!

If I am going to T from home, I wear something that feels comfortable and safe--usually a hoodie.

I distinctly remember wearing a short skirt to T once or twice, forgetting about the fact that I sit on a couch directly across from her. I remember putting my jacket over my lap so as not to flash her by accident!

[SheHulk07]

I wear whatever I feel comfortable in that day. Usually it's a tshirt/tank top and jeans. I've worn scrubs or yoga pants before. I don't do shorts because of scars, but do wear capris now that it's hotter here.

[Nammu]

My clothes do tell Ts how I'm doing and that's just fine with me cause it's less I have to talk about. When I'm getting hyper or manic they are flamboyant, the more depressed I am the more dressed up I am, it's a mask against the world, when I'm getting paranoid I wear black baggy clothes. I don't need to say what my mood is cause they know and I can concentrate on whatever the issue at hand is. No wasted time on " how are you feeling stuff"

T

[musinglizzy]

Wintertime....usually jeans (or sweatpants) and a hoodie.
This time of year usually shorts and a t-shirt or tank top.
But I have gone in in scrubs, or pajama bottoms (fleecy ones with prints, you can tell they're PJ's. I've never dressed up to go to therapy.

ETA, my T is a really cute dresser. She's always fairly dressy.... only once did I see her dressed down, and that was when she set up an appointment for me right after teaching a yoga class. But she's usually in shorter skirts and cute tops, and pretty much ALWAYS in heels. I honestly don't care what I look like going to therapy, but I do go in clean clothes, always. My T has never seen me dressed up, or with make up on, or even my hair done. I usually have it completely down, the "just out of the shower look," or back in a ponytail. She has commented on my clothes before. I always sit with my feet/legs up on the couch, so I dress comfortably. I wear hoodies whenever I can, because I just feel naked/exposed without it. Sometimes her office is on the cooler side, so if I'm wearing a tank top, I usually bring a a hoodie anyway.