I’ve written a lot about some of my favorite hacks and energy-savers for flare-days, including beauty tips, pain-free jewelry, and ways to save energy showering. What I haven’t spent a lot of time discussing is flare day outfits.

It’s not that we can’t survive in our comfiest pjs indefinitely–we certainly can! But if you are still in the workplace, need to leave home for appointments or other things, or just want to change out of the usual flannels, sometimes it’s nice to have inspiration for flare day-safe outfits you could wear.

So, in that vein, here are a few of my favorite recommendations for flare day outfits.

Stretchy Sundress

_{The author, in a yellow buttoned midi dress and blue button shirt tied in the front, stands with her husband (in black t shirt and gray shorts) beneath an Austin Barbecue sign. Photo credit: Livable by Design}

I’m not really a shorts girl, so when warm weather rolls around, I love to wear dresses whenever I can. But no one likes to be fussy and uncomfortable. So, whether I’m having a good day or a flare day, I especially love a good stretchy dress.

The yellow one in the picture above (taken in Austin, by the way!) is one I’ve had for a few years. I like to wear it on its own as a sundress, but I also tend to wear it a lot with my button-up shirt tied in the front. I lean toward a retro flair, which that outfit has in abundance, but beyond that, it’s just really comfortable.

I have a few other dresses made from jersey-type material (think, t-shirt material), and they’re really comfortable. I can nap in them, too, which is a must for me.

Skirt and Tights

_{The author, wearing a knit yellow cardigan, short denim skirt, sweater tights, and boots, stands in a snowy backyard}. _{Photo credit: Livable by Design}

Continuing in the same vein as the stretchy dress, I do love a good skirt and tights. I happen to find tights really comfortable (and also easy to wear for napping), and I really enjoy wearing a simple skirt with tights. I can pair them with boots, leather oxfords, or dress them up with fancier shoes. On top, I’ve worn sweaters, sweatshirts, button-down shirts, even t-shirts! They’re super versatile, super comfortable, and they look dressier and fancier than the effort that goes into them.

Cardigan

_{The author poses in a hallway wearing a knotted headband, multicolor-flecked navy cardigan, light gray shirt, skinny jeans, and red flats. Photo credit: Livable by Design}

If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you may have seen me post from time to time about knitting. I LOVE to knit, and I especially like making clothes for myself (and for my kids when they were younger). In the last few years, I’ve really liked making cardigans that I can layer with my clothes. In addition to be soft, warm, and comfortable, they give me something to work on when I need to rest.

The yellow sweater in the section above was a recent project. So was this navy blue cardigan with all kinds of colored flecks. It may be my favorite ever, just because it matches with everything! I’ve worn it over t-shirts, dresses, long sleeved shirts, etc. And I’ve paired it with jeans, leggings, skirts, you name it. It doesn’t get much more versatile–or more comfortable. Even if you’re not a knitter, there are all kinds of great sweaters out there to choose from.

Plaid Shirt

_{The writer sits on a red couch with a laptop resting on her legs, holding a gray cat. She wears a button-down wool plaid shirt, black t-shirt, and black leggings. Photo credit: Livable by Design}

Last year, my mom bought me a wool plaid button-down shirt in memory of my grandfather, who always used to keep wool plaid shirts at his cottage for us to wear around the campfire. I practically wore it out last year! In addition to the sentimental value it had for me, it was just really practical and comfortable. It was super warm, it added a little bit of color, and it was soft enough to wear while I rested.

Like some of these other options, it was also really versatile. I could wear it buttoned or unbuttoned, with all kinds of different shirts underneath. It paired well with skinny jeans, bootcut, leggings, skirt and tights… If I’d had a comfy black dress, I might have even tried it over that.

As a general rule, I’ve found that having a couple of flexible button-up shirts is just really practical. If you’ve seen many pictures of me, you’ve likely spotted me wearing the blue shirt in the first picture in this post in any variety of ways: over dresses, with shorts, with leggings, with jeans… It just pairs well with so many things and looks effortlessly stylish. The same is true of pieces like this plaid shirt.

Leggings and Comfy Jeans

_{The author poses in front of a mirror wearing a long orange cardigan, printed gray t-shirt, and skinny jeans. Photo credit: Livable by Design}

Yes, I know things like leggings and skinny jeans are on their way out. To be honest, I was a slow adopter when they first arrived on the scene. But when it comes to being comfortable (and spending your day transitioning from your bed to the couch), there is nothing better out there!

I don’t have to tell you that you can pair them with just about everything, either. As you’ve seen in the above pictures, they work well with anything from t-shirts to blouses to sweatshirts to cute cardigans. They really are the best! I have my bootcut and wider-cut pants, but on flare days, these will still be the things I reach for…

Comfortable, No-Fuss Shoes

_{The author’s feet are shown against a hardwood floor, wearing slip-on shoes with Betty and Veronica (from Archie comics) comic strips. Photo credit: Livable by Design}

I wrote an entire post dedicated to shoes that are best for chronic illness, but when I’m having a bad day I want something comfortable, easy to put on, and–let’s be honest–fun. I tend to need the little things that bring a smile especially on my bad days, so whenever possible I like to choose items that I really love. I wore these Archie shoes out completely, but they were so fun while they lasted!

What are the clothing items you keep on hand for the bad days? I’d love to hear about them in the comments below!