Not only can Western society’s work ethic be rigid, but so can our clothing.  There’s a reason that casual Friday was invented—it’s because we finally followed our intuition that uncomfortable clothing restricts our energy flow!  In the 70’s movie Tootsie, Dustin Hoffman dresses up as a woman to get a job.  While he’s donning women’s apparel he says something akin to, “Who’s the misogynist bastard who invented high heels?!”  In my opinion, high heels and bras are tangible proof of evil.  Wearing high heels on a regular basis can cause serious foot problems such as hammertoes, bunions, corns, calluses, Achilles problems, growth of nerve tissue called neuromas, and even stress fractures.[i]  And that’s just your feet!  High heels also cause knee osteoarthritis; they place abnormal stress on the front and back of the knee, increasing pressure by 22 to 26 percent.  Although wide heels are slightly better for your feet, they’re just as bad for your knees.[ii]  And that’s not to mention that high heels also cause lower back problems, poor posture and spinal misalignment.  Save high heels for special occasions—such as attending the Oscars. 

As for bras, if you work in a home office and put on a bra every morning, you need to have your head checked! As a matter of fact, the more hours a woman wears a bra, the higher her chances are of developing breast cancer; that’s because bras restrict circulation throughout the lymph system.[iii]  Men have it rough, too.  Ties can choke.  My husband will attest that wearing a suit jacket when it is 90 degrees outside is nothing short of torture.   

Being comfortable doesn’t mean you have to look like a slob.  Try going without a tie; just wear an oxford with a suit jacket if you need to be more presentable for a meeting.    Wear comfortable dress shoes.  Make sure your pants aren’t too tight, especially around the waist.  This can constrict blood flow and cause headaches.  The decreasing levels of estrogen during menopause shifts women’s weight from the thighs and hips to the waist.  Likewise, the decline in testosterone caused by andropause concentrates men’s weight in the abdomen.[iv]  Although these natural mid-life processes can be overcome with diet and exercise, be realistic.  Your body changes as you get older; dress accordingly.