Today, like every day, I woke up, got out of bed, and went to my wardrobe to get dressed. And then I thought: Oh wait, why should I even get dressed? If I have to stay all day at home because of the coronavirus lockdown, I would rather just stay comfy in my pajamas. Seriously, what’s the point of changing clothes? I won’t go anywhere and no one will see me. So I stayed in my pajamas and very quickly noticed that I was demotivated and unproductive all day.
Does that sound familiar to you? What we put on or not put on in the morning can have a huge impact on our mood throughout the day. For some people dressing up during the coronavirus lockdown can be even more challenging then usual. They might find it difficult to decide what to wear and how to get motivated to dress up. If you are part of them I hope the following tips will help you to dress up and feel your best when you’re stuck at home.
Me, trying to decide whether to wear a fun dress for a party of one
1. Do it for yourself
The reason many of us stay in our pajamas all day during the quarantine is that we dress up to be accepted and liked by others. It is totally okay that we want to look presentable but we shouldn’t forget that we dress up also for ourselves and not only for others.
I think coronavirus quarantine can be a great opportunity to learn to put ourselves first when it comes to clothing. If you dress up even when you are not seeing anybody, it also means that you appreciate and value yourself. This can lead to a more fulfilling and joyful day. I think you will also feel the impact of this practice after the lockdown. If you continue to dress up primarily for yourself, you will feel less pressure and more confidence.
2. Wear the same things as you usually do
When I decided to change my pajamas the question came immediately: but what to wear? Something loose? Or rather something formal? Well, don’t complicate it too much and just put on the same things as you would wear outside.
Let’s say you used to go to work every morning but now you are working from home (#WFH). If you normally work in a shirt and jeans, don’t put on a T-shirt and pants just because you work from home. It can help a lot to stay focused on your tasks and increase your productivity. Dressing up as usual can be also good for keeping your routines. For example if you used to change clothes in the afternoon to go to the gym, by changing clothes you might be motivated do some bodyweight trainings at home. Oh and don’t forget to put back your pajamas before going to bed!
No one sees you wearing that cute outfit, but you know—and that counts.
3. Try new styles
This might sound a bit contradictory to point 2. But trust me, if you combine them well you will feel amazing. Do you always wear the same type of clothes? Have you had the same hairstyle and makeup look for years? If that’s the case, I invite you to take advantage of the quarantine and try something new!
You don’t have to think about something hard and complicated. If you always wear elegant clothes. today wear something sporty. retro. or extravagant. If you always have your hair straight try wearing it curly. Be brave. use your imagination and surprise yourself! It increases your creativity and helps you to look at the whole dressing up process as a self-care ritual and not as an obligatory task to accomplish. The best thing is that you don’t have to worry about your mistakes. If you don’t like it, you simply won’t do it again. I also encourage you to pay attention of how you feel in your new style during the day. Does it make you feel comfortable, confident, or rather inconvenient and frustrated? You can get to know your own style and personality better. It can be useful later on in the outside world too.
4. Decide it the night before
It can happen with many of us that when we wake up we are already thinking about the tasks we have to accomplish that day. So sometimes we prefer not even wasting a minute on clothing. To prevent this it can be a great idea to decide about it the night before. Before going to bed you can just take a few minutes thinking about what are you planning to do and wear next day. If you need you can also prepare your outfit so the next morning you can just put it on and you’re ready. This can also help you to be more organized not only with clothing but with your tasks too.
5. Organize your wardrobe
One bonus tip for the end: If you feel that you your closet is a mess and it’s difficult to find there something, quarantine time could be a great opportunity to tidy it up. This period can also help you realize what clothes do you enjoy wearing and which ones stayed there for years without touching. It can create space in your wardrobe as well as in your mind.
Also by Adrienn: Why You Should Practice Acroyoga—Now More Than Ever
Life Lessons I Learned When I Lost My Job
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Photo: Adrienn Gyetko; Laura Chouette via Unsplash
